Music to My Ears

Hello. Hellooo?  HELLOOOOO?  Blogworld?  Yall still there?  ...

Okay good, because I want to tell you about all the awesome music I've been going to hear lately... among other things.  Every year around the September 1 mark--Nashville is flooded with all my favorite musicians.  I don't know what it is about the fall that brings them all to town at the same time, but they come, like clockwork, every year. My wallet seems to be thinner, but my soul---my SOUL is much, much richer!!   

It all started with seeing Grace Potter at the Ryman on September 12.  I don't like a lot of "chick music" which is weird--you know, seeing as how I'm a chick...who writes music.  At any rate-- I really don't. There are a few exceptions: Brandi Carlisle, Patti Griffin, Ingrid Michaelson... that's all that springs to mind (in this very moment) and now-- add to the list, Grace Potter. 

I really like her sound. It's more rock and roll than most of the string bands I usually tend to gravitate toward.  Also--her voice is AMAZING.  I like her lyrics a lot too.  They're real. They're good, and she writes them all, which is impressive.  So is her choice of shoe wear!  I wore cowboy boots to hear her a few weeks ago and after standing up all night to listen to her-- MY feet hurt.  I can't imagine what was going on with hers later that evening.  I don't even want to think about it!  I find it a little annoying that she is both THIS gorgeous, and THIS talented, BUT -- let's face it--- her skirt is TOO short.  That brings it right back down to earth for me. I don't care how famous you are-- it doesn't give you the right to be tacky.

Humpfh.

The following Friday, I got a call from an old high school friend that lives here, Patrick Connelly.  We NEVER get to see each other.  Such is life I guess.  He lives here and I live here, but we run in different circles, live in different parts of town and have our own things going on.  Once a year though-- when Pat Green comes to town, we try and get together.  This year we succeeded.  We've been listening to him forever it seems. He's a Texas Country musician, which is NOT the same thing as a Country musician.  Texans have their own sound, their own edge, and their own ATTITUDE, all of which makes them unique. No tellin' how many times I've seen him live.  He used to play the fraternity houses at Mississippi State after football games and I'd go listen.  The next weekend he'd be playing at Ole Miss, so I'd pack up and drive down to hear him play there. Such fond memories of the music and the people I got to share those times with.  Pat Green's come a long way since then for sure.  How exciting for him!

Last week was Soundland here in Nashville.  It's a four day music event and my best good friend Emily and I bought wristbands so we didn't have to miss a minute of it.

We heard Johnny Corndawg (surprisingly good, by the way), Dawes (so good I'm planning to see him again on Oct. 19) and M. Ward on Wednesday night.  Can't say enough good things about M. Ward.  The man is a musical genius.  Look 'em up.  Download some tunes.  You won't be sorry.

We heard Foster the People on Thursday night.  I only knew the one "Pumped Up Kicks" song, but like the rest of the world-- I really dig it!  So that was fun.

Friday night was my favorite as we heard Jason Isbell and one of my absolute favorite musicians right now-- Justin Townes Earle.

Some of you may know his daddy, Steve Earle.  Justin's better.  Much better.  It was my first time seeing him live and a really good show.  I mean -- REALLY good.

There are several things coming down the pike that I'm looking forward to too.  Blitzen Trapper, Brandi Carlisle, The Avett Brothers and Robert Earl Keen are all here in the next few weeks and months to come so I'm sure this won't be the last of my musical musings--but that's it for now.

Soundland was happening all day on Saturday too, but Emily and I opted out so that we could watch football on my patio. I'm no techi.  The cable on the TV in my office just HAPPENS to be long enough so that I can pull it outside.  A lot of seemingly impressed people have asked me exactly HOW I get my TV outside?  My answer: "I just drag it out there."  

This was early and doesn't include the whole crew, but it was a good group of folks and I laughed sooo much and sooo hard for soooo long  that my abs were sore the next day. Literally.  If that's what a little sleep deprivation and one too many whiskey drinks'll get me---I'll take it every time! Ha.  It was such a fun day! 

In other news, I just returned home from Chicago on a business trip. Traveling always makes me want to blog a little blog. I'm not sure why really... I think airports must inspire me.  I had about an hour to kill in O'hare on Tuesday.  I had a book (of course) and I was reading it intently when I hear all of this commotion.  I looked up to see a man driving not so slowly through a very crowded terminal in one of those golf cartish looking things that seats about 8 people and he's yelling, "GET OUT OF MY WAY!  GET OUT OF MY WAY!  SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE-- I DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES! I DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES, PEOPLE! GET OUT OF MY WAY!."

Bwhahahahahaha-- it was HYSTERICAL.  You should have seen all these people scrambling to move out of the way.  And seriously,--- Driver Dude?!  You don't have any BRAKES?!   Whaaaaaaat???   That can not be smart or safe or probably even LEGAL--- but boy, was it funny.  It's times like these when I can't BELIEVE no one else I know was there to witness this with me. So damn hilarious.

Okay, that's all I've got for now.  Thanks for reading!  

Yours ever, 

Myra