Nashville Music Archives - Page 12 of 29

‘Love Lives On’ tells survivors’ stories in words and music

New song, album honor families of fallen service men and women

By Preshias Harris

Country music has a big heart. Singers and songwriters come together at the drop of a cowboy hat to donate their time and talent to a worthy cause. Causes don’t get much worthier than the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).

Love Lives On is the title of a new album with all net proceeds from the album going to TAPS, but it is more than that. The songs on the album tell the personal stories of the sacrifice of both the fallen warriors and also the families who must live with their loss.

The album comprises 10 original songs that feature Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, John Rich, All-4-One, The Gatlin Brothers, Lonestar and many more. It is set for release over the 2020 Memorial Day weekend. However, “Love Lives On,” the album’s lead single and title track, will drop on March 20 and can be pre-ordered now via links at https://www.lovelivesonmusic.com/

Inspired by personal tragedy

Kolt Barber: real cowboy country artist

Combining love of music and rodeo

By Mike and Preshias Harris

Many country artists wear cowboy hats and sing songs that evoke visions of ranches, horses and cowboys, but Kolt Barber has lived that life and has the bruises and broken bones to prove it.

We caught up with Kolt at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville to hear about his new single, two albums and a unique tour that combines music and rodeo.

Kolt recorded the new single at Square One Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, where Kolt was able to really develop the song organically.

“Set the Night on Fire”

“The new single is titled ‘Set the Night on Fire,’” said Kolt. “I went into the studio without a demo. I’d written the song and we started creating it, in the studio, from scratch. We were able to take our time. If I liked something we went with it, if I didn’t like something we took it away. It was really cool; instead of the normal, fast-paced way of ‘you have a demo, you cut it, you’re done,’ we were able to sit and create. It was a really cool experience and I really enjoyed it.

Justin Moore likes his country music ‘traditional’

“We’ve bent, but we haven’t broken”

By Preshias Harris

Justin Moore recently celebrated his latest No. 1 hit, “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” with the song’s co-writers. He also talked about his current single, “Why We Drink.”

(See my interview with Justin at the No. 1 party, previously posted here.)

Every type of music is constantly changing – pop, R&B, jazz, even classical – and that is true about country music, too. Just compare Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart’” (1952) with Luke Bryan’s “Knockin’ Boots” (2019)! Over the years there have been sub-genres such as countrypolitan, the Bakersfield sound, outlaw country, honky tonk, bro-country and more.

‘Classic’ 90s Country

Today, the country music of the 1990s is what many fans consider ‘classic’ country. Justin Moore was born in 1984, so the music he listened to in his teens and early twenties was, of course, 90s country. That was the music influenced his own music when he moved to Nashville in 2002. With help from producer and songwriter Jeremy Stover, Justin met Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group. Borchetta signed Justin to Valory Music, a new label that was part of BMLG.

Justin Moore celebrates 8th No. 1

Remembers “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home”

By Preshias Harris

Justin Moore remembered “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” (Valory Music Group) at a No. 1 party in Nashville on 05 February. Justin was joined by his co-writers Jeremy Stover, Chase McGill and Paul DiGiovanni. Stover produced the song with Big Machine Records chief, Scott Borchetta.

The song is Justin’s eighth No. 1 single. For the other writers, it was Jeremy’s seventh No. 1, Chase’s fourth and Paul’s second chart-topper. It was also Jeremy’s thirteenth No. 1 as a producer. Paul is also lead guitarist with the rock band, Boys Like Girls.

Before the award ceremony, I sat down with other members of the music media as we talked to Justin, Jeremy, Chase and Paul.

Pictured L to R: Chase McGill, Paul DiGiovanni, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

The story behind the song

Justin began by talking about how audience reaction to one of his earlier No. 1 songs, combined with his admiration of his grandfathers’ military service, inspired the creation of “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home.”

Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You” feted at No. 1 party

By Preshias Harris

“What’s your name, what’s your sign, what’s your birthday? / What’s your wrist tattoo bible verse say? / Tell me this, do you kiss on the first date? / Don’t hold anything back.” – lyrics from “I Don’t Know About You”

It took 45 weeks to climb to the top of Billboard’s Country Airplay charts, but Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You” (Big Loud Records) finally made it to No. 1 on October 01, 2019. On Tuesday, January 28, Chris celebrated that achievement with the song’s writers at a Number One party in Nashville, hosted by the performing rights organizations, BMI and ASCAP.

Receiving plaques to mark the occasion were songwriters Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps and Jameson Rodgers. The event was extra special for Phelps and Rodgers as “I Don’t Know About You” marked the first No. 1 for both songwriters. For Ashley, it was his forty-fourth No. 1. (To make things more complicated, last week Ashley celebrated his forty-fifth No. 1 for co-writing “Good Vibes” for Chris Janson, and since then has already scored his forty-sixth and forty-seventh chart-topper!)

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP Songwriter Jameson Rodgers, BMI Songwriter Michael Hardy, Chris Lane, ASCAP Songwriter Hunter Phelps, ASCAP Songwriter Ashley Gorley. Photo: Ed Rode

Song struck a chord with listeners

“I Don’t Know About You” really struck a chord with listeners as it is built around typical questions that a guy will ask a girl when they first meet, hoping for a date.

During the media roundtable before the presentation Lane and the songwriters talked about the song. “Lyrically, it had really cool lines in it,” said Lane. “For whatever reason, people just gravitated towards that. And even fans. I mean, a line as simple as, ‘Girl I know your favorite beer because you told me and I bought it.’ I’ve watched people scream that line! Obviously with the ‘wrist tattoo’ line. I’ve had people come up to me in the grocery store and say, ‘I love your bible verse tattoo song.’ That’s what they refer to it as, they don’t call it by its name! People took to it because of really great lines and a great melody as well.”

Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell celebrate “What Happens in a Small Town”

First No. 1 for Lindsay Ell

By Preshias Harris

Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell got together with co-writers and members of Nashville’s music community to celebrate their Number One hit, “What Happens in a Small Town” on 08 January.

Number One parties are frequently held in one of Nashville’s many bars and honky tonks, but not this one. The celebration was held at Music City Indoor Karting, a go-kart track. There was a good reason for choosing this location. “I like to go fast. I like to go real fast!” said Gilbert with a grin. “December 18th was eight years without having a drink for me. I can still go to bars and it’s not a problem but it’s not quite as fun for me as it is for most. But this place, everyone can still drink and have a good time and I can run people into the wall!”

The story behind the song

Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell. Photo: Joseph Llanes

At the media meeting before the award presentation, Brantley, Lindsay and co-writers Josh Dunne, Rhett Akins and Brock Berryhill, talked about how the song, “What Happens in a Small Town,” came about. Brantley said he had recorded and delivered to the label (Valory Music Co / Big Machine Label Group) what he thought was everything needed for the new album, Fire’t Up.

Steeldrivers’ new album is Bad For You – in a good way

Album review by Preshias Harris

Outlaw bluegrass with a gritty, bluesy edge

All music genres seem to have sub-genres that are either extensions of the main genre or a fusion of two different but similar genres (Think: Rockabilly, for example). The Steeldrivers are a band that straddles different genres, creating music that is unique and doesn’t fit easily into any category.

They have sometimes been described as “goth-grass,” a blending of bluegrass and goth-rock. Their music is certainly anchored in the traditions of bluegrass with the familiar sound of banjo and fiddle. At the same time, their music often taps into some of the darkest depths of human emotion, giving a gothic edge to the songs.

Now comes their latest album, Bad For You (Rounder Records), set for release on 07 February, 2020, their first album since 2015’s The Muscle Shoals Recordings that won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

Matt Stell celebrates “Prayed For You” at No. 1 party in Nashville

Joined by co-writers Ash Bowers and Allison Veltz-Cruz

By Preshias Harris

It was a lot of “firsts” when Nashville’s music industry came out to celebrate on 19 November. It was the Number One party for “Prayed For You,” recorded by Matt Stell who wrote the song with Ash Bowers and Allison Veltz-Cruz.

It was Matt Stell’s first No. 1 as an artist. And it was the first No. 1 as songwriters for Stell, Bowers and Velts-Cruz. Additionally, the song was recognized as the only artist debut single to top the Country Airplay chart in 2019. “Prayed For You” has been certified Gold (and will receive a Platinum certification) with more than 125 million streams.

(L to R): Ash Bowers, Matt Stell and Allison Veltz-Cruz field questions during the media meeting. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

(On behalf of Kyser Musical Products, I presented Stell with an ASCAP-branded Keyser Capo, awarded to an ASCAP writer on the occasion of writing his or her first No. 1.)

From medical career to music

During the media meeting before the Award presentation, I reminded Matt that he seemed to be set for a medical career until he met up with Ash Bowers. I asked him what it was about that meeting that changed his career course.

Inside Track on Music Row

November 2019 ‘Inside Track’ posted at Nashville Music Guide

My column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is the longest-running country music column in the USA. The November 2019 edition is now posted at Nashville Music Guide. You can read the full column here.

Among the many news items in this month’s column…

Jason Aldean’s new album, 9, set for release November 22. Jason says, “Early on I always thought if we ever got to make nine albums, I’m going to call it 9. It was my baseball number growing up, and it’s just kind of always been my lucky number”…

Chris Young made his directorial debut with the music video for his newest hit, “Drowning.” Co-directed with Native 31 Films Producer and Director Jeff Johnson, the video opens with Young holding a photo of Adam Carnes, his longtime friend whose loss is memorialized in the song’s lyrics…

Steven Curtis Chapman, Gospel music’s most awarded artist, continued bringing home the hardware with his 59th Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Bluegrass / Country / Roots Album of the Year, Deeper Roots: Where the Bluegrass Grows…

Clint Black has released Still Killin’ Time featuring eight live recordings of Clint’s hits and two studio recordings of songs that nearly made it onto his debut album Killin’ Time…

Tracy Lawrence’s Mission: Possible Charity Concert will be held on Tuesday November 26 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. This year marks the 14th year that Tracy has hosted his Mission: Possible event that assists feeding homeless men, women and children…

2019 Christmas 4 Kids concert headliner is “Just Another Day in Paradise” hitmaker Phil Vassar. He is the face of the nonprofit fundraising event, with Matt Ramsey of Old Dominion, Lonestar, Eddie Montgomery, Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele and more set to appear…

Read the full versions of the news items listed above and many more. Click here to go to the full column at Nashville Music Guide.

Musicians Hall of Fame honors Class of 2019

Alabama, Steve Wariner, Don Everly among inductees

By Preshias Harris

Vocalists might spend more time in the spotlight but it’s the musicians who create the unforgettable sounds that are an integral part of every song. It was the musicians’ night to take center stage at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Tuesday, October 22.

The Class of 2019 were honored with medallion presentations followed by a gala concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Downtown Nashville. Among the honorees were the legendary band Alabama, singer-songwriter and guitarist Steve Wariner, Don Everly, the Surfaris, renowned musicians from Muscle Shoals and more. See below for a full list of this year’s inductees.

‘The cream of the crop,’ says Teddy Gentry

I caught up with Teddy Gentry, founding member of Alabama, on the red carpet before the induction ceremony. Alabama was presented with the Musicians Hall of Fame’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. I asked Teddy what this special event meant to him.

Left to right: Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen of Alabama. Photo credit: Pete Collins/Musicians HoF & Museum

“Being honored among this quality of musicians here is a little extraordinary. This is the cream of the crop and to be recognized in the same way as these guys is really a great honor,” said Gentry.

Alabama was formed in 1969 in Forth Payne, AL, by cousins Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen and Jeff Cook. Blending country, Southern rock, pop and even bluegrass elements, Alabama racked up more than 40 number one hits on the Billboard country charts, many of which crossed over into the pop charts. With sales of more than 75 million records, they are recognized as the most successful band in country music history.

Steve Wariner, Certified Guitar Player

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