Archives for category: Country Music

Save Nashville Street Musicians!

August 18, 2012 //

David Andersen photo-davidandersenmusic.com

While the Honky Tonks beckon tourists from all over the world, there are two ambassadors that get right at eye level and can play with skill, discuss and share the heritage of Nashville. That is David Andersen in the lobby of The Country Music Hall of Fame, whose recordings are available in the gift shop and “ Mandolin Mike” Slusser with his weathered mandolin usually somewhere near Gruhn Guitars down on Lower Broad.

Both are top quality musicians. Both tell the story of Nashville through their playing, their interaction and approachability.

“Mandolin Mike” Slusser photo- Brad Hardisty

The difference is Mike is no longer allowed to sell CD’s out of his guitar case when he plays. Never mind the fact that the bands that play in the Honky Tonks, who also play for tips, sell their CD’s at the foot of the stage in the same manner.

Slowly but surely, the true Street Musicians have almost disappeared.

Just four years ago, prior to the recession, a musician could survive on tips while connecting with tourists, other local musicians and figure out how to make it in Nashville.

Townes Van Zandt once commented that he made more money playing for tips on Lower Broad than gigging around town.

J D Simo at Robert’s photo- Collings Guitars

In the last few years, J D Simo did some street gigging before landing a spot with the Don Kelley Band at Robert’s. J.D. has gained notoriety for some great guitar playing and is now seen in ads for Collings Guitars in guitar magazines.

Years ago, Lower Broad attracted tourists because that is where the hit songwriters and musicians hung out. Lower Broad has continued to develop as a tourist playground while the street ambassadors, The Nashville Street Musicians are dwindling and getting no support from City Hall.

The ability to make it as a street musician has been severely affected by The Contributor vendors (not to put down a unique effort), the economic downturn and the fact that more and more tourists and locals do not carry cash.

There has to be a way to support and develop a healthy community of street musicians.

It is possible to develop a hybrid vendor license similar to the system used in Memphis on Beale Street.

“Mandolin Mike” Slusser with tourists Andrew and Rachel Downs from Birmingham, AL – photo – Brad Hardisty

It could be quite simple either by utilizing the downtown ambassadors or a non-profit street musicians union that collects license fees either monthly or yearly for specific locations. The fee needs to be low, as an example maybe $75 per year since musicians earn about 1/3 of what they used to.

The musician or group would receive a license that could be worn like a badge with a strap like a trade show or be displayed in the guitar or instrument case and be assigned to a specific spot like Beale Street in Memphis. A committee could get the spots cleared with the approval of local businesses where they would not be blocking any doors or foot traffic.

There could also be a few spots for weekenders that would need to stop in and get a weekend license and claim the spot.

This would stop random musicians from showing up and creating a nuisance without understanding local ordinances. Musicians would also need to audition to show some sort of musical viability that honors the traditions of Nashville or shows strong performance, songwriting or playing ability.

I feel this could actually help to build on a great Nashville tradition without throwing musicians into the same category as panhandlers and vagrants.

My 1936 Gibson Electric Hawaiian, Soldano cabinet and Custom handmade early Samamp 45 watt all tube head made in Birmingham, Alabama by Sam Timberlake.

When I first came to Nashville, I got out on the block for fun, usually playing in front of Lawrence Record Shop, because, I wanted the experience and it was a way to develop chops and make a little money. One of my personal high points was when Little Jimmy Dickens stood and watched me play my 1936 Gibson Electric Hawaiian (that I purchased at Gruhn Guitars in 2007)through a little Roland Street amp and after about ten minutes, threw a $20 bill in the case and said, smiling,”Keep it up.”

Tristan Dunn at Cash Wall, sometime street musician, sit in with local bands. photo – Brad Hardisty

Their needs to be an advocate for the street musicians, true musicians that bring music up close and can discuss what it is all about with tourists and locals. It could be a benefit to downtown Nashville in the Lower Broad Entertainment District.

While Homeless Photographers and Writers are able to develop talents and abilities through The Contributor, homeless musicians and true troubadours are made to feel unwelcome and have all but disappeared.

Somebody start the discussion! We need to make it possible for musicians to be safe and able to ply their trade, making tips, selling CD’s, photos and buttons (making available, not verbally asking to buy) in the Lower Broad District. It can be tough surviving as a musician even with talent and ability.

It would be simple to kick out random wanderers if we had a vendor’s badge system and there were assigned areas along the route. Police would not have to make it rough for everybody, only those operating outside the guidelines.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Americana Music, Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, David Andersen, Gruhn Guitars, Guitar, Indie Music, J D Simo, Lower Broad, Lower Broad Nashville, Mandolin Mike Slusser, Music, Music Row, Nashville, Nashville Street Musicians, Robert's Western World, Rock, Uncategorized

Jason Isbell and Dead Fingers Oh Mercy

July 13, 2012 //

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Mercy Lounge – Photo/ Brad Hardisty

Thursday night would mark three years since the first time I saw Jason Isbell (former Drive-By Truckers) and his then “new” band, The 400 Unit in 2009. Jason was at Mercy Lounge last night at what he called his first “hometown” gig, I might be wrong, but, I think he said since he moved here.

Whether or not that is correct, Jason was playing a Nashville “insider” guitar, a session guy’s new secret weapon, a Duesenberg Gold Top with the futuristic looking German engineered vibrato arm. The retro looking euro-high tech guitars were first popularized by Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) but are making their way into Nashville via Rock Block Guitars in a big way.

Jason has always been known for tasty guitar licks, but, he has really developed some deft country licks without going pure Brent Mason. It still has that Muscle Shoals “where Soul meets Country thang” going on.

I was excited to see where he was at since hearing his new project back in 2009. Back then, it was like he was excited to kind of graft in the family tree of Muscle Shoals legends with something akin to The Band or The Heartbreakers (Tom Petty not Johnny Thunders) but now, three albums in and four years on the road, The 400 Unit (named after the former Psychiatric Ward at Florence, Alabama’s Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital) is a crackerjack five piece band, tight and lucid like the heir apparent to The Decoys, that features classic Muscle Shoals players, David Hood, Scott Boyer, Kelvin Holly and sometimes even Spooner Oldham on keys.

Jason has put a lot of weight on his shoulders by putting himself squarely in the middle of a heavy tradition with writers and players like Eddie Hinton, Dan Penn and Donnie Fritts. I have to say it is working out much better than the first time I heard him. The set was great, the tone, the crowd and the band. I’m glad that he is doing what he is doing. He has refined the dynamics and is now digging a little deeper than the Gibson Les Paul into a Fender thing.

In fact, he pulled a 1970’s era classic Muscle Shoals tune out of his hat as well as a little “Stone Free” on the bridge of the last song before the encores. There was even an ounce of continuity or deja vu for me between that 2009 set at The State Room in Salt Lake City and the one in Nashville the other night.

Justin Townes Earle, The State Room, Salt Lake City, 2009 – Photo / Brad Hardisty

Justin Townes Earle opened for Jason Isbell back on that tour as he was taking off with The Good Life then Jason Isbell played on Justin’s Harlem River Blues and Justin was their last night for Jason’s set just catching it from the back. It’s hard to miss Justin, he’s a tall presence, back then, he had a little Hank Williams style going on, now, it was an overcoat and fedora flair.

Hey, but, let’s get back to Jason. The Country music business is going about creating their own brand of country while there is this parallel universe where most of the Country Artists out of Texas, as well as newcomers, the august, and independent folks like Adam Hood and Jason Isbell pack them in when they come to Nashville.

Jason is some country, some soul and some heart wrenching lyrics, in reality, it’s all about Alabama, with a nod to Hank Williams-style sad lyrics, Duane Allman style ( Jason rocked on this, sometimes with a slide on two different fingers)slide guitar and a country boy from Greenhill, Alabama telling life stories that makes this worth listening too. He has some solid fans in Nashville.

Dead Fingers, Mercy Lounge, 2012 – Photo / Brad Hardisty

Openers, Dead Fingers, Taylor Hollingsworth and Kate Taylor from Birmingham, Alabama got the invite and as Taylor said, “Alabama, represent!” Taylor has some of his own style going on, incorporating some Mississippi Hill Country Blues and rawhide Country into some Indie folk goings on.

Kate sang probably the strongest set I have heard her do so far; a real standout and an accomplishment at six months pregnant. Kate has a great mix of Emmylou Harris and sixties vibe queens like Elaine “Spanky” McFarlane of Spank & Our Gang somewhere in that voce bella.

Dead Fingers were just at The Basement two weeks ago. Nashville is looking forward to hearing some more tracks in the future. You could say they are Birmingham’s Civil Wars, but, that would put them too much into a box after all the true Mississippi connections Taylor has made as well as his work with Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band.

Taylor’s slide playing was a standout last night. One of the fun things about Taylor’s playing is when you know his songs, you know when he is experimenting or seeing if the band will go wherever he wanders off too. He didn’t too much of that last night, but, he still looked like he was having fun and there were plenty of Nashvillians and probably some Bowling Green patrons wandering south for the night in the audience when they went on at 9 PM.

Great Alabama-centric night at Mercy Lounge!

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Adam Hood, Alabama, Alabama Music, Alternative Music, Americana Music, Birmingham Alabama, Brent Mason, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band, Country Music, Dan Penn, David Hood, Dead Fingers, Duesenberg Guitars, Eddie Hinton, Electric Guitar, Emmylou Harris, Fat Possum Records, Guitar, Indie Music, Jason Isbell, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Justin Townes Earle, Kate Taylor, Mercy Lounge Nashville, Mississippi Hill Country Blues, Muscle Shoals Alabama, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Music, Nashville, Rock Music, Spooner Oldham, Taylor Hollingsworth, Uncategorized

Dead Fingers at The Basement

June 26, 2012 //

On an unusually hot June night, Dead Fingers from Birmingham, Alabama, played the Basement underneath Grimeys New and Preloved Music, in a stripped down Trio with “really married” Taylor Hollingsworth and Kate Taylor backed by minimalist drums of Alan Rosser, as part of their mini-tour last Sunday the 24^th.

Dead Fingers Opened up with the classic Taylor song, “Bonnie and Clyde” from his 2005 Brash Music release, Tragic City, before going into the line up from the first Dead Fingers – Fat Possum release.

Playing to an intimate crowd including some friends who made the drive from Birmingham, Kate and Taylor matched song for song on “Closet Full Of Bones”, “Another Planet” with the different blend of almost Spanky & Our Gang meets southern Americana, Dead Fingers managed to break down a lot of barriers between styles and periods to create their own matchbox of sound.

Taylor stuck mainly to finger picking almost Piedmont style most of the night going from the bluesy slide of “Lost In Mississippi” to primitive western a la Rose Maddox and The Maddox Brothers rather than the current Fleetwood Mac radio country for “On My Way.”

There was a hint of classic Taylor Hollingsworth writing when going into “Against The River” riffing.

Kate and Taylor looked real comfortable together as well as baby bump makes three, Taylor and Kate, who have been married for a while now, are expecting a girl towards the end of the year.

It looks like the child will have music in her DNA taking in the tour from the stage, listening to musical vibrations.

Kate comes from a big Birmingham musical family, with sister Maria Taylor , an artist on Conor Oberst’s Saddle Creek Records , as well as brother Macey Taylor who has played Bass for Maria, Taylor, Conor Oberst and several other bands and music projects.

Kate is no stranger to the stage, having played in Maria Taylor’s touring band on drums as well as other instruments and supporting vocals.

Mystic Valley Band at Coachella 2009, Macey on bass, Taylor on Acoustic

Macey and Taylor both played in the two album project that Conor Oberst ended up putting together, The Mystic Valley Band where Taylor sang at least one of his own originals at every tour stop. They ended up playing some big shows in 2009 including Coachella. Following that project, Taylor released the acoustic project, Life With A Slow Ear, Team Love Records in 2009.

Dead Fingers became the project as Kate and Taylor started taking life on together as a couple.

Kate’s brother Macey at Coachella / Photo- Brad Hardisty

Taylor, even in the stripped down mode, showed plenty of flash, using a harmonizer pedal to get some cool neo-pedal steel type leads going on the country material, and some intense slide work through the night.

Taylor Hollingsworth singing “Air Mattress” at Coachella 2009 / Photo – Brad Hardisty

Dead Fingers included a new song in the set that will be on the next release which they are scheduled to begin recording in the near future.

The duo shows great depth and versatility in their songwriting able to take off in different ways which especially works well in Nashville where, cult classic country, blues and roots rock are part of the whole Indie scene.

Dead Fingers will be back in Nashville on July 12th at The Mercy Lounge opening up for Jason Isbell (formerly of The Drive-By Truckers) & The 400 Unit. Definitely a lot of Alabama in that show.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Brad Hardisty, Deadfingers, Taylor Hollingsworth

Categories Alabama, Alabama Music, Alternative Music, Americana Music, Birmingham Alabama, Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band, Country Music, Dead Fingers, Fat Possum Records, Grimey's New and Preloved Music, Guitar, Indie Music, Indie Rock, Kate Taylor, Macey Taylor, Maria Taylor, Rock Music, Saddle Creek Records, Taylor Hollingsworth, The Basement Nashville, Uncategorized

Kenny Rogers Week

June 18, 2012 //

Kenny Rogers & Phish Bonnaroo 2012

It almost seems that Kenny Rogers squeezed a lifetime of work into one fantastic week.

On Saturday June 9th, Kenny Rogers performed four songs to a sold out crowd at LP Field as part of the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. Following his performance there Kenny headed down to Manchester, Tenn., for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on Sunday. He was the only artist to play both events this year.

At Bonnaroo, Kenny played to a huge audience in the afternoon and was joined by his longtime friend Lionel Richie on stage as a surprise guest for “Lady.” Later that evening, Rogers joined Phish on stage in front of 70,000 fans during the closing set of the festival to perform “The Gambler.” During Bonnaroo he was showered with love and chants of “Kenny! Kenny!” The day after, the assembled media proclaimed their excitement about his performances as well.

Lionel Richie & Kenny Rogers

“Spellbinding…Breathtaking…One of the 10 Best Performances of Bonnaroo 2012…” said Billboard Magazine about Kenny’s set.

“The country star fit in beautifully (at Bonnaroo), delivering crisp versions of hits like ‘Love Or Something Like It’ and ‘Islands In The Stream’…He belongs…” raved SPIN.

And finally, on June 14th, Kenny performed “The Gambler” in honor of his old pal, Don Schlitz, who wrote the song, at the 43rd annual Songwriters Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in New York City. Schlitz, who has penned several timeless hits, was one of the distinguished songwriters to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year.

Kenny’s World Tour rolls on with more U.S. dates, a tour of Australia and New Zealand and now dates in Asia as well. He’s also putting the finishing touches on his first autobiography, Luck Or Something Like It, scheduled for an October 2nd release by HarperCollins. Jam-packed with fascinating stories from life on and off the stage, it’s bound to be one of the most talked about books this year.

Later this summer, he’ll enter the studio to begin recording a brand new album for Warner Bros. Records with producer Dann Huff (Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban). The award-winning Huff previously worked with Kenny on 2006’s Water & Bridges.

Looking at video of the Kenny Rogers / Phish performance, this appears to be the outside-the-box moment of Bonnaroo 2012. Phish is always daring to go where no jam band has gone.

Kenny Rogers was a crossover Artist when the term was not widely used, going from the Pop Rock group The First Edition, that had its own syndicated show back in the early 70’s to becoming a Country Legend.

Kenny seems to love to take on a non-typical crowd, a few years ago, I saw him at the Kansas City Bicentennial at The Kansas City Chiefs Stadium playing to a sold out crowd that was hosted by Walter Cronkite and also featured Little Richard on the same bill.

I for one enjoy the fact that the great music festivals today mix in the best classic rock and other stuff in with the most current breaking acts. This was the same thing that Bill Graham did in the days of The Fillmore booking acts like Bo Diddley and Muddy Waters opening for the Jefferson Airplane or The Grateful Dead. It shows continuity, when it comes down to it, a great song is a great song. As a voice and persona, Kenny Rogers is an icon.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Bonnaroo 2012, Country Music, Don Schlitz, Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Music, Phish, Rock Music, Uncategorized

Justin Timberlake and Hank Jr In Southhaven Mississippi

May 3, 2012 //

Justin and Hank Jr in Memphis Suburb

Justin Timberlake along with his best friend/WilliamRast business partner Trace Ayala were hanging backstage in Mississippi last Friday night with country music legend Hank Williams Jr. Williams was in town doing a concert in Southhaven, Mississippi, where Timberlake along with fiancée Jessica Biel, mother Lynn Timberlake, and buddy Alaya all took in a night of some ‘Rockin Randall’.

“What a great guy! Justin is a friend of my rebel son Kid Rock. He sure is a good country boy. We talked about girls, guitars, turkey hunting, going on cruises and how much we hate them, even though Bobby (Kid Rock) is on one right now and loving it, ugh! Hell, Justin and I even talking about recording a blues song sometime.” – Hank Williams Jr.

When Hank hung with Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson, it was like the Memphis Mafia exploits.

American Recodind – Memphis under restoration

Only got one thing to say, if they do a blues song together, got to do it in Memphis at the currently being restored American Recording.

American, room fit for Chet Atkins or Phil Spector sound

It’s last incarnation was Easley-McCain, with bands like Sonic Youth, Wilco and Jeff Buckley’s final recordings. American started out as Fantasy Productions in the late 60’s with two years of secrecy in what looked like a custom build by Elvis Presley with Marty Lacker as the front man. American has a rare hawaiian lava rock (can we say jungle room) facade and a room replica of RCA Studio B in Nashville where Elvis recorded almost everything for RCA and also features echo chambers like Capitol Studios in California. This will by far be the best old school / new school hybrid studio in Memphis.

Justin, Hank, if you want to know more, get a hold of me, I’ll put you in touch with the owner. It won’t be open to the public till the end of this year, but, will get you there on the Sly, hey,hey, hey.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories American Recording Memphis, Country Music, Hank Williams Jr., Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, Memphis, Music, Uncategorized

Montgomery Gentry to Headline Kentucky Tornado Benefit

May 2, 2012 //

Nashville, Tenn. (May 1, 2012) — 98.1 WBUL The Bull has announced Montgomery Gentry to headline the Kentucky Cares Concert on May 9 to benefit victims from the recent tornado that ripped through eastern Kentucky in early March. The concert will be held in Lexington, KY at Busters Billiards & Backroom with proceeds to go to the local American Red Cross. Presented by 98.1 The Bull, tickets are on sale now at http://www.ticketfly.com/. Fellow Kentuckian Laura Bell Bundy will also be performing.

Laura Bell Bundy also to perform.

“Our hearts went out to all those family and businesses that were affected by the storms,” says Eddie Montgomery. “We’ve been trying to organize something for a while so we’re real glad this worked out with The Bull. This is our home and we want to do everything we can to help.”

Troy Gentry adds, “We were devastated to hear of the destruction that went through Kentucky. We are honored to help out and look forward to a big hometown party and raising much needed funds for these communities that need it.”

This event would be worth the drive for our Kentucky neighbors, we all know what we went through with the flooding just two years ago in Nashville.

The dynamic duo, known for their hard-core country anthems, have released “So Called Life” as the second single from their seventh studio album, Rebels On The Run. This is the duo’s first album release on powerhouse indie label Average Joes Entertainment. Written by Sean Patrick McGraw and Bruce Wallace, “So Called Life” is the follow-up single to Montgomery Gentry’s Top 10 radio smash “Where I Come From.” The guitar driven, in-your-face lyrics resonate with every hard-working American. Troy Gentry explains, “It’s about putting your nose to the grindstone and busting your butt everyday—doing what you have to do.”

Eddie Montgomery says, “ This (song) is for everybody that works for a living, gets a paycheck and half of it is already gone. It’s just your ‘so called life’ and hell, they want to get to the weekend and have a damn good time.”

The new single has garnered outstanding reviews, receiving four ½ stars from Billy Dukes from Taste of Country. Dukes commented that the new song is “evidence that Troy Gentry and Eddie Montgomery Gentry are back” going on to say, “‘So Called Life’ bares teeth fans haven’t seen in five years. With cut-throat guitar and organ solos towards the end and a rhythm section that grabs hold of you early on and never lets go, this song promises to provide one of the louder slots on the radio this summer.”

Billboard reviewed the new single as a “high-octane number brimming with the edge and attitude country fans have come to expect from the rowdy Kentucky duo.” Referring to “So Called Life” as a “fiery anthem” saying its “relatable lyrics ensure the song’s success.”

Montgomery Gentry have recently been nominated for “Duo of the Year” for the upcoming 2012 CMT Music Awards to be held on June 6. Fans can vote now at CMT.com http://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards/categories.jhtml

Categories 98.1 WBUL The Bull, American Red Cross, Busters Billiards & Backroom, Country Music, Country Radio, Kentucky Cares Concert, Laura Bell Bundy, Montgomery Gentry, Uncategorized

Nashville’s Own The August Take Competition

May 1, 2012 //

Nashville band, The August, are winners of The Greenbrier Resort’s first annual “Got Country Class” music competition resulting in a $5000 cash prize and the band opening for Toby Keith and Lionel Richie on July 4th at the Greenbrier Classic, a nationally recognized PGA Tournament held in West Virginia at the State Fairgrounds.

The event was hosted on April 26th-28th at the esteemed Greenbrier Country Club known as “America’s Resort” which has been welcoming guests since 1778.

Now this is what I am talking about! They say that cream always rises to the top and Jacky Dustin and the boys know how to put on a show!

Hundreds of contestants entered this month long contest and the final 30 were invited to the Resort to perform and be judged in front of five prominent music industry veterans including: 6 time Grammy winner Bill Miller, George Thorogood Manager, Michael Donohue and seasoned music industry visionary Charlie Lico.

The contest was divided into three rounds and each artist or band had 3 minutes to play one song (8 minutes in the final round) followed by feedback from the judges, similar to the American Idol format.

The August solidified their victory in the final round from a competitive field, which included another Nashville artist Katie Admire, by performing an original country ballad called “Outside” about the trials of leaving home to go to a new city in search of their dreams (a sentiment plenty of Nashville can relate to) and then followed by a “funk-country” version of “Me and Bobby McGhee” where The August received the only standing ovation of the night. If you have been able to catch The August with Jacky Dustin on vocals at Douglas Corner Café, y’all should know this one.

The August is an Americana/Country Rock band formed in 2006 originally from Chicago, IL but relocated to Nashville in 2009 to further entrench themselves in their musical careers. Their next show in Nashville will be on Friday May 11th at Douglas Corner Cafe.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Thistle, Sparrow and the Tall, Tall Grass (2006)

The Uptown Sessions (2009)

Dear Chicago, Love Nashville (2011)

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Country Music, Country Radio, Douglas Corner Cafe, Jacky Dustin, Music, Music Row, The August

Shakedown at The Majestic at Liahonaroo Next Weekend

April 15, 2012 //

Shakedown at The Majestic

Brooklyn, New York’s Shakedown at The Majestic (SATM) heard about Liahonaroo and decided to take a shot at performing their first show in the South.

Liahonaroo will take place April 20-21 at The Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon.

Shantell Ogden

The event was organized by a group of Mormon musicians and music lovers, not as an event to preach, but a family-friendly drug and alcohol free music festival.

Shantell Ogden, event organizer believes it will resonate with all Christians regardless of denomination.

“I have a friend in a punk band that plays clubs regularly, and because of the environment and age restrictions his daughter hasn’t been able to see him perform,” she said.

The name, Liahonaroo, is inspired by a compass called the Liahona that a Book of Mormon prophet Lehi used to lead his family through the wilderness, ‘roo’ has become synonomous with ‘music festival.’

SATM, a Sugar Ray meets Peter & Gordon retro Sixties mix, decided to make the submission and made it into the lineup to make their first appearance in the South.

As Taylor Mintz, percussionist of SATM, puts it, “We’ve got a little bit of the old harmony like The Beatles, The Zombies and The Beach Boys. We are like a band from Long Island that went out to California, learned how to surf and then made a record.”

The group is getting ready to release their sophomore effort in a couple of months.

“Run For Your Life,” “Idiot or Liar” and especially “Recipe of Life” are songs that are really getting the crowds going in New York at places like Sullivan Hall and DC Lounge. These songs will be on the new release.

Aaron Kupferberg, Powerpopaholic.com says about SATM, “We get catchy, danceable, stick-in-you-head songs courtesy of this energetic unsigned Brooklyn band. The harmonies and minor chord shifts on “ Bria” are sweet and compare well to Weezer.”

Acklen Park - photo - Melody Hood

SATM joins an eclectic Liahoanroo lineup that includes Music Row chart toppers, Acklen Park, a duo experiencing success with their recent country radio hit, “Great American Song,” positioned to be one of the country rock summer anthems this year.

Kelcy Lee

Also performing in the nearly 30 acts is country band HWY 52 and singer/songwriters, Kaitlyn Cannon, Kelcy Lee, Kimberly Knighton and Joseph Barrios. For a full line up go to the Liahonaroo website and Facebook pages.

Joseph Barrios - photo - Kaht

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Acklen Park, Country Music, Indie Music, Indie Rock, Joseph Barrios, Kelcy Lee, Kimberly Knighton, Liahonaroo, Music, Music Row, Nashville, Rock Music, Shakedown at The Majestic, Shantell Ogden, Uncategorized

Celebrating Easter in Nashville

April 8, 2012 //

Wanda Jackson at Mercy Lounge 2010

Easter is all about a renewal, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and what it means to us. Nashville itself is a town of resurrection, a place where Jack White has produced two great albums by Loretta Lynn and Wanda Jackson and where the underbelly that was East Nashville is the place to be.

Speaking of East Nashville, Bob Dylan came here in the Sixties to make a 180 in his career and where Robert Plant came just a couple of years ago to do just the same. Speaking of which, I have heard that he has set up shop with Patty Griffin in Austin since the Band of Joy tour.

What is Nashville to me? A Californian-slash-Alabama bluesman? I started making the drive up to Nashville quite often starting in 2006 from Birmingham. I liked the fact that you could wander from one honky tonk to another and check out all the Telecaster blasters playing through mostly Fender tube amps almost any hour of the day.

I finally made the move after getting positive feedback about my songwriting abilities from a local publishing head at the end of 2007.

It was a very surreal world, where one Saturday morning, wandering around a guitar show, I ended up talking to Scotty Moore about how many Bill Black Combos, Bill really had. The next minute, I am jamming on my 1936 Gibson Electric Hawaiian down on Lower Broad when Little Jimmy Dickens comes wandering out of nowhere and watches me jam for about 10 minutes, throws a $20 dollar bill into the vintage case and says. “Keep it up!” Mind you, I’m not making this up. In fact, if you are from Nashville, you know what I mean and are probably saying, “So what.”

I realized that everybody had a story, whether it was the Baskin Robbins on Lebanon that said Porter Wagoner used to come in all the time, or a snapshot in the window of Robert Plant stopping in to check out the guitars.

So what do I like about Nashville, now that I have been here a few years?

Strange Karma down on Lower Broad celebrating the bassist birthday!

Let’s see, there is more diversity than what outsiders would think, for starters, I have met a ton of Aussies and I, seriously, have never met one I didn’t want to hang with whether it was Anthony Snape or Strange Karma. I wonder if it was like this when Keith Urban first came here and was playing at the Guitar Bar? Did the Aussies start coming after Keith’s success or is Nashville a big magnet?

As far as diversity goes, you can get world class Indian Cuisine, of which I am all about Tamarind on Demonbreun. I’ve ate Indian food all over the place and that is about as good as it gets. There are several ethnic communities here, whether it be Egyptian Coptic Christians or Somalis, the list goes on and makes for Eateries that go way beyond the meat and three.

Something is in the water in East Nashville, with several upstart, one of a kind places like Far East Nashville, not only your typical Vietnamese Pho and Vermicelli bowls, but, the actual family recipes fixed by the owners brother, in a totally unique way.

Porter Road Butcher Shop makes some amazing sausages featuring probably the best Andouille Sausage this far north of Bayou Country. In fact, that is what I had for Easter. I could have whatever I wanted, so, I faxed three eggs with some sharp Vermont Cheddar and some of that Andouille Sausage on the side.

Nashville is a vinyl fanatic’s pipe dream, wandering between Grimeys, The Groove, Phonoluxe and the two Great Escape locations there is no reason to ever come up empty handed. In fact, there is a plethora of radio station promo copies which are usually on heavier, better quality vinyl. Record Store Day is almost like a city holiday where a huge migration descends mainly on Grimeys by the thousands. My only gripe would be, is there no bootlegs? Back when, I used to travel over to Berkeley to Moe’s Bookstore and get vinyl Beatles bootlegs as well as concerts and demos engraved onto vinyl by everything from Queen to Aerosmith to The Clash it was something nobody else had.

Music is everywhere, as I laid down to bed the first few months in Nashville, I could hear music in my head like never before, like ghost radio stations, it seemed like there were thousands of songwriters who had passed on and never left Nashville, they were just trying to get that next big hit. It seemed as if there was singing in the netherworld and all you had to be was a little bit spiritually aware.

Tommy Tutone and Mario at Nashville Amp Expo

I think there are more Telecasters in a 30 mile radius than the whole state of California, where they were invented. If you can’t find the perfect Telecaster, there are boutique builders from Mario Guitars in Murfreesboro to Chad Underwood in Lexington, Kentucky.

As far as electric guitar parts go, Rock Blocks Guitars has a wall of supplies juts minutes away.

Looking at the Musical Instrument section in Craigslist can be eye opening. You never know what you will find, anything from a 1964 Fender Precision sold by the bass player in Cinderella after a career’s worth of touring to a Gold Top Les Paul owned by Duane Allman. If there is a vintage Sho-Bud Steel around, no doubt, eventually, you’ll see it on Craigslist.

Southside Gentlemans Club at Burt's Tiki Lounge, newly acquired Dr. Z Stang Ray in the backline. 2009

My favorite personal story is about my Dr. Z Amplifier. I had been writing and playing my own brand of Ragtime Blues when I moved to Nashville. I had been using a 45 Watt Samamp from Birmingham when I got here and it was just too much. I was ready for a little 30 Watt or less combo. There are so many and I just decided to try them all. I brought my arch top with me and made the rounds from Corner Music to Gruehn Guitars to Rock Blocks. Finally, when I plugged into this Dr. Z Stang Ray at Rock Blocks, I had met my match, a simple tone stack, where you could really fill out the bass and a simple good looking black with white trim amp. The speaker had been changed out to a Cannabis Rex and it had a sound all its own.

The price tag was $2100. I didn’t have $2100. In fact, even with selling some gear, donating blood and street gigging down on Lower Broad, I still probably would be $1000 a way. I needed that amp. I put it in God’s hands. It’s okay to say that in Nashville isn’t it? Well, that’s what I did, true story. I prayed and said, I’ve tried all the amps out that I can think of and that is the one that sounds right then tucked it away.

Well, things looked bleak when I lost my job in 2008, in fact, really bleak, I left Nashville, worked five months in Memphis, then that company went bankrupt and I ended up taking a job with a national company in Utah and moved out of Tennessee.

I never gave up on the music, I got my five piece ragtime blues band together in Utah, playing at Burt’s Tiki Lounge, finding some great musicians from an add I put out in Craigslist. On a whim in early 2009, I looked up the Nashville Craigslist and found that exact Dr. Z Stang Ray for sale. Guitarist, Gary Ishee, had put an add up that read something like this;“I bought this Dr. Z Stang Ray earlier this year at Rock Blocks and I need to sell it.”

It looked identical. I called him up and explained that I was stuck out in Utah, but, that I knew the amp and through our talk, he knew I was the real deal. I wired the money to his bank account including the cost to ship it. I bought it for $1250. I was able to come up with that only because I went out west to a company on a bad stretch, because of the economy, they let me have all the overtime I could handle. I got the amp in a big Roland amplifier box from UPS in Farr West, Utah and it was the exact amp. I sat there and cried. It was the exact same amp, in fact, the only amp I ever prayed about and I will include the picture of my group, The Southside Gentlemens Club playing at Burt’s Tiki Lounge a couple of months later with the amp in the backline.

Thank you Brad Paisley for input on the AC30 hybrid design, what a great amp. I still own it and fire it up almost every day in hopes to lay down some tracks here soon.

Okay tracks, let’s talk about that. I was in Utah almost a year, when I came out here on vacation in September 2009. I had hoped to move back to Nashville someday, maybe when the economy got better, but, on a whim, I had kept in touch with a realtor, who didn’t give up on me, even though, I was out in the Rocky Mountain West. I will drop his name, because Kenneth Bargers is an amazing Realtor. He emailed me faithfully every month some houses I would be interested in. When I was here for a week in September 2009, Kenneth Bargers took me around on two afternoons to look at houses. I felt like I was back home, I wanted to be back in Nashville, I did not want to get back on the plane.

Daniel Turner

We found a house I really liked. The last night I was in town, I was hanging around and moping by the pool at the airport Courtyard over on Elm Hill Pike, not wanting to leave Nashville. I decided I needed to go do something, pull myself up by my bootstraps. So I got dressed and headed over to Commodore Grille to check out some songwriters. Cowboy Jack Clement was in the round and it gave me goose bumps. I thought, if I had stayed at the hotel, I would have missed this. I decided I need to get back and I was heading out the door when I heard somebody call my name. “Brad!” I looked up and it was Daniel Turner, one of my music friends from Birmingham, Alabama walking in. I said to him, “What are you doing here?” He explained that he was going to be playing the next round. It was a great reunion of old friends. I have so much respect for Daniel as an all around musician. He can play, write and sing. If anybody could make a great classic country album, he could. He has such a great voice, but, he had really been influenced by a lot of the Alabama Blues that is around Birmingham.

I went back to my hotel room on cloud nine. I could hardly sleep. I was going to find a way to get back and I did. I interviewed by phone and got a transfer. I found a house on Zillow.com and Kenneth Bargers looked at it for me and on his word, I bought it. In fact, Kenneth represented me at closing in November 2009 and I never walked into the house until the first week of December as an owner. It’s a true story, call Kenneth, if you need a Realtor and you can ask about it. He is the best Realtor in Nashville as far as I am concerned.

Kenny Malone at a clinic at Country Music HOF

Okay, so, I am back. I work hard. I have got to hang with some great musicians and do some great interviews. It’s been a great ride, but, I need to resurrect my own career. Sometimes, I think it would be easier to move down to Pensacola and put together a group from Craigslist and center on a little club or bar to be “our place,” but, there is the dream recording session, the possibility that I can put together, with a little cash or luck, Kenny Malone on drums, “Slick” Joe Fick from The Dempseys on Bass, the violinist I saw at Mike Farris’ in store at Grimeys and get a trumpet player that can play like Al Hirt and get this manic New Orleans meets Memphis circa 1940 music to record. I work hard at the music and I have some great friends. If that part of my career is supposed to “Resurrect,” it will.

For now, I will just enjoy the ride.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Aerosmith, Alabama, Alabama Music, Alternative Music, Americana Music, Anthony Snape, Australia, Band of Joy, Birmingham, Bluesman Vintage Guitars, Commodore Grill, Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, Cowboy Jack Clement, Daniel Turner, Dr. Z Amplifiers, East Nashville, Grimey's, Grimey's New and Preloved Music, Guitar Mill Guitars, Jack White, Kenny Malone, Lower Broad, Lower Broad Nashville, Mario Guitars, Mike Farris, Mollie Garrigan, Music, Nashville, Nashville Amp Expo, Patty Griffin, Porter Road Butcher Shop, Robert Plant, Rock Music, Slick Joe Fick, Strange Karma, The Allman Brothers Band, The Dempseys, The Mercy Lounge, Uncategorized, Wanda Jackson

Dolly Parton and HankWilliams Jr. Partner with New Marketing

April 5, 2012 //

Nashville, TN (April 4, 2012) – Country music Icon Dolly Parton just released her latest project, “An Evening with… Dolly”, which is a two-disc DVD/CD set available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations.

The double-disc set includes live performances of Dolly’s biggest hits, including 9 to 5, Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You, among others. The package retails for $11.99 and is also available online at www.crackerbarrel.com.

Cracker Barrel has seen an influx of Bluegrass, Old Time Gospel and Classic Country stars in recent partnerships in the last few years, much like the Starbucks Music Marketing concept, Cracker Barrel is both a restaurant and a store and is very popular with fans of down home food and down home music.

Most recently, the most award winning Bluegrass duo, Daily & Vincent, has been successful with Cracker Barrel promotions.

I’m jealous of Dolly’s guitar on the cover. It looks like a PRS SE single cutaway hollow body, but, it could be a custom build. If anybody knows, let me know. The price point of the DVD-CD combo is ridiculous. Everybody should have a copy of this. Dolly started with promotion this week on Nightline and Inside edition and has upcoming appearances scheduled.

Friday April 6^th, catch Dolly online for a special one-on-one question and answer session with Billboard.com as well as on the entertainment news magazine show EXTRA!

Saturday, April 7^th, Dolly sits down with Rebecca Jarvis on CBS This Morning and Katie Cook for CMT Insider.

On Wednesday, April 11^th Dolly will be featured on the mid-day syndicated The Better Show.

On Saturday, April 14^th Dolly sits down with Governor Huckabee for Fox News Channel’s HUCKABEE. The show will re-air on Sunday, April 15^th.

In the coming weeks, Dolly Parton will also appear on ABC’s The Revolution with Tim Gunn, The Dr. Steve Show, Lifetime Television’s national morning show The Balancing Act, among others.

On the same date, a major announcement came from one of the last true rebels, and I wasn’t talking about Hank III, I was talking about Junior!

Mike Dennison, President of Blaster Entertainment, Hank Williams, Jr. and Tom Porter, CEO of Blaster Entertainment, sign exclusive agreement to distribute Hank's new CD.

Nashville, TN (April 4, 2012) – Blaster Entertainment, one of the country’s leading talent management and entertainment labels, and award-winning Country music recording artist Hank Williams, Jr. announced that they have entered into a worldwide exclusive three year licensing agreement. The new partnership comes only months before Williams’ highly anticipated new studio album release, which will hit retail in June. The deal, which was signed this week, licenses Blaster Records, a division of Blaster Entertainment, to distribute Bocephus Records’ new release for the next three years.

“When I started Blaster Records a bit over five years ago, my goal was to create an entertainment company that became home to some of country music’s biggest stars,” said Tom Porter, CEO of Blaster Entertainment. “Hank Williams Jr. is a giant in the business and we are beyond excited to welcome him into the Blaster family.”

“I’m excited about this new album we’ve been working on,” Hank Williams Jr. said. “When looking at labels, I had several choices. When my team brought me the opportunity from Blaster and with the soon to be announced distribution deal, it was the best deal in town. My fans will be able to find my music in places that common folks shop. This is gonna be fun!”

With more than 70 albums to his credit, sales of 55 million records, countless awards including 5-time Entertainer of the Year awards (ACM & CMA), BMI Icon Award, a Grammy, and most recently in 2009 the Academy of Country Music “Pioneer Award,” Williams is a living legend. His discography chronicles a bold profile of growth from adored offspring of a legendary father, to titan of the modern country rock movement in his own right. For two decades, America came to its collective feet each fall Monday night when this larger than life superman of a musician looked into the camera and unleashed the national anthem for viewers of Monday Night Football – ‘Are You Ready for Some Football.?’ Those simple words have won Williams an entirely new generation of fans and given him the distinction of being the first country performer to ever win an Emmy.

Blaster Entertainment is known for their unconventional, untraditional and by most people’s perception just plain fun way of doing business. The blending of Blaster and Williams is a perfect pairing. The mission of Blaster Entertainment is to service and support artists in all aspects of the business while creating new outlets for their music. The company prides itself on the ability to provide one-on one attention to all of their artists while developing new opportunities and alliances along the way.

A partnership with a combination, promotional and distribution arm seems to be the way to go nowadays. Hank Jr. was able to stay in the news with, so-called controversy and right or wrong, he stuck to his guns and has to be admired for that.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, Country Radio, Cracker Barrel, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Jr., Music, Uncategorized