A monthly periodical and performance update written by Syd Masters to all of his trail pals. Click here to have the Trail Guide sent directly to your homestead!

For those of you who went to The Caravan in ABQ last Sunday night thinking I was playing there here's what happened. It's going to turn into a rant so be ready.

The Caravan East changed The Sunday theme from Western Swing to Classic Country. (I know, I know. The people in charge there are not aware that the two cross over) However they decided to do this at the last minute (3 days notice via phone message which broke our contract) and they still had my name in all of the advertising like The ABQ Journal, Alibi Magazine, etc.

Truth be told they allow the smoking of cigarettes to occur in their establishment. This is against the law in the state of New Mexico as they are not a private club. I told them I wouldn't finish my show I was performing there last month unless they fixed it, because I don't want to destroy my singing voice breathing in multiple layers of cancer causing crap exhaled by the inconsiderate and uneducated fools who are still allowed to roam the earth. They said they would but they didn't because they lie.

The house sound system at the Caravan is an absolute piece of junk. There is a constant loud buzz in the 30 year old monitors and in the 40 year old mains. It aggravates the band and the dancers. The club and its employees don't have enough respect for either musicians or their patrons to do anything about it. In all of my days of playing music as a professional, which is well over 5,000 live performances, I have never come across a more soul-sucking environment to try and make music in.

On top of this they short paid me the first time I was there and tried to do it again each ensuing gig. I have had band members that used to play there in the old days when I was still a kid. They describe it as a really great place with lots of classic history. Those days are long gone!

But hey, if you want to go to the dumpiest part of town and pay a cover to enter an unkempt dirty museum and sit on filthy original archive furniture two steps down from a questionably stained bean bag chair and order food from a kitchen where grease is a menu item and not simply implied like most dive eateries and have a loud Bb buzz crammed into your head all night long while listening to bands that never play in the key of Bb grind out poorly mixed tunes so you can trip over the bumpy dance floor that was installed in 1972 and not since repaired in any way and breathe in illegal cigarette smoke from leather faced has-beens that can't let go of the unhealthy old days only to have a skanky ten dollar whore that a prison lifer wouldn't even touch hit you up on the way out the door and chase you over to your car begging you for crack just in time to see you get pissed off because some loser had broken into your vehicle while you were inside not to steal anything mind you but he was just looking for good place to fall asleep in his own vomit, than this is the place to fit the bill!

I feel better now.

See y’all down the trail. Until then, keep the coffee brewin’!


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New Mexico State Cowboy Song

Here's some fun for all you geetar players. This is not sheet music, it's only the chords. If you have a copy of "The Cowboy Sings" or "Sunset on the Rio Grande" listen for whole notes, stops, etc. You will find that while the harmonies, solos and secondary guitar parts are different on the new version, the chords are pretty much the same. You can also go to myspace/sydmasters and this is the first song on the list of tunes to listen too. Have fun playing along with "Under New Mexico Skies."

Under New Mexico Skies
Copyright Syd Masters
Deer Pine Music, BMI
Key: F

Intro: Bb6, C7 | F | C7 |

V1: F | A7 | Bb | C, C7 | F | A7 | Bb | C, C7 |
F | A7 | Bb, C | Dm | C | Dm, Bb | C7 |

Chor: ||: F | Bb6 :|| F | Bb6 | F | C7 |

V2: F | A7 | Bb | C, C7 | F | A7 | Bb | C, C7 |
F | A7, Dm | Bb, C | Dm | C | Dm, Bb | C7 |

Chor: ||: F | Bb6 :|| F | Bb6 | F | C7 |

Solo: F | A7 | Bb | C, C7 | F | A7 | Bb | C, Am |

Brig: F, Gm | F, Gm | C | C7 | C7(stop) |

Chor: ||: F | Bb6 :|| F | Bb6 | F | C7 |

Tag: ||: F | Bb6 :|| F | Bb6 | Bb6 | Bb6 | F | F,C7,F |