Welcome to Albert’s Blog. Here you can keep up-to-date with what Albert’s up to.

Hi Folks,

Here’s a long overdue update on my activities. I’ve been home in Los Angeles for about a week after two long months traveling around Europe with Hogan’s Heroes. The tour has gone very well apart from getting appendicitis. I spent a couple of days in hospital and they couldn’t wait to sling me out. I was back on stage in about a week which in hindsite was too soon.I wasn’t in a lot of pain but I was quite tired for a week or so.

The last show I did was with Robin Gibb, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings. It was a charity dinner in Mayfair in aid of Bomber Command. As usual in those situations, the speeches and auction went over time so our sets were cut short. I flew home the next day.

I’ve done no gigs since being home but have played at a couple of parties. One was at Warwick Rose’s lovely house and the other was at Joe’s Bar and Grill in Burbank, it was for Carmine Sardo’s birthday. Carmine is a really fine guitarist and has played in the Los Angeles area for over 40 years. I had the great pleasure of playing with JD Maness, a wonderful steel guitar player and longtime friend. Also very surprised to be playing with the son of jazz great Barney Kessel, he’s a fine drummer.

Tuesday night Karen, Alex and I went to the Hollywood Bowl to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. It was a fun evening, especially the picnic we had in our box. The music was really good, many tunes that everyone knows and lots that I’ve played with Eric over the years. A good evening apart from $35 to valet park the car and using our VIP passes to get to a spartan area to the side of the stage where we paid $8 for a glass of Gallo wine. We didn’t get to see Eric or the band as they had apparently left.

Lots to take care of at home before heading to Sweden next week, I’ll be playing with Robert Wells. Later this month I fly to Austin Texas to record with Junior Brown and James Burton, they’ll be lots of hot licks on that record. Home most of August apart from two shows with Robert Wells in Stockholm. Lots of work lined up with Hogan’s Heroes and Bill Wyman September thru December.

Albert

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Hi Folks,

Had a great time at the Folk Alliance in Memphis. It was held in the Marriot Downtown and the event took over the whole hotel. In the convention room there were stands of various artists, record companies and some instrument makers. There were concerts during the day that were held in the conference rooms on the second floor but the exciting part of the event was on the top three floors. Starting at 10.30pm and
going on until around 2.30am, each hotel room held mini concerts lasting 20-30 mins, the halls were heaving with musicians and others, running from room to room to catch the next artist they wanted to see.

My main performance was playing a guitar jam with James Burton, Jim Lauderdale, Colin Linden, Phil Hurley, Luke Doucet, Freebo, Brady Blade and Frank Marstokk. It was great fun but I would have enjoyed it more
with my own amp. I also did a couple of smaller showcases with my old friend Freebo. The next day, Rodney Crowell arrived and he invited James, Jim and me to sit in with him and Will Kimbrough. It was very gracious of Rodney to change his whole show to accomodate us all. I sang a couple of tunes including Real Wild Child (Polydor version), one of Rodney’s favourites. Rodney and Jim were great as usual. It was so much fun being able to hang out with my hero, James Burton. We never get to spend time together so it was a thrill
for me.
During the event I saw some wonderful artists including, De Temps Antan, The Refugees, Blame Sally, Ian McLagan, Randell Bramlett, Folk Arts Quartet, Stephanie Bettman and many more. I’m so glad that Karen, Alex and I were able to attend. I sat in with bluegrass band The Dillards in Ventura on Tuesday evening, I’ve been a long time fan and have run into them a few times over the years. This is the first time I’ve actually sat in with them. It was a lot of fun but my acoustic chops were not up to par, those bluegrass guys play loud on their acoustic instruments. You may remember The Dillards from their many appearances on the Andy Griffith show over the years.

I’m home for a few more days before heading for Europe and more Hogan’s Heroes gigs.

All the best

Albert.

March 1st, 2009

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Hi Folks,

I thought it was long overdue for an update. The year began sadly with the passing of a great friend and talent, Delaney Bramlett. Check out clips of him on youtube, you’ll see what an influence he was on Eric Clapton.

I did an interesting show in Battersea, London with the Rhythm Kings. We were the backing musicians for a charity show supporting Outward Bound, they have provided encouragement to underprivileged children by taking them out of the cities and exposing them to endeavours that they would not normally experience. The music was a celebration of the BeeGees. Robin Gibb, Lulu, Mel C (Spice Girls), Beverley Knight and Mark King were among the singers. I had a few days off before rehearsals began for the RKs tour of Holland. The Dutch tour went well, great audience response and good attendance. We also did two shows in Hamburg opening for a show that was held in a circus tent. It’s called Rock and Roll Circus and mostly celebrates the music of the Beatles. The show was very good with a large band, jugglers and acrobats, they will be touring around Germany over the next few weeks, check it out.

I did two nights at a really nice club in Monaco with HHs, we had good attendance for both shows and I believe they would like us back there again soon. We stayed at a wonderful hotel that is situated on the hairpin bend of the Grand Prix curcuit.

On returning to London, I did a radio recording with Jools Holland and his band. His studio is in Greenwich where I grew up, I’ve known Jools for a long time, he was a friend of my sister Becky when he was a teenager. The show will be broadcast on April 27th on the BBC.

Last week I played a wonderful club in San Diego with my friend Jim Soldi and his band Cactus, we had a great response and I’m sure we will be back there again before too long, Karen and I spent the next morning visiting the Maritime Museum a few blocks from the hotel. We were aboard one of the last of the 19th century iron hull sailing ships still in operation, a cold war Russian submarine and other interesting boats. It was a very nice way to spend the day before driving back to Los Angeles.

This week I fly to Memphis to participate in the Folk Alliance with Freebo, James Burton and Rodney Crowell, very much looking forward to it.

Back to Europe again soon for shows with HHs and later the RKs. I hope to see some of you on the road.

All the best

Albert.

February 21st, 2009