You may have a secret to making the best hard boiled eggs on earth!  Many do, but just in case you don't and are tired of wondering endlessly if they will be right or not, here some of the BEST ways.  According to people that claim they know what they are doing!

The Best Way To Hard Boil Eggs!

Box Office Results - Thor: Love And Thunder   #2  - Minions

New This Week - NOPE!   -   (Jordan Peele)

New Next Week - DC – Leaguge Of Superpets / Vengeance

August 5 - Bullet Train with Brad Pitt

August 5 — Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:  -  Netflix.

Peter Dinklage - Joined the cast of The Hunger Games prequel  (Story) 

The Munters Movie – September (Netflix)  will finally show the origin of Herman and how he came to be! (Story)

Who Knew? - Monty Norman, the composer of the James Bond theme, has died he was 94

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

Amanda asked when I was going to get around to featuring Clint Black, and would he be in the Mega Star Series. Well, good idea, today, and yes!  Clint Black in my view, is a very important artist in our history.  CB showing up in 1989 was the next step on the ladder to country's explosion and led the charge to a popularity that we still enjoy today.  Clint along with Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Travis Tritt that year, changed a whole lot of things for the way better.

Perfect Debut Single  - Phones LIT UP! #1

As great as Clint Black was during his run, he is another example of stars not being guaranteed a 20 plus year chart run, as they are more rare than not. But in his case it was the music that made him a star and made him a pivotal artist.  The unapologetic, fantastic, straight forward country approach that fans loved deeply and gave him incredible success in the 1990's and beyond as he heavily influenced the next wave, and next generation of stars.  From my seat, he and Garth really changed the game in country music. The format had been slowly evolving from a pop sound to a more traditional sound for about 8 years, from the result of many great stars. But Clint Blacks arrival signaled the start of something very different.

One Of The Most Loved Country Songs Of The Last 30 Years #1

Think of today, with Luke Combs and his incredible and meteoric rise to the very top.  That's what Clint Black did along with Garth at the same time, and Alan Jackson was not far behind, if at all.  Black was the combination of a young Merle Haggard, along with George Strait image and looks, a traditional approach with a new thump, and a treasure chest of songs ready to go. Yes, it was traditional, but there was NOTHING old sounding about it. The door had been opening on a real country boom since about 1986, and in 1989, Black, Brooks, Jackson, and Tritt kicked it down.  Clint Black charted some 30 plus songs in his run and 22 of them (or so depending on which chart) went number one. 

Another #1 Off His Debut Album

He came to Nashville and had to wait for success, he was a construction worker and had other jobs.  But in 1987 he got a break, and in 1989, he hit the charts.  He did things a bit differently as well, insisting that HIS own band play on his albums, which is not the way it generally works, but it worked for him.  Early on there were some legal issues with his music delaying albums and releases that eventually were worked out, and in short order he was offered some acting roles as his popularity was blossoming. Clint Black was becoming a major star.  In those days the only real tools the artists had was the radio and videos, so the music had better be good. No YouTube, no internet, no social media to drive things.

Another Huge #1 Song

His debut album Killin' Time, is a work of art, as the first 4 songs went number one setting records at the time and sold millions. It's one of the best country albums ever recorded.  In fact, his first 6 studio albums all sold multi-millions and through the 1990's Clint Black dominated the charts and radio.  Every single he released in his first 10 years was a top ten hit with some that didn't make it to #1, but made it to #2.  What CB did very successfully was restore many people's complete musical faith that country had indeed returned to "country"  in every way, and they loved him for it. In addition to the music, that was his absolute gift to us. I feel there are plenty of fans that miss his kind of pure sound even today.

Great Summer Song

He looked the part, he wore a hat, (he led the Hat Act charge) he sounded it, and his music was pure.  He also reminded people of how they felt when they first heard and saw George Strait, a decade earlier, or Haggard a couple decades earlier. But this time the climate was different than Straits arrival time, and Black joined Strait, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Holly Dunn, Patty Loveless and other traditionalists right away.  His sound was a little fuller, edgier, a bit more determined, and louder than some of the others of the time, say John Michael Montgomery, Jackson, Tim McGraw and even Garth's.

Very Cool Song

As time went on of course, Garth became the absolute face of country music with his soaring record sales, massive country and crossover appeal, incredible live shows, and gigantic national TV exposure, and we are better for it.  But in the 1990's Black and Brooks were undeniably running parallel and were the top acts of this huge decade that featured so many big stars.  They were the country stars of 1989, that led directly to the deluge of country stars that cascaded onto the charts over the next few years, and being honest, Clint Black was the first.  Many of the stars to come emulated Black, and Brooks with their look, the style, the hat, and the traditional sound that fans could not get enough of then.  Clint Black was in my view, and with every and all due respect to many others, musically, the best of the new traditionalists.

Classic Black #1

CB married Hollywood actor Lisa Hartman and had a number one song together.  Black has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, only the 4th country star to do that at the time.  He is a prolific songwriter and in fact would only record songs that he had written or co-written for many years.  He eventually started his own record label and in the last few years of this new century has recorded various albums of his own choosing. He still performs and tours and was here in Akron a few months back. He's won a ton of awards from the CMA, and the ACM and the AMA.  He's been nominated for many, and has won a Grammy.  He has also sold many millions of albums

With His Wife - Big Song!  #1

His music is sensational and it was right on time.  He and a few others elevated country to a place it had never been.  Sure, Urban Cowboy made us a temporary hero for a short while with the crossover audience. But as the traditional movement was starting to take hold from about 1986, in 1989, he was the real hero to those who loved their country - COUNTRY.  

Another #1

He really helped many people fall in love again with real country, and that is no small feat.  He spearheaded that remarkable class of 1989, that led off and then stampeded through the 1990's.   We needed Clint Black and he was sensational.

Great Song #1

He Was AT WQMX A Few Years Ago For An Interview!

Clint Black is a Mega Star by every measure.

On Sunday, the Dewsweepers played Fox Den Golf Course in Stow, and we were all raving about it, what a nice track to play.

You better like trees, because all holes are tree lined and beautiful. This is the very definition of a Northern course. Green, lush, trees, some sand, a little water that is in the proper place and some really nice terrain that gives this place some real character.  I love this course and I can't wait to go back and do it again.

They have also made some really nice improvements to the entire complex, and is very nice.  Greens fast and true that held, fairways perfect, and the design is very well done.  They have also "fixed" a problem they had on holes 5 and 6, that have been redesigned and it's a far better course now, making the par 5 6th way better and adding a newer par 3 now as hole #5.   At one time it was an awkward (being kind) par 5 5th and then a par 4 6th.  This is way better, gving you back-to-back par 5's on 6 and 7. 

Fox Den is in Stow, on Call road and if you like good golf, you should check it out.  PLUS, it's the only golf course I have ever played anywhere that had a barber shop!

GREAT place!

Last Saturday morning, Windy and I were hanging at the house as it drizzled and we decided to go to the Hudson Farmers Market.  I have driven past it many times on various Saturday mornings, but never stopped in.

Incredible Fresh Produce

The real reason we went was, The Pierogi Lady made a post that she had Sausage and Gravy pierogis there, and they sounded too good to pass up.  And they were, we got some when we got there.  So we nib-nosed around and bought a bunch of fresh and delicious produce for the weekend, everything was fresh and fantastic!

Tomato -  Yes!

We then prepared a GREAT dinner Saturday Night with Sirloin steak, and Windy made an incredible beet salad with what we bought.  Paired it up with some wine and we were good to go!

Bread!!!

What a nice area that is, and what a wonderful Farmers Market they have there. Totally worth a visit.  Bring our dog, almost everyone else does!

Glad We Saw Her Post!!

The cover pic for this article is the perfect Beet Salad Windy made with the siloin I grilled! Perfect meal, perfect night.

Hudson Farmers Marker - St RT 303 and 91, right downtown! - Fun Time!

Let's start off the week with FOOD!!! I love me a good Tuna Melt, but they seem like a lot of work, but this one! YES!!

Best Tuna Melt Ever!

Box Office Results - Thor: Love And Thunder  -  (143 Million)

Top Gun - 16 Million this week  -  and now 1.2 BILLION TOTAL  (Story)

Tom Cruise – Seems he will get about 100 million for being in the movie  (Story) 

More Top Gunning? - There is a third Top Gun movie that is being kicked around by Tom Cruise and Miles Teller  (Story)

New This Week - Paws Of Fury / Where The Crawdads Sing / Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris

New Next Week - NOPE!   (Jordan Peele) 

Stranger Things – Season 5 -  (2024)

Duffer Brothers - The guys who created Stranger Things are working on spin-offs, movies and plays (Story)

Hallmark’s - “Christmas in July” campaign is running all this month. Christmas movies all month AND the Fall Lineup! (Story) 

Who Knew? - Monty Norman, the composer of the James Bond theme died at 94  (Theme) 

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane   (Link)  Martina McBride

  In our seemingly never ending quest to watch what we eat, and count our carbs, bread always seems to catch our wrath the most.   "That's it, I'm givin' up bread!!"  No person that has ever said that sentence has meant it.  Generally you're back on the bread....hard, within a week or two.  If you claim you're off bread and are not citing a specific medical reason, you're not telling the truth.  If you ARE actually being honest, you're the toughest person in the world, and congrats!

Carbs are the enemy and they come from many different places.  So go easy on the pasta, and keep bread alive.  And read this and see the best breads on earth!!!

These Breads Will Leave You Breathless!

  Traci asked if I could feature her favorite, Martina McBride. Of course, and it's about time we got around to her. She was an interesting country star in many ways.  Sure, she rattled off a long line of hits over many years and had a loyal fan base.  But when you listen to her sing, she sounds a little apart from other contemporaries of the 1990's and early 2000's.  I played every MMc song ever released, and was proud to do so. 

Her Very First Song Release -

MMc grew up in Kansas, raised on a dairy farm and fell in love with singing at a very young age. She was in a couple bands ranging from country to rock as a kid. She married a guy named John McBride who ended up traveling with Garth Brooks as a sound crew member. And if my memory serves me right, she would head out with him sometimes and sell Garth merch on those early Garth tours.  Garth was impressed and eventually offered her a chance to open up some of his shows and the door was now open.  She got a record deal with RCA.

First Big Hit - #2  Got Her Noticed!

Her first album, The Time Has Come came out early 90's.  The title song, I loved, but it was not a big hit and couple more misfires from that album failed to really connect.  But her second album, The Way That I Am, was a big success, and led to great things up the road.  My Baby Loves Me,  her first big hit, was a great song, and charted well.  Independence Day was also on that album, and was very, very popular with fans, but radio had some reservations about it as it talks of course about burning a house down, and worse, to escape domestic abuse.  But this song instantly propelled her to great heights.  I remember thinking back then, "Wow this song is really edgy.."  And for the early 1990's it was.  I know, that seems insanely silly by today's standards.

This Song Changed Many Things - For Her  -  And Us!

Even though ID did NOT make it to the top ten, and in a charting sense was not a "big hit,"  it was award winning, and award nominated many times over for her and the song writer, Gretchen Peters and was universally loved by fans. Plain and simple this song ended up being a "big hit" and needed Martina -  and Martina needed that song, it was a perfect match.  It was the early 1990's, things have changed much in music and country music since. Her passionate, soaring vocals and cutting edge subject matter on this song was a big turning point. Carrie Underwood has since made an entire career out of dealing out deadly revenge in songs. Independence Day changed a whole lot of things in country music.  We were not quite as polite as we were before.  Fans loved that song, and still do and we got a lot more real.

Through the 1990's MMc had a ton of hits, and much of her music in its sound was reminiscent of Faith Hill or even Shania to a degree, although her music was not near as carefree as Twain's.  She transitioned from a more country sound early on to a more evolved pop country sound with deeper subject matter as time went on.  Much of her music was delivering a "message."   She had five number one songs, a number of very big albums, and won Female Vocalist Of The Year three times.  She garnered Grammy nominations and enjoyed some great success overall as one of the faces of country of the 1990's especially.  She also sold about 18 million albums.

This Was A Very Popular Song At The Time!

She was not as country as Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Terri Clark and others, as she was on the pop side of the format.  What I always found interesting about her was this.  The exact same thing that made her beyond wildly popular with many fans, held her back from other fans. I don't feel MMc was polarizing, but I think there were times she did not connect with the more traditional listener, while at the same time she was deeply connecting with others.  Her music by and large was deep with definite meaning and purpose, and there is nothing wrong with that.  But 1990's country overall was fun and a bit more lighthearted.  I do think there are times we do take ourselves too seriously in country still today, but during her run, she found a nice niche and it worked very well.

Powerful Song And Video

But with that said, big success can't be denied, and Martina had a bunch of it. She was blessed with an incredible voice that was pure and versatile.  Not many of her era, any era, and this era, can out sing her.  Her strong, confident and powerful voice is legendary.  She sounds great singing her songs, the National Anthem, Christmas music, show tunes, the dictionary, or just about anything else.  She is a pure vocalist, that sings country music. She is one of the best pure singers we've ever had, and not many would, could, or should argue that.

Always Loved This Song

She also was amazing in her personal life as she greatly reduced her recording and touring to be a "normal" mom.  She raised a ton of money and has done incredible work raising awareness for ending domestic violence and other very meaningful causes.  She spent her career singing from her heart and her fans felt that.  And then she walked the walk.  In the 1990's she was part of a great decade for this format and was out front with so many great women of the decade.

A Real Fun #1

Martina McBride, Great story. Great music, Great voice. Great career.

  I feature this site about every summer.  Susie Bulloch at  Hey, Grill, Hey has some amazing recipes on grilling. This is Grilling Month, so it's apt.

Everything Windy and I have ever made from her website hasn simply been incredible. She's insanely talented and knows her way around the kitchen and the grill.

Hey Grill Hey!