Mickey Raphael: Blog

Bob Dylan has just announced an ambitious lineup for this year’s summer concert tour. Along with fellow troubadour Willie Nelson, this summer, The Bob Dylan Show will also feature John Mellencamp, marking just the second time in the past 24 years that these three performers have shared the concert stage.  
 
In addition to the Bob Dylan Show Ballpark Tour stops announced today, it is anticipated that several more Bob Dylan Show dates, also featuring John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson, will be added to the tour in the very near future.
 
All concert tickets are priced at $67.50 and most shows are general admission, allowing fans to grab a seat in the stands or find a place to watch from the field. Tickets will go on sale throughout the month of May (see TOUR page), and will be available at the local ballpark ticket office and affiliated ticket outlets. *Children 14 and under get in free with each adult ticket holder. Showtime is 5:30 PM and gates open at 5:00  PM. There is no baseball game on the day of the show. A presale for tickets to several shows begins THIS Monday, April 27th - visit the TOUR page for details.  www.clubcherrybomb.net
 
07.02.09 Sauget IL GCS Ballpark
07.04.09 South Bend IN Coveleski Stadium
07.08.09 Louisville KY Louisville Slugger Field
07.10.09 Dayton OH Fifth Third Field
07.11.09 Eastlake OH Classic Park
07.13.09 Washington PA CONSOL Energy Park
07.14.09 Allentown PA Coca-Cola Park
07.15.09 New Britain CT New Britain Stadium
07.19.09 Syracuse NY Alliance Bank Stadium
07.21.09 Pawtucket RI McCoy Stadium
07.23.09 Lakewood NJ FirstEnergy Park
07.24.09 Aberdeen MD Ripken Stadium
07.25.09 Norfolk VA Harbor Park
07.28.09 Durham NC Durham Bulls Athletic Park
07.29.09 Sevierville TN Smokies Park
08.04.09 Round Rock TX The Dell Diamond
08.05.09 Corpus Christi TX Whataburger Field
08.07.09 Grand Prairie TX QuikTrip Park
08.11.09 Glendale AZ Camelback Ranch
08.12.09 Las Vegas NV Cashman Field
08.14.09 Fresno, CA Chukchansi Park
08.15.09 Stockton, CA Banner Island Park

 

 Willie Nelson and Mickey Raphael recorded on the song "This Train," Ziggy Marley's family album, produced by Don Was.

 

“I have been a fan of Willie for over 35 years and of all his songs, these are some of my favorites.  Most of them were recorded between 1966 and 1970 for RCA Records before the Outlaw craze and before I joined the band.
The production style of the great Chet Atkins on the original versions followed the trend of the day with lush string arrangements and vocal group back-up, aka ‘The Nashville Sound.’
 
What I’ve learned from Willie, working with him over the past three decades, is that less is more.
 
Working with engineer Tony Castle and with Willie’s blessing, we went back to the session tapes and brought these recordings back to their basics.
 
This is what it might have sounded like had Willie produced his own recording sessions for RCA.
 
Stripped down, Naked."
 
– Mickey Raphael
   Wendover, Nevada
   January 8, 2009
 

Mickey Raphael, Nora Jones

photo by Janis Tillerson

 

 

We are in New York City to begin rehearsals for another Wilie/Wynton Marsalis concert at Lincoln Center Feb. 9and 10.

The songs for the concert are a tribute to the late great Ray Charles.

2/11/09 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
2/12/09 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
2/13/09 - Lancaster, PA - American Music Theatre
2/14/09 - Utica, NY - Stanley Theatre & Performing Arts Center
2/15/09 - Albany, NY - The Palace Theatre
2/17/09 - Roanoke, VA - Roanoke Civic Center
2/18/09 - Williamston, NC - Bob Martin Agricultural Center
2/19/09 - Boone, NC - The Holmes Center
2/20/09 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
2/21/09 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum
2/24, 25/09 - Carl's Corner, TX - Willie Nelson Theater

The California tour was great. The weather was really wonderful. We finished the tour in Phoenix where "the Champ" Muhammed Ali came to visit. I gave him one of my harmonicas and I heard he was up till midnite playing it.

I'm back in Nashville till the 5th of Feb. when we go to NYC to work with Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center on the 9th and 10th of Feb. 

We are having a great week playing the Fillmore. A historic rock and roll venue. Earlier this year I started riding bikes and had a great ride yesterday across the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito, Mill Valley, and down to Tiburon, then took the ferry back to S.F. Total 25 miles. Nice wakeup for a Sunday morning. Looking forward to working up to some longer rides.

MR

 

Mickey Raphael and Robben Ford

http://www.mountainx.com

Mountain Xpress:   You played at the Orange Peel in 2007, have appeared as a headliner for the LEAF festival in Black Mountain and recently performed in the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam.   Can you share a story or memorable experience from one of your shows in Asheville?
 
Franti: Well, the first one that comes to mind was the last show, the Christmas Jam, Warren Haynes came up to me and he says, “Michael there [are] a couple folks that would like to sit in with you, are you interested?” I said, “Yeah, of course, I’m always interested.”
 
He said, “Mickey Raphael, who plays harmonica with Willie Nelson would like to sit in.” And I was like, wow,  “Oh, yeah, of course, that’d be awesome.” And then he said, “And John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, would you mind if he played on a song?” My mouth hit the floor and I was like, “You kidding me?” So we went backstage and we just started jamming.
 
At the end of it, somebody said, “Hey you’ve got five minutes before you go on!” So I turn to John Paul and said, “Is there a song you want to play during the set?” And he said, “Yeah, I think I’ll play bass on that last one,” and I said, “Okay great.” And then he goes, “Do you mind if I play the mandolin on all the rest?” I was like, “You kiddin’ me!” Come on let’s go.” ... So, instead of just sitting in for one tune, which I would have been just blown away by, he played the whole set.

Michael Franti and his newfound band which included Mickey Raphael and John Paul Jones performed on the second night of the 2008 Warren Haynes Christmas Jam on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Video by the Asheville Citizen-Times and CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

 

We are finishing up the tour for 08. Billy Bob Thornton has been on the show and I have been sitting in on the last song. Everyone wears black suits and has their hair done in duck tails and pompadour. Very 60's. I love it. The 09 tour starts early in Jan. and we spend most of the tour in California. Feb. tour is just Willie and myself with Asleep at the Wheel. Also a couple of nights in New York with WYNTON MARSALIS. Happy and Healthy holidays to everyone Mickey