Monroe and Ft. Worth on my list of "to dos" for the week-end - Houghton Horns, here I come

Tomorrow I shall be heading east to Monroe (listening to KDAQ by the way) for work with James Boldin and then on Saturday it's 4 hours to Ft. Worth to Houghton Horns for some work on my Rauch Horn and to try out the Dieter Otto Horns that are for sale there. Not a pleasant trip to NE Ft Worth/Keller these days. Never know the road conditions between Dallas and Ft Worth until you get there. Think I would rather travel by covered wagon. Only one road and you know which way it goes, to your destination.

Houghton yard art

I am taking both my Rauch and my Lawson with me on Saturday. Time to make some decisions about my equipment.

after the work out  and Franck d minor at ULM today

In the early 80's when my husband and I were visiting one of his brothers in L.A. we drove north to Burbank one day and Mr. Atkinson of Atkinson Horn Shop led us on a tour of his facilities. Fascinating workshop. In the end I bought a Dieter Otto Horn from him and played it for several years until I sold it to a local student and colleague.

Dr. James Boldin

 Since my sister lives nearby I will be staying with her for a couple of days and I know we'll be enjoying the local eateries and going to Sprouts again. Oh, joy, SPROUTS.

Photos from Houghton Horns when I return

Can I play too? I have perfect pitch.
My Rauch never sounded better!!

Just lovely, guys

New Horns, homeless horns - Houghton Horns, LLC - July 2011

Another visit to Keller, Texas to visit Houghton Horns. 105 degrees and counting. More about Dennis, Katie, Mark, Vurl, Chris and the horn elves coming, if I don't melt away.

Vurl Bland

software fun

Bought a really great mute from Dennis on my trip - a TrumCor

For my Lawson which I am currently playing most of the time this summer it covers all the ranges from pedal notes to the high "highs" and the focus is wonderful. Works like a charm on the Gershwin show I am playing right now. Haven't tried it yet in my Rauch. Bought my Dennis Wick mouthpiece from Houghton Horns earlier this summer and have used it successfully on both horns.

 - - - a few more photos on the way - - -

update 8-2-2011 - Been back and forth to Dallas/FW in recent weeks for family matters and was playing a musical here which just finished this past Sunday. Lot of driving on I-20 and way too much on I-635, 35E, 35W, 820, I-30 and Central Expressway. UGH!!!!! (A nightmare). And not much time to edit photos. Just returned from Dal/FW again tonight. Playing catch-up . . . . . . and waiting for the heat to abate to something more normal. 108 in Dallas and FW yesterday and today. When you're trying to pack and repack a car with too many things (7 or 8 trips with several 50 lb. boxes and bags) from a 3rd floor apartment and the parking lot is toasting at 120 two days in a row, it's time to fry some eggs and bacon and get inside.

Conn letter "N" series Elkhart bell with branch for sale at Houghton Horns June 2011 - SOLD

After many years of watching my Elkhart bell branch sit atop a book shelf in my home, I finally decided to sell it since I do not own any Conn horns anymore and have no further use for a bell with no horn attached. At one time I owned the whole horn, an "N" series Elkhart Conn 8D from the mid-70's which I played for several years before changing out the bell branch for a brass one and then sold the horn to our SSO 4th horn. The original bell stayed with me.

After a brief trip to the metro-plex for a second 50 year high school reunion, this one in Arlington, TX, my husband and I dropped off my beautiful bell with Dennis Houghton of Houghton Horns in Keller, TX before heading home to a very humid and hot Shreveport where our AC was no longer working as we had been told by my son who had been checking daily on our 2 cats in our absence. My husband being "mechanically" inclined finally figured out the problem and our inside house temperature is now at 82 instead of 88. By tomorrow morning after running the AC all night, we are hoping for at least 75.

www.houghtonhornsllc.com/

Hope all of you have a wonderful summer and if you know someone interested in a terrific 8D "N" bell branch, contact Dennis or Mark Houghton at the above web site. They are taking excellent care of it.

My next orchestra gigs will be the Minden Community Chorus concert with Dan Gibbs - God and Country independence celebration on Friday July 1, 7:00 PM at the Minden Civic Center and an independence celebration at First Baptist Church, Shreveport, Randy Le Blanc, music minister, on Saturday July 2, 7:00 PM.


In July the Gershwin musical "Crazy for You" being presented at the new theatre at First Methodist Church downtown Shreveport.