Earl - Artist Spotlight of the Week

Well, it looks like I'm on Artist Spotlight of the Week on American Veteran's Radio. I truly appreciate the station for putting the spot light on me and my songs, but more importantly for what they do for Veterans everywhere. I truly appreciate everything everyone has done to help. The best part of everything is the love. I've met a lot of great people along this road.   

Just click the American Veteran's Radio logo link and click on Artist Spotlight. Thanks to everyone for all your help.

"Man on the Mountain" and "Run Johnny Run" will be played on the station as well. These are recordings done by my friends, Doug and Lisa, owners of  Rockit Juice Audio Recording Studio here in Huntsville. The songs "To My Brother Private William Jones" and "Her lap was made for Lovin" were recorded at Jay's Place in Nashville. Thanks for the great work done by everyone.

Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps - but just keep walking. Life is always like a surprise package. You never really know what you're going to get if you're brave and go for it, but you know damn well what you've got if you don't. In my own case, I've probably been moved more by desperation than inspiration. Even failure is a surprise, at least you learned what "not to do". I love surprises way too much to stop trying. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Try to do one thing you're afraid to do every day". If you never fly higher than you've flown, you will never know how high you can fly. For myself, either way it goes, it's all just great fun. As my good friend and one of my favorite people Cristina Lynn always says, "It's all Good". 

If you spend even a little time around this song writing business you have to realize if you do get even a little recognition it's a lot like living through the war. It's not because your smarter or better, but because you did your best, and just got damn lucky. I got a little lucky today. 

Thanks for allowing me to share it with you.

Earl

Lastest news on the upcoming ceremony for Viet Nam Veterans

We're going to do a run through at the Memorial site on this Wednesday the 14th to get ready for the big one on the 29th. The event is being billed as a "Welcome Home Viet Nam Vets Ceremony". A General from Redstone Arsenal will to be there for a press conference at 1:00 this Wednesday. I don't know exactly what I'm going to be doing other than setting up my equipment for a test run. I'm supposed to get there at 12:00 on Wednesday.

I took CD's and a poster over to Paul Jones tonight. He will play "My Brother Willie Jones"  on his radio show in Lynchburg this Saturday and give a plug for the ceremony on the 29th. I feel sure I can get it played on WKUL in Cullman as they have played it before and we will get him to announce the ceremony as well. Berkeley Bob said he heard my song on 105.7 station out of Hartselle, Alabama,  over the last Military holiday, so I feel sure they will play it and give a plug for the ceremony as well. I'll take  a poster and CD to WDRM ask  them to announce the ceremony and play the song.

If  I sell CD's at the event, I plan to donate everything to help cover their expenses. I don't feel good taking money at a ceremony honoring those guys. However, I'll be more than happy to sell CD's to help them with expenses. Their going to be selling hats and pins and so on to help cover expenses as well.

 
I'm announcing this and putting posters out everywhere I can. I'd like to see so many show up it would cause a a traffic Jamb. Those guys didn't get much of a welcome home when their war was over and I want to help all I can to get all we can to come out; not to hear me, but to show we give a damn about what they did and what they went through. It's a good way to say "thank you for your service". I don't think a lot of people know how much that can mean to a Veteran. It makes you feel like maybe someone actually gives a damn about those nights you spent in wet freezing foxholes, or when you had to soak your socks off or watched one of your friends walk till they fall. I never shot at anything that could shoot back but we were infantry and it was the roughest thing I've ever been through before or since. I want everyone to tell as many people as you can about the event on the 29th. I want them to know somebody actually gives a damn. They weren't properly welcomed home the first time, I don't want to see it happen again.


Thursday, March 29 will be the first celebration of the new Vietnam Veteran's Day. There will be a dedication ceremony of a statue honoring our veterans. Please come and honor our Veterans of the Vietnam War. They gave so much for us. I am honored once again to sing my song, “To My Brother Private William Jones” during this ceremony. Please come out and join us at 2:00 pm. at the Veterans Park between Washington and Jefferson Streets off Monroe. Come out to support those who fought for us to keep America the land of the free.    

"To My Brother Private William Jones"

"To My Brother Private William Jones"© written and performed by Earl Watts.

Thursday, March 29 will be the first celebration of the new Vietnam Veteran's Day. There will be a dedication ceremony of a statue honoring our veterans. Please come and honor our Veterans of the Vietnam War. They gave so much for us. I am honored once again to sing my song, “To My Brother Private William Jones” during this ceremony. Please come out and join us at 2:00 pm. at the Veterans Park between Washington and Jefferson Streets off Monroe. Come out to support those who fought for us to keep America the land of the free.

Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Proclamation

Mayor Battle signed a Proclamation that March 29th each year is Vietnam Veterans Day. What a wonderful thing for these wonderful soldiers to finally get some recognition. I was honored by singing my song, "To My Brother Private William Jones". It was very moving ceremony for the veteran and civilians who came to honor them. I was honored to be a part of this.

Vet Center Service Bus

Me waiting and contemplating the event. It was a very moving and humbling experience.

Mayor Battle

Thursday, March 29 will be the first celebration of the new Vietnam Veteran's Day. There will be a dedication ceremony of a statue honoring our veterans. Please come and honor our Veterans of the Vietnam War. They gave so much for us. I am honored once again to sing my song, “To My Brother Private William Jones” during this ceremony. Please come out and join us at 2:00 pm. at the Veterans Park between Washington and Jefferson Streets off Monroe. Come out to support those who fought for us to keep America the land of the free!

Happy Freaking New Year

Ponderings by Swampfox AKA Earl

It's New Year's morning and all through the house.

Everyone's sleepy, hung-over, or soused

Granddaughter Jasmyn came home from a friends
And said "you all are depressing me to no end".

Nothings open so there's little to do.

I'll be glad for tomorrow when it's all in the past,
I suppose the holidays are good for some folks
But I'm just glad they don't last.

Polly and I joined a health club up the road

I'm hoping the membership helps
Because we probably won't go
Our will is weak and our bodies are old.

My hearing's worse on the right side

And hers is worse on the left,
But when I'm driving
That is a big help.

Still I'm propelled forward

To new fields to plow.
And I just keep on hoping
For more somehow

But I sit hear in wonder

More ragged and worn
And I know even less
Than the day I was born.

Happy Freaking New Year Everyone!

Jerry Mungle on ReverbNation

My Song Won First Place!

Hello everyone, I competed in the music festival in Guntersville this past 4th of July weekend.

I won first place in the country category with my song "More Than A Name On The Wall". I competed with 28 others in the Country/Bluegrass Category, but I got it. First prize was a nice check, a certificate and a painting by a famous artist who sold one of his paintings for $50,000.00. I wonder what mine would be worth! Channel 48 and 31 were there so we should be on TV. Also, watch the newspapers ... there will be things in the paper about it. I'm really thrilled with it. I was hoping for it, but you never know. It's a lot of fun and down right exciting right now.

I thought I had a shot but the competition was pretty stiff. Our friend Ken Cooper put this video on Facebook.

Thanks to everyone for all your support.

Earl