Tullahoma Show...Southernism...Hai Karate

BILL BLOG

Monday August 19, 2024

 

Monday morning has rolled around starting the new work week. Sunshine and pleasant in Nashville today with a high of 84.

 

THE WEEKEND

Friday morning I had the pleasure of rhyming a song again with bluegrass artist Caroline Owens. Always fun. And this time we wrote a little bluegrass-gospel song together…something a bit different to add to our respective song catalogs.

 

Caroline played piano that day which gave the song a bit of a southern-gospel quartet kind of feel. We finished up the co-write...and I had no clue that she would show up the next night at my show in Tullahoma. Read on.

SATURDAY

I jumped in the SUV with my dear friends Linda Davis, Lang Scott AND their daughter Riley Jean and made an hour and a half drive from Nashville to do an “Evening in The Round” show at the South Jackson Performing Arts Center in Tullahoma, TN.

 

This theater has been hosting events, concerts and more since the mid 1800’s, was saved, and restored after a threat of tearing the historic building down. We’re so glad they didn’t! And we love communities that do this…save their past and the memories that go with old theaters like this.

 

The trio had not played a show together for a while so it was just so great to be a part of that again. And it was a special treat t have Lang and Linda’s daughter sing the song “Safe Haven” that I helped write with their oldest daughter Hillary as well as Jimmy Fortune and Sydni Perry. The song was written about Lang’s Father, and Riley’s grandfather which touches hearts every time we play it.

 

My friend and co-writer Caroline Owens who records for Billy Blue Records did indeed make our show with her Mom and caught the show so that was a nice surprise as well.

 

The staff, volunteers, sound folks, everyone at the theater was so kind, gracious and welcoming.

 

It just reminded all three of us how lucky we are to get to do what we get to do.

 

The kind of musical memories that should be put in a frame.

 

NEXT SHOW FOR ME?

That would be this one coming up in Marion, Illinois with Freedom Sings USA.

 

SOUTHERNISM
I missed the Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival this year for the first time because of the show in Tullahoma Saturday night. But I had a lot of songwriter friends participating including Brady Seals who sang “Southernism”…a song the two of us wrote with Josh Shilling a couple of years go. Another friend, Victoria Venier who now heads that great festival caught a bit of that performance on her phone and sent THIS to me. Check it out.

 

 

CHURCH BELLS A RINGIN’

That's the song that I wrote with Rick Lang that’s on the “Blue Collar Gospel Album” is starting to get some notice…and it’s not even a single release.

 

It’s #3 this week on this gospel bluegrass chart. A really nice surprise.

 

 

Bluegrass great Danny Paisley did such a great job singing this song.

 

And he has some great harmony help from Barry Abernathy…banjo player and vocalist for the group Appalachian Road Show.

 

Ben James of the Oak Ridge Boys who replaced Joe Bonsall.

 

And Bradley Walker of Brothers of the Heart on the bass part.

 

 

My thanks to all of those great singers for making this SONG come to life.

 

HEALTH NOTES

The COVID summer surge is now the highest it’s been in over two years.

 

And with that news the FDA may update COVID-19 vaccines in just a few weeks.

 

88.3% of Doctors polled said they would choose do not resuscitate or ‘no code’ for themselves.

 

SO TRUE!

 

 

TURNOFF

A magazine asked women to list their biggest turnoffs when it comes to us men folk. Over 50 were listed…here’s three of those.

 

Too much cologne. (I had no idea one could ever splash on too much Hai Karate)

 

 Bragging about going to the gym.

 

And driving an over-sized pickup truck.

 

I wrote a line in a song I wrote with Gerald Smith that says, “If you have to climb a ladder just to get up in your truck…then buddy I suspect…you’re a redneck”.

 

So I kind of get that one girls.

 

LONG WALKS

Some airports take you FOREVER to get to your gate or get out of the terminal because of the LONG walks. I’ve had a few of those at BNA our airport in Nashville, especially now since it’s expanded and become bigger. But…our airport doesn’t compart to DFW in Dallas which was just ranked worst in that category. It can take you 2 ½ hours to get to your gate in Dallas if you’re on the far end of things. Whenever I’ve had a tight connection there I always wander if I’ll get there in time or not.

 

Following Dallas as the longest is Washington Dulles, then it’s George Bush International in Houston, Denver and JFK.

 

25 DOLLAH BIDDAH

Movie props sure go for a lot these days when they put them up for auction. The latest is this hat Harrison Ford wore in Indiana Jones 2…”Temple of Doom”. It fetched $630,000!

 

Wonder how much his whip will sell for?

 

HEADLINE OF THE DAY

Woman Attempts To Run Over Boyfriend En Route To Couples Therapy, Police Say. (I don't think therapy is going to work now)

 

TODAY
I’m writing with Stuie French for the first time today, a talented guitar player and member of the French Family Band. The family is from Australia and Stuie, his wife Camille and son Sonny are all great singers and players. Here’s a sample of what they do.

 

Looking very forward to getting to know them better today and creating a little magic…we hope.

 

Have a great Monday!