Greetings from Overton Park in Memphis!
It's a beautiful,clear day here. Tomorrow the weatherman says it'll be rainy, and the day after that. Then the temperature will drop to the 40s, then more warm, blue sky days. It's normal spring weather, I know.
The thing is, it doesn’t feel so normal here today. Yesterday three unmarked cars pulled up at my neighbor’s house, and the men who jumped out demanded to see his documentation. He complied, and apparently satisfied, they drove away.
My neighbor is from India. He frequently walks by our house, and if I’m outside we exchange a nod or a wave. In fact, scores of people walk by every day. We live on a lovely street that dead ends into our big, beautiful midtown park. They stroll to and fro with a friend or their dogs or children. It's a sweet neighborhood. It just doesn't feel quite as sweet today.
OK, we've got an exceptionally short newsletter: brief tour & retreat updates, a new poem, a song-of-the-month, and wisdom for writers from two of the greats.
--
Contents of This Newsletter
1. Off to Sweden in May
2. Ireland 2026 tour filling fast
3. Song of the Month: The Waymores' You Didn't Fool Me
4. Poem of the Month: Marker
5. Wisdom for writers from Hoagy Carmichael & Keith Richards
1. Off to Sweden in May
You can hardly get me out of the yard these days, much less on an airplane, but this is such a special offer, I couldn't say no!
It's been years since I've been to Sweden to teach and write and play, and it's always been a joy.
Obviously it's a long way from here, but I think there's still room in our group… so if you're interested in taking a week to write, experience another culture and enjoy good food & company…
…check it out:
https://www.annikafehling.com/
(Scroll down for English.)
…or email Annika Fehling for more info: annikafehling1(at)gmail(dot)
2. Ireland 2026
These days these tours fill up far ahead of time, and for that I am grateful.
If you're curious or interested, here's the scoop:
Inishfree's 2026 Ireland Tour (with me)
When: Wednesday, June 24 till Friday, July 3, 2026
Where: Irelands soulful southwest (Counties Cork, Kerry & Clare)
*Reservations: https://www.inishfreetours.
*On this 2026 Tour Schedule page, scroll down to my June tour and click ENQUIRE. My friend Vicki with Inishfree will reply to you right away.
For much more on the tour (and the tours in general), visit my Ireland page:
And visit our wonderful tour company's page:
Inishfree Tours
https://www.inishfreetours.
3. Song of the Month: You Didn't Fool Me
A couple of weeks ago I reconnected with Don Henry & Sally Barris for a rare Waymores show in Nashville, and for my March song-of-the-month I'm going with You Didn't Fool Me—one of my favorites from our album. (And a good choice, I think, for these very dicey times.)
To listen, visit my website and scroll down the homepage. You’ll see it—and of course it's streaming everywhere.
4. Poem of the Month
Marker
That cold day
I pulled over on impulse
Followed the map
And found his plaque
In the dirt
What to do?
I knelt and placed a hand
Where his heart might be
I thought to myself
Now he's only bones
Only bones
But he was my father.
--
4. Wisdom for writers from Hoagy Carmichael & Keith Richards
"You don't write melodies, you find them. If you find the beginning of a good song, and if your fingers do not stray, the melody should come out of hiding."
—Hoagy Carmichael (1918-1981), songwriter
"If you want to write great music, you have to listen to great music. Mick listens to shit.“
—Keith Richards (b. 1943), musician
--
Till next month, Maximum Peace, Love & Understanding,
TK
PS Thanks always to the folks at Elixir Strings for keeping me playing the world's best strings for over 25 years.