Posted on: | Category:

Hi everyone!

Well, we shopped around a bit last year in preparation for releasing "Between the Rain" and after receiving quotes of $5,000, $10,000, $15,000+ decided we just couldn't swing a radio campaign for the album. However, we did send to a dozen or so radio stations and DJs we already had relationships with throughout Canada and the US. Some of them reported back that they had listened to the album and were playing us. We kept our fingers crossed but our expectations low. Without money talking these days, it can feel difficult to make an impact. Then over the summer we saw that we'd climbed to number one for a number of weeks on a radio station in Winnipeg. Then we sat in the top five in Winnipeg for a few months. That was very exciting! Well, NOW we learn that our April 2016 release was #11 on the Roots and Blues charts all across Canada for all of 2016! Apparently quite a few more people played "Between the Rain" on the radio last year than we thought, and our own grassroots success story gives us hope for our future, and the future of independent, original music in general. We'd like to thank everyone who played us on air (or might still be playing us!), and all of YOU who may have bought CDs or otherwise helped give this album wings. It means so much to us that you are listening and enjoying and we still love and listen to the album too.

We also want to tell you about a couple tours we have coming up in February and into March. Early in the month we'll be heading to Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Later in the month we'll be heading to Winnipeg where we'll be playing Festivale Du Voyageur, a few house concerts, and Times Changed, big band style. Laurel has been learning French online and is looking forward to testing out a bit of it at Festivale, while Dan just learned he can try on Buddy Holly's actual glasses in Lubbock, Texas. He's pretty excited and clearly we have another recipe for a great time. Please check our tour dates below. We hope to see some of you at these concerts!

Also, we need some help filling out our calendar for 2017. House concerts, venues, festivals, parties, etc. Tell us what you got and we'll come on down! We need to:

  • fill a few important dates on this upcoming Southwest Tour in early February
  • fill some dates in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state for early May
  • fill some dates in western and central Canada this June and July (we're also interested in teaching some workshops if anyone is interested)
  • fill some dates in England and Ireland for late September
  • fill some dates on the east coast for early/mid November and are particularly looking for opportunities in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and DC.
  • We're also going to be at home in California in late March, April, August, October, and December and hope to play some more dates closer to home at these times.

Finally, Dan has a number of his old instruments back in possession and is looking for some more students who want to learn to groove and rock on the guitar (including electric, acoustic, 12 string, slide, resonator, flatpicking and fingerpicking), mandolin, electric bass, harmonica, ukulele, banjo (clawhammer and three finger style), and the Dobro. He teaches committed beginners through advanced level on most of these instruments and does 30, 45 and 60 minute lessons via Skype or can set up a lesson in person if you live close by or would like to catch us while on the road. Get in touch with Dan for questions and for rates and scheduling at dan@ramblingdan.com

Dan also has a couple new "online only" albums out which feature him playing all these instruments, and one which features his original 12 string guitar he first learn on as a kid and a few of his first songs he wrote around that time. There's nothing at all immature about this material though. It speaks well beyond his 13 or 14 years at the time and may still be some of Dan's most profound and creative work. We're looking forward to featuring some of the songs in Dan and Laurel. Preview and download here: https://officialramblingdanfrechette.bandcamp.com/album/jasmine-dreams-vol-1 Dan also has a new Blues record out, covers and old Blues styles he's been excited to play again on his new resonator guitar. Preview and download here: https://officialramblingdanfrechette.bandcamp.com/album/sings-the-blues

If you're in the area we hope to see you at one of our upcoming dates below, and please visit and like us on Facebook to keep up with our photos, videos, and adventures!

Thursday April 13th, 2017
Prev
Thursday December 1st, 2016
Next

Site by Laurel Thomsen
Photography by Michelle Magdalena
Additional photography by Jim MacKenzie and Mike Latchislaw
© 2012-2024 Dan & Laurel Email Us