Randy Granger

Hola from southern New Mexico. We also were hit by the great freeze earlier this month. Thankfully, not as hard as so many of my friends in Texas. I hope you are all doing as well as you can. I had a gig the day it snowed here Feb. 14, Valentine’s day of course. I was guest minister and musician at Wellspring church here in Las Cruces. You can view it here: 

Reflecting that it has been a year since the covid19 pandemic railroaded all our lives, it is a rollercoaster we are riding together. When I performed…

Greetings from New Mexico. It is now August and we are still over 100 degree temps. I always think of my ancestors when it is this hot. How did they live? How did they cool themselves? I asked my mother recently how they did it. She didn’t really know. I think they went in shelter midday and probably used wet hides or blankets on the doorways to cool. Soldiers at Ft Seldon wore wool. I cannot even imagine that. I’ve asked my mother what it was like growing up in the Mesilla Valley, but she doesn’t recall…

Greetings from southern New Mexico where daytime temps have been triple digits with night time temps not much below 75. With the pandemic still in swing, we have routines that involve walking before 6am, closing drapes early, swamp cooler on early, wet, frozen bandanas on the neck and as little clothing as possible. Eating lots of salads and iced tea usually as well. I do my best to avoid the news, which is also very heated. 

I want to thank those of you who tuned into our Solstice flute school virtual…

Happy Memorial Day. We have seen many holidays go by during this pandemic. Sometimes it seems surreal what we experiencing together. It sure does bring into focus what is really important. For most of us it is the people close to us, those who listen, wonder about us, celebrate our successes and triumphs day to day. Music sure does seem to be important to people. Not that I am surprised about that. Music helps us to find out what we are feeling at any moment. We can hear a song and immediately realize we…

Greetings again from New Mexico where I’ve been sheltering at home since early March like so many others. Our state’s orders end at the end in June most likely to avoid the Memorial Day rush at our lakes where people will no doubt ignore guideline and consume alcohol in dangerous amounts. I am doing as well as I can considering all of my performances were cancelled from March through June so far. Haven’t attempted to book new tours or gigs due to uncertainty that varies from state to state, city to city. I…

Greetings from southern New Mexico where our daytime highs are already in the 80’s and expected in the 90’s soon. I am not quite ready for that heat with humidity has been in the single digits. I still need to climb on my roof and swap out the “swamp cooler” as we call them. I hope you and those you care about are healthy and doing ok. Our shelter in place has been extended through May 15. The Dinè, or Navajo Nation in the four-corners area has been hit especially hard with 10 times the rate of cases and…

Greeting again from southern New Mexico where temps are climbing and the mesquite shrubs have finally put on their spring greens. I use them as a barometer for when to plant tomatoes and herbs. We are still under a shelter in place order. Shopping still feels like going in to combat. I always say a mantra and behave as calm and cool as I can in the stores. I bless everyone with a spirit of joy and calm. Yet, I observe people with am almost competitive style, pushing their carts fast and looking side to side…

I can only hope you are all doing well, sheltered in place, have enough of all you need and are healthy. That, I feel is all we can expect in these days of the Covid-19 pandemic. I remind myself, in my meditations each day, that in this very moment all of my needs are being met or else I wouldn’t be alive. Finding reasons for gratitude moment by moment is what we can hold onto. That, and hope. I know people who have experienced the effects of Covid-19 and they all report never feeling “this bad” ever…

I remember some friends who, knowing my Native American heritage and Native Flute music, would urge me to celebrate a “No Columbus Day” instead of Columbus Day every October. They even invited me to perform for their “celebration” or protestation, I wasn’t sure. I declined each time. Like Mother Teresa said, “when you have a rally for peace I will be there.” She had received much criticism for not attending the anti-war protests of the Vietnam era. I feel the same. What we give energy to persists and…

Greetings from windy New Mexico in the springtime. I just returned from the Voyager Southwest Flute festival in Tucson. I was teaching, headlining and had a vendor table. It was a great time as always and I really love teaching. My workshops were well attended with enthusiastic flute students. I taught about the Circle of 5ths and playing with other instruments and another class on Taking your Flute Playing to the next level. Both were fun and from the feedback folks seemed to get something out of them…