TN vs MN, Continued

We're now into fall down here in Nashville. I've not seen all that much color yet but I'm hoping by this weekend it'll be more scenic and I can get out and take some pictures.

At this time of year when I was in Minnesota, I would swear I would not give in to putting on my heavier coat until the first of November, the "unofficial" first day of winter there as far as I was concerned. This year here in Nashville, I didn't start wearing my light jacket until perhaps last weekend. We've been pretty much in the 60's with some 70s. I'm liking this.

Like Monday night, for instance. I went to WSM's Listener Appreciation Concert featuring Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Vince Gill, Mel Tillis and Ralph Emery. I hung out at the back entrance before the doors opened. It was a beautiful, mild evening, just about to get fully dark and I sat along the side with my favorite building hovering over me. Except since it's not the BellSouth building anymore, they took off the lettering, so it's not quite the same for me. It looks kinda naked now. But I did get a good shot of it on my cell phone camera to use as a screen saver.

Oh yeah, the concert was great. Whatta deal for $6.50 (or $12, with Ticketmaster fees added in). I love this town.

Music That Soothes...

In my most recent Encouraging Words newsletter, I did a piece about how songs can inspire and express things for us better than words can. Having been through certain chewed up and spit out experiences, in those times I've turned to music to help me sort things out and gain a fresh perspective.

Gospel music is a no-brainer source, naturally. But actually, I find that two other musical types have strong healing properties for me: Bluegrass and early Beatles. Don't ask me why or how...I can't quite put my finger on it. I just know that listening to both has a calming and soothing effect on me.

As for artists, one in particular seems to have a way of speaking down into my soul in rough patches: Rob Thomas. No matter what I'm dealing with, if I'm listening to Rob's songs, it just seems like he "gets it". Again, I'm not sure why, either...something about his voice or his lyrics, in an abstract way, that says he's been there and just nails it.

Go here for the list of my 5 most inspirational and encouraging songs.

Big Bands and Standards

Back when I was a kid in the 60s and first digging the Beatles, my dad was not into it at all. He kept telling us that Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey and those folks with the big bands were the "real" music. Now that I am a bit older and have learned about and appreciate all types of musical styles, my position is if it's done well, I'll listen.

There are two recent releases done in big band or orchestrated style that are most definitely worth listening to. One is Mark Lowry's "I Love To Tell the Story" hymns CD which I discussed here. The other is a new CD by Reggie and Ladye Love Smith, two superb singers you probably are most familiar with from the Gaither Homecoming videos. Their new release, aptly called "Standards", is a collection of covers of some of the classic big band/easy listening standards, such as "It Had To Be You", "All of Me", and many others. I heard Reggie and Ladye sing some of this music at the first Mark Lowry Senior Trip, with Rory Partin and his orchestra. They did an amazing job and I waited for this project with great anticipation. Ladye grew up on this music, her dad (a guest musician on this CD) having played in big bands. Her feel and sense for the music is obvious, and her pure soprano makes a perfect match. Reggie Smith could quite possibly be one of the best kept male vocalist secrets across any genre (see the couple's MySpace page for more proof)...he's emotive, versatile and stylish. Put the two together and it doesn't get much better than that.

I'm sure my late dad would have given these his stamp of approval.