Twas just days before Christmas...

...and all through your brain,
You're scanning your checklist, resisting emotional strain,
So much to do and so little time,
To shop for so many must for sure be a crime.

I in a Walmart, frantic at best,
Had stuffed my cart up with garbage...I jest!
I couldn't find anything worth a cent of my money
Or that my loved ones would like. It truly ain't funny.

An empty cart, ain't that just great?
Just six days are left, but I wish there were eight.
When my stress-weary mind stopped all its clatter,
I said to myself "Self! What's the matter?!"

"You think too less of others, too much of self!
The Reason for the season ain't the fat selfish elf."
I realized I was right (as I usually do)
And reached for the Bible in Luke chapter two.

I read from the top and went straight down,
Where Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem town,
The Greatest of all Gifts was delivered that day,
A Light shining bright to show all the way.

So enjoy the season, enjoy the traditions,
But remember the Gift that saves us from our sins,
And let me conclude with this poem I edit,
Christ is why there's Christmas, AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!

Tis the $eason...

First things first: You all might be wondering if I participated in NaNoWriMo like I did last year.

The answer is yes, yes I did.

Now you're wondering how well I did in accomplishing my 50,000 word goal.
6,738 words. Yep, didn't go as far as I did last year.

But, I still had a great year. I was the Host of the Write-Ins at the local library here. The NaNoWriMo officials even let me have a badge!

The Host with not even close to the most words in my word count.

But it really was a great time, and now I have 6,000+ words I didn't have before!

Now, December has fallen upon us. Tis the season for sales and discounts and whatever. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

I was at Chick-Fil-A the other day, and when I got to the window, Steven (that was the name of the guy working the register...hey if they make a point to call me by my first name and treat me like royalty...) handed me my food and said
"Today is your lucky day! The car in front of you paid for your meal!"
Lucky day is right. But before I could drive away with that crispy chicken-y goodness, another worker walked up behind Steven with an ice cream cone asking which order it belonged to.
"Nobody ordered that," said Steven, who was right on the ball and deserves a raise. Steven then turned to me and said "Here you go, have a free ice cream cone."

But it kept on. The next morning I went to Yum Yum Donuts to pick up a dozen delicious rings of sugar. When the nice lady rang me up, she added a bag on top of the box with two extra donuts.
"You get two donuts free when you buy a dozen" she said.

So much free food I can hardly take it anymore. Not sure why I got all the kind attention that week. Maybe they thought I was someone important. Maybe the President, or perhaps the Mayor. Maybe they thought I was the secret identity of a superhero. No wait, I'll bet it's because they read this blog and they recognized me. That totally has to be it. I can't think of any other viable answer.

To commemorate all these sales celebrating the birth of Christ, I just want to announce that you can get 10% off anything in my store using the code MERRY17 only from December 5 through 6. I mean, if there was ever a greater way to celebrate that unto us was born this day in the city of David a Savior, than with mainstream commercialism, I'd eat my red and white fuzzy Santa hat.

But seriously, why do most people equate Christmas time with shopping or epic sales? I mean, true, Jesus came to seek and to save, but you know jolly well he didn't have to go to Amazon.com to do that. Jesus truly redeems, but, like, not with coupons He cut from the Sears catalog. He will take you to Heaven, and while shipping is free, that doesn't mean He didn't pay the price in full!

Look closer. Let's not lose what we're actually celebrating. Didn't get the fluffiest, greenest tree for your living room? Are the strings of house lights tangled? Can't decide if you want a Real Mark Wimberley hoodie or coffee mug? You're missing the point.

Stop thinking about how much you can save and start reflecting on how Jesus saves! Forget wrapping presents and take some time to say thanks for Jesus' presence.

Okay, so I'm not a complete Grinch. Go ahead and celebrate. Then read Luke 2.

Getting the Most Out Of Social Media - Thanksgiving Edition

Let's be real for a moment: the only reason you have social media accounts is because you honestly and legitimately care about other peoples' personal lives.

But, before you go thinking the world revolves around everyone else, I might remind you that there may be a few other people who want to poke into your personal life, too! I know, you've never thought about that before, that's why I'm here. I'm going to give you a few tips on how to make the most out of your thanksgiving dinner on social media.

1. Find a color scheme and stick with it! (Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat)

Don't be a liar, when you say #NoFilter you really shouldn't use a filter. So, only cook foods that match the color scheme of your table. I'll trust your artistic vision on this one, but if for example, you have a red table cloth and tan carpet, you'll want to cook foods that are brown, dark red, and burnt orange. Just don't burn it too much, you gotta eat it later. You don't want a Thanksgiving table that looks like Jimmy Martin's hat: too many clashing colors crammed into one small space.

2. Arrange all dishes in an aesthetically appropriate order. (Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat)

Think of all the food on your table as a band photo for an album cover. The leader needs to be front and center with all the side dishes back one step and to the sides. Thus, you should place the mashed taters smack in the middle of the table and go in clockwise order the next important foods. Maybe the dressing next, and the turkey, and so on.

3. Choose a catchy squad name for the folks who have gathered. (Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)

Everybody, and I do mean everybody, is sick and tired of reading "Thanksgiving with the fam" or "Enjoying time with those who mean the most".  Boring! How much cooler would it be if you could assign "those who mean the most to you" a very epic group name. Then, a simple post like "Happy Thanksgiving from my family and friends" would turn into something like "Happy Thanksgiving from the League of Traveling Turkey Eaters with Airplane Station feat. Jerry Douglas". See? Way cool. I want to know what you've named your squad. Tell me in the comments.

via GIPHY

4. Under no circumstances make any posts detailing what you're thankful for. (All of the internet)

There are some things that are just done to the point they have no meaning. Please, please, do not fall victim to any of the classic blunders of the youth these days. The most famous, is "Never play Rocky Top at a bluegrass festival if you're not Bobby Osborne", but only slightly less well known is this: "Never take more than two sentences to tell people what you're thankful for"!  Believe me, once you get to the second paragraph, nobody is reading anymore. So just a quick "I'm happy that Paul Brewster still sings with Kentucky Thunder" is plenty. 

5. Hashtags before hashbrowns (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)

The mighty developers of our social medias have given us the power of hashtags. This allows you to find Thanksgiving day posts similar to yours. After you've put a filter on your "no filter" pic, arranged your table, named your gathering family and friends, and passively expressed a mild gratitude toward something, hashtag the daylights out of your post. Anything that made it in the frame, hashtag it. Anything you were thinking of at the time of posting, hashtag it. Re-write your post using each word as it's hashtag. Hashtag #TheRealMarkWimberley so I can see it. Especially if you were wearing my T-shirt. 

Alright! You're all set to let your internet friends know exactly how your Thanksgiving went! As soon as you finish that last piece of pumpkin pie (what was that, your third?), you can FINALLY start listening to Christmas music. Good for you for waiting until it was actually time. 

Ok, you beautiful people, I probably won't be making another post until next month, so enjoy your Thanksgiving! I'm going to be helping prepare an Instagram-worthy meal at my house with The Epic Eaters of Southern California feat. The Real Mark Wimberley. I'm glad Andy Leftwich made his album a few years ago.

Harmony Ranch at the Musco Center

I would be fibbing if I said I haven't been looking forward to this night for a straight up year. I was counting down minutes, hours, days, weeks, and whatever else I could count, for this double-header at the Musco Center for the Arts on the campus of Chapman University.

What? Does it bother you I'm almost ALWAYS on campus? They aren't rid of me that easily. I was just there recently for Homecoming, as a matter of fact (which I was going to blog about because there was excellent chili involved, but I missed my deadline), but I digress.

First up, were the talented, ever-incredible Quebe Sisters from Dallas, Texas. I've said this before, so I'll say it again: I've said this before. Triple fiddling is tragically underrepresented in any genre, but especially old time country music where it really has a chance to shine. These three girls do a beautiful job bringing everything triple fiddling has to offer on the stage.

From stage left to right, Hulda, Grace, and Sophia, stood in a row, and synchronized their bowing and harmonies to absolute perfection. I'll bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too, and I'll tell you in my fiddle-playing-opinion that the hardest part of fiddling is nailing down the bowing. To have even TWO fiddlers bow in synchronization is a feat of pure magic. But to have THREE! You have to be absolutely perfect to be able to accomplish that.

Just behind the sisters stood Daniel Parr on Bass, and Simon Stipp on guitar. The sisters sang some of the old classics, songs like "Navajo Trail" which they originally recorded with Asleep at the Wheel and Willie Nelson, "Sally Goodin", (which is one of the first fiddle tunes ever recorded back in 1922 by Eck Robertson, but I digress again), Wayfaring Stranger, Leavin' and Sayin' Goodbye, Every Which A-Way, and an original that Sophia wrote called "My Life, My Love, My Friend".

You can't beat that tight sibling harmony. The Quebe Sisters kept the audience captivated until it was time for intermission. But the fun was only beginning.

At the conclusion of intermission, a projection screen began playing old clips of the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers. Those who know me know that Roy Rogers is one of my biggest childhood heroes right alongside Davy Crockett. It was such a blast reliving my childhood through those old movie clips.

Then along came the Riders in the Sky for their seven thousand and something somethingth appearance. Celebrating their 39 year and 50 week anniversary (the 40th anniversary celebration is in two weeks), the Riders brought nothing but high energy straight from Harmony Ranch, to the Musco Center. On stage left, there was Too Slim, master of the bunkhouse bass and expert with the beautiful antique face.  Standing next to him was the Idol of the American Youth, Governor of the Great State of Rhythm, Ranger Doug on the archtop guitar. Next was the King of Cowboy Fiddlers Woody Paul. That man makes fiddling look as effortless as blinking. Last, but by no means the least was the prodigy of the Stomach Steinway, Joey the Cowpolka King.

The Riders sang songs that turned back the pages of time to the days before barbed wire fences and railroads crossed the western plains to bring an end to the cattle drives. Every single Buckaroo and Buckarette in attendance felt as if they, too, were back in a Town Hall in the early days of the West. The Riders delighted the audience by telling them how yodeling started (in song, of course), with Ranger Doug, Woody Paul, and Too Slim demonstrating a classic "tag team" style of yodeling. The Riders also sang some of my absolute favorites like "Blue Shadows on the Trail", "Pecos Bill", "Rawhide", "Wahoo, Wahoo, Wahoo", and some more, dipping in to the Roy Rogers portfolio.

Then, the projection screen played a tribute to Roy's memorable sidekicks: Trigger, Dale, and Gabby. Another fun time of reliving my childhood.

It just so happens, the Riders in the Sky brought their official sidekick with them, too! After an impressive introduction by Ranger Doug, Side Meat came shambling from backstage to greet the audience. Besides being a former Yukon miner and a bass player, Side Meat is fluent in GSL (Gibberish as a Second Language). He demonstrated these bilingual talents in a cowboy poem he wrote called "Let's All Praise Gabby Hayes".

After Side Meat shambled away and Too Slim reappeared on the other side of the stage, the Riders recounted their two Grammy wins. Too Slim remembered how he got to meet Eminem and assured him that he was Too Slim, the real Too Slim, all the other Too Slims are not the same as him, so would the real Too Slim please stand up, please stand up...

The Disney medley was another blast from my childhood. "Woody's Roundup" has always been a favorite of mine, along with "You Got a Friend in Me".

With Woody Paul fiddling and dancing, Joey the Cowpolka King playing only the best accordion riffs imaginable, Ranger Doug yodeling and story telling, and Too Slim singing and joking, the experience can only be described as purely magical as they entertained us in the Cowboy Way.

For the encore performance, the Quebe Sisters and the Riders in the Sky sang "So Long to the Red River Valley" together, and brought a delighted audience to their feet. All in all, it was one of the most entertaining concerts I've ever attended. I sang til I couldn't sing, I laughed until I was crying, I marveled at the musicianship, and I suddenly realized I should probably start practicing my fiddle again.

At the autograph table and Too Slim's Mercantile, I got to meet my heroes (Ranger Doug for the second time). I leaned down to Too Slim and Joey the Cowpolka King and confessed that I wanted to be Ranger Doug when I grew up.

"Well you gotta pick one," Too Slim counseled me.
"Yeah, you can't have both," Joey the Cowpolka King agreed.

So after a night of tossing and turning and thinking about it, I realized there was no contest. I've decided to forfeit growing up. Now I just need to order a Ranger Doug cowboy hat in the mail.

Then we got to meet the Quebe sisters. Besides being absolute top-notch musicians, they're Texans. Can it get any better? My siblings and I have been following them for the better part of 8 years, ever since people would send us videos of them, saying things like "Hey look, more siblings who sing in harmony! One day you might be as good as them, but don't count on anything." The love and support is unreal.

Hulda Quebe heard our last name and confessed "Hey, I totally know you."

Let's not kid ourselves. She knows us obviously because she reads this blog of mine. She knows what's up. Never mind that she was pointing at my sister Danielle who has been Facebook friends with her for umpteen years. It's definitely this blog she was talking about. Be cool like Hulda. Read my blogs.

But, it was time to say "happy trails until we meet again", to them all as another unbelievably awesome night of music and entertainment was wrapped up at the Musco Center for the Arts. The Riders went on the never ending trail to bring good beef to hungry people, and the Quebe Sisters continued moving up through California to astonish more audiences. As for me and my siblings, we went home with two new albums to add to our collection, and the next morning were still excited about the epic-ness of the show.

This will forever go down in history as another Magical Musco Center moment. I can't wait to be there for the next one!

One of my Favorite Holidays

Today is one of my favorite holidays, my friends. Today is National Coffee day.

Coffee is more than just a beverage. People have been enjoying coffee in many many ways for many years. Even our country's Founding Fathers enjoyed coffee! There were many people throughout history who had some good things to say about coffee. Here are a few of my favorites:


“The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.”  --Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Among the numerous luxuries of the table…coffee may be considered as one of the most valuable. It excites cheerfulness without intoxication; and the pleasing flow of spirits which it occasions…is never followed by sadness, languor or debility.” --Benjamin Franklin

"I'd rather suffer with coffee than be senseless." --Napoleon Bonaparte 



Whether you boil it in a can like the cowboys of old, pour hot water over the beans like the founding fathers, slow brew it thick as mud like the Italians, or get it Pumpkin Spiced like the basic white girls, today is the day to celebrate your love for this fantastic beverage.

Today, I celebrate by mixing my coffees. Having some McDonald's brewed in the pot and having some Starbucks in the fridge, I simply mixed the two together just because I can and there wasn't enough of either separately for a full cup.

In times past, I have celebrated this day by going to Starbucks and telling them my name was Superman to see if they would put it on the cup. They never disappoint.

Two years ago today, I successfully got them to break a smile by telling them my name was Superman. I highly recommend you try this at your local coffee shop.

Now that you know how I celebrated, let me know how YOU celebrated!

Do you feel a draft?

I guess there's not much I can say. Here is the story of how I killed my beard.

This is me on Saturday. If you look closely, I have a happy, smiling beard positioned on the lower half of my face. My beard is completely unaware of what will befall it just 48 some hours later.

This is the last time I shaved, Glen Rose, TX July 16 2017. I was about to meet my beard. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it grew on me.

 

So what happened, you ask me. Did I make a manscaping error that resulted in aborting the entire mission? No. Did my neighbors complain that it was attracting too much wildlife? Yes, but that doesn't bother me. Did I lose a bet? No. 

Whatever excuse you're thinking of, the answer is no. It was just time. As sad as I am to see my chin curtain go, it was just time to say "Happy Trails, Saddle Pals," and ride off into the sunset without it. Now, my face is very cold. I barely recognize the man in the mirror. I've lost my wireless connection to Chuck Norris.

Before

After

I sure am going to miss the way it filtered my food and the air I breathed. I sure am going to miss playing the fiddle with it (listen, if you get a chance to play the fiddle while you have a beard, I highly recommend it). My face feels like it has lost all of its swag. Speaking of, you can buy a "Real Mark Wimberley" coffee mug here because I'm really bad at advertising my own merchandise. In spite of this bittersweet moment, I have moved on. This is only the beginning. I may grow something bigger and better next time...a handlebar mustache, Burnside's Sideburns, a mullet, you never know! 

Well, I hope you really enjoy seeing my real face again. I mustache you a question, but unfortunately, I'll shave it for later.

Something really amazing happened this summer...

Shortly after we got home from the summer tour, the family and I went walking around Old Towne Orange. If you've spent any amount of time with me, you know this is very typical. I spend a lot of time in Old Towne Orange.

This particular day was not like the others. We walked into one of our most frequented antique stores and began to browse.

We've always found some cool stuff in here. In fact, Michael bought the biggest belt buckle of his collection here (those of you who've seen it know what I'm talking about).

Something caught our eye. It was a classical style guitar with nylon strings, just minding its own business! I picked it up and began to play it. The first thing I noticed was that it was tuned a whole step lower than the average guitar.  The tone was reminiscent of Heaven's harps (those of you who've been to Heaven know what I'm talking about).

The consensus around our family was that we liked the guitar a whole lot. Dad asked me if I wanted to buy it. This is a very dangerous question to ask a guitar player. I remember Ricky Skaggs asking me once if I knew how many guitars a guitar player needs. His answer was "just one more". But, I decided to be as mature as I possibly could endure and I told Dad that I didn't want to buy a guitar on impulse. Then we all walked away.

For some reason, that tortured me all day. I had a really nice guitar in my arms, and we all loved it, and I just set it down and walked away. The torture was basically unbearable (those of you who've been to Phoenix in July know what I'm talking about). Had I no heart?! Had I no soul?! Had I enough guitars?!  Yes, Yes, and No.

That evening, my siblings and I attended an alumni event at Chapman University. We had a good time hanging out with fellow alumni, catching up with people we hadn't seen in a while, eating chicken and stuff. I had made a post on Google+ earlier that day that read:

Little did I know, that my Mom (who barely ever uses Google+) had read it, and then wrote this comment on it:

Boy did they surprise me. Dad and Mom snuck back into It's About Time Antiques and secretly bought the guitar while I was away. When I got home that afternoon, I sat down with my new guitar and played and played and played. I wanted to think of a way to adequately thank my Mom and Dad, but nothing I thought of seemed to be enough, and besides I think they already have a $20 Bass Pro gift card somewhere. 

So, I decided the first performance on this guitar would be a song I dedicate to them. Mom and Dad, this song is for you:  

Thanks again!!

Goodbye Ol Pal...

When you've known someone for ten years, they become one of the family. It becomes hard to imagine life without them. Last night, I lost a member of the family.

The full size upright bass I had just finished performing with, fell to the ground unexpectedly, and broke into several pieces.

About ten years ago, my siblings and I had just discovered bluegrass and had just received our brand new banjo, mandolin, and guitar for Christmas. Now we needed a bass. Having owned several violins, we knew of only one shop that sold acoustic upright basses. The owner of the shop, known to my siblings and I as "Mr. Joseph", pulled one out of the rows of classical instruments, played it a little, gave it a spin, and returned it to the case. We started renting it from his store, but shortly after, we bought it. Oh how we loved that bass! It recorded two bluegrass albums with the Wimberley Bluegrass Band (not to mention a cassette we made for our Grammy shortly after we got it and before we ever performed bluegrass publicly), it has performed on many stages with us, including Greg Laurie's church, and appeared in some of my vlogs.

Just before it's last show, I remain blissfully ignorant of it's impending fate.

Little did I know that last night would be our last night together. We were performing with legendary guitarist Dennis Agajanian, and rocket scientist/guitar picker extraordinaire Dr. Takahiro Morishita. As I pulled that instrument out of its case for the last time, Dr. Tak noted how beautiful of an instrument it was. As our fantastic sound guys conducted a sound check, I enjoyed how the deep, throbbing sound filled the entire room. Little did I know that it's beautiful wooden face would no longer be whole and that it's powerful, rich voice would soon be silenced.

Here's a clip from sound check:

It's last show was a great one. Excellent sound mix, excellent set lists, and a great audience, all gathered for a great cause. After the final notes of our last set finished ringing, I put the bass in its case, and took it with me down the hall to the CD tables. Propped up in a corner out of harm's way, I turned my back and began talking with all the folks who came. After a little while, I heard a sickening cranch from behind me. A "cranch" is a crash and a crunch simultaneously. The bass had fallen out of it's corner and lay face down on the ground. As I tried to pick it up, something was rattling big time. Then I noticed the lack of support the neck offered. It was completely detached. I opened the case up, and the carnage was gruesome. The entire neck and fingerboard had snapped off, the bridge was at the bottom of the case, and the face of the instrument had two, long, parallel fractures running down toward the sound holes. People started crowding around, looking on in horror.

"You must be so devastated!" one lady said as she put her arm around me to comfort me.

"Oh no!" said another man standing next to her, "I'm sure an instrument like that isn't cheap, I hope that's repairable!"

"I'm afraid it's totaled," I told them as my heart shattered like the giant instrument laying on the ground.

There used to be a neck attached here.

This is actually a bass, not a nesting doll.

Two parallel cracks on the face. Not a desirable quality. 

During the drive home, we started talking about luthiers who might be able to fix it if they are up for a challenge. We also contemplated the possibility of getting a new one. As it stands now, the bass is in it's usual corner of our living room, but not standing as tall as it once did. It's future is unknown. So many questions to be answered: Will it be the center of our next bonfire party? Will the king's horses and men put it together again? Will Gilligan ever get off the island? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Until then, enjoy this video of it's last concert, and this video of it's final curtain call.

Been All Around This Country

.....aaaaand just like that, I'm back from another picture perfect tour through dear old Dixie. This year was pretty cool, because we went through two states that we previously had not visited! This brings my total up to....26 states! Not like you care that much, but it is on my bucket list to visit all 50.

Okay, now down to brass tacks. I can hear you furiously demanding to know why I didn't blog any "Tales from the Trail" like I did last year. I promise that I had drafted a really nice one while I was in Jefferson, TX, complete with a picture of my hat on the wall and it was titled "Any Ol Place I Hang My Hat". But the Blogger App suddenly decided the Wi-Fi signal was too spotty or the weather was too stormy, or the gators were too...gator-y, or something and the App ate my blog draft.

Go on, laugh if you want to. But it did. One minute, my really long and well thought out draft was here, the next minute, everything in the app froze and remained frozen for about a week. After that, it was gone.

Now I can hear you asking about my vlog. I promise even harder I'll post it eventually. I have a lot to edit. Whatever you do, keep a close watch on my YouTube channel. It'll be there at some point in time (How does the year 2095 strike ya? No? Sooner then?).

And the last thing I should address is the pointlessness of this post. I promise the hardest I will get a few more meaningful posts out to you soon! An upcoming one will feature an upcoming video from my YouTube channel. In preparation for that, let me ask you this question: What does the Navy, my siblings, and Las Vegas have in common?  Stay tuned to find out!

You might be a bluegrasser...

... if you've ever braved tumultuous weather just to hear your favorite bands play songs you already know all the words to at a festival you've attended a billion times. 

... if you die a little on the inside when a country singer plays a guitar in a banjo's body instead of an actual banjo. 

... if "Hey brother" is by Dan Tyminski, and who even is Avicii?

... if it's not a "solo", it's a "break".

... if you can't be friends with someone who asks who the jug player in your favorite band is.

... if "son" is more often an exclamation of approval than a person.

... if you've ever found yourself saying "yeah, that Jimi Hendrix was pretty good, but have you ever heard Tony Rice?"

... if you measure the prices of everyday items to the prices of banjo strings. (1 pack of Charmin toilet paper is approximately worth 4 sets.)

... if you can name all the members of all the lineups of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. In order.

... if you randomly guess the correct chords to an Alison Krauss song on the fly and then celebrate, crowning yourself the king of chord progressions (true story, call me your majesty).

... if you listen to Chris Jones' show on Sirius XM to catch up on the bluegrass trivia you forgot.

... if you listen to Del McCoury's show on Sirius XM to brush up on your Del McCoury impression.

... if you have a Del McCoury impression. 

... if Ricky Skaggs playing "Get up John" is the only time you use the 'repeat song ' feature of your car stereo, you might be a bluegrasser.

I Declare a Holiday for the Week

Back in the good old days, things were different. At least that's what I've always been told.

My mind can travel back to a time when my grandpa was but a small boy, living out the hot summer days in the small town of Abilene. Most of his childhood memories were probably centered around the sun glistening off the windshield of a dilapidated vintage Chevy pickup sitting in a half-vacant wrecker field, or perhaps the smell of a freshly caught bluegill after a long, lazy day of lakeside fishing. You see, my grandpa grew up in a simpler time. A time when a dog was a man's best friend and no one had ever head the name "Kardashian" except for the actual Kardashians. The great outdoors were the only thing available to entertain my grandpa, and it was more than sufficient. Yes, even without modern conveniences, I imagine that my grandpa still had some pretty amazing summers.

Think of it! Spending a day with no smartphones, an afternoon without YouTube, a morning without reading my blog (great Scott!!), or lunchtime without fidget spinners!

It seemed that his family had missed out on growing the elusive Money Tree and would save their money to buy things that would be significant and important. Like food.  Even the simplest things that you and I barely think about were considered an expensive buy. A particularly pertinent example would be found in a nice, clean, crisp pair of shoes. They could cost upwards towards $4 or even $6, if they were a really nice pair! My grandpa's family knew that a good pair of shoes were important, but opted to save up their money to give him a new pair of shoes in the winter. In the meanwhile, summertime was experienced with bare feet.

Like I said, I imagine my grandpa had some pretty amazing summers. In fact, a lot of young boys and girls back then probably had very epic summers, even without shoes. That's the best way to connect with nature--without the barrier between the good old fashioned dirt and you.

I think it would be much too hard to try and declare a technology-free day to try and bring back those wonderfully simplistic olden days, but maybe we can get in touch with those times another way, the shoe-less way.

I, Mark Wimberley, hereby declare the third week of June as Barefoot Week.

Let's start off this summer, and every summer, celebrating the bygone days when all the little boys and girls weren't trapped by technology and were free to have the best summers with the wind in their hair and the clean dirt under their feet, when the little boy would guard his home with his trusty dog and slingshot, when the little girl would splash in the creek bed and hop from rock to rock.

It's not too late for you and I to enjoy summer! Everyday this week, let us, therefore, be bare footed.  We too shall experience some pretty amazing summers. If it's not your jar of gravy to walk around barefoot all the time, it's okay. You can have a great summer with or without shoes. But for the rest of us, let us celebrate!!

Did I Just Join A New Band??

Short answer, no. But please keep reading. I put soooo much thought into my click bait title.

I explain it much better in my YouTube video, but the day starts with a Bass, ends with two very calloused fingers, and contains a reptile, a Disney Princess, and balloon popping competitions.

It would contain all this in much more detail had the selfie stick I was using been of any use. I also explain this in the video. Technology. What would I do with it?

Now, don't worry, I am not leaving the Wimberley Bluegrass Band. Never will. But it sure was a blast playing with these fine folks! Fun times!!

April Showers Bring Not Much to Talk About

Well, April Fool's Day has passed with little fanfare. Contrary to what I may have convinced a few people of, I am not moving out of state, nor did I buy a 3 month old goat named Reginald, although now I kinda wish I had (buy the goat, I mean).

I hope your April Fool's Day was how you envisioned it to be. Taping the light switches so they won't turn on and making prank calls to your stock broker are definitely the best ways to usher in a new month.

But now it is May, and it is the time to mature and leave the childish pranks behind (until next year, of course). In case you weren't aware, summer is just around the corner! To folks from my neck of the woods, summer means 90+ degree days and an endless stream of beach pictures invading your social media feeds. This would all be well and good if the California weather didn't decide that high winds might be a nice way to switch things up after the good dousing of rain and hail from a few months ago! The folks out in the eastern half of the country have also been experience a bit of rain so I hear. Fun times!

At long last, we at Wimberley Manor have finally got our garden planted! I'm looking forward to harvest time when I can indulge in some purple hull peas, okra, bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn on the cob! Another sign of summer, and just another way we move on from the childish (but ever hilarious when non-destructive) April Fool's pranks. Just as we will be cultivating nourishing vegetables, in our lives we will be cultivating not-vegetables.

Oh, before I forget, I'm going to be participating in an event next week that will be really different for me. I'll tell you about it in a later post. Stay tuned.

But "that" time of year has come, and I hear your questions. I feel your inquisitive thoughts. "Mark," you say, "will you be doing another tour this year?" My answer is super super simple: "I really hope so, it may or may not definitely or not definitely is maybe almost possible if we can sorta almost take mostly care of a few kinda small but humongous issues that will take little to a ton of time and a Mack Truck load of resources to fix so how does next month maybe or maybe not sound?"

Ok, so actually, I have no answer. If you remember my blogs from last year, you'll know how much difficulty we had getting on the road then. It's even harder this year!  But never fear! Remember my New Years Resolution? No? (Neither did I...I had to go back and check) The long and short of it was dream big to achieve big. So I'm just going to go into the month of May with that mindset regarding a tour.  I'll let you know if anything good happens.

One last thing before I close: We don't actually call our home Wimberley Manor. I just couldn't think of a really cool name that was accurate.....besides "that house I live in".

A confession (Please don't hate me!)

It's only been two days. Keep it together, Mark.

Social Media is going through the obligatory mourning of the missing hour from our day. Incidentally, it's not really missing, it's just postponed...moved over...taken from the top to put on the end, or something like that. Long story short, everybody agreed against their will to set their clocks ahead one hour because Spring time or something like that.

I can't go on social media without every person complaining about how grouchy they are with their lack of sleep and how they wish they could hunt down the genius who thought up Daylight Saving Time. But as for myself, well, I tell a different story.

I can't help it if I like to have more light in the afternoons. I can't help it that I prefer to wind my day down with a sunset instead of in complete darkness. It doesn't bother me that the mornings are darker. I must confess, I actually like Daylight Saving Time. You heard me. I like it.

As tough as it may be, refrain from throwing your sleepless rage at me. I know I'm being selfish. Alaskans lose more daylight than I gain in this week, the folks in the other hemisphere are just now starting winter, and yet here I sit, enjoying my sunny afternoons, warm weather, and well lit evenings.

Please don't hate me. If you could find it in your hearts to forgive me, that'd be really great. I like Daylight Saving Time.

When Dreams Come True

Today is a day that bluegrassers everywhere rejoice and cheer on their fellow pickers and singers.

The Rock Stars of Bluegrass themselves, Dailey & Vincent are being inducted into the Grand ole Opry tonight!

Those who know me understand that I have always looked up to Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, even while they were still with Doyle Lawson and Ricky Skaggs respectively. Their two voices always blend perfectly along with their material, be it vintage or brand new.

Having seen them many times in concert, I have witnessed firsthand their knack for connecting with an audience and making strangers feel like old friends. When it comes to entertainers, Dailey and Vincent are the cream of the crop.

The duo gave their first performance on the Grand Ole Opry, being introduced on to the Ryman Auditorium stage by Jeannie Seely in December of 2007. Since then, they've released four albums, a DVD, two Cracker Barrel exclusive albums, performed at Carnegie Hall, hosted their own WSM radio show, hosted their own TV show, and brought their crisp and lively brand of music all over the world.

To me, it's an exciting and inspiring occasion. Ever since I first started performing, I've always held Dailey and Vincent as the model of what musical entertainment looks like. They both have achieved what I, and many other bluegrassers, work so hard to accomplish: Grand Ole Opry membership.

If you're like me, and have followed these two guys since day one, and always hoped and dreamed that someday, you'd make the Opry stage too, watch this video. Don't give up: dreams really do come true.

Congratulations, Mr. Dailey and Mr. Vincent on this wonderful occasion! Wishing you continued success.  Your dedication to country and bluegrass music is not only inspiring, but it has brought joy to so many people all over this planet. Thanks for 10 years of outstanding entertainment!

8 Perfect Bluegrass Valentine's Day Songs

If Californians aren't confused enough by the tremendous amounts of water falling from the sky, they were all but mortified a few weeks ago when little balls of ice took the water drops' place. Since I am now convinced the World is ending, I feel like there's no need for a Valentine's Day themed post...


...but you know me better than that! I have just enough time to squeeze it in while I build an Ark.


All you bluegrass lovers out there are definitely stressing out right now about finding a nice bluegrass song to sing to your significant other that doesn't include cheating behind anyone's back, poisoning a little glass of wine, loving and losing, stabbing anyone through the heart or shooting people to watch them die. A daunting task indeed, but not impossible, you'll find! Allow me to present 8 of the All-Time-Greatest bluegrass Valentines Day songs. Now let me just state that this list will only be good for people who actually have a Valentine. All of us single people can go listen to "Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone". We don't need a list.

Oh! I have a fun idea: I'll present my picks in countdown fashion! What fun.

8.  If My Nose Was Running Money - Mike Snider

Seriously, though. Did you think I would make a list like this without including this ol bluegrass classic? It made the list because the lyrics paint a picture of devotion and sacrifice which can only be described as...vivid. While wishing to have all sorts of wealth dripping from your face to give your loved one is definitely "one booger of a problem", it is more importantly a cheerful thought to know that one sneeze could mean buying a John Deere tractor and a new Mercedes. That is if their nose was running money...but it's snot. Definitely not a song for the germophobe.

7. John and Mary - IIIrd Tyme Out

I've said it before, so I'll say it again: I've said this before. Also, Russell Moore could sing an Ikea instruction manual and win a Grammy for it. That's why this song made the list: Russell's flawless and sincere delivery makes the lyrics seem so much more heartfelt and so much more, well, sincere. You gotta admit, this song explains marriage a thousand times better than "that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream, and love, true love, will follow you forever..." (and if you've never seen that movie, my entire joke went over your head and I'm sorry). Thus, the story of John and Mary made the list hands down. Also, killer mandola intro. Just saying.

6. Pretty Little Miss In the Garden - Stanley Brothers

Need we look any farther for a more adorable love story? Carter and Ralph deliver a timeless tale of a girl who loves her beau so much, that she hopes he's happy even "if he's drownded" (and I've never seen a happily drownded man before). She even goes so far as to say that if he finds someone else, she'll love the girl that marries him. That's almost grounds for a restraining order, to be honest. Of course, by the end of the song (SPOILER ALERT!!!!) she realizes this nosy guy asking all the questions is actually her beloved and then he gives her precisely three kisses. How she didn't realize this before, I don't guess I'll ever know, but as the young kids these days say at the end of their fairy-tales, they lived happily ever after. If the story don't get ya, George Shuffler's cross picking will.

5. Til the End of the World Rolls Round - Flatt and Scruggs

Obviously, a song that sets a time limit on love is usually overlooked for lists such as these, but since the sun will keep coming up and down and the big blue sky ain't coming down to the ground anytime soon, I decided this one could be the exception to the rule.

4. Storms are On The Ocean - The Three Pickers feat. Alison Krauss

This is one of those songs I've been hearing for such a long time. By the Carter Family first, and then by almost everybody else. The Three Pickers are my favorite version. This song goes hand-in-hand with the previous one on my list, because it too lists the world losing its motion as the time when the love will fail. That and if she drops it first. But regardless of that, it still represents an undying devotion that will sure make you feel all sappy and sugary on the inside. The heavens may cease to be if I should omit this song from my list.

3. Walk Through This World with Me - The Seldom Scene

Just the title alone could suffice to have its own spot on this list. But when the inimitable John Duffey sings it with the tight harmony of Seldom Scene, the whole song comes to life. So why did this song make the list? Go listen to it. Seriously. I'll wait.

2. My Heart Is Yours - Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver

It's no wonder that this song was chosen as the title track of his 1990 release. When you got a lineup like Russell Moore, Jim Mills, Ray Deaton, and Mike Hartgrove, how can anything you record go wrong? With words like "and til the end of time, my heart is yours", you couldn't expect anything more perfect to include on this list. If you're gonna choose a Valentines day bluegrass song, it'd better use phrases like "you're all I need" or "I thank the Lord up above that you're loving me, such a lucky break!" If you Google search the word "romantic", this song will automatically open in a new tab. Try it! Also, if you Google search "gullible" your picture will show up....

1. My Only Love - Dailey & Vincent

This one topped my list. A Statler Brothers original, Dailey & Vincent and the boys gave it a bluegrass spin so that it could be included in this list.  How thoughtful of them. At the opening line "You and I were meant for one another", you know this is going to be as lovey-dovey as it gets. The harmony, lyrics, and over all delivery makes this my top pick for the #1 bluegrass Valentines Day song.


There you have it!  Obviously, this list comes with the disclaimer that it is by no means exhaustive. But I think it'll get you through this holiday with flying colors. Which songs did I leave out? Comment below and let me know!

2017 is my year: Inspiration from...Costco??

Y'all, I've never seen anything like it.

My brother has a Costco membership, and this week, he took us in the giant warehouse so that we could sight-see like the tourists we are.

I saw fresh shrimp large enough to swallow crawdads, I saw barrels of BBQ sauce, I saw enough Melatonin to let someone hibernate all winter, I saw complete patio displays, I saw complete gym displays, I saw crates and crates of diapers, and boxes of Red Lobster Cheddar Rolls. Let me put it this way: when the zombie apocalypse dawns on this planet, I'm heading for Costco, and locking the door behind me.  I'll be good for at least a thousand years.

Then, there were these people in uniform who stood in the aisles and fed us as we walked by. One lady was handing out some item resembling Styrofoam crackers, while calling out "Gluten free, GMO free, fat free, and cholesterol free!" "How neat," said I as I bit into one, "I usually have to pay for my own cholesterol."
Imagine that, y'all. A place that gives cholesterol and GMOs away for free!!

 People have been asking me for the past week what my look on 2017 is going to be and I have been trying to gather all my thoughts. I tried hard to think up something creative and inspiring to no avail. I was beginning to think there wouldn't be a New Years blog post. But then, Costco.

Anything I ever hoped for was here, for sale, and in bulk. All I had to do was reach for it. (The shelves were pretty tall.)

Thus, my resolution for 2017 is as follows:

If you don't dream big, you'll never accomplish big things. If you wish for shrimp, wish for the giant shrimp. Don't let anyone tell you they don't exist. You've just never looked for them. If you wish for BBQ sauce, wish for a barrel of it. That way, you'll have some for later. If you wish for a night's sleep, wish for a REALLY good night's sleep. If you want material possessions in bulk, get a Costco membership.

Ok, so maybe my resolution is a smidgen bulky. Must be that Costco mindset kicking in. Let me try and sum it all up in the fewest words possible...


Work so that when this year ends, you can look back and be proud you accomplished something!
Also, become a millionaire.