NEWSLETTER #117
by Wendel Werner
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE WENDEL
WERNER NEWSLETTER #117
Hi, everyone.
This newsletter will be a little different than most of the others. I have
numerous thngs to celebrate this month, but I also have some complaining to do.
I'd rather not start off with the complaining, so I'll save it for later. Do you
know what that means????
It means we go straight to discussing how this is my birthday month!! Most of
you know that occasionally I will try to make my birthday coincide with a
performance somewhere. Not only have I done that this year, but the performance
will be so much fun that I think I'll enjoy more than you will.
Next, I'm thrilled to say that the jazz trio recording project with Tim Paul and
Dave Slack went well. We didn't get it done in three days, so we added another
two. But we believe we have enough to have an album that we can put out before
the end of the year. Now, if you are keeping track that means there will be the
jazz trio album that we're calling "Nothing Personal," and the live recordings
from Moondollars Cafe. (I'm currently trying to decide if I want to put out a
series of three live recordings or just a volume 1 and 2.) But I DO think I may
put a few songs online for you to download (not for free) from my website AND
differents songs from the Moondollars website. I'll let you know if and when
that has been done.
But...perhaps I ought to tackle the other events in August first:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009
DALLAS, TX--THE HOUSE OF BLUES
UT ALUMNI EVENT
6PM
First of all, I don't know how much the event is, but I can promise you it's not
free. This is a fundraising event by an alumni chapter centered in the Dallas
area. They ASKED for me to come and do a lecture. (Yeah...i know!!?!?!)
So...I'll be speaking on how the state of Texas affects the history of rock and
roll. And yes, they are having this event at the House of Blues. (Maybe I should
play a little while I'm there!?!?)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2009
MARYVILLE, TN.
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS CONCERT SERIES
BLOUNT COUNTY LIBRARY
7PM
I hear that I'M kicking off this summer's concert series. It will be my first
time playing this series. I understand it's open to the public. I also
understand that the public doesn't know what they are in for. They asked for the
performance to last an hour. THAT means I'll be squeezing all the energy of a
three-hour performance into an hour performance. I hope they are ready.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2009
FARRAGUT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
8:30AM
Yeah, that's right...before going over to MY church, Graystone Presbyterian,
I'll be driving across town to sub as a pianist for a friend of mine. I think I
was told once what all I'll be playing. I do know that I'm to be accompanying a
wonderful soloist. If you are near EITHER church that morning, please stop by.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2009
BAKER-PETERS JAZZ CLUB
7:30PM-10:30PM
FREE
I'll be here with Jason Thompson, Dave Slack, and a group of others. We always
try to play well and be entertaining. Come check us out.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2009
BAKER-PETERS JAZZ CLUB
7:30PM-10:30PM
FREE
I'll be here with Jason Thompson, Dave Slack, and a group of others. We always
try to play well and be entertaining. Come check us out. (yeah..i just cut and
pasted exactly what I wrote for the previous week. You read it right!!)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009
THE SUSHI SPOT in POWELL, TN.
6:30pm-9:30pm
FREE
Jason Thompson, the sax player, and me, the piano player. Sometimes Alozo Lewis,
the drummer...playing JUST the snare drum. We're tucked away in a corner. So,
you may not be able to see us...which means you'll miss SEEING us have all this
fun. But you SHOULD be able to hear us.
SUNDAY AUGUST 23, 2009
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - CAMP MEETING
6PM
Okay, some of you have come to these things repeatedly. Trinity has their
"Sunday camp meetings" every Sunday in August and the last one is always an
all-music service. Their music person, Sheryl Howard, is someone I've worked
with for years. If she is a part of it, then it's going to be good. I'm
flattered that they ask (require) me to be a part of this every year. I'm
looking forward to a good time. If you have never gone, you should come. It
really is a GREAT amount of fun.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2009
THE SUSHI SPOT in POWELL, TN.
6:30PM-9:30PM
FREE
Just in case you missed our appearance on the 20th, here's your shot at
redemption.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2009
WENDEL WERNER AND ERIK WERNER
W/special guest ALAN ELEAZER and singers OLGA POWERS, KATY FREE, AND JENNA
LICKLITER. (there MAY also be a JEFF KILE sighting)
THE ALL-BEATLES BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
MOONDOLLARS CAFE
7PM-10PM
$5 COVER CHARGE
You have no idea how much fun this is going to be for us. Here's what's going to
happen. As a way of celebrating mine AND my brother's birthday (the other
brother will be in hawaii...yeah, i know), Erik is driving over from Nashville
and, from 7pm until 10pm, we are performing NOTHING BUT BEATLES SONGS all night.
We have loads of special guests and backup singers with us. We'll be doing 40
Beatles' tunes. Now, don't be expecting to hear all the hits. Why? It's not YOUR
birthday!!! Now, I don't want you to take that as if we are doing just our
favorites. Some of them are NOT our favorites. But we are deep fans...we'll be
choosing some songs that everyone knows and some songs that only beatle fans
know. We wanted to pick songs that we thought would work well with the people
that will be on the stage with us. We are VERY excited about this gig...but, so
you know...asking for requests won't get you anywhere. When it's YOUR birthday,
then you can choose the tunes. Please come and make reservations because we have
a feeling there may be a lot of people there.
Speaking of Moondollars, there is an issue I would like to address. A few times
over the past couple of months, large groups of people have come to hear me (or
the people I was playing with) at Moondollars cafe. BUT...at the end of the
night, they refused to pay the cover charge. Reasons were varied: "I was here
BEFORE the band started playing,"...but they stayed all night. OR "I was only
staying for dinner"...but they ended up staying a long time AFTER their dinner
was over. OR "I was only here for the last hour." OR "we didn't drink or eat
anything." So..I'm not going to beat around the bush about this:
Don't do that.
Please.
It's disrespectful to the people who are doing this for a living. It affects the
income of EVERYONE that is on that stage, not just at Moondollars, but ANYWHERE
a group of musicians are playing. Whether or not you enjoyed one song or thirty
songs, if you enjoyed A SONG PERIOD, you should pay the cover charge. This is
not money that goes to the venue, it goes straight to the musicians. It's
offensive to see that you've had a good time and then feel as if you DESERVED
that entertainment for free. You don't do that at a movie. You don't do that for
a play. You don't do that for the symphony. You shouldn't do it here.
And speaking personally, you WILL NOT go anywhere else...not a movie, not a
musical, not a play, not the symphony...and be entertained for THREE HOURS
STRAIGHT WITHOUT A BREAK for only $5.
Nowhere else.
If you don't want to pay, then just don't come.
Thank you, as always, for your support.
Wendel