June 2009. Newsletter 33. Hi there everyone, hope you are all OK. Just finishing up 14 Concerts over 4 weeks in west Victoria & S.A., so I’m writing to you “on the run”, from S.A. to Townsville. (just a short drive!) Great to see you at the concerts, & also amazed some travelling so far. I ended up doing a few extra shows while I was down that way too, which was really good.
Well the good news is that I did finish recording the new CD, “All Keyed Up” through January, February & March. Then I was flat out ‘like a lizard on a piano’, posting out all your orders, from April 1st, right on schedule. (No April fool jokes please, I know most of them). I even had my kids helping me sort out all the letters, order forms, flyers, etc. cutting bubble wrap, doing the stickers & stamps. We had quite a production line going, family bonding!
Back on Sunday 8th March, on behalf of the RSL in Bathurst, it was my great pleasure to organize a fundraiser for the Victoria Fire Victims. With not much time, we had a very impromptu “Morning Melodies”, & it turned out a great day, quite a comedy production really! Thanks to some very special guest artists, who were just fantastic, along with support from Radio 2BS, with donations leading up to the show & on the day, $4,100 was raised & the Club donated 10,000 as well. It was just so good.
Just before Easter I flew up to the Hartwood Festival, in the “little red wagon”, for a week of fun & excitement. So much music, & every artist a little different. Quite a few big days & nights there, especially for me, & as about 2000 of you would know, there’s always something unexpected that happens, you just have to be there!!. It was great, & the beginning of a very big 2009 for me.
I guess you will receive this letter while I’m in Queensland. Couldn’t get there in 2008, so it will be good to see everyone & get back to Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, & Hervey Bay, also my first time at Ipswich on the way.
The Barham Festival begins with my Variety Dance Night on July 26th, another “flying trip” from Queensland back to the Murray! 8 days & nights of absolutely fantastic music & entertainment. Along with great food, cakes, slices, & coffee, it’s a wonderful place where friends meet & catch up. I’ll be back on the Grand piano on the Thursday evening, (not 4 pianos on stage this time!), & playing lots of pieces off my new CD “All Keyed Up”
Coming up soon, I’ve got Paul McCloud out of a short retirement, to do 4 variety concerts with me on the NSW north coast. It’s always great traveling with Paul & Hele, we have so much fun, & even when things go wrong, we end up in a big laughing fit about it all.
After a few years absence, I’m going back to Temora & Harden again, so I’m looking forward to that. The concert at Temora is a Lion’s Club Fundraiser, & the Harden Gig is a concert at “Stock’s Native Nursery”, 5 acres of Australian Plants & Gardens. As many of you know, my small garden in Bathurst is all Australian plants, which while I’m away so much, are virtually maintenance free! So it will be great to perform “among the gum trees”!!!
It’s been quite a while since I played down in the Gippsland area, & I’ll be heading that way in September, I just hope you all remember me, & can come along to the shows.
October 6th-13th, I‘m included in the program for the week long “Bedgerebong C.M. Campout”, 32 kms from Forbes, with many performers & guest artists & a dance on the Friday night. Before this even starts, there’s a lot of hype & interest, so although it’s their first one, I’m sure it will become an annual event. All held at the Showground, so I’m really looking forward to that one! It immediately follows the Parkes C.M. Spectacular & Mildura Festival.
After Forbes, I’m heading south to the Murray River again, to share 4 shows with Rodney Vincent, Mullwala & Echuca, then Maroopna & Wagga. Goodness knows what will happen on those shows, so I think you’d better come along & see for yourself!
The Rosewood Country Roundup, Wednesday 21st October, takes the place of the “Wondara Do”, just south of that, nearer to Tumbarumba. It’s held at the Golf Club Grounds, & is a bush camping affair with performances from Wednesday to Sunday. Guest artists, Friday night dance, campfire sing-along! Morning & afternoon teas available, some loo’s & showers. See you at that one too!
A bit closer to home, I’m dashing over to Mudgee to do a fundraiser for CanAssist, Edgar is very enthusiastic about a full house at the Bowling Club there on the 31st October.
The Tooleybuc Murray Muster has had a change to mid November this year. I think the usual date in October clashes with another event, & my guess is that it will stay now with this 4 day format in November.
Off to Queanbeyan’s Kangaroo Club at the end of November. Di Masters does a fantastic job of fundraising in that area during the year, & also at my concerts. On behalf of the Lions Club Charities, it would be great if you all could give your support that day. There will be a great raffle, a lucky door prize, as well as me!!
From there I head off to the coast, my annual Gig at Sussex RSL, & then my first time at Shoalhaven Heads Bowling Club.
I’ve become a bit of a regular at Hexham Bowling Club & Millers Forest Community Hall every year. Always popular shows on the same weekend. At Millers Forest last year we had a 2nd show on Sunday for the “overflow”, so it was a full-on weekend.
Some good news is that I’m back at the Tamworth Community Centre in January for the Festival. I know a lot of you will be happy about that, & so am I!! More good news is, that because I’ve bought a huge bulk order of my 10 CD’s, I am now able to post you a CD for $20, same price as at my shows.
I think that’s about all, I’m trying to get a bit more interested in my Website, so check that out for updates, & I’ll see you again soon I hope. Love you all & thanks, Peter |
