Going through old emails, I saw an email with a link from my best friend @mrgaryjenkins, and decided to click on it before I deleted it.
Jason McElwain is autistic, and had served as his high school varsity basketball team’s manager…..faithfully, and with enthusiasm. His couch gave him a chance to play in the last game of his senior year. Inspiring.
I may be a little late on this, but I wanted to share it with everyone. I shared it with my facebook friends, and then watched it again when I came home, and tweeted it to my twitter friends.
………..I’m asked that question alot. I would say “Nothing”……….because I had to, I needed to……it was something that I had to address. It took me a couple of years to process what had happened before I could write it. I procrastinated to the very end. I find that with songs that I feel very strongly about.
It was the last song recorded on the True cd, and happened on the last night of recording at about 9pm.
I had always envisioned Matt Rollings playing piano on it, and I knew that although I didn’t have a third verse written…. I would be inspired by his piano playing, and be able to write the last verse. I did.
What you hear on the recording of “Nothing” is the first take, and the last verse came out on the mic while recording. Because I had to say those things.
This past weekend I played a show in Grand-Champs, France. I was really excited about driving down through France, and was curious about how the show would turn out. My excitement turned to dread when soon after picking up the campervan……I started getting stomach cramps. I spent most of the night in pain……….and then the next morning started the journey to France from the London area at about 11am. I didn’t tell anyone in the band that I was ill, because I have been around enough to know that as soon as you do that……..EVERYONE will start complaining that they have the same symptoms.
So, for the next 13 hours……..I just tried to power through. I finally fessed up when we got to the B&B at about 12 midnight. The lovely landlord put out a spread of cheese, bread, wine, and made a lovely, huge omelette…….I had bread.
On the day of the festival, I was lucky…….a doctor came to the venue to see me, and prescribed 3 different pills and some powder to drink with water……..5 minutes later I was feeling much better. We made it through the show, and it turned out to be one of my favorite shows in awhile. No one got sick. I got to hang with Jill Jackson on the boys from Bristol, and we generally had a great time. Plus, I found a kick butt steel guitar player who plays his butt off, and travels like a champ.
On the night there were about 800 French folks……..mostly in cowboy hats and western wear….smiling, happy, clapping………linedancing!!! They actually linedanced to “Let’s All Go to California”!!!!!! We started playing it and a group of about 100 linedancers started their dance……wow!
Anyway, here is the video:
Let me know if you want to host a house concert on the 2009 50 States in 50 Days tour in the fall?
You can help me tremendously if you post with your friends. By pressing the “Share this” button you can share with facebook, myspace, email, and many other methods. Thanks!
Ah, the 50 States in 50 Days tour is starting to shape up. I’d love to hear from you if you’d like to host a house concert in your state? Just email me and we can talk about it. Or, you can try calling me on 615-713-2124–if you don’t reach me…be sure to email me.
I saw this photo in a window in Florida recently……..I think it would make a great t-shirt for the 50 States tour…………
Do you like it?
You can help me tremendously if you post with your friends. By pressing the “Share this” button you can share with facebook, myspace, email, and many other methods. Thanks!
Or you can put money in my virtual tip jar by hitting the button below! That will help pay for gas, and preparations!
I love to drive, listen to music, and zone out. At times it seems like the only time I can get away from the other distractions, and truly let my mind roam free. I particularly love driving at night.
Los Angeles is a great nighttime driving city…….especially when a marine layer has fallen over the city.
The following are songs that have accompanied me on many nights like that.
“Little Past Little Rock” by Lee Ann Womack-I love this song. The baritone guitar gets me. I sing along and wish Lee Ann had asked me to sing on this song instead of “Why the River Runs”……really, I wish she would ask me to sing on all her records.
“Downtown Lights” by Blue Nile-I became a fan of Blue Nile YEARS ago, and this song still holds up.
“Still Within the Sound of My Voice” by Linda Rondstadt (written by Jimmy Webb)-great for wide open desert driving, too.
“Secret Garden” by Bruce Springsteen-very moody. Dig it.
“Please Forgive Me” by David Gray
“Washington Square” by Counting Crows-Jill Jackson and I listened to this song alot on last year’s 50 States in 50 Days tour.
“Sullivan Street” by Counting Crows-One of my all-time favorite songs. Maria McKee absolutely kills me with her background part……very haunting, and urgent.
“The Song Remembers When” by Trisha Yearwood (written by Hugh Prestwood)-this song has to be one of the best songs ever written……..”and I wept in the arms of Jesus for the choice you made”……the way Trisha phrases “choice” kills me. Matt Rollings’ piano playing on this song is astounding.
“Mary” by Patti Griffin-moving, haunting……reminds me of my sweet grandmother.
“Family Affair” by Abra Moore-Abra had one song a few years ago that really got me, and then she disappeared. I found her on itunes and downloaded this song after a quick listen. A couple of years ago when I was touring France it was literally ALL I listened to as I drove………very haunting.
