Bill Small’s Blog

On a long drive last weekend, my girlfriend Julie pulled out some much treasured CD’s of live performances by our friend Tommy Elskes. Tommy’s been on our minds ever since. We’ve been listening to Tommy today as we go about our various Saturday tasks.

I met Tommy at the Saxon Pub in Austin in 1990. I was blown away by his voice. He was playing with his longtime friend and producer Stephen Doster. I’ll have to write a whole post about Stephen.

I’ve had the great fortune to share stages and microphones with Tommy over the years as well as make some beautiful noise in a few middle of the night living room throw downs. When you sit in a room with Tommy singing, it’s like there’s another person in the room. There’s Tommy and then there’s Tommy’s voice. It fills space. It transcends. It moves you. 

While living away from Texas in the early part of the decade, Tommy’s “King of Dixie” CD, produced by Stephen Doster, was never far from my stereo. It would bring tears of joy and longing to my eyes. It still does. This man’s voice calls to a deep part of my soul and if you haven’t heard him it’s way past time.

I found this video clip while surfing around today. Hope you enjoy it. It’s just a small taste of the hugeness that is Tommy. He’s also got a website at www.tommyelskes.com

If you see his name in a town near you don’t hesitate. Go to the show. You won’t be quite the same when it’s done.
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I have a new website up for my recording studio. Small Moon Studio.  

I’m very proud of this place. I had the opportunity last year to join with amazing artists and friends Chris Gage and Christine Albert and move our studios into a duplex in south Austin. It’s the first time I’ve been able to build a studio outside of my house. Chris and Christine call there place Moonhouse Studio. So I figured Small Moon would be an appropriate name for mine.

My room was built primarily to be a place where I can create and record my music, but I’ve already very successfully recorded some other folks there. I’m also taping a new internet only show from there called “Small Moon Sessions”. (more about that later)

My friend Terry Allen Smith took the pictures on the new site. Thanks Terry!

Drop by the site. I’ll keep you posted on updates. And if you have some recording to do, keep me in mind.

Small Moon Studio

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Neil Diamond: “Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.”

I saw Neil Diamond on American Idol recently. Yes I watch american Idol. I like to see if the judges and I agree. I find I agree with Simon a lot. I read this quote today and it really struck me. I’ve performed a lot in the last several years and written less than ever. Performing is an art in itself which I can and will go on about, but sometimes I get out of the habit of songwriting. Why is it that the things we love the most, that can give us joy, that express some wonderful piece of us, are so easy to not do?

Sometimes writing does feel hard, but that’s just the noise in my head. It’s that noise that gets in the way of the words. Sometimes the first step is to just get quiet. Be available for something to come.

I’ll be recording a new record in July, so I’m thinking about writing right now. I’ve been going through old songs, both finished and not, looking for gold. I found a thing or 2. I’ll be creating a few demos in the coming weeks and I’ll post something. And I’ll be writing.

Speaking of posts, if you go to www.hi-iqmusic.com you’ll find 2 live performances from my studio in Austin. we’ll be launching more fun stuff on hi-iq soon, so stay tuned for that. One of the songs here is “Houston” which I wrote several years ago in Nashville. The other is “18 Days of Rain” written by Liz rose and my good friend and Walt Wilkins. I’ve been proudly sharing stages with Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros for 2 years now and when it comes to the art of songwriting, Walt is up there with the best.

So, what’s the point? Well, I think agree with Neil. At least today. I guess It makes me feel better that Neil has to work at it too. And now it’s time to get to work. I’ll share whatever songs and insights come along the way. And I’ll think of Neil Diamond on American Idol. A lifetime. A legacy of music. He was poised. Peaceful and gracious. I can only hope to be that cool one day.

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It’s a beautiful saturday in Austin, TX and I’m about to take my 4 month old puppy Midas to the dog park. He’s making a bunch of noise right now, so I don’t have much time.

This is my first ever blog post. I’ll be posting my thoughts and experiences with music, writing, creating, performing, coaching and well, just being a human being. You’ll be able to come here and find music you may not have heard from amazing artists in Austin as well as insights into creating art, creating business and creating life.

Thanks for taking the time to read his and please feel free to sign up, post comments and be a part of billsmallmusic.com

Ok Midas, let’s go ……

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