August 27, 2023

Hello there. And thanks for stopping by.

In August 2020 I made the decision that I was done playing live shows.  Covid-19 had removed the few shows I had scheduled from that year’s calendar anyway.  As Covid continued on I didn’t play in 2021 either.

Unsurprisingly, I missed playing live and so last year I did some concerts. I got booked to play once again at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas where I’ve played many times over the last quarter century. It was the festival’s 50th anniversary. My friend and old playing partner Bill Gurley joined me for that. I taught at Tommy Emmanuel’s guitar camp in Nashville on the way home from the festival – and caught Covid… 

 It takes playing one’s repertoire regularly to keep it in the proper condition to be able to perform it.  As I’m just not interested in sitting around the house playing my repertoire for myself to maintain it for the few shows I might opt to play, I’m reaffirming my earlier decision.  I’ll be spending lots of time making music but it’ll be because I’m composing and recording new material.   

Over the years, I have had the good fortune to play in many places and with many wonderful musicians, meeting new friends everywhere. I’ll probably still miss doing live shows, of course, but not enough to tie up my time keeping a repertoire in performance condition.  

Plenty of new music is still swirling around inside me and I look forward to getting that music out of my head and onto new recordings – and then out into the world for people to hear.  

SB is the name of my newest album, getting released onto the digital streaming and downloading platforms in early September, this coming week to be more specific. I just approved the mastered version of it today.

My next project is about 2/3 complete. It’s a joint album with my friend Stephen C. Bennett. My middle initial is M. We’re almost exactly the same age but he’s from the UK originally. Which means, of course, that he’s got a much cooler accent than me! Anyway, I think we’ve written some really good songs together and that album will be coming down the pike before long.

Stay healthy and well! And please keep listening to the music! If you like it, that is.

Best wishes to all.  

Stephen M. Bennett