Tyminski Leads Bluegrass Award Nominees

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The Dan Tyminski Band (L-R) Barry Bales, Adam Steffey, Dan Tyminski, Justin Moses, Ron Stewart

The Dan Tyminski Band (L-R) Barry Bales, Adam Steffey, Dan Tyminski, Justin Moses, Ron Stewart

Today the IBMA announced the nominees for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, to be hosted by Kathy Mattea and legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize, on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

ibma-awards-logoThe Dan Tyminski Band, including Union Station alumni Adam Steffey and Barry Bales, lead with nine nominations on the strength of the chart-topping album Wheels. In addition to Entertainer of the Year, Instrumental Group, Album, Song, and Male Vocalist nods, band members received individual nominations.

Dailey & Vincent, whose popularity has only continued to grow since they received seven awards in 2008, including Entertainer of the Year, have seven IBMA nominations.

Actor/musician Steve Martin burst onto the bluegrass scene this year, trusty banjo in hand, to receive nominations in six IBMA award categories. Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper have also been recognized with six nominations.

The Grascals, who were named Entertainers of the Year in 2006 and 2007, have nominations in five categories.

This year’s inductees for the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame are The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, the legendary string band formed in 1937 by Ezra, Ray and Ned Cline in West Virginia; and The Dillards, the influential band from Salem, Missouri, known for their popular appearances on The Andy Griffith Show.

IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award will go to early bluegrass pioneer Hylo Brown; long-time event producer from Maine, Pati Crooker; veteran performer and radio announcer Jody Rainwater; author, musicology and radio broadcaster Dick Spottswood; and the National Council for the Traditional Art’s Joe Wilson.

The member-voted IBMA Award Show is the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass week, including the industry’s Business Conference and Bluegrass Fan Fest, slated for September 28 – October 4 in Nashville. Ticket and conference details at www.ibma.org. The award show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks.

THE NOMINEES for the 2009 INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARDS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
•    Dailey & Vincent
•    The Grascals
•    Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
•    The Del McCoury Band
•    Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
•    Dan Tyminski Band

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
•    Blue Highway
•    Dailey & Vincent
•    The Isaacs
•    Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
•    Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
•    Blue Highway
•    Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
•    The Infamous Stringdusters
•    Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
•    Dan Tyminski Band

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
•    Jamie Dailey
•    Russell Moore
•    Danny Paisley
•    Junior Sisk
•    Dan Tyminski

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
•    Dale Ann Bradley
•    Sonya Isaacs
•    Claire Lynch
•    Alecia Nugent
•    Rhonda Vincent

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
•    Blue Side Of The Blue Ridge, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (artist), Ronnie Bowman (producer), Rebel Records
•    Brothers From Different Mothers, Dailey & Vincent (artist), Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers), Rounder Records
•    Keep On Walkin’, The Grascals (artist/producers), Rounder Records
•    The Room Over Mine, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist), Ken Irwin & Danny Paisley (producers), Rounder Records
•    Wheels, Dan Tyminski, (artist/producer), Rounder Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
•    “Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away,” Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist), Chris Stuart & Ivan Rosenberg (writers)
•    “Iron & Diamonds,” The Gibson Brothers (artist), Leigh & Eric Gibson (writers)
•    “Leaving Baker County,” Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (artist), Tom T. & Dixie Hall (writers)
•    “Moneyland,” Del McCoury Band (artist), John Herald (writer)
•    “Wheels,” Dan Tyminski (artist), Patrick McDougal (writer)

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
•    “After The Fire Is Gone;” Bobby Osborne, Rhonda Vincent & Darrin Vincent (artists); Glen Duncan & Bobby Osborne (producers); Rounder Records
•    “The Crow,” Steve Martin with Tony Trischka (artists), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
•    “Daddy Played The Banjo;” Steve Martin with Tim O’Brien & Earl Scruggs (artists), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
•    “Proud To Be A Daughter of Bluegrass;” Daughters of Bluegrass featuring Dale Ann Bradley, Heather Berry, Lisa Martin, Gloria Belle, Sierra Hull, Rhonda Vincent, Lisa Ray, Linda Lay, Sally Jones, Jeanie Stanley, Carol Lee Cooper, Sonya Isaacs, Becky Isaacs Bowman, Michelle Nixon, Jeanette Williams, Sophie Haislip, Louise Tomberlain, Mindy Rakestraw, Lizzy Long, Frances Mooney, Lorraine Jordan, Annette Kelley, Lily Lieux, Dixie Hall, Judi Marshall, Melissa Lawrence, Beth Lawrence, Rebecca Frazier, Donica Christensen, Lisa Manning & Jenni Lyn Gardner (artists); Dixie Hall, Paula Wolak & Frances Mooney (producers); Blue Circle Records
•    “Sad Wind Sighs,” The Grascals with Vince Gill (artists), The Grascals (producers), Rounder Records

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
•    “Darkness Wept,” Lonesome River Band (artist/producers), Dee Gaskin & Rebecca Bowman (writers), Rural Rhythm Records
•    “On The Other Side;” Dailey & Vincent (artist); Jimmy Fortune, Kevin Denney & Tom Botkin (writers); Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers); Rounder Records
•    “What A Journey,” Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (artist), Bret Bronson & Louise Gorman (writers), Paul Williams (producer), Rebel Records
•    “When The Last Of Our Days Shall Come,” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Chris Stuart (writer), Doyle Lawson (producer), Rounder Records
•    “Who’ll Sing for Me?” Audie Blaylock & Redline (artist), Thomas J. Farris (writer), Audie Blaylock (producer), Rural Rhythm Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
•    “Angeline The Baker,” Rob Ickes & Andy Leftwich (artists), public domain, Rob Haines (producer), Mel Bay Music
•    “The Crow,” Steve Martin (artist/writer), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
•    “Don’t Tread On Me,” Kristin Scott Benson (artist/writer/producer), Pinecastle Records
•    “Jerusalem Ridge,” Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (artist), Bill Monroe (writer), Jeff White & Michael Cleveland (producers), Rounder Records
•    “Struttin’ To Ferrum,” Lonesome River Band (artist/producer), arrangement by Gene Parker, Rural Rhythm Records

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
•    Sierra Hull & Highway 111
•    Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
•    Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice
•    The SteelDrivers
•    Josh Williams Band

INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
BANJO
•    Kristin Scott Benson
•    J.D. Crowe
•    Steve Martin
•    Sammy Shelor
•    Ron Stewart

BASS
•    Barry Bales
•    Mike Bub
•    Missy Raines
•    Darrin Vincent
•    Marshall Wilborn

FIDDLE
•    Hunter Berry
•    Jason Carter
•    Michael Cleveland
•    Stuart Duncan
•    Ron Stewart

DOBRO
•    Mike Auldridge
•    Jerry Douglas
•    Andy Hall
•    Rob Ickes
•    Randy Kohrs
•    Phil Leadbetter

GUITAR
•    Jim Hurst
•    Tony Rice
•    Kenny Smith
•    Bryan Sutton
•    Josh Williams

MANDOLIN
•    Jesse Brock
•    Sam Bush
•    Sierra Hull
•    Ronnie McCoury
•    Adam Steffey

BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR
•    Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival; Oak Hill, New York; July 2008
•    33rd Annual Tri-State Bluegrass Festival; Kendallville, Indiana; May 2008
•    2008 World Cultural Fusion Festival; Kawaguchi City, Japan; July 2008

BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
•    Kyle Cantrell; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tennessee
•    Katy Daly; HD Radio WAMU 88.5 Channel 2, 105.5 FM & www.bluegrasscountry.org; Washington, D.C.
•    Ned Luberecki; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tennessee

PRINT MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR
•    Tom Adams, Banjo Newsletter
•    Dan Miller, Flatpicking Guitar
•    Roger Siminoff; Siminoff’s Luthiers Glossary, Banjo Newsletter and Bluegrass Breakdown

LINER NOTES FOR RECORDED PROJECT
•    Charlie Cushman, Marty Stuart, Eddie Stubbs & Johnny Warren (writers); A Tribute to Fiddlin’ Paul Warren; Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman (artists); no label
•    Eddie Dean (writer); Old-Time Pickin’: A Clawhammer Banjo Collection, Ralph Stanley (artist), Rebel Records
•    Steve Martin (writer), The Crow, Steve Martin (artist), 40 Share Productions

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR RECORDED PROJECT
•    G. Carr & Salli Ratts (designers), The Crow, Steve Martin (artist), 40 Share Productions
•    Stumptown Printers (designer), Uncle Charlie Osborne: The June Appal Recordings, Uncle Charlie Osborne (artist), June Appal Recordings
•    Loren Witcher (designer), Inside Out, Missy Raines & the New Hip (artist), Compass Records

RFD Planning New Show “Larry’s Country Diner”

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Whisperin’ Bill Anderson will be the first musical guest on a new show being created in Nashville at RFD-TV called Larry’s Country Diner, scheduled to debut on Sept. 3.

Taped in a typical diner setting, the show is hosted by broadcast personality/producer Larry Black, who is joined by regular cast members, along with announcer Keith Bilbrey.

Anderson will perform on the first show and artists already booked for future shows include Larry Gatlin, The Whites, Jim Ed Brown, Gene Watson, Jeannie Seely, T. Graham Brown, and Bobby Bare.

Larry’s Country Diner is a 60-minute show, which is scheduled to air on RFD-TV every Thursday night at 6:00pm/Eastern and will re-broadcast every Saturday night at 11:00pm/Eastern.bill-anderson

Hall Hosts Cindy Walker Donation Ceremony, Reveals Project

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Vince Gill, Fred Foster, Kyle Young and David Conrad - photo by Donn Jones.

(L-R) Vince Gill, Fred Foster, Kyle Young and David Conrad. photo: Donn Jones

When songwriter Cindy Walker died in March 2006, she left the writer’s share of her cherished catalog of songs to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Befittingly, the organization celebrated her life and work with a donation ceremony yesterday (8/12) and also revealed plans for a new Walker project.

The 1997 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee’s bequest included files and notebooks related to the songs, sheet music, photographs and business documents. Museum Director Kyle Young explained that Walker, who was once married briefly and had no children, thought of her songs as her “babies.” In one of her files, curators found Walker’s farewell note to her songs. “Goodbye my darling,” she wrote. “You have been so good to me. You have made me rich and famous. I love you, you are the reason I am, and you are in the Hall of Fame. I will miss you. Goodbye, your girl, Cindy Walker.”

“Few things have served as a more emotional reminder of our responsibilities here than Cindy Walker’s note to her ‘babies,’” said Young.

Museum trustee David Conrad described the Museum’s plans for the Walker songs. Crediting the idea to Sony/ATV Music Publishing President-CEO Troy Tomlinson, also a Board member, Conrad announced plans for a 12-song Walker demo to be shopped to film and television music supervisors. Conrad will executive produce, while Tony Brown, Fred Foster and Vince Gill have each volunteered to produce four songs for the project. Artists from different genres will create new arrangements of Walker’s songs which will then be pitched to Sony/ATV’s list of 450 film and television supervisors via MySpace. The publishers will contribute to the recording budget.

The celebration concluded with a musical salute to Walker presented by Nashville’s premier western swing unit, the Time Jumpers, who have kept a 10-year Monday night residency at the Station Inn that has fans lined up around the block before show time each week. Crowded close together in an intimate bluegrass style, the big swing band presented four songs from their standard repertoire including “Sugar Moon” with Kenny Sears on vocals, “You Don’t Know Me” with vocals by Carolyn Martin, “Miss Molly” with vocals by Ranger Doug, and “I Don’t Care” featuring the voice of Dawn Sears. Museum President Vince Gill joined the Time Jumpers to sing “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream).”

The celebration concluded with a musical salute to Walker presented by Nashville’s premier western swing unit, the Time Jumpers. The band presented four songs from their standard repertoire including “Sugar Moon” with Kenny Sears on vocals, “You Don’t Know Me” with vocals by Carolyn Martin, “Miss Molly” with vocals by Ranger Doug, and “I Don’t Care” featuring the voice of Dawn Sears. Museum President Vince Gill joined the Time Jumpers to sing “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream).”

Toby Keith Releases Animated Video, Receives Million Air Awards

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Photo ID  (L to R):  Varnell Enterprises’ Ben Farrell, TKO Artist Management TK Kimbrell, BMI’s Director Writer/Publisher Relations David Preston, Toby Keith, BMI’s VP Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams and attorney Rusty Jones

Photo (L to R): Varnell Enterprises’ Ben Farrell, TKO Artist Management TK Kimbrell, BMI’s Director Writer/Publisher Relations David Preston, Toby Keith, BMI’s VP Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams and attorney Rusty Jones

Toby Keith is spending the summer on his America’s Toughest Tour and has released an animated music video. BMI’s David Preston and Jody Williams recently traveled through severe weather conditions to join Keith at his Memphis stop. There they presented him with two awards, one as a publisher and one as a writer, for his hit song “As Good As I Once Was” surpassing the two million broadcast mark.

His current single, “American Ride” from his upcoming album of the same name, is one of the fastest rising songs of his career. Keith is premiering the animated music video exclusively on www.cmt.com. The politically-charged video will make its world television debut on CMT tomorrow, Friday, August 14, beginning at 6 a.m. ET/PT, and will air every hour on the hour during CMT’s music video hours throughout the weekend. “I’m a ‘right-wrong guy’ not a ‘right-left guy’ and this video shows that,” Keith says of the Michael Salamon directed video. “We took our shots at everyone.”

Keith’s America’s Toughest Tour heads out west this weekend with dates in San Diego, CA (8/13); Phoenix, AZ (8/14); San Bernadino, CA (8/15); and Mountain View, CA (8/16).

Keith's new animated video for "American Ride."

Keith's new animated video for "American Ride."

Michelle Branch

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“Sooner Or Later”

Warner Bros. Nashville

mbranch-playlistGrammy-winner Michelle Branch is back with “Sooner Or Later,” her first solo effort after enjoying country success with the acclaimed Stand Still, Look Pretty by The Wreckers. As part of that duo, Branch was nominated for both a CMA Award and a Grammy. The popularity of The Wreckers helped establish her as a fixture of country radio, thanks to such winning country tracks as the No. 1 smash “Leave The Pieces” and the Top 10 “My, Oh My.”

“Sooner or Later,” produced by John Leventhal and John Shanks for Warner Bros. Nashville, is the first single from her upcoming CD Everything Comes And Goes. The single recently sold over 27,000 copies during its first week on iTunes, and is impacting radio now.

Her new project was recorded in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles with a great supporting cast of musicians, including Dwight Yoakam (who is featured on “Long Goodbye”). Everything Comes And Goes offers the sound of a gifted singer-songwriter who left some pieces of her heart behind, but found some new pieces along the way too. “I never consider what an album’s about while I’m recording it,” says Branch. “But in the end, I guess that Everything Comes And Goes is really a record about passion–about wanting it, about losing it and then finding it all over again.”

In 2001, Branch released The Spirit Room, which went multi-platinum and produced three hits including “Everywhere,” “All You Wanted,” and “Goodbye to You.” Branch’s reputation for grown-up talent was further solidified in 2002 when she teamed with Santana to record “The Game of Love,” which became an international smash and won a Grammy for “Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.” In 2003, Branch released the platinum Hotel Paper, which debuted at No. 2 and spawned the Grammy-nominated hit “Are You Happy Now?” After winding down from a headlining world tour supporting Hotel Paper, her 2003 solo CD, Branch took some time off to get married and give birth to her first child.

http://www.michellebranch.com/
http://www.myspace.com/michellebranch
http://www.twitter.com/michellebranch

Due West Rocks The MR Conference Room

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Nine North’s Larry Pareigis brought the trio to MR’s conference room for an unplugged performance. “I Get That All Time” is No. 33 this week on the Country Breakout Chart.

duewestDue West (seated) hangs on the MusicRow front steps after a well received mini-concert. Standing (L-R): Music Row’s Michelle Ross, Christie King, Sarah Skates, David Ross; Nine North’s Tom Moran; and Music Row’s Jon Freeman. Photo: Pareigis

EYB, Larry, Dierks, Tracy and Reba News

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Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley will host his fourth annual “Miles & Music for Kids” celebrity motorcycle ride and concert on Sunday, Oct. 11 in Nashville.  Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, all proceeds from the event will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. The hour-long ride will weave through Williamson County and end at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville with a concert featuring Bentley and special guests including his label-mates Darius Rucker, Eric Church and others. Tickets go on sale August 15 at Ticketmaster.

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Reba McEntire will perform songs from her upcoming album, Keep On Loving You, on an upcoming one hour television special on CMT. Invitation Only: Reba McEntire, will premiere Aug. 21 at 8 p.m CT and will feature McEntire singing new songs and greatest hits before a small studio audience in Nashville.

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Universal Records South recording artist the Eli Young Band have been headlining shows across the country. Recent ticket sales include 1,400 in Denver, 900 in Atlanta, 1,700 in Witchita (sell out), 1,400 in Hankinson (ND), 800 in Columbia (sell out), 1,000 in Kansas City and 700 in Chicago. They also sold 3,500 tickets in San Antonio (sell out), 5,055 in Houston and a massive 18,686 paid tickets in Dallas/Fort Worth at Texas Motor Speedway (the largest number the venue has seen thus far in 2009).

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Larry the Cable Guy’s July 4 performance in Lincoln, Nebraska, was recorded for a Comedy Central Special. The show is called Larry The Cable Guy—Tailgate Party, and will air in February, the weekend before the Super Bowl. The audio from Tailgate Party will be released on Sept. 15. In November, the Larry the Cable Guy’s Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau is set to air, featuring performances from Zac Brown Band, Billy Currington and much more.

Lawrence Hospitalized, Rucker, Clint Black, And More

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tracy-lawrenceSuffering from a respiratory infection, Tracy Lawrence was hospitalized yesterday in Nashville. He has been diagnosed with early signs of pneumonia and is receiving treatment. He was forced him to cancel his August 13 appearance at the Wildhorse Saloon in Lufkin, TX. The status of his remaining shows this weekend in San Antonio, TX and Norman, OK will be determined early Thursday.

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Darius Rucker is the latest addition to LongHorn Steakhouse’s “Live at LongHorn” country music program, in partnership with Coke Zero and Capitol Records Nashville. An accompanying “Tee Off & Tunes with Darius Rucker” will giving LongHorn diners a chance to win backstage access to a private concert and VIP tickets to this year’s The Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

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Clint Black is an executive producer for a new TV anthology series, American Storytellers, from ITV Studios, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Roberts/David Films, according to Variety. The article says it will “take current and classic country music songs and turn them into drama episodes for TV.” Producers are seeking other artists to get involved in front of and behind the camera. A network home hasn’t been secured.
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Sony Pictures and Sony Music are releasing a Michael Jackson film, This Is It, to theaters on Oct. 30. It will include rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of the late singer preparing for his upcoming concert series, as well as interviews with some of his closest friends and creative collaborators. The film is captured in high definition and will also offer select sequences in 3-D…. Also, a major MJ tribute concert will be held on the grounds of a palace in Vienna next month. The organizer, World Awards Media GmbH, told the Associated Press to expect global television distribution of roughly one billion.
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Jason Aldean’s hit “She’s Country,” and its songwriter Bridgette Tatum (co-writer with Danny Myrick) were mentioned in the “Nancy”® comic strip yesterday (8/11). The strip can be viewed in over 350 U.S. newspapers and runs in approximately 80 countries. Says Tatum, “It just so happens that a lady once told me, ‘I’ll see you in the funny papers’…since then, I close my show with that quote. How ironic it came true!” She is currently on tour supporting her first single, “I Like My Cowboys Dirty.”
nancy
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iPhones Go Country: Emerson Drive just joined the growing list of music artists with an iPhone Application. Officially available today, it is free in the App store and contains more than 30 videos including live performances, episodes of E-Drive TV, and music videos, lots of band photos, more than 40 songs available for streaming, blog messages from the band, games and much more.

Big Kenny is giving fans a chance to win his iPhone and an 8GB custom flash drive at www.bigkenny.tv, where they can also download the free single, “Long After I’m Gone.” It is from the Oct. 27 release, The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy and was written by Big Kenny, Marc Beeson and Richie Supa, and produced by Big Kenny and Chris Stone.

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Acclaimed bluegrass quintet Steep Canyon Rangers will launch a new tour and new album this fall. In September they will embark on a 15-city tour with Grammy® and Emmy® winning actor, comedian and musician Steve Martin. The Rangers will release their fourth studio album for Rebel Records, Deep in the Shade, on October 6. That day they will perform with Martin at world-renowned Carnegie Hall and on ABC’s The View. The tour will make a October 11 stop at the Ryman Auditorium.

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Jack Ingram and his band can be seen performing on Lifetime’s hit show Army Wives this weekend. In the episode airing Sunday, Aug. 16, he will be the house band at the local bar, singing his latest single “Barefoot And Crazy.”

Songwriter Shows To Benefit NSAI

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bio-charlie

NSAI’s successful concert series, “It All Begins With A Song,” continues with the Charlie Daniels Band on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Wildhorse Saloon. Prior to the CDB, Old Union will take the stage. Tickets are on sale now and available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com, as well as at www.wildhorsesaloon.com. General Admission tickets start at $25. Reserved Seating tickets are $40. A limited number of $100 tickets are available and include a Meet & Greet with the Charlie Daniels Band. Show begins at 7:30 p.m.

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Elevation Music Publishing presents “An Evening of Music in Support of NSAI” on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Listening Room (209 10th Ave. S., #200 in Nashville).  There will be a $10 cover for the 8 p.m. show, which features George Teren (“When I Get Where I’m Goin’” / “Stealing Cinderella”), Dave Berg (“If You’re Goin’ Through Hell” / “Stupid Boy”), Luke Laird (“So Small” / “Last Name”) Kelley Lovelace (“I’m Still A Guy” / “All American Girl”), Rivers Rutherford (“Livin’ In Fast Forward” / “Ain’t Nothin’ About You”) and Aaron Scherz (“The Rock” by Tracy Lawrence).

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On Thursday, Aug. 20 there will be a Legislative fundraiser at the Bluebird with James T. Slater (“Forever” by John Michael Montgomery / “High Cost Of Living” by Jamey Johnson) hosting the show called “Mothers and Fathers of Invention.” It will feature local artists and their musical parents, including James and his parents, Los Perdidos; Leslie Satcher and her mother; Jennifer Hanson and her father; along with special guests. Proceeds benefit the NSAI Legislative Fund. $35 Gold Circle seats / $15 regular seats. Reservations at www.bluebirdcafe.com.

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ASCAP Planning Songwriters Workshops

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ascap we create music1ASCAP is planning two separate songwriters workshops focused on Pop and Christian music. They will both run for six consecutive weekly sessions beginning in September, with each meeting featuring prominent music industry guest speakers giving advice on A&R, music publishing, legal issues, and more.

Serving as moderator for the Pop workshop will be songwriter/artist Robert Ellis Orrall. He is writer of three No. 1 songs and three hundred cuts recorded by artists like Lindsay Lohan and Taylor Swift. He also started Nashville’s rock label Infinity Cat Recordings which was previously home to Be Your Own Pet.

Confirmed presenters at the Christian workshop include the co-writers of ASCAP’s 2009 Christian Song of the Year, Matthew West and Sam Mizell. Also featured will be skilled music executives from EMI, Word, INO Records and others. Music businesswoman Cindy Wilt-Colville will facilitate.

The workshops are provided by the ASCAP Foundation free of charge to promising new songwriters who are ASCAP members or non-members. Attendance is limited.

How to apply: Submissions must two original songs (may be co-written)on a CD only, with typed lyrics and a brief bio/resume. CD must be labeled, including song titles, writer’s name, address, phone number and email; mailed or dropped off to ASCAP Nashville, Attention: 2009 ASCAP Foundation Pop or Christian Songwriters Workshop, Two Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. Submissions will not be returned. Pop submissions should be marked attention: Jesse Willoughby.

For details on the Pop Workshop, click here, or contact Jesse Willoughby at (615) 742-5000. Deadline for submissions is Sept. 4.

Submissions for the Christian Workshop are due Mon., Aug. 31. For questions, call ASCAP at (615) 742-5000.