KUPL Overnights

(Today's word will be in red, and bold.)

One of my favorite things about KUPL's overnight show, (midnight to 5am, Monday through Friday), is hearing new music. Whether it's an established artist's latest single, or the first single from a brand new artist, it's always fun to hear something new.

Over the past few months there have been some songs that I've really liked.  Some have gone on to do well, while others have, sadly, fallen short, not to be heard of again.

For example, Trace Adkins had the single, "Million Dollar View" out to radio.  I heard it a few times on KUPL overnights; for some reason though the song just didn't take off.

For at least a couple months I've been hearing "Underdog" by the Lost Trailers.  This song is finally getting some recognition outside overnights; however it's been slow going.  I'm glad it's still around though.

One of the latest new tunes from an established artist is "Don't Miss Your Life", by Phil Vassar.  This is probably my #1 favorite song on the radio right now.  I'm really hoping it picks up momentum and goes beyond just being played overnights.  Love this song!

Whenever I hear a new song on the radio, I try to guess who the artist is.  Sometimes I already know, because I've heard about the song and/or artist somewhere before hearing it on the radio.  Other times, the artist's voice is so distinctive, I recognize it immediately.  That was the case with Alison Krauss' latest single, "My Love Follows You Wherever You Go". 

Then there's Aaron Lewis from Stain'd and his latest single, "Endless Summer".  I first heard Aaron's voice on "Country Boy", and thought how "country" he sounded; didn't know at the time that he was with Stain'd; just knew I liked the song.

Now KUPL is playing "Endless Summer" on overnights, and I had no idea who it was.  Aaron sounded totally different than on "Country Boy"; still love this song just as much though.

There are other songs that have come and gone recently that I could list here, though this post would end up way too long; so I'll end this for now; and possibly add an update at a later time.

Due West @ the Bing Lounge--4-24-12

Due West-(l-r):  Brad Hull, Tim Gates, Matt Lopez

I usually miss the noontime shows at the Bing Lounge, as I'm working at that time.  Once in awhile though, if there's someone I *really* want to see, I can usually get away long enough to catch the show.  That was the case with Due West.

I've loved this trio since I first heard their songs "Between the Bible and the Belt", and "When the Smoke Clears", on the radio.  I saw them perform live awhile ago at the Ponderosa Lounge as well; so when I heard they were coming to the Bing Lounge I knew I HAD to be there!

 From the moment the three, (Brad Hull, Tim Gates, and Matt Lopez), hit the stage, they kept the audience mesmerized with their beautiful harmony.  I think Earthquake Jake put it best when he told them that of all the acts that have performed on the Bing Lounge stage, Due West are best at what they do.  Anyone who knows Jake, knows he doesn't say anything he doesn't mean; the man cannot, and will not tell a lie.

During the interview segment, the guys said that their biggest influence are bands like Alabama, Diamond Rio, Restless Heart, and other similar groups.  When asked how they got together, they told how they'd met at a party where people were taking turns singing various songs.  By the end of the evening, everyone else had stopped to listen to the three of them singing together.  The guys said people at the party told them how tight their harmonies were and asked how long they'd been performing together, to which they responded, "about three hours now".  From then on, they began working together as a group.

The members of Due West write some of their own music, and also look to others for songs.  They said they don't usually do cover versions of songs, however, they had one that they had been doing for awhile.  Since Lionel Richie has just released his album of duets with country artists,  Due West did their version of "Stuck On You" for the Bing Lounge audience.  In one word:  AMAZING!!!

Another cool song the band performed was their latest single, "Things You Can't Do In A Car".

All too soon the show was over; however the guys did stay to meet members of the audience, sign autographs and have their picture taken with everyone.  Though I'd seen them perform before, I'd never met the band.  Let me just say, Brad, Tim and Matt are three of the nicest people you'll ever meet!

It happened to be an audience member's birthday that day, and when she told the guys that during the meet and greet, they did an impromptu version of "Happy Birthday" for her.  Wish I'd gotten that on video!  I get the feeling these three could sing a phone book in perfect harmony!

Though they haven't made it as big as some artists out of Nashville, keep an eye and ear out for Due West.  I predict big things are going to happen for them!

Gwen Sebastian @ the Bing Lounge-4-23-12

 
To be totally honest, I don't watch any of the shows like "American Idol" or, "The Voice".  Not because I don't like them; simply because I'd get too caught up in them, especially being on more than once a week. I do keep up on music and the like however, so I have heard of Gwen Sebastian and that she'd been on this season of "The Voice".

Since being eliminated, Gwen has been doing the "radio tour", taking her music to radio stations all over the country.  The evening of April 23, 2012, Gwen's stop was the Bing Lounge in Portland, Oregon, for KUPL listeners. 

While listening to Gwen perform, I kept thinking how her voice reminds me of Kellie Pickler, yet is different and distinct enough to also have her own unique style.

At the same time, watching Gwen, I was reminded of Jennifer Nettles, from Sugarland.  Gwen's passion for her music shines through in every movement and gesture she makes.  You can tell music is part of her soul, and flows through her veins. From ballads, to upbeat tunes, Gwen can do it all, and gives it her all when she does.  I especially like her new single, "Met Him In A Motel Room".

If having a beautiful voice, and great personality weren't enough, Gwen is also a genuinely nice person.  She took time to sign autographs, take pictures AND thank each person for coming to the Bing Lounge to see her.

Gwen Sebastian may have been eliminated from "The Voice", however, I truly believe she has a bright future ahead of her in country music.  If you ever get the chance to see Gwen perform live, do it!

Let the Sunshine In!

(Today's word will be in red, and bold.)


During the past few months I've done way too many posts about the weather; mostly about the snow.   Therefore, I've been trying not to post about this subject anymore; until now.

I'm making an exception today, because the area I live in FINALLY got decent weather! Fantastic weather in fact!  Record setting high temperatures; I loved it!

Okay, it was only for about three days; but hey, it was the weekend, it was sunny and warm!  We had temps in the 80's, which makes me happy; those are the days I love the most.

I realize, it won't last, in fact, it's supposed to be cooler and rainy the rest of the week.  With that in mind, I'd like to put this out to Mother Nature:

I know you can make it warm and sunny, you've proven that.  Since you've shown it's possible to have nice weather, please don't let the last three days be considered our spring and summer for this year!  Really, is it asking too much to have an actual summer this year; during the summer season?  Please and thank you!

Simon in the Morning's "Hunger Games"

Twice a day for the past week, the "Simon in the Morning" show has been hosting their version of the "Hunger Games".

Each morning at 6:20am, and 8:20am, Scott, Jolynn and Jake would announce two "districts", (zip codes), to compete against each other.  One caller from each zip code would call in and be given a type of food to name off.  Each person would name a food from that day's category, and the first person to take longer than 5 seconds was eliminated.

My zip code was announced at 6:20 Tuesday morning, so I called, and actually got through.  I and the person I was pitted against had to come up with various ways to prepare eggs.

I don't remember all the types we came up with, except the other person did say "candied" eggs at one point.   No one was sure what that meant, however, I thought it could mean the candy eggs like you get at Easter.  The last type I mentioned was "poached", and the other person couldn't come up with another type, so she was eliminated.

I was excited that I'd qualified for the trip to see Taylor Swift in Ontario, Canada; however, did I really think I'd win the grand prize?  No, I didn't.  I knew I'd have a 1 in 10 chance, however, I just didn't think it would happen.

On Friday, the final two were qualified for the grand prize, and a few minutes later Scott, Jolynn and Jake were to announce the grand prize winner.

I know that when a winner is picked, it takes time to call them, get it recorded for playback on the air, etc.  That usually means a winner is picked and called right away.  I was at work, waiting to start my day, and my phone wasn't ringing, so I knew I wasn't going to be the winner.  The longer the phone didn't ring, the more certain I was I didn't win.

All of a sudden though, my phone DID ring, and it was an outside line.  The caller ID was KUPL's number!  So, I answered the phone, and there they were on the other side of the line, Scott, Jolynn and Jake!  They asked if I knew why they were calling and I said I thought so; then Jolynn said, yeah, they'd just called to talk with me and tell me who'd won the contest.

 Normally it's hard to pull anything over on me; I'm not a trusting person, and don't take things at face value.  In this case though, already having it in my mind that I wasn't going to win, the length of time it took for the phone call, and the fact that I'm always giving them a bad time, (teasing), I figured maybe they really HAD called just to tell me who the winner had been!  I was totally suckered on that, and I give them kudos for getting me good!

As it turns out, *I* AM the grand prize winner to go see Taylor Swift in Ontario, Canada!!!  The whole process of picking the grand prize winner was even the subject of the Simon 90 video for the day.

Needless to say, that was around 9am; I haven't quite been the same since!  I honestly don't think I really breathed for about 2 hours after I found out I'd won! 

I know I can get very excited about things, so instead of rambling on and on about it from now, until the day of the show, I've told everyone I work with, all my friends and  family, if I start getting hyper again, I'll just say "EEK!"  Translation:  "I'm sooooooooooooo excited!", and leave it at that.  After all, winning is one thing, however I'd like to keep my family, friends and co-workers; not drive them away!

Space Invaders

(Today's word will be in red, and bold.)

We've all had times that our personal space has been invaded.

I had one of these moments the other day, and it wasn't pleasant.  The following is how I felt about this situation.

There I was, minding my own business, taking care of what needed to be done; and suddenly, there you were, in my face.  I asked you to leave, you didn't listen; you just kept hanging around.  I tried to ignore you, with no success; you just sat there, watching me.

This went on for a few minutes, then you upped the ante; you started pacing back and forth.  Again, I asked you to stop, you wouldn't; you kept pacing back and forth, back and forth, only stopping to stare at me again.

Mind you, if I *could* have left, I would have. Alas, I couldn't; what I was doing needed to be done where I was.  I'm fairly certain you would have tried to follow me anyway.

Finally, after another few minutes you disappeared.  Oddly enough, this was more disconcerting than you actually being where I could see you.  When I could see you, I at least knew where you were and could keep an eye on you.  After you disappeared, I kept wondering where you went, and if you were coming back to harass me.  Again, if I could have left then, I would have.  Since I couldn't, I was left to continue what I was doing, while keeping one eye open for your possible return.

Right before my task was complete, I saw you again, peeking out from where you'd evidently been lurking since you disappeared.  Further away, yet still close enough to invade my personal space and make me feel uncomfortable.  Believe me, if I'd had a way to be done with you before then, I would have.  Then I wouldn't have to see you hiding in the shadows.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally at my journey's end; and you were still there.

I stopped everything, went for help and guess what?  You ran away, to where you couldn't be found.  Curse you, you stupid, despicable spider!!!

P.S.  You and all your spider buddies stay out of my car from now on; got it?!

R.I.P. Dick Clark

"America's Oldest Teenager" has died.

Dick Clark, the iconic host of "American Bandstand", "New Year's Rockin' Eve", and various game shows, has passed away at the age of 82.  His cause of death is listed as a massive heart attack.  

According to reports, Clark had gone into the hospital for outpatient surgery Monday evening, and while there, suffered the heart attack.  Those reading this may remember that Clark had suffered a severe stroke in 2004, which left him partially paralyzed.

Dick Clark first gained national recognition as the host of the teen dance show "American Bandstand", first in Philidelphia, then moving the show to Los Angeles.  The show ran on the ABC network from 1957 to 1989, and spawned such phrases as "nice beat, easy to dance to, I give it a 75", which was often what teenagers who were rating the music on "Bandstand" would say.

The Pacific Northwest has a connection with Clark as well.  In 1965 Clark was looking for a "house band" for a show he was putting together called "Where the Action Is".  Paul Revere and the Raiders had moved to the Portland, Oregon area in 1962, and hired manager, Roger Hart.  Hart contacted Clark to audition the Raiders, for the show, and the band got the part.  They appeared on "Where the Action Is" five days a week for two years, helping to catapult them to national fame.

In 1972, Clark started "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve", also on ABC.  Clark hosted the show each New Year's Eve, until his stroke in 2004.  At that time Regis Philbin hosted, with Ryan Seacrest taking over the main duties since 2005.  Clark would appear in segments of these shows, but never fully hosted the program after 2004.

Clark also hosted a series of game shows during his heyday, most notably "$10,000 Pyramid".  If this weren't enough, Clark, along with Ed McMahon hosted a series of "Bloopers" TV shows.  The programs would show outtakes from various TV shows and commercials from around the world.

Dick Clark Productions also created the "Academy of Country Music Awards", (ACM's), which are held every April in Las Vegas.

There are so many other things that Dick Clark had a hand in during his long, illustrious career, there's not enough time, or room, to mention everything here.

For those who grew up in the "Bandstand" era, Dick Clark will always be an icon of the music industry.  So, so long for now Dick Clark, and may you rest in peace.

Brooks vs. Dunn

(Today's word will be in red, and bold.)

For 20 years country artists Brooks & Dunn were nearly unstoppable.  Almost from the day they were put together, the duo started having hit after hit and winning award after award.  They won "Duo of the Year" so many times at the various country music awards, that it was kiddingly known as the "Brooks & Dunn Award".

Then, after two decades, the duo called it quits.  Each one went their separate ways to pursue their individual interests.

Ronnie Dunn went in the studio and started working on a solo album, and started booking shows as a solo artist around the U.S.  To date, three singles have been released from Dunn's solo debut, two that have been hits, and one that wasn't.  I'll come back to this in a moment.

Meanwhile, Kix Brooks has kept busy as the host of "American Country Countdown", a syndicated show counting down the top 40 country songs on the music charts each week.

In addition, Brooks has been a part of various "Songwriter Showcase" programs, with other country songwriters, showcasing their musical talents around the nation.

Another business Kix has been part of is a winery, where he has his own brand of wine for sale to the public.

While Ronnie Dunn almost immediately started putting out solo music, Kix Brooks is just now testing the waters with his first post B&D single, "New to This Town".

I don't know about anyone else, however, I've always thought Ronnie Dunn was the "voice" of Brooks & Dunn.  Yes, Kix is good too; it just seemed their biggest hits were the ones sang by Ronnie.

That's what I thought was kind of funny about Kix's new single; though it's a solo effort, he still has back up support from another big name, Joe Walsh of the Eagles. Whether this is a media move, to draw attention to Brooks' solo career or what, I don't know.  The song is good, and you can definitely tell it's Kix; just not sure where Walsh fits in.

Likewise, Ronnie Dunn's first solo single, "Bleed Red", was heavily hyped to radio stations across the U.S.  The song was highly anticipated, as everyone wondered what the music would be like without Brooks. To be honest, "Bleed Red" would be as perfect a Brooks & Dunn song as it was a Ronnie Dunn single.  

Maybe it's just me, what I don't get though is, here are two guys that have had solid success for 20 years as a duo.  Now they've gone solo, however what each has offered up could still easily be considered Brooks & Dunn tunes, had they been recorded when the duo was together.  Because they have solo careers though, each man has had to reprove himself to radio audiences; why?

Yes, I think every artist should have to prove themselves every time they release a single; what I don't get is how either Kix or Ronnie could *not* have a hit with the music they're putting out.  As I stated earlier, each is still putting out the "Brooks & Dunn" sound, though they're doing solo work.

Yet, that's what happened with Ronnie Dunn's second single, "Cost of Livin'".  This is one of my favorite cuts on Dunn's CD, yet, the song never really made it on radio.

I honestly thought this song would be a huge success; it's more of a ballad, which Ronnie Dunn is known for doing so well.

Now, with Kix Brooks releasing "New to This Town", and Ronnie Dunn's latest single, "Let The Cowboy Rock", on the airwaves also, it's more "Brooks vs. Dunn" instead of "Brooks & Dunn".

I guess, on the bright side, having individual music from both Kix and Ronnie is better than no Brooks & Dunn at all.  It will be interesting to see how successful each one will be, and if one will be more successful than the other.  I give them at least 10 years each however.

REVIEW--Lionel Richie--"Tuskegee"

Knowing that reviews are usually skewed, owing to the opinions of the person doing the reviewing, I'll put this out first thing:  I'd forgotten how much I love Lionel Richie's music!

With that said, it's kind of a given that those who've liked Richie's music in the past, will like "Tuskegee".  After all, Richie's latest contribution is made up of thirteen of his biggest hits from the past.

Not that "Tuskegee" is a "Greatest Hits", or "tribute" CD; it's more a combination of the two.

On the greatest hits side, you have Lionel Richie singing, what else, his greatest hits.

While most tribute albums have other artists performing someone else's hits, the "tribute" part of this CD actually pairs country artists with Richie, putting a new spin on his classic hits.

Sometimes these things can be disasterous; "Tuskegee" though is a definite winner!  As an example, I'm not a big Rascal Flatts fan; however, one of my favorite tracks is the duet of "Dancing on the Ceiling", they do with Lionel.

Even one of the less stellar duets, "Hello", (done with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles), is still good; it just doesn't shine as brightly as other tracks.  Funny thing is, "Hello" is over all one of my favorite Lionel Richie tunes.

Again, if you aren't a Lionel Richie fan, you may not like his latest offering.  Those who are though should be very happy with "Tuskegee".

Packy Turns the Big 5-0!

April 14, 1962 was an historical day for the Portland Zoo, in Portland, Oregon.  That was the day Belle, an elephant at the zoo, gave birth to a baby boy.

This elephant wasn't any ordinary new addition to the zoo however, this baby was special, not just in Portland, but all over the nation.  This baby was the first Asian elephant to be born in the western hemisphere in 44 years.

From the time news of Belle's impending delivery was made public,  it was the talk of the town and the entire United States.  All types of contests were held, and the hoopla continued through the birth and beyond.

Once the baby pachyderm was born, (weighing in at 225 pounds and 35 inches tall), a name was picked for him from thousands of public entries.  The winning name was "Packy",  submitted by Wayne French of Gresham, Oregon. French won a portable stereo for his contribution.

Another contest winner was Lucille Fraizer of St. Helens, Oregon.  Fraizer wrote a song for the new elephant, that was later recorded by local celebrity, Heck Harper.

Every year since his birth, Packy has had a birthday party held in his honor at the zoo he was born and raised in.  This year is especially important, since Packy turns the big 5-0 in 2012.

A lot has happened in the 50 years since Packy made his debut.  The Portland Zoo was renamed Washington Park Zoo; then renamed it's current title of The Oregon Zoo.

Packy grew up to be one of, if not the, largest Asian elephant in captivity; and also fathered baby elephants of his own.

While the sensationalism surrounding Packy and his birth may have tapered off throughout the U.S. over the years, in Portland, Oregon Packy is still a big deal, and not just in size.

So, here's wishing Packy, the most famous elephant in captivity, a very happy birthday, and many more to come!

What A Year It's Been!

On April 12, 2011, no KUPL listener had started rambling on KUPL's website.  There was nothing from listeners about shows in the Bing Lounge, birthdays, bears, sandwiches, or anything else imaginable.

That all changed the next day, on April 13, 2011.  On that day, one year ago today, "Ramblings from a KUPL Listener" was unleashed to the internet.

Before that fateful day, I'd never posted to a blog.  Being the non-technical person I am, I needed all the help I could get on how to get started, etc.  Fortunately, for me at least, (I don't know how he'd see it), I had someone I could turn to with all my questions and concerns; Earthquake Jake, the brains behind the whole "listener blog".  The man has to have the patience of a saint for all the questions, and insecurities I've bombarded him with in the past year!

 What a year it's been though!  From day one I've been able to post as much, or as little as I want; about anything I want to write about.  I love that, because it gives me a chance to be creative, which is a big part of who I am. 

Over the past year, I've been to several performances in the Bing Lounge, and blogged about each one.  I feel very lucky to have seen such a wide range of musical talent, from newcomers, like Jaida Dreyer and Glen Templeton,to living legends, such as Vince Gill. 

Often times my posts were inspired by what I'd hear on KUPL's "Simon in the Morning" show.  One in particular I remember was when they had the person who does the voice of Winnie the Pooh on the show.

That interview lead to Scott, Jolynn and Jake talking about various voices they could do, which then lead to having listeners call in to do their best cartoon voices.  Somewhere in the mix the Muppets were mentioned.  My brain being the way it is, combined all of this into one bright idea, which I acted on, resulting in a post about the following picture.

 For the record, Scott Simon actually is as tall as Jolynn Winter; for some reason I thought he wasn't, so his caricature is shorter.  I could fix it easily, but it's been way more fun letting Scott kid about it.

Not all my posts have been happy ones.  I remember being angered by the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial.  I wrote a post in honor of Caylee Anthony, to get the anger out.

One post that turned out to possibly be my most important one to date was titled, "The Magic of Music".

I don't know how I learned about a blogging contest sponsored by the organization, MusiCares, though I remember thinking it would be fun to enter, so I did.  That was in October 2011, six months in to having my blog on KUPL's website.

The point of the contest was to bring awareness to MusiCares, which helps musicians, and artists with medical, dental, and other issues, since most don't have insurance.

The winner would be on the red carpet for MusiCares at the "Grammy Honors Paul McCartney", to blog about the event.

To my utter surprise and amazement, I was actually one of the finalists chosen!  Though I didn't win, and don't know where I ended in ranking, I still feel like I was a winner.  I mean, there were only SIX finalists in the entire U.S., and I was one of them!  It's one of those amazing times that become a milestone in one's memory; and something I would never have been able to do, had I not had this blog.

There are so many other posts I could mention here, however, as I usually do, I'm rambling again, so I won't.  Let's just say, in the past 366 days, (it's leap year), I probably could have/should have had more posts out.  Of the ones I did write, were all of them great?  No. To be honest, there were a few times when I wrote something for the sake of writing; because it was for a Tuesday or Thursday post, which are the days KUPL listeners can earn 5000 points for finding the blog word of the day.  Those are days I HAD to have something posted.

And lately, I've been in a dry spell; though just a few days ago, the ideas started happening again.

My goal for the year ahead is to continue posting blogs about anything and everything I can think of; and post more than I have been.  And of course hopefully improve with time!

Thank you to anyone and everyone who's been reading my blog this past year.  Though I may not know you, do know that I definitely appreciate you taking time to do so.  Again, thank you!

Tracy Lawrence--"Pills"

(Today's word will be in red, and bold.)


Until now, it's been a few years since country artist, Tracy Lawrence, has had a new song on the radio.

That changed in the early part of this year, when Lawrence released "Pills"; a tongue in cheek song about all the pills people take for any myriad of reasons, from losing weight, to gaining it, and every other possible reason in between.

I'd only heard the song a couple times on KUPL's overnight show, but it struck a chord with me instantly. This song says exactly how I feel about all different kinds of medications being peddled to the public these days. There's constantly ads in every form of media touting this drug or that one, etc., etc., etc. For quite awhile I've thought, "enough already!"

I decided then that I would write a post here about Lawrence's "Pills", and let readers decide what they think of the tune. I ran into a little problem though.

The song is too new to have an "official" video yet, so no luck there. I did learn that even though "Pills" has just been released as a single, it seems to have been around since approximately 2009; as I found some live videos that people had recorded at concerts. None of these suited what I was wanting though; I wanted to let readers hear the exact version of the song I'd heard on the radio.

Since I couldn't find what I wanted, but still wanted to post a blog about the song, I emailed Earthquake Jake, explained my situation, and asked if he had any suggestions for what I could do. That was about 7am in the morning.

About 2:30pm that same day, (April 11, 2012), I received and email from Sputnik, (producer on "Simon in the Morning"), with a link to this video:


Is that not awesome?! Totally blew me away that Jake and Sputnik did this so I could write a post about Tracy Lawrence's song! And they did it on top of their normal daily workload!

Because of them, I was able to tell others about this song, and share it as well. So, take a listen, and see what you think. And when you're done, maybe send Jake and Sputnik an email, or give them a call at the station and let them know how cool they are. I know I owe both of them a huge thank you for taking the time and effort I know they had to have put into this video; so thanks guys!

Guess Who?--Part 2

(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)




One of my earliest posts was about how some newer country artists sound similar to other, established country singers: http://kuplramblings.blogspot.com/2011/06/guess-who.html

Since that post, I've realized that I left out an obvious pairing of similarities, (to me at least), a new artist to add to the list, and a country singer I didn't think sounded like someone, until it was brought to my attention.

The artist I left off the previous list is Justin Moore. From the first time I heard Moore's music, I've thought he sounds like Blake Shelton.

Recently I was able to hear Moore and Shelton duet, live in concert, and to me, they're totally similar in sound. I'm sure there are those who will disagree; as I said, it's just what I hear when I hear both voices.

The first time I heard Hunter Hayes' "Storm Warning", I thought it was a new Rascal Flatts tune. Took me a few times of hearing it, to remember it's not Gary LeVox.

Though I haven't heard any other cuts from Hunter Hayes' debut CD, others have told me not all the songs sound like the Flatts boys.

I've always thought Eric Church had his own style of singing; until his latest single, "Springsteen". Even then, until I heard Earthquake Jake mention it on "Simon in the Morning", I didn't notice how much Church sounds like Willie Nelson on this song.

Even then I wondered if maybe I heard it because it was suggested that Church sounds like Willie. Then one day I heard the song on the radio, and had a moment where I couldn't remember the song. Eric really did sound like Willie Nelson!

If/when I come across any other country artists who sound alike, I'll add them to this growing list. I hope you find these match-ups as FUN and interesting as I do.

Easter 2012

Just wanted to put out a quick little post wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!

Texting 101

(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)

I've always said I'm not a "phone" person. Don't like talking on the phone, and only have a cellphone in case of emergencies. I admit, it's nice to have it, in case I'm out somewhere, and need to call someone; for the most part though, my phone isn't on unless it needs to be. I don't even have a data plan, that's how little I use my phone.

Same with texting. I have unlimited texting because of my son, who is ALWAYS texting someone; but I've never used it, until last Tuesday.

On that day, it became apparent that I might just need to know how to text in the future, so I decided to try to teach myself during lunch at work. Found instructions online, followed them, and sent two texts to two different people. Yay for me! Not only did I do it, I did it right! Both people got the texts I sent!

Yes, I realize, in this day and age this fact isn't a big deal, practically everyone texts nowadays. For me though, the technologically challenged being that I am, it was a big deal.

Of course, it was just two texts, haven't done any since; however, I'll definitely be practicing my skills! This could be a scary thing!

Thoughts That Make You Go, "Hmmmm....."

(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)


Admit it, we've all had those moments where a thought has popped into our head, making us go, "hmmm, I wonder..." I have them all the time myself. Most just flit in, and flit back out of my head, never to be seen or heard from again. Some though, get in there, and get stuck. They hang around, waiting and waiting for the moment they're unleashed on those around me. This is one of those times. I'm fairly certain most people reading this will know who Dex is; the guy in the "Dex Knows" commercials for the phone book. I'm absolutely positive that anyone reading this knows who Flo is; from the Progressive Insurance commercials.

Both characters are funny, witty, and a bit off kilter from the rest of the world. My thought has always been that Dex and Flo would make a cute couple. That, or totally wreck havoc on the world! I've always wished there was some way to have the two characters meet in a commercial; like maybe Flo is looking to place an ad in the phone book. Or perhaps Dex is in need of some insurance. Either way, I really believe there's some way they could get together! Not too sure though, if they did get together, if they should have KIDS. I'm thinking that would be a bit scarier than I want to deal with!

As I said, sometimes these thoughts just get stuck in my head, and I'm compelled to share them! Thank you for indulging me on this one.

47th Annual ACM Awards

Watching the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday, April 1, 2012 may have seemed like a bit of an April Fool's joke to some.

For one, there are actually 35 awards handed out, from awards to radio stations, and air personalities, to Entertainer of the Year. However, of these 35 awards, how many actually made it on to the three hour broadcast Sunday evening? Nine, yes, that's a single digit, nine; less then a third of the awards presented actually were broadcast on the air.

The rest of the broadcast was made up of performances, between artists at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and others at the "Fan Jam" at Mandalay Bay.

Granted, performances are definitely a large part of what draws viewers to these type of shows. I guess it's just me that feels, if it's an *awards* show, the awards should actually be what's featured the most.

Also, I won't deny that I love all genres of music, and I'm as big a KISS fan as anyone; but seriously, what was the point of them being at the ACM Awards? Had there been some legitimate reason given, (other than they're KISS), maybe I'd understand; there wasn't though, so I'm still left wondering. It was cool, but still...

Hosting duties were once again handled by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton. Both did an excellent job as hosts, despite some of the lame jokes they were given to say.

Two performances that were hyped quite a bit were by Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts.

Toby's live performance of "Red Solo Cup" was touted as having "Las Vegas entertainers", joining the singer singing the song. While Toby wandered through the audience at the MGM Grand, singing his hit, the only entertainers I saw were Carrot Top, Wayne Newton, a show girl and towards the end of the song, the Warren Brothers.

Except for Wayne Newton, where were the "Las Vegas" entertainers? It's not like there aren't plenty of them! And as Earthquake Jake pointed out on KUPL this morning, it would have been really cool if Garth had been part of the performance; after all, he does perform in Vegas now.

Rascal Flatts' performance of their new single, "Banjo" was to feature comedian and grammy winner, Steve Martin, performing with the band. Well, Steve was there, and he played the banjo; but that was it. He stayed in the background, barely moved at all, and basically just blended in with the other musicians.

I would think, if you're going to plug Steve Martin as a guest performer, he'd have been given a bigger role. Especially since another banjo player with the band had a featured solo spot. Why wasn't Martin given that spot?

Both of these presentations were very lackluster in producing what had been promised.

On the other hand, one really cool presentation was when Martina McBride and Train's Pat Monahan sang "Marry Me" while a couple was actually being married on stage behind them. Not a way I'd want to be married, but for a Vegas wedding, it was pretty nice.

As far as the actual awards are concerned, for me, there were a couple nice surprises, along with some of the obvious winners for the night.

Though they were surprised with the award the night before the show, I was happy to hear that Thompson Square had won for "Vocal Duo of the Year".

Another pleasant surprise was the Eli Young Band winning, "Song of the Year", for "Crazy Girl". Love the song, and the band!

The 2012 ACM Awards actually added a new award to their list, the first new addition since the 1960's; "Songwriter of the Year".

Sounds prestigious, for sure, and you would think, being a new award, it would have been on the broadcast part of the show; not the case.

Not only was the award not broadcast, it was relegated to one of the awards that the winner is notified ahead of time, so they can be in Las Vegas, or not, if they didn't win.

Of this year's inaugural nominees: Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson, (the three are known collectively as "The Peach Pickers"), Luke Laird, and David Lee Murphy; Dallas Davidson walked away with the award.

One thing I did notice this year also was that, except for Thompson Square getting a brief mention for winning "Duo of the Year", the off camera awards weren't announced during the show.

In the past, though they're given out before the broadcast, artists, producers, radio stations, air personalities, etc., were all at least mentioned during the broadcast as having won.

Over all, the show was mostly entertaining. It had it's good moments, and it's not so good ones; and things I'd like to have seen done differently, for sure.

For those who missed the show Sunday evening, here's the complete list of winners, including those that weren't aired during the three hour broadcast:

Vocal Event of the Year: “Don’t You Wanna Stay” by Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean

Video of the Year: “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith

Songwriter of the Year: Dallas Davidson

Song of the Year: “Crazy Girl” by the Eli Young Band

Single Record of the Year: “Don’t You Wanna Stay” by Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean

Album of the Year: “Four the Record” by Miranda Lambert

New Artist of the Year: (American Idol winner) Scotty McCreery

Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum

Vocal Duo of the Year: Thompson Square

Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist of the Year: Blake Shelton

Entertainer of the Year: Taylor Swift


Small Market Radio On-Air Personality of the Year: Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, and Tracy Berry from KKNU-FM in Eugene, OR

Medium Market Radio On-Air Personality of the Year: Roger, Tom, and Melissa on WPCV-FM in Lakeland, FL

Large Market Radio On-Air Personality of the Year: Big Dave and Chelsie from WUBE-FM in Cincinnati, OH

Major Market Radio On-Air Personality of the Year: Kelly Ford and Rider from KYGO-FM in Denver, CO

National Radio On-Air Personality of the Year: Lon Helton for the CMT Country Countdown USA

Small Market Radio Station of the Year: WUSY-FM in Chattanooga, TN

Medium Market Radio Station of the Year: KATM-FM in Stockton, CA

Large Market Radio Station of the Year: WQDR-FM in Raleigh, NC

Major Market Radio Station of the Year: WQYK-FM in St. Petersburg, FL

Specialty Instrumentalist of the Year: Aubrey Haynie

Steel Guitar Player of the Year: Paul Franklin

Piano and Keyboard Player of the Year: John Hobbs

Guitar Player of the Year: Kenny Greenberg

Fiddle Player of the Year: Stuart Duncan

Percussionist and Drummer of the Year: Shannon Forrest

Bass Player of the Year: Michael Rhodes

Audio Engineer of the Year: Justin Niebank

Producer of the Year: Frank Liddell

Promoter of the Year: Brian O’Connell from Live Nation

Talent Buyer of the Year: Jimmy Jay from Jayson Productions Inc.

Venue of the Year: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN

Nightclub of the Year: Billy Bobb’s Texas in Ft. Worth, TX

Casino of the Year: Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV