I’m playing for the Senior Safari at the Pueblo Zoo this week, and I thought I’d reflect on what this event is and has become. I’ve been playing for senior facilities since I was in high school, and I started playing for them in southern Colorado as soon as I moved here in 1985. The zoo here first asked me to play for the Senior Safari in 2009, and I was honored to play for it. If you’ve never heard, it’s a free day for seniors at the zoo with fun activities, animal encounters, and food that draws seniors from facilities and the communities for miles around. Over the years it has become the place where I see folks from almost every facility I play at - 30 places or more sometimes. Attendance is in the many hundreds, and it is so gratifying to get to see and play for so many folks. The event now goes for the entire week although I just play one day for them. It’s not often that you get to see how many people you’ve been able to work with and play for all in one place, and I really look forward to it so much - especially since we couldn’t do it in 2020 because of COVID. I’ll put more details below.
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What have I been up to?
I had 9 senior facilities last week to play for, and I enjoyed every one of them - especially the one I got to play for on 9/11. We commemorated the anniversary with a somber but meaningful show.
My Wednesday online show was doing the second part of the songs from 1972 (50 years ago), and it was just as fun as the first show. There really are so many good songs from that year.
Thursday was the Appetizers and Alcohol BYOB event at the Yellow Pine, and it was so much fun seeing everyone for one last hurrah before the season ends. We had a great group of folks, and the food they brought to share was amazing!
My Sunday online show doing requests and favorites was very nice also with all our good friends. I enjoy this evening so much!
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What am I up to this week?
Wednesday will be the Senior Safari that I mentioned above, and I’m playing from 11 to 1. It will be a crazy fun day with zoo bingo and lots of animals and music. More details can be found on the zoo’s website here - https://www.pueblozoo.org/senior-week. I notice on this page that they have me starting at 10:30, so maybe I’ll start before 11. Come on out and see!
Wednesday evening my online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be what I’m calling “middle-aged” country. That’s country music that’s from the ‘60s and ‘70s, so it’s not the early old country or the more pop-oriented country of the ‘80s up to today, but the more classic country of Merle Haggard and Jim Reeves and others. It was especially requested by my friends, Dan and Debbie Brantley. It should be a really fun evening!
Saturday I’m attending a Philmont reunion in Colorado Springs that’s called the Philtoberfest that I’m not playing at as a gig, but that I mention in case there are some Philmont people reading my blog and mailer that are debating whether to come. It’s always a fun time, and I encourage Philfolks to come on out!
Sunday my online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be the favorites and requests that I love to play for my wonderful group of friends and fans. I can’t say enough about how special these evenings are.
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That’s it for this week. It’s really starting to feel like Fall here in southern Colorado, and I hope you’re enjoying it wherever you are.
Best always,
Tom
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Details this week:
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: at the Pueblo Zoo for Senior Safari, pueblozoo.org/senior-week
When: Wednesday, September 14, 11-1
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing an online concert of middle-aged country songs
Where: facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts
When: Wednesday, September 14, 7-8:30 pm mountain time
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests
Where: facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts
When: Sunday, September 18, 7-8:30 pm mountain time