The Last Month

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville

December is a reflective month. Some reflect on job changes since some bosses like to can people during the holidays. A part of business I don't like.

The music business doesn't seem to act that way overall, but the rest of the world likes that "out with the old and in with the new" in January. I saw a few job restructurings in the trades ... Folks who want to spend more time with their family ... ( can we come up with something new )

This weekend it's football, shopping and Thanksgiving leftovers of some sort.

Actually the pickers and players and singers and bosses split during this Thanksgiving break around Nashville. Very few work with the exception of the holiday tours.

Garth cancelled his NY press run due to the Ferguson protests. Said it seemed distasteful to be talking about his music with all that going on. How do you leave Thanksgiving cooking by Trisha Yearwood anyway?

It is an odder time than ever for the music sellers. Black Friday used to mean big sales of albums or CDs or even DVDs. Not so much anymore ... Been to a Best Buy CD or DVD section lately? A shadow of what it was two years ago even.

Garth wanted to make a big old school push, but that was not to be. He needs to be pushing Ghost Tunes gift cards!

So much is changing in every aspect of the entertainment business. Hunger Games was the closest thing to a sure thing these days.

The streaming fight will be on the table this holiday season. Jake Owen and others have endorsed Spotify as many major artists pull their music. This subject is very misunderstood. No one hates streaming. Many hate the low rate the company pays for the rights to stream. The business model does not work in its present form ... So propose a new one publicly and let's choose sides. The court of public opinion may be able to do what corporate negotiators cannot.

This is Thanksgiving in the United States ... ( Canada did that already). We do have so much to be thankful for.

Great to see Randy Travis out at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth last weekend. He continues to improve and his fans are thankful for that.

Saw a new group live this week ... Andy Griggs, Jamie O'Neal and Ty Herndon ... great sound, great idea!

It's time to get the bus worked on ... steam-clean those road salts out of the engine and get ready for the new year.

Trying to wrap up business. Plan 2015 and get this year wrapped up by mid-month. Hard to get much out of show biz bosses after mid-December until the 10th or so of January.

Record some new music ... clean up any messes created ... look ahead to the New Year ... much to do before we rest. Being thankful is an everyday thing. Happy Thanksgiving 2015 ... and ROLL TIDE! (sorry, but it's Iron Bowl weekend...)