Tim McGraw is back with a new song, and it's one of the strangest titles you'll hear, 7,500 OBO.  McGraw is seeming to be making an effort recently to recapture some of the magic of the 1990's with the last few songs, and I'm OK with that.  I feel there will be an audience for 90's country for the foreseeable future and he was one of the driving forces in it.

I loved, I Called Mama, which to me was very 90's driven, and there is a lot to like here with this song.  It's a love and lose song, that will strike a chord with many.  It's a sort of story song, and it is certainly original.  I always think McGraw is great when the songs come directly from his heart.  That is what he does best.  This sounds like it could have been a song from 1996 for him. 

So sit back and grab a coffee and take in a new McGraw song!  (The Video features his daughter)

About Half – Of us feel good about returning to a movie theater (Cinamasafe)

Box Office Results - Suicide Squad tanks - about 25 million  (Story)

New This Week -  Free Guy  /  Don't Breathe  / Respect   

Tim and Faith - Will to star in a Yellowstone prequel called 1883 on Paramount+  (Story) 

Next Week  - Reminiscence with Hugh Jackman (Theaters and HBO Max)

Addams Family Netflix Show  -  Coming soon, and Catherine Zeta Jones will play Morticia (Story)

Christina Applegate  -  Has been diagnosed with MS -  (Story)

Quentin  Tarantino  - Says his mom used to belittle him and his Hollywood dreams, so he has "never given her a penny"  (Story)

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (link)

Check out my Song Of The Week - (Link)

This seems like a really bad idea. I'm going with NOT!!!

I can see a lot of relatonships FALLING apart because of this event.

This past Saturday, in Hungary, they held their 2nd Wife Carrying Contest!  It is almost 900 meters of hills with water hazards.

Around 40 couples are said to have competed.  I'm not sure how many are still alive?  I'm kidding, but some falls looked brutal.

Each pair ran the course twice and the top 4 couples competed for the title.    (I think they get a plaque and a supply of beer.)

First off, carrying someone like that your face is not in a prime location and secondly I can't believe some of their necks are still intact after the race.  It is like you are setting up Professional Wrestling Moves on your better half.  Talk about being in the doghouse!

Disclaimer: Please do not try this at home!!!  Or even at this event!

Being honest this kind of ticks me off!  Also full disclosure, I don't eat a bunch of Peanut Butter and Jelly sammiches anymore, but it's an institution.

Even more disclosure - I DO eat Peanut Butter and Mayo sammiches on occasion as it is delicious!  (Real mayo too, not that Miracle Whip stuff)  Don't judge till you try it. LOL -first open your mind, then your mouth - fantastic!  Let's break it down - Peanut Butter? - Good!  Mayo? - Good!  Bread? - Good!  What's not to like?

But the decline of the classic PB and J is a sad commentary indeed.  We all grew up on them, and they have a special place in our hearts!

What Happened To Peanut Butter And Jelly?

This week, Part 4 of Desert Island Country Albums.  The ones you would choose if you were marooned on a desert island to listen to, (ALA - Tom Hanks In Castaway).  I'll list some of mine, and I will pick one for each article from each decade starting with 1980, up until 2019, and a Wild Card album which can be from any decade. This is the last part of this series. I have played all these songs and albums on the radio.  (Here's Part One) -  (And Part Two) -   (Part 3 as well)  -   if you missed them.

Desert Island Country Island Albums - Part  4  (Final Part)

The 1980's - (1981)  Merle Haggard - Big City

This was a huge success for a star that had been around for years. He signed with a new record label and it was the shot in the arm he needed. This re-energized his career, and sent him on a very nice 5 year run in the 1980's that was very different than his previous 15 years.  This album was a new path, and in my view was the beginning of the best music of his career.  It was such a great re-invention, as a lot of younger fans found Haggard and realized that he was pretty darn good, and not just their parents favorite. I saw Haggard with Brooks And Dunn at Blossom a number of years ago and he was terrific, and was still riding the redesigned sound that this album provided.  This album also focuses on the struggles of the common man, as an ugly recession was devastating factory workers that year, it was exceedingly timely. I had just begun my country radio career at my first country radio station WOBL in Oberlin, Ohio, and this album made a huge impact on me.  Are The Good Times Really Over For Good, sung by this American Icon, became a loved early 80's anthem.

Singles - My Favorite Memory #1  /  Big City  #1  /  Are The Good Times Really Over For Good #2

Very Powerful Song!

The 1990's -  (1998)  Faith Hill  -  Faith

Sometimes we forget just how big a star and album actually were.  This may be the best example I can think of in country.  This album to me was the zenith of Faiths wonderful run through the 1990's. This sold six million copies and spawned a lot of hit songs. It also launched a "new" Faith, more mainstream, and her fans - and her new fans loved it. This Kiss was the biggest song she ever had, and drove the insane sales of this album. There is probably no better example of the perfect song, done by the perfect artist, at the perfect time in her life. We believed every word of that song, and we could sense her sincere happiness, her passion for the song, this project, and her life.  I feel many artists could benefit from her example here.  Fans love passion, positivity and being happy. Far more people like music to lift them up rather than to slap others down, as a little bit of that goes a very long way. This is a big, big album. 

Singles  -  This Kiss #1  /  Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me #3  /  Let Me Let Go #1  /  Love Ain't Like That #12 / The Secret Of Life #4

 This Song Drove This Album To Incredible Heights!

The 2000's - (2005)  Dierks Bentley  - Modern Day Drifter

Dierks Bentley has recorded a bunch of really good albums.  And even though this was not his first album, I feel this is where the really great albums began. This was his second album, and this is proof yet again that the second album is the one that decides if you're gonna hang around or not. This gave us really great songs that are still real radio and concert favorites all these years later. It's hard to imagine that he has been around 20 years now.  This is a platinum album a couple times over, and really established him as a legit star that had a golden future.  Bentley has a real love of traditional country and this is a fantastic mix of old school in music and lyric, and a newer school sound. Great, great album. 

Singles -  A Lot Of Leavin' Left To Do #3  /  Come A Little Closer #1  /  Settle For A Slowdown  #1

A Real Favorite On The Radio, Video And Concerts!  (Very Waylon-Like)

The 2010's - (2017)  Luke Combs  - This Ones For You

It isn't often that someone like Luke Combs shows up and breathes new life into an already successful format that was not gasping for air.  But that's exactly what Luke Combs did.  He sang on our morning show here at WQMX, just as Hurricane was hitting the radio.  Luke is a regular guy with more than incredible talent.  After Hurricane was #1, I think the next single absolutely solidified his place as not only a real contender, but a superstar.  When It Rains It Pours, is one of the great country songs of this century, and after it when #1 the floodgates flew open and we had a new mega star. This album was number one for 50 consecutive weeks and that tied Shania's, Come On Over. (In Part 3)   Combs along with Jon Pardi (Also in Part 3) have re-energized the traditional country fan and that's a big deal.  This album is sensational and so is he. Mandatory owning.

Singles  -  Hurricane #1  /  When It Rains It Pours #1  /  One Number Away #1  /  She Got The Best Of Me #1  / Beautiful Crazy #1

 What A Hit -  Look At The Views!!

Wild Card - (1983)  Earl Thomas Conley  - Don't Make It Easy For Me

This was a record setting album that only made country music history, but music history. It was ETC's third album on RCA records, and was a huge success. This became the first studio album in recorded music history to have four consecutive number one songs on it.  Not the Beatles, not Micheal Jackson, not Bing Crosby, not Elvis, not anyone.  Should be noted it has been done since, but not often (Luke Combs and a few others).  Casey Casem spotlighted Conley on American Top 40 that year chronicling his historic feat. Conley was a real up and and comer at the time and this album sent him on a truly incredible run through the 80's. In fact, the singles from this album were the first of 17 consecutive #1's for him, that string finally ended in 1989.  He had 20 #1's overall.  This is a mix of many kinds of music, with two common denominators, Conley's country voice, and the best people in Nashville in every aspect, putting this project together.  Everyone should own this album.

Singles - Your Love's On The Line #1  /  Holding Her, And Loving You #1 /  Don't Make It Easy For Me  #1  / Angel In Disguise  #1

 The First Of Seventeen Consecutive Number One Songs 1983-1989

COJO Nation there is a very interesting watch coming to North Canton.... Next Week!

"You're only gonna play the #HoustonRodeo one time, for the first time."

A snippet from Dear Rodeo - The Cody Johnson Story in theaters nationwide, with limited screenings from August 10! Book now at https://t.co/pf1t8gSK0I #DEARRODEO pic.twitter.com/kq2s2w94sq

— Cody Johnson (@codyjohnson) August 3, 2021

 You can see Dear Rodeo - The Cody Johnson Story at Cinemark Tinseltown USA in North Canton -  August 10th.  Click Here to purchase tickets.

And I will have a chance to win all this week in the 4 o'clock hour!

Normally you wouldn't think of Snickers and Salad together, right? Well they do in a new recipe that Simplemost found! An easy dessert that everyone should love, it takes just a few minutes and a few ingredients to make. Click here for the recipe.

Cleaning the oven is not the most fun of all the household chores. This is a much safer and natural way to clean it: steam! Click here for the how to from Taste of Home. 

Congratulations to Carly Pearce, the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry! She was inducted last night and Trisha Yearwood did the honors. Carly posted some pictures from the night to her social media pages: 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by c a r l y p e a r c e (@carlypearce)

 She also recently announced her new album 29: Written In Stone, an extention of her previous EP, 29. The album will feature the original songs on the EP, plus 8 new ones including "Dear Miss Loretta" with Patty Loveless. The new album also includes a duet, that was also co-written with Ashley McBryde on a song called "Never Wanted To Be That Girl." Other artists with writer credits include Kelsea Ballerini, Brandy Clark and Old Dominion's Matthew Ramsey. The album is set for release on September 17th. 

I realized, as much as 29 captured a moment, I wasn’t done with the story. 29: Written In Stone. Out September 17. Pre-order now. https://t.co/yQybnGCUrw pic.twitter.com/HVani6RR4V

— Carly Pearce (@carlypearce) August 3, 2021

OK, I'm eating this!  I love to grill out and I've developed some skills over the years, but this I gotta try.  On the grill, or in the oven, pork and chicken, low and slow is a good method to use. Especially pork.  But steak?

I Love Grilling!

I've never really done this, but I've seen it on the Food Network and here, so I'll give it a go. 

Try this and let me know how it goes, we can compare notes!

Steak Low And Slow In OVEN!