Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - I Feel Fine, "Honk" Mix

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Well, this is it!  The final shuffle of the year, and the final batch of Earie awards.


Since I just know I will have forgotten someone who really should have won an Earie, I wanted to take this time to offer a sincere expression of appreciation to everyone who helped make this year bearable.  If you released music that I heard, if you played a show I attended, if we attended a show together, if we shared music on social media, if you came to one of my residency shows, if you listened to Double Shot, if you read his blog, if you helped to bring great music to people, if you are reading this now, thank you!

As I have been mentioning, I plan to post the Artist(s)/Band(s) of the Year next week. I can announce today that, expanding on what I did last year, E2TG will hand out a total of four "Golden Earies" for 2017.  There will be both an Artist and a Band of the Year for both Nashville and non-Nashville.

As I explained last week, this should not be taken to mean that the Nashville awards are some sort of local award vs. the non-Nashville being a national award.  These designations merely serves to acknowledge both the roots of E2TG as well as the fact that while there is a definite Nashville focus, I will always remember and appreciate the bands and artists from other cities that supported E2TG before most in Nashville knew I existed.

Well, let's get  to the final shuffle of the year:

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Time is Money or Time is Honey Mix

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I just wrote and erased a really long, convoluted rant about something that I really couldn't articulate well. Suffice it to say, human beings are complicated creatures and interactions between humans can be even more complicated.

That and this: the best music is that music that moves you and inspires you and energizes you and motivates you and brings some semblance of joy to your life. I know what music does that for me, and if another kind of music does that for someone else, than who am I to criticize that.  Granted, I have been known to dog certain artists or styles of music, but I think I was wrong. I may actively hate a certain artist or style of music. I may sound fake or boring or meaningless to me, and that is fine. But if that music means something to someone, if it moves them, inspires them....


Anyway, it is Tuesday (second to the last day of my work week). Time to see what is "Trending" on E2TG

Mondo Monday Morning Shuffle - Terrified Humming Mix

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Hey! It is Fall Pledge Drive time at WXNA. As you may know, this is the non-profit, listener-supported community radio station that hosts the weekly show I co-host called Double Shot with Joe and Sue.  Beyond that, the station has had a tremendous positive impact on the Nashville community (as evidenced by Nashville Scene readers recently naming us Best Radio Station in Nashville).  If you're a WXNA listener, please consider donating during this drive. wxnafm.org or 615-933-9962 #LoveWXNA

Another week is here and we have some songs to feature from the New Music playlist which I am still tweaking from my recent switch over to a new music player.

Let's shuffle:

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - The End? Mix

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Well... it's Tuesday.

Another gloomy kind of day in Nashville. 

By the way, I am officially over the music player that came with my new phone. Songs I delete keep reappearing, tags get messed up, the song information doesn't appear on my car stereo when I'm playing from the music player via blue tooth, and a couple of time the same song has reappeared during a shuffle.  I am going to be trying out some music player apps to find a better option. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Not really sure what else I am going to say here, so let's just jump headlong into the shuffle.  Here are some of the songs/artists/albums that are "trending" on E2TG.

Mondo Monday Morning Shuffle - Pair of Dice Mix

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Once again, I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the world and "humankind's inhumanity to fellow humans"... and I am also overwhelmed by the divides we see - especially (as far as I can tell) in this country - between people. I see all sorts of layers and causes and symptoms of this problem, but for right now, I don't see any or much hope of a solution.

Does social media exacerbate the problem or merely amplify it?  Comment sections on any even vaguely political post are depressing as hell.  And, just about anything and everything is at least potentially political.  Food, sports, weather, fast food cups, innocuous holiday greetings... all political and by definition divisive in these times. And I want to blame it all on the OTHER side- I really do... but... THE OTHER SIDE is part of the problem.  Everything seems to viewed as a one or the other, all or nothing proposition.  Shop a particular store, well, you must be (fill in the blank).  Watch a particular sport... you get the idea. 

I don't feel like I know a whole lot about much of anything, but in my life, I have ascertained that almost everything is more complex than it seems to be... especially if people are involved. I guess it is a sort of human nature to put people or things into categories... good, evil, progressive, conservative, pro, anti... people rarely ever fit neatly into boxes we design - especially if there are only ever two choices. 

The point I am trying to make is that this either/or thinking tends to back people into a corner. It says you can't be this one thing without being all these other things which get conflated with that one thing. Faced with that, people dig in and end up feeling the need to support something that they might otherwise never support. 

I already said, I don't see a solution in sight - at least not an easy one. All I know to do is to watch and check myself when I find myself exhibiting this either/or mentality or projecting all sorts of things onto people because of one particular aspect of who they are. 

That and music (although that can and has been politicized)... for me music heals a part of me that is damaged and in pain.  For me it is certain songs, artists, styles of music.  For someone else, it may be something else (that I may not like or understand) and that is okay. If music (any music) does that for someone - then who the hell am I to criticize that?

It's a misty, overcast raining Monday in Nashville.   And the world is a harsh and bitter place sometimes.  Here's some music that helped make it a little better this morning for me....

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Want to be a Cube Baby Mix

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On my mind...  A couple of white supremacist rallys are schedule tomorrow in Shelbyville and Murfreesboro.  Just so I am clear, the only "fine people" are those who oppose these people with out reservation or qualification...  This people represent evil and the worst in humanity. No if's, and's or but's.  To my friends who are planning to go to oppose them in person - be safe and have a plan.

To those who choose to spend the day celebrating love and diversity - be intentional. (that's my challenge to myself).

To be clear, you are okay to have opinions about other groups (AntiFa or whomever), however, 1. make sure you base your opinion on facts and 2. leave those opinions out of our condemnation of the white supremacists.
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#WXNARocktoberfest is tomorrow!  Due to predicted chilly temps, the live music will be happening in The Basement (all-ages) and the WXNA DJ sets will be in Grimey's.  Make a day of it in the most musical building in Nashville.

I worked on adding some new music to my phone which means my "New Music" playlist is now over 400 again....  really pleased with today's shuffle... let's jump to it!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Pants in Space Mix

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Okay - false alarm. I'm still on my old phone for at least one more day.  I did get my new phone, and I'm excited about it, but it was not quite ready to go this morning. My old phone is not doing well, but hopefully it will last long enough....

I'm just going to jump right into the Featured Friday shuffle - we have all sorts of things today: a bamboo harvester, a wolf, space pants, pistols, an inflatable duck, and a row boat and more...

Music City Monday Morning Shuffle - Blot out the Sun Mix

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Hey - most everyone including yours truly will be fully immersed in the eclipse when I normally post this so I doing a quick post of our Monday shuffle... everyone protect your eyes and enjoy this rare cosmic event...

Music City Monday Morning Shuffle - Sh*t Motel Mix

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So much on my mind....  Thinking about people hurting and dealing with losses.  I rather glibly posted last week about emerging from a "blue funk", but I have known depression and depression is much more than a "blue funk". It's often not something one can just "get over" or "think about all the good things" to overcome. Like other forms of mental illness it is just that - an illness. Same with addiction. We use the terms addicted, addiction, addict rather casually about our obsessions with our phones or Facebook or various game.  And while things like that CAN rise to the level of addiction - the are usually just bad habits. I think people who can overcome bad habits with will-power or some variant of that - fail to understand and with addiction - at some point the power to make those choices goes away.  Lectures, discussions of consequences, reminds of what can and will be lost - all those are bound to fail.

There is hope, though, for addiction and mental illness. I have had my dark moments - really dark, and I am fortunate enough to have lived to see the light. Not everyone is that fortunate.

I don't always know what I should do or say... For now, I'll just offer a light, extend a hand, and play some music....

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I do need to give a shout out to Mark Robinson for his excellent CD Release Show Saturday. My daughter and I had a great time.  If you haven't done so, get a copy of his new CD, Live at The 5 Spot. You'll thank me later for the tip.


It is Monday, and we shuffle up some locally sourced music from our "Music City" playlist.

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Me in the Corner Mix

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Well, it is Friday! Finally!  We are in the midst of a horrible heat wave here in Nashville. And between that and life and world things, I am zapped.  But, hey it is Friday, and I still have music...

On Friday, we feature songs from our New Music playlist.  Let's jump in!

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Sun Blown Mix

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Hmm... I'm just not feeling like a commentary today... maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's just life... whatever... ah more time for the music... music is a constant for me.  Hot, cold, good moods, bad moods... music is a balm, it makes me think sometimes, it makes me dance sometimes, it makes me nostalgic sometimes...

Today is Tuesday so we dive into the "New Music" playlist for our Trending Tuesday Shuffle....

Music City Monday Morning Shuffle - Not Afraid Anymore Mix

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It is so easy to become overcome with cynicism. Truth be told, it's never been that hard for me, but nowadays, it is a real struggle. The problem with cynicism is that while it may "feel" good, it actually does not accomplish anything. I used to think that cynicism and idealism were opposites. Like you start off idealistic and over time become cynical or something like that, but I don't think that is the case at all.  I still consider myself an idealist, though, I can certainly be cynical at times.  I also do not think idealism and naiveté are the same thing at all.  I call myself an idealist, because I can envision the world/ a world when things work as I think they should. If I an naive, then I imagine that my vision of a "perfect" world is the only true vision and/or I expect that the world will work the way I think it should.  I know perfectly well that both of those are not true.  My vision (even if possible) would mostly like not work the way I think it would or would at least fall short of perfection.  And, I am fully aware that the world will never completely fall in line with my vision.

Cynicism is coming to this realization and giving up.  Hope or faith if you will, is to continue to fight for the ideal even while knowing that ultimately you are going to fall short.
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It is Monday, and this Monday marks the triumphant return of Music City Monday to E2TG - where we sample of small sample of the variety of music that has and does emanate from Nashville, Tennessee - or at least has a connection to this fair city that I call home.

For Music City Monday - we have new music, old music, featured artists, big names, E2TG friends and favorites and more....

Let's Shuffle!

Wild New Music Wednesday Morning Shuffle - No Ticket Mix

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Alright, I am back after the Fourth of July holiday.  Back to the reality that the United States of America is deeply divided. This divide did not start with the election of the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but it has gotten worse. The thing is, I don't think "united" is the context of the USA means that everyone agrees... the fact is there is a deep and fundamental disconnect between Americans as to how we see the world. Is this the fault of the media or the two party system or the information age?  Probably.  What is the solution? I don't have a clue. The saying goes united we stand, divided we fall.  Many, myself, included, wonder how far the current administration needs to go before the vast majority of Americans will say enough is enough and at least be united on that front?  Does such a threshold exist?  The pessimist in me, says if that mark has not yet been made, then it may not be made.

So...  for my part, just for today, I am choosing love over fear.  I am going to fight as hard as I can for the most vulnerable among us. I am going to #Resist and #Persist for as long as I must - for as long as I breathe.
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As promised, we are continuing to shuffle from the "New Music" playlist.  Wednesday's are normally "Wild Wednesdays" on E2TG, and I think this shuffle is sufficiently "Wild" to qualify.

Manic Monday Morning Shuffle - Calculus Mix

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Well, it's July 3.  Tomorrow is American Independence Day.  I imagine many of us are not feeling much like celebrating.  After all, our government has been hijacked by people who seem intent on destroying the basic principals on which this nation was founded... or at least that is how I feel about it.  But, maybe it is important to celebrate...I've always had an uneasy relationship with the Fourth of July.  There is a fine line between patriotism and jingoism. Right now, it is unclear if the American experiment is failing or just in the middle of a very difficult test.  This year, I choose to celebrate the people who have and who are fighting for our freedom.  All of our freedom.  In the face of corruption and greed and fear and hatred and violence and boorish behavior and misogyny and homophobia - I celebrate those who practice and demonstrate love and compassion and acceptance.
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We are officially into the second half of 2017.  As I promised last week, I am continuing this week to shuffle from the "New Music" playlist.  Next week, we will go back to our regularly scheduled programming.  But, as a compromise, I have added a bunch of new music to the playlist...


Let's shuffle!