BILL BLOG
Monday December 15, 2025
Monday morning has rolled around again. And it’s just 9 above zero as I begin this morning’s Blog. 22 will be the high today in Nashville, but the cold weather won’t hang around. 38 for a high tomorrow, and then we’ll be back up into the 50s again.
THE WEEKEND
On Friday, Bill DiLuigi brought a great song idea to our writing appointment at my publishing company. A traditional country song is my favorite kind of song to help write. And in about 3 hours, we had it completed and added to our catalogs to pitch to country artists who might be looking to record that kind of straight-ahead country tune.
Bill is one of the good guys in this town. He leans heavily on his faith and always leads in prayer, whether it’s over a meal or over a writing session like he did on Friday.
One of those guys you enjoy writing with, but also spending time with. Time well spent Friday.
SATURDAY
My wife Kathy and I attended a graduation party for this cool girl…Rylee Scott.
The youngest daughter of Lang Scott and Linda Davis, whom I not only tour with, but are also dear friends that we consider to be family. Rylee and I now share something in common. We are both the first to graduate from college in our families!
We’ve watched Riley grow up, and man, doesn’t that happen in the blink of an eye? Riley graduated from MTSU and is going into children and parent counseling, AFTER she gets her master's degree. We could not be prouder of her. Congrats Riley!
SONG OF THE DAY
Here’s a beach song Brent Burns recorded that we wrote together, “Come Play In My Sandbox." The beaches in Gulf Shores, Alabama, where Brent lives, and where I often visit, are wide, and the sand is wide and deep. It reminds me of a huge sandbox.
And that’s where the idea came from for this song. But it’s also a story of a guy trying to convince a girl that he meets on an airplane trip to come down from her big old city full of stress, and play in his sandbox.
TRAGEDIES
It was a weekend of tragedy. The shootings at Brown University and on Bondi Beach in Australia were bad enough, and then news comes this morning that actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife were stabbed to death in their Hollywood home. The son is suspected. Things that make you shake your head in disbelief.
HEALTH NOTES
Some Doctors are calling for a cigarette-style warning label on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic due to a ‘hazardous risk’.
A new study suggests that getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night can reduce life expectancy.
Hopes are high. In the UK, a novel device is undergoing a clinical trial known as the “VAPOR study”. The device would allow a quick and easy breath test that could mean new hope in the early detection of pancreatic cancer, and medical experts say it could be the biggest breakthrough in the fight against the deadly disease in half a century.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
A sign of the times for sure.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
This is a clever Christmas card that came in the mail from Caroline Owens, who recorded a song I wrote with Andrea Pearson that is Carolin's current single and #1 bluegrass song, “Telluride", with the lyrics, "gonna hitch a ride, to Telluride".
That’s a first. First time an artist has used the title of a song I helped write and put it on a Christmas card. Love it. Thank you, Caroline.
And about the time this Christmas card came in the mail, I found out that “Telluride” is on yet another bluegrass chart, “Grassicana” in the #5 slot! And the song went from #15 to #5 in just one week. Wow.
Just happy to be part of this great song.
MOVING HOMES
Realtor.com states that last year, Kansas City had more home sales than any other place in the country. KC was followed by Indianapolis. Where are those folks going? I don’t know. Wild guess…warmer weather.
CANCER
Raul Malo, the great lead singer for the band “The Mavericks,” lost his battle with cancer last week after a heck of a fight.
This weekend, at the Ryman Auditorium, they held a musical celebration of his life, which was planned before his death. It was an incredible night of music, but the image that stands out is this one of the crowd, all holding “We Stand With Raul” cancer signs.
I’m still hoping that we find a cure for all cancers, sooner than later.
MASCOT MONEY
Ever wonder what those baseball mascots make every year, dancing around the baseball diamond, up on the dugouts, trying to entertain the fans?
The Philadelphia Phanatic (who is easily the best) makes $454 790 a year.
After that…they don’t make much.
The Atlanta Braves “Blooper” mascot takes in $244,915 yearly.
Then the Mets’ “Mr. Baseball” is paid $193 085 yearly.
Mr. Red, for my Cincinnati Reds, makes just $63,000 yearly.
But, at least you don’t need a college degree.
BEST COUNTRY SONGS
Billboard Magazine has listed its choice for “Best Country Songs of All Time”. The list changes every year, and the Billboard staff are the folks making the final decisions. Not an easy task. But here are their Top 5 choices for “Best Country Songs” for 2025.
5…I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash.
4…He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones. (This song is picked as the best in many polls)
3…On the Road Again by Willie Nelson.
2…Crazy…by Patsy Cline (And Willie wrote that song, so he’s back-to-back here)
And #1?
That would be “Jolene” by Dolly Parton.
Click HERE to see their entire list.
LAST SECOND CHRISTMAS GIFT
The company Posha makes a “Robot Chef” that will do all the cooking for you. It costs about $1.500. Dial in what you want, and it makes dinner for you. How does that work? Take a look at this VIDEO.
Now, if they make a robot that will fill out and file my taxes every year, I’m in.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Joan Rivers:
“You know you’ve reached middle age when you’re cautioned to “slow down” by our doctor, and not the police.”
TODAY
Nothing big today. However, my wife Kathy’s first-ever book is about to be available. We’ll be talking about that some today, and I’ll have some big news on that shortly. Stay tuned.
Have a great Monday!
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