Lunch with a true lady...

Earlier today, I enjoyed lunch with film, TV and opera star Mary Costa. She's perhaps best known to most of you as the voice of Princess Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty." My good friend Dean Harned arranged the luncheon and brought along his wife, Allison, and their son, Lincoln.

Thank you, Mary, for making me feel "alive" today! What a gracious, gracious woman.

Also included is a screen shot of Mary with Bing Crosby on his 1971 Christmas special.

She was so gracious, so warm, and even so persuading that she talked me into seeing the encore showing tonight of The Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD! production of Massenet's "Werther," starring the touted tenor Jonas Kaufmann.

Here's to a true Knoxville legend!

Listen to the radio...

To quote the country crooner Don Williams, "Listen to the radio, oh, listen to the radio..."

Tonight promises to be a big honor for your humble servant. Bradley Reeves, host of the super "East Tennessee Quiver" on the superb WDVX-FM radio station, has asked me to be the guest and talk about musicians with local and regional ties about whom I've written during my 15-year newspaper career.

(My first response: "Guess somebody couldn't make it, huh?")

Seriously, this is quite humbling and we hope to treat you to a good show.

It will begin at 10 p.m. (Eastern) and can be found in Knoxville at 89.9 FM or 102.9 FM on your radio dial or streaming on the interwebs at www.wdvx.com.

During the hour, we'll talk about and play music by Mary Costa, Robinella, Carl Smith, Carl Butler, Archie "Hee Haw" Campbell, the Brad Walker Orchestra, Ross Southerland and Ronnie Speeks. We also have a few surprises and the promise of some special guests.

Tune in if you can and hang around at 11 p.m. for a hunk-a hunk-a burnin' love, if you get my drift...

Thankyaverymuch!