It is a beautiful morning in the hills of Tennessee. It's a day to be
strong, to accomplish, to search for knowledge, to be Thankful to God
for our life, and another day to live it, yessir, just another day to be alive and well and living in the Greatest Country On Earth.
The act of waking up and having a clear mind, and a reasonable active body and the will to go and seek whatever this day holds...that is our daily blessing.
Well, ok, now I've got my attitude adjusted, and the Sun coming through the Sycamores, shines upon a hillbilly with a peaceful mind and a willing spirit, ready for today's adventure.
I was up early, way before the Sun, going through my video library, searching out some of the great Songcrafters that came to spend time with me on Heart to Heart, telling the stories of where the songs they write come from. Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson, Tom T Hall, Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, Dean Dillon, Sharon Vaughan, Wayne Carson and so many others....what a blessed life I have had, to spend special time with these song writers of distinction and honor. Through the years, starting in 1986, I have produced over 120 episodes of my show Heart to Heart, focusing on singer/ songwriters, the real heroes of our music, because they create the songs that touches us in some special way. When Mel Tillis tells how, in the early years, he gave Webb Pierce half of one of Mel's songs, that became a hit, for a pair of fancy boots that Webb was wearing, and how later, that half of the song made Webb $500,000 for his half of royalties...now that is an expensive pair of boots. Or, to hear Wayne Carson sing "You Were Always On My Mind", as only the creator of a song can do it...or Sharon Vaughan's "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys"....Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Chunk Of Coal", Sammi Smith with her "Sand Covered Angels", or Tom T Hall singing "Homecoming" or "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine"...well, as you can see, I have been having a very musical morning, playing my Heart to Heart dvd's. Sometimes, I just have to browse through all the great moments of music that I have been able to be a part of.
The stories and songs are a vocal history of our music, and I am glad I was able to create the Heart to Heart Collection, the 4 volume set of dvd's with the songs and stories, that will last for years after I'm gone, for new generations to enjoy.
For those that have asked, you can find out more about the Heart to Heart Collection at our website: www.hitchcockcountry.com, and click on the County Store section.
I love Songwriters and getting together and doing Songwriters in the round, guitar pulls with fellow writers. It's always special to hear the songs from the one that creates them.
Two years ago I went to Princeton University and did a seminar on songwriters and the history of country music and I was really encouraged at the interest the young scholars had in where and how the music all came to be. As long as new generations have an interest in the roots of it all, there is hope. Stan
The act of waking up and having a clear mind, and a reasonable active body and the will to go and seek whatever this day holds...that is our daily blessing.
Well, ok, now I've got my attitude adjusted, and the Sun coming through the Sycamores, shines upon a hillbilly with a peaceful mind and a willing spirit, ready for today's adventure.
I was up early, way before the Sun, going through my video library, searching out some of the great Songcrafters that came to spend time with me on Heart to Heart, telling the stories of where the songs they write come from. Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson, Tom T Hall, Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, Dean Dillon, Sharon Vaughan, Wayne Carson and so many others....what a blessed life I have had, to spend special time with these song writers of distinction and honor. Through the years, starting in 1986, I have produced over 120 episodes of my show Heart to Heart, focusing on singer/ songwriters, the real heroes of our music, because they create the songs that touches us in some special way. When Mel Tillis tells how, in the early years, he gave Webb Pierce half of one of Mel's songs, that became a hit, for a pair of fancy boots that Webb was wearing, and how later, that half of the song made Webb $500,000 for his half of royalties...now that is an expensive pair of boots. Or, to hear Wayne Carson sing "You Were Always On My Mind", as only the creator of a song can do it...or Sharon Vaughan's "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys"....Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Chunk Of Coal", Sammi Smith with her "Sand Covered Angels", or Tom T Hall singing "Homecoming" or "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine"...well, as you can see, I have been having a very musical morning, playing my Heart to Heart dvd's. Sometimes, I just have to browse through all the great moments of music that I have been able to be a part of.
The stories and songs are a vocal history of our music, and I am glad I was able to create the Heart to Heart Collection, the 4 volume set of dvd's with the songs and stories, that will last for years after I'm gone, for new generations to enjoy.
For those that have asked, you can find out more about the Heart to Heart Collection at our website: www.hitchcockcountry.com, and click on the County Store section.
I love Songwriters and getting together and doing Songwriters in the round, guitar pulls with fellow writers. It's always special to hear the songs from the one that creates them.
Two years ago I went to Princeton University and did a seminar on songwriters and the history of country music and I was really encouraged at the interest the young scholars had in where and how the music all came to be. As long as new generations have an interest in the roots of it all, there is hope. Stan
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