By Wil Comstock, MCAU Contributing Writer
Wednesday (Sept. 10), Embassy Suites Hotel:
Racing downtown after a meeting, I was sure I would be at the end of a long line waiting to get into the show. You can imagine my amazement when there were only about 20 people ahead of me.
Surveying those in line, I was surprised to find I was standing next to songwriter extraordinaire, Lisa Aschmann. Lisa quite literally wrote the book on songwriting, and Hal Leonard published it! It was nice to catch up and fellowship with my friend as we waited for the performers to emerge.
Have you ever been to the Bluebird and seen an exceptional “in the round” or “in the row”? This is that show on steroids with a whole lot of heart! Brandi Carlile has a way of building community; she introduces musicians to one another, they become friends, they write together, and they play on each other’s albums. As Brandi said, “This is what it’s all about, right here on this stage, this is why I do what I do.”
What a joy to watch them cheering each other on. Such was the case when Fancy Hagood performed his new song, “I’m Just a Fool for Your Love.” Brandi watched with her mouth open like a proud older sister. Killer song. Fancy also played “Dead Set on You” and “Lonely as I Do.” This guy has really grown as a writer and singer over the last few years.
What can I say about Chauntee and Monique Ross (aka SistaStrings)? Adjectives fail me. They are virtuoso instrumentalists, singers, and songwriters. They can play classical, jazz, soul and rock. The result of years of practice and nurturing parents. They had a standing ovation on their first song, “One or a Thousand Times.”
The beautiful “How Do You Sleep at Night” written with Brandi Clark and Sean McConnell brought me to tears. Crowd favorite “Goodbye” brought the house down again with its funky jazz rhythms and searing vocals. When is their long-awaited album finally going to come out?
Veteran Sean McConnell has written with everyone on the stage. You can tell he’s grappled with the hard questions and wrestled with his demons as you listen to his lyrics. He immediately touches a familiar nerve. He performed two songs from his new album “Skin,” the haunting “Southside of Forever” and “Take it Easy Darlin’” on which SistaStrings add violin, cello and vocals. Sean uses some alternate tunings to get a unique and fresh sound. McConnell had everyone signing on his soulful anthem, “Shine Your Light on Me.” I can’t wait to purchase his new album!
There were several surprise guests. Brandi Clark came out and introduced a new song she wrote (the folklike “Land of the Free”) after watching the Dylan biopick, “A Complete Unknown.”
Monique Ross introduced her daughter, Daelynn, who accompanied herself on guitar to a lovely song that she wrote. This family has talent!
The last surprise guest was the Carlile Family Band with Brandi’s brother, Jay, and his children, JayJ and Caroline. Caroline fronted the group, playing guitar as they harmonized to a number she wrote. These guys can sing; guess it runs in the family!
Carlile gave us a preview of her upcoming album, “Returning to Myself,” with the honest and vulnerable “Turning.” I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album, which will be released on October 24. Everyone on stage joined in on “Letter to my Past” featuring SistaStrings, who added the icing on the cake with their instruments and voices.
Brandi used to babysit her niece, Caroline (Carlile Family Band), before she became popular. It was hard for her once she started regularly touring; she missed her niece. One birthday, Brandi received a homemade card from 5-year-old Caroline. On the cover she drew an amp and a guitar, and when you opened it, a recording played the child’s voice saying,“I love you, Brandi.” She still has the card! This was the inspiration for “Caroline, I’m on My Way Back Home to You.” So sweet!
Nashville’s Theater Bug, a kids theater troop, had the chance to sing for Carlile this week. They learned and sang Carlile’s song, “Wherever is Your Heart.” This was the song that closed the show, with everyone on the stage and in the theater harmonizing as they looked at each other around the room. It can’t get any better than this!
Footnote: Brandi and Fancy Hagood just performed a benefit concert for Theater Bug at Riverside Revival. The more they give, the more they seem to receive. I sure loved this afternoon’s event.
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