August 14
LIVE at The Philadelphia Museum of Art
Look, Ma: no Bono! Me and the Family celebrated the official release of our acoustic/country version of “The Joshua Tree” in high style with a live performance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, aka the place with the Rocky steps. Attendees weren’t allowed to touch the paintings, but nobody said anything about the band!
My lovely wife took this lovely photo of our lovely band performing in this lovely space. Dig:
Lovely.
August 12
It is always a good day when I find this old list of potential band names once again.
1. Earl Pickens and The Rough Seventyfive
2. Earl Pickens and The Leather Chaps
3. Earl Pickens and Pancho Villa and the Texas Two
4. Earl Pickens and Gamblin’ Willy
5. Earl Pickens and Six Shooter
6. Earl Pickens and the Lonely Steed
7. Earl Pickens and Galloping Thunder
8. Earl Pickens and Bovine Jones
9. Earl Pickens and Randy
10. Earl Pickens and Hop-along Steve
11. Seamus McBride and His Famous Six String
12. Earl Pickens and The Fresco Five
13. Rough Ranger
14. Middle Finger
15. Earl Pickens and A Hankerin’ for Cheese
16. Earl Pickens and The Truck Stoppers
17. Earl Pickens and Uncle Jesse
18. Tequila Girl
19. Earl Pickens and The Dixie Hustle
20. Bucket
21. Earl Pickens and Rotgut
22. Earl Pickens and The Janglin’ Silver-Spurs-Boys Band
23. Earl Pickens and The Heart-Attackers
24. Earl Pickens and The Southern Gentlemen
25. Earl Pickens and Rebel Scum
26. The Folk Fellows
27. Hank Hurley and the Golden Lasso Five
28. Showdog and Harlot
29. Mean Country Chowder
30. The Earl Pickens Country Explosion
31. Highway Sven
32. Hot Chicks and Twangy Licks
33. Earl Pickens and Twang
34. Earl Pickens, Rawhide and Saddlesore
35. Earl Pickens and The Fantabulous Honkytonk Combustion Engine
36. Filthy Dog and Moonshine
37. Rash
38. Monday Morning Whiskey
39. Reformed but Still Broken
40. Earl Pickens and the Lawless Ones
41. Earl Pickens and the Big Burly Bunch
42. Earl Pickens and the Binge Drinkers
43. Earl Pickens and the Big Sissies
44. A Great Big Bucket of Rotgut
45. Night Crawler
46. Earl Pickens and Mine 16
47. Earl Pickens and the Slag Heap
48. Earl Pickens and the Trailer Park Mafia
49. Earl Pickens and Certain Types of Vermin
50. Earl Pickens and The Country-Western Country-Westerners
51. Crawfish Pie
52. Earl Pickens and The Sixty-Niners
53. Earl Pickens and The Seventy-ers
54. Earl Pickens and the Dirty Dozen of ol’ Mine 42
55. Earl Pickens and The Cactus-Country All-Star Country Players Band Group
56. Suede Rawlins and the Whiskey Shuffle
57. Earl Pickens and Quickdraw
58. Earl Pickens and Bloated with Gas
59. Earl Pickens and The San Antonio Cattlemen
60. Crabgrass
61. Earl Pickens and Brian Bulls-Eye and the Wild West Revue
62. Earl Pickens and the Lexington Nine
63. Earl Pickens and the Pony Express
64. McLeoud’s Rough-Riding Bunch
65. Earl Pickens and Shameless Fury
66. Earl Pickens and Gunsmoke, Wrangler-Rustlers, and Steed
67. Earl Pickens and His Pant-less Pals
68. Big, Bad Daddy
69. Earl Pickens and 1,500 Head O’ Cattle
70. Earl Pickens and the Beefsteak Rustlers
71. Mommy
72. Earl Pickens and The Yellow Dogs
73. Earl Pickens and The Yellow-Bellied, Lilly-Livered, Sap-Suckin’ Polecats
74. Earl Pickens and the Fandango Five
75. Earl Pickens and The Mighty Dustmen
76. Earl Pickens and The Furious Few
77. Ace Ranger
79. Earl Pickens and Durango
79. Earl Pickens and the Continental Divide
80. Earl Pickens and His Ramblin’, Travelin’, Gun-Totin’ Band
81. Earl Pickens and The Rough-Housers
82. Earl Pickens and The Horse-Players
83. Earl Pickens and The Rough & Tumblers
85. Earl Pickens and The Barroom Brawlers
86. Earl Pickens and A Big Bunch of Crybabies
87. Earl Pickens and The Pages of Yesteryear
88. Earl Pickens and His Swingin’& A’ Playin’-PickAxe-Totin’-Gold-Rush-Speculatin’ All-Boys Choir
89. The Chixie Dicks
90. Earl Pickens and Them Damned McCoys
91. Earl Pickens and Dagblasted
92. Earl Pickens and The High-Falootin’ Ladies of the Old Wild West
93. Earl Pickens and The Weepin’, Wailin’ Wild West Coyote Barroom Band
94. Harley McNab and the Wild Bunch
95. Earl Pickens and Yellow Dog
96. Earl Pickens and the Louisiana Purchase
97. Earl Pickens and His Happy Rough Riders
98. Earl Pickens and The Pistol Whippers
99. Earl Pickens and The Chicken Chokers
100. Hank 4
April 24
See you to-MARAH-ow!
The Sweetbriars are opening for Marah at Elk Creek Cafe & Aleworks in Milheim, PA on Saturday night. Show starts at 8. I expect you to be there.
January 17, Aught Nine
Earl Pickens & Family have finally gotten around to recording our twangy, acoustic, harmony-coated version of the U2 album The Joshua Tree. I’m not gonna lie to you: it sounds pretty damn sweet.
We set up a recording studio in my living room last weekend and played the whole dagblasted album live into a few microphones. Bono swung by and said he thought what we were doing was “feckin’ cool”. The Edge sent over a pizza. The session was coordinated & engineered by our very good friend, recording guru Paul “P-Smitty” Smith. Paul took our little living room jam session and turned it into something very special. Even I was surprised at how great this recording sounds, and heck I was there for parts of it.
We’re not sure what happens next with this recording, but we are sure that we’ll be taking the show on the road soon. Concert dates (and some MP3s, if you’re good!) will be posted here soon.
December 16
I shop everywhere, but I BUY on Market Street
It’s that special time of year again, people. The time of year when wise men followed a new star in the sky until it was directly overhead and they found what they’d been looking for: the new Target that just opened on Rt. 15 just outside of Bethlehem. Or was it Selinsgrove?
But enough about Target. Whatever happened to the real Reason for the Season? I’m talking about TRADITIONAL Christmas values, like spending money downtown instead of at the mall.
I’m Earl Pickens and I can’t think of a better way to get into the Holiday Spirit than by strolling the festive, lamp-lit streets of downtown Lewisburg, PA and doing my Christmas shopping right here at home. Please; join me. Seriously folks, all the cool kids shop downtown. Friendly faces. Hustle. Bustle. Hip little cafés where you can stop in for a snack. In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas, I tell you! And a little Hanukkah if I’m not mistaken. Wait — is that a touch of kwanzaa I detect? Mmmmmmm. Pluralistic-y.
And while you’re shopping downtown, why not check out these great independent shops that are stocking The Sweetbriars PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! this holiday season:
Cherry Alley Cafe / 21 N. 3rd St / 570-524-1234
One of the truly great hangout spots on the planet. The coffee’s top-notch and the food’s even better. They don’t even have a notch for how good the food is.
Terra Sylvan / 123 Market Street / 570-524-4648
Probably the funkiest shop in the Burg of Lewis. Jam packed with great gifts. I always make a holiday-buying-spree stop at Terra Sylvan, and afterwards there is always much rejoicing.
Faustina’s Gallery / 229 Market St /570-524-5080
You like art? Get thee to Faustina’s. Beautiful paintings for sale, and the know-how to frame said paintings in the perfect way to adorn ANY wall. Even Pink Floyd’s The Wall. They could totally frame something to hang on that wall and it would look great.
Lucky Lucky Gift Shop / 328 Market St / 570-523-1873
Quirky. This joint is downright quirky. I love it. Japanese animé paraphernalia, strange little exotic candies and more East Village vibe than you could shake a funky stick at. You gotta see it to believe that this place exists in Central Pennsylvania.
Vargo Outdoors / 214 Market St / 570-523-2022
Going outdoors? You’d better stop at Vargo first. Which will be tough because you’ll need to go outside to actually get there. Lot’s of rugged-y outoors-y gear here. For people who, I imagine, don’t spend every day in their pajamas writing songs and thinking they’re coming down with something. I’ll be fine; don’t worry.
The Gingerbread House / 322 Market St/ 570-524-2009
Despite the name, this place is definitely made of brick. I found out the hard way. But inside it’s pure gold: loads of great gift ideas that will suit several people on your holiday shopping list, guaranteed. Or my name isn’t… well, you know.
Page After Page / 336 Market St / 570-524-7243
Can you read? I’m guessing you can. This place is everything a book store is supposed to be. First, it sells books. Second, it sells INTERESTING books. Third, it has couches and chairs. Fifth, it has a great little kid’s section. And fourth, they care about what you’re reading, what you want to read and what you should be reading. Amazon dot who?
The Printed Page / 419 Market St / 570-522-0500
Need to copy something? I hope it’s not our cd! The Printed Page is the place to be for all your xeroxing, color xeroxing, and general printing needs. Check ‘em out next time you need to print up some posters, flyers, and whatnot. I’m go to this shop several times a day just to xerox my face. Actually they won’t let me xerox my face, but I do go in there a lot.
Thanks to all of these shops for carrying our cd. Ask for it by name! Tell ‘em Earl sent ya!
November 25
Proposal: Giving-of-Thanks Day
Here’s my idea: everybody take a day — this Thursday, for example — and just generally give thanks for all the cool stuff we have: family, health, dead turkeys, friends, and so on. The good things in life. Random stuff like, oh I don’t know, sauce made from cranberries.
Speaking of things to be thankful for — my band, The Sweetbriars, is thankful that we are able to deliver a cool new music video to you, the deserving American public. The video is for our song Parade (Meet Me Halfway), one of 10 great songs on our debut cd PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! Check the video out here:
For those of you just joining us, The Sweetbriars is an independent band from Pennsylvania — the greatest State in the USA with a name beginning with the letter P. (Choke on it, Pouth Carolina!) Our album was recorded the old fashioned way: in a homemade recording studio, tucked away in the lush rolling hills of Middle America, by a bunch of guys with guitars, drums and 10 great songs written by me & my boy Bruce W. Derr.
PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! is a dang fine cd. Pick up a copy here and here or download it here. Makes a great gift for that discerning, hard-to-buy-for know-it-all-music music fan in your life. I guarantee he/she has never heard of us. Giving them our cd will make you look extremely cool, hip and cutting-edge in their eyes. Give it to them and say, “You never heard of The Sweetbriars? Really? Hmmm. I though you were into music.” Get yourself a copy while you’re at it.
November 2
Ewe Two
Last night’s “Country-Fried Joshua Tree” show was, to put it mildly, the greatest show ever in the history of the universe. If I told you the full story about what went down at Cherry Alley Café last night, your head would probably explode. Trust me, it was a FANTASTIC show, and I don’t use bold, capital letters lightly.
The show was recorded & videos will be coming forthwith.
‘Til then, let me just say that it was my distinct honor to perform with Jessie Yamas, Bruce W. Derr, Bob Albin, Jake Kline & Steven Buckalew last night. This is only the beginning for Earl Pickens & Family...
October 27
With Or Without You
See? I warned you. The Country Fried Joshua Tree show is SOLD OUT. Sorry! You had your chance. Better luck next time.
Okay, listen: I like you. And I’m gonna look out for you just this one time. Because I know you’re gonna love this show. SO ... we’ve added a 2nd Country-Fried Joshua Tree performance at 9:00 on Saturday. Now go down to Cherry Alley Café and get yourself a ticket already. Sheesh!
October 25
Fiddlin’ With U2
I’m happy to report that Steve Buckalew, fiddle player extraordinaire for the State College bluegrass band The Tolins Bluegrass Revue, will be joining Earl Pickens & Family at next Saturday’s Country-Fried Joshua Tree show. Welcome aboard, Steve!
This is going to be a GREAT show. If you want to score a seat you’d best get on down to Cherry Alley and buy a ticket soon. I’m torn because I want this show to sell out ASAP, but I also want YOU to be there. Maybe you should go get that ticket now.
October 25
GOBAMA!
Big show TOMORROW in Hufnagel Park, Lewisburg PA. A whole bunch of great local bands will be performing at a rally to promote our choice for President of the United States in 2008: Barack Obama! The show starts at 11 AM and goes until 5 PM. It’s free, there will be plenty of hot food available, and there will be lots of cool open-minded folks there to hang around with. Plus me. I’ll be there all day. We’ll have a full kids activities program for the day, including face painting, coloring and other stuff that kids enjoy, like running around and such.
Two of my bands — Thunder & The Sweetbriars — are playing the rally, and I’m the emcee for the day. Come out and see how long I can go without asking “Can I get a YEEE HAW?”
Here’s the schedule:
11:00 Depotorhead
12:00 Faculty Lounge
1:00 The Blind Chitlin Kahunas
2:00 Earl Pickens and the Band named Thunder
3:00 The Sweetbriars
4:00 Nicholas Horner
Can I get a YEEE HAW?
October 17
Twang Nation
Our upcoming Country-Fried Joshua Tree show got a nice plug from alt-country blog Twang Nation today. I like what they wrote about the show, because I think it captures people’s basic reaction to this idea. “You’re doing what? The whole album? Country? Um … okaaaay.”
From twangnation.com “This next show seems so brazen that I was sure it was going to be a car wreck, but the YouTube video convinced me otherwise. .. a countrified rendition of the classic U2 album The Joshua Tree, in its entirety. Yeah, I know that’s what I thought.”
Earl Pickens & Family’s Where The Streets have No Name youtube video is making converts, people. If you don’t have a ticket yet, you’d better get a move on. Yee haw!
Thanks Twang Nation!
October 17
Pro-America, Patriotically
Say what you want about Sarah Palin — no really, say whatever the hell you want about her. Please. — she easily matches George W. Bush’s mastery of the English language. Here’s a great quote I found on cnn.com:
“It’s all pro-America. I was just reinforcing the fact that there, where I was, there’s good patriotic people there in these rallies, so excited about positive change and reform of government that’s coming that they are so appreciative of hearing our message, hearing our plan. Not any one area of America is more pro-America patriotically than others.” — Sarah Palin
Well said, Governor. Well said.
September 25
I Love You Too.
Earl Pickens & Family ride again! Jessie Yamas (harmony vocals), Bruce W. Derr (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Bob Albin (upright bass), Jake Kline (drum) and I will perform an acoustic, countrified rendition of the classic U2 album The Joshua Tree, live at Cherry Alley Cafe (Lewisburg, PA) on Saturday, November 1st @ 7PM. Tickets go on sale at Cherry Alley any day now.
I’ve always loved The Joshua Tree album. Seriously: ALWAYS. Before it was even recorded, I loved it. Before the big bang: LOVED IT. But now that I’m performing it with this FINE bunch of musicians, I TOTALLY FREAKIN’ LOOOOOOOOOOVE it EVEN MORE!!!
Seriously, this is going to be a great show. Great songs, great arrangements, great musicians, great atmosphere, great coffee. This show has got it all. We have a few rehearsals under our belts already, and MAN I like what I’m hearing. U will 2.
More to come . . .
A CALL TO ACTION (figure)!
This you gotta see. Here’s a very cool news feature about my friends Ben & Danielle’s new Sarah Palin action figure. Awesome. Order now while supply lasts.
September 17
The 12 Bar Blues
I posted a new song/video on youtube last night. Please, enjoy it here.
I’ve been sitting on this one for a long time, and I finally decided to finish it yesterday. It’s called “The 12 Bar Blues” and I believe it is one of the greatest 12-bar blues songs EVER WRITTEN by me, and I have written more than 2 blues songs.
If anyone out there is friendly with B.B. King, please let him know about this song, as he may want to add it to his repertoire. (For those not up on the blues lingo: repertoire means “accumulated batch of blues songs”.) Make it snappy though, because B.B. is getting pretty old. I think he’s, like, 50 or something. LAWD! (Again with the blues speak. Sorry. That one means “YIKES!”)
Anyway, dig on the new tune, cats. I sho’ nuff put the hoodoo on it, to make it reeeeeal smoove for all you jivin’ boogie chillun’ in my neck o’ the delta.
Yrs.,
Mr. Charlie
PS. Apologies to the bartender at the Bull Run who thinks he looks like Tom Cruise. You know who I mean; that guy who looks exactly like Tom Cruise.
September 15
There is not much else to say about Horatio Lee Jenkins once you have uttered the words “awesome” and “the absolute greatest”. And that’s all right, because sometimes there are no words, so you’re lucky Horatio let you use those 4 words in the first place.
Mr. Jenkins’s (Jenkins’?) newest song and video, It’s Okay to Be Gay, will no doubt end prejudice against “gay folks” in America once and for all. I predict gay marriage will be legal in all 50 states within 2 weeks. Thank you, Horatio Lee Jenkins. Thank you.
September 11
This video is well worth the 8 minutes and 40-odd seconds it will take to watch. Key point: “If you don’t vote, you’re a moron.” I concur.
September 8
I love America. That’s why I want you to see this video. If you don’t watch this video you do not love America. End of story. I know you have a computer, and I know you can access the internet, so no excuses now. Go. Go prove you love America.
“Hypocrisy is the greatest luxury. Raise the double standard!” — Michael Franti
August 3
NEW VIDEO!!!
August 1
The eagle has landed. The thin man walks alone. Translation: the new Sweetbriars cd PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! arrived, by the thousands, at my door today. Looks great, sounds great and even TASTES great. I licked one: it was minty.
What? Can you PLEASE have one? Sure: 15 bucks. Boom. Visit our myspace page to order your copy today. Paypal and good old-fashioned Mail Order are up and running. CDbaby, iTunes, etc. are not far behind.
July 23
Me and the three guys with me in the picture above have just completed one HELL of an album. Best dang recording I’ve EVER been involved with. You’re gonna love it. A LOT of people are gonna love it. I can feel it. Here. Inside.
I’d say our blood, sweat and tears went into this thing, but that’s gross and I don’t recall anyone cutting themselves, bleeding or crying in the studio. So it simply would not be true to say that. It WAS rather hot in the studio at times, and I did sweat a bit, I think.
Hours, days and weeks of hard work DID go into this thing though. That’s for sure. Tempers flared. Fights were fought. Vocals were sung, re-sung and then re-sung AGAIN until we got them RIGHT, dammit! Fists nearly flew on more than one occasion. Friendships were tested and tempered in the fire. More than one person threatened to quit the band, and each one of the four of us was nearly kicked out at one time or another. Cooler heads prevailed and now the shining steel edifice that is this strange, joyful, harmony-laced, guitar-driven rock and roll projectile rolls proudly to the launch pad.
But where is it bound? The moon? The sun? Oregon? Perhaps someplace even further off? We’ll all have to wait and see.
T-minus 12 dyas and counting.
August 5th, people. August 5th. More info to come.
June 27
W A R N I N G !!!
Somewhere in the rolling green hills of central Pennsylvania, The Sweetbriars are cooking up a rock and roll masterpiece. We’ll be done recording in a few days, and then it’s off to the mix factory for our 10-song guitar rock opus, PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION!
We’ll be filming the first video for the new album in the next few weeks, here in Lewisburg. Want to be in it? Shoot me an email at earl@earlpickens.com and tell me as much.
August 5th is the official PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! release date. Planet, you have been warned.
June 19
I’ve Been On TV Everywhere in Pennsylvania On TV
If ever there was a song parody that could be used to promote a public television series on Pennsylvania travel, surely this is it. Click on “watch a preview of Explore PA’s new season” to, duh, watch a preview of Explore PA’s new season. Hey — That’s me and the Band Named Thunder singing!
June 9
New Sweetbriars Album in the works
The Sweetbriars have been in the studio for a few days working on our new album, PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION!, and it’s a mother. Can’t hardly WAIT to get this record out there. 10 great songs, 10 great recordings with only one mission: to rock. The guitar solos ALONE on this album are worth the price of admission. The ingredients for PLEASE PASS THE REVOLUTION! are somewhat antiquated: guitars, drums and human voices. I think they used to make records with this stuff, back in the day. Remember the day? No? Well don’t worry: it’s coming soon. Look for a July release. Oh yeah.
June 3
I’m hosting a songwriters open mic of sorts tomorrow night, Wednesday, June 4th, at Page After Page Bookstore in Lewisburg, PA. It’s called The Earl Pickens Brand New Song Slimmy Slam Jam and it starts at 7 PM. This is the first installment of what will hopefully be a monthly event. Come on down with at least one new original song (written during the last month or so, finished or unifinished), a set of typed lyrics (to pass around the room) a set of lungs (for breathing/singing) and a stringed instrument (just for effect). We’ll sit around, play new songs, listen to new songs, discuss new songs and be all artistic and whatnot.
May 27
CD release party
Hey. My boy Bruce W. Derr will be celebrating the release of his new album Mr. Personality (Midnite Birds Records) tomorrow night, Wednesday May 28th at Buffalo Bills on rt 15 in Lewisburg, PA. from 7-9 PM. No cover.
Bruce’s new cd is a crazy mix of cool songs and musical contributions from lots of players on the local Lewisburg music scene. I kicked in several harmony parts and at least one banjo track. Jessie Yamas dropped in some great harmonies. Buzzzzzzzz Meachum, from The Earl Pickens Trio laid down a bass track or two and some killer background vocals. Jeff Kline of Cletus Mergitroid chipped in a bass line as well, Jake Kline of The Sweetbriars is on there somewhere, playing something. Paul Curcuruto of The Band Named Thunder shreds a guitar lead or two. It’s a veritable rock and roll jamboree.
Bruce has got a GREAT record on his hands. Come on out and grab a copy for yourself, and maybe a few copies for your coolest friends. Oh, and wear a party hat.
Check out some tracks from Mr. Personality here.
April 28
Here’s a cool NPR piece on Mark Olson & his new album. Check it. See you in Philadelphyeehaw on Thursday.
April 24
Just found out I’ll be opening for Mark Olson at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia next week. Man, I’m EXCITED about this one. More info on the shows page. Can’t elaborate right now, because I need to go make a “Mark Olson Everywhere, Man” video.
Before I go, I want to give a shout out to my boy Bruce W. Derr, who will be rocking the Lucky Lucky Gift Shop (328 Market St, Lewisburg PA) all afternoon this Saturday, starting at 1 PM. As I’ve said many times, Bruce is a future rockstar and you should go see him in concert as much as you can before he gets too famous. We’re talking months here, people. You have been warned. Check out Bruce’s myspace page.
April 21
OBAMA ENDORSES PICKENS!!!
Senator Barack Obama is wrapping up his Pennsylvania primary campaign with with a video montage of his travels and misadventures (bowling, anyone?) set to the smooth sounds of yours truly singing “Obama Everywhere in Pennsylvania”.
I’ve never been flabbergasted before, so I’m not entirely sure about this, but I believe I was certifiably flabbergasted to see and hear myself in this video posted on the homepage at barackobama.com. Dang, dang and double dang.
Pennsylvania is a great state — er commonwealth — and Senator Obama is a great candidate. I’m very glad to be a part of it all. Thank you, Senator. I wholeheartedly accept your ringing endorsement of my ringing endorsement!
April 19
Whattaday!
Man, me and the Band Named Thunder had us some fun today. We drove to Lancaster to get up in front of 8,000 (or so) beautiful people to get them all worked up for Senator Barack Obama’s impending campaign stop. Probably one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever played for. Okay, easily the biggest by a factor of at least 12. Do the math.
When we first got to Lancaster we met some nice secret service agents who waved metal detectors over us while dogs sniffed our instrument cases. Normal pre-show stuff. After that we were ushered the SECURE back stage area and told to relax. (But not too much, since there were no bathrooms in the SECURE area.) We hung out there for a few hours, until we were escorted up to the stage to do our thing for the Lancasterians. Lancasterites? Lancasters?
We did a 9-song set, which was very well received. Two renditions of “Obama Everywhere in Pennsylvania” seemed appropriate, so that’s what we gave ‘em. The Band Named Thunder played & sang exceedingly well and it was my distinct honor to share the stage with them, as always.
After our set we ran back to the SECURE area, under sniper fire as I recall.
Senator Obama materialized shortly thereafter and delivered one of his trademark “Great Speeches”, despite the repeated entreaties from the audience to “Bring that Pickens guy back up so he can sing about you again!” My tight schedule prevented Barack and I from dueting on “The Wind Beneath My Wings” as originally planned, but I’d call the gig a success anyway. Always leave them wanting more. Or less. One of those.
In short, a great, great day and a whole lotta fun. I was very proud to be a part of it all, and I don’t care who knows it. YEEEEEEE HAW!!!!!! If you have any good photos of our band onstage at the Lancaster Obama rally, we’d love to get our hands on them. Send ‘em to me via email at earl@earlpickens.com. THANKS!
Very special thanks to all the people who came out on April 6th to help out with the video. We done good, people.
Here’s a tip for you: if you ever find yourself performing at a campaign rally for the aforementioned Senator from Illinois, try to work the word “Obama” into your act as much as possible. For some reason the crowd goes nuts every time.
April 18
Guess who’s opening for Barack Obama in Lancaster, PA tomorrow? If you guessed Earl “Obama Everywhere” Pickens then you were right. I’ve been invited to perform my “Obama Everywhere in Pennsylvania” song at Senator Obama’s Lancaster whistle stop campaign rally, which will be attended by the esteemed Senator from Illinois himself. YEEEEE HAW!!!!!!!
April 16
Obama, Where Art Thou?
Hey. I’ll be on the radio at 8:00 tomorrow morning (Thursday 4.17) talking about my current bout of Obama Fever with WQKX morning crew deejays Dre and Ali . Tune in on land or online at www.wqkx.com
I’ll be the one that sounds like me.
April 14
Ourspace
Songs from The Sweetbriars live on-air performance on WMFO, Medford are posted on our myspace page. Checkemout!!!
April 13
Off the Road Again
The Sweetbriars just rolled back into Lewisburg after a very successful run through New England. Photos, music and tales from the road will be posted here shortly. For now I just want to let you know we made it home safe, because I know how you worry. I also want to send a virtual shout-out to all the new friends we made on our trip: YEE HAW!!!
April 10
Ain’t Than Tufts Enough?
Hey. Catch The Sweetbriars live on the radio Thursday night (4/10). We’ll be coming atcha from Boston, Massachusetts on WMFO 91.5 FM at 10:00 PM.
I’ll be updating my blog every minute and a half from the road as we roar triumphantly through New England. Check back here every 90 seconds from now until Sunday afternoon to experience the tour as it happens.
April 9
10,000 Obamaniacs
10,000 plays of the new Obama Everywhere in Pennsylvania video yesterday. Thanks, 10,000 people!
April 7
EPATBNT/OEIP
The above headline stands for “Earl Pickens and the Band Named Thunder” / “Obama Everywhere In Pennsylvania”. I didn’t want to type that whole thing out because it takes up so much room, so I abbreviated it. Check out the full band version of “OEIP” (again, that stands for “Obama Everywhere In Pennsylvania”), starring EPATBNT (as I indicated earlier, this stands for “Earl Pickens and the Band Named Thunder”) on my youtube channel. It’s a lot of fun, or the initials standing for my name aren’t EP (Earl Pickens)!
This was filmed yesterday in Lewisburg with the help of a few dozen local Obama supporters, and at least one local celebrity: Paul Smith of The Badlees filmed & directed the video, and presided over last night’s marathon editing session. Paul is the goods and Barack Obama is lucky to have him filming, directing and editing random videos by pseudo-cowboy, small-time raconteurs such as myself. Thanks to Paul et al!!!!
Watch the video, leave a comment and forward the link to anyone you know who might love/like/not-have-an-opinion-about/tolerate/despise it!
Also, there’s a free download of the song on my myspace page. Run to it.
April 3
The Sweetbriars are SUCH a Tees!
Sweetbriars tee shirts are now on sale at the Lucky Lucky Gift Shop here in Lewisburg, PA. They’ve got ‘em in a few different sizes and a few different colors. In short, there is more than one way to show your Sweetbriar love, people.
We sure could stand to sell a few of these babies/puppies before we shove off for our (mini) New England tour next week. Swing by the Lucky Lucky and get yours today!
Seriously, stop reading now and go buy a shirt.
April 1
Killed Buffalo
This just in: Earl Pickens and Kill Buffalo Records have decided to part ways.
KBR and I had a good run over the past few years, but we have decided to part ways. You may recall reading that in the paragraph immediately preceding this one.
Don’t worry: all 3 of my fine Kill Buffalo releases (Country Music Jukebox, When Earl Was 17 It Was a Very Good year & Turn On the Radio) are still available from all the usual places — Amazon, iTunes, Rhapsody, etc.
All you big record labels that have been waiting in the wings to swoop in and snatch up this rocket to hitsville: now is your chance.
Yep. Now.
Riiiiight about now.
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Hello?
March 31
Et Two, PA?
You heard me right: I have two new versions of I’ve Been Everywhere In Pennsylvania posted online for your listening/viewing pleasure. First there’s EP and the Band Named Thunder’s studio version, which is posted on my myspace page Myspace.com/earlpickensmusic. We recorded the song last week at Kimbo’s Studio in Lewisburg, PA. Thanks, Kimbo! Special thanks to Paul Smith of The Badlees for producing & mixing this track.
Viva La Band Named Thunder!!!
There’s also a political video version of the song, for all you lefties out there, on my youtube channel: youtube.com/earlyeehawpickens. I wrote, filmed and posted this one Saturday and we’re appoaching 4,000 plays already. Dang. Check. It. Out.
A motorcycle club out of Lancaster is going to try to ride this year to all 93 of the towns and places mentioned in I’ve Been Everywhere In Pennsylvania. More info on The Dutch County Riders / BMW Earl Pickens Everywhere in PA Ride will be posted here in a day or two. Shoot me an email at earl@earlpickens.com if you want to join the ride.
Yrs.,
EP
February 27
No Way Home From Here
Fellow Sweetbriar Bruce W. Derr and I wrote a song last week called “No Way Home From Here”. We enlisted other fellow Sweetbriar Paul Curcuruto to add some electric guitar to the equation and shot this video last night in my living room.
Rock!
Once last remaining fellow Sweetbriar Jake Kline gets a hold of this song on the drums the world will never be the same.
February 28
Tomorrow night is the big Sweetbriars debut in Lewisburg, PA. If at all possible, you should be at this show, if only so you can tell your future grandchildren about it. And hey, if you already HAVE grandchildren then you should come out too. And if your grandchildren are over 21 then you should bring them with you. It’s all good, baby.
And for all you anxious Earl Pickens and the Band Named Thunder fans out there; fear not! EPATBNT will shortly be announcing a whole slew of cool gigs! (How much is a slew anyway? Hopefully not more than 5).
See you soon!
February 26
Garfield Minus Garfield
This is pure genius.
February 21
Bob Dylan singing “Yesterday”. Never knew this existed until a few minutes ago. Has everyone been keeping this from me? Check it out
While you’re at it, here’s The Beatles returning the favor, by playing Mama You’ve been On My Mind.
February 20
Earl on WXPN (.com) FM
My song True Too is the My Morning Download song of the day on the WXPN, Philadelphia music blog today. Yee haw! Check it out here.
February 18
Presidents’ Day, Happy
Here’s hoping that this is your best President’s Day ever!
February 12
The Sweetbriars
NEW BAND ALERT! NEW BAND ALERT! DANGER! DANGER!
Band Named Thunder guitarist Paul Curcuruto, drummer Jake Kline and myself have joined forces with fellow Lewisburg native Bruce W. Derr to form a new band called The Sweetbriars. We’ll be making our PA debut on February 29th in Lewisburg. Details on that show to come shortly. Our myspace page will be up and running with some song samples in a few days.
We’ve gotten in a few practices already and this band seems poised for total world domination, possibly as early as mid 2009.
Cool songs, loud guitars, funky beats, sweet harmonies and even more cool songs. Pennsylvania, you have been warned: The Sweetbriars are coming to git ya. Oh yeah.
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