hazard lights

today i saw a older sports car driving normally, but with its hazard lights on. i thought to myself, i wonder if something's wrong? or maybe he was making a statement, "the guy in THIS car is too hot to handle. i'm so wild i'm hazardous. so watch out ladies."

i'd like to believe it was the second. he seemed like that type of guy.

also, dave barnes was kind enough to give the new record a shout out on twitter, which made my day. more so than the thth (too hot to handle) driver.

until next time, your friend and fellow internet user,

ben

moves...

Waco and Dallas

Last weekend was Waco and Dallas, TX. The folks at Common Grounds were kind enough to let me headline. I must say, if you've never been to CG, it is a wonderful experience. They make the best Arnold Palmer in the world, their coffee is second to none, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere I've ever been.


I was curious as I was loading in about how many people would show up. I hadn't played in Waco in probably a year, and I live 7 hours away. I could hear them, talking in their dorm rooms and houses.

"What should we do tonight?"

"I heard Ben Rector was playing at Common Grounds. But I'd rather see My Bloody Valentine 3d. I know for a fact Ben's show is NOT in 3d. Also, he is only a third as expensive as Dave Barnes, therefore, he is only a third as good. Come to think of it I hate his music."


"Yeah me too. My Bloody Valentine it is."

Lo and behold, people showed up. A few of them had actually driven from other places to see the show, which is always a combination of incredibly flattering and humbling. I always feel like I've caused these people a great inconvenience. You drove from where? I feel like I should pay for their gas or something.




The show went well, Jaimee Harris and Ryan Parker started the night off right. I am a Baylor Bear in this picture. You should check out their music, both of them are really talented. myspace.com/ryanparker and myspace.com/jaimeeharris.


Saturday night was a Falling Whistles Benefit in Dallas Texas. Falling Whistles is an incredible organization, you should check them out, fallingwhistles.com. It was a cool event, complete with tree branches hanging from the ceiling, swanky people, and a baby grand piano. How can you go wrong with those things? That's right, you can't.

They had sweet stairs.

The stage and the Andy.

Andy Davis, Seth Philpott, and I did not receive the memo about it being an "everybody dress in black" event. We had plaid shirts on.

My new friend Eriksharif, myself and David Ramirez. David just finished recording at Smoakstack Studios in Nashville. He's an incredible songwriter, it's sure to be a great record. Check out "I Could Start Fires" at myspace.com/davidramirez.

It was a good weekend all in all. I got to eat Schmaltz's and Chipotle, see friends, meet new people, and play music. And now I'm off to class.

CD Releases.

Hello there. I still have a blog, even though it's been since October that I updated it. I've yet to figure out how this is going to go. I'm aiming for a weekly update. I think that's do able. Is doable one word? Or two? Anyways. Here is what's new.

1. Songs That Duke Wrote is out. It's on iTunes and available purchase on the myspace. I recommend you get it on iTunes, because I'm pretty terrible at mailing out cd's in a timely manner. I've received a number of "hey ben, sorry to bother you on facebook, but I ordered your cd two years ago and you haven't sent it to me." I am sorry if any of you are reading this. It's on the way.

2. The CD Release shows (Fayetteville, Tulsa, Dallas) have gone really well. I'm trying to edit the small bit of video I've got into a little youtube. It's been so encouraging and incredibly humbling to have people come out to the shows, and even wilder that people know the words to songs. Here are a couple of pictures from Fayetteville.

There was quite a line outside of George's. We felt pretty cool.

I don't have many pictures of the Tulsa release, as I forgot to take my camera with me onstage. This picture amuses me. I pirated it from facebook. If you'll notice, the person's hands in the foreground are opening a box which holds microphones. I am hoping they didn't steal anything.

We did the Dallas release at the House of Blues. I was talking with my lovely fiance before the show in Dallas about how many people would come. I guessed something like 60 or maybe, if it was really crazy, around 200. Incredibly, before we started playing, I walked outside to see this posted on all of the ticket booths. Apparently there had been lots of people that were turned away (I still feel terrible about this).

This would say my name.

Bo Dutton and Andrew Moffett, merchman and bassist extraordinaire.

For more videos, check out http://www.youtube.com/user/EarlyMorninRiser. Thanks Leandra and Rachel for posting them, and for driving 5 hours to come.

So, I am now gearing up for the Spring, which is really coming together. You can check the myspace for show dates. However, I must admit I am as excited to get my moped back out as I am to play shows. This is not to say I'm unexcited about shows, just how much I enjoy the moped. I get fifty miles to the gallon on this hog. Some kid in town traded the van for it, straight up.

I hope to see you at a show sometime soon, and I'll be posting things here weekly.

ben

Songs That Duke Wrote is done.

Remember that time that I started a blog and then spent most of the semester forgetting I had a blog? Yeah I remember that time. I would say "sorry i forgot", but I feel like that might be a bit presumptuous, like there are people out there just waiting and hoping I'm going to say something. I am doubting there are any of those people, and the ones that would be like that talk to me on the phone pretty regularly (mom, dad, sisters). Enough of that, back to why I'm writing this.

"Songs That Duke Wrote" is finally done. After many, many days/weeks/months of listening to mixes and masters, working through artwork and dealing with duplication, it's ready to be enjoyed. I am nervous and excited. I think you'll really enjoy it, it's a bit of a departure from older stuff. Cleaner and a lot poppier. Then there is the acoustic stuff, which I think you'll enjoy also and is a definite departure from older stuff. I am deciding whether I'm going to explain the title, but am a bit worried about legal implications after my manager brought that up. Yikes. I assure you I wrote these songs. No one named Duke had any part in this. Unless someone's nickname is Duke, in which case I was unaware and the title is coincidental.

This is the cover of the CD. Thanks a million to Ervin Photography for letting Chris Galegar and I use the studio after hours. The back is just a picture of the chair that I'm sitting on which is currently in my living room. I bought it at a yard sale and weighs about twenty five pounds. My roomates and I arrived at this estimate after all holding and lifting the chair in many different ways (curling, holding it horizontal to the ground, lifting by the seat and legs). BMFB and Wes initially guessed it was 20 lbs. but after a group discussion we upped it to 25. All this to say, it's quite a hefty chair.

So, where can you get this CD you ask? The CD releases are as follows. There will be Stillwater, Dallas, and Waco releases in January/February. I expect that the CD will be on iTunes in a month or two, check the myspace for other ways to get it.

Fayetteville, AR
Nov. 6
George's Majestic Lounge w/Andy Davis
9pm.

Tulsa, OK
Nov. 13
Metro Christian Academy Auditorium w/Mitch Hull
6pm.

Done. ish.

I finished the record and stuff.  It's got to get mixed and mastered.  Then you can buy it.  Out.

Ben

A day off and then other days back in the studio.

So I had the weekend off from the studio.  On Saturday Hillary, Joel, and myself made it to the Dallas Museum of Art, which was quite impressive.  On Sunday afternoon Joel and I hung out and went to see Trey Duck, a musician and buddy of mine from Dallas.  The show was quite good and you should check him out.  Anyways, during the hanging out Joel and I saw some things that needed documenting.

This is something you should never purchase.  A biscuit stuffed with gravy.  Inside it.  Imagine it just sitting all day, getting mushy, and gravy-ey.  

This is the best advertising campaign ever created.  I can't tell whether it's really funny or just really cute.  Two miniature panda bears with shoes, gloves, and shorts, fighting each other.  The captions read something like "Orange chicken is a knockout" and "Spicy beef is the champ".  Just the thought of panda children fighting each other over their favorite dish is pretty funny to me. 

Remember that time when you filled up your car and stopped exactly on the dollar amount that you wanted and just wished someone was there to see it?  Bam.

There are some pretty incredible sunsets here in Texas.  Namely right outside of the studio.

And rainbows.  This was way cooler in real life.  

I am currently watching Chris LaCorte play guitar.  He is tearing it up.  Notice the arsenal of incredible guitars. 

Things are sounding really good.  I think you're going to listen to it and say, "This sounds good."  Have a wonderful evening.  

Ben