As some of you may know, I’ve been a minor key in the music business for quite a few years. It started out when I met John Stewart and progressed through about ten years of our lives and then onward to the present day. Working with John was a great experience and led to many laughs and more than a few anxieties. It gave me so much in my life that I would never have experienced if I hadn’t known him. The greatest gift, right there alongside the songs, was the gift of people who I met through his music. In 1999, John, Michelle Stevens and a few others came up with the idea of the Trio Fantasy Camp. I was involved in the first Camp though I didn’t attend. I’ve been to most of them since that time. This year is number 14. Through the Camp I’ve met some friends who will be friends for a lifetime including my best friend in the world, Pedro. And so many others. Some of them Campers, some of them my co-workers and some of the the Bloodliners who come to the Camp every year.

Fortunately for me, these friends also play music and they carry the flame of playing John’s songs and keeping his music alive. Every year I come home from Camp with music from many different people like Ed Callahan, Kate Snow, Tom Lamb, Fred and John August and Tom O’Donnell.

Tom O’Donnell has just released his latest CD so I’m getting a jump on hearing his music this year. Tom has put up a brand new website and the cd is available for a free download. Just go here:

Tom O’Donnell

and music button at the top of the page. His newest  release is called Old Friends. Click the picture and you will go to the songs. You can preview them on the player box on the right or click the titles on the left to go the the download area. I love Tom’s voice and his selection of songs is terrific. I had the pleasure of hearing him sing Cold Missouri Waters in my suite at Camp last year and it was mesmerizing.

Here is one of my all time favorite John Stewart songs. Jeff MacDonald is singing lead with Tom providing harmony.

and here is Tom singing a great song called Down Old Bailey Road written by our friend Fred Grittner. Tom and Fred, in previous lives, were attorneys who had the grace to retire and concentrate on making music:

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