TRAVELIN' MAN

TRAVELIN' MAN

Up with the sun, gone with the wind,

She always said I was lazy.

Leavin' my home, leavin' my friends,

Runnin' when things get too crazy.

Out on the road, out 'neath the stars,

Feelin' the breeze, passin' the cars.

Women have come, women have gone,

Everyone tryin' to cage me.

Some were so sweet, I barely got free,

Others, they only enraged me.

Sometimes at night, I see their faces,

I feel the traces they left on my soul.

Those are the memories that made me a wealthy soul.

Travelin' man, love when I can,

Turn loose my hand 'cause I'm goin'.

Travelin' man, catch if you can,

But sooner or later I'm goin'.

Travelin' man ... Travelin' man, yes i am.

Bob Seger

I miss driving. I miss taking road trips, I miss being in the car alone and driving for hours on end.

For years and years it seemed I lived my life on the road. In my late teens and 20's I managed to work in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennesee, Georgia and Florida, I covered the southeastern United States chasing women and that radio dream.

I knew every two lane road, state highway and interstate in that part of the country.

No matter where I was living at the time, I always went home to Mississippi to see my Mom and brothers. Holidays, weekend trips, vacation time, it all was spent in the car going and coming and I loved every mile.

I've spent some of the best and worst times of my life in a car.

I remember living in a car once, on the beach in Jacksonville Florida. It was a 78 Mustang II and man would that car fly. I was so poor back then and had just landed a job on Y-107 and had no place to live. So I went to work each night and when it was time to go "home" after work, I drove my car to the beach and parked it.

I did this for about 3 months, I'd take baths in a BP gas station bathroom everyday. I would buy those 78 cent packages of meat, a loaf of bread and a 2 liter of coke, that was breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was all I could afford. I kept my groceries in a cooler in the back seat. Believe it or not, life was not that bad. I eventually found my way out of the car and into an apartment, but I wouldn't have changed one day.

I need to go for a ride, but living here in Anchorage Alaska in the winter time, there's not too many places for me to cruise without risking life and limb.

So here I sit on this computer listening to Bob Seger, missing the days when I was wild and free. Putting a thousand miles behind me in a weekend was nothing when I was a younger lad. These days it takes about three months to put a thousand miles on my car and the only reason I go to the BP gas station, is to fill up.

I miss driving.

Sleep well,

The Travelin' Man

IF HEAVEN

IF HEAVEN

If heaven was an hour it'd be twilight

When the fireflies start dancin on the lawn

And suppers on the stove and mammas laughin

And everybodys workin' day is done

If heaven was a town, it would be my town

On a summer day in 1965

And everything I wanted was out there waiting

And everyone I loved was still alive

Don't cry a tear for me now baby

There comes a time we must all say goodbye

And if that's what heavens made of

You know I'm not afraid to die

"If Heaven"

By

Andy Griggs

I went to church today. First time in a long while.

When I was kid, I was in church all the time it seemed. I couldn't wait for summertime and vacation bible school, at The Thomastown Baptist Church.

Thomastown wasn't big enough to be called a town I thought. It was more a community. Small two lane roads, curving through the wooded Mississippi countryside. You would pass a house or little farm every mile or so and then there was the four way stop sign. That was Thomastown.

There was a little gas station, a store, a post office, no bigger than a coffee hut and a church. Old men would sit out in front of the store on benches and gossip all day, it was the "center of town".

My granny lived in the country about 10 miles from Thomastown. Sunday's we'd get up early, feed the chickens and get ready for church, I can still hear the Bob Whites and Whiperwheels singing in the early morning.

My biggest worry then was whose team I was going to be on for Red Rover at church. I was a chunky little kid and everybody wanted me on their team. One of the few perks of being a big kid.

I loved church back then. Somwhere in my life's path, I stopped going and I don't really know when that happened. I went today because I needed something, something to fill this emptiness I have in the center of my body.

It was good to see the smiling faces of the people. It was good to see the kids and my mamma laughing and singing and it was good to hear the Pastor's sermon.

It was also good for my spirit I must admit, but there was something that wasn't there, and I couldn't put my finger on it.

After church I was shaking hands and hugging folks, as I made my way toward the door, right then I realized what was missing.

No one yelled "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Joey right over!" Now that would be heaven.

Maybe next Sunday.

WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING

WHEN I GET WHERE I"M GOING

"When I get where I'm going ....On the far side of the sky.....The first thing that I'm gonna do is spread my wings and fly

I'm gonna land beside a lion and run my fingers through his mane or I might find out what it's like to ride a drop of rain"

This song was released about a month ago. The artist is Brad Paisley, the album, "Time Well Wasted", I recommend you buy it today.

Working for a music driven radio station I have the opportunity to listen to songs over and over again. Sometimes that can be a good thing and sometimes that can be a bad thing. Take for instance " Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, that was a bad thing. I wanted to commit violence against others everytime I had to play that song. Don't get me wrong, I believe it had it's place in country music and Billy Ray released much better music in the years after Achy Breaky.

Brad's new song "When I Get Where I'm Going" will be one of those songs that'll stay with me for along time. In a good and bad way. I love the song, I love Dolly singing harmony and background, but never did I expect it to mean so much to me when I was enjoying playing the song on my show these last few weeks.

We played the song at my brothers memorial 2 days ago. It hit me like a ton of bricks. My brother now will be able to ride that drop of rain, he'll be able to do all the things in our physical life we could never imagine doing. I love the fact that music touches me in this way, I love the fact that it can bring tears and laughter in my soul in less than 4:00 minutes. I shed tears missing my brother but I laugh knowing he can run his fingers through a lion's mane. Is that cool or what?

Brad Paisley releases a song less than a month ago, and it's already being used to honor those we loved and lost, now that's a powerful song. Thank you Brad.

Thinking of my brother tonight as I blog away about the music we shared and loved. Grieving sucks. But it's a process I suppose we all have to go through in our lives. I don't think I'm very good at it.

Hug your loved ones tonight.

Joe