Songwriter News From Mac McAnally and More
Mac McAnally
• Hit songwriter and musician Mac McAnally will release his first live recording Live in Muscle Shoals Oct. 11 on Mailboat Records. Recorded during the W.C. Handy Music Festival, the CD includes his hits “Back Where I Come” (Kenny Chesney), “All These Years” (Sawyer Brown), and “Down the Road” (Chesney), as well as “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and more.
McAnally is the reigning and three-time winner of CMA Musician of the Year, and will vie for the trophy again on Nov. 9.
He also produced the new album by Mockingbird Sun, The Muscle Shoals EP, featuring lead single “Lucky Guy,” co-written by Liz Rose.
Matt Rogers
• Better Angels Music Group staff songwriter Matthew J. Rogers landed a cut with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. It will be released on iTunes today (9/20) as part of the NFL’s Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Volume 2 package. The track, “You Gotta Want It,” was co-written by Chris Weaver.
Katie Herzig
• Songwriter Katie Herzig is the recipient of this year’s ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award for her song “Closest I Get.” The Award, created in 1995, commemorates the life and career of the great lyricist and ASCAP Board member Sammy Cahn. Herzig joins a group of distinguished past recipients that include John Mayer, Josh Ritter, and Lori McKenna. Herzig is currently on the Ten Out of Tenn tour and her fifth album, The Waking Sleep, will be released this month.
Pictured recently at the Bluebird: Beth Nielsen Chapman and Todd Wilkes
• Applications are being accepted for the Jeffrey Steele Songwriting Bootcamp, hosted by 3 Ring Circus Music and BMI. Thirty applicants will be chosen based on songs and applications submitted by Oct. 28. Visit JeffreySteele.com for details.
• NSAI’s Songposium shows kick off tonight (9/20) at the Bluebird Cafe with Tom Douglas, Gordie Sampson, and James Slater. The fundraiser series runs through Sept. 24. Also, Bluebird On The Mountain takes place this coming Sat., Sept. 24 with Bob DiPiero, Leslie Satcher and Al Anderson.
