Lori McKenna. Photo: Becky Fluke
The Americana festival and convention will be here before we know it, so it’s high time we surveyed what’s in this genre’s review-me pile.
The names to remember today are John Gorka, Chip Taylor and those of our dual Disc of the Day winners, Lori McKenna and Liz Longley.
Today’s newcomers include Angie & The Deserters, Andrew Leahey & The Homestead and our DisCovery Award winner, Josh Farrow. The East Nashville troubadour will be performing at Live on the Green on the Metro Courthouse Square on Sept. 2. Be there or be square.
CHIP TAYLOR/I’ll Carry For You
Writer: Chip Taylor; Producers: Goran Grini/Chip Taylor; Publisher: Back Road, BMI; Train Wreck (track)
– “Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning,” “I Can Make It With You,” “Step Out of Your Mind,” “Make Me Belong to You,” “Son of a Rotten Gambler,” “Storybook Children,” “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” “I Can’t Let Go,” “Worry,” “Anyway That You Want Me,” and other vintage pop classics earned Chip entry into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier this year. But he is also a very contemporary, engaging and prolific writer-artist in the Americana genre. This title tune to his latest is inspired by his love of golf. More than that, it is a stately ode to sisterly love, perseverance, striving and being brave. Speaking of prolific, he has two current CDs, the other being Little Brothers, which salutes his family. Trivia fact: He’s actor Jon Voight’s brother and Angelina Jolie’s uncle.
LIZ LONGLEY/Rescue My Heart
Writers: Liz Langley/Ian Keaggy/Jodi Marr; Producer: Bill Reynolds; Publishers: Luckelizz/ISK/Little Ruth, ASCAP; Sugar Hill (track)
– I adored this singer-songwriter’s Sugar Hill Records debut disc. Her songs stick in your head long after they end because of their inescapable hooks. Her second album for the label, titled Weightless, drops this week. It finds her recording in Nashville in a more pop/rock direction. She remains a captivating mistress of melody. On this track, the sound is stripped down to just her voice and piano. I remain an enormous fan. Essential listening.
JOHN GORKA/I Know
Writer: John Gorka; Producer: Jim Rooney; Publisher: Blues Palace, ASCAP; Blue Chalk (track)
– This Americana veteran recorded the tracks that comprise his new Before Beginning CD in Music City in 1985. At the time, he was a newcomer who had won the songwriting contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Nanci Griffith admired his work and recommended he go to Nashville to record with producer Rooney, who assembled an all-star band at Jack Clement’s studio. Gorka was used to playing solo and wasn’t sure what he thought of his resulting debut album. Years later, he listened again. So now, here it is. This is one of his best known early songs, presented with top-flight pickers, just as it originally was recorded 30 years ago. It is a jewel of lilting picking, earnest singing and crisp production. The rest of the CD is too. He was clearly nuts not to put it out, back in the day.
DAVE INSLEY/Just The Way That I Am
Writer: none listed; Producer: Dave Insley; Publishers: none listed; dir (track)
– This solid country vocalist has surrounded himself with a who’s-who of Austin folks on his new CD. The cast includes Kelly Willis, Dale Watson, Rick Shea and Redd Volkaert. The title tune is a plain-spoken ballad that asks for simple acceptance. It’s not in the least flashy, just honest sounding.
LORI McKENNA/Humble and Kind
Writer: Lori McKenna; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Hoodie, BMI; CN/Thirty Tigers
– This divine Massachusetts wife and mom returned to Nashville to craft her latest, The Bird and the Rifle. It includes her own version of this justly revered Tim McGraw hit she wrote. Lori is best known in Nashville as a songwriter of “Stealing Kisses,” “Girl Crush,” “Fireflies,” “God Made Girls” and “I Want Crazy.” But this and the other performances on this collection reveal her as an extraordinarily communicative, warm and womanly vocalist. “Wreck You,” ”If Whiskey Were a Woman,” “Old Men Young Women” and especially “Halfway Home” are particularly recommended. Lend her your ears. Then go get all of her other albums too.
ANDREW LEAHEY & THE HOMESTEAD/Little In Love
Writers: Andrew Leahey; Producer: Ken Coomer; Publisher: none listed; Skyline/Thirty Tigers
– He’s a roots rocker with country leanings and a Tom Petty kinda vibe. This lead-off track from his debut CD chimes in all the right places. The collection is titled Skyline in Central Time and was recorded in Nashville on either side of the artist’s life-threatening brain surgery. Produced by Wilco’s Ken Coomer, it sounds as hearty as Andrew is today.
SARA WATKINS/Move Me
Writers: Sara Watkins; Producer: Gabe Witcher; Publishers: Fiddle & Fall, ASCAP; New West (track)
– The fiddler/singer from the former Nickel Creek has shed her progressive-bluegrass roots for an all-out pop band sound on her entirely self-composed Young in All the Wrong Ways collection. On this punchy track, she pushes her soprano to sound harder and more forceful than it has before. Courageous.
JOSH FARROW/Devil Don’t You Fool Me
Writer: Josh Farrow; Producer: Dexter Green; Publisher: Southern Drag; JF (track)
– This drawling, bluesy tenor singer stomps his way through this soulful, rhythmic outing with aplomb. It comes from his Trouble With Me CD, which has a cast that includes The McCrary Sisters, Ruby Amanfu and Elizabeth Cook, among others. On this track, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Ashley Wilcoxson wail in the background.
BRIAN LANGLINAIS/You Can’t Say I Don’t Love You
Writer: none listed; Producers: D.L. Duncan/Brian Langlinais; Publisher: none listed; Patoutville (track)
– Music City stalwart Langlinais recaptures his R&B Louisiana roots on his new Right Hand Road CD. But he proves you don’t have to physically go back there to do it. His Nashville session sidemen, including The Inglewood Horns, put plenty of heat behind him. This opening track is a classic-sounding blues rocker, complete with squalling sax and soul-sister background shouting.
ANGIE & THE DESERTERS/Country Radio
Writers: Angie Bruyere/Guy Griffin/Nigel Mogg; Producer: Jeff Huskins; Publishers: none listed; Topanga Canyon
– Love the band name. The sound on this saucy track is nouveau rockabilly with a throaty alto lead vocal alternating phrases with gritty electric guitar riffs, sizzling fiddle work and organ trills. The act has a slightly raggedy, amateurish sonic vibe, but nothing a little production polish couldn’t improve.
Weekly Chart Report (8/26/16)
/by Troy_StephensonMusiCares, BMI Provide Free Mammograms On Music Row
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured: (L-R): Leslie Roberts, BMI; Debbie Padilla, Mobile Health Unit Driver; Kelly Large, Mammography Technologist; Debbie Carroll, MusiCares; Danielle Bowker, MusiCares; Nina Carter, BMI.
The MusiCares mobile mammogram bus was stationed in BMI’s visitor parking lot on Thursday (Aug. 25) for free mammograms for women in the Music Row area.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with all slots completely booked, nurses from St. Thomas Hospital gave free mammograms in their state-of-the-art bus, an RV outfitted with a waiting area, dressing rooms and a top-of-the-line x-ray machine.
BMI supports MusiCares’ efforts to provide healthcare, financial, medical and personal assistance to music community members.
Dustin Lynch, Songwriters Toast Good Fortunes Of “Mind Reader”
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured: (L-R): Back Row: ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Sony ATV’s Tom Luteran, This Music’s Rusty Gaston, Broken Bow Records’ Jon Loba, Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, Broken Bow Records’ Lee Adams and BMI’s Nina Carter. Front Row: ASCAP songwriter Ben Hayslip, BMI artist Dustin Lynch, BMI songwriter Rhett Akins, producer Mickey Jack Cones. Photo: Steve Lowry.
Dustin Lynch and songwriters Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip rounded up friends, families and allies at a No. 1 party for “Mind Reader,” held Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 24) at South.
ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, BMI’s Nina Carter, Sony/ATV’s Tom Luteran and THIS Music’s Rusty Gaston all roused the crowd with startling statistics and good humor. One astonishing fact: Akins and Hayslip have written nearly a hundred major label cuts together.
Broken Bow Records’ Jon Loba, CMA’s Brandi Simms, and boisterous producer Mickey Jack Cones also praised the men of the hour during the party. A representative from Avenue Bank was unable to attend but a charitable donation was given to the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee.
Hayslip thanked his wife for sticking with him before the hits started rolling in, then pointed out his kids in the audience. After thanking Gaston for giving him a publishing deal 10 years ago, Hayslip reminisced about signing the agreement when one of his kids was just about to be born. “He doesn’t know Daddy without hits,” Hayslip said about his 10-year-old. “That’s his pickup line at school: ‘My Daddy wrote that.’”
Hayslip profusely thanked his friends at THIS Music, Warner/Chappell, Sony/ATV Music, Broken Bow Records and ASCAP. Speaking about Lynch and Cones, he added, “You guys are a good team. You all are doing something and making history in country music right now. I hope you guys stay together. It’s a good combination.”
Wrapping things up, he spoke about his longtime friendship with Akins.
“From two kids writing songs in the outfield of a baseball field in Valdosta, Georgia, to all these hit songs, relationships with all these artists like Dustin, to opening up 20,000-people tours on Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour… two guys just started out sitting on a bed playing guitar and playing Hank Jr. I don’t we got here, but we did.”
Akins continued that thread during his time at the podium, noting, “I don’t know how we continue to do this. I had no idea we had close to a hundred cuts together. If you could hear our songs we wrote in 1983, you wouldn’t think that would happen!”
He thanked Lynch, Cones, BBR Music Group CEO Benny Brown, BBR Music Group Executive Vice President Jon Loba, and Broken Bow Records VP /Promotion Lee Adams, as well as friends at Sony/ATV, BMI, and his mother, who was in attendance.
Akins concluded, “It’s cool to get in a room every Wednesday, or two or three times a week, with Ben and we have absolutely nothing. We say, ‘What are we going to write today? Well, let’s go eat and we’ll figure it out.’ We really don’t even get started until 2 o’clock but we always come up with something. I guess just because we grew up together the same way and speak the same language. We just have a thing, and thank y’all for letting us have that thing.”
With his parents proudly looking on, Lynch addressed the audience by first thanking his comrades at William Morris Endeavor, his band and crew, and his publicist and marketing team for raising his profile and trying new things on digital platforms.
After thanking his label, Lynch continued, “I want to take a moment to let everybody know what’s about to happen. This next album, I’m so fired up about it and we’re not even halfway done with it. It’s gonna be a big, big moment, so thank you guys for letting me be creative and letting me stretch my wings.”
Lynch told the audience that his first show in Nashville was in this very building, when it was known as Two Doors Down. He went on to say that “Mind Reader” was a song he’s wanted to record for a while, but just wanted the timing to be right.
“There’s a weird magic in Nashville that happens with songs that end up with whatever artist,” he said. “There are songs that I wanted to cut that I didn’t cut, then someone else had success with. And there’s probably a reason for that. I know I wasn’t the only artist that wanted to record ‘Mind Reader,’ so thank you guys for believing in me. And whatever weird magic is going around, thank you to the magic.”
MusicRowPics: Macy Martin Previews “Heart Sleeve Soul”
/by Jessica NicholsonMacy Martin. Photo: Molly Hannula
Rising singer-songwriter Macy Martin hails from a Texas family of doctors and lawyers, but this recent Nashville transplant has been pursing her dream of music since the age of 13.
After enrolling at Nashville’s Belmont University, Martin balances schoolwork with songwriting and touring. Martin has been working with industry veteran Kent Wells (Dolly Parton), and recently began collaborating with Los Angeles producer and songwriter Bryan Todd. Though not currently signed with a publisher, Martin is a BMI affiliate.
During a recent visit to the MusicRow office, Martin offered an acoustic preview of two tracks she co-wrote with Todd, including “Rescue Me” and the flirty “Kiss Like This.” She also showcased a bolder, grittier side to her vocals with the pop-infused “Graffiti.”
She finished with a rendition of her current single, “Heart Sleeve Soul,” co-written with Pete Sallis and produced by Wells.
“I had this title in my songwriting journal for a while,” said Martin. “In relationships and especially in budding ones, we feel all these emotions and we don’t always want to share them, and we just hold on to them. We might start to text something, then edit it 500 times before actually sending it, and the point of the song is if we are juts honest and out there, true with our emotions, then we are truly heart sleeve souls.”
Macy Martin with MusicRow staffers.
Warner/Chappell Hosts Gathering For Songwriter Lance Miller
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Will Overton, Warner/Chappell; Ben Vaughn, Warner/Chappell; Lee Brice; Lance Miller; Craig Campbell; Rob Hatch; The Warren Brothers; Jerrod Neimann
Warner/Chappell songwriter Lance Miller was the center of attention during the latest installment of Songwriter Series @ The Chappell, held at the publishing company on Tuesday night (Aug. 23).
Miller’s artist and songwriting friends all came to pay tribute with a song for the well-liked songwriter. Guests included Lee Brice, Craig Campbell, Rob Hatch, Tim McGraw, Jerrod Niemann and Brad and Brett Warren.
Lance Miller (right) and Jerrod Niemann perform at Warner/Chappell
Reba Surprises Fans With Early Christmas Album
/by Jessica NicholsonReba McEntire is giving her fans an early Christmas gift by releasing her album, My Kind of Christmas, one week earlier than expected.
The project is available now in Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and online at crackerbarrel.com. Reba made the announcement via video on her social media accounts.
My Kind of Christmas features McEntire’s renditions of several Christmas classics, including “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Hard Candy Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and more. The project was produced by McEntire and Doug Sizemore.
Miranda Lambert, Alicia Keys, Chris Young Added To ACM Honors
/by Jessica NicholsonMiranda Lambert. Photo: Becky Fluke
Miranda Lambert, Alicia Keys, Chris Young, The Band Perry and Dan + Shay have been added as performers for the 10th annual ACM Honors, a two-hour special to be taped at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday (Aug. 30). The special will air Friday, Sept. 9 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
They join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Cam, Toby Keith, Maren Morris, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Keith Urban and hosts Lady Antebellum.
Additionally, Mike Fisher, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride and Thomas Rhett have been named as presenters for the evening.
The 10th ACM Honors is an evening dedicated to celebrating the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards.
Inn At Fontanel Receives Approval For Significant Expansion
/by Jessica NicholsonRendering of the expansion planned for Inn at Fontanel.
Nashville’s Metro Council has given a green light to add 136 rooms to Fontanel’s bed-and-breakfast-style boutique hotel, Inn at Fontanel, which was once Southern Living‘s Ideas House. The facility will also add a 300-seat banquet and meeting hall, resort-style pool, spa, and artisan retail space.
Music managers Dale Morris and Marc Oswald paid $2.5 million for 31 acres near the area planned for expansion, which required a vote from Metro Council to amend the Whites Creek Community plan to accommodate the expansion. Plans are now underway, with the expansion slated for completion in the second quarter of 2018.
Co-owner Oswald said, “We are so excited and energized by the City Council’s vote to support and allow the expansion of the Inn at Fontanel. We endeavor to design and build a facility that pays the most respect possible to the rural and historic character of Whites Creek and ensure public access to all who come to visit and enjoy this beautiful area.”
“We are excited to be able to enhance the Fontanel guest experience with all the new amenities the expansion brings,” stated Bob Ekman, CEO of Fontanel. “Visitors can spend their days touring the mansion, hiking the trails, zipping with Adventureworks, enjoying wine tastings at the Natchez Hills Winery, shopping local, can take in one of many music shows, enjoy several dining options, or take a day trip downtown.”
The Fontanel property also includes the 33,000-square-foot log cabin and former home of Country Music Hall of Fame member Barbara Mandrell, the Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater, Adventureworks Ziplines, restaurant Cafe Fontanella, the Stone House Gift Shoppe, and three miles of public walking trails.
DISClaimer: Lori McKenna, Josh Farrow Lead Americana Releases
/by Robert K OermannLori McKenna. Photo: Becky Fluke
The Americana festival and convention will be here before we know it, so it’s high time we surveyed what’s in this genre’s review-me pile.
The names to remember today are John Gorka, Chip Taylor and those of our dual Disc of the Day winners, Lori McKenna and Liz Longley.
Today’s newcomers include Angie & The Deserters, Andrew Leahey & The Homestead and our DisCovery Award winner, Josh Farrow. The East Nashville troubadour will be performing at Live on the Green on the Metro Courthouse Square on Sept. 2. Be there or be square.
CHIP TAYLOR/I’ll Carry For You
Writer: Chip Taylor; Producers: Goran Grini/Chip Taylor; Publisher: Back Road, BMI; Train Wreck (track)
– “Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning,” “I Can Make It With You,” “Step Out of Your Mind,” “Make Me Belong to You,” “Son of a Rotten Gambler,” “Storybook Children,” “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” “I Can’t Let Go,” “Worry,” “Anyway That You Want Me,” and other vintage pop classics earned Chip entry into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier this year. But he is also a very contemporary, engaging and prolific writer-artist in the Americana genre. This title tune to his latest is inspired by his love of golf. More than that, it is a stately ode to sisterly love, perseverance, striving and being brave. Speaking of prolific, he has two current CDs, the other being Little Brothers, which salutes his family. Trivia fact: He’s actor Jon Voight’s brother and Angelina Jolie’s uncle.
LIZ LONGLEY/Rescue My Heart
Writers: Liz Langley/Ian Keaggy/Jodi Marr; Producer: Bill Reynolds; Publishers: Luckelizz/ISK/Little Ruth, ASCAP; Sugar Hill (track)
– I adored this singer-songwriter’s Sugar Hill Records debut disc. Her songs stick in your head long after they end because of their inescapable hooks. Her second album for the label, titled Weightless, drops this week. It finds her recording in Nashville in a more pop/rock direction. She remains a captivating mistress of melody. On this track, the sound is stripped down to just her voice and piano. I remain an enormous fan. Essential listening.
JOHN GORKA/I Know
Writer: John Gorka; Producer: Jim Rooney; Publisher: Blues Palace, ASCAP; Blue Chalk (track)
– This Americana veteran recorded the tracks that comprise his new Before Beginning CD in Music City in 1985. At the time, he was a newcomer who had won the songwriting contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Nanci Griffith admired his work and recommended he go to Nashville to record with producer Rooney, who assembled an all-star band at Jack Clement’s studio. Gorka was used to playing solo and wasn’t sure what he thought of his resulting debut album. Years later, he listened again. So now, here it is. This is one of his best known early songs, presented with top-flight pickers, just as it originally was recorded 30 years ago. It is a jewel of lilting picking, earnest singing and crisp production. The rest of the CD is too. He was clearly nuts not to put it out, back in the day.
DAVE INSLEY/Just The Way That I Am
Writer: none listed; Producer: Dave Insley; Publishers: none listed; dir (track)
– This solid country vocalist has surrounded himself with a who’s-who of Austin folks on his new CD. The cast includes Kelly Willis, Dale Watson, Rick Shea and Redd Volkaert. The title tune is a plain-spoken ballad that asks for simple acceptance. It’s not in the least flashy, just honest sounding.
LORI McKENNA/Humble and Kind
Writer: Lori McKenna; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Hoodie, BMI; CN/Thirty Tigers
– This divine Massachusetts wife and mom returned to Nashville to craft her latest, The Bird and the Rifle. It includes her own version of this justly revered Tim McGraw hit she wrote. Lori is best known in Nashville as a songwriter of “Stealing Kisses,” “Girl Crush,” “Fireflies,” “God Made Girls” and “I Want Crazy.” But this and the other performances on this collection reveal her as an extraordinarily communicative, warm and womanly vocalist. “Wreck You,” ”If Whiskey Were a Woman,” “Old Men Young Women” and especially “Halfway Home” are particularly recommended. Lend her your ears. Then go get all of her other albums too.
ANDREW LEAHEY & THE HOMESTEAD/Little In Love
Writers: Andrew Leahey; Producer: Ken Coomer; Publisher: none listed; Skyline/Thirty Tigers
– He’s a roots rocker with country leanings and a Tom Petty kinda vibe. This lead-off track from his debut CD chimes in all the right places. The collection is titled Skyline in Central Time and was recorded in Nashville on either side of the artist’s life-threatening brain surgery. Produced by Wilco’s Ken Coomer, it sounds as hearty as Andrew is today.
SARA WATKINS/Move Me
Writers: Sara Watkins; Producer: Gabe Witcher; Publishers: Fiddle & Fall, ASCAP; New West (track)
– The fiddler/singer from the former Nickel Creek has shed her progressive-bluegrass roots for an all-out pop band sound on her entirely self-composed Young in All the Wrong Ways collection. On this punchy track, she pushes her soprano to sound harder and more forceful than it has before. Courageous.
JOSH FARROW/Devil Don’t You Fool Me
Writer: Josh Farrow; Producer: Dexter Green; Publisher: Southern Drag; JF (track)
– This drawling, bluesy tenor singer stomps his way through this soulful, rhythmic outing with aplomb. It comes from his Trouble With Me CD, which has a cast that includes The McCrary Sisters, Ruby Amanfu and Elizabeth Cook, among others. On this track, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Ashley Wilcoxson wail in the background.
BRIAN LANGLINAIS/You Can’t Say I Don’t Love You
Writer: none listed; Producers: D.L. Duncan/Brian Langlinais; Publisher: none listed; Patoutville (track)
– Music City stalwart Langlinais recaptures his R&B Louisiana roots on his new Right Hand Road CD. But he proves you don’t have to physically go back there to do it. His Nashville session sidemen, including The Inglewood Horns, put plenty of heat behind him. This opening track is a classic-sounding blues rocker, complete with squalling sax and soul-sister background shouting.
ANGIE & THE DESERTERS/Country Radio
Writers: Angie Bruyere/Guy Griffin/Nigel Mogg; Producer: Jeff Huskins; Publishers: none listed; Topanga Canyon
– Love the band name. The sound on this saucy track is nouveau rockabilly with a throaty alto lead vocal alternating phrases with gritty electric guitar riffs, sizzling fiddle work and organ trills. The act has a slightly raggedy, amateurish sonic vibe, but nothing a little production polish couldn’t improve.
City Of Hope Confirms Clive Davis, Pharrell Williams For Gala Event
/by Craig_ShelburneClive Davis
Clive Davis will present a songwriting award to Pharrell Williams at an event benefiting City of Hope in Los Angeles on Sept. 15.
During the Songs of Hope XII event, the 2016 Clive Davis “Legend in Songwriting” Award will be personally presented by Davis to Williams, whose recent projects include Wanderlust, an album with Little Big Town. In addition, Steve Schnur, President, Music of Electronic Arts, will present the 2016 Electronic Arts Composer Award to The Jungle Book composer John Debney. Schnur is a board member of City of Hope, The Recording Academy, Nashville Film Festival, and The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
The 2016 Pandora Trendsetter Award will be given to artist, songwriter and producer Mike Posner, known for co-writing songs such as Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” and Maroon 5’s “Sugar.” His own hit singles include “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” and “Cooler Than Me.”
Songs of Hope brings together the music and entertainment industry VIPs committed to fighting cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. The star-studded event, silent auction and CharityBuzz.com auction raises money to support lifesaving research at City of Hope, an independent biomedical research institution and cancer treatment center.
The event is again co-chaired by David Renzer, Chairman of Spirit Music Group; Doug Davis, Founder/Principal of The Davis Firm; Evan Lamberg, President – North America, Universal Music Publishing Group; and Steve Schnur, President, Music of Electronic Arts.