Levon Helm at The Ryman!!

We had the great pleasure of seeing this show live in Nashville last year. I knew it was being filmed in HD for later broadcast and/or sale.

It's airing this month on PBS, premieres tomorrow (August 1st).


If you look really closely, you can see me grinning like a jackass about 9 rows up in the balcony, 2nd section from the left of the stage. (I haven't looked that closely yet, but trust me)


John Hiatt joins the Levon Helm Band on the Band's classic "The Weight" in the new PBS special LEVON HELM RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN.


Levon Helm has, since 2004, hosted evenings of music at his home studio in Woodstock, New York, that have come to be known as "The Midnight Ramble." On September 17, 2008, Helm took the Midnight Ramble on the road to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where — accompanied by such luminaries as Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Sheryl Crow and Sam Bush — the Levon Helm Band gave birth to a performance that will live for the ages. The special premieres August 1 and airs throughout August 2009 on most PBS stations. Check local listings for dates and times in your area.

This was one of the most special concert events I've ever had the pleasure of attending, I highly recommend it.

Poco

Rusty Young and Paul Cotton of Poco, Montgomery, AL Riverfront

Poco is an American country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up The Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of the Springfield and is the only debut album ever to receive a perfect rating from Rolling Stone Magazine. A favorite of AOR FM stations in the early 1970s, Poco was considered to be a highly innovative and pioneering band. Although the band charted a handful of Top 20 hits, overall their Top 40 success was uneven, and many of their most innovative records were commercially unsuccessful.(Wiki)

Cover Art for "Legend" was created by the late Phil Hartman who was a graphic artist as well as a comedian

Getting old looks cool...

Rosanne Cash: American Singer/Songwriter

Rosanne Cash is one of the few artists among my absolute top ten favorites that I've never seen live.(another is JD Souther) Fortunately both still perform a few shows, so it's not over yet. It's pretty apparent I'll have to travel to catch up with either of them as no local venues seem interested. (I promised I wouldn't say anything bad about WorkPlay)


Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin.

Although she is often classified as a country artist, her music draws on many genres, including folk, pop, rock and blues.

Since 1991 she has released four albums, written two books and edited a collection of short stories. Her fiction and essays have been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Oxford-American, New York Magazine, and various other periodicals and collections.(WIKI)


"September When It Comes"

Seems easy enough

It's hard to imagine why this is so effective, but I don't want to try it.

I like this one...

Pretty good stuff.

(and to think I can barely teach my dogs not to cr#p in the house)

Louisiana, 2009

 

Taken near Waterproof, Louisiana

 

US Highway 65

 

Mississippi River

 

Vernon Parish Courthouse, Leesville

 

"Prison Area Do Not Pick Up Hitch-Hikers" near Waterproof in the Delta

You've been warned!

John Prine "My Old Kentucky Home"

Sorry, this is the only video I could find of this song. (But I gotta admit dude is a really good wedding photographer)

I've always loved this song, written by Stephen Foster. It gives me goose bumps when the crowd sings it at the Kentucky Derby. This is the current sanitized, politically correct version.

Old Crow Medicine Show "Caroline"

Hre's a catchy little song. I got it on an "American Songwriter" compilation CD, stuck in my head.

Taos Pueblo, NM June 2009

More pictures from the Taos trip.

I thought this was a really cool place. There are limited areas to visit, but to really get unique perspectives on the place horse trail rides are available. In retrospect, I kind of wish I'd done that.

 

Taos Pueblo (or Pueblo de Taos) is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Taos (Northern Tiwa) speaking Native American tribe of Pueblo people. It is approximately 1000 years old and lies about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the modern city of Taos, New Mexico, USA. The Red Willow Creek, or Rio Pueblo, is a small stream which flows through the middle of the pueblo from its source in the Sangre de Cristo Range. A reservation of 95,000 acres (384 km²) is attached to the pueblo, and about 1,900 people live in this area[3].

Taos Pueblo is a member of the Eight Northern Pueblos. The Taos community is known for being one of the most secretive and conservative pueblos.

Taos Pueblo's most prominent architectural feature is a multi-storied residential complex of reddish-brown adobe divided into two parts by the Rio Pueblo. According to the Pueblo's Web site, it was probably built between 1000 and 1450 A.D.
(wiki)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuffed Avocado, Trudy's- Austin, TX

 

It's hard to imagine anything I would be less likely to order in a restaurant than something called a "Stuffed Avocado". Firstly, I don't really like avocados, the texture, color, and flavor confuses and scares me. I sometimes enjoy Guacamole, but it has to be fresh GREAT guacamole. Most mass produced Guac is a really disturbing deep-green color and a has a strange pulpy consistency. Thanks, NO.
Secondly, I can't visualize or imagine what a stuffed avocado would taste like-or even look like for that matter.

That being said, I sampled the stuffed avocado at Trudy's at 30th and Guadalupe in Austin. (Leanna ordered it) Even though it was highly recommended by a local acquaintance I still couldn't pull the trigger. All I can say is: Oh my Gawd! It was delicious. Hollowed, stuffed with a chicken and cheese mixture, deep fried and topped with cheese and sauce.

It tasted like what I imagine that place between Ashley Judd's boobs would. (not pictured)

http://www.trudys.com/ Trudy's website isHere

Obamicon of the day: BIKE

Another creation from the obamicon.me website. You can make even the sketchiest characters look iconic. (see image)

"The Texas Tower" Austin TX

 

Charles Joseph Whitman (June 24, 1941 – August 1, 1966), as a student at the University of Texas at Austin, killed 14 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage on and around the university's campus. Three were killed inside the University's tower and ten killed from the 28th floor observation deck of the University's 307 foot administrative building on August 1, 1966

 

JD and I posing in front of the Tower.

 

After Leanna took this photo, she announced that she was no longer interested in being seen with us on campus.

 

Hallway to the elevators. Visitors are now required to be part of a scheduled tour, pass through a metal detector, and submit to a strict "no bags, purses, or parcels" policy.

 

Over 40 years later, bullet holes are still visible where police and citizens returned fire.

 

Most of the bullet holes on the observation deck have been repaired, but the patch doesn't quite match the limestone, so they are easily seen.

 

The drainage slots and the thickness of the walls make this a virtually impregnable position for a sniper. It would have taken an extremely accurate marksman to hit him. He was killed by policemen who came to the observation deck from below.

 

LBJ Presidential Library, Austin

I visited the LBJ Library on campus at UT in Austin. It has some interesting exhibits, particularly those dealing with Nov 22nd 1963, Vietnam, and the Space Program.
Admission is free.

 

There is an exact replica of the Oval Office as it appeared during the LBJ Administration, complete with the actual furniture and desk he used. I've got to admit it seemed smaller than I pictured it, even when I learned it was a 7/8 scale reproduction.

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure why I found the exhibit of the clothes they were wearing in the famous "swearing in" photo so fascinating.

"Onward Thru The Fog": Oat Willie's, Austin, TX

Oat Willie’s is a headshop at West 29th Street and Guadalupe that was founded by Norman “Doug” Brown in 1968. The name “Oat Willie” is from an Austin-based comic character. The famous Oat Willie’s motto (on numerous bumper stickers since the 1970s) is: “Onward Thru the Fog.”

 

Obviously my friend JD, "the walking counterculture encyclopedia" would know of (and insist on visiting) Oat Willie's.

 

In my defense, I agreed to meet him without first asking what he was going to wear.

 

This is the first of 2 "T-Shirts Of The Week" I acquired in Austin, and yet another addition to my ridiculous wardrobe.

Man, I need to start throwing some sh*t out...

Thursday Night Bachelor Party/Pub Crawl: 6th Street-Austin, Texas

The barmaids were charming!

 

 

The establishments were first rate!

 

The 2:30AM "Sausage Of Regret"

 

We had a great time!

Road Trip!

We're gone to the wedding!
You're responsible for entertaining yourselves for the rest of the week.


Use your imagination!

Brush With Greatness: Bonnie Bramlett

I didn't actually MEET Bonnie at the Scott Boyer benefit, but I did sit directly in front of her in the "artists and families" section. (This because the crew filming the event had taken my seat in the mezzanine)



Bonnie Bramlett (born Bonnie Lynn O'Farrell on 8 November 1944, Alton, Illinois), is an American singer and sometime actress known for her distinctive vocals in rock and pop music. Bramlett started her musical career at the age of thirteen as a backup singer for blues acts such as Fontella Bass, Albert King, and Little Milton.

She made history as the first Caucasian female to sing with Ike and Tina Turner as one of the "Ikettes". She eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she met fellow singer Delaney Bramlett in 1967 at a bowling alley gig for his band, The Shindogs. They were married within the week and are the parents of singer Bekka Bramlett, who was briefly a member of Fleetwood Mac in the 1990s.

The duo signed with Stax Records and became known as Delaney & Bonnie, becoming the first white artists among R&B artists such as Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Sam & Dave, John Lee Hooker, and Booker T. and the MGs. They soon toured Europe with British rock legend Eric Clapton. With frequent drop-in performances by other noted musicians like Duane Allman, George Harrison, and Dave Mason, the group became known as Delaney & Bonnie & Friends.

Delaney & Bonnie first met Eric Clapton when the pair served as Blind Faith's opening act.



[url=http://www.divshare.com/download/6200450-ea6]DivShare File - 02 Come On In My Kitchen.mp3[/url]

Austin, baby!

"Only a rank degenerate would drive 1,500 miles across Texas without eating a chicken-fried steak." —Larry McMurtry

We're travelling to Austin, Texas, (departing wednesday) to attend a wedding. Of course, I have my own agenda.

(Side note: I will actually be in the wedding as a groomsman. Obviously, this doesn't speak well of the groom, who is a "professional" artist, whose only redeeming quality is his inexplicable charm and attractiveness to women clearly above his station-in this case, a gorgeous nubile young blonde neurosurgeon) I hate him, but I definitely want to dance with HER at the reception.

Stay tuned for the usual blizzard of sub-standard photo essays, useless information and self-satisfied gloating upon my return.

Chicken-fried steak is known as the (unofficial) state dish of Texas.
If chicken-fried steak sounds suspiciously like Wiener schnitzel, you are correct in your assumption. German immigrants to Texas are credited with crafting this variation, but instead of using veal, these early Texans made it with the more readily available beef. And as the cuts of meat were a bit tough, the process of tenderizing, battering, frying and coating it in gravy rendered it more palatable.

Johnny Cash "Hurt"

This has been around for years, but still gives me chills every time.

Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" was released on his 2002 album, American IV: The Man Comes Around. Rick Rubin, producer of Cash's American series and a friend of Reznor, suggested the song to Cash. The line "crown of shit" was changed to "crown of thorns", like Reznor's censored for radio version, to not only removing profanity from the lyrics, but also more directly referencing Christ. The cover was posthumously released on a single with the B-side "Personal Jesus", a cover of the Depeche Mode single.

Reznor said that when Rubin first asked if Cash could cover his song, he was "flattered" but worried that "the idea sounded a bit gimmicky." He became a fan of Cash's version, however, once he saw the music video.

“ I pop the video in, and wow… Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps… Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine anymore… It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone. [Somehow] that winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning — different, but every bit as pure.”

"Bring Out Your Dead"

A classic moment from "Monty Python And The Holy Grail".

This happened.

I really don't have anything to add. I think that's a badger or wolverine.

(click photo to enlarge)

Jay and Dingo

I keep hoping that Gary Larsen is just somewhere resting, stockpiling hundreds of ideas for another brilliant run.

How Convenient!

Beer Poster Generator

Another fun image generator site..

http://www.remixito.com

They have a few fun items. I'm think of a clever "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" question for another of their tools.