tag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:/blogs/6264?p=2.2020-02-29T17:28:46-06:00Travis Busterfalsetag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/62328512020-02-29T17:28:46-06:002022-03-11T07:37:28-06:00Movie Star - A hate filled drama with much hope <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/fc33718e2d49a7901f75fa30d12b1c82a11691a4/original/movie-star-cover.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Not facing our fears causes trouble. But if we confront our fears our life can get better. That is the message of this song. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This song is about confronting our fears. </p>
<p>It is about the dangers of trying to make everything in life about our self. </p>
<p>It is about the benefits of confronting our problems and yet moving on. </p>
<p>All in 4 minutes :) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The story is in 4 parts: </p>
<p>1> She was going to be a movie star but she got pregnant. And she blamed the baby for the death of her dreams. </p>
<p>2> He grew up into a young man. What for others came easy was hard for him. He decided to end it all, to take his life </p>
<p>3> And his momma finally saw… her chance in the spotlight. </p>
<p>4> He was gone the very next day. Now he can fly. Now he can soar. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This song came to me all at once one morning. I woke up and in a semi dream sleep sat down at the piano and wrote this. I wrote 90% of it all at once from start to end. 10% was tweaked later. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The woman blames the man and her child for the death of her dreams…and refuses to see her role in this. </p>
<p>The young man's father left one day and never came back. The young man is afraid if he confronts his mother, she will also leave. Then he will be all alone. When the boy was young, his survival depended on having someone to care for him. So the basis of his fear is very real. But the fear no longer is a threat to him. He just doesn't know that yet. The stress threatens his life. It ultimately makes him suicidal. </p>
<p>Even with her son being suicidal, about to jump from a building and kill himself, his mother still tries to make it all about her. She tells everyone that will listen about her story. How this has caused her pain....she belittles the pain of her son who is fighting for his life. And she still refuses to see her part in this horrible story. This is so shocking to the young man that he finally sees things like they are. He comes down off the building and he leaves. </p>
<p>The young man is now feeling the full force of his fear - the rejection of his father and his mother. But now he realizes he will be ok. </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">"Frequently we bring about what we fear." says Judith Viorst in Necessary Losses. She says "I do unhesitatingly embrace Freud’s conviction that our past, with all of its clamorous wishes and terrors and passions, inhabits our present, and his belief in the enormous power of our unconscious—of that region outside our awareness—to shape the events of our life. I also embrace his belief that consciousness helps, that recognizing what we’re doing helps, and that our self-understanding can expand the realm of our choices and possibilities." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My unconscious brought this story to my attention. </p>
<p>If you have read this far the story has your attention too. </p>
<p>What fear do I have that if I confront it and change, will help me? What fear do I need to confront that can open my life to new and wonderful choices? </p>
<p>What new and wonderful choices may be awaiting you...if you confront your fears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can watch Movie Star here</p>
<p><a contents="Movie Star" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_FGk6LW6xY" target="_blank">Movie Star</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/56499652019-02-19T10:17:46-06:002022-05-11T07:26:52-05:00I know saying Facebook is requiring my passport because of my song sounds crazy...but they are<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/956f40be09a0066f157d385b5f99ef2e6c0e67a6/original/tb-2-ad-copy-copy-li.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Facebook has identified my song "Beautiful Way" as being of "National Importance". <br><br>In a way it is flattering. But mostly it is wrong.</p>
<p>As an artist I strive to deal with deep issues. This includes dealing with issues of national & international importance. </p>
<p>The song "Beautiful Way" is on "hold" until I provide my passport. (It is not Tax id information Facebook is demanding.) </p>
<p>I highly resent being required to show my passport in order for Facebook to approve my artistic expressions. </p>
<p>Because it sounds so crazy here are details from what is going on if you want to see it... </p>
<p>DETAILS </p>
<p>SUBJECT: </p>
<p>Requiring me to scan my passport and send it to "Facebook" is very concerning. </p>
<p>(It is not Tax id information Facebook is demanding.) </p>
<p>SUMMARY: </p>
<p>Facebook has identified the song "Beautiful Way" as being of "National Importance". </p>
<p>The song "Beautiful Way" is on "hold". </p>
<p>I must follow a 20+ step process that includes: </p>
<p>> Facebook requires me to scan my Passport ( or Driver’s Lisc.) and send it to Facebook </p>
<p>> Facebook then investigates me. </p>
<p>> If I am approved, Facebook mails (not emails) authorization to me. </p>
<p>This is a new "control" process. </p>
<p>Again, this is not Tax id information Facebook is demanding. </p>
<p>My music page is advertised via Facebook, newspapers, and other media. </p>
<p>A newspaper nor any other media has ever required us to show my passport or similar non-tax info to promote my music. </p>
<p>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ </p>
<p>From the process: </p>
<p>> Select the type of identification you'd like to use. US driver's licenses, US state ID cards and US passports are accepted. After selecting, click Next. </p>
<p>> Your answers are reviewed by trusted partners. You must answer a sufficient amount of questions correctly. </p>
<p>> After receiving your letter in the mail… </p>
<p>You can read more here… </p>
<p><a contents="https://www.facebook.com/business/help/208949576550051&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/business/help/208949576550051&nbsp;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/business/help/208949576550051 </a></p>
<p>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ </p>
<p>I highly resent being required to show my passport in order for Facebook to approve my artistic expressions.</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/54395562018-09-22T13:13:43-05:002021-06-22T06:42:00-05:00iTunes and horses and a great way to work<p>Checking on the new album as it goes on sites; horse stuff; lunch with Wendy... nothing better </p>
<p>October 5, 2018 is when the new album will be available world wide on these sites and more. </p>
<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/11116d33be36afd47d2c8e8962764acbe5e431c6/original/itunes-2.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/0e926883d23361a27189168aa9b9d4dc4feddcb2/original/amazon-music.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/3deb4a4dca4a109d074a0eedc82c2032ce448117/original/spotify.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_" /></p>
<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/422436390d82fb3fff839a9ab376d77e46160e55/original/download.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/ea230a861212eb188e68a7341455d584fc91957f/original/google-play-music.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>We use TuneCore to distribute the album to all these places. We load the music, art work, and info to Tunecore. Tunecore puts it on all these other places and tracks the sales. </p>
<p>That is the kind of stuff I’m checking on for the album. </p>
<p>Horse stuff I’m checking on is about what’s going on at the ranch. How the horses are doing, how many visitors we had to the ranch’s website yesterday, what horses are being sold, jobs that are being done like fences built. Stuff like that. </p>
<p>Somebody asked me when I was going to retire? I said well I do horses and music. What would you have me stop doing? ? </p>
<p>It’s a great way to work. </p>
<p>Then as a super bonus….there’s lunch with Wendy ?</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/b46294c834fe6c8f71e3abc5c90bc1984dd83480/original/tb-working-taos.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53884532018-08-15T10:48:14-05:002020-09-23T10:27:15-05:00What are replicators you might ask?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/109451f770ce03d825f68270abaca12fb2759bf0/original/vol-2-cover-draft.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Wendy’s been working away with the replicators. </p>
<p>What are replicators you might ask? </p>
<p>You give them one copy they give you bunches back. </p>
<p>But first, boy is the devil in the details in this process. </p>
<p>Type setting, fonts, credits, bar codes, spacing, printing, packaging, insertion….tons of details. </p>
<p>Here’s a pic of some of the twilight zone replicators at work. Not really a sexy part of the recording process ... but yeah i guess maybe it is :)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/8a0cea349f2803981e2aa74021fa4269fee950dd/original/album-factory.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Travis</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53768062018-08-06T17:26:26-05:002018-08-06T17:58:47-05:00What song goes where?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/12487a7e94dd54052d430b9122ea5bfb5347d5af/original/airstream-taos-close.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />What song in what order on the album? Does it even matter these days…with playlists and ripping? </p>
<p>I think it does. </p>
<p>We're thinking: </p>
<ul> <li>Cry (If We Were Vampires), </li> <li>then get emotional ? ( Towns Van Zandt’s Tecumseh Valley ) , </li> <li>then get really sad (Maybe), </li> <li>then do a few songs that are sweet sad stories, </li> <li>then say yeah but nobody really knows about life anyway so just sing along to this final happy little sad song ? </li>
</ul>
<p>This is Wendy working with George to finalize the songs orders.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/406a37f7275e5b23f494fa2e7d57c4dae58f42cc/original/wendy-george-song-order.jpeg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>All this thought seems a waste because when people get the album they will just put it in whatever playlist order they want anyway. Oh Well. </p>
<p>As long as they don’t rearrange Willie’s “Red Headed Stranger” Album. That would be a sacrilege ?</p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53673442018-07-30T11:43:55-05:002020-12-08T11:54:04-06:00I think we’re going to use a photo of silence...<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/8112e58651bb454aafee40cb8f5488d3f2ba04be/original/tb-vol-2-cover.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Album covers. What to use. I think we’re going to use a photo of silence...</p>
<p>Or at least as close as we can come to a photo of silence.<br><br>That's kind of a funny thought for an album cover :)<br><br> Wendy took the photo and beautifully captured the silence and feelings we get when we are there.<br> </p>
<p><em>There’s a place on the land where Ute Mountain comes down, </em></p>
<p><em>Where a man can stand and not here a sound. </em></p>
<p><em>And it’s there, </em></p>
<p><em>I can hear my soul.</em><br> </p>
<p>Travis</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53575692018-07-22T14:12:43-05:002018-07-22T14:24:00-05:00I think she likes what she hears…<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/9c2ff850831a00b5c46eea9332ac902f2fea86d7/original/wb-listening-hands-up.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Wendy is listening to the songs from the CD Image of the next album.</p>
<p>The person mastering the songs, George, sent them to us. </p>
<p>These are the actual images that will be sent to the CD manufacturer. </p>
<p>This is where we are in the journey of getting a song to a CD: </p>
<ul> <li>Write It </li> <li>Learn It </li> <li>Play It </li> <li>Record It </li> <li>Mix It </li> <li>Master It </li> <li>CD Image <<< we’re here </li> <li>CD Production </li> <li>CD </li>
</ul>
<p>Course you have to live thru stuff and then be hard wired in a weird enough way to have to write it in the first place. If I didn’t write it and tell my stories I’d be crazier than I am now. ?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One more Wendy, because she's not only talented, she's pretty...</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/9f4721e49c75a8bd384a8594971f6b9991f52e5b/original/wb-listening-2.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53474452018-07-15T17:24:47-05:002021-09-04T06:55:22-05:00"I've got a woman I love, she's crazy paints like God..." <p>At Lunch today I had one of the best views in the world....and the view of the church was pretty too ? </p>
<p>That’s when Guy Clark's line “I've got a woman I love, she's crazy, paints like God", came to mind. </p>
<p> Alfred Stieglitz thought that of Georgia O'Keeffe. </p>
<p> Guy Clark thought that of Suzanne. </p>
<p> I think that of Wendy. </p>
<p>This view started this whole "woman I love, paints like God" thought...</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/b9a2fe7739dcd16dde209d956a5cb99262741c78/original/taos-st-francis-wb.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfred Stieglitz thought "the woman he loved painted like God" of Georgia O'Keeffe.</p>
<p>See the church from our lunch?</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/b104b0d3fbdd5f28c24d617d32a6aecd91efe3ab/original/georgia-okeefe-ranchos-church.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br>Guy Clark thought "the woman he loved painted like God" of Suzanne. He wrote the line in "Stuff That Works" that also has:</p>
<p> "I got an ol' blue shirt <br> And it suits me just fine <br> I like the way it feels <br> I wear it all the time"</p>
<p> This is one of Suzanne's paintings of an old blue shirt of Guy's. </p>
<p>Get the beauty in the connection of an "old blue shirt" and "the woman I love that paints like God" ? Guy and Suzzane did.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/0568e91f4204344d772f5f314439db20725dcc31/original/guy-susan-painting.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think "the woman I love paints like God" of Wendy. This is one of my favorites of Wendy's paintings....</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/55a6b0fa690a32c90bfb3b1dba7434d2f19717ad/original/wb-painting-door-cats.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Guy wrote… </p>
<p> “I got a woman I love, she's crazy, paints like God </p>
<p> She's got a playground sense of justice, She won't take odds </p>
<p> I got a tattoo with her name right through my soul </p>
<p> I think everything she touches turns to gold” <br> </p>
<p>Yep…and I’m a lucky man because of it.</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53348482018-07-06T19:49:35-05:002018-07-06T20:03:18-05:00Great music comes from the imposters...<p>Stressful times. Good times. </p>
<p>Success and failure.</p>
<p>The “imposters” according to the poet Rudyard Kipling. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">"If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> And treat those two impostors just the same; "<br> </p>
<p>These imposters will bring out the beauty of life and music if we look for it.</p>
<p>Here’s family and horses at our ranch which brings out the beauty for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/15fcbaa5e218250fca0a11e237fe6dec4f4b13f0/original/polo-amanda-becca.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="q2GtBTs-qdA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/q2GtBTs-qdA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q2GtBTs-qdA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/53088612018-06-21T10:32:10-05:002020-10-05T17:46:01-05:00When I was in Jr High I wanted to play Wildfire and have a cool girlfriend... <p>Michael Martin Murphy playing Wildfire was on the radio everyday and it had that cool piano part. I thought it would be great to do that one day. </p>
<p>Of course I also wanted a cool girlfriend. </p>
<p>Well.... </p>
<p>Last night at his show, Michael Martin Murphy asked me to sit in with him and play the piano part on Wildfire. </p>
<p>I have great memories of that song. Quite an honor. </p>
<p>And Wendy, my wife, has been my cool girlfriend for 41 years. </p>
<p>It doesn't get any better.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/89cf4e10f78669c796b9aafde6917f3e14a36431/original/michael-martin-murphy.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/52940422018-06-13T17:54:00-05:002021-06-22T06:41:39-05:00"No, I'm Not Robert Earl Keen" :)<p>As they listen, I usually try to transport people to somewhere in my songs. </p>
<p>Kind of like the transporter beam in Star Trec...except there's no Scotty. And no Captain Kirk. And no transporter beam. But still...</p>
<p>Like in El Blanco. I hope you feel like you're with Juan as we ride into his sad destiny. </p>
<p>Robert Earl Keen is really good at this and he is pretty much a saint where we come from, as Ray Wylie Hubbard says. </p>
<p>His, "Feeling Good Again", is a great transporter song. </p>
<p>We get to walk right along with Robert Earl as he walks into this little bar. He just takes you with him and you see everybody, and you feel like everybody there knows you. </p>
<p>And it makes you feel good. </p>
<p>Speaking of Robert Earl Keen... </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/0b179ad1b2f1d4eb5f196fb73713dfde80cac507/original/rek-tb.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I was backstage with Robert Earl Keen after one of his shows and this young lady walked up and wanted her picture taken with me...not Robert Earl. </p>
<p>Well I was feeling mighty flattered, so I said yes and Robert Earl sorta smiled and stepped aside. </p>
<p>As the person was taking our picture the young lady says to me "You played really well tonight." </p>
<p>Confused I say "I didn't play tonight. It was Robert Earl Keen's show." </p>
<p>"You're not Robert Earl Keen?" </p>
<p>"Well, no I'm not Robert Earl Keen." </p>
<p>She turned red and walked off. </p>
<p>"Wait! I'm sure Robert Earl will be glad to have a picture with you.", I said as she walked away. </p>
<p>She just kept walking. </p>
<p>But I still smiled because for just a little while there, I was feeling mighty flattered :)</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/52745112018-06-04T11:26:46-05:002018-06-04T11:26:46-05:00"I's gonna die before I sees ya again." <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/2dcbd7dc079a4979ce69578e588c03a2af9c5298/original/same-kind-of-different-as-me-3.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I's gonna die before I sees ya again." </p>
<p>That's what Denver told me one day. Several of us were camping at a ranch in West Texas. The sky was cloudy, and it was cold. We had been standing around a smokey fire. Everybody else was off chasing cows and it was just he and me and the fire. </p>
<p>"Is something wrong, Denver?" </p>
<p>"No nothins wrong" </p>
<p>"Have you been to a doctor?" </p>
<p>"Travis I don't need no doctor to tell me I's gonna die." </p>
<p>Denver was getting angry. Sometimes when I asked questions he felt he was being told he didn't know what he was talking about and Denver had been told that he didn't know what he was talking about too many times in his life. Still I had to ask. </p>
<p>"Well , Denver, you're not talking about..." </p>
<p>"No I's not gonna kills myself. I's just trying to tell you." </p>
<p>"Ok, Ok. This kind of talk just scares me." </p>
<p>"Everybody's gonna die and I just knows. I won't see you again, Travis." </p>
<p>We hunched a little closer to the fire and tried to keep out of the smoke, My eyes were watering. Damn smoke. </p>
<p>Denver passed away a short time later. I never saw Denver again. </p>
<p>Denver was one of the best people I have ever known. I didn't get to spend much time with him but I miss him dearly. Denver’s thoughts show up in my music. Kind of strange how some people can have such a big impact on you.</p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/52658312018-05-30T13:36:39-05:002019-08-22T13:16:59-05:00What Music Gives Me: "Insight Courage Endurance" <p>Yep, that's pretty much what we need. This is one of Wendy's doodles from reading Carl Jung. Wendy has cool thoughts. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/4f9964053e8bb0202536004d2ee6320703305e63/original/insight-courage-endurance.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Carl Jung saw that the work to become a nice person has three parts: Insight; Courage; Endurance.<br><br>Psychology can bring us insight.</p>
<p>But having insight and knowing what to do is nothing without the courage to act and the endurance to keep it up. </p>
<p>James Hollis said something like that in Living an Examined Life: “The failure to understand this triune task — insight, courage, endurance — leads many to misunderstand the dilemmas we face in life.” </p>
<p>Jung again, “Everyone goes through this mill, consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or forcibly.”</p>
<p>We’re all going thru something. </p>
<p>That's where music often comes in for me...whether I’m playing or listening I’m often trying to get: </p>
<ul> <li>insight to understand; </li> <li>the courage to act; </li> <li>endurance to keep it up.</li>
</ul>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/52408632018-05-17T17:53:05-05:002018-05-17T18:46:38-05:00A Horse Walking…That’s where these rhythms come from<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/82033e946bd98c02f00e2bbc42c4989c619d54a1/original/srv-2-a-horse-walking.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">“A Horse Walking…That’s where these rhythms come from.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Yep. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">You can hear Stevie Ray Vaughan talking about this on the recording “SRV Speaks” on the album “Couldn’t Stand the Weather”. It’s worth the listen. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Stevie says, "I don't know if a lot of people realize today that a lot of music that came out years gone by, I don't know that it's so much this way now, but it seems to me, that music used to be more based on common everyday occurrences like a train sound going down the track, someone walking down the street, things like that. A horse walking. You know that's where these rhythms came from." </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">So true. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/37256be879ddfd142e187ea4532d7e5d98e0389b/original/jacks-playboon-english-2-large.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_right border_" />You can see the rhythm of a horse as it walks. You can feel the rhythm of the horse as you ride. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">That’s why horses and music go well together. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I love spending my time with horses and music and friends and family. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Nothing better.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">You might enjoy checking out our ranch at <a contents="Valley View Ranch" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.valleyviewranch.net" target="_blank">Valley View Ranch</a> (www.ValleyViewRanch.net)</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">So, here's to good art & good horses; good people & good lives.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">Travis</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. That's our daughter, Amanda Catherine Buster O'Brien.</span></p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/48083742017-08-09T14:22:05-05:002020-11-27T14:47:12-06:00Great music often tells me... <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/045e93ddeaa58856aaaba3c34c6c096971f2dba3/large/jung-what-is-essential-in-art.png?1502306088" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Great music connects us with ourselves and with each other. </strong></p>
<p>Carl Jung was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud. They mainly differed in that Jung thought there was evidence of a collective unconscious. An unconsciousness that virtually everyone shared, Freud thought this was mysticism. I agree with Jung. I think there is evidence of a collective unconscious . </p>
<p>I treat myself and others better when I pay attention to not only my conscious thoughts but also my unconscious thoughts and thoughts from our collective unconscious . </p>
<p>Music helps me do that. Connects me to myself and to other people. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Great music often tells me... </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> Something everybody knows </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> Something unique about the artist </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> Something only I know...& maybe only subconsciously </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><em>You say "Travis, what are you talking about? Are you getting weird?" </em></p>
<p>Well, yes I'm weird but hey that's what great music often does for me. And it's what I usually feel in music I make. Sometimes there are lyrics, sometimes not. It's what happens when I listen to great music and it's remarkably the same when I write. </p>
<p><strong>Something everybody knows </strong>- I'm told, by something that, "we're going to think about this stuff for a little while". </p>
<p><strong>Something unique about the artist (me)</strong> - I talk to myself about this stuff. </p>
<p><strong>Something only I know...& maybe only unconsciously </strong>...This part is a big deal for me. Usually there are no lyrics for this part, Words get in the way. I just listen & or play and thoughts drift. And when they drift I think I start to understand the stuff just a little bit better. </p>
<p>The psychiatrist Carl Jung said he eliminated "<em>critical attention, thus producing a vacuum in consciousness...this led to an expression of the mood, which had the result of bringing the affect nearer to consciousness, hence making it more understandable</em>." </p>
<p>Fancy words. But that's pretty much what great music does for me. </p>
<p>Great music brings this stuff up to my consciousness and makes it just a little bit more understandable. Even though I don't fully understand what it is trying to say. And sometimes, I don't have clue. It's more like say, dreaming. And like dreaming it either happens or it doesn't. I don't have much choice in the matter. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>For example in the song "Amen" </strong></p>
<ul> <li><em>"You can say Amen".... </em></li>
</ul>
<p>Something everybody knows. Everybody knows Amen. Some times I think it means something a bit different than other times but I pretty much know we're not talking about flower pots. </p>
<p>Usually the first time a song comes up I don't even know why. Something just up and tells me that this Amen stuff is what we're going to think about for awhile. </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li><em>"My stepfather prayed every morning..." </em></li>
</ul>
<p>Something unique about the artist, that is me. When I think of Amen & related stuff this is some of what comes to mind. </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>The melody plays, no words, let's me relax and process, just sit... </li>
</ul>
<p>Thoughts only I know...& maybe only subconsciously - that's where the piano comes in for me. I sit back and just be. This is the magic and the mystery of the music to me</p>
<p>.</p>
<p><strong>Somehow the music speaks or maybe it's that the music lets my subconscious talk. I don't know. </strong></p>
<p>That's just some of what great music does for me. </p>
<p>The dream like relaxation from listening to great music is very similar to what happens when I write music or maybe I should say when music comes to me...but that's a topic for another time. </p>
<p>So here's to internal peace, and world peace, by listening to great music.</p>
<p>Travis</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/47821972017-07-17T13:55:30-05:002020-11-27T14:46:39-06:00Crazy Operatic Tailgating... & Congratulations Joe!<p> first off ...Bravo Maestro ! </p>
<p>Our friend, Joe Illick has been named the Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Opera! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/32b5a2c4f308acfb83be6809dc65064489fcbd99/small/joe-illick-conductor.jpg?1500316434" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Joe's a good guy and a lot of fun. He and his lovely and equally crazy wife, Gina introduced us to Operatic Tailgating in Santa Fe. It's sort of like a tailgating party at a football game except, well maybe crazier.</p>
<p>You go to the opera early and you....have a tailgate party :)</p>
<p>Take a good look at that food. Now that's tailgating. Courtesy of Joe & and his equally fun, talented and crazy wife, Gina.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/0019f42bd2a886a75869d5762c9144ef144245cb/medium/joe-gina-santa-fe-opera-tailgate.jpg?1500316467" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>that's Joe about to fight the bull ;)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/7c946ac2f0f6149025077694598f581ad6b6cb1a/medium/sf-opera-open-night-10-joe-gina.jpg?1500317329" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/b24d91526886a1301a952556cab144792e0c0098/medium/sf-opera-open-night-11-gina.jpg?1500317328" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p> and the gorgeous diva, Gina</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Music of many types influences my work. I've been playing some of this operatic stuff since I was 9.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="4Gpxdcr9VIo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/4Gpxdcr9VIo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Gpxdcr9VIo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It will be great fun to see what operatic mischief Joe arranges at the Bass in Fort Worth.</p>
<p>Congratulations Joe!</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article161259848.html" target="_blank">http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article161259848.html</a></p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/47794272017-07-14T12:20:13-05:002021-11-25T18:08:57-06:00a wild roller coaster ride...<p>Being with Ray Wylie Hubbard is like being on a wild roller coaster ride that goes from rocking to funny to serious and everything in between.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/a2d595b0c9b4eedf12c18cda197ecf7c7d4b5f33/original/rwh-tb-kyle-stan.jpg?1500051120" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Here we're talking about...well I guess I can't really say what we were talking but anyway sometimes with his work Ray Wylie is:</p>
<p>Serious... </p>
<p>"And the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations <br>Well, I have really good days" </p>
<p>Funny... </p>
<p>"Sometimes Ramona calls me up <br>And says come on down here, it's getting warm <br>She runs everybody off <br>And we...you know...it's a snake farm "</p>
<p>Serious... </p>
<p>"And the message I give you is from this old poet Rilke <br>He said "Our fears are like dragons guarding our most precious treasures". </p>
<p>Funny...but serious </p>
<p>"He was born in Oklahoma <br>And his wife's name is Betty Lou Thelma Liz <br>He's not responsible for what he's doing <br>His mother made him what he is </p>
<p>It's Up against the wall Redneck Mother..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/5a8905ff7e5a709e35a03a2f9b44e165620ce2ae/original/rwh-tb-kessler.jpg?1500051109" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>And in songs he doesn't waste any time. He has you interested in just a few words... </p>
<p>"When I was a young man <br>About 21 years old y'all <br>All I wanted was a stripper girlfriend <br>And a Gold Top Les Paul <br>Be careful of the things you wish for <br>You might get 'em </p>
<p>There was a night club in Dallas...".</p>
<p>If you want the rest of the story you need to go listen to Ray's song "Mother Blues :)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>it's a privilege to have such talented friends. - Travis</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/30d29874410debf08f0e24c7dcbcafdfbbd480aa/original/rwh-kyle-lucas-kessler.jpg?1500051128" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>PS & with Ray that's Lucas Hubbard and Kyle Schneider on drums. Mighty mighty talented too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/42201342016-06-08T17:02:52-05:002022-05-11T07:28:11-05:00the last thing Guy Clark said to me was "Just hold the *%# guitar Travis"<p>I've had great conversations w/ Guy but the last thing he said to me was "Just hold the *%# guitar Travis" :) It was the last time Guy played in Dallas. I think it was sometime in 2012. Guy was having severe health problems and this evening he could hardly walk to the stage but he did, leaning heavily on a cane in one hand and holding his guitar in the other to thunderous applause.<br><br>It was a full house. Hundreds of people. Guy took a seat on his armless chair, strummed his guitar and promptly broke a string. <br><br>Let’s say it didn't make him happy. Guy said "Travis hold my *&^ guitar” and he began to put the string in place. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/9cc4a80e2ad604febfc139e0b01883bc8d9cadc1/medium/guy-tb-copy.jpg?1465422049" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Several minutes went by as the crowd sat and watched. I looked at Verlon for an idea of what to do and Verlon slightly shook his head meaning, "Don't do anything. Just sit tight" so sit tight I did. </p>
<p>I just sat holding the guitar and looked at Guy's trademark bloody thumbprint inside the sound hole of his guitar while Guy worked with the string. Some more time went by and then I very carefully asked Guy if he would like me to take his guitar back and put a string on it. "Just hold the *%# guitar Travis", came Guy's reply. </p>
<p>A bit more time went by and Guy gave a deep sigh and then left to go backstage & change the string. </p>
<p>Before long he was back on stage and sat down and began his show and what a great show it was. He forgot some of his words but when he did the crowd would call them out to him in a beautiful sing along. </p>
<p>It was a great night I will never forget.<br><br>Then last week David Card held a Guy Clark memorial and it was beautiful. Pretty amazing how many people Guy touched thru his simple songs. It was a real privilege to have Verlon with us sharing stories and doing songs w/ everybody. Great day.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/b3fc0951669cc64ac070787e2075595fb8bdce86/original/verlon-tb-david-card-others.jpg?1465422205" class="size_l justify_right border_" />This is a pic of the song finale "LA Freeway" — with Verlon Thompson, me, Michael O'Neal, Shad Blair, David Card, Rickey Wright, George Ensle and Floramay Holliday Racz and the whole room singing along.<br><br>Thank you David for putting the memorial together. I think Guy would have liked it.<br><br>And Vaya Con Dios Guy Clark. </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/41599112016-04-29T17:41:04-05:002021-02-08T09:31:41-06:00Grit & Gracegrit & grace...this is video pretty cool... I'm playing a Steinway concert grand piano in the Poor David's show in Dallas on 4/30/16. Hope to see you there.<br><br>Video of <a contents="Pianos are grit & grace..." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.steinway.com/" target="_blank">Pianos are grit & grace...</a>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/40934972016-03-17T17:57:03-05:002021-06-08T07:44:59-05:00BooksI'm working on adding some of books that have impacted the music. Like.. Letter's To a Young Poet by Rilke. "Can you avow that you would die if you were forbidden to write? And if it should ring its assent, if you can confidently meet this serious question with a simple, “I must," then build your life upon it" I'd like to share great stuff like that. We'll see :)Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/39796752016-01-07T21:04:32-06:002020-10-01T08:09:16-05:00PianoWent to Steinway Hall in Dallas and picked the piano for the Poor David's show on 1/16. I love going there. Great pianos Great people.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/39ab7d8277e95c1f8baa6802b0dbc19d8ba39ba8/original/ws-steinway-sons-piano-1920x1200.jpg?1452222230" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/38661432015-09-23T22:27:01-05:002017-01-14T13:09:04-06:00Shine<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I wrote Shine thinking about two people falling in love. Actually Wendy & I falling in love.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">and the beauty of Mirandola, the Italian from the 1400’s & his "Dignity of Man".</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/c4c6b215791ad0c1388a658b63fce2f4a9e703a7/medium/shine-2.jpg?1443064890" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" style="font-size: 14.6667px;" /></p>
<div> </div>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Now before you shut me down because I’m getting all fancy classroomy on you let me explain. Mirandola eloquently wrote his Oration with big words and high thoughts but you can see the awesome Dignity of Man in this little love song w/ horses and planets and a kitchen...</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">A man meets beautiful woman & says his love for her is like a stallion chasing a mare across the prairies; like a planet chasing a star across the heavens;</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">if she will just let him love her she will shine like them…</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And they fall in love.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> but then reality hits...</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">He can’t live up to this fantastic life he has dreamed of.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> but then he realizes… </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">More beautiful than a stallion chasing a mare across the prairies;</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">More beautiful than a planet chasing a star across the heavens;</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">He, little ole he…can dance with this beautiful lady across the kitchen.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">There is literally nothing more beautiful in the universe than a man and a woman dancing across the kitchen.…wow.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Way more beautiful than any car.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Way more beautiful than any house.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Way more beautiful than any job.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">A man & woman dancing across the kitchen.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">So officially the song is called "Shine" but you and I know it should be called "The Dignity of Man".</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><br>Here's to letting our dignity shine.<br><br><span class="font_xl"><a contents='Click here to hear "Shine"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="track" href="/track/671259/shine">Click here to hear "Shine"</a></span><br><br>Lyrics:<br> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Sam is a stallion. Mary is a mare.<br>They chase each other across the prairie.<br>Mary thinks that Sam is a super stud.<br>He thinks she’s a hot little filly.<br>I’ll be your stallion.<br>You be my mare.<br>And we’ll chase each other across the prairie.<br>And I will give you lots of love and you'll shine<br><br>Peter is a planet. Sally is a star.<br>They chase each other cross the sky.<br>She thinks that he is the center of the universe.<br>He thinks she’s the sparkle in his eye.<br>I’ll be your planet.<br>You be my star.<br>And we’ll chase each other across the sky.<br>And I will give you lots of love and you'll shine<br><br>but<br>I can't run like a stallion<br>I can't give you the stars above<br>but I can give you lots of love and I can make you smile<br><br>so<br>I’ll be your man. You be my woman.<br>we’ll chase each other across the kitchen<br>And I will give you lots of love and you'll shine</p>
<hr>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/38435232015-09-05T08:54:33-05:002020-10-27T17:35:50-05:00Happy Ain't Easy<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="color:#D3D3D3;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">A musician friend of mine, John Fullbright, says "Somebody tell me, what's so bad about happy" in his song "Happy". Well <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/44db40ea59a0b7bac352d7b4b7d7517595bb03b6/medium/happy-aint-easy.jpg?1441458252" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" />that got me to thinking, which many people think is a dangerous thing for me to do, what is so bad about happy?</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">I try to stay happy. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I think most of us do. We try to exercise, avoid people that bring us down, try not to drink too much but<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>no matter what I try, happy ain't easy. </i>We try to think positive, always look on the bright side and all that but<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>No matter what I think, happy ain't easy</i>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Happy ain't easy because bad things happen.<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>Howling winds – they find us and they chill us.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i> In the Phantom of the Opera the chandelier crashes down and almost kills the fat lady (you know the one that has to sing). <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>The director tries to calm her by saying "these things happen" <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>but as the diva quits in disgusts she says "These things happen but they don't happen to me." <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>We like to think bad things don't happen to us, but they do.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Dogs die, precious people leave, all kinds of bad stuff.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Some of us throw ourselves into our job, some turn to drink, some go get a new relationship, some move to another place but<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>no matter what we do, no matter where we go, happy ain't easy.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Then there are those that have all the answers. Ugh. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Some have lots of money, some are in the church, some just plain want you to think they have life all together. They're great and we're idiots…<i>they call out from their safe place…Stand your ground - Call for grace, It’ll make you whole.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">But what are these fine folks like when bad stuff comes to them, bad thoughts, bad people...<i>who stands their ground when the wind blows straight thru your soul?</i> Nobody.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">I've been there. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>You kind of get your stuff together and bam... bad stuff seems to come looking for you. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I think it really does. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>I know where the wind blows, When the wind don’t know nowhere else to blow. Then the wind blows hard – hard thru our souls.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">It does not matter if we are the king of the world, <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>bad stuff happens. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>It doesn't matter if we "know God personally", bad stuff happens.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>No matter who we are. No matter who we know.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">But… there's a limit to the bad stuff.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The one who lets the winds blow, Holds back the seas.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i> We can be happy. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Maybe we will, maybe we won't but we can be happy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">So John<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>You ask, what’s so bad about happy<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>and I've thought about it and<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>near as I can tell ,not one damn thing.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">And I am happy quite a good bit actually. It just ain't easy :)<br><br><span class="font_xl"><a contents="Happy Ain't Easy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="track" href="/track/809474/happy-ain-t-easy">Happy Ain't Easy</a></span><span class="font_large"> Click here to hear the song</span><br>Lyrics:<br>You ask, what’s so bad about happy</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Well near as I can tell - not one damn thing</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">But oh you know - Happy ain’t easy</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter what I try</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter what I think</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Howling winds – they find us and they chill us</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Howling winds – they always seem to blow</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">And they blow hard - hard thru our souls</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter what we do</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter where we go</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Others they call out from their safe place</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Stand your ground - Call for grace It’ll make you whole<br>But who stands their ground – when the wind howls</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">When the wind blows straight thru your soul</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">You see I know - I know where the wind blows</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">When the wind don’t know nowhere else to blow</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Then the wind blows hard – hard thru our souls</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter who we are</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter who we know</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">The one who lets the winds blow</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Holds back the seas</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Speak up if you understand</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">But as for me</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">I’m just a man</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">And you ask what I do not understand.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">You ask, what’s so bad about happy</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">Well near as I can tell - not one damn thing</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">But oh you know - Happy ain’t easy</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter what we try</span><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri;">No matter what we think</span></p>
<p> </p>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/38230732015-08-17T20:00:29-05:002021-10-26T06:13:04-05:00Facing our fears, and claiming our treasures.<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/82457a3252213c26e75fe498ce6a5c4a2c167cb4/medium/tb9.jpg?1439871835" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" /></span>To paraphrase Mark Twain, "There are two types of people: Those that know they have fears to face and those that are liars." But that also means we all have treasures to claim...<br><br><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">I keep everything I have left from you in a drawer by my bed.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Don't seem to clean </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">it out, probably be there when I'm dead.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I have one of these drawer<span style="font-size: 11pt;">s. And it's by my bed. It has pictures that require knowing some backstory to know what they're all about. And they're not all stories about good things. S</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">ome of the stories are ugly. To somebody else they would just look like a bunch of unrelated pictures. But to me…they're my life.</span><br> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Somebody else will come along and they will clean it out.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">They'll ask themselves, what was this all about?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">A young woman found a box of pics under her mother's bed. She discovered that some other man was her father by a previous marriage that her mother had never told her about. Her mother hadn't thrown the pictures away. She didn't tell her daughter about them. The mother just kept them to herself and held onto them. Out of fear I suppose.<br><br>Someone else, re-married for 50 years. still keeps pictures of her ex-spouses supposed lovers and shows them to people. She says she wants people to understand how bad she was hurt...</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it go</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Even thou it's no good for my soul</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it be.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Seems it's become. Too big a part of me.</span><br> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Not facing our fears causes trouble. "Frequently we bring about what we fear." says Judith Viorst in Necessary Losses. She says "I do unhesitatingly embrace Freud’s conviction that our past, with all of its clamorous wishes and terrors and passions, inhabits our present, and his belief in the enormous power of our unconscious—of that region outside our awareness—to shape the events of our life. I also embrace his belief that consciousness helps, that recognizing what we’re doing helps, and that our self-understanding can expand the realm of our choices and possibilities."</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><br>Some do not want fears faced. They do not want you to talk about the elephant in the living room. Like questioning our own actions or questioning the ramifications of Africans that were enslaved or exterminating Jews or eradicating Native Americans. They don't want you to face their fears.<br> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">There's lying eyes and souls that cry down throughout the years.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">They chant "Give it up. You can't face down these fears."</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I was put thru the adoption process due to divorces gone very bad. Learning to face the fears and losses of that is difficult for me.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Facing our fears is scary but worth it. Our fears are like dragons guarding our most precious treasures." said Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), author of Letters to a Young Poet. Ray Wylie Hubbard told me about Rilke and Ray Wylie confronts these dragons & treasures beautifully in his song, The Messenger. </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Some drawers are under our beds. Some are in our minds. But they're all real.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Here's to cleaning them out, facing our fears, and claiming our treasures.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="L7bXTSSfBkg" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/L7bXTSSfBkg/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7bXTSSfBkg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><br>Lyrics:</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I keep everything I have left from you in a drawer by my bed.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Don't seem to clean it out, probably be there when I'm dead.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">Somebody else will come along and they will clean it out.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They'll ask themselves, what was this all about?</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it go</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Even thou it's no good for my soul</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it be.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Seems it's become. Too big a part of me.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">There's a faded picture in an old frame behind a broken piece of glass</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">Smiling faces dreaming dreams that did not come to pass</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">There's lying eyes and souls that cry down throughout the years.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They chant "Give it up. You can't face down these fears."</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it go</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);">Even though it's no good for my soul</span></p>
<div class="adL" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im">I hold on to the pain. Just won't let it be.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"><span class="im">Seems it's become. Too big a part of me.</span></span></p>
</div>
<hr>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/38065552015-08-06T13:32:35-05:002017-01-14T13:09:04-06:00We'll See<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/320da124882fd68292beeb0f4f9ff30db5a90041/medium/imag2084.jpg?1438885499" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" /><p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Sometimes it helps to just state the obvious.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We are born, some things happen, we make some choices, we're gone. That's about it.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We might lead a good life but then again maybe we won't. John Steinbeck ends his classic novel, East of Eden, with the word "Timshel" meaning We May or We May Not. Or simply… "We'll see".</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">We come along and we're given our voices. </span>We're born into a family and the families vary, hugely. Some families are loving. Some are horrible. Some poor, some wealthy. Some people are given voices of privilege, wealth and power. Some are given voices so weakened by poverty and dysfunction that their voices are not heard. It's seems unfair.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Of course it's not just in our birth that we have no choice. Life deals us things as we go along. Some good, some bad and we have no choice in the matter.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">But some things we do have a choice in. <span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>As<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Abraham<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Maslow's hierarchy says we ask , "What's Happening here?" <span style="font-style: italic;">We look around and we make our choices. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">And then we move on </span>and the cycle keeps going. Some things happen, we make some choices.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Some </span>choices are<span style="font-style: italic;"> right and some are wrong.</span> The right choices are great. Good for us. And some wrong choices are easy to recover from so that's not too bad. But some wrong choices can hold on our whole life. <span style="font-style: italic;">Some forgive and some hold on</span>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And then <span style="font-style: italic;">we're gone</span>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">There's nothing more that we can do and there's nothing more we can say </span>about this born, things happen, make choices, gone thing. <span style="font-style: italic;">Turns out things have always been this way</span>. Over and over, again and again. What I can do is try to make the best of the decisions I have. Make as many right choices as I can, recover from the wrong ones best I can and then live with the rest. </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Born, things happen, make choices, gone. </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Will we be a blessing will we be a curse, Will we make the world better will we make it worse… I guess, we'll see.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Timshel.<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="fYd2BtytoEE" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/fYd2BtytoEE/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fYd2BtytoEE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> Lyrics to "We'll See"<br> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We come along and we're given our voices.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We look around and we make our choices.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And then, we move on.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Some are right and some are wrong.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Some forgive and some hold on.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And then, we're gone.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">There's nothing more we can do.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">There's nothing more we can say.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Turns out things have always been this way</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And I guess that's all right.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I guess that's ok.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We may or we may not.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">We have what we have we've got what we got</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">And now, we'll see.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Will we be a blessing, will we be a curse.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Will we make the world better, will we make it worse.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I guess, we'll see.<br><br> </p>
<hr>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/37907252015-07-24T18:39:33-05:002015-08-13T14:21:29-05:00A new love song in progressHey, this is Wendy. <br>I love seeing and hearing the birth of a new song, especially a love song and I thought someone else may be interested in seeing a new song progress. While we were alone for a while in Vail, we had been talking about the brevity of life and life obstacles and the need to really enjoy the moment because it isn't going to last. A few minutes later, Travis was serenading me at the piano and thus began this song. Sounds like something that Tony Bennett would like, I know I sure do. ~ Wendy<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kdeHukL1hgs" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/kdeHukL1hgs/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kdeHukL1hgs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br>Lyrics so far:<br><br>I see you right now<br>I hear what you say<br>The noises of life<br>Have all faded away<br>But it’s not going to last<br>It’s not going to stay<br>I don’t know about tomorrows<br>But we have today<br> <br>So smile your smile<br>Let me love you<br>As if this were the last.<hr>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/37907032015-07-24T18:28:40-05:002017-01-14T13:09:04-06:00We all need a push ever now & then<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/95a15e350888d61641bd7e76de535ef212975300/medium/image-credit-steve-s.jpg?1435860190" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><br><br>When I was a little kid I'd go to the park and there was this swing that had a frame made of big grey steel pipes and you sat in this black rubber strip that was suspended by long brown chains that reached way way up.<br> <br>I'd run and kind of jump to get in the seat but that only worked so much. I'd struggle to tuck my knees under and push my legs out but sometimes I was just flopping. But, if another kid would give me a push...then I could really make it go. Then I could lean back and stretch my legs out and go higher and higher as I flew towards the sky.<br> <br>But this is not a song about swinging. Well it is a little bit about swinging but mostly it's about remembering the good things in life. The joy of swinging, helping others, smiling and watching them smile. <br> <br>After hearing "Swing" a fan told me, "Thanks for the push". What a wonderful comment. Makes me think it was worth writing. Thank you for the push Melva Garrett-Campbell. We all need one every now & then ;)<br><br>Swing - Lyrics<br><br>I was feeling down just the other day<br>What was wrong I couldn’t say<br>I was sitting by myself on a bench<br>In the middle of a park<br>An old man was watching the children play<br>Smiling like he could be there all day<br>The sun was shining bright on him<br>I was in the dark<br>He said, son I like to watch these children play<br>It reminds me of me back in my day<br>I’d swing<br> <br>I’d sit down in that swing<br>A friend would give me a push<br>I’d feel the wind and I’d feel the whoosh<br>I’d start to swing<br>I’d swing.<br>Then he’d push a little harder<br>And get a running start<br>He’d run under my legs and out into the park<br>And I’d swing<br>Then I’d lean way back and I’d go so high<br>I felt like I could almost fly<br>I’d swing<br> <br>He said you know son life’s like that<br>Sometimes you’re down and you’re feeling flat<br>And you just need someone to give you a push<br>Or maybe it’s someone else that’s down<br>And it’s your turn to push them now<br>To help them swing<br> <br>Sit down here son and I’ll give you a push<br>You’ll feel the wind, you’ll feel the whoosh<br>You’ll start to swing<br>Then I’ll push a little harder<br>And get a running start<br>Run under your legs<br>And out into the park<br>And you’ll swing<br>Then you’ll lean way back<br>And you’ll go so high<br>You’ll feel like you could almost fly<br>You’ll swing<br><br><br>image credit: Steve S.<hr>3:48Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/37342602015-06-09T10:03:59-05:002015-08-08T10:40:59-05:00Sharing is OptionalMonday 6/8/15<br> <br>There is so much more to doing music than just the music. There's a lot to the part that isn't art. Or maybe it is all art, just in a different way.<br> <br>Yesterday I managed to get the story written for "Is That Too Much To Ask", and I'm pleased with it. So is Wendy. I worked on it over several days and it didn't seem to come together. Then yesterday it did.<br> <br>I discuss the process of writing the story. Then the I tell the background stories, which are "proof" that the stories are real. I detail the issues that these stories confront. I site a good reference. There is some humor. I give reason for some hope.<br> <br>Then I thank Lourdes, who is a fan. But I'm doing more than thanking her for the video she made. It is me being happy that sharing the song must be worth it because she gets the song and wants to work to share it. I think when that occurs it makes the sharing worth it. <br> <br>I have to write songs like I have to breath. It's that simple. Pain and pleasure in, music and stories out. It is the way I am made. I write them and then I want to play them for Wendy right away.<br> <br>But I don't have to share them with other people. Sharing is optional. I never write a song and then wonder if it was worth doing. I just do it. But after I share a song, in a performance or in a discussion, I usually wonder if it was worth sharing. Did they get it? Do they care? Does it help them at all like it does me? That's where people like Lourdes and others come in. When someone else gets the work and then even works to share it with others, I think it must be worth sharing. <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="dNcLnkb9G84" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/dNcLnkb9G84/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dNcLnkb9G84?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<hr><br> <br> Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/36485112015-04-08T20:05:22-05:002017-01-14T13:09:03-06:00"Loss" & Why It's Not a Depressing Album Title or At Least Why We Don't Mean It to Be<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<span style="color: rgb(230, 230, 250);">The album we are working on we have decided to call "Travis Buster Solo Acoustic Volume 1" and we subtitled it "Loss". Now by "Loss" we don't <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/6836cff16980225397dd8f8338c1cf75575dcdac/medium/17009-travis-buster-acoustic-digipak-4p-1cd-rev-2.jpg?1428788160" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" />mean only down and out nothing is going right so the world might as well end types of stuff, although at times life seems that way and so do some of these songs. But you know life has a lot of loss. In the liner notes we said <em>"Songs about the love of life and that intruder called loss that we try to avoid, but can't. Loss of our youth, death of loved ones, break ups, divorces, estranged family members, loss of friendships, loss of happiness, loss of trust, the loss of the love of life itself...the list goes on. Simply sharing and knowing we're not alone helps with healing & hope. So we share this album called "Loss" to help us all in the love of life. ~ Travis & Wendy<strong>"</strong></em><br><br>I don't know if that makes sense to others that, dealing with loss would help us in the love of life but it does make some sense to Wendy & I. I'm not trying to belittle losses and I'm sure not saying they are a good thing. And I am not glad they happen. No, I think loss is tough. Some of it really tough. That's one reason it shows up so much in music, especially my music. I'm trying to deal with this intruder the best way I can and for me that includes music. Pain in. Music out. And then hopefully, as Plato once said "Music gives life to everything." Wendy & I didn't actually start out to give the album a purpose but it sure is serving a purpose which is to help me and and maybe even help others. I don't know about that helping others part but I have to write it anyway so it would be nice if it helps others too. So here's to the continued pursuit of the love and beauty of life. Losses or not.</span>
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</div>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/35133352015-02-07T16:04:07-06:002017-01-14T13:09:03-06:00This dog's still trying to learn new tricks..<div class="captioned justify_right"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/d3d3700b830b821557c7a5676f265c65ef1fcf91/medium/travis-and-f.jpg?1396556079" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="" /><p class="caption">Travis and Frodo at Caddo Lake State Park</p></div>Wendy talked with Wes, the owner of the studio where we're recording our album, yesterday and they set a date in March when we're going to try to finish recording songs for the album. The plan is for it to be a simple raw type of recording that is pretty much what we do in the live shows. We'll leave the flashiness to Miley Cyrus, which everyone seems to agree is a good idea and I don't think anyone is missing out by not seeing me swinging on a big ball and chain anyway.<br><br>Pretty much just me and a piano. We have to finalize the songs we're going to do & determining the tempo we'll use on each song is somewhat confusing. Slow, or really slow. Fast, or really burn down the barn fast. As my friend Ray Wylie says you get more attention burning down the barn than taking out the trash. But the thing is that I get a lot of comfort from writing songs that take the trash out of my life. So we'll see.<br> Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/30972352014-07-24T19:45:01-05:002021-03-04T10:59:24-06:00Mornings They're Hard - What all do you tell ? We put another song & story on the website <a contents="Mornings They're Hard" data-link-label="Mornings They're Hard" data-link-type="page" href="/mornings-they-re-hard">Mornings They're Hard</a> I stress over what's good to share, what's not mine to share, what I'm going to share whether people like or not cause it happened to me. I put a lot of thought into such things.<br><br>Like in Mornings They're Hard, the song came just after we had been with friends that experienced a tremendous loss. But the song didn’t just come from that loss. It came from 50 years of losses I’ve felt and seen. But this loss was the tipping point that caused the song to come out. So is the song about their loss? Yes. Is it only about their loss? No. Is it the losses I’ve felt? You bet. Is about the losses you’ve felt?…well I guess that’s what it comes down to. Guy Clark has said you have to leave blanks in the songs for people that are listening to fill in and I think I get that a little bit. If Mornings They're Hard tells a story we can feel but just enough to where you and I can fill in our own loss and then somehow make us feel better… I guess that’s what I want. For you..and me to feel better. Hope it helps. - TravisTravis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/30317362014-06-21T22:37:37-05:002017-01-14T13:09:03-06:00Concerts, studio recording, play datesWhat a privilege, what a blast. Feeling thankful lately.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/3f94991dcfbc4493da57d272bb11d889562e84a2/medium/10371691-10204341662208796-5478550788945907322-n.jpg?1424262369" class="size_orig justify_right border_" style="text-align: center;" /><div> </div>First, thanks to everyone that helped raise the funds for Sasha with the benefit concert. $2300+ was raise to help this dear family with their fight against leukemia which $2300 is a drop in the bucket to the medical costs of fighting leukemia but your $2300 cash goes aways
<div> <div> to the many expenses like hotels and meals and the list goes on. Thanks again.<div>
<br>studio recording.. Studio owner Wes Sharon, really good Wendy as producer really good; me keeping up and having a great time. No target date for releasing the album. There are some rough recordings on the site player now. There's some cool stuff coming out of Wes' place - Studio 115. check out John Fullbright for one.<br><br>for now were kinda focusing the music stuff on the album and Wendy will be setting up some play dates after. well more later.<br> <div class="captioned justify_right"><p class="caption">115 Recording Studio</p></div>
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</div>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/28436632014-04-04T00:00:53-05:002014-07-30T08:52:45-05:00mornings are hard on mesome of our friends recently went thru a large loss. some say it's as hard of a loss as people experience. Wendy and I were at their warm home as people were coming by and expressing their condolences. the tears were many and the hugs long. there was a piano in the room so I did what I do...played and listened. "Mornings are Hard on Me" came from those times. to our dear friends, our hearts ache for your loss. we love you.Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/19364802013-10-27T21:16:15-05:002017-01-14T13:09:03-06:00Bands at the Barn - When ???????????People've been asking when we're going to be playing and when when we'd be doing bands in the barn. seems people enjoyed it and the horses miss the music. Well... don't know but i'm looking forward to it. life has been going differnet directions but i think we're headed back to bands in the barn soon. gotta keep the horses happy.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/1ed858a82e4ca04b3238fa301bc3adad94c66054/original/tb-sr-mh-mr-dr-barn.jpg?1382925539" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Photo: Raymond Murphy <em>- thanks Raymond!</em>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/19364572013-10-27T20:34:58-05:002020-12-01T09:03:42-06:00 like swimming in the Blanco River when it's flowing full force ...Hanging & learning with <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=143071913716&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/raywyliehubbard?directed_target_id=0" style="color: rgb(59, 89, 152); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">Ray Wylie Hubbard</a><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;"> & </span><a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=562191051&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/MuthaHubbard?directed_target_id=0" style="color: rgb(59, 89, 152); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">Judy</a><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;"> is like swimming in the Blanco River when it's flowing full force - you go fast & it might even be a little dangerous but it sure is fun. We've talked poetry & venues & studio & producing & hats & three card monte & licensing & offices & kids.. -ok if you want to know what 3 card monte has to do with the music biz you'll need to ask me in person. if you want to know something find somebody who is passionate about what you want to know & ask but hang on and take notes because they're probably going to tell you. And Wimberly is a cool little town. Not scheduling any playdates yet but we will be.</span>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2427852012-10-29T12:35:00-05:002012-10-29T12:35:00-05:00What a blast! What's next?Shake Russell, Michael Hearne, Mike Roberts, Zane Williams, Chris Marrow, Vito Gutilla, Greg, Nathan, Randy Brooks, TB, enthusiastic listeners , dancers, laughing, great food, the horses, dogs, cats and chicken (singular) were all great at the Buster Ranch. What a great time. So many people told us how they enjoyed the world class music and the barn worked! We will be taking some time to figure out what’s next. Thanks everybody! We are having a blast! Here's to more great music in great places!!Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2404992012-10-25T11:51:36-05:002012-10-25T11:51:36-05:00Zane Williams!Zane Williams is joining us Friday night!Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2404982012-10-25T11:51:06-05:002017-01-14T13:09:03-06:00Big Barn!Great fall weather! The weather is tuning cold but the big barn is warm and dry and there will be plenty of hot chocolate, hot chili & hot music. Wear your fall fashions and let’s have a blast!<br>
<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/51642/ecbe4161a6b9e69126f8a2addb5ea036772bdb55/large/Big-Barn.JPG?1378922389" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="402" width="600" />Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2357482012-10-18T17:20:00-05:002012-10-18T17:20:00-05:00Another Great Musician...Another great musician will be joiing us at the Ranch Concert 10/27. Details to come...Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2255102012-10-03T22:05:00-05:002012-10-03T22:05:00-05:00Concert at the Ranch! Saturday Oct, 27 7 pmThis is going to be a blast! Shake Russell with Mike Roberts and Doug Floyd; Michael Hearne and a little of me. We have had one band at the ranch and had about 200 people and it was great southwest music and this one promises to be fantastic. World class music by world class musicians under the stars at the ranch. The chance to really interact with the music and people. We love music done like this. Wendy and I are really looking forward to it. In the meantime we have to make sure everything is just right like sound, stage, lights, chairs, drinks, pastures…. This is a blast!Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2149312012-09-16T07:10:00-05:002020-09-16T08:12:00-05:00Opening for Shake Russell Trio and Michael Hearne. Snow to Sunny :)It snowed the day we left Taos and we were swimming at the beach in Galveston the next day! Then we had a fantastic experience opening for Shake Russell Trio and Michael Hearne. They were really good as always. Wrecks amd Janet have a great listening room. Ask Wendy and I about the deer in the highlights feeling when you see us..Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2103032012-09-06T07:14:26-05:002012-09-06T07:14:26-05:00Shake Russell Trio w/ Michael Hearne under a tree at a private house concert. Great music!We went to a private house concert last night with the Shake Russell Trio & Michael Hearne playing under a tree. What a great way to hear the music.<br>Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/2078642012-08-31T18:35:23-05:002021-06-26T20:44:32-05:00Back to Taos in Rocinante! Sabroso, Michael Hearne festival, hiking, fishing... Looking forward to playing at Sabroso's Monday & Tuesday nights and Michael Hearne get ready for his festival that starts Thursday. There will be many world class muscians and we are looking forward to the time. Hiking and fishing during the day and making music at nigh<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1346474009809_559"></span>t. What a blast.Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/1907332012-07-17T17:39:09-05:002012-07-17T17:39:09-05:00Poor David's - 8/4/12Travis will be playing at Poor David's 8/4 - Guy Clark said it might be the best listening room in the country. What a blast!! Join us!!Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/1894522012-07-13T10:25:00-05:002012-07-13T10:25:00-05:00Joe Ely @ Poor David's 7/13 @8pmGallo del Cielo is a great song. Friday 7/13 at 8 we'll hear Joe Ely, who had a hit with Gallo, @ Poor David's in Dallas. Join us if you can. Tom Russell, who wrote Gallo, was at a campout with us in March and we got to hear him do it around a campfire. What a privilege. (Thanks Rob)Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/1875662012-07-09T07:53:51-05:002012-07-09T07:53:51-05:00Texas Coast - New Mexico MountainsWe had a great time at the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe. Thank you Wrecks for having such a great listening room. Thanks to all who came out and joined us. See you again soon. Off to Taos.Travis Bustertag:www.travisbuster.com,2005:Post/1871532012-07-07T00:00:00-05:002021-03-16T15:26:16-05:00Travis Buster Music BlogHello to all Galveston/Houston area friends!! Hope you can join us tonight at the historic Old Quarter!Travis Buster