Sunday, May 31, 2009

I Got Buzzed!




The other evening at work I was buzzed. I do afternoon drive at Country 102.5 WKXU in Louisburg (another proud Curtis Media Group Station.) I kept hearing what I perceived to be a boom box, but it wouldn't make sense that the people who gather to fish the two ponds in front of the station would be playing loud music. I checked a couple of times and could not figure out the mystery. Then when I finished my shift and headed out, just as I was sticking my head out the front door, I thought a plane was going to crash into the building and land in pieces in the pond. It didn't of course, and after I checked my underwear, I proceeded home. I forgot that private aircraft prefer to guide on radio towers. It was quite an experience.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Howards

Wrote this today:


Howard

The word spreads like a brush fire,
From the sandhills to the beach,
There's coming a revival,
"Brother Howard's gonna preach!"

Thirsty souls from miles around,
Come hear the Howards sing,
Boots, he doesn't lend his voice,
But they're lifting up the King.

Annie Belle's piano stool,
Vibrates with the rhythm,
Poppa, Aaron, Odell, too,
Share every song that's in 'em!

Joyous echoes winding down,
Sawdust on the ground,
Majestic voice begins to share,
The key to gain life's crown.

Conviction and authority,
Come from JA's lips,
Silence of convicted hearts,
Trembling fingertips.

At last the invitation comes,
Stubborn hearts are reached,
Later, Lonnie gets the word,
(That) Odell's been called to preach.

These are giants of the Faith,
Living God's Own Word,
Yes, they're blood runs through my veins,
Thank GOD, one day I heard.

Our God, He has no grand kids,
Each one of us alone,
Must trust by faith in Jesus' blood,
To cleanse and take us Home.

One day, I'll see them all again,
And some, I've never met,
Rejoicing as the ages roll,
Not knowing one regret!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

It Ain't English Anymore


Sometimes I feel like graduating from one of the top schools in the country may have been a waste of my time and my parent's money. Poor grammar and the butchering of the English language abounds, from mis-pronunciations and made up words, to the confusion of terms.
Seems like it was pounded into our little pliable heads that the "f" in often is silent, and you used to only hear it pronounced by hicks or hillbillies (rednecks). But now, supposed professional broadcasters mispronounce the word. It drives me NUTS!
You've all heard the Enablex commercial where the woman says, "...and that means less interruptions!" NO, my dear, that means FEWER interruptions. My ears just HEAR the violation, but there are hard and fast rules for where the two are used. Basically, if you can count it, you use less. If you can't, it's few.
Yes, Raleigh has the "Irregardless Cafe" but we should know that there IS no such word. It's simply regardless. Another is "preventative" as in maintenance. The word is "PREVENTIVE," yet you hear the extra unnecessary syllable.
My generation had the expression "where it's at" and I recall my parents going through the overhead about it and my thinking so what? So, I guess it's just a function of getting older.
It's not just an American thing. The British are even picking up our slang, and come up with some of their own. Like, "That's really mank!" Mank meaning unfit for human or even animal consumption.
I'd love to start a fad of saying things like "splendid." When was the last time you heard that one? Nothing conveys disgust better than sarcastically saying, "That's really SWELL!" Remember Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry?

Monday, May 18, 2009

Dear Israel

What a blessing it must be to have a leader like Benjamin Netanyahu! He's too smart to give away the Golan Heights and leave the State of Israel as a sitting duck for it's Arab enemies.
You MAY be our only hope. Netty would look out for our best interests and those of Israel at the same time, because he knows that if the US abandons Israel we're doomed,
Now, if Obama was to be the leader of Israel, he would probably jeopardize Israel as badly as he has imperiled the United States. Maybe even more.
Your nation is a nation of God's chosen people, so even with Obama running things, the Lord will not tolerate stupidity because He's promised to bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, so Obama's folly would be rendered helpless.
So, PLEASE, Israel, trade with us. You take Obama and give us Netty!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Difficult to Digest

The vernacular is "How do we impact one another"" (Grammar aside) How do our lives have an impact on the lives of others? (The way we speak these days drives me NUTS!)
Elvis lived out his life only realizing a sample of the people he made an impression on.I can guarantee, he had no clue there was a kid in Falls Church, Virginia who daydreamed at any given time and thought, "Wonder what Elvis is doing?"
People attain a degree of celebrity and before long, get up where the air is thin and it affects their thinking, judgement and general way of life. I think many times they forget what it was like before. Many of them spend so much time in fear that they'll return that they truly never learn how to properly enjoy their success.
I've never been any more than a pebble on the wheel of fame, if that. When someone expresses appreciation for my singing or whatever, I try to learn from the Country artists, who know the whole thing's a sham, anyway and at least APPEAR to deeply appreciate it and try to show some sense of humility.
I am blown away and some times embarrassed by people who give me compliments. When your Mom does that, you figure it's her job to do so, but when someone you don't know from Adam does, well then, at least until you hear them rave about some tone-deaf, talent-free, joker, you pause and consider, maybe, just MAYBE I'm getting descent at this stuff.
Last night I learned that a fellow thought I was pretty cool in a couple of ways. I had no idea to what degree he felt that way, but do recall his compliments. Then I learned that he ended his life a couple of weeks ago.
I must confess that this has had quite an impact on me ever since I heard it. My immediate reaction was one of fighting back tears (I'm the original old softy) My SECOND reaction was one of compassion for this fellow's girlfriend who was given no indication that this was about to happen. As it turned out, it was a case of not taking meds properly and mixing them with inadvisable substances like alcohol.
I wish I had known this lad better and could have been there for him. Now, all I can do is try to be of some comfort to his lady.
Some things in life are difficult to digest, to say the least.

I LOVE it!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Miss You Much, Mom

She was the mother I didn't deserve, but the one God in his infinite wisdom and mercy gave me. She represented Him well from the day I was born, to the day He called her Home. Hope to see you soon, Mom!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Unbiased Review


Coming from the DC suburbs, I've seen more bands in a weekend than most people get to see in a lifetime. The main reason is P Street Beach, basically a huge field in the District with dozens of baseball diamonds. The planners of our Nation's Capitol were ingenius, in that while, even when I lived there there was insane growth, some semblance of sanity prevailed in preserving these places. On the weekends, especially during the summer, various bands would play there at about two hundred foot intervals, on anything from flatbed trucks to full blown stages. Blues, Rock, and somewhere tucked over in the corner, a budding bluegrass band would always be playing.
They weren't chopped liver.
I sang with three different bands over the years managed by Domestic Sound Productions.
There are some venues here that have the same, bands play the same sets month after month after month. First of all, it's a mistake to book a band any more frequent than every SIX WEEKS, because there really isn't enough time to add songs and change song sets.
I'd heard The Switch, way before I met and became friends with Artie and there is no way, they could have lived up to the hype I heard about them. I DID wonder for a long time, why they had such a following week after week after week. Okay, I know about the groupie thing and the "THIS time that guitar guy will notice me!"
But this was more than that.
Well last night I heard the Switch for the first time since their doing the grand opening for Pastimes. To be honest, a lot of the reason for my reaction back then was I was still stinging from Vic Bunn's passing and I didn't wish to see Vic's Bar change as it inevitably HAD to. (BTW, last night at Locked & Loaded a girl came up to me and said, "You used to sing at VIC'S! ....It's just not the same place, is it?")
Anyone would have trouble keeping up with these guys. One minute they're singing out in the audience...the next, lined up on the bar. It's just crazy. Early on, the press would ask a young Elvis Presley, "Couldn't you sing it without some of the wiggle?"
EP's response, "Well sir, yes I COULD come out there and just stand and sing, but people come to see a show and if I did that, they'd say, 'Well, my goodness, I can hear that by just listening to his RECORDS!' "
Artie plays keyboards, guitar and sings and changes hats like Cher changed outfits on the old Sonny & Cher Show. If he doesn't rub his scalp raw from doing that, he may start finding a lot of follecal material on the shower floor.
The Switch's drummer demonstrated how boring it must be to play drums to a honky tonk, country song, by playing catch with a stick with other members of the band. It's a whole lot more fun with a whole lot more possibilities with the wireless technology there is today.
The point is, the Switch was good, REAL good and know exactly where to drop out on the vocals for the audience to fill in a word or phrase.
I'm just wondering...what do you call a person who follows the Switch around from gig to gig...a Switch HITTER? (Gotta work on that)
Oh, did I mention that this bald guy was called up from the audience to sing "Jailhouse Rock?" He was okay, but he certainly was no Andy Williams.