Tin Pan South: Sensational Songwriters Show Features Berg, Cobb, Combs and Payne

Tin Pan South:

Wednesday, Second show at The Country

Matraca Berg, Brent Cobb, Andrew Combs, and Waylon Payne

Report from MCAU Editor Chuck Whiting

         The late show at The Country was sensational, with some of the best songs and surprising voices I've heard on a Nashville stage in quite a while.

         Described as a country soul singer-songwriter, Andrew Combs melodically drifted to unexpected places, mesmerizing the capacity crowd with a young McCartney-esque appeal. Andrew, who plays a mix of covers and originals at venues in Charleston and other places, said he was excited to perform at one of Nashville's newest venues. He serenaded the ladies with the love ballad "Silk Flowers", then launched into the soulful "Too Stoned to Cry", his closest tie-in to the late, great Merle Haggard. His soft, whispering, crying voice added emotional depth to a story about a lonesome wanderer. He later amazed us by using his voice to realistically imitate the sound of a trumpet on "Ramblin' Rose-Colored Blues", a bluesy tune that conjured the rumble of a slow-moving train. His most beautiful performance of the night was "Hazel", a new song that featured brilliant arrangements with soaring falsetto.  We overheard someone say he was the "surprise of the night". We agree.

Andrew Combs shares the stage with Brent Cobb and Matraca Berg (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

         Brent Cobb was an affable and talented complement, offering a wide range of heartfelt, fun and well-crafted tunes. He encouraged us to face challenges during these trying times with the spirited "Go Outside and Dance". He later credited the Bro Country scene for inspiring him to write the imagery (cricket)-filled "Tailgate Blues", conjuring up memories of girls, Friday nights, and romance under the stars. He invited Andrew to join him on their co-write, "Shine On Rainy Day". They took turns singing lead and harmony. Their voices blended well together, and the song was top-notch. Brent is a witty and clever wordsmith who loves bringing laughs to his listeners.

         Special guest Waylon Payne, who portrayed Jerry Lee Lewis in the 2005 movie "Walk The Line", treated the crowd to country blues-accented songs about loss, rough living, and hope. He is following in the footsteps of his parents. His mother, Sami Smith, was a Grammy-winning vocalist. His late father, Jody, was a longtime guitarist for Willie Nelson. The crowd loved his songs "Diana" (about a mother who disappears), "Solitary Thinking" (about a lonesome whiskey drinker), and "Sins of the Father" (about breaking free from generational bad habits). But his deeply moving rendition of "Blue Eyes", a song about his battle with drug addiction, will remain in our hearts and minds for a long time. After singing the song, he offered to talk with anyone who faced similar challenges. 

Another outstanding show at The Country (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

         What a delight it was to hear the lovely and talented (i.e. brilliant tunesmith) Matraca Berg. Her working relationship with country legend Deana Carter (who recorded "Strawberry Wine") continues to grow. She performed their co-write, "One More Is Never Enough", which was recently placed on hold by Kenny Chesney. She left the audience spellbound with "Oh Cumberland", a beautiful ballad about being homesick from Middle Tennessee. Her co-write with Emmylou Harris celebrates the meandering, playful, go-nowhere river that winds its way quietly into Kentucky. She showed her musical range, playing both harmonica and guitar on the tongue-in-cheek tune, "They Still Smoke in Alabama". She drew laughs from the audience when she invited Andrew to play mouth trumpet on "Jesus and Elvis", a song recently cut by Chesney. But she saved everybody's favorite till last. "Strawberry Wine" drew big smiles and sighs as it always has.

         It was a highly enjoyable show... Now on to the next one!

         From now through April 10, Music City Arts Network will be posting coverage and tweeting out messages about this year's Tin Pan South songwriting festival. Follow us http://www.Twitter.com/MusicCityArts and http://www.Facebook.com/MusicCityArts. Please share your TPS experiences with us.

Tin Pan South: Songwriting Legends Take Douglas Corner Stage for 10th Straight Year

Wednesday, First show at Douglas Corner

Rob Crosby, Angela Kaset, Bret Jones, and Allen Shamblin

Report from MCAU Contributing Writer Wil Comstock

            These guys have been playing this show at Tin Pan South for at least the last 10 years. I have made it to six of those shows. I never tire of the old tunes, and I look forward to the new ones.  

            Rob Crosby is one of the reasons I started listening to Country Music in 1990. The first time I came to Nashville in ’91, I saw him perform at Douglas Corner. I just love this guy. Rob started with “Somewhere Down the Line”.  Second time around we heard “Till the Last Shots Fired”, a hit for Trace Adkins that was originally recorded by Merle, Willie and Ray Price but never released. Rob loved the Beatles and was excited to write with Carl Perkins. He went to his house and saw all the pictures on the wall of Carl and the Beatles. Perkins was 6-foot, 2-inches tall. Paul looked short standing next to him. When Rob mentioned this to Carl, he said, “Yeah, he’s just a little bitty fella just like you are!” Rob swallowed his pride, and together they wrote the driving “A Mile out of Memphis”.  The crowd also enjoyed hearing the Eric Paslay hit, “Friday Night”.  Rob stays current by writing with younger writers. He laughed, saying they often call him “sir”.  He invited newcomer Tyler Fillmore to the stage to sing their co-write, “Change the Station”.  We all shed a tear on the Martina McBride cut “Concrete Angel” and agreed heartily on Rob’s “One More Day to Try”.  

Rob Crosby (Photo by Wil Comstock)

            Angela Kaset is one of Nashville’s greatest treasures.  It was worth going to this show if I only heard her first number, “Peace in this House”,  a melodic tune written to her children.  We all smiled during her song “Jesus with the Light Brown Hair". Things are not always as they appear.  She also sang her theme song “At this Stage of my Middle Age”, which was recently put on hold much to her surprise.  She did one of my favorite songs, the classic Lori Morgan cut “Something in Red”. The inspiration for the song came one March day when she was driving along interstate 40 and saw the first green of spring.  She closed with “You Fool”, written in the style of the American Songbook.  Hey Lori (Morgan)... are you looking for another number one?

Angela Kaset (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

            Brett Jones used to play football for the University of Georgia, and sometimes that energy comes through his songs like his first number, the Jason Aldean cut “Crazy Town”, a tune about living in Nashville.  Brett is a people watcher. One day he saw a couple who looked like the nursery rhyme Jack Sprat.  He started thinking and wrote “Something for Everybody”. Ten years ago, Jones had his life all figured out. He bought land in Wyoming near a lake, bought a boat, and figured he would spend a few months each year up there fishing and writing.  It worked out for a couple of years until his girlfriend told him she was pregnant. Now all that is left of the boat is the Billy Currington hit, “That’s How Country Boys Roll”. He reminisced on life and the passing of time on the tender “Your Last Day of Being Three”. Brett always wanted to write a song for his brother who was killed in Vietnam. He finally did it, writing "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away". It was eventually recorded by Justin Moore. It's a sentiment everyone who has lost someone dear can relate to.  

Brett Jones (Photo by Wil Comstock)

            Songwriter Hall of Famer Allen Shamblin dedicated the night to Merle Haggard, who had passed away earlier in the day.  Allen said the first time he saw Merle was in a small Texas club where he sat about 15 feet away from him.  Shamblin then segued into “What I’m For”, written with Marc Beeson.  He had us in stiches singing “I Like Frogs”, who along with Allen, do not like Biology! His next song sat on the back burner for six years before he and co-writer Tom Douglas took another look at it. They cleaned it up, and Miranda Lambert recorded “The House That Built Me”.  Allen’s love for his great-grandfather led him to write “He Walked on Water".  He sweetly sang the song in his boy-like way, eyes closed, rocking his body, and touching our hearts once again.  How lucky can a guy get than to hear two of his favorite songs played by the songwriter in one night?  Shamblin made that happen for me when he played his huge hit for Bonnie Raitt, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Kaset did previously with “Something in Red”).  Allen said he doesn’t often play other peoples songs.  When he first started playing guitar as a kid, he was often told his rendition didn’t sound anything like the original.  But he took a chance and closed the night with the Haggard tune, “Sing Me Back Home”.  We were all glad he did.

Allen Shamblin (Photo by Wil Comstock)

 

 

         From now through April 10, Music City Arts Network will be posting coverage and tweeting out messages about this year's Tin Pan South songwriting festival. Follow us http://www.Twitter.com/MusicCityArts and http://www.Facebook.com/MusicCityArts. Please share your TPS experiences with us.

Artist/Instructor Gail McDaniel to Teach Watercolor Painting Course in Atlanta Starting May 11

            ATLANTA (April 2016) -- Gail McDaniel, an acclaimed watercolorist who, by invitation, has served as an associate member and demonstrating artist/instructor for the prestigious Winsor & Newton Creative Artist Network of London, will lead an eight-week watercolor painting course this spring near Atlanta.

            The course will be offered to beginning, intermediate and advanced artists on selected Wednesday afternoons starting May 11 at Griffin First United Methodist Church, 1401 Maple Drive in Griffin, Georgia. Sessions will occur from 1-4 p.m. on May 11, 18, 25 and June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.

            The artist/instructor will provide insights on composition, perspective, value, color theory and application. She also will demonstrate some of the techniques that have helped make her an award-winning artist, including abstract under paintings, disappearing purples, painting on Masa Paper, white on white, monotype paintings, let it flow, texturize your paintings, portraits, reflective surfaces, and wax-resist Batik. The course is structured to serve artists at all skill levels, from the very raw beginner to the most advanced. McDaniel will close each session with individual critiques.

            Because space is limited for the classes, reservations are required. For more information or to register, contact the artist by phone at (678) 603-1502 or send an inquiry to gail@gailmcdanielart.com. Individuals can learn more about the artist/instructor and view her artwork at http://www.GailMcDanielArt.com.
 
            Before moving to Georgia, McDaniel spent more than 20 years working as a professional watercolorist and art instructor in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee. During that time, she taught more than 1,300 students in classes and workshops around the world. A number of her former students have developed into professional artists with exhibitions and commissions.

Gail McDaniel (Photo by Ken McDaniel)

            "Some people come to find out if they can paint in watercolor," said the artist, who painted the invitation cover for "A Little Night of Music" starring country superstar LeAnn Rimes. "Like me, others love the look of watercolor paintings and want to learn the medium. Many come for the change of pace and the new, wonderful, relaxing challenge it brings. The intermediate and advanced students come to me to grow in the medium."

            Over the years, McDaniel has seen the positive change that comes over many people when they spend three hours with her creatively thinking from the right side of their brain.

            "It's truly a night-and-day change, not to mention the fun they have," McDaniel added. "Many who come to me with no art background find they really have a true talent for painting. Some of them never had the slightest notion they had any talent. It's such an outstanding reward for them and a source of real pleasure for me."

            A good example is Phyllis Tatum, a watercolorist who studied with McDaniel for 14 years in Middle Tennessee. She and her fellow students were thrilled when she won four blue ribbons and a red ribbon at the Tennessee State Fair. Her crowing achievement came later when she won the fair's "Best of Show", a rare occurrence in watercolor circles.

            McDaniel fondly remembers receiving a thank you note from former student Suzy Foy of Estes Park, Colo., who wrote, "My whole life I have dreamt about being an artist... I never believed I could live that dream, one painting at a time. Because of my workshops, mentoring and support (from McDaniel), it is happening."

            "One of the obvious results of classes is the togetherness that comes upon the group," McDaniel noted. "Friendships develop, and with that interest in each other's lives and the happenings and events in their world. The group watches children grow up, grandchildren being born, and members die. The group celebrates the joys together, as well as the sad times, giving special support. Sometimes, our paintings reflect those experiences."

            The classes near Atlanta should be no exception. McDaniel will demonstrate the techniques, shortcuts and concepts that she has developed or learned by doing, reading or studying with others. She plans to show her students everything she knows, holding nothing back. Her goal is to inspire them without making them feel overwhelmed.

            During her career, McDaniel has trained artists from 36 different states (including Alaska and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and South Korea. She has taught 11 workshops at historic Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, a landmark where the late Georgia O’Keefe lived and painted. She also served as a member of the arts faculty of Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art.

Artist/instructor Gail McDaniel works with her students (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

            In 2002, she and her husband, Ken, launched the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Awards", raising almost $90,000 for the visual arts in Middle Tennessee public schools. The fundraising effort earned Gail and Ken a nomination in the "volunteer innovator" category of the 2009 Mary Catherine Strobel Award. In 2012, the artist was named the PENCIL Foundation's "Volunteer of the Year".

            Before leaving Tennessee, she received an award for "Excellence in Community Service" from the Travelers Rest Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was inducted into the Cave City, Ky., Hall of Fame and named (as an eighth generation Kentuckian) to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels as one of  "Kentucky's ambassadors of good will and fellowship around the world."

            In 2001, she was invited by directors of the "Art in Provence" program to conduct an eight-day watercolor workshop in Dieulefit, France. She studied under 38 noted art instructors to help build her reputation as one of the South's top artists/instructors. -- even accepting a commission to paint a family landmark for former Kentucky Gov. Louie B. Nunn.

            For more information about Gail McDaniel or to see her work, visit www.GailMcDanielArt.com.

Tin Pan South: Paul Overstreet's Funny Antics and Much More

Tuesday: Second Show at The Country

Featuring: Tom Johnson, John Cowan, Paul Overstreet, and Lara Johnson with Pat Flynn

Report from MCAU Contributing Writer Wil Comstock

 

Paul Overstreet performs at The Country (Photo by Wil Comstock)

       Hands down one of the best shows this week, and it’s just begun!

       Tom Johnson kicked off the night with his signature guitar licks on “Spirit”. Later he played “Rainy Day Crossroads Blues”, and “Another Park Another Sunday”. He brought the House down with “Listen to the Music”, the Doobie hit he wrote in the '60s for the leaders of the world. 

       John Cowan’s bass and Pat Flynn’s incredible guitar on these classic Doobie Brothers hits added a great groove. John seduced us with “It Ain’t Necessarily No”, which he wrote with Pat McLaughlin. John’s best friend brought his family to see him play several years ago. On the way home, his friend and two sons were killed when their car was hit by a drunk driver. John wrote “This River” with Donny Wade and Wendy Waldman as a tribute to him. Both John and Pat were in the great band New Grass Revival. John sang a song Pat wrote, “Do What You Got To Do”, which was recorded by Garth Brooks.   

       I forgot just what a cut-up Paul Overstreet is. Watching him onstage, you can see the wheels turning as a smirk creeps across his face…. I imagine he wore that smirk as he wrote “Some Beach”, the Blake Shelton hit, and on a song Hank Williams Jr. cut, “Liquor to Like Her". Now how did the same person who wrote those songs write Keith Whitley’s (and Allison Krauss’s) “When You Say Nothing At All” and the Grammy winner “Forever and Ever Amen” recorded by Randy Travis? Lara Johnson is Tom’s daughter. She has a powerful voice and great potential as a songwriter. The crowd enjoyed listening to her “Back Seat”, “Pity Party” and “Sketches”.

       The bar was raised several notches tonight for musicianship at Tin Pan shows. I don’t think many will beat it. The respect and love that these guys have for one another shows in the fun they had and the songs they delivered tonight. I drove home with “Listen to the Music” in my head, complete with John’s bass and Pat’s guitar. 

A mix of legendary songwriters and legends to be (Photo by Wil Comstock)

        From now through April 10, Music City Arts Network will be posting coverage and tweeting out messages about this year's Tin Pan South songwriting festival. Follow us http://www.Twitter.com/MusicCityArts and http://www.Facebook.com/MusicCityArts. Please share your TPS experiences with us.

Tin Pan South: Songwriters Take the Stage at The Country in Nashville

From now through April 10, Music City Arts Network will be posting coverage and tweeting out messages about this year's Tin Pan South songwriting festival. Follow us http://www.Twitter.com/MusicCityArts and http://www.Facebook.com/MusicCityArts. Please share your TPS experiences with us.

Tuesday: First Show at The Country

Featuring: Jonathan Singleton, Jessi Alexander, Josh Thompson, Cary Barlowe, Maddie & Fae

Report from MCAU Contributing Writer Wil Comstock

       My first time at this fun new venue. Great corner stage and sound. Plenty of craft beers on tap. And a surprise for all those taking a trip to the restroom. The sinks are in the hallway outside of the men’s and women’s rooms. Boys wash their hands with the girls are watching!

       Standing Room Only Crowd for this show!  Highlights included Jonathan Singleton’s “Night’s on Fire”, “A Guy Walks in a Bar”, The Josh Tuner cut “Why Don’t We Just Dance”, and the Tim McGraw hit that bought him a farm in Ashland City, “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”. 

Jonathan, Jessi and Josh perform their songs at The Country (Photo by Wil Comstock)

       Jessi Alexander looked divine in a red Indian print dress delivering “Mine Will Be You”, a song about regrets, “Damn Country Music”, “Drink on It”, and her inspirational first big cut, “The Climb” recorded by Miley Cyrus. 

       Josh Thompson treated us to “Match”, the newly recorded “Ask Any Barstool” by Jason Aldean, “For All the Wrong Reasons”, and “John Wayne, Johnny Cash, and John Deere”. 

       Cary Barlowe and his pretty damn-good guitar chops played ”Where It’s At”, “It Don’t Hurt Like it Use To”, and “American Honey”, which Lady Antebellum took to the top. Cary and Shy Carter were writing at Major Bobs when in walked Billy Currington, a former Major Bob writer.  Billy asked what they were up to, and they penned Billy’s hit, “It Don’t Hurt Like it Used To”.  

       Surprise guests Maddie and Fae, who both just turned 21, harmonized on “Downside of Growing Up”, “On the Way Down”, and the song that got Big Machine’s attention, “Girl in a Country Song”.

       Jonathan, Jessi, Josh and Cary are all friends. They write together, hang together, and have lots of fun together, on stage and off!

Songwriters perform at The Country during Tin Pan South (Photo by Wil Comstock)

'Tunesmithing' To Spotlight Americana Songwriters on April 20

         NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 2016) -- "Tunesmithing" songwriters showcase will spotlight five Americana songwriting acts from 7-9:30 p.m. April 20 (Wednesday) at WXYZ Restaurant/Bar at the Aloft Nashville Hotel, 1719 West End Ave. (near Music Row). 

          Attendees will enjoy original songs by East Side Story, Dar Frantz, Donna Frost, Les Kerr, and Angel Pontier. Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Publicist Chuck Whiting will emcee the show. Songwriter/audio engineer AJ Bigler will handle sound. 

East Side Story (Photo provided by East Side Story)

          "Tunesmithing" songwriters showcase is sponsored by Music City Arts Network and Whiting Publicity and Promotions. The monthly show was founded in 2003 to spotlight emerging, professional and hit songwriters, as well as artists of all kinds. The event offers mentoring, career growth and networking opportunities for artists at all levels. 

Les Kerr (Photo provided by Les Kerr)

          For more information about "Tunesmithing", call (615) 423-9857, write Info@Tunesmithing.com, or visit http://www.Tunesmithing.com.

Donna Frost (Photo provided by Donna Frost)

Dar Frantz (Photo provided by Dar Frantz)

Angel Pontier (Photo provided by Angel Pontier)

Tennessee State University Professor Honors Negro Baseball League Star Henry Kimbro With New Book

By Chuck Whiting

MCAU Editor

            NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 2016) -- Tennessee State University Associate Professor Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton has labored for several years writing a new book celebrating her father, the late Negro Baseball League star Henry Kimbro.

            "Daddy's Scrapbook: Henry Kimbro of the Negro Baseball League, A Daughter's Perspective" is filled with personal observations, newspaper articles, and other items from Henry's glory days as a player for the NBL's Baltimore Elite Giants and Birmingham Black Barons. Shortly before her death, Harriet's Cuban-born mother gave Harriet a 60-year-old scrapbook her father had assembled during his life.

            "No one in my family ever saw the scrapbook with the exception of my mother," Harriet said with a smile. "When she placed it in my hands, she told me to do something with it. 'You know what to do,' she told me. The look she had on her face at that time was, 'I trust you.'"

            Harriet's efforts to honor her father started in 2003 with a challenging but successful campaign to have Henry inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Her book recalls a legendary outfielder once dubbed the "Black Ty Cobb" of the NBL. According to The New York Times, Henry played mostly with the Baltimore Elite Giants, with other stints at the Washington Elite Giants, the New York Black Yankees, and the Birmingham Black Barons. He played briefly for the Barons shortly before retiring in 1953. The Negro Leagues were disbanded in the 1960s when African-American players began joining Major League Baseball. Erbia C. Mendoza-Kimbro gave Harriet the scrapbook after Henry died in 1999.

            "Daddy's Scrapbook", which retails for $14.95, is available at Amazon.com and other major online retailers. For more information about the book, call (615) 963-5581 or send an e-mail inquiry to harrioo@hotmail.com. To learn more about Henry Kimbro, visit http://www.Facebook.com/HenryKimbro.

            "It was a great joy to write this book because, through the process, I became good friends with other Negro League heroes such as Butch McCord, Jim Zapp, Shannon Jones, and Sydney Bunch, who knew and worked with my dad," Harriet added. "My siblings also contributed. The toughest part of the book was the chapter on my mom. I had a connection with her that most family members were not aware of. This book has given me peace with my mother's wish."

 

            Her heartfelt family tribute includes insights on Henry's Nashville upbringing, controversial off-the-field shenanigans, baseball stardom in Latin America, marriage to Erbia, role as the father of five children, and induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

            "My favorite story was when my father gave me a left-handed glove," noted Harriet, who wanted to show the humble side of a man who loved his wife and children. "I don't think he knew what an impact he had on a little girl's confidence, someone who loved learning how to play baseball alongside her brother. I look back and see a man ahead of his time in terms of gender equality, and I truly appreciate that."

            The professor also recounts other stories, both funny and sad, about her son's temporary disappearance at a hotel before the 1993 Baseball All-Star Game and her father's awkward courting of Erbia during visits to Cuba.

            "During their dates, he had to take her chaperones along with them and pay their tabs," Harriet laughed. "He would always smile or laugh when telling that story. He truly loved my mother."

            Harriet drew more quiet when talking emotionally about her mother, whose touching story is recounted halfway through the book. 

            "My mother was the foundation of our family," she said. "She was a very loving, caring and supportive person to her children. I can't remember anytime she wasn't there to see us participate, compete or complete an endeavor. For me, my mother was my first teacher. I was also my father's child in many ways because I inherited many of his ways both good and bad, but she made me more of a lady, too."

            Harriet also uses the book to recognize some of the individuals who helped Henry Kimbro succeed. She said her efforts to have her father posthumously inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of fame would not have been possible without the lobbying support of former Negro American League Manager Buck O'Neil, Canadian Major League Baseball star Larry Walker, former Nashville Sounds owner Larry Schmittou, and former Nashville Councilman Ronnie Greer. 

            "Daddy's Scrapbook" includes a host of pictures, including Henry's baseball days, family snapshots, and post-career activities in the latter part of his life. The last photo of Henry on Page 125 shows him waving a baseball cap at fans while being recognized at the 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Baltimore. 

Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton

            "Before the game began, 24 surviving Negro League Baseball players were paraded onto the field wearing replicas of their team uniforms," Harriet remembered. "It was blistering that day, and I worried about the effects of the heat on those guys. As each player was introduced, a giant picture of them was shown on the scoreboard while the announcer described their accomplishments as a player. When it was my father's time, he stood up straight with a huge grin and tilted his Baltimore Elite Giants hat to the crowd. The crowd, I felt, gave him the loudest response because he had played for Baltimore, and he relished this, his finest hour."

  

            Harriet is an associate professor for Tennessee State University in Nashville. During her athletic career, Hamilton served as head coach in various sports and athletic director of Fisk University. She also has served as a professor for Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The author also chaired the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Committee and served on the ABA-USA Committee that selected the 1984 USA Olympic Gold Medal Women's Basketball Team. She has received awards from the Women's Sports Foundation; the National Association of Girls and Women in Sports (the Dr. Nell C. Jackson Award); Fisk University (Women of Prominence Award); and the Temple University League for Entrepreneurial Women (Hall of Fame inductee). 

            Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton is available for speaking and book-signing appearances. For more information, contact her at (615) 963-5581 or harrioo@hotmail.com.

Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton celebrates with Larry Walker, owner of the Old Negro League Baseball Shop in Nashville, during a recent book signing and NBL baseball memorabilia exhibition Tenn. (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

'The Ryman Diaires' Play Coming to Bibb Center Near Dickson from April 28-May 8

            NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 2015) – Award-winning actor/playwright/director Tom Dolan and author/musician/educator Debbie Mathis Watts will portray Music City legends Captain Tom Ryman and Bettie Baugh Ryman in the multi-media musical stage play "The Ryman Diaries" from April 28-May 8 (Thursdays-Sundays) at the Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center.

          The shows will be staged at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. No shows will be offered Monday-Wednesday. Admission is $12. The Bibb Center is located at 10545 Old Charlotte Road in White Bluff, Tenn., near Dickson.

          Described as a 19th Century love story, "The Ryman Diaries" is a historical drama that depicts the life and times of Cumberland riverboat Captain Tom Ryman as told through the eyes of his wife, Bettie Baugh Ryman. The story covers 70 years of the couple's lives through film media, stage acting, and original musical numbers. It tells of their unlikely romance, marriage, entrepreneurship, raising seven children on a riverboat, ultimate success, Christian conversion at a tent meeting, and the building of the Union Gospel Tabernacle. 

Debbie Watts and Tom Dolan portray Captain Tom Ryman and his wife Bettie. (Photo from Debbie Watts)

          The play is based on Watts' book, with additional dialog from Dolan. The actors penned seven original songs for the production. Film clips feature flashbacks of young Bettie and historical stills provided by the Metro Archives. 

          "Both Bettie and Tom had the hearts of musicians, so it was totally fitting that they would play and sing," said Watts, a former producer for various shows on TNN: The Nashville Network. "They were true romantics who laid the musical foundation for Middle Tennessee." 

          A veteran educator, professional pianist-vocalist, and author, Watts' theatrical roles include Mollie in "Mousetrap" and Agnes in "I Do, I Do". Dolan has received national acclaim starring as Elwood P. Dowd in "Harvey", Dr. Albert Schweitzer in "Memoirs from Africa", and Sam Clemens in "Mark Twain Live". The actors also star in a new play in San Diego based on the lives of John and Lillie Spreckels.  

          To buy tickets for "The Ryman Diaries", call (615) 797-1154 or send an e-mail inquiry to Wattsd2@att.net. To learn more about the play, visit http://wattsd2.wix.com/rymandiaries.

Mary Beth Cross to Release New EP 'Feels Like Home' on May 15

            DENVER (March 2016) – Award-winning folk-Americana artist Mary Beth Cross will release an eight-song  bluegrass EP on May 15 that celebrates the importance of home in the lives of average, everyday Americans.

            "Feels Like Home" will include original songs, as well as classics written and/or performed by legendary artists such as Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Garry White, Van Morrison, George Gershwin, and Dubose Heyward. The recording will spotlight Cross's soaring, pure-tone soprano vocals. It was produced by veteran banjoist Chris Pandolfi, who joins nationally respected musicians Jeremy Garrett on fiddle, Tyler Grant on guitar, and Adrian Engfer on bass. The EP is dedicated to her late nephew, Christopher Chmiel, who died unexpectedly in 2015.

            "My latest project will include cover songs that are part of the tapestry of my upbringing in Wisconsin, as well as originals that reflect my current home in Colorado," said Cross, whose last project, "Beyond Good and Evil", was named "2014 Folk-Country CD of the Year" by the National Traditional Country Music Association. "We went with less is more, taking an approach that feels live, acoustic, down-to-earth, and not too far from home. Good memories or sad memories are evoked by some of my favorite songs."

Mary Beth Cross (Photo by Katy Tartakoff)

            Cross plans to celebrate "Feels Like Home" with a listening party at Baur's listening room and the Swallow Hill Music Association in Denver. She will attend the IBMA conference and Bluegrass Ramble in Raleigh, N.C. Among the covers is "Kathy's Song", a classic written and recorded by folk-pop legend Paul Simon. To listen to a preview release of the song from the EP, visit http://www.MaryBethCross.com.

            Cross received national exposure in 2013 with release of her fourth CD, "Beyond Good and Evil". That project, which was produced by Dave Bechtel, landed a top-five ranking on Airplay Direct. Critics around the world praised the album, with Country Music News International calling it worthy of "Americana CD of the Year".

            “I’ve discovered that people are yearning to find acceptance and solace in a dizzying world of pressure-filled expectations,” Cross added. “People long for an authentic, non-formula approach.

            An accomplished vocalist and tunesmith, Cross moved to Denver in the 1980s to pursue a nursing career. Her music is influenced by the rural farmland and forests of her Wisconsin upbringing and the Rocky Mountains where she now resides. She carefully chooses acoustic instrumentation to bring her story-driven songs to life. Her music represents a few of the cultures that have contributed to what has become American music today.

 

            To learn more about Mary Beth Cross or her music, call (303) 842-1587, send an email message to MaryBeth@MaryBethCross.com, or visit www.MaryBethCross.com or www.reverbnation.com/marybethcross.