BILL BLOG
Friday, September 11, 2026
Good morning from Gulf Shores. It's 89 today down here on the Gulf Coast, with some rain in the forecast.
And today we take time to remember 9/11. I was doing the morning show at WSM-FM when the news broke. And I stayed on the air that day covering 9/11 from 5 in the morning until about 8 pm that evening. Just an unreal, unforgettable day. As Alan Jackson asked, “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?”
YESTERDAY
Just another beautiful day down on the Gulf Coast, that ended with a show last night at Tuscany Pizza and Grill with my friend Brent Burns.
We played a room that held about 60 people or so, and you couldn’t have gotten another person in there last night. It was packed!
We’re blessed, as Brent and I have done enough shows together that when I do get to come down here, word seems to get around and folks show up. I had so much fun seeing so many friends I’ve made down here during my trips through the year. We just had so much fun, and it sounded like our crowd did too from the laughter I heard coming back at us all night long.
And the thing that sold the most last night on our merch table was my wife Kathy’s book, “Subtle Frequency.” Thanks to all who took her book home with them.
And thank you to the staff at Tuscany Pizza and Grill and their staff for their hard work last night. As soon as Brent and I finished our show, we sat down and had some of their great Italian food ourselves. If you come to Gulf Shores, have dinner there. You’ll thank me later.
DIPSTICK
My “Dipstick” song about the high price of gas got another “loud” reception at the show last night. That might be because diesel prices have now soared past 6 bucks a gallon, making everyday goods and groceries even more expensive. I can’t imagine what it costs for a trucker to fill up their rig today. I don’t think I want to know.
MORE SHOWS
This nice poster came from my friends at the Blast on the Bay Songwriter Festival, coming up next month in Port. St. Joe, Florida.
Always a great festival.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Then my friend Linda Davis shared a date for our “Evening in the Round” trio that we have at an Opera House next year in Lang Scott’s home state of South Carolina, where we’ll be playing on January 21. Here are the DETAILS on that show in Newberry, South Carolina.
This has been on Lang’s bucket list of places he’s wanted to play, so it’s nice that this is going to happen. I guess I need to be practicing my “opera” songs.
MOVING UP ON THE CHART
I just saw this bluegrass chart, and I saw that the song “Another Teardrop in the Ocean” that I helped write for the group Grasstime has jumped up to #2. And the song “No Regrets” that I also co-wrote jumped up to #10 for Kristy Cox.
How about that? Thank you, David Pugh, for playing and loving these songs.
SONG OF THE DAY
Since I am in Gulf Shores right now, I’m making “Small Town, Big Beach” the Song of the Day. This is the official city slogan for Gulf Shores, and Brent Burns and I thought that might make for a great “beach song.” We wrote it, and Brent recorded it.
HEALTH NOTES
Mount Sinai doctors in New York knew that 9/11’s health toll would last decades. And they’re still seeing it 25 years later. Long-term effects of exposure, including upper and lower respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal problems, musculoskeletal disorders, mental health conditions, and various types of cancers, still exist.
A coroner has confirmed details of babies’ measles-related deaths amid a growing Pennsylvania outbreak.
More than 2,000 pounds of potato chips have been recalled because they contain pork.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Hey, I need a taco too!
JUDGE JUDY
At the age of 83, Judge Judy is turning her TV gavel over to her son. She says, “I don’t want to do my hair and makeup anymore, but I still want to get my message out there.” Highly entertaining and smart as a whip. And she made quite the fortune doing her “justice” thing on TV. She’s worth about 480 million, so yeah, she’s done alright just being herself.
I got to spend some time with her years ago in Milwaukee when I was on the radio. We were doing a “live” broadcast to raise money for the Child Abuse Prevention Fund, and she dropped by our remote studio. Just like on TV, she was smart, funny, kind, and quick on her feet. And she signed a picture for my wife Kathy whose a big fan. Enjoy your retirement, Judge.
AI SCARY
There were multiple articles I saw today predicting that AI might kill us all. Some researchers say it could happen within 10 years.
I have no idea. But I feel pretty certain that if this guy comes after me, I have no chance.
And if I go that way, I’m leaving this on my tombstone.
ONLY AT A BASEBALL GAME
At a Kansas City-Toronto baseball game last Saturday, Kansas City fans managed to get an inflatable hot dog into a big inflatable bun in 35 seconds, in time to win food for everyone in attendance.
Nobody knew the final score, but they knew they got the dog in the bun in time.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From author David Levithan on 9/11:
“What separates us from the animals, what separates us from the chaos, is our ability to mourn people we’ve never met.”
TODAY
Brent Burns and I will leave this morning for Biloxi, Mississippi, where we have a 2 pm show on the beach for a bunch of Parrot Heads over there. It’s always great to play a show where shorts and flip-flops are the right choice of clothing.
Then I have Saturday off down here on the beach, before returning to Nashville on Sunday. I have a feeling we’ll be watching some college football.
Have a great weekend!
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