Earlier in the week, the mail room at work brought forth my new super-cheapo Artisan lap steel for pointless fooling around, and then the PO Box had a CD with some live gig segments from occasional Brave Russ Robert's new band RedLine!

Way to go Russ! These RedLine guys really do some hard-kicking zydeco, and the spirit of Beau Jocque is alive in Russ' fingers. No kidding...I hear a lot of Northeastern zydeco acts that just kinda don't get it, and these guys really do.

All the while, this guy is developing a trad Cajun band with two lady fiddlers on the side...how does he do it?

Meanwhile, the lap steel just proves that, while I can own many objects that make cool sounds, I can only make something resembling music with a couple of them

That Russ fellow does it all by traveling worldwide (even to the Midwest. playing all night and day with great musicians, eating great food and drinking fine wine. {All that's just an inside joke.}

Russ is very talented and loves the music. He also practices a lot, it is clear. Y'all should go to hear both of this bands!

Well, you know, wine, women, song. They just go together . . .