SBI: A Thinning Crowd

My iPod Has Issues – The Great State of Tennessee

Tennessee, of which I am a native, has always been a musical state. Memphis has the Blues. Nashville has Country. The mountains have Appalachian Folk. It’s definitely a variety, and when it is thrown all together it turns into Rock ‘n Roll. As a historian who likes music, I have noticed a lot of songs about Tennessee. They either have the state in their names or as their subject.

Since I first heard a Tennessee song, I have wondered how many pieces of music are about this state. Yes, I was a weird kid. I still haven’t figured out all of the Tennessee songs, but I have collected a few on my iPod. To figure out what is there, I am putting the Tennessee playlist on shuffle and letting them fly.

“Roane County Prison” by Bill Monroe

“Nashville Jumps” by Cecil Grant

“Lebanon, Tennessee” by Ron Sexsmith

“Tennessee Waltz” by Jimmy Martin

“Tennessee Flat Top Box” by Johnny Cash

“Memphis Exorcism” by Squirrel Nut Zippers

“My Little Home in Tennessee” by Mac Wiseman

“Gene Nobles’ Boogie” by Richard Armstrong

“Rocky Top” by The Osbourne Brothers

“Tennessee Babe” by Dimitri Tiomkin

“My Little Girl in Tennessee” by Flatt and Scruggs

“East Tennessee Blues” by Tommy Jackson

“L&N Special” by Christine Kittrell

“Knoxville Girl” by Log Cabin Boys

“16th Avenue” by Lacy J. Dalton

“Team of Destiny” by Kenny Chesney

“Tennessee Whiskey” by David Allan Coe

Most of these songs are part of the Country genre, but a few come from the “Night Train to Nashville” album, which chronicles the history of Nashville’s R&B scene. If you want to hear some good Nashville music that is not Country, then you should check it out.

I will finish with a bit of Nashville trivia. When Jimi Hendrix was stationed at Fort Campbell, he played in the nightclubs along Jefferson Street. This is where he honed the guitar skills that would make him famous.

Tags: Bill Monroe, Cecil Grant, Christine Kittrell, David Allan Coe, Dimitri Tiomkin, Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Johnny Cash, Kenny Chesney, Lacy J. Dalton, Log Cabin Boys, Mac Wiseman, Music, Nashville, Richard Armstrong, Ron Sexsmith, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Tennessee, The Osbourne Brothers, Tommy Jackson

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Music

Listeria – Gunslingers Edition

12 Nov

The folks at Wild West Magazine put out a special edition called 10 Greatest Gunfighters, and, as a historian of the American West, I had to pick the thing up. It lists the famous gunmen and includes a biography of each one. I didn’t read them in great detail because I already know the stories and the articles seemed to rehash the same old mixture of myth and reality.

Because it is difficult to separate myth from reality, I will not recount the lives of these men here. Instead, here is the list of who they consider to be the ten greatest gunslingers with a few facts about them included. I hope that you will use this as a base to explore the depth of their lives.

Wild Bill Hickok

Real Name: James Butler Hickok

Birth: May 27, 1837 in Homer, Illinois

Death: August 2, 1876 Deadwood, Dakota Territory

Death Fact: Hickok was shot while playing poker and, according to legend, was holding Ace’s and 8’s. Those cards are now known as Dead Man’s Hand.

Bat Masterson

Real Name: William Barclay Masterson

Birth: November 26, 1853 in Henryville, Canada East

Death: October 25, 1921 in New York City

Death Fact: Masterson became a sports writer and died after writing a column.

Billy the Kid

Real Name: William Henry McCarty, Jr.

Birth: Unknown – many believe he was born in New York City in 1859.

Death: July 14, 1881 in Fort Sumner, New Mexico

Death Fact: The Kid was shot by Pat Garrett, sheriff of Lincoln County, but many people believe that it really didn’t happen.

Johnny Ringo

Real Name: John Peters Ringo

Birth: May 3, 1850 in Greensfork, Indiana

Death: July 14, 1882 in Turkey Creek Canyon, Arizona

Death Fact: Ringo was found under a tree with a bullet hole in his temple.

Bill Longley

Real Name: William Preston Longley

Birth: October 6, 1851 in Mill Creek, Texas

Death: October 11, 1878 in Giddings, Texas

Death Facts: Longley claimed to have killed 32 people and was executed by hanging.

Jesse James

Real Name: Jesse Woodson James

Birth: September 5, 1847 in Clay County, Missouri

Death: April 3, 1882 in Saint Joseph, Missouri

Death Fact: James was shot by Bob Ford while dusting a picture hanging on the wall.

Pat Garrett

Real Name: Patrick Floyd Garrett

Birth: June 5, 1850 in Cusseta, Alabama

Death: February 29, 1908 near Las Cruces, New Mexico

Death Fact: Garrett was killed over an argument about goats.

Clay Allison

Real Name: Robert Clay Allison

Birth: September 2, 1840 in Clifton, Tennessee

Death: July 3, 1887 on his ranch near Pecos, Texas

Death Fact: Allison fell off a wagon and suffered a broken neck when a wheel rolled over him.

Doc Holliday

Real Name: John Henry Holliday

Birth: August 14, 1851 in Griffin, Georgia

Death: November 8, 1887 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Death Facts: Holliday died of tuberculosis at the Hotel Glenwood.

Kid Curry

Real Name: Harvey Alexander Logan

Birth: 1867 in Richland Township, Iowa

Death: June 1904 near Parachute, Colorado

Death Fact: Logan shot himself rather than being captured by a posse.

Tags: American West, Bat Masterson, Bill Longley, Billy the Kid, Clay Allison, Doc Holliday, Gunfighters, History, Jesse James, Johnny Ringo, Kid Curry, Pat Garrett, Wild Bill Hickok, Wild West Magazine

Comments 16 Comments
Categories History

Time for a Little Bragging

11 Nov

The latest edition of Travel and Leisure contains an article about America’s favorite cities in 2012. Apparently, over 40,000 people voted for cities in different categories. You guys know that I am addicted to lists, but I am writing about this list for an important reason – Nashville, my city, made the list. I know it’s a great place; other people in this area know it’s a great place; and, it’s good to know that other people are discovering the great aspects of Nashville.

So, where did Nashville gain points?

It ranked first in the Friendly category.

Nashville came in second in Safety and Affordability.

The city’s collection of Antique Stores pulled it up to fifth in that category.

People who like Happy Hour ranked Nashville fourth.

Music lovers said that Nashville’s Music Scene comes in second to New Orleans. They must have miscalculated on that one.

It also finished highly ranked in the following categories.

People

Attractive #6 (I don’t know why they didn’t include a picture of me.)

Driving Ability #3 (Again, where is the picture of me in my car?)

Intelligent #9 (Uh, they should have just called me for some pictures.)

Charming Local Accent #4 (Charming? That’s one way to describe it.)

Proud of Their City #3 (This is definitely true.)

Sports-Crazed #8 (This would be higher if the Titans didn’t suck.)

Stylish #8 (Yeah. Lots of style here once you look past the rhinestones.)

Type of Trip

Base for Day Trips #6 (There’s a lot to see around here.)

Family Vacation #7 (Just keep the kids out of the honky tonks.)

Girlfriend Getaways #3 (Hmmm.)

Wild Weekend #5 (I wonder if this can be combined with the one above.)

Nightlife

We have a lot of this one. Cocktail Lounges? Check. Singles Scene? Check. Sports Bars? Check

Culture

Yes, we have culture, and I don’t mean agriculture.

Historical Sites/Monuments #9 (This is good for the history professors among us.)

Street Performers #2 (Hit a corner on a Saturday night, and you will hear someone who should have a recording contract.)

Theater/Performance Art #7 (There’s more than just Country stuff around here. I promise.)

Food/Drinks/Restaurants

Nashville ranks highly in Barbecue, Hamburgers, Ice Cream and Pizza. (Let me say something about hamburgers. You haven’t had a hamburger if you haven’t been to Rotier’s. It’s the place that inspired Jimmy Buffett to write “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.

Quality of Life and Visitor Experience

Apparently, Nashville is clean because it ranks #3 in Cleanliness. You can hang around out clean city and take part in People-Watching, where Nashville ranks #6. It will be a nice day because it ranks #7 in Weather. Oh, you can do all this while playing on your iPad because Nashville is #1 in Wireless Coverage.

So, when are the Best Times to Visit? the survey says 4th of July, Christmas, Fall, New Year’s Eve, Spring Break and Valentine’s Day. But, I think you should drop by anytime.

Tags: Community, Nashville, Tennessee, Travel, Travel and Leisure

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Community, Travel

Movie Wisdom – George Peppard Edition

9 Nov

Hollywood did everything it could to make George Peppard a leading man. He appeared in several classic movies but never reached the star status that many had envisioned. In fact, his most enduring role was on “The A-Team”, the action-packed show that introduced the world to Mr. T. Despite this declining career arc, wisdom can be found in the movies of George Peppard.

From Home from the Hill

Be the kind of man that walks around with nothing in his pockets, no identification because everyone knows who you are. No cash because anyone in town would be happy to lend you anything you need. No keys ’cause you don’t keep a lock on a single thing you own. And no watch because time waits on you.

From Breakfast at Tiffany’s

You could always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.

It’s useful being top banana in the shock department.

Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.

It’s better to look at the sky than live there.

From How the West Was Won

Well, it don’t pay to eat too much on an empty stomach.

There ain’t much glory in lookin’ at a man with his guts hanging out.

From The Carpetbaggers

Well, a man is judged by what’s in his head, not in his bed.

From Rough Night in Jericho

Forty nine percent of something is better than a hundred percent of nothing.

The difference between an amateur and a professional: a professional figures out a way to cut down the odds before he makes his move.

A man starts choking a woman is looking to go to hell in a hurry.

If you can’t handle whiskey you shouldn’t drink.

From Damnation Alley

All the dead are dead – and the living are dying.

In previous Movie Wisdom posts, I have purposely avoided television series. After all, it is about the wisdom in movies. However, Peppard played a television detective named Banacek who quoted Polish proverbs. If you like, then you should watch this compilation of those sayings.

Tags: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Damnation Alley, George Peppard, Home from the Hill, How the West Was Won, Movies, Rough Night in Jericho, Television, The Carpetbaggers

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Movies, Television

The Lessons of Anthony Bourdain

8 Nov

This past weekend, I saw Anthony Bourdain in concert. Well, I guess you could call it a concert. It was really a PowerPoint presentation. Anyway, I have read several of Bourdain’s books about the world of the culinary arts, which is strange since I don’t cook. His writings are filled with great stories about what life is really like in the food industry, and, as people who work in it already know, it’s a lot different from the calm atmosphere around the table.

Bourdain parlayed his writing success into a popular television show that I watch whenever I can. He travels, eats, drinks and, in general, let’s everyone know what his opinions are. And, he doesn’t give a shit who he offends. In short, that’s the life I would like to have.

When I heard that he was coming to Nashville, I had to get tickets. With the things he says on his show, there would be no telling what he would say in person. With that in mind, these are a few of the lessons I learned from Anthony Bourdain’s PowerPoint presentation.

Paula Deen is the real life equivalent of Dr. Evil.

Fried food is finger lickin’ good.

People, like me, will pay good money to watch a guy say the same things that they can watch him say on television for free.

Go ahead and burn your money.

You can never have enough dick jokes in case your PowerPoint malfunctions.

Or, you could just use pen and paper.

When someone asks Anthony Bourdain a question, it always begins with “as a fellow culinary professional” and always ends with “can I have an autograph”.

Will you sign my rag?

Russians drink a lot of vodka.

Is the war still cold?

When an old professor sits in front of you, it’s not long before you realize that he is just as cranky now as he was 20 years ago.

No one has ever made above a D in my class, and I will make sure that it never happens.

If you request an altered version of a dish, then you might receive something extra in it.

Yes, I would like the hamburger, but can I get that without the meat and the bread?

I learned a few other things, but I have to go kill a duck to make foie gras.

Tags: Anthony Bourdain, Dining, Nashville, Paula Deen

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Dining

Sometimes It’s a Western, Sometimes It’s a Porno

5 Nov

My office sits at the end of a hallway, and I often have that part of the building to myself. During these times, it gets eerily quiet – for the most part. There may be the sound of the keys clicking on my keyboard. There may be the sound of someone shutting a door at the other end of the building. However, there is always a squeaking sound coming from the ceiling.

The first time I noticed the sound, it was at a slow and steady pace. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. I listened for a few minutes and kept thinking I had heard that sound somewhere before. It squeaked. I listened. Then, it hit me. This was the same sound in the opening scene of Once Upon a Time in the West, a Sergio Leone Western. The scene lasts forever and shows three gunmen waiting for the train to arrive at an isolated depot. Throughout their wait, an old windmill constantly turns and squeaks.

It squeaked so bad that this guy killed himself. Don’t believe me? Look it up.

To get the full effect, you should watch a portion of the scene. That windmill noise is the one outside my office. I should add that I don’t drink water from my hat or trap flies in the barrel of my gun.

At times, the squeaking noise speeds up, and the entire dynamic changes. Instead of sounding like a rusty windmill in a Western, it sounds like a squeaking bed from a porn movie. This is a family site, most of the time, so I will not include any porn images. However, I found a link that recreates the sound at my end of the hall.

As the title says, sometimes it’s a Western, sometimes it’s a porno. Other times, I turn iTunes up to 11.

Tags: Movies, Once Upon a Time in the West, Stupid Stuff

Comments 10 Comments
Categories Movies, Stupid Stuff

A Renaissance Man

2 Nov

A Renaissance Man is defined as a man who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field, and it is the rare person who can reach this level of accomplishment. Leonardo da Vinci was probably the original Renaissance Man. An inventor, artist and scientist, his name is synonymous with a high level of expertise in many areas.

History has given the world many people who have qualified for such a distinction. Many, like Howard Hughes, are famous, but many more, like Tom Drake, are not. However, I believe that one man, who gained fame in the mid-decades of the 20th Century stands above them all. Who is this Renaissance Man?

Jimmy Dean – singer, actor and businessman.

Jimmy Dean – Renaissance Man

Dean’s singing career started in the 1950s, but he found more success as a radio host, where he discovered stars such as Patsy Cline. In the early 1960s, he found musical success of his own with “Big Bad John“, a country classic that tells the tale of a miner who sacrifices his life to save others during a mining collapse. The fame of this song led to guest hosting stints on The Tonight Show and to The Jimmy Dean Show.

From television, Dean moved into movies and played Willard Whyte, a reclusive billionaire modeled after Howard Hughes (previously mentioned as a Renaissance Man), in Diamonds Are Forever.

Willard Whyte – Fictional Renaissance Man

More memorable than Dean were his bodyguards, Bambi and Thumper.

Guarding a Fictional Renaissance Man

During this time of entertainment success, Dean co-founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company and became successful in the food industry. Although he sold the company, Dean’s commercials entertained television viewers for years and made the sausage a household name. It turns out that he was a talented product pitchman, as well.

Jimmy Dean, a true Renaissance Man, passed away in 2010.

Tags: Big Bad John, Diamonds Are Forever, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean Sausage, Leonardo da Vinci, Movies, Music, Renaissance Man, Television, The Tonight Show, Willard Whyte

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Movies, Music, Television

The Little River Band Sang…

1 Nov

“Happy Anniversary, Baby“, and I have been thinking about that song because it has been one year since the birthing of this blog. It started with the suggestion of a therapist who I don’t see anymore and, honestly, I thought it was a dumb idea. I knew nothing about blogging and didn’t understand why anyone would want to read what I had to write. For the first month, that proved accurate as the blog got 49 hits FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH.

Several times, I thought about stopping but realized that was the point behind the therapist’s suggestion. I have had a hard time committing, and this would give me practice at continuing something. It’s a year later, and I am still continuing. That fact has amazed me along with a few other things.

I am amazed that this blog has 252 followers, and I deeply appreciate each one of you. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all of the other readers who have stopped by along the way. I appreciate that you guys have taken the time to read my words and offer hundreds of comments. There are some great people in the blog world, and I am happy to have come into contact with a bunch of them.

I am amazed that people from 91 countries have clicked on one of my posts. ZZ Top went nationwide, and Surrounded by Imbeciles has gone worldwide.

Beard, Beard and a guy named Beard.

Wait, that last sentence brings something to mind that I would like to address, the title of the blog. Several people have told me how much they like the title, and others have told me that, with the content to the blog, I should change it. I find value in each one of those opinions.

The explanation for the title is given in the very first post. I didn’t realize that there was an About page for introductory purposes and wrote post for introductory purposes. That, along with the fact that I didn’t know what a Tag was, shows you how big of a blogging imbecile I was. Anyway, I am getting off track.

That post explains where the title comes from and explains my vision for what Surrounded by Imbeciles would be about – a sarcastic look at the human condition. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I haven’t been able to keep the sarcasm flowing. Now, I still throw sarcasm out there, but it is surrounded by all sorts of other views of the world.

In short (too late, I know), I am not surrounded by imbeciles. I am surrounded by great people with a few imbeciles thrown in. Because I actually know a few imbeciles, I am going to keep the name of the blog. Besides, it’s a brand. I don’t see Coke changing anything. Wait, they tried that once didn’t they?

Uh, ok.

I conclude this anniversary post by shamelessly linking the eight less read entries of Surrounded by Imbeciles.

THE BOTTOM TEN

Last – Never heard of Peter Burnett? Well, now you have.

Almost Last – Some important events have happened on November 25.

Nearly Last – Read ’em and weep.

Almost Last But Not Quite – Steve Jobs sold crack.

In The Last Five – The dreaded Winter Solstice.

Hey, It’s Not In The Last Five – The brain says, “Hey, give me a break.”

Not Nearly Last – What is true immortality?

A Safe Distance From Last – An ode to a cactus.

Again, thanks to everyone who has read this blog. I truly appreciate it.

Tags: Blogging, Little River Band, Writing, ZZ Top

Comments 18 Comments
Categories Writing

The Great Pumpkin Carving Escapade

30 Oct

Tonight, I carved a pumpkin for the first time in years. It was great fun, and mine turned out quite well considering my lack of expertise. My handiwork was not worthy of being immortalized on the Internet. Therefore, tonight’s festivities will be honored with pictures of some of my favorite things carved into pumpkins. I have no idea who made these, but they are great artists.

AC/DC