this one

Earl's Pearls
By Earl Meyers

Many of us have worked hard enough to reap the fruits of our labor. I'll include myself since I worked my way through college cleaning restrooms, among other student worker chores. The 20 to 30 work hours per week were easy compared to the mental strain of a full college load but worth it. My salary is meager, but I have more than a poor country boy ever dreamed of having, and I suppose Labor Day is a celebration of that, along with our jobs, whatever they may be.

I'm not sure 1990 was my best Labor Day weekend, but it was one of my best and by far my most gratifying. Arriving at the Everly Brothers Music Festival, in progress on September 1, I was taken with the nearly virgin hills around the open field arena in Muhlenberg County. Seemingly away from everything, including the usual work grind, God's splendor of nature was alive, along with the sounds of Phil and Don Everly, Chet Atkins, the Kentucky Headhunters, John Prine and others who gave the thousands in attendance plenty to cheer about.

Spending leisure time swimming, boating and picnicking with family and friends took up some of the beautiful weekend, until Monday evening at 7:30, when it was time for the Louisville Area Songwriters' "First Song" writers' night. It was also the first time I had played my first song for anyone. It was a treat to hear fellow writers' first songs.

The "knock-out" vocals of Marcia Ball on the Belvedere came next. Then it was back home in time to catch k.d. lang on the Connie Chung show.

Wow, what a weekend! It was nice to take a break from the routine of work, to smell the roses and listen to good music. It is also great that entertainers are willing to sacrifice some of their holiday time to make ours more special. The fruits of their labor were evident in their performances.

Remember that the Nashville Songwriters' Association International meetings are held at the Deer Park Baptist Church, 1733 Bardstown Road on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month at 7:30 p.m.

The August "Earl's Pearls" mysterious disappearing ending has now reappeared:

Explaining the melody of his hit (co-written with Hal David) "It Was Almost Like A Song" at the NSAI 1990 Summer Seminar on July 21 in Nashville, Tenn., Archie Jordan explained, "After I introduced the motif (a short musical phrase), I then used a technique Bach often used called a descending sequence." Many of us might say, "What is this slow-talking Southerner trying to say? Believe me, he knows what he's talking about; he's had nine No. 1 country songs among his gold and platinum albums, and other awards. But although the melody in this song is relatively simple, too many of us as songwriters overlook the importance of what Archie has painstakingly included. A simple melody that is fresh (out of the ordinary mold), exciting, and one that can be remembered.