March 19: The Continental Club. This set, led by Dave Alvin, is to celebrate the release of a Chris Gaffney Tribute CD, on which I had the honor to play a couple of songs. We nail it. Chris Gaffney, for anyone who didn't know, was one terrific singer and songwriter, with whom I had the pleasure of working many times and who had been a good friend for many years, before his passing on in 2008. I highly recommend the new CD, "The Man Of Somebody's Dreams".
March 25: Waring General Store, near Comfort, on the banks of the Guadelupe River. They want us for their CRAWFUNK Festival next month. Mmm...ok, sounds like it will be right up our alley.
April 1: The Hen House Cafe in Comfort for their big, annual, Crawfish Boil. Good crowd.
April 4: Antone's for Jesse "Guitar" Taylor's Birthday Party. Huge turnout. On-stage and off.
April 14: Texas State University, LBJ Student Center in San Marcos, to hear Ray Wiley Hubbard, Cody Canada and others perform live, with yours truly helping to back them up.
April 18: Manchaca Volunteer Firefighters Pavillion in  Manchaca, for the biggest-ever FIREBALL, with proceeds going, as always, to the Shriner's Burn Institute. This is a crawfish boil, plus there is brisket, sausage, hot dogs and whatever. We don't play until evening, but the fun begins early and we see plenty of old friends there.
April 30: It is Joel Guzman's birthday at Threadgill's South; there are many accordion-players there! Oww...!
May 1: Man, suddenly, I am getting busy, again! I don't know whether to thank the stimulus bill or what! Anyway, my thinking has always been to get it while you can and that seems to be working pretty well for me at this point. I hope that staying busy will continue to allow me to get better at what I do. And, I hope I can just stay busy.
May 2:Horny Toad Harley-Davidson in Temple, rain or shine, for a Crawfish Fest. Lots of cool bikes.
May 21: The Long Center for The Performing Arts, for a CD  Release Party. This is more than a concert, it's a little bit like "An Evening With Myrna", which is also part of the billing. The crowd is enthusiastic and I get to meet, and play music with, Jerry Martini, the sax player who put together the Sly & The Family Stone band. His playing is great, and, also, he turns out to be quite a nice guy. The CD (highly recommended) is "Letting Go" by Myrna Cabello.
May 22: Riley's Tavern in Hunter, where we always sound good.
May 23: Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival, where my band includes, in addition to R.C., Scott and Danny, the lovely Miss Conni Hancock and, the equally lovely, Miss Cindy Cashdollar, two outstanding examples of this Austin scene. And who, by the way, tear it up!
May 24: Gruene Hall near New Braunfels for the King Of Feel-Good Music in his favorite dancehall.
June 13: The Chisholm Trail Festival in Lockhart. This will make the 14th time we have played here. Excellent. Like I said, fourteen...
June 20: Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, and we are helping celebrate the club's 35th Anniversary. And, actually, there is some evidence to suggest that yours truly even played there during their opening months, with Joe Ely. (They tell me I had a wonderful time...)
June 27: Villa's Beer Garden, for a CD Release Party for Joel Guzman and Sarah Fox. Their newest is "Conjuntazzo" and, I  highly recommend you check this CD out. Joel is, actually, awesome, and he and his wife, Sarah, just harmonize like angels.
July 4: Crystal Falls Golf Club in Leander for a big Fourth Of July Celebration. Fireworks in the sky.
July 27: This evening, I cut the index finger on my right hand on a tree limb. I had to go to the emergency room, have 9 stitches and a tetanus shot. I, also, had to cancel a couple of gigs, which really made me think. Anyway, no tendons were damaged and things got back to normal soon.
August 13: Odessa, Texas for a big, Hot Summer Nights Concert at Odessa College. A six-piece band is called for, including George Carver on lap-steel and harp, with Conni Hancock on vocals and guitar. Excellent. Jim Starboard fills in on drums and, as always, brings his A-game.
September 25: Last Chance Chili and BBQ Cook-Off at Leon's Country Store in Rockne. Rockne isn't on most maps; I found it in the Texas Almanac.
September 26: The Uptown Festival in Dallas, at the corner of Fairmount & Cedar Springs. I play next to last, right in between Beto y Los Fairlanes and Brave Combo, a couple of my favorite groups. It is all good. Scott Wade can't make the trip, so, many thanks to Fort Worth's Gunzy Trevino, our drummer for the day.
September 27: KEOS-FM Volunteer Jam at the Hullabaloo Diner in the College Station area, that's Texas A & M country, alma mater of both my youngest daughter, Leah, and, my dad, Ponty, Sr. I feel comfortable here, for some reason.
October 2: I fly to France, arriving the next morning, and immediately get busy. Here is my itenerary:
October 3: Blues Night in Town Hall in LES JUNIES
October 4: La Tanneries, a bar in AGEN
October 9: La Luna Negra in BAYONNE, a wonderful, cave-like, room and, today is actually my birthday, so...  yeah, we tear the place up. My band is, again, Abdell on upright bass, Junior Delmas on drums and "Mr. Tchang" on guitar. Much thanks to them, and to all their families, for allowing them to tour with me. And, for making me feel welcome in their homes.
October 10: The Fairfield Café in TOULOUSE. This place reminds me of the fun Celeste and I had here last year, although this year it is all about me doing what I do best, and I travel alone, except for the band.
October 17: L'Odéon Theatre, in TREMBLAY EN FRANCE, just outside Paris. Our last night and we leave them with our best show yet. We opened for the legendary John Primer, bluesman deluxe on his own European tour, after many years with Magic Slim and that great band. In the lobby, there is a meet & greet between shows and, guess what? I am beginning to love these French people, as I get to go over there more and more often. They have a lot of soul.
October 18: Back to the U.S.A., one long flight from Paris to Houston and... right back to work. (In this business, one either complains about too much work or too little work...) Given that millions of people would give anything to get to go, I guess I should say that it all went wonderfully well. I met a new promoter or two, a new magazine writer, or two, and, had some excellent gigs. Add to that, a new fan or two, and, it was a huge success!!!
October 22: Guero's Taco Bar
October 23: McAdoo's Seafood Company in New Braunfels.
October 24: The Fredericksburg Wine & Music Festival
October 25: Gruene Hall and, I must say, what a wonderful birthday party. Shelley King was in the house, as was James Hinkle, from Fort Worth, both of whom "tore it up" with me and the Squeezetones. Lots of other musicians were there, too. Then, after a bunch of good jams, Joe Ely came and, as usual, stole the show, all the while wishing yours truly a happy 70X Around The Sun. So much extra-good music; so many folks and so much cake!!! And ... the presents!!! First and foremost, I hope everyone got to see the "Ponty Bone" neon sign. I hope this because, if you didn't, you probably won't... I have it safely mounted on a wall at home. Thanks to everyone for your birthday wishes expressed here and there, and, most especially, to those of you who came out, in person.
November 6: Antone's, where I am one of many special guests at a birthday party for Doug Sahm, who left us just a short ten years ago. What a night! Among those I played, or visited, with, were Augie Meyers, Louis Ortega, Jimmie Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton, Larry Lange, Sarah Brown, De Llewellyn, Shawn Sahm and so many more. By the way, the Doug Sahm tribute CD is called "Keep Your Soul" and, even though I am not on it, it features Delbert, Flaco, Los Lobos, Jimmie Vaughan, Charlie Sexton and many others, and is highly recommended. November 8: Java Jive, a Benefit for the Katherine Anne Porter School in Wimberley, featuring Doyle Bramhall, Van Wilks, Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines and, pb and the Squeezetones.
November 20: Central Market
November 27: Billy Ray Mangum's Sleeping Dog Art Studio, in San Marcos, for his annual party, featuring 15 artists or so, with special stuff for Christmas. Billy Ray already said they want the band back for next year, the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. Oww..!
December 3: Austin Bergstrom International Airport, for fliers only, but there are lots of those, especially this time of year, and, sure enough, there is a big crowd. Like almost always, there are one or two who we win over with our music, and who sign up to receive the Newsletter, and/or buy a CD.
December 11: The Evangeline Cafe. I love this place, all the people who work here, the owner and, especially, the food. See you for their next, annual, huge, Mardi Gras party. Oh, yeah, indoors and out.
December 30: The Ponty Bone Trio plays again at Gruene Hall from 1-5 this afternoon. Richard Bowden is back from Africa with tall tales galore; there is a bigger-than-average crowd and we have lots of fun.
December 31: For the first time since I can't remember when, I am off for New Year's Eve. And... I love it! Here is hoping that our country recovers enough of it's economic muscle to once again afford all of us a comfortable living. And me some good-paying work on New Year's Eve. In the meantime, all my thanks to each of you, your families and especially to my own family, for allowing me to say, with pride... I am a musician.

Part1 (1939-1982) | Part 2 (1983-1999) | Part 3 (2000-2006) | Part 4 (2007) | Part 5 (2008) | Part 6 (2009)