"Your body is only a physical vehicle to carry you from one place to another without getting into a lot of trouble. So you have this body tossed upon you that you have to carry around and cherish and protect and so forth, but even that body exhausts itself. The idea is to get your own self together, see if you can get ready for the next world, because there is one. Hope you can dig it."
- Jimi Hendrix
RANGER REPORT - December 2, 2015
"Celebrating 30 Years Of Inclusiveness & Perseverance"
RANGER WILL & THE GIFTED HICKS CD RELEASE PARTY! - Next Saturday, December 12, the new Ranger Will album, "Up For Air", will be released into the wild and we will be celebrating with a concert of original music at The Landhaven B & B in Barto, PA. 610-845-3257 http://www.landhavenbandb.com/
Landhaven is a former general store from the 1870's which has been converted into a live acoustic music venue. Over the years it has been the host to many regional and national acts. We've been playing an annual December holiday show there for a few years now but recently it has been put up for sale. This may be our last show there! Don't you miss it! All attendees will receive a free copy of the album!
The Gifted Hicks is made up of Jim Cavanaugh on drums, Karl Frick on keyboards, Randy Wagner on bass and vocals, Joe Rizzo on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Brian Herder on dobro, fiddle, and pedal steel guitar. I'll be playing acoustic guitar and harmonica and singing. Showtime is 8:00 PM.
THE MIGHTY MANATEES 30TH MANNAVERSARY & JAJMS BENEFIT CONCERT AT THE SELLERSVILLE THEATER ON TUESDAY, DEC. 29TH!! - It's true! This act has been around in one form or another for 30 frickin' years! That's a long, long time... So we're going to celebrate it up right! We are inviting all the musicians that have played in The Mighty Manatees over the years to join us for one night of merriment. Sort of like "The Last Waltz". We're holding it on a Tuesday so that all musicians can attend.
The evening will begin with the world premiere of the documentary, "Life Is Fair' by director Brian Miksis who will be introducing the film. Signed DVD copies will be available that also include a CD of the soundtrack. It is all part of a fundraising effort for JAJMS which is a Phoenixville High School Scholarship in the name of Jeffrey A. Jones (the late younger brother of Manatees soundman Michael Jones). http://www.jajms.org/ A portion of all ticket sales will go to the scholarship fund. The film and soundtrack contain archival footage and recordings of The Manatees from the scholarship's first benefit concert back in 1991.
A Partial List Of The Musicians Performing At The Dec. 29th Mannaversary Concert:
Ray Adkins
Brett Andrew
Tom “BeBop” Brunner
Jim Cavanaugh
Reggie Clark
Dance
Ritchie DeCarlo
Karl Frick
Andrew Geltzer
Scott "Big Daddy" Gourley
Brian Herder
Jim Hines
Tim Hooper
Tom Musselman
Ras Mykyl
Joe Rizzo
Myles Rothwell
Ted The Fiddler
Bob Tomlinson
Andy Vernon
Randy Wagner
THE RHINO HORNS:
Jim Verdeur
John Rosa-Bian
John D'Ascenzo
Chris Del Sordo
Jeff "Blondy" Von Stenz
Doors open: 7:00 PM
Film: 7:30 PM
Raffle at 8:50 PM
Band: 9:00 PM
GRAMPA CAVANAUGH'S LAST HUURAH! - After 9 wonderful years, Mighty Manatees drummer Jim Cavanaugh is leaving us to play in a new band called AM RADIO. Our Dec. 29th Sellersville Theater show will be his last official Manatees gig. We will all miss his great musicianship and warm personality. We wish Jim all the best in his future endeavors. Something tells us he'll still be playing the odd unofficial gig with us. The Mighty Manatees are like that....
GRAMPA WILL'S FIRST GRANDCHILD! - And speaking of Grampas....last week I became a grandfather for the first time when my eldest daughter Jules gave birth to a bouncing baby boy! Mother, daddy Mike and baby Leon Joseph Michael are all doing well. Praise Jah! I feel a new song coming on...
OTHER MIGHTY MANATEES EVENTS THIS MONTH:
This Friday, December 4, we return to The Pickering Creek Inn in Phoenixville with Andrew Geltzer, K-Jo, and our new drummer Jim Hines. Showtime is 9:00 PM. http://www.pickeringcreekinn.com/
On Friday ,December 18, we'll be holding our annual Manatees Christmas Party at The Blue Bell. Showtime is 8:30 PM
NEW YEAR'S EVE!! - And let's not forget our last gig of 2015! For a second year we will be playing on New Year's Eve at Hotel Fiesole in Skippack, PA. They have special offers and packages available. Check it out at http://www.hotelfiesole.net/ Showtime is 9:00 PM.
That's about it for now. See you at the shows.
One Love,
Ranger Will
December 2015
3 – Thurs – Rising Sun Inn 9-12:30
4 – Fri – Pickering Creek 9-1
10 – Thurs – The Drake, Jenkintown, PA Will and Bob Tomlinson acoustic duo 8-10
11 – Fri – Justin’s 8-12
12 – Sat – Landhaven – Ranger Will and the Gifted Hicks – “Up For Air” CD Release Party 8-11
www.landhavenbandb.com 610-845-3257
16 – Wed – Private Party
17 – Thurs – Rising Sun Inn 9-12:30
18 – Fri – Blue Bell Inn 8:30-12
22 – Tue – Private Party
25 – Fri – CHRISTMAS
26 – Sat – Smoke House Tavern 9:30-1:30
29 – Tues – Sellersville Theater - 30 Year Manaversary w/Rhino Horns & JAJMS Benefit Concert
w/ "Life Is Fair" documentary screening 7:30-11:00PM
www.jajms.org www.st94.com 215-257-5808
31 – Thurs – NEW YEARS EVE PARTY! – Hotel Fiesole 9-1 www.hotelfiesole.net
January 2016
8 – Fri – Justin’s 8-12
14 – Thurs – Rising Sun Inn 9-12:30
15 – Fri –Hotel Fiesole 9-1 www.hotelfiesole.net
16 – Fri – Blue Bell Inn 8:30-12
22 – Fri – Pickering Creek 9-1
28 – Thurs – Rising Sun Inn 9-12:30
You can now download our music at
www.themightymanatees.bandcamp.com
Also now available on iTunes
www.savethemanatee.com
Every Sunday morning from 10:30 to 11:30, various members of The Mighty Manatees play at The New Church Live in the Mitchell Performing Arts Center, 800 Tomlinson Rd., Bryn Athyn, PA. 19009 (Tomlinson Rd. & Buck Rd. - the corner down at the far end of the parking lot)
Watch LIVE at 10:30 AM on Sundays, or see video clips at
www.newchurchlive.tv
