Thank you my friend. Isn't it amazing that we can share music and good wishes all across the world?! Please tell your wife thank you and you be sure to do something nice for her today.

Yes, we have been several days without rain, but still have a lot of high water in lakes and streams. By August we'll be wishing for more rain.
I wrote a song especially for you once. Something like "Raising Rice in Texarkana." I'll have to see if I still have it somewhere.
Come see me my friend!

Thanks to everyone for listening and approving. Of course if it were totally awful, you would find something good to say.
Gary, hope you get to feeling better soon! Making music is good for your health so keep it up.

Very good song, Don!

More music from our "Southern Gentleman" can be found at

http://mykeyboardsongs.com/index.php/component/muscol/D/4-don-mason

Found the lyrics. Don't remember if I ever put music with it, but I'm sure I had a melody in mind at the time.

Raising Rice in Texarkana

Many years ago, on a cold and rainy day,
A young Texas couple found a little time to play,
Around.
The love they shared that afternoon, turned into something more.
And a short nine months later there was one more than before,
In the family.

Now I never knew the story but they called the young boy Rice.
I suppose they had their reasons or just had some bad advice.
Who knows for sure?
Who cares?

As the little boy grew older and the years slipped on away,
He discovered music and soon he learned to play,
Country, mostly.
______________________
[Bridge]
Raising Rice in Texarkana wasn’t easy I am sure.
But he’s living proof a little seed can certainly mature.
He makes the world a little better with his songs and his advice.
And I’m glad a Texas family had a baby they called Rice
______________________
[Spoken] Years ago, for sure.
And maybe it was Arkansas not Texas?
Wish they’d a called him something that was easier to rhyme . . .
[Fade]

Okay Don, you asked for it. It's AWFUL!....awful that cookie-cutter songs written by those two guys that write 80% of all the commercial tunes, get thousands of hours of airplay while good solid, creative, and yes, commercially viable, tunes such as the one you just presented here, never (or rarely) see the light of day commercially. Just doesn't seem fair. I can imagine the frustration of people like Dave Rice trying to break into that elite little circle. Seems like the quality of the product has little to do with it's chance for (commercial) success. Sad.

chas

You scared me there for a minute Chas, but I was ready to take it!
I totally agree with you. Although there are lots of good songs being written, it's sad that not many make it commercially.
Over the years, I've even had some "connections", but apparently not the RIGHT connections.
I do appreciate the nice things you said about the song though. Thank you my friend!

Yeah, Don, when I started reading chas' response I was thinking what's he talking about, that song is great!?!" ... but I shudda known ...

Great job, Don, and yes, it's a shame that some really great songs and great talent goes unnoticed ...

No doubt Bill - semi-live music - is experiencing that, along with Dave ...

Bill is steadily cranking out songs. He is recording a number of his songs in Nashville for an album. He is using some of the top artists to do the music and is singing them himself. Don't know when he plans to finish up.