Vince Gill Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Nashville Music Line

Mark Wills to join Opry

Surprised on stage by Vince Gill

Plus… scroll down for a sneak peek at items from the January edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row.

Mark Wills ‘reduced to tears’ by Vince Gill
Bryan Wayne’s very special album
Tour news from Jimmie Allen, LANCO, Kip Moore

Mark Wills to be inducted into Opry

Congrats to my friend Mark Wills who will be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill surprised Mark with the invitation on stage at the Opry on December 21. Mark was speechless with emotion, falling to his knees and covering his face with his hands. “I always liked him,” said Vince. “Now I like him even more. He’s a crybaby like me!”

I am so happy for Mark. We have known each other since the 1990s and he has always been a big supporter of the Opry (as Vince mentioned during his invitation). Mark released his first single – “Jacob’s Ladder” – way back in 1996, and chalked up two No. 1 hits, “19 Something” and “She’s in Love.” Other chart hits include “I Do (Cherish You),” “Back at One,” “She’s In Love” and “Places I’ve Never Been.” The formal induction ceremony is set for January 11, 2019, at the Grand Ole Opry. Find tour info and more here.

Bryan Wayne, fighting ALS, releases special album

The release of Bryan Wayne’s ‘While You Wait’ album was celebrated at SESAC’s Nashville office recently. Diagnosed with terminal ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) last year, Bryan recorded the album for his wife, two boys and an industry that continues to support his dreams. The 14-song collection is available here.

“I made this record, because I knew I’d lose my voice and I wanted my boys, friends and family to hear me singing my songs forever no matter what,” said Bryan. “So many friends and family over the years had asked me when was I ever going to make a record of my own too, so here it is!” At the celebration, Wayne was joined by friends that included Ashley Gorley (who performed the title cut), Neil Thrasher, Bonnie Baker, Jason Blaine, Joanna Janet and Big & Rich. Donations may be made to Bryan Wayne Galentine and Family by sending a check (made payable to Bryan Wayne Galentine) to: Bryan Wayne Galentine c/o Chris Burch, 1012 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. A Gofundme account has also been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/thebwaynetrain

Tour news: Jimmie Allen, LANCO, Kip Moore

Continue reading “Mark Wills to join Opry”

Summer NAMM 2016 wows Nashville

Charlie Daniels headlines NAMM opener

Summer NAMM 2016 is finally history, and thousands of musicians and music industry executives filled Nashville’s Music City Center to browse the hundreds of exhibits and see what’s new. In fact, according to the show’s organizers, 14,055 industry professionals registered for Summer NAMM, a 1% increase over 2015 and 14% over 2014. Of that, international attendees accounted for 12% growth over 2015, and 59% growth since 2014, making for the largest number of international participants at Summer NAMM in over a decade.

The week kicked off with a pre-show party. D’Addario, the Farmingdale, New York-based manufacturer of guitar strings and other musical accessories, hosted their sixth annual invite-only pre-NAMM party at Soundcheck rehearsal studios in Nashville. With Tennessee BBQ along with beer and whiskey, authorized dealers and endorsers enjoyed music from Stephen Mougin’s Bluegrass All-Stars, resonator guitar virtuoso Rob Ickes and guitarist Trey Hensley, ambient looper William Tyler and the Andy Wood Trio.

Charlie Daniels Band gave 2016 Summer NAMM attendees an unforgettable performance from the NAMM Nissan Terrace Stage.

The music continued on Thursday, when attendees were treated to a blistering set from the legendary Charlie Daniels Band, performing on the NAMM Nissan Terrace Stage.

As in previous years, Summer NAMM provided a robust platform for buyers, exhibitors and professionals to engage with the latest products, learn new business strategies, connect with other industry peers, and to position their businesses for a successful second half of the year.

The show counted a variety of new and returning exhibitors including Dunlop, Ernie Ball, Fender, Ovation, and Pearl, among many others, and with Summer NAMM veterans like Martin, Peavey, Roland, Sabian, Taylor, Yamaha, and Zildjian returning to showcase their latest gear. This year’s show saw a rise in exhibitors with 1,650 brands represented by 517 exhibitors, an increase of 5% over 2015.

On Saturday, the doors were opened to music industry professionals for a record-setting Music Industry Day with nearly 1,800 attendees, an increase of 1% over 2015. Early in the afternoon, country rocker and “The Voice” winner of season seven, Craig Wayne Boyd, performed for the day’s attendees.

Summer NAMM American Eagle Awards

Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill, honorees, along with the Grand Ole Opry, at the 2016 American Eagle Awards, presented during the Summer NAMM show.

In the Davidson Ballroom, the 33rd Annual American Eagle Awards honored Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and the Grand Ole Opry. The awards annually recognize individuals that have made significant contributions to music in America.

When it comes to new products, there were a great many to be seen in every area. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) showed several new additions to their industry-leading amplifier and accessories categories including of the ’57 Custom Tweed series of guitar amplifiers and the Bassman 800 amp. In addition, Fender debuted the ShawBucker 1 and 2 Humbucking Pickups and FTN-1 Tuner.

One of the more unusual items came from young entrepreneur Hunter Marlowe, a recent graduate of MTSU. It’s the Jambourine: the world’s first sound hole tambourine for acoustic guitars. It slips easily behind the guitar strings in the sound hole, allowing the guitarist to add an extra dimension to his or her picking or strumming.

AMV Sales showed a number of unique instruments, including a cigar box guitar and ‘Rozanna’s Butterfly Dream Fuschia’ student violin that can be customized with school colors.

Additionally, there were many other new items as well as familiar instruments, equipment and accessories from the world’s leading musical manufacturers.

Music industry pros are already marking their calendars for next year’s shows: January 19-22, 2017 in Anaheim, CA, and July 13-15, 2017 in Nashville, TN.

* * *

Note: Some information in this report originated in the official post-show summary found at NAMM’s website https://www.namm.org/summer/2016 where visitors can learn more about the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and their activities.

Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris honored with American Eagle Awards

The National Music Council will bring its annual American Eagle Awards presentation to Nashville for a second year in a row on Saturday, June 25, 2016. The highly prestigious Eagle Awards are presented each year in national celebration of an individual’s or an organization’s long term contribution to America’s musical culture and heritage. This year, music legends Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill will be honored, along with the iconic Grand Ole Opry.

Past American Eagle Award recipients include Kris Kristofferson, Quincy Jones, Clive Davis, Benny Goodman, The Oak Ridge Boys, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Sherman Halsey, Sesame Street and Hard Rock Café. This year’s event in Nashville will mark the 33rd year of formal presentations of the Awards.

As someone who is deeply concerned about the ongoing problem of music piracy, I’m delighted to hear the event will also feature the New York Emmy award winning animation created by the NMC and the Music Publishers Association of the United States, as part of a primary school lesson plan that encourages kids to think about the ramifications of taking other people’s creative works without permission. NMC Director David Sanders frames the animated piece as “part of a world-wide effort by creators to change the narrative in terms of fostering an understanding that the online protection of creative works enhances freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas, rather than encroaching on them.”

Tickets, details, etc at musiccouncil.org