You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

Music has not always been a bunch of pretty boys and girls. Music Row went through a period maybe influenced by video when a star needed to have movie star looks to go with their sound. (Please list examples on both extremes silently.)

You wonder why some people make it and some don’t. Characters can look any way. The leading role does need to have the looks in Hollywood.

Nashville right now has some hit-makers that are doing it with their heart-penetrating lyrics and melodies. The songs to mom or to fellow sinners are touching the spot. There is a time and a place for everything. Now seems to be the time for songs that say something. We will be back to Lil Nas X tunes soon enough.

I hope this trend stays in vogue for a while. Country music needs some depth. The pendulum swings, right?

Kyle Jacobs’ death touched a lot of people this week. Lee Brice put out a statement that summed up the feelings of so many left behind asking why? Lee said he was at times buried in sadness, then other times remembering all the times Kyle brought comfort and made me smile.

Naomi Judd, Tom T. Hall and now Kyle Jacobs’ suicides have us asking what could we have done to help. Can’t go there! You push forward and you try to help the next person who might be having issues that are buried below the surface.

So many things seem so petty, so small when you are faced with the passing of an important person in your life. This is where music has such an important role in life. Music is how we cope sometimes. It speaks to us and soaks in like nothing else can.

I hope the passing of Kyle Jacobs will inspire the talents of Music Row to reach deeper, go farther, and make those songs instruments of love and healing!

New music is in production all over town. Yes, do the drinking and the fun songs, the party anthems. Do it all, but just make sure you spread out the canvas to include insight and songs that I heard this week from people I ignored. You never know when those words you wrote will make people imagine.

My favorite story of the week: Alan Jackson expects to record new music, but right now his first grandchild is “overshadowing” all other events in his life.