For those who were not in attendance on Dec. 3rd, you missed a great writer's round featuring: Brady Seals (of Little Texas), Shay Watson and Madi Diaz (School of Rock Documentary).  Fortunately, the show was recorded for release in a series of professional webisodes!

The new internet debut of "In The Round/On The Row", produced by Scotty (Keith Urban/Natalie Cole/The Havana Horns) and Robert Reynolds (The Mavericks) along with Fresh Films', Glenn Sweitzer, will air very soon on Digital Rodeo (DigitalRodeo.com). This show highlights the Nashville tradition of a songwriters-in-the-round performance along with special interviews from the recording artists and the hit songwriters behind the songs. This will be the first Nashville based songwriters program produced soley for the Internet.

So sign up for Shay's newsletter at: www.shaywatson.com for up dates on this show AND other news!!!

Well...It's been about a week since I posted a pic of my spider bitten hairy leg for the world to see.  I'm about to post an updated picture.  I doctored the leg...made a little poultice.  I learned how to make a poultice when I was about ten from a seventy something year old black woman that cleaned our friend's house.  I got stung by a bee and she mixed up red clay, vinegar, lemon juice, spit and some other stuff spread it across my sting and wrapped it in a rag.  When it hardned she pulled the poultice off and it had drawn the venom out.  Concerning last week's spider bite, after doctoring my leg, I kept a close eye on it to make sure it would not rot off.  It hasn't yet.  It turned red, blue and then slightly black and then started looking better.  I had convinced myself to save the money and wait to go to the doctor.  What's the worse that could happen? ...I might have to get a peg leg.  ...but actually that would probably add to my stage show.  People would be like, "Have you seen the 'Amazing Peg Leg Shay'...He pounds on the piano and dances on a wooden leg."

My Great uncle Emmit married a woman named Rosie.  She had a wooden peg leg.  She had a couple of them that she could change out for looks.  I remember back when I was a kid going to their house.  It had a fire place with old Rosie's wood legs propped up against it.  I enjoyed looking at the designs and trying to figure out how they put the wooden peg on her numb.  Rosie's dead now.  Emmit had married about seven or eight different women.  Rosie is the only one they buried next to his grave.  Emmit's not dead though he's in his nineties.  He went ahead and purchased a burial plot anyway.  Last I heard he was in prison.  He was an o.k. guy to be around but had some rough ways, like pulling a knife out at my granddad (his brother's) funeral on his other brother.  Stuff like that.  His other wives had both of their legs to my knowledge.  Go listen to the new song I added to my profile.

I need expert opinions or ignorant speculations.

Although I haven't ruled out that an alien could have broken into my home and injected me with some type of martian serum, I think I got bit by a brown recluse or some type of spider.  I don't know when or where but I put a picture of the bite, which appeared on my leg yesterday in my photos (under 'Randomalities') Does anyone know what kind of bite this is?  Maybe some of my friends are bite specialist...maybe some of you just want to see a hairy leg.

Either way, is my leg gonna rot off?  I need it so I can hit my sustain pedal.

-Shay
www.shaywatson.com

I was at Edgehill Café, just off Nashville's Music Row, meeting a good friend and former minister of mine, a couple days after our country's historic election.  We were sitting at an outside table, deep in conversation over spiritual matters, when I glanced over his shoulder too see, across the street, a woman standing directly in front of her bedroom window nonchalantly stripping out of her jogging suit.  Ironically, we'd just been talking about lust and how people are so bombarded with sexually imagery these days.  Right then, out popped the girls (sorry to sound so junvenile) in full view of anyone dining in Edgehill Village.  I looked down at my fruit salad and then back up at my friend, who's mouth was moving with words that I was no longer hearing. After a couple more seconds, as the full moon was gracing the little strip (no pun intended) of shops and cafes, I rolled my eyes and laughed.  Not wanting to plant inappropriate seeds in my buddy's mind but wanting to share why I rolled my eyes and laughed, just after he informed me of a recent death in the congregation, I decided to let the kitty out of the bag.   "Bro, I'm sorry, there's a girl stripping in the window behind you."  He turned and let out a "Ha, ha, ha…What are people thinking!" and then quickly turned back around.  We both debated for a moment whether or not one of us should walk across the street with arm extended, cell phone in hand and stand in the bushes in front of the window while video-ing the scene. Of course, neither one of us would seriously attempt it…but the recommendation did provide a humorous visual.  We resumed a conversation of more meatier subjects after turning our chairs a little to keep our eyes out of temptation's way.  Hopefully there is not a 10:30 a.m. show everyday at Edgehill.  I'll be sure to keep everyone abreast…er…of other happenings around the row.

Below is a list of my all time favorite albums.  I've chosen these becuase they've in some way changed the way I thought about either music, songwriting, production or artistry.   Also, I may actually have favorite songs that are not included on any of the albums  listed below.  Hit me back up with some of your favorite albums!

In no particular order:

Tom Waits-Mule Variations

Jellyfish-Spilt Milk

Sting-Soul Cages

Sting-Ten Summoner's Tales

Elton John-Goodbye Yellowbrick Road

Peter Gabriel-Up

Bruce Hornsby-The Way It Is

Jackson Browne-Running On Empty

Crowded House-Recurring Dream

Billy Joel-The Stranger

Billy Joel-Innocent Man

David Mead-Indiana

Don Henley-The End Of The Innocence

The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Kenny Rogers-The Gambler

The Indigo Girls-Become You

Shawn Colvin-Polaroids

Duran Duran-Arena

Les Miserables-Original London Cast Recording

Miss Saigon-Original London Cast Recording

Big River-Original Cast Recording

Harry Connick Jr.-She

I had just left Dan McGuiness Pub right off the round about and was heading back to Music Row with my friend and designer, Randy P.  We were at the pedestrian crosswalk (crossing legally mind you...not jay-walking) when I was forced to jump out of the way of an oncoming car.  I got a good look into the car of the driver.  All I saw was a large woman looking down and texting a friend...Never even tapped the breaks...NEVER even looked up...

I began to fantasize how cool it would have been if I'd  jumped and thrown myself on the hood of her car and acted like she'd broken my coccyx or something. Maybe even grabbed my neck and started screaming for good measure.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I can't stand soccer moms in SUVs who talk on their cell phones while driving...now add to my list, large women who text while driving...I'd have to also add  the skinny Brentwood types who text while wearing big sun glasses, sipping a soy latte and driving their Scions back to their townhomes.  

Bottomline:  unless you want me on the hood of your car screaming, PRACTICE SAFE TEXT!!!...stop texting while driving!

By the way, I'm doing a show at the French Quarter Cafe in Nashville on August 30th, SO COME OUT...and buy my album or at least give me money so I can pay the mortage on my Brentwood townhouse.

After cutting Jalapeno Peppers, wash your hands before using the bathroom.

Don't park under a dead tree in a windstorm (I learned this tonight).

Don't try to pet the meerkats.

If he's wearing a kimono and smells like weird spices, do not hire him as a side man in your band.

It's not a good idea to feed your dog radishes.

Do not tell her that you think the lyric sucks until you know she didn't write it.

Do not get into a fist fight in the middle of Ihop, but if you must, finish your meal first.