Tish's Corner
July 2007
Hi to all,
I hope this greeting finds everyone doing well and enjoying the best of whatever summer has to offer. I am liking daylight stretching into the night, with show time or dinner time beginning under a lighted sky and the light continuing into nine or ten or even eleven o'clock as it does this time of year. Summer clothes, food, reading, flowers, music and even rain always make that summer feeling so memorable to me.
This summer will remain particularly vivid and colorful to me. At the end of my tour in the western U.S. in late May, I married a wonderful man from Osnabrück, Germany, who I had met while on tour in Europe in 2004. I feel I have now officially opened a new and exciting chapter of my unexpectedly interesting life. We live in Hamburg, and Germany is now a real home to me. Quite a distance and a difference from Texas, but very much my home. I know I will never break my Texas ties, as my heart will always belong to Austin and San Antonio (also to Taos, and my beloved Mexico). But I also embrace and love the people, culture and land of my now extended circle of family and friends that I have been so welcomed by. Notice I didn't say "language". Not that I don't appreciate the German tongue, it's just that this has become my greatest challenge of late. It's not coming easy to me, but I intend to keep trying. I suppose that listening to me and watching me learn has provided some entertainment value to my husband Andreas and to everyone that must endure my struggle.
On to other entertainment news: Tourwise, I am returning to the U.S. to play some scattered dates late July into August. The configurations will vary, but will all include Marvin Dykhuis, plus either Glenn Kawamoto on bass, Chip Dolan on piano and accordion, or the addition of Mark Sergio Webb coming from Nashville to bring some new sounds to the two Wisconsin shows. I feel very lucky to know and to have a close working history with some incredible musicians who are also really good people. For the tour that took me through the western states recently, I had the fun-loving and talented Troy Wells with me. Interestingly, he had played in bands with me during my New Mexico days in the early 80's. A lot of our time driving we spent recalling our many stories of other musician friends and our own road tales of that period. A real highlight of the tour was when we were joined by the wonderful Greg Leisz on pedal steel for a few shows.
Early in June, after a short holiday in Spain, I met up with Marvin Dykhuis for a show in Hamburg and another special performance in London featuring our Spanish music for the Latin Music Festival at The Green Note. We had a great time in both cities, and our work was fun too. Upon arriving in London, we passed a long line (or queue, as the British say) outside a club in Camden. We wondered to ourselves but didn't ask the people in line about what might be going on. Well, much to our dismay, we later found out that what we missed was Paul McCartney! He had set up some impromptu showcases for the release of his latest record, and this was one of them. So close, and we missed it. Well, it was nice to feel that we were at least in the same neighborhood for a day.
Now, in the career and future work department, I'm afraid I don't have much to tell. Marvin and I will be working on the Spanish record while I will be in Austin between the week-end road dates. I don't know, though, when and how these recordings will be released. I am feeling somewhat cynical and disillusioned with the state of the music business. Maybe it only has to do with the state of my music business. As I now sit with the shelved DVD project from a few years ago, that has nowhere to go, I'm not so sure of where I belong either. This has nothing to do with my audience or not loving, what I'm doing, once I'm in my element. Unfortunately, being on stage and connecting with people is a very small part of this business. I am disheartened and disturbed with the other 90 percent that goes into it. Although I have worked on breaking away more and more from constraints of record labels and publishing companies, my hands seem to be tied more than ever to use or exploit my own body of work, while at the same time others are able to release it without my permission or involvement at all.
Generally, I like keeping the Tish's Corner on an upbeat note. I mention the above frustrations only because I have been asked many times about the status of the DVD, about what new can be expected etc., and at this moment I can't say honestly, which way I even want to go with my work. At least my personal life is in a very satisfying place, and I'm very happy. I am looking forward to being in Texas soon, August heat and all. I've got lots of travelling to do around the country, once I'm there. If we are playing in your area, I hope you will come out to the show. I would love to say hello.
Till later ...
Tish (aka Frau Leticia Sedlmair)
Read February 2007's corner
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