THEY PLAYED IT ON THE RADIO!!!!

Hello, to all my fellow songwriters and friends. Thanks to George Wells, they played my song "More Than A Name On The Wall" on Station KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota today at 4:00 on the Veterans hour.

It was broadcast on the internet as it was being played on the radio, so I heard it on the computer. Ed, a retired Veteran, gave the song a really nice introduction and made several nice comments about his old friend George Wells as well. ED made some really good comments about how the song affected him after it was played. He commented on what the lines, "It's your brother on your left and on your right" meant to him.

It's a pretty big station and as radio stations with wide ranges go, it's up there with the best of them, reaching up into Canada. So this is pretty big stuff for me and the song! It's so exciting to have a disc jockey think enough of something you've written to play it on their radio station. Now I can say I've had a song I wrote played on the radio. It's all little steps in the right direction but it is another step and it's all very exciting to me for sure.

It's a good thing I wasn't driving! I'd have had a wreck! I was yelling at Polly, "They’re going to play it! They’re going to play it.”

For those of you who have not heard “More Than A Name On The Wall” here is a video. Please leave comments at the comment link.

Thank you so much, George Wells.

Love, Earl & Polly

About Jerry….

This is one of the four buildings where Daddy had his feed store in Hartsville, Tennessee. I spent many days and nights in this building. I got my first guitar while Daddy's store was in this building. It's where I got so frustrated that I threw my guitar chord diagrams into a pot-belly stove and burned them!!

I started writing songs as a by-product of playing the guitar. It just seemed like a natural progression to write songs, after I learned how to play songs, on the guitar. I just dabbled in songwriting (and didn't write many songs) during my early adult years. My writing didn't really take off until I went to Nashville (about 15-20 years ago) to celebrate a birthday; we went to the Opry and the Nashville Guitar Show (where I maxed out my credit card and bought a Martin guitar). For some reason, the purchase of that guitar motivated me to sit around and play a lot more, and write songs.

Jerry sitting around but not playing…hmmm something has Earl’s attention…(observations by Webmaster)

Initially, I just sat around the house, and played my songs in private; I rarely played them in public. Then, after my wife told me I was chicken for not playing my songs at the North Alabama Songwriter jam sessions (at the Coffee Tree)

(hmmm...) and driving through the parking lot an extra time to get up enough courage, I went into the Coffee Tree and started performing my songs.

Recon Jerry really is shy? (Webmaster observation)

Ever since that night, I have been going strong; a high percentage of my songs have been written since the fall of 2008.


Jerry Mungle

Keep your guitars tuned!

Two Old Men At The World Famous Nashville Palace

Two Old Men and Some Songs AKA Earl Watts and Jerry Mungle were a big hit at the Nashville Palace Thursday night. We trekked up to Nashville with a bunch of other Huntsville songwriters for the North Alabama Songwriters Showcase, hosted by James Breedwell.

Two Old men shared the stage with Ken Cooper, MaryJustice, Uncle Bethel, and Ron & James for an hour and half of music and fun with the crowd. Thanks, James, for the invite to the Palace and thanks to Doug Budzak of Uncle Bethel for putting the group together.


Performing at the Palace will be a regular thing for us, so stay in touch and drop in when we're there. Oh! yeah, you can find us most Wednesday nights at the Coffee Tree in Huntsville. Jerry is in Ardmore for Pickin' and Grinin' most Thursday nights.

Keep your guitars tuned!

Earl

My entire family was born in Texas.  I was born, more years ago than I like to think about, in a little town called Wheeler which lies up in the Panhandle in the top of Texas.  We moved from Texas to Tennessee when I was around nine.  My father felt he was called to preach so we moved to a little town called Daylight just outside McMinnville.  During the summer months, for the next five to six years we traveled around the country with tent and two hundred chairs while Daddy preached his own version of the gospel.  I like to call it "Saving Souls & Damning Sinners".  I like to think of myself as a spiritual person although I've never thought of myself as a religious one.  I don't worry about eternity and am content to let what ever powers that be take care of that.  I'm not concerned with what any one religious belief, or preachers, or prophets version of what it is, or isn't.   My belief is that only the master understands the master plan and I'm thankful for that.  I've always felt very fortunate and comfortable that bigger hands than mine are at the controls.  I've always felt like a passenger sitting in the coach car of a train on which I have no idea about it's origin or destination.  All I know is it leaves me free to enjoy the ride and let those bigger hands run the train.  I don't try to figure it out.  I'm just thankful for each day and for the ride.  
Spending two years in the Infantry was a great turning point in my life and restored my faith in people.  I was never in combat but have the greatest respect and gratitude for those who were; what we went trough was tough enough.  I can't imagine doing what we did and getting shot at too.  I've seen them walk till they fall and shook all night long in freezing foxholes with them.  It creates a bond like none other you will ever have as long as you live.  Your grow very close with each other because when the chips are down, each other is all you have.
I've always enjoyed music as most of us do.  I enjoy writing more than performing although performing is fun as long as I feel what I've written is something others might find worth while.  I like songs that say something about life and our experiences with it.  Although there are great songs about love, living down on the farm, drinking and prison, I just feel they have been done to death for the most part.  My favorite writer of all times is Kris Kristofferson.  It's always amazed me how one man can come up with so many great songs when so many of us struggle to come up with just one.  Hank Williams Senior was probably the greatest country song writer of all times.  His songs are so together and simple.  It amazes me he was able to do that so well on so many different subjects from wooden Indians to lonesome blues and at such a young age.
It generally takes me a long time to come to terms with, or actually "like" anything I've written.  I'll work on it and polish it for weeks sometimes.  I've heard others say they wrote ten songs in a day.  My hats off to anyone who can write something good in a hour but it's never been my experience to do that.  It took me almost two months to get "More Than A Name On The Wall" to come together.  It was so emotionally charged for me. I'd be laying in bed just before going to sleep (a good time to write) and when I'd change a line tears would fill my eyes.  It's still hard for me to sing without getting emotional.   However, having said that, there are times when it's coming so fast you can't seem to get it written down fast enough.  There are few things I enjoy more than seeing an idea come together.  I've never been that good at co-writing as I like to write what I feel and it's just hard to get with someone who has the same feeling for the same thing.

If I have a philosophy on song writing it would be to tell the truth.  It has to be emotionally honest lyrically and musically.  I'm not into form, fancy riffs, lengths or how many chords and instruments you can use.  The simpler the better.  It has to be from the heart to touch another heart.  I truly believe you can't disguise anything in a song; if you try, people will sense it.  If your trying to write, it sounds like your trying to write.  If you use a "crip" or "filler" line it sounds like a "crip" or "filler" line.  A song can be funny, silly, serious, and about almost any subject you can name.  It's not about the subject matter as much as how you say it.  Hit songs have been written about "A dead skunk in the middle of the road".  The world is full of things to write about, it's all a matter of how we frame it to make it interesting and meaningful.  That's the challenge.
In the end, song writing is self expression and therefore spiritual in it's heart and soul.  Your basically reaching out to others with music and lyrics with how you feel and see things and it has to be honest.  It's exposing your heart and soul and ability; or lack of it, in expressing that.  As Harland Howard said, all you need is "three chords and the truth".  I think a good way to write any song about almost any subject is to pretend your writing a letter to a trusted friend.  Pour your thoughts and honest heart felt feelings and soul into it; then you can start trying to say it in a song with lines and syllables hopefully coming together.   I know every song doesn't need to be written on such an emotional level and doesn't require soul searching, but I like the ones that do.
Earl D. Watts   

Snow Really Does Fall On Alabama

This is the first one I can remember in many years so I rushed out to get pictures.  Everything just looks so nice, crisp and clean.

Instead of a joke which I don't have at the moment -  Polly and I got to discussing our relationship last night.  The subject came up about how we felt so comfortable with each other: and Polly Said:  "You don't feel smothered do you"? and I said; "Well yes I do, but it's because my belly's pushing up on my diaphragm".  She just thought that was sooo funny.         

   I hope you’re having a great day.

   Earl & Polly.         

           

Bluebird Experience

By Earl Watts

A few weeks ago we made it to Nashville for open-mic night at the famous Bluebird Café. I did manage to get on and do my song. I was doubtful that I would at first, since my number was 39 out of about 42 total. Luckily, some people left and it allowed me to get on with about 10 minutes left before the 9:00 closing time. Please remember, this was for a Monday night open-mic night and anyone from anywhere can get on to do their song. It runs from the worst to the best and every writer, including myself, likes to think we have something worth listening too. You have cowboys and cowgirls and suits and jeans, hats, country, pop and rock. It's just one of the places in Nashville where fantasy and reality is all mixed up in a batch of people like me who enjoy writing songs. It was nice to have Gary Glover ride along with Polly and me for support and good conversation.

Some of you who have progressed enough and are good enough to be invited back to play in "the round," like Jim Parker, Cristina Lynn and Jessie Smith, already know how the Bluebird works, but I'll give a little detail for those who don't: Since the Bluebird is so well known (Yes, I am proud to say I used the same urinal as Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine etc. etc), Barbara who is running the show has worked out a system to get the most people on in the shortest time. So you’re basically standing by the stage waiting for the performer before you to finish so you can hop right up, plug up and do your song. It's run very efficiently. There isn't a lot of time for conversation, introductions to songs before you perform or accolades after you perform. On the plus side, it's a good place to play with great atmosphere and you’re performing before a house full of writers who are baring their souls in a song just like you are so you have a lot of support. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in song writing. It's a good experience and sort of a little right of passage for "song writer wannabes" like myself.

I felt good about my song and although I was a little nervous, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. I remembered all my lyrics and picking stuff without a problem. The exposure and experience I've gotten at "The Coffee Tree" has been the best stage freight therapy I could ever get. It was a real test for my song in as much as I was in a crowd of people who were from every age group and no one knew who I was other than Polly and Gary. When I'd finished I got what I felt was a better and louder than normal response. However, as I told Polly and Gary, the most encouraging thing was that a couple of people reached out to shake my hand as I was coming off stage (probably veterans since it's a soldiers song) and a couple more made it to our table to shake my hand. I really didn't see them doing that with anyone else. The last guy who came by had long hair and he shook my hand and just stood there for a moment like he wanted to say something but never did. I got the feeling he had a lump in his throat. It was like a connection that didn't need words and that made me feel really good. It made me feel like the song really does touch people on a feeling level. I'm very encouraged about the song. It's the first time it's been played to total strangers of all ages.

Anyway, it was a good experience and I'm glad I did it. However, although I left feeling like it was a good experience, I'm not so sure it's the best way, or even a stepping stone to getting something cut, or even getting it heard by an artist who might be looking for material. It is, in my opinion, a real mirror into the Nashville song writers scene and gives you a glimpse into what you’re looking at in the way of competition. While standing in line we spoke with people from New York and Boston who had moved to Nashville to be song writers. You have to come away realizing you’re in a crap shoot of monumental proportions against people who are better at the craft than you are, who will never have anything published or cut. It's not because they aren't good enough and even better than some of those who do make it big, it's simply because there isn't enough room at the top for everyone to be heard no matter how great they are. In my humble opinion, it all boils down to what I've said all along; "If you’re in it for any reason other than your love of doing it, you’re in it for the wrong reasons". If you’re in it for the love of doing it then it doesn't matter if it pays anything. Kristofferson once said that if selling shoes paid a million dollars and song writing paid nothing there ain't no way he would sell shoes. It's therapeutic and spiritual; that's the reward, and to be honest and realistic, the only one 95% of us will ever get, no matter how good we are.

Having said all this, and in all honesty, I'm not the least bit discouraged and in fact I'm encouraged. I feel like I've seen a glimpse of what's out there and I've come away thinking, "Hey, I'm not that bad at it, after all". It's like shooting craps. Every roll can be a loser or a winner, but that's what keeps it interesting. We're all gamblers in our own way.

Under Construction

Watch this space!