Gibson Custom Shop announced a partnership with Miranda Lambert, with the new Gibson Miranda Lambert Bluebird, her first-ever signature guitar. The rare Gibson acoustic guitar is made in the USA, hand-crafted in the storied Gibson Acoustic factory in Bozeman, Montana by Gibson’s expert acoustic luthiers. The new Miranda Lambert Bluebird from Gibson Custom Shop is now available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers, and on gibson.com.

”I have been playing Gibson acoustic guitars for so long now, so to be able to partner with such an iconic brand to create my own version of the classic Hummingbird is a dream come true,” shared Miranda in a press release. “I hope this encourages musicians everywhere – especially young girls – to pick up a Bluebird and chase the same dream that guitars have made come true for me.”

"At Gibson, we're always seeking ways to lift up the voices of artists who have shaped the sound of genres, and Miranda is a trailblazing artist that represents the best that country music has to offer” says Codey Allen, Director, Cultural Influence-North America at Gibson Brands. “Her immense talent, authenticity, and dedication to the craft of songwriting, as well as her unwavering commitment to encourage more girls and women to play guitar are what inspired us to create the Miranda Lambert Bluebird Acoustic guitar."

Miranda Lambert Bluebird / Photo Credit: Gibson

A variation of the iconic Gibson Hummingbird, the Miranda Lambert Bluebird is as distinctive as its namesake, and features a square shoulder mahogany body with a Sitka spruce top, a striking Bluebonnet nitrocellulose lacquer finish celebrating the official flower of Lambert’s home state of Texas, and a custom Bluebird pickguard inspired by her chart-topping song of the same name. The L.R. Baggs VTC electronics make this exceptional guitar stage and studio ready from the moment you take it out of the included hardshell case.

I absolutely loved "Next Thing You Know" from Jordan Davis, his latest #1 single, and I am super excited that "Tucson Too Late" is his next single that he is sending to radio! When he was in town at Blossom for Dierks Bentley's tour he told the crowd this was going to be his follow up at country radio and everyone in that crowd was on board singing every word! 

Tell Me I Was Dreaming – Travis Tritt - 1995  - (Album - Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof)

  With his recent visit here, figured it was a good time to feature a good old Travis Tritt song. I feel his style and sound was the predecessor to Chris Stapleton in many ways with his bluesy voice and very original look and material.  He was part of a huge class along with Garth, Alan, and Clint that really shoved country into a much higher gear. Listeners for many years have gravitated to his powerful ballads.  Fans loved, Anymore, Can I Trust You With My Heart, and others, but this was a very underappreciated Tritt song.  It has a very powerful message and is delivered in a strong and completely dedicated southern rock style that has that wonderful signature that all great songs have.  I can only hear Travis Tritt singing it.  This song was polarizing at the time as some people loved this, and for others it was a bit over the top in its arrangement, but I loved it for its daring and raw feel.  And even though Tritt may have loved his rockin' songs the best, the strong ballads are the ones that stuck around and continue to stick around many years after his terrific run on the charts.

#19 - Mark Chesnutt – Too Cold At Home - 1990

Mark Chesnutt hit the air with this gem and launched a very successful 1990's career that included a ton of big songs and eight number ones, this hit #3.  One thing that's always synonymous with country is the great hook. And this hook -  hooked me the first time I heard it.  Country was in the early stages of the New Traditionalists movement and Chesnutt was right on time.  Many times, it's being in the right place at the right time.  He is a Honky-Tonk legend with a super traditional sound.  This love and lose song is totally biting for sure, but possesses that bit of "centered-ness" that keeps it not as negative as the words may read on the CD jacket.  Truth is young artists, no matter what trend country was  - or is in - need that song that cuts through and gets you noticed.   And this was that song.  Chesnutt is completely believable here and this is arranged simply and perfectly for him so he is the star of this song.  Truth be told with all of the really great songs and artists of the 1990's this is one of my very favorite country songs of that decade or any other.  I love songs that define our format.  You better like your country - "country"  because this is not a crossover song by any means.  This belongs to us and us alone -  Very well done,  GREAT record!  This song is legendary.

Last Week #20

My Full Profile On Mark Chesnutt

Love trying new food combos?   Try some of these!

Let's EAT!

Hey, Try These To Spice Things Up

ICYMI  -  Here are my articles from this week n WQMX.com!

My Sunday Morning Song

Eat Of The Week

50 Favorites From 40+ Years #20

Forgotten Jukebox

Country Music Memory Lane - (NEON NIGHTS)

Wynn At The Movies And More

Box Office Results - Barbie  -  53 Million

#2 – Meg 2 (30)      #3 - Oppenheimer (29)

TMNT - 27 Million

New This Week - Voyage Of The Demeter / The Pod Generation

Soon! - The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid will be available on Disney Plus starting on September 6th  (Story) 

Sharknado - Will be in THEATERS this summer for it's 10^th anniversary August 14 and 15 only (Story)

Tom Hardy - Is the hardest to understand on screen, more than any other actor   (Story)

Well - The musical adaptation of The Notebook is heading to Broadway, with preview performances beginning February 6th  (Story)

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (link)

Also - My 50 Favorites Over 40+ Years This Week #20 (Link)

Plus - My Sunday Morning Song (Link)

Let me preface this by asserting I am someone who inevitably overthinks just about everything in life, and ambiguity and confusion tend to frustrate me. With that said, I tend to have issues with some signs. The single worst one in my life is the "No Motorcycles, ATV's or Motorized Vehicles" sign my neighbor put up to deter me from riding on his land, and to keep the peace, I have been respectful of this. "No Skateboarding" is another rough one to encounter as well. A piece of sheet metal on a post with some words on it isn't the boss of me by any means, but there's another one that I cannot overlook, and I see it on the daily. The sign says, "Please slow down."

Someone normal probably sees this and it checks out to them. In my mind, I think, 'you don't know how fast I am going!' The speed limit is 35mph where these signs are, and you're trying to tell me if I'm going 20mph you still want me to slow down? Ridiculous. I'd so much prefer "Please drive slowly" or even "Watch your speed." I really dig the little turtle dudes holding the flags, which say "SLOW." Those make sense to me!

I can't forget to mention the signs that say "Road Work Ahead" when there isn't a trace of work being done. When I was traveling to the east coast recently, I saw numerous examples of this along the highway, and it's not right in my opinion. I think of it as the boy who cried wolf; if you continuously see signs which say that phrase without any work being done, it makes them all seem less serious. This could potentially be dangerous for the crew who is actually on the job working on the roadway, and ought to be addressed in some way.

I need to know, are there any little thing like these in life that drive you mad for no reason at all, or do I just need to chill out a little bit? When I drive, I'm not necessarily angry... just disappointed sometimes!

I grew up a HUGE fan of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I watched it all the time and thought it was a big deal to go on the trolley ride through the neighborhood at Idlewild Park in Pennsylvania!

Late Sautrday night, I was scrolling through Netflix and found the documentary "Won't You be my Neighbor?" about Fred Rogers. It mostly covered how he got into television, how his work expanded into the show we all know, and how he fought to save funding for children's programming. There are interviews with a few cast members of his show, some crew members, and even his wife.

The documentary also delves into the struggles he had trying to decide how to cover tough topics of the 60s and 70s with kids. This was a very interesting documentary. If you grew up with Fred Rogers or have kids that grew up with him, I'd watch it!

2023 is a big year for me. I graduated college, I'm in the process of getting my very own puppy (a bloodhound by the name of Hank), I'm working to buy a house, got my first full time job, etc.

Not long ago, I took motorcycle classes through the state of Ohio and am so happy to be out on the bike whenever I get a chance to do so. Whether it's a leisurely ride on a Sunday morning or I'm headed here to the station, there's a smile on my face whenever I'm behind those handlebars. My new license just recently came in the mail and I'm grinning ear to ear!

I also got my boating license to take my old 1958 Magnolia 2-Stroke motorboat around the portage lakes, and it's been an incredible experience for me to learn about the intricacies of operating a vessel. That's kind of my thing when it comes to mechanical stuff; I'm always wanting to know more and learn!

Up next, I'd really like to go through a firearm safety course and get a hunting license and some tags to bring home a deer and munch on my favorite snack-venison jerky! It's great mixed with beef and in tacos, also. I'm just really stoked to be making goals and striving to meet them. There're endless opportunities to try something new and expand your knowledge, so whether big or small, set goals for yourself and don't let anything stand in your way of self-improvement and growth. You got it!