Starting at 7:30 PM at O’Toole’s Pub on Forest Hill Avenue, the Virginia Organization of Composers and Lyricists (VOCAL) will hold its regular monthly showcase, and I’m excited to be planning to play a few tunes. Come on out, see and have a beverage or dinner.
Can you say “bucket list”? That’s what we checked off when Liz Nance and I played the renowned Rare Old Times Public House at 10602 Patterson Avenue in western Henrico. We delivered a two-hour mix of our best popular tunes with some Irish standards included because… you have to be a little Irish at Rare Old Times, founded by the singer, guitarist and Dublin native Andy Jennings. Since 1994, they have consistently provided friendly service and authentic Irish food and drink. And music, lots of music.
Starting at 7:30 PM at O’Toole’s Pub on Forest Hill Avenue, the Virginia Organization of Composers and Lyricists (VOCAL) held its regular monthly showcase, this time an open mic session. I contributed a few tunes. Come on out some third Monday to O’Toole’s and enjoy some free live music.
I will be part of AnyfolkRVA tonight at the Hofheimer Lofts at 2818 W. Broad Street, Richmond. Organizers say with Halloween fast approaching, they’re advertising this show as a Halloween show. If you’re feeling festive, costumes, tricks & treats are welcome! Doors open at 6 PM for social time, sets start around 7 PM and run until 9 PM. Liz Nance will be singing with me. Hope you can come!
We bring our summer tour sets to our favorite northside diner when we return to SB’s Lakeside Love Shack on July 25 for about two hours, starting at 6:00 pm. You know the place! Come grab some dinner and hear our best country and pop tunes, many with summer themes.
Actually the Friday before St. Patrick’s Day, but an evening filled with our best Irish tunes. Both traditional and modern, Liz and I keep you thinking of the old country and shamrocks for about two hours, starting at 5:30 pm. Come on, order corned beef and hoist a pint while we celebrate all things Irish!
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Liz Nance and I will deliver our two-hour set of popular seasonal favorites at SB’s Lakeside Love Shack this coming Friday, December 20 from 6 PM until 8 PM. We love seeing you when you join us at these occasional gigs and this is a great time to do just that, have a drink and/or dinner and sing along. The songs will be ones you know and love.
LRL3 Music Publishing is the company that holds publishing rights to songs written by Louis Russell Lawson III (aka Russell Lawson). Lyrics are written and music composed by Russell Lawson for these songs for which he holds the full copyright except where a co-writer may be noted.
LRL3 Music Publishing (LRL3MP) will engage the music industry in receiving the work of Russell Lawson for consideration in sound recording, films, television shows, streaming shows and sound broadcasts (ie. podcasts and radio shows) and for performances and publishing of charts and arrangements.
The business purpose of LRL3 Music Publishing is to promote and sell mechanical, synchronization, publishing and performing rights to songs written by Russell Lawson.
We thank our talented friend, Richard Rumble, for his logo design.
Montana Wide was written after a St. James’ Episcopal Church Youth 2016 Mission Trip to the Blackfeet Nation. Mary Beth Abplanalp and I took ten teenagers to the reservation through Billings, Montana and an eight-hour drive to the northwest corner of the state near Glacier National Park (which is part of the Blackfeet territory). It was an incredible experience, as you might be able to tell from this tune. I put a chart of the song online.
Back in March 2020, at the start of the 2020-2021 novel coronavirus pandemic, I was putting away a bottle of “Early Times” bourbon that we had out for eggnog on New Year’s Day (yep, it took two months) and one line popped into my head: “Found and old whiskey bottle in the top of momma’s closet yesterday.” That was the foundation for the whole story about a tragic loss and the secrets a family keeps to preserve its sometimes dysfunctional narrative. A few passes between my great songwriting friend Josh Jones and myself, and this tune was complete.
Found an old whiskey bottle in the top of momma’s closet yesterday
Musta been twenty years since the night someone hid it away
And down in the neck was a note and a check
Daddy slipped it inside when he swallowed his pride
And he took his last walk down the road where he and I used to play
Momma told us one morning that daddy had run out for good
Snuck off in the night, ain’t done right by us like he should
and it broke all our hearts as our lives fell apart
I remember her crying and the bacon was frying
there inside the house where our souls went as dark as the woods
(bridge)
All of us knew it, Jack Daniels was daddy’s best friend,
Ol’ Jack and daddy together right to the end.
Well, we’ve done all right since momma she raised us alone
And we all came back for the service now that she’s gone.
but the note in the bottle says “I love you all.
My life is a wreck. Let the kids have this check,
it’s all I’ve got. Forgive me, darling, I’ve got to move on.”
(bridge)
