The hubby headed to Atlanta today on business, and as I drove back home after dropping him at the airport, one of the best things about our new hometown came across loud and clear.

On my favorite radio station, KGSR, I heard in succession:

• Lucinda Williams' heartfelt inquiry Are You Alright?
• Joe Ely's bluesy celebration of Dallas
• The Neville Brothers' funky Fiyo on the Bayou
• Lyle Lovett trying, but realizing You Can't Resist It
  
• Joss Whedon wanting someone to Tell Me 'Bout It
• Booker T and the MGs musically munching Green Onions

All those songs. Old. New. All those genres. All together. All without commercials. No wonder my CDs don't get as much play as they used to (but I still keep buying them; yes, I'm revealing my age by buying, not downloading).

No matter. Sooner or later we'll take another road trip away from the great local radio and need those discs again.

A long tall Texan: One group not on this morning's drive time play list was Asleep at the Wheel. But they regularly turn up on Austin stations, too, as well as at the city's various venues. We've been able to catch their great shows a couple of times (one of which I blogged about here).

Today, the band's 6' 7" lead singer, Ray Benson, made an appearance in the New York Times' Small (?) Business section. The story examines Benson's business collaboration with Peter Schwarz, who's a foot shorter, but who's been standing just as tall the last six years as he's helped Benson and the band build a new audience, win more critical acclaim, reinvigorate its music sales and profit as never before.

As Bob Wills, the inspiration for the Asleep at the Wheel sound, would say, "Ah hah!"