Musicians Jan - 01 - Nashville Musicians Association

The
Billy Sherrill named top producer
Musicians’ Hall of Fame: Class of ’08
Billy Sherrill
Billy Sherrill gets the nod for induction
into the International Musicians Hall
of Fame in the producer category, joining
the Class of 2008, to include musicians Al
Kooper, The Crickets, Booker T. & The
MGs, The Memphis Horns and the Muscle
Shoals Rhythm Section.
Iconic British guitarist Peter Frampton
made the announcement July 1, noting that
the honorees would be officially inducted
during a ceremony and performance at the
Schermerhorn Symphony Center, on Oct.
28.
Acknowledging the event’s significance,
Thomas F. Lee, president, American Federation
of Musicians International (AFM),
headquartered in New York City, attended;
along with the Nashville Association of
Musicians, AFM Local 257’s President
Harold Bradley (also AFM v.p.), who was
honored last year.
Local 257 Life Member Billy Norris
Sherrill garnered equal status in music
circles as producer and songwriter, whose
hitmaking artists included David Houston,
Tammy Wynette, Charlie Rich, Tanya
Tucker, Barbara Mandrell, Ray Charles,
Janie Fricke, Elvis Costello and George
Jones. Meanwhile, recordings produced
were the classic “Almost Persuaded,” “My
Elusive Dreams,” “I Don’t Wanna Play
House,” “Stand By Your Man,” “The Most
Beautiful Girl” and “The Door,” all of
which he wrote; and also helmed monumental
songs like Charlie Rich’s “Behind
Closed Doors,” and George Jones’ “He
Stopped Loving Her Today.”
Al Kooper (Alan Kuperschmidt), renowned
session man, played guitar, but
brought the Hammond organ into prominence
as a 1960s rock instrument, most
notably on Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling
What is the PMG?
See Secretary-Treasurer Billy
Linneman’s column on page 4 of this issue,
for information in this regard.
Stone.” Al was in Dylan’s band at the Newport
Festival in 1965, and formed Blood,
Sweat & Tears, but bowed out shortly after,
and also co-formed The Blues Project.
Booker T. & The MGs, a 1960s’ group
launched among Memphis session players
- Booker T. Jones (keyboards), Steve Cropper
(guitar), Duck Dunn (bassist) and Al
Jackson, Jr. (drums). The initials M. G.
meant Memphis Group. Their first gold
record was “Green Onions,” followed by
hits like “Hip Hug-Her,” “Hang ’Em High”
and “Time is Tight.” The band quit in 1968,
but reunited briefly in 1973.
The Crickets founded by singer-guitarist
Buddy Holly, had its roots in Buddy
Holly & The Three Tunes - lead picker
Sonny Curtis, bassist Don Guess and drummer
Jerry Allison - assembled to record for
Decca. In February 1957, he added Niki
(Continued on page 13)
Union tracks Show
Dog and film folk
By WALT TROTT
The movie “Beer For My Horses,” starring
and co-authored by Toby Keith, is of
concern to the Union, mainly in reference
to its participating musicians.
Keith, one of country music’s top recording
and touring artists, is set to release
his new action-comedy flick that takes its
title from his June 2003 #1 single, a duet
with longtime Union champion Willie
Nelson, who also appears.
“. . . Horses” is coming to theaters nationwide,
Aug. 8.
We applaud the artist for the many hits
he’s recorded in Music City over the past
15 years, among them such charttoppers
as “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “How Do
You Like Me Now,” “I Wanna Talk About
Me” and “As Good As I Once Was.” His
sessions have provided income for many
(Continued on page 13)
Proposals slated for Sept. 8
General Membership meet
High on the agenda for the next Local
257 General Membership meeting, 6:30
p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, are proposals to
amend Local 257 Bylaws, regarding work
dues, meeting policy, receiving The Nashville
Musician via e-mail and a resolution.
Below are the suggested topics:
Article II, Section IV- Work Dues.
Whereas: Electronic Media contracts
have been increasing in numbers and
thereby requires more time to administer,
and
Whereas: Some employers have
(Continued on page 21)
Official Journal of the American Federation of Musicians
AFM Local 257 • 1902-2008 • 106 years
Musician
Volume MMVIII • Number 3 • July-September 2008
What’s Inside . . . . . . .
Remembering Eddy and Sally Arnold, who died within weeks of one another. - Page 2
Jimmy Buffet’s new DVD reviewed, -p.16
Visit us on line: www.afm257.org
Nashville Association of Musicians
P.O. Box 120399
Nashville, TN 37212-0399
- Address Service Requested -
Who’s Jay DeMarcus producing? - p. 18
Nonprofit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Franklin, TN
Permit No. 357

2 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Country king Eddy Arnold gets royal send-off
Eddy visited with fellow Tennessean Dinah Shore on her highly popular daytime TV show ‘Dinah’s Place.’
By WALT TROTT
You can’t go wrong with a love song, insisted
country music’s most successful singer,
Eddy Arnold.
Indeed, Arnold’s repertoire of romantic ballads
rivaled that of any balladeer, country or
pop. Among his 1940s’ classics: “That’s How
Much I Love You,” “What Is Life Without
Love,” “It’s a Sin,” “I’ll Hold You In My Heart,”
“Anytime,” “Bouquet of Roses,” “Just a Little
Lovin’,” and “A Heart Full of Love.”
The legendary artist died May 8, a week shy
of his 90th birthday and only weeks after the
death of his beloved wife of 66 years, the former
Sally Gayhart (on March 11).
“I went out to see him two weeks ago,” recalls
friend and fellow Hall of Famer Harold
Bradley, president of the Nashville Association
of Musicians’ AFM Local 257, of which
Arnold was a Life member. “When he took a
turn for the worse, his grandson Shannon (Pollard)
told me . . . I personally have lost a dear
friend and the world has lost a great entertainer
and a wonderful human being.”
Bradley produced the star’s ambitious RCA
studio album, “Last of the Love Song Singers:
Then & Now,” a two-disc 1993 set featuring
current cuts arranged by Bradley, and a second
retrospective disc produced earlier by Chet
Atkins, Jerry Bradley, Mike Lipskin and Jim
Mulloy.
“I’m a sentimental man. I’m not ashamed
to tell you that it’s not unusual for me to shed a
tear, or get a lump in my throat, during a particularly
poignant moment,” wrote Arnold in
his liner notes. “So a good love song can get to
me in a heartbeat.”
Harold, dean of Nashville’s session pickers,
continues, “I met him at 17 years old, when I
was working with Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours.
Then, when I got out of the Navy,
(Eddy) didn’t forget me and hired me to play
with him on the Grand Ole Opry. I was very
grateful for that. Later, I was privileged to produce
three albums for Eddy. I got to renew our
relationship on a personal and professional
level. I found him to be very honest and very
loyal. Everybody found him to be the epitome
of a perfect Southern gentleman via his behavior.
Lastly, the Nashville Association of Musicians
was honored to present Eddy with its Artist
of the Century award in 2002, as we celebrated
our centenary.”
LeAnn Rimes, who revived his signature
song “Cattle Call” with Eddy’s participation in
1999, says, “I was very sad when I got the news
this morning that Eddy had passed away. He
was an amazing man, who not only had a beautiful
voice and was groundbreaking in so many
ways, but also he set the highest standard for
being a gentleman. He was kind to everyone
and maintained a level of class that we could
all learn from. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity
to work with a true giant in our industry.”
By recording that disc, Arnold charted in
the 1990s and in 2000, giving him seven decades
charting Billboard in his lifetime, a commendable
feat. His total disc sales number more
than 85 million units.
“We were so proud to have Eddy Arnold’s
sixth and seventh decade chart hits on Curb
Records, but more importantly we were proud
to know the greatest ambassador Nashville ever
had,” says Curb owner and CEO Mike Curb.
In an effort to honor their former artist of
more than 35 years, RCA/Sony/BMG honcho
Joe Galante had ordered - in time for Arnold’s
90th birthday May 15 - the release of yet another
ballad “To Life” as a birthday surprise.
Of course, turn of events has made it instead a
final farewell tribute to the artist. As a result,
by May 26, radio had propelled it to #49 on
Billboard’s Hot 100 country list.
Eddy worked with nmerous artists, ranging from film actress-dancer Ginger Rogers to singer Roger Miller.
Eddy with two behind-the-scenes Nashville veterans, former manager Tom Parker and booker Hubert Long.
Another Tennessee vocalist, the late superstar
Dinah Shore, had likened Eddy’s voice to
“warm butter and syrup being poured over wonderful
buttermilk pancakes” while introducing
him as guest artist on her national TV show.
Sonny James, whose 1960s’ career paralleled
that of Eddy’s, shared some thoughts with
us. Careerwise in 1965, both had two number
one songs on the chart, each enjoyed
charttoppers in 1966, and Sonny’s “Need You”
succeeded Eddy’s “Lonely Again” in top spot
during April 1967. In 1968, both were back with
additional #1s. We asked if Sonny ever noticed
that like Eddy he had major hits with “World”
titles.
“Well, I never thought on it, but we sure did.
I had the song I wrote with Bob Tubert ‘You’re
the Only World I Know,’ then there was ‘A
World Of Our Own’ and . . . the other was ‘What
in the World’s Come Over You.’ Now what were
Eddy’s world songs? I know he had ‘What’s
He Doing in My World,’ ‘Make The World Go
Away’ and . . .”
We quickly reminded him of Eddy’s “Turn
the World Around.”
James had just been called to participate in
a TV tribute to Arnold but, as we soon detected,
the Hall of Famer was suffering from a severe
case of laryngitis and sadly declined.
“Eddy and I were friends for years,” he
rasps. “But the last few months had been hard
on him. He had that hip surgery; that sort of set
him back. Then, of course, Sally died . . . You
know Eddy used to like those meat-and-three
(vegetable) restaurants, as do Doris (Mrs.
James) and I. He’d frequent those places a lot,
you know like Vittles, City Cafe and Cracker
Barrel. Eddy had that dry sense of humor, but
when he laughed, he had a big hearty laugh.
“Well, we got this thing going between us
one time and kept it up. Doris and I were seated
in Cracker Barrel in their back room with
friends, and Eddy and Sally were in an adjoining
room, and I hadn’t seen them. But he saw
us, and came over, stuck out his hand and said
like a complete stranger, ‘Ed-dee Ar-nold!’ I
stood up, put out my hand and said, ‘Son-nee
James!’ Then he turned and went right back to
his table. That’s all was said. Our friends were
amused.
“It got so when we went to those places, I’d
try to spot him first, then I’d go over, stretch
out my hand to him and say ‘Son-nee James!’
We did that several times. Eddy liked to kid all
the time . . . We’ll miss him and Sally, that’s for
sure.”
Members’ notice
Check out Local 257’s
Member status list
on page 12
in this issue!
“What a sad time in Nashville . . . The world
loved Eddy Arnold, who was so good to me,”
e-mails Maxine Brown of The Browns trio (with
sister Bonnie and brother Jim Ed Brown). “He
loved my book (‘Looking Back To See’), wrote
a blurb and even called a producer in Hollywood
for me. I am so proud I got to be with
him to celebrate his 85th birthday, and got pictures
that I wouldn't take anything for.”
Mac Wiseman was surprised, too, hearing
of Arnold’s passing, “He was certainly a great
entertainer. I did shows with him quite a bit,
but I knew him best because we were original
members of the CMA (board). Now there’s only
three of us left, ‘Dee’ Kilpatrick, Charlie Lamb
and me . . . ” (Editor’s note: W.D. Kilpatrick,
however, has since died - May 21.)
(Continued on page 17)
Eddy Arnold from the 1940s.
Be sure and check out our
next issue for the latest in
what’s happening on the
Nashville music scene!
Read what Becky Hobbs has to say
about the man who got her a record
deal, starting on page 24.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 3
Dear Members:
Again, it’s been a busy three months. During
those three months, I have spent a tremendous
amount of time talking to Toby Keith’s
management, his lawyers and anyone else I
could find connected to the singer-actor’s new
movie “Beer For My Horses.”
We’ve been trying to get them to become
signatory to the Film Agreement. This would
enable the musicians whose songs are included
in the film to receive payment for DVD sales
(one per cent of gross receipts).
This is a standard practice in the movie industry,
under the American Federation of Musicians
Film Agreement.
Although Nashville is basically a town
known for hit records, more and more there are
movies coming to Nashville.
Back when Harold presented Danny
Davis’ commemorative anniversary pin.
President’s
Report
By
Harold R. Bradley
The Billy Graham bio movie and the
“Hannah Montana” film, currently being shot
in Nashville are signatory to the AFM Film
Agreement.
I expect Nashville to be recording
soundtracks for movies more and more in the
future.
We have the most versatile musicians, best
studios and engineers in the world. I think it
could be the next big boost for our town - recording
film soundtracks.
Since the Film Agreement is a Federation
agreement, I have asked AFM President Tom
Lee to become involved. He understands the
situation and will speak on our behalf to try to
get “Beer For My Horses” signatory to the AFM
Film Agreement.
That’s why it’s so important for the Union
and musicians to honor our existing agreements.
The Tennessee Film Commissioner Perry
Gibson has informed me that she will tell all
the film companies she contacts to check in with
the Musicians Union before or after arriving in
Nashville, if they plan to use Nashville Union
musicians.
We are still negotiating with RFD (cable network),
and hope to reach an agreement in the
near future.
We have recently lost two musical giants,
Eddy Arnold and Danny Davis. They were both
Life Members of this Local, and my good
friends. (Read all about their many accomplishments
elsewhere in this issue.)
Everybody stay busy, and stay tuned . . .
Harold R. Bradley
The great Eddy Arnold always made it a point to stop by the Union and visit with his friends.
Nominees announced for Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame
There are 10 songwriters being considered
by the Nashville Songwriters’ Association International
(NSAI) for induction into the
Songwriters’ Hall of Fame this fall.
It is expected that three names will be selected
for official induction from among the following
composers: Matraca Berg, Paul Craft,
Kye Fleming, Larry Henley, the late John
Jarrard, Bob Morrison, Mark D. Sanders, Tom
Shapiro, John Scott Sherrill and Sharon Vaughn.
Winners will be feted during NSAI’s annual
awards banquet this year at the downtown Renaissance
Nashville Hotel on Oct. 26.
“Each of these nominees has honed the
songwriting craft to perfection, and the songs
they’ve given us are absolute treasures,” says
’05 inductee Roger Murrah, who chairs NSAI’s
non-profit songsters Hall of Fame foundation.
Harold presents 25-year pins to Bill Sleeter . . .
. . . to Matt McGee . . .
. . . and to Jerry Bridges.
Photos (3) by Kathy Shepard
U.S. writers nix overseas plan
Songwriters here aren’t too keen regarding
the plot on the other side of the ocean to standardize
writer royalty payments across Europe.
The feeling is it will be unfair to composers and
their compositions.
The European Commission (a subsidiary of
the powerful European Union) is nearing
completion of its anti-trust investigation into the
methods of collecting said royalties, and a proposal
to collect payments from one central store
would benefit larger retailers like iTunes, meaning
lesser sums to songwriters.
The European Composer & Songwriters
Alliance (ECSA) warns such a change, in lieu
of collections from different places in each of
the 27 EU nations, would result in reduced royalties,
especially to lesser-known writers.
Writer Barry Gibb (of the Bee Gees), responsible
for penning such standouts as “How Can
You Mend a Broken Heart,” “Islands in the
Stream” and “Stayin’ Alive!,” grouses, “On a
fundamental scale, it’s a human right that someone
who writes (and copyrights) a piece of
work, should have control of it.”
The ECSA emphasized that major on-line
services could negotiate lower fees and artists
therefore would receive smaller sums. Meanwhile,
more than 200 artists, including Gibb,
Mark Knopfler, Michel Legrand and Charles
Aznavour, have signed an appeal to the EU,
citing such action's irresponsible and will serve
only to stifle creativity. - WT
Give GGive i v e tto to o TTEMPO TEMPO E M P O
Volume MMVIII, No.3
July-September 2008
The
Nashville
Musician
Official Quarterly Journal of
The Non-Profit Union
Nashville Association of Musicians,
American Federation of Musicians Local 257
(c) 2008 The Nashville Association of Musicians
P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212
ISBN 0-9632684-1-4
NEWSPAPER STAFF
Harold R. Bradley, Publisher
Billy Linneman, EIC
Walt Trott, Editor
Sherri Olson, Advertising
Kathy Shepard, Photographer
LOCAL 257
Harold R. Bradley, President
Billy Linneman, Secretary-Treasurer
Otto Bash, Sergeant-at-Arms
Assistant to the President
Laura Ross
Assistant to Secretary-Treasurer
& Office Manager
Sherri Olson
Executive Board
Bobby Ogdin
Dave Pomeroy
Laura Ross
Denis Solee
Bruce Bouton
Mike Brignardello
Andy Reiss
Hearing Board
Wm. (Tiger) Fitzhugh
Kathy Shepard
Danny O’Lannerghty
Jim Grosjean
Jeff King
Tim Smith
Ray Von Rotz
Hearing Board Clerk
Anita Winstead
Trustees
B. James Lowry
Paul Leim
Shop Stewards
Laura Ross,
Nashville Symphony
Live Engagement
Services Division
Kathy Shepard, Supervisor
Laura Ross, Assistant
Anita Winstead, Assistant
Electronic Media
Services Division
Melissa Hamby Meyer, Director
Teri Barnett, Assistant
Shana Allen
Mandy Arostegui
Christie Allen
MPF Coordinators
Kathy Shepard
Anita Winstead
Business Agent
Kathy Shepard
Front Office
Arleigh Barnett
Janet Butler
Michele Voan Capps
www.afm257.org
All material intended for publication should be directed to The
Nashville Musician, P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212 (office
location: 11 Music Circle North, Nashville TN 37203) Telephone
[615] 244-9514; Fax [615] 259-9140. The Nashville Musician
assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to
unsolicitated articles, photographs or artwork. Readers who submit
editorial materials should enclose a self-addressed return envelope
with proper postage. All rights reserved. This work may
not be reproduced or copied in any form, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopies, recording or otherwise, without prior
permission of Publisher, EIC or Editor.

4 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Secretary-
Treasurer’s
Report
By Billy Linneman
IS ANYONE READING?
All musicians should read both The Nashville Musician and the
International Musician, as this is just one way to keep in touch with
what is happening within our industry that affects us. Also it is important
to at least check both our web sites at least weekly. They are
www.afm257.org and www.afm.org
WHO OR WHAT IS THE PMG?
The Professional Musicians Guild, or the PMG, is a separate entity
set up by some of our own Federation musicians from Local 47 in
Los Angeles. One of the officers of PMG is also a RMA International
officer. This has nothing to do with our Local 257 RMA Chapter.
Some of our older members can remember when a similar incident
happened in the early 1960s.
PLEASE HELP OUR STAFF
Please help our staff, and ultimately yourselves, in getting in
proper paperwork, such as time cards, signatories, contracts, and any
other pertinent information for your work. This also applies to the
live casual engagements! In doing this it frees up time for higher
priority work. Remember that at times when a member comes in
with a problem, we can not get to it immediately, partly because of
this exact problem. This does not even take into account the wasted
money paying personnel searching for information you should have
provided.
ALL OFF-THE-CARD WORK LOWERS THE ENTIRE MU-
SIC COMMUNITY’S STANDING, NOT JUST YOUR OWN!
Working off-the-card, or below scale wages, not only hurts your
fellow musicians, but lowers the standard for all musicians everywhere,
and ultimately the Nashville Music Community as a whole.
Stop and think what you are doing. Don’t you think that your talent
and work is worth at least Union wages?
GIVE THIS MAGAZINE TO A NON UNION MUSICIAN
They need to see the Union is helping musicians in all areas.
OUR MUSICIANS UNION WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN
FORWARDING PERFORMANCE RIGHTS LEGISLATION
It’s true! We were finally able to get this performance rights act
out of the sub-committee, and to the full committee. Hopefully we
can get it to the floor this year!
SAVE MONEY ON DOMAIN NAME AND HOSTING
CHARGES
Go to www.afm.org and look under the Go Pro information. You
might be able to save enough money to pay for your Local yearly
dues.
See you at the next General Membership Meeting on Sept. 8,
2008. Fraternally, Billy Linneman, Secretary/Treasurer to the Best
Musicians In The World!
Time Jumpers to help ROPE mark birthday
The Reunion Of Professional Entertainers
(ROPE), an organization of music industry pros,
will celebrate its Silver Anniversary via its annual
awards banquet, Thursday, Oct. 9, .
Award-winning band The Time Jumpers
will headline the show, featuring Charlie Monk
as M.C., at the Al Menah Shriners’ Temple,
1354 Brick Church Pike, Nashville (Exit 87 off
I-65).
The event kicks off with a “Meet and Greet”
cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and concludes by 10 p.m.
The Time Jumpers will host a special tribute to
their late steel guitar ace John Hughey.
Open to the public, banquet tickets are $45
each, plus a special reserved seating plan of
$1,000 per corporate table (seating 10 persons).
For details, call (615) 860-9257.
Executive Director Leslie Ann Elliott recalls
that ROPE’s first president was co-founder Gordon
Terry. Others who have served in that capacity
include Mac Wiseman, Merle Kilgore,
Tandy Rice, and currently President John E.
Denny.
“Don Helms and Ron Elliott hold the number
one and number two membership cards,”
she smiles.
ROPE began in May 1983, when 43 persons
in the music industry got together to discuss
the idea of such an organization. Prior to ROPE,
generally the only times these folks came to-
Is Billy making a clean sweep?
More than a mix-up
You may have noticed the flub that appeared
in the Secretary-Treasurer’s column in the last
issue; however, that was no fault of his. To explain
further, through a miscommunication the
General Membership Meeting date was inaccurately
listed as Friday, June 6.
After much consideration, the officers decided
to hold the meeting June 6, though scheduled
initially by the Executive Board, June 11.
Back to Billy’s column: just prior to press
time, it was received and perused, then placed.
Ye olde editor, however, glanced at the column’s
closing and thought where he entered a date -
which should’ve been a red light that we had
the meet date wrong - we would help readers
by inserting the day of the meeting - Friday -
which, of course, didn’t tally with the 11th!
The Nashville Musician regrets the error.
Henceforth, we will remember Dave Pomeroy’s
comment that the Local never schedules a Membership
meeting on a Friday (and right he was,
the June 6 meeting failed to attract a quorum).
Members need to know
Reminder to members: As of Jan. 1, 2008,
a small charge of 1% of any credit card payment
has been added to your account, to help
offset the 2-3% charged to us by the credit card
companies.
gether was to work or to attend funeral services
for a comrade. Wanting to correct this situation,
prompted the launching of ROPE.
Members comprise many different areas in
the music industry. ROPE’s roster includes artists,
musicians, songwriters, record producers,
booking agents, record promoters, DJs, journalists
and music business executives. Some are
retired, though others are still active in their respective
fields. Members also represent years
of musical and entertainment history.
Nominees for this year’s Golden ROPE
Awards are: Entertainer - Jim Ed Brown,
Tommy Cash, Tom T. Hall, George Hamilton
IV, Stonewall Jackson and Jimmy C. Newman;
Musician - Ray Emmett, D. J. Fontana, Jerry
Kennedy, Billy Johnson, Dina Johnson and
David Russell; Songwriter - Billy Henson, Red
Lane, Dickey Lee, Hugh X. Lewis, George
Riddle and Kent Westberry; Media - Uncle Len
Ellis, Bob Oermann, TomCat Reeder, Hazel
Smith, Walt Trott and Bill Wence; Business -
Jack Clement, Rose Drake, Billy Galvin, Frank
Oakley, Shelby Singleton and Gene Ward.
Traditionally, the Ernest Tubb Humanitarian
Award, for those who have contributed to
the welfare of others, and the Mac Wiseman
Nightingale trophies recognizing caregivers for
artists who are handicapped or terminally ill,
are given during the ROPE gala. - WT
Jackson’s untimely death
Guitarist George Edward (Leo) Jackson, 73,
died May 4, after suffering from cancer. Jackson
was lead picker for the late Jim Reeves.
Reportedly, he had undergone surgery the
week before his death, but was still experiencing
great pain. Other artists he had performed
with include Alabama, George Strait and Hank
Williams, Jr.
Born Oct. 22, 1934 in Meridian, Miss., he
was the youngest of six children. At age 18,
having studied guitar two years, Leo auditioned
for Reeves, then on KWKH’s Louisiana Hayride.
Reeves hired him to form the nucleus of
his backing band The Wagonmasters (before relinquishing
that title to Porter Wagoner’s band,
and adopting a new name The Blue Boys).
In 1956, Jim moved to Nashville to record
and play the Opry, bringing Leo with him. Apart
from a stint of military service, Jackson remained
with Reeves until the star’s death in a
plane crash in July 1964. Leo had also performed
on several of the artist’s recordings, including
“I’ve Lived a Lot In My Time.”
Jackson carried on as a session player. From
Little Rock, Ark., singer Maxine Brown of The
Browns trio (with sister Bonnie and brother Jim
Ed) writes: “Well, what a sad time in Nashville,
the world loved Eddy Arnold, who was so good
to me . . And Leo Jackson’s death -- what a
shock that was! We worked with him during
the Jim Reeves’ early times, then he played on
some of our recordings, mine and ‘The Brown’s
Family Bible.’ I haven't seen him in years,
though he used to call when he came through
my neck of the woods.”
Survivors include Nell (Walls), Jackson’s
wife of 43 years, son Leo D. Jackson, daughter
Joy Lynette Jackson Shull, and numerous grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted at the
Hendersonville Funeral Home Chapel with The
Reverend Jimmy Snow officiating. Honorary
Pallbearers included Jim Pierce, Arnie Benoni,
Billy Hodges, Jimmy Pomonis and James
Kirkland. Family members served as Active
Pallbearers.
Nashville stars got involved
Two films that screened at the Nashville Film
Festival received a lot of buzz, both focusing
on Africa. Local 257’s Bela Fleck documentary
“Throw Down Your Heart” traces the banjo
back to the Dark Continent; while Big Kenny
(Alphin)’s “Bearing Light: A Journey to Sudan,”
attempts to shine a global spotlight on that
nation’s reported grievances under martial law.
These artists donated their own time and
money to these worthy reality projects.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 5
Live
Engagement
Services
By Kathy Shepard
Happy Summer, Brothers and Sisters!
We have another CMA Music Fest behind
us. Anita and I received a large portion of the
checks this week, and as we are processing them
into our computer system, we (once again) realize
that the majority of the checks are for nonmembers.
Many of the bands that performed are entirely
non-members, and many are mixed. Ding
dang it! The majority of the musicians in our
Union who played the Fest are in violation!
(Article III, Section 1 of our Local By-Laws)
I have been trying to get out and hear more
live music lately. Let’s hope you will, too.
It had been a while since I had heard The
Time Jumpers (I needed a fix). What a tight
sound! Monday nights the Station Inn is packed
to capacity. They seem to be getting more popular
every week! Any of you who have not heard
this band, then you people need to do it as soon
as possible.
I went to the Belle Meade Mansion to one
of the Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society gigs
to hear Bruce Dudley. Making music with him
was Jim Ferguson, Bob Mater and Rebecca
Sayre. (You can’t get much better than that, jazz
lovers. See page 20 for pictures.)
Also, a while back, Black Wire was performing
at Douglas Corner. For those of you who
are not aware of this group . . . picture string
players performing old rock songs. I just love
them! The group is led by violist, Linda Davis.
Please remember that there is free big band
music now and then during the summer at Centennial
Park. They occur certain Saturday nights
Here’s a shot of Jennie Jo and George Chestnut
that Kathy snapped in happier times.
George Chestnut, 76, premier
instrument repairman, dies . .
Musician and instrument repairman George
Henry Chestnut, 76, died July 17, following a
lengthy illness. He and wife Jennie Jo lived in
Donelson, site of his basement workshop.
Chestnut’s specialty was restoration and repairing
of violins, fiddles, violas, cellos, basses
and rehairing of bows.
In a spring 2007 interview, Chestnut said,
“I also work on fretted instruments, fret work,
(Continued on page 28)
from 7:30 to 10. Some of these performances
are through the Music Performance Fund
(MPF). Being “financially embarrassed” as I
am, I try to take advantage of free concerts
when I can.
Speaking of the MPF, as some of you know,
our allotment has been greatly reduced, due to
the huge reduction in record sales. This is very
sad. The MPF is not sponsoring any live music
at hospitals or nursing homes at all now. We
are still able to get clearance for school performances,
and an outdoor concert now and then.
It was a very sad day for me, when the local
restaurant-bar Nick and Rudy’s, closed their
doors. There aren’t enough clubs that have live
music. Nick and Rudy’s piano (and piano bar)
has made its way to Whitfields. I wish Nick
and Rudy luck in the future, and good health.
In looking over the figures from the amounts
of work dues collected by this Local, it seems
that for 2007, miscellaneous work dues were
up, but club work dues were down. It does seem
obvious that fewer clubs are having live entertainment
than in the past, but also contracts are
just not being filed by our members. We all need
to do better. By not filing contract information,
we are cheating ourselves and our Local.
Congratulations to Phyllis and Nick Sparks
on the new addition to their family. They
adopted a sheltie pup named Shelby. Fiona now
has a little brother! I always am glad to see our
members bring their canines to see me. My office
is very dog friendly.
Till next time, have a great summer, be safe,
and please remember to support live music.
Anita Winstead with Alex, son
of member Sandy Tipping.
Photos by Kathy Shepard
See more of her pix on page 20.
Members reminder
The next General Membership
meeting will be at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 8, in the Union’s
George W. Cooper, Jr. Hall.
Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman confers with Hearing Board Clerk Anita Winstead.
Fiddler Joe Spivey with young friends Teea Goans and Reagan Goans.
Phyllis Sparks and sheltie pup ‘Shelby.’
Jean Hughey, steel guitarist John Hughey’s widow,
shows recent fan appreciation award she received.
Member David Francis with ‘Indigo.’

6 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
With two more weeks left to the season as I
write this, there’s still a great deal of activity
before we pack up our instruments and clean
out our lockers for the summer (you know get
the laundry done, the dry cleaning, etc.).
I write this in Houston, where I will be attending
the AFM’s Southern Conference at the
end of the week. This year the conference was
moved to the end of the month to accommodate
all those dads who have spent many a
Father’s Day away from their family so they
could attend the Southern Conference (or
SoCo). SoCo is usually held just before the
AFM Convention (the third week in June being
the traditional dates of the AFM Convention),
so it just made sense all these years to
hold it at the same time. Anyway! It’s in Houston
because the SoCo President is also the President
of Local 65-699 (Houston TX), Lovie
Smith-Schenk.
Following the weekend activities, I then fly
to New York to meet once again with many of
the major managers of our fine orchestras, AFM
and Local officers and staff as well as representatives
of ICSOM and ROPA orchestras. We
will attempt, for a third time, to convince the
managers that our proposal back in January and
February (to negotiate a convergence electronic
media agreement, as opposed to just renegotiating
the Audio-Visual agreement) is really the
most reasonable and realistic move to make at
this point. Here’s hoping that it’s successful this
time.
Meanwhile, my NSO colleagues are spending
the week first rehearsing and performing a
summer concert at Centennial Park and a runout
to Lafayette with Kelly Corcoran. Next up is
our third Festival series conducted by George
Schram who leads the orchestra in an American
program by Morton Gould, John Williams,
Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rodgers and
Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto will be performed
by Shannon Lee. The following week,
the final week of the season, brings the return
of Leonard Slatkin. Maestro Slatkin will lead
ASCAP award honors
Nashville Symphony
The American Society of Composers, Authors
and Publishers (ASCAP) has awarded the
Nashville Symphony Orchestra its prestigious
ASCAP Adventurous Programming honor for
its commitment to contemporary music. The
award was presented June 12, during the
League of American Orchestra’s 63rd Annual
Conference in Denver, Colo.
As one of 26 American orchestras honored
for demonstrating exceptional commitment to
contemporary composers, NSO’s third-place
award came in the category of the largest U.S.
orchestras – those with annual operating expenses
of more than $14.1 million. The Boston
Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
were honored first and second. The
annual ASCAP Adventurous Programming citations
recognize American orchestras whose
past season prominently featured music written
within the last 25 years.
“It is an honor for the Nashville Symphony
to receive this prestigious award,” said Makiko
Freeman, NSO Artistic Administration v.p..
“This distinction speaks volumes about the
Nashville Symphony’s commitment and dedication
to performing contemporary music.”
Now preparing for its third season at
Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the NSO continues
to support works by American composers.
Upcoming highlights during the 2008-09
SunTrust Classical Series include works by
David Del Tredici, Michael Daugherty, Jake
Heggie, Rob Mathes, Steven Mackey and Cindy
McTee. Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony
(Nov. 20-22, with Music Director-Designate
Giancarlo Guerrero conducting) and Del
Tredici’s Final Alice (Feb. 26-28, 2009, with
Music Advisor Leonard Slatkin conducting)
will be recorded for release on Naxos.
For details about the NSO, visit
nashvillesymphony.org
Symphony
Notes
By Laura Ross
Nashville Symphony
Shop Steward
the orchestra in a performance of five works
dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. You might remember
I mentioned last year that we were recording
a CD set of works dedicated to Abraham
Lincoln, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated
in 2009. These are the final works that
will complete what we began last season and
will be recorded the final two days of the season.
We will be joined by Barry Scott as narrator
and by the Nashville Symphony Chorus.
However, in between the concert and recording
sessions, the NSO took the “barge” again
July 4th, with Maestro Slatkin conducting.
Sadly, we weren’t broadcast on GAC this year,
but Channel 5 taped the concert for a one-hour
tape-delayed program, and the entire concert
was heard on WKDF. And since our hall’s so
close to the venue, we had a place to “party”
afterwards as we waited for the traffic to clear.
As the season winds down, it’s time to reflect
on all that has occurred since last September.
First and foremost, we finally announced
who our new Music Director would be, and to
the thrill of the orchestra, it was Giancarlo
Guerrero. The very next day as our season began,
we welcomed back concertmaster Mary
Kathryn VanOsdale. We celebrated the installation
and premiere of the new organ – our hall
was complete. We sent four musicians and some
staff members to Argentina in our first exchange
with an orchestra in Mendoza. Our radio program
“American Encores” (13 one-hour syndicated
shows hosted by Leonard Slatkin and
Edgar Meyer) made their debut on the WFMT
network and in the European Union. St. Martin
in the Fields was the second orchestra, after
Cleveland, to perform in the hall (they’ll be followed
by San Francisco this September). More
than 20 members of the orchestra received their
25-year Local 257 pins (see reprinted photo) at
an orchestra service. We won a regional Emmy
for our Gala opening of the hall and swept the
orchestral categories at the Grammy Awards by
winning both Best Orchestral Recording (the
only one we actually get a Grammy statue for)
and Best Classical Recording as well as winning
a Grammy for Joan Tower in the category
of Best Classical Contemporary Work. Our librarians
Wilson Ochoa and Jennifer Goldberg
hosted a very successful conference for their
librarian colleagues from around the world –
the organization is known as the Major Orchestra
Librarians’ Association – and they held some
very interesting discussions. I’m even more
impressed now with all that Wilson and Jennifer
do! And with the Sudekum Planetarium
opening this weekend, there was a special preview
for all the participants, including the NSO,
which provided a portion of the soundtrack for
their new show “Stars.” It has a bit of everything
in the 35-minute production for kids and
adults. It’s a very impressive program.
I’d also like to take a minute to thank Steve
Brown (bass trombone), who served as this
year’s orchestra committee chair, and Beth
Beeson (2nd horn), the vice-chair. Both rotate
off the committee after two years of service.
Unfortunately, we’re about to lose most of the
rest of the committee since Ryan Kamm (bass)
has taken a one year leave of absence (plus a
portion of this season) to be with his wife in
New York, where they will welcome their first
child this summer. Ellen Menking (2nd oboe/
assistant principal) will also be leaving her committee
duties early as she and husband Jack
Jezioro (a former member of the NSO bass section)
prepare for the birth of their child this fall.
Carrie Bailey (principal 2nd violin) will continue
on the committee this fall and will be
joined by husband Jeff Bailey (co-principal
trumpet), Jeremy Williams (2nd violin), Radu
Rusu (assistant 1st horn) and Glen Wanner (assistant
principal bass, who served as orchestra
committee chair a number of years ago). My
thanks to all who served this past year and to
those who join us this Fall.
We held two auditions at the end of the season,
one for fourth horn which had been filled
for the season by Hunter Sholar. Happily for
everyone, after a two-day period listening to 65
horn players, Hunter won the position. Interestingly
enough, Hunter actually won a oneyear
position a few years ago but decided to
take a job in St. Louis instead. We’re pleased to
Symphony Center photo by Kathy Shepard features (from left, front row) Billy Linneman, Mary Kathryn
VanOsdale, Norma Rogers, Ann Richards, Julie Tanner, Charlene Harb, Cassie Lee, Mary Helen Law;
2nd row, from left, Roger Wiesmeyer, Ben Lloyd, Bill Wiggins, Harold Bradley, Cynthia Estill, Gary
Armstrong, Larry Borden; 3rd row, from left, Gil Long, Jeff Bailey, Gary Lawrence (behind Julie), Bobby
Taylor, Paul Tobias (behind Charlene); and 4th row, from left, Deidre Bacco and Sam Bacco. Taylor
received a Life Member pin; the others received 25-year member pins from Bradley and Linneman.
finally consider him a tenure-track musician.
Just a few weeks ago we held the principal clarinet
audition. Over a two-day period we heard
78 clarinets (from a field of 325 applicants!).
Because there were so many candidates,
Sunday’s committee split into two committees
(with a few additions so each would be a 5
member committee) and auditions were held in
both the Curb Room and in Laura Turner Hall.
There were 15 semi-finalists and four finalists.
I’m very impressed with Giancarlo’s handling
of auditions – he’s very engaged in the finals,
asking candidates to play things again and asking
specifics. These four candidates each had a
grueling 35-40 minutes final where they were
not only asked to play 18 different excerpts
(some from the same work), but when they got
to the big opening solo in the Gershwin Rhapsody
In Blue, each candidate was asked to play
it a second time, only different – they should
surprise him. By 7:15 that evening, we finally
had a winner, James Zimmermann, who is currently
2nd clarinet in the Pacific Symphony. We
look forward to having James join us in the Fall.
I thank all the musicians who gave of their time
for these important auditions.
What else do we have to look forward to
this Fall? The final year of Leonard Slatkin’s
contract as Artistic Advisor will be celebrated
and Giancarlo Guerrero, now as Music Director
Designate, will lead 10 weeks of our outstanding
and very challenging season. As I said
in my last article, Giancarlo told the orchestra
he was going to challenge us and he’s certainly
holding up his end of the bargain. Artists and
guest conductors for next season will include
James Galway, Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman,
Emanuel Ax, James Ehnes, Horacio Gutierrez,
Gunther Herbig, Hugh Wolff, Claus Peter Flor
and assistant conductor Kelly Corcoran. There
are major works on the schedule next year including
Dvorak’s New World Symphony,
Strauss’ Don Quixote, Mozart Requiem,
Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra,
Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony, Copland’s
Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, Mahler
Symphony #6, Del Tredici Final Alice (which
we will record for Naxos), Bruckner Symphony
#7, Schubert Symphony #9 “The Great” and
Beethoven’s Symphony #9. Pops and Jazz Series
artists include Mary Wilson of The
Supremes, Vince Gill, Ben Vereen, Manhattan
Transfer, Doc Severinsen, Dave Bennett saluting
Benny Goodman, Dave Koz, and the guys
whose pension I take care of – Riders In the
Sky.
I wish you all a terrific summer and look
forward to seeing you all as we begin our new
season in September. Meanwhile, I’ll be traveling,
including a trip to San Francisco in August
for the ICSOM conference. I’ll have lots
to report in my next article!
Guitarist rushes to father’s aid
Ace guitarist Brent Mason came to his
father’s rescue April 18, when the men were
burning wood in a vacant lot in the
Goodlettsville, Tenn. area.
Doyt Mason unaware the fire had been
started, threw gasoline onto the wood, and the
woodpile exploded, shooting fire all over him.
Doyt’s wife Arlene explained that her son
had nothing handy to extinguish the fire, but
pushed his dad down to the ground and lay on
top of him trying to douse the flames:
“He didn’t think of himself in danger. He
knew he just needed to get that fire out or his
dad would have kept burning!”
The senior Mason suffered second degree
burns on his left leg and a few other places, but
will recuperate. Brent, in turn, suffered minor
burns.
As a session player, young Mason has
burned up the strings for such stars as Alan Jackson,
George Strait and Brooks & Dunn. Incidentally
Brent’s new solo CD’s title is, appropriately
enough, “Smokin’ Section.”
Has your address changed?

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 7
Court awards injunction &
statutory damages for
unauthorized downloading.
The United States Supreme Court recently
held in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd.,
that a distributed file-sharing system is engaged
in contributory copyright infringement when its
principal object is the dissemination of copyrighted
material. The foundation of this holding
is a belief that people who post or download
music files are primary infringers.
Despite this recent United States Supreme
Court holding, Cecilia Gonzalez downloaded
copyrighted music through the KaZaA
file_sharing network. Ms. Gonzalez contended
that her activities were fair use rather than infringement.
Being sued by BMG Music in Illinois
federal district court, the court enjoined Ms.
Gonzalez from further infringement and
awarded $22,500 in damages under 17 U.S.C.
Section 504(c).
A "fair use" of copyrighted material is not
infringement. Ms. Gonzalez insisted that she
was engaged in fair use under the terms of 17
U.S.C. Section 107. It was undisputed, however,
that she downloaded at least 30 copyrighted
songs during a few weeks and kept them
on her computer. She contended that she was
just sampling music to determine what she liked
enough to buy at retail.
Instead of erasing songs that she decided not
to buy, Ms. Gonzalez retained them. It is these
30 songs about which there is no dispute concerning
ownership that formed the basis of the
damages award. A copy downloaded, played,
and retained on one's hard drive for future use
Jazz &
Blues Beat
By ROBERT
AUSTIN
BEALMEAR
The Dog Days of summer (arf, arf) are here
again, and everyone is doing those sweltering
outdoor gigs. Tips to sidemen: bring your own
fan and water (use a thermos, bottled water is
bad for the environment), pack an extra cotton
shirt or two, and don't forget the sunscreen for
musicians (SPF 4/4).
Surprise – in addition to concerts and clubs,
this quarter we have a major event to report
about. As the movies of the 1950's used to say:
"Run for your life! It's the return of… NAMM!"
The Summer NAMM show is an international
trade show for the music products industry. This
year's theme was celebrating local community
music stores, and we all know where we'd be
without those guys. In June, the Convention
Center was packed with interesting developments
in instruments and merchandizing, but I
only have space for a few highlights of interest
to you jazz and blues cats.
NAMM is very much about education. They
annually give more than a half-million dollars
to music programs and scholarships, and host
lectures and seminars during the convention on
retailing, education, community relations, and
more. Attendees could get a pre-printed workbook
to take notes and make suggestions to the
presenters. Professional musicians might want
to check into their ongoing support network in
all of those areas. You can contact
info@namm.org
In instruments, the big news was the introduction
of the Moog Guitar. You remember how
Robert Moog's synthesizer revolutionized the
sound of music in the 1960's? The Moog Guitar
takes a different approach than the current
LEGAL TIPS
By
Marshall M. Snyder
Attorney - at - Law
is a direct substitute for a purchased copy and
without the benefit of the license fee paid to
the broadcaster. The files that Ms. Gonzalez obtained
were posted in violation of copyright law;
there was no license covering a single transmission
or hearing and Ms. Gonzalez kept the
copies.
17 U.S.C. Section 107 provides that when
considering a defense of fair use, the court must
take into account "(1) the purpose and character
of the use, including whether such use is of
a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational
purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted
work; (3) the amount and substantiality
of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted
work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use
upon the potential market for or value of the
copyrighted work."
Ms. Gonzalez was not engaged in a nonprofit
use; she downloaded (and kept) whole copyrighted
songs (for which, as with poetry, copying
of more than a couplet or two is deemed
excessive); and she did this despite the fact that
these works often are sold per song as well as
per album. This led her to concentrate on the
type of guitar synthesizer, and the introductory
video I saw sounded pretty amazing. One can
only imagine what kind of sounds will be conjured
up by the likes of a Bill Frisell, a Pat
Metheny, or one of you folks out there.
Speaking of guitars, you blues guys can put
your old National Steel guitars in the closet and
check out the custom guitars of James Trussart.
I hardly know how to describe the intricate and
fantastic engraved designs of his hand-made
steel top guitars. Based on classic Telecaster and
Les Paul body shapes, finishes include copper,
antique silver, and brushed nickel. These instruments
are really exciting and totally unique.
Trussart began his career making metal violins
in France, and he also makes basses. All I can
say is - check him out at www.jamestrussart.com
Another guitar innovation was a "fold up"
acoustic guitar by Voyage-Air. The guitar has a
hidden cabinet style hinge where the neck joins
the body, and the fully strung "folded" guitar
fits into a backpack-style case, perfect for the
traveling musician or backwoods troubadour.
They told me a version for jazz guitarists is due
out soon.
Use of synthetic materials in guitar making
isn't new, but Composite Acoustics featured a
new synthetic carbon compound so moisture resistant,
their display featured a guitar under a
waterfall! The King Bass Company displayed
acoustic basses that looked and sounded like
they were designed for rockabilly or jump, jive
and wail type blues. Wild finishes and sturdy
construction, and a heavy full tone, probably
with a built-in pick up.
You blues cats know how beat up your
equipment can get. Check out Industrial Amps
(I love the name!). Besides a unique sound, the
cases are 11-ply birch hardwood with heavy
wheels and anvil case type handles, and are
made in a wood shop that has a program for
school drop-outs to learn carpentry. The 1⁄4'
thick aluminum speaker grill and 1⁄4" clear glass
front on the electronics completes the solid as a
rock look.
Jazzkat is another boutique amp company,
but it features smaller amps with a big warm
sound. Boppers can use the JazzKat version, or
the 20-Watt CoolKat for small rooms, rockers
the BluesKat version, and acoustic guitarists,
regardless of style, can select the AcoustiKat,
designed with jazz guitarist Frank Vignola.
fourth consideration: "the effect of the use upon
the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work."
Ms. Gonzalez contended that downloading
on a try-before-you-buy basis is good advertising
for copyright proprietors, expanding the
value of their inventory. The United States Supreme
Court thought otherwise in Grokster. As
file sharing has increased, the sales of recorded
music has dropped. When music is downloaded
for free from the Internet, many people are
bound to keep the downloaded files without
buying originals. That is exactly what Ms.
Gonzalez did for at least 30 songs. It is no surprise,
therefore, that the United States Supreme
Court held in Grokster that downloading copyrighted
songs cannot be defended as fair use.
Downloads from peer-to-peer networks
such as KaZaA compete with licensed broadcasts
and hence undermine the income available
to authors. This is true even if a particular
person never buys recorded media. Many radio
stations stream their content over the Internet,
paying a fee for the right to do so. Ms. Gonzalez
could have listened to this streaming music to
sample songs for purchase; had she done so,
the authors would have received royalties from
the broadcasters (and reduced the risk that files
saved to disk would diminish the urge to pay
for the music in the end).
Downloading full copies of copyrighted material
without compensation to authors cannot
be deemed "fair use." Copyright law lets authors
make their own decisions about how best
to promote their works; copiers such as Ms.
Gonzalez cannot ask courts (and juries) to second-guess
the market and call wholesale copying
"fair use" if they think that authors err in
The Hammond Organ Company was there,
and an organist was jamming out in the booth
with the classic B-3 sound and a blues guitarist
whose name escapes me. Musicians are much
better at protecting themselves from all this
heavy sound nowadays, and the Mack company
was offering several types of ear plugs, including
a special design for musicians to wear on
gigs (I think they called it the H.E.A.R. system)
and custom ear molds. If you don't wear
ear plugs yet, get with it – at least while your
chain-sawing that new coffee table for your living
room.
The Gretsch Company (a legendary name
in the world of jazz drums and country guitars)
celebrated its 125th Anniversary with a special
event at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Yamaha has revived the Rogers drum line
(played by Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson in
the early 1960's) as an "entry level" drum-set,
but they told me their goal is to reproduce the
classic Rogers design of the 1950's and ’60's,
starting with the legendary Dynasonic snare
drum sometime next year.
Among the drum companies, Bubinga Wood
seemed to be this year's fashionable material
for drum sets. Gretsch, Tama, and Peare all had
new Bubinga sets that looked and sounded
lovely. Taye drums had a new plastic finish that
looked like brushed copper. Most of these new
materials came in big size drums for the blues
guys, or small kits with 18" bass drums for the
beboppers.
"Heavy" drummers could get "slip-on grips"
from DrumFun, sort of like shrink tubing for
drum sticks. Jazzers could check out the new
line of "Jazz Café" sticks from Pro-Mark, and
their "Rocket Rods" and "Stealth Rods," new
versions of the bundled rod stick concept for a
light sound. Remo now has a mellow sounding
line of black finish drum heads, very cool looking.
Some heavy performances capped each convention
day. Nashville's Kenny Vaughan and
jazz fusion guitarist Fareed Haque (and his
Garaj Mahal band) showed what the Moog
Guitar could do at 3rd & Lindsley. Nashville's
incredible gypsy jazz guitarist John Jorgenson
played an amazing set with his quintet at the
Hermitage Hotel for Shub Cappos and Saga
Musical Instruments. And Yamaha presented
another Muriel Anderson All-Star Guitar Night
understanding their own economic interests or
that Congress erred in granting authors the
rights in the copyright statute. Nor can she defend
by observing that other persons were
greater offenders; Gonzalez's theme that she obtained
"only 30" copyrighted songs is no more
relevant than a thief's contention that he shoplifted
"only 30" compact discs, planning to listen
to them at home and pay later for any he
liked.
BMG Music elected to seek statutory damages
under 17 U.S.C. Section §504(c)(1) instead
of proving actual injury. This section provides
that the author's entitlement, per infringed work,
is "a sum of not less than $750 or more than
$30,000 as the court considers just." But if an
"infringer sustains the burden of proving, and
the court finds, that such infringer was not aware
and had no reason to believe that his or her acts
constituted an infringement of copyright, the
court in its discretion may reduce the award of
statutory damages to a sum of not less than
$200." 17 U.S.C. Section §504(c)(2).
It is also undisputed that Ms. Gonzalez had
"access" to records and compact disks bearing
the proper notice. She downloaded data rather
than discs, and the data lacked copyright notices,
but the statutory question is whether "access"
to legitimate works was available rather
than whether infringers earlier in the chain attached
copyright notices to the pirated works.
Ms. Gonzalez readily could have learned, had
she inquired, that the music was under copyright.
(Marshall M. Snyder is a Music Row attorney
who can be reached at 615.742.0833 or by
e-mail at marshall.snyder@earthlink.net)
at the Ryman with everyone from Rick Vito to
Victor Wooten.
Now, back to late summer around town.
Summer concerts in Metro Parks continue
through August, sponsored by the Music Performance
Fund. The Friday evening series is at
Red Caboose Park in Bellevue and Big Band
Dances are Saturday nights in Centennial Park.
Regarding our two big Labor Day weekend
jazz festivals, the Franklin Jazz Festival in
Franklin will be Aug. 30-31and the Music City
Jazz, Blues & Heritage Festival at Nashville's
Riverfront will include Sept. 1. No announcement
yet on artists for either one.
Things are ever changing on the club front.
The 12 South Taproom may have a doubtful
future, plans have been announced for a large
new building on 12th Avenue South, wiping out
the Taproom and a couple of others. A large new
venue, Limelight, down by LP Field (the football
stadium) is offering some jazz, including
the big band sounds of the Nashville Jazz Orchestra.
Guitarist Mel Deal can now be found
at most of the Sunday jazz brunches at Bosco's
in Hillsboro Village, with vocalist Dallas Starke.
On the blues scene, the Music City Blues
Society had a successful Legends of Blues Concert
in Centennial Park on Memorial Day, in
spite of some rain in the area. Maxwell House
has blues jams on Monday nights. Local blues
legend Marion James hosts blues jams on Sunday
at the Waiters Café.
On the radio, sadly WRVU's Nashville
Jumps show has disappeared somewhere, perhaps
just on summer vacation. WMOT has
changed its Sunday line up of syndicated shows.
Listen Here and Riverfront Jazz are gone, the
day now starts with JAZZ On The Side at noon.
The 6 p.m. slot is different from week to week
and might feature anything from Afro-Cuban
jazz to a history of Count Basie. You may not
be aware that WAMB's big band sounds can be
heard at both 1200AM and 99.3FM.
As usual, we've had to say a permanent
goodbye to some true greats since the last issue.
In April, we lost saxophonist Hal Stein who
was with Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Charles
Mingus, Sammy Davis, Jr., and others. Another
unappreciated saxist, Phil Urso, worked many
years for Chet Baker after stints with Woody
Herman, Jimmy Dorsey and others.
(Continued on page 31)

8 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Changes in beneficiary?
Be sure to report changes
in your status
to the Union office!
Call (615) 244-9514, Ext. 240.
Office
Manager’s
Notes . . .
By
Sherri
Olson
RAIN, RAIN, GO-ing AWAY! Our very own “We Couldn’t Hide ’em If We Tried – Rainy Day
Lobby Ensemble” is retiring after all these years. Bye-bye buckets. Our leaky old roof has finally
been replaced and the skylights are soon coming. Thank you all! It’s been money well-spent and
none too soon.
With gas prices continuing to rise, we’re left with no choice but to trim personal costs and
reduce our trips. A speck of good news is that for the cost of postage, we’ll automatically mail your
checks to you as soon as they’re processed. Consider being added to this mailing list. Anywhere
you can save a trip is well worth it!
Local 257 staff has accepted a Personal Health Challenge! It’s a commitment of just one week
(at a time). Participants choose three personal goals from a list that they will focus on each day of
the following week. There’s a wide range of options; from eating healthier, to laughing out loud for
a solid minute, to turning off your TV, unless you’re exercising in front of it. I hope not only to
improve my own health, but would love if we all would work towards healthier, happier lives. And
I believe we can have fun encouraging each other to do so. I’m excited to get started with the first
week’s challenge!
Did you happen to stop by the day we held a “Luau Party” where we dressed up a little Hawaiian?
No, I don’t mean we spiffed up a small dude from Honolulu, but we dressed in Hawaiian style
clothing. We decorated the office, ourselves and each other, shared a lot of fruit and food, and
mostly just had fun being silly. I guess when the dress-up holidays are few and far between, we just
have to create our own reasons to party. You know what I mean. We enjoyed it, and y’all seemed to
fit right in. That’s the nice thing about musicians – you can’t come up with much that would leave
them believing you’re crazy.
Webster declares independence to be freedom from the influence, control, or determination of
another or others. And being independent includes relying only on oneself or one’s own abilities,
judgment, etc.; self-confident; self-reliant. It’s something we usually all seek in one form or another
from the time we’re children. Each passing year draws us closer to the day we too will be
independent and making our own decisions, choosing our paths and following our dreams. But
with that come responsibilities and challenges. The Spirit of 1776 set the pace for our independence
as a nation, and I believe Spirit plays a large role in gaining our personal independence, surviving
and thriving. Independence should not be taken lightly, nor should it be pursued without caution in
some instances. Deep consideration should be given to whom or what you are separating yourselves
from before pursuing your life, liberty and happiness. When it’s right and when it’s neces-
Photos (2) by
Kathy Shepard
See additional pictures on page 20.
Looking for some publicity?
sary, it’s exhilarating! Happy Independence Day (if somewhat belatedly)! Jan Fabyankovic, songwriter-music scribe,
has contacted us regarding interviewing Nash-
Guitarist Lamar (Jack) Watkins, Jr., 70, died
May 9 at his home in Pearl, Miss.
Jack was a bandleader for Connie Smith,
whom he wed briefly, and he went on to play
lead guitar for Ronnie Milsap. Watkins also
wrote instrumental songs, some recorded by
Country Music Hall of Famer Chet Atkins.
Brother Jim, also a musician, was his closest
friend. Following their parents’ divorce,
both boys lived for a time in the Baptist
Children’s Village in Jackson, Miss.
“Dad played a little steel and lead guitar with
local bands when we were boys,” says Jim.
“That was our family musical heritage. Jack was
so much more talented than us and stuck with
it, self-taught and all.”
Musician-friend Ben Harris wrote in an email
on the Internet: “Jack also loved to fish
and could often be found out on Percy Priest
Lake, fishing when in town for a few days. He
had many friends, including many of the musicians
in Nashville, who played with Jack on recordings
and on the road.
“Jack and I were great friends and fished together
many times. I also did his last instrumental
recording. We stayed in contact all the
years, since both of us were employed by
Milsap. Jack was a great lead guitarist and
(played) steel guitar, as well.”
Jack’s brother Jim, who still dabbles in music
on a local level, adds: “I miss him so . . .
We spent a lot of time together here in Pearl.”
Survivors also include sons David Watkins,
Kerry Allen Watkins (his son by Smith), daughter
Kathy Johnson, half-sister Nell Hollomon,
seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services were conducted on May 12 at
Stringer Family Chapel, with burial in Hopewell
Cemetery. - Walt Trott
The Local 257 office staff know how to take a lunch break, Hawaiian-style. They are: (last row, from left)
Arleigh, Janet, Anita, Kathy; (2nd row) Sherri, Teri; (3rd row) Melissa, Michele, Christie, Mandy
and up front Shana.
Jimmy and Michele Voan Capps.
Your next General Membership
meeting is slated 6:30
p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 at the
Hall. See page 1 for details.
ville musicians who are also songwriters, for
her monthly Musesmuse column. The veteran
music writer has chatted with among others,
Paul McCartney, Taylor Dayne and Chris Allen,
reaching some 1.2 million readers. Those who
desire to promote their music may contact Jan
at jfabyankovic@hotmail.com or telephone
(412) 673-9443 for details.
Hot dog! That’s our own Sherri and Kathy mixing it up with Ms. Mustard and Mr. Hot Dog. Actually, it’s
SunTrust’s festive 10th annual Hot Dog Day! celebration to benefit the bank’s customers.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 9
Recording
Musicians
Association
I have been a proud member of Local 257
and the AFM for 31 years. In 1991, I began my
involvement in Union business when I became
chair of the newly-formed Local 257 Club Committee.
Our first act was to address the Local’s
insistence that in Nashville “listening rooms”
featuring original music, the club owners were
(supposedly) paying the band under a Union
contract.
In reality, the artist and/or bandleader was
hiring the room, sound system, and door person
for the night, promoting the gig themselves,
and paying the band from the proceeds at the
door or out of their pocket. We were our own
employers, and we didn’t want to lie about it
anymore. So we fixed it.
After years of being forced to file bogus contracts
with club owners’ forged signatures or
be fined, we were finally able to tell the truth to
our own Union about club gigs – that we weren’t
being ripped off, we were doing them to further
our careers by being heard, pitching our
songs, and networking, as well as getting paid
and having fun! We also created realistic scales
for what someone might actually expect to make
at Nashville clubs of different sizes. That system
is still in place today and it still works.
There were two reasons we were able to
achieve progress in that situation. First, Union
members got involved in their own business,
and second, musicians who were actually doing
the work were allowed to participate in crafting
a more realistic, marketplace-oriented solution
to an existing problem. That was a good
example of the Union responding to the needs
and desires of its members.
Fast forwarding to the present, I find myself
in the middle of a lot of Union business
these days, as President of RMA Nashville, and
as a member of the Local 257 Executive Board
and also RMA International’s Board. You may
notice my use of the phrase “Union business”
as opposed to “Union politics.” There is a significant
difference. There are more than enough
politics to go around, but I choose to use the
word “business” because that’s our line of work.
I don’t know, maybe that’s why they call it THE
MUSIC BUSINESS! Just as it seems to do in
Washington, politics can get in the way of business
in our Union as well.
It’s no secret that relations between the Federation
and the RMA have been strained for
some time now. Ever since I became RMA
Nashville President in January 2005, I have
strived to bring positive and straightforward
dialogue to the table and search for the uniting
factors in our Union rather than focusing on the
negative. I saw a glimmer of hope at the 2005
Convention, when the Special Payments tax was
Dave Pomeroy, President, RMA
rescinded and all sides pledged to work together
to mend the divisions of the past. For whatever
reason or reasons, and I’m sure there are many
different versions, that just didn’t happen. In
2007, The AFM Convention voted to reinstate
the Special Payments and the Local 257 resolution
to raise funds though a very modest per
capita raise fell by the wayside.
Videogames and their soundtracks are currently
one of the few areas of huge economic
growth in the entertainment business, and have
become a major area of internal conflict in our
Union. The AFM’s current “multiple agreement”
approach to Videogames was approved
by the IEB (the AFM’s International Executive
Board) in November 2006 with 2 competing
options being adopted simultaneously. Some
months later, the IEB gave the AFM President
and Secretary/Treasurer permission to create
additional Agreements with any company of
their choosing, without an approval process. The
continuing series of “one-off” deals that have
ensued lack the proper language and protections
to prevent unauthorized New Use of the recorded
product.
While it is true that we have not yet done a
lot of Videogame work here in Nashville, there
is no question that we will do more of this type
of work in the future. Regardless of where the
work is done, we must do all we can to prevent
music recorded under a Videogame Agreement
from being used elsewhere (i.e. as an album,
single, etc.) without proper compensation for
additional use. Videogame companies are now
getting into the record business in a big way
(surprise!) and will soon be breaking new acts
through that medium. We must establish a single
Videogame Agreement that we ALL can live
with that protects us or we risk undermining
our Phono, Film and other Agreements.
In hopes of resolving this ongoing internal
struggle, RMA Nashville has attempted to play
“peacemaker,” however our efforts to persuade
AFM President Tom Lee to meet privately with
RMA International President Phil Ayling have
been unsuccessful.
Nonetheless, RMA International and our
individual chapters in New York, Los Angeles,
Miami, and Nashville have responded positively
as a unified group. Many RMA members across
the country have spent a lot of time over the
past few months crafting a new, concise, playerdriven
Videogame Agreement Proposal designed
to replace all existing Options and the
“One-Off” Agreements that are causing such
dissension in our Union. As Chair of the RMA
International Videogame Committee, I am very
proud of the group effort put into this Proposal.
In particular, Pete Anthony, RMA-LA President,
Oil crisis spawns new country cut by Local’s George IV
Grand Ole Opry great George Hamilton IV
has let us know his frustration over the high
cost of driving to show dates these days.
George IV, of course, first became a nameto-be-reckoned-with
via his pop smash “A Rose
& A Baby Ruth” in 1956, followed by an impressive
array of hits, notably “Why Don’t They
Understand,” “Before This Day Ends” and
“Three Steps To the Phone.”
The Local 257 member is sharing with us
some new lyrics added to his #1 crossover hit
“Abilene” (1963), with all due respects to original
lyricist John D. Loudermilk.
Feeling similarly frustrated, fans are nod-
ding in agreement, as George sings along to his
familiar melody, “Gasoline, gasoline, highest
prices that I’ve ever seen/What on Earth is goin’
on/With gasoline, oh gasoline . . . Filled my tank,
just the other night/Watched that meter, just spin
outa sight/Don’t I wish they would lower the
price/Of gasoline, oh gasoline . . . Now aren’t
we tired of getting reamed/By gasoline, oh gasoline.”
Incidentally, come Sept. 14, IV’s “Abilene”
recording marks its 45th year in hitting the top,
where it remained four weeks. For more information
on Hamilton and his song, check out
www.myspace.com/GeorgeIVgasoline
put forth a huge effort. We closed loopholes,
created realistic scales and spelled out the specific
uses for the music without giving away
essential protections for the musicians.
Then we took the final RMA proposal to
Local 257 President Bradley and Secretary/
Treasurer Linneman, and further tweaked it to
their satisfaction. They submitted it to the IEB
for their consideration, which we do appreciate.
No decision has been made by the IEB as
of now. It is my hope that the IEB will see the
merits of the RMA International Videogame
Proposal, and do the right thing by approving it
ASAP, ending all other options and, once and
for all, eliminating the “One-Offs.” Those actions
would have a much greater beneficial effect
than any amount of words could ever
achieve.
I hope we can bring this very contentious issue
to a successful resolution as soon as possible,
so we can all move on. We need to be
looking ahead, not behind. There are so many
areas that need attention we cannot afford to
spend our energy fighting each other. The only
way that our problems can get better is if everyone
involved makes a commitment to working
together for achievable and realistic common
goals. If an organization such as the AFM
is to survive in these turbulent times, it must be
flexible, diverse, democratic, and most of all,
responsive to the needs of its members. As those
needs change, so should the AFM. Just as we
are the ones “in the trenches” bringing work to
the Union, we are the ones who can change this
Union from the inside. It will only be as good
as WE decide to make it.
I hope that you will consider joining RMA
Nashville, and get involved in our effort to keep
the AFM relevant in a rapidly changing marketplace.
Stay Tuned…
To find out more about RMA, please visit
www.rmanashville.com
In Unity,
Dave Pomeroy
RMA Nashville Officers:
President - Dave Pomeroy
Vice President – Mike Brignardello
Treasurer – Tom Wild
Secretary – Lauren Koch
Executive Board Members – David Angell, Jim
“Moose” Brown, Barry Green, Jeff King, Tim
Lauer, Carole Rabinowitz.
General Membership meet’s
slated Monday, Sept. 8, 2008
There’s a full agenda on tap for Local 257’s
members to consider, come meeting time at 6:30
p.m., Monday, Sept. 8, in the rehearsal hall.
Among these are a change in work dues, a
new meeting policy, receiving your newspaper
via the internet and a resolution, as well as an
alternative resolution, etc. (See page 1 story.)
For details on these or any other topics, contact
your Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman
at (615) 244-9514, Extension 224, or on-line at
Billy@afm257.org
President Bradley’s new
honor, benefits students
Local 257 President Harold R. Bradley has
been honored by Wachovia, a financial institution
headquartered in Irving, Texas, with a music
scholarship bearing his name, being made
available to students attending Sam Houston
University in the Lone Star State.
In July 24 correspondence, Charles W. Jones
III, senior v.p. of Wachovia Dealer Services,
made the announcement, and went on to say,
“Throughout the years, you have made your
mark, not only on the Nashville Sound, but also
on the face of American music. You are undeniably
the most recorded session guitarist in the
history of popular music, a member of the A
Team and elected into the Country Music Hall
of Fame, as well as an inductee of the Musicians
Hall of Fame.
“In addition to your artistic achievements,
you were the first president of Nashville’s chapter
of the National Academy of Recording Arts
& Sciences,” Jones continued. “In 1991, you
began your service as president of Nashville’s
chapter of the AFM, and currently serve as the
organization’s international vice president. You
also received the AFM’s prestigious Lifetime
Achievement Award.
“More importantly, you have maintained integrity,
character and strong values that have
served as a guide to others in all occupations,”
Jones added. “You also stand up for the rights
of fellow musicians when they are not paid,
taken advantage of, or treated unfairly. You
stand as a role model for every upcoming student
of music to emulate.”
The newly-named Harold R. Bradley Scholarship
carries an annual stipend of $1,000 for
an outstanding student in the Music Arts Department
of Sam Houston State University.
Jones stated, “This award will go to a music
student who holds your values and character
traits, and has an ability to achieve their full
potential of musical talent. This will enable
them to further their advancement in the industry
that you hold so dear and have been such an
incredible leader for all to aspire.”
Bradley, a Nashville native, was indeed honored
by Wachovia’s decision to add a Music
Scholarship in his name for the historic school
based in Huntsville, Texas. Bradley recalls once
playing a gig at the Huntsville State Prison
Rodeo, while on tour with Pee Wee King’s
Golden West Cowboys.
Another Texas connection occurred when a
teen-aged Harold on summer break from school
played with Ernest Tubb’s touring band The
Texas Troubadours. (Years later, he played guitar
on Tubb’s Decca sessions, produced by
Harold’s brother Owen Bradley.)
“I was totally surprised when I met Charles
Jones and he told me Wachovia was establishing
a Scholarship in my name. I accept it gratefully
on behalf of all the pioneer Nashville recording
musicians and all the Nashville recording
musicians who have made this Music City
USA.” - WT
Local’s Mike Britt (left) joins Lonestar team-mates Cody Collins, Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams at the
downtown CMA Music Festival in this Patricia Presley photo.They’re celebrating a new CD release.

10 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Electronic
Media
Services
Division
By Melissa
Hamby Meyer
Confirm Signatory Status Prior To Downbeat!
It is critical that you confirm an employer’s signatory status prior to your session.
When you are called for a Master, Low Budget or Limited Pressing session, please contact
the Local to confirm that your prospective employer has current signatory on file.
Feel free to come by the Local or e-mail your inquiry to christie@afm257.org,
shana@afm257.org, teri@afm257.org or melissa@afm257.org…we will be more than
happy to provide you with the appropriate paperwork to ensure your session is covered.
Without the appropriate signatory agreement on file, you cannot receive credit for
pension contributions that are made to the Pension Fund and would not receive Sound
Recording Special Payments credit for eligible sessions (Master/Low Budget), even though
your wages have been paid! Your Recording Department spends an incredible amount of
time securing signatory after the fact, which is a tremendous drain on personnel hours
that could be dedicated to benefit you in other areas.
It is the Leader and/or Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the current signatory
is in place prior to downbeat. I cannot stress enough…when the appropriate signatory is
not in place, your future pension and annual Special Payments disbursement are in jeopardy!!
Please confirm signatory before your session!
Music Videos…
If you are called to participate in a music video taping, sign a time card and turn it in!
Record labels are required to file Video Promo contracts under their Sound Recording
signatory for any on-camera musicians (excluding royalty artists). If a time card/contract
is not filed, you cannot receive your 11% pension contribution!
Motion Pictures…
If you are called to do any original music that will be used in a motion picture (even
if the soundtrack is going to be released first), be sure to sign a time card and mark it as an
ORIGINAL motion picture session. Signatory must be secured prior to your session!
Without the appropriate signatory on file, your payment may be extremely delayed and
you will not receive the proper pension credit from the Pension Fund or special payments
credit from the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund.
GAC & RFD-TV . . .
It is imperative that you contact this Local, or the AFM, prior to doing any work for
GAC (other than OPRY LIVE) or RFD-TV (other than Crook & Chase). Programs for
these networks must currently be handled on an individual basis. Contact this Local, or
the AFM, ahead of time to ensure that your services will be covered. As a reminder, any
work done outside of our jurisdiction should be filed with and handled by the Local that
has jurisdiction. We will be happy to provide you with the appropriate Local’s contact
information.
Do you know these individuals?
The Local has been awarded a judgment against Dewayne “Dada” Mills in the total
amount of $49,860.26. This Phono work for Mr. Mills/Katana Productions was done
within our jurisdiction in February 2005. If you have any information concerning the
current whereabouts of Mr. Mills or any work he is doing, please contact
melissa@afm257.org
Also, if you have any information regarding the current whereabouts of Gregg Brown/
Revelator Records or any work he is doing, please contact melissa@afm257.org
Contact us via E-mail…
E-mail is preferable since you can contact us when it is most convenient for you, as
well as, provide us with as much information as possible so that we may better serve you.
• Recording scale questions relating to Sound Recording, Limited Pressing, Low
Budget or Demo scales ‡ shana@afm257.org or christie@afm257.org
• All recording payment inquiries, late penalties and any scale questions relating
to TV, Radio, Motion Picture, OPRY or CMT ‡ teri@afm257.org
• Recording pension and signatory questions ‡ christie@afm257.org
As always, if I can be of any assistance to you please contact me at melissa@afm257.org
Your Recording Staff is an outstanding team! I am so thankful for each one of them!
Wishing you great success in the months to come!
* * Review the Do Not Work For and Non-Signatory Lists in each edition (on this
page). If you have worked for one of these employers, you may have unsecured pension
and/or special payments credit. Both of these lists represent some of your fellow musi-
Do not work for . . .
Add A Player.com (pension)
Al Sostrin (pension)
Allianz (pension)
Anthony Smith Prod. (demo signature)
Chez Musical/Sanchez Harley (outstanding contracts)
Compass Productions - Alan Phillips and David
Schneiderman (outstanding contracts)
Conrheita Lee Flang/Chris Sevier (pension)
Daddio Prod./Jim Pierce (outstanding contract)
Data Aquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge (pension)
Derrin Heroldt (pension)
Double J Productions/Tony Ramey (pension)
Engelbert Humperdinck (pension)
Field Entertainment Group/Joe Field (outstanding
contract)
First Tribe Media (pension)
Ginger Lewis (outstanding contract)
Goldenvine Prod./Harrison Freeman (outstanding
contract)
Greg Holland (outstanding contract)
Heritage Records/Lew Curatolo (pension)
Hot Skillet/Lee Gibson (outstanding contract/limited
pressing signature)
Howard Music Group (pension)
Mark Hybner (outstanding contract)
J.C. Anderson (pension)
Rory Lee Feek/Giant Slayer (outstanding contract)
Jack Wilcox (outstanding contract)
Joe Meyers (pension)
Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” Mills (outstanding
contracts)
Kenny Lamb (outstanding contract)
King Craft, Inc./Michael King (outstanding contracts)
Matachack James (pension)
McKim Creek Productions (pension)
MC Productions/Mark Cheney (outstanding contract)
MCK Publishing/Rusty Tabor (outstanding contract)
Michael Sykes Productions (pension, outstanding
contract)
Michael Whalen (pension)
Miss Ivy Records/Bekka Bramlett (outstanding upgrades)
MS Entertainment/Michael Scott (outstanding contract)
O Street Mansion (pension)
On The Green/Kevin Beamish (outsanding contracts)
Parris Productions/Garrett Paris (pension)
Paul Jenkins (pension)
Pete Martinez (pension)
Pitchmaster/Carroll Posey (pension)
Positive Movement/Tommy Sims (outstanding contracts)
Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderson (outstanding
contracts)
Rebecca Frederick (pension)
Region One Records (outstnading contract)
Renaissance Music Group/Deborah Allen (outstanding
contracts)
RLS Records-Nashville/Ronald Stone (outstanding
contract)
RichDor Music/Keith Brown (outstanding contract)
Rust Records/Michelle Metzger (outstanding contracts
and pension)
Sam Hogin Songs (outstanding contract)
Shauna Lynn (outstanding contract)
Shy Blakeman (outstanding contract)
Singing Honey Tree (outstanding contract)
Sleepy Town/David Lowe (outstanding contract)
Small Time Productions/Randy Boudreaux (outstanding
contract)
Songwriters Collective (outstanding contract)
Star Path Prod./Wayde Battle (pension)
Summer Dunaway (outstanding contract)
Tony Graham (pension)
Travis Allen Productions (pension)
Two Monkeys (outstanding contracts)
Village Square (pension)
We 3 Kings (outstanding contract)
Eddie Wenrick (outstanding conract)
Will Smith Productions (outstanding contract)
Woody Bradshaw (pension)
YGT 40/Lawrence B. Gotliebs (pension)
Baldwin Entertainment/Will Smith (pension)
Copyright.net (outstanding contracts)
Earthtone Publishing/Roy English (outstanding
contract)
Fat Possum/Bruce Watson (outstanding contract)
Home Records/David Vowell (outstanding contracts)
Marty McIntosh (outstanding contract)
Multi-Media (outstanding contract)
Notation Music (outstanding contract)
Over the Moon Productions/Rick Scott Prod. (outstanding
contract)
Raven Records/Coy Ray (outstanding contract)
Rendale Music (outstanding contracts)
Rick Tunes (outstanding contract)
Roxanne Entertainment (outstanding contract)
RPB Productions/Coy Ray (outstanding pension &
phono signatory)
Sean Ruth (outstanding contract)
Sunbird (outstanding contracts)
Thrillstreet/Jerry Parent (outstanding contract)
Century Music/Art Ward (outstanding contracts)
Golden Vine/Darrell Freeman (outstanding contract)
Kyle Jacobs (outstanding contract)
Labeless Records/Coy Ray (outstanding pension)
------------------------------------------------------------
Amentco (American Entertainment Concepts/Ron
Camacho)
ARK 21
Bait & Tackle (pension)
Bernie Nelson (Heatherington)
Don Goodman Music (payment/pension)
Garland Entertainment (Warren Garland)
James House Productions (outstanding contracts)
Jeff Best/Clever Cowboy (payment/ pension)
John Bunzow (pension)
John Kevin Mulkey (DWM)
K.A.R.E., Inc.
Larry Rose (Entheos Group)
Margaret Bell-Byers (pension)
Maximus (outstanding contract)
Mooneyhand Pictures (Wayne Mooneyhand)
Music Row Records/Gene Cash (outstanding con tract)
Nancy Grant
On Purpose Prod. (pension)
Pat Reese, Music Media Int’l.
Pinebrook (pension)
Radio Records/J. Gary Smith (outstanding contract)
Randy Huston (Dr. Vet Music)
Revelator/Gregg Brown (bounced checks)
Rio Star
River Girl, Inc.
Roy Salmond, Whitewater Prod.
Tom Oelson (pension)
Tyler Music Group (pension)
Volzone Prod./Gary Lloyd
William R. Holmes (outstanding contract)
Wyndstar (pension)
AFM non-signatory agents
The following companies or individuals are not signatory
to the AFM Agreements; therefore, do not work
for those listed below, without first checking with the
President, telephone (615) 244-8514:
Allianz (demo signature)
Anthony Smith Prod. (demo signature)
Blake Mevis Music (demo signature)
Blue Desert Music Group (phono)
Chariscourt, Ltd. (phono)
Conrheita Lee Flang/Chris Sevier (demo signature)
Data Acquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge (demo signature)
Double J Productions/Tony Ramey (demo signature)
Engelbert Humperdinck (demo signature)
First Tribe Media (Phono)
Heritage Records/Lew Curatolo (demo signature)
Joe Meyers (Phono)
KJ Entertainment (limited pressing)
Labeless Records/Coy Ray/RPB Prod. (phono)
Ronald Light (limited pressing)
MS Entertainment/Michael Scott (limited pressing)
McKim Creek Productions (limited pressing)
Matachack James (limited pressing)
Michael Sykes Productions (demo signature)
Parris Productions/Garrett Paris (demo signature)
Pitchmaster/Carroll Posey (demo signature)
Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderton (phono)
Region One Records (limited pressing)
Sawyer Brown (limited pressing)
Shy Blakeman (limited pressing)
Starpath Prod./Wayde Battle (demo signature)
The Pitchmaster (demo signature)
Travis Allen Productions (limited pressing)
Domination Records LLC (Limited Pressing)
Kurt A..Koble (Limited Pressing)
Point To Point LLC (limited pressing)
Sammy Harp Productions (limited pressing)
Wade Spencer Ministries, Inc. (phono)
Wowboy Music Group (demo signature)
YTG 40/Lawrence B. Gottliebs (demo signature)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher Mortland (limited pressing)
Cottageworks/Betsy Foster (limited pressing)
44 West/Mike Welch (limited pressing)
Francis X. Sullivan
Jason Kerr Ministries - Don Goodman
J. Carlos (limited pressing)
Lance Productions (limited pressing)
Madacy Music Publishing (limited pressing)
One G Productions (limited pressing)
Peer Music (limited pressing)
Roxanne Entertainment
Taylor Productions (limited pressing)
---------------------------------------------------------------
TBN, Paul Crouch (phono/video)
Campfire Records
Chapel Music Group
MTL Limited
LaToya Jackson & Jack Gordon
Westwood One
Ci-Ber Records International
Worldwide Agency
cians being taken advantage of…don’t allow this to happen to you too! * * Give to TEMPO

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 11
Danny Davis turned his Nashville Brass into pure Gold
Danny Davis
By WALT TROTT
Veteran musician-producer-bandleader
Danny Davis, 83, died June 12 at St. Thomas
Hospital in Nashville, after suffering a massive
heart attack. Davis headed up the Grammy and
CMA award-winning Nashville Brass band, and
produced hits on such diverse acts as Connie
Francis, George Beverly Shea and Herman’s
Hermits.
Davis founded his Nashville Brass in 1968,
cutting their RCA album bow “The Nashville
Sound,” which also crossed over into the pop
album charts.
That Top 40 success led to a follow-up 1969
LP, “More Nashville Sounds,” spending 24
weeks on the Billboard list, peaking at #6. It
also earned his band best country instrumental
Grammy in ’69.
Among the band’s 20 RCA album chartings
were his 1977 entry “Chet, Floyd & Danny” (a
collaborative effort with Chet Atkins and Floyd
Cramer), and in 1980, “Danny Davis & Willie
Nelson With The Nashville Brass.”
Additionally, from 1969-1974 inclusive,
Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass won
CMA’s best instrumental group awards. Among
his nine Billboard singles chartings are “Please
Help Me, I’m Falling” and “Flying South,” both
with Hank Locklin vocals (1970); “Wabash
Danny and TV series ‘On the Move’ Brassers.
Bobby Osborne given honor
Heralding his promotion of bluegrass
music, Grand Ole Opry star Bobby
Osborne was presented the Heritage
Award at the 31st Uncle Dave Macon
Days celebration, on July 12.
Conducted annually in Cannonsburgh
Pioneer Village in Murfreesboro, Tenn.,
the old-time music festival pays tribute to
the Opry’s first superstar, Dave Macon,
who performed on the WSM show from
1925 until 1952, the year he died.
Cannonball” (’70), which also garnered pop
airplay; and a Top 20 “Night Life” (1980) with
Willie Nelson.
A Life Member of the Nashville Association
of Musicians’ AFM Local 257, Davis was
highly regarded and respected among his peers.
“He glorified country music in a different
way, by using the horns. It was a new sound
and the way he presented it made a lot of people
appreciate this music. What he did was unique,”
says Harold Bradley, Local 257 president and
fellow A Team session player.
Born George Nowlan on April 29, 1925, in
Dorchester, Mass., Davis was the son of an opera-teaching
mom, who taught him the difference
between Beethoven, Bach and Bing
(Crosby, that is).
Indeed, he studied trumpet and at age 14
soloed with the Massachusetts All-State Symphony
Orchestra. Thanks to a four-year scholarship
earned, young Nowlan attended the New
England Conservatory of Music, to continue his
studies.
A fan of big band music, the young adult
accepted an offer to play in the Bobby Byrne
Orchestra (famed for “Maybe”) at CBS (Byrne
served as bandleader for Steve Allen’s 1953
Tonight Show, followed by Skitch Henderson).
Then the trumpeter hit the road big time, touring
first with Gene Krupa’s group. Other big
bands Davis worked with were Bob Crosby’s
Bobcats, and the orchestras of Hal McIntyre and
Art Mooney.
While with the bands of Blue Barron,
Freddy Martin, Vincent Lopez and Sammy
Kaye, Danny also doubled as a vocalist, warbling
with their respective units The Blue Notes,
The Martin Men, Kaydets et al. It was with
Martin, however, that he sang a solo effort: “The
Object Of My Affection.”
Reportedly, Danny entered and won competitions
on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts and
similar contests on Dennis James’ The Chance
Of a Lifetime program, both on major network
television.
In the mid-1960s, he began working as a
repertoire producer at RCA in New York, but a
few seasons later shifted to the Nashville
branch, where he became an executive producer
and assistant to boss-man Chet Atkins.
Of course, Davis had recorded earlier in
Nashville, notably his series of hit singles on
Connie Francis for MGM from 1962. For RCA
(Editor’s note: The following commentary
regarding the recent death of former musician
Leonard B. Miller, written by Life Member Bill
Anderson for his website, is worthy of reprinting
here for the benefit of our readers.)
“I have received some sad news that perhaps
only my longtime fans can fully understand.
Len “Snuffy” Miller, who was the drummer
in my original Po’ Boys band, and with
whom I created some of the wackiest, most
spontaneous and off-the-wall humor in country
music, was found dead in his Nashville home
yesterday afternoon (June 24).
“I don’t know his exact age, but I assume
he was somewhere in his 60s. (He was 66.) As
I wrote in my autobiography years ago, I nicknamed
him ‘Snuffy’ because of his nervous
habits when we would travel.
“In those days, we rode to our concert dates
in cars, and Snuffy was always afraid we were
going to have an accident. ‘Look out!’ he would
constantly yell at whomever was driving, ‘That
car’s gonna pull out in front of us and we’re all
gonna be snuffed out.’
“I finally heard ‘snuffed out’ one too many
times. ‘Len, if you say that one more time, when
we go onstage tonight, I’m going to introduce
you as ‘Snuff Miller,’ I threatened. He did and I
did, and from that moment on nobody ever
in the Big Apple, he produced Lana Cantrell
and Nina Simone. Once in Music City, he
helmed the likes of Shea, Hank Locklin, Floyd
Cramer, Dottie West & Don Gibson, and
Waylon Jennings. He was especially proud of
producing Jennings’ “MacArthur Park” with
The Kimberlys, which won a 1969 Grammy;
and the Gibson-West country hit “Rings Of
Gold” (#2, 1969).
Inspired by the popularity of A&M’s Herb
Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Davis envisioned
an act with more of a country flavor, thus The
Nashville Brass was born. With the support of
Atkins, Davis & company mainly utilized two
trumpets, drums, bass, two trombones and occasionally
a rhythm banjo.
Despite subsequent successes, Danny had to
face down many purists who criticized the use
of brass in country music. Meanwhile, he forged
forward making it country’s top big band.
Davis’ Nashville Brass helped pave the way
for the Nashville Sound farther afield, whether
in gilded Las Vegas or touristy Branson. Additionally,
his band was likely the first to do guest
spots with major symphony orchestras, and
enjoyed frequent appearances on national TV,
including shows with Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton
and Dinah Shore, and played during the Presidential
Inaugurations for both Nixon and
Reagan in Washington, D.C.
One of Davis’ less successful ventures was
the short-lived Stardust Theatre showcase here
with saxophonist-pal Boots Randolph on Music
Valley Drive (1995). Danny also produced
his own syndicated TV series Danny Davis On
Danny and his beloved horn.
called him Len again.
“He was a big fan favorite on our road
shows, because he was so animated and so naturally
funny. The wacky nickname didn't hurt
either. But Snuffy also possessed a good singing
voice, and just when the audiences would
think he was the funniest man they ever saw,
he would launch into a serious song and leave
them breathless.
“Snuffy could be funny in ways the audience
never saw or heard. On nights when I
might be having trouble getting the crowd into
the flow of the show, he’d call out encouragement
from his perch back on the drums. ‘Hang
in there, Willy,’ he would say just loud enough
for me to hear, ‘we’ll get ’em. Just rear back
and whisper!’
“One of his proudest moments came when
a major newspaper in New York City wrote a
review of our show at the Taft Hotel in Manhattan.
The writer referred to Snuffy's stage
antics as ‘cornball humor done well.’ He
beamed for days over the ‘done well’ part.
“For various reasons, I had to let Snuffy go
after six years of our working closely together.
For awhile he tried to make it on his own as an
artist, then later he played drums for both Dottie
West and Nat Stuckey.
“He produced records for awhile, the most
Boots Randolph and Danny.
the Move.
He became a familiar face on the long-running
series Hee Haw, as part of their fabled
Million Dollar Band.
A new tribute is a single “Danny Play,” in
which younger singer-songwriter Royal Wade
Kimes pays homage to the legend, whose horn
sounds are heard.
“I was honored to represent Danny as a press
agent throughout the entire time he had the
Nashville Brass, and he was one of the most
appreciative clients I’ve ever worked with,”
says Nashville publicist Betty Hofer.
“It didn’t matter if I delivered a big national
magazine story or a short blurb in the local paper,
he would always go out of his way to thank
me. And that same attitude of sweet kindness
seemed to permeate his entire personality. It was
his trademark. It’s what made him the true
gentle man he was, in everything he did.”
Survivors include wife Barbara, daughters
Kim and Tara Nowlan; sons Gavin and Kerry
Nowlan; three grandsons, Kerry (Jamie)
Nowlan, Jr., Elliott Nowlan and Nicholas
Nowlan; great-granddaughter MiKayla
Nowlan; and brother John Nowlan.
Services were conducted June 16 at St.
Edwards Church, with Father Joseph Breen officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested
donations may be made instead to: St. Henry’s
Church, 6401 Harding Pike, Nashville 37205.
Artist remembers former stickman Snuffy Miller
notable being the very successful comedy albums
for Jerry Clower. He worked in various
capacities behind-the-scenes for Conway
Twitty, but eventually gave up on the music
business altogether and became a bus driver for
the Nashville Sounds minor league baseball
team. He also drove for some of the athletic
teams at Vanderbilt University.
“The last time I saw him was when we sat
together this past spring at a Vanderbilt baseball
game.
“It’s always tough to lose a friend, especially
one to whom so many good memories are attached.
Thanks for the good times, Snuff. May
you forever rest in peace.”
- Whisperin’ Bill Anderson
Remember us on-line
Members should be aware that the
entire issue of your newspaper The
Nashville Musician is also on our
website for your convenience. Punch
in www.AFM257.org
Union music is the best!

12 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
NEW MEMBERS
MR PETER J. BARBEAU
(PETER BARBEAU)
425 CROFTON PARK LANE
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MR RANDAL GENE BEAVERS
(RANDY BEAVERS)
PST
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MR GARY C. CIRIMELLI
GTR
8722 OLD HARDING ROAD
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MR TREVOR DANIEL FINLAY
GTR VOC
36 FAWN CREEK PASS
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MR STEVE ANDREW GORMAN
DRM PRC
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MR BENJAMIN LAIN GRAVES
(BEN GRAVES)
GTR SAX HRM VOC
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BAS GTR
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GTR DRM BAS VLN
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C/O HABER CORPORATION
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MR MARK JOSEPH LONSWAY
(MARK LONSWAY)
VOC GTR
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Hm-(312)-493-3180 Wk-(615)-244-6515
MR MICHAEL WAYNE MCINTIRE
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AFM Local 257 members’ status
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MEMBERS REINSTATED
MICHAEL T BAKER
PETER J. BARBEAU
STEPHEN H BASSETT
RANDAL GENE BEAVERS
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DAVID ROBERT BLAIR
STEPHEN R BROOKS
GARY C. CIRIMELLI
JOHN E COWAN
CHRISTOPHER BRIAN DONOHUE
REBECCA J. WILLIE
TROY ANTHONY ENGLE
GREGORY LEE EWEN
MIKE FEAGAN
TREVOR DANIEL FINLAY
DOUGLAS LEE FRASURE
STEVE ANDREW GORMAN
BENJAMIN LAIN GRAVES
FRANK THOMAS GREEN
GREGORY MICHAEL HAGAN
WALTER M HARTMAN
RUSSELL HICKS
NICK WILLIAM HOFFMAN
SCOTT MATTHEW HUFF
PETER J HUTTLINGER
DIRK JOHNSON
GAIL RUDISILL JOHNSON
PAUL D KRAMER
JIM LAUDERDALE
RANDY PAUL LEAGO
MARK JOSEPH LONSWAY
RICHARD RYAN MALLOY
ANTHONY J MARVELLI
RODERICK D MCGAHA
ANTHONY P MIGLIORE
MICHAEL DEREK MIXON
JOHN JOSEPH MOCK
DONALD EDWIN MOTT
JEFFREY T. MYERS
DUANE NORMAN
JAMES BOYD PENNEBAKER
SYDNI RAGAN PERRY
PORTER GENE RAWLS
PHIL W REDMOND
FRED THOMAS SATTERFIELD
CHRIS SCRUGGS
JAMISON TAYLOR SEVITS
AARON A. SHANE
ROBERT S SHERRILL
STAN D SHORT
MARTIN W SHRABEL
LES SINGER
HENRY EARL SINKS
GARY JOE SMITH
TIA FAYE THOMASON
ALEXANDER LOWELL TIPPING
JONATHAN MARC TREBING
KEVIN A WARD
PAMELA G WESTON
JAKE WILLEMAIN
MARK TOWNER WILLIAMS
RANDALL EDWARD SHAW WILSON
MEMBERS RESIGNED
JOHN W BENSON
MICHAEL STEVEN FREY
RICHARD DAVID HUCKABAY, JR
APPLICATION REVOKED
EDWARD JERRY CLARK
KENNETH HENRY OZIMEK
DAVID ALLAN PAHANISH
AFM Local 257
office closings
The following holidays will be observed by
the Local 257 staff, therefore the Union offices
will be closed on these dates:
Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1
Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 13
General membership meet set
AFM Local 257’s next meeting of the general
membership has been scheduled for 6:30
p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, in Cooper Hall.
See pages 1and 21 for explanations of the
highly important proposals being put forth by
the Board, for members’ consideration.
Jackson enjoying ‘Good Time(s)’
Alan Jackson’s latest #1’s titled “Small Town
Southern Man,” but he looked more like what
he is - a country superstar - as he arrived at
ASCAP to mark the occasion.
It’s the 23rd Billboard charttopper for the
Georgia-born artist, who has sold some 49 million
records to date. Jackson wrote this hit solo,
as well as the other 16 tracks on his Arista
“Good Time” album, which debuted at #1 country
(and pop) and held in there a second week.
“Small Town Southern Man” was also #1
two weeks on the Billboard singles chart (March
29 and April 5), his first since his self-penned
“Remember When,” that topped the chart Feb.
27, 2004 (also two weeks). Incidentally, Jackson
has written 15 of his #1 records.
During a “round-robin” interview session,
prior to receiving accolades from ASCAP,
CMA, Country Radio Broadcasters and Country
Weekly magazine, we asked the honoree if
“. . . Southern Man” was his idea to be lead
single off the CD?
Surprisingly, he said no, that he would’ve
preferred a more uptempo tune and a less typical
Alan Jackson-style song as the first release:
“I wanted to come out with ‘Good Time’ first. I
wanted something more fun and uptempo, but
the label felt ‘Small Town Southern Man’ was
a good choice. I guess it was winter-time and
more on-topic of what people expect from me.”
Obviously, Alan’s pleased that “Good
Time” is now out. (At press time, the single
was already in the Top Five.)
This album has reunited Alan with longtime
producer Keith Stegall, who also co-wrote such
Jackson toppers as “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,”
“Dallas” and “Love’s Got a Hold On You.”
Jackson’s previous album “Like Red On a
Rose” was produced by fellow vocalist Alison
Krauss, but though it had made #1, it lacked
the “legs” of previous releases. In time for
Christmas 2006, Alan recorded an album primarily
for his mom and mother-in-law, who dig
gospel sounds. Label chief Joe Galante, however,
liked “Precious Memories” so much, he
released it commercially, and remarkably it
debuted #1 on the country and pop charts, a first
for a gospel CD.
Regarding his collaboration with Stegall,
Jackson, 49, noted, “This is our first studio album
in several years. The gospel album was
kind of just something that jumped out here on
its own, and the Alison Krauss project was the
same thing . . . (it) was always supposed to be a
one-time thing.”
(Actually, Alan and Keith, both 257 members,
worked on a 2004 release, “What I Do.”)
“When we got ready to make another album,
Keith and I got together and found some
songs, and put it back on cruise control, used
the same players pretty much, and went in there
and knocked it out.”
Stegall spoke in praise of his artist, “It’s an
honor to get to make records with this man.
Every time we do it, I’m just amazed at how
much better he gets . . . the songwriting on this
record just kills me!”
Jackson, not one for a lot of conversation,
did acknowledge appreciation for the successful
career he’s enjoyed since his 1989 Top 40
chart debut “Blue-Blooded Woman,” co-written
by him, Keith and Roger Murrah.
He added, “If I never have another number
one record, I’ll be fine . . . I’ve had a wonderful
career. I’ve been lucky.” - Walt Trott
Union Music Is Best!
DECEASED MEMBERS (As of 06/27/2008)
LIFETIME NAME Date Deceased Birth of Date Date Joined
Y RICHARD E ARNOLD 05/08/2008 05/15/1918 11/04/1939
GEORGE DOUGLAS BENHAM 05/13/2008 12/02/1948 07/07/1967
Y DANNY DAVIS 06/12/2008 05/29/1925 03/04/1968
Y GEORGE E JACKSON 05/04/2008 10/22/1934 10/02/1956
Y JACK WATKINS, JR 05/09/2008 04/28/1938 10/03/1966

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 13
. . . Bradley tracks Show Dog, film folk
(Continued from page 1)
musicians, as well as songwriters and publishers.
Harold Bradley, AFM Nashville Local 257
president, has been on the trail of Keith, the
film’s star, his label Show Dog Records, and
backers B4MH Productions, MTV-CMT Films
(who bankrolled his prior big screen debut “Broken
Bridges”) and Roadside Attractions, a distributor-affiliate
of Lion’s Gate. He merely
wants to make sure his musician-members get
what’s due them via an American Federation
of Musicians’ Film Agreement.
The 6’5” former oil field and rodeo roustabout
engaged Local pickers to play on the
soundtrack of his $10 million movie, which after
its theatrical run will generate further revenue
off DVD sales.
What the union wants is for the film folk
and their recording arm to sign the standard
AFM Film Agreement. Bradley points out that
two movie crews recently shooting in the area -
“Hannah Montana” and “Billy: The Early
Years” (story of The Reverend Billy Graham
in his youth) - became signatory.
According to Bradley, “This same situation
happened once before on Toby Keith’s first film
‘Broken Bridges’ (2006), where the musicians
did not receive the appropriate payments . . . It
is unfortunate when some producers come to
Nashville and think they are in Hicksville and
try to take advantage of our wonderfully talented
musicians.
“But it is even more distressing when our
local artists/record companies refuse to sign the
appropriate agreements and set an unacceptable
practice other companies will try to emulate.
Nashville would not be Music City USA if
Decca, Capitol, RCA and Columbia had not
been signatory to AFM agreements when the
recording industry started in 1947 in Nashville,
and continued to re-sign all these years.”
This latest brouhaha is reminiscent of last
year’s skirmish between Bradley and the makers
of the reality TV series Nashville, when its
company Go Go Luckey/Luckey-1 skirted signing
proper documents. When Fox first aired
their show, however, viewers tuned ’em out,
prompting the cable network to yank the series
off its Friday night schedule.
Judging by a few advance scenes seen on
“Beer For My Horses,” it seems destined for
scant theatrical showings, and thereby relegated
mainly to the DVD market.
Show Dog Records and B4MH Productions
. . . Musicians Hall of Fame names inductees for Class of ’08
(Continued from page 1)
Sullivan on rhythm guitar, Joel Mauldin on bass,
to accompany him and Allison as The Crickets,
recording at Norman Petty’s Studio in Clovis,
N.M. Months before his death in 1959, Holly
split with The Crickets. Recording for
Brunswick and Decca subsidiary Coral the
group enjoyed such hits as “That’ll Be the Day,”
“Peggy Sue” and “Oh Boy.”
Inductees the Memphis Horns, Wayne Jackson
(trumpet) and Andrew Love (tenor saxophone),
added style and inspiration to hits by
Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, U-2
and Neil Young. Originally a sextet, they were
heard on numerous Stax Records’ singles, and
also appeared on memorable recordings like
Rufus Thomas' “Memphis Soul Stew,” The
Doobie Brothers' “What Were Once Vices Are
Now Habits” and U-2's “Rattle & Hum.”
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, so
named because their stomping grounds was the
studio town of Muscle Shoals, Ala., reigned
supreme thanks to the unique sounds recorded.
Among the great singles emanating from
Muscle Shoals were Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang
Sally,” Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” and Paul
Simon’s “Kodachrome.” The Hall of Fame
MSRS line-up includes guitarist Jimmy
Kathy Shepard’s camera caught Toby Keith at BMI.
contend that the Union’s charges they’re not
supporting musicians is wrong and misleading,
insisting they have fulfilled obligations as an
AFM signatory.
“Beer For My Horses,” directed by Michael
Salomon, depicts the struggle of two deputies
who defy their sheriff to save a girlfriend from
drug king-pin kidnappers. The movie was shot
mainly on location in New Mexico, but meantime
called on the services of numerous Nashville-based
musicians.
Keith who stars, wrote the music and created
the screenplay with co-star Rodney
Carrington. He also had a hand in casting cameos:
Nelson, Mel Tillis, David Allan Coe and
Mac Davis. Regular cast members include
Claire Forlani, Ted Nugent, Tom Skerritt and
Barry Corbin.
A statement released by representatives of
B4MH Productions, printed in The Tennessean
daily newspaper, noted: “B4MH Productions
LLC, the producer of the upcoming theatrical
motion picture ‘Beer For My Horses,’ has
learned that the American Federation of Musicians
(the ‘AFM’) has complained about the
treatment of musicians whose performances are
used in the film. While we have no relationship
with the AFM, we have licensed AFM-covered
tracks from a variety of sources, including three
tracks from Show Dog Records, the record label
that we have also licensed to produce and
release an album comprised of songs featured
in the film.
“Under our license with Show Dog Records,
all fees and benefits required by the terms of
the agreement between Show Dog and the AFM
Johnson, pianist Barry Beckham, bassist David
Hood, and associates Spooner Oldham, Clayton
Ivey, Randy McCormick, Pete Carr and Will
McFarlane.
During the major media announcement at
the downtown Musicians Hall of Fame, veteran
musician-songwriter Joe Chambers (the Hall's
director/curator) pointed out that another inductee
will be disclosed prior to the awards ceremony.
Assisting Frampton, a former Nashville resident
and frequent visitor, was Country Music
Hall of Famer George Jones, on hand to pay
homage to his longtime producer and friend
Billy Sherrill.
“I call him the ‘Little Genius’ (Billy),” said
Jones, whose Sherrill-produced “He Stopped
Loving Her Today” (co-written by Bobby
Braddock & Curly Putman) revived his flagging
career in 1980, earning both Grammy and
CMA awards for “The Possum.” (Named CMA
Song of the Year two years’ running, the
Braddock-Putman collaboration has been called
by many critics the best country ballad of all
time.) “Billy had business on his mind all the
time, but he wrote some of the greatest songs
I’ve ever heard,” added Jones.
Chambers has yet to name the performers
are being paid to the musicians appearing in
the songs used in the film. The AFM is wrong
to claim that the musicians appearing in the film
did not receive from this company all compensation
to which they were entitled.”
Its affiliate, Show Dog Records’ separate
statement read: “Show Dog Records has paid
musicians as required by the AFM for their work
on the Show Dog Records’ recordings including
on the ‘Beer For My Horses’ album; it will
pay them a second time as required by the AFM
for inclusions of those recordings in the film;
and it will pay them additional compensation
based upon sales of the album.
“The AFM’s suggestion that Show Dog
Records and Toby Keith are somehow failing
to support musicians is misleading and incorrect.
Show Dog Records has in all aspects fulfilled
its obligation as an AFM signatory, and
any inference to the contrary is simply untrue.”
Reportedly, the label has employed more
than 70 Union musicians on more than 140 sessions
in compliance with AFM requirements.
Meanwhile, CMT chose not to comment on the
allegations by Bradley.
“The payments Show Dog has made to musicians
is for music performed under the AFM
Phono Agreement,” says President Bradley.
“Those payments are not in dispute. Those are
past payments. The correct agreement that needs
to be signed is the AFM Film Agreement, which
would enable the film musicians to receive future
payments from the sales of DVD’s.
“We can only hope that Toby Keith’s advisors
will have a change of heart and sign the
appropriate agreement, so that Nashville can
live happily after. Today, when I came in the
office (Monday, July 21), one of our supervisors
showed me a huge stack of correct checks
to the musicians performing music for the
‘Hannah Montana’ movie. This is the way it’s
suppose to work.”
Randy Travis meets with Deborah Allen.
for the Oct. 28 gala, but we might expect
Frampton to make a return engagement for the
festivities. He was a highlight at the first annual
presentation last fall, when the prestigious
first medals went to Nashville’s original A Team
session players, Detroit’s Funk Brothers, The
Memphis Boys, The Blue Moon Boys, The Tennessee
Two and L.A.’s Wrecking Crew.
According to Frampton, who prior to solo
stardom was an instrumentalist who formed
Humble Pie: “I started out as a session player,
and I feel like a musician first and foremost. . .
I’m honored to be here.”
Our Readers write:
Dear Walt:
Many thanks for the kind words in your generous
review of ‘Adcock, Gaudreau, Waller &
Gray - The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band’!
The guys will really appreciate it. I’d love
to quote a comment or two from it - would you
Life member Jack Greene’s still out
there entertaining traditional fans.
Presley on the prowl
at CMA Music Fest
Newcomer Taylor Swift at CMA Music Fest.
let me know if that’s not OK?
All the best,
Martha Adcock
Lebanon, Tenn.
(Editor’s note: Since you said to let you know
if it’s not OK, we saw no need to bother you.
Needless to say we’d be honored to have you
use whatever’s needed.)
Dear Editor:
I’m a Life Member of the Musicians’ Union,
but you may not know me. Age here is 88, and
I sit around and read everything . . . I think the
April-June 2008 issue of The Nashville Musician
can rightly deserve praise for the fine effort
you gave to it.
I stay at home nights and go out days, so I
don’t get much to the Union headquarters, but
(Continued on page 31)

14 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
George W. Cooper, Jr., President (1937-1973)
Pioneer musician and Union leader Cooper, recalled
George Wesley Cooper, Jr. would be 110
years old now, but of course, died in July 1974,
several months after stepping down as AFM
Local 257 president.
The Nashville native held his position 36
years, longer than any other Union chief to date
(from 1937-’73) at Local 257, originally chartered
Dec. 11, 1902.
Cooper championed the rights of “hillbilly”
and “race” musicians, promoted Nashville into
a major recording center, hiked scales, established
“demo” rates to aid the little guy, linked
members to the Pension Fund, while keeping
257’s funeral fund out of the hands of insurance
companies.
“If organized labor in America had been as
fair-minded and rational as Mr. Cooper, there
would be a far better and more equitable system
in place for Union workers in this country,”
says musician-artist-bandleader Charlie
Daniels, a Local 257 Life Member.
An admirer of Cooper, Daniels took out a
full page ad in tribute to him in The Nashville
Musician’s 100th anniversary commemorative
issue in 2002.
Singer Daniels’ ad stated: “Dedicated to Mr.
George Cooper, who was a big part of this Local
#257 lasting 100 years . . . Congratulations
#257!”
Harold R. Bradley, Local 257’s current president,
is the second longest-serving chief behind
Cooper, having chalked up 18 years. Cooper
was the 10th person to serve as president; however,
there had been 14 or 15 earlier elections
and Charles F. Davis was president intermittently,
totaling some 13 years.
When Cooper took the reins, there were only
about 75 members, as the nation had just came
through the Great Depression (since October
1929). Throughout his tenure, Cooper worked
with three different Secretaries, the first R. T.
(Bobby) Payne spent 36 years in that post (having
been elected first in 1932), followed in 1968
by Cecil Bailey who was succeeded by Johnny
DeGeorge in 1970. (Of course, DeGeorge succeeded
Cooper as Local 257 president in 1974.)
A ceremony honored Cooper’s lengthy service
on behalf of the musicians (whom he often
called “my boys”) on Oct. 18, 1973 at the
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. William
F. Ivey, the Hall’s executive director,
pointed out Cooper’s tenure “more than covers
the real period of growth in Nashville as a music
center.”
A bronze plaque presented by Cooper’s
friend Harold Bradley, then an in-demand A
Team session guitarist (who initiated the tribute
in cooperation with CMF), read in part:
“George W. Cooper, Jr., president, Nashville
Association of Musicians AFM - whose high
degree of integrity in dealing with both musicians,
and in the industry; whose firmness yet
fairness in enforcing regulations to the betterment
of everyone concerned; who distinguished
himself as a musicians’ musician; who is greatly
George W. Cooper, Jr.
Decca/MCA Records chief Owen Bradley and brother Harold (center) pay their respects to Mr. Cooper.
responsible for the growth of the ‘Nashville
Sound,’ is hereby honored by the recording
musicians of Nashville, Local #257, for his leadership,
example and honesty.”
Ivey said that the plaque would be placed
next to the Recording Session display in remembrance
of Cooper’s contribution: “Everybody
realizes what he’s done for the musicians and
for the overall music industry here . . . (It’s) our
attempt to pay tribute to the musicians and studio
men who have contributed to the high quality
of Nashville’s musicianship. The Musicians
Union has been both fair and flexible, and those
two elements have helped to create the relaxed
feeling we call the ‘Nashville Sound.’ It is appropriate
that this plaque be located near the
display.”
Cooper, who had suffered a few heart attacks
in the previous 18 months, turned the
tables on those paying homage to him by his
spontaneous announcement that he would retire
at year’s end.
Born in Nashville, Dec. 20, 1896, he was
the son of musician George Cooper, who
played tuba and double bassoon. In fact,
when George Jr. joined Local 257 at 19, Senior
was also a member.
In later recollections, George Jr. said he’d
played tuba in the Boy’s Club Band. Among
early jobs, he was a soda-jerk in a drugstore,
then ran an elevator: “But I kept this music
kick and took up trumpet lessons for awhile.
After playing that for a time as an amateur, I
learned to play the French horn. Shortly after
that, in 1916, I joined the Musicians Union.”
The young brass player noted that his first
professional gig was with the Mighty Haag Circus,
run by the father of famed future bandleader
Harry James, a trumpeter, who recorded #1 hits
like “I Don’t Want To Walk Without You,” “I’ve
Heard That Song Before” and “I’ll Get By.”
George played French horn in that traveling
circus which moved about via wagons, and featured
young Harry working as “The Youngest
Contortionist in the World.” Harry’s mother was
a trapeze artist headliner on the high wire.
After a year, Cooper came home where he
landed a stint in Tony Rose’s brass band. Next,
he played accompaniment tooting his horn for
silent movies as audiences thrilled to Pearl
White’s “Perils of Pauline,” or the derring do
of Douglas Fairbanks’ and Rudolph Valentino’s
screen heroics.
“When the movies were silent, they cued the
music to the picture. That was a pretty darn
tough job. The music was tough,” Cooper told
a Tennessean newspaper reporter. “The people
who wrote the movies would send the score
ahead and hire musicians. The movie would
usually run a week. I played horn in all those,
and the horn played a helluva part. Not that I
was important, but the horn was. I played these
several years and when the ‘talkies’ came in,
thousands of musicians all over the country
were left out of work.”
Looking to the future, Cooper taught himself
to play bass. Back then vaudeville was king,
and after having honed his talents playing between
films at the Orpheum Theater, graduated
to performing live shows at the Princess Theater.
Among artists playing this major vaudeville
house, whom he helped back musically,
were radio comedian Jack Benny and dance kid
Donald O’Connor.
“During that time the theaters would close
through the summer and open in the fall,” Cooper
explained. “In those days we had a 25-piece
concert band that played in the parks. The city
paid for it. We would play an afternoon concert
in Shelby Park, for example, and then we’d play
in Centennial (Park) that night. That was a big
job. They would put a wooden stand up and the
Parthenon would act as a background to send
the sound out. People came by the hundreds and
thousands.”
When the demand for live bands in the theaters
died down, George got in with WSM radio,
where he worked initially with Jack Stapp,
program director (who later founded the lucrative
Tree Publishing).
“George and I worked together many years
at WSM,” Stapp said, adding, “ . . . he was head
of the Union and a playing musician all the
while. He’s a wonderful bass player.”
Later, George would also perform on WSM-
TV’s Channel 4 Noon Show, while also appearing
on the radio network’s Waking Crew a.m.
broadcasts.
After some 25 years with the station, he had
to pull back and concentrate entirely on his
presidential duties at Local 257. When he first
took office, there were only about 75 members
- “We couldn’t send a wire without checking to
see if we had any money” - but during his years
of service Nashville developed into a major music
center grossing some $200 million annually.
Cooper took exception to the practice of administering
a stringent exam to potential members,
taking into consideration many country
pickers who couldn’t read music. He rescinded
that order, and also opened the door for blues
musicians, who previously were detoured to
another local in Alabama.
In an interview, he said, “We’ve got guys
making $40,000-to-$50,000 per year who don’t
know one note from another . . . They’ve got a
God-given talent to do this thing.”
Still he was a no-nonsense sort of leader,
who had little truck for those with the big head:
“Music has to be a competitive business. Some
people think when they get a card with this
Union, they go right to work. Now we don’t
put anybody to work. We try to get job opportunities
. . . There’s an opportunity here for a
musician if he’s good, if he’s qualified and not
a darn idiot or a ‘star.’ The opportunities are
here to earn good money. A musician gets good
money because we negotiated it. Such things
as rest periods, pension - they’ve got it.”
Cooper’s retirement was effective in December
1973, and he had turned 77 years old. Several
months later he died - July 17, 1974 - leaving
his “boys” to mourn the loss of their fearless
former leader. Carrying on for a time at
Local 257 were his two granddaughters: Pat
Maguire one-time assistant to the president
(who retired as Mrs. Charlie McCoy); and Carol
Hardin, who was secretary to the president.
Following Johnny DeGeorge, Jay Collins
was president, succeeded in 1991 by Harold
Bradley. He had long admired and respected Mr.
Cooper, citing him as “One of the dominant figures
in the early Nashville recording scene, and
along with Owen Bradley (Decca) and Chet
Atkins (RCA) set the high standards for the
music industry that Nashville enjoys today.
“When I joined the Nashville Association
of Musicians (Local 257) at age 16 in 1942,
George Cooper was a well-liked and highlyrespected
Union president. He always positioned
himself to deal with a firm hand, in all
matters involving chances to better the plight
of the members, but did so with fairness, justice
and understanding. He was known for taking
a stand on the tough issues. He is credited
with initiating the recognition of demonstration
(demo) recordings with the AFM, and thereby
establishing demo scales.
“George Cooper was my hero,” continued
Bradley. “And I’m trying to follow in his footsteps
by enforcing the By-Laws and my charge
The man with the gavel!
‘A musician gets good
money because we
negotiated it,’ said
George W. Cooper, Jr.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 15
George and his wife Jewel.
is the same as his, ‘Do whatever is best for the
good and welfare of the membership.’ If I can
do that in my terms of office, I hope to help
maintain the honesty and integrity and respect
for Local 257 that George Cooper brought to
this office.”
(The editor gives credit and appreciation to
the following for their contribution to this remembrance
of George W. Cooper, Jr.: Otto
Bash, The Tennessean daily newspaper, Paula
Szeigis and, of course, Harold Bradley.)
Granddaughter Pat Maguire McCoy.
Granddaughter Carol Hardin.
Jerry Douglas
Jerry Douglas begins stint as Artist-In-Residence
Jerry Douglas’ resume includes 12 Grammy
awards, appearances on more than 2,000 albums
and a decade as featured soloist with Alison
Krauss & Union Station. Later this summer, the
three-time (and reigning) CMA Musician of the
Year will add a new accolade to the list: The
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s 2008
Artist-In-Residence.
Dobro in hand, Douglas will host four
memorable evenings, each carefully curated by
the artist to illustrate different facets of his glittering
career. Jerry will hold court in the
Museum’s Ford Theater on Aug. 19 and 27, and
Sept. 16 and 30; each show begins at 7 p.m.
Hailed as “Dobro’s matchless contemporary
master” by The New York Times and lauded as
“my favorite musician” by John Fogerty, Douglas
has taken a once-obscure and relativelyunexplored
instrument and harnessed it, through
the power of his immense skill and creativity,
creating some of the most distinctive sounds in
American popular music. Those attending
Douglas’s residency shows should expect four
unique evenings, with set lists and special
guests, drawn from across the wide swath he
has cut into contemporary acoustic music.
Douglas, whose latest solo album, “Glide,”
will be released by Koch Records Aug. 19, follows
Cowboy Jack Clement, Earl Scruggs, Tom
T. Hall, Guy Clark and Kris Kristofferson as
the Museum’s sixth Artist-In-Residence.
“The tapestry of modern American acoustic
music is woven with Jerry Douglas’s rich musical
embroidery,” says Museum Director Kyle
Young. “He has embellished recordings by Eric
Clapton and Ray Charles, Earl Scruggs and
Garth Brooks, James Taylor and Paul Simon,
Pat Metheny and Phish, and a couple thousand
more. He is a composer, producer, band member,
recording artist and session player
extraordinaire. But his talents are perhaps best
enjoyed live, where he coaxes his Dobro
through surprising and satisfying twists and
turns and demonstrates its versatility across
many genres of music.
“Whether fronting his own band, performing
with Alison Krauss & Union Station or
working on one of his many side projects, Jerry
continues to explore and expand the Dobro’s
vocabulary. He possesses a restless and majestic
creative spirit that is constantly seeking new
forms of expression, and in our residency tradition,
we are excited to give him our stage for
four one-of-a-kind performances.”
The son of an Ohio steelworker who
played bluegrass on the side, Gerald Calvin
Douglas was 8 years old when he first heard
both Bashful Brother Oswald and Josh
Graves at a Flatt & Scruggs concert. Young
Jerry originally wanted to play the banjo,
but became smitten by the Dobro’s sound:
“The Dobro really caught my ear, the way
Josh Graves played it . . . it was like a voice.”
Douglas’ dad altered a guitar so that the
strings were high, allowing the youngster to play
it like a Dobro. When Douglas was 12, his father
bought him a real Dobro, and he began
playing with his father’s band, The West Virginia
Travelers.
In 1973, 17-year-old Jerry joined innovative
bluegrass band The Country Gentlemen
who, while respectful of tradition and steadfast
in their use of acoustic instruments, were known
for taking the genre into new arenas of repertoire
and stylistic performance. He toured with
them between his junior and senior years of high
school, and again after his graduation.
Douglas next served a brief stint as a member
of J.D. Crowe’s New South; he and
bandmate Ricky Skaggs left in 1976 to form
their own group, Boone Creek. The group’s tenure
was brief, and ended when Skaggs was
asked to join Emmylou Harris’s Hot Band. As
the decade’s end drew near, Douglas rejoined
the Gentlemen and began work on his first solo
record, “Fluxology.” The album, which was
released by Rounder Records in 1979, drew its
title from Douglas’s nickname, “Flux.” This was
the first of many solo projects recorded by Douglas
when not recording or touring with others.
Again in 1979, Douglas left the Gentlemen
and this time joined Buck White & The Down
Home Folks, who were touring as the opening
act for Emmylou Harris. Douglas played on
Harris’s seminal acoustic album, “Roses in the
Snow,” and quickly became a sought-after session
man in country’s emerging traditionalist
vanguard.
Jerry’s work could be heard on some of the
most highly-regarded albums in the acoustic
music field, including Tony Rice’s classic 1979
album “Manzanita.” In 1983, Douglas won a
Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental
for his work on J.D. Crowe & the New South’s
instrumental track “Fireball.” It was the first of
dozens of music industry honors for him.
Douglas retired from The Whites’ road band
in 1985 to concentrate on session work, appearing
on recordings by Johnny Cash, Ray Charles,
Gail Davies, Skaggs and dozens of others. Simultaneously,
he fronted two of MCA’s Master
Series albums, “Under the Wire” (1986) and
“Plant Early” (1989), which explored
“newgrass” and Nashville New Age. In 1989,
Douglas joined Strength in Numbers, an irregular
ensemble whose members included Sam
Bush, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Mark
O’Connor. He also continued his session work.
By the late 1990s, Jerry not only continued
to be in constant demand for recording sessions
THE NASHVILLE
NNASHVILLE A S H V I L L E M USICIAN
UUSICIAN S I C I A N
Official Journal of the American Federation of Musicians
AFM Nashville Local 257 -- 1902-2008
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but had begun producing a growing number of
albums, for himself as well as artists such as
the Del McCoury Band, the Nashville Bluegrass
Band and Jesse Winchester.
As the Millennium neared, Douglas was invited
to join Alison Krauss & Union Station,
with whom he is about to celebrate his 10-year
anniversary. Now known as Alison Krauss &
Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas, the
band has allowed Douglas the best of both
worlds: the opportunity for adventurous sonic
collaboration with one of American music’s
most respected artists, as well as ample free time
to continue pursuing his own projects. On one
such break, Douglas worked with producer T-
Bone Burnett on the soundtrack for the film “O
Brother, Where Art Thou?” The smash CD,
which has sold nearly 10 million copies, has
been credited with reviving and broadening interest
in acoustic roots music.
He also formed the Jerry Douglas Band,
where he has continued to break stylistic barriers.
The group has headlined such diverse and
prestigious festivals as Bonnaroo, the Telluride
Bluegrass Festival and the Edmonton Folk
Music Festival, and toured as the opening act
for Paul Simon in 2006.
In June of 2004, the National Endowment
for the Arts honored Douglas with a National
Heritage Fellowship award (the country's high-
(Continued on page 19)
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(Deadline forOctober-December 2008 issue ads: Sept. 26, 2008)

16 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney -
“Parrotheads”?
Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but like those
fabled fans of Jimmy Buffett, they’re admirers
of their fellow Local 257 musician.
Remember Alan’s participation in Jimmy’s
revitalized “Margaritaville,” the newer “It’s 5
O’Clock Somewhere” (a #1 which earned them
both a Grammy and CMA Event awards), and
an energized cover of Hank Williams’ “Hey,
Good Lookin’,” also featuring friend Chesney,
whose own concerts have been compared to the
Buffett bashes, drawing SRO stadium crowds.
Parrotheads, a snidely titled take-off on
Grateful Dead’s Deadheads, identifies life-ofthe-party
Buffett’s cult-like followers, who
regularly show up for his Big Eight list of hits.
Seemingly he blends in rock, country and soul,
adding a dash of calypso, for a tantalyzing mix
that’s uniquely Jimmy Buffett.
Ever been to a Buffett show? It’s wild and
spontaneous, resembling a Hawaiian luau, except
the assemblage act more like boisterous
partygoers, while singing lyrics along with their
congenial, one-time counter-cultural host.
But never fear, there’s now a Jimmy
Buffett DVD “Scenes You Know By Heart”
(a play on his hit album “Songs You Know
By Heart”), a presentation that puts you in
the seat at several such shows.
Among the DVD’s 15 songs are his usual
concert fare: “Cheeseburger in Paradise,”
“Come Monday,” “Margaritaville,” “Changes
in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “A Pirate
Looks at 40” and the not so radio-friendly “Why
Don’t We Get Drunk . . .” etc.
No narrator’s needed for this one-hour-plus
cinematic feast, as the musical performances,
audience action, combined with a series of lo-
By WALT TROTT
cale shots, propel this along at a brisk, but even
pace. One of the more remarkable pieces of film
has a surfboard-riding Buffett being towed
through the waves by his seaplane!
Concerts covered in this musical travelogue
range from an intimate Parisian bistro to
Wrigley Field in Chicago; or for further contrast,
from a gig in Las Vegas’ luxuriant MGM
Grand, to a seaside soiree on the Caribbean isle
of Anguilla. (Earlier footage’s utilized from
Buffett’s 2005 Live At Wrigley Field and 2007
Live At Anguilla videos.)
Skillfully directed by Stan Killam, who also
co-produced the colorful project with Nina
Avramides and Buffett, the documentary-style
film was shot and recorded for Mailboat
Records. Assisting Stan in the all-important
editing process was Perry Scofield.
Strange watching French fans mingling with
expatriot Americans in their shark fin hats,
cheering Buffett’s musical recollection of a visit
he made to the City of Light as a callow youth:
“He went to Paris/Lookin’ for answers/To questions
that bothered him so . . . He was impressive/Young
and aggressive/Savin’ the world on
his own . . .”
Buffett shouts a welcome aside to “Two
guys from London, you come to every show!”
The camera captures the crew in rehearsal
at their hotel, and later at a theater soundcheck.
Interspersed, too, are shots of Paris landmarks,
as our hero plays the part of tourist, and then
pens for the DVD liner notes:
“I loved playing a small club in the 10th
arrondissement, as I still just think of myself as
a bar singer, but what was the icing on the
‘gateau’ (cake) was seeing the Parrotheads who
showed up in Paris and reaction of Parisiens to
them. At first, I think they were looked upon
like aliens from another planet, but by the end
of the show, the Parrotheads and Parisiens were
dancing in the street together. Music still does
make the world go ’round.”
Show stops also include Cincinnati,
Noblesville (near Indianapolis), Hawaii’s
Waikiki Beach, New Orleans (where Jimmy
was once a busker) and Dallas.
Ably blending vocals with Buffett on “It’s
5 O’Clock Somewhere” is Mac McAnally, longtime
Buffett guitarist in the Coral Reefer Band.
Other Coral Reefer players: Mike Utley, keyboards;
Roger Guth, drums; Jim Mayer, bass;
Peter Mayer, guitar; Doyle Grisham, pedal steel
guitar; Ralph MacDonald, percussion; and
Robert Greenidge, steel drums. Backup singers
Tina Gullickson and Nadirah Shakoor are
sultry, sexy and vocally superb, the latter most
notably on the softer “A Pirate Looks at 40.”
“It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” a Happy Hour
anthem that hugged #1 eight weeks in summer
2003 (first in four years to do so on Billboard),
is one of two bonus songs added to the DVD.
The other, his Top 10 cover “Hey, Good
Lookin’,” given a hard-driving delivery in
Texas, during which Tina and Nadirah don cowgirl
hats.
Buffett, once considered controversial, has
become an accepted player on America’s music
scene. His tours gross some $40 million annually.
To date, the singer-songwriter’s best selling
LPs are ABC Records’ “Changes in Latitudes,
Changes in Attitudes” (#2, 1977), and “Son Of
a Son Of a Sailor” (#6, 1978), both millionsellers.
However, his 1985 MCA album “Songs
You Know By Heart: Jimmy Buffett’s Greatest
Hits” has sold in excess of six million units.
Peering out at the DVD’s crowds, we view
a virtual sea of young faces sharing space with
mature music enthusiasts, indicating that
Parrotheads - aging along with the singer - are
indeed passing the torch to new generations to
dig his sounds. On “Changes in Latitudes,” the
Parrotheads shout his lyrics right back at him.
Buffett appears a decade younger than his
61 years, at least on this video. In performing
“Fins” - as fans raise their hands, shaped like a
dorsal fin to wave left and right - in Cincinnati,
Ohio, he shouts it’s most appropriate, being
“where it all started” (that tradition).
In the Hoosier State, Jimmy spoofs old Hollywood
and TV icons via “Pencil Thin Mustache,”
noting nostalgically, “I wish I had a pencil
thin mustache/The Boston Blackie kind/A
two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket/And an
autographed picture of Andy Devine . . .”
Yet another favorite is a folksy, autobiographical
“Son of a Son of a Sailor Man,” alluding
to his late skipper granddad, warbling
tongue-in-cheek, “Son of a son/Son of a son/
Son of a son of a sailor/Son of a gun/Load the
last ton/One step ahead of the jailer . . .”
Coaxing everybody into a fun mood, the ol’
conch does drinking songs de rigueur, i.e. “Boat
Drinks,” “Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit” and his po-
litically incorrect chant, “Why Don’t We Get
Drunk . . .” The latter’s rendered in Hawaii with
members of the Army, Navy and Marines in attendance,
prompting the boss’s sing-song jest:
“I don’t know who’s defending our country tonight/It
ain’t me, and it sure ain’t you . . .”
Obviously the most in-demand party song
for the tried-and-true fan remains the melodic
“Margaritaville,” his timeless self-penned signature
song. Although Buffett long-ago quit
counting how many times he’s been “searchin’
for my lost shaker of salt,” we get the impression
he’s not yet ready to toss it from his show.
The man merely loves to perform: “I’m descended
from court jesters - I just go out there
to entertain.”
On his 1979 Gold album title tune “Volcano,”
Buffett gets a slick ukelele assist from
Jake Shimabukuro (courtesy Sony/Japan
Records). Other augmenting stints here include
input from Bill Payne, pianist; Amy Lee and
Tom Mitchell on saxophones; plus dancers
Heather Perry, Julie Harkness, Louise Kendrick
and Marcos Santana.
Buffett’s baritone’s strong and pleasant, and
he accompanies himself well enough on guitar,
but his real strength’s as a showman. While it
all looks laidback and easygoing, that facade
no doubt masks an intense, masterful maestro,
putting much thought and planning into each
production, covering key items like repertoire,
repartee, garb, concessions and stage props.
A scene in which he’s spotted wearing a Tshirt
emblazoned with “Pascagoula,” reminds
us of the Mississippi town where he was born,
although he spent much of his youth in Mobile,
Ala. Nonetheless, Jimmy earned a journalism
degree at the University of Southern Mississippi
in 1969.
After a move to Nashville, where he began
his professional music career, he also served as
a correspondent for Billboard, the trade weekly.
Encouraged by Buzz Cason, he began playing
shows locally, and landed his first record deal
with Barnaby Records, which issued his first,
best-forgotten album “Down To Earth.”
Following some down time, he split for Key
West, Fla., but was lured back to Music City,
where Don Gant and Norbert Putnam co-produced
his 1973 attention-getting Top 40 ABC
album “A White Sport Coat & A Pink
Crustaceon.” Buffett was off and running, and
hasn’t stopped since. He’s now in his fourth
decade.
We recall him once saying, “If we can give
them the best night they have all year, and they
can take home something musically that lasts
the rest of the year, I’ve done my job for them.”
“Scenes You Know By Heart” is just another
way America’s perennial beach boy entertains
an audience, and simply put, it manages to do
so most effectively.
Meanwhile, Parrotheads around the country
are welcoming the unconventional artist’s 2008
The Year of Still Here tour, currently at the halfway
mark. Check out www.margaritaville.com

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 17
. . . Country king Eddy Arnold receives royal send-off
Eddy Arnold in this recent Patricia Presley photo.
(Continued from page 2)
Arnold’s good friend, engineer Bobby
Campbell notes, his voice choking back sobs,
“He never thought he was better than anybody
else. I don’t care if they had big fame or had
none, he treated everybody the same . . . ”
He was born Richard Edward Arnold, May
15, 1918 near Henderson, Tenn., a farmer’s son,
who on his 11th birthday in 1929, witnessed
his father’s death. Sadly, months later he
watched the county auction off his late father’s
property to try and satisfy debtors.
As a farmboy, he had husked corn, picked
cotton and spent time behind the plow (thus his
later nickname Tennessee Plowboy). Eddy’s
father Will had played fiddle and sang bass in
the church choir, an inspiration to his son.
By age 9, Eddy was playing harmonica and
trying to teach himself guitar on a cousin’s
Sears’ Silvertone model he borrowed. His
mother Georgia taught him a few chords, and
maternal granddad Dick Wright also helped
Eddy learn to play. He recalled that his mom’s
favorite song was “Sweet Bunches of Daisies,”
which he finally got around to recording in the
early 1970s.
Eddy had attended a one-room schoolhouse
in Chester County, before attending Pinson
High School in town. After dad’s death, he and
his two brothers worked on a rented farm, and
eventually Eddy dropped out of school to enhance
the family coffers during the Great Depression.
Eddy began playing publicly at square
dances and candy-pulls, earning from 50-cents
to $1-a-night. He also worked for a funeral parlor
and drove an ambulance. Word-of-mouth on
how great a vocalist Arnold was, landed him a
stint on Jackson radio station WTJS in 1935,
Mac Wiseman being hailed
Bluegrass Hall of Famer Mac Wiseman, 83,
has been named as a recipient of the 2008 National
Endowment For the Arts’ National Heritage
Fellowship, which will be presented in a
September ceremony at the White House in
Washington, D.C.
That award, America’s highest honor bestowed
in the folk and traditional arts, is accompanied
by a medal and $20,000 check.
accompanied by fiddler Speedy McNatt. He and
Speedy also performed on radio in Memphis
and St. Louis, where he stayed with a married
sister to make ends meet.
In January 1940, popular accordionist-entertainer
Pee Wee King engaged the talented newcomer
(and McNatt) for his Golden West Cowboys,
where Eddy became featured vocalist. As
part of the Cowboys, he performed regularly
on WSM’s Opry.
By late 1942, his following was such that he
lit out on his own.Two of his champions were
WSM manager Harry Stone, who got him a
daytime station slot in 1943, and Chicago publisher
Fred Forster, who helped convince RCA
to sign him later that year.
After a musicians’ strike delayed his initial
session (done at WSM), Eddy first recorded as
a solo artist Dec. 4, 1944. That session produced
“Mommy, Please Stay Home With Me,” backed
with “A Mother’s Prayer,” as released early in
1945 on the major’s Bluebird subsidiary label.
Another recording, Tex Owens’ “Cattle Call,”
would become Eddy’s theme song and a remake
several years later topped the country chart.
In 1945, Tom Parker, who went on to guide
the careers of Hank Snow and Elvis Presley,
became his manager, one who put his hustling
skills to good use in advancing Arnold’s professional
standing in those postwar years. He
coordinated a deal with Mutual Broadcasting
to air a show hosted by Arnold called Checkerboard
Square Jamboree, sponsored by Ralston
Purina directly in competition with WSM.
Not much has been written about Arnold’s
own helping hand to others in the business, most
notably Lonzo & Oscar, who were showcased
on Eddy’s Checkerboard Square program, as
well as The Willis Brothers - Guy, Skeeter and
Vic - and later Wilma Burgess. Writers who
have benefitted from him recording their songs
included Jenny Lou Carson, Zeke Clements,
Boudleaux Bryant, Vic McAlpin, Ed & Steve
Nelson, Cindy Walker, Cy Coben, Tommy
Dilbeck and Hank Cochran.
On June 30, 1945, Arnold chalked up his first
Billboard Top Five charting: “Each Minute
Seems a Million Years,” featuring The Tennessee
Plowboys, including the near-trademark
sound of Little Roy Wiggins’ steel guitar. This
was a Bluebird release. One year later on July
13, on RCA he had his second Top 10, “All
Alone In This World Without You,” followed
by his first two-sided hit single: “That’s How
Much I Love You” and “Chained To a
Memory.”
The following year Eddy scored his first #1
single “What is Life Wihout Love” co-written
by Arnold, Owen Bradley and Vic McAlpin.
That same year he attained two more
charttoppers “It’s a Sin” and “I’ll Hold You in
My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms).”
Adding to that impressive 1947 line-up were
the near-charttopper “To My Sorrow” by
Vernice McAlpin (Vic’s wife), and another Top
Five “I Couldn’t Believe It Was True,” credited
to Arnold and Wally Fowler.
“I”ll Hold You in My Heart,” on which
Arnold shares writer credit (with Tommy
Dilbeck and Hal Horton), remained at #1 for
21 weeks in 1947-’48, the first single to do so.
According to Arnold, “I used to get letters
from mamas and sweethearts. It was a universal
kind of song, because it said something everybody
could identify with,” Eddy explained.
“A mama could say it about her own son away
from home . . . or lovers could use the same
expression. I wish I could find another one like
that.”
“I’ll hold you in my heart/Till I can hold you
in my arms/Like you’ve never been held before/
I’ll think of you each day/And then I’ll dream
the night away/Till you are in my arms once
more . . .”
Arnold would hit #1 28 times, totaling a
record 145 weeks in Billboard’s top spot, and
he charted 147 times on the country singles list,
92 of them Top 10, setting yet another record.
He also attained 15 Top 40 pop crossover
chartings, as well as 33 Top 40 albums, nine of
which went #1 (since 1964, when albums were
finally covered by Billboard).
Attesting to his chart conquests, for the week
of May 22, 1948, Arnold dominated half the
Top 10 listings: #1 repeating with “Anytime,”
#2 “What a Fool I Was (To Ever Let You Go),”
#3 “Texarkana Baby,” #4 “Bouquet of Roses”
(making its first week debut) and, after 39 weeks
still up there, at #9 “I’ll Hold You in My Heart.”
That year, he was the only country artist at #1
except for Jimmy Wakely with “One Has My
Name.” What a remarkable feat.
A song he charted #1 on May 15, 1954 remained
his all-time favorite “I Really Don’t
Want To Know,” co-written by Don Robertson
and Howard Barmes. Its melody and heartfelt
lyrics tell it all: “How many lips have kissed
you/And set your soul aglow/How many, how
many, I wonder/But I really don’t want to know,”
quickly won him over.
“What can I say about that,” said Arnold. “I
am asked which is the favorite of the songs that
I have recorded. I love them all, but this is my
favorite.”
It was 1956 before he failed to chart #1,
though he did manage two Top 10s, the Richard
Jones ballad “Trouble in Mind,” and his
title-inspired classic with co-writer Cindy
Walker, “You Don’t Know Me.”
“I don’t do much writing, but ‘You Don’t
Know Me’ is a song title that had been running
through my head for a couple years,” said
Arnold, who invited Walker to flesh it out, adding,
“It is really about a boy that’s very bashful,
very quiet, who is in love with a girl, but he
never had the courage to tell her so . . .”
Fortunately, young Eddy did have courage
to pop the question to the pretty girl behind the
soda fountain at Woolworth’s in Louisville, who
captured his eye and soon his heart. He and
Sally Gayhart were wed Nov. 28, 1941, and
became parents to JoAnn in 1945, and Dickie,
Eddy’s namesake, in ’48.
With the mid-to-late 1950s onslaught of
rockabilly and rock and roll, like many country
favorites, Eddy experienced a downturn in
record sales and airplay. The years 1957 and
’58 were far from banner years, though Arnold
continued to be much in-demand for personal
appearances.
Jimmie Driftwood’s uptempo “Tennessee
Stud” brought him back into the Top Five list
in 1959, after not even charting in 1958, but
1960 saw him absent again from the Billboard
list. Eddy was too good a businessman, however,
to let his career slide into oblivion. He
devised his own strategy to make his music
more appealing to a new generation and to keep
from being dropped off RCA.
“What happened to me was I'd been going
Eddy and Sally were Mr. & Mrs. for 66 years.
along having hit after hit after hit after hit. Then
as time goes by, you get cold. I got to thinking,
if I just took the same kind of songs I’d been
singing and added violins to them, I’d have a
new sound,” he said in recalling his style change
in the 1960s. “They cussed me, but the disc
jockeys grabbed it . . .”
A new manager Gerald Purcell had the contacts
necessary to bring it all into play. Meanwhile,
country purists resented their Tennessee
Plowboy going uptown, leaving behind his
boots and cowboy hat in favor of a dinner jacket
and a more urbane style, more from the Frank
Sinatra or Tony Bennett playbook.
Arnold soon weathered the storm of protest,
however, with another string of hits, capturing
a whole new fan-base for him. He scored
nine #1 albums on the country charts. His venues
became Las Vegas luxury hotel lounges,
major arenas like Carnegie Hall or the Hollywood
Bowl, and even symphony halls where
he was backed by 20-40 piece orchestras.
Among the resulting successes were “A
Little Heartache” (#3) and its hit B-side “After
Loving You” (#7) in 1962, along with “Does
He Mean That Much To You,” a Top Five. Then
came the charttoppers from 1965-’68: “What’s
He Doing In My World,” “Make The World Go
Away” (a Grammy Hall of Fame recording), “I
Want To Go With You,” “Somebody Like Me,”
“Lonely Again,” “Turn the World Around” and
“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.” That made
it all the sweeter, and turned him into an international
superstar. He guested on all the best
network programs including Johnny Carson’s
Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and variety
series headlining the likes of Dean Martin,
Red Skelton and Dinah Shore. Eddy himself
hosted a series of Kraft Summer Music Hall
specials.
In 1966, Eddy Arnold was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame at age 48, then
the youngest living member to be named to that
august institution. A year later, he confounded
the industry by winning the first Country Music
Association’s Entertainer of the Year award,
proving he wasn’t yet ready to toss in the towel.
Looking for yet another revitalization of his
career in 1972, he switched labels, signing with
MGM, former home to such stalwarts as Hank
Williams and Conway Twitty. Out of nine
chartings, however, the best he garnered was
the Top 20 single “I Wish That I Had Loved
You Better” in 1974.
In 1976, Jerry Bradley inked Arnold again
to RCA, where he would achieve another pair
of Top 10 chartings (in 1980): “Let’s Get It
While the Gettin’s Good” and “That’s What I
Get For Loving You.”
Eddy Arnold’s personal life wasn’t all
smooth sailing.
(Continued on page 22)

18 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Rascal Flatts’ DeMarcus and Big & Rich’s Rich co-produce
- Photos by Patricia Presley
Jay joins James and John in the studio
country soul. So when the song was done pro- came home from workin’ the bars, he’d have
duction-wise, it seemed pretty obvious to me my father play all those country songs. So while
that it needed to be a single.”
growing up and we’d go like camping, the songs
Sharing the accolades at the #1 reception was my dad would play me were those of Hank
the song’s co-writer Jim Femino, who explained Williams, Hank Snow or Gene Autry. All those
their third writer D. Vincent Williams was off classic country songs coming from a guy who
entertaining Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C. was a rocker.”
(Williams, incidentally, co-wrote Rascal Flatt’s James’ dad did play in bands, mainly on
signature song “I’m Moving On.”)
weekends.
“Actually, I had never written with D. “A lot of things I got into (when younger)
Vincent prior to this song,” volunteers James. included music by groups like Van Halen. Hear-
“But I had written songs with Jim for years, so ing their ‘1984’ album, and then seeing Prince,
Jay DeMarcus
when I had some free time, I gave him a call to I just wanted to be a guitar player.”
By WALT TROTT
It takes an army of pros to produce a musical
hit.
see if he wanted to get together. Well, he said
sure, but that he had another writer-friend (Williams)
with him, so we decided to include him
in our session.
James’ country side was more into the likes
of John Anderson and Randy Travis, which
made the fact that as a songwriter landing cuts
by both artists all the more sweeter: Travis re-
James Otto and co-writer Jim Femino accept #1
plaque for their song ‘Just Got Started Loving
You’ (above with wives Leslie and Amy).
Ask James Otto, whose hot new CD “Sun- “When I got there, D. Vincent had the corded his “Song Of The Violin,” and Anderset
Man” owes its success, in part, to celebrated melody idea, the beginning verse melody for son cut “Easy Money,” also the title track to his tably John Rich, Kenny Alphin and Gretchen
co-producers Jay DeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts) the song; he kind of played it more like an 2007 album.
Wilson, all of whom somewhat tongue-in-cheek
and John Rich (of Big & Rich), plus fellow Eagles’ kind of vibe than the groove that even- Does Otto’s new-found success as a record- tagged their melodic “movement” MuzikMafia.
musicians Tom Bukovac, Eric Darken, Troy tually made it to the album. The melody sort of ing artist, make him wish now that he’d held At the time, Rich had bombed in his solo
Lancaster, Michael Rojas, Glenn Worf, Mike set the tone for the rest of the song. It had a those songs for himself?
RCA effort (after departing the successful
Johnson, Johnny Neel and Jonathan Yudkin, sexy feel to it, and the lyrics kind of came in an “No, I’m happy to have cuts by guys who Lonestar act), leaving Otto as the only member
among other A-list players.
hour-and-a-half, really quick. I think I came up are my heroes. It makes me proud to hear John with a major label pact.
The album debuted at #2 (not bad for a non- with the title. From there, man, it came together Anderson sing back to us lyrics that we wrote. On Oct. 14, 2003 “Days . . .” was released,
name), just behind George Strait’s, and has al- fast, almost like it wrote itself. I felt like it was It literally raised the hair on my arms. That’s an and its title track peaked at #33. The album itready
spawned a #1 single: “Just Got Started the hand of God, it came so easy.”
amazing feeling, having Anderson or Travis self notched in at a disappointing #61. He went
Lovin’ You.”
“You don’t have to go now, honey/Call and admire your work enough to want to sing your out on the road opening shows for the label’s
DeMarcus, who produced the rock group tell ’em you won’t be in today/Baby, there ain’t song or write with you. It’s as good a valida- top artist Shania Twain’s Up! Tour, which
Chicago’s first album in a decade “Chicago nothin’ at the office/So important it can’t wait tion as you’re ever gonna get.”
helped introduce him to a wider audience.
XX,” was happy to join in his brother-in-law’s . . . This is gonna take forever, darlin’/Girl, I As a boy, James spent time on his grandpar- A fourth single “Sunday Morning and Sat-
first CD for the Warner Bros. Raybaw imprint. just got started lovin’ you . . .”
ents farm in North Dakota, until upon going into urday Night,” however, failed to break Top 40
Jay, who confided he loves the creative pro- Was it unanimous to spin this off as the CD’s junior high, he moved with his mom to Sand in ’04 - and became Otto’s Mercury swan-song.
cess of making music - whether singing him- first single?
Mountain, Ala.
In the meantime, Kenny and John became a
self or producing - maintains, “I love to get in “Well, I don’t know, I think all the people, “All the kids there were into Lynyrd hot Warner Bros. duo - Big & Rich - while
there and figure out new ways to sing a song. the promo staff and myself all agreed that this Skynyrd, Alabama or Hank Jr. and Charlie Gretchen Wilson signed to Columbia, and sud-
Where other people would normally go for the song needs to be the first single,” says Otto, Daniels. Hearing those (Southern rock) sounds denly Otto was the one out on the street.
obvious part. I like to try to find an alternative adding the subject was one he identified with. really changed my perception of music,” he Loyal to fellow members, they invited Otto
that makes it a little bit more interesting, and “Me and my wife actually used to do that when confides.
to join them in performance, including a CMT
kind of different from the norm . . . ”
we first started dating. You know, every once Following 1992 graduation from Kiowa- reality series MuzikMafiaTV, headlining the
A Local 257 member Jay’s wed to former in a while, skip work to spend the day together Benton High School in Benton City, Wash., he prestigious Country Radio Seminar’s
Miss Tennessee Allison Alderson (sister to Amy . . . Look, she’s turnin’ red already, because I moved to Seattle, where it was tough going find- SuperFaces show, and on the road, as well.
Otto), and he also co-produced James’ follow- told you that (laughing heartily). Hey, we probing a country-oriented band: “I wasn’t old “John’s been a big booster of mine for
up single “For You.”
ably need to do a little bit more of that, now enough to legally get into the clubs, really.” years,” says James. “He’s the guy who got up,
“The vocal on ‘For You’ I think is probably that everything’s getting off the ground, and I’m Next, James joined the Navy. Fresh from screamed my name from the hilltop for a long,
the best vocal on the album,” grins Otto. “That’s never home.”
boot training, the young sailor found himself long time, and he was dedicated in getting them
my personal opinion. It was an emotional sub- Following that first meeting, we agreed to assigned on Guam, an island base in the West- to give me a shot. John believed in what I was
ject that I wanted to tackle and was something conduct a more indepth interview later (June ern Pacific Ocean area.
doing.”
we hadn’t covered yet. I thought that Jay pro- 16). At the end of that week, “For You” charted “I was also on the USS Haliakala and the Incidentally, Otto appears in two 2006 feaduced
an excellent track on that.”
at #55, hopefully off to a brisk start. James was USS White Plains during my service time, ture films that helped build a following for the
Multi-talented Rich has called Otto “the big- pleased, too, being invited to perform the At- (docking) in more than 20 different countries. I singer: “Yeah, I was in a movie called ‘Road
gest voice in country music”
lanta Braves ball team’s new theme song “The really enjoy traveling. I’d love to go overseas House 2 (Last Call),’ and they used four of my
So who picked the second single, John, Jay Braves Play Here,” co-written by writing pals now to play my music and to help spread the songs on the movie soundtrack. I even had a
or James?
Greg Barnhill and Randy Wachtler.
word about what I do. You know, if the oppor- little acting part in it (as part of the club’s house
“Well, if this song doesn’t do well, there’s Born James Allen Otto, July 29, 1973, in tunity presents itself, we’re going over to Iraq band). I should have been cast as a bouncer in
nobody to blame but me,” replies James. “I’m a Ft. Lewis Army hospital (near Tacoma, and perform for the troops over there. It would that club, because I used to be one. I would have
the one that chose ‘For You.’ That’s been the Wash.), his dad was a Rangers’ drill sergeant. be a wonderful thing. ”
liked bustin’ up at least one barroom brawl in
greatest thing about Raybaw, they really kind When James was 3 years old, his parents After his two-year service stint, he returned that movie. But, we had a blast during the film-
of let me determine my own fate. That’s impor- divorced.
to Seattle where he hooked up with the Desert ing.tant
to me as an artist, knowing that my opin- “I started out playing violin when I was like 5 Band, playing cover songs around the area. “Then Larry asked us to do a song for his
ion is valid and to be listened to. It’s something in second grade and went on to play sax (saxo- Realizing that to improve his lot in music, it ‘Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector’ movie,
that all artists work hard to get in this business. phone) six years, and played a little keyboards. was time to move on.
so we went in and recorded ‘They Call Me The
I like working with people that really thought a But, I wouldn’t say I was proficient at any one In late 1997, Otto came to Nashville. He hit Breeze,’ the old J.J. Cale song that Lynyrd
lot about my opinion and I thought a lot about of those, nor would I say I was too proficient at a lot of the open mic and writers nights about Skynyrd cut. We did it our way. It’s a really
theirs, as well. It’s awesome.”
playing guitar. I just kind of get by, doing what town, most notably The Broken Spoke, a honky cool cut. You know, it’s kind of nice to go out
Standing 6’-5”, James is an imposing figure I do. There are so many great guitar players out tonk. Meanwhile, his day job was driving an and view yourself on the big screen.”
possessing powerful pipes, highlighted by a there that are just untouchable. But I love to oil truck around middle Tennessee, carrying and James is reluctant to go into any detail on
memorable whiskey tenor.
play, it’s my passion. I’ve been playing like 20 off-loading 55-gallon oil drums. (Talk about a his false start with Mercury, though it’s well
Besides assisting James in production, Jay years. While I do my best, I’m no Brent Ma- muscle builder.)
known that their A&R department went through
and John also supplied their high-profiled talson, for sure.”
After a couple years of perfecting his writ- a number of changes during the artist’s stay.
ents to the project, both having co-written songs James’ father and (paternal) grandfather, ing style, James landed a deal with Scream “I don’t blame any one person over there.
here, and pitched in instrumentally and via vo- both played guitar. His dad taught him three Music publishers, where his biggest success was They were a company in flux and I was an artcal
harmony, respectively. Rich found time to chords on the guitar, C, G and D, when James landing a cut on a Confederate Railroad CD. ist in flux, and I wound up where I wound up
produce other acts, notably Jewel and Randy was 13.
Yet another champion was Mercury Records’ for a reason. Man, I’m just happy to be here,
Owen’s solo effort.
“Unfortunately, my grandfather on my dad’s Scott Parker, who by 2000 had James signed to doing what I’m doing today.”
We caught up to Otto at his first #1 party - side was a pretty bad alcoholic. He was a really the label. An album, “Days Of Our Lives,” was The best thing he took away from his Mer-
for “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” - at talented guy who loved oldtimey country, but originally scheduled as a 2002 release, but was cury days was a new bride: “Amy was working
Nashville’s Limelight Club, June 5, during the never realized the talent he had as a country delayed due to the lackluster showing of its first in their marketing department when I was there.
CMA Music Festival.
musician. My dad was more a rocker, into like two singles: “The Ball,” which peaked #45 I kept pestering her to go out with me for a long
“I consider myself a country soul singer and Led Zeppelin and all kinds of great rock and chartwise; and “Long Way Down,” which didn’t time, and she finally broke down and said yes.”
that song’s a country soul song,” says Otto, who roll from the past. I got my influences from them even chart.
The couple wed in 2005.
co-wrote it. “I felt like it was exactly what I . . .
Some three years after coming to town, Otto Amy’s sister Allison (with whom she had
thought that I wanted to bring myself out as, “The funny thing is when my grandfather began mixing in with fellow progressives, no- done some singing) met Jay during the filming

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 19
Rascal Flatts’ #1 “These Days” music video in
which Allison appeared during summer 2002,
then married him in May 2004.
“Actually, Amy and I were dating probably
a year before they ever met," James continues.
"Then we began double dating and got to know
each other. After they got married, he and I began
hanging together a lot. We’d see each other
at family holidays and such . . . then we started
to write together.”
Having had a hand in writing nine of the 11
songs on “Sunset Man,” can we assume it’s really
representative of James’ sound and style?
“I feel like it really is, man. It’s been 11 years,
and this is my second record deal and after all
the things that I’ve been through over the course
of my time in Nashville, I think like this CD
truly represents me. It’s the best piece of work
I’ve ever done,” Otto says, adding, “I really am
very, very proud of the work on this album and
both of my producers, plus all the people that
got involved in helping me make it. It’s an incredible
show of support really.”
Were the tracks he and Jay worked on together
done earlier than his regular session with
John?
“No. Actually, they were done right there at
the end. Sure it started out as a demo session
I’d done with Jay for our song ‘You Don’t Act
Like My Woman,’ once that song was written
(with Monty Powell and Roger Riley). We had
that and a couple other things that we’d written
together to do a session on, and I had a couple
songs I just wanted to try out to see what happened
with them. Then Jay came in there and
we produced them together.”
James’ friend Rich co-wrote three of the Otto
songs: “Ain’t Gonna Stop,” “Drink and Dial”
and “Sunset Man.”
“The title track is one of my favorite songs
on the album,” says James. “We wrote that with
Shannon Lawson. I wanted this album to be a
country album, but I wanted it to be a country
soul record. This song is one that’s firmly
planted in traditional country and I love traditional
country music . . . There were a couple
of songs on my first album that were straightup
traditional country, and I think that this song
is a good representation of that.
“Country music is deeply engrained in me,
but I have this other side that loves soul. I feel
they fit really well together, country and soul. I
think that Conway Twitty and Ronnie Milsap
did a really great job of melding those sounds
together . . . I’m not gonna sound like anybody
else, I’m going to do my own blend of country
soul. That’s very important. It’s OK to have
some of that influence in you, but you don’t
ever want to become your favorite artists.”
One of the CD’s more dramatic ballads,
“Where Angels Hang Around,” focuses on a
father’s fear and hope as he drives his cancerafflicted
daughter to St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis.
Pet chihuahua Isabella shares
James and Amy’s joy.
“It’s a song Monty (Criswell) and I wrote
for St. Jude’s, from the perspective of a father
thinking about his child, who’s been through
the trials of cancer. We really wanted to handle
the subject very delicately. I’ve heard the subject
treated in songs before, but it always
seemed a little heavy-handed.
“We decided to talk about the emotions inside
that the family experiences, and what a
parent must feel like. Monty had known somebody
who had to deal that that same thing. He
told me about that, and asked if I wanted to write
about it.
“I told him my mom has been through cancer,
my grandmother had died from cancer a
couple years back, and my great-grandfather
died of cancer, so my family’s been deeply affected
by it. I cannot imagine having my child
go through something like that. So that was
something with which I felt very connected to.”
“Damn Right,” James says, “Is a good country
ballad that I wrote with Monty Powell. I kind
of imagined it as a song that were Ray Charles
around today and wanted to cut a country
record, he might be into this sort of song. Know
what I mean? To me, country music is sort of
white man’s blues and it’s in that kind of a story
and in delivering the emotions of the song that
Ray did a real good job of expressing that, especially
coming from a soul artist’s perspective.”
Is James a fan of Craig Wiseman’s writing,
and is that why he included “The Man That I
Am”?
“Well, I’ve got a song of his on both my
records (CDs). I am a big fan of Craig’s
songwriting. He’s like a chameleon who’s written
for everybody and their dad. I mean he’s
had hit after hit after hit. But actually, I didn’t
know that Craig was a writer on this cut. A friend
of mine, Cory Mayo, gave it to my managers,
who played it for me and they told me it was a
Cory Mayo song. Cory’s a guy I’ve always been
buddies with. Well, I fell in love with this song
and didn’t know that Craig was a co-writer on
it, until after I recorded it. He’s a prolific writer
without a doubt.”
Regarding “Ain’t Gonna Stop,” Otto notes,
“It’s one of those songs that was kind of an anthem
at the time, a ‘planting my flag’ sort of
song for me. When we played MuzikMafia
shows, it was no holds barred. It was whatever
kind of music you wanted to play, as long as
you entertained the people. That’s one of the
reasons why MuzikMafia’s been great for me.
“So when I started making this record, I was
determined to make one that reflected who I
am as an artist, by doing songs that I like and
the kind of music I feel like my audience is
going to enjoy. I think that honors those that
like my music; you know, by doing what influences
me and that I love, because that’s what
attracted them to me, and I feel they are the
people who really connect with my music.”
James has a busy schedule ahead of him,
including gigs with such acts as Brooks & Dunn,
Hank Williams, Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd: “I’ve
got my own band and bus and we’re doing our
thing, working pretty constant. I know we’ve
got some dates coming up where we’re out of
town like three weeks straight . . . My little
brother (Jack) is actually going on the road with
me this summer. He plays guitar. I guess it sort
of runs in our blood.”
Does Amy and James have any children yet?
“No children yet,” he chuckles. “Our ‘little
one’ is a chihuahua.”
Are MuzikMafia members still active together?
“I think MuzikMafia is thriving, though all
the musicians and people who are part of it are
busy working on their own projects. So, it’s not
as easy to get together as it initially was. In that
sense its own success became a barrier in itself,
in a way, but not in a bad way. It’s just
harder to get anything scheduled together; you
know, I can barely get to town to see my wife,
much less a day to play a show in Nashville.
I’d love to do it though. That would be great!”
With such a hectic schedule, will James have
free time to write songs for a follow-up album?
“I’m not worried about getting songs for an
album. I’ve written probably 1,000 songs since
I’ve been in Nashville. I don’t know if there’s
ever enough songs. The best song is the next
song, as far as I’m concerned. We’re always
working on something. There are a couple of
new songs we’ve written lately that I’m excited
about. And I’ve got a lot of great songwriter
friends in town to write with, or I’ll get one of
their excellent songs.”
Singer Wallace succumbs
Musicians like nothing better in the studio
than to work with an artist who can truly sing.
Many here have had that opportunity by playing
with Jerry Wallace.
Sadly, “Mr. Smooth” Wallace, died May 5
of heart failure at his home in Corona, Calif.
He was 79.
In his heyday, Jerry helped blue the lines between
pop and country, thanks to hits like
“Primrose Lane,” “In the Misty Moonlight” and
“If You Leave Me Tonight, I’ll Cry.”
We recall stories regarding Jerry Wallace,
as told by former producer Scott Turner, who
had some songs recorded by the velvet-voiced
crooner. Scotty would drop by our office for
morning coffee and chit-chat, and updated us
on Wallace, one of his favorite artists to record.
Among Turner’s tunes cut by Wallace were
“Shutters & Boards,” “When the Wind Blows
in Chicago” and “Son.” The first two co-written
by Scotty and Audie Murphy, the war heroturned-actor-songwriter.
Turner said that Wallace was keen on song
titles. He felt a title should suggest the story,
and that became part of his selection process.
Nobody could relate the rest of the story in song
any better than Jerry Wallace.
Born Dec. 15, 1928 in Guilford, Mo., near
Kansas City, Jerry was raised mainly in
Glendale, Ariz. He always loved to sing and
learned to play guitar to back up his vocals.
In 1951, he made his first recordings for the
small Allied label, and after a slow start, hit with
“Little Miss One” (backed by Eddie Oliver &
The Olive Twisters) scoring a Top 40 pop single
in early 1954.
After another long dry spell, it was on movie
cowboy Gene Autry’s Challenge label that he
scored back-to-back pop successes, first with
his silky smooth delivery on Cole Porter’s “How
the Time Flies” (#11) in 1958, and “Primrose
Lane” (#8) in 1959. Ironically, those tracks registered
equally strong on Billboard’s R&B chart.
“Primrose Lane” also became the theme music
for a Henry Fonda sitcom TV series The Smith
Family.
Wallace’s Top 40 pop singles on Challenge,
included Durwood Haddock’s “There She
Goes,” “Shutter & Boards,” and finally Cindy
Walker’s “In the Misty Moonlight” in 1964. In
1965, Wallace switched to Mercury Records,
and chose decidedly more country-oriented
songs, notably “Life’s Gone and Slipped Away,”
a Top 20 cut credited to Webb Pierce, Max
Powell and booker Lucky Moeller; “Wallpaper
Roses” by Don Robertson & Harold Spina; and
yet another Cindy Walker tune “Not That I
Care,” the latter two Top 40 singles.
Next up, he signed with Liberty, where he
managed to chart several songs, but nothing of
significance. He fared better on Decca, however,
thanks to a couple Jean Chapel composi-
tions (kid sister to gospel singer Martha Carson,
and writer of Eddy Arnold’s #1 “Lonely
Again”): “The Morning After,” a strong Top 20
in 1971; and “To Get To You,” a near Top 10
and title to his 1972 #1 LP that charted 33
weeks.
That album also spawned his only #1 single,
“If You Leave Me Tonight, I’ll Cry,” which
served as the theme for a Rod Serling Night
Gallery TV episode titled “The Tune In Dan’s
Cafe.” Wallace composed music for other TV
series, including Daniel Boone, Hec Ramsey
and himself appeared in the movies “Flipper’s
New Adventure” with Luke Halpin, and
“Goodbye, Charlie” starring Debbie Reynolds
and Pat Boone.
Wallace’s take on “Do You Know What It’s
Like To Be Lonesome” was a near charttopper
in 1973, hitting the #2 spot,” followed by another
strong entry “Don’t Give Up On Me” at
#3 that year. His final Top 10 was “My Wife’s
House” in 1974, though he continued to chart
into the 1980s.
Among his albums, Liberty’s 1968 release
“Another Time, Another World,” produced by
Jack Tracy - featuring arrangements by Bill
Justis and Billy Strange - was a standout, boasting
songs by such composers as Mitch Torok,
Mickey Newbury, Freddie Hart, Mac Davis,
Leon Payne and Eddie Dean. The biggest sellers,
however, were the #1 “To Get To You,”
another #1 “Primrose Lane” (1973), and Top
10s “This Is Jerry Wallace” (1972) and “Do You
Know What It’s Like To Be Lonesome?”
(1973).
Wallace also recorded for MGM, BMA, 4-
Star, and Door Knob (Gene Kennedy’s indie
label). He charted 35 singles on Billboard’s
charts.
A dark-haired, handsome man through much
of his career, Jerry was not vain, and in later
years proudly sported natural silver locks.
Survivors include four children, and two
grandchildren. Memorial services were conducted
May 9 at Thomas Miller Mortuary in
Corona, Calif., with burial in Riverside, Calif.
- Walt Trott
Douglas at work.
. . . Douglas begins residency
(Continued from page 15)
est honor in the folk and traditional arts) for his
contributions to the excellence of Dobro guitar
music. In addition to his Grammy and CMA
awards accolades, he has also been honored by
the Academy of Country Music, the International
Bluegrass Music Association and the
Americana Music Association. While he may
be the most-lauded Dobro player in music history,
Douglas finds his greatest reward in pushing
musical boundaries and expanding the vocabulary
of his beloved instrument. “Being a
musician . . . keeps me happy. It’s my job but
it’s also my quest.”
Tickets, currently on sale to the public, are
also on-line: www.countrymusichalloffame.com
For information, call (615) 416-2001. Museum
doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. shows.
Go to the next meeting at the Hall
Attend the next General Membership meeting
of your Local, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept.
8, in the Union’s George W. Cooper Hall. For
details, see page 1 or call (615) 244-9514.

20 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Shutterbug snaps members in motion
It’s Jim Ferguson on bass at Belle Meade Mansion.
Photos (5)
by
Kathy Shepard
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
○
Covering CMA’s Music Festival with Patricia Presley
Denise and Alan Jackson sign autographs for fans. (See his story on page 12.)
Vocalist Rebecca Sayre gets able backing from Bob Mater and Jim Ferguson at Belle Meade Mansion.
Bob Mater on drums at Belle Meade Mansion.
Bruce Dudley on keyboards at Belle Meade Mansion. Linda Davis’ Black Wire band (at Douglas Corner) features violinists Craig Duncan and Toni Ferguson.
Lady Antebellum: Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott. They’re hot!
Former Mavericks bassist Robert Reynolds. New Hall of Famer Jimmy (Statlers) Fortune. New artist Corey Morrow.
Bucky Covington excited visitors.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 21
. . . proposed changes to Local 257 Bylaws
(Continued from page 1)
changed their mode of operation making normal collection more complicated than it should be, and
Whereas: Some leader/contractors are not obtaining a copy of the Local 257 timecard at the
session and furnish them to the Local, and along with untimely contracts, thereby creating new
work for the office personnel, and
Whereas: Some leader/Contractors are not doing their work by checking to see if the employer
is signatory, thereby creating additional hours per contract for the staff attempting to obtain signatory
status, which not obtained would keep a musician from receiving proper pension or Special
Payment fund credit, and
Whereas: The Electronic Media Service Department is under-funded by the work dues created
by the department, which is offset by other departments and annual dues, and
Whereas: This is creating a financial strain upon the Local’s overall finances: therefore be it
Resolved, That the electronic work dues percentage be changed from 2.25% to 3.25 % of Local
work dues plus the applicable Federation work dues (see AFM bylaw reference section changes),
which will be no less than a total combined amount of 4.5 %.
Section 4. Members shall pay three percent (3%) Local Work Dues on scale wages on all live
engagements, and no less than four and one-half percent (4-1/2%) Local Work Dues on scale wages
on all Recordings, Electronic Transcriptions (audio and/or video), and other National Contracts.
(See American Federation of Musicians Bylaws, Article 9, Sections 32 (a) – (c)). Such Work Dues
shall be collected by the Secretary/Treasurer on all engagements paid through the office. On all
other engagements, the leader or contractor shall collect the Work Dues weekly, pursuant to a Work
Dues Deduction Authorization signed by members performing such engagements, and pay same to
the Secretary/Treasurer. All work dues shall be due and payable no later than the fifteenth (15th)
day of the month following the month during which the services were performed. Any member
violating the provisions of this Section shall be subject to a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00)
nor more than four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00) and/or expulsion from the Federation.
Respectfully Submitted By Billy Linneman, Secretary-Treasurer.
Whereas, Article VIII, Section 1 in the Local 257 Bylaws relating to conduct at a Local 257
meeting is vague in language and therefore unclear in its intent, and
Whereas, it is not in the best interest of the Local to have such language contained in our By-
Laws, and
Whereas, it would be to the benefit of all members to have the rules of conduct at a Union
meeting to be clear and understandable,
Therefore, be it resolved that the existing language in Article VIII, Section 1 be replaced as
follows, with new language in bold.
(existing language)
ARTICLE VIII - RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1. Any member speaking shall address the President, standing, confine himself/herself
to the question and avoid personalities.
(replaced with)
ARTICLE VIII - RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1. Any member speaking shall stand and address the President and confine himself/herself
to the topic of discussion.
Respectfully submitted by Dave Pomeroy.
Board recommendation – favorable.
Whereas, the Local 257 newspaper, “The Nashville Musician,” is the primary means for members
to receive written notice of Union activity, meetings, etc., as called for in the Local 257 Bylaws,
and
Whereas, the paper is currently made available on-line as a PDF on the Local's website, and
Whereas, economic and environmental concerns make it prudent to examine whether we are
printing too many papers, therefore spending too much money and creating unnecessary waste,
Therefore be it resolved, that the Local 257 newspaper, "The Nashville Musician," be offered
as an e-mail PDF to members who do not wish to receive a hard copy of the paper, therefore saving
the Local printing and postage expenses. If a member has not notified the Local in writing of their
desire to receive "The Nashville Musician" online, he or she will continue to receive it via U.S.
Mail.
The following Local 257 Bylaw pertaining to the newspaper and providing members written
notice shall be amended as follows. New language is in bold and in parentheses.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS
Section 1. Resolutions, motions, or proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be submitted in
writing to the Executive Board for its recommendation to the membership prior to the regular
meeting. At the next regular meeting, or at a special meeting called for such purpose, the resolution(s),
motion(s), or proposed amendment(s) shall be read and the Executive Board's recommendation
announced and then action may be taken on the proposal(s). The membership shall be notified in
writing (, or via e-mail) at least fifteen (15) days prior to any meeting at which resolutions, motions,
or proposed amendments are to be acted upon. The notice shall contain the date, time and
place of the meeting and the written proposal(s). Any proposal calling for an assessment or for a
change in dues or fees must be voted upon by secret ballot.
Section 5. Resolutions or motions other than proposed Bylaw amendments or additions, presented
from the floor, which pertain to an announced topic of consideration for a Special Meeting,
or to a special order of business for a Regular Meeting, shall be acted upon. The membership shall
be notified in writing (, or via e-mail) at least fifteen (15) days prior to any meeting at which such
topics will be considered for action.
Respectfully submitted by Kristin Wilkinson and Dave P omeroy.
Board recommendation - favorable.
(Concluded on page 28)
Read past issues on-line: www.afm257.org
MR MARK’S MUSIC
www.mrmarksmusic.com
Buy/Sell/Trade/Rent
Used/Vintage MUSICAL, STEREO, STUDIO GEAR, Parts & Manuals
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Back in the late 1960s, songwriters (from left) Merle Kilgore, Norro Wilson and Glenn Sutton
strike up a deal with publisher Al Gallico (see related story on page 24).
Overseas label remembers on disc, late members Cowboy Copas and
Hawkshaw Hawkins, who died 45 years ago. See reviews in next issue!

22 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Medallion ceremonies
for new Hall of Famers
Emmylou Harris
Tom T. Hall and the Statler Brothers received
their Country Music Hall of Fame Medallions,
June 29, in the company of such past Hall of
Famers as Brenda Lee, Sonny James, Harold
Bradley, Ralph Emery, Jim Foglesong, Bud
Wendell, Jo Walker-Meador and Alabama’s
Teddy Gentry.
Also there to cheer them on, was Vince Gill,
who opened the Statler-Hall celebration singing
“The President’s Hymn.”
Among performers attending who sang Hall
or Statler classics were Reba McEntire, Bobby
Bare, Dailey & Vincent, Michelle Nixon, the
duo Heather Berry & Tony Mabe, and accompanying
Hall on his mega-hit “Watermelon
Wine” legendary Jelly Roll Morton.
Hall came to town, thanks to his writing
skills, quickly supplying hits to Jimmy
C.Newman (“DJ For a Day”), Dave Dudley
(“Mad”) both peaking in 1964. The following
year, newly solo Johnny Wright (late of Johnnie
& Jack fame) scored a #1 record (Hall’s first
charttopper) with “Hello, Vietnam,” and a few
seasons later came the smash “Harper Valley
PTA” for newcomer Jeannie C. Riley, as Hall
saw his composition hit #1 country, #1 pop
(1968) and went on to sell several million units.
Mercury was happy to take a chance on the
songwriter-turned-singer, who scored his breakthrough
single “Ballad of Forty Dollars,” peaking
at #4 on Jan. 25, 1969.
Hall became known as “The Storyteller” via
successive story songs, such as the #1’s “A
Week In a Country Jail,” “The Year That
Clayton Delany Died” and “Faster Horses”
Following Tom T.’s final Top 10 to date, a
revival of the Johnny Mercer classic “P.S. I Love
You” in 1984, he began cutting back on touring,
until now he concentrates on his writing,
be it bluegrass songs or novels like “The Laughing
Man of Woodmont Cove.”
The Statlers, after being serenaded by
Grandstaff via “The Statler Brothers Song,” also
took the stage during the Medallion event to do
one of their standards, “I’ll Go To My Grave
Loving You.”
One of the five Statlers named to the Hall
of Fame, Lew DeWitt died in 1990, but earlier
- due to ill health - departed the group in 1982.
Succeeding DeWitt later that year was Jimmy
Fortune, a younger musician, who joined original
members Harold Reid, Don Reid and Phil
Balsley. Jimmy added a songwriting prowess
that produced three more number one songs to
their credits: “Elizabeth,” “My Only Love” and
“Too Much On My Heart.”
The early Statlers launched their remarkable
career chartwise with DeWitt’s winning composition
“Flowers On the Wall” (#2, 1965) on
Columbia Records. They toured extensively
with The Johnny Cash Show. Follow-up hits
included “Bed of Rose’s,” “Do You Remember
These,” “Class of ’57” and “The Movies.”
For some 20+ years, the Statlers turned out
successful singles for the Mercury label, among
them the #1 “Do You Know You Are My Sunshine”
plus Top Fivers “Don’t Wait On Me,”
“Charlotte’s Web” and “Oh, Baby Mine” (a
cover of the 1954 Johnnie & Jack #1).
The Statlers also hosted a highly successful
weekly variety series on The Nashville Network,
working with music director Bill Walker. Finally,
the “Brothers” opted to end their run with
a farewell tour, retiring from the road in 2002.
The Medallion All-Star Band, directed by
pianist John Hobbs, features session players
Eddy Bayers, drums; Brent Mason, guitar; Paul
Franklin, steel; Michael Rhodes, bass; Deanie
Richardson, fiddle; and Biff Watson, guitar.
Supplying vocals: Tania Hancheroff and Wes
Hightower.
Two other Class of 2008 acts - Emmylou
Harris and the late Ernest (Pop) Stoneman -
were honored in an earlier Medallion ceremony,
April 27, with the All-Star Band.
Harris admirers on hand to pay homage musically
were Guy Clark, Lucinda Wlliams, Patty
Griffin, Buddy Miller, Sam Bush, Jon Randall
and Vince Gill. Vince earlier opened the session
with a rendition of “Drifting Too Far From
the Shore.”
After honing her talents touring with folkrockers
The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers
and Gram Parsons, Emmylou kicked off a
solo recording career charting the single “Too
Far Gone” (written by Billy Sherrill) in 1973,
the year good friend Parsons died.
It was her 1975 Gold album “Pieces of the
Sky” for Warner-Reprise, however, that established
her as an artist to be reckoned with. She
recruited some of the more promising musicians
for her bands, among them Tony Brown, Ricky
Skaggs, Rodney Crowell and Emory Gordy Jr.,
who went on to bigger successes on their own.
Emmylou found a formula that worked, too,
reviving golden oldies with great success, notably
Buck Owens’ “Together Again,” Don
Gibson’s “Sweet Dreams,” Kitty Wells’ “Makin’
Believe,” Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On,,”
Loretta Lynn’s “Blue Kentucky Girl” and the
Floyd Cramer-Conway Twitty collaborative
“On Our Last Date.”
Of course, the Grammy winner had original
country clicks, too, think “Two More Bottles
of Wine,” “Born to Run” and “We Believe in
Happy Endings.” Harris won CMA’s Best Female
Vocal trophy in 1980, became an Opry
cast regular in 1992, all the while enjoying hits
with other singers a la Herb Pedersen, Buck
Owens, Roy Orbison, Earl Thomas Conley, and
as part of The Trio with Linda Ronstadt and
Dolly Parton.
In a musical salute to Pop Stoneman, the
Old Crow Medicine Show recreated “Tell
Mother I Will Meet Her,” Cowboy Jack Clement
offered “Blue Ridge Mountain Blues,” then
The Jordanaires & Jim Lauderdale joined voices
for the inspirational “Are You Washed in the
Blood.” Pop’s proud daughters - Patsy, Roni and
Donna - delivered on his 1925 million-selling
storysong “The Titanic.”
Stoneman, whose wife Hattie played fiddle,
encouraged pioneer producer Ralph Peer’s nowhistoric
summer 1927 Bristol Sessions in Virginia
for Victor Records. At that gathering -
which some call the birthplace of country music
commercially-speaking - Pop was the star
act. But it did produce such soon-to-be legendary-names,
The Original Carter Family and
Jimmie Rodgers, who strangely enough became
known as The Father of Country Music, yet his
success came a few years after Stoneman’s and
that of Vernon (“The Prisoner Song’) Dalhart’s.
With the Great Depression, Stoneman’s fortunes
took a downturn, but Pop began grooming
his children (Hattie gave birth to 23 babies!).
Tom T. Hall
He saw that they had instruments and learned
the fundamentals of playing them. The family
continued to perform, home-based in the Washington,
D.C. area for many years.
Thanks in part to Jack Clement, The
Stonemans made a comeback on the 1960s’
national scene, resulting in several MGM
singles, such as “The Five Little Johnson Girls”
and “Back To Nashville, Tennessee,” and a syndicated
TV series. All of which earned the family
group, including daughters Donna and Roni,
sons Scotty, Jim and Van, the Country Music
Association’s first Best Vocal Group award in
1967. Incidentally, Pop’s Country Music Hall
of Fame induction is really way overdue, but a
welcome one for fans of this talented family.
At both of the split ceremonies for the new
inductees - Emmylou Harris, Tom T. Hall, The
Statlers and Ernest V. Stoneman - each closed
with a traditional performance of the Carter
Family classic that charted Billboard as “Can
the Circle Be Unbroken” in 1935. - Walt Trott
. . . Country king’s
last royal send-off
(Continued from page 17)
Son Dicky suffered a tragic automobile accident
that left him hospitalized three months
in the early 1970s, and it was quite a while before
he could even walk again. That was quite
distressing for the Arnold family. Eddy himself
underwent double bypass heart surgery in 1990,
but soon recovered to resume recording.
In 2002, an RCA album “Looking Back”
primarily covered songs of yesteryear, among
them “Gentle On My Mind,” .”Half As Much,”
“Faded Love” and “Lonely Street.” His friend
Cowboy Jack Clement produced yet another
RCA collection in 2005 (with Jim Mulloy),
titled “After All These Years” it included a variety
of cuts such as “The Old Porch Swing,”
“When I Dream” and “To Life.”
Eddy may have been the youngest living
artist voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
in 1966 at age 48, but was a senior citizen of 66
in 1984, when the voters awarded him the Academy
of Country Music’s prestigious Pioneer
Award.
An honor that touched him deeply was
when the American Federation of Musicians’
Nashville Local 257 awarded him their Artist
of the Century honor, particularly during the
chapter’s centenary anniversary. Arnold joined
the union in late 1939.
In part, the plaque cited his numerous successes
as singer-songwriter-musician-entertainer
over more than seven decades, including
a record-setting 145 weeks in the number one
spot on Billboard trade charts; having achieved
the most country Top 10s with 92; scoring 38
pop crossover singles; became the first country
star to host his own national TV series via Eddy
Arnold Time for NBC in 1952; and was voted
CMA’s first Entertainer of the Year award in
1967, a year after being enshrined in the Country
Music Hall of Fame.
Arnold’s candid comment in accepting the
union accolade surprised some.
“I’m not a great fan of unions, but this Union
has been a great thing for this community,” replied
Arnold. “I joined the union in 1940 (actually
Local 257 records indicate Nov. 4, 1939). I
was just a pup. In those days, in many cities,
particularly Chicago, they wouldn’t allow the
country boys to be in the musicians union. But
George Cooper, who was then the president
here, fought a battle for his boys, and they
needed a battle fought for ’em. So, it’s a great
thing here tonight to honor the musicians union.
“We’ve had several presidents. Some of
them good, some so-so, but Harold Bradley has
Call in off-the-cuff recording
sessions anonymously to
(615) 244-9514, Extension 225.
got some common sense, and he runs the musicians
union that way. The money that you have
spent here tonight goes for people that haven’t
prepared themselves for a disaster, and when
that happens, they have no money. That’s what
this money will go for.”
Ironically, the main instigator of the fund
which bears his name was Vic Willis, who with
his brothers worked several years as backup
boys for Arnold’s troupe touring in the late
1940s and 1950s.
Arnold was an astute businessman himself,
having invested the bulk of his fortune in real
estate. The Great Depression no doubt taught
him to prepare for his family’s future. The
former Tennessee Plowboy bought up property
in the Nashville area, notably Madison, Franklin
and especially Brentwood.
In March 2008, Arnold fell outside his home,
injuring his hip, necessitating hip replacement
surgery that same month. Unfortunately, he was
in a Nashville hospital when his wife was admitted
to a Williamson County hospital, where
she died March 11. Eddy himself entered a rehabilitation
care center following surgery and
grew weaker until he died May 8, with his family
by his side.
Among Arnold survivors are daughter JoAnn
Pollard, son Richard Arnold, Jr., and grandchildren
Michelle Johns and R. Shannon Pollard. A
public memorial service was conducted May 14
in the Ryman Auditorium. Meanwhile, Arnold’s
body lay in state in the rotunda of the Country
Music Hall of Fame, May 13-14, the first time
this honor was accorded any artist. Burial was
in Madison.
Pallbearers were Jerry and Frank Arnold,
Bobby Campbell, Mike Curb, Charlie Chase,
Don Cusic, Joe Galante, Bryan Howard, Jim
Lance and Dan Miller. Honorary Pallbearers
included U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, Harold
Bradley, John Carter Cash, Jerry Chestnut, Jack
Clement, former U.S. Representative Bob Clement,
Danny Davis, Charlie Douglas, former
Governor Winfield Dunn, Ralph Emery, Jim
Foglesong, Andy Griffith, Tom Jones, Frances
Preston, Jo Walker-Meador, Bill & Janine
Walker, Norro Wilson, Kyle Young and members
of both the Nashville Association of Musicians
Local 257, and Country Hall of Fame.
Americana Music Fest, Sept. 17-20
Levon Helm’s Ramble On the Road show
will be the opening night headliner event at the
2008 Americana Music Festival & Conference,
7 p.m. Sept. 17. Helm, formerly with The Band
and Ronnie Hawkins’ Hawks, plays drums and
has recorded extensively with Bob Dylan.
The 7th annual Americana Festival is slated
Sept. 17-20 at the downtown Renaissance Hotel
& Nashville Convention Center. Its awards
show is scheduled at the Ryman Auditorium,
Sept.18. For tickets, call (615) 386-6936.
Nominees for Americana awards are: Artist
of the Year - Levon Helm, Steve Earle, Jim Lauderdale,
James McMurtry; Best Album - Helm’s
“Dirt Farmer,” Hayes Carll’s “Trouble in Mind”,
McMurtry’s “Just Us Kids” and the Alison
Krauss & Robert Plant CD “Raising Sand”; Top
Instrumentalist - Sam Bush, Buddy Miller, Gurf
Morlix, Chris Thile; Best Song - Carll’s “She
Left Me For Jesus,” Helm’s “Poor Old Dirt
Farmer,” McMurtry’s “Cheney’s Toy,” Tift
Merritt’s “Broken” and the Krauss-Plant “Gone,
Gone, Gone”; Best New Artist - Ryan Bingham,
Justin Townes Earle, Mike Farris and The
Steeldrivers; and Best Duo or Group - Avett
Brothers, Drive By Truckers, Kane Welch
Kaplin and Krauss & Plant.
“Artists housed under the Americana umbrella
truly create today’s most critically acclaimed,
socially relevant and culturally profound
music,” says Jed Hilly, AMA honcho.
Veteran folk vocalist Joan Baez will receive
the Spirit of Americana’s Free Speech honor,
noting her music’s challenged the status quo.
Additionally, singer-songwriter John Hiatt
will receive the organization’s Lifetime
Achievement Award in the songwriting category,
while Jason & The Scorchers score likewise
in the performance class. - Walt Trott

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 23
Trottin’ about the Nashville music scene
Ronnie McDowell was so digusted by spiraling
gas prices that make touring more costly,
he wrote a song about it. The result “Hey, Mr.
Oilman” soon garnered local airplay. According
to radio, their telephones lit up after it’s
played, as disgruntled listeners call in to request
it again and again. Ronnie’s label Curb wants
it on his new album and in the meantime has
digitally dispatched his song to some 4,000 U.S.
radio stations. Incidentally, the CD’s been retitled
“Hey, Mr. Oilman.” McDowell reports:
“They are rushing this album out. I finished a
new album and it took a year to do it. But nothing
sparked until this song.” Ronnie wrote, in
part, “Hey Mr. Oilman, we sure could use a
break/Old Glory is cryin’, how much more can
we take/Our wallets are gettin’ thinner/While
yours is gettin’ fat/And me and all my neighbors,
are mad as hell about that . . .”
Scene Stealers: It smacked of a family outing
as Trace Adkins and co-writers Ashley
Gorley and Lee Miller celebrated their #1 song
“You’re Gonna Miss This” at both BMI and
ASCAP, June 18. Aside from label, trade and
media types, attending were Rhonda Adkins and
children Mackenzie, Brianna and Trinity; cowriter
Gorley’s wife Mandy, their kiddies Caleb
and Sadie; third co-writer Miller’s wife Jana
and four young’uns: Levi, Noah, Emma and
Jacy . . . Iconic TV veteran Andy Griffith was
also here for a guest stint in #1 recording artist
Brad Paisley’s music video “Waitin’ On a
Woman” . . . Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s
recent revival of songwriter Bill Anderson’s
1960s’ hit “We Missed You” has been fashioned
into a commercial for U.S. retail giant Sears.
(Anderson penned the ballad for country queen
Kitty Wells, who took it into the 1962 Top 10)
. . . Veteran vocalist-songwriter Ed Bruce was
tabbed to play a supporting role as a senator in
the Johnny Depp-starrer “Public Enemies.” That
crime movie was directed by Michael Mann on
location in Madison, Wisc. Oh yes, Depp plays
Dillinger, done in by the infamous Lady in Red,
outside a Chicago Loop theater playing Clark
Gable’s “Manhattan Melodrama.” No acting
novice, Bruce appeared prominently in the
Maverick TV series.
Bits & Pieces: Can it be? iTunes has logged
in sales of more than five billion songs since its
inception five years ago, making it the most
popular U.S. website for legal music downloads
. . . The University of Illinois press is promoting
a new country-oriented book by Kristin
McCusker, titled "Lonesome Cowgirls and
Honky Tonk Angels" . . . In town for their induction
into the Country Hall of Fame, Statlers'
Don and Harold Reid were spotted signing copies
of their “Random Memories” tome at the
Ernest Tubb Record Shop, June 30 . . . In these
times of high gas prices and slumping economy,
Kenny Chesney packed some 49,000 fans into
the Titans’ home-base football field, July 5, as
part of his profitable Poets & Pirates tour. Of
course, he had a little help from his friends Keith
Urban, Gary Allan, LeAnn Rimes and Sammy
Dolly and Dottie in the recording studio.
Hagar as guest artists. Nice going, Kenny . . .
The Browns - Maxine, Jim Ed and Bonnie - are
in demand once more saleswise, thanks to a new
retrospective set, currently #3 on the Collector’s
Choice Top 10 chart, outpacing such pop packages
as Frank Sinatra’s “Nothing But the Best”
and Frankie Valli’s “Solo/Timeless.” Sales of
the melodic 1950s country trio’s 21-song disc,
containing popular cross-over cuts “The Three
Bells,” “Looking Back To See,” “I Take the
Chance,” “The Old Lamplighter” and “Scarlet
Ribbons,” have been brisk. The CD boasts rare
photos and detailed liner notes by Grammywinning
annotator Colin Escott.
Honors: Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, 70, has
been named a charter member of the Grady
Fellowship by members of the University of
Georgia’s Board of Trust. Anderson was a local
DJ while studying at the UofG, and graduated
in the Grady College of Journalism & Mass
Communications. Before graduation, Bill had
already embarked on a country music career,
thanks to his #1 song “City Lights,” initially
recorded by Ray Price in 1958, when Bill was
19. Out of 20,000 University alumni, he is one
of only 50 named as charter members, in recognition
of his distinguished career as singersongwriter
. . . High school dropout Gretchen
Wilson studied readin' ritin' and’rithmetic
again, to pass her high school GED (an equivalency
diploma) tests, as she didn't want her
daughter thinking she could achieve success
without an education . . . David McCormick’s
Ernest Tubb Record Shop in downtown Nashville
named one of America’s Top 20 coolest
places by Paste, a national trade journal. It took
’em long enough; we knew that all along . . .
Meanwhile, Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of
Famer Sanger (Whitey) Shafer was saluted by
the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum,
June 21, in the institution’s ongoing Poets &
Prophets: Legendary Artists series. A Texas
native, Shafer, 73, has created such classic country
songs as “I Never Go Around Mirrors,” “It
Was Always So Easy,” “Bandy the Rodeo
Clown,” “Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your
Mind” and “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” . . . A
special 60th birthday bash was conducted for
seemingly-ageless diva Gail Davies, June 5, at
Nashville's Station Inn nitery, co-hosted by
hubby bassist Rob Price, and versatile musician
son Chris Davies-Scruggs, who dedicated
to mom the first set's closing number “Bells of
St. Mary's,” a sterling steel solo. In a benevolent
twist, Davies did all the gift-giving, performing
two sets for the SRO crowd, including
her many hits - “Poison Love,” “Blue Heartache,”
“Round-the-Clock Lovin',” etc. - supplied
birthday cake, and sold CDs at $1 each!
Davies’ vocals and yodel were as fresh and vibrant
as when she burst onto the late 1970s'
Nashville scene, via her self-penned “Someone
Is Looking For Someone Like You,” and
became country's first major label female to produce
albums.
Stork Club: Music City’s proud singersongwriter
Keith Urban and movie star wife
Nicole Kidman, natives from Down Under,
chose to welcome the birth of daughter Sunday
Rose Kidman-Urban here (Monday) July 7 at
Baptist Hospital. It’s the singer’s first child,
while Nicole’s mom to teens Isabella and
Conner (from her marriage to Tom Cruise).
Get Well Wishes: To top singer-songwriter
Dan Seals, 58, undergoing a series of radiation
treatments for throat cancer. Depending on his
response to treatments in Houston, he may be
eligible for a stem cell transplant. Among his
11 #1 singles are “Bop” and “Love On Arrival,”
following initial success in the pop duo England
Dan & John Ford Coley. Seals’ album with
brother Jim - “She’s Waiting” - was just released
. . . Drifting Cowboy and Steel Guitar Hall of
Famer Don Helms, 81, suffered a stroke and a
heart attack, July 5, and was rushed to Skyline
Hospital. He’d just finished a tour in Canada.
Helms has since been transferred to Centennial
At their ‘You’re Gonna Miss This’ #1 party (from left): Co-writers Lee Miller, Trace Adkins,
with Connie Bradley (ASCAP sr. v.p.), third writer Ashley Gorley and Dan Keen (ASCAP v.p.)
Hospital for heart bypass surgery to correct
blockages . . . Legendary singer-songwriter
Johnnie Wright, 94, also to Skyline, suffering
from an infection . . . Bluegrass icon Doc
Watson, 85, diagnosed with lung cancer, underwent
surgery to remove a cancerous portion July
1, at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C.
Final Curtain: Producer-broadcaster Elmer
L. Alley, 87, died here June 9. Alley was 18
when he began his career at WSM radio. Among
his behind-the-scenes stints were serving as an
audio engineer for recording greats Hank Williams
and Burl Ives; being program director at
WSM-TV; doing comedy for The Waking Crew
morning show; writer and producer with the
Hee Haw syndicated series; and helped launch
The Nashville Network cable system . . . Singermusician-comic
James (Goober) Buchanan died
of natural causes June 16, in Bowling Green,
Ky., one day before his 101st birthday.
Buchanan’s band Goober & His Kentuckians
were a popular band on various radio stations
such as WLAC-Nashville and WHOP-
Hopkinsville (Ky.). Buchanan also worked as
musician and rube comic on major shows like
the WLS-Chicago National Barn Dance and
WIRV’s Renfro Valley Barn Dance. He toured
in troupes, ranging from Uncle Dave Macon’s
to Porter Wagoner and Hank Williams, Jr., playing
guitar and mandolin. He was also a veteran
of medicine tent shows, and vaudeville onenighters.
Nashville writer-historian Ruth White
chronicled his colorful career in her 2004 book
“The Original Goober: The Life & Times of
James G. Buchanan. There are no survivors . . .
Country-blues musician-writer Danny Rhodes,
58, died May 23 at Verde Valley Medical Center
in Arizona, due to gastric cancer. The guitarist
toured the U.S.and abroad performing
with stars Brenda Lee, Charlie Rich and Mel
McDaniel. He was a staff writer for Warner-
Chappell Music. One of his more celebrated
cuts was Etta James’ soulful “Get Funky”. . .
Former producer Walter (Dee) Kilpatrick, 88,
died May 21, following a lengthy illness. The
former Marine was a co-founder of the CMA
in 1958, serving on its first Board of Directors,
and as WSM Grand Ole Opry general manager
(1956-’59). He worked in sales and as A&R
director at labels like Capitol, Mercury and
Warner Bros., and also with Acuff-Rose Publishing
and Hickory Records. Among acts he
recorded were James & Martha Carson, Hank
Thompson, Tex Ritter, Johnny Horton and Bill
Carlisle. He is survived by wife Mary Jane, son
W. David Kilpatrick, daughter Judy Tucker, and
three grandchildren . . . Condolences to Christian
singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman
and wife Mary Beth, whose 5-year-old adopted
Chinese daughter Maria Sue died May 21, af-
ter being accidentally backed over by a car
driven by her brother in the driveway of the
Chapman’s Williamson County home. Survivors
include five siblings: Caleb, Will, Emily,
Shaohannah and Stevey . . . Broadcaster-vocalist
Hugh Jarrett, 78, died May 31 in an Atlanta
hospital, following injuries suffered in a
March car crash. From 1954-1958, Jarrett was
a member of The Jordanaires. Among disc hits
he’s heard on are Jim Reeves’ “Anna Marie”
and Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel.” He appeared
with the Rock & Roll King on The Ed
Sullivan Show, sang with The Jordanaires on
Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, and for the
Presley films “King Creole” and “Loving You.”
He also worked with Bill Lowery’s publishing
group, and was an on-air radio personality in
Nashville and Atlanta. Surviving are wife Jean,
their son Jeff, a grandson and a great-granddaughter
. . . Gospel Hall of Fame singersongwriter
Dottie Rambo, 74, died May 11,
from injuries sustained when her ’97 tour bus
crashed near Mt. Vernon, Mo., during a spring
storm. Rambo recorded with such country stars
as Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, The Whites,
Jimmie Davis and George Jones. In 1968, she
won a gospel Grammy for her LP “It’s the Soul
of Me”; and last year, Barbara Mandrell presented
her plaque acknowledging induction into
the Nashville Songwriters Association
International's Songwriters Hall of Fame. . . Jim
Gaskin, a 28-year veteran of the historic WIRV
Renfro Valley Barn Dance, died May 3, at the
Ephraim McDowell Hospital in Danville, Ky.,
following a lengthy illness. He was 70. He and
wife Sue had bought station WIRV, but sold it
in 1976. Since 1983, he had been host of the
historic program, launched in 1943. Only two
other people ever narrated the show, its founder
John Lair and Grant Turner, later of the WSM
Grand Ole Opry. - WT
Kenny Chesney
Read Chesney comments on page 31.

24 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Billy Sherrill, Becky Hobbs, Jerry Kennedy among
those paying homage to former publisher Al Gallico
By WALT TROTT
From New York’s Tin Pan Alley, onward to
Nashville’s Music Row, and then on the Hollywood
scene, Al Gallico made his mark.
The celebrated publisher died of respiratory
failure and pulmonary disease at Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center in Los Angeles, May 15. Services
were held for the 88-year-old icon, on May
22, in L.A.
“He was such a good, good person, who was
always up, and he had such a big heart,” says
elder daughter Gail Gallico-Sherwin in L.A. “I
start to cry when I think about my Dad. He never
complained, even when he had to have oxygen
24/7 . . . He was also really funny and had some
great stories to tell.”
Indeed, the pioneer publisher gave a major
helping hand to then-new writers like Billy
Sherrill, Norro Wilson, Glenn Sutton, George
Richey, Earl (Peanut) Montgomery, and singersongwriter
Donna Fargo, co-publishing her
million-selling #1 debut hit “The Happiest Girl
in the Whole USA,” a Grammy winner. He
managed country artist Joe Stampley, and also
garnered label pacts for such notables as David
Houston, Becky Hobbs, Big Al Downing and
John Anderson.
Gallico company copyrights included such
standouts as “Almost Persuaded,” “Stand By
Your Man,” “The Most Beautiful Girl,” and “If
You Love Me (Let Me Know).”
Al also played a part in the so-called 1960s’
British rock invasion, supplying songs to The
Animals, The Kinks and The Zombies. Among
cuts furnished were “The House of the Rising
Sun,” “You Really Got Me” and “Time Of the
Season.” He later provided Cat Stevens’ success
“Here Comes My Baby,” Olivia Newton-
John’s Grammy-winner “Let Me Be There” and
helped Chrissie Hynde’s rockin’ group The Pretenders
score.
Movies boasting Gallico sounds include
“Five Easy Piece” (1970), “The Blues Brothers”
(1980), “Blue Velvet” (1986), “Dogfight”
(1991) and “Sordid Lives” (2000).
In 1995, crediting his many contributions to
music, Gallico received the National
Songwriters’ Hall of Fame’s prestigious Abe
Olman Publishers Award. His publishing companies
shared in winning BMI’s Robert J. Burton
Award for most performed song of the year,
first in 1967 for “Almost Persuaded,” again in
1973 for “Happiest Girl in the Whole USA,” in
’74 for “Let Me Be There” and in ’75 for “If
You Love Me (Let Me Know).”
“He was as big a driving force in country
music in Nashville, even though he was behindthe-scenes,"
says producer-songwriter Billy
Sherrill. “He was good friends with Owen (Bradley),
Chet (Atkins), Jerry Kennedy and Shelby
Singleton, all of the heavyweights.”
Sherrill, thanks in part to Gallico, became
an important name himself in country music
production, while creating some 25+ Billboard
#1 songs including “Almost Persuaded,” “My
Elusive Dreams,” “Stand By Your Man” and
“A Stand By My Woman Man,” and in 1984
was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’
Hall of Fame.
Several years ago, before ill health set in,
Al Gallico offered this recollection of his and
Sherrill’s involvement in one of country’s major
copyrights, “The Most Beautiful Girl (In the
World).”
It was in the summer 2002 issue of Harry
Fox Agency’s National Music Publisher Association
periodical, Gallico pointed out that the
song started off co-written by Norro Wilson and
Rory Bourke, with different lyrics and a different
title: “These two kids, Norro and Rory, had
written a song called ‘Hey, Mister,’ which was
a good tune and had been released on Mercury
. . .” (Actually, it was on Mercury’s subsidiary
Al with fellow award winners Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill, above, with BMI President Ed Cramer.
Smash label and B side of artist Norro Wilson’s
first Billboard charting, his 1969 cover on the
R&B Platters’ classic “Only You.”)
When the song didn’t ring the bell, it seemed
to be all over for that number. But Al believed
in the song: “One night I was having dinner with
Billy Sherrill in Nashville and we got to talking.
Billy mentioned that he liked the song and
was particularly taken with its melody, and we
both agreed that it was too bad it hadn’t been a
hit. Then he got to wondering if Norro and Rory
would mind if he rewrote the lyrics? I agreed
that he should take a shot at it, and the boys
did, as well. When he did rewrite it, it came out
as ‘The Most Beauriful Girl.’”
So how did it get to Epic’s Charlie Rich?
Billy Sherrill, of course. He produced Rich,
just off the mega-hit “Behind Closed Doors,” a
#1 country multi-million seller (and Grammy
Hall of Fame Record), that also scored Top 20
pop. It was written by Kenny O’Dell.
Needing a follow-up to “. . . Closed Doors,”
Gallico had one in mind - “The Most Beautiful
Girl” - for the producer. But Billy hesitated,
insisting they needed a killer song, because
O’Dell’s was such a smash.
“Later, I heard Charlie do it in a dub and the
reaction was just fantastic,” continued Gallico.
“People were just knocked out by it.”
Still slightly skeptical, Sherrill finally relented
and released Rich’s track as a single, right
after “. . . Closed Doors” ran its course.
“If anything, it was even more successful
than its predecessor, dominating the country
chart,” Al added. “And again crossing over to
pop where it spent 17 weeks and ultimately went
to #1.”
Thus, Gallico’s faith in “The Most Beautiful
Girl” was fulfilled, when it stayed a week
longer at #1 on Billboard’s country chart, and
spent two weeks at the top of the pop list, where
“Behind Closed Doors” stalled at #15.
Gallico also praised Bourke and Wilson for
having the foresight to agree to the changes to
their song. Of course, their cooperation paid off
handsomely.
Of Italian descent, Alphonse Galeese was
born on June 5, 1919, in Brooklyn, N.Y., one
of 10 children. His father was a housepainter,
and Al grew up in a tough neighborhood,
gaining the nickname “Sharpie.”
“My father quit school before he finished
the eighth grade to help his family,” Gail points
out. “He sold bananas, whatever he could, to
help out.”
In 1938, during the days of Tin Pan Alley,
Al began working odd jobs for the classical
music house, G. Schirmer Music in New York
City, including stacking music sheets and running
errands. The following year, while delivering
sheet music to Lou Levy at Leeds Music,
Al landed a position as songplugger but no regular
paycheck. (Levy managed the superstar
Andrews Sisters act, marrying one of them,
Maxine.)
“I have a check of Dad’s here from Lou Levy
and it’s dated 1940,” adds Gail, Al’s longtime
executive secretary. “During World War II, he
was in the Army for awhile. I think he brought
entertainers in to improve the morale of the
troops, but I don’t think he saw any action. I
have a picture of him in his Army suit, and I
heard he used to drive the general around.”
Before long, Al like Lou, found his own sister
act, and he, too, married one: Grace Lane.
“I believe he met my mom, when she and
her sisters were going to audition for Major
Bowes (Original Amateur Hour) talent show.
He was asked to pick them up and take them to
the (CBS radio) broadcast.”
Dad wasn’t an instrumentalist, singer, composer
or producer, says Gail, but he admired
those talents in others and went out of his way
to promote those he thought exceptional. That
was especially true of his singer-songwriter wife
Grace.
Before and after their marriage in October
1945, she achieved considerable success on the
music scene. The former Grace Lane and sisters
Dottie and Betty, chose to call themselves
the Norton Sisters to avoid confusion with film
sisters: Lola, Priscilla and Rosemary Lane.
“My grandmother Carrie played piano and
chaperoned them. Her youngest daughter Betty
had to be tutored on the road,” notes Gail. “My
grandfather ran Lane’s Diner in Connecticut.”
The Norton Sisters added a fourth singer
while with the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra, when
the boss wanted a quartet: Maree Lee. During
their mid-1940s tenure with Monroe, they
scored harmony on his million-selling #1 pop
singles “There! I’ve Said It Again” and “Let It
Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” Other ’40s’
Top 10 singles they graced include “Rum and
Coca Cola” and “Seems Like Old Times.”
One of the sisters’ solo vocal successes was
“Birmingham Rag,” which Grace wrote with
Mort Garson. Attesting to her versatility, she
later penned “Clinging Vine,” a 1964 pop hit
for Bobby Vinton; “Bla Bla Bla, Cha Cha Cha,”
recorded by both Titus Turner of “Stagger Lee”
fame (1961), and the Petty Booka ukelele-playing
duo from Japan (2006); “Margarita,” cut by
Al Hirt & The Lalo Schifrin Orchestra for their
1966 LP, “Latin in the Horn”; and Joe
Stampley’s Top 10 country single “Penny.”
Gallico became general manager for the renowned
N.Y. music publishing house Shapiro-
Bernstein in 1953. Later, he headed up Painted
Desert publishing in Nashville (1961), an affiliate
of Shapiro-Bernstein.
Al was a gambler who liked to shoot dice.
Numbered among his gambling buddies were
music men Sam Phillips, Steve Sholes and Paul
Cohen.
Gail says her father was always family-oriented:
“Friday night was always dinner with my
dad, then on Sundays we’d go to his parents’
house in Brooklyn, or sometimes we’d go see
my mother’s family in Connecticut.”
Following crossover success with the Merle
Kilgore-Claude King penned million-seller
“Wolverton Mountain,” he created Al Gallico
Music (in 1963). Al added affiliates such as
Algee (a play on his name) with Billy Sherrill,
and Al-Tam with Tammy Wynette.
“In the late 1970s, when I was living out in
L.A., I started writing for Al Gallico,” recalls
Becky Hobbs, known best for the hits “Let’s
Get Over Them Together” and “Jones On the
Jukebox.”
“I mean I was born and raised in Oklahoma,
and wanted to get into music and like a fool
went out to Los Angeles. Well, everyone who
heard me out there said I belonged in Nashville,
I wasn’t pop, I was country, duh . . .”
So how did blonde Beckaroo link up with
Gallico’s publishing arm?
“I’ve been trying to remember exactly how
that came about. I think I just picked up the
phone and asked, ‘Can I play some songs for
you?’ Al was always interested in the new kid
on the block. He was a songwriter’s publisher,
that is, he either believed in your song as it was,
or he left it alone. He was very cut-and-dried
like that.
“Al Gallico got me my Nashville record deal
(with Mercury). I was sitting, talking to him
one day in L.A. when he asked if I wanted a
Nashville deal? Of course, I said yes, and Al,
who had one of those phones with the big numbers
on it, picked it up and called Jerry Kennedy.
He told him about me and my music and that
he thought he should sign me. Then he hung up
the phone and said, ‘You got your record deal!’
“I’ll never forget when I got to Nashville.
Al sent Danny Darst (who wrote the #1 ‘Roll
On Big Mama’) to pick me up at the airport. I
could tell Danny didn’t want to like me, figuring
I was this rockin’ gal from L.A. who came
here to record. But he soon found out I was an
Okie who liked to sing and kick up her heels,
and we became good friends. We later went to
Billy Sherrill’s, and I was so in awe being there
in Billy’s house with Billy Sherrill, his wife and
Al Gallico! . . . Billy listened to my song ‘I
Can’t Say Goodbye To You,’ and liked it, but
suggested it might sound less drastic if I sang
‘without you, I’d cry’ rather than my ‘without
you, I’d die,’ but I told Billy, ‘That’s the way I
felt (when her inspirational romance ended)’ . .
Damn, I was stupid.”
Hobbs’ song had won the American Song
Festival award in 1978, however, and became
her first Top 40 single for Mercury a year later.
Hobbs’ writing efforts also scored for Conway
Twitty (“I Want To Know You Before We Make
Love”) and Alabama (“Angels Among Us”).
“Al Gallico was a major turning point in my
career,” she concludes. “The last time I saw him
was about two years ago. Deni Anton, a friend,
and I had lunch with Al, his wife Grace and
daughter Gail at this Italian restaurant. He still
had that little gleam in his eye, like a little kid
that made you wonder what he was up to . . . I
think Al was the greatest publisher country
music ever had.”
The Norton Sisters: Grace, left; Dottie, top; Betty.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 25
Al with teen-aged Tanya Tucker and Joe Stampley.
Jerry Kennedy, musician-producer who indeed
ran Mercury Records 15 years, also has
fond memories of Gallico: “The last time I saw
him was in Las Vegas in about 1999. He was a
very colorful guy. In fact, a lot of the people
who knew him, particularly Norro Wilson, all
tell great Gallico stories and Norro can really
imitate Al’s gruff way of talking. I’m glad
you’re doing this article. Al deserves to be remembered.
He was a good one . . . ”
Kennedy explained their original relationship:
“Al was just somebody who pitched me
songs. Either he or his writers would bring me
songs. One in particular I remember was
‘What’s Made Milwaukee Famous,’ the Jerry
Lee Lewis thing that Glenn Sutton wrote. (It
was a Smash release.)
“Of all the other people who came in from
out of town, I always thought that Al had some
of the best contacts here,” Kennedy continues.
“We were also real good friends. Actually, Al
was one of the best friends I ever had. We were
worlds apart in where we were from, him from
Brooklyn and me from Shreveport, but we sure
came together here in Nashville.”
Gallico became somewhat of a character,
too, due in part to his penchant for wearing loud
suitcoats and talking in a stereotypical tough
guy manner with that raspy voice of his.
Sherrill says: “He liked to have a good time.
He stood out with that Brooklyn accent when
he came to Nashville, and all the folks seemed
to embrace him. He had such a great personality.
You know usually an outsider took a lot
longer to get in with all the right people that
mattered in music. But Al handled it real well,
and he was known all over New York and Los
Angeles, so he had connections.”
How does a Phil Campbell, Ala. boy like
Billy warm up to a Brooklyn “Sharpie”?
“Slowly,” drawls Sherrill, with a chuckle.
“We just had the same common interests really;
good songs, good recordings, and hooking those
songs up with the right artists.”
Was he sort of a mentor to Sherrill?
“Yeah, that would be the right word to use.
Al Gallico did his job and was the best at what
he did. He groomed writers and hooked up writers
with other writers and with artists. He knew
business and how to take care of it.”
In thinking back about Al, what stands out
in Billy’s mind today?
“That would be unprintable. Seriously, I
think Al was very important to both country and
pop music, as he introduced a lot of artists and
writers to others in different parts of the business,
which expanded their roles. It’s really hard
to put it into words, especially for me.”
Was he helpful to young writers and artists
he believed in?
“Big time!”
Where did he see the publisher last?
“That was just before he got sick a couple
years back, when he came to town. Clearly, he
wasn’t feeling very well . . . Now we did talk a
lot on the phone until he got to where he was
too tired to talk, so we phased all that out.”
When did Gallico begin supplying songs to
movie soundtracks?
“I don’t know the first time that happened,”
replies Gail. “He was lucky enough to also get
his songs picked up for commercials and television
(including Clint Eastwood’s Rawhide
series.).”
What piqued his interest in country music?
“That’s a good question,” she says, laughingly.
“He absolutely loved big band music and
also later in life ended up loving (Luciano)
Pavarotti’s music. That became his favorite
thing for the past 20 years or so, to listen to
Pavarotti sing. So when he came home or in
the car, he’d play Pavarotti. He wanted to meet
him one day.
“I think he liked country music’s simplicity.
He would always say, ‘It’s all in the song,’
and that the song was the most important thing.
What’s so amazing about him is how he changed
people’s lives. I heard it a lot, ‘If it weren’t for
your dad, I wouldn’t have had this career’ . . .
“What he enjoyed was helping the underdog,
and he always loved finding new
songwriters, and if he believed in them, he liked
giving them a chance and encouraging them.”
Joe Stampley was one he chose to manage:
“That was really one of the very few times, because
he wasn’t really much into management.
I guess that happened because he believed in
Joe and took him under his wing.”
Stampley says, “I’ll tell you what. Al Gallico
was the best there was at finding great songs.
Al just knew a good song when he heard it. He
said, ‘You never ask radio what a hit is on an
album, you tell them because you should know
what the hit is.’
“Al and I go back to 1964 (Joe was 20), when
I was at Paula Records down in Shreveport
(La.). The first hit I had (as lead singer) with
that rock and roll group The Uniques, was a
song that Merle Kilgore wrote called ‘Not Too
Long Ago.’ Al had the publishing on it.
“After that record came out, Al told me, ‘Hey
Joe, after your contract runs out on Paula, I’m
going to move The Uniques to Paramount
Records and I’m going to put you by yourself
on (ABC-)Dot. Sure enough, he remembered
and did. Somewhere along about 1970, when
our contract ran out, he put The Uniques on
Paramount and me on Dot, then he said, ‘Let’s
see which act takes off first.’ I had actually been
writing a few country songs, so that’s how it all
happened, and he had me co-writing with guys
like Norro (Wilson) and Carmol (Taylor).
“I was the first artist here in Nashville that
Norro produced,” continues Stampley. “That
was 1970 or 1971. Norro and I had a list a mile
long and later, Al put me with Billy Sherrill.
He had a knack for doing that. Al was a motivator
who could make things happen. I believe
he helped place Billy there at CBS and got
Norro at Dot and Warner Bros.
“Al was also my manager five or six years,
when I first got into this (as a solo). He said, ‘I
want to try and do some stuff with you, and if it
works, fine; and if it don’t, it don’t.’ He did a
lot of good things for me though. He was a hard
worker. I really loved that man.
“Here’s something Al told me that meant a
lot to me. He said, ‘I believe what you’re singing.
I don’t care if it’s about a truck, then you’re
a truckdriver singing; or if it’s a love ballad
whatever, you sound like the guy in the story
of the song. That’s why you’re going to have a
lot of hit records for me.’
“I remember when I heard ‘Roll On Big
Mama,’ I said that really should be a Hank Snow
record, because when Danny Darst made the
demo, he sounded like Hank singing it. But Al
and Norro said, ‘No, we got ideas for this record.
We’ve got a truck cranking up, air horns and a
guitar going toodoo, toodoo (resembling a semi)
. . .’ So I said, ‘Well, you’ve convinced me,’
and sure enough it was a #1 record.”
Stampley adds, “His wife Grace could sing
great, and I cut one of her songs she wrote for
me (‘Penny’) with a fellow named Steve Davis.
I don’t believe Al could sing that well himself,
he just had a good ear for a song.
(Continued on page 26)
The gang’s all here, sort of: (from left) Harry Warner, Billy Sherrill, (his Mrs.) Charlene Sherrill,
BMI’s Ed Cramer, Grace and Al, Lynn Anderson and Glenn Sutton, then Mr. & Mrs.
Sharing in a BMI awards night are Al, Donna Fargo and husband-manager Stan Silver.
The family helps Al and Grace celebrate their 60th anniversary. Daughters Linda and Gail are behind Dad,
while behind Grace is grandson Alex, who scanned our photos (with the exception of Donna Fargo’s).
UN

26 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
Tippin’s latest CD
salutes his late dad
By WALT TROTT
Two major label deals later, big-voiced
Aaron Tippin’s still belting ’em out; his latest -
“He Believed: A Son’s Tribute” - is an independent
release.
We gave it a hearing, ironically on Aaron’s
50th birthday (July 3), marveling at his solid,
cutting edge performances, registering the right
combination of strength and tenderness, as
needed.
Delivered in his distinctive nasal vocal style
are a mix of RCA Golden Oldies, and newlyrecorded
tracks, all special favorites of Tippin’s
father Willis (who died in 2005). “My Blue Angel,”
“I Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way,” “I
Got It Honest” and Aaron’s blue-collar anthem
“Working Man’s Ph.D,” never sounded better.
Tippin’s reprised recordings “Country Boy’s
Toolbox,” first featured on his “Lookin’ Back
At Myself” CD; “Trim Yourself To Fit the
World,” introduced on his “Call Of the Wild”
album; and a bluesy, but upbeat “Bad Latitude,”
one of the set’s best ballads, sizzle. Musicians
gracing these tracks are: Tim Grogan, drums;
Pat Buchanan, guitar; Dave Ristrim, steel;
Stuart Duncan, fiddle; and Rich Herring, acoustic
guitar. Aaron and wife Thea sing harmony.
A trio of tracks - “He Believed,” “Could Not
Stop Myself” and “Ready to Rock” - Tippin coproduced
with Jimmie Sloas.
CD REVIEW
Incidentally, Tippin had a hand in writing
all the songs. Bandsmen credited on additional
sessions: Kelly Beck, guitar; Wayne Killius,
drums; Mark Johnson, bass; Glen Duncan, mandolin/fiddle;
Mike Johnson, steel; Gary Prim,
piano; and Steven Sheehan, acoustic guitar.
Perry Coleman sang the selections’ background
vocals.
Having heard Aaron’s heartfelt single
“Whole Lotta Love On the Line” initially in
’93, it became an instant favorite. It showed us
a sensitive side alternative to his rousing inyour-face
redneck recordings “You’ve Got To
Stand For Something” and “There Ain’t Nothin’
Wrong With the Radio.” Charley Pride first cut
“Whole Lotta Love . . . ” though the writer held
his own by comparison; still, Tippin’s disc
stalled at #30.
A welcome change-of-pace is “Ready To
Rock (In a Country Kinda Way),” co-written
with Marcus Johnson and Tim Owens, and as
anticipated, it’s a lively, raucous rendition.
From 1990-1997 Tippin charted 19 singles
for RCA, then switched to Disney’s Lyric Street
imprint (1998-2004), scoring another dozen
chartings, chief of which were his #1 co-write
“Kiss This” (at 33 weeks, his longest chart entry),
and the near-charttopping “Where The
Stars & Stripes and The Eagle Fly” (actually
#1 in sales six weeks).
There were brief runs on indies Hollywood
and R.U.T. Records, before Aaron founded
Nippit (name reversal) Records in 2006, for
which he co-produced “He Believed,” though
distributed solely via Cracker Barrel stores. The
Local 257 artist can take pride in this collection.
On the downbeat, late June news reports
indicate the restaurant chain’s suffering a sales
slump. Maybe Aaron should’ve chose Wal-
Mart. Order Tippin’s “He Believed” on line, via
crackerbarrel.com (list price: $11.99).
Members remember
late music mogul . .
(Continued from page 25)
“You know, Al and I would call each other
right around our birthdays, because mine’s the
6th of June and his was something like the 5th
. . . But Norro can tell you stories on Al Gallico,
funny things about him. Al was just a great,
great guy. It’s sad he’s gone, but age catches up
to everyone. I think the last time I saw him must
have been at a BMI awards dinner about five
or six years ago, some place like that.”
Norro Wilson was getting his car serviced
when we caught up to him via cell phone, but
agreeable to a chat once he heard Mr. G. was
the topic: “There’s never going to be another
Al Gallico. He was an individual who operated
pretty much on his own. He had a couple little
satellite operations, but then I was the guy who
headed up his Nashville office, one little room
actually.”
Backtracking a bit, the Kentucky native explained
when he started out he was trying to be
an artist rather than work behind the scenes: “I
never had it in my mind that I was going to be a
superstar. I just thought I would sing and was a
little quartet singer (a tenor in the Southlanders).
They all said I was capable - and I got on every
label in town. I was in Las Vegas when I gave
up working the road. So it was on to Plan B.
“That first year, I went to work like everybody
else, you know normal people. I worked
for Screen Gems (as songplugger), then got
fired after a year. Not for anything I did wrong,
it was just a political thing, something that still
happens all the time (like staff shakeups).
“Then somebody talked to Al (maybe Bob
Beckham of Combine Music) and said I’d be a
good man to work with him. We met somewhere,
talked and he said (mimicking Al’s
voice) ‘Norro Wilson, you’d be a good guy for
the operation.’ It was that New York, heavyduty
Italian accent that got me. It was sorta like
the cartoon character Fred Flintstone, without
question. I’ve spent my life since doing his
voice.
“Al was a true-blue character who came here
and was loved by all. He had a warm feeling
about us country folk down here and that came
across, making him an individual hero in the
community. To do a good job for him, I started
trying to learn about songs and how to figure
which were the hits. Well, I’m 70 now, and I
guess you never really know . . . what will hit.
“That’s one of his greatest assets, he had a
healthy attitude about helping the little guy,”
continues Wilson. “If somebody was a bit
uppity, well that just disgusted him. He didn’t
like that. One time, and I think I just told this to
another writer, Billy Sherrill and I were in his
office, and Al walked in and had a little ol’ acetate
in his hand - those were the days of the
acetate - and he said (again mimicking Al’s accent),
‘You know guys, I’m on to this song I
want to play you. I met these kids who had this
song, and they were nice guys. They needed the
dough and I gave ’em five thou ($5,000) for it.’
“Billy said, ‘No kidding. It must be something.’
So when he played it, Al was coughing
or doing something, turning away and didn’t
Al in his heyday.
see Billy’s response or mine. We were both rolling
our eyes at one another, no doubt thinking
what in the world was he thinking, giving so
much money for that song. To us, it sounded
like s--t!
“Well, a year went by or something, and we
were once again back talking, sitting around and
Al said, ‘You know that guy I gave five thou to
for that song I played you?’ We thought what’s
going on with that deal now? He said, ‘Those
were The Zombies and they gave me eight songs
to publish and their album sold four million.’
We about (crapped) our pants.
“I think what I’m saying is, I don’t know
that the song meant all that much to Al, he just
did those boys a favor to help them out. But
you see, he took care of them and they took
care of him. There are many things like that to
tell about Al . . . I mean he had a temper. He
could get upset, but he also gave me every opportunity
in a creative sort of way. Joe Stampley
was my first artist and he set all that up. He did
the deals and I produced the records and most
of the ones that we did, we had hits.”
Another time while in New York on the town
with Al, Norro got quite a surprise: “Oh yeah,
that was about 30 years ago when he took me
to Danny’s Hideaway to see Henny Youngman,
the comedian . . . We were mingling in the
crowd when I heard Al say to me, ‘I want you
to meet my friend Frankie,’ and when I turned
around there was Frank Sinatra! Well ‘Frankie’
treated Al like an old friend. He said something
to me like, ‘Hello kid, how’re you?’ I was
floored.”
Wilson emphasizes that from his association
with Al, he learned a lot about music publishing,
writing and how to succeed as an independent
producer, having gone on to direct such
stellar talents in the studio as Eddy Arnold,
George Jones, John Anderson, Mickey Gilley,
Keith Whitley and Kenny Chesney.
“I’ve looked back on it many times and it
was just perfect. I must say to you that I have
wished nothing had ever changed, that I had
been able to work continually for Al. I give him
total credit for how I’ve rendered my life in the
music business.”
Donna Fargo and producer-husband Stan
Silver couldn’t be in L.A. for Al’s services, but
she sent along a tribute that read in part: “So
blessed we are to have (had) Al Gallico for a
friend. He never imposed, but was always there
for the people he cared about and who cared
about him. He went out of his way to see you
and spend time with you. He encouraged rather
than discouraged. He was the kind of guy whose
loyalty to his friends made him so special that
few others could live up to his example. He
practiced love . . .”
The singer, who wrote and recorded such #1
songs as “Funny Face,” “Superman” and “You
Were Always There,” recalls she was living in
Covina, Calif., where she taught high school,
when she first met Al Gallico.
“I wrote ‘The Happiest Girl in the Whole
USA,’ and flew to Nashville to record it and a
couple other things . . . The story I was told is
that Al heard the song on his car radio and pulled
over to the side of the road, to call the station to
ask (DJ) Larry Scott who the singer was? So
Larry put him in touch with Stan, who had a
small publishing company with an office in
Beverly Hills. Stan sold him part of the publishing;
so that was our first business arrangement.”
The song was pitched around to the labels
before Dot Records eventually put it out in
1972. Of course, the record was a major success,
charting #1 country and a near pop Top
10, while selling a million records,and earning
CMA and Academy of Country Music Single
of the Year awards, plus BMI’s most performed
song award, shared by Algee Music and Prima
Donna Publishing.
“We’ve been close all through the years.
Whenever he came to Nashville, we’d all go
out to eat, and we were friends with his whole
family, his wife Grace and their daughters Gail
and Linda, both very nice ladies. Al was a great
spirit. He never said anything negative about
anybody and always looked on the bright side.
We just loved him.”
In fact, for her 1979 Warner Bros. album
“Just For You,” Donna wrote a song saluting
Al Gallico, titled appropriately enough “I Wrote
This Song Just For You.” She said, “The first
line is, ‘This song’s for you, Big Al,’ and the
chorus goes, ‘Keep on singing your song/And
shining your love light/God bless you good in
everything you do’ . . .”
Donna reflects further, “I do think his taste
in music put him ahead of the pack. He just
liked a great song. I remember one time he asked
me, ‘Who’s that guy that sings ‘Here In the Real
World’?’ I told him Alan Jackson, and he said,
‘He’s gonna be a big star.’ That was before Alan
made it big. Al Gallico had a great sense of
music and star-ism.”
According to Gail, her father sold off most
of his publishing catalog: “He sold a lot of his
music to Columbia Pictures Music in 1986, it’s
probably EMI now, one of the big conglomerates;
then he sold two other companies, probably
Al-Tam and Galron, maybe in 1990 . . .”
Contacted in L.A. later, younger daughter
Linda Gallico was gracious in taking our call.
As vice president of Diane Warren’s publishing
company, she keeps tabs on the hit writer’s
songs like “How Do I Live” and “I’ll Be.”
“When I was 19, I first went to work for my
father, but it wasn’t because I wanted to be in
the publishing business,” she explains. “I really
wanted to go into acting and I knew by
working for my father, he wouldn’t mind if I
went on casting calls during work hours. But
my acting career went nowhere, and I just ended
up staying with my father.
“By staying, I got more into the creative side,
and in those days writers would just drop in at
our office and say, ‘I’ve got a song I want to
play for you.’ They would play it on a piano we
had in the office, and then some were on reelto-reel.
That’s how long ago that was, like in
the early 1970s. We’d listen to everything, then
if we liked it, we would play it for dad. I learned
so much from my father, like about copyrights
and how owning music copyrights was a great
thing . . .
“I saw, too, that he went to work every day,
absolutely loving what he did. I thought what a
great thing. There’s nothing worse than going
into a job you hate every day . . . He was also
the most honest publisher I ever knew, always
looking out for the writer; Dad wanted to get
him the best deal possible and was never about
cheating anybody.
“I remember him saying people would come
to him anxious for a deal and say, ‘If you do
this, I’ll put on the record you’re the co-writer.’
But he would say, ‘I’m not a writer. I’ve never
written a song in my life. I don’t want my name
on anything in that way.’ You know a lot of
publishers do that and take a part of the writer’s
money. Dad would never do that.
“Yes, Diane has run into that, where people
have said after hearing her song that they
wouldn’t do it if she didn’t list them as co-writer.
But she won’t compromise. I mean she has cowritten
with writers like Albert Hammond and
Michael Bolton, but when asked to co-write
now, she mostly says flat-out No!”
It’s often been said that Al Gallico was the
best ally a song ever had, would Linda agree
that was pretty much on the mark?
“Definitely! He would get behind that song
and push it, push it, push it. He’d get someone
to record it, and then get it played on the radio.
He got behind everything he believed in wholeheartedly.”
Had she heard whether there was going to
be a memorial service for her father in Nashville
at a later date?
“I heard that Billy’s daughter Kathy Sherrill
and some other people there are trying to put
something together in that regard. If they have
it, I’d want to be there for it.”
Gallico's survivors also include three grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
(Special thanks to Areeda Schneider, Stan
Silver, Kathy Sherrill and Alex Aristei for their
extra effort in helping with this tribute.)

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 27
In a word, pleasurable best describes our
reaction upon listening to the Michael Stanton
orchestral album presentation “All Time Greatest
Country Melodies.”
With Stanton’s steel guitar as the unit’s lead
instrument, what we hear are fresh arrangements
on some of the genre’s more familiar refrains
from the last century. Michael co-produced with
Tom Davis for MSO Records release.
Stanton’s assembled some of Nashville’s
finest session all-stars on rhythm - Eddie
Bayers, Thom Bresh, Matt Rowlings, Michael
Star sings summertime song
By WALT TROTT
On a positive note, singer Adam Gregory has
a great summer song “Crazy Days” to introduce
him to American country music fans.
Oddly enough, Sony Music-Nashville’s not
the imprint on that recording or video, which
marks the 23-year-old Canadian’s U.S. debut.
Already a star in his homeland, the handsome
singer-songwriter’s scored a pair of platinum
albums and several Top 10 singles, since
signing a decade ago by Sony/Epic-Canada.
Adam’s debut album’s release date on the
indie Midas label - tentatively titled “No Strings
Attached” - has been delayed: “We’re shooting
for Sept. 16. We’ve got the single out and
want to see how it flies in the chart. The video
we’ve released to GAC and CMT already. In
fact, GAC’s trying it right now and we’re waiting
for CMT to hop aboard.”
During our interview in Nashville publicist
Jeff Walker’s office, the blond entertainer
seemed slightly fatigued, following a fast round
of interviews with various media folk.
“Usually the single’s out first and the video
comes after it,” notes Adam. “The whole meaning
behind the song is the guy lives a crazy life,
makes a promise to the girl he’s with that once
he’s settled down, he’s coming back for her and
it’ll be ‘you and I’ time . . . ”
On May 17, around the time of our chat,
“Crazy Days” charted Billboard’s Hot 100
Country Song chart mid-way, as a Hot Shot Debut.
Adam co-wrote it with Joe Leathers, Kyle
Jacobs and Lee Brice (the latter two also collaborated
on Garth Brooks’ last charttopper
“More Than a Memory”).
“You know Lee’s got a crazy life now, out
on the radio tour, being on the road,” explains
Adam, referring to Brice’s meet and greets at
radio stations across the nation, following the
release of back-to-back singles “She Ain’t
Right” and “Happy Endings.”
“I’m doing that right now, too, the radio
tour,” grins Adam, who when asked if there’s a
significant other waiting back home, replies, “I
ain’t married, if that’s what you mean.”
Despite dodging discussion on that topic,
there’s no doubt a loyal following of Canucks
anxiously awaiting news of their vocal star’s
progress South of the border.
“I’ve never classified myself as a star, though
I’ve got some credits. At age 13, I got signed
with Sony and now I’ve got a couple platinum
albums and some amazing dedicated fans. I’ve
always had the dream of coming down here and
my fans have been supportive of that idea.”
One admires his humility; however, a few
seasons back he was nominated for the CMA’s
Global Country Artist Award; Teen magazine
chose Adam as their musical pick for “The Next
Rhodes - augmented by string and horn sections.
String players: David Angell, Monica
Angell, David Davidson, Mary Kathryn
VanOsdale, Allen Umsted, Kathy Umsted, Pam
Sixfin, Jim Grosjean, Carol Rabinowitz and
Anthony Lamarchina. Horn players: Roy Agee,
Jeff Bailey, Barry Green, Mike Haynes, Prentiss
Hobbs, Sam Levine and Steve Patrick. Keith
Mason assisted Michael on horn arrangements.
Usually, a country classic is a lyric song that
within the limitations of a three-minute time
period, depicts a romantic situation, either broken
or lasting, that’s presented straight-forward
via a simple three-chord melody, structured to
support the story’s content.
On Stanton’s “. . . Greatest Melodies” the
two newest choices are both hits from 1990,
Garth Brooks’ “The Dance” and Vince Gill’s
“Never Knew Lonely,” beautifully penned and
performed, then and now.
CD REVIEW
Stanton and company kindle sweet memories
with melodies of such long-ago love laments
as “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Have
I Told You Lately That I Love You” and “Let It
Be Me.” Then there are the loved-and-lost
hearttuggers “The Tennessee Waltz,” “She
Thinks I Still Care” and “Cold, Cold Heart,”
Adam Gregory, the guy with two first names.
Big Thing”; and “Crazy Days” recently made
the R&R trade publication’s top 10 most-added
singles for three consecutive weeks.
Adam might have added that his high-profile
gained him another career challenge, but
didn’t. We literally had to pry from him the information
that the talented trouper had completed
a star role in a brand new film.
“Yes, I was actually in a movie. It was called
‘Sharp As Marbles,’ a modern-day Three
Stooges, you know a ‘Dumb & Dumber’ kind
of thing. I was one of the dumber ones . . .
Speaking of ‘Dumb & Dumber,’ I loved that
movie.”
Adam also failed to mention his Canadian
film premiered favorably in Vancouver, B.C.
in February, or that he co-wrote its title tune
(with Derek Seed) and sings it and another song
“Never Be Another” on the flick's soundtrack.
As Albert, he gets top billing beside Sean Owen
Roberts and Elizabeth Thai in this John
Banovich-directed contemporary comedy.
Although he concedes it was fun to do, Adam
insists recording and songwriting remain his
number one priorities: “God’s blessed me with
this gift and I’m just proud to share it. I’d love
to see this single continue to climb, and the
video do well. Then maybe I can get out and do
some tours and just progress in the right way.”
He immigrated to the USA the right way:
“I’ve got a visa I travel on, good for three years
at a time.”
Adam’s major albums are “The Way I’m
Made” (2000) and “Workin’ On It” (2002), spinning
off such hit singles as “Horseshoes,” “Big
Star,” “Only Know I Do,” “Too Young To
Know,” “Ain’t It Cool” and “One Breath From
a Heartache.” Yet another Top 10 Canadian cut
was “When I Leave This House,” a duet with
blue Kentucky boy Billy Ray Cyrus (off Adam’s
“Workin’ On It” CD). Adam’s last Canadian Top
10 “Get It On,” came off his self-titled 2006
Menza Records album. Meanwhile, “Crazy
Days” is climbing the Can-Country chart.
Adam Gregory was born July 12, 1985, in
Edmonton, Alberta, the week that Exile’s “She’s
a Miracle” was country’s #1 record. His dad
Greg Dahmer drove for Greyhound Bus, while
ballads that boast numerous hit interpretations
by the likes of Pee Wee King, Patti Page,
George Jones, Anne Murray, Hank Williams
and Tony Bennett et al.
“Wild Side of Life” was not only a #1 megahit
in 1952 by Hank Thompson, but a Top 10
cover for Burl Ives, and its melody earlier inspired
the Carter Family’s Top 10 pop success
“I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes”
(1929), and the gospel-tinged Roy Acuff Top
20 classic “The Great Speckled Bird” (1938).
Kitty Wells’ #1 answer song “It Wasn’t God
Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” (1952) responded
to Thompson’s smash. Obviously, it’s
an awesome melody.
The producer-arranger didn’t select merely
the smoothest sounds, but also tackled more intricate
tunes. The band scores with Hank Williams’
“Hey, Good Lookin’,” Roger Miller’s
“King Of the Road” and the Patsy Cline breakthrough
“Walking After Midnight” (co-written
by Don Hecht and Alan Block).
Another of our personal favorites is “The
End of the World,” a haunting 1963 countrypop
crossover hit by RCA’s Skeeter Davis.
Stanton’s credits alone are considerable. As
a youngster on pedal steel guitar, he performed
with a sister as The Stanton Kids; by age 16, he
mother Margaret worked for the Edmonton police
station.
“I was always singing and I wrote my first
song when I was 12 years old. I began vocal
and guitar lessons at the age of 8 . . . My Mom
set me down one day - I played soccer as a
youngster - and she said, ‘Adam, it’s pretty expensive
to be able to do both, so we’re going to
need you to pick one or the other.’ So I picked
music.
“I grew up listening to George Strait, Garth
Brooks, Wynonna and Vince Gill on the radio,
and watching country videos. Country was
popular in Alberta, even with the kids,” he adds.
Before he was 16, Adam scored four Top 10
records and was a cover boy on Canada’s only
country-oriented periodical Country Music
News.
According to its’ publisher Larry Delaney
in May 2001, “Adam Gregory’s instant success
with his music and charm, has all the makings
of the birth of a superstar. It’s a tag that goes
along with anyone who has created such a dynamic
entry into the world of country music,
but the young teen-ager has already created an
industry buzz; and he’s got the teeny-bopper
following to prove it!”
What sort of show does he do in concert?
“I just try to work real hard. My show’s between
high energy, ballads and mid-tempos. I
feed off the audience in that rush that I get. But
I love to leave the crowd wanting more.”
Adam was in awe of the stellar line-up of
pickers Midas producer Keith Follese assembled
for his Nashville recording session,
including Dan Dugmore, Scotty Sanders, steel
guitars; Jimmy Nichols, keyboards; Steve
was working with the Judy Lynn troupe in Las
Vegas. Michael later toured with Bobby
Goldsboro; spent time as Ray Price’s
bandleader; and was music director for Kathy
Mattea. In association with Goldsboro, he
scored music for the CBS-TV Burt Reynolds’
series Evening Shade, and composed songs for
CBS’ Designing Women. Behind the scenes of
Marty Robbins’ syndicated TV . . . Spotlight
series, he backed VIPs like Carol Channing,
Dennis Weaver and Ruth Buzzi. As an artist
himself, he’s appeared on such telecasts as
Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and daytime
talk-fests like Mike Douglas’ and Joey Bishop’s.
“All my life I’ve had a passion for the big
band sounds and lush string arrangements of
the greats, like Nelson Riddle and Quincy
Jones,” said Stanton. “At last I have an opportunity
to let the steel guitar take the lead in the
orchestra with this collection of the greatest
melodies in country music.”
What a treat, as the Stanton contingent performs
18 well-loved numbers, not the least of
which are “Crazy,” “You Don’t Know Me,”
“Faded Love,” “Always On My Mind” and
“Sweet Dreams.” That’s what you’ll have, when
you go to bed listening to this melodic set.
- Walt Trott
GAC-TV presents Kitty Wells’ 10-month exhibit
Country music’s first female superstar is being
honored via the Great American Country
TV Network’s “Kitty Wells: Queen of Country
Music,” a biographical exhibit opening Friday,
Aug.15, for a 10-month run in the Country
Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s East Gallery.
The exhibit will run through June 14, 2009.
Opening weekend festivities will include a
Curator’s Talk, 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 15; a 45minute
exhibit tour with a Museum guide; a
1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 interview with
Wells, hosted by 650-WSM announcer Eddie
Stubbs in the Ford Theater; a 3 p.m. Saturday
autograph signing by Wells in the Museum
Shop; and a screening of the 1982 Showtime
special A Tribute to Kitty Wells, hosted by the
late Tammy Wynette, all day Sunday, Aug. 17.
Employing a wealth of splendid stage costumes,
vintage photos, awards, instruments,
posters and advertisements, personal correspon
Brewster, drums; Pat Buchanan and Gary
Burnett, guitars; Kerry Marx, Spady Brannon,
basses; and fellow Canuck Charlie Major, a top
singer-musician himself north of the border.
“Those guys were great!”
Who does he credit with giving him his start
in Nashville?
“Jeff Walker and Lawrence Mathis. Jeff
helped me tremendously. I came to town and
was green. Jeff just took me under his wing. He
took me around and introduced me to business
people, then brought Lawrence in here . . . Jeff
told him, ‘I haven’t been this excited since our
Keith Urban days.’ That intrigued Lawrence.”
Mathis, who guided Jason Aldean to stardom,
linked his new client up with Midas
Records, an independent that also boasts
Emerson Drive on its roster.
“I knew I wanted to work with Adam because
everyone that knew him lit up when they
talked about him,” says Mathis. “As I’ve
learned, you can’t help but like him, both as an
artist and a person.”
Will we find any other songs on the debut
album penned by Adam?
Of 17 to 18 tracks recorded, he had a hand
in writing “probably nine or 10. When we get a
moment, we’re going to cut it down to 11 or 12
tracks though. Who knows what songs will survive
that process.”
Why wouldn’t a connection with Sony Music-Nashville
not be a natural fit, since he had
hits with their Canadian branch?
“I don’t know. We tried to go down that alley,
but it never worked . . . But, like in the
song, they tell me I can’t, I’m gonna persevere
and do my best to do otherwise.”
dence and career-spanning audio and video of
both Wells and artist husband Johnnie Wright;
the display will explore how a soft-spoken, dignified
mother of three, succeeded in tearing
down country music’s gender barrier, and became
a role model for several generations of
female artists.
The exhibit will also chronicle Wright’s successful
recording career—both with the duo
Johnnie & Jack and as a solo artist—and his
role in managing Wells’ career. Among her biggest
hits are “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky
Tonk Angels” and “Makin’ Believe.”
All programs (Aug. 15-17) are included with
Museum admission and free to members. “Kitty
Wells: Queen of Country Music” will be accompanied
by an ongoing series of programs
during the exhibit’s run. More information’s
available at www.countrymusichalloffame.com
or by calling (615) 416-2001.
.

28 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
. . . Changes to 257 Bylaws being proposed
(Continued from page 21)
RESOLUTION FOR LOCAL 257 MEMBERSHIP MEETING FOR SEPT. 8, 2008
We, the members of AFM Local 257, hereby approve and present this resolution to all members
of the AFM and its leadership, stating our belief that AFM International Executive Board (IEB)
members Harold Bradley and Billy Linneman, who are respectively President and Secretary/Treasurer
of Local 257, are not properly representing the issues and concerns of working Nashville
musicians to the remainder of the AFM and the IEB.
The recent resolution, passed unanimously by the IEB, considering the revocation of the Player
Conference status of RMA International is, in our view, ill-advised, and very dangerous. If executed,
the potential negative consequences of this resolution, intended or otherwise, could very
well include the demise of the AFM.
Working musicians have been caught in the crossfire of AFM politics for too long. We seek an
end to confrontation. Rank and File musicians are being excluded from the decision making processes
of the AFM. This is not acceptable or prudent, especially given the rapidly changing landscape
of the music business. For example, the continuing series of “One-Off” recording agreements,
sanctioned by the IEB, consistently omit proper new use protections, and should be stopped.
These non-negotiated Agreements could easily compromise our negotiated contracts, such as film,
phono, and television. De-conferencing the RMA so no one can question these promulgated agreements
is contrary to the principles of a democratic organization. We do not want to see internal
political battles and personality conflicts tear apart the AFM while the music industry of the future
passes us by.
We expect transparency, openness and responsiveness from our Union leadership. We want to
know that our concerns are being heard, and our contributions to the strength and unity of this
Local and the AFM are acknowledged. As a group, we implore Mr. Bradley and Mr. Linneman to
remember that we elected them in good faith to represent our best interests, and pay them a full time
salary to do so. Supporting measures and policies that are detrimental to their Local membership
when acting as members of the IEB, such as considering the termination of an authorized Player
Conference, is a conflict of interest, and runs counter to that trust. We urge Mr. Bradley, Mr. Linneman,
and the IEB to vote "no" to the decertification of the RMA. The future of the AFM is at stake, and
we urge all its leaders to act accordingly.
Respectfully submitted by the following Local 257 members: Tim Akers, David Angell, Monisa
Angell, Kelly Back, Carrie Bailey, Jeff Bailey, Eddie Bayers, Eli Beaird, Pat Bergeson, Bruce
Bouton, Steve Brewster, Spady Brannan, Mike Brignardello, Bob Britt, Jim “Moose” Brown, Steve
Bryant, Pat Buchanan, Nick Buda, Tom Bukovac, Mark Burchfield, John Carroll, Jimmy Carter,
Mark Casstevens, Mike Casteel, Joe Chemay, Pat Coil, Steve Conn, J.T. Corenflos, Chris Cottros,
Chad Cromwell, Tim Crouch, Smith Curry, Mike Daly, Janet Darnall, Chris Donohue, Mike
Douchette, Mark Douthit, Howard Duck, Glen Duncan, Chris Dunn, Mike Durham, Steve Ebe,
Rich Eckhardt, William Ellis, Conni Ellisor, Luis Espaillat, Larry Franklin, Paul Franklin, Brian
Fullen, John Gardner, Carl Gorodetzky, Kevin Grantt, Barry Green, Jim Grosjean, John Hammond,
Rick Hanson, Tommy Harden, Tony Harrell, Mike Haynes, Aubrey Haynie, Tom Hemby, Mark
Hill, Prentice Hobbs, Jim Hoke, Byron House, Andy Hubbard, David Hungate, Jim Hunt, Rob
Ickes, Jack Jezzro, Mike Johnson, Mark T. Jordan, John Jorgenson, Mike Joyce, Doug Kahan, Don
Kerce, Jim Kimball, Jerry Kimbrough, Jeff King, Tammy Rogers King, Hubert Knight, Lauren
Koch, Jennifer Kummer, Craig Krampf, Mark T. Jordan, Charles Judge, Anthony LaMarchina,
Betsy Lamb, Troy Lancaster, Tim Lauer, Dave Lawbaugh, Andy Leftwich, Paul Leim, Chris
Leuzinger, Ken Lewis, Lee Levine, Sam Levine, Billy Livsey, Todd London, Rick Lonow, Tim
Lorsch, B. James Lowry, Jim Lotz, Gary Lunn, Steve Mackey, Phil Madeira, Tim Marks, Lance
Martin, Catherine Marx, Kerry Marx, Brent Mason, Chris McDonald, Pat McGrath, Kevin
McKendree, Matt McKenzie, Rob McNelly, Jerry McPherson, Blue Miller, Tony Morra, Greg
Morrow, Gary Morse, Duncan Mullins, Gordon Mote, Steve Nathan, Dan Needham, Craig Nelson,
Jimmy Nichols, Chris Nole, David Northrup, Russ Pahl, Billy Panda, Danny Parks, Bob Patin,
Steve Patrick, Larry Paxton, Mike Payne, Al Perkins, Joel Perry, Dave Pomeroy, Mark Prentice,
Gary Prim, Duane Propes, Brian Pruitt, Carole Rabinowitz, Carmella Ramsey, Joel Reist, Sair
Reist, Marshall Richardson, Dave Ristrim, Michael Rhodes, Michael Samis, Scotty Sanders, Vince
Santoro, Paul Scholten, Mike Severs, Pat Severs, Doug Sisemore, Pam Sixfin, Steven Sheehan,
Matt Slocum, Phyllis Sparks, Joe Spivey, Michael Spriggs, Brian Sorbo, Chris Stenstrom, Liz Stewart,
Bryan Sutton, Julia Tanner, John Terrence, Todd Anderson, Lou Toomey, Gary Lee Tussing, Alan
Umstead, Cathy Umstead, Kenny Vaughn, Roy Vogt, Barry Walsh, Biff Watson, Roger Wiesmeyer,
Derek Wells, Tommy Wells,Tom Wild, Kristin Wilkinson, Bob Williams, Scott Williamson, John
Willis, Lonnie Wilson, Karen Winkelmann, Mike Wolofsky, Bill Woodworth, Peter Young, Jonathan
Yudkin.
Board recommendation - unfavorable.
ALTERNATIVE RESOLUTION FOR LOCAL 257 MEMBERSHIP MEETING,
FOR SEPT. 8, 2008.
Here’s an alternative resolution:
In the interest of avoiding a fractious and potentially divisive membership meeting, while achieving
our central aim of protecting conference status for the RMA, I propose to the upcoming General
Membership meeting:
“The members of Local 257, a major center of recording, urge the International Executive Board
of the AFM not to take any actions to suspend or terminate the status of the Recording Musicians
Association as a Player Conference.”
Proposal submitted by Bobby Ogdin.
Board recommendation - favorable.
Should any member have any questions regarding the next General Membership meeting, call
your Local 257 Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman for clarification. He can be reached at telephone
number (615) 244-9514, Extension 224, or via e-mail Billy@afm257.org
Support our Advertisers!
President Bradley issues an Open Letter to
fellow members of AFM Nashville Local 257
To Local 257 Members:
I urge every member to attend the General Membership meeting, Monday, Sept. 8,
2008, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Union rehearsal hall.
My future as your President is at stake. At the Local Executive Board meeting on
July 23, 2008, RMA President David Pomeroy (also a Local Executive Board officer)
presented a resolution to the Board that censored me and your Secretary-Treasurer
Billy Linneman.
Next to this column is the resolution in its entirety. It alleges that it is a conflict of
interest for Secretary-Treasurer Linneman and myself to be Local officers and national
officers, and that we don’t represent Local 257’s members.
How ridiculous!
I am proud to be the first Local officer of this 106-year (AFM) Local branch to
become a national officer, and I’m very proud that Secretary-Treasurer Linneman is
the second Local officer to be elected to a national office.
I don’t know any other Local in the AFM that has two officers on the International
Executive Board (IEB), and are more knowledgeable about recording. The real issue
is that the RMA would like to run this Local, and I feel that the 188 people who signed
this petition should not run the Local just because they are recording musicians.
I believe in the Union concept where the Local officers (myself and Billy Linneman)
represent all the Union members, according to the oath of office we took when elected.
I also took an oath as (AFM) Vice President to uphold the constitution and bylaws
of the American Federation of Musicians. To date, the IEB has not taken action to
terminate the conference status of the RMA, but has passed a resolution that the question
of terminating the RMA status be addressed as soon as possible, but no later than
the September 2008 IEB Meeting.
This resolution, submitted by RMA President David Pomeroy, is intended to influence
my vote! I will continue to vote my conscience (based on the facts before me),
and I resent this attempt to force me to vote otherwise.
Obviously, the IEB would not consider such a drastic action without reviewing the
RMA’s actions since the 2005 Convention.
Rather than give you all the gory details (which are rather lengthy), I suggest that
all Local 257 members attend the Sept. 8, 2008 meeting. Especially, the 188 members
who signed the petition, and hear the rest of the story.
Fraternally,
Harold R. Bradley
Union music is best!
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
. . . George Chestnut, 76, dies
(Continued from page 5)
repair bridges, setting intonation and work on
dobros.”
At one time, Chestnut also repaired instruments
for the Nashville Metro School System.
As a youngster, recalled George, “my
granddaddy raised me. I asked him once about
playing (an instrument), but he knocked that in
the head . . . he didn’t want me to be no musician.”
While living in Lakeland, Fla., Chestnut was
intent on playing music and learned guitar, and
later bass fiddle. He was a key member of his
brother’s band, Dallas Chestnut & The Country
Ramblers: “We fronted for Nashville musicians
like Pete Drake, his brother Jack Drake,
Dale Sellers and a whole lot of those guys. We
played regularly at a big dude ranch. My brother
played guitar and sang. He was amazing. I sang
some and played electric bass and guitar. We
did that about 12 years.”
It was in Florida that George got into instrumental
repair. He had made good contacts
with national musicians, while a performer.
“Jim & Jesse, The Osbornes, Bill Monroe,
all those Nashville acts used to come down for
the bluegrass festivals. We’d go, carry a barbecue
grill, buy some T-bone steaks, find us a little
hideout and have a big dinner for them, with
plenty of cold beer . . . ”
George soon tired of playing gigs: “For four
or five years, I wouldn’t touch a bass to play.
I’d work on ’em though. I thought, you make
more money working on instruments than playing
on them . . . ”
Word-of-mouth regarding his repair expertise
reached the ears of notables like Bill Mon
roe, Roy Acuff, Tommy Jackson, Jerry Rivers
and Skeeter Willis (of the Willis Brothers).
“When I first started coming up to Nashville,
there were shops doing guitar repair, so I
thought I would cater to the fiddle players.”
Indeed, Chestnut made regular visits, picking
up fiddles in need of repair or restoration,
take them home to Florida to work on and then
return to make his deliveries.
After moving to Nashville, George’s client
list grew, adding such luminaries as Vassar
Clements, Merle Haggard, Henry Strzelecki,
Johnny Gimble, Johnny Cash, Tom Rutledge,
Randy Howard, Bob Babbitt, Stella Parton,
Dave Pomeroy, Glen Duncan, Rufus
Thibodeaux, Louise Mandrell, Roland White,
Marty Raybon, James Monroe, Mike Bub, Billy
Grammer, Rick Morton, Roy Huskey, Jr. and
Kenny Baker.
Some visited Chestnut’s workshop on occasion
to “jam” with him, including Bill Monroe,
Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Mac Wiseman
and Bashful Brother Oswald.
Actually, Chestnut created something special
for fiddler Larry Franklin, trademarked as
a Chin-Cello, by converting a four-string into a
five-string, using his own brand of strings.
“There’s a big difference between being a
repairman and a maker. I think in the long run,
it takes a sharper person to be a repairman.”
Besides Jennie Jo, his wife of 29 years, survivors
include daughter Deanna Townsend, son
David Chestnut, stepson Chris Bowers, several
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services
were conducted July 22 at Hibbett & Hailey
Funeral Home Chapel in Donelson. Interment’s
in Nobel, Ark. In lieu of flowers, donations may
be made to the George Chestnut Fund, c/o Bank
of America. - Walt Trott

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 29
Regarding the ongoing Performance Rights Legislation
The following pertinent information for members of the music community comes
from a June 26, 2008 comment by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate
Judiciary Committee, On The House Subcommittee Markup Of Performance Rights Legislation
The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman reacted to the House Judiciary Subcommittee
on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property’s markup of legislation to recognize
the rights of musical performers. Last year, Leahy introduced legislation to end an
exemption benefiting traditional, over-the-air broadcasters and to ensure that performing
artists are compensated when their sound recordings are played on the radio. Representative
Howard Berman (D-Calif.), who chairs the House subcommittee, introduced companion
legislation. In November, Leahy chaired a hearing on the legislation in the Senate
Judiciary Committee, and Berman chaired a hearing in the House earlier in June 2008.
“Members of the House Judiciary Committee today took the first steps in moving
forward legislation to provide fair performance rights to artists. Since I joined with Senator
Hatch and our friends in the House last year to introduce performance rights legislation,”
said Leahy, “I have heard from both performers and local radio stations about this
legislation. The House Subcommittee’s mark today has continued the debate on how
best to protect the rights of performers and songwriters, and the needs of noncommercial
and small commercial radio stations, like many stations in Vermont. I hope the Judiciary
Committee might be able to turn its attention to this issue before the end of the year.”
Further, Regarding Performance Rights Legislation
A Message from Hal Ponder,
Director of Govt. Relations
AFM National Office
“Ever since sound recordings were made part of copyright law in 1972, AFM has been
trying to get a royalty for performers when music is played on over-the-air AM/FM radio.
With the introduction of the Performance Rights Act yesterday, our time has finally come
to obtain a performance right in sound recordings. This will not be an easy fight. The
broadcasters are very powerful. That's why I urge you to send the attached letter to your
representatives in Congress so that they will know that a musician who is their constituent
will be affected by this legislation. Please feel free to modify and personalize the
letter. To learn more about the performance rights campaign, go to
www.musicfirstcoalition.org Thank you very much for your help.”
Letters On Topic of Performance Rights Legislation
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Your Congressperson
Your Senators
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Performance Rights Act
Dear [decision maker name needed]:
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor the Performance Rights Act, H.R. 4789, S. 2500, a bill to
grant a long-overdue performance right to performers when their music is played on the radio. I am
a member of the American Federation of Musicians, a nationwide organization of over 90,000
professional musicians who will benefit from this legislation.
Performers create the music which terrestrial AM/FM radio needs to lure its advertisers. But
AM/FM radio refuses to pay a cent to those performers. It's time to correct this inequity.
Over-the-air AM/FM radio is still the dominant music platform in spite of the introduction of
satellite, internet, and cable radio in recent years. But over-the-air radio gets an unfair advantage
over its competitors because the other music platforms pay a royalty to performers. It's time to level
the playing field.
Performers lose out twice. They are not paid when their music is played on U.S. radio and they
are not paid when their music is played overseas. Royalties are collected abroad for U.S. performers
(because almost every other country in the world has a performance right), but these royalties
are not given to U.S. performers because we do not have a reciprocal law.
I hope you will co-sponsor the Performance Rights Act, which will bring our law up to par with
all the other developed nations. It is finally time to recognize and appropriately compensate those
who make our country's music - and broadcasting - industry the most vibrant in the world. Thank
you.
Sincerely,
REMINDER: Members Expelled
forfeit all rights and titles to the
funds and property of the Local.
This vintage Pee Wee King shot should bring back
nice, nostalgic memories for some of our members.
Mel Tillis mixes it up with Jamie O’Neal and
Lorianne Crook at CMA Music Festival.
Photos (4) by Patricia Presley
Kelly Lang Sheppard visits with The Oaks’
William Lee Golden and wife Brenda (left).
We Won One!
Delta Airlines has put new policies in place for musical instruments. You
can go to the Delta site, but here is what they say:
(From Delta Airlines website)
We know that your musical instrument is important to you and depending
on the size, we accept musical instruments of epuipment as checked baggage,
carry-on baggage, or cabin-seat baggage. Please help us to keep your instrument
safe by bringing it in a hard-shell case.
CHECKED BAGGAGE
You can check your musical instuments and equipment as baggage if the
outside linear dimensions (length + width + height) do not exceed 120 inches
(305cm) and provided the weight, including the case, does not exceed 100 pounds
(45kgs).
Standard rules and fees for Excess Baggage will apply.
CARRY-ON LUGGAGE
Guitars and other smaller musical instrments, such as violins, will be
accepted as your free carry-on baggage on Delta operated flights (You must still
check
commuter flights and they are sometimes not operated by Delta). These items must
easily fit in the overhead compartment or approved stowage location in the cabin,
on a space available basis at the time of boarding. If adequate space is not available,
the item must be checked.
CABIN-SEAT BAGGAGE
Singer Darryl Worley at MusicFest.
Member Jay DeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts).
You may purchase a full fare ticket for an item that you feel is too fragile
to be handled as checked baggage. You may stow the baggage in any passenger
seat with a bulkhead or divider in front of the compartment.
This is a good resolution to this problem. There is power in numbers!
However, the fight is not completely over. The Federation will continue to lobby all
airlines to allow carry-on musical intruments.

30 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
“It has everything to make your heart stop
. . . Your pulse leap . . . Your eyes pop . . . Just
picture the fun when you see these funstars in
one picture,” proclaimed the 1944 theatrical
poster promoting a Columbia B-film “Swing
in the Saddle,” toplining Jane Frazee, Slim
Summerville, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams and
Cousin Emmy.
That could easily have described the latter
lady alone: Eye-popping Cousin Emmy who
made a striking stage character, with platinum
blonde hair ablaze in bright bows, her cherryred
lips grinning wide, exposing gleaming white
teeth, while decked out in colorful gingham
dress and cotton stockings, accentuated by hightop
laced boots!
“Swing in the Saddle,” released as “Swing
and Sway” in the UK, seems an excuse to tap
the talents of radio favorites like the Hoosier
Hot Shots, Red River Dave (McEnery), Jimmy
Wakely & The Oklahoma Cowboys and the
King Cole Trio, first black act charting country
with “Straighten Up and Fly Right” also in
1944.
She may never have charted Billboard, but
Cousin Emmy’s a true country music pioneer,
“showing off,” as she called it, since age 7, playing
to family and friends. She was hailed in a
1943 Time magazine piece that highlighted her
hillbilly showmanship on KMOX-St. Louis radio,
at a time when mainstream media generally
ignored such non-cowboy country cousins
(to favor the likes of a Gene Autry or Bob Wills).
Although few recall her countrified celebrity
today, she entertained millions via radio,
personal appearances and film guest spots, including
“Under Western Skies,” yet another
low-budget film featuring Martha O’Driscoll
and Leon Errol, a Universal release in January
1945 (five months after “ . . . Saddle”).
On the strength of such credits, Decca
Records summoned her into the studio in 1946,
for the first of a relatively sparse repertory of
recordings by this pre-TV phenomenon, including
her now-classic creation “Ruby (Are You
Mad At Your Man),” popularized a quarter century
later by the Osborne Brothers.
Fortunately, Bear Family in Europe has collaborated
with American folkie Mike Seeger
(New Lost City Ramblers) to present the current
CD collection “Cousin Emmy & Her Kinfolks
- 1939-1947).” Of its 38 tracks, 14 were
studio generated, the other selections derived
from WHAS-Louisville 1939 radio transcriptions,
featuring fewer vocals, but rounded out
via instrumental runs. The transcriptions’ sound
quality is surprisingly good.
By WALT TROTT
Christened Cynthia May Carver, March 14,
1903, she was smack-dab in the middle of eight
children born to sharecroppers Molly and (William)
Henry Carver, near Lamb, Ky. Her early
years were spent living in a two-room cabin in
south-central Barren County.
Thinking back on her early years as part of
a tobacco sharecropping family, she was grateful
for the pathway she chose: “Thank God that
He gave me the talent, and the good common
sense to get out of there.”
Emmy started as a youngster performing
with her fiddler-father and siblings to play local
fairs or town gatherings. She first learned
guitar, then perfected her banjo skills (an instrument
her mom played). Soon she also mastered
mandolin, fiddle, harmonica and even
played “musical handsaw.”
By the 1920s, Emmy was sharing the stage
with younger brother Burton, playing area civic
clubs, square dances and outdoor festivals. In
1927, their pickin’ and singin’ landed them on
station WMBD-Peoria, enabling personal appearance
plugs. That worked well until Burton
decided show business wasn’t his bag after all.
Emmy thus hitched her star to that of her
performing Carver cousins’ on station WHB-
Kansas City: Warner, Robert and Noble, who
added Uncle Bozo to his stage name, were the
nucleus of the Carver Brothers String Band.
According to Bear Family’s liner notes, penned
by historian Jim Nelson of St. Louis, Emmy
formed her own group in Kansas to perform on
Topeka radio, for a time.
Along about 1935, however, Emmy joined
forces with Frankie More & His Log Cabin
Boys troupe, then headlining on WHAS-Louisville.
(More would later relocate to Nashville
in the early 1950s, to manage major Nashville
acts, including Kitty Wells and Johnnie & Jack.)
It wasn’t long until she was stirring up a
storm with her own band dubbed The Kinfolks,
spotlighting such varied talents along the way
as Uncle Bozo, Bernie Smith, Bud & Benny
Kissinger, Red Herron, Bill & Jack Drake (who
later became an Ernest Tubb Texas Troubadour),
Roy Wooliver, Mac Atcheson, Wade Ray,
Chuck Davis, Hal Choisser, George Money,
Jack Nichols, niece Joy Creasy, Ruth & Jean
DeVore, and other females joining her as the
Georgia Cakewalkers. At the center of all this
was Cousin Emmy.
In 1936, she became the first female to win
Louisville’s National Old Time Fiddling Contest.
Meanwhile, she was inspiring such other
women musicians as Lily Mae Ledford, who
led the Coon Creek Girls.
Regarding her acceptance by fans, she noted
such success made it possible for her to be the
first female in country to afford a Cadillac to
transport her band to gigs.
Two 257 members we knew who had known
Cousin Emmy were Martha Carson and Rollin
Sullivan a.k.a. Oscar (of Lonzo & - fame). Their
memories contrasted somewhat. Sullivan says,
“First, we used to listen to her perform on our
old Atwater-Kent radio. I got to know her fairly
well. I remember that she was bony and more
on the plain side in her looks . . . She was a
natural talent, who lived everything she did and
was an excellent banjo player. We worked together
on p.a.’s. Now she might not of got an
encore every time, but she’d get a good hand.”
Martha’s experience with Cousin Emmy was
not as endearing. The late gospel star’s big sister
Minnie (Amburgey) Garcia remembers
Cousin Emmy as a radio star and a deserving
headliner, but not very gracious towards newcomers.
Their introduction to her occurred in
1937, after the teen-aged trio, including younger
sibling Opal Jean, won a talent contest on
WLAP-Lexington, prompting a try-out at
WHAS-Louisville.
The Amburgeys were given stage names of
Minnie (Bertha), Marthie (who later altered it
to Martha) and Mattie (Opal Jean), the Hoot
Owl Holler Girls, by entrepreneur John Lair.
“Cousin Emmy put us in her apartment and
holed us up there about a week,” recalls Minnie,
now 89, who sang and played fiddle. “Then she
said we were too young and told us to go back
home. Emmy said she would send for us later,
but she hasn’t sent for us yet! She kept our instruments,
too! . . .
“I think she was a little bit jealous of us because
Jean could play rings around her on the
banjo. She didn’t like that. Jean (who as Jean
Chapel later wrote such hits as ‘Lonely Again’
and ‘To Get To You’) played oldtimey like my
Dad. The next thing we knew, she said she
couldn’t use us anymore. She told us something
like they couldn’t afford to pay any more performers
at the station . . . Cousin Emmy said
she would release our instruments if our Daddy
would pay back our board. We chalked it up to
professional jealousy . . . A few years later, we
met her again, but she acted as though she didn’t
know us.”
When whirlwind Cousin Emmy left WHAS
for a short spell to play at WWVA-Wheeling,
W. Va., she met up-and-coming Louis Marshall,
who won lasting fame as Grandpa Jones. In his
biography “Everybody’s Favorite Grandpa,” he
spoke glowingly of the gal, who would teach
him her style of playing banjo: “She was awfully
popular. She had them big wide teeth, you
know, she’d grin and they’d just shine. And she
was mighty good on the old five-string banjo
. . . She was a good showman, I’ll tell you that.”
(Incidentally, Jones like the Amburgeys and
Sullivan, were all Kentucky natives.)
Other stations where Cousin Emmy played
were WSB-Atlanta, WNOX-Knoxville,
KWKH-Shreveport’s Louisiana Hayride, and
XERF-Del Rio, Texas. In 1955, Cousin Emmy
was invited to appear out of character in another
Universal movie “The Second Greatest
Sex,” a modern Western, toplining Jeanne
Crain, George Nader, Mamie Van Doren and
Bert Lahr. She and Nader hit it off, as he was a
frustrated picker who cajoled her into jamming
between scenes.
With television tuning out radio variety programs,
Cousin Emmy migrated to California
where still dynamic, she entertained visitors in
early 1960s’ Disneyland. That’s where folklorist
Mike Seeger found her and became so enamored
of her talents, he invited her to tour with
his New Lost City Ramblers.
Legendary comedian Jack Benny featured
her, too, on his national TV sitcom series - a
1962 episode titled “Jack Takes In a Border,”
literally playing herself, a country cousin. In
1965, thanks to Seeger, she wowed fans debuting
her downhome performing style at the Newport
Folk Festival.
With changing times, Emmy had dropped
her cutesy calico character to “modernize” her
image, wearing more formal gowns and gaudy
earrings, while allowing her natural gray hair
to grow out.
In 1968, Mike Seeger recorded her for a
Folkways album. In an epilogue to the Bear
Family booklet, he recalls first impressions of
her: “Cousin Emmy had more life and fun in
her than just about anybody I’ve ever met. When
she hit that small California Disneyland stage
in 1961 on a show billed with Roger Miller and
Tex Ritter, it was she who had the energy and
forcefully reached out and grabbed the audience,
dressed in a dressy dress, hair up, playing
clawhammer banjo fast and smooth, and singing
‘Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.’”
In retrospect, Cousin Emmy was already
toiling in her chosen field when such rustic pioneer
female performers as Patsy Montana, Lulu
Belle (& Scotty) Wiseman, Judy Canova and
Minnie Pearl made their national breakthrough.
The rural comedy favorite doesn’t have a
large body of recorded work to draw upon; no
doubt in her eyes a recording studio was little
different than a radio studio, where she gave
forth on a daily basis, so she didn’t necessarily
hanker to record.
Bear Family dug deep into Decca’s vaults
to come up with 14 vocals. Folklorist Alan
Lomax convinced Decca to record Emmy as
part of an LP “Kentucky Mountain Ballads,”
produced for their American Folk Music series.
She was recorded initially on April 12, 1946
in New York, a session that resulted in her first
single “Ruby (Are You Mad At Your Man)” with
“The Broken-Hearted One You Left Alone” as
its B side. It was released June 24, 1946.
By then she was divorced from manager
Johnny Creasy and wed to Missouri farmer
Elmer Schaller, a marriage that would also end
in the court. When Decca next recorded Emmy
it was in Hollywood (March 26 & 31, 1947),
where producer Perry Botkin had assembled
session players Wesley Tuttle, Arthur Shapiro,
George Winston, Jimmy Powers and, of course,
Bill Drake, a Kinfolks bandsman.
Equally captivating are the actual taped radio
shows from WHAS-Louisville, which undoubtedly
had the ear of farm families and
working class stiffs alike. She ruled at stations
like KMOX-St. Louis (1941-’44), prompting
this brash description of herself during one interview,
as “the biggest thing to hit any man’s
radio station.”
Cynthia May as Cousin Emmy was an unlikely
blend vocally of Judy Canova and Kitty
Wells, both of whom she preceded. She had fire,
drive, sass and style. There’s every indication
Emmy could’ve made it in the thriving 1930s’
world of big band singers, had she so chosen.
Two of the album’s best vocal performances
are her own “Ruby,” which she adapted from
an old instrumental “Ruben,” and John Lair’s
“Freight Train Blues,” originally written for Red
Foley in 1935. Emmy’s range is impressive,
these two adorned by convincing falsetto flairs.
What we hear gives us keener insight into
the talents that helped make her a cross-country
favorite among listeners. Two segments she
saluted daily were shut-ins (the disabled) and
children, primarily the latter to whom she pandered
each morning: “Wash your little hands
and face, brush your little teeth and comb your
hair real, real pretty.”
Cousin Emmy’s opening theme was “Little
Old Log Cabin in the Lane,” a rousing rendition
for a 5:45 a.m. broadcast. While not as polished
as session stalwarts, the bucolic Kinfolks
were well-rooted and charmingly spontaneous
in their minimalist musical movements.
Cousin Emmy may have dressed funny, but
her songs weren’t cornball or simple ditties.
This rare set will appeal to oldtime fans with
traditional tastes, but also serves as a history
lesson for young fans interested in roots music.
Although she had played such prestigious
venues as the Hollywood Bowl and the
Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife,
there was little fanfare when Cousin Emmy died
April 11, 1980 at age 77, in Sherman Oaks,
Calif. She was the gal, however, who first put
fun in the country field, way before such stars
as Dolly or Reba were a twinkle in their daddies’
eyes.

July-September 2008 The Nashville Musician 31
Chesney’s top prize
Kenny Chesney took home his fourth Entertainer
of the Year trophy from the 43rd annual
Academy of Country Music awards show,
while fellow Local 257 member Brad Paisley
earned his second straight ACM Best Male Vocalist
honor.
Carrie Underwood repeated as Best Female
Vocalist, during the live Las Vegas telecast, May
18. Rascal Flatts and Brooks & Dunn also repeated
as Best Vocal Group (their sixth) and
Best Duo (their 15th), respectively.
The late 257 member Conway Twitty won
their Pioneer Award (now known as the Cliffie
Stone statuette), a terrific honor; however,
ACM didn’t feel it warranted a spot on their
TV program.
Guess honoring the man responsible for 41
#1 pop and country singles wasn’t as important
as appearances by David Spade or soap stars,
real country buffs, right!
The Cliffie Stone statuettes also went to the
late Porter Waggoner, Brenda Lee and the Oak
Ridge Boys.
Meanwhile, Garth Brooks received something
new called the Crystal Milestone in recognition
of his achievements, and close to 10
minutes were allotted on the show to his hits.
Awards for top musicians of the year were
announced earlier (May 7), and our off-camera
honorees are:
Dann Huff, guitar; Matt Rollings, keyboards;
Michael Rhodes, bass; Shannon Forrest, drums;
Stuart Duncan, fiddle; Paul Franklin, steel; Jerry
Douglas, dobro (under specialty instrument);
Justin Niebank, top studio engineer; and Mark
Wright, producer.
Another new category is ACM’s Poets
award, naming two 2008 recipients: The late
Fred Rose, co-founder of Acuff-Rose publishing
and writer of such standards as “Settin’ the
Woods On Fire,” “Take These Chains From My
Heart” and “Roly Poly”; and 257 Life Member
Bill Anderson, writer of “City Lights,” “Still,”
“Tips Of My Fingers” and “Whiskey Lullaby.”
ACM probably wasn’t too thrilled to hear
Chesney chiming in on their change in selecting
the top award (even though he won it!), previously
determined by the organization’s members.
Now it’s voted by fans on-line (which
obviously eliminates those who don’t surf the
Internet).
“I think it’s important to know that I do think
the fans should be a part of this awards show. I
really do. But I’m probably one of the guys in
the audience that didn’t think it should be for
Entertainer of the Year,” says Kenny.
“I think it’s a complete disrespect of the artist,
what they’ve lowered us to, to get Entertainer
of the Year. Because of that, it really diminishes
the integrity of the music that we’re
making and how much work goes into it. That’s
what really matters. That’s what Entertainer of
the Year really is. It’s not about flying somebody
to some shows, and giving free songs
away - and giving this and that - and seeing
. . . more Letters to the Editor
(Continued from page 13)
your staff has been very nice to me.
Again, I wish to commend you for the current
issue. Best wishes,
- Robert Wessel
Old Hickory, Tenn.
(Editor’s note: Thank you Mr. Wessel - that’s
him below - for the kind words. He says originally
he joined AFM’s Salinas, Kan., Local in
1955, and then transferred to Local 257.)
how hard you can push people’s buttons on the
Internet.
“As much as I love the ACMs and what
they’ve done for my life, that’s how I really feel
about it. And I can say that because I won tonight
. . . Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited the
fans have voted me Entertainer of the Year. It
means the world . . . but you have to admit, if
they (ACM) continue to do this, it’s a different
award.”
For the 10th time, Reba McEntire hosted
the CBS-TV event, held in the MGM Grand
Arena. A highlight of the evening was the Paisley-Underwood
vocal salute to Eddy Arnold
(who died 10 days earlier) on his hit “Make the
World Go Away.” How about Taylor Swift
lipsynching part of her number “Should’ve Said
No”? But then she was literally dumped on by
a makeshift waterfall, leaving hair and gown
soaked. Incidentally, George Strait performed
“I Saw God Today,” and it was the cowboy’s
56th birthday.
Winning in the newcomer categories were:
Lady Antebellum, best new group; Taylor Swift,
best new female singer; and Jack Ingram, best
new male singer.
Other victors included Paisley’s music video
“On-Line,” directed by Alexander; Tracy
Lawrence’s “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”
featuring Chesney and Tim McGraw, top Vocal
Event; Sugarland’s “Stay” won best song and
best single, composed by member Jennifer
Nettles, and co-produced by Byron Gallimore,
Nettles and Kristian Bush; while Miranda
Lambert’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” was voted
best album - co-produced by Frank Liddell and
Mike Wrucke. Rascal Flatts was recipient of the
7th annual Home Depot Humanitarian award
in recognition of their charitable efforts; and
Dick Clark was named winner of the Jim Reeves
International Award. - Walt Trott
Jo Stafford, a friend to Nashville
writers, succumbs at 90
Pop vocalist Jo Stafford, 90, died July 16,
of congested heart failure at her home in Los
Angeles. Although known primarily in pop
circles, this daughter of a Tennessean had great
success singing country-style songs, whether
novelty numbers like her Top Five “Feudin’ and
Fightin’,” or ballads such as her biggest all-time
seller, the Pee Wee King-Redd Stewart-Chilton
Price co-write “You Belong To Me.”
Stafford pop covers of country tunes comprise
a major part of her catalog of hits, among
them “I’m My Own Grandmaw,” “Ragtime
Cowboy Joe,” “Scarlet Ribbons,” “Goodnight
Irene,” “It Is No Secret,” “A Fool Such As I,”
“The Tennessee Waltz” and its B-side “If
You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time.”
Born in Coalinga, Calif., she got her major
league start singing with The Pied Pipers,” a
featured act with Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra.
The Pipers’ greatest single was the #1 “Candy”
(with Johnny Mercer). At one point, Jo shared
the mic with fellow lead vocalists Dick Haymes
and Frank Sinatra. All went on to solo stardom.
Another of her major successes was the #1
“Temptation (Tim-Tay-Shun)” crossover in
1947, with countrified Red Ingle. “Feudin’ and
Fightin’,” a Top Five country charter, also hit
#7 on the pop list. It featured backing of Paul
Weston’s Orchestra, billed as his Mountain
Boys. He later made her Mrs. Weston.
Stafford also had a Top 10 duet in 1951,
with Frankie Laine on “Hey, Good Lookin’,” a
Hank Williams composition. Yet another of
Hank’s songs, “Jambalaya,” was a million-selling
Top Five single for her in 1952. Of course,
that same year, “You Belong To Me,” was released,
selling more than two million discs,
charting 25 weeks (12 of which were at #1).
In ’52, Jo also covered the Williams’ hit
“Settin’ the Woods On Fire,” co-written by Fred
Rose. African-American songwriter Jessie Mae
Robinson’s “Keep It a Secret” became both a
1952 country hit for Slim Whitman (peaking at
#3) and Stafford (whose version was a #4 pop
success). Indeed the “Shrimp Boats” singer
proved a major Nashville booster. - Walt Trott
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Insurance products are offered through insurance companies
with which Waddell & Reed has sales arrangements.
(Continued from page 7)
Blues guitarist Sean Costello died at age 28.
In May, perhaps the last of the classic souljazz
Hammond Organ players, Jimmy McGriff,
passed on, as did one of the great jazz tap dancing
stylists, Jimmy Slyde. Walt Dickerson was
one of the first vibraphonists to experiment with
the avant garde style of the 1960's, with recordings
on Prestige and Verve. Chicago saxist Franz
Jackson was perhaps the last remaining jazz
man who recorded before 1940, working with
Fletcher Henderson, and many others during his
Substance abuse problem?
Need to talk?
Please call:
Bobby Kent, LADAC
Licensed Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor
(615) 300-0036
30-year member of Locals 802/257
ALL CALLS ARE CONFIDENTIAL
. . . more news from the Jazz & Blues scene
career here and abroad.
In June, we lost bandleader-arranger Bill
Finegan who worked for Glenn Miller (of
"Little Brown Jug" and "Sunrise Serenade"
fame), Tommy Dorsey and others before forming
the classic Sauter-Finegan Orchestra (remember
“Doodletown Fifers” and “Nina Never
Knew”?). Blues guitarist and legend of early
rock'n'roll Bo Diddley, 79, died. And we must
remember Nashville trumpet man-producer
Danny Davis (see separate story in this issue).
Get out and celebrate our artists while they're
here. See you in the fall.

32 The Nashville Musician July-September 2008
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Notice: 2008 Annual Dues
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Members must pay their dues annually on or before Jan. 31. If dues are not paid
by Jan. 31, 2008, such member shall stand suspended. To reinstate after Jan.
31, and no later than March 31, such member shall pay a reinstatement fee of
$10, together with all dues, fines and assessments. After March 31, such member
shall be expelled. To reinstate after expulsion, a reinstatement fee of $25,
together with all dues, late fees and assessments must be submitted (ARTICLE
II, Section 3).
General Membership Meet • 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 at the Union!