Have accordion, will travel

Former State Representative Ed Fallon (D-Des Moines) — the 2006 candidate for governor and 2008 candidate for congress who now heads a group called “I’M for Iowa: an Independence Movement for Iowa” — sent an email to supporters today.  The subject line was “Musician for Hire” and you can read the email below. The “Lynn” he mentions is his wife.  The reference to “unusual times” may be a reference to this.

Dear Friends,

Yes, I know. “Musician for Hire” is an unusual topic for the Weekly Update. But we live in unusual times. The long and short of it is this: I need to put my musical abilities on the market, and would ask you to keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities in the following areas:

Home concerts. If you’ve got a grand or baby grand piano, invite a group of friends over to your home for an evening of classical music: mostly Chopin, but other classical selections as well. Home concerts can be structured to include plenty of general socializing time, too, and the actual concert portion can be between 60 and 90 minutes.
Performance gigs. This would include weddings, holiday parties and a variety of special events. I offer classical or light jazz/ background music on the piano, all types of accordion music, classical guitar, folk guitar, and Irish music on a number of instruments. I perform solo or with other bands, though I don’t have a band of my own.
Lessons. I teach beginning and intermediate piano, accordion, classical guitar, folk guitar, Irish whistle and Irish drum.
Church organist/pianist. I’m available to substitute as a church musician and will also consider a regular weekly position for a short or extended period.
Recordings. I have recorded with a variety of bands on a number of instruments, including Irish whistle, Irish drum, accordion and guitar.

Oh, and did I say that I’m a pretty darn good musician, too? At the same time, the work that Lynn and I do for political reform continues under the auspices of I’M for Iowa.