We’ve began a three month family plan: a checklist for hitting the road in a travel camper come spring, a bunch of paintings and enough CDs to sprinkle around for gas money and electric hookup. No, not really. I’m afraid the plan is going to be a little more boring. Like putting together our taxes, [...] Continue Reading »
finding happiness in work: advice to the younger me
2Driving from Kentucky toward home
2It was darn fun riding with the Grand Marshall of the Salem Christmas parade. Now we’re driving in the rain trying to get back to Knoxville in time for a Primitive Light dance rehearsal. Addair Kentucky wishes we could stop on Nashville and I do too. Speaking of the little guy, if you call him [...] Continue Reading »
nine. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
2NINE Playing background dinner music is one of the best places to people watch that I know of. It’s better than a bench in the mall, better than a county fair, better even than a cafe table on a busy street. When you’re on the piano you may stare all you want and no one [...] Continue Reading »
eight. the men in black suits.
1EIGHT My warmup for a gig starts many hours before. First I walk a mile to Andy’s and borrow the Neon. I head downtown to Market Square, park in the alley, enter Cafe Four and go down the elevator to a storage room. The keyboard case is in the back, through piles of crates, [...] Continue Reading »
attn: recruiting band members
7I did something yesterday that I haven’t done in a long time. I woke up early, strapped on my telecaster with my morning coffee and didn’t take it off until about 2:00. In that time I finished a new song, made an updated set list, and got myself prepared to tour. Just as soon as [...] Continue Reading »
yes this is real
0I talked to a man about a dishwasher on Craigslist this afternoon and made a dash out to Seymour to check it out, but that’s beside the point and maybe a different story altogether. The Henley Bridge is out, as all Knoxvillians know, and going to South Knoxville is something you have to be intentional [...] Continue Reading »
framework of a memoir,
5Recently my focus has been on writing. In October I began (or re-began) a memoir, and as pretentious as it feels (or perhaps slightly embarrassing) to write a book about yourself, I just started doing it. It’s a separate platform from quirky songwriting which perhaps comes across like a mess, ill executed by distracting recording [...] Continue Reading »
good organ tone can save the shortcomings in life
2The Mr. J’s sign came down yesterday and two fresh coats of white covered over the tuxedo man stencil. Passersby stopped momentarily to mourn his memory and a Murray institution of fine formal wear and limousine service is history. What exists now is a blank slate of fine office space where your good neighbor State Farm [...] Continue Reading »
before we jump in the camper and go
4I know there was a lot of drastic talk on here a while ago about an Airstream and outfitting ourselves for a new chapter on the road. Our last attempts are fresh on my mind. They were good efforts but not experiences to repeat. Not Ashley and I, and not with a two month old. [...] Continue Reading »
Levon’s superbowl analysis
3As we left the YMCA yesterday afternoon, I glanced at a newspaper to learn who was playing the Superbowl. Patriots again? Well, I root for them. Because James Madison Middle School, where I attended long ago, stole the registered logos and called themselves Patriots. I didn’t know Eli Manning, the brother of Knoxville’s most religious [...] Continue Reading »