Steve Young. Photo: steveyoung.net.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Young passed away in Nashville on Thursday, March 17, at the age of 73.
Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” Young wrote such classics as “Seven Bridges Road,” “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean,” “Long Way to Hollywood” and “Montgomery in the Rain.” He was a key figure in the progressive or “Outlaw” country movement of the 1970s.
Steve Young was born in Newnan, Georgia, on July 12, 1942. He was raised in Alabama and strongly identified with that state’s native son, Hank Williams. His family also lived in Texas during his boyhood.
He spent part of the 1960s in New York City, kicking around the edges of the folk-music scene in Greenwich Village. He relocated to California in 1964 and formed the band Stone Country.
On the West Coast, he performed and recorded with Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and Chris Hillman, all of whom were cornerstone artists in the emerging country-rock genre. Young’s debut LP, Rock Salt & Nails, was issued by A&M Records in 1968. Parsons, Clark and guitar ace James Burton all played on it.
Young tired of Hollywood and moved to Marin County. He ran the Amazing Grace guitar store there for several years before making his way to Music City.
Waylon Jennings recorded Young’s “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” as the title song of his 1973 album. This record was the first of the star’s self-produced Outlaw collections.
Young’s Nashville-recorded Seven Bridges Road appeared on Reprise Records in 1972. It has since been reissued three times by various other labels. Honky Tonk Man was issued in 1975 by the Mountain Railroad label. Steve Young appeared in the Outlaw music documentary Heartworn Highways in 1976, singing his song “Alabama Highway.” The film featured him alongside such figures as David Allan Coe, Charlie Daniels, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Larry Jon Wilson.
RCA picked up his recording contract and issued his two most well known albums, the aptly named Renegade Picker (1976) and No Place to Fall (1978). Both were roots-music classics, with hints of blues and gospel in his Southern country sound. Labelmate Jennings took him on tour as his opening act.
Hank Williams Jr. issued his versions of Young’s “Montgomery in the Rain” and “Long Way to Hollywood” in 1977. Others who recorded his songs include Tracy Nelson, Joan Baez, Ian Matthews, Ricochet, Dolly Parton and Rita Coolidge. Travis Tritt revived “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” in 2003.
Rounder Records reissued Steve Young’s Seven Bridges Road (1981) and Honky Tonk Man (1984) and also put out the artist’s new sounds on To Satisfy You (1981). Also in 1981, The Eagles scored a pop and country hit with “Seven Bridges Road.”
During this part of his career, Young gave up drugs and alcohol. He’d long been Regarded as a “zen cowboy” and now began to explore spirituality in his music. Recorded in Sweden, his 1985 album Look Homeward Angel added synthesizers to his sound.
His intensity and conviction as a live performer made him a “cult” favorite artist, particularly in Europe. His 1990 collection Long Time Rider was recorded in the Netherlands. He issued his first concert recording Solo/Live in 1991 on Watermelon Records, which also issued 1993’s Switchblades of Love.
Later recordings include 2000’s Primal Young, 2006’s Songlines Revisited and 2007’s Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend.
Steve Young’s son, Jubal Lee Young, competed on NBC’s The Voice in 2015. His current CD is titled On a Dark Highway.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Steve Young believed in reincarnation.
In Pictures: Jake Owen, NSAI, Frankie Ballard, Jake Worthington
/by Jessica NicholsonJake Owen Visits Academy of Country Music
Photo (L-R): Brandon Gill, Morris Higham Management & ACM Board Member, Bob Romeo, Academy of Country Music, and Jake Owen. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music welcomed RCA Nashville artist Jake Owen to the office while he was in Los Angeles. Owen performed his new single, “American Country Love Song,” along with playing some of his mega-hits.
Watch the performance below:
NSAI In Washington For Music Licensing Talks
Pictured (L-R): NSAI Board member Tim Nichols, Jimmy Yeary and Deric Ruttan. NSAI’s Bart Herbison, Jennifer Turnbow and Libby Oellerich.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) was in Washington, D.C. this week for meetings with members of Congress regarding music licensing reform and the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings for Dr. Carla Hayden.
Hayden has been nominated by President Barack Obama as Librarian of Congress who oversees the U.S. Copyright Office. In addition to NSAI Board member Tim Nichols, Jimmy Yeary and Deric Ruttan (pictured above), NSAI’s Bart Herbison, Jennifer Turnbow and Libby Oellerich also participated in the event.
Frankie Ballard Takes London
Frankie Ballard
Taking his electrifying set overseas, Warner Bros. Records/Warner Music Nashville’s Frankie Ballard played two sold out shows at London’s Hoxton Bar and Brooklyn Bowl. Ballard brought huge crowds to his Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester shows as well.
“It’s a dream come true to be this far from home and discover people who know your music,” said Ballard. “Hearing my lyrics sung with a British accent makes me so happy!”
Ballard is heading to Germany next week for three more shows before returning to the U.S.
The Voice Runner-Up Visits WRTB
Pictured (L-R): Justin Brown, Jake Worthington
Paul Lyman Joins Renee Grant-Williams Voice Studio
/by Craig_ShelburnePaul Lyman
Paul Lyman has been named an associate teacher at Renee Grant-Williams Voice Studio in Nashville.
Lyman is an alumnus of Carnegie-Mellon University and has a Music Business degree from James Madison University. He is a multi-instrumentalist who has coached vocalists and instrumentalists for over 20 years.
His client roster includes Top 10 and No. 1 songwriters, as well as developmental artists for most of the major record labels in Nashville, including Warner Bros., Sony, MCA, RCA, Mercury, Arista, Curb and Word.
In addition to voice lessons, Lyman teaches guitar, piano, bass and live performance coaching. He is based in West Nashville. His rate for a 55-minute session is $65.
“I’ve known Paul for about 10 years when he was the pianist for the Music City Community Chorus, which I created and directed; and I’m very excited about everything that he has to offer singers and musicians,” said Grant-Williams.
“I first worked with Renee in 2006, and have continued to marvel at how many students she has helped in all aspect of their voice,” said Lyman. “I am honored to continue to work with my friend, and teach the vocal secrets she’s shared with me which make her a powerhouse of a teacher!”
Belmont University, Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Host Retreat For Veterans
/by Jessica NicholsonThree Nashville organizations partnered to host a day-long songwriting retreat for veterans on Feb. 26 at Belmont University.
Belmont and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) co-sponsored the event led by Operation Song, an organization that helps veterans and active-duty military tell their stories through songwriting.
“We were excited to partner with NaSHOF and Belmont on this retreat,” says songwriter and Operation Song Founder/Director Bob Regan. “As we writers know, songwriting can be therapeutic – a very effective way to ‘put the puzzle pieces in place.’ Operation Song brings this creative process to veterans and service members to help them express themselves and to deal with the trauma of war and the transition to civilian life.”
The retreat teamed five professional songwriters from Operation Song and the Hall of Fame with Belmont students and five veterans who served in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Roxie Dean (“Why They Call It Falling” by Lee Ann Womack), Regie Hamm (“The Time Of My Life” by David Cook), Thom Schuyler (“Love Will Turn You Around” by Kenny Rogers) and George Teren (“Real Good Man” by Tim McGraw) joined Regan (“Thinkin’ About You” by Trisha Yearwood) as songwriting facilitators for each team.
“I had the great pleasure of writing a song with a veteran of the U.S. Navy (Joe) and a Belmont songwriting student (Luke),” says Schuyler, a Hall of Fame inductee who participated as part of NaSHOF’s Wayland Holyfield Outreach. “Joe arrived with a poignant song idea already fashioned into a promising lyric, and he was generous enough to share it with Luke and me. It was gratifying to see the expression on Joe’s face as we all did our best to bring a part of his personal story to life in words and music.”
Though most Operation Song events feature teams of two, the teams for Feb. 26 were expanded to include students from Belmont’s songwriting degree program.
“We appreciate the opportunity for our songwriting students to be a part of this special songwriting event with Operation Song and the Hall of Fame,” says James Elliott, Chair of Belmont’s Songwriting Program. “This is a unique opportunity for our students to help veterans express themselves in song and is sure to be a life-changing event for them.”
The teams spent the day talking and writing songs based on veteran experiences. At the end of the day, teams gathered in the Columbia A recording studio to reflect upon the experience and perform their new songs for each other in a large group setting.
LifeNotes: Outlaw Country Artist Steve Young Passes
/by Robert K OermannSteve Young. Photo: steveyoung.net.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Young passed away in Nashville on Thursday, March 17, at the age of 73.
Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” Young wrote such classics as “Seven Bridges Road,” “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean,” “Long Way to Hollywood” and “Montgomery in the Rain.” He was a key figure in the progressive or “Outlaw” country movement of the 1970s.
Steve Young was born in Newnan, Georgia, on July 12, 1942. He was raised in Alabama and strongly identified with that state’s native son, Hank Williams. His family also lived in Texas during his boyhood.
He spent part of the 1960s in New York City, kicking around the edges of the folk-music scene in Greenwich Village. He relocated to California in 1964 and formed the band Stone Country.
On the West Coast, he performed and recorded with Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and Chris Hillman, all of whom were cornerstone artists in the emerging country-rock genre. Young’s debut LP, Rock Salt & Nails, was issued by A&M Records in 1968. Parsons, Clark and guitar ace James Burton all played on it.
Young tired of Hollywood and moved to Marin County. He ran the Amazing Grace guitar store there for several years before making his way to Music City.
Waylon Jennings recorded Young’s “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” as the title song of his 1973 album. This record was the first of the star’s self-produced Outlaw collections.
Young’s Nashville-recorded Seven Bridges Road appeared on Reprise Records in 1972. It has since been reissued three times by various other labels. Honky Tonk Man was issued in 1975 by the Mountain Railroad label. Steve Young appeared in the Outlaw music documentary Heartworn Highways in 1976, singing his song “Alabama Highway.” The film featured him alongside such figures as David Allan Coe, Charlie Daniels, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Larry Jon Wilson.
RCA picked up his recording contract and issued his two most well known albums, the aptly named Renegade Picker (1976) and No Place to Fall (1978). Both were roots-music classics, with hints of blues and gospel in his Southern country sound. Labelmate Jennings took him on tour as his opening act.
Hank Williams Jr. issued his versions of Young’s “Montgomery in the Rain” and “Long Way to Hollywood” in 1977. Others who recorded his songs include Tracy Nelson, Joan Baez, Ian Matthews, Ricochet, Dolly Parton and Rita Coolidge. Travis Tritt revived “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” in 2003.
Rounder Records reissued Steve Young’s Seven Bridges Road (1981) and Honky Tonk Man (1984) and also put out the artist’s new sounds on To Satisfy You (1981). Also in 1981, The Eagles scored a pop and country hit with “Seven Bridges Road.”
During this part of his career, Young gave up drugs and alcohol. He’d long been Regarded as a “zen cowboy” and now began to explore spirituality in his music. Recorded in Sweden, his 1985 album Look Homeward Angel added synthesizers to his sound.
His intensity and conviction as a live performer made him a “cult” favorite artist, particularly in Europe. His 1990 collection Long Time Rider was recorded in the Netherlands. He issued his first concert recording Solo/Live in 1991 on Watermelon Records, which also issued 1993’s Switchblades of Love.
Later recordings include 2000’s Primal Young, 2006’s Songlines Revisited and 2007’s Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend.
Steve Young’s son, Jubal Lee Young, competed on NBC’s The Voice in 2015. His current CD is titled On a Dark Highway.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Steve Young believed in reincarnation.
MusicRowLife: Rebekah And Travis Gordon Welcome Daughter
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto: Amy Allmand
Warner Music Nashville’s Director of A&R Rebekah Gordon and her husband Travis Gordon, Sr. Creative Director at Universal Music Publishing, welcomed their new baby girl Reese Marie Gordon on Feb. 22 at 1:49 p.m.
She weighed in at 7 lbs. 4 oz., 20.5 inches long and shares a birthday with her mother.
In Pictures: CMA, NASH FM, Cumulus/Westwood One
/by Jessica NicholsonCMA Hosts Inaugural Nashville Music And Brand Forum
Pictured (L-R): Damon Whiteside, CMA Senior VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships; Lauren Alaina; John Marks, CMA Board member and Spotify Global Senior Editor/Music Programmer, Country; Maria Molin Ljunggren, CMA Board member and Capitol Music Group AB – Sweden; Frankie Ballard; Bob Shennan, CMA Board member and BBC Director of Music; and Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. Photo: Anthony D’Angio/CMA
While in the U.K. for the 2016 C2C (Country 2 Country) Festival, the Country Music Association hosted its first-ever Nashville Music and Brand Forum on Friday, March 11 at the Gibson Brand Studio in London.
CMA invited U.K.-based brands, agencies, and music companies to learn about the growth of the genre in the U.K. and share new country music consumer research. Special artist appearances included Lauren Alaina and Frankie Ballard. Board members Maria Molin Ljunggren, John Marks, Milly Olykan, and Bob Shennan were on hand to represent the CMA Board.
Chris Janson, Randy Houser Visit NASH FM 94.7 in NYC
Pictured: Country’s Chris Janson with NASH FM 94.7’S Shila Nathan
Chris Janson stopped by the NASH FM 94.7 studios in New York City to chat with on-air host Shila Nathan. Janson was on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday night, where he performed his current single, “Power of Positive Drinking.”
Janson also co-wrote Randy Houser’s current single, “Song Number Seven” from Houser’s new album, Fired Up. Houser performed a private concert for NASH FM 94.7 to raise money for Children’s Specialized Hospital. His album, Fired Up, released March 11.
Randy Houser performs for NASH FM 94.7
Artists Line Up For SXSW Cumulus Media/Westwood One Show
Mo Pitney
Music fans at SXSW got a sweet treat this week, as artists including Mo Pitney, LANco, Haley Georgia, Aurora, Matt Gary, and Breaking Southwest performed for NASH Live in Austin, hosted by Twix and Snickers, for Cumulus Media/Westwood One.
The concert took place at Austin’s Rattle Inn, 610 Nueces Street, where attendees enjoyed an exclusive night of music and Mars candy sampling.
LANco with Tommy Page
Artist Updates: Cam, Colt Ford, Chase Rice, Collin Raye
/by Jessica NicholsonCam To Appear On The Talk
Cam
The cast of CBS’s The Talk will welcome Cam to their studio on Monday, March 21. The 2016 ACM Awards most-nominated female artist will perform her Platinum-certified No. 1 smash, “Burning House.”
The daily one-hour series is hosted by Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler and Sheryl Underwood.
Chase Rice Performs For Fans, Military Overseas
Chase Rice performs at CMC Rocks Music Festival in Australia.
Chase Rice recently brought his energetic stage show to fans around the world, including stops at The Republik in Hawaii, four U.S. military bases in Japan, and a run at the sold-out CMC Rocks music festival in Australia, where his Ignite the Night album had just topped the ARIA Country Albums chart the week prior.
“I had a suspicion that Chase Rice was going to be the unexpected discovery artist at this year’s festival,” said Rob Potts, CMC Rocks festival promoter. “From topping the Aussie country chart a week before he arrived, to the crazy reaction his live performance slots generated, he was a huge hit at the event. Nothing accentuates this more than him topping CD sales at the massive on-site record store, taking out the No. 1 seller position even though they sold out of his stock. Chase returns to the USA having made a serious impact with the Aussie fans.”
Third Annual Concert For Local Combat Injured Heroes To Feature Collin Raye
Raye, along with John Ford Coley, as well as Yates and Kevin McKendree, The Jim Brown Band, and Chas Collin Band, will perform at the Franklin Theatre on Thursday, April 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $35 and $45 and can be purchased at franklintheatre.com, or by phone at 615-428-2076.
Colt Ford To Headline Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Concert
Average Joes Entertainment artist Colt Ford will join forces with Track Enterprises at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on Friday, April 8 for an evening of Rockin’ and Racin’ and family fun.
The evening begins at 5:30 with qualifying followed by the ARCA/CRA Super Series and Southern Super Series doubleheader at 7:00, featuring 50-lap races for both series. Ford will headline a concert at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12 (children 4 and under are free) and available at the gate or by calling 217-764-3200.
Elyse McKenna Joins Ticketing Platform Applauze
/by Sarah SkatesElyse McKenna
Elyse McKenna is taking on a new role leading business development initiatives for Applauze, a direct-to-fan ticketing platform serving the artist and event communities. She will focus on partnership opportunities, brand expansion, and marketing strategies for Applauze clients and partners. McKenna’s 12 years of experience in ticketing includes time as an agent, as well as business development catalyst at both Crowdsurge and Songkick. She has worked on initiatives for Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Garth Brooks and many more.
“I’m thrilled to have Elyse joining the Applauze team,” said CEO Kiran Bellubbi. “Her experience, knowledge and understanding of the music ecosystem in Nashville are both distinguished and unmatched. Her expertise will undoubtedly elevate our strategic alliances and brand propositions.”
“Ticketing is an exciting area within the industry and incredibly important within the live event community,” said McKenna. “It’s a great privilege to join Applauze, and I’m excited to be able to drive immediate value alongside such an outstanding group of individuals who are committed advocates to being partners in shaping the future of events for recording artists and their dedicated fan bases.”
McKenna joins the business development team alongside New York executive David McKay. Applauze is also adding account managers to the Nashville office.
“Over the past three years we have laid the groundwork for an outstanding team in Nashville and are prepared to invest even more in the region under Elyse’s leadership,” stated Bellubbi. “We’re really looking forward to growing the business together.”
Elyse McKenna can be reached at 615-507-8100 or elyse@applauze.com.
Weekly Chart Report (3/18/16)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
CMHoF Will Salute 60th Anniversary Of Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes”
/by Craig_ShelburneCarl Perkins
A special panel discussion and performance to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes” will be presented by The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on April 9 at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater. This celebration of Perkins’ signature song—and his influential career—will take place on what would have been his 84th birthday. Perkins died in 1998.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the creation and first recording of the rockabilly classic “Blue Suede Shoes” by Perkins. In 1956, “Blue Suede Shoes” set sales records for Sam Phillips’ Sun label just weeks after Elvis Presley left Sun for RCA. The recording achieved the rare distinction of climbing the national charts in three genres: pop, country, and R&B. “Blue Suede Shoes” is in the Grammy Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Songs of All Time” and the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
A panel discussion about Perkins will include his son Stan Perkins (Carl’s longtime drummer), close friend Naomi Judd (of the Judds, for whom Perkins wrote the #1 hit “Let Me Tell You About Love”); David McGee (co-author, with Carl Perkins, of Go, Cat, Go!: The Life and Times of Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly); Peter Guralnick (author of Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll), and moderator Dr. Mark Crawford (associate professor of music at Tennessee State University).
Chuck Mead (founding member of BR5-49 and music director for the stage musical Million Dollar Quartet) will perform a brief set with his band.
Presented in support of the museum’s exhibition Flyin’ Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips, the program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The interview and performance will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.