BILL BLOG
Thursday September 26, 2024
And a good early Thursday morning to you. I’m headed for the Lone Star state this morning at the crack of dark. So a bit of a shorter blog this morning.
All good thoughts to those affected this morning on the Florida coast, Georgia and elsewhere. Nothing good about that kind of flooding and high winds in a Category 4 hurricane. Officials are bracing for unprecedented damage there. There’s not enough sandbags in the world to hold back a 20 foot storm surge.
YESTERDAY
It was a day partly spent adding some possible new shows in 2025 which is already getting pretty busy. 4 new Freedom Sings USA songwriting retreats have already been added and I’m looking to add as many as 3 shows with my funny friend Juanita Smith from Mobile, Alabama.
Two of those look to be in Mobile, and one in Foley, Alabama. I’m waiting for confirmations before posting them on my tour calendar.
And it looks like I’ll play the Grand Mesa Songwriters Festival in Colorado out in west Colorado hosted by noted songwriter David Starr in early June of next year for the first time. Great time of year to be in beautiful Colorado.
A MOVING LETTER
A few weeks ago I wrote a song with veteran Art Fagler in Marion, Illinois with Freedom Sings USA.
I had mentioned Art’s story about being a Captain in charge of 151 men from the southern Illinois National Guard who were sent to Baghdad for a year. Art got home with all but one 20 year old soldier named Brian Romine who volunteered to drive the lead truck one day on a mission. His truck hit a roadside bomb and it claimed his life. Captain Art (who retired as a Major in the Army) carried that with him and still does to this day. He wears a bracelet with that young soldiers name engraved on it.
So I wrote his song and titled it “151”. The night I sang it to honor all our veterans in Marion Brian’s Gold Star Mom Melinda showed up. It was a very emotional moment as you can imagine when she hear her son…and Major Art Fagler’s song that night. She came on stage and gave me a big hug.
But better than that was this email she sent me yesterday after Art sent her the song “151” that I did a rough recording of. These are her words.
Good Morning, Sir!
This is Brian Romines’ proud momma and I just wanted to let you know that I received an email with the song you wrote for Major Fager about my son. To say I’m moved by it is an understatement. No words are potent enough to express my gratitude and I stand in awe of your talent. How you can listen to someone tell about their journey and the feelings that comes with it and then sculpt it into a song in such a way that it seems like I step out of my own world and into one where I’m walking in Art Fager’s shoes for an unimaginable and unpleasant moment in his life is beyond me. Thank you again, and again, and again!!! This is a precious treasure that I will cherish for the rest of my days!
Melinda Clary
Proud Mom of Sgt Brian Matthew Romines, KIA 6/6/2005 near Baghdad, Iraq
You can imagine how moved I was when I read this yesterday morning. It was a reminder of how lucky I am to give back to those who serve in this unique musical way. Thank you for the kind words Melinda…and for your son and for all of those who give so much to keep us free.
BLUEGRASS CHART
It was great seeing two songs I helped write hanging on this bluegrass-gospel chart. “Blue Collar Gospel” from Jerry Salley & The Oak Ridge Boys and “God Never Made A Mountain” by Kristy Cox.
Thank you David Pugh for loving these two songs.
SONG OF THE DAY
Today I want to share a wedding song I helped my friend Rob Bellamy write that was played at his wedding to former American Idol star Ayla Brown “New Last Name”. Rob asked if I would help him surprise his soon to be wife by helping him finish this song he had started. This picture shows you much she was surprised and moved when they played it for her as they danced that day.
And again. This is why I write songs.
HEALTH NOTES
People who cram all their exercise into Saturdays and Sundays can lower their risk of developing 264 diseases just as well as people who go to the gym all week according to a new study. (While my first thought “Cool”…my second thought was “wait, we have 264 diseases?!")
A 10th person had died in the listeria outbreak that shuttered a Boar’s Head deli meat plant according to health officials yesterday.
And just in case you ever need one. They now have “therapy” ponies.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Duly noted.
BELATED
I sent my daughter a Dad text yesterday telling her how lucky her Mom Kathy and I are to be her parents as it was National Daughter’s Day.
I meant to mention that on the Blog yesterday…so I ‘m doing it now. Biggest blessing in my life outside of marrying my wife. So proud of the creative, fun, woman she’s grown into. Love ya kid.
OPTIMISTIC
Wyoming is the most optimistic state in the country according to a new survey. California, New Jersey, Alabama and Maryland round out the top 5.
The LEAST optimistic according to the survey is Texas and Mississippi. Great…I’m heading to Texas this morning. Maybe I can help cheer those folks up while I’m there?
HEADLINE OF THE DAY
Hungry Prowler Arrested After Breaking Into Wisconsin Home To Cook “Shrimp And Pasta Dinner” According To Police. (Just your every day run of the mill burglar)
TODAY
Long drive to Texas ahead. All day.
Then a show tomorrow night with Linda Davis and Lang Scott at Dosey Doe’s The Big Barn in Woodland, Texas where they make their own coffee. And it’s great!
Then Saturday night one more show at the Palace Theatre in Corsicana, Texas.
Time to hit the asphalt. Have a great Thursday!
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