BILL BLOG
Monday, September 21, 2026
Hello, Monday morning. I’m back home from a great Freedom Sings USA event in Paris, Kentucky. And it still has not cooled off in Nashville. Today’s high will be 94.
THE WEEKEND
On Friday, our group of songwriters made the trip from Nashville to Paris, Kentucky. And our group did get to see the Eiffel Tower when we hit town.
We all thought it would be much bigger!
Paris, Kentucky, is located in Bourbon County, KY, and we found some of that bourbon on Friday night.
That’s the Bourbon Barrel Bar & Grill, where our group gathered for a GREAT shrimp boil with our organizers and the veterans we would be working with. Lobster, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, and more, plus a free taste of the bourbon if you wanted one. And then Steve Dean, Bobby Tomberlin, Bill Dilugi, and I took to the stage and played a few songs before each songwriter was introduced to the veteran they would be writing with.
Mine was Stephanie Kay Fields, Army Nurse, Major. 22 years in the service.
SATURDAY
Each songwriter sat down Saturday morning and wrote with a veteran. And then Saturday night, at a sold-out event, with a large crowd, we each performed those songs.
I also had the pleasure of saying a few words about 103-year-old World War II veteran Albert Wess, whose story I wrote into a song titled “Red Ball Express” a couple of months ago on a separate trip to Paris, KY.
After saying a few words, the event played an amazing video they had made from the song I wrote; it and Albert received a standing ovation, which was so moving.
And when I performed the song I wrote with nurse Stephanie Fields about the conflict of being a single mom to two daughters while being gone from home a LOT, the reaction was awesome as well. Her two daughters and grandkids were there to hear her story in song, and a couple of them told me it made them cry.
SUNDAY
9:30 Sunday morning, our Freedom Sings USA group performed our songs one last time at the big Pumpkin Festival held in downtown Paris.
Each of us sang our song in front of the courthouse. And that brings me to the…
SONG OF THE DAY
And that would be Stephanie’s song, “Family First.” Click the link, and you can see and hear me sing her song with her beside me. Thank you, Major Fields, for sharing your great story with me.
HOME
Right after we finished our note, we loaded up and made the trip home to Nashville. But not before we noticed this sandwich at a gas station we stopped at.
I'm thining that "Hot as AF" chicken is REALLY hot.
MORE MUSIC NEWS
On Friday, my friend Scott Southworth posted this really cool VIDEO of the song he recorded that the two of us wrote, “Country No Matter What Country.” It features Scott along with seven other country singers from seven other countries. So cool.
LUKE BRYAN
And then I saw this picture of Cledus T. Judd that Cledus posted on his Facebook page with Luke Bryan. Cledus claims this is a picture of Luke telling him how funny he thought the song “Luke Bryan” (a parody of Robin Thicke's hit "Blurred Lines") was that I had a hand in writing with Cledus, that he recorded with Colt Ford, and then made the funny video you can see by hitting the link above.
It’s always nice to know an artist can laugh at himself, and a parody song written about him. Glad you liked it, Luke!
ARIZONA
My daughter Heather, who now lives in Arizona with her Army pilot husband, Casey, sent me a picture of this bad boy in her and his garage yesterday.
I told her she’s an official Arizonian now.
HEALTH NOTES
A study reveals that spending 3 minutes with a donkey or a mini horse makes teens feel less lonely and sad.
Weight-loss injections now on some college campuses. At least one expert is warning there are major risks.
Health officials are now warning of recent multi-county measles exposures tied to an infected traveler on Amtrak lines across California.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Why, yes, they do.
DO WE NEED THIS?
Hot Honey-flavored Spam? Apparently, most Spam fans are saying “no.” And I kind of agree. I guess I’m going to have to write a new verse now for my “Spam” song.
MEME
Oh yeah, this is going to be a meme we’ll be seeing for a while.
That’s Taylor Swift pointing to her ring finger, bragging about her hubby Travis Kelce, who had just scored a touchdown in last night’s Monday Night Football game for the Chiefs against the Indianapolis Colts. Let the memes begin.
NOISY DRONES
Residents in Richardson, Texas, are complaining about the noise from so many Amazon drones.
They fly out of an Amazon facility there, creating a localized “drone highway” that triggers the noise complaints. Residents say it sounds like a drone of bees.
Wonder if Elon can’t make a Tesla drone?
SOME GOOD NEWS
The average 401 (k) balance climbed to a record $155,800 in the second quarter of 2026, up 10.5% from the previous quarter, according to Fidelity Investments.
MORE GOOD NEWS
For those who love the RV life, Mercedes is now selling these electric bad boys that they claim can go over 600 miles on one charge.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Frank Sinatra:
“A man doesn’t know what happiness is until he’s married. By then it’s too late.”
TODAY
I’ve got a day off to catch up, so I’m going to take advantage of that.
Have a great Monday!
Comments
Post a Comment