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As  you may know, I play pedal steel guitar with Peter Busher and The Lone Rangers every Sunday, 6 till 9pm, at The Mustang Bar, in Northbridge. We play country and country rock, which attracts a large R&R audience also.  There’s a great dance floor which is always packed, as well as an elevated section for the ‘listeners’.

You can catch us in December also, at The Claremont Hotel, from 4.30 until 7.30. I’m enjoying having 2 pedal steel guitar gigs every week. Pedal steel is still my passion, so I’m loving it. Hope to see you there.

Hope you can get to the Burswood on Friday, December 9th, for the Have A Go News Christmas Concert. I will be performing 15 minutes on my own, and also backing Norma Kelly for her 15 minutes. There are a number of entertainers performing, so it will be a fun and entertaining show. Stop by and say hi after the show if you can.

Looking forward to seeing you at the picturesque  Peel Winery on Sunday, December 4th, where I will be playing with my Milton Q Combo jazz band. The day starts with Corner House Jazz Band at 11am, and we alternate all day, with a combined bands finale at the end. Bring your own picnic lunch, drinks (No BYO wine though), and deck chairs. The venue is 290 Fletcher Rd, Baldivis. Exit Kwinana Freeway at the Karnup exit. There is a nice big wooden dance floor too, for all the R&R and Swing dancers who attend every year.

After 5 years in Australia, I have at last put together a country band. I am really excited about it, and have named the band, Texas Down Under.

We are a 4 piece band at the moment, and work together regularly, with other bands. We do mainly  the great old country hits that are burned into our memory for their lyrics and melody. Having played with Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Billie Jo Spears, Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, Moe Bandy, Mel Tillis, and Pam Tillis, and many other greats of the business, my country roots go way back, and I love performing those great songs.

Our first performance will be at the Born In Boots Christmas party, at the Embassy Ballroom, on Sunday, December 11th, but unless you have already purchased your ticket, don’t come. The event is already sold out. However, I will post our next venue, and hopefully see you at it.

On Sunday, December 4th, for the 5th year in a row, my band, known as  Milton Quackenbush & Friends, will be performing at the Peel Estate Winery, Fletcher Rd, Baldivis, along with Corner House Jazz Band, who have been playing there for 25+ years. From now on my jazz band will be known as Milton Q Combo. Much easier eh? Not such a mouthful. haha

The two bands alternate from 11am until 5pm, so it’s continuous music, and a real variety. Corner House is a great Trad jazz band, while I play New Orleans style jazz, so it’s two very different styles. Being a Texan, I can’t help tossing in the odd Country and Western Swing songs too.

Bring along your deck chairs or blanket, a picnic lunch, drinks (no BYO wine), sun screen, and Aerogard, and enjoy a day of jazz on the grassy lawns under the large trees that adorn the Peel Estate Winery grounds.

There is a large wood dance floor for the many dancers who enjoy the day out, and the venue is just 40 minutes south of Perth, down the freeway. Exit Kwinana Freeway at the Karnup turnoff.

I play regularly, the 3rd Saturday of each month, at the Ballajura Tavern Restaurant, 322 Alexander Drive, Ballajura, from 6.30 until 9.30pm. It was a wild old night last week, with a very vocal table of excellent singers who sang along with most of the songs. We had a lot of fun. Great New Orleans food, as well as local fare. Man, you should have seen the plate of ribs Jean ordered. Had to be at least 2 octives (piano player talk) of ribs. Jean is one of my piano students, so guess she came along to check me out. haha

I’m looking forward to introducing my new 6 piece jazz band, Milton Q Combo, to the audience at the Yokine Bowling Club, from 7.30 until 10.30, on Tuesday, November 15th. It’s our first gig together. Hope you will come along and support us.

I am really looking forward to doing another murder mystery with Katherine Jennings, on Saturday, 5th November. We had a lot of fun at the last one.  Guess I’ll be the only rooster at the hen’s party.

Looking forward to playing for the residents of Riverside Gardens, Gosnells, for their Halloween dance, from 7 till 10pm, on Saturday, October 29th. I hope I get some candy.

Saturday, October 22nd I will be playing Pedal Steel Guitar with the band at the Lynwood Arms Hotel, Metcalfe Rd, Ferndale, from 8 until 11.30pm.