BILL BLOG
Monday April 14, 2025
Monday morning…another one. We’re up to 83 today in Nashville and then drop to a high of just 64 tomorrow. Yo-Yo weather here in Music City.
THE WEEKEND
Friday morning, I got to meet my friend Troy Engle for the first time face to face. We’ve written a lot of songs together via Zoom or Google Play through the years. We even had a #1 bluegrass song we co-wrote that way once. But this was our first time getting to shake hands and sit down in the same room to write.
Troy got to talking about guitars (he plays every instrument) and I thought about how American Idol buddy Alex Miller loves to talk guitars as well. I called Alex to come join us and meet Troy if he wasn’t doing anything. And he wasn’t. The two of them really hit it off. And then we wrote a heck of a fun song that allowed the two of them to show off their guitar skills a bit.
My publisher took the three of us to lunch and we laughed pretty much the entire time. Just a fun writing day with a couple of buddies.
SATURDAY NIGHT HOUSE CONCERT
I had the pleasure of playing a house concert for the second time at the home of Robert and Lori Hill along with my songwriter friends Lauren Mascitti and Wil Nance. And this time we celebrated Lori Hill’s 70th birthday which made the evening even more fun.
Robert and Lori are big fans of songwriters and once a month they will bring in some of Nashville’s tunesmiths to entertain them, their friends, and guests. It’s a potluck kind of evening so everybody brings a little something to put on the food table.
There is no sound system it’s just the songwriters, their instruments, and their stories. The crowd gets close and quiet and it makes for a very intimate evening for everyone involved.
Lauren slayed everyone with her song “Childless Cat Lady” that’s not only funny but also well written.
And we got to hear Wil play fiddle and sing his new hit for Chris Janson “Cheap” which will make you think about maximizing the time you have here on earth.
And I got to debut a new funny song I wrote with Aussie Angus Gill “She Got A Grass Skirt” that got some big laughs.
My thanks to my radio buddy-podcaster-songwriter Dave Lenahan who introduced the three of us to this wonderful house concert series for the Hills. We had a blast…a second time!
ST. JUDE
My friend Bobby Marquez over the weekend invited me to be one of the judges for the Country with Heart for St. Jude Talent Contest. The winner will receive a Nashville recording session with well-known producer Buddy Hyatt who has produced a few tracks on my songs through the years including “If It Ain’t One Beer” that Brady Seals recorded. Myself and other judges will review video submissions and make our grades. The winner will be announced on May 7th.
I’m happy to be asked to do anything connected with St. Jude Hospital in Memphis where no child is turned away regardless their financial condition if they have childhood cancer. I’ve raised money doing radiothons for several years on the radio and have had a chance to tour that great hospital and talk to those doctors and researchers and shake the hands of little kids who are battling cancer. Danny Thomas, the founder said, “No child should die in the dawn of their life”. And that’s what they are trying to make sure of at St. Jude’s and they have made TREMENDOUS strides through the years.
THE MASTERS
I was glued to the TV set Sunday watching a thrilling finish to the Masters golf tournament as Rory McIlroy held off Justin Rose in a one-hole playoff to win the green jacket and become only the 6th golfer all-time to win the Grand Slam…winning all 4 major events. TV sets are so amazing now that I can’t imagine that golf course looking any prettier in person than it does on my big screen. CBS got their money’s worth yesterday with that finish.
FOUL BALL
One of the things that has passed down from me to my daughter Heather is a love of the game of baseball. She sent me this picture from Germany this weekend where she and her husband Casey caught a ball game.
She got a foul ball souvenir! I went with her once to a game here in Nashville and she got 2 foul balls in ONE game! I reminded her that I’ve been to a thousand more games than she has and I don’t have one foul ball. Sigh.
SONG OF THE DAY
Today’s song is “I Gotta Have Butterflies” from Darin and Brooke Aldridge. I wrote this song with Lisa Shaffer who was the original “girl” in our “Hits & Grins” trio. The song was inspired after I listened to a favorite radio personality one morning in Nashville who had a conversation with his daughter about finding love. And the daughter told him basically that she couldn’t just fall in love with anyone. She said, “I gotta have butterflies.” I wrote that down, and then Lisa and I turned it into the song that Darin and Brooke recorded.
HEALTH NOTES
Celery sold at Walmart in over 30 states has been recalled over possible listeria contamination.
A TikTok video went viral when Andrea Elder talked about how she treats her migraine headaches. Hot water. She says to stick your feet into the hottest water you can stand. That recirculates the blood and takes the pressure off of the head. Or feet in mustard also works according to some other folks. 35 million or more suffer from migraines. Anyone who suffers from migraines, as I used to, would probably try anything to get rid of that kind of pain.
A new study reveals that drinking coffee in the morning could reduce the risk of heart disease, and death. (I should live to be 200 if that’s true.)
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
As my friend Lauren Mascitti says, “I’m single as a Pringle”.
STANDING AT CONCERTS
At a recent concert, a woman got mad at another woman who kept STANDING during the concert. So, she yanked the other woman’s ponytail several times trying to get her to sit down. You can imagine that did not go over well with the yank-ee.
I’ve never understood why people pay SO much money for a concert seat and then they never sit down in that seat. They stand the entire show, forcing anyone who’s seated behind them to have to stand as well to see the stage. I’ surprised promoters don’t promote “Standing Only” concerts and “Seated Only” concerts.
SECOND-HAND
I read an article this weekend listing things we should never buy secondhand. Things that make you think, “Have people done this? And you just know they have!
Here’s a few.
Motorcycle helmets, toothbrush, mattresses, underwear, and my favorite. Dentures. Who doen't want to slide in a pair of slightly used choppers?
UNCLAIMED BAGGAGE
I keep meaning to stop someday at that Unclaimed Baggage Store that’s located in Scottsboro, Alabama. After it’s unclaimed for 90 days at airports, it goes up for sale at a discounted price. Up to 80% off retail in some cases.
Some of the more unusual unclaimed items include a frozen chicken foot, a $25,000 gold Rolex, a toilet seat, silicone butt pads, and even a letter signed by Eleanore Roosevelt.
I just want to go so I can ask one of the clerks, “Uh…how much for the butt pads?”
UGLIER
Just when I thought this Tesla truck could not get any uglier.
Maybe it will grow on me.
HEADLINE OF THE DAY
Florida Man Wearing Pink Thong and Fake Breasts Arrested for Causing A Disturbance At Applebees. (He should have gone to Waffle House. They would have never noticed.)
TODAY
My writing appointment got rescheduled so I’m just going to do whatever feels partly right today.
Have a great Monday!
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