Music for People for Animals

Looking forward to playing a song or two at this benefit for a worthy organization. People for Animals is made up of folks who are doing what they can to promote proper care for our animal friends, and to prevent their unnecessary suffering due to neglect. This event is hosted by Ryan Nicholson, and features Nashville notables Frank Ortega, Pam Belford, Stephen Salyers, Heather Barrie, Jennifer Marciano and Billy Ramirez. This will take place Saturday, April 9, starting at 6:30 pm, at the Listening Room, in Cummins Station, 209 10th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4124, (615) 259-3600. Admission is a suggested $10 donation. Parking is free on the street or in the lot across the street.

House concert January 22

Looking forward to this house concert at the home of Debby Wilson in Spring Hill, TN. I met Debby when we were both involved in the Chattanooga workshop of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

This event is open to the public but reservations are required, so e-mail Debby for info as soon as possible, to make sure you get a response.

Kari Hilpert, along with husband Tom, will be the other artist featured at the event.

It's a lot of fun to perform or even just attend a house concert. So I get to be performer AND audience for this one. Best of both worlds!

A Celtic Cup Christmas

I'll be bringing a team of talented friends dedicated to sharing the holiday spirit through music and merrymaking. Some of us might even wear hats.

Come on out before the parade, after the parade and (we won't tell anyone) even during the parade, to warm up with some good tunes and great food and drink.

Friday, December 3, 2010
6pm - ???

The Mark Kelly Hall Christmas Ensemble
Featuring Charlsey Etheridge, Jack Pearson, Kathy Von and more
The Celtic Cup Coffee House
106 North Anderson Street, Tullahoma, TN, 37388
Phone: 931-563-7733
Free admission

"Round" out your Thanksgiving weekend

This'll be a fun writers night, with the smooth-voiced Terry Thompson and the sweet yet fiery Georgia native Tori Bigelow.

Surely you'll be thoroughly sick of Thanksgiving leftovers by Sunday night, and this is the best way to keep the weekend going as long as possible!

Sunday, November 28
7 pm - 8pm (come early, stay late!)
In the round with Terry Thompson and Tori Bigelow.

The Listening Room
In Cummins Station
209 10th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203-4124
(615) 259-3600
Free admission, free parking on and across the street. Bring an appetite!

Ain't No Grave gonna make you keep still during this song

I'm no Pentecostal--I'm not particularly demonstrative even for a Southern Baptist--but this rendering makes me want to get loud in a dusty wood-floored church, surrounded by women with beehive hairdos (not a B-52's reference, kids).

I first heard this song from Russ Taff, on the Under Their Influence album. I prefer that version, featuring the great James Hollihan's instrumentals and the equally great Ashley Cleveland's bgv's. I do a poor imitation of it from time to time when I'm feeling especially free. I even added my own verse...about dancing, yet!

Here's Russ Taff singing live to the track. Make room. You will move.

A vote for Bill is a vote for Dana

Forget about platforms...forget about the issues...forget about politics altogether. When we go to the polls to vote for our next governor, we Tennesseeans have a chance to make a difference like never before...in Dana Carvey's career.

Just think: if Bill Haslam gets elected, there's a chance he'll go on to be President of the United States. Not only would that mean Sarah Palin would NOT be president for that term or two (a good thing in itself, if you believe like I do that she shouldn't be in the Oval Office without a guest pass), it would also give Carvey the opportunity to do what he does best: pretend to be someone else for money and laughs. Come to think of it, being president offers the same opportunity, based on past officeholders. And some didn't even have to do the pretending to be someone else part.

Mike Myers (Wayne to Carvey's Garth) may be ready to come back into the spotlight as well. Anyone up for "Austin Powers Goes to Nashville"? And if SNL doesn't want him back, at least Carvey would be a shoo-in for the job of presidential body double. Hey, if Stephen Colbert, a fake conservative, can address the real Congress (which turned out neither funny nor profound, apparently; just odd), then why not this?

But really, Haslam doesn't need to be elected president or even governor to bring this dream to life. He just needs to get caught in one of those YouTube phenomena that elevate common people to the heights of celebrity and bring the stars down to our own level. So let's keep those cameras rolling.

At the Listening Room, Sept. 26

This is a great way to keep the weekend going as long as possible!

I'll be playing in the round with some very talented people at the Listening Room on Sunday. Sept. 26 (as you know if you read the title of this post). We're kicking off this writers night hosted by Lorna Flowers at 6 pm. Come early and get a good seat (there's lots of 'em, but don't take chances), order a good meal and enjoy.

My "co-rounders" will be Tori Bigelow, Melissa Fuller and J.P. Williams. All very talented, of course.

The Listening Room
In Cummins Station
209 10th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203-4124
(615) 259-3600
Free admission. Free parking, too; either in the spaces along the street in front of Cummins Station, or across the street in the designated lot.

Carl Reiner unmasked

I never noticed the resemblance before, until I saw comedy great Carl Reiner on TV...and he reminded me of a certain riveting scene from the Star Wars film series. Pictures don't lie. Clearly this is one of Hollywood's best kept secrets. Until now. Move over, TMZ.

It's tough to get people to take you seriously once you've established an image as a comic. Quite an accomplishment here. Way to go, Carl.

Pat Terry at the Celtic Cup, Oct. 15

Not too early to plan for this one! I'm honored once again to share a bill with Pat Terry.

Pat's songs and presentation are sometimes quirky, sometimes poignant, but always compelling. He is one of my musical heroes from way back, and I am far from alone in that.

He is well known to many from his days in the Pat Terry Group, who were part of the first wave of contemporary Christian music, a.k.a. "Jesus Music," in the 70's. Some know him for his hard-hitting, hard-rocking solo work from the 80's. Still others know his work from the liner notes of some very successful artists, as he eventually made a name for himself in the Nashville country market as a songwriter. His credits include hit songs performed by Sammy Kershaw, Tanya Tucker, Alan Jackson, B.J. Thomas, John Anderson and more.

Pat's latest work is as good as anything he's ever done, which is saying a LOT.

And, by the way, he's as nice a guy as you could wish to meet. Hence the part about me sharing the bill with him!

The Celtic Cup Coffee House
106 North Anderson Street
Tullahoma, TN, 37388
Phone: 931-563-7733

Friday, October 15, 2010
6 pm - closing (9ish)
Free admission, but bring an appetite and money for tips and CD's (namely Pat's)

Amber Hayes CD release

My pal Bill Dee is helping propel this new talent to stardom, one song at a time. Hear the future of country music, blah, blah, blah, at this FREE show! Always fun to see the beginning of what may be the subject of a "Behind the Music" special (CMT style) many years down the road. Catch it before the smiles and good times turn to broken promises and debilitating addictions, just before the rehab and comeback!

Kidding. Except for the "free" part.

Amber Hayes CD release party
Thursday, September 2, 6-7 pm
Station Inn
402 12th Avenue, South
Nashville, TN 37203

Listen online: www.wsmonline.com

Lounge music...the good kind

Some talented friends are playing in the Lounge at 12th & Porter this week. All of them have shared the stage with me, and will again, sooner or later...so you know they must be good. Or generous and tolerant. Either way, worth a visit.

To prove that "two outta three ain't bad," here are Charlsey and Dave in action:



And here's a glimpse of Kathy Von:



See you at
12th & Porter
http://www.myspace.com/12thandporter
114 12th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 320-3754

Well, what would YOU say?

I'd say, "Don't worry, horrible spelling and grammar skills won't keep you out of heaven, no matter how much they irritate some of us here on earth."

The Lifesaver Tribute: a flood relief benefit

The bad news: this has nothing to do with candy with a hole in it.

The GOOD news:

Some classic names representing contemporary Christian music from the 70’s all the way up to today are coming together in concert to support one of their own. “The Lifesaver Tribute” is a concert to benefit the husband and wife musical duo known as Farrell & Farrell, who lost their home in the Nashville flood. The concert gets its name from one of Farrell & Farrell’s hit songs.

The concert will feature Amy Grant, Susan Ashton and a special reunion performance by the Pat Terry Group. Also performing are Kirk & Deby Dearmon, Brynn and Gersh (the husband & wife team made up of former members of RachelRachel and WhiteHeart), and more.

The concert will happen Wednesday, July 28th at 7pm, at the Village Chapel, 2021 21st Ave. South in Nashville. Tickets are $50 in advance or $55 at the door. Seating is limited so get yours now online at www.iTickets.com or www.patterryonline.com, or by calling 800-965-9324.

Don't mess with Texas

So, NOW do you know what they mean?

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Vaughn Montoya (not that she really had a choice)

Alexander Kelly: Frontier Lawmaker, Indian Fighter

This is the text of a story published in the UT Alumnus, a newsletter for graduates of the University of Tennessee, in 1975 (enhanced here by the results of my "exhaustive" research, a.k.a. Googling). Any additions, corrections, or questions are very welcome.

It tells part of the story of my great-great-great-great grandfather, from whose family I get my middle name and possibly my melancholy nature, my readiness to contend for territory (usually intellectual rather than geographical) and my gift of gab (I realize whether that's actually a gift depends on your point of view...but this is mine).

I always feel the need to mention my mixed feelings about the nature of some of his exploits, being directed against a people whose cause I have more sympathy with than he did, to say the least. Even some of the language and tone is relatively recent article would not be considered appropriate today, especially as a university publication. But he was a man of his time, and clearly a brave and adventurous one at that, dedicated to protecting his own, so I focus on the positive aspects of his character rather than the unfortunate targets of his pursuits. You can really only repudiate so much of what your predecessors did, while speaking their language, living on the land they claimed, and otherwise enjoying the benefits of those actions you might criticize.

To continue that thought: we've probably all fantasized about meeting our ancestors. But do we realize what that might really be like? Think of the most racist, ignorant and/or superstitious thing you've ever heard a parent, grandparent or other old relative say. Then imagine that a few generations back, that person would likely be considered a raging liberal, a broad-minded, forward-thinking genius. Sobering, isn't it?

Anyway, back to Granddaddy Kelly:



(From the UT Alumnus, 1975, p. 27)

Like John Sevier, Alexander Kelly was a man of action—a leader in the defense of the settlers against Indian attack and a leader in the territorial and state governments.

Like Sevier, too, Kelly was a charter trustee of Blount College, and thereby a champion of education in the infant State of Tennessee.

Sometimes a "conflict of interest" arose, and Alexander Kelly had to choose between sitting in the legislative chamber and riding against marauding Indians. In those rare instances, military duty took precedence.

For example, while the territorial legislature (of which Kelly was a member) was meeting at Knoxville on Aug. 28, 1794, “on motion of Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Hardin, ordered that Mr. Kelly and Mr. Beard have leave of absence, to go on a scout against the Indians."

A threatened incursion of hostile Cherokees made it necessary for the two militia officers to put aside their legislative duties for days of hard riding through neighboring hills and valleys.

A week later "Mr. Kelly returned and took his seat" in the legislative hall—just in time to vote on the resolution to create Blount College.

Alexander Kelly was one of several Blount College trustees who claimed Ireland as their birthplace. Kelly was born about 1750 in County Armagh and was brought to America as an infant.

Settled First in Virginia

The family settled in Virginia, and during the Revolutionary War the home was in Greenbriar in that state. On July 9, 1776—five days after the signing of the Declaration of Independence—Kelly enlisted as a private in the Ninth Virginia Regiment. On October 4, 1777, Kelly was taken prisoner by the British at Germantown; and it was 1785—after he had moved to Tennessee country—that he received the balance of his military pay, an amount of 23 pounds, four shillings.

Apparently Private Kelly was not a prisoner for very long. He was married and a son, John Kelly, was born in Greenbriar County, Virginia, on June 12, 1779. At some time between 1779 and 1783, he took his family southward into Tennessee country. Old records reveal that Alexander Kelly was appointed an assessor in Greene County, North Carolina (Tennessee) in April 1783; and two years later he was named a major of Greene County militia in the short-lived State of Franklin.

By 1792, Kelly had moved his family to Knox County, where he became a farmer and miller. He was appointed a colonel of Knox County militia, and in 1793 he took part in the expedition against the Indians who had attacked outlying stations and threatened the territorial capital of Knoxville.

Pursued Indians into Georgia

Under John Sevier, the militia pursued the Indians into Georgia and defeated them at the forks of the Coosa and Hightower rivers, near the present site of Rome, Georgia.

In that battle, Colonel Kelly led a maneuver that settled the issue in the militia's favor. Finding the river ford obstructed by Indians entrenched on the opposite shore, Sevier sent Kelly's party downstream to make a crossing. Kelly and some of his men swam the river, thus getting the attention of the Indians who "left their entrenchments and ran down the river to oppose their passage." The main force of militia quickly forded the river and routed the Indians.

When the territorial legislators were elected in 1793, Alexander Kelly was chosen a representative from Knox County.

In 1795 Knox County was divided and Blount County was formed. Kelly was one of seven commissioners named to find a site for the county seat and to erect county buildings. The site of Maryville was chosen, and the town was named in honor of Governor William Blount's wife, Mary Grainger Blount.

Kelly moved his residence to Blount County about that time, settling in the vicinity of present-day Louisville and building a mill on Lackey's Creek.

Appointed commandant of the county militia, Kelly lost no time in fulfilling his responsibility to protect the settlers of Blount County.

Early in 1795 Indians came out of their mountain towns and raided isolated homes in the new county. Kelly raised about fifty men and marched across Chilhowee Mountain to Tallassee Old Town. Upon reaching the river and seeing smoke rising from the opposite shore, Kelly sent a detachment across the stream to attack from the rear—a maneuver employed so effectively at Hightower. The surprised Indians were routed from the river bluffs, with eight being killed. Kelly's company suffered no injuries.

This swift action brought peace to the new county. Kelly was elected to the first Senate of Tennessee, serving Blount County in 1796-97.

Always a pioneer, Kelly was one of the early settlers of Marion County, Tennessee, claiming some 3,000 acres of land there in 1824. Not long after settling in the new county, he was drowned in the Sequatchie River.


NOTE: "Greenbriar" could be a reference to Greenbrier County, West Virginia; it was part of Virginia until the Civil War.--MKH

Grammar Still Matters...just not as much

This graphic going around Facebook can be tagged with friends' names to show up on their pages. An online equivalent to a quick hug, I suppose. I guess love means never having to check your spelling (or is that "you're spelling"? I'm confused now). Sweet, though.

(Yes, ladies, he's STILL single!).

Grammar Matters

Sometimes the omission of one word...a one-letter word, in this case...can make a noticeable difference. It can change a sentence or phrase to mean the exact opposite of what was intended, or at least spin it in another direction.

Ran across this ad in a casual scan of of the Musicians section of craigslist:

OLD'S COOL BAND @ CEDAR CREEK MARINA (Mt. Juliet,Tn.)

OLD'S COOL BAND is appearing tonight (Saturday June 19th) at Cedar Creek Marina on Saundersville Rd. in Mt. Juliet,Tn.
WEATHER PERMITTING!! Show starts @ 6:30 PM till 10 PM. CLASSIC ROCK, SOUTHERN ROCK, BLUES, OLD COUNTRY AND A FEW YOU HAVEN'T HEARD YET!
Come out and PARTY! We will rock you! T-Shirts are on sale at the Marina

The ad contained these images, displayed just like this:


Never mind the fact that the two-letter abbreviation of a state should be all caps, and have a space after the comma...or that the "start" of the show seems to run for three and a half hours...or that there's no period at the end of the ad. Small stuff. This IS craigslist, after all.

And never mind how the logo competes with the smaller version of itself on the gray graphic; maybe they were hoping people would re-post on Facebook and wanted to provide a choice of graphics. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

But do you notice the crucial difference between the text part of the ad and the graphic? Check the slogan on each (and try to ignore the missing apostrophe in "haven't"). Are they trying to say "our set will include a handful of original or obscure songs along with the familiar ones, as a special bonus you may really enjoy" (as the text ad implies)...or are they trying to say "don't worry, you won't have to sit through many unfamiliar songs at all, because we have a tight limit on those so as not to put off our audience" (as the graphic implies).

Sigh.

On the plus side, I think the play on the phrase "old school" is really good. The logo uses some well-worn images, but that probably conveys the nature of their music (they ARE "old school," after all).

Oh, well, party on, y'all. Hope you feel you wasted less time reading this than I suspect I wasted posting. But I do feel a little better. And if you think it was worthwhile, see this post for more idle, unsolicited (and correct) criticism along the same vein. And you may consider seeing a therapist, as well.

Have "gelato fun" at the Celtic Cup, June 26

Looking forward to playing the Celtic Cup again. This is a really nice place; great place to relax with a friend or a book with a cup or bowl of something delicious. Got a new song I wrote to accompany the cappucino machine (if you can't beat 'em...). Sure, it's hot for coffee...but they serve a whole range of items to help you chill, including that cool, smooth Italian favorite--no, not The Situation--gelato. (On the other hand, if those mokes from New Jersey can do the CMT Awards, you never know where they'll show up).

Saturday, June 26, 2010
6 pm - closing (9ish)
The Celtic Cup Coffee House
Find it on Facebook
106 North Anderson Street
Tullahoma, TN, 37388
Phone: 931-563-7733
Free admission

Music by which to eat lunch

In an effort to promote culinary commerce, music-centered community and grammatical correctness, singer/songwriter Mark Kelly Hall will provide “music by which to eat lunch” at the Mudpie Restaurant & Coffeehouse on Saturday, June 5. The acoustic show begins at 11:30 am and continues until around 1:30. Admission is free.

Hall is a native of the Chattanooga area and now lives in Nashville. He addresses topics such as love, faith and the 70's, with an approach that is often humorous but always serious. His songs reflect the spiritual heritage of the Bible-belt South, combined with a lifelong fascination with American pop culture, and seasoned by his experiences in places far away from his native Tennessee. He performs an eclectic blend of acoustic folk/pop originals and favorites, flavored with congeniality, personal insight, and a touch of country blues.

Mudpie Restaurant
12 Frazier Ave
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Phone: 423-267-9043

Facts v. Truth

Cool.

I would've captured a screenshot that didn't feature the depressing "game over" but of course that would've required interrupting progress in the game. Which reminds me, did'ja ever notice that in movies and TV shows, players were usually shown ending a game with a big win, loud bells and cheering from the sidelines? Which showed that the creators of the movies and TV shows were either clueless about how these games normally end (in a loss of the final virtual life, or ship, or ostrich, or whatever, and a more subdued celebration of the score), or they didn't think enough viewers knew it and would be confused.

It's an odd feature of storytelling that sometimes the facts have to be manipulated in order to present the truth more effectively. Songwriters do it all the time. Not to mention producers of "reality TV." Guess it depends on the situation as to when "storytelling" becomes "lying," even in an entertainment context (director Oliver Stone, self-proclaimed "former Satanist" Mike Warnke, Milli Vanilli...any other examples come to mind?). I suspect there are some scientists using this principle to justify their public statements regarding global climate change. Which is why it's harder and harder to accept anything I hear from either side of the argument. Although those who claim graphs to be irrefutable proof and use terms like climate change deniers" (thereby subtly casting their opposition in the same category as Holocaust deniers) definitely reduce their credibility in my eyes.

At least with Pac-Man, there's no doubt who the enemy is. No wonder it's been such a popular game; we may not know when it will end, but at least we know how.