JANUARY 2011 - Happy New Year. December 21^st was the shortest daylight day of the years. Now the period of daylight is increasing slightly each day. Though we are in winter, spring is just a few months away. My wife was born in southern California. We are now here in Orlando. I told her my memories growing up in the northeast and Cleveland. I recall how the arrival of spring was cause for celebration. As severe the winter was, spring was especially welcomed and appreciated because of the contrast. As mild as the winters are here in Florida, we don’t experience contrast.

This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Wednesday, January 5th, 7:00 to 10:00pm and Friday, January 21^st, 8:00 to 11:00pm  www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

This month I’ll be performing at the Maitland Farmers Market on Sunday, January 16^th from 10:00am to 1:00 pm. The market is located on Lake Lily, in Maitland.

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FEBRUARY 2011 - Welcome to February, shortest month of the year. Still, It claims Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Black History Month and President’s Day. In the Northern Hemisphere, February is in the winter season. In the southern hemisphere, February is in the summer.

Thursday, February 3rd
7:00 to 10:00pm
Attic Door
Winter Garden, FL
It’s definitely the best coffee house/wine bar in central Florida.
www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

Friday, February 11th,
7:00 to 9:00pm
Winter Garden Gazebo
Plant Street, Winter Garden, FL  

Saturday, February the 12th
12:55 to 1:40pm
The 9th Annual Folk Festival at The Mennello Museum of Art
The festival is free!
www.mennellomuseum.org

Saturday, February 12th
Doors open at 7pm
Winter Garden heritage Foundation
271 West Plant Street
Benefit Concert
Click here to read the press release

Thursday, February 24th
7:00 to 10:00pm
Attic Door
Winter Garden, FL
www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

Saturday, February 26th
2:40pm
Pine Castle Pioneer Days Festival
www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org

Sunday, February 27th
11:50am
Pine Castle Pioneer Days Festival
www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org

  A Very Special Evening with Bob Rafkin set for February 12, 2011

Looking for a "date night" for this year's Valentines' Day weekend?  The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation has announced a concert featuring singer, songwriter and guitarist Bob Rafkin for Saturday, February 12, 2011.  Designated as "A Very Special Evening with Bob Rafkin," the interactive concert will showcase both Rafkin's extraordinary talent and the stories behind many of his original songs.

Rafkin has lived in West Orange County since 1991. He has recorded nine full-length CDs.  His accomplishments include winning the Florida Guitar Finger Picking Championship and the South Florida Festival Songwriters Competition. He has performed all over Florida, in Nashville at the Bluebird Cafe and at the Bethlehem Musikfest in Pennsylvania. He opened for Willie Nelson in 1997 and 1999 and has held concert tours in the United Kingdom annually for the last several years.

Rafkin is also recognized for his exceptional abilities as a songwriter. His songwriting career took flight in the early seventies with his song "Lazy Waters," covered by the Byrds on their LP, "Farther Along." He wrote the score for a PBS documentary, furnished the off-camera recording for actor Greg Evigan (B.J. McKay on the NBC TV program "B.J. and the Bear") and his song, "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" was featured on the soundtrack to the feature film "Spree."

Rafkin's musical style is sometimes referred to as "Americana" or "folk;" yet, it defies such limitations.  His songs are original, entertaining, sensitive and melodic masterpieces.  They incorporate both extraordinary story-telling and musical genius.  This will, indeed, be a very special evening.

The concert will be held at the Winter Garden American Legion Hall located at 271 West Plant Street.  Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.  To assure an intimate gathering, attendance is limited to one hundred.

Tickets are available for $15.00 per person from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at the History Center located behind the Railroad Museum at 101 South Boyd Street, Winter Garden, or by calling 407-877-7115.  Admission includes the concert, complimentary wine and cheese and an opportunity to speak with the artist.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to benefit the museums and programs of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.  Costs of the event are being underwritten by Winter Garden attorney Ron Sikes.  

MARCH 2011 - It seems that March arrived so quickly. February is a short month you know. Still it always appears to go fast, much faster than just because it's a few days shorter. Am I making any sense here??? So now it's March, "In like a lion, out like a lamb", so it is said. Sunday, March 13^th is the beginning of daylight saving time.

This month, I'll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Thursday, March 3^rd and Thursday March 31st, 7:00 to 10:00pm.     www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday March 12th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery. The hours for music have been expanded, 11:00am to 2:00pm. Check www.yalahabakery.com

On Saturday, March 26^th, I’ll perform at the Deland Art Festival. My set is 4:00 to 5:00pm.  There will be music all day long. www.delandoutdoorartfest.com

APRIL 2011 - Happy April to you all. I think our "terrible" Florida winter is over. The music room on the second floor has already turned into a sauna. I’m sitting here now, 9:00pm, typing away with all the windows open, the ceiling fan on high and it's HOT.

This month, I'll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Thursday, April 6^th, 7:00 to 10:00pm and Friday April 29^th, 8:00 to 11:00pm.  www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Sunday April 17^th, I'm performing at The Barberville Spring Frolic. It's a two-day event, Saturday and Sunday. For performance times check out www.folkfiddle.com

On Saturday April 30th, I'll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery. The hours for music have been expanded, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check www.yalahabakery.com  

MAY 2011 - Happy May to you. I’ve been putting the finishing touches on my new CD, titled "Twenty Eleven". Included on this CD is "Lazy Waters", a song of mine that was recorded by the Byrds some time ago. I recently recorded two versions of the song. One version is vocal and guitar, the other is a band version. Both will be on the new CD. I’m planning on releasing the CD by mid June.

This month, I'll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Wednesday, May 4th, and Thursday, May 26^th, 7:00 to 10:00pm.   www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday, May 7th, I’ll be in Eustis at Olivia’s, 7:30 to 9:30pm.  www.oliviascoffeehouse.com  

JUNE 2011 - My new CD “Twenty Eleven” is close to completion. Yesterday, my good friend Bob Desmond took pictures for the CD graphics. We headed off to the historic district of Winter Garden. Got some great shots. Bob is multi talented. In addition to being an "A” list photographer for Disney, Bob is a classical guitar luthier, an artist, a songwriter, a musician and… a juggler. Some people say he invented the safety pin. I think it’s true.   

This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Wednesday, June 8^th, 7:00 to 10:00pm and Friday, June 24^th, 8:00 to 11:00pm.  www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday, June 11^th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery. The hours for music have been expanded, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check www.yalahabakery.com

JULY 2011 - Happy July.  Happy 4^th of July. Any day now I’ll receive the new CD “Twenty Eleven” from the manufacturer. Special thanks go to Roger Lopez, Bob Desmond, T. McComas, Stan Geberer, Jim Lucas and Cadillac Cardarelli. Couldn’t have produced this CD without them. I’ve got a few CD release parties planned. I’ll post the dates soon. When all is set up, the hard copy CD will be available on this web site and will also be available for digital download on iTunes and other download stores, through this web site. I guess I’ll take a break from writing and recording for a while--- till the bug bites me again. Looking back, I never thought I’d have 10 CDs. I was so pleased having recorded just my first and had no intention of doing a second.

This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Friday, July 8^th, 8:00 to 11:00pm, and Wednesday July 20^th, 7:00 to 10:00pm.  www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday July 9^th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check out www.yalahabakery.com

On Saturday July 30^th, 7:00 to 10:00pm I’ll be performing at Brick & Fire, a pizza restaurant in Casselberry. I played there a few days ago for the first time. Their pizzas are amazing. Check out www.brickandfire.com

AUGUST 2011 - I received hard copies of the new CD, “Twenty Eleven” at the beginning of July. Looks great and sounds great. My friend T. McComas who does my CD graphics and manages my web sites has since done some really cool things. I’m on a new site, Reverbnation. It’s a great site for musicians. Everything that is posted on there shows up on my Myspace site, Facebook and my personal site. The CD can be purchased through these sites, either a hard copy or digital download.

I have a few CD release parties coming up. The first is on August 20th at Olivia’s Coffeehouse in Eustis. 7:00 to 9:30pm. The address is 113 North Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726. Olivia’s is a wonderful listening room and always has an enthusiastic audience. Please come out to this show.

My August gigs are posted on the left. Click on any event to see show details, such as location, time of performance, etc.

A few notes on the venues where I will be performing:
The Attic Door will soon be expanding it’ services and will have an afternoon food menu.

The Yalaha Bakery is opening an outlet in Orlando on Orange Ave, in the antique district. Check the web site for details.

Brick & Fire, a pizza restaurant in Casselberry. Their pizza’s are amazing.

Olivia’s Coffeehouse is a wonderful listening room and always has an enthusiastic audience.

SEPTEMBER 2011 - I’m typing this monthly post in my music room, safe at the moment from hurricanes. We’ve had our share of those storms here in Florida. This one, Irene, has spared us, moving further up the east coast before moving inland. It seems that the northern states are taking quite a beating, though I don’t think we are getting a true picture. The spin that the competitive media puts on events is not always accurate.

This month on September 2nd, I’ll be at the “gazebo” in Winter Garden on Plant Street from 7:00 to 9:00pm.

On September 3rd, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check out www.yalahabakery.com The address is 8210 County Road 48, Yalaha, FL 34737

OCTOBER 2011 - I’ll begin by mentioning Halloween, as I usually do in my October post. I think that the time between October’s is quickening. Seems that way to me. We will celebrate the occasion as we do each year, turning all the house lights off, pretending that we’re not home. Just kidding. Actually, I think it’s difficult to have a cynical Halloween attitude once you’ve had your own child out there begging for food. Just kidding again.

A British group, “Rocky And The Natives” recorded my song, “Lazy Waters” It sounds great. The CD will be out Around December. Check out their web site at www.rockyandthenatives.co.uk

This month I’ll be performing on October 7th at 5:45pm, at the Winter Garden Music Fest. The festival is held in historic Winter Garden on Plant Street. www.wgmusicfest.com

On Saturday, October 8th and Saturday, October 22th, 7:00 to 10:00pm, I’ll perform at Brick & Fire, a pizza restaurant in Casselberry. 1410 N Semoran (SR 436) in Casselberry. Their pizza’s are amazing. Check out www.brickandfire.com

I’ll be performing at The Lake County Folk Festival on Sunday, October 9th. The festival will be held on the streets of historic Eustis.

This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door, 28 West Plant Street on Wednesday, October 12th, 7:00 to 10:00pm and Friday, October 28th, 8:00 to 11:00pm www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday, October 15th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery, 8210 County Road 48, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check out www.yalahabakery.com The bakery just opened an outlet in Orlando on Orange Ave, in the antique district. Check the web site for details.

On Sunday October 30th I’ll be doing a CD release Party for my new CD “Twenty Eleven”. It will be held at Villa Conroy near downtown Orlando. The concert starts at 2:30pm. Check out www.cffolk.org

NOVEMBER 2011 - On Friday, November 4th, 7:00 to 10:00pm, I’ll perform at Brick & Fire, a pizza restaurant in Casselberry. 1410 N Semoran (SR 436) in Casselberry. Their pizzas are amazing. Check out www.brickandfire.com

I’m performing at the 2011 Barberville Fall Jamboree on Sunday November 6th with bassist Ed Allen. Check out  http://www.folkfiddle.com/barber.htm  for my set times and locations. Great music all day long and all sorts of vendor goodies.

This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Wednesday November 9th, 7:00 to 10:00pm, and Saturday, November 19th, 8:00 to 11:00pm.  www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday November 12th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery. The hours for music have been expanded, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check www.yalahabakery.com

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

DECEMBER 2011 - HAPPY HANUKKAH & MERRY CHRISTMAS
This month, I’ll be in Winter Garden at The Attic Door on Wednesday December 7th, 7:00 to 10:00pm, and Saturday, December 17th, 8:00 to 11:00pm.    www.myspace.com/jrsatticdoor

On Saturday December 10th, I’ll be performing at The Yalaha Bakery. The hours for music have been expanded, 11:00 to 2:00pm. Check www.yalahabakery.com

On Friday, December 16th, 7:00 to 10:00pm, I’ll perform at Brick & Fire, a pizza restaurant in Casselberry. 1410 N Semoran (SR 436) in Casselberry. Their pizzas are amazing. Check out www.brickandfire.com

This month on Friday, December 30th, I’ll be at the “gazebo” in Winter Garden on Plant Street from 7:00 to 9:00pm.