15th Annual Rowan Blues & Jazz Festival

This coming Saturday, Oct. 19- come & hear our groups from Rufty-Holmes & High Rock perform at the 15th annual Rowan Blues & Jazz Festival.   We are to appear at appx. 2:15 p.m.

Bob @ The Buskers Bash

Busker's Bash- Friday, Oct. 4th

I was privileged to perform at the 1st Annual Busker's Bash in downtown Salisbury this past Friday, October 4th from 6-8 pm.   I was located on E. Innes Street in front of the Bangkok Downtown.

Bob @ The Buskers Bash

  

  I was joined by a surprise friend -- Teresa Hulce -- on vocals.   If you happened by to listen to us, you probably saw something like this!  (see pic)  Thanks for coming out & supporting me and  all of the musicians!

Original Songs Downloaded to YouTube

I'm happy to say that live versions of several of my original songs have been downloaded to my YouTube channel.

     They are--

1 "Squirrel's World" (a catchy bluegrass tune about the little animals in my yard);

2 "Cat's Wail" (a bluesy guitar instrumental) ;

3 "Set Me Free" (a bluesy prayer to God) ;  &

4 "Snooze" (a sarcastic, soulful look at sleep).

• You can find all of them here-- http://www.youtube.com/what0about0bob

These were all recorded in August "live" at The Inn, a Christian night spot in Salisbury, NC. 

I'd like to personally thank Melinda Watkins for recording these songs and making them available for downloading to YouTube.

  I just noticed that there is a lot of "lag time" at the beginning of songs, where I either chattered or made a mistake and started the song over.   I hope to "edit" these to trim the time length of the songs down a bit;  until then, I apologize for making you watch the "unedited" versions.   At least, you get to see the "raw uncut" performance for now.

Hope you enjoy them !  =)

My Guitar is My Friend

   I'll be honest with you.   I have a Love-Hate relationship with my guitar.   The title of this blog is "My Guitar is My Friend".. and it is..  really.   I love my guitar.  Very much.  If I had to pick one thing that I would take with me, if I were to go to a deserted island.. well, it would probably be one of my guitars.  The second thing(s) would probably be a CD player and a collection of my favorite disks.  

   You know that something is a "favorite thing" when you keep on going back to it over and over, and over again.   And you know because, when you really need a "fix", it always comes through for you.  I've often been lonely, or frustrated, or a combination of the two, and found that my guitar provided an outlet that not so many other things do.. a way for me to work out my feelings and emotions through a musical instrument.

  I love that my guitar is portable.  I do not have to "go-to" my guitar.  I can bring it with me, wherever I go.  I can always have it with me, or nearby, to pick up.  When I want to hang out and play some music, my guitar is always there.  It's always available to me.

  And yet-- even though I love my guitar-- sometimes I hate it.   It's done nothing to me to really deserve this feeling.   Of course- it's an inanimate object, right ?   Sometimes I wonder. And I can't really pin this on the guitar.   Not like I might be able to on a particular person that I find annoying or irritating.  But sometimes, it just wears on me.

  I've gotten to know my guitar really well over the years.  We've shared a lot of experiences together, good and bad.   But I think the one thing that bothers me the most about my guitar is that-  it reflects me.   It's like a mirror or perfect picture of myself.   And so, when I'm feeling on top of the world, or excited and joyful, my guitar seems that way to me.  But when I'm down or frustrated about something in my life, my guitar also reflects that.  

  In a couple of weeks, I'm getting the opportunity to play for the first time in a festival, the local Blues & Jazz Festival.   I'm looking forward to it.   I've got some friends and students that are joining me to play for it.   We're picking out some nice jazzy/bluesy songs.  But if the truth be told, most of the blues that has come out of my guitar has never found a song title or a place of performance.  It's been those quiet, subtle moments in the middle of the night when I've picked up my guitar and twanged out a seventh chord, or did a string bend.

  I think all relationships have a "ying" and "yang", a plus and minus, a good and bad.  And what's cool is even in the bad moments, my guitar seems to come through for me.  Because it allows me an outlet for those feelings.  And while the situation may not seem so good at the moment, somehow after awhile it starts to get better.

  Thank you, Friendly-Guitar-180, for being my good and trusted friend for so many years.   Here's to many, many more.

View "Squirrel's World" Video

OK- it's time to go & help your 'ole pal Bob out.. VIEW my VIDEO.. "Squirrel's World"

HERE'S THE LINK :

http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=90153&sitesection=salisbury&VID=25132319

http://www.rowansenioridol.com/

You can VIEW it as many times as you wish.  If you choose to watch ALL of the videos, please go back and view mine more than once, because if you don't, all you do is neutralize your vote for me.

The more VIEWS, the more chance I have of winning the Contest & the Grand Prize !

THANKS Everyone !!

New Guitar Pics

My photographer friend was nice enough to do an informal Photo Shoot with me while we were together at a birthday party the other night.

  Here are the Results.  What do you think ?   Please let me know...

  Which is your favorite pic ?

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRED OSTWALT

Watch "Squirrel's World" Video

WATCH MY SONG VIDEO



 In just a few days, a Live Video of my song "Squirrel's World" will be available for viewing online.  It was filmed recently at a local competition called "Senior Idol" where I performed and competed with other local singers and artists with various talents.

 To read more about this, please CLICK on "Guitar Guy" or "Guitar Gigs". There will be a WEB LINK at those locations in the next few days for you to go view my video and also "LIKE" it, which will help me to win the contest and a $100 cash prize.

  I already have another song, an instrumental blues tune called "Cat's Wail", on my YouTube channel.   Just CLICK here under "Guitar Guy" or "Guitar Googles" to find a Video link.