Not much on my mind tonight...just staying busy with youth stuff and music. I've been working with the youth at Grace Presbyterian Chelsea for about 3 months now (4 months as worship leader). We're getting to know each other slowly but surely. It's been a blessing to have the job.

My music gigging has seen a steady increase. I recently have been playing with Hunter Lawley, an indepedent country/rock artist from Montevallo. Hunter has a business called "Acoustic Entertainment" that has brought him a lot of success around Birmingham. He has a pretty healthy network of contacts and musicians. We've been playing at the Billy Club Lounge in the Lightning Strikes Bowling Alley (Trussville), as well as an upcoming appearance at Double Play Sports Bar in Montevallo on March 3 (time TBA). It's given me the opportunity to 1. play with someone, 2. practice my creativity and improvisation, and 3. get my name out in some non-church venues. I'm enjoying it.

I'm still getting some weddings here and there. I had the amazing opportunity to serve as the entertainment for former Alabama quarterback Tyler Watts' wedding reception back on January 21. There were alot of large gentlemen there, to say the least. Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox was among them.

I've thirdly seen some fruit from what seems to have been a "2 months of nagging". Basically, back in early December I decided it would be good for me to go on a local tour to promote my new cd "Always There". I formed a list of about 35 churches and began calling them every day, sometimes more than once a day (except the weekends). Some of them I never got in touch with, some received my press pack but never answered my calls following that, some denied me, but some have booked me, and for that I am thankful. You can view my upcoming shows by going to my website: www.rickbarnesmusic.com.