Anything Worth Doing
10. Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Right:
I had heard this statement many times from my dad, grandpa, uncles and others. However, it had a different affect on me the day my dear friend and mentor, Jim Rushing, threw it to me as song idea. I was immediately drawn to it.
Jim and I were once frequent co-writers. We even penned a couple of big hits together back in the day (“Heartbreak Hurricane,”) for [Ricky Skaggs] and (“Lonesome Standard Time”) for [Kathy Mattea] and [LST]. We have been just the best of friends for over 30 years.
After marrying the love of his life and moving away to Montana circa 2000, our opportunities to co-write ceased to exist. We often talked about trying to write together again but never had the opportunity, until his visit here in 2014.
When Jim says anything….. I listen. He is a well of song ideas and a word magician if I ever saw one. Soon, we found our way into this song, fashioning it from the beginning about a fence he had long ago helped a dear uncle build in New Mexico. After a long day of twisting the idea this way and that, here is what we came away with; a song that speaks of the value of doing any task in life the ‘right way’ and the value of squaring our spiritual lives with the Master Architect of the Universe as well. Thank you, old friend, for bringing me on board for this one. I hope we get a few more together before we go over the slick log.