Nashville’s music industry got together Monday night to honor four of songwriting’s finest at the annual Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Music City Center. Aaron Barker, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Bob Morrison and Townes Van Zandt were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of honorees over the years to 203.
I was proud to sponsor the ‘Preshias Music Family’ table at the Gala and it was a pleasure to bring about a dozen young songwriters and singer-songwriters to join in the recognition of these great writers and to hear their amazing stories.
The ‘future Stars’ in Preshias Music Family
We took a ‘photo opp’ just before we headed to our table. Pictured left-to-right are my ‘Class of 2016’: Nick Halsted, Bailey Callahan, Nick DeLeo, Lindsey Rebecca Harding, Carmen Mariea, Justin T. Dukes, Nikki Moore, Hannah Emerson, Anna Barrow, Courtney Bumbacher and Marie Mattei.
Here a few brief notes that, really, are far too brief to describe the achievements of the four Hall of Fame inductees:
Aaron Barker
Aaron Barker
It was a very special personal thrill for me to see Aaron receive the honor that is definitely his due. Aaron and I became friends when I joined BNA Records as an intern and he was a recording artist with the label. It was my first job in the music industry and Aaron was so gracious and helpful to this newbie!
The first of Aaron’s songs to be recorded was “Baby Blue” that was a Number One hit for George Strait in 1988. Not a bad start to a long career that included “Love Without End” (another George Strait chart-topper) and many more hits. In his acceptance speech, he encouraged young writers – like those seated at my table – to take advantage of opportunities to write with veteran songwriters, combining “the words and rhythms of today” with the experience that older writers can provide. More about Aaron here.
Bob Morrison
Bob Morrison Photo: Nash Country Daily
Speaking of songwriters with many years of success, Bob Morrison was recognized with his award as a ‘veteran songwriter.’ Among Bob’s huge hits: “You Decorated My Life” for Kenny Rogers, and “Whiskey if You Were a Woman” – co-written with Johnny MacRae and my great friend Mary W. Francis – for Highway 101.
In a long career, Bob has penned chartbusters for acts as diverse as Johnny Lee (“Lookin’ For Love”) and The Oak Ridge Boys (“You’re the One”). A list of Bob’s songs can be found here.
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Beth Nielsen Chapman
It was inspiring to hear Beth talk of the time when she almost gave up on her dream of being a singer-songwriter after her debut album flopped. She was performing at a hotel in Alabama and Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys was in the audience. He kept asking to hear another and another of her songs. Beth said that his encouragement reset her career compass.
Beth’s story is a life-lesson for fledgling songwriters who feel that they should just throw in the towel when in fact success could be just around the corner. She went on to create such iconic songs as “This Kiss,” a monster hit for Faith Hill as well as songs recorded by Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, Lorrie Morgan, Alabama and many more. Click here for Beth’s website.
Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
The award to Townes Van Zandt was presented posthumously: he passed away on New Year’s Day 1997 at the age of 53. The award was accepted by his daughter, Katie. His biggest hit was “Pancho and Lefty,” recorded by Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and he wrote “If I Needed You” a hit for Don Williams and EmmyLou Harris. Van Zandt was regarded as a mentor and an inspiration to a generation of writers who followed in his wake. More about Townes Van Zandt here.
The evening was crammed with amazing performances by artists such as Olivia Newton-John, Kim Carnes, The Indigo Girls, Mac Davis, Phil Vassar, Mo Pitney and many more. Additionally, the Nashville Songwriters Association International was on hand to name the ten songs from the past year that NSAI members had voted on as “Songs I Wish I’d Written.” For a list of those songs, see a story posted at CMT’s website.
An amazing evening and, for the budding songwriters at my table, an inspiration for what might lie ahead in their own careers.
Wariner’s collaborators include Ricky Skaggs, Duane Eddy, Eric Johnson and more
My dear friend – and fellow Kentucky native – Steve Wariner has a great new album about to drop at the end of October. It really is a special project with a who’s who of guests and family members contributing their combined talent. Please give it a listen!
Steve Wariner releases “All Over The Map.” Photo: David McClister
For his 20th studio album, four-time GRAMMY Award winner Steve Wariner knew he had to do something really special. When All Over The Map began coming together, it became clear just what that would be.
The 12-track album evolved into a remarkable tribute to the Grand Ole Opry member’s influences, both living and deceased, in addition to a celebration of his lineage. While packed with acclaimed guest musicians, the set — to be released Oct. 28 on SelecTone Records — artfully showcases Wariner’s own musical talents. In addition to producing the album, he plays guitar, upright bass, drums and both pedal and lap steel, as well as singing on seven of the songs. (The other five are classic instrumentals.) Wariner also penned 10 of the tracks.
Tribute to Chet Atkins
A touching tribute to late mentor Chet Atkins, titled “CGP,” takes its name from the coveted title Atkins bestowed on Wariner: Certified Guitar Player. On the track, Wariner enlisted the talents of the only two other living musicians to have earned the same title from Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles. The album also includes “When I Still Mattered To You,” a song Wariner wrote with Merle Haggard on a cruise ship in 1996 but had never previously recorded.
Ricky Skaggs guests on “All Over The Map”
Close friend Ricky Skaggs, with whom Wariner won his first GRAMMY in 1992, is featured playing mandolin on “Down Sawmill Road.” Other celebrated musicians featured on the album include: Musicians’ Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Duane Eddy (“Nashville Spy-Line”), GRAMMY Award winner Eric Johnson (“Meanwhile Back In Austin”), Greg Martin of The Kentucky Headhunters (“Way It Goes”) and Jack Pearson (“Drop Top”).
Wariner family heritage
But it’s Wariner’s own family that provides the bulk of the inspiration for the album, which was 20 months in the making. Throughout the creation of the album, Steve relied heavily on his son Ross, who lives in New York, for advice and consultation on the technical production aspects of the album. He wrote the Western swing tune “Mr. Roy” as a tribute to his musician father, and “Down Sawmill Road” is named for the Kentucky road where his mother grew up. His GRAMMY-nominated son Ryan Wariner wrote and plays on the track “The Last Word.” Wariner reached back deep into his rich family history for the album’s closing instrumental track, “Augustine’s Dream,” inspired by his maternal four-times great grandfather who served in the Revolutionary War.
“Getting to play and record with these wonderfully creative people means the world to me. I am grateful to all! Some I’ve collaborated with before, others… well, it’s pure bucket list for me! This project is the perfect example of what keeps me going…what keeps me excited,” notes Wariner. “Traveling into territory I’ve never been to before. And there’s lots of that here on this album. It’s hard to describe the joy I feel making music with my sons…and family for that matter. Now I know how my father used to feel. I am so very proud of my musical roots and heritage. ”
You can watch a video of the creation of the album cover for “All Over the Map” here.
14 Number Ones; 30 Top Ten hits
In his storied career, Wariner has achieved 14 No. 1 songs and more than 30 Top 10 hits, including such classics as “Holes in the Floor of Heaven,” “Life’s Highway,” “The Weekend,” “I’m Already Taken,” “I Got Dreams,” “Small Town Girl,” “Two Teardrops,” “Some Fools Never Learn,” “Lynda” and more. An award-winning songwriter, Wariner has also composed hit songs for Clint Black (“Nothin’ But the Taillights”), Garth Brooks (“Longneck Bottle”), Bryan White (“One Small Miracle”) and Keith Urban (“Where the Blacktop Ends”), as well as artists such as Country Music Hall of Fame members Alabama, Kenny Rogers, The Statler Brothers, Conway Twitty and Don Williams; pop music icon Peter Tork (of The Monkees); R&B singer Ruben Studdard; bluegrass music’s Del McCoury Band and many more. Wariner is a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. For more information, visit Steve’s website
Here are just a few ‘teasers’ from the October 2016 edition of my monthly column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ the longest-running country music column in America. You can read the entire column in the Blog section of my website www.iknowcountry.com
CHRISTMAS CD RELEASES
Rascal Flatts’ Christmas album: The Greatest Gift of All
Chris Young is releasing “It Must Be Christmas” on RCA Records Nashville, and Loretta Lynn is releasing “White Christmas Blue” on the Legacy Recordings label. On a SPECIAL NOTE: Rascal Flatts will release THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, their first-ever Christmas album, on Oct. 21. The much-anticipated 10-track collection was produced by Rascal Flatts and features moving and powerhouse performances that the trio is known for, while offering personal touches to some fan-favorite staples of the festive season. The album is available for pre-order at rascalflatts.com. The album opens with a rousing rendition of “Joy To The World and features a sentimental version of “Silent Night” opening with vocals from the children of all three band members, and Stevie Wonder’s “Someday At Christmas.”
NUMBER ONE NEWS
Dierks Bentley
Hailed as “King of the Breakup Song,” Dierks Bentley notched his 15th career No. One with “Different for Girls” (featuring Elle King) on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase radio charts. It is the second consecutive No. One hit off his critically acclaimed album BLACK (Capitol Records Nashville).“This is one of those ‘once-in-a-career’ songs, and I’m so glad we decided to take a risk and release it as a single,” said Bentley. “Being part of Elle’s first No. One country song is a really cool thing too.” Bentley’s ‘Somewhere On A Beach Tour’ was recently extended into the fall with arena dates scheduled through the end of October. More info and tour dates at dierks.com.
ROAD NEWS
Mark Chesnutt
Traditional country music fans can rejoice because, due to high demand, sold out shows and the success of his brand new album, Mark Chesnutt is extending his Tradition Lives Tour into next year. In celebration of his first album of all-new material in eight years, Tradition Lives, Chesnutt has hit the road to share songs from the new release, as well as his biggest hits, with concert-goers around the U.S. Tradition Lives is available on iTunes, Amazon and at MarkChesnutt.com. Here’s another item that will be featured in more detail in the November edition of my Inside Track on Music Row column: Chesnutt has been named the official spokesperson of the recently established Texas Country Music Association (TCMA). He is also spokesperson for the TCMA’s charity,Texas Country Cares. More about TCMA here.
SONGWRITER NEWS
Brady Seals
Grammy-nominated hit singer/songwriter Brady Seals from Little Texas (God Blessed Texas, Kick a Little, My Love, What Might Have Been and Amy’s Back in Austin) and award-winning songwriter/producer Gordon Kennedy (Change The World by Eric Clapton) are kicking off a new weekly concert series, Music City Pickers LIVE! The opening night will be Thursday, November 3, 2016 with two shows (6-7:30pm CST and 8:30-10pm CST), followed by a special performance on Tuesday, November 8th and then two shows every Thursday evening starting in December.
Gordon Kennedy
This weekly singer/songwriter show will be held at The Factory at Franklin (230 Franklin Road/Franklin, TN) at The Little Brick Theater and will consist of hit writers, prominent artists and guitar pickers. Tickets are on sale now. Schedule for opening night (November 3, 2016) is as follows: 6-7:30pm: Brady Seals, Gordon Kennedy and Larry Stewart (Restless Heart) 8:30-10pm: Legendary mega-picker Ricky Skaggs, Brady Seals and Gordon Kennedy. Full details here.
Jean Shepard broke down barriers and inspired female artists who followed
Jean Shepard was more than ‘just’ a country music artist. She was instrumental in changing the way country fans – and the music industry – regarded female singers.
Jean Shepard pictured in 1971
In the early 1950s, solo female country artists were very few and far between, Kitty Wells being one of the most notable of the few. The absence of female country singers was something of a self-fulfilling prophesy on the part of record label executives: they were convinced that nobody wanted to hear female artists so they didn’t sign any, and then of course, no female singers were cutting songs and no records by female artists were showing up on the charts. Those record execs could look at the charts and say, “See? Songs by female artists aren’t selling.”
Her big break came thanks to her own determination when she pretty much invited herself onto the stage in 1952 while Hank Thompson, a big star at the time, was performing. Thompson was impressed both by Shepard’s talent and her resolve and convinced the very reluctant execs at his label (Capitol Records) to sign her.
After one non-charting single, Capitol teamed her with one of their male artists, Ferlin Husky, on “A Dear John Letter,” a million-plus seller that topped the Country charts and became a pop hit too. Touring with Husky – he was appointed her legal guardian as she was still a minor – she quickly became a fan favorite in her own right. Her popularity was such that, when she was only 22, she became only the third female artist invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, the other two being Kitty Wells and Minnie Pearl. (At the time of her death, Shepard was the only female artist to have been a member of the Opry for sixty years.)
Inspiration to female artists
By breaking through as a female singer in a male dominated music world, she inspired other young women to persevere with their craft and not give up the dream. So many female country stars that came along after her have cited Shepard as a true role model.
Shepard’s resilience was also remarkable in the face of so much adversity in her personal life. She grew up desperately poor, the daughter of a sharecropper with her nine sibling in a home without running water or electricity. Later, at the height of her career, when she was eight months pregnant, she lost her husband Hawkshaw Hawkins in the 1963 plane crash that also killed Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. Despite her grief, she returned to the Opry and the recording studio, determined to maintain her career and support her small children.
Country’s first ‘concept album’
A rarity for female artists at the time, Shepard was not afraid to sing and record songs, including “The Root of All Evil (Is A Man)” and “Twice The Lovin’ In Half The Time,” that focused on ‘gritty’ subjects such as adultery and broken marriages from a woman’s point of view. Artists such as Loretta Lynn note that Shepard’s album “Songs of a Love Affair” opened the door for them to sing about subjects that might have otherwise been nixed by record labels. “Songs of a Love Affair” is recognized as the first ‘concept’ album in Country music.
Jean Shepard, with Bill Anderson, celebrating 60 years as an Opry member in 2015. Photo: Chris Hollo
Often described as ‘feisty’ – she made no secret of her distaste for modern ‘pop-country’ music – she had strong convictions and a strength of character that stayed with her throughout her personal and professional life. Jean Shepard was a pioneer and an inspiration to any aspiring artist who feels the odds are stacked against them. As Brenda Lee said when Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011: “She busted down the doors.”
For a discography and more about Jean Shepard’s long career at the Opry, click here.
Ollie Imogene (‘Jean’) Shepard, November 21, 1933 – September 25, 2016. She is survived by her husband, Benny Birchfield, and sons Don Robin Hawkins, Harold Franklin Hawkins II and Corey Birchfield.
Preshias with Joni Twitty and John Wesley Ryles, listening to the remastered Conway Twitty tapes
Monday morning started out great with Joni Twitty and John Wesley Ryles. I was with them at Ricky Skaggs‘ studio putting the finishing touches of musical magic to the rare 1970 recordings that Joni’s father Conway Twitty cut with Scotty Moore for the U.S. Armed Forces Network. The long-lost songs are soon to be released by Country Rewind Records. www.countryrewindrecords.com
Working on Conway Twitty’s ‘Lost Tapes’
Pictured (left to right) are: John Wesley Ryles (back up vocalist and Conway’s son-in-law), Ron Oates (‘The Bomb’ piano player!) Joni Twitty, and engineer Mark Capps (Mark worked on Conway’s last album). Not Pictured: Guitarist Kevin Williams, who has played with The Gaithers for 24 yrs. Everyone at Country Rewind Records is so excited to be ‘a spoke in this wheel’ as these historic recordings finally get to be heard by Conway’s fans!
Reproduced below is the press release announcing the Waylon Jennings album for which I wrote the liner notes. It is a remarkable album of tracks long thought to have been lost forever. In addition to its historical significance, it’s a heck of a good album! I recommend you give it a listen. – Preshias Harris
COUNTRY REWIND RECORDS (NY) INTRODUCES THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS FROM WAYLON JENNINGS
Gem Features 14 Never-Heard-Before Tracks, And One Bonus Track (Digital Only)
The Sixth In The Label Series — Due Mid-October 2016
The Lost Nashville Sessions (Waylon Jennings)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 13, 2016)—Country Rewind Records (a division of Hindsight Records, NY), will introduce one of its newest collections of country music’s hidden treasures—THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS (Waylon Jennings). The project will be available October 21, 2016* via all major digital retail outlets.
An impressionable country music singer, who became a Grammy recipient early in his career (for “MacArthur Park”) and forged his name as an iconic figure in American music history, Waylon Jennings was a member of the “Outlaw Country” music movement and genre. He shared the billing with renowned, award-winning recording artists such as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson. THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS showcases Jennings’ stout talents as a young and promising recording artist (spotlighting the number one hit “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line”) and highlights a piece of music history that may have easily been lost and forgotten.
The musical gem features 14 never-heard-before tracks originally recorded at Scotty Moore’s Music City Recorders (July 1970) as part of a U.S. military recruitment radio program. The 15-minute recorded shows hosted performances by, and banter with, popular country artists (Jennings, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty and Tammy Wynette to name a few). Created to encourage recruitment, the shows were distributed for “promotional-use only” on vinyl to 2,000 participating radio stations. Country Rewind Records President, Thomas Gramuglia, dusted off the masters from each and every recorded program with the idea to bring these performances to life via today’s contemporary and digital musical formats. (THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS is just one of hundreds of recordings.)
Grammy award-winning musician and producer, Robby Turner (who is also the late country legend’s longtime steel guitarist and producer, and now plays with Chris Stapleton), added instrumentals and background vocals to the raw original tracks (including Waylon Jennings’ classics and his renditions of Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down”).
With audio quality of the highest twenty-first century standard, the project has been described as “Delightful” (Robert K. Oermann/Music Row Magazine). The production sounds as if Waylon and A-list musicians recorded the project just yesterday. Jennings’ widow, Jessi Colter, and their son (Shooter Jennings) have given their permissions and blessings to release the project.
Music City Media will head up the press and social media campaign; Williams Promotions will oversee the radio promotion campaign. The project is being distributed by Select-O-Hits.
THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS digital retail release date: October 21, 2016. iTunes pre-sale begins September 23, 2016; purchasers who take advantage of the iTunes pre-sale will be offered “Kentucky Woman” as the instant gratification track.
For more on THE LOST NASHVILLE SESSIONS and other Country Rewind Records productions, visit countryrewindrecords.com.
three Number One parties in one day for Cole Swindell
Celebrating a Number One song is a big moment in any songwriter’s life, particularly if you also happen to be the artist who recorded it. How about THREE Number Ones, celebrated at three different parties on the same day?
That’s what happened to Cole Swindell on Monday, September 12. The three party ‘pub crawl’ started off at South on Nashville’s Demonbreun Street, where ASCAP and BMI got together to honor Cole Swindell, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley (all BMI writers) and Michael Carter (ASCAP) for co-writing “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight.”
At the party, Swindell revealed that the idea for the song title came from a
Pictured (L-R): BMI’s David Preston, manager Kerri Edwards, Big Loud Mountain’s Craig Wiseman, Round Hill’s Penny Gattis, songwriter and producer Michael Carter, ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, BMI artist Cole Swindell, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing’s Terry Wakefield and Warner Music Nashville’s John Esposito. Photo: Steve Lowry.
text he received, maybe from an old flame, that said, “Hope you get lonely tonight.” He was getting ready to go on stage and showed the text to Luke Bryan’s guitarist Michael Carter. They agreed that it sounded like a great song title, and together with Florida Georgia Line’s Hubbard and Kelley, they developed the idea and the song came together quickly. They made a ‘work tape’ and played it for anyone who’d listen… all of whom agreed it sounded like a hit. They were right.
The party then moved next door to Dawg House to recognize Swindell along with Josh Martin (SESAC) and Adam Sanders (ASCAP), the writers of the Number One hit “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey.” Finally, the third party took place just down the street at the Tin Roof, honoring Swindell, Michael Carter and Jody Stevens (BMI) who wrote “Let Me See Ya Girl,” another Number One single from Swindell’s self-titled album (Warner Bros. Nashville). All three Number Ones were produced by Michael Carter.
As icing on the cake, Swindell was presented with an RIAA-certified Platinum disc for his self-titled album, only the second Platinum certification so far in 2016. All in all, a pretty memorable day for Mr. Swindell.
‘Write your way to a record deal’
If anyone is the poster-child for ‘write your way to a record deal,’ it’s Cole Swindell. First and foremost, he sees himself as a songwriter. And he has certainly paid his dues with eyes always on the prize of his own recording contract. After leaving college in 2007, he moved to Nashville and got a job selling merchandise on the road for three years for his friend Luke Bryan, constantly songwriting, honing his craft.
It paid off in 2010 when he signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He started racking up writing (and co-writing) credits with cuts such as Craig Campbell’s “Outta My Head,” Thomas Rhett’s “Get Me Some of That,” FGL’s “This Is How We Roll” and numerous songs recorded by Luke Bryan including “Roller Coaster,” “In Love With The Girl,” “Beer in the Headlights,” as well as Scotty McCreery’s “Water Tower Town” and many others. He became known as a songwriter who could consistently deliver.
Cole Swindell, in his distinctive Georgia Southern baseball cap
In 2013, Swindell recorded a single of “Chillin’ It” and released it independently. He got the single to SiriusXM’s “The Highway” channel and began to get airplay, and that – along with his proven track record as a writer – brought him to the attention of Warner Music Nashville who signed him to a record deal. . With Warner’s boost, “Chillin’ It” made it to Number One on Billboard’s Hot Country chart.
It was no “overnight success” for Swindell. It virtually never is, for anybody. He found a way to start out “in the business,” selling merch for his college frat brother, Luke Bryan, then writing songs at every opportunity, co-writing with others, developing his skills, building his network, learning his way around the music business. It was a steady, progressive journey – almost ten years – that took him from selling tour tee shirts to celebrating three Number One hits and receiving a Platinum album on a single day.
Cole’s inspiring story
If you are an aspiring artist and it seems “like forever” that you’ve been plugging away, writing songs and looking for the big break, take heart from Cole Swindell’s story. If you have friends and family members suggesting “you’ve been in Nashville for a year and you still don’t have a record deal,” tell them about Swindell and how you are following his example, dedicating yourself to developing your writing skills and proving to record labels that you have the potential to be a ‘product’ worthy of their investment, possibly of millions of their dollars.
It takes time to achieve success. The most brilliant and successful brain surgeon started off as an anonymous intern in a hospital. Major League baseball players work their way up to ‘The Big Show’ by developing their abilities playing at A, AA and AAA minor league clubs before getting called up. They know that success takes time because they have to develop their skills and prove their worth. The same applies to you in the music industry.
If you have a ‘Doubting Thomas’ in your family who thinks you should give up the dream, tell them the story of Cole Swindell’s long (but worthwhile) road to success. While you’re at it, tell it to yourself, too. Just as he did, visualize yourself holding your first Number One plaque!
All ASCAP songwriters receive a Kyser KG6K 6-String Guitar Capo on the occasion of their first Number One. Each custom-made Capo is gold-tone and inscribed #1 ASCAP. Pictured left to right at the Dawg House, celebrating the Number One hit, “Aint Worth The Whiskey:
Cole Swindell, Michael Carter, Adam Sanders and ASCAP Nashville’s Mike Sistad.
Garth at SiriusXM’s studio at the Bridgestone Arena
Garth Brooks took a short break from his three year “Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood” to launch his new channel on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He kicked it off with a press conference September 8, at Sirius XM’s studios at Bridgestone Arena on Broadway in Nashville, in front of an ‘invitation only’ group of print and broadcast media, before performing a concert at the Ryman Auditorium.
Garth started out by saying, “I got to step inside the [Ryman] yesterday. That’s a cool place, man. Feels good. Don’t know if I deserve to be there but it treated me like welcome. It welcomed the band and everybody. I hope it knows its heart and soul, because you might have said it in front of as big a country fan [as me], but you’ll never say it in front of a bigger one.”
He went on to describe how it would feel, walking on to that historic stage with his guitar for his first ever concert at the Ryman. It’s amazing to think this was to be a ‘first’ for Garth.
“The only time I got to stand on the Ryman stage was at Loretta Lynn’s Lifetime Achievement Presentation and I had to stand in for Conway on “Cold As Ashes,” said Garth.
Representing ‘those who’ve been before’
I asked Garth to compare the difference between two milestones in his career, playing Central Park and playing at the Ryman. Garth said, “Probably feeling the same good anxiety, good fear, all those good things. Central Park was cool for its size and stuff. I wanted to represent Country music, I wanted to represent the flag of Country music, your family and God the best you can. Everybody is in their seats. Tonight you think about, this ain’t a million people, there has been about a hundred names that played that house that – you – want – to – represent…” (He slows he speech down with emotion as he finished the sentence.)
He continued, “To represent those people who have been there before. The biggest thing between this and Central Park is just that the Central Park show was representing Country music as it was. Here [Ryman], I think we’re trying to represent Country as it is, as it was and of course – as always like a family moving together – hopefully for the future of it.”
Like a homecoming
All throughout the press conference he would turn every few minutes and look out the window at the Ryman Auditorium with evident emotion in his voice and his eyes welling up, referring to the Ryman as “The House”. This seemed almost like a homecoming, just to listen to his sincerity and honestly as he spoke his thoughts and heartfelt emotions.
He was asked what song he was going to start the concert with and he said that he couldn’t even tell us what song he was going to start off with or end with, and assured those present that he was being totally upfront with the media.
Garth fields questions at the SiriusXM press briefing
Immediately following the press briefing, Garth crossed the street to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for a soundcheck preceding his performance at the special concert in front of invited guests. The concert aired live on the Garth Channel, SiriusXM channel 55 and via SiriusXM apps on smartphones and other connected devices.
His appearance marked the first time in Garth’s career that he has put on a full concert at the Ryman Auditorium, known as “The Mother Church of Country Music.”
Additionally, Garth recently launched Inside Studio G, a weekly Facebook Live series that will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his next album. It airs every Monday on Garth’s Facebook page at 7:00 PM EDT.
The final leg of his and Trisha’s North American Tour resumes on Monday, September 12.
Send me music stuff, I love to get it! Preshiaswriter@hotmail.com TN/USA.
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VERSE OF THE MONTH: ‘Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and him and spiritual songs. – Colossians (3:16)
ACM NEWS
The 10TH ACM Honors™ is an evening dedicated to celebrating the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 51ST Academy of Country Music Awards. Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton and Keith Urban will take the stage at the 10TH ANNUAL ACM HONORS™ for a special tribute to Glen Campbell, who as previously announced will be honored with the ACM Career Achievement Award. The country music luminaries will perform an all-star medley of Campbell’s greatest hits, culminating to an ensemble performance of the iconic “Rhinestone Cowboy.” Kim Campbell will accept the award on behalf of her husband of 35 years. Other scheduled performers are: Alicia Keys, Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, DAN + SHAY and The Band Perry. Mike Fisher, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, Thomas Rhett and more will present at the Gala. Hosted by multi-ACM Award-winning group Lady Antebellum, the two-hour special was taped at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, and will make its television debut on Friday, September 9 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. For more info on the Academy of Country Music and the ACM Honors, visit www.acmcountry.com.
ALBUM NEWS
As Thomas Rhett’s sophomore release TANGLED UP (The Valory Music Co.) has earned PLATINUM certification by the RIAA. On August 20, before his set as direct support on Jason Aldean’s SIX STRING CIRCUS TOUR in Irvine, CA, Rhett was surprised backstage by his team and friends with news of the new benchmark. “It’s crazy to think about all the fans who are taking this journey with me and are helping make things like this happen,” said Rhett. “I’ve had an amazing year already, but finding out that the album went Platinum is one of the coolest moments so far.” Tour dates and appearances at thomasrhett.com.
AMERICANA MUSIC NEWS
The AMA has its 17th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference, September 20-25, 2016. The AMA receives enormous support from the Tennessee Dept. of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Music City Networks, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SoundExchange, and AT&T. The Americana Music Association announced this year’s slate of more than 50 panels and workshops with approximately 200 experts representing the best and the brightest in the music business. This year’s Conference will offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to hear from artists who have shaped musical history – including Bob Weir, Jody Stephens, Wanda Jackson and a special presentation by Del McCoury on the legendary Woody Guthrie — and from those currently making history, like Margot Price John Paul White, and Lori McKenna. The AMA will present Including A Rare Performance and Q&A with Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead. Programming Highlights Include Dwight Yoakam, T Bone Burnett and Jonathan Taplin, Margo Price & Friends, Del McCoury, John Paul White, John Moreland, William Bell, Timothy B. Schmit, Rodney Crowell, Muddy Magnolias, Sarah Jarosz, The Secret Sisters, Travelin’ McCourys, Syd Straw, Dan Layus, Erin Rae & The Meanwhiles, & Sam Bush. The Americana Honors & Awards Show will take place September 21st at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Festival Wristbands Only $60 and Conference Registrations $325 – $425. More info at americanamusic.org.
ARTIST NEWS
Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta and Justin Moore celebrate Kinda Don’t Care with #1 Waffles at Waffle House® in Indianapolis
Justin Moore has much to celebrate as his fourth studio album KINDA DON’T CARE (The Valory Music Co.) notched the #1 spot on the Billboard Country Albums chart. The project features his newly minted Top 5 single “You Look Like I Need A Drink” and also earned the singer his fourth Top 10 All Genre debut, landing at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Moore has been celebrating after each recent show on his TAKE IT OUTSIDE tour by cooking up some of his favorite dishes at Waffle House® locations in each market. Tour dates and more at JustinMoore.com.
CD NEWS
Jennifer Nettles stretched out musically and pushed herself on her latest album, PLAYING WITH FIRE (BMLG), but it was more of a byproduct of trying to be authentic. She says, “I’m always pushing myself as a person, and the way that art then imitates life and specifically my art and my life, because of that, I would say that, yes, I pushed myself in ways. But really, what I wanted to do was keep myself open to be even more and more authentic on this record and to share and talk about the themes that are happening in my life.” More at JenniferNettles.com.
CD RELEASES
September ALBUM Releases are as follows:
Billy Ray Cyrus/Thin Line/Blue Cadillac
Waylon Jennings/The Lost Nashville Sessions /Country Rewind Records
Jack White/Jack White Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016/Third Man Records-Columbia
Paper Bird/Paper Bird/Sons of Thunder Records-Thirty Tigers
CHARITY NEWS
Thomas Rhett Charity Concert, October 4
Thomas Rhett will host his first-ever charity concert event THOMAS RHETT & FRIENDS on Oct. 4th benefitting 147 Million Orphans at Nashville’s The Old School. The night will be filled with intimate acoustic performances in an outdoor barn setting by Thomas Rhett and first announced special guest multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley as well as newcomer Walker Hayes and Grammy award-winning songwriter/producer Shane McAnally. 147 Million Orphans was established in 2009 to provide food, water, medicine, shelter, & education to vulnerable children in the name of Jesus, so that they may thrive through sustainable care. More at thomasrhett.com or 147millionorphans.org.
CONCERT NEWS
Jason Aldean will bring new music off his upcoming seventh studio album THEY DON’T KNOW (Broken Bow Records), available Sept. 9, to Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series this Friday (8/26 on ABC at 8:00A). Live from Central Park, Aldean will be the final guest on the morning show’s Country music themed week with multiple performances including his new single “A Little More Summertime” along with some of his biggest hits.
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME NEWS
The Country Music Hall of Fame ® and Museum and the Country Music Association (CMA) will partner to host Forever Country Live presented by Southwest Airlines®, a FREE concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both the museum’s opening and the CMA Awards (Family activities start at 3pm). The community event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Walk of Fame Park in downtown Nashville, with performances by Warner Bros. recording artist Charlie Worsham and Grammy-nominated ensemble The Time Jumpers, featuring Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill, Kenny Sears, “Ranger Doug” Green and Paul Franklin. Past CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Patty Loveless will join The Time Jumpers for a special appearance. Follow countrymusichoffame on Facebook.
CRACKER BARREL NEWS
Dolly Parton is Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®’s latest Spotlight Music artist. The legendary singer exclusively released a deluxe version of her new album Pure & Simple in Cracker Barrel stores nationwide and online at crackerbarrel.com. This deluxe offering of Pure & Simple features 10 new tracks inspired by Parton’s East Tennessee roots. The album is complemented by several pieces of content exclusive to Cracker Barrel, including two versions of the singer’s chart-topping hits “Jolene” and “9 to 5” recorded live at Glastonbury Festival and a 48-page magazine filled with photos and interviews highlighting memorable stories from Parton. The deluxe edition also includes coupons to various Parton attractions. NOTE: Dolly Parton, who released her 43rd studio album, Pure & Simple, a disc of 10 new songs, also announced the exclusive Walmart 2 CD package which includes Pure & Simple with Dolly’s Biggest Hits available now.
INDIE ARTIST NEWS
Singer-songwriter Marty Brown
Veteran singer-songwriter and former ‘America’s Got Talent’ finalist Marty Brown knows how to make an appearance. On August 29, he played the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville – at a Sheriff’s Convention! Never one to miss an opportunity, the unique entertainer turned it into an industry showcase, inviting some of Nashville’s movers and shakers to see him tear the place up – figuratively speaking – fronting a band of top-ranked touring musicians, all with 20+ years’ experience backing superstar artists. The Wildhorse date was just one stop on his current tour that will take him back to his hometown of Owensboro, KY, on September 23. Tour dates, bio, merch and more at martybrownmusic.com.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Artists and songwriters paid tribute to songwriter Lance Miller at Warner/Chappell’s ‘Everybody Loves Lance’ songwriter series event. Warner/Chappell Music signed the hit songwriter and 2014 SESAC Song of the Year winner (for his co-write on Jerrod Niemann’s “Drink To That All Night”) to a worldwide co-publishing agreement in 2015. He also has writing credits on Lee Brice’s “Beautiful Every Time”, Thomas Rhett’s “Beer With Jesus”, Michael Ray’s “Real Men Love Jesus,” Jerrod Niemann’s “Shinin’ On Me” among others.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Brandy Clark’s Big Day in a Small Town
It’s a long way from her hometown of Morton, Wash., but Brandy Clark returns to the U.K. in September for a series of acoustic shows with an entire new album, Big Day in a Small Town, to play live. “We played London and Dublin as part of C2C in 2015 and while we were over there we also got to do a show in Glasgow,” said Clark. “I’ve been waiting to go back ever since!” Having recently been on the road with Jennifer Nettles on the CMT Next Women of Country Tour, the singer/songwriter has also toured with Eric Church and Alan Jackson during the last two years in addition to solo shows. For upcoming tour dates, visit brandyclarkmusic.com.
LABEL NEWS
(Dot Records) Drake White proved he’s “Livin’ The Dream” as he appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America recently. Drake performed the Top 25-and-rising single from his new album on Dot Records. Upon release, SPARK blazed up to #1 on the iTunes Top Country Albums chart with a collection of heartwarming lyrics and swampy grooves. A few days later, the Alabama native departed on a cross-country adventure to highlight his charitable initiative, “Flight to Light the Spark.” Drake will make stops in each time zone to give back to local communities and fuel change across the country. Drake is currently on the road on Zac Brown Band’s BLACK OUT THE SUN TOUR and will join Dierks Bentley’s SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH TOUR later this fall. For more dates, visit DrakeWhite.com.
MEDIA NEWS
Photo from the set of Eric Church’s “Record Year” music video (Directors: John Peets and Reid Long)
Eric Church’s second single off Mr. Misunderstood hit No. 1 just in time for fans to celebrate his seventh summit to the top of both MediaBase and Billboard charts. “Record Year” was co-written by Church and his guitarist/banjo player, Jeff Hyde – who also penned “Cold One” (with Luke Hutton), “Springsteen” (with Ryan Tyndell), and “Smoke A Little Smoke” (with Driver Williams) – and outlines a story of a heartbroken music-lover finding consolation in the records of some of music’s greatest masterminds. Fan loyalty has always meant a lot to the seven-time GRAMMY nominee, ACM and CMA-award winning singer/songwriter, which was made obvious when he directly shipped copies of Mr. Misunderstood on vinyl to his Church Choir before making it available to the general public. Tour updates at ericchurch.com.
MILITARY NEWS
Charlie Daniels and Middle Tennessee State University’s lengthy association continue to make amazing strides. With the unveiling of a plaque and a new logo for MTSU’s Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center named for them, MTSU formally recognized the couple and The Journey Home Project he co-founded to assist veterans during a celebration at the Miller Education Center. Daniels and his wife, who have been married 52 years, were humbled and moved by MTSU’s recognition. Tutoring assistance, VetSuccess on Campus and more are part of the center’s offerings. The center staff features five full-time staff, including a mental health counselor and more than 12 part-time student-veterans. To learn more, visit mtsu.edu/military. NOTE: Charlie’s new album, NIGHT HAWK, pays homage to his favorite cowboy songs. It offers a collection of both familiar and obscure songs, each given the unique Charlie Daniels vocal treatment. Some feature Daniels on acoustic guitar, others get new instrumentation. The ten tracks include “Billy the Kid,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” “Old Chisholm Trail” and “Yippie Ki Yea.” Album details and tour tickets at charliedaniels.com.
MUSIC NEWS
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family topped the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and secured the No. two position on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart with the critically acclaimed debut album LOVE REMAINS (EMI Nashville), after moving over 31,000 units in its first week. Its lead single “Thy Will” also claimed the No. One position on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs for the second week while dominating Billboard’s Christian Digital Songs for its eighth consecutive week. Hillary Scott is one-third of the one of the world’s most popular groups, Lady Antebellum. Album info and more at hillaryscott.com.
NUMBER ONE NEWS
Songwriter Jon Nite
BMI and ASCAP came together with UMG Records (Capital) to celebrate Keith Urban’s 20th Number One song “Break On Me.” Co-written by Jon Nite and Ross Copperman. Produced by Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift), the song spent two weeks at the Number One spot, and is the second single from the album “Ripcord.” This was a worldwide chart milestone: No other male country artist has had a number one record in the US, Canada and Australia for the same song at the same time.
Songwriter Ross Copperman
“Break On Me” is Keith’s 36 consecutive top 10 record… another Milestone! Cool Facts: This was Ross’s tenth #1 and he was ACM’s 2016 Songwriter of the year. He currently has 7 songs on Billboard’s country chart. Jon Nite celebrated his sixth # 1. Jon won a CMA ‘triple play’ last year and has been nominated for CMA and ACM Awards for the past 4 years. He also co-wrote Keith Urban’s previous smash hit “We Were Us.”
OPRY NEWS
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean continues to find new ways to raise awareness for breast cancer research, and for the first time in his career he partners with the Grand Ole Opry and incorporates his 11th annual “Concert for the Cure” as part of the eighth annual “Opry Goes Pink,” the annual special performance staged to fight breast cancer. In addition to flipping the switch on the Opry’s signature barn backdrop, turning it pink for the Grand Ole Opry’s two shows on Tuesday, October 25, Aldean will take the stage to perform along with other favorites and raise awareness and funds for Women Rock for the Cure™ and Susan G. Komen®’s Nashville Chapter. A host of artists joining Aldean for the Opry shows will be announced soon. Tickets are available at opry.com.
ROAD NEWS
Rascal Flatts
Known as one of the hottest-selling “Road” touring acts in any genre, superstar trio Rascal Flatts celebrated in August a major milestone of 10 million tickets sold, following a rousing run of headlining shows. The group was presented with a commemorative ticket at their show in Hartford, CT, to recognize the occasion. Rascal Flatts is currently out on the road as part of their headlining RHYTHM AND ROOTS TOUR. The best-selling country vocal group of the past decade Rascal Flatts has sold over 23.1 million albums, over 31 million digital downloads worldwide, as well as earning over 40 trophies from the ACAs, ACMs, AMAs, CMAs, People’s Choice Awards and more, also making them the most awarded country group of the past decade. Tour updates at rascalflatts.com.
SINGLE NEWS
Here are a few of the singles dropping in the next week: Alan Turner “Windows And Mirrors”, Carrie Underwood “Dirty Laundry”, Chris Lane “For Her”, The Hobbs Sisters “Boomerang” , Darrell Ryan “Not Enough Town”, Ellie May Kay “Girl With A Fishing Rod” and The Tacketts “And I Know.”
TOUR NEWS
Old Dominion L to R: Whit Sellers, Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung
Old Dominion, a road-built band who has performed more than 200 dates over the last calendar year, surprised fans with the announcement of 30+ new shows coast-to-coast on their fall Meat and Candy Tour with special guest Steve Moakler. Fifteen of the 2016 dates will be billed as the Stagecoach Spotlight: Old Dominion Meat and Candy Tour, as the five-piece band is the first act selected by producers of the world-famous Stagecoach Festival for the inaugural Stagecoach Spotlight Tour. For more information, visit olddominionband.com/tour.
ROI stands for Return on Investment. To put it another way, it means what you get out from what you put in. You might think that a phrase like ROI is only relevant to stockbrokers and bankers but it definitely affects you as a songwriter or artist.
There’s a difference between songwriting as a hobby and songwriting as a a career. Here’s a way to look at the difference:
When you do something you don’t particularly enjoy and you get paid for it… that’s a job.
When you do something you love but you don’t get paid… that’s a hobby.
When you do something you love and you DO get paid… that’s a CAREER.
Can you see the difference? Your career is music, because that’s what you love, but it’s only a career when it provides some sort of income for you, otherwise it’s just a hobby. Yes, songwriting, for most people, begins as a part-time career, often supplementing the dreaded ‘job,’ but it is still your career, if you choose to make it so.
It takes more than talent
To have any kind of success in that career, it takes a commitment to invest in your God-given talent. Your talent is the raw material, the lump of clay, the pile of bricks. What you choose to do with that raw material is the element that determines your success.
“Effort without talent is a depressing situation, but talent without effort is a tragedy.” – Mike Ditka
I wish I could tell you that you can make it to the top on nothing but talent, but I can’t because it flat-out isn’t going to happen. Talent alone is not enough; it’s just the beginning.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a disgruntled parent say, “My son/daughter has much more talent than [insert star’s name here]. How come they made it and my kid can’t?”
A variation on that is the songwriter who is consumed with envy for “that lucky guy” who is getting all the cuts on the top acts.
Lucky? Okay, I’ll admit that sometimes luck does play a part in success. But one thing is certain: The better prepared you are, the luckier you’ll get.
There’s almost no such thing as an overnight success, at least not one that lasts longer than a flash in the pan. That “lucky” person, that “overnight success” had almost certainly invested in their talent so that when the opportunity presented itself, they were prepared and were able to confidently take full advantage of the situation.
Invest in your talent
As you develop your career as a songwriter, you will need to commit to making an investment in your talent. It’s an investment in both time and money, but the part to always keep in mind is the ROI… the return that you will reap on that investment of time and money in your career.
Make a commitment to go to Writers’ Nights, network with other writers, ask questions, read books, take classes, set up co-writing sessions and write, write, write!
Send me music stuff, I love to get it! Preshiaswriter@hotmail.com TN/USA. 
Charlie Daniels and Middle Tennessee State University’s lengthy association continue to make amazing strides. With the unveiling of a plaque and a new logo for MTSU’s Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center named for them, MTSU formally recognized the couple and The Journey Home Project he co-founded to assist veterans during a celebration at the Miller Education Center. Daniels and his wife, who have been married 52 years, were humbled and moved by MTSU’s recognition. Tutoring assistance, VetSuccess on Campus and more are part of the center’s offerings. The center staff features five full-time staff, including a mental health counselor and more than 12 part-time student-veterans. To learn more, visit mtsu.edu/military. NOTE: Charlie’s new album, NIGHT HAWK, pays homage to his favorite cowboy songs. It offers a collection of both familiar and obscure songs, each given the unique Charlie Daniels vocal treatment. Some feature Daniels on acoustic guitar, others get new instrumentation. The ten tracks include “Billy the Kid,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” “Old Chisholm Trail” and “Yippie Ki Yea.” Album details and tour tickets at 
