Pictured (L-R): Singer/Songwriter and GRAMMY Nominee Will Hoge; Susan Stewart, South Regional Director, The Recording Academy; MCA Recording Artist Kip Moore; Suzanne Alexander, GAC host and Nashville Chapter Board member; Shawn McSpadden of Red Light Management. Photo by Frederick Breedon
If you lifted your face into the spring breeze, gazed at the community of music people gathered around you and listened to the fabulous sounds wafting from the stage, you would be perfectly justified in thinking you were in the exact best place in the universe yesterday evening at the Grammy Block Party.
“Thank you, everybody, for being out on a beautiful day in Nashville,” said Mayor Karl Dean at the annual event (May 14). He really is the Music Mayor, the first one to graduate from Leadership Music, the first one to convene a Mayor’s Music Council and the first one to oversee a Music Makes Us education initiative. He said the Recording Academy’s Nancy Shapiro was the force behind the last named.
Mayor Dean also stated that this year, Nashville has been cited as a boom town, been called the “It” city and heralded as one of the four top cities in the world to visit.
“The Grammy nominations concert was a big moment,” he added, “But the one that means the most to me is that Rolling Stone said we were the best music scene in America. It’s a great city, and I thank you.”
“We do this event for you, our members,” said Recording Academy Nashville director Susan Stewart. “We’re proud to be part of this community.”
Jon Randall Stewart (no relation) is the current president of the Nashville Chapter board. “I hope everybody’s having a good time,” he said. We were. He described the good work done by the chapter’s MusiCares office. Event coordinator Alicia Warwick thanked the many sponsors.
As I mentioned, the music was extraordinary. Kristen Kelly, The Megaphones and Southern rockers The Rhett Walker Band heated things up. Will Hoge was triumphantly soulful during a set that included his much-nominated “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” New country sensation Kip Moore and terrific Americana music makers The Lone Bellow were booked to cap the festivities.
Oweing to the perfect weather, women were in their spring frocks, lightweight blouses and sun dresses. Gents were attired in short-sleeved sport shirts, polos, Hawaiian tops or t-shirts.
Everywhere you looked in the crowd, there was a talented Somebody. Schmoozing fabulons included Doug Howard, Rod Essig, Tracy Gershon, Dan Hill, Jay Frank, the band Stovall, Allen Brown, Trey Fanjoy, Lisa Harless, Steve O’Brien, Bob Paxman, Walter Campbell and Marc Oswald. I don’t know if he was kidding or not, but Chuck Ainlay maintained that May 14 is Studio Engineers Day. “We should throw a party,” he suggested, gesturing at his surroundings.
The event was staged at Owen Bradley Park and on Music Square East. The space is the “back door” of ASCAP and the “front door” of BMI. Working the “room” were Becky Harris, Chris Keaton, Charles Dorris, Ed Salamon, Doak Turner, r&b record makers Jo Carter and Jonathan Winstead, Dave Pomeroy, John Grady, Frank Liddell, Joe Scaife, Kyle Frederick, Brian Kolb, former Detroit Tigers baseball standout and now Music City singer-songwriter Andy Kropf, Bob Doyle, Fletcher Foster, Dan Dailey, Doug Casmus, Matt Singleton, Misty Loggins, Cindy Watts, Leslie Roberts, Not Just Country Nashville TV producer Michael West, Rich Fagan, Lori Badgett, Raeanne Rubenstein, Erika Wollam-Nichols, Sarah Skates, jazzman and percussionist Marcus Finnie, John Ingrassia, Chandra LaPlume, Pat McMakin, Earle Simmons, Steve Griel, Diane Pearson and Gary Paczosa.
Not to mention such Recording Academy Nashville staffers as Ashley Ernst, Laura Crawford and Lyn Aurelius, intern Casey Elliott, who was/is as enthusiastic about The Lone Bellow as I am. Which proves she has good taste. Former Grammy U Nashville rep Bryan Downing reports that he has left Combustion Music and is freelancing as a guitar man, notably in the band of “Gunnar” (Sam Palladino) on the TV show Nashville. Look for him in tonight’s episode on bass.
Category: Artist, Featured, Organizations
