The Back Pages

With Apologies to Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck Of The Eggner's Ferry Bridge"

2012-02-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Greg Dunker & Dr Jeff at NewsTalk 94.3FM came up with this hilarious spoof of "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" Or should we call it the "Rhyme of the Delta Mariner"? Check it out!

Fish Thought To Be Extinct Caught In Tennessee Lake

2012-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Blue Walleye was thought to be extinct years ago, with the last one caught in 1965 in Lake Erie, but UPI reports a fisherman landed one at Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee last month.

Fishing guide David Clark said he had never seen a Blue Walleye in the lake. They were believed to have been victims of over fishing in the Great Lakes in 1950s.

The FBI Memo on Steve Jobs: Drugs, Driven, Visionary

2012-02-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

In an interview with the FBI, Apple founder Steve Jobs admitted use of hash and LSD, yet commanded respect according to a article from Reuters.

"A series of interviews with friends and associates -- whose names were redacted by the bureau -- painted a familiar picture of a technology visionary who intimidated associates and insisted on getting his way, but whose drive and vision inspired admiration.
The FBI in 1991 began questioning Jobs and associates as the increasingly high-profile CEO of Next Inc began to be considered as a candidate for sensitive, presidential appointments.
Jobs himself admitted in a 1991 interview, days before his wedding, that he had experimented with hashish and LSD in his youth."

Heard of "Double Dipping?" How About "Triple Dipping" to the tune of almost a Quarter Million Bucks A Year?

2012-02-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

New Jersey State Senator Frederick Madden, Jr. has been singled out by Watchdog.com as one of our nation's biggest "triple dippers," cashing almost a quarter of a million dollars in public salaries and retirement pay each year.

Madden collects more than $241,000 a year in public salaries plus retirement pay. He gets $49,000 as a legislator, a $106,983 as a police academy dean and an $85,272 annual pension as a State Police retiree.
Since he “retired” at age 48 nearly a decade ago, Madden has cashed $770,156 in New Jersey retirement checks. Among the 15 legislators who draw state pensions, no one pockets more than the senator from the state’s 4th Legislative District, which includes parts of Gloucester and Camden counties. It may madden taxpayers, but double-dipping practices by public officials generally are legal under state law.

Double and triple dipping is just one of the reasons our state budgets are so strained.

Homophobic Tweets Get CNN Analyst Suspension

2012-02-09T03:14:00.000-08:00

CNN Analyst Roland Martin's tweets concerning the David Beckham commercial during the Super Bowl wound up getting his suspended. Here's the tweet he sent: "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl" The tweet drew a backlash from the gay community, as advocating gay-bashing.

After staying silent on the matter for some time, CNN finally announced Martin was being suspended, but didn't say how long.

University of Memphis Set To Join Big East Conference

2012-02-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

The University of Memphis is in the final stages of negotiations to become a member of the Big East beginning in 2013, according to a story by Bret McMurphy of CBS Sports. Here's the complete story. Be great to see the rivalry with Louisville rekindled!

Chances Are, Your Seafood Is From China, Vietnam,Thailand, NOT USA!

2012-02-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

Like most folks, I LOVE seafood, but on a recent trip to the grocery store I started looking at some packages of shrimp & fish and was shocked to discover just how much is from Southeast Asia, and NOT the United States. I was especially apalled since I'm the son of a farmer and am a big supporter of American farmers.

So how much is imported from foreign countries instead of domestically caught or raised by American farmers? How about 86%! That's right, almost 9 out of ten seafood items you find in our local stores comes from China, Thailand, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Ecuador.

This raises the question, is it safe? Hard to say, since only about 2 percent of imported seafood is inspected, and only 0.1 percent is tested for banned drug residues, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The FDA says it can't say for sure how many of the samples pass or fail.

Some experts say a quantity of the imported seafood contains bacteria and/or antibiotics banned in the USA. The Alabama Dpartment of Agriculture found almost HALF of the catfish from Southeast Asia contained an antibiotic banned in the USA in aquaculture.

What can you do? How do you make sure your family is getting the safest seafood possible? Inspect that package of seafood at the store before you buy it. See where it's from. There are a few fish and seafood products in the local stores which contain American raised, caught and inspected product, but not many. Also, patronize your local fresh fish and seafood market, such as the seafood market at Whaler's Catch in Paducah and others. Much of their inventory is from the USA and subject to US food safety regulations. Just ask them.

Which Local News Anchor Is My Most Inspirational? Amy Van Patten

2012-02-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've seen & worked with a lot of news anchors over the years. There are a few who've I'd really admired, such as Tom Butler. There are others who have really inspired me in my work, but none more than Amy Van Patten. Amy was at WSIL-TV while I was at WPSD-TV for a few years, before moving to Florida years ago. In Florida she was working when she suffered what should have been a fatal brain aneurysm. She survived. It was nothing short of a miracle. More than surviving however, she overcame. We exchanged emails a few years after her initial aneurysm. I was and am STILL in awe of her recovery. I'm convinced God had and still has great plans for Amy. Her husband, a gifted videographer, and her, have a great film on her ordeal AND ongoing recovery, which has been entered into the 2012 Neuro Film Festival. It's got my vote.

As the Giants And Patriots Prepare to Square Off in the Super Bowl....

2012-01-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a repost of one of my favorite blogs, from Martin Luther King Day, 2008:

My career has certainly taken some twisty turns. I've gone from working most holidays, including 20 of the last 25 Christmases, to getting OFF on holidays, including today's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I didn't know what to do with the time off, but did take a little time to reflect on Dr. King and his "dream."

I remember the 60s and 70s well. I remember the turmoil our country was undergoing. I remember how Dr. King's influence possibly prevented untold violence, yet also still started the movement and change of attitudes and laws.

Three things happened to me today to bring it home. I was headed to town to run some errands when I heard a remarkable story by former Southern California Basketball Coach George Raveling, one of my most admired coaches. I was listening to my MP3's shuffling during my daily bike ride, and up came Champion Jack Dupree's Freedom. Finally, I cheered as the New York Giants made the Super Bowl because my friend, Jerry Reese, the Giants General Manager had attained the highest level of his profession.

I always admired Coach Raveling because he really did teach his players as much about life as he did about basketball. When I used to work with Tennessee-Martin Basketball coach Cal Luther, I remember George Raveling agreeing to a "home and home" with the Skyhawks. That was VERY rare for a small school like UT-Martin, but Raveling thought it would be educational for the UTM kids to come to Los Angeles, and likewise for HIS players/kids to visit the rural South. He was right. The UTM players got to experience LA on their visit, and the USC players, including Harold Minor, who was a highly touted college player at the time, came to West Tennessee and learned a little about life between the coasts. What I didn't know until today, was that Raveling has the original draft of King's "I Have A Dream" speech. I heard Raveling interviewed on ESPN radio. Raveling was there and volunteered as a security guard. It's a facinating story! One of the most interesting things which came out of his story was the revelation that the "I Have A Dream" concept was ad-libbed. The great Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson was behind them on the podium and started yelling, "Tell em about your dream, Martin," and THAT'S how the concept came about. Later, Raveling says Martin met with President Kennedy and he kept saying how much he admired that "I Have A Dream" speech and the press seized upon that as the title of the speech.

Champion Jack Dupree has long been one of my favorites. His "Freedom" is one of my favorite songs. It talks about Martin Luther King, Jr and how he led the way for racial freedom and equality. He sings about how children learn to play the black and white keys on the piano to make "harmony." It's truly inspirational.

I've known Jerry Reese for years. I first met him when he was an assistant coach at UT Martin in the 80s. I was always struck by how dedicated, organized and hard working he was. Later, when I met my future wife, Bridget, I found she was a classmate of his at Lake County High School in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Like me, she thought the world of Jerry. As a quarterback, Jerry led Lake County to a state championship. All the kids in school loved him. To be around him, you couldn't help it. They voted him Mr. Lake County High School! Briggy told me how at that point, a teacher (& in this case I use that term loosely) called some of the kids in and warned them that "they better think about what they were doing" by voting Jerry Mr. LCHS. The kids wound up upset that a teacher would even raise that issue. Well, they DID think about what they were doing and that's why they thought there was no better candidate for Mr. Lake County High School than Jerry. As the clock wound down in Sunday's NFC Championship game, and the Giants punched their ticket to the Super Bowl, I thought to myself, " Yep..he's proven himself as Mr. LCHS again!" Jerry wasn't the 1st African-American GM in the NFL, and he'd be the first to say it shouldn't be an issue in his case. As usual, of course, he's right, and that's the greatest tribute to Dr. King's legacy. Because of Dr. King, it's not that big of a big deal. Dr. King's work opened the door for Coach Raveling, Jack Dupree, Jerry Reese and millions of others. We haven't achieved the totality of "The Dream" yet, but we're on the way.

Gosh, I hope the Giants beat the Patriots.....

(Of course the Giants DID beat the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. We sent an email to Jerry and he promptly replied "WE DID IT." He's the best. Go Giants this time around again! There are just a few people I hold in the highest regard possible. Jerry Reese is one of them.)

What Caused the Bridge Collapse On Kentucky Lake? Here's a clue!

2012-01-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

Photo: Tina Carroll

Last night's collapse of the Eggner Ferry Bridge over Kentucky Lake was both a nightmare and a miracle: A miracle in that no one was killed, and a nightmare as an entire span of the bridge was destroyed by a large cargo vessel, the Delta Mariner. This will create a transportation nightmare for a long, long time, initially for crucial barge traffic, and for a much longer period of time, for motorists and truck traffic. More than 2,800 vehicles pass over the bridge each day, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. What happened and why? There will be an investigation, but here's a theory and some crucial clues as to why.

While some wondered aloud why a ship this size would try to navigate under this bridge, the truth is the Delta Mariner has successfully negotiated this bridge many times in the past. Here's a picture of the Delta Mariner going successfully under the bridge in 2008. This appears to be photographed from the Marshall County side of the bridge.

Note which spans of the bridge the Delta Mariner is passing through. This is the apex of the bridge, where the clearance is highest. Compare this view to the following pictures of the Delta Mariner during this ill-fated attempt at passage last night, which are photographed from the Trigg County side of the bridge.

Photo: WKDZ

Photo: Penny Kelly, Aurora General Store(photo appears to be from the Marshall County (West) side)

The Delta Mariner tried to go under the bridge near the Trigg County side, far from the apex of the bridge. The clearance, which as you can see above is tight at best at the apex, is much shorter at this point, so....the ship caught the bridge span itself, and it tumbled onto the bow of the ship as it brought down an entire span of the bridge.

Why would the captain attempt this point at which to pass under the bridge? Inexperience? Unfamiliarity with the location? That should come out in the investigation, hopefully. In the meantime, we can thank divine intervention perhaps, for the fact that no vehicles on the bridge tumbled into the lake, and no lives were lost!

Photo: George Cumbee

Be Memorable!

2012-01-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

Be Memorable!
What To Look For In A Great Communicator, Part 6

“Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is.” Mae West

These days there are so many choices for viewers or listeners. You need to be memorable. You need to stand apart from the crowd of robotic, bland anchors and reporters. After all, for the most part, you’re all doing a lot of the same stories and using the same technology. Of course you need strive to be the better writer and storyteller, but just as important is being a great personality which makes you memorable and endearing to the viewers and listeners, and leave a lasting impression with them. A bad personality or lack of one can obviously have the opposite effect.

About a year after I’d stepped away from local television news, a recently hired reporter approached me at a restaurant and told me, “I wish I’d had the chance to work with you! Every time I’m out in public, I get asked about you more than anyone else at the station.” It was a great compliment, but it also reinforces the lasting impression you can have on the public by cultivating the kind of personality which gives viewers and listeners the feeling that you’re someone they trust, someone they’d like as a friend and someone who entertains them. For those with a great personality, it simply means letting your real personality shine through.

Weather is a great way to showcase one’s personality. Over the course of a year, there are going to be several severe weather situations, but the vast majority of the time, there isn’t. That’s when you can use your personality to give viewers a reason to watch. That’s especially true these days with so many choices in getting the forecast, from The Weather Channel, to the internet and smart phones. Your personality is your personal brand. Make it a good one!

“Cute is when your personality shines through your looks. Like, when you see someone's personality in the way they walk and you just feel like hugging them every time you see them.” Natalie Portman

Be A "People Person"

2012-01-17T16:13:00.000-08:00

Be a “People Person.”

What To Look For In A Great Communicator, Part 5

“The way you see people is the way you treat them.´ Zig Ziglar

If you don’t genuinely like people, you’ll have a hard time in this business. It really helps to be extroverted. Over the years, I’ve worked with a few anchors and reporters who actually hated meeting viewers who recognized them. Some of them even went so far as to “disguise” themselves when going out in public, as if they were movie stars. That's silly. Others were simply rude to viewers who approached them. This creates a nightmare of “word of mouth” advertising for yourself and your business. These days, it’s even more dangerous as offended viewers can “broadcast” their feelings to hundreds or thousands on social media. For many of the viewers, they feel like they know you and what kind of person you are. Meeting you is a big deal to them. It might be the only impression they ever get of you. Make it a positive one! The viewers are your customers. Leaving them with a positive experience creates loyal customers, who will in turn, give you GREAT “word of mouth” advertising. I always approach each meeting with a viewer, listener or client as if they’re wearing a shirt which says “Treat me like I am important!” It’s the same philosophy Mary Kay Ash instilled in her employees. It’s simply because they ARE important! And who knows, you might learn something yourself, or make a new friend!

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." Isaac Newton

Be Calm During the Storm.

2012-01-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

Be calm during the storm.

What To Look For in a Great Communicator, part 4

“A man has no more character than he can command in a time of crisis.” Ralph W. Sockman

One of the best compliments I ever received from a veteran news anchor during a severe weather situation was, “The crazier it got, I noticed the calmer you became.” In live broadcasting, there will always be fluid situations where there is no script and things are changing by the second. During these times, it’s easy for the mind to race and therefore not be able to process and access changing conditions on the fly, and then communicate them effectively. During these times, I consciously tried to slow down my thought process and effectively triage the bits of information coming in. The same holds true during a PR or any other business crisis. By remaining calm, it helps one more effectively disseminate the information and also reassures the audience during a crisis. The audience, the public and the client needs to know your organization is in control, and calmly assessing the situation, and acting upon in their best interests.

“Crises refine life. In them you discover what you are.”

Allan K. Chalmers

Deal With Deadlines

2012-01-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

What To Look For In A Great Communicator, Part 3

Deal with Deadlines!

“I am one of those people who thrive on deadlines, nothing brings on inspiration more readily than desperation.” Harry Shearer

In any business there are deadlines. In the media, there are several, every day. How you handle them has a lot to do with whether a broadcast or project is a success, or a train wreck. Of course, the biggest enemy of meeting deadlines is simple procrastination. Take care of tasks as soon as possible and you’ll have less to worry about as deadlines near. As deadlines near, instead of worrying about everything you have to do, prioritize your tasks and concentrate on ONE at a time. As you complete the individual tasks, you’ll one by one, finish the larger project on time. In the end, if you’re prepared, don’t procrastinate, break your tasks down into steps and you STILL don’t make your deadline, don’t worry about it. You did all you can do. Move on to the next deadline, which in the media, is not far away!

“Without deadlines and restrictions I just tend to become preoccupied with other things.”

Val Kilmer

Have a Love For Writing

2012-01-11T17:13:00.000-08:00

What to look for in a Great Communicator, part 2

Have A Love For Writing

“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.”

Leo Rosten

I’ve never tired of writing and disseminating information. The best communicators also share this quality. I spend a good portion of my day writing, whether it’s news stories, business proposals, on my blog, facebook or twitter. In social media, I usually write more informational pieces than simply “what I’m doing.” Part of the reason for that is my personal life is rather mudane! The main reason is I like writing things of value to the readers/viewers, whether it's the latest news, weather forecasts or other useful or interesting information. While many might know me mostly as a meteorologist, I spent many years as both a meteorologist AND a news anchor/reporter and won awards in Tennessee and Kentucky for reporting and news writing. The ability to write well transfers to the ability to speak effectively in delivering stories on-air, and the ability to write well is practiced often…every day! You not only have to have the ability, though. You must also love it!

“For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.” Catherine Drinker Bowen

Be A Lifelong Student

2012-01-08T05:05:00.000-08:00

What to look for in a Great Communicator, Part1

Be a lifelong student.

"Every mind was made for growth, for knowledge, and its nature is sinned against when it is doomed to ignorance." William Ellery Channing

Have a thirst for knowledge. Have a love for reading. During my career, I’ve worked in all aspects of broadcast news: as a news anchor, reporter, meteorologist, producer, camera person and news director. All along the way, I’ve always been interested and eager to learn new things, whether it be the history of a certain place or person, how or why something happens or better techniques for forecasting. An inquisitive mind makes one a better journalist, scientist, businessman and so much more. I’ll never tire of learning and the best communicators share that trait. The best journalists, meteorologists, business people I learned from, also were always fascinated by learning.

“We have an opportunity for everyone in the world to have access to all the world's information. This has never before been possible. Why is ubiquitous information so profound? It's a tremendous equalizer. Information is power.” Eric Schmidt

What To Look For In A Great Communicator

2012-01-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

I’ve been blessed throughout my long career in communications to learn from some of the best. What works & what doesn’t. What’s a good idea & what’s a bad idea. I’ve learned how to handle different types of personalities in the newsroom, reporting in the field, in business & in the public.

On the flip side, after several years in the business, I was able to pass on some of what I learned to young reporters, anchors, etc. This helped them develop their skills faster if they took the advice to heart, since they could avoid some of the mistakes I made early on in my career. It makes me so proud to see them move up in the business! I still hear from many of them to this day. It only makes sense that a lot of these traits also transfer over to business or whatever field someone chooses to enter. Over the next little while, I’ll post some of what I recognized to be the best traits found in the best!

The End of Time in 2012

2012-01-05T17:59:00.000-08:00

I'm really looking forward to 2012, even though The Mayan calendar says this year will be the "end of time." Maybe you even saw the movie "2012" based on the Mayan prediction? The poles reverse, massive earthquakes and natural disasters, and then all humans unlucky enough to NOT be on the latest Ark, die.

I'm not so sure. First of all, the ones who made the prediction didn't even survive long enough to explain it or back it up. Maybe they were too preoccupied with human sacrifices to plan for the future? At any rate, I always start every day with the same assumption: I'm either going to work & have a great day, or going to meet Jesus. Either way, it's a wonderful day!

Secondly, if you go by ancient writings, even the good book says no one shall know the day or time. That's been the problem with those who have purported to know the exact day of the end of time, or the day of Jesus' return. If you report it, it simply CAN'T come true! This has been going on since the New Madrid Quakes of the early 1800's.

Here's what NASA's top scientists say:

"Remember the Y2K scare? It came and went without much of a whimper because of adequate planning and analysis of the situation. Impressive movie special effects aside, Dec. 21, 2012, won't be the end of the world as we know. It will, however, be another winter solstice.

Much like Y2K, 2012 has been analyzed and the science of the end of the Earth thoroughly studied. Contrary to some of the common beliefs out there, the science behind the end of the world quickly unravels when pinned down to the 2012 timeline."

NASA also has a great website with a FAQ about 2012. Check it out!

My suggestion is to bide the time until the end of time by loving one another & helping one another, whether the world ends tomorrow, or in another million years.

God Bless

Goals For The New Year

2012-01-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

My sincerest wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to you and yours!

As we ring in 2012, we say goodbye to 2011, a year which wasn't the best. A terrible economy hurt so many families, including mine, so we gratefully turn the page with optimism 2012 brings an upswing. Maybe I'll have extra helpings of black eyed peas, cabbage and ham this New Year's Day.

It's also time to set goals for the coming year. There are the standards: lose weight, work out more, among others. Mine are to continue striving to be a better person, a more understanding person & a giving person.

Music wise, I plan to cut back. While working at the Telethon of Stars this past November, I was chatting with a friend of mine who is a professional musician. He was shocked to find I played more shows than HIM over the last 2 years. That's in addition to holding a demanding full-time job at which I work 50-60 hours per week. Maybe that's why, during the past 2 years, I've been fatigued from July until my annual "break" from playing, during the holidays. In 2012, I plan to cut the number of shows in half in order to spend more quality time with my family.

In my professional life, my goal is to continue to improve, learn and help as many people as I can. In that sense, I don't worry as much about specific numbers, as much as I just strive to do as much as I can to be a positive influence in encouraging others.

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you. ~Mother Teresa

Greatest Flood Since The Great Flood of 1937?

2011-04-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

In addition to the flash flooding going on and the threat of severe storms through Wednesday, heavy rains over the past few days, along with another anticipated 4-8 inches of rain forecast for the region are expected to cause major flooding on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers in our area over the next couple of weeks. For many, these river floods could very well be the worst since the Great Flood of 1937. For others, it could exceed the Great Flood of 1937.

The National Weather Service in Paducah is urging everyone along the Rivers to prepare for potentially catastrophic flooding to unfold over the next 2 weeks.

Sunday, the Ohio River at Paducah was forecast to crest at 55 feet Tuesday, May 3rd. This would be the second highest level ever, behind only the 60.6 feet level measured in the historic 1937 flood. A factor to consider though, is that The Lower Mississippi Forecast Center in Slidell, LA is only factoring in the next 48 hours of anticipated rainfall, so in reality, that forecast level could go another 1 to 3 feet, which could potentially put the crest at 58 feet. More rain than forecast, would push that crest even higher.

At Cairo, the Ohio River is already experiencing major flooding, and is forecast to crest at 60 feet Tuesday, May 3rd as well. That would be a new record. At around 56 feet, the flooding already causes the Wickliffe Bridge to close because of water on Highway 51 on the approach to the bridge. Of course, this forecast of 60 feet could very well go higher because of additional rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday in the region.

At Paducah, floodwall gates are supposed to go in at a level of 49.5. We are forecast to get to that level by Tuesday, April 26th, and be more than 50 feet by Wednesday, April 27th. This could very well be the worst flooding along the Ohio and Mid-Mississippi Valleys since the Great Flood of 1937. If it performs as designed, Paducah's floodwall is supposed to protect the city to a level of 64 feet.

Here are the greatest Floods on Record at Paducah, along with flood levels of significance and their impacts:

Record Floods:
1) 60.60 ft on 02/02/1937
2) 54.30 ft on 02/23/1884
2) 54.30 ft on 04/07/1913
4) 53.30 ft on 02/13/1950
5) 52.00 ft on 03/21/1867
6) 51.79 ft on 03/11/1997
7) 51.40 ft on 04/03/1975
8) 50.90 ft on 03/25/1897
9) 50.70 ft on 02/25/1883
10) 50.40 ft on 04/17/1886

Significant Flood Levels & Impacts:

64.0   The top of the protection is reached at Paducah.

60.6   This flood will exceed the highest stage on record. Large amounts of property damage can be expected. Evacuation of many homes and businesses becomes necessary. The levee will protect most of the city at this level.

56.0   Many of the industrial plants upstream in Calvert City are affected at this stage and higher and may begin to shut down.

49.5   The first gate is closed in the floodwall in Paducah.

47.0   Major flooding occurs and property damage begins on the Illinois and Kentucky sides of the river.

43.0   Moderate flooding occurs affecting several small unprotected towns.

39.0   Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas.

32.0   The city of Paducah starts the first pumps.

At Brookport, IL, the Ohio River is forecast to crest at 57 feet, Tuesday, May 3rd in the major flooding category, which could flood the lower part of the main business section of Metropolis, IL. At a level of 51.6 however, several feet below the 57 feet level, evacuations become necessary for some houses in low lying areas of Metropolis, and that level is forecast to be reached by Tuesday, April 26. The highest level on record for Brookport is 62.3 (1937) and the floodwall is supposed to protect Brookport to a level of 66.4.

At New Madrid, MO, the Mississippi is forecast to crest at 48 feet Wednesday, May 4th, which would tie the highest stage on record (1937), making the evacuation of many homes and businesses necessary.

At Tiptonville, TN, The Mississippi River is already forecast to crest Wednesday, May 4th, at 49 feet, which would make the crest higher than the 1937 flood (47.75 feet) and could top portions of the Tiptonville Levee Extension, which are breached at 47 feet, making evacuations necessary in low lying areas of Tiptonville. At 49 feet the Tiptonville/Obion Levee System is over topped.

At Caruthersville, MO, the Mississippi River is forecast to crest, Friday, May 6th at 47 feet, topping the record 1937 flood level by a foot. Caruthersville's floodwall protects the city up to 50 feet. At that point the floodwall is topped. If additional rainfalls push the crest projections higher, crest levels could come perilously close to that 50 foot mark.

At Cape Girardeau, MO, the Mississippi River is forecast to crest, Friday, April 29 at 44.5, which would categorize Major Flooding in the area.

If you live or work anywhere close to these vulnerable areas along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, take heed, prepare NOW and keep monitoring this situation!

2011, Here Goes!

2011-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

2011 looks to be another great year! Our year is already filling up with some really cool gigs and festivals! We're really excited to be invited back to one of the most authentic and coolest festivals, The Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi in April. We played there last year and were blown away by the reception we got, and also the number of great blues acts from around the nation, playing in the cradle of the blues, Clarksdale, in the heart of the Delta Country.

We're also humbled by the clubs/resorts and festivals which contacted us before Christmas, seeking to bring us back or bring us in before our 2011 festival got too full! God Bless you all! We'll keep filling the year out, so if you'd like to see us at your festival or club this year, please contact us ASAP!

New Year's Eve Tornadoes

2011-01-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Here's some videos from the New Year's Eve Tornadoes in the Midwest and South. Some are pretty good, while others not so much. At last word, the tornadoes left 6 dead across Arkansas and Missouri:

Rolla, MO

Ft. Leonard Wood, MO

Byram, MS

Time Off!

2010-11-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

After a very busy year, during which I've played all but two weekends since March, I'm taking some time off during the holiday season to rest, write and do a few other odds and ends.

I'm really excited about the launch of our new website, which should happen in a week or so. It'll be much nicer, easy to navigate and will allow for direct downloads of our music, by the album, or by the song.

I'll also be working on booking for 2011! We've already got several exciting shows lined up, including a return to The Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi. I LOVE playing in the Delta! There's a certain rhythm to life there in that magical place for The Blues!

I've also pledged to work on some new songs. I've got a number of ideas and bits and pieces which need refinement and focus. I really hope we can record a new CD, and SOON!

In between, I'll be firing up the smoker and watching plenty of football! Go Blue Raiders, Titans, Tigers, Vols, Wildcats, Skyhawks, Racers!

Typical Weekend!

2010-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of other people these days, I work 2 jobs, or is it three? Typical weekend!

Friday:
4:30 AM- up to work on forecast for News Talk Radio
7:45 AM- at work for on-air hits
8 AM-5PM-marketing consultations
6 PM- load into club for show
9 PM- 1 AM (Saturday)-Play the blues!

Saturday:
1-2AM-load out
3:15 AM- stop at Wal Mart for Dog food
3:30 AM- home!
5AM- After working & being up for over 24 hours.... SLEEP!!!
10AM- Up to work on guitars to repair the damage I did the night before
11AM-3 PM- watch football!
3:30PM-6PM- drive to festival for show
6:30 PM- load in
7-10:20 PM- Play the Blues! Meet & greet!
10:45-1AM (Sunday)-drive home!

Sunday:
2 AM- Sleep! Got home early tonight!
*Then recuperate and get ready to do it again!

Ahhh showbiz! Funny thing is, I'm not that tired! I must love it!

Back to the Bars: A Summer-Full of Gigs...

2010-08-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

This has probably been my busiest summer ever, with lots of shows at festivals and bars alike. Many months ago, when I had an inkling I would be laid off from my "day job." , I began booking as much as I could for my band, 61 South and the end result is playing virtually every weekend from April though November. It's been great because I've gotten deeper into a groove and got to visit with so many friends, while making new ones, too! With that in mind, I have a few observations...

We always try to play as many requests as we can, especially when playing in a club. Unfortunately, we can't play ALL of them, especially when it just doesn't come remotely close to what we do and what we are. We get some weird requests from time to time. In the past, "Walk Like an Egyptian" and Psychedelic Furs. Not bad, but we're just not that animal! So far, the most off beat request this summer we've recieved is Styx, "Renegade." (We didn't play it) Stay tuned though, there's plenty of time left!

Many times we receive requests from audience members to "jam" with us or sing with us. I WOULD like to say, if we KNOW you and we KNOW you're talented, we'll INVITE you to join us onstage. The unwritten band etiquette rule is it's EXTREMELY RUDE to INVITE YOURSELF to play or sing with the band. The exception to the rule is if the club owner has a bartender or waitress who can sing or play and asks if they can join us for a song. Number one: They are our employer for the night so we're going to do everything we can to give them the show they want. Most times, they are right in knowing who can pull it off and who can't. They don't want to offend their clientele, so we trust the club owners to know what's right for their business!

For others, please don't ask or invite yourself. You may be a great singer or player, but we don't know that and can't just take your word for it. If we get to hear you later and discover you really are good, we'll invite you up! As a rule of thumb though: Many times, those who tell you over and over how great they are.....are usually NOT! Most of the REALLY GREAT ones are also really humble.

Only once, years ago, did I hand my guitar to an unknown and be blown away. I found out later, he had auditioned for & been offered a job as guitarist for Fleetwood Mac years earlier. He's been a great friend since!

At a festival, this rule is especially true because so many fans have heard us on XM or Sirius or bought our CDs and they want to hear US, not you. No offense, but we want to make sure the customer is satisfied! If you are great, you'll be heard and discovered without our help, anyway! Inviting yourself to play with the band is akin to inviting yourself to Sunday dinner at the home of someone you don't even know. Would you want someone to do this to you?

Also when playing festivals, we try to concentrate on OUR music instead of the covers. Please understand that many of the people who come to see us at blues festivals and other festivals are more interested in hearing our original material because they bought our CDs or heard us on the radio. There are plenty of bands who will appear at many of these festivals who will play your favorite cover songs, such as "Mustang Sally" or "Voodoo Chile" and do great jobs with those songs!

Please don't buy me drinks when I'm playing! I hope you don't think I'm being rude to YOU, but I'm there to play as best I can and I do it better when I'm sharp! I REALLY appreciate the offer, but I want to do the best show I possibly can for you! I tried it the other way years ago.....take my word for it! Buy drinks for your friends or that hot girl or guy! That will be a much better investment for you! As I told Glen at Fat Moe's once, "I'm not here to get drunk or get women! I'm here to to play the BLUES and do a JOB for YOU & YOUR customers, so they'll have a good time!!"

I love the festival shows and I love the clubs. The clubs are where we hone our act, learn new things, find out what works and what doesn't. Sometimes some of the coolest, weirdest and most interesting things happen in the clubs. At the festivals, it can be more intense at times, although at both, it's all about getting locked in the groove and channeling the energy of the music, the Blues!