I am sifting through a little file cabinet that I got from my mom’s place and there are random slips of paper in it with her handwriting on them. I sure miss her.

The man known as Bear, or as I call him, Mr. Bear, has designed a sticker for me! I’m a big fan of his graphic arts work, so I’m delighted to have it! Check it out at left!

Get hip to Bear’s awesome artwork at his myspace page or his own web site!

As many of you may already know, I have some big news to report. I have just found out that a record label deal that I’ve been working on has come through! That’s right, I’m signed! I’ll be going on a large tour through the summer. It’s going to be great!

Per details of the contract, I do have to make a few changes to my music and my stage show, but they’re relatively minor, and in this business you really have to go along to get along.

Really, don’t worry, the changes will be minimal.

I can’t go into great detail, but the first contract stipulation I’m under is that I have to use a stage name. The label is a little more, um, rural than my music has traditionally been, so I have to start using my stage name “Cowpoke”. So, from now on, I’ll be Jim “Cowpoke” Hodgson.

Like it? It’s a lot like John “Cougar” Mellencamp.

Far as the other changes, I have to wear a bandanna around my neck. It’s a little irritating, but the sponsor of my tour is Copenhagen smokeless tobacco (aka dip), so I have to wear a bandanna that says Copenhagen on it. I don’t actually have to dip, thankfully, as I’m personally tobacco free.

Oh man, quitting smoking is hard. Have I ever told you guys how hard it was to quit? It sucked.

Oh and I’ll be going into the studio this month to re-record my Beep Beep Awooga songs with a production style that more closely matches my new format. I’ll be working with the same producer who is currently working with the Zack Brown Band on their CD, and who has previously worked with Alan Jackson among others.

Look for more updates here on my site, and yeehaw, partners!

See you soon!

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who called or emailed to congratulate me. If you really want to thank me, just read the first letter of each paragraph above. Got ya, suckers.

Honestly. Cowpoke? You guys believed “Cowpoke”?