New Home of the Tom Smerk Mailing List!

For those of you who wandered into my space here, let me fill you in on what I'm up to. I am an entertainer currently performing in the San Diego area. My current act has been together for about four years, but I have been a professional entertainer since 1965. I sing and play guitar, and use a notebook computer controlled MIDI multitrack software program to provide backup music such a bass, drums, keyboards, strings and brass. My web site is tomsmerk.com if you would like to know more.

I have been sending an announcement each month to a select group of people who have signed up to be on my mailing list. The monthly bulletin announced my upcoming shows and also let everybody know what I have been up to lately. I have decided to discontinue my mailing list and monthly bulletin for three reasons:1. People don't come to see my show just because they got an email from me. They only come when they want to. It has to be the right type of venue, not too far away, and not too late at night. (People don't seem to go out like they used to!)2. Many more people would like to be on my mailing list, but they are very afraid of giving their email because of spam and malicious practices on the Internet. By disseminating the information here in this weblog, anybody who wants can recieve the information without having to identify themselves.3. I'm noticing from my teaching experience that more and more people are embracing the latest technologies such as smartphones, weblogs and RSS feeds. Because this blog has an RSS feed, those of you who would like to always be up to date on what I am up to can subscribe to the feed and automatically recieve updates.

I will be sending my final email to my mailing list this week. From then on, all information will be posted here. Please either subscribe to my feed, or at least check in frequently. We now have the opportunity for interactive discussion about music, rural living, or anything else we have in common.

For those of you who found this on your own, I will begin by posting a compilation of recent emails so you can get caught up on what you missed by not being on the mailing list. I really appreciate all of your suport and encouragement. Just because you may not have heard of me (yet) doesn't mean you shouldn't take notice and get involved. I was a popular entertainer in the 60's, 70's and 80's, working with many major acts either on the same stage or as an opening act. Then in 1988 I was offered a job teaching in the Community College system, and that led to a full time job with one school and a busy part-time job with another. Plus I am currently working on opening a national online business school and writing textbooks to go with some of the curriculum. I have just been notified that my biography will be published in the 11th edition of "Who's Who Among America's Teachers."

Now that I am nearing retirement from teaching, my music has once again become a big part of my life. My playing and singing at this point are better than ever and my new songs are the best I've ever written. I am upgrading my personal recording studio with hopes of creating some great new CDs for the international market. I am soon goig to stop playing in bars and nightclubs and concentrate on the concert circuit. So please join me on my new musical venture and let's see what happens!