CD & Book REVIEWS: Vince Gill & Paul Franklin • Brad Paisley • Jerry Krahn • Larry Butler • Starday Records
Official Journal of AFM Local 257 July– September 2013
Guitars gone wild
Jerry Reed Tribute George Jones 1931 - 2013
Local 257 Musicians help ABC's
July–september 2013 1
Don’t Miss the Nashville Musicians Association 111th Anniversary celebration and Emergency Relief Fund Benefit
Wednesday, October 30th
NASHVILLE
NS IA SIC MU 257 L A C O AFM L
music, drinks, fellowship! 4–7 p.m. Local 257, 11 Music Circle North Come help us celebrate 111 years of representing the finest musicians in the world – AFM Local 257 members!
A music transcription and arranging service in Nashville
transcriptions • • • • •
Lead Sheets Chord Charts # Charts Piano / Vocals Computer generated parts and scores in any key from hand written originals
arranGinG 35 years’ experience creating top quality arrangements in various genres and instrumentations for recording sessions and live performance
All work done exclusively using Finale Notation Software 615.373.0046 www.skipperandcrewMusic.com 2 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
content Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257 | July—september 2013
4
Announcements
Photo: Mickey Dobo
Details on the next membership meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10, past minutes and more.
6
State of the Local
President Dave Pomeroy gives a report on the 99th AFM Convention’s amazing show of unity, the similarities between being in a band and leading a successful organization, and more.
7
New Grooves
Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf focuses on explaining some of our most important Local 257 member benefits.
8
News
The AFM 99th Convention makes history, and Eddie Stubbs is feted for his lengendary career.
10
Local 257 Musicians
Recording
12
Attention bands! Local 257 Recording Department Director Steve Tveit shares the details on how to get your sessions on a contract simply and affordably.
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Heard on the Grapevine
The notable comings and goings of Nashville Musician Association members.
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Cover story: ABC’s Nashville — Keeping It Real
Warren Denney interviews four of the many Local 257 musicians who help the hit TV show stay in the groove.
17
Gallery
Summer brings CMA fest, visitors to the local, parties and member milestones.
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Feature Pictorial: Summer NAMM
The annual event comes to the new Music City Center, and the results are a panorama of music, networking, learning opportunities, and the priceless moments that only happen at NAMM.
22
Reviews
Record reviews from Vince Gill and Paul Franklin, Brad Paisley, and Jerry Krahn; book reviews from Larry Butler and Nathan Gibson; and a live review of the Jerry Reed tribute.
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18
SUMMER NAMM
Jerry Reed Tribute
Jazz & Blues
Music City swings with regular gigs and special events.
26
Symphony Notes
The upcoming season, and a timely set of FAQs to help explain recent NSO news.
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Final Notes
We bid farewell to George Jones, Gordon Stoker, Lorene Mann, Ray Emmett, William Ovid Collins, Jr., Hank Corwin, and William Gokey.
31
Member Status
32
Do Not Work For list
22
Cover Photo by Mickey Dobo July–september 2013 3
Announcements Next General Membership Meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 10 , 2013 O ff i c i al Q u a r t e r l y jo u r nal of t h e na s h v i ll e M u s i c i an s A s s o c i a t i on A F M L o c al 2 5 7
Publisher EDITOR managing editor ASSISTANT EDITORS
Dave Pomeroy Craig Krampf Kathy Osborne Leslie Barr Kent Burnside CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Austin Bealmear Warren Denney Roy Montana Laura Ross CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Erin Delaney Mickey Dobo Denise Fussell Donn Jones Craig Krampf Casey Lutton Dave Pomeroy Anthony Scarlati Chuck Thompson Lisa Dunn Design ART DIRECTION Kathy Osborne WEB ADMINISTRATOR Anita Winstead Ad Sales 615-244-9514 Local 257 Officers President Dave Pomeroy Secretary-treasurer Craig Krampf executive board Jimmy Capps Duncan Mullins Andy Reiss Laura Ross Tim Smith Tom Wild Jonathan Yudkin hearing board Michelle Voan Capps Tiger Fitzhugh Teresa Hargrove Bruce Radek Kathy Shepard John Terrence Ray Von Rotz Trustees Ron Keller Biff Watson SErgeant-At-Arms Chuck Bradley Nashville Symphony steward Laura Ross Office Manager Anita Winstead Electronic Media Services Director assistant data entry recording dept. assistant
Steve Tveit Teri Barnett Rachel Smith Kelly Spears
director, live/Touring Dept. Leslie Barr and Pension Administrator Membership Coordinator & Rachel Mowl Live Engagement/MPF Coordinator Member Services/Reception Laura Birdwell @ 2013 Nashville Musicians Association P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212 All rights reserved.
nashvillemusicians.org 4 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
The next Local 257 general membership meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. There are no bylaw proposals on the agenda, but there will be president and secretary-treasurer reports, an update on new AFM initiatives and Local 257 business. A variety of important topics will be discussed. This is a great way to get involved in the business of your local, so please make plans to attend. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting, Friday, March 1, 2013 Attending: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Laura Ross (LR), Jimmy Capps (JC), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Duncan Mullins (DM), Tim Smith (TS). Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Secretary’s Report MSC to approve the minutes of Jan. 25, 2013 as corrected: LR and DM. Treasurer’s Report Due to time constraints, there was not a complete financial report, but Krampf distributed the yearly financial comparison. The comparison, prepared by CPA Ron Stewart, showed that the local’s actual cash profit for 2012 was $54,160. President’s Report Pomeroy reported that Local 257 would like to submit three proposals at the upcoming National AFM Convention, which is to be held this July. 1. Resolution for Bylaw Change: Adding “Diversity” to the motto. Whereas, The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada has, since the 1996 AFM Convention, had as its motto “Unity, Harmony, Artistry,” and; Whereas, the AFM has evolved over the years to provide support and services to a wide range of musicians of all ages and genders who work in every conceivable genre of music, from classical to rock, country, blues, jazz, world music, gospel, bluegrass, chamber music, Native American music and more, and; Whereas, as the United States and Canada’s citizens have many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and the AFM’s membership reflects and celebrates this diversity, and; Whereas, the AFM’s efforts to promote and encourage diversity in its membership have resulted in an increased awareness of the importance of multi-cultural and multi-genre outreach in our efforts to identify and recruit new members, and; Whereas, slogans or mottos should be concise and easy to remember, and as “Diversity” has more depth of meaning than “Harmony,” which is already implied in the word “Unity,” therefore; be it RESOLVED, that a new section be added to Article 2: Mission, of the AFM Bylaws as follows: NEW SECTION 2. The AFM’s motto shall be written as follows - “Unity, Artistry, Diversity” and used in this fashion when the AFM motto is displayed. To be submitted by Craig Krampf Secretary-Treasurer and the AFM Local 257 Executive Board.
Announcements Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting, Friday, March 1, 2013 A discussion followed. (Note: JY suggested that instead of adding the word “Diversity” to the existing three motto words, “Unity, Artistry, Harmony,” the word “Harmony” be replaced with “Diversity.” For the sake of space, the final resolution above reflects that change.) MSC to submit as corrected: JY and LR. Unanimously approved. 2. Resolution for bylaw change: Discounted Student Membership Whereas, the AFM Bylaws do not offer a discounted “Student Member” price to student musicians who join as new members, beyond the waiving of LIF and FIF initiation fees for Student Members, and; Whereas, these initiation fees are often waived in other circumstances, such as a membership drive or a number of musicians joining as a group, and; Whereas, it is in the best interests of the AFM to attract younger musicians and make it more affordable for them to not only become a union member, but to remain members in good standing, therefore: Be it resolved, that Article 9, Section 4(b) be changed to reflect that a Local may, at its discretion and with a properly constituted vote of its Executive Board, offer a percentage-based discount for Local Annual dues for student members. Section 4(a). A Student Member, as defined in a Local’s Bylaws, shall pay periodic Local dues at the [same rate as Regular members as] rate set by the Local and Work Dues where applicable, but shall not pay LIF or FIF. To be submitted by Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer and the AFM Local 257 Executive Board. A discussion followed. MSC to submit resolution: TS and JC. Unanimously approved. 3. Resolution for bylaw change: Disabled members Whereas, some of our AFM brothers and sisters have or will become disabled and can no longer work, and; Whereas, a disabled member may be unable to pay full AFM dues and may want to remain a member of the AFM,
continued
Be it resolved, that Article 9, Section 4, be amended to include as follows: NEW SUBSECTION (c). ARTICLE 9, SECTION 4 Pursuant to a properly constituted vote of its Executive Board, a Local may establish a “Disabled Members” category which shall enable disabled members, with proper documentation of medical diagnosis and with at least five years of continuous AFM membership, to pay dues at the Life Member rate until a return to work. To be submitted by Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer and the AFM Local 257 Executive Board Discussion followed. MSC to submit resolution: JC and JY. Unanimously approved. MSC to approve new members: TS and JC MSC to adjourn meeting: TS and JC. Meeting adjourned at 9:46 a.m. Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf
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July–september 2013 5
State of the Local By Dave Pomeroy
“The city of Nashville recently completed a study that estimates the economic impact of the music industry to be $9.7 billion annually. Take a bow, Nashville musicians — you deserve it!”
A revelation for me over the past few years has been how much being a union officer and advocate for musicians is just like being in a band or orchestra, where individuals come together for a common purpose greater than the sum of the parts. Collaboration and communication make music come to life, and also provide the key to building a successful organization. It is gratifying to know that the positive changes we have made at Local 257 over the past four and half years have helped point the way towards a stronger, more responsive international union of which AFM members can be proud. I just returned from twelve days in Las Vegas for the 99th Convention of the American Federation of Musicians. It’s hard to believe, but three years have passed since the last convention when our AFM leadership team, led by Ray Hair, was elected and set out to bring our union out of the past and into the future. I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish together by working as a team to fix problems, resolve differences, and turn the red ink into black. Simply put, we’re a band, and each one of us has an important role to play. I must say the atmosphere at this convention was like no other I have attended. It was a very positive and uplifting experience that made me feel that the last five years of hard work was worth it. We are one union again at last. 6 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
At the conclusion of the convention, our entire administration was re-elected, apparently for the first time in AFM history, in an amazing vote of confidence from the delegates. We still have lots of work to do, and we are fully committed to taking the AFM to a new level that will benefit every member. You have my word that what I do as an AFM International Officer will always enhance, and not detract, from my ability to represent the interests of Nashville musicians. Thanks to all of you for your faith in me — it means a lot. This issue’s cover story profiles four rank and file Local 257 members who have appeared on the Nashville TV show, which has employed hundreds of musicians in many different capacities. We are continuing to gain new members from the many musicians who work on the show. As word spreads among nonunion Nashville musicians that we work hard to help musicians, our membership continues to grow. Many thanks to all of you who have brought new members into the fold — this is the key to a successful future for all of us. Nashville is still a small town at heart and a true community in a way that few other entertainment centers are. We are known world-wide for our music as well as being friendly, and Local 257 has a talent pool of amazing musicians that I will put up against any other city in the world. It’s no wonder so many people from other music centers and from all around the globe move here. The city of Nashville recently completed a study that estimates the economic impact of the music industry to be $9.7 billion annually. Take a bow, Nashville musicians — you deserve it!
This is not to say there are not still problems we have to deal with. There are always people who will try to take advantage of musicians, and it is our job to help protect your rights and give you a strong collective voice. Now more than ever, it’s important for all of us to work together on a local, national, and international level to promote respect for the work we do and the intellectual property we create. The well-publicized financial crisis of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, home of the Nashville Symphony, has finally been resolved after much drama, but a building, no matter how beautiful, is just a shell without musicians to bring it to life. The incorrect perception that all is now well with the NSO since the building was “saved” ignores the fact that the musicians’ current contract expired July 31 of this year. As of this writing we are deep into negotiations, and are doing all we can to ensure that NSO musicians are treated with the respect they deserve and are not expected to bear the brunt of financial problems they had no part in creating. Finally, I would like to say a few words about a great man and friend to countless Nashville musicians who recently passed away at age of 90 – Jim Fogelsong. He started out as a singer and recording artist, and became a pioneering record executive who was responsible for signing many of the greatest artists in Music City history. He was a good man with a big heart and great ears, and was always very supportive of union musicians. I hope that the future of our industry and our community will always reflect the legacy of people like Jim, who helped turn Nashville into Music City with his vision, compassion and soul. TNM
New Grooves By Craig Krampf
“We can’t stress enough the importance of your named beneficiary being correct.” Funeral Benefit Fund card is also the official beneficiary for this policy. If an accident is the official cause of death, we will fill out the necessary paperwork to obtain this payout for your beneficiary. If you suffered dismemberment through an accident, please notify the office and we will begin the necessary steps for you to obtain the payout.
The Funeral Benefit Fund Greetings, brother and sister musicians. I am writing this column a few days after the AFM National Convention. This 99th meeting of AFM leadership, delegates and members was a productive, unified, and moving display of creative forward thinking that addressed the challenges of the AFM and the ever-changing music industry. (Please see more convention coverage at the bottom of my column, Dave Pomeroy’s column and on pages eight and nine. We receive many calls and emails inquiring about some of the benefits that are available through your Local 257 and AFM membership. A short recap:
Emergency Relief Fund The ERF was established many years ago in order to help members who are in need of financial assistance, usually for medical reasons. The more information the applicant can provide the special committee, the better. Up to $2,500 is available through this special fund. We have had more applicants than usual this last year and the fund is running very low. We are asking for contributions to help your brother and sister musicians. Any amount that you can give will be greatly appreciated! We will also have an event from 4 to 7 p.m. at the local Oct. 30 to celebrate our 111th anniversary and to benefit the ERF. Please try to attend.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefit Just by being a Local 257 member you also have a $2,500 accidental death & dismemberment benefit through American Income Life. You don’t have to do anything else. The beneficiary named on your
In looking through some rather historic documents, our local, almost from its official affiliation with the AFM on December 2, 1902, had a funeral benefit. In the early 1900s, members were asked to contribute $1.00 for the deceased’s family. As membership expanded and time passed through the last century, the Funeral Benefit Fund in its present form came into existence. Currently, the payouts range from $1,250 to $8,000, according to the length of continuous membership. By law, we have to pay the named beneficiary who is on file here at the local. We can’t stress enough the importance of your named beneficiary being correct. Please take the time to call or email and check your beneficiary information.
Sound HealthCare We established a relationship with Sound Healthcare in 2009. It has been a great benefit for our members to have access to affordable health insurance. On March 23, 2010, The Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) was passed into law. The final six provisions of the law go into effect January 1, 2014. R.J. Stillwell, the Executive Director of Sound Healthcare, is urging musicians to look into getting affordable health coverage today that satisfies the requirements of healthcare reform and be grandfathered in for 2014 with lower premiums. Sound Healthcare is available to answer all of your questions regarding healthcare reform, and be your advocate to find the optimal solution for you. You can speak to your healthcare advocate through Nashville Musicians Association. (615) 256-8667 or info@ soundhealthcare.org
Sound Healthcare also offers Local 257 members access to affordable Life, Dental, Vision, Long Term Care and other important protections.
More Benefits • Free, well-equipped rehearsal hall. • Nashville Symphony 10 percent discount code: AFM • TPAC: tpac.org/corporatesaver Code: LOCAL257 • Discounted insurance: home, auto and more through Liberty Mutual. Cory Dingman at (615) 463-5990 ext. 59949 or email Cory.Dingman@libertymutual.com • Lester Petrillo Memorial Fund for Disabled Members available through the AFM: For applications please contact Anita or Craig. • Instrument insurance and more: Marsh Affinity Group: Please visit afm.org • Union Plus, AT&T discount and more: Visit afm.org
Epilogue I was so proud and moved by all the AFM locals, conferences and individuals who donated more than $70,000 to help our locked-out brother and sister musicians of Minneapolis/St. Paul Minn., and their local. It was a most heartfelt outpouring and demonstrated unionism at its finest. I am proud of Dave and his reelection to the IEB, and of our delegation: Laura Ross, who served on the Good & Welfare Committee, Recording Musicians Association Nashville President Bruce Bouton, and Tom Wild who served on the Organizing Committee. I was proud to represent Local 257, Nashville and our incredible musicians as an officer, delegate, and as a member of the Finance and Public Relations Committees. After this convention it hit me again: We have something so very special here in Nashville. It should be honored, preserved and never taken for granted. We are truly Music City. We all should be proud to be professional Nashville union musicians. TNM
July–september 2013 7
news
99th AFM
Convention For what may be the first time in the 117-year history of the American Federation of Musicians, an entire administration was overwhelmingly re-elected. AFM International Officers President Ray Hair, Vice-President Bruce Fife, Secretary-Treasurer Sam Folio and VicePresident of Canada Alan Wileart all were elected by acclamation, as they faced no opposition. Every International Executive Board member was also re-elected, in a powerful vote of confidence for the incumbent ticket, which ran as the “Team Unity slate” along with Hair, Fife, Folio and Willaert. The re-elected IEB officers are Dave Pomeroy, Tino Gagliardi, Vince Trombetta, Tina Morrison and Joseph Parente. The 99th AFM Convention was held July 22 – 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Delegates conducted committee meetings, discussed resolutions and were entertained by music performed by members from across the federation, all booked through the AFM’s new booking agency, AFM Entertainment. Delegates discussed and approved a financial package designed to fully 8 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
fund the federation’s future operations. The estimated revenue generated will be $1.2 million a year for three years. In answer to a request from the joint Law and Finance committees to explain
what would be done with the additional revenue, the entire administration gave a presentation to explain the financial plan going forward to delegates. It was the first time in decades that a financial package including a $10 per capita dues increase, was overwhelmingly passed on the first ballot. In addition, a presentation by Tim Zavadil of the Minnesota Symphony, detailing the horrific treatment of musicians by symphony management during the 10-month lockout that is still ongoing, was met with a spontaneous fundraising drive on the floor of the convention. In less than two hours, locals, player conferences, individual members, federation staff, and even the union cameramen streaming the event live contributed more than $70,000. The money will go directly to Minneapolis Local 30-73 to help replenish funds lost through lack of work dues and legal costs caused by the combined lockouts of both orchestras. Pomeroy commented on the spirit and feel of the convention: “In my 35 years as an AFM member, activist, and officer, there has never been a convention like this one. Free of the infighting of the past decade, and bolstered by the
New Orleans Local 174-496 President Deacon John performs with members of his band The Ivories at the 99th AFM Convention Opening Gala. Other performers included the North Texas State faculty jazz band and the Queby Sisters.
news positive results of the efforts of the current administration, led by President Ray Hair, there was a palpable sense of real solidarity and mutual respect, and the delegates came together as one, to act in the best interests of the federation. Those who have been attending AFM conventions for 40 years or more were stunned by the swift approval of the financial package and re-election of the entire administration. The AFM leaves this convention with renewed energy, a clear direction and sense of purpose, and with the resources to organize, increase its membership and look to the future with optimism and hope. It was an absolutely TNM amazing experience!”
Local 257 President and IEB member Dave Pomeroy visits with the Local 257 delegates to the 99th AFM Convention, (L-R) Tom Wild, Laura Ross, Craig Krampf, and Bruce Bouton.
Eddie Stubbs
30th Radio anniversary “I was truly blessed by every participant of the evening,” Stubbs said. “Aside from their status in the industry, those talents were delivered by some of my
Eddie Stubbs & Ray Price
This year marked Eddie Stubbs’ 30th radio anniversary, and the legendary Radio Hall of Famer was celebrated by WSM at the Country Music Hall of Fame with an evening packed with stars and music. The event was hosted by WSM morning man Bill Cody, and featured performances and speeches from a host of artists including Bill Anderson, Ray Price, Dailey & Vincent, Gene Watson, Riders In The Sky, Shawn Camp, Duane and Norah Lee Allen, Ricky Skaggs and Del McCoury. Messages and letters were also presented
personal favorites in the business.” from long-time friends Steve Wariner, Marty Stuart and Merle Haggard. The festivities also included a proclamation from Governor Bill Haslam presented by Hank Adam Locklin deeming Jan. 14 a day of recognition for Stubbs. “I was truly blessed by every participant of the evening,” Stubbs said. “Aside from their status in the industry, those talents were delivered by some of my personal favorites in the business.” Stubbs began his radio career in 1983 at WYII in Williamsport, Md., and
moved the following year to WAMU in Washington, D.C., where his programs were heard until 2007. His WSM career began in 1995 when he began doing research and on-air work, and also first became a Grand Ole Opry announcer. He began the 7 p.m. to midnight shift in 1996, and now holds the record for the longest consecutively tenured host for that time slot since WSM began. Stubbs was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. TNM July–september 2013 9
recording
Joint venture agreement protection for self-contained bands
Steve Tveit
The joint venture agreement was specifically created and designed to protect selfcontained bands that own and sell their own product online or at shows. A band can define and agree to each member’s percentage of ownership without having to consult legal representation. This adds a layer of protection if the project gets picked up by a label or if a dispute arises between band members down the road. Helpful Hint: Carry some time cards in your instrument case for times when the studio or producer doesn't have any. The time card is the first step in creating a paper trail to ensure you are paid properly and will be covered for any additional uses.
RMA Corner will return next quarter. 10 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
This agreement also exempts the band from the normal SRLA scale, Health & Welfare and Pension payments once the following requirements are met: 1. AFM members on the recording date are self-producing or collaborating in a self-production, not providing a service for hire and are in creative control over the material and recording process. 2. There is no employer. 3. The purpose of the recording is to produce a demo to secure or obtain work for live performing and/or the recording is to produce a product for sale where the proceeds exclusively benefit the band members. If the band uses other musicians on the recording who are not part of the joint venture agreement, the band will be considered the employer in this case and will be required to abide by AFM recording standards and regulations. For example, the outside musicians could be paid under the AFM Single Song Overdub Agreement or the Limited Pressing Agreement. The Joint Venture form only takes a few minutes to fill out. Information required includes where and when the recording was made along with song titles and song length. The leader and each musician in the group will need to provide contact information and provide the percentage of ownership they each have. The local AFM officer will provide the local’s address and contact information and then sign the top portion of the agreement. It is important to note that in the event the master recording is sold, leased or in any other manner made available for distribution by any other party, the appropriate AFM Signatory Agreement must be executed and the proper report forms must be filed along with the appropriate payments to all TNM the contributing musicians.
For more information please contact or come by the AFM Local 257 Recording Department and talk to Steve Tveit. Or, if you have questions you can call Steve at (615) 244-9514 or email steve@afm257.org
Heard on the Grapevine Wayne Moss and Tim O’brien Inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Two Nashville Musicians Association members will be inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame this November. Wayne Moss and Tim O’Brien, both natives of the state, will join Melvin and Ray Goins, and Peter Marshall for the ceremony in Charleston. The award will also be presented posthumously to Ada “Bricktop” Smith, Eleanor Steber, and the Swan Silvertones. Moss was born in Charleston, W. Va., in 1938. The guitarist, bass player and songwriter has had a career that spans decades of work with hundreds of country and rock artists, including Simon & Garfunkel, Nancy Sinatra, Charlie Daniels, Joan Baez and Michael Nesmith. Moss played the signature guitar line on Roy Orbison’s No. 1 hit “Pretty Woman” and also the guitar lick on “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line.” O’Brien, a multi-instrumentalist recording artist and songwriter, was born in 1954 in Wheeling, W. Va. The Grammy winner has had songs recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, Kathy Mattea and the Seldom Scene. He’s also collaborated with Steve Martin, Chieftains and many others, and has performed with Mark Knopfler’s band.
Swingin’ for Duffy Jeff Steinberg conducts the Duffy Jackson Big Band in front of a packed house for a benefit concert June 30 at 3rd and Lindsley. The event raised funds to help Jackson, who recently underwent hip replacement surgery, with his medical expenses. Sandra Dudley, Chester Thompson Sextet and the Time Jumpers were also on the bill.
Heard on the Grapevine
Earl Scruggs Banjo on Display Earl Scruggs’ primary instrument, a Gibson RB-Granada Mastertone banjo, has become part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Precious Jewels” display. The banjo has never before been exhibited. The Granada was acquired by Scruggs in a trade with Don Reno in the late ‘40s, and he used it on the 1949 recording of his composition “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” The song is a showcase of Scruggs’ legendary skill, and he is considered to have transformed the banjo with his revolutionary approach to playing. Scruggs, a Grammy-winning member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, continued to use the Granada in the studio and on the road for the rest of his life. Scruggs’ banjo joins other instruments in the collection that built the foundation of American music which included Lester Flatt’s Martin D-28 guitar, Mother Maybelle Carter’s Gibson L-5 guitar, Bill Monroe’s Gibson F-5 mandolin, Hank Williams’ Martin D-28 guitar and Jimmie Rogers’ Martin 00-18 guitar. Another significant instrument — his father’s open back 5-string banjo on which he learned to play at the age of four — will be exhibited in the new Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, N.C., scheduled to open in late 2013.
judy Roberts honored Nashville Musicians Association life member Judy Roberts was recently recognized for her 45 years of service to Sony/ATV with an award presented to her by Sony/ ATV Music Publishing President Troy Tomlinson. Roberts was a Senior Copyright Analyst/Historian at the company. She was also given the Source Foundation Award in 2005, which honors women who have made vital contributions to TNM Nashville’s music business. July–september 2013 11
Kyle Whalum
Matt Combs Chuck Tilley
Kenzie Wetz
12 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
by Warren Denney
“I cast the bands in the studio where we do the recordings and produce the tracks, but not on camera,” Miller said. “Although, we have chimed in every now and then. But everything is a pre-record. On camera they’re playing along with what we did in the studio the week before. And they’ve learned the parts — everybody that’s on camera is a great player. It’s a town full of great players.” When television viewers tune in to the second season of ABC Network’s hit show Nashville in late September, they will reacquaint themselves with star characters Rayna Jaymes, Juliette Barnes, Deacon Claybourne — and the city of Nashville itself. Shot on location, the primetime series explores the fictitious lives of superstars, industry insiders, and those musicians who have come here to dream big. In reality, Nashville has always been a place where people flock to follow those dreams, and with them, the city gathers and grows stronger. And, the success of the show confirms the fact for a greater American audience. As the storied birthplace of thousands of hit songs
— primarily in country, but in R&B, and rock & roll, as well — Nashville has always been hot. It’s been a steady burn, really. Musicians, labels, and publishers have banked on it for over one hundred years, and today, the city is white-hot. It is a great salt lick, a place where the dreaming intersects with living, and many are discovering its vital place in American culture. Or, as Jaymes’ father Lamar Wyatt, the ruthless businessman played by actor Powers Boothe, puts it in the show — “This isn’t a backwater hamlet, this is an industrial and cultural juggernaut!” For fans, the performing characters illuminate a life that many in the city already know. People from all corners of the country — the
world — stream here every day to write, to perform, to record, to live. And, they come here because the city sits at the nexus of that work and those dreams, one of the few places where life and art can be the same. “It’s an amazing place, unlike anywhere else on the planet,” the show’s executive music producer, and Nashville stalwart, Buddy Miller said recently. “It’s where songwriters and musicians come — I believe, more than any place else in the world.” On camera, the stars are backed by hot players who come from all walks of life. They represent the faces of the town’s working musicians, and they are played by real, flesh and continued on page 14 blood Nashville cats. July–september 2013 13
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Matt Combs Fiddle player Matt Combs moved here in 1997 after graduating from the University of Michigan, and has played on the Grand Ole Opry for 12 years with Mike Snider, and teaches at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music. A versatile string player, Combs excels on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and old-time banjo, and has worked with some of the top names in country and bluegrass, including John Hartford, Jerry Douglas, Ray Price, Jimmy Martin, Marty Stuart, Doc Watson, Patty Loveless, and many others. On the show, Combs is in Juliette Barnes’ (played by actress Hayden Panettiere) band, where he might be seen playing fiddle, or other parts as needed. “It might not always be the fiddle part — on some songs they might need me to play the electric guitar, or the mandolin,” Combs said recently from Colorado, where he was preparing for a gig with The Nashville Bluegrass Band. “Also, I’ve been hired to do some coaching. I’ve been giving Clare Bowen [the character Scarlett O’Connor] banjo lessons, and I’ve given help to some of the other actors on using their instruments — the ones who are actors first, and musicians second, if at all. They have to look natural with their instruments.” Yes, they must look natural with the instruments. Here is the piece of the puzzle many Nashville viewers may not realize: the players they see on camera are not the players they are hearing on the soundtrack. Like a music video, there is the shoot, and there is the production of the studio soundtrack — two separate things. And, in this case, Miller is producing the tracks in advance of the
“Also, I’ve been hired to do some coaching. I’ve been giving Clare Bowen [the character Scarlett O’Connor] banjo lessons, and I’ve given help to some of the other actors on using their instruments — the ones who are actors first, and musicians second, if at all. They have to look natural with their instruments.” —Matt 14 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
shooting of each episode, using his own cast of Nashville players, and those seen on camera — though hot players in their own right — are mimicking the parts. “I cast the bands in the studio where we do the recordings and produce the tracks, but not on camera,” Miller said. “Although, we have chimed in every now and then. But everything is a prerecord. On camera they’re playing along with what we did in the studio the week before. And they’ve learned the parts — everybody that’s on camera is a great
player. It’s a town full of great players.” It’s an interesting note. The thing that sets Nashville apart from so many primetime network television dramas, is the music and its authenticity. And because this is Nashville, after all, no one can truly pretend to play. The on-camera players chart the songs note for note, and often play their own versions in rehearsals. Anything that appears out of place will not fly, especially here. To that end, the producers have shown an obsessive attention to detail throughout the show.
Chuck Tilley Veteran drummer Chuck Tilley, who has been in Nashville since 1987, brings experience to the table. Tilley has played with Lee Greenwood, Dolly Parton, and Al Jarreau, among many others, and as a member of the band Sixwire, formed the core rhythm section for the reality show Nashville Star, and the house band for CMT’s Can You Duet. Also, as Sixwire, they finished runner-up on Fox Network’s Next Great American Band. He’s been around when the cameras roll. Tilley appears as a member of Ray-
“They [the directors] would stop a shot and ask us if Martina or Faith Hill would do this,” Tilley said. “We’ve all played with them, and they want to know the real way of doing things. We’ve played with Faith and Dolly, and Olivia Newton John, and a lot of female superstars. na Jaymes’ (played by actress and executive producer Connie Britton) band, and appreciates that attention to detail. “They [the directors] would stop a shot and ask us if Martina or Faith Hill would do this,” Tilley said. “We’ve all played with them, and they want to know the real way of doing things. We’ve played with Faith and Dolly, and Olivia Newton John, and a lot of female superstars. “In the pilot, Rayna was having trouble with her ear molds and winds up ripping them out of her ears and throwing them down. We [the band] questioned why there were monitor speakers on the stage — you wouldn’t have monitors all over the stage if we’re all in ears. It’s just the little details — they really want to get it right and that’s really cool. “Before we even shot a scene the band met with Chip Esten [the character Deacon Claybourne] and we sat down in a big circle with Connie, and we talked about touring and all the details and how you would do things. Like, ‘Dolly does it like this,’ and someone else would say ‘we do it like this,’ and they would ask us how to do it [on the show]. They’re all pros, and there’s a reason why people want to work with Dolly. For instance, there’s no diva crap with Dolly — if there’s a 4 p.m. sound check with her, you better be there at five minutes ‘til because it’s going to be a real military operation. She’s on time, and you better bring your A-game at four p.m.” Jaymes is Nashville’s most sympathetic character. She’s over 40, and has been at the very top of the game. Her label is losing faith, and her rival, Juliette Barnes, is doing everything she can to bring her down. Jaymes is in a fight for her creative life.
“I think it [the attention to detail] shows in the show,” Tilley said. “Connie and Chip took it in — she incorporated that knowledge into who Rayna is. Rayna is a combination of many different stars. She’s probably seen most of her hits, but she’s still got game. And she’s gonna bring that game every time. I think she took our knowledge base and brought it into the character very well. They wanted to hear about our first-hand experiences.” Perhaps the show works because of the respect that has been given to the scene here. And there is another good reason: executive producer Callie Khouri, the Oscar-winning writer of the hit movie Thelma and Louise, and a former Nashville resident, is the driving force behind Nashville. She is married to T Bone Burnett, who was the show’s music producer in the first season, working closely with Miller. “She contacted me to work on the music for the pilot,” Miller said. “I did more of the acoustic tracks — a Civil Wars song ‘If I Didn’t Know Better,’ and other things. She’s [Khouri] very hip to the scene — she’s lived here, she knows all about what goes on here, and knows artists and knows how records are made. She knows what goes on on the road, and brings a lot of experience to the table. She’s wonderful.” The show definitely exposes viewers to the broader definition of Nashville — one in which stereotypes and rigid genres are often left behind. Rockers and cowboy hats mix it up every night. There’s something a little funky underneath it all, and the producers don’t shy away from cultural issues.
Kyle Whalum Bassist Kyle Whalum, who tours with Billy Currington, and who appears oncamera in Juliette Barnes’ band, moved to Nashville from Los Angeles as a kid. His father, noted saxophone player Kirk Whalum, took a label job here in the mid-1990s and the younger Whalum had a tough time with the transition. “I got bored, and that’s when I started listening to Jimi Hendrix,” Kyle said, laugh-
ing. “But, I was blown away. You know growing up a black kid in the suburbs, skateboarding and things — I felt a little bit out of place. Then, when I listened to Hendrix, I was just blown away that this black dude was the most famous rock star of all time. It definitely gave me a lot of fuel.” In turn, that fuel gave Whalum the searing drive to play, and ultimately, to take advantage of the scene here. By the time he was out of high school, he was playing gigs and had enrolled at Belmont. “I was always a rock guy, and I got
into some of the heavier stuff like Korn, Rage Against The Machine, and Tool — things like that,” Whalum said. “ But, as I got older I really got into jazz – I read Jaco’s [Pastorius] biography, and tried to learn everything I could about him, and was really heavily influenced by him. I went to Belmont and I slowly started to bleed back to more of a kind of jam influence, and started playing a lot of hip-hop, and some other things.” The path that led him to the sets on Nashville, and to hitting the road with Currington, has not always been the straightest. He always knew there was something here — chasing the same
“I think they [the producers] do a great job at capturing what it’s like — little things you might not even notice. I did a shoot and I show up, and Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is sitting at the table with me. Lots of cool things like that – people that are part of scene here in Nashville make it onto the show. It has that authenticity.”
dreams as the characters in the show — and that he could find his musical way. “It’s funny,” Whalum said. “I really struggled against the country thing for a long time. It’s a weird thing, because I always really loved country music growing up. My dad used to play a lot of the old classic stuff. But, I was a rocker, and so friends in L.A. were always telling me to move out there. I probably could have, but I always felt like Nashville had something special for me. “I always felt compelled to stay here — not only did I love living here, but I always felt there was something peculiar going on with me and country, and I wanted to see what would happen. It’s turned out to be really cool for me.” The show has been an added benefit of his staying here. “We take the process [of shooting] very seriously,” he said. “Our parts. I know there is this thread of authenticity running through the show, and it’s filmed here, and the players are actual players, the actors are players. And, so we take it really seriously. We know there’s gonna be close-ups on hands. Sometimes, like with Deacon [Esten], we’ll just shut the music off and play the songs a couple of times to get it tight. “I think they [the producers] do a great job at capturing what it’s like — little things you might not even notice. I did a shoot and I show up, and Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is sitting at the table with me. Lots of cool things like that – people that are part of scene here in Nashville make it onto the show. It has that authenticity.” The actors are players — some of them very good, such as Jonathan Jackson who plays Avery Barkley, the hipster who always seems to get his gigs at the 5 Spot in East Nashville, and Deacon Claybourne, played by Esten. Each of the leading characters does their own vocals. “Jonathan Jackson is a really good guitar player,” Combs said, and he should know. “And Chip Esten, who plays Deacon, he’s been a musician — a singer and guitar player for years. I think it’s been a lifelong passion of his. continued on page 16 July–september 2013 15
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And, Clare Bowen has written songs.” In fact, drummer Tilley and Esten have struck up a musical relationship outside the confines of the show. “We’re roughly the same age, and for the past year he’s [Esten] been doing some gigs around, and always writing and recording. When he started booking big gigs, we [bandmates Andy Childs and Steve Mandile from Sixwire] were his band. He could be out there doing it full time if he wanted to. He’s the real deal.” Of course, it always comes down to taking a chance — whether you’re an actor playing a musician, or a musician trying to get a gig. Combs came here on his own dream. “I really didn’t know about Nashville when I was in school,” he said. “I was fairly ignorant to what was going on here. I didn’t listen to mainstream country music, but I eventually got turned on to people like Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Bela Fleck. It was that style of music that caught my ear, and then I found out that Nashville was where they all lived. “I wanted to go where these guys were, and once I moved here, I started to get into the more historical aspects of the music — like, specifically Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs. I got to be close friends with John Hartford, and he really opened up my ears to the world of old-time fiddle music. “I literally knew no one in town when I first arrived, though. I did join the union when I moved here. [Legendary drummer] Buddy Harman gave us our talk. I looked into the offices, and Mac Wiseman was sitting at a desk. I thought ‘Holy cow! – that’s Mac Wiseman.’ He was someone I really looked up to for his own work, and his work with Flatt & Scruggs, and others, and to see him there in the office made a real impression on me. I thought ‘what’s going on here – this town is crazy!’”
Kenzie Wetz Perhaps none of Nashville’s on-camera musicians epitomizes the theme of chasing the dream more than Kenzie Wetz, a fiddle player in Bill Anderson’s band, who came here in 2001 from Oklahoma City when she was just 17 years old. She’s the fiddle player back16 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
ing Rayna Jaymes on the show. The move to Nashville was a bold one for someone who had not yet finished high school, and whose mother had to come along to keep things in the road. Wetz did not disappoint. “I came here as a singer and to pursue that, first and foremost,” Wetz said. “I played fiddle backing other artists as well. I grew up listening to old pop music, and classic soul — Ray Charles was the bread of my musical diet. So I didn’t really grow up on anything that was fiddle oriented. She picked up that instrument after watching a woman onstage at a show in Oklahoma City, and a trip to Nashville as a young girl made a lasting impression, sealing the deal. “I came here partially due to the bliss of ignorance,” she said, laughing. “When I was nine, my dad took us here on a business trip and I fell in love with it. I went to a Ronnie Milsap concert, and I fell in love with him. Pretty much, I decided right then that I was gonna move there, and I was set on it.” Within a few months of arrival, she began playing Lower Broadway at Tootsie’s, where she played nearly a year, and was invited to audition for Anderson’s band. “I got a call for that, and pretty much just segued right into that gig,” Wetz said. “I started in 2002 and he was touring quite a bit then. It opened up a whole world to me, and a cool thing with it is getting to play with so many artists.” In other words, Wetz is living proof that the dream is here. The television show has held similar fortune for her, and she has gained a lot of respect for its production as well. “I’ve met so many people that have been on the music side of the show,” she said. “I’ve ended up working and collaborating with them. It’s such a great springboard … and it has opened so many doors, and provided so many new relationships as well. It covers different styles of music, and every kind of artist and musician is around there. It’s been great. I’ve met so many new people. “I have a lot of respect for the amount of integrity that’s been maintained on every level [of the show] — from the songs, to the people that they’re using, and what they expect out of everybody.” Miller is focused on maintaining
“I’ve met so many people that have been on the music side of the show,” she said. “I’ve ended up working and collaborating with them. It’s such a great springboard … and it has opened so many doors, and provided so many new relationships as well. It covers different styles of music, and every kind of artist and musician is around there. It’s been great. I’ve met so many new people. that integrity for the upcoming season, and maintaining the cool. He and the producers meet every week to listen to songs, place them with scripts and with characters, drawing on the very lifeblood of the city. He then lines up different producers for different characters, and hits the studio with a potent cadre of local musicians, including drummer Marco Giovino, keyboardists John Deaderick and Tim Lauer, Russ Pahl on pedal steel, Jim Hoke on keys, harmonica, and pedal steel, Sam Bush and Stuart Duncan on mandolin and fiddle, and others. Miller and Colin Linden take care of much of the guitar work as they can, and as they feel. “T Bone said early on that we can create a different reality and put out great music to people from within the show,” Miller said. “It doesn’t all have to be pop and fluff — not that there’s anything wrong with some of that — but we really are very careful in our choosing of the songs for every character. “Listening to the songs has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of the show. Listening to all the incredible songs that are written in this town. We can present these songs, and it’s been wonderful to expose people to them, and to songwriters they wouldn’t normally hear. “And, some of those songs that you think wouldn’t stand a chance on radio — on pop stations — have been huge as far as downloads are concerned. Really huge. That just tells me that people like good music. They don’t always get to hear it, but when they do, they like it.” And, therein lies the attraction of Nashville — the glimpse behind the curtain. As long as good music is made here, there’s always hope, and there will always TNM be the dream.
Gallery
Drummer Lois Hess shows off her 25 year AFM membership pin outside the Local 257 office.
Musicians of the Nashville Symphony pose on the steps of the Schermerhorn
Craig and Mayor Col Murray
Bassist and SAE music business instructor Ted Wagner poses with his 25-year pin.
Photo: Denise Fussell
sCraig Krampf poses with the mayor of Nashville’s sister city Tamworth, Austrailia.
Millie Kirkham 90th s Birthday Party! Noted session singer Millie Kirkham and bassist Henry Strzelecki hug at the birthday girl’s 90th celebration. Sonny James, Chip Young, and Bob Moore at Millie’s celebration.
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sMembers of an SAE class visit the local with their professor, member Ted Wagner. Dennis Stein
Kelly Clarkson and Trisha Yearwood at CMA Fest
sDennis Stein, AFM member since 1968, received his life member pin in July. July–september 2013 17
NAMM Summer NAMM came back to town this July, and helped inaugurate the first year of the stunning Music City Center with a three-day display of technical innovation, meaty educational seminars, and some of the most special musical events the annual show has presented. Local 257 was there with bells on, manning a booth, producing the nightly shows, and showcasing our musicians on stage and in seminars. Here are some of the moments we managed to capture.
Guitarist Sean Weaver sits in with legendary bassist Billy Cox and his Band of Gypsys Experience at NAMM's "Nashville Tribute to Jimi Hendrix."
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1. Trombonist Roland Barber and Friends performed a smokin’ set after NAMM’s Insight Panel, and the band included his brother Rahsaan Barber (L) drummer Jake Burton and 18 18 THE THE NASHVILLE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN MUSICIAN
renowned bassist Jim Ferguson. 2. Muriel Anderson introduces Jack Pearson to the crowd at her All Star Guitar Night concert at NAMM 3. Steve Wariner hosted NAMM’s Top 100 Deal-
ers awards show, and performed with a hot band including Pat Bergeson, Will Barrow, Rick Lonow, Dave Pomeroy, Steve Herrman, Evan Cobb, and Oscar Utterstrom.
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1. Rick Vito on his Rick Vito signature model guitar at the Reverend Guitars booth. 2. “So You Want To Be A Session Player” seminar for NAMM was a big hit. (L-R) Steven Sheehan, Chris Leuzinger, Craig Krampf, Janis Oliver, Dave Pomeroy, and Tony Harrell
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show a packed room how it’s done. 3. Al Perkins wailin’ away on lap steel at the Risson Tube Amplifiers booth. 4. Guitarist Willam “Tiger” Fitzhugh visits the AES booth after spending some time at the Local 257 booth next door.
5. Guitarist Jeff King (R) jams with a Stonebridge acoustic guitar rep. 6. Roy Vogt lays down some funky bottom at the Lakland Basses booth. TNM
July–september 2013 2013 19 19 July–september
CD Reviews
Vince Gill and Paul Franklin
reviews
Bakersfield MCA Nashville
This record captures the sound of two virtuosos at the top of their game in a magnificent tribute to that iconic epicenter of country music: Bakersfield, California. The album’s 10 cuts alternate between songs made famous by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and Vince Gill and Paul Franklin rise to the occasion throughout in one of the most authentically country releases in recent memory. Gill and Franklin have been friends and musical collaborators for many years; they both started their musical journeys with a love and respect for traditional country music, and are currently band mates in the Time Jumpers. Beautifully conceived and masterfully executed, Bakersfield also honors the great instrumentalists who contributed to those records, including James Burton, Tom Brumley, Roy Nichols, and Ralph Mooney. Avoiding the trap of mere imitation, every song has been given a twist or two while staying true to the spirit of the original recordings. The opening track, “Foolin’ Around,” features Franklin’s hardcore country intro and Gill’s vocal uncannily channeling the ghost of Buck Owens. This immediately lets the listener know there is nothing watered down about the project. The album was recorded in just two days with a stellar core band of drummer Greg Morrow, bassist Willie Weeks,, electric rhythm guitarist J.T. Corenflos, and keyboardist John Hobbs. Gill plays acoustic rhythm guitar and all the electric and acoustic guitar fills and solos, and once again demonstrates what a flexible and soulful musician he is, as well as being one of the greatest country singers of all time. Time Jumper Kenny Sears sits in on fiddle for “Foolin’ Around” and “Nobody’s Fool But Yours,” and fellow Jumpers Larry Franklin and Joe Spivey play twin fiddles on Owens’ “But I Do.” Brad Albin, the newest member of the Time Jumpers, plays upright bass on two songs as well. The band is sensitive and supportive on every cut, but the heart and soul of the album is clearly the dialogue between Gill’s voice and guitar and Franklin’s liquid steel. The relaxed vibe of friends playing music they love in a room together is obvious, and sonically, it is right on the money as well. The album feels like a greatest hits collection, and even the less obvious song choices sound like classics. On the Buck Owens tunes, Gill sings high harmony with himself, as Owens did on many of his records. “Together Again” features an acrobatic, emotional solo by Franklin, and Gill sings it with a conviction that is undeniable. “He Don’t Deserve You Anymore” is a slow to mid-tempo shuffle played in a totally authentic feel with relaxed, twangy vocals by Gill. Franklin’s grandly sweeping solo evokes the spirit of decades’ worth of the greats of the instrument. By the end of the album, one gets the impression that Franklin has somehow assimilated every known steel guitar style known to man. 20 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
“I Can’t Be Myself,” a lesser-known Haggard tune is an emotional performance by all concerned, and Gill not only hits some beautiful near-yodel high notes, he also plays Grady Martin-inspired acoustic guitar fills that perfectly complement his yearning vocal. “Holding Things Together” is a simply heartbreaking song, and Gill’s vocal has just the right amount of sad frustration. Longtime vocal foil and fellow Time Jumper, Dawn Sears, adds a sweet harmony part that blends perfectly. The long instrumental playout is pure country gold, with Gill’s bends and trills backed perfectly by Franklin’s chiming steel and low tremolo electric guitar notes courtesy of Corenflos. Haggard standards “Branded Man” and “The Bottle Let Me Down” are both given straightforward treatments, with Gill’s chicken-picking guitar and supple voice leading the way. Franklin’s solo on the former captures the spirit of the Bakersfield sound, and the steel/electric guitar intro on the latter is classic country at its best. The laid-back tempo of “Bottle” is at first unexpected, but on repeated listenings, feels just right and gives Vince plenty of room to twist and turn his way through the irony of the lyric. It is refreshing to hear songs that have been done halfheartedly so many times by cover bands have new life put into them by masters like these. Gill and Franklin have never sounded more relaxed and effortless, yet there is an emotional urgency throughout this record that is impossible to ignore. Bakersfield is highly recommended for country fans of all ages, and kudos to Vince Gill and Paul Franklin for creating such a timeless project at a time when real country music is getting harder to find. This is as real as it gets, folks. —Roy Montana
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The Nashville Musician Reviews
Brad Paisley Wheelhouse Arista On his tenth album Brad Paisley breaks some very new ground, though not in the ways we’ve come to expect. Wheelhouse features all the hallmarks of any Paisley recording — genuinely funny humorous songs, lots of smoking guitar work, and his particular All-American-Boy kind of appeal — yet the acquisition of his own studio seems to have lifted him to a whole new level of creative freedom as a producer. A spirit of adventure runs through this album like no other majorlabel country record to date; Paisley borrows liberally from the production playbook of pop and hip-hop, yet puts his own stamp on everything. “Outstanding In Our Field” offers an excellent example of this envelopepushing restlessness. The song opens with a sample of the late Roger Miller’s guitar/ vocal scat from his classic “Dang Me,” supported by a thumping drum loop and some grungy low-note guitar riffing from Paisley and special guest Hunter Hayes. The loop remains once the drums enter, and the Miller sample recurs several times throughout the track; Dierks Bentley also makes a guest appearance on vocals. A few of the songs feature spokenword raps, with varying degrees of success. Mat Kearney’s in “Pressing On A Bruise” is almost too understated to be considered a genuine rap. However, this cannot be said of “Karate,” which spotlights the irrepressible Charlie Daniels; his account of the fateful confrontation between a battered wife who’s finally had enough and the hapless husband who has no idea she’s been studying martial arts might be worth the price of admission all by itself. Eric Idle makes a brief appearance in “Death Of A Married Man,” which segues perfectly into the hilarious “Harvey Bodine.” The latter tells the story of an unhappily married schlub who dies of a heart attack and is resuscitated shortly after: “But those five minutes were heaven / A peace unlike he’d ever known.” After
pondering the matter, he arrives at a novel solution to his problem that turns on a highly technical interpretation of his wedding vows. With its light swing groove, “Death Of A Single Man” also reveals the trademark Paisley wit, couching its description of courtship and marriage in terms more appropriate to a funeral: “Remember when we got the news confirming our worst fears? / I said he wouldn’t make it six months, and others gave him a year.” The best lines in this track have to be these: “So many flowers, he was so loved prior to the bride / As a matter of fact, the maid of honor should be disqualified.” For the guitar solo the band shifts into a raucous double-time before returning just in time for the final verse and chorus. Despite its provocative title, “Those Crazy Christians” is actually a thoughtful meditation on the many ways—some inspiring, others puzzling—in which religious faith gets lived out by believers. Both “The Mona Lisa” and “I Can’t Change The World” have great hit potential; either would make a strong single release to follow “Southern Comfort Zone” and “Beat This Summer,” both of which have already gone to Number One. A full decade after Music Row sold out the Dixie Chicks, it’s still rare for a mainstream country song or artist to generate outright controversy, but Paisley did just that with “Accidental Racist.” For several weeks this spring it was the song everyone wanted to talk about. Whatever one thinks of the song itself, “Accidental Racist” started a conversation about race that needs to be ongoing in country music circles. In contemporary Nashville fashion, nearly every track on Wheelhouse is the work of two or three writers. The one exception is “Officially Alive,” which comes from Paisley’s pen alone. Not surprisingly, it’s the most emotionally direct lyric on the album, and the ideal closer: “Suddenly standing there in scrubs / Love has found new flesh and blood / It’s a feeling you weren’t ready for / When you’re looking in eyes that look like yours / Congratulations, you are officially alive.” Co-writing has
served Paisley well throughout his career, but it would be great to hear more songs like this one in the future, coming as it does from his own unique perspective. –Kent Burnside
Jerry Krahn Jerry Krahn Pick Song On his fifth album as a leader, Nashville guitarist Jerry Krahn fronts a top-flight quartet featuring Catherine StyronMarx on piano, Ike Harris on bass and Walter Hartman on drums. The eleven tracks include one Krahn original as well as creative interpretations of several country and pop classics, a jazz standard, and “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” In spite of the tight arrangements the entire album was recorded in just one day, a real testament to the creative skills of the players. Throughout this recording Krahn plays only acoustic archtop guitar; kudos to engineer David Martin for achieving such a warm and balanced sound from an instrument known primarily for its bright, cutting tone. For the most part the emphasis here is on strong swing grooves. Krahn’s own “Sesame Beat” is a standout, featuring a surprisingly lengthy drum break between the guitar and piano solos. In “Sweet Georgia Brown” the guitarist flies off the starting line with an inspired single-chorus solo followed by a chorus spent trading fours with Hartman. Styron-Marx responds with a solo marked by some creatively effective dissonance, followed by the final melodic statement. Quite a lot of great playing in just over three minutes. “Your Cheating Heart” opens with Krahn alone, stating both melody and harmony, before the band enters at the bridge. This one cooks at a lower flame than “Sweet Georgia Brown,” and during the piano solo he even plays
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The Nashville Musician Reviews continued from page 21
a bit of slide guitar, a technique not typically associated with jazz guitar. For “Corrine, Corrina” Hartman lays down a relaxed Latin groove, allowing Styron-Marx to throw down a funky New Orleans-style solo. Harris solos before Krahn returns with more slide, which really works in this setting. Leon Russell’s “A Song For You” is something of a modern standard. Krahn plays a beautiful rubato opening alone before setting up the band’s midtempo swing entrance, then comps Freddie Green-style as Styron-Marx solos. The band takes a full chorus of “Undecided” before returning to state the melody on guitar, then modulating for the solos — piano, followed by guitar and drums trading fours, then bass. The tempo chosen for “Crazy” is only slightly faster than the classic Patsy Cline version, but Harris’s walking bass and Hartman’s drumming take the song to a whole new place. “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” is taken at a brisk tempo, to great effect. Styron-Marx solos first, followed by Krahn and then Hartman. Harris opens “San Antonio Rose” before the band comes in swinging; Krahn plays the main melody in single-note lines, switching to some lovely block chords for the bridge. This track also features perhaps his most uninhibited soloing on the album. Jerry Krahn also includes an unlabeled bonus track. Krahn and Harris offer a beautiful duo ballad reading of “Moonlight In Vermont,” a perennial favorite among guitarists. Don’t miss this one. –Kent Burnside
Book Reviews The Starday Story: The House That Country Music Built Nathan D. Gibson University Press of Mississippi Starday Records was one of Nashville’s most innovative and important independent record labels, pioneering industry standard practices such as custom recording and direct retail sales (via country music record clubs). The company also launched the careers of several future country legends: George Jones, Roger Miller and Willie Nelson all released their first singles on Starday or one of its subsidiary labels. And yet for all its historical significance, the Starday story had never been told in detail until a chance meeting brought ethnomusicologist Nathan D. Gibson together with former Starday artist Kenny “King of the Yodelers” Roberts. One introduction led to another until Gibson eventually came into the presence of the late Don Pierce, who led Starday during its period of peak creative and commercial success. Gibson made numerous trips to Nashville to interview Pierce, and had virtually unlimited access to the Starday archives until Pierce’s passing in 2005. Starday Records was first formed in June 1953 by a pair of Texans, talent promoter Jack Starns and jukebox operator Harold “Pappy” Daily. Prior to forming Starday Starns had worked as Lefty Frizzell’s personal manager; however, that partnership had ended badly in a rash of lawsuits and countersuits. Starns and Daily began combing rural Texas for talent, and Starday managed to record and release its first single within a few weeks: Mary Jo Chelette’s “Gee, It’s Tough To Be Thirteen” b/w “Cat Fishing.” Several other releases followed, none of which achieved much excitement. Starns and Daily quickly realized that running a record label themselves was beyond their individual abilities. In August Daily got a call from his friend Don Pierce, who was living in California after having extricated himself from a bad partnership in 4 Star Records. At Daily’s request Pierce flew to Houston, where the three established the Starday Recording and Publishing Company. The latter part of the name was critical to the company’s future success: From his time at 4 Star Pierce understood, where Starns and Daily did not, how lucrative the publishing side of the business could be. The partnership was set up with Starns acting as talent scout — his wife Neva operated several popular Texas honkytonks, which exposed him to many up-andcoming country acts — Daily serving as record producer and Pierce running the day-to-day operations from Starday’s new home in California. As the new team was busy settling into place, the company’s fourth single
reviews 22 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
reviews release was about to put Starday on the map in a big way. Arlie Duff, “The Singing Schoolteacher,” had written and recorded “You All Come” in mid-1953, and by December the song had entered the Billboard Country & Western chart, eventually reaching the No. 7 position. “You All Come” was a goldmine both for Starday, which owned the publishing rights, and for Duff: It was recorded by several prominent artists including Bing Crosby, and was BMI’s Most Popular Song of 1953. Starns promptly signed many regional Texas acts to the label, most of which are not widely remembered. One “second-wave” Starday signing would go on to achieve great success: George Jones. However, in 1954 he was playing a supporting role by recording with a more popular artist, Sonny Burns; as Daily later recalled, “[Burns] outsold George Jones by a mile. In fact, when we had them duet on a couple of discs, it was to help George’s career, not Sonny’s.” Jones eventually charted with several Starday singles, including in late 1955 his classic “Why Baby Why.” He also reluctantly agreed to try and cash in on a burgeoning trend by releasing— as Thumper Jones—“Rock It,” a rockand-roll single. Though prized today by collectors, in 1956 virtually no one bought this record. Tensions between Jack Starns and Don Pierce had surfaced almost from the beginning, and in 1955 they finally came to a head just as money began to pour into Starday’s coffers. Red Hayes’s “A Satisfied Mind” generated significant revenue on both the sales and publishing sides, becoming a hit for Hayes himself and also for Porter Wagoner, Jean Shepard and Red Foley; the song would ultimately be covered by dozens of country and rock acts; even Ella Fitzgerald recorded a version. Starns refused to sell half of his interest to Pierce; instead, he sold out only to Pappy Daily, who then restructured the company to be equal partners with Pierce. Two important changes occurred in early 1957. Starday entered into a short-lived joint venture with Mercury Records, which was searching for an entry into the country and bluegrass markets. And Pierce and Daily both
The Nashville Musician Reviews realized that the label could function much more efficiently in Nashville than in Southern California. However, Pierce eschewed Music Row for a remote location on Dickerson Pike, which afforded him the space to consolidate Starday’s entire operation — office, warehouse and recording studio — under one roof. By 1958 Daily wanted out, so he and Pierce literally split up the company, dividing both master recordings and publishing rights evenly between them. This arrangement proved much more lucrative for Pierce, since he knew better than Daily which publishing contracts were generating the most revenue. Starday was now entirely in the hands of Don Pierce, and in the decade ahead he would bring country and bluegrass music to an ever-expanding audience, both in the United States and abroad. The 1960s were a particularly exciting and innovative period in the company’s history, and an appreciation of Pierce’s achievements during this era requires a full reading of The Starday Story. Following a merger with Cincinnati-based King Records, Pierce sold Starday in 1970 for $2.7 million. He spent the first part of his retirement developing the large tracts of land on Old Hickory Lake he had been buying up for years; these holdings had been accidentally omitted from Starday’s sales agreement, an extraordinarily lucky break on Pierce’s part. Shortly before his passing Don Pierce was asked by the book’s author to name his favorite Starday song. After reflecting on his life and career he replied, “A Satisfied Mind.” The Starday Story, which won the 2012 Belmont Book Award, is meticulously researched, yet remains quite easy to read as Gibson sheds much light on a transitional era in Nashville music history. Record collectors and liner note junkies will especially enjoy the exhaustive list of Starday single and album releases, including those on the subsidiary Dixie and Nashville imprints; this section alone runs to nearly 70 pages, followed by a thorough bibliography. –Kent Burnside Just For The Record: What it Takes to Make it in the Music Industry and in Life Larry Butler with Dave Goodenough Indigo River Publishing With a subtitle of “What it Takes to Make it in the Music Industry and in Life,” Just for the Record carves out an ambitious agenda for itself, and lives up to that challenge. Larry Butler, legendary musician, songwriter and producer, talks directly to the reader in an engaging first person format. The stories, anecdotes, and career advice contained here are made all the more poignant by his untimely passing shortly after the book’s completion. The book illuminates the life lessons Butler learned during his storied career, which are shared in a friendly, unpretentious fashion. His many achievements, which included almost countless gold and platinum records, Grammy awards for songwriting and producing, and long-term creative relationships and lifelong friendships with dozens of iconic artists, are covered in detail. Yet the focus remains on passing his hard-earned wisdom on to the next generation. In writing the book with collaborator Dave Goodenough, Butler was not afraid to expose his weaknesses and share the mistakes he made on the way along with the highlights, a most refreshing change from the typical music autobiography. The result is an insightful and often humorous book that illuminates not just his career peaks, but gives an extraordinary glimpse into the man himself and the reasons behind his success. Butler was a member of Local 257 for more than 45 years, and he extols the benefits of being an AFM member throughout the book. A musical child prodigy, Butler’s story begins with him picking out songs on the piano by ear at the age of three, performing by the age of six with the Harry James Orchestra, and then hosting his own local radio and TV shows at the age of nine. continued on page 24 July–september 2013 23
The Nashville Musician Reviews continued from page 23
His Gulf Coast upbringing exposed him to a wide variety of music. He performed throughout the area with an array of bands, and gained valuable experience, which led to his first big break, being discovered by Tree Publishing’s Buddy Killen. Killen invited him to Nashville and introduced him to Chet Atkins, Jerry Bradley, Billy Sherrill and many other Nashville icons. Butler honestly portrays himself as a young man with passion and ambition, but not a lot of finesse, and he details his career as well as life lessons he learned over the years that are still applicable in today’s music industry. Divided into six sections and an epilogue, the book covers a wide range of topics: Paying dues as a musician, songwriting secrets, recording techniques, producing, music publishing and much more. A number of Do’s, Don’ts, and “Keys to Success” are sprinkled throughout, giving extra emphasis to the material as it is being presented. The book has no shortage of big names, some of whom contributed short essays. In addition, contributions from many lesser-known but equally knowledgeable people from all areas of the business provide valuable information and a broader perspective. Just For The Record is both a compelling story and a multi-faceted guidebook for anyone wanting to know more about the music business. Butler’s long relationships with Killen, producer Billy Sherrill, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash and many others are well documented, along with a long list of acknowledgements of those who helped his career in its various stages. Much more than a trip down memory lane, Just For The Record also addresses the more recent changes technology has brought to the industry while reasserting essential principles of human nature and professional behavior, from the viewpoint of someone who played a key role in the musical evolution of Nashville. This book is a fitting eulogy for Nashville’s first — and only — Grammy Producer of the Year, Larry Butler, whose impact on Music City will never be forgotten. —Dave Pomeroy 24 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Live Reviews TRIBUTE TO JERRY REED Local 257 member Richard Smith is a world-class fingerpicking guitarist and leader of the Hot Club of Nashville. He grew up playing with his brothers Superstar guitarists Richard Smith, Tommy Emmanuel and Brent Mason in a family band and sat in relax backstage before the Jerry Reed tribute concert at 3rd and Lindsley. with Chet Atkins at the age of 11 in his native city of London. Also a big Jerry Reed fan, Smith has organized several guitar tributes to the late guitar master. This year’s show at 3rd and Lindsley on May 21 was a four-hour guitar marathon in front of a packed house, and featured a bevy of outstanding players playing songs inspired by, written by, or made famous by Reed himself. The concert was a benefit for MusiCares, and raised over $4,500 for the NARAS Charity that has helped many musicians in need. Master of ceremonies Thom Bresh was his usual irrepressible self, and the audience laughed - and occasionally groaned - along with him throughout the night. His tribute to Jerry, “Reed Between the Strings” showed his larger-than-life stage presence could never overshadow his considerable skills as a guitarist. John Knowles, designated by Chet Atkins as a C.G.P. (Certified Guitar Player) — along with Reed himself and also Tommy Emmanuel — was laid back and humble as ever. He wowed the crowd with an intricate arrangement of a tune he wrote for Reed, “Red Hot Picker,” dueted with Pat Bergeson on harmonica on Reed’s “Blue Finger,” and played “Struttin’” with the always amazing Emmanuel, who appeared a number of times during the show. Concert organizer Smith headed up the house band and played blazing versions of “Lightning Rod,” and “Jerry’s Breakdown,” the latter in tandem with Brent Mason. Emmanuel performed his tunes “East Wind” and “Today is Mine” with his characteristic combination of virtuosity, soulfulness and showmanship, and joined Smith for a number of duets including “Nashtown Ville.” Sean Weaver opened the electric set, playing “Reedology” and “Drive-in” with a sweet combination of melody and improvisation. A few of Reed’s former band members were featured throughout the night, including drummer Ric McClure and harmonica wizard Buddy Greene, also a great recording artist in his own right. Greene sang a funky version of “You Took The Ramblin’ Out Of Me.” Randy Kohrs sang and played “The Likes of Me,” and also backed up a number of the other artists on lap steel in the house band, with keyboardist Will Barrow and percussionist Mike Wyatt. Seidina Reed, Jerry’s daughter, sang her dad’s song “Almost Crazy” and Punch Brothers’ Noam Pikelny sat in for a couple of banjo duets with Audie Wykle. New Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Bare sang “A Thing Called Love” in his trademark down-home delivery. Brent Mason kicked things up a few notches with his deft playing and singing on a smoking version of “Alabama Jubilee,” followed by a soulful “Georgia On My Mind.” Mason led the finale of “Guitar Man,” with the whole cast up on stage trading solos like there was no tomorrow, bringing the crowd to its feet one more time, a perfect ending to a heartfelt tribute to a man who changed Nashville and the world of guitar forever, and did it all with humility and a sense of humor. Throughout the night, stories and anecdotes of Reed’s music and life brought his memory to life. Kudos to Richard Smith, organizer of the show, which looks to become an annual Nashville tradition. Chet Atkins once said that Reed had more natural musical talent than anyone he knew, and this night proved his point and illustrated the depth of Reed’s musical influence and legacy. In hindsight, perhaps Jerry Reed’s musical accomplishments were somewhat overshadowed by his career as a successful actor, something that could be easily put back into perspective by inducting him into the Country Music Hall of Fame. –Dave Pomeroy TNM
Jazz & Blues Beat By Austin Bealmear
Nine48Jazz reopens in Metro Center For the last couple of years, jazz fans have enjoyed an intimate setting for the music called Nine48jazz. Started by Kandes Dungey in the basement of her home, it was created as a memorial to her grandfather, pioneer restaurateur, Charles H. Dungey, Sr., and to her father master jazz bassist and vocalist, Charles H. Dungey, Jr. The original jam sessions became so comfortable they turned into two long-running concert series, Improv Underground and Deep Groove, the place one Sunday a month for relaxed but serious listening to all kinds of jazz. This summer the sessions moved to a space by the lake in the old Fountain Square mall in Metro Center, where jazz will now be heard every Sunday evening for a couple of hours, in the same intimate listening style as the original. The jazz posters are on the wall, small appetizers are available, and Kandes opens the door in good weather. Recent shows included Lori Mechem, Chester Thompson, Denny Jiosa, Kelli Cox, Chris West, John Birdsong, and others. For details, go to www.nine48jazz.com, you can sign up for the monthly newsletter, or keep in touch on their Facebook page.
Vespers and All That Jazz at Scarritt-Bennett The connection between American jazz and religious expression goes back to the beginning, when spiritual music and ceremony were ingredients in the Louisiana stew that created jazz. A new version of that connection is being offered every Sunday evening at ScarrittBennett Center in a series called “Vespers and All That Jazz.” Starting with an idea by SBC’s Joyce Sohl, the program became an experiential evening worship service inspired by and using the jazz approach to music to experience the spirit of God, encouraging compassion, peace, justice and wonder. Each program is designed to contemplate a theme through a multimedia experience including prayer, readings — scripture, prose, poetry, etc. — visuals, music, and even silence.
Local arrangers help the Nashville Jazz Orchestra take a new look at George Gershwin in their latest CD project, scheduled for release this fall.
Austin Bealmear
“Vespers and All that Jazz” trio
Sources can be almost anything, spiritual or secular from around the world, with the music transformed into a jazz style by a trio of musicians, usually Kevin Madill, piano, Matt Davich, woodwinds, and John Ownby, bass. The style is informal, readings are done by lay volunteers, material from any faith may be included, and everyone is welcome. Recent themes include “Work,” “Compassion,” “Witness,” “Women of Faith,” and “Voices in Prayer.” Programs are about 45 minutes long, and start at 6:30 p.m. in the Wightman Chapel on the Scarritt-Bennett Center Campus. For more information go to www.scarrittbennett.org/programs, email jsohl@scarrittbennett.org, or call 340-7540.
New NJO album set for fall release Local arrangers help the Nashville Jazz Orchestra take a new look at George Gershwin in their latest CD project,
scheduled for release this fall. As part of NJO’s residency at Blair School of Music, the band performs new works by local writers every spring. Gershwin was the theme for one such night, and the music is now their first studio project, cut at Wildwood Recording, engineered by Brendan Harkin, and mastered by Mike Haynes. Among the Gershwin classics are longform numbers like “Cuban Overture,” reorchestrated by Ryan Middagh in three movements, and “Prelude No. 2,” a 10 and a half-minute tour de force by arranger Jamie Simmons. The other writers are Ted Wilson — imagine the operatic lament “My Man’s Gone Now” as a funky hiphop vamp — Jim Williamson, Musical Director of NJO, Oscar Utterstrom, Bernie Walker, and Bruce Dudley. Soloists include Roy Agee, Barry Green, Don Aliquo, Kenny Anderson, Doug Moffet, Cole Burgess, Steve Kummer, Jim Williamson and vocalist Christina Watson. Check out TNM www.nashvillejazzorchestra.org July–september 2013 25
Symphony Notes By Laura Ross
To paraphrase Margo Channing in All About Eve, “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy [ride].”
Do Nashville Symphony musicians make more than $100,000?
Nashville Symphony’s 66th season, which began last September with the massive Mahler Symphony No. 8 Symphony of A Thousand, came to a close in July with a diverse week that included Abba: The Concert, Chaka Khan, and a rained-out July Fourth. This whirlwind season was filled with a variety of unsettling incidents that included convening a peer review committee and an arbitration. However, much of the year was overshadowed by the orchestra’s financial issues. News stories around the country tried — and many times failed — to make sense of a difficult and complicated situation as reporters inserted their own interpretation and spin of information that only told half the story. Additionally, much of the time neither side was speaking to the press because of the delicate nature of the bank negotiations. So, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions:
Was the financial problem due to gross mismanagement? Not really. There were a variety of factors, including errors in judgment, but most of the economic problems the orchestra faced in the past few years were due to an extraordinary drain on the endowment. First, it lost 25 percent of its value in 2007 and 2008 when the economy tanked. Then, the banks began increasing debt service fees and we entered into financial swap transactions. Then the flood came. Unable to obtain a short-term bank loan, the endowment was drained even further in order to finance the cleanup and rebuilding of the hall until insurance and FEMA reimbursements began trickling in — the last FEMA reimbursement of more than $4 million is still outstanding. With losses of more than $60 million there was no way the endowment could recover, so this little ”dance” between the Symphony Association and the bank group put musicians and staff in the middle of a giant game of chicken that included threats to put the Schermerhorn Symphony Center up for auction.
Did the Symphony really have 532 employees? Yes and no. This number includes every part-time person employed, like bartenders, wait-staff, substitute and extra musicians, etc. Regular full-time staffing levels, including the NSO’s 83 members, have remained relatively stable since moving into SSC – between 160-170 – until the recent decision to release the catering staff and others, including Anne Dickson Rogers, our personnel manager of 12 years. 26 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Absolutely not. While Giancarlo Guerrero’s salary to serve as Music Director and conduct 10-12 weeks during the season along with health and pension benefits was close to half a million dollars and Alan Valentine’s was more than $400,000, base scale for NSO musicians is $60,000. Benefits include a 7.63 percent contribution to the AFM and Employers’ Pension Fund — until March 1, 2013 staff members received a 6 percent contribution to a 403B plan — instrument insurance and 80 percent coverage of an individual high deductible health insurance policy — a PPO is also offered at additional cost to employees — that leaves members with family coverage paying more than $1,000 a month. Every musician is entitled to seniority pay capped at $20 per week after 20 years of service, and as participants in the Integrated Media Agreement we receive 3 percent of annual salary which was $1,800 this past season. That allows management to make up to four CDs a season and release numerous radio broadcasts. Titled chairs – principal and assistant principal – respectively receive 25 percent and 15 percent overscale.
How do you get a job like this and how has it changed? I moved to Nashville 29 years ago with bachelor and master of music degrees from the University of Michigan; more than half my colleagues have at least a master degree. Since elementary school, all I ever wanted to do was play in a symphony orchestra, so from 7th grade on I spent my entire summer in training at music camps. This season, along with scheduled rehearsals and concerts, we
Symphony Notes each practiced nearly every day for hours at a time to learn and relearn music for 55 different concert programs. In 1984, Kenneth Schermerhorn, former music director of two major orchestras, was music director of the orchestra as it transitioned from regional to major symphony orchestra status. Our growth and success was not sudden. After the shutdown-bankruptcy 25 years ago, barely 10-15 people showed up for auditions; the orchestra retrenched and was systematically disassembled by reducing hard-fought increases. Only after Alan Valentine came to town did the priority change to support the best artistic product possible onstage – just the shot Nashville, and the orchestra, needed. The job has changed in 29 years – we moved from tiered-contract orchestra to full-time orchestra as inequities between core players and those with lower service guarantees were addressed. Classical and Pops series expanded in number and performances and we began recording in earnest, having received 14 nominations and seven Grammy awards, including two for Best Orchestral Performance. We have performed twice at Carnegie Hall and achieved salary increases that are competitive with other orchestras and allow us to attract and retain better quality musicians. Now auditions receive upwards of 300 applicants and invitations are sent to more than 100 candidates; we have hired some of the best players in the country who stay in Nashville rather than leave after a few years because we offer a livable wage, which only about 25 orchestras in the US do.
Orchestras are not efficient. Repertoire choices mean some play and others don’t. There are only so many seats in a concert hall so to raise income you raise ticket prices, but you can’t go too far or no one will come if it becomes too expensive. Much of our core mission of education and outreach doesn’t generate revenue, but is vitally important and we can’t give it up because it’s too expensive. It’s a balancing act and we need those donors and sponsors more than ever or it could be lost. This is our dilemma as we negotiate this contract.
Musicians reach out We recently started our own Web and Facebook pages: www.musiciansofthenashvillesymphony.org and www.facebook.com/MusiciansOfTheNashvilleSymphony. For those of you on Facebook, please “like” us so we can keep you updated on our activities, including our recent end of the season party at Gerald Greer and Scott Hoffman’s new home in Franklin. Bruce Christensen designed the ingenious Musicians of the Nashville Symphony logo based on the NSO’s building logo. Committees have been formed to gather information and we will be sharing that in the upcoming days on these websites. Recognition and thanks to the Orchestra Committee — to outgoing members chair Judith Ablon who now begins a year’s leave of absence, Dan Lochrie and Hunter Sholar, and to new chair James Zimmermann, vice-chair Liz Stewart, and incoming members James Button, Gil Long and Kevin Jablonski. Thanks also to our Negotiating Committee Beth Beeson, Steve Brown, and Bruce Christensen, with special thanks to Brad Mansell who serves with me on both committees. Thanks to AFM Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy and AFM negotiator Chris Durham, but mostly, thanks to our colleagues in the Nashville Symphony for their TNM support during this difficult period.
Home of the Nashville Symphony
NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
Now that the hall has been saved the orchestra’s OK right? If only it were that easy! Most of the remaining endowment was used to pay off the banks so there is little money left to fall back on. Orchestras never come close to covering expenses through ticket sales; the Nashville Symphony’s sales are about 30 percent of the budget. Another big piece comes from investment income – endowment – but that’s gone. And finally the last piece is contributions from donors and those fell last year because of the financial problems.
CHRIS BOTTI
MICHAEL MCDONALD
RUSSIAN SPECTACULAR • September 5, 6 & 7 CHICAGO® • September 12, 13 & 14 FOREIGNER • September 18 RENÉE FLEMING • September 21 AL JARREAU • September 22 COPLAND’S BILLY THE KID • October 4 & 5 DON WILLIAMS • October 6 & 7 CHRIS BOTTI • October 18 DUELING PIANOS • October 25 & 26 MICHAEL MCDONALD • October 31, November 1 & 2 STRAVINSKY’S FIREBIRD • November 7, 8 & 9 A TRIBUTE TO PATSY CLINE WITH MANDY BARNETT • November 14, 15 & 16 PETER AND THE WOLF • November 16 BEETHOVEN’S EROICA SYMPHONY • November 21, 22 & 23 HANDEL’S MESSIAH • December 12 & 13 CHRISTMAS WITH AMY GRANT &VINCE GILL • December 19, 20 & 21 Visit NashvilleSymphony.org for a complete schedule of events.
AMY GRANT & VINCE GILL
BUY TICKETS: 615.687.6400 | NashvilleSymphony.org Mention promo code AFM for 10% off Aegis Sciences Classical Series tickets! July–september 2013 27
final notes
George Jones 1931-2013
George Jones, iconic singer and life member of the Nashville Musicians Association, died in Nashville April 26, 2013 at the age of 81. Jones was born Sept. 12, 1931, in Saratoga, Texas, to musical parents, George Washington and Clara Jones. His father played harmonica and guitar, and his mother was a church pianist. By the age of nine Jones was playing for tips on the streets of Beaumont, Texas. At the age of 16 Jones moved to Jasper, Texas, worked at KRIC radio and played on KTXJ, where he met Hank Williams. He married his first wife, Dorothy Donvillion when he was 19, 28 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
and had a daughter, Susan, but divorced within a year. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War, and was stationed in San Jose, Calif., where he served until his discharge. In 1953 Jones signed with Starday Records; by 1959 he had moved to Nashville, and released what would become his first No. 1 single, a cover of “White Lightning” by J. P. Richardson. In 1954 Jones married Shirley Ann Corley, and had two sons, Jeffrey and Bryan. Jones had his second No. 1, “Tender Years,” in 1961, followed by the No. 1 country classic, “She Thinks I Still Care,” in 1962.
He divorced his second wife in 1968, and the following year married Tammy Wynette. The two singers had a number of hits together, including “We’re Gonna Hold On,” which went to No. 1 in 1973. Their daughter, Tamala Georgette, went on to become a country singer, and has performed onstage with Jones. Jones continued to have success throughout the ‘70s with numerous hits including No. 1 records “The Grand Tour,” (1974) “The Door,” (1975) “Golden Ring” and “Near You,” (both with Wynette, 1976 and 1977 respectively).
Final Notes continued on page 30
Jones received many honors in his career, from becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry to receiving a Grammy Lifetime Acheivement Award. In 1980 Jones’ longtime producer, Billy Sherrill, brought him a song called “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” written by Curly Putnam and Bobby Braddock. The ballad won Jones a Grammy in 1981, and often appears in surveys as the greatest country song of all time. In 1983 Jones married Nancy Sepulveda, who he called “his angel.” He credited her with helping him “straighten up his act.” In the ‘80s he enjoyed success with the hit song “I Always Get Lucky With You,” as well as several singles from his 1985 album Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes, including the title track. His last solo Top 10 country hit came in 1989 with “I’m a One Woman Man.” In 1992 Jones was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1995 he reunited with Wynette for the album One, and in 1996 released his autobiography, I Lived To Tell It All. In 1999 Jones’ album The Cold Hard Truth broke into the country album chart Top 10. Jones received many honors in his career, from becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1956, to being named a recipient of the National Medal of the Arts in 2002; to receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award a decade later. Local 257 Executive Board member Jimmy Capps played guitar on many George Jones records, and had a great recollection of one such occasion in the early ‘60s. “This was 1961 or 1962, and we were at the Quonset Hut with Pappy Daly producing. I recall Jimmy Day on steel guitar, Tommy Jackson on fiddle, Pig Hargis playing piano and Buddy Killen playing bass. George was cutting an album of Hank Williams songs, and we recorded 12 tunes in one three-hour session, and this was before charts! I don’t recall doing that before or since,” said Capps. Jones’ survivors include his wife of 30 years, Nancy; one sister, Helen Scroggins; two daughters, Susan and Georgette, two sons, Jeffrey and Bryan; several grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
e__
f
Fellow Artists Pay Tribute to Jones e__
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Funeral services were held at the Grand Ole Opry House on May 2 with burial following at Woodlawn Memorial Park. The family requested that donations be made to The Opry Trust Fund or to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. A host of artists and other celebrities gathered May 2 at a memorial service for George Jones at the Grand Ole Opry House. The service, which was open to the public, was attended by a full house of fans, some of whom started waiting outside a day before the doors opened. WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs opened the event on the stage where Jones, a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry, had performed many times over the years. Many of Jones’ fellow Nashville Musicians Association members – including Stubbs – spoke or performed. Randy Travis, who dueted with Jones for his final top ten single in 1990, “A Few Old Country Boys,” sang Amazing Grace in a solo acoustic performance. Charlie Daniels recalled Jones’ influence on countless artists, and sang a quiet version of “Softly and Tenderly.” Barbara Mandrell, who met Jones when she was just 13, and dueted with him on the hit single “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” said Jones had left a lasting imprint. “He sang for you and me, and now he’s singing in glory for the one who gave him that voice.” Patty Loveless and Vince Gill performed Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain.” Gill, who was given the nickname “Sweet Pea” by Jones, toured with Jones and Conway Twitty, and Loveless covered several Jones songs over the years, including her first hit single, “If My Heart Had Windows.” Ronnie Milsap added a performance of “When The Grass Grows Over Me,” and Kenny Chesney, who called the singer a father figure, remembered the first Jones song he heard, “Who’s Gonna Chop My Baby’s Kindlin.” The service concluded with Alan Jackson’s performance of Jones’ career hit, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Other performers included Wynonna Judd, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Among the speakers honoring Jones were Pastor Mike Wilson, Laura Bush, Governor Bill Haslam, and Keith Bilbrey. Many of the performers had been scheduled to appear at Jones’ final concert, which was set for Nov. 22 in Nashville, and is now being reconfigured as a tribute to the legendary singer. July–september 2013 29
final notes continued from page 29
William Ovid Collins, Jr. 1918-2013
William Ovid Collins, Jr., 94, died March 11, 2013 in Corydon, Ind. He played viola and violin, and was an attorney, as well as a life member of the Nashville Musicians Association. Collins was born in 1918 in Nashville, the son of William Ovid, Sr., and Mary Etha Ferrell Collins. Collins was a distinguished graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he also earned his law degree. After service in the U.S. Navy, he founded the Nashville firm of Cornelius & Collins, where he served as the firm’s managing partner for most of his career. Collins was a founding member of the Nashville Symphony and was a viola player there for over 40 years. In the ‘30s he was a part of the WSM studio orchestra, where he played with many artists including Dinah Shore. During his law career he was named a Fellow of the American College Trust and Estate Counsel, a Fellow for the Tennessee Bar Association, and a lifetime member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference. He also served as a delegate to the 1959 Tennessee Constitutional Convention and practiced before various courts including the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Collins was preceded in death by one son, William Ovid Collins, III, and one brother, Kenneth Collins. Survivors include his wife Jacqueline Vanzant Collins of Corydon, Ind., one daughter, Ellen Hamilton of Dazall, S.C.; four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. 30 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
HENry F. “Hank” Corwin, Jr. 1940-2013 Henry F. “Hank” Corwin, Jr., 73, of D’lberville, Miss., died March 25, 2013. He joined the Nashville Musicians Association in 1968, and was a life member. Well-known as a steel guitarist, he also played banjo, dobro and guitar. The New York state native lived and performed in Nashville for many years. He played with numerous artists, including Jim Ed Brown and Faron Young, and performed many times on the Grand Ole Opry. Many fellow steel players posted stories of Corwin’s great sense of humor, and his proclivity for helping out new musicians in town. Corwin was also a member of a musical group that toured the former Soviet Union in one of that nation’s first cultural events with Western countries. Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Barbara A. Corwin; a brother, Patrick Corwin, and an uncle, Jack Flanagan, both of New York.
Ray Emmett 1938-2013 Life member Ray Emmett, age 75, of Goodlettsville, Tenn., died June 2, 2013. Emmett played bass and guitar, and was also a singer and songwriter. His career spanned several decades during which he performed with the bands of Faron Young, George Jones, Billie Jo Spears, Mel Tillis, Jean Shepard, Tommy Overstreet and Cal Smith, and performed in the ‘80s as a solo artist as well. He served as bandleader and opening act for many of the artists he worked for, and was especially close to Faron Young until Young’s death in 1996. Emmett, who friends may remember by the nicknames “Quacker” and “Ralf,” was known for his love of music, as well as country living, log houses and Hawaii. Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy said, “Ray Emmett was a very talented and soulful musician who brought a sense of commitment and love to everything he did, whether it was playing bass, singing in front of a huge audience, or just picking with his friends, and he will be missed.” Emmett was preceded in death by his brother, Jeff Thorson. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Renee; two daughters, Linda Kyle and Cheryl “Cookie” Marinaro; one sister, Joan Smith; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews, as well as a large extended family. Funeral services were held June 6 at St. Joseph of Arimathea in Hendersonville with interment in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Donations may be made to the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.
“Ray Emmett was a very talented and soulful musician who brought a sense of commitment and love to everything he did, whether it was playing bass, singing in front of a huge audience, or just picking with his friends, and he will be missed.” – Dave Pomeroy
Final Notes continued on page 32
William “Bill” F. Gokey 1942-2013 William “Bill” F. Gokey, 71, a bassist, banjo player, and 50-year life member of the Nashville Musicians Association, died June 1, 2013. Gokey played banjo with many bluegrass artists including Mac Wiseman, Bill Monroe, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, and also worked as a bass player with Red Foley, Tex Ritter, and many others. He worked on the Grand Ole Opry for 35 years, and performed on other network radio and TV shows as well. Gokey was born in Ogdensburg, N.Y., in 1942 to William H. and Bessie K. Durham Gokey. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. In addition to his music career, Gokey also worked as a concert promoter and was a successful writer, with articles in Bluegrass Unlimited, Banjo News Magazine, Fur Fish Game, and other publications. He was a life member of Ogdensburg Acacian Lodge 128, Free and Accepted Masons, where he served as lodge secretary for 12 years, and was presented the Mason’s Dedicated Service Award in April 2003. In addition to his parents, Gokey was preceded in death by one brother, James A. Gokey. Survivors include one sister, Virginia Gokey Ballou, two nieces and several cousins. A Masonic graveside service was held June 3 at Ogdensburgh Cemetery.
Lillian Lorene Mann 1937-2013 Lillian Lorene Mann, a life member of the Nashville Musicians Association, died May 24, 2013. The guitarist and songwriter joined Local 257 in 1965. She was a founding member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International, (NSAI) and was serving as secretary when she came up with the organization’s well-known slogan, “It All Begins With a Song.” In 2011 NSAI gave Mann the Maggie Cavender Award, a lifetime achievement honor that recognized her “extraordinary ser-
vice to the songwriting community.” Bart Herbison, Executive Director of NSAI, said “Lorene was an important part of our organization. We all had great love for her and she will be missed.” Mann was born in Huntland, Tenn., in 1937, the youngest of 10 children. She started playing at 12 and moved to Nashville in 1956. Mann wrote several hit songs over her career, including the 1960 Kitty Wells tune “Left to Right,” 1962 hits for Rex Allen, “Don’t Go Near the Indians,” and Skeeter Davis, “Something Precious,” as well as a 1974 Top-10 song for Jerry Wallace called “My Wife’s House.” She also had songs recorded by the Wilburn Brothers, Vernon Oxford, Norma Jean and Koko Taylor. Mann was an artist on RCA in the ‘60s, and dueted with Justin Tubb on a 1966 album entitled Together and Alone. She released A Mann Named Lorene in 1969, and also had a hit singing with Archie Campbell on “Dark End of the Street,” and “Tell It Like It Is.” Her career included movie appearances in 1966’s Music City U.S.A. and the 1975 Burt Reynolds film W.W. and The Dixie Dance Kings. She performed on television as well, on The Bobby Lord Show, Opry Almanac, American Swing-A-Round, and The Stu Phillips Show. Survivors include her husband Freddie Clay, one daughter, Karen Clay, two grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of her life was held May 28 in the chapel of Spring Hill Funeral Home, with interment in Spring Hill Cemetery in Madison.
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final notes continued from page 31
Hugh Gordon Stoker 1925-2013 Hugh Gordon Stoker, member of The Jordanaires — the vocal group that backed Elvis Presley on a host of hit records — died March 27, 2013 at age 88. Stoker, a vocalist and keyboardist, joined AFM Local 257 in 1942 and was a life member. Stoker was born in Gleason, Tenn., to H.A. and Willie Lee Stoker on Aug. 3, 1924. He began singing and playing at a young age. He was 15 when he first began to play piano professionally and that year he became one of the youngest performers on the Grand Ole Opry. After serving in World War II he studied at Oklahoma Baptist University before returning to Nashville to attend George Peabody College in 1948. In 1949 he met his future wife, Jean Wilkerson, also a singer, at a Nashville church. In 1950 he joined the Jordanaires as the group’s piano player, but later became tenor vocalist. The Jordanaires, already established as a gospel group, first recorded with Presley on the hit “Hound Dog” in 1956, then went on to perform on over 200 of his recordings. Stoker was Presley’s duet partner on hit singles that included “All Shook Up” and “Good Luck Charm.” The group also performed on an abundance of other hit records, including Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Jim Reeves’ “Four Walls,” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” by George Jones, among many others. The Jordanaires became members of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, and were Grammy winners in six consecutive decades. Stoker was a founding member of the Nashville chapter of AFTRA, and received that organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. He also served on the Board of Trustees for Baptist Hospital, Belmont College, and Middle Tennessee Medical Center. He was a member of the Southern Gospel Piano Roll of Honor, and with the Jordanaires is also a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. He was a longtime member of the Woodmont Baptist Church. Ray Walker, member of the Jordanaires, talked about his long friendship and working relationship with Stoker. 32 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
“The Jordanaires, already established as a gospel group, first recorded with Presley on the hit “Hound Dog” in 1956, then went on to perform on over 200 of his recordings.”
“I told Gordon he was the ‘Lion-hearted.’ ‘Yeah, that’s my sign,’ he said. We worked closely on bookings, what to wear, being on time or ahead of time, and not eating too much. He is missed greatly, but memories of our association and working together fill a great deal of what would be a void. Church, family, friends, and our work — in that order — are what kept our working group together and made our lives worthwhile.”
Besides his parents, Stoker was preceded in death by two brothers, Arnice and Wayne, and one sister, Imogene Beasley. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Emma Jean; two sons, Alan and Brent; one daughter, Venita; five grandchildren and one great-grandson. Funeral services were held March 30 at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Donations may be made to Alive Hospice of Nashville. 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. Name
Born
Joined
Died
Life Member
Ray Emmett
12/15/1937
03/30/1970
06/02/2013
y
William F Gokey
01/21/1942
10/11/1963
06/01/2013
y
George Glenn Jones
09/12/1931
08/11/1956
04/26/2013
y
Lorene Mann
01/04/1937
08/19/1965
05/24/2013
y
Rollin Sullivan
01/09/1919
01/27/1945
09/07/2012
y
Ottis Dewey Whitman
01/20/1923
01/31/1994
06/19/2013
y
Roy Chuck Wright
04/10/1920
10/10/1946
06/29/2013
y
Member Status New members Tylan Thomas Campbell (Ty Campbell) BAS VOC 1056 Pawnee Trl Madison, TN 37115 Hm (615)-476-8327 Zachary Eugene Casebolt VLN FDL MDN GTR 1441 Lebanon Pike Apt K-201 Nashville, TN 37210 Cell (615)-293-5525 Joshua Wellborn Day DRM VOC GTR PIA BJO PRC 2807 Huntleigh Dr Nashville, TN 37206 Cell (323)-717-0911 Eleonore Johanna Denig VLN CEL UKE VLA 5042 Montclair Dr Nashville, TN 37211 Cell (703)-405-9900 Samuel M Ellis GTR MDN VOC BZK ORG PIA ORG 1123 Glenview Dr Nashville, TN 37206 Cell (615)-916-1541 Adam Michael Engelhardt DRM PRC GTR VOC KEY BAS PIA 305 Foster Dr White House, TN 37188 Cell (615)-429-0817 Jeffrey A Garris (Jeff Garris) GTR 107 Seven Springs Dr Mt Juliet, TN 37122 Cell (615)-308-7947 Kirsten Marie Greer (Kirsten C. Cassel) CEL 113 Ryan Court Nashville, TN 37221 Cell (615)-483-6897 Hm (615)-483-6897 Mike Guggino MDN GTR KEY 230 South Rice St Brevard, NC 28712 Hm (828)-712-0712
Jeremy Ross Holt GTR MDN DBR LPS 904 Maynor St Nashville, TN 37216 Cell-(931)-378-2309
Alfred Platt GTR 11704 East Fork Rd Brevard, NC 28712 Hm (828)-883-4088
Charles Humphrey, III BAS 91 Wolf Park Circle Ashville, NC 28804 Hm (828)-255-4858
John Patrick Rodrigue DRM PRC 108 McGavock Pk Nashville, TN 37214 Cell (985)-637-2064 Hm (615)-891-7908
Garry R Jones KEY PIA 2740 Longridge Way Grove City, OH 43123 Cell (614)-537-9800 Robert C Kelly DRM PRC 9020 Church Street East #330 Brentwood, TN 37027 Cell-(615)-720-1441 Devin Malone GTR KEY BAS CEL MDN STL VOC 215 a Bowling Avenue Nashville, TN 37205 Cell (540)-421-3386 Arthur John Masters (A. J. Masters) BAS GTR 7452 Nolensville Road Nolensville, TN 37135 Cell (615)-268-1858 Christopher Kyle McNeese PRC DRM DJE PIA 419 Tanglewood Ct Nashville, TN 37211 Cell (501)-258-8780 Audrey Valerie Mezera GTR VOC DJE PO Box 160488 Nashville, TN 37216 Cell (615)-613-6205 Rudy Miller (Rodolfo Miller) DRM 1243 McAlpine Avenue Nashville, TN 37216 Cell (615)-545-7387 Joel Todd Mott TPT PIA ARR 20111 Black Canyon Dr Katy, TX 77450 Cell (713)-817-4882
Thomas John Paul Samulak (Tom Samulak) GTR BAS VOC 5204 Williamsburg Rd Brentwood, TN 37027 Cell (716)-226-6073 Nicholas Sanders VLN 100 Brucemont Circle Ashville, NC 28806 Hm (617)-504-6425 Gary Schreiner PO Box 229 New York, NY 10025 Graham Sharp BJO 305 Brevard Road Asheville, NC 28806 Hm (828)-350-0423 Jeremy P Stephens BJO GTR MDN FDL AHP BAS 5107 Whites Creek Pike Whites Creek, TN 37189 Cell (434)-251-0951 Matthew Utterback BAS GTR PIA 1123 Glenview Dr Nashville, TN 37206 Cell (678)-462-9973 Bill L Warner GTR PRO PRG 903 Jones St Old Hickory, TN 37138 Cell (615)-473-1030 Hm (615)-847-8214 Kyle Whalum 866 Kirkland Ave Unit A Nashville, TN 37204 Cell (615)-429-8230
Reinstated Jeremy Abshire Chris C Allen Kurt Michael Allison Michael T Baker Peter J. Barbeau Roland Jabari Barber Stephen H Bassett Eddie Clayton Bedford Steve Callahan Branden Campbell Walter C Carter, Jr David Allan Coe Matthew M Combs Jeff Dayton Danny Ross Dickerson Charles Kenneth Dixon Troy Anthony Engle Lee W Garner Erik B Halbig Clayton Levi Head Russell Hicks Nick William Hoffman Jason Howard Anderson John B Jarvis James Edward Johnson Kieran F Kane Daniel Kassteen Rhett Cody Kilby Clifford Edward Long Nathan Allen McFarland Eamon McLoughlin John Joseph Mock Daniel R Needham Daniel Joseph O’Lannerghty Andy Peake Daniel P Pratt William W Pursell Holly C Rang Jimmy Ritchey Christopher William Rodriguez David M Santos Paul Frederick Scholten Wilson B Sharpe Andrew Charles Sheridan Dean D Slocum Christopher Alvin Stapleton David Patrick Stroud Shoji Tabuchi
Bobby W Terry, Jr Brian Keith Thomas Guthrie Trapp Jonathan Marc Trebing Travis Anderson Vance Art Ward Michael Robert Whittaker Erich William Wigdahl Dan Edward Williams Kevin Brent Williams Scott Williamson Michael Adam Wolofsky Application Revoked Daniel Wayne Eubanks David P Karns Justin Nicholas Radford Resigned Dean Alexander Thomas Luther Cooper, Jr Brandon Nichols Lillie Mae Rische Albert E Wilson Expelled Howard S Adams, III Thornton Douglas Cline Frank Thomas Green Trevor G Hill Phillip Lee Hines Jonathan F Hull Paul Jefferson Jaqua Christopher Shane Knight Eric Reid McClure Carl R Melberg Ryan Oliver Murphey Justin Clay Perry Donald Joseph Pickert Peter Michealson Pisarczyk Cameron Lee Roberts Fred Thomas Satterfield Gene Sisk James Allen Stealy Tia Thomason Timothy J Thompson John Henry Trinko Gary Lee Tussing
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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 and Nashvillemusicscoring.com - Alan and Cathy Umstead are soliciting non-union recording work through this website and elsewhere. Do not work for them under any circumstances without an AFM contract. The following 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) Terry K. Johnson/ 1720 Entertainment (unpaid contracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O’Neal project) Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country/Josh Gracin Eric Legg (multiple unpaid contracts) Ray Vega/Casa Vega Quarterback/G Force/Doug Anderson Rust Records/Ken Cooper (unpaid contracts and pension) J.A.M. Jimmy Adams Media (multiple unpaid contracts/pension. Made partial payment) Revelator/Gregg Brown (multiple bounced checks/ unpaid contracts) UNPAID CONTRACTS AND PENSION Accurate Strategies, Inc. Adagio Music/Sam Ocampo Wayd Battle/Shear Luck Bottled Lightning/Woody Bradshaw Bull Rush, Inc/Cowboy Troy (unpaid demo upgrade – making payments) Cat Creek Publishing Chez Musical/Sanchez Harley Compass Productions - Alan Phillips and David Schneiderman Daddio Prod./Jim Pierce (making payments) Summer Dunaway Field Entertainment Group/Joe Field Goldenvine Prod./Harrison Freeman Golden Vine/Darrell Freeman Greg Holland Home Records/David Vowell Hot Skillet/Lee Gibson (unpaid contract/limited pressing signature) Mark Hybner Kyle Jacobs Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” Mills 34 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
King Craft, Inc./Michael King Ginger Lewis Line Drive Music Lyrically Correct Music Group/Jeff Vice MCK Publishing/Rusty Tabor MPCA Recordings/John Titta Mark McGuinn Marty McIntosh MS Entertainment/Michael Scott Multi-Media Steve Nickell One Shot Management Anthony Paul Company Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderson RLS Records-Nashville/Ronald Stone Region One Records RichDor Music/Keith Brown River County Band/SVC Entertainment (unpaid demo conversion/pension) Robbins Nashville Round Robin/Jim Pierce (unpaid contract – making payments) Shauna Lynn Shear Luck Productions/Wayd Battle Shy Blakeman Singing Honey Tree Sleepy Town/David Lowe Small Time Productions, Inc./Randy Boudreaux Sound Resources Prod./Zach Runquist Mark Spiro Spangle 3/Brien Fisher Sterling Production Mgmt/Traci Sterling Bishir Tough Records/Greg Pearce (making payments) Adam D. Tucker Eddie Wenrick UNPAID PENSION ONLY Audio RX Jimmy Collins Comsource Media/Tommy Holland Conchita Leeflang/Chris Sevier Ricky D. Cook Coyote Ugly/Jeff Myers Data Aquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge Derrin Heroldt FJH Enterprises First Tribe Media Matthew Flinchum dba Resilient Jimmy Fohn Music Rebecca Frederick Goofy Footed Gospocentric Tony Graham Jeffrey Green/Cahernzcole House Randy Hatchett Highland Music Publishing Honey Tree Prod. Engelbert Humperdinck In Light Records/Rick Lloyd Little Red Hen Records/Arjana Olson
Malaco Pete Martinez Maverick Management Group Mike Ward Music (pension/demo signature) Joseph McClelland Tim McDonald Joe Meyers Missionary Music Jason Morales (pension/demo signature) O Street Mansion OTB Publishing (pension/demo signature) Tebey Ottoh Reach Ministries Ride N High Records Ronnie Palmer Barry Preston Smith Jason Sturgeon Music Nathan Thompson Veritas Music/Jody Spence Roy Webb Michael Whalen 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
AFM Local 257 will be closed for Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 2 Columbus Day: Monday, Oct. 14
July–september 2013 35
Nashville Association of Musicians #257 11 Music Circle North Nashville, TN 37203-0011 —Address Service Requested—
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MUSICIANS AFM LOCAL 257 We put the music in Music City Next General Membership Meeting Tuesday, September 10 , 2013 36 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN