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New Single, “The Bell Witch – Let the Game Begin” to Release Sept. 16th

THE BELL WITCH – LET THE GAME BEGIN is a new musical collaboration between Bell Witch researcher and musician, Pat Fitzhugh, and award-winning songwriter and musician, Mike Richards.

Brewed with rootsy Americana rhythms, gripping fiddle passages, and ghostly overtones, The Bell Witch – Let the Game Begin is a mesmerizing concoction of ghostlore and intrigue–where legend meets song.

In addition to Fitzhugh and Richards, the project features award-winning musician and vocalist Jimmy Williams and violinist/fiddle player extraordinaire, Lydia Bain.

The single will be released to radio and SoundCloud platforms on September 16th, and to iHeart, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and other international platforms on October 1st.

A video trailer and behind-the scenes compilation video will be released in the coming weeks.

Moving Forward – Full Speed Ahead

Several paths of opportunity are now crossing within my realm, and I am taking all of them. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who know me. You can expect the usual lecture and appearance announcements, but also some very NEW and DIFFERENT appearances, events, and projects!

On February 17th, I met with producers on site in Tennessee to discuss one such new project, which will involve a new paranormal investigative approach and perspective, and will air on major network TV.

This is one of SEVERAL new projects I am doing over the next couple years. Details will be released in the future. So, stay tuned; these next two years are going to be one heck of an exciting ride for all of us! #NextChapter

2019 in Review

It was a busy and productive year, even to the point that I couldn’t find the time to update my site as frequently as I would have liked to. And since the beginning of 2020, things have become even more hectic, with plenty of the same-old as well as some brand new ventures and projects (stay tuned).

Rather than pen a bunch of long paragraphs discussing last year, I will show you how it went…with pictures. Just hover your mouse over the pictures to see the captions.

 

So, that’s it. My 2019 in a nutshell.

2018 in Review, Looking to 2019

Greetings, Friends and Enemies:

A year ago today, I was relaxing after a busy last few years and contemplating much of the same for 2018. As it turned out, I was right. Although I haven’t “rested up” from the whirlwind called 2018, and probably will not for some time, I must admit that it was a great year on all fronts and I couldn’t be happier.

On the musical end, I did several key projects this past year. And more importantly, I made many new friends and contacts along the way. It is an honor and a privilege to know and work with them.

The paranormal world was busy as well, with investigations, lots of behind-the-scenes research on some alternative and new-to-me areas of the field, several special guest appearances at conventions, a handful of radio interviews, three TV appearances, a musical guest appearance with the OrbTones (a rock band composed of paranormal researchers), and some well-attended lecture and book signing events.

To those who attended any, or some, of the events listed above, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You (fans and friends) are the folks who matter, and are why I’m here and do what I do; you have my full loyalty.  The paranormal activities and events are special in the same way that musical activities are special. They afford me the opportunity to meet many exciting people and make strong, lasting friendships, and offer me the privilege of being able to relate to, and learn from, those people.

Having been in the paranormal field since 1978, I have seen the field recycle, reinvent, and redefine itself many times. Interest reaches a peak every five years, and then resets in the sixth year. 2019 will be the fourth year of the current cycle. Look for more great things; not only from me, but from others as well. We are only a year away from the very top of the roller coaster. Enjoy.

Looking to the future, I first think of all the “new me” statements people make, especially on social media. Why? I mean, let’s reason together. How often does a new year—a predetermined date on a calendar—automatically and suddenly alter a person’s life and attitude? It doesn’t, except for rare cases when someone manages to keep their New Year’s resolution.

This brings me to my own New Year’s resolution for 2019, which I should be able to keep because it hasn’t changed in 40 years: “keep on keeping on, stand strong and firm in my convictions, maintain my standards of research, and don’t change a thing.” The “new me” is still the “old me.”

A couple exceptions might come into play, however. I am looking at extending my efforts and research into an area that I feel would greatly benefit from it, but as with everything else, I look before I leap. And, I am still looking. I am also pondering some new and big paranormal opportunities that have recently been offered to me. (Side note: I will not discuss them, so please don’t ask). As good as the opportunities sound, I can’t lose sight of the fact that everything usually looks good on paper, but paper often amounts to nothing more than the proverbial “sheep’s clothing.” I must evaluate the opportunities very carefully, and wisely.

But, most importantly, I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2019!

WBBJ TV Jackson
West TN Signing
Lecture
Q&A
Louisville, KY
Brownsville, TN school guitar donation event
Louisville, KY
Q&A
Abingdon, VA
Paducah, KY
Lecture – Sparta, TN
Brownsville, TN
Signing in West TN
Little Rock, AR
Little Rock, AR
A little comic relief
Nashville, TN
Little Rock, AR
Louisville, KY
w/VilleTV / Louisville, KY
Sparta, TN

The Bell Log Cabin in Adams, Tennessee

Its history, its stories, and my spending two nights there
(a long article, so grab a pot of coffee)

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On the grounds of the Bell School building and city park in Adams, Tennessee, a tiny and rustic house sits quietly, paying homage to a bygone era. For over two hundred years, her now rusty nails and withered logs have stood witness to the triumphs and tragedies of those who came before us. Some even say she holds secrets; if only those logs could talk.

Known as the “Bell log cabin,” the aging two-story house is named after the John Bell family, who moved to the area in 1804 and settled nearby. The cabin and park occupy a tiny portion of what was once John and Lucy Bell’s massive farm, where their family allegedly endured a four-year reign of terror at the hands of a malevolent entity known as the “Bell Witch.”
(more…)

Radio Interview Friday Night

Oct. 5th
10PM Central / 11PM Eastern
With Clayton Trout at WEHC FM 90.7 in Abingdon, Virginia.

We will be covering some haunted and weird cases from my book, “Ghostly Cries From Dixie.” Learn about The Greenbrier Ghost, Waverly Hills, The Bell Witch, Jacksonboro, The Brown Mountain Lights, The Bragg Ghost Light, and MORE!

LISTEN LIVE this Friday night @ this link.  Then click the “Listen Live” button)

WEHC2

“Witch Dance” is Now Available!

Lori Crane’s highly-anticipated new book, Witch Dance, is here!  Yes–it involves the location just off the Natchez Trace.

I have known Lori a long time, and in addition to being a top-notch musician and entertainer, she’s also quite the historical fiction author! Her topics are very similar to mine, yet we are not competitors, so I always try my best to help promote her works any way I can.

Here is the “Witch Dance” description from Amazon:

Just south of Tupelo, Mississippi on the Natchez Trace lies a place of mystery called Witch Dance.

When Thomas and Margaret Speedwell took their twins to Witch Dance for a weekend camping trip, they never imagined they would be pulled into a vortex of witchcraft, tragedy, and karma. One of the girls goes missing; the other won’t say what happened on the other side of the hill.

The tragedy pulls together a cast of characters from Margaret’s childhood and beyond – Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, Toltec ancestors, the extinct Hopewell tribe.

With the help of a childhood friend, a concerned newspaper reporter, and visions by a strange old woman, a two-thousand-year-old mystery begins to unfold, uncovering missing children throughout generations. Who is taking them? Could it be the infamous witches of Witch Dance?

+ Witch Dance main page

+ Purchase Witch Dance for the low introductory price of only $0.99 on Kindle for a limited time

Paperbacks are also available for only $9.99!

To learn more about the author and what she’s working on, be sure to visit her site!

Also in the Works

Also in the works for this year are several new paranormal investigations, writing projects, lecture and signing events at paranormal conferences and bookstores, and several guitar clinics. This year’s demand has been really high, and we are carefully monitoring the “para-scape” and working hard to finalize what’s in store for 2018!

Stay tuned for great things to come!