Photo Spread: James Burton, Pete Huttlinger, Pickin’ On The Patio

Museum honors Burton with Nashville Cats Program
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum recently (7/23) honored James Burton in its quarterly Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians series. Throughout the program, which included rare recordings and videos, Burton discussed his experiences playing on the Louisiana Hayride, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Shindig. In addition to playing on thousands of recordings including “Susie-Q” (Dale Hawkins), “Mama Tried” (Merle Haggard), “Two More Bottles of Wine” (Emmylou Harris) and “Hello Mary Lou” (Ricky Nelson), Burton toured with John Denver, Harris, Nelson and Elvis Presley. He is also a pioneer of the “Bakersfield Sound” and helped popularize the “chicken picking” style of guitar playing.

Pete Huttlinger Returns To Nashville For All-Star Benefit

Pop icon John Oates welcomed guitarist Pete Huttlinger back to the stage after months of hospitalization at a benefit in his honor last week at Nashville’s Mercy Lounge. Among the evening’s highlights were performances by Vince Gill, Baillie & The Boys, Alyssa Bonagura, Jeff Hanna, Mark Selby, Bill Lloyd, John Jorgenson, and Huttlinger’s step-daughter Sean Della Croce, whose mom is publicist Erin Morris Huttlinger.

Noted guitarist Huttlinger suffers from a congenital heart defect that has required the implantation of a heart pump while he awaits a heart transplant. Immediately following the Nashville benefit, Huttlinger returned to Texas Heart Institute in Houston where he is being treated until he can receive the new heart in Nashville. To make an online donation go to www.petehuttlinger.com.

Pete Huttlinger (L) and John Oates (R) perform a John Denver song at the recent benefit. Photo: Steve Lowry

WMG Pickin’ On The Patio
Warner Music Nashville hosted its signature Pickin’ On The Patio event last Thursday night, featuring Elektra Records’ country newcomer Dean Alexander and Fervent Records’ soulful new songstress Dara Maclean. The next Pickin’ On The Patio will be Aug. 25.

Pictured (L-R): Word Entertainment President and CEO Rod Riley, Dara Maclean, Dean Alexander and Warner Music Nashville President and CEO John Esposito