Why Honky Tonk? Storytelling & other tales...

I first met Squash (aka, J.P. Harris) in the mountains of West Virginia. I will mention that it was at the famous Old Time/Roots Music (and a tiny bit of Bluegrass) festival, called Clifftop, but, I don't want to go off on a tangent talking about Clifftop - 'nuf said.

I may have seen Squash before Clifftop, but it was at Clifftop that I met him and invited him to play The Whirlybird if he was ever in Louisiana. I, of course, thought his music would be the driving old time that he played on the handmade banjo that never left his side (or back). I immediately recognized Squash as a genuine American folk artist, a troubadour and an energetic ringleader for traditional - yet, maybe a bit unconventional - fun. I'm not sure if that is how Squash would describe himself. But, I'm doing my best, because it is hard to describe or put Squash in a box. Don't let those CCCP tattoos in the photo fool you, either. That is another thing I don't want to get sidetracked talking about - the Vodka! Latka! party, with Squash, standing on top of the school bus, fists raised in solidarity with the throng of revelers around and below. . .

I thought Squash was solely an old time player - but, when I heard from Squash, that he was coming to The Black Pot festival and would love to bring his newly-formed Honky Tonk Band, J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices, to The Whirlybird for an after-festival-party gig, I was very excited.  I loved his old time music - now I wanted to hear his Honky Tonk music. I was not disappointed!

Squash and his band are passing through the area this week, and we all here in Southwest Louisiana have the opportunity to let our hair down this coming Sunday evening at Cité des Arts.  Cité is working on having more and more music venues.  It has clean bathrooms, it's indoors, a dancefloor, a bar, air-conditioning for that kind of weather, and it is an intimate venue where the volume level can be set where you can actually hear the music comfortably and enjoy music for it own sake.  Did I mention? - comfortable seats. . .

J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices

Sunday, January 9 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Come on out. . . and. . .


OK - there is another special event at Cité this coming Sunday that I am excited about - and it includes another of my favorite people, Pudd Sharp - it is the first Storytelling Night in a series that will continue at Cité once a month on the second Sunday afternoon of the month.  This event will happen just before the Honky Tonk gig.

STORYTELLING in The Flying Saucer Café - Pudd and I will be kicking off the first storytelling event.  We will be telling some of our favorite stories from our lives.  We've been told that people like these stories.  (BTW, this first series of storytelling is not planned to be a children's event - but a children's storytelling event is on the way so wait for that one to bring the kids).  This will be an adult event.  I have had a discussion with some of the other storytellers and with Christy, Cité's fearless program director, and it is agreed upon to have an adult storytelling event where the storytellers can let their storytelling hair down among other adults.

I may even bring my ukulele - but, that has not been determined, yet.


Since my debut at The New Moon Revue (at The Blue Moon Saloon), I am confidently looking for other opportunities to express myself musically.  If it fits with a story, I may use music.


Whether I bring out the uke or not, I think starting a regular local storytelling event is a good idea.  See you on Sunday?

PS - come out to Cité to see what The Flying Saucer Café is all about. . .

Storytelling at The Flying Saucer Café, Cité des Arts

Sunday, January 9 · 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM