1095 Days Ago.........

.........I was just finishing my fist solo tour of Ontario. I played a some of the same venues this past tour. Over the past three years I've been very fortunate to become real good friends with a lot of the people who run the joints I work at. This makes my life so much easier. Folks like Steve in Picton, Jay in Toronto, Ian, Andrew and Mike, also Torontonians, Geoff in Tofino....But it doesn't stop there....I have also met people at shows or in my travels who have become amazing friends. These people also make life easier. Folks like Allison in Collingwood, Uncle Pat and Aunt Denise in Trenton, Jo and family in PEI. Again there is more....folks who run their own dreams in whatever business they provide the public have aided me time and time again. Folks like Jamie and Randall at 6Colour Copy, Randy at Trius, Gary from the Mountain Chicken, Kevy from the Herring, Carter from TradRoots, and many many many more awesome folks like them.

Being able to travel and play music is a real dream come true for me and if it weren't for a cast of aids a mile long I would never be able to pull it off. Friends, bar owners, fellow musicianeers all over the country make it possible by giving me gigs, food, shelter and all kinds of other unmentionable things.

I have seen the Country coast to coast (many times). I have journeyed to mystical places of legendary proportions that I once only read about and thought, "Man that would be a cool place to hang". I have pulled myself up out of chaos time and time again to stand on the wood, grass, dirt, cement, flatbed truck - behind my microphone to sing/hide/entertain/lie/tell truths I would never tell anywhere else - and it is all because of the amazing support I have from the most incredible team of people, all laying it on the line to help in some way.

I like to remind myself this time every year to say thanks to you all. I get real nostalgic when I tour Ontario this time of year all by my lonesome cause that's sort of where it all began. I had just quit my last 'real job' three years ago when I did my first trek up there. So it's easy to remember who makes it all happen for me when I travel through those parts and catch up with all the great peeps.

This past year has been the best yet, but also the most challenging, in many ways. I have been presented (and created) many great opportunities/difficulties and have done my best to capitalize/overcome on them. I had to be creative financially and have learned many hard, valuable, lessons along the way. I keep these experiences with me always so that I may have insight into my next challenges/opportunities when they appear.

2010 has already been incredible between the Mississippi trip, Olympics and another successful solo trek. If 2010 is going to top itself over these first three months then I await with great anticipation. Really, I feel like a kid peeking around the corner on xmas morning to see what could be there for me. Whatever it is, no matter how difficult to assemble, I know that I will rock the shit out of it. Why? Because I have YOU to help me. Thanks for being there.

Ross