This Just In: Jerry Salley Caught In MandoMama Vortex

I sure do wish I could get on over to The Station Inn tomorrow night. Because a songwriter I didn't know about until today will be sharing cuts from his new release, New Songs, Old Friends.

Meet Jerry Salley. Once again, here's a guy who's been working behind the scenes for coming up on 25 years in Nashvegas all to put bread on his table and a song in our hearts. Until now those songs also have been put on other people's albums. Hooray Jerry for getting a turn!

So what's the rest of the story? Well, now, regular readers will recall that a couple months back, I had that funny dream in which I looked at my cell phone and I had a call coming in from Larry Cordle, who doesn't know me from Eve (and I do not mean that in a biblical sense, thank you). Jerry has long performed with songwriter Cordle and with Carl Jackson, who recorded, you've got it, that fabulous broken heart ballad that has been making the rounds here: "I'm Not Over You." (Oh it's just so painfully good I'm gonna have to put it on again tonight and play it some more.) Together that trio has recorded three albums: Livin, Lovin, Losin: Songs of The Louvin Brothers (whose song, "No One To Sing For Me," was blogged here in November to commemorate the loss of my mother); Against the Grain, and Lonesome Cafe. Jerry also has a string of country releases leading up to tomorrow's all-bluegrass release.

Which is, I guess, how I got there, and he got here.

Congratulations, Jerry Smalley on a new album chock full of great songs and great performers (Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson, Alecia Nugent, Jamie Wilson are just a few). Those of you who can, get on over to The Station Inn tomorrow night (January 16), say hello and pick up that new cd. I sure wish I could, but I'll be sitting here still waiting for Larry Cordle to call me back. Why in the heck didn't he leave a message?!