Dear (Mana)Tee-Heads,
HAPPY NEW YEAR! From all of us here, to all of you there, we hope
this holiday season finds you hearty and healthy. All the best in 2004.
What can we say? Our fund-raiser was a great success! You fans came
through in a big way (and right before Christmas, too). As more
donations continue to come in, it looks like we're going to meet our
initial goal of $5000.00. This is huge. Recording time has already been
booked at Dylanava Studios and work begins in the middle of January. (!)
Special thanks must be given to certain folks who really worked hard
to help make this fund-raising event a reality. First and foremost the
band members would like to express their gratitiude to the one and only
Pete Allen. Not only did he allow us the use of his mighty barn, he also
donated a few kegs of beer! We simply could not have done it without
him. For the last couple of years Pete has also been letting us use the
barn for our rehearsals. We are very familiar with the barn's acoustics
and that's why we get such a good sound in there.
We would also like to thank Steve and Annalisa Doud for their party
decorations, baked goods, and lots of cold spring water.
Cheri and Dori were in charge of the donation table, the Manatee
merchandise, and the raffle drawings. They did a great job.
Jeff Asher ran his JefDam Light Show which dazzled the crowd and
really put the multi-media into our extravaganja. Jeff's unwavering
faith in our music combined with his unique motivational skills have
helped inspire the band to new heights this year (in other words, he
kicked our collective asses). Also helping us out with the lighting was
the mighty Dennis Kerns (a noted musician in his own right).
Hippies & Hillbillies was our opening act and they were wonderful.
They describe their sound as "Drumless Americana & Urban Acoustic
Music". Would you believe they did a bluegrass version of Cream's "White
Room"? Though they were missing their female banjoist, they performed as
a trio with guitar, bass, and our own part-time Manatee member "Kind"
Bud on mandolin. (You can hear Bud play with us on the Los Manatees
live CD "Finn McCool's 5/16/03"). If you would like to know more about
and/or book them, contact Damon Bernd 267.626.8399
damonbernd@earthlink.net .
Two days before the fund-raiser a full-page article about us
(with full-color pictures of us) appeared in The Reporter newspaper. You
can read the article by clicking here * Writer Brian Bingham also wants
to do a follow-up piece about our upcoming studio CD project.
I don't know how many of you heard The Gene Shay Show on 88.5 WXPN a
couple of Sunday nights ago but I was on the air playing mandolin and
singing with Ted The Fiddler and The Falling Down The Mountain Boys. Ted
was on the show to promote his birthday party concert at The Colonial
Theater in Phoenixville, PA the following week (Tues. Dec. 23rd). We
played the concert with Tim Campbell filling in for Myles Rothwell on
drums (Myles had to cancel due to health reasons and we all wish him a
very speedy recovery), John Fischer on 5-string banjo and vocals, Ric
Lake on acoustic bass and vocals, and John Dodd on acoustic guitar and
vocals. The Colonial Theater is a beautiful place to play. She turned
100 years old this year and has quite a history. The legendary Harry
Houdini once performed on the very same stage. Peter Wroblewski did a
fine job recording the whole event which raised money for the theater
restoration fund. Happy Birthday Ted!
It was quite a year, folks. We got ourselves a horn section and a
producer and we got to play Cloud Nine. Twice.
Coming up in January 2004 is our return to The Moody Monkey on
Thurs. 1/7, T.J. Everydays (formerly The Paoli Local) on Fri. 1/8, and
The North Side (formerly Garfields) on Fri. 1/22.
As we end one year and start another we'd like to take this
oppurtunity to thank two very happening dudes: Michael Jones our
tireless webmaster who makes all this cyber-stuff work and fields calls
from us at all hours of the day and night. Michael updated our entire
web-site this year and we are all the better for it. And the mighty Ron
Kohl who came on board last year and quickly made himself invaluable.
Soundman/lightman/cameraman/recording engineer/graphic
artist/archivist/banjoist Ron does it all with a quiet grace. Los
Manatees loves both you guys.
On a personal note, its been 11 months since I've had even a puff
of a cigarette. My singing voice has improved. Well at least in stamina
anyway. But the BIG news is the fact that my wife Emma and I are
expecting our third child on the fourth of July! Stamina indeed....20
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And now here's your Manatee Song-Of-The-Month:
Reggae Lullaby - key of E
Oh now children, don't you cry
You know that your father cares for you
Oh my children, come dry your eyes
These words that I say to you are true
20
Oh, love is all around you
Oh, fear is out there too
Oh, now that it has found you
What are you to do?
Oh, Jah love is all around you
Oh, your fear is out there to
Oh, now that this has found you
What are you to do?
Oh now children, don't you cry
I know that your Father cares for you
Oh Jah children, go dry your eyes
These words that I say to you are true
These words that Jah say to you are true
These words that we sing to you are true
2004 Hungadunga Music
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January Schedule-2004
Sat. Jan. 03 - The Bell House - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Wed. Jan. 07 - Appetites On Main - Trio - 9:30-1:30 - 610-594-2030
Thu. Jan. 08 - Moody Monkey - Trio - 8:30-11:30 - 610-631-1233
Fri. Jan. 09 - T.J.Everydays - Trio - 10:00-1:30 - (formerly The Paoli Local)
Sat. Jan. 10 - Blue Dog Saloon - Quartet - 10:00-2:00 - w/Myles Rothwell
and Bob Tomlinson
Wed. Jan. 14 - Whitpain Tavern - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Thu. Jan. 15 - The Bell House - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Fri. Jan. 16 - Dutch Cottage Tavern - Trio - 10:00-2:00 - (Dori's Birthday)
Sat. Jan. 17 - St. Peters Inn - Trio - 610-469-3809
Thu. Jan. 22 - The North Side - Trio - 8:00-12:00 - (formerly Garfields)
Fri. Jan. 23 - La Taverna - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Sat. Jan. 24 - P. T. Saloon - Trio - 10:00-2:00
Thu. Jan. 29 - The Bell House - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Fri. Jan. 30 - Crazy Carl's - 6 Piece - 10:00-2:00 - including Rhino Horns
Sat. Jan. 31 - The Funhouse - Quartet - 10:30-2:00
Thank You,
Los Manatees 