Chuck Cheesman: Journal

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Back when I was teaching Wiggleworms at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, Barack Obama brought his family to my class. This was before he ran for Senate. He seemed like a really great guy - a real family man. I remember one conversation I had with him about education. I was teaching in the Chicago Public Schools at the time, and I was very impressed with Mr. Obama’s interest in my experience as a teacher. He is definitely a good listener, something that appears to be a rare quality among politicians.

I’ve also been impressed with his campaign. I think most people had Hillary Clinton pegged as the obvious choice. Obama has fought and earned every delegate he has gained, and he has done it by avoiding most of the negativity so common in politics. While both candidtates have had to overcome the typical prejudice of our society - there has never been a woman or a black man so close to a presidential nomination from the two big parties - I have been more impressed with Obama’s message of hope. I believe this is a person with the intelligence and resolve to bring about positive change. It isn’t just rhetoric. It is who this man is.

He has my vote. No question.

I haven't updated here in some time. Flagstaff was just hit with a pretty good snowstorm and I'm loving it! It is so sweet to have some real winter weather. If you are in town, come out to the Unitarian Universalist Church on Friday, December 21st. I'll be playing some original music and leading some Christmas carols. Happy Hoidays!

I played a fun gig last night: Barry Harrison's folk music birthday bash at Campus Coffee Bean. In case you're not aware, Barry produces our local folk music radio show Saturday mornings on KVNA AM 600. In fact, yesterday he became the first DJ to play music off my new CD. Set the coffee pot on auto and wake-up to Barry's show on Saturday mornings at 6:00.

The best part of Barry's bash was getting to listen to the other musicians. Jim Pipkin started the night off. The guy is a monster flatpicker and writes solid story-songs. He is a folksinger in the best sense of the word. Jim is also trying to win a contest at folkalley.com. Click over there, register, and vote for Jim. He deserves it.

Nolan McKelvey came out and did a set before racing over to Flagstaff Brewery for his band gig. Nolan's new CD MODERN TIMES is first rate alt-country music, and I like the title track very much. Brian DeMarco, who added harmonica to my CD, followed Nolan and then raced out to his own gig at Charly's. He's got a new CD coming out in a few weeks as well. I'll let you know.

After my set, Deb Hilton of the Porchlights closed out the night. (She did this Lemonheads song with lyrics, "If I was a booger... would you eat me?") Deb's hippie vibe tunes and sweet singing were the perfect ending to a great night. A night when the Campus Coffee Bean was actually packed to standing room only. That was fun to see.

Afterward I joined Deb at a local bar called Altitudes for a beer and to hear our friend Jacqui Foreman, another wonderful Flagstaff songwriter. Deb jumped in and added harmonies to Jacqui's last few tunes. More fun!

It's not often that I get to listen to so much live music. All in all it was a great night, reminding me how fortunate I am to have come to a town with such a talented community of songwriters.

And happy birthday to Barry Harrison!

CAMPFIRE has arrived at my house. So now I have a couple days to get everything ready for its release - for getting it out to you!

One of the very first things I am doing is getting nearly 150 CDs ready for submission to folk radio shows around North America. I picked these stations very carefully, researching playlists and listening to many of them online. Lately, I have embraced the idea that I will probably never have record label representaion and the people appointed to do the various jobs at the business end of this art. Accepting that makes doing the work myself a bit more fun. I am looking at stacks of bubble mailers with my CDs and information sheets tucked carefully inside. It's like little pieces of me are going to be traveling all across the continent. How fun is that?

Advice for you homegrown recording types: Get two boxes of product with no shrink wrap. Radio people like their CDs unwrapped. I knew this and forgot to mention it to my manufacturer. Pulling off that plastic and the sticker off the spine is a pain for even one CD. Try 150 CDs! Fortunately, my toddler has jumped into this project with Christmas morning abandon. "I help papa!" And so she does. We have a little system: I pull a corner of the shrink wrap off of each jewel box. Casey then finishes the job while I work on the pesky spine sticker.

My apologies to you folk DJs for the tiny fingerprints on my jewel boxes. But each one is as precious as a kiss.

Last weekend we finally got that snow we've been waiting for here in Flagstaff. Twenty-eight inches in forty-eight hours! Absolutely beautiful. It felt great to get out a shovel our drive and pitch-in with the neighbors. A little basic grunt work is a healthy thing.

The "Campfire" CD is beginning to take shape. A guy named Brian DeMarco came by last night and played some very tasteful harmonica lines on the title track. You can hear the result on my music page. Give it a listen and you'll have an idea where this recording is headed. Enjoy...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope you are having a peaceful, joyous holiday season however you celebrate it. Now get off that computer and go spend some time with the people you love!

Peace on Earth,
Chuck Cheesman
Christmas Eve, 2005

I have just returned from a trip with my family to Kauai. Being a snow and mountains guy, I always have a hard time getting excited about "warm" places, but Kauai was beautiful. The Na Pali Coast is one of the most incredible places I've ever visited. Unfortunately, Jill broke her foot two days before our trip and we didn't get to hike into the more remote places. Next time...

A couple of observations about Hawaii: Restaurants are ridiculously expensive and not all that great. Also, the tourism industry really caters to the "lounging by the pool with a drink in hand" crowd. If you are fortunate enough to go I suggest doing a little grocery shopping and then spending your time outdoors on the beaches and in the rainforest. There is so much nature to be enjoyed. Also, check out a slack key guitar concert. Hawaiian guitar music is a beautiful genre we don't get to hear enough on the mainland. We went to a wonderful concert at the community center in Hanalei featuring Doug and Sandy McMaster. Check them out at www.hawaiianslackkeyguitar.com.

On a different note, my friend Sue Fink has a new CD called "Damsel in Distress". If you are a fan of folk music and good stories, this is a CD for you. Sue's stories and songs range from hysterically funny to heartbreaking. Find a link to Sue on my links page.

Finally, I am proud to be included on the new "Wiggleworms Love You" CD from the Old Town School. As far as children's music goes, I think this is as good as it gets. The recording features the Old Town School children's music teachers - my friends and some mighty fine musicians! Visit my store and click the link to Bloodshot Records to purchase this special recording.

The holiday season is here. I hope this message finds you happy and healthy. We're still waiting for snow here in Flagstaff. With a little luck we will have a White Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by www.chuckcheesman.net. I'm a singer/songwriter who makes his home in Flagstaff, Arizona. It is beautiful out here. The Aspen are turning colors and we have had a dusting of snow up on the Sacred Peaks. I feel very fortunate that my family has found a home in this mountain town.

I suppose it is only natural to write about the things I care about most. I'm a bit like Charlie Brown's friend Linus waiting in the pumpkin patch on Halloween for the Great Pumpkin to appear; sincerity is important to me. Many of my original songs reflect my love for my family and for the American West. I write from the heart.

I've yet to record many of my newer songs, but I'm working on it. The new material is a little different from what you'll hear on Coming Home. The demo of "Wolves of Lamar Valley" found on my music page hints at what is to come. I look forward to sharing more of my music with you.