Singer-songwriter Marty Brown has recorded his own version of the song he co-wrote for George Strait called “To the Moon.”
In an earlier post, we noted that legendary country singer George Strait recorded a song written by singer-songwriter Marty Brown and Steve Clark. The song, “To the Moon,” is a wonderful country love song that appeared on Strait’s Cowboys and Dreamers album, while Strait often dedicates to his own wife in concert. Now, Marty Brown has made his own version of the song.
While we like both versions of the song, Marty Brown’s country tenor is a nice contrast to Strait’s laid-back baritone, giving an added immediacy to the song. For his version, Brown has released a fun video featuring some clips of him and his wife Shellie, along with the star of the title, the moon. Check it out.
Brown’s most recent album is 2019’sAmerican Highway, and he continues to write music for other artists and to bring his music to fans through touring.
In other Marty Brown news, make sure to tune in to the January 26, 2026 episode of American Idol where he makes a guest appearance supporting his son Christian Brown auditioning for a spot on the show.
Singer-Songwriter Todd Snider passed away unexpectedly in November 2025 after some recent odd news. We remember his music and a live show from 2010.
Todd Snider passed away at age 59 on November 14, 2025 after a few weeks of strange news on social media from his Instagram account and from his record label Aimless, Inc. First, his Instagram account posted on November 3, 2025 that Snider was cancelling tour dates after he had been violently assaulted in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not long after that, news broke that Snider had been arrested in Salt Lake City at the hospital where he went after the assault. By reports, he had been discharged but then returned to the hospital saying he was not well enough to leave and things escalated from there. He was charged with disorderly conduct, threat of violence and criminal trespassing.
While we still were waiting on any more verifiable news about the assault and arrest, Snider’s family and friends revealed that he had passed away. They noted that he had been “quietly suffering from an undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia.” His publicist later confirmed that Snider had died from pneumonia. Aimless, Inc. wrote:
“He relayed so much tenderness and sensitivity through his songs, and showed many of us how to look at the world through a different lens. He got up every morning and started writing, always working towards finding his place among the songwriting giants that sat on his record shelves, those same giants who let him into their lives and took him under their wings, who he studied relentlessly. Guy Clark, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Jeff Walker.”
Todd Snider had been touring in support of his latest album High, Lonesome and Then Some. He leaves behind a wonderful collection of albums, many of which he recently re-recorded as acoustic versions with the stories behind the songs (giving the downloads away for free on his website). I first discovered his music in 200 with Happy to Be Here, and 2003’s Near Truths and Hotel Rooms remains one of my favorite live albums.
The outpouring of sorrow and love for Snider has been a testament to how his music touched many lives. He never had a major hit and many reports on his death struggled to figure out what Snider song to put in their headlines (For example, Hollywood Reporter headlines “Alright Guy”; Deadline headlines that his song “Just Like Old Times”” inspired the 2020 film Hard Luck Love Song; San Antonio Express-News mentions “Beer Run” in its headline, etc.). But many loved his music. If you know artists like Todd Snider and Jerry Jeff Walker, you get it.
While the circumstances of Todd Snider’s death leave us with many questions. his music leaves us with much joy. Whether you are a fan or new to his work, check out this great Nashville live show The Storyteller – Todd Snider Live from Nashville (with Great American Taxi). The show was recorded at the James K. Polk Theatre on February 20, 2010. The title captures that he always was a great storyteller, and we hope he is somewhere telling Jerry Jeff some new stories. RIP.
A key scene in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” features Bruce Springsteen and manager Jon Landau listening to a recording of “Last Mile of the Way” by The Soul Stirrers.
One of the interesting aspects of the movie Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025) is how it shows the close relationship between Bruce Springsteen, played by Jeremy Allen White, and his manager Jon Landau, played by Jeremy Strong. In one touching scene where Springsteen is at a low point, Landau says he has a song to play for Springsteen. He puts on “Last Mile of the Way” as the two men sit and Springsteen enjoys a rare quiet moment of comfort and peace.
Longtime Springsteen fans know about the role Landau has played in Springsteen’s life. First, as a rock critic he famously proclaimed Springsteen as the future of rock and roll: “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time.”
But more importantly, in addition to eventually becoming Springsteen’s manager and co-producer, he also became a close friend that helped inspire Springsteen by sharing influences from music, literature, films, and elsewhere.
Deliver Me from Nowhere gives little background about Landau beyond the close relationship he has with Springsteen, always supporting his friend. It is a rare illustration of a close adult male friendship on screen. Landau is the opposite of the portrayal of Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 2022 film Elvis. Landau’s and Springsteen’s close bond is highlighted in the moment they sit and listen to Sam Cooke singing “Last Mile of the Way” from when he was with the gospel group The Soul Stirrers.
Origins of “Last Mile of the Way”
While the song is a gospel tune, in the context of the film, a troubled or depressed soul might find inspiration to just keep going in the hope of better times ahead.
Johnson Oatman Jr.
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way, I will rest at the close of the day, And I know there are joys that await me When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
“Last Mile of the Way” is the oldest song in the Springsteen movie. Johnson Oatman, Jr., who lived from 1856-1922, wrote “Last Mile of the Way,” which was published in 1908. Oatman, like Springsteen, spent most of his life in New Jersey. From a young age he had a license to preach the Gospel and was ordained. Although sometimes serving as a local preacher, he had a more secular career too. For awhile he was in the mercantile business at Lumberton, N. J. And after his father died, he went into the life insurance business in Mt. Holly, N. J. (about 30 miles from where Springsteen would be born), where he lived with his wife and three children. Oatman also found time to write music, reportedly writing more than three thousand hymns, including “Last Mile of the Way.”
Sam Cooke & Bruce Springsteen
Before Sam Cooke became a pop star, he found success as part of the gospel group The Soul Stirrers. He served as the main lead singer of the group from 1950-1957. On August 17, 1955, Cooke and The Soul Stirrers recorded “Last Mile of the Way,” with arrangements by Cooke. It’s unclear to me whether the song was released while Cooke was alive, but the song would be released as a single in 1970 with “Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone” as the B-side. This 1970 release features posthumous overdubs and appears to be the version played by Landau in Deliver Me From Nowhere.
Cooke, of course, would go on to find pop success with songs like “You Send Me,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “Another Saturday Night,” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.” Unlike Springsteen, Cooke died at a young age. He was 33 when he was shot and killed in a confusing violent act in 1964 around the time Springsteen would have been 15.
During his career, Springsteen has performed Sam Cooke’s songs such as “A Change Is Gonna Come” and “Another Saturday Night.” Also, Cooke’s “Mary’s Place” may have inspired Springsteen’s “Meet Me at Mary’s Place” from The Rising album. Springsteen has also jokingly referred to Cooke as “the other sexiest man that ever lived,” while he has also praised Cooke’s work with The Soul Stirrers. He has referred to Cooke’s “miraculous voice” during that era, “when he was at his most youthful, and maybe at his best.”
The music Cooke made with The Soul Stirrers of course lives on and still can provide solace and comfort for those who find it in the music, as illustrated in Deliver Me from Nowhere.
Bonus Another Key Non-Springsteen Song in Deliver Me from Nowhere: The soundtrack for Deliver Me from Nowhere features some other non-Springsteen songs, often playing in the background. Another one that stands out is Suicide’s “Frankie Teardrop,” which Springsteen listens to in his rented house while lying on the floor. As recounted in the book that is the source for the movie, Warren Zanes’ Deliver Me from Nowhere, Springsteen was a fan and early supporter of the band Suicide and lead singer Alan Vega. “Frankie Teardrop,” which appeared on Suicide’s first album in 1977, clocks in at over ten minutes and is about a troubled factory worker who murders his family and then commits suicide.
In November 1976, Paul Simon hosted “Saturday Night Live,” creating some magic when he performed with that night’s musical guest, George Harrison.
On November 20, 1976, two of the generation’s greatest singer-songwriters appeared together on Saturday Night Live, Paul Simon and George Harrison. Each of them was nearly seven years from their most famous partnerships with other artists. Simon and Art Garfunkel had ended Simon & Garfunkel in 1970. Harrison’s last last recording session with the Beatles was in January of 1970.
In November 1976, America had just elected Jimmy Carter president in the aftermath of the country’s large Bicentennial celebration in July. Paul Simon was still riding high from winning the Grammy for Album of the Year for Still Crazy After All These Years in February. And Harrison was appearing on SNL to promote his latest album that had been released one day earlier, Thirty Three & 1/3.
Simon was the host of the SNL episode and Harrison was listed as the musical guest. But Harrison appeared in one of the funniest moments in SNL history when in the cold open he was negotiating with producer Lorne Michaels.
The negotiations were in reference to the earlier April 24, 1976 episode where Michaels made an offer to pay the Beatles “$3,000 to reunite” on his show, a play on a concert promoter who had offered the group $50 million to reunite. On the November episode, Harrison was seen as disappointed he could not collect the money on his own.
Another classic humorous segment on the November show featured Paul Simon in a ridiculous turkey costume as he started singing “Still Crazy After All These Years.” While many remember these very funny performances, it is often forgotten that the two also created two great musical performances.
Harrison and Simon’s SNL Performances
Regarding musical performances, the two legends joined forces in two touching moments. While not talked about as often as the classic comedy performances on that particular show, the two men joined together for touching performances of two songs. One of the tunes was written by Simon and the other was writen by Harrison. And they both had been originally released many years earlier, so they already were recognized as classic songs in 1976.
Below is George Harrison joining Paul Simon on his song, “Homeward Bound.” The song originally appeared on Simon & Garfunkel’s album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966).
And here, Paul Simon helps George Harrison on one of his great songs originally recorded by the Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun.” The song originally appeared on Abbey Road, released in 1970.
After SNL: The Late 1970s
Of course, the two men would go on to many more great songs and performances. After the SNL appearance, Simon would release a greatest hits album in 1977 but would not release another proper solo album of original material for several years until 1980’s One-Trick Pony. During the years between SNL and that album, Simon did various projects, including working on several acting roles perhaps building off of his SNL hosting energy. And then on September 19, 1981, Simon joined again with his old friend Art Garfunkel for their concert in Central Park.
Regarding Harrison, in the immediate years after the SNL appearance, Harrison stayed mostly focused on his music. The following January, Harrison released a song that would become a hit for him, “Crackerbox Palace” (a video of which was shown on the SNL episode). And then in 1979, came another album, George Harrison (with the hit single “Blow Away”), coming after his second marriage and the birth of his son Dhani. Like Simon’s break from recording new music in the late 1970s, in the early 1980s Harrison would also start to withdraw from releasing music for awhile, focusing on other aspects of life and dealing with the 1980 loss of John Lennon. He released Gone Troppo in 1982 but no more albums for five more years after that.
After Simon and Harrison each took their own break in some of the years after their SNL appearance, though, they each returned to release some of their most acclaimed work starting in the late 1980s. Simon released Graceland in 1986, followed by other work like TheRhythm of the Saints (1990). Harrison released his platinum album Cloud Nine in 1987, following it up with his popular work with the Traveling Wilburys.
Regarding Saturday Night Live, Simon appeared on SNL many times after the 1976 episode with Harrison. For example, he performed “The Boxer” to open the first SNL episode after the September 11 attacks. He even did another duet on “Homeward Bound,” this time with Sabrina Carpenter for the opening of the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025.
Unfortunately, George Harrison never appeared again on SNL after the 1976 episode with Simon.
But we still have that magical night in November 1976 when George Harrison and Paul Simon made us laugh with their acting and touched us with their music.
“Song Sung Blue” stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in true-life story about the life struggles of a Neil Diamond tribute band.
Song Sung Blue (Focus Features)
Saving Silverman leaves a big challenge for a Neil-Diamond-Tribute-Band movie. But Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson make the upcoming Song Sung Blue (2025) look like it has some potential.
Song Sung Blue is based on a true story about the struggles of a couple who formed a Neil Diamond tribute band called Lightening & Thunder. The film is written, co-produced, and directed by Craig Brewer. From the trailer, it looks like much of the film will focus on the struggles of the two characters with some lively Neil Diamond scenes.
The couple’s story was previous told in a 2008 documentary, also called Song Sung Blue. The documentary was directed by Greg Kohs.
Check out the trailer for the documentary below.
The Jackman-Hudson vehicle Song Sung Blue will be released in the U.S. on December 25, 2025.
Until then, if you need some Neil Diamond, here he is during the closing credits of the goofy comedy Saving Silverman (2001). I wonder if he will appear in Song Sung Blue?
