Early Fall Greetings Everyone!
I didn’t intend to maintain radio silence for so long, but for several weeks now my wife and I have been neck deep in relocating to Memphis (and all the house-selling, apartment-hunting, moving, downsizing etc. requires).
I’m terrible at moving! But here we are, and here we go. Thanks for tuning in. I pray you've all been keeping well in this crazy time.
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CONTENTS of This Newsletter
1. New Blue Rock Christmas album coming…
2. Sherpas autumn recording and gig
3. In December, a streaming writers show
4. Summer 2022: Crete writing retreat & Ireland tour
5. TK Poem of the Month: “The Other End of the Boat”
6. Recommended: "Love on the Spectrum"
7. Food for Thought... from Roald Dahl
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1. A Very Blue Rock Christmas, Vol 2
Coming soon from the fabulous Blue Rock Artist Ranch & Studio in Texas: A Very Blue Rock Christmas, Volume 2, featuring yours truly on 2 tracks—and I’ll be in excellent company with Grace Pettis, David Wilcox, Walt & Tina Wilkins, Blue Rock maestro Billy Crockett and other fine artists.
To Pre-Order (or read more about it), click HERE.
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2. New Sherpas project
Tom Prasada-Rao and Michael Lille and I head into TPR’s studio the first week of November to record all new material. We’re excited.
And while we’re together we’re going to play an area show or two—this one for sure:
What: Focus Music presents The Sherpas (Tom Prasada-Rao, Michael Lille and Tom Kimmel)
Where: Island Pride, Gaithersburg, MD
When: Saturday November 6, 2021 7:30-9:00pm EST
For more: Click HERE
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3. December Live Stream show
Sunday, December 19, 2021 1:30pm CST
*Music My Mother Would Not Like Series
—(*New Sunday afternoon series)
Artists: TK (& others to be names)
—Mark your calendars: details to come
NOTE: Our host Bruce Swan’s been wanting to schedule an afternoon series so our friends in Europe can also watch… when it's not too late over there to catch the shows.
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4. 2022 Crete (retreat) and Ireland (friends & fans tour)
a. Crete: A week-long writing retreat on the south coast of Crete (Greece)
Thanks to Swedish hosts Eva Hillered and Peter Ostman I’ll be making my third trip to Lendas, Crete, to co-lead a week of teaching and songwriting with Eva and a group of writers from, well, all over. (I love international retreats.)
What: Songwriting retreat with Eva Hillered and Tom Kimmel
Where: Lendas, Crete (Greece)
When: Monday July 11 - Monday July 18, 2022
For more: Details to follow soon
For inquiries now: Contact Eva from her artist site HERE and see Kontakt and E-Post at lower left of her web page (to email Eva).
NOTE: I have loved being a part of previous retreats with Eva above the blue Mediterranean, and this one will be held in her new retreat center.
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b. Ireland 2022
Since 2011 I’ve hosted annual music-arts-nature tours for Inishfree Tours on Ireland’s west coast. After pandemic-canceled trips in 2020 and 2021, I’m really excited to be returning next summer (along with 23 friends and fans).
The scoop:
What: Tom’s Annual Friends-and-Family Tour for Inishfree Tours
Where: Ireland’s gorgeous west coast (Counties Mayo, Galway and Clare)
When: Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, August 1, 2022
For more: Visit Inishfree’s website HERE
(Taking reservations now.)
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5. TK Poem of the Month: “On His 84th Birthday”
My dad’s birthday was yesterday. He’d have been 87 if he hadn’t departed this world eleven years ago. He married my mother when I was just shy of 10, and we had a rough go of it until I was well grown. Then I began fishing with him—a new dimension to quality time—and we became friends. I shared this one with you once before, but he’s on my mind right now, so I’ll share again.
On His 84th Birthday, Remembering Dad at the Other End of the Boat
"Buy land, son. They ain't making any more of it.”
"Don't ever marry anybody as good looking as your mama."
"All I know is a Ph.D. never made an M-A-N out of an S-O-B."
"Trickle down economics? The only place my money's trickling is deeper in my pocket."
"Do you know what was great about DiMaggio? He kept his mouth shut."
"You liberals are so open minded you won't take your own side in an argument!"
"It's called ceviche. Just eat it."
“But why read fiction? It's not even real.”
"Thomas you need a look, a trademark. You know, like John Lennon's glasses. But that's taken."
“The only thing wrong with you is you act like a yo-yo."
"Hey get me another beer before the ice melts.”
“Son, unless you’re fishing on credit I’d get a line in the water.”
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6. Recommended: The Australian documentary series “Love on the Spectrum, Season 2” (Netflix)
My TV viewing these days is largely limited to baseball, but last night Kat invited me to join her in watching the first episode this season's of “Love on the Spectrum.”
Now I’ll admit, when my guard is down I can cry at just about anything, but I so loved the first season, and last night I shed a tear as I was touched deeply by the courageous, honest young people in this show, which I found to be inspiring, humbling… and quite funny.
NOTE: If you haven’t seen Season One, start there. Not for everyone, maybe, but it’s for me.
Streaming on Netflix now.
—And for a short interview with the producers of the show by Autism Awareness Australia, click HERE
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7. Food for Thought... from Roald Dahl
Kat and I recently re-watched “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which is based on one of Mr. Dahl's books.
“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom.”
“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”
“I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else.”
―Roald Dahl (1916-1990), novelist, poet, fighter pilot
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Till next time, Maximum Peace, Love and Understanding,
TK