Jason Michael Carroll: Impressions from a Small Local Show.

Friday night, March 18th, Jason Michael Carroll, our local country music star, appeared at Crossroads Entertainment Complex in Wake Forest, NC.  Mary Selvidge and Will Guyton, two emerging local singers, opened for him.

There was not a huge crowd on Friday to see JMC, but the ladies were enthusiastic. Jason Michael Carroll is the handsome hometown hero with bambi eyes, a big white smile, and a deep manly voice that can send shivers right down to the knees, so who can blame them (us)? The enamored women, ranging in age from 12 to 120 and of all shapes and sizes, crowded around the stage, passed him notes, money with requests on it, and had him sign autographs. In return they received friendly and occasionally intense eye contact, handshakes and the occasional hug or kiss. He is a very energetic performer and as much as I'm sure the admiring eyes of all those women must feed his ego, he gives back to his audience.

The two hour performance was wonderful. He sang his hits, some new material, and a few covers. Any criticism that comes later in the article should be read in the context that I really like Jason Michael Carroll. When he sang "Where I'm From" and "Alyssa Lies" it drew a tear. When he sang "I Can Sleep When I'm Dead" we all laughed, shouted out the lyrics and jumped up and down with him (this is silly but rather fun). He did a memorable cover of Garth Brooks "Much to Young to Feel this Damn Old". He is talented and I'm looking forward to seeing him again at Rapids Jam (Roanoke Rapids, NC) in June.

Video for "I Can Sleep When I'm Dead"
 He said (maybe as a joke) when he started the show that he'd take requests on $20 bills. I didn't see any $20s go up there, but I sent up a request on a $5 for "Meet Me in the Barn" a perhaps cliche but rather sexy song he had intended to release as his first single from the new album. According to a blog post by Billy Dukes, a DJ at 94.7 WQDR, Carroll saw that Trace Atkins was releasing a barn related song at the same time, "Brown Chicken, Brown Cow", and didn't want to compete with the blond powerhouse for the attentions of country radio. As anyone who is paying attention knows, "Brown Chicken, Brown Cow" is a huge flop, Trace Atkins actually apologized to fans for it and lamely blames the songwriters for telling him it is a surefire hit. I can't predict whether "Meet Me in the Barn" would have been a hit, but it would not have been an embarrassing flop. My friend and I saw him perform "Meet Me" at the Country for Kids concert in November and enjoyed it. When he played it again on Friday, we remembered the words from November. It's a very catchy song. I hope it's at least on the new album.

Carroll singing "Meet Me in the Barn". All videos I found were fan recorded from shows. This one captures his energy and had the best sound of those available.

Carroll sang his newly released single "Numbers" and there were already people singing along. I know many JMC fans will strongly disagree, but I don't like the song "Numbers". It is pleasant to the ear, but don't find anything to connect to among all of those numbers in the lyrics. Is it a love song? He gives a girl a ring. Is it a Christian song? It has references to the Book of John and the Second Coming. Is it about Kabbalah? (Just kidding.) I do hope that Jason Michael Carroll becomes famous enough sometime soon to be Elmo's guest on Sesame Street. The chorus of this song is only a few word changes away from being a perfect children's song. This may seem like a mean thing to write, but you never know. Maybe Carroll will make a wildly successful children's album all inspired by what seemed at the time to be a snarky comment by a nobody blogger.

"Numbers"

In addition to songs we already know, he sang a couple songs that are in the works for the new album.  I thought the one called "My Favorite" was too sappy, but the song he sang before "My Favorite" was interesting. He didn't give us the name of this song. He said that he is debating whether or not to include this title unknown song on the new album. I gave a resounding hoot when he asked the crowd to weigh in. I liked this song because it is a little more sophisticated than the other three songs I've heard from the upcoming album. The only thing, apart from the words George St. and New York, that I remember about this title unknown song is that I want to hear it again.

Either Dierks Bentley or Billy Currington Needs to get a Brazilian Blowout.





Billy Currington



Dierks Bentley


I know I've hit that age where even the most sighted of us take a trip to the optometrist, but Dierks Bentley and Billy Currington really look alike. Last night I was watching the Kenny Rogers special on GAC and Billy Currington came on. He was talking and I said to myself, "What's up with Dierks Bentley's suddenly strong Southern accent?" It took me longer than I care to admit to realize my mistake.

I'm a bigger Dierks Bentley fan so when I see either one, I automatically think it's Bentley. They don't sound alike, but my eyes take over for my ears when there is visual information. So I did a google search expecting to find many references to the curly doppelgangers. I did find a few, but the most ridiculous (before I wrote this post) is the FB group Billy Currington and Dierks Bentley are both DEAD Sexy with it's odd spelling of "gurls", use of lowercase letters and combining of the sacred and profane?

While perusing images on Google of the two singers, I learned another way to tell them apart. If the Currington/Bentley character is shirtless and pumped, it's Currington. I didn't find a Bentley photo with more than two buttons worth of chest. Currington does usually wear a shirt though, so this test only works if the subject is shirtless.

Don't bother ordering the back issue if you missed it. Apparently Currington kept his shorts on.

What would really be helpful is if one of these guys (preferably Currington) got a Brazilian blowout, but then we may confuse him with Keith Urban or one of the guys in Rascal Flatts.

When you see Dierks Bentley or Billy Currington, which do you think it is?

Kenny Rogers: 1st 50 Years

I was watching GAC's Kenny Rogers: 1st 50 Years special last night with a big grin on my face. I laughed, I cried, I got goosebumps, but mostly I went down memory lane. I am not a Kenny Rogers "fan" in that I don't own any albums, nor have I attended any concerts, but I've always liked Kenny Rogers' music. What I didn't realize is that I love it. Quite a few of the songs that I heard as a child and set me on the path to a country music obsession some 30 years later are Kenny Rogers songs. The Gambler has been one of my favorite songs since it came out in 1978.

I'm not sure I'd even heard all of these important old songs in their entirety until last night.  Some of the songs that crossed over to onto pop stations I know well, but I remember a few from clips on those TV advertisements for "Country Hits" albums in the 1970s and early 80s, the ones with the still shots of the artists and the song titles rolling down the screen. One song that I thought I knew, but really didn't is "Lucille". Billy Currington sang this during the TV special. I am not ashamed to admit that I had no idea what "Lucille" is about until last night. No wonder they only played a short clip of it on those commercials. Here is a recording of Billy Currington singing "Lucille", with lyrics.

There were a lot of excellent performances in this concert, but the ones that stuck with me were Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie singing "Lady", Kenny Rogers singing "The Gambler", Billy Currington's "Lucille", and Tim McGraw singing "She Believes in Me". Dolly Parton sang quite a bit in the beginning of the show. She was fabulous. She's always fabulous.

GACTV.com has articles about the concert, a trailer, and an old Gambler video for you to enjoy.  If you missed the concert, be sure to scroll through the photo gallery. Dolly is wearing purple lame'.

I'll search through youtube and keep an eye on GAC's website. If they make videos from the concert available I'll add the links.

Who Are You When I'm Not Looking, Joe v/s Blake

The other day I was listening to the radio and "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" came on. I sang along, not giving it much thought. Then it came on again, and I scratched my head. Waaait a minute, who is singing this? This isn't Joe Nichols, it's Blake Shelton!

Compare and contrast. I'm putting both versions of "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" up here. Please listen with eyes closed, so you aren't swayed by Blake Shelton's professional video, or by the unprofessional but well intended fan tribute video for Joe Nichols. Side by side, which version do you like better? Please let me know.

Joe Nichols

Blake Shelton

 Wow. They are really similar. Joe Nichols has a deeper and sleepier voice. Blake Shelton's version is slightly livelier, but even he sounds like just woke up from a nap.

This Land is My Land!

At the bottom of the page, I will collect links to local stories about Home Owners Associations making people unhappy.

Friends of mine are being harassed by their Home Owners Association and are very upset about it. In response, I did something I haven't done in a while. I made a mixCD for them.

I think Home Owners Associations are overstepping when they do anything more than maintain common areas, host neighborhood events, and help organize to care for a neighbor in need. This is America, and for all of our talk about freedom we should stay out of our neighbors' business when they are neither breaking the law nor harming man or beast. If a neighbor wants to paint his house pink, create a cactus and rock garden, and fly the flags of their ancestral roots from the rooftop, they should be allowed to do that. If you don't like it, build a privacy fence or plant some conifers to block the view.

Here's the playlist I created. I had help coming up with appropriate songs from folks on Twitter. If you feel like your neighbors are picking on you, I hope these songs help raise your spirits.

1. The CD starts with the Bill Noonan Band's "Get Off of My Land"

2. I asked the singer Uncle Kracker, who appeared to be in the mood to tweet, if he had any suggestions. He came up with Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It"   

3. The next suggestion came from Jenn of Lovin' Lyrics Music Promotions.  "This Land is Your Land." I chose the Woody Guthrie version of the song, of course.

4. If your neighbors are giving you a hard time, change the ringtone for the HOA president to Jaron and the Long Road to Love's "Pray for You." You've got to pray for your enemies, too.

 

5. Lucas Hare, a British actor, suggested Ronnie and the Delinquent's, "Bad Neighborhood". I can't find a video or audio clip, but it goes "Well there ain't no good, in a Bad Neighborhood". I had never heard this song before an thought it was a great suggestion.

6. Next up is Lonestar's "From my Front Porch Looking In". Ignore the crazy neighbors and take stock of what's really important.

7. To add a little humor I added the story of every HOA's nightmare, Confederate Railroad's "White Trash with Money". This is not the original Confederate Railroad version that I put on the CD. This is a new version. The singer in this video, Cody McCarver, is a newer member of Confederate Railroad but this version of the song is something he's recorded as a solo artist. (click for more Wikipedia insight.)

8. A great song about fighting for one's freedom is The Red Hot Chili Peppers "Fight Like a Brave". Fight like a brave. Don't be a slave. No one can tell you, you've got to be afraid!

9. Baron Lane, writer of the excellent blog, Twang Nation, suggested Merle Haggard's "The Fighting Side of Me". Petty neighborhood regulations are a threat to the American way of life, dangit!

10. Along the same theme, but to a different tune, is Metallica's "Don't Tread on Me". You don't have to be a Tea Party member to fly that flag. I try to avoid putting fan-made tribute videos up on this blog, but this one is an admirable attempt and there doesn't appear to a better choice out there.

11. American Vesper is a song on my highschool friend Charles Danek's new CD, Coin.  It's a much more relaxing song about standing one's ground.

12. And last but not least, The Soggy Bottom Boys "I am a Man of Constant Sorrow." If your dispute with your HOA seems endless perhaps this song is what you really need. "For six long years I've been in trouble/No pleasures here on earth I found/For in this world I'm bound to ramble/I have no friends to help me now." This song was recommended  by Charlie Ervin, a Civil Engineer and Bluegrass musician.

 

And here are links to stories about HOAs making people unhappy. Shame!
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/23/1007537/as-hens-laid-a-problem-lay-in.html

If We Celebrated Valentines Day, This Bed's Too Big

"Baby this bed's too big/ We don't need all this room/ I like you nice and close/ cause heaven knows/ morning comes too soon." ~Joe Nichols, Written by Victoria Shaw and Gary Burr

We don't celebrate Valentines Day in our house. I've always disliked the Hallmark holiday and being happily married hasn't changed that.

If we did celebrate Valentines Day, rented a log cabin in the woods for the occasion, ate dinner by candlelight and then made love in front of a fire on a sheepskin rug, I'd want Joe Nichol's "This Bed's Too Big" to be playing in the background.

Unfortunately, "This Bed's Too Big" is such an underrated song, I can't find a full online version of it to share with you. Joe Nichols doesn't even make it possible to listen to it on his website. The best I can do is put the Pandora link to the song on here.

 Heather, Joe Nichol's wife, found this song for him. Read the back story below, from a site called Dave's Diary. 

                                               

"But Joe Nichols thanks his wife Heather for sourcing "This Bed's Too Big".

"My wife found that song." Nichols said. "She said 'You don't have any sexy songs. I can't think of any sexy songs you do.' She went out and did her own legwork and approached Victoria Shaw who is a friend of ours. She asked her for her best sexy song and she got it. She gave it to me and I thought it was a big old hit."

Mr. Nichols, if you think it's a "big old hit" you should let people hear it.

"She wears Macy's, I wear Loehmans"

"She wears Macy's I wear Loehmans. She wears Filenes, I wear Filene's Basement. Can't you see-ee-ee, she's just a J.-A.-P. (not Japanese)"



Gwyneth Paltrow, the newest member of the country music world, was a guest on SNL a few weeks ago.  She participated in a skit about over-the-top Bar Mitzvah party entertainment, a phenomenon worthy of satire. In this case, a family member who is big macher in the music industry hired a number of stars to do Bar Mitzvah themed versions of their songs.  Paltrow did an impression of Taylor Swift singing "You Belong to Me", but rather than a cheerleader, the other girl is a J.A.P.

I am neither offended by Paltrow poking fun of Taylor, as are some of her fans who take everything Taylor very seriously, nor of SNL using the term J.A.P. Of the songs in the skit, Paltrow's is the only one I find even remotely funny and quite frankly, I was left wanting another verse. There are so many other J.A.P. typical qualities they could have used.  Straightened hair immediately comes to mind. That would have been a slam dunk. Fear of the outdoors and whining about the heat are two more.

If you're thinking of leaving a horrified comment, please do, but give this some thought first. If a woman is truly a J.A.P. she's ignoring me completely.

My other comment is about SNL devoting such a long skit to the Bar Mitzvah party. Only 2% of the U.S. population is Jewish, and although our Bar Mitzvah party guest lists usually include non-Jewish friends and family, I'd be surprised if more than 5-10% of the U.S. population has ever been to a Bar Mitzvah. Who is getting all of the rather weak inside jokes in this skit?

As a side note, if you've watched the whole video, I agree with the boy. A modest luncheon is a very haimish way to celebrate a Bar Mitzvah.