Tom Hambridge
Don’t miss two-time Grammy winner & five-time Grammy nominated producer, songwriter and drummer Tom Hambridge on The Producer’s Chair on Thursday, March 2 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
Believe it or not, since my last interview with Tom Hambridge in 2014, Tom has produced 17 more albums, received 27 award nominations, six of which he won, played drums and/or sang on 19 other artist’s albums, made numerous TV appearances, toured extensively and now, he’s about to release his 7th solo album The Nola Sessions…
In 2016 alone, Hambridge added another 93 cuts to his songwriting discography which already boasts the likes of Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Susan Tedeschi, George Thorogood, Joe Bonamassa, Quinn Sullivan, Keb’ Mo’, Eric Burdon, Delbert McClinton, Johnny Winter, Colin Linden, ZZ Top, BB King, Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Meat Loaf, Kenny Neal, Shemekia Copeland, Van Zant, T. Graham Brown, The Outlaws, Jack Ingram, Taylor Hicks, Rascal Flatts, Joe Nichols, Chris Young, Gretchen Wilson, Danny Gokey, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Roy Parnell, Pat Green, Hank Williams Jr., Montgomery Gentry, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Dunn and the list goes on … and on, including Keith Anderson’s song “Every Time I Hear Your Name,” co-written by Hambridge and Jeffrey Steele, which won a 2007 ASCAP Country Music Song Award. Hambridge is a writing machine who not only has 500 cuts in multiple genres but over 50 producer, songwriter and musician awards including two Grammys, five Grammy nominations and a boatload of Blues Music & Blues Blast Awards.
The unique thing about Tom’s career is that he gets to produce, co-write and tour globally with both, legends like Buddy Guy and James Cotton and some of the Hottest new young artists, on the planet, like Quinn Sullivan. Hell, Mick Jagger even asked Tom to play drums for him, at the White House. But don’t think that Hambridge was un-known before he arrived in Nashville. After graduating from Berklee, between 1988 and 1999 he won six Boston Music Awards and was bandleader for Martha & The Vandellas, Bo Diddley, Little Anthony, Chuck Berry and he played drums with the band Boston.
Today, a review of Tom’s Grammy awards and nominations speaks volumes about his journey. His first Grammy nomination came in 1998 for Best Contemporary Blues Album when he produced Susan Tedeschi’s album Just Won’t Burn. Then, in 2004 Hambridge received his second Grammy Nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album: Johnny Winter – I’m A Bluesman and in 2009 his 3rd Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album: Buddy Guy – Skin Deep, which featured Eric Clapton, Susan & Derek Trucks Tom wrote 10 of the 12 songs including three with Gary Nicholson, including the title track. In 2011 Hambridge produced Buddy Guy’s – Living Proof which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album featuring all 12 songs written by Tom, 4 songs he co-wrote with Gary Nicholson and four co-writes with Richard Fleming and in 2013 Tom also produced Buddy Guy’s double album Rhythm & Blues, which was Buddy’s biggest charting album ever, as the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Blues Chart. The album includes guest star performances by Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Gary Clark Jr., Beth Hart and The Muscle Shoals Horns and Steven Tyler, Joe Perry & Brad Whitford of Aerosmith and featured 18 Tom Hambridge original songs.
In 2014 Hambridge received another Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album: James Cotton – Cotton Mouth Man. Tom wrote 12 songs on this album which included appearances by Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Delbert McClinton, Warren Hayes, Keb’ Mo’, Chuck Leavell and Colin Linden and last year Tom produced Buddy Guy’s – Born To Play Guitar won the Grammy for Best Blues Album, which included 13 Tom Hambridge songs including the song “Flesh & Bone” featuring Van Morrison.
So far this year, Hambridge will been touring with Buddy Guy, he’s scheduled to produce a new album on Nashville artist and American Idol runner up Casey James. He’ll be doing some tour dates with his own band The Rattlesnakes, he’s currently working on a new documentary about Quinn Sullivan’s life…and it’s only February.
The Producer’s Chair (TPC): From the time you graduated from Berklee, it took you 15 years before you moved to Nashville. Was there a reason why it took so long for you to move?
Tom Hambridge: I had no plan to go to Nashville at first. I had just graduated from college and at that time I was already plugged into the amazing music scene there in Boston. Right after college, I went on the road with Roy Buchanan as his drummer/lead singer which was one of my favorite gigs to this day. Then after him, I started playing with Bo Diddley and I had my own band in Boston. There was an amazing club scene—500, 600-seat clubs and original, good rock n’ roll bands—and we could actually make a living. We could play five or six nights a week and go off to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Boston, and other parts of Massachusetts. We were rolling and I was playing on other people’s records in town. Big acts would ask me to play whenever I was in town and that’s how I started playing with Chuck Berry. It’s just there was no reason for me to go. I didn’t have enough days in the month.
What ended up happening was I had produced Susan Tedeschi’s record. I had a few of her hits on the radio that I had written and I was playing with Boston. So at that time of my life, I thought I was at the top of the mountain. Then it started to feel like the sky was closing in. Like there’s nothing else I could do. I’m doing everything here. Record companies were calling me, asking me to work on this record or this project, and other people wanted to write. I thought I needed to relocate to New York or Los Angeles, but we had our first child, and my wife said we can’t raise her in New York City. L.A. was the same deal. And I said well there’s an industry happening in Nashville and I wanted to go where the industry was, where they are making records. So we took off to Nashville and we got off the plane and when we were walking through the airport, people were walking up to Rachel like ‘Aww what a cute little baby!’ Everyone was so friendly and my wife said she felt a vibe here and we thought this is where we can raise Rachel. Then I went back to Boston for six months trying to figure out how to tell everybody that I was working with, I was moving to Nashville. When I moved to Nashville, I didn’t know anybody.
It’s a funny story. I was playing with everybody – Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Little Anthony – Everybody would call me to play bandleader and play drums and do their shows when they came to New England. I was doing this with Sha Na Na. And one of the guys from the group, Jocko, calls me and says, ‘Hey man! We got a gig in Las Vegas so we’re going to send you a plane ticket out of Boston.’ I said hey man, I’m not there. I’m in Nashville. He says what are you doing in Nashville? I said, I don’t know. I’m just down here; I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do. And he goes, ‘Oh man, I got a friend who works at MCA and his name is Chip Young.’ So I called Chip and he goes ‘Yeah?’ said Jocko told me to call you, I just moved to town. He asks, can you do a 2 p.m. on a Thursday? I asked what that meant and he continues, ‘Come on up on Thursday. We’ll having a meeting and bring some songs.’ Chip Young is just so wonderful, he worked in the publishing department and he’s an amazing producer. He’s produced so many great records, Jerry Reed records and stuff.
I met Chip and I brought one of my solo CD’s When we walked in the room he said, ‘Alright, let’s hear some songs.’ He played the whole CD. It was like 40-45 minutes long. Then he says, ‘Ok. How much do you want?’ and I said for what? Then he goes, ‘For a publishing deal. You wrote all these songs?’ I said ‘Yeah.’ Then he says ‘35!’ I didn’t know what that meant. The he goes ’35 thousand!’ then he says ‘40!’ I was surprised I even got a dollar for my songs. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I don’t know what we’re doing. He says, ‘You’re really not negotiating, are you?’ I said “No” , , I just got here. We went out to eat and he said, ‘You got so much going on. Just hold on to your songs.’ From then on every time I got offered a deal, I just held onto my publishing. I used my song money to buy a house and feed my family.
TPC: Did the blues resonate with you, more than other genres, as a kid?
Hambridge: I never considered myself a ‘genre’ guy – or a blues person. I just love music and it’s the only job I’ve ever had in my life. Since I was 5, I’ve just been playing music. I got paid for it in the 3rd grade and I never turned back. I play jazz, bee-bop, soul, country, rock, pop and it just so happens that I made this record for Susan Tedeschi and it became the biggest selling blues record.
TPC: What’s a good way for a blues artist to get noticed by you or someone else who could propel their career?
Hambridge: Most cities including Nashville have a Blues Society that you can join. Each year each society sends local bands and artists down to play at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Years ago, Susan Tedeschi was a runner-up in one of them and everyone saw her. That’s one way to do it.
TPC: In 2004, you produced Johnny Winter’s I’m A Bluesman album, which received Grammy nomination. How did you meet Johnny?
Hambridge: That was cool. His manager called me and said; Johnny loved the song I wrote called Rock Me Right by Susan Tedeschi. He said he was just playing the shit out of it. So that was really cool. Johnny asked if I could write something like that for him. I wrote a song called the Lone Wolf. I cut it and sent it to him. He said oh man I got to do this. They said you got any more? Then they asked if I could come out and do a record and I did. I was extremely saddened to hear that he died in a hotel in Europe. When I was working with him, his health wasn’t that great. He was an albino, an ex-heroin addict and had a hard life but I heard that he was getting better. I guess it eventually took its toll.
TPC: How did you wind up producing Buddy Guy?
Hambridge: I met him years ago on a tour I did with him and BB King. When I got a record deal, I was out on tour and I was doing 15 or 16 shows opening up for Buddy Guy. One particular night I came off stage and his manager said, ‘Buddy wants to see you.’ And I felt really nervous. I went into his dress room and he said hey man sit down. His driver got him there early and there was a speaker in his room and he had listened to my entire set. So on this particular day he heard my music. He said I heard you out there, was that a George Thorogood song? I said yes but I wrote it. He asked have I ever met Johnny Winter and I said yes, I wrote and produced Johnny. He asked about the Susan Tedeschi songs and I said yeah that was her but again, I wrote them. Then he goes well why in the hell haven’t you written a song for me? Then we talked more and struck a relationship and then about a year or 8 months later –The A&R guy at Sony called me and asked how would I make a Buddy Guy record. I explained to him what I would do.
I said the fire that I see in Buddy Guy when he’s playing live and I want that on the record. I want to capture that. And I don’t think anyone’s really captured the danger – he’s not only a blue’s master but he’s a rocker. He’s the real deal. Another thing I said is that I would want him to sing songs about him and about his life. I want to hear his story. I don’t want to hear him sing someone else’s story. I want to hear what’s on his mind. They said well how would you do that? I said I’ll get together with Buddy and he’ll tell me what’s on his mind – I’m a songwriter, we can start from there. That’s how Skin Deep started. He told me a story about his mom. He said his mom never got see him play and one time his mom told him beauty’s only skin deep. He says is there a song in that somewhere? I said well, let me mess around with it. I got together with Gary Nicholson and we wrote it. He was telling me stories about the fields and his crazy life in Chicago. So I would write all of these songs, then I would demo them and then send them to him. Then he would go, I love this man! We had a connection.
TPC: Quinn Sullivan was signed to your label Superstar Records but his 2017 record Midnight Highway is on Provogue Records. Why the change of label?
Hambridge: This new label has artists who are more guitar- and blues-oriented. I’m excited about it. They were all there last night when we did XM Radio in New York. I was talking to them about Quinn and they have seen him on the internet but haven’t seen him live. So he came and we played for them. And they got it! They were saying to me that this is incredible. You have to see him play to feel it. So it was mission accomplished. You know in Billboard this week the Rolling Stones album is No. 1 and he’s number No. 3!
TPC: Last year when you, Buddy Guy, and Quinn Sullivan toured, what was your most memorable moment on that tour?
Hambridge: That tour was so amazing. I think playing in London was unbelievable, and L’ Olympia in Paris. I think I’ve played there two or three times. The Olympia is always amazing because that is where the Beatles first played in France. It’s also where The Grateful Dead recorded Live Europe 72′. Stuff like that to me is historic. Last time we played in London, I took Quinn to Abbey Road. We just stood in front of it. I love the historic part of it all.
TPC: If you had to boil it down to one thing, what would you say Buddy Guy’s greatest gift is?
Hambridge: I think his gift is he keeps the blues alive. He said when Muddy Waters passed away, the last thing he said to him was, ‘Keep this music alive.’ I hope someone comes along that can do this but, when Buddy Guy and James Cotton are gone, there’s going to be a hole. The thing about Buddy Guy that people forget about is his vocal ability. He’s an amazing singer. He can really deliver a lyric. You get chills, you know?
TPC: Tell us about your latest Tom Hambridge album The Nola Sessions.
Hambridge: I just finished it. We went to New Orleans for five days and it was wonderful. I wanted to make it with musicians I had never met. All these wonderful New Orleans musicians came out: Sonny Landreth, Ivan Nevelle – and the icing on the cake was the last day and I said I have a song that I’d love to do as a duet with Alan Toussaint.
The guys in the studio gave me his manager’s number so I called him. And Alan showed up. He was so freaking cool! I told the musicians that Alan Toussaint is doing it and their jaws dropped. He came in, walked over to the piano and we sang the song – it was beautiful. I think it was his last session that he did before he passed away. I actually mastered the record at Abbey Road in London. How crazy is that? It was awesome!
TPC: What really separates the men from the boys?
Hambridge: For me, it’s about saying something and meaning it.. I’m the guy that when someone wants to do a record, I say well let’s write the record. That’s why I never thought of myself as the traditional type blues guy. Let’s just write our own. I mean I love a great cover but for me, I’ve always leaned towards – let’s be original. I love creativity and originality.
TPC: Did you have a mentor, along the way?
Hambridge: My mentor was my dad. He was it. He didn’t play music and he didn’t sing but, everything I am, I got from him. He taught me to be strong but kind, while being humble. Be frugal but generous. Be a hard worker. So I just put that in everything I do. I couldn’t have had a better teacher.
Industry Ink: Darius Rucker, John Jaszcz, Maggie Rose, Holly Kellar
/by Lorie HollabaughDarius Rucker Brings Cheer to Patients at Lenox Hill
Darius Rucker visited Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC recently following a performance on the Today Show for the Musicians On Call program. Rucker performed hits like “Wagon Wheel,” “Hold My Hand,” and “Only Wanna Be with You” for the patients, going room to room in the orthopedic rehab unit as part of Musician’s On Call’s Bedside Performance Program. Rucker also took requests at the Nurses station and performed for hospital staff and caregivers.
John Jaszcz Acknowledged With Grammy Gold
Pictured (L-R): Ron Hill (Franklin Management), John Jaszcz, Kirk Franklin, Sean Martin (co-producer), Adam David Smith (assistant engineer) at Blue Grotto Studio
Producer/engineer John Jaszcz is helping raise Nashville’s profile as an urban gospel music hub. “Yosh,” as he is known, has mixed for Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp and Travis Greene, among others and his work yielded recent Grammys for him for Franklin’s Best Gospel Album-winning Losing My Religion and Tamela Mann’s Best Gospel performance/song for “God Provides.” Yosh also worked on three other Grammy-nominated projects from Greene, Jekalyn Carr and William Murphy, and he currently has five of the top 10 songs on the Billboard gospel singles chart and six of the top 10 albums on the Billboard gospel album chart with seven more rounding out the top 25. He also mixed songs for the new TV show, Greenleaf on the Oprah Winfrey Network as well as the song “On My Way” for Nashville.
Maggie Rose Inks With Starstruck and CAA
Maggie Rose. Photo: Dusty Barker
Maggie Rose is going to have a busy 2017 as she continues performing on her 13-date run on Martina McBride’s CMT Next Women of Country Tour, and also joins Hunter Hayes on tour this Spring and Tim McGraw & Faith Hill on their Soul2Soul tour this summer. She also recently signed to Starstruck Management and Creative Artist Agency (CAA) for representation as well.
Holly Kellar Named CMO of Barbershop Harmony Society
Holly J. Kellar has been named Chief Marketing Officer of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and will reside in the Society’s Nashville office. In her role, she will oversee a broad portfolio of marketing, branding and communications initiatives for the 22,000-member society, with emphasis on growing revenue from events, merchandising,
Country Music Hall Of Fame Offers New Musician Spotlight Series
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is hosting a new weekly series, “Musician Spotlight,” every Sunday at 1 p.m. beginning March 5. In the new event series, musicians will perform original music and songs that have influenced their careers, share stories, and even explain playing techniques to guests in the Hall of Fame’s Rotunda. Guests are encouraged to ask questions and interact with the musicians during the session.
Upcoming artists and instruments to be featured through July 2 include Nedski and Mojo – Banjo and Guitar, Stuart Duncan – Fiddle, Steve Gibson – Guitar, Belmont University Bluegrass Ensemble, Wanda Vick – Multi-Instrumentalist, Verlon Thompson – Guitar, Jenni Lyn – Mandolin, Joe Robinson – Guitar, Colin Linden – Guitar, Richard Bailey – Banjo, David Coe with Josh Culley – Fiddle and Guitar, Eddie Bayers – Drums, Charlie McCoy – Harmonica, Johnny Duke – Guitar, and Mike Fleming – Bass.
“Musician Spotlight” is included with museum admission and free to museum members, although space is limited. More information on this series and other upcoming programs and the calendar of events can be found at countrymusichalloffame.org.
Producer’s Chair: Tom Hambridge
/by contributorTom Hambridge
Don’t miss two-time Grammy winner & five-time Grammy nominated producer, songwriter and drummer Tom Hambridge on The Producer’s Chair on Thursday, March 2 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
Believe it or not, since my last interview with Tom Hambridge in 2014, Tom has produced 17 more albums, received 27 award nominations, six of which he won, played drums and/or sang on 19 other artist’s albums, made numerous TV appearances, toured extensively and now, he’s about to release his 7th solo album The Nola Sessions…
In 2016 alone, Hambridge added another 93 cuts to his songwriting discography which already boasts the likes of Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Susan Tedeschi, George Thorogood, Joe Bonamassa, Quinn Sullivan, Keb’ Mo’, Eric Burdon, Delbert McClinton, Johnny Winter, Colin Linden, ZZ Top, BB King, Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Meat Loaf, Kenny Neal, Shemekia Copeland, Van Zant, T. Graham Brown, The Outlaws, Jack Ingram, Taylor Hicks, Rascal Flatts, Joe Nichols, Chris Young, Gretchen Wilson, Danny Gokey, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Roy Parnell, Pat Green, Hank Williams Jr., Montgomery Gentry, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Dunn and the list goes on … and on, including Keith Anderson’s song “Every Time I Hear Your Name,” co-written by Hambridge and Jeffrey Steele, which won a 2007 ASCAP Country Music Song Award. Hambridge is a writing machine who not only has 500 cuts in multiple genres but over 50 producer, songwriter and musician awards including two Grammys, five Grammy nominations and a boatload of Blues Music & Blues Blast Awards.
The unique thing about Tom’s career is that he gets to produce, co-write and tour globally with both, legends like Buddy Guy and James Cotton and some of the Hottest new young artists, on the planet, like Quinn Sullivan. Hell, Mick Jagger even asked Tom to play drums for him, at the White House. But don’t think that Hambridge was un-known before he arrived in Nashville. After graduating from Berklee, between 1988 and 1999 he won six Boston Music Awards and was bandleader for Martha & The Vandellas, Bo Diddley, Little Anthony, Chuck Berry and he played drums with the band Boston.
Today, a review of Tom’s Grammy awards and nominations speaks volumes about his journey. His first Grammy nomination came in 1998 for Best Contemporary Blues Album when he produced Susan Tedeschi’s album Just Won’t Burn. Then, in 2004 Hambridge received his second Grammy Nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album: Johnny Winter – I’m A Bluesman and in 2009 his 3rd Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album: Buddy Guy – Skin Deep, which featured Eric Clapton, Susan & Derek Trucks Tom wrote 10 of the 12 songs including three with Gary Nicholson, including the title track. In 2011 Hambridge produced Buddy Guy’s – Living Proof which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album featuring all 12 songs written by Tom, 4 songs he co-wrote with Gary Nicholson and four co-writes with Richard Fleming and in 2013 Tom also produced Buddy Guy’s double album Rhythm & Blues, which was Buddy’s biggest charting album ever, as the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Blues Chart. The album includes guest star performances by Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Gary Clark Jr., Beth Hart and The Muscle Shoals Horns and Steven Tyler, Joe Perry & Brad Whitford of Aerosmith and featured 18 Tom Hambridge original songs.
In 2014 Hambridge received another Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album: James Cotton – Cotton Mouth Man. Tom wrote 12 songs on this album which included appearances by Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Delbert McClinton, Warren Hayes, Keb’ Mo’, Chuck Leavell and Colin Linden and last year Tom produced Buddy Guy’s – Born To Play Guitar won the Grammy for Best Blues Album, which included 13 Tom Hambridge songs including the song “Flesh & Bone” featuring Van Morrison.
So far this year, Hambridge will been touring with Buddy Guy, he’s scheduled to produce a new album on Nashville artist and American Idol runner up Casey James. He’ll be doing some tour dates with his own band The Rattlesnakes, he’s currently working on a new documentary about Quinn Sullivan’s life…and it’s only February.
The Producer’s Chair (TPC): From the time you graduated from Berklee, it took you 15 years before you moved to Nashville. Was there a reason why it took so long for you to move?
Tom Hambridge: I had no plan to go to Nashville at first. I had just graduated from college and at that time I was already plugged into the amazing music scene there in Boston. Right after college, I went on the road with Roy Buchanan as his drummer/lead singer which was one of my favorite gigs to this day. Then after him, I started playing with Bo Diddley and I had my own band in Boston. There was an amazing club scene—500, 600-seat clubs and original, good rock n’ roll bands—and we could actually make a living. We could play five or six nights a week and go off to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Boston, and other parts of Massachusetts. We were rolling and I was playing on other people’s records in town. Big acts would ask me to play whenever I was in town and that’s how I started playing with Chuck Berry. It’s just there was no reason for me to go. I didn’t have enough days in the month.
What ended up happening was I had produced Susan Tedeschi’s record. I had a few of her hits on the radio that I had written and I was playing with Boston. So at that time of my life, I thought I was at the top of the mountain. Then it started to feel like the sky was closing in. Like there’s nothing else I could do. I’m doing everything here. Record companies were calling me, asking me to work on this record or this project, and other people wanted to write. I thought I needed to relocate to New York or Los Angeles, but we had our first child, and my wife said we can’t raise her in New York City. L.A. was the same deal. And I said well there’s an industry happening in Nashville and I wanted to go where the industry was, where they are making records. So we took off to Nashville and we got off the plane and when we were walking through the airport, people were walking up to Rachel like ‘Aww what a cute little baby!’ Everyone was so friendly and my wife said she felt a vibe here and we thought this is where we can raise Rachel. Then I went back to Boston for six months trying to figure out how to tell everybody that I was working with, I was moving to Nashville. When I moved to Nashville, I didn’t know anybody.
It’s a funny story. I was playing with everybody – Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Little Anthony – Everybody would call me to play bandleader and play drums and do their shows when they came to New England. I was doing this with Sha Na Na. And one of the guys from the group, Jocko, calls me and says, ‘Hey man! We got a gig in Las Vegas so we’re going to send you a plane ticket out of Boston.’ I said hey man, I’m not there. I’m in Nashville. He says what are you doing in Nashville? I said, I don’t know. I’m just down here; I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do. And he goes, ‘Oh man, I got a friend who works at MCA and his name is Chip Young.’ So I called Chip and he goes ‘Yeah?’ said Jocko told me to call you, I just moved to town. He asks, can you do a 2 p.m. on a Thursday? I asked what that meant and he continues, ‘Come on up on Thursday. We’ll having a meeting and bring some songs.’ Chip Young is just so wonderful, he worked in the publishing department and he’s an amazing producer. He’s produced so many great records, Jerry Reed records and stuff.
I met Chip and I brought one of my solo CD’s When we walked in the room he said, ‘Alright, let’s hear some songs.’ He played the whole CD. It was like 40-45 minutes long. Then he says, ‘Ok. How much do you want?’ and I said for what? Then he goes, ‘For a publishing deal. You wrote all these songs?’ I said ‘Yeah.’ Then he says ‘35!’ I didn’t know what that meant. The he goes ’35 thousand!’ then he says ‘40!’ I was surprised I even got a dollar for my songs. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I don’t know what we’re doing. He says, ‘You’re really not negotiating, are you?’ I said “No” , , I just got here. We went out to eat and he said, ‘You got so much going on. Just hold on to your songs.’ From then on every time I got offered a deal, I just held onto my publishing. I used my song money to buy a house and feed my family.
TPC: Did the blues resonate with you, more than other genres, as a kid?
Hambridge: I never considered myself a ‘genre’ guy – or a blues person. I just love music and it’s the only job I’ve ever had in my life. Since I was 5, I’ve just been playing music. I got paid for it in the 3rd grade and I never turned back. I play jazz, bee-bop, soul, country, rock, pop and it just so happens that I made this record for Susan Tedeschi and it became the biggest selling blues record.
TPC: What’s a good way for a blues artist to get noticed by you or someone else who could propel their career?
Hambridge: Most cities including Nashville have a Blues Society that you can join. Each year each society sends local bands and artists down to play at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Years ago, Susan Tedeschi was a runner-up in one of them and everyone saw her. That’s one way to do it.
TPC: In 2004, you produced Johnny Winter’s I’m A Bluesman album, which received Grammy nomination. How did you meet Johnny?
Hambridge: That was cool. His manager called me and said; Johnny loved the song I wrote called Rock Me Right by Susan Tedeschi. He said he was just playing the shit out of it. So that was really cool. Johnny asked if I could write something like that for him. I wrote a song called the Lone Wolf. I cut it and sent it to him. He said oh man I got to do this. They said you got any more? Then they asked if I could come out and do a record and I did. I was extremely saddened to hear that he died in a hotel in Europe. When I was working with him, his health wasn’t that great. He was an albino, an ex-heroin addict and had a hard life but I heard that he was getting better. I guess it eventually took its toll.
TPC: How did you wind up producing Buddy Guy?
Hambridge: I met him years ago on a tour I did with him and BB King. When I got a record deal, I was out on tour and I was doing 15 or 16 shows opening up for Buddy Guy. One particular night I came off stage and his manager said, ‘Buddy wants to see you.’ And I felt really nervous. I went into his dress room and he said hey man sit down. His driver got him there early and there was a speaker in his room and he had listened to my entire set. So on this particular day he heard my music. He said I heard you out there, was that a George Thorogood song? I said yes but I wrote it. He asked have I ever met Johnny Winter and I said yes, I wrote and produced Johnny. He asked about the Susan Tedeschi songs and I said yeah that was her but again, I wrote them. Then he goes well why in the hell haven’t you written a song for me? Then we talked more and struck a relationship and then about a year or 8 months later –The A&R guy at Sony called me and asked how would I make a Buddy Guy record. I explained to him what I would do.
I said the fire that I see in Buddy Guy when he’s playing live and I want that on the record. I want to capture that. And I don’t think anyone’s really captured the danger – he’s not only a blue’s master but he’s a rocker. He’s the real deal. Another thing I said is that I would want him to sing songs about him and about his life. I want to hear his story. I don’t want to hear him sing someone else’s story. I want to hear what’s on his mind. They said well how would you do that? I said I’ll get together with Buddy and he’ll tell me what’s on his mind – I’m a songwriter, we can start from there. That’s how Skin Deep started. He told me a story about his mom. He said his mom never got see him play and one time his mom told him beauty’s only skin deep. He says is there a song in that somewhere? I said well, let me mess around with it. I got together with Gary Nicholson and we wrote it. He was telling me stories about the fields and his crazy life in Chicago. So I would write all of these songs, then I would demo them and then send them to him. Then he would go, I love this man! We had a connection.
TPC: Quinn Sullivan was signed to your label Superstar Records but his 2017 record Midnight Highway is on Provogue Records. Why the change of label?
Hambridge: This new label has artists who are more guitar- and blues-oriented. I’m excited about it. They were all there last night when we did XM Radio in New York. I was talking to them about Quinn and they have seen him on the internet but haven’t seen him live. So he came and we played for them. And they got it! They were saying to me that this is incredible. You have to see him play to feel it. So it was mission accomplished. You know in Billboard this week the Rolling Stones album is No. 1 and he’s number No. 3!
TPC: Last year when you, Buddy Guy, and Quinn Sullivan toured, what was your most memorable moment on that tour?
Hambridge: That tour was so amazing. I think playing in London was unbelievable, and L’ Olympia in Paris. I think I’ve played there two or three times. The Olympia is always amazing because that is where the Beatles first played in France. It’s also where The Grateful Dead recorded Live Europe 72′. Stuff like that to me is historic. Last time we played in London, I took Quinn to Abbey Road. We just stood in front of it. I love the historic part of it all.
TPC: If you had to boil it down to one thing, what would you say Buddy Guy’s greatest gift is?
Hambridge: I think his gift is he keeps the blues alive. He said when Muddy Waters passed away, the last thing he said to him was, ‘Keep this music alive.’ I hope someone comes along that can do this but, when Buddy Guy and James Cotton are gone, there’s going to be a hole. The thing about Buddy Guy that people forget about is his vocal ability. He’s an amazing singer. He can really deliver a lyric. You get chills, you know?
TPC: Tell us about your latest Tom Hambridge album The Nola Sessions.
Hambridge: I just finished it. We went to New Orleans for five days and it was wonderful. I wanted to make it with musicians I had never met. All these wonderful New Orleans musicians came out: Sonny Landreth, Ivan Nevelle – and the icing on the cake was the last day and I said I have a song that I’d love to do as a duet with Alan Toussaint.
The guys in the studio gave me his manager’s number so I called him. And Alan showed up. He was so freaking cool! I told the musicians that Alan Toussaint is doing it and their jaws dropped. He came in, walked over to the piano and we sang the song – it was beautiful. I think it was his last session that he did before he passed away. I actually mastered the record at Abbey Road in London. How crazy is that? It was awesome!
TPC: What really separates the men from the boys?
Hambridge: For me, it’s about saying something and meaning it.. I’m the guy that when someone wants to do a record, I say well let’s write the record. That’s why I never thought of myself as the traditional type blues guy. Let’s just write our own. I mean I love a great cover but for me, I’ve always leaned towards – let’s be original. I love creativity and originality.
TPC: Did you have a mentor, along the way?
Hambridge: My mentor was my dad. He was it. He didn’t play music and he didn’t sing but, everything I am, I got from him. He taught me to be strong but kind, while being humble. Be frugal but generous. Be a hard worker. So I just put that in everything I do. I couldn’t have had a better teacher.
BMLG Promotes Jessica Myers to Sr. Director/Rights Management & Business Affairs
/by Lorie HollabaughBig Machine Label Group has promoted Jessica Myers to Sr. Director, Rights Management & Business Affairs. In her newly created role, Myers will oversee rights management, licensing and A&R administration for BMLG as well as rights management, licensing and publishing administration for the label group’s publishing arm, Big Machine Music.
“Jessica has that rare ability to fully understand some of the most challenging licensing opportunities and always finds the best way home for our artists and labels,” shared BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta. “She is a true asset to the inner workings of the Machine on many levels and I’m very proud to acknowledge one of our best.”
Myers joined the label group in 2013 and has run point on administration of BMLG’s master and copyright assets. She will continue to work closely with EVP General Counsel Malcolm Mimms and COO Andrew Kautz with broader responsibilities related to rights management and business affairs.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with an unmatched level of passion and knowledge in Scott, Malcolm, Andrew, Mike Molinar and the BMLG team,” shared Myers. “I’m looking forward to expanding my role as we continue to take the Machine to the next level.”
Myers will be based in BMLG’s Nashville headquarters and can be reached via jessica.myers@bmlg.net and 615.345.4534.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Adds Rizk As Director Of Communications
/by Jessica NicholsonAndrea Rizk
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has named Andrea Holland Rizk as its Director of Communications. Rizk has more than 17 years of public relations experience, including running her Atlanta-based public relatinos consultancy for the past decade, where clients included Floor & Decor, author Wes Moss, The Creative Circus and The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.
Originally from Murfreesboro and a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Andrea lives in Brentwood with her husband and two children. Andrea joins long-time museum communication team members Joseph Conner, promoted to senior communications manager last fall, Heidi Egloff, communications manager and Drew Maynard, communications coordinator.
In Pictures: Grand Ole Opry At CRS
/by Jessica NicholsonArtists at Grand Ole Opry at CRS. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry. [Click photo to enlarge]
The star-studded lineup included Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins, Crystal Gayle, Chris Janson, LOCASH, Cam, Michael Ray, Chris Lane, Carly Pearce and Dailey & Vincent and was available to all CRS registrants.
Since 2012, Country music’s most famous show has made its mark on CRS and brought concerts to standing room only crowds. With the Opry’s signature barn backdrop and microphone stands on stage, the Omni Hotel’s Broadway Ballroom was transformed to give audience members a real taste of the Opry and the Grand Ole Opry House in the middle of CRS.
Zac Brown Band. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Carly Pearce. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
LoCash. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Crystal Gayle. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Dailey & Vincent. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Cam. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Michael Ray. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Chris Lane. Photo: Chris Hollo/ Grand Ole Opry
Chris Janson. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Lady Antebellum. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Trace Adkins. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Fresh On The Row Showcase Highlights Denny Strickland, Presley & Taylor, Taylon Hope
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Master of Ceremonies Charlie Monk, Taylon Hope, Denny Strickland and Presley and Taylor. Photo: Bev Moser
The inaugural Fresh On The Row, presented by Red Star Productions, was held during Country Radio Seminar week on Wednesday (Feb. 22) at The Listening Room Café. Three of country music’s rising talents- Taylon Hope, Denny Strickland and Presley & Taylor –performed four songs each, including their current singles, Taylon’s “Showin’ My Roots,” Denny’s “We Don’t Sleep,” and Presley & Taylor’s “This Phone.”
The event was hosted by Charlie Monk.
Presley & Taylor. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Denny Strickland. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Presley & Taylor. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Denny Strickland. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Taylon Hope. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Songwriter Mike Reid To Be Honored During CMHoF’s Poets and Prophets Series
/by Jessica NicholsonMike Reid
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will feature Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer Mike Reid in the latest installment of the museum’s special series Poets and Prophets on Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.
Hosted by Museum Editor Michael Gray, an in-depth interview will follow Reid’s career as an All-Pro football player as well as tales behind many of his hit songs. The discussion will be illustrated with vintage photos, film footage and recordings. In addition to the interview, Reid will offer a short performance.
Following a football career with Penn State University and then the Cincinnati Bengals, Reid went on to pen 13 No. 1 hits, including one (“Walk on Faith”) he recorded himself.
A Pennsylvania native, Reid moved to Nashville in 1980 to pursue his career as a songwriter. Reid experienced quick success, writing a string of hits for Ronnie Milsap, including “Stranger in My House,” the 1983 Grammy winner for Best Country Song, and “Lost in the Fifties Tonight,” ASCAP’s Country Song of the Year in 1986.
Reid’s songwriting reached beyond country music in the 1990s, when Bonnie Raitt had a Top 20 pop hit with “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” a title Reid wrote with Allen Shamblin. Raitt’s recording was inducted recently into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Adele, George Michael, Prince, and many others have recorded “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
Other hits written by Reid include No. 1 country songs for Alabama (“Forever’s as Far as I’ll Go”), Tim McGraw (“Everywhere”), Collin Raye (“In This Life”), and Wynonna (“To Be Loved by You”). Reid also penned Willie Nelson’s recent single “A Woman’s Love.”
Poets and Prophets is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and passes are required for admittance. Museum members can reserve program passes in advance by phone (615-416-2050) or via e-mail (reservations@countrymusichalloffame.org). The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming. Following the program, Reid will sign a commemorative Hatch Show Print poster, available for purchase in the Museum Store.
Atlantic Records Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald To Keynote Music Biz 2017
/by Jessica NicholsonJulie Greenwald
The Music Business Association (Music Biz) will welcome Chairman and COO of The Atlantic Records Group Julie Greenwald, to keynote the second annual Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out session, powered by Nielsen Music, on Tuesday, May 16 at 4 p.m. CT during the Music Biz 2017 convention at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville.
Erin Crawford, Sr. VP and GM of Nielsen Music will make a presentation, followed by Greenwald’s chat with NPR Music’s Ann Powers, focusing on a theme of creative partnerships, stories of how Greenwald’s often maternal instincts helped her nurture careers of artists including Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Christina Perri, Janelle Monáe, Twenty One Pilots, Sturgill Simpson, Coldplay, Paramore, Rob Thomas, James Blunt, Jason Mraz, Death Cab for Cutie, Fun, Trey Songz, Flo Rida, and Wiz Khalifa. The conversation will also illuminate how she achieved her success in a male-dominated business, as well as her views and approach on the many issues around work/life balance.
“Julie is a true music industry innovator, and has always remained on top of the latest trends and taken advantage of technological advances to rebuild two of the most iconic brands in music: Atlantic Records and previously Island Records,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “She is the perfect keynoter for Music’s Leading Ladies, which we are thrilled to bring back for a second year after the overwhelming response to our debut outing last year. We look forward to hearing Julie’s insights that we know will inform, entertain, and inspire our the audience.”
Last year’s inaugural Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out session featured Vivien Lewit of YouTube, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, and songwriters the Love Junkies (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose), who wrote Little Big Town’s smash “Girl Crush.”
Exclusive: Things To Know About Bill Miller’s Preservation Of Music History
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Johnny Cash Museum founder Bill Miller recalls the 2013 opening of the museum in downtown Nashville as “the biggest burden of my life.”
“I did three campaign elections, but was never as nervous or pensive as I was when media walked through those doors,” said the ex-California politician, personal friend and avid collector of Cash’s memorabilia.
He needn’t have worried. Just months after The Johnny Cash Museum opened its doors at 119 3rd Ave. S. in downtown Nashville, the museum was honored by the Tennessee Association of Museums Conference and earned AAA’s Gem rating, which recognizes attractions of exceptional interest.
Stemming from much of his personal collection, Miller spearheaded the museum’s creation after becoming tired of Cash’s gravesite as the only place to direct friends and tourists to remember the Man In Black’s legacy.
The museum details Cash’s journey from rural Arkansas, chronicling his multi-layered career, as Cash added roles as singer, songwriter, entertainer, author, poet, actor, and television host. The museum follows his career resurgence after teaming with producer Rick Rubin for the American Recordings series that ran from 1994 until Cash’s death in 2003 at the age of 71.
In 2016, Miller expanded his Nashville footprint by opening the bar Nudie’s Honky Tonk, located at 409 Broadway, inspired by the famous tailor Nudie Cohn. Miller’s next museum venture, centered on the life of country icon Patsy Cline, is set to open above the Cash exhibit soon.
MusicRow spoke with Miller about his business entities as part of a discussion featured in the 2017 MusicRow Country Radio print edition. To read the full article, pick up a copy of the print magazine at musicrow.com.
Here, a bonus collection of “things to know” about Miller’s journey, paying homage to Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Nudie Cohn.
Johnny Cash Museum
1. At age 22, Miller was elected to the city council in Corona, California, in 1982. At age 24, Miller was named mayor of Corona, California, making him the youngest mayor in California’s history at the time. He would serve his constituents until he retired from politics in 1993 after 12 years in an elective office.
2. In the 1980s, inspired by a visit to New York City’s Hard Rock Café, Miller launched what would become one of the largest dealers of autographs and historical memorabilia in the world. His company, Odyssey Group, once sold an original Frankenstein poster for a record-setting $198,000. Miller’s lifelong collection captured items including a letter from George Washington, and Madonna’s stage-worn bustier—as well as a vast array of Johnny Cash memorabilia Miller had been accumulating since the age of nine, after he met Cash backstage during a concert.
3. In 2003, The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, located in Yorba Linda, California, used artifacts from Miller’s collection to open the first non-Nixon related exhibit in the museum’s history, in honor of Cash’s 70th birthday. The exhibit ran for six months. “I warned them it wasn’t cataloged,” Miller says. “Items were in my office, my warehouse, under beds. It was the first time I ever saw anyone put on white cotton gloves to start handling the stuff.”
4. Miller keeps Cash’s viewpoint at the center of everything he does at The Johnny Cash Museum. “We tried to do it in the way Cash did it. He was never in your face. People say, ‘Oh he was so political and into all these social causes.’ He was, but it was never in your face. He spoke those messages through his music. You didn’t see him get on a talk show and start criticizing the state of the country. He would present it in a way that people would go, ‘Yeah, that’s his opinion and I agree or disagree,’ but never, ‘I’m going to burn his effing records because of what he had to say.’ I think that’s what attracted me to him. He was one of the kindest compassionate people I ever met. I never heard him say a judgmental word about anyone.”
5. Nudie’s Honky Tonk, located at 409 Broadway in Nashville, is decorated with an array of Nudie’s signature suits, though the most eye-catching element is likely Cohn’s $400,000 personal “Nudiemobile,” the 1975 Cadillac El Dorado that is suspended above the live music stage. “We’ve got more than $150,000 in steel just for that car,” Miller says. “There is a steel frame that expands the entire wall and goes into the basement, which is anchored with more steel. I joke with people that if there were ever an earthquake in Nashville, all that would be standing in Nashville would be this crazy Cadillac.”
Photo: Zach Harrison
6. Patsy Cline maintained regular mail correspondence with a group of ladies via her fan club. “We are talking weekly letters going back and forth—very detailed, multiple pages. One in particular was with Annie Armstrong. Her daughters kept every letter from Patsy. But [Cline’s husband] Charlie and [Cline’s daughter] Julie had the letters from Annie in the other direction. You had letters you could match up, one responding to the other. Just the detail in these letters, and the fact that Patsy was the type of person who would maintain these letters. She never had anyone write the letters for her.”
7. Shortly before her death, Patsy Cline contacted Nudie Cohn to create dresses based on the Cline’s own hand-crafted designs. Miller had Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors create the dresses from Cline’s sketches, which will stand as the last thing guests will see when they visit the museum. “This was a big step, because her mother made nearly all of her clothing, or she would buy things off the rack and embellish them,” says Miller. “He had responded, agreeing to make the dresses, but two weeks later, she was dead…[so] after 53 years, these dress designs have come to life.”
8. A collector’s habits never stop. Though Miller says he has collected enough Cash memorabilia to fill two museums, his lifelong hobby continues. “I still buy Cash stuff even though I have way more than I could ever use,” Miller says.
To read MusicRow‘s full article, pick up a copy of the print magazine at musicrow.com.
*The John R Cash Revocable Trust has always held the preservation of the Cash legacy as a priority and continues to lead numerous cultural initiatives. The Trust is proud to have longstanding representation in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, incredible history with Sony and Universal Music companies, among so many other reputable institutions and artists. The Johnny Cash Museum operates under agreement with the Trust and exhibits a number of noteworthy pieces made possible by Cash and Carter family members.