Towards The Sun/Spirit of Love: Sun Son Solstice Christmas Playlist 2015

The Life You Chose (TOTR 241)

"The Life You Chose": 25 tracks for 2015

Stefan Waligur – Sa Ha Sra Nam, Namaste

Lee Gallagher – Empty Stars

The Lone Bellow – Cold As It Is

Drew Holcomb – Shine Like Lightning

Humming House – Fly On (Forever Is Better With You)

The Decemberists – Calvary Captain

The Waterboys – Still A Freak

Alabama Shakes – Over My Head

My Morning Jacket – Compound Fracture

Mumford & Sons – Broad Shouldered Beasts

Dawes – Right On Time

Promised Land Sound – Within Sight

Langhorne Slim & the Law – Strangers

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – Mellow Out

Glen Hansard – Stay The Road

The Tallest Man On Earth – Little Nowhere Towns

Kacey Musgraves – Somebody To Love

Chris Stapleton – When The Stars Come Out

Jason Isbell – The Life You Chose

Burlap To Cashmere – I Will Follow

Am I – Gungor

Sufjan Stevens – Drawn to the Blood

Leon Bridges – Coming Home

Coldplay – Up & Up

MC Yogi – Namaste

Redemption Song (TOTR 240)

Bob Marley – Stir It Up

Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry

Eagles of Death Metal – Now I’m A Fool

U2 – Raised by Wolves

U2 – Walk On

Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer – One

Sweet Honey In The Rock – Redemption Song

Bob Marley – Sun Is Shining

Bob Marley – Lively Up Yourself

Bob Marley – Exodus

Bob Marley – Three Little Birds

Bob Marley – Buffalo Soldier

Bob Marley – Jamming

Bob Marley – Soul Rebel

Bob Marley – Concrete Jungle

Peter Tosh – Equal Rights

Bob Marley – War

Jim James – Turn Your Lights Down Low

Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman – Get Up Stand Up

Neville Brothers – One Love-People Get Ready

Aaron Neville – The Roadie Song

Bob Marley – Redemption Song

Bob Marley – Go Tell It On The Mountain

Home Again (TOTR 239)

TV On The Radio – Halfway Home

Ben & Ellen Harper – A House Is A Home

Hazel Kaneswaran – A Sort of Homecoming

The Head & the Heart – Homecoming Heroes

Crazy Old Maurice – Coming Home

Wilson McKinley – Come On Home

Crosby & Nash – Homeward Through The Haze

Humble Pie – Down Home Again
Mother Earth – Bring Me Home 

Delaney & Bonnie – It’s Been A Long Time Coming

The Cave Singers – Bricks Of Our Home

Jack White – Alone In My Home

Patrick Watson – Adventures In Your Own Backyard

Coldplay – Adventure Of A Lifetime

John Mayer – On The Way Home

The Killers – Carry Me Home

Kings of Leon – Last Mile Home

Monsters Calling Home – Monsters Calling Home

Rev. Yolanda – Home

Over The Rhine – Called Home

Robert Ellis – Comin’ Home

Tired Pony – Your Way Is The Way Home

Gary Clark Jr. – Please Come Home

The Blind Boys Of Alabama – Give A Man A Home

Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

Aaron Neville – Going Home 

A Song For You (TOTR 238)

The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow

Casey Neill – Open-Always Coming Home

Cat Stevens – Rubylove

Sweet Honey In The Rock – Oh Lord Hold My Hand

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

Charlie Parker – K.C. Blues

Billie Holiday – Now or Never

Alice Coltrane – Govinda Jai Jai

Nina Simone – Revolution

Amy Winehouse – A Song For You

Snow Patrol – Set the Fire to the Third Bar         

Tired Pony – The Ghost of the Mountain

The National – Hard To Find

Interpol – Breaker 1

Muse – Starlight

The White Stripes – Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

U2 – Original of the Species

Cat Stevens – Moonshadow

Fleet Foxes – Lorelai

Band of Horses – On My Way Back Home

Casey Neill – All My Relations

Hollis Watkins –I’m Gonna Sit At The Welcome Table

Pete Seeger & Rev. FD Kirkpatrick – Everybody’s Got a Right to Live

The Staple Singers – Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Sweet Honey In The Rock – Breaths

Let Me Sing Your Blues Away (TOTR 237)

Dr. John – Deal

Suzanne Vega – Cassidy

Grateful Dead – Let Me Sing Your Blues Away

Grateful Dead – Black Peter    

Grateful Dead – Cold Jordan (5.2.1970)

Grateful Dead – Black Muddy River (6.27.1987)

Grateful Dead – Cosmic Charlie (2.27.1969)

Grateful Dead – Thowing Stones

Grateful Dead – Estimated Prophet

John Mayer – If I Ever Get Around To Living

Jane’s Addiction – Ripple

Lyle Lovett – Friend of the Devil

Grateful Dead – Days Between (2.18.1993)

Grateful Dead – Death Don’t Have No Mercy (2.28.1969)
Dylan & the Dead – Knockin On Heavens Door 

Grateful Dead – China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider (5.3.1972)

Grateful Dead – Till The Morning Comes 

Swept Away (TOTR 236)

Rising Appalachia – An Invitation

Mercury Rev – Autumn’s in the Air

Promised Land Sound – Through the Seasons

Promised Land Sound – Within Sight

Ryan Adams – Dean John

Band of Horses – Everything’s Gonna Be Undone

Langhorne Slim & the Law – Changes

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – I’d Be Waiting

The Suffers – Make Some Room

The Suffers – Giver

The Avett Brothers – Glory Days (Spingsteen cover)

The Avett Brothers – Ten Thousand Words

The Avett Brothers – Down With The Shine

The Avett Brothers – Laundry Room

The Avett Brothers – Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise

The Avett Brothers – Incomplete and Insecure

The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

The Avett Brothers – Spanish Pipedream (John Prine cover)

The Avett Brothers – Back Home Again (John Denver cover)

The Avett Brothers – Morning Song

The Avett Brothers – Swept Away

The Avett Brothers – Through My Prayers

Gregg Allman – Will The Circle Be Unbroken

High Water (TOTR 235)

Bob Dylan – High Water

Amos Lee – High Water

Glen Hansard – The Storm, It’s Coming

Dawes – Moon in the Water

Judah & the Lion – Water

Jackson Browne – Rock Me On The Water

Jason Isbell – Flying Over Water

Live – Run To The Water

Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water

The Doobie Brothers – Black Water

Holy Ghost Electric Show – Let the Waters Rise

Holy Ghost Reception Committee #9 – Walk Across The Waters

Matt Kearney/Mercyland – Walking Over The Water

Needtobreathe – Stones Under Rushing Water

The Reverend Vince Anderson – Deep Is The Water

Run River North – In the Water

Florence & the Machine – What The Water Gave Me

Brooke Frasier – Something In The Water

The Blind Boys of Alabama – Take Me To The Water

The Soul Stirrers – Jesus Gave Me Water

The Staple Singers – Wade In The Water

Aretha Franklin – Bridge Over Troubled Water

Jason Isbell – Dress Blues

John Prine – That’s The Way That The World Goes Round

Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now 

Mystic (TOTR 234)

Nomad – With You

Bob Marley – Natural Mystic

Charlie Peacock – Mystic

Joshua James – Mystic

Van Morrison – Into The Mystic

Coleman Barks & Tuatara – Death of Saladin

Troy Bronsink – Kindle

Afro Celt Sound System w/ Peter Gabriel – When You’re Falling

Vision II Spirit of Rumi – Seek in Your Heart

Saffron – Trembling

Vision II Spirit of Rumi – The Center

Kourosh – Dar Enteha

Elias Rahbani – Dance of Maria

Vision II Spirit of Rumi – Don’t Go Back to Sleep

Tikki Masala – Opening Up

Vision II Spirit of Rumi – The Great Mystery

Nomad – I Wonder

Khrysso – Love Round/Dear Friends

The Electric Prunes – Gloria

Afro Celt Sound System w/ Robert Plant – Life Begins Again

David Crowder Band – The Great Amen

Pray (TOTR 233)

Straight No Chaser – Like A Prayer

Anthony Hamilton – Pray For Me

Anthony Hamilton – Prayin’ For You/Superman

D’Angelo & the Vanguard – Prayer

Ben Harper – Mother Pray

The Fairfield Four – I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – I Don’t Wanna Pray

Beth Nielsen Chapman – Prayers of an Atheist

The Farm Band – Prayer

Holy Ghost Reception Committee #9 – Pray

The Avett Brothers – Through My Prayers

The Outlaws – Keep Prayin’

The Lower Lights – Secret Prayer

Alison Krauss – Down to the River to Pray

Khrysso Heart LeFey – Icelandic Prayer

Stefan Andre Waligur – Kyrie

Stellamara – Kyrie Eleison

David Crowder Band – God Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison)

Gaudi – I Start To Pray

Pettra – Sadhguru

Desert Dwellers – Give Thanks

Donny Hathaway – Thank You Master

Sarah McLachlan – Prayer of St. Francis

Love Is A Verb (TOTR 232)

Anthony Hamilton – Back To Love

Bronksi Beat – I Feel Love
Rev.Yolanda – I Love Myself

Judah & the Lion – Our Love

Judah & the Lion – Love in Me

The Avett Brothers – Bring Your Love To Me

The Ballad of Love and Hate

Blitzen Trapper – Love and Hate

The Beatles – Love You To

Bob Dylan – Shot Of Love

Bob Marley – Is This Love

Bonnie Raitt – You Got To Be Ready For Love

Carbon Leaf – All of My Love

Crosby & Nash – Love Work Out

Dawes – Love Is All I Am

John Mayer – Love Is A Verb

The Wild Feathers – If You Don’t Love Me

The Doors – Love Me Two Times

James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

Kirtan Rabbi – Ahavah Rabah (Big Love)

Jim James – God’s Love To Deliver

Damion Suomi & The Minor Prophets – Let My Love

Keb' Mo' – (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding

U2 – California (There Is No End To Love)

The Devlins – Love Is Blindness

Spirit Moves (TOTR 231)

Rising Appalachia – Bright Morning Stars/Botawak

MaMuse – Glorious

Elbow – One Day Like This

Ray Stinnett – Naturally High

Woods – With Light & With Love

Langhorne Slim & The Law – Spirit Moves

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Howling At Nothing

Judah & The Lion – Somewhere In-Between

Jason Isbell – 24 Frames

Langhorne Slim & The Law – Meet Again

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Thank You

Rev. Yolanda – God Is

MC Yogi – Namaste

Matisyahu – Searchin

MC Yogi – Heaven Is Here

Rev. Yolanda – Sweet Sweet Spirit

Khrysso – Come Creator Spirit

The Waterboys – Spirit

Ray Stinnett – Loves In The Answer

Woods – Shepherd

Alice Coltrane – Hare Krishna

MaMuse – Hallelujah

Gungor – Land of the Living

We're Not A Small Town! Ten Things I Wish Every Incoming Student, Tourist, and Retiree Knew About Cookeville!

1. Cookeville is not a small town. Byrdstown, Woodbury, Red Boiling Springs -- these are small towns. Cookeville is a “micropolitan” college town, which means we have a lot in common with bigger places like Knoxville and the Boro. Just hang out in the traffic on Willow Avenue to be cured of the notion that there is nobody here doing nothing.

2. There is something to do on the weekend. Things may be slower around the Tech campus on Saturday and Sunday, but there is theater, art, and live music in the clubs, bars, churches, streets, and parks. This weekend you can hear live music from a huge variety of folks at Art in the Alley, an outdoor festival near Cookeville’s square from Noon until 7pm on Saturday! 

3. We have great local coffeehouses! As a serious coffee drinker who travels a lot, I rely on Starbucks to get me through, but if the only coffeehouse you check out is the campus Starbucks, you are missing out. Cookeville has some great local coffeehouses, with Poets on the Square being the real icon and hangout space for conversation and the occasional live music. But for a real gem and the best frozen coffee drinks I have ever had, try Perk Up on Jefferson (near Hobby Lobby). The people who run Perk Up are so genuine and nice, too!

4. WalMart is not the only store. You don’t ever need to go there. I go once or twice a year for some masochistic proletarian check-in with mass culture. I have heard that if you must Wal-Mart, the Algood Walmart is better than the Cookeville Wal-Mart. 

5. Local food sustains us. Green markets are everywhere. We have two excellent Farmers’ Markets! Check out the original farmers’ market on Mahler street, north of First and near the railroad tracks. Or the Downtown Green Market in the parking lot of First Presbyterian Church, on Broad at Dixie, adjacent to Dogwood Park. 

6. We love our waterfalls but be careful. The people at Cummins Falls State Park aren’t kidding! Please be safe! Wear hiking sandals or sturdy water shoes, not flip flops or high heels. When they say bring a backpack and not a plastic shopping bag, they mean it. When they say the hike to the falls is strenuous, they aren’t bluffing. When they say people have fallen from the rocks or drowned to meet their maker there, they are telling the truth. This is one of the best parks in the world, and I go as often as I can. But be safe not stupid. Be prepared!

7. Walking is for everyone. Don’t drive your car everywhere. Walk to Sherlock Park or the Quad on campus or walk downtown to Dogwood Park and then the West Side. A short drive can take you to Cane Creek Park for more walking. Jaywalking on Dixie at the busiest times of day is dangerous. Look both ways and use the crosswalks!

8. Being a vinyl-collecting hipster isn’t just for people from Nashville. Check out Compact Discovery at the old Cookeville mall for great used records and new records on Record Store Day. I have gotten great scores there that I never would have found in Nashville ‘s finest record stores and for a fraction of the price. 

9. Health fiends find some good news here. Fast food isn’t just your traditional fast food. Check out the drive thru juice bar on Jackson near Staples. The Turn Around is your place for great juices as well as salads and sandwiches. 

10. This is the Bible belt but not all the churches are conservative. If conservative is your thing, there are lots of churches to choose from, but Cookeville also has a growing group of religious progressives and liberals. For an open-minded and social justice-oriented faith community, check out the United Church of Cookeville, First Presbyterian Church, Unity Church of the Cumberlands, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cookeville. 

Wonderful (TOTR 230)

My Morning Jacket – At Dawn

Fifth On The Floor – One Big Holiday

Lucius – Wonderful

Yim Yames – My Sweet Lord

My Morning Jacket – True Love Ways (Buddy Holly cover)

My Morning Jacket – It Makes No Difference (Band cover) 

My Morning Jacket – Rocket Man (Elton John cover)

My Morning Jacket – Get The Point

My Morning Jacket – Nashville to Kentucky

My Morning Jacket – Phone Went West (Live – Nashville – 8.15.08)

My Morning Jacket – Smokin From Shootin (Live – Nashville – 8.15.08)

My Morning Jacket – Easy Morning Rebel (Live – Atlanta – 8.7.15)

My Morning Jacket – Mahgeetah (Live – Atlanta – 8.7.15)

My Morning Jacket – Steam Engine

My Morning Jacket – Tropics (Erase Traces)

My Morning Jacket – Gideon

My Morning Jacket – What A Wonderful Man

Jim James – All Is Forgiven

My Morning Jacket – Librarian (Live – Nashville – 8.15.08)

My Morning Jacket – Wonderful 

Rocky Mountain High (TOTR 229)

Allen Stone – Rocky Mountain High

My Morning Jacket – Leaving on a Jet Plane

John Denver – I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

John Denver – I Wish I Could Have Been There (Woodstock)

John Denver – Blow Up Your TV

John Denver – Readjustment Blues

John Denver – City Of New Orleans

John Denver – Paradise

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils – Colorado Song

The Flying Burrito Brothers – Colorado   

Stephen Stills – Colorado

Steve Earle – Colorado Girl

Matthews Southern Comfort – Colorado Springs Eternal

The String Cheese Incident – Colorado Bluebird Sky (feat Zac Brown Band

Amos Lee – Some Days Are Diamonds

John Denver – Thank God I’m a Country Boy

Jason & The Scorchers – Take Me Home, Country Roads

Blind Pilot – The Eagle and the Hawk

John Denver – Anthem - Revelation

John Denver – Follow Me

John Denver – Annie’s Song

John Denver – Sweet Surrender

John Denver – Poems, Prayers and Promises

Train – Sunshine On My Shoulders

John Denver – Rocky Mountain High

Walk Unafraid (TOTR 228)

Bobbie Gentry – Glory Hallelujah, How They’ll Sing

First Aid Kit – Walk Unafraid

Kory Wheeler – Wild & Free

Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free

Free – Be My Friend

Leonard Cohen – Suzanne

Roger McGuinn – Ballad Of Easy Rider

Simon & Garfunkel – If I Could

Anela Lauren – Box of Rain

Grateful Dead – Ripple

Shakey Graves – Only Son

The Dartmouth Decibelles – Southern Cross

The Grassmasters – Ezekiel Saw The Wheel

My Morning Jacket – Believe

Gungor – Us for Them

The Liturgists – Let the Waters

Donny Hathaway – Voice Inside (Everything Is Everything)

Nina Simone – New World Coming

Luther Allison – Sweet Home Chicago

Krishna Das – Jesus On The Main Line

Amy Barnes – Shiva Gospel

Stefan Waligur – For The Love Of The People

R.E.M. – Walk Unafraid (Live In Dublin)

Joe Cocker – Let It Be