Well, we made it back from a successful ski trip with all our bones and joints all in the same place as when we left. We took the family to Keystone, Colorado. It was the first time we had been to that lodge and it was very nice. It was a lot nicer than where we have stayed the previous years, and surprisingly about 25percent cheaper. It was a long drive. We drove 800 miles from Nashville to Dover and stayed at home for two days, and then drove 720 miles to the resort for a three-day stay. We are certainly wearing out the car and supporting foreign oil with our monthly travels. This was the first time I had ever been in the spring, and it was hot on the ground and mild on the mountain. It all made for a very nice stay, not to mention the cool two-level condo we stayed in. It was really a great trip. By this time next year the twins will be a little over 3 and we have decided we are going to take them, which will surely be worth writing about.
I would like to say congratulations to the guys and gals at CRB who did a wonderful job putting together another successful seminar. Hats off to all the workers and organizers; your hard work paid off. I would also like to thank all the fine people who showed up at Pick’s Nashville March 4th for the Jason Mitchell and Taylor Made showcase which was a great success. Both Jason and the group are very talented and professional acts. And thanks again to all the people who came out for the TCM Nashville Showcase March 5th at Pick’s Nashville showcasing Canadian Craig Moritz, Kentucky Native Chris Caskey and Michigan’s very own David Ray. All three guys did a hell of a job. A special thanks to the label mom, Kirsten Gronlund, for all the great food and hard work both nights. Thanks to Wade and Tina Johnson, Danny Whitaker, Brent Powell and the rest of the crew at Pick’s for letting us put these great events on. Both showcases were very successful with people from all over including West Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Canada and Arizona.
On a different note, on that same night, March 5th, during all the excitement and all the fun somebody lifted my brief case. I have placed a $2,500 reward for the case and it contents, no questions asked. It’s a light tan leather brief case, with a long strap with horses at the top, and it contains my passport, birth certificate, HP laptop, ‘99 Prevost title, ‘91 Prevost title, 2010 Cobalt car title, 1985 Keith Whitley Corvette title registered to Lorrie Whitley, several other titles, address book, three check books, receipts for various items, several phone chargers, a used dealer auto tag, and many other items. We have a suspect in the theft that we are working on but could use your help to find the items. All the pawn shops and the police are on the look out. Your help and assistance would be greatly appreciated. I would like to say thanks to Dan Wunsch who called all the pawn shops for me without my knowledge, then dropped by with flyers he made up when it was stolen. I placed them all over town. With luck, there is still a little hope that someone might stumble on to it or be interested in the money.
Marty Martel is no longer with Nashville Music Guide and we will miss his articles on the Legends, but look forward to finding another writer so we can get right back on track without missing a single beat. If anyone knows of someone who might be interested, please forward me an email with their credentials and contact. We are currently working on our own music chart at this time so please stay tuned to the website for updates. Our website is really paying off; we had 270,000 plus pages viewed in one week. We recently hired a firm to make us a tailor-made email account for press releases, etc. and anyone who subscribes to our newsletter will be seeing it for the first time this month.
Congratulations to Jean Shepard. It was recently announced that at a later time this year, she will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, along with fellow Oklahoman Reba McEntire. I’m not sure what took them so long, but this pioneer more than deserved to be honored with the
reward. Jean was inducted into the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame last year. For several years there has been an underground campaign to get Jean Shepard inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. With over 60 years in the music business one of the longest members of the Grand Ole Opry, over 44 charted hits it was well deserved and well overdue. She had 44 charted hits between 1953 and 1978 and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years. Her first hit, “A Dear John Letter,” a 1953 duet with Ferlin Husky, was the first post-World War II record by a woman country artist to sell more than a million copies. Jean was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma in November 1933, not far from where both my parents were born. Not only is Jean a great singer, entertainer, and writer, “The Grand Lady of the Grand Ole Opry” happens to be one of my favorite artists.
Also, congratulations to my nephew Joe Matthews, executive editor. He has started a Band-e-oke at Pick’s Nashville each Thursday night where anyone can jump up with the band and sing or play. He has also just started his own radio show on Nixa Country.com. Tune in and turn it up, it’s a great showcasing of unknown or unsigned artists.
Looking forward to a successful year for ourselves, readers , subscribers and advertisers,
Randy and Kymberly Matthews
Contact the editor@nashvillemusicguide.com
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