'Tin Pan South' Closes with Humor, Retro and Nostalgia

'TIN PAN SOUTH' REPORT

Day Five: March 29 (Saturday)

         The last night of "Tin Pan South" was filled with rock 'n' roll, blues, country, pop, and gospel, along with a good bit of humor, retro and nostalgia. Covering shows for MCAU on Saturday night (Day Five) were reporters Chuck Whiting and Wil Comstock. They decided to take in the 6:30 p.m. show at Belcourt Taps (featuring Andrew Fromm, Gary Talley, Frank Stallone, and Mac Gayden); and the 9:30 p.m. show at the Hard Rock Cafe' (featuring Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Amy Stroup, and Phil Madeira).

March 29 (SATURDAY):

BELCOURT TAPS (Early Show):

         It was fun talking with fellow songwriters and fans as we waited outside Taps in the fresh, chilly air. Songwriters visiting from Ohio and Oklahoma raved about their TPS experiences, saying they would love to return next year. Others, including songwriting friend Gary Gullbergh, compared notes on their Northern and Midwestern accents and shared stories about how they moved to Nashville and what's happened since. During our conversation, NSAI head Bart Herbison greeted us as he was leaving the venue. "I hope you're having a good time," he said with a smile. "This is going to be a great show." He was right.

         I was happy to finally attend a TPS show featuring master guitarist Gary Talley, whom I've known for years. He shared the limelight with the surprisingly talented Frank Stallone, pop balladeer writer/keyboardist Andrew Fromm, and legendary Slide Wah guitarist/songwriter Mac Gayden.

Andrew Fromm

         Andrew Fromm, who now lives in Nashville, is known for his many pop hits and album cuts by the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Marc Anthony, and others. He began with "Beautiful", a romantic ballad about a man overcome by his love for a breathtakingly beautiful woman. The pianist tugged hearts with soft, intricate arrangements, and soothing vocals. You could feel the emotion in every well-crafted word. For keyboard composers like me, it was fascinating to see how he wove the music and lyric together. Later, he sang "Spanish Eyes", a smash hit on the Backstreet Boys' "Millennium" album (which sold a whopping 30 million copies). "I haven't performed in five years, so I'm probably a little rusty," Fromm told an appreciative audience. Saying he was Jewish, Andrew recalled how he began to gain career momentum years ago by appearing on "Star Search" with the late Ed McMahon. He then launched into the Christmas classic, "I Don't Want to Spend One More Christmas Without You". Frank Stallone congratulated him afterwards, asking, "Were you still single when you wrote that? That's a great songs for chicks." Andrew said he got his start by performing at open mics with black singers (for mostly black audiences) while waiting tables at TGI Fridays and Chili's. He was "discovered" in 1996 when he performed "I Need You Tonight" for record executives at a birthday party. His performance of the harmony-rich ballad (recorded by the Backstreet Boys) was a highlight of the evening.

Gary Talley

         When it comes to playing guitar (and having a keen sense of humor), Gary Talley has it. He's very likeable, and his fingerwork on six-string always impresses. He is also humble, evidenced by some of his song introductions. Don't let that fool you. He's a member of the group that recorded classic hits such as "Cry Like a Baby". He immediately stirred up the crowd with "The Letter" (a song he didn't write) that his band The Box Tops made famous back in 1967. "Is there anyone here from France?" he asked. "If so, you might have heard this one in the '90s." He then treated the crowd to a spunky, bluesy rendition of "Last Laugh", a song about lost love and eventual revenge. One of Gary's most memorable experiences involved one of the most popular bands of all time. He recalled how in 1968 the Box Tops toured with The Beach Boys. One night (thanks to Bill Cunningham), Beach Boys Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike and Al showed up at the door of his suite with a birthday cake for his 21st birthday. "The Beach Boys then sang me the 'Happy Birthday' song", he added with excitement in his voice. He had the Taps audience singing along during the chorus of "I'm Gonna Have Your Baby", another groove-along number that hit the charts in Norway.

Frank Stallone

         It was very interesting to see and hear the brother of a Hollywood legend. For Frank Stallone, landing opportunities in music didn't come as quickly (or as easily) as Sylvester's rapid climb to fame in movies. But he stuck with it, and his hard work and determination finally paid off. Frank, who has never married, was a bit self-deprecating about his difficulty in getting dates. He revealed those frustrations with "Real Romance", a song about a man who's not ready to take a chance on love (while realizing that the love of a woman would make him strong). He has a surprisingly good voice with an ability to sound like other well-known singers, including the Gibb brothers and Stevie Ray Vaughan. "To make it in music, you have to put everything you can into it," said Frank, who has sometimes struggled to make ends meet like the rest of us. He served as his brother's stand-in and played small venues with his band before hitting it big, writing a number of songs for the "Staying Alive" soundtrack. He credits the Bee Gees (who "quit and walked off the set") for that miracle. In fact, he sounded a bit like a Gibb when he sang "Never Give You Up", a pop classic that helped him garner a Golden Globe and Grammy Award nomination. The crowd loved it, singing along on the choruses and applauding loudly after he finished performing. He showed a cool blues side (and vocal gravel) with "Wake Up Call".

Mac Gayden

         Due to arthritis, Mac Gayden invited his son to play along with him. Gayden still played masterfully and energetically, revving up the standing-room-only house with classic rock and country hits. The legendary Slide Wah guitarist wowed with "Morning Glory" (which he dedicated to his publisher), "Crazy Mama" (an early '70s J.J. Cale hit), and "Everlasting Love" (originally recorded by Robert Knight that was meant for the B side of "The Weeper"). You could still hear the licks that he made famous... crying, moaning guitar that made you want to dance. Mac was pleasantly surprised a few years back when U2 recorded and released "Everlasting Love". Just as the song was beginning to get airplay, the band decided to take it off the air because they had never had a cover hit. Members of U2 thanked Mac for his understanding, promising to make it up to him. They did later when the song was included on the band's "The Best of 1980-1990/B Sides" album. The song has been recorded many times by other artists, appearing in the U.S. Top 40 in the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. It was great to see Mac playing these classics, adding a bit of nostalgia (and heart) to music lovers who remember and/or appreciate the good ole days of rock 'n' roll.

Gary Talley welcomes some of his fans.

         This has been an inspiring week with performances and stories by many of the world's greatest hit-makers. I'm thankful to live in Nashville where I can see and hear artists like this throughout the year. Now that TPS is over, it's time to get back to the piano to write!

-- Chuck Whiting, MCAU Editor

HARD ROCK CAFE' (Late Show):

         The first time I saw Phil Madeira, he was playing keyboards in the Phil Keaggy Band. Later, when I moved to Ithaca, N.Y., we went to the same church. On Saturday night, Phil was the host of the final 2014 "Tin Pan South" show at the Hard Rock Cafe'. He invited long-time friends Wayne Kirkpatrick, Amy Grant, and percussionist Steve Hindalong (The Choir and Lost Dogs), along with new friend Amy Stroup.

Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick,
Amy Stroup, and Phil Madeira (with
Steve Hindalong playing behind them).

         Phil started the round with "Old Song", a tune he co-wrote with Wayne and Jimmy Lee Solas. "There is no friend like an old friend, dog like an old dog, scotch like an old scotch, chair like an old chair." I looked around and saw knowing smiles and heads nodding "yes" throughout the number. Another highlight of Phil's, "The Ghost of Johnny Cash", came to him in a dream that woke him up at 3 in the morning. Madeira drew a huge response to his "If I Were Jesus" with the lines, "I run with the wrong crowd... and at the party, I turn the water into wine".

Amy Stroup and Phil Madeira

         We learned that Amy Stroup had songs placed in the TV shows "Private Practice" and "Parenthood". She performed the riveting "Backed into a Corner", which landed on "Gray's Anatomy". Grant commented, "That's true. You really see it all when you're backed into a corner." Other favorites were "Just You" (which ran in a Zales diamond commercial), and her father's (and my) favorite, "Redeeming Love".

         I have seen Wayne Kirkpatrick's name on liner notes for the last 25 years. He wrote "Boondocks" (Little Big Town) and "Change the World" (Wynonna and Eric Clapton), both of which he performed for us. I enjoyed his Southern gem, "I Can't Sleep Tonight", which was featured in the show "Heart of Dixie" (and possibly on next week's edition of "Nashville"). Wayne joked, "It was supposed to be on 'Nashville' a couple weeks ago, but they only aired a few chords." Wayne tried a new one on us that he'd just written with Tom Douglas and Kylie Rae Harris, which I think was called "Nothing Stays the Same" (but could be called "Like a Vinyl Crack on a Stereo"), a nostalgic look at days gone by.

Wayne Kirkpatrick

         Okay, I admit that Amy Grant is one of my favorite artists. I bought her first album because Myrrh Records placed a promotional LP in with an album I bought (I can't remember which one). The promo featured new songs by established and up-and-coming artists. Could that have been around 1977? Her songs have always been there for me.

         Amy started out by telling us (sentimentally) that this group of people in the room would never be together again, launching into "Our Time Is Now". In 1988, Amy's grandmother died. She and then-husband Gary Chapman had just bought a farm they could barely afford. Their first child, Matt, was 5 months old. Amy and her three sisters each received money in their grandmother's will. She thought about putting the money into the new farm, but wanted to do something in her grandmother's memory instead. So, she ordered 75 fruit trees. They looked like sticks when they planted them in the ground that fall. Ten years later, Amy and Gary divorced and sold the farm. The trees never produced any fruit. Moving ahead another 10 years, Amy received a call from someone she'd never met, the new owner of the farm. The owner invited her to visit the orchard. It turns out the man next door started keeping bees, and the trees were laden with fruit. Amy climbed a tree and was eating one of the "best Georgia peaches" she had ever eaten when she started to cry. She told her friend, Liz, who went with her, "You know I never would have planted these trees if I knew how it would have turned out." She then played "It's Better Not to Know". Later, Amy closed the evening with the encouraging "I'm Not Giving Up On You".

-- Wil Comstock, MCAU Contributing Writer

 

Amy Grant enjoys a performance by one her peers.

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

Read our report on the shows from Day Two (March 26) at http://musiccityartsupdate.blogspot.com/2014/03/day-two-of-tin-pan-south-filled-with.html

Read our report on the shows from Day Three (March 27) at http://musiccityartsupdate.blogspot.com/2014/03/tin-pan-south-displays-brilliance-and.html

Read our report on the shows from Day Four (March 28) at http://musiccityartsupdate.blogspot.com/2014/03/tin-pan-south-hits-stride-on-fourth-day.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.

 

Songwriters at the Hard Rock Cafe' pose for photos.

 

The crowd enjoys performances by tunesmiths Grant, Kirkpatrick, Stroup, and Madeira.

(Photos Copyright 2014 by Chuck Whiting)

Nashville's 'Tin Pan South' Closes On High Note

'TIN PAN SOUTH' REPORT

Day Five: April 6, 2013

            We ended "Tin Pan South" with two terrific shows: the early show at the Listening Room (featuring Ben Glover and Amy Grant, with special guests Billy Montana and Matt Jenkins) and the late show at the nearby Rutledge (featuring Aaron Barker, Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Wallin (with wife Camille), and special guest Wynn Varble.

April 6 (Saturday):

LISTENING ROOM (Early Show):

            The schedule for this show listed only two names: hit writer/CCM artist Ben Glover and CCM crossover artist/writer Amy Grant. On these two names alone, the house was packed to standing room only. There were no complaints when country artist and hit songwriter Billy Montana and hit writer Matt Jenkins turned up as surprise guests. I caught Matt's brother, Paul Jenkins, at Winners on Friday night. Talent sure runs in the Jenkins family!

(Photo: Billy Montana)

            Billy Montana performed his now-classic tunes, "Bring On The Rain" (Jo Dee Messina), "House Of A Thousand Dreams" (Martina McBride), and "Suds In The Bucket" (Sara Evans). Billy said a friend had called him saying, "Hey, they're playing your song on 'American Idol'." When Billy turned on the TV, contestant Kelly Pickler had just finished singing "Suds". He heard Simon Crowell comment, "Of all the songs you could have sung, why did you pick this one?" An open-jawed Montana pointed at the TV and yelled out, "But that's my song!"

            Billy said he moved here from upstate New York in 1989 in his '77 Monte Carlo with two kids and one on the way. In '93, he lost his publishing deal. He then commented to a friend, "What I need is a Garth cut." He got one 14 years later with "More Than A Memory", a song Lee Brice and Kyle Jacobs had been working on and brought Billy in to finish. Billy said that Lee's line, "Dialing six numbers and hanging up...", was what really sold Garth on the song.

 (Photo: Matt Jenkins)

            Matt Jenkins sang the upbeat "Blue Jeans Baby", "Running Out of Air" (Love and Theft), and "Fade Into You", which will be featured this fall on the new "Nashville" soundtrack album. The song was cut by Clare "Scarlett" Bowen.

            Besides writing pop, CCM and country hits for others, Ben Glover has several albums out on his own. We were treated to his incredible vocals on the song his wrote for his wife, "I See You". He also performed "Hard To Love" (Lee Brice) and "I Can't Outrun You" (recorded by Trace Adkins and Thompson Square).

(Photo: Ben Glover)

            Amy Grant sang the familiar "I Will Remember You" from her multi-Platinum album "Hearts In Motion", and "Find What You're Looking For" from her last album, "Somewhere Down The Road". I was happy to hear some new songs from her upcoming May album release, "How Mercy Looks From Here". I wasn't disappointed. The title cut is all I hoped it would be. She was inspired to write the song after an emotional roller-coaster year (the loss of her mother, the death of a friend in Afghanistan, and the joy of her step-daughter's wedding). She invited her producer, Marshall Altman (Marc Broussard and Audry Assad), to join her on "Our Time Is Now". There was a certain sound that Phil Ramone had captured on an old Simon and Garfunkel album. Amy called Ramone to inquire about it. He graciously told her what he'd done, adding some stories from his long career. Phil died a few weeks after that conversation. The song "Our Time Is Now" features the legendary Carole King. The evening ended with Amy's new duet with James Taylor, (love tells us) "Don't Try So Hard".

(Photo: Amy Grant)

            Afterwards, while washing my hands in the men's room, I struck up a brief conversation with the guy next to me. "It's a special night, isn't it?" he said. "It sure is," I answered, feeling fortunate that I was one of the lucky people to see and hear such a remarkable group of writers.

-- Wil Comstock, MCAU Writer

THE RUTLEDGE (Second Show):

            We ended "Tin Pan South" where we had started five days earlier. The Rutledge was the perfect setting for a show filled with tongue-and-cheek ribbing, self-deprecating humor, entertaining stories (serious and not-so serious) and unforgettable hooks and melodies (some coming from self-proclaimed farmers and hillbillies). One of the performers even chewed tobacco as he sang. Some of that rubbed on me (not the tobacco). I woke up thinking of song ideas I never expected to have.

(Photo: Aaron Barker)

            Aaron Barker (the Blue Bell Ice Cream jingle singer) was a gracious host. Acting more composed and laid back, he expressed his love of songwriting, telling the large crowd how special it was to perform on the same stage as Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Wallin (with wife Camille), and special guest (the crazy cowboy) Wynn Varble.

           

            "Nashville is the last songwriting community," he said with a note of heartfelt seriousness. "When a fellow songwriter is in trouble, we all come together to help."

            Aaron put on a wonderful show, performing velvety-voiced classics such as Lonestar's "What About Now" and George Strait's "I Can Still Make Cheyenne", "A Love Without End, Amen", and "Goodbye, Farewell, So Long". He closed with "Baby Blue", a surprise first cut (and number one hit) by none other than George Strait.

            "We'd lost just about everything," said Aaron, looking back on hard times in Texas before making it big. "Suddenly, out of the blue, I received a check from BMI. It had a lot of numbers. Somehow, my publisher had gotten one of my songs to George Strait. It was the number one song, but I didn't even know it. When I showed the check to my stepdad, he thought it was a sweepstakes promotion."

            That surprise hit and large check obviously changed Aaron's life. He eventually moved to Nashville, writing hit after hit after hit... and a few Blue Bell Ice Cream jingles.

            Chris Wallin made no apologies for his love of "suped-up" classic cars. He remembered being at a car show when he learned his song "Something to Be Proud Of" (Montgomery Gentry) had hit number one. Knowing a big royalty check was on the way, he left the lot driving a 1966 Chevelle.

  (Photo: Chris Wallin)

          

            "We need to be proud of what we have... even if it's still in the shop," he laughed.

           

            The artist used his rich, Southern-as-can-be baritone to sing current and/or soon-to-be classics such as "Man", "Love Me If You Can" (Toby Keith), "I'm Trying" (Trace Adkins), and "Don't Blink".  On more than one occasion, he raised his left hand to show off a finger he had accidentally injured earlier in the day. He was concerned the paper cut might affect his guitar playing, but it didn't.

           

            "'I'm Trying' reached number 40 and stalled," Chris noted before singing the song with his wife, Camille. "When Trace Adkins got arrested for DUI, the song immediately jumped five spots."

            Chris handed his guitar to (bass diva) Camille a couple of times during the show. She has a great voice that complements her husband's... almost a country-accented combination of Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna and Etta James. It's nice to hear the Southern blues in country music. The audience thoroughly enjoyed her performances of the growling "One Way Ticket To Gone" and "A Good Cry".

           

            Family man Lee Thomas Miller sang and played songs celebrating lost love ("She's Cryin' On Her Suitcase"/Casey James), the rush of life ("You're Gonna Miss This"/Trace Adkins), and manhood ("I'm Still A Guy"/Brad Paisley). He was proud to introduce his wife, who was sitting in the audience. Their "Miller bunch" kids were at home with the babysitter.

(Photo: Lee Thomas Miller)

            The crowd howled with laughter when he performed "Hillbilly Porn", a hilarious protest song that received scrutiny (and the misspelling of the word "hillbilly") from a reporter at The Washington Post. The song chides Nashville's former mayor and other city leaders for investing in "the naked giants" statue at Music Row's Roundabout.

            "The reporter treated me like a stupid country hick who didn't appreciate art, and I played along," Chris said. "Her story was scathing."

            Chris added that the mayor wasn't particularly happy about being mentioned in the song. "The mayor bought us some hillbilly porn... what's the tambourine for..."

            Wynn Varble wasn't listed in the program, but we sure were glad he was there. He kept us in stitches every time it was his turn to play. The cowboy-hatted farm guy (with a tobacco tin in his back pocket) always provided a joke before galloping into various trailblazers, including " A Little More Country Than That" (Easton Corbin); "She's A Little Too Country For Me", "Things That Never Cross A Man's Mind" ("American Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler); and "Waitin' On A Woman" (Brad Paisley).

 (Photo: Wynn Varble)

            Then he got serious, telling us how Willie Nelson had selected one of his songs for a recent album.

            "When my phone rang, a guy on the other end said, 'Hello, this is Willie'," said Wynn with as much seriousness as he could muster. "I didn't believe it was him at first. He said he'd lost the recording I sent him and wanted another. I said, 'Sure, I'll send you 500 copies of the song if you want 'em.' A while later, I got a call askin' for the lyrics. He was in the studio recordin' it."

            The audience listened intently as Wynn sang about a cowboy's adventures on Chisholm Trail, through Death Valley, and across dusty plains. Some of them had heard the Willie Nelson version... others hadn't.

            Then he sang the chorus: "But I ain't goin' down on Brokeback Mountain... No, I ain't goin' down on Brokeback Mountain...." The room erupted with laughter. Political correctness wasn't in Wynn's vocabulary, but it didn't seem to matter. He had just about everyone singing along with him by the end of the song. (Please don't tell the reporter at The Washington Post.)

            During the past five days we've heard and seen just about everything when it comes to songwriting. It's truly been an amazing week... more than a memory.

                        

-- Chuck Whiting, MCAU Editor

Do you have an unforgettable "Tin Pan South" story/experience to tell.  Please send it to us at Info@MusicCityArtsUpdate.com .

"Tin Pan South" Schedule: http://www.tinpansouth.com/2013/schedule.html

(Photo: Camille Wallin)

(Photo: Chris Wallin)

(Photo: Amy Grant)

(Photo: Listening Room Stage Shot... By Miranda Sullivan)

(Photo: Listening Room Stage Shot... By Miranda Sullivan)

'Tin Pan South' to Occur in Nashville from April 2-6

NASHVILLE -- For 20 years, the Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Presented by Regions Bank has featured writers whose songs have become engrained in the fabric of our musical lives, and 2013 promises to offer the best of the best. The event set for Tuesday, April 2 - Saturday, April 6, 2013, and the addition of two shows at 3rd & Lindsley brings the total number of venues to 10.

This year's lineup includes more singer/songwriter artists than in year's past, which ups the wow factor for attendees. Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley, hit pop songwriter and former "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi, RCA Nashville's Jake Owen, Sugarland's Kristian Bush, Amy Grant, Pistol Annies' Ashley Monroe and more will be trading arena stages for the intimate venues that make up Tin Pan South.

The popular Fast Access Passes sold out faster than ever before, which is a strong indicator of the desire for fans to see these songwriters, hear the stories behind some of music's most popular songs and see them performed exactly the way they were originally written. Tickets will be available at the door on a cash-only basis for most shows on a first-come, first-served basis.

For up-to-date lineups, tickets, venues, schedules and other festival information, visit tinpansouth.com. 

Produced by NSAI, Tin Pan South reigns as the world's largest all-songwriter festival. Last year close to 350 talented songwriters performed 92 shows at ten of Nashville's top music venues. Over 9,000 music fans attend the event annually to hear songwriters tell stories behind hit songs they have written and perform the songs as they're were originally composed.

Television and Online outlets, may click here  for downloadable promotional video for Tin Pan South 2013.

About NSAI: The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 spans the United States and five foreign countries. For more than 40 years, NSAI has been dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music. For more information, visit nashvillesongwriters.com.

About Regions Financial Corporation: Regions  Financial Corporation, with $128 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of  consumer  and  commercial  banking,  wealth  management,  mortgage, and insurance  products  and  services.  Regions  serves customers in 16 states across the South,  Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,700  banking offices and 2,100 ATMs.

Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

nashvillesongwriters.com                                              tinpansouth.com

Sponsors for the 21st Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival are as follows:

Title Sponsor

Regions Bank

Platinum

American Airlines

ASCAP

BMI

SESAC

Gold

Nashville Scene

NewsChannel5

ole

Silver

Jack Daniel's

JACK-fm

Lightning 100 WRLT

Maggiano's Little Italy

Midtown Printing

Music City Unsigned

Nissan North America

Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Music Row Show

WKDF

WSM

Bronze

Loews Vanderbilt Plaza

Music Starts Here

Musician's Corner

The Nashville Muse

The Recording Academy

Warner Chappell

Friend

Americana Music Association

Benton's Café

Folk Alliance

Graffiti Indoor Advertising

Music Row Magazine

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Tin Pan South Media Contact:

Craig Campbell, Craig@CampbellEntGrp.com, 615-210-3602

  

NSAI & Tin Pan South Sponsorship Opportunities:

Susan Myers, Susan@nashvillesongwriters.com, 615-256-3354 x238