BILL BLOG
Friday, April 17, 2026
And a good Friday morning to you from the town of Anna, Illinois. A warm 86 degrees here today in southern, Illinois.
YESTERDAY
I made the trip from Nashville to the small town of Anna, Illinois drive for our Freedom Sings USA event this weekend.
First stop was the High School.
Actually, this old High School was our hotel. A former Marine and his wife turned the old High School into a hotel.
Yep, my room has a blackboard in it, and I wrote “I will be good” a hundred times, then clapped the erasers, just like my old High School Days. It’s really a cool place owned by nice folks.
THE VFW
After settling in for just an hour or so, we drove to the local VFW, where we had dinner, and each songwriter met the veteran who they will be writing with later this morning.
My veteran was a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam. I can only imagine the story he’ll tell me today that I’ll convert into a song.
The dinner they provided was great, and then our group of writers performed two songs each per writer. One of those songs was a song we had already written with a veteran. I chose the song “151,” written with Art Fager in Marion, Illinois. He led 151 young men from Southern Illinois into combat, and got back all but one young man, and that still haunts him today.
Last night, that young man, Sgt. Brian Romines God Star Mom, Melinda Clary, was in the audience, so I sang that song for her. Brian was an only child, which makes that song even more special. It made last night, at least for me, unforgettable.
MUSIC TEASE
Here’s a new video tease of “Memories & Gin” that I wrote with Alex Miller that’s included on his brand-new album that’s just been released. Check it out by clicking the link.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY
To my brother from another Mother, Lang Scott, who is married to Linda Davis. The three of us travel a lot together doing “Evening in the Round” shows, and have a lot more coming up later this year and into next, including this one in Clayton, North Carolina.
Could not have a better guy to run the road with and share conversations. Happy Birthday, Lang!
LIGHTS OUT
Before I got back to my room last night, my friend Lang called to see how I was doing in the dark. I asked, what? He didn’t know I was on the road, and apparently, Nashville got hit with some high winds and a big storm, leaving thousands without power again. Including our house. My wife told me the storm came up out of nowhere and almost lifted the patio table off the deck. Here’s hoping power has been restored by the time you read today’s Blog.
SONG OF THE DAY
I’m choosing a fun song I wrote with Brent Burns, “TwentyBucks, Is Twenty Bucks”. Brent tells me that a lot of times when he sings our song out “live,” someone will walk up and drop a twenty-dollar bill into his tip jar. Geez! I think I’ll write a new song titled “A Hundred Bucks is a Hundred Bucks”.
HEALTH NOTES
Actress Christina Applegate has been hospitalized, as she’s fighting MS.
The FDA announced a voluntary recall of the popular anxiety drug Xanax for select lots of it. (Which of course will make those who need that even more anxious, I would think.)
Some scientists are saying that new smart drugs will precisely target and kill cancer cells.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Farm folks already know this. Heck, I remember playing softball in a cow pasture more than once, with the bases being dried-up cow chips. Now THAT’S country!
DELAYS
Here’s how bad the delays are at Chicago O’Hare Airport. The Feds have just cut down the number of flights per day by over 300. Yep. I’m at that point now that many others have reached. If at all possible, I’d rather drive than fly. Of course, that won’t work if I’m going to Hawaii…but I digress.
COMING UP
I’M sure you will want to put this on your calendar. The Flora-Bama’s annual Mullet Toss happens April 24-26 in Perdido Beach, Alabama. Just like it sounds. Who can toss a mullet-fish the farthest?
And here are the rules:
Contestants must select a mullet from the water bucket themselves. No gloves, no sand coating, and no loading up a mullet with ballast before flinging is allowed. All competitors must retrieve their own fish and return it to the water bucket. Stepping out of the circle before tossing or tossing the fish out of bounds are no-nos.
There ya go. Sign up, grab a fish, heave, and good luck y’all.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Markus Herz:
“Be careful about reading health books. Some find day you’ll die of a misprint”.
TODAY
I’m writing with a veteran this morning in Anna, Illinois. Then tonight our group of writers will give a free concert of songs we’ve written, and tell the stories behind our songs.
Then Saturday night is the outdoor concert (weather permitting) where each songwriter will sing the songs we write with veterans today.
Here’s to those who serve.
Have a great weekend.
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