Tag Archive for: featured-2

Pickler Acting Debut On 90210

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BNA Records artist Kellie Pickler made a visit to KWJJ in Portland, OR. and visited with PD Mike Moore.

Kellie Pickler’s personality is as big as the North Carolina mountains where she grew up, in Albermarle. In fact, her infectious sense of humor may be too huge to allow her to be branded as just a music artist. So it should be no surprise that she has become almost a regular on the Ellen Show and will soon make her acting debut on CW’s 90210 set to air Oct. 18. Ms. Pickler will appear on the Ellen Show on Oct. 4 to perform her current single, “Tough” and premiere some clips from the upcoming episode.

“You see Ellen DeGeneres on TV and she’s so funny and warm and kind hearted,” says Pickler. “But when the camera’s go off, she’s still that same person. It’s always fun to be on Ellen and have some laughs, sing my songs and dance.”

Pickler will play the role of Sally on 90210, the country-singing cousin of local cowboy Austin (Justin Deeley). While in Los Angeles, Pickler will also perform at Camp Pendleton on Oct. 7 as part of Operation Gratitude, a free show for all US Service members.

New UMG Artist Builds Team

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ASCAP gathered Drake White and his team members recently to celebrate his signing to Universal Music Group Nashville. The songwriter/artist is working with producer Jeremy Stover. He is signed to Vector Management and EMI Music Publishing.

Pictured (L-R): Tom Luteran (EMI), Brian Wright (Universal), Ross Schilling (Vector), Jeremy Stover (producer), Laura Wright (EMI), Drake White, LeAnn Phelan (ASCAP), Ben Vaughn (EMI), Randy Grimmett (ASCAP). Photo: Jessica Draper

The Civil Wars Case Study

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(L-R): moderator Christopher Moon, Shawn Fowler, Asha Goodman, Lori Kampa and Charlie Peacock. Photo by Kevin Brown

The industry took note when the first album from indie act The Civil Wars debuted with sales of 25K units. In the almost eight months since, Barton Hollow has passed the 180K mark, currently averaging more than 3K per week (Nielsen Soundscan).

The band’s team members discussed the success story last week at one of SoundLand’s educational Field Trips, held at The Belcourt Theater. The Civil Wars weren’t attendance; about that time they they were taking the stage in London, opening for Adele at Royal Albert Hall.

Producer Charlie Peacock explained that The Civil Wars came to him as a group poised to break through. Particularly, they needed no help honing their sound. “It was already fully formed,” he said. “I just had to take a picture of it.”

Joy Williams and John Paul White had experience on their side; both had been working solo careers when they were paired randomly at a songwriting camp. That collaboration led to The Civil Wars.

Prepping the album release, the band spurred good word of mouth by giving away free copies of a live recording and selling a successful EP. Their team orchestrated radio and touring efforts, which were fueled by the hard work of Williams and White. Via a special agreement with Dualtone, the label’s Lori Kampa promoted the band to radio without signing them.

Around the February 1 release, The Civil Wars scored a visit to The Tonight Show and stepped up to the plate with a sizzling performance (see video below). Helping secure that slot was publicist Asha Goodman of Sacks & Co. “It was a dream band to work,” she said. “There were so many compelling things going on.”

Not the least of which was the music. Attorney John Strohm, who also counts rising artist Bon Iver as a client, says that what both his indie success stories have in common is undeniable music.

Even The Civil Wars’ team was a little surprised by the debut week. Shawn Fowler of Tone Tree Music had distributed physical copies to indie record stores, but the big debut left shelves empty for two weeks. Eventually the project grew to big box outlets. To date, it has sold about 70% digital and 30% physical.

Panelists report that five genres are now claiming the act, including country, where the band is up for a CMA award, and has a video in rotation on CMT.

After the release, Strohm received several calls from major labels. The attitude, he said, was generally, “Congratulations, now you’ll be needing our resources.” But The Civil Wars passed, preferring the flexibility, ownership/control, and boosted income of life outside the label system.

“It was an experiment,” sums Strohm. “But it was successful, so it was encouraging.”

Country’s Album TEA Party

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The largest and final sales quarter of 2011 is almost upon us and the list of planned album releases is mostly revealed (except for a few possible last minute surprises).

The above graph is intended to help readers quickly grasp how album sales are trending. Last week for example (week ended 9-18-11), country hit its highest YTD gain of the year showing an increase of 9.8%.

This week the YTD country number has ebbed slightly to 9.6%. (Last year for the week ended 9/19/2010 country was ahead 4.5%.) Unlike last year’s jam packed release schedule, the upcoming album calendar doesn’t seem to have as many blockbuster artists as last year. Lady Antebellum recently hit stores with first week numbers of 347k and LeAnn Rimes’ new set was released this week. Upcoming product is due over the next few months from Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Miranda Lambert. Of special note will be the just announced Nov. 21 release of a special CD/DVD live set from Taylor Swift.

Turning Tracks Into TEA (track equivalent albums)
For 2011, digital country track downloads YTD total 109 million. (Unfortunately Nielsen Soundscan did not release this number for 2010.) Calculating TEA albums (10 tracks = 1 album) country track sales account for about 10.9 million more albums. YTD country album sales for 2011 total 28.1 million through the week ended 9/25/11; so if one adds the 10.9 million TEA sales it would equate to almost a 40% increase!

Why do we still measure country sales only in terms of digital and physical albums? What about tracks? Business is a lot better than the graph at the top of the page would have you believe, if you don’t ignore track sales…

DISClaimer Single Reviews (9/28/11)

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The hills are alive with the sound of bluegrass.

This week at the Convention Center, it’s round-the-clock picking and singing at the IBMA World of Bluegrass confab. Among the week’s highlights are the presentation of the IBMA Awards at the Ryman Auditorium on Thursday evening. The discs in this week’s column all belong to nominees.

The record to beat for Album of the Year belongs to Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers. I don’t know how it will fare at the Ryman, but in this publication it is the Disc of the Day.

For my DisCovery Award, I am choosing IBMA Emerging Artist nominees Darin & Brooke Aldridge.

DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER/Gone At Last
Writer: Paul Simon; Producer: Doyle Lawson; Publisher: Paul Simon, BMI; Mountain Home (track) (www.doylelawson.com)
—These guys just don’t know how to make a bad record, and their current Drive Time CD is no break in their streak of excellence. It kicks off with this lickety-split bluegrass take on Paul Simon’s rousing 1975 hand clapper, originally recorded with Phoebe Snow and the Jessy Dixon Singers (Jessy passed away on Monday at age 73). Quicksilver is nominated this week as the bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year, and on his own, Lawson is nominated for Gospel Performance and Recorded Event for his collaboration with fellow stars Paul Williams and J.D. Crowe.

BLUE HIGHWAY/Sounds Of Home
Writer: Shawn Lane; Producer: Blue Highway; Publisher: Cat Town, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.bluehighwayband.com)
—The title tune of Blue Highway’s current album is a tender ballad of nostalgia for creaking floorboards, rain on the roof, rustling leaves and the song of a mockingbird. Lead singer Tim Stafford remains a heart-piercing vocalist, and the moan of the Dobro that echoes his phrasing is audio poetry. The group is nominated for IBMA Vocal Group and Instrumental Group of the Year. Rob Ickes is once again up for Dobro Player of the Year. He practically owns this category, having won every year in 1996-2000, in 2003 and 2004, then again yearly from 2006-2010.

STEVE CANYON & THE STEEP CANYON RANGERS/Rare Bird Alert
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Rounder (track) (www.stevemartin.com)
—This track is nominated for Bluegrass Instrumental Performance of the Year at Thursday’s IBMA Awards. It is a sprightly, merry thing that bubbles right along. The Rare Bird Alert CD also includes such delights as “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs,” “Women Like to Slow Dance” and a remake of Martin’s 1978 hit “King Tut.” It is an Album of the Year nominee, and the band is up for Entertainer of the Year. He might not be the greatest banjo player in history, but this multi-media superstar is a huge benefit to the bluegrass genre.

JOSH WILLIAMS/Dream Of Me
Writer: Murray E. Cannon; Producer: Josh Williams; Publisher: Universal Sawgrass, BMI; Rounder (track)
—Last year’s Emerging Artist winner and a three-time Guitarist of the Year has an album titled Down Home that is a perfect jewel. He has been making records since he was 10 years old, but it is his first truly mature work. This take on the Vern Gosdin classic showcases lovely harmony singing. Other highlights include his version of The Delmore Brothers’ “Blue Railroad Train,” a dandy bluegrass arrangement of “Streets of Bakersfield,” a remake of Jimmy Martin’s “The Last Song,” a revival of Earl Scruggs’ “Polka on the Banjo” and songs by Tom T. Hall and Tommy Jackson, plus Carl Jackson’s title tune. On Thursday, Williams again competes for Bluegrass Guitarist of the Year and is also up for Male Vocalist.

DALE ANN BRADLEY/Somewhere South Of Crazy
Writer: Dale Ann Bradley/Pam Tillis; Producer: Alison Brown; Publisher: Dale Ann Bradley/Vibe Room/Lucky Squirrel/BPJ Administration, BMI; Compass (track)
—This Kentucky soprano is as country as a mountain breeze. She won the IBMA Female Vocalist prize in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and is nominated again this year. This wistful title tune of her current CD features soft harmony work by co-writer Pam Tillis plus guitarist Steve Gulley. And get a load of her supporting cast—Sierra Hull on mandolin, producer Alison Brown on banjo, fiddler Stuart Duncan and Mike Bub on bass. The rest of the album’s repertoire includes the Seals & Crofts pop classic “Summer Breeze,” Reba Rambo’s “New Shoes,” Leslie Satcher’s “Old Southern Porches” and the George Jones oldie “Will You Visit Me on Sunday.”

MICHAEL CLEVELAND & FLAMEKEEPER/Goin’ Up Dry Branch
Writer: Buddy Spicher/Jimmy Martin; Producer: Jeff White & Michael Cleveland; Publisher: Bocephus, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.flamekeeperband.com)
—This toe tapper is my favorite hoedown of the day. Cleveland’s flawless fiddle technique is the envy of his industry, and Flamekeeper totally kicks butt. This track from the group’s aptly titled Fired Up CD is nominated as Instrumental Performance of the Year. The band is competing for Instrumental Group. Cleveland vies for his ninth IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year trophy and the group’s Marshall Wilborn in nominated for his third consecutive Bass Player of the Year honor.

THE GRASCALS/Dooley
Writer: none listed; Producer: The Grascals; Publisher: none listed; Time Life/Blugrascal (track) (www.mayberrysfinest.com)
—The seven-song Dance Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin’ album is The Grascals tribute to the music of The Andy Griffith Show. The call-and-response vocals on this bluegrass classic are done in a mellow, tongue-in-cheek style (”Dooley,” “Slippin’ up the holler,” “Dooley,” “Gimme a swaller and I’ll pay you back some day.”) The Grascals are again nominated as IBMA Entertainer of the Year. The group’s Kristin Scott Benson is up for her fourth consecutive Banjo Player of the Year prize, and its “I Am Strong” collaboration with Dolly Parton is nominated for Recorded Event.

DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE/Let’s Not Go There
Writer: Dixie Hall/Tom T. Hall; Producer: Jerry Salley; Publisher: Good Home Grown, BMI; Moutain Home (track) (www.darinandbrookealdridge.com)
—This husband-wife duet is sometimes billed as bluegrass music’s “sweethearts.” Jerry Salley has produced an album of remarkable clarity and class on these newcomers. On this ballad, Darin’s high tenor is matched by Brooke’s even higher harmony voice. Later in the track, Salley adds a thrilling harmonized third voice. Lovely work. Darin and Brooke are nominated for this year’s Emerging Artist award.

LARRY SPARKS/Almost Home
Writer: Michael Keith/Dave Lindsey; Producer: Larry Sparks; Publisher: Palm Island Press/Cross Timbers/Lindsey and Sons, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.larrysparks.com)
—Sparks has a classic, “high lonesome” bluegrass voice. He’s a veteran of five decades in this business, but he’s still in there swinging, since his Almost Home collection is competing for Album of the Year. Its title tune ripples with Appalachian authenticity.

SIERRA HULL/Easy Come, Easy Go
Writer: none listed; Producer: Barry Bales & Sierra Hull; Publisher: none listed; Rounder (track) (www.sierrahull.com)
—The former teen mandolin prodigy is now a student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Her current Daybreak CD includes this lilting ode with the autobiographical line, “I’m not a child anymore.” She sings in a tender, daughter-of-Alison soprano, and the mandolin playing that made her a star remains dazzling. This week, she’s aiming for her first Mandolin Player of the Year award, as well as for the Emerging Artist trophy.

Bobby Karl Works IBMA Week

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(L-R): Dan Hays, Executive Director, IBMA; Greg Cahill, president, The Foundation for Bluegrass Music; Sam Bush, host of Thursday night’s International Bluegrass Awards Show and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. Photo: Alane Anno

Del McCoury (R) and Jesse McReynolds (L)

Chapter 375

All photos by Alan Mayor

Boy, I sure hope what I witnessed on Tuesday afternoon (9/27) is the beginning of a new IBMA tradition.

Under a cloudless blue sky with temperatures in the balmy 70s, The Del McCoury Band presided over an outdoor concert on the Ryman Plaza. The show was staged to salute the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bill Monroe.

It was a star-dappled event, with several bluegrass celebrities dropping by to pay their respects. It was also a dandy way to publicize and promote the World of Bluegrass conference and Bluegrass Fan Fest now happening in downtown Nashville. The show was free, so lunch-hour downtown workers, music fans and casual passers by could experience the music. Ordinarily, all of the activities are indoors in the Nashville Convention Center.

McCoury with Vince Gill

“Scholars and historians disagree over every other genre and where it began,” said Mayor Karl Dean to the sun-splashed crowd. “We know where bluegrass began. It began right here, in December 1945, at The Ryman Auditorium.” In 2006, a Tennessee state historical marker was erected in front of the venue to commemorate this.

“We can’t have enough live music in Nashville,” Dean continued. “We will do more of this.” I, for one, certainly hope so. Dean’s Music City Music Council supported the free show, as did the Ryman, Metro Nashville Government and 650 AM WSM radio.

The Del McCoury Band opened at noon with a half-hour set of Monroe classics. Then Vince Gill appeared to sing “Rose of Old Kentucky,” and the audience went nuts.

“He had a handle on that tune,” said Del in admiration. “I couldn’t do it.”

Vince and the McCoury band were in perfect harmony on “Crying Holy Unto the Lord.” Before exiting, Vinnie blew a big smooch at the crowd.

Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Jesse McReynolds was next. “Vince Gill is hard to follow, but I followed Dolly Parton the other day, so I guess I can do this,” Jesse quipped. His guest set included an awesome mandolin duel with Ronnie McCoury.

Show performers Dierks Bentley and Sam Bush were chatting at stage left, so I grabbed both for a three-way hug while Jeff White was taking the stage to sing “The Cold Hard Facts.” Dierks, Sam, Tim O’Brien and Larry Stephenson also performed Monroe-saluting guest sets.

McCoury with Sam Bush

The gentle breezes made the weather perfect. The music was beyond perfect. On the edge of the plaza, the Mas Tacos van, the Cupcake Bus and the Grilled Cheeserie bus all had fans lined up for lunches. Spotted in the crowd were Darrell Scott, Harry Chapman, David Scarlett, Dan Hays, Judy McDonough, Steve Lowery, Jim Havey, Pete Fisher and Greg Cahill of Special Consensus.

Del McCoury, by the way, is not only a former member of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, he is also this year’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee. He had yet another reason for doing the show. Tuesday (9/27) was the digital release date of his Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe tribute album.

This is one of several CDs commemorating the Sept. 13, 1911 birth date of Monroe. First out was Blue Moon of Kentucky: An Instrumental Tribute to Bill Monroe co-starring all-star pickers Mike Scott, Adam Steffey, Bryan Sutton, Tim Stafford, Rob Ickes, Aubrey Haynie, Mike Compton and Ben Isaacs. It’s on Rural Rhythm Records.

Rebel Records has raided its vaults to compile two volumes of folks performing Monroe’s songs. The first is With Body and Soul: A Bluegrass Tribute to Bill Monroe featuring The Seldom Scene, Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Don Rigsby, IIIrd Tyme Out, The Lonesome River Band and more. The second is Let the Light Shine Down: A Gospel Tribute to Bill Monroe with tracks by The Country Gentlemen, Reno & Smiley, Ralph Stanley, Lost & Found, Dave Evans and others.

Rounder’s entry is Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration: A Classic Bluegrass Tribute. It features vintage tracks by The Grascals, Dailey & Vincent, Claire Lynch, Michael Cleveland, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, The Johnson Mountain Boys, Hazel & Alice, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top Express, Blue Highway and more.

It won’t be Bill Monroe’s 100th anniversary next year, but I still think the free outdoor show is a splendid idea. First of all, bluegrass is accustomed to being performed outside, usually at one of the 500-some bluegrass festivals that take place each year.

Second of all, it exposes the public to the conference/fest. By the way, this is not the only way to experience the IBMA event for free. Inside the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, there is lots of common space where people make music constantly. If you’re a night owl, no wristband or badge is required at most of the After Hours showcases in the hotel. Just go up in the elevator and disembark when you get to a floor where you hear music. Also, the Exhibit Hall is open to one and all for free on Wednesday (9/28).

Let’s do this again, next year.

McCoury and band with Dierks Bentley

Armiger Launches Deluxe Package With Opry Performance

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Katie Armiger bumped into WIVK Programmer and Hall of Fame inductee Mike Hammond backstage shortly before her Grand Ole Opry debut. (L-R) Cold River Rep, Halie Hampton, Armiger and Hammond.

Katie Armiger finally got to stand in country music’s inner circle, that is the six foot circle of dark oak wood cut from the original Ryman Auditorium and inlaid into the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. Armiger made her debut on the coveted stage Sept. 23 and performed during the 7 p.m. show. The timing was no accident, as it coincided with the Sept. 20 release of a deluxe package to iTunes of her album, Confessions of a Nice Girl.

The deluxe package features four original songs including her current single “I Do, But Do I,” a brand new song entitled “Worth It,” a dance mix of her smash hit “Best Song Ever,” and an acoustic version of “Cry Cry Cry.” The Confessions of a Nice Girl (The True Confessional) deluxe album also includes music videos for “Best Song Ever” and “I Do, But Do I.”

Armiger wrote or co-wrote nine of the 13 songs on the disc, sharing talents and ideas with some of Nashville’s most innovative tunesmiths, such as Sarah Buxton and Blair Daly (“Kiss Me Now,” “Leaving Home,” “Scream”), Rebecca Lynn Howard (“That’s Why”) and Joe West (“Can’t Keep Myself From Loving You”).

The feisty 19-year-old singer/songwriter is currently on the road opening for Darius Rucker and has also opened shows this year for Ronnie Dunn, Little Big Town and Clay Walker. Armiger has been stoking her career fires since the release of her first album almost five years ago. In 2007 her single, “17 In Abilene” hit the MusicRow chart with a record-setting debut for a solo independent artist.

Johnnie Wright Passes

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Country singer Johnnie Wright died this morning (9/27) at age 97 following a lengthy illness. He is known as a solo artist, as husband of female pioneer Kitty Wells, and as part of the duo Johnnie & Jack.

He was born Johnnie Robert Wright in Mount Juliet, Tenn. on May 13, 1914. Wells and Wright married in 1937 when she was 18, and formed a trio with her sister Louise, known as Johnnie Wright and the Harmony Girls. Louise later married Johnnie’s duo partner Jack Anglin. Also, Wells sang with Johnnie & Jack in the early ‘40s.

By 1947 Johnnie & Jack secured a regular spot on the Grand Ole Opry and went on to join the Louisiana Hayride. Signing with RCA brought the duo its biggest hits in the 1950s including “Poison Love,” “Cryin’ Heart Blues,” “Oh, Baby Mine (I Get So Lonely),” and “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight.” They were known for intertwining latin and calypso influences with their country sound.

At one point Wright even hired a young Chet Atkins as a fiddler, prior to his rise to fame as a guitar player.

Switching to Decca in the 1960s resulted in changing the spelling of Johnnie to Johnny. Anglin passed in 1963, and by 1965 Wright was working as a solo artist and scored the No. 1 “Hello Vietnam.”

He was a lifelong booster of his wife’s career, encouraging her to go by the stage name Kitty Wells, and guiding her business endeavors. He also steered her toward her career-making hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.”

Later they toured with their children the late Ruby, Carol Sue, and Bobby as The Kitty Wells-Johnnie Wright Family Show.

Services will be at the Madison Church of Christ (corner of Gallatin Rd. and Old Hickory Blvd. 615-868-3360). Visitation will be Thurs., Sept. 29, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Funeral will be Fri., Sept. 30 at 2 p.m.

Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright. Photo: Patricia Presley

NBN SoundLand: Day 4

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After late nights with Next Big Nashville’s SoundLand on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I spent the rest of the weekend dragging. I guess there’s always a price for pursuing good times.

But you know what? Totally worth it.

On Saturday (9/24), BMI sponsored a brunch gathering for SoundLand VIPs at the über-hip Imogene + Willie boutique on 12th Ave. S., thanks to BMI (picture included below). Riff’s and Taste of Belgium food trucks were on site to provide eats. Thank festival organizers Jason Moon Wilkins and Kevin Brown, along with “Party Czar” Emilee Warner, for putting these happenings together.

Later SoundLand turned up the volume at the Neuhoff Factory, a former meat-packing plant overlooking the Cumberland River that is being re-purposed as a mixed-use arts facility. The imposing five-stories high brick exterior enveloped festival attendees in the outdoor performance area and made for a strangely beautiful setting.

The Black Belles

Performers on the bill included Knoxville’s Royal Bangs, Ohio native Jessica Lea Mayfield, followed by Nashville’s Apache Relay and Tristen. The buzz was big for The Black Belles, an all female group discovered by Jack White who looked bewitching in black dresses and hats while concocting a strange brew of surf rock, punk, and rockabilly. Three-quarters female local faves Those Darlins were next, and raced through an energetic set of garage rock rave-ups including “Be Your Bro.” Final slot of the Neuhoff stage went to Jake and Jamin Orrall in JEFF the Brotherhood.

Over at The Basement, twin sister act The Watson Twins were on the bill, to be followed by Nashville’s Caitlin Rose, whose debut Own Side Now is out Sept. 27 via ATO Records. To finish the festivities with a bang, late night revelers got to be nostalgic and rock the night away as My So-Called Band performed all of Nirvana’s Nevermind in tribute to the legendary album’s 20th anniversary.

Pictured at the BMI and Soundland VIP Brunch at Imogene + Willie are (L-R): SoundLand/American Songwriter's Robert Clement, BMI's Jody Williams, Chancellor Warhol, SoundLand’s Jason Moon Wilkins, BMI's Clay Bradley, Matchstick Management’s Mark Hobson and BMI's Julie Stuckey. Photo: Erika Goldring

NBN SoundLand: Day 3

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It’s all about the music, and Day 3 of Next Big Nashville’s SoundLand offered a ton of sounds from regional and national artists.

Prior to the shows, industry movers and shakers got not one, but two, VIP parties to check out during the day: a lunch BBQ sponsored by ASCAP at the new Jackalope Brewery on 8th Ave. S. (picture included), and a Nashville Scene-sponsored party at the Gibson Showroom on Church St.

Pictured at ASCAP’s 2nd annual Beer/BBQ Lunch at Jackalope Brewery are (L-R): Marc Driskill, Jesse Willoughby, Beth Laird (Creative Nation), Evyn Mustoe (Sanctuary), Asha Goodman (Sacks & Co), Mike Sistad, Ashley Wilcoxson (Sanctuary), Jaren Johnston, LeAnn Phelan, Ryan Bueschel, and Amy Lewis. Photo: Anna Maki

There was also more music than one person without the ability to bend space and time could possibly see. Over at the Cannery Ballroom, folkie Robert Ellis laid down a quick set, followed by a soulful, guitar-heavy group of songs from Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. Singer/songwriter Justin Townes Earle played the last performance slot downstairs in the Cannery Ballroom, and Nashville’s Madi Diaz closed out the night upstairs at the Mercy Lounge. Over at Jack White’s Third Man Records performance space, Detroit punk-rockers Human Eye were bashing out a noisy symphony, followed by oddball comedian Neil Hamburger.

Yelawolf. Photo: Next Big Nashville

Just past 11 pm, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T. was finishing up his fist-pumping set at the 12th Ave Block Party stage. The main event was Alabama-based rapper Yelawolf (who lived in Antioch for a stretch), who spits rapid-fire machine gun raps and has the pale, tattooed appearance of a Nine Inch Nails band-member circa 1995. Following Yelawolf, local DJ Wick-It kept the party going by spinning dance-friendly dubstep and hip-hop tracks.

One night left, and a plethora of local heroes are on the bill.