He's Got the Blues

A few years ago our dog, Buttons, injured his back by jumping off my bed the wrong way.  It hasn't happened since then, until this past Monday.  My son and I came home from a meeting and found Buttons just huddled on the floor shaking.  I knew that shake wasn't fear, I remembered it from the last time he was hurt.

I made an appointment with Buttons' vet for the next day, and my son took him in to be checked.  Sure enough, Buttons had tweaked his back again.

It seems while at the vet however, Buttons didn't want to cooperate.  Understandable, as he was in pain and hasn't ever liked strangers touching him. He tried to nip at the vet and his assistants, resulting in him having to be muzzled.  Then when it came time to have his x-rays taken, the assistant put a pair of "doggles" over his eyes to protect them.  It was at that point my son decided he needed a picture of Buttons in his new attire, so he whipped out his cell phone, snapped a shot, and posted it on his Facebook page.

Though I felt bad for Buttons, I did think it was a cute pic of him.  The following day, I showed my co-workers the pic, and told the story of what had happened at the vet.  One of my co-workers, Jeanne, said Buttons looked like a blues singer.  The idea got stuck in my head and just wouldn't leave until I did something about it.  That "something" was to write a blues song for Buttons.  I then took the song to Jeanne, who became my co-writer, making suggestions of how to make the song even better.

Long story short, I decided to share Butttons' blues ditty with the rest of the world, (or at least my friends), via my blog page.  With that said, following is the pic and blues song it inspired.  When reading the lyrics, it's helpful to keep a common blues riff in mind; the one that's slow and goes, "duh duh...duh duh duh duh duh..."  (I tried to find a sample to put here, but had no luck.)  If you're not sure which riff I mean, I'm sure any slow, bluesy riff will work.  Enjoy!

THE BLUE MUZZLE DOGGLE BLUES

Went to my doc

'Cause I had a pain

Doc told my owner

"He's got a strain"

"In his back"

"Same as before"

"He's got it again"

Oooooh yeah, I got it again.  (Pitiful howl)

Then that doc

Though I was sore,

He poked,

And he prodded 

Til I couldn't 

Take it no more

(Low growl)  No more, no couldn't take it no more

Went on the defense

Wanted him to stop

So I took a nip

At his fingers

Yeah that doc, 

He almost got bit

(Kind of snarling)  Oh, oh, oh, yeah, almost got bit

And in return

What did I get,

A blue muzzle wrapped 'round my lip

Yeah, a bright blue muzzle right on my lip

(A second of silence because of the muzzle, then restart)

But the doc,

He wasn't done yet,

Oh, oh, oooooh no, he wasn't done yet

Took x-rays 

Of my backside

But 'fore he did

Made sure I had

Doggles covering my lids

(Hoarse whisper)  Doggles, goggles for dogs

Oh yeah, he put doggles on my lids

Then to my dismay

See my owner

Aim his cell phone my way

(Pitiful howl)  Oooooh, no, no, no, don't do me this way

Didn't care

How silly I looked

Just snapped a pic

And posted it to Facebook

(Sad sound)  Put it on Facebook for all to take a look

(Moaning howl)  Oooooh the humiliation

(Moaning howl)  Oh, oh, oh, the shame

Don't think

No, don't think

I'll ever

Be the same

(Long, pitiful howl)  No, I'll never be the same

Yeah, I got me 

A bad case of

Those doggone

Blue muzzle

Doggle blues

(Low voice)  A bad, bad case of

(Low voice)  Those doggone

(Low voice)  Blue muzzle

(Low voice)  Doggle blues

(Go from low voice, to loud howl)  I said a bad case of

(Continue loud howl)  Those doggone

(Continue loud howl)  Blue muzzle

(Continue loud howl)  Doggle

(Pitch voice up to a howling shriek)  BAH - LOOOOO - ZZZZZ

The End of the World Is Here!!!

Well, we've been hearing about it for awhile now, the end of the world.  Yes, it's been predicted before, and obviously we're still here.  This time is different though.  This time the end of the world is based on the Mayan calendar that says today is the end of the world; so it must be true, right?

Eh, not so much, I'm thinking.  As many people, in person, on Facebook, on Twitter and other social media, and broadcast media have been saying, "hey, we're still here"!  Like I said, I'm guessing that's how it's going to stay.  It's like getting snow, make a big hype about it, it fizzles out; don't, and usually it's a major thing.

What's my reason you ask?  It's the same as others, I'm guessing; I mean, I can't be the only one who thought of this simple fact:

The "world" can't end all at once on the same day, it's not possible; too many time differences.  By the time the final time zone makes it to 12-21-12, the first one is already into 12-22-12.  I'm thinking the world can't just end a little at a time; either it ends, or it doesn't.  Since it's not possible for everywhere to be on the same date at the same time, we're safe.

Just my opinion and theory of course; but one I'm choosing to stick with.  Besides, if I'm wrong, who will be around to know any different?!

Don't Forget Them

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



To say the least, last week was a rough one for this nation, especially in two states.

On  Tuesday, December 11, 2012, a day of holiday shopping for 10,000 people was abruptly halted when a gunman entered Clackamas Town Center in Portland, Oregon, and opened fire, killing two.

Only three days later, on Friday, December 14, 2012, another gunman went on a rampage, this time in Newtown, Connecticut, ending the lives of twenty innocent children, and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

I realize, by now, this is old news;  you'd have to be living under a rock not to know about either of these incidents.  My reason for writing this post is to emphasize a lot of what I've been seeing and reading on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, as well as KUPL's own "Simon in the Morning" program.

While it's generally agreed that none of the victims should be forgotten, it's also agreed that too much attention has been given to those who created these horrible events.

Instead of dwelling on the gunmen, give the facts, tell the story, then don't mention them anymore; they're not worth it, evil never is.

Focus instead on those who lost their lives on those two days, Steve Forsyth and Cindy Yuille in Oregon, and the twenty children, and seven adults in Connecticut.

Yes, the media says six adults were victims in Connecticut, though the gunman's mother was also found dead in her home that same day.  Though she wasn't at the school, Nancy Lanza should also be in our thoughts and prayers.

For those that can, do something to help the victims' families, even if it's only to offer a prayer of comfort, or to attend a vigil.

KUPL has set up a fund for the Oregon victims' families through Key Bank.  They will also be holding a benefit concert on Saturday, December 22, 2012.

While it's true that none of these things will bring those lost back; it's a way to help those affected, and the nation as a whole to heal.

Let's hope the rest of  the year passes peacefully.

Time's A Wastin'!

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

Today's post is about something I saw on Earthquake Jake's Facebook page.  He'd made a post about how he puts things off; sounds like me!

When I saw his post, my thought was, "hmmm, sounds like a good subject for a blog post, 'Procrastination'". 

Yep, definitely something I know, (heck, I was BORN eleven days late), and can write about confidently.

Then I decided to wait on it until another time.

Is This Really Necessary?!

No matter what type of music you listen to, it's pretty well guaranteed everyone's heard of Loretta Lynn.

Lynn became popular in the 60's and 70's for her straightforward, and at times controversial, songs.  Now it seems Lynn's past has stirred up some controversy of it's own.  According to a story by Cory Strombland, posted on Taste of Country's website, Loretta Lynn is under fire for lying about her age.

http://tasteofcountry.com/loretta-lynn-age/

I first became aware of the story from a post on Facebook.  My first thought after reading the story was, "so what, people lie about their age all the time".  From the responses I saw to the post, I'm not alone in how I feel.

Yes, the age discrepancy does affect the actual timeline for when Lynn was married, became a mother, etc.; and it changes the history of her autobiographical song and story, "Coal Miner's Daughter".  Really though, over all, it's not a big deal; let's face it, bigger things in history have been changed over the past, what's a couple of years?

The age difference didn't changed Lynn's contributions to country music in any way.  She would still have the many hits she's had, the awards, you name it.  Lying about her age had nothing to do with her ability to sing.  So again, who cares?  There are bigger things in the world to worry about than if Loretta Lynn is 77 or 80 years old.

I say, leave the woman alone, focus on the positives Lynn brought to the world, and not about how old she is.  It just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Glen Templeton Revisited

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

The first time I ever heard the name, "Glen Templeton", was about a year ago, when he performed at the Bing Lounge.  I remember being totally blown away by this man's talent on stage; then being blown away again by how genuinely nice Glen is.

I wrote about the experience in a blog post a couple days later, mentioning at the time that I thought Glen had added a few more fans to his roster after that show.

Since that time Glen has had a couple of songs out to radio, his first single, "I Could Be The One", and his current single, "Sing That Song Again".

I know that both songs have gotten well deserved, extensive airplay on KUPL's overnights. For the most part however, Glen's name isn't on the tips of everyone's tongue quite yet; at least not in this area.

That's why this morning I was happy to see two of my friends on Facebook post about this talented young man.  Much like the review I wrote a year ago, both these ladies had high praise for Templeton's music and talent.  Aside from this, there was mention also of how kind Glen is.  One of my friends is a line dancer, and after seeing Glen perform that evening, was surprised to see him out on the dance floor, dancing along with the rest of the crowd.

To say the least, Glen Templeton made a huge, favorable impression on both these women, and probably a lot more people as well.  It's their posts on Facebook that had me remembering that same feeling when I met Glen Templeton; and being glad to hear he hasn't changed in the past year.  I was thinking it was time once again to help get this man's name out to the rest of the world.  He has an official website:  http://www.glentempleton.com/ ; as well as a Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/gtmusic ;  and Twitter account:  https://twitter.com/#!/GLENTEMPLETON.

If you haven't heard Glen Templeton yet, take the time to listen to his music, you won't be disappointed!

A Moment Please

I'd like to take a moment to address something that, from the response I've seen, is obviously dear to many listeners of KUPL; " A Moment with Lola".

Lola's moments are inspirational stories shared by middayer, Lola Montgomery, at 11:27 am, Monday through Friday. Well, at least it WAS at that time during the week, until now.

This is Lola's Facebook post from Sunday:

The reason I had a bad day friday is because The Moment with Lola will no longer be heard on the radio. Research shows that there is a significant drop in that time area that causes the station to dip in ratings. This one hurts my heart because it is a huge part of who I am.

At this time there have been 111 comments on this post, from KUPL listeners who are NOT happy that Lola's moments will no longer be heard.

If you go to Lola's Facebook page, you can find even more activity from listeners, from petions to contacting KUPL's Program Director.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/lola.montgomery


This post isn't to take sides in the issue; it's my way of expressing my feelings. I'm one of the listeners, like many, who love Lola's moments. I can remember hearing them even before Lola came to KUPL.

I know that Lola started her moments as a tribute to Paul Harvey. She grew up listening to Harvey, and liked what she heard enough to want to carry on the tradition, in her own way. As her Facebook post states, it's a part of her life. For someone who's an open book with her listeners, not being able to share her moments is like ripping a page from that book.

For those who may not have heard any of Lola's moments on the air, you can hear, and read them on her blog on KUPL's website:

http://www.kupl.com/author/lola/

Some of my favorite stories I've heard Lola tell have been about a jar of marbles; a yellow paper clip; an Irish wolfhound, and a fork.

I won't tell any of them here, they can be found on Lola's blog listed above.

As I said, I'm not here to take sides on this; I just know that I'm one of the many listeners who will sorely miss Lola's moments everyday. This is my way of letting others know how I feel. Thank you.

Birthday Fun

(Note: The word for today is supposed to be red, in all caps. Unable to do that, so please look for the BOLD, italic, word with a strikethrough. That is today's 5,000 point word.)


I’ve always loved birthdays; friends, family, and especially my own. I share my birthday with my Uncle Dean; though we’re enough years apart that we didn’t ever have to actually “share” the day.

To some people, their birthday is just another day of the year. For the most part, I suppose they’re right. It just means you’re another year older. I’ve never really looked at birthdays that way however; I’ve always seen them as that person’s day, their day to do what they want, all day. That’s what I do for my birthday, find something I really want to do and do it, even if I do nothing.

This year, I asked a HUGE favor of the “Simon in the Morning” team; I asked if I could come in on Friday, August 12, and hang out for the whole show. The answer was yes, so I showed up at the Pacwest Center at 4:45 am, ready to hang out in the studio for the next few hours.

At the time, I never mentioned it was my birthday; I didn’t feel it was necessary. I knew it was my birthday, and I knew that’s why I wanted to hang out at KUPL, it wasn’t important that anyone else knew. Darned Facebook though, it busted me! Jake was checking Facebook for various things, and discovered my BIRTHDAY listed there for that day, ACK!

Despite that, I had a blast just hanging out watching the morning team work. They even put me on the air to do celebrity birthdays during “Simon’s Celebrity Soup”.

Originally they were going to do another game for listeners to win a prize, though it got changed along the way to a “Country Music Throwdown”, between Scott and me. The rules were, there were questions about country music and artists; if Scott won, the listener who’d called in would lose. If *I* won, the listener won; no pressure there, EEK!!!

Luckily I won!!! Though Scott did get one question that I *should* have known, (actually I did know, I just went blank at that moment; very frustrating!!!). And I guess one question really was a “throw away”. Really, of all people, if *I* didn’t know David Lee Murphy’s birthday, I’d have to give up my title, (and license plate), of DLM Fan!

This is an old photo of my plates, they really are current through 2011!

Before leaving the station, I also got roped in to being part of that day’s “Simon 90”, though I don’t like being in front of any kind of camera.

Over all, as I said, I had a BLAST! It was like being able to go play at the “cool kid’s house”, instead of hanging out at home.

So, thank you Scott, Jolynn and Jake for letting me do that; it made my birthday a special one I’ll always remember.

Declan Turns 1 Year Old!

It's been said, the older you get, the faster time goes by.  It's true, it doesn't seem like it's been a year since Jake and Shannon had their baby, Declan.

I remember when Jake first let KUPL's listening audience know he and Shannon were having a baby; he was so excited.  That excitement never died either.  Like any expectant parent, Jake couldn't wait for his baby boy to make his appearance. 

Then little Declan decided it was time to enter into the world.  Jake called in to "Simon in the Morning"  to let everyone know he and Shannon were waiting to have the baby any time; and abruptly had to hang up when Declan was ready to be born.

Because of Declan's birth, Jake was unable to go up against champion eater, Joey Chestnut that day on "Studio 6".  Given the circumstances, I'm sure he was okay with that. 

After a few days off, Jake returned to "Simon in the Morning", and told listeners about Declan being born; about missing the challenge with Joey Chestnut; and about how when he brought Shannon and Declan home that Saturday, he got them in the house and literally turned around and headed out the door to the coast to compete in a rib eating contest.  Yes, Shannon was okay with it.

One of the pictures Jake posted on his KUPL blog when he returned to work was of Declan and himself, when he was a baby.  You can definitely tell Declan is his daddy's little boy!  (Declan's on the left.)

The past year, listeners have been able to hear how Declan's grown, the milestones of crawling, walking, everything. In addition, those reading Jake's blog, (on KUPL's website), have been able to watch Declan grow, through pictures and videos Jake's posted. Every time Jake talks about his little boy, you can hear the pride in his voice.

Declan at six months old.

One of my favorite pictures Jake posted of Declan is this one...He's such a cute little boy!!

Listeners have also been included in helping Jake with questions he has about parenting.  Today for example, the show took calls, and Facebook posts giving Jake advice on what mistakes not to make with raising Declan.    

It's been fun listening about and watching Declan grow through Jake's eyes. Again, it's hard to believe it's already been a year; it really does seem like it was just yesterday.  It's funny the things one remembers when it comes to certain events.  This blog is what I remember of the time leading up to Declan's birth and the year since then. 

So, happy 1st birthday Declan!  Keep up the great job of giving your daddy something to share with KUPL listeners!



For Caylee

Normally I try to stay on lighter subjects in this blog; fun, interesting things I think others may enjoy also.  However, for this blog, I'm making an exception.

I'm not a dumb person by any means.  I just don't have a clue though how anyone could find Casey Anthony not guilty in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

What was it the jury heard, that the rest of us didn't?  Or was it something they didn't hear, that the rest of the world did?  I have no idea; all I know is, I think the jury was wrong.  From everything I've been seeing on Facebook, Twitter, and other places, I know I'm not the only person who feels this way.  In fact, I'm beginning to think the only people who *don't* see Casey Anthony as guilty is the jury who acquitted her, her attorneys and herself.  Heck, even her parents thought she was guilty!

As I said, we probably will never know the whole story of what happened to Caylee.  Truthfully, my feelings are based on being a mom.  To me, any real mom would be worried sick if their child went missing.  Casey Anthony didn't even report Caylee missing for a month.  I'd be on the phone to the police as soon as I even suspected my child was missing! 

Then there are all the lies Casey told about Caylee's whereabouts.  What mom is not going call the police when their child is missing, and on top if it lie about where the child is?  Why did Casey Anthony have to lie at all?  I know she said it had to do with being abused and whatnot, but how can anyone believe that?  I mean, if the woman is going to lie about where her child is, and not seem concerned the child is missing, how can anyone believe her excuses for what she did?  I for one am skeptical, to say the least.

I could rant, rave and theorize this thing forever, and still not find an answer to what I feel is an injustice to the memory of an innocent child.  I won't though, because it won't change anything.  I did feel the need to express my sadness over the verdict though, so I have.

What you've read is the tip of the iceberg of how disappointed and angry I am about how this trial ended.  It's a blog that I've written from the heart and from the top of my head, unedited, except for spelling.  It was something I had to do, because I feel helpless for this poor little girl who never got the chance to live a full life, because someone decided to be selfish and rob little Caylee of that chance to grow up.

I'll end this blog now, before I start rambling again.  I'll try to limit my "downer" posts from now on.  Thank you to anyone reading this, for allowing me to express my feelings about this case.

GANGS & VIOLENCE

Saw a post from Earthquake Jake today on KUPL’s Facebook page. 

So there's been a lot of talk in the news about gang shootings. They're on the rise, I guess? Honestly, I don't put that much thought into it. But SHOULD I worry about it? Is it the media making a big deal of it, or are we all actually in danger? ~Jake

I also read several of the responses.  Over all, it sounds like, yes, most people do think it’s something to worry about; myself included.  At the same time, I also see where maybe the media IS making a big deal of it. 

With that said, the rest of this post is purely how *I* feel about this whole situation.  I guess you can say I’m too wordy to post on Facebook.

As I stated, I do worry about all the shootings, gang related or otherwise.  I worry about the rise in crime in general.  I worry because, as one person posted, there are a lot of innocent people, including children; that sometimes get caught in the middle of these shootings

While I believe these crimes should be reported by the media, I’m not sure it should be blown out of proportion.  That means, yes, report about shootings; just don’t make a big deal about it.  To me, that would cover both sides of the debate.  People would know the shootings are happening; yet, if the stories are buried among others, and not standing out, those doing the crimes won’t get the attention they may be looking for.  One person mentioned in a post, they thought that’s why there’s been a rise in shootings recently, people looking for attention.

I’d like to be able to say it’s because of how kids are raised these days; though that really wouldn’t be a fair statement.  While it's probable that there are those who are a product of how they were raised, it's not true of every child.  You can have a child raised "properly", (by society's standards), and they could still turn out to be a criminal.  Likewise, you could have a child with everything against them growing up; yet they turn out to be an upstanding citizen.

Yes, things have changed a lot since “the good old days”.  Those days when you knew your neighbors, people got along, etc.  We don’t live in “simpler times” anymore. Then again, the world has never been a perfect place.  There's always been crime; the difference is, you just hear about it more now.  It could be a rise in crime, or it could just be news spreads quicker in this era of electronics. It could even possibly be a bit of both.

As far as whether gang related shootings are up, I honestly don't know.  I do know that gangs have been around for eons though.  Why do we hear more about it now?  I'd have to give the same answers I've given earlier in this post; news spreads quicker, there are more people sharing space in the world, possibly how a person was raised; the list could go on and on.

I guess my whole point to all this rambling is:  Yes, there's a problem with gang shootings going on.  Is it on the rise?  Possibly.  Should people be concerned?  Yes, because if we aren't things will only get worse.  As one post mentioned, we can't just sit back and watch it happen.  While we may not be able to fight back literally, we can take precautions to protect ourselves and those around us, and we should.  If everyone opposed to gang violence stood together to help end it, that would be a great start.  There really is force in numbers; if there wasn't the gangs wouldn't be getting such a strong hold on things like they are.  

Do I think it will ever totally end?  Probably not.  That's not to be negative, just realistic.  There are always going to be those people in this world who are no good; it's part of life.  Since it will never totally go away, the best we can do is put up a resistance to what's already going on; try to keep it from getting worse.

As I said, this post is just my two cents' worth on the subject of gang shootings.  I don't claim to be right about what I feel or think, and I don't claim to be wrong; I've simply chosen to post my thoughts here. 


 

HEALTH RISK WARNING--UPDATE

Earlier in the week I wrote a blog about how smoked salmon and teeth can be hazardous to your health.  I would now like to update everyone on this matter.

As the earlier blog stated, I had choked on a piece of smoked salmon, discovering after the choking was done, that I had swallowed one of my teeth.  (It’s actually a crown.)

This was on Tuesday.  As the week progressed, I felt better and better.  My chest wasn’t hurting anymore, which I attributed to not coughing all the time.  However, still no sign of the tooth.

I’d had several people tell me I should get an x-ray, to see where the tooth was.  Why?  I was feeling better, I didn’t hurt, didn’t have any problems, except an occasional cough; no big deal.

I’m writing this current blog on Sunday morning.  I woke up, just as I always do; got up, got dressed, and out of nowhere had a bad coughing fit.  It was as bad as the one on Tuesday when I’d choked on the salmon.  I couldn’t stop coughing; I felt like I was choking just like before.  Then what happens?  Out pops my tooth!  Seriously, I coughed up my tooth!

Despite the coughing, my warped sense of humor still kicked in.  My first thought upon seeing the tooth was, “I’m sure glad I didn’t go looking for that earlier in the week!”

My second thought was important enough, (to me at least), that I actually posted it as my Facebook status:  If I’m wrong, and admit it, it voids those who were right from saying, “I told you so”.  (:

If anyone is wondering; Yes, I called the advice nurse; no, I don’t have to go in.  Since I coughed the tooth out, I should be fine. 

So there you have it; an update, and an admission of being wrong.  Hopefully this will be the last of any health risk warnings I’ll be blogging about.

Simon in the Morning-4-19-11--Favorite Tim McGraw Songs

Yesterday's “Simon in the Morning” show reminded me just how much I sometimes see things differently than the rest of the world.

Listeners were asked to either call KUPL, or post on the “Simon in the Morning” Facebook page, their favorite Tim McGraw song.  Near the end of the show, the votes were tallied and a list of the top 5 Tim McGraw songs was compiled.

When I heard the #1 listener voted song, “Live Like You Were Dying”, I realized I wouldn’t have chosen that song; it wouldn’t have even crossed my mind.  For as sentimental and caring as I am, for some reason I tend to shy away from songs like this one.  I have no idea why. 

It got me to thinking of other songs that were big hits that I just didn’t understand how it could be.  
The first song I thought of was “Amazed” by Lonestar, which was a huge hit.  To me, it’s okay, though their cover of Marc Cohen’s “Walkin’ in Memphis” is a song I like much better.  Also, Lonestar had a minor hit with the song “Mountains”; another song I like even more than “Amazed”.

Then there’s the late Chris LeDoux.  In my opinion, just about everything Chris recorded is underrated. This point is emphasized by the song, “Life is a Highway”.  Most people know the Rascal Flatts version from the movie “Cars”.  However, Chris had a minor hit with the song well before Rascal  Flatts recorded it.  Though the Flatts’ version is good, I still like Chris’ better.

Of course, before Chris LeDoux, the writer of “Life is a Highway", Tom Cochrane had a minor hit with it in 1991.  No offense to Tom, but I really don’t like his version at all. 

Even when it comes to my all-time favorite country artist, David Lee Murphy, I have to be honest…I’ve never quite understood how “Dust on the Bottle" became a #1 hit; yet “Party Crowd” and “Loco” didn’t.  “Dust on the Bottle” just isn’t one of my favorite DLM songs, while I love both “Party Crowd” and “Loco”.

I could ramble on and on about any number of songs I like; and how most of them are ones others probably wouldn’t choose to be a hit.  I’ll end this for now though, secure in the knowledge that the tuba player I follow is still within my sight.  :)

THE DIRT DRIFTERS

Since opening in August, 2010, the Bing Lounge has had several country acts pass through its doors.  The latest concert, hosted by KUPL on April 5, 2011, featured The Dirt Drifters.

The band consists of lead singer/guitarist Matt Fleener; vocalist/guitarist Ryan Fleener; vocalist/guitarist Jeff Middleton; bassist Jeremy Little and drummer Nick Diamond.

Though The Dirt Drifters have built a solid fan base over the years, it’s just recently that they’ve had their music played on the radio.  Their current single is, “Something Better”, a tune that tells of people always waiting for something better to come along.  It’s a catchy tune reminiscent of something Toby Keith would sing.

Despite, (or maybe because of), their diverse musical backgrounds, these five guys have meshed well, creating some amazing music.  During their performance at the Bing Lounge, it was obvious how passionate The Dirt Drifters are about what they do.  Whether a moving song about a blue collar dad working hard; a rowdy tune about men and motel rooms; or anything in between; the band delivered each song with depth and clarity, as well as beautiful rhythm and harmony.

If that weren’t enough, they told the stories behind the songs; about life on the road, traveling by van and RV; how their first RV burned; and gave everyone a glimpse of who these guys are aside from the music.  It was very personable and at times funny.

After their performance, the band stayed to sign autographs and have photos taken with anyone wanting one.  Just as they were onstage, all of the Dirt Drifters were very friendly with everyone, taking the time to talk with each person, and treating them as if they were the only one there.

The whole experience, beginning to end was, in one word, AWESOME!

In summary, if you ever have a chance to see The Dirt Drifters perform live, GO!  You won’t regret it!

If you're interested in learning more about the Dirt Drifters, their official website is: http://www.thedirtdrifters.com/.  You can also find them on Facebook.