Chris Chandler is a veteran of the road. As a wandering poet and musician, he has been Traveling the thin Highways of fat America. Few performers can lay claim to on the roadisms the way Chandler can. Over the past seven years he has blazed a trail from Edmonton to Guadalajara, Halifax to Baha. Over a million miles in seven years - three vehicles - two Volkswagens and a Chevrolet. He has lived in a car and performed on the very streets that wrap around his universal joint.

Now Fifty Fifty Music/Prime CD has released "Convenience Store Troubadours". It documents many of the fine musicians that have traveled with Chandler -- busking in the liver of the beast -- the Convenience Store Troubadours. With titles like Breakfast Serial Killers, Sex Sex Sex and Thrift Store Diva an accurate portrait of the style, and spirit that makes modern minstral, the interstate transient - the Convenience Store Troubadour can be heard.

In addition to his wandering, ramblings, and writings, he has shared the stage with vanguard writers and performers such as Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Allen Ginsberg, Peter Yarrow, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Ferron, Leo Kottke, T. Bone Burnett, Michael Smith and Earl Robinson. Also he has shared the stage with more contemporary acts such as Ani Difranco, Mojo Nixon, Vic Chestnut, Trout Fishing in America, Dan Bern, Jim Infantino, Don White, Ellis Paul, Pierce Pettis, David Wilcox, and Roger Manning.

His mentor, Phil Rockstroh is a professional writer and Tarot card master who has rambled the globe in search of metaphor. He lives in Atlanta and has had short stories published in numerous periodicals. Although he is perhaps the best undiscovered writer in the country he would prefer his work to speak for itself.

For ten years, Rockstroh and Chandler have put pen to paper collaboratively in a way that turns collage into a high art form. Together, they have experienced the backyards and back roads of discounted America as they travel from street corner to coffee house, stadium to school house, demonstration, picket line protest, bar tavern watering hole or laundromat. Wailing thick saturate poetry, they are convenience store troubadours. When Chandler's infectious sense of humor, style of speaking combines with Rockstroh's ability to nail a topic something captivating happens. Their first formal book of poetry is called Protection From All This Safety (and other tales of Love Death and Laundry) and it is published by Portals Press and is available through Amazon.Com.

Chris's Website: chrischandler.org