Eric Addington: News

I haven't been doing much performing lately, but when my friend Scott Curfman emailed about opening the Eric Taylor show in Fargo I couldn't refuse. Eric is a legendary singer songwriter from Texas and sharing the stage with him is always an honor. Find out more about Eric at www.bluerubymusic.com. Here are the show details:

July 17th, 2008
The Spirit Room
Fargo, ND
7:30 PM
www.spiritroom.net

I'd better start practicing now since I haven't played a show in so long. Hope you can make it out.
Best,
Eric

Hey everyone...or at least the one that reads this website. My friend Brooks West has a new EP out that is utterly amazing. Be a pal and go visit Brooks at: www.myspace.com/brookswest. Send him a message asking where you might be able to pick up one of these gems. While your at his myspace page, you can listen to the tunes from the EP. Wonderful.

Okay...I said I'd be back to tell you about some of the music I've been listening to and enjoying recently.

1. Raising Sand - this is the album put out by Allison Krause and Robert Plant. It's produced by T-Bone Burnett and like most things he does, it's great. My favorite track right now is "Killing the Blues" I want a pedal steel guitar.

2. The Story - this is Brandi Carlisle's lastest...also produced by T-Bone Burnett. The songs are great and her vocals are really strong. I particularly like the last song which I can't recall the title of right now.

3. Flyover State - this is the upcoming release by Dave Brusie. Dave and I are in a songwriting group together though you would never guess because neither of us have actually attended for quite some time. Dave's been working on this record for a while and it is now in the final mixing stage. Look for updates on release shows and get yourself a copy when it comes out in May or June.

4. I saw Lucy Kaplansky and Storyhill at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul a week or so ago, and it was sweet. I hadn't seen Lucy before, and she was excellent live. She did perform "10 Year Night" which is one of my favorite tunes by her. Storyhill was excellent as always. By far the highlight of the night was the three of them performing John Gorka's "Gypsy Life" at the end of the show. Damn.

What have you been listening to?

Hello reader. Thanks for stopping by. The spring weather has finally found minnesota and I am glad for it. This winter really seemed to go on and on and on. I think the last of it is behind us.

I've been listening to a lot of music...when I have another minute, I will share what some of that music is. But, now I have to run.

I've been listening to Dan Wilson's new record. It is inspiring to say the least. I really don't have anything else to say about it. Speechless. Yep.

This time of year is my favorite. The windows are open and the fresh chill in the air is really invigorating. I love that feeling in the morning when I know it's cold in the room and I'm warm under the blanket. It's so hard to get out of bed. It's been so dry here in minnesota, the leaves are turning early and probably won't last long. That's the thing with fall...it's so fleeting. Even when we aren't experiencing a drought, it doesn't last long enough for me. Although, maybe there is extra appreciation to be found knowing it's short-lived. In my opinion, a sunny day in the middle of september is tough to beat.

I was in Fargo last weekend catching up with friends. It's always good to get back up there. The agenda is always loose, and it's relaxing to be away from life in the city. I'm heading back to Fargo again today for another weekend to meet up with family. I'm looking forward to the drive. There is something about leaving the city. The drive out of town makes me feel good.

Well so much for keeping up with the web news. Six months have passed with nary a word. The calender is empty. I have been off the grid apparently. Sometimes I think it'd be great to get rid of my cell phone and cancel all my email accounts and website and myspace. I wonder if it's possible to get along without these things anymore. I suppose one could get away without the cell phone, but so much work and business is done via the web now. Recently, in the office, the server crashed early in the afternoon. No email. No web. No way to access programs that share data between departments. We all just went home. We couldn't do anything.

The cell phone would be easier to get along without, but I know as soon as I got rid of mine I'd get stuck on some deserted road with a broken car and a long walk ahead. I recently was qualified for a phone upgrade. I was tempted to get some new tiny shiny thing that took amazing photos and stored more songs and video than I have in my whole collection. I had to stop myself and think about what I use my phone for. I don't even answer it half the time. I have no need to listen to music or watch video on my phone. I'm already too connected to the web to really need or want email and the web on my phone. I just need it to call people. And, occasionally answer when someone else calls.

What's happening musically? Not much. I performed in weddings the past three weekends. They were really great. Wedding gigs always make me nervous. There really isn't any warm-up. They are fun though because it's a big day for a lot of people involved in the wedding. And, it's fun to be on the edge of things watching all the joy.

I did see Greg Brown at the Minnesota State Fair last week. I hadn't seen him in quite awhile. He played with a band and it sounded good. He is such a great songwriter.
His song Blue Car really stuck out from this show. I have always liked that song, but every once in awhile, a song I've heard many times will really pop. It's a great experience to have with a song. It's fun to be suprised by something familiar.

The fall is coming...I can feel it in the air. I love this time of year. It's been hot the past few days, but the heat is fleeting. I'm ready for the new season.

Hi
Sorry to have been so out of touch with the website and the news section in particular. It's interesting how life can move in cycles. I've been feeling disconnected from music for a while. Even after all these years, it is still a little scary and disconcerting when it ebbs and flows. I've heard several artists I admire talk about filling the cup. I think it's an apt metaphor. Sometimes it's good to take time and live a life worth writing and singing about. And, when the cup is full, it's good to go out and play and sing about things that are honest and true. Hopefully someone else can feel that truth. I'm still startled when I feel the cup is empty. I get to the point where I almost decide to hang it up, and then something small keeps me from selling all my equipment and letting go. I guess I haven't learned to really trust the cycle to come round again.

Here's to trusting in something bigger.

Best,
E

Hello all..hope 2007 finds you well. We've gotten a bit of weather the past few days, and it's a bit refreshing to have some january temperatures. It's nice to feel that cold get right in your face for a change. It's been unseasonably warm all winter.

I've been listening to some great old music recently. Some live johnny cash and waylong jennings. Great old songs. I also picked up kris kristofferson's latest cd which is really great. It's very sparsley produced and the writing is excellent.

I'm looking forward to my first performance of 2007 coming up next weekend in Little Falls, MN. I haven't played with the writers in the round for quite some time, and it will be fun to reconnect with them for an evening. I'm debating about the songs I'll play that night. I do have a few newer songs, but I'm not sure if I like them or not yet.

I hope the year is a good one for you. Thanks for checking in, and hope to see you around.
Cheers,
Eric

Wow is it cold.

It's ten minutes to 8. No one is here. Looks like another night playing for the worker at the coffee shop. I'm tempted to not play at all...pack it up and hit the road. I'll probably end up doing a short set and ending early. These dates lately have been hard. Superior was looking bleak till a couple of friends popped in for a bit. I did a short set for them and the very nice girl working before heading back to st. paul. Hibbing was nostalgic. It was a 4 hour bar gig. Background music. I have no problem with those gigs as long as I don't have to do them very often. It was great seeing some old family friends from when I used to live up there. I saw a few folks I hadn't seen in twenty years! I'm hoping Grand Forks on Monday will be a better show. When I was there a few weeks ago, it was great. I'm hoping for a repeat...take my mind off these past few nights.

I love this time of year. I’ve been fortunate to be traveling some in the past couple of weeks, and the colors have been wonderful. From northern Minnesota down through South Dakota and Iowa the leaves have been really amazing. The weather is still warm during the day, yet it gets a little cool in the evenings and there is a change in the air that is hard to describe. I always wish the fall would last a little longer. I’ll be driving to Superior, Wisconsin and Hibbing, Minnesota for shows the next two nights, and I hope the snow we are supposed to see holds off for just a bit.

I played at Café 318 in Excelsior, MN last Saturday evening, and it was a great time. The 318 is an excellent room. The staff were really great and accommodating, the crowd was very attentive and appreciative, and Andy Ulseth (the gentleman I opened for) was really great and gracious. All in all, evenings like that one have been rare for me as of late and I’m really thankful for them when they come along. I hope to have more opportunities to play at the 318 in the near future. I’m happy to open for anyone in that room, and hopefully down the road I’ll have enough of a draw to headline.

Tonight I’ll be at The Red Mug in Superior, WI. I’ve never played there before, and I’m looking forward to the show. They were very accommodating for me being in town on a Tuesday night. A few of the tracks from Dragonfly have been getting some airtime at KUMD in Duluth, so I’m hoping there may be some folks who come out to the show tonight despite it being Tuesday.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you out on the road sometime soon!

Best,
Eric

I just returned from an excellent get-away in northern Minnesota. I spent three days on a lake with family I don't spend enough time with. It was a great time. This time of year in Northern Minnesota is beautiful. Fall is in the air. It's chilly at night and warm during the day. It was good to get out of the city to relax for a bit. And, it's always good to get the road under my wheels. I enjoy so much the time I spend driving the highways around the country. I have a great topographical map of Minnesota that takes me down the gravel roads in the most rural areas of the state. It's fun to get a little lost when there are no deadlines waiting.

The calendar is filling up for the fall. It is shaping up to be the busiest fall I've had in a few years. The tour is taking me to some new venues I haven't played before, as well as some old favorites. I'm hoping to add a few more dates in the next week or two, and then start looking out at 2007.

I'm looking forward to the shows coming up. I haven't played out much this summer. I'm looking forward to focusing in on the songs more and worrying less about the big picture.

I hope you can make it out to a show or two this fall. Stop and say hello!

Be well,
Eric

I drove up to Osceola, Wisconsin yesterday evening to see my friend Justin Roth open for John Gorka in the "Music In The Park" series. It was a great drive. It's only about 45 minutes or so north of where I live and the drive is right along the St. Croix river. The show was excellent. Justin played and sounded great. I hadn't seen him play in some time. It was good catching up a bit. John Gorka was great as per usual. Each time I see him perform, I'm always inspired by his performance. His songwriting really makes me want to practice more and more. His between song banter is great as well. He doesn't talk to much. He has a fun sense of humor. He lets the songs speak for themselves. It's a bit like going to class when I see him perform. I always try and remember aspects of his show to bring into my own. I should start taking better notes.

Justin had just returned from the first annual storyhill festival out in Montana. I thought about going out for it, but never very seriously. There was a day when I would have been first on the list and probably working on the crew, but I feel like I've changed somehow. Chris and John have been hugely influencial on me as a guitar player, songwriter, singer, and performer. They've allowed for me to open countless shows and be a part of their journey. I owe much of the success I've had to them. I'm hoping my lack of involvement lately doesn't appear like a lack of interest or ungratefulness.

I'm not sure what the change is. The pendulum has been swinging pretty far in each direction for me musically of late. On the one hand, I'm really excited about the music I'm working on right now and I'm motivated to get out and play as many shows as possible. On the other hand, I consider hanging up the solo performing end of things all together. I've been doing this for a long time. And, I enjoy playing shows all over the midwest. However, there's a balance to be struck with the purely business end of things. Is it really worthwhile to perform hundreds of miles from home? Financially, the answer is no. But, I've never really done this for financial reasons. Sure, making a little money is nice...breaking even is fine. I'd like to think I'm doing this because I believe in the music I'm playing. I think a refocus is what I need. I get too caught up in what other people are doing. Maybe this is the reason for detaching from the scene I used to be so entrenched in. I need to start focusing on making the best possible and most honest music I can. And, then, let the music call the shots. If it's honest and real, the rest will follow. This is hard to remember and focus on. It's easy for me to get caught up in the frustration when shows don't go well or no one comes out to gigs or I can't get the gigs I want to get or think I should get. I have so many friends that are doing this music business too, and it's easy to see their success' and feel like I'm not really making any progress. I know they all feel the same way. It's a weird business for sure. I'm hoping by focusing on the music more closely and keeping that focus tight, those other things will follow.

Watching John Gorka last night throws into sharp relief the importance of craft. That is where the focus should be.

The summer is flying by! The weather has been beautiful, though I imagine the farmers are wishing for some rain. I've been fortunate to spend some time in North Dakota at Lake Metigoshe this summer. It was great seeing some old friends and meeting some new friends while attending my first Camp Metigoshe All Staff Reunion. I never worked at a camp when I was in college, but it always seemed like such a fun job.

I did have my first experience riding the train a few weeks back. I rode from St. Paul to Rugby, ND. To be sure, it was not a great experience. First, it was late. I was supposed to board at 10:50pm, but I didn't actually get on till closer to 11:30pm. Second, it was incredibly full. All the stories I had heard led me to believe it'd be a quiet, empty train. Alas! I had to share a seat with a woman who decided that my earphones and sunglasses were an invitation to hear her life story. I also had the pleasure of a young girl with no "inside" voice. I don't usually sleep in transit, and riding the train through the middle of the night with no sleep made for a long day. I arrived in Rugby at around 9am. I did manage to listen to most of "The River Why" by David James Duncan on my iPod. It's one of my all-time favorite books, and I highly recommend it along with David James Duncan's other novel "The Brothers K" and short story collection "River Teeth"

I was also able to spend some time at the lake in northern MN this summer. Good fishing and family time!

Now, back to the office to book fall tour dates and prepare for a new recording project. The band is in OMS Studios tracking for a demo, and I'm hoping to track some solo tunes as well. I'm a bit behind the ball for scheduling fall dates. I'll be on the road all over the midwest this fall, and I'm hoping to play as much as possible. I'll have dates on the calendar as soon as they solidify.

I hope your summer has been going splendidly. Keep in touch and thanks for being here.

Eric

The past few days have been full of music, and I love it.

Last Saturday I saw La Guitarra with Patty Larkin, Sharon Isben, and Kaki King. It's a celebration of women guitarists and it was really a great show.

I was able to catch Queen + Paul Rodgers last Sunday night at the Xcel Energy center in St. Paul. It was really a fun show. Thanks to McNally Smith College of Music, I was able to sit about 7 feet from the side of the stage. I tried to shake Paul Rodgers' hand several times, but he wasn't interested. In any case, it was a great evening. I love Queen. They have so many amazing songs, and they played many of them that night. They also did some old Free and Bad Company tunes.

Then, yesterday I had the opportunity to see Vital Information play. It was incredible to say the least. Steve Smith, drummer for Journey, Tom Coster, keyboards for Santana, Frank Gambale, legendary jazz guitarist and Baron Browne, bassist with Bill Frissell among others. What a line up. These guys were smoking. I was absolutely blown away. Seeing Frank Gambale play guitar is definitely one of the most memorable live performances I've seen.

Watching Queen + Paul Rodgers and Vital Information made me want to lock up in a room and practice non-stop and quit all together simultaneously. There is such an amazing amount of music out there, and this week was a good one for me. I was able to see three excellent and completely different shows all within a few days of each other. It's been inspiring to say the least.

I've been listening to John Gorka's music for a long time, and yet I'd never seen him in concert up until a little over a week ago. I noticed he had a show scheduled in Eau Claire the weekend before last, and I managed to sneak away for it. It was a remarkable show, and John really has an excellent all around performance. His between stage banter is great fun, and his songs are absolutely brilliant. He played two of my all time favorites "I Saw A Stanger With Your Hair" and "Love Is Our Cross To Bear" I also met esteemed luthier Gordy Bischoff who makes beautiful guitars. Check out www.bischoffguitars.com for some pictures of his work. It was great chatting about music with Gordy and his wife Alice who have been helping out with the great concert series at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eau Claire for 15 years.

I'm hoping to see some great shows this year. 2005 was good, and I'm hoping 2006 is even better. As a performer, I find attending other folks' shows is a great learning experience for me. I find myself stealing bits here and there from performers' stage shows just like I steal bits and pieces from their songs when I write and play. it's always fun trying these bits and pieces on in my own voice to see how they change.

Here are some of my 2005 favorites in no particular order...send me your lists too.

Favorite Shows of 2005
Nickel Creek - Orpheum Theater; Minneapolis, MN

The Hopefuls - Fitzgerald Theater; St. Paul, MN

Loudon Wainwright III and David Wilcox - MN Zoo; Apple Valley, MN

Todd Snider - Cedar Cultural Center; Minneapolis, MN

Nanci Griffith - Fargo Theater; Fargo, ND

Dougie Maclean - Theatre du Mississippi; Winona, MN

Phil Keaggy - Benson Great Hall; Arden Hills, MN

Eric Taylor - Great Northern; Fargo, ND

Favorite Albums of 2005

Sexsmith & Kerr - Destination Unknown

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (Jon Brion Version)

Imogen Heap - Speak for Yourself

Nickel Creek - Why Should the Fire Die?

Eric Taylor - Great Divide

2005 is coming to a close, and it's been a good year. I've been going back over the shows I played this year, and it's been fun looking back. In all, I drastically cut back on the number of shows I played. I think I played 38 shows in 2005. In years past it had been closer to 100 shows per year. I guess I have mixed feelings about cutting back. It's nice being home a bit more, and I find I've had more time to work on new songs some. On the other hand, I really enjoy playing shows and I wish I had played some more. Finding a balance between working on new material and performing has always been hard for me. My 2006 schedule only has one show booked right now. I'm hoping to finish a bunch of new songs that I've been working on for a while early on this year, and then I'm hoping to have a busy tour schedule again.

Thanks to all of you who have been so supportive this past year. All the folks who buy records and come to performances really make this pursuit worthwhile. I appreciate the emails of encouragement a great deal. It's always nice to know someone is listening.

I realized winter had arrived yesterday when I watched my car slide backwards out of my driveway. It didn't hit anything, thankfuly. I thought it was pretty funny actually. It's been a cold few days in Minnesota. Though, I have to say St. Paul is tropical compared to Fargo/Moorhead where the interstates have already been closed several times. I can't say I miss the wind up there.

Musically things have been interesting. You may have noticed my schedule recently has become quite sparse. This is sort of intentional. I'm feeling really excited about some of the projects in line right now, but most of them don't involve performances right now. It seems strange to me to have so much music going on and yet no shows coming up. This is the first break in touring that I've taken in as long as I can remember. Not that I tour all that much to begin with, but I usually have several shows per month booked out. After my January 6th show in Bemidji with Lance Benson, I have nothing scheduled. I'll consider shows if a venue is interested, but I'm not devoting much energy to booking right now.

I'm feeling really good about some writing that I'm doing right now. I'm hoping to buckle down and really flesh out some new songs in the coming months. I've also been having a lot of fun learning some new cover songs. As a songwriter, I've sort of put off learning covers for the past few years in order to develop a catalog of original material. However, looking back, I got to where I am as a guitar player and songwriter by learning to play other people's songs. So, I'm revisiting some old cover songs that I used to play and I'm learning some new ones as well.

I'm really excited about these new songs and ideas I'm having. And, I'm sure, in short time, I'll be ready to be back out on the stage playing these new songs and some new covers too. Thanks for reading.
eric