Out of the Wilderness

The best Christmas music in 2019?

Merry Christmas! OK, I know it’s still October but wouldn’t you know it, I’ve already seen Christmas decorations in stores around Nashville. I’m sure you have, too. It’s becoming the norm to see holiday decor well before Thanksgiving, which is a point on the calendar after which Christmas stuff is more socially accepted, or expected.

But this is not about that silly controversy… let’s talk music!

Christmas has some of the best music of all time… and did you not say that line in your Kanye West voice? I did. Taylor, I’m gonna let you finish, but Christmas has some fo the best music of all time!

I’ve written about Christmas music before. Here’s one about how some Christian singers take a perfectly good song and add to it, one of my least favorite things ever.

It’s 2019 and Christmas is less than 2 months away. What will be the most popular songs this year? Well, I’ll give you a list of my 12 favorite songs from last season. Take a look!

What Christmas Means to Me – CeeLo Green

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve – The Head and the Heart

This is Christmas – Jon McLaughlin

Hallelujah This Christmas – Jon McLaughlin

O Come, All Ye Faithful – Elvis Presley

Merry Christmas Baby – Hanson

I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas – LeAnn Rimes

Cold December Night – Michael Buble

Christmas This Year – TobyMac/ Leigh Nash

Christmas Lights – Coldplay

Ave Maria – Beyonce

All Alone on Christmas – Darlene Love

Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas!

-Out of the Wilderness

Nashville to Graceland, part 5

When you visit Graceland and think all you’ll see is the mansion and a few other things, you’re in for a real surprise! Across the street is the Elvis Museum, and it’s incredible! Cars, jumpsuits, records, sheet music, and so much more. Check out photos from the museum, and if you’ve been there, chime in below with your favorite memories! Also check out photos from my guest appearance on the Elvis Quiz Show, broadcasting from the SiriusXM studio, Elvis channel 19.

Elvis having a record amount of fun…

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A couple watches a video about Elvis…

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My parents…

Hound Dog…

My sister…

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My dad helping with some of the questions on the Elvis Quiz Show…

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the rest of the recap, starting with part 1.

-Out of the Wilderness

Nashville to Graceland, part 4

“When you left you know you told me
That some day you’d be returnin’
In a fancy car, all the town to see…”
(Long Black Limousine – Elvis Presley)

I knew Elvis had a few cars, but this was way more than I expected! Check out the cars, boats, and motorcycles stored in the Elvis museum, which is across the street from the Graceland mansion… (then come back to check out part 1, part 2, and part 3 of my Graceland experience)

Thanks for stopping by!

-Out of the Wilderness

…and I don’t even like baseball!

I’ve been watching the World Series between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. This is weird for me, because I don’t even like baseball! I played all of my childhood, but sometime around 9th grade the magic was gone. I think it was my coach at a private school in Miami that turned me off to the sport altogether. Not that I was the next Aaron Judge or anything, but it just wasn’t fun that year.

Enough about me though! I did happen to catch the final game of the Yankees vs. Astros, too, and the 9th inning was crazy. A homerun by NY to tie it up and go to the bottom of the 9th. Then Altuve hits a homerun to win it for the Astros. Crazy stuff.

Usually baseball is so boring to watch, right? Just admit that’s true and we can move on. In fact, the game before Altuve’s homerun, I couldn’t make it to the 9th… and I’m on central time so it was only about 1030pm and I was out like a light! With all the pitching changes and commercials and foul ball hits.

So with all that said, I’ll admit the past 2 games, at least for the first innings, have been interested and fun to watch. But will Houston battle back to have a chance? It looks like the Nationals aren’t playing around… they want this championship and they look good.

What’s been boring or exciting to you during this playoff and championship series?

-Out of the Wilderness

Nashville to Graceland, part 3

“So hush little baby
Don’t you cry
You know your daddy’s bound to die
But all my trials Lord, will soon be over”
(An American Trilogy – Elvis Presley)

As part of your tour around the Graceland property, you’ll inevitably end up graveside just past the pool. There’s a well-manicured garden surrounding the final resting places of Vernon (father), Gladys (mother), Jessie (brother), and Elvis. This area is a somber, yet perfect way to end the tour. Check out photos below of my family and I passing by.

I also tried to take some photos in a less traditional way, so you’ll see the graves, but also a perspective from a bit farther away, including folks looking at the graves.