Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Smart Ass Mix

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All of this happened a long time ago when the world was a very different place. Of course, none of us knew that at the time.
(From The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres) Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)

If you have read The Drift, please consider writing a review on Amazon. If you haven't read it, you can get your own copy through Amazon or if you are in Nashville, you can get them from me.

I am continuing to work on my Spotify playlists for E2TG.  So far, I have completed seven - January - July2018.  These are meant to be a cross-section of music I featured during those months - not necessarily music released in those months.   If you are interested, you can check out the playlists (links below)  and follow my personal profile to find out when new playlists are created.

E2TG January 2018
E2TG February 2018
E2TG March 2018
E2TG April 2018 
E2TG May 2018
E2TG June 2018
E2TG July 2018
E2TG August 2018 (coming soon!)
E2TG September 2018  (coming soon!)

SAVE THE DATE!!!!!  Thursday, November 15, 2018 - We have a pretty cool event in the works.  More to come!


After a rather dreary week here in Nashville, the sun is actually shining today. So there's that.

There is a lot going on, and as usual, it is music that is pulling me through.  Today is Wednesday - so let's get "Wild"!  This is a shuffle from all the songs saved to my phone memory right now.

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - High Fives All Around Mix

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So yesterday when I left work, the temperature in Nashville was right at 80 degrees. This morning it was in the low 40's and tonight it is going to be near freezing. In other words, it is early spring in middle Tennessee and for some reason I'm talking about the weather...

Two album release shows tonight (both albums I have - and will be -featuring on E2TG), and fortunately they are timed out perfectly so I can make both.  First up, is Mark Huff's release show for his new album Stars for Eyes. That show starts at six pm at The 5 Spot.  Then, the release show for The High Cost of Living Strange  the new album from Ben de la Cour. It kicks off at nine at The Basement. Chris Moyse and Becky Warren open that show.

We slide into the mid-week as we do almost every week with a "Wild Wednesday" shuffle. We have a pretty cool mixed bag of goodies for you today.  Let's shuffle:

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Sleep Talking Mix

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"I mean, I'm not disagreeing with what they are trying to say but..." 

"...they could have found a better way than dumping all that tea into the water."
"...why'd they have to sit at the lunch counters during lunch time? I just came to get a sandwich not to see this." 

Civil disobedience is supposed to be civil, it is not supposed to be convenient. (although I'm having a hard time understanding why someone respectfully kneeling during the National Anthem bothers people so much.  (that is a rhetorical question). 

Racism and other forms of bigotry are not new, but it is disheartening to see so many racists and bigots being emboldened by the current administration.  Maybe it is necessary to bring evil into the light in order to destroy it.  That, at least, is my hope.

 "I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice."  Theodore Parker (later paraphrased by Martin Luther King Jr.)
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Wow, the 3rd Quarter of 2017 is almost over... It's just about time for me to start thinking about the 3rd Annual Earie Awards and the 2017 Band(s) and Artist(s) of the Year.  As is often the case in recent months, I find that I cannot possibly get to all of the music sent my way.  I try my best because I know some really awesome stuff is slipping by me. And, even with those that slip by... my "New Music" playlist recently topped 500 songs.  Beginning Monday, I am going to adjust my schedule to cover more of the "New Music", and I will also be working to clear some older songs from that playlist. I am really excited about some of the new music that has been coming my way...

Today is Wednesday which is "Wild Wednesday" here at E2TG.  We shuffle up all the songs in my phone memory and present a decent cross-section of the diversity of music that I dig. Sometimes, I will think that maybe I could have a bigger audience if I narrowed my focus... but I could also have a bigger audience if I used click-bait headlines and made controversial statements about popular artists just for the sake of being controversial. I don't want to do any of those things... so here is E2TG just being E2TG..... Peace...

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle -We Shall Be Free Mix

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Can you believe May is almost over?  I say almost because we have two bits of unfinished business to get to before we can put it in the books...

Last before first, we have the grand finale of the E2TG Residency at The 5 Spot in East Nashville.  This month has been amazing, and I hope you will come out to help us close this thing out in style.  FuzzQueen are opening the night.  I am so psyched to see them...  Later, it is Amelia White and her Blue Souvenirs featuring Sergio Webb, Parker Hawkins, Megan Carchman, and Dave Coleman!  I will be reading some more of my fiction/poetry, and I have some beer koozies that need a good home.  Come hang with us!

First, though, we have one final shuffle for the month of May.  It is Wednesday so we shuffle up all the songs on my phone.  We have a good mix of old and new music. Let's get to it!

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Domino Rope Bridge Mix

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Posting late because we had a Holiday Luncheon at work...

Well, my bluetooth worked like a charm this morning and then crashed after that... ug!

EARIE ALERT:  Just one "Earie" today and I'm doing it outside of the shuffle.

I'm calling this one the "XXX Award" - not for the reasons you might think...

So, if you have been reading E2TG over the last few years, this award will not be a surprise.  If you are new to the site, and you don't know about this award winner... well.... step right up.

In 2012, Big Wilson River was a Featured Artist (when I had such a thing). They broke up shortly after that (not because of that - I don't think)... Band leader Darrin Bradbury went solo and hit the road eventually landing in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Nashville - where he met folks like Tim Carroll, Tim Easton, and even Todd Snider.  (Not in the Wal-Mart parking lot, in Nashville - bad sentence sorry)...   I got a heads up that he was coming to Nashville, and I started checking out his solo work, and I was fairly well blown away.  In 2014, there was about a six week run where there was a Darrin Bradbury song in my shuffle about every year. He released several collections of songs/albums.  We finally met in person in May of 2014, and there was a time when I would see Darrin perform his songs at least two or three times every week.

By the end of 2014, it was clear that his star was on the rise, and I named him my Artist of the Year,  (The first solo act to win the award which used to be called Band of the Year - and still may be some day).  2015 saw Darrin live up to the promise, I (and others saw) - plus the release of The Story of Bob (with a familiar looking face on the cover).  2016 was a year of big changes.  Elmwood Park: A Slightly Melodic Audio Book was one of the best of the year, and Darrin toured quite a bit including some dates opening up for Margo Price.  He started the year with an awesome residency at The Basement East.  I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store.  Today is Darrin's birthday, and I am proud and honored to call him a friend.  If by any chance you haven't checked out Darrin Bradbury.... go do it  now!  The "XXX Award" is being presented today to Mr. Darrin Bradbury.

Only six songs in the shuffle because there was a 10 minute song and a couple of 4+ minute songs. It's all good,,,

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Get Used to It Mix

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We have arrived at mid-week which means it is time for the next incarnation of the Crackerboots Residency at The 5 Spot. Last week was awesome - so come on out. This week's guests are Ben De La Cour and William Lee.

On Wednesday, all bets are off... Music City? Yes! Trending? Yes Throwback? Yes Featured? Yes None of the Above? Yes.  Wild Shuffle - now!

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Pieces of Paper Mix

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Big things happening all around.... Record Story Day 2016, the recently announced Bob Dylan Birthday Tribute at the Ryman, the forthcoming line-up reveal for the E2TG Anniversary Extravaganza at The 5 Spot, and the just announced news that Double Shot with Joe & Sue, my forthcoming radio show with Sue Havlish on WXNA-FM has been moved to Saturday at 11:00a.m. and expanded by one hour! 

We hope to have a start date announced soon, but we are both excited to have 2 hours each week to bring you a constant variety of music. See you on the radio!

Upcoming (as in tonight): Jesse Lafser is in the midst of a residency at The 5 Spot and that continues today with special guests Kevin Gordon and Lauren Shera. 6:00p.m.  Later, Jon Latham, Bill Eberle, and Chris Watts (with a full-band) will be at MadDonna's Loft for what should be a pretty righteous night of music.

Meanwhile - it is the time of the week when we get wilder than usual at E2TG... I mean really crazy! I mean songs played in a random fashion kind of crazy... woah!

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Sparkle Gone Mix

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Tonight on a very special episode of Music City Roots... Really looking forward to tonight's benefit show for Tommy Womack.  A rare Nashville area appearance of Jason and the Scorchers, Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks, Will Kimbrough, Dan Baird and more guests... If you can't be there, you can watch the livestream.

After that it is Aaron Lee  Tasjan, Nellie Clay, John Calvin Abney, and Levi Parham at The 5 Spot- where conveniently, the Roots bus will drop me off.