Sam Williams: Leaving The Shadows Behind

Imagine that your grandfather is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. And your Dad? Oh, he’s a country music legend too.

That’s some long shadows to crawl out from under. But Sam Williams is doing his own thing. Following the dream and doing the work.

That’s courage. And Sam, he’s crushing it. 

Stay on the Sunny Side.

I was really caught off guard by how the passing of this sweet man has impacted me. A lot of it is that he, like my grandparents and dad, was raised in Tennessee. His accent, his mannerisms, and the things talked about are all wildly familiar to me.

My grandfather, who went by Sonny, was a popular musician in the clubs of 1930s Knoxville. And he always closed his shows with a jazz version of "Stay on the Sunny Side." 

It was his signature song. He sang it to me as a baby. He sang it at my grandma's funeral. My dad used to sing it to us while we got ready for school.

So when Brandi Carlisle shared this video of her and Leslie Jordan singing this song, I really felt the sadness set in. 

When I watched Leslie's Instagram videos, it was like the part of my family that had slipped away the last couple of years was still alive and well in Leslie Jordan. Southern people get a bad rap, but he was really the best amalgam of the best parts.

Rest in peace on the sunny side, Mr. Jordan. And thank you. 

This Explains it All

Tao of Spam

The answer to that was also no. He heard low squeaking sounds and thought of her saying: They come into the cellar when it rains.

"Well, Annie, one of us has to at least try, and you're not doing a very good job." He rolled clumsily onto his stomach burrowed one arm deep under the mattress, and brought out one of the sample cards.

Then he saw that the first Paul Sheldons face had turned a ghastly white as soon as the sand struck it and fear jerked him out of the dream and into the bedroom, where Annie Wilkes was standing over him.

The image of Annie Wilkes as an African idol out of She or King Solomons Mines was both ludicrous and queerly apt. The pattern was inescapable.

It wasnt just the worsening pain in his legs; he was edging toward a state of terminal freak-out. Now it was no more than the size of a knothole which a sidewalk superintendent might stoop to snoop through on an interesting piece of building construction.

reason for the world

To sculpt a tear...
Originally uploaded by p2wy.

Son for all I've told you
When you get right down to the
Reason for the world...
Who am I?

There are secrets that we still have left to find
There have been mysteries from the beginning of time
There are answers we're not wise enough to see

The batter swings and the summer flies
As I look into my angel's eyes
A song plays on while the moon is hiding over me
Something comes over me

I guess we're big and I guess we're small
If you think about it man you know we got it all
Cause we're all we got on this bouncing ball

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world

Five for Fighting, The Riddle

let the good times roll

"There are things that get you bummed, but I enjoy life, and I don't want to fast-forward it...some parts are boring, some parts are tired, but it goes away and you get back to having good times." ~Adam Sandler

let go. jump in.

today, i'm so in it!

i want to live that scene from Garden State. you know, the part where they get up on the tractor, look down into the infinite abyss and scream, issuing a challenge for life to take its best shot. letting the abyss know that they are alive, still in the game, and fighting like hell.

yep. today. that's me. up on that tractor.

post 9/11 blues

it's hard to be superman

You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.



Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

kerouac