Prolific songwriter and successful music publisher Roger Murrah will be honored on March 6 as part of the Museum’s quarterly programming series Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters. The 1:30 PM program, which will be held in the Museum’s Ford Theater, is included with Museum admission and free to Museum members. The program will also be streamed live at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.
Museum Editor Michael Gray will conduct an in-depth, one-on-one interview with Murrah, illustrated with audiovisual elements from the Museum’s collection, including recordings, photos and film clips. Immediately following the program, he will sign autographs in the Museum Store.
Roger Murrah
Born in 1946 and raised on a family farm in Athens, Alabama, Murrah was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. He ranks among country music’s most prolific songwriters, with hit songs spanning over four decades. Murrah has written or co-written a host of memorable country songs, including “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” (Alan Jackson), “Goodbye Time” (Conway Twitty, Blake Shelton), “It’s a Little Too Late” (Tanya Tucker), “High Cotton” (Alabama), “Life’s Highway” (Steve Wariner), “Only Love” (Wynonna Judd), “Ozark Mountain Jubilee” (O
ak Ridge Boys), “Where Corn Don’t Grow” (Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt) and many more. Murrah also co-wrote Al Jarreau’s breakthrough pop and R&B hit “We’re in This Love Together.” Currently Murrah is serving as Bug Music’s Senior Vice President, Nashville.
The Poets and Prophets series honors songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music history. Previous Poets and Prophets honorees include Bill Anderson, Matraca Berg, Bobby Braddock, Jerry Chesnut, Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, John D. Loudermilk, Bob McDill, Curly Putman, Whitey Shafer, Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman.
Country Hall Honors Murrah
/by contributorMuseum Editor Michael Gray will conduct an in-depth, one-on-one interview with Murrah, illustrated with audiovisual elements from the Museum’s collection, including recordings, photos and film clips. Immediately following the program, he will sign autographs in the Museum Store.
Roger Murrah
Born in 1946 and raised on a family farm in Athens, Alabama, Murrah was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. He ranks among country music’s most prolific songwriters, with hit songs spanning over four decades. Murrah has written or co-written a host of memorable country songs, including “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” (Alan Jackson), “Goodbye Time” (Conway Twitty, Blake Shelton), “It’s a Little Too Late” (Tanya Tucker), “High Cotton” (Alabama), “Life’s Highway” (Steve Wariner), “Only Love” (Wynonna Judd), “Ozark Mountain Jubilee” (O
ak Ridge Boys), “Where Corn Don’t Grow” (Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt) and many more. Murrah also co-wrote Al Jarreau’s breakthrough pop and R&B hit “We’re in This Love Together.” Currently Murrah is serving as Bug Music’s Senior Vice President, Nashville.
The Poets and Prophets series honors songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music history. Previous Poets and Prophets honorees include Bill Anderson, Matraca Berg, Bobby Braddock, Jerry Chesnut, Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, John D. Loudermilk, Bob McDill, Curly Putman, Whitey Shafer, Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman.
Country Stars Flock To “Birdhouse Thing”
/by contributorCountry stars who have contributed decorated and signed birdhouses include Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Wynonna, Josh Turner, Vince Gill, Kellie Pickler, Sara Evans, Jason Aldean, Chris Young, Danny Gokey, Keith Anderson, LeAnn Rimes, Gretchen Wilson, Ray Price, Clint Black and others. Celebrities including Billy Bob Thornton, golfer John Daly, the Nashville Predators along with artisans Paul Harmon, Diana Johnson Wiles, Delia Seigenthaler and Bob McGill have also donated houses.
In addition to birdhouses, paintings, sculpture and other pieces of fine art by artists including Cindy Wunsch, Joanna Carter, Charlie Dyer, Toni Hooper and others will be auctioned and a silent auction will include hotel stays, golf outings and other gift packages. Food will be provided by more than a dozen of Nashville’s top caterers and restaurants along with wine, martinis, margaritas and other adult beverages.
Tickets for the Birdhouse Thing are $40 and are available here or by calling 615-255-8355.
Faith Hill Judges “Project Runway”
/by contributorHill attended the finale fashion show on Friday, February 12, along with Project Runway host Heidi Klum and judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. After seeing ten Runway designers’ collections, Hill, Klum, Garcia and Kors went to an undisclosed location in the city, where the judges’ deliberations were filmed and a winner for season 7 was chosen.
“What I saw was truly extraordinary and it made judging very difficult,” Hill says. “Designers, by trade, are always capable of sewing their own clothing, but the tailoring that I saw was extremely impressive; a few in particular knocked me out. The passion that these individuals showed, and their eagerness to learn from feedback and criticism, should prove an inspiration for those that follow them.“
“Faith Hill stepped into the toughest Project Runway guest judging seat of the season — the finale, which made her a deciding voice in naming the winner,” said Runway Executive Producer Sara Rea. “She took on the task with flying colors.”
Cub Scouts Visit Lofton Creek
/by contributorMembers of the Cub Scout pack toured the facility, learned the ropes of a record label and had the opportunity to meet Lofton Creek artist Adam Fisher. Fisher sang a few songs and signed photos and CD’s for the kids.
“I was very honored that Mike Borchetta, the President of Lofton Creek, asked me to attend this event,” said Fisher. “It was a great experience and I think the troop learned a lot. I sure had a lot of fun singing and eating breakfast with these kids!”
Fisher’s current single, “Cotton Town,” which was produced by Stella Parton, is currently impacting radio.
Lady A To Perform On “Oprah”
/by contributorFollowing their live performance on Oprah, Lady A will head off to Roanoke, Virginia, where they will perform that same night at the Roanoke Civic Center along with headliner Tim McGraw.
Following Lady A’s performance on the Grammy Awards in January, Need You Now shot straight to No. 1 on the all-genre iTunes chart where it remained for over a week. The album is still in the top 5 on the iTunes chart.
Starbucks, Soundstage Get Willie’s “Country Music”
/by contributorStarting on the album’s street date, the CD will be available for sale at all Starbucks stores for four weeks.
As part of the lineup of its eighth season, popular PBS live-music series Soundstage will also celebrate Country Music when it begins airing an episode featuring Nelson and his-eight piece band in an intimate setting with fans gathered around the stage. Soundstage featuring Nelson will begin airing nationally on Feburary 25. Check local listings for air times. Country Music’s deceptively simple concept is reminiscent of Nelson’s 1978 release, Stardust, a critical and commercial triumph which found the singer interpreting classics from The Great American Songbook.
ole Publishing Gets “Cat In The Hat”
/by contributorRandom House Children’s Books will also publish a full line of books to support the television series launch and will oversee a limited slate of licensing and merchandising efforts.
“ole is now one of the largest publishers of children’s TV music in the world and we’re pleased to be part of the ongoing story of perhaps the greatest and most enduring children’s brand of all time,” says ole CEO, Robert Ott.
“Ringside” Benefit Set For March
/by contributorIn addition, the evening will include a “Rumble on the Row” match-up pitting Columbia Nashville VP of National Promotion Jimmy Rector against amateur boxer Jon Jayne.
“I love the work the Charley Foundation does on behalf of Nashville’s children,” says Rector. “If me getting hit in the face a few times can make a child’s’ life better, then I am in.”
Table sponsorships for the event are available, as well as individual tickets at $250.00 each. Online donation can be made here. Contact Carolyn Miller at (615)297-3099 ext. 103 for details.
Last year’s event, The 5th Annual Ringside: A Fight for Kids featured special guest Martina McBride and raised over $100,000 dollars for The Charley Foundation.
Chesney Joins Steve Miller for “CMT Crossroads”
/by FreemanKenny Chesney, Steve Miller
In the latest installment of CMT Crossroads, country superstar Kenny Chesney will share the stage with one of his biggest influences, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Steve Miller. CMT Crossroads: The Steve Miller Band and Kenny Chesney will tape in March and premiere on CMT later in 2010.
This will be Chesney’s second appearance on the Crossroads series, after a 2003 episode with John Mellencamp. Chesney is a longtime friend of Miller’s, whose 40-year career includes more than 25 million records sold, numerous No. 1 hits, and a regular tour schedule even today.
“When Steve called and asked, I was ready to go,” Chesney says. “His songs are so much fun, so much a part of who anyone growing up who’s a rock fan is. He’s so down-to-Earth, so easy-going, you’d never know what a big star he is. Everything he’s done… songs like ‘Take The Money and Run,’ ‘Jet Airliner,’ ‘Fly Like An Eagle,’ ‘Livin’ In The USA’ and ‘The Joker’. He’s been on the road for four decades and he’s just as good now, not to mention the way he can play a guitar! It is truly an honor to get to do this with him.”
David Nail, Laura Bell Bundy Visit ACM
/by MichelleRising UMG Nashville artists David Nail and Laura Bell Bundy visited the Academy of Country Music offices during recent trips to Los Angeles.
David Nail visited the Academy of Country Music in Los Angeles recently to perform for ACM staffers. He was in LA taping CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which aired Feb. 15. Pictured: L-R: David Nail, Bob Romeo, ACM Executive Director
Mercury Nashville recording artist Laura Bell Bundy visited the ACM recently to sign up for professional membership. The Tony Award nominee's debut album, "Achin' and Shakin'," will be released in 2010. Pictured (L-R): Stuart Dill, Sanctuary Artist Management, Gayle Holcomb, WME, Laura Bell Bundy, Bob Romeo, ACM