Joe Peters

Insurrection in the Capitol 1-6-21 By Joe Peters

We watched it all, on the TV screen
They climbed the steps, & breached the halls
Then he came on, & poured gasoline
They broke in windows, & scaled the walls

Everywhere, I saw the flag
Waving high, above the crowd
They wore the hat, but not the mask
They all high-fived, & strutted proud

The day they stormed the capitol, a day of infamy
Democracy under attack, for all the world to see
The mob that stormed the capitol, did his bidding full of hate
They occupied DC today, In America the Great

They chose the man, over Truth
Now blood’s been spilled, up on the Hill
They believed Fake News, and the Twitter too
They tried their best, to trump the people’s will

Today they stormed the capitol, a day of infamy
Democracy under attack, for all the world to see
The mob that stormed the capitol, did his bidding full of hate
They occupied DC today, In America the Great
Insurrection in the capitol, in America the Great

Dear Friends,

2020, what a year!

The new double album, Collaboration, Music by Warriors, Zombies & Other JoeDai Pilgrims is initially available here, on Bandcamp. Soon it will be available through all the usual platforms, like Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and so forth.

link

After working on this pandemic opus, Collaboration, throughout the year, the collection of songs seemed to require some form of explanation, and for a songwriter what better way than to put it in song!? So at the end of the process I wrote this little ditty, COVID Collabs, to look back on the year in relation to not only the pandemic, but also the evolution of these songs.

I am sure you will all take the time to reflect on the year in your own ways, the joys and the many sorrows. Happy New Year planet earth & inhabitants. Let's Collaborate for a kinder, gentler world, and happiness for all.

Here's to a hopeful 2021!

Joe

COVID Collabs By Joe Peters, October 2020

Broke my toe in January, turned too old in February
Along came March and blew us all away

All of April I never went out, May rolled in and left no doubt
By June this thing had simply runaway

Then friends sent lyrics and poems and things
I grabbed my guitar and plucked the strings
Before too long these songs found wings

So I bought some gear and learned to use it
Made two-track demos that sounded like sh..
A magic man turned them into hits

We searched for singers in mid-July, by the end of August they had multiplied
In late September it all came together

Throughout October we mixed and matched, November made sure these babies hatched
Come December they were smooth as Spanish leather

Thank you COVID for collaboration, from one end to the other of this mighty nation
There’s strength in numbers we shall overcome

Dear Friends,

I am always truly humbled by the response to my music here on N1M, and grateful to and for all of you who listen to my songs. Last week saw a new milestone, over 100,000 listens, and this week my little folk song, This Song’s For You, was again #1 for California folk. Thank you!

I am really happy to announce, despite the sadness, heartbreak and grief of the pandemic and associated isolation, I have been busy writing and recording new music this whole time. Remotely!

Here’s how it’s gone down for the most part: friends sent me lyrics, poems, photos, ideas, and I put em to music. I then made two-track demos (guitar and vocals), and sent these to my main collaborator back in Indiana, the wizard Michel Kelsey (link), who worked up arrangements, a process we call Kelsification. These Kelsified tracks were then sent, without my vocals, to the brand new REC Room Recording studio in Lafayette, Indiana, where a procession of singer friends of mine recorded new vocals for the tracks. These vocal tracks were then sent back to Kelsey to be loaded into the existing mixes, along with any additional/new instrumentation deemed appropriate.

So just today I have uploaded the first of these COVID Collabs, Love Awaits, a rocker with lyrics penned by Hoosier poet Frederick Michaels (author of the poetry collection, Potholes in the Universe). The fantastic singers, Hans & Brittany Rees, are one half of the band Frank Muffin (link).

I hope you will check out the new track, and check back often in coming weeks for new tracks from the double album, Collaboration, music by warriors, zombies & other joedai friends.

Be well, keep the faith and keep in touch,

Joe

Dear Friends,

I wish to thank you all so much for listening to my music here on N1M; you have pushed my song Alone (co-written with Gary Allison) to #1 for Folk in California, with five of my songs in the Top 10. Thank you, I am grateful.

https://www.n1m.com/charts?song_id=885824&genre_id=31&geo=local&country_id=225&state_id=6&pos=1&songs_total=259&page=1#_=_

I would like to extend my deep gratitude to the many of you who took the time to write to me and let me know how much you have enjoyed the songs, and how much they mean to you. Thanks too for promoting my music on your networks, that means all the world to me.

My way of relating to the world has everything to do with music, so the most authentic way for me to thank you all is to write, record & share my music. In that spirit, I have just posted an old song about finding healing in a world of hurt. I think, and hope, it still has a valid message for today's contentious and fractured world. I hope you will give it a listen.

Be well, and thanks again,

Joe

Dear Friends,

It was so awesome to see so many of you at Walt's back in August at the CD Release Party for Ordinary Joe by the joedai warriors. Thank you from the bottom of my heart; it is so gratifying to write, record and perform music that connects with you, the listener. I am grateful beyond words. If you were unable to pick up at copy of the CD at the show, it is available for download here at CDBaby:

link

Now, I am happy to announce I will be back in the Midwest this weekend and next, making music at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) annual conference in Grand Rapids. Here is my conference performance schedule with Michael Kelsey, Linda Hicks and Liz Brooks. If you are in the area, I invite you to drop in the Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Airport Hotel.

Thursday @11:30pm in the Hoosier Folk Room (#101) hosting Songs of Social Justice

Thursday @1:30am in the Foundry Hall Showcase (#108)

Friday @4pm in Performance Lane (Salon G)

Saturday @11:30pm in the Hoosier Folk Showcase (#101)

On the heels of the FARM conference, I will return to Lamb's Retreat for Songwriters in Harbor Springs for the fifth year in a row. At the retreat we receive a song assignment on the Friday, and have to perform our new song on the Sunday. High pressure stakes, but great fun. Past assignments have yielded songs that have ended up on each of my last four albums. Here's a fun example of the fun things that happen there (John D. Lamb's song prompt, my song, covered by another Lamb's attendee, Bruce Smith, which I then set to some pics from past retreats):

YouTube

So wherever you are, whatever you are doing, may it bring you joy and happiness, and may you then share that joy and happiness with the rest of the world. Lord knows we need it.

Gratefully,
Joe Peters