A Weekend Hello

 Hey folks. Just another brief post, as moving-related tasks are taking up all of my free time. It's not a lot of fun, but I've been thinking for some time that things need to change, so hopefully this is the first step on the road to somewhere better. Fingers crossed. 

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Lyle Lovett, one of my favorite songwriters, has been holding a series of livestream shows since last summer. He invites a different artist for each show, and they basically have a conversation and perform songs related to what's being discussed. He was a journalism major in college, which helps explain his ability to draw people out during these shows. He's also the epitome of a Texas gentleman, which certainly doesn't hurt.

He's had on, among others, John Hiatt (another big favorite of mine), Shawn Colvin, Chris Isaak, Elvis Costello, Vince Gill, and Jason Isbell. His most recent show, on Friday evening, was with Michael McDonald, from The Doobie Brothers. I like the Doobie Brothers, and obviously he has a terrific voice, but I was still pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this show. It flew by, which is always a good sign. Looking forward to the next one already.

I thought I'd wrap up this post by sharing a few of my favorite songs from Lyle. First is one from my favorite album of his, 1996's The Road to Ensenada. This is "Private Conversation":

Next up is one that highlights his sly, self-deprecating sense of humor: "Her First Mistake," also from The Road to Ensenada:

And finally, a beautiful, heart-breaking song of betrayal - "Nobody Knows Me," from Lyle Lovett & His Large Band (1989):

You know you've written a great song when Willie Nelson sheds a tear while listening to it (at the 2:00 minute mark). 

He was close to wrapping up work on his first album of original material since 2009 when the pandemic hit, and judging from the new songs he's shared the past few months it's going to be terrific. Can't wait.

That will do it for this one, folks. Hope everyone has a good week. :c)

Move On Up (Again)

 Hello all. Just another quick post to keep the writing muscles limber. 

It's been a bit hectic lately, and will be even more so for the next few weeks, becaue I'll be moving to new digs at the beginning of April. I didn't really want to move, but my current landlord needs my apartment for family reasons. They feel terrible about it, but I've assured them (honestly) that they have no reason to apologize. Family comes first, after all. 

That being said, I have had to move far too many times, and it has gotten very, very old. Moving is stressful and exhausting, and I've definitely been feeling it recently. 

The good news is I found a new place that is almost literally around the block from where I currently live (it's less than half a mile away), so it won't be as bad as it could be. It also promises to be much quieter than my current location. There are only two units in the building, both on the top floor, and the building manager mentioned several times that it's a very quiet building. That will be a welcome change. My current landlords have two young children. I love kids, and their two are wonderful, but... well, let's just say my noise-cancelling headphones have gotten a workout the past year while I've worked from home.

So, the next three weeks will be tiring and stressful, but at least there's the promise of more restful digs afterwards. I do like this neighborhood, and this new location will offer me better routes for running, which I plan to start up again once I've moved. And there's a fabulous diner directly across the street, so that's a nice perk. Anyway, I'll be happy when it's all over.

That will do it. I'll end with a classic from the late, great Curtis Mayfield: "Move On Up," from Curtis, his solo debut album from 1970. I've shared this before, but a) I really am moving up, too (the new digs are at the top of a hill), and b) you can never have too much Curtis Mayfield in your day:

Have a good Friday, everyone...