A Lesson From Sir Paul McCartney

I have been watching Paul McCartney since elementary school and that Sunday night 50 years ago when his band played the Sullivan show. That one TV show changed a lot of lives that night. How many people decided to go into music or media after seeing and hearing that boy band?

We sometimes forget the power of music on youth. The Beatles were a force of nature everyone who followed was something a little less.

Paul played Nashville this week ... 72 years old and father of five who looks 52 and ready to run a lap. Headline in paper said he amazed ... amen to that.

Like Willie Nelson on the Country side, Paul is forever on tour or in the studio. His enthusiasm is contagious. He embraces the styles of the day and makes them work for him. Go to YouTube, if nothing else, and watch the current tour videos. The staging is tasteful and contemporary. Everything about the show is first class and modern. The songs are, at times, 50 years old but feel brand new. It is a clinic on how to do what Paul needs to do and that is show off a 50-year career in a modern Internet download world.

Lasers, huge HD screen, latest in sound creation toys. A 72-year-old dude with an old acoustic bass guitar. I so wish the modern Country stars could see this show and learn how a showman entertains. It is amazing.

What is Reba's surprise this coming week? I hope she is back on the road in 2015. Country in 2015 might be getting crowding on the road. Garth sellouts, Alan Jackson anniversary tour, Luke and Jason in stadiums, FGL headlining, On the pop side, The Stones and Taylor Swift are heading out ... The Who are on the way. None of these shows are cheap. The C to C festival in Europe headlined with Lady A and Luke Bryan. Brad Paisley has his tour mates and will be back and on and on.

Garth and his world domination is nothing short of amazing, too. I bet he ends up beating U2 's tour record when all is said and done. One similarity with McCartney -- never heard anyone leave their shows and not be thrilled and exhausted. What a goal to have night after night. Only a few ever reach those heights.

Most shows you go to, you enjoy. I know I do anyway. When you live through a McCartney or Brooks sing-along show ,you feel like it was some type of life event. To hear a choir of 15,000 or more sing your song must be one of the greatest thrills an artist can ever have.

Paul even put a shoutout to every one to save their studios ... it's the history! I hope a lot of people heard him.