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Inspired Writing...Great Show Last Night...Goofy

BILL BLOG

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

 

Here comes that mid-week Hump. It’s Wednesday. And it’s a wet one, as we have rain today in Nashville with a few thunderstorms. Meanwhile, it’s flooding in Chattanooga. Today’s high will be 91.

 

YESTERDAY

I wrote with my Irish friend Clare Cunningham yesterday morning, who brought a real-life idea with her to write, and she had a lot of those thoughts written down.  



 

Clare had a flat tire a few months ago and had to call a road service person to help her out. She was a little upset by the time the guy from AAA arrived because she needed to be somewhere. When the guy finally shows up, he goes to work, and they start talking. And the guy tells Clare about some SERIOUS problems going on in his life, and she was there to offer a prayer and words of comfort in the parking lot of the YMCA, where we both go. She later told me, “I guess he needed me more than I needed him”.

 

So we took that line and wrote a song titled “I Guess I Needed Them More Than They Needed Me” to make the idea have a bigger impact. It couldn’t have turned out better.

 

The expression, “the more you give, the more you get back,” is wrapped into this song. I’m glad I got to write it with Clare.

 

LAST NIGHT

Our group of 4 songwriters had a great show at the Listening Room Café last night.


 




Thank you to our host Ben Klick, who invited Kenny, Lauren, and me to join him.



 

I had met Ben briefly a couple of times, but didn’t get to know him until last night. Ben is from Vancouver, Canada and announced on stage last night that this was his last show for a while, as he and his wife were returning to Canada to deal with a pretty serious health issue that he is dealing with. So prayers and all good thoughts for my new friend for sure. 


 




Ben told the audience on stage that I was one of the first songwriters he saw perform when he first moved to town years ago. It was in a show with my “Hits & Grins” trio featuring Steve Dean & Victoria Venier that was also at the Listening Room Café. The things you find out. And Ben sang a song that he wrote with my budding Steve Dean that I love, “Fishing Off The Moon,” that was terrific.



 

Kenny, I was meeting for the first time. Turns out he’s a fellow Missourian, so we hit it off as well. Really good singer.



 

And my buddy Lauren Mascitti just killed the audience as she always does, and performed one of my favorites of hers, “Childless Cat Lady”.

 

We had a great crowd, with some familiar faces, including my publisher Joe Dan Cornett, who came and caught the show. Thanks to all who came out and made last night so much fun. 


 

 

UPCOMING SHOW

I do have another show coming up in town. Two shows with Linda Davis and Lang Scott at Uncle Lenny’s, a small café run by friends Lynn Marie and her husband, Eddie Roddick.



 

Food and dinner in an intimate setting, and I hope you’ll grab some of the few tickets and come join us. Find out more in this VIDEO from Linda.

 

SONG OF THE DAY

Since I wrote with Clare Cunningham yesterday, here’s a song Clare recorded on her album, “Helping Hand”, that she wrote with me and Steve Dean titled “Look For Jesus”. Thanks for bringing such a great idea to the table that day, Clare.



 

HEALTH NOTES

Research suggests that traveling can be beneficial for the brain, with some studies finding that it may improve cognitive function in dementia patients and even help prevent cognitive decline.

 

Medicare Part D premiums are expected to increase, according to those familiar with the matter. How much? $50 or more per month.

 

In Colorado, rabbits are showing up with horn-like growths caused by rabbit papillomas. Experts caution that residents should stay away from infected rabbits.

 

HERE’S YOUR SIGN



 

Yep, a reminder why you should never embarrass your dog.

 

KING OF THE HILL

The revival of that show starring ole Hank Hill is doing well. More than well. It’s breaking some streaming records. You’ll find it on Hulu. It’s no wonder it’s a success again, as Hank continues to say funny things like, “Bobby, some things are like a tire fire, trying to put it out only makes it worse. You just gotta grab a beer and let it burn”.



 

DISNEYLAND

Hard to believe that the park Walt built is 70 years old now. I’ve been to Disney World many times, but Disneyland? Just once. I was out in LA to cover the Academy of Country Music Awards show that year, and our Cincinnati radio group landed a day early. My daughter was young enough to be in a stroller, and she went to Disneyland with us. The most memorable moment of that trip happened when the “Goofy” mascot walked up and kneeled in front of Heather, who wasn’t feeling well. In fact, to our surprise, not to mention Goofy’s, she threw up a little on Goofy’s big shoes.

Happy Birthday, Disneyland.



SMUGGLING

A man pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle turtles. How many? 850 turtles in socks. It happened in Hong Kong. Officials say the turtles are worth 1.4 million dollars in the right markets. Who knew? I have no idea how he thought authorities weren’t going to catch that.



 

FAIRS

The Tennessee State Fair, near where we live, begins this weekend. I may have to go and see the “Back Seat Driver” competition. Uh huh. Or the pig calling competition.

 

Ya gotta love the Fairs, where every food item seems to be fried and on a stick.



 

TODAY’S HEADLINE

We Hate Math, Say 4 in 10…a Majority of Americans. (My kind of Math)

 

TODAY

I’m writing with a couple of young writers, musicians, in Angus Gill and Sonny French. Both are from Australia, and Sonny, who is the son of Stuie French, both of the French Family Band, just got his USA citizenship a week or so ago! Congrats to him. It will be my first time writing with Sonny, who is a gifted guitarist like his Dad.



 

He and his Mom Camille, and his Dad just wrapped up recording a new album at the newly renovated Ricky Skaggs studio that includes two songs I wrote with Stuie. I’m hoping Sonny might play those for me today!



 

And I was just in the recording studio with Angus as he was producing an album for a 15-year-old girl singer out of Kentucky, who recorded a song that the three of us wrote. With a little luck, I might get a sneak listen of that song as well. 


 


 

Have a great Wednesday.

 

 

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