That’s a wrap! Our 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour was magical…and it’s all thanks to you!!! From singing with beautiful choirs, to reuniting with original SimpleGifts members, this season has been one to remember. Thank you for all your support and love through this season and these past 20 years. We wouldn’t still be making music and celebrating the holidays together if it wasn’t for you! We look forward to 2024 and seeing you during the year at a Young & The Rest Show (stay tuned for new dates coming)!
With love and appreciation,
SimpleGifts Music
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Simplegifts-6194.jpg467700Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2023-12-30 13:57:302024-01-29 14:00:452023 Christmas Tour Wrap!
It all started as a quartet in 2003. Carin Vagle, Jeni-Lyn Starr, Billy O and Billy McLaughin played concerts in Milwaukee, Duluth and a handful of shows around the Twin Cities that year. 20 years and 300 shows later, SimpleGifts with Billy McLaughlin is still ringing in the holidays with Carin Vagle, Karen Paurus, Amy Courts on vocals, Laura MacKenzie on assorted Celtic wind-powered instruments, Billy O on ornamental percussion, Enrique Toussaint on bass, Nathan Wilson on violin and mandolin, and Lisa Z on piano.
As one of the larger MN holiday ensembles still standing, SimpleGifts continues to grow a multi-generational fanbase through touring and streaming via online platforms that did not even exist in 2003. You can stream SimpleGifts on all streaming platforms, buy CDs at all 20th Anniversary shows along with new merch, and rumor has it there may be vinyl in the future for the 21st SimpleGifts Christmas Tour.
Special shows include the return of Jeni-Lyn Starr and Heather Garborg Moen at the Parkway only on Dec 17 and an extended-play show driven by fan requests dubbed “SimplePaLooza”only on Dec 22.
If you ask Billy the question, “What do you do next after your 40th high school reunion has come and gone?” he says, “Get the band back together and rock out an awesome show in a great theater in your high school neighborhood – The Parkway!” Tickets on sale now here!
Listen to Billy’s guitar and Karen’s voice! They were only 15 years old!!!
Watch more here!
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/paradox-pic-scaled.jpeg15672560Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2023-08-15 13:52:352024-01-29 13:56:32Billy’s 70s Rock Band Reunion – Paradox – At The Parkway September 24th, 2023!
Nothing compares to the way Christmas brings family and friends back together. SimpleGifts leans into this truth by naming their annual metro holiday 2022 tour, “Christmastide Homecoming”. The group calls out for all to gather and feel at home again celebrating music of the season. For over two decades, SimpleGifts’ inspired arrangements have been shining light on families of devoted fans during the shortest days of the year. Everyone is welcome to sing along or simply take in the exceptional musicianship, audio system, lighting and set-design. A MN treasure not to be missed this holiday season.
A timely homecoming is happening on stage as well this year with the return of founding member, vocalist, Carin Vagle. SimpleGifts deeply appreciates our loyal followers understanding how growing families have created changes in band members over the years. Our 2022 tour will truly be a “Christmastide Homecoming“!
Simple Gifts featuring Billy McLaughlin presents Harvest at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, Sunday October 16 at 7PM. The show re-imagines songs of Neil Young, sung by Carin Vagle, Karen Paurus and Amy Courts, with a Celtic twist added by Laura MacKenzie, all under Bill McLaughlin’s direction. Phil Nusbaum sat down with members of the production, and when he did, Billy first addressed how this special show came into existence.
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Billy-McLaughlin-Harvest-at-the-Parkway-Oct-16th-500.jpg500500Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2022-10-06 20:24:272022-10-06 20:26:33Harvest at the Parkway Preview on KBEM
In this episode, Dr. Audrey Nath talks with musician Billy McLaughlin about his focal dystonia diagnosis and its effect on his ability to play the guitar. McLaughlin shares his journey to diagnosis and the technique he developed that still allows him to play music. Then Dr. Nath is joined by Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, co-founder and co-director at Johns Hopkins Center for Music & Medicine. Dr. Pantelyat shares his knowledge of movement disorders and highlights the ways that the condition specifically affects musicians. Listen to the podcast here!
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Billy-McLaughlin-Brain-and-Life-Podcast.jpg558558Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2022-10-04 19:45:042022-10-06 20:21:23Brain and Life Podcast
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-22-at-9.16.58-PM.png9922852Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2022-02-15 21:14:562022-02-25 15:53:25Billy Guests on Fingerstyle Guitar Hangout with Adam Rafferty
One-On-One with Billy McLaughlin is now offering virtual (Zoom) guitar / music / composing / random-topic / life coaching sessions.
Sessions on sale now!
One 50-minute Zoom-session for $100/each
Four or more Zoom-sessions for $75/each
25% off four or more sessions!
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/one-on-one-with-billy-mclaughlin.jpg10001000Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2022-01-12 21:06:002022-02-22 21:06:44One-on-one with Billy McLaughlin
We just couldn’t wait until December 23rd to share this terrific performance featuring joyful SimpleGifts favorites captured with multi-cameras in high-def. Thanks to Steve Keller at ProMediaProductions for getting this virtual concert recording ready to share early! We plan on performing live next season but want to share our very best moments to celebrate this year with you at home.
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Marine-in-snow.png8741637Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2021-12-23 21:00:492022-02-22 21:05:11Simplegifts “Christmas From Marine” Pay-per-view Concert Launches Early – Available Now!
When the Rain Comes Down tells a true-life love story with all the joy, second-guessing and a sad ending delivered by cell phone. Love you always “Pink”!
Dirt Floor is my cover of the title track from Chris Whitley’s fourth album (1998). On his recording he used just one ribbon microphone and an analog two track in his father’s barn. That whole album is both magical and mystical to me – deftly played National guitar and his silky and powerful voice. The song captures my own feelings about death and finding comfort in the simplicity and naturalness of something I don’t look forward to very much. Loving his artistry so much, I was shocked and saddened when he passed in November of 2005 not long after I got hip to him. His lyrics take on even more meaning to me ever since.
This song speaks among many things to my love-affair with music and the curative powers it still holds for me. The second verse might be about one of the many love-at-first-sight experiences I’ve both enjoyed and struggled with my whole life – but it’s also about music and my tendency to leave words out entirely. I wrote the words during my battle with dystonia that had me wondering if I’d ever get to play again – if someday my music would all come back. The chorus is pretty much all you need to know about who I am and what I believe as captured in a time of epic uncertainty I know we can all relate to. Acoustic “tapping-style” guitar rarely forms the core of an expanded ensemble/vocal piece but the arrangement emerged as a complete accompaniment as I began to play left-handed again.
My new single is “Come Talk To Me”, a cover by Peter Gabriel who is a musical hero of mine. His body of work is vast, layered, complex, intricately arranged and bound together by his emotive vocals. Wouldn’t seem likely that I could ever use one guitar and be able to effectively arrange any of my favorite songs by him to perform at my live shows – especially with just two fingers working on my fretboard hand. But that was my challenge as I dreamed of singing “Come Talk To Me”, the opening track from his album, Us (1992), featuring Sinead O’Connor. Experimenting with unusual tunings got me to a place that everything essential was intact and I sang this tune at my solo gigs with just one guitar for years. It was super fulfilling to create this recording that is essentially built around that solo guitar version. Newly arranged vocal parts with a unique set of ancient bagpipes played by Laura MacKenzie gives this version a special feel that I hope PG might hear some day.
And one more reason to come to the shows, we’re playing brand new songs from a series of new singles that I’m releasing. If you loved my The Archery of the Guitar or Exhale Blue albums, you’re going to love these news songs! Follow me at Spotify and Apple Music for new release dates. The first single is my take on the classic “Gospel Plow”, coming February 12th, two days ahead of our first COTLS show. This song tells me all I need to know about survival and its message helped me through years of tough times. And while you’re waiting to hear my version, check out Mahalia Jackson’s version – and Chance McCoy’s too. Bob Dylan’s version is quite something as well. Arranging this traditional piece was a blast with a special thank you to Heather Moen from SimpleGifts who got the vocal “call-and-response” vibe jumping!
https://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/billy-singles-scaled.jpg25602560Billy McLaughlinhttps://billymclaughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Billy-Mac-Logo-340.pngBilly McLaughlin2021-11-22 21:07:242022-02-22 21:14:13New Billy McLaughlin singles now on Spotify, Amazon & Apple Music
