The Nashville Musician - April - June 2015

R E V I E W S : L A R R Y C O R D L E • R O B I C K E S & T R E Y H E N S L E Y • J I M E D B R O W N • P U N C H B R OT H E R S

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF AFM LOCAL 257 APRIL– JUNE 2015

HUNTER HAYES

All for the Love of Music BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN MASTER

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APRIL–JUNE 2015 1

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2 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

CONTENTS Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257 | APRIL—JUNE 2015

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ANNOUNCEMENTS Details on the next membership meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2015, a Funeral Fund Bylaw proposal, and minutes of past meetings.

STATE OF THE LOCAL President Dave Pomeroy on the lasting value of music, and why working on the card helps you now and in the future.

NEW GROOVES Secretary-Treasurer Vince Santoro discusses pension contributions and other ways Local 257 can help you grow your future wealth.

HEARD ON THE GRAPEVINE The notable comings and goings of Nashville Musicians Association members.

10 NEWS

SPBGMA and Grammy awards show Local 257 winners.

12 GALLERY

Our life member party, plus member milestones and events.

16

HUNTER HAYES

16 COVER STORY: HUNTER HAYES

Our writer Warren Denney interviews the versatile multi-instrumentalist and artist about his rocket ride to fame, and the essential constants in a world of rapid change.

20 FEATURE: ROLAND WHITE

The famed mandolinist and guitarist sits down with Dave Pomeroy to talk about his storied career.

24 REVIEWS

New CDs by Larry Cordle, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, and Jim Ed Brown. Plus, a live review of the Punch Brothers at the Ryman.

27 JAZZ & BLUES BEAT

20

ROLAND WHITE AND HIS WIFE, DIANE BOUSKA

A roundup of cool shows, festivals, and other happenings in the jazz and blues community.

28 SYMPHONY NOTES

Laura Ross profiles percussionist Bill Wiggins and cellist Julia Tanner, longtime members of the NSO who will retire at the end of the 20142015 season.

30 FINAL NOTES

We bid farewell to Little Jimmy Dickens, Chip Young, Henry Strzelecki, Lari Goss, Gary “Bud” Smith, Monroe Fields, and Jerry Tuttle.

34 MEMBER STATUS 36 FINANCIALS 38 DO NOT WORK FOR LIST Cover Photo by Ray Burmiston

30

LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS

APRIL–JUNE 2015 3

ANNOUNCEMENTS Next General Membership Meeting Monday, May 18, 2015 OFFICIAL QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE NASHVILLE MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION AFM LOCAL 257

PUBLISHER EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dave Pomeroy Vince Santoro Kathy Osborne Leslie Barr Austin Bealmear Warren Denney Roy Montana Kathy Osborne Laura Ross Steve Wayne

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rick Diamond Jackson DeParis Mickey Dobo Tripp Ellis Chris Hollo Donn Jones Jim McGuire Dave Pomeroy Laura Ross Vince Santoro Bill Steber ART DIRECTION Lisa Dunn Design WEB ADMINISTRATOR Kathy Osborne AD SALES Leslie Barr 615-244-9514 LOCAL 257 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Dave Pomeroy SECRETARY-TREASURER Vince Santoro EXECUTIVE BOARD Jim Brown Jimmy Capps Beth Gottlieb Andy Reiss Laura Ross Tom Wild Jonathan Yudkin HEARING BOARD Michelle Voan Capps Tiger Fitzhugh Teresa Hargrove Kent Goodson Dave Moody Kathy Shepard John Terrence TRUSTEES Bruce Radek Biff Watson SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Steve Tveit NASHVILLE SYMPHONY STEWARD Laura Ross OFFICE MANAGER Anita Winstead ELECTRONIC MEDIA SERVICES DIRECTOR ASSISTANT DATA ENTRY RECORDING DEPT. ASSISTANT

Steve Tveit Teri Barnett Robert Sieben Lydia Patritto

DIRECTOR, LIVE/TOURING DEPT. Leslie Barr AND PENSION ADMINISTRATOR MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR & Rachel Mowl LIVE ENGAGEMENT/MPTF COORDINATOR MEMBER SERVICES/RECEPTION Laura Birdwell @ 2015 Nashville Musicians Association P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212 All rights reserved.

nashvillemusicians.org

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The next General Membership meeting will be Monday, May 18, 2015 at 6 p.m. An important bylaw proposal regarding the Funeral Benefit Fund is on the agenda, along with a number of other important issues. Please make plans to attend and get involved in the business of your local. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Funeral Fund Bylaw proposal Whereas, the AFM Local 257 Funeral Benefit is a valuable benefit to members, and the Fund should be fiscally sound to remain viable; and Whereas, current bylaws stipulate that members become vested immediately upon joining Local 257, which places the Funeral Benefit Fund in an immediate and compounding negative cash flow; and Whereas, in order to preserve this benefit for current and future members of Local 257, it is prudent to modify the terms of this benefit going forward in order for Local 257 to maintain its ability to honor existing benefit commitments; therefore, be it Resolved, that Article XII, Section 2 be renamed 2a, and the following new language be inserted as Section 2b: Section 2b. Members joining after July 1, 2015 will be vested in the Funeral Benefit Fund after a period of five years of continuous membership, and their benefit will increase as follows: 0-4 years – vesting period 5-9 years - $1000 10-14 years - $2000 15-19 years - $3000 20-24 years - $4000 25 years and over - $5000 Respectfully submitted by Dave Pomeroy, Vince Santoro and Bobby Ogdin.

Board Recommendation: Favorable

Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting Dec. 15, 2014

PRESENT: Laura Ross (LR), Andy Reiss (AR), Jimmy Capps (JC), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Tom Wild (TW), Dave Pomeroy (DP), Vince Santoro (VS).

ABSENT: Duncan Mullins (DM), Jim Brown (JB).

MINUTES None PRESIDENT’S REPORT Pomeroy discussed Local 257 staff salaries.

Pomeroy suggested that new committees be established next year. He pointed out that the local now has a good team and touched on goals for 2015.

TREASURER’S REPORT None 2015 salaries and bonuses for Local 257 employees were discussed and approved. LR abstained.

DP w/ TW second. MSC Unanimously approved.

New member applications were accepted. AR w/ LR second. MSC Unanimously approved.

AR moved to adjourn. TW second. MSC

ANNOUNCEMENTS LOCAL 257 MEMBERS:

Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting Jan. 11, 2015 President Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m.

Please check to see that your

PRESENT: Beth Gottlieb (BG), Andy Reiss (AR), Laura Ross (LR), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Jim Brown (JB), Jimmy Capps (JC), Tom Wild (TW), Dave Pomeroy (DP), Vince Santoro (VS).

ABSENT: None MINUTES: Reading of the minutes of the meeting, Dec. 15, 2014. MSC to approve as amended: LR and JB. Unanimously approved.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Pomeroy reported on the following: 1. Three year film deal of two-percent raise for each successive year.

2. RFD has sent $50,000 so far.

3. Electronic Arts (EA) representative Steve Schnur has agreed to meet with Dave in an effort to reach an agreement for his company to work under an AFM contract.

TREASURER’S REPORT: No financial reports were made but the Funeral Benefit funding was discussed.

MSC to approve new members. AR and JC. Unanimously approved.

MSC to adjourn. JC and BG. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.

AR moved to adjourn. TW second. MSC

TNM

AFM-EPF projected to be solvent through 2047

In

December 2014 Congress passed a spending bill to prevent a federal government shutdown. Attached to the legislation were 162 pages of changes to the government's multi-employer pension rules. Many of these were technical modifications to the existing law. How-

ever, a significant new provision would allow certain financially troubled

FUNERAL FUND BENEFICIARY is listed correctly, and up to date.

We can't stress the importance of this enough.

Your loved ones are counting on you.

Take a moment and ask the front desk to verify your funeral benefit beneficiary information.

Please also check to see that we have your correct email address.

NEED TO PAY ANNUAL DUES OR WORK DUES?

ONLINE DUES PAY AT

WWW.NASHVILLEMUSICIANS.ORG

Funds to lower benefits already earned by participants, including those receiving pensions. The provisions would apply only to those Funds facing imminent insolvency (within 10 to 20 years). Each eligible Fund's trustees could decide whether or not to use the provisions and, should they decide to apply them, there is a provision for a participant vote to reject the reductions, although it is at present unclear how that would work. No benefit could be lowered to less than 110 percent of the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation's guarantees, right now just under $13,000 a year.

Those provisions would not apply to the AFM-EPF at present since it is currently projected to be solvent through at least 2047, which is the longest

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NO PROCESSING FEE. CALL 615-244-9514 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

period for which the actuaries have made projections.

APRIL–JUNE 2015 5

STATE OF THE LOCAL

E

BY DAVE POMEROY very day, I am reminded of the lasting value that music has in our mediadriven world. Just imagine if movies, television, and videogames had no soundtracks – would they have the same impact? The emotion and power that music provides works in our favor as we face the challenge of protecting musicians from those who want to undermine the concepts of fair pay, benefits, and the intellectual property of others for their own gain.

There’s nothing like mailbox money Recently, we billed for new use payments for a Victoria’s Secret Super Bowl spot, a Geico motorcycle insurance ad, and ESPN commercial that all feature classic Nashville recordings from the 1960s. There is great satisfaction in knowing that the musicians who played on those hits are going to get paid again for their work. Their performances are the intellectual property of the players on these recordings, and it is still generating income for them. Why? Because all these records were made under an AFM contract – a contract that is still valid 50 years later.

In the past few weeks, we have distributed nearly $40,000 in payments from RFD-TV to musicians and artists who worked on the classic television shows The Wilburn Brothers, Pop Goes

6 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

We need to be honest about how destructive off the card work is to us all... I will continue to do all I can to bring nonunion employers into the AFM fold, but I need your help.

The Country and The Porter Wagoner Show. This is from the first installment of our nine year/$100K contract with RFD, one of several settlements I negotiated last year totaling over $400K. We created a distribution formula based on the number of airings over the past four years and the number of musicians on each show. It’s a complex process to identify house bands, guest musicians, and their beneficiaries, but it is totally worth it.

Protect your work today — and enhance your future tomorrow Fast forward to today, and the critical role AFM contracts play in creating your intellectual property is no less powerful. Many of our members earn thousands of dollars in new use and re-use for recordings that have been licensed into commercials, film and television. However, when you work off the card, what you make that day is all you will ever make from your performance. In some cases, we have been able to go back and “clean up” a non-union project and make it right after the fact. But sadly, for every one of these cleanups, there are countless opportunities missed simply because no one was willing to say something, or thought someone else would take care of it. We have been able to get some touring bands paid for radio and streaming broadcasts of live concerts, but only when the musicians are proactive and ask for our help. If you want to leave protecting your intellectual property to chance, you can, but why would you?

Every time you work without a contract, you not only leave money on the table, but you are breaking down a system that has worked for decades and is in place for one reason — to protect you. AFM contracts provide for pension

contributions that build up over the years into a retirement income that requires no maintenance on your part except to verify your payments are properly credited, and to keep building equity by working under AFM contracts with a signatory employer agreement in place. It’s always best to take care of business on the front end, or you may be leaving your future behind.

You have the power — don’t be afraid to use it Nashville’s world-class recording musicians are faster and more efficient than in any other music center and their quality is second to none. Studios are less expensive in Nashville than many other cities, and so are hotels. So why would anyone feel that the only way we can get employers to come to Nashville is by undercutting the agreements upon which Music City was built? When you work off the card for wealthy employers who have more than enough money to pay union scale, you are enabling their efforts to try and “break” our union.

These contractors and employers do not have your best interests at heart — only their own.

We need to be honest about how destructive off the card work is to us all. You have my word that I will continue to do all I can to bring non-union employers into the AFM fold, but I need your help.

That’s how we got here, AND it’s the right thing to do. Those who are taking advantage of musicians know the difference between right and wrong — they just choose to ignore it. You have the power to affect change. Stand up for yourself and our community, and demonstrate our solidarity and belief in the power of an AFM contract by refusing to work off the card. We stand ready to help you in TNM every way.

NEW GROOVES

We here at Local 257 have your back. It’s clear to us that our members want to be more engaged in the process of building their own sense of wealth.

B

eing wealthy is different than being rich. I have sometimes felt — particularly after Christmas and my birthday — that having an abundance of socks and underwear made me a wealthy man. So everyone sees wealth differently. But for this discussion, I will stick to what most people think of when it comes to wealth: money.

Your pension — another essential reason to work under an AFM contract I am not a CPA. However, it’s not rocket science to know that the simplest way to build wealth is to set aside money with regularity so it can provide some security later in life when you may need it.

I fondly recall my younger days when I never gave a thought to financial security. Heck, I was having fun just playing music without a care.

Lucky for me, when my mom learned about IRAs, she wouldn’t leave me alone until I opened one!

Years later, I realized that AFM contracts had a built-in way to help me, just like an IRA. Not only had the union negotiated a fair rate for my performance, but also the employer had agreed

BY VINCE SANTORO to pay a related amount into the AFM-Employer Pension Fund that would eventually become a significant portion of my retirement.

It’s OK to poke fun about socks making me wealthy, but it’s no joke that we live in a highly competitive environment today. Musicians have to hustle for work all the time and we at the local are acutely aware of this and are here to help. It is important for all session leaders to make sure their employer is a signatory, and that session time cards are filled out and filed properly at the local. If you have questions about the process of filing cards or signatory agreements, call Steve Tveit at the local. We want to ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy your very own sense of wealth.

Getting to know the young folk Since I became the secretary–treasurer at Local 257, I’ve met a lot of our younger members who are much more fiscally savvy than I was at their age. They are curious about the AFM bylaws and procedures, and they ask questions that wouldn’t have occurred to me when I first joined the union.

As a member, you might receive a check from a session or TV show you played on many years

ago. That check represents a new use or reuse that our staff — sometimes with a tip from a member — unearthed. It can take quite an effort to secure the money owed and distribute it proportionately to the players who have earned it. The job of making sure employers do their part is one we take very seriously.

In these days of “too big to fail,” I think young and old members alike can agree that it’s hard to know who has your back — who you can trust. We here at Local 257 have your back.

It’s clear to us that our members want to be more engaged in the process of building their own sense of wealth. That’s impressive, and I’m reassured that the spirit of AFM membership is TNM alive and well.

Next General Membership Meeting Monday, May 18, 2015 Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m.

APRIL–JUNE 2015 7

HEARD ON THE GRAPEVINE

KEITH STEGALL

KEITH STEGALL was the subject of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Producer Playback event held March 21 in support of the Alan Jackson exhibit currently on display. Journalist Michael McCall interviewed Stegall, who is credited by Jackson with helping him create his musical persona. The Grammywinning producer has worked with a myriad of artists including George Jones, Reba McEntire, Uncle Kracker, Randy Travis and Terri Clark.

Over his career Stegall has also been an artist and a label executive, in addition to writing hits for Jackson, Dr. Hook, Al Jarreau, George Strait, and many more.

Museum programs are included with museum admission, and are free to museum members. For more information on upcoming events visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

8 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

Legendary singer and songwriter LORETTA LYNN has been honored with a 2015 Tennessee Governor’s Arts Award. Local 257 life member Lynn, along with B.B. King and Cormac McCarthy, received the Distinguished Artist Award, which is presented to individuals who show “exceptional talent and creativity” and have made an impact in the arts, either nationally or at a state level.

Lynn’s iconic 50-plus year career has not only had national impact; she is known and loved by fans around the world, and continues to write, tour and record. The presentation was made March 17 at the Tennessee Governor’s mansion, and included a retrospective of Lynn’s musical history.

JIMMIE FADDEN AND JEFF HANNA — both life members of Local 257 —

were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame on Jan. 9 as members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

The group moved to Aspen, Colo., in 1971 and was based there during the band’s rise to fame. Poco, Firefall and Manassas were also inducted along with the Dirt Band.

In 1972, the band’s legendary anthology, Will the Circle be Unbroken, formed a bridge between the “hippie” folk music of the era and established country artists, which led to broader acceptance for both genres. In 1977, the pioneering band became the first American group selected by the Soviet government to tour Russia.

Hall of Fame Director G. Brown said original members Hanna, Fadden, John McEuen and Bob Carpenter — who joined the band in 1977 — played during the ceremony held at the Paramount Theater in Denver. The event also honored Chris Hillman, Richie Furay, producer Jim Mason and comedian-banjo player Steve Martin.

AFM life member JIMMY CAPPS was honored March 16 with a joint resolution from the Tennessee State Senate marking his many accomplishments over the course of his musical career. Capps received the accolade on the senate floor of the Tennessee State Capitol.

Known as the “master of smoothness,” for the way he makes intricate guitar figures seem effortless, Capps has been active in the music business since his teens. The North Carolina native first played as a member of the Louvin Brothers band, and quickly moved to session work with the fabled A-Team in Nashville, playing first on Freddie Hart’s career hit, the No. 1 record “Easy Loving.” Over the following decades he played on a staggering number of hits for artists

HEARD ON THE GRAPEVINE

Jimmy Capps with Moe Bandy, Michelle Voan Capps and Jan Howard like George Jones, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette, Kenny Rogers, Charlie Rich, Reba McEntire, John Conlee, Oak Ridge Boys, Riders In The Sky, George Strait and Conway Twitty.

Capps has been a staff guitarist on the Grand Ole Opry since 1967, and has also worked as a house band member on a number of television programs and award shows. He still makes regu-

lar appearances as the sheriff on Larry’s Country Diner, a music and comedy variety program on RFD cable network.

JENNIFER NETTLES

of the duo Sugarland joined the cast of Chicago in February and March, portraying Roxie Hart, the center of the show. The singer, who has gotten rave reviews of

her performances, said Broadway “has always been a special, magical place, with a wonderful tradition of singers and actors. I feel honored and proud to be part of this great tradition.” Sugarland, the Grammywinning group that helped launch Nettles’ career, has been on hiatus since 2012. Since then, Nettles has released a solo album, That Girl, which went TNM to No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

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NEWS

PARAMORE

NEWS

(l-r) JEREMY DAVIS, HALEY WILLIAMS AND TAYLOR YORK

Local 257 members were represented in a variety of genres at the 2015 Grammy Awards, held Feb. 8 in Los Angeles. TAYLOR YORK of the band Paramore was a cowriter on “Ain’t It Fun,” which won Best Rock Song. CHRIS THILE and EDGAR MEYER were awarded Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Bass & Mandolin; and Best Bluegrass Album went to THE EARLS

10 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

OF LEICESTER (Jerry Douglas, Shawn Camp, Johnny Warren, Charlie Cushman, Barry Bales, and Tim O’Brien) for the band’s eponymous record, a tribute to Flatt and Scruggs.

RHONDA VINCENT was named Entertainer of the Year at the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) Feb. 8

RHONDA VINCENT

at the organization’s annual awards in Nashville.

The multi-instrumentalist also took home honors for Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year, and she and her band The Rage won Bluegrass Band of the Year.

Vincent, a 21-year member of Local 257, was inducted into the SPBGMA Preservation Hall of Greats in 2014.

Other members receiving awards include Danny Roberts for Mandolin Performer of the Year, and Grascals members Roberts, Jimmy Mattingly and David Talbot, who were honored with Instrumental Group of the Year.

TNM

APRIL–JUNE 2015 11

GALLERY

LIFE MEMBER PARTY FEB. 12, 2015

1.

2.

5.

3.

6.

4.

1. We had a packed house for our 4th annual gathering.

2. AFM life member, guitarist JOHN DARNALL hangs out with legendary engineer Gene Eichelberger.

3. Life members DAVID HUNGATE (L) and REGGIE YOUNG (R) celebrate with their spouses April Barrows and Jenny Lynn Young, both Local 257 members as well.

4. Life member, guitarist/songwriter EARL SINKS (right) and his son Brandon.

12 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

7.

5. Piano player DILLARD MONTGOMERY stops by the party on the way to a gig, with his life member pin prominently displayed.

6. Singer/songwriter JAMES TALLEY visits with longtime Jerry Lee Lewis sideman, guitarist and fiddler KENNY LOVELACE. 7. HUGH X. LEWIS and SHELTON BISSELL catch up.

NASHVILLE CATS

Nashville Cats EDDIE BAYERS, STEVE GIBSON, and JOHN HOBBS welcome MICHAEL RHODES (second from left) to the club at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

GALLERY

AFM MEMBER MUSICIAN PINS

Keyboardist CHRIS WALTERS celebrates 25 years in Local 257 with a pin and a grin.

continued on page 14

APRIL–JUNE 2015 13

GALLERY

AFM MEMBER MUSICIAN PINS

continued from page 13

3.

1.

2.

4.

Big Band to Bluegrass

all true, all real

5.

1. Vince Santoro and Dave Pomeroy visit with life member BOBBY OSBORNE backstage at the Grand Ole Opry.

2. Bassist LANCE MARTIN gets his 25-year pin and a thumbs up from President Dave Pomeroy.

3. BOBBY WOOD presents an AFM life member pin to guitarist-songwriter-vocalist DICKY LEE. 4. Guitarist and vocalist TOMMY CASH proudly displays his AFM Local 257 life member pin.

www.tom shed.com 14 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

5. Keyboard player GENE LORENZO gets his life member pin.

TNM

APRIL–JUNE 2015 15

BY WARREN DENNEY

Man Machine

AND

HUNTER HAYES

This is the story of man and machine, of a gifted musician, and the course on which he is set. It is a story of the reconciliation of youth and the coming of age.

H

unter Hayes is a phenomenal young player, and in one sense, it doesn’t have to go any deeper than that—he is pure in who he is, and what he was put on this earth to do. But, in the world that has chosen him, and the one he has chosen, it is not that simple.

His is a career traveling along the bright arc of a superstar — a mind-

blowing and unpredictable path in the midst of an ever-changing social environment. A self-professed music geek, Hayes represents the cultural composite of the young country lions of the day. The son of a school teacher and a mechanic, he was raised in tiny Breaux Bridge, La., on a broad range of music, immersed in everything from country to Cajun, to R&B and blues, to rock & roll. He cites Fleetwood Mac in the same breath as Nickel Creek. And, like country music today, he is an amalgamation of those influences.

The 24-year-old Hayes is a multi-instrumentalist, capable of playing over thirty instruments, but the core of his expression lives inside the guitar. He is a player with extraordinary talent on a course of self-discovery.

16 16 THE THE NASHVILLE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN MUSICIAN

The goal for whatever song I’m “releasing as my next single is to be singing it until I’m 90 years old. ”

continued on page 18 APRIL–JUNE 2015 17

continued from page 17

“Living in Breaux Bridge made me really happy when I was younger,” Hayes said recently. “The thing about growing up in a city that has a lot of music — but isn’t a music city — is that nobody I knew playing music saw it as a job. Everyone I was around absolutely loved it, and I think my process went from seeing this as really fun to the realization of giving myself over to this — giving my heart and soul to this — and the realization that it will give back. It will be a lifelong calling.

“That was the cool thing about growing up around a lot of people that were doing it for no other reason than just the love of it. It was just passion, and that [attitude] made its way into how it works for me now. It’s still that passion, and it astonishes me.”

The environment became a crucible for his personal music education, and his parents recognized the importance of who he could become.

“I listened to everything, you know,” Hayes said. “Garth Brooks.

I’m a huge Bryan White fan. Diamond Rio. I was influenced by my dad. He would listen to swamp blues meets Motown — a lot of blues.

He would go through the same kind of phases I’d go through — he’d wear records out.

“And, the way I learned guitar was because my mom was going to learn how to play. I was maybe five years old. She came home every night for weeks and taught me the chords she had learned. She had like two full-time jobs for half of my life. She didn’t really pick it up again, but I kept playing. It’s cool — it’s the definition of love.”

As a family, they began to push the boundaries for him. They made trips to Nashville while he was still a young teen in school.

“We started making trips when I was 13 or 14 years old,” he said. “We’d make them maybe once a month. There were a lot of weekend trips and we’d wait for days off to come up. We’d get to Nashville and have a few meetings, then drive through the night to get back in time for school. My parents always went above and beyond to open doors for me.”

The result has been an astonishing, warp-speed rise. Hayes first moved to Nashville in 2008, landing a gig as a songwriter with Universal Music, before releasing his self-titled debut album in 2011, and the follow-up Storyline in 2014, both on Atlantic, the label he had signed with at 18. Each became chart-toppers, and established him as a true force. He soon toured as an opening act for Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. He has quickly become a four-time Grammy nominee, earned both the CMA and the ACM’s New Artist of the Year awards, and is the youngest male act ever to top the Billboard Hot Country song chart, with “Wanted.”

And, this just scratches the surface. Such a career almost defies real description, and certainly begs many questions about the future. Will there be a void, or vacuum behind such a rise? There seems to be precedent in both Swift’s and Underwood’s careers that suggest this sort of explosive journey might be sustained. But, those examples rely upon the model of real pop stardom, and though he is

being groomed as such, Hayes may be a different type of animal. He would be doing this if he were still living in Breaux Bridge.

In talking with him, the sense of an urgent drive permeates the conversation. He is restless to explore, and his speech is almost pressured with thought. Though he’s not presently touring heavily, this day found him in the back of a tour bus on a six-hour ride to an Arkansas fundraiser. He talked about his success, the future of his music, and his dog that was making his first road trip.

“I think all I really wanted to do was be on the road,” Hayes said.

“Growing up in a songwriting element … getting into records, studying producers, things like that. I was zoning in on what I wanted to be. And Nashville quickly became the beautiful castle on the hill that I really wanted to get into. That’s the factory. I wanted to be where everything comes from.”

Of course, the location comes with a lot of pressure. The factory can crush, as well.

“Right now, specifically there’s a lot [of pressure],” he said.

“There’s a lot changing, a lot moving. It’s quite the position for a new guy to try and figure out. At the end of the day, you have the fun. Whatever the songs you write and you choose, whatever you do, or however you make it in the studio, you’ve got to walk on stage and be stoked to play that.

“The goal for whatever song I’m releasing as my next single to be singing it until I’m 90 years old — and that creates longevity. You have to make sure you’re absolutely loving it. That’s the time-tested, true factor in anybody’s music. You have to be commited to it — in the production and detail, too.”

As Hayes continues to evolve, and find himself, he has worked closely with others, collaborating with producers and songwriters to find his sound. Storyline is such an effort, with Dan Huff having a profound influence.

“I’m loving the collaboration,” Hayes said. “I’m learning my strengths and weaknesses. Of course, I love sitting in my little studio and making a demo, it’s a blast, but there’s nothing like perspective ... I don’t claim to be the songwriter that writes by himself. Maybe I will be someday, but I’m not. And I’m not the guy who can play everything on the record. I’ve done it and had fun, but that’s not what being in the studio is about.

“I try to encourage that sort of reckless, experimental nature in myself — let that go, because it builds confidence and makes collaborating even more enjoyable. If you can discover more about yourself before you walk into the room to work with somebody else, then you can contribute more that way, obviously. I’m really lucky. I feel like I have a family of people that I collaborate with, and who have been by my side and believed in me.

“At the same time, I’m getting excited about other things. Other collaborations. I’m letting it happen slowly, but not too carefully.”

‘Slowly’ is not a word normally associated with Hayes. His productions are often dense and fast-paced, frenetic, matching his wild-

I listened to everything, you know,” Hayes said. “Garth Brooks. I’m a huge Bryan White fan. Diamond Rio. I was influenced by my dad. He would listen to swamp blues meets Motown — a lot of blues.

18 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

fire career. But, it does not make the music too impersonal — in fact, each of his songs seem to carry a personal freight. He is maturing in front of his fans, on the factory floor. And, Hayes certainly has the ability to bring his intensity down, as evidenced on tracks like “Invisible” and “Still Fallin’ ” from Storyline.

Offstage, he is impressive and articulate about his career and how he is translating the shifting landscape — how listeners take music in. It has become like sand beneath the feet of the artist. And, Hayes has changed, in his brief career, how he views that landscape.

“I happen to be in my position at a time when everything’s changing drastically,” he said. “We did see a massive change a couple of years ago, with the creation of unlimited media. Now we see an even bigger change … my fans are going to enjoy music in so many different ways. It’s been tough for me to see anything but a record, because I’m such a traditionalist.

“I recently sat down with another artist, and he was talking about how now he can look at his projects in chapters, as opposed to all at once — focus on four songs at a time and give them a sound, and he can keep evolving. I think we live in sort of a deluxe era. Release more information about the songs, but keep the idea of it being a part of a larger body of work.

“We love social media because it keeps us connected. It’s such a brilliant thing. We work so hard to stay in touch with our fans — music can do the same thing. You don’t have to wait so long to release something you’re working on. Now we’ve got the opportunity to let the fans in, in a way that we never had.”

Hayes realizes that he is in the midst of a quickly evolving world, and he realizes that he is not the country artist that his parents, or grandparents, grew up with. These are the high times of the American mongrel, the mixed influences of sound, the crossed bloodlines.

“I do think about it sometimes, and then I realize I don’t have to,” he said. “I’m so deep rooted in things — my natural sonicscape from the things I’ve always loved, instrumentation I’ve always loved, certain things are tied to the records I’ve always loved. I start to think about it, and then I realize I don’t have to. You know, no matter what happens, it’s going to sound like home.”

HUNTER ON GUITARS AND GEAR “I’ve had the same blueprint — a really clean amp for verses and choruses. I have a mid-driven solo amp, and I have an effects amp, which is like a delay amp now because I’m really digging delays… they’re all the same circuit from different years. They’re all Fender Deluxes. There are modifications. All replicas with different modifications. I’m a headroom guy. I like to hear it, but I also like definition. Morgan has built an incredible set of replicas for me — they’ve done the same thing. There’s a ’62 Super that’s the Deluxe pre-amp, and a 606 power section. Ladner built a ’58 Deluxe I’m absolutely falling in love with. Basically, those three amps — a ’58, a ’62 and a ’67-ish Deluxe. All kinds of versions of that. I don’t run a whole lot of pedals, most of the time there’s a compressor, and I want to say it’s exotic to have those little tiny compressors.

The first guitar I was getting into was a Strat. I don’t know which one. All my early guitars before I moved to Nashville were gifts. I’m a single coil pickup guy. Single coils respond to the way I play.”

PHOTO BY BRANDON CAMPBELL APRIL–JUNE 2015 2015 19 19 APRIL–JUNE

ROLAND

White photo: jim mcguire

Mandolinist and guitarist Roland White has been on the cutting edge of acoustic music for more than 60 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy recently sat down with White to talk about his life and career.

NM: Did you come from a musical family?

RW: Yes. My family is French Canadian, but we grew up in Lewiston, Maine. My dad played old time tunes like “Ragtime Annie” on the fiddle most every morning and also played guitar and sang country songs. I was the oldest child, with a younger sister, JoAnne, and two brothers, Eric and Clarence.

I was about 7 when I started trying to play the fiddle. It was pretty scratchy, but Dad said “Keep it up, it’ll get better.” About a week later, I came home from school and he was playing “Soldier’s Joy” on this instrument I had never seen before. He said, “It’s a mandolin. It’s tuned like my fiddle, but with frets, and you play it with a guitar pick.” He handed it to me, and that’s how it started.

NM: When did your sister and younger brothers get in-

volved in playing music?

RW: In 1949, right before Thanksgiving, I was playing guitar and my

sister and I were singing something. Clarence said “I want to do that.” So I said “Come up on the sofa, and you strum and I’ll make the chords and play harmonica.” His timing was perfect.

NM: How old was he?

RW: He was 5 years old! Anytime anyone would play, Clarence wanted to

play too, so I told my dad, and a couple of days later he came home with a ukulele for him. Then my brother Eric wanted to play too, and my dad strung up an old tenor banjo for him.

20 THE THE NASHVILLE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN MUSICIAN 20

NM: When did your family move to California?

RW: In August 1954. My dad took us to a talent show at KTLA Pasadena, a 50,000 watt station. The host was Squeakin’ Carl Deacon Moore. People like Joe and Rose Maphis were playing there. The three of us auditioned for him. We played a little bit of “Ragtime Annie,” and he said “That’s enough, you’re on.” He asked us what the name of our band was, and we didn’t have one, so he said, “How about the Three Little Country Boys?” They had an applause meter, and we won the contest. He gave us a phone number of someone who was doing a new Friday TV show like the Town Hall Party that was on Saturday nights.

He was looking for a string band and hired us, and I joined AFM Local 47 in Los Angeles at the age of 16.

NM: When did you first hear Bill Monroe’s music?

RW: In 1955, my uncle Armand Leblanc told me about Bill Monroe, so I went down to the local record store and looked through the list of Bill’s records. I asked what a “breakdown” was and someone said, “It probably means it’s a fast instrumental.” So I ordered “Pike County Breakdown” and the flip side was Jimmy Martin and Bill singing “Poison Love,” which we knew as a hit for Johnny and Jack. I loved it. Then Monroe played the Town Hall Party TV show. We couldn’t go, but I had a new tape recorder and recorded the show with a microphone hung over the TV speaker, and Clarence could see how the guitar player played the G-run, too.

NM: What happened next?

RW: In 1958 we met Billy Ray Latham, who played banjo.

Eric switched to bass and we had a bluegrass band! Walt Pittman, who was a friend of Earl Scruggs, told us about a beatnik club called the Ash Grove where they did poetry and folk music. Ed Pearl hired us to play there for a weeklong engagement. In 1961 we did the Andy Griffith Show, just before I went into the Army. While I was gone, they did the show a few more times, and made a record produced

by Joe Maphis and Merle Travis called Bluegrass America.

Merle suggested a name change to the Kentucky Colonels, because the music we were playing was born in Kentucky, even though none of us were from there!

NM: You joined Bill Monroe’s band and moved to Nashville in 1967. Why did the Colonels break up?

RW: The folk scene had started to fall apart, so we went back to California and started playing a more country style using electric guitar and mandolin. Bill Monroe came to the Ash Grove and needed a band because their bus broke down and he was flying in. Clarence didn’t want to do it because he was getting too busy with sessions, and suggested to me that I play guitar and sing, as I knew all those songs. I put together a band and we did the gig. He added me permanently to the band to replace Doug Green, who was going back to college. I learned a continued on page 22 APRIL–JUNE 2015 21

birthday and he was going to play a show with Gib Gilbeau and some other friends at a club on Sierra Highway.

I sat in on a couple of tunes, and afterwards we were loading gear into his car, which was parked on the street. He was going to ride with our Uncle John to his house and he asked me to drive his car. I turned around and reached for the keys and this car came up and hit Clarence. It threw him into me and flipped me across the car and I dislocated my shoulder. He was up the street laying on his back and was hurt real bad, and died a couple of hours later.

continued from page 21

lot about guitar and mandolin with Monroe. I moved to Nashville and joined Local 257 in 1967.

NM: Next up for you was Lester Flatt and The Nash-

ville Grass. How did that happen?

RW: Near the end of 1968 I gave my notice to Bill, as he didn’t have

a lot of work and I was ready to move on. I was in Nashville and went out to WSM studios to see Flatt and Scruggs tape the Martha White TV show. I ran into Lester and asked him if he and Earl would ever consider using a mandolin. He said, “There’s gonna be some changes after the first of the year and I might be able to use you, but keep it quiet.” I was still playing with Bill as he hadn’t found anyone to replace me yet. We went to Europe at the beginning of 1969, and when I got back, I called home and found out that Flatt and Scruggs had just broke up and Lester had called for me. I dropped the phone, I couldn’t believe it! I stayed with him for four years.

NM: Meanwhile, Clarence had been playing with The Byrds, pioneering a new style of electric guitar playing with the B-string bender, and got back in touch with you to play again, right?

RW: Clarence called me and said The Byrds were done. I gave Lester my notice and we restarted the New Kentucky Colonels in 1973 with Herb Pedersen on banjo and our brother Eric on bass. We went to Europe and recorded a live radio show in Holland that was released a couple years ago. We played some festivals on the East Coast and then went back to California in June. It was Clarence’s

C 22 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

huck

NM: It must have been hard to carry on. What did you do next after you healed up?

RW: At the funeral, Roger Bush, who was in Country Gazette, told me their guitar player was leaving. He asked me if I was interested and I said yes — I had to do something. So we went to Europe and did the same gigs I had just done with Clarence. I played guitar with them for about a year and a half, and then I switched back to mandolin and said let’s get a guitar player. I stayed with them for 13 years, and working with them really helped me.

NM: Country Gazette was a very influential band.

After that, you joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band, yet another iconic group and then finally started your own band.

RW: I joined NBB in 1989 and stayed 11 years. The lineup was Alan O’Bryant on banjo, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Pat Enright on guitar and Gene Libbea on bass. During that time, we had five Grammy nominations and won two Grammys before I left in 2000. Then I started The Roland White Band. It’s a fun band, with my wife Diane Bouska on guitar, Brian Christianson on fiddle, Jon Weisberger on bass, and Richard Bailey on banjo. Our album Jelly On My Tofu got a Grammy nomination, and our latest CD is called Straight Ahead Bluegrass. Diane also talked me into doing a mandolin instructional book, and then a book on Clarence’s guitar style, and they have both done quite well.

NM: Thanks, Roland, for the interview and all the great music you have been a part of over the years.

Roland White’s music and instructional books are available at www.rolandwhite.com.

Bradley

Drums ♬ Percussion ♬ Programming ♬ Electronic Percussion

678-346-0032

chuck.bradley@hotmail.com

w w w.chuckbradley.me

AFM 257 Member

TNM

Bob Dylan bucked executives at his record label and surprised his fans when he came to Nashville in 1966 to record his classic album Blonde on Blonde, using some of Music City’s incredible studio musicians. Dylan’s embrace of Nashville inspired many other artists to follow him to Music City. By 1969, Johnny Cash was recruiting folk and rock musicians—including Dylan—to appear on his groundbreaking network television show, The Johnny Cash Show, shot at the Ryman Auditorium.

This new feature exhibit looks at the Nashville music scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a time of great cultural vitality for Music City.

STEP INSIDE The Music

Downtown Nashville • 615.416.2001 Visit CountryMusicHallofFame.org @countrymusichof

PRESENTED BY:

#DylanCashExhibit

For access to the best in live music, sports, dining, family entertainment and more, look no further than Citi Private Pass. www.citiprivatepass.com APRIL–JUNE 2015 23

REVIEWS

Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time All Star Duets Mighty Cord Records

Kentucky-born Larry Cordle is one of Nashville’s most respected singersongwriters — he’s written hits for many top country and bluegrass artists while simultaneously carving out his own successful performing career.

His singing and guitar playing are not quite as well known as his songwriting, but are just as powerful.

Cordle, aka “The Mighty Cord,” has won seven International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and the raw emotion of his music is as real as it gets.

All-Star Duets, 10 years in the making, is a greatest hits collection of Cordle’s considerable catalog, and every cut is a vocal collaboration with artists who have recorded his songs, including Kathy Mattea, Del McCoury, Terri Clark, Diamond Rio, Kenny Chesney, and Dierks Bentley. The arrangements and playing sparkle, and the complex vocal interplay feels natural — especially given the modulations and transitions required to make duet projects work.

Backup musicians include various incarnations of Cordle’s band Lonesome Standard Time, and they are stellar throughout. Additional backing musicians include fiddle players Stuart Duncan, Andy Leftwich, and Jenee Fleenor, Jay Weaver and Dave Pomeroy on bass, and Carl Jackson on harmony vocals. Special mention goes to Randy Kohrs, who plays dobro and sings harmony in addition to editing, mixing and mastering the whole project.

Garth Brooks and Cordle trade verses about the values of sticking to your principles on the opening track — a blazing version of “Against the Grain.” The album is a testament to the power of a great song matched with the right singer.

Standout tracks include a luscious “Lonesome Dove” with Trisha Yearwood, “The Bigger the Fool” with McCoury, and “Two Highways” featuring Alison Krauss.

“Murder On Music Row,” written with Larry Shell, caused many a ripple when it was recorded by Alan Jackson and George Strait in 2000 — the song 24 24 THE THE NASHVILLE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN MUSICIAN

subsequently won the CMA Song of the Year award. The lyrics, lamenting the lack of traditional country music on mainstream radio, are no less true today.

This version features major-label exiles Daryle Singletary and Kevin Denney trading lines with Cord with sincerity, integrity and not a trace of irony.

“Highway 40 Blues,” a breakthrough hit for Ricky Skaggs, was the song that brought Cordle to Nashville when it was cut by his hometown pal. The bittersweet lyric’s resonance has deepened over the years, and this bluegrass version burns brightly with the vocal chemistry of two old friends.

Cordle more than holds his own in the tall company he keeps on this project and the results show that in addition to his incredible songwriting career, he is also one of the finest singers and performers working out of Music City in this or any other era.

– Roy Montana

REVIEWS Jim Ed Brown

In Style Again Plowboy Records Jim Ed Brown has had a long career as an entertainer. His first single was released in 1954, “Looking Back to See,” with his older sister Maxine. His younger sister Bonnie joined them, and they became The Browns later that year. In 1956 they signed to RCA Victor, and within a short time had two No. 1 hits in a row.

In 1959 they released “The Three Bells,” which was one of the first country songs to cross over to the pop charts, selling well over a million copies.

Brown eventually went solo and continued to have hit records through the ‘60s and ‘70s. He teamed up with Helen Cornelius in 1976, and together they created one of the most successful duos in country music history.

Jim Ed Brown joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1963; he celebrated his 50year anniversary with the show in 2013. The affable octogenarian was still touring and performing regularly on the Opry until recently. Brown was on his way to a show when he received a call from his doctor that he should return home to learn about some test results. He soon found out he had lung cancer, and began receiving treatments in November 2014. In January 2015 he returned to play the Opry, receiving thunderous applause.

In Style Again is the first new release for Brown in over 30 years. The album was produced by Don Cusic, with executive producer R. Shannon Pollard; and the title track was produced by country music legend Bobby Bare. Artists such as Vince Gill, Helen Cornelius, as well as Sharon and Cheryl White lent their voices on this project.

The album is a wonderful blend of 13 songs that capture the heart and smooth style that Brown is best known for. Local 257 members who played

on the project include: Michael Baker and Brent Mason (guitars), Glen Duncan (guitar, mandolin, violin), John Hobbs (piano and organ), Dave Roe (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, pedal steel), Gary Prim, (keyboards), Daryl Hornburger (steel), Dennis Crouch (upright bass), and Greg Morrow and John McTigue (drums).

This album is a great listen from top to bottom — we can’t forget what artists like Jim Ed Brown have done and continue to do for our genre. And congratulations to The Browns, who are among the 2015 inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame!

– Steve Wayne

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley Before The Sun Goes Down Compass Records

Rob Ickes has won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Dobro Player of the Year” award an astonishing 15 times, but he can hardly be accused of resting on his laurels. In addition to his long running bluegrass band, Blue Highway, Ickes has pushed the limits of his instrument with recording projects with jazz pianist Mike Alvey, Three Ring Circle, and a series of adventurous solo albums.

His latest album is a collaboration with guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley, and is a tour de force of country, blues and bluegrass. Hensley has a powerful country vocal style reminiscent at times of Merle Haggard or Gene continued on page 26

APRIL–JUNE 2015 25

REVIEWS continued from page 25

Watson, and his facility on guitar is stunning as well. He matches Ickes lick for lick, no easy feat, and the chemistry between the two of them is obvious throughout the record.

The album features tasty accompaniment by bassist Mike Bub, drummer John Gardner, fiddlers Andy Leftwich and Aubrey Haynie, and banjoist Ron Block. They all add distinctive colors and support while never detracting from the interplay between Hensley’s vocals and blazing guitar breaks and Ickes, who ventures into new territory playing lap steel on some cuts with all the fire he brings to the dobro. The topnotch harmony vocalists include Jon Randall Stewart and Dan Tyminski. Highlights include the title track, originally recorded by bluegrass icon Jimmy Martin, three Haggard covers recast in a more acoustic vein, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy,” and the classic Buddy Emmons instrumental “Raisin’ The Dickens.” This album sounds like the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.

– Roy Montanta

LIVE REVIEW Punch Brothers Live at the Ryman 2/27/2015

Punch Brothers, touring in support of their new album The Phosphorescent Blues, brought their eclectic acoustic blend of sound and styles to the fabled Ryman Auditorium Feb. 27. Led by mandolin phenom Chris Thile, Punch Brothers is a supergroup in the best sense of the word. Thile has surrounded himself with players capable not only of keeping up with his ever-evolving musical persona, but challenging and pushing him as well. Chris Eldridge on guitar, Noam Pikelny on banjo, Paul Kowert on acoustic bass, and Gabe Witcher on fiddle are all individual virtuosos who understand the power of ensemble playing, and the results are spectacular.

The sold-out crowd was ready to go on a musical journey and the band

26 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

did not disappoint. Opening with “Familiarity,” the ambitious 10-minute first track of their new record, the growth of the band was easily felt, especially in the intricate vocal arrangements, which at times evoked the Beach Boys’ finest studio moments. The material ranged from classical to bluegrass, chamber-pop and beyond, and the integration of composition, arranging, and improvising was seamless yet unpredictable.

Thile has mastered the art of playing complex mandolin lines while singing rangy, adventurous melodies and cryptic lyrics. The interplay between his evocative voice and mandolin, Eldridge’s precise guitar and vocals and Pikelny’s insistent banjo was outstanding throughout. Bassist Kowert’s acrobatic arco playing, spot-on intonation, and propulsive solid grooves were alternately uplifting and supportive.

Sonically the band has expanded as well, integrating subtle sonic effects like delay and distortion into their sound — without compromising the acoustic tones for which they are famous. On some of the new material, the band incorporated a new element — multi-tasker supreme Gabe Wichter sat at a stripped-down drum set and played kick drum and snare with foot pedals, while adding cymbal, snare and tom tom accents with his carbon fiber fiddle bow, all while singing harmony and playing fiddle with fire and taste.

Mind-boggling is the only way to describe it.

A highlight of the show was Debussy’s “Passepied,” which is also a centerpiece of the new record. It translates Thile’s propensity for reimagining classical music into a collective ensemble performance that simply must be heard to be believed. To be able to pull this off and play the bluegrass chestnut “Boll Weevil” in the same show speaks volumes about the range of this incredible ensemble. Longtime PB house mixer Dave Sinko deserves special mention for making the Punch Brothers’ sound among the best ever heard at the Ryman.

The show was an incredible night of music, and a love fest between this amazing band and their ever-expanding fan base. Do yourself a favor and check out Punch Brothers if you haven’t done so.

– Roy Montana TNM

JAZZ & BLUES BEAT

EVAN COBB

BY AUSTIN BEALMEAR LIZ JOHNSON

Nashville Jazz Workshop hosts summer jazz camp Many of you union cats have students or your own kids learning to sing or play. Here’s a good opportunity to expand their education. NJW will host a jazz camp for two weeks in June at their facility at 1319 Adams Street. The camp is open to anyone age 13-19, and is suitable for all instruments and vocalists.

The Instrumental Camp will be June 15-19 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily. Led by saxophonist Evan Cobb, this camp will feature ensembles, master classes, ear-training, repertoire building, music theory, jam sessions and more.

Students will have the opportunity to play, learn, and have a great time all while preparing for an end-of-camp concert on June 20. Auditions will be Saturday, May 9. NJW will be putting together just three ensembles, so space is limited and determined by instrument.

The Vocal Camp will be June 22-26 from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Directed by award-winning vocalists Liz Johnson and Connye Florance, this camp will feature a faculty of Nashville’s finest professional jazz artists. Students will learn jazz repertoire, phrasing and vocal expression, sight-reading and theory, improvisation, lyric analysis and interpretation, stage performance fundamentals and more. There will be a concert performance finale on June 27. Vocal camp audi-

CONNYE FLORANCE

tions are for scholarship assistance and will also be held Saturday, May 9. For a video and other information on the camps and audition process, go to the NJW website at www.nashvillejazz.org

Schermerhorn presents blues legend Buddy Guy

BUDDY GUY

One of the modern blues greats, Buddy Guy, comes to Schermerhorn Symphony Center on June 29 at 7:30 p.m. A pioneer of Chicago’s fabled West Side sound and a living link to such legendary artists as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy remains an electrifying guitarist and vocalist. This member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has influenced everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him in the top 25 of its 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Featured with Guy will be his drummer, songwriter and award-winning producer Tom Hambridge.

Summer jazz and blues festivals Artist lineups for most of our local festivals were not yet available at press time. Look for upcoming announcements about the Main St. JazzFest in Murfreesboro the first week in May, the Music City Blues Festival in Centennial Park on Memorial Day, and the Jefferson Street Jazz and Blues Festival in June. The Jazz On The Cumberland series of mostly blues and R&B usually runs once a month, May through October.

A new event has been announced, and hopefully will become a reality. The Nashville Rib and Jazz Festival will feature local and national talent of the smooth jazz genre. The event will be held July 25 at Cumberland Park in downtown Nashville. The festival’s founder is trumpet player David Wells, through his Chocolate Jazz Foundation, a non-profit with a history of raising money for school music programs.

Artists expected to appear are Tom Hemby, Michael Whittaker and the Bottom 40, Denny Jiosa, and Annie Sellick from Nashville; Ohio artist Otis Crockron; and Lebron Dennis from Arizona. One of the sponsors is NPR-affiliated radio station WJAB 90.9FM from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. They program jazz and blues and can probably be heard in the southern counties of Middle Tennessee. For more information, go to www.musicfestival.city/nashville or call 304-295-4088.

Where to get cheap jazz and blues albums If you’re a fan of jazz and blues, you probably buy old CDs and those big things called records. It’s interesting that National Record Store Day is in Jazz Appreciation Month (April). Here’s a short review of good places in Music City to find used jazz and blues albums, with a few hopefully helpful opinions.

The Great Escape (two stores locally) is the best based on size and layout of inventory, turnover, price, and knowledgeable staff. They also have outrageous sales several times a year. Phonoluxe has a hip staff, but the inventory doesn’t turn over as much since they’re only open weekends. McKay is really big, the jazz/blues CD section is ok, but the records aren’t categorized.

The Groove in East Nashville is small but tries hard, and gives discounts on Mondays and Wednesdays. Grimey’s gets a lot of raves from the young crowd, thanks to band performances in the store and in its venue, the Basement, below the store. But, the store seems to now be committed to stocking new vinyl for them, and the jazz and blues section is greatly reduced.

CD Warehouse is down to three locations locally and is pretty shopped out but prices are good. Hastings in Murfreesboro also doesn’t have the CDs it used to, but now has a big vinyl section, but unfortunately is not categorized.

You might find a few gems among the more boutique shops, like Fond Object, Allison’s Records, which is connected to a stereo shop, TNM and Carpe Diem in Franklin.

APRIL–JUNE 2015 27

SYMPHONY NOTES

BY LAURA ROSS Eighty-six years. That is the combined tenure of principal timpanist William “Bill” Wiggins and cellist Julia Tanner (who stepped down from her position as assistant principal cello after 35 years last season) when they retire from the orchestra at the end of this 2014-15 season.

The early years BILL WIGGINS

Although Wiggins is a Nashville native, and Tanner was born in Oklahoma and raised in Wooster, Ohio, (which is near Cleveland and Akron), much of their history is similar. Both studied piano at an early age with their mothers, and both were 10 years old when their elementary school music programs offered them the opportunity to learn how to play their respective instruments. (Wiggins actually began on snare drum and switched to timpani in college.) Both grew up in college towns with municipal orchestras and strong public school music programs, and both agree that the strong public school music programs that were available to them growing up are sadly lacking these days.

Tanner’s father was the head of the department of religion at Wooster College. “My whole family played in the Wooster Community Symphony, and as a teenager I found my love for symphonic music growing as I played with them, the College of Wooster Chamber Orchestra, and the Chautauqua Student Orchestra during the summer.” After graduating from high school at 16, she attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she met another future NSO member, principal bassoonist Cynthia Estill. Coincidentally, she worked with Nashville’s music director 28 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

Michael Charry when she played in the Akron Symphony during her tenure at Oberlin.

Wiggins, who attended Isaac Litton High School, received regular instruction from members of the Nashville Symphony — John Kline and Sam Swor, Sr. were his band directors.

Wiggins attended high school with future NSO second flute Ann Richards, and Swor’s son was Litton’s drum major. “I chose to play the drums,” said Wiggins, “because I lived in a neighborhood where I would regularly hear the high school marching band practicing — I loved hearing the drum cadences.” Wiggins admitted he didn’t attend many concerts while growing up, although he remembered “attending a NSO Young Person’s Concert at War Memorial when music director Guy Taylor, I think, taught us all how to conduct.”

His mother occasionally attended concerts with Jay Dawson — the families attended the same church — and it was Dawson’s love of Mozart that introduced him to classical music.

“There was no orchestra at Litton — only band — and I remember the band played a transcription of Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

My mom also had a recording of New World with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy — I listened to it a lot, and it’s still one of my favorites.”

think he might be able to make a living in music.

Tanner graduated in 1970 and joined the New Orleans Philharmonic. Two years later she moved to New York City as a freelance musician with the American Symphony and the New York City Ballet Orchestra, and as principal cellist with the Players Orchestra of New York, Federal Music Society Chamber Orchestra, and New York Lyric Opera Orchestra — where she worked with future NSO violist Mary Helen Law. Tanner was also principal cello of the Canadian National Opera Company Orchestra. “My sister and I also played on the streets of New York — in the days before it was called ‘busking’ — and I still remember playing a solo in Central Park when Judy Collins gave me a $20 tip!”

In 1978, Tanner moved to Nashville to start a family. She auditioned for Shelly Kurland, who

JULIA TANNER

Joining the Nashville Symphony Unsure of his final career path, Wiggins attended George Peabody College for Teachers, earning a degree in elementary education. He also participated in many of Peabody’s musical ensembles and courses. “I chose timpani after attending a marimba recital by my teacher Farrell Morris — who was also the NSO’s principal timpanist — because I love melodies. The instrument grabbed hold of me.” Conductor Thor Johnson joined the Nashville Symphony, and soon afterward Wiggins began playing extra and substituting in the NSO. “In those years I was supporting myself playing with the NSO and with the Louis Brown Band — that’s when I joined Local 257, the whole band joined as a group.”

After graduation, he taught fifth and sixth grade, but four years later decided he couldn’t do both — teach and play — so he began taking classes to earn his music education certification.

Wiggins received his first NSO contract in 1968 as percussionist. In 1969, Morris exited the NSO and in 1973 he left his teaching position at Blair.

Wiggins was appointed to principal timpani; he joined the Blair faculty in 1973 and began to

Julia Tanner in 1975 as a street musician in NYC

SYMPHONY NOTES

BILL WIGGINS

was a contractor for many of the commercial string sessions at the time. She won her second NSO audition when assistant principal cellist Jean Bills decided to retire from the orchestra.

John Catchings was principal cello at that time. He was succeeded by David Boyle, Mark Tanner, Roy Christensen and current principal cellist Anthony LaMarchina. Tanner remembers sharing a stand with Mark Tanner. “He used to scope out the audience looking for all the pretty girls but they’d see we had the same last name and assume I was his wife!” She speaks highly of the current principal and her former stand partner. “Anthony and I have forged a wonderful partnership; we are musical comrades.”

Since its founding, the Nashville Symphony has been a professional orchestra performing at a very high level, and populated with excellent players. Wiggins mentioned early members that included oboist Don Cassell, bassists Sam Hollingsworth and Barry Green, concertmaster Pierre Menard, and three members of the Tokyo String Quartet. Tanner spoke about concertmaster William Preucil, bassists Craig Nelson and Edgar Meyer, adding “And Ovid Collins, who was a wonderful player and gentleman who not only served as principal viola, but also had a brilliant career as a highpowered attorney.” But, Wiggins said, “It was not just the stars. The group as a whole produced and continues to produce some very fine music.”

He added that “it is unfortunate more people do not appreciate what this city has in the Nashville Symphony.” Tanner agreed. “I hope more people become aware of the incredible gem they have in this orchestra,” she said.

was performing with my orchestra colleagues, and for my peers.” He also said that recording Joseph Schwantner’s Percussion Concerto with Chris Lamb was high on his list. “During a visit to Vanderbilt, Schwantner told me he was writing the concerto for Chris Lamb, principal timpanist of the New York Philharmonic. After the premiere, that I was able to attend, Chris performed the concerto with us, but he was not the first to record it.” When Lamb and the Nashville Symphony recorded the concerto it won a Grammy award. Wiggins said he also loved working with percussion soloists such as Evelyn Glennie, Colin Curry and Joe Gramley.

Tanner said she “had the best seat in the house for all the many amazing soloists and artists who graced our stage, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Victor Borge, and cellists Yo Yo Ma and Lynn Harrell.” She was thrilled when Luciano Pavarotti presented her with the rose bouquet he

Your Nashville Symphony | Live at the schermerhorn BRIT TEN’S

EQUIEM WAR r with the NA SH V ILLE S Y MPHON Y & CHORUS

WITH THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY

MAY 29 & 30

JUNE 2 & 3

JUNE 29

JULY 3

1964

Memorable moments and what’s next Both musicians have special memories from their decades of service in the Nashville Symphony. “Performing a concerto written for me by Dan Sturm during the Percussive Arts Society’s international convention was surely the high point of my career,” Wiggins said. “I

received onstage following his performance with the orchestra. “Recording the complete VillaLobos Bachianas Brasileiare, and especially the suite for eight cellos and soprano — which was both terrifying and wonderful at the same time — was an incredible experience.”

But there is one thing neither will regret — never performing another outdoor concert.

They will not miss the heat, the bugs or the humidity. They both look forward to continuing to play, but on their own terms. Tanner looks forward to “working with my friends in the recording studio, and spending more time volunteering to play for hospice, nursing homes and at my church. I’ll write more poetry, and continue working on solo cello arrangements, because I love the physical act of playing.

I’d like to travel — Italy and Iceland are on my list — and I will spoil my new grandson, Anders.” She and Wiggins say they will attend NSO concerts; Wiggins added “I’ll get front row orchestra seating!” He will continue teaching at Vanderbilt, playing at the Peninsula Festival each summer, and when opportunities arise.

“I’m not selling my sticks,” he said.

TNM

AUGUST 7

KEB’ MO’ AUGUST 28

615.687.6400 | NashvilleSymphony.org APRIL–JUNE 2015 29

FINAL NOTES

Barbara Mandrell with Little Jimmy Dickens at his 1983 Country Music Hall of Fame induction

Jimmy Dickens 1920 – 2015

Nashville Musicians Association life member Jimmy Dickens, 94, died Jan. 2, 2015 in Nashville.

The Country Music Hall of Famer and 66-year member of the Grand Ole Opry was a mainstay of the show, and one of its most beloved ambassadors. “I look forward from one weekend to another to get back out on the stage and try to entertain people who have come from miles and miles and state to state to be entertained with country mu30 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

sic. We do our very, very best to give them a good presentation and hope they enjoy themselves,” Dickens said recently. The elder statesman of the show was its longest running member, and last performed on the Opry Dec. 20, 2014.

Dickens was born in Bolt, W. Va. on Dec. 19, 1920. He was the youngest of 13 children, and around music from the beginning; several family members played guitar and sang. Dickens

has said that he decided early he wanted to be an entertainer. As a teenager he had a variety of interests — he was on his high school basketball team, and also was president of his senior class.

He turned down a drama scholarship from West Virginia University, as well as an offer to become a professional jockey, to play music instead.

Dickens made his radio debut while still in high school, on WJLS in Beckley, W.Va. In 1941 T. Texas Tyler hired Dickens for his radio show, and gave him the lasting moniker “Little Jimmy Dickens.” In 1945 a meeting with Roy Acuff led him to Nashville two years later. After hearing him play on WKNX in Saginaw, Mich., Acuff got Dickens a spot on the Opry, and he became a member in 1948. The following year he recorded “Take an Old Cold Tater (and Wait),” which became a top-ten single. When Hank Williams heard it, he began to call Dickens “Tater,” a nickname he would have from then on. Other hits followed, including “Country Boy,” “Pennies for Papa” and “My Heart’s Bouquet.”

During the ‘50s Dickens toured with the Country Boys, an early high-powered group that included illustrious players Buddy Emmons, Grady Martin, Jabbo Arrington, Howard Rhoton, Spider Wilson and Bob Moore. The group’s electric guitarists were progenitors of the twin guitar leads used by bands like the Allman Brothers decades later.

Dickens was the first performer on the Opry to wear rhinestone suits, and also became known for his warm stage presence and oneof-a-kind performances that frequently included both tender recitations like “(You’ve Been Quite A Doll) Raggedy Ann,” and humorous songs like “Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed” and “Out Behind the Barn.” He toured in the U.S. and internationally, and in 1964 became the first country performer to actually circle the planet, visiting a myriad of countries such as Japan, Turkey, Denmark, and Germany.

Dickens was signed with Columbia Records for 19 years, where he recorded over 200 songs, including the No. 1 hit “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.” In the late ‘60s he moved to

FINAL NOTES

Decca, and then to United Artists. He continued to tour for decades, often performing 300 nights a year. In 1983 Dickens became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

With the death of Hank Locklin in 2009, Dickens became the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry, where he regularly appeared on the show as a host. In recent years fellow West Virginia native Brad Paisley featured Dickens on bonus comedy tracks, along with other Hall of Famers collectively called the Kung Pao Buckaroos.

Country artist Charlie Worsham said Dickens was a great ambassador for the genre. “I remember seeing him on the Grand Ole Opry when I was just a kid. When I was a guest years later, I got to share a dressing room with him.

I remember how he was cutting up and had everybody laughing…He couldn’t have been nicer, friendlier or more humble. If you could embody the spirit of country music, it would be Little Jimmy Dickens,” Worsham said.

Survivors include his wife Mona; and two daughters, Pamela Detert and Lisa King. A celebration of life service was held Jan. 8 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Many of Dickens’ friends and fellow musicians performed at the service, including Paisley, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood. Eddie Stubbs gave the eulogy. The family has requested that donations be made to the Opry Trust Fund, One Gaylord Drive, Nashville, TN, 37214.

Chip Young 1938 – 2014 Jerry Marvin Stembridge, also known as Chip Young, died at the age of 76 on Dec. 20, 2014.

Famous for his thumb-picking style, the guitarist was also a producer, engineer, and a life member of AFM Local 257 who joined in September 1966. He was born May 19, 1938 in a suburb of Atlanta, Ga., and began his career in the ‘50s playing with Jerry Reed and singer-songwriter Joe South.

In the following decades, Young played on a multitude of hit records, including Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” by Charlie Pride, and Elvis Presley’s “Guitar Man.” He also worked as a regular member of Presley’s studio band from 1965 until the artist’s death in 1977.

His extensive list of credits includes work with Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Eddy Arnold, and Kris Kristofferson, among a host of artists outside the country genre, including Todd Snider and My Morning Jacket. In addition to his work as a guitarist, Young produced and played on the classic “I Can Help” by Billy Swan, and produced or engineered records for Delbert McClinton, Jimmy Buffett, Tom T. Hall, and Joe Ely.

Engineer Glen Rieuf worked with Young for over twenty years. “Chip was my employer…but more important than that, he was my dear friend.

We shared a lot of our dreams through his music and his Young’un Sound studio. Chip loved the thumb-picking style, and he was very good at it. It was a passion that blossomed into his later years,” Rieuf said.

In 2000 Young released his own record, Having Thumb Fun With My Friends. The album featured instrumentals with several other famous guitarists including Chet Atkins, Jimmy Capps, Jerry Kennedy, Grady Martin, Scotty Moore, Leon Rhodes, Pete Wade, Wayne Moss and Reggie Young.

In 2009 Young was inducted into the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame, and he was honored as a Nashville Cat by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2010.

Young was preceded in death by his parents, William Frank and Xavier Stembridge; and one brother, Tom Stembridge. Survivors include his wife of 23 years, Diane Parker-Stembridge; one daughter, Megan Lee Bare; one sister, Sarah Zink; four brothers, Bill, Roger, John and Joe Stembridge; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at Trevecca Community Church of the Nazarene in Nashville on Dec. 23, with internment following in Woodlawn Memorial Park. The family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, or a charity of choice.

Jerry Wayne Tuttle 1937 – 2014 Nashville Musicians Association life member Jerry Wayne Tuttle, 77, died Nov. 25, 2014.

Born Nov. 19, 1937 in Malden, Mo., he joined the AFM in July 1966, and lived many years in Nashville. In addition to playing saxophone, clarinet, and several other instruments, Tuttle was an entertainer and a songwriter whose songs were recorded by several country artists; his composition “It’s Alright” went to No. 6 for Bobby Bare.

Tuttle was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence Jr. and Ella Loraine Cloud Tuttle. Survivors include two daughters, Shavonna Tuttle Robbins and Sherette Turek; one son, C.J. “Tud” Tuttle; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at a later date. continued on page 32 APRIL–JUNE 2015 31

FINAL NOTES

continued from page 29

Gary “Bud” Smith 1959 – 2014 Gary “Bud” Smith, 55, died Dec. 1, 2014. He was born Nov. 5, 1959, and joined the Nashville Musicians Association in 1979. The keyboardist worked in the studio and played on the road with Ricky Skaggs, Chase Rice, Gaither Vocal Band, Dolly Parton, Rodney Dillard, Lathan Moore, Chris Cagle and many others. Smith also released a solo CD in 2014, Country Piano Hymns.

“Gary Bud Smith was an incredible piano player. His solo work on things like ‘Country Boy’ and ‘Wheel Hoss,’ his backup fills on my recordings of ‘Window Up Above’ and ‘The Selfishness In Man’ shows just a little part of his enormous talent. Coming from a gospel music background, he was trained to listen to the vocalist. His studio work was great, but he really came alive on stage. I loved him so much and will always miss him. Love you Bud!” Skaggs said.

Survivors include his wife, Darla; three sons, Austin, Christian, and Dennis Smith; two daughters, Madelyn Smith and Kelly Scott; one sister, Norma Jean Spears; three grandchildren; and a host of other family members and friends.

A celebration of life service was held Dec. 9, with Rev. Dr. Johnny Minick officiating.

songwriter were huge. He was a sweet, gracious man who always had a good word and a smile for anyone he encountered, and he will be missed,” said Dave Pomeroy, president of Local 257.

Survivors include a brother, Larry O. Strzelecki; one sister, Jerrie Patricia Barnes; one son, Henry P. Strzelecki, Jr.; three daughters, Ruthy Strzelecki, Melissa Scott, and Mandy Simpson; and two grandchildren.

A celebration of life service was held Jan. 17 at Pennington United Methodist Church. The family has requested donations be made to the W.O. Smith School of Music in Nashville.

Monroe Fields 1928 – 2015

Henry Strzelecki 1939 – 2014

Bassist Henry Strzelecki, 75, died Dec. 30, 2014.

Strzelecki was a life member of AFM Local 257 who joined in January 1961. The renowned session player worked with a veritable who’s who of artists over the course of his career, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Chet Atkins and Joan Baez.

Strzelecki was born in Birmingham, Ala., on Aug. 8, 1939 to Leon A. and Vida Ruth Strzelecki. He began playing and writing in his teens, and toured with The Four Flickers in the ‘50s. The group recorded his song “Long Tall Texan” in 1959, and it first charted for Murry Kellum in 1963. Other artists covered it in the ‘60s, including the Beach Boys, Sleepy LaBeef, Leroy Van Dyke, and The Kingsmen. The tune gained new fans in the ‘90s when both Lyle Lovett and Doug Supernaw with the Beach Boys recorded it once again.

Strzelecki was one of Nashville’s most sought-after bassists, and his playing was nearly ubiquitous on Music Row recordings for many years. In addition to Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” he can be heard on the George Jones classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” as well as songs by Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Marty Robbins, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, and just about every other notable artist of the era.

In addition to his work with country artists, Strzelecki played with Al Hirt, Levon Helm, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Costello and many, many more. He also wrote songs recorded by Charlie Rich (“Where Do We Go From Here”), Johnny Winter (“The Mistress”), and David Wills (“Happy Hour”).

“To some, Henry may have been one of Nashville’s underappreciated musical heroes, but those Henry Strzelecki who knew him and worked with him understood that his contributions to Music City as a bassist and 32 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

AFM Local 257 life member Monroe Fields, 86, died Feb. 21, 2015 in Knoxville, Tenn. He played several instruments including bass, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and steel guitar. Fields joined the local in September 1962.

Fields performed with Bill Monroe among other bluegrass bands. He was also a successful songwriter whose music was recorded by many country artists including George Jones, John Anderson, Melba Montgomery and Aaron Tippin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Essie Fields; and one son, Donnie Fields. Survivors include his wife, Faye Kennedy; four sons, Dennis Fields, Joe Fields, Alan Kennedy, and Dwayne Kennedy; two daughters, Wanda Atherton and Lisa Mitchell; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends.

Services were held Feb. 27 at Bridges Funeral Home with Rev. Archie Elliot officiating.

Interment was in Pollard Cemetery in Knoxville.

FINAL NOTES

Lari Goss 1945 – 2015

Lari Goss, 69, died Jan. 10, 2015 in Nashville. The keyboardist was a life member of the Nashville Musicians Association who joined the local in November 1994. Goss was an acclaimed producer and orchestral arranger who won 12 Dove Awards as well as a Grammy. He was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and was honored with many lifetime achievement awards.

The Cartersville, Ga., native was a young boy when he began what would be a 60-year career with the Goss Brothers. As an arranger, he was well known for a style that helped bring critical success to a number of gospel music greats, including The Cathedrals, Gaither Vocal Band, The Hoppers and many more.

His work was not limited to the gospel music genre; he orchestrated music for Glen Campbell, B.J. Thomas, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and Ray Price. Goss also arranged music and conducted the orchestra for the Grammy Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, and the London Philharmonic Symphony.

Goss was known for his deep religious convictions. He once said of his career successes that “all of this means nothing, if my music does not win people to Jesus, or draw them closer to him.”

Goss was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin A. and Annie Mae Elrod; and one brother, James Walton Goss. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Fuqua Goss; four sons, B.J., Nicholas, Jonathan and Cameron Goss; one brother, Roni Goss; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Jan. 15 at Brentwood Baptist Church. Pastors Jim Cymbala and Stan Mitchell officiated, and burial followed in Williamson Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home.

TNM

IN MEMORIAM

The officers, staff and members of Local 257 extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of our members who have recently passed away. You are in our thoughts, hearts and prayers.

Our country music stars have fans visiting from all over the world.

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(615) 823-5010

Name

Born

Joined

Died

Joseph William Culp

08/16/1938

02/26/1969

02/14/2015

Y

Donald Stewart Davis

12/22/1927

05/05/1945

03/09/2015

Y

Bobby G Emmons

02/19/1943

04/11/1973

02/23/2015

Y

Monroe Fields

12/31/1928

09/25/1962

02/21/2015

Y

Joe B Mauldin

07/08/1940

09/20/1978

02/07/2015

Y

Doyle C Nelson

02/07/2015

09/03/1953

03/09/2015

Y

Robert Arthur Taylor

11/20/1923

07/11/1964

04/09/2015

Y

COLE & GARRETT Funeral Home and Cremation Services CRESTVIEW Funeral Home, Memory Gardens & Cremation HARPETH HILLS Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center HENDERSONVILLE Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center JOELTON HILLS Memory Gardens SPRINGFIELD Memorial Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center SUMNER Memorial Ga Gardens WEST HARPETH Funeral Home & Crematory

James Edward Wilson

06/09/1935

10/08/1954

02/26/2015

Y

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APRIL–JUNE 2015 33

MEMBER STATUS NEW MEMBERS Kristopher Neil Allen (Kris Allen) VOC GTR 4809 Nevada Avenue Nashville, TN 37209 Cell (501) 749-7480 Bryan Ellis Brock (Bryan Brock) PRC PIA DRM 718 Tobylynn Dr Nashville, TN 37211 Cell (818) 723-2668 Darrick Jerry Cline DRM 1425 State St Apt4 Bowling Green, KY 42101 Cell (270) 786-3329 Hm (270) 776-3327 Garrett Allan Cline BAS GTR 803 E 15th Ave Bowling Green, KY 42101 Hm (270) 776-2867 Eric Curtis Conn PIA GTR PO Box 158743 Nashville, TN 37215 Hm (615) 330-2914 John Williams Donahoe, Jr (John Donahoe) VLN FDL MDN GTR BJO SAX VOC 400 Cross Creek Ct Franklin, TN 37067 Cell (978) 302-1188 Alan Joseph Fey (Alan Fey) PRC TMP PIA 1019 Paris Ave. Nashville, TN 37204 Hm (423) 534-4445 Geoffrey B Firebaugh BAS 3123 Gallatin Pike Nashville, TN 37216 Hm (615) 496-2860

David Justin Freeman MDN GTR PIA BAS 403 30th St Old Hickory, TN 37138 Hm (615) 600-6017

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Alexander Hale Graham (Alex Graham) SAX FLT CLA 753 Benton Ave Nashville, TN 37204 Cell (248) 259-4252

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Jason Kimo Forrest (Kimo Forrest) BAS DRM GTR KEY 5072 Seymour Hollow Rd Whites Creek, TN 37189 Cell (615) 631-0934

Mary Greer Thomison (Greer Thomison) VLN GTR 2828 Old Hickory Blvd #202 Nashville, TN 37221 Cell (407) 721-7807

Jesse Vernon Frasure (Dj Telemitry) KEY GTR 4923 Danby Dr Nashville, TN 37211 Hm (615) 477-7688

David Andrew Wood (Andy Wood) GTR MDN 7069 Seaver Dr Knoxville, TN 37909 Cell (865) 654-9663

34 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

RESIGNED Thomas Beaupre Jonathan Garrett Cullifer Marco E.C. Giovino Adam Wade Hampton David M Hobbs William Stephen Lewis Sara Jane Lucas Chester Schmitz Zachary Simon Shumate BECOMING A MEMBER Carlton Jenkins EXPELLED Howard S Adams, III Martin A Aucoin Joseph William Arick Shaun Halley-Murphy Balin Gina Nicole Barkaszi Stephen H Bassett Eddie Clayton Bedford Kent D Blanton Kenneth Edwin Blevins Alyssa B. Bonagura Brian Richard Bonds C Russell Bridges Zachary Stephen Brown Steve Callahan Robert M Campbell Jayson Floyd Chance Gary W Chapman Jennie J Chestnut Mark Ashley Clark Arthur Skip Cleavinger David Allan Coe Kevin Dale Collier Bill Jarrett Contreras Jonathan D Cook Sarah J Cote Michael J Cox Spencer W Cullum Jason Boone Daughdrill Jeremy Clayton Davis Joseph Graham Deloach Marty Ray Dillingham Troy Anthony Engle Don Everly Michael Dale Gardner Joseph M Getsi Garen L Gueyikian Benion L. Haggard Robert Patrick Hamrick David Alexander Harris Mark James Heimermann David G Henry Marcus Hill

Michael Kenneth Hobby Jonathan Michael Howard Henderson B.L. Howells Myron Keith Howell Michael Jackson Jacqueline Maxine Stanwood Calvin John Jeansonne, III Larry B Jentry Dina M Johnson Gail Rudisill Johnson James Edward Johnson Lucas Kieran Kane Ian Sebastian Keaggy Robert C Kelly Michael Aubrey Kennedy Rhett Cody Kilby John Wendell Lancaster Tracy Lee Lawrence Boyd Lefan Justin Edward Levenson Alice Rothenbusch Lloyd James William Long Raul Malo Thelma Louise Mandrell Dwight Carl Martin William Robert Mason, Jr Thomas Allen Mayes Miles McPherson Garrett Keith McReynolds Leon S Medica Rudy Miller David Clark Neal Brian Keith Nutter Mark Oakley Kenneth Penny Gil Perel Tom Peterson Christopher Aaron Powell Wesley Eugene Pryor Brian David Purwin Jimmy Ritchey Suzanne Rohrer Mitchell Larry H Rolando Curt Ryle Joel Lee Sanders Nethan Reyes San William Brunson Satcher Audie J Shields Michael John Shimshack Roddy Smith Terry Klenner Smith Tim Smith Eric Brice Stephens Fred Abraham Stoklasa Jerald Thorpe John Henry Trinko Christopher Tyrrell Michael C. Valeras Travis Anderson Vance Charlie L Vaughan Bernard Walker Charles Walter Ward Daniel R Weller Michael Robert Whittaker Erich William Wigdahl Derek Alexander Williams Kevin Brent Williams Derek Wayne Wolfford Roy Wooten

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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF AFM LOCAL 257 JULY– SEP TEMBER 2014

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ELEVATING THE COOL FACTOR IN MUSIC CITY

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OFFICI A L JOURN A L OF A FM LOC A L 257 JA NUA RY– M A RCH 2013

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FINANCIALS

NASHVILLE MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION | REVENUES & EXPENSES | YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014

FUNERAL

REGULAR SPECIAL BENEFIT ER

FUND FUND FUND FUND TOTAL

more in store...

REVENUES

LOCAL DUES 420664 420664 INITIATION FEES 8577 8577 ERF CONTRIBUTIONS 27487 27487 FUNERAL BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS 101940 101940 FEDERATION INITIATION FEES 3176 3176 WORK DUES 575600 575600 FINES & REINSTATEMENT FEES 4135 4135 INTEREST EARNED 876 2 5754 5 6637 UNAPPLIED MEMBERS’ ESCROW 4126 4126 CASH OVER & SHORT 41 -13 28 VENDING MACHINES 61 61 SERVICE CHARGES 39007 39007 LATE FEE - SERVICE CHARGES 5405 5405 CREDIT CARD USAGE FEE 3680 3680 SUPPLIES SOLD 70 70 ADVERTISING SALES 7489 7489 DISCOUNTS RECEIVED 76 76 ARTISTS & OTHERS 219222 219222 AFM - EP FUND 463 463 AFM HEALTH & WELFARE 9494 9494 SERVICE CHARGE 4333 4333 MUSICIANS’ PAYROLL TAXES 9753 9753 CONVENIENCE FEE 3180 3180 CARTAGE 1623 1623 RESIGNATION CLEARANCE FEES 275 275 INSURANCE BENEFITS RECEIVED 207000 207000 OTHER RECEIPTS 0 TRANSFER FROM SPECIAL FUND

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J U LY 9 - 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 MUSIC CITY CENTER NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE www.namm.org/summer 36 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

TOTAL REVENUES 1090115 244877 314694 27492 1663500

EXPENSES SALARIES & PAYROLL TAXES 469928 469928 OFFICER’S EXPENSES 18974 18974 OFFICE EXPENSES 142897 250 143147 OTHER EXPENSES 68199 68199 BUILDING & EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE 39890 39890 PER CAPITA TAX 134295 134295 DEPRECIATION 23639 23639 FEDERATION INITIATION FEES 3282 3282 AFM-EP FUND 51279 51279 AFM WORK DUES 149448 149448 COMMISSIONS 1534 1534 ADVERTISING 700 700 ARTISTS & OTHERS 216131 216131 AFM - EP FUND EXPENSE 463 463 SERVICE CHARGE 3611 3611 MUSICIANS PAYROLL TAXES 9754 9754 BANK CHARGES & FEES 13619 171 13790 BENEFITS 192000 11500 203500 INSURANCE PREMIUMS EXPENSE 259372 259372 REFUNDS 15 15 ERF CONTRIBUTIONS 7610 7610 PROFESSIONAL FEES 4500 4500 TRANSFER TO REGULAR FUND 13678 TOTAL EXPENSES 1125309 243808 455872 11750 1823061 OPERATING PROFIT (LOSS) -35194 1069 -141178 15742 -159561 ACTUAL CASH PROFIT/LOSS (Minus depreciation) -11555

BEGINNING FUND BALANCES 555335 7298 702004 9672 1274309 ENDING FUND BALANCES 520141 8367 560826 25414 1114748

FINANCIALS NASHVILLE MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES DECEMBER 31, 2014 FUNERAL

REGULAR SPECIAL BENEFIT EMERGENCY

FUND FUND FUND RELIEF FUND TOTAL

ASSETS: CASH & CHECKING ACCOUNTS 254225 127817 127667 23520 533229 INVESTMENTS 24989 192726 217715

NEXT LOCAL 257 MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Monday, TOTALS 279214 127817 320393 23520 750944 May 18, 2015

George Cooper DUE TO/FROM FUNDS -250327 0 248433 1894 0 Rehearsal Hall

PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT LAND 125000 125000 BUILDING 457995

457995 BUILDING RENOVATION 410741 410741 FURNISHINGS & EQUIPMENT 405180 405180 LESS: ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION -889782 -889782 TOTAL PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT 509134 0 0 0 509134 TOTAL

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Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.

LIABILITIES ESCROW AND ADVANCE PAYMENTS 17478 119450 8000 144928 PAYROLL TAXES WITHHELD 402 0 0 402 TOTAL LIABILITIES 17880 119450 8000 145330

FUND BALANCES 520141 8367 560826 25414 1114748 TOTAL

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538021 127817 568826 25414 1260078

DO WE HAVE YOUR CURRENT

EMAIL ADDRESS?

Local 257 sends important advisories to members by email, including updates on our annual NAMM pass giveaway, and invitations to Local 257 events. Don't be left out of the loop! Notify the front desk of any changes to your contact information, including phone number, address and beneficiary.

AFM LOCAL 257 HOLIDAY CLOSINGS May 25 Memorial Day July 3 Independence Day

Call 615-244-9514 to make sure we have your correct information, or email kathyo@afm257.org

SAVE A TREE! Sign up for the electronic version of the Nashville Musician by sending an email to kathyo@afm257.org APRIL–JUNE 2015 37

DO NOT WORK FOR The “Do Not Work For” list exists to warn our members, other musicians and the general public about employers who, according to our records, owe players money and/or pension, have failed to sign the appropriate AFM signatory documents required to make the appropriate pension contribution, or are soliciting union members to do non-union work.

TOP OFFENDERS LIST RecordingMusicians.com – Former Local 257 members Alan and Cathy Umstead are soliciting nonunion recording work through this website and elsewhere. Do not work for them under any circumstances without an AFM contract.

These are employers who owe musicians large amounts of money and have thus far refused to fulfill their contractual obligations to Local 257 musicians.

Positive Movement/Tommy Sims (multiple unpaid contracts – 2007 CeCe Winans project) Sims owes our musicians more than $300K and is now on the AFM’s International Unfair List Terry K. Johnson/ 1720 Entertainment (unpaid contracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O’Neal project) Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country/Josh Gracin Eric & Tracey Legg (multiple unpaid contracts and pension dating back to 2007) Ray Vega/Casa Vega Quarterback/G Force/Doug Anderson Rust Records/Ken Cooper (unpaid contracts and pension) Revelator/Gregg Brown (multiple bounced checks/unpaid contracts) HonkyTone Records – Debbie Randal, Elbert West UNPAID CONTRACTS AND PENSION Wayd Battle/Shear Luck Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country Bull Rush, Inc/Cowboy Troy (unpaid demo upgrade – making payments) Casa Vega/Ray Vega Daddio Prod./Jim Pierce (making payments) Goldenvine Prod./Harrison Freeman Golden Vine/Darrell Freeman Jimmy Fohn Music Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” Mills Rebecca Frederick Mark McGuinn Goofy Footed Steve Nickell Gospocentric Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderson Tony Graham RLS Records-Nashville/Ronald Stone Jeffrey Green/Cahernzcole House Region One Records Randy Hatchett RichDor Music/Keith Brown Highland Music Publishing Robbins Nashville In Light Records/Rick Lloyd Round Robin/Jim Pierce (unpaid contract – makLittle Red Hen Records/Arjana Olson ing payments) Mike Ward Music (pension/demo signature) Shauna Lynn Joseph McClelland Shy Blakeman Tim McDonald Singing Honey Tree Joe Meyers Sleepy Town/David Lowe Missionary Music Mark Spiro Jason Morales (pension/demo signature) Spangle 3/Brien Fisher O Street Mansion Tough Records/Greg Pearce (making payments) OTB Publishing (pension/demo signature) Adam D. Tucker Tebey Ottoh Eddie Wenrick Ride N High Records Ronnie Palmer UNPAID PENSION ONLY Barry Preston Smith Comsource Media/Tommy Holland Jason Sturgeon Music Conchita Leeflang/Chris Sevier Ricky D. Cook FJH Enterprises First Tribe Media Matthew Flinchum dba Resilient

38 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

AFM NON-SIGNATORY PHONO LIST We do not have signatory paperwork from the following employers — pension may have been paid in some cases, but cannot be credited to the proper musicians without a signatory agreement in place. If you can provide us with current contact info for these people, we will make sure you get your proper pension contribution for your work.

604 Records Heaven Productions Stonebridge Station Entertainment Straight Shooter Music Ryder Media Sky Dancer Donica Knight

APRIL–JUNE 2015 39

Nashville Musicians Association PO Box 120399 Nashville, TN 37212-0399 —Address Service Requested—

40 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

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