Songwriting Inspiration

It is always easy to get inspired as a songwriter living in Nashville. One thing to do is to go to one of the Songwriting Sessions they have at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. This time it was with Byron Hill, and if you are a country music fan, I know you have heard many of the songs he has written. Google/search Byron Hill on the web and see what you'll find ...

If you haven't searched/googled yet, here are some of the hits he has written: "Fool Hearted Memory" for George Strait, "Born Country" for Alabama, "High-Tech Redneck" for George Jones .... and there are more ... 

At The CMA Luncheon

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the CMA luncheon at the Country Music Hall of Fame with my husband and we were present at a historic moment. The Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees were presented and interviewed by Ms. Brenda Lee. 

At the table we sat at, family members of one inductee, the late A-team Nashville session player Grady Martin, were sitting. Look his name up on the web, you will be pleasantly surprised at the mark he has made in Country Music history. Brenda Lee interviewed his son.

The other inductees of the Class of 2015 are The Oak Ridge Boys and Jim Ed Brown & The Browns. All high class musicians and entertainers without question. P-E-R-I-O-D.

Brenda Lee on the stage (in the middle) interviewing Jim Ed Brown and The Browns (to the left) and The Oak Ridge Boys (to the right).

One and a half week before anyone else ...

Living in Nashville has its perks. Like for instance taking the opportunity to go and listen to a live interview at the CMHOF and Museum where Marty Stuart told Scott Goldman about how he was led to start playing the mandolin listening to blues. He also told the story of how he ended up co-writing a song with Johnny Cash only four days before the music icon passed away. They were neighbors and Mr. Stuart went over to J.R as he called him - from time to time to keep him company and that particular day he approached J.R with an idea he had and they finished the song in five minutes.

Marty Stuart signing a CD for Kriz.

Marty Stuart and Kriz.

I am now an owner of this CD one and a half week before its actual release. It has two CDs where one has Saturday Night songs on it and the other Sunday Morning (inspirational) songs. It's easy to hear the bluesy undertones in Marty's music that he was influenced by growing up in Mississippi. The CD is going to be available to the public on September 30, 2014.

Scott Goldman - Vice President of the Grammy Foundation and Music Cares - interviewing Marty Stuart at the Ford Theater, CMHOF and Museum, Nashville, TN.

The Best Answer I've Ever Heard

The question: "What do you think about today's country music?"

The answer is Jim Lauderdale's: "You can't judge country music by what's currently popular."

Meaning that music genres constantly evolve. He also pointed out that rock music is not the same today as it was when it started out. What is popular always changes. My addition: Looking at country music as a whole, think about how rich it is with different sub-genres to meet (almost) everyone's taste.

Jim Lauderdale at the Country Music Hall Of Fame's Songwriter's Session July 12, 2014

Jim Lauderdale and yours truly (Kriz Rogers).