Greetings from Cow Creek,

A-O Buckaroos, once again from the beautiful Texas Hill Country. I had made a point not to let too much time pass before touching base again. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Ruth is in the kitchen up to her elbows in fresh cranberries, pumpkins, a turkey and the whole nine yards. Did I ever tell you that “the girl can cook”! Julian is coming home from college and we’re having some friends and neighbors come by for dinner. We really do have a lot to be thankful for and we are.

We have had a busy year, probably the best ever. I know I have enjoyed working with the new guys in the band as well as learning to play the guitar. You may not realize that I only took up guitar seriously just over three years ago. I have played every instrument in the band including drums, bass, piano, and rhythm guitar, but had never had the opportunity to play guitar. Working 4-piece with Treavor Labonte on the other guitar has given me the opportunity to improve my skills though, “I’ve got a long, long way to go”.
Perhaps you have heard that song.

The sales for the latest CD, “SOMETHING FOR THE TRAIL”, are really starting to pick up. Honestly, it was having a hard time competing with the “WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TEXAS” CD, which just continues to be the best seller! Recently, however, I can detect a definite increase in sales of SFTT and I am pleased about that as I always had confidence in the tunes on that CD. It seems that it takes a long time for some to catch on to what I’m doing. I guess it’s because it doesn’t arrive with all the hype that they are used to. (“Where’d all them purty boys come from, anyway?”) We’re still winning new fans as I hear many people saying lately, “Gary P., I’ve heard about you for years but this is the first time I’ve seen you perform, and I really, really enjoyed it”. Well, Hello! Or, as I was told by a young lady just last Saturday at the Horseshoe in Gatesville, Texas, “Gary P., you’re really hot for an older fellow”! I love that one!

We just returned from a Tour of Texas that began at the World Championship Chili Cook-Off at Terlingua, Texas. It was really great to get back out there. I did it every year for 14 years back when Armadillo Sam Lewis was with us. He was such a special person and everyone who knew him misses him so much, I know. From Terlingua on Friday to Bandera on Saturday for a return to the traditional “Hunter’s Ball” at the Cabaret Dancehall, which has re-opened with Matthew Franek in charge and working very hard to restore the Cabaret to its rightful place in the annuls historic Texas Dancehalls. By this time we have logged over 1,000 miles in 24 hours. We then head south to South Padre Island for a little R & R. (“Down at Laguna Madre, cruising’ over the causeway“). My buddy Diesel Dave invited us down to participate in the Texas Southern Pro-Am Golf Tournament and our team took Second Place! One day we went fishing with Freddie Petty and had a great day chasing the elusive redfish. Gary Herman, our bass man, took top honors for catching the most fish. Thanks to Bill Donahue at the Radisson Hotel on South Padre Island for his fantastic hospitality. November is beautiful and the perfect time to visit the island. We had to get home to get some rest as we had all been nursing a respiratory ailment during the whole trip, but, “didn’t we have us a ball”?

As some of you are aware, we had to cancel the Corona Con Lima Cruise which was scheduled for December 10th-17th. Perhaps it was the hurricanes, or the price of fuel, or whatever, but not only did our package not sell well but the whole cruise was not selling. We had to bail out as I was on the hook for all the expenses and totally upside down and “overboard” when the cutoff date arrived. I regret so very much that it was our very best friends and fans who had signed on got drenched as they were only going because we were going. We have done all we can to help everyone recover as much as possible, but some had spent lots in anticipation of the trip. For that, I can only offer my sincere apologies and pray that you who have been affected will forgive me. I was lured into the proposition with promises that did not materialize. I rarely do that and once again I have learned the lesson the hard way.

New Year’s Eve Date Finalized
We will celebrate New Year’s Eve at Bub Epley’s airplane hanger at the Tres Hijos Ranch near Tilden, Texas. The location is just a few miles west of Hwy 16 on Hwy 72. (consult your map). Tilden is approx. 60 miles south of San Antonio. Hotel rooms are available are in Pleasanton, Three Rivers, and one in Tilden. RV’s, campers, and etc. have plenty of room to park and camp and are welcome. The ticket price is $20, and it’s BYOB. Contact us if you need more info. We’ll look forward to seeing you at this unique south Texas “ranch-style” setting to “ring in the New Year!”

List of Motels within 30 miles:
Don Moore's Best Western, Three Rivers, TX phone 361-786-2000
The Executive Inn, Three RIvers, TX phone 361-786-3563
The Staghorn Hotel, Three Rivers, TX phone 361-786-3541
Bass Inn, Three Rivers, TX phone 361-3521

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I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support and friendship. We would have no Thanksgiving or Christmas without you. Thank you for being with us at our shows, for buying our CD’s and other products, and for being our friends. We invite you to visit our website often to keep up with our comings and goings, where we will be performing, news, horses and goats for sale, and etc. We are happy that so many of you choose to shop for our products via the website and invite you do some Christmas shopping for the gift of music, that just “keeps on giving”. We were here when this whole “Texas Music Thang” began and we have no intention of going anywhere; not as long as we have so many “Friends for Life” out there with whom we have the opportunity to share our music and friendship and the sheer joy of living in TEXAS, USA! Until we meet again, pray for our servicemen and women, and for peace at home and around the world. May the Good Lord continue to bless us, everyone.

Merry Christmas from the family,

Gary P. and Ruth S. Nunn