nealonsongs

I had a blast playing with Tide Spring at the Little Grill the other night. Great crowd! It's fun when people are so responsive--singing along and laughing (sometimes even when we meant to be funny). 

Looking forward to my solo gig there on May 14. I'm having a great time relearning songs I wrote but haven't played in a while. I was listening closely to "Keep Moving," and I heard myself say, "Oh, he must play it in open C turning," and "Ah, that must be this chord." Wait, that was me playing it!

Man, I love Alex Albrecht's playing. That's what I want to sound like. So smooth, yet so syncopated and swinging.

That's what I was thinking as Alex and I traded sets tonight at A Bowl of Good. Great crowd--everyone stayed a long time. And, as always, the cafe staff was wonderful, and the food was excellent.

I heard a few songs from Find Your Way on the radio the other day. That's affirming!

Wow! It's been many months since I've reported news. I guess that my musical news is that I'm playing out more and more, trying to get better at communicating in every circumstance I've got a regular gig at Earth & Tea Cafe in Harrisonburg--every other Friday night. And I sprinkle in some festivals and other restaurants. It's been really fun supporting some other artists by helping put on their shows and playing backup for them. So I've been playing for kids, for disabled people, for festival…

My new CD, Find Your Way, is on sale now! Just click the Products tab. I think you'll really like this one, too. There are a couple of fiddle tunes at either end, and a fresh acoustic sound throughout. It comes out to 12 new songs--from historical to sentimental to wry. Ginger Nealon did all the photography and design, and I think she really captures what I'm trying to say. Check it out!

Mark and I have finally laid down a few tracks on a CD. Our first album is called "Something You Already Know." The title is a quotation from Mark's "A Song." I'm really pleased with this set of songs. There's a great variety of sounds and textures, and there's a wide range of moods. Buy it on the Buy page of this site. Here's an annotated list of songs. 1. A Song (guitar, mandolin, harmonica; Mark's musical musings on the Muse) 2. Sister of My Soul (guitars; she is simply what I need.)…

Thanks for checking out the new Website. Let's make it a good place to communicate. You can sample songs, read lyrics, check the performance calendar, see pictures, write in the guestbook, and buy CDs. I'll try to update frequently, so come back anytime.

Need lessons on guitar, banjo, or mandolin? I've got a few openings. I teach in a very positive, encouraging atmosphere in my home and a few central locations. Weekly lessons are about a half hour and cost $20. Write me: dave@nealonsongs.com or phone 540/433-5461

On the stage at Broadway High School, that is. I played a Ruritans convention recently and got to try out my new sound system in a 700-seat auditorium. It filled the room nicely. I managed to play four different instruments, 2 banjo tunings, and three different guitar tunings in a span of about twenty minutes. I felt like I was juggling.

Actually, it was the 50 mph winds that blew us offstage and sent the crowd scampering for cover Mark and I have performed at the New Garden Harvest Festival in Greensboro for most of the past ten years. This year's event, on October 28, saw chilly temperatures and high winds, but performers and their audiences were hardy. When we took the stage at 4:00, the wind seemed to pick up speed. Then, about four songs in, a gust howled. It knocked over guitars, tables, and chairs, and it just wouldn't let up.…