Welcome Jaybirds visitors! We're glad you stopped by to hang out with us
in cyberspace. Here's where you can get all the latest news about the Jaybirds, read old newsletters, peruse the scrapbook, find song lyrics…

Below are newsletters from the past year or so. We'll always post them here after they've gone out electronically to our fans and friends.

If you want to be on the e-mailing list to receive the newsletter hot off the virtual press, just drop us a note at: . Put "Add Me" in the subject line, and we'll do the rest.

Enjoy, and thanks again for visiting!
Your Jaybird Pals,

John, Trisha, Greg, Nick and Jim

 

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END Of year newsletter

 

 November 21, 2008

Greetings Jaybirds Fans, Friends, Family,

Well…it looks as if it’s almost time to put a wrap on Tour Year 2008 for the Jaybirds. One last weekend of shows in British Columbia, and then two months off—rest our wings, write some songs, eat jam, drink scotch, sleep in….

But before we get to the specifics of all that—Jaybird shore-leave and favorite home-perch pastimes—here’s a little photographic recap of some recent highlights from TY 2008:

Us with Ralph Stanley, backstage at Seattle’s Moore Theatre.



John’s mandolin posing with some other guy’s mandolin on a couch back stage at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music.



John and the owner of that other mandolin.



All of us with clan McCoury, back stage in Chicago.



And here’s what we could get from various band members about their plans for the long shore-leave:

John plans to work on a book of transcriptions (maybe a two volume set) of his original instrumentals, including all the tunes from his CD “Up In The Woods,” as well as others featured on Jaybirds recordings…possibly even a few from Good Ol’ Persons and Tony Rice Unit vintage. Aside from that he’ll be pruning fruit trees, walking in the woods, writing and finding new material for the next Jaybirds recording, eating crowberries, and overseeing the new distribution of his CD “Up In The Woods” through CD Baby (where it’ll be available for digital download for the first time—keep an eye on our website for more details and for all your last minute Christmas shopping needs).

Nick says he will continue to write songs with his daughter Cleo, hopefully start learning how to use his PC to record new tunes, burn a bunch of good firewood, do a lot of teaching (anyone wanting lessons, drop him a note at nickhornbuckle@hotmail.com), eat jam, and chill out.

Greg will be re-reading Anna Karenina and hiding out in his studio in the back yard, playing his new Jon Cooper fiddle, writing, drinking scotch (he likes Talisker best, if anyone’s asking), sleeping in, eating no jam, and bracing for Washington state’s total economic collapse and the end of the world as we know it. A new Mighty Squirrel recording might be in the works, too. He has piles of CDs and books for sale (but no Corvette). You can email him (greg@thejaybirds.com) or lurk around his website www.gregoryspatz.com for more details.

Jim will be watching to see if the PBS documentary he played on (“Andrew Jackson, The Atrocious Saint”) with the David Grisman Bluegrass experience gets nominated for a Grammy. Fingers crossed. He’ll also be playing some gigs locally with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, and in assorted duos with Dix Bruce, Keith Little, and Judy Forrest. For more info, check out his schedule at www.jimnunally.com.  Aside from local gigs, he’ll be working on a bunch of new recordings—one with DADGAD Irish guitarist great John Doyle for the band “Three Mile Stone,” another with his old band mate and pal, Tomas Enguidanos. He’ll also be starting a duet CD with Judy Forrest and hopes to begin work on a follow-up to his “Strums” instructional DVD called “Walks and Runs.” Next up, Jams and Riffs? Oatmeal and jam?

Trisha will be tending her cats and other critters, watching the birds, sampling jam, and fixing the windshield wipers on her truck. She wishes everyone happiest of holidays and sends out big thanks to all for coming to our shows and being so supportive.

Last of all, here’s where we’ll be this weekend. Come on out and see us....

Your Jaybird Pals,

John, Nick, Greg, Jim, Trisha

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

September 15, 2008

Greetings Jaybirds Fans, Friends, Family,

We hate to admit it, but it appears summer is rapidly running down the clock. Here are some latest signs of the times:

Nick tells us he enjoyed his two weeks of Jaybird shore-leave splitting and stacking seven cords of wood. We’re not sure if that’s a flat seven or a major seven cord of wood, or whether he used two or three fingers doing it…but we know he’s been pretty busy.



Trisha tells us she’s done harvesting all berries on the Gagnon farm and now well underway with jam production. We’re not sure if she used two or three fingers picking blackberries, but we’re positive every one of them was kissed (by the sunshine, of course). She says to bring your sweet tooth to upcoming Jaybirds shows. It was a record harvest.




And in anticipation of the start of the school year, Greg’s working on his dual thumb Blackberry (the other kind) skills. Sadly, no sweet tooth required there.

We’re all looking forward to a very busy fall with dates everywhere from Tennessee to northern Alberta and everywhere in between. We’re especially excited to be sharing the stage with Ralph Stanley this October in Seattle. Check our website for updates (www.thejaybirds.com).

As always, Greg and Jim appreciate visits to their websites: www.jimnunally.com and www.gregoryspatz.com.

Here’s where we’ll be in the next little while. Come on out and see us, and send along this announcement to anyone you know who might enjoy a Jaybirds show.

...

Your Jaybird Pals,



Greg, John, Trisha, Jim, Nick

Mid-summer Newsletter

August 9, 2008

Greetings Jaybirds Friends, Fans and Family:

This message comes to you LIVE, on the road, from Camp Jaybird at The Edmonton Folk Festival. We are thrilled to be up here, enjoying the balmy northern weather, wonderful company and excellent performer hospitality. Delighted to be sharing stages with old and new bluegrass pals including Alison Brown, Dan Tyminski, and Jayme Stone.

Since this is coming to you from on the road, we thought you might enjoy some candid shots (thanks to Jamie Wiens) from our most recent show, prior to Edmonton, in the hamlet of Ymir, BC. Here we had the honor of sharing the stage with David Grisman. We notice Grisman’s presence has a decided effect on the audience’s response and choice of attire—see if you agree (we are under the tent, behind the dancers)….



And here are three new, young Jaybird fans.



And, of course, John dueting with Dawg himself!



Most importantly, here is our schedule for the next few weeks. Come on out and see us if you can, bring your crazy hats and dancing shoes (or none at all), and pass this message along to anyone you know who might be in driving range. We especially look forward to our return to the BC Bluegrass Workshops at Sorrento Centre later this month—already gearing up for the all-night picking marathons!
....
Your Jaybird Pals,


Trisha, Greg, John, Jim, Nick