Lyle Lovett!

http://www.lylelovett.com/
Lyle Lovett. I'm not sure what I want to say. I always want to tell everyone how nice he is. I remember working the stage crew recently when he played Merlefest and I saw him walk from person to person back stage either taking time for a photo or just to talk to people he didn't know. I thought that was really cool. This same personality comes out on stage as well. Very cool.

I think somewhere way back in this blog I told the story of the first time I saw Lyle so many years ago. It was in the 1980's at Memorial Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he opened for Bonnie Raitt. I still remember every moment of that show. Lyle was great even then! Now many years later there is a really nice collection of music he has produced with some of the best of the music business. 11 albums and still rolling. Speaking of albums, yeah that's what I call them, Lyle just released "Release Me." pun intended. Folks, go sample this one. There is video all over the net and the songs are fabulous. Lyle played several of them last night from the Chuck Berry cover "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" which he completely made his own to the "Girl With the Holiday Smile" which he not only played but battered about with John on stage. The story was very funny. That folks is why you need to go buy the cd and go see the show live! I would put this one in my top five favorite shows of the past year.

Here are some links:

Look at the players in this video and you will see some real musical superstars. I won't mention any names but the room is full of stars...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbB4qLBCFOg

"Girl With the Holiday Smile"
http://www.myspace.com/lylelovett/music/songs/the-girl-with-the-holiday-smile-album-version-85205748

Listen to the new album preview and you can even buy it here...
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8671348

And..just to share. Here was the last song performed. "Good-bye to Carolina" Lyrics by Lyle Lovett:

Go west young man while you still can
Before you're out of time
And you can always come back home
Tomorrow if you like

So wave to the tractor
And to the tractor shed
And to the milk cow
That kicked me in the head
I can't remember
But was it I who said
Good-bye to carolina