Starting to feel like summer round here.

 

YESTERDAY ON AIR

Short blog yesterday because I was on air at WSM radio again filling in for Bill Cody.  Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr. and Terry Husky both dropped by…and if the last names sound familiar to you…that means you’re a true country music fan.  Hawkshaw’s Dad of course was the Hawkshaw Hawkins who died in that tragic plane crash with Patsy Cline…and his Mom was longtime Grand Ole Opry star Jean Sheppard.

 

 

 

Terry’s Dad was the great Ferlin Huskey originally from my home state of Missouri.  The two of them are involved in a big show tonight that features the sons and daughters of famous country singers. The sons and daughters of Glen Campbell, George Hamilton the 4^th, Hank Williams and on and on. 

 

It was great fun chatting with both of them on air yesterday.

 

 

 

 

And right behind them came my Aussie friend Tamara Stewart who was in to sing “live” and promote her new album…the first one she’s recorded since coming to the states. We premiered her first single off this project "Birds In Cages"  AND she was kind enough to do one of our tuned “Dear Hometown” on air too.  The two of us will be doing a songwriting show next week in town with two other songwriters at The Listening Room…so if you’re in town…come see us!

 

MORE WSM
A reminder…I’ll be back on air tomorrow morning and the great Charley Pride will drop by “live” which will be a treat.  I’ve interviewed a TON of artists through the years…but I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Charley.  So I’m very much looking forward to that.  Listen in at wsmonline.com

 

NEW DATES

Couple new things popped up on my calendar.  Next Wednesday I’ll do a songwriter show with my old Cincinnati friend and former radio guy like me Dave Lenahan at Alley Taps which is in Printers Alley.  It’s an 8:30 pm show.  I have not been to Printers Alley since a long long time ago when it was kind of seedy down there.  Now…boutique hotels and a refurbish has gone on like the rest of downtown Nashville that continues to boom with growth and new entertainment places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND

I’ve also been added as a feature writer on the cool radio show you see here hosted by artist Randy C. Moore.  I sat with my friend Ginny Foley recording stories about 7 or 8 songs I’ve written that they will use on the show and then will play those songs.  So…I’m honored they thought of me as they’ve used some legendary writers as their features in the past.  I’m not a legendary writer by any means…but I know and admire the guys they’ve used before me…so I’m appreciative that they thought that much of my songs. 

 

 

 

 

CMA FEST

It’s going full tilt boogie.  The CMT Awards were last night.   Blake Shelton was a big winner and probably one of the older nominees.  I was happy to see my Northern Kentucky buddy and co-writer Carly Pearce win her first significant award last night too.

 

With the big festival underway…friends tend to show up.  And I was happy to spend a little breakfast time with Todd Leiser Tuesday morning that I worked with at WUBE in Cincinnati at the time I was just trying to get a break in major morning radio.  Todd was sales manager and then later GM for a short period before moving on to Atlanta and then Tampa Bay where he had a great run…and he and his wife Holly (who I also worked with) are now retired and enjoying life.  It was great swapping eggs and old radio stories at a Cracker Barrel. 

 

COUPLE OF LOSSES

The oldest “Munchkin” Jerry Maren died at the age of 99.  Wow.  A long long life.  Who doesn’t love munchkins? 

 

And we lost Red Schoendienst the great Cardinal second basemen and manager that I grew up with being a big Cardinal fan as a kid.  Musial and Schoendienst.  Those were my early early faves with the Cards.  And Red guided a Cardinal team World Series championship rings in 67-68 with a roster of some of my all time favorite players.  Ken Boyer, Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, Tim McCarver and on and on.  Red was 95 and a fan favorite forever and you never heard a bad word about him.  I’ve got pleasant memories this morning thinking about those days.

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Speaking of iconic…the first Gerber baby is 91.  Those little baby faces on those little baby food bottles.  That worked for Gerber big time.  How can the product be that old?  How can the first baby used on the bottle be that old?  Time don’t slow down do it?  Incidentally...is there any parent who has not had Gerber spit back at them?

 

 

 

ADVENTURE

They say that tourists will be able to dive over the Titanic by 2019.  Its part of an 8-day cruise package and part of the excursion is going down in some vehicle I guess that let’s you look at the famous ship.  It will only cost you a little over $105,000 to do that.  I’m looking for coupons right now.

 

SPEAKING OF TOURISTS

USA Today just listed the most underrated tourist spots in each state.  I always look at my home state and where I live now…can’t help it.

 

In Missouri that would be the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba which is not all that far from where I grew up.  Why?  It’s the oldest motel on Route 66.  Who knew?

 

And here in Tennessee?  It’s the “Goats, Music and More Festival” in Lewisburg, TN with fainting goats and 5K goat gallop. 

 

 

I don’t know that I’ll go out of my way to see either.  I like newer hotels and conscious goats but ya’ll do what you want.

 

If you’re curious about your state…here’s the entire ARTICLE.

 

TODAY
I’m off to write with long time pals Steve Dean and Brady Seals where we will try to write something for the new duo Seals & Crofts 2 that Brady is half of.  I love all those great Seals and Crofts songs so I look forward to writing in that vein today with a couple of talented guys.

 

Have a great Thursday!