That Bono guy knows what he’s talking about. 2011 was filled with changes and lessons learned and good times with friends and most of all…music. OHHHHH YEAH!

That music…just so happened to be fantastic. As you’ve grown accustomed, there is a list. A great, big, huge list for you to browse. There are songs from every genre and come from both new and established songwriters and artists. Some of these tunes you’ve heard on the radio. Some of them you will hear on the radio. There are also songs that come from years ago and were performed in Nashville in 2011 by the songwriters who wrote them. Some of these songs are repeats on the list from previous years…because they are just that amazing. That means you should really, really give them a listen. *hint, hint*

None of these songs will put you to sleep.

Some will make you smile.

And all of them rock.

Do me a favor and just listen to a few. Basically, these are tunes that helped to change me…and maybe they have or will change you too. Here. We. Go.

POP/ROCK

“F**kin’ Perfect” (or the clean version HERE) by Pink. It was one of the best and most socially aware videos of the year. Watch it with caution. I will continue to say Pink is the most underrated artist on the planet. This song is wow…just wow. “Mistreated. Misplaced. Misunderstood. Miss “No Way. It’s All Good.” It didn’t slow me down. Mistaken always second guessing. Underestimated. Look, I’m still around. Pretty, pretty please don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re less than f**kin’ perfect. Pretty, pretty please if you ever, ever feel like you’re nothin’. You’re f**kin’ perfect to me.”

“F**k You” or “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green. Admit it. When you’re having a really, bad day, this helps. Sing it in the car. Sing it in the shower. Sing it walking down the street. Plus, there’s a censored version if you just can’t handle the “f” word. BONUS! Although the clean version just doesn’t have the same impact or smile-producing quality. “Sorry. I can’t afford a Ferrari. But that don’t mean I can’t get you there. I guess he’s an X-Box and I’m more Atari, but the way you play your game ain’t fair. I picture the fool who falls in love with you. Owwwww…I’ve got some news for you. Yeah. Go over there and tell your little boyfriend. I see you driving round town with the girl I love and I’m like f**k you. I guess the change in my pocket wasn’t enough. I’m like f**k you and f**k her too. Said if I was richer. I’d still be with her. Not ain’t that some sh*t (aint that some sh*t).”

“Pulling Me Apart” by Bear Cub. With a very simple and direct message, the pain is felt. “You’re telling me lies. You’re a thorn in  my side. You can take my body. You can have my heart. What good will they do me when you’re pulling me apart? Oh you’re pulling me apart.” I got a chance to see this band perform in Nashville. It’s always great to hear new, rock music. That’s one of our city’s greatest secrets. It’s not called “Country Music City.” It’s called “MUSIC City.”

“Why Did I Ever Like You” by P!nk. “It’s hard to believe I ever laughed at anything you said, ’cause you’re just not funny. Who would believe I let you do all those things? I guess the joke was on me. I tried to be Zen. I’ve even asked all my friends to help me let it slide. But all I see is your face in my favorite place and I can’t help but wonder why. Why did I ever like you? What did I see? Whatever it was must have been some kind of illusion…a magic trick on me.” I have unfortunately asked myself this a lot over the years. Have you ever asked yourself this question after the fact? Some men/women we date are total tools. Aren’t they?

“That Should Be Me” by Justin Bieber and Rascal Flatts. That’s right. The Beibs made the list. It’s a great tune. Give it a listen and stop judging. Judgy McJudgersons.  “That should be me holdin’ your hand. That should be me makin’ you laugh. Oh that should be me. This is so sad. That should be me. That should be me. That should be me feelin’ your kiss. That should be me buyin’ you gifts. This is so wrong. I can’t go on til you believe that should be me.”

“Raise Your Glass” by P!nk. That’s right. It’s P!nk song number three. What can I say? It was an amazing album. I adore how she embraces her differences. This is a true example of a strong female. Carry on. “So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways. All my underdogs, we will never be, never be anything but loud and nitty gritty. Dirty, little freaks. Won’t you come on and come on and raise your glass! Come on and come on and raise your glass!”

“Get It Right” by Lea Michele and the Glee Cast. I’ll be honest when I say I’m not a huge fan of this show (I know. I know. I’m one of the few). However, I adored this original song. Lea Michele knocked it out of the park. “What can you do when your good isn’t good enough and all that you touch tumbles down. Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things. I just wanna fix it somehow. But how many times will it take? How many times will it take for me to get it right?” Trust me when I say two or three hundred times. BUT when it’s right…Oh. Yeah.

“Help You Find Your Way” by Josh Flint with “No feeling and don’t come here no more. ‘Cause it’s hard to find someone who really loves ya. And not someone who only wants to say that it seems like tonight they’re thinking of ya. And they’re never there to help you find your way.” Josh is a Nashvillian and a true rock genius. Anyone who has ever heard Josh sing, knows how special his music is. No lie. Listen.

“Two Sides” by Phoenix Mendoza “‘Cause there’s two sides to every bed. We don’t have to sleep alone tonight. Yeah, there’s two sides to every bed. Come on over to mine.” Heart the concept. Heart the heat. Heart the song. I think if I could be in love with a tune, I’d be in love with this one.

“Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele. Probably the most soulful contemporary artist. The entire album is spectacular. When she sings, you feel the words. This song is no exception. “But I set fire to the rain. Watched it pour as I touched your face. Well, it burned while I cried cause I heard it screaming out your name…your name.” I know you’ve heard it, because everyone on the planet has by now. This woman without a doubt can sing, but the songs are also worth the effort. This one is lyrically and musically superior.

“When I Had You” by Emerson Hart “I guess everybody’s lookin’ for something. A little somethin to get you through. A word…a touch…a hand to hold…a piece of Heaven all your own. The kind of thing I had when I had you.” Awww…I love hearing this guy sing. Especially when the songs are this good.

“Life After You” by Daughtry (sung by Brett James). It’s Brett James Bitch! Sorry. It’s tradition. I love everything this man writes. He is a songwriting magician. Seriously.  He writes country hits and then takes a break to write a hit or two on the pop charts. Plus, Daughtry does a terrific job with the tune. “All that I’m after is a life full of laughter. As long as I’m laughing with you. And all that still matters is love ever after. After the life we’ve been through. ‘Cause I know there’s no life after you.”

“Don’t You Remember” by Adele. Another great tune from an incredible album. Her voice is soulful, heartbreaking and pleading all at the same time. She completely takes over a song and this one breaks my heart every time I hear it. “But I know I have a fickle heart and a bitterness and a wandering eye and a heaviness in my head. But don’t you remember? Don’t you remember the reason you loved me before? Baby, please remember me once more. I gave you the space, so you could breathe. I kept my distance so you’d be free. And hoped that you’d find that missing piece to bring you back to me. Why don’t you remember?”

“Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw. He never lets me down. Love the voice. Love the song. The first time I heard the tune, I played it over and over and over. That is when I know, it’s a keeper. If I can play a song that much initially, it’ll never get old.  “If you asked me how I’m doin’, I would say I’m doin’ just fine. I would lie and say that you’re not on my mind. But I go out and I sit down at a table set for two. And finally I’m forced to face the truth. No matter what I say, I’m not over you.”

“Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera “Take me by the tongue and I’ll know you. Kiss me ’til you’re drunk and I’ll show you all the moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I don’t need to try to control you. Look into my eyes and I’ll own you with them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger.” They debuted it on “The Voice” and I was hooked. I. Love. This. Song. *commence dancing* It’s another one I played over and over and over. There is absolutely nothing I don’t love about it. *resume dancing*

“Go” by Shanna Crooks “It’s like trying to fix a broken dream or save a heart that doesn’t beat. Only one left hanging on. Let it fall. Let it fall. When no one’s there to pick you up and you think you’ve had enough. When things are out of your control. Let it all. Let it all go.” This song was on the list a couple of years ago. However, I will keep putting on the list until it gets cut. It saves people. Seriously. In 2011, I was reminded of the tune’s power.

“Maybe It’s Over” by Jon McLaughlin and Xenia (from “The Voice”). Little Xenia has an exceptional and unique voice. Combined with Dear, Sweet Jon McLaughlin, it’s pure ear candy. Check it out. “Singing…Maybe it’s over, but I don’t feel it. If we want it forever, Baby, we’ve got to steal it. I hope the last straw is my back against the wall. Singing…Maybe it’s over, but I don’t feel it at all.”

“What You Want” by Evanescence. The band came back fiercely and I love it! It’s hard-driving music with a vulnerability found in the vocals. Every song has a haunting effect that stays with you. This one is both haunting and in your face. “Hello. Hello. Remember me? I’m everything you can’t control. Somewhere beyond the pain there must be a way to believe we can break through.”

“Lightweight” by Demi Lovato (written by Shanna Crooks, Jim Beanz, Garland Mosley and Frankie Storm). Shanna is a tremendous songwriter. Because she’s such a talented singer, sometimes that fact is overlooked. It’s impossible to miss it with this Demi Lovato cut. “I’m a lightweight. Better be careful what you say. With every word, I’m blown away. You’re in control of my heart. I’m a lightweight. Easy to fall, easy to break. With every move my whole world shakes. Keep me from falling apart.”

“The Sun Will Rise” by Kelly Clarkson and Kara DioGuardi. “I’ve been stuck in the storm before. Felt the wind raging at my door.Couldn’t move. Couldn’t breath. Couldn’t find a way out. Somehow the clouds disappeared. Somehow I made it here. Maybe just so you could hear me say, The sun’ll rise. The sun’ll rise. When you’ve lost your light, the sun will rise. It’ll be all right.” This entire album is excellent. This tune truly heals. No matter what happens, we can get through it.

“If You’re Gonna Fall” by Kimberly Caldwell. The American Idol finalist has got soul and she can SAAAAAANG. This song stood out in all its bluesy glory. “So if you’re gonna fall for anything. If you’re gonna fall for anything, I am here in flesh and blood. Something you can see. Something you can feel. If you’re gonna fall, fall for something real.”

“The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire. “You always seemed so sure that one day we’d be fighting a suburban war. Your part of town against mine. I saw you standing on the opposite shore, but by the time the first bombs fell we were already bored. We were already, already bored. Sometimes I can’t believe it. I’m movin’ past the feeling. Sometimes I can’t believe it. I’m movin’ past the feeling again.” A witty way to discuss suburban life by an extremely artistic band.

“An Angel on Each Arm” by Robin Thicke “Well, let’s get it started. Load your gun, light the fuse. I’m coming for you, baby. I got to stand and fight. I’m locked and loaded now. I’m heavily armed. I got an angel on each arm. I got that, an angel on each arm, baby. Alright now. You know I got that one on my left, come on. One on my right, alright. They protect me every day and every night, I got that.” I cannot NOT move when Robin Thicke music is playing. This song is no exception. It’s got heart, soul and motion. You can’t lose.

“What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)” by Kelly Clarkson. This album makes it clear that Kelly rules. This song is motivational, inspirational, fun and infectious all at the same time. And the audience is blessed to be able to hear Kelly singing the vocals. Yes! “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Stand a little taller. Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone. What doesn’t kill you makes a fire. Footsteps even lighter. Doesn’t mean I’m over cause you’re gone. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Stronger. Just me, myself and I.”

“I Was Here” by Beyonce. It’s a great way to explain how you should live your life. You have to admit, Beyonce is a pretty inspirational person. It seems appropriate that she is the one singing this tune. “I wanna leave my footprint on the sands of time. Know there was something that…something that…I left behind. When I leave this world, I leave no regrets. Leave something to remember, so they won’t forget I was here. I lived. I loved. I was here. I did. I’ve done everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would be. I will leave my mark so everyone will know I was here.”

“For the First Time” by The Script. I don’t know what it is about this song that I attached so quickly to when I heard it for the first time. It’s probably a little bit of awesomeness in every part of the tune. Give it a listen. “Tryin’ to make it work, but man these times are hard. But we’re gonna start by drinkin’ on cheap bottles of wine. Sit, talking up all night. Sayin’ things we haven’t for a while…a while. Smiling, but we’re close to tears. Even after all these years, we just now got the feeling that we’re meeting for the first time.”

“No Man’s Land” by Will Hoge. He is a Nashville local and he is great! Will recently made an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” When it comes to music, Will gets everything right. This tune, like many others by the artist, is the comfort of home. It falls somewhere in between rock and country. When it’s this good, does it really matter where you categorize it? “She’s like a fine wine. I’m like whiskey from a jar. Doesn’t make no sense. She’s from Venus. I’m from Mars. Sayin’ all the wrong things, but I’ll make my final stand. My foot in my mouth, babe. Out here in no man’s land.”

COUNTRY

“Every Girl Like Me” by Sugarland. “Up in the morning, I’ll be your coffee cup. If you drink me down, I will fill you up again. And if you don’t think that’s enough, I’ll be the prize on the back of the cereal box. And the key that you found that you thought you lost. And I’ll be the why to your because. Because I am not perfect. But I…I know I’m worth it. And I gotta believe there has to be a you for every girl like me.” This one just puts a smile on my face. I have a feeling quite a few women can relate to this song. Call it an educated guess.

“Just By Being You (Halo and Wings)” by Steel Magnolia. “Let’s find a place somewhere a little closer to the truth and call it a home where there’s no right and there’s no wrong. And we can be all alone. And I’ll take off my halo if you take off your wings. You don’t have to be invincible, ’cause I sure ain’t no Saint. You’ll always be my angel no matter what you do. ‘Cause you take me to Heaven, just by being you.” What a wonderful sentiment. *sigh* This duo won me over with “Keep on Lovin’ You” and this tune is no let down. Wow.

“You Lie” by The Band Perry. “You lie like the man with the slicked back hair who sold me that Ford. And you lie like the pine tree in the back yard after last month’s storm. Well, you lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store. It just comes way too natural to you. The way you lie.” Thanks to Brittany for introducing me to this one. When I heard it, it was needed. I laughed for the entire three minutes and thirty-five second. It’s well-written, sassy and fun. How can you go wrong with that combination?

“Voices” by Chris Young. “I hear voices. I hear voices. Like my Dad saying, ‘Work that job, but don’t work your life away.’ And Mama telling me to drop some cash in the offering plate on Sunday. And Granddad saying you can have a few, but don’t ever cross that line. Yeah, I hear voices all the time.” Such a great concept and way to live. The man has one heck of a voice and Chris does a tremendous job of picking songs. It looks like he’s learned great songwriters are key.

“I Can’t Unlove You” by Brooke Burrows. This one is unfortunately very, very true for a lot of people. It’s hard to get over lost love. True story. “No I can’t uncry these tears or roll back these years and say what we had wasn’t true. No I can’t unbreak my heart. You knew that right from the start. There’s just some things I can’t undo. I can’t unlove you.”

“Things Left Undone” by Andrew Pates. “When a stranger came knockin’, did you let him in? Was there food on your table for a down and out friend? Did you hide in the shadows or stand in the sun? Or do you look back on the things left undone?” This guy is so awesome, it is impossible to expect. He sits down at a piano and the soul just pours out onto everyone blessed enough to be in the room.

“Faith When I Fall” by Kip Moore. “Give me love when I ain’t got nobody. A little hope when I ain’t got none at all. Give me light up ahead on the journey. Give me strength when I’m standing and Faith when I fall.” Love. It. Kip has a wonderfully, rugged country voice. It is truthful in texture. I mean, I believe him.

“A Woman’s Touch” by Danny Mitchell The yearning for love was palpable in this song. There is nothing quite like an amazing songwriter. There just isn’t. “This place could use a woman’s touch. Just a little affection, Honey that would mean so much. ‘Cause a love used to live here. Now judging by the dust, this place could use a woman’s touch.”

“Hemingway’s Whiskey” by Kenny Chesney (written and sung by Ray Stephenson) “Well, it’s tough out there. A good muse is hard to find. Living one word to the next…one line at a time. There’s more to life than whiskey and there’s more to words than rhyme. Sometimes nothin works. Sometimes nothin shines like Hemingway’s whiskey.” It’s one of those songs that is simply artistic. What a cool spin on a topic. I also love to hear Ray sing it.

“Mistakes Like Me” by Melody Guy You have GOT to hear the song. There are few I’ve heard quite as powerful as this one. It brings me close to tears every, single time I listen to her sing it. It’s been on the list before and it’ll probably be on the list again. The song is just that amazing. Did I mention nobody delivers it quite like Melody either? Wow. “So what are my chances of turning out right? And what kind of man will I be, if I never fit in this world as I am, what do they do with mistakes like me? So maybe I’m different. Maybe I’m strange. What does it matter if that’s just how I came? And who should decide who gets by on this earth. Who gets to measure what somebody’s worth?” Tears. Every time. I have heard her quiet at least three different bars with this song…as people listened in awe.

“Issues” by Jessica Cayne “Raise your glasses if you’re starting to find…You’re more than messed up. Well, go on and get up. Sick of being misused…abused. Go on and get drunk. Put your middle finger up and say, ‘Baby, it’s okay.’ ‘Cause I’ve got issues.” HAHAHAHA! It’s just pure, kick ass, smart alec fun.

“I Won’t Give Up” by Jana Kramer “Don’t tell me love is something you won’t try again. That’s just not true. But Baby, right now maybe what you need’s a friend. Well, I’m here for you. I will be by your side if ever you fall deep in the dead of the night. Whenever you call. And I won’t change my mind. No I’ll see you through. And I won’t give up. No, I won’t give up. I won’t give up on you.” It’s just a sweet, innocent take on how you feel when you’re in love. It doesn’t matter what the other person does and that whole “’til death do us part” thing actually makes sense. Jana gives a very simple and sweet delivery to effectively get the message across. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard her sing it on “One Tree Hill.”

“Probably Just Time” by Jonathan Singleton and The Grove “‘Cause I didn’t count on livin’ this long or being all right with the hurt being gone. It’s probably just time to start movin’ on. It’s probably just time. It’s probably just time.” There is something about Jonathan’s voice that hooks me every time. It’s so soulful and warm. This song is very healing, yet it breaks me at the same time. I adore it.

“Your Memory Finds Me” by Corey Cox “It just goes on and on playing in my head. It just keeps taking me back to the day we met. No matter where it may be, your memory finds me. In the bed of my truck, we said it couldn’t wait. Oh, I’ll never forget the love that we made. No matter where it may be, your memory finds me.” Another song that speaks to the haunting effects of lost love. As humans, we are always going to wonder what could have been.

“What I’m For” by Pat Green (sung by Marc Beeson at the Bluebird Cafe). I adore this tune. When the whole world is trying to tell you what they are against, this tune reminds you to just live what you believe. That does more convincing in the long run anyway. “I’m for dusty pawn shop guitars and boxers past their prime. I’m for soakin up the wisdom when my old man speaks his mind. I’m for Detroit factory workers when the wolf is at the door. You don’t have to guess what I’m against, if you know what I’m for.”

“When She Cries” by Restless Heart (sung by Marc Beeson at the Bluebird Cafe). This song is from a while back, but it never gets old. What a great work of art. Seriously. I was blessed to get to hear Marc sing it this past year. The great tunes never lose their power. “When she cries at night and she doesn’t think that I can hear her. She tries to hide all the fear she feels inside. So I pray that this time I can be the man that she deserves, cause I die a little each time when she cries.”

“The Song Remembers When” by Trisha Yearwood (sung by Hugh Prestwood at the Bluebird Cafe). There might not be a song on the planet written as well as this one. I know that it’s a big statement, but it’s a true one. “After taking every detour. Getting lost and losing track, so that even if I wanted I could not find my way back. After driving out the memory of the way things might have been. After I’ve forgotten all about us, the song remembers when.”

“Some Hearts Truly Break” by Hugh Prestwood. This is a new song Hugh wrote which was (as usual) amazing. The tune started with the tale of a cat who would not allow anyone to come near it because it had been abused and forgotten. He compared that cat to someone who is heartbroken. I was so engrossed in the tune, I forgot to write down the lyrics. It was that amazing.

“Day One” by (sung by Josh Osborne and Ramsey) “Can’t skip the pain. I can’t stop my mind. So I’ll just take one at a time. It might even be a year…maybe four…’til the damage comes undone. But I’ll get over you if I can get through day one.” It’s such an appropriate song for picking yourself back up. You can feel the pain in the words and melody. By the end of the song, you are cheering for the narrator. We’ve all been there.

“Not Your Baby Anymore” by Marcus Hummon. “I think freedom is overrated. You say love is a a chain. It’s true the fields of love are gated, but you can’t always walk away.” Wow. Just wow. The man is a craftsman. There is a reason he is one of my favorite songwriters on the planet. I am always excited to hear the next cool song he creates. Marcus songs never let me down. Thank you Marcus…again.

“Stand” by Rascal Flatts (sung by Danny Orton at the Bluebird) “You feel like a candle in a hurricane. Just like a picture with a broken frame. Alone and helpless like you’ve lost your fight. But you’ll be all right. you’ll be all right. Cause when push comes to shove, you taste what you’re made of. You might bend til you break cause it’s all you can take. On your knees, you look up. this time you’ve had enough. You get made. You get strong. Wipe your hands, shake it off then you stand.” There’s a reason this band is so successful. Along with amazing singing, playing and performing, they also know how to pick a song. The Flatts music has always made my life better. Always.

“Feel” by Danny Orton. Danny provided a new song about fighting bitterness in love. The tune is called “Feel” with “Your heart is cold. Your soul is numb. You don’t like who you’ve become. You’ve played the game and paid the cost way too much…It’s not too late. Just close your eyes and feel.” Absolutely amazing, Danny.

“Heaven” by Chris Roberts “Love is like a mystery. Like the smell of the rain or the sound of the wind.” It’s always a pleasure Chris. Always. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Chris sing a song I don’t enjoy. And, more often than not, I am smiling at the awesomeness of them all.

“Cave Man” by Trevor Rosen about how men haven’t changed much throughout the years. It’s an awesome and hilarious song. Dear, sweet Trevor is another one of those songwriters. I always end up loving anything he writes. You will too. Promise. Just don’t tell him I said so.

“Somewhere With You” by Kenny Chesney (sung by Shane McAnally). Shane has had quite a couple of years as a songwriter. Kenny took this one to the top of the charts and it is wonderfully different. The song can put you in lots of different moods at the same time. Just listen and you’ll see what I mean. “I’d much rather be somewhere with you laughin’ loud on a carnival ride. Drivin’ round Saturday night. You make fun of me singing my song. Got a hotel room just to turn you on. You said, ‘Pick me up.’ At three am, you’re fighting with your Mom again. And I’d go, I’d go, I’d go somewhere with you.”

“Until the Rain Stops” by Steve Holy (sung by Matt Ramsey and co-written with Trevor Rosen and Matt Jenkins). “Nothin’ like a little thunder tellin’ us good mornin’. Don’t you just love that tin roof when it’s stormin’? Makes me wanna lay here and just do whatever. Pull up the covers and hang out under the weather. It’s cat and doggin’ somethin’ crazy. Girl, we outta just keep it lazy.” The best thing to tell you about this song is it puts a smile on my face…every time. It makes me want it to rain on a sunny day. Fun. Fun. Fun. And hot. AAAANNNND Steve’s current radio single. Request it.

“You Aint Doin’ It Right” by Matt Ramsey ”If your heart is tightly guarded, never movin’, bullet proof. You never feel pain. You never taste the rain. Then you aint doin’ it right. You aint livin life. You’re just spinnin’ with the planet, getting older by the minute. Yeah, you might survive, but you aint doin’ it right.” It was on the list last year. That’s right. This one is a repeat. It’s on the list again because it’s just that good. End of story.

“The Girl I Used to Be” by Kimberly June “And I’d like to say I’m making my dreams come true…that I’m doin’ my best. But the truth is, I think I need a change. And I’d love to say I’m the woman I hoped I’d be, but I got a feeling the girl I used to be wouldn’t like me.” What a great way to discuss how we can sometimes lose ourselves with age. It’s worth stopping sometimes and check to see if the younger version of ourselves would be proud or not.

“Don’t Waste It” by Dave Thompson “I don’t know why you run. I don’t know why you hide. I don’t know why you keep your best inside. I don’t know why you think you can’t trust yourself. If you don’t start now, you never will. You might get just one chance at love. Don’t waste it.” So beautifully put to wonderful music. Soak up every moment.

“Painless” by Johnny Gates “I’ve never seen you look so happy. You make it seem so easy. Yeah, to get back up and start where we left off. And even though it hurts like crazy to see you with someone who’s not me. Nothin’ hurts more than seeing you like this…painless.” How true is this?! Although you don’t necessarily wish ill will on anyone, sometimes the most difficult thing to experience is the thought that the person you loved could be completely free of the pain of your absence…especially when you still feel it.

“Rock ‘N Roll Ya” by Nicole Witt with “Love will find ya in a heartbeat minute. All the sudden you’re dancing in it. Movin’ to the rhythm. Groovin’ ’til you get it. Stop overthinkin’. Shut up and listen to the melody that starts overflowin’. Close your eyes. Get lost in slow motion. Better believe it’s just like they told you. Man, love will rock n’ roll ya.” (I teared up the first time I heard this one). It’s on the list again in 2011 because every time I hear it, I’m reminded how great the song truly is. I tear up every, single time Nicole sings it…not just the first time.

“Keep On Fishin’” by Greg Friia with “Goodbye. I reel em all in. I throw em all back. They start out like a keeper and end in a splash. What do ya do when ya got that always find the wrong one condition? Keep on fishin’.”  HAHAHA! I just love the fun in this tune. You will too.

“The Edge” by Pete Sallis with “Every time you hold me, you take away some lonely. Every time you love me, the further away I get from the edge.” This man is a songwriting genius. Wow…twice. There’s nothing else to say.

“How to Fly” by Lauren Lucas “Oh, I know it’s gonna hurt a little longer. But watch me go. The pain is strong, but I’m stronger. ‘Cause I never forgot how to fly. You always liked to see me hurtin’. You didn’t think these wings were workin’. No. You never bet on me. And when you brought the darkest clouds, I started lookin for higher ground. And now I can finally see that I won’t drown from a little rain fallin. No, I’m not down just because I’m crawlin. ‘Cause I never forgot how to fly.” It’s one of those great “pick yourself up” songs. No matter what someone says or does to make you feel bad, you are stronger.

“Steal You Away” by the Randy Rogers Band (sung by The Mulch Brothers) “Girl it drives me crazy. He don’t know what he’s got. I’ve been fighting so hard not to cross the line. I should steal you away. I should steal you away. In the middle of the night, come take your heart. I should steal you away.” The Mulch Brothers can write a tune. This song makes me want to be stolen away by the man singing it. No question.

“Whole Lotta Love to Give” by D. Vincent Williams with “Let’s close all the windows. Let’s lock all the doors. Let’s turn off the world outside. Leave our clothes on the bedroom floor. Let’s drink up the passion with a little hug and a little kiss. If love’s what ya need. Girl, I got a whole lot of love to give.” Holy hot song! Yes, please.

“Walkaway Joe” by Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley (sung by Greg Barnhill). I’ve been in love with the tune for a lot of years and Trisha and Don’s voices blend perfectly. This year I was reminded of the song’s superiority by songwriter Greg Barnhill. “That boy’s just a walkaway Joe. Born to be a leaver. Tell you from the word go. Destined to deceive her, he’s the wrong kind of paradise. She’s gonna know it in a matter of time. That boy’s just a walkaway Joe.”

“You Wreck Me” by Jonathan Singleton “Every little touch, on fire. Flames get higher like nothin’ I’ve ever seen. I’m in trouble. I’m crumblin’ down. I’m rubble at your feet. Baby, I love the way you wreck me.” If I got to choose what do do for an entire day for fun, I’m pretty sure Jonathan Singleton singing would be on the list. Love his voice. Love the song.

“Let It Rain” by David Nail (sung by Jonathan Singleton) “Let it rain. Let it pour. She don’t love me anymore. Let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Every word…let it hurt even more than I deserve. Let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Let it rain.” It was #1 for a reason. The song is part of my favorite album of the year and I adore both David’s and Jonathan’s versions. With Sara Buxton singing harmony on the recorded version, of course it’s amazing.

“You’ll Think of Me” by Keith Urban (sung by Dennis Matkosky) “So take your records. Take your freedom. Take your memories, I don’t need ‘em. Take your space and all your reasons, but you’ll think of me. And take your cat and leave my sweater, ‘cause we have nothing left to weather. In fact, I’ll feel a whole lot better. But you’ll think of me.” Exactly. It was really fun getting to hear the Dennis sing the tune the way he wrote it. And it’s always awesome to hear the story behind the song. It give every tune even more depth.

“Wake Me When We Get There” by Stephen Salyers (sung by Bryce Larsen). “I might fall asleep with the phone, but I’m still wakin’ up all alone. And I know it’s a long shot cause you’re having so much fun runnin’ around. And you think you’re a big shot, but you can’t live this gypsy life forever. You’re stringin’ me along. I don’t care just wake me when we get there. Wake me when we get there.” This one is great for so many reasons. If you haven’t had a chance to hear Stephen sing…go. He let’s the music do the talking.

“Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood (sung by Josh Kear) I have adored this tune since the first time I heard it. It is seriously great. This year I got to hear one of the songwriters sing it. Coming from a man, it’s even more entertaining. “I dug my keys into the side of his pretty, little souped up four-wheel drive. Carved my name into his leather seats. Took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights. Slashed a hole in all four tires. Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.”

“Single White Female” by Chely Wright (sung by Carolyn Dawn Johnson). It’s the song that puts a smile on my face and makes me speed when I’m driving. I think all single women can relate. Am I wrong ladies? Getting to hear Carolyn sing this was an honor. She’s not only a songwriter, but a great artist. “Single, white female. Lookin’ for that special lover. To put it in a nutshell, a one-woman man who doesn’t want no other. Ohhhh…you never can tell. She just might be your dream come true. This single, white female is looking for a man like you.”

“These Old Black and Whites” by Phil Vassar “Under the spotlight or all alone at midnight, I’m right where I belong. It always unwinds me. Yeah, it finds me. It reminds me that life is as simple as a song.” Any time I get a chance to hear/see Phil Vassar perform, I go. He is amazing on the piano and this song describes exactly why I am a piano-based song fan. Love it.

“Lonely Don’t Know When to Leave.” by Leslie Satcher She describes the torture of loneliness with “How does lonely find me? I keep movin’ around. Oh it lives to unwind me just like it’s doin’ now. It keeps actin like we’re best friends and I swear I don’t know why. Lonely aint no friend to me, ’cause lonely don’t know when to leave.” Leslie knows how to put those haunting emotions to song. This one is a keeper.

“That Don’t Just Happen” by Rachel Thibodeau “You can take what you read in a book…take what you see on a TV screen…throw it out the window and look how the sky is blue and the grass is green. And how the stars come out every night. That don’t just happen.” Rachel makes her point eloquently with this one. Superb songwriter and an excellent song.

“Pretty Girls” by Nicolle Galyon. Sometimes I go looking for brand new music from singer/songwriters around Nashville just to remind myself that there are so many. That’s when I go webpage to webpage and wait for a song to grab me. This tune not only grabbed me, it beat me up. That is a good thing in case you were wondering. The emotion and relatable content in the song is awesome. Nicolle does an amazing job singing it. Plus, she is getting ready to make an appearance on this season of “The Voice.” Added bonus: She’s a Kansan! Shout out to my peeps!  “Pretty girls get lost. Pretty girls get scared. They wonder if real love is really out there. I don’t know what you think of me, but we are all only as pretty as we believe. I’m a wreck. I’m a mess in a little black dress in the corner of this room. I’m a heart on a sleeve that you never see. Don’t tell me that you do. I know you put me on like a string of pearls, but I am not just a pretty girl.”

“She Can’t Remember and He can’t Forget” by Michael Peterson. The tune takes you through the lives of two people who fall in love and build a world together. She ends up developing Alzheimer’s. The last part of the song states “She can’t remember havin’ so much fun. She can’t remember when she felt this close to someone she just met. She can’t remember, but he can’t forget.” Wow. That one brought me to my knees.

“Not That Different” by Collin Raye (sung by Joie Scott) “I laugh. I love. I hope. I try. I hurt. I need. I fear. I cry. And I know you do the same things too. So we’re really not that different…me and you.” It has been many years since I fell in love with this tune. This year I got to hear the song from the woman’s (and co-writer’s) point of view. It’s just as amazing. This tune is one of my all-time favorites. Do me a huge favor and listen to it.

“If He Loves Her Like I Did” by Chris Roberts and Johnny Bulford with “If he loves her like I did, he’s gonna miss her like I do. And he’ll spend his whole life holdin’ onto a woman he can’t replace or forget. If he loves her like I did.” These two singing together is magic. This song serves as the wand.

“Makin’ Love” by Keith Anderson “Makin’ love. Makin’ love. Knees and elbows tangled up. Lately I can’t get enough of me and Baby makin’ love.” The song is unbelievably catchy. I have fun every time I hear it. So does anyone else who is listening. Just sayin’…

“Die By My Own Hand” by Chad Warrix “You changed me Baby. Given enough time girl, you might have saved me. Then again you might have just gone crazy tryin’ to love this music man. Don’t worry Honey. I understand why you went running from me. Guess I really should have seen it comin’. I’ll always die by my own hand.” Ever since I heard Halfway to Hazard perform the first note of their first song, I’ve loved Chad Warrix’s voice. He is now a solo artist and songs like this is why I still listen. This song is on Tim McGraw’s new album. Yes, THAT Tim McGraw.

“It Aint the Whiskey” by Greg Barnhill “It ain’t the whiskey. It ain’t the cigarettes. It ain’t the stuff I smoke. It’s all these things I can’t forget. It ain’t the hard life. It ain’t the all nights. It ain’t that easy, cause it ain’t the whiskey that’s killin’ me.” I love how the tune discusses the problem and not the band aide. This man is unbelievable…in all the great musical ways. Wow.

“You Don’t Love Me Anymore” by Tim McGraw (sung by Greg Barnhill). This song made it’s way onto one of my all-time favorite albums (“A Place In the Sun”) over 10 years ago. I fell in love with it then. It was amazing to hear the songwriter sing the tune in 2011 and realize it still brings a smile to my face.

“White Liar” by Miranda Lambert (sung by Natalie Hemby) “You better be careful what you do. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes if they ever found you out. You better be careful what you say. It never really added up anyway. I got friends in this town. Hey, White Liar. The truth comes out a little at a time. And it spreads just like a fire. Slips off of your tongue like turpentine. And I don’t know why, White Liar.” Songs like this are truly made for strong women. If I were a man, I wouldn’t mess with Miranda. It could be bad for your health.

“I Can’t” by Nicole Witt. “I keep myself busy all the time to stop my mind from wandering. Yeah, I wonder if he misses holding me like I miss holding him. I could lie to myself and say I don’t want him back. I know I should let him go, but I can’t. I wish I could call and say, I think we made a big mistake. I’m sorry for everything, but too many nights have gone by. I wish I could take his hands. Tell him I want one more chance. He’s probably moved on by now, but I can’t.” If this song isn’t cut in the next 12 months, I am worried about the state of mind of all people who pick music for albums. Yep. I mean it.

“Mean” by Taylor Swift “You with your switching sides and your wildfire lies and your humiliation. You have pointed out my flaws again as if I don’t already see them. I walk with my head down trying to block you out, cause I’ll never impress you. I just wanna feel okay again. I bet you got pushed around. Somebody made you cold. But the cycle ends right now, ’cause you can’t lead me down that road and you don’t know what you don’t know. Someday I’ll be livin’ in a big ‘ol city and all you’re ever gonna be is mean. Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me and all you’re ever gonna be is mean. Why ya gotta be so mean?” It’s the first Taylor Swift song I’ve ever purchased. Who wouldn’t relate to this song. I really, have a hard time with mean people. What’s the point? Taylor gets her doubters effectively with one, short song. Love it.

“Remind Me” by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. “Do you remember how we used to be? We’d turn out the lights and we didn’t just sleep. Remind me. Baby, remind me. So on fire. So in love. Had a look in your eyes that I miss so much. Remind me. Baby, remind me.” I really didn’t think I’d like a duet with these two voices. I was wrong. Wow. It also has a lot to do with the greatness of the song.

“You Won’t Have To” by Adam Tefteller. “A better life…a better way. Give you a fighting chance when you’re out on your own someday. Do what I can to make it easier on you. Do all the things that I don’t want to so maybe one day you won’t have to.” Adam was one of the first supporters of “Rock On Together” and his music has taken off over the past few years (including a cut by Miley (Hannah Montana) Cyrus). This tune just tells it like it is. It’s a nod to all the good parents out there who are raising their kids right.

“In Style Again” by Lance Miller “I’d like to be in style again someday. ‘Cause no one likes to feel like they’ve been thrown away. I guess nothin’ lasts forever, but it hurts to be replaced by a younger, fresher, pretty face. So if only for a while, I’d like to be in style again someday.” Lance is an amazing singer/songwriter! I can get lost in that guy’s voice. Song after song takes me back to a time long ago where I feel safe. Every tune he sings has depth…no matter if it’s humorous, serious or romantic. Go hear him sing. You won’t be sorry. ADDED BONUS…he is one of the nicest people in Nashville. I’m putting this song on the “Best Of” list again because it rocks. End of story.

“Tomorrow” by Chris Young “But tonight I’m gonna give in one last time. Rock you strong in these arms of mine. Forget all the regrets that are bound to follow. We’re like fire and gasoline. I’m no good for you. You’re no good for me. We only bring each other tears and sorrow. But tonight, I’m gonna love you like there’s no tomorrow.” I played this song maybe 50 times in a row after the first time I heard it. It is that good and I love it that much.

“Second Hand Heart” by Danny Gokey “I got a second hand heart. Yeah, it’s a little banged up. But it’s still beating strong enough to give a lot of good love. So if you don’t mind that it’s not brand new. I’ll take this second hand heart and give it to you.” The song, the production and the singing is priceless. This is another tune I played over and over and over again.

“If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. Although I didn’t attach to it immediately, this song is special. Artists from all genres of music are raving about the tune. It is simple and sweet with an incredible vocal blend from the siblings. “If I die young, bury me in satin. Lay me down on a bed of roses. Sink me in the river at dawn. Send me away with the words of a love song.”

“God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton (sung by Dave Barnes). Mr. Shelton has been doing an incredible job over the course of the last few albums in picking tunes that are incredible. This time, he chose one written by the pop singing extraordinaire, Dave Barnes. I rarely like remakes of Dave’s songs, but Blake does an excellent job with this one. “I’ve been a walking heartache. I’ve made a mess of me. The person that I’ve been lately, aint who I want to be. But you stay here right beside me and watch as the storm blows through. And I need you. ‘Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs. God gave me you for the days of doubt. For when I think I’ve lost my way, there are no words here left to say, it’s true. God gave me you.”

“The Good Stuff” by Kenny Chesney (sung by Jim Collins) “‘Cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey was the shot of her holding our baby girl. The way she adored that string of pearls I gave her the day that our youngest boy Earl married his High School love. It’s the new t-shirt saying I’m a grandpa. Being right there as our time got small. And holding her hand when the good Lord called her up. Yeah, man. That’s the good stuff.” It’s another tune that takes me back to exactly where I was when I heard it the first time. This one was also the 2002 Country Music Single of the Year according to Billboard and spent seven weeks at the top of the charts. Jim is one of those writers. It is rare if his songs don’t matter in my life.

“You Don’t Know Jack” by Luke Bryan (sung by Erin Enderlin) It’s been about two or three years since I first heard this tune sung beautifully by Erin in a Nashville bar. EVERY time she sings it, bars become silent in awe. It is that powerful. You can now buy Luke’s version. “But you don’t know Jack…double shot…80 proof…on the rocks, until you’ve lost it all. And you can’t go back to your life and your kids and your ex-wife with just a telephone call. If you think it’s just a bottle in an old, brown paper sack, you don’t know Jack.”

“Over You” by Miranda Lambert – Miranda and husband Blake Shelton wrote this about the loss of his brother. It is heart-wrenching and nobody but Miranda can perform the vocals quite as raw and touching. It is exceptional. “But you went away. How dare you. I miss you. They say I’ll be okay, but I’m not going to ever get over you.”

“Heart of a Hero” by Steve Holy (written by Pat Bunch, Kelly Roland & Nicole Witt). I’ve told you about this song often. It’s one that just moves a person. You just have to hear it and the tune explains itself. “It’s a fallen soldier with a purple heart…a teacher grading papers after dark…a preacher prayin’ over a man’s last day…a shoulder to a runaway. Giving money to a perfect stranger…counselor workin’ past the anger…firefighters walkin’ into the danger the day the Towers fell. In the heart of a hero, lies a courage you can’t see, oh no, how far it goes until they’re jumpin’ in. And that yearning to do what’s right goes deeper than the fear inside. If you ask them, they’d do it all again. That’s the heart of a hero.”

“Heart of the World” by Lady Antebellum. This group gets it right with every album they release. They are talented on all fronts. The first time I heard this song, I was hooked. It contains everything that makes Lady A great. “Hope is the soul of the dreamer and Heaven is the home of my God. It only takes one true believer to believe you can still beat the odds. We’re meant to be, Baby, hold onto me. You’ll never not be my girl. (I’ll never not be your girl.) ‘Cause love is the heart…love is the heart…love is the heart of the world.”

“Cold As Stone” by Lady Antebellum. Another winner. All I can say is it hurts so good. “I wish I was cold as stone, then I wouldn’t feel a thing. Wish I didn’t have this heart, then I wouldn’t know the sting of the rain. I could stand strong and still watching you walk away. I wouldn’t hurt like this or feel so all alone. I wish I was cold as stone.”

“She’s a Girl Ain’t She” by Rodney Atkins (written by Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher). This song just makes me happy. It’s one of those feel good tunes, written by some of my favorite guys. “Is she on your mind every other thought? Is there nothing you wouldn’t do for her just because? Does she hold your heart in her hands? Did she walk into your life and change your plans? Did she want a ring? Did you tell her no? Is it on her finger now…yeah, I thought so. Does she always get whatever she thinks she needs? She’s a girl ain’t she?”

“Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. I’ll be honest. I didn’t think I was going to like this kid at first. I was wrong. He’s got a Rascal Flatts style to his voice and this song is what every woman wants to hear. I cannot get it out of my head…because it’s catchy and meaningful. “Anyone can tell you you’re pretty. And you get that all the time. I know you do. But your beauty’s deeper than the makeup and I wanna show you what I see tonight when I wrap you up. When I kiss your lips. I wanna make you feel wanted. And I wanna call you mine…wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. ‘Cause Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted.”

“The Sound of a Million Dreams” by David Nail. This might possibly be my favorite song of 2011. It is incredible on all fronts. I miss the piano. This song is what music is supposed to be. Did I mention the album might also be one of the greatest of the year? Just wanted to reiterate.  “My eighteenth summer, I was a cocky up-and-comer cranking up “Born to Run.” Turned left out the drive with the pistons open wide and I came back a Prodigal son. My spirit was broken. She threw the door open…”I love you.” not “I told you so.” When I hear “Mama Tried,” I still break down and cry and pull to the side of the road. And I labor for hours ’cause I know the power of a song when a song hits you right. Pour my soul into stories of life hopin’ someone’ll hear one tonight. Maybe my voice will cut through the noise and stir up an old memory. Out of these piano keys comes the sound…the sound of a million dreams.”

“In God’s Time” by Randy Houser. “And in God’s time, you’ll find that certain someone you’ve been praying for. And they’ll be everything you dreamed of and a little more. In God’s time. Oh, but no one knows, not you or me. It might be tomorrow or it might never be. Oh, but don’t lose faith. Put it in His hands. ‘Cause it might be that He might have a bigger plan than you had in mind. Miracles happen in God’s time.” When Randy sings a song, he always takes you to church. It is especially true with this one. Give your soul a refresh.

“Songs for Sale” by David Nail (Featuring Lee Ann Womack) “Some are called to preach the gospel…string fence in Colorado. Some are born to raise a family. Swing a hammer and a nail. Haul bricks or carry mail. Go to college…Duke or Yale…but me, I got songs for sale.” Love. This. Song. Lee Ann Womack singing back up just gives it even more depth. Wow.

“Half Mile Hill” by David Nail Another perfect tune off of my favorite album of the year. We all have a place in our past that brings back so many memories. Half Mile Hill can be anywhere in the world. It is important due to what it means to the people who live nearby. My half mile hill was named “S-Hill.” How about you? “You can see the ball fields. Watch the cars go round the court house. See the sun go down. Where the street lamps glow on those checkerboard rows. Wishing I could fly like a cut string kite. Tappin on the floor of Heaven. Is anybody listenin’? Half mile hill.”

“Run” By Sugarland (Featuring Matt Nathanson) “I wanna watch you undress. I wanna watch you glow. Let your hair down and cover us both. You come in waves. We crash and we roll. You surround me. Throw me. Drown me. Then swallow me whole. You’re turn, turn, turn, turnin’ me on. Liek a slow, fire burn. I know that it’s wrong. Still I run, run, run, run right into you. Yeah I run, run, run, run right into you.” H-O-T. It is amazing with Matt singing along. Did I mention this song is super hot? ‘Cause it is.

“Don’t Mind” by Jared Blake “And I don’t mind gettin’ rowdy. I don’t mind gettin loud. I don’t mind gettin’ crazy. I don’t mind gettin’ down. Oh I don’t mind gettin’ dirty. I don’t mind raisin’ Hell. Oh I don’t mind. Don’t mind very well.” It’s just rowdy, fun and down home. I like it. I like it a lot.

“I’m Gonna Love You Through It” by Martina McBride “She dropped the phone and burst into tears. The doctor just confirmed her fears. Her husband held it in and held her tight. Cancer don’t discriminate or care if you’re just 38 with three kids who need you in their lives. He said I know that you’re afraid and I am too. But you’ll never be alone. I promise you. When you’re weak, I’ll be strong. When you let go, I’ll hold on. And when you need to cry, I swear that I’ll be there to dry your eyes. When you feel lost and scared to death, like you can’t take one more step. Just take my hand, together we can do it. I’m gonna love you through it.” There are not appropriate words for the power of this song. Thank you for singing it Martina. I know it matters.

“Cost of Livin’” By Ronnie Dunn. Brooks & Dunn might be retired, but Ronnie Dunn keeps on goin’. I’m thankful he’s still releasing new music because of songs like this. Ronnie just has the ability to tell a story through his vocal delivery. He makes you feel the emotion in every word. “I’ve got a strong back, steel toes, I rarely call in sick. A good truck and what I don’t know, I catch on real quick. I work weekends if I have to, nights and holidays. Could be 40 and then some…whatever it takes. Three dollars and change at the pump. The cost of livin’s high and goin’ up.”

Love the Leavin’ Out of You” by the Mulch Brothers “Gonna love the leavin’ out of you babe. Gonna say the words that make you wanna stay! I can’t let ya. I can’t let ya slip away. Even though they say I’m wastin’ my time. I’m just another in a long line. I don’t care. I’ll hold on. I’ll wait here if I have to love the leavin’ out of you.” This is a song I heard a little over a year ago…one time. It stuck. Great, great song. Can’t wait for it to hit the radio.

“Drive” by Derrick Spaulding “It’s a burning stretch of blacktop…faded broken asphalt…just a number on a sign, but it feels and it heals. Somehow it comes alive and reminds you to forget about everything and just drive.” I love fun driving songs. This is one of them. It would be perfect for a road trip. Who’s coming with me?!

“The Whole Damn Thing” by Chuck Wicks “She’s a cold beer and football. A red dress that just falls. Oh she’s…oh she’s…a bitter rain and a lot of fire. A good laugh and a bad liar. Oh she’s…oh she’s the whole damn thing. She’s the whole damn thing.” Wow. Twice.

“Pick-Up Truck” by Keith Anderson “All the girls go crazy for four-wheel drive. Wanna know my name. Wanna go for a ride. Open up the door and they climb on up. Who needs a pick-up line, when you’ve got a pick-up truck.” Amen.

“Hitch Your Wagon to That” by Chad Warrix “She’s got a heart of gold and she looks good too. Everybody tells me whatever you do…Hang onto that one. Looks like you’ve got one. She’s going places. She’s a keeper. She’ll take you there and back. You better hitch your wagon to that.” This is my favorite new Chad song. It’s rock and country all packaged into one, sweet deal.

“Who Needs Whiskey” by Brother Trouble Although the guys are usually known for their fast, fun tunes, this one is different and I absolutely love it. “You do down like a drug in my veins leaving me tongue-tied and twisted. Til I’m stumblin and drunk and I’m feeling no pain. With a woman like you, who needs whiskey.”

R&B/SOUL
“Gorgeous” by Jamie Foxx. I don’t love this song for the lyrics as much as the spotlight being placed on that wonderful instrument that is Jamie’s voice. I love it most when he gets to use it to the full extent of it’s capabilities. Plus, this romantic tune gets stuck in your head for days.

“Bullet” by Josh Hoge. ”She’s killin’ me…like a bullet straight to the heart. An automatic trigger with her high heels on. If you pull it, be ready to run. There’s something so sexy ’bout a girl gone wrong. Take you higher and you can’t resist her. She’s like a bullet and she knows it.” I’m not sure I’ve ever disliked one of Josh’s songs. This one is no exception. Add Josh’s voice to the rockin music and it just works.

“Get Up and Try” by Busbee. “Where there is desire, there is gonna be a flame. Where there is a fire, someone’s bound to get burned. But just because it burns, doesn’t mean you’re gonna die. Gotta get up and try. Try. Try.” And (of course) the Nashville crowd sang along in perfect harmony. It was such an inspirational moment. That is what great songs create…moments you don’t forget.

“Forget You Town” by Gene Cook “You still hold me. There’s no way around it. If there’s a safe distance from you Baby, I still aint found it…I wanna find that place where I can live your memory down. I wanna find forget you town.” Have you heard Gene sing? If you haven’t, you’re missing out. Wow. He makes me want to find forget you town.

“Breaking Me” by Jonny Lang. “I don’t want to be in love, but you’re making me. Let me up, I’ve had enough. Girl, you’re breaking me. Now, here I am. Half a man sanding alone feeling like I lost my only chance at happiness when I let you go. I don’t want to be alone thinking about you girl. But I’ve got nothing left to hold in my lonely world. The first time my heart was ever touched was the day I lost your love.” There are no words to describe the absolute overall amazement I have when it comes to Jonny Lang. Getting to experience his voice and musical talent in the Ryman just enhanced an already inexplicable feeling. Buy his music. Listen to his live show. Do anything that will get you within hearing distance of the man. It is life-altering music. Trust me on this one.

“Our Generation (The Hope of the World)” by John Legend and The Roots. “hope of the world is in our generation. It’s all left up to us to change this present situation. Take lessons from our elders. Don’t make the same mistakes. Let’s show the world we love. Get rid of all the hate.” The song says it all. John Legend and The Roots rarely get it wrong.

“Sugarcane” by Chris Nathan. That’s right. It’s on the list again. I adore this song. I constantly go back to this tune for fun, because it’s amazing. Check it out…”Well, I would dig a hole to Hell and fight the flames. If the devil shackled me, I’d break his chains to taste your sugarcane. It’s sweeter than a summer rain. Cuts through you like a windy day. And nothin’ is sweeter than your sugarcane.”

RAP/HIP HOP
“I Need a Doctor” by Dr. Dre (Featuring Eminem & Skylar Grey) “It was you who believed in me, when everyone was telling you don’t sign me. Everyone on the f@%kin’ label. Let’s tell the truth. You risked your career for me. I know it as well as you. Nobody wanted to f@%k with a white boy tramp cryin’ in his food. You saved my life now maybe it’s my turn to save yours, but I could never repay you. What you did for me is way more. But I ain’t givin’ up Faith and you ain’t givin’ up on me. Get up Dre!” These two together are amazing. The tune is a love note of sorts. They have been in each other’s corner as friends for years. This song lets you know they will be friends forever…in that spectacular Dr. Dre/Eminem way. I love the loyalty between the two and the talent…well, it’s unmatchable.

“Go” by Nelly, Talib Kweli and Ali. “Life can beat you down. What goes, it comes around. It’s not how you hit the ground. It’s how fast you get back up. And go. Keep goin’. Sometimes I feel like I’m giving my life away. It gets hard…and harder, but happiness is worth the wait. ‘Cause all i want is a better day. ‘Cause all I want is a better way.” This song reminds me of old-school Nelly. It is 100% his style. I feel like Nelly is back. That makes me very, very happy.

CHRISTIAN
“Beautiful” by Francesca Battistelli with “Don’t know how it is you looked at me and saw the person that I could be. Awaking my heart. Breaking through the dark. Suddenly your Grace. Like sunlight burning at midnight making my life something so beautiful. Beautiful. Mercy reaching to take me. All that I need…You. So beautiful. Beautiful.” It is such a graceful and faithful tune. Francesca is the perfect woman to sing it as well. Sometimes a song can take you to church.

That just about does it. I’m probably accidentally leaving some songs off of the list and will kick myself when I remember. This year’s list was a little shorter (yes, shorter) than previous years since I took a hiatus from live shows mid-year. However, it is just as full of tremendous tunes. The list is heavy on country and pop/rock. The country list was as long as it was this year because the music has been so outstanding. I am proud to be in the city where country music is born. And I cannot wait for you to hear many, many more great tunes coming to a radio near you…if I have anything to do with it.

I hope 2011 is treating you well! Now get out there and be changed for the better.

“Things do not change; we change.” – Henry David Thoreau

Until Next Time…

No Reins!

K

Well, HEEEELLLLLO! How are y’all? Told ya I’d be back every once in a while didn’t I? I figured the perfect way to end the year, is the same way I started it…writing about music and life.

2011 has been one heck of a year that can’t really be classified as good or bad. I can only say I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible in such a short amount of time. Sometimes learning is difficult. However, once the lessons are discovered, things get interesting. Does life sometimes feel like one, long scavenger hunt? Right when we think we’ve found what we need, we realize it’s just another clue to the next part of the journey. That is why we must learn to enjoy the process. It’s all about the search. For what do you search?

SEARCH FOR GREAT MUSIC FROM YOUR PAST…Rap and Hip Hop. I love it. Always have. Always will. This past year and a half, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake brought it back to me in fine fashion. In three separate appearances on Jimmy’s show, Justin, Jimmy and The Roots explained the awesomeness of great beats and cool grooves. You can check out “The History of Rap – Part I,” “The History of Rap – Part II” and “The History of Rap – Part III.” It is worth your time. Those two men (as well as the Roots”) are spectacularly talented and severely underrated.

DISCOVER GREAT NEW SONGS TO PURCHASE…I know I do. Since my writing hiatus started in August, I have been immersed in a wide variety of music for enjoyment only. This has been extremely helpful in reminding me why I love music so much. Added bonus…Some of the tunes I’ve been telling you about for the past few years are making it onto albums. YEA! Allow me to give you a rundown.

1. “You Don’t Know Jack” by Luke Bryan (written by Erin Enderlin and Shane McAnally). It’s been about two or three years since I first heard this tune sung beautifully by Erin in a Nashville bar. EVERY time she sings it, bars become silent in awe. It is that powerful. You can now buy Luke’s version. “But you don’t know Jack…double shot…80 proof…on the rocks, until you’ve lost it all. And you can’t go back to your life and your kids and your ex-wife with just a telephone call. If you think it’s just a bottle in an old, brown paper sack, you don’t know Jack.”

2. “You and Tequila” by Kenny Chesney (Featuring Grace Potter). It’s just awesome. What a perfect choice Kenny made in a duet partner. Their voices blend perfectly. Love it. “You and tequila make me crazy. Run like poison in my blood. One more night could kill me baby. One is one too many. One more is never enough.”

3. “Let It Rain” by David Nail (written by David Nail and Jonathan Singleton). I’ve been in love with Jonathan Singleton’s voice for a few years now. However, one night in a writer’s round, I discovered he is also one heck of a songwriter. He’s already written multiple hits for many artists. This song is no exception. The tune is a great explanation of cheater’s remorse. It also helps that Kansas native Sarah Buxton is featured on the tune. If you are looking for one of the best albums of the year, buy David Nail’s. It’s that good. “So let it rain. Let it pour. She don’t love me anymore. So let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Every word…let it hurt even more than I deserve. Let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Let it rain.”

4. “Over You” by Miranda Lambert – Miranda and husband Blake Shelton wrote this about the loss of his brother. It is heart-wrenching and nobody but Miranda can perform the vocals quite as raw and touching. It is exceptional. “But you went away. How dare you. I miss you. They say I’ll be okay, but I’m not going to ever get over you.”

5. “Maybe It’s Over” by Jon McLaughlin and Xenia (from “The Voice”). Little Xenia has an exceptional and unique voice. Combined with Dear, Sweet Jon McLaughlin, it’s pure ear candy. Check it out. “Singing…Maybe it’s over, but I don’t feel it. If we want it forever, Baby, we’ve got to steal it. I hope the last straw is my back against the wall. Singing…Maybe it’s over, but I don’t feel it at all.”

6. “What You Want” by Evanescence. I adore this band. It’s hard-driving music with a vulnerability found in the vocals. Every song has a haunting effect that stays with you. “Hello. Hello. Remember me? I’m everything you can’t control. Somewhere beyond the pain there must be a way to believe we can break through.”

7. “Heart of a Hero” by Steve Holy (written by Pat Bunch, Kelly Roland & Nicole Witt). I’ve told you about this song often. It’s one that just moves. You just have to hear it and the tune explains itself. “It’s a fallen soldier with a purple heart…a teacher grading papers after dark…a preacher prayin’ over a man’s last day…a shoulder to a runaway. Giving money to a perfect stranger…counselor workin’ past the anger…firefighters walkin’ into the danger the day the Towers fell. In the heart of a hero, lies a courage you can’t see, oh no, how far it goes until they’re jumpin’ in. And that yearning to do what’s right goes deeper than the fear inside. If you ask them, they’d do it all again. That’s the heart of a hero.”

8. “Until the Rain Stops” by Steve Holy (written by Matt Jenkins, Matt Ramsey & Trevor Rosen). Steve knows how to pick songs. This is his current radio single. It’s an excellent and fun tune that you just can’t get out of your head. Everybody sing it with me! “I don’t really care if the sun don’t shine. It’s a little more time for us to hide from the outside world. You and me girl, we got all we need tangled up in sheets. So why not stay in the same spot until the rain stops?”

9. “Heart of the World” by Lady Antebellum. This group gets it right with every album they release. They are talented on all fronts. The first time I heard this song, I was hooked. It contains everything that makes Lady A great. “Hope is the soul of the dreamer and Heaven is the home of my God. It only takes one true believer to believe you can still beat the odds. We’re meant to be, Baby, hold onto me. You’ll never not be my girl. (I’ll never not be your girl.) ‘Cause love is the heart…love is the heart…love is the heart of the world.”

10. “Cold As Stone” by Lady Antebellum. Another winner. All I can say is it hurts so good. “I wish I was cold as stone, then I wouldn’t feel a thing. Wish I didn’t have this heart, then I wouldn’t know the sting of the rain. I could stand strong and still watching you walk away. I wouldn’t hurt like this or feel so all alone. I wish I was cold as stone.”

11. “Whatcha Gonna Do” by Martina McBride (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Jason Sever and Rachel Thibodeau). Jason has been writing future hits for the past few years. This is one that landed on one of the world’s best singers’ album. “‘Cause I can’t keep waitin’ ’round this house expecting you to change and lead me on and let me down every time you say you’re sorry…you miss me. You want me. You need me…whatever. I’m done listening to all your talk, talk, talk. Show me something true or Baby, I’m walking out the door and out your life and out on you. So whatcha gonna do?”

12. “Marry Me” by Martina McBride and Pat Monahan. This song was perfection the first time it was recorded by Train. It was meant to make it to the masses. When you throw in Martina’s voice too…well who knew perfection could be more perfect? “Marry me. Today and every day. Marry me. If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this cafe, say you will. Say you will. Marry me.”

13. “She’s a Girl Ain’t She” by Rodney Atkins (written by Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher). This song just makes me happy. It’s one of those feel good tunes, written by some of my favorite guys. “Is she on your mind every other thought? Is there nothing you wouldn’t do for her just because? Does she hold your heart in her hands? Did she walk into your life and change your plans? Did she want a ring? Did you tell her no? Is it on her finger now…yeah, I thought so. Does she always get whatever she thinks she needs? She’s a girl ain’t she?”

14. “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. I’ll be honest. I didn’t think I was going to like this kid at first. I was wrong. He’s got a Rascal Flatts style to his voice and this song is what every woman wants to hear. I cannot get it out of my head…because it’s catchy and meaningful. “Anyone can tell you you’re pretty. And you get that all the time. I know you do. But your beauty’s deeper than the makeup and I wanna show you what I see tonight when I wrap you up. When I kiss your lips. I wanna make you feel wanted. And I wanna call you mine…wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. ‘Cause Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted.”

15. “One More Dance” by Boyz II Men. The sound of these voices never gets old. I’ve loved them for more than 20 years. This tune takes advantage of all things that make Boyz II Men great. It’s understated sweetness that cashes in on perfect vocals. “Save one more dance for me. One last second chance for me ’cause I don’t want nobody cuttin’ in. I swear I’ll never break your heart again. Please don’t let the music end. Would you just save me one more dance?”

16. “The Sound of a Million Dreams” by David Nail. This might possibly be my favorite song of 2011. It is incredible on all fronts. I miss the piano. This song is what music is supposed to be. Did I mention the album might also be one of the greatest of the year? Just wanted to reiterate. “My eighteenth summer, I was a cocky up-and-comer cranking up “Born to Run.” Turned left out the drive with the pistons open wide and I came back a Prodigal son. My spirit was broken. She threw the door open…”I love you.” not “I told you so.” When I hear “Mama Tried,” I still break down and cry and pull to the side of the road. And I labor for hours ’cause I know the power of a song when a song hits you right. Pour my soul into stories of life hopin’ someone’ll hear one tonight. Maybe my voice will cut through the noise and stir up an old memory. Out of these piano keys comes the sound…the sound of a million dreams.”

17. “Lightweight” by Demi Lovato (written by Shanna Crooks, Jim Beanz, Garland Mosley and Frankie Storm). Shanna is a tremendous songwriter. Because she’s such a talented singer, sometimes that fact is overlooked. It’s impossible to overlook it with this Demi Lovato cut. “I’m a lightweight. Better be careful what you say. With every word, I’m blown away. You’re in control of my heart. I’m a lightweight. Easy to fall, easy to break. With every move my whole world shakes. Keep me from falling apart.”

SEARCH FOR THE GOOD MEMORIES WHEN FRIENDS ARE LOST TOO SOON…and I’m gonna miss Ryan Jones. Any time someone passes away, it is often said they were great people. Ryan really was. He was one of the best human beings I have ever known. To lose someone at such a young age just isn’t right. Wrapping your mind around it is difficult. I hate goodbyes, but I know there is an awesome angel in Heaven right now.

Almost four years ago, an adorable fiddle player was the first artist to “Rock On Together” with me and get this whole thing started. I will never forget it. Ryan was truly an original and I will miss him…as will many others.

Ryan, I know you are up there watching Star Wars and smiling down on us. My life is better because you were in it.

DISCOVER FAMILY MEMBERS ACCIDENTALLY IN A FOOTBALL STADIUM…this happened. There are 55,000 people at “The Bill” each weekend in the fall. And we just happen to sit right behind my little cousin. What are the odds?! I know. I know. One in 55,000. Great to see ya Kelby! Glad you picked the correct school to attend.

SEARCH FOR GREAT LIVE MUSIC…for as Beethoven said, “Music is the mediator between the spiritual and sensual life.”

That Beethoven was a smart guy! For the past four months, I spent time reigniting my passion for music. The work was getting in the way of the love and I refused to let that happen. All that took was a few trips to hear my favorite singer/songwriters play. The power of music is an incredible thing. Don’t ever forget that. It provides the cure for things that ail your heart, soul, mind and body. What else can do all of that?

So instead of working while at these shows, I stopped to remember why I started telling you about the music in the first place. Mission accomplished. Thanks to these amazing singers/songwriters/friends/artists/people for bringing back the love…Keith Anderson, Locash Cowboys, Old Dominion, Phil Vassar, Lance Miller, Rob Hatch, Tyler Hilton, Will Hoge, Matt Ridenour, Phil Barton, Chris Nathan, Nicole Witt, Pete Sallis, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Jason Sellers, Jeffrey Steele, Andrew Pates, Jessica Cayne, Crystal Hoyt, Matt Stillwell, Shanna Crooks and a few others I’m sure I accidentally forgot to list. Do me a favor and show them some love. Go listen to their music…or better yet, buy it. It’s a step toward bettering your life. Trust me on this one.

There was also a new singer I discovered who blew me away. Dear, Jonathan Kingham…WOW! I heard Jonathan on accident at the Bluebird Cafe and was so glad I did. This guy was incredible. First of all, the voice is killer. Secondly, the writing is meaningful. Finally, this guy free-style rapped to Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” for five straight minutes about everyone sitting around him at The Bluebird. Do you know how incredibly difficult that is?! Let’s just say he got a standing ovation…at The Bluebird. He earned my respect immediately. Jonathan earned my adoration with his song “Grace.” It went a little something like this…”I have wrestled with my demons and I walk where angels trod. But still my best intentions fail me and I give into my frailty…wind up on my face. In spite of my misgivings, all you ever give is grace.”

You didn’t think I was TOTALLY gonna stay away from live music for four months did you?!

DISCOVER LESSONS IN THE MUSIC…which Kelly Clarkson always provides. Her new album is tremendous and no different than her previous albums in the way that every song carries meaning. Some are fun. Some are deep. Some are sweet. Some are sassy. I own every tune she’s ever recorded and I’ve never been disappointed. Here are the lessons off of her current album “Stronger”:

Lesson #1 – Brett James is THE MAN. That is a scientific fact. “Mr. Know It All”

Lesson #2 – What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. I think I’ve heard that one before somewhere. “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)”

Lesson #3 – Accept people for who they are. We all have our weaknesses. “Dark Side”

Lesson #4 – Honesty is the best policy. “Honestly”

Lesson #5 – Pay attention to what people do, not what they say. “You Love Me”

Lesson #6 – Simple Math: Our love/the square root of pride * your lies + time = Going Out of my Mind OR Dumb + Dumb = You “Einstein”

Lesson #7 – Don’t miss the forest for the trees. “Standing in Front of You”

Lesson #8 – Mistakes happen. Learn to forgive…yourself as well as others. “I Forgive You”

Lesson #9 – Actually listening to someone is the greatest gift you can give them. “Hello”

Lesson #10 – Don’t fight with men or women who cheat and play dirty. The deck is stacked in their favor. “The War Is Over”

Lesson #11 – Keep your expectations low when dealing with over promisers and under deliverers. “Let Me Down”

Lesson #12 – Don’t try to win with everyone. Only do so with those who matter. “You Can’t Win”

Lesson #13 – We stand in the way of our own happiness more often than someone else does. “Breaking Your Own Heart”

Lesson #14 – It is possible to be alone WITH someone. Choose wisely. “Alone”

Lesson #15 – Role reversal is not attractive..at all. “Don’t Be a Girl”

Lesson #16 – No matter how bad it gets, there is always tomorrow. “The Sun Will Rise”

Lesson #17 – All it takes is a little effort guys. We promise. “Why Don’t You Try”

SEARCH FOR FUN…because it’s everywhere. Luckily, I am surrounded by people who know how to laugh. Without laughter, the sucky times would suck more and the great times wouldn’t be quite as great. Remember that next time you take things too seriously will ya? It was awesome to get to spend time with some old friends this year…

Hi Megan and Craig (Mike not pictured since he was nice enough to take the picture)!

As well as some adorable new friends (Seriously, they are so cute!)…

Plus, I got a puppy. Even when she drives me crazy, little Lyric is fun. Look at that face!

DISCOVER 2012 LIFE TIPS…I found a list in my e-mail files. This list of “40 Tips to Make Your Life Better” was sent to me a couple of years ago. I still reference it often. Although I won’t share all 40 with you, there are some great ones to try. They have made life better for me.

1. Live with the three E’s…Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

2. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2011.

3.  Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

4. Dream more while you are awake.

5. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

6. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

7. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of that curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

8. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

10. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

11. You don’t have to win every arguement. Agree to disagree.

12. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

15. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”

16. What other people think of you is none of your business.

17. God heals everything.

18. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

19. Your job won’t take care of you when you’re sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

20. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

21. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

22. Do the right thing.

23. Call your family often.

24. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: I am thankful for _____. Today I accomplished ______.

SEARCH FOR GREAT MOVIES…like possibly my all-time favorite romantic comedy “Friends with Benefits.” This one just hit home on a lot of levels. Things have changed a lot when it comes to dating in the past 20 years or so. This movie touches on a lot of those changes in some VERY entertaining ways. I even got a great quote out of it in the form of wonderful advice for all single women: “Your Prince Charming isn’t coming for you in a horse and carriage. That’s not who you want. You’re looking for a man to be your partner…take on the world with. You gotta update your fairy tale.”

DISCOVER WHAT MAKES THE GREAT ONES GREAT…like Garth Brooks and his philosophies. One reason fans love Garth is because he loves them. Are there free front-row seats to Garth Brooks concerts? Nope. Why is that?

“Our promoters don’t have any front-row seats to give out. We’ve never done an endorsement because of one phrase in every contract: ‘We need 20 of your best tickets every night.’ When you’ve got 20 people who would be somewhere else if they didn’t have free tickets, that sucks. We want everyone to be there because they want to be there. We’ve turned down $10 million, $15 million and $20 million endorsements because of that clause. We will not do it.”

The reason fans attach to Garth Brooks music? He searches for the best song for each album…no matter who wrote it. Garth doesn’t have to be the one holding the pen. The best material always wins. It would be amazing if more artists had this philosophy…and (I’m willing to bet) more profitable. Don’t get me wrong, Garth had a hand in writing a few of his biggest hits. However, he had nothing to do with the writing of a few other smashes. I love that he loves the song…period.

SEARCH FOR CHALLENGES…otherwise life can get boring. The more difficult the task, the larger the reward. Remember that when you are struggling to achieve something huge. You never remember the easy stuff, but you never forget the difficult tasks. Ignore the t-shirt. Chase those waterfalls!

DISCOVER THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL LIVING…2011 brought happiness, sadness, disillusionment, optimism, skepticism, hope, anger, laughter and every other emotion you can possibly mention. It was a year full of learning and I appreciated every second of it…even the tough stuff. Today I was reminded by a song my friend wrote to leave 2011 right where it is and only bring one thing with me…the lessons. I hope you do the same, because 2012 is gonna rock. Thanks for the reminder Shanna!

“Regret is just a waste of an emotion, a raindrop in the ocean. Meaningless like all the stupid reasons we won’t stop and leave it. We’ve got a way of playin’ games always denying things. Truth just catches up. Ready to call your bluff. It’s like trying to fix a broken dream or save a heart that doesn’t beat. Only one left hangin’ on. Let it fall. Let it fall. When no one’s there to pick you up and you think you’ve had enough. When things are out of your control. Let it all…let it all go.” – “Go” by Shanna Crooks, Richard Marx and Espionage

Oprah also said it eloquently…”Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”

Until Next Time (I’ve missed you guys!)…

No Reins!

K

P.S. HUGE congrats to one of my favorite people, Nicole Witt. This incredible songwriter took home the 2011 International Bluegrass Music Association “Song of the Year” award for the tune “Trains I Missed” by Balsam Range. So proud of this incredibly talented friend…even if she is a Missouri fan (just kidding Nicole!)

“Can we buy the Cap’n Crunch Mom?” questioned the child.

“Not today,” replied his mother.

“But, WHY?!” he whined.

“Because I said so,” the mother responded emphatically (and psychologists all over the world weep in agony).

Remember when that answer was enough? Yeah. Me neither.

Even as a child, I needed to know the why…the motivation…behind what people said and did. It made a response or action understandable, even when I didn’t agree with the reason. That hasn’t changed much. Therefore, there will be “whys” in this month’s review. It only seemed fair.

**As a warning…I will get feisty in this one. There will be no apologies for it. I felt as though you should know up front. Kind of like those flashing “Caution” signs on the road.**

Ready or not. Here it comes…

WHY SHOUD YOU NEVER MESS WITH A GREAT LAWYER?

Because they can put you in jail and keep the bad guys out of jail more quickly than the law can. Just kidding…sort of.

I recently watched “The Lincoln Lawyer” starring Matthew McConaughey and loved it. Any movie that uses the law to chase the bad guys has me hooked immediately. And this one did a number on the movie watcher’s mind. Ryan Phillippe is captivating and a severely underrated actor. Even though the story seems like it might be predictable, there are some curve balls thrown throughout. The movie is worth a watch.

And if you REALLY like twisted legal cinema that pits good vs. evil, watch “Fracture.” The duo of Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins is intriguing. These two fall within the upper tier of the Hollywood acting elite and the movie is so wrong, it’s right.

BECAUSE JOHNNIE COCHRAN AND THE BOBBY FULLER 4 SAID SO:

“A breakin’ rocks in the hot sun. I fought the law and the law won. I fought the law and the law won. I needed money, ’cause I had none. I fought the law and the law won. I fought the law and the law won.” – Bobby Fuller 4, “I Fought the Law” (Sonny Curtis)

“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” – Johnnie Cochran (You KNOW I couldn’t pass up that quote. And regardless of your feelings on the O.J. trial, Johnnie Cochran was one of the most genius lawyers of our time. That one sentence probably set a guilty man free.)

WHY DOES LOVE CONQUER ALL?

Have you seen the “Adjustment Bureau”?! It. Was. Awesome. Maybe one of my favorite movies in a really, long time. (What do you want from me? I’ve been on a movie watching/book reading tear lately.) Basically, the movie was an analysis of fate vs. free will and how they work together. However, both concepts are overshadowed by one…love. The story is written in a way that is unpredictable and not cheesy at all. It forces you to think about what YOU believe. The discussions ignited following this piece of cinematic art were passionate and intense. Love, love, loved it!

BECAUSE REBA AND VINCE SAID SO:

“The heart won’t lie. Sometimes life gets in the way, but there’s one thing that won’t change. I know I’ve tried. The heart won’t lie. You can live your alibi. Who can see you’re lost inside a foolish disguise. The heart won’t lie.” – Reba McEntire and Vince Gill, “The Heart Won’t Lie” (Kim Carnes & Donna Weiss)

WHY IS ROBERT REDFORD TIMELESS?

He was the sex symbol of my parents generation. The first time I ever saw the man on the big screen was in “Indecent Proposal” (another movie that will cause intense debates among those watching) and that didn’t really cast him in a great light. As a teenager, I couldn’t understand why this guy had been drooled over for so many years.

And then it happened. “Up Close and Personal” hit the theaters in 1996. OHHHHHHH…so THAT is what they were drooling over all those years. I have been a Robert Redford fan ever since that day. Excellent movie by the way. Watch it if you get a chance. You’ll see what I mean.

BECAUSE CELINE DION SAID SO:

“You were my strength when I was weak. You were my voice when I couldn’t speak. You were my eyes when I couldn’t see. You saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach. You gave me Faith ’cause you believed. I’m everything I am because you loved me.” – Celine Dion, “Because You Loved Me” (Diane Warren)

WHY IS IT OKAY TO HAVE A LITTLE “JUNK IN THE TRUNK?”

Admit it ladies. It’s nice to know there are men out there who appreciate a woman who has a butt. I know I am thankful. Although Mr. Mix-A-Lot states this rather…shall we say…indelicately, I still give thanks. We should respect and appreciate all parts of ourselves, right?! And no matter how offended we act by the video, every person in my age group knows every word. Life doesn’t always have to be so serious.

BECAUSE SIR-MIX-A-LOT SAID SO:

“So Cosmo says you’re fat. Well, I aint down with that. Cause your waist is small and your curves are kickin’…” – Sir-Mix-A-Lot, “Baby Got Back” (Anthony L. Ray)

WHY IS RIGHT VS. WRONG IMPORTANT?

The Casey Anthony trial brought my level of worry for the world up a few notches. Is everyone really that scared about putting guilty people behind bars? When did we lose track of right and wrong? Don’t get me wrong. I agree that moderation is important. Extremes in either direction can be damaging and destructive. The world does have patches of grey in it. However, it isn’t a massive grey lump. Right and wrong is what guides us. If there is no mark to hit (a.k.a. the right thing), won’t we be wandering around aimlessly? And if wrong is consistently justified by excuses (crazy/on drugs/sleepwalking/abused/drunk/caffeinated), why don’t people always make up a reason to avoid consequences? Wait a second…

With all that being said, there are also always good stories to shine a light on the positives in life…the silver lining. The world can also be a pretty awesome place. This week, there was a story about a teenager who showed not only is “right” still in tact, but it is also encased in character.

18-year-old Allan Guel from Compton took part in a free throw contest vs. some of his other high-achieving classmates and won a $40,000 college scholarship. Shortly after the contest, Allan discovered that he also won a full-ride basketball scholarship to California State University-Northridge. He was allowed to keep both scholarships. However, Allan didn’t. He knew his classmates needed the money just as much (or more) than he did. So Allan Guel gave up $40,000 to the seven other classmates who had participated in the contest. That, my friends, is character. It also made my worldly worries evaporate for a little while. Allan…respect!

BECAUSE JOHN WOODEN AND JACKIE De SHANNON SAID SO:

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

“Another day goes by, still the children cry. Put a little love in your heart. If you want the world to know we won’t let hatred grow, put a little love in your heart. And the world will be a better place. Oh the world will be a better place for you and me. You just wait and see.” – Jackie De Shannon, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” (Jackie De Shannon, Jimmy Holiday & Randy Myers)

WHY DO WE PUSH FORWARD AND WORK HARD EVEN IN FAILURE?

Success doesn’t come with a snap of the fingers. It takes time, hard work, talent and some failure along the way. What is it that is heard so often? “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.” or “Nothing worth having comes easily.” Isn’t that difficult to understand when we’re in the middle of a battle? However, each success is a tremendous reminder and worth every second of our time and energy.

BECAUSE PASTOR DAVE, MICHAEL JORDAN AND JANUS STARK SAID SO:

“You are today what your past actions or inactions have made you.” – Dr. David Foster

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

“I’m too out there to be in here all the time. Doesn’t mean that I don’t wanna stay. Anybody can get caught with their guard down. Doesn’t mean that I don’t feel the same. It’s so hard, it’s so hard to stay alive when there’s no room to breath. And you stay alive, you stay alive. Every little thing counts. Every little thing counts. Every little thing counts. That’s why every little thing counts.” – Janus Stark, “Every Little Thing Counts” (Graham Butt & Andrew “Pinch” Pinching)

WHY IS ALLY McBEAL A WONDERFUL TV SHOW?

The show ran at the end of the 90’s and I adored it for the quirkiness and relatable qualities. Recently, I had the opportunity to re-watch some of the show. It was just as amazing the second time. Ally McBeal was well-written, humorous and contained a cast full of distinct characters who brought something to the table every episode.

There was the callous, yet warm-hearted Richard Fish. “Life is just a stupid game. It doesn’t matter what you do or what you have. If you’re loved in the end, then you win.”

The somewhat odd and brilliant John Cage. “The world is no longer a romantic place. Some of its people still are however and therein lies the promise. Don’t let the world win Ally McBeal.”

And finally there is Ally McBeal. “I think I need to believe that it works…love…couple hood…partnerships. The idea that when people come together, they stay together. I have to take that with me when I go to bed at night…even if I’m going to bed alone. That’s a McBealism.”

Plus, Ally had these HILARIOUS visions of what she would like to say or do (even though she didn’t act on them), everyone danced all the time, Matthew Perry and Jon Bon Jovi (among others) guest starred, the music was incredible and the stories revolved around the importance of friendship, love and dealing with yourself.

BECAUSE VONDA SHEPARD SAID SO:

“Go ahead and cry now. Just give into the madness. The only way to feel your joy, is first to feel your sadness. Go ahead and sail out. Just give into the ocean. The only way to tame your fear is to feel her rocking motion. You’re a long way from somewhere you call home. There’s a place in your heart, you’re not alone. All of the happiness you seek. All of the joy for which you pray is closer than you think. It’s just a hundred tears away.” – Vonda Shepard, “100 Tears Away” (Paul Gordon & Vonda Shepard)

WHY DO PEOPLE PRE-ORDER ALBUMS ON iTUNES?

Does the pre-order on iTunes baffle anyone else? Why am I gonna pre-order an album?! Is the digital version gonna sell out? Ummmm…no. I think I’ll wait for the actual buying time thank you very much. I know. I know. It is the personal choice of each individual and I should respect that. Bygones.

BECAUSE BOBBY BROWN SAID SO:

“Everybody’s talkin’ all this stuff about me. Why don’t they just let me live? I don’t need permission to make my own decisions. That’s my prerogative.” – Bobby Brown (Bobby Brown, Gene Griffin & Teddy Riley)

WHY SHOULD WE NEVER STOP LEARNING?

In keeping with the theme of the review, getting answers to the whys in life teaches us. What is the point of walking the Earth if we aren’t learning something every day? The second we stop learning, we stop contributing to society. I’m not saying it has to be epic knowledge. I mean, learn how to bake a cake or something. That should suffice. Some of the most annoying people in the world are those who think they know everything. Isn’t it more beneficial to be reminded that we don’t? One of the most brilliant men in history understood this.

BECAUSE SOCRATES, JONNY LANG AND MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD SAID SO:

“I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.” – Socrates

“What if old Ben Franklin would have been frightened by lightning? If he would have stayed inside then we’d still be in the dark. Martin Luther King did some beautiful things all because he had a dream just like you and me. Don’t let them tell you can’t be anything you wanna be. Don’t be deceived. Anything’s possible.” – Jonny Lang, “Anything’s Possible” (Jonny Lang, Drew Ramsey & Shannon Sanders)

“I said…Hey, I’ll be gone today, but I’ll be back all around the way. It seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know. But I know one thing. That I love you. I love you. I love you.” – Michael Franti & Spearhead “Say Hey (I Love You)” (Michael Franti & Carl Young)

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND PREVENTABLE DEATH?

I feel like I’ve been writing way too often about celebrities who are dying young. It’s especially tragic, because in most cases the deaths were preventable. Amy Winehouse died a couple of days ago and it’s so incredibly sad. Although the cause of death has not been confirmed, she was just 27-years-old. Amy was a tremendous talent who became known more for her struggles with addiction then for that special gift. I didn’t know her, but I’ve known others.

To watch someone you care about slowly rob themselves of life is torture. To not be able to help is heartbreaking. You want to serve as their mirror so they can see just how special they are in your eyes, because for some reason the mirror in their eyes does not show them that reflection. People fight battles within themselves every day and there is nothing more sad than watching someone you love lose. It is a concept I’ve never been able to grasp. For anyone who is out there reading this and struggling…you matter. Don’t EVER believe otherwise. The world only becomes dark when the lights that are good souls start to go out before their time. You. Matter. Do you hear me?! You. Matter.

R.I.P. Amy

BECAUSE ROBERT KENNEDY AND RASCAL FLATTS SAID SO:

“Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.” – Robert F. Kennedy

“You must have been in a place so dark, you couldn’t feel the light reaching for you through that stormy cloud. Now here we are gathered in our little home town. This can’t be the way you meant to draw a crowd. Oh, why? That’s what I keep asking. Was there anything I could have said or done? Oh, I had no clue you were masking a troubled soul. God, only knows what went wrong and why you would leave the stage in the middle of a song.” – Rascal Flatts, “Why” (Rob Mathes & Allen Shamblin)

WHY IS IT OKAY TO BE A NIGHT OWL?

To all you early risers out there, I have proof that night owls have more mysterious fun.

BECAUSE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER SAID SO:

“Slowly. Gently. Night unfurls it’s splendor. Grasp it. Sense it. Tremulous and tender. Turn your face away from the garish light of day. Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light and listen to the music of the night.” – Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Music of the Night” (Charles Hart, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Richard Stilgoe)

WHY DOES MUSIC STIMULATE THE MIND?

Annnnnnd, now for the Songs of the Week…

1. “Second Hand Heart” by Danny Gokey. It’s his new single and I have a feeling many people will relate to this one. Mark Bright produced it. Josh Kear had a hand in writing it and Danny Gokey is singing it. Yeah. I’m sold. “I got a second hand heart. Yeah, it’s a little banged up. But it’s still beating strong enough to give a lot of good love. So if you don’t mind that it’s not brand new. I’ll take this second hand heart and give it to you.”

2. “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. Although I didn’t attach to it immediately, this song is special. Artists from all genres of music are raving about the tune. It is simple and sweet with an incredible vocal blend from the siblings. “If I die young, bury me in satin. Lay me down on a bed of roses. Sink me in the river at dawn. Send me away with the words of a love song.”

3. “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton. Mr. Shelton has been doing an incredible job over the course of the last few albums in picking tunes that are incredible. This time, he chose one written by the pop singing extraordinaire, Dave Barnes. I rarely like remakes of Dave’s songs, but Blake does an excellent job with this one. “I’ve been a walking heartache. I’ve made a mess of me. The person that I’ve been lately, aint who I want to be. But you stay here right beside me and watch as the storm blows through. And I need you. ‘Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs. God gave me you for the days of doubt. For when I think I’ve lost my way, there are no words here left to say, it’s true. God gave me you.”

4. “Born To Be My Baby” by Bon Jovi. All it takes is three words (TWO. THREE. FOUR!) and I’m back to my youth, dancing around the room. So bring out the big hair and eyeliner, grab your boom box and put on the high tops. “You were born to be my Baby. And Baby, I was made to be your man we’ve got something to believe in even if we don’t know where we stand. Only God would know the reasons, but I bet he must have had a plan. ‘Cause you were born to be my Baby and Baby, I was made to be your man.”

5. “Our Generation (The Hope of the World)” by John Legend and The Roots. What a great song. Sometimes you need something motivational that transcends generations. Carry on. Carry on. “hope of the world is in our generation. It’s all left up to us to change this present situation. Take lessons from our elders. Don’t make the same mistakes. Let’s show the world we love. Get rid of all the hate.”

6. “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson. His music has always been a home base for me. There is meaning, movement and fun in this tune. “The way you make me feel. You really turn me on. You knock me off of my feet. My lonely days are gone.”

7. “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince. It’s Prince. There is no need for me to say anything other than that. “Let’s go crazy. Let’s get nuts….” Sorry. I’m too busy going crazy with movement to finish the lyrics. Gotta love Prince.

8. “Back to God” by Randy Houser. Although there are many songs by Randy Houser I would have loved for you to hear on the radio, this was the one over all the others. Loud, rowdy bar rooms fell silent the second his voice wrapped around this song. There are no words to describe the tune’s true greatness. Do me a favor and give it a listen. “You gotta get down on your knees, believe. Fold your hands and beg and plead. You gotta keep on praying. You gotta cry, rain tears of pain. Pound the floor and scream his name cause we’re still worth saving. Can’t go on like this, live like this. We can’t love like this. We gotta give this world back to God.”

9. “Let Him Fly” by Patty Griffin You will be hard pressed to find any music lover who doesn’t like this artist. This song so perfectly explains why you have to let a negative influence go. Even if you care about him. “Aint no talking to this man. Aint no pretty other side. Aint no way to understand the stupid words of pride. It would take an acrobat. I already tried all that. I’m gonna let him fly.”

10. “She’s Got This Thing About Her” by Chris Young. On an album full of incredible tunes, this one is a keeper. It was written by Dear, Sweet Cory Batten and Kent Blazy (along with Chris). It is the mantra every woman wants to her from the man she loves. Thanks for a great tune boys. “She’s got this thing about her. She’s got this thing about her. Like the magic in your favorite song you just can’t put your finger on. In her arms when we’re all alone, I get the feeling that I’ve come back home. She’s got this thing about her.”

11. “What’d I Say” by Ray Charles. I will never forget watching this legend sing live. There will never be a live performance that matches it. He was so amazing, the oxygen was sucked out of the room as people held their breath in awe. This song just puts a fun exclamation mark on his talent. “Hey Mama, don’t you treat me wrong. Come and love your Daddy all night long. All right now. Hey, hey. All right. See the girl with the diamond ring. She knows how to shake that thing. All right now, now, now. Hey, hey, hey hey. Tell your Mama. Tell your Pa. I’m gonna send you back to Arkansas.” Cannot. Sit. Still. Must. Move. Now.

12. “Home Sweet Home” by Motley Crue. It’s the Crue. Need I say more? “You know I’m a dreamer, but my heart’s of gold. I had to run away high so I wouldn’t come home low. Just when things went right, doesn’t mean they’re always wrong. Just take this song and you’ll never feel left all alone.”

BECAUSE BEETHOVEN SAID SO:

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.” – Ludwig van Beethoven

WHY ARE PEOPLE INSPIRING?

Some individuals are just wired for inspiration. About a month ago, I had the privilege of going to dinner with an extremely intelligent and inspiring person. Although he is almost half my age, Luke Christie is about 50 times wiser. I learned so much that evening and I made an exceptional new friend. The talented writer is now putting that inspiration out there for the world to read. If you want to be intellectually challenged and inspired at the same time, check out LC Live. You won’t be sorry. Hey, Luke…Rock On.

BECAUSE NICOLE WITT SAID SO:

“In the heart of a hero, lies a courage you can’t see. Oh no. How far it goes, until they’re jumpin’ in and that yearning to do what’s right goes deeper than the fear inside. If you ask them, yeah they’d do it all again. That’s the heart of a hero.” – Nicole Witt, “Heart of a Hero”

WHY DO PEOPLE STEREOTYPE?

It is the one thing I try really, really hard not to do…and at times I do it anyway. Boxes are horrible. By putting someone in a personality structure we define them without ever taking the time to get to know them. It is the most effective way to make someone feel small. I understand that stereotypes exist for a reason, but wouldn’t you rather make sure? Most of the fun in life comes directly from the surprise of people.

I don’t drink. There is no earth shattering reason. However, it’s difficult for most to believe that is the truth. So they jump to many conclusions about me as a person based on this one, solitary fact. I lost the chip on my shoulder about the situation a long time ago. Now, the assumptions are humorous.

For example, I cannot tell you the number of times someone has said to me…”You need to meet (fill in the name)! You would get along SO WELL! (Person’s name) doesn’t drink either!” I immediately start to laugh. Although they are trying to be nice, the person has no idea what they have just done. And so I have to refrain from responding…”REALLY?! You should meet (fill in the name)! You would love them. They don’t eat broccoli and neither do you?! So maybe I still have a small chip on my shoulder, but at least I didn’t say it out loud. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Never define an entire person based on one aspect of their personality. What’s the fun in that?!

BECAUSE MARK TWAIN, MARILYN MONROE AND JOSH HOGE SAID SO:

“All generalizations are false, including this one.” – Mark Twain

“The truth is I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t. When they found this out, they would blame me for disillusioning them…and fooling them.” – Marilyn Monroe

“I don’t pretend to be pretty. Sometimes I tend to talk dirty. I can be country or city. Welcome to my world. If you wanna play it safe, Baby, my life will drive you crazy. You know I want to call you my Baby, but that’s who I am take it or leave it.” – Josh Hoge (Featuring Marc Broussard), “Take It or Leave It”

WHY DO WE GET WRINKLES WITH AGE?

They remind us that we have truly LIVED and LAUGHED. And isn’t that the point? If we die wrinkle less, we sure did miss out on a lot of the good stuff.

BECAUSE DIAMOND RIO SAID SO:

“Those are wrinkles, they aint nothing to be scared of. They’re just a product of time and true love. Some are gonna come and go. Some are gonna come and stay. You’re sill young. You’re gonna be okay.” – Diamond Rio, “Wrinkles” (Ronny Scaife & Neil Thrasher)

WHY AM I NOW A TIM TEBOW FAN?

First of all, Chuck Norris endorsed the book…the ACTUAL Chuck Norris. If Tim has both God AND Chuck Norris on his side, I’m Team Tebow.

All kidding aside, I was avoiding this book. I’m ashamed to say that now. Remember that section above about stereotyping? I was guilty of it and that was wrong. Everything I’ve heard about Tim Tebow made me respect and like him, but I made assumptions. Those leaps were made based on just a few small facts. My hard headedness gets me into trouble as much as it keeps me out of it. After avoiding “Through My Eyes” for months, I finally started to turn the pages. Now I am sure I was meant to read it. Isn’t that the way it always goes?

I’ve never really understood the judgment thrown on those who stand up for what they believe in on the conservative side. What is so wrong with that? Tim Tebow (by all accounts) lives life in an honorable way and lets others know WHY he chooses to live that way. He doesn’t force it down anyone’s throat. He just lives life as a good man. For the love of all that is logical in the world, would SOMEONE tell me why that is wrong (and make sense when you explain it to me)?!

You don’t have to agree with the guy. You don’t have to make some radical change in your life. You don’t even have to listen to what he says. So why is it so dang unnerving for people?

The number one reason I respect this man is because he stands strong. No matter what others around him say or do, he remains exactly who he is and believes wholeheartedly what he believes. How often can you say that about anybody?

I honestly am not getting into a religious discussion. I’ve always felt that is for face-to-face time between people who are able to have a calm and respectable discussion. However, I had to talk about Tim Tebow and this book.

Tim broke out of a stereotypical box to show people that being Christian doesn’t mean being boring (Have you seen his interviews?) or judgmental (Listen to what teammates and coaches say about him) or meek (Watch his response to Hawaii coach June Jones calling him a “system quarterback” HERE). He showed that being Christian means so much more. The amount of respect I have for that alone, cannot be put into words.

This is a touchy subject and I know it. It’s something I don’t usually broach in the reviews, but I’m tired of good people getting smacked around for nothing. Tim Tebow doesn’t need me to stand up for him, but I’m going to do it anyway. Indirectly, I got called out and challenged by a guy who is younger than I am…and I deserved it. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Challenge accepted.

Hey, Tim…this one’s for you: 1 Timothy 4:12

If you weren’t playing for the Donkeys, I might even cheer for you on the football field. However, a girl can only do so much. Once a Chief…always a Chief.

BECAUSE GARTH BROOKS AND BLUE COUNTY SAID SO:

“One hand reaches out and pulls a lost soul from harm. While a thousand more go unspoken for and they say ‘What good have you done by saving just this one?’ It’s like whispering a prayer in the fury of a storm. And I hear them saying, you’ll never change things. And no matter what you do, it’s still the same thing. But it’s not the world that I am changing. I do this so this world will know that it will not change me.” — Garth Brooks, “The Change” (Tony Arata & Wayne Tester)

“Knowin’ where you’re going. Embracin’ where you’ve been. Being criticized for standing strong in a battle you can’t win. Living in a moment you may never see again. Let your heart break some rules. Now, that’s cool.” – Blue County, “That’s Cool” (Aaron Benward, Lee Thomas Miller & Scott Reeves)

WHY SHOULD WE TRY AND BE GOOD ROLE MODELS TO KIDS?

The one thing kids need above all else is to know someone cares about them. Spending a little time, saying a kind word or showing interest in their talents can make all the difference in the world. You never know what little thing can change the life of a child for the better.

BECAUSE MICHAEL W. SMITH SAID SO:

“Feels like I’m looking for a reason. Roaming through the night to find my place in this world…my place in this world. Not a lot to lean on. I need your light to help me find my place in this world…my place in this world.” Michael W. Smith, “Place In This World” (Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick & Michael W. Smith)

WHY IS DREAMING NECESSARY?

BECAUSE BROTHER TROUBLE SAID SO:

“They say the things I’m doing just can’t be done. They walk the line and say that I’m the foolish one. They got this, that and the other. Let me tell you one thing brother. They just don’t look like they’re having any fun. Think I’ll just stay crazy. Think I’ll keep on running wild. As long as you’re here with me, Baby. If I go down, I’m gonna go down with a smile and just stay crazy. Just stay crazy.” – Brother Trouble, “Stay Crazy”

WHY DO OPPOSITES ATTRACT?

Because love doesn’t ever make sense. That’s why it’s a feeling and not a thought. BOOM!

BECAUSE COLLIN RAYE, ELLA FITZGERALD AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG SAID SO:

“Look behind your own soul and the person that you’ll see just might remind you of me. I laugh. I love. I hope. I try. I hurt. I need. I fear. I cry. And I know you do the same things too. So, we’re really not that different…me and you.” – Collin Raye, “Not That Different” (Joie Scott & Karen Taylor-Good)

“You say laughter and I say lofter. You say after and I say ofter. Laughter. Lofter. After. Ofter. Let’s call the whole thing off.” – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” (Otto Harbach & Jerome Kern)

WHY SHOULD WE FACE OUR FEARS?

They won’t go away. Fears just stick around ready to jump out and grab us until we face them. It’s annoying isn’t it?! However, no matter how scary it may be…there is a solution.

BECAUSE EMINEM SAID SO:

“I’m not afraid to take a stand. Everybody, come take my hand. We’ll walk this road together, through the storm Whatever weather cold or warm. Just lettin’ you know that you’re not alone. Holler if you feel like you’ve been down the same road.” Eminem, “Not Afraid” (Marshall Mathers, Luis Resto, M. Samuels, J. Evans & M. Burnett)

WHY DO WE HAVE TO GET BACK ON THE PROVERBIAL HORSE?

You are talking to a girl who literally got thrown from a horse riding bareback when she stupidly let the animal have control over his head. That is one rough lesson to learn. And what did my Dad do? That’s right. He helped me up and said, “Let’s go. Time to get back on the horse.” I looked at him like he had lost his ever lovin’ mind…and got back on the horse. It worked. I didn’t fear getting thrown again and held onto my love of riding whenever I got the chance. PLUS, I never let any dang horse have its head again.

That’s life. Situations can be painful, difficult and void of fun. We adjust and walk through them. The lessons learned make the next situation bearable. So get back on the horse and try again. It’s always worth it.

BECAUSE JO DEE MESSINA SAID SO:

“Oh. that’s the way it is. You gotta roll with the punches. That’s the way it goes. You gotta bend when the wind blows. You live. You learn. You crash and burn. It’s hit or miss and that’s the way it is.” – Jo Dee Messina “That’s the Way It Is” (Holly Lamar & Annie Roboff)

WHY IS HONESTY SO DIFFICULT WHEN THE TRUTH IS SO SIMPLE?

Relationships between people are complicated because they involve human beings. Don’t get me wrong, they are worth the difficulties. When you form a special bond with someone, there is nothing on Earth better. Dating is tricky. There are no true rules. However, there are feelings involved. This is why I don’t understand how anyone is okay with using another person knowingly.

If you want to be friends with someone of the opposite sex, be friends (make sure they are aware of that fact). If you want more, go for more (make sure they are aware of that fact). If you want to completely cut them out of your life, stay gone. Otherwise, you’re not being honest or fair. I think it’s a pretty simple concept and eliminates a lot of confusion. This has been the source of much debate over the years, but what is there to debate about really? If you are only keeping someone around to soothe your boredom or loneliness, that’s messed up. Am I wrong?

You know I love a good debate. Please. Somebody. Fight me on this. I dare you.

BECAUSE JERROD NIEMANN AND JOHN MAYER SAID SO:

“Why’d you call me today with nothing new to say? You pretend it’s just hello, but you know what it does to me to see your number on the phone. Now tell me…What do you want? What do you want? What do you want from me? Are you trying to bring back the tears or just the memory? You keep taking me back…taking me back to where I’ve already been. When we hang up, it’s almost like I’m losing you again. Can’t you see? So what do you want? What do you want from me?” – Jerrod Niemann “What Do You Want” (Jerrod Niemann, Rachel Bradshaw & Richard L. Brown)

“Friends, lovers or nothing. We can really only ever be one. Friends, lovers or nothing. We’ll never be the in-between, so give it up. Anything other than yes is no. Anything other than stay is go. Anything less than ‘I love you’ is lying.” – John Mayer “Friends, Lovers or Nothing” (John Mayer)

WHY SHOULD YOU LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST?

Forgive, forget and move on. Otherwise, it will eat you alive. I’ve learned from experience on this one. The second I accepted this method, life became easier to deal with on a daily basis. Holding onto the anger or the loss only hurts you, not them. Let it go for your own good.

BECAUSE SHANNA CROOKS (AND RICHARD MARX) SAID SO:

“Regret is just a waste of an emotion…a raindrop in the ocean. Meaningless like all the stupid reasons we won’t start believing. We got a way of playing games always denying things. Truth just catches up ready to call your bluff. It’s like trying to fix a broken dream or save a heart that doesn’t beat. Only one left hanging on. Let it fall. Let it fall. When no one’s there to pick you up and you think you’ve had enough. When things are out of your control, let it all…let it all go.” – Shanna Crooks “Go” (Shanna Crooks, Richard Marx and Espionage)

WHY SHOULD YOU USE NEGATIVITY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE?

On a daily basis, we tend to hear more negative reinforcement than positive. Don’t wallow in it. Use it. Some of the most rewarding moments came after someone said or did some awful things. Call it competitive. Call it stubborn. Just call them on it by turning those words into motivation. You’ll be surprised how often it works.

BECAUSE TRAIN SAID SO:

“Words. They’ll try to shake you. Don’t let them break you or stop your world from turning. When words keep you from feeling good, use them as firewood and let them burn.” – Train, “Words” (Pat Monahan, Jerry Becker & Luis Maldonado)

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CHERISH EVERY DAY?

BECAUSE TRAVIS TRITT SAID SO:

“And it’s a great day to be alive. I know the sun’s still shining when I close my eyes. There’s some hard times in the neighborhood. But why can’t every day be just this good?” – Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” (Darrell Scott)

WHY ARE ROAD TRIPS FUN?

There is nothing quite as interesting as hitting the road to explore this extraordinary country in which we live. It doesn’t take lots of money. One of the coolest things I’ve been able to do in the past few years is travel to county fairs, small town festivals, state fairs, etc. and meet the people. It’s the greatest education you will ever receive. Although we have our differences, you will be amazed at the similarities between people. Getting pictures of y’all “Rockin’ On,” makes my day every time.

Get in the car. Take a quick trip. Even stopping to see the World’s Largest Ball of Twine can be an adventure. If you were wondering, it’s in Cawker City, Kansas. True story.

BECAUSE MATT RAMSEY SAID SO:

“Don’t look back. Let it ride. Find a new life somewhere out on this road. Baby, there’s a whole other side of this world I wanna see. Come with me.” – Matt Ramsey, “Come With Me” (Matt Ramsey & Trevor Rosen – 7/6/11, Blue Bar)

WHY IS IT NOT SUCH A BAD THING TO HAVE A BROKEN HEART WHEN DEALING WITH THE JERK WHO BROKE IT?

BECAUSE KATE VOEGELE SAID SO:

“Hurt me before now. Won’t hurt no more now. Not this time. You might do better messin’ with someone else’s mind. ‘Cause you’re not gonna break me down again. You’re done with doin’ me the way you did. It’s gone too far, yeah. You can’t break a broken heart. So try your best now Baby. Try your best to break me. You can’t break a broken heart. No damage you can do now. I’m immune to you now. You can’t break what broke apart. There’s nothing you can do to me no more. You can’t break a broken heart.” – Kate Voegele, “You Can’t Break A Broken Heart” (Diane Warren – 7/10/11, Exit/In)

WHY SHOULD YOU SEIZE EVERY OPPORTUNITY?

BECAUSE NATASHA BEDINGFIELD SAID SO:

“Staring at the blank page before you. Open up the dirty window. Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find. Reaching for something in the distance. So close you can almost taste it. Release you inhibitions. Feel the rain on your skin. No one else can feel it for you. Only you can let it in. No one else. No one else can speak the words on your lips. Drench yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.” – Natasha Bedingfield, “Unwritten” (Natasha Bedingfield, Danielle Brisebois & Wayne Rodrigues – 7/10/11, Exit/In)

WHY DOES MUSIC SPEAK LOUDER THAN ANYTHING ELSE?

Please believe me when I say one song changed my life in ways more profound than I could ever put into words. The first time I heard it, I made a huge move and career change. What is most interesting, is that it still affects me in indescribable ways. I’ve heard D. Vincent sing it often. Every, single time I was struck with a different realization. One that I so desperately needed to reach. They are the same words, set to the same music, sang by the same voices. Yet, I feel like I’m given different words of advice every time the songs is performed. Many tunes have a way of doing that. There’s no scientific explanation. It’s why everyone has a different favorite. So what’s your song?

BECAUSE D. VINCENT WILLIAMS SAID SO:

“I’ve lived in this place and I know all the faces. Each one is different, but they’re always the same. They mean me no harm, but it’s time that I face it. They’ll never allow me to change. But I never dreamed home would end up where I don’t belong. I’m movin’ on. I’m movin’ on at last I can see. Life has been patiently waiting for me. And I know, there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone. There comes a time in everyone’s life when all you can see are the years passin’ by. And I’ve made up my mind that those days are gone.” D. Vincent Williams, “I’m Movin’ On” (D. Vincent Williams and Phillip White – 7/11/11, The Listening Room)

WHY ARE POSITIVE INFLUENCES IN LIFE SO IMPORTANT?

BECAUSE CHRIS NATHAN SAID SO:

“Stop running from good things. Keep holding to your dreams. Come over you’ll find me right here always.” Chris Nathan, “Always” (Chris Nathan – 7/16/11, The Blue Bar and Rack Room)

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LIVE AND LEARN?

There is no one on the planet who is quite as musically talented as Josh Flint. I am constantly amazed at the depth, feeling and intricacies of his music. Go listen to a song or two. Me talking about the music just does NOT do it justice.

BECAUSE JOSH FLINT SAID SO:

“I’ve seen some things in my life that I wish made me cry. When just a trivial sight brings a tear to your eye. I’ve come so far down this road. That’s what I’ve been told. But I tell you right now, I ain’t nowhere close to growing old. So don’t tell me to change the things I already know I’ve done wrong. ‘Cause sooner or later I’ll learn from myself and move on. Don’t accuse me of nothing that you know I’ve already done wrong. ‘Cause sooner or later I’ll learn from myself and move on.” Josh Flint, “Sooner or Later” (Josh Flint – 7/18/11, 12th & Porter)

WHY CAN THE BLUEBIRD CAFE RENEW YOUR SOUL?

I go there once a month on purpose. It is an experience like none other and you can only truly be immersed by it in Nashville. I love taking people who have never been there. Last week, I took clients. They smiled the entire time and begged me to come back next time they were in town. The men and women who sing at the Bluebird are the people who write the songs that change our lives. They make our days brighter, help dry our tears, remind us of days past or give love a soundtrack. The five men who sang a few days ago are some of the best in the business. Three hours later, my cup runneth over.

BECAUSE GARY NICHOLSON, RIVERS RUTHERFORD, JIM COLLINS, TOM HAMBRIDGE & COLIN LINDEN SAID SO:

“I was going where I shouldn’t go. Seeing who I shouldn’t see. Doing what I shouldn’t do. And being who I shouldn’t be. A little voice told me it’s all wrong. Another voice told me it’s all right. I used to think that I was strong, but lately I’ve just lost the fight. It’s funning how fallin’ feels like flyin’ for a little while.” Gary Nicholson, “Fallin’ and Flyin’” (Gary Nicholson – 7/20/11, Bluebird Cafe) Sang by Jeff Bridges in the movie “Crazy Hearts.” Gary was a nominee for the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Yep. He’s that amazing.

“Yeah, when I get where I’m going, they’ll be only happy tears. I will shed the sins and struggles I have carried all these years. And I’ll leave my heart wide open. I will love and have no fear. Yeah, when I get where I’m going, don’t cry for me down here.” Rivers Rutherford, “When I Get Where I’m Going” (Rivers Rutherford – 7/20/11, Bluebird Cafe) Sang by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton. If you’ve never heard Rivers’ story of the song in the middle of this tune, you are missing out. It’s an experience that can transform a soul. I’ve seen a room of grown men brought to tears.

“‘Cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey was the shot of her holding our baby girl. The way she adored that string of pearls I gave her the day that our youngest boy Earl married his High School love. It’s the new t-shirt saying I’m a grandpa. Being right there as our time got small. And holding her hand when the good Lord called her up. Yeah, man. That’s the good stuff.” Jim Collins, “The Good Stuff” (Jim Collins – 7/20/11, Bluebird Cafe) Sang by Kenny Chesney. It’s another tune that takes me back to exactly where I was when I heard it the first time. This one was also the 2002 Country Music Single of the Year according to Billboard and spent seven weeks at the top of the charts. Jim is one of those writers. It is rare if his songs don’t matter in my life.

“I feel rain falling right out of the blue sky. And it’s the 5th of May and I’m right there staring in your eyes. And nothing’s changed and we’re still the same. And I get lost in the innocence of a first kiss. And I’m hanging on to every word rolling off of your lips. That’s all it takes and I’m in that place. Every time I hear your name.” Tom Hambridge, “Every Time I Hear Your Name” (Tom Hambridge – 7/20/11, Bluebird Cafe) Sang by Keith Anderson. Tom has the fun, rockin’, awesome tunes that rocks the country right out of you. It was hard to abide the the typical rules of the Bluebird. I was in need of MOVEMENT.

“I’m laughing on the inside, ’cause I know the drill. Just set him up and let him go for the kill. Ain’t no one like him North of the 48th. Ain’t nothing like him in the 50 states. This ain’t no cautionary tale. Nobody got mad or went to jail, but you only live one time so have a ball. That mighty boy. That mighty boy. He’d smoke ‘em all.” Colin Linden, “Smoke ‘Em All” (Colin Linden – 7/20/11, Bluebird Cafe) Colin OWNS a guitar and has this deep, soulful and bluesy sound that ropes a listener into the moment. It was a joy to hear him play and sing.

WHY DO WE GO TO TWITTER FOR INSPIRATION?

BECAUSE OPRAH SAID SO:

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey

WHY DO THINGS CHANGE?

And this is the part I knew was going to be most difficult to write. These past four years have been amazing for me. The people, songwriters, artists and music in this town are inspiring and I have loved every, single second of building “Rock On Together.” It meant I got to tell you about one of my favorite things on Earth…music. And I got to meet some of the most interesting folks you can imagine.

Sometimes opportunities lead us in different directions. You have to taken them when they arrive. My goal has always been to get the best music to the ears of the people. Bottom line. And so I”m taking some additional steps to make that happen. I’m not saying goodbye, because I’ll try and check in now and again. However, the blog portion of the website will be on hiatus for a while. Please keep visiting the website. I’ll try and update the calendar as much as possible. I don’t want you to miss anything in this amazing city.

As for me…I’m happy, excited, terrified and eager for what’s coming next. I think that about covers it. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. Your messages, comments, questions and all-around awesomeness. These is no way for me to truly explain how much it means. Don’t stop listening. You never know what you might hear.

BECAUSE KEITH ANDERSON AND TIM McGRAW SAID SO:

“I don’t know if it’s worth it. And I don’t know if I’m good enough. All I know is I’m giving it all I got. And I’ll know when I get there.” Keith Anderson, “I’ll Know When I Get There”

“Some say it’s too country. Some say it’s too rock ‘n roll. But it’s just good music if you can feel it in your soul. And it doesn’t really matter. It’s always been the same. Life goes on. Things change.” Tim McGraw “Things Change”

And this sign off may never have been more perfect then it is right now.

Until next time…

No Reins!

K

P.S. “See you when I see you. Another place…some other time. If I ever get down your way or you’re ever up around mine. We’ll laugh about the old days and catch up on the new. Yeah, I’ll see you when I see you and I hope it’s some day soon.” Jason Aldean, “See You When I See You” (Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher)

I will never forget the first time I heard that quote. I thought about it for quite a while after the fact. We live life trying to connect to others, but sometimes hiding ourselves in an effort to do so. The only way to escape fear is to embrace who you are. Therefore, we shall focus on the greatness of you! Don’t worry. There will be ample amounts of sarcasm to tone down the sugary, sweet “go get ‘em” sentiment. You’re welcome.

This month has led me to numerous venues (and a stadium) to hear over 25 different artists. Since there are so many who performed quite a few great tunes, the music review will be written a little bit differently than usual. Artists and the songs I heard them sing will be scattered throughout the blog in sections pertinent to the topic at hand.

SOOOOOO…

YOU ARE…going to be happily surprised if you read Rob Lowe’s new book, “Stories I Only Tell My Friends.”

I’m not surprised the book is a witty, interesting and intelligent read. That I was expecting and is why I bought it in the first place. The man grew up with celebrities long before they were celebrities (Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Dean Cain, Chris Penn, Sean Penn and Holly Robinson (now Peete)), was a founding member of “The Brat Pack” (the “Coolest Kids” of my generation) and has been a celebrity for the past 30+ years.

However, I was surprised by the insight Rob gained from living the life he has lived. His childhood was a stark contrast in lifestyles. He spent the first part in Ohio and his teen years in Malibu. I’m only halfway through the book and have already found numerous tidbits that are intriguing. Check out some Rob Lowe words of wisdom:

On relationships between men and women:

“What makes the equation of man and woman so eternally mysterious, glorious and explosive? It almost always seems as if each decade has its own unique ‘battle of the sexes.’ The field of conflict is ever changing, as are the players, but the carnage and confusion are always fueled by the enduring quest for sex, love and emotional fulfillment.”

“Something That We Do” by Clint Black. “It’s holding tight. Letting go. It’s flying high and laying low. Let your strongest feelings show and your weakest too. It’s a little and a lot to ask. An endless and a welcome task. Love isn’t something that we have. It’s something that we do. We help to make each other all that we can be. Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently. The way we work together is what sets our love apart. So closely that we can’t tell where I end and where you start.” (Clint Black; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) Clint’s still got it. This song is so pure and true. Sitting on the gigantic Fan Fest stage with just a spotlight, his guitar and those lyrics, Clint made the crowd roar.

On celebrities as role models:

“The effect famous people can have on other people’s lives is not to be underestimated. They can inspire us with their talent; make us feel like kings with their kindness, with a hello, a handshake or an autograph. They seem like creatures from another race with supernatural abilities. And the true stars understand that. Liza Minnelli certainly did. When you are around them, the ones at the top of their game, there is always the possibility that some of their magic could rub off on you.”

“Here’s To You” by Rascal Flatts. “It’s the girls in the front row singing. It’s the boys with the wheels who bring them. It’s the lighters in the air and you guys up there. You’re the heart and the soul and the reason we do what we do. Here’s to you.” (Rascal Flatts; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th)

On not always being the most confident kid:

“Fake confidence on the outside, as I will later learn, often trumps truthful turmoil on the inside.”

“A Little Bit Stronger” by Sara Evans. “And I’m done hopin’ that we can work it out. I’m done with how it feels spinnin’ my wheels. Lettin’ you drag my heart around. And I’m done thinkin’ you could ever change. I know my heart will never be the same, but I’m tellin’ myself I’ll be okay. Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.”

(Luke Laird; Hard Rock Cafe; June 9th) Luke is starting to rack up quite a few hits. This is no exception. Do you know how you can tell the power of a song? Have a songwriter sing it for a full room of people and listen. There was a low, meaningful chorus of voices singing the song back to Luke that night. That is power my friends.

On spending his teenage years in Malibu:

“There was a price to be paid for a culture that idealized the relentless pursuit of ’self.’ Malibu was a wellspring of counterculture group think. To be counter to the culture, you are by definition willfully and actively ignoring the culture, i.e., reality.”

“Forget You Town” by Gene Cook. “You still hold me. There’s no way around it. If there’s a safe distance from you Baby, I still aint found it…I wanna find that place where I can live your memory down. I wanna find forget you town.” (Gene Cook; Hotel Indigo; June 3rd) Holy Mother of Pearl, Gene’s voice is incredible!! It was the first time I’d ever heard him sing and it won’t be the last. This man owns every song he sings. I was drawn in immediately. If you get the chance to go hear him…GO!

YOU ARE…constantly growing if you learn from life experiences (including mistakes).

There is so much comedy in life. You just have to take the time to laugh at it. Some of the most simple life lessons came to me at a very comedic cost. I feel as though I should share some of this knowledge with you.

1. Never spend all day moving in flip-flops. Have you ever bruised the bottom of your feet? Not. Funny.

2. Dry erase boards don’t erase very easily after something is left on them for more than about four months. Bright side: You can build arm muscles while trying to erase.

3. Aim Chick-Fil-A sauce packets away from you when opening (they explode). It will save you a piece of clothing or two.

4. Avoid looking directly at the V-shaped muscles on a man’s abdomen because “They make smart girls stupid.”

5. Never buy rounded toe, platform high heels even if they are really hot. When you look like a colt just learning to walk, it’s not sexy (even if the heels are).

6. Smart Water might not make you smarter, but it tastes better than regular water.

7. Never watch “Criminal Minds” right before you go to bed. Thanks a lot Tim Curry. *chills*

8. Avoid anyone who says, “I shouldn’t tell you this, but…” It’s trouble waiting to happen.

9. Kids are smarter than you are. Ask for their opinions.

10. If you are not a morning person, don’t schedule workouts in the morning. They will never happen.

11. Make sure the cup fits in the cup holder before you drive away or it could be a Dr. Pepper disaster.

12. No matter how many times you “try” food you don’t like, you won’t eventually like it.

13. People Magazine is the only gossip mag with class. What?! It is!

14. If you’re not famous and you want to get a reputation (a.k.a. publicity), start a rumor about yourself. Trust me. It will spread.

“Talk of the Small Town” by Matt Jenkins (Matt Jenkins; Hotel Indigo; June 3rd) If you want a voice that will bowl you over, listen to Matt. It is pure and deep and all old-school country. He delivers songs effortlessly and keeps you listening. This one is what it says. If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you know what I mean.

There are also some serious lessons I’ve learned in my years and a lot more reflection and thought was involved in those. Here are a few that have continually served me well.

1. Extended album cuts are always better than their radio singles with an awesome “jam session” at the end of the tune. A couple of great examples are Garth Brooks’ “Wrapped Up in You” and Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You.” Those songs are album cuts at their best. Just try and not dance at the end…nearly impossible.

2. Friends are not only important, they are also necessary for a happy life. Try and go without them. You’ll learn that lesson pretty quickly.

3. Smile…because why not?!

“All About Tonight” by Blake Shelton. “It’s all about tonight. Good times and the music and laughin’ and groovin’ to the band. Everybody’s gettin’ right. No worries. We’re rockin’. All kinds of concoctions in our hands. Yeah, tomorrow can wait ’til tomorrow. It’s all about tonight.” (Rhett Akins; Hard Rock Cafe; June 9th) Rhett started out as a great recording artist and continues to impress by writing song for many artists. The bonus when you hear him in a songwriters’ round is that he sings the songs just as well as he writes them.

4. Your instincts are never wrong. Listen to them.

5. Surround yourself with smart, caring, creative and fun people who CHALLENGE you on a daily basis. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” -Proverbs 27:17 You will never get anywhere positive in life surrounded by negative people. That is just the truth.

6. “Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.” – John Wooden. He wasn’t just a basketball genius. He was also a life genius.

7. Don’t ever make assumptions. Just don’t.

“I don’t care. She don’t matter. I don’t love her anymore. He can have her. And I don’t know why she crosses my mind. Been hopin’ she’ll call sometime.” (“I Don’t Care”; Thomas Rhett Akins; Hard Rock Cafe; June 9th)

8. Music can change the course of your life. Three notes. That’s all it took. “I’ve dealt with my ghosts and I’ve faced all my demons.Finally content with a past I regret. I’ve found you find strength in your moments of weakness. For once I’m at peace with myself. I’ve been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long. I’m movin’ on.”

9. Music can trigger memories. “This little, bitty living room ain’t gonna look like much. But when the lights go down and we move the couch, it’s gonna be more than enough for my two left feet. And our two hearts beating. Nobody’s gonna see us go crazy. So Baby why don’t we just dance down the hall…maybe straight up the stairs? Bouncin’ off the wall. Floatin’ on air. Baby, why don’t we just dance?” (“Why Don’t We Just Dance”; Josh Turner; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) *sigh*

10. Music can heal. “Nobody ever said that life was gonna be fair. You’re never gonna get nowhere by runnin’ scared. If you look down deep inside, you’ll find the Faith to make you strong. Carry on. I try to walk the sunny side of the street. Don’t let no shadows tangle up my feet. There ain’t no troubles that we can’t rise above with a hand full of Faith and a heart full of love. Carry on. Carry on. What don’t kill us, makes us strong. Carry on.” (“Carry On” by Tim McGraw) At one of the worst times in my life, this song showed up to wrap its arms around me. And it keeps showing up every, single time I need it.

11. Music can soothe. “It’s like a storm that cuts a path. It breaks your will. It feels like that. You think you’re lost, but you’re not lost. On your own, you’re not alone. ‘Cause I will stand by you. I will help you through. When you’ve done all you can do and you can’t cope. I will dry your eyes. I will fight your fight. I will hold you tight. And I won’t let go.” (“I Won’t Let Go”; Rascal Flatts; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th)  Their music has been soothing my soul for quite a few years now. Fortunately, the folks at LP Field understood how great they are. There was a low rumbling as the crowd sang along word-for-word. There was also a large smile spread across my face as I thought back 11 years to a radio show in Lincoln, Nebraska. Let’s just say the crowd was considerably smaller.

12. Music can encourage. “You can spend your whole life building something from nothing. One storm can come and blow it all away. Build it anyway. You can chase a dream that seems so out of reach and you know it might not ever come your way. Dream it anyway. God is great, but sometimes life aint good. And when I pray, it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should, but I do it anyway. I do it anyway.” (“Anyway”; Martina McBride; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th and The Warren Brothers; Bluebird Cafe; June 22nd) With the help of American Idol runner-up, Lauren Alaina, Martina showed why she is unmatched vocally. As great as Lauren was, Martina quickly defined why she is the reining Queen of vocal talent…with a note that lasted two hours (slight exaggeration). She received the loudest and longest ovation of the night. Rightfully so.

13. Music can spur you into action. “Are you gonna kiss me or not? Are we gonna do this or what? I think you know I like you a lot, but you’re about to miss your shot. Are you gonna kiss me or not?” (“Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not”; Thompson Square; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) I’m just sayin’…

14. Music can energize. “I feel no shame. I’m proud of where I came from. I was born and raised in the boondocks. One thing I know. No matter where I go. I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks. And I can feel that muddy water runnin’ through my veins. And I can hear that lullaby of the midnight train. And it seems to be that it sounds familiar.” (“Boondocks”; Little Big Town; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) This is one of the most underrated bands in music. The harmonies are spot on every time. They have this blend of voices that is energizing even when they croon a slow tune. I am never disappointed when listening to this group. Their first album remains one of my favorites and hearing them take the stage with Rascal Flatts at the end of the show was amazing.

YOU ARE…human if you want to know the outcome of sensational trials.

Not since O.J. Simpson have I been so invested (and disturbed) by a murder trial. The simple fact that a little girl was killed is haunting enough. The fact that it is her mother on trial for that murder is devastating. What kind of a world do we live in where a child can no longer trust her parent? And sadly, this case is only one of thousands of similar cases around our country. Casey Anthony and Caylee Anthony just put faces on the issue.

And (similar to the O.J. trial) now it’s a media circus. To be honest, I don’t care that the defense is mounting a case to show WHY Casey might have done what she did. Abuse, neglect, etc.? Does the “why” really matter?

I understand she says she’s innocent and this is to give her a fair trial. Can we just put away the smoke and mirrors for one second? Casey Anthony did not report her daughter missing FOR A FULL MONTH. Even then, it was her Mom who made the call to police. Casey spent that time partying with friends. She lied over and over again about the circumstances of the case even after she was arrested. Now, she says it was an accidental drowning in the pool. I understand the burden of proof is on the prosecution, but the burden of logic is on everyone else. This case isn’t about Casey Anthony. This case is about a little girl named Caylee who died at the hands of a monster. She is the one who deserves justice.

The rights of kids is one area where I am EXTREMELY judgmental and always will be. Children deserve to be defended and protected. They are the truest form of innocence. Casey Anthony deserves to sit and rot in a jail cell for the rest of her life. The end.

“White Liar” by Miranda Lambert – “You better be careful what you do. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes if they ever found you out. You better be careful what you say. It never really added up anyway. I got friends in this town. Hey, White Liar. The truth comes out a little at a time. And it spreads just like a fire. Slips off of your tongue like turpentine. And I don’t know why, White Liar.” (Natalie Hemby; Hard Rock Cafe; June 9th) Natalie is quite the songwriter and she has a great old country voice to boot. It is fun hearing her version of the hit. It’s even better that she can hold her own in a round full of men. Natalie…respect!

YOU ARE…persuaded by the music you listen to each week. As am I.

1. “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera. “Take me by the tongue and I’ll know you. Kiss me ’til you’re drunk and I’ll show you all the moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I don’t need to try to control you. Look into my eyes and I’ll own you with them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger. I’ve got them moves like Jagger.” For some reason, I don’t think they’re talking about dancing. Hmmm… I didn’t think I could love Adam Levine more. I was wrong. I do.

2. “Fix You” by Coldplay and Javier Colon. “When you try your best, but you don’t succeed. When you get what you want, but not what you need. When you feel so tired that you can’t sleep, stuck in reverse. And the tears come streaming down your face. When you lose something, you can’t replace. When you love someone, but it goes to waste. Could it be worse? Lights will guide you home. And it ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you.” I’ve never been a huge Coldplay fan, but this is a fantastic song. Javier Colon sang it on “The Voice” a couple of weeks ago to bring it back to me. By the way, Javier is awesome. He’s gonna win.

3. “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire. This one was suggested by my little sis, Tara, so I gave it a listen. As you know, Arcade Fire has been on fire (No pun intended. Okay, maybe a little one) this past year. They have been winning awards and selling many albums. This tune takes a swing at the suburbs and I am most intrigued by the melody. Give it a listen. This band has something important to say. And apparently a part of the population is listening.

4. “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall and Casey Weston. “Well, my heart knows me better than I know myself so I’m gonna let it do all the talkin’. I came across a place in the middle of nowhere with a big, black horse and a cherry tree. I felt a little fear upon my back. I said, ‘Don’t look back. Just keep on walkin’.’ When the big, black horse that looked this way said, ‘Hey, there Baby we’ve never met.’ But I said, ‘No. No. No. No. No. No.’ I said, ‘No. No. You’re not the one for me.’ No. No. No. No. No. No. I said, ‘No. No. You’re not the one for me.’” It’s so freakin’ infectious! Once the music starts, I am up and dancing. Plus, the words have been hitting home for me lately. This is another tune I was reminded of because of “The Voice.” I love that the contestants on the show choose songs that aren’t normally covered. Casey Weston did a wonderful job with this one.

5. “Always on My Mind” by Elvis Presley. “Maybe I didn’t treat you quite as good as I should have. Maybe I didn’t love you quite as often as I could have. Little things I should have said and done. I just never took the time. You were always on my mind. You were always on my mind.” This one never gets old. And I don’t care what anyone says. It will always be an Elvis song first.

6. “Life’s a Dance” by John Michael Montgomery. “Life’s a dance. You learn as you go. Sometimes you lead. Sometimes you follow. Don’t worry ’bout what you don’t know. Life’s a dance, you learn as you go.” Best. Advice. Ever.

7. “I Can’t” by Nicole Witt. “I keep myself busy all the time to stop my mind from wandering. Yeah, I wonder if he misses holding me like I miss holding him. I could lie to myself and say I don’t want him back. I know I should let him go, but I can’t. I wish I could call and say, I think we made a big mistake. I’m sorry for everything, but too many nights have gone by. I wish I could take his hands. Tell him I want one more chance. He’s probably moved on by now, but I can’t.” If this tune doesn’t get cut soon, I have no more trust in the people picking songs in this city. It’s that incredible.

8. “Prayin’ For Daylight” by Rascal Flatts. “I’ve got the lights turned off. The door is locked. The bedroom TV’s on. Doin’ the only thing that gets me through the night since you’ve been gone. Prayin’ for daylight. Waitin’ for that mornin’ sun. So I can act like my whole life aint goin’ wrong. Baby, come back to me. I swear I’ll make it right. Don’t make me spend another lonely night prayin’ for daylight.” Look at how young they are! Eleven years ago, a CD landed on my desk at a little radio station in Kansas. It stayed in the CD player for about four months. To this day, it is my favorite album. That little trio has come a long way. This was the song that started all the madness. Carry on boys. Carry on.

9. “Open Your Heart” by Madonna. “I’ve had to work much harder than this for something I want. Don’t try to resist me. Open your heart to me, Baby. I hold the lock and you hold the key. Open your heart to me, Darlin’. I’ll give you love if you…you turn the key.” There were many “concerts” put on in the house of one of my good friends (by the lights of Casey’s General Store) when we were in the 3rd grade. I had this album memorized from front to back. This song was one of my favorites and still puts a smile on my face. What can I say? It brings out the nine-year-old in me.

10. “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot. “I dare you to run. I dare you to move. I dare to lift yourself up off the floor. I dare you to run. I dare you move like today never happened. Today never happened before.” This tune has that unique ability to build in a way that takes you with it. The band made an impact on me with this song.

11. “Clair de Lune” by APM Orchestra. I’m a lyrics person, but there is something about classical music that takes you to another place. Sometimes it’s the only place that allows you to get out of your head and relax. That happens when your mind glides over the notes. This is one of my favorites and I am proud of “Twilight” for using it on the soundtrack.

12. “Looking for a Reason” by Little Big Town. “You better show me something fast, ’cause my patience for you…it ain’t gonna last. Looking for to make some sense out of nothin’. Lookin’ for the hunger to hang on. Looking for to know if you’re really worth it. Lookin’ for a reason not to be gone.” Once again…Love. This. Band. Every song pulls you in and this one has all the awesome elements a tune should have. Plus, it makes a good point.

13. “Truly” by Jared Blake. “Hey, girl. Sure am glad you’re home. Been sittin’ here all alone thinking about the past. Isn’t it crazy how looking back now kind of makes me laugh, wow. Thinkin’ about how we were just two strangers and I found you. Baby without a sound you spun my world around you. And I’ll never know how…how I need you even when I don’t want to. I say it too much, I know I do. But, God I truly love you.” It’s always been my favorite of Jared’s and it always comes back to find me. More than any other song, I want this one to see the light of radio. People really need to hear it.

14. “Mean” by Taylor Swift. “You with your switching sides and your wildfire lies and your humiliation. You have pointed out my flaws again as if I don’t already see them. I walk with my head down trying to block you out, cause I’ll never impress you. I just wanna feel okay again. I bet you got pushed around. Somebody made you cold. But the cycle ends right now, ’cause you can’t lead me down that road and you don’t know what you don’t know. Someday I’ll be livin’ in a big ‘ol city and all you’re ever gonna be is mean. Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me and all you’re ever gonna be is mean. Why ya gotta be so mean?” That’s right. I now own a Taylor Swift song. I have never denied the woman’s talent, but I just never attached to one of the songs…until now. This one has a way of throwing you back to your childhood with an additional bonus of standing up to the bullies of your present. That’s a pretty big accomplishment. AND she does it in such a sweet way. It makes me smile.

15. “One Last Cry” by Bryan McKnight “Now I sit all alone wishing all my feeling was gone. I gave my best to you. Nothin’ for me to do but have one last cry. One last cry before I leave it all behind. I gotta put you out of my mind this time. Stop living a lie. I guess I’m down to my last cry.” It’s a classic and NOBODY has a voice quite as velvety smooth as Bryan. I can listen to him sing the same song over and over and over again, just to enjoy the sound.

16. “Remind Me” by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. “Do you remember how we used to be? We’d turn out the lights and we didn’t just sleep. Remind me. Baby, remind me. So on fire. So in love. Had a look in your eyes that I miss so much. Remind me. Baby, remind me.” I just discovered this song and adore it. How often do we forget to fan the flames that ignited a relationship? I never mind being reminded.

YOU ARE…a real man if you understand the importance of being a great father to your children.

With the recent celebration of Father’s Day, I feel it’s important to give thanks to all the Dads out there. It’s a job that is often overlooked and is oh so very important. I am blessed to have a wonderful Dad. I cannot tell you how influential he has been in my life. It’s a whole lot of positive influence that is needed.

Society has an opinion about all the things it takes to be a “real” man. Sometimes the role of father is minimized. That is so sad to me. There is nothing that makes a man more manly than his ability to be an outstanding role model to and caretaker of his family. So to all of you amazing Dads out there…thank you!

“So You Won’t Have To” by Adam Tefteller. “A better life…a better way. Give you a fighting chance when you’re out on your own someday. Do what I can to make it easier on you. Do all the things that I don’t want to so maybe one day you won’t have to.” (Adam Tefteller; 12th & Porter; May 31st) I have missed hearing Adam sing. He has such a unique voice and writes wonderful music. This is just one example of many great Tefteller tunes.

“Just Fishin’” by Trace Adkins. “And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside. Throwin’ back what we could fry. Drownin’ worms and killin’ time. Nothin’ too ambitious. She ain’t even thinkin’ ’bout what really’s goin’ on right now. But I guarantee this memory’s a biggun. And she thinks we’re just fishin’.” (Trace Adkins; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) He’s been doing this for quite a few years now and the crowd loves him. Trace just has that really, cool manly way about him. He’s a guy’s guy. Anymore…those are rare.

YOU ARE…a friend of mine if you celebrate National Doughnut Day.

WHAT?! It’s an actual holiday and I almost missed it! So on National Doughnut Day, at 11pm that night, my friends and I were scouring the city of Nashville to find the perfect doughnut.

We stopped at the local grocery store, but a “discount” tag on baked goods is never a good idea. Therefore, I was sad.

However, there was a very cool employee around to cheer me up.

Brit found a way to put her thoughts into words…

And Tara found a balloon shaped like a hammer (I’m not really sure who you would buy that balloon for, but whatever)…

Listen people…Life is about adventure (even if it’s around your own city). We finally found some doughnuts. They were awful. However, I still felt bad throwing them away just because they weren’t pretty like the brand new ones.

“I’d like to be in style again someday. ‘Cause no one likes to feel like they’ve been thrown away. I guess nothin’ lasts forever, but it hurts to be replaced by a younger, fresher, pretty face. So if only for a while, I’d like to be in style again someday.” (“In Style Again”; Lance Miller; Bluebird Cafe; June 22nd) Lance is an amazing singer/songwriter! Even though I put this song in this section, it is a tearjerker. Lance sings it beautifully. I can get lost in that guy’s voice. Song after song takes me back to a time long ago where I feel safe. Every tune he sings has depth…no matter if it’s humorous, serious or romantic. Go hear him sing. You won’t be sorry. ADDED BONUS…he is one of the nicest people in Nashville. True story.

YOU ARE…never too old for S’mores. I don’t care what you say. Those things are awesome! Right Jenn?

And Brit?

YOU ARE…normal if you fear rejection and crazy if you don’t go for it anyway.

Take a chance on possibilities. I know. I know. More often than not, the chances you take in love don’t pan out. However, it just takes one moment…one person…to make all the other chances worth it.

Josh Roberts took a chance on a girl and wrote about it in a song. “Annie don’t know the way I feel. There’s just something that she does to me. Well, just one look in her eyes. She says, ‘Give it up Baby and reach for the sky.’ Annie don’t know tonight that I wanna make her mine.” (“Annie Don’t Know”; Josh Roberts; Division; June 2nd)

And sometimes (even when it’s a mistake) just a short amount of time can stay with you forever in the form of a memory. “But tonight I’m gonna give in one last time. Rock you strong in these arms of mine. Forget all the regrets that are bound to follow. We’re like fire and gasoline. I’m no good for you. You’re no good for me. We only bring each other tears and sorrow. But tonight, I’m gonna love you like there’s no tomorrow.” (“Tomorrow”; Chris Young; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) It’s always worth taking the risk. I have to admit, I didn’t realize how good Chris Young is live. He has slowly roped me in over the past few years with his songs. After that night, I am officially sold.

And NOT risking it can be even more devastating than taking the chance and being rejected. “I don’t want to be in love, but you’re making me. Let me up, I’ve had enough. Girl, you’re breaking me. Now, here I am. Half a man sanding alone feeling like I lost my only chance at happiness when I let you go. I don’t want to be alone thinking about you girl. But I’ve got nothing left to hold in my lonely world. The first time my heart was ever touched was the day I lost your love.” (“Breaking Me”; Jonny Lang; The Ryman; June 4th) There are no words to describe the absolute overall amazement I have when it comes to Jonny Lang. Getting to experience his voice and musical talent in the Ryman just enhanced an already inexplicable feeling. Buy his music. Listen to his live show. Do anything that will get you within hearing distance of the man. It is life-altering music. Trust me on this one.

YOU ARE…allowed to celebrate birthdays joyfully!

I have to send big Happy Birthdays out to a few extraordinary people: My cousin Dusty, friend/kick ass singer/songwriter Josh Flint and friend/fellow Wildcat Amy Shipman. These people make my life better because they are in it. So, thanks y’all! I heart you and Happy Birthday!

PLUS, the biggest Happy Birthday goes out to my little brother Kerry. He is the most awesome sibling on the planet! True story. Hope you have the best birthday yet bro…

You should probably get your party on to some country music.

“My favorite color is Neon. A light they always leave on. A weekend on the rocks. An old school jukebox with a little Johnny Lee on…” (“Neon” by Chris Young; Trevor Rosen; Hotel Indigo; June 3rd) Trevor has been writing great songs for a while now. He is one of the first people I heard play when I moved back to Nashville almost five years ago. Now, T-Rosen has the title track of Chris Young’s new CD. WOOOOO WHOOOOO!

YOU ARE…inspired by people when you get to know them.

I know. I know. We live in a world where we are constantly reminded that people suck. However, there are actually very, few bad people. If you take just a minute to learn about the person next to you, you might be surprised. People are freakin’ interesting and fun and INSPIRING. Every day I am awed by what someone has done, is doing or will do. My friends and family always show up when I need them…always. Whether in person or by phone, they take the time to make a difference in my life. These people are the sole reason I refuse to believe that the world is a bad place.

This past week, I got to hang out with one of my best friends, Kim. If she wanted to blackmail me, I’d be in trouble. That’s how you know she’s a good friend. She has access to that kind of information. Kim works for an amazing organization called the Muscular Dystrophy Association and makes the world a better place each day. How can you get more inspiring than that?!

PLUS, I got to meet a new friend by the name of Luke Christie. This guy is awesome. In an instant, we were talking music (he KNOWS his country music) and writing. Although he is a few years younger than I am (and by a few, I mean a lot), Luke is much smarter. Not only was I inspired, I also learned quite a bit about life. Luke is preparing to launch a new blog on July 4th. You should all go check it out. It’s called “LC Live.” Stay tuned…

YOU ARE…American if you truly love the 4th of July.

This country is great for so many reasons and I adore getting a chance to show my appreciation. Fireworks and homemade ice cream and family and friends. It’s an American tradition. I will be forever happy to live in this spectacular nation and to be surrounded by people who embrace it with me. There is no better country. If you think there is…move there.

“Red, White and Blue” by The Warren Brothers. “My hair’s turning white. My neck’s always been red. My collar’s still blue. We’ve always been here just tryin’ to sing the truth to you. Guess you could say we’ve always been red, white and blue.” (The Warren Brothers; Bluebird Cafe; June 22nd) The Warren Brothers crack me up! If you want to go hear not only amazing music, but also a full comedy routine, find out where these guys are playing. Hilarious.

“Independence Day” by Martina McBride. “Let freedom ring. Let the white doves sing. Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning. Let the weak be strong. Let the right be wrong. Throw the stones away. Let the guilty pay. It’s Independence Day.” (Martina McBride; LP Field; CMA Fan Fest; June 11th) The crowd wouldn’t stop cheering. She couldn’t even start the next song. And then she was in tears. I’ve heard Martina McBride sing live many times and EVERY time I am in awe. How does she sing like that?!

YOU ARE…right to laugh at the “Tweet of the Month.”

There are actually two, because both made me LOL (That’s “laugh out loud” for those who don’t speak teen).

“50 Years ago, Cinderella longed for her Prince Charming. Today, ‘The Bachelorette’ is just hoping for a douchebag without Syphilis.” – NotKennyRogers

and

“Crazy people rarely call themselves crazy, but sane people often do. Grass is always greener on the crazy side I guess.”

- Zooey Deschanel

“A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I don’t know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I’d have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision, because what if you’re wrong? What if you’re making a mistake you can’t undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can’t pretend we hadn’t been told. We’ve all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today’s possibility under tomorrow’s rug until we can’t anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the Hell out of never trying.” – Meredith Grey (“Grey’s Anatomy” season finale)

Until Next Time…

No Reins!

K

P.S. “If you’re sleepin’ instead of dreamin’ about something better and nobody’s ever called you crazy then just maybe, you aint doin’ it right. If you’re ridin’ instead of drivin’ like you stole it then you don’t know what you’ve been missin’. Honey, listen. You aint doin’ it right. You aint livin’ life. You’re just spinnin’ with the planet. Gettin’ older by the minute. Yeah, you might survive but you aint doin’ it right.” (“You Aint Doin’ It Right”; Ramsey; Blue Bar and Rack Room; June 2nd) Hearing Matt sing never gets old and this song continues to inspire. It explains exactly how we should be living life. We should be taking advantage of our creativity! Right Jalen?!

And to think he figured that out way back in the early 20th century. Hmmmm…

Why is listening so ever loving difficult?! I have to remind myself often to shut up and take in what people are saying, because I might just learn something. Don’t get me wrong. There are many people on this planet who HEAR things. However, it is a much smaller segment of the population who LISTEN. Are you sensing a theme?

HEAR what people say, but LISTEN to what they do:

I feel like I re-learn this lesson annually. How about you? There are many people who can spin words and make them sound so good. Some people even get paid for those words. It feels amazing to hear verbal affirmations…promises made…sweet nothings (note “nothings”) whispered. However, they are just words. These words are only valuable when followed up by action. Period. Don’t forget that. Actions don’t lie and unfortunately sometimes words do.

HEAR the words, but LISTEN for the humor:

Justin Timberlake…Dear, sweet, hilarious Justin Timberlake. He was the host of the final Saturday Night Live episode of the season. This was JT’s fourth time hosting and he is NEVER a let down. The timing is impeccable and he is unafraid to look stupid in the name of comedy. That is why he is such a wonderful SNL host. It really should be illegal for one human being to be that talented. So in the name of humor I shall guide you in the direction of some of my favorite skits of the evening (respect goes out to Lady Gaga who was also unexpectedly funny). Monologue: “I’m Not Gonna Sing,” My Favorite: “Liquorville” and (the always popular) Digital Short: “Three-way.”

HEAR the spoilers, but LISTEN for the meaning in Season Finales:

As a TV and pop culture fan, I love the month of May. This is because the culmination of a year’s worth of storytelling comes to a close and you get to see what the writers of your favorite shows are made of…as well as the competitors in some of your favorite reality shows. I’m sure there are many shows you watch, but I’m only gonna discuss a few. Are you with me?!

“One Tree Hill”…If it ended today, they wrapped everything up in a perfect, little bow. No complaints. These writer’s have surprised me (happily) for seven seasons. The show has always been a perfect mix of suspense, romantic tension and audience gratification. PLUS, they brought Gavin DeGraw’s version of the theme song back for the end of the year. Amen. Twice.

“American Idol”…Gotta be honest. I didn’t see it. America eliminated James Durbin and I was done. True story. He, my friends, is an artist…whether or not you like his kind of music. Congrats to whoever wins though. They seem like two great kids!

“Dancing with the Stars”…What a fun season! I changed my mind multiple times on who I wanted to win. There were many great competitors. However, my full support ended up going to Hines Ward. He is AMAZING on the dance floor and when he was truly worried about his dance partner…let’s just say, “He had me at *tears.*” Awwww…

“Bones”…I don’t like to be mean, but I am so disappointed. First of all, we’ve waited six seasons for Bones and Booth to find their way to each other. When they finally do, we (the audience) aren’t even sure it happened. THEN out of nowhere she’s pregnant with Booth’s baby?! Didn’t they sleep together like two weeks ago? EPT must have really upped the technology on their pregnancy tests. Wow. I just feel like we got cheated out of watching them finally figure it out. Dang it “Bones”! That’s two season finale let downs in a row!

“CSI: Miami”…Will Horatio die?! Will Natalia drown?! Is it realistic that the sweet guy from “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Can’t Hardly Wait” turned murderous?! And (most importantly) did Horatio’s sunglasses break?!

“Grey’s Anatomy”…Despite a misstep or two this season (musical episode anyone?), “Grey’s” has been good to me. I love it for McDreamy, McSteamy and Avery…and other stuff too! The writers do an excellent job of making the viewer feel like he or she knows every character. That is why I was surprised by Derek’s reaction to Meredith’s huge ethics violation. The McDreamy I have grown to love would NEVER have reacted that way. He said the one thing that would hurt her the most. McDreamys don’t do that. It was surprisingly unbelievable and a let down. However, what “Grey’s” is excellent about is tying up every episode with an epic dialogue about human emotion to which each of us can relate. It was no different with this season’s finale. (cue dialogue and sad music):

“There’s a reason I said I’d be happy alone. It wasn’t cause I thought I’d be happy alone. It was because I thought if I loved someone and then it fell apart, I might not make it. It’s easier to be alone because what if you learn that you need love and then you don’t have it? What if you like it and lean on it? What if you shape your life around it and then it falls apart? Can you even survive that kind of pain? Losing love is like organ damage. It’s like dying. The only difference is death ends. This…it can go on forever.” -Meredith Grey

HEAR the singer, but LISTEN to “The Voice”:

So how about that?! Our very own Jared Blake (a.k.a. “That Guy with the Tattoos”) is in the Top 16. YEAH! I might be slightly biased (I’m not), but Mr. Blake kicked some ass on last week’s episode. Check it out HERE.

Do you know what the Top 16 means? In approximately two weeks you had better be ready to vote…often. In the mean time, you can become a fan of Jared’s Facebook Page HERE. And/or you can follow him on Twitter HERE.

That should about do it. Hey Jared, GOOD LUCK!

HEAR the diagnosis, but LISTEN to the class of the man diagnosed:

I really have no idea how to go about putting into words my admiration for the person I am preparing to tell you about next.

Last week, I heard something that knocked the breath out of me. Royals announcer Paul Splittorff was admitted to the hospital with both oral cancer and melanoma. To be honest, I flinch any time “cancer” is mentioned. It might be the worst word in the dictionary.

It was a battle he apparently fought silently for a while. Splitt would be mad that I am taking time to even talk about it. He was the guy who never discussed himself or wanted the attention placed on him. However, I will be damned if I don’t give credit to not only an amazing pitcher and broadcaster, but also a great person. Paul Splittorff was classy, funny, down-to-earth and always ready to talk to or help anyone in need.

In my career, I have come across a few select athletes, musicians and celebrities who are selfish, arrogant and just plain mean. Splitt was the absolute opposite of all that. He was a career example you wanted to follow, because it would be an amazing career to have. Did you know Paul Splittorff had more career wins than Sandy Koufax? True story. He was the guy who would help someone who could do nothing for him in return. He was the man with a quick smile and an even quicker wit. He was the person willing to sit down and teach someone who wanted to learn…even some baseball definitions she should have known in the first place.

If anyone was a fighter, it was Paul Splittorff. If anyone deserved the support he got from family, friends and Royals Nation alike, it was Paul Splittorff. He not only led a career worthy of emulating, but also a life.

The world lost a great person on Wednesday. Splitt, thank you. I am one of many who will miss you.

HEAR other talk show hosts, but LISTEN to Oprah:

Love her, hate her or fall somewhere in between, one thing is a fact. Oprah has been a cultural phenomenon for 25 years. She is more powerful than all the Presidents, celebrities and businesspeople combined. Who else can be sued by an entire industry because that industry actually took a sales hit for her just mentioning something negative about beef on a talk show?! Who else has celebrities coming to HER to be interviewed. Who else can make an unknown author a Best Seller the second his or her book hits the “Oprah’s Book Club” list?! Who else can help people face their demons and try to better their lives? Who else can make millions of people believe they are listening to a friend give them advice every day?

Oprah didn’t just cross race, class and gender lines that had never been crossed before…she tore them completely down. People don’t classify Oprah as anything other than a friend. She is the person you count on in the world of celebrity. Oprah doesn’t just expose and coach people on their shortcomings. She also exposes her own shortcomings and shares with everyone her struggles and triumphs in life. Oprah became the one thing that no other talk show host could manage to be…relatable.

I am and will always be a fan. Afternoons will never be the same without Oprah.

HEAR the notes, but LISTEN to the feeling:

And it’s time for your “Songs of the Week.” Here. We. Go.

1. “Goodbye Says It All” by Blackhawk. Only in Nashville can you sit in Jiffy Lube and chat with a member of one of the coolest groups ever. This song just happens to be one of their best…and my favorites. “She left me no chance at redemption. No further exemption. Just a big, red goodbye in lipstick on the wall. Goodbye says it all. No long explanation. No reconciliation. No let’s talk it over number I can call. Goodbye says it all.” True story.

2. “More Than Words” by Extreme. I forget how incredible this song is until it pops up on the iPod. Wow…twice. Ohhhh…80’s big, hair bands how I miss you! *sigh* “Sayin’ I love you is not the words I want to hear from you. It’s not that I want you not to say it, but if you only knew how easy it would be to show me how you feel. More than words is all you have to do to make it real. Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me, ’cause I’d already know.”

3. “That’s the Truth” by Paul Brandt. It’s a little song that made a quick stop on the charts in the summer of 1999. I completely adore this tune. It is catchy and fun and romantic all wrapped into one. “I’m comin’ home to see you Baby. You’re the one thing that I know for sure. In a world that’s goin’ crazy. You’re a matter of survival. My heart and soul revival. Swear on a stack of Bibles. Cross my heart that I will be here for you. And that’s the truth.”

4. “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Frank Sinatra. Although I’ve loved this one for most of my life, I was reminded of it’s romantic power when they used it in “The Notebook” a few years ago. Frank has just got a way with a song. “I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places that this heart and mind embraces all day through.”

5. “1999″ by Prince. There are no words for the awesomeness of Prince…just ask my friend Aaron Austin. This one takes me back to way before 1999. At that time, everyone was talking like the year 2000 was it. Done. It’s kind of entertaining now. This tune makes you move. “Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero party over. Oops out of time. So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999.”

6. “Someone to Watch Over Me” by Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a classic and it is so incredibly smooth. No one sings it like Ella. “Looking everywhere. Haven’t found him yet. He’s the big affair I cannot forget. Only man I ever think of with regret. I’d like to add his initial to my monogram. Tell me where is the shepherd for this lost lamb? There’s a somebody I’m longing to see. I hope that he turns out to be someone to watch over me.”

7. “Not Ready to Make Nice” by Jared Blake. Where have I heard this song before?! Buy it. You know you want to. “Forgive. sounds good. Forget. I’m not sure I could. They say time heals everything, but I’m still waiting. And I’m through with doubt. There’s nothin’ left for me to figure out. I’ve paid a price and I’ll keep payin’. I’m not ready to make nice. I’m not ready to back down. I’m still mad as Hell and I don’t have time to go round and round and round. It’s too late to make it right. I probably wouldn’t if I could. ‘Cause I’m mad as Hell. Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should.”

8. “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. It’s the way of life. Once you think you have it figured out, you learn how wrong you are. That’s why the pages to the future are waiting for you to write on them. AAAAAND GO! “Staring at the blank page before you. Open up the dirty window. Let the sun illuminate the words that you cannot find reaching for something in the distance. So close you can almost taste it. Release your inhibitions. Feel the rain on your skin. No one else can feel it for you. Only you can let it in. No one else. No one else can speak the words on your lips. Treat yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.”

9. “Evidence” by Marilyn Manson. I know what you’re thinking. How in the heck did we get from Frank Sinatra to Marilyn Manson?! Welcome to “Rock On Together” my friends. There is good music everywhere. This tune is H.O.T. Dark, but hot. “You have eyes that lead me on and a body that shows me death. Your lips look like they were made for something else. So they just suck my breath. I want your pain to taste why you’re ashamed. And I know you’re not just what you say to me and I’m not the only moment you’re made of.”

10. “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips. Who knew you could find solace in a cheesy 80’s tune. Oh wait. I did. I will love this song until the day that I die and I’m not ashamed to admit it. The message is solid. They are singing on the top of a mountain as well as on the beach…in the SAME SONG! “Someday somebody’s gonna make you wanna turn around and say goodbye. Until then Baby are you gonna let ‘em hold you down and make you cry? Don’t you know. Don’t you know. Things could change. Things’ll go your way. If you hold on for one more day. Can you hold on for one more day? Things’ll go your way. Hold on for one more day.”

11. “So What” by Tammy Cochran. I know you’ve been there. At the time, it seems like the biggest heartbreak and there is no way you’ll ever recover. Years later, you look back and go…Seriously?! Then you wipe your brow and thank the Lord that the one thing you wanted most at the time didn’t happen. Sometimes it feels REALLY good to be wrong. “If it hadn’t been for losing you, I’d still be back in Jackson. Settlin’ for settlin’ and gettin’ what I got. But where I am and who I am is well worth every lesson. Guess you could say I’ve learned a lot. Yeah, you broke my heart. So what.” BOOM!

12. “Don’t You Remember” by Adele. I have been obsessed with the Adele album as of late. Her voice is soulful, heartbreaking and pleading all at the same time. She completely takes over a song and this one breaks my heart every time I hear it. “But I know I have a fickle heart and a bitterness and a wandering eye and a heaviness in my head. But don’t you remember? Don’t you remember the reason you loved me before? Baby, please remember me once more. I gave you the space, so you could breathe. I kept my distance so you’d be free. And hoped that you’d find that missing piece to bring you back to me. Why don’t you remember?”

13. “Pretty Girls” by Nicolle Galyon. Sometimes I go looking for brand new music from singer/songwriters around Nashville just to remind myself that there are so many. That’s when I go webpage to webpage and wait for a song to grab me. This tune not only grabbed me, it beat me up. That is a good thing in case you were wondering. The emotion and relatable content in the song is awesome. I fairly sure most females can attach to this one. Nicolle does an amazing job singing it. Added bonus: She’s a Kansan! Shout out to my peeps! “Pretty girls get lost. Pretty girls get scared. They wonder if real love is really out there. I don’t know what you think of me, but we are all only as pretty as we believe. I’m a wreck. I’m a mess in a little black dress in the corner of this room. I’m a heart on a sleeve that you never see. Don’t tell me that you do. I know you put me on like a string of pearls, but I am not just a pretty girl.”

14. “Lost In You” by Garth Brooks. He is the man, the myth, the legend for a reason. As Chris Gaines, Garth took this song and sounded so completely different. He never had a problem with singing a slow, gripping tune. However, he takes this one to a whole, new level. That’s why I laugh in the face of anyone who calls the Chris Gaines project a “failure.” If this is failure, sign me up. “Heaven knows. I’m head over heels and it shows. I’ve played every field I suppose. But there’s something about you. When you’re around, Baby I have found I get lost in you.”

15. “Undo It” by Carrie Underwood. When Mark Bright and Carrie Underwood are involved in a projects, I am almost ALWAYS a fan. This one makes me very, very happy. If I had a nickel for every time I felt this way…I’d have at least 25 cents. “I should have known by the way you passed me by. There was something in your eyes and it wasn’t right. I should have walked, but I never had the chance. Everything got out of hand and I let it slide. Now I only have myself to blame for fallin’ for your stupid games. I wish my life could be the way it was before I saw your face. You stole my happy. You made me cry. Took the lonely and took me for a ride. And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it. You had my heart, now I want it back. I’m starting to see everything you lack. Boy, you blew it. You put me through it. I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it.”

16. “Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw. He never lets me down. Love the voice. Love the song. “If you asked me how I’m doin’, I would say I’m doin’ just fine. I would lie and say that you’re not on my mind. But I go out and I sit down at a table set for two. And finally I’m forced to face the truth. No matter what I say, I’m not over you.”

HEAR other people’s voices, but don’t forget to LISTEN to your own:

How often do we get caught up in what other people think? What do they think about how we look, act, talk, live, dance, laugh, etc.? How crazy is that?! Do you know why? Rarely do they care about what we’re doing, because they are too worried thinking about what we think of them. What a waste of time.

The people I respect the most have always been the ones who have an overwhelming sense of self. No one changes who they are. For better or worse, they listen to that inner voice. They stand for what they believe in on a daily basis. Some of my closest friends and family are this way. Guess what?! We don’t always agree. However, it doesn’t change their stance. I adore that fact. Your inner voice is the only thing that makes you different from everyone else. It is what should guide you, because anyone else’s voice will get you lost.

Take advice. Hear what others have to say. Learn from it. However, don’t EVER ignore the voice that is yours. That would be devastating. If you think I’m being over dramatic, talk to someone who suffered life laryngitis.

HEAR the music, but LISTEN to the people who create and sing it:

The month of May brought me first to The Listening Room and it was full of amazing musical talent.

There was the deep, gravelly, warm and Johnny Cash-like voice of Mark Stephen Jones. He is such a talent on the microphone and even more so with his songwriting. There was the tune about appreciating what we have called “Hey God.” “I Hate Love” was about watching an ex be happy with someone new. Finally, he finished with the song “Church of the Cold, Hard Truth” which explains difficulties in life. This is a man whose voice ropes you in and won’t let go.

Michael Peterson has always been a singer I respect. He has a way with a ballad that brings a smile to your face and a happy tear to your eye. That night at The Listening Room was no different. However, Mr. Peterson sang a song that left me breathless. It reminded me of why love is so amazing and necessary, while at the same time showing love’s ability to break us. The tune takes you through the lives of two people who fall in love and build a world together. She ends up developing Alzheimer’s. The last part of the song “She Can’t Remember and He Can’t Forget” states “She can’t remember havin’ so much fun. She can’t remember when she felt this close to someone she just met. She can’t remember, but he can’t forget.” Wow.

Joie Scott was the lone woman in the round and she more than held her own. It took just a second for me to recognize a song that had become a friend of mine many years ago. It was #3 for Collin Raye on the charts in 1995. “Not That Different” is a piece of art in musical form. “I laugh. I love. I hope. I try. I hurt. I need. I fear. I cry. And I know you do the same things too. So we’re really not that different…me and you.”

Billy Dawson rounded out the night with the extremely hot tune “Shadow Dress” and the song named one of “Rock On Together’s” Best Songs of 2010, “What I Miss About Me.” His voice gets better and better every time I hear him in front of a microphone. “I used to love with a heart wide open. I used to have such fragile skin, but hearts get tougher every time they’re broken. Leavin’ scars on your innocence til you’re nothin’ like the way you used to be. And that’s what I miss about me.”

What a great way to kick of May!

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

I attach to any music Marcus Hummon plays a part in writing. Somehow his songs always find me. I feel like I am privileged to be able to listen to the tunes he creates because I gain wisdom in his words. A few weeks ago, I got to hear a couple of other singer/songwriters who are wonderful in which to listen alongside Marcus.

Chris Roberts and Johnny Bulford (with the help of Marcus Hummon) sang song after song of awesomeness. There was a smile stretched across my face for every, single minute I stood in The Basement. Let me give you a few examples.

They sang about heartbreak in “If He Loves Her Like I Did” with “If he loves her like I did, he’s gonna miss her like I do. And he’ll spend his whole life holdin’ onto a woman he can’t replace or forget. If he loves her like I did.”

They sang about romantic love in “Still Feels Like Home” with “There ain’t no light on the front porch. That white rockin’ chair is gone. Next door the weeds are takin’ over. I guess that old Mr. Mitchell passed on. Can’t hear those church bells ringin’. Oh but I’ve seen enough now to know that you are the only place that still feels like home.”

Finally, it only took one line in the hot tune “What Do You Say” to sell it. “What good is is love if it’s never made?” Very. Good. Question.

It is fun and familiar for me to be surrounded by Keith Anderson music. I think that is true for many people who love his songs. The best part of last week was that I got to not only hear the older tunes, but also some new songs by Keith. Hearing new music from artists I adore is like getting presents on my birthday. Love it. First was the overwhelmingly catchy “Tight, White, Wife-Beater.” It details how the shirt encompasses the feelings a man has for a woman. Yep. Those feelings. “That tight, white, wife-beater on her. I gotta be honest. It’s the first thing I noticed. Tight, white, wife-beater on her pretty little figure. It’s all that I remember.” Then Keith broke into a summer love song called “Makin’ Love.” It was the song that I couldn’t shake out of my head for the rest of the week. “Makin’ love. Makin’ love. Knees and elbows tangled up. Lately I can’t get enough of me and Baby makin’ love.” These two songs made me happily anticipate a new Keith Anderson album.

Chad Warrix (Halfway to Hazard) also sang a few which included one I fell in love with immediately. The song was called “Die By My Own Hand.” It was powerful and heartbreaking with “You changed me Baby. Given enough time girl, you might have saved me. Then again you might have just gone crazy tryin’ to love this music man. Don’t worry Honey. I understand why you went running from me. Guess I really should have seen it comin’. I’ll always die by my own hand.”

Make sure you take some time to get to 3rd and Lindsley every once in a while for a Keith Anderson and Friends show. It is always enjoyable and includes music that embraces you.

Thursday nights should be spent at The Blue Bar and Rack Room if you are in Nashville. That is where Ramsey plays. They are incredible. Front man Matt Ramsey has that spectacular voice that makes you want to be a better person in “You Ain’t Doin’ It Right,” (my personal favorite) drive down a dirt road with the windows down in “That’s How We Do Summertime” and embrace the right kind of love in “Wake Up Lovin’ You.”

Then the band almost made me break down with two new songs. Both tunes deal with heartbreak on a gut level. The notes roll through the verses like tears flow down the cheeks of the brokenhearted. The music smoothly moves and builds until the answer is discovered. “Day One” teaches you the logistics of moving on with “I can’t skip the pain. I can’t stop my mind. So I’ll just take one at a time. It might even be a year…maybe three…before the damage comes undone. But I’ll get over you if I can get through day one.” The song “Take My Breath Away” details the pain of losing someone you thought you never would. “If you’re gonna leave me by myself. If you’re gonna love somebody else, you might as well drug my drink and burn my bed. Stop my heart and take my breath away.”

Yet again, Ramsey delivers. How about you check them out for yourself on Thursday nights.

The last show of the month happened this past Sunday and it was full of amazing songwriters. I got to hear quite a few people who make singing look easy, but prove just how difficult it is. Let’s just say if I was ever told to sing after any of them, I would refuse to spare myself the humiliation. They are incredible.

Bo Bice of “American Idol” fame was up first and always sings with an immense amount of feeling. I believe that he believes in the words that come out of his mouth. There is a warm gruffness to his delivery that makes each song more heartfelt. That night he sang two of my favorites. You should check out “You Take Yourself with You” and “Different Shades of Blue.” Incredible.

Then there’s that guy who goes by the name Jason Sellers. He is sitting on two recent number ones in the form of Rascal Flatts’ “I Won’t Let Go” and Jason Aldean’s (Featuring Kelly Clarkson) “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” However, it doesn’t stop there. He also sang Keith Anderson’s #2 hit “I Still Miss You” and Montgomery Gentry’s Top 10 tune “Some People Change.” As much as I love every, single one of those songs. I have the best time getting lost in the voice of Jason Sellers. Not many singers in this town can top him. That voice is showcased on the Aaron Lines’ song “You Can’t Hide Beautiful.” It’s really unfortunate that Jason has such a difficult time writing hits. That would be sarcasm ladies and gentlemen.

Speaking of hit makers, we also got to hear the awesomeness of Greg Barnhill that evening. He is from New Orleans and you can tell when he sings. There is pure soul in every note. It is extremely fun to hear his versions of hit songs he wrote for others. One of my favorite albums of all time contains this beautiful song on it. I never put two and two together until I heard Greg start singing it. The song is on Tim McGraw’s “A Place in the Sun” album and it’s called “You Don’t Love Me Anymore.” Holy Mother of Pearl that is a great tune. Greg also wrote mega hits “Walkaway Joe” by Trisha Yearwood (Featuring Don Henley) and “House of Love” by Amy Grant and Vince Gill. Greg also threw in a tune that night that is a future hit in the making. It’s called “It Ain’t the Whiskey” with “It ain’t the whiskey. It ain’t the cigarettes. It ain’t the stuff I smoke. It’s all these things I can’t forget. It ain’t the hard life. It ain’t the all nights. It ain’t that easy, cause it ain’t the whiskey that’s killin’ me.” This man is unbelievable…in all the great musical ways. Wow.

Host Stephen Salyers is a vocal wonder and has plenty of fun with music. He draws a crowd in and gets every drop of power out of the notes. He also has this infectious smile and spirit both onstage and offstage. You can’t help but smile when you’re around Stephen. That night he sang “I Won’t Be,” “Boots Keep Knockin’,” “Pass Them On” and a Wynonna cut called “Screen Door Slammin’.” Stephen also impressed the crowd by bringing up Bekka Bramlett (If you haven’t had the opportunity to hear her sing live, you are cheating yourself) and singing Prince’s “Purple Rain.” The performance brought the house down.

It was quite an amazing night…and month of music. That kind of music is what makes me so happy to live in this city. There is no place like it.

HEAR with your ears, but LISTEN with your heart:

I am constantly in music debates with my artist friends about one thing or another. However, we can usually agree on the fact that you find songs with your heart. Something about the music moves you. That is also the best way to live life. Always…ALWAYS follow your heart. Sometimes it will get broken, but it’s never wrong. You learn every step of the way. The only times I have ever regretted anything was when I ignored what my heart was telling me. Sometimes love defies logic. Those are the simple facts. I’m glad that’s the case. With logic alone, wouldn’t it be a boring life?

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.” – Karl A. Menninger

HEAR things on Facebook, but LISTEN to Tweets of the Month:

This one comes from Zooey Deschanel…

“In an ideal world, no one would talk before 10am. People would just hug, because waking up is really hard.”

Until Next Time…

No Reins!

K

]]> http://www.rockontogether.com/blog/2011/05/26/music-review-finales-fighters-and-hearing-vs-listening/feed/ 0 http://www.rockontogether.com/blog/2011/04/26/music-review-the-fighters-the-speeches-the-voice-and-the-courage/ http://www.rockontogether.com/blog/2011/04/26/music-review-the-fighters-the-speeches-the-voice-and-the-courage/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:41:12 +0000 admin http://www.rockontogether.com/blog/?p=2433

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill

Have you ever wanted to find that little, extra bit of courage to help you stand up when you should? Or a little more gumption to sit down and lend an ear when necessary? This is an interesting statement coming from Churchill. Even though the man had so many incredible things to say, standing up to speak was extremely difficult for him to do. This is why Churchill was so aware of the courage it takes to do so. He wasn’t the only great world leader who had trouble speaking in front of people. At the same time in history, King George VI faced similar obstacles. Showing their own brand of courage and charisma, the King and Churchill both served as strong and charismatic leaders to the people during World War II.

This month I took a bit of advice and watched a few movies that I hadn’t seen. “The King’s Speech” was one of those movies. Both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are incredible. The fact that the movie is based on actual events is awesome. Watching led to inspiration. Isn’t that how it always works? Never let it be said that pop culture is bad for you. There are definite benefits. And yes…all history was pop culture at one time. So there.

COURAGE IS FIGHTING (figuratively)…In the case of “The Fighter,” the fighting was also literal. However, the movie was actually about a struggle that is much deeper and more meaningful. It’s the fight against your demons, your environment, your fears and your own self doubt. Those fights tend to be much more difficult to win than anything in a ring. However, Micky Ward won…in both the literal and figurative senses. Mark Wahlberg was stellar as usual (he is so good in every movie, I think he gets underrated a lot). Christian Bale was so amazing I didn’t even recognize it was him until 30 minutes into the movie. And I had no idea Amy Adams had that kind of performance in her. She BECAME Charlene Fleming. It’s worth a watch.

COURAGE IS SEEING YOURSELF AS YOU ARE…And sometimes it’s nearly impossible for us to do. Sadly, it’s true.

You know I couldn’t focus solely on Oscar movies. That would be unlike me. There needs to be AT LEAST one romantic comedy in the batch. That comedy was “How Do You Know.” Although the movie as a whole could have been better, I loved it! Paul Rudd was surprisingly great at physical comedy. The one-liners alone were worth the watch. Example: When Owen Wilson asks his buddies, “How do you know when you’re in love?” One of them responds with, “I figure I’m in love with somebody when I wear a condom with the other girls.” HAHAHAHAHAHA! Hey! It’s depressing, but funny. Admit it. I think I know a few men with that philosophy.

There is also much practical wisdom in the film. This insight can be applied to real life. My favorites came in the form of 1) “We are all just one small adjustment away from making our lives work.” or 2) “Happiness in life is about finding out what you want and learning how to ask for it.”

COURAGE IS LEAVING YOUR HEART AND SOUL ONSTAGE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE…That is what Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill did on Friday night. Bottom line…it was the best performance I have ever heard by a singer. Ever. No contest. It was so good that an audience full of her colleagues were delivering a standing ovation a full minute before the performance was finished. Watch/listen for yourself HERE. Carrie…RESPECT! Right Izzy?

COURAGE IS BEING DEFEATED BY A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD…Wellllll, maybe that’s less courageous and more humbling. How in the heck did I lose at Pac-Man?! That’s my game! I blame it on the Wii. Besides, how could I be mad at this adorable face? Impossible.

COURAGE INVOLVES FEAR…True story. Just ask Mark Twain…

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear–not absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward, it is not a compliment to say he is brave; it is merely a loose misapplication of the word.”

COURAGE IS PROVIDED BY A SONG (or 15)…Yea! *Doing a little dance*

1. “I Can Only Imagine” by Wynonna or MercyMe. Either version of the song is incredible. There is no other song that brings me to my knees in quite the way this one does. “Surrounded by your Glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Halleluiah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine. I can only imagine.”

2. “Your Mama Don’t Dance” by Poison. I adore it. Always have. Poison performs a cover of the original, but it’s my favorite. Just TRY and sit still when you hear this tune. I dare you. What do you think Charlie?

3. “What I Really Meant to Say” by Cyndi Thomson. I went back to the “not that long ago” archives for this one. If you’ve haven’t felt this at some point in your life, you aren’t human. “It took me by surprise when I saw you standing there…close enough to touch…breathin’ the same air. You asked me how I’d been. I guess that’s when I smiled and said, ‘Just fine.’ Oh, but Baby I was lyin’. What I really meant to say is I’m dyin’ here inside and I miss ya more each day. There’s not a night I haven’t cried. And Baby, here’s the truth. I’m still in love with you. Yeah. That’s what I really meant to say.”

4. “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar. There isn’t a song on the planet that provides me more courage than this one…hands down. Three and 1/2 minutes of this and I’m ready. Bring. It. “Well, you’re a real tough cookie with a long history of breakin’ little hearts like the one in me. That’s okay. Let’s see how you do it. Put up your dukes. Let’s get down to it. Hit me with your best shot. Why don’t ya hit me with your best shot? Hit me with your best shot. Fire away.”

5. “Daisy” by Halfway to Hazard. Probably the most disappointed I’ve ever felt that radio didn’t run with a tune for longer than it did. If more people had heard this song, it would have been a smash. I 100% believe that. It is one of the greatest story songs ever written (Yes. It is.). And these guys sing the ever lovin’ soul out of it. “She gave me her body. She bared me her soul. Didn’t ask for nothin’. She led me down to the river. She said, ‘You need to be baptized.’ Held me under the moonlight. Lord, I don’t know why she loved the Hell out of me.”

6. “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele. Probably the most soulful contemporary artist. The entire album is spectacular. When she sings, you feel the words. This song is no exception. “But I set fire to the rain. Watched it pour as I touched your face. Well, it burned while I cried cause I heard it screaming out your name…your name.”

7. “Up Around the Bend” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. I never really understood how much Creedence was engrained in my childhood. I came to know and love many of the tunes and this one is no exception (Thanks Dad!). “You can ponder perpetual motion. Fix your mind on a crystal day. Always time for a good conversation. There’s an ear for what you say.”

8. “Regulate” by Warren G (featuring Nate Dogg). It only takes three words. “Regulators!!! Mount up!”

9. “How Can We Be Lovers” by Michael Bolton. Don’t judge. You know every word. Admit it. Let’s sing it together…”How can we be lovers if we can’t be friends? How can we start over when the fighting never ends, Baby? How can we make love if we can’t make amends? How can we be lovers if we can’t be…can’t be friends?”

10. “Let It Be Me” by Ray LaMontagne. This man can sing to me any day of the week. The voice…the lyrics…the music…wow. Just wow. “That’s when you need someone. Someone that you can call. When all your Faith is gone. It feels like you can’t go home. Let it be me. Let it be me. If it’s a friend that you need, let it be me. Let it be me.”

11. “The One” by Gary Allan. It might be the hottest song ever written and performed. H…O…T…times 100. “No rush. No, I need your touch. I won’t rush your heart. Until you feel on solid ground…until your strength is found. Girl, I’ll fill those canyons in your soul. Like a river, lead you home. And I’ll walk a step behind in the shadows so you’ll shine. Just ask, it will be done and I will prove my love until you’re sure that I’m the one.”

12. “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” by Blake Shelton. He’s right. She sure wouldn’t be. “If I hadn’t been so stubborn, been so selfish; thought about her more, thought about me less; joked to make her laugh, held her when she cried. A little more of that maybe I wouldn’t be drivin like Hell. Flyin like crazy down the highway. Callin’ everyone we know. Stoppin’ any place she might be. Goin’ any place she might go. Beatin’ on the dash. Screamin’ out her name at the windshield tears soakin up my face. If I’d have loved her this much all along, maybe…maybe…yeah, maybe she wouldn’t be gone.”

13. “Can’t Get Next to You” by The Temptations. This song always puts a smile on my face. Even though the lyrics aren’t really supposed to make you smile. There’s something about the tune that just makes me happy. It might have something to do with THIS part in “Hope Floats.” “I can turn the gray sky blue. I can make it rain whenever I want it to. I can build a castle from a single grain of sand. I can make a ship sail on dry land. But my life is incomplete and I’m so blue, ’cause I can’t get next to you.”

14. “Aint No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. I watched “Remember the Titans” today. It reminded me how much I adore this tune. Remember? “Aint no mountain high enough. Aint no valley low enough. Aint no river wide enough to keep me from gettin’ to you.”

15. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. Just because no one…and I mean no one…can deny the power of Journey. It doesn’t matter where you go. Play the first part of this song and listen to rooms full (or bars full or arenas full) of people sing along…”Just a small town girl livin’ in a lonely world. She took the midnight train goin’ anywhere. Just a city boy born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train goin’ anywhere.”

COURAGE IS REALITY…and there is a LOT of reality going on right now and in the near future. Where shall I begin?

American Idol – A show that focuses on the dreams of kids. How can you not enjoy the process and excitement of watching so many people achieve success?! The added bonus is that you get to be entertained by some incredible talent.

1. Most Surprising Moment: Pia got Daughtryed (a.k.a. Getting voted off WAAAAY too early). It’s not right. It’s not fair. However, she will forever benefit by not being tied to the A.I. contracts for the rest of her ever lovin’ life. This is a gift Pia. Embrace it as a blessing.

2. Most Interesting Performance: Casey and Haley singing “Moanin’.” And the real Haley FINALLY makes an appearance. It made me want to buy the single as soon as they were done singing. The vocal wars, sass, musical variation and pure entertainment was awesome. It was surprising and more than likely saved Haley for a few more weeks.

3. Best Performance of the Season: James Durbin singing the Muse song “Uprising.” There is no one who is more an artist on this show than James. The way he puts together each performance is impressive. I am always excited and interested to see what he’s going to do next. James is ALWAYS true to himself and it comes through in every performance. I haven’t even touched on his vocal abilities. James is effin incredible! Quiet or loud, low or high, intense or soft…he can do it all. Unreal.

4. Most Touching Moment of the Season: Casey being saved by the judges after America voted him off earlier in the season. I teared up a little. I adore that guy, and the pure honesty of his reaction was priceless. GO CASEY! And THAT is what American Idol should be. Watch it HERE.

5. Contestant I Most Want to Hug (or something): Paul McDonald. He’s been voted off, I realize that. AND I also know this might be wrong, but he’s so hot I almost forget to listen to him sing. I mean, look at the guy!

Looks aside, the man also has a very unique and fun sound. I loved his performances every week and look forward to hearing what kind of album he’ll put out in the near future.

6. Overall, this might be the best batch of actual ARTISTS American Idol has had in a long time. I love that!

7. I adore Steven Tyler. That is all.

Dancing with the Stars – The best reason for watching this show is to see why most of these celebrities have been as successful as they have been. They are competitive and willing to step WAAAAY outside of the box to better themselves. I LOVE watching them fight to win a freakin’ mirror ball trophy. Awesome!

1. First Two Surprises of the Season: Kirstie Alley and Ralph Macchio. At 60-years-old and 50-years-old respectively…WOW! These two can dance! I was happily cheering for them before they even took the floor. However, after seeing them dance…either of them could win the whole thing!

2. Could be a Professional Dancer in the Off Season: Hines Ward. Seriously, Hines?! Seriously?! That guy is as good as the pros. I enjoy watching everything he does on the dance floor. Did I mention he is hot?! The dancing makes him even hotter.

3. The Coolest Dancer: Romeo. What I love about Romeo is that in theory it’s not “cool” for a 21-year-old guy to ballroom dance. However, Romeo really tries hard to do a wonderful job each week and MAKES each dance look cool. He makes me smile every time he steps on the floor.

4. Most Fun to Watch: Chelsea Kane. This girl can flat out DANCE. Mark is her dancing pro and he always comes up with amazing choreography…which makes it enjoyable for the audience. I can’t wait to see what they come up with each week. Because they have fun, I have fun.

5. My Favorite: Chris Jericho. I. Love. Jericho. I’m a Jerichoholic. He can dance. He has fun when he does it. He is extremely competitive. He is humble in learning everything Cheryl has to teach him. I. Love. Jericho. Maybe it’s because I have a thing for wrestlers. Maybe it’s because he is so adorable. Maybe it’s because he’s the underdog. Maybe it’s because he’s funny. Maybe it’s because Cheryl is his teacher (she can coach a box of rocks into becoming a great dancer). Did I mention I. Love. Jericho?

The Voice – It’s coming! Tuesday night (April 26th). NBC. 9/8 Central. Keep your eyes open for Jared Blake. He’s the one singing to you right now. There are four celebrity coaches who choose contestants to work with when the show starts. You are probably familiar with the coaches. How about Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton? Check out a combo performance HERE.

COURAGE IS AGING WITH CLASS…And Danielle celebrated her 25th birthday this week with much class. Yep. That’s right. She’s 25-years-old…again. Happy Birthday D!

COURAGE IS WRITING MUSIC THAT CHANGES PEOPLE’S LIVES…There are many songwriters who do just that. Last month, I got to hear four of them who span the music genres. After a month of much stress, it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. And I usually find food for my ears at the Bluebird Cafe. I’m just sayin’…

We start with a New Orleans native who is full of soul, Greg Barnhill. It was fun to hear his spin on the songs he wrote that you know so well. How about “Walkaway Joe” by Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley or “House of Love” by Amy Grant and Vince Gill? Told you they were good songs. He also had some great tunes that are yet to be cut. I adored “Thin Blue Line” which was about treating love too lightly with “When one day she’s gonna call him up and say she still needs him. Then he’ll say I’ve found somebody else that I believe in. This thing called love is but a moment in time. Some people take it so lightly. Take it for granted boy and you’ll find you’ll be walkin’ down a thin blue line.” Greg has such a way with words. This was also the case in the tune “Cross My Mind” with “Hey! Wait. Are you a question that I keep inside? I’ll be wanting you forever and ever and ever. Now let go. How can I tell my heart to just say so? Could it be that love is so hard to find? Should have never let you cross my mind.”

Next up was rock extraordinaire Emerson Hart from the band Tonic. I’ve heard him sing quite a bit around Nashville and I adore listening every time. He played all of the great Tonic songs like “If You Could Only See,” “Flyin’” and “Open Up Your Eyes.” Emerson has such an amazing delivery of the tunes. Even if you’ve heard them 1,000 times, he makes them feel new. He also sang a sweet tune he wrote for his daughter called “Lullaby.” He sings it to her at night to let her know “It don’t matter where ya go. I will always be right here at home. So Baby, Baby don’t you cry. Daddy will write a lullaby.” And he sang the heartbreaking “When I Had You.” Emerson makes you feel it when he sings, “I guess everybody’s lookin’ for something. A little somethin to get you through. A word…a touch…a hand to hold…a piece of Heaven all your own. The kind of thing I had when I had you.”

Everyone at the Bluebird was also lucky enough to hear Melissa Peirce sing with Emerson that night. She had an amazing voice and the blend between the two was stellar. They sang the song “You’ll Know” together. When you get two amazing singer/songwriters in a room singing together, that equals magic.

Speaking of Magic, it was great to catch up with my old co-workers Amber (Melissa, James and Jordan) as well as meet a new friend in Allison a few weeks ago. Oh yeah…GO MAGIC!

Jonathan Singleton brought the country soul to the round. When I say this man has one of my favorite voices in Nashville, I mean it. There is something about that voice that soothes. There is a unique quality that catches the ear and makes you listen. I adored Jonathan Singleton and the Grove’s first single, “Look Who’s Back In Love.” It still gets played all the time on my iPod. Jonathan is also an amazing songwriter and has written hits for many artists in town. So many that you forget how great he is until he starts singing them. Jonathan sang the Billy Currington hit “Don’t” and his own “Probably Just Time” and the Gary Allan hit “Watching Airplanes” and the Josh Turner tune “Why Don’t We Just Dance.” Told ya he could write.

THEN I got to hear the new stuff…YESSSSS! The heartbreak recovery song, “Goodbye to Rain,” was up first. The point was delivered effectively with “Ninety miles an hour like a bullet, like a runaway fast train out of this pain. Don’t it feel good to runaway? Goodbye to rain. Goodbye to rain.” Next up was the song about what falling in love can do to a man called “You Wreck Me.” It’s in a good way of course with “Every little touch, on fire. Flames get higher like nothin’ I’ve ever seen. I’m in trouble. I’m crumblin’ down. I’m rubble at your feet. Baby, I love the way you wreck me.” Jonathan also wrote a new tune for David Nail called “Let It Rain.” It’s about the pain induced by heartbreak with “Let it rain. Let it pour. She don’t love me anymore. Let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Every word…let it hurt even more than I deserve. Let it come down on me. Let it come down on me. Let it rain.”

Last in the round was a master of pop and pop/country. It is always fun for me to hear what Dennis Matkosky will come up with in a round. He has written some epic tunes and is a master with the art. Let’s start with the songs you know like Keith Urban’s “You’ll Think of Me” and Martina’s “I Just Call You Mine” and that awesome song from the 80’s movie Flashdance called “She’s a Maniac.” He also wrote “I Need You” for Leann Rimes (even though he didn’t sing it that night). Love them all!

Dennis sang a couple of tunes that have yet to be cut. I could connect with the reality in “Humble Town.” It details the Nashville life with “Everybody wants to change this town. You walk that fine lie between letting go and standing your ground. Until you finally come around, you better learn to keep your head down. Here in humble town.” He also perfectly details the thoughts that go through your head when you lose love in the song “Damn This Rain.” It is simple, but true. “Damn this rain. All I can hear is your name. Used to be good, now it’s gray. How we met. How we left. How nothin’ will ever be the same. Damn this rain.”

The crowd was also lucky enough to hear Stephen Salyers sing a tune. It was called “Wake Me When We Get There” with “I might fall asleep with the phone, but I’m still wakin’ up all alone. And I know it’s a long shot cause you’re having so much fun runnin’ around. And you think you’re a big shot, but you can’t live this gypsy life forever. You’re stringin’ me along. I don’t care just wake me when we get there. Wake me when we get there.”

Thanks so much to all the guys (and girl) who entertained that night. It is much appreciated.

COURAGE IS PLAYING MUSIC AT TIN PAN SOUTH…because it is the best of the best.

Tin Pan South is my favorite festival of the entire year. All of the greatest songwriters in the world come together to sing in numerous writer’s rounds around Nashville for a week. It’s as close to Heaven as my ears ever get. Since there were so many nights of music and so many incredible songs and artists, I will give you a few highlights….

March 29th…The Rutledge…Steel Magnolia and Friends. Steel Magnolia forgot that they left their car at bus call the week prior and had to call a cab to get to the event. In the mean time, many great songwriters jumped onstage to help out before they arrived. This was actually an added bonus for the crowd. Do you know why? We got to hear the great Lisa Carver sing “Whiskey and a Gun.” Songwriter Patrick Davis allowed us to enjoy Jason Michael Carroll’s new single called “Numbers” before it hit radio. Thomas Rhett Akins was a great songwriter find with his witty lyrics and catchy tunes. AND the extremely talented Lennon and Maisy Stella took the stage. They are a couple of EXTREMELY talented singer/songwriters of the future. Do you wanna know how good and adorable they were? Click HERE.

Steel Magnolia is legit. They jumped onstage as soon as they got to the venue and sounded exactly like they do recorded (that is the true test of any artist). We got to hear many songs off of the new album and each one sounded better than the last. Check out their current single “Last Night Again,” the longing “Without You” or the severely cool “Rainbow.”

March 29th…Hard Rock Cafe…Crystal Bowersox, Josh Kear, Brett James, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Phil Vassar. It’s been a long time since I have been that excited to see/hear a show. Those five people are some of my favorites to listen to/watch on stage. Their music works for every emotion and occasion. PLUS, Phil Vassar is one of the most entertaining humans on the planet…with a sense of humor. The show was exactly as awesome as I expected it to be.

Crystal Bowersox kicked it off and I was hooked right away with the tune “Farmer’s Daughter.” How about these lyrics…”Honor thy Mother and Father too. But I know there aint no way in Hell God mentioned you. All I ever wanted was you to be there for me. All I ever needed was you to be here for me.”

Then we got to hear the fabulous four get onstage and sing. Let me explain some of the amazing hits these people have written and/or sang. Josh Kear wrote “Before He Cheats” for Carrie Underwood and “Need You Now” for Lady Antebellum (to name a few).

Brett James wrote “The Truth” for Jason Aldean, “Out Last Night” for Kenny Chesney, “Life After You” for Daughtry and “Cowboy Casanova” for Carrie Underwood (to name a few).

Carolyn Dawn Johnson wrote/sang “Georgia” and “Complicated” as well as “Single White Female” for Chely Wright (to name a few).

Finally, Phil Vassar wrote my life. Well, okay. Not my life. However, songs that fit really, really well in my life like “American Child,” “Just Another Day in Paradise” and “Six Pack Summer” for himself as well as “My Next Thirty Years” for Tim McGraw. AND I fell in love with a new one he wrote about his piano called “These Old Black and Whites” with “Under the spotlight or all alone at midnight, I’m right where I belong. It always unwinds me. Yeah, it finds me. It reminds me that life is as simple as a song.”

Let’s just say it was a freakin’ incredible night!

March 30th…Douglas Corner Cafe…Chuck Wicks, Leslie Satcher, Ben Glover, Kyle Jacobs and Rachel Thibodeau. Another group of singer/songwriters that is extremely impressive. What you should take note of with this group is the “singer” aspect. The voices are amazing. In fact, sometimes I would rather hear these songwriters sing the tune than the artist who cut the song. True story.

First up was Chuck Wicks. He actually IS the artist who sings the songs he also writes (Did you get that?). Therefore, you get twice the fun for the money. I always enjoy hearing Chuck sing and he’s great with a crowd. That night I got to hear the fun “All I Ever Wanted,” the hot “Hold That Thought” and the nostalgic “Old School.”

If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear Leslie Satcher, you are missing out on something awesome. The woman is a prolific singer/songwriter who can play the heck out of a guitar. You can get lost in the tunes as she sings them. That is how soulful the voice is. My favorite from Leslie that night was a song called “Lonely Don’t Know When to Leave.” She describes the torture of loneliness with “How does lonely find me? I keep movin’ around. Oh it lives to unwind me just like it’s doin’ now. It keeps actin like we’re best friends and I swear I don’t know why. Lonely aint no friend to me, ’cause lonely don’t know when to leave.”

Ben Glover…Dear, sweet Ben Glover. This guy is incredible on vocals. He can melt your heart with one song and then rip it out with another. Steve Holy has a new song out on the radio that Ben co-wrote called “Love Don’t Run.” I absolutely adore it. Give it a listen, but understand that it takes on a whole new meaning when Ben is the one singing it. He also sang a song that Marc Broussard co-wrote called “Everything.” I tried to imagine those two voices singing these words in harmony and it was too much musical awesomeness for my little mind to hold. “What you are to me is only everything. Everything, Baby. What you are to me is only everything. Everything. So honey, come on. Let’s sit under the apple tree. Kiss and say anything. ‘Cause what you are to me is only everything. Everything, Baby.”

Next up was Kyle Jacobs…another vocal wonder who can pen some sweet tunes. He sang one of Tim McGraw’s latest hits called “Still” as well as a song that I truly believe encompasses musical perfection. It was recorded by Trace Adkins a year or two ago and is called “I Can’t Outrun You.” Everything about it is perfect…simple instruments, amazing vocals, production and pacing. It’s perfect. Just listen to it will ya?! Thanks Kyle (and Joe)!

Rachel Thibodeau was the final singer/songwriter in the round. She is such an incredible talent. Whether she sings songs that you know or songs that you don’t, a listener is brought into the story of each tune. The singer/storyteller in Rachel gets the job done every time. That night we heard an upcoming Luke Bryan song called “That Don’t Just Happen” with “You can take what you read in a book…take what you see on a TV screen…throw it out the window and look how the sky is blue and the grass is green. And how the stars come out every night. That don’t just happen.” Rachel also explains perfectly what women need the most from the men they love in the song “A Place to Fall” with “Sometimes I get lonely in the crowd. Feels like I’m stuck under a cloud and I need somewhere safe to hide away from it all. Sometimes I just need a place to fall.”

March 31st…Douglas Corner…Wendell Mobley, Jason Sellers, Jim Collins and D. Vincent Williams. This is easily my favorite group of singer/songwriters to listen to on any given night. Hands down. However, I was out of town on business that night. What’s a girl to do?! She cheats. That’s what. I had Brit call me from the venue so I could hear one song from each of them. Guess what. It’s just as amazing over the phone lines. So thanks guys! If you ever have a chance to listen to any one of the four, do it. You won’t be sorry.

COURAGE MEANS HAVING FUN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE…and that is what everyone was doing last week at 3rd & Lindsley. I took some time to go and hear Keith Anderson as well as Halfway to Hazard play. I am never disappointed. They always have such a great time and give me so much amazing music to enjoy. They will be hosting weekly shows this summer. Make sure you get down there to hear one…or six. It’s more than worth your time. Those guys pretty much rock my face off…twice.

COURAGE IS SUPPORTING SOMETHING UNPROVEN…and that is what y’all did. You have no idea how much it means to me that you jumped onboard for this wild ride over the past three years. I have a long memory and I won’t forget. So in celebration of Rock On Together’s 3rd Anniversary, I raise my glass to you. There aren’t enough words to truly express my gratitude. I heart y’all! And thanks to Ryan (a.k.a. Troop) for being the first to Rock On Together in Dothan, Alabama. You rock Troopy!

COURAGE IS HISTORY…My friends and I go on some random adventures. That is what makes life interesting. Maggie and I toured the historic Graceland this month. So, maybe I’ve been to Graceland once or twice (or five times), but it was Maggie’s first Elvis experience. She liked it! She really liked it! Right Maggs?

I mean how do you get any better than a yellow media room…

OR an all fabric pool room (Yes…Even the ceiling)…

OR the infamous Jungle Room?!

I’m just sayin’…

COURAGE IS LOVING OTHERS…I just really love this quote, so I thought I’d share.

“Every man is afraid of something. That’s how you know he’s in love with you; when he is afraid of losing you.” – Anonymous

COURAGE IS DOING IT RIGHT…I told you about this song a while back, but it always comes back to find me. It’s called “You Ain’t Doin’ It Right” and it’s by Matt Ramsey. The tune probably finds me so often because sometimes I forget to do it right…life, love, career, etc. This serves as a spectacular reminder. “If your heart is tightly guarded…never movin’…bullet proof and you never feel pain. You never taste the rain. Then you ain’t doin’ it right. You ain’t livin’ life. You’re just spinnin with the planet. Gettin older by the minute. Yeah, you might survive, but you ain’t doin’ it right.”

So, yes. I am indebted to Matt and Trevor Rosen for writing this one. Damn it!

COURAGE IS PRIORITIES…I do believe Ambrose Redmoon said it best.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.”

COURAGE TO TWEET…This week’s “Tweet of the Week” comes from Jonathan Singleton.

“I bet every time ‘Jersey Shore’ comes on, God is like, ‘Come on guys!’”

Apparently when I don’t write for a while, I have a lot to say. I’m not too worried though. I know y’all just skip to the parts you want to read. The parts with the coolest pictures right?

Until next time…

No Reins!

K

Well, hello Everyone! How goes it?! Life is a crazy, fun, happy, sad, scary, mysterious, exhausting and exciting roller coaster ride. AND I’ve been riding in the back car lately. So after a few months of experiences to sift through…I’m baaaaaaaack.

The song above is one of my all-time favorites from a couple of my favorite songwriters on the planet. It found it’s way to the forefront of my iPod as of late and fits completely into the theme of this blog…Wants vs. Needs.

Shall we?

You may WANT to be as cool as Abbey, but you NEED to understand you won’t ever be.

Who is Abbey? Well, Abbey Umali is one of the coolest, sweetest people I’ve had the opportunity to meet and is the Muscular Dystrophy Association National Goodwill Ambassador. Abbey was in town with her parents a few weeks ago to let everyone know about the great things that are happening at MDA and what we can all do to help. After talking to her for only a few minutes, Abbey has you wrapped around her finger. The girl is smart, sassy, talented and knows her country music. Abbey is one of the many great reasons you should check out the MDA website HERE. It is so simple to make a difference and oh so very important. Any time or money you give makes an enormous impact.

MDA is the world-wide leader in the fight against muscle disease and they are asking everyone to “Make a Muscle and Make a Difference.” As you can see, some of the COOLEST new artists in Nashville were making a muscle with Abbey. Artists like Jerrod Niemann…

I also have to thank Abbey and one of my best friends on the planet, Kim for Rockin’ On Together for me. You ladies are the best!

You may WANT to win a Grammy, but you NEED to perform life-altering music…

Let me start by saying that after a couple of years of Grammy watching and six hours of my life I will never get back, I quit tuning into the award show quite a few years ago. Now, I go back to watch only the performances I want to watch on YouTube. As for the winners and the other performances. I truly don’t care.

I understand that winning a Grammy is a huge accomplishment. However, it is one of the most political awards shows of them all (insert Oscars here as well). To be honest, I don’t know why an artist cares if he or she wins one or not. If the entire world relates to and enjoys the music, the goal is accomplished. Give me a People’s Choice over a Grammy any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Do you even remember a majority of the Grammy winners from the past. Probably not. Many of them are one and done. Not to diminish their accomplishments, but I want to see and hear artists who make a difference in my life with their music…period. If they also happen to win a Grammy, that’s just icing on the cake.

So what was the performance I went back to find from this year’s Grammy’s? Thanks to Adam Levine, Rihanna, Skylar Grey, Dr. Dre and Eminem for one Hell of a performance. I believe you. I feel it. I fall back into the safety (or lack thereof) of the tune often. Check it out HERE.

You may WANT a specific person in your life, but you NEED the right one.

I’m pretty positive my little cousin Alyssa said it best (and rather humorously). “There are a lot of fish in the sea…well, unless we have another oil spill that is.” Love. It.

You may WANT tiger blood, but only Charlie Sheen NEEDS it.

Okay. Okay. I understand it’s not really a good idea to joke about this situation, since Charlie may truly be in trouble mentally and emotionally. However, he is still RIDICULOUSLY entertaining and witty. That is what makes not getting involved in the madness so difficult. I mean, check out Jimmy Fallon’s impression HERE.

Plus, there is even a website which gives all his most hilarious quotes HERE. He says things like this…”My success rate is 100%. You do the math.” HAHAHAHAHA! I can’t help it. The man is funny. This is probably why he’s been famous for more than half of his life. I do hope he gets things figured out before it gets really, really sad. Hollywood is a scary world. I actually worry about the people who have to deal with it on a day-to-day basis.

The most important aspect of every day is that we are WINNING! Sorry. I had to do it.

You may WANT an NCAA National Championship, but you NEED to remember every game is special.

This year, I was lucky enough to have two teams to cheer for in the tournament. My Kansas State Wildcats made the field of 64 (well, 68 if you count the “first round”). And my honorary team for 2010-11 and 2011-12, the Morehead State Eagles, also made the cut.

What I adore about college basketball is the passion for the game. These kids love to play. It is spirit lifting when they win and heartbreaking when they lose. As a fan, I cheer and yell and hide my eyes and jump up and down with every amazing play and feel that lump in my throat when I have to watch someone’s career come to an end. So last weekend kind of stunk when both of my teams were eliminated.

However, I was also extremely proud. First, the Wildcats….

Two seniors gave it all they had…plus some. Curtis Kelly played 38 minutes, scored 11 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. He wanted to win it and you could tell. Mr. Kelly should be extremely proud of the way he played his last game in a K-State uniform. I know I (as well as much of Wildcat land) was proud of him.

As for Jacob Pullen…He became K-State’s all-time leading scorer last weekend with 38 points. He ended his college career giving us K-Staters one, final, incredible performance. How can you be disappointed with that effort? Watching him break down in tears at the post-game press conference was terrible. That kid gave it his all. And that is all you can ask for in an athlete. Jake, thank you.