If your Dad love pizza and power tools (and what Dad doesn’t?!), then THIS is the perfect Fathers Day gift!

Well, as summer comes upon us, you might be inclined to do a little traveling!  I’m thinking of doing some, too!  I came across a couple of interesting articles that I wanted to pass along…one written by a flight attendant, the other by a former hotel housekeeper (they used to be called “maids”).  These unsung heroes help to make our lives easier when we hit the road; however, not all travelers seem to care about these hard-working folks!  So, read these before venturing out on your next flight or next stay in a hotel/motel.  It might be a good idea to stay on the good side of those who bring you that drink on the plane, or clean your room!  Happy traveling!–Skeeter

7 Ways To Annoy a Flight Attendant

 

Confessions Of a Hotel Housekeeper

This is one cool cat!

Congratulations to Eddie Montgomery & Troy Gentry--about to become the newest members of the WSM Grand Ole Opry!

The legendary Johnny Cash reminds us that freedom is not free, and the lives that have been sacrificed for our freedom–and defending freedom around the world–are to be honored on Memorial Day.  God bless our heroes, and their families…especially the family of Paul Farris Brooks, E5, US Army, from here in Jonesboro, who was killed in Iraq along with two other soldiers this past week by a cowardly suicide bomber.  “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”–John 15:13 [NRSV]

Please don’t be jealous, but one of the (few) perks of being a radio dee-jay is getting to meet artists (sometimes–not ALL the time!) when they come to town.  Now, after more than 28 years in this business, I’ve met a LOT of artists.  Some are very nice, some…well, we’ll just leave it at that.  I was actually looking forward to doing the “meet ‘n’ greet” thing with Taylor Swift, simply because a) she’s a very talented, sharp young lady; and b) I doubt that she’ll ever come back to Jonesboro, simply because she is quickly becoming the Garth Brooks of the New Milennium, which means she will be more inclined to play bigger cities on future tours!

So, I waited patiently in a line with about 10-12 people ahead of me while she met them, gave autographs, and had pics taken.  Now, as I said, I have been to many of these meet/greet events, and I always like to watch how the artist(s) interact with their fans.  Sometimes, it’s like an “assembly line,” where someone working for the artist (usually their road manager) lays out the rules: “One photo only, one autograph item only, and no ‘personalized’ autographs!  Now, let’s keep it moving, folks!”

Whether it’s a listener/fan meeting an artist they love, or a guy like me who’s done it several times for years, that kind of stuff tends to take a lot of the fun and thrill out of meeting an artist.  Well, I’m happy to report that was NOT the case with Taylor Swift!  When I walked into the Meet ‘n’ Greet room in the lower-level of the Convo, there was some upbeat music playing from an iPod plugged into some speakers.  Three display cases held various dresses worn by Taylor in her music videos, giving fans an opportunity to see them up-close.  Taylor was dressed her signature sun dress (pink) and cowboy boots.  She greeted each person warmly, and was not afraid to give out hugs, especially to the several little kids who were there.  For the real little ones, this tall young lady would bend down to get on their level, ask them their names, and talk to these star-struck young’uns like they were family!  She’d pose with them for their photo op (sometimes striking a goofy pose, just to keep it fun), hugged them again, told them they were “awesome,” and said, “I love you!” as they walked away.  I was VERY impressed with her genuine, personal relationship with her fans!  She seemed to go out of her way to make it a memorable event for everyone she met!  One artist I have not met (yet) is Garth Brooks, but many people I know have (including Christie, Trey and Jim).  They say Garth went out of his way at his meet ‘n’ greets to be genuinely friendly and humble as he interacted with folks.  I think that has a LOT to do with an artist’s longevity in the business, especially when people in the radio industry are around!  They remember how the artist greeted and treated them and their fans, and that can have a direct bearing on how eager they are to play that artist’s music or promote their career!

And, yes, I took my turn meeting her and getting a pic snapped.  She hugged me, and thanked me and the radio station for playing her music.  She’s so tall and thin, I was tempted to invite her to come to the house for some of Sweetie’s lasagna!  As you can see in the photo, her slim frame just makes my bulky one look even more bulky!

I just thought you might like to know that if Taylor Swift seems like a very sweet young lady, my impression of her is…she is, and it’s genuine.  I sincerely hope she stays that way!

Keith Urban has posted 2 acoustic performances of “Sweet Thing” and “Kiss a Girl” at part of the Yahoo! Pepsi Smash Series.  CLICK HERE to see them!

A couple of Rock legends--Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart--enjoyed a surprise reunion on stage at El Rey in Los Angeles.  During Jeff's gig this past Tuesday, April 21, the guitar legend was playing the opening notes to "People Get Ready," when Rod walked onstage and began singing.  Watch Jeff Beck's reaction, then listen to a great performance!