You pack a bag and your guitar. You hit the road. And you play coffeehouses, living rooms, church basements, anywhere an audience will gather, listen, and buy the CDs you have in tow. That’s the life of many traveling singer/songwriters.
I’ve met/interviewed many of these incredibly hard-working artists through the interviews on my “Songs and Stories” podcast. A few, such as Dana Hubbard and James Hurley, have become good pals. Me? I venture to out-of-town gigs when I can, but I tend to stick close to home and the comfort of a regular day job. Artists like Dana and James do this full-time. It can’t always be an easy life, but it sure as he** is an honorable one.
“Troubadour Blues”, a new documentary by Tom Weber, captures the life of the traveling songwriter through on-the-road interviews with folks like Slaid Cleaves, Dave Alvin, and Mary Gauthier. (Editor’s note: Mary was guest #100 of my podcast, early in 2011.)
Weber has completed the film, but he’s raising additional money through a Kickstarter campaign to fund the music rights and mastering for DVD production. And in a not-at-all ironic tact, he’ll be hitting the road this spring and summer, holding screenings to anyone interested in viewing and supporting the film.
I’d love to show this locally, either at the Corralitos Cultural Center, or possibly at a large venue if we can gather a big crowd to support Weber and the time he spent documenting these artists.
Question for you: Would you be interested in attending a screening? Seriously. Let me know. I’m trying to put something together on this.