Wow! Been trying to recall where I was last week and it took a few seconds. Beautiful Michigan! I know I am in danger of exclamation point overuse but I can’t help it sometimes. It was a joy to see all the fall color, the sea of stars strewn across the indigo night, to feel the crisp, cool air, to see the  white capped green and turquoise lakes and, most of all, to see some of my good friends again. Big thanks go out to Bob Brown and everyone at WNMC in Traverse City and to Joe Troyer, Kevin Murphy and all the crew at WYCE in Grand Rapids. These are two of the most supportive FM radio stations out there and I appreciate every one of them. Thanks to all the airplay being given to my new CD, The Conjurer, it  entered on to the folk radio charts at number 24 this week.

On another note, congratulations to Claire Lynch for her IBMA award as best female vocalist for 2010. She is an amazing artist. Her new CD, “Whatcha Gonna Do”, is taking blue grass radio by storm. Claire’s version of my song, “Great Day in the Mornin’”, made it to number two on the blue grass charts. I will open the show for Claire Lynch and her band at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia on December 3.

Congratulations too to John McVey who has  released a wonderful new self produced CD entitled “Unpredictable.” I have missed hearing John’s voice and he raises it here with lots of soul and inspiration. Check out his new songs along with his versions of my “Leave a Little Mark” and “Rodeo Around the World” which I cowrote with Pierce Pettis.

Last August I had the great pleasure to open two concerts for Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. In Kansas City, Missouri we played at the beautiful old palatial Midland Theater where my father once took me to movies when I was a little guy. In Saint Louis the concert was held at Sheldon Performing Arts Center on a stage that had once been graced by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Martin Luther King JR. and Albert Einstein. What an incredible experience to hear Lyle and all those incredible musicians. Even got to sing one of my songs, “Needless to Say”, with Lyle and to lend my voice with the whole group on the closing number “Ain’t No More Cane.” As if that wasn’t enough, the rhythm section was bassist Leland Sklar and drummer Russ Kunkel who I had not played with since we worked together on my Electra album in 1973. What a blast!

One more exciting thing on the near horizon is my opening for legendary Jimmy Webb at Dosey Doe in Woodlands, Texas on November 12. Webb is a hero to most songwriters and he certainly inspired and influenced me along the way. I am honored to share the stage with him and look forward to hearing him perform some of his classics like “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, “Galveston”, “Wichita Lineman” and countless more.

There is so much more to share but I must do this in installments or I will never prepare for my drive to Texas in two days. I must send thank you’s to everyone who comes to the shows, plays my music on radio and internet, feeds and houses me and helps however they can to support what I do. Thank goodness for good people everywhere.

On Friday, December 3, Dana Cooper and IBMA 2010 Female Vocalist of the Year Claire Lynch will share the stage for the first time ever at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

The event is prompted in part by Claire’s cover of Great Day in the Morning – a Dana Cooper composition that is the opening track of Claire’s chart-topping new CD, Watcha Gonna Do.

“I’ve had Great Day in the Morning waiting in the wings for several years,” Claire says, “and this band just seemed like the right ensemble to record it with.  It’s a great opener for my sets, for radio shows, and I’m told that some of my fans even start their mornings with it!”

“Claire Lynch is one of the strongest, tenderest singers in this world and an illustrious songwriter to boot,” Dana said. “What a gift to hear her sing my song and make it her own”

For Dana’s fans who are not familiar with Claire (and vice-versa), here’s a 6-song sampler of some of the songs you can expect them to play at Eddie’s Attic:

I honestly think there is a better than even chance this show is going to sell out. If you live in the Atlanta area (or even if you don’t!) and want to treat yourself to an outstanding even of live acoustic music, think about buying your tickets in advance.