Hiya guys,

here's the good news: The new album "The Things That Count" is available right now. Shoot me an email to markusrill@yahoo.com and order your copy for 13,50 Euros plus postage.
And as a special offer until Christmas, you can get The Things That Count and the new Live CD for only 20 Euros (including postage).

It's a good deal, so don't wait!

The first incoming reviews for The Things That Count are enthusiastic. The Main-Echo writes "an outstanding album on every level". I'll be posting these reviews asap.

I just got back from a two-week trip to Nashville, TN. Saw some great music, met lots of cool people, wrote some songs, and played a couple shows.

Played a house concert to a great response - made one woman cry and a bunch of folks happy. Also played a short set at the Family Wash that went over well. And I played guitar with L.A. rising star Hope Waits.

Probably the main reason for the trip, though, was trying my hand at co-writing. I did three co-writes, all very different experiences. Here's the low-down.
Hope Waits is an L.A. based singer originally from the deep South. Her debut album is getting nationwide airplay and stacking up rave reviews. I'd been in touch with her through email for awhile and met her for the first time in Nashville. She had an idea for a song about her family that I helped her with. We finished it together and she's since played it for her producer Peter Malick who declared it an "alt.country hit". The song's called "The Spirit Of Bayou Desaird" and I'm happy with my contribution and with how it came out.

Then I met with my friend Mack Starks to try and write something. Mack has made some fantastic albums and written some songs that just blow my mind. Please check him out at www.myspace.com/mackstarks, he's fantastic. I came in with an idea I had. Mack and I really collaborated on this song. It was hugely ernjoyable to throw the ball back & forth and hear his input. He came up with some great stuff, I came up with good stuff and we finished the song I had been laboring over for quite a while in a couple of hours. Very very cool. This is called "Maybe More".

And then my publisher WarnerChappell had set me up to co-write with Phil Madeira. He's an all-around fantastic musician currently playing in Buddy Miller's band. I think beforehand I had assumed we'd work on something that wouldn't necessarily be for me to record but maybe for someone from the Warner stable. However, Phil asked me right away whether I was an artist. In hindsight I guess my positive answer told him that I was one of those guys in need of songwriting help. I brought in a chorus and an idea for a verse and Phil ran with it. He finished the song with minimal input from me in about an hour. I was super-impressed with how fast he works and with his overwhelming musicality. Phil sings like a soul singer and plays guitar like crazy. And his main instrument, I understand, is the piano. The song is called "Givin' Up On Dreamin'".
You'll be hearing those songs in future gigs!

We also shot some video footage around town that we'll use for a music video to my song "Unlike You" from the forthcoming album "The Things That Count".

Get ready for the next shows:
Sunday, Nov. 25, at Beavers in Miltenberg
Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Nachtleben in Frankfurt
Friday, Dec. 7, at Kunstkaufhaus in Regensburg
and the CD release party on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Künstlerkeller Bronnbach in Würzburg with lots of special guests (get your tickets in advance for this one!).

Take care,
Markus