Dan Roark

Dear Capital One,

At first it was kind of flattering that you wanted to touch base with me so often with costly envelopes. Then it saddened me that you began to send the same costly envelopes to my sons. Then to my wife under a business name of mine that she has nothing to do with.

I recycle, so there’s that, but why are you wasting your money? I do not have a credit card with you, nor do I want one. So please stop.

One more thing – I have seen most of Samuel L. Jackson’s movies. I like Samuel L. Jackson. But I don’t watch his movies any more because I am tired of his voice. That is also your fault. But I’m still tired of it.

And it’s none of your damn business what is in my wallet.

Dan Roark

Peace be with you.

While my live cd, Peace Be With You, has been available on my website – www.danroark.com – it was just recently released to all other outlets. The first seven songs were recorded at various times by Carlos Sanchez at Poor David’s Pub. The last song is a studio recording of What the Lord Intends, a song I wrote about Sack Summer Hunger that was mixed and mastered by my son, Conner.

The title song is a song I wrote about the shooting of the police officers at the peaceful protest in downtown Dallas in the summer of 2016.

I wanted to get it released before the release of my new EP, Hello Out There, in early July. Check out Peace Be With You on my website, CDBaby, and the usual places. Some sites insist you put Daniel rather than just Dan since my copyrights and such are in my full name, Daniel Lee Roark. Feel free to like, subscribe, share, etc.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

David Crosby and band

As a sustaining member of KXT 91.7, I opt in for all of the drawings they have. Occasionally, I win. As in the case of the drawing a few months ago for tickets to see David Crosby on Sunday the 20th at the Granada Theater. I received an email from Lauren Menking in the marketing and communications department at KXT, saying that myself and the others blind copied on the email had won two tickets each. With the show on May 20 and our 26th anniversary on the 25th, Cyndy and I thought it made for a good time to go ahead and celebrate.

Cyndy and I saw Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young at Texas Stadium in 1974. We were there with other people, but we were all friends. Cyndy and I were friends in high school and dated after I graduated and she was a senior. The story of the years between then and when we got married is a story for the actual anniversary post.

I’ve seen the different formations of the band over the years. I’ve seen Neil Young  numerous times. I’ve seen CSN when they were at the top of their game. I’ve seen them when they had to prop Crosby up and have someone sing for him backstage. A friend of mine was the sound man at Cardi’s. I was there before David Crosby’s show the night he was busted. I got a weird vibe about the situation – wasn’t hard to do at Cardi’s – and I left. I wasn’t wrong.

Cyndy and I didn’t know exactly what to expect this time, but we knew it would be a good show. Again, I wasn’t wrong. You would be hard pressed to find a show that was so complete. At least as complete as only two hour long sets can be.

They played songs that punctuated David’s life and career. He played Guinnevere in the first set. He also played a song by his son, James Raymond, who was playing keyboard and adding vocals. We didn’t know until the end of the show that he was David’s son. Jeff Pevar was on guitar and vocals, Mai Agan on bass, Stevie D on drums, and Michelle Willis on keyboard and vocals.

The second set was better than the first. No doubt planned that way. They played more songs from the CPR band and David’s newer songs. As I was wondering when he was going to play the song, he put on his Stratocaster and began playing Wooden Ships. A short while later, Crosby said he “loved [his] country, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the whole thing.” Then they played My Country Tis of Thee, a patriotic song he did with Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

He ended the show by saying, “we’re borrowing a song from a friend.” Then they played a great version of Neil Young’s Ohio, with all of us singing along.

An excellent show and perfect ending to a 26th Anniversary evening – having started with dinner at Desperados.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Dweezil Zappa and Ryan Brown

I had been waiting for Dweezil Zappa to play at House of Blues since November. Which was when Dweezil’s drummer, Ryan Brown, played on my songs when I recorded in LA in November with my son, Conner, producing.

Not so incidentally, the first of two five song EPs that we recorded will be released within the next few weeks – Hello Out There. Ryan did a great job on my songs, as did Lou Castro, L.A. session bassist, and I was looking forward to seeing him play the massive drum set he plays with Dweezil.

I, and the rest of those in the audience, were not disappointed. It was an excellent show. And Ryan was impressive on the drums, as the other performers were on their respective instruments. The songs they played of Frank’s I recognized. But all songs were played exceptionally well. It was a kickass show.

When I walked into the room before the show, I was getting ready to send Ryan a message to let him know I was there. Before I had a chance to get my phone out, I looked up and there he was with his friend, Collin, who had also come to see the show. We talked for a few minutes before Ryan had to go get ready. He was going to come out when the show was over. But when they played a two song encore, it was getting late and I didn’t want to hang around until the after show backstage activities were over. I sent him a message telling him the show was excellent and I’d see him later.

On my way back to my car – as I do every time I’m down there – I remembered that HOB is in the old White Swan building. When I was working at Famous Ramos Hot Dog Place that was in mall food courts in the early 80’s, when the stores needed more pretzels, I would drive down to the basement dock at the White Swan building and get as many boxes as my car would carry. Famous Ramos, and other companies, paid them for freezer space. That was when the only thing in what would become the West End was the Old Spaghetti Warehouse.

Things change. But sometimes it’s kind of nice to remember what it was like then. I know the memories floating around in the ether would appreciate it.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Kelley as Auntie Em (center)

Anyone that knows me, knows that when things get weird, I’m apt to look up and say “Auntie Em, Auntie Em.” Mainly because I would feel pretty damn stupid clicking my heels. Neither of which proves to be very effective. Things still get weird.

That said, wouldn’t you figure that my granddaughter, Kelley Strockbine, would play Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz at her school, Homestead Elementary on Saturday, May 5. Encore Kids is a company that teaches acting to elementary students in schools which lack the resources.

Kelley also played one of the Lullaby League Munchkins and part of an Ensemble. All the kids did a very good job. The sound could have been louder, but everyone got the gist of it. After all, we’ve heard the story. It was a cute interpretation.

The Lion was a substitute from another school. The girl that played the lion at Homestead woke up with appendicitis and had to be rushed to the hospital. By show time at 4:30 p.m. (I understood why it was that late on a Saturday, but still wasn’t real pleased), she no longer had her appendix and was doing well.

As I said, it was a cute interpretation of the Wizard of Oz. All the children did a very good job. And kudos to Encore Kids for helping to keep arts in the elementary schools.

Cast of Oz

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriter series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at Raphael’s Mexican Restaurant was on the patio and the weather was good, as was the music and food.

JP Campbell

JP Campbell

Don Wall

Don Wall

Dan Roark

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself – give your day a boost. Look where they’re playing and go see them in person and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriters Series show that I, Dan Roark, hosted on Sunday at Malarkey’s Tavern began to go awry on Saturday. Cyndy and I were at the EarthX event at Fair Park. On the way back to Fair Park Station I hit a slick spot on the wet walkway and went tumbling. Damn the concrete came up fast!

As if that wasn’t enough, I slid along the pavement. Not only did I fall on my knee, but the slid took skin off of two places on my right hand. It was that part of the pavement at Fair Park that looks like it has hundreds of pebbles glued to it – double-whammy.

With effort I stood up and waited for the tremendous pain

Terry Bloss

in my knee to subside enough to be able to limp. We started walking again when I realized I had sprained my left wrist. Then I saw the blood dripping from my right hand in two places. With the napkins Cyndy had I managed to get the blood to stop to a point. After washing my hand off and putting on bandaids when we arrived home, I checked to see if I could still play guitar. It hurt, but I could play with the pain.

[Due to time constraints, we move ahead in the game.]

When I woke up on Sunday, I was sore in places I had not previously known existed. A software issue meant I couldn’t stream the show live. I had planned to record it anyway, but had to adjust my method at the last minute. One of the performers had a migraine and couldn’t make it. One other person I hadn’t

John Mason

heard back from at show time. But John Mason and Terry Bloss were there at showtime. Rob Case was on the way.

I started the show a little after 2 p.m. I played for a little over half an hour when I was through playing with the pain. Terry Bloss followed me. John Mason took the stage next, and Rob Case closed out the show. All three performers went above and beyond, playing longer sets than they had planned – covering the missing performers and my inability to play again due to soreness and pain.

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself. It will be time well spent. Also see where they are playing live so you can go see them play and support live music. Contact me if you

Rob Casef

would like to play on future TexasSelectRadio.com live radio shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Texas Songwriter Series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at the Wyndham Garden Dallas North hotel in the lobby bar was an interesting evening in a unique venue with some good music. Shaun opened the show.

Shaun Outen

Rae Marks

Rae Marks

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Jeff Stachowski

Jeff Stachowski

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

It was a great show. Follow the links and listen to their music for yourself – you will not regret it. Make a note of when they play, go hear them, and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Let’s make no mistake – most Mondays suck. Since it is the first of the week for everybody, everyone wants to share their particular suckiness with the rest of the world. I’d like to say that it’s hard to blame them because it’s their job, but I can’t.

There is a guy that mows yards on our block. And other places I’m sure, but that is not of my concern. Over the years, he has changed days. First on Wednesdays, then on Tuesdays, now, as you would figure, Monday. He could have even started with Thursday, but I’ve slept way too many nights since then.

He has also varied times – from annoying to pain in the ass. Almost always before noon. I understand (a little) when it gets up into the 90s on a regular basis. But it’s still cooler now and I wish he would take that into account.

I could even live with all of that – having to do with mowing. But the leaf blowers drive me crazy. Forget that the only thing they do is blow. Forget the fact that, here in Farmers Branch anyway, it’s against city code. The grass doesn’t just magically disappear. It just goes somewhere else – including our yard.

I’ve paid attention to other instances around the neighborhood – they thankfully happen after I get up. I’ve come to the conclusion that they either have no clue how to operate a leaf blower, or they just want to make the homeowner think they’re working harder than they are. Either way, the dogs in the neighborhood – including our two – begin to loudly protest the sound of the leaf blowers.

Then when I got up, everybody and their uncle began to call, email, message, or text – preventing me from accomplishing anything else, including waking up. Like I say, some Mondays suck more than others.

Then I woke up this morning – on Tuesday – with a headache that hung around for most of the day. Do some Tuesdays suck more than others as well, or can I still blame that on Monday? I wonder.

Peace be with you.

I just can’t quit Thin Mints (insert your personal Girl Scout cookie choice). I certainly can’t “eat just one” as the saying goes. Usually, I barely hear about the cookies in time to buy any. Or one of our sons buys a few boxes and we get to share.

This year, I was determined to stock up. I was about to go into Walmart when they were starting to sell them. I bought four boxes of Thin Mints. I gave Cyndy a box, and I had a box, and I put two boxes back. It wasn’t but a couple of days or so when the first two were gone.

The next time I went into Walmart on a weekend, I bought four more boxes of Thin Mints. The last two boxes of the first four were going quickly. But now we had four boxes to spare. But, despite putting them in the freezer – out of sight and out of mind – they still were going. Not as quickly, but definitely steadily.

Then it began to be harder to find a sales location. The list of cookie sales sites on the Girl Scout website helped. One Saturday, I went to the wrong Half-Price books. The next Saturday, our son, Cameron, and I made another cookie run. This time I bought five boxes. Between the two of us, we bought them out of Thin Mints.

I put all five boxes in the freezer. I had seven boxes. I’m not sure how many Cameron had. So, to this point, Cyndy and I had gone through four boxes. That does not include the box my Mom gave us. Cyndy and I tried on another Saturday, but apparently they were out because no one was there.

I don’t know how long the remaining boxes will last. But once a box is open, its life is short. I know, though, that my question will not be answered again this year.

How many boxes would it take to last until next year? While I still don’t know, I do know that it is quite a few more boxes than just fourteen.

The other question I would like to know is – could I afford enough Thin Mints to last until next year?

Damn the Girl Scouts and their cookies!

Peace be with you.