Date: February 29, 2000

Dear Blues Fans:

The biggest highlight for any tour is the opportunity to play music with old friends. Two very special nights stand out from our recent west coast swing.

Hopefully, everyone reading this is familiar with West Coast blues artist, James Armstrong. I've known James about 20 years, since our early days in Los Angeles, and he's always been HOT! His path however, has not been an easy one, and I've watched him overcome many obstacles, personally and professionally. After finally releasing his debut album on High Tone Records, James was severly injured, (this is a story in itself, which I will let James tell), and lost the use of his left arm and hand. As a guitar player first, singer-songwriter second, James was devastated, as were all of us, his friends. To think about it, I realized it would be my worst nightmare.

Support flooded in from all his friends and the great folds at Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, but there was no way for him to avoid deep depression and frustration while trying to rehab the arm and hand, hoping to get even the slightest use out of it. During this time James reached deep into his soul for courage and wrote an album's worth of material, learning to transfer the passion he once channeled through his guitar playing to his voice. The album is called Dark Night, again on High Tone, and is absolutely beautiful. During this time, James would always come out and sit in and sing some tunes with me when we'd play at Moe's. His courage to carry on, and jump up on stage, naked (without a guitar!) would always move me deeply.

As James regained a little use of the left hand, he began learning to play slide guitar. But to my total surprise, this time James strapped on his guitar, set up his amp, and announced that he was playing again!

I couldn't believe it!! Though he still has only partial use of his hand, he is working lik a dog to get his chops back And as we began to swap licks back and forth on stage, I felt tears building up in my eyes. James was ripping!! Each lick seared into me and pulled at my soul! James is back folks, and now with deeper soul and conviction than ever!!

Check him out!

The next night at the Blue Cafe who showed up but my closest, dearest, blues buddy - Coco Montoya! Coco came up and played the entire second set with me to the delight of audience and band alike. He's such a great rhythym player, that I don't know what I enjoyed more; being backed up by his funky grooves, or our feisty but friendly guitar duels. Again my soul was filled to the brim with the kind of satisfaction that only comes from sharing the stage with players you love and admire.

I got really lucky, because both James and Coco were about to leave town with their own tours. Coco, of course, is touring in support of his latest Alligator release, Suspicion.