Over the past five years, Tucson singer-songwriter John Coinman has criss-crossed the United States, Canada and Europe with Kevin Costner and Modern West.
In September, the country-rock band and its movie-star frontman went to Kazakhstan - 16 hours by air and nearly 8,000 miles from Tucson - to play one concert.
"I guess that's the advantage of being with a famous person. When we went to Kazakhstan . . . we played one show then turned right around and flew back halfway across the world," Coinman said last week as he prepared for a rare hometown concert Saturday with his band and special guest Peter McLaughlin.
Next up with Costner: Brazil this month, two concerts in Russia next month.
"We toured Canada in the summer and Russia in the winter," said Coinman, 65.
All this globe-trotting with longtime friend Costner gives Coinman less and less time to focus on his solo career. So when he takes the stage alone - especially in Tucson, his home since 1993 - it's a chance to dip into his enviable vault of acoustic rock songs, kick back with friends and forget about time and space.
"To come back here and play . . . is just a dream come true for me," said Coinman, whose solo band includes fellow Tucsonan Larry Cobb on drums and longtime friend Blair Forward on bass. Both are members of Modern West, which also includes singer-songwriter Teddy Morgan, who now lives in California.
"I think the thing that every artist really needs is a home," Coinman added. "A lot of people don't have homes because their music is so universal. It's spread around the world. My music is so Southwestern-oriented. For me to come home to Tucson and play for people is really, truly like coming home."
Saturday's show might be Coinman's last for a spell.
He and Modern West will kick off the new year with a month of U.S. dates to promote the release of the band's second album, "Turn It On." The album has been enthusiastically embraced in Europe, where it came out earlier this year. Coinman said the band is releasing the CD on its own in the States and is considering a digital download in addition to the hard-copy CDs.
The band also is working on its third album, which should put to rest some early criticism that Costner started it as a vanity project.
"We've been together five years. We're working on (our third) CD, and we're talking about another five years setting up shows," he said.
The band has become nearly a full-time job.
"It's been difficult, but let's just say I'm happy in this world today to be out playing my songs to world audiences and making some money while I'm doing it," he said.
Coinman hopes to get into the studio in the next six months to record a new solo album - his first in more than four years.
If you go
• What: The John Coinman Band in concert, featuring Peter McLaughlin
• Presented by: Rhythm & Roots.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
• Where: Zuzi Theater in the Historic "Y," 738 N. Fifth Ave.
• Tickets: $22 in advance at Antigone Books, all Bookmans locations, Grey Dog Trading Co. in Plaza Palomino; or online at www. rhythmandroots.org It's $25 at the door.
• Details: 319-9966.
