It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Kacey Musgraves, considering myself my friend Ashlee Jean and I to be OG fans in fact.  In September of 2014 I had just quit my job at the cable station in Jackson, TN and I had big plans.  The First of which was to reconnect with my family in Vermont for the Grand Pointe North Festival September 13-14.  This would prove to be an amazing trip, the festival was hosted by Grace Potter and I met her Dad Sparky, who had a connection with my Nephew Chris in Stowe.  But back to our regularly scheduled story.

Somehow I won a meet-n greet from Lightening 100 in Nashville to meet Kacey in Chicago at the Riviera Theatre September 27th.  I boarded a train at Central Station in Memphis and took the trip up to meet my friend Ashlee who was coming from Quad Cities.  Of course, we had a wonderful time and Kacey was an absolute Doll.  We got our pictures taken, a signed poster and honestly, the memory of a lifetime.  Ashlee and I still talk about doing that all over again soon.  Of course, Kacey has become bigger, the venues more expansive and after three more studio albums, her music is as enjoyable, unpredictable and at times bewildering as ever.  

Earlier this week I saw the teaser for “Dry Spell” and had no idea what to expect.  After I read in the comments on social media that some big-name artists had called the number, I figured it wasn’t a scam and Kacey was up to something new.  I’m not going to spoil it for you but the response harkened back to a time when you called a dedicated number in your city to get the correct time.  In Memphis it was apparently, Jam-Jam-1 and in Flint, where I grew up with it was 313-234-1212, but that’s not the point.  Kacey had used an old-school, retro concept to promote her new song, and I was fascinated.  Today, I watched the video for “Dry Spell” and although the message seems overt and to the point(I’ll let you judge for yourself), it left me thinking that their was more to it than that.  

Well, it’s time to get my socks out of the dryer and get some real work done.  I’ll leave you with the photo so you can call the number, watch the video and see what you think. We’ll continue this blog until we figure it all out. Carry on my friends, the dime-store Cowgirl is at it again!

When I first moved to Memphis 25+ years ago, I asked somebody how I could figure out what was going on Downtown.  “ Just sit in the lobby bar at The Peabody, have a drink and read the Memphis Flyer, you'll figure it out.” I can almost hear Bernhard Lansky saying “Come on in Young Man" even now.

Amazingly that advice served me well.  What I didn't count on is this historic hotel becoming such a huge part of my life.  Early on, I did sit at that bar, drank gimlets and got to know the people around me.  There was a friend from the Michigan Golf industry who was sales manager at the time and he set us up with VIP passes for the weekly rooftop series on Thursday nights.  Those were amazing nights and several of the folks who worked at the hotel, in radio or other walks of life are still friends today.

There was a lot of good music over the years, some bands and solo acts went on to have success on a regional or national level and it was always a good time overlooking the river and hanging out with the ducks.  Oh, the ducks…I tell people that the two attractions they must see in Memphis are Sun Studios and the duck march at 11AM or 5PM.  Even today, as I get my printing done at FedEx Office a couple times a week, I enjoy the gathering of folks or all ages, awaiting the time-honored tradition.

In my time at WMC, we often gathered at The Peabody and my friends from Michigan still prefer staying there.  I experienced the aftermath of the Tyson Vs. Lewis fight in that lobby and may or may not have found love from time-to time.  One thing is for certain, The Peabody Hotel is the center of Memphis and it is like a 12 story reset button for me whenever I walk in.  Yesterday was one such time as I will explain.

Of late, my exercise regimen is augmented by the 2 mile round trip to pick up my weekly print materials.  The world had been getting to me that morning, partly because I took the previous night off and was facing my first-world problems with a clear head.  The walk did me good and as always, the hotel was therapeutic to my cause.  While there, I received a text about a friend's birthday later in the day at The Peabody, no less.  I returned several hours later to find a group of my South Main friends gathered and I took my first gimlet in 5 years over there to join them.  After soaking it all in, I realized something and it had to do with whether Little Feat were describing this place in the song “Dixie Chicken.”

What I realized is that I've been chasing something elusive since leaving my sales gig 11 years earlier.  Re-invention always seemed what I strived for.  Creating that one thing that everyone would want and perhaps pay money for.  The “struggle for the legal tender” as Jackson Browne eloquently spoke of, always stressed me out, even when I wasn't short of cash.  Bare with me, I'm getting to my point.

Organically, it dawned on me that everything you've done over the last 11 years has been enough.   The hundreds of shows at South Main Sounds and other venues.  The TV and radio segments.  The trips to Nashville to scout talent.  The social media posts highlighting local restaurants and promoting live music.  The friendships and connections that have been made.  My involvement in the Memphis Songwriters Association and the South Main Community.  

In my case, it's time to focus on what we already have and make it better.  To be proud of what we've attained and utilize it to sustain what we've built.  This can be your mission as well.  Just go have a drink at The Peabody, or wherever your Eden may reside.  You'll figure it out just like I did.  

My upfront apologies for a rare time to boast over here in Memphis.  Aside from delayed and lackluster road response, we fared pretty well from the latest storm of the century.  In the wake of said storm, we put on a show last night that was magical from the start. I was reminded that the singer/songwriter world that is often taken for granted, is in fact the root of all music.  

Raised on the greats in and around the Motor City, music was a fabric of my upbringing and my exposure to radio stations at a young age made me appreciate it more than I imagined.  My father would often bring me along when he cut commercials and some of our closest family friends were in the media.  Again, this is an overview as I back into where we are now.

When we fast-forward to 2010-11, I found myself working at an iconic TV Station in Nashville that had lost it's identity in the community but for one night, everything changed.  Nashville flooded while my daughter and I were at a Jimmy Buffett Concert at Bridgestone Arena. In the aftermath, Vince Gill held a telethon that raised over a million dollars and everyone was there.  From Allison Krauss relieving me of phone duty to introducing Keith Urban to Larry Gatlin, I realized anything was possible.  My time in Nashville was brief, but many friendships were made that I cherish to this day.  My chance meeting with The Godfather of Americana, Billy Block was one such friendship that changed my life. In a 4-5 year span I would regularly attend his shows back in Nashville and we collaborated on a talent show for seniors that I'd like to revive one day.

In early 2015 I texted Billy, who was in hospice care at the time at the end of his cancer battle: “I may be crazy but am about to sign a lease on a space to do songwriter nights here in Memphis.”  His response read “Go for it, you'll be a tremendous succcess.”  The man who gave so many future stars a chance passed away a week or so later. Again, getting to my point.

Last night, in temperatures similar to those exactly 11 years to the day when we started South Main Sounds, the spirit of all those that came before us was revived.  Three separate acts graced our stage and the room filled up with folks that found hope in a former art gallery on Main Street.  This is why we do it.  This is why they do it.  It's a pouring out of your soul and an affirmation that your efforts, money and heartache are worth it all.  

Finally, after approximately 400 shows, South Main Sounds has stepped away from being an unheralded underdog and can claim it's place among the elite songwriter venues.  Thanks to the musicians that create the magic and the fans that fuel it, we are proud to have survived and perhaps thrived.  In my experience, The Bluebird, The Listening Room and The Commodore Grille are the havens in Nashville and I'd add Saxon Pub in Austin to the list as well.  But remember, South Main Sounds is not a singular place.  We represent and promote all of Memphis Music and honestly it reaches much further than that.  We are a product of everyone and every place that starts with an idea and watches it grow into something that matters.

See you next weekend for two big shows and we can't wait!

Much like events of nearly six years ago, the long snow break doesn't necessarily foster creativity.  Bare with me while I drum some up from the last few days.  First of all, our amazing South Main Community has been a joy to hang out with during Snowmagedden ‘26.  Max's, Birdies and Green Beetle have been wall-to wall with regulars and new faces as well.  What's great is how folks take over the Juke box at a place like Max's and create an adjunct playlist of just about all genres.  

It's interesting how things work sometimes.  People who frequent the same places and of various ages, enjoying a deep-dive into Little Feat or any number of acts from Rock to Folk-Country and beyond.  We've got a good one next Friday at South Main Sounds if the weather does us any favors.  We also have an open mic on Wednesday at Everygreen Grill here in Memphis.  We'll be doing these the second and last Wednesdays each month and hope to see locals and travelling musicians alike.  Bring your instrument and your best original song.  Presented by the Memphis Songwriters Association.  

In the meantime, I've got some catfish to broil and some gumbo to heat up from our neighbors at Juiced What You Needed on South Main.  Vote for them in the https://www.ediblememphis.com contest.  

We'll see 

Greetings from the little music room on the far end of the street where all the cool kids meet.

We started our programming a couple of weeks earlier than in past years because we wanted to accomodate Madaline Collins and John Wilkerson who were on a Memphis run from their new home in Fayetteville.  Pardon the run-on sentence but I'm still just thrilled about what occurred last night(1-10-26) and can't say enough about how it all came together.

As usual, the patrons filed in at the last minute which always makes this promoter a little anxious but it's so rewarding seeing a room fill up with people in such a short period of time.  First of all, Madaline always brings the energy and this was so much the case this time.  With the “Guitar Preacher” at her side, this power duo gave us the originals we expected at South Main Sounds and then launched into some covers that just raised the roof.

It's hard to say how many people were in the room but most of the 40 available seats were taken with folks mingling outside as well.  On that note, I've got to get a plan together for the outside speakers soon.  Brad Matherne(AKA Bart Mathews) had always pushed for a “two-headed show” as an alternative to our traditional songwriter-in the round lineups and it appears he, as almost always is the case, was spot-on.  On that note, thanks so much to Chris Coly for running immaculate sound!

Having the duo play the entire Two plus hours allowed momentum to build and the room to basically become electrified as Madaline fed off John's deep guitar riffs and covered some of the most classic rock songs of all-time.  And yes, I've paid the pipers so no worries there.

As always, thank you to our loyal parishoners as well as a lot of new folks that ventured in.  For anyone who may be working on gigs, promotion works!  Thank you Alex Coleman, Frank Rhodes and the staff at WREG for having me on to tell our story and push this show. Thanks also to the places that allow us to put flyers up:  Quick Check, Shangri La Records, Bayou Bar and Grille, The Peabody Hotel, Central Station Hotel, The Arcade Restaurant and of course The Corkscrew.

We'll be back in a couple of weeks with more great music and Memories in The Making.   I regret you never had a chance to play our room John Kilzer, but I think it's high time we put a photo of you on our wall.

Cheers Folks!

January 1st marked the 29th anniversary of Townes Van Zant's death and the sixth annual tribute show here in Memphis.  Event coordinater and band leader Brian Blake assembled a cast of 17+ musicians and accompanying band members for this well-promoted endeavor.  Sure, there are other TVZ tributes but nothing showcases the Memphis Music Community like this one.  

Memphis, by nature is a melting pot of cultures, cuisine, beliefs and of course, musical genres and cliques.  What I love most at this particular show is the casual nature that musicians, promoters, venue owners, sound techs, fans and family interact with each other.  Nearly everyone knows each other by association and if they don't, they will soon be introduced.  In addition to the amazing music honoring Townes, the networking is subtly evident in the room: Numbers are exchanged, gigs are planned and smiles are exchanged openly.

In addition to Blake, the night featured the best Memphis has to offer:  Nancy Apple, Bailey Bigger, Deion James, Tony Manard, The Late Greats, Davey Coleman, Jesse Wilcox, Kitty Dearing & The Dagnabbits, Oakwalker, Turnstyles, Jeremy Scott, Curtis B. Scott, Mark Wiklund, Patrick McGee and Joe Mathews.  A cross-section of America music had local legends sharing the stage with recent additions to the scene.  Memphis is alive and thriving in the singer/songwriter space as evidenced here.  Putting their spins on classic Townes Inspired songs and sharing some originals made this such a special night.

Of course, the entire cast joined in for the finale:  “Pancho and Lefty” which Townes claimed he wrote about “Two Mexican bandits he didn't see on TV until weeks later.”  Covers of your songs by other artists is a true barometer of how it is received and as such, how it is written.  Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Shane Smith and The Saints, Cody Jinks/Elizabeth Cook, Jason Isbell and Gillian Welch are just a few who have done it.

On this night, in the heart of a city steeped in musical heritage, the work borne by a Texas Songwriter who, much like Memphis itself was a bit of an underdog, shined like polished steel.  See y'all next year!

One of the things I try to do is look forward, not backward but sometimes it's OK to dig up things from the past that make you happy.  Whether it's writing a letter or listening to a song from long ago, there are a lot of ways to find happiness in “the way it used to be.”  Today, I am going to start listing things I come across from the past that make me happy.  When I turned on Sirius XM Outlaw Country, I found the first thing on my list:  Tom Petty with “You don't know how it feels.”  

Tom Petty takes me and many others back to high school when we had the world in front of us without a care in the world.  It's tough to pinpoint what his impact was exactly but to me he came out as a rocker in 1977 when we needed it most.  Disco and punk had taken over the airwaves and kids like me needed some direction as far as music went.  In reality, Springsteen, Seger and bands like Cheap Trick and Steve Miller were part of the same movement.  Night Moves was an anthem for all of us growing up at the time, like many of Petty's songs did.

We'll leave it at that for now but Merry Christmas or however you celebrate the holidays.  Let's all try to find things from the past that make us happy while looking toward the future.

Friday Night 12/12/25 was, as predicted:  “One of those nights" that we'll remember for a long time.

Of course, the fun got started with Sarah Spain recording a Christmas song on WREG in the afternoon.  It's always a treat doing performances on TV, whether Live or recorded.  But back to the night.

After playing Live at The Tracks in November, Caitlin Cannon and I got in touch with  KP Hawthorn who is currently getting play on Sirius XM Outlaw Country.  Sunny Sweeney specifically has rolled out the welcome mate for KP, featuring her on “The Sunny Side of Life” just last week.  We put together a night with the two Americana acts and couldn't wait for the night to arrive, our last show of the year.

The two hours flew by as both artists and their respective accompanies lit up the tiny South Main Sounds stage.   This is what happens often in this room: A lot of authenticity and  plenty of smiling faces.  Adding to the evening were multiple trips to Earnestine and Hazels by the performers and thankfully only one for yours truly.  

Saturday was an unexpected treat as well, courtesy of Flyway Brewery, one of the new hot-spots for great tunes.  Childhood friend Jeff Cline was running sound as one of his acts, Aidan Osias was joined by The Narrows and Zoe Dominguez who shows so many signs of success.  My friend Brett Moore and I were talking about her love of punk music and we agreed that she does favor a Chrissie Hynde version of the genre.   by about 6 it was time to get home which precluded me from seeing Alexis Jade at Momma's which is .4 miles from home. If this seems ridiculous, remember, the side-door slashing, rear view mirror mashing carport can jump out at any time.

Will be travelling next week but look forward to another blog to keep y'all updated on the happenings!

My blogs are obviously spurred by the songwriters and this is no exception.  Last night we had Van Duren, a Memphis legend play at South Main Sounds.  I and my friends basically sat in awe as the room filled up with Van fans, some of which have been following him since the 70's. It truly was a “Memphis Moment” that is a special thing that occurs here and you just know it when it hits you.

This morning on my over to the venue, Steve Earle was on Outlaw Country with Max Gomez, who is making waves at the moment.  If my memory served correctly, I saw Max play Railgarten a few years ago under the tutelage of none other than Keith Sykes.  Right then Max started telling the story about the next song he was going to play which was written with Keith.  Steve basically interrupted the story(it's his show after all) to tell about how Keith was in New York on the coffee house circuit and living in the same building as Jerry Jeff Walker and other notables.  Keith being 19 at the time, was dubbed “Baby Keith” by Jerry Jeff and for Earle, the name stuck even though Sykes is seven years his senior.  Apparently he jabbed back at the hard core troubadour with “Why do you call me Baby Keith?” I love it when the songwriters lives are intertwined like this and even more so when they are guys I have met.  

We take a bit of a break from shows until 12/5 when we have Amber Rae Dunn, Sydney Carty, Zach Borenstein and Ashtyn Miller kick off my birthday weekend.  I'll keep the blog posts coming though, even if just for me since it gives me an outlet for my senseless musings!

3C&TT,

-Mark

The songwriter community can be vast and local at the same time.  The late Todd Snider was an example of this.   Sadly, we lost Todd on November 14th and his death touched so many that perhaps even he would be in shock Even though I never met him, I had friends and aquantances who sung his praises and made me feel like I had. I've often heard stories of him getting a start at “The Daily Planet” in Memphis and playing Keith Sykes Songwriter Nights on Beale Street.  Though Keith covers more in his book, “A Very Short Time” than the two pages specifically dedicated to him, the title of chapter 125 is simply “Todd” and he talks about a rekindling of spirits after several years apart.  Get a copy of the book, it's steeped in Memphis musical history and much more.

Off subject for a minute, but this brings me to how we often refer to our musical heroes by a single name…more on that next time.

 I particularly like this quote from a November 15, 2025 article in Rolling Stone:

 “I’ve always been into being a troubadour. I love the chaos, that life of adventure — that’s what struck me. I had a predisposition for it,” Snider told Rolling Stone in 2023. “I was a hitchhiker and sofa circuit person. Jerry Jeff made me see that the difference between a free spirit and a freeloader is three chords on the guitar.”

Make sure to click into the link to read the entire story.  Oh, and come visit another one of our local “one name” legends Saturday Night at South Main Sounds.  Tickets to see Van Duren With Special Guest Sophie Chertow are available right here on the website under “shows.”