Here's an article called "Top Five Weirdest Violin Buskers" on the Shar blog.  

Honky Tonk Step Child is a new band with me and my honey, Casey Friedman.  It's going to be lots of fun with a revolving cast of many talented musicians.  Come see us!  Like us on facebook!

These band-mates are the sweet hearts of Charleston right now.  Voted #1 local band for 2012 in the local independent paper. Look them up on facebook.  Here's an article about them...

This L.H. is moody and dramatic she says "Sounds Like: a bunch of drunks in a basement that smells like urine." One of her songs is called 'Execution Pond' it sounds kind of rockabilly/punk.   Reminds me of Exene Cervenka. She was on her myspace last in 2011.  I don't think she's doing the Local Honey thing right now, but she had a cool thing going.

This Local Honey is badass. No info about them included. Filmed in 2008.

Drava and I work long and hard at our rehearsals.  We weren't working too much the day I took this picture.  Drava's sister Maya had given here a box of Halloween costumes.  I was trying them all on.  There was a poodle, tiger, pink panther,devil, school-girl, nurse, police officer.

We had a gig at Saints that night, Wednesday Oct. 31.  I think most Halloween celebrating happened the Saturday before, still we wanted to wear costumes.  I wish we could wear costumes at all our gigs.  Maybe I can talk Drava into it.  I thought it took our performance to a new level.

I was Pink Panther and Drava was Officer Naughty.  Here's the tiger costume I almost wore.  I thought it was super sexy, and super see-through.  It reminds me of the play 'Cats'.  Cat suits are awesome; I wish I had bunches of them.  Here are some of the other costumes:

I still go busking. My best pal, Casey, comes and plays guitar with me.  Used to be my son, August, would be with me playing a shaker or dancing.  Lots of people really have a bleeding heart for a happy little boy and a young single mom.  It was hard on him staying up so late though, and now he mostly spends the night at his cousins on weekends.   Casey and I have fun with it.  Nothing bad ever happened when it was just August and me, but the long walk back to my car was scary sometimes. 

Bricktown gets weird and maybe dangerous around 1:30-3am.  We have seen fights, cops roughly subduing running men, drunk woman falling down, people being sick.  There are a lot of police down there.  We've seen eight police cars speeding down Sheridan Ave. the other night, pedestrians were jumping out of the way.

It feels good when I see those dollar bills in the bucket.  Each one represents to me a person giving  me a small nod of approval and support.  

Casey has this dream to travel to different cities around the world and busk.  I like that dream.  I wonder if we'll ever make that come true.

Here's Sam Hawk and me playing out on the street in Bricktown.

Casey and Dustin did more 'Macrochephaly' videos.  This one is informative:

Here's me, while recording that fiddle break at the end.

I did sell local honey for quite a while Saturday mornings at OSU-OKC Farmer's Market, but came to the conclusion that getting up early every Saturday wasn't a good idea for a musician up late Friday nights.  Now I mostly work at Organics OKC, a grow shop and garden supply on 27th and N. Penn.  I have a degree in horticulture; I love plants and gardening.  It's a fun place to work.
The cloning machine is my favorite thing in the store.  You take any cutting, put it in the machine and within a week or so you have roots!  A new plant you can pot up: a miracle of science and nature.
There are lots of interesting items in the store: heirloom seeds, organic potting soils, organic nutrients, grow lights, hydroponic tables.  

     Casey Friedman first invited singing musicians to his place above Horn Trader Music Sept. 29 2010.  The idea was you had to sing and accompany yourself with an instrument.  That was a challenge for a woman who plays fiddle, but I did it!
     Pretty soon he had a weekly showcase.  The first venue to host was the now defunct Prohibition Room.  VZDs.   and Picasso on Paseo have also provided a venue. Currently as of 10/12 Acoustic Oklahoma showcase is at SAINTS on 16th in the OKC Plaza District.  Wednesdays and Thursdays 9-late!!  Saints is a hip and fun place.
     Casey at AO, thank you! You do a great service for local musicians!  We have a community and gathering point now.  You've made a phenomenal data base (and historical document) of Oklahoma musicians.  This project has really opened up the music scene around here.  There are so many exciting and inspiring performers I have learned of through AO.  
      Local Honey was just kicking off around the same time AO started up. We have AO to thank for all our videos on You tube and the majority of our concert and studio photography.  All of which were done free of charge, not just for Local Honey, but all the AO musicians. 
Love for music and musicians is what drives Casey to do this.
    See Casey's YouTube Channel,  InnerStateStudio, here.
Another update from 11/12: I am not neutral or impartial when it comes to Casey.  He is my love interest since 12/11!