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How can we call it work? Just checkin in from a long absence on the site. I know it's been too long since the last album. We're finally getting settled in down here in Flo-i-da. The band has gotten so tight it was just a natural progression to want to take it into the studio and give our international fans a taste of what the locals have been enjoying. The release date got pushed back a couple times, but I swear it was worth the wait. "Voodou By You" will hit the iTunes shelf on March 15th. You could say we worked hard on the project, from the pre-production to the post. But honestly it was all just plain fun. Back in the 70s I asked a fellow musician where he was "working" that night. He laughed and said "I quit working years ago. I play for a living". I guess he was right about that.

Till next time...



All The Best,

Nelsen

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OK, Do you remember that old saying "Any place you hang your hat is home"? Well we've once again relocated. This time to Dunedin Fl. Friendly people and lots of art, music and food right on the water. An old friend of mine Jon Puhl who has played with me off and on since the 70s ( that's what I said ) is living down here and we have started to jam once again. He brought in a sweet rhythm section; Mick Donner on bass and Warren "Honeyhead" Smith on drums. We've been rehearsing for a few weeks now and have put together a good combination of originals and old time Blues for ya'll for the live shows.

We're also working on new material for the upcoming album. More details coming up. Meanwhile ya'll have a great summer.



All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey, Hope this note finds you happy, healthy and ready for the new year. More changes for us this year. We have made the move to Florida to be closer to family and immerse ourselves in the warm weather and friendly folks down here.

No plans to tour in the near future but the home studio is up and running in preparation for the upcoming album and I'm reconnecting with some old friends in the area to bring into the studio and out to the clubs in the next several months.

Publishing wise, Northstar Music continues to represent us in Hollywood and has some interesting plans for my original music in the future.

I want to thank all my friends and fans who have supported the music both live shows and recordings in 2012 . I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!



All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Once again... It's been a while since the last note. Lots happening here. We've had an amazing time living in the Deep South. I've made many friends, played gigs from Natchez to Mobile and from Muscle Shoals to Pensacola, ate way too much amazing food ( I gained 20 pounds I'm still trying to lose ) wrote a couple albums worth of songs and all in all fell in love with the south.

But we've missed our kids and our grandkids way too much to stay away. So we've relocated back to the west coast. I'll be doing some "Unplugged" gigs with my long time sax player Mark Norris for fun and to keep my guitar and piano chops up and will continue to write new songs. I'll be in the studio soon to record a few of my new songs to be released as singles. You'll be able to download them off our website as well as itunes etc.

We have some good news on the publishing end of things. North Star Partners is going through some changes. They are retooling the business towards song placements on movie soundtracks as well as continuing to place songs on network TV and commercials.

That's about it for now.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Just quick note to give you an update : As you may or may not know, I've been playing harp for Big Al And The Heavyweights for the last couple of years and recently have been playing guitar and piano on some dates as well with Harmonica Red blowing harp. It's made for some interesting shows and it sure is nice to stretch the guitar and keyboard muscles from time to time : )

We recently updated the home studio to Pro Tools recording software. I've always been a traditionalist when it comes to recording on tape and I thought I'd have a tough time getting used to a new format. It's been an easy transition. I'm really digging how simple it actually is and I've been inspired to write a string of new songs in the past few months with more on the way.

I don't plan on releasing a new album till late 2011, but we had a production meeting today and have decided to release a few new singles for download on our website in the next couple of months. The new songs will give you a peek into what's coming up on the next album. Not sure of the release dates yet but keep checking the website, it should be soon.

Have a great spring/summer.

All The Best,

Nelsen

---

Hey,

I know, it's been a while.... I've been staying busy playing live shows down here with Big Al. This past summer I had the opportunity to play quite a few festivals including the WC Handy Fest in Florence Al. One of the shows we did was located right on "Handy's Hill". It's the property that W.C. Handy grew up on

I've also been doing a few "Unplugged" gigs. Last month I was asked to play a gig to celebrate another Blues Trail Marker in McComb MS. If you've never been down to Mississippi for a visit, come on down. There's lots of friendly folks and there's so much music history here and the trail markers are a great way to sight see and learn some history at the same time.

I recently wrote a "Blues Blog" about my take on the "State of the Blues" today. One of things I touched on was the fact that I've always composed songs for my albums that have had a traditional Blues feel. Many times a song starts to come to me and before it can even develop, I'll toss it aside because it doesn't fit in with the concept of the upcoming album. Well, after listening to several modern Blues artists albums this past year I've changed my mind. Now when a song starts to develop I take it where ever it leads me. I've been having a blast putting together all different types of grooves and moods. The next album sure won't be "All Blues", but I guarantee it's going to be interesting. : )

Thanks for making 2009 a great year for us! Once again I couldn't have done it without your support.

Have a great holiday season !

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Whew! Mardi Gras season is over and things are calming down a bit down here. We're getting geared up for the Spring. I've been digging back into my catalog of songs that I wrote back in the 80s that have never made it onto an album or been published before. I've been taking them into the studio to get these songs down on tape. Our goal, with the help of North Star Music is to place some of these gems on TV soundtracks. I'm sure we'll keep you up to date on the soundtrack placements as they happen.

I've been getting a chance to play some acoustic guitar recently at a little club in Slaughter LA called "ZZs Top Spot" It's a cinderblock Juke Joint with a little stage and room enough for me and Elvin Killerbee ( Big Al's guitar wizard ) to jam through some old Blues and Rock standards on Wednesday nights. It's all very off the cuff stuff, what ever song pops into our heads at the time. It's fun for me to get back to my roots and keeps the guitar chops up

Going to keep this short, I'm heading back into the studio right after this cup of coffee : )

'Till next time,

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Sending you a short note this time ; ) It's been a busy year for us.

We're real proud of the new album. It was a true labor of love for me, from writing and arranging the songs, to the final recording and mixing. The airplay shows that people still dig what we do. Thanks so much for keeping the dream alive.

Have a happy holiday and a very prosperous New Year.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Life goes on :

Greetings from post Gustav Mississippi! Lucky for us we are just north enough from the gulf to dodge most of the destruction. Friends in Baton Rouge weren't as lucky. After four days we were about to move to a hotel when the power came back up. Whew!

South By Southwest :

We are finally done with the new album. We had a great time recording it.

The studio is right in the middle of the French Quarter. We ate some of the best food on the planet and started each day with a cup of coffee from Cafe Du Monde. I would have liked to stay another week (I was already getting inspired to write more songs) but we did the best with the time we had.

Richard Robinson took the tracks back to Los Angeles and did the mixing and mastering there. Every song has its own sound and style and each really stands out from the rest. The album tracks the journey from CA to MS. Each song has it's own story. We plan on doing a section on the website called "Liner Notes" so you can get the basic idea behind each song.

We pride ourselves on giving the fans only the best songs on each album. (No filler songs please!) After reviewing the demos and later the rough tracks we decided to release a few of the live songs to give anyone who hasn't seen the LA band live, a real taste of it. We are opening the album with two of my old favorites borrowed from James Cotton's song book. One More Mile and Rocket 88 followed by eight new originals.

To call this album "Eclectic" would be an understatement. I'm sure the critics will have a field day with this one, but I think the fans will dig it.

Richard and I were talking one night after a session about my roots. I grew up in the late sixties listening to the Beatles and the Stones. I later discovered bands like NRBQ who's albums had every style of music from Jazz to Country to Rock. I also discovered the Blues through people like James Cotton, BB King and Jr Wells, But I still have a bit of the 60s and 70s in my style of writing and album concepts. So this one does have a variety of styles even more than the earlier albums. Some may say it's not all Blues, but it's all me.

Radio Airplay :

We will be sending copies out to 150 radio stations. Check your local Blues show if you still listen to the radio ; ) If you dig what you hear don't hesitate to call the DJ and tell them so. We'd like to see this album hang on the Living Blues Charts for two or three months this time and every little bit helps. : )

CD Release Party :

The release date is October 1st, but we'll be doing a CD release party down at the River Shack in Jefferson Parish on September 26th. We'll have some CDs to give away and will be playing a handful of songs from the new album and some old favorites too. If your down this way stop in and say hey. If you can't make it we should have CDs for sale through our website and CD Baby by October 1st.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Well...I know it's been a while since the last note. I'm finally putting the finishing touches on songs for the upcoming album. I've continued to write new songs, So many news ones in fact that we're changing the basic idea of the album. I'm leaving the live songs in the can for a future live album and recording ten new originals. My initial thought was to have a half live/half studio album but the new songs just kept on coming and I really don't want to leave these out of the mix for a year or two. The title for the album is South By Southwest. Nothing to do with the annual festival in Austin, but sort of a description of the musical journey I've made from Los Angeles to the Deep South.

We've found a great little studio right down in the middle of the French Quarter called Audiophile. They've got a great sounding board and lots of old microphones. We are slated to record in early August and the targeted release date is September 15th. I'm sure we'll send out another note when the album is ready to hit the shelves.

I'm still playing some live dates down here with Big Al And The Heavyweights as well as a few of my own gigs. Come on out and say hey. If you don't live in the south and have a chance to plan a vacation down here this fall or winter, come on down. We've got some of the best food and music in the world. Ask anybody who's been here, you won't regret it. : )

All The Best

Nelsen

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Hey,

About 6 weeks ago I found myself in what writers call "The Zone" and wrote a string of 4 songs in a row. This is rare for me as I usually develop one song at a time, playing the basic riff or chord structure for days before any ideas for lyrics come to me.

This time I started going directly into the home studio as soon as the chord structure came to me and put down the tracks. This freed up my attention to write the lyrics sooner or just move on to another chord structure and start laying down the next song.

I had a blast doing this and came up with some good solid songs for the next album. We have worked out a way to give you a sneak peek into one of those home studio recordings. More on that later....

The southern version of NAB is finally coming together. A good friend of ours from the Baton Rouge Blues Society Cathy Griffin has taken on promoting a local club down on Third Street in Baton Rouge called the M Bar and has offered us some dates down there in March and April. Nice classy place with high toned patrons. Looking forward to playing some shows there.

I've been working out the details of recording the basic tracks to the upcoming album with my old friend and recording wizard Richard Robinson. We're scheduled to record basic tracks the first week in June. Down here and then fly to LA to do the overdubs and mixing. This is going to push our release out a bit further than July, but I promise it will be worth the wait. As I said last month the new album is going to include 5 songs from the live show we recorded back in 06 and we have already started work on those mixes. Some of you that were at that show know that we did a video shoot the same night. We will be putting together some video of the songs that are on the next album and will be making them available on You Tube, so you can see the performance as well as hear it on the album.

Our webmaster Jerid has done a ton of work on upgrading the website lately. It looks great to us, but we got to thinking that we should do a short survey to get your input, 'cause you're the ones that use it! Here's the part where you can get sneak peek at the next album. We've worked out a short 2 minute survey. When it's completed you can have a listen to one of my home studio demos "I Aint Gona Miss LA". Hope you dig it.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hey,

Just now taking a couple of minutes to write up the 'New Year Note'!

2007 was an amazing year. Played lots of southern states gigs with Big Al and the Heavyweights from New Orleans to Natchez, and Florida to Alabama. We played festivals, roadhouses and Juke Joints LA bands only dream about. I can say lots of things about living and playing in the Deep South. To keep it short I'll just say folks down here really dig live music and the warm audiences let you know it.

Songwriting: One of the main reasons I moved down to McComb was to spend more time concentrating on my songwriting. We ended up placing seven different songs on TV shows last year. Lots of exposure for the music and lots of new Hollywood contacts made through our good friends at North Star Media. As soon as the writers strike is over we'll be back on the airwaves.

I've been busy in the home studio writing songs for the upcoming album due out in July. It's going to be titled 'South By Southwest' and will include songs from the live show we did on the west coast back in July of 06 as well as the new songs I've been working on lately. I'm really looking forward to getting into the studio on this one.

Southern Scene: We've put together a band for the live shows in the south. Some local guys from the McComb area: Skeet Myers on guitar, Greg Smith on bass and Eric Kohn on drums. These cats have been jamming together since they were teenagers. Looking forward to hitting the clubs in March. Check the website next month for show dates and times.

Pandora: Don't know if you've heard about this service. It's like a online radio station.

You choose the style music and they program the music for you. We've just been added to the Blues mix. You can check it out at: www.pandora.com

Till the next time,

All The Best

Nelsen

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Hey,

How ya doin? You doin OK? That's the way they greet you down here.

Can you believe it's almost December?

It's been an interesting couple of months since my last note. We recently had a "Blues Trail Marker" placed in down town McComb for Bo Diddley.

He came to town for the afternoon and even sang a couple of songs down at the railroad station. It's nice to see people recognize the roots of American music. This should help to bring a few more Blues fans into town. The local businesses down here can sure use the help.

"Blues Still Got A Hold On Me" made it to #18 on the Living Blues Charts. Not bad considering what we were up against. There were some major players that had releases at the same time. It always tickles me to check out the air play lists because we never fail to get several songs on the play lists. It's nice to know that the people are digging more than one or two songs on the records.

We recently had more songs placed on TV. Fox's new show K-Ville picked up two off the latest release and one off of Take Me Back. My hats off to our publisher North Star Media for continuing to believe in my music and promote the songs.

Our new vice president in charge of media relations Jerid Michael has been continuing to upgrade our website and get us connected to more music sites than ever before. We will soon be featured on Pandora and have also placed some ring tones on myxertones.com.

We will be doing a holiday bash on the west coast in December.

I'm getting the LA band together for one night. Saturday December 22nd at Joes All American Bar & Grill in Burbank. We're doing a couple of early shows and will have some CDs with us for those last minute Blues shoppers ; ) If you're in town stop by and say hey.

If I don't catch you by then have a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year!

Nelsen

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Hey,

Hello!

Jerid our Vice President in charge of Media Relations has been bugging me to sit down and write an update so here goes :

Blues Still Got A Hold On Me : The latest release got lots of solid airplay. And some great reviews ( Soon to be posted on the website) For those of you who listen to music on your computers or ipods this album is now available at itunes and several other download sites.

Studio : I've been composing some songs for the upcoming record. It's going to be half live and half recorded in the studio. The working title is "South By Southwest" and will include some live songs from the show we did back in July of 06 before I left LA and some new songs I've written recently. The tentative release date is July 08.

Roadwork : I did a short tour up north in September. Got a chance to see friends and fans I hadn't seen in many, many years. Everyone was very kind ( even the Casino ; ) We had a blast. I'm looking forward to extending the next northern tour to Baltimore, New York, Connecticut and up to Rhode Island.

I'm still doing some gigs with Big Al And The Heavyweights from time to time. Just played a Gumbo Festival in Bridge City where they crowned a "Gumbo Queen". There was actually a tiara with the word Gumbo on it that she wore throughout the day! Only in the south...

There's a possibility of a live show in the LA area around Christmas time. We are still working out the details and will send out the info as soon as it's inked.

That's about it for now.

Take Care,

Nelsen

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I'll try to bring you up to date without making this too long.....

New CD Well it took a bit longer for us to put out the re-release of my first album. We've re-titled it "Blues Still Got A Hold On Me". Richard Robinson did an amazing job of the remastering. The songs really pop off the tracks now. It reminds me why I loved this album so much. (The songs) If you didn't have a chance to buy it when we were selling it at the gigs or if your old copy is worn out ( AnneMarie's was skipping through the last two songs) you can buy a fresh one today. Just go to the website and click away.

Live Shows I've had a blast playing with Big Al And The Heavweights. They really let me stretch out on my harp playing. It's also been an education in playing the venues in the south. Lots of fun, but I really miss playing my own material and to be honest with ya, I miss playing guitar and piano. Anwyay, I've given Al my notice and am putting a Southern version of the Nelsen Adelard Band together. We will be out playing the clubs down here in Mid-October. Dates are soon to follow.

Air Play Don't know if you caught some of the chatter on this but XM Radio's Blues DJ Bill Wax picked up on our Unplugged album and gave it some major airplay. We saw a spike of CD and download sales after that. I bumped into him at the Blues Music Awards and was about to thank him for all he does for the Blues when he turns around the thanks me for the music. A very cool and unpretentious guy. I'm thinking he's gona dig the re-release and give us some air on this one too.

Website Changes My nephew Jerid has taken over as the "Webmeister" and is doing an amazing job. He's totally redone the website and our "My Space" page as well. We're offering some free downloads on that one. If you haven't visited for a while check em out. www.nelsenadelard.com and www.myspace.com/nelsenadelard

Download Sales By the way, last month was the first time our downloads exceeded our CD sales. It's a sign of the times to be sure. I got a feeling that CDs are going the way of the 8 Track ; )

Back On The Road I'm heading up North to play some dates with my old band mates in September. If you're in the New England area,check our calendar on the website and stop in and say hey.

Take Care,

Nelsen

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I've been playing harp locally with Big Al And The Heavyweights. It's been a Blast. Playing lots of Roadhouses and Juke Joints in La and Ms. We recently played a place in Zachary La called "Teddy's Juke Joint" (Check out his website when you have a minute) We were about half way through the first show when it walks Marcia Ball. She was in town for a friends wedding and they all stopped in for a drink after the wedding rehearsal. Well Teddy drags out this old keyboard and sets it up, and Marcia sat in with us for a couple of songs. That girl can boogie!

Big Al has asked me to play on his upcoming album that will be recorded this fall and due to be released in early 08. In the meantime we have several festival and club dates in the south this summer. Check the website for updates.

We've had some local press in the McComb newspaper. Nice thing about living in a small town :) We posted copies on the website. Check the "Local News Coverage" page.

I'm going back east for a couple of weeks in September to play some dates with my old band members. As of right now we are at Foxwoods Casino Friday and Saturday the 21st and 22nd and will add a few more dates soon. Hope to see all our New England fans and friends at one of those venues.

I've recently seen copies of my first solo album "Blues Got A Hold On Me" on sale on Amazon and E bay for $40-$50! It's become a collectors item. We have decided to re-release the album on Blue Track Records. Richard Robinson is going to remaster it and it will be available for sale on CD Baby and itunes by the end of May.

We're planning on driving up to Memphis for the Blues Music Awards in May. No I haven't been nominated, just wanted to see what the show was like, and meet some of my Blues friends for lunch. Memphis is always a blast. Good Blues and great BBQ!

And finally....We've had some success in placing some songs on TV shows this past season. Both Boston Legal and Criminal Minds chose songs off of my "Take Me Back" album to put on their soundtracks to their shows. Not sure when they will air the reruns, But both story lines take place in New Orleans if you want to check your TV Guides.

We'll be sending out another note as things heat up down here this Summer.

Till then, Keep on keepin on,

and drop me a line any time at thenaband@msn.com

Nelsen

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Just a quick note to bring you up to date. Weather has been nice down here in McComb. Evenings are cooler than LA (we had frost a couple of nights ago!)in the 30s-40s) But daytime has been nice Fall weather. 60s-70s and clear.

I'm continuing to play gigs with Big Al And The Heavyweights. Playing the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Southern Mississippi areas. Also playing some solo acoustic gigs in McComb as well as playing some guitar for a couple of local bands. Having a blast.

Some of you on the West Coast had a chance to be part of the live album and video we did in July before I left LA. At the time I planned on releasing the DVD for Christmas. Well..... there's been a delay on getting the edits together and we are still working on the basics right now. The final edits won't be done for another month so it looks like we are going to miss our Christmas deadline :( As soon as the edits are complete and we are in DVD production I will be sending out an announcement.

In the meantime AnneMarie has come up with an idea for Holiday Gift giving. From now until Christmas anyone from our Fan base can order autographed copies of "Jack Of All Trades" "Take Me Back" or "Nelsen Adelard Unplugged" for $15 including postage. If you order more than one CD it's $10 per CD after that. 2 CDs = $25 3 CDs = $35 and so on. Just let us know who to make the CD out to and I'd be glad to autograph them for you. Check or money order to NA Management 2100 Van Norman Curve McComb MS 39648

On a personal note: We are finally completing the work on our house!! Getting it ready for our kids to come out and visit for Christmas. Really looking forward to spending time with the family. Take Care my friend and have a great Christmas and a Very Prosperous New Year!

Nelsen

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Hi Ya'll, How you doin? (can't help it, it's contagious )

Hope you had a great summer. It's finally starting to cool down in the south. Looking forward to the Fall weather. I've been playing a solo gig at a small club in McComb and getting into the country life. I was actually asked to judge the talent show at the county fair, and recently had a article written about me in the local papers. A nice introduction to the towns people.

I went to a jam night last week sponsored by the Blues Society of Baton Rouge and met a bunch of talented musicians and the Blues Society crowd was very warm and receptive and made me feel right at home.

Just this past week I was recruited by the world famous "Big Al And The Heavyweights" to play harmonica for them. They are a group of very talented guys as well as being downright friendly and a real joy to play with.( the grooves are nice and FAT to play harp to! ) We played a place last night called "Oui Dee's" in Liverpool LA. About 20 miles from anything, and something right out of a Blues Brothers movie. Fortunately we didn't have to play "Rawhide"at all. I'll be playing more gigs with Al and the band ( as I actually learn the songs) in the months to come. You can check out their website at www.bigal.net

On the homefront we are slowly fixing up our new "fixer upper" house ( Where's the contractor today??) and getting ready for the holidays. Have a great Fall season! Keep on doing what you're doin while you're doin it!

Nelsen

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We have arrived in McComb Mississippi. It's quite a culture shock as most people have warned us about. But it's a good one. McComb is a small town about an hour and fourty minutes north of New Orleans.

People are very friendly everywhere we go. The major reason this move was made was to enable me to tour more. We now have another promoter in France that wants us to play some festivals in the Summer of 07 so plans are being made. As I said earlier I will continue to play the west coast at least a couple of times a year, as well as the east coast too. Look forward to seeing you at the clubs.

For those of you who have ipods or have friends who have them : Our last two albums are now available on itunes. We are also on Tower's website as well as Napster ( they actually pay us now ; ) If you haven't heard the Unplugged record yet check out the samples and just buy the songs you like. It's a great survey tool to see what songs people really dig. It helps me put my songlists together for the shows.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Hi folks, Great news. Our recent release "Nelsen Adelard Unplugged" has hit #10 on the Living Blues Charts! It's an album we recorded in two major sessions with very few overdubs and had it mixed and pressed all within a months time. It's raw and unpolished but it's a record I'm very proud of. From the looks of the airplay it looks like people dig it too.

I have reached a point in my career where I need to tour to continue to get the word out on my music. ( LA certainly is not the center of Blues Music) We have gotten interest from promoters in Europe and lots of airplay in both the north and south.

We have sold our house in Los Angeles and purchased a house down in McComb Mississpi. There are many reasons for this move. Here's a few :

1. Land and homes are cheap,cost of living is cheap and there's room to breathe.( We bought a house on 2 acres of land in farm country)
2. People are polite and friendly ( Classic "Southern Hospitality")
3. Good BBQ!!
4. A central area close to New Orleans, Jackson, Baton Rouge, Atlanta etc.

I plan to come back to Los Angeles two to three times a year and will play some local clubs as well as some festival dates when I'm in town. I'll also be playing gigs in New England as well as Florida and other areas down south as well as some dates in Italy,Belgium and the UK in 07.

We are doing a very special show on May 27th for our friends and fans of the band. It's going to be at an undisclosed soundstage in Burbank. We are limited to 40 people that will be allowed in the room. The room itself can hold 200, but only parking for 20-30 cars. The show will be recorded for a live album to be released in 07.

If you'd like to be part of this show please email us back with the number in your party and a phone number we will call the week before to confirm you can be there. Sorry this is so restricted but we need to honor our promise to keep the crowd down to 40.

If I don't see you at the show, I will soon be back in your area to play again. So until I see you again.

Keep On Keepin On,

Nelsen

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This has been an amazing year for us. Lot's of recognition for "Take Me Back". We are still in the running for a "Blues Music Award" for the recording. We've even got some interest from promoters in Europe who are looking to book a tour in early 07. Mikey Mo and I brought our acoustics to the local IBC competition in Santa Barbara and will now be representing the oldest Blues Society in the nation in the national competition in Memphis in January. We are getting ready to start recording the next album next week. It will be released on our own label "Blue Track Records" in February. Like I said it's been an amazing year for us and we couldn't have done it without our friends and fans of the band. Thanks so much for your support! Have a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year !

Nelsen

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Ben pointed out that the website has gotten way out of date. Damn! he's right!

So here's the latest update : We are working on songs for the next album. It's going to be an "Unplugged" version of the band. All acoustic instruments being played. Even Mikey Mo got an acoustic guitar. The music will be a mixture of Blues Standards, some original remakes, and a few new songs as well. We're planning on doing the recording in December and are shooting for a release date of Feb 06.

The live show continues to cook. If you haven't yet seen the show with Mikey on guitar you don't know what your missing. We recently picked up a new club The Arcadia Blues Club. Nice bar, nice people and some decent food. The best part of the room is the dance floor. We have lots of friends asking us when we'll play a place that has a dance floor. Well, this is the place. Did I mention they have a stage and a smokin house PA? It looks like it will be on our regular schedule for a once a month gig.

Keep on Keepin On,

Nelsen

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Finally had a chance to sit down and update the website. As usual it's been a while since I've written a note to you guys. Take Me Back is still getting some strong airplay from Chicago to New York to Florida and many points in between. Even some air in France, Belgium, Netherlands as well as Australia. It's a trip to know that people across the planet are digging our music. What's funny is the songs they play. It's not always the title song or the standards that we cover, but several different songs from the album.

We have recently made a change in the roster. Steve Gabil has stepped down from his guitar spot to let a member of the new generation of the Blues step in. This month we welcome "Mikey Mo" on lead and rhythm guitar. I've watched him play since he was about 16. (He's now the ripe age of 21) He's grown up with the Blues. His father is Michael John (Michael John & The Bottom Line) originally from the Bay Area. He's been a regular in the Blues Festival circuit, and Mikey has traveled along with him for years. Rubbing elbows with ,and getting tips from all the greats. Now he's ready to show you what he can do. I invite you to come out and see one of the best up and coming Blues players of our time.

Nelsen

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Well....What can I say?... It's been quite a while since our last newsletter.

We have gone through some changes in the last couple of months. Our computer crashed, and we are picking up the pieces and trying to put things back together with a new machine. If you know of anyone who isn't getting mail from us ( and would like to ) tell them to get on the website send us their e mail and snail mail, and well get them back on the list.

The new album is finally complete and is at the record plant as we speak. The new release date is December 1st. This time it's for real!...Seriously!

We spent some extra time in the mixing process, but it was worth it. We got some great cuts on this one. I think you'll dig it. Come out to one of the CD release parties and say hey.

We plan to play more outdoor festivals this coming year to help spread the word on the new album. We're looking forward to getting some more airplay on this one.

Drop me a line and let me know what songs they're playing in your area. Hell, just drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you.

If I don't see you at the clubs have a great holiday and a very prosperous New Year.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Note To Fans : Thanks again for coming out to the live shows. JAX is always the warmest audience for us, but recently a little club down in Huntington Beach Martini Blues has been a close second. Thanks to our friends in OC for showing up and giving us some much needed support.

We are taking another stab at the IBC ( International Blues Challenge) this year. They will be held on Wednesdays in October.

We also got a gig from the Blues Society at the Peter Strauss Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains on Sunday the 10th. Then as usual we're back at JAX on the 16th.

We're almost through the mixing process for the new album. It's sounding better than I ever imagined! Richard Robinson is a genius when it comes to recording and mixing the final tracks. We are almost complete on the recording and will be working on the artwork for the album cover next week. It's now looking like a release date of November 1st. The title of the new record is "Take Me Back" we cover a couple of classic R&B songs. Smiley Lewis's "Big Mamou" and Allen Tousaint's "Brickyard Blues" as well as 8 originals. We will be planning a CD release party including CD giveaways as well. You will be the first to know when we have CDs in our hands!

All The Best,

Nelsen

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OK, This is starting to read like a running joke...We are still working on the new album. What in my mind made me think that we were going to have this out in such a short time??? We still have a couple more horn parts to put down, and then we start the mixing. At this point I'll be happy if we have it out by Thanksgiving! Just kidding ( sort of ) We are now looking at some time in October for a release date. The roughs are actually sounding great. Rich Robinson has really captured the live feel of the band. Mark Norris really tears it up. Steve gets his licks in as well. Uncle Ben played some rock solid grooves, and John played with "Precision" accuracy. ( When he starts to walk don't get in his way! ) A good time was had by all. I think you're gona really dig this one. I promise it will be worth the long ass wait. Since we have been working so much in the studio and in the live shows the band is tighter than ever. ( It helps to have the same drummer and guitar player for more than 6 months at a time) If you're in town, come on out and say hey, and dig some of the new songs.

Nelsen

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We have finally started work on the new album. 7 originals and 3 covers. It's a send up to the Louisiana style of the Blues. Many of my early influences are covered on the new disc including Smiley Lewis, Alan Tousaint and we even tip our hat to Louis Jordan and Satchmo. There'll be lots of places for Mark Norris to shine on sax as well as lots of harp and piano. I've recently took up the trumpet. ( that's right) I'll be blowing on at least one of the songs on the new album. ( Some comedy relief ) It's a real joy to work with Richard Robinson again. He's the best engineer I've ever worked with. This one is guaranteed to at least sound like a Grammy nominated album even if it doesn't get nominated. The original release date was July 1st, but it realistically is looking more like August sometime. This month we plan to play many songs off the new album in the live shows as a preview to our fans of what they can look forward to. Thanks for your continued support and we'll see you out at the clubs.

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Note To Fans : Whew, that month flew by!

We have finally set a recording session date for the upcoming album. We are doing the basic tracks on May 22nd. Overdubs will start about a week after that, and we are still shooting for a July 1st release date. We are almost out of copies of Blues Got A Hold On Me.( Now a collectors item) We have obtained a release from Jay Bird Records for the master tapes, and will be re-mastering and re-releasing it in the near future. Thanks for coming out and supporting the shows in April. JAX as usual was a gas. One of the warmest audiences ( and most forgiving ) we play for. A great place to break in new material. Fisherman's Village was also an awesome crowd, and as usual lots of CDs sold, and lots of new people on the mailing list. We're playing 7 new songs from the upcoming album live now. If you haven't seen the band in a while you're in for a treat. Come on out and see us at one of the May venues.

All The Best,

Nelsen

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Damn! Does time fly when you're having fun! Thanks again for all your support in 2003. We couldn't have done it without you. It was an interesting year for sure. Uncle Ben Beckly is working out well on drums, and Steve Gabil has come back to the band better than ever. It sure makes for some fun times on the live gigs.

I'm continuing to write new songs for the upcoming album. We've been working on the material in my home studio now, and will be taking several new songs out to the clubs in the coming weeks. The new album is going to be a "New Orleans" flavored record. I have my much of my musical history in Louisiana. It's about time I paid homage to those Cats that have inspired me for so many years.

I'm playing more piano now and really digging it. We'll still have plenty of harp, guitar and sax as well. We plan to start recording in February, and hope to have the album released in the Spring.

The much awaited "Live DVD" is almost done. We are shooting for having production copies into your hands by the end of this month. Stay tuned for release updates.

Where ever you may be I hope you have a great Winter. Come out and see us at the clubs and say hey.

All The Best

Nelsen

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Hello Folks,

Once again I have gotten way behind on this journal. Sorry. It's been an interesting Summer for sure. We're still working on songs for the new album. Most of the ideas I've had in the back of my mind for a while now, I just haven't had the time to sit down in the home studio and do the arrangements. I am working on that now, and the band is taking out a couple new songs every month.

As you might have heard we did a video of a show we played at BB Kings Hollywood back in July. We have finally put the finishing touches on the editing, and are going to get it to the duplicators next week. If your interested in having a copy for yourself, we will be selling them at the gigs, or mail order if you like. ( Just in time for the holidays)

We are going to try our hand at the International Blues Challenge this year. The first and second "heats" are in November at Martini Blues in Orange County, and if we make it past the local competition, the finals are in Memphis in January.

That's about it for now. Hope to see ya'll at the clubs.

Yours in the Blues,

Nelsen

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Hey There, We have been busy working out some new material for the live shows as well as the upcoming album. An old friend of mine Richard Robinson has moved to LA. ( Hell must have frozen over ) He is one of the best recording engineers on the East Coast. He recently recorded an album with Pine Top Perkins that was nominated for a Grammy. We had dinner the other night, and he has agreed to record and co-produce our next album. We are really looking forward to recording together again.

We are also putting together a video and will be shooting some live footage at the July BB Kings gig.

Should be a fun Summer.

Yours In the Blues,

Nelsen

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Hello again, It's been a while since I had a chance to sit down in front of the computer. Well we made it through the winter. Friends and relatives back East have bragged, and then complained about the snow. That's all behind us now. LA is in full bloom this week, and the band is gearing up for a full spring and summer calendar.

I have been in the studio composing for the next album and the band is getting grooved in on the new songs. We'll be taking them out to the live shows soon.

We're happy to introduce Ben Beckley as our new drummer. Ben has his roots in R&B and Blues and adds a solid back beat to the music.

We have been getting some attention from local and regional agents and promoters and will be traveling a bit more this spring. We hope to see you out at one the shows this season.

Yours In The Blues,

Nelsen

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Hello Folks, Season's Greetings and Happy New Year!

2002 was a great year for us. We appreciate all your help and support. As usual we couldn't have done it without you.

I'm starting to compose songs for the upcoming album. We have a working title of "Take Me Back To New O'lens". We will be featuring some classic old Blues songs and several new originals with a southern Blues feel. I grew up listening to Louis Armstrong, Allen Tousaint, Dr. John etc. And this album will pay tribute to their music.

The president of Hot Rod Records Tim Northcutt has signed up Kaz Kazanoff to Co-produce the album with me. Needless to say there will be some horns played on this one! We are tentatively scheduled to start recording in the Spring.

Hope you have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Yours In The Blues.,

Nelsen

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Hello Again, It's been a very interesting month. We are getting more airplay in a lot of different places. Florida, Connecticut, even Orange County! I'm doing a radio interview on Sunday October 13th with a station out in Rochester NY. We are on their top 20 list for the Best Blues Albums of the year. We will soon be getting airplay in other countries. Spain, England, and Australia to name just a few so far.

Hot Rod Records President Tim Northcutt is negotiating a deal for European distribution for next year. Look out Europe !

We are expanding our local gigs to a few places down at the beach. The Manhattan Country Club, and the Irish Mist. So if you are down in that area now, and haven't seen us in a while stop in and say hey.

We have been working on some more funky stuff for the live shows, and will be featuring Mark Norris for next months gigs. He's one of the best sax players in town, and knows how to lay down those tasty licks. ( And doesn't step on Nelsen's vocals)

Have a great month!

Keep on keepin on, Nelsen

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Hello Folks,

I've been asked to start writing a monthly note, to keep you in touch with what's happening with us on the road and in the studio.

Most of you know we have recently released our new album on Hot Rod Records. We had a blast recording it. I got a chance to work with some world class Blues Cats. Gary Primich played some smokin harp on the jam song "In Walks G" and "El Harpo. Kaz Kazanoff played sax throughout the album. Guy Forsyth played a superb slide solo on "I'm here to stay", and last but not least Johnny Moeller played some stinging guitar on "Tell The Truth" and "Too Bad". All in all it was a pleasure playing with these fine musicians, if you haven't had a chance to pick up a copy click on the link to Hot Rod Records and buy one. You won't regret it.

Recently I went back down to Texas to promote the new album. I played a gig in Austin at the Long Branch Inn, and the next night at the Hole In The Wall in Dallas. "Howdy Folks Welcome to DFW!" Texans really love their Blues and we had a great crowd both nights.

Back in town we have a couple of showcase gigs coming up with the Catalina concert and the "Inland Blues Festival". We have the privilege of having a really hot sax player Mark Norris playing the upcoming shows.

We're also working on some new material for the live gigs and will be back at the local clubs in September. Check back for next month's

Yours In The Blues, Nelsen