Howling Coyote invites

The Howling Coyote Coffeehouse began hosting a monthly Open Mic night on Feb. 25, 2005 at the Mastery In Life Center, downtown Las Cruces. The loving, creative people of Howling Coyote Coffeehouse and Mastery In Life Center help hold the spiritual heart of the valley. They believe that live music and spoken word are integral and important parts of any community.  The purpose of the Howling Coyote Open Mic is to honor the words, the music and the performers in their art.  This is a place to listen, reflect, absorb as the spirits of performers and audiences entwine in the joy of their shared experience.

The very first Open Mic brought out nine performers, but the roster rapidly grew to twenty each night. Over four years, more than 200 artists have performed. Audiences average 75-80, but there have been as many as 100 in attendance. Even on a snowy night in Jan., 2007, about 50 people came out for the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse Open Mic.

Since 2005, the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse Open Mic has been coordinated by Bob and Melody Burns, who open each event with rousing coyote howls and folk sing-a-longs. From the second year, Howling Coyote Coffeehouse has welcomed acoustic musicians, singers, poets and storytellers to perform on the first and third Fridays of each month.

Howling Coyote Coffeehouse performers mount a large stage with professional sound and lights thanks to the technical support of Skip Connelley and Facility Coordinator, Peggy Shin. Both Peggy and Skip are long time Mastery In Life Center members and absolute fans of Howling Coyote Coffeehouse.

Starting August 7, Howling Coyote Coffeehouse moved to First Christian Church in Las Cruces. This is a great facility which will support return to the traditional coffee house motif of the Coyote.

HCC sessions have included:

  • an 18 year old neo-Beatnik waif singing Bob Dylan
  • an old cowboy and his lady friend covering Gene Autry
  • a nurse belting out Grace Slick rock classics
  • a young guitar and drum street duo from Albuquerque
  • a Viet Nam vet reading his comic and philosophic observations
  • a Puerto Rican accordion maestro
  • a brilliant NMSU classical guitar student
  • a trembling cornet player
  • a retired government employee storyteller
  • a jazz harmonica virtuoso
  • sundry banjo and kazoo afficianados,
  • several gray bearded songwriters
  • and poets, both quiet and boisterous 

 
Aaron Horvath: “Never felt this before. .. . . It is so much more than people just coming to listen to music.”

Ted Kappes: “The Howling Coyote Friday evening has become an important part of my month.”

Ken Kenyon: "The Coyote is a spiritual experience. Best open mic in the Mesillia Valley."


First Howling Coyote - 2.25.05:

Bob and Melody Burns, Bob Comes, Peter Nathanson, Benjy Rivas, Glenn McCain, Gene Keller, George Aivulasit, Juan Carlos, Ken Kenyon

 

Howling Coyote