Just about anybody who knows me or this blog knows that Danny Barnes has been my favorite musician for 17 years or so. (His band used to be Bad Livers.) During that time, we've become good friends and I also handle his website. He's always gotten the nod from world class musicians (Bill Frisell, John Paul Jones, Tim O'Brien, and many others) but he's remained in relative obscurity to the masses... until this past weekend.

While on tour with Robert Earl Keen and warming up for the likes of Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews Band, turns out that Matthews himself is a huge fan and invited him to play w/ DMB at some Texas shows. You could say it went over BIG!!

Now... those who know me also know I've never been a Dave Matthews fan but how can I not like somebody w/ the good sense and courage to share his coveted stage w/ Mr. Barnes? Way to go Dave!! First, in Houston, Barnes debuted on at 20 minute version of "Bartender" and the DMB encouraged him to just PLAY. And play he did... check out the accompanying audio/video and the crowd goes bonkers. Same deal the following night in Dallas with "Corn Bread" and "Lie In Our Graves."

It went over so well that Dave Matthews called him up and asked him to come down to L.A. for 2 shows at the Hollywood Bowl in early October. A couple days after that, Barnes will in the Bay Area for a solo gig opening for Charlie Louvin in Saratoga and will appear w/ Robert Earl Keen at Hardly Strictly.

I've been checking out the DMB chat boards and the fanbase is going nuts.... they are calling for Barnes to join the band. And they're astute enough to figure out that both live in the Seattle area, so some kind of upcoming teamwork is more than plausible. Just watch these performances and look how jazzed the DMB is on our guy Barnes. Of course Barnes had nothing but the best to say about Dave, his band, and his crew, not to mention the audience.