Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…some Monday

Family Photos Part II

It’s been several years since we have had professional family photos done. There is a whole new generation of family since the last photos. I must say these are the best images we have ever received. The photographer was a joy and the photos are stunning, without trying any new processing tricks to achieve some sort of special effects. Here are our favorites.

It is great when everyone is smiling and looking at the camera together.

With Our Daughter

The Grandcrew

The Great Grandcrew

Daughter, Son-in-Law, Great Grandcrew

There are no words.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

It’s Thanksgiving week and while the theme this week at 4M is freedom of choice, it only seems appropriate to include a little thankfulness. Let’s face it, I think everyone is thankful the election is over, but the one thing I am truly thankful for is that God is real, He loves us, He created us with a purpose, and when we place our faith in Him, He prepares a place for us to spend eternity. Scripture tells us, in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God has a purpose for everyone He creates and that purpose is in our best interest. Sadly, many reject God and His plan for their life. Still, God loves us and desires to spend eternity with us, but the choice is ours.

One of the greatest blessings on this earth is family. I hope the photos you have seen the past couple of weeks express how thankful I am for my family. I am blessed beyond my dreams and certainly beyond anything I deserve. So here are a few songs to express my joy for the blessings that are mine.

Christmas Music Marathon

My 15th annual Christmas Music Marathon begins Friday. Each year, beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving, I post a photos and a song or two that focus on the joy and true meaning of Christmas. Stop by and take a few moments out of your busy schedule to listen to the music of the season. You are likely to find a new favorite Christmas song, a new arrangement of a favorite song of the season, or a new artist to add to your playlist. Below is a preview of things to come. See you Friday morning!

Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…Some Monday

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This is Part II of our Nashville trip. As previously mentioned, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is celebrating 60 years of making music and touring the world. This concert at the Ryman Auditorium is a part of their farewell tour as the band will be retiring from life on the road. Keep in mind, the founding members are now in their mid-seventies but their music is as good as ever. On this night they brought a few surprise guests with them and I will feature their music here. This is the last song combination of the night.

Singers/songwriters, Matraca Berg, Gretchen Peters, and Suzy Boggus make up the group Wine, Women, & Song. They preformed a couple of songs. Matraca is the wife of Dirt Band founder Jeff Hannah. The ladies make some beautiful harmonies.

The sister duo Larkin Poe are the future of folk/country. They simply are among the most talented duos you will ever hear.

Last, but certainly not least a surprise guest was hall of fame legend Emmy Lou Harris. There is not enough space to write down all that she has been a part of in over 50 years in the music industry. I still hold that the female vocalists of the 70’s were among the best that ever graced the stage and Emmy Lou was among the best of the best.

It is tradition at the Mother Church of country music to close the show with this song and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will not let you get out of the building without being a part of this legacy. Have a blessed week y’all!

Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…some Monday

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Last week my wife and I took a delayed, plan “B”, 50th anniversary trip to Nashville, TN. We had originally planned on going to The Biltmore estate in Ashville, NC, but hurricane Helene made that trip impossible so we decided to go to Music City. While in Nashville there are thee things one must see, The Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Ryman Auditorium, known lovingly as the Mother Church of country music. We did them all. We also took a dinner cruise on the river boat General Jackson, and spent several hours exploring the Opryland hotel & resort.

There will be more photos later. The purpose of this post is music and the theme this week is freedom of choice. The highlight of our trip was attending a concert by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at the Ryman Auditorium. The band has been making music for 60 years and is in the middle of their farewell tour. Three of the founding members are still touring and they are as good as they have ever been. So you guessed it, this week is going to feature a little Dirt. Let’s start with one of their iconic tunes and a video that was made just six years after the band was formed.

There are only a handful of concerts left before the band, as we know them, retires from the road. They are an icon from the 60’s that have been making music for 60 years and have recorded with every great artist you can think of, Ronstadt, Emmy Lou Harris, Bob Dylan, and the list goes on. The concert last week was epic in every sense of the word. The artistry of these musicians is endless as they are incredible musicians as well as a tight knit band. There will be more music and photos in upcoming posts. Have a blessed week.

Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…some Monday

Guardian of the Butterfly Bush

Monday’s Music Moves Me

The theme this week at 4M is whatever music moves me…well, Bonnie Raitt’s music moves. It is an awesome blend of country, soul, rock and blues expertly mixed and arranged by Bonnie and her band members. Sit back and enjoy some of the tunes that were a part of her 1989 album, Nick of Time. Have a blessed week all!

Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…some Monday

Late Season Butterflies Have Arrived

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Our assignment this week at 4M is to Pick a song or build a playlist of your favorite rock songs from any decade. When you have lived nearly 8 decades and love music, that can become quite a list. My first introduction to rock n roll was in the beginning. I was around nine years old when I heard Bill Haley & the Comets on the radio and the song was “Shake, Rattle, & Roll”! My teen and early adult hears may have been the golden age of rock with The Who, Led Zepplin, Heart, The Stones, Beatles, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, and the list goes on. So here are a few of my favorites. Have a blessed week. ROCK ON!!!