Happy Christmas To ALL!

Here's a weirdo Christmas song by @toddburge from 2011. http://t.co/kSkUgXWaY3

— Mountain Stage (@MountainStage) December 24, 2014

BURGE KIDS CYBER MONDAY MESSAGE FOR YOU

Here's Your Chance to Join The "IN" Crowd!! Todd T-Shirts and FREE DOWLOADS

You have always wanted to be in with the "in crowd" right? 

Get hip to his Jack!
Supplies are SUPER limited! 

A high quality (black only) T-shirt with a very high quality print of Dan Gloyd's artwork for Todd's Building Characters Album. T-shirt purchase comes with a free download of the album! Pick one up for yourself, a family member or friend for the holidays! Very limited stock in S, M, L, XL and XXL

NEW LIMITED TODD BURGE T-SHIRT with FREE DOWNLOAD!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE

T-SHIRT COMES WITH A FREE DOWLOAD!!

How To Play - I'm A Shark by Todd Burge

Find full song live on NPR's Mountain Stage here

CONCERTS IN YOUR HOME? You can do it! Sure ya can!

Hello all!
I have some great shows coming up in traditional venues, and have found that house concerts are a superb way to round out my touring schedule. If you are curious about them, watch this video.
Click on this link too.
http://www.listeningroomnetwork.com/index.php
Maybe we can book a show in your home sometime? Cool. Thanks T

TODD BURGE WV TOUR THIS WEEK!

Touring WV this week!
Middlebourne, Bluefield, Beckley, Bramwell and Thomas.

Will be playing some new songs including this one below.
Will you share with your friends? Would love to see you there
Thanks again for allowing me to do what I love to do.
Sincerely,
Todd

oh, all tour details are on my "tours" link  here www.toddburge.com 

Where Is TODD BURGE This Weekend?

Paul McCartney, Tim O'Brien and more ALS BUCKET CHALLENGE by Todd Burge

http://www.alsa.org/ and donate now.

Remembering Joseph Hale

Some scattered thoughts on my late friend Joseph Hale.

I was first aware of Joseph Hale back in 2008, I think. My father and step-mother were in from KY and staying at the Blennerhasset Hotel. We just had dinner and were hanging out in the lounge, and in the corner sat one Joseph Henry, (Later, changing his last name to Hale)  playing piano as background sound with nobody really paying much attention, except for his wife, Sasha. She was so into it, grooving and singing every word, sitting on the leather couch near him. It was super sweet.  I was distracted by how good he was. Not good, amazing really. I was feeling guilty that I was distracted so from my family visit. I said to my wife, "am I so un-hip and  just really out of touch with current music that don't know any of these songs or are they all originals?  They all sound amazing!" I approached Joseph at the end of his set and he informed me that his songs were all original. It didn't seem real. I couldn't believe that all this music, music that was so brilliantly formed, arranged and performed was being created right here near my ears. Created/conceived so close to my home.

He gave me two CDs that night. Both packed full of original songs that he had obviously spent hours producing in his basement on his multi-track. Recording in mind bending "Brian Wilson" fashion. The arrangements were thick and fully realized, one song after the other and his voice was flat out amazing in a Lennon/McCartney way. As I listened to the songs, one gem after the other, I eventually had to pull off the road (on my way to some show)  and call my wife to tell her how out of my head I was over this guy's music!

At the time I was hosting many songwriter nights in WV and Ohio and had a radio show were I would feature regional songwriters. I felt I knew just about everyone, but man, was I wrong. This was like accidentally striking gold.  I immediately asked him to perform one of my radio shows in Morgantown.
He would command your attention during those tapings. His songs were beautiful, funny, dark, punk, yet melodic. He would totally suck the crowd's attention in.  There's no way to exaggerate his musicality at that time in his life.  Here is a recording from one of those radio shows.


After watching him perform, I invited him over to the house to work on some songs of mine with no real goal in mind, although, I dreamed of incorporating him into my then scattered musical vision. He brought his keyboard and set up and we discussed music, (Lou Reed, Bowie, Zevon etc) played a few songs and immediately connected.
I loved how he worked his ass off on learning my tunes when we really didn't have a plan, we were just playing and kicking things around. I'm so happy I documented that first collaboration here.


Joseph Hale then became part of my mid-life crisis it seems. After being out of a band for a few years and playing and touring as a solo artist, I found that Joseph along with Billy Matheny, both about 20 years younger than I, inspired me to start a new band. Like most people, my career has been filled with mentors. Sometimes the mentors have been unaware. The earlier obvious ones being my mother and brother playing the piano around the house, then later, my guitar/artistic guru, Dallas Gose, then later still, Mike Morningstar, Larry Groce, Tim O'Brien etc, but when Joseph entered my life, I found myself writing songs and creating music informed and inspired by him and his musical way. Joseph along with Billy Matheny unknowingly became a driving force in my musical direction. Both mentors of sorts.  I would imagine them hearing the tunes, maybe looking over my shoulder and approving or disapproving. I was writing songs about a fictitious songwriter who was going through an extreme mid-life crisis. My mid-life crisis was mild, possibly because I felt that I was making "good art".  It was closely tied to Mr. Hale. His fine work can be found in songs like Get Well, Intervene, I'm a Shark etc here.

He enriched my life and I spent a lot of time struggling over how I might sooth his mind somehow. Break in and reorganize?  It is difficult to talk about a friend who has passed so tragically, so early in life and honor and discuss their worth without becoming self-serving. Impossible really.
So, I suppose these words are to make myself feel better about his passing somehow, but they are also meant to celebrate all that was good about the man, and there was plenty.  I do know that I respected Joseph Hale. I respected his life and his art and friendship. I'm happy that I was able to tell him that over and over again. I will miss him and continue to celebrate what he created here on earth. Pure art can be unreal. Joseph Hale was unreal, yet he made us all feel, so, real.

You simply must listen to his music again.
FIND IT HERE
http://www.reverbnation.com/ovada

Todd with Joseph Making up a song on the fly in Pomeroy Ohio

New Music From Camp Craw Dad

Started writing a song with the kids of Camp Craw Dad today. My kids, Will (10) and Sophia (8) both go there. Go to "Todd Burge for Kids" and you'll hear Sophia and Will teach the happy campers how to play "The Bugs Are Coming". I'm hoping to finish the original song we started today and have it posted next week.  More news to come! Thank you! Todd http://toddburgeforkids.blogspot.com/ 

Nelsonville Music Festival - Gladden House Sessions | Todd Burge (Great Video and Interview!)

Todd at FestivALL Charleston (4 shows) This Sat and Sunday

Burge in Looneyville, Charleston and Parkersburg! Wear Your Bike Helmet!

This Week - June 21 and 22 214

 Todd at FestivALL's Music Works (Charleston)
Then Looneyville WV, Both on Saturday
then Sunday at the Multi Cultural Festival in Parkersburg, WV
check www.toddburge.com for complete tours.

PENN HILLS, PITTSBURGH, HARMONY PA This Week! Watch Todd's Head Spin in This Video

Help 8yr Old Sophia Burge Raise Money to Fight Severe Food Allergies!

 As many of you know, our 8 year old Sophia has severe food allergies. 

She is severely allergic to almost all nuts and has an egg allergy as well.The Food Allergy Network has helped our family negotiate the daily challenges that go along with her condition and we are honored to be able to "give back" and support them with their noble mission. We will be at the FARE Walk for Food Allergy in Wheeling, WV on June 8th and hope that you will join us in raising funds for FARE. Click here http://www.foodallergywalk.org/wheeling/burge and make a donation. Thank your for your support! Sincerely, Sophia, Will, Lisa and Todd We will have a table set up and will sing some songs along with with any human or animal wanting to join us at this event. Please join us? Oglebay Park (Levenson Shelter) 465 Lodge Drive Wheeling, WV 26003 10AM June 8th Sunday Food allergy is a life-altering and potentially life-threatening disease that sends someone to the emergency room every 3 minutes. With 15 million Americans affected, there are 15 million reasons to support this important cause. We will be participating in the 2014 FARE Walk for Food Allergy to help raise critical funds and awareness. The money we raise will support Food Allergy Research & Education's (FARE) mission to ensure the safety and inclusion of individuals with food allergies while relentlessly seeking a cure. We need your support. You can join our team or make a donation to support our efforts. • To make a donation to our team, click the DONATE NOW button on the link above.   • To join our team to fundraiser and/or walk, click on the JOIN TEAM link in the top right corner. By making a donation on our team's behalf, you will be helping FARE to fund food allergy education programs, advocacy and awareness initiatives, and world-class research. Help us Say FAREwell to Food Allergies! - See more at: http://www.foodallergywalk.org

Todd Burge at Nelsonville Music Festival This Weekend

  Nelsonville Music Festival is the best Jerry, The Best!

This Week - MAY 19th - May 25 Charleston, McConnellsville, Marietta, Parkersburg, Sutton

Click on "Tours" www.toddburge.com

Dixon, Burge & Cowdery this Friday - Burge and O'Brien Record Next Week.

TODD BURGE AT A GLANCE

Hi everyone!  I'm excited about my benefit show with Don Dixon and RJ Cowdery this Friday at the People's Bank Theatre (Colony) in Marietta. Next week I'm in Nashville recording my song "Change for Clean Water"  with Tim O'Brien for "The Water Project" CD that will includeKathy Mattea, John Gorka, Billy Ed Wheeler and many many more. I'm touring like a fool this year. Just added 19 shows and more are coming. Would love to see you out there! Watch my video and I'll fill you in on the coming week.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Tons of shows coming up this Spring and Summer including

The Nelsonville Music Festival,

The WV MUSIC HALL OF FAME'S GARDEN PARTY in SUTTON

The Multi-Cultural Fest and more.  

www.toddburge.com

www.facebook.com/toddburgemusic

Attn:Songwriters and Lovers of Songs! DIXON, BURGE, COWDERY and YOU????

DON DIXON

Share or invite this event
https://www.facebook.com/events/563056133810188/

Songwriter Invitational Features Renowned Performers
at Merchants and Artists Walk

TWO FREE EVENTS IN ONE!

6PM-8PM
In Front of Colony
Songwriter Invitational (Sign up below**)
Hayfield and Crow (more TBA)

8PM
DON DIXON, RJ COWDERY
& TODD BURGE inside on the Colony Stage  


Don Dixon, Todd Burge & RJ Cowdery will perform “in the round” on the stage of the historic Peoples Bank/Colony Theatre, 222 Putnam St, Marietta Ohio, at 8pm, Friday May 9th as part of Marietta, Ohio’s Merchants and Artists Walk.

This performance is free to the public and donations will benefit the theatre restoration project.

Dixon is nationally known as a performer and producer, working with acts like REM, Joan Baez, and Joe Cocker. Burge and Cowdery are both from the Mid-Ohio Valley and tour nationally. They have also worked extensively with Dixon in the past.

**Songwriters wishing to attend and share some songs please contact Todd at toddburge@suddelink.net. There will be performance opportunities in front of the theatre beginning at 6 pm before Dixon, Burge and Cowdery perform inside at 8pm. All participating songwriters will also be invited to attend a meet and greet with Jim Lauderdale at 7 pm in the balcony at The Adelphia Music Hall, Thursday May 22, before his performance with JD Hutchison. (More info here www.theadelphia.com)

Tours of the theatre will begin at 6 pm. This performance is free to the public and donations will benefit the theatre restoration project.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program/organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Don Dixon
Dixon is considered to be one of the key producers of what is called the jangle pop movement of the early 1980s. He spent thirteen years as a member of North Carolina cult heroes Arrogance. Around 1983, Dixon attracted attention by co-producing with Mitch Easter, R.E.M.'s landmark debut LP Murmur and in 1984 R.E.M.'s follow-up LP Reckoning, also with Mitch Easter (both credited in the Reckoning liner notes as "Machinists"). He then spent several years producing the work of varied artists including Chris Stamey (formerly of The dB's), The Smithereens, Fetchin Bones and Richard Barone. Considered to be a highlight of this period was Tommy Keene's Run Now EP. This success led to Dixon recording his solo debut Most of the Girls Like to Dance But Only Some of the Boys Like To, a further affirmation of his love of classic pop melodies and spiky, Nick Lowe-inspired word play. A book of his song lyrics, Songs 101: the Lyrics of Don Dixon was released in 2009 by VanZeno press.
In 2006, Dixon released his first new album in six years, The Entire Combustible World in One Small Room.
In 2008, Dixon released an album with his bandmates of 20 years, Jamie Hoover of The Spongetones, and Jim Brock. Dubbing the band The Jump Rabbits, the collection is called The Nu-Look.
Although Dixon and wife, Marti Jones, have collaborated on each other's albums for years; in 2011 they released the first true Jones/Dixon album. Entitled Living Stereo, it is a collection of duets.

Todd Burge

Employing wry humor, dexterous guitar work and drawing on a rich variety of life experiences, Todd Burge has emerged as one of West Virginia's most prolific singer/songwriters. Burge has played everything from Alternative Rock to Bluegrass, performing concerts in venues as diverse as CBGB’s, The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center. He is a repeat guest on Public Radio’s Mountain Stage and has been called the “dean of WV songwriters, the best we have”, by the show’s host, Larry Groce. His latest recording, Building Characters was produced by Don Dixon (R.E.M. James McMurtry) and once again features Tim O’Brien & Kenny Malone.

RJ Cowdery

After working for years in health care and writing on the side, Ohio native RJ Cowdery finally found the nerve to choose music as her career.  Since joining the ranks of traveling troubadours, RJ has racked up major songwriting awards (Kerrville New Folk, Mountain Stage NewSong, Wildflower! Arts and Music, runner up at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and most recently the Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest at Sisters Folk Festival in Sisters, Oregon) and fans from across the country with her heartfelt lyrics and tender voice.
“In This Light”, RJ’s 2011 release on Blue Rock Artists label, is a collection of 11 intimate songs produced by veteran Billy Crockett and recorded at Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio in Wimberley, Texas. The CD features Cindy Cashdollar on dobro/lap steel and special appearances by Pierce Pettis, and Jonathan Byrd.
In 2008, RJ released her second CD, “One More Door,” a compelling gathering of 13 songs, a title very much reflective of the exciting promise of her current career good fortune was recorded live in only two days in Parkersburg, West Virginia with percussionist Ammed Solomon and guitarist Michael Lipton. Both Solomon and Lipton are band members with National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage. The sessions for the recording, were produced by West Virginia’s renowned singer-songwriter Todd Burge. The disc also features Don Dixon, singer, songwriter, musician and producer of such pop icons as R.E.M. Smithereens, and Marti Jones.

Contact Information:
R. Hunt Brawley, J.D.
Director, Hippodrome/Colony Historical Theatre Association
Phone: (740) 373-0894 E-Mail: hbrawley@hipp222.com
Todd Burge
www.toddburge.com
(304)481-2766

THIS WEEK - Burge in FROSTBURG, FREDRICKSBURG & MORGANTOWN - (Please Share??)

CHANGE (For Clean Water) By Todd Burge

Download this song for free. See link below.

Change (For Clean Water)
By Todd Burge Jan 17 2014

I wonder what the natives thought
As Washington rode their river so pristine
Then forced to follow his direction
Be it Hell or be it Heaven
Made to swim up
His Stream

The story is as old
As the mountains, tall and green
That used to make the skyline
Of a state that once was clean

Change, change
If not it all will stay the
Same same same
Change change
We’ve got to break and make some change

Granddad had a can
From the plant along the river
On his roof (It was 1972)
Issued by some man
To measure how much toxin
That plant was letting lose

Now the numbers are all in
They’ve been crunched and wadded up
They just toss them in the river
And now our children drink them up

Change, change
If not it all will stay the
Same same same
Change change
We’ve got to break and make some change

Short term gain is taking away
Everything our great state has got to gain
And when there’s nothing left to lose
Our kids will just pack up
And simply move away

It’s true what they say
 Mountaineers are always free
In their hearts and minds
With freedom to leave

Change, change
If not it all will stay the
Same same same
Change change
We’ve got to break and make some change

“In this light, the Elk River leak could be the future of many American cities -- a future in which systems failures cause local catastrophic events, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill to clean up after polluters.” Angie Rosse - Executive Director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition in Charleston WV.

Learn how to change
www dot wvrivers dot org
http://www.wvrivers.org/

Would You Like To Give A Song Gift To A Friend or Loved One? I'm Your Man! Watch the Video

I'd love to write "Your Gift Song"! Maybe you know of someone who would enjoy a gift song or maybe you have a song idea you'd like realized. I'm your man! Visit www.yourgiftsong.com for more or email me at toddburge@suddenlink.net Watch this and thank you!

Your Very Own Gift Song from Todd Burge? Read More

CHECK THIS OUT!www.yourgiftsong.com

Listen to 63 Eyes perform Deer Head from 123 Pleasant Street
last May at 123 Pleasant Street
Morgantown WV

More Todd Burge shows posting this week.
Check "Tours" often