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THE BAND'S PLAYIN' WALTZ ACROSS TEXAS. Thirty-some years ago I was playing in a little cantina somewhere on the Mexico-Texas border. A weathered old couple came in, the old man wearing blue jeans, a snap shirt, and an ancient battered cowboy hat, and the woman a faded, flowered housedress. They were somewhere in their seventies, and obviously very much in love. We struck up a waltz (and it might have actually been Waltz Across Texas). The old couple stepped out on the floor, dancing together with little concession to the years, in an easy Texas style that spoke of many, many dances together. From what I saw that night came this song. I'm singing and playing rhythm guitar, high-strung guitar, Dobro and bass.

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COUNTRY PICKIN'. This one really came together quickly! I needed another up-tempo piece for this album I must get *finished* *this* *week*, no later. Just couldn't find anything that suited me. I wanted something that would let me do a little banjo picking, have room for some vocal harmonies, and so on. I decided finally that I'd better write one, because I have to get this project done. On Monday, I had to spend most of the day in St. Leo waiting for a transmission to be installed in my van so I can go to Texas. I passed the time writing this song. I had it completely composed before I ever heard a note of it, and there were no changes at all to the music. Typically of me, I have tinkered extensively with the lyrics, but they are finalized now. I think. Better be, because this is the version that is going on the album! This song tells an absolutely true story from my life, and portrays exactly how I feel about the old "heritage" music.

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BARROOM GIRLS. This is a complete recasting of one of Gillian Welch's "primitive/modern" pieces--still done with a very clean uncluttered approach with few effects, though. I'll put this on the "Grandpa Flatpicked" CD. Three-part harmony even! This is very different from the original. I never like to copy anything very closely.

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YOUR CHEATING HEART. Guys, here is a work track for the Cheating Heart arrangement. This is just backup guitar, an intro, and a scratch vocal. Something with which to work!

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FLORIDA MOON. This is a version of Florida Moon in which I am playing all of the parts--some of them recorded very recently and some nearly twenty years ago.

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