News

Here, I will keep you filled in on my journey as a singer/songwriter in Music City USA . . .

Move over Mellencamp, here comes Katie Stam! That's right, she did it... the first Miss Indiana to ever win the crown (and now two famous people hail from the small town of Seymour, IN). Back in October, Becca and I had the chance to meet Katie and we've been cheering her on ever since. She has such a pleasant, genuine demeanor; so articulate and passionate about her cause. We certainly wish her well and hope she knows she made all of us Hoosiers proud!

                                                 PUCKETT’S GROCERY & RESTAURANT
                                                            “In The Round”
                                                    Featuring:
                                                                                                    MICHAEL LOGEN
                                                                                MICHAEL KREJCI & BECCA HADZOR
                                                        CHRIS MEYERS & HANNAH PRATER (OF THE BITTERSWEETS)

( Nashville , Tenn. ) – Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant in Historic Downtown Franklin, TN will host a special evening of live music on Saturday, November 15^th. The “In The Round” format will feature acoustic sensations, Michael Logen, Chris Meyers & Hannah Prater of The Bittersweets, and duo Michael Krejci & Becca Hadzor. Puckett’s famous, down-home Southern cuisine will be offered at 7:00p.m. , followed by the concert beginning promptly at 8:30p.m. Pricing is $35 for dinner & show, or $15 for show only. Reservations are highly recommended, call: (615) 794-5527. Puckett’s is located at 120 4^th Ave. S. / Franklin , TN 37064

Michael Logen:
“At the end of the day, we’re all artists,” says acoustic-rocker, Michael Logen. “The question is whether we’ll embrace it every day or run screaming from it. The payoff is in the energy and danger of sharing it! I love to see other people finding their voice. The world needs to hear it!”

Blending elements of pop, folk and rock, Logen wrote, arranged, played on and co-produced his highly anticipated, solo debut album, "Things I Failed To Mention." Much of the album was written while backpacking through Europe with a guitar and notebook. “These songs have become living, breathing all to their own” says Logen, “and as is true of all living things, sometimes you’ve got to let them go run about. I’m excited to see which way they’ll run!” Having signed a publishing deal with L.A.-based Windswept/Combustion Music, Logen is joined on the album by co-producers Joe West (Emmy Lou Harris, Jewel, Justin Timberlake) and Chris Farren (Dave Matthews, Johnny Cash), with a guest appearance by recording artist Jill Phillips.

Though Michael has a home in Nashville , he spends so much of his time traveling the US and Europe that his true home arguably consists of a suitcase, a guitar and a hotel room. Whether he's teaming up with Aware artist, Mat Kearney, in Istanbul or touring with a full band throughout the country, Logen's emotive live show and captivating stage presence are holding fans spell-bound around the globe, building a fiercely loyal following. In addition to having performed at venues and universities throughout Europe , he's played Nashville ’s historic Ryman Auditorium, The Exit/In, B.B. King’s, and The Living Room in New York City .

Michael Krejci & Becca Hadzor:
Lyrically driven and melodically focused, Michael Krejci is a respected Nashville songwriter and a seasoned national performer. He writes about the simplicity of the rain and the complexity of love, intricately woven together to reflect his small town Indiana upbringing. Influenced by artists like The Beatles, John Fogerty and James Taylor, Krejci takes pride in writing from the heart, not to satisfy a specific genre, but to satisfy those who take his music for what it is, honest and genuine. His highly anticipated debut album, Out of the Blue (released January 2007) speaks for itself. A blend of country, folk-rock, bluegrass and roots styles, Out of the Blue is a tasteful mix of tunes that transcends boundaries, reflecting Krejci’s open minded musical spirit. The full length disc features ten original “Americana-style” songs as well as a contemporary-bluegrass spin on the Travis Tritt classic, “Anymore.” Several notable guest musicians appear on the album, including Andy Hall and Jeremy Garrett of the “Infamous Stringdusters” (Sugar Hill Records) and famed guitar-slinger, Eric Heatherly (Flowers on the Wall), among others. Krejci, along with his counterpart, Becca Hadzor, perform regularly throughout the country to an ever-widening fan base. Whether you're listening to them acoustically or “plugged in” with a full band, you can't help but sit back, tap your foot, and get lost in the music. For more information on Michael Krejci and his music, visit: www.mknashville.com or www.myspace.com/michaelkrejci

Chris Meyers & Hannah Prater (of The Bittersweets)
Before the Massachusetts-born Chris Meyers even picked up a guitar in his late teens, he was an accomplished jazz pianist. His musical epiphany came during college: as he dug deep into the history of American roots music in his studies (he wrote at length about how country music made its way from front porches to radio airwaves), it forever changed his musical palette. Meyers recalls, “It turned me on to a bunch of artists that I never really listened to before—everything from bluegrass to Johnny Cash or Gram Parsons, the whole spectrum.” Along with Meyers, Hannah Prater is in the band "The Bittersweets." In these days, when nearly anyone can make a record in their bedroom, it is nearly impossible to get noticed as a vocalist. Clubs and open mics are packed with aspiring singer/songwriters and radio playlists are shrinking. So one might ask how, without really meaning to, Hannah Prater ended up fronting a band, getting signed and playing with artists ranging from Train to Roseanne Cash to Cowboy Junkies? Perhaps the answer is best found in the words of Scott Register, host of the widely respected and syndicated Reg's Coffeehouse, who says, "When she sings, I hear hints of every female vocalist I have ever loved all perfectly mixed into Prater's own gorgeous sound." Simply put, Hannah Prater is a vocalist that makes people stop in their tracks and listen...

Thanks to my dear friends at the Sand Hill Berries farm for having us back a 6th consecutive year! Looking forward to the 2009 Open House...

Thanks to everyone who came out to the 55th annual Zionsville Fall Festival last weekend! Becca and I had an absolutely wonderful time and it wouldn't have been possible without everyone's support...so to the town of Zionsville, the Lion's Club (Gale & Leigh Ann), and the Brick Street Inn (Colleen)..... THANK YOU!

After six months of planning and coordinating all the details, it's hard to believe that the weekend has already come and gone! It is definitely one I will cherish for a long, long time. It all started on the morning of Friday, September 5th as we loaded up our P.T. Cruiser ("the little red rental that could" for all you Martin Sexton fans out there!). Believe it or not, that little hatchback can fit two 15' speakers, two large monitors, a mixer head, speaker, mic & music stands, a huge merchandise container, a guitar, two seat stools, three bags of luggage and two people! Wow, we cut it close but it all worked out! Speaking of cutting it close, as usual Becca and I were running a little late (about two hours behind schedule... no big deal, right!?) but arrived in Zionsville with plenty of time to spare (an hour to rest, eat and set up the P.A....we have it down to a science!). As 7:00p.m. rolled around, the crowd started to shuffle in as we were greeted by many friends, former teachers, and family. What a treat to perform at the beautiful Brick Street Inn on Main Street, and share my music with all the good folks in Zionsville.

After a well-deserved night's rest, we started Saturday morning bright and early for the annual Fall Festival Parade. Becca and I were honored to be a part of the festivities and ride "in style" in the back of our friend Gale's Mercedes (see photo!). And much to my delight, "Miss Indiana" Katie Stam, just happened to be in the car right behind us! (no worries Bec;). Be sure to root Katie on though as she gears up for the reality show and Miss America! She was so sweet, smart and very articulate so we certainly wish her well! And in case you were wondering... I also sported a t-shirt with an eagle on it, although I don't think anyone noticed! Go Zionsville Eagles!

Following the parade we got a quick bite to eat (Eagle Creek Coffee Company... highly recommended!) and then headed down to the stage tent for our second duo-acoustic show. We were pleased to discover another nice crowd awaiting us and after a touching introduction by friend and local music entrepreneur, Craig Blattner, as well as Zionsville-icon, Ralph Stacy, we took the stage. It's always a thrill getting to perform with Becca and this time was no different... her smooth harmonies and breathtaking lead vocals are quite the complement to my music!

After the conclusion of our performance and a quick "meet 'n greet" (as they say here in Nashville), I was interviewed by Elane Johnson of the Indianapolis Star. She writes a fantastic, daily blog on www.indystar.com and it was a pleasure having the opportunity to meet with her and provide a little insight on my "Nashville experience." She wrote a great follow-up article on Wednesday... check it out by clicking on the IndyStar link above. Following our interview, the Lion's Club provided us with a booth to sell some cd's and "shake 'n howdy" (as they say in Kentucky!) with the festival go-ers. Between changing guitar strings and making sure the band (driving up from Nashville) was on the right path, I got a chance to make some new friends and also run into a few old classmates, one of whom happens to D.J. an online radio show. If you'd like to give it a listen, check out The World Net Radio and tune in on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 10pm-1am and you just might hear some cuts from Out of the Blue!

Back to the story... as 5:30p.m. rolled around, so did the rental van carrying the rest of the band. The guys showed up right on time and we even had a little to spare, so they dispersed to take in the local festivities. Becca and I shared a quick bite with my mom and brother/sister-in-law at the good ole Friendly Tavern (also highly recommended!) before heading down to sound check at 7:00p.m. The weather was perfect and as the sun was beginning to set, once again we had a nice crowd filling in as we kicked off the night, fittingly, with our rendition of Hal Ketchum's "Small Town Saturday Night." One of the greatest feelings I have as a performer (in addition to performing with Becca), is seeing the audience sing along to my original songs. I counted about 15 fans out there mouthing the words to my tunes! And countless others were singing along to all of the great cover songs we worked up... and I think my middle school music teacher knew every word to every single song we played! She was one of the best teachers I ever had and much of my early interest in music can be attributed to her. I can recall back in 6th grade we learned about everyone from Waylon & Willie ("Luckenbach, TX") and Stephen Foster to Louis Armstrong, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Scott Joplin, to name a few. We were singing about "Frankie & Johnny" and "keeping up with the Jones'" before we even really knew what it meant! To this day, I think one of the most important aspects of my love for music is diversity. I try to listen to everything, study chord structures of my favorites, and not forget where today's music came from. If you listen to my work, hopefully that pride and passion comes through in my writing and instrumentation. Thanks again to Mrs. Runyan for years of dedication in the Zionsville school system and for touching so many students' lives, when at the time, they probably didn't even realize that they were in the presence of such a rare and genuine teacher. Hopefully, they can look back as I can, and count their blessings:)

It's truly an honor getting to play with such great musicians... Nashville boasts some of the best in the world and it's always a humbling, yet thrilling experience to have these "cats" back me up! We had David "The Duke" Spicher on upright bass (has toured w/ artists like Pam Tillis, Crystal Gale & Kathy Mattea to name a few!), Matt Raum on electric guitar and mandolin (tours with Julie Roberts) and Jon Zoog keeping time on drums (plays with The Peter Moon Band and also had a stint with the Ringling Bros. Circus!). As you can imagine, it's quite an exhilarating feeling sharing the stage with these guys and I hope they had as much fun performing as Becca and I did! Also, a big thanks to Ryan Blattner for assisting us with the sound/equipment (if only I could afford to take you with me for all my shows!). After sharing a little taste of Nashville with Zionsville, the night was topped off with a thundering display of fireworks and a successful amount of cd sales (thanks to Pat Slama!)...

Sunday morning brought our weekend to a close as Becca and I gave our final performance following a church service at Lion's Park. We worked up some special gospel tunes just for the occasion. It was a lot of fun adding to our repertoire and should the opportunity ever come up again, we've got a few more tunes under our belt... such as "Will the Circle Be Unbroken / I'll Fly Away", "This Little Light of Mine," and one of my absolute favorites, Elizabeth Cook's "Mama's Prayers." After saying our goodbyes, family and friends sent us off with some baked goodies... zucchini bread and oatmeal raisin cookies... yummm! (Thanks Mrs. B!). And to my fellow graduates from the class of '98, thank you so much for helping make my Zionsville homecoming a great one!

NASHVILLE , Tenn. – August 27, 2008 –    Nashville recording artist and former Zionsville resident (1998 ZCHS grad),
            Michael Krejci, will perform with his band at the 55^th annual Zionsville Fall Festival in Lion’s Park on Saturday, September
            6^th at 7:30p.m. (fireworks to follow).

Krejci is currently touring in support of his debut album, Out of the Blue, released last year to critical acclaim. The full length disc features ten original “Americana-style” songs as well as a contemporary-bluegrass spin on the Travis Tritt classic, “Anymore.” Several notable guest musicians appear on the album, including Andy Hall and Jeremy Garrett of the “Infamous Stringdusters” (Sugar Hill Records) and famed guitar-slinger, Eric Heatherly (Flowers on the Wall), among others.

Some of Krejci’s career highlights include opening for acoustic sensation, Lucy Kaplanski, bluegrass acts Special Consensus and Bottomline, as well as performing at Nashville ’s legendary Bluebird Café and the prestigious Americana Folk Festival (Patty Griffin/Mindy Smith/The Avett Bros.). Krejci was also chosen by Disc Makers, the nation’s leading CD/DVD Duplication Company, to be featured on the cover of their monthly catalog, reaching millions of consumers and music fans alike.

For more information on Michael Krejci and his music, visit www.mknashville.com, www.myspace.com/michaelkrejci or stop by his merchandise booth at the Zionsville Fall Festival on Saturday, September 6^th. Krejci will be on hand to personally meet with fans, sign autographs and perform acoustically throughout the day.

Admission to the festival is free, however costs vary for parking, carnival rides, food, arts & crafts. Visit www.zionsvillelions.com for more information and a complete schedule of events.

*Out of the Blue is available at www.mknashville, cdbaby.com, iTunes and other internet retail outlets and select stores.

Rockin' out at Bent's Camp!... caught some fish too! Thanks to Lisa for having us:)

Lonestar alert! Keep your eye out for us in the new Lonestar video, Let Me Love You!

Well it’s hard to believe that December is already upon us...and the fact that the temperature has been in the mid 70’s all week doesn’t help (not that I’m complaining). The Christmas tree is up and about half of my shopping is done. I’ll be spending this year’s holiday with family in Columbus , OH and if anyone is in the area, come on out to the Bogey Inn on Saturday night (Dec. 22^nd). It’s a great little restaurant/bar tucked behind Muirfield, host to the famed PGA Memorial Tournament . . . a free show and I’ll have the pleasure of performing with Becca so y’all are in for a real treat!

Speaking of treats, Christmas came a little early for me this year as I got to meet one of my all time favorite singers, the one and only GARTH BROOKS! He was the one who got me hooked on country music back in the early 90’s (before it all went “south”) and the guy was just as nice and genuine in person as he is on television. The event was the inaugural induction ceremony for the brand new Musicians Hall of Fame here in Nashville . It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended and the opportunity to meet Garth was icing on the cake! In addition to all of the amazing session players who were inducted, some of the other performers included legends like: George Jones, John Carter Cash, B.J. Thomas, Rodney Crowell, Roger McGuinn, Peter Frampton, Dobie Gray, Mary Wilson (Supremes), Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Garth Brooks. Oh yeah, and it was hosted by Creed Bratton from NBC’s The Office!

Well it has been a busy couple of months for me…full of travel, work and a little time for playJ October found Becca & I in Mt. Pleasant , PA for the annual Sand Hill Berries Open House. Thanks to the Lynn Family for bringing me back for a 5^th straight year in a row! I’m already looking forward to next year as it’s one of my favorite happenings, not to mention time of year. Check out the brand new winery, "Greendance," at: http://greendance.blogspot.com/ …makes for a great Christmas gift!

Halloween brought some trick-or-treaters to my door (I was finally home) and Becca & I carved some last minute pumpkins. As you can tell, my eighth note wasn't nearly as precise as her guitar...it's a good thing pumpkins have two sides!

We also made our way out to Durham, NC for a nice visit and grand tour of Duke University... also found some time for a weekend getaway in Gatlinburg, TN . . .

For Thanksgiving it was a quick little jaunt to Chicago …we soaked it all in catching the famous Christmas tree lighting in Daley Plaza as well as the Marshall Fields (forever) strip. A great time with relatives (including a house concert with one of the best audiences I’ve ever had!), some good eats at Shaw’s Crab House and Gino's East (home of my parent's first date!), a visit with Zack & Jill, the Museum of Science & Industry (Christmas Around the World), Millennium Park & The Bean, as well as an enjoyable stay at the Knickerbocker Hotel. . . and then it was back to Nashville. It’s always nice to return to Music City…and after five years of being here, I can honestly say it feels like home. 2007 was a great year…highlighted by the release of my debut album, a cover spot on the DiscMakers Catalog (reaching millions!), and a very special girl whom I happened to meet at my cd release party . . . not to mention the many gigs and fans I’ve come to know throughout the country. Thanks to my family for their continued love and support and to all my friends for helping spread the word about my music. I look forward to an exciting 2008 filled with new memories, new fans and new songs. Who knows, maybe one of these days 'ol Garth just might cut one of mine…

I've been everywhere man, I've been everywhere man, crossed the deserts bare man, I've breathed the mountain air man, Of travel I've had my share man, I've been everywhere, I've been to: Detroit, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Otsego, Columbus, Raleigh, Baltimore, Providence, Mattapoisett, Boston, Philladelphia, Vegas, Spokane, Pasco, Tri-Cities, Sunnyside, Yakima, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Seattle, Phoenix, Nashville, Wausau, Stevens Point, Land O' Lakes, Watersmeet, Rhinelander, Columbus (again), Wheeling, Mt. Pleasant, Pittsburgh, and this weekend...Washington D.C. & Charlottesville!

So if you were wondering why I haven't written in the last few months, that should explain it! And if I'm not mistaken', I think that's in chronological order too (including airport stops)! Amidst music gigs, baseball games, bachelor parties, weddings and family vacations, I've gotten to see some beautiful parts of the country (and some not so beautiful) all the while sharing my music and writing about the people I've met and the places I've been. I have to say the state of Washington is my new favorite, I think you'll agree...

Ten days in Washington, new friends, new songs & great memories . . . a trip of a lifetime! Other highlights these past few months include my first visit to Boston and Fenway Park. Met up with my good buddy John from Z-ville as well as my brother for a day of polish sausage, beer and baseball. What could be better? While Tom (Cleveland Indians) didn't get in the game, he did warm up a couple of times and we had the chance to catch up after the game over dinner. Looking forward to getting back to the Jake in a few weeks to cheer him on. Yes, I'm still a die-hard Cubs fan (we are currently in first place, sorry had to get that out while it lasts!), but all I want for Christmas is a Mastny jersey... and that's probably all I'll get b/c they're about $250!

The 4th of July brought me back to the Sand Hill Berry Farm in Mt. Pleasant, PA. Not only did I get to share the stage with amazing Irene Kelley and her daughters, but I also got to see my Cubbies get thumped by the Bucco's. Aside from Wrigley (and now Fenway), PNC is my favorite ballpark...check it out (we even ran into Carlos Zambrano!)...

Looking forward to getting back to the Berry Farm for the annual Open House over the last weekend in October! I think this is my 5th straight year so hopefully the weather cooperates for us! Word of caution...don't mess with Maurice the llama!

A quick fishing trip to Wisconsin also proved to be a nice excuse for some R and R. You'll notice there aren't any pictures of fish though! Despite the walleye not biting as much as we'd hoped, we had a splendid time nonetheless. Also picked up a gig at the Bent's Camp Resort . . . what a great place to share some music. Delicious food, cold beer and some of the nicest folks in the Northwoods:

Hmmm...where does that leave me? Good ole Music City I guess. Although the temperature has been in the 100s all summer long (I haven't mowed in 2 months!), I have found a way to escape the heat and enjoy some great music, good eats and exciting happenings around town. A recent visit from the grandparents proved to be quite an adventure...partaking in some tourist attractions I should have discovered a long time ago! The legendary Loveless Cafe didn't disappoint and I found out who was buried in Jackson's tomb;) Other than that, just keeping busy hangin' out with my pup (who's not allowed on the couch by the way!), porch-pickin' and firing up the new grill. . . so if you're a local Nashvillian, come join the fun!

Also...couldn't go the summer without hitting up a couple of Sounds games! Oh, & if you happened to be down on Lower Broadway a couple of weeks ago, yes that was me on stage playing a couple of tunes in between Eric Heatherly and John Rich!

Yep, that's John Rich from Big & Rich! & Tony Gwynn Jr... since when did players coach first in AAA?

Last but certainly not least, thanks to Mark Wehner for a great run hosting the Americana Tonight Concert Series. It will greatly be missed and I'm glad to have had the chance to be a part of it back in May. Until next time... I'm off to DC & Charlottesville, hope to see y'all down the road!

Wow, has it really been three months? There's so much to talk about, I'm not quite sure where to start. Let's see . . . March proved to be quite a busy month as I was gearing up to perform a few gigs around town, one of which was my CD Release Party at 3rd & Lindsley. We had a great turn out and despite losing a music stand, everything else went about as smooth as could be expected (may even a little smoother!). The following week my family flew into town to catch my show at The Basement, as well as a gig at Lyrix. It's such fun performing with a full band and I'm itchin' to do it again, and will have the luxury of doing so tomorrow evening at Douglas Corner. Come on out to witness what The Tennessean calls "one of Nashville's finest weekly happenings," Americana Tonight! (8:30PM show time)

In addition to my own performances, I've caught some great shows around town the last couple of months. Everything from Nashville's Earth Day celebration at Centennial Park with Lee Roy Parnell & Rodney Crowell to Dell McCoury & Elizabeth Cook at the Station Inn, as well as Eric Heatherly at Sambuca and the Mark Newton Band's live Nashville Public Radio recording. If you're looking for some of the best live music around, Nashville never fails . . .

In other exciting news, I recently found out that "Out of the Blue" was chosen by Disc Makers to be featured on their June catalog cover, reaching millions of consumers and music fans alike! Check out www.discmakers.com to order a free catalog (be sure to request the June issue). As if that wasn't enough free exposure, I'm also featured in the Spring issue of Claims Education Magazine! A special thanks to the fine folks at International Insurance Institute for taking an interest in my music and helping spread the word by giving out copies of the CD to their students and clients. So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive . . . here are just a few of the many comments I've received from friends and fans:

"North Carolina Girl and Sante Fe, New Mexico are my favorites!"

"I purchased my copy from the store yesterday and all your hard work shows- it's great!"

"THRILLED to have your CD! I have it in the kitchen and play it whenever I'm in there cooking. I have told and shown anyone else who will listen!!!"

"The cd's arrived. I LOVE IT. Thanks again man!"

"Sante Fe New Mexico is one of the best songs I've heard in a LONG time!"

"The whole cd is absolutely wonderful, I know all the words already and now my friends are really falling for it. I believe they are even checking out your myspace site and adding you to their lists of friends and even downloading from itunes!!"

So . . . if you don't already own "Out of the Blue," pick up your copy today!!!

Well it has been a busy few weeks here in the cold south. Temperatures have been quite frigid as we saw our first snowfall of the year (& Charlie saw only her third snow ever!). I know mom, it's below zero up in Minnesota so quit complaining! I guess I've just grown accustomed to the climate down here:)

For those of you who have been asking about local gigs around town, well here's your chance! . . . my CD Release Party is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6th at 3rd & Lindsley here in Nashville. It's a free show and we'll get started at 7:30PM . . . a great band is in the works so you won't want to miss it! Also, come out and see us on Thursday, March 15th at The Basement . . 7:00PM & just $5 at the door!

In other news, I've been informed by DiscMakers that they'd like to showcase my project, Out of the Blue, in their marketing materials (website, brochures, catalogs, etc.) which reach millions of consumers so let's hope 1% of them check out my music! I've also got something in the works for a feature story in a magazine with a circulation of over 30,000 people so if another 1% of those folks take an interest too, I might just have to reorder another batch of cd's!

And if you're from my old hometown of Zionsville, Indiana, you probably saw the articles in last week's Zionsville Time Sentinel and Daily Sun. Thanks to those newspapers for taking an interest and to all my old friends who have purchased a copy of Out of the Blue. I am grateful for everyone's support and hope to get back and play a show in the near future!

Well it's past midnight, so I best get back to my valentine . . . can anyone guess who that might be?

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Station Inn for my birthday!!! It was a special night indeed at one of my favorite venues in town . . . with none other than the fabulous Elizabeth Cook performing! A night to remember :-)

I hope everyone had a great holiday and their '07 is looking up thus far! My new year is off to a good start as the cd's finally arrived in the mail last week! Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered a copy, they've already been sent out so keep your eye our for them in the mail! For those of you in the Nashville area, I'm planning to have a CD Release Party some time in February so check back soon for more information as to the exact venue and date/time. This will be a full band show featuring some of the amazing musicians who played on the album. I can't wait!

We've been spoiled here in Nashville as the weather has been in the mid 60's it seems all winter long! (depsite the heat wave, I've been longing for the beach for a few years now so I think a trip to Florida is in the very near future:) The past few days have proven to be a pleasant reminder just why I'm here in this town they call Music City. Nashville boasts some of the best singer-songwriters and musicians in the world and on any given night you can go witness such talent. For example, in the past week I've had the pleasure of catching my good buddy Zane Williams sing his song, Hurry Home, that won him $20,000 in the John Lennon Song Contest, hearing two of my favorite female voices in Julie Lee and Elizabeth Foster, and a very talented singer-songwriter named Sonia Lee, who just happened to be accompanied by Jimmy Buffett's bass player, Jim Mayer. That about sums up Nashville, amazing players sitting in with some of the most talented singer-songwriters every night of the week . . . hundreds of them, all mixed in with the thousands of others that are all dreaming of the same thing. Nashville is full of like-minded, talented and motivated people that share a passion for genuine music. Unfortunately, the corruption of the radio these days or the same 20 videos you see on CMT over and over don't do this town one bit of justice. A pretty face and a watered down, bubble gum generic song with a 7 second intro and hardly any instrumental solos are all we get these days if you turn on the radio or the tv. Some say the music just isn't as good as it used to be or that everything's been done before . . . but I say good music is just harder to find these days. You won't find it in the mainstream anymore . . . (well you may find a little bit that you can stand to listen to), but luckily the internet, word of mouth, indie labels, and artists wanting to take control of their music by starting their own record labels (Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Neil McCoy, Dixie Chicks, Ice Cube, etc.) is beginning to make a dent in improving the exposure of good, quality music. Let's hope it continues . . .

One artist in particular who I think should be a household name is Elizabeth Cook. Wow, what a voice, what a personality and what stage presence . . . and she just happens to be playing this week on my birthday! My favorite singer at my favorite venue . . . just for me! Well, not really but that's how I felt when I happened to see the show on her calendar:) For those of you in the Nashville area, come on out to the The Station Inn this Thursday night (January 18th) to hear some great music and help me celebrate turning the big 2-7! . . . And no need to bring a gift as long as you've purchased a copy of Out of the Blue!