Hey guys,
Happy New Year to all of you reading this. I just got to thinking about the date today. Looks cool and real easy to type it out, that’s for sure. I guess in a 100 years they will be able to do it again. Interesting thought ain’t it.
This is one new years eve I shall remember. First thing, I was at home. That’s different right there, but for a guy that hasn’t been home on new years very often I always thought that if I were home we would be at a party or someone’s house, or just doing something out on the biggest party night of the year, but………………. let me tell you about my new years eve 2010.
Deanna and I went about 3:30pm to Shane’s Rib Shack to eat like a lunch-supper type of thing with my parents. Got home about 4:30-5:00pm and then around 7pm or so daughter Cara had several friends over for a movie party-sleep over downstairs. Up stairs is where the real rocking was going on though. Get ready cause this is heavy stuff here. I mean UNREAL!
Deanna and I did a little Farmville and Facebook for a while and then around 10pm we started playing Rummy and, yeah there’s more, AND watch a “Jaws” marathon all the way to 3-3:30am. Oh yeah AND yes we kissed at midnight when the ball dropped in Times Square. Then we went to bed and slept til 10 or 10:30am new years day. Now are you still breathing? I mean I know this is intense stuff here but I just had to share it with you. Here’s the big thing, I REALLY enjoyed every minute of it. The 2 of us had the time of our lives and so did the kids downstairs. Boy are we easy to please or what? HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 !
I would love it and I bet others would too if you shared your new years eve night of 2010. That is, if you had as much fun as we did. I look forward to reading all about it.

Thank you guys for all the support in 2010 and believe me 2011 is going to be awesome. God Bless you all and be safe in 2011
Dana

Sitting here in a hotel room in Mankato MN. and I just got to thinking about the comments I have received on this web site and the ones I have NOT. Comments are very interesting to me. It seems if there is no place to give a idea, opinion, or complaint then we are always wishes there was and if there is a place then we either blow off the opportunity or think “I will get to that” and never do. Now I got to tell you all that out of all the comments and emails I have gotten from this web site there has only been 1 that was negative in anyway and all the others have been show idea’s, saying Hello, or just liking certain guest and just pure encouragement to keep doing the show because they are enjoying it. Now I don’t know about you but I find that to be amazing! Just 1?! I love it cause that tells me that I am doing something that you guys are liking and wanting to hear more of and that makes me grin A LOT!
Now all this comes to mind because just the other day I was reading something and at the end I had my chance to comment and yes, like most of you I blew it off and thought I’ll do that later. Later never came. Want to know why? Cause I forgot what web site it was and now I have really forgotten even what I was reading. it was probably about some politics or news how people just DON”T HAVE THE RIGHT TO…….sorry gettin carried away there. Goober I am ! The other thing is this. Comments are really important to the person doing the web site or news story or show like I am doing and for the ones reading or listening. It is a direct link to one another. Sometimes they can even be way more entertaining than the story itself. Well anyway, almost time to jump in the shower and head down to the show and play for the folks here in Mankato. I guess I said all that to say this. I love these sites with comment options on them and I am going to make it a point to use them more often and I want you all to do the same. And no I’m not just talking here on my site but everywhere you see that chance and have a thought let them know about it. It can will make our surfin the www much better.
Clearly Bored, Dana

Key points:

Comment on web sites
I’m a goober
take a shower

After watching last nights ACM awards show I thought it only appropriate to write a few words about such things. Doing TV shows is one thing, such as The Tonight Show or The 700 Club and shows like that but award shows is a completely different animal. Imagine a doctor having 30 patience’s showing up on the same evening all needing surgery in the same 3 hour block and all of them have something different in every way wrong with them. Oh yeah and it all has to be done in the same room too. Can you imagine for just a moment what a Cluster that would be? Whew! Yes, at the award shows they do start rehearsing like a week or two before the show airs but believe me it is unreal how much crap is going on at the same time and let me tell you when the director says GO, when you are on LIVE television, you GO! ready or not. Some of the situations we have been in like hearing them introduce us and I can look down and see that my microphone and guitar is not plugged in to anything and some crew guy come crawling out from under the drum riser trying to figure out the problem. Yes, take a moment and think about that. Things like that have happened more than once to us on different shows. Just think about all the different sets and production you saw last night. Things like, a choir, big video screens, A guy falling in a big tank of water, Dancers, Different ones floating all over the building coming from the back to the front, moving lights all over, pyro going off, 2-3 maybe 4 different stages. Wireless frequencies flying out all over the place. Also there is all of the sound feeds that are happening, a monitor console, front house console and a television console. Unbelievable how much is going on at the same time with one guy on a radio saying GO, like it or not. hence the issue last night with the supposed very last Brooks and Dunn performance. The front house and monitors were on but it took until the halfway point of the song, My Maria, that the (fans,viewers) voted they sing, before Ronnie’s vocal Mic came on in the Television mix. WOW! What a screw up. There is always a problem at those shows with the monitors, the mix that the singers and band hear. Monitors is the most critical part of the sound for the singers and band. If they can’t hear their self, it is going to SUCK, I promise. You may notice a lot of different singers reach up and pull one of their earbuds out. That is nothing except, they are struggling trying to hear and they know if they don’t try to help it by trying to hear the house or, anything at all, they WILL suck!
Sometimes you may notice that the band is really not playing everything your hearing and you think HEY MAN, they are not really playing? Well that is only done in some cases just to try and simplify the cluster effect and, the ones that do that hate doing it but sometimes it is the only saving grace. In case you were wondering the singing is 98% of the time live, hence the struggle. Until we played a few of these I always thought if I heard someone sound bad then that was it. They Suck and my opinion of them would start to drop like a anchor but now after going to and playing many of these types of shows it amazes me that before one is over there is not some sort of explosion or a killin’. i could soooo see somebody like a Kidrock or Hank Jr. just take their guitar off and throw it at the monitor man sitting just off stage and just continue to beat him in the ground and it all be caught on TV for us all to see. Believe me it gets that frustrating. It truly is amazing to see it go down as well as it does. Now, there is a flip side to this coin.

The ACM’s is a Dick Clark Production. They have been doing this for years and doing many award shows. As far as that goes the productions companies that do these shows are always the same people year after year and think of all the different award shows. The Grammys, ACM, American Music Awards, MTV awards, Country Weekly had a show, Music City News had one, CMA, Dove awards and I’m sure I’m forgetting some. You would think after all these shows. I think last night was the 45th ACM? All these shows, one would think they would have it down to a science. With the technology of today and equipment that can be and is automated? Sorry, I’m going to have to stop, I can feel myself starting to get all worked up and MAD about it. And furthermore what on earth could have taken the guy so durn long to turn Ronnie’s Mic on last night. The song starts, he begins to sing, the guy does not hear the voice, he reaches over and hits the un-mute button and BAM, it’s a miracle, your a genuis. But nnnnoooooo! Just couldn’t happen. And then wait, let’s just cut a dude off right in mid sentence when he is trying to accept an award, one of the biggest moments of his life possibly, and somebody said cue the music and he’s out of there. WOW that tics me off! Sorry but to me there is NO excuse for that crap and here’s the best part of all. They will hire the same dudes next year to do the same jobs. And we wonder why they never seem to get better. Go Figure!

The GOOD news to all of this as I see it is:
Lots of exposure for lots of Country Music and without fail record sales always soar after a show like this and we see and hear a lot of new stuff. So my hope is that no matter what, it is good for Country Music, the artist, the business, the record labels, and all the sponsors.
My favorite performance last night: Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood
Most deserving award: Lady A for song and group
Most disappointing performance:Brooks and Dunn, Taylor Swift
Most disappointing award: Miranda Lambert for Female vocalist, with Carrie in the house? Are you Kidding me?

My thoughts, you got any?
Dana

OK OK I know, I have been quite for like a month and yes I am very sorry. We were on a 3 week road trip and I just have not had the chance to get a new show posted but I am back and so is the show. I got some great guests coming your way that I have already done and waiting on call backs on several more that I know are going to be great. MAN I have fun doing this! I should have done this long ago. I have also been working some at the WSM studios and have recorded 4 shows for them. The first one will air on March 25th at 2pm on The Legend 650 AM WSM. They will also be simulcast at www.wsmonline.com so if you can’t tune it in on radio, you can stream it in. I do hope you are enjoying the shows on here and the ones for WSM. If you do, please comment on my site and at the WSM Facebook page and let them know you want to hear more.
So anyway,sorry for the long hiatus but hopefully that will be the last one for a while. Keep Listening, Dana

So over the past several months we have been doing alot of traveling going from town to town just like we have for the past 20 years. On Sept.22 we had a new CD come out and therefore that creates even more travel, doing as much promotion as we can possibly do. Going to New York to do some TV and press things. We were in VA. doing the 700 Club and out to orange co. in California to be on the “Hour Of Power” at the Crystal Cathedral. Any way you get the idea, I don’t want to spell out our entire schedule. Needless to say we have been on quite a few airplanes lately and I just find several things mighty interesting. I hear in the news and have been hearing for quite a while how alot of different airlines are in such trouble financially and as I walk thru these different airports across this wonderful country of ours I see all these gates abandoned where airlines have had to downsize or go OUT of business and part of me gets sad and I truly hate to see it happen…………..BUT…………………
We flew out of VA. just recently and when we got up that morning it was raining and after the show we did that morning we went straight to the airport to catch our flight back home to Nashville. Our flight was out of VA. to Atlanta and then to Nashville which that is reason for a completely different blog but, once at the airport we hear that there is a small delay because of weather in Atlanta, keep in mind this is Delta airlines. I know mistake #1! This small delay turns into like 90 minutes or more and of course now we are very worried about our connection in Atlanta but we were told no worries there because this delay is because of Atlanta so all planes will be delayed and your flight will be there cause it will be delayed as well. We finally leave and get to Atlanta and immediately find a Delta person, ask them our gate and they tell us B28. We arrived at C22. Now if you have ever been to Atlanta airport then you know that is like a 20 min. walk and a shuttle ride away but off we go because they said the plane had not left yet. We get to B28 and the DELTA person tells us no I’m sorry they changed that gate to C26 but we can still make it so off we go right back where we were to start with and after a 20 min. walk and a shuttle ride we get to C26 to then be told by a DELTA person, OH NO I’m sorry that gate is B32. Now needless to say we are not very happy at this point but there is so much Chaos in this airport because of all the delays and we are in such a hurried state trying to get to this plane we just take this on the chin AGAIN and head off to B32, 4 gates from where we just were. After 20min. and another shuttle ride we are coming up on B32 and we are not seeing hardly any people at all and the sign is not saying Nashville anywhere so I, now wet with sweat as you can clearly see coming thru my shirt, go up the DELTA person behind the desk and ask again, We were told that this is the gate for the Nashville flight, has it loaded or is there another gate change and please can you tell us the correct gate for this is our 4th trip? The DELTA person very calmly looks at me and says, Oh that flight left a hour and a half ago SIR. I say well I have talked to you 4 other DELTA people wearing your same outfit and they said that it had not and have been running us all over this airport for the last 45 min. or more, and she said. SIR, you should never pay attention to anything anybody tells you in one of these outfits, you should always just look at the screens place all over the airport. That is what they are there for SIR and I said, WHAT? Are you kidding me? She said there are 3 more flights leaving this evening but one of them has been canceled but there are 2 others that I can give you ticket request for but that is in no way a promise of getting on either of those flights and remember we are not responsible for anything that happens do to weather. So I say, let me get this straight. Your telling me that our flight that we have been told by many DELTA people is still here, has been gone and there are 2 others flights that go to Nashville tonight but you can’t guarantee us seats on and your going to give us ticket request in case there is room on either flight and none of this is your fault and we should never listen to anyone wearing a outfit like yours but only pay attention to the screens ? And she said yes SIR that is correct. So here we stand at 4:30 pm and the next flight leaves at 7:05pm and then another at 8pm and just for fun those flights leave from C24. At this time she is printing out the ticket request and we are not very happy campers to say the least and as she hands me the requests she says, Oh and SIR on days like these it would do you well to practice a little patience if you don’t mind! I’ll give you a moment on that one folks!

On that note with no hesitation and just before I rammed those ticket requests down her throat we instantly went to the rent-a-car place and rented two SUV’s for only $500 and drove to Nashville only to arrive at the airport to return the cars and find out that we beat our luggage by 2 hours and had to sit and wait on it to get there so we could get it ready to leave the next morning for where ever it was we were going, sorry at this moment I just can’t remember where it was. I got home about 1am and you can only imagine the fun that day had been!
This was all on a airline that is just dying for business and charges their customers $20 for a checked bag and $30 for the second. $4 for a 25ct bag a pretzels and some of the highest rates you can find anywhere but you do get a reserved seat assignment! For the life of me with all this wonderful customer service why would they be hurting for business? I just don’t understand it?
Here’s a thought, How about every airline that charges for luggage and pretzels and has people that we should not listen to wearing uniforms, EAT ME and everybody that looks like me, and you deserve whatever you get in this hard time that everyone is going thru and if you think I sound a little too harsh and rude well the good news is for you, this blog entry is OVER!
The Moral is: Fly SOUTHWEST or Drive!
Dana

I’m sitting here in a hotel in Lynchburg VA. and thinking about my up coming High School reunion. This is my 30th year since I have been in High School and just like my Daddy has told me all my life,time has flown by. Where did it all go? It’s just so hard to believe. I know we all have some of these same thoughts and I know that it is the best alternative but man O man 30 YEARS? I still remember thinking when I was in High School that old people were 30. Here I am 48 and think I am still a young man for all practical purpose. I am about to see some folks that I haven’t seen or heard from in 30 years and at one time in my life I saw them every single day. Took them for granted more less and now I bet I see some of them and don’t even recognize their face. Funny how life can do that to us all and change us to the point where people don’t even know you, that saw you every day for years. And what about that deal there? What happens when you graduate and still all live right there in the same town and just NEVER see or talk to any of these people that you shared so much with for so long, I might add the longest years of your life too. I know we all move on in life and jobs and college take us to other places but man alive, there is a lot that still live right there in your town that I bet you haven’t seen in years. Something is BAD wrong with that and not sure I will ever understand it. We have had 2 reunions up til now. One at 10 yrs. and one at 20 and I have not been able to make either one of them. Why? Work why else. It will sure be good to see and hear about some of these folks and what their life has turned into. I just hope the next time some of these folks see one another is because they just want to hang out instead of mourning the loss of one like has happened way to many times. I know life gets busy with kids and their needs, and work and travel but there is nothing like friends, and old ones are the best ones ever. You know I’m right !
Just had this on my mind and thought I would just write it down. I got some people to call and tell them to get their butt in gear so I will get mine in gear too and let’s do lunch and quit talking about it and DO IT!

The Moral? Whatever it is, DO IT before you CAN’T ! til next time, Dana