ENJOY A VIDEO, THEN READ, YES READ!

As Megan (that'd be my girl) and I enjoy two days without shows, we relax in Palm Beach with my brother Eric and his wife Cindy...two people who are not only family, but folks I actually like hanging with. Go figure! I've also seen old high school friends who moved down here from Chicagoland over the years and made new friends (and fans) at every show. It's been so worth the trip so far!

Next stops include a run to the beach at the ungodly hour of 9am and a boat ride with one of my best buds from back in the day on Tuesday. We're off to the Everglades to take photos of gators. Hell, maybe we can grab one and toss him to the cooler in our backseat for on-the-road chow? We've had fried alligator in two different cities along the way...Nashville at R'ichards Louisiana Cafe and again in Nawlens. We manage to do all this between hours of online promotion, travel and actual live shows!

I have shows the next two nights in Florida and then we leave the state we've spent the most time in so far...Florida in July. Um, yeah, I dunno, I thought it'd be fun to play in 105 degree humid heat on a patio to the point that the new set of strings on my guitar along with my pickup were broken and rusted a day later from the salty sweat pouring from me during the gig. My bro fixed the pickup.

Where to next? Up the coast! Georgia, The Carolinas, all the way to NYC, then across at a slight angle toward the Southwest. Keep following the moves and please spread the word! We're (Megan and I) taking our every dollar earned and handing it over to job creation throughout the country. We've made it this far and intend to make it through the entire trip in order to continue bringing much-needed original independent music to all the needy. You can help relieve people of these poor sad mainstream radio stations for the price of a cup of coffee. Do you really like to hear the same song every day by that artist you used to enjoy? We're here to help. Support this effort in any way you can. Tell everyone! Download or buy the tunes you like on this site or elsewhere (I know it's been pirated and have no issue with it); OR:

Phil Circle Live at the Viaduct Theater from Chicago Acoustic Underground on Vimeo.

First of all, I hope you enjoy the above video from the Haiti Benefit back in March.

Second...the video above seems appropriate in light of a few things...

After two great days in New Orleans, a few things have occurred to me. One, this town is a blast and the people are wonderful. It's also hot, but that doesn't count among the few things. What else? These people are resilient as hell. First, Katrina followed by Gustav (a follow up hurricane), the economy crashes (no one thinks they can afford to travel to a tourist town), now BP decides to take 87 days to plug an oil leak thats dumping 45,000 barrels into the gulf a day, killing the fishing industry for the next six years in the area. I couldn't buy fresh oysters at a restaurant in the French Quarter today! And they'd have cost $6! I settled for fried alligator, which is really tasty and the same price. But the place was empty, as was Bourbon Street...according to a bartender last night. And yet these people remain upbeat and friendly. So, what's the third thing I realized during my stay?

If I can afford to make my way from town to town bringing music to the masses, living on small (if any) pay, tips (from people through my site and at shows), and merchandise and sales (both places, too); so can anyone! I eat, get hotels (hey, Priceline really works!), pay for gas, and have begun adding to my shows a little polite preaching about getting out on the road and spreading even limited amounts of money around. Help out the economy! More than that...give yourself a quality of life. I'm happier and more calm than I've ever been, even as I make my way from town to town wondering whether I'll cover the day after tomorrow.

Wanna support my little musical crusade? Spread the word...please...and thank you.

Ah, the open road...and the expensive hotel rooms...and the cooler of food in the backseat that I live on...except of course when the venue feeds me. Loved the awesome food at Ri'chard's Louisiana Cafe in Nashville! I can't get enough of traveling for shows. I constantly meet new people, catch up with folks I've seen before, and even get surprised by old Chicago acquaintances who happen to be on the road. I hear a lot of, "music on the road must be a tough life, but I bet it's worth it when you're doing what you love." A truism about any work really. I sat last night on a bench in front of a little bar I had just played and an older man came out to join me for a smoke. He drawled on about how life's too short to anything but what you enjoy, and that a bad day doing what you like is better than a good day doing what you don't...and that much more so if you love it. I added with a grin, that I don't know anything but music, so I have little choice. He smiled and laughed through a few missing teeth. "Well," he said, "yer sure good at it boy. Hell, I'd starve if I had to live playin' music, don't have no talent." On his way out later, while I was sitting at the bar with my girl, he slipped me $5 and wished be good luck. Another fan from back in Chicago sent me $20 through PayPal after hearing and picking up my latest material. Every buck counts, of course, and is appreciated!

As I make my way across country sharing music with people in town after town, spending my days in the little blue Honda and nights in cheap hotels, I realize the need for a person to continue down their path. Music has been and remains my road. It's what I know and love. It's all I know. Hearing crowds respond with enthusiasm after a song, I know I've fulfilled my purpose for another day...giving music. I'm honored to be able to.

If you'd like to help us get across country sharing the gift of music, please hit the button below.

Thanks for keeping in touch and follow your love.