Bil VornDick
Music Row veteran Bil VornDick died on Tuesday (July 5) at age 72, less than a week after he’d been diagnosed with cancer.
He was a producer/engineer who was renowned for his recording-studio skills, particularly in folk, bluegrass, Americana and acoustic-music circles. VornDick worked on albums that earned more than 40 Grammy nominations and nine wins.
His clients included Alison Krauss, Doc Watson and Charlie McCoy. He had served two terms as the chairman of the Nashville chapter of Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Born William Thomas VornDick, he was raised in northern Virginia. While still a student and playing guitar in rock bands there, he sold some songs to Cedarwood Publishing on Music Row. Chet Atkins urged him to move to Nashville and helped him enroll in Belmont University.
In 1979, he became an early graduate of Belmont’s music-business program. Country superstar Marty Robbins heard him working on demos for Loretta Lynn’s publishing company and hired him as his studio’s chief engineer.
VornDick subsequently became the chief engineer at Stargem Studio, the founder of The Music Shop and the owner of Music Row Audio and Mountainside Music Group Productions.
He became particularly associated with the “new acoustic music” genre that emerged in the 1980s. He worked with Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Craig Duncan, Alison Brown, Mark O’Connor, Vassar Clements, Edgar Meyer and David Grier, among others.
Following his Grammy-winning work with Alison Krauss, he worked with a bluegrass who’s-who, including Peter Rowan, The Dillards, The Country Gentlemen, New Grass Revival, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, The Earls of Leicester, Dan Tyminski, Laurie Lewis, Larry Cordle, The New Coon Creek Girls and IIIrd Tyme Out.
He also had credits with mainstream Nashville country artists. VornDick worked on records by Lynn Anderson, Trace Adkins, Jo-El Sonnier, Janie Fricke, Marty Stuart, Gene Watson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jimmy C. Newman and Sweethearts of the Rodeo, in addition to Robbins.
Bil VornDick was an active participant in the Nashville music community. He did advisory and/or instructional work for MTSU, Belmont, Folk Alliance, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the Recording Academy, MerleFest, Telluride, South Plains College, AES, Kerrville Folk Festival, Vol State and more.
He campaigned to save RCA Studio A from demolition, promoted popularity charts for roots music and championed health insurance for music people.
In recent years, he became widely admired in the Americana field. That genre’s Jim Lauderdale, Maura O’Connell, T-Bone Burnett, Jesse Winchester, The Fairfield Four, John McEuen, Leon Redbone, Robert Earl Keen, Webb Wilder, Robin & Linda Williams, Hazel Dickens and Charlie Haden all worked with him.
In 1998, he produced the epic Clinch Mountain Country, a 36-song tribute that featured legendary Ralph Stanley dueting with Bob Dylan, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, the Kentucky HeadHunters, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie, George Jones, Vern Gosdin, John Anderson, Hal Ketchum, Gillian Welch, BR549, Junior Brown and more. It was named Rolling Stone’s Top Country Album of the Year, got nominated for a Grammy and earned two trophies from the IBMA.
Bil VornDick was cherished for his personality as well as his studio skills. He was invariably kind, wise, welcoming, gentle and generous.
Yesterday, social media was alive with praise from folks who’d known him or worked with him. Among the hundreds posting tributes were O’Connor, Andrea Zonn, Mike Bub, Garth Shaw, Alison Auerbach, Steve Marcantonio, Yarn, Sharon Corbitt, Wally Wilson, Wanda Vick, Marcy Marxer, Tim McFadden, Louisa Branscomb, Steve Betts, Michael Snow and Rodney Dillard.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Kane Brown Earns Three-Week MusicRow No. 1
/by Alex ParryKane Brown’s “Like I Love Country Music” continues its reign atop the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, earning an additional +20 spin bump this week.
“Like I Love Country Music” was written by Brown, Matthew McGinn, Taylor Phillips, and Jordan Schmidt. McGinn edged into No. 5 this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. Phillips lands at No. 18, Schmidt at No. 39, and Brown at No. 40.
Brown will head across seas in September for his headlining international “The Drunk or Dreaming Tour,” with Blanco Brown, Chris Lane, Jesse James Decker, and Restless Road on select dates.
Click here to read the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly which contains the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Rising Singer-Songwriter Kameron Marlowe Announces Debut Album
/by Lydia FarthingRising singer-songwriter Kameron Marlowe will release his debut album, We Were Cowboys, on Aug. 26 through Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville. The record’s title track, written by Marlowe, Wyatt McCubbin and Tyler Farr, is available now.
Produced by CMA and ACM award-winner Dann Huff and Grammy-nominated Brad Hill, the project features 16 tracks. With Marlowe credited as a writer on 10 of the album’s songs, the project also features the lyrical prowess of some of Music City’s most in-demand songwriters, including Casey Beathard, Dan Isbell, Josh Osborne, Rob Williford, Jessi Alexander, Craig Wiseman, and more.
“I’ve been working on this project for the better part of two years, and I’ve lived a lot of life in that time,” Marlowe explains. “This album encapsulates it all—nostalgia, romance, heartbreak, and everything in between. I couldn’t be prouder of this project, and I’m incredibly excited for fans to get a deeper look at who I am through these songs.”
His most recent single, “Steady Heart,” is Marlowe’s fastest-growing track to date, reaching No. 6 on SiriusXM The Highway’s Weekend Hot 30. With more than 329 million on-demand career streams, he recently made his CMA Fest debut on the Riverfront Stage. With a self-titled EP and a handful of successful singles, Marlowe has been tapped an Artist to Watch by Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, Sounds Like Nashville, Country Now, Country Insider, and more.
Marlowe has had opening stints for Brad Paisley, Riley Green and more and is set to perform at Country Thunder festivals across North America, as well as opening on select dates for Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous Tour.” He’ll also join Luke Combs, Cody Jinks, and more for Buckeye Country Superfest at Ohio Stadium on July 23. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.
We Were Cowboys Track List:
We Were Cowboys (Kameron Marlowe, Wyatt McCubbin, Tyler Farr)
Country Boy’s Prayer (Casey Beathard, Dan Isbell, Reid Isbell)
Girl On Fire (Kameron Marlowe, Jason Gantt, Josh Osborne)
Giving You Up (Kameron Marlowe)
Does It Have to Be Over (*Kameron Marlowe, Josh Hoge, Wyatt McCubbin)
This Old Town (Kameron Malowe, Tyler Farr, Wyatt McCubbin)
Money Ain’t $hit (Casey Beathard, Brice Long, Shane Minor)
Fool Me Again (Kameron Marlowe, Rob Williford, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
Burn ‘Em All (Kameron Marlowe, Brinley Addington, Joey Hyde, Aaron Eshuis)
Steady Heart (Kameron Marlowe, Jessi Alexander, Dan Isbell)
Over Now (Tucker Beathard, Jake Mitchell)
Saying Goodbye (Carson Chamberlain, Wyatt McCubbin, Mark Nesler)
Ain’t Enough Whiskey (Kameron Marlowe, John Pierce, Dan Isbell)
Runnin’ Out On You (Alex Maxwell, Dawson Edwards, Liam Stolly)
Granny’s Got a Garden (For G’maw Jan) (Kameron Marlowe, Rob Williford, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
Long Way Down (C. Michael Spriggs, Craig Wiseman)
Kimberly Kelly Shows Her Country Music Reverence On Debut Album
/by LB CantrellKimberly Kelly. Photo: David McClister
Singer-songwriter Kimberly Kelly will release her debut album, I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen, via Show Dog Nashville in partnership with Thirty Tigers on Friday (July 8). The 12-track project is jam-packed with country music references and nostalgia, including in its track list where songs from tunesmiths such as Bob DiPiero, Wynn Varble, and Kent Blazy are featured.
A native of Lorena, Texas, Kelly has spent years paying her dues in both the Texas and Nashville music scenes. After many years of hard work getting her Master’s degree and working full time, she signed her record deal with Show Dog Nashville last summer.
“This is not my first rodeo,” Kelly says of her Show Dog Nashville label debut. “I worked really hard in Texas before I came to Nashville. I wrote songs, put out records, did a radio tour, and played every weekend while going to school and working full-time.”
The project is produced by Brett Tyler, Kelly’s husband and a hit songwriter himself with the No. 1 hit “Cold Beer Calling My Name” under his belt. Prior to the album’s debut, Kelly released “Summers Like That,” an ode to ’90s country summer songs such as “Strawberry Wine,” “Maybe It Was Memphis,” “Keeper of the Stars,” “Walkaway Joe,” “Neon Moon” and more.
She also released the fun “Blue Jean Country Queen,” featuring Steve Wariner, as well as a cover of “Black Rose” by Country Music Hall of Famer Billy Joe Shaver, who Kelly calls a friend and mentor. The track ends with a voicemail from Shaver.
The album title, I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen, is also a nod to Shaver. The abbreviated quote is pulled from a story of the iconic songwriter forcing his way into a Waylon Jennings recording session.
According to Shaver, Jennings had tried to abandon his promise to record some of Shaver’s songs. That’s when Shaver said to Jennings, “I’ll tell you what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna either listen to these songs or I’m gonna whip your ass.” After the outlaw country star agreed to listen to one of Shaver’s songs, he ended up recording many that wound up on Jennings’ 1973 Honky Tonk Heroes album, on which every song but one was written by Shaver.
Inspired by Shaver’s gumption, Kelly named her debut album after the awesome story.
“I landed on this album title on a dare,” Kelly says. “I was like, ‘Sure. What do I care?’ I did the Texas music scene, I’ve done time in Nashville, and I thought my time had passed when I got offered my record deal. My husband could keep writing songs and I’d just be a speech therapist. So I made this album like it’s the last one I’ll ever get to make and the title is my mantra so to speak. I love good songs, and I let the best ones win whether I wrote them or not. It’s a compilation I’m proud of, and I’m thrilled for people to hear them!”
I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen will be available everywhere tomorrow (July 8).
I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen Track List:
1. “Honky Tonk Town” (Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon and Brett Tyler)
2. “Some Things Have a Name” (Bob DiPiero and Troy Johnson)
3. “Summers Like That” (Karyn Rochelle and Bobby Tomberlin)
4. “Why Can’t I” (Bob DiPiero and Karyn Rochelle)
5. “I Remember That Woman” (Kent Blazy, Cindy Blazy and Karyn Rochelle)
6. “Blue Jean Country Queen” featuring Steve Wariner (Kimberly Kelly, Brett Tyler and Steve Wariner)
7. “Don’t Blame It On Me” (Ben Danaher and Brett Tyler)
8. “Forget The Alamo” (Don Rollins and Wynn Varble)
9. “Person That You Marry” (Kimberly Kelly, Lori McKenna and Brett Tyler)
10. “No Thanks (I Just Had One)” (Dale Dodson and Wynn Varble)
11. “First Fool In Line” (Byron Hill and Tammi Kidd)
12. “Black Rose” (Billy Joe Shaver)
Randy Houser To Host Nikki Mitchell Foundation Homecoming Golf & Concert Benefit
/by Lydia FarthingRandy Houser will host the Homecoming Golf & Concert event benefitting the Nikki Mitchell Foundation on Aug. 14-15 at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Tickets are on sale now, and every attending ticket holder will also receive a $50 gift card to Icey-Tek Coolers.
The Nikki Mitchell Foundation’s mission is to provide comfort and relief to those affected by pancreatic cancer while raising awareness and searching for a cure.
“I’m honored to host this event benefitting The Nikki Mitchell Foundation,” shares Houser, a Mississippi native. “I always look forward to an opportunity to give back, and to be able to support this foundation along with so many of my friends means a lot to me.”
“Randy is an integral part of the Nikki Mitchell Foundation’s Artist Board,” says NMF Director of Development Christa Bowles. “Although he has performed at more NMF shows than we can count, this will be his first time hosting an event for the foundation. We could not be more grateful to have such a generous, caring and talented board member as our Homecoming host.”
The title track of Houser’s recently announced sixth studio album, Note To Self, is currently climbing the charts at country radio. Set to release on Nov. 11 via Magnolia Music Group, the record was produced by Houser and Blake Chancey and features 10 tracks all co-written by Houser.
Houser wrapped his co-headlining tour with longtime friend Jamey Johnson in April and heads back out on the road this summer for a slew of headlining shows, festival dates and select performances with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cody Johnson and Travis Tritt. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.
New Book Explores Legacy Of Outlaw Country Pioneer Billy Joe Shaver
/by Lorie HollabaughA new book on Billy Joe Shaver, Live Forever: The Songwriting Legacy of Billy Joe Shaver, will be released July 21 through Texas A&M University Press.
Penned by roots music writer Courtney S. Lennon, the book is based on in-depth interviews conducted prior to Shaver’s passing in 2020, and offers a host of iconic artists, singer-songwriters, road-worn veterans, and up-and-coming musicians who were impacted by Shaver’s life and songwriting.
Shaver wrote nine of the ten songs included on Waylon Jennings’s Honky Tonk Heroes album and played a major role in the origins and development of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. With a catalog that includes “Ride Me Down Easy,” “I Been to Georgia On a Fast Train,” “Honky Tonk Heroes,” and “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal,” Shaver has been named by Ray Wylie Hubbard, alongside Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, as a member of the “holy trinity” of Texas songwriters. He exerted a deep influence on Texas music and especially Lone Star singer-songwriters, and is cited as a chief inspiration on generations of artists.
This is Lennon’s first book with TAMU Press after spending over a decade as editor of online roots music magazine, Turnstyled, Junkpiled. The book follows veteran Texas music author Brian T. Atkinson’s volumes in the Songwriting Legacy series on Shaver’s fellow Texas legends Townes Van Zandt, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Mickey Newbury, and Roky Erickson.
“Billy Joe Shaver was one of Texas’ greatest songwriters and a pillar of country music,” Lennon notes. “Live Forever is a testament to that.”
Michael Steele Joins Visionary Media Group As VP, Streaming & Digital
/by Lydia FarthingMichael Steele
Michael Steele has joined Nashville-based Visionary Media Group as Vice President of Streaming & Digital. In his position, he will oversee playlisting and digital strategy, working closely with DSP partners such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music and Soundcloud.
Steele brings over 20 years of experience to his new role, having started in radio broadcasting at age 14 in his hometown of Vermillion, South Dakota, and culminating at KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. He went on to launch Indie 103.1—a station with shows that celebrated the punk revolution of the late ’70s. Most recently, he was Senior Director of Playlist Programming and Curation for Warner Music Group, where he oversaw playlist strategy and spearheaded digital marketing campaigns for Warner, Atlantic, and Elektra recording artists.
“I’m honored to be on board at Visionary Media Group. This forward-thinking team represents a diverse roster of artists including Clayton Anderson, Cody Belew, Leigh Nash and O.N.E The Duo,” Steele notes. “Each is completely unique, and Visionary’s approach to nurturing their individual artistry is unlike any other team that I’ve ever worked with. It’s incredibly refreshing, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
“We’re proud to welcome Michael Steele to our growing Visionary Media Group team. He not only brings experience in playlist curation across a diverse range of genres, he’s a forward thinker, a leader, and approaches each project and artist campaign with a keen sense of creativity,” shares Anastasia Brown, Chief Content Strategist, Visionary Media Group. “It’s simply impossible to box him in and we love that! We look forward to growing our artists’ visions as we develop film, TV and documentary projects; all with Michael at our digital helm.”
“Michael is an outstanding addition to our team,” says Visionary Founding Partner, Ron Zamber. “He thinks globally and executes with precision. While an experienced, forward-thinking strategist, one of his superpowers is adaptability. Michael knows how to turn-on-a-dime to super serve our digital partners on behalf of our diverse family of artists and projects. Welcome, Michael!”
Nick Sciorra, Visionary Founding Partner, adds, “It’s rare to find someone of Michael’s experience caliber and long standing relationships, who is so on the front foot of innovative distribution platform trends, that he is a perfect fit to lead our uniquely designed content model at Visionary. We’re excited to have him on our team and look forward to the magic his leadership will bring to Visionary, its artists and innovators.”
Steele is working from the company’s offices on Music Row, and can be reached at michael.steele@visionarymediagroup.com.
DISClaimer Single Reviews: Thompson Square Brings The Romance On Newest Single
/by Robert K OermannThompson Square. Photo: Ford Fairchild
Why must hip-hop invade every genre of music?
The style is omnipresent in R&B, pop and even Latin, and it certainly has its entertainment space. You’ll find it in today’s new “country” tracks by Brantley Gilbert & Jelly Roll, by Filmore & Pitbull and by Ya’ Boyz.
Holding up the more melodic and romantic side of things this week are The Kentucky Gentlemen, Cody Belew and our Disc of the Day winners, Thompson Square.
KYLIE MORGAN / “If He Wanted To He Would”
Writers: Kylie Morgan/Zandi Holup/Ben Johnson; Producers: Shane McAnally/Ben Johnson; Label: EMI
–A steady R&B backbeat with a saucy vocal attitude and some cool stacked harmonies. Girl, stop wishing for a guy who is indifferent to you. Quit lying to yourself.
LITTLE BIG TOWN / “All Summer”
Writers: Karen Fairchild/Sarah Buxton/Madi Diaz/Ashley Ray/Savana Santos/Alysa Vanderheym; Producers: Little Big Town/Alysa Vanderheym; Label: Capitol
–It’s somewhat wordy, but the groove is jaunty and novel.
BRANTLEY GILBERT & JELLY ROLL / “Son of the Dirty South”
Writers: Brantley Gilbert/Jelly Roll/Andrew Baylis; Producers: Andrew Baylis/DJ Chill; Label: Stoney Creek/BMG
–Pretty obnoxious all the way around. Hick hop mixed with hard rock guitars. The in-your-face lyric fuses “f” bombs with drinkin,’ smokin,’ tattooed right-wing “patriotism.” Did I mention guns and threats of violence?
LUKE BRYAN / “Country On”
Writers: David Frasier/Styles Haury/Mark Nesler/Mitch Oglesby; Producers: Jeff Stevens/Jody Stevens; Label: Capitol
–Hey you farmer, trucker, cowboy, bartender, fireman, cop, soldier and musician keep it country ‘cause it’s the patriotic thing to do. What?
THOMPSON SQUARE / “Nothing More Beautiful”
Writers: Keifer Thompson/Vicky McGehee/Stephen Wilson Jr.; Producers: Mickey Jack Cones/Derek George; Label: Quartz Hill
–Swooningly romantic. The gentle ballad wraps you in its arms, whispers in your ear and caresses your spirit. Their lovely singing is backed by some eloquent guitar passages and sighing strings. The sound of peace and love.
FILMORE & PITBULL / “USA”
Writers: Tyler Filmore/Sam Bergeson/Geoff Warburton/Dallas Wilson/Armando Christian Perez; Producers: Sam Berguson/Zach Abend; Label: Curb
–Loud and busy sounding.
CODY BELEW / “Rodeo”
Writers: Cody Belew/Autumn McEntire; Producer: Dustin Ransom; Label: Visionary Media Group
–The plaintive performance compares a rocky romantic relationship to a rodeo ride. The heartache vocal is spot-on, and the gentle track is perfectly understated. Worth your spins.
BILLY DEAN & PAUL OVESTREET / “The Rest of It’s Mine”
Writers: Billy Dean/Paul Overstreet; Producer: Brent Rader; Label: BFD/Audium
–Bouncy and sunny, it’s a Buffett-flavored anthem for retirees everywhere. The kids are grown, so let’s go to Florida, buy a boat and live it up. Highly engaging.
THE KENTUCKY GENTLEMEN / “Love Language”
Writers: Brandon Campbell/Derek Campbell/Mary Kutter/Andrew Capra; Producer: Andrew Capra; Label: TKG
–These twins (Brandon & Derek Campbell) scored earlier with their infectious “Vibin,’” “Alcohol” and “Whatever You’re Up For.” They take a turn to romance on this outing, crooning an invitation to love making in a production with a soft R&B groove. Recommended.
BRETT ELDREDGE / “I Feel Free”
Writers: Brett Eldredge/Heather Morgan/Nathan Chapman; Producer: Nathan Chapman; Label: Warner
–Moody and soulful. It ain’t all that “country,” but it is a mesmerizing meditation on mental strength in the face of adversity. As usual, he sings with intense fire.
YA’ BOYZ / “This-A-Way”
Writers: Zach Kale/Joe Ragosta/Nick Zinnanti/Jon Nite; Producers: NCKZN/Zach Kale/Joe Ragosta; Label: MCA/Republic
–Truck, mud, drinking, babe, backwoods—you know the drill. Just add a hick-hop track, bob yer heads and get mindless.
Jim Lauderdale Slates New Album ‘Game Changer’ For August
/by Lorie HollabaughJim Lauderdale. Photo: Scott Simontacch
Jim Lauderdale is releasing a new album, Game Changer, on Aug. 26. The project is Lauderdale’s 35th full-length album, and he’s kicking off the project with the release of “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day),” out now.
The album features tracks such as “We’re All We’ve Got,” a co-write with Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris, offering a message about healing torn relationships. “Friends Again” brings a smile at the thought of rekindling a friendship, while “I’ll Keep My Heart Open For You,” features sweet harmonies.
“There’s a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that’s part of life as well,” Lauderdale says. “In the country song world especially, that’s always been part of it. That’s real life. Country music is constantly evolving, but I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for steel guitar and a Telecaster. I have done my job on this record if people who love classic country feel like they can put it on, or have it in their collection, and it would fit right in.”
Along with the new project, Lauderdale has also just been named a 2022 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Beloved Producer/Engineer Bil VornDick Passes
/by Robert K OermannBil VornDick
Music Row veteran Bil VornDick died on Tuesday (July 5) at age 72, less than a week after he’d been diagnosed with cancer.
He was a producer/engineer who was renowned for his recording-studio skills, particularly in folk, bluegrass, Americana and acoustic-music circles. VornDick worked on albums that earned more than 40 Grammy nominations and nine wins.
His clients included Alison Krauss, Doc Watson and Charlie McCoy. He had served two terms as the chairman of the Nashville chapter of Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Born William Thomas VornDick, he was raised in northern Virginia. While still a student and playing guitar in rock bands there, he sold some songs to Cedarwood Publishing on Music Row. Chet Atkins urged him to move to Nashville and helped him enroll in Belmont University.
In 1979, he became an early graduate of Belmont’s music-business program. Country superstar Marty Robbins heard him working on demos for Loretta Lynn’s publishing company and hired him as his studio’s chief engineer.
VornDick subsequently became the chief engineer at Stargem Studio, the founder of The Music Shop and the owner of Music Row Audio and Mountainside Music Group Productions.
He became particularly associated with the “new acoustic music” genre that emerged in the 1980s. He worked with Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Craig Duncan, Alison Brown, Mark O’Connor, Vassar Clements, Edgar Meyer and David Grier, among others.
Following his Grammy-winning work with Alison Krauss, he worked with a bluegrass who’s-who, including Peter Rowan, The Dillards, The Country Gentlemen, New Grass Revival, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, The Earls of Leicester, Dan Tyminski, Laurie Lewis, Larry Cordle, The New Coon Creek Girls and IIIrd Tyme Out.
He also had credits with mainstream Nashville country artists. VornDick worked on records by Lynn Anderson, Trace Adkins, Jo-El Sonnier, Janie Fricke, Marty Stuart, Gene Watson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jimmy C. Newman and Sweethearts of the Rodeo, in addition to Robbins.
Bil VornDick was an active participant in the Nashville music community. He did advisory and/or instructional work for MTSU, Belmont, Folk Alliance, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the Recording Academy, MerleFest, Telluride, South Plains College, AES, Kerrville Folk Festival, Vol State and more.
He campaigned to save RCA Studio A from demolition, promoted popularity charts for roots music and championed health insurance for music people.
In recent years, he became widely admired in the Americana field. That genre’s Jim Lauderdale, Maura O’Connell, T-Bone Burnett, Jesse Winchester, The Fairfield Four, John McEuen, Leon Redbone, Robert Earl Keen, Webb Wilder, Robin & Linda Williams, Hazel Dickens and Charlie Haden all worked with him.
In 1998, he produced the epic Clinch Mountain Country, a 36-song tribute that featured legendary Ralph Stanley dueting with Bob Dylan, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, the Kentucky HeadHunters, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie, George Jones, Vern Gosdin, John Anderson, Hal Ketchum, Gillian Welch, BR549, Junior Brown and more. It was named Rolling Stone’s Top Country Album of the Year, got nominated for a Grammy and earned two trophies from the IBMA.
Bil VornDick was cherished for his personality as well as his studio skills. He was invariably kind, wise, welcoming, gentle and generous.
Yesterday, social media was alive with praise from folks who’d known him or worked with him. Among the hundreds posting tributes were O’Connor, Andrea Zonn, Mike Bub, Garth Shaw, Alison Auerbach, Steve Marcantonio, Yarn, Sharon Corbitt, Wally Wilson, Wanda Vick, Marcy Marxer, Tim McFadden, Louisa Branscomb, Steve Betts, Michael Snow and Rodney Dillard.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
BoomTown Saints Sign Recording Deal With 8 Track Entertainment
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Ben Chism (BoomTown Saints), Noah Gordon (Pres./8Track Entertainment), and Chris Ramos (BoomTown Saints). Photo: Jenna Ramos
Rising country duo BoomTown Saints have signed an exclusive, long-term recording agreement with Nashville/Muscle Shoals-based entertainment company, 8 Track Entertainment.
Florida native Chris Ramos and Mississippi native Ben Chism formed BoomTown Saints in 2018. The two initially pursued careers outside of music–Ramos as a healthcare consultant in the pharmaceutical industry, and Chism, who was headed to medical school after graduating with a degree in biology.
After Chism won the regional Texas Country Showdown singing competition, he went on to the Southeast USA contest and finished in the top 10 nationwide, and elected to choose music over medicine. Meanwhile, after landing multiple cuts on pop, country and electronic music albums, Ramos decided to pursue his dream in music and form a band.
The pair will release their debut single, “All Trucks Go To Heaven,” to all digital service providers on July 15. Produced by Noah Gordon and Gary Kraen, the track was written by Taylor Phillips, Ben Stennis and Jeremy Bussey.
“Our team is pumped about the addition of BoomTown Saints to 8 Track Entertainment’s growing roster,” says Gordon, President of 8 Track Entertainment. “Their work ethic combined with their talent and energy are a perfect fit for our growing company and we look forward to getting their first single out in the world.”