Thank you Charley Pride and Tom T. Hall

 

Everything we hear may not move us, but what does, lasts more than lifetimes. Butterfly effect and beyond ...

Thank you for the music.

Songwrites: Inspirations I

"Please Little River"
Songwriting credit: Kriz Rogers

"Roll On Mississippi"

Songwriting credits: Kye Fleming/Dennis Morgan

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBJ0DCW0h0U2yXwiBBi4YGJr0AkZqPMP0

Songwrites: Inspirations II

"Gloryville"
Songwriting credit: Kriz Rogers

"I See"

Songwriting credit: Tom T. Hall

Songwrites: Inspirations II playlist

A Musical Landmark

My signature song "Singing My Blues Away" was recorded at a studio in Hudiksvall, Sweden. My audio engineer and co-producer Henrik Mangseth of Mangseth Music Maker, and I worked on the recording here:

Norra Kykogatan 9, Hudiksvall, Sweden. The place where Kriz Rogers (former Kriztina Aahs) recorded her "Singing My Blues Away" at. The picture is from google maps's streetview. Link to map Brandgaraget, Hudiksvall on google maps

"Singing My Blues Away" can be downloaded on iTunes, Amazon etc.
"Singing My Blues Away" on Amazon

How I Work On Music

When I need to learn a new song, write one or musically arrange one, it is very helpful for me to go for a walk. The rhythm of my footsteps gives me a beat to work with. Then I simply repeat the lines of the song in my head (yes, I can "sing" the melody in my head).

Favorite Lines

There are songs and lines in songs that touch and stir, make my heart sing and my eyes cry.  Or simply make me happy. I'll list some of them here, and I will tell you from what songs they are at the bottom of the post. Hey, you can play a game with me and guess from where these lines are taken:

"Hey, I'm not trying to be nobody,
just want a chance to be myself."

"Some are going north and some are going south,
I'm just going to be gone."

"You'll only miss the man that you wanted him to be."

"And I was like a Christmas morning child"

"Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night."

"A hundred years go faster than you think."

"My eyes are not blue, but mine won't leave you."


Interesting how powerful just one line of a song can be ....not to mention a song as a whole along with the melody and the way it's sung ...

No wonder music is such a big part of most of our lives!

I promised  to tell, so if you haven't guessed just yet, here are the songs listed in the same order as I posted the lines: "Streets Of Bakersfield", "I'm Just Me", "Shut Up And Drive", "Memoryville" (yes, a song I recorded and that was the line that pulled me in), "I Saw The Light", "Don't Blink" and "I'm Not Lisa".


Now you also know some of my favorite songs to sing and/or to listen to!

Music Bucket List

Many of the places I have and still are to visit here in Nashville have been and are on my music bucket list. I have been to concerts at the Ryman (original home of the Grand Ole Opry), walked up and down Broadway hopping in and out of honky tonks listening to music and ordering an occasional Sprite/Sierra Mist (if you thought I'd say beer, you were way off the mark since I don't drink) and have had the pleasure of experiencing The Grand Ole Opry shows. Those were my listening pleasure bucket list things to do, so why not list my own music bucket list performances I would like to do ....

1. The Grand Ole Opry

2. The Ryman

3. On the Music City Roots

4. In Branson

5. In Bakersfield

6. At Dollywood


This list is going to be updated with venues around the world. To be continued.


PS. If you have any suggestions, just comment below! Thanks :)

A Friend's Debut At The Grand Ole Opry

My friend Lyn messaged me and said she had one extra ticket to the Saturday Night Opry and asked if I wanted to go with her to see our friend Bronson Bush's Opry debut. It did not take any hesitation at all on my behalf before I said yes!  When we met up at the Opry Plaza by the entrance, there was a jazz band playing to welcome everyone and it was very spirit lifting.  I was thinking as I walked and listened - yes, at the same time lol - that Nashville really knows how to go the extra mile to make things more than right when it comes to hospitality.  This was a very special Opry: not only was it Bronson's debut, it was also this season's American Idol Tristan McIntosh's Opry debut, whom Bronson played guitar for.  As if that was not special enough, Steve Wariner celebrated his 20th anniversary as an Opry member the same night. Wow, what a night!

Grand Ole Opry program and ticket from May 14th.

Me and Bronson Bush. Thanks Lyn for taking the picture!

Tristan McIntosh performing at her debut at the Opry. Also debuting is Bronson Bush, who is the guitar player standing to the left in the picture.

Work Out To Country Music!

I received a newsletter from Pandora where they had listed some stations with music you can work out to - a country station too! I think that is a great idea!

Pandora Country Music Work Out Station


PS. If you would like to check out my station on Pandora, go here:  Kriz Rogers (Kriztina Ahs) on Pandora

Top 10 in Sweden!

I am currently # 8 on the Swedish Radio Top 10!

Fans and listeners vote for their favorites, so I am grateful for everyone's support!

Here's the link: http://www.ohlzon.nu/topplistan/snl.asp

Yeee Haw!

For Hee Haw :-)

Roy Clark

Buck Owens and Cast

The Best Concert I've Ever Been To

I don't remember what year it was now, but I clearly remember the concert and the venue. It was on a warm, Swedish summer night at the Scandinavian Country Music Festival outside of Gävle on the east coast of Sweden..

The performer was the one and only Billy Joe Shaver. He had an all acoustic line up where even the bass player played an acoustic bass (they were all plugged in, though!). Billy Joe was preaching from the stage. Not the kind of preaching you hear in churches, this was more subtle, but you could still feel it. Yes, he and the band performed "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)",  "Live Forever" and other hit songs. He spoke about his late son and pleaded in a nice way to everyone in the audience to stay away from trouble. His song about his song brought tears to more eyes than mine. It was a magical night with a sacred feeling. The closest I've been to being in a church without being in a church. It inspired me to write "Eddy's Song (Everybody Needs Someone)" "Eddy's Song (Everybody Needs Someone)" by Kriz Rogers


Here's the one and only Billy Joe Shaver performing at Billy Bob's in Texas::

One and a half week before anyone else ...

Living in Nashville has its perks. Like for instance taking the opportunity to go and listen to a live interview at the CMHOF and Museum where Marty Stuart told Scott Goldman about how he was led to start playing the mandolin listening to blues. He also told the story of how he ended up co-writing a song with Johnny Cash only four days before the music icon passed away. They were neighbors and Mr. Stuart went over to J.R as he called him - from time to time to keep him company and that particular day he approached J.R with an idea he had and they finished the song in five minutes.

Marty Stuart signing a CD for Kriz.

Marty Stuart and Kriz.

I am now an owner of this CD one and a half week before its actual release. It has two CDs where one has Saturday Night songs on it and the other Sunday Morning (inspirational) songs. It's easy to hear the bluesy undertones in Marty's music that he was influenced by growing up in Mississippi. The CD is going to be available to the public on September 30, 2014.

Scott Goldman - Vice President of the Grammy Foundation and Music Cares - interviewing Marty Stuart at the Ford Theater, CMHOF and Museum, Nashville, TN.

A Musical Collectible

I had the honor of listening to this lady singing at The Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville.  recently. Couldn't help but buying her latest Cd. My favorites songs on it so far are "Baby's Not Home" and the title track "My Imagination".

To buy/listen to samples: http://trucountrymusic.com/diane_mccall_my_imagination.htm

There is light at the end of the tunnel ... always.

A song I wrote:

A Night At The Fair

Yaaay, I've been to my first fair! About time you might say since I've been living here for 5 1/2 years ... the fair was the Williamson County Fair. The weather was a little bit thundery-like, so they did not run the rides, but the BIG thing for me was that Bill Anderson was performing. Nadine (from Larry's Country Diner), Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius too, but we got there just in time to grab something to eat and then watch Bill Anderson's set. How much I enjoyed it ... I cried, I laughed and sang along. It felt like Christmas. More even so when Chase bought me the book "I hope you're living as high on the hog as the pig you turned out to be", that I had on my Christmas wish list last year, but didn't get, but I got it now :-) Chase remembered; he even kept my wish list until now, how sweet is that?!! So, even if it came a rain shower or two (the performances were inside though), my heart was full of sunshine.

A "frozen" Ferris Wheel.

Autographed  Bill Anderson picture and my "Christmas" gift.

PS. When I walked up to Mr. Anderson, I wanted to thank him for singing a favorite song of mine. But I got a little tongue tied, so I said "Thank you for singing Tear Drops", although I very well know the title of the song is "I Love You Drops" ... I guess he now has a new story to tell ...

The Best Answer I've Ever Heard

The question: "What do you think about today's country music?"

The answer is Jim Lauderdale's: "You can't judge country music by what's currently popular."

Meaning that music genres constantly evolve. He also pointed out that rock music is not the same today as it was when it started out. What is popular always changes. My addition: Looking at country music as a whole, think about how rich it is with different sub-genres to meet (almost) everyone's taste.

Jim Lauderdale at the Country Music Hall Of Fame's Songwriter's Session July 12, 2014

Jim Lauderdale and yours truly (Kriz Rogers).

Post CMA Fest Thoughts

So, now I can say "been there - done that" to the CMA Fest experience. I felt the happy vibes from thousands and thousands of people enjoying themselves, heard the water bottle vendors shout out to our need for replenishing our fluids and heard music everywhere. I can clearly see why it is a great fan fest - the laid back and intimate feel there is to it for artists and fans to connect at different levels. A very interesting part to watch is the movement of 60,000 people walking over the bridge to LP field. If someone could put all that combined energy into use, it might power Nashville for a year. Or maybe that's exactly what it does (I know there is more to it than that of course, it's just figuratively speaking).

The artists play for free and it benefits the CMA Foundation's Keep The Music Playing.

http://www.cmaworld.com/cma-music-festival/

http://www.cmaworld.com/initiatives/cma-foundation/

LP Field filling up with guests ...

Members Night at The Country Music Hall Of Fame

From time to time, The Hall arranges something special for the members. This time the museum had their exhibits open for members only for two hours to show the new galleries especially. Did I enjoy it? You bet I did! It was very peaceful to walk around and look at everything I wanted at my own pace. I got lost in the Bakersfield exhibition to the point I lost track of time and almost did not see the new galleries on the second floor, but I did see them! They were amazing and I will surely come back and explore more since they have so much to offer in form of interactivity. If you are a first time visitor and very interested in country music history (like me!), I would recommend you set aside 2-3 hours to be able to enjoy as much as possible of the exhibitions. You could walk through it at a brisk pace in about 15 minutes, but that would definitely defeat the whole purpose of enjoying it ;-)

The new Glen Campbell exhibition on the third floor.

The entrance to the new ACM Gallery and Dinah and Fred Gretsch Gallery. Of course I wouldn't show more, You'll have to see it for yourself :-)

I'll write a post about some things in the Bakersfield exhibition some other time, I promise ...

Btw, the museum has a new design on their website www.countrymusichalloffame.org

A comment on the passing of Ray Price

First of all, my heart and thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Thank you for sharing Mr. Price with the world.

Who's gonna fill their shoes has become a very relevant question this year ...

What did Ray Price's music mean to me? I am most fond of his 4/4 shuffle era with the walking bass ... my favorite song of his is "Heartaches By The Number" (written by Harlan Howard). I have had that song on my repertoire as long as I can remember.

Some friends of mine came over from Sweden earlier this year and they went to his show in Atlanta. They said it was very special and gave them memories for life.

That's what music is about, isn't it? To be touched, to have a memory that glitters in your mind and whenever you want or need to you can have a glimpse of that glitter again.

Thank you Mr. Ray Price for giving us so much glitter and touching so many. I honor your life's work. R.I.P.


Here's the story on News Channel 5 http://www.newschannel5.com/category/125220/video-landing-page?clipId=9641217&autostart=true