Greetings from an extremely mild Autumnland in Tennessee–right now we’re in that particular phase in the front yard where the big ash tree has dropped all its leaves, but the cherry is still hanging on, to leaves that are now a glowing, almost iridescent yellow. But: it’s been suggested that I keep this short and sweet, so I’ll try. But is that what you want?

December Shows

Coming up next month, some shows in the Midwest before that Santa guy comes around again. As always, check the venue sites and socials for details:

THURSDAY 12/11   MAGIC DUST: THE SONGS OF DAVE MOORE   ENGLERT THEATRE, IOWA CITY
This is going to be a great night! (Now officially SOLD OUT) I’m joining Jeffrey Foucault, Iris DeMent, Greg Brown, Pieta Brown, Bo Ramsey and many others to celebrate the songs of Dave Moore, an Iowa institution and a beautiful soul. Look forward to seeing you there!

FRIDAY 12/12   THE MUSIC BOX   ROCKFORD IL
Solo show! Been a bit since I’ve been to Rockford; please get those advance tickets and come out!
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/3rj746my

SATURDAY 12/13   FITZGERALD’S   BERWYN IL
Returning to my home-away-from-home, the mighty FitzGerald’s, for a solo show over in the Sidebar. This is a FREE show! But make reservations to get a table. Reservation link:  https://www.ticketweb.com/event/saturday-evening-in-sidebar-w-fitzgeralds-sidebar-tickets/14634813

FRIDAY 12/19   LEFTY’S   DES MOINES IA
A special end of the year band show, with Steph Graham and Jim Viner! And the fantastic Matt Woods opens! Don’t miss it!
Ticket Info: https://www.leftyslivemusic.com/events/kevin-gordon-w-matt-woods 

SUNDAY 12/21   THE BLACK ANGEL   IOWA CITY IA
Last show of the year, an intimate solo show at my new favorite venue in I.C.
Tickets: https://the-black-angel.square.site/

Todd Snider

Todd left this mortal coil late last Friday night. I’m going to have a lot to say about my friend and partner in crime, so I’ll hold off for now. But it’s been a tremendous shock to those of us on the east side of Music Business City, and to anyone else who’s a fan.

About That Song: Marion

Sometimes writing songs, for me, is a way to process grief and loss. I’ve done it many times: If You Will, 24 Diamonds, and Goodnight Brownie Ford are a few I can think of right now. Marion, from my latest album, The In Between, is another.

My first job was bussing tables at a French bistro sorta joint in Monroe, LA, called Charley’s, Ltd. My stepdad was a manager there. What a place! My fellow employees were a curious bunch of misfits, criminals, and eccentrics: a bartender who only went by one name, Blaze (obviously on the run from something), the chef an old Navy cook from NY state who ran the kitchen with two African-American matriarchs, Miami and Lily Fae, none of whom suffered nary a fool. A suave tanned omnisexual dude with black moustache from California, manager Joe Kelso (alias, anyone?) who was up to NO good. Clientele consisted of the well-heeled: aged widows with wrinkled hands and huge diamond rings, lawyers and their staffs often taking a two-martini lunch off into three and beyond, and a group of regulars from the gay community; this was my introduction to so many things. I swear, you could write three novels about this place! Quite an education for me, and I am forever grateful for it. Anyway, Marion was a waiter there; he was from Franklin Parish, LA, just like my stepdad. I based the character in the song on him, though the real circumstances of who he was and what happened to him were too tragic and complicated to stand up in a song. So, in a way, the song ended up being more about that time (the early 80s), and about a character moving through it. Internally it’s still a song about the guy I knew and loved, but externally it had to be something different.

You can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIu30EI_seI

Bandcamp Friday is coming up, December 5th! Watch for something to drop!