Tag: music memories

Posted on

Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 25)

🎧 I’m Just a Man • The Blues Medley

I once knew an old man… he was a total jerk… so mean and hateful and bitter. His words were like vomit.

The first time I was alone with him, I tried to reach out with a kind conversation. To break the silence, I said, “It sure is a beautiful day.”

Then, for about ten seconds… you could hear paint drying.

As he slowly turned and looked at me in utter disgust, he said, “You’re Captain F#ckin’ Obvious, aren’t ya?”

Honestly, I wasn’t offended. Instead, I let go of the biggest smile.

Over time, he and I became friends. We wore each other down… haha.

The more I was around him, the more he slowly got better. I did things for him like running errands, doing his shopping, and helping him with different things. And whenever he was a dick to me… which was often… I just fired off smile after smile like bullets at him.

As things got lighter, I began to witness another side of him. The walls started to come down. He opened up some. He would sometimes share words of wisdom with me.

Turns out he was well-read, had been to college, had earned degrees, and loved great literature and writing.

He once told me, “If you have a foot in yesterday and a foot in tomorrow, then you’re pissing all over today.”

He died alone… no wife… no family and very few friends… I’m determined to get better the older I get… not stay the same or get worse… the thought of ending like that scares the hell out of me.

And what are great words really? If not applicable.

…

…

I have two great songs for you today… I’m Just a Man and The Blues Medley featuring John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles along with Hank. The three of them together on this Delta blues number is something special.

And I’m Just a Man is kind of the mood I’m in today… because some things make me feel sad. I feel like I could cry… but feeling you next to me? Ahh… that makes me feel alright.

…

…

…

…

John Lee Hooker
Ray Charles
Hank

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

🎙️Songs From the Bathroom #10

🎧 Covers from Sister Hazel and Tonic

Hey everyone… hope you’re doing good this night.

So these next two are my very first ones that I did in the bathroom, both are a little more lo-fi and raw, before I started using Lexis Audio Editor… and before I knew I’d be posting them for everyone to hear. 😁

Hope you enjoy… thanks for listening.

…

…

Better Way – Sister Hazel
Mr. Golden Deal – Tonic

…

…

Featured image is hand painted, not AI

…

…

2nd Oldest Tree In Florida

…

…

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson

`’.,°~

Posted on

Social Distortion — Hidden Gems from the B-Side (Week 34) 🖤

🎧 When the Angels Sing • Through These Eyes

What do you do when something feels amiss but it could be a hit? Idk… let’s just stick to the music. 🎯

So these next two songs carry many past moments for me… memories? Oh, I got them.

Through These Eyes is super special to me… more so than any other song I know. It became so real to me in 2oO6, right around the time I first heard it and learned it on guitar… It began to come true in my life.

Today it is like my testimony song, pretty much all the lyrics but especially the line…

“Through these eyes I’ve looked the devil in the face and I’ve seen God’s Holy Grace.”

I never thought I’d be able to relate literally to words like that in a song. To me, it hits like no other. It’s personal, and just so happens… it rocks. 🪨

When the Angels Sing was a fun one to sit around and learn. I used to play it with just power5 chords. Most songs from back in the day, I just listened to them and started playing them how I heard it.

But this entire record is just fire. 🔥
WHITE LIGHT, WHITE HEAT, WHITE TRASH from September of ’96.

Thank you for listening.

…

…

…

…

Featured image at the top is by Jared Gaines Art.

…

…

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 22)

I’ve Been Down & I’d Love to Knock the Hell Out of You ♩♪♫

I’ve been kind of bummed out for a few days now… not a whole lot to say. Life will straight show up on you. These next two songs have a 17 year gap between them… and take you to different places. The second song really cracks me up, and I need some laughs tonight.

Because I’ve been down.

…

♩♪♫ I’ve Been Down 1982

♩♪♫ I’d Love to Knock the Hell Out of You 1999

…

…

Hank & Travis Tritt

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Social Distortion — Hidden Gems from the B-Side (Week 30)

Reach for the Sky 🎶 Far Behind

Back around 2oO4, my baby sister met this guy. He was a punk rock skateboarder dude, not my sister’s normal type. His name was Tony. We became good friends. He hung out with guys in bands. On the weekends I would jam with them all. Tony turned me onto this next band, Mike Ness and the boys, aka Social Distortion, or Social D as their fans call them.

I had heard of them. I was familiar with two of their songs and I liked them, but I had no idea the depth of their music, and little did I know they would become my favorite.

Mike Ness is special. He founded the band in 1978 in Fullerton, California, Orange County, just outside of LA. Their early stuff was just raw rebellious punk rock, but they evolved into something unique. They are a mix of punk, country, rock, and blues, almost like a rockabilly type sound, very melodic but gritty. Mike writes great songs, lyrically and musically.

They are still going strong today, just put out a new record. They are true to themselves, the music, the fans. Mike and the boys are all heart. This is what I love about them. I think it’s why I connect like I do.

I have been deeply influenced by them. Tony died in a motorcycle accident a few years after I met him. I’m reminded of him often as I strum and sing their songs.

Here’s two good ones to start you off…

Reach for the Sky — 2oO4, Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll 🎶

Far Behind — 2oO7, Greatest Hits 🎶

…

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Hidden Gems from the B-Side — ⛽️ Fuel (Week 23)

Innocent 🎵 Daniel (Elton John cover)

…

So today is Fuel again…

—but I’m not really here to talk about them.

We’ll let the music handle that.

I want to talk about Elton John.

…

When I was a kid…
I wore Superman underwear—
’cause he was my hero… 🦸‍♂️

Then I got older—
and found out Superman wears Chuck Norris underwear 😄

But here’s one most people don’t know…

Many of your favorite artists—
across every genre—

they’re secretly wearing Elton John underwear.

…

I’ve been a fan of Elton since I first picked up a guitar as a teenager…
and over time—I started noticing something…

the greats…
they all love him too.

…

I saw an interview with Axl Rose once—
they asked what he listens to…
no pause— he says “Elton John.”

Then one night… I was watching one of the late night shows…
I believe it was Letterman…

Dave Grohl walks out solo with an acoustic guitar…

starts playing “Tiny Dancer”…
He gets the audience to sing along…

one of those moments you don’t forget.

And later… I found out Dave Grohl loves him some Elton.

…

So I started paying attention…
and it’s everywhere. Across all genres… many have Elton in common.

His music is loved… admired… and listened to by his peers…

Fuel’s no different.
Brett and Carl… they feel the same.

…

Elton… bruh… you’re the man! 🙌…

…

So today—

I’ve got two for you.

…

🎵 Innocent
Something Like Human — 2oO0

🎵 Daniel (Elton John cover)
Something Like Human — 2oO0

…

I love this cover of Daniel… it’s great…
and it holds a deep place for me… I sang it on my guitar earlier tonight

But back in 2o12… I was hanging out with my friend Nathan…
We were roommates… he was younger than me… like my little brother…
so anyway… this song started playing…

Nathan told me how much it meant to him…
said it reminded him of his older brother, Daniel…
who had passed a few years earlier from a drug overdose…

Well… in 2o14… I lost Nathan…
also to drugs…

I knew his brother too…

So now… when I hear this song…
I don’t just hear it—

…

I remember them both…

…

Also “Innocent” is one of my all-time favorite songs…
I’m not sure what it is about it… but it just gets better and better every time for me…
and I love when the drums kick in around the 1-minute mark…

Also I’ve included a bonus interview with Carl & Brett…
it’s really cool… I think…

Thanks for the love—
hope you enjoy 🎸`

Bernie & Elton

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All rights reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 14)

Old Habits 🎵 Man Of Steel

So I’ve evolved… musically…
since I first started spinnin’ round this world…

My earliest memories—
with my mom and dad—
were The Beach Boys…
and Eagles…

Then around 8… 9 years old—
it was Michael Jackson…
Van Halen…
whatever was lightin’ up the radio back then…

Then came my early teens—
and that’s when Hank Williams Jr. hit me…

And after that…
I just exploded…

Rock…
Folk…
Punk…
Blues…
Rap…
RnB…
Christian…

A little bit of everything—
and somehow… all of it stuck.

But to me…
you can never forget where you came from…

So here’s two excellent ones from my early days—

Allow me to hike up my dress a little for you… so you can see… what im workin’ with… what my roots look like.

Old Habits 🎵
Habits Old and New (1980)

Man Of Steel 🎵
Man of Steel (1983)

and ima bout to listen with you… if you don’t mind. 😎

Featured image credit… Rick Diamond and Getty Images

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson | All rights reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Coming Home… Where It All Started

First Song I Ever Learned on Guitar…

I’m laying here in bed… in the dark… listening to my YouTube music app.
Something I do most every night.

I’ll usually pick a song to start it off… then just let it go wherever it wants to go.

Lately though… one song keeps showing up.
Random… but not really random.

So much that it’s got me thinking…

It’s the very first song I ever learned on guitar —
“Coming Home” by Cinderella, off the album Long Cold Winter.

I learned it in November of 1988.
I was 14.

I had no idea who Cinderella even was at the time…
but that season turned out to be the longest… coldest winter of my life.

Back then, I’d go to my uncle and ask for CDs or cassettes.
Every time… he’d give me this deep stare… then walk over to his collection.

You could tell he was thinking.
Choosing carefully.

He knew what I was going through.
He knew I wasn’t just listening.

He knew I was building something…
a foundation… for who I’d become… as a musician… as a person.

He’s no longer here now…
but looking back… he knew exactly what he was doing with me 😁

…

Every song on that album is 🔥.

And it’s kind of crazy…
that an album with that name would land in my hands
right before my own long cold winter really set in.

To this day… it’s locked into my personal all-time albums list.
Forever.

Back then, there was no internet.
No Google. No YouTube tutorials.
No quick tabs you could pull up

No smartphone.

I didn’t even have sheet music.

All I had was a chord book.

So I learned every chord in it…
then started figuring out scales and patterns on my own.

Trial and error.

A lot of wrong notes…
but I remembered them…
learned to avoid them.

That’s how I learned songs —
by listening…
by playing along…
by feeling it out.

Everything was different back then.

But here’s the sweet part…

Lately, when I pick up my guitar…
I feel like that 14 year old kid again.

And that’s something I lost for a while.

I’m happy it’s back.
I’m happy I’m back.

Not losing these calloused fingers ever again 😎…

I took a ride in a world… I’ll be spinnin for the rest of my life… ♩ ♭ ♮ ♯

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All rights reserved.

`’.,°~

Posted on

Best Compliment I Ever Received

What was the best compliment you’ve received?

I’ve had some kind words over the years… but one stands above the rest…

It came through a window…

Back in the late 90s… I was living in a little downstairs apartment outside Atlanta… just me… a guitar… and a lot going on in life…

Most nights I’d sit by that open window and play… sing… pour it all out…

What I didn’t know…

Was that someone was listening…

There was a girl in the neighborhood… and for about a month… she would come by at night… lean up against the outside of my building… just out of sight…

And listen…

She told me later… she’d wait, hoping I’d be there… that my songs helped her get through things she was dealing with…

That she would just stand there… breathing it in… and for a little while…

She could forget her life…

One night… she finally said hello…

And I’ll never forget all the things she said to me…

That my music gave her peace… even if just for a moment…

I’ve never had a better compliment than that…

Not applause… not praise…

Just knowing that something coming out of my heart… reached someone else’s…

And helped them breathe a little easier…

That’s everything to me…

…

If you want to read the full story, it’s here…

https://loia.blog/2025/12/21/the-window-song/ 👈

…

Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson | All rights reserved

`’.,°~

Posted on

Hidden Gems from the B-Side — Drivin N Cryin (Week 19)

Fly Me Courageous ♬ Build a Fire

Hey yall… welcome…

Today I got two more from these guys…
both of ‘em take me back…

Back to around ‘98…
weekend nights… guitars plugged in…
just playing for hours…

There was this lady and her husband…
and also a guy named Dennis…
and my best friend Ron on drums…
we’d go all night…

And somewhere in the middle of it all…
between the laughs…
the beer… the whiskey… the weed…
these two songs would find their way in…

I don’t miss the stimulants…
but I sure miss the music…
the friendship…
the memories…

I think about Dennis a lot…
he passed way too young…
great guy… great guitar player…

♬ “Fly Me Courageous” — Fly Me Courageous (1991)

♬ “Build a Fire” — Fly Me Courageous (1991)

So this one’s for you, Dennis…

Rock on, brother… 🎸

That’s Dennis in the background with the black n white guitar…

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson | All rights reserved

`’.,°~