Blast...Ohio Show...Shania

BILL BLOG

Thursday August 31, 2023

 

Thursday and it’s the last day of August. How in the world is that possible? Just 84 here today but back up to 95 come Labor Day.

 

YESTERDAY

I had to shift plans yesterday as my co-writer for our songwriting appointment had the date wrong in his calendar and had to reschedule. I’ve done that myself. So we did that and then I had the day open to do other stuff. And since I had a writing room already reserved for yesterday morning, I used it to start a new song idea I’ve had for a while and got a good start on it. So it wasn’t a completely wasted creative day after all.

 

BLAST ON THE BAY

Those dates are coming up October 19-22 in beautiful Port St. Joe Florida…a great songwriters festival that I’ve been playing at for several years now with my “Hits & Grins” trio featuring Victoria Venier, Steve Dean, and myself. 

 

 

They’ve officially escaped any hurricane damage so it’s on and we’re all glad to hear that news. This one is a smaller songwriters festival compared to many which makes it a little more intimate. Beautiful part of Florida there on the Forgotten Coast so I hope you’ll make plans to take a little mini beach vacation and come hang with us at “Blast”.

 

 

MORE ON WILDFLOWER TOO

My friend Darin and Brooke Aldridge posted a snip of their current single “Wildflower Too” over this painting from a friend of theirs named Richard Henkle. Richard was so inspired by our song that he put this together. Very cool. Thank you Richard!  

 

OHIO

A reminder that this show in Ohio with Linda Davis, Lang Scott and myself is coming to Waynesville in just a few days. Get your tickets! 

 

HEALTH NOTES

The US Health Department recommends easy federal restrictions on marijuana by lowering its classification.

 

According to the Gallup folks confidence in public health folks have slipped from 44 to 34% approval.

 

A registered dietitian claims beer can be good for your health if you pick beers with less alcohol content and drink in moderation.

 

SHANIA

Happy Birthday to Shania Twain who turns 58 today. I’ve had the blessing of being around her on a couple of occasions because of radio. The first was when I was doing the morning show at WMIL in Milwaukee. She came into the studio one morning with a DAT tape (remember those) of her first single “Who’s Bed Have Your Boots Been Under”. She, and the song both knocked me out. And I remember telling her something like how surprised I’d be if that were not a big hit. And it was. 

 

 

My second experience was when I was doing the morning show at WFMS Radio in Indianapolis and Shania was playing a concert at the outdoor arena there. I took some radio winners of a contest back stage to meet her along with Indy car racer Scott Goodyear who was part of my radio show during Indy 500 week. He was a HUGE Shania fan so he went with us to meet her. She could not have been any nicer. To everyone. Respectful of her time, we wrapped up and I showed our winners out the gate so they could get to their seats and was about to leave when she said, “where are you going…there’s no rush”. And we then sat down at a picnic table and just visited for a long while. Completely real.

 

So yea…Happy Birthday today to a really nice person.

 

COST OF LIVING

CNBC released a list of how much a person need to make to live in each state of the country. It’s based on how much you need to get by state by state by state.

 

The most expensive state is Hawaii where they say you’d need $112,411 yearly. Then:

Massachusetts $87, 909, California $80,013, New York $73,226 and in at the fifth most expensive is Alaska at $71,570.

 

And then I checked how much I would need to make in each state I’ve lived and worked in during my life.

 

Illinois $49,372

Indiana $49,855

Missouri…my home state $47, 771

Ohio $50,157

Tennessee $48, 774

Wisconsin $53, 122

 

So for me…the Badger state of Wisconsin topped the list. Hey, cheese curds ain’t cheap y’all.

 

FAIR FOOD

My friend Joe Dan Cornett who’s my guy at my publishing company was in Minnesota this past weekend to go to the big Minnesota Fair. I’m ask him if he had food on a stick and he showed me a picture of spaghetti on a stick! For real. I don’t know how they do that. Every food can go on a stick.  Can’t wait to order soup on a stick when I go.

 

 

WOULD YOU GO DOWN THIS?

A standup water slide?  I might. I figure it lessens the chance of getting a wedgie. So it’s go that going for it.

 

MUSICAL TIMES CHANGING

I got a notice from CD Baby a couple of days ago reminding me that they will no longer sell CD’s on their platform. And they’re mailing back a CD or two of inventory they have. It’s all streaming now for them. I still love CD’s and vinyl. Something I can hold in my hands, flip over, and read the liner notes and read the credits. Kind of sad for music guys like me.

 

SPIKE!

How about the Nebraska women’s volleyball team drawing a crowd of over 92,000 fans watch them play a game?  I had no idea how volleyball crazy that state is until I read the story…but they are. The game was played in a football stadium in Omaha. Packed. Good for them. 

 

 

Now when their bowling team starts drawing 90,000 I’m going to REALLY be impressed.

 

LOTTA DIAPERS

A couple who had triplets counted. They say that in one year they went through 6,200 diapers!  Wow. Wonder why someone can’t develop a litter box for kids. C’mon!

 

TODAY
I’m writing with my American Idol buddy Alex Miller today. Alex has had very busy summer playing a lot fairs all across the country. By now he’s had every kind of food you can think of on a stick. It’ll be fun catching up with him and writing something new.

 

 

Have a great Thursday!