The Real Memphis Mike (don't settle for imitations)

Joe Paterno passed away at the ripe old age of 85 from complications stemming from lung cancer. That's a fact. To say that he died of a broken heart or any other romanticized drivel is just pure crap. That's the type of wording used by hack journalists to get YOU to read their overly sensationalized stories. I'm not a college football fan. I never have been. I think that far too much emphasis is placed on sports in this country. I, for one, would much rather go to a school known for academics rather than football. But ok...for some schools, sports help pay the bills, so I'll have to deal with it. I have never been a Penn State fan. I could give a rat's ass about it. I've done a lot of shows at Penn State and I can tell you, the kids there love their school and have always loved their "Joe Pa". I will most definitely give the man credit for bolstering that level of school spirit. Since the Sandusky story broke last year, a lot of bad things have come to...

It seems like almost anytime I get on the Internet, I notice some post or article about women and their bodies. The main reasons for this is probably because A) All women have bodies and B) a lot of men enjoy looking at them. However, you women have been duped. I know this, you know this and most men know this. The media and fashion industry (which is mostly made up of gay men who like scrawny little twinks) have led you to believe that there is something wrong with your body. HOGWASH! Women have curves. Men LIKE those curves! Some women are curvier than others and some are not very curvy at all (but still have curves). Guess what? We men like that too! Some women will have scars. Some will have laugh lines. Some will have less than perfect teeth. Hell, some might have webbed feet and/or an extra or missing digit! Guess what? We men are OK with all of that too! In my life I've had the distinct pleasure of working with a lot of so-called "famous women". You women know who ...

"I shook up the world!" - Cassius Clay upon defeating Sonny Liston I'm not exactly known to my friends as a sports fan. The reason being, I've found that most professional athletes are a let down. Most of the 'sports heroes' of my youth have proven to be less than spectacular people (right O.J. Simpson?). That is, with the exception of The Greatest, Muhammed Ali. I guess even as a kid, I held people to high expectations. We are all endowed with the ability for greatness and most fall way short of the mark. It's easier to glide than excel. Not so for Muhammed Ali. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. 70 years ago today in Kentucky, Ali proved from an early age that he was the greatest. Fuming over the theft of his bike (at age 12), the young Clay wanted to "whup" the thief. A cop suggested he learn to box first. And learn to box he did! The young Clay proved to be an amazing boxer. 6 Golden Glove wins. A gold medal in the light heavyweight division in ...

I was lucky. Playing guitar has always come to me naturally. I'm not saying I didn't work hard at it, because I did. But, it seemed to come easier for me than most. Some folks even say I'm pretty good at it. (Thank ye kindly!) I always wanted to play slide guitar...that old deep south, Delta style of blues...but I always sucked at it. I made a bit of a joke of it...playing with a beer bottle just for the attention. I still wasn't very good at it! A few years ago, I was inspired to try, try again. I'd been watching a documentary on Mississippi Hill Country players, like R.L. Burnside & Junior Kimbrough, when I saw a few scenes about a guy named Cedell Davis (born Ellis Davis, June 9, 1927). His style of playing was like NO ONE I had ever seen or heard before! To say I was intrigued would be an understatement! You see, Cedell Davis plays with a knife. Not just any old knife...but a butter knife. Oh yeah...and he has some serious health problems too. I've given...

OK, so not only did Hollyweird turn the adventures of Sherlock Holmes (and Dr. Watson) into an action-packed adventure movie, they've made a sequel! Many people lined up to see both movies...because the media told them to. It's pretty much a given that Hollywood has run out of new ideas. Long gone are the days of movie studios taking chances on a new idea or a new face. Everything is merely a rehash of an old idea. So, given that, I've come up with some ideas for some serious blockbusters! Listen up Hollywood, if you want to make a fortune, here you go! Just remember, these are MY ideas! Jane Eyre Jane, after years of being treated badly by her stepsisters, gets locked in the Red Room (where her biological family was massacred by Muslim terrorists), freaks out and goes on a killing spree. Anne of Green Gables: Woman Of Mystery Appearing out of nowhere at the door of Marilla & Matthew Cuthbert, this mysterious and interesting beauty seduces the couple and then goes on a ...

I'm an American. I vote. I pay my taxes. I don't cheat on my taxes. I drink. Sometimes too much. I smoke. I inhaled. I've done a lot of drugs. I've had sex. Lots of it. With a lot of people. Sometimes more than one at a time. I've been arrested. Not always for things I've actually done. I try not to hate. I have friends and family of more than one race. I have friends and family of more than one belief. I've always worked hard. I've always tried to help my fellow humans. And animals. I don't believe in being greedy. I don't believe in war. I believe in always trying to do the right thing...AFTER taking the time to figure out what the right thing is. I've been rich. I've been homeless. I've been everywhere in between. I've gone to other countries and lived with the natives. I've spent time on both sides of the tracks. I'm pretty sure I've helped people. I'm pretty sure I've hurt people. I believe in God. I distr...

A friend (jokingly) suggested that I do a "World Tour" while I'm enjoying my unemployment. Nice idea...but.... A lot of folks have probably never really thought about how much goes into a tour. I know some folks that I've talked to over the years who think that someone else pays for everything and the band just gets paid to rock and/or roll. Don't I wish! OK, there are some instances when a performer can get the promoter to foot the bill...but you better be one helluva draw to get that deal! I've had only a handful of those shows in my 30+ years of performing. For the majority of us, it goes something like this: Figure out where you want to go...and why you want to go there. Is the region going to be open to what I'm playing? Example: you don't want to book a bluegrass band into a hip hop venue. It probably won't go down well. Next, figure out HOW you're going to get there. Here's where the expense starts to add up. Say I want to tour Austr...