The Patagonia Music Interview Series continues thanks to our friends at HeadCount. This time, G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck talk about their benefit track “Ooh Dee Ooh” and why they chose Surfrider Foundation as the beneficiary from the sales. If you missed it, check out the first interview with Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley. “Ooh Dee Ooh” from G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck is available now, exclusively through the Patagonia Music Collective and iTunes. Proceeds from the sales of this song benefit the Surfrider Foundation and their mission to protect oceans, waves and beaches. Did we mention, it only costs 99 cents? Check out the original article here.

G. Love is stoked to play at Greekfest at the University of Alabama on August 26! Times: Doors @ 6:00pm Opener TBA @ 7:30pm G. Love @ 9:00pm Dierks Bentley @ 10:30pm Venue: University of Alabama Athletic Dorm Parking Lot Jefferson Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL Ages 18+ Get Tickets  RSVP on Facebook

“Time to hit the stage. Be on time. Give 1000 percent. Play like it’s your last show. Become your music. Sweat. Love it. Bleed for your music. Connect with your crowd. Have fun. Execute your plan. Perform technically sound. Let go of your inhibitions. Take risks. Do something different. Take advantage of your opportunity. Love it… For this week’s blog, which I believe, is my eleventh for Guitar World, I wanted to ramble on to you all about performance. Your performance is probably the most important thing about your music as it relates to people other than yourself. True, the best music you ever play may be in your room or on your porch with only your dog listening but if you do want to make music professionally you’ll have to hit the streets, the stage, the studio and you better be ready to cut it up.” Read the rest of this week’s Guitar World’s Down and Dirty with G. Love HERE

photo by Kevin Notargiacomo     Welcome, welcome friends! Well, I’m going to be honest with you, this past spring when we were putting together our summer plans I sure was feeling like the summer tour was going to be a disaster but as I’m flying back from Fuji Rock in Japan I’m reminiscing on one of the finest and most enjoyable summer tours of my career.  Here’s the wrap up. Let me know which shows you came to and if you came to a couple, which were your favs.     I guess we could say that the summer started early for us in Brazil with the good brother Jack Johnson. Jack asked me to support him solo acoustic and I’m telling you friends, whenever I get to perform solo acoustic I get good fast. There’s nothing like being up there all alone. It’s sink or swim and I always enjoy those type of creative circumstances. We had a great time in Brazil with Jack, Merlo, Adam, Zack, the Johnson Fam, the Crew (thanks!!!), and the wonderful, huge and enthusiastic Brazilian crowds. In the blink of an eye we were back in the states on a flight to Nashville and en route to Bonnaroo where we definitely crushed a band show and a solo show. I was hard pressed to decide which set I loved more. After I played my two sets and a shit ton of press and radio I was really blown away by an excellent Strokes set and had a nice rap with Julian Casablancas after. Bonnaroo was dope. photo by Kevin Notargiacomo       What next?  A string of solo acoustic shows up and down the east coast where every night the crowds kept dancing and vibing harder. Wellfleet, Nantucket, Dewey beach…these were inspired nights man! After that I linked back up with the band for the DMB Caravan Shows in Atlantic City and Chicago.  We had special guest Big Al aka SuperFresh announcing us on stage. Ahhhhh such good vibes! We hit up Basilica Block party with Michael Franti, headlined at SummerFest in Milwaukee, Delmar racetrack, Trinity Tribal Stomp, Roc City Jazz Fest, Baltimore Artscape whaaaaat! Talk about some crazy ass shows with some big ass crowds. Fiyo fiyo fiyo!       In between all that I even went out to Denver to shoot a spot for the Encore/Starz Network that features the song Walk On. And… It’s too early to announce but I’m guesting harp on two big big records this year. I ain’t bragging, I’m just sayin…I’m excited man that’s all.        photo by Kevin Notargiacomo       And we still aren’t done. I’m taking some family time now but we just had some bomb shows at 311 Pow Wow fest and the US Open in Huntington Beach followed Ft Collins (free!!), Salt Lake City, Steamboat Springs, the show goes on. This September I’m looking forward to heading over to the UK, Amsterdam and Paris for a string of acoustic shows to get Fixin To Die rolling overseas. Then before you know it our October run is coming, we will be back on the east coast playing the home town shows in Philly, Boston, NYC, DC and all the cities where we got our start in ‘94. It’s been too long since we did our own thing there so get your tix now so we can all get down and do it right on the East Side.   So basically, this summer was the summer of summers and we really want to thank each and every one of you who shared those nights with us or watched from afar. Our fans are the best and we couldn’t do it without you. See you soon! Brought to you by G. Love’s Special HOT Sauce. Put it on your food not your Baby!

“I started out predominantly as an acoustic player, but when I formed my band in 1993 I knew that was going to change. At the time, my main stage guitar was a 1939 Dobro. I had a D’Armond pickup off an old Silvertone installed near the bridge, but as always, there were a lot of problems trying to amplify the sound of a Dobro into an electric setting. Point of story? It was time to get that electric guitar going. Plug in and play. That’s how I’ve always been. I take my acoustic style and apply it to my electric work. I’m not a tech guy and for better or worse, I definitely admit this. I just want to plug in and play. When you go electric, you are really using two instruments, your guitar and your rig. Whether your rig consists of 40 pedals into a wall of amplifiers or just a chord into a tube amp, you have to learn your rig, shed on your rig and know how to get the best sounds out of it as possible.” Read the rest of this week’s Guitar World’s Down and Dirty with G. Love HERE

As you may know, G.Love is heading to Japan on July 30th for his show at Naeba Ski Resort, but loves you guys so much he is coming back for more! Get ready because he will be playing three more shows in Japan in November! Here’s where your boy is coming: Nov. 2, 2011 - Nagoya, Japan Club Quattro 8 SF Nagoya Parco EAST 3-29-1 Sakae 7 PM RSVP GET TICKETS Nov. 3, 2011 - Osaka, Japan Big Cat BIG STEP 4F 1-6-14 6 PM RSVP GET TICKETS Nov. 4, 2011 - Tokyo, Japan Liquid Room 3-16-6 7 PM RSVP GET TICKETS For all tour dates, check out philadelphonic.com/tour

Click to watch G. Love’s Fall Tour Announcement to YOU What’s up Pham! It’s my pleasure to invite you all to the Fixin To Die Fall Tour. We’ve taken this record all around the world and now we finally get the chance to bring it on back home playing Philly, Boston, NYC and as many east coast towns that we can get to in a month. The rooms are gonna be jamming, the band is firing so make sure you get your tix and come with us on a musical journey from the Delta Blues of Mississippi to the funky streets of Philly and every sound in between. See you soon and thanks so much for everything you do. Our fans are the best and we couldn’t do it with out you. Thanks, G October 06, 2011 @ Headliners - Louisville, KY: Tickets & More Info October 07, 2011 @ WorkPlay Theater - Birmingham, AL: Tickets & More Info October 08, 2011 @ Oktoberfest - Myrtle Beach, SC: Tickets & More Info October 09, 2011 @ Langerado - Sunrise, FL: Tickets & More Info October 12, 2011 @ South Carolina State Fair - Columbia, SC: Tickets & More Info October 13, 2011 @ Orange Peel - Asheville, NC: Tickets & More Info October 14, 2011 @ 9:30 Club - Washington, DC: Tickets & More Info October 15, 2011 @ The National - Richmond, VA: Tickets & More Info October 16, 2011 @ Jefferson Theatre - Charlottesville, VA: Tickets & More Info October 19, 2011 @ Bell’s Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI: Tickets & More Info October 20, 2011 @ Vogue Theater - Indianapolis, IN: Tickets & More Info October 21, 2011 @ Madison Theater - Covington, KY: Tickets & More Info October 22, 2011 @ House of Blues - Cleveland, OH: Tickets & More Info October 24, 2011 @ State Theatre - State College, PA: Tickets & More Info October 25, 2011 @ Wescott Theatre - Syracuse, NY: Tickets & More Info October 26, 2011 @ Irving Plaza - New York, NY: Tickets & More Info October 28, 2011 @ House of Blues - Boston, MA: Tickets & More Info October 29, 2011 @ Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA: Tickets & More Info  See you out on the Road!

“I first met Dave Matthews in the catering line for the Horde Tour back in 1994 at Old Orchard Beach in Maine. We were both on the come-up and bursting on the scene. Little did I know at the time that Dave and his band would be my generation’s “Kings of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” I imagine that Dave Matthews is the top-grossing (or one of the top-grossing) touring acts every year. And it’s been that way for probably 15 years. Go, Dave.

I was pretty pumped when we got the call from the Encore Network that they wanted to use the song “Walk On” in a TV campaign. I wrote the tune in high school back in 1988, damn, that’s a long time ago!! It just goes to show you that a good song is a good song whether you write it at 38 or 15. Good songs stand the test of time. That’s no lie.      I’ve been running pretty hard out here on tour and after spending my two days off moving into my new spot in Boston, I had been on the go for 10 days straight. I left the band and crew after the sick ass set at the DMB Caravan in Chi-town and headed to Denver on the band’s day off to get ready for the Encore shoot.       The plan was to perform the song to a track in a high field of CO grass (just regular field grass mind you).  After 10 days straight, a dinner with the producers and directors and 7 hours of sleep my 7:30 am wake up came too soon but honestly it was the most sleep I had in a week. I was ready.     It was a beautiful morning in Denver and I headed out to the shoot with my manager Jason Brown. We got to the location and I was excited. Even though it was just a 60 second spot they had set up a beautiful location and the shot was going to be classic. The director Brian Morrow was very concerned, and justifiably so, about the unseasonable afternoon T-Storms that had been rolling through the Denver area like clockwork in the early afternoon. He was on a mission to get the shoot done, and done beautifully, by 1 or 2 pm. I was originally told the shoot was going to be 10 hours. I’m always ready to work as long as possible, but I was down for an early dismissal as long as the shots were money.       We started shooting and “Walk On” just sounded lovely coming through the speakers with the sun beaming down through the spotted clouds and the tall grass swaying in the wind. I was feeling it big time and happy to be there. In between shots I just stayed right there on my stool working on two new songs, “Bloodshot and Blue” and “Finest Kind”. I was in heaven simple as that. It seemed like a couple hours went by, I was flowing, when off in the distance, just like clockwork, the thunder heads rolled in and you could see that storm brewing. Brian was hustling up. We had 3 shots left. We banged them out and then the storm was right on us. Brian called the shoot. He felt we had it and was not trying to have any of us get struck by lightening.  I was all, “come on let’s keep shooting” but he was like, “we are wrapped and we are going fishing”. I was like, “aight then let’s go fishing” and fishing we went.     I’m supposed to be working and I’m going fishing. Nice. It turns out that Brian is an avid fly fisherman and makes his own custom bamboo fly rods.  We jumped in the whip and headed for the Platte River by Deckers, Co to wet a line. As we neared the river, the thunderstorm had dissipated and we got the gear out and got ready to cast. The river was really high and running fast. Brian was not optimistic and sure enough we tried throwing a bunch of his hand tied Streamers out there but to no avail. Not a hit, not a strike. That’s why it’s called fishing not catching. Anyways, we drove upstream to try another spot but sure as shit, that rain started up again, lighting bolts striking, thunder cracking and it seemed we were out of luck. We headed home. I was happy for a country drive and a couple casts though that’s fo sho.              On the way home from the stream we passed this cool looking fishing bar called the Spruce Wood Inn. We sat at the bar ordered some Green Chile and a couple beers when the sky opened up and the flood started.  The minute the rain started pouring, the bar itself was flooding. There was literally a stream running through the sidewall of the bar.  It was unbeliveable. The only thing we could do was grab a snow shovel and start bailing water out the front door. The water was rushing and we were shoveling.  As the storm passed we started getting the upper hand and in no time the water was cleared. It was a good moment and really made me think of how helpless we would be against a real flood. Goddamn there’s no power like mother nature. That’s the truth to tell. It turned out that one of the cats helping keep the bar out of the river was also a musician named Dawson James. He even gave me his new record, “Plaid Shirt Livin”. The record sounded great on the way back to Denver where we headed after another beer on the house for helping out. I made it back to the hotel with some wet feets and a big smile. What an adventure in Denver.  Colorado always feels like home away from home and I was blessed to get off the stage and on the river and into the local bar for a hot minute. Now, I’m flying to Canada for the Ottowa blues festival and the rest of the US, Canada dates before we head to Japan for Fuji Rock. I hope Y’all are having a great summer and staying cool as lemonade. Thanks for stopping by! G  

About eight years ago, I was playing the Summer X Games in LA at the Staples Center. I rolled by the Fender booth and met another Philly Cat by the name of Bill Cummisky. Bill and I got to talking guitars and we thought a great guitar company/artist pairing could be made between Gretsch and G. Love. Bill works with Fender, which owns Gretsch, so the opportunity was right there.