Introducing LRL3 Music Publishing

 

LRL3 Music Publishing is the company that holds publishing rights to songs written by Louis Russell Lawson III (aka Russell Lawson). Lyrics are written and music composed by Russell Lawson for these songs for which he holds the full copyright except where a co-writer may be noted.

LRL3 Music Publishing (LRL3MP) will engage the music industry in receiving the work of Russell Lawson for consideration in sound recording, films, television shows, streaming shows and sound broadcasts (ie. podcasts and radio shows) and for performances and publishing of charts and arrangements.

The business purpose of LRL3 Music Publishing is to promote and sell mechanical, synchronization, publishing and performing rights to songs written by Russell Lawson.

We thank our talented friend, Richard Rumble, for his logo design.

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Montana Wide

Montana Wide was written after a St. James’ Episcopal Church Youth 2016 Mission Trip to the Blackfeet Nation. Mary Beth Abplanalp and I took ten teenagers to the reservation through Billings, Montana and an eight hour drive to the northwest corner of the state near Glacier National PArk (which is part of the Blackfet territory). It was an incredible experience, as you might be able to tell from this tune. I’m put a chart of the song online.

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Ol’ Jack and Daddy

Back in March 2020, at the start of the 2020-2021 novel coronavirus pandemic, I was putting away a bottle of “Early Times” bourbon that we had out for eggnog on New Year’s Day (yep, it took two months) and one line popped into my head: “Found and old whiskey bottle in the top of momma’s closet yesterday.” That was the foundation for the whole story about a tragic loss and the secrets a family keeps to preserve its sometimes dysfunctional narrative. A few passes between my great songwriting friend Josh Jones and myself, and this tune was complete.

Found an old whiskey bottle in the top of momma’s closet yesterday

Musta been twenty years since the night someone hid it away

And down in the neck was a note and a check

Daddy slipped it inside when he swallowed his pride

And he took his last walk down the road where he and I used to play

 

Momma told us one morning that daddy had run out for good

Snuck off in the night, ain’t done right by us like he should

and it broke all our hearts as our lives fell apart

I remember her crying and the bacon was frying

there inside the house where our souls went as dark as the woods

(bridge)

All of us knew it, Jack Daniels was daddy’s best friend,

Ol’ Jack and daddy together right to the end.

 

Well, we’ve done all right since momma she raised us alone

And we all came back for the service now that she’s gone.

but the note in the bottle says “I love you all.

My life is a  wreck. Let the kids have this check,

it’s all I’ve got. Forgive me, darling, I’ve got to move on.”

(bridge)

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Wayne and Maggie’s Grill (11/5/2020)

I had a dream a couple of months ago that I was in a group of familiar people, musicians mostly, including my sometimes songwriting partner and producer Josh Jones. We were in this tiny restaurant and he and I had just agreed to write a song. Some of the lines were as vivid as if I had learned them years ago by memory and when I woke up, I climbed out of bed, walked to the kitchen, grabbed a pen and paper and jotted down all I could remember. The bare bones of that dream came to be “Wayne and Maggie’s Grill” about memories and loss and a certain place in the world everyone has, one that holds special, even magical, significance, but is lost to the ages. I’ve put a chart here.

[chorus]

where I’m from there ain’t no snow

and the river goes by slow

but the truckers mostly keep the hammer down

every folk and country singer

who played for tips and drinks and dinner

came to Wayne and Maggie’s Grill when they hit town

 

[verse 1]

that damn six lane interstate

cuts through town and up the hills

and when they put it in

it took out Wayne and Maggie’s Grill

just a whisper of a place

where Maggie’s food was hot and right,

eight tables and Wayne’s bar

and live music every night

 

[verse 2]

we used to call Wayne “warden”

’cause once he held a job

down at the local sheriff’s

when they was rounding up the mob

and in the Grill’s back corner

where the paint was dark with age

he put up a foot hazard

he liked to call a stage

 

[verse 3]

Maggie was a looker

back when Wayne had made his move

and with age she just got better

and she and Wayne fell more in love

they put everything they had

into that Grill over the years

and when it got tore down

the whole town shed the tears

 

[verse 4]

Wayne passed away this morning

when the cancer put him down

and Maggie’s getting on now

and their kids live out of town

but the memory of her cooking

and the music and goodwill

fills my soul with warmth and longing

for the old days at the Grill

 

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Dear Santa (12/16/2020)

So now it’s time to celebrate the holidays

and I find you’re on my mind in lots of little ways

and though we’ve been apart since way back when

I just can’t wait until you’re back again

 

Dear Santa, I missed your bright white smile

your jolly laugh, your ho-ho sense of style

the flying sleigh, the bells and reindeer, too,

the magic way you do the things you do

 

Dear Santa, the kids won’t look the same

they’re much taller, their wonder’s on the wane

sugar plums no longer fill their dreams

Xbox and iPhones are all they want, it seems

 

holidays are right for making merry round the fire

cookies, mistletoe and favorite hymns sung by a choir

even with the twinkling lights there’s something you should know

it won’t be real until I see dear Santa in the snow

 

Dear Santa, the gifts you left last time

have been well used and now they’re past their prime

we’ve made new lists and hope that you’ll agree

we’re good enough to get them all under the tree

 

Get the full chart of Dear Santa.

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Asheville Vacation

Here are some links to things we could do in Asheville.

Asheville – Molly’s house

Day trips
Grandfather Mountain http://www.grandfather.com/
Lake Lure http://www.lake-lure.com/whattodo.html
Chimney Rock http://www.ncparks.gov/chimney-rock-state-park
Biltmore Estate http://www.biltmore.com/
Three Waterfalls Hike https://www.exploreasheville.com/stories/post/hooker-falls-triple-falls-and-high-falls-hike/
Craggy Pinnacle Hike https://www.exploreasheville.com/stories/post/craggy-pinnacle-trail/
Botanical Gardens  http://www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org/

Breweries
Altamont Brewing Co. http://www.altamontbrewing.com/Beer.html “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”
Asheville Brewing Co. http://www.ashevillebrewing.com/brews.html
Burial Beer Co. http://www.burialbeer.com/taproom/
Catawba Brewing Co. http://catawbabrewing.com/beers
French Broad Brewing Co. http://www.frenchbroadbrewery.com/beers/
Green Man Brewery http://www.greenmanbrewery.com/our-beers/0-flagships/
Hi Wire Brewing http://hiwirebrewing.com/beer/
Highland Brewing Co. https://www.highlandbrewing.com/craft-brews
Lexington Avenue Brewery http://www.lexavebrew.com/drinks-2/
Lookout Brewing Co. http://www.lookoutbrewing.com/menu/
One World Brewing http://www.oneworldbrewing.com/on-tap/
Oskar Blues Brewery https://www.oskarblues.com/ “What’s Fuh-can happenin”
Oyster House Brewing Co. http://oysterhousebeers.com/brewery/
Pisgah Brewing Co. (organic brews) http://www.pisgahbrewing.com/beer/year-round/
Twin Leaf Brewery http://www.twinleafbrewery.com/#!house-favorites/sa2lf
Wicked Weed Brewing http://wickedweedbrewing.com/beers/whats-on-tap/

Wineries/Distilleries
Addison Farms Vineyard http://www.addisonfarms.net/
Asheville Distilling Co. http://www.ashevilledistilling.com/

 

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