Texas Trails - March - May 2022 — Michael McMillan Music

It’s been a miraculous journey, but where do I start?

Well the best place I suppose is back in August 2019 when I was playing at The Pensacolla Beach Songwriters Festival. I had just come off stage when this big guy with a Cowboy hat on said “You should come to Texas.” I said I’d love to come to Texas and play for you guys and he said “great let’s keep in touch.”

When I got back home to Glasgow (Scotland) I made contact with my new found (Cowboy) friend, but after a few conversations he disappeared off the radar and I thought well that was that, he probably meant well at the time but wasn’t in a position to follow through with his side of the offer.

BUT.

A very short time later I was contacted by a lovely lady called DeeDee (now my agent, manager and advisor) and her amazing husband Dan. They had followed my conversation with the Cowboy, had listened to my music, really liked what they heard, saw that communications had broken down, and offered to step in and not only arrange a tour and all my gigs/shows etc in Texas, but give me a place to stay at their ranch (Heaven Sent Ranch) near to Comfort, in The Hill Country area of Texas.

SO

After a few phone calls text messages and a great deal of prayer (on both sides of the Atlantic!) I packed my suitcase, my guitar and my bagpipes and headed across to see my newfound friends in Texas. DeeDee and Dan are just the nicest, kindest people you could ever meet. But they are also hard working folk, ranchers, animal rescuers (Dan is also the pastor of Fredericksburg Cowboy Church), but most important they are straight talking, no nonsense, speak your mind, say it as it is kind of people, my kind of people and I love that about them.

AND THEN

Having stayed with them, initially for 6 weeks and then a further 9 weeks, we got to know each other very well, warts and all, and we have developed a close, loving, family relationship that I am sure will last forever. Yes we have our moments, what family doesn’t, but that’s the healthy part of it… it’s all “real” with no hidden agendas or skeletons hiding away somewhere.

MUSIC

In my excitement and enthusiasm for Texas and especially the towns and people around the Hill Country, I almost forgot to mention that I also played some music! Quite a lot actually in a variety of venues, throughout this area. I also got to meet and play with some of the most outstanding musicians and songwriters I have ever heard, some pretty big names too, who have written for and played with the greats. There are far too many to mention, but you guys know who you are.

The kindness I experienced was overwhelming at times and I kept pinching myself, that wee Michael McMillan from Glasgow, Scotland was sitting here in Texas, playing my own songs to peers whom I hold in high esteem and to groups of ordinary people, who just like me and my music for who I am and for what my songs say, and the messages they get from them. It’s a God thing for sure and although I continue to thank Him, I can’t thank Him enough. I’m now 60+ (hahaha) and for this to be happening to me and my music so far down the road, it can only be God, and I can see his hands all over this amazing journey. Thank you, Lord.

There is so (so) much more I could share with you, but space on here is limited. There are also so many people I would personally like to thank for their kindness, support, encouragement and wise counsel, but again, too many to mention and besides, I know that some of them would not want, nor require their names to be mentioned here. As they would say “we get to do it, we aint got to do it.”

I return to Texas at the end of June (2022) for 5 weeks and once again I’ll be staying at Heaven Sent Ranch (the title of one of my new songs) with DeeDee and Dan and I’m sure some other places too. I will also be playing in Colorado at a private “house concert” and I’m sure I’ll be meeting more new people and experiencing loads more life stories, adventures and tales to share with you all.

I hope you enjoy looking at the photographs I have posted from my Texas Trails.

Until the next time.

God bless you
Michael