Sometimes You Dodge The Icy Bullet

As I look out my window at all the ice and snow, I think about how so many parts of the country are even worse. And I don't have to go out into it anyway, so I feel like I've dodged a bullet -- an icy one. But if I still feel like complaining, I … Continue reading Sometimes You Dodge The Icy Bullet

Fuzzy Memories Of Rockabilly

As someone who was a teenager during the years that rockabilly was rising in popularity, it's kind of funny that I don't remember hearing the term at that time. I recall that we often called country music 'hillbilly', and I certainly remember everyone talking about rock and roll, but to actually give the name 'rockabilly' … Continue reading Fuzzy Memories Of Rockabilly

Laughing At The Cowhand

My Swiss cheese memory occasionally surprises me by turning up a useless little nugget of info amidst all those empty holes. A good example would be what happened today when I ran across an old song, "I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)." It was written by Johnny Mercer for a 1936 Bing Crosby … Continue reading Laughing At The Cowhand

Just Truckin’ On Down The Road

Is it just me, or are trucks getting bigger and fancier? On my last highway trip, I found myself once again surrounded by an endless procession of the huge beasts, and I couldn't help noticing how they seem bigger than ever, with many of them sporting elaborate sleeper cabs. Of course, sleeper cabs are pretty … Continue reading Just Truckin’ On Down The Road

Eddie Peabody Will Now Play For You

Remember those 'bloopers' records that were popular back in the 1950s? A guy named Kermit Schafer had a lot of success by compiling entire albums of bloopers -- mostly from radio in the early days, but later from TV too. The slightly naughty nature of some of the excerpts probably helped make them more popular, … Continue reading Eddie Peabody Will Now Play For You

Two Sides Of Smooth – Jerry Wallace

Rock and roll's rise in popularity during the 1950s helped create an exciting -- if confusing -- time for musicians, as they tried to find their place in the midst of all that was going on. Many of those with a  country background began to gradually move away from the music of the heartland, looking … Continue reading Two Sides Of Smooth – Jerry Wallace

Limehouse Blues – A Jazz Classic

Sometimes my curiosity draws me to a particular song that seems to have an interesting name and maybe an intriguing history, and when I dig into it I often find a fascinating story. A good example is the jazz standard "Limehouse Blues," which has been recorded by just about everybody from Duke Ellington to Django … Continue reading Limehouse Blues – A Jazz Classic

Skeeters I Have Known

As I've written before, I've never been a big fan of mosquitoes. But I did once know a girl who had the nickname 'Skeeter', which is one of the many slang terms that have been applied to the blood-sucking insects. However, as far as I know she wasn't actually a blood-sucker -- unless she was … Continue reading Skeeters I Have Known

Messages From Animals

Although I understand that the critters in the pictures below aren't really responsible for the messages, there's not much doubt that many animals do communicate. I'm reminded of the squirrels that sometimes cavort around when I'm taking a walk in a nearby parkland. (Actually it's a park-like cemetery, but I thought that might sound creepy … Continue reading Messages From Animals