for singers and songwriters
By Preshias Harris
Fans, friends and members of the music community came together, Friday, October 28, to honor the newest inductees into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. The historic event was held in the auditorium of the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center’s New Barn, Mt. Vernon, Kentucky.
Read my full report of the star-studded Kentucky Music Hall of Fame show at Center Stage Magazine here.
Acts are already planning tours that had been put on hold and new albums are getting set for release. Here is a quick roundup of some of the stories that will be part of the June 2021 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, the longest-running monthly country music column in the USA. Scroll down to catch up on these news items:
Scroll down to read all these news items…
Few have attained the achievements of multi-GRAMMY®, CMA and ACM Award-winning performer Steve Wariner. The singer-songwriter-instrumentalist recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member with appearance on the Opry stage May 8 and May 11. Wariner’s lifelong dream came true when he was inducted May 11, 1996 and performed “A Woman Loves,” as well as a duet with Bill Anderson of “Tips Of My Fingers” and then joined Chet Atkins on “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?”
Continue reading “Music news update: Mid-May 2021”
Preshias was the guest once again on the Y’all Show with host Jon Rawl as they talked about what’s happening in Music City. Among the topics:
Watch the entire show at the Y’all website or at the Y’all channel on YouTube.
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
By Preshias Harris
Vocalists might spend more time in the spotlight but it’s the musicians who create the unforgettable sounds that are an integral part of every song. It was the musicians’ night to take center stage at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Tuesday, October 22.
The Class of 2019 were honored with medallion presentations followed by a gala concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Downtown Nashville. Among the honorees were the legendary band Alabama, singer-songwriter and guitarist Steve Wariner, Don Everly, the Surfaris, renowned musicians from Muscle Shoals and more. See below for a full list of this year’s inductees.
I caught up with Teddy Gentry, founding member of Alabama, on the red carpet before the induction ceremony. Alabama was presented with the Musicians Hall of Fame’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. I asked Teddy what this special event meant to him.
“Being honored among this quality of musicians here is a little extraordinary. This is the cream of the crop and to be recognized in the same way as these guys is really a great honor,” said Gentry.
Alabama was formed in 1969 in Forth Payne, AL, by cousins Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen and Jeff Cook. Blending country, Southern rock, pop and even bluegrass elements, Alabama racked up more than 40 number one hits on the Billboard country charts, many of which crossed over into the pop charts. With sales of more than 75 million records, they are recognized as the most successful band in country music history.
Continue reading “Musicians Hall of Fame honors Class of 2019”
Some famous names – and some not-so-well-known names—were announced this afternoon, Tuesday, July 16, at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum. A group of musicians, media and fans gathered to hear guitar wizard Joe Bonamassa announce the 2019 inductees to the Musicians Hall of Fame. The inductees will be honored with a concert on October 22, 2019 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Noting that he had recently moved to Nashville, Bonamassa wryly said, “I guess I’m part of the problem, not the solution.” He then announced the 2019 inductees.
This year’s inductees at the October ceremony will be:
(Scroll down for more details on all of the 2019 Musicians Hall of Fame honorees)
Pre-sale tickets will be available August 2, 2019 for Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum members (to become a member click here ). Tickets will be on sale to the public on August 5, 2019 through the Schermerhorn Symphony Center box office.
More Information on the inductees: Continue reading “Musicians Hall of Fame announces 2019 inductees”
My dear friend – and fellow Kentucky native – Steve Wariner has a great new album about to drop at the end of October. It really is a special project with a who’s who of guests and family members contributing their combined talent. Please give it a listen!
For his 20th studio album, four-time GRAMMY Award winner Steve Wariner knew he had to do something really special. When All Over The Map began coming together, it became clear just what that would be.
The 12-track album evolved into a remarkable tribute to the Grand Ole Opry member’s influences, both living and deceased, in addition to a celebration of his lineage. While packed with acclaimed guest musicians, the set — to be released Oct. 28 on SelecTone Records — artfully showcases Wariner’s own musical talents. In addition to producing the album, he plays guitar, upright bass, drums and both pedal and lap steel, as well as singing on seven of the songs. (The other five are classic instrumentals.) Wariner also penned 10 of the tracks.
A touching tribute to late mentor Chet Atkins, titled “CGP,” takes its name from the coveted title Atkins bestowed on Wariner: Certified Guitar Player. On the track, Wariner enlisted the talents of the only two other living musicians to have earned the same title from Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles. The album also includes “When I Still Mattered To You,” a song Wariner wrote with Merle Haggard on a cruise ship in 1996 but had never previously recorded.
Close friend Ricky Skaggs, with whom Wariner won his first GRAMMY in 1992, is featured playing mandolin on “Down Sawmill Road.” Other celebrated musicians featured on the album include: Musicians’ Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Duane Eddy (“Nashville Spy-Line”), GRAMMY Award winner Eric Johnson (“Meanwhile Back In Austin”), Greg Martin of The Kentucky Headhunters (“Way It Goes”) and Jack Pearson (“Drop Top”).
But it’s Wariner’s own family that provides the bulk of the inspiration for the album, which was 20 months in the making. Throughout the creation of the album, Steve relied heavily on his son Ross, who lives in New York, for advice and consultation on the technical production aspects of the album. He wrote the Western swing tune “Mr. Roy” as a tribute to his musician father, and “Down Sawmill Road” is named for the Kentucky road where his mother grew up. His GRAMMY-nominated son Ryan Wariner wrote and plays on the track “The Last Word.” Wariner reached back deep into his rich family history for the album’s closing instrumental track, “Augustine’s Dream,” inspired by his maternal four-times great grandfather who served in the Revolutionary War.
“Getting to play and record with these wonderfully creative people means the world to me. I am grateful to all! Some I’ve collaborated with before, others… well, it’s pure bucket list for me! This project is the perfect example of what keeps me going…what keeps me excited,” notes Wariner. “Traveling into territory I’ve never been to before. And there’s lots of that here on this album. It’s hard to describe the joy I feel making music with my sons…and family for that matter. Now I know how my father used to feel. I am so very proud of my musical roots and heritage. ”
You can watch a video of the creation of the album cover for “All Over the Map” here.
In his storied career, Wariner has achieved 14 No. 1 songs and more than 30 Top 10 hits, including such classics as “Holes in the Floor of Heaven,” “Life’s Highway,” “The Weekend,” “I’m Already Taken,” “I Got Dreams,” “Small Town Girl,” “Two Teardrops,” “Some Fools Never Learn,” “Lynda” and more. An award-winning songwriter, Wariner has also composed hit songs for Clint Black (“Nothin’ But the Taillights”), Garth Brooks (“Longneck Bottle”), Bryan White (“One Small Miracle”) and Keith Urban (“Where the Blacktop Ends”), as well as artists such as Country Music Hall of Fame members Alabama, Kenny Rogers, The Statler Brothers, Conway Twitty and Don Williams; pop music icon Peter Tork (of The Monkees); R&B singer Ruben Studdard; bluegrass music’s Del McCoury Band and many more. Wariner is a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. For more information, visit Steve’s website