Heading To Vegas? Make Reservations, Or Else!

I may have waited too late to get those magical airfare deals. Now it’s $905 round trip to Las Vegas, and that’s the cheap fares. Hotel rooms are $500 a night at the luxury hotels, and around $200 at good, off strip chain hotels. I’m scared to look at rental cars. Might be a cab Vegas trip.

Nashville is loading up Las Vegas in the next nine months or so.

Garth Brooks and George Strait are in with shows there, as are Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, and now Brad Paisley who actually goes in first: June 25th-26th at The Encore at Wynn with “Brad Paisley: American Storyteller.” He’s in the same room where Garth did his excellent, one-man show a few years back.

Whether working a concert, or going as a fan or management, better make plans now in advance. Have you tried to get into any Vegas restaurants that take reservations lately? Last minute is a no go. Back to rental cars: they’re out in Panama City, FL this weekend, and just high (like, $200 a day for a little car, with tax) in Nashville and many other places. It’s supply and demand. Simple economics, but sticker shock time. Folks are tired of being cooped up, and they are out!

The vax part of all this is a little hazy. Most music road companies want their people vaccinated. It’s a work in progress. Laws in Florida, for example, forbid requiring one. I have mine, and I’m proud of it! Hope it works!

The death of beloved singer B.J. Thomas last weekend brought out many many responses from fellow stars and friends.

He could sing anything -- any genre, any song -- and make it his own. A unique voice, and such a kind person. I was a fan first, hearing him on Alabama Pop stations. “Eyes of A New York Woman” and “Hooked on A Feeling” are still fantastic today. Reggie Young playing that sitar-like sound on “Hooked” made me miss him, too. B.J. won every kind of award, and sang Oscar-winning movie songs. He overcame addiction hardships. He was always so kind and polite.

Whether working on shows with him or just being amazed as a fan, he was loved! I think he knew in those last days, or I sure hope so.

Telling stories is the heart of Nashville’s music business. Blake Shelton and Dolly Parton both remain the best of their field, for example, Blake recently sharing telling a story about a radio remote in Birmingham where a dude gave him a brown sack. A little while later he looked in the bag and it was pot. He was a young guy with a sack full of pot. Blake felt set up, and flushed it down the toilet.

Then there’s Dolly!

Dolly doesn’t wear sweats, needs little sleep and can easily gain weight. She leaves her makeup on at bedtime so she will be ready to go outside in case of tornado or flood. Dolly says she eats egg salad for breakfast, and has the appetite of a farmer’s daughter. Dolly is fun 24/7!