BILL BLOG
Tuesday December 17, 2024
Tuesday morning and it’s a little cloudy-hazy after getting a lot of rain here in Nashville yesterday. It’s never good when you’re driving and you see signs warning of “ponding water”. Saw some of that last night big time. A high of 59 here today.
YESTERDAY
I wrote with Jeff McClellan for the first time. Jeff is from the Chattanooga area and had been to a couple of my shows and had found my “Off The Wall” CD and loved the comedy songs. So he pitched a funny Christmas song idea to me and yesterday we got to know each other…and we wrote his idea. Turned out pretty danged funny if I do say so.
Jeff had had a great REAL job for many years, but he’s dabbled in writing and has wound up with at least 4 of his songs being recorded by known bluegrass artists like the great Dan Tyminski of “Man of Constant Sorrow”…who has been long time guitar player in the Alison Krauss all-star band “Union Station”. It was fun getting to know him and create something that’s going to make some folks smile at Christmas time if they hear it.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE
I attended a wonderful memorial service last night to honor Dottie Leonard Miller who was the founder of Daywind Records the largest southern gospel music distributor in the world along with Billy Blue Records and publishing…the company I write song for.
I learned a ton about our founder last night. How she grew an incredible business out of her garage as single mother or two. This is her BIO if you have any interest in checking out her remarkable life. She’s a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
My wife and I met her when I signed my writing contract for Billy Blue alongside her son Ed who now runs the company. She was immediately likeable. And I hate that I did not have more time to really get to know her. She LOVED music…and her artists…and her writers. That was apparent from what all the speakers and artists had to say last night paying tribute to her.
Daywind artist Autumn Nelon who recently lost her family in a plane crash that she sang with"The Nelons” came and sang one of Dottie’s favorite songs “Scars in Heaven”. It was a moment to say the least.
RIP Dottie.
SONG OF THE DAY
Today I’m selecting the song “All That Cowboy Jazz" that Paul Bogart recorded that the two of us wrote with the talented Zach Runquist.
Paul is a real deal cowboy…and loves western swing type music as I do. So I had this idea the day the three of us sat down to write at Sony Music on Music Row and we jumped all over it. Zach is a great instrumentalist….plays fiddle, guitar, dobro, mandolin…name it…so he was a perfect co-writer to get us into a great “swing” type melody.
The song just could not have turned out better and they recorded this song into a really fun video in the town of Oologah, Oklahoma at the Iron Horse bar near where Paul grew up and now lives there again. The bar loved it so much that the logo to the song is still on their dance floor.
HEALTH NOTES
Research says that on average we all gain about a pound during the Fall and Winter. Might be able to blame that on the big holiday meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
A study says that fluctuating blood pressure could influence cognitive decline risk.
And get this…another study says the US is #1 for being burdened by disease…even though our country has a longer life span the most.
POSTER OF THE DAY
DRONING ON
Another news day of trying to figure out what and where all those drones are coming from. I did read that Amazon got approved for drone delivery which led to one comedian saying, “We now have skeet shooting with prizes.”.
GIFT
If you have a waffle lover on your Christmas gift giving list this year…
Maybe?
SOME MORE MUSIC
This is my buddy Rob Bellamy the former hockey player I blogged about a few days ago at home in Boston recording a song the two of us wrote a few years ago “Ain’t Ever Gonna Be A Time.” Always a nice surprise finding something like this. Click the link to watch and hear Rob singing our song.
HEADLINE OF THE DAY
This one from the funny folks at the Babylon Bee who make up the greatest fake headlines.
Drones Turn Out To Be Elaborate Gender Reveal Party.
TODAY
I’m writing with Stuie French…great guitar player and the Dad in the “French Family Band” alongside is wife Camille and talented son Sonny who plays guitar just like his Dad…great picker as well. So the two of will have fun chasing something new together today.
Have a great Tuesday!
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