(L to R): Mark Hudson, Garth Brooks, Victoria Shaw on the Musicnotes Stage, Analog/Hutton Hotel. Photo credit: NSAI
If you were able to attend the history-making 2023 Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, then you were a lucky human. From hearing the stories behind the songs that included: ‘The Dance”, “Amazed”, ‘Check Yes or No”, “The Most Beautiful Girl”, “Ships That Don’t Come In”, “The River”, “Beer With Jesus”, “Daddy Wasn’t The Cadillac Kind”, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”, “All About That Bass” “Whiskey Glasses” and I could go on for days… :D. If there was a place where GOOSEBUMPS came from, it might be a Tin Pan South show…
Songwriter lineup announced for 31st Annual Tin Pan South Festival
By Preshias Harris
If anything defines the heart and soul of Music City, it is the presence of the most talented pool of songwriters found anywhere in the world. The average listener streaming or downloading songs probably has no idea who actually wrote the songs they love. Songwriters are, for the most part, anonymous.
But for the past three decades, Nashville has turned the spotlight on those unheralded creators with Tin Pan South.
Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed the lineup for the 31st Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival presented by Regions Bank that will take place March 28 – April 1, 2023. Passes for the Festival are available now here. Fast Access Passes are priced at $175.00 to the general public and $145 for NSAI members.
With ten venues, one hundred shows and four hundred songwriter performances, this year’s Tin Pan South is shaping up to be one of the best.
Enjoying a previous Tin Pan South, (L to R) Ashley Gorley, Brett Young and Chris DeStafano. Archive photo by Preshias Harris
Read the full story at Center Stage Mag here with details about the scheduled shows and more (including a link to the all-new app for both iOS and Android).
If people only knew it’s the songwriters – that’s where it all begins. If the fans only knew I’m just like a puppet up here. If it wasn’t for you guys [Craig Wiseman and Deric Ruttan] I wouldn’t be standing up here. — Blake Shelton, at Number One party for “Came Here to Forget, August 30, 2016.
Preshias Harris is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available here. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
‘Inside Track on Music Row’ posted and ready to read
Check out the current edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, now posted here at Nashville Music Guide. A lot of ‘must read’ stuff this month, including…
Details on Dierks Bentley‘s new 14-track album, Gravel & Gold, set for release Feb 24…
Sunny Sweeney‘s new album, Married Alone, blurring the lines between Texas Country and Nashville Americana…
Memory Lane (Sampler) is the title of the new project from Old Dominion that they co-produced with hit songwriter Shane McAnally…
CMT has announced the sixteen new artists that will be the Class of 2023 for the 10th Anniversary CMT Women of Country…
Alana Springsteen has released a single from her debut album, Twenty Something, a three-part collection documenting the heartache, excitement, and immense transformation of early adulthood…
Colton Dixon‘s No. 1 hit “Build A Boat” is back again in a brand-new version: “Build A Boat (feat Gabby Barrett).” Dixon and Barrett are fellow American Idol alums…
Indie artist Andy Pursell is gearing up to release his newest tune, “Right Amount of Wrong,” produced by Mark Dreyer, March 17 via all digital and streaming platforms…
Mitchell Tenpenny will be touring overseas for the first time in March, playing dates in Europe and Australia…
Take listen to Chris Janson‘s new single “All I Need Is You,” a song that unravels what really matters in Life…
In May 2023, the Johnny Cash Museum will celebrate its tenth anniversary as a staple of Nashville, country music and Johnny Cash culture…
Check out “Drinkaby,” the new single from multi-Platinum Cole Swindell from his upcoming deluxe album Stereotype Broken, due April 28…
Find the details about tickets and venues for Tin Pan South; 100 shows and 400+ performances, March 28 through April 1, 2023…
Plus news about Dolly Parton, The Grand Ole Opry, Jelly Role Keith Burns, HARDY, Chris Young, Gabby Barrett, Chris Clark, ERNEST, T.G. Sheppard, Cody Johnson, Elvie Shane, tour news, music video news and so much more. Find it all here at Nashville Music Guide.
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available here. Follow her blog and read her regular ‘Preshias On The Row’ news stories at Center Stage Magazine.
Songwriters are always the focus of the Annual Tin Pan South Festival that wrapped up a few days ago. They take the stage to play their songs and tell the stories behind their creation. This year, The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) kicked it up a notch with their first ever in-person NSAI Member Awards (presented by Regions Bank). The Awards recognize the achievements of songwriters in chapters across America and around the world. The invitation-only event was held at Analog at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville and included performances from several of the songwriters.
NSAI Member Award recipients gather for a group photo at The Analog, Hutton hotel
“We have thousands of songwriter members who may not describe themselves as professional songwriters, but write amazing songs, are outstanding performers, and deserve recognition for their work. This is one of the most exciting additions to NSAI’s programming in years and we applaud Region’s Bank for underwriting this event. Nothing could be more in line with the part of our mission statement that says: ‘to educate, elevate and celebrate the songwriter’.” – Bart Herbison, NSAI Executive Director
“An honor I will never forget”
At the risk of some ‘shameless self-promotion’… During the Awards ceremony, I was surprised to be called to the stage by Bart Herbison who joked that he and Erika Nichols, General Manager of Nashville’s famed Bluebird Café, often argue about who is the biggest supporter of the songwriting community. He added that everyone could agree that Preshias Harris is the best friend that any songwriter could wish for. He then presented me with the Friend of NSAI Award, saying that it recognized what he called my tireless activities encouraging and supporting songwriters. I felt both humbled and honored to receive the medallion. In my world, this was my equivalent of winning a GRAMMY! A day and an honor I will never forget.
World’s largest songwriter fest back in-person after pandemic hiatus
By Preshias Harris
The 30th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is now one for the history books and will be long remembered by the enthusiastic audiences that enjoyed the shows and the songwriters who entertained them across Nashville.
(L to R) Songwriters Shane Minor, Caitlyn Smith, Chase McGill, Brad Tursi of Old Dominion, appearing at The Listening Room. Photo credit: Preshias Harris
Tin Pan South – the largest songwriter festival in the world – was established in 1993 by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). The Festival was once again presented by Regions Bank and back on track after a two-year pandemic-related hiatus. Over 400 uniquely talented songwriters spanning multiple genres played live, showcasing their hit songs, sharing the stories behind them, and premiering new and unreleased songs in intimate settings over nine venues across Music City.
To truly pick ‘highlights’ from this year’s Festival is an impossible task: the phrase, “You had to be there” really applies to Tin Pan South. With multiple shows running concurrently at different venues around Nashville, I was forced to make some difficult choices, zipping between venues via Uber and Lyft.
One of the many shows on Night One was the Songs for Sound Benefit show at the Elliston Place Soda Shop. Songs for Sound is the official charity of the 30th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriter’s Festival 2022 – they use a passionate and compelling story about hearing loss and music to create awareness, increase access, and encourage action surrounding hearing loss. SFS aims to serve 250k people by 2025. The lineup included Eric Dodd, Makayla Lynn, and Jason Tucker. More info about Songs for Sound here at their website.
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
Tin Pan South 2020: a free-to-access virtual experience
By Preshias Harris
Tin Pan South is still on – but with a new twist, thanks to the pandemic. For 2020, Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival will be virtual with five evenings of amazing music and more from the cream of today’s songwriters. Put the dates in your calendar: October 20 – 24, 2020.
Tin Pan South, billed as ‘the world’s largest songwriter festival, was launched in 1993 by the members of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). An announcement at the Tin Pan South website states:
Make plans for a Tin Pan South Festival like no other! In partnership with NSAI, Regions Bank is presenting a virtual version of the festival and it’s happening October 20-24, 2020! Check out the line-up and plan to watch some of your favorite songwriters from the comfort of your own home right here at tinpansouth.com. Did we mention all events are FREE to watch?! Clear your calendars and tune in!
Initially planned for March 2020, the now-virtual Festival, again presented by Regions Bank, will be free of charge to enjoy.
Among the songwriters already on the schedule:
CHRIS DESTEFANO – JIMMIE ALLEN – SHANE MCANALLY – CARLY
PEARCE – ALLISON VELTZ CRUZ – SHAED – JOHN PAUL WHITE – TROUBADOR 77 – RITA
WILSON – CAROLINE WATKINS – LIZ ROSE – MATTHEW RAMSEY – HARLOE – WADE BOWEN –
LORI MCKENNA ROB SNYDER – JAKE MITCHELL – JOSH LONDON – EMILY WEISBAND – ROB
HATCH – CHANNING WILSON – JOSH MIRENDA – EMILY SHACKELTON – UNCLE KRACKER –
VICTORIA SHAW – WYATT DURRETTE – DYLAN LEBLANC – JEFF COHEN – MEGHAN KABIR –
GEM AND EYE – ERIKA ENDER – AARON BARKER – J.T. HARDING – ERIC BAZILIAN –
VICTORIA BANKS – BRANDON STANSELL – MIGNON – DERIC RUTTAN – NAT DUNN – KELLY
ARCHER – SAMMY BRUE – JIM COLLINS – MARK ERELLI – KRISTAL TYTEWRITER – CHRIS
BARRON – JENNA ANDREWS – DESMOND CHILD – ROB ALDRIDGE – JUSTIN OSBORNE – LEE
ROY PARNELL – JIM PETERIK – DEAVID LEE MURPHY – KRIS DELMHORST – DR. DANNY –
MEL WASHINGTON – JAMES LEBLANC – COYLE GIRELLI – CHRIS BARRON – SOUTHERLAND –
ASHLAND CRAFT – SETH ENNIS – ROBYN COLLINS – TREVOR ROSEN – PHIL BARTON – JOSH
OSBORNE – ERNEST
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Songs write themselves, we just hold the pen” – Garth Brooks on stage at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN.
My column, Inside Track on Music Row, is the longest-running country music column in the USA and now worldwide on the Internet! Send me music stuff, I love to get it!
Here, below, are just some of the news items in the March 2020 column that is published by Nashville Music Guide. Scroll down to continue reading…
Lauren & Thomas Rhett welcome baby Lennon Love
Love Lives On tells stories of fallen warriors’ survivors
Cody Purvis on “Drinkin’ Terms” with Billboard Indicator chart
Brandy Clark: “Love Is a Fire” can warm you or burn you
“Copper Coil” new song from duo Band Steele
CJ Solar’s “Watered Down Whiskey” heralds new EP
Outlaw music from Billy Don Burns
Chris Bandi’s first step on hallowed Opry stage
Tin Pan South tix going fast: grab yours now
Scroll down to read these news stories from Inside Track on Music Row
BABY NEWS
Thomas * Lauren Akins
County singer Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins welcomed their third daughter last month. Her name is Lennon Love Akins, and she weighed 9lbs 2oz and a head full of dark hair and blue eyes. His father Rhett Akins and his wife Sonya are expecting a boy in March… More baby news… Shay Mooney (Dan+ Shay) and wife Hannah welcomed their second child, another boy, named Ames Alexander on February 21st in Nashville. He joins big brother, three-year-old Asher James.
World’s largest songwriter festival attracts fans from all over the world
Hundreds of songwriters, music publishers, media and music industry people – along with thousands of fans – gathered for the 27th annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Presented by Regions Bank. Tin Pan South Fast Access passes sold out within days. The Festival took place in Nashville, March 26 – 30 with hit songwriters performing at different venues across the city.
Over 400 songwriters performed at this year’s Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, telling stories behind the biggest hits they’ve written and then performing the songs as they were originally composed. There were also special guests who popped in to help out their ‘Songwriter Friends.”
Trae Landon. Photo credit: Preshias Harris
Singer/songwriter Craig Campbell performed at his scheduled appearance at The Bluebird Cafe early show and then headed across town to join Trea Landon at his Listening Room Cafe round for Play It Again Music Publishing with Dallas Davidson, Kyle Fishman, Josh Mirenda and Justin Wilson. Cole Taylor also made a surprise appearance.
94 shows across Nashville
There were 94 shows scheduled at various locations around Nashville. Highlights for the first night included two sold-out shows at The Bluebird Cafe, legends TG Sheppard, Eddy Raven, Frank Myers and others at the Hard Rock Cafe late show, Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne and others at new Tin Pan venue TRUE Music Room and Bar, rocker Jim Peterik and friends at The Local and more. Continue reading “Tin Pan South showcases hit songwriters”
Saturday late show wraps a great week at Tin Pan South 2018
Dillon Dixon, Doug Johnson and Danny Wells were joined by The Darlins and Nick Sturms on the final day of this year’s Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival.
L to R: Dillon Dixon, Danny Wells, Jude Toy (The Darlins) Nick Sturms, Erinn Bates (The Darlins) and Doug Johnson. Photo credit: Catrina Engelby
Dillon Dixon – Dillon began his part of the writers’ round with a song he had with his band, High South, called ‘Bootwork.’ He followed that with his Josh Gracin radio hit ‘Invisible.’ Next up: ‘Follow the Smoke,’ a co-write with German songwriter Phil Sunday and U.S. writer Brandon Chase. Dillon has lived in Europe for the past few years to keep his music as his main income. He secured a publishing deal in Austria and has been touring all over Europe in various bands.
Dillon’s final song is one of my all-time favorite songs of his writing career. Dillon told the story of his friend Jimbeau Hinson coming in and helping him through an emotional “pre write” that had nothing to do with the session. After a Dillon got his composure, they finished the song ‘Wishing Others Well.’
Doug Johnson – Doug Johnson kicked off his first song with a tune that he and hit writer Pat Bunch (She is 79 years old) wrote. Doug says, “We wrote a honky tonk song,” and, sure enough, that’s the title: ‘Hony Tonk Song!’ Love the song that he co-wrote with Dave Gibson and Nick Sturms called ‘World Gone Mad.’ The next song, ‘Ain’t Nobody,’ is one that Doug wrote to his beautiful wife Lisa. It was amazing. I wish I could have sung this song to my honey! Doug played the song he co-wrote with Nick Sturms for Nick’s 10-day-old son, Rollin Sterling Sturms. Ready or not, ’Here You Come’ is an amazing song for a first-time dad ormom, even though it was sung through the father’s point of view of his first born.
For Doug’s final round, he dedicated his songs to his co-writer, the award winning songwriter Kim Williams. Doug added, “Who is with angels.” Then he started the mega hit for Randy Travis, ‘Three Wooden Crosses.’ Rumor has it that Chesney passed on this song. Goes to show, a GREAT song will find a GREAT home, and a GREAT artist!
Danny Wells – Danny started out with a song he co-wrote with Jeffrey Steele, ‘I Found You.’ LOVE IT !!!!!! Next pass, he sang the Rascal Flatts song he co-wrote with Gene Nelson, ‘This Everyday Love,’ a top ten hit for the group. “On this next song,” said Danny, “Tony Mullins and I wrote this song on actual paper! It made its way to Craig Morgan. It’s called ‘Little Bit of Life.’”
Danny wrapped his segment with his super mega smash for George Strait, ’Check Yes Or No,’ written with co-writer Dana Hunt Black. He told the story: “The [demo] cassette actually got stuck in the wrong box in the mail room. It was meant for another artist in that building. It ended up in George’s hands. Strait played it for his son, Bubba. Bubba said, ‘Dad, I didn’t want to like but I do!’” That’s the rest of story!
Nick Sturms – Also on stage was Nick Sturms, a talented songwriter and musician, who provided wonderful accompaniments.
The Darlins were up next. They jumped right in with ‘Pistol,’ a single from their ‘Crush’ album. Just wonderful harmonies that seem like they are coming down from heaven. The Darlins are a female duo composed of Erinn Bates from Nashville, (lead vocals/mandolin) and Jude Toy from Portland, Oregon (guitar/vocals). The Darlins’ won Duo of the Year at the 2017 Josie Music Awards.
One of my favorite songs they sang was ‘Knock and The Door Will Be Opened.’ The final song for the Darlins was their single, ‘Blackberry Whiskey,’ that they co-wrote with super instrumentalist Robin Ruddy and released it in 2017. Robin joined them on stage as the surprise guest! Muisic critic and author Robert K. Oermann has said of The Darlins: “This female duo has a sensuous sound on this slow burning track. A resonator guitar weaves through the arrangement as they languidly drawl their desire in harmony. Feverish.” He nailed it !!!
CORRECTION: In a previous post about a Tin Pan South show featuring Anthony Smith, Clint Daniels, Lance Miller and Jamie Paulin, due to an editing error, the final paragraph incorrectly read: ‘All in all, another memorable Tin Pan South night of great music and stories from three masters of the art of songwriting.’ Of course, it should read: ‘All in all, another memorable Tin Pan South night of great music and stories from four masters of the art of songwriting.’ Apologies to all four great writers!
