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Sending all good thoughts to Texas. Do what you can to help.
Every so often, I look at where I am and think about where I may be going and how to get where I want to be...
That statement can apply to many aspects of my life, but for the purposes of this blog, I am specifically thinking about E2TG. First of all I have to say that this blog has already far exceeded whatever expectations I may have had when I began it. The most important measures are the incredible people I have met and gotten to know.
There is a sense, at least I feel it, that things have to always strive to be bigger and more. Whether it's Facebook "Likes" or page views or more festival attendees or move to bigger venues or whatever... and there is nothing inherently wrong with that, but there is also a reality that I see - that bigger is not necessarily always better (it isn't necessarily worse either) - sometimes bigger is different and the better or worse is relative to your particular point of view...
There was a thought in all this, but I think it got lost some in the web of my mind. E2TG has definitely grown over time - although just by pure numbers it isn't a completely steady growth (up then down then up)... it has definitely changed but not radically. I know that not everyone who used to read this regularly still does but I also know that new readers show up almost every week. I sometimes get big ideas and then can't find the time (or something else) to carry through. I think about changing to get more readers but I quickly lose interest because usually the ideas I get run counter to everything I want E2TG to be. I might go further if I stuck to one genre or style of music and covered it more thoroughly or if I posted lists or went negative*. But none of those of things I really want to do.
*The topic of negative reviews has come up more than once recently. I need to say that I am not against critics writing negative reviews. A well written slam can be great reading, and if I happen to disagree it can force me to think more about why I disagree. The thing is - negative reviews can also be just another tool for increasing viewership. Which is fine, but it's just not what I want to do. I can barely cover all the really good music out there, and I choose not to spend time on music I don't really care about. Again just my choice. Furthermore, E2TG has always been mostly about under-the-radar artists, and when I look at what these artists are up against, I would rather look for the positive. I do think constructive criticism is important to keep an artist growing and I hope those voices continue to get heard.
Bottom line, I am just me. I do this for the love of the music and to keep my fingers moving across the keyboard. I keep my Ear to the Ground, and I am constantly amazed and thrilled by what I hear.
It's Monday and we delve into the Music City Monday shuffle (songs with some sort of connection ot the city where I live):
"Just Like a Woman" (Live) by Old Crow Medicine Show
Back in May 2016, the Nashville band Old Crow Medicine Show recorded a 50th Anniversary tribute to the classic Bob Dylan album which was recorded in Nashville. The album came out earlier this year, and a film of the recording will be premiered during the Americana Fest next month.
"Baby Blue" by Rayvon Pettis
Next, we have the first of two songs from Rayvon Pettis' Insureda album. Rayvon Pettis is one of my favorite locals songwriters. He is still working on finding a label for his Dying Light - which is an incredible album that I really hope someone picks up and helps to release. In the meantime, he has released a sampler video EP of songs from that album which I highly recommend. You can get to it here (available for a limited time - active as of 8/28/2017).
"Bettie Plug" by BR5-49
The introduction to the song "Bettie Bettie" from the Live From Robert's album.
"Cumberland Blues" by Derek Hoke
East Nashville icon Derek Hoke, whose $2 Tuesday is an institution, with a track from his 2012 album. His $2 Tuesday sets are always a highlight.
"The Trees in Cali" by Jake La Botz
Next up, we have our first listen to Jake La Botz and his album Sunnyside. La Botz is a blues singer, songwriter, actor, and meditation instructor. This is the final song from the album, but we will work our way through the how album. I get him at WXNA when he came in for Nashville U.
"Midnight Roll" by Renfree Isaacs
Next - another great song from self-titled album by this trio. Really been enjoying this album.
"Memphis Women and Chicken" by Dan Penn
Dan Penn has written some of most iconic songs in modern music - first in Muscle Shoals and then in Memphis - he wrote or co-wrote songs like "Dark End of the Street", "Cry Like a Baby", "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", and many more. He produced The Box Top's classic, "The Letter". He is an incredible performer in his own right. I was fortunate enough to catch him a couple of years ago for a birthday show at City Winery. I remember he did this song that night. He lives and writes in Nashville now - so he hits this shuffle just fine.
"Black is the Color" by Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens is a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and she is incredible on her own. She from Greensboro, North Carolina, and she is has been active with the Music Maker Relief Foundations which I have written about extensively. She plays Hallie Jordan on the 5th Season of the Nashville television series which makes here eligible for this shuffle.
"Hold me Closer" by Rayvon Pettis
Here is another cool one from Rayvon Pettis and his Insureda album.
"You Taught Me How" by Jon Byrd
Always good to hear a Jon Byrd song in my shuffle. This is another from his excellent latest album Dirty Ol' River.
"Playin' Checkers with my Poodle" by Homer and Jethro
And why not close on a fun note, with a track from Nashville Cats - the 1967 album by long-running duo Homer and Jethro.
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