I thought I'd swap out the Friday Funny to get us all ready for tonight.
Here is a classic cover by Kacey Musgraves:
I thought I'd swap out the Friday Funny to get us all ready for tonight.
Here is a classic cover by Kacey Musgraves:
Good morning, everyone!
Michelle: This might be a boring answer but
I’d say probably White Christmas. I grew up watching the movie White Christmas
with Bing Crosby every year with my parents, so the song is definitely
nostalgic for me. There are many beautiful versions of it, and it’s a classic
for a reason.
Jason: I like the old jazzy
ones best. My favorite is probably “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. As
you may have noticed from my songwriting, I’m a real sucker for a sad song.
Note: since he mentioned 'old' jazz, I had to go with this treasure from Kenny G
Good morning, everyone!
A few of our guests from this year want to share their Christmas song favorites with all of you. I'll be featuring each one from today through Christmas Eve.
I asked the question -
Feed the world..I always look
forward to Bonos part.
Good morning, everyone!
I asked the question -
What is the one Christmas song... that when you hear it, you know the holiday season is officially here?
I've tried to locate a video for each one.
From Garrett Wieland -
I love “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” but my absolute favorite is a song called “Green Grows the Holly” by the great band Calexico
Good morning, everyone!
A few of our guests from this year want to share their Christmas song favorites with all of you. I'll be featuring each one from today through Christmas Eve.
I asked the question -
What is
the one Christmas song... that when you hear it, you know the holiday season is
officially here?
I've tried to locate a video for each one.
From Craig Cummings -
Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas is my favorite Christmas song. It’s a beautiful song and there are so
many wonderful versions of it. Two of my favorite versions are by Etta James
and Nat King Cole. Nat is so smooth and gives that traditional feel to the song.
Etta James’ version is so bluesy and visceral…man, I love Etta James.
Good morning!
This week kicks of five days of Merry Christmas wishes from Kelly's Country. Four of the guests I've interviewed this past year stopped by to share their Christmas music favorites with you. I hope you'll come back each day to see what song lets them know the Christmas season has arrived.
I have several favorites. I just love Christmas, so picking one was really hard. I think I've finally found the one song that opens the door to my holiday season.
Photo Courtesy of NickyPe - Pixabay
Since Bob and I don't buy a lot of Christmas presents, I open up the season by doing LOTS of baking. We then make up baked goody boxes to share with all the businesses that have served us throughout the past year... usually somewhere between 40-60 boxes.
With that in mind, I went with this Christmas classic from George Strait:
Alley Spring Mill
Courtesy of David Mark - Pixabay
Good morning!
I probably should have led with this one!
Good morning!
Christmas is getting closer. Are you ready for the family?
Good morning, everyone!
December Friday Funnies are all about Christmas! Here's the first one!
~ Kelly
Good morning, everyone!
Today kicks off my winter vacation! I know things were slow around here in 2021 - totally on me! As is my usual plan, I am taking December 1, 2021 - January 31, 2022 off. I use this time to do some reorganization on the blogs, prep for the coming year and get the dreaded tax stuff in order. (We always file by end of February)
Also, most of the musicians are off these two months as well. A lot of the people I typically work with are headed for Steamboat Fest right after the holidays. If you love good music - and snow - head for Steamboat Springs Colorado!
Unless a music review lands on my desk, the only posts going up this month are the Friday Funnies and the special Guest spots during the week leading up to Christmas.
For now, I'll leave you with this video:
Country Christmas Blessings
~Kelly
Good morning, everyone!
I had the pleasure of spending some time with today's artist. He is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. If I can catch up with 'Kevin', I'll try to bring an interview some time next year.
In the mean time, with the onset of deer hunting season, I thought I'd share this one:
Note: Please remember to check
with the venue as to whether or not there is a cover charge or ticket required
for the shows you plan to attend. Also, some venues have an age restriction. I
have provided links to the venues when possible, making it easy for you to
check it out.
While a lot of states have opened
up, there are still Safe Practices in place. Also, some venues have an age
restriction.
Not all events take place in
Texas. With that in mind I will begin listing them not only by day but by TEXAS
and ON THE ROAD. With that in mind…
Let’s Get This Party STARTED!
TEXAS
Thursday – 25
No Shows Found
Friday – 26
Aaron Watson – Silver Saloon –
Terrell
Dave Thomas – Culpepper Steakhouse
– Rockwall
Curtis Grimes – Mama Tried –
Irving TX
Honky
Tonk Christmas
Saturday – 27
Kyle Nix – Floore’s – Helotes
Of
Turnpike Troubadours /w Mason Lively
The Bellamy Brothers – Dosey Doe
Big Barn – The Woodlands
Dave Thomas – Culpepper Steakhouse
– Rockwall
Curtis Grimes – Wild West – Cedar
Park
Honky
Tonk Christmas
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
– Gruene Hall – New Braunfels
William Clark Green – Bob’s Off
the Square - Granbury
Sunday – 28
The Blakelys – Lone Star Bar &
Grill - Fredricksburg
Monday – 29
Michael Myers – Poodie’s –
Spicewood
w/
Matt Caldwell
Tuesday – 30
William Clark Green – Marty B’s –
Bartonville
Mike Blakely – Western Edge -
Fredricksburg
Wednesday – December 1
BB Morse – Poodie’s - Spicewood
ON THE ROAD
Thursday – 25
No Shows Found
Friday – 26
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
– Cain’s Ballroom- Tulsa OK
Sara Evans – Fox Theatre – Tucson
AZ
Blue
Christmas Tour
Bellamy Brothers – Margaritaville
Resort Casino – Bossier City LA
Saturday – 27
Aaron Watson – Philips 66
Bedlam - Stillwater OK
T. Graham Brown – Grand Ole Opry –
Nashville TN
Chris Janson – Inn of the Mountain
Gods Resort & Casino – Mescalero NM
Sara Evans – Vista Center for the
Arts – Surprise AZ
Sunday – 28
No Shows Found
Monday – 29
No Shows Found
Tuesday – 30
The Gatlin Brothers – Savannah
Center – The Villages FL
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Wednesday – December 1
Trace Adkins – Hard Rock Event
Center – Tampa FL
Curtis Grimes – Whiskey Roads –
Tuscon AZ
Honky
Tonk Christmas
The Gatlin Brothers – Sunrise
Theatre – Fort Pierce FL
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
The stuffing! I like to have
different stuffing recipes each year, unusual things like oyster stuffing or something
with a Cajun flair. But that doesn’t go over too well in my family. They like
the more traditional recipes they grew up with.
Michelle: For me, it’s not
thanksgiving without stuffing (or dressing). I could eat that stuff every day.
Now that I think about it, why don’t I eat it during other months of the year?!
Jason: Asparagus casserole!!
Growing up in Mississippi my grandmother made it every year and I loved it.
Michelle thinks it’s gross but makes it for me anyway.
Can I cheat on this one? Because in my family, the cherry on top of Thanksgiving is actually this AMAZING casserole my mom makes with the leftover turkey. She even puts the leftover gravy in it and then bakes it with a box of stovetop on top. You top it with cranberry sauce and let me tell you, it’s better than Thanksgiving dinner itself!
Thank you to everyone who shared their Thanksgiving meals with us!
Country Blessings
~ Kelly
Good morning, everyone!
There are a lot of Rodney Carrington clips I'd never show on this channel... but this one is just 'feel good' funny.
Country Blessings!
~Kelly
Note: Please remember to check
with the venue as to whether or not there is a cover charge or ticket required
for the shows you plan to attend. Also, some venues have an age restriction. I
have provided links to the venues when possible, making it easy for you to
check it out.
While a lot of states have opened
up, there are still Safe Practices in place. Also, some venues have an age
restriction.
Not all events take place in
Texas. With that in mind I will begin listing them not only by day but by TEXAS
and ON THE ROAD. With that in mind…
Let’s Get This Party STARTED!
TEXAS
Thursday – 18
Davin James – Dosey Doe Breakfast/
BBQ & Whiskey Bar – The Woodlands
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky
Thunder – Dosey Doe Big Barn – The Woodlands
Dave Thomas – Stix Icehouse –
McKinney
Mike Blakely – Western Edge –
Fredricksburg
/w
john Arthur martinez
Friday – 19
Kody West – Floore’s – Helotes
Dave Thomas – Hard Eight BBQ – The
Colony
T. Graham Brown – 2920 Roadhouse –
Hockley
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
– Tulips FTW – Ft. Worth
Saturday – 20
Wade Hayes – Dosey Doe Big Barn –
The Woodlands
Dave Thomas – Hard Eight BBQ –
Coppell
Sawyer Brown – Hippodrome Theatre –
Waco
T. Graham Brown – The New Granbury
Live – Granbury
Sunday – 21
Randy Carson Band – Floore’s –
Helotes
The Blakelys – Lone Star Bar &
Grill – Fredricksburg
john Arthur martinez – Texas
Heritage Vineyard – Fredricksburg
Monday – 22
No Shows Found
Tuesday – 23
Mike Blakely – Western Edge –
Fredricksburg
john Arthur martinez – Trailblazer
– Burnet
/w
Pauline Reese
Wednesday –24
BB Morse – Poodie’s – Spicewood
ON THE ROAD
Thursday – 18
Aaron Watson – The Hat – Manhattan
KS
Curtis Grimes – Nashville Palace –
Nashville TN
Honky
Tonk Christmas
Eli Young Band – Warehouse
25sixty-five – Grand Junction CO
Sara Evans – Grand Sierra Resort
Theatre – Reno NV
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Friday – 19
Aaron Watson – The Cotillion – Wichita
KS
Eli Young Band – The Gutterhouse –
Pueblo West CO
Chris Janson – Surf Ballroom –
Clear Lake IA -SOLD OUT
Sara Evans – Peppermill Concert
Hall – West Wendover NV
William Clark Green – George’s
Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville AR
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Bellamy Brothers – Northern Lights
Casino – Walker MN
Saturday – 20
Aaron Watson – Uptown Theater –
Kansas City MO
Curtis Grimes – Mad Life Stage
& Studios – Woodstock Georgia
Honky
Tonk Christmas
Eli Young Band – The Outlaw Saloon
– Cheyanne WY
Chris Janson – Little River Casino
& Resort – Manistee MI
The Gatlin Brothers – The Mansion
Theatre – Branson MO
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
– ETG Sports & Event Center – Joplin MO
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Bellamy Brothers – Dakota Magic
Casino – Hankinson ND
Sunday – 21
Texas Tenors – Mcaninch Arts
Center – Glen Ellyn IL
Belushi
Performance Hall
Monday – 22
No Shows Found
Tuesday – 23
No Shows Found
Wednesday –24
No Shows Found
Good morning, country fans!
Today's review brings us a sweet mix of American, folk with a touch of meditation. I'm talking about
Her style has been compared to Brandi Carlisle and Lucinda Williams. I don't think the comparison is fair. While those ladies have the grit of the genre, I beleive that each one of those women have an individuality all their own, contracted by their personal experiences. Rigby Summer brings her heart and soul to this album.
GEOGRAPHY is eleven tracks of magic.
If you read yesterday's interview with Rigby Summer, then you heard the first track, The Weight (Unrequited). The opening strains are meditative... like a shower of crystals reminiscent of Kitaro. From there, the the strong takes a bit of an uptick as the journey begins.
Seldom do I come across an artist that creates such vivid imagery as Rigby Summer. It isn't about just the pictures she paints with her lyrics but the emotional connection to a road we've all traveled - even if those roads were different for each of us.
Delaware is a peaceful, thought-provoking tune that almost mesmerizes you like a long stretch of highway where as Michigan has a melancholy feel with a hint of Celtic Women.
Two tracks, Gibson Guitar and Buy Me A Piano, carry a Carly Simon breathlessness, adding to the timelessness of GEOGRAPHY.
Overall, this album is soft, yet engaging - just as at home in a New York highrise or a Caribbean beach bar and every destination you want to travel in between.
I'm tipping my hat...
You can find out more about Rigby Summer by clicking on the following links:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE SPOTIFY iTunes
Country Blessings
~ Kelly
Good morning, everyone!
Today, we are checking in with Rigby Summer.
Thanks for joining us in KellysCountry today, Rigby!
You’ve been writing and performing for a good number of years. You released an
EP in the fall of 2020. Now you have a full album barely a year later. Was the
EP a teaser of what you had to offer in GEOGRAPHY?
The EP
was a pandemic project. Geography was
ready to send for artwork and print and the plan was to release it in Fall
2020, but then of course, we all went on lock down and after having travelled
so much in the years prior, I didn’t release my debut album at a time that I
couldn’t tour it--I mean, it’s called GEOGRAPHY and I couldn’t travel!
But I
wanted to do something to reach out and build a little momentum so when I
qualified for PUA (pandemic unemployment assistance) at the end of the summer I
decided to invest some of that in my music. I had an idea for a long time that
I wanted to do a “holiday adjacent” album someday with songs that were fit for
the season but not your typical holiday standards, especially for anyone who
might feel a bit melancholy through the holidays.
This seemed
like the perfect time. Kyle (Reid) has this song Dancing Alone that is just
fantastic and in a year when EVERYONE was going to be dancing alone on New
Year’s Eve, it was the perfect anchor for the EP.
That
little project saved my sanity last fall--everything about it was just fun and
low-pressure because these were all covers--my interpretations of other
people’s songs--as opposed to the debut of my own. We spent a couple of days in studio and did
most of the dialing in for final mixes remotely. We even sent the title track
to Montreal to get the tuba and banjo treatment from Les Royal Pickles. The icing on the cake was when the manager of
historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa allowed my photographer friend, Sarah Huhn,
and me into the space for an hour to shoot the cover. I still can’t believe how everything came
together in the span of 4-6 weeks...I don’t think that little project could
have been made that way at any other time.
You took some time off then seems as if you’ve come back with a vengeance. What did you learn about yourself during that hiatus?
Well,
the hiatus was never really intentional. But there is a sort of dichotomy to
what I learned from that season. On one hand, I look back and understand now
more than ever how important it is to
know yourself and deeply plant your roots there because there will always be
someone ready to tell you where you should or shouldn't belong or how to spend
your days. If you always look to others
to validate your path, you’ll just get blown off track because everyone’s wind
is coming from a different direction.
But on
the other hand, I have gratitude for that time. In that time, there are things
that I learned about life and business and myself that have enabled me to
approach things differently this time around.
That previous version of myself was younger and cuter and skinnier but
she had no idea what she was doing. She was talented, but she didn’t know what
to do with it. She needed to get her mind right. She didn’t yet have the
fortitude to handle resistance when it came her way...so if you see everything
in life as learning, there is no lost time. And if my story can help someone
else get back on their true path, then it’s all happening right on time.
Did
any of that hiatus find its way into this LP and if so, would you point out
specifics?
Your music & style has drawn comparisons with Brandi Carlile and Lucinda
Williams. Those names pack a punch. How do you feel about the comparisons?
Well,
tell me two bigger badasses in Americana music right now! I am honored every time it happens. Vocally, I hear Brandi pretty regularly. But
as much as I love her, I was surprised when I started hearing Lucinda, but that
has happened more often after performances, so yeah, I dig it. If I am developing vocals comparable to
Brandi and performance swagger comparable to Lucinda, I am gonna lean into
that!
Who
do you consider to be your biggest musical influences in your life?
Well, if
you mean formative people in my life, that’s easy: my brother and my mom’s best friend Mary.
They helped inform my musical taste early on.
I went through this phase as a tween where I only listened to the oldies
station. All my peers were learning dances to pop music at recess but was going
home to sing along with the Shirelles and the Rolling Stones. I was a weird kid! Mary tuned into that and
started feeding me music pretty early on.
She taped off all her Mary Chapin Carpenter CDs for me and I absorbed
every note. I studied those songs and
wanted to be her. Then my brother loved
music and we went to a lot of great concerts together growing up. Because of him, my first real concert was
Paul McCartney at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Between the two of us, we
knew almost every lyric to every song on the 70s rock station.
Of
those folks, what would you say had the biggest effect on who you are as an
artist now?
I’m
going to dodge this a little bit and focus on the “who I am as an artist now” end of this question, because I
don’t think I really ever realized how attainable it actually is to set on out
on this path and do the dang thing when I was younger. For sure, it is more possible now because
there are fewer gatekeepers in the music industry these days. So the biggest influences on me becoming the
artist I am now are the performers who were willing to come share the stage
with me at my concert series in Stillwater.
That event became my school when music came back to me in 2017. For the
first year or so I was for sure playing WAY out of my league! I had no business sharing the stage with a
lot of those performers. But they were
so gracious and I learned something every month, either just from observation
or sometimes things that they would directly tell me. A turning point for me was when, after a
while, I had a few hosting experiences where some artists showed me who I didn’t want to be as a guest and an
artist. Haha..thats’ when I realized I had slowly been growing into my
own.
I will
say that one of the hosting experiences that was most positively formative was
when Belle Plaine and Blake Berglund came down from Saskatchewan and we ended
up playing about a week of shows together after a week of radio and
rehearsals. I had only been back at it
about a year and while I had a certain level of confidence in myself as an
artist, working with them was a considerable uplevel from where I was at that
time. Most of the week I felt like I had maybe dove in to the deep end a little
too quickly!
But
working with them and their guitar player those two weeks, getting to know
them, I got to see the stage persona versus who they are as people and I saw
just how connected they were--on stage they lean in to the best parts of their
values, their personalities and their relationships with each other. It was really special to watch. I saw first hand how they worked together as
a band behind the scenes, taking care of one another and getting the work done
together. And I think I came away
feeling permission to bring my own swagger to the stage. I know my performance and stagecraft was
heavily influenced from working with
them.
I
love the album cover. Geography in itself is more than just a place, it’s what
gives us peace wherever we are. What brings you peace?
I’ve
been revisiting the audiobook of Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness on the
road lately. It’s been a good reminder
of this idea of belonging everywhere by belonging nowhere--by belonging first
to myself. My entire childhood I dreamed
of travel. And then I took my first trip
abroad when I was nineteen. I can safely
say that every place I have lived or traveled since then has felt a little like
home, so in terms of physical geography, I have often felt an attachment or
sense of belonging everywhere I go. But
it can at times feel lonely, not feeling fully rooted in any of those places.
When that loneliness or anxiety builds up, I try to come back to those things
that center and ground me: going for a walk--bonus if I can really get out in
nature for a hike--sitting in stillness, focusing on my breathing...gosh, even
re-engaging with the road.
If
you could offer one tip to artists trying to find their vibe in this business,
what would that tip be?
Know yourself and be that, unabashedly. Your
story, your message and your music are a gift and there are people who need to
hear it. If you are trying to be
someone else, you aren’t going to find your
audience. It’s an ongoing process, learning to love and
trust yourself, but when you set on that path, the right people will find you.
I'll be back tomorrow with a review of GEOGRAPHY. In the mean time, here's the first track from her YouTube channel:
You can find out more about Rigby Summer by clicking on the following links:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE SPOTIFY iTunes
Country Blessings
~ Kelly
Good morning, everyone!
How many of you grew up watching Beverley Hillbillies? How many of you loved Granny?
Here's a side of Granny you might not have seen before:
Note: Please remember to check
with the venue as to whether or not there is a cover charge or ticket required
for the shows you plan to attend. Also, some venues have an age restriction. I
have provided links to the venues when possible, making it easy for you to
check it out.
While a lot of states have opened
up, there are still Safe Practices in place. Also, some venues have an age
restriction.
Not all events take place in
Texas. With that in mind I will begin listing them not only by day but by TEXAS
and ON THE ROAD. With that in mind…
Let’s Get This Party STARTED!
TEXAS
Thursday – 11
Mike & Annie Blakely – Silver
Sage Community Center – Bandera
Friday – 12
Aaron Watson - Sawyer Park
Icehouse – Spring
John Baumann & Rob Baird –
Floore’s – Helotes
Dave Fenley – Dosey Doe Breakfast/
BBQ/ Wiskey Bar – The Woodlands
Dave Thomas – Shuck Me – Southlake
Eli Young Band – Lyceum @
University of N. Texas – Denton
Sara Evans – Arlington Music Hall
– Arlington
William Clark Green – Twisted J
Live – Stephenville
john Arthur martinez – Hondo’s –
Fredricksburg
Pauline Reese – Magnolia Motor
Lounge – Ft. Worth
Aaron Watson – River & Blues
Fest – Ft. Worth
American Aquarium – Floore’s –
Helotes
Josh Grider – Dosey Doe Big Barn –
The Woodlands
Drew
Kennedy Opens at 7:30
Dave Thomas – Lone Pint Brewery –
Magnolia
Curtis Grimes – 2021 Pistols &
Petticoats – Seguin
Asleep at the Wheel- The Grand
1894 Opera House – Galveston
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
– District 249 Bar & Grill – Tomball
Texas Tenors – Cuero PAC – Cuero
john Arthur martinez – Escondido –
Horseshoe Bay
Pauline Reese – White Elephant
Saloon – Ft. Worth
Pauline’s
Birthday Bash!
Sunday – 14
The Texas Tenors – Dosey Doe Big
Barn – The Woodlands
Dave Thomas – Madly Lou’s Bar
& Grill – Springtown
Real
Texas Radio
Curtis Grimes – Billy Bob’s – Ft.
Worth
Texas
Music Awards
The Blakelys – Lone Star Bar &
Grill - Fredricksburg
Monday – 15
George Ensle – Poodie’s –
Spicewood
/w
Dustin Welch
Tuesday – 16
Mike Blakely – Western Edge -
Fredricksburg
Wednesday –17
Steve Bigler – Poodie’s –
Spicewood
Blues
Night
ON THE ROAD
Thursday – 11
Aaron Watson – Fayetteville AR
Sara Evans – Emporia Granada
Theater – Emporia KS
Mickey Gilley – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
/w
Johnny Lee
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
2
p.m.
Bellamy Brothers – Higley Center
for the Performing Arts – Gilbert AZ
Friday – 12
T. Graham Brown – LuCille Tack
Center for the Arts – Spencer WI
Chris Janson – Prairie Band Casino
& Resort – Mayetta KS
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Bellamy Brothers – Old Tombstone
Western Theme Park – Tombstone AZ
George Strait – US Bank Stadium –
Minneapolis MN
Sawyer Brown – Flying E Ranch –
Wickenburg AZ
Eli Young Band – Laughlin Events
Center – Laughlin NV
T. Graham Brown – Washington High
School – Washington IN
Chris Janson – Hunter Army
Airfield – Savannah GA
w/
Davisson Brothers Band
Sara Evans – Sugar Creek Casino –
Hinton OK
Mickey Gilley – Ameristar Casino
Hotel – Kansas City MO
/w
Johnny Lee
Bellamy Brothers – Warehouse 25sixty-five Kitchen & Bar – Grand Junction CO
No Shows Found
Monday – 15
Geroge Ensle – Poodie’s –
Spicewood
/w
Dustin Welch
Tuesday – 16
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Sara Evans – Million Dollar Cowboy
Bar – Jackson WY
Texas Tenors – Mickey Gilley Grand
Shanghai Theatre – Branson MO
Good morning, everyone!
I'm coming in a bit late with today's post. I've been dealing with a sick kitty for the past few days. They are like children. When they don't feel good, they just want the security of being snuggled next to you.