Thanksgiving Day playlist: Songs for cooking, eating, drinking and dealing with weird relatives

Here are 20 songs to help you with the cooking, coping and all the other fun that goes with the fourth Thursday of November.

It's a time to give thanks, stuff your face and make sure there's enough wine around to deal with hearing your aunt complain about her ailments.

And block out the cacophony being created by your brother's bratty kids.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Thanksgiving Theme," Vince Guaraldi Trio 
"Turkey In The Straw," The Skillet-Lickers 
"Home Cookin," The Band
"Mashed Potatoe Time," James Brown 
"Nicotine & Gravy," Beck
"Cornbread and Butter Beans," Carolina Chocolate Drops
"Beans And Cornbread," Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five
"Country Pie," Bob Dylan
"Apple Pie À La Mode," Destiny's Child – A
"Pudding Time," Primus 
"Sangria Wine," Jerry Jeff Walker
"The Thanksgiving Filter," Drive-By Truckers
"Leftovers," No Doubt 
"The Kids Are Alright," The Who
"My Cousin in Milwaukee," Ella Fitzgerald
"Uncle Salty," Aerosmith
"Aunt Hagar's Blues," Louis Armstrong
"When I Was Young and Grandma Wasn't Old," Willie Nelson
"Twistin' In The Kitchen With Dinah," Sam Cooke 
"Alice's Restaurant Massacre," Arlo Guthrie  

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—Photo: This open-face sandwich is comprised of turkey leftovers, mashed potatoes and gravy. McCLATCHY TRIBUNE

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/11/21/4287107/stuff-your-face-with-leftover.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Willie Nelson returns to Sarasota to play Van Wezel; info on new album

Willie Nelson is returning to Sarasota.

After last season's quick sell-out, American music icon Willie Nelson and Family return to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for another evening of brilliant country influenced by blues, jazz, folk and classic pop.

Tickets for the Feb. 3 show go on sale at 10 a.m. Sat., Nov. 12.

Nelson is scheduled to release the covers album "Remember Me, Vol. 1" on Nov. 21. Here's the track list, courtesy of TheBoot.com:

1. "Remember Me" (Ernest Tubb)
2. "Sixteen Tons'"(Tennessee Ernie Ford)
3. "Why Baby Why" (George Jones)
4. "Today I Started Loving You Again" (Merle Haggard)
5. "I'm Movin' On" (Hank Snow)
6. "That Just About Does It" (Vern Gosdin)
7. "This Old House" (Rosemary Clooney)
8. "Sunday Morning Coming Down" (Kris Kristofferson)
9. "Smoke That Cigarette" (Tex Williams)
10. "Slowly" (Webb Pierce)
11. "A Satisfied Mind" (Porter Wagoner)
12. "Roly Poly" (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys)
13. "Release Me" (Ray Price)
14. "Ramblin' Fever'"(Merle Haggard)
15. "More and More" (Webb Pierce) *iTunes exclusive

Earlier this year I interviewed Willie's son/band mate, singer/songwriter/guitarist Lukas Nelson:

Willie’s son Lukas keeping it ‘real’

Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 3, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets (on sale 10 a.m. Nov. 12): $30-$75. Info: (941) 953-3368 or log onto www.vanwezel.org.





—Photo at top provided by Van Wezel

Willie Nelson to play Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times: Willie Nelson performing in Lake Elsinore, Calif., in 2009.

American music icon Willie Nelson will play the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota on Feb. 17.

I've seen Nelson several times during the past decade and each time has been a wonderful experience: hippies, students, rednecks, professionals, housewives, grannies and all sorts of other folks come together to celebrate the man and his music.

Let's just hope a court appearance related to the 77-year-old's recent arrest for marijuana possession doesn't get in the way of his Sarasota date. 

Tickets cost $30-$115 and go on sale 10 a.m. Dec. 10.  Click for more info.

Willie Nelson performing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain"