BILL BLOG
Monday, February 23, 2026
Made it to Monday morning, preparing for a full week, the LAST week of February. The temperature will only go up to 33 today in Nashville, but then it starts warming up.
And, I’m not in the northeast where 2 inches of snow is falling. New York City already has 250,000 without power. We know that feeling in Nashville after our recent ice storm.
THE WEEKEND
Both my wife and I were recovering over the weekend from a week-long bout with the flu, and we’re preparing for her first-ever book signing at a private event this Saturday.
And while that’s going on, our daughter and son-in-law were skiing in France this weekend.
Not a bad life. My daughter’s husband, Casey, is a really good snowboarder, while she probably tumbled down the “bunny hill” a few times, just like her Dad did when he was learning to ski on Sandia Peak a long while ago out in New Mexico. Hopefully, she did not plow through a picket fence, knocking over a rack of skis as her Father did.
And if you are one who does not ski or ski well, you can always find a a way to chill with a view.
NUMBER ONE
What a nice surprise over the weekend to see the song Telluride go to number one on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana Chart, after being #5 last week. Wow.
I had the idea to write a song titled "Telluride" for a while, after visiting the beautiful town of Telluride, Colorado, for the first time while I was in Colorado with Freedom Sings USA, writing songs with veterans. We had an off day during that retreat, so we made a ride over to Telluride. So beautiful.
I had a start on the song when my co-writer, Andrea Pearson walked into the writing room that day. She liked it a lot and dug in, helping to make the song better.
A few days later, I saw Caroline Owens in our publishing office, and she told me they were still looking for a song for her upcoming album. I played her some of Telluride on my phone; she loved it and didn’t forget about the song when it came time to record.
And now the three of us get to celebrate a number one song! Thank you, Caroline, thank you, Andrea, and thank you to my friends Darin Aldridge & Jerry Salley for producing the heck out of this up-tempo bluegrass song.
I’ve suggested we have a #1 party at Chuck E Cheese. Stay tuned.
SONG OF THE DAY
And since it went #1, I’m making “Telluride” my “Song of the Day”.
WINTER OLYMPICS
The Winter Olympics wrapped up. The USA won a record number of medals this time around, including gold medals for exciting overtime wins for BOTH the men’s and women’s hockey teams, both over arch rival Canada. And one of our players on the men’s team did it after getting a couple of teeth knocked out.
It wouldn’t be hockey without some teeth missing, would it?
And Northern Italy looked beautiful the entire time and did a great job of hosting.
I really enjoyed a lot of the Olympics this year.
HEALTH NOTES
Using data from 100,000 Apple Watch users, the WHO says people who live in New York, Massachusetts, Washington, California, Colorado, and Vermont are the most active. The LEAST active live in, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and West Virginia.
Trader Joe’s chicken fried rice was recalled over a glass hazard this weekend.
Stanford Medicine researchers claim they’ve invented a “universal vaccine formula” that protects against a wide range of allergens, bacteria, and respiratory viruses.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
I know some folks who should book a weekend or two there.
POKEMON
Some young thieves tunneled their way right through the drywall into a card collection shop in LA over the weekend and stole over $200,000 worth of Pokémon cards.
Hmmm. Wonder if the Logan Paul Pokémon card that just sold for $16.5 million at auction had anything to do with that?
A WIFE’S OBSERVATION
“I’m not worried about my husband leaving me. He’s been wearing the same pair of shorts for 10 years.”
DANGEROUS SHAKESPEARE
So an actor in a swordfight on stage in a play in Berlin lost control of his sword, and it flew out into the crowd and hit a woman. She suffered minor injuries. Geez.
I was in a sword fight myself once in a college play titled “Knight of the Burning Pestle”. To this day, I couldn’t tell you what that play was about.
I tried out for the play, I don’t even know why, and I had a couple of MINOR roles. They actually put a bowl on my head and gave me a haircut so that I looked like Moe of the “Three Stooges”. I had to walk around campus with that look for several weeks. It’s not a great look.
My big moment was when I was in a group swordfight. I never said a word of dialogue. I think I may have grunted. BUT…I did hold onto my sword, and nobody was injured…so I had that going for me.
That pretty much ended my acting career until they put me in this COMMERCIAL with my radio partner, Scott Dolphin, when I was doing the morning radio show in Milwaukee.
I’m surprised Hollywood never came calling after that outstanding performance!
TSA
Homeland Security has temporarily suspended the TSA lines at the airport. I don’t fly a lot, but I did sign up for a TSA PreCheck. I’m hoping it’s reinstated by the time I have to fly next, which won’t be until the end of May for a Freedom Sings USA songwriter-veteran retreat near Chicago.
Not only do you get through the line quicker, but you don’t have to undress before getting through the danged line. And there’s not a soul that needs to see me doing that in public. Heck, I don’t need to see myself doing that!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
A classic from the late George Burns:
“When I was a boy, the Dead Sea was only sick.”
TODAY
Back to the songwriting table for the first time in a week after being laid up with the flu. Looking forward to a little bit of “normal” today.
I’ll be writing with Christian songwriter Belinda Smith today.
Looking forward to rhyming again.
Have a great Monday!
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