Bebo Norman

I recorded a Valentine’s Day promotional video today for my record label.  This sort of video is a fairly normal thing to do for big Holiday promotions…you know, the standard “what’s your favorite gift you’ve ever gotten for Christmas/tell us about your favorite family Christmas tradition” sort of thing, or the ever repetitive “what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving” list, etc, etc. (more…)

[Excerpt from an old Journal entry]

I’m reading Annie Dillard this morning and, as always, she is leaving me breathless.  Her words say everything.  Her willingness to find her own reality in the reality of the wilderness is compelling.  She tells a story in Teaching a Stone to Talk (pg. 12) of a man who shot an eagle out of the sky.  When he examined the eagle he found “the dry skull of a weasel fixed by the jaws to [the eagle's] throat.”  This is really a story of a weasel.  She goes on to describe just how this sort of thing might happen. (more…)

The song that my label is currently releasing to radio is one called “Never Saw You Coming,” and I received an email this morning from a radio station in Texas (KSBJ-Houston) asking for an explanation for one of the lyrics.  I think they were really just examining the details of what the song actually means before they decided whether or not to put it out there for their listeners. (more…)

So, it took a grand total of 10 whole days for me to fail at my commitment to blog every day for the rest of the year.  I can’t say I didn’t see it coming.  Probably an unrealistic goal in the first place I suppose, but I’m one of those odd types that has to see the end, or at least set a goal that points toward the end, before I really start moving. (more…)

BEC Recordings’ artist Bebo Norman decided to help make a difference giving back to Haiti relief by auctioning his personal Everett Laurel guitar on EBay.  After one week of bidding, the auction closed on Friday night with an amazing closing price of $51,100. All funds will be going to Compassion International for Haiti relief.

I went to Chick-fil-a this morning with a couple of good friends of mine that I haven’t seen in while.  We talked about guys who have hairy backs…specifically that little patch of hair sometimes found on the lower-back.  It was deep conversation.  Anyway, it reminded me of exactly how thankful I am that I am not one of those men.  I’m sorry if you are.  I mean, for real, I really am sorry. (more…)

I took Smith to school this morning.  He’s my 2½-year-old.  I had a chance to hang for a little while with his teachers because this morning was “Donuts with Daddy Day.”  Clever alliteration, huh.  KRISPY KREME Donuts with Daddy Day, to be specific.  Except all the dumb little school kids ate every last one of the donuts before I had the chance to snag one!  (Just kidding about the kids being dumb, by the way.  I mean, they may be dumb, but I don’t know them well enough to know that for sure yet.  Okay, so just kidding about the fact that they may be dumb as well.  But not really).  ANYWAY, I love my son.  Like crazy.  Partly because he’s crazy.  He’s just all boy – climbs literally everything climbable (or not), loves to wrestle with me or our little white fluffy pansy dog, Otis…doesn’t make any difference to Smith as long as he gets to wrestle; he gets hurt ALL the time but he’s still really tough, shins always all bruised up, and he’s already been to the hospital twice for a busted lip and a busted chin.  The thing is, we run our household with pretty much only three rules for our kids:  1. First time obedience, 2. Have a “Right Response”, 3. Be kind.  And it’s a pretty beautiful thing to watch a kid as wild and as “all boy” as Smith is, respond to those things.   (more…)

Man, what a breath of fresh air.  I wouldn’t normally be saying that after a day of interviews.  But today was different.  The response to this Guitar Auction for Haiti Relief has been so overwhelming that my publicist decided a couple of days ago that she wanted to set up a few radio interviews with some of the stations around the country that had expressed interest in helping us spread the word.  Long story short, I just finished my 20^th interview of the day, not to mention the 5 that I had yesterday.   (more…)

Here are some thoughts for the end of last year/beginning of this new year written a few weeks ago:

On some old advice, a “good word,” from my dear friend Allen Levi I’ve decided to set aside some time today to “reflect on the past year.” Now, per his instructions, this is not allowed to be a casual thing done in passing, but is intended to be more deliberate.  For a few years running, Allen and I had an annual New Years Eve breakfast at the Pine Mountain Country Store near his home in Hamilton, GA.   (more…)

Not so much happening today in the Norman household.  It seems Smith’s little stomach bug from a few nights ago has now swept it’s way through all four of us.  I have been absolutely laid up ALL day, and Roshare, who’s just barely recovered herself, has been for all intents and purposes a single mother.  I don’t think I’m all that good at being sick…I’ve been pretty weak and pathetic all day.  And I’m fascinated at how quickly kids bounce back from things like this.   (more…)