2010 was a year of revelations. I released my new album, SECOND GLANCES,  in October in my hometown of Elizabeth City, NC and was pleased to see the tremendous support I received from both old and new friends and family (especially my cousin, Gary Hobbs, and my sister, Denise Hobbs Brothers). It was a fantastic experience! SECOND GLANCES is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bhobbs and also available for download on iTunes and other sites. Once again a big THANK YOU to everyone who came to the release party and bought the CD!

Another important event was a showcase for invited guests to listen to excerpts from my musical, THE INDEPENDENT MAN, based on the life and writings of Elizabeth City newspaper editor, W.O. Saunders. The response was incredible and the whole night was a wonderful experience. I would like to give special thanks to these people who donated to the cause of helping me finish the musical:

Phyllis Bosomworth

Gary Hobbs

George & Blair Jackson

Patsy & Heywood Houtz

Marian W. Stokes

Lucien & Debbie Morrisette

Signe Albertson

I was also very lucky to get to talk to Maxine Sweeney (who at one time was W.O.’s secretary), and with Miss Emily White, who put me in contact with W.O.’s grandaughter, Byrd Bland Smith Barnes, who was very enthusiastic about the project.

Special thanks also goes out to Ray Meiggs, director of Arts of the Albemarle, and to Robert Kelly-Goss of the Daily Advance for their enthusiasm and support for this project.

I hope you’ll all be happy to know that the first draft of Act 1 is now completed and I am working on recording the score!

If 2010 was a year of revelations I think 2011 will be a year of changes. I’m looking forward to finishing the musical and am hoping for an opening in Elizabeth City.

My old friend and drummer, David Albert and I have already started on our first recording project together; an album of original big band charts. We formed our own jazz band when we were both 16 so I think it’s about time we recorded something together. “Albert” has been a great friend and always supported me in my writing. And he played on and recorded some of my earliest demos. I’m really looking forward to our album coming out sometime in 2011…

I have plans for another solo album, this time a vocal album of my songs. And I’m also working on finishing the new album by Andreas Aleman.

The new edition of my CD feature on Nordic Wellbeing, Nordic Soundscapes, is now posted. This issue has features on

Dotty Blue

Andreas Aleman

and

yours truly!

Check it out, sign up for the newsletter and you have a chance to win free CDs. Also, all newsletter subscribers will get a link and password for free downloads.

About Nordic Wellbeing

nordicwellbeing.com is the world’s first e-magazine for wellbeing with Nordic inspiration. At NW.com we are driven by values that we believe are the keys to good living for the future of all people. These include closeness to nature, creativity, personal space, togetherness and solidarity.

nordicwellbeing.com provides readers with a wide range of interest articles for a wellbeing lifestyle. Throughout the calendar year we regularly rotate feature articles from different lifestyle areas on the e-magazine. Various features of the magazine are updated weekly.

Our feature articles fall within the following five lifestyle areas:

Design
Food
Gardens & Herbs
Outdoor Life
Relaxation