Daylight is coming/here

Remedy Drive's new album Daylight Is Coming is out today.

Please support these guys (if you like the music, of course).   They're a great band, and Jason Walker wrote with them and has gotten to know them and really thinks they're great guys.

I'm hoping to do some shows with them at some point...I really like them.

David Cook

I hung out and wrote with Luke Menard today.

He told me a story that I got his permission put on here.

Luke Menard found out he had cancer the week of the finale.  2-3 days before David Cook performed in the finale, trying to win Idol, he took time to come to Luke's hospital room in L.A.  I can tell you from experience that the final 2 don't have time to use the restroom, nonetheless break away to see a friend in the hospital.  So, that sacrifice alone says a lot about the dude.

But this story blew me away:

Luke recently did a fundraising concert to help pay for his mounting medical bills.  So, his hometown put on a concert to help pay for said bills, and Luke performed.  David Cook sent a signed guitar as a donation to be sold in the auction.  Nice enough, right.

Then, as the concert/auction/fundraiser was starting, David called and told Luke to let the audience know that whatever they bought the guitar for, he would match personally dollar for dollar.  And he did.

Now, David didn't pay off Luke's bills...he still needs help...but that act of sacrifice was pretty incredible, and, to me, says what kind of guy David is.

Hey, in my first EW blog I questioned if he came across as cocky.  But, speaking as someone who is misread a great deal, I have a feeling David is misread also.

So...just a little story.

Coming Up!

So, it was great to see Risa and Candy this weekend!  Seriously, we've gotta get to Little Rock because it is not fair that you have to drive so far to come and see me.

But then, Carmen has driven way further...so, you know what, Risa, quit your complaining!  LOL

Seriously, though...Candy and Risa, thanks for coming out...it means the world to me.

So, coming up is some cool stuff:

Thursday, is Bowling Green...that's gonne be a cool show.  I think some of management and booking are gonna be there.  Plus, they have sold a buncha tickets already, supposedly!  So, it should be a big ol' great show!  And...Jason Walker is going out with us for like 10 days!  This will be the first show he'll be playing with us.

Then Friday we travel to KC, MO!  I'm pumped!  I haven't been to KC in about 10 years...it'll be cool to see friends again!  So, we'll hang out on Friday night, then Saturday is the KC Royals game.  I'm doing an acoustic opening set in front of Natalie Grant...so that'll be awesome.  Plus, I get to go to a Royals game.  I used to go see Bo Jackson and George Brett play!  It'll be cool to go see the Royals again.

Then Sunday, I play a church in Lenexa, KS.  We are playing at Lenexa Baptist Church.  I'll do a coupla songs in the morning service, then a show for the evening service that night at 5pm.  Then as soon as we finish, we load up and drive 14 hours to Greenville, SC.  Fun!

I have to be there at 10am to do chapel for North Greenville University.  Then that night at 7pm we do a show for the students.  So, that'll be fun!

Then, while Clint has to go back and practice with another artist he's playing with in October, the rest of us get 2 days off in Greenville!  It'll be great to see old friends and my brother!  

So, that's what's upcoming!

Empty Me to Arise

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Empty Me finally fell.  Back to #8.

Hey, it had an incredible run, but great songs coming up the charts and the fact that I've been on for almost 6 months takes it's toll.  

However, I am proud to announce that, though "Arise" has gone to CHR stations (more rocking stations), it will hit AC (where Empty Me has lived) on August 29!

So, be excited.  One single down....1 to go...after that, let's hope we get 2 more...'cause that'd be great.

David Archuleta - "Crush"

Okay...

So, all season long, I had my doubts about Archuleta.  I thought he had a fine voice, all right, but I just thought he was boring on the show.  On top of that I had real concerns of how he would fit into the landscape of today's music culture.

I just listened to his debut single "Crush".

My initial thoughts are that it is a fine song and any concerns I had about his fitting into today's music business, have been relieved in spades.  He sounds great and I think this is a genuine contender for a hit single!  

If you've known me for any certain amount of time, you'll know I have no problem admitting when I was wrong.  On Archie, I was wrong.  

And, honestly, I'm glad I was.  I wish him all the luck in the world.

Number 7

We moved up once more, probably the final time, this week to Number 7.

Yeah!

Remedy Drive

I try to keep my music recommendations to a minimum so that when I do tell you that something is great, that you believe that I'm serious.  

Remedy Drive is one such band that you should take me seriously on.  They're a new band for Word Records and they are one of the best new bands I've heard in a while.  To me, they're a mixture of Switchfoot, piano-based groups like Keane, Coldplay and Jack's Mannequin, with some Relient K influence in there, too.

They're a brothers group that is incredible and Ian Eskilin produced this record to a tee.  

Check it out August 26.

Back To School!

The Back to School tour just did it's first 3 shows in Southern Illinois, and they went great!  We saw great-sized attendances and the show went great.

Here's our set list:

Intro/Hands Up

Loaded Gun/Eleanor Rigby

Somewhere/Living on a Prayer

Cry Tonight

In a Moment

Something Beautiful

Arise

Broken (beautiful)

Something/I'm Clean

City of Blinding Lights

Potential/Interlude/Empty Me

How Long

Let You Know

Vessel

So, it's an exciting time!  Thanks to all who came out for the first 3 shows.  We have a bunch more to come!