It has become exceedingly necessary that I should express my sincerest gratitude for those who have taken an active interest in the progress of my upcoming album.  In these early stages of what I intend to be a life-long career in the recording arts, you are the pioneers of a land which is yet to be discovered.  Each of your posts upon this and other of our pages is like a National flag, planted upon the surface of Mars.  It is by virtue of your curious nature that this site stands to be colonized by future adventurous music fans, and so I am truly humbled and inspired by your openness.  I thank you wholeheartedly.

There have been several developments since my last post.  One important announcement is that I have decided to change the name of the record to ‘The Golden Age’.  Mr. McMahan and I have spent the past week in his home studio, making some finishing touches to the tracks before we set about mixing them down.  In listening to those eleven selections as a whole – after having gotten away from them for a month – I was able to listen more objectively than ever before.  As I have mentioned previously, we made the decision to go back into the House of David and record a song entitled ‘The Golden Age’ at least a month after the initial tracking sessions.  And to me, it seems a fitting title track and the perfect ‘last song’ on the album.  It is commonplace to put a lot of consideration into selecting the opening song on an album, but I have an almost equal fixation on how the album should end.  That perfect last song just wasn’t there…until ‘The Golden Age’!   Interestingly enough, the opening song is yet to be determined.  The album will be rendered within a fortnight and I have complete faith that this initial track will emerge and the rest will fall into sequence. 

Another important tidbit is that we have been booked for two performances at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville!  These dates are September 24 and October 15 – each on a Friday.  It is quite an honor to be asked to perform in the midst of priceless works of art and in such serene, marbled environs. 

Last night we did a set at The Wine Loft in The Gulch area of Nashville.  It was a wonderful moody environment with an attentive and gracious crowd.  I extend my warmest thanks to the staff there and everyone who came in support.  Tonight, we appear once again at The Family Wash in East Nashville.  It will be the same stripped-down manifestation of the New Transcendentalists as last night – Mr. Goforth on lap-steel/harmonica, Mr. Estes on bass, and my-self.  Our set begins at 9pm sharp.

Until we meet again,
Mr. Hazelwood