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Dollywood Weekend...Happy Birthday...The Beast

BILL BLOG

Friday March 10, 2023

 

Friday morning…and good morning from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Umbrella day here. Rain with a high of 61 in the land of taffy and fudge and moonshine and putt putt golf.


 

 

I read this morning that it’s been the 5th warmest winter ever for Nashville with the average temperature of 47 degrees between December and February. No complaints here.

 

YESTERDAY

I picked up one of my “Hits & Grins” partners Steve Dean and we rolled I-40 east to Pigeon Forge, checked into our hotel room, and this morning we’ll head to Dollywood where the third member of our trio Victoria Venier will join us on stage at the Palace Theater inside Dollywood to kick off the 50th Anniversary Celebration of “I Will Always Love You”. Several weeks of songwriters will follow us, but we’re kicking the entire thing off with 3 shows for VIPS at the park. Noon, 2 and 4 pm. Three more shows at the same time tomorrow free for all park visitors. Victoria is actually in charge of hosting all the songwriter rounds, and she booked all the talent which is quite the honor for her. Should be a ton of fun today.

 

Our stage is already set. If you want to see what that looks like just click HERE.

 


 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To one of my best friends on the planet Brent Burns. Another trip around the sun pal. We were introduced more years ago than I want to admit by a mutual friend Dean Raymer who was my manager back when I was touring with a band. We were in Gulf Shores, Alabama and went to Lulu’s to hear him play. When he sang “If It’s Snowbird Season, Why Can’t We Shoot Em’? I knew we were going to write together. And have we ever. 60 or more of the songs that Brent has recorded on his albums are songs we’ve written together including “Retired” that Ray Stevens recorded as well as “Going Ugly Early” which has been a comedy staple for both of us and was written the first time we sat down and wrote. When we get to play shows together it’s a laugh fest. And we’ve toured Italy and taken a Rhine River Cruise together entertaining his legion of Trop Rock fans through the years. My life has been better, and funnier because of our friendship. Happy Happy Birthday Brent.

 


HEALTH NOTES

A new study says that a 4-Day workweek is better for both our physical and mental health.

 

Research is showing that lower respiratory infections when young could be linked to earlier adult deaths.

 

A Mississippi couple who battled infertility just gave birth to quintuplets. Wow.

 

WE GOT LOTS OF SHOES

Adidas partnered with Kanye West for a line of “Yeezy” sneakers. They now have 1.3 BILLION dollars’ worth of those bad boys that they can’t sell. He’s a polarizing figure at best, and it has not served Adidas well. If they can’t move them the company will take a 527-million-dollar loss. Yikes. He might want to re-marry Kim Kardashian again to raise his popularity. Be careful which celebrity you choose to represent your product folks.

 

SURVEY SAYS…

That we talk to more strangers on vacation than we do at home. I think that may be because at home we don’t have a bartender or waitress who asks, “what would you like to drink sir”? Don’t ask me how I know.

 

FUNNY

A husband tweeted this about marriage. “Marriage is sometimes apologizing for what you did in your wife’s dream”.

 

DO WE NEED ANOTHER ONE?

Another Country Awards Show? We’re getting one whether we need it or not. The People’s Choice COUNTRY Awards will air in September from the Opry stage in Nashville. Everybody sooner or later gets a trophy. It will air on NBC & Peacock if you’re interested.

 

COASTERS

USA Today just released this list of new roller coasters coming to theme parks. One of them is this one that will be at Dollywood, which is where I’m playing shows at the next two days. If Big Bear Mountain was up and running, I’m sure I’d try to sneak over and jump on board.


 

 

 

I still like the old wooden coasters better than the steel tube coasters that are the rage these days. If you’re a coaster enthusiasts then it should be on your bucket list to ride “The Beast” at Kings Island just north of Cincinnati. Still my favorite of all the coasters I’ve ridden…by far.

 

AND…
I still think someone should build a coaster and name it the “Dow Jones” considering the ups and downs of it. A drop of over 500 points yesterday.

 

AND DO WE NEED THIS?

Ranch flavored ice cream. Yep. I don’t like salad dressing. I eat it “dry” and when I order it that way the waitress always ask twice, “No dressing”?  It always feels like I’m breaking a restaurant law of some kind. BUT…if I did order ranch flavored ice cream?  I’d ask for it on the side.

 

HEADLINE OF THE DAY

“Bride Demands That Her Bridesmaids Get Matching Tattoos. Major Drama And Breakdown Ensues”.  (Ya think?)

 

TODAY

It’s those three shows I mentioned at the top of the blog 3 more tomorrow and then straight home to Nashville. We should be back home this evening by 8 or 8:30 pm or so. Full details on these Dollywood shows coming at you Monday here on the Bill Blog. 


 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

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