Midnight Blue(bird Cafe)

Last night, after attending a really fun celebratory supper at a friends house to honor a three girlfriends (one's got a new job, one's got a new baby and one's got a new husband) and taking time to pack for our trip to IA this weekend, I decided to head over to the Bluebird Cafe to catch the last half of the late round: Al Anderson, Leslie Satcher and Tim Johnson. (Al Anderson is one of my favorite writers... YAY!)

So I get there at around 10:30 or so... and within ten minutes of my arrival... Big Al is calling someone named Melissa to the stage. As I looked around to see who this mysterious Melissa was... I about fell off my bar stool.

It was Melissa Manchester.

Wow.

Can't tell you how many times I listed to "Midnight Blue" and "Don't Cry Outloud" when I was growing up... just wishing I could sing like her and write like her... her words resonated with me... moved me. I used to drive my family crazy plunking out versions of them from my big purple cover gold lettering "Dan Coates Easy Piano Book". And, they'll tell you... I wasn't no Melissa Manchester... but I sure wished I could be.

Anyway... Al Asked the fourth writer in the round if Melissa could use his keyboard (I can't remember his name... but he was GREAT, too.) and then she proceeded to play... you guessed it... "Midnight Blue". It was all I could do to not rush the round to sing background vox with her.

Only in NashVegas.

Afterwards, I was so inspired by my trip to the Bluebird that I went home and wrote for a while. Then I listened to the recording of my gig the night before... trying to hear all the things I can do to become a better singer / writer... like the talented writers I'd just seen in person.

Have I ever told you that I LOVE NASHVILLE?!?

REQUEST "Daddies & Daughters"

Please, please, PLEASE...
Call your radio stations and request LRP's "Daddies and Daughters".

Universal has released this song as a single... and anything you can do to help get the word out about it and "Back to the Well" is sooooo appreciated!

THANK YOU.

Lee Roy plays the Grand Ole Opry and MORE...

YAY!

It's official... Lee Roy Parnell and the band are playing the Opry on Tuesday, 7/11.

I'm so stoked... John's parents are coming from Iowa and it sounds like we're going to be able to go back stage. It's defninitely going to be one of the many highlights of 2006 for us... and I'm sure it will rank right up there at the top, too.
Can't wait!

If you can't make the Opry (or if you just can't get enough of LRP and want to experience his music twice in one week... I'll be there!), make plans to come see Lee Roy and the guys at 3rd & Lindsley on Thursday, 7/13. It's an XM radio taping and it looks like you can purchase tickets in advance if you want to guarantee yourself a seat.

“Potentially Hazardous Asteroid”

According to the report I heard on Paul Harvey (audio link) this morning, a half-mile wide asteroid will come uncomfortably close to the Earth during the early morning hours of July 3rd.

Yikers.

According to the article I found on MSNBC, "...the latest calculations show that Asteroid 2004 XP14 will pass closest to Earth at 04:25 UT on July 3 (12:25 a.m. EDT or 9:25 p.m. PDT on July 2). The asteroid’s distance from Earth at that moment will be 268,624-miles (432,308 km), or just 1.1 times the Moon’s average distance from Earth... Due to the proximity of its orbit to Earth and its estimated size, this object has been classified as a “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid” by the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are currently 783 PNAs."

Hope scientist's calculations are correct... otherwise, I have visions of "Deep Impact" in my head.

Hmmmm... guess there's not much I can do if they aren't right.

Oh well.

****BAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaammmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm*****


UPDATE 07.03.06:
It didn't hit us... but it came close though...
Within like 293,000 miles or something like that.
Heh.

Weekend of rest?!

OK... maybe not.
But it was spectacular nonetheless.

Friday night, JTC and I went to see Stacie Collins (early show) and Jonell Mosser (late show) at 3rd & Lindsley. Both were spectacular. If you haven't had a chance to catch either of these fine women perform... I highly recommend you make the time to do so!

Stacie is a high energy, foot-kickin', ball of fire performer. She's got a great band and plays the harp like a... well... you know. And, just when you think it can't get any better, you figure out that she's a down-to-earth, nice person, too. Yay.

Jonell... as you all know... is my buddy and one of my favorite singers in town. Friday night she had a kick butt line-up backing her: Reese Wynans (Keys / B3 - Double Trouble), Tom Britt (Guitar - Vince Gill), Craig Krampf (Drums - Kim Karnes / Melissa Etheridge) and David Santos (Bass - Billy Joel). PLUS... Valerie Carter was there swappin' songs with Jonell. She's an incredible singer / writer who's toured with the likes of James Taylor.

The entire night was like goin' to church... wait... I think it was better than that even! It was so moving. And, toward the end of the night, Jonell asked me to get up and sing background with her... we had a blast singing Wet Willie's "Keep on smilin'" together. Felt so good.

Saturday, John and I ran a couple errands in the AM (after only about four hours of sleep). Then, we had lunch with our friend Jenn. Then, we went over to Steve C & Cat's house to record. And then, we went to 3rd to see several incredible writers in the round: Hillary Lindsley, Sherrie Austin, Dave Berg, Karyn Rochelle, Will Rambeaux, James Slater, etc. It was incredible. Bekka was there, too. She got up and sang a song she and James wrote, "Used," a truly amazing song. Then later on, she grabbed my hand and the two of us got up and sang background vox on one of James' songs. (I love that woman!)

Yesterday, JTC and I went to the Davinci Code. Not having read the book, I really enjoyed the movie. And, now that I've seen the movie, I'm definitely gonna read the book. I can't even imagine how much detail they must have had to leave out to make it!

Last night, we watched the first part of "Broken Trail" on the AMC channel. It was pretty good.

Then, at about 9 p.m., we crashed hard.
It was a crazy weekend... but so worth being tired.

Tonight... we're watching the second half of Broken trail... and then we're gonna go see my friend Lisa Carver perform at Ga'Dang (In Sole Mio's old location... love the venue but the name really bugs me. I feel like I'm takin' the Lord's name in vain every time I say it. Arrrgggggh.) Oh well... they've got great music and the food is affordably yummy, too.

David Lee Roth = Bluegrass?

OK... I've been meaning to post about this for a couple weeks... but life has been getting in the way of my blogging lately. **sorry**

A couple weeks ago, John and I were flippin' through the channels and ran across a very cleaned up David Lee Roth being interviewed by Leno. The "gee whiz" curiousity meter went off and we stopped to see what the rocker is up to lately.

Well... after a few minutes of listening to his experiences over the past few years as an EMT... in NYC I think... the topic turned to his new musical direction.

David Lee Roth is featured on a bluegrass CD of VanHalen songs.

Yes.

You read correctly.

Bluegrass.

And, soon he would be performing a preview of his new musical endeavor... a bluegrass version of "Jump".

This of course prompted us to continue watching through the commercials.

First let me say... the band was incredible. And... I'm not sure, but I think I know the bass player (Charlie) from gigs in Nashville. And, believe it or not... the arrangement of "Jump" actually sounded great as a bluegrass song.

But then, David began to sing. It was really kind of strange. Imagine his voice over bluegrass music... singing a stiff version of his 80s power rock song. Now, multiply that by 100.

It was awful.

Besides that, he was just tryin' too hard to be straight. It was uncomfortable to watch (this is link to the Leno performance on YouTube).

All this said...

While the songs may lend themselves to bluegrass arrangements... David Lee Roth is NOT bluegrass.

Mystery solved.

But... that doesn't mean the entire album sucks.

Remember: When loading your iPod / MP3 player, you can skip the tracks of "Strummin' with the Devil" that have David on them.

After listening to the album tracks online, the rest of the songs sound pretty kickin'. It's got some stellar, legitimate country / bluegrass musicians like The John Cowan Band (of New Grass Revival), John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Iron Horse, Larry Cordle... and more... performing the rest of the VanHalen hits.

Chez needs help!

A fellow blogger is moving and needs help.

Chez is one of my favorite Nashville bloggers. While I won't be able to be there (the clock and I will be on our way to see his family in Iowa after I finish work on 6/30) I thought I'd help him spred the word.

Afterall, it is a holiday weekend... and he is offering free beer and pizza!
C'mon.
It will be FUN.
Sparklers anyone?!