December 22, 2025 Retrophonics Studios Jim DeVito  and I went at it this morning and we now have roughs for "The Chosen Few" and "Dirty Secrets". Great job Jim!!!

December 24, 2025 I didn't play today but finished up a couple new tunes. I have one more to finish called "Dream". Maybe it'll happen this year but probably not until next year.

December 25 thru December 31, 2025 We had a Merry Christmas in Virginia with family!!

January 1, 2026 Happy New Year!!!!

Looking forward to completing the 3rd Carpetbaggers CD "Say Grace" and my 7th solo CD "Shines A Light". Let's all hope for a great 2026!!! Thanks for letting me live my dream!!!   Keepin' It Real! -DAVE

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

December 1, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - Jesse Cruce did a great job added guitar tracks on "Bounce" and "Accept Goodbye". No studio next week.

December 3rd, 2025 Hurricane Grill and Wings Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie - We had a wonderful night! Good audience! Frankie and Sue kicked butt! I wish I was in better voice but my com-padres went above and beyond!

December 4, 2025 Oasis - DAVE & Sue - It started cold and just Wayne. Talked to Jen and decided if nobody wanted to brave the cold we would just play 1/2 our scheduled time and make it up down the road. No need to do that, it turned out that we had a real nice crowd. Great time!

December 5, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I continued work on the new video "Poor-Dum" after our walking discussion.

December 5, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - It was a nice evening out on the porch by the water.

December 6, 2025 DAVE and Sue at the Vilano Pier - Rained out for the Christmas tree lighting, but look forward to working with Michelle, she seems nice.

December 7, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - It was a rain out!

December 10, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane Grill and Wings - A nightmare start (PA decided not to work). With Frankie's calm  assessment and Sue's encouragement I was able to get at least get us going. Thanks you guys you're the best! I know what I'm going to be doing for the next couple days.

December 12, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I continued work on "Poor-Dum".December 15, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - Johnny, Jim and I worked on "Accept Goodbye", a Besley/Medico song. Johnny played some squeeze box and piano. Also a raised piano track for Frankie to sing on another Besley/Medico tune "Calculated Risk".

December 16, 2025 Songwriter's Night at the World Famous Oasis Tiki Bar - We had a great night inside! Doug and Rachel always bring great stories. Thanks for supporting original music in St. Augustine.

Doug, Rachel, Bob and Dave

December 17, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie - We were suppose to have Chandler Ray Buckley as our special guest, he was a no-show. I hope everything is okay with Chandler and family. Sue, Frankie and I carried on and had a great night! The rain stopped us at 7:30 but let up enough for us to load our gear. Our next show at Hurricane's will be on January 3rd, that's a Saturday 6 to 9 pm. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in January!

December 18, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I sent a video of me for the next North Star Band release "You Ain't All That" a Paul Goldstein  song, then we continued to work on my next video "Poor-Dum"

December 19, 2025 DAVE and Sue at Tides - It was a wonderful night. A lot of our friends were there, some new faces also. We had fun! See you here next year!

December 20, 2025 A day off - I finished up a couple of new songs "Dirty Secrets" (Besley/Westcott) and "The Chosen Ones" (Besley).  I am in the middle of another one I'm calling "A Dream". I hope to get at least one of these laid down in the studio this week.

December 21, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - It was a great afternoon on the porch by the water!

As always, I'm looking forward to the studio this week. I have 2 new tunes I want to lay down "The Chosen Few" and "Dirty Secrets". We are done with music for the year and would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I will be at Aunt Kate's  on January 2nd and The Carpetbaggers will be at Hurricanes on the 3rd. Thanks for letting me live my dream!!! Keepin' It Real!!-DAVE

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

November 24, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - I laid a bass track down on "Bounce". Johnny, Jim and I had some ideas for guitar parts. Hopefully, we can get Jesse Cruce in to do some tracks next week.

November 26, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane Grill and Wings - Frankie had a doctors appointment and was a little late. It turned out to be a nice evening looked like it might rain at first but it never did. Thanks to all that showed up, see you Saturday same place.

November 27, 2025 Happy Thanksgiving 2025 - It was a wonderful evening with Frankie, Mary, Theresa, Braylen, Brianna, Jay and I. It's nice to break bread with people you love on this thankful day.

November 28, 2025 - Closing in on "Dirty Little Secrets".

November 29, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane Grill and Wings - It was a nice evening. I expected it to be colder. We had fun. See you Wednesday!

November 30th, DAVE at The Boathouse - I had a nice afternoon at this venue. 

I'm looking forward to the studio. Jesse Cruce will be playing some guitar tracks on "Bounce" and "Accept Goodbye". Thanks for letting me live my dream!!!  Keepin' It Real!! -Dave

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

November 17, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - Johnny Medico laid down some drums on two of our new tunes "Bounce" and "Accept Goodbye" . I put a bass track on "Accept Goodbye". I'm getting excited about the new project "Shines A Light". Some songs will end up on our new Carpetbagger's  project called "Say Grace".

November 18, 2025 Songwriter's Night at the Oasis Tiki Bar  - It was a great night. Fond and Don brought some real good songs with them tonight. 

Bob, Don, Dave, Fond

November 19, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at  Hurricane's - What a great night! The weather and hanging out playing music with my friends.

November 20, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I put the characters together for "Poor-Dum", it will be two weeks before we get back to it. 

November 21, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE and Sue at  Tides Grill - It was another great night at Tides! See you guys next month.

November 22, 2025 DAVE and Sue at Lullaby of the Rivers PoP Up Festival at Limelight - The festival was fun. We got to see a lot of the musicians we don't normally get to see. Sue did a great job as always! Thanks Bob, Carol and all the wonderful people that were a part of this event. And all of our friends that stopped by.

November 23, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - I had a wonderful afternoon out on the porch by the water! It was good to see Barry and Lydia. Tony stopped by bearing a gift. Good afternoon overall. Thanks for letting me live my dream! Keepin' It Real!   DAVE

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

 

November 4, 2025 DAVE at Pizzalley's Chianti Room - Cancelled (Parking Lot fiasco)

November 5, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane's -Always a nice evening playing music with Sue and Frankie. Thanks to all that showed up!

November 6, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I are working on video's for "Poor-Dum" and "Coyote Calls".

November 7, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - Great evening out on the porch by the water. I will have to remember a light next month.

November 9, 2025 DAVE at Aunt Kate's - Another nice afternoon, just finished when the bad weather came in. It was good to see Carolyn Everly Sagatov a bluegrass playing singer-songwriter from Virginia and Dr Bill's cousin.

I'm looking forward to the studio this week,  also Dan's. I hope to work on "Whiskey Haze", "If She Asks" or "Calculated Risk" at the studio. I hope to work on the videos for "Poor-Dum" and "Coyote Calls" with Dan. Thanks for letting me live my dream!!! Keepin' It Real!!! DAVE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 10, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - Johnny laid down a piano track for "Calculated Risk" a tune we wrote. I put down a scratch vocal. We also worked on the arrangement for another tune we wrote called "Bounce". I laid a scratch guitar part on "Bounce".

November 12, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane's - Frankie wasn't feeling well so Sue and I were the Carpetbaggers tonight. It turned out to be a nice chilly evening.

November 13, 2025 Bagan and Company - Dan and I worked on the video "Poor-Dum". We have some more ideas, so hopefully it will really get some legs and we can finish it.

November 13, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE and Sue at the Oasis Tiki Bar - One of the best nights we've had in a long time! Thanks Sue, Oasis and the wonderful audience!

November 15, 2025 DAVE at Caddyshack - Theresa and I had a nice dinner. The crowd was good and we had fun. See you in December.

November 16, 2025 I didn't play today so Theresa and I stopped by Bill Sabo's Party, it was great!

I hope to get a couple of drum tracks with Johnny Medico on "Bounce" and "Accept Goodbye", and to nail down a couple bass tracks. Thanks for letting me live my dream!!! Keepin' It Real!!!     DAVE

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

October 27, 2025 Retrophonics Studios - Jim and I worked on adding new lyrics to "Bounce" a new tune Johnny Medico and I are writing. We also added a lick in "My Hero" that I wrote with George Reeves, Fester Hagood and Barry Dunaway. It was a good day.

October 28, 2025 I was off today, but started on a new tune "A Dream". I'm still working on "Dirty Little Secrets.

October 29, 2025 Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane's - It was a nice evening playing. It was a beautiful night! See you Saturday same place different time 12 to 3pm.

October 30, 2025  Bagan and Company - Dan came up with an idea for the Facebook release for "Coyote Calls" and then we started working on the video. We also did our half walk.

October 31, 2025 I was off but ran over to Dan's so we could shoot a couple of parts for "California Bound" a new North Star Band release.

November 1, 2025 Carpetbagger's DAVE, Sue and Frankie at Hurricane's - I like them early these days, it was a fun afternoon. The weather was beautiful and Sue and Frankie were a pleasure to hang out with. The ribs were great!

No Retrophonics this week, still meeting up with Dan Bagan on Thursday for our walk and work on "Coyote Calls" and "Poor-Dum". Thanks for letting me live my dream!!! Keepin' It Real!!!    DAVE

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band

October 20, 2025, Retrophonics Studios - Jim and I laid down a version of "Coyote Calls" for a new video Dan and I will be working on.

October 21, 2025, Songwriter's Night at Oasis -  Another great Songwriter's Night in the books. Sam and John kicked butt! Bob was great as always. I tried 3 new songs tonight "Coyote Calls", "If She Asks" and "Whiskey Haze" (lyrics by W.Westcott).

Sam, Bob, Dave, John

October 22, 2025, Carpetbaggers DAVE, Sue and Frankie with special guest Greg Ruggiero - Greg did a great job! It was a great night!

DAVE, Sue, Greg, Frankie

October 23rd, Bagan and Company, We had time to go for a neighborhood walk and then start the new video for "Coyote Calls"  and "Poor-Dum".

October 24th, Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits Festival - Carpetbaggers (DAVE and Sue with Ed Pickett - We had a nice drive up to Jekyll Island. It was good to hear Eddie's show, he was covering for Scott Pallet. Eddie also joined me and Sue. The sound was not up to par so it was hard to really enjoy what we were doing. Eddie and Sue kicked butt and dragged me through a very uncomfortable evening. My hat goes off to Levi, the sound man, he stuck right with it and with all said and done it was good to play music with these two greats! Thanks Jekyll Island, Ed, Kristen and all the folks that when through that experience with us.

Ed, Sue Dave

I'm looking forward to the studio this week. We're starting to get some traction  on where we are going with  my next CD "Shines A Light". Also looking forward to getting with Dan and working on the two new music videos. Thanks for letting me live my dream!!! Keepin' It Real!!-David

see you down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check out my upcoming performances here:
http://davidwattbesley.blogspot.com/p/schedule_31.html

Carpetbaggers Band 

The North Star Band