Back on the 18th of March I saw a terrific show at the Bluebird featuring two of my favorite songwriters, Gary Burr and Don Schlitz. Although both have performed many times at the Bluebird, this was the first time they appeared there together. I didn't write anything about the show because I've already written about both of these gentlemen in previous posts. (see post of 8/9/10 for Gary and Don on 7/8/10.) Gary's girl Georgia Middleman and Don's wife Stacy were an added bonus, each singing a song or two.
In addition to being Hall of Fame songwriters, these guys have a really good sense of humor. Don's breakthrough hit was "The Gambler" which Kenny Rogers made famous. Gary's first big hit was Juice Newton's "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me". Gary said that the critics called it "dumb but infectious" which he said was how he was known in college.
At the show they mentioned something about writing together. It has finally happened. Although I'm not a Twitterer (is that right?) or a Facebooker, I found out following Don's Twitter that they have finally gotten together. Here are some of the Twits or tweets or whatever discussing the event.
from Don:
I get to write w/ @Garyburr today. Huge thrill. This kind of opportunity can make or break a writer in this town. Will be done by noon.
@Garyburr just called, suggested writing at his house. obvious power play. will do it, but bringing my own water.
made it to @Garyburr 's house. he's just sitting there, pretending to tune.
@garyburr just sits there. Mentions famous person occasionally. His chair taller than mine.
I'm not saying anything until he does. I can look like I'm thinking too. Who is Helen Darling?
@Garyburr had an idea. For a verse line. New high water mark.
@Garyburr now using his other melody.
Told @garyburr I needed 2 min break. Going through his medicine cabinet. Found 3 capos & stockpile of ace bandages.
Finally leaving @garyburr 's. Only 3 songs. He's so slow. Booked June 31st. He went for it.
told @Garyburr it was three Fords and vermouth. last sentence he heard accurately was at Woodstock. he was in the front row. (really)
@gmiddleman which dead guy was I? Just for the record...
@gmiddleman writing w/ @Garyburr we skip the talking to each other part. we communicate by facial tics....
From Gary:
@don4adollar gets to write with me today. Got to be a huge thrill. This kind of opportunity can make or break a writer in this town.
I haven't wanted to punch a co-writer this much since I wrote with Helen Darling. Is it the gum popping or the blank stare?
New no shirts rule seems to calm us both down. @don4adollar and I are rocking now!
@don4adollar says key to country writing is three chords and the truth. Naive ignorant bastard It's anagrams.
From Georgia Middleman:
Walking in on @Garyburr and @don4adollar writing a song was like walking in on Picasso and Monet...they both looked dead.
@don4adollar you were Monet. Smooth...but dead. However, when you two had your phones out doing tweet wars...oh, sure, then you came alive.
Hope there will me more Burr-Schlitz shows and that I will get to hear the songs they wrote together. Pairing superstars doesn't always work in sports. Wonder if it can work in songwriting? If the songs don't sell, maybe we'll at least get to hear them at a future Bluebird show. At most shows they do a song or two that has not been recorded and they're often so good that you can't believe no artist is interested. I'm thinking of Gary's "A Thousand Wild Horses" which he wrote with Sam & Annie Tate, "Dare to Dance Alone" with Georgia and Karla Davis, "That's Not Her Picture" with Bill Anderson and "I Thought He'd Never Leave". Not sure of the last title because I couldn't find it on ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. Don did a song I liked called "Guys My Size" but I haven't been able to find it anywhere on-line.
Gary's Twitter bio: Hall of Fame Songwriter. Works w/Ringo & Carole King. Discoverer of the element Cadmium. Member of Blue Sky Riders w/ Kenny Loggins & Georgia Middleman.
Don's Twitter bio: I write songs. I'm married. I'm happy. who knew?
Digressions:
Gary and Georgia Middleman have been enlisted by Kenny Loggins to form "Blue Sky Riders", a country/pop trio. They had their debut April 2nd at the Rutledge here in Nashville. My wife bought the poster for the show. Looks good. The trio are working together writing songs and making demos for a new album which I presume will be offered on their tour with Kenny. They will be Kenny's opening act for his solo dates this summer. Go to their website, www.blueskyridersband.com, to hear five new songs so far and read their blogs.
My wife and I saw Loggins & Messina at the Capital Center in Landover, Maryland in 1976. We had all their albums. Remember songs like "You're Mama Can't Dance", "House at Pooh Corner", "Danny's Song", "A Love Song", "Brighter Days", etc. The opening act that night was Fleetwood Mac. We were so glad when they finished so we could hear L&M.
I thought of a Don Schlitz song as I was watching "Sixty Minutes" a few weeks ago, a Lesley Stahl segment about American corporations moving their headquarters overseas to avoid paying taxes on a major part of their profits. We know that unlike those greedy teachers, police, firemen, sanitation and other public sector workers who have caused our huge budget deficit crisis, corporate America puts America first and only heads overseas out of a sense of responsibility to their shareholders. They're not blackmailing the country when they send profits and jobs overseas and will continue to do so unless their tax burdens are reduced.
In his 2010 album "Allergic to Crazy", Don Schlitz with wife Stacy on background vocals gets down to business on track 5, "About the Money". The song begins "They say what's good for business, is good for America, provides the incentive, to keep the wheels turning". It's good for the poor and sick folks. But he's not fooled. The first two lines of the chorus go "When they say it's not about the money"; line 3 merely substitutes "it ain't" for "it's not" and line 4 concludes "It's about the money". He then talks about changes needed "cause there's foxes in the hen house". He says "I believe good business, is good for America, as long as folks are honest, and don't get greedy". In the last verse, after saying that Jesus is a poor and a sick folk and he loves his country, he say he's "gonna keep singing". We then hear the chorus twice. For the last line of the second singing of the chorus he whispers, "It's about the money". The song concludes with Don's wife Stacy singing "It's about the money" a half dozen times til the end.
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