David LaMotte

Speaker • Author • Musician

Blog

Quick and Easy Divorce

Jul 16, 2008
Deanna finally joined Facebook this week and is exploring it now. She just added me, not only as her friend, but as her spouse. The dialog box that popped up after she did so reads thus: Relationship Status: Married To: David LaMotte (awaiting confirmation) Then there’s a button that says “Cancel Relationship” I’d better run […]

Quick and Easy Divorce

by David LaMotte

Deanna finally joined Facebook this week and is exploring it now. She just added me, not only as her friend, but as her spouse. The dialog box that popped up after she did so reads thus: Relationship Status: Married To: David LaMotte (awaiting confirmation) Then there’s a button that says “Cancel Relationship” I’d better run […]

By popular demand…

Jul 1, 2008
The latest ultrasounds… Cool, huh? And the new ultrasound technology is wild… Don’t worry about the strange anomalies from the 4D ultrasound. They assure me that our little guy doesn’t really have ram’s horns or Princess Leia buns on his head. He does appear to be sucking his thumb, though. Wow.

By popular demand…

by David LaMotte

The latest ultrasounds… Cool, huh? And the new ultrasound technology is wild… Don’t worry about the strange anomalies from the 4D ultrasound. They assure me that our little guy doesn’t really have ram’s horns or Princess Leia buns on his head. He does appear to be sucking his thumb, though. Wow.

Guate V: Chacaya

Jun 23, 2008
So THIS is exciting… It’s not often that you get to visit “before” and “after” in the same day. On Thursday Caroline, Alan and I caught a boat across the lake to visit the village of Chacaya, where the public school has been holding classes in makeshift rooms on rented land for the 135 students […]

Guate V: Chacaya

by David LaMotte

So THIS is exciting… It’s not often that you get to visit “before” and “after” in the same day. On Thursday Caroline, Alan and I caught a boat across the lake to visit the village of Chacaya, where the public school has been holding classes in makeshift rooms on rented land for the 135 students […]

Guate IV: Escuelita David LaMotte

Jun 20, 2008
After a couple of hours’ ride on an unusually empty public bus (known affectionately by the ex-pat community as a “chicken bus”), Alan, Caroline and I caught a boat across the lake to get to Santiago, checked into our hotel and crashed. Wednesday morning we caught a tuc tuc (motorcycle taxi) up to Tzanchaj to […]

Guate IV: Escuelita David LaMotte

by David LaMotte

After a couple of hours’ ride on an unusually empty public bus (known affectionately by the ex-pat community as a “chicken bus”), Alan, Caroline and I caught a boat across the lake to get to Santiago, checked into our hotel and crashed. Wednesday morning we caught a tuc tuc (motorcycle taxi) up to Tzanchaj to […]

Guatemala II: El Tejar Music Program

Jun 18, 2008
And now the updates about the actual work… On Tuesday we met up with John Van Keppel in Antigua and headed to the pueblo of El Tejar, where the CEDIN school has a music program that PEG funded in cooperation with LEAF International. John works for an organization called Child Aid, which supports this school. […]

Guatemala II: El Tejar Music Program

by David LaMotte

And now the updates about the actual work… On Tuesday we met up with John Van Keppel in Antigua and headed to the pueblo of El Tejar, where the CEDIN school has a music program that PEG funded in cooperation with LEAF International. John works for an organization called Child Aid, which supports this school. […]

Back in Guatemala

Jun 17, 2008
I woke this morning to the familiar sound of a long string of fireworks going off below my window. It was about 6:30, and it’s interesting that it no longer startled or surprised me. Guatemalans love fireworks and in Antigua they celebrate by setting them off first thing in the morning most mornings. Four years […]

Back in Guatemala

by David LaMotte

I woke this morning to the familiar sound of a long string of fireworks going off below my window. It was about 6:30, and it’s interesting that it no longer startled or surprised me. Guatemalans love fireworks and in Antigua they celebrate by setting them off first thing in the morning most mornings. Four years […]

It’s a…

Jun 15, 2008
We had a great visit to the midwives’ office. It turns out that our long-time friend Vicki was our lab technician for the ultrasound, and it was wonderful to have such a good friend show us around our baby. It’s about five inches long now, head to bottom, and looks like a baby instead of […]

It’s a…

by David LaMotte

We had a great visit to the midwives’ office. It turns out that our long-time friend Vicki was our lab technician for the ultrasound, and it was wonderful to have such a good friend show us around our baby. It’s about five inches long now, head to bottom, and looks like a baby instead of […]

Serving Size

May 29, 2008
Yesterday I was hanging out at a friend’s place on the Medina river… My friend Wendy Sue from California offered me a Teddy Graham cookie, but I declined because I couldn’t be sure I could finish a whole serving of… 47 cookies?!?! I spent part of my time there working on a new song, too. […]

Serving Size

by David LaMotte

Yesterday I was hanging out at a friend’s place on the Medina river… My friend Wendy Sue from California offered me a Teddy Graham cookie, but I declined because I couldn’t be sure I could finish a whole serving of… 47 cookies?!?! I spent part of my time there working on a new song, too. […]

Home On The Range

May 28, 2008
    Almost every year for the last dozen or so I’ve made an annual pilgrimage to the Kerrville Folk Festival, an eighteen-day long music festival in Kerrville, Texas.  It’s holy ground for me.  Hot, dusty, chigger-ridden, sweaty, holy ground.   There’s music on the stages each night and it’s wonderful, but the real magic […]

Home On The Range

by David LaMotte

    Almost every year for the last dozen or so I’ve made an annual pilgrimage to the Kerrville Folk Festival, an eighteen-day long music festival in Kerrville, Texas.  It’s holy ground for me.  Hot, dusty, chigger-ridden, sweaty, holy ground.   There’s music on the stages each night and it’s wonderful, but the real magic […]

Back to Guate

May 24, 2008
I’m heading back down to Guatemala next month with Caroline Proctor, who is going to be the new director of PEG. I’ll post pictures from there. The two cyclists who are raising money for the retaining wall and new school construction in Chacaya are doing very well. We tallied up some numbers the other day […]

Back to Guate

by David LaMotte

I’m heading back down to Guatemala next month with Caroline Proctor, who is going to be the new director of PEG. I’ll post pictures from there. The two cyclists who are raising money for the retaining wall and new school construction in Chacaya are doing very well. We tallied up some numbers the other day […]

Yes We Cannes

May 20, 2008
My friend Stephanie Winters sent me this link as a P.S. to a note about some other stuff.   She and Walter Parks were accompanying musical legend Richie Havens performing in Cannes at the Film Festival this year, apparently at an event honoring Sean Penn. Stephanie is the cellist who plays all over my most […]

Yes We Cannes

by David LaMotte

My friend Stephanie Winters sent me this link as a P.S. to a note about some other stuff.   She and Walter Parks were accompanying musical legend Richie Havens performing in Cannes at the Film Festival this year, apparently at an event honoring Sean Penn. Stephanie is the cellist who plays all over my most […]

On the Road Again

May 17, 2008
Coppell, Texas I left Asheville at 3:30 in the afternoon on the day before yesterday, and last night played a house concert near Dallas with my long-time friend Beth Wood. What a treat to see and hear her again.  She’s getting married this fall, and moving to Colorado, so you Coloradans keep an ear out […]

On the Road Again

by David LaMotte

Coppell, Texas I left Asheville at 3:30 in the afternoon on the day before yesterday, and last night played a house concert near Dallas with my long-time friend Beth Wood. What a treat to see and hear her again.  She’s getting married this fall, and moving to Colorado, so you Coloradans keep an ear out […]

Gorges (gorgeous)

May 14, 2008
For my birthday, my parents took a picnic basket to the Veranda, a wonderful soup and sandwich place in Black Mountain owned by an old friend of mine. They paid for lunch for two and let us know it was there whenever we wanted it. All we had to do was call in our lunch […]

Gorges (gorgeous)

by David LaMotte

For my birthday, my parents took a picnic basket to the Veranda, a wonderful soup and sandwich place in Black Mountain owned by an old friend of mine. They paid for lunch for two and let us know it was there whenever we wanted it. All we had to do was call in our lunch […]

The biggest news

May 9, 2008
Well, here goes — might as well just spill it: We’re going to have a baby.  😉 Deanna’s due November 20, and we couldn’t be happier. We went for our second ultrasound this week and crossed the twelve week mark, so it’s time to share the good news!   Looks just like me, huh? Answers […]

The biggest news

by David LaMotte

Well, here goes — might as well just spill it: We’re going to have a baby.  😉 Deanna’s due November 20, and we couldn’t be happier. We went for our second ultrasound this week and crossed the twelve week mark, so it’s time to share the good news!   Looks just like me, huh? Answers […]

Canvassing

May 7, 2008
I spent a few hours canvassing on election day.  Did a little door-knocking in my own neighborhood and then made some calls from the back deck.  My rough script was “Hi, this is David LaMotte calling and I’m volunteering for the Obama campaign, just checking in to make sure you got a chance to vote […]

Canvassing

by David LaMotte

I spent a few hours canvassing on election day.  Did a little door-knocking in my own neighborhood and then made some calls from the back deck.  My rough script was “Hi, this is David LaMotte calling and I’m volunteering for the Obama campaign, just checking in to make sure you got a chance to vote […]

Distinguished Guests

May 4, 2008
Columbia, MD Friday night there was a little surprise 40th birthday party for me at my house.  I was out for the early evening hearing Michelle Obama speak at UNC Asheville. She was absolutely amazing, and I was pleased that my friends were able to get her to speak in honor of my birthday.   […]

Distinguished Guests

by David LaMotte

Columbia, MD Friday night there was a little surprise 40th birthday party for me at my house.  I was out for the early evening hearing Michelle Obama speak at UNC Asheville. She was absolutely amazing, and I was pleased that my friends were able to get her to speak in honor of my birthday.   […]

national radio

Apr 28, 2008
I’ll be interviewed live about the push poll call (see below) tomorrow (Tuesday) morning on XM Digital Radio’s POTUS 08 (channel 130) at 7:30AM Eastern (I could use even *more* parentheses if you’re not getting enough…).  Those of you who fit both of the criteria of being plugged into digital radio and being up at […]

national radio

by David LaMotte

I’ll be interviewed live about the push poll call (see below) tomorrow (Tuesday) morning on XM Digital Radio’s POTUS 08 (channel 130) at 7:30AM Eastern (I could use even *more* parentheses if you’re not getting enough…).  Those of you who fit both of the criteria of being plugged into digital radio and being up at […]

More on the Push Poll

Apr 28, 2008
Well, it’s been an educational few days (if you haven’t read the post below about the push poll call I got from the Clinton campaign, you might want to scroll down and check it out). My little phone call recording has gone from Huffington Post to Daily Kos to Politico to ABC news, and it […]

More on the Push Poll

by David LaMotte

Well, it’s been an educational few days (if you haven’t read the post below about the push poll call I got from the Clinton campaign, you might want to scroll down and check it out). My little phone call recording has gone from Huffington Post to Daily Kos to Politico to ABC news, and it […]

Traffic

Apr 28, 2008
Two really funny vehicular scenes from my last twenty-four hours:  One: Yesterday a Harley-Davidson pulled by my house and I glanced over at the biker riding a machine with all the auditory subtlety of a jack hammer on a freight train, only to do a double-take: he was talking on a cell phone.  Can you […]

Traffic

by David LaMotte

Two really funny vehicular scenes from my last twenty-four hours:  One: Yesterday a Harley-Davidson pulled by my house and I glanced over at the biker riding a machine with all the auditory subtlety of a jack hammer on a freight train, only to do a double-take: he was talking on a cell phone.  Can you […]

from my *very* late thirties…

Apr 25, 2008
…I’ve got about twenty-four minutes to go, actually.  According to my birth certificate I was born at 11:06AM, forty years ago today.  Or almost forty years ago.  About twenty-three minutes short. Had a lovely birthday party with my family last night.  I was born on my sister Margaret’s sixth birthday, and to this day Mom […]

from my *very* late thirties…

by David LaMotte

…I’ve got about twenty-four minutes to go, actually.  According to my birth certificate I was born at 11:06AM, forty years ago today.  Or almost forty years ago.  About twenty-three minutes short. Had a lovely birthday party with my family last night.  I was born on my sister Margaret’s sixth birthday, and to this day Mom […]

Push Polled in NC by the Clinton Campaign

Apr 24, 2008
This is a letter I wrote yesterday to the New Director of POTUS 08, the XM radio station that covers the presidential campaign exclusively… Scott Walterman Senior Director of News Programming XM Satellite Radio Hi Scott, David LaMotte here.  We’ve corresponded once before about some POTUS08 programming, and I sincerely appreciated your friendly response. I’m […]

Push Polled in NC by the Clinton Campaign

by David LaMotte

This is a letter I wrote yesterday to the New Director of POTUS 08, the XM radio station that covers the presidential campaign exclusively… Scott Walterman Senior Director of News Programming XM Satellite Radio Hi Scott, David LaMotte here.  We’ve corresponded once before about some POTUS08 programming, and I sincerely appreciated your friendly response. I’m […]

Cool Cover of an old song of mine

Apr 20, 2008
Chapel Hill It’s always an honor when someone covers your song, of course, but there’s something especially cool about having it covered by a Turkish guy in Germany.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQE3hVsWv9g&hl=en] He may have missed a bit of the English, but I really like his take on the guitar part — maybe a little more than mine. […]

Cool Cover of an old song of mine

by David LaMotte

Chapel Hill It’s always an honor when someone covers your song, of course, but there’s something especially cool about having it covered by a Turkish guy in Germany.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQE3hVsWv9g&hl=en] He may have missed a bit of the English, but I really like his take on the guitar part — maybe a little more than mine. […]

Homeward Bound

Apr 20, 2008
I’m waking up in North Carolina this morning, and will be home tomorrow after one more workshop and show this evening. Had a wonderful show at UNC last night, where we raised some more money for PEG.  This last week’s shows have raised about $1500 for projects in Guatemala, most of which will go to […]

Homeward Bound

by David LaMotte

I’m waking up in North Carolina this morning, and will be home tomorrow after one more workshop and show this evening. Had a wonderful show at UNC last night, where we raised some more money for PEG.  This last week’s shows have raised about $1500 for projects in Guatemala, most of which will go to […]

Lil Abner

Apr 12, 2008
I’m home for a couple of days and enjoying it while it lasts.  Last night Deanna and I went to see my nephew, Nate, in a high school production of Lil Abner.  Nate played the part of a pumped up hunk that had been transformed from a scrawny kid by a potent herbal potion.  The […]

Lil Abner

by David LaMotte

I’m home for a couple of days and enjoying it while it lasts.  Last night Deanna and I went to see my nephew, Nate, in a high school production of Lil Abner.  Nate played the part of a pumped up hunk that had been transformed from a scrawny kid by a potent herbal potion.  The […]

This American Life

Apr 9, 2008
St. Petersburg, Florida Wow!  So this is cool… MJ got an email today from This American Life and they want to license my song Ten and a Half for use on their TV show on Showtime. This American Life is some of the smartest and most fascinating stuff being broadcast these days, and I’m just […]

This American Life

by David LaMotte

St. Petersburg, Florida Wow!  So this is cool… MJ got an email today from This American Life and they want to license my song Ten and a Half for use on their TV show on Showtime. This American Life is some of the smartest and most fascinating stuff being broadcast these days, and I’m just […]

White Flour

Apr 7, 2008
Memphis, Tennessee People keep asking at shows where they can get a copy of my poem, White Flour. Christine Kane did me the honor of printing it on her excellent blog a while back, but I guess it’s time I added it to my own. By the way, I just got word that it will be […]

White Flour

by David LaMotte

Memphis, Tennessee People keep asking at shows where they can get a copy of my poem, White Flour. Christine Kane did me the honor of printing it on her excellent blog a while back, but I guess it’s time I added it to my own. By the way, I just got word that it will be […]

Don’t Call Us Saints

Apr 4, 2008
Lebanon, Tennessee Every once in a while I hear someone say something in passing that sticks with me for years, though I’ll never find the proper attribution. I think it was in an NPR interview years ago that I heard someone point out that as a society we tend to admire living conservatives and dead […]

Don’t Call Us Saints

by David LaMotte

Lebanon, Tennessee Every once in a while I hear someone say something in passing that sticks with me for years, though I’ll never find the proper attribution. I think it was in an NPR interview years ago that I heard someone point out that as a society we tend to admire living conservatives and dead […]

Cherry Blossoms

Mar 30, 2008
  Washington, DC Current Earworm (song stuck in my head): Ellis Paul, “Washington, DC, 5/91” Given all the traveling I do, you’d think I’d be a more skilled tourist.  Like, for instance, if I were going to go to a major city for a few days with my wife for a little vacation, I might […]

Cherry Blossoms

by David LaMotte

  Washington, DC Current Earworm (song stuck in my head): Ellis Paul, “Washington, DC, 5/91” Given all the traveling I do, you’d think I’d be a more skilled tourist.  Like, for instance, if I were going to go to a major city for a few days with my wife for a little vacation, I might […]

Somewhat Less Impressive Travel Karma

Mar 25, 2008
The trip home today involves four flights, the second of which is the thirteen hour jump from Sydney to LA. After my great luck with the three empty seats on the way over, I paid my dues in the dreaded ‘middle seat’ on the way back, with a huge man in the seat in front […]

Somewhat Less Impressive Travel Karma

by David LaMotte

The trip home today involves four flights, the second of which is the thirteen hour jump from Sydney to LA. After my great luck with the three empty seats on the way over, I paid my dues in the dreaded ‘middle seat’ on the way back, with a huge man in the seat in front […]

National Folk Festival

Mar 25, 2008
I’m headed home after the Australian tour, flying from Sydney to Los Angeles. For the last few days I’ve been performing at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australia’scapital city (nope, it’s not Sydney). I played this festival six years ago and made some good friends, and many of them were there again, so on top of all the great music and general festival fun, I got to spend some good relaxed time with some good relaxed people.... Read More →

National Folk Festival

by David LaMotte

I’m headed home after the Australian tour, flying from Sydney to Los Angeles. For the last few days I’ve been performing at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australia’scapital city (nope, it’s not Sydney). I played this festival six years ago and made some good friends, and many of them were there again, so on top of all the great music and general festival fun, I got to spend some good relaxed time with some good relaxed people…. Read More →

Bang On

Mar 18, 2008
Melbourne, Australia It’s a hot morning in Melbourne, which is nothing unusual, actually.  Brisbane tends to be even hotter, but forty degree days haven’t been uncommon lately, and that’s 104 where I come from. I’m staying with my old friend Liz Frencham and her very cool beau Steve.  Liz and I played a small festival near here […]

Bang On

by David LaMotte

Melbourne, Australia It’s a hot morning in Melbourne, which is nothing unusual, actually.  Brisbane tends to be even hotter, but forty degree days haven’t been uncommon lately, and that’s 104 where I come from. I’m staying with my old friend Liz Frencham and her very cool beau Steve.  Liz and I played a small festival near here […]

A few more Brisbane pix

Mar 16, 2008
Here are just a few more pictures of Brisbane and the University of Queensland:   View Album Get your own

A few more Brisbane pix

by David LaMotte

Here are just a few more pictures of Brisbane and the University of Queensland:   View Album Get your own

Brisbane wrap up

Mar 15, 2008
  The last day in Brisbane was as good as the first two, taken up mostly by a tour of the city and environs with Judy Magub, who works with the Peace Fellows from the Rotary side, and an evening party where some of the class five Fellows were welcoming the new class six Fellows […]

Brisbane wrap up

by David LaMotte

  The last day in Brisbane was as good as the first two, taken up mostly by a tour of the city and environs with Judy Magub, who works with the Peace Fellows from the Rotary side, and an evening party where some of the class five Fellows were welcoming the new class six Fellows […]

Day 2 in Brisbane

Mar 14, 2008
Had a great day on campus yesterday with Cassio, a ‘Class 5’ Fellow from Brazil. We rambled all over the campus and had a ball. I met a couple of professors and several Fellows, then went to a class last night, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I took two pages of fairly dense notes even though […]

Day 2 in Brisbane

by David LaMotte

Had a great day on campus yesterday with Cassio, a ‘Class 5’ Fellow from Brazil. We rambled all over the campus and had a ball. I met a couple of professors and several Fellows, then went to a class last night, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I took two pages of fairly dense notes even though […]