Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3750


At least that's what MAB wrote with Megan. So MAB, DO YOU BELIEVE!!!??? I am sure putting those words to the test here recently. There are some REALLY EVIL forces at work here!! The latest thing is, Thursday I got my new A/C compressor and the terrible noise in my car is finally fixed. THE BAD NEWS IS: This new A/C compressor will not turn off!! So, I called yesterday and my service rep said to bring it in today. WELL, I just got back. Turns out this compressor is bad too!! And, the rep and the tech convinced me I should not drive the car anymore because the pump could freeze up and cause the belt to snap, which would render the car not drivable. So, I left it with them. Now, my original plan was to drive over to Gulf Shore tomorrow and stay for 2 weeks. I am supposed to go to a FBISF volunteer meeting Tuesday night, and I was going to play Cathy's open mic Monday. But, I don't "have to" play the open mic, and I can probably get out of the meeting. So, my car should be ready late Tuesday and I can drive over Wednesday. There is a kick-off party Wednesday night, so  can get my t-shirt and lanyard then. Even if I can't get over there until Thursday, I don't have any volunteer work scheduled until maybe Thursday night. BUT, I AM, I ABSOLUTELY AM, going to be there!! I will NOT surrender to these EVIL FORCES!!!


David, sounds like we write about the same. I write a few lines, then play it out on my guitar, then write some more until verse 1 and or the chorus is done. (usually the chorus is first) That gets me a chord progression and melody. But, since I don't have that much confidence in my rhythm timing, I will turn on a rhythm track on my keyboard and play and sing with that to be sure the lyrics and melody fit like I want them too. Then I finish with the verse and lift. BUT, I am rarely satisfied with my first draft, so I rewrite, then rewrite again, then probably a 3rd-6th time.


So MAB, my rewriting can range from only a few lines to sometimes a complete verse. Since I will go through this process 3-6 times, is that considered ONE song, or could I count that as however many times I did a rewrite? Does that kind of writing process apply to the "quantity produces quality" theory?


phil g.

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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3751
BAD THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON is the song you are quoting Phil, and yes, that is pretty much the exact thing I was talking about. Megan and her Mother had been running late to get up to Nashville to work with me, and had they left on time they would have ended up RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of a huge wreck on the Interstate. So sometimes bad things do happen for a reason. I am sure you will be fine and get here and not be burned out.

Harland Howard said that "A good writer should be able to write the same song over and over 6 times from different perspective. He wasn't a writer if he couldn't do that. " It is all ONE song unless the melody and form all change. Then it could be different songs. But if it is along the same lines, yes it is one song.

It is what makes copyrights so weird to deal with. People will go through all this stuff doing copyrights (at least the amateurs do), and they find out that songs keep changing sometimes even DURING the recording. So you wait until you have THAT version of the song. You have to "affix a recorded copy of the song"  for registration, so you might as well wait until it is ready to be released before you do it. Or if you are getting a cut, generally you will have some form of publisher, who usually does that for you. But I have seen songs have to be amended and all kinds of changes when they copywrote it before it was ready.

I see where Taylor Swift is getting sued for a line "Haters gonna Hate", by some idiot supposed writer. He is going to find out YOU CAN'T SUE FOR LINES. That line has been around for years and is part of the reason Taylor used it. IT IS A SAYING. You can't copyright that. I hope they charge him for every legal appointment, sue the lawyer for taking the case, sue the law firm for employing the lawyer, sue the school for teaching the lawyer, sue his parents for raising him to be an idiot, sue THEIR parents for raising THEIR kids. Maybe go back and sue their family for moving to America in the first place. 

I'd love to see JUST one lawsuit like that that makes people finally go "Wait a minute...ALL THIS STUFF IS INCREDIBLY STUPID." We call it TORT REFORM, and it should be done NOW. But it won't. So we all endure continuing stupidity. 

I personally have MY OWN designation to all this goofy stuff that constantly goes on in this world. UNIVERSAL SILLINESS. It is a term for all these things, politically correct, everyone being offended by everything, one thing after another we all seem to endure, that are SO SILLY they should not only NOT be taken seriously, they should be LAUGHED OUT AND RIDICULED out of existence. That would be my term. And yes, I've used it in a song before. 
so don't.  I'LL SUE YOU!!!!

MAB
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3752

Yes MAB, but the reason I referenced the song was, do YOU believe those words you wrote? Can you, reverend MAB, convince me that all these evil things happening to me right now, REALLY ARE for some greater reason that will be revealed to me in the near future? I'm looking for some morale support here! LOL


phil g.

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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3753
Phil, OF COURSE.

I just described it to you. But EVERY BAD THING IS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD THINGS. Good people die in accidents or suicides and there is no good in that. But it might teach a car company about safety or prevent someone else from killing themselves. How much effect do you think the suicide of Robin Williams will help toward funding for Parkinson's research? How much did Christopher Reeve's spine breaking accident raise for Spinal injury research. Have you been watching the news where they now have a new exoskeleton that wounded troops are using to be able to walk again? A lot of money for that research and awareness came from Christopher Reeve's accident and foundation, including Hollywood celebrities who did fund raisers and brought attention to it and gave money to the foundation.

Yes, you had some bad luck with your car. Everybody does. We have had our own situation here over the past two weeks with cars. Happens. But maybe you'll get over later to the Frank Brown festival and have a couple extra days rest. That might give you a little extra energy to hang out a little longer or see another show you might not have. That might allow you to randomly run into someone at the open mic, get you a different slot where someone sees you play your songs and like what you do and you might get another co-writer, and next year, a song you wrote with them might be your favorite song you do.

 Maybe it will be about  car trouble. Which, if you remember, traffic delays factored into RiDawn being late for our writing sessions where we did BORED GAMES. That led to a very good demo on a song you were a writer on and her doing it out on dozens of shows around Nashville. I'd say that is a pretty good thing.
This year when someone asks you "who you have written with", you can say RIDAWN RAE AND MARC ALAN BARNETTE, and someone who knows and adores RiDawn (and there are a TON OF THOSE) and someone might have even heard her do that song. And BOOM you have another little "in" with someone you could write with. And that could lead you to writing with SOMEONE ELSE who you like, which will lead you to writing with SOMEONE ELSE you wanted to write with.

Always something positive you can look at. How's that for moral support?

MAB
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3754

THANKS MAB!!! You ARE THE MAN!!! And as far as Bored Games is concerned, that is one of the songs I am planning on playing at Don's open mic. I am hoping to help promote RiDawn, since she will not be able to make it. Or, if she does, I will have been her set-up guy!! See ya Thursday night!!


phil g.

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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3755
Phil,

NAME RECOGNITION is one of the REASONS you co-write. Mentioning myself and RiDawn, particularly to Don and Karen McNatt and other people it gives them an AIR OF FAMILIARITY, or a connection to someone they know. Also it can bring me business if you talk about doing things with me. So you are also a bit of a representative to me. You will continually run into people who are thinking about coming to Nashville and will want to know what to do. 
BUT REMEMBER, NEVER TRY TO HARD SELL ME TO ANYBODY. Point out my web site, or try to get them to come here. Let them see for themselves.

But that is the reason you are doing that. You mention things you are doing and have been involved with. You don't make a big deal or name drop but just be realistic. And you should be trying to get in with some of these people. And people like TAYLOR CRAVEN and others that you have come into contact with. Try to invite them or get invited to the guitar pulls or writers parties. Watch the "river house" across from the Florabama. There are often things going on over there. 

Show up to our private party Sunday night. Go to our show at the RV park on Sunday afternoon. There are many things to do that are away from the actual festival that you'll want to be aware of. Keep your ears and eyes open. And when you perform, DON'T SUCK!!! You never know who is listening.

MAB
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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3756
MARC-ALAN BARNETTE-JIMBEAU HINSON SCHEDULE

2016 FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL



Friday Nov. 6 MAIN ROOM , FLORABAMA LOUNGE AND PACKAGE STORE 8:00-10:00

17401 Perdido Key Dr. 32507



Saturday. 7 Sunset Cork Room 7:00-9:30

225 E. 16TH Ave. Gulf shores Al. 36542-3507



SUNDAY 8th BUENO VISTA RESORT, 5:00-7:00

Perdido beach blvd.



Tuesday 10th PERDIDO BEACH RESORT 8:30-10:00

27200 Perdido Beach Blvd.



Thus. 12th THE NEW MALIBU BEACH CLUB 9:30-11:30

1000 Gulf Beach Hwy. 32507



Friday 13th PERDIDO KEY SPORTS BAR 8:45-10:30



SATURDAY 14TH PIRATES COVE 2:00-3:00 pm.

6664 County Road 95, Elberta Al.





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Mary O'Brien-Sweeney
#3757
"A good writer should be able to write the same song over and over 6 times from different perspective".I just love that quote. It is one that has served me well, and also a reason why I never throw lyrics out; even if I don't like them at the time.I have often made four songs, from one song that I wrote,and also stole a line from someone else's song, and made it my title to a completely new song.
I listened to one of ODs songs, and one line really hit me.I thought "that is one fantastic title" and as you know, a title is probably the first thing anyone knows about a song, and often becomes the hook.It was that good, I couldn't understand why, he hadn't gone ahead and written another song with it.Out of courtesy of course, I contacted him and asked him if he minded me using it. He was delighted to help out, and I am delighted with my song.
I think sometimes we can undervalue what we write ourselves, and that is where co writing is great.Peggy Burnham sent me a great idea, some good lyrics, that just needed some fine tuning, and music...and we have ourselves a song.
Had she thrown her lyrics out, when she got stuck... neither of us would have a song.So maybe there is a lesson in that.Keep what you write.There well may come a time when you could use some of those lines that didn't quite fit what you had in mind a while ago,or a co writer might see them through a whole new perspective.

Mary O'Brien
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David Sanchez
#3758
This is great advice, Mary.  
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3759

Good morning all! We are now in "All about FBISF" mode. I should be posting from Gulf Shores, AL, this morning, but because my car is still in the shop, I'm still at home. BUT, it's STILL all about FBISF. I wish more folks could come down and enjoy part of the 10 day festival. Right now, my car should be done tomorrow or early Wed. at the latest. So, I'm planning on driving over Wednesday. Earlier I posted I would see MAB Thursday, but looking at his schedule, I guess I won't see him until Friday. Even if I have to work Friday, I will still be able to catch "The Two Tornados of Twang Town"  show at the Flora-Bama. Looking forward to a great, busy, tiring, 10 days!!


phil g.

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Kevin Emmrich
#3760
You all have a great time at the beach!   My wife had jury duty for a week (!) and then a New York trip, so she can't take any more time off -- and her mom and dad were supposed to go with us, but her mom had knee replacement surgery.   Maybe next year.

On a music related note, I noticed that there are 1,000 new releases at bandcamp.com EVERY DAY!   They are not all full-length CD's, of course, there are EP's, singles, T-shirts and other things in the mix, but still -- 1,000 new releases every day!!! 


The supply of music is endless.    
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Justin Parker
#3761
The Kid steps in with an article from rolling stone of ten country artists to watch... Are any of them not from Texas??? LOL Bwhahahahaha sorry y'all just teasin...

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/10-new-country-artists-you-need-to-know-november-2015-20151102
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3762

Kevin, sorry you won't be able to make it down. Hope everyone gets better soon.


Well, as of right now, I'm ready to roll. Around 9am tomorrow. FBISF here I come!! Going to a kickoff party tomorrow night, then the festival starts Thursday.


phil g.

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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3763
Hello folks,

Yeah, Frank Brown has begun for me as well. I've already started by turning down gigs. Phil, yesterday I had a phone call from Linda Ponder, asking me to step up into some hosting duties. The first was a thing they are doing for RORY AND JOEY, my friends going through Cancer. They are doing a big show on Thus. for them. They asked me to host, but I turned it down. The main reason is that I will just be getting into town and I have already made dinner plans with a BUNCH of people, who are expecting that to be my "night off." The second, is that I feel really weird about a lot of these things. You see, things like Facebook are seemingly one person after another either whining about their hardships, fishing for sympathy, talking about how terrible their lives are, asking for prayers for this, prayers for that, etc. It really bothers me. And when I put my comments about Rory and Joey, I wanted to make sure people didn't take my words for that. I know them a LITTLE BIT, they are not like my best friends, or we constantly hang out with them. I mentioned some things they had done illustrating their character and what I knew of them. The rest seems self aggrandizing, and I don't do that. So I turned it down and suggested Don and Karen McNatt to host. I am sure it will go well.

Then she offered me three more hosting nights. I am only open for one of them. Wed. might, the 11th, Memorial day. I am already booked just about every night. So much for the "vacation." I swear, one of these years I am NOT going to take all these gigs. Oh well. Nine gigs over 10 days. I guess that is less than my all time high of 14 over 10 days. I have often filled in for people that didn't show up, got drunk and in jail, early morning and late night television and radio interviews, civic speeches, school presentations, etc. I think I have done everything down there, played every venue and I guess I have done them all decently or they wouldn't ask me back. 

But this comes at a time I really need to be down there. I miss going down. Up until Hurricane Katrina, I was down there once a month and at one time, thought I would be moving to that area to live. But the damn NSAI people and the teaching thing took me on a different chorus, DAMN ALL OF YOU!!! I blame all of you here! It is all your fault!!!! LOL!

Oh well. This will seem like going home. Maybe I'll be picking out my new place to live. Who knows. One day you might just come here to find me gone. Interestingly enough, yesterday I was doing part of my ongoing cleaning out of many of my files and things from the past years. I am finding old songs and lyrics in my big black binders, going through them, throwing away most of them, and transferring the valid ones to new bigger binders. I found one that has my favorite first line I ever wrote and the  song I really like:

Good AS GONE
There's a Yaught stuck in a freeway overpass
Got traffic backed up fifteen miles
What a day, only in LA
My back seat looks like a pawn shop
everything I've saved for fifteen years
Can't look back any way
Rearview mirror broke off yesterday
   Friends say don't leave this tow
   Why can't you just settle down

CHORUS
I'M GOOD AS GONE, COUNTING THE MILES
GAS IN MY TANK, AIR IN MY TIRES
FREE FROM MY PAST, I'M ON MY OWN
NO LOOKING BACK
I'M GOOD AS GONE

I like that one.
You just never know.

MAB
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3764

Well,I'm here!! Got in about an hour ago, got set up, getting ready to go over to the Sports Bar for the kickoff party. I brought sooo much stuff with me! Most of it I probably won't use. BUT, the one thing I didn't bring, and may just need, is my song book. It's all on my laptop, but I also brought my keyboard. Very often when I'm practicing, I like to set the lyrics on my keyboard and use it's rhythm track while I play guitar and sing. Oh well. I'll get over it. OR, have my wife express mail it tomorrow! LOL


So MAB, I guess I'll still see you Friday then at the Flora-Bama. I think I work that night so I'll keep folks from interrupting the show. Make 'em wait till between songs to come in.


phil g.

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Mary O'Brien-Sweeney
#3765
Love your title MAB "Good As Done" really catches the attention, and made me want to real on.Enjoy the festival guys.Would love to be there. Mary
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Kevin Emmrich
#3766
Ott:  -- I entered a song contest!   It's the JPF 2016 Music Awards -- and I like it because it is free (ha, ha).  I probably won't get too far, but at least it gave me the motivation to finish my CD up.  I'll probably review at least one genre when the awards process gets further along.  Last time I did College Rock and Adult Contemporary.  It was fun, but I did find it hard at times to plow through 100 college rock CD's and then 70 or so contemporary adults CD's.   

EDIT:   Oh yea, all can enter, here is the info:  Send your CD in for the free awards contest. 
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Ott Lukk
#3767
Good luck, Kevin!  Ott
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3768

Let's see. I guess I didn't report on the kickoff party. By the time I got to the Sports Bar, it was standing room only and you couldn't here anything. I did manage to catch up with a few friends though. That is THE cool thing about doing these events. You make friends one year, and the next year, it's just AMAZING how many people remember you! I'm ashamed to say, I didn't really remember everyone I re-met. At least not names. Remembered most faces. AND, I met about 3 or 4 NEW people. I'll be working and playing the Flora-Bama the whole festival, so I expect to catch up with even more people and meet a LOT of new folks. I wish everyone could be down here. It is REALLY a great time!!


So, today is Thursday (or at least it was when I started this post). Today was check-in for the performing writers. Got to meet a lot of folks from the last 2 years, plus a few new ones. I didn't have to work today, but I went in for Don and Karen McNatt's "songwriter showcase" (NOT "open mic" this year. GREAT new name since all the performers play their original tunes). The Rhodes brothers are here (Eddie R. from SR). My friend Jules is here. Gary Cavanaugh showed up. And a long list of folks from the last 2 years. After the showcase, I went over to Gilbey's to catch Gary's show. He had asked another friend of ours, Riley, to sit in with him, and it was a really good show. After them was Ted Jones, who I know from the last 2 years, and another guy Don, who I had seen for 2 years, but not really meet. After their sets, I stuck around with Riley and Don and we talked music and guitars. One more new friend (Don) for the rest of this festival and the next one.


MAB and Tina showed up at the Flora-Bama AFTER the showcase so I got to catch up with them. MAB introduced me to yet another friend of his, Don (I think?) and his wife (woops! Can't remember her name) from Knoxville. MAB "re-introduced" me  to Tom Bresh, a great songwriter and guitar player. Maybe after this festival Tom will actually remember me! LOL!!


Tomorrow, (at least it will be by central time) I will be getting the coffee, tea, and soda for all these guys and expect o catch up with still more folks and meet some new folks. Will try to post again tomorrow night.


phil g.

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Matt Casey
#3769
Just stopped in to say hi to everyone, been too long. I like to see what I missed, so I had to go back and read 50 pages earlier. I see my buddy OD is still starting online brouhahas, I thought he was mellowing a bit as he becomes Older Dog, but there is still a lot of fight left in him.

Good luck at Frank Brown MAB, the only thing making me less jealous is it is 72 up here today, almost a record for November 6.
Keith will be down there too, I am sure you'll run into him or vice versa. 

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Mary O'Brien-Sweeney
#3770
Ha Ha Aw, the Old Dogs bark is much worse than his bite!
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Peggy Burnham
#3771
Just an update. I went for my first guitar lesson Tuesday. He went over all the basic stuff showed me different kinds and how they sounded and felt. Showed me some single notes and then some chords. It was a little overwhelming. I felt like the person just learning to dance that has to look at their feet to make sure they are moving them in the right direction. I had to look to see where to put my fingers and which strings to pick. That was actually pretty normal for a beginner. Then the last few minutes he showed me the keyboard. I decided to go with the keyboard. In order to get good enough to help with my writing, it would take to long to learn the guitar, and then all that time the focus would be off of my writing. With the keyboard, I think I can learn faster and it has so many other options such as drum beats etc. I think it is going to be the better choice for me. I got one for only $40 so that I can practice and have it at home.

thanks everyone for the advice.
PS. I rewrote the lyrics we were using for questions about structure etc. I did rename it as several suggested and changed it from you to I so that it didn't sound preachy. I rewrote quite a bit of it. I am sending it tomorrow to someone I met that does music and when it is done I will post it on open mic. I have an idea for the melody that I think will be pretty cool. I will suggest it to him and see what he thinks.

thanks again Peggy
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Phillip (phil g.) Grigg
#3772

Peggy, I for one support your instrument choice. The rhythm tracks will be a big plus for fitting lyrics and melody into a structure. HOWEVER, don't think it's that easy LOL! You still have some "basic" music theory to learn. And we can help you here if you ask.


O.K. Justin!! This is my first FBISF report, for now, because I'm tired and need to be up early today. I'll try to post some more tonight. I have to be at "work" at 9:30, then I want to do the 5pm open mic. Yesterday (now) I met Frank Gilligan from Houston, TX. I asked him if he knew Justin Parker. He said, "Yes", and that you are writing with his room mate. He also attends the NSAI meetings that you do. Small world, huh? So, since he made it down from Houston; What is your excuse for not being here? LOL. You till have this coming weekend to come down. O.K.?


phil g.

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John Westwood
#3773
The main thing  is that Peggy has made a choice and  now can  move on it..

 Go gal go !
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Marc-Alan Barnette
#3774
Hey guys,

not going to go through everything right now, but lets just say FRANK BROWN has been amazing! Four shows so far, and five more to go. Each one has been standing room only, with waiting lists to get in. Jimbeau and I have been really slamming it. He and I have a pretty solid show. WE are up tempo, aggressive, in your face, and show just what can be done with well crafted songs, and a dynamic performance. I like to show that songwriting does not have to be wimpy, restless, tiring, preachy or just plain boring.

It is why we have gotten so many shows. All the venues want us because these are not just "listening rooms." These are normal bars and resturants, that usually appeal to a beach mentality. Their audiences, while a little different during Frank Brown are very different than most songwriters are used to. Many are not here to listen to music outside of background noise. They are much more used and expect Jimmy buffet than original songwriters and songs. So when they get a bunch of long winded ballad writers, they are going to rebel. With their money. There are a lot of places to go and if they are not going to be entertained, they are going somewhere else. The Florabama alone has three bars. Some places in Pensacola have seven in one complex. So if you are wanting to do this, you better be on your game.

And when you are a newbie or trying to work your way in, you are literally onstage with MONSTER HIT WRITERS. That is your competition, which makes you be very competent in your songs. This is not for the feint of heart or mediocre. Those do have the opportunities on open mics and outside gigs, but the main part of the festival are all heavy hitters. 

A big fun thing about here is a new guy to the festival. His name is RANDY BROOKS, and he wrote "GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER." That one is about the most popular song on this festival. Met and was hanging out with him yesterday. Great guy, and he is like his business card says "Milking Grandma got Run Over By a Reindeer since 1979!" LOL! As I was talking to him yesterday in front of the festival execs, I came up with one of my typically goofy ideas that often work. I said that next year, we should have a BAD CHRISTMAS SONG night. Do it like at the Bama main room and have all the writers with really crappy Christmas songs, do them for charity. We could donate the door to TOYS FOR TOTS, and it would be hilarious. I could do my idiotic "NOT SO MERRY CHRISTMAS HERE IN THE TRAILER PARK" (Which I did last night in a multi million dollar RV park) and all the other writers have the same kind of things. The more talented successful writers take themselves less seriously and therefor are more fun to watch, and even if they have crappy songs, they are GREAT, WELL WRITTEN CRAPPY SONGS!!!

Our final capping for the weekend, was last night, on the 23rd floor of a mega condominium, the swankiest most expensive down here. We were hosted by 9 FOOD NETWORK CHEFS, who cooked a HUGE DINNER, of very amazing foods from all over the world. One of my best friends is involved with the Food Network and organized cooking demonstrations for the OYSTER FESTIVAL going on this past weekend. So as a celebration, they brought the food, cooked it in this amazing condo and Jimbeau and I did a small show for them. Singing for our supper. 

Was a great night and I could go on and on but the pictures are all over facebook if you want to see. 

Okay. Everyone have a good time. have to go to the hospitality room. See what trouble Phil is into.

MAB 
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