Random Thoughts For Today....

A lot of topics to cover in this one. Does anything really surprise anyone anymore? Seriously, sometimes you just can’t make the news up.......

CREEK WOOD WINS!

---Back in 2002, Creek Wood High School opened in the north end of Dickson County. Ever the kind hearted diplomat that I am, I always referred to the school as a “White Bluff” school, knowing full well that just infuriated folks in Charlotte and Vanleer. In all honesty, I wasn’t trying to be a smart-aleck, but the local radio station that covered the Red Hawks was a White Bluff one – so that was my basis for that. In 2009, the team began playing Dickson County to start off the season. The first game was semi-close, each year since – not so much. But, for a series to be a rivalry - it has to be more than one sided. This past Friday, Creek Wood got their first win over the Cougars, 17-13. It was a big night for everyone on Jones Creek. Cougar fans, there’s always next year. It was a fun night for football – regardless of which side you were on....

MILEY-GATE

----I just might let a few people down here, but I have never been a prude. However, Miley Cyrus’s appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday night was a little much. I was joking on Facebook that it made Madonna and Britney Spears look like the Lennon Sisters off the old Lawrence Welk Show – and that is saying something, as some of those ladies’ performances on the same show were legendary. That being said, there actually is a line one shouldn’t go over, and Miley did that. The ironic thing is that in spite of all the ire that she raised among people, it probably did help her profile. As of tonight, two of the top ten downloaded songs on iTunes were....anyone? Miley Cyrus.

AS THE RADIO BROADCASTS

---- I got an unusual amount of feedback last week concerning my blog regarding radio. It’s something that has provided me with a lot of career highlights – and personal highlights over the past twenty-two years. Most of the friends I have made have stemmed from the fact that I have done some radio work. I miss it on a day-to-day basis, but I have been so blessed in other areas. My favorite part about being on the air is without a doubt the relationships that you make with those you work with – and ones you broadcast to. Right now, I am involved with four different stations (sort of), and I am happy to still have a toe in that water.

TWO YEARS AND GROWING

----It was two years ago this week I started my job with Billboard. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that much time has passed by. I am truly blessed to get to do what I do for a living. I have gotten to interview some of the biggest stars in the business, and made some of the best friendships I have ever made. I have often written about wondering whether I am in the class of such people as Tom Roland, Wade Jessen, Deborah Price, and others like them, I still wonder, but I am trying to earn that reputation each day. I am doing what I have always wanted to do. Nobody enjoys what they do anymore.

REALIZATIONS

---- Life has a way of letting you know certain things about yourself. Over the past few years, I have written quite a few blogs about the soul searching that I have done since my divorce. Being alone makes you learn a lot about yourself. Some of that is good. The crazy thing about finding some of those answers is that you wind up at the beginning all over again. I’m 39 years old, and have told myself all my life that I have to have a romantic relationship in order to be happy. I have learned that instead of “a,” the key word is “the.” And, believe me, that’s not taking a shot at anyone. That’s me realizing that I sometimes feel as clueless as I ever have been about the kind of person I want. Some days, you want Betty Crocker. Other days Betty Boop. I hope I find that magical combination at some point in my life – but not to prove to anyone else I can---for myself. Until then, these laptop keys are my companion. It’s not exactly romance, but it’s safe. And, safe sometimes is a pretty good place to be. It’s ok. I’m ok. And, that’s something I never thought I would have said about myself in 1997...2002, or today.

Going to close this blog by offering a word about some very special people that I have gotten to meet recently. There is a group of my friends in Jackson, TN that are organizing an event called Bone Appetit. It’s an event that will take place on October 13 at the West Tennessee Farmer’s Market. It will feature some of the greatest culinary experts in the mid-south, including the chef from the legendary Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Andreas Kisler, among others.

The event will benefit an organization called the Downtown Dogs Group. It’s a 501(c)(3) no-kill rescue that is operated by a couple of angels named Michelle James and Emily Strope. They are committed to the idea that all neglected and abused dogs, regardless of age, breed, health or temperament issues, deserve a chance to have a full and happy life with a loving family. They have never had a fund raiser before, as they have done it all themselves – even down to the finances. This is an event worth making the trip to Jackson, TN for. If you want to take a look at what they do, go to www.DowntownDogsGroup.com – Be prepared to have your heart lifted at the work they do. I know I was!

Voices From The Radio

Last week, I tipped the hat to several in the business who work in the same vocation as myself. I didn’t mention all the great writers in this town, and I didn’t even start to talk about the incredible people who work publicity. But, as I said, Nashville is full of some very talented people. Some you know, and some you don’t. With that mindset, I wanted to tip my hat to a few people who have been influential in what is my first career – radio. I have been doing it in one form or another since 1991. While I never developed one of those classic “Five in a row, back to back” voices, it’s something that I love very much. Whether it be on WDKN for eighteen years, playing the classics on WSM Radio via the Interstate Radio Network, or on my home since 2009 – WNKX, I love communicating my love of music and broadcasting to the listeners. I started to think about some of my biggest influences in the radio field. Now, indulge me somewhat – because a lot of these people / stations (seven, at least!) have ties to a certain three letters.....but that was what I was influenced by......

First of all, four names from WDKN.....

Hank Walker – To be in radio, you’ve got be trained by someone. Because, nobody walks into a station and knows what they are doing immediately. When Jackie Rhodes hired me in April 1991, this is the man who taught me. He was a very interesting person. He was handicapped, and walked with crutches, but you would never have known it. The thing I remember most from Hank Walker (if, indeed that was his name – after all, how many people are actually named “Coyote” that are on the radio?) was how to saw the call letters. It’s not “W,” it’s “Double-U”.....Radio people know exactly what I am talking about.

Gordon Rhodes – My first PD. I have worked under five in my career. I will tell you the biggest thing I learned from Gordon was to not sweat the small stuff. And, indeed, it’s all small stuff. There were a lot of times I would get uptight and worry about stuff going on at the station. Gordon had a language all his own. Not going to say anymore than that, but he was one of a kind. A Redskins fan, but I can’t hold that against him. I remember on Thanksgiving afternoon 1993, the Dolphins beat the Cowboys when Leon Lett touched a missed field goal attempt – giving the Dolphins one more chance. Line 3 – the studio hotline, which I was led to believe that God called in on from time to time, began to blink. I knew. Do I answer it or not? I did, and the voice said “How ‘Bout Them Cowboys!” Thanks for the memories, GR, and thanks for being a good C.S....I Mean P.D.!

Ken Loggains – I have a very scattered approach to life. I can misplace my phone while holding it in my hand. Trust me, I do things like this. But, we all have one co-worker that you just have an uncanny chemistry with. I might have two or three, but with all due respect to anyone I have ever worked with, I have never learned as much about radio – and being a professional than I have from Ken Loggains. Remember the TV Show “Mash?” Hawkeye and Trapper John / BJ made the most out of the Korean War by poking fun at everything around it. Small market radio is much that same way. You have to love it to do it a long time, and there’s things that you crack a few jokes about. If the first two hours of your day consist of four updates of the obituaries, you’re going to have a warped sense of humor. Ken, for eleven years, you were my BJ / Trapper / Hawkeye (depending on who I am!). You’re still “Velvet” in so many ways!

Marcia Campbell – Out of all the people I have worked with, nobody has taken their talent to the top any higher than Marcia, who does overnights on WSM-AM. We have known each other for over thirty years, as we used to ride Bus 51 together. (I seem to remember a bus driver who didn’t have a lot of hair who drove that bus that I have done some radio with! Well, I can drop the hair jokes, can’t I?) We have kind of been woven around each others’ lives a lot – especially since 1995. One night on her “All Nighter,” she talked about learning “so much” from me? I shudder to think what those lessons might have been....but I am proud of her, and consider her one of my best friends anywhere.

Keith Bilbrey – If I had never listened to Keith Bilbrey, I might have become a doctor or a lawyer, and never had financial difficulties because of the salaries non-performers in the business tend to make. If I had never listened to Keith Bilbrey, I would probably have never gotten involved in radio in the first place, and gone where that has led me. He would take my phone calls as a strange pre-teen, and have a lot of patience doing so. Almost thirty years later, I still find myself coming out of a song the way Keith Bilbrey does. Well, not exactly. The great ones make it seem so easy, and he is the greatest in my book!

Hairl Hensley – Of all the golden voices I have heard in my life, if I could sound like anyone – it would be Hairl Hensley. A longtime fixture at WSM Radio, Hensley exuded all the proper diction that you needed to be in radio. As great as Eddie Stubbs is, and he truly is, I still miss being that thirteen year old, and hearing that magical voice in the evening hours. Radio sounds a lot different after dark, and Hairl was the perfect voice for evenings at WSM. In ninth grade, I shadowed him for my Business class. I still remember him giving me some of the news copy from the station that day. A gentle heart – as well as a gentleman!

Mark Mabry – Again, another WSM tie here. He did afternoons on 650 somewhere in the mid 1980s. At 3:35 each day, he would host “Mark’s Trivia,” which would be the time I would be getting off Bus 51....there that comes up again! I used to run his phones ragged.....but an early influence, for sure!

WBDX – OK, going to back away from WSM for a second. White Bluff got a radio station in the early 1980s, and for awhile, they broadcast until midnight. As a kid, I remember hearing this deep-voiced jock talk about the weather in the “Bluff City.” For a kid, that was some cool stuff - especially at 11pm!

Kyle Cantrell – As a broadcaster, Cantrell is one of the best – henceforth his work on Sirius / XM. But, as a programmer, I have to admit that I stole more programming ideas from Kyle Cantrell than anyone else. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, after all. I remember interviewing him on the morning Johnny Cash died in 2003. That was a big moment – one where you realize what an impact certain people have on you.

Shannon McCombs – In the 1980s and early 1990s, there were two female voices in town that stood above the rest- Lisa Manning and Shannon McCombs. Manning was on many different stations during that period, while Shannon was “Miss 103 KDF.” She had the perfect voice, and the perfect personality. People loved her. Then, in the 1990s, she started doing some TV work, and people found out that she did not have “the face for radio,” as the old joke went. One person who is as beautiful inside as out. I get to say that I know Shannon McCombs now.....but better yet, she knows me! That’s pretty cool within itself!

And, I’ve got to tell you about that bus driver of Bus 51 in Burns, TN. Randy Tidwell is someone I’ve known since 1980. He was my PE Teacher at Burns Elementary. Since 1991, I have spent more Tuesday and Friday nights with Randy Tidwell on the road broadcasting ball games, or working the board during the games. Just like knowing Ken Loggains has made me better, there are few people that I respect more than Randy Tidwell. He is class personified, and whether it be via Frank Becker, Jim Anderson, or Ed Sheley, I always love seeing if we can come up with something on-air to make him think we’re crazy. Whether it be “Randy Tidwell Bobblehead Night,” or “Autograph Night with the ‘Voice of the Cougars,” we’ve tried some crazy stuff. And, throughout it all, he’s still a classy person. Probably thinks we are just a little bit weird, but...we are. Or, at least Becker!

Well, that does it for my look at my radio influences. I appreciate you indulging me, but I wanted to share some of my memories with you!

Nashville - It's A Town Full Of Talent!

I am very blessed to be able to cover the careers and lives a lot of talented people. So many artists that I consider myself to be a big fan of, I have gotten to talk to. Then, there are the newer acts that are just starting up. Those are always fun – because you simply never know if one of those that you cover wind up being superstars down the line. To be a part of that story is always something you don’t take lightly.

But, what people don’t realize is there’s a lot more to it than you might think. What I mean by that is there are tons of talented people in this town who you don’t know – unless you grew up like I did – reading liner notes or Music City News or Country Music.

First of all, there are the publicists. These people are the ones that writers work with about as closely as any in the business. Over the past few years, many of these have become among my closest personal friends. Their job is to gain the most coverage for their clients – and it’s not always easy. Whether you are a superstar, a legend, or a newcomer, there are always more demands for your time than you can deal with. That’s what publicists do. They weigh everything out, and try to give that artist the maximum coverage for their time. Some of their job requires what journalists don’t like to hear – saying the word “No.” An artist is just like the rest of us – they have their good days, their bad days, they get sick, they have arguments with their significant other, and may be not on their game that day. They have to decide when an artist can or shouldn’t talk to the media. The juggling act they balance is pretty amazing. I’ve witnessed it first-hand, and you have to have one heck of a psyche to survive. Journalists can be a moody bunch of people (not including me, of course. I’m always a pleasure to be around!), so you have to make sure they are taken care of, and I have seen a few artists get upset with their PR teams as well. They earn their checks, and do it well. Do I have a favorite publicist? Of course! It’s that one that got me my most recent interview! Seriously, they may not write or sing a song that gets on the charts, but the talent is as much there as it is for anyone else.

Then, there are my compadres, if you will. One of the most enjoyable aspects of what I get to do is the company I keep while doing it. This town is full of some of the greatest journalists anywhere. I have to admit, sometimes I feel like I just stumbled in through the back door, and if I don’t tell anyone I’m here – I just might be able to stick around for awhile. But, the fact that Robert K. Oermann, Wade Jessen, Tom Roland, or Holly Gleason knows who I am is pretty cool. I sometimes wonder how I represent myself because I don’t consider myself to be in the class they are. I am a fan, first and foremost. Don’t get me wrong. I take what I do seriously. I think I’m ok at it. But, I enjoy getting to interview people like Reba, Kenny Rogers, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood because....I am a fan. It influences every word I write. I was ten years old, and spending my allowance on the $4.96 cassette rack at K-Mart.

I consider it an honor to be able to communicate my passion to you the reader – and friend. Whether it be the retro feel of a project like Lee Ann Womack’s There’s More Where That Came From or Bakersfield -the latest masterpiece from Vince Gill and Paul Franklin – to talking with Carrie and Tim about their latest albums, I love telling you about projects you need to know about. The biggest compliment I get isn’t about how great or eloquent my words are – if you’ve ever read the afore-mentioned Ms. Gleason, she can do things with words that I can not only not do – but never will find out of their existence, but it’s when someone tells me they have sought out a record because of something I’ve written about it. That’s cool. Because, that was me. I may not be the greatest....but don’t doubt my passion. Whether it’s the Oak Ridge Boys 40^th Anniversary Tour, Sheryl Crow’s upcoming Country album, or the unbelievable experience of seeing Keith Urban in concert, it’s there.

And, there are so many great writers in this town. I mentioned four, but there are so many more – Vernell Hackett, Deborah Price, Bob Paxman, Jessica Nicholson, and I could go on and on....At the end of the day, it’s all about passion, and this town exemplifies that word....more than the average fan has any idea! I’m just honored to be in the mix. Now, I’m going to the back of the room – just so nobody knows I’m here!

Reporting from Jonesboro, Arkansas, this is Chuck Dauphin - a Keith Bilbrey wanna be!