1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV)
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

Hello, my name is Bluesdad, and I’m a Gospel blues artist from Detroit.

We had a big election in America last night. But this isn’t a political post.

Instead, I woke up this morning excited about my new Gospel blues release on Saturday, which got me thinking about two Bible verses I heard at church on Sunday. I’ll come back to those in a bit.

My new release is a repackaging of my debut album, Songs for My Wife, which originally came out in 2023 with 12 songs.

This five-song EP features mostly finger-pickin’ guitar—no pick required! I love these songs, and I’m thrilled to have them streaming everywhere again!

What was wrong with the first album?

1.) The opening track, “Wild and Loose.”

All I can say is that not everyone understands my sense of humor. No, they don’t!

Why I thought I could write a song about shakin’ your caboose and put it first on a Gospel blues album is beyond me.

One woman from my church shielded her 17-year-old daughter from me and quickly walked her away when I told her about the song.

Because of moments like that, I felt like I had to defend the song. And that’s a problem when you’re trying to share your music with everyone you know.

2.) Not everyone is comfortable with Christian content.

For some people, the slightest mention of church can send them looking for the exit. And I get it. We all have different experiences and beliefs.

That’s why I like the new title, Songs for My Wife: Old-Time Gospel Blues. It tells you exactly what you’re getting—stripped-down, mid-1900s-style front porch blues with Christian themes.

If that doesn’t appeal to you, no hard feelings. But if it does, you’ve come to the right place!

3.) The absence of a capo

A capo is a device you put on the neck of a guitar to change the key of a song. Unfortunately, a few songs on the original album—“Wild and Loose,” “My Baby,” and “Oh Darlin’”—were simply too low for me to sing comfortably.

I fully intend to rerecord these songs with full-band arrangements in keys that better suit my voice.

Back to the Bible

There are plenty of things in Christianity I don’t understand—especially in the Old Testament. But to me, the two verses above represent the best of my faith. They make me proud to be a Christian—which is something I don’t always feel.

Suffering with those who suffer. Mourning with those who mourn. That's beautiful.

It makes me think of the cancer benefit I played recently and last week’s trip to a warming station in Detroit. Both reminded me how easy it is to get caught up in our own lives and forget what others are going through.

That’s empathy—recognizing someone else’s pain and allowing ourselves to feel some of it, too. I think the world could use a lot more of that.

But then there’s the other side

Remember “Dave that everyone calls I.T.” from my song Young Gun? After church, we were talking about how profound these verses are and how we tend to remember the first part but forget the second.

That’s when Dave remembered a sermon he’d heard years ago. The pastor explained the first part, and everyone agreed. But when he got to the part about being happy for someone else’s success, he said, “Now you’re asking too much!”

That jealousy piece is real. Especially for musicians.

Do we genuinely celebrate our fellow musicians? Are we happy when they succeed, or is there a little part of us wishing it had been us instead?

How will you be remembered?

Have you ever wondered how you'll be remembered when you leave this earth? I've thought about it from time to time, but after reflecting on this verse, I can't imagine a better goal.

If people think of this verse when you're gone, I'd say you lived a pretty good life. Chances are, you made a lot of people feel loved.

1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV)

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

That’s the message I want to leave with you this week. I think there’s wisdom in these verses we can all use, regardless of our faith.

Don’t forget to look out for my new release on Saturday!

And big thanks for following my journey through life as a small-time musician.

Love you all!

The stage is set at Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Tonight, the community is honoring one of its own—a 17-year-old girl named Charlyze (pronounced Charlie).

The humorous BBQ shirts for sale near the entrance usually catch your eye. But not tonight. Tonight, the place is filled with people wearing “Fight Like a Girl: Charlyze’s Cancer Fundraiser” T-shirts.

Moms, dads, neighbors, friends, and employees are wearing them.

In one booth, six teenage girls sit together, proudly sporting their shirts in support of their friend.

And there, right in the middle, sits Charlyze, wearing a bandana on her head.

In a political environment, where we’re told daily who to hate, this gives me hope. Not a tear in the place—only laughter and smiles and jokes and hugs. Dang, I just got invited to the BBQ and I’m loving it. This is where I want to be—in a place surrounded by community and love and the wholesome smell of BBQ.

Am I in heaven?

No, I’m at Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus in Frankenmuth, MI.

This is Charlyze’s dad—a real bluesdad if ever there was one.

What makes someone a bluesdad? Loving your son or daughter so much that you hate the thought of being separated from them. It’s the feeling a dad gets as he leaves for work—knowing it’ll be another eight or so hours before he can be reunited with his baby girl or boy.

That’s the tender side of being a bluesdad.

But then there’s the other side. A bluesdad is also someone who realizes his teenager has taken over the whole couch or eaten all the food in the house. We could share examples all day, but you get it.

And the funny thing is, they grow up, move out, and start lives of their own, but we never stop being dads. No matter how old they get, the bluesdad in us will always be there.

Above: Robert Johnson plays the blues!

Perfect timing

When Robert Johnson reached out to me to play at Charlyze’s benefit, I’d just finished writing a song. But after hearing Charlyze’s story, I changed one word in the lyrics, replacing “mourn” with “grow,” and decided to make it hers.

Why grow? Because when you grow, you’re healing.

Sometimes when a family is going through a crisis, everybody wants to help. But all those calls and texts can become overwhelming. This song says, “Hey, we’re going to give you space, but we just want you to know that when you’re ready, we’re here for you.”

It’s not every day you write a song like this and then someone calls you out of the blue with an opportunity to use it for good.

Charlyze is winning. You can see it in her face and in the eyes of her mom and dad. There are still bills to be paid, but she’s winning for sure.

I opened my set with the song I’d written for her.

Here it is on YouTube:

Fight Like A Girl: Charlyze's Cancer Fundraiser

The part I love most—the bridge!

We don’t know what you’re going through

We don’t know what each day brings

But we just want you to know

These four words we sing

Then the chorus comes in strong with We’re Here For You.

That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

I’ve had a few spaghetti dinners in my day, but this was the best one. Two thumbs way up for Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus. They’re making a believer of me—for the food, for sure, but also for humanity.

I met Charlyze, her mom and dad, and many of her relatives. These are good people, and anything we can do to give them a little peace of mind is worth doing.

If you’d like to help, the link below takes you directly to Charlyze’s GoFundMe page. Every contribution, big or small, can make a difference.

https://gofund.me/ffa5d1155

My first thought after writing We’re Here for You was, “Wow, this song’s got Bob Hausler written all over it.”

I’ve definitely spent some time listening to Bob, and I’m thrilled to have him join me Friday, Dec. 4, at my 60th birthday party show at Apothecary Espresso & Coffee in Farmington, MI.

This Thursday, I’ll be singing We’re Here for You to the guys at New Life Rescue Mission, a warming station in Detroit. If you’d like to help out in the kitchen, we can always use an extra pair of hands. Reach out if you’re interested.

That’s it for this week.

Take it away Bob !!!

Charlyze Jones is a bright, beautiful, and wonderfully spirited 17-year-old senior at Frankenmuth High School. She is a good student, a talented artist, and a hostess who loves talking with guests. She especially loves her second family at work because they’re so much fun!

Charlyze has been a member of the girls’ varsity golf team for five years (her first as a manager) and the girls’ varsity track team for four years. She enjoys the competition, but it’s the relationships she’s built with teammates, coaches, and even competitors that bring her the most joy.

When she finds a little time for herself, she loves spending it with her boyfriend, friends, and family.

Unfortunately, Charlyze and her family are facing something no family wants to face: cancer.

But they don’t have to face it alone.

This Saturday, October 24, the community is coming together for Fight Like a Girl: A Benefit for Charlyze Jones at Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus in Frankenmuth.

The evening will feature dinner, live music, a silent auction, and more, all in support of Charlyze and her family.

Here are the details:

• When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 5–10 PM

• Where: Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus, 175 E. Jefferson St., Frankenmuth, MI

• Live music: Robert Johnson, Lien Borg, and Bluesdad

• Bluesdad performs: 7–8 PM

I’m honored to be one of the musicians performing, and I hope you’ll join us.

Come for the music, enjoy some good food, and help show Charlyze and her family just how many people are standing beside them.

This is Filipino Tom from my song Young Gun. My friend Pat and I took him out for Mexican food to celebrate his 80th birthday.

During the Blues Off on Cave Radio, host Skip Dietz and Jason Mossburger were cracking up when I sang this line:

And don’t forget Filipino Tom, and he’s not even Filipino.

Maybe it’s the way I say it. I’m not sure, but it’s happened several times. I never expected people to respond so favorably to that lyric, so I love it when they do.

I’ve written stories about Tom here on Substack, comparing him to Indiana Jones, complete with a real-life explosion and a Model T sinking through thin ice.

He’s led a wonderful life, full of ups and downs. But there are more stories to tell, and we’re here for them.

My friend Pat and I are very happy to have Tom around, and we look forward to many more adventures together.

When I asked Tom what it was like to be 80, he said:

“I woke up on the right side of the dirt today.”

That’s Filipino Tom for you!

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BIG NEWS

You’re the first to hear it. I’m very pleased to announce that We Will Never Be Here Again, a song I wrote about the Old Detroit Burger Bar in Clawson, MI, will be released Friday, January 8th.

It’s that time again.

And I’m hoping you’ll drive out to Frankenmuth to show Charlyze Jones’ family some love.

As always…

Thank you for reading and especially listening.

We’ll let Filipino Tom take us out this week with my song Young Gun!

If you’re looking for scary sugar cookies, you’ve come to the right spot!

I’m in love!

With these cookies from Tuscan Cafe in Northville, MI. They could be yours if you stop by to hear me play for about 40 minutes this Tuesday, October 20, starting at 5:30 PM. It’s just one of many great items on their menu!

Our good friend Jim Sampson might even stop by for a song or two.

But there’s something even better than the food and music.

This is a charity event raising money to support music therapy and other music programs for young people.

What makes this event so special is how it started.

A high school student named Ava saw a need and decided to do something about it. On her own, she reached out to Tuscan Cafe and organized a fundraiser to support youth music programs.

Now Ava has graduated and gone off to college, but another student from her high school has stepped up to keep the event going.

Well done, Ava!

It just goes to show how one person can make a difference.

But this is what I’m really looking forward to!

Scary cookies are fun, but I can’t turn down their sandwiches!

And if all those things aren’t enough to get you over to Northville to see me play on a Tuesday, get this: I’ll be debuting a brand-new song!

I’m really high on this one right now. Dolly Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You,” and this new song has a similar feel.

You could be the first to hear it performed live!

And now for our regularly scheduled program—Jason Mossburger and me in a blues-off on Cave Radio!

Starts at 6:00. Ends at 8:00. Should be fun!

We’ll talk some blues, play originals and covers, and definitely talk some smack!

Where to find it?

Tune in to Cave Radio this Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM for Skip Dietz’s show, Acoustically Yours. We’ll be playing live on Cave Radio.

Here’s the link: https://crbradio.com/

Big thanks for tuning in.

Subscribe now

Cami Rose says this about her song Point of No Return:

“For me, it was after my divorce. You don’t have the best feelings toward the person. You’d like to say, ‘Wish you the best,’ but at the time you’re like, ‘I hope you hurt.’”

The cuteness factor when she says “I hope you hurt” is 100%.

Hear her say it, and somehow your day will be better.

Go to 5:50 to hear the clip.

The reaction:

But Cami’s schoolgirl innocence doesn’t translate to the song. Because now you’ve got Aretha Franklin coming out of her with a vengeance—but in a country way.

I think the host of the Vehicle City Sound podcast felt the heat, because after the song plays in the episode, Cee Willie—the only man in the room—says cautiously:

“If you’re on that side of it—a great message.”

The whole studio’s laughing, because he said it like a relieved Burt Reynolds, thinking to himself, “Glad it wasn’t me this time!”

But my favorite of the three songs Vehicle City Sound shared on the podcast is Too Early, with a chorus built around one simple question:

“Is it too early to say I love you?”

And the winner is…

Doug Larsen, for best introductory lyric in a song, with:

She made space junk of my heart

My apologies to every other songwriter in the world—Doug is still #1 with his song Shallow Orbits.

But I now have a runner-up.

Detroit performer and songwriter Michelle Wolf’s song Lost Years starts with:

I entered this world with my fists in the air

On Cave Radio’s Acoustically Yours with Skip Dietz, I learned Michelle wrote this song when she was fourteen years old!

It’s all I’ve been listening to for the last three days.

How ’bout you? Do you have a song with a great opening lyric? Please share!

I had no idea where my pecking keyboard fingers would take me after midnight, but it looks like it’s gonna be about women this week. So why not end with one of my favorite chapters from my debut book, How to Be a Christian When You’re Surrounded by MAGA-NUTS.

It’s inspired by Jacki Daniels and named after her song Mr. Red Flags.

Here it is:

Chapter 6: Mr. Red Flags

He’ll never ask how your day went,

He’s gonna keep you a big secret from his friends

He gets stupid drunk and stupid sorry sober

There’s a reason why he won’t let you meet his mother

Lyrics from “Mr. Red Flags” by Jacki Daniels, the song every father wants his daughter to sing. All the warning signs are there, but how many young naïve girls will ignore them?

Christians are doing the same. We’re inviting Godzilla to dinner because we think he’s a Christian—not understanding we’re the main course.

It’s frustrating to see the most secular person in the room selling Bibles for profit with his name on it. “Presidential Edition,” the front cover reads. “Commemorating the 45^th and 47^th President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump.”

“Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?”

These are Donald’s words, spoken to a female reporter—they can’t be shrugged off. If I came at my conservative friends with even a fraction of his tone and tactics, they’d hate me.

The Bible says to “be kind to everyone” (2 Timothy 2:24). Christians know this. Sadly, it’s too easy to be happy about others sinning when we think it benefits us.

Striving to live up to Jesus’ standards while secretly rooting for the devil is a house divided. People of faith know we’re not allowed to do the dirty deeds, so we turn a blind eye when others do—cheering them on from the sidelines.

Am I telling the truth?

This brings us to James 4:6, my starting point for discernment.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

When you’re trying to discern what’s from God, run it through James 4:6.

Case in point

When I heard Charlie Kirk dismiss Michelle Obama, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Joy Reid, and Sheila Jackson Lee as lacking the “brain processing power” to be taken seriously, I thought, “Has this guy lost his mind?” While he may have been criticizing these four famous Black women in the context of affirmative action, it landed like a broader statement about Black women in general.

A friend at church was shocked to learn I don’t support Kirk’s movement. How can I? It doesn’t jibe with the humility of James 4:6.

Teaching in Detroit for 25 years, I worked alongside brilliant Black women. The principal who hired me was Joyce C. Herron-Taylor, Esq. She clerked for a federal magistrate and ran her own law practice before returning to education—not because she had to, but because she wanted to make a real impact on the lives of children and the adults who look after them. And she did—becoming an award-winning principal.

But it wasn’t just her résumé—it was her presence, her leadership, the way she carried a room. Trust me—Black women are smart, capable, and hardworking as hell. Heaven’s their day off.

In short, they’re awesome.

We’re excusing behavior we’d never let our kids get away with. Doubling down. Refusing to apologize. And it all comes from the same place: pride—the very thing God opposes. How are we missing the warning signs?

“For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14

If you have your own copy, it’s not too late. Get your ebook or paperback at the link below:

Buy Bluesdad Book Now

Thank you for listening and reading!

The answer? You don’t.

In writing Coffee for Two, I wanted to honor three great songs and the songwriters behind them. Each song dealt with life experiences—ones the writers knew firsthand.

I loved their ideas but lacked a clear picture for my own song.

Anyone can write lyrics. But writing that moves someone is another thing entirely.

Imagine my life before coffee. I drove to work like a zombie.

Then coffee changed everything.

Now I saw and heard and felt things on my drive I never noticed. It was like God hooked up a surround-sound system outside my car to give me the ultimate driving experience. Birds and beeps and motors and squeaks.

And the sights! The black-and-white blur was no more. My mind raced—and, to be honest, my heart did too.

Coffee kickstarted my commute.

In much the same way, a woman named Nancy Tremblay became the heart of it all.

The song was no longer theory. Nancy’s story brought depth and direction.

Nancy Tremblay is Coffee for Two.

This is my life now.

These words were inspired by Nancy.

It’s like catching yourself and saying, “I can do this,” while also understanding that from this point on, everything will be different.

Coffee for Two finds joy in remembering and honoring the people we’ve lost. Drummer Luke Brizzy of The Non-Professionals made sure of that. The drumbeat he created reminds me of a march. It’s kind of hard to mope around and feel sorry for yourself when Luke has us marching along. Man, I love that guy! Green hair and all.

The song acknowledges the sadness with “These are my blues,” but then life keeps moving.

Luke’s march doesn’t stop.

We’re Not in This Alone

The song asks the question, “Do we even have a choice when we sink this low?”

But then it answers:

“One thing. We’re not in this alone.”

When I think of Nancy, I can’t help but think of Marty and Dawn Malek and all the others who make up the Blue Water Folk Society. It’s a great group of people in Lexington, Michigan, with a wonderful sense of community.

But the song is Coffee for Two. If Nancy is one of the two, who is the other?

The answer: her late husband, Mike.

When I reached out to Nancy about writing a feature on Mike, she loved the idea. She saw it as “a great way to keep his memory alive.”

And now, I’ll let Nancy tell you about Mike in her own words.

Our passion was Isle Royale National Park. He proposed to me there and that’s where we honeymooned.

Mike was an avid backpacker and an author. He wrote a book about Isle Royale—visiting the island 22 times. I’ve been there 11. Many of his songs were written there.

Meet Mike Tremblay—singer, songwriter, musician!

Mike could play just about any instrument, but his favorite was the guitar—both six- and twelve-string. His pride and joy, though, was his Vega four-string banjo. He also loved playing the mandolin.

Mike’s musical inspirations included John Prine, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and many others.

The next time you hear Coffee for Two, think about Mike and Nancy. And then think about the people who are gone from your own life.

What were the little things they did that made you smile? What do you remember now that maybe didn’t seem so important then?

Those little things have a way of becoming the big things once someone is gone.

So remember them. Tell their stories. Say their names. Keep them close in whatever way you can.

And then keep marching.

Keep living. Keep loving. Keep making memories with the people who are still here.

And every once in a while, make an extra cup.

To remember them by.

Last week, I left you with a cliffhanger, saying I would tell you all about the person behind the five words: “This is my life now.”

Well… not so fast.

That was the plan, but life gets busy. I look forward to telling her story and honoring her late husband with a feature, but for now, her words—“OMG, I love it!”—will do just fine!

She went on to tell me in a text that she used to make coffee every night for her husband, putting it in a thermos for him to take to work. He had to leave at 4:30 AM.

Years later, she’s still making the coffee—but she had to laugh when she told me the difference: now she’s the one drinking it.

I’ll tell the whole story when she’s ready—in her own time. That’s what I told her.

But for now, I’m happy to say our song is doing exactly what I hoped it would do: moving people, making connections, and putting a smile on someone’s face.

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Bluesdad in a Week!

Release day is a big deal for musicians. Release week is even bigger!

It’s like having a baby—you can’t wait to tell the whole world its name and weight. But a release doesn’t just happen. There’s a lot of preparation and hopefully a little fun along the way.

So I thought I’d let you in on the fun.

Welcome to the Bluesdad Release Week Challenge!

I’ve got something for you to do every day this week. You’re reading this now, so you’ve already got a head start.

Wednesday

1.) Read the weekly Bluesdad Substack. CHECK! You’re 1-for-1.

2.) Listen to Coffee for Two on the Local Music Show on WCBN-FM Ann Arbor 88.3 FM

If you’re not within the reception range. No problem. They also stream live 24/7 online.

Listen live to WCBN 88.3 FM

Thursday

Listen to Coffee for Two on Sonic Coast radio’s New at Noon show with Jane Asher.

Sonic Coast has a free app for both iPhone and Android.

iPhone/iPad: Download Sonic Coast from the Apple App Store

Android: Download Sonic Coast from Google Play

Or people can listen directly through Sonic Coast’s website.

If you don’t know about Sonic Coast Radio, it’s not too late! It’s the ultimate Michigan radio experience. They mix Michigan artists with national acts and play everything from roots and rock to folk, soul, and funk. I love them because they play Jackson Browne and have real DJs.

Plus, they play Bluesdad!

Friday

Listen to Coffee for Two on singer-songwriter Kev Rowe’s playlist, Acoustic Overnight in Folk, Americana, & Country. The same playlist is available on all three platforms:

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Music

Listen on YouTube

Saturday

See Jim Sampson and Bluesdad live from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Sycamore Tree Bakery and Cafe/Baskin Robbins courtyard. And don’t let these serious-looking publicity photos fool you. We’re going to be foot stompin’ and laughin and telling stories.

Plus, Bluesdad merch will be available.

1.) Cassette tapes—we have cassette tapes of my EP The Treehouse Tapes: Live in Ann Arbor. They were professionally made. I believe it’s 17 minutes in length so when one side finishes you can flip it over and hit play without having to rewind. I’m thrilled to be selling cassettes. Long live the 80s!

2.) Coffee for Two t-shirts—sorry we’re out of mediums. But we still have L, XL, and 2XL.

3.) My political book on Amazon will be available—which is becoming more and more relevant each day as gas prices go up.

Sunday

Take the day off! You earned it.

Put on my blues song Your Chili Done Killed Me but Your Greens Have Raised Me from the Dead. Then kick back and be thankful.

Hallelujah! I’m alive today!

Monday

Listen to the three Michigan songwriters that inspired Coffee for Two: Lee Kitzman, Jacki Daniels, and Doug Larsen.

Lee Kitzman: Spotify · Bandcamp — including Steps

Jacki Daniels: Spotify · Apple Music — Growing Pain

Doug Larsen: Spotify · Doug Larsen’s official music page — including Coffee for Two

Tuesday

Mark Jewett wrote a song about coffee featuring a talented young group called The Accidentals. I wrote a song about coffee featuring a talented young group called The Non-Professionals.

This was not intentional—but it does make for a great two-song playlist!

If you love coffee, pour yourself a cup and enjoy two Michigan songs about our favorite morning ritual.

You crossed the finish line!

If you completed all seven days, you might be deserving of free Bluesdad merch! Let me know how you did.

Big thanks for listening, supporting Michigan music, and dreaming with me a little. I have high hopes for this song and you’re making it happen.

Please take care of yourselves and each other!

Signed,

Your friendly neighborhood Bluesdad

Here’s my guy—Odysseus, a four-year-old goldendoodle. He got a little wet in a sudden downpour but didn’t seem to mind.

This story starts with him.

A while back, Odysseus chased a squirrel across the street. Apparently, squirrels are worth risking everything.

So we installed one of those invisible dog fences, with a wire buried around the perimeter of our yard. It worked great—until a huge storm brought down a tree and severed the wire.

When the repairman came out to fix it, he took one look at me and said, “Hey, it’s Bluesdad. I did the install.”

Turns out I told him all about my music when he set it up. No one is safe! He’d listened to several songs, but there was one he still likes.

“Let’s Get the Band Back Together Again. You know—the one about the friend you lost.”

Of all the songs I told him about, that was the one that stuck.

And maybe that’s the whole point of writing songs.

You put something from your life into a song and send it out into the world—never knowing who carries a little piece of it around with them.

Sometimes the stream count tells you which songs are reaching people.

And other times you find out because your dog chased a squirrel.

I’m still remembering Mark five years later. Here we are after a Stryper concert with lead guitarist Oz Fox. That’s Mark on the left and me on the right.

And here’s the song I wrote about him.

No drums. Recorded live June 1, 2024, in front of an audience of eight, with Jacki Daniels’ vocals added later.

I’m so happy to know someone’s still listening.

My new single, Coffee for Two, and this song are both about loss, but they couldn’t be more different. One is about my good friend Mark Kozik, who moved on to a better life. The other doesn’t have that personal connection.

Or does it?

How it started:

I name-dropped Anthony Retka to get myself an invite to play at a prestigious house concert.

The musicians performing that night were some of Michigan’s best: Mike Ward, Steve Pichan, and Mark Jewett, who recently headlined a show at The Ark in Ann Arbor.

And there was plenty more talent in the room. Hearing all those amazing artists supercharged me into wanting to write a song—as soon as I got home!

The problem?

I had nothing.

But the song living in my head at the time was Steps by Lee Kitzman. It’s about getting older and how those steps get harder to climb—but with the hope that someday, at the Pearly Gates, they’ll get easier again.

That song was my starting point.

Then I added two more songs that seemed to fit alongside it—Jacki Daniels’ Growing Pain and Doug Larsen’s Coffee for Two. I loved the idea of writing a song about songs. Three great songs about life.

I went to bed feeling good about what I’d written but woke up the next morning hating the chorus, so I tried something different.

Instead of building the chorus around Steps, I built it around Doug’s song Coffee for Two.

And this time it worked.

Why?

The first time, I was trying too hard to write something meaningful. The second time, it wasn’t a concept from someone else’s song. Instead, I had a real person in mind and a story to tell.

And that’s when I came up with five words I view as the emotional centerpiece of this song:

This is my life now.

These five words kicked me in the face. They said, “Life’s changed forever—there’s no going back to the way it was.”

It’s a sobering realization—one I knew someone was living.

In the end, my two songs are more alike than I thought. One is about the loss of a lifelong friend, and the other is inspired by one person, as well.

But in a not-so-obvious way.

Our mystery person, the one those five words are about, has a story to tell—and next week I’ll tell it. True love, heartbreak, and survival. It’s a story worth telling.

Our big day is Tuesday, Sept. 22nd

That’s when Coffee for Two will be streaming everywhere. However you listen to music, we’ll be there.

I hope the song finds its way to the right people.

Text it to a friend. Share it with someone you think might need to hear it. Or maybe make an extra cup of coffee for someone you love!

This is Bandcamp. It’s a streaming service, but it also allows you to safely download audio files and pay artists directly.

I’m super proud of the banner at the top of the screenshot above because it tells my story.

The first half: Durand and Detroit.

I grew up in the small country town of Durand, Michigan, and then spent 25 years teaching elementary school children in Detroit. Country kid meets big-city teacher. That’s the first half of my story.

The second half can be found in my music.

My debut album, Songs for My Wife, talks about two big parts of my life: my Christian faith and my wife, who was born in India. The India part sneaks into two songs: “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and the opening lyrics to “I Love You Woman but Man You Give Me the Blues.”

So this is me in a nutshell:

Country kid + Detroit teacher + Indian wife + Christianity = a combination I haven’t come across in anyone else.

I guess I’ve cornered the market.

Now add in being a musician and a dad of two, and you have me—Bluesdad.

That’s the secret sauce.

In the beginning, everything was the blues. Since then, I’ve branched out. I’ve got a country song called “Mountain Inn” and a folk song called “Maiya the Hot Tub.”

Then there’s “I Can See the Moon”—my most popular song, which I tell people is Indie Pop.

As for “Let’s Get the Band Back Together Again,” I think of it as a classic rock ballad, but in reality, it probably falls under the label artists slap on all their songs when they don’t know what they are: singer-songwriter.

And all this leads to a new genre for Bluesdad music: Acoustic Pop.

Give it a listen and tell me if you agree. Is this Acoustic Pop or something else?

The song will be streaming everywhere on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd. But for now, you can hear it early with this Bandcamp link:

Press Release:

“Coffee for Two” tells the story of a man who lost his wife of many years but still makes coffee for two: “I’ll make an extra cup to remember you.” The song asks, “Do we even have a choice when we sink this low?” Bluesdad answers, “One thing—we’re not in this alone.”

At its heart, this is a song about songs. The lyrics weave in the titles of three songs by Michigan artists Lee Kitzman, Jacki Daniels, and Doug Larsen—exploring loss, growing older, and getting through tough times. Featuring The Non-Professionals of Washington, Michigan, “Coffee for Two” celebrates artists from across the Great Lakes State.

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Credits:

How It Was Made: Guitar and lead vocals were recorded at Doug Larsen’s sauna studio in Highland, MI. These tracks were then sent to Christian Wanner and Luke Brizzy of The Non-Professionals in Washington, MI who finished the song.

Origin: The idea of the song comes from Doug Larsen’s song by the same name. Doug’s musical genius and the things he comes up with is one reason I'm back on bass—to support his music and play in his band, Shallow Orbits.

Coffee for Two

Words and music by Bluesdad

Bluesdad: Guitar and Lead Vocals

Doug Larsen: Recording and Mixing Engineer

Evan Haywood: Mixing and Mastering Engineer

Christian Wanner and Luke Brizzy of The Non-Professionals: featured artists

Luke Brizzy: Drums and Percussion

Christian Wanner: Background Vocals, Bass, Slide Guitar, Keyboard, mixing engineer

Producer: Christian Wanner

Cover Art: Jeff Baurs Photography

There’s a lot more I want to tell you about this song so tune in next week for more of the same.

Until then, have a great week everyone!

One more thing

I rewrote the outro to my book. Amazon lets authors make small changes without having to call the book a New Edition. I feel like the new ending wraps things up better—giving the book a stronger sense of closure.

OUTRO

Simply put—love is the answer to my question: How do you remain a Christian when surrounded by conflict?

And if you think this means I’m taking the easy way out, I’m not.

This book is a call to action. I look at what’s happening today and think, I’m alarmed you’re not alarmed. It’s easy to look the other way when it’s not happening to you. Humanity, not just Christians, must do better.

Reread the verses at the end of each chapter. Each one is a mic drop—leaving no wiggle room for MAGA Christians, or anyone else, to escape responsibility.

Still, none of this is easy—and people are worth it.

Loving them is the main thing.

My wife loves to read the last chapter first when starting a new book—then see how it unfolds. Now that you’ve read the outro, you can do the same.

The ebook and paperback are available at this link:

Bluesdad Books

Shallow Orbits, the band backing Doug Larsen music, may soon add a Bluesdad song to their repertoire. Wait—will this make us a supergroup? 😂

The song Doug mentioned? “I Can See the Moon.”

I’m thrilled to play it with a full band. Now comes the hard part—I gotta play that harmonica solo.

My Lee Oskar harmonica in A minor is on its way. Once it arrives, I h…

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Without too much trouble, I sent out 14 texts to local musicians.

Fourteen is a lot when you think about all the people I left off that list. It kind of made me stop and appreciat…

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The kind of thing you see in movies, but never in real life.

A moment so rare, so extraordinary, so completely outside the natural order of things you immediately know: this is not a day like any other day.

Sometime after 5:00 AM.

In my own home.

No cameras. No news crews. No scientists standing by to verify what occurred.

Just t…

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This Saturday I’m in Ohio to play at a block party for a homeless shelter called the Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission.

Then on Tuesday Aug. 18th from 7:00 to 9:00 I’ll be playing Ladies Night with Stacey Lee at the Pink Elephant Bar in Kimball, MI. Last time I played there it was packed.

Another day at the office

Yesterday I put together a lyric folder for a…

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This is the story of his stepdaughter’s room.

Sidebar: Remember Filipino Tom from the song Young Gun? Whether it’s his engineering background or years of experience—h…

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For musicians, it might be a jaw-dropping guitar solo or a song you love—the one that makes you want to give songwriting another try.

For me, some of my biggest motivational moments come from nonmusicians.

Watching Jalen Brunson lead the Knicks to the 2026 NBA championship drove home one lesson for me. “You can’t make excus…

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The problem? I sent it out to paid subscribers only by accident. Oops! To the other 250 free subscribers, here’s a link to this week’s substack. It’s a g…

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I’m TN bound for a family reunion on my wife’s side when we come across Dollywood.

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Hi, my sister is Beth Cook-Shen.

Musically, my sister has always been the person …

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When Koko Taylor, a Grammy-winning Chicago blues singer, came to Detroit, a young Michael Snyder-Barker took a bold leap into the blues.

In his own words:

I met Koko Taylor.

I lived in Detroit—grew up in Detroit and I was home one summer from Adrian college. I lived not too far from Belle Isle off of Jefferson. I got a job at the Renaissance Center and l…

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Everybody has a Bobby Murray story.

Actually, they don’t.

But somehow, I manage to get one.

Who could imagine a small-town musician like Bluesdad sharing the stage with Bobby Murray?

Then the headline appears.

Bobby Murray, Etta James’ Guitarist, Dies at 72

April 30, 2026

News of Bobby's passing spreads quickly, prompting Michigan musicians to share their Bob…

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