Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Earworm Mix

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Last night, I attended the CD release show for Josh Gray's Songs of the Highway album - which we have been covering. Jason Erie and his band opened.  The show was held in the backyard of The Groove record store in East Nashville, and it ended up being a picture perfect evening for an outdoor show.  Josh and Jason are two of my favorite local songwriters, they both were backed by killer bands, and they both have released excellent albums in recent months/weeks.

We jump back into the Trending playlist and we have a pretty cool mix of songs today...

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Ooom Ba Pa Room Mix

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Onward and upward.  It is Wednesday, and that is the day things tend to get "wild" at E2TG. I call it Wild Wednesday - just because the shuffle comes from all of songs saved to my phone.  That means you might hear recent music that we have been featuring, past featured music, songs from my personal collection, random music files I got through various sources, plus some songs from the earliest days of E2TG, and sometimes songs that I have no clue how they came to be in my possession.   Let's jump right in!

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Used High Heels Mix

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Nashville is changing rapidly.  It has been for several years now.  Cool old places are closing down and being replaced which much less cool places or being abandoned altogether.  It can be disheartening sometimes.

My roots here are deep, and I am not leaving anytime soon. So, what am I to do?

Fortunately, I am still reminded on a regular basis that Nashville is a great city for original, independent live music.  Take last night, I headed to Dee's in Madison - caught the tail-end of some fine world-class bluegrass (which happens every Monday), and then caught some awesome songwriters for this weeks edition of the Madison Guild Monday.

Hosted by Ryan Sobb, the night featured E2TG Artist of the Year (2017), Rayvon Pettis, the always amazing Jeremy Ivey, Bob Lewis and Megan Palmer - trading songs and backing each other, the wonderful Tommy Womack and Lisa Oliver Gray, Rayvon's talented sister Grace Pettis (filling in for the ailing Anna Joy Harris), and then Ryan Sobb.  Sobb's songs are witty and heartfelt - he is one of my favorite writers these days.  Then, Ryan did a  stunning cover of Tommy Womack's epic, classic "Alpha Male and the Canine Mystery Blood" - which knocked my socks off.

This was what Monday nights can look like in the Nashville area - if you know where to look.

On to the Trending Tuesday shuffle!

Music City Monday Morning Shuffle - Used to Fall Mix

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We are back and it is another Music City Monday - where we take a glance at some great Nashville-centered music from the past and the present.   As usual, we have a good mixed bag of goodies.  So, let's get right to it!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Presto Mix

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It is Friday!  This week has about done me in, so I am ready for the weekend. 

Let's get right to our Featured Friday Shuffle!

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Pray Like Infidels Mix

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I didn't note it yesterday, but we are already rolling into May! 

I'm short on time - so let me jump right in!

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Trouble in Transit Mix

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Wow!  So much to talk about, and so little time.  The finale of the Brian Wright and the Sneakups residency was nothing short of spectacular.  A large crowd filled with so many amazing musicians and songwriters. All of the shows were amazing. Brian Wright is an incredible songwriter and performer. His album Lapse of Luxury is guaranteed to be in the top tier. When I named him E2TG Artist of the Year a couple of years back, he already had a long and successful career behind him.  In some ways, he didn't fit the mold of my usual artists of the year (if I even have a mold), but I did it because at that point, he was busy backing other people and working behind the scenes at Cafe Rooster Records, and yet every time he played his own music (either solo or with a band), I was completely blown away.  I am glad to see him working on his own music.  Special guests last night were Nikki Barber of The Minks who performed one of her own songs, and Aaron Lee Tasjan who covered a classic Brian Wright song.

After that, I had the unexpected but wonderful opportunity to go to the Bluebird Cafe for a round featuring Stacey Earle, Mark Stuart (who is her husband), and two people represented in yesterday's shuffle (Jason Ringenberg and Peter Cooper).  I feel compelled to point out that my shuffles are all random, so it was pure coincidence that they were in the shuffle and that I got to go to the show.  Turns out, it was Jason's first time playing the storied venue.  Kind of hard to believe that one of Nashville music's most iconic figures had never played one of Nashville's most iconic rooms.  It was also a super rare chance to see Jason play while sitting down (you could tell it took effort for him not to bounce around).  Peter Cooper demonstrated not only his incredible skills as a songwriter but also his deep understanding and appreciation for Nashville music.  Stacey Earle is a name I've been following for decades in the Nashville music world. She is an wonderful songwriter, has a lovely voice, and is - as Jason said - one of the best rhythm guitar players around.  I wasn't familiar with Mark Stuart's music before last night, but now I want to be.

One final note, I was a huge Atlanta Brave's fan back in the 1980s and early 90s.  I watched almost every game on TBS and knew all the players. Turns out that the daughter of the Braves' centerfield and base stealing phenom from those days - Brett Butler - was working the door at the Bluebird.  Peter Cooper announced that and then did a song he wrote that mentioned the double play combination of Ramirez to Hubbard to Chambliss.   He also performed possible my all time favorite baseball song - "Opening Day".

Onward into the shuffle!