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New Cut...Helena...Man In Black Honored

BILL BLOG

Wednesday October 25, 2024

Wednesday, another “hump day” to get over. And it’s another packing day for a road trip to Texas early tomorrow morning. More on that at the end of today’s Blog. 77 for the high today in Nashville.

 

YESTERDAY

I got some good from a co-writer in Arkansas Brent Baxter when he texted me to let me know a southern-gospel group named Mid-South Boys have just recorded a song that he and I wrote with another friend Nathan Woodward. The song is titled “Thank God”. The three of us wrote it from an idea I had one day at my publishing company in Nashville a couple of years or more ago…and Brent found a home for it.


 

 

So thank you to Brent…and thank you to the group for loving our song.

 

HELENE

I also spent some time tracking ole “Helene” coming ashore it looks like in the Tallahassee area of Florida. And the word right now seems to be that it could turn into a major one with big storm surges along coast lines. Geez. It’s a state of emergency for much of Florida right now. Category 3 seems to be the consensus this morning. Mandatory evacuations are going on in 9 counties in Florida right now.  And here in Nashville we could see some backlash from it.



 

I have a run of shows coming up in Gulf Shores-Orange Beach-Pensacola over the next few weeks and it’s looking like that area should not be affected as of right now. There’s a great songwriter festival I play at every year in Port St. Joe, Florida called “Blast On The Bay” and they issued a “heads up” kind of notice yesterday as they look to be on the fringe of that storm surge. A few years ago they got hit hard by a hurricane Michael and had to cancel the event for two years in a row. My very best thoughts for all my friends in the affected areas down there.

 

This year I’m not able to attend “Blast on the Bay” because of another show I have in Illinois that conflicts with those dates in Port St. Joe. But it’s one of my favorite festivals…and I’m certainly hoping it will go on as scheduled in Mid-October. 


 


 

THOSE BEACH DATES

Wednesday and Thursday October 2 & 3 in Orange Beach, Alabama with Freedom Sings USA writing songs with veterans with a free concert honoring those veterans October 3 at the Coastal Arts Center.


 

 

Friday October 4 at the Native Café in Pensacola at the Pensacola Songwriters Festival alongside my friends Jerry Salley and Larry Cordle.



 

Saturday October 5 at the Casino Beach Bar & Grill in Pensacola for the “Blues and Bluegrass Bash” that will be a ton of fun.


 

 

October 23-26 in Gulf Shores for “Meeting of the Minds” MOTM…the big Parrot Head gathering.


 

November 8-11 at the Frank Brown Songwriters Festival in Gulf Shores-Orange Beach-Perdido-Pensacola. 


 

 

SONG OF THE DAY

Because the International Bluegrass Associations (IBMA) big festival is going on right now in Raleigh, North Carolina I’m selecting a bluegrass song I wrote with Josh Shilling that the great Del McCoury recorded “Once Again”. Del played with the legendary Bill Monroe when he was young, and I’d say he’s today’s version of Mr. Monroe. So it was an honor to have him record this song.

 

Josh brought the idea into the writing room that day and had part of a chorus written that I loved. So we finished up the idea that day and Josh got the song to Del who he knows, and Del put it on his new album “Almost Proud  that was nominated for a Grammy Award last year. Another honor.

 


And my friend Josh Shilling played wound up playing piano on the record.  It sounds like an old Jerry Lee Lewis song to me…not a traditional bluegrass song by a mile. Take a listen and see what you think.

 

HEALTH NOTES

A new study claims Ozempic can improve a common, chronic skin condition known as Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).  

 

The CDC reports that the general rate of obesity in adults in the US has stagnated. Good news. But the bad news is the rate of severe obesity has increased.

 

Research is claiming that social isolation could be a factor in why more older men are dying from extreme heat.

 

HERE’S YOUR SIGN



 

I’ve asked this question before and never got a good answer. How in the world does one milk an almond?

 

CHEAP HOMES

Go Banking just listed cities where one can still buy a home for under $100,000. Some surprised me like Cincinnati which was right at the top of their list.

 

Others included Kansas City, Chicago, Memphis, Philadelphia, Baton Rouge, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Buffalo to name a few.

 

Who knew?

 

JUST WHEN I THINK I’VE SEEN IT ALL

This happened last night. The San Diego Padres clinched a playoff spot by ending their game with Dodgers in spectacular fashion. A triple play!  What are the odds Vegas?  Check THIS OUT.

 

And this is why baseball is still my favorite sport. Wow. 


 

 

THE MAN IN BLACK

Pretty cool statue here. A Johnny Cash statue was unveiled at the Capitol…the first musician to be featured in Emancipation Hall. Each state chooses who they want. Arkansas chose Johnny Cash to represent them.



 

And this picture should tug at your heart. This is Johnny’s sister who is blind holding on to her brother’s statue as it was unveiled.



 

AND THEN THERE’S TOBY KEITH

Check out this great tribute to Toby Keith at halftime during last week’s game between Toby’s team Oklahoma and Tennessee.



 

Amazing what they can do with drones. What a cool thing to do though to honor Toby’s memories.

 

SURVEY SAYS

Nearly 60% of Americans say that $100,000 income is required to curb expenses anxiety. (And one needs to make that much a year to be able to stop at Starbucks every morning.)

 

HEADLINE OF THE DAY
One Armed Man Applauds The Kindness Of Strangers. Okay then.

 

TODAY
I’m packing for an early departure to Texas tomorrow morning. An all-day drive in front of me and Linda Davis and Lang Scott.

 

Then Friday night we have a show at Dosey Doe’s in Woodlands, Texas.


 

 

 

And Saturday night a show the historic Palace Theatre in Corsicana, Texas.


 

 

So the next blog will be from the Lone Star state.

 

Have a great Wednesday!



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