Pictured (L-R): Dallas Davidson; Don Maggi, Front and Center Executive Producer; Craig Wiseman; Rob Beckham, co-head of WME Nashville and CMA Board member; Neil Thrasher; Brett Eldredge; Wendell Mobley; Scott Scovill, CEO and Director of Moo Creative and CMA Board member; Ronnie Dunn; Bob DiPiero, songwriter and CMA Board member; Tony Martin; Tommy Lee James; and Denis Gallagher, Front and Center Executive Producer. Photo: Donn Jones
Iconic vocalist and songwriter Ronnie Dunn hit the stage at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works this week (Aug. 24) as part of a taping for a special CMA Songwriters Series, filmed for public television’s Front and Center.
The one-half of Brooks and Dunn was billed alongside Brett Eldredge and a previous taping was made earlier in the night with Darius Rucker and friends. The events are expected to be seen in a few months on public television (check your local listings).
“This is where we celebrate the best songwriters in Nashville–probably the entire music business,” said Dunn of the songwriter showcase.
Dunn invited Eldredge for “Believe,” a song he wrote with upcoming Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) inductee Craig Wiseman. Wiseman joined the soulful singers on stage for “the most gratifying song he has ever written” after an introduction by Dunn as the man who discovered “the other duo,” Florida Georgia Line. Eldredge was also welcomed alongside last year’s NaSHOF inductee Tom Douglas, who penned Eldredge’s “One Mississippi” with the Atlantic newcomer.
Newly signed Nash Icon star Dunn shared stories behind the songs he had written, including “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon,” “Hard Workin’ Man,” She Used To Be Mine,” and “She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind.” All those titles were solo-writes, penned before the Oklahoma-native moved to Nashville.
Dunn invited Dallas Davidson (“Put A Girl In It,” “Let The Cowboy Rock”), Tommy Lee James (“If You See Him, If You See Her,” “A Man This Lonely”) and another NaSHOF inductee, Bob DiPiero (“Indian Summer,” “Can’t Take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl”) onstage; each songwriter performed the latter of their two Brooks and Dunn hits.
Wendell Mobley, Tony Martin and Neil Thrasher joined for Dunn’s latest single the three co-wrote, “Ain’t No Trucks In Texas,” a title the star noted was one in a pile of great songs dumped on him by A&R head Allison Jones at his new label.
The six person band additionally accompanied Dunn for “Red Dirt Road,” and a closing title Dunn disclaimed he didn’t write, but sang: “My Maria.”
Pictured (L-R): Travis Hill; John Esposito, President/CEO Warner Music Nashville and CMA Board President; Brett Eldredge; Heather Morgan; Ross Copperman. Photo: Donn Jones
Eldredge then hit the stage for his turn as the clock struck 11:30 p.m. with Ross Copperman, Travis Hill, and Heather Morgan. Rucker’s set included Casey Beathard, Nathan Chapman, Chris Dubois, Ashley Gorley, Tim James, Charles Kelley, Clay Mills, Frank Rogers, and Rivers Rutherford.
Earlier in the day Rucker celebrated his “Homegrown Honey” No. 1 party in the Marathon complex.
Pictured (L-R): Seated: Clay Mills; Denis Gallagher, Front and Center Executive Producer; Ashley Gorley; Casey Beathard; Charles Kelley; Tim James. Standing: Frank Rogers; Don Maggi, Front and Center Executive Producer; Mike Dungan, Chairman/CEO UMG Nashville and CMA Board member; Darius Rucker; Rivers Rutherford; Nathan Chapman; Chris DuBois. Photo: Donn Jones
The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Nashville is set to host its inaugural Songwriter Series on Sept. 22, 2015 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Rosewall in Nashville, Tenn.
