"riding the rails" press release

Here's the press release I'm sending around in advance of the next leg of the tour.

Riding the rails to share songs from Kansas to Kentucky

Spending weeks at a time traveling by train isn't everyone's idea of a good time. But it's all “part of the job” for Bryan Moyer Suderman, who has logged over 10,000 miles by rail in the past year, carrying his guitar, a backpack full of CDs, and a soul full of music across North America, including stops in the next few weeks in Newton Kansas, southeastern Iowa, Lexington Kentucky, and Lancaster County Pennsylvania.

Moyer Suderman has become known for his unique gift of crafting songs and performances that draw from the deep wells of biblical vision and wisdom while being accessible and fun for young and old alike. Audiences respond to the warmth of his voice, the contagious nature of his songs, and his signature interactive style of singing and song leading. Since the release of his first CD “God's Love is for Everybody”
in 2002, Bryan's “songs of faith for small and tall” have become favorites with families and churches across North America and beyond, and have been published in various hymnal, songbook, curriculum and other resources. “A New Heart” is his 4th CD released on the SmallTall Music label (www.smalltallmusic.com).

But why travel by train?

While travel and performing is an important part of Moyer Suderman's work (he recently returned from Paraguay, where he was part of the song leading team at the recent Mennonite World Conference Assembly), he also struggles with how to carry out this vocation in a way that is sustainable economically and ecologically as well as sustainable in terms of healthy relationships with his family and local community
(he attends Community Mennonite Church of Stouffville Ontario).

As a result, Moyer Suderman works to keep his long-distance travel schedule confined to a limited number of weeks per year, and then to “make hay while the sun shines” and perform as much as possible while he is on the road. CanRail and Amtrak rail passes offer a way to do that at a low cost and in a way that reduces the carbon emissions that would result from more “one-off” flights to long-distance engagements. Moyer
Suderman completed a coast-to-coast USA railroad tour last spring and took the train from Toronto to Vancouver and back last fall before his current tour in the American Midwest.

Another component of Moyer Suderman's long-term strategy is what he calls his “Community Supported Music” system. This is an innovative online delivery system for music that is patterned after the “Community Supported Agriculture” (CSA) approach, making regular “deliveries” of new songs that are “fresh, home- grown, and always in season.” Since pioneering this alternative business model for the arts, now in its
fourth year, Moyer Suderman has made quarterly “deliveries” of new songs - complete with music notation, chords, thoughts and reflections, and activity ideas and tips for using the songs in home, school, and congregational settings. Various other artists have picked up on the idea as well, have been applying this model to their own work.

Bryan lives near Toronto, Ontario with his wife Julie and son Matthew. For more about Bryan Moyer Suderman recordings, downloads, and tour schedule, visit www.smalltallmusic.com, and discover more about his “Community Supported Music” system at www.bryanmoyersuderman.com

19 out of 20 and the spring tour begins

Last night I sent off the last of the preliminary mixes for the next Gather Round Sunday School curriculum CD (well, the 19th out of 20 songs... the 20th will have wait just a bit longer). While it's been intense and far too compressed a time line for my liking (thank you, finger injury), I've been enjoying putting these songs together and finding new ways to do some old (and new) favourites. I'm beginning to feel like I know my way around editing in Cubase by now... and laying down what might pass as reasonably funky bass lines was an uncommon and unexpected delight (I don't get to play bass very often).

And it's always a blast - especially since I typically perform solo these days - to collaborate with others in the recording process. I had met but never worked with Tom Cummings before (we recorded drums for three songs in a day at John's studio - now that's takin' care of business!), and it's also fun to get different family groups in to sing. Thanks everyone for helping out!

Now I'm off in a few minutes for the first leg of my spring tour - a one-week circle around Lake Eerie, with a few days in Leamington, a few in Indiana, and a Sunday morning in State College Pennsylvania. Looking forward to it.