LA Hoops or ATL Breakfast?

First up, I have to tell this story.   A couple of nights ago, our own Dan Hannon called me from LA where’s he mixing at Sunset Sound Studios, to say, “You’ll never believe who I’m shooting hoops with right now.”  I guessed Bon Jovi.  After all, he’d hung out with Steve Perry only days before, so I went for broke.  Wrong.  It was John Kraskinski, “Jim” from The Office.

 

Anyway, yesterday Rudy Vaughn and I went to the Atlanta Public Relations Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at the invitation of our pal Glen Jackson from Jackson Spalding PR.  In fact, Rudy (left) had his guitar at the ready; he was officially the understudy for Aaron Shust (center), who was there to sing a few songs, but whose wife could go into labor any time.  

 

Aaron indeed sang.  He did great; his voice is always super smooth.  And if there’s a nicer dude, I’d like to meet him.  Rudy and I made some new friends, and renewed some acquaintances.  Really enjoyed meeting Eric Elwell, who was there with Aaron.  Over his 20+ year career, Eric has recorded and mixed over 50 major label releases, and in 2005 was honored with a Dove Award as a producer & engineer.  He also does production on major tours.  Great convo.  Good guy.

 

Afterwards, Rudy and I made an unplanned visit to the big auditorium next door within the Cobb Energy Centre where the breakfast had been, and we watched the Atlanta Opera perform Cinderella.  We capped all this off by having lunch with Matt Winters, the new service programming director of Cumberland Church in Nashville.  Good day. (Special thanks to Brian Steely at Jackson Spalding for the pics.)

 

So, what’s cooler?  Hoops with John Kraskinski, or breakfast with Rudy and Aaron?

 

 

Viva Nashvegas: Highlights

Technically, it’s my birthday right now.  Happy Birthday, self!  Hope you enjoy your bronchitis.  I feel terrible, but am still having a great time in Music City USA.  On Sunday, Michael Johnston, Dan, and I played at Cumberland Church and had a blast with service programming director Billy McCarthy and campus director Eddie Johnson.

 

Since then, we’ve been going to concerts, renewing acquaintances, making new friends, having meetings, and such.  Some high points…

 

Kristy Starling, whose record Dan recently produced, is here with us, and we’ve had meetings about the best option for getting her record out there.  Amazing voice.

 

It’s pretty cool that Michael W. Smith did Kristian Stanfill’s and Alex Nifong’s (Atlanta guys) version of Jesus Paid It All last night at the Ryman.  

 

We’re staying at the home of music photographer Allen Clark, one of my favorite people in the world.  

 

Saw new OMG Records artist Chasen from Greenville SC tonight at The Rutledge.  They were good.  The lead singer sounds like Paul Carrack from Squeeze (remember them?).

 

Hung out with too many friends to name, from Nashville and Atlanta, like performance coach Tom Jackson and former Atlantan singer/songwriter Kevin Lawson, who lives here now.  Hanging with more friends tomorrow, including Dave Barnes‘ manager Chris DeTray.

 

But for now, to paraphrase Tommy Boy, Danny need sleepy.  Happy Birthday to me.

 

 

 

Music City Bound

My Poets buddy Michael Johnston and I have been videochatting about our upcoming trip to the GMA Convention in Nashville in a few days (that’s me in the Braves cap).  Dan Hannon is going with us.  The three of us are playing at Cumberland Church Sunday where the service will open with us doing Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend.”  For real.  Should be fun to connect with friends from all over.  I’ll blog from there some.