Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Freddie Hart passed away in Burbank, California, on Saturday, Oct. 27, at age 91.
Hart is best known for his country mega hit “Easy Loving” of 1971. It was named Song of the year by both the ACM and the CMA in 1971, and it repeated the accolade a second time at the 1972 CMA Awards.
His songs were also recorded by Carl Smith, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Billy Walker, Waylon Jennings, Eddy Arnold, Loretta Lynn and dozens of other country stars. As a recording artist, his career stretched from the early 1950s into the present century.
He was born Frederick Segrest on Dec. 21, 1926, one of 15 children of Alabama sharecropper parents. When he was 5, an uncle fashioned the boy his first guitar out of cigar box and some wire. Hart ran away from home for the first time at age 7. His schooling ended with the second grade. By the time he was 12, he was so rebellious that his parents put him into the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
Freddie Hart lied about his age and enlisted in the Marines at age 14. He was in combat during World War II at Guam and Iwo Jima. But he also entertained in servicemen’s clubs. After the war, he drifted from job to job, working as a cotton picker, sawmill worker, dishwasher, pipeline layer and nightclub bouncer.
He hitchhiked to Nashville in 1949 and met his idol, Hank Williams. Hank’s songwriting advice to the youngster was, “Set people to music.” Hart’s first taste of songwriting success came when George Morgan recorded his “Every Little Thing Rolled Into One” later that year.
He met Lefty Frizzell in 1950 and became the star’s opening act. Capitol Records signed Hart in 1952, but none of the ensuing singles charted. Hart remained with Frizzell until 1953. In that year, Freddie Hart joined the cast of the Los Angeles country TV show Town Hall Party. He appeared regularly on the program for the next three years.
Hart was a physical-fitness aficionado who earned a black belt in judo and taught self-defense classes during his early years on the West Coast. He reportedly even trained the Los Angeles Police Department.
He had his first hit as a songwriter when Carl Smith took his “Loose Talk” up the charts in 1955. The song has also been recorded by Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, Hank Locklin, Jean Shepard and more than 40 others. It became a hit a second time in 1961 via a duet version by Buck Owens and Rose Maddox.
As a singer, Freddie Hart began to make the charts on Columbia Records in 1959-61, initially by recording the Harlan Howard songs “The Wall,” “Chain Gang,” “The Key’s in the Mailbox” and “Lying Again.” He made his first appearances on the Grand Ole Opry during this period.
A stint at Monument Records in 1963-64 proved fruitless. He was absent from the country charts before reappearing on Kapp Records in 1965. He wrote his Kapp singles “Hank Williams’ Guitar” (1965) and “Togetherness” (1967). Following another “dry spell,” Hart re-signed with Capitol Records in 1970. He was also signed as a singer-songwriter by Buck Owens’s publishing and management companies around that time.
Lacking any top-10 hits as a recording artist, he steadily provided songs to others throughout the first two decades of his career. These included “Farther Than My Eyes Can See” for Frizzell (1959), “Blue” for The Louvin Brothers (1959), “Lovin’ in Vain” for Patsy Cline (1961), “My Tears Are Overdue” for George Jones (1965) and “If the Shoe Fits” for Waylon Jennings (1967).
“Willie the Weeper,” sung by Billy Walker (1962) and “Skid Row Joe” by Porter Wagoner (1966) were both top-10 hits written by Freddie Hart. Joe Simon made the soul-music charts with Hart’s “Too Many Teardrops” in 1966.
Other notable early Hart tunes included “Sing the Girls a Song, Bill” for Jennings “Who Done It” for Burl Ives and “It Takes One to Know One” for Jimmy Martin.
Hart’s evergreen “Drink Up and Go Home” was recorded by Mitchell Torok, Carl Perkins, Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter, Bobby Bare, The Wilburn Brothers and himself.
The singer-songwriter’s big breakthrough as a recording artist finally occurred with “Easy Loving.” Written and recorded by Hart, it became his first top-10 hit and first No. 1 hit in 1971. At age 44, he became a star.
“Easy Loving” garnered him two Grammy Award nominations. It earned a Gold Record, a BMI Two-Millionaire award and a Billboard honor as the No. 1 country single of the year. Hart swept the Academy of Country Music Awards for 1971, winning Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album and Single as well as Song of the Year as a result of this song’s huge impact.
In 1972, he scored the biggest hit of his career with his self-penned “My Hang-Up Is You.” His next four Capitol singles also made No. 1 – “Bless Your Heart” (1972), “Got the All-Overs for You” (1972), “Super Kind of Woman” (1973, the only one he didn’t write) and “Trip to Heaven” (1973), Hart wrote and sang three more top-10 smashes, “If You Can’t Feel It,” “Hang In There Girl” and “The Want-To’s,” in 1973-74.
His toured extensively behind those hits. During his career, Hart appeared in every state in the union as well as in Germany, Holland, England, Thailand, China, Japan, France and Saudi Arabia.
In 1975, he turned to other songwriters for his next three top-10 hits – “My Woman’s Man,” “I’d Like to Sleep ‘Til I Get Over You” and “The First Time.” He wrote his final top-10 hit of 1975, “Warm Side of You.”
Freddie Hart’s songs also continued to be successful for others during this era. Buck Owens & Susan Raye turned “Togetherness” into a hit duet in 1970. Raye released Hart’s “Greatest Gift of All” as a solo in 1972. Charlie Rich issued Hart’s “I’m Not Going Hungry Anymore” in 1973 and revived “Too Many Teardrops” in 1974. Bobby “Blue” Bland turned Hart’s “If Fingerprints Showed Up on Skin” into an r&b song in 1975.
As a singer, Hart returned to the country hit parade with 1976’s “You Are the Song,” “She’ll Throw Stones at You” and “That Look in Her Eyes..” His co-written “Why Lovers Turn to Strangers” became a top-10 hit late in that year.
Freddie Hart’s last top-20 country hits were “Thank God She’s Mine” (1977), “The Pleasure’s Been All Mine” (1977) and “Sure Thing” (1980). He continued to make the charts regularly until 1988. By then, he had placed 48 titles on the country hit parade, earned 22 top-20 hits and scored six No. 1 singles.
Among his later songs, Hart’s co-written “While the Feeling’s Good” was particularly successful. It made the charts for Mike Lunsford in 1976, for Kenny Rogers in 1976 and for Tammy Wynette & Wayne Newton as a duet in 1989. It has also been recorded by B.J. Thomas (1981), Rex Allen Jr. (1976), J.J. Barnes (1999) and Vince Hill (2004), among others.
Leland Martin enlisted Hart to sing on their songwriting collaboration “Freddie’s Heart” in 2002. “Drink Up and Go Home” was revived by Jerry Garcia, Larry Cordle, Audie Blaylock, Sleepy LaBeef and Dave Evans.
While he was riding high, Freddie Hart established his Hartline trucking company, formed a song-publishing company, bought 40 acres of plum trees, acquired 200 breeding bulls and opened a chain of martial arts studios. He also founded a school for disabled children in California.
In the 1990s, he began issuing gospel albums and entertaining at Branson, Mo. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Hart is also a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, the Colorado Hall of Fame and the Idaho Hall of Fame.
His classic songs continued to be recorded by a new generation of stars in recent years. Among those who have revived Hart’s works are Carlene Carter, Lorrie Morgan, Raul Malo, The Gibson Brothers, John Prine, Jesse Winchester, The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Deke Dickerson and Rosie Flores.
In addition to many brothers and sisters, Hart is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ginger and sons Freddie Jr., Andy, Joe and Victor. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Country Great Freddie Hart Passes
/by Robert K OermannNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Freddie Hart passed away in Burbank, California, on Saturday, Oct. 27, at age 91.
Hart is best known for his country mega hit “Easy Loving” of 1971. It was named Song of the year by both the ACM and the CMA in 1971, and it repeated the accolade a second time at the 1972 CMA Awards.
His songs were also recorded by Carl Smith, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Billy Walker, Waylon Jennings, Eddy Arnold, Loretta Lynn and dozens of other country stars. As a recording artist, his career stretched from the early 1950s into the present century.
He was born Frederick Segrest on Dec. 21, 1926, one of 15 children of Alabama sharecropper parents. When he was 5, an uncle fashioned the boy his first guitar out of cigar box and some wire. Hart ran away from home for the first time at age 7. His schooling ended with the second grade. By the time he was 12, he was so rebellious that his parents put him into the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
Freddie Hart lied about his age and enlisted in the Marines at age 14. He was in combat during World War II at Guam and Iwo Jima. But he also entertained in servicemen’s clubs. After the war, he drifted from job to job, working as a cotton picker, sawmill worker, dishwasher, pipeline layer and nightclub bouncer.
He hitchhiked to Nashville in 1949 and met his idol, Hank Williams. Hank’s songwriting advice to the youngster was, “Set people to music.” Hart’s first taste of songwriting success came when George Morgan recorded his “Every Little Thing Rolled Into One” later that year.
He met Lefty Frizzell in 1950 and became the star’s opening act. Capitol Records signed Hart in 1952, but none of the ensuing singles charted. Hart remained with Frizzell until 1953. In that year, Freddie Hart joined the cast of the Los Angeles country TV show Town Hall Party. He appeared regularly on the program for the next three years.
Hart was a physical-fitness aficionado who earned a black belt in judo and taught self-defense classes during his early years on the West Coast. He reportedly even trained the Los Angeles Police Department.
He had his first hit as a songwriter when Carl Smith took his “Loose Talk” up the charts in 1955. The song has also been recorded by Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, Hank Locklin, Jean Shepard and more than 40 others. It became a hit a second time in 1961 via a duet version by Buck Owens and Rose Maddox.
As a singer, Freddie Hart began to make the charts on Columbia Records in 1959-61, initially by recording the Harlan Howard songs “The Wall,” “Chain Gang,” “The Key’s in the Mailbox” and “Lying Again.” He made his first appearances on the Grand Ole Opry during this period.
A stint at Monument Records in 1963-64 proved fruitless. He was absent from the country charts before reappearing on Kapp Records in 1965. He wrote his Kapp singles “Hank Williams’ Guitar” (1965) and “Togetherness” (1967). Following another “dry spell,” Hart re-signed with Capitol Records in 1970. He was also signed as a singer-songwriter by Buck Owens’s publishing and management companies around that time.
Lacking any top-10 hits as a recording artist, he steadily provided songs to others throughout the first two decades of his career. These included “Farther Than My Eyes Can See” for Frizzell (1959), “Blue” for The Louvin Brothers (1959), “Lovin’ in Vain” for Patsy Cline (1961), “My Tears Are Overdue” for George Jones (1965) and “If the Shoe Fits” for Waylon Jennings (1967).
“Willie the Weeper,” sung by Billy Walker (1962) and “Skid Row Joe” by Porter Wagoner (1966) were both top-10 hits written by Freddie Hart. Joe Simon made the soul-music charts with Hart’s “Too Many Teardrops” in 1966.
Other notable early Hart tunes included “Sing the Girls a Song, Bill” for Jennings “Who Done It” for Burl Ives and “It Takes One to Know One” for Jimmy Martin.
Hart’s evergreen “Drink Up and Go Home” was recorded by Mitchell Torok, Carl Perkins, Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter, Bobby Bare, The Wilburn Brothers and himself.
The singer-songwriter’s big breakthrough as a recording artist finally occurred with “Easy Loving.” Written and recorded by Hart, it became his first top-10 hit and first No. 1 hit in 1971. At age 44, he became a star.
“Easy Loving” garnered him two Grammy Award nominations. It earned a Gold Record, a BMI Two-Millionaire award and a Billboard honor as the No. 1 country single of the year. Hart swept the Academy of Country Music Awards for 1971, winning Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album and Single as well as Song of the Year as a result of this song’s huge impact.
In 1972, he scored the biggest hit of his career with his self-penned “My Hang-Up Is You.” His next four Capitol singles also made No. 1 – “Bless Your Heart” (1972), “Got the All-Overs for You” (1972), “Super Kind of Woman” (1973, the only one he didn’t write) and “Trip to Heaven” (1973), Hart wrote and sang three more top-10 smashes, “If You Can’t Feel It,” “Hang In There Girl” and “The Want-To’s,” in 1973-74.
His toured extensively behind those hits. During his career, Hart appeared in every state in the union as well as in Germany, Holland, England, Thailand, China, Japan, France and Saudi Arabia.
In 1975, he turned to other songwriters for his next three top-10 hits – “My Woman’s Man,” “I’d Like to Sleep ‘Til I Get Over You” and “The First Time.” He wrote his final top-10 hit of 1975, “Warm Side of You.”
Freddie Hart’s songs also continued to be successful for others during this era. Buck Owens & Susan Raye turned “Togetherness” into a hit duet in 1970. Raye released Hart’s “Greatest Gift of All” as a solo in 1972. Charlie Rich issued Hart’s “I’m Not Going Hungry Anymore” in 1973 and revived “Too Many Teardrops” in 1974. Bobby “Blue” Bland turned Hart’s “If Fingerprints Showed Up on Skin” into an r&b song in 1975.
As a singer, Hart returned to the country hit parade with 1976’s “You Are the Song,” “She’ll Throw Stones at You” and “That Look in Her Eyes..” His co-written “Why Lovers Turn to Strangers” became a top-10 hit late in that year.
Freddie Hart’s last top-20 country hits were “Thank God She’s Mine” (1977), “The Pleasure’s Been All Mine” (1977) and “Sure Thing” (1980). He continued to make the charts regularly until 1988. By then, he had placed 48 titles on the country hit parade, earned 22 top-20 hits and scored six No. 1 singles.
Among his later songs, Hart’s co-written “While the Feeling’s Good” was particularly successful. It made the charts for Mike Lunsford in 1976, for Kenny Rogers in 1976 and for Tammy Wynette & Wayne Newton as a duet in 1989. It has also been recorded by B.J. Thomas (1981), Rex Allen Jr. (1976), J.J. Barnes (1999) and Vince Hill (2004), among others.
Leland Martin enlisted Hart to sing on their songwriting collaboration “Freddie’s Heart” in 2002. “Drink Up and Go Home” was revived by Jerry Garcia, Larry Cordle, Audie Blaylock, Sleepy LaBeef and Dave Evans.
While he was riding high, Freddie Hart established his Hartline trucking company, formed a song-publishing company, bought 40 acres of plum trees, acquired 200 breeding bulls and opened a chain of martial arts studios. He also founded a school for disabled children in California.
In the 1990s, he began issuing gospel albums and entertaining at Branson, Mo. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Hart is also a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, the Colorado Hall of Fame and the Idaho Hall of Fame.
His classic songs continued to be recorded by a new generation of stars in recent years. Among those who have revived Hart’s works are Carlene Carter, Lorrie Morgan, Raul Malo, The Gibson Brothers, John Prine, Jesse Winchester, The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Deke Dickerson and Rosie Flores.
In addition to many brothers and sisters, Hart is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ginger and sons Freddie Jr., Andy, Joe and Victor. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Stoney’s Rockin’ Country Totals Over $70,000 Raised To Aid Las Vegas’ Route 91 Victims
/by Jessica NicholsonOn the heels of winning the most recent Las Vegas Best Nightclub of the Year award from the Las Vegas Review Journal in October, Stoney’s founder Chris Lowden announced today (Oct. 26) that the total funds raised from his 2017 and 2018 concerts, to benefit the Route 91 concert victims, has exceeded $70,000.
On Oct. 2, 2017, immediately after the tragic events the previous day, Lowden and Jeff “Toad” Higginbotham organized a solidarity concert with proceeds going to the Las Vegas Victims Fund created by County Commissioner Steve Sisolak. That show played the following evening to a jam-packed crowd of 1,400 country fans, family and friends of the victims and helped unify the close-knit community. Country music artists Tony Jackson, Carter Winter and Justin Holmes immediately offered to perform and were joined by Dylan Schneider, Matt Farris, Scotty Alexander and Mark MacKay. Stoney’s staff even donated their tips to the cause. The event, #VEGASSTRONG, raised over $40,000.
“As attendees and contributors to Route 91, it was important, from day one, that we demonstrate support for our community and country music,” says Higginbotham, Stoney’s marketing director and co-talent buyer. “We came out of the chute with the first concert to establish that we support all of the victims and their families and the love received from both artists and event goers was amazing. The second event in September was a truly humbling experience. We are grateful for the time, talents and efforts of everyone who supported both events. And to the family and fans we call our country family, we are forever grateful. Love will always win.”
In keeping with the spirit of remembering, honoring and supporting the victims and their families, Stoney’s reprised the event as #VEGASSTRONGER, on Sept. 30, 2018 raising $29,791.31. The event, #VEGASSTRONGER Anniversary Benefit show, included performers: Love and Theft, Drew Baldridge, Austin Burke, Tony Jackson and Stevie Monce. The proceeds from this show were given directly to #LOVEWINS.
“The heinous events of Oct. 1, 2017 rocked us to the core,” Lowden says, “and we are determined to do all that we can, on an ongoing basis, to help the victims of that senseless tragedy heal. I again thank everyone involved for coming together to celebrate the music that we love and to demonstrate that hate will not win over love … LOVE WINS,” he declared from his Stoney’s Rockin’ Country headquarters on the Strip.
David DeVaul Joins Reviver Records
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured: Gator Michaels (Reviver EVP/GM), Clay Myers (Reviver Publishing), DeVaul, Carole Ann Mobley (Reviver Publishing), David Ross (Reviver CEO). Photo Courtesy Reviver
Reviver Records has signed David DeVaul to its roster. The former American Idol contestant has recently penned songs for Josh Gracin, Aaron Goodvin, and collaborated with producer OHKI to create a country/hip-hop flavored EP titled Dixieland, available now. David has been cutting his teeth as a member of Reviver Publishing, experimenting with different genres like country, pop, soul, & hip-hop, and is excited to further his already blossoming career.
Reviver CEO David Ross states: “David DeVaul is one of those songwriters that has a keen sense of the elements that it takes to make a great song – honesty, authenticity and a musicianship that enables him to come away from a write with a powerful product that connects with both music lovers and our country music community. Reviver Publishing is proud to add David to our growing roster of talented, up and coming hit songwriters.”
Hailing from the small farm town of Britt, Iowa, DeVaul was drawn to music at a very early age, leaning towards both rap and country music for the multitude of stories they tell. David honed his craft while working a number of odd jobs to help support his musical career, and wrote songs for Red Marlow from The Voice and Rayvon Owens from American Idol. David also serves on the board of 4:13 Strong – a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disenfranchised men get back on their feet by providing educational, vocational and life-skill training to help them serve productive and rewarding lives.
Randy Houser, Michael Ray, Carly Pearce To Lead Myrtle Beach Benefit Concert
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Myrtle Beach community is coming together to help neighbors impacted by Hurricane Florence, via a benefit concert on Nov. 11. The event will feature performances from Randy Houser, Michael Ray, Carly Pearce, Love & Theft, the Davisson Brothers, and more.
The show will run from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the TicketReturn.com Field, located at Pelicans Ballpark, 1251 21st Avenue North, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Some proceeds will go to the Area Recovery Council through the Waccamaw Community Foundation to support disaster relief efforts in Horry and Georgetown counties. Another portion will be given to the Eastern SC Chapter of the American Red Cross to support disaster relief efforts in Horry, Florence, Darlington, Marlboro, Dillon and Marion counties.
“It is amazing to see so many people working tirelessly to plan this incredible event in a short amount of time,” said Karen Riordan, President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s going to be an exciting night in our town, and we are hoping for a sell-out, so we can make a big impact on those who so desperately need help.”
Tickets are available online only via the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and TicketReturn.com box office. Ticket prices range from $50 to $200 each.
Pistol Annies Pack Out The Ryman With Fiery Performance, Female Camaraderie
/by Jessica NicholsonPistol Annies. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
“We hope to set a very bad example for all of you tonight,” egged Miranda Lambert from centerstage of country music’s mother church The Ryman Auditorium Thursday night (Oct. 25).
Together, Lambert (Lonestar Annie) and her Pistol Annies cohorts Angaleena Presley (Holler Annie) and Ashley Monroe (Hippie Annie), performed their first full show in nearly seven years, offering songs from the Pistol Annies’ upcoming third album, Interstate Gospel, which arrives Nov. 2.
In truth, as the three talented women played a sold-out show at one of Nashville’s most cherished concert halls, before a largely female audience, Pistol Annies set a very good example of what country fans—particularly female fans—want to hear.
Perhaps the show’s zenith came with a moment of glorious unity during the anthem “Girls Like Us,” as Lambert, Monroe and Presley linked hands and raised them high in a show of solidarity and praise for honest, hardworking, hard-loving women.
No need for pyrotechnics, just three fully-competent artists fusing their talents and road-weathered life stories into flawless harmony.
They offered the first song the trio ever sang together with “Lemon Drop,” as well as several tracks from the new album including “Milkman,” “Sugar Daddy,” and the title track, which they said was “inspired by Jesus.”
For just over an hour, the trio tackled divorce, dead-end marriages, temptation and liberation, though they let the music do most of the talking (and scourging).
“We’ve had two husbands, two ex-husbands, two babies, one on the way, and 25 animals,” Lambert said. “Needless to say, we’ve lived a lot of life and some of it was happy and some of it was ‘Unhappily Married.’”
In introducing the resilient, independent “Got My Name Changed Back,” Presley cautioned, “This song is not about anyone in this band; it was very difficult for us to write about this,” to which Lambert retorted, “She’s full of shit.”
Pictured Front row (L-R): Lauren Thomas, Liz Sledge. 2nd row L-R: Olivia Laster, Nicole Walden, Miranda Lambert, Angeleena Presley, Ashley Monroe, Matt Galvin, Dennis Reese. Top row (L-R): Adam Davis & Steve Hodges
Another fiery moment came a few songs into the evening, during a tender take on the new track “Cheyenne,” when a slightly unruly concertgoer made her way to the front of the stage. After ushers could not convince the attendee to return to her seat, Lone Star Annie took control.
“Alright, I’m not gonna have you stealing our show tonight. You’re gonna have to go sit down,” she told the woman. “This is our night right here, sorry.” Ultimately, Lambert walked to the front of the stage, taking the woman’s hand and leading her out of the front row area.
Lambert donned a washboard for a track from 2013’s Annie Up, “Damn Thing,” while “I Feel A Sin Comin’ On” was punctuated with snaps and the full-throated singing of a rapturous audience.
They thrilled the crowd and earned a standing ovation from sing-alongs on “Takin’ Pills” and the sultry “Hell On Heels,” from the 2011 album of the same name.
The evening’s lone cover song honored Elvis Presley, “the one man we all want to marry,” according to Lambert. With that, the trio offered a stunning rendition to Elvis’ 1956 song “Love Me.”
The show closed on a blissful note as Monroe took the lead on the romantic “I Hope You’re The End Of My Story,” which she called her wedding song. Given all the love, heartache, and life Pistol Annies packed into their too-brief headlining show, there are plenty more tales where that came from.
Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals To Headline 10th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival
/by Lorie HollabaughThe festival, held in venues along scenic Highway 30A, will feature performances in presenting partner Grand Boulevard’s Town Center throughout the weekend by renowned songwriters including Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, Gregory Alan Isakov, Suzy Bogguss, Amanda Shires, Shawn Mullins, Livingston Taylor, John Fullbright, The Secret Sisters, The War And Treaty, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Robyn Hitchcock, Jeffrey Steele, Chely Wright, and Radney Foster.
“This will be our tenth annual 30A Songwriters Festival and we are delighted to welcome back some of our favorite performers from past years, including Jason Isbell, and introduce our audience for the first time to Grammy and Americana award nominee Brandi Carlile,” state Festival producers Russell Carter and Jennifer Steele. “We join with our ticket patrons, sponsors, the board of the Cultural Arts Alliance and RCAM to happily donate a portion of the net profit from the Festival to Hurricane Michael relief efforts in the Florida Panhandle.”
Additional artists will be announced over the next few weeks. Festival Weekend Passes are currently available for $280. VIP tickets that include premium seating on the lawn at Grand Boulevard for the headline shows on Saturday and Sunday afternoons along with access to the VIP tent serving complementary food, beer, wine and cocktails are available for $685; VIP Premier weekend passes with all VIP amenities plus the best seats in the house are $810.
CMA Songwriters Series Wraps Second-Annual U.K. And European Tour
/by Eric T. ParkerPictured (L–R): Chris DeStefano, Ashley Campbell, Tenille Townes, Kassi Ashton and James Black (Kassi Ashton’s guitarist). Photo: Matt Carson
The Country Music Association’s CMA Songwriters Series wrapped the second-annual U.K. and European tours with a final show in London, England from Oct. 8 – 22.
The stops included Kassi Ashton, Ashley Campbell, Chris DeStefano, Tenille Townes, Drake White and Charlie Worsham in Stockholm, Oslo, Hamburg and Amsterdam, Glasgow, Liverpool, Gateshead, Manchester and London.
Chase Rice made a surprise appearance at the final show in London at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, followed by the exclusive announcement of the lineup for the three-day 2019 C2C: Country to Country Festival.
Local artists also joined the lineup at each leg: Swedish artist Jill Johnson in Stockholm and Oslo; German-based artist Martin Kelly opened in Hamburg; and Dutch artist Joe Buck opened the show in Amsterdam. Special guests Catherine McGrath and The Wandering Hearts joined two shows, with Gary Quinn opening at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester.
Historic Nashville Announces 2018 Nine Most Endangered Historic Properties
/by Lorie HollabaughAmong the properties in jeopardy on this year’s list are 1030 16th Avenue South, (the current home of Warner/Chappell Production Music,) the Monroe Harding Children’s Home at 1120 Glendale Lane in Green Hills, 1028 16th Avenue South, (the home of Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern,) and 1022 16th Avenue South, where Ed and Patsy Bruce operated the Ed Bruce Talent Agency in the late 70’s through the ’80’s.
Trey Bruce, whose family owned 1022 16th Ave. S. on Music Row, was instrumental in saving the iconic RCA Studio A in 2014. With HNI, he has focused on preserving both the physical character of the Music Row neighborhood and the music industry that still lives on the row. He has helped establish a Music Row Preservation Fund with HNI and seeks to see the neighborhood designated the Music Row Cultural Industry District.
“The properties placed on the Nashville Nine list are buildings and places that appear vulnerable in Nashville’s climate of development,” said Bruce. “This is a way for us to make city officials and citizens aware that these places exist and that we’re watching out for them. Finding people that care about historic places is easy but making them aware is the hard part. We think the Nashville Nine is the way to do that,” says Bruce.
The 2018 Nashville Nine was nominated by members of the community and will be the focus of Historic Nashville’s advocacy and outreach throughout the coming year. The non-profit accepts nominations for historic properties threatened by demolition, neglect or development and strives to bring public awareness to the historic places that matter most to Nashville.
Last year, HNI chose to break from their traditional nine properties and listed only one, Fort Negley Park, in an effort to bring attention to how the city’s growth is impacting the character and story of the city. The former site of Greer stadium represented the greater trend seen across the city that encourages new development over preserving the historic places that make Nashville unique. As a result of the listing and outcry from the community, plans were abandoned, and the site will be developed as a park and historic site.
Over the years, Historic Nashville has successfully assisted in preserving numerous landmarks including the Ryman Auditorium, Union Station, and the Hermitage Hotel. HNI accepts nominations for the Nashville Nine year-round at historicnashvilleinc.org.
Newsboys Celebrate 10 Million In Career Sales
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Newsboys’ Phil Joel, Peter Furler, Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips and Michael Tait
CCM group Newsboys were honored at their Nashville tour stop earlier this week for total career sales in excess of 10 million units. During a VIP reception at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena, FairTrade Services president/founder Jeff Moseley recognized the band’s achievement within the genre. Since forming in Australia more than three decades ago and arriving in America in 1987, Newsboys have released 23 recordings and are heralded as one of Christian music’s most iconic bands.
Ryan Griffin Inks Deal With Warner Music Nashville, Altadena
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Shane Tarleton (SVP Artist Development, WMN); busbee (Founder / CEO, Altadena); Ryan Griffin; John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Kristen Williams (SVP Radio & Streaming, WMN)
Warner Music Nashville and busbee’s Altadena have co-signed newcomer Ryan Griffin. His busbee-produced blend of country and soul is demonstrated on previously-released tracks “Good Company,” “Play It By Heart” and “Best Cold Beer,” the latter of which SiriusXM The Highway featured as part of their influential “On the Horizon” show.
As a songwriter, Griffin penned Kelsea Ballerini’s 2016 Platinum-certified No. 1 hit “Dibs.”
Pictured (L-R): Nate Ritches (Agent, Morris Higham Management); Shane Tarleton (SVP Artist Development, WMN); Daniel Lee (GM / VP Creative, Altadena); busbee (Founder / CEO, Altadena); Noreen Prunier (Creative Director, Altadena); Ryan Griffin; Kristen Williams (SVP Radio & Streaming, WMN); John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Clint Higham (President, Morris Higham Management); Jess Rosen (Co-Chair, Greenberg Traurig’s Atlanta Entertainment & Media); Will Hitchcock (Manager, Morris Higham Management)