2018 E2TG Earie Awards - # 9 - Recap September 2018

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HOLIDAY SHOPPING ALERT!!!!: The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)


Today is the last scheduled E2TG Shuffle until after the New Year, however, since we are running to days behind, there are two more shuffles plus some miscellaneous posts which will come during the time I am off work.

Today, we are up to September 2018.  We have more Earies to hand out, plus some previous 2018 Earie winners returning...

2018 E2TG Earie Awards - # 7 - Recap July 2018

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HOLIDAY SHOPPING ALERT!!!!: The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)

Still running a couple of days behind, but we will make it. This is day 7 of the 2018 Earie Awards. Our recap today comes from the balmy month of July 2018. Let's go!

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Rebirth of Sorts 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)

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!)


First off, you may or may not have noticed, but I made an adjustment to the name of this blog and our associated Facebook page. Basically, I officially added E2TG as a part of the blog name.  The reason being, I am finally dealing with a problem I've been aware of for some time. Namely, that there is another music site called Ear to the Ground. I'm not even going to get into the which one came first game. Ear to the Ground is a fairly common saying, and it is not surprising that I am not the only person to think to call a music site Ear to the Ground. I have been aware of this for a long time. It was the impetus for my beginning to use the E2TG designation more and more. If that other site was covering completely different music, it would not be a problem, however, there does seem to be some overlap in the music we cover.  As a result, there have been moments of confusion - like my Facebook being tagged for their posts.  Basically, I have been procrastinating about dealing with this. What prompted me to act, is that the other site seems to have a very formalized submission process, and it appears that some people have been submitting music there thinking it was coming to me.

I don't know if this change will help with either of these issues, but it is a first attempt. For the record, E2TG is all about sharing music I have discovered through a variety of means. Most of my music comes from publicists (most often from those I've come to trust), artists themselves, or recommendations from other artists and/or other music lovers.

The bottom line is that I have nothing but positive thoughts for anyone who makes a effort to spread the word about new and emerging music. What the other site does seems to be different than what I do. My goal is to just prevent as much confusion as possible.

Enough, sorry for getting off track, I've just put off dealing with this for too long.

Last night, I added over 100 tracks to my new music playlist. I don't think any of them came up today, but they will soon.

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Friends Everywhere Mix

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SAVE THE DATE:

January 14, 2018 8:00p.m.  The Country (soon to be called The Local) 110 28th Ave N
Nashville, Tennessee 37203  - It'll be my birthday, and we'll have a triple threat of talent with Conrad y Skordalia, Danny Henry, and Sean Quinn and the Tremblers.


Speaking of E2TG Presents shows... keeping a tradition alive since last year, I have a very special Earie award to the bands/artists who played my residency in May:  Mark Robinson Band, Kristen Englenz, Nick Nace, Darrin Bradbury, Matt Benjamin, Sean Quinn and the Tremblers, Sergio Webb, David Olney, Cafe Rooster Records (Sally Jaye, Jon Latham, Darrin Bradbury, Brian Wright and their special guest Rorey Carroll), FuzzQueen, and Amelia White. Also Earies to The 5 Spot for having me and for Eric for running the sound. And to everyone who came out to one or more of the shows.  The "E2TG Live" award goes to all you and anyone I left out.

Time to start making plans for May 2018... who would you like to see play the E2TG 7th Anniversary Residency?

Congratulations to Rayvon Pettis on the release of Dying Light and for an awesome CD release show. Rayvon backed by The Big Dumb were wonderful.  Rocky Bottom was great, and Darrin Bradbury - played a bunch of new songs that were top notch.

Tomorrow night is the 12th Annual Get Behind the Mule: Tom Waits tribute and benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank.   If you aren't there, head to The Country - early it's Kristen Englenz, Drew Kohl, and Cntry and late it's Zach Schmidt with Haley Thompson King.   If only I could be two places at once.

On to the shuffle:

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Mad As Hell Mix

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More Earie "Fun" facts/Info/FAQ (not that anyone has asked questions):

As determined, by me, last year, receiving an Earie during the month of December does not disqualify an artist or band from winning a "Golden Earier" (i.e. Artist or Band of the Year).

Also, I feel an impulse to "save" certain awards until later in the month - for dramatic effect or something, but given the fact that I do this all haphazardly and that I have a very distracted mind, I am choosing to just go ahead and award things as I think about them. (except for the aforementioned "Golden" Earies.

Now, to avoid being any more self-referential, I will move on and award some Earies:

The next category is the "Keep Nashville Cool and Interesting and Original and/or Funny and/or Wild and/or (fill in the blank with a word or phrase that means something good) -  Band" Award goes to... and we have a three way tie!

Microwave Mountain - I had been hearing about this band last year, and I finally got to see them in January during the Buck n Stuff Residency at the Legion. I was happy to jump on the bandwagon. Their debut album can now be streamed on Spotify - so go do that! 

Buck n Stuff - Speaking of... When you look at the credits of the band members - this COUNTRY MUSIC band is most definitely a "SUPERGROUP"  Drummer guy has been playing for the solo tour of one of the members of a legendary group from the American South which is named after an airplane (I think).  Bass Guy - can be found playing bass with tons of cool folks including  on a regular basis as part of the band for an iconic early weekend weekly event at a noted East Nashville venue with a number in it's name, and the Main Guy - is part of band named for a lyric of a song by a band that formed after the disillusion of another band that had an album that gave its name to a magazine.   They may have a live album coming soon that I may or may not have heard already.

The Big Dumb - Sometimes you pick a name quickly without thought and it sticks. That's what happened with Ear to the Ground. I was fortunate enough to witness the birth of The Big Dumb - kind of. I was at a show by a band called The Cult of Javi Jones when mid-set, they decided that they wanted a different name - and decided on The Big Dumb. I don't know if that name had been discussed before hand, but for the sake of the legend, I am going to assume it had not. I just recently got to see them again, and I was completely blown away. The Big Dumb are the backing band for Rayvon Pettis who is having his CD release show tomorrow night at Dee's, and that is a cool thing,  but if you get the chance, see these guys doing their own thing!


Next, the "Best Damn DJ Partner in the Whole World, Like, Ever" Award goes to... Sue Havlish! It was a close vote, but really no contest. Double Shot with Joe and Sue on WXNA has been the most incredible experience, and it is Sue who makes it so much fun to do. We are approaching our 80th show together, and we haven't yet run out of theme or stopped having a blast.  Thanks Sue!


On to the WILD WEDNESDAY SHUFFLE!

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Hairy Eggs Mix

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As we move forward into the 2017 Earie Awards, a few words to those who are new here or otherwise unclear:

1. While my categories are sometimes tongue-in-cheek, my admiration for the music and artists is genuine and true.

2.  I don't do lists (Top Ten or otherwise).

3.  Any rules or criteria are coincidental and subject to change at my whim.

4. I live in constant dread that I will leave someone out unintentionally, and I probably will. It's okay though - as far as I know no one has gotten a gig or recording contract based upon having won an "Earie".

5. It's really all in fun and just another opportunity for me to express appreciation for the awesome music and people who have come into my life thanks for E2TG.

Finally (not specifically Earier related), spread love as often as you can in any way that you can. The world can use all the love we can muster.

Onward to the shuffle (and more Earies):

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Drums are Two Books Mix

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I have been thinking quite a bit about the state of the world and this country. Since November of last year, and especially since January of this year, I have been in a near constant state of anxiety and depression.  It is hard to separate political differences.  Whereas, I may find certain actions/bills/pronouncements to be abhorrent (gutting protections of the environment and our most vulnerable citizens). These are at least things that can be assessed and debated and hopefully corrected in a democratic (small d) venue. (Although, I have serious concerns about the legitimacy of our democratic process).

But, it is the abusive and offensive tweets, the thinly (if that) veiled racist comments, the boorish behavior.... how any decent person can defend these things is confounding and troubling. There really is no modern precedent for this in the United States. I try to imagine a president that I supported, and who puts forth ideas in line with my values - behaving this way. To be honest, it's very difficult to imagine, but I cannot believe that I would actively support this behavior.  I am sure it would be difficult to admit that I was wrong about someone, but I like to believe I would do the right thing. 

Of course, the flaw in that is that the current president did not conceal his behavior until elected. He was upfront about just how awful he was.  So that is where the, what if falls apart, because I would never vote for someone who acted that way even if they seemed to support things that I support.


The rash of public figures being exposed and facing consequences for their sexual behavior is likewise troubling.  It is a complex issue to be sure. It is odd which people are facing consequences and which are not. And there is likely overreaction is some cases, but not all.

Two thoughts have occurred to me - societal "norms" that I think are contributing factors to this situation. 1. Is the way men are "taught" to behave from a young age. Expectation of masculinity, poor role models  2.  The way people in position of real or imagined power or prestige are treated. You see this from the highest positions with national governments and Fortune 500 companies, and down to the smallest organizations and social structures. If someone is in a position of power, they are not to be questioned or criticized. The idea of following orders without question. Excusing or ignoring or covering up abuses of that power.

Anyway, all of that is just me trying to wrap my mind around the awful circumstances of the world today.
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On with the shuffle....