Tag: “Bluebird Cafe”

Video Premiere: Chris Smither’s “By The Numbers”

 in Americana Music, New releases

There’s a tireless – arguably timeless – quality to Chris Smither’s work. The consistently impressive artist has released 18 albums over a half-century, but wasn’t satisfied with just a single album with his latest “Call Me Lucky.” No, he recorded it and then did it again from start to finish with different versions of five of the songs in the same album. That’s either very inefficient or very cool. We’ll go with the latter.

Americana Music News is pleased to present the video premiere of “By The Numbers” from “Call Me Lucky.”

Chris Smithers will perform at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on April 27.

Pam Tillis, Lari White, Danielle Peck and Gretchen Peters in the round

 in Americana Music

Pam Tillis

Pam Tillis, Lari White, Gretchen Peters and Danielle Peck played in the round at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville tonight, a fundraiser for the Downtown YMCA.
The highlight was a Tillis and Peters duet on “Let That Pony Run.” Gretchen wrote the song, which Pam made a top five country hit in 1993.
Peters revealed that the cut led to a songwriting appointment with Tillis at her home. Tillis was at the peak of her career at the time, and apparently a little consumed by her busy schedule.
Tillis excused herself at one point and Peters waited. And waited.
“She never came back,” Peters laughed.

Wilder, Jones and Rotenberry celebrate Americana

 in Americana Music

Hans Rotenberry and Brad Jones

The 2011 American Music Association series at the Bluebird kicked off Thursday with sets by the duo of Brad Jones and Hans Rotenberry and Webb Wilder. Jones and Rotenberry’s “Mountain Jack” CD is an eminently entertaining blend of melodic pop and Americana. They played much of the album, plus one song from Rotenberry’s band “The Shazam.” The acoustic renditions were terrific, echoing early McGuinness Flint.
Webb Wilder followed with a typically spirited set (“Human Cannonball” and “She’s Not Romantic” were among the highlights) and then invited the openers back up to share in covers of the Move, Everly Brothers and John Fogerty.

Americana at the Bluebird 2011

 in Americana Music

One of the best musical events in February and March in Nashville in recent years has been the “Live at the Bluebird” series organized by the Americana Music Association. These have been four-show series featuring a tremendous range of talents, including Sam Bush, Rodney Crowell, Will Kimbrough and Foster and Lloyd.
This year’s series is being sold as individual shows and there are just three scheduled. They include Webb Wilder and duo Brad Jones and Hans Rotenberry on March 17, sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer on March 22nd and dobro legend Jerry Douglas on March 24. Tickets will be available one week in advance for each of these shows at www.bluebirdcafe.com.

John Oates at the Bluebird Cafe

 in Americana Music

Nashville has long been the home or hangout of the stars who graced our ’60s and ’70s record collections. John Kay, John Fogerty, Peter Frampton and Felix Cavaliere have all called Nashville home. Now John Oates has established partial residency in Nashville. He showed up at the Bluebird this week to perform in the round with Sam Bush and Jeff Black.
It was an entertaining evening, highlighted by guest Jimmy Wayne’s rendition of “Sara Smile,” with Oates singing harmony. Oates didn’t do any Hall and Oates hits himself , but played lesser-known songs from the duo’s albums and some from his solo albums.

John Oates at the Bluebird Cafe

Don Henry’s birthday bash at the Bluebird

 in Americana Music

Don Henry celebrates his birthday on New Year's Eve eve.

One of the very best ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve eve is to attend Don Henry’s birthday bash at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. Last night was no exception. Henry, a Grammy award-winning songwriter, throws his own birthday party each year, inviting talented friends and co-writers. A highlight: Bobby Braddock dropped in to perform his George Jones classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today.
Tom Kimmel. Henry’s bandmate in the Waymores, sat in for a couple songs from that group’s upcoming CD. One of the songs was a direct nod to the Byrds, but both songs had that upbeat ’60s folk-rock feel to them — and that’s a good thing.
Craig Carothers and Danny Flowers joined Henry in the round. Carothers played a new song called “There is No U in We.” Like other Carothers songs, it’s dark and cynical, but also very melodic and funny. Flowers opened the show with his “Tulsa Time” and closed with his “East Batcave Shell Station Blues.” That’s some range.
The Bluebird was packed on a Thursday night; it’s my guess that this is that this show has become a tradition for a lot of folks. It’s really the best part of Nashville: incredibly talented people playing and singing as if they were in their living room and the audience consists of friends that just happened to have to pay a cover.