The Turning Tides of Taylor

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


I'll be the first to admit, when 16 year-old  Taylor Swift caught the attention of country music listeners in 2006, I steadfastly avoided her.  My first thought was, "oh no, here we go again, another LeAnn Rimes".  I felt like LeAnn, Taylor would soon be making headlines about outbursts, firing her parents; the things that seem to follow most child/teen stars.

Every time Taylor would win an award, or was given the opportunity to do things her way, (like performances on awards shows), I thought, "your time is limited, you're young, you're new, this isn't going to last".  I was sure Taylor would burn out too fast, because she was always doing something; that those around her were catering to her, until her time was up.

I have to say that I did like her music, no matter how much I tried not to, or denied it.  I was so wrapped up in not wanting to like her, I rejected everything about her; at least outwardly.  As the years went by though, Taylor's star still shined brightly.  Even then, however, I was still waiting for the gloom and doom; my theory was, the media left her alone for the most part, because she was under 18 years-old.

It's been six years now and Taylor will turn 23 years-old in December.  In that time she's had her ups and downs; and I've noticed that since she's past 21 years-old, the media does try to find the seedier stories about her.  Funny thing though, now that some are trying to tear Taylor Swift down, I've finally come around to the fact that Taylor is just who she is.

Yes, she has her ups and downs; she's had some bad relationships; she expresses her feelings about these things in her music. When she was 16, the world saw it as cute, and would go on and on about how mature Taylor was.

Now that Taylor is almost 23, more and more people seem to snipe about her and her music.  They attack her for writing about her relationships, and even go so far as to call her immature for doing so.  My question is, why?

Just because Taylor Swift has been around for six years, it doesn't mean she's experienced everything there is to experience in this world.  It also doesn't mean that she knows how to deal with certain situations.  To put it simply, even at her current age, she's still young enough to not truly know how to react in certain situations.

Yes, I've come full circle; while others are starting to turn one way about Taylor Swift, I now fully admit, I think she's pretty cool.  Where I once thought she'd burn out, I now feel she's very level headed and good at pacing herself.

As far as her writing goes, let her still write about her relationships.  By now, those who date her know that happens; if they choose to date her anyway, well then, it comes with the territory.

In regards to her maturity, Taylor is 22 years-old, I think she's very mature for her age.  Give her writing time; the more she experiences in this world, the more her music will grow with her.

Six years ago I was waiting for a burn out; now however, I'm interested in seeing if this young woman becomes a true legend over time.

Little Towns Aren't Always What They Seem

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



There have been plenty of songs written about littlel towns; not just in country music, but other genres as well.

The majority of these songs tell of quiet living, fresh air, freedom, close-knit communities and the like.  Even songs that aren't so idealistic about little towns still stress how nice they are to live in over other places.  Recently however, I heard a song on KUPL's overnights that took me by surprise.

Nothing about this song is all sunshine and roses.  Instead, it's about all the secrets a little town can hide from everyone, even those living there.  Yet, the song isn't morbid, or depressing really; it's just more realistic about what may or may not go on in a little town.

The song I'm speaking about is called "Sleepy Little Town", the third single from country newcomer, JT Hodges.  According to reports, JT's fans chose the song as his latest single.

"Sleepy Little Town" is one of those songs that grabbed my attention the first time I heard it, and had me looking up more information about the song.

Unfortunately for me, JT is one of the Bing Lounge shows I was unable to attend.  He did the song at that time, so I've included the video from that evening here.

I really think this song could catch on with country radio listeners.  If you like what you hear, be sure to request  it on KUPL.

Diamond Rio Helps Jubitz Celebrate 60 Years

In 1952 Jubitz Truck Stop opened in Portland, Oregon. It was a place for truck drivers to fill their rigs while on the road and have a quick bite to eat.

Over the past sixty years, Jubitz has grown from that small fuel stop to a world renowned travel center with all the amenities a truck driver, or traveler could want, or need.

On September 15, 2012, to honor their sixty years, Jubitz held a concert on the back part of their twenty-six acre complex.

Inside the gates of the concert area beer and food stands had been set up, as well as a merchandise table, and other things of interest to concertgoers.

Held outside, the concert line-up started with local artist, Carrie Cunningham, culminating with a performance by headliner, Diamond Rio.

Though at first there was only a small crowd, Carrie Cunningham performed as though she were in front of thousands of people.  

Whether singing songs she'd written, or covering others, like Martina McBride, Cunningham showed the crowd why she's such a local favorite.  Though she definitely has her own style and sound, I couldn't help being reminded of Pam Tillis while watching and listening to Cunningham sing; she's a truly talented woman.

Following Carrie Cunningham, one of Portland's favorite bands, Lock, Stock & Barrel hit the stage.

Like Cunningham, Lock, Stock & Barrel kept the crowd's attention with their mix of original and cover tunes.  From start to finish, these five guys hit the stage running, never slowing down until their set was done.

Throughout the day, KUPL's Danny Dwyer had been emceeing the concert from both the sound board, and the stage; introducing the first two local acts.  Before Restless Heart was to take the stage, Danny brought middayer, Lola Montgomery onstage as well.

Restless Heart was then introduced.  What memories these guys brought back!

These guys have been together for twenty-nine years, with no band changes.  Sometimes after that long, you'd expect the quality of the music to diminish; not so with Restless Heart.  Their sound, style, everything, is just as clean and fresh as the first time the world had heard of them.

One song in particular during their performance was something they've never recorded.  However, there is a YouTube video, which bass player, (and singer of the song), Paul Gregg, let the audience know how to find.  The song is called "Home".

 When Paul Gregg sang this live, it was just him, and keyboard player, Dave Innis onstage; it was a very powerful and memorable moment.

Throwing in a side note here, I honestly don't know how many people noticed what I did while this song was being performed.  As I was sitting, listening to the song, I saw a bald eagle flying towards the stage.  Earlier, I'd seen a nest atop one of the light poles; the occupant of that nest decided to arrive home just as Gregg and Innis were playing.  There was no way it was planned or scripted; which made it even more cool that it happened.

Once Restless Heart ended their set, it was time for more announcements, and t-shirt tosses from the KUPL staff.  It was during this time that Jubitz brought out mini cupcakes for everyone in attendance; to celebrate their sixty years of business.

Then it was time for headliners, Diamond Rio.  Talk about memories!

This was my first time seeing Diamond Rio live; for some reason, every time they've been here, I've missed seeing them.  Believe me, they were well worth the wait!  Like Restless Heart, there's nothing about this band's performance that has diminished over the years.  These guys have it all, rhythm, harmonies, talent, you name it!  And so many hits! 

As lead singer, Marty Roe, put it, in twenty-one years, the band has had so many hits, they've had to leave some out of their shows.  Finding that audiences didn't like it, they've now incoportated melodies of their hits into their show.  This way attendees can hear their favorite tunes, and still hear new music from Diamond Rio as well.

At one point, early on in their set, Diamond Rio asked the guys of Restless Heart back onstage.  Together the bands sang happy birthday to Jubitz; it was a cool moment.

The Jubitz Corporation definitely knows a thing or two about throwing a party!  Instead of waiting for the "milestone" years to celebrate though, I really think they should throw themselves a birthday party every year; this year was definitely a blast!

"Stars & Guitars" @ Alderbrook Park-9-9-12

Sunday, September 9, 2012, KUPL held it's first "Stars & Guitars" concert at Alderbrook Park in Brush Prairie, Washington.

The concert was to honor all military personnel, veterans and first responders.  Tickets were given free to any of these people.

Alderbrook Park is a beautiful place, and an excellent venue for an all day event like "Stars & Guitars".  Plenty of room for concert goers, and those looking for other things to do as well.  Even the weather was perfect; not too hot, or too cold the entire time.

KUPL's inaugural "Stars & Guitars" concert featured a mix of new and established, local and national country acts.

Ben Rue, from Sliverton, Oregon got things started with a short set of tunes he'd written, as well as a few cover songs; like David Lee Murphy's "Dust On the Bottle".

Rue's voice complimented each song he performed, and judging from the people gathered to meet him after his set, he was a definite crowd pleaser.

Next up was local favorite, Kurt Van Meter.  As always, Kurt was the ultimate professional, and kept concertgoers entertained throughout his set.  From slow songs, to uptempo, and everything in between, Kurt had the audience's attention the whole time.

Unlike some concerts, very little time was spent between acts.  Almost as soon as one artist was done, the next was onstage.  In this case, "next" was another local act, Cloverdayle.

Like Kurt Van Meter, Cloverdayle has been a local favorite for quite awhile; though recently the duo, (Chad and Rachel), has spent some time in Nashville, recording their music.  Among the songs Cloverdayle played was their current single, "Like We Were Kids Again".  KUPL has been playing the song during it's overnights, and you could tell, there were those in the crowd who had heard the song before.

During their set, Cloverdayle played other music from their new CD, and even brought Ben Rue back onstage to sing a duet he'd recorded with them.  Once again, another great set was performed during "Stars & Guitars".

There was a longer pause in the action after Cloverdayle, as the stage was set for that day's first national act, Lonestar.

 When it came time to introduce the band, Earthquake Jake, from "Simon in the Morning", was the man for the job.  As Jake told the crowd, he begged to be able to introduce the band, because they're his all-time favorite group.

Despite some technical difficulties during their set, Lonestar still managed to put on a stellar performance.  They played many of their most popular hits, as well as some new tunes from their latest CD.  Watching them perform, it makes one wonder why these guys aren't still having hits on the radio; they definitely still have the talent for country radio.

Another short break, then it was time for newcomer Andy Gibson.

Though Gibson is new to radio as a singer, ("Wanna Make You Love Me" and "Summer Back"), many have already heard a song of his.  Gibson wrote the Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson #1 hit, "Don't You Want To Stay".

Gibson did all of these songs, and more he's written and recorded for his upcoming CD.  Andy Gibson is someone to be watching for on the horizon; this  talented young man deserves to make it big in country music.

Following Andy Gibson was Dustin Lynch.  From the crowd reaction, Lynch was who the majority was there to see.

During the other performances, concertgoers were sitting listening to the music, or wandering Alderbrook Park.  As soon as Lynch hit the stage however, a swarm of people, (mostly teenage girls),  gathered at the front of the stage, singing and rocking along during Lynch's entire set; and he didn't disappoint either.  Lynch proved to be an ultimate entertainer, playing and singing his best, and interacting with the crowd.  You could tell he was having fun, and that fun was rubbing off on the crowd as well.

After Dustin Lynch was through, quite a few in the crowd left the concert; which was too bad, because more great music was in store.

Following Dustin Lynch, the Mavericks took the stage.

 Though the Mavericks have just recently reunited and are working on a new project out this month; it seems lead singer, Raul Malo was the only original member in attendance this day.  No worries though, Malo played many of the Mavericks early hits, as well as new music the band has been working on.  The only real letdown to the Mavericks' performance was that it seemed much shorter than the other acts, and it seemed most people weren't really paying attention to the music.

Once the Mavericks were through, it was time for the day's headliner, Craig Morgan.

Morgan proved to be the perfect artist to wrap up an incredible day of music.  He was funny, very interactive with the audience, and poured his heart and soul in to every song he sang; which he sang perfectly as well.

From his signature hit, "That's What I Love About Sunday", through all his hits and including his current radio single, "More Trucks Than Cars", Morgan kept the crowd on their feet, clapping cheering and laughing along with him.

All too soon however the show was over.  What a day it had been though! There aren't many concerts like this, where you can see so many great acts for only $20; well worth it for sure!

 During the concert there had been talk about possibly holding KUPL's "Countryfest" at Alderbrook Park.  After "Stars & Guitars, at the venue, I'd have to agree, it would be an excellent place for that event.  Can't wait to see if it happens; and also can't wait to see if there will be another "Stars & Guitars" concert next year.  I sure hope so! 

Kristy Lee Cook @ the Bing Lounge-9-10-12

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


On Monday, September 10, 2012, Oregon native, Kristy Lee Cook took to the stage of the Bing Lounge; most probably remember Cook from her stint on "American Idol".

Listening to Cook sing, it's clear why she made it onto the show; she's personable, with an excellent voice capable of singing all types of music.  While some may shudder at covering classic country, Cook tackled Patsy Cline's "Crazy"; doing a fabulous job of keeping true to the song, yet making it her own at the same time.

At the end of her short set, Cook told the story behind her current radio single, "Airborne Ranger Infantry", before launching into the song.  It's a beautiful tune, which hopefully will catch on with listeners and become the hit it deserves to be.

If you have a chance to see Kristy Lee Cook in concert, don't hesitate to do so; it will be well worth your time.

(A side note here; some may have noticed that I've posted about a show from September 10th, yet, have posted nothing about "Stars & Guitars", which was September 9th.  No worries, that post will be coming soon.  I'll have a full recap of the days events; from local opener, Ben Rue, to headliner, Craig Morgan, and everything in between.)

Eleven Years Ago

(Today's word is in the post just below this one.)


Eleven years ago the world was a much different place.

Eleven years ago people could go to the airport, just to watch planes land and take off.  They could just go to the airport, park, go inside, pick somewhere to sit down and watch planes as long as they wanted.

Eleven years ago family and friends could take people to the airport and go all the way to the terminal gates with them to say goodbye; or be waiting at those same gates to pick them up when they arrived.

Eleven years ago the only lines at the airport were people checking in, then lining up to board their flights.

Eleven years ago today all of this, and more was changed forever.  Eleven years ago today the U.S. was sucker-punched by terrorists plotting America's defeat.

Eleven years ago those terrorists hijacked a plane in New York, commanding it be flown into the World Trade Center.  While people were still reeling, wondering how this accident could have happened, another jet hit the second tower. At that moment it was clear neither of these plane crashes had been accidents.

Eleven years ago today, two jets crashing into the twin towers was only the beginning of the horror of that day.

Eleven years ago people watched TV live as the second plane hit the towers.  Then came reports that a plane had hit the Pentagon; but that wasn't the end of the chaos.

Eleven years ago today, United Flight 93 went down in a Pennsylvania field.  Did it have any connection with the other plane crashes that day?  As it turns out, yes, it did.  The difference with Flight 93 was, passengers took things into their own hands.  They knew they were in trouble,  they knew they were probably going to die; yet, rather than let the hijackers win, those passengers fought back, causing the plane to go down in that field, rather than hit it's intended target, which would have meant even more death and destruction.

Eleven years ago America's confidence was rattled; our country had been shaken to it's core.  We may not have been blinded by our own innocence; though in a sense, any innocence we did have was stripped away that day.

Eleven years ago terrorists learned, while they could attack us, shake and wound us, they couldn't break us. As a country we stood up and fought back.

Eleven years ago we lost things we can never have back; friends, loved ones, a life not filled with strict security measures designed to keep bad things from happening to people. Instead of standing back, wondering what to do, America showed it's strength by dusting itself off, banding together and working to rebuild what others had destroyed.

For these reasons, and many more, what happened eleven years ago today should never be forgotten.  Please take a moment today to reflect on the events of 9-11-2001, and be thankful for what you have in life, and remember those who lost their lives that fateful day.

A New Week Has Begun

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


Sometimes short work weeks can be the longest ones; that's what last week was like for me.  Yet at the same time, I had so much I HAD to get done, the week also seemed to fly by.

It's another week though, and the pace has slowed at least a bit for me.  Still no real chance to write a decent post for the word of the day; however, I do have a couple of things waiting to be written, so be looking for those upcoming posts sometime the rest of this week.

On this date last year, I wrote a post remembering 9/11.  For today, in lieu of a post, I ask that everyone reading this take a moment and remember all those that were lost that fateful day.