Im in the 21st Century Now

We finally got broadband internet. So its gonna be a help. I think because before I usually had to wait a long, long, long, time just to download a 2 minute clip off you tube. Now they are instant.


Its really a fascinating thing in technology. Of course, we're always the last people to get it. We had dial up since 1999. I put up some posters around town for my show with Buck Gooter. Its gonna be in a few weeks. Im tryin' to look for a new job. I wanna do something creative and fun. I hate routine. Although getting out of the house more often would be nice.

Its right cold here today. I hope we dont get too much snow this winter. We usually get hardly any. Some times none at all. But then every 20 years or so Richmond gets a foot of snow.

Im in a commercial !

Well, sort of. As an extra. I play a business exec. The ad is for a local Battle of the Bands and its gonna air on tv and you tube. At the end we all lip sync to "whole lotta love". I never heard that song before. Dont think I care to again...


Tonite I played a small set at The Daily Grind in Short Pump. Harry Gore had a set and later played on some of my songs. I introduced some new tunes. We had a small, but adequate turn out. I sold a few albums. I liked the acoustics there and the atmosphere.

I heard my darling Nicole was injured on a movie set. I sure hope shes more careful next time.

My Music Collection....

When we got the new hi fi, I started collecting more records again. They didnt sound too great on my little portable- mainly because it was made to play 78s and the turntable was smaller.

Here's most of what I got in Vinyl:

33'1/3
The Sound Of Music (Soundtrack)
Gone With The Wind (Soundtrack)
Strangers In The Night-Frank Sinatra
Christopher Cross- Christopher Cross
Come Swing With Me-Frank Sinatra
Branigan2- Laura Branigan
Sam's Town-The Killers
Self Control-Laura Branigan
Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits-Johnny Cash
Portrait of Patsy Cline-Patsy Cline
Home Again-John Denver
White Christmas-Bing Crosby
The Best Of Bread-Bread
Gotta Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul-Patsy Cline
Marty Robbins Greatest Hits-Marty Robbins
He Touched Me-Elvis Presley
Elvis's Golden Records-Elvis Presley
Tennesse Ernie Ford (Live At Indiana State Fair)-Tennessee Ernie
Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits Vol I-Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits Vol II-Loretta Lynn
Building The Perfect Beast-Don Henley
Heartaches-Patsy Cline
The Little Drummer Boy-Harry Simone Chorale


I have a lot of other stuff too, but those are the ones I listen to the most. I have 78s too. From my grandfather's collection mostly. But I enjoy these. I have a 45s including some of Suzy Bogguss.

The way Richmond once was....

Today was really blustery and cold here in Richmond. I was gonna visit my sister Bonnie over in Williamsburg, but she wanted to clean out her apartment. So I stayed in Richmond. I went for a walk with my other sister Gretchen and my dad. We put a rose on my grandmother Catherine's grave. She died 2 years ago today. I miss her a lot. I miss her stories about the Skeltons, and her friends, and of old Richmond. The old Richmonders and that Era of Richmond connected to the Old South is dying. Its almost extinct. Richmonders today dont have "accents" (as I was told they never did) but its just not as distinctive as it was. Richmonders sounded "Southern"- but it wasnt the garden variety kind of Southern you find elsewhere. It was totally unique dialect. In the name of "progress", new people and new money has come into town. And with it, Richmond has become more like anyplace USA. A bland, vanilla milk shake in comparison to its rich past.

Its ironic that a city like Richmond with so much history and so much color, and so much charm, is not more like CA, or NJ or anywhere else in the country. I do miss that old Richmond charm and feeling. Its hard to describe. Its just there. Its kinda like "Gone With The Wind" meets "Mama's Family". Its something that really is a thing of the past.

Catherine was one of the last of that generation that actually had grandparents who were alive during the War Between The States. And the "War" was more felt by people in her day. I love Richmond still. It still has some charm left. But its just not quite the same.

I have nothing against the new Richmond. I have nothing against Short Pump or the dull suburbia Richmond (well, ok I do, but Im not a hater). I just miss that old Richmond. The one that is hard to explain to words. Its like poetry and magic.

I dont get Sienfeld......

The comedy show. I never thought it was funny. Im not sure why. Maybe its because I dont live in the Northeast. Or maybe I just dont get its brand of sarcastic humor. Kramer is annoying. I dont get it. And I dont think Jerry Sienfeld is that funny or worthy of having his own television show.Why its so immensley popular is beyond me.I dont get the appeal of "Everybody Loves Raymond", either. Another one that is very popular that I dont find funny.


Shows I do find funny:

Mama's Family
Three's Company
Mister Ed
Mary Tyler Moore
Dick Van Dyke
I Love Lucy
Leave It To Beaver
Are You Being Served?
The Golden Girls

Ow, my head

Ive been having these headaches lately. I dont think its too serious, but I think I Have a major sinus infection. I dont know why these things happen to me.

Before I have to do a show I get really nervous and start sweating like a hog in a butcher shop. And I also get problems with having to go to the bathroom because I have spastic colon some times. I remember when I was 19, I had a terrible case of colitis I got from taking these herbal diet supplements. I had to go into the hospital and get a colonoscopy.

Beforehand, I had to drink all this stuff that tasted like salt water to clean myself out. And the nurse had me sign a release form. She asked me why I wasnt smiling? I guess it was largely in part because I had to have the Dr shove a tube up my rear and sign a release form in case I died during the process.

Needless to say, it wasnt pleaseant. I could see it all on these little cameras.

But anyhow, I get sick before shows. It really gets on my nerves. Some times I think it could be something doesnt want me to play or something. Something of a spiritual attack.

Lately though Ive been getting more relaxed. Its so funny because before a live performance is about the only time I cant eat or dont have an appetite.

My headaches arent as bad as they were, but I have had some dizzy spells, and I might want to have a doctor look into that.

Down To The River....

The church had a special Baptism service. No one got dunked. But I sang "Down To The River To Pray". At the beggining we did it acapella as an ensemble. Its a cool song from "O Brother, Where Are Thou?"

And then later I had dinner. We had crab cakes at home with spanish rice. After that, I was right tired and took a long nap. Tonight we did our most boring routine where we go out to visit Target, Walgreens, and just about any generic retail store thats open on a Sunday. And then we stopped at the Health Food Store. I saw some natural, environmentally safe deodorant. Too bad none of the store employees bother to use any.

Then we went to Barnes and Noble, where I got a calm tea. It does relax me. And now I am trying to work on this new podcast thing. The first show went pretty well.

The weather was nice and warm today. I dont know if we'll get snow next week or not.

But if we do, I hope it wont be too deep.

Im more of Target Person......

I definitely prefer Targets to Walmarts. I dont know why, but whenever I go into Walmart it depresses me. It reminds of a natural disaster for some reason. It doesnt feel very clean. I expect the Red Cross to be in there with coffee and doughnuts.

I much prefer Target. It has a warmer, friendlier feel. Its more "today".I get a stress wave when I go to Kroger's, though. Maybe its because they're open on Sundays and sell alcohol.

I dont understand Tattoos.........

I have nothing against people with tattoos... or body piercings for that matter. I think its great they have found something that pleases them. But for me, I just dont understand. Why would someone want to do that to themselves?

I would never get a tattoo. I was blessed with a prefect complexion. I would never want to ruin my beautiful milky white skin.

They just dont look natural to me. They look right primitive.

Still, if someone wants to do that, I have nothing against them, and its nice for them to express themselves. But honestly. Couldnt they just paint a portrait on a canvas, rather than on themselves? It really makes no sense to me.

But thats not all...

I dont understand why people wear flip flops and cargo shorts. Especially when in the grocery store. But thats another can of worms I dont care to open right now.

Elvis

Today is Elvis Presley's birthday. He was born January 8th, 1935 in Tupelo, Miss. Despite what people say about him not writing his own music, Elvis was a fantastic performer, and had a voice to be reckoned with. No one can really compare to Elvis. He was just one man who changed popular music. Not just a band. And he did it not with his songwriting, not even through choice of songs, but through his sheer vocal talent and raw live performances.

I have some of Elvis on vinyl. I recently got the Complete Sun Studio Recordings. It was truly revolutionary for that time. But Elvis's Gospel recordings are also some of the best recordings ever. So when people say the King is "overrated", I tell them to take a walk to their library and look up the history of Rock n' Roll music, and see what this guy actually did and how he was both a mover and a shaker in popular music.

I never understood the concept of Bands........

Maybe its just me being silly. Or my rugged individualism.. But I never knew where people got the idea you need at least 4 or 5 people to make great music.

Some of the best music Ive ever heard comes from just one person on stage- their voice and their guitar or their piano and putting their heart into it. Ive seen these bands where someone is just screaming in a microphone but I cant understand the words. The guitars are usually too loud and the lyrics are secondary. I suppose thats the way Rock music is.

I remember trying to form bands growing up, and it just never worked. I could never get what I wanted to say on the same page as the rest of 'em.

But I just love it when I hear a great solo artist. When people ask me who are my favorite bands, and I say "you mean, singers?" and they just give me a blank stare. Their heads almost explode when I actually prefer listening to a great voice, as opposed to 4 blairing electric guitars with a screamer and a back beat drummer.

I have nothing against bands. I listen to them upon occassion. But give me a solo artist any day. They give more.

First Night Williamsburg........

Went pretty well. I was over at the Daily Grind on William and Mary campus. I had never heard of it before, even though my brother Randy went to that school. Probably was built after he left.

But anyways, I did much better on my second set. I had the audience with me that time, and wasnt sweating as much. I shared the bill with this kid Shane Cooley. He's pretty good. He had a drummer and bass player with him. I was relieved about not having to set up the PA since he brought one. Most people came to see him. I had a handful that came to see me. But I did feel awkward playing because I was very different music than he is. But it worked out ok. And hes a very nice guy.

It does make me feel like an outsider. The kind of music I do is a fusion of old country and western and newer pop and jazz with lyrics that are sad, yet funny. Some people dont get it. But I suppose it will appeal to some. My fans are very loyal to me. But they werent lining up in droves last night.

So then I drove home and I didnt get hit by any drunks or anything. But I have a feeling this new year 2007, will be a very good one. Not totally free of heartache and the downers, but a lot more uppers than downers.