Well into December, as the calendar year 2014 somehow is almost behind us all.

Where did it go?

I know I flew to Australia in January and played a few concerts and recorded some songs with some very talented people from all over the globe. In February, I remember writing and recording in Nashville and Los Angeles and speaking at the Hospitality Newfoundland conference in Gander. Wasn’t there a wicked jam in Toronto for a fundraiser for The Company Theatre, and a songwriters circle with Steven Page and Lindi Ortega in a beautiful room with leaves on the ceiling?

April found me in Ridgeway Ontario with the amazing Tawgs Salter making music in the coolest backyard studio. I have a foggy memory of a boys trip to Pittsburgh to help a pal celebrate a Bday around then, too. In May I played gigs in Parry Sound and few other places and turned half 90 years old. In June I had a grand time in Fredericton with the band but July started with a bummer when Stanfest was cancelled. Thankfully the month was saved by grand gigs in Huntsville, Meaford, Jackson Triggs, and Cornwall.

Pretty sure August came in with a bang with fun gigs with Blue Rodeo in Sydney and PEI. I might have had the best gig of my life on George Street before having my first ever author interview in Woody Point. Then wasn’t there a triumphant return to London, UK and Tonder Festival in Denmark. Yep, August was wicked.

September found me finishing the CD and October kicked off with pics for artwork and a music video with the awesome Scott Grimes and Jess Macallan. The bulk of the month and into November was spent promoting a book as close to home as Petty Harbour and as far away as Seattle.

And, quick as a wink, we find ourselves here in the twilight of 2014. A bit of a transition year for me as the GBS Mothership tied up the hiatus dock for a while after our glorious Twentieth Anniversary Year. This year I officially became an Author. Thanks to kind folks like many of yourselves, I became a Bestselling Author for frig’s sakes. Amazing. I have to say I’m very grateful for Nita and Scott and all at Random House Canada for holding my hand through the whole book thing and showing such faith in a novice like myself.

This year also marked a bit of a musical awakening as well. I’ve made a solo cd before with the Boy on Bridge project. That whole deal was as much a physical journey as a musical one. As much a pilgrimage to the backyards of my musical friends as an honest to God presentation of me and my own influences. This years musical pursuit which culminated in SO LET’S GO due out in January, is really a reflection of me dragging the influences of my own backyard into the writing and recording studios of the most successful modern music makers I could get to work with. It’s filled with big production pieces that are wrapped around a guy and a folk instrument. The title track is a good example. Big song with a dude whistling and playing the mando. Check out the tune and video here.

Likewise the tune that rolled during the curtain call for the amazing run of Republic
of Doyle on CBC:

Hope you all dig the tunes and the whole CD. As always I’m equally excited and nervous about the CD launch. You’d think I’d be over the butterflies of releasing new music and launching a new project, but I can’t help it. Fingers crossed.

Getting ready to hit the road hard in 2015 to play tunes from my two solo CDs, the GBS catalogue, the Crowe/Doyle Songbook, and a few other songs from movies TV shows etc. And what a gang of Beautiful Gypsies I’ve got coming along for the ride. Kendel Carson, Cory Tetford, Kris Macfarlane, Todd Lumley, and Shehab Illyas will be amongst the folks you’ll see at the gigs, which I am delighted to say are selling very well. A few are sold out already and they are not even happening till next year!

Love to see you at a show or two.

Check here for a date near you.

Hopefully you’ll spend the next week or so the way you want. Whatever that means for you, I hope you get to do it.

As for me, I suspect it will be much like it is right now. As I type, I am helping the Prince and one of his buddies are put together a Lego set as big as a refrigerator. In other words; perfect.

Happy Christmas Everybody.

Cheers,
Alan