When we lived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990's, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival was always worth an annual drive north from the Emerald City.

How lucky I am to be returning on tour in Washington and Oregon this very month to catch a glimpse of these beautiful flowers - and you, former neighbors - for the first time in four years. And right after that to my native Midwest for three appearances to cap off the month.
It feels great to be playing music to live people once more.
Come celebrate with us.

I resist any temptation to turn on the news this week (or as fellow Chicagoan John Prine wrote, "Blow Up Your TV"). Whoever coined the term "media circus" understood this, and I saw enough Barnum & Bailey (and Bozo's Circus, for that matter) when I was a kid to last a lifetime. I don't find any politicians (except CA Congresswoman Katie Porter) speaking to me in a way that earns my interest. When these elected officials act on gun control, for example, they'll have my attention once more.

It goes beyond disappointment to outright tragedy that our "leaders" continue to be so unmoved to take action where it counts rather than where their votes are counted. Shame-full.

Instead, tonight we watched a Stevie Wonder interview done by Anderson Cooper in 2016. The occasion for the conversation was the sudden passing of Prince that April, and to hear this brilliant artist talk about another such artist with reverence was inspiring and moving. One thing Mr. Wonder said was that Prince was free, and that one of the things he modeled was the idea that we "don't allow fear to put our dreams asleep".
Amen.

And speaking of dreams awakened, how about the 25th Anniversary of SummerSongs (week-long songwriting and creativity camp) July 23-29, 2023 in Stony Point, NY.
Here's a flyer with more information about
our magical gathering:
This year's all-levels courses with our world-class instructors include
• Song Starters
• Co-Writing 101
• Reclaim the Thunder
• The Rhythm of Rebellion
• The Marriage of Music and Meaning
• The Devil's in the Details
• Harmony Singing and Folksong Repertoire
• Guitar Techniques for Singers
• Sing Heart, Body, and Soul
• Find Joy Onstage
• Playing in the Sandbox of Writing Forms
• Grain of Salt Feedback for Works in Progress
• Songwriting with a Light Touch (Humor)
• Playing Well Together/Slow Jam Circle
• Drawing Inspiration for Songwriting (Art class!)

It's going to be epic.
For those of you more local to me (Cape Cod), don't forget the first-ever Full Moon Open Mic at the Snow Library (tho we're in our 18th year of gathering) right here in my current hometown of Orleans, MA
Saturday April 15th ~ 1-3 PM
It's free, and you can come play a song, tell a story, recite a poem, or just simply take in the beauty and courage of our neighbors and visitors and their artistic expressions!
Going forward...

APRIL
14 ~ online ~ Noon ~ The Daily Antidote of Song (DAS)
18 ~ Anacortes, WA ~ 7 PM concert @ Anacortes CSL
19 ~ Freeland, WA (Whidbey Island) ~ 7 PM @ Trinity Lutheran
20 ~ Bellingham, WA ~ 7 PM concert @ Unity of Bellingham
21 ~ Woodinville, WA ~ 7:30 PM ~ concert at the UU of W'ville
22 ~ Eugene, OR ~ 7:30 PM ~ Mike Meyer Presents...
23 ~ Salem, OR ~ 10:30 AM ~ guest speaker at UU of Salem
23 ~ Cloverdale, OR ~ 7 PM ~ Istanbul Rug Bazaar
24 ~ Portland, OR ~ 7 PM ~ rbekey@gmail.com
28 ~ LaGrange, IL ~ 7 PM ~ Wesley's Place Coffeehouse
29 ~ Mequon, WI ~ 7:30 PM ~ Wisconsin Songwriter Series
30 ~ Northbrook, IL ~ 7 PM ~ Bliss Manor

MAY
7 ~ Danbury, CT ~ 10 AM ~ guest speaker UU Congregation
7 ~ Danbury, CT ~ 4 PM ~ Music at the Ridge
13 ~ Middlefield, CT ~ private event
14 ~ South Windsor, CT ~10:30 AM ~ Unity of Greater Hartford
14 ~ Storrs, CT ~ 3 PM Storrs Friends Meeting House concert

JUNE
1-3 ~ Baltimore, MD ~ ACEP International Conference
10-21 ~ Ireland ~ group music tour #10 ~ full
24-July 3 ~ Scotland ~ group music tour #2 ~ full

JULY

19-20 ~ Star Island, NH ~ Building Bridges 2023
22 ~ New Milford, CT ~ 7:30 PM ~ Merryall Center for the Arts
23-29 ~ Stony Point, NY ~ SummerSongs songwriting camp

AUGUST
22-27 ~ Salmon, ID ~ Music, Rafting, Camping trip!
https://www.idahorivers.com/ w/Glen Roethel joining me at the nightly campfires! A few spots left...

SEPTEMBER
7 ~ Provincetown, MA ~ Brasswood Inn Porch Concert
9-11 ~ New York, NY ~ The Village Trip Festival

OCTOBER
13-23 ~ Scotland ~ group music tour #3 ~ full

NOVEMBER
11 ~ Charlottesville, VA ~ 7 PM ~ Focus Music Presents...
12 ~ Charlottesville, VA ~ 10:30 AM Unity of Charlottesville
12 ~ Gaithersburg, MD ~ 7 PM ~ tba

April, come she will
When streams are ripe and swelled with rain
May, she will stay
Resting in my arms again
June, she'll change her tune
In restless walks she'll prowl the night
July, she will fly
And give no warning to her flight
August, die she must
The Autumn winds blow chilly and cold
September, I'll remember
A love once new has now
Grown old
~ Paul Simon

All ways, with gratitude

David
www.davidrothmusic.com