Brief Roundup...

Well, for a gal who never liked to drive when I was back in St. Paul, my little car and I have sure been hitting the road around here lately! I'll just briefly mention a few items on spots I've been recently:

- The Commodore Grill hosted a very successful benefit on December 3 for Character Counts, a fine organization which aims to educate children about good character and ethics, and helping youth understand choices and consequences. The evening was full of great songwriters, such as Pam Belford, Thom Shepherd, Ben West, Steve Goodie, Lorna Flowers and many others. The place was packed all evening so I thought it would do well donation wise, and well it did: the evening raised $5,000 through a silent auction, door prize raffle sales and other donations.

- I also had another opportunity to check out Alex Harvey and his band this past weekend, this time at Puckett's in downtown Franklin (which was a challenge to navigate due to construction and other events). Alex, harmony singer Gineille and the band are very effective in creating community with their audience. They give an open, passionate, honest performance. I personally also admire how Alex doesn't end the evening without strongly proclaiming his faith. You'll get into the groove with the hard rocking tunes and cry in the same places that touch your heart no matter how often the story's been told. That's what brings people back over and over again.

- On Sunday I was very kindly invited to a party/house concert by Terri Lynn, a well loved blues singer in this area who is celebrating the release of her CD, Blue Storm. Terri Lynn and her band literally rocked the house with "cool blues". Yet another navigation challenge there: I thought I wouldn't get there at all as I got tangled up in the Donelson Christmas parade twice, and no one was going anywhere across the parade route for an hour!

- After the party, I had plenty of time to make it down to the Bluebird Cafe. I planned to check out writer's night featured writer Steve Leslie, who I met last week while he was being interviewed on Radio Free Nashville and heard a week or so before at Fiddle and Pick. I got into the line and just about everyone I stood near buzzed about the early feature act, Tin Cup Gypsy. I gathered they had quite a following. Once I got inside and heard them, I found out why. This family trio made up of husband and wife Jonathan (also guitarist for Sara Evans) and Cassandra Lawson and brother Jordan Lawson (fiddle player for Josh Turner--I knew he looked familiar!) fuse acoustic Folk, Rock, Jazz, and Bluegrass with strong harmony vocals, fine original songs and inventive covers (like Fastball's "The Way", for example) and great musicianship. Tin Cup Gypsy have obviously bonded with their fans and they've got a new one in me...they are also three of the sweetest people I've ever met.

Writer's night at the Bluebird consisted mainly of the annual tradition of featuring many of the Bluebird employees who are singer/songwriters with their turn in the spotlight. I was impressed with all of them. I will certainly take special notice of them next time I'm there with a bit of encouragement as well as in tips. Steve Leslie, as mentioned earlier, closed the show. He was quite warm and entertaining, choosing to do newer material over the better known songs he's written for folks like Darryl Worley and George Strait.

This weekend was all about hospitality..that which was shown to me at the shows or kind invitations that got me there. That's why I love this town.

PS: Prayers continuing to go up for popular singer/songwriter CJ Watson, recovering at home from quadruple bypass surgery. There will be a benefit happening for him at the Listening Room on February 2 with performers to be announced, so stay tuned to various websites for more details.