My Dyslexic Blog Post #10

My Music, My Men

Carl Chambers is mostly known for his 1982 #1 hit, “Close Enough to Perfect” made famous by the band Alabama. Carl is one of those good ole boys that is full of talent and southern style. Luckily for me, I grew up two blocks away from Carl’s house & his “OutHouse Studios“. I use to be that annoying little girl that would hang out during his bands rehearsal and kept asking questions. He recorded my 1st all original album, as well as other recording projects throughout the years. Carl is like a 2nd father to me and holds a very special place in my heart! I’m so very thankful for all the kindness him and his family have shown me.

Visit: http://www.dizzyrambler.com
Carl Chambers on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/dizram

Joe Spann, I met thru Carl Chambers. My 1st memory of him was when I was a child & use to sing down at Carl Allen’s Catfish Cafe in Auburndale, Florida. The place was filled with bluegrass and talented musicians. Every Thursday night Joe and Carl would play and jam and I’d be right there amazed by how incredible they both were. During my late adolescents, Joe acted as my musical psyciatrist and recorded my “wanna-be” alternative rock album. That album was full of emotions and expereinces that only my music could help me unleash. Later, we went on to record my 1st acoustic album, “You Don’t Know Jack.” Joe is not only an amazing musician, producer, & songwriter… he is a wonderful friend too.

Connect with Joe Spann
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/joe.spann
Myspace:  http://www.myspace.com/joespann

My big brother Kevin Nowak is one of the biggest musicial influences in all my life. He tought me my 1st guitar chords and my very 1st lick – “On The Trail” from the movie The Three Amigos! Before I even knew anything about guitars I use to sneak into his room and I’d always put his tuner pegs face up in the same direction. I didn’t know till years later all I was doing was making the guitar extremely out of tune. That would explain why he’d get so freaking mad at me (giggles). We are one of the same or as I like to call it the ”Same Diffenence”. He currently is based out of Gainesville, Florida where his band “Liquid Limbs” just released “ORQUID” their debut album.  Even though he may not know it, he means the world to me in so many ways. Each time I see him perform it puts fire underneeth my skin and gives me more drive to do the best in music and life.

Connect with Kevin Nowak

Website: www.LiquidLimbs.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1254360473

Check out some of Kevin’s solo tunes:

Dreams ♫  Instrumental ♫ Your Sunshine ♫

I grew up listening to Oldies, and to this day I still enjoy a sugary doo-wop song or something that emerged from Motown at the height of its glory.   I love The Platters, The Fleetwoods, Martha & the Vandellas…pretty much anything from the American Graffiti Soundtrack.   There’s another song I’ve been thinking about today though.  Do any of you remember the song Raindrops by Dee Clark?  Dee tells us that since “a man ain’t supposed to cry, it must be raindrops…falling from my eyes.”

That about sums up my day.  I am, apparently, either a hormonal mess or suffering from early seasonal depression.  The littlest things have made me all choked up–barely able to complete sentences without betraying myself.  I may need help. Today I got teary-eyed from:

1.  Seeing a Lowe’s commercial in which mom and dad were working hard to prepare their home for the holidays.  Since their daughter couldn’t return home to be with them, the parents used a laptop web-cam to show her around the house, proudly displaying their remodeling efforts via Skype.  When mom says, “And just wait to see what we did outside!” she opens the door to find daughter secretly waiting to surprise them.  Aww! Sniff, sniff.

2.  Today we had to borrow my parents’ 1985 Chevy Suburban to haul some wood [that's a blog entry for another time].  This is the vehicle of my youth–of all the trips to Minnesota to see Grandma and Grandpa–my 5th grade venture to Washington DC before Grandpa died:  it all happened in that car. Now, with over 250,000 miles on it [!!] and still running strong, I hopped in and felt like I was in a time warp.  To top it off, my dad still had all his mixed tapes from those trips in the blue auto-organizer–the one that sits on the hump on the floor in between the driver and the passenger.  My oldest son was along and I thought I should do my family duty by indoctrinating him into the world of “Real Country.”  That’s right–”Real Country” capitalized and used as a proper noun.  Songs by the old masters.  People who have names like Hank and Lefty.  Tammy and Loretta. You know the type.  Tennessee twang from the 1950’s and 60’s. This was the soundtrack of every 12 hour trip I ever took, and it didn’t take me long to learn all about drinkin’ and cheatin’ and “layin’ you down.” Subtle education, really.

Anyway, I put the tape in so I could point out the fiddles and steel guitars to my son, and I started crying! Not sobbing, runny nose cry, but please-don’t-ask-me-to-talk-because-I’ll-blubber-and squeak-cry.   I’ll admit that I have so attached those songs to the person of my father that part of me was wondering how I’ll ever listen to them after he’s gone.  And that’s what I was thinking about.  Going to get a pile of wood for Bob Vila my husband, and thinking about how I’ll ever live without my dad.

3.  I had to stop at the grocery store for a bag of roma tomatoes this morning.  I’ve had a hankering for guacamole.   [I mean, how can you get through vacation without plopping on the couch next to your husband and plowing through a bowl of homemade guacamole with copious amounts of tortilla chips?]   As we were leaving the store we were met with the ubiquitous Salvation Army bell ringers.  I grabbed the loose change from my sweatshirt pocket and dumped it into the red can, feeling a bit sheepish that I wasn’t able to produce more.

On the way to the car, A asked me who the people were and why they were standing there ringing a bell.  True to form, I could barely formulate my answer about all the needy people that ache for help, especially at Christmas, without swallowing my tears.  By this time of the day I was fairly certain I may be going into menopause.

4.  In the same vein, Angel Tree commercials are now airing, reminding able givers to consider pulling an ornament off an Angel Tree and providing an unwrapped gift for a child this Christmas.  The announcer said that West Michigan alone has 30,000 wishes to fill this holiday season.  30,000 kids with nothing under the tree?  I’m crying again.

5.  Don’t call your shrink–this is the last one.  Tonight on NBC World News with Brian Williams, his “Making a Difference” segment highlighted the work of a non-profit organization called RAMP:  Rockin’ Appalachian Moms Project.  Seeing how one person can so powerfully change the trajectory of so many people’s lives amazes me.  It truly makes my heart beat a little faster.   So I sat and watched Amy, a mother of four from Connecticut, run a ministry that has delivered over a quarter of a million dollars of aid to one of the poorest places in our nation.  Heaters, clothes, food.  I sat and thought about how I never have to worry about those things.  How my needs are met and met and…exceeded.  And how the people of Appalachia don’t have heat.  And it moved me.

As we enjoy the quiet warmth of our own homes this Thanksgiving Eve, I invite you to send up your prayers of gratitude to the One who loved us so much that He Gave. And if you need a place to start, take 2.5 minutes and see what’s happening in Appalachia.

Good thing they’re predicting more rain tomorrow.  I might still be singing that song.

is sit on a porch at dusk, look at some trees, drink a little lukewarm beer, and listen to this on repeat:

is this me wanting to live out some weird southern fantasy???

edit: i’d add this song to the list too:

If you’re a country fan, listen up. People.com is offering a free download of 10 country songs from iTunes. Click here to check it out. It features …. people I’ve never heard of because I’m fairly ignorant about what gets played on country radio.

As an aside, in case you were wondering, I don’t always post things that I personally recommend. Rather, I try to include stuff that I think my readers – you! – might be interested in. So, unless I gush over something – this usually involves baked goods or cute clothes – don’t assume I’m giving my endorsement.

Hey Ya’ll!!!

Thought I would check out an independent artist with a great name that has been at it for a while…Travis Rush and his video for “You’ll Find Your Way”.  Set to release his sophomore album next year, this Oregon resident and talented pianist has an interesting sound (no twang here!), coupled by some great song lyrics.  Beautiful  landscapes  make this video worth watching, but I would like to see the boy without the goatee!  (And yes…that’s how you spell goatee…I looked it up! haha!    I give this video a 7!

Check out the video @

Travis Rush – Youll Find Your Way  at  www.yallwire.com!

Country Rocks!

JW

By Gavin Sword, KF9 Rwanda

The music of Africa conjures images of native dancers and handmade instruments – the drums, rhythms and dancing are mythical. Knowing I was coming to Africa, I was so looking forward to hearing the native music of Rwanda.  Music is one of the purest ways I know to experience and appreciate new cultures and connect with people.

During my time here, I have had a few occasions of hearing the native music of Rwanda and it was wonderful.  A church service and wedding ceremony I attended with traditional dance and songs were particularly memorable.  However, at my MFI, the radio plays pretty much all day long on the computer of my officemate and the thing is, it’s not African music at all.  This gentleman has a penchant for country music – and the truth is his brand of music has really gotten me hooked.

Country is a musical genre heretofore overlooked by this Kiva Fellow, but over the past two months I have learned the lyrics of more country hits than you can imagine.  A few toe-tappers come to mind and I am going to try to relate them to microfinance because I have listened to these songs every single day I’ve been here and I’ve had time to make some connections, however tenuous.

The Rhinestone Cowboy, by Glen Campbell is a song about a down-on-his-luck fellow who dreams of bigger things in life,

“There’s been a load of compromisin’ on the road to my horizon…but I’m gonna be where the lights are shinin’ on me…Like a Rhinestone Cowbow….getting cards and letters from people I don’t even know.  Well I really don’t mind the rain, and the smile can hide all the pain, but you’re down when you’re ridin’ the train that’s takin’ the long way…and I dream of the things I’ll do -with a subway token and a dollar tucked in my shoe…”

Those are some great lyrics!  Don’t we all dream of bigger things?  Many of the borrowers I have met share that same pluck and ambition – maybe not for the bright lights and hit records, but they have their own big dreams and are working so hard to reach them.  Not exactly like the Rhinestone Cowboy, but there are some rich metaphorical similarities to be gleaned, no doubt about it.

And who can forget Dolly Parton’s stirring rendition of  “9 to 5” – is there a more apt song about the life of a frustrated working man/woman in any land with hopes of a better future?  As Dolly laments,

“You’re in the same boat with a lot of your friends, waitin’ for the day your ship’ll come in and the tide’s gonna turn and it’s all gonna go your way…”

Hats off to our Kiva borrowers because they work for themselves, not having to deal with bosses that ‘just use your mind and never give you credit…and let you dream just to watch them shatter – just a step on the boss man’s ladder…”  Hooray for entrepreneurship and working for one’s self!

Finally, Ronny Milsap’s “I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for the World”… This brings to mind my own experience of being here as a Kiva Fellow in Rwanda;

“Our paths may never cross again…I’m glad for all the good times…cause you brought me so much sunshine…I wouldn’t have missed it for the world…I wouldn’t trade one memory…cause you mean that much to me…I wouldn’t have missed it for the world”
That Ronny Milsap really has a way with words.  My time here has changed my life for sure.  I have learned something of microfinance and what it can and can’t do.  I appreciate the complexities and nuances and appreciate more just how much I don’t know.  It has been an eye opening experience and one that “I wouldn’t have missed for the world…” .  And, I know when I go home, my I-Tunes collection will be permanently changed.  I will wistfully listen to country music and think of …Africa.

A little over 4 years after winning American Idol, Carrie Underwood is still churning out the hits and proving to everyone that she is one of the biggest superstars in the music industry.  Her third studio album, Play On, is in stores now, so here’s a track-by-track review of her latest effort:

1. “Cowboy Casanova”- The first single from shows that Carrie’s got that star power.  It’s a great vocal, of course, but more importantly it shows signs of growth in Carrie’s writing and shows that she’s not going to keep doing the same old thing.  With Hot AC and Pop showing great interest, I see this as being the next “Before He Cheats” in terms of  crossover success.  9.5/10
2. “Quitter”- Once again, Carrie pulls out something new and different with this song.  This is another song that I see being really successful on country radio, as well as Hot AC and Pop.  It’s insanely catchy, and it would be a great single for next summer.   9/10
3. “Mama’s Song”- This song will mean a lot to mother’s and their daughters I’m sure, but it’s probably my least favorite on the CD.  It’s not bad, but it’s kind of boring.  I know it means a lot to Carrie though.  8/10
4. “Change”- Some have called “Change” preachy, I call it epic.  Sure it’s about helping others, but what’s wrong with that?  Not to mention the vocals and musical arrangement are phenomenal. I can’t wait to see Carrie knock this out of the park on the CNN Heroes special. 9/10
5. “Undo It”- This one screams cross-over, even more than “Cowboy Casanova.” It’s also phenomenal live, as evidenced by the Jimmy Kimmel performance. If they choose to release this as a single, it’ll be a smash on multiple formats. 9.5/10
6. “Someday When I Stop Loving You”- Once again, Carrie changes things up with “Someday When I Stop Loving You.”  The whole song is pretty low-key, but the vocals and arrangement are beautiful.  Probably Carrie’s most restrained vocal yet, not to mention it’s one of the most true country songs she’s done. 10/10
7. “Songs Like This”- This song, more than any, just really makes you want to dance.  Every time my iPod shuffles to this song, I want to jump and embarrass myself.  The only problem is that it’s a bit too short, but the aggressive vocals make up for it. 9/10
8. “Temporary Home”- If this song doesn’t show just how much Carrie has grown as a writer, I don’t know what well.  This deep ballad showcases Carrie’s vocals, but the real magic is the writing.  As I said in my single review of “Temporary Home”, the lyrics don’t beat around the bush and instead deliver the message without complicated metaphors.  ”This is our temporary home/It’s not where we belong” sums up quite nicely.  Songwriting awards, engage.  10/10
9. “This Time”- This smooth country/pop number could be a surprise single pick around the end of Play On’s run, with it’s catchy and light lyrics and delivery.  It’s definitely not like anything Carrie’s released as a single before, so it would keep with the theme of changing things up.  The only problem this song may face is the placement on the CD, where it could be lost among the highlights of the album. 8.5/10
10. “Look At Me”- Like “I Told You So” before it, “Look At Me” features a soaring vocal by Carrie on a cover of a classic country song.  ”Look At Me” is stronger than its predecessor, though, with Vince Gill on harmonies and Carrie bringing her A-game.  It’s the perfect song to keep those who want Carrie to be strictly country busy. 8.5/10
11. “Unapologize”- To many listeners, “Unapologize” may seem like an off the wall song when you look at the grand scheme of Play On.  I, however, think it only adds to the amazing dynamic of the CD.  Sure “Unapologize” is about as country as “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, but who says you can’t have a little variation on a CD?  Certainly not me, and that’s what makes Play On so great.  ”Unapologize” is pop/rock straight-up and shows off some great vocals by Carrie and a brooding musical arrangement.  It’s got a great chorus, and could see success on Hot AC and pop radio.  9/10
12. “What Can I Say”- Another beautiful song with a really cool intro.  Sons of Sylvia are on hand for a duet, though Carrie far outshines their lead singer.  That aside, the duet still works marvelously.  I hope this is a single, but I’m not holding my breath.  I can’t wait to see this on the Christmas special coming up. 9.5/10
13. “Play On”- The title track takes us back to Carrie’s music when she was fresh off of Idol.  It’s a great little throwback, and I like the encouraging message.  Carrie sings the heck out of the final verses, showing us she has been hard at work perfecting that beautiful voice. 8.5/10

Play On has a little something for everyone, and that’s what makes it an amazingly engineered album.  It’s definitely Carrie’s best album from her young career, and arguably one of the best albums of 2009.  As someone who was a little disappointed in Carnival Ride (The first 4 singles were all wonderful, but outside of those and 2 or 3 more I wasn’t that impressed with it), Play On is refreshing indicator of where Carrie is going as an artist and just how much she has grown through the years.  I can’t wait to watch her and her career continue to grow into something truly incredible.

Overall Score: 95 out of 100

Staff Hot Picks: “Cowboy Casanova”, “Quitter”, “Change”, “Undo It”, “Someday When I Stop Loving You”, “Songs Like This”, “Temporary Home”, “Unapologize”, “What Can I Say”

What do you think of Play On?  Leave your comments below or send an e-mail to theconservativejournal@gmail.com.  Don’t forget to bookmark The Conservative Journal and sign up for the RSS Feed and the daily e-mail newsletter.

Watching the AMA’s the other night and there were all of these horrendous performances and dancers flying everywhere and artists that looked orange and were setting stuff on fire and then…out of nowhere…a little bird fluttered in and stole the entire freakin’ show. Just like she did the MTV Music Awards and the CMA’s and just about anything else she does. Taylor Swift has this country by the neck and is…not…letting….GO!

Look…I’m not a Taylor Swift hater. Honestly…I don’t know anything about her really other than she is SUPER popular and Kanye West obviously hates her videos. Other than that, I don’t own any of her songs and I know only what I hear about her on television or on the internet. I’m an old guy who loves rock n’ roll. But you know what she DOES have that appeals to an old fart like me who has been taking some serious crap from Lady GagGag fans? She is modest and unassuming and about as nice a young woman as you’ll ever find. And I find THAT to be appealing in pop music these days. And apparently so do many others.

Like I said…I don’t know much about her but what I have seen of her I like more and more. She comes across as a normal, everyday person who is working hard to get her music out there. She seems like she is very appreciative of her fan base. And, as far as I know, she has never lit her instruments on fire, worn a balloon costume or an owl costume or or a Kermit the Frog costume. I don’t think she’s ever hung herself onstage while dripping in blood…but I’d have to look that up. I’ve never seen her in a dominatrix suit, never seen her hump a dancer onstage or have pyrotechnics flare out of her bra. I’d even go so far as to say that she has never had to hide her true self behind anything other than her music.

 As a matter of fact, it seems to me that Taylor Swift has gotten so many accolades mostly due to the fact that she WRITES AND PERFORMS the kind of music that many people can appreciate. Doesn’t matter whether you like country music or not, Taylor Swift comes across as a class act and that says something in this day & age. “Class” is something that this generation of pop musicians have forgotten. Nowadays it’s all about who can top the other and that was painfully obvious in last night’s AMA performances. The music was below average and every artist was either lip-synching or those who chose to sing sounded out of key. It was horrendous trying to watch some of those guys onstage! And then Taylor Swift won “Artist of the Year” and I felt a little vindication. Sure…Kings Of Leon didn’t win (my choice). But neither did the spectacle known as Gaga or Michael Jackson, who hasn’t had a new album in forever or Eminem, whose latest album is all about drug rehab.

So I’m just gonna leave it at that. Even though I don’t know if I consider her to be the greatest artist out there right now (I’ll leave that one up for discussion), what I WILL say is that Swift appears to be in a class all by herself when it comes to knowing her fan base and her age group . With her, you get what she gives you…and that is pop-country music that is heartfelt and personal. And THAT, my friends, is quality music, no matter whether it appeals to you or not. It’s what music is all about. And sooner or later, the Gaga’s will disappear (they always do) and the musicians will remain.

REVIEW

ALL THE FAME OF LOFTY DEEDS

House Theatre

Written by Mark Guarino

Directed by Tommy Rapley

Through December 20^th (tickets available here)

*** (out of 4)

Let me clear the air before you read any further and let you know that I might be an anomaly when it comes to all things House Theatre.  To be honest, I’ve never really been too impressed by much of anything I’ve seen by them (which, admittedly, hasn’t been a whole lot).  Their adolescent sense of curiosity, dancey staging, and extreme energy acting doesn’t really jive with my tastes.  Maybe that makes me a soulless, fun-hating ol’ stick in the mud.  Either way, there was something about their newest production, All the Fame of Lofty Deeds, which struck a chord (get ready for some music puns) with me.  The show, detailing the rise and fall of a country music star, is darker and more mature than the House’s usual fare, and also requires a more grounded style.  Although there are some glaring narrative and stylistic issues, Lofty Deeds forces all of the House’s creative energy into something denser and deeper than anything I’ve seen there previously.

Although they usually devise their own pieces, the House chose an outside play as their season opener. Lofty Deeds, written by rock journalist Mark Guarino, is saturated with the music and art of Jon Langford.  Langford, an alt-country pioneer, is known for his twangy hillbilly music and mythic lyrics that combine classic country with a punk rock ethos.  He is also famous for painting portraits of country music legends like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.  Lofty Deeds captures Langford’s aesthetic: the story revolves around a rebellious country music star staring death in the face (in the form of a tumbleweed), the design is inspired by Langford’s art, and vibrant, live versions of Langford’s music infiltrate every scene.

The “dangers/fallacies/hypocrisies of the music business” plot doesn’t cover any new territory.  At the beginning of the play, former country music star and senior citizen Lofty Deeds (Nathan Allen) is coerced into revisiting the ghosts of his past—the death of his recording partner and brother, ruined relationships, selling out to evil music executives, the inevitable substance addictions.  Where the House really succeeds is painting this story in a charmingly imaginative way.  In this production, the “suits” appear as a Brooks Brothers-adorned five-headed hydra.  Through Tommy Rapley’s dance-like choreography, the five actors that represent corporate America become a single organism: moving, speaking, and thinking the same.  We also see Deeds slow-dance his way into love with a woman whose face is always veiled, and then we watch him neglect her for a life on the road.  All of this is narrated and driven by a talking and singing tumbleweed (Corri Feuerstein).  It seems that the weed is sometimes a grim reaper figure, sometimes an inspiration, and sometimes the cause of Lofty’s unwanted flashbacks.  Like a bunch of the show’s elements, the tumbleweed character often causes more confusion than symbolic enlightenment.

I was able to forgive many of the clunkier moments and just go with the production’s rhythmic flow.  However, there were more than a handful of times when the narrative became obscured.  For example, there is a recurring talking horse puppet that never really made sense to me.  Part of these inconsistencies was probably due to Guarino’s script being a little underdeveloped, and part of it came from Rapley’s emphasis on theatricality over clarity.

Lofty Deeds stands out among House productions for me because it was the most grounded show I’ve seen by them.  In a refreshing twist, not every moment was overplayed.  Allen does a pretty good job carrying the show, but he plays far too much to the audience.  That might be the House’s aesthetic, and it is totally fine in the more expressive moments, but it can dissipate all the tension in the dramatic scenes.  It just doesn’t work when we watch Deeds discuss his perpetual loneliness with his brother’s ghost or the singing dead plant and then he turns and delivers a couple of lines to us.  Patrick Martin, though, does a marvelous job as his dead brother, Lefty Deeds.  He is simple yet complex, remarkably charming yet says little.  If the whole production could match his style, the show could be absolutely wonderful.

–Barry Eitel

More information can be found at www.thehousetheatre.com

Just got back from Texas. In honor of that state, here is one of Jimmie Rodgers’ most disturbing songs.

Lexington
Grab your hat and boots and head out to Austin City Saloon in Woodhill, Lexington’s original country bar and home of John Michael Montgomery. Long time southern rocker and country crooner Larry Redmon has his own place (Redmon’s) downstairs at the corner of Main and Cheapside. New on the scene: the Silver Spur Saloon for a foot-stompin’ good time. If you are looking for a line dancing, bull-riding kind of place, check out Cadillac Ranch on Palumbo Drive. Kenny Whalen and the Travelers play regularly at Music Land in Paris….smoke and alcohol free. For more information, visit the Lexington Destination Guide.

Jeff Bridges stars as a faded Country music star hitting the comeback trail.

Jeff Bridges has built a career of playing outsiders, losers, and misunderstood souls, from his earliest leading roles to later, under-appreciated projects like American Heart and The Fabulous Baker Boys to the still-in-theatres The Men Who Stare At Goats. He’s seldom given a bad performance in forty years (though he’s appeared in a few bad movies) and created at least one cinema legend in Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski. Yet for all that work the man has yet to win a Best Actor Academy Award, despite four nominations going back to 1971’s The Last Picture Show.

His latest film, Crazy Heart, might be the film that changes that. Based on Thomas Cobb’s novel and adapted and directed by first timer Scott Cooper, it tells the story of Bad Blake (Bridges), a washed up and alcoholic country singer whose fortunes improve when he falls for a music journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal) sent to profile his life and career. Colin Farrell co-stars as Tommy Sweet, an up-and-coming performer that Blake takes under his wing even as Sweet’s growing popularity eclipses his own resurgence.

Bearing immediate resemblance to The Wrestler, judging by the trailer below the film also draws influence from well-remembered works such as Tender Mercies (1983) and the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born. Actually, the connective threads run pretty tight: Tender Mercies starred Robert Duvall as a washed up country singer undergoing spiritual rebirth, and Duvall appears in Crazy Heart, too. A Star Is Born featured Kris Kristofferson as a faded music star, and with his leathery skin, scraggly beard and flowing hair Bridges’ Blake looks an awful lot like that legendary singer-songwriter. The rustic cinematography also reminds us, though more implicitly, of Hal Ashby’s 1976 Woody Guthrie biopic Bound For Glory and Clint Eastwood’s Honkytonk Man (1982).

Kristofferson (Not Bridges.)

Which is not to say that all that homage is necessarily a bad thing. For years now, raiding the film legacies of the 1970s and early 1980s has helped energize the careers of filmmakers such as Steven Soderbergh and James Gray, and of course Quentin Tarantino seemingly can’t help but return to those wells again and again. But the films that Cooper ostensibly draws from here – Tender Mercies especially – are particularly well-regarded, both critically and by devoted fan bases. Bridges is such a slam-dunk for a part like this it’s sort of surprising that it hasn’t happened yet (1989’s The Fabulous Baker Boys, in which he played a hard-drinking and self destructive lounge pianist, notwithstanding.) For the sake of creating a story around his undoubtedly pitch-perfect turn the rest of the film needs to be more than the sum of its influences.

Ultimately it’s always a pleasure to watch Bridges work, and this part is exactly the kind of role for which Academy members love to vote; a win for Bridges might also serve as mea cupa for chickening out on giving The Wrestler’s Mickey Rourke the statue he deserved last year. Everybody needs redemption sooner or later, even Oscar voters.

Crazy Heart opens in limited release December 16.

-Michael Kabel

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

On a warm summer’s evenin’ on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin’ out the window at the darkness
‘Til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, “Son, I’ve made a life out of readin’ people’s faces,
And knowin’ what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
And if you don’t mind my sayin’, I can see you’re out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey I’ll give you some advice.”

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, “If you’re gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.

Ev’ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
‘Cause ev’ry hand’s a winner and ev’ry hand’s a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”

And when he’d finished speakin’, he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

Everyone knows this song, right?  One of a few songs you will never hear in a casino. You’re more likely to see a clock on the gambling floor.

This thought has been niggling at me for a while. To provide the back story of ‘why’, there was a trivia game with the answer included this song among others with “songs about cheating.” I calmly and respectfully disagreed: “Are you crazy? That song is NOT about cheating!!!!!”

And since then? it’s kinda boggled me how anyone could think the song was about that. As I surfed around the net to back up that position, I saw a lot of crap and rhapsodizing bullshit about this song. Mostly about “metaphors for life” and all that. Ok, yeah. whatever. I see it. But it’s also a song about exactly what the song says it’s about:

A younger guy and an old man are bored and idly chatting on a night-time train ride. The old man tells the younger man that he can tell he’s in a bad way and if he gives him a smoke and a drink, he’ll give him advice. The man receives his payment, advises the younger man, and then falls asleep and dies. Seems very straight forward so far, yes?

A sip of whisky and a cigarette was very small payment for the lesson that young man got that night.  And in my opinion, everyone who has aspirations of a ‘career’ at poker or even a serious hobby should play this song on a loop as they sleep. For years.  In my personal experience, I agree with every single “rule” in this song.

You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em:  the key to that sentence is “WHEN” to hold ‘em.  Every hand should not be played; in fact, most should not. If you aren’t tossing the majority of your hands, you are doing something very wrong. But you also need to know which hands to play.  I am not even going to get into that. That would be a book on poker, not an ocd little blog post.  Besides, you are the one that wants to play poker. It’s your job to figure that out. 

Know when to walk away, and know when to run: I think this is the line that actually triggered the “CHEATING” response. Knowing when to walk away is simply having the self-discipline to say “ok this is NOT working for me today.” And simply leaving the game rather than staying for the inevitable “crash and burn” , that intermediate step that bridges directly to making the walk of shame back to the cage.

“Knowing when to run” is like the other side of the coin: it’s about the awareness. A streak only lasts so long. It’s going to end. Ideally, you can feel the tide turning. THAT is where you *run.* You pack up your shit and you go have a cheeseburger.

“You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table, there’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done:  Firstly, it’s just incredibly bad etiquette to sit and ass with your chips at the table. Remember, every dollar you have above your original stake is someone else’s money.  And it’s just sort of shitty to ‘rub his nose in it.” There will be a day when it’s you looking at your money over in Joe Blow’s stack. Secondly, I would say, if you don’t know basically how much money you have, you shouldn’t even be sitting there. You need to know how to follow the pot.

So there you go;  a little poker lesson from me to you. I will give you an exception to my last rule, though. My amendment to the “Don’t Jack With Your Money” rule is the “Cute Poker Tricks” exception.  There are many of them. Walking a chip down your knuckles. Shuffling your chips. That’s my favorite. Being able to take two 4-7 chip high stacks of 2 different colors and with one fluid movement, turning it into one stack of chips alternating perfectly. Even more advanced, is the ability to reverse it so you are back to the 2 stacks again.

As a dealer, I should have never touched the pot aside from making change, taking a rake, when necessary splitting it, and most importantly: delivering it.  I can’t tell you how many hours I spent sitting there watching the game and practicing my shuffle. I wanted to be able to smoothly press the chips together and apart with one flick. I can, but I never mastered it to where it was fluid.  Clearly, I took full advantage of the “Poker Tricks” clause. 

This is the Vaughn family from Salem Missouri. I look forward to seeing them at this year’s Katy Days celebration.

Gloriana, ‘Wild at Heart’, was at The Round Up on Friday night.  Great concert and a great band.  Very personable and really clicked with their fans.  You can view all the pictures from the concert on The Round Up’s website.

For more information on events bookings, please visit the link on the right.

Here are the lyrics to a song I heard at church last Sunday.  It is a very moving song called “Beautiful World.”

All the noise and the voices are screamin’
What they have to say
And the headlines and sound bytes are givin’ me
Demons to hate
And the man on TV
He tells me it’s ugly
But if you ask me

Say what you will, but I still believe
It’s a beautiful world
Yeah, it’s a beautiful world
Oh, it’s a beautiful world

I discovered George Strait in June 2006.  I could not believe that this talented man escaped my attention all these years!  I’m ashamed to admit it, but……I distinctly remember times through the years when people would tell me:  “you’ve got to hear this song, it’s Country Music, but this guy is SSSSSOOOOO  GOOD.”  And I’d say somethin’ stupid like, “I don’t listen to that s*+# kickin’ music!”  or “I don’t listen to no stinkin’ cowboys!” 

Oh, Lord of George Strait concerts, please forgive me!!!  I promise not to sin again………WELL…….maybe not till the next concert and I’m not in the front row!!!

Once I started listening to George’s music, I began to hear songs that I remembered hearing years ago and at different times through the years!  “My God”, I thought with amazement…….”HE sang ALL OF THOSE songs that captivated me?”  I never caught on that it was THE SAME singer!  Damn Strait……..he makes EVERY song independent of any other in vocal style, interpretation, the rhythm – everything.  No wonder he interested me.  And I hadn’t even seen him yet or knew his name!!  Uncanny.

While in Charlottesville (January 2007) to see George for the first time, I bought his boxed set.  Was listening to one CD while driving home in the snow.  Heard the beginning of “Lovesick Blues”………had an immediate profound flashback to when I heard it the first time, don’t even remember exactly how many years ago…….was cutting veggies for soup……stopped…..thought, “I LIKE that,” …… walked to the living room, stood in front of the radio, listening, with a knife in one hand and a carrot in the other!!!  “Oh, my God……I wish someone were singing songs like THAT today!” 

 WELL…..here I was……years later……OH, MY…….HE WAS THE ONE SINGING THAT SONG!!!…….I was so overcome with emotion that I was dangerously distracted from driving safely.  I had to pull off the road and listen to it a couple more times.  I wished so badly that I could tell him “THANK YOU, GEORGE.”

Months later, I also learned that in his early career, George sang some OLD, OLD favs of mine that I listened to with my young ears pressed to the Motorola when George, himself, was still a cooing infant!!:  “That’s What I Like About the South”, “Driving Nails in My Coffin”, and some others I’m forgetting at the moment.

I have wondered if George’s Mom sang or played these wonderful old classics to him, or his Dad had the radio goin’ at times when George was still cuttin’ his teeth, because they seem to be a part of the fabric of his life, as they are of mine…….and are probably of yours. 

Does George’s music affect you, your life?  Let me know your stories.  I love hearing them and so would others.

Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving everyone.

NTKOG #63:The kind of girl who, walking down the street, just bursts into song and sings like nobody’s listening — even when they totally, totally are.

I am: embarrassed for two kinds of people who sing in public: those who think they’re good, and those who know they aren’t but do it anyway. (I’m in the latter camp.)

I am not: the only person who, when walking while listening to the iPod on a deserted street sings along. Right?!

The Scene: The mean, unmusical streets of Brighton, every night this evening. Usually when I walk the four blocks home from my bus stop, I’ll plug in my earbuds and sing along a bit to the music I’m listening to — every once in a while snapping around, just to make sure nobody’s following me within earshot. And of course clamming up the second anyone gets within a half-block radius of me.

This week, though? I didn’t stop singing. Not when people approached me, not when they were a few steps away and grew quizzical and concerned. Not even when they laughed right in my face.

All week I’ve been listening to my country music “he done me wrong” playlist (Hank Williams, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline — and, yeah, some Dolly and Garth, not even ironically), and paranoid that bystanders on the T could overhear my embarrassing music. But two nights ago, as I walked home around 10pm, I sang along not loudly but with conviction to “Your Cheatin’ Heart” while walkin’ (not after midnight) maybe a quarter of a block behind an uptight i-banker type. And though he was the kind of cute guy I usually blush just to look at, and though he turned around a couple of times and cocked his head at me, I kept on singing.

After the song faded into a moment of silence before “(Play Another) Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” he slowed down to let me catch up with him. When we both paused to wait for the pedestrian walk light another short block later, he turned to me and opened his mouth. I slid out one earbud and he said, “So you’re pretty into your music,” and I told him, “It brings me joy,” and he smiled a little bit and I just put my earbud back in and waited for the light to change.

Of course, not everyone was so cool. Just a few minutes ago, walking home from Sister’s, I was singing along with Loretta Lynn’s “Harper Valley PTA,” trying to get my voice around a few of the slidier twangpeggios. A man was unloading a chest of drawers from the back of his SUV, but when I walked up, he put the chest of drawers down and just looked at me. I chose to believe this is because it’s one of the all-time gorgeous, funny country songs and made eye contact with him, broadening out my twang in a self-mocking showy way. Once I got a few steps past, he said to my retreating back, “You know people can hear you, right?”

I mean, I guess they can, sir, but I’m not convinced that’s such a bad thing.

The Verdict: It’ll be at least a few months before you’re reading about my Nashville debut — or before I sing anywhere other than the karaoke bar or my shower again — but this was liberating. My voice isn’t great, but it’s not terrible, and maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world if someone overhears me using it and enjoying it. I would never dream of intentionally inflicting my singing voice on someone else’s blessed silence (that stuff’s strictly for drunk undergrads. and the couple who lives above me and who occasionally, weirdly, wonderfully sings together while they’re having sex.), but if I accidentally do? It’s not going to trigger the apocalypse.

So this one is a mixed bag. I wouldn’t do it again on purpose or so flagrantly — ’cause, yeah, my heart absolutely froze with terror every time I saw someone coming and forced myself to keep croaking along — but at the very least, during my mostly solo late night rambles, I think I’ll dispense with the panicked look-arounds and keep enjoying this simple pleasure. Once again, for the most part nobody seemed to care when I broke this seemingly inviolable social law, so why not keep breakin’ it? Just like that trampy ho broke Mr. Williams’s non-cheatin’ heart.