Well, HI, there! LOL Yes, you read that right; after being back on the East Coast for just three days, I began my long … really long … really REALLY long … drive to Northern California to spend time with my web partner Roger, and his family. Reading this post should make it obvious that I arrived safely, but what’s the fun of starting at the end?

I pulled out of my sister’s driveway (in Maryland) at 7:30 Thursday morning. While it was a tad longer, I chose the southern-most route, and headed west. I had to deal with a bit of steady, light rain, but it was nothing close to what other parts of the country were dealing with. Since the traffic was fairly light, the day actually went pretty well. By the time I stopped that night, I’d gone just about 900 miles, give or take. I stopped just to the west of St. Louis, MO. It wasn’t long until I was in bed, hoping for six hours and not being disappointed.

Because I was on the west side of St. Louis, I didn’t have to deal with rush hour, as most of the traffic was headed in to the city, not out. The day was bright and beautiful, with the temperature rapidly climbing into the 60s, allowing me to loose the hoodie. After another thousand miles, I got another six hours of sleep. But because I had gone to bed earlier than the night before, I also woke up earlier … at 6 am. Bummer.

Not to be discouraged, I just got myself going. After getting a half-cup of coffee into me, I started doing some calculations, and realized that the early start made it possible to get to Roger’s that night, albeit pushing 10 pm. A quick phone call assured me it would be no problem, so I got serious about making miles. The traffic was more than willing to assist, and I arrived at Roger’s just after 9:30, even with several stops at Indian trading posts.

Sunday was a day of rest, as it’s supposed to be. Monday I began to settle in, bringing in my luggage, and connecting my various technology boxes to the family’s wi-fi. For dinner, we had White Lasagna, with salad and garlic bread. What was really cool about it was that Giovanna, the oldest daughter, helped me a lot! Gio prepped the entire salad, and did a fantastic job tending the bechemel sauce, which was as smooth as I’ve ever seen. Other than explaining a few things, all I did was to prepare and mix the cheeses, then layer the lasagna. Gio did the rest! Everyone loved it, and Gio and I shared more than a few high fives.

Yesterday was filled with appointments – first for new glasses, then to visit a local chiropractor. Both issues are things I’ve wanted to deal with for a long time, and I’m really happy to be addressing both. I should have my new eyes within a week. We’ll see how long it takes to correct the spinal and muscular issues. (smile)

For the rest of this week, I’m mostly going to focus on settling into life in Cali. I’ve got laundry to do, clothing to sort, stuff to find places for so I can move in the room I’m using. I’ve also got several meetings to schedule and the like. Next week, the real work begins.

So, really, that’s about all there is to write about. But you know me; I’ll be back soon with another report. Until then,

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

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Lane Baldwin is this week’s featured guest on fellow bassist John Montagna’s Radio 418 podcast. The first of two parts, this segment is the fourth episode since John revived his popular podcast.

“John and I go back several years,” Lane said, “and I really appreciate the invitation to be on his show. It was a total blast – just two friends sitting down to talk about all things music.”

John Montagna has toured with many top acts, including several years with the Alan Parsons Live Project. He now stays closer to his home in Brooklyn, doing live and studio work in the New York area. His podcast is very popular, especially among bassists. The two-part interview with Lane covers the recent NAMM show (in Anaheim, CA), Lane’s work with Deeper Blues, and many of John’s and Lane’s bass playing friends.

Listen to Part 1 of Lane’s interview on Radio 418.

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Stuart Spector and Lane Baldwin

Hey, all y’all! I hope this post finds you well and enjoying the beginning of the new year. I am in between trips, having just returned from the 2012 NAMM show, and preparing for a trip cross-country back to California, albeit this time to the northern part of the state. NAMM was a wild ride, as always, but also very successful and a lot of fun. Let me tell you about it.

I finally got to meet my good friend John Montagna face to face. While that may seem weird, it really isn’t in my world. I have a lot of music business friends that I’ve never met, and yet we are very close. I met many of them through business, and maintained a relationship with them via phone and email. John is one of those people, and we’ve been close for many years. When I made the decision to go to the NAMM show, I felt it best to room up with someone to save money. And John was the first one I called.

John and I coordinated our flights to arrive at LAX late Thursday night. We arrived within a half hour of each other, grabbed our rental car and headed to Anaheim. Although we were both very tired (at 2 am), we went directly to the IHOP just down the street for some food and conversation. Back at the room, I shot a short bit of video, then we hit the pillows at about 4.

Eight O’clock came a lot sooner than I wanted, but there was nothing for it but to stand under a cold shower to wake up. After a bit more video, we headed off to the show. Many thanks to Brian Barrett of The Low End for helping me with a badge. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to attend. After getting our badges from Will Call, we stood in the looooooong line for entrance. Not to worry, though. The NAMM staff was as efficient as ever, and we were inside within ten minutes of opening.

John Montagna, Lane Baldwin and Rocco Prestia

We had barely set foot on the show floor when we saw another close friend, Polo Jones. It was the perfect way to begin the show. After a good hang with Polo, John and I began walking the floor. We spent much of this day together, hopping from one booth to the other, and meeting a ton of people. By the time 5:00 came around, we were both about dead on our feet, so we headed back to the room before the rush.

After taking time to rest our tired feet, John set up his mobile recording station to begin our sessions for his podcast, Radio 418. What was supposed to be an hour of yakking turned into almost two hours, and weren’t even close to being done. The only reason we stopped was so we could head to San Pedro to meet up with Sean O’Bryan Smith and hear his new band Polcat. Before the show, however, we grabbed an amazing burger at the 710 Grill – where they offered beef, buffalo, ostrich, elk, turkey and veggie burgers. John had a concoction dubbed The Mess – and it was messy! – while I chose the Elk burger. Both were awesome, but also really, really big! So we were pretty slow to roll after dinner.

Alva’s Showroom was just down the block, and we met up with Sean in plenty of time to have a nice hang before his show. Now, for me, fusion is a hit or miss thing. I love some of it, but some of it just leaves me quite unmoved. Knowing Sean, I figured this would be in the first category, and I was not disappointed. Polcat SLAMS! They blasted through an hour of some of the tightest stuff I’ve heard in ages. I could see why Sean is so excited about being a part of this one.

Afterwards, we drove back to the hotel and dived into bed about 2 am. This was to be our longest night of sleep for the trip. And boy did I need it!

We were up at 8 again on Saturday, and ready to go far more quickly than I expected. That gave us time to grab coffee at the hotel’s coffee shop. I grabbed some video, then we headed back to the show. This time around, John and I split up, so we could each make it to all of the vendors we needed to see. I managed to see everyone I had on my list – LJ and Pat at LM Products (straps), Rosa Daza at DR Strings, John Norris at Peterson Tuners, Barry Heid at Manhasset Stands, plus several companies with which I hope to build a relationship. (No, I can’t tell you which ones yet. Let’s wait and see what happens, OK?)

I also got to see a lot of friends, many of whom I didn’t even know were going to the show. One of them was Johnny O, and incredible drummer I only get to see when I’m at NAMM. Although we only see each other once a year (or less), we’re very close, and we love to work together. We caught up just as he was preparing to leave, but he stuck around for over an hour, so we could catch up with each other.

Lane Baldwin, John Montagna, Nicki Tedesco and Aalics Bronson

Late in the afternoon, John and I reconnected at the Spector Artist Hang. Instead of doing signings throughout the show, PJ Rubal and the crew decided to invite all the artists to a single event. And it was AWESOME!! I got to meet several of my Spector brothers, including Rex Brown of Pantera fame. Other notable meets included Nicki Tedesco and her husband, Aalics Bronson, and Ra Diaz. Aalics and Ra had connected with me on Facebook, but we had never talked except wall to wall, so it was really cool to have time to hang with them. I got to jam with both of them, which was a blast! Unfortunately, although Nicki really wanted to jam, we weren’t able to do it, because she had disappeared by the time I could get a seat at the amp. We’ve promised to do it at the next show, however, and I’m really looking forward to it.

After the show, John and I had dinner with his friend Tommy, and a good long conversation about all things Beatles. Geez, both of them were virtual encyclopedias of information, and they went on forever. I stepped outside for a quick smoke, and when I came back, they had kicked it into overdrive. I just shook my head and asked, “did you guys do some Beatles heroin while I was gone or what?”

From there, Jon and I headed back to the hotels immediately adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center. Basically, we were just killing time before my appointment with Patrick Stern – the wizard behind the Spector Bass and Spector Central web sites. Patrick has been extremely supportive, and has done a lot for me already. But he wanted to get an interview with me for the My Spector Story video series. It was pretty late when we arrived – almost 11 – and John was beat. So he snoozed while I taped the interview. I’m sure we got way too much video, and Patrick will have to edit it down a LOT!

Lane Baldwin and Ra Diaz jam at the Spector Artist Hang.

By the time we got back to the room, it was almost 2 am, so we only got about an hour and a half of sleep before we had to get up and head to the airport for early flights. We arrived in plenty of time for John to catch his flight, and I had a couple of hours to kill, which was interesting. I so wanted to sleep again, but was afraid to for fear of missing my flight. I managed to stay awake until we boarded, at which point I fairly passed out. I had a long layover in Atlanta and was once again faced with the challenge of staying awake until the flight. Thankfully, I kept myself busy enough that I didn’t notice how tired I was.

I got to my hotel about 10 pm, and was under the covers as quickly as I could manage. And that brings us to the end of my trip. Looking back, it was a huge success, and I’m really glad I went to the show. Since I haven’t do so yet, let me try to remember everyone I saw:

Polo Jones, Bryan Beller and his lovely wife Kira Small, Peter Davyduck, Alex Harrington, Johnny O, Angeline Saris, Gretchen Menn, Bobby Vega, Rocco Prestia, Nicki Tedesco, Aalics Bronson, Ra Diaz, Rex Brown, Sean O’Bryan Smith, Joe Sanchez,  Matt Harington, Rev Jones, and I know I’m leaving several people out. Not because I don’t care… but because I can’t remember them all!

I have included a few pictures and the video I put together, and will soon post the photo gallery. But they don’t show half of what occurred. It’s just so hectic that I couldn’t always get photos or video. I didn’t always have a lot of time with different folks and I didn’t want to waste it fumbling with a camera. But I hope you do get some sense of the excitement.

I’ve got to close this out so I can tackle my long list to To-Dos for the next trip. I only have about a day and a half to complete a six day list. I’ll post an update once I get to California. And get some sleep. LOTS of sleep! Until then,

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

PS – if you have pictures from the show, please email them to me, so I can include them in the photo gallery. Thanks! – LoB

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I’m thrilled – and honored – to announce that the Time of My Dyin’ – Live solo version video is the feature video for this week on For Bass Players Only. FBPO is maintained by Jon Leibman, noted bassist and educator. Each week they feature one video that Jon feels displays great bass playing. So to be featured – especially during NAMM week – is a real treat to me! Check out For Bass Players Only – and while you’re there, take a look at Jon’s huge library of educational material. Thanks so much, Jon, for your support! And, as always, Keep Thumpin’! Lane on Bass

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Photo by Anna Henderson

Lane Baldwin – aka Lane on Bass – has departed Ryan Pelton & the Difference to focus on his own project, Deeper Blues. After touring for most of 2010 and 2011 with Pelton, the world’s premier Elvis Tribute Artist, the veteran bassist felt the time was right to return to his own music.

“I’m very grateful to have worked with Ryan,” Lane said. “I learned a lot from him, got to meet thousands of people, and had a blast copping Jerry Scheff’s lines. But there’s been a lot of interest in a new Deeper Blues CD and supporting tour. And I want to pursue those opportunities.”

During his stint with Pelton and his band, Lane also had the chance to work with dozens of top tribute artists, including Lori Mitchell Gay (Tina Turner), Jordann Carol (Barry White), Doug Brewin (Alan Jackson) and many others. Performing at fairs, casinos and concert venues across the country, Baldwin brought his solid bass work to hundreds of thousands of fans.

“American Icon Entertainment [Pelton’s own management company] has a stable of the best tribute artists in the world,” Lane said. “It was a blast to play with so many great artists, filling the roles of so many great friends and top bassists.”

Photo by Moscato Images

Lane is currently in preproduction for the follow-up to his internationally acclaimed Deeper Blues CD, Dig the Hole, which many have called “the best new Blues in decades.” The second CD will expand the boundaries of the project by including more “lead bass guitar” than the first CD. The project is likely to include guest appearances by other top bassists and Blues icons.

“My first love is filling the bass’s role as the foundation of the band,” Lane said. “But there has been serious interest in the whole lead bass concept, and I want to see where that goes. It also gives me the chance to work with some close friends by having them fill the traditional bass role on some of the songs.”

The new CD is expected to release in late 2012 or early 2013.

View and print the official press release. (Opens in new tab/window.)
For high resolution photos, send an email.

My life in a U-Haul

Greetings once again, all y’all! I hope your year is off to a great start! I’m currently living in a hotel, while I figure out where my next home will be. It appears that I may be doing that for some time.

Those of you who know me well may already be aware that I was leaving South Carolina. last Wednesday, I flew down to pick up a U-Haul truck and load up my belongings. From there, I headed to Illinois, where I still had a few things stored. I drove part of the way Wednesday, then pulled into a hotel so I could work with my partner Roger Barlow on completing our redesign of a web site for my close friend Angeline Saris.

I drove all day Thursday, arriving in Danville in the early evening. Another hotel, and another long night at the computer. I loaded up Friday morning and got back on the road in the afternoon. Save for a short nap, and a longer dinner break, I drove through the night, arriving in Annapolis, Maryland, at about 7 in the morning. I’d had no more than 12 hours of sleep in the previous four days, so I was beat beyond feeling. Thankfully, the clerk at the hotel was kind enough to let me check in then, instead of waiting until 3 that afternoon. In fact, she even upgraded me to a king bed!

At least I get to eat where I want to.

By the time I finally fell into bed, I was literally near tears. Have you ever been that tired? Where all you can do is whimper and curl into a fetal position? I’m here to tell you it isn’t pretty. I slept most of the day away, only waking long enough to scavenge some lunch before going right back to sleep. That evening, we finished all the small tweaks on Angeline’s site and introduced it to the world. Angeline is thrilled with the new look, so Roger and I are feeling pretty darn good about our efforts.

Sunday was another rest day – not because I’d planned it, but because the storage facility forgot to unlock my locker so I could load everything into it. That was OK with me, however, as I was still feeling like I’d been dragged through Death Valley, Yea, though I walk through the Valley of Death, I will climb into bed and sleep. Or something like that. Football? Who cares!? Food? Do you deliver?

Finally, Monday morning I was able to get into the locker, and it was a lot easier to unload the truck than it was to stuff everything into it. I returned the truck and paid for the extra mileage. Thankfully, they were kind enough to charge for just one extra day instead of two. Then, it was off to a nice dinner and more sleeping. It wasn’t until Tuesday that I felt normal again.

Click on this one to view at full size. It's worth it.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working on a new promo DVD (NOT for sale; sorry). On Tuesday, I continued work on the project, editing the Time of My Dyin’ (Live) video. this was especially fun, because the video was done during the Low Notes For Nashville benefit concert. It was also my first time working with feed from three separate cameras. I’m glad to say the video came out fairly well. And the audio is amazing, thanks to the awesome efforts of my close friend Sean O’Bryan Smith. I really appreciate that he managed to squeeze my mixdown into an extremely busy schedule.

As I write this, it’s Saturday morning. I look back on the last week and it’s a blur. So imagine what it’s like for me to look back on the Fall Montana tour, and the New Year’s shows in Canada. I know I had a great time, and I know we did some awesome shows. But trying to pull out single events from the whole is very difficult. I apologize for not blogging during that run, but it seems that almost every minute of every day found me focused on the tour.

So… that’s about everything worth writing about. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship. It’s because of you that I am able to do what I love to earn a living. I hope that 2012 is a wonderful year for you, filled with happiness and fulfillment. And, as always…

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

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I’ve just posted a new video on the web site, and it’s long over-due. Back in June, 2010, I was part of the Low Notes For Nashville benefit concert. This clip – Time of My Dyin’ is a solo version of the song the begins the Dig the Hole CD.

I won’t go into all the reasons I’m late on this, as it would take a few pages to tell you about it. However, let me admit that the fault is all mine. My great friend Sean O’Bryan Smith mixed the sound, and did an awesome job. David Crossman (of Teach Me Bass Guitar fame) and his crew shot the video, and I edited it yesterday. The video will become a part of my new promo DVD as soon as I can get them manufactured. (smile)

Let me know what you think of the video in the comments below, OK?

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

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To ring in the new year Lane Baldwin (aka Lane on Bass) launched a new web site design. The design was created by FVR Pro (pronounced “fever pro”) partner Vivianne Mello, and implemented by partner Roger Barlow.

“I’m thrilled with the new look!” Lane said. “The FVR Pro team took my original design concept and improved it beyond my wildest dreams.”

Featuring photography by Anna Henderson, of Hendersonville (near Nashville), TN, the design celebrates a new year and a new phase in the veteran bassist’s career.

“2012 promises to be one of my most active years,” said Baldwin. “I have several new projects to look forward to, and I wanted to start the year with a fresh look to match the steps forward this year will produce.”

For almost two years, Lane has worked with Barlow – not only on his own web sites, but also several projects for other clients, including a new sites for David Nordschow Amplification and singer Ryan Pelton, and the impeding launch of a new web site for rising star bassist Angeline Saris. This new design is the first created by the design team at FVR Pro, which also includes Roger’s wife Fernanda.

In the coming months, Lane hopes to announce several exciting new projects, but wanted the web site and other marketing material to be in place in advance of other announcements.

“I didn’t want to be caught unprepared for all the great things coming up,” he said. “We put our first efforts into updating the site and associated material. Now, we’re ready for everything the new year will bring.”

Lane Baldwin (AKA Lane on Bass) is an internationally-acclaimed bassist, vocalist, songwriter and producer. Dig the Hole, the first release by his band Deeper Blues, has been hailed as “some of the best blues in thirty years.” Bass icon Johnny B. Gayden (Albert Collins, etc.) calls Lane “a gifted songwriter” and “one of the best bassists on the Blues scene today.” Lane is proud to endorse Spector basses, DNA amps and cabinets, DR Strings, LM Products straps, Peterson Tuners and Shubb capos. A published author, he also sits on the board of the Larry Spears Center for Servant-Leadership, is co-founder of Low Notes for Nashville, which raised funds to provide relief to bassists devastated by the 2010 Nashville flood.

He’s making a list, checking it twice…

Hey, all y’all! I hope you’re doing well, and getting ready for a wonderful holiday season. Things around here have been a bit hectic these past few weeks, as I deal with the usual day-to-day life issues, and preparing for the upcoming tour. I’ve been splitting my time between learning new songs, packing for the tour, winterizing the house, and nursing My Sweet Someone back to normal after kidney surgery.

The upcoming tour includes stops in Montana, South Dakota, Idaho and Wyoming. At the very end, we’re spending a week in Washington where, in addition to performing with Ryan, we’ll be backing up Tina Turner and Barry White tributes. We’ll come home a few days before Christmas to enjoy time with family and friends, then fly up to Canada for a trio of dates. After that, we’re on a long Winter/early Spring break. I’m looking forward to the tour, especially the stops in South Dakota and Washington, as I’ve never played either state. Canada is also a new area for me, so that should be interesting as well.

To be honest, most of what’s going on is normal life-stuff. You know, the kind of thing we all deal with every day. It gives me a chuckle to know that there are some who are surprised to know that most of my life is really just normal. But when I’m home, I’m just one more guy with a long to-do list that includes things like laundry, grocery shopping, and wondering if he can catch an episode of Bones on TV.

So… that’s really about it. I’d love to have earth shaking news… oh, wait! I do! Ryan finally spilled the beans about his upcoming movie. That’s right, Ryan is going to be in a movie. In fact, he’s the star! I can’t tell you all that much about it yet, as I’ve not been involved in the project. What I do know is that it’s called The Identical, and it’s sort of a “what if?” scenario. Filming will take place from mid-January through the end of April. I’m very excited for Ryan, and hope the project goes well from end to end.

OK… now that’s really all I have to report. For those of you in the tour area, I hope you’ll come up and say hello. I met some great people last time out, and I hope I’ll see them again. I also hope I’ll meet some new friends. And to everyone, may your holiday season be everything you hope for, with some extra joy on top! Until next time,

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

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Greetings and welcome back, everyone. I hope all my Northeast friends have dug out from the snow, and have power again.

We recently wrapped up Ryan Pelton’s Ultimate Fan Weekend, and boy was it a BLAST! This is my second time through this, and this year was even better than last time. Let me tell you about it.I loaded up Betty (my PT Cruiser) early Thursday morning and headed off for a ten hour trip.The stops were quick and painless, and I made it to the hotel in record time. After dropping off the baggage, I headed over to the venue to load in my gear and prepare for the weekend’s events.

Once that was done, we all headed back to the hotel to change for dinner with the Sharks (fan club members) who had come a day early. We all headed to the Old Spaghetti Factory for an evening of fun and food. I hate to say it, but I can’t really recommend the restaurant. Other than the cheesy garlic bread and the chocolate cake, the food was bland to the point of tastelessness. Bleh…. But it was a fun time nonetheless, as I got to visit with many of my favorite Sharks.

After dinner, I got to try out the in-room corner Jacuzzi tub. It surprised the bejeebers out of me to find out I had this extra tub. There was a normal tub/shower in the bathroom. This second tub was in the main room, only a few feet from the bed. I mean, who knew that Days Inn would have a “bridal suite”? It was really nice to soak neck-deep in swirling hot water, letting the bath relax tired, achy muscles.

The first part of Friday was spent resting, then working on remembering several of the original tunes we recorded during the summer. We hadn’t played the songs since recording, so I had to refresh my memory as to what I’d actually played. Then, about 3:00, I headed to the venue for sound check and preparation. The Sharks arrived around 6:30; the doors opened a half hour early for fan club members only, so they could get good seats. By show time at 8:00, the hall was packed, including the wrap-around balcony.

The concert went very well, but by the time it was over, my lower back was killing me. Instead of heading out to party with everyone else, I went back to the hotel where I soaked in the Jacuzzi again… this time for almost an hour. Finally, my muscles loosened up and I could sleep.

We were up early the next morning, as we had to be back at the venue at 10:30 for the Fan Club Awards Banquet. This was a new event this year, so that we could hand out the fan club awards, and have some time visiting with just the Sharks. Ryan gave almost a dozen awards this year, and every one of them was very much deserved. He then gave each band member a shadowbox commemorating the release of Wash Over Me, our first all-original CD. He had very nice things to say about each of us, but my favorite was about D’arcy Park – our music director and road manager. D’arcy took on a lot of extra work this year – making sure we all got our work done when it came to learning songs, etc., and also acting as liaison with every venue and technical crew during our tours. Let me tell you, it ain’t easy getting all of that done, and she really deserved the credit Ryan gave her.

The band stayed at the venue to get ready for the Halloween party Saturday night. This year, Ryan came as Batman, wearing the most authentic bat-outfit I’ve ever seen. It was truly amazing! The rest of the band came as villians – I was The Penguin; D’arcy was Harley Quinn; Amy was Poison Ivy; Andrew was The Riddler; Jared was The Joker; and Jeff was Two Face. April Hammond, president of Ryan’s fan club, also coordinated with us as Catwoman.

The party was a blast from end to end! We offered games for adults and children, along with a costume contest (judged by the band) and a “guess how many candies in the jar” contest for a big-screen TV. One of the games gave the winning team of 6 members each a smaller flat-screen TV. The band also performed a short set of Ryan’s originals, which the crowd loved!

After the party, a bunch of us headed over to Buffalo Wild Wings for some late-night food and a final visit. Then, it was back to the hotel for another soak before bed. The drive home was uneventful, which means it was great. (smile) This week we’re getting ready for our second tour of  Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. I’ve got about six million things to accomplish, so I’ll close for now. I’ll write my next tour report once we get on the road.

Before I close, I want to thank Ryan and D’arcy for all of their hard work. It takes a lot to keep a touring band running smoothly, and the two of them deserve a lot of credit for getting everything done. Thanks also to dozens of Sharks who have been so supportive this year, and again offered me greater friendship than I deserve. I’m really looking forward to another excellent year, filled with great concerts and fun times. I’m a very lucky man to be able to make a living doing something I love. I’m even luckier that I get to do it with – and for – such wonderful people. So thank you, all of you, for helping make my dream come true.

Until next time,

Keep Thumpin’!

Lane on Bass

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