I’ve started struggling, when composing set lists, to ensure that I include songs from my first and second CDs. People are more likely to buy CDs if they’ve heard some of the songs on them (or if they hear a song they love, they’ll ask for the CD that one is on). The struggle is because I have so many new songs I’m excited about that I naturally want to put them onto the set list. And I do – the list for tonight’s set is at least half unrecorded songs. But the fact that I have to struggle to play already-recorded songs suggests that it’s time to start thinking about recording the next CD. It’s hard to believe I’m here. When I recorded the first one I was pretty sure that would be it; it would be the only one I’d ever make. And I was even scared at the time that it would represent the end of my songwriting career, too; the first good songs I wrote after that came as a surprise and a relief. But I kept writing, and started playing out in more and more prestigious venues, and my second CD got some pretty good radio airplay. It doesn’t seem crazy to think about a third one. The first song I knew would go on the next CD was Bigger, Faster, and More, which I think is one of the best songs I’ve written. For me, a CD has to have not only enough songs but enough really good songs, and that was the first one written after the second CD was recorded that I was truly proud of. Thinking out loud (or whatever the writing equivalent of that is), here are the songs I know will be on the next CD: Bigger, Faster, and More Where the Words and Music Meet The Disarray Susanna’s Song Pan-Religious Bluegrass Band You Remind Me Underground (although it still needs one more set of edits) I Was Here (← This is the song I finished yesterday!) Here are the ones that are also strong candidates to also be there: Welcome This Winter Morn (already recorded on a holiday sampler) Ludlow, 1914 Half of a Song That’s starting to look like a CD’s worth of good songs. There are many others I’ve written that could be candidates, but not every song I write is worthy of being put on a CD. And there are some songs in progress; I can’t yet tell how they’ll turn out. If you haven’t heard some or most of these songs, get thee to a show soon and make a request! I’d be happy to play any of them for you before I’ve had a chance to put them on the next CD.