The Phoenix Tour

Jim kicked off the promotion of his CD, Reflections, in Fredericksburg, Texas, with a visit to Texas Rebel Radio (KFAN) in early 2008. He was welcomed by old friends and station owners Jayson and Jan Fritz along with Operations Manager Rick Star.

After listening to a few songs on the new album the group toured the studios and of course Jim's bus, The Phoenix. It can sleep four real friendly people, has a refrigerator AND a toilet. "Modesty works against you when you travel in this bus," he quips.

The VW Westfalia was built in 1977 and is named The Phoenix after the mythical Phoenician bird that returns to life from ashes. "I have partially restored and completely redesigned the interior to comply with current laws regarding waste water in RVs and buses," Chesnut explains. "The bus and I have a special bond. My music career is sort of 'rising from ashes' just like it is."

Chesnut toured Texas promoting the album, meeting new people, and playing music wherever and whenever he could. The promotion tour helped propel the single If Waylon Ain't in Heaven into the top-30 of the national New Music Weekly country music chart.

(l) KCTI Music Director L.D. Decker poses with The Phoenix in Gonzales, Texas. (r) The Phoenix poses with Pegasus

in a long-ago-closed service station. Pegasus, a winged horse from Greek mythology, was the trade symbol of the

Magnolia Oil Company, the forerunner of Mobil Oil.

KCTI was licensed for operation in 1947 and is located in an old bank building in Gonzales. The bank vault

houses the station archives in a fire proof environment. There are literally thousands of 78s, 45s, LPs, Cassette Tapes

and CDs of all genres of music.

KCLW Station Manager and damned good drummer Kyle Phillips tells Jim, "You bet we'll play your music.

It really fits our classic country format." The Hamilton, Texas, station is the state's 2nd oldest

continuous country radio station.

 

Radio Hill Country PD Ben Shields in Marble Falls, Texas, and KCYL/KACQ's Paula Stoepel in Lampasas, Texas, agreed to pose with The Phoenix to help Jim document the tour.

 

(l) In Stephenville, Texas, KCUB's Brenda Ebling and (r) in Comanche, Texas, KYOX Music Director

Jerri Lynn Robinson welcomed Jim and The Phoenix.

Left Photo: The Phoenix Tour continues in Uvalde, Texas, whereJim visits with Regina Tumbarello,

General Manager of KBNU, 93.9 Uvalde - KBLT, 104.3 Leakey.

Right Photo: The Phoenix Tour in San Antonio. Jim shows CD TEX President Bill Green the luxury of the

singer/songwriter's sleeping quarters located aft of the galley and head.

It's not as big as Dolly Parton's suite, but then again, it doesn't have to be.

Left Photo: (l-r) John Curb, Curb Records Los Angeles, Chesnut, Benson Curb, Curb Records Nashville, and Fishing Guide Chuck Pratt, Lake Fork, Texas, celebrate a successful bass fishing trip.

Right Photo: John Curb, Curb Records Los Angeles, proudly displays a foul-weather-trophy caught during the bass fishing trip to East Texas. The two-day excursion was met with very cold, windy weather, but all enjoyed the outing.

Left Photo: Tiffany Burgess (l) and Betsy Vanderford (r) with Lone Star Music in Gruene, Texas, seemed to enjoy

Jim's tour bus. They were especially impressed with the surround sound media center (iPod).

Right Photo: Songwriter Fred W. Smith stopped by Jim's home recently for a private tour of The Phoenix.