This week since I was off from work, I worked hard to release my fourth rock CD. The one major sad event that happened since my last birthday was that the place that I loved to rock out at, closed in September. Rita's was the CBGB'S of Nacogdoches.
That open mike night will be remembered as the starting place for so many local music acts. It didn't matter how good or bad you were, you could play for your twelve and half minutes. And if you rocked, the house would rock with you.
Rita's was so special to me. Most of my friends left in Nac, I met at Rita's. Thursday nights was the one night that I looked forward to every week. One time, I taught a music technology session at a conference, hopped in a cab ten minutes after it was over and caught an earlier flight home so that I could get back to Nac by 10 pm. That's how much I looked forward to rockin' out.
Every week, I would work on a new song to perform at Rita's. When I first went there everybody, including me, played mainly covers. Little by little I started to play my own songs, then I rarely played a cover. This is the first place I played "I'm a Nerd" live at. Since I started to play my own material, others did too. It was a great place and a great time. A musicians' community and family like no other. And I still miss that scene every Thursday.
So I had already had a working title for this CD before Rita's closed it's doors. The title was, "What!? More Whatever." Since Rita's is now being sold, I knew that I only had one chance to make sure the Rita's I knew, would always be remembered for what it meant to us musicians. The title had to be changed to "Rita's" to honor this special place.
The first three songs of the CD, I had a chance to play a Rita's open mike night. Funny, I can remember playing at Rita's a day before my birthday last year. The other songs I have performed at various other open mike and singer/songwriters nights.
I was going to make this a 'polished' CD with only twelve songs working hard to make the recording sound as good as I can. Well that's not how it was like to rock out at Rita's. So I played the songs raw and live with out editing. There are a few mistakes and drop beats on a few of the songs. However if you hear me play live, this is how I sound. Know that when you listen to the CD, that's how I sound. I hope you all enjoy the CD.
A quick video showing Rita's.
Rita's CD
By Herbert Midgley
Rita's CD Cover
Rita's CD zip file all songs and CD cover in one file 69 megs
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