Ben Rector & Joy. Photo: Ethan Gulley
Independent singer-songwriter Ben Rector is no stranger to the spotlight. Since releasing his first full-length record, Twenty Tomorrow in 2007, the Nashville-based artist has amassed over one billion streams, reached the peak of Billboard‘s Americana/Folk Albums chart, earned top 10 distinctions on the Billboard 200, and built a fierce following of dedicated fans.
Within the indie-pop landscape, Rector has released an impressive collection of material, including eight studio albums, two live albums and a handful of hit songs, such as the Gold-certified “Brand New” and “When A Heart Breaks,” as well as “30,000 Feet,” “Love Like This,” “Old Friends,” and more across his extensive discography.
Rector recently released his eighth studio album, The Joy Of Music. The 13-track project, which was born amidst the chaos of COVID-19, displays a new, vibrant shade of Rector’s creative process and finds the multi-instrumentalist as a producer and writer on every track. However, The Joy Of Music‘s creative journey was not a linear one.
Ben Rector & Joy. Photo: Ethan Gulley
“Right before the pandemic, I went to LA and recorded most of a record. My idea was to get my dream band in my dream studio and do something that college me would have been really excited about. That was probably in January of 2020,” Rector tells MusicRow. “The pandemic started and everything shut down. After a couple months, I started essentially rewriting the whole record. I didn’t set out to do that, I just started writing because that’s what I wanted to do. I realized that I was kind of feeling like a kid again and falling back in love with the craft of songwriting and recording.
“Before I knew it I had a whole new batch of songs,” he continues. “There were two songs that I recorded in LA that still ended up on the record, but the other 11 were all written after the pandemic started. For the first time, I was just able to fully focus on that creative process. I wasn’t playing any shows and didn’t have a deadline to wrap things up. I was able to chase whatever I wanted, and I started realizing that the music that I was making from that place felt a lot more special.”
Throughout the baker’s dozen of songs, listeners are taken through a wide swath of emotions. From the upbeat and dance-provoking “We Will Never Be This Young Again;” the inspiring, fantasy-filled ballad “Dream On;” “Living My Best Life,” which drips in positivity; the cathartic coming-to-terms with adulthood in “Heroes;” and gratitude anthem “Thank You,” The Joy Of Music serves as a soundboard for many aspects of the human experience.
However, Rector’s hope for the record isn’t to teach, instruct, or evoke some series of emotions. Rather, his focus for The Joy Of Music is simply to bring just that to people: joy.
“This is an odd analogy, but there’s this place in LA called The Honor Bar and they have this chicken sandwich that is the best sandwich I’ve ever had. Every time I eat it, I’m just like, ‘What a treat that was. I was entertained just by how good it was and it made my day better.’ I think my hope is that my music will feel like that chicken sandwich to people—like a little treat that made them feel good and made their day a little bit brighter,” Rector says with a smile. “I wasn’t necessarily aiming to make people feel thankful for their lives. I would love that, but at the end of the day, anything that people find really enjoyable—whatever that is for you—I just hope my music can be like a small version of that in people’s lives.”
Joining Rector throughout the project is a diverse group of collaborators, ranging from Snoop Dogg lending his vocals on the R&B-infused “Sunday,” to Kenny G and Dave Koz contributing their seasoned saxophone skills on “Hanging Out” and “Supernatural,” as well as Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes adding his own touch to “Cliches.”
“When I was making this record, I was operating from a place of wanting to find joy in the process. I wanted to do things that sounded fun, just because they sounded fun,” Rector explains. “I wasn’t constructing songs with the hope of them being a feature or anything. I was just making the art that I wanted to make and then on a couple of songs, I said, ‘Dude, it would be so fun if we got Snoop Dogg to be on the song.’ For me, the worst thing that can happen is that Snoop says, ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ which is totally understandable. The best thing that could happen is that I’m on a song with Snoop Dogg.”
He continues: “I didn’t want to play it safe anymore. I didn’t want to show the same tricks that I’ve done before a bunch of times just because I know I won’t fail. I don’t want to be afraid of failing anymore because this is my one wild and precious life. I don’t want to look up when I’m 60 and be like, ‘Man, I was so scared the whole time that I was gonna look silly, or that it wasn’t gonna go very well.’ I just want to do cool stuff that’s fun for me and fun for other people.”
Along with the record, Rector also released an accompanying short film that features seven of the album’s songs brought to life visually. The film sees Rector being led through a journey of overcoming his deep-seated fear of failure and rediscovering the joy of music by his new friend Joy, a muppet monster that he created with Jim Henson‘s Creature Shop.
“I don’t remember when I thought about the character Joy, but I do remember thinking that I’ve never seen anybody do that. Sports teams have mascots, but I’ve never really seen that done in music and it just sounded fun to me,” Rector offers. “Honestly, sometimes it’s nice for me to have something that takes a little bit of the attention off of me when I do a show, too. It gets a little weighty to have everyone looking at me for 90 minutes. It sounded fun to be able to have Joy do stuff.”
Rector will make his return to the road this summer on “The Joy Of Music – A Live Music Event” with special guests JP Saxe and Jake Scott, beginning with a show at The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin on May 5. Jumping from city to city across the country, the beloved entertainer will make stops in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Denver, Houston, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and more on the mostly-amphitheater dates.
“Instead of having specific numerical goals, like selling this many tickets or making this much money, my real hope is that I enjoy the process of this record cycle and the tour. I’ve never really approached it like that before, and I realized that’s honestly probably the only thing that I can control. I can’t really control how many people come to a show, if I win an award, or chart positions. I’m going to do everything I can to give the record and tour the best shot to do well, but when I live mainly in that place of putting my self worth in things I can’t control, I don’t end up that happy about it.”
He sums, “This time I want to focus on enjoying it because that’s probably where the best work is going to come from. So far, the best songs and the best recordings have come from that, so I’m just going to try to carry that through the tour.”
Rector’s “The Joy Of Music – A Live Music Event” will wrap up with a special show at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on June 25.
Film & TV Rep Richard Harris Joins Demolition Music
/by Lorie HollabaughRichard Harris
LA-based film & TV representative Richard Harris has joined Demolition Music.
In his new role, Harris will be tasked with securing placements from the Demolition catalog, curating synch-focused writing sessions globally, and handling synchronization licensing.
Landing placements in Pretty Little Liars, The Bold Type, The Rookie, Good Trouble, One Tree Hill, This Means War, Single Moms Club as well as commercials with eBay, TJ Maxx, and trailer/promos for The NFL, HBO, AT&T and Fox TV, Harris is well regarded as a songwriter and producer in the synch community.
“Having Richard represent our team from LA helps secure an important piece of the puzzle needed for Demolition to continue its expansion into providing original music for the TV/film world. We are very excited about this collaboration!” says President of Demolition Music, Jon D’Agostino.
The UK native signed a publishing deal with Peer Music in 2007, garnering multiple major label cuts including several Billboard No. 1s, top ten singles, and Platinum and Gold records.
“I am thrilled to join the team at Demolition Music to help build and develop their synch catalog,” adds Harris. “This position dovetails perfectly with what I’m continuing to do personally as a creative and mentor. It allows me the opportunity to support and champion the amazing creative, multi-genre talent signed to Demolition alongside a team of like minded professionals.”
Ben Rector Talks Chicken Sandwiches, Overcoming His Fear Of Failure & His Newfound Joy [Interview]
/by Lydia FarthingBen Rector & Joy. Photo: Ethan Gulley
Independent singer-songwriter Ben Rector is no stranger to the spotlight. Since releasing his first full-length record, Twenty Tomorrow in 2007, the Nashville-based artist has amassed over one billion streams, reached the peak of Billboard‘s Americana/Folk Albums chart, earned top 10 distinctions on the Billboard 200, and built a fierce following of dedicated fans.
Within the indie-pop landscape, Rector has released an impressive collection of material, including eight studio albums, two live albums and a handful of hit songs, such as the Gold-certified “Brand New” and “When A Heart Breaks,” as well as “30,000 Feet,” “Love Like This,” “Old Friends,” and more across his extensive discography.
Rector recently released his eighth studio album, The Joy Of Music. The 13-track project, which was born amidst the chaos of COVID-19, displays a new, vibrant shade of Rector’s creative process and finds the multi-instrumentalist as a producer and writer on every track. However, The Joy Of Music‘s creative journey was not a linear one.
Ben Rector & Joy. Photo: Ethan Gulley
“Right before the pandemic, I went to LA and recorded most of a record. My idea was to get my dream band in my dream studio and do something that college me would have been really excited about. That was probably in January of 2020,” Rector tells MusicRow. “The pandemic started and everything shut down. After a couple months, I started essentially rewriting the whole record. I didn’t set out to do that, I just started writing because that’s what I wanted to do. I realized that I was kind of feeling like a kid again and falling back in love with the craft of songwriting and recording.
“Before I knew it I had a whole new batch of songs,” he continues. “There were two songs that I recorded in LA that still ended up on the record, but the other 11 were all written after the pandemic started. For the first time, I was just able to fully focus on that creative process. I wasn’t playing any shows and didn’t have a deadline to wrap things up. I was able to chase whatever I wanted, and I started realizing that the music that I was making from that place felt a lot more special.”
Throughout the baker’s dozen of songs, listeners are taken through a wide swath of emotions. From the upbeat and dance-provoking “We Will Never Be This Young Again;” the inspiring, fantasy-filled ballad “Dream On;” “Living My Best Life,” which drips in positivity; the cathartic coming-to-terms with adulthood in “Heroes;” and gratitude anthem “Thank You,” The Joy Of Music serves as a soundboard for many aspects of the human experience.
However, Rector’s hope for the record isn’t to teach, instruct, or evoke some series of emotions. Rather, his focus for The Joy Of Music is simply to bring just that to people: joy.
“This is an odd analogy, but there’s this place in LA called The Honor Bar and they have this chicken sandwich that is the best sandwich I’ve ever had. Every time I eat it, I’m just like, ‘What a treat that was. I was entertained just by how good it was and it made my day better.’ I think my hope is that my music will feel like that chicken sandwich to people—like a little treat that made them feel good and made their day a little bit brighter,” Rector says with a smile. “I wasn’t necessarily aiming to make people feel thankful for their lives. I would love that, but at the end of the day, anything that people find really enjoyable—whatever that is for you—I just hope my music can be like a small version of that in people’s lives.”
Joining Rector throughout the project is a diverse group of collaborators, ranging from Snoop Dogg lending his vocals on the R&B-infused “Sunday,” to Kenny G and Dave Koz contributing their seasoned saxophone skills on “Hanging Out” and “Supernatural,” as well as Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes adding his own touch to “Cliches.”
“When I was making this record, I was operating from a place of wanting to find joy in the process. I wanted to do things that sounded fun, just because they sounded fun,” Rector explains. “I wasn’t constructing songs with the hope of them being a feature or anything. I was just making the art that I wanted to make and then on a couple of songs, I said, ‘Dude, it would be so fun if we got Snoop Dogg to be on the song.’ For me, the worst thing that can happen is that Snoop says, ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ which is totally understandable. The best thing that could happen is that I’m on a song with Snoop Dogg.”
He continues: “I didn’t want to play it safe anymore. I didn’t want to show the same tricks that I’ve done before a bunch of times just because I know I won’t fail. I don’t want to be afraid of failing anymore because this is my one wild and precious life. I don’t want to look up when I’m 60 and be like, ‘Man, I was so scared the whole time that I was gonna look silly, or that it wasn’t gonna go very well.’ I just want to do cool stuff that’s fun for me and fun for other people.”
Along with the record, Rector also released an accompanying short film that features seven of the album’s songs brought to life visually. The film sees Rector being led through a journey of overcoming his deep-seated fear of failure and rediscovering the joy of music by his new friend Joy, a muppet monster that he created with Jim Henson‘s Creature Shop.
Rector will make his return to the road this summer on “The Joy Of Music – A Live Music Event” with special guests JP Saxe and Jake Scott, beginning with a show at The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin on May 5. Jumping from city to city across the country, the beloved entertainer will make stops in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Denver, Houston, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and more on the mostly-amphitheater dates.
“Instead of having specific numerical goals, like selling this many tickets or making this much money, my real hope is that I enjoy the process of this record cycle and the tour. I’ve never really approached it like that before, and I realized that’s honestly probably the only thing that I can control. I can’t really control how many people come to a show, if I win an award, or chart positions. I’m going to do everything I can to give the record and tour the best shot to do well, but when I live mainly in that place of putting my self worth in things I can’t control, I don’t end up that happy about it.”
He sums, “This time I want to focus on enjoying it because that’s probably where the best work is going to come from. So far, the best songs and the best recordings have come from that, so I’m just going to try to carry that through the tour.”
Rector’s “The Joy Of Music – A Live Music Event” will wrap up with a special show at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on June 25.
Morgan Wallen Surprises Fans With Pop-Up Acoustic Show At The Graduate Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughMorgan Wallen performs surprise pop-up show for 2021 Morgan Wallen & Friends raffle winners and fans at Graduate Nashville’s Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole. Photo: David Lehr
Morgan Wallen played a pop-up, stripped-down acoustic set for fans at Graduate Nashville’s Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole on March 19.
Fans were given a hint of the pop-up show via an Instagram post from Graduate Nashville just hours before the show. Seated with guitar in hand, alongside bandmates Dominic Frost and Tyler Tomlinson, the East Tennessean treated those in attendance to cuts from his ACM Album of the Year, Dangerous: The Double Album, including its title track, current single “Wasted on You,” “More Than My Hometown” and If I Know Me’s “Chasin’ You.”
“Since my parents fostered and now officially adopted my sister Lacey, I’ve witnessed what love and care can do for a child that didn’t have it before. She has transformed into a confident, trusting and happy kid,” Wallen shared in a statement on the foundation’s website. “There are many elements that aid in the development and protection of an adolescent’s life, and that is why I created the [More Than My Hometown] Foundation so a child’s resources are not limited due to their circumstances.”
After three consecutive sold out shows at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the night served as a prize rewarded to a raffle winner from his Morgan Wallen & Friends Show at Marathon Music Works on Sept. 8, where over $800,000 was raised for flood victims of Middle Tennessee.
In 2022, $3 from every ticket sold on his “Dangerous Tour” benefits the More Than My Hometown Foundation. His three-night stop at Bridgestone Arena raised over $120,000 that will be put into initiatives for adolescent development, resources and local communities.
Clint Wiley & Julie Sturdivant Join CAA
/by LB CantrellClint Wiley, Julie Sturdivant
Clint Wiley and Julie Sturdivant have joined CAA’s music touring department. Both will be based in the agency’s Nashville office.
Music agent Wiley started his career at Third Coast Artists Agency, and spent time at APA, Paradigm and Artisan Agency before joining CAA. His touring roster includes The Mavericks, Raul Malo, Asleep At The Wheel, Ray Benson, and McKinley James.
“Clint has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the live music business,” shares CAA Co-Head of Nashville Music, Darin Murphy. “His skills, experience and taste—specifically in the world of country music—will provide further fuel to our exceptional Nashville team, and to our Music Touring colleagues and clients globally.”
Sturdivant joins CAA from digital marketing agency Marbaloo Marketing, with her prior career stops including time at KOST 103.5 and Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records. As a Music Brand Partnerships Executive at CAA, Sturdivant will help lead brand partnership efforts for the agency’s Nashville roster of artists, including Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, and Maren Morris, among others.
“Julie is a creative and highly accomplished industry veteran with tremendous experience working with country music legends, as well as emerging artists,” says CAA’s Head of Music Brand Partnerships, Tom Worcester. “We are excited to add her unique talent to our outstanding brand partnerships group, who work daily to connect our artists with innovative and meaningful opportunities.”
In addition to Wiley and Sturdivant’s hirings, CAA has also announced a wide variety of artist-brand partnerships, having closed more than 80 deals and more than $10 million in guarantees for the agency’s country roster since March 2021. Noteworthy partnerships include Hunter Hayes and Smirnoff, Carly Pearce and Northwestern Mutual, Brett Eldredge and Facebook Audio Rooms, Keith Urban and JBL/Harman, and Maddie & Tae and Hot Tools, among others.
Imperials Gospel Great David O. Will Passes
/by Robert K OermannGospel-quartet mainstay David O. Will died at age 78 on March 4 in Hendersonville.
He was best known as a 23-year veteran of The Imperials. During his tenure with the group, it won three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
He was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and became a licensed minister in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Following stints with The Keystones Quartet, The Statesmen and The Tribunes, he joined The Imperials as a baritone vocalist in 1976.
Fiery-voiced Russ Taff joined the group as its lead singer that same year. During the next decade, the group had its biggest successes. The albums Sail On, Imperials Live, Heed the Call, One More Song for You, Christmas With the Imperials and Priority made the group a bridge between the gospel-quartet tradition and the emerging Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) pop style.
While Will was in The Imperials, they were nominated for Grammy Awards 11 times and won for their recordings Sail On (1977), Heed the Call (1979) and Priority (1981).
The album Side By Side (1983) was a double LP with each member of the Imperials singing solo on a side. It won a Dove Award, one of many such accolades from the Gospel Music Association. The Imperials were the organization’s Artist of the Year in 1981.
The act went back to traditional, four-part harmony singing on The Imperials Sing the Classics (1984), then returned to a CCM/pop sound on Let the Wind Blow (1985).
Will was particularly noted for his performances of the ballads “One More Song for You” and “You’re the Only Jesus.” His self-composed “In the Same Old Fashioned Way” was another Imperials favorite.
The group was always known for its progressivism. The Imperials were the first bi-racial quartet in their field. The group stirred controversy when it released the rock-oriented This Year’s Model (1987). Its song “Power of God” was the theme song of the Christian bodybuilders The Power Team. In 1991-93, The Imperials surprised fans when they brought in a female singer, Pam Morales.
In the mid-1990s, the group scaled back its band and returned to performing in intimate, church settings. Instead of booking ticketed concert halls, The Imperials performed for free-will offerings at more than 200 church shows per year. Following a three-year recording hiatus, the act issued Til He Comes (1995), a return to the classic quartet sound.
The Imperials were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998. Without Will and incorporating various new members, the group continued to perform regularly until 2010.
David O. Will is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janice Will, by daughters Lisa Will Brinker, Angela Will Smith and Nicole Will McDougal and by a granddaughter and two sisters.
A celebration of his life will be held Saturday April 2, at Christ Church Wallace Chapel, 15354 Old Hickory Blvd. Visitation will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. with services to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in David O. Will’s memory to Mercy Multiplied, PO Box 111060, Nashville, TN 37222. Arrangements were handled by Lumen Cremation of Nashville.
Vince Gill Announces His Return To The Road This Summer
/by Lorie HollabaughVince Gill
Vince Gill is heading back out on the road this summer for the first tour with his band since 2019. Gill has also been touring as part of The Eagles since 2017.
The new 18-date tour kicks off July 7 in Greensboro and will visit Charleston, Birmingham, Huntsville, Des Moines, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Ft. Worth and more, with additional stops to be announced in the weeks to come. For ticketing information, click here.
“When all touring stopped back in March of 2020, it was a good time for me to take a break from the road,” explains Gill. “Now the Eagles are touring again, and that’s a blast! But I’m also eager to get back on the bus and visit some places and fans that I haven’t seen for a while.”
Joining Gill on the dates will be vocalist Wendy Moten, a recent contestant from NBC’s The Voice. Moten toured with Gill as a harmony singer for several years, and Gill produced Moten’s most recent album, I’ve Got You Covered.
“I’ve always enjoyed sharing a stage with Wendy, whether she was singing harmonies for me, or when we were in The Time Jumpers together,” he adds. “It’s always been my wish that more of the world could hear her, so being able to feature her each night of this tour is something I look forward to.”
Vince Gill Confirmed Tour Dates:
7/7 – Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts – Greensboro, NC
7/8 – Township Auditorium – Columbia, SC
7/9 – North Charleston Performing Arts Center – N. Charleston, SC
7/10 – Bell Auditorium – Augusta, GA
7/14 – Alabama Theater – Birmingham, AL
7/15 – Saenger Theater – Mobile, AL
7/16 – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, AL
7/17 – Von Braun Center – Huntsville, AL
7/20 – Coronado Performing Arts Center – Rockford, IL
7/21 – Adler Theatre – Davenport, IA
7/22 – Des Moines Civic Center – Des Moines, IA
7/23 – Holland Performing Arts Center – Omaha, NE
7/28 – Ovens Auditorium – Charlotte, NC
8/12 – Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre – Oklahoma City, OK
8/13 – Billy Bob’s Texas – Ft. Worth, TX
8/14 – Orpheum Theatre – Memphis, TN
8/26 – Dothan Civic Center – Dothan, AL
8/28 – Fox Theatre – Atlanta, GA
Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson, More To Perform At 2022 CMT Music Awards
/by Lydia FarthingCMT has revealed the first round of performers set to take the stage at the 2022 CMT Music Awards, broadcasting live from Nashville on April 11.
Among the first set of artists are Kelsea Ballerini, who is serving as one of the evening’s co-hosts alongside Anthony Mackie, as well as Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Maren Morris with Ryan Hurd, Carly Pearce, Cole Swindell featuring Lainey Wilson, and Keith Urban.
Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
As previously announced, Brown leads the star-studded nominations this year with four nods; co-host Ballerini, Mickey Guyton and first-time nominees Breland and Johnson follow with three each. Tenille Arts, Priscilla Block, H.E.R., Paul Klein of Lany, MacKenzie Porter, Elvie Shane, Caitlyn Smith and Brittney Spencer also received their first CMT recognitions. Carrie Underwood remains the most decorated artist in CMT history with 23 wins, vying for two additional trophies in the Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year categories, both for her duet with Jason Aldean.
For a full list of nominations, click here.
Fan voting is now open for the 2022 CMT Music Awards, country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show. General voting ends Monday, April 4 at 9:00 a.m. CT.
This year’s show will mark the inaugural broadcast of the CMT Music Awards on the CBS Television Network. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.
Riley Green Brings His Live Show To Listeners With New ‘We Out Here: Live’ Album
/by Lorie HollabaughRiley Green. Photo: Jim Wright
Riley Green is giving fans a taste of his headlining tour with his latest collection, We Out Here: Live, set for release this Friday (March 25) via BMLG Records.
“We’ve seen our biggest and loudest crowds so far on this tour, and to thank all the fans who have come out, we recorded one of the nights for them,” says Green. “Can’t wait for y’all to hear it.”
More dates have also been added to Green’s “We Out Here Tour,” including a stop at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on July 3 to kick off one of the largest Independence Day weekends in the country. The singer-songwriter will also visit Anaheim’s House of Blues, San Diego’s SOMA, Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre, Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Beach, and more.
Green will also join Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs on the road throughout the year.
1. Different ‘Round Here (Live) | Riley Green, Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton
2. Get That Man A Beer (Live) | Riley Green, Jonathan Singleton, Channing Wilson
3. If It Wasn’t For Trucks (Live) | Riley Green, Erik Dylan, Randy Montana
4. Put ‘Em On Mine (Live) | Riley Green, Wyatt McCubbin, Jonathan Singleton
5. Georgia Time (Live) | Riley Green
6. When She Comes Home Tonight (Live) | Riley Green, Jordan Fletcher, Ryan Nelson
7. I Wish Grandpas Never Died (Live) | Riley Green, Lendon Bonds, Buford Green
8. Hell Of A Way To Go (Live) | Riley Green, Erik Dylan, Wyatt McCubbin
9. That’s My Dixie (Live) | Riley Green, Jessi Alexander, Randy Montana
10. There Was This Girl (Live) | Riley Green, Erik Dylan
11. Dixieland Delight (Live) | Ronnie Rogers
Memorial Service Held For Kenny Rogers Two Years After Death
/by LB CantrellPictured: Kenny Rogers’ wife Wanda speaking at his memorial service on March 20, 2022 at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Ben Gray
Friends and family of the late Kenny Rogers gathered this weekend to finally memorialize his life and legacy, two years after he died. The service had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Sunday (March 20) a small group of the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s close friends, family and band members gathered at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia to pay their respects. The ceremony was hosted by long-time touring partners Linda Davis and Billy Dean, and over fifteen speakers memorialized Rogers with stories and kind words.
The ceremony concluded with Dr. T. Lynn Smith and a gospel choir singing “Amazing Grace,” along with a pre-recorded Rogers vocal, and a performance of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” a favorite of the country legend. Brigadier General (Ret.) Richard McPhee gave Rogers an Irish sendoff as guests left the site.
At the reception, a brand new lyric video for Rogers’ song “Goodbye” was debuted for the first time ever.
According to a statement, the Rogers family would like to extend a public invitation for fans to visit his final resting place at the Oakland Cemetery. Details on visiting the site can be found at oaklandcemetery.com.
In his six-decade career, Rogers made an indelible mark on country music with enduring songs such as “The Gambler,” “Lady,” “Islands In The Stream,” “Lucille,” “She Believes In Me,” and “Through the Years.” In addition to being a Country Music Hall of Fame member, Rogers’ career achievements included 24 No. 1 hits, six CMA awards, three Grammy awards, the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, CMT’s Artist of a Lifetime Award, and more.
Rogers died on on March 20, 2020 at the age of 81.
Brandi Carlile, Mickey Guyton, More To Honor Joni Mitchell At MusiCares Person Of The Year Gala
/by Lydia FarthingThe 31st annual MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala will be held on April 1, 2022.
The night, honoring the music and legacy of Joni Mitchell, will feature Brandi Carlile, Mickey Guyton, Allison Russell, Lauren Daigle, Sara Bareilles, Beck, Leon Bridges, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Angélique Kidjo, Cyndi Lauper, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, Stephen Stills, St. Vincent, Jon Batiste, Black Pumas, and a remote performance from Graham Nash.
Batiste and Carlile, each nominated for multiple Grammy Awards this year, will also serve as Artistic Directors for the night, a first for Person of the Year.
This year’s tribute will be held at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, including a reception and silent auction, followed by a dinner and tribute concert honoring Mitchell’s impact on the music industry and the inspiration she has provided to artists over the years.
“We’re excited to honor Joni together, in person, as a music community and can’t wait to bring this great event to Las Vegas,” shares Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares. “We will be celebrating with a purpose, toasting one of music’s greatest songwriters and musicians, while raising vital funds to address the critical health and social service needs of the music community.”
“MusiCares’ amazing work providing aid to music professionals is crucial to the well-being of our community,” adds Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “Their ongoing support for music people is truly inspiring and we’re looking forward to celebrating the return of Person of the Year this April.”