West Of The Pecos

West of the Pecos is as much a state of mind to me as a geographic description. Some of my earliest memories are of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico, the Pecos River canyon, Cowles, Santa Fe, and the blue skies and the endless vistas. Although I left New Mexico when I was 8 and didn't return for 40 years, the images stayed in my mind, and returning here had the feel of coming home. Over the past nine years I've gotten to know and play with many fine New Mexico musicians and it was a real privilege and also great fun to have so many friends help me with this project. Growing up in Nashville in the 1950s was magic time for music. We woke up listening to AM 650 WSM and Flat & Scruggs Martha White show and went to sleep listening to AM 1510 WLAC-John R. and the Hoss man and rhythmn & blues. From Grand Old Opry to Jimmy Reed was our spectrum in those beginning days of Rockabilly, Rock and Roll, and the folk scene. Although music was not my profession, I've played and performed music from age 12 every where I've traveled. In San Diego in the 60's, music connected me with Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon, Kenny Wertz, Larry Murray and Ed Douglass (the Squirrelbarkers) plus others like Mason Williams who hung around the Blue Guitar shop. Returning to Nashville, I met up with Kristofferson, Newbury, and other soon to be famous writers.