Chapter 330 It’s all about the guest list. “Go on in,” I said to late-arriving Tracy Gershon. “It’s everybody you’ve ever met in your life.” “This is one of my favorite parties of the year,” said Tom Baldrica. “It’s January 21st, and I still get to wish everybody Happy New Year.” It’s true. The Grammy […]
Chapter 328 Photographer: John Russell / CMA It’s Taylor’s world; the rest of us just live in it. As surely the entire known universe is aware by now, the country-pop princess bagged four CMA Awards Wednesday night (11/11), including the monumental Entertainer of the Year trophy. That win makes her the youngest person in history […]
Chapter 327 More Stars Than There Are in the Heavens. That was the saying about the MGM lot during Hollywood’s golden age in the ‘30s and ‘40s. If there’s an organization in country music that can say the same in this golden age of country music, it is surely BMI. The performance rights organization’s 57th […]
Chapter 326 We Are Family. That concept was repeatedly invoked at Monday night’s SESAC banquet on Music Row (11/9). And, my, how the “family” has grown: The event is now double in size what it was just a few short years ago. “I’m proud to be a member of the SESAC family,” said Songwriter of […]
The readers have spoken, and they have class. Both Jamey Johnson and James Otto were double winners at this year’s MusicRow awards ceremony. Jamey won the Breakthrough Artist award as well as the Song of the Year prize for “In Color,” co-written with James and Lee Thomas Miller. Because James also co-wrote his big hit […]
Chapter 312-C SUNDAY, JUNE 14 Sunday Fan club activities began in the morning for Jo Dee Messina at The Belcourt Theater and concluded with Pam Tillis at The Wildhorse Saloon that evening. In the Sports Zone downtown, we had the fourth annual Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race, sponsored by New Holland. The man to beat […]
Chapter 312-B SATURDAY, JUNE 13 This was our first really hot day of the fest. Boaters were out in force on the Cumberland behind the Riverfront Stage, and kids were frolicking in the Metro Courthouse fountains. I took Miss Mary with me downtown. “Don’t walk too fast,” she implored. I laughed: “Don’t worry: There are […]
Chapter 312-A FRIDAY, JUNE 12 Friday always seems, to me, to be the busiest day of the CMA Music Festival. On Wednesday and Thursday, the faithful gather. On Saturday and Sunday, they disperse to various Fan Club parties or find other ways to amuse themselves in Nashville “off campus.” But on Friday, they’re still fresh, […]
Chapter 311 Both the start and the finish of Thursday’s CMA Music Festival concerts were marred by weather, but in between it was a blast. Thunder rumbled, and an ominous black cloud descended on Music City as things were about to get underway at Riverfront Park. About 10 minutes before the 10:00 AM show time, […]
Chapter 310 The CMA Music Festival always starts before it’s supposed to. There has already been plenty of activity, including a superstar sighting. Alan Jackson isn’t “officially” playing the fest this year, but Wednesday night (6/10) he took over Cadillac Ranch on Lower Broadway to celebrate his 20th anniversary. It was this month in 1989 […]