On Chicago's Very Own WGN Monday Night

We had a great time on the Pete McMurray Show on Chicago's Very Own WGN Radio Monday Night! They wanted a funny blues song about the cold weather in Chicago and we were more than happy to oblige! Heres a link to the opening of the show at 10PM....featuring our song 20 Below Zero....

http://wgnradio.com/2014/01/07/new-start-time-weather-and-interns

Raise The Roof Show to benefit Brookport Tornado Victims

Thursday, December 5th, Harrah's Metropolis will host a special show to benefit the Brookport, Illinois tornado victims.  The show starts at 7pm and runs until ? and admission in the Grand Event Center is simply a donation to the relief fund.  The show will also be broadcast live 7-9pm on The Heartland CW, channel 49, and on radio on Willie 102.1FM. Come on out, listen to some great music, and help us "Raise The Roof" to help the tornado victims!

Four bands have been slated for the event. First off, Darling Parade, an up and coming alternative rock band out of Nashville, but with strong Southern Illinois ties.  They're fantastic! Have a look.


My band, 61 South and I will also perform!

One of Paducah's hottest alternative rock bands, Oh Yeah Dakota.

And the acoustic act, Skylyne Drive. It should be a great night of music for a great cause, so come on out and help us "Raise the Roof" to help victims of the devastating Brookport tornado. 100% of ALL proceeds will go to the victims!

Telethon Night Memories

Saturday night/Sunday morning, we're honored to be taking part in our 24th Telethon of Stars on WPSD-TV.  For us, it's part charity and part family reunion as we see so many friends.  For some of them, it's the only time we see them all year, so there's lots of catching up to do.

I was trying to think of my favorite telethon memories over the years and there are many:

Several years ago, I was playing next to the "big stars" and really smoked a song. The show went to a break before country singer Michelle Wright was to sing.  She motioned me over and whispered in my ear, "I don't want to follow you anymore!"  She was really sweet.

My favorite "soap star" ever was Robin Mattson! She was a real hoot and even donated a big chunk of her talent fee back to the telethon!  Before her years on the soaps, she was a B-movie actress.  I think my favorite B-Movie of hers was "Return to Macon County."  One weird thing I noticed over the years while working the telethon is that a lot of times, the "bitch" or "evil" characters on the soaps turn out to the nicest in person.

One of my favorite bands ever on the telethon was Hank Flamingo.  They were about the time that BR-549 was burning it up with the retro county sound too,  and they were great.  I especially loved "Gooseneck Trailer."  Too bad Hank Flamingo was so short lived.  I think they only put out that one album before disbanding.

I'm not really big on Bluegrass, but I really do like Rhonda Vincent and the Rage.  We had a great time swapping out songs with them and one of her band members donated a $20 to the telethon after he yelled to us during a spot break to request an Albert King song!  The other cool part was and now is again, that my local music buddy Josh Williams was playing in her band.  Josh is a MONSTER player.

It might have been my very first telethon in 1989 when we wandered into the old Time Out Lounge at the Executive Inn to kill some time before our slot when we went to see an obscure singer performing there.  He said he was going to play his upcoming single.  We thought it was so goofy, we were giggling and laughing!   Well to show you how much I know.....the singer was Billy Ray Cyrus and the song was "Achy Breaky Heart" which only made umpteen million dollars for him when it became a hit months later.

If you'd like to see us this year, you'll need to stay up late, or set your DVR!  We're scheduled to play at 2:26AM and 3;35AM Sunday morning!  It'll be so much fun, just like it always is!  This will be the last time the full band plays this year, although I'm probably going to play some accoustic duo shows of Christmas music for the assisted living centers which I do each year!

Circles of Hope Telethon, Jackson, TN: Tuny, Carl, Wes and more...

Sunday, we traveled to Jackson, TN to play at the 30th Annual Circles of Hope Telethon in Jackson, Tennessee to benefit the Exchange Club-Carl Perkins Centers for Prevention of Child Abuse.  Hard to believe, but I worked as an emcee at the very FIRST telethon, years ago, while I was working at WBBJ-TV in Jackson.  I worked the telethon for several years with Carl Perkins himself, and local TV legend Doris Freeman....aka Cousin Tuny!  I love Tuny.  Hard to believe, but I first me her in the early 60s when I appeared on her show!  I was only 5 or 6 years old, I think.  Tuny's persona was part Minnie Pearl, and part Speck Rhodes and she was GREAT, and a wonderfull person off camera as well!  Unfortunately, I think this was the first telethon she wasn't able to attend due to her health.  She's on up in years.  I hated to miss her but everyone told me she's still as warm, wonderful and caring as ever!

 Some of my fondest memories of this telethon were sitting backstage, shooting the breeze with Carl Perkins and listening to his priceless stories.  I never got enough of that!  Carl was one of the most genuine, wonderful persons you'd ever want to meet!  He made me laugh so hard with his stories about everything from working with Dave Edmonds, etc, to everyday stuff, like working in his beloved flowers.

 

At the telethon, I was so glad to see my former co-worker Brenda Dewberry. I found out she had continued to work every telethon, even after leaving WBBJ...so this was her 30th Telethon! Amazing! As I went to plug in, I found my 335 had a short in a switch or pot, so I was in TROUBLE.  I had only brought one guitar! Luckily, my old friend, Wes Henley was working sound and had two great guitars onstage.  I grabbed one of them and it played like a dream!  Wes is one of the finest if not THE finest guitar players I've ever known, so I was honored to play his Gibson Gold Top for the show!  I just hope he forgives me for sweating on the strings....

I also saw several other old broadcast and Jackson friends, including Ernest Harper, Julie Cook, Mark Brooks, Jerry Gay, Steve Bowers, Tom Britt and more!  It was a nice day, and a GREAT cause!

Our Song On The Today Show!

This was a big thrill for us!  Part of our song, "Hushpuppies" was featured on the Today Show in a feature by reporter Mike Leonard.  Also a big thrill when we emailed with Leonard and he told us how he found our song (iTunes) and we found out although he's a great reporter, he's even a nicer person!

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Buzzard Rock and Jackson, TN

After a 20 hour round trip to Lexington, KY Saturday, ready for some rest but we're back at Buzzard Rock Friday night, August 9th.  One of our most fun places to play!  It's located near Kuttawa, KY....actually probably closer to Sewanee, at the Buzzard Rock Marina!  Always a good time.

Sunday afternoon will be a special one.  We'll travel to Jackson, TN to play at the Civic Center for the Carl Perkins Circles of Hope Telethon.  The telethon raises money for the Carl Perkins' Center for Child Abuse Prevention.  The telethon is broadcast live on WBBJ-TV out of Jackson, TN.  We're scheduled to play between 3-4PM.  You can also come down to the Civic Center and see the show live in person!  When I lived in Jackson years ago, I used to work the telethon with Carl when he was alive.  That was always such a treat for me.  I also learned firsthand just how near and dear to his heart the center is.  Carl was a good guy.

GEAR: Still enjoying the Blackstar Club 40 amp although I'm looking at some options for updating my pedalboard.  I've been using a old Johnson zip up pedalboard but looking into some powered ones which could double as a back up for the amp.  Main three guitars remain the Lower Broadcaster Strat, Custom Tele and modified Epiphone 335.

Buzzard Rock Resort

One of our favorite places to play each summer is Buzzard Rock Resort on Lake Barkley near Kuttawa, KY.  Always a nice crowd ready to have a good time and we try to do our part to help!  Had a great time lat night, once again!

My pedal board this night.  I change it up some from time to time but here's what I used this night: Arion Stage Tuner into Boss Tremolo, Boss Chorus, Boss Digital Delay, old Ibanez Tube Screamer, Box of Rock into amp (Blackstar Club 40).  Played both the custom made Tele and the Lower Broad Caster Custom Made Strat tonight.