'TIN PAN SOUTH' REPORT
Day Two: March 26 (Wednesday)
"Tin Pan
South" continued in Music City with songwriters and music fans converging
on a dozen area venues. Covering shows for MCAU this time were reporters Chuck
Whiting and Wil Comstock. They decided to take in the 6 p.m. show at the
Station Inn (featuring Billy Yates, Eddie Heinzelman, Buddy Jewell, and Jeff
Bates); and the 9 p.m. show (also) at the Station Inn (featuring Leslie
Satcher, Vince Gill, Bobby Tomberlin, and Larry Gatlin). While waiting in line
outside the venue, Chuck had the opportunity to re-connect with Red Pepper
Marketing Representative Catherine Garnett (whom he'd met eight years ago) and
visiting Maryland singer-songwriter Joy Bodycomb. Everyone was amazed how the
Gulch has changed, keeping our fingers crossed that the Station Inn would
remain forever.
 |
| Leslie Satcher, Vince Gill, Bobby Tomberlin and Larry Gatlin |
March 26 (Wednesday):
THE STATION INN (Early
Show):
Some years ago, I
had the good fortune to work with Buddy Jewell on a song demo. It was just
before he made it big on "Nashville Star". I remember talking with
him in the parking lot about what a wonderful job I thought he'd done, and my
gut feeling that he was going to be a big star. I'm glad his dreams came true.
He's a great guy with outstanding talent. In some ways, the Station Inn TPS
show was an opportunity to celebrate his success. The other writers, Billy
Yates, Eddie Heinzelman, and Jeff Bates were perfect complements for a show
that featured country classics, moving stories, and belly-aching laughs.
Billy Yates smiled
and laughed throughout, adding a sense of fun and good nature to a show that
reunited old friends. He and Buddy reminisced about their road trips together.
Jeff, always throwing a timely comedic "rib", lamented that he hadn't
joined the two on their Branson adventures. Billy reassured him (with a wink)
that he would be invited to join them in the future.
Calling himself the
"guy who writes sad songs", Billy performed his Grammy-winning
"Choices" as a tribute to the late George Jones (who recorded a number
of his songs). He admitted that he moved to town to sing and fell into
songwriting late. His voice certainly sounded "artist-worthy" as he
sang stirring renditions of "Flowers" (Chris Young), "I Don't
Need No Rocking Chair" (George Jones), and the most moving song of the
night, "My Infinite Love" (George Strait). "My Infinite
Love" was written for a 50-year-old neighbor who was suffering from
cancer. "She asked me to write the song for her funeral," Billy said
with a hint of emotion in his voice. "That wasn't easy to do." He
said he was surprised when the song, which featured uncommon two-line verses,
was later recorded by George Strait.
Eddie Heinzelman
showed his versatility, performing everything from the incredible love ballad
"She's Water" (James Lann) to the Rebel-rousing "Crawl"
(from the movie "Dead in 5 Heartbeats"). One of the greatest things about
"Tin Pan South" is being able to support and learn from the legendary
writers who have helped change the world. It was very special to see Eddie return
that to songwriters in the audience with a moving performance of "Here's
to the Ones Who Write the Songs". Tunes like that rev up our creative
engines. Songwriters are indeed "unsung heros" who can never stop
writing.
 |
| Eddie Heinzelman and Buddy Jewell |
Buddy Jewell
delighted the sold-out crowd with hits such as "Abilene on Her Mind",
"Help Pour Out the Rain", and "Sweet Southern Comfort". He
serenaded his wife and son (who were in the audience) and paid tribute to his
dad with the tender "When I'm Good and Gone". Buddy says he wrote the
song after losing several extremely important loved ones over a six-year
period. In the lyric, a dying man's old, tattered Bible is left open at the
Book of John. The hit singer-songwriter moved the audience even more with
"One in a Row", a country ballad about a broken-hearted guy who's
suffering over a recent breakup. Based on what we heard and the crowd's
enthusiastic applause, it's an easy guess that Buddy will be a country music
mainstay for many years to come.
How can you
described Jeff Bates? His quip-and-take with Billy, Eddie and Buddy was
hilarious. One thing is for sure: Jeff is an outstanding songwriter with an
unmistakably deep baritone voice. He treated music fans to the sultry
"Long Slow Kisses", telling them that he's known for writing songs
for women. "I'm a specialist," he said matter-of-factly. "I've
been married five times. If I say I've been married nine times, that don't
sound so bad." He lamented with the men (on misunderstanding women),
singing the cleverly penned "Chicktionary". He honored the late
legend Conway Twitty with the song, "Me and Conway". "People
always told me I sounded a lot like him," said Jeff, who recorded a Conway
tribute album in 2012. Probably his most memorable (and most moving) song of the
evening was "If Heaven Had a Phone". He used his wit in a surprising,
heart-tugging way, recalling how his late mother encouraged him to chase his
dreams. If he had a phone, he'd call his mom and dad (who are in Heaven) every
single day. He thanked God for giving him the opportunity to write and perform.
"When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life," he
noted.
 |
| Jeff Bates |
What a great show...
one to smile about for a long time!
-- Chuck Whiting, MCAU
Editor
THE STATION INN (Late
Show):
I
covered the show featuring Bobby Tomberlin, Larry Gatlin, Leslie Satcher, and
Vince Gill -- an all star cast!
This
is my second time seeing this group of songwriters and entertainers together,
so I knew what to expect. It was a wonderful show with killer harmonies,
great musicianship, and lots of laughs. And boy did they ever
deliver.
Bobby
Tomberlin kicked off the show with a Hank Williams song, “You’re Gonna Change
(Or I’m Gonna Leave)". This group has so many hits between them they
can play anything they want. We know who they are, and they know who they
are... comfortable in their own skin and with each other. Later in the
evening, Leslie performed one she didn’t write, the Tammy Wynette classic,
“I’ll just keep falling in love Till I Get it Right”.
 |
| Bobby Tomberlin |
Larry
serenaded us with “All the Gold in California” and “My Heart Comes With
Strings Attached". He told us that he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for
Leslie Satcher, who called him years ago and said, “I want to write a song with
you”. Larry, who is used to writing alone replied, “You have three songs
on the latest George Straight album. Why do you need to write with me?” Leslie was persistent, and Larry
obliged. When they met, Leslie said Larry was like a gnat flying everywhere
around the room, bringing lots of laugher on the stage and off. She had to
tell him to sit down so they could write. Larry said, “I take that as a
compliment.” Then Vince chimed in, “How could you not?” These old friends
ribbed each other mercilessly all night.
 |
| Larry Gatlin |
Vince,
tearing up, announced that his daughter Jenny and her husband Josh are
expecting a baby. He explained that he has been on the road for the last
40 years and set 2014 aside to rest and be with family, having no idea Jenny
would be expecting. He segued into “I Will Ride The Rails No More”. With
his voice breaking up, he told us he just wanted to stay at home and play with
his grandbaby.
Bobby had us on the
edge of our seats with a new song called the “Grand Ole Opry”. The Opry is
personified when he sings, “They say that I’m the one that made Country Music
what it is today… But it’s the stars who crossed my stage that are the ones…”.
Afterwards, we were delighted when Jan Howard was called up from the audience
to sing “Heartaches By The Number”. Everyone, young and old, joined in on
the chorus!
-- Wil Comstock, MCAU
Contributing Writer
 |
| Leslie Satcher and Vince Gill |
See photos from the TPS
Opening Party at the Roundabout at
http://musiccityartsupdate.blogspot.com/2014/03/photos-tin-pan-south-kicks-off-on-march.html
Read our report on the
shows from Day One (March 25) at
http://musiccityartsupdate.blogspot.com/2014/03/day-one-tin-pan-south-brings-excitement.html
Do you have a "Tin
Pan South" story/experience to tell.
We can only be so many places at one time. Please send it to us at
Info@MusicCityArtsUpdate.com .
Check out the "Tin Pan South" schedule at http://www.tinpansouth.com/2014/schedule.html.
No comments:
Post a Comment