Hi Kids,
Welcome to my first edition of ” notes from the road”.
It has been quite some time since I sat down and wrote anything longer than a to go order from Maudies mexican restaurant but I will do my best.

We have stayed pretty close to home this month gearing up for an all new studio record and getting some much needed business done.

We signed with a new management company Murphy to Manteo “MTM” out of Raleigh NC headed up by Rusty Harmon and Mark Zenow.
These guys kick serious butt and are ready to bust things wide open for RK in 08!!!!

We also signed a new record deal with Yep Rock Records and are now label mates with Dave Alvin, Jim Lauderdale, The Gourds, Catilin Cary, Ian Moore, Reverend Horton Heat, Marah and many many more kick ass artists.
Yep Rock is one of the few labels left that are still fighting for and signing bands like us that play music outside the corporate box.

Look for the new record this spring!

One trip we did take early in January was to Steamboat Colorado to attend and play at what has become one of our favorite festivals of the year.
With the exception of Jimmy who hates snow, skiing, hot tubs, steam rooms, late night parties, college girls, any music post 1975 and 5 star hotels.
The Music Fest is by far the best way to kickoff the new year!
All our new years resolutions start on Jan 11th.
This fest is different than most other festivals because at Music Fest most of the artists stay for the entire week to ski, party and my favorite part, JAM!!!!
This year was especially great on that end.

Aside from the usual late night hotel room jams, this year John Dickson set up the Steamboat Mountain Theater to look like an old barn / living room complete with couches, a PA, and a bar, On Stage!!!
The second night of the fest we did a Braun Family show there with all my bro’s and our Dad Muzzie.
The show began with a short RKTV film called ” AFTERMATH ” about a certain drummers unfortunate decision to streak Robert Earl Keens show at the Fillmore in San Francisco and the consequences he suffered the next day. It was a huge hit.
Look for this on RKTV.

After the film we started the show.
We had no plans or format for the jam and just started playing songs we never get to play on stage.
Willy and Micky did some Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, and Dad pulled out some old Bob Wills.
Then we started getting some of the many surprise guests up on stage to do a song or two.
We had invited a bunch of our friends to come play but had no idea who would actually show up.
Little did we know everyone we invited would show up!
It started with ” comic genius ” Hayes Carll who did a song his dad wrote called ” Idaho… but she left me ” followed by one of his songs about his early days playing in shitty bars for tips.
I missed the title because I was still laughing at the Idaho song.

Hayes had to run to another show and his spot was filled by our friend Randy Rogers who played a few new songs and then hung out all night with his lovely wife Brooke ” who stole the show a few nights later at a hotel jam with her incredible 80’s country and 90’s rap comedy show “!

The Titos vodka was flowing freely so the rest of the night is a little foggy. We went through a case on stage with a little help from our friends.
I do remember two certain drummers to remain nameless, Jay and Shane, streaking the stage in diapers and monkey tails…some guys never learn.

All the way from Alberta Canada our new friend Corb Lund stopped by to play a couple as well as our old buddies’ Jason Boland, Doug Morland, The Band of Heathens, George DeVore, David Abeyta, Dr. Gary Hartman and my wife Kathleen who in her own words felt someone needed to break up the sausage fest with a Dolly Parton song!
It was a great night!!!

When it was all said and done fun was had by all ” even Jimmy ” and we all survived another music fest without insult or injury. Well, most of us did.

We have Two shows coming up Feb 15th and 16th at our favorite place to play in the world, ” Gruene Hall ” .
We decided to do two nights in a row because our shows there lately have been sold out. Good for us, bad for you.
So instead of jacking up the price and selling tickets for one night we decided to do two nights at the same price for you hard working Reck heads.
Hopefully everyone will be able to get in.
We are planning on doing different songs each night and will be throwing in some of the new tunes we are recording this month.
If these shows go well we are going to plan a whole weekend in Gruene this spring or early summer.
Fri, Sat and Sun complete with a friends / fans / band float trip and some cool other surprises to boot.
Keep your eyes out for that and please come out and help make our first two night stand at Gruene Hall a success.

Until next time…..
Stay warm and be cool my friends.
Cheers,
Cody