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Dec 21, 2024
My Christmas Playlist 2024
When I was growing up, music was always a big part of our family Christmas celebrations, and at my house it still is. Each year, ...


Nov 20, 2023
The Making of "Earl Hamner - A Joyful Noise"
About twenty years ago, my phone rang. It was Earl Hamner. He said, “Jon, it’s your old Uncle Earl. I want to make a CD. I’m going to...
Jun 15, 2020
Are You A Racist?
Preface Well, I’m back. It’s been a long time since I’ve written a blog. In the past, my blogs have mostly had to do with music,...


Mar 18, 2019
This Land Was Made for You… And Me (Epilogue)
First off, thanks for the comments, on this website and on Facebook, regarding part one of my last blog, "This Land Was Made For You......


Mar 4, 2019
This Land Was Made For You … And Me
I was naive. A few years ago, I really thought we were getting beyond racism. In my own little world, my friends and acquaintances who...


Dec 22, 2018
Christmas In England
“Hello, my lovely,” said the saleswoman at the furniture store. “Thank you, my lovely,” smiled the Tamar Bridge toll-lady. “There you...


Nov 12, 2018
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Summer - Part 3
It was tough getting to sleep. It had been a perfect day, until now. I felt like an idiot. I wracked my brain, trying to reconstruct...


Oct 15, 2018
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Summer - Part 1
Well, here we are again, another fall. Not that I mind, of course. I’ve always loved fall; leaves turning, a sudden nip in the air, a new...


Dec 11, 2017
My Christmas List
“And so this is Christmas… and what have you done?” Well, to answer John Lennon, quite a lot in 2017. Musically speaking, I released a...


Nov 20, 2017
“Strings of streetlights, even stoplights…”
“If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes.” That’s what they say in New England. It may be an exaggeration, but not by much. At...


Oct 9, 2017
Guns, Dollars, and Sense
What a week. Las Vegas…Tom Petty. A shattering, one-two punch; not quite a knockout, but close. We’ll stand up, shake ourselves off, and...


Sep 25, 2017
Not For Musicians Only
I recently received an email in response to my blog, “Swimming UpStream,” from a young musician in Germany. He had written previously to...


Sep 11, 2017
Swimming UpStream...
“Crooked as a dog’s hind leg.” That’s what my dad would say. When it comes to the music business, he wouldn’t be far from wrong. There...

Aug 7, 2017
It Was Fifty Years Ago Today (An appreciation of Sgt. Pepper)
It’s been fifty years since the release of The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” the album many consider the band’s finest...


Jun 12, 2017
Making of "Goin' To Clarksdale"
Hello, and welcome to my blog. I’m very happy to be able to reach out to friends and fans in this way. I want to thank my wife, Marion...