Mulberry Tree blooming...

It's a perfect spring morning in southwest Missouri. After two years in a row of late spring frosts, the foliage finally caught a break. Leaves and blossoms are big and healthy from an abundance of rain. The mulberry trees are producing fruit right now, which reminds me... The Mulberry Tree is the name of my Sunday evening radio show on KSMU/NPR in Springfield, MO. I've been enjoying the production process and hosting the show is just plain fun. I've got exciting news about two upcoming shows. In late June, I'll start promoting the July 9th performance at the Gillioz of folk singer/songwriter Dar Williams and Sara Watkins, formerly of Nickel Creek. I'll be interviewing Dar and Sara before the concert, and that interview will air on a future edition of The Mulberry Tree. Don't miss the show...it will be unbelieveable! Buy your tickets now at www.gillioz.org and spread the word! Another great show I'll air in the near future will be a co-host with musician/producer Larry Lee who most of you know as a founding member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Larry, Randle Chowning, Dave Wilson and Ned Wilkinson have formed a new band called Beyond Reach, and performed a concert last March on the Drury campus in Springfield. Larry and I will be putting together a show for The Mulberry Tree featuring tracks from recording artists Larry has produced. We'll review what he has and see what fits best for the show, then we'll team up to introduce each song for you. This will be a great show, and a lot of fun, so stay tuned...I'll let you know when the show is scheduled to air. It's also Memorial Day weekend, so take a few minutes to remember those who have gone before us. I am overwhelmed with the news each day...oil spill of historic proportion, earthquakes, volcanoes...it's just too much to process at times. The images on the news are so deeply depressing that I've resorted to catching the news only on radio. I feel helpless most of the time, and do what I can to help out. The earth has been forgiving of us for so long, I hope she doesn't give up on us and that there's a way some of the damage can be turned around. On a lighter note....my musician buddies Liz and Lori joined me late April for our first public performance at the Azalea Festival in Nixa, MO. We had a blast and made some great music. Our harmony vocals are our strongest instruments, so we're working on more classic three-part harmonies and some original tunes as well. If we decide to perform again in the near future, I'll let you know. My nephew got married last weekend to his long-time sweetheart Michelle, and my brother John and I performed some instrumental music for them. I don't get to perform with John very often, so that was an experience I'll cherish forever. Just for fun, I recorded us practicing "Devoted to You" and have posted it in my "music" section, so check it out. It's a rough version, but I think you'll appreciate that it was our first time ever practicing the song, and it blew my mind how the brother-sister genetic music connection shines through...see what you think. Happy springtime! Emily

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