So the soundtrack for my run tonight was supposed to be the new release from Michael Lee Firkins – Yep but someone forgot that the album was not on the iPhone but would have been on the iPod if someone had remember to copy it to the phone from the computer! I wonder who that could be!! Probably the same person who embarrassed himself yesterday in the library when the iPhone was playing in his pants and he didn’t realize it and kept wondering why the woman at the computer behind him was blaring the music so loudly. He even accused said woman, when the library aide sheepishly asked him whether he was one with the music playing! That guy quickly apologized to all, collected his books, and QUIETLY left the library!! The music that was playing, that I thought was pretty good and was surprised that the woman was listening to, was Decomposition by Michael Lee Firkins which became the soundtrack of my run this evening!! The run did not start out well! Yesterday, I had walked about a mile from my office to the garage where our car was being worked on, along the way I turned on Runmeter to see my progress and time! When I started my run this evening, I didn’t realize that the walk had not been cleared. The lady said start and I did and felt pretty good. When I hit the first quarter-mile I looked down at the phone and the time of the run said 16:02 uh unless I am literally crawling that is not right!! So I stopped, realized what happened, and then walked around the block and started the run again!! The second time I hit the quarter-mile mark the time was 2:19 which was correct and I went on to run one of my fastest paces of the year 9:50 per mile and much of the time the pace was around 9:30 per mile! I felt comfortable throughout the run!! 
Michael Lee Firkins was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1967. His father was a lap steel guitarist and his mother a pianist. Michael started playing acoustic guitar at the age of eight. Mostly self-taught, he also took lessons at a local Omaha music store. Learning the songs of the times, Michael was heavily into Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Black Sabbath. Michael’s solo career started with the release of his self titled début album on !Records.The release sparkled with Michael’s blending of genres as his music is rock blended with country, blues and jazz (sounds pretty great to me!) His first release sold more than 100,000 copies. This well received album also lead to Michael being the winner of the “BEST NEW TALENT” reader’s poll in Guitar for the Practicing Musician and also runner-up in Guitar Player Magazine’s “BEST NEW TALENT” readers poll. He was also hailed as “ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PLAYERS OF THE NEXT TEN YEARS” by Guitar for the Practicing Musician. As Michael’s music was also popular in Europe, Firkins won the Edison Award, which is Holland’s version of a Grammy!! (Website biography) 
The album that I listened to, Decomposition was released in 2001 and is an album of covers except for one Firkins original! Since I am not a big fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd or Rick Derringer. I didn’t recognize several of the songs. The tracks included: “Still Alive and Well,” from Rick Derringer, Manic Depression,” from Jimi Hendrix (yeah I know this one but Firkiins made it his own!) “I Need You,” and “I Know a Little,” both Lynyrd Skynyrd covers, A highlight of the album for me, was Michael’s cover of the “Pink Panther,” (yes by Henry Mancini!!) Keeping with the eclectic nature of some of the covers, the closing track is a Duke Ellington tune “Caravan”. All in all, it is a great album and the label “guitar virtuoso” certainly fits Firkins!! Read More
The other night when I was reviewing the East Coast Music Association 2013 Awards, several of the nominees were familiar. One of the familiar artists was Dave Gunning. I don’t remember when I came across his name, but I remember listening to his 2009 release We’re All Leaving. I remember I enjoyed it, but evidently it was one of those albums that I may have listened to all too briefly, and as I listen to it now, I can’t figure out why?? Because what I hear is great. Anyway Dave was nominated in several categories and “These Hands” a song he co-wrote with George Canyon was awarded Song of the Year at the 2013 East Coast Music Awards! Here’ some awards that he’s won…..
