I could say "Spoiler Alert," but unless you watch the show, you're not going to have the first clue what I'm talking about. And please note that I don't read stuff online about the show ever, because I don't want to know anything in advance. So these theories are entirely my own and in no way informed by what might actually happen. They are, in fact, likely comically wrong.
I welcome all comments and discussion. Lost is on tonight! The excitement cannot be contained!
Last Lost List of Lust (Lest You Forget):
In other words, the awards mean nothing to the actual worth of the film. So why does it feel so lousy when a personal favorite doesn't win or, worse — gasp! — isn't even nominated?
Ostensibly still smarting from leaving out 2008's critically lauded box-office champ The Dark Knight in last year's Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to never let THAT happen again. So this year you know (unless you've been living under a very well-adjusted rock) that the Academy has expanded its slate of Best Picture nominees from five to 10.
Here at SING ALL KINDS we've been trying to suss out who would wind up with those diluted-but-still-desirable Best Pic nominations. And now we know. As of January 7th, I conjectured Avatar, The Blind Side, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Invictus, Julie & Julia, Precious, Up, and Up in the Air. Close but no cigar. Scratch a couple and add a couple different. Shake and uncork and you conclusively have, in an easy-to-read list form replete with links to the Flyer's coverage of the films:
2010 Best Picture Nominees:
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air
Of note to locals is the nominations garnered by The Blind Side.

Much of the spectacle of the event has no effect on my daily life, and this year I didn't know most of the songs or artists that had been nominated. My fault, I guess; even though I'm a music writer, I tend to live in a bubble that consists of local artists, vintage records, and whatever I happen to hear on WEVL, WDIA, and NPR.
Several folks I know and respect were heavily involved in this year's Grammys, however — Robert Gordon was nominated for the documentary Johnny Cash's America, and Scott Bomar had a vested interest in the category of Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, since he produced Anthony Hamilton's "Soul Men." And, of course, MGMT were up for nominations in a couple categories.
And so I braved Michael Jackson's kids and Taylor Swift's horribly flat "duet" with Stevie Nicks — but for what?
Ex-pat Booker T. Jones took home a Grammy for Potato Hole, but other than that, not one Memphian — not even Justin Timberlake — won a single award. Even the blues categories were dominated by Chicagoans, Brits, and Left Coasters.
The biggest mention Memphis got all night was in the "people who died" montage, which included Willie Mitchell, Hank Crawford, and Jim Dickinson. Depressing stuff.
My spirits lifted when up-and-coming Canadian rapper Drake (pictured above) came onstage at the end of the night, flanked by Eninem and Lil Wayne. Drake, a breakout star on Degrassi: The Next Generation, is the son of onetime Jerry Lee Lewis drummer Dennis Graham and nephew of Memphis' greatest rhythm section, Teenie, Charles, and Leroy Hodges. As tenuous as that connection is, right now, he's the only hope we've got.
Virtually every year has some kind of Memphis flavor. This year the connection comes from nominees MGMT, Robert Gordon, Justin Timberlake, Booker T. Jones, and Mavis Staples.

Harlan T. Bobo is currently finishing up his third full-length for Goner Records at Doug Easley's new studio. Huey Lewis and the News have been recording a brand new album with John Hampton, Jim Gaines and Curry Weber at Ardent, rumored to be a Stax tribute. The San Diego-based Wavves — which includes Memphians and Barbaras/Jay Reatard alums Billy Hayes and Stephen Pope — are cutting in Oxford. "Soul Music," an Anthony Hamilton track recorded and produced by Scott Bomar of Electraphonic Recording has received a Grammy nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance Category.
Okay, apparently I was one of the few Americans who didn't tune into the Hope For Haiti Now telethon last Friday night. I admit that after my mother called the next day, to rave about Justin Timberlake's version of Leonard Cohen-by-way-of-Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah," I resisted checking out the video on YouTube. Today, I finally watched. Wow! Timberlake and up-and-comer Matt Morris — who I remember performing with the Bo-Keys at the Cooper-Young Festival a few years back — really did it justice. Watch, listen, and be sure to donate.

The made-in-Memphis Holiday Inn chain has been revamped, and the $1 billion in updates include a new logo, tinted lighting and a system-wide scent, according to this piece from the Houston Chronicle (scroll past the story about Krystal's loyalist — and former Memphian — Angela Sims-Quinty for the details). The Holiday Inn update also includes INNTunes, a pre-programmed system that pipes music into all 3,000 hotels worldwide.
Reading about INNTunes reminded me of the legacy of Holiday Inn Records, a vinyl label started by hotelier (and Holiday Inn founder) Kemmons Wilson, music producer Sam Phillips, and Holiday Inn sales manager D. Wayne Foster in 1961. Sure, INNTunes won't be releasing records by the likes of Charlie Feathers, Ironing Board Sam, and the Climates, but it's an intriguing idea nonetheless.
I caught up with Eric Nicolas, Director, Global Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brands, to ask him about the INNTunes program:
Flyer: What is the criteria for picking songs?
Nicolas: The music program at Holiday Inn was designed and developed by a company called Rock River. The sound strategy is to create a "Holiday Inn sound" that enhances the on-property experience and strengthens the emotional connection with the brand by leveraging external resources who bring deep knowledge of and experience with music and the proven ability to balance the three key brand factors in the effective selection of on-brand music: Brand Personality Traits, Target Demographic and Target Need State.
Knowledge Bowl, Match 10. St. Benedict at Auburndale Eagles vs. Arlington Tigers. Aired January 2nd, 2010.
St. Benedict (Red)Results:
Round One: St. Benedict 170, Arlington 60
Round Two: St. Benedict 80, Arlington 140
Round Three (Lightning Round): St. Benedict 40, Arlington 40
Final: St. Benedict 290, Arlington 240
The Game: St. Benedict against Arlington made for the second-best match this season (behind Marion/FACS). St. Benedict streaked ahead in the first round, withstood a furious comeback in the second, and played Arlington to a statistical tie in the third to win the thing. Though St. B. registered a 50-point margin of victory, the decision remained very much in doubt throughout.

On a rain drenched Saturday, a large group of friends and family gathered at Memorial Park Funeral Home to say goodbye to 29-year-old Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., best known by his infamous punk rock stage name, Jay Reatard.
"My son was a legend in his own time," said Lindsey's mother, Devonna May, standing below one of Lindsey's trademark Flying V guitars, which had been hung high on the back wall like a rock-and-roll crucifix. Her comments capped an evening of heartfelt testimony about the too-brief life and astonishing creative output of one of Memphis' most unique and prolific musicians.
For those who could not attend, here's a transcript of the eulogy delivered by Lindsey's friend and fellow musician, Goner Records founder Eric Friedl. I've also included a funny story shared by band mate Stephen Pope about the day Lindsey finalized his recording deal with New York indie Matador Records.
The memorial service for Jay "Reatard" Lindsey has been set for 5 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, January 16th, at Memorial Park Funeral Home at 5668 Poplar Avenue.
Lindsey's friends at Goner Records are soliciting photos of Lindsey to show at the funeral. Photos can be sent to jayreatardphotos@gmail.com.
Some friends and fans are posting memories of Lindsey on the Goner site here.
This short documentary film, directed by Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz in the run-up to the fall release of Jay Reatard's last album, Watch Me Fall, gives voice to an artist too-often caricatured. There's much here that's now painful to see and hear, but it lets Jay Lindsey tell his own story:
Waiting For Something - a short documentary about Jay Reatard
Jay Reatard | MySpace Music Videos
The news was first reported this afternoon on the web site for Goner Records, the local/shop label through whom Lindsey released his first recordings as a Memphis teenager more than a decade ago and with whom he'd maintained close ties.
Lindsey's death was confirmed a few minutes ago in a published report from Commercial Appeal reporter Jody Callahan and also confirmed to the Flyer by a Goner representative. Lindsey was 29 years old.
Lindsey had been one of the city's most prolific and also most controversial musicians over the past decade, recording in bands such as the Reatards and most notably the Lost Sounds before finding a new level of national and international acclaim as a solo artist over the past few years. His most recent album, Watch Me Fall, a studio debut for venerable indie label Matador Records was recently named the 13th best album of 2009 by Spin magazine.
More on this terribly sad story as it develops.
We've received word that Jay "Reatard" Lindsey died in his sleep this morning. He was 29.
Inspired by Memphis trash rockers The Oblivians Lindsey started playing raw garage punk rock and roll when he was 15. His first recordings with The Reatards were released by Eric "Oblivion" Friedl on his Goner record label. The temperamental musician went on to play in The Lost Sounds, and The Final Solutions before signing to Matador Records in 2008.
Details to come.
The latest word on the event is that soul legend Solomon Burke, among the final artists to work with Mitchell, may perform.
Andria Lisle pays tribute to Mitchell here.
Knowledge Bowl, Match 9, Ridgeway Roadrunners vs. Overton Wolverines. Aired December 26th, 2009.
Ridgeway (Red)Results:
Round One: Ridgeway 90, Overton 40
Round Two: Ridgeway 150, Overton 10
Round Three (Lightning Round): Ridgeway 20, Overton 0
Final: Ridgeway 260, Overton 50
The Game: The Jim Jaggers Region tipped off with this match, and half of the first round is already in the books.
Ridgeway won on sheer buzzer volume. Both teams were 25 percent efficient on bonus opportunities, but the Roadrunners did it on 4 of 16 answering, while the Wolverines were but 1 of 4. Ridgeway captain Zach was active, getting 3 correct in the first round, 6 correct in the second, and 2 more in the Lightning Round. He and Derek provided a one-two punch that proved too formidable for Overton to keep up with.