Würzburg, February 16    
 


Hi everyone,

first of all I'd like to inform you that from now until March 15 I won't be able to read or answer my email. I'll be in Berlin for a month and I'm trying to organize some solo gigs while I'm there. Since I won't be able to post those live dates here on the site, check your local papers if you want to come out. It'll be fun.
I've recorded a bunch of new songs. There will be a compilation album out later this year. The working title of the record is "A Long way From Texas" and the idea is to bring together some musicians from Europe (mostly Germany & Switzerland) on one album. Each artist or band will cover one song by a Texan songwriter and one of their own songs. Reto Burrell and One Bar Town are among the other confirmed participants.
To get something different, I put together a band of great guys specifically for these sessions. Peter Wirth, Würzburg's best funky drummer, Manfred Kaiser, an upright bass player who has played the Montreaux jazz festival, and the great Oli Stangl, a wonderful guitarist and pedal steeler from Erlangen, recorded with me. We recorded a song of mine called "Fallin' For A Stranger" which to me is kind of a prequel to "A Girl Called Jo" (from "Gunslinger's Tales"). We also recorded Robert Earl Keen's "So I Can Take My Rest" and Townes van Zandt's "Waiting Around To Die". Only one of the covers will appear on the album. Since they both turned out good we will release the other song in some fashion later on.
That's about all for now. Stay tuned and come out to see me play in Berlin or the nearby area.

Take care,

Markus