On Saturday, June 23, 2012, from 7:30-9:30 p.m., Harmony House will feature singer-songwriter/storyteller extraordinaire, Bob Livingston. Bob's career in songwriting and in playing acoustic guitar have circled the globe. From his early beginnings in Lubbock, Texas to the shores of Vietnam & India, Bob brings his unique talent of helping unite us all through music.

In July 2011, he was awarded the Best Album of the Year, Gypsy Alibi, arranged and produced by Lloyd Maines, by the Texas Music Awards. Chris Gage was awarded Musician of the Year for playing on this album. All three of these outstanding musicians now reside in Austin. For more about Bob Livingston and his colorful, cultural contributions to music, read his bio below this press release and/or go to http://www.texasmusic.org/.

To make reservations for Livingston's show at Harmony House, please call 903/583-2661, leaving your contact information and how many seats are desired. The suggested donation is $15 per person with all proceeds going to the artist. To prepay, please make check to Bob Livingston and mail to Faye Wedell; P.O. Box 812; Bonham, TX 75418, to be received by June 18. Refunds will be made for any cancellations made before June 20th. Guests may also pay at the door. However, if you make a reservation, you will be expected to remit, even if you do not show up. Seating is limited to 55 persons. A waiting list will be kept in case of cancellations.

Harmony House is located 10 miles north of Bonham, Texas, and approximately 65 miles NE of the metroplex. Please state whether you need directions when making reservations. Directions can be e-mailed to your address or given by phone. Concerts are held indoors in the intimate setting of this vintage home. The meadows upon which this house was reclaimed and its surrounding woodlands create a natural amphitheater. It is not unusual to look through the large windows and see a redtail hawk riding the thermals during a performance. Visit our website, http://www.wildscapeacres.com/, to learn more of its history and visionary mission. The Harmony House link will provide you with a schedule of upcoming performances.

Bob will perform two 45-minute sets with a 30-minute intermission for snacks and conviviality. Bottomless cups of coffee, punches, and iced tea, as well as "treats" will be provided by hosts, Faye and Scott. A basket on the breakfast room table is always available for any optionsl $1 cash donations to help defray their expenses.

Before the performance, an optional Potluck Salad Buffet will be held at 6:45 p.m. for all guests wishing to partake. Please state your intention to participate in the Potluck Dinner when making reservations. If you know what you wish to bring, please indicate that as well. Bob is a semi-vegetarian, who eats grilled fish and eggs, but no red meats, etc. Hence, Faye & Scott will provide a Spinach & Orzo Salad with Grilled Salmon for the dinner. Others may bring various salads; vegetable dishes; casseroles; condiments; breads; or desserts.

Following the concert, a Song Circle will be held for any guest who wish to stay. Please bring your instruments, if you play. However, voices are also considered instruments and if you don't sing or play, just listen. Those who do jam will enjoy having an audience.

Make your reservations soon, as this will be Bob's third visit to Harmony House Concerts and each time, the crowd just gets bigger... word of his authenticity travels! Be prepared to learn some history through song and story and be prepared to sing "Geronimo's Cadillac", one of the songs Bob recorded with Michael Martin Murphy. Audience participation is invited at the artist's request or just when you feel the song come forth!

BOB LIVINGSTON

Singer-songwriter Bob Livingston has never been a traditional Texas country musician living the honky-tonk life, even though he's spent more than his share of time on the roadhouse circuit with some of the most colorful musicians in Texas. As a member of Austin’s legendary Lost Gonzo Band, performing and recording with such musical visionaries as Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard, Livingston played an integral role in creating the music that first earned Austin the designation of Live Music Capital of the World. Achieving recognition in their own right, the Gonzos’ self-titled debut record was named by Rolling Stone, "one of the best albums ever to come out of Austin."

Livingston has seen a lot of the world since growing up in musically fertile West Texas. Hailing originally from Lubbock, his interests were more 'Cosmic' than 'Cowboy' and have prompted him to delve into the music and mysteries of many cultures. Traveling since the 80s as a Music Ambassador for the US State Department, Livingston has taken Texas music as far afield as India, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, demonstrating again and again the unique power that music has to build bridges between peoples of the world. As Livingston says, "When all else fails, music prevails." This philosophy earned him the honor of being appointed, 'Austin’s International Music Ambassador', in November of 2009 by the City Council.

This world-traveled view was reflected in Livingston's 2004 CD, Mahatma Gandhi & Sitting Bull, released on Vireo Records and named in the Austin American-Statesman's "Top 10 List." In 2008, Vireo released a compilation called, Original Spirit, that includes Gandhi & Bull in its entirety and several more surprise tracks from Livingston's Lost Gonzo Band days. But it's his new CD, Gypsy Alibi, that is defining Livingston's new musical direction. Released in 2011 on New Wilderness Records, Gypsy Alibi is co-produced by Lloyd Maines and was the winner of the "Album of the Year" at the 2011 Texas Music Awards. It has more of a folk-rock/Americana spirit than his last outing and is enjoying steady radio airplay around the country and abroad. Listen to "Ruby's Shoes," "Country Western Swing," and "Androids Lament."

In a side project, Livingston plays with a multi-cultural band from Texas and India called Cowboys & Indians supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Austin's Cultural Arts Division. They play in schools and theaters all over Texas. Livingston is turning the concept into a full-fledged musical play with Houston playright/songwriter, Bobby Bridger. The first performances are scheduled for the summer of 2012.

In a live performance with Bob Livingston, one finds a veteran singer-songwriter and a master storyteller who captures his audience from the first notes played. It's an irresistible invitation to travel down the cosmic musical highways and rutted back country roads where fate has taken him over the years.