Sean and Sara Watkins of the Watkins Family Hour, Chris Hillman, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Vice President of Museum Services Brenda Colladay, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CEO Kyle Young, and City National Bank’s EVP and Manager of Entertainment Banking Martha Henderson at the opening reception for the exhibition Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Chapter 657
Parties thrown by the Country Music Hall of Fame are always family-reunion affairs, but on Thursday (Sept. 29) our distant cousins showed up, too.
The cause for the celebration was the grand opening of a major new museum exhibit titled “Western Edge.” Donning their glad rags for the occasion were Jeff Hanna & Matraca Berg, John Jorgenson & Dixie Gamble, Phil “Mangler” Kaufman, Victoria Shaw, David Anderson, Chuck Mead, Spooner Oldham, Steve Fishell and Bruce Bouton.
Artifacts on display for the opening of Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Visiting from out of town (mainly California country cousins) were Rosie Flores, Chris Isaak, Herb Pedersen, John McEuen, Chris Hillman, exhibit curator Connie Pappas Hillman, Jimmy Fadden, Sean & Sara Watkins, The International Submarine Band’s Jon Corneal, Rodney Dillard, Richie Furay and Palomino nightclub country-rock star James Intveld.
The opening reception was packed. Hall of Fame chief Kyle Young was clearly delighted.
“I must say, I am disappointed in the turn-out,” he quipped. “Seriously, I am so happy to see so many people out tonight in this room.”
Young added, “This exhibit is a multi-layered story… There is a long established tradition of country music in Los Angeles. [“Western Edge”] brings us face-to-face with musical history.”
“Western Edge” was nearly three years in the making. The lavish, multi-room displays contain historic photos, artifacts, costumes, vintage instruments and video clips.
At the reception, the Watkins siblings thrilled the crowd with the Linda Ronstadt hit “Different Drum.” Ronstadt wrote the forward to the accompanying book, also called Western Edge. Her debut hit was written by the peerless country-rock stylist Michael Nesmith, one of whose costumes is enshrined in the exhibit.
Kyle introduced Hillman by dubbing him “the Linchpin of Country Rock,” due to his decades-spanning presence in The Scottsviille Squirrel Barkers, The Golden State Boys, the Gosdin Brothers, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, solo records, collaboration projects and The Desert Rose Band. Hillman took the stage with the Watkins duo to sing “Wheels,” which he cowrote with Gram Parsons.
Before turning the crowd loose to explore “Western Edge,” Young saluted the presenting sponsor, City National Bank, which is also an L.A.-to-Nashville import. He called out attendees Martha Henderson, Lori Badgett and Diane Pearson by name. We cheered wildly.
The exhibit salutes the California country scene, mainly between the 1960s and the 1990s. Three rhinestoned Nudie suits worn by The Flying Burrito Brothers on the cover of the iconic 1969 album The Gilded Palace of Sin are on display. So is an Eagles song manuscript, a documentary narrated by Dwight Yoakam, Rick Nelson’s Gibson guitar, a gabardine dress worn by Cindy Walker in the 1940s and a cowgirl outfit from Emmylou Harris are in it. So are artifacts relating to the careers of Los Lobos, The Blasters, X, Dave Alvin and other nouveau Calicountry folks. There is also an Amazon playlist to go with the exhibit (say, “Siri, play ‘Western Edge’”).
Enduring fabulons Frank Liddell, Jody Williams, David & Karen Conrad, David Ross, David Ewing, Woody Bomar, Scott B. Bomar, Barry Mazur, Katy K & Curtis Hawkins, Kent Oliver, Bill Denny, MaryAnn McCready, Gary Overton, John Allen, Debbie Linn, Rick Alter, Patrick Thomas, Bebe Evans and Charlie Monk schmoozed and gazed agog.
Western Edge book contributors Randy Lewis, Gene Autry biographer Holly George-Warren and Rhino Records Grammy winner James Austin were wowed by the displays. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame archivist Andy Leach was, too.
The festivities continue all weekend. The new exhibit officially opens this morning. Tonight, the Hall will host an all-star concert starring Hillman, Furay, Flores, Pedersen, the Watkins family and more. On Saturday, The Desert Rose Band will perform what is being billed as the last show of its career. Sunday’s events include a West Coast steel guitar summit and the screening of a Ronstadt documentary.
“This exhibit is fantastic!” exclaimed linchpin Hillman.
Reba Extends ‘Live In Concert’ Tour Through Spring 2023
/by Lorie HollabaughReba McEntire is extending her “Reba: Live In Concert” tour after multiple sell-outs on the upcoming fall dates.
The superstar has announced 14 additional dates for spring of 2023 featuring special guests Terri Clark and The Isaacs. The spring run will kick off March 9 in Jacksonville and run through April 15, wrapping at NYC’s Madison Square Garden, marking the first time McEntire has played the iconic venue. She’ll also visit Milwaukee, Reno, Salt Lake City, LA and more during the spring leg.
“I am very grateful we’re continuing this tour on into 2023,” McEntire shares. “I’ve had so much fun being back out on the road and doing what I love to do most, entertaining people. And now getting to headline places like Madison Square Garden and bring my buddies Terri Clark and The Isaacs with me? Well, that’s just the extra icing on an already triple-layered, stuffed and filled, iced and frosted cake!”
Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 7 with a special fan presale starting tomorrow (Oct. 4) by joining McEntire’s email list. The presale code will be emailed out on Tuesday morning prior to the presale.
The fall leg of “Reba: Live In Concert” is set to kick off Oct. 13 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“Reba: Live in Concert” 2023 Tour Dates:
March 9 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
March 10 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena
March 11 – Charlottesville, VA – John Paul Jones Arena
March 17 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
March 18 – Moline, IL – Vibrant Arena at the Mark
March 23 – Reno, NV – Reno Events Center
March 24 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center**
March 25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Arena
March 30 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
March 31 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena
April 1 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
April 13 – Manchester, NH – SNHU Arena
April 14 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
April 15 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
** On sale Friday, October 14 at 10am local time
Hardy & Crew Involved In Bus Accident Over The Weekend
/by Lydia FarthingHardy. Photo: Ryan Smith
Over the weekend, decorated singer-songwriter Hardy and some of his road crew were involved in a bus accident. The accident followed the Big Loud recording artist’s performance at Country Thunder Music Festival in Bristol, Tennessee.
Hardy, along with three others, were all treated for “significant injuries,” as shared on the entertainer’s social media channels. As of Sunday (Oct. 2), his bus driver was still in the hospital being treated for what can be inferred as more critical injuries. The 2022 ACM Songwriter of the Year called for his fans prayers as he explained that the driver’s family was with him at the hospital.
“I’ve been released from the hospital, but ordered by doctors to recover for the next few weeks which may cost us at a couple of shows. My team and I will keep the fans updated on that as I rest in the coming days,” Hardy shared.
“Please keep our road family in your prayers and I promise to keep you updated in the days to follow. God bless our medics and local and state officials for their quick response and incredible service,” he added.
No official statement has been made regarding Hardy’s upcoming show in Arlington, Texas on Oct. 8 as support on Morgan Wallen‘s “The Dangerous Tour.”
The accident comes after the release of Hardy’s Big Loud Rock single, “Jack.” Written by Hardy, David Garcia and Hillary Lindsey and produced by Joey Moi with co-production by Derek Wells, Hardy and Garcia, the song marks his first true rock release. Hardy also recently unveiled “Wait In The Truck” featuring Lainey Wilson, which currently sits just outside the top 30 on both the Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay charts.
Zach Williams Takes Fans Down ‘A Hundred Highways’ With New Album [Interview]
/by Liza AndersonZach Williams. Photo: Courtesy of PFA Media
Multi-Platinum artist Zach Williams‘ trip to stardom has taken him, both mentally and physically, down many roads. Though those roads were bumpy at times, Williams is not afraid to travel back down them and reflect on what has led him to where he is today. Fans in tow, he does just that through the tracks on his latest album A Hundred Highways, out today (Sept. 30) via Provident Label Group.
The Arkansas native grew up listening to all types of music. His grandfather introduced him to country greats Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones and more. In college, he developed a love for the blues as well as rock bands such as The Allman Brothers Band and The Black Crowes, and began playing guitar. But the soundtrack of his earliest memories centers around the Christian genre. The son of a worship leader, church was a big part of Williams’ upbringing. As a result, he was exposed to groups such as Petra and The Imperials in addition to artists such as Rich Mullins, Keith Green and more at a young age.
As Williams got older, he started to drift away from his faith.
“I can’t really put my finger on why I did,” says Williams. “When you turn a certain age, you start thinking you know more than everybody else. You go out [into the world] and try to figure [life] out for yourself.”
He became the front man for an up-and-coming rock band and fully immersed himself in the music world. Along the way, Williams found himself spinning in the vicious vortex of addiction.
“For 15 years, I was running from everything I grew up knowing. But that seed [of faith] had been planted in me at such an early age, and it was still there. My amazing family was always there to guide me through the process. I think that’s what brought me back,” he shares.
Williams then made the decision to change his ways, and left his music career in the rearview mirror. He became heavily involved in the church and following in his father’s footsteps, became a worship leader.
The two-time Grammy winner wrote “Love is a Battleground,” featured on the 15-track album, for his wife Crystal. Throughout the song, he describes how thankful he is that she never gave up and stood by him during the hardest parts of his journey.
The title of the album comes from the track “Looking For You,” one of Williams’ favorite songs and the most personal one on A Hundred Highways.
“[“Looking For You”] sums up the whole record because I think about the places I’ve been in my life, all of the dead end streets and dark highways, and I realized that I tried to fill a hole within me with everything else that the world had to offer. There’s a saying ‘The first place you find something is always the last place you look.’ In the last place I looked, I found Jesus. It wasn’t until then that I realized that I had been searching for him this whole time.”
Performing music still tinted the windows of his life as he sang with the congregation while leading services.
In December of 2014, Williams led the church Christmas service, and music producer and songwriter Jonathan Smith, who was his wife’s family for the holidays, happened to fill a pew. Moved by Williams’ vocals, Smith invited him to Music City. They began to write together and Williams’ eventually signed a deal with Provident Label Group.
Over the past 3 years, Smith and Williams have worked to bring A Hundred Highways to life. Not worried about what genre the collection of songs embodied or whether a track would hit No. 1 or not, they told Williams’ story.
A blend of country, rock, Christian and more, Williams defines the genre of this new album as simply, “Zach Williams.”
He states, “I want this record to be a reflection of the journey of how I’ve gotten to where I am. I want people to listen to these songs and know that they are loved.”
Williams’ new album A Hundred Highways is available everywhere now.
Kat & Alex Release Spanish Version Of Their ‘Side A’ EP Ahead Of Hispanic Heritage Month
/by Lydia FarthingKat & Alex. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Country-Latin duo Kat & Alex have released an entirely Spanish version of their recently released self-titled EP, Side A. The new collection, Lado B, arrives just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Since signing with Sony Music Nashville, the husband-and-wife pair have made it their mission to share music that celebrates a diverse and expansive audience, including Spanish speakers like themselves.
Translated to Side B, the new project features all six of the pair’s recently released track, including the dance-inducing “Marry You,” the enticing “Let’s Find A Bar,” and some of their already popular fan favorites such as “I Want It All” and “We Bought A House.”
“Sonically, the project is a melting pot…introducing two different worlds,” the duo share. “You’ll hear country, which is the root of it, as well as some rock, soul and pop. The common theme of the music though is love, which is purposeful because our relationship is full of love and it’s the core of everything we do.” The pair continues, “Our mission is to show that there’s an audience of Spanish speakers that love country music. It’s not just for one group of people, it can be shared and created by anyone. If you love it, you can make it.”
Kat & Alex were recently named an Emerging Latin Artist to Discover by Billboard and named a CMT Listen Up artist for 2022.
1. Tomemos Un Trago (Let’s Find A Bar – Spanish Version) (Kat Georgia/Alex Georgia/Jared Keim/Jared Scott/Ivan Ayala)
2. Como Las Cinco Un Viernes (5 on a Friday – Spanish Version) (Kat Georgia/Alex Georgia/Chris Loocke/Austin Taylor Smith/Luis Figueroa)
3. Cásate Conmigo (Marry You – Spanish Version) (busbee/Maren Morris/Alex Georgia/Erika Ender)
4. Yo Quiero Amarte (I Want It All – Spanish Version) (Kat Georgia/Alex Georgia/AJ Pruis)
5. Mi Casa (We Bought a House – Spanish Version) (Kat Georgia/Alex Georgia/Josh Osborne/Lindsay Rimes/Erika Ender)
6. Tu Sigues (Still In It – Spanish Version) (Kat Georgia/Alex Georgia/Jason Massey/Austin Taylor Smith/Luis Figueroa)
Trisha Yearwood To Flip The Switch For ‘Opry Goes Pink’
/by Lorie HollabaughTrisha Yearwood will flip the switch on the Opry’s signature barn backdrop on Oct. 14, turning it pink for “Opry Goes Pink” to support the fight against breast cancer.
“We all have friends and family members who are battling, have won, and those who have lost their fights against breast cancer,” Yearwood notes. “Everyone who knows me knows how important this cause is to me, in particular prevention, yearly screenings, early detection, and research for effective treatments and cures. I’m honored to flip the switch and join the Grand Ole Opry in spreading information and love during Breast Cancer Awareness month.”
Other artists slated to perform that evening include Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys and Mandy Barnett, as well as Easton Corbin and Miko Marks, who will make her Opry debut.
Beginning Friday (Sept. 30) when fans order tickets, $5 from every ticket sold will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the fight against breast cancer. Tickets are available at opry.com and at (800) SEE-OPRY.
Next week, the Opry will celebrate its 97th birthday with six nights of shows, hosting its traditional Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night shows, as well as Thursday night’s Opry Country Classics. The special birthday week shows will include Wednesday and Sunday night programs.. Additionally, a special “Opry Loves The ’90s” Studio A live fan event featuring Deana Carter is scheduled for Oct. 8.
Among those scheduled for appearances on birthday week shows are Opry NextStage artist Breland, Chapel Hart and Jon Pardi, plus Opry members Bill Anderson, Terri Clark, Vince Gill, The Isaacs, Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan, Carly Pearce, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Chris Young and more.
Fans are also invited to the Opry Plaza for free music celebrating the Opry’s birthday on Friday evening, Oct. 7, and all day Saturday, Oct. 8.
CMT Wraps Second Next Women of Country Showcase At City Winery Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Ashland Craft, Renee Blair, Chapel Hart’s Trea Swindle, Danica Hart and Devynn Hart, Rissi Palmer, Morgan Wade, Brittney Spencer, Harper Grae and Madeline Edwards.. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT
CMT held the second installment of its Next Women of Country: Celebrating the Classes of 2020-2022 showcase on Wednesday night (Sept. 28) at City Winery Nashville, presented by CMT Night Out Nashville and Change The Conversation.
Hosted by CMT’s Leslie Fram and Rissi Palmer, the event featured an in-the-round show with Ashland Craft, Brittney Spencer, Chapel Hart, Harper Grae, Madeline Edwards, Morgan Wade, Renee Blair and Palmer, who all performed in front of a sold-out crowd.
Newly-crowned Americana Honors & Awards Duo/Group of the Year winners The War And Treaty also made a surprise appearance after Fram and Palmer coaxed them to the stage, garnering a standing ovation as the duo gave an impromptu performance of their song “Blank Page.”
Fram also introduced mtheory’s Tiffany Provenzano, a member of the CMT-supported diversity effort Equal Access, who described the equity initiative’s mission of fostering all marginalized communities that are underrepresented in the country genre.
The first installment of CMT’s Next Women of Country showcase took place at City Winery on Aug. 31 with NWOC mentor Jessie James Decker joining Fram as co-host. The lineup featured performances by Callista Clark, Camille Parker, Hannah Dasher, Jenna Paulette, Julia Cole, Laci Kaye Booth, Lily Rose, Reyna Roberts, Tenille Arts and Decker.
The lineup for CMT’s third NWOC showcase in November will be announced soon.
Chart Action: Sweet Tea Trio Impacts MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart
/by Alex ParryThe all-female Sweet Tea Trio impacts the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week with “All Hat, No Cattle.” The group had the highest debut at No. 67, was the most-added with 15 new station adds, and were the highest spin gainer this week, bringing in +145 spins.
Band members Charity Bowden, Victoria Camp and Kate Falcon co-wrote “All Hat, No Cattle” with Preston James. The single is off their latest EP, Sugar Rush, which was produced by Kid Rock.
For more chart data, click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.
Billy Strings, Bela Fleck Win Big At 2022 IBMA Awards
/by Lorie HollabaughBilly Strings was named Entertainer of the Year Award for the second year in a row, and also received Song of the Year honors at the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Presented by Yamaha on Thursday night (Sept. 29).
Béla Fleck cleaned up at the awards this year as well, taking home trophies for Album of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, Instrumental Recording of the Year, and Banjo Player of the Year.
“In the Sweet By and By,” Dolly Parton’s recent rendition of the gospel classic featured on the 2021 Country Faith Bluegrass album, won Gospel Recording of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year honors.
Hosted by artists Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina, the show also honored previously announced inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame–multi instrumentalist/vocalist Norman Blake, broadcast pioneer and recording artist Paul “Moon” Mullins, and influential singer-songwriter Peter Rowan.
2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Award Winners:
Entertainer of the Year: Billy Strings
Vocal Group of the Year: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Instrumental Group of the Year: Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart
Song of the Year: “Red Daisy” – Billy Strings (Written by Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward)
Album of the Year: My Bluegrass Heart – Béla Fleck
Gospel Recording of the Year: “In the Sweet By and By” – Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
Instrumental Recording of the Year: “Vertigo” – Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton
New Artist of the Year: Rick Faris
Collaborative Recording of the Year: “In the Sweet By and By” – Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
Female Vocalist of the Year: Molly Tuttle
Male Vocalist of the Year: Del McCoury
Banjo Player of the Year: Béla Fleck
Bass Player of the Year: Jason Moore
Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year: Justin Moses
Fiddle Player of the Year: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Guitar Player of the Year: Cody Kilby
Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull
Russell Dickerson Slates Self-Titled Album For Early November
/by Lorie HollabaughRussell Dickerson is set to release his new self-titled, 15-track album on Nov. 4 via Triple Tigers Records. His new single about the experience of feeling haunted by the “what-ifs” after a relationship ends, “I Wonder,” is out now.
The project marks the follow-up to his four Platinum or better No. 1 hits, and was co-produced by Dickerson alongside Dann Huff, Zach Crowell, Casey Brown, Josh Kerr, Ben Johnson and Alysa Vanderheym. Writers contributing to Dickerson’s third studio album include Chase McGill, Ashley Gorley, Lori McKenna, Zach Crowell, and more.
The album includes Dickerson’s current single, “She Likes It” (with Jake Scott), which is the fastest-rising song of Dickerson’s career to date, as well as chest-thumping tracks such as “I Remember,” “Blame It On Being Young,” “All the Same Friends” and “Beers to the Summer.” The tender tracks are front and center as well on songs like “She’s Why,” which captures the playful side of a mature relationship, and “18,” which uses an 80’s vibe to imagine going back in time romantically.
“No matter how far we get into this, I want people to know it’s still me,” Dickerson says. “I’m still the hyper, outgoing, fun-loving, crazy dude on stage. But also these songs are so meaningful to me. It’s not all hype and smoke and lights. I am a songwriter, I trust my instincts, and now my instincts are telling me to share 100-percent me, and creatively just let it flow.”
On the heels of his latest project, Dickerson will embark on a sold out tour in the UK this fall, and headline a cross-country U.S. tour starting in November.
Russell Dickerson Track List:
1. Blame It On Being Young – Russell Dickerson, Josh Kerr, Parker Welling
2. Sorry – Russell Dickerson, Hunter Phelps, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson
3. She Likes It (Feat. Jake Scott) – Russell Dickerson, Jake Scott, Josh Kerr
4. I Still Believe – Russell Dickerson, Parker Welling, Matt Jenkins, Zach Crowell
5. Big Wheels – Russell Dickerson, Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps, Ben Johnson
6. I Remember – Russell Dickerson, Alysa Vanderheym, Chris Ryan, Logan Turner, Matt McGinn
7. I Wonder – Russell Dickerson, Jon Nite, Casey Brown
8. God Gave Me A Girl – Russell Dickerson, Ashley Gorley, Chase McGill, Zach Crowell
9. All The Same Friends – Russell Dickerson, Ashley Gorley, Chase McGill, Zach Crowell
10. Beers To The Summer – Russell Dickerson, Matt Jenkins, Mark Holman
11. She’s Why – Russell Dickerson, Josh Kerr, Sean Douglas
12. 18 – Russell Dickerson, Josh Kerr, Illsey Juber, Ashley Gorley
13. Over And Over – Russell Dickerson, Josh Kerr, Parker Welling, Jordan Reynolds
14. Drink To This – Russell Dickerson, Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley, Parker Welling
15. Just Like Your Mama – Russell Dickerson, Lori McKenna, Casey Brown
Bobby Karl Works The Room: California Country-Rock Storms Country Music Hall Of Fame
/by Bobby KarlSean and Sara Watkins of the Watkins Family Hour, Chris Hillman, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Vice President of Museum Services Brenda Colladay, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CEO Kyle Young, and City National Bank’s EVP and Manager of Entertainment Banking Martha Henderson at the opening reception for the exhibition Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Chapter 657
Parties thrown by the Country Music Hall of Fame are always family-reunion affairs, but on Thursday (Sept. 29) our distant cousins showed up, too.
The cause for the celebration was the grand opening of a major new museum exhibit titled “Western Edge.” Donning their glad rags for the occasion were Jeff Hanna & Matraca Berg, John Jorgenson & Dixie Gamble, Phil “Mangler” Kaufman, Victoria Shaw, David Anderson, Chuck Mead, Spooner Oldham, Steve Fishell and Bruce Bouton.
Artifacts on display for the opening of Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Visiting from out of town (mainly California country cousins) were Rosie Flores, Chris Isaak, Herb Pedersen, John McEuen, Chris Hillman, exhibit curator Connie Pappas Hillman, Jimmy Fadden, Sean & Sara Watkins, The International Submarine Band’s Jon Corneal, Rodney Dillard, Richie Furay and Palomino nightclub country-rock star James Intveld.
The opening reception was packed. Hall of Fame chief Kyle Young was clearly delighted.
“I must say, I am disappointed in the turn-out,” he quipped. “Seriously, I am so happy to see so many people out tonight in this room.”
Young added, “This exhibit is a multi-layered story… There is a long established tradition of country music in Los Angeles. [“Western Edge”] brings us face-to-face with musical history.”
“Western Edge” was nearly three years in the making. The lavish, multi-room displays contain historic photos, artifacts, costumes, vintage instruments and video clips.
At the reception, the Watkins siblings thrilled the crowd with the Linda Ronstadt hit “Different Drum.” Ronstadt wrote the forward to the accompanying book, also called Western Edge. Her debut hit was written by the peerless country-rock stylist Michael Nesmith, one of whose costumes is enshrined in the exhibit.
Kyle introduced Hillman by dubbing him “the Linchpin of Country Rock,” due to his decades-spanning presence in The Scottsviille Squirrel Barkers, The Golden State Boys, the Gosdin Brothers, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, solo records, collaboration projects and The Desert Rose Band. Hillman took the stage with the Watkins duo to sing “Wheels,” which he cowrote with Gram Parsons.
Before turning the crowd loose to explore “Western Edge,” Young saluted the presenting sponsor, City National Bank, which is also an L.A.-to-Nashville import. He called out attendees Martha Henderson, Lori Badgett and Diane Pearson by name. We cheered wildly.
The exhibit salutes the California country scene, mainly between the 1960s and the 1990s. Three rhinestoned Nudie suits worn by The Flying Burrito Brothers on the cover of the iconic 1969 album The Gilded Palace of Sin are on display. So is an Eagles song manuscript, a documentary narrated by Dwight Yoakam, Rick Nelson’s Gibson guitar, a gabardine dress worn by Cindy Walker in the 1940s and a cowgirl outfit from Emmylou Harris are in it. So are artifacts relating to the careers of Los Lobos, The Blasters, X, Dave Alvin and other nouveau Calicountry folks. There is also an Amazon playlist to go with the exhibit (say, “Siri, play ‘Western Edge’”).
Enduring fabulons Frank Liddell, Jody Williams, David & Karen Conrad, David Ross, David Ewing, Woody Bomar, Scott B. Bomar, Barry Mazur, Katy K & Curtis Hawkins, Kent Oliver, Bill Denny, MaryAnn McCready, Gary Overton, John Allen, Debbie Linn, Rick Alter, Patrick Thomas, Bebe Evans and Charlie Monk schmoozed and gazed agog.
Western Edge book contributors Randy Lewis, Gene Autry biographer Holly George-Warren and Rhino Records Grammy winner James Austin were wowed by the displays. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame archivist Andy Leach was, too.
The festivities continue all weekend. The new exhibit officially opens this morning. Tonight, the Hall will host an all-star concert starring Hillman, Furay, Flores, Pedersen, the Watkins family and more. On Saturday, The Desert Rose Band will perform what is being billed as the last show of its career. Sunday’s events include a West Coast steel guitar summit and the screening of a Ronstadt documentary.
“This exhibit is fantastic!” exclaimed linchpin Hillman.