The Beatin' Path

She's Rockin' "Alright!"

You’re online. You’re surfin’ already. So ya gotta swing by and check out Faith Hill’s performance of the Elvis classic “That’s Alright Mama” on FaithHill.com!

The video, originally recorded for a two-hour television special celebrating the legacy of Elvis Presley, premieres today on her website. Faith and her band share their rockin’ rendition in tribute fashion, complete with leather and lights befitting “The King” himself.

She filmed the special last year in the midst of our “Soul2Soul II” concert tour, but the celebrated songstress made sure to give credit where credit was due.

“It was a blast,” said Faith. “We channeled Elvis by setting the stage as if we were back in 1968 (the year of Elvis’ comeback special). These songs – (she also recorded the song “Peace in the Valley”) – and being a part of the special reminded me of who he was, what he stood for; he defined what it was and is to be an entertainer.”

Faith, you did the man proud. I guess it’s only fitting that after “E”…comes “F.”
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CLICK HERE to go straight to see Faith's performance of "That's Alright Mama."

A Night at the Symphony

Tonight and tomorrow night, I will be performing alongside my Dancehall Doctor brothers and Mr. McGraw with the Nashville Symphony back in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to their website, this celebrated orchestra is 84-members strong. The orchestrator for our performances with Tim and Faith Hill told me that we had just over sixty of their musicians accompanying us onstage.

Either way…it’s gonna be big!

It’s a first for me. I am to be playing a full-sized Steinway grand piano set in the middle of the stage. Men and women to my left armed with oboes and French horns, rows of cellists and violists in in front of me, and violinists filling the seats to my back.

And in the midst of these prestigious players are Tim and the boys; electric guitars slung haphazardly over shoulders, drumsticks wrapped in duct tape.

Hopefully they will let us in…probably through the kitchen.

Man. The anticipation of swelling string sections as they introduce “Live Like You Were Dying.” Bows digging excitedly through choruses of “Tiny Dancer.” As I write this, I am listening to a trumpet rehearse alone from the stage, golden tones reverberating through the empty concert hall in preparation for tonight’s show.

This is gonna be cool.

2008: The Lost Resolution

So…2008 is here. Two weeks here at this point.

Resolutions? None really. Nothing specific, anyway. No “I’m gonna lose this much weight” or “I’ll do that thing this often.” Nothing absolute, measurable, or countable. It’s just too easy to drop the ball right out of the gun.

Case in point? Okay. “Resolution: I will write in my blog every day…well, at least every week.” Now it’s January 18. I’ve already blown the whole year. See what I mean?

I will run more. That I know. I got over that hurdle the first day and caught a run that afternoon. I had considered an early morning organized race in downtown Dallas, but morning and I weren’t getting along that day. I got my run later. Like I’ve said before, I know things work better and I feel better when my running is on track. So that, I will do.

I will write more. That’s the plan. I know; that’s BEEN the plan. So now, I PLAN to do better. New stuff…old stuff…it will likely be all over the place. There are already stories I meant to share and never got around to. I’ve gotten emails about things gone by – music, marathoning, other meanderings – I’ll do better.

I will read more. The trick there? Don’t buy more books than I can read. I get ambitious, and I can’t keep up with myself. Someone once said that people assume that they actually buy the TIME to read the book as they buy the book itself. Guilty. I’ve got stacks of books waiting on my attention. Quit acquiring, start reading. Okay.

Oh, yeah. Here’s one specific; I ain’t scared. I am not filing a tax extension this year. Come April, I’m gonna be ready. I don’t care if I’m lost up in New York in the recording studio, buried in the bus on tour somewhere. This year, it’s gonna be different.

Yeah…well…so, I did run the first day. Hey, that’s a start.