Greg Halvorson Blog

After 4 months in Oregon, I'm back, refreshed and freshly recovered from Covid (or the flu), with tales to tale, opinions to plow, and, because life is short, WINE to consume. *Subscribe and hit the notifications bell. This year, via this channel, I made $3.00, and next year I want to make at least $4.00. :)

If you're a John Prine fan (and who isn't?), it was a kick to the gut… The indispensable man, the Songwriter's Songwriter, universally loved, had left this Big Ol' Goofy World - SPLAT! - no goodbye… Bugs on windshields have bigger send-offs. Emotional, teary, I didn't know what to do, how to express myself, so, guitar in hand, I began writing — things John taught me, things that would make him laugh… The result, along with "Godspeed, Old Friend" (unrecorded), was "Armadillos & Big White Pillows"… Wish he was to hear it. Maybe in Heaven, he can. ~ GH “Armadillos and Big White Pillows” *Armadillos and big white pillows, and creaky farmhouse doors Cattle auctions and midnight boxing, and bonfire, beachfront schmoors **Summer lightnin’ and children frightened, and dogs wagging their tails I learned from tryin’, can’t whistle while smilin’, can’t whistle while cryin’, either way My old dog, Scruff, he rolls in stuff Enough is enough, he never bathes I feed him bacon — is this love we’re makin, as the years just fade away? **Repeat A bridge to nowhere is a bridge to somewhere We all need a place to go Down by the sea in a coffee cup, there lives an octopus — must be kind of rough I don’t know, I can’t say If you’re going to make a stand, shoot for lemonade Then there’s music, listen with your heart Even on a high note, if you cut a… *Armadillos and big white pillows , and creaky farmhouse doors Cattle auctions and midnight boxing, and bonfire, beachfront schmoors **Summer lightnin’ and children frightened And dogs wagging their tails I learned from tryin’, can’t whistle while smilin’, can’t whistle while cryin’, either way… Can’t whistle while cryin’, either way Armadillos and big white pillows, they just fade away

Just returned (May 10-19) from San Antonio, I discuss my visit to the Lone Star State, the old missions, the verdant rivers, the rolling hills and quaint towns… Nine days, each hosted by my 92 y/o uncle, who, though blind, possesses, as the French say, joie de vivre — and WHAT A TRIP! Thank you, Uncle, you're simply the BEST… The CREME de la CREME… So keep the saddle warm, Bud, the bourbon ready, because next year I'm bringing my GUITAR… I'm a-spinning my spurs…. And we, together, a-gonna sing: God… bless... TEXAS!

Muscle Shoals, a magic place, a place of legend, where silence and simplicity, born of the soil, inspire music as deep as the mud and sky… Yes, the mud, the river, the wind… The sky is big and the land is small, and the porch is easy when the evening falls. 🙏 “Around Muscle Shoals” (*All rights reserved) *They still grow cotton around Muscle Shoals The cane down Dixie, it ever grows The sky is big and the land is small, and the porch is easy when the evening falls Time goes slow on the river banks Clouds drift by above the water tanks Train comes through, traffic jam Three cars deep and two "Gol’ damns" Don’t Tread On Me the bumper says They call us hicks, say our necks are red But they don’t know and they never will, the peace of Freedom in a Sunday grill *They still grow cotton around Muscle Shoals The cane down Dixie, it ever grows The sky is big and the land is small And the porch is easy when the evening falls Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals Alabama, Roll Tide Roll We don’t play nor sing the blues We live our songs, we bleed our tunes *They still grow cotton around Muscle Shoals The cane down Dixie, it ever grows The sky is big and the land is small And the porch is easy when the evening falls Yeah, they still grow cotton around Muscle Shoals ~ Greg Halvorson, Nashville

Yes, it's a little out of my vocal range (what isn't?), but I like the words, and "country gospel," a forgotten category, is something Americans need more of… May angels sing it in Heaven. May birds tweet it on high. And may, by God's grace, it be recorded by SOMEONE and bring glory to the Maker of Music and Art! 🙏 “A Little Closer to God” Oh Lord, the true path, show me the way Teach me redemption, the glory of each day When the sun comes up and the rooster crows Give me the strength and the will to grow Show me your face in the morning light Lend me the peace of Jesus Christ I ride my horse to to the water each day When he drinks from the river, I bow and pray Somethin’ about a sunrise, puts a yearnin’ in the heart and you want to cry But you build your house upon the Rock, and you go to work and you punch the clock Oh Lord, the true path, show me the way Teach me redemption, the glory of each day When the sun comes up and the rooster crows Give me the strength and the will to grow Somethin’ about a sunrise, puts a yearnin’ in the heart and you want to cry But you build your house upon the Rock, and you go to work and you punch the clock Hold my hand and we’ll cross the creek, jump the golden broom and kiss in a tree We’ll climb every branch till we reach the top Nearer to heaven, a little closer to God Show me your face in the morning light Lend me the peace of Jesus Christ I ride my horse to to the water each day When he drinks from the river, I bow and pray That tree — let’s kiss Let’s climb —find bliss We’ll chin every branch till we reach the top Nearer to heaven, a little closer to God Nearer to heaven, a little closer to God :)

It's been over a week since Audrey Hale, who identified as "transgender," entered Covenant School to hunt down Christians. And while the media cares more about guns - banning them - and "fear in the trans community," the real story remains and, indeed, must be told... Greg Halvorson, who lives nearby, answers questions the media won't ask, and in terms understandable explains WHAT happened, WHY it happened, and the ideology of cult violence. Transgenderism is examined. Definitions are given. And truth, without apology, is presented... Hold on. Please subscribe... Thanks! Media inquiries: gchalv@gmail.com

Ha, what can I say? I've been thinking, with spring upon us and the weather changing, that a new venue, some Mama Nature, might inject my vids - talking and singing - with CREATOR energy... God Spice... And, lo and behold, 5 miles north of the Ryman Theater, a half-mile from my door, I discover Arachnid Town; Snakeville... Scary? Alarmingly conducive to an axe-wielding freak blasting, like a Jack-in-the-Box, from the algae to splatter blood? Hmm... Let's just say, it puts the imagination in gear. You half expect the Creature From the Black Lagoon - or maybe Hillary Clinton without makeup - to breach the slime, glom your leg, and make you miss Yellowstone season #6. Good place for a movie, no doubt -- the Fever Swamp... The ol' Bayou. And yet more evidence - as if we needed it! - that the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, and the Lord loves snakes, spiders, BAD singers, and frogs. *Thank you for subscribing and hitting that bell. :-)

Hitmaker? .. Well, I write songs and used to make my brother hit me, so yeah... Technically accurate. And besides, when I penned this - during a time when relationships still seemed possible - I scratched, at the top of the page, the word "HIT"... The framework's there, if not my singing... So first come, first Grammy. Operators are standing by. :) “Just Pick Up The Phone” (*copy-written; rights reserved) Hello angel girl, I know it's kinda late, but I poured myself a drink, started thinkin 'bout my fate Wondrin where you are, wondrin’ where you'll be, within a hundred miles, or somewhere overseas *Just pick up the phone, just give me a call We don't have to talk long, we don't have to talk at all I just want to say I'm sorry, for the things that I did You know I really loved you, but I didn't want the kid You were lightin up my life, teaching me things, I'd never been around -- what a magic scene I can still hear your voice, I can still see your smile Some things'll never change, never go out of style *Repeat chorus When you're 20 years old, you're just lookin for some fun When hit the big 3-0, you start lookin for the one When 40 comes around, so much sooner than you think Well, you sorta start to panic, and you pour yourself a drink *Repeat chorus x two... Different chords *Just pick up the phone, just give me a call We don't have to talk long, we don't have to talk at all I just want to say I'm sorry, for the things that I did You know I really loved you, but I didn't want the kid No, I didn’t want the kid... No, I didn’t want the kid... No, I didn’t want the kid

Scintillating road tales, riveting monologue, trenchant insights -- here, from Greg Halvorson, America's premiere unknown YouTube creator, you will find it ALL, and if you don't, you're invited on his next vacation. 0:00 - 3:00... Suave, sophisticated lounge-vibe open. 3:00 - 4:20... Sommelier-level wine analysis. 4:30 - 8:15... Bug-eyed, spit-spewing RAGE against keyless car-starting. 8:30 - 16:20... INSANE deer skull/rack reveal... (Must watch). 16:30 - 21:30... The next trip... SAN ANTONIO! 21:30-23:21... Thoughts on life, photography, the burden of celebrity... Tears. Drunk.

Move over Rick Steves, Greg "Hop-a-Long" Halvorson, in his imitable style, has entered the Travel Zone, tales to bear... Follow him, as connecting his past, he expounds on the fauna (the manatees and the gators), the power of Nature (an impressive gale!), and the sights and sounds of the Suncoast: Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota, and beyond... Good times, great memories. Expectations were high, and Florida exceeded them. Thank you, Ron DeSantis, for making Florida GREAT!!

Okay, the high notes here aren't "beyond my range," they're beyond the planet I currently dwell, and my vocal chords, to be fair, are also alien... That said, I sang it this way... instinctively? Yeah, the way it would be sung by wait... wait for it... an actual SINGER. It can, of course, be done absent, "When you're far from HO-OOOOOOME, I'll be here"... But you get the point. I'm a songwriter LOOKING for singers, and the words are epic... Lol... Shouldn't have had that last pour. But if you're emotionally gobsmacked, completely overwhelmed, and need a friend... If the song breaks you, I WILL be here. Standard rates apply (not available in Minnesota.) (**Rights by Smith & Wesson**) “I’ll Be Here” If it doesn’t work out, those plans you made If you leave in the fall and come back in May If you meet Mr. Right and Mr. Wrong appears If it doesn’t work out, baby, I’ll be here If you go to Texas but the sky is too big If you choose Rhode Island but the game is rigged If you practice fake smiles after real tears If the cold wind blows, baby, I’ll be here *I’ll be here day and night, I’ll be here, the rock of Christ Love abides, so far but so near... When you’re far from home, baby, I’ll be here If you’re rowin’ downstream toward a waterfall And the dog wags its tail when the Repo Man calls If the on-line picture of him drinking beer is light a hundred pounds, baby, I’ll be here *Repeat When the political wind turns ugly and shifts And they truck the BS in by forklift When you’re all alone and the night brings fear When you’re on your knees, baby, I’ll be here If the horse rears back and you bite the dust If you run three blocks and miss the bus If they pierced your nose when you told them ear Cry not, baby, I’ll be here *I’ll be here day and night, I’ll be here, the rock of Christ Love abides, so far but so near... When you’re far from home, baby, I’ll be here If it doesn’t work out, those plans you made If you leave in the fall and come back in May If you meet Mr. Right and Mr. Wrong appears If it doesn’t work out, baby, I’ll be here When you’re far from home, baby, Ill be here When you’re far from home, I’ll be here

My goal here is to post an eclectic array of songs in many genres and styles, some, perhaps, a style of their own. Much of my material is rooted in western legend, the images and experiences of pre-modernism. Anyone who has ever traveled across the remote mining towns of Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado can relate... Ghost Towns, a song inspired by, well, GHOSTS, is one of these... **All Rights reserved.**... Copywrite City. Enjoy. “Ghost Towns” Gonna write about ghost towns better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Better be haunted, better be scared, better have two feet in the air Gonna write about ghost towns better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns, better be dead to the world Gonna write about ghost towns, better have lost your girl Better know tumbleweeds inside out, better have lost your road and route Better have left your life behind, better have slept in a gold-less mine Gonna write about ghost towns better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns better sow more than oats Better have lead in your blood, better toss diamonds in the flood Better when it thunders crack a smile, better be down on the country mile Gonna write about ghost towns better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns, better cut more than throats Better have two sticks in the fire, better have zombies in the wire Better have no escape plan, better think Goshen is the Promised Land Gonna write about ghost towns, better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns, better sow more than oats Better run faster than the law, better drive steel, cold and raw Better when it thunders crack a smile, better be down on the country mile Gonna write about ghost towns, better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns, better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Better be haunted, better be scared, better have two feet in the air Gonna write about ghost towns, better know somethin’ ‘bout ghosts Gonna write about ghost towns, better know somethin’, better know somethin’, better know somethin’.... about ghosts

Non-traditional, unique... hmm, Gospel? ... No, FUSION, a High Prairie-High Power mix: Americana Folk Gospel ... Add strings, dolorous slide, back-up singers... "A holy Gaw-od... A holy Gaw-od"... Yes, this could be arranged. My goal, as a lyricist, is to get someone to play it... **All rights reserved**... Copywrite City... No apologies for my singing... Pavarotti I'm not! 😂 “A Holy God” The fog outside my window reminds me of buffalo... A time more innocent, with more prairie and less cement I don't know what I can do, to make this world more true When I peek into this fog, I see His face, a holy God Ridin' out of ol' Cheyenne, I left a letter on the bedstand You'll know just what it says, it may take time, a pint of red It's Easter now, I'm damn depressed… Car won't start, no Sunday's Best So I'll ride before the dawn, upon a horse, a church of one Fumaroles of equine breath, day’s first light, no sign of death When I peek into this fog, I see His face, a holy God We'll set a card game up, right soon… Bring that deck that shows Miss June Quarter ante, Jacks are wild… We’ll get a sitter for your child Wind is blowing' from the north… It’s after midnight on this porch Sometimes I sit until the dawn, wondrin' if I'm right or wrong Fumaroles of equine breath, day’s first light, no sign of death When I peek into this fog, I see His face, a holy God Smell of leather, cows come home… They leave the draws when it gets cold When I peek into this fog, I see His face, a holy God I see His face, a holy God

The video begins with a funny story about my amazing Mom (see more here, she's something else: https://www.facebook.com/halvorsong ) and, at the 5 minute mark, presents a Gospel song both unique and CREATIVE... Brothers in Christ, sisters in Jesus, if you want a hit, let me know... The potential is there. **All rights reserved**... Copywrite City... Subscribe and keep preachin... The world needs love and truth. 🥳 “My Best Friend Is Jesus Christ” My best friend doesn't talk on the phone, he doesn't come over when the game is on We've never gone hunting or shared a beer I've never heard him laugh or seen a tear But he's always with me, he's always around, never ever, ever has he let me down My best friend is the Son of Man -- Jesus Christ is the great I Am *My best friend is Jesus Christ, author of Truth, the Way and Life God come down to save my skin, Jesus Christ is my best friend My other friends, they fell away, it's funny how that happens when you start to pray I'm the same I told 'em, just free of sin, the Body and the Blood have replaced the gin But there they were on a fool's rush, willing for the world for their hearts to shut My best friend is the Son of Man -- Jesus Christ is the great I Am *My best friend is Jesus Christ, author of Truth, the Way and Life God come down to save my skin, Jesus Christ is my best friend My other friends, they fell away, it's funny how that happens when you start to pray I'm the same I told 'em, just free of sin, the Body and the Blood have replaced the gin But there they were on the same dark path, on the deck of a sloop with a broken mast My best friend is the Son of Man -- Jesus Christ is the great I Am *My best friend is Jesus Christ, author of Truth, the Way and Life God come down to save my skin, the Prince of Peace is my best friend My best friend doesn't talk on the phone, he doesn't come over when the game is on We've never gone hunting or shared a beer I've never heard him laugh or seen a tear But he's always with me, he's always around, never ever, ever has he let me down My best friend died on Calvary, tore the curtain of the temple and set me free! My best friend is the Son of Man, Jesus Christ is the great I Am My best friend is the great I Am... Jesus Christ is my best friend

Upon hearing news of Lisa Marie Presley - may she rest-in-peace - I was feeling nostalgic, so went to the archives and dug out my Elvis anthem... If you're over 50, you remember the day, the moment, you learned the Memphis Meteor died, and how the world stood still and, in fact, changed forever... Here I discuss where I was (camp), and Elvis's fame, how Elvis and Muhammad Ali were revered globally, transcending culture, and then the song... An ode to Elvis... To better music and better culture. But don't be sad -- love your Mama and everything will be alright... Elvis Presley is a friend of mine. **All Rights Reserved** “Elvis Presley Is A Friend Of Mine” Packed up my bag around midnight, drove through Memphis on a cold, raw night Remembered the friends I lost on the way, prayed for their souls come Judgment Day Radio is out so wipers keep the beat Ain’t no rhine in stone when you’re livin’ on the street Drove through Memphis on a cold, gray night... Elvis Presley is a friend of mine Don’t go ‘round like you’re prince and king Don’t go ‘round like you know everything A little humility goes a long way And every so often, stop and pray Time goes by like a comet in a sluice, and it’s all you can do to stay out of that noose But love your mama, everything’s alright... Elvis Presley is a friend of mine Long sideburns weren’t cool back then, but rebels came along and broke that trend Follow the water till the seagull flies Elvis Presley is a friend of mine Remember the friends you lost on the way Pray for their souls come Judgment Day And if you drive through Memphis on a cold, gray night, remember Elvis is a friend of mine... Remember Elvis is a friend of mine Yeah, Elvis Presley is a friend of mine

In this video, I relate my story of "riding the rails," hopping a train, Oakland, California to Portland, Oregon, describing the characters met, the emotions experienced, and the epic journey that imprinted itself on my mind and spirit. Thank you, patriots, for subscribing to the channel... Your patronage is appreciated... And the vault is full -- many adventures and stories to come! :) Sites 'n Pages: *) My Greg Halvorson Blog page: https://www.facebook.com/greghblog *2) My Halvorsong page: https://www.facebook.com/halvorsong *3) My Substack blog and podcast page: https://greghalvorson.substack.com *4) The ol' Teespring Merch site: https://teespring.com/stores/truth-expression *5) Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregHBlog ... SHALOM.

An original song - inspired by grit-granny Tanya Tucker - from lyricist-empiricist-recidivist, Greg "Three Yards And A Cloud Of Dust" Halvorson... All rights reserved -- penalty for copywrite violation: repeated blows with a giant frozen salami to the head. Contact for lyric collaboration, sharing... Yee-HAA. :) "Whiskey Vocals" She’s got whiskey vocals but don’t know it, and she can ride herd all day Seen more sunsets than a flower, seen the lightning and the rain Been downwind from many troubles Buried Papa, Mama, too Seen her stallion on the prairie, run and vanish in the blue You might see her in the town, buyin’ tack, a few supplies You might see her kickin’ dust, some ol’ backroad on the fly Smokes em to the filter, snuffs em out beneath her toes Boots of snakeskin by the river… She killed that rattler years ago Yeah, she knows when to fold em, knows when to bluff And she knows the price of silence is never price enough And she knows there is a God, sees the wonder every day But then there is a sadness, and why she cannot say She’s got whiskey vocals but don’t know it, and she can ride herd all day Seen more sunsets than a flower, seen the lightning and the rain Her lips are bullet red, like her attitude And if she’s runnin hot, deep inside she’s cool Said ‘I do” now twice, says I don’t declare, that love turns Spin the Bottle into Truth or Dare Smokes em to the filter, snuffs em out beneath her toes Boots of snakeskin by the river… She killed that rattler years ago Boots of snakeskin by the river… She killed that rattler yeeears ago

Drawing on experiences of varying danger - encountering a naaaasty lightning storm, hopping a freight train (650 miles), having weapons within arm's reach at ALL times - Greg analyzes the wonder of RISK, how adventure demands it, and how it binds us to the past while affirming the goodness and the richness of life. THANK you, patriots, for subscribing... Your support is much appreciated. :) PET Sites, PET Pages... *Potential Emotional Trauma *) My Greg Halvorson Blog page: https://www.facebook.com/greghblog *2) My Halvorsong page: https://www.facebook.com/halvorsong *3) My Substack blog and podcast page: https://greghalvorson.substack.com *4) The ol' Teespring Merch site: https://teespring.com/stores/truth-expression *5) Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregHBlog ... CHARGE!

We've all seen him, the man-bunned hipster in skinny jeans outside Starbucks, part she-male, part Frenchman, part woke army clown... His career goal? Social Media Coordinator at NPR... His/her favorite movie? Brokeback Mountain... His/her pet peeve? Patriotism; it gives her hives... But his thesis deconstructing John Wayne? That's on hold --- an NRA ad in the cafeteria required medics. He fainted... Dropped out. Diagnosis: PTSD. So yeah, we've seen him (he's everywhere), a problem, though nothing The Draft, gun ownership, and renaming College Ave. "John Wayne Boulevard" won't help... Listen as Greg triggers him, devastating pajama boys, hipsters, Antifa eunuchs, and NPR... Beds will be wet, thumbs sucked, but rescuing American Masculinity is worth it, the legacy of cracked skulls, dead hombres, and - in the Greatest Country on EARTH - deliciously sanguineous dead RED meat... ENJOY. PET Sites, PET Pages... *PotentialEmotionalTrauma *) My Greg Halvorson Blog page: https://www.facebook.com/greghblog *2) My Halvorsong page: https://www.facebook.com/halvorsong *3) My Substack blog and podcast page: https://greghalvorson.substack.com *4) The ol' Teespring Merch site: https://teespring.com/stores/truth-expression *5) Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregHBlog ... SHALOM.

Well, this is a new direction, a different tack, so to speak. Isolated and craving "conversation," I've decided to converse with America via Youtube, as I've much to say but few ears to enlighten, few mates to mesmerize, so I'm here, fired up, to connect through technology... Thanks for tuning in and participating in my "show." I answer questions, respond to each comment, and appreciate your interest. As for Me, I'm a songwriter, bad guitar player, and transplanted Southerner... I'm not emotionally-attached to opinions, but - sports, culture, politics -- I will discuss anything (with anyone) at any time... And I love America. And Jesus... And I' m 100% dude... No, not Lebowski dude level -- but, hey, I ASPIRE. The house I alone prepped & painted, 470 hours of labor, a proud accomplishment: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3926243280873&set=pb.1423393211.-2207520000.. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3927395149669&set=pb.1423393211.-2207520000..