Full of gratitude

This post is partly connected to my last one about female singers. On Saturday night Mike and I went to the Red Clay Theater to see Dede Vogt, Caroline Aiken and Tomi & Trina (of Three5Human...and Stereo Popsicle). The women on that stage are three of the singers on my short list of 25. They always deliver. Their songs and voices make me smile and feel a kind of joy that only music can bring. During the show so many memories came flooding back to me. Things I hadn't thought about in years. Memories that I didn't know I had but I am so glad to have them now. 

About Dede: In the crazy world of the music business it can be hard to find people that are both talented and have a good heart. Dede is one of those rare people. During my years working with Uncle Mark I can't even count the number of times he'd say "Dede will know" or "I'll ask Dede". Uncle trusted her and that was unique, since he didn't trust easily. He loved many, but trusted few. Dede was loved and trusted. As a fan of hers, I know that I will always have a great time sitting in the audience and watching her play. Her songs are clever, funny and smart. Her heart shows in her songs. Her writing is honest and she is great at connecting with the crowd. This is why she is on my short list. 

About Caroline: She amazes me. Her songs always make me wish I had an ounce of songwriting talent. Caroline has a way of playing on stage that makes you feel like you are sitting in your living room getting a private concert. Her songs and performances are very personal. She opens up her soul and lets you in. I always learn something from Caroline. It may be something about the environment or the government but I leave her shows with a list of things to research so I can be a better person/citizen. One of my best music memories was a post-show moment in Columbus, GA. Mark opened a show for Caroline at the Loft. All of us were hanging out at Cliff and Toni's house and Caroline grabbed her guitar and started playing. Mark started to sing along. The only way to describe it is magic.

About Trina: I have been a fan of Trina's since the Stereo Popsicle days. If I could sing like her I would never be quiet. When I was on the road with Mark we would trade out control of the tape deck (yes, it was a tape deck!). One day I picked him up at his house in Decatur to head out to a gig. He handed me the tape for this trip. I looked at it and it had Trina's name on there 3 times. There weren't any song titles. It just said "DAMN". We hit the road and played those songs, stopping the tape over and over as we studied how she sang. Mark's vocal style was different than Trina's but they both sang from deep down and he heard something in her voice that he wanted to capture. We spent hours listening, studying and loving what we heard. I do think Mark became a better singer from those times when he put his stage persona to the side and took time to listen and learn from others. There were a few times on Saturday when Trina was working to find her voice again. It's been a while since she's been on stage. I just wish she could be in my car so many years ago and see Mark with his eyes closed, hand on his chest, singing along with her.

And then there's Tomi...He makes playing guitar look like it's so easy and effortless. It looks so natural to him, as if there is nothing else that he is meant to do. I love watching him play. He seems to have fun with every single note. Tomi has an impressive music resume, and I love that he is always appreciative of his audience. 

I also have to send a special thanks to Eddie Owen. He is a true gift to music fans and musicians.  There is no one else like him and I am lucky to know him.  And I can't forget Shalom Aberle. He is one of the best sound men I've ever encountered. Whenever he is at the board I know the sound will be pure.

Now all I have to do is figure out a way for Mike to get on stage with these great musicians someday. That would be a dream come true for this Fan Girl.

Me and Chick Singers

Many of you know, that as a general rule, I am not a fan of most female singers. I went through my ipod recently and found that the list of female singers that I regularly listen to is only 25. I've got 406 singers and bands on my ipod, so the 25 is really a small piece of pie. The list of 25 includes Marti Jones, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Armatrading, Jonell Mosser, Caroline Aiken, Nina Simone and Hope Nichols (of Fetchin' Bones). This list includes a new addition, and she should have been on my list over 15 years ago, I just didn't know it. More about her below.

When Mike and I got married, our DJ had an order: if he played any Whitney, Celine or Mariah he wouldn't get paid. While I can appreciate what these ladies do, I prefer not to listen to them and I haven't paid any money to own their music. I prefer a female singer that has a sting in her voice, not a squeak. I can't explain it, but I have a bad physical reaction to a lot of these type of singers. If I am going to listen to a woman sing, she has to sing from three places. Her mind, her heart and her "parts". My friend Kim has persuaded me to add "the gut" to that list. That does make a lot of sense too.

I started this singer review when I was looking for my theme song for the year. I needed a song to carry me through 2010. In the past few years all of the songs have been sung by male singers. While all of of the songs had the right words or meaning in my life, I felt like this year needed a song from a female voice. 2009 was a roller coaster full of more highs and lows than I have ever experienced in one year. I was on the hunt for an anthem, but it had to have some balls too. So I was off to find the right song, by the right singer and she had to hold her own against the songs I've chosen in the past.

If I had a copy of Ashley Wilson's "No Regrets" that would be the song. But I don't, and since Ashley traded her guitar case for a massage table, I didn't think I'd have a chance to record my own bootleg copy anytime soon. So the search was on. I narrowed it down to knowing I wanted a song by Christine Ohlman. I knew who she was for years, without really knowing that I knew of her. Look her up if you don't know who she is. Check out the history of the Saturday Night Live Band and you'll get a fast education on Christine Ohlman.

Right now I've got a few that I am taking out for a test drive. "The Deep End" and "Girl Growing Up" are strong contenders. But "The Storm" sounds the best when I am singing along to it in the shower. Decisions decisions. I know I'll pick the right one (or two).

It's been a while since I posted here. I read back over some of my old posts. In some ways it's another scrapbook page of my life. I think I will be blogging again here. Odds are I'll be commenting more on pop culture, music, tv and movies more than before. I'm sure this will grow and change like everything in life. Until that happens, go and getcha some Christine Ohlman. Do it. NOW!

Paul Thorn in Chattanooga 5.21.09

It's been a long time since I blogged here, and last night got me inspired to start back and make this a more regular part of my life.

Last night I got to see the Paul Thorn Band in Chattanooga at Rhythm & Brews. And yes, I know what you are thinking..."Paul Thorn again? How many times has she seen them?" Well...it's over 30 shows so far. It may be 35 or 36, and there will be 2 more before the weekend is over. Whenever I tell people this, I get called things like "groupie" or "stalker". And it might look like that from the outside, but these guys are my brothers now. I really do think of them like family--but they are the cool family members that you look forward to seeing at the family reunion. I've been able to get to know each of them over the last few years and I treasure their friendship, humor, honesty and as a bonus, these boys can play. Going to a show is a true escape for me. Maybe not as much of an escape as taking a cruise, but it's a close second for the 90-100 minutes that they are on stage.

Here's the set list from the Chattanooga show:

Long Way From Tupelo
Are You With Me?
Double Wide Paradise
Mood Ring
I'm Still Here
Crutches
Every Little Bit Hurts
Better Days Ahead
Something Out There
---solo set---
That's Life
Pimps and Preachers
Even Heroes Die
Evil Women
----band back---
800 Pound Jesus
Weeds in My Roses
Lift Somebody Up
Starvin' for Your Kisses
Black Rainbow
Good Day
Lover's Vacation
Rise Up
---Encore---
Ain't Love Strange
Mission Temple Fireworks Stand

When I first got to the club, I thought it was an odd set up. The room ran wide rather than long. So I was worried that the sound was going to be crappy, but with Billy's skill at the board, the show sounded good. So that was a relief. The set list was pretty close to the one they played at the Birmingham show on the 8th. The new songs are still standouts for me. Better Days Ahead makes you want to dance along. That's Life will make you think. And Pimps and Preachers is just classic Paul. Weeds In My Roses is great. I don't know if it was all of the hormone shots I am on, or the smell of Old Spice in the air, but that song along with Starvin' can get you riled up. Luckily there's a breather in between the two songs with Lift Somebody Up, or the crowd might get crazy. There were a lot of dancers up in front of the stage and it was great to see.

I hadn't heard 800 Pound Jesus live in a long long time and I loved how they played it last night. The combination of Doug (bass) and Jeffrey (drums) on that song made it a musical massage. I was loving it. We also got to witness the "tap dancing" skills of Doug again during Black Rainbow. Too damn funny. Those boys are nuts.

The show was getting ready to wind down and I was thinking about how much I love the new songs, but I still miss hearing songs like High, That's a Lie, and Ain't Love Strange, when they pulled a switcheroo and played Ain't Love Strange in the encore rather than Hammer and Nail. So that was another bonus for the night.

All in all it was a fun night. Good band. Good friends. Easy drive home. Now I have to go and get ready for the show at the Variety Playhouse tonight.

David Enloe 1956-2007

David Enloe died this week. Holy crap. I've been able to keep up with all that was going on through Terry Anderson's blog (http://whassupta.blogspot.com/) and from e-mails from friends that are still in NC. It's not really a shock in terms of this being a surprise, he's been going downhill for a while now, but it is a shock since David is connected to so many fun music memories. How can such a force be gone?

As a teenage girl in the triangle of NC in the 80s it was almost a requirement to have a crush on David Enloe. If you went to a show and got to see/hear the Fabulous Knobs or Woods during that time, daydreaming about David was sure to follow. He was the guitar player that all the girls talked about. He was talented, dynamic and powerful. If you were into a guy with great eyes, he had 'em. If you liked hair, he had really good hair. If you wanted a guy with style, he was style. If you knew anything about music you would be mesmerized by his playing. If you were lucky enough to get him to look at you, it was an automatic heart-melting, knee-weakening kind of moment. He would make your heart flutter. And other parts would flutter too.

I was lucky enough to see the Woods shows a lot. I was able to see the Woods backing Don Dixon and Marti Jones and those shows were fantastic. There was something magical that happened on stage with them. I wish I could explain it. I wish I could bottle it. I'd be a millionaire.

I've been thinking a lot about those shows and the impact they had on my life. I know it may sound a bit silly to say that a crush on a guitar player led to many significant events and relationships in my life, but it did. I had been a fan of the Knobs and the Woods. I had chances to see them in the early to mid 80s. And then there was the New Year's Eve show at the Brewery on Dec 31, 1987. The Hanks opened for the Woods. My friend Catharine had a connection that could help me get in...I was 17 at the time. I was thrilled to know that I would get a chance to see the Woods again and this new band that people were talking about. It was a great night of music. That night has been the show I compare other New Year's shows to, year after year. The bar was set pretty damn high.

That night I made new friends, and started making connections with people that are still a part of my life now, 20 years later. That is huge. That night also opened some doors to me thinking about working in music. I dabbled in music promotions and marketing for years, but it took me almost 10 years to make the leap to working in the music business as a profession, but I did it. I've been in and out of the music business for the last 10 years. And now I am getting ready to dive back in. I have a big meeting tomorrow about starting a music foundation that I've been working on for a long long time. The foundation will assist musicians, singers and songwriters when they get sick or injured and need financial assistance.

Since I can't make it back to NC for David's funeral I am finding some peace in that I will be making strides to get the foundation going. Little did I know that 20 years ago being a fan girl would lead me to where I am now. I saw great bands. Made great friends. Did a lot of daydreaming.

Now it's time for my to pull out my LPs and hope that the needle on my old turntable won't destroy my Knobs and Woods albums. I am going to close my eyes and picture David on stage above me. Cigarette dangling, right arm pulling, head bent, full on playing. I will smile through the tears.

We'll all miss you, David. I hope you know that.

Kevin Smith and Paul Thorn

They are my two obsessions. I'm not really sure if that's the right word. Maybe they are a hobby. A curiousity. Whatever they are I sure spend a ton of time and money paying for tickets for their shows (movies for Kev and concerts for Paul). Then I spend more money on CDs, shirts, and any other related items (inaction figures, magnets, buttons, stickers, posters).

My dream is for Kevin and Paul to meet. It one of those things in life that I think has to happen. Both men are incredible story tellers. They know how to entertain an audience. They know how to turn their own life experiences, good or bad, into something that is relevant for many people and it's pure entertainment at the same time.

I have been reading, studying and watching what Kevin Smith has done ever since I first saw Clerks when it came out. Reading his words have led me to write my own for others to see. He makes me laugh, think and sometimes cry.

I was lucky enough to see Paul Thorn for the first time in concert about 17 months ago. Since then I have seen him perform 16 times in 6 different states. His shows are the best of seen. Paul writes one hell of a song (with the help of Billy Maddox) and the band (Doug Kahan, Jeffrey Perkins, Michael Graham and Bill Hinds) is top notch.

These guys could create something amazing together. Paul, as a character, would be great on screen. Kevin's words could develop into some cool lyrics.

If I knew of a way to get these two guys together in a room and shut the door I bet what they created would be great. Or at least it would be some of the funniest stuff you've ever heard. Someday I would love to make that connection. It would be a selfish act that I would share with the world.

Next time I have to write about Don Dixon. He's been neglected here and he's the man that started all of my fan girl antics in the first place.

Go see Clerks II and my name on the big screen

This was first posted on MySpace on July 21, 2006

This morning I ran (well I drove fast) over to Austell to catch the 11:00 showing of Clerks II. There were only 8 of us in the theater that early, but I didn't care. I have been waiting for this flick for waaaayyy too long now.

Unlike so many things in life, this was worth the wait. Joel Siegel can kiss my big white butt. He really missed one of the best, if not the best movie endings ever. From the jail scene to the color switch to black and white at the end I was in awe. So much raw feelings that were true, honest and touching. The whole film had funny moments, view askew jokes...but what it really has is heart. I saw pieces of my life on the screen. I saw the things through other sets of eyes to. It did get me thinking. But I was only thinking when I wasn't trying to avoid any urine leakage from laughing so hard.

You must go and see this flm. Go now. Don't wait. Everyone around you will be chatting about this flick and if you don't see it soon you will be the one on the outside of the cirlcle trying to nod knowingly when you don't have a clue about what is being discussed.

Another highlight of the film is Trevor. This kid was amazing. I am always suspect of new actors that join in on the View Askewniverse. Kinda like giving a second look to the one person that arrives late to a party. This guy pulled me in. He was fantastic. He made Elias come to life in a way where you want to just hug him, protect him and teach him. Brilliant Trevor. Brilliant.
Of course I loved seeing my favorite duos again--Dante and Randal--Jay and Silent Bob. Those characters always bring a smile to my face. I have my fan girl crushes on each of the characters and actors as well. Those boys could read the phonebook and it would be entertaining. The Becky and Emma characters were a great female balance to the rest of the cast. Kudos to Rosario and Jennifer. They pulled their weight and more.

This flick is worth more than one viewing. Which is what I plan to do.

One last thing...I was lucky enough to be one of the 10,000 MySpacers to get their name in the credits. It was so cool to see my name roll up the screen as the music played.
I giggled all the way home.

Now it's time for the Paul Thorn show tonight. What a perfect day.

I Have a Good Life. A Nod to Jennifer Schwalbach.

This was first posted on MySpace on June 20, 2006.

I have been reading a lot of info about the movie Clerks 2 that will be coming out on July 21st. I can't wait for the movie since I am a huge Kevin Smith fan, love everything Clerks related and have crushes on most of the cast.

Today I was reading an article about the movie and more about Kevin and what a lucky guy he is. He's a geek that gets to buy toys, watch movies and does all that while finding a good woman that can deal with it all. That got me thinking about my life and how lucky I am.

At the end of the day I can say that I go to bed happy.

I've got a decent home. It still needs a lot of work and it's not that big, but there's food in the frig, the air conditioning works and I have places to keep all of my crap. And since I am a pack rat I've got lots of crap.

I am able to work in two industries that I love. Music and travel. The music business (www.blessyourheartmusic.com) is not simple and easy, but it's fun and the rewards are great. I am lucky enough to have found someone that wanted in the business and had enough cash to do it. So I get to be the "music maven" and live a dream I have been thinking about for decades. The travel business is pretty simple and easy. It's just a matter of volume. I need to get more people to book their travel with me. I love to travel. Cruises are my favorite thing in the world. Now I get to work enough to travel for free, or close to it. You can't beat that.

My health is good over all. Yes, I do have some medical issues and those things work against me and make it a struggle to be thin and I still don't know if I can have kids. But I can get out of bed in the morning. I can live my life without having to depend on medication (I was on meds for 16 years and spent about two years getting off the stuff). Being able to start and end my day without prescribed meds is a wonderful thing. If I can't have kids of my own then there's a world full of kids that need a home and I'm sure that "my" kid will find a way to me.

Then there's the best thing. My husband, Mike. I don't know how he puts up with me and all my antics. He really is a prince. He takes care of me. He loves me. He's still attracted to me even though I'm about 45 pounds heavier than when he met me. He fixes things. He builds things. If I need a light in my office, in an hour I have a new light. He washes the dishes. He takes out the trash. Now don't get me wrong, he's got his quirks too. We've a basement that looks like Starfleet exploded. He loves his 1976 Nova that I have named the "white trash moblie". He hasn't cut his hair in many months. But with all of those little things he just loves me. He tells me every day. He shows me all the time. He makes sure that I know it. He's my geek boy and I love him. He keeps my laughing every day. He keeps me guessing every day. He keeps me safe. He doesn't get mad or freak out when I am out the door to another concert. I got to see Paul Thorn play 15 shows in 12 months and that wouldn't happen if I had a hubby at home blocking the door.

We've been together for 8 years and it has been an adventure. With all the challenges that life brings I know that I am lucky. It just makes me think that's how Jennifer must feel.Our men are geeks but they know how to love. I can look at what my hubby has done and I am proud and Jennifer must be too. Now if I can get Mike to make up shirts with my name on it...

King's X

This was first posted on MySpace on May 25, 2006.

I finally got a chance to see King's X play live. I have been wanting to see them for years and have missed them time and time again. This tour stop in Atlanta was not going to get by me this time.
I got the tickets for Mike as an anniversary present, but it was a bit of a selfish gift since I wanted to see them too. Before the show I was giddy. We did have to wait through two openers, but King's X was worth the wait. These guys played for two hours and the show got better and better. Seeing Doug, Ty and Jerry play together has to be in my top 10 favorite music experiences of my life. Some of that comes from the unique sound they have. Some of it comes from the fact they have played together for over 20 years. And the rest is that they are just great guys. No ego here, folks. Simply great musicians delivering great music. This is a band that I will travel to see. I am so mad at myself for missing their shows before. I can't even remember the things that I did instead of going to see them. Well, no more regrets...only more shows. If you don't know who these guys are go to www.kingsxonline.com. You'll be happy you did.

What I See at Shows

This was first posted on April 17, 2006

I saw some things at shows this weekend that has prompted me to write my first blog here.
OK, ladies, we all love our musicians, but you've got to give them some respect when they are at work. Yes, it may be a shock, but when these guys are one stage they are doing a job. While it may be fun to get a musician to touch you, there is a line between cute and obnoxious. When a man is trying to play guitar or even worse, when he trying to tune, grabbing your hand is not a priority. Give a man a break, and when it's a time when he can touch you and it's wanted, he will move closer to the edge of the stage.
I can't say I am completly innocent when it comes to this matter. I did spend three songs back in 1993 with my hands on the boots of Bryan Adams. But I did not grab at his hands. I just found a nice resting place at the front of the stage and his feet were there. I kept waiting for security to pull me off. Luckliy for me they were laughing at me rather than getting out the pepper spray. I guess they saw that I was harmless and I wasn't gonna mess up the man's playing.
Men aren't exempt from this either. There was a male fan at a James McMurtry show recently. He kept reaching out for James. Then when James broke a string the guy tried to grab the string---in the middle of a song!!! Good thing this guy had friends smart enough to ease him back into the crowd.
So, all I'm saying is that it's great to have fun, but keep in mind that these men are at work when you are having fun. They don't come to your office and shake you when you typing on your keyboard. Just be smart.

Getting blogs from MySpace

I've been blogging on MySpace for a while now. Since most of them fit the fan girl theme I am going to get my blog going again here.

My First Blog Ever

So I finally decided to start my own blog. I've been writing these super long e-mails to friends lately and this seems like a better way to get the word out.

My fan girl status...there are so many: Don Dixon. Kevin Bacon and his band the Bacon Brothers. Abraham Benrubi. Kevin Smith and all things View Askew. John Cusack. Mark Chesnutt. There are others, but this is a start. I don't want to look completely insane. I have been lucky enough to meet some of the people on the list (Dixon, Bacon and Chesnutt--sounds like a lawfirm or a weird sandwich). So most of blogs will be about meeting these people and being a fan girl. I love being a fan girl. It makes me smile and I get to laugh at myself. I think that's something that most people should do more often.

Lately I have had the wonderful experience of meeting and chatting with Don Dixon. I have been a fan on his since 1981. I was only 11, but I heard something in his voice and his songs. He changed me. And all for the good. Dixon got me to pay attention to bass players. So when I 28 and I started to work with a band, One Without, I started watching and listening more and more to the bass player, Mike. Then I fell in love with him. That's not what I expected to happen at all, but watching him play just pulled me in. Once I started talking to him we felt a great connection. But it all started with the rhythm section--thanks Dixon. Now after all these years we just celebrated or 3rd wedding anniversary yesterday. And three months ago I got to sit and watch my wonderful husband talk to Dixon at a club in Charlotte. It was surreal. I still can't believe that it happened. It was a dream come true...

I'll write more details about that later. Thanks for reading.

AW