BILL BLOG
Monday, September 14, 2026
Monday morning, and I’m back home in Nashville, where it’s still hot. 93 will be the high today, and the rest of the week we will be hovering around 96 to 100-degree highs.
THE WEEKEND
Friday afternoon, my friend Brent Burns and I made the 2-hour drive from Gulf Shores over to Biloxi, Mississippi to play the Biloxi Box Set Festival, organized by the Biloxi Parrot Head Club. And there were Parrot Head lovers from all over the country who came there to enjoy the fun, the beach, and the music.
We sat on a big stage under a pavilion, with an ocean view, which was cool and comfortable as opposed to playing on a stage right out on the beach that would have been very HOT and uncomfortable. This is the festival’s 8th year, so they’ve learned some things from the past, and Brent and I were the beneficiaries of that.
Our mutual friend John Patti played the National Anthem before our show on the steel drums in honor of it being 9/11. I’d never heard the Anthem played on steel drums before, but it was absolutely great, and it certainly worked for all the Parrot Heads.
And all of the music over the two-day festival was broadcast “live’ on Radio Trop Rock with our friend Eric Babin (retired Navy officer) and his wife Gina, including our two-hour show.
We just had the best time with the great crowd in front of us.
They laughed hard and often, just as we hoped.
Heck, at one point a conga line broke out!
Thank you to Eddie Brewer and the Biloxi Parrot Head Club for inviting me to their great event and pairing me up with my friend Brent Burns. I’m surely hoping we’ll be coming back again.
SATURDAY
On my last day on the beach, Brent and I went to the local American Legion in Gulf Shores for breakfast. Twice a month, the legion feeds the veterans for free, and non-vets like me can pay a small price to eat alongside them. Brent is a Vietnam veteran.
I so enjoyed sitting at a table full of Rangers, Special Forces, and Green Berets, all of whom jumped out of airplanes on purpose, and getting to hear some of their stories.
And then Saturday evening we joined Brent’s son Buster and his wife Paulina at their house, where Buster grilled hot dogs for lunch, and then an incredible steak dinner Saturday evening, while we watched a bunch of football games. It was a great way to wrap up my trip before driving back home to Nashville on Sunday morning.
NEXT SHOW
I’ll be in Paris, Kentucky this Thursday through Saturday with Freedom Sings USA to once again write songs with veterans. Always an honor.
And I hope I’ll get to see my 103-year-old veteran friend Albert Wass, whose amazing World War II story I wrote into a song earlier this year.
JIMMY BUFFETT
The “Son of A Sailor” singer’s museum is now open in Mobile.
I’m betting that some of the Parrot Heads I saw made the short trip to Mobile from Biloxi to see Jimmy’s memorabilia and his barefoot statue out front.
It’s on my list of places to visit for sure.
SONG OF THE DAY
At my show in Gulf Shores this past Thursday evening at Tuscany Pizza and Grill with Brent Burns, a lady came up and told me she owned a 66 Mustang in 1982. Just like my friend Brent Burns did. We wrote a song about that, so that’s enough to make “Mustang Summer of 82” my song for today.
HEALTH NOTES
The parasitic outbreak related to iceberg lettuce is over, according to the CDC. (I ate my first salad down in Gulf Shores this past weekend since the outbreak began. So far, so good.)
According to a study, popular GLP-1 drugs may trigger a rare, life-threatening brain disorder. One in 10 Americans use the drugs for weight loss.
Research is showing that drinking VERY hot tea or coffee is linked to a higher cancer risk in nearly 1 million adults.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Thanks for the “fowl” warning.
DOLLY AIRPORT
The Nashville Airport Authority has voted unanimously to rename our Nashville Airport in Dolly Parton’s name. Looks like it’s going to happen.
I’m guessing we’ll only be able to fly between 9 and 5 in the future.
SHORT WEEK
Some members of Congress are trying to push through a 32-hour week as opposed to the 40 we know and love. Anyone not in favor of that?
BIG BURGER
Check out the T-Rex Burger back at Wendy’s.
9 patties, 9 cheese slices, and 3,000 calories. Wendy’s reportedly will give a prize to anyone who can eat the entire “meat stack” in less than 10 minutes. Nobody is saying what the prize is, prompting one customer to guess the grand prize might be a heart attack.
SPEAKING OF FOOD
Olive Garden is the favorite “go-to” restaurant of those 65 and older, according to a new survey.
Is it the breadsticks?
Meanwhile, Gen Z chooses Chili’s as their favorite.
Must be me. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to either.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Jack Handey:
“Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you’ll be a mile from them, and you’ll have their shoes.”
TODAY
An open day today, but tonight I’m going to be online to talk to some kids attending ETSU, Eastern Tennessee State University, as a guest of one of their teachers, Tim Stafford, who I write with a lot. We’ll be talking about publishing and bluegrass music in general.
I’m just hoping I’ll have something to offer that they can use in their musical careers.
Have a great Monday!
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