Out of all that has happened the past few months, many things have been cancelled, delayed and changed. And a whole lot of it not fun at all. In fact, most of it stinks.  And with the storm of the past couple days it got me thinking about the following. 

But what really might stink for many in the aftermath of this are Snow Days from school.  Seems to me that in the long run with all we've learned about virtual learning, that snow days may bite the dust up the road.  I was like every other kid from every other generation before and after me.  I loved snow days!  Waiting to hear your school had no school that day. We would gather around the radio and wait, and wait.  Somehow, ours was always the last one to be read.  But I feel those days may be on borrowed time.  I am hot advocating this, I am just wondering if it is inevitable.  Even ardent supporters of snow days have to possibly see the writing on the wall here.

Why cancel school when you can virtual learn instead of taking the day off? Easier decision for superintendents to make, and safer for the kids in bad weather, bus drivers too, and it saves money. The teachers would hate it, as many times they are happier than the students about no school. Also for all, there would be no worrying to make up days if the winter was really bad, as no one wants to go in late June.  But the fun of snow days would be over.

So, are snow days on the way out?  If I was asked to bet, I would say yes -  in the long run, but they will go kicking and screaming into the night by both students and teachers.  But it just may be a thing whose time has come.

Alan sent me a note asking if I would showcase his favorite from his early 20's, David Ball.  What a great memory for us to look back on.  David Ball was exceptionally talented always, and very popular for a very short time.  His gift to us was an unmistakable, original sound.

David Ball beat the odds for while, then didn't, then did again.  He was a long time player in the Texas music scene from the late 1970's till he finally hit the country charts solo in 1994. His big album, Thinkin' Problem, with the title song as the first single was a big success.  And what a song it was, although it didn't go number one, (it stalled at #2), it should have.  It also cracked the Top 40 All Genre Chart (quite a feat).  It was so catchy, so different, so refreshingly big time country, tons of fans fell in love with it.  David Ball had arrived in the middle of the country boom, in the best decade ever in our format  - at 41 years old.  That was almost unheard of, and still is. Thinkin Problem is about as good of a pure country song as you will ever hear.

HERE IS THE OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE!

Talk About A Cut-Through Song And Sound  - Thinkin' Problem

In the age or Garth, Alan, George, Tim, Shania, Toby, Kenny, Patty, Clint, Brooks And Dunn, Reba and countless others, David Ball's first big album found an audience, and it sold well over a million copies.  Thinkin' Problem in my view, was one of the best albums of the decade.  For me, the reason was simple -  the pure originality of it.  He sounded like nothing anything else we were playing on the radio.  I remember my music director, Dave Wright at WPCV in Lakeland, Florida grabbed me and my partner Tom O'Brien after our morning show one day and said, "You gotta hear this song, we just got in!"  He was right, Thinkin' Problem was great and very different. And in the 90's, with so many mega stars, it was genius.  Two more successful singles came off that album going to the top ten, and it appeared David Ball had joined the 90's party for good.

This Single Was A Really Great Song  - Great Versatility - Honest Stuff  Top 10

But while the world was understandably paying attention to a thousand other country stars, David Ball somehow got lost in the shuffle, and I have always felt that was a real shame. Then came 2001, and his huge hit, Riding With Private Malone that he took to #2 again, when it should have been #1.  Almost 20 years later, when we get requests for real older songs, that one is always there.  Fans love and loved that song, which he delivers about as perfectly as you can. That song was no small feat either, coming back to the charts big after about 6 years off of them is a tough thing.

Another Great Single - Top 10

But let's clear a few things up about him to the positive.  He had a sound that was all his, and he knows his way around a country song.  Listening to David Ball, there is no crossover, no pop country, and there is no fat in the songs. He sings them, they are good, and we believe them, and to me that is the mark of a fine country artist.  I loved playing his music on the radio then, as I felt listeners were getting something very different than the song before, and very different than the song that would follow it.  For a time that was much too short, David Ball was every workin' dudes hero.  They bought the album, blasted it in their trucks, they requested the songs, and they punched the jukeboxes while playing shooting pool and throwing darts.

Private Malone -  Was A Song That Spoke To A Lot Of People  (11 million views on YouTube)

Was he in the right place at the wrong time?  Was he in the long run swallowed up by the enormity of our format?  I always felt that someone dropped the ball with him as he seemed to be right on time. I don't know that answer, but I do know I am thankful for his incredible gift to us in the form of an album, that somehow found a breakthrough sound and big success in a time that was very tough to do. Thinkin' Problem is a fantastic album worth a listen -  if you love your country - COUNTRY!

Other Recent Memory Lane Articles

Mark Chesnutt

Terri Clark

The Bellamy Brothers

Ronnie Milsap

I have to admit, I'm as guilty as anyone who is reading this right now. Here we are, the first big snow of the year and the annual hunt for the snow brush is on at houses all over the area. Probably yours as well.

It never fails.  All spring and summer long that thing is in the way of the coolers, bikes and groceries and everything else we cram into our cars, so after having had enough of that, we toss it aside and say something like, "Get that darn thing out of here, for cryin' out loud!"   (Or something possibly a bit more colorful.)  Then we just go on for the rest of the warm weather months brush free, because there is clearly no need. Then, things change....

TODAY!  Today is the day we wake up and wonder where that stupid brush is. Although today, it's not quite so stupid. In fact, you may be willing to pay good money to know exactly where it is at this exact moment.  All that stands between you and a day of frozen hands, wet gloves (If you can find those) and waiting for seemingly hours for the windows to defrost, is that "stupid" brush. 

Ahhh, The Sweet Smell  Of Success!!!  Top shelf, above the work bench, have no idea how it got there!

And it's never where you think it might be, I always find mine each fall and think, "How the heck did that get there?"  Then a sense of relief of knowing that all is right with the world, and yes, there will be scraping loud enough to wake the neighbors at 6AM.  And good vision that will be larger than a port hole as you go down the road.

Maybe you're one of those "all yearers."  You know, the show brush in the car all year guy or gal.  Brush in peoples way in the back seat, getting wedged under the passenger seat.  Maybe always in the way when you're loading stuff in the back.  If so, congrats to you. I'm not, I'm a "It's warm, and this stupid thing is outta here"  guy!

Good luck this morning, happy hunting, and maybe it's time to show that "stupid" brush a bit more respect.

Happy Brushing and Scraping!!

With a lot of us getting up so early, we have a tendency to drink a bunch of coffee.  Good thing the news keeps getting better on the coffee front!   YAY!!!

Click Here To See The Good News!

Well the holidays are here, and that means all the holiday fun.  And some of that includes watching many of our favorite movies.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and that means watching one of my favorite comedies, Planes, Trains And Automobiles.  I don't usually write about a 33 year old movie, but because of its uniqueness, it doesn't seem near that old. This is the quintessential Thanksgiving movie!

Steve Martin and John Candy in this very funny movie about the problems of travel at Thanksgiving, directed by an incredible director, John Hughes. Yes, there is going to be a remake with Will Smith and Kevin Hart that I can't wait to see. I'm sure it's going to be funny, and new. But I'm not here to say the original will be better, because that's not fair, or smart.  But what I will say the two things that will always make this movie better than most comedies are originality and heart.  In short, all good movies begin with a GREAT story and script first, and actors delivering it second, and my hope is that the remake will remember that. 

Official Trailer

The first reason everyone loves this movie so much is this.  It's dedicated exclusively to Thanksgiving. There are not a lot of movies that do that.  And even though the characters are over the top, and the situations are silly at times, the people and the travel climate at its root, is relatable.  And second, this movie grows an enormous heart as it goes on, and yes, you do tear up at the end when Del Griffith finally is understood by those previously not open minded to look for that answer.  For as slap sticky as it is, this movie ends up being poignant and powerful for a comedy.

Much of Thanksgiving is about the anticipation of it. The cooking, the wonderful smells, the wondering if everyone will make it home on time, and being thankful.  And PT&A does that incredibly well.  Will Neal Page get home in time, and what about this clown he's traveling with by accident?  Is this a perfect comedy?  It's close.  In the unending sea of Christmas movies, it's great to see a Thanksgiving movie, and showcase the trials that are exclusive to that holiday.

This week, watch Planes, Trains And Automobiles with the family, or just you two on the couch in front of the fire. We always do, and we always laugh. It holds up very well, and is darn funny.

And this Thanksgiving, we could all use a laugh or two.

Many of us grew up watching Micheal J. Fox in movies and on TV.  Most of us know that at a very young age he was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease.  Much too young - 29. 

What most of us can't comprehend is that it's been 30 years since then!  Now, 59 he's back in the news as he was retired from acting for good, and I ran across this article. Wanted to share!

FOX ARTICLE

Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you are enjoying your holiday.  If you are done with your huge meal, and TV football is not your thing, let's listen to some great country.  Some Memory Lane Country as holidays can make us nostalgic! Time to think about some times you haven't thought about in a while.

So find a comfy quiet couch, blanket and put in your earbuds, and let's get you caught up on some of the artists I have featured and talked about recently.

Mark Chesnutt

Terri Clark

The Bellamy Brothers

Ronnie Milsap

Olivia Newton-John

Steve Wariner

Shenandoa

Patty Loveless

With all that's been going on in the world these days, it can be hard to think of things that one can be thankful now.  And maybe it is a bit tougher than usual.  But I still am....

Thankful for my beautiful Windy.  She has made everything in my life better, and continues to do so.  Even the things that were goo, she makes better, every day.

Thankful for my amazing friends, many of them for many years, and this year I became better friends with some who were right there in front of me.  I have so many incredible friends, I am blessed.

Thankful that the people in my world are healthy, and me too.

Thankful for all of those like the truckers and everyone associated with them getting all of us what we need!

Thankful that there are people in this world who have medicially dedicated their lives to solving the pandemic. The ones who will solve it, and those who will administer it.

And I am thankful that we are together every morning  #ScottAndSarah #WQMX

The past few years there have been just a ton of new inventions that have made our lives a whole lot different.  With all that's gone on in 2020 some of these may have fallen through the cracks, so here is the list of some of the really cool things invented, even though this has been a very different year!

HERE'S THE LIST!

Quote  -  "Many times there are reasons, beyond the reason...."

During this time of the year, regardless of what it going on in the world, we love to give of ourselves to people and organizations that are in need.  This time of the year that seems to amplified within all of us.  And that's a good thing.

We always feel good about giving, and that's great, but when we give, I always wonder about the cause. They are always undoubtedly good, but I always think of the people within those groups.  Especially the smaller, and more local groups which are the ones I really enjoy supporting.

When someone really dedicates themselves to a charitable cause, there is the obvious reason why.  That would be the people that need help, or the cause or illness that needs to be addressed.  Could be the cause that is local only, or animal welfare, all great things to support and I'm glad that we do.  After we give to them, I find I am just as happy to support the people that are active within the charity, as well as the people or causes that are directly benefiting from it.

The people that work tirelessly with them, or originate them are incredible people, and why do they do it? Many times there is the reasons, beyond the "reason."  Many never say why, but some do. Jerry Lewis dedicated his entire life to MDA and never really stated officially why.  I think that's incredible. That is far more common than we think.  We are afraid to ask sometimes, and really, it's no ones biz anyway.  But I have always found that those are the people I really like to support. They do it, because someone should. To them, it's not about being right, it's about doing right.  Sometimes, it's best not to know, as the reasons can be beyond deeply personal.  That means the dedication to the cause is focused and absolute.

And those are the people I really like supporting. Well done, and thank you!