Two Nominations...New Show...Back Home This Weekend

BILL BLOG

Monday June 30, 2025

 

Monday morning, the last day of June already, and we’re rolling towards the 4^th of July. And it’s likely to be hot.

 

With that in mind, did you hear that the inventor of the heat index died?  He was 88 but felt like 107.

 

Some light rain with a high of 88 is predicted for Nashville today.

 

THE WEEKEND

Over the weekend, I found out that two songs I helped write are up for consideration for the Dove Awards this year. “Blue Collar Gospel” was recorded by Jerry Salley and the Oak Ridge Boys, written with Jerry Salley and Rick Lang.

 

And “Country Faith” was recorded by Kristen Leigh Bearfield with gospel great Karen Peck singing harmony, written with Kristen Bearfield and Bob Minner.

 

“For consideration” means it’s in the early stages of the voting, and we’ll have to wait and see if either song makes it to the final ballot. Either way, it’s pretty cool to have these two songs recognized for this kind of award.

 

SONG OF THE DAY

Today I'm choosing a big Lady A hit "Run To You". That's because Lady A's "Hillary Scott's) Mom and Dad Linda Davis and Lang Scott sat in during my songwriter's show last week at the Bluebird Cafe and sang that song with me to an appreciative Bluebird crowd...to say the least. Pretty cool moment.

 

 

 

NEW LISTENING ROOM DATE

I did add a new show to the calendar this weekend. August 12, I’ll play at the Listening Room Café in Nashville for a 6 pm songwriter show with Ben Klick, Sean McNamara, and one other songwriter to be named. The Listening Room is a great venue with great food. I always enjoy playing there. For more information, check out their website LINK. 

 

 

THIS WEEK

On the 4^th of July, I’ll be on the road home to Missouri as I have two shows back home.

 

This Friday, July 5^th, I will play at the Liberty Fest in Louisiana, Missouri, very near where I went to High School in Elsberry, Missouri.  I’ll be playing at. I play at 11 AM and will do an hour show. I got a call from the event organizers this weekend telling me there has been a LOT of interest in the event, so we should have a big crowd, it sounds like.

 And once again, I’ll sing the first record I ever recorded, “Mo Mo,” the Missouri Monster, which is all about that Sasquatch that legend says terrorized the town of Louisiana all those years ago. His legend lives on and on and on.

 

And on Sunday, July 6, I’ll travel up to Florida, Missouri, to play a 2-hour show (with wine) at the Florida Winery and Resort. This show was set up by my friends Becky and Wil Denton, both talented singer-musicians, who live in nearby Paris, Missouri. Thank you, Will and Becky, for making that happen.

 

HEALTH NOTES

A new health report claims there is a rise in heart failures and arrhythmias. 

 

A health survey reveals that 1 in 4 Americans don’t get enough vitamin D.

 

A study reveals that dropping some weight in middle age could reduce chronic diseases later in life.

 

 

HERE’S YOUR SIGN

I think I’ll just stay away from the water line.

 

AIRPORTS

The Washington Post listed the top 50 airports in the U.S, in their opinion. Here’s their Top 5.

 

5…Seattle

4…Minneapolis

3…Ronald Reagan DC

2…Long Beach

 

And their top airport is Portland.

 

Our BNA Airport here in Nashville did not crack the Top 50, though it continues to grow. Last year, Nashville broke a record with tourists coming here and spending 31.7 billion dollars. So, the city is spending millions to improve and expand our now international airport.

 

The one really cool thing about our airport? There are several restaurants inside it that feature “live” country music being played. Ole Reds, Tootsies, and there are a couple of stages that tourists see in the concourses.

 

GREAT STORY

My friend Steve Dean, who is part of our “Hits & Grins” trio, was once playing on one of the stages inside the airport. He was playing with a friend of his as a duo. They got word that Johnny Cash was coming up the concourse. Sure enough, they spotted him and started singing “Ring of Fire”. Cash walked right up to them, walked up on their stage, and said, “Key of C boys”. And then proceeded to sing his hit with them.

 

How’s that for an airport moment? 

 

Heck, even Keith Urban showed up one day at the airport and did an impromptu, surprise performance.

 

I’ll be the Portland airport has not had THAT happen.

 

4^th OF JULY

Those fireworks tents are going to be busy this week. If you’re going to visit one, ask for some of these that have funny names.

 

Llama Be Chillin’

Been Drankin’

Pork Tenderbang

 

And my favorite firework…the Shock and Awe Corn Cannon.

 

JOKE

This one is from comedian Steve Wright.

 

“If it’s a penny for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, someone, somewhere, is making a penny”.

 

THEM AND US

That Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez 50-million-dollar wedding in Venice finally wrapped up, and all the millionaires have flown home.

 

50 MILLION. I’m betting the bride’s parents didn’t pay for this one.

 

THIS WILL MAKE YOU FEEL OLD

The Sound of Music is 60 years old now. 60. This was one of my Mom’s favorite movies. She and my Dad didn’t go to our little one-screen movie theater much in Montgomery City, Missouri. Couldn’t afford to with 5 kids to raise. But she saw the Sound of Music there and LOVED it.

 

I thought about that some when we spent a few days outside of Salzburg, Austria, where a lot of the scenes from that movie were shot a couple of years ago.

 

I’m pretty sure she would have loved to have been there to see some of what we saw.

 

TODAY’S HEADLINE

Safety Meeting Ends In Accident.  (Not exactly what they were hoping for)

 

TODAY

I’ll be spending a little time online today with Troy Engle, tweaking a song we wrote when he was in town last week. We’ll be trying to see if we can make what we think is pretty good a little stronger.

 

There’s an old saying about writing, “It ain’t the write, it’s the rewrite.”

 

Have a great Monday!