Hamburg, Germany

Having played for Frankfurters last night we boarded the Legacy that delivered us to perform for Hamburgers this evening. It was a beautiful spring day on arrival, warm, bright and sunny and the trees coming into leaf. I went to the Color Line Arena early to get some practice in and work on a couple of new Hawaiian things I've been toying around with. My stint with the meet and greet beat group has really renewed my interest in playing Hawaiian steel guitar again, something that I'd let slide, pun intended, for many years. I keep remembering old things I used to play as well as writing a few new ones. Guy, plays great Hawaiian steel and has written several things that we've been learning. We're threatening to make an album while on the road of the beat group, Glenn on string bass, Danny with brushes on the tea tray, Guy and I alternating steel guitar duty with uke and rhythm guitar, maybe make it available on the website. We'll see.

11,400 was the official paid attendance tonight. Sort of a laid back show but well played and the audience was enthusiastic.

Back at the hotel after the show I met up with a good friend, songwriter and record producer Rudi Mussig. I met Rudi a number of years back when he came to Nashville to record a couple of albums on artists he was working with. I played on those records and we've been friends since. It's always nice to go to a faraway place and know someone and always great to catch up on things with Rudi. He told me about several shops in Hamburg that sell old records and while it's very tempting to set the alarm clock early, I'll show some restraint and pass on the record stores. So many Bert Kaempfert records and so little time.

So long,

Richard