singer-songwriter Archives - Page 10 of 11

Music Row Award Winners honored

Music Row’s Song of the Year: “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

MusicRow, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, presented its 29th annual subscriber-voted awards on Wednesday, June 28, during a private ceremony hosted for the first time by SESAC and sponsored by Anderson Benson insurance in the CMA event space.

MusicRow Song of the Year winning co-writers perform at the 29th Annual MusicRow Awards. Pictured (L-R): Clint Lagerberg, Steven Lee Olsen, Hillary Lindsey. Photo: Bev Moser/Moments by Moser

The 2017 MusicRow Awards recognized Song of the Year “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” recorded by Keith Urban and written by Hillary Lindsey, Clint Lagerberg and Steven Lee Olsen. Sony Nashville’s Maren Morris was honored as Breakthrough Artist. An award Morris received in 2016, Breakthrough Songwriter, went to Parallel Music Publishing’s Jesse Lee. Universal Music Group’s Lauren Alaina won the inaugural award category, Breakthrough Artist-Writer, for co-writing her first Top 10 hit, the No. 1 “Road Less Traveled.” Jay Joyce received his second plaque for Producer of the Year, having worked in the studio with Eric Church, Brandy Clark, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, Brothers Osborne, Devin Dawson, LANCO, and The Wild Feathers.

Top 10 Album All-Stars

The event also recognized MusicRow’s Top 10 Album All-Stars, studio whiz kids who appeared on the most Billboard Top 10 album credits in eight categories over the past 12 months. Those players include: Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass), Justin Niebank (engineer), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Ilya Toshinskiy (guitar), Charles Judge (keyboards), Russell Terrell (vocals) and a tie for Fred Eltringham and Greg Morrow (guitar), and Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin and Russ Pahl (steel).

“It’s our honor to feature the winners MusicRow subscribed members voted to become the 2017 class,” said MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. “Often a key predictor of future awards ceremonies, these honors allow this publication’s subscribed members to select who they think best represents today’s top music makers. Our 2017 Top Ten Album All-Star Musician Awards salute studio players creating the sound that reaches all corners of the world.”

The MusicRow Awards was hosted for the first year by SESAC and sponsored for the second year by Nashville-based insurance company Anderson Benson, a company dedicated to serving and supporting the entertainment industry. Read more here

Americana Music Association names 2017 Lifetime Achievement Honorees

Some of the world’s major music talent to be feted at Americanafest

The Americana Music Association℠ has announced this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees. The five honorees will be celebrated at Americana’s 16th Annual Honors & Awards held at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 13. The prestigious event serves as the official kick-off for the 18th annual AMERICANAFEST℠: The Americana Music Festival & Conference.

(L-R) Top: Graham Nash, Dave Alvin, Bruce Bromberg, Big Sandy, Larry Sloven, Chris Gaffney,
Iris DeMent (L-R) Bottom: Robert Cray, Van Morrison, Hi Rhythm’s LeRoy “Flick” Hodges, Rev. Charles Hodges, Howard Grimes, Archie “Hubbie” Turner, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, Al Jackson, Jr. (on drums)

Robert Cray to receive Lifetime Achievement Award

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance will go to Robert Cray. Cray has been bridging the lines between blues, soul and R&B for over four decades with five GRAMMY® wins. After bursting onto the scene as band leader for the Robert Cray Band in 1974, he and his band became responsible for bringing the timeless soul sound of their mentors John Lee Hooker, Etta James and Albert Collins to a younger audience. Throughout his expansive career, he has performed with the likes of Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, BB King, Bonnie Raitt and the late Chuck Berry.

The Hi Rhythm Section, this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist, is not your average group of musicians. During the ’70s, they served as the late producer Willie Mitchell’s secret weapon for his vision of Memphis soul, providing their incomparable musicianship for hit Hi Records albums by artists like Al Green and Ann Peebles at the historic Royal Studios in Memphis, Tenn. Originally formed in the late ’60s, members include the late Mabon “Teenie” Hodges (guitar), Rev. Charles Hodges (organ), LeRoy “Flick” Hodges (bass), Howard Grimes (drums), the late Al Jackson, Jr. (drums) and Archie “Hubbie” Turner (keyboard).

Americana Trailblazer Award

Iris DeMent will be receiving the Americana Trailblazer Award and exemplifies what it means to forge your own path in the music industry. Her independently released 1992 debut Infamous Angel garnered such palpable buzz that it landed her a deal with Warner Bros. the following year without any support from mainstream country radio. Over the next two decades, DeMent never shied away from using her ethereal voice and songwriting craft to showcase introspection as well as to address more political topics such as sexual abuse, religion and government policy throughout her work. Continue reading “Americana Music Association names 2017 Lifetime Achievement Honorees”

EmiSunshine shows age is no obstacle to success

12-year-old featured in film premiered at Cannes Film Festival

I want to share this story about an amazingly talented young lady who became a global sensation when a video of her singing in a music store went viral when she was only nine years old. Now she has been featured in a movie recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival, and this week is making a personal appearance at the CMA Music Festival. She proves that talent knows no age limits: you are never too young or too old!

EmiSunshine enjoyed a special and spectacular welcome at the 70th Festival de Cannes in Cannes, France. Upon the invitation of notable film director Eugene Jarecki, the twelve-year-old from East Tennessee concluded her show at the Southgate House Revival (Newport, KY) and hopped a plane to travel to the French Riviera (some 13-plus hours) to attend one of the film industry’s most-famed and elite events, brushing elbows with Hollywood’s most decorated producers, screenwriters, directors and actors (Will Smith, Nicole Kidman, Clint Eastwood and Jessica Chastain to name a few).

‘Promised Land’ documentary

The invitation is an extension following Emi’s guest appearance in Jarecki’s documentary titled “Promised Land”—one of the featured films at the 2017 Cannes Festival world premiere screened in May. The film also highlights Emi’s performance of her self-penned/self-produced track “Danny Ray” (and the bonus track from her new CD project, RAGGED DREAMS, anticipated in August 2017).

A portrait and musical story told from the back seat of Elvis Presley’s 1963 Rolls Royce, Jarecki carries performers on a music-filled road trip across the U.S. picking up passengers (famous and not-so-famous) as they travel through an America at a crossroads in the midst of the 2016 election.

A new meaning to the word ‘jamming’!”

“We were all stuffed into the back seat of a hot car, with our instruments for more than six hours…driving the streets of Nashville. It was probably the most uncomfortable and best car ride I’ve ever had. …gives new meaning to the word ‘jammin’!” EmiSunshine said of the experience.

Other notable folks who make an appearance in the back seat include: Alec Baldwin, Ethan Hawke, Ashton Kutcher and the Stax Music Academy Singers.

The preteen has become a sought-after song crafter for film, television and books; EmiSunshine music has been featured in various films and books. Her songs “I Am Able” and “Little Blackbird” are spotlighted in the “More Than Words” documentary (produced by Grammy Winner and Founder of the Documentary Channel, Suzanne Homes); “I Am Able” also appears in the Amazon/Barnes & Noble Bestseller “The Ables.”

For tour updates and more information on EmiSunshine, visit her website here. And, according to the website, you can wish her ‘Happy Birthday.’ EmiSunshine has just turned thirteen!

THINGS CHANGE: First studio album in five years from Hall of Famer Bobby Bare

82-year-old Hall of Famer still has what it takes

Album review by Preshias Harris

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. One thing that has stayed with us is the talent and artistry of one of country music’s living legends, Bobby Bare.

THINGS CHANGE is the title of the new album from Bare, a Country Music Hall of Famer who has chalked up close to sixty Top Forty hits starting back in 1962. And now here is, at age 82, out there still performing and promoting his new album.

Changes are no stranger to Bare. In 1959, he wrote a song, titled “The All American Boy,” for his friend Bill Parsons, and Bare cut a demo of the song for Parsons who went on to record it. However, the record label preferred Bare’s demo version and that was the one they released, taking the song to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. But nobody thought to change the information on the label, so every copy went out printed with the artist’s name as Bill Parsons, rather than Bobby Bare. Continue reading “THINGS CHANGE: First studio album in five years from Hall of Famer Bobby Bare”

The Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2017

Three all-time greats added to the prestigious roster at the CMHoF

Congratulations to the new inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This year, three country music greats move into a very exclusive ‘club.’ Let’s hear it for Jerry Reed, Alan Jackson and Don Schlitz.

Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed (March 20, 1937 – September 01, 2006) achieved worldwide fame with unforgettable roles in movies such as “Gator,” “W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings” and the “Smokey and the Bandit” series. However, before appearing in movies, he had begun a long and distinguished career in country music since arriving in Nashville in the early 1960s. As a songwriter, Reed was getting cuts on some of Nashville’s hottest acts, including Porter Wagoner. But it was his unique guitar style that made him an in-demand session player and brought him to the attention of Chet Atkins with whom he would later cut a Grammy-winning album, ‘Jerry and Me.’ Reed is one of only five recipients of Atkins’ coveted ‘Certified Guitar Player’ status, bestowed by Atkins only upon those that he believes have mastered the instrument.

Reed wrote and recorded “Guitar Man,” a song that charted for him in 1967. Elvis Presley loved the song and decided to cut his own version of it, insisting that Reed come into the RCA Studio to recreate his guitar sound. Presley went on to record several other Reed compositions, including “U.S. Male,” often with Reed playing guitar on the recordings.

Reed’s infectious sense of humor came across in his stage shows and on his records, including “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” “Amos Moses” and “East Bound and Down,” the latter having been featured on the soundtrack of the first “Bandit” movie. Here’s a link to a Wikipedia site about Jerry Reed.

Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is a well-deserved member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, in addition to enjoying an illustrious recording career. So far, he has chalked up twenty-six Billboard Number One Country songs and sold more than sixty million albums. Of the fifteen albums that topped Billboard’s Country Albums chart, nine have been certified ‘multi platinum’ by RIAA. Continue reading “The Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2017”

“Celebrate… Listen To The Music”

Tin Pan South 2017: the biggest yet

“Celebrate, Celebrate, Listen To The Music” was the theme in Music City where Nashville hosts Tin Pan South. It’s the world’s largest songwriter festival and 2017 marked its 25th anniversary! The festival invites more than 300 songwriters and this year they performed over 100 shows for the first time.

Dedicated to the songs and those that write them, Tin Pan South is a yearly event in Music City where fans get a unique, up-close-and-personal experience with the music they love. The music is a five day event, spread out across the city with showcases each night at various venues. Visitors get to enjoy intimate shows from world famous musical acts alongside up-and-coming artists from all across Nashville.

The stories behind the songs

What makes Tin Pan South unique is that the talented artists and songwriters that penned your favorite songs tell the stories behind those songs, and perform them in their original form. Nowhere else in the world can you hear so much original music in one place. With the immense creativity living and working in Music City, Nashville is the natural home to Tin Pan South. The music is inspired here, created here, recorded and performed here. Tin Pan South in Music City is the ultimate musical experience – in its most raw and original form.

Five nights of hit writers and their songs

Monday night was the festival’s kickoff party, hosted by Regions Bank who celebrated their ten year platinum sponsorship of Tin Pan South. Organizers of the 25th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival showed their deep gratitude to the following Platinum and Gold Corporate Partners: Regions Bank – Presenting Partner, Southwest Airlines – Official Airline Partner, News Channel 5 – Official Broadcast Partner, Jack Daniel’s – Official Club Show Partner, Vident Financial, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Ford and Ole’ music group.

L to R: Casey Beathard, Tucker Beathard, Jonathan Singleton & Luke Cooombs. Photo: Catrina Engelby

Tuesday Night: We hit Whiskey Rhythm, first to watch “A Benefit for SOURCE” with Danielle Bradbery, Jaida Dreyer, Jo Smith and Lari White. What a talented round. Danielle showcased her new co-penned tunes that she has been working on. I cannot wait till she has a new project out. Then we boot scooted over to the Hard Rock Café to catch Father (Casey) and son (Newcomer) Tucker Beathard along with hit songwriter Jonathan Singleton and newcomer Luke Coombs. Continue reading ““Celebrate… Listen To The Music””

Blue Night Records release Rescue Me!

Here is the full text of a press release about a subject very close to my heart: animal welfare. I encourage you to support this great cause and listen to some fine music, too! – Preshias.

12-song compilation is a labor of love for rescue animals

Blue Night Records has announced the forthcoming release of a very special project. Some of acoustic music’s most respected and gifted artists have come together for the creation of Rescue Me! which is truly a “cause for paws.”

‘Rescue Me!’ Now available for pre-order

From its inception, the project has had one driving purpose: to support the furry creatures who so enhance our lives with love and loyalty. Now, at last, that purpose has materialized with energy and joy as a 12-track compilation album of tender tunes that honor our four-legged friends. Rescue Me! is a heartfelt collection of Americana music featuring songs that are thought-provoking, uplifting, engaging, and downright funny.

“We invite others to join us in raising awareness of and providing financial support to animal rescue organizations,” says Blue Night Records President, Steven Briggs, who co-produced the album with singer/songwriter Amy White.

All of the tracks on Rescue Me! were donated to the project by the songwriters and performers: Mary Ann Kennedy, Kathy Chiavola, Cindy Mangsen, Robin Flower, Libby McLaren, Annie Lalley, Heidi Muller, Mark Weems, Ashley Jo Farmer, Friction Farm (Aidan Quinn & Christine Stay), Effron White, Jamie Anderson, Amy White, and Joel Mabus. And with great joy, Blue Night Records has pledged to donate all of its profits from Rescue Me! sales and full CD downloads to animal welfare organizations.

Pre-orders now available

Pre-orders for Rescue Me! are available now here, and the formal release date is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, April 30, 2017.

For more information, please visit www.bluenightrecords.com

Tin Pan South returns for ‘biggest event in 25 years’

350+ songwriters to perform at 100 shows

Songwriters from all over America (and beyond) are already clearing their calendars to be part of the biggest week of the year for those who share their craft.

The Tin Pan South 2017 poster designed by Micah Mathewson, Watkins College of Art, Design & Film

The Silver Anniversary of The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival has bumped the scheduled show count up to triple digits. For the first time in the event’s 25-year history, fans will have the opportunity to choose between over 350 songwriters performing at a record 100 shows at ten of Nashville’s top venues March 28 through April 1, 2017. 3rd & Lindsley has a full slate of 10 shows, and Blue Bar, The Bluebird Cafe, The Country, Commodore Grille, Douglas Corner, Hard Rock Cafe, the Listening Room Cafe, Station Inn and Whiskey Rhythm are back to present nightly shows.

Produced by Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Tin Pan South reigns as the world’s largest all-songwriter festival. Regions Bank returns for the tenth year as the presenting sponsor of the Festival.

‘All Show’ passes available

Planning to go to some of the shows? First stop: www.tinpansouth.com where you can buy passes for the entire festival. The price is $115.00 for NSAI members and $125.00 for non-members. Note that passes cannot be purchased by phone and must be picked up at the NSAI office as they will not be mailed out. Continue reading “Tin Pan South returns for ‘biggest event in 25 years’”

“I Met A Girl” is a Musical Milestone for William Michael Morgan

His first number one song, four years in the making

Congrats to Warner Bros / WMN’s newcomer William Michael Morgan and the co-writers Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Trevor Rosen who were feted on January 30th for Morgan’s Number One hit “I Met A Girl.” The Number One party, held at South, was co-hosted by ASCAP and First Tennessee Bank. The song, produced by Scott Hendricks (Blake Shelton) and Jimmy Ritchey (Mark Chesnutt), is from Morgan’s debut studio album, VINYL (Warner Bros Nashville) which was released on September 30, 2016, following his self-titled EP.

Photo Credit: Preshias Harris
Left to Right: Shane McAnally, William Michael Morgan and Trevor Rosen. Not pictured is Sam Hunt.

“I Met a Girl” is the debut single and first number one record for Morgan and has sold over 300,000 copies since its radio add date of August 24, 2015. It was also included on his debut studio album, “Vinyl,” which was released on September 30, 2016, following his self-titled EP.

During the media interviews prior to the Number One celebration, Shane said that they’d written the song about four years ago. Morgan said, “We hung on to it and hung on to it.” He recalled. “Once it was recorded, we kept listening to it. We believed it was just a wonderful song all around.”

The lyrics have special meaning for Morgan

The song has a poignant meaning for Morgan. Thinking back to the birth of his daughter and meeting his fiancé brings a whole new meaning to the song for him. “God was moving the chess pieces around,” he said. “We found out the song was Number One on the same day as the album ‘Vinyl’ came out.”

It seems the song has resonated with listeners, too. “I Met A Girl” spent 52 weeks on the charts and has reached an airplay audience of 1.1 billion. The song has also been streamed 25 million times.

The song has received positive reviews from music critics. Taste of Country® awarded “I Met a Girl” with the Taste of Country® Critic’s Pick, saying that the single is “a warm country love song that slows time” adding that “strong songwriting and Morgan’s smooth baritone make the song tough to resist.” So hit replay! More at www.williammichaelmorgan.com.

It takes perseverance

Personal note: Aspiring artists and songwriters should take note of Morgan’s progress along the road to chart success. Around four years elapsed between the time the song was written and the afternoon he stood up to receive his Number One award. If you expect fame and fortune within months of arriving in Music City, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. It takes perseverance and strength of character to keep improving your musical skills, perfecting your stagecraft, building your network of industry contacts and learning from your co-writers. When the real opportunity appears, you’ll be ready to grasp it!

Singers and songwriters get together, and Music Starts Here

Helping singers and songwriters ‘Learn more, earn more, be more.’

If you are fairly new to the music business (and even if you’re not) it can feel like your career is a mainly solitary enterprise. But fear not: You are not alone!

Let me point you in the direction of MusicStartsHere, an aptly named website that is like a virtual coffee shop where songwriters and musicians can hang out online. Unlike ‘real’ coffee joints, you don’t have to buy a five dollar mocha latte: it’s free to hang out. Just sign up and you’re in.

The site’s three co-founders – Will Carter, Adam Melcher and Doak Turner* – share a love of music and an understanding that artists and songwriters need opportunities to network with their peers and increase their skills and experience.

The ‘Knowledge’ section of MusicStartsHere is divided into five categories: Songwriters, Artists, Production, Musicians and Industry. Under the ‘Songwriters’ tab, for example, you’ll find subheads such as Songwriter Articles, Songwriter Video Interviews, Contributing Songwriters and WSM-AM Songwriter Show.

It’s all about community

MusicStartsHere is all about community, and, sure enough, under the ‘Community’ section you’ll find links to blogs aimed at songwriters, musicians, singers and others in the music industry. There’s also a section devoted to News and Events to keep you up to speed with info about the music biz and upcoming shows.

Doak Turner. Photo credit: MusicCityNashville.net

According to co-founders Will, Adam and Doak, the mission of MusicStartsHere is quite simple. It was created with the purpose of informing, educating, and connecting those in the music and entertainment industries. They see it as an online resource, marketplace, and gathering square for like-minded individuals to work, earn, inspire, and create together.

The ‘ultimate sandbox’

As they say at the website, “The nature and culture of MusicStartsHere is a collaborative one, that understands that success can’t be reached alone. By sponsoring local events, allowing industry professionals to solicit their services, and offering a venue for singer/songwriters or producers to showcase their music catalogs, MusicStartsHere has provided the ‘ultimate sandbox’ allowing each member an opportunity to build their own sand castles of creativity and success to help them on their personal journey through this crazy adventure better known as the music business…”

If you are serious about your music career or if you’re just beginning to wiggle your toes in the ‘sandbox,’ I suggest you click here to see how MusicStartsHere might be a useful resource for you.

* Doak Turner is my longtime BFF in the music business. It was Doak who introduced me to the Governor of West Virginia way back when I handled promotion and media relations for the NY Times bestseller, “Chicken Soup for the Country Soul.”