A couple of my blog postings earlier on this blog have concerned deejays Bill Cody and Charlie Mattos, who do weekday wake-up show "Coffee, Country & Cody" on WSM-AM 650. I've also e-mailed the two, fairly often, and thanked them for the delightful wake-up they provide over the airwaves.
Well, Friday I experienced the show (all but the first hour or so) live in person. The two deejay friends of mine were again at the Ford Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame. I'd been to these live broadcasts at the Ford twice before (including Bill's fifteenth anniversary with WSM, see third post on 25 April post). But it sure was sweet to be able to stay to the end of the show this time!
You see, dear reader, Bill & Charlie have very engaging interviews and even live performances with various guests during the latter portion of the show. It's no different today, except I get to BE THERE for these. One guest they interview is Stan Hitchcock, who's been heavily involved in Nashville's music industry in a variety of ways, and who's published a book "At the Corner of Memory Land and Music Row". Discussion this morning is about the book, and how certain incidents of Stan's life contributed to the document. He signs two copies of the book for Bill and Charlie.
Then we're entertained by a local band of modified bluegrass persuasion, The Randy Kohrs Band. Randy's up front with acoustic guitar and Dobro, with a young lady to his right on fiddle and banjo picker to his left, and a snare drummer (hence "modified" bluegrass) behind. At the back of the band stands a bass man, with a most fascinating-looking upright bass. The body is white, while the neck and the corners/edges of the body are black. I've never seen such an upright bass! They play some great songs!
Later we're treated to the "Money in a Minute" contest. Two guests from the audience get to sit with Bill and Charlie while the two deejays play a "family Feud" type game, using questions about country music. Charlie answers the first question correctly, then Bill wins the next three points (I'm uncertain about answers, except one which is a chestnut.) Charlie scores one more point, but then time runs out with Bill leading 3-2. So his guest, a lady visiting from Florida, gets to go home $500 richer! How's THAT for a vacation?
The ""Coffee Country & Cody" show concludes in an extended interview with James Burton, 2001 inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, but also a guitarist with several country singers. I'm rather impressed with not only his diverse list of performance/recording credits (and Cody may not have listed them all) but also with his tranquil demeanor. You don't associate a "tranquil demeanor" with somebody in R & R, do you dear reader?
Probably the "tops" of my experience this morning is when the show ends. I get my picture taken with my two deejay friends, have Bill autograph a publicity 3 x 5 black & white photo -- Charlie needs to get one of these made! -- and present the two with a photo of yours truly taken at the statue of Chet Atkins at the corner of Fifth Ave. and Union St. just a few blocks north of us. The photo has Chet's statue sitting on a stool picking his electric guitar. I'm sitting on the other stool holding my Yamaha guitar, poised as tho' taking lessons for Mr. Certified Guitar Picker himself. I signed the back with a note thanking the two for providing such great weekday wake-up entertainment and signing off as "avid WSM listener and a would-be C G P.
You know, I do believe that Bill and Charlie and the show "Coffee Country and Cody" weekday mornings on WSM-AM 650 is one of the better things about Music City!
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