Tag: songwriters

25th Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival

 in Festivals, Songwriters

By Ken Paulson

Tin Pan South, an extraordinary songwriters festival set in Nashville, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a full slate events scheduled from March 28 through April 1.

The Tin Pan South festival features small groups of successful songwriters, typically playing in the the round (or in a row.) Some songwriters are more polished performers than others, but it’s a treat to hear the original versions of now-classic songs.

Among the Tin Pan South highlights:

  • Bruce “Hey Baby” Channel, Gary Nicholson, “Sonny “I Fought the Law” Curtis and Sonny Throckmorton at 6 p.m. on March 28 at the Bluebird Café.
  • Mac Davis, Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley and Lee Thomas Miller at 6 p.m. on March 29 at the Bluebird Café.
  • Jessi Alexander, Deric Ruttan, Jimmy Yeary and JT Harding at the Hard Rock Café at 9 p.m. on March 29.
  • Keb’ Mo’, Desmond Child and Victoria Shaw at the Listening Room at 6 p.m. on March 30.
  • Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman, Paul Overstreet and Scotty Emerick at the Hard Rock Café at 6 p.m. on March 30.
  • James Otto, Mark McGuinn, Myler Reeve, Treat Landon at The Country at 6 p.m on March 30.
  • Bob Morrison, Dickey Lee, Pat Alger and Wayland Holyfield at the Bluebird Café at 6:30 p.m. on March 31.
  • Emily West, Jamie O’Neal, KS Rhoads and Stephony Smith at the Listening Room at 9:30 p.m. on March 31.
  • Bobby Braddock, Marc D. Sanders, Matraca Berg, Roger Cook at 3rd and Lindsley at 6:30 p.m. on April 1.
  • Bekka Bramlett, Billy Burnette, Bruce Gaistch and Dennis Morgan at 9:30 p.m. at Douglas Corner on April 1.

That just scratches the surface. You’ll find a full schedule on the Tin Pan South site.

 

Tin Pan South: Cleveland, Lloyd, Ragsdale and Coleman

 in Festivals, Nashville music, Songwriters
Ashley Cleveland performs during Tin Pan South

Ashley Cleveland performs during Tin Pan South

Ashley Cleveland, Bill Lloyd, Suzi Ragsdale and Dave Coleman were clearly enjoying themselves Friday night at Douglas Corner as part of the Tin Pan South songwriters festival in Nashville.

Unlike other rounds where songwriters might be teamed thematically or shows in which songwriters come out for a rare performance, these were all friends and active performers, eager to play off each other and to share new material.

Three-time Grammy Ashley Cleveland stood to deliver songs from her upcoming Beauty on the Curve, Coleman showcased songs from his band’s new Escalator, Ragsdale debuted “The Ending” from a musical in the works, and Lloyd shared “Happiness,” a cool pop song that channels Burt Bacharach.

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Tin Pan South: Classics revisited

 in Festivals, Nashville music, Songwriters
Dickey Lee at Tin Pan South

Dickey Lee at Tin Pan South

The show was labeled “Classics to Current,” and “classics” was not an overstatement. This Tin Pan South show at Douglas Corner in Nashville featured Alex Harvey, who wrote “Delta Dawn” and “Reuben James”, “Buzz Cason, whose “Soldier of Love” was recorded by the Beatles in their BBC sessions, Dickey Lee of “Patches” fame and Austin Cunningham.

But it was Lee who set the tone for the evening, noting that the song he was about to do had been a hit for George Jones and Elvis Presley and then opened the show with his “She Thinks I Still Care.” Follow that.

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Best bets: 2014 Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival

 in Americana Music, Festivals, Nashville music, Songwriters

tin pan 2014By Ken Paulson

Tin Pan South, the world-class songwriters festival based in Nashville,  begins this Tuesday in Nashville,  and as usual, the line-up of talent is rich and diverse. It’s a particularly well-curated festival, so there are no lame rounds. That said, these shows caught our eye:

Tuesday,  March 25

Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne at the at the Listening Room Café,  6 p.m.

Brandy Clark’s 12 Stories is one of the best albums of the past year, fueled by striking and down-to-earth songwriting. Her songs have been recorded by Band Perry, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert.  Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne teamed with Musgraves for her hit “Merry Go ‘Round” and won a 2014 Grammy.

Critter Fuqua, Chance McCoy, Chuck Mead and Holly Williams at the Station Inn,  9 p.m.

BR5-49 veteran Chuck Mead has a terrific new album called Free State Serenade, Critter Fuqua and Chance McCoy are members of the Old Crow Medicine Show and Holly Williams is the very talented granddaughter of Hank Williams, who released the fine album The Highway  last year.

Wednesday, March 26

Jessi Alexander, Josh Kear and Striking Matches at the Hard Rock Café, 6 p.m.

We admred Jessi Alexander as an artist, but she’s really hit her stride as a country songwriter, including the much-honored “I Drive Your Truck.’ Josh Kear has had similar success, including writing the monster Lady Antebellum hit “Need You Now,  and Striking Matches is an engaging duo whose songs have shown up on the Nashville TV show.

Thursday, March 27

Jim Lauderdale and friends at the Station Inn, 6 p.m.

This minimalist listing is all you need to know. Lauderdale, an icon of Americana, works and plays with some of the best in the business.

Friday, March 28

Buzz Cason, Austin Cunningham, Alex Harvey and Dickey Lee at Douglas Corner, 6:30pm
There’s some pop and country  history here, with Dickey Lee, who recorded “Patches,” Buzz Cason, who wrote “Soldier of Love,” Alex Harvey, who wrote “ Delta Dawn”  and Austin Cunningham. And it’s not all oldies from the veterans. Cason has a brand-new new album called Troubadour Heart.

Later at the same club at 9:30 you’ll find 3-time Grammy winner Ashley Cleveland, Dave Coleman, Suzi Ragsdale and Bill Lloyd, power pop and country artist and songwriter, and occasional contributor to Sun209. We’ve had the privilege to work with all four, and they’ll deliver a great show.

Saturday, March 29

 Sony Curtis, Mac Davis and Hugh Prestwood at the Bluebird Café at 6:30 p.m.

One of our favorite past Tin Pan South shows featured former Cricket Sonny Curtis, Mac Davis. Jim Weatherly and Bobby Braddock.   This year’s round looks just as promising, with Hugh Prestwood joining David and Curtis.

Curtis is one of our favorites, a rock pioneer who grew up with Buddy Holly, and went on to write songs ranging from “I Fought the Law” to “Love is All Around,” the theme to the Mary Tyler Moore show. I don’t think anyone else can claim they’ve been covered by the Everly Brothers, the Clash and Joan Jett.

Of course, this is all just a start. This is a festival that also features Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Marcus Hummon, Leigh Nash, Kevin Welch, Kim Richey, Bob DiPiero, Shannon Wright, Gary Talley, Dave Barnes, John Oates, Craig Carothers, Larry Weiss, Phillip Coleman, Tony Arata, T. Graham Brown, Brett James, Rivers Rutherford, Jeffrey Steele, Tom Douglas, Eric Brace, Peter Cooper, Tim Easton, Bill Anderson, Steve Bogard, the Stellas, Amy Speace, Jason White, Leslie Satcher, Larry Gatlin, Tommy Lee James, Erin Enderlin, Jack Sundrud, Karen Staley, Luke Laird, Lee Roy Parnell, Sarah Buxton, Kate York, Sherrie Austin, James Otto, the Kinleys and many more.

Full details can be found at Tin Pan South’s website.

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Tin Pan South set for March 25-29 in Nashville

 in Festivals, Nashville music, Songwriters

tin pan 2014Tin Pan South, a wide-ranging and always rewarding songwriters festival,  has just announced its 2014 line-up. The festival, which features both songwriting legends and upcoming writers,  will run from March 25 through March 29 in Nashville.

The approximately 100 performing songwriters include Joe Don Rooney, Vince Gill,  Teddy Gentry,  Amy Grant and Jamie O’Neal, plus Songwriters Hall of Fame members Pat Alger, Mac Davis and Sonny Curtis.
We’re also pleased to see so many of our Nashville-based favorites in the mix, including Bill Lloyd, Sherrie Austin,  Jessi Alexander,  Jason White,   Barry Dean, Will Hoge, Tom Douglas,  Eric Brace, Jim Lauderdale, Bob DiPiero, Karen Staley  and Marcus Hummon.
For full details, visit Tin Pan South’s online home.
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Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival sets 2012 line-up

 in Reviews

Tin Pan South, the pre-emiment songwriters festival, has just released its line-up for the 2012 event scheduled for March 27-31. It’s a wide-ranging collection of talent, spead over ten venues. Attendees can pay cover at the door or buy a weeklong pass that offers preferred access.
Many of this year’s performers are songwriters who have also had successful recording careers, including Ray Wylie Hubbard, Walter Egan, T. Graham Brown, Lari White, Michael Johnson, Peter Yarrow, Sam Bush, Mark Hudson, Felix Cavaliere, Radney Foster, Darrell Scott, Buddy Miller, Lee Roy Parnell, John Oates, Jim Lauderdale, Dickey Lee, Buzz Cason, Shawn Mullins, Jim Peterik, Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and the Wrights.
You’ll find details on the schedule and tickets at the Tin Pan South site. For coverage of past Tin Pan South events, go here.

(Follow Sun209and the festival at sun209com on Twitter.)

Bluebird Cafe: Amy Grant,Vince Gill,Don Schlitz,Richard Marx

 in Nashville music

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By Ken Paulson

Like Carole King’s appearance at the Bluebird Cafe earlier this month, tonight’s in-the-round featuring Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Richard Marx and Don Schlitz at the same Nashville venue was truly something special.

Among the highlights at this benefit for Alive Hospice:

– A guest turn by Jenny Gill, singing the touching “I Couldn’t Have Been More Wrong,” a new song about how badly a then-teen Jenny treated her stepmom Amy Grant.

– Vince Gill’s extraordinary performance of “Threaten Me With Heaven” and his remembrance of the late Will Owsley, a co-writer of the song.

– Don Schlitz’s very funny “I’m Allergic to Crazy”

– A new song by Amy Grant about a tragic loss in her son’s life

– Richard Marx’s performance of “Long Hot Summer,” the song he co-wrote with Keith Urban, and a #1 single for Urban.

 

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30A Songwriting Festival: Rodney Crowell, Steve Forbert and the Bangles

 in Americana Music

By Ken Paulson

Seaside, Florida – The third annual 30A Songwriters Festival, closed out its three-day run today, wrapping up an ambitious and entertaining celebration of songs.

Very similar in scope and approach to Nashville’s’ Tin Pan South Festival, run by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, 30A showcases a wide range of artists and genres in both open-air and intimate indoor venues. There are still some growing pains – parking can be tight and some audiences don’t get the whole “listening” thing – but the festival is clearly moving in the right direction.

Among the highlights:

–  Rodney Crowell at the Gulf Place Amphitheater: Crowell is savvy enough to complement his most challenging and topical songs with his country hits, including “Crazy for Leaving” and “Stars on the Water.” His cover of “Like a Rolling Stone” was great fun.

 

–   An impressive solo acoustic set by Vicki Peterson of the Bangles. Her “Mixed Messages” was recorded by both the Bangles and Continental Drifters, and it was a pleasure to hear it as it began. Susan Cowsill followed with a very brief and off-kilter performance, but somehow it was charming. The show featured cameos and heckling by assorted Bangles and Cowsills. Truly memorable.

 

–   Steve Forbert at Fish Out of Water: His introduction – something about a Grammy-nominated songwriter from Mississippi – badly undersold one of the most literate, consistent and prolific singer-songwriters over nearly four decades. The audience enjoyed his energetic and entertaining set, and then roared as they recognized “Romeo’s Tune.” So that’s who that was.

 

–  The Bangles: We reported earlier on their great set; it was one of the most memorable of the weekend. Rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t get much more joyous.

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