PRESS RELEASE: The Katalyst Band's Extraordinary 2009

The Katalyst Band's Extraordinary 2009


Nashville, TN - December 30, 2009 - The guys of The Katalyst Band have had an extraordinary 2009. The band released their first single, "Searching," performed on the ICM Awards, and have worked closely with live music producer, Tom Jackson. They ended the year with a showcase on December 3rd, which took place at Wildhorse Saloon, downtown Nashville. Several music industry professionals came out to hear the band play and left very impressed with what they heard.

The next single by The Katalyst Band, "Woah Oh," penned by lead singer Jordan Wood, will be released in early January. The guys felt that this song embodies what Katalyst stands for. They always seek to focus their intentions on bringing glory and praise to our Heavenly Father. It speaks of their walk and how others may view Christians from time to time, but their purpose and goal is to encourage others to find joy in their worship.

Meanwhile, "Searching" has been chosen to be included on a compilation disc distributed by Texas Tech to each incoming freshman for 2010. There are 4-5 thousand freshmen each year at Texas Tech. The song was chosen out of several hundred other entrants for this slot.

For more info on The Katalyst Band, check out www.myspace.com/thekatalystband.


Check out some pictures from the showcase at Wildhorse saloon:

Photo Credits: Bev Moser
L-R Kenny Rodgers (Word Records), Will Boreing, Ryan Garza, Seth Ramirez, Steven Shedd, Jordan Wood, and John Ozier (Curb Records)

The Katalyst Band with Celeste Winstead (Slanted Records), Norman Holland (Daywind Records), and Gene Higgins (President/Founder, HMG Nashville/Power Source)
The Katalyst Band with Gene Higgins (President/Founder, HMG Nashville/Power Source) and Ken Harding (President of New Haven Records)
The Katalyst Band with Michael Turner (Daywind Records) and Brian Smith (Turning Point Media Relations)



ADAM FISHER INTERVIEW


I recently met a young man who like so many in Nashville aspires to be a big country music star; but this young man stands apart from the others. Adam Fisher the day we sat down to chat, was dressed in all black; unique leather jacket and had a look all his own with very blue eyes and coal black hair. We visited about how he got started in is musical career and we talked about his dreams of making it big.

It is no secret that Elvis Presley played a big part in making Adam who he is today. As a young child he often would dress and act as Elvis, complete with the hip-shaking moves and smooth style of “The King”. When Adam was thirteen, a music teacher asked him to entertain at local church function where he sang “That’s Alright Momma” and the dream took hold; from that point on he entertained for many other events and entered countless contests honing his skills as an Elvis Impersonator and forming the roots to pursue music as a career. Stella Parton was on hand at a performance in Memphis, and since has been working with him to further his dreams and hone his skills as an artist.

“Cotton Town” is hitting the radio airwaves and been received well by the industry and fans as it pulls on the emotional heartstrings of growing up in a small farming town and taking trips down memory lane. Currently in the process of writing and recording the songs for his upcoming CD, Adam is excited to get on tour and perform, that is where is passion lives. His voice combines the deep baritone vocals with smooth and easy lyrics; which alone sets him apart from many other artists, but add the flavor and resonance of the influential tunes of Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Dave Matthews, The Black Crowes and Shooter Jennings intertwined with Adam’s style and you have something fresh, new, exciting and different on today’s country music scene.

When asked which stage in Music City he was most excited about performing on, he did not hesitate to answer, “The Ryman”. Adam choose to follow his heart to Nashville and never finished college, so he made a promise to his dad, that his performance on the Ryman stage would replace the degree had he completed his formal education.

Currently signed with Lofton Creek Records, Adam is busy networking in Music City and getting his name out there. He recently participated in the “Christmas for Kids Bus Tour & Charity Fundraiser” where he signed autographs and met with new fans for over three hours as they toured the “STARS” tour busses at a Wal-Mart in Hendersonville, TN.

Keep your ears open and be on the look out for this up and coming new star. I think 2010 will have a whole new feel in country music once his project is complete and Adam hits the scene full force.

For more information on Adam Fisher visit http://www.adamfisherlive.com/

Charlie Daniels Q & A "Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas"

Charlie Daniels recently welcomed music industry executives and media outlet representatives who were invited to a private reception at BMI to preview the legendary musician’s latest project, Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas

Prior to the DVD viewing party, media was given an opportunity to ask questions of Charlie and interact with his management team in regards to the project and Charlie Daniels music career.

Introduction by David Corlew President/Co owner at Blue Hat Records/Corlew Music Group: I have worked for Charlie for 38 years. We need to thank BMI for allowing us to have this space and thanks to Koch Records. Chuck Rhodes has compiled a series of three records called Christmas Grass. With the fourth one, Chuck wanted to step it up a level and have a center point in the project. Charlie Daniels is the center point. On this special project a lot of other artists that joined us and it is different in the fact that we let the artists do whole songs rather than being a duets record. It was fun doing the CD and then we offered them the opportunity to shoot it for the DVD which compliments the CD. Without further ado, I would like to introduce my boss, Charlie Daniels.

CD: This project was presented to me as “do you want to do a Bluegrass Christmas album”. I cut my teeth on Bluegrass music. The first band I ever played in was Bluegrass; I have always loved Bluegrass music and wanted to do this project. One of my goals was to do songs that were not normally thought of as Bluegrass songs. For instance “The Christmas Song” that Dan Tyminski did such an incredible job of singing on. If you hear Nat King Cole or Mel Torme singing it, you wouldn’t think of it as Bluegrass. We did “Joy to the World” and “Come All Ye Faithful”. I just picked the songs at random, some were my favorites and others just felt like they fit. I want to say that personally for myself, it was a joyous project and I got to work with a bunch of great folks. I appreciate each of you who accepted my invitation to join us today and welcome you to ask me questions.


Q: With the growing popularity of Bluegrass music, do you think this album will have an international appeal?

CD: I certainly hope so, I don’t really know. I am not really that familiar with the Bluegrass position in the international market but we certainly hope so. It is going to have a chance to.

Q: In shooting the DVD in the summer time, how did you get in the mood?

CD: In the music business, you have to adapt to situations like that, pretend it was Christmas time. We had a big long stage that we set everyone up on. We put Christmas trees and decorations on it. When you walked in, you walked into a Christmas scene that put you into the Christmas frame of mind. The music, when you get into playing it, you get lost in it. I am a big fan of the people that worked on this project. Just standing there listening to Kathy Mattea sing or the Grascals was great.

Q: How did you decide who you wanted on the album?

CD: We sent out invitations. One thing that comes into play with a project like this is schedules. During the high touring time of the year, you have to work out the schedules, work out the song, then work out the key and then lay out the project. Basically, I picked the songs out. The philosophy was that if no one wanted to do these songs, I would sing them myself. We did a lot of the tracks and someone would pick that song. There was no rhyme or reason for any of the songs, they were not Bluegrass songs but could be done as Bluegrass songs.

Q: Was there anyone on this album that you worked with for the first time?

CD: Dan Tyminski. There is a little story that goes with that. I am a big Mac Wiseman fan. I had a vision of Mac Wiseman singing “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire”. I asked him if he knew the song and would he be willing to do it. I asked him what key he wanted us to do the track in since Mac’s voice is very high. He sings way above anyone else. In between the time we got the track done and time for him to do the vocal on it, he had a terrible accident. He was almost bedridden and was not able to do the vocal on it. I had this beautiful track with twin fiddles, it was one of my dreams, and I was stuck with it. People told me to do it as an instrumental but I couldn’t see it that way. I couldn’t sing it; it was too high for me. Then Angela in the office said to get Dan Tyminski. I thought “Yeah, that makes sense”. So they got in touch with him and he said yes. He did it and just killed it. He made no big deal out of it and it is a hard song to sing. I do it in my show every year in a different key but he just killed it. He did a great job on it. I met him and made an new friend. He is a tremendously talented guy. I am really happy and proud to have him on it.

Q: Do you think you will be adding a Bluegrass element to your traditional Christmas show?

CD: Not particularly. We do Christmas music every year, we have shows that are billed as Christmas shows starting around the first of December but if we did all Christmas music and didn’t do “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” and didn’t do “Long Haired Country Boy” and we didn’t do “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” and we didn’t do other songs that people are familiar with, people would be very disappointed with us. What we do is intermingle Christmas with our regular show.

Q: What age group do you see in your autograph lines?

CD: Come and see! We would love to have you there. We have people of all ages, little kids, a few teenagers and older people and older than that people. We are in our third generation of fans. We have been blessed enough that the little guys like, like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” and “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” that they get indoctrinated with. I have a special section in my fan club called the “Century Club”. It is when you have attended 100 shows, think about that, when you have attended 10 shows a year for 10 years, or 5 shows for 20 years, I give you a belt buckle and a certificate. I don’t have a count on now many of those things we have given out, but it is quite a few. People have come to see us since we have been in existence, nearly 40 years.

Q: You mentioned there were several songs that were not particularly Bluegrass. Was there one that was more challenging than others?

CD: “The Christmas Song”. There are a lot of chords in that song and it is not something you would think about being played on Bluegrass instruments. I wanted to do twin fiddles on it, which we did but I didn’t play on it. That was one of my challenges. I was thinking about Mac doing and it would work. I said “we can make this work” and I took a fiddle and goofed around with it to get an idea which way to go with it. We went in and cut it, Dan came in and sang it and did a tremendous job.

Q: Another unusual one in here, “Carolina Christmas Carol”, how did that come to be?

CD: “Carolina Christmas Carol”. I wrote a book of short stories years back and that happened to be one of them. My son asked me years ago, “why don’t you read that on Christmas eve night when we get together with family and friends”? I thought that was a good idea. I always do the St. Luke’s version of the Christmas story, the classic King James version that Luke wrote. That is part of our tradition on Christmas eve. I had recorded these things for some reason, I don’t remember why but we had them. It was David that said put them on the album. We put a little guitar behind it and put it on the album. The story is totally fictitious of course but it is a little bit semi-autobiographical with some of the memories I had of Christmas from back when I believed in Santa Claus, and I still do by the way. St. Luke’s Christmas story is what it is all about, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. That is what Christmas is all about.

Q: Congratulations for “Christmas for Kids” selling out.

CD: I know that all of you know the story behind this. It was started by the drivers of the artist buses and the Nashville music community has taken this to heart. So many of them show up every year, Phil Vassar, Chris Young, Gretchen Wilson and Brad Arnold will be coming to put on a show with us. It is a show with a heart and we are very proud of it and will continue to do it as long as we can.

Q: What is up next after the Christmas project?

CD: I have decided to just take my time and record stuff when it seems like the right thing to do. I have done three tracks so far, I may do one track the next time, I may do two tracks, until we get whatever we need to release a CD or download or however. I am just going to record and pile stuff up and see where it goes. I probably will do some songs I didn’t write, probably more songs I didn’t write on this project than any other project I have done except for some classics like the hymn album I did.

Q: You have had such an affect on people for so long and the effects are now showing up on things like the CMA award show. Any comments on the Zac Brown band?

CD: I think it is wonderful that he did that. I was flying to Seattle Washington and was in the air and missed it. It has been sent to me on YouTube. I had heard his version before and I knew he was going to do it on the show that night but I didn’t see it live. I feel wonderful about it. I got an award from BMI that this song has played on the air 4 million times.

Thank you very much ladies and gentleman, I truly appreciate all you do and have done for me over the years. With that said, I would like to welcome each of your to join us for some refreshments and move into the theatre to view the DVD of “A Bluegrass Christmas” and see for yourself what all of the excitement is about.

For more information on Charlie Daniels visit www.charliedaniels.com

Compassion International Awareness Concert

On Wednesday, December 2 several of Nashville’s country and pop artists performed for a standing room only crowd at Music City’s Mercy Lounge, with the goal of raising funds and awareness for the Global Food Crisis Fund, an initiative of Compassion International, a leading Christian child advocacy ministry. All proceeds from the benefit went towards assisting children and families affected by the global crisis, specifically in the most needed areas of the world where Compassion serves.

Artists supporting the cause and giving unselfishly of their time and talent included Tammy Cochran, Sixpence None The Richer’s Leigh Nash, Carter’s Chord, Julie Roberts, Bryan White, Blaine Larsen, Rob Blackledge, Mica Roberts, Trailer Choir, Canaan Smith, Charmaine, Natalie Hemby, Alathea and other special guests. Radio veterans Tony Randall and Kris Rochester from the new national syndicated morning show “Tony and Kris in the Morning” hosted the heart touching event.

Mike Severson organized the event and also serves as Artist and Radio Relations for Compassion International. “We have taken several of these artists on Compassion trips to see the work being done to rescue children from poverty and give them hope,” said Severson. “Every artist upon return wanted to do something relevant to make a direct impact on the lives of the world’s most vulnerable. As we began to talk about long term strategies, there was an overwhelming consensus to put their passion and talent to immediate use in a way that will not only help those in critical need, but also raise awareness of that need. That’s what this show is all about.”

“Compassion has been involved within the music industry for over 30 years and now is forming partnerships within the country and pop formats,” Severson continued. “Artists have such a powerful voice and Compassion provides a platform where they can truly make a life changing impact whether it is through our holistic Child Development Program or one of our intervention programs such as the Global Food Crisis Fund.”

Bryan White has recently released a podcast (http://www.givmusic.com/2009/11/bryan-white-givmusic-podcast/ ) about his involvement with Compassion and says "We have constant defining moments throughout our life where we can either walk away or respond. For me, one of the defining moments, as far as figuring out what I really wanted to do in life, was make an impact apart from the nation I lived in," White explains. "I had always dreamed of looking beyond here as well and I was fortunate enough to go on a trip to Ecuador a couple of years ago with Spence, my friend, with Compassion. That is really what changed my life and made me 100% get involved with Compassion."

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from economic, social, spiritual, and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled adults. Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care. Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 26 countries.


Go to www.compassion.com for more information.

Additional photos of the event can be seen on Digital Rodeo at http://www.digitalrodeo.com/DRPhotos/photos/album/CompassionInternational
or on http://www.flickr.com/photos/momentsbymoser/sets/72157622944598074

CERRITO "All I Want For Christmas Is Beer"



Music Industry executives, artists and friends gathered at Cummins Station on Thursday December 3rd to kick off the holidays in good spirit with CERRITO bringing the “Beer”. PLA Media and Blanchard Management Group (BMG) hosted the intimate gathering to celebrate the release of the fun new tune just in time for the Holiday Season.

Entertainment was provided by CERRITO, who mingled throughout the crowd while he sang encouraging guests to sing along with him and also bringing several to the “stage” to dance as CERRITO put forth a flamboyant display of dance moves.

Internationally renowned singer/songwriter CERRITO is now drawing an interest among American audiences with this whimsical and comical song, "All I Want For Christmas Is BEER!" The song was written by John Mathis, Jr. (the son of "Country" Johnny Mathis who wrote hits for Johnny Paycheck, Ray Price, George Jones and others).

CERRITO is also working on the first country bilingual collaboration project, “CERRITO y Las Chicas de Country (CERRITO and the Girls of Country)” with country songbirds Lynn Anderson, Lane Brody, Jett Williams (daughter of country music icon Hank Williams), Janie Fricke, Elizabeth Cook and more. Watch for this project to be released in 2010.

Additional photos of the event can be viewed at Digital Rodeo photos at http://www.digitalrodeo.com/DRPhotos/photos/album/CerritoAllIWantForChristmasIsBeerReleaseParty

Listen for this holiday hit on your local station this season or download it at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody or Napster.

For more information on CERRITO, visit www.CERRITOmusic.com

INTERVIEW: Bryan White "Dustbowl Dreams"

Taking some time off to get away from the craziness of being on the road, Bryan White found his identity, not only as an artist and a songwriter, but also as a human being. When asked what he hopes to accomplish with this new album, he smiles confidently and says, "I am looking forward to this next chapter of my career as I have plenty more to say with my music." Inspired by his ancestors, his heritage, and pride, White is determined to once again make an impact with his music and use his platform for the greater good. Never forgetting his stellar past, he looks ahead with confidence, determination, and much anticipation to a future filled with more dreams; “Dustbowl Dreams”.
Bryan and I visited recently about the time off, his family and the music that has been and continues to be such an important part of who he is.
Bev: Bryan this project is amazing! It’s been a while since you have released an album, how long has it been since your last one.

Bryan: Well, thank you I appreciate that! I guess since the last full on studio commercial record, it has been a while. We released a greatest hits in 2000/2001 and from there it’s been a lot of EP’s and other things here and there along the way. I took a much needed break. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to handle continuing on with another couple years. I knew I was at that threshold where I kind of needed to step away and re-group and do some serious soul searching. I really wanted to get back what I really enjoy out of life and be around people I love and for a long time I was feeling sort of cut off from my family back home, and I’m sure they felt like that too in a lot of was. It was like “Wow, we’re never going to get to see him again, he’s subject to the industry” and it was really much needed time off. Some of it was forced and some of it was instigated by the record label that went under. My fourth studio album was not as well received and for whatever reason it all happened for a reason and I’m so glad it did because the results of taking that time off are far more valuable than having if I had stayed. I’ve got two beautiful kids to look at every day and I can say I’m a dad now; I’ve dreamed of that my whole life. My wife and I are doing better than we ever have and we’re doing things at a pace we can handle and life is good. It’s nice to finally have a project that is transparent and for the first time in my life be 100% honest to just write about what was going on in my life.

Bev: Transparent is a very good word, you can tell that this is a very personal album for you. What time span is represented in the writing of the material on this album?

Bryan: I wrote all but two songs on this project. I would say over a course of a two to four year period all the songs happened. It’s funny when you’re making a record at your own pace, there’s good and bad about that; the good is you’re doing it at a comfortable pace, but at the same time you never know when to quit. You have got to be the boss, you have to put a cap on it, you have to stick a fork in it at some point and for me, being a songwriter, the whole process is kind of tough; when I thought I was wrapping it up I’d write with somebody and end up writing a song thinking “wow this is really cool, we’ve got to put this on the record”. That tacks on another couple months and in some ways it is the curse of being in charge. Being a songwriter you always feel like the latest thing you wrote is the best.

Bev: Is this the first time you have recorded anything with Steve Wariner?

Bryan: Actually I’ve done a lot of things with Steve. The first thing I did was when he asked me to play drums on his first instrumental album, and that album was called “No More Mister Nice Guy”. It was his last record for Arista. He and I also did a duet called “Talk To Her Heart”; I think it was on his “Two Teardrops” album. It wasn’t released as a single, but it was just an album cut on the record. There was a big hoopla among the people at my label at the time, they sort of messed up a beautiful moment for me as it was the first time I was getting to do a duet with a hero and I forget the actual reason, but it was something like they didn’t want to confuse buyers or my fans or some kind of weird industry thing like that; it ended up being where my name is not on the song at all. I’m not even credited on the album. I have to really think about what the situation was, but it was something completely absurd but it kind of ruined it for me. It was a really great experience and I wasn’t really able to celebrate it. I think that was part of my wanting to do something with Steve again; knowing he and I were at a place where we weren’t traveling a lot, I knew I wouldn’t have such a tough of a time pinning him down. I could do it the way I wanted to do it.

Bev: I know he has always been a big inspiration and hero of yours. It is also a very fun song, written by Bob DePiero, another person I personal admire. I know this will be a hard question, but of all the songs on the CD, is one more personal to you or your favorite? I know a lot of them are close to you, but which one do you think is the most?

Bryan: I would probably have to say “Dust Bowl Dreams”, there’s something about that song that brings the full circle together. All the songs on this project are very personal to me, but that one is the most. The only way I can describe that song, is it is the most personal thing I’ve ever written and who knows I may write one that’s better down the road, but as of right now if I wanted someone to know who I was, that one would be a great one to represent who I was.

Bev: There is the auctioneer you hear on the CD and in the liner notes it says Wilford White, how is he related to you?

Bryan: That’s my grandpa. He passed away about three years ago and he was really my father figure. I really looked up to him and he was really my hero; still is my hero and just kind of the epitome of what I think a man is. He loved his kids and loved his grandkids, would work his butt off and didn’t take no for an answer. He was an auctioneer all his life and sold cattle at the Oklahoma City stockyards for thirty plus years. I guess you’d call him a legend in Oklahoma City. He’s a celebrity who used to give the cattle market report every morning on a TV show called Good Morning Oklahoma. I used to hear my grandpa every morning as I was getting ready for school. It was really cool. There should be a cartoon made based around him. He was such a jolly old kind of guy. He made a big impression on everybody around him and I want to be like that, so this is my chance to. I had that recording of him competing in St. Paul, Minn. at the world livestock auctioneers championship in 1981. The song he is on is one of the biggest songs about Oklahoma and you’ve got one of the biggest stars in the world part of it. I’m speaking about Vince Gill.

Bev: Is the song in some sense a tribute to your grandpa?

Bryan: Yes, absolutely. It obviously a badge of honor as far as the subject matter goes. That song for me is really my identity; at the same time I really pay tribute to the kind of man I look up to the most and the guy who makes me most proud to be an Oklahoman.

Bev: Did he ever teach you how to do the calling and the auctioneer type thing? Did you ever pick up on that?

Bryan: He did! I’m not great at it and I’m sure in some ways he probably wondered why I didn’t jump on that and try to pursue that. I didn’t really have a passion for it. I was always fascinated by it. I’ll tell you a funny story, one time in an interview, I think it was Regis and Kathy Lee, for some reason they had read a bio that talked about my grandpa being an auctioneer and Regis was asking me about it. Before I came out on stage, they said do you mind if we ask you some stuff about auctioneering and I panicked because I was thinking “Oh God is he going to ask me to auctioneer on national television!?” I thought we were here to sing you know and so I freaked out and I called my grandpa and woke up him up at six o’clock in the morning and I asked what do I do if he asks me to auctioneer, I don’t know how to mock auctioneer, if there is something up that I’m trying to sell its ok, I get that, it’s easier to do, but to do it off the cuff it made me panic and he sort of walked me through it and he said don’t think about impressing people, but think about the value of whatever it is you are going to try to sell and take it slow. Just don’t get in a big hurry and to me, still to this day think it was a disaster. I wish he would’ve never asked me about it and he would’ve just asked what’s your next single coming out or something! But it is one of those times that I definitely remember, but I don’t credit myself to be an auctioneer, no.

Bev: Did they actually ask you to do that on air?

Bryan: Yes they did! Not one of my finer, shining moments in life.

Bev: What was it you were trying to sell?

Bryan: Well, you know how Regis is and what kind of guy he is, everything is moving so fast and he said “can you do that bud, can you auction something off?” While I started to explain what auctioneering is all about he didn’t want to hear that, he wanted to hear some chatter, he wanted to hear a chant. And I went in to this like I’m going to show you how this works kind of thing and it didn’t come across real well because he’s kind of like start’s yelling and it was like he was at an auction you know and I don’t know…it was funny.

Bev: Changing the subject a little, are you addicted to the social networking and into Myspace, Facebook and Twitter?

Bryan: Absolutely! I’m a tweeter and I’m on twitter all the time. I’ve been doing this for a couple years now and my wife will roll her eyes and look at me like what are you doing and I’d be like well I’m just kind of twittering so the fans know what I’m doing and stuff like that; and then all of a sudden Brad Pitt’s on Larry King Live talking about Twitter and then she’s looking over at me going “Oh God they’re all doing it now!” So it’s so funny, but I love it, I think it’s cool. I think the greatest thing for me is to let your fans and the people that like what you do feel like they’re a little bit closer to you and vice versa. I can share my thoughts and simple things such as, I’m going to the studio or I’m going to write, you know and just little things like that. It’s neat to be able to communicate with people that way and yet somewhat be private about what you do.

Bev: Let’s talk a little bit about your awards and your accomplishments. You’ve gotten so many of them; what are you shooting for now?

Bryan: When I wake up every day the most important thing for me is that I want to be a good dad. I want to be a good husband. I want to be those first because to me that is going to be my legacy in life, but as far as accolades and awards, I don’t find myself thinking too much about them. My wife sometimes will say things like, with all the things we’ve been through in the last ten years when you win your next award we are going to be bawling, and I think she throws those thoughts in there sometimes to keep me shooting for them. Awards are great and they broaden your horizon, but as far as a short term goal I’m just really hoping “The Little Things” does well. It’s a great song. My focus now is to try and promote this single to the Nth degree and do the best I can to make this project a success. That is my short term goal. I’m a record producer, a writer and a singer. I would love to try and produce other acts, develop new artists and give back some of what the industry has given to me; I would say that’s a good long term goal.

Bev: Are you on a label or are you doing this as an independent?

Bryan: I am on a label and it is independent; it’s called Just A Pup records.

Bev: What all are you doing to promote the CD besides interviews?

Bryan: I’m doing a lot. I did a pre-listen radio show in Chattanooga, and I’m doing a lot of that type of intimate listener exposure, we’re doing dates here and there to promote the single, but a lot of press, TV and similar things to get the word out. Twitter and Facebook allows me to really reach out and promote as well and I’m grateful for those outlets too.

Bev: Are you going to do any videos to go with these songs?

Bryan: There is a video on my website and Myspace. I’m connected to a company called GIP Music it allows a portion of all of our sales to go to something I really believe in and all the artists that are involved with GIP music can get involved. The video is actually on that website as well. We also just did a video for “The Little Things”.

Bev: That kind of lead me into my next question, I was going to ask if you were involved in any charity projects right now.

Bryan: The organization that I most strongly support at this point in my life is called Compassion International. It is a child advocacy program a lot like World Vision. They allow you to be involved in a child’s life by helping them with their finances and helping them with food, clothing and education. For me, kids are everything, especially now looking through the lens of fatherhood. It’s something that’s most important in my life, not to be really cliché but it all really starts with kids. I have had the opportunity to go on one trip with the organization and it really changed my life. I went to Ecuador and I got to meet our very first sponsor child which completely wrecked me. It was just absolutely awesome to have an experience like that. I really got to see what they do first hand and it’s really simple. The thing that blows my mind is what we spend monthly on things like Starbucks and all the little small things we spend money on. Compassion won’t let us spend more than thirty eight dollars a month, and really that is nothing but at the same time it is the very least we can do from a humanity perspective.

Bev: How old are your kids now?

Bryan: Four and one is about to be six.

Bev: What has been one thing that maybe the kids have done or said to you, that has inspired something musically you would had never done if they had not said or done that?

Bryan: Oh wow…that’s a tough one. This probably doesn’t answer your question, but I remember where I had two or three really great ideas come out when they were really really young and I was rocking them. I had a glider and I did so much praying, thinking and all those kind of things when I was rocking them to sleep; so many ideas came out of my gratitude. I think it is when you sit down and sit still for a moment that you start to hear things a little better and life gets a little clearer in those still moments.

Bev: I know they are still very young, but do you see them following your footsteps? Or maybe do you see them in acting following Erika’s more?

Bryan: I can tell that they are both going to be very creative and blessed in a lot of those areas. They have that thing when you hear them sing a certain song where you can tell they have pretty good control of it at their age and they hear things really well. As far as acting, Erika says that our youngest definitely has all the traits. At any random moment, he’s got a new costume on or just kind of doing a new thing in the room by himself and he’ll say “you’re going to be this and I’m going to be this and I’ll stand over here and when you come in I’m going to…” he just directs the whole scene.

Bev: Do either of them play instruments yet?

Bryan: That’s another tough question. One day they’re playing guitar and the next day their messing with the drums, and then one day they’re in the piano room messing with the piano, so you know yes and no. There’s no way of telling which way they are going to gravitate towards next or to say any instrument has been mastered at this point.

Bev: No formal lessons as of yet?

Bryan: Not yet.

Bev: Bryan, I think we could talk for hours when it comes to kids and music, but I need to wrap this up for now. I have enjoyed this time with you and always have enjoyed your music. I hope this album brings you the attention it deserves.

Bryan: Thanks so much, and I enjoyed talking with you too. I look forward to next time as well.


For more information on Bryan White visit http://www.bryanwhite.com/

INTERVIEW: Tammy Cochran "30 Something And Single"

Tammy Cochran is well known for her sentimental and heart touching songs such as “Angels in Waiting” which pulled on emotional heartstrings and now she has added another gem to her collection on her current music project called “30 Something And Single”. As an adoptive mother, Tammy has put together the words and music entwined with the emotions she found in her heart and soul as she went through the adoptive process. The end result is “Half the World Away (Shawn’s Song) a touching ballad about her new child.

Recently I visited with Tammy about the music, adoption and being on your own; both musically and as a single mom.


Bev: I am very excited to talk to you because I am also an adoptive mother of a four year old. It is exciting and very heart wrenching at times. During the adoptive process you never know what is going on.

Tammy: What is funny is I never realized how many people have been touched by adoption. Those who have adopted and those that have been adopted come up to you and tell you things and it is awesome.

Bev: I have experienced that when you tell someone that you have adopted a child, they seem to think you are a hero. I don’t look at myself that way and I would do it a hundred times over.

Tammy: I just wanted a family, I am not a hero.

Bev: Let’s talk about your new album “30 Something And Single”. This is your fourth album and second independent project; let’s talk the challenges and differences of being on a major label vs being on an independent. What do you like or dislike and what scares or doesn’t scare you?

Tammy: The huge difference is the financial backing with an independent versus a major label. Major labels have millions and millions of dollars to be able to do what you want to do. As an independent, you have to pick and choose what is the smartest thing to do with a fountain that does run dry. But I love the fact that there is more independence as far as being an artist and choosing what songs go on the album and choosing how you represent yourself as opposed to how someone else wants to represent you.

Bev: You have put “Angels in Waiting” back on this new album. What made you decide to do that?

Tammy: That song was on the first Sony album and I still receive emails from people wanting to buy that song. It wasn’t for sale anymore except for digital download and people wanted a hard copy of the album. My only choice, since it was out of print was to go ahead and re-record it. I still do a lot of Cystic Fibrosis benefits throughout the year; they always want that song available for their events and to auction off. It just seemed the smart thing to do. We did the new song with different instrumentation, we open with twin fiddles instead of Dobro, a little bit different but close to the original version.

Bev: The song you wrote for your son, you actually wrote it before you finalized the adoption process. Once you actually did have him, and you had the song, did the song make as much sense to you and did the song live up to being everything you thought the end result of the adoption should be?

Tammy: Oh definitely. Actually, when I started this adoption process in 2005, I was actually adopting a little girl from Guatemala. My facilitator got into some legal problems and ended up getting arrested for some illegal activities that she did. Because of the illegal activities that she did, it affected everyone’s adoptions that she was associated with. My adoption with that little girl ended but I believe everything happens for a reason. That little girl and Shawn were born a year and three days apart and it was like I was supposed to be there waiting for him to come along. When I wrote that song, I was in the process of adopting Shawn and all the legal things going on and the emotional roller coaster. One day I was told “we are so close to family court and bringing your baby home” and the next day they would say you are not even close to family court. It was like the worst soap opera you ever saw on TV. When I sat down to write the song, I started pouring everything into it. Shawn and I sing this song together; he is always saying “sing me my song”. It is everything. I am sad I had to go through the bad things but the outcome of having my son outweighs everything.

Bev: I can’t even imagine what you went through. Mine was so simple compared to yours but I went through every emotion possible thinking what if they back out. I knew the mother and I went through the whole pregnancy with her but still carried the fear of her backing out. During the whole adoption process, there are so many things that are nerve racking. I also have three children I gave birth too; which there are emotions that go along with natural childbirth too, but your story is so touching.

Tammy: It was definitely worth it. The song pays tribute to the birth mom, she pays the price. To give up a child is something I can’t imagine doing. I wanted to honor her in this song for the gift she has given.

Bev: Do you have any contact with the birth mom?

Tammy: I don’t have any contact with the birth mom. I have a picture of the birth Mom with my son and I have her name. So when he gets older, if he wants to track her down, that is up to him. He is definitely going back to Guatemala when he is about 15 years old and starts talking about those $300 pair of jeans.

Bev: Let’s switch gears and talk about the promotional aspect of the new CD. What avenues are you using to get the word out on the new project?

Tammy: The first single is “He Really Thinks He’s Got It”. We are getting ready to release it but I don’t know when yet. We are getting all our ducks in a row as far as radio. Again, being independent, it takes longer to do anything you want to do because you don’t a staff of a hundred people to help you, so we are working on it. I am trying to create awareness about the adoption song. I believe November was National Adoption Awareness Month so we did some press about that. I am still doing the Cystic Fibrosis fund raisers. I am out performing a lot; I do three months out of the year at the Alabama Theater in Myrtle Beach. As far as work goes, I definitely keep busy. It gets a little hard trying to do every aspect of the business instead of just going out there and singing.

Bev: Are you utilizing all the new internet media like Myspace, Twitter and Facebook?

Tammy: I am on Myspace and Facebook. I am on Twitter but I just started there and I have to tell you, I just don’t have enough time for all these social networks. I am also on Digital Rodeo. I know that so many of my friends are on these great networks and I can’t say enough good things about them, but just being one person, it is hard to maintain all of them.

Bev: What are you doing for fun when you are not working?

Tammy: I don’t really have a lot of time for “fun” fun. We go to the park and we go shopping and all that fun stuff, but as far as hobbies, my hobby is my son right now. I don’t have a fun social life right now. Everyone told me my life was going to change and I just rolled my eyes and said “yeah, yeah” but it does change.

Bev: With the economy as it is, are you trying to think outside the box? Have you come up with something that is not the “norm” for promotions to get your music out there?

Tammy: That is what we are working on now. We have some really great ideas that we don’t think have been done before, but it is time consuming. Things a major label would have done in two weeks, takes a team of three people months to get lined up. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is different enough to get noticed.

Bev: Do you have a personal a favorite on this CD?

Tammy: That is hard, they are all my “babies” and they are all my favorites for different reasons. Of course, Shawn’s song is one of my absolute favorites for obvious reasons. “He Really Thinks He’s Got It” is one of the top choices as well, because it shows my humorous side. Most people, when they think about my music, think about my serious songs like “Angels In Waiting”. They have never really seen me do my little sarcastic humor so I am really excited to be able to share that. Even though all the songs are country, some are more country than others, I like the variety. I get to sing different styles but still in the country genre.

Bev: You brought back Tammy Wynette’s song “Stand By Your Man”. What made you decide to put that one out this time around?

Tammy: You know Tammy Wynette is one of my all time favorites. I love the classic country sound and I love strong women of country music. She seems like the epitome of a strong woman. I do a couple of Tammy Wynette songs in my live show and I receive such a great reaction from the audience. It is one of my favorite songs so I wanted to be a little different and put one of those songs on the CD mixed in with the ones I have co-written.

Bev: Where can your new CD be purchased right now?

Tammy: On my website, www.tammycochranfans.com. Right now the CD “30 Something and Single” is only available online at the website and through CDbaby.com. We are working on distribution but that is going to take a little time.

Bev: It has been great visiting with you and look forward to seeing you again. Thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to talk with me about your life, your son and of course the music.

Tammy: My pleasure and I appreciate all you do. We need to get together soon and let the boys play, it would be fun to visit more about the adoptions and share the special moments it has given us.


For more information on Tammy Cochran visit www.tammycochranfans.com

PRESS RELEASE: Charlie Daniels

Digital Rodeo Joins Charlie Daniels At Media Day Event

(Nashville, TN – Nov. 30, 2009) Industry executives for online Country music lifestyle site and social network Digital Rodeo recently attended a special Charlie Daniels media day in support of the legendary musician’s latest project, Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas. Digital Rodeo was on hand to shoot content for its ongoing DRTV series, which offers viewers exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes content from award shows and concert performances, industry event access, coverage of release parties, fan club events and more. Pictured l to r: Digital Rodeo Director of Industry Relations Robert Reynolds, Daniels and Digital Rodeo Director of Marketing and Promotions John Pyne. Photo Credit: Bev Moser.

About DigitalRodeo.com:
DigitalRodeo.com is the premier country news, music and lifestyle site for country music fans everywhere. Community membership is free and offers fans and artists alike the opportunity to connect with each other, upload and download audio and video, watch exclusive DigitalRodeo.com content and stay updated on what’s happening in the world of country music. For more information, visit www.DigitalRodeo.com.

INTERVIEW: Jeff Cook

Tis the Season and there is something new on Jeff Cook’s list he wants listeners and fan’s to add to their wish list. Cook, a two-time GRAMMY winner and multi-platinum selling founding member of Country Music powerhouse Alabama, is pulling out all the stops with the upcoming release of his first ever solo Christmas album, Christmas Joy.
The ten track album will feature several tried-and-true classic Holiday hits including “Run, Run Rudolph” and “Away In A Manger” as well as original Alabama material rerecorded by Cook. Legendary Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famers The Ventures join Cook, a Country Music Hall of Famer himself, on the project’s title cut, “Christmas Joy.” Jeff and I had an opportunity to visit about his excitement creating this project and visit about a few of the special aspects of the CD.

Bev: I know you have completed the Christmas album and you are very excited for the release. Tell me in your own words what this project meant to you.
Jeff: I wanted to do a Christmas album for some time; but I wanted to find songs that weren’t played as much as others. I didn’t want to pick songs people are tired of hearing and while looking, came across a new one called, “Christmas Joy”. It was written by Don Wilson. Another one that I don’t think has gotten a lot of airplay is called “Rock and Roll Guitar”. I also asked my my wife to sing on a couple songs, “Away in a Manger” and “Please Come Home for Christmas”. I can’t recall ever hearing a female do that song, so that was a little bit of a twist.
Bev: I know you have a great recording studio in AL, did you record them all there?
Jeff: Everything but part of “Christmas Joy”, which is the title track was recorded there.
Bev: Did you do the producing and all of the studio work?
Jeff: Yes, I produced everything. I guess you could say I co-produced Christmas joy.
Bev: What are you doing for promotions? Are you out touring and getting the word out using the online social media outlets?
Jeff: I’m only utilizing the online sites right now for this projectand it is going to about 900 radio stations or so to get some new music out there. Hopefully they will get requests from the fans and listeners to continue playing it; I’ve got some positive responses on it.
Bev: Do you have a favorite on the album?
Jeff: Well I tell you, I started this project with “Rock n Roll Guitar” because I thought it should be redone. I had to bring in the toys and everything you know. I guess when I did that it gave me the feeling to put some more tracks together on a CD.
Bev: I know you mentioned your wife, but is there anybody else that sings on it with you?
Jeff: Just that one with “Mickey Santa”.
Bev: Do you have anything that you will be doing that is out of the box as Christmas gets closer? Joining anybody on tour, promoting or doing anything of that nature?
Jeff: I won’t be touring. In fact I just have one show between now and Christmas because I am going to have a knee replacement first part of December. We have a lot of things that are just under the radar to get done as quick as I get over this in the later part of January.
Bev: How about anything else, I know you mentioned travel to me. Are you out singing and performing now?
Jeff: Well actually I’m going to be doing about three songs to track tonight and a speech and Q & A thing out with Alabama for educators and teachers and such.
Bev: Do you still go out and do a lot of promotional or educational events?
Jeff: It seems like I’m doing interviews everyday, in some way or another.
Bev: Have you taken anybody under your wing or have you started to produce anybody?
Jeff: I would like to do some more of that, I think I have an idea. I know it doesn’t sound like anything else when you come to Nashville; so that in itself is a big plus.
Bev: Did you use your Good Times Band on the Christmas project as you did on the last album, “Ashes Wont Burn”?
Jeff: This is just a “Jeff Cook presents…” . So I guess the answer would be yes and no.
Bev: What else do you have up your sleeve, what else do you have going on?
Jeff: I have about four and a half songs in the can for next years album. I thought I’d get a jump on it while I can, while I have the time and the engineer and everything I need because I’m going to have to take some time for the knee injury.
Bev: Is the knee surgery something that has been going on for a while or did you just injure it?
Jeff: No, it’s been going on for a long while, even back in the days with Alabama. I think I could’ve taken the time to have it done and I really should have.
Bev: With the Christmas album did you decorate your studio in the theme of Christmas to get in the mood or…how’d you do that?
Jeff: I was excited about the whole project once I did “Rock n Roll Guitar” that was the first thing I did. Actually, the first thing I did was not really song it was a resuscitation and it’s called “My First Christmas in Heaven”. I did that in reflection of when my father died. I received a poem in the mail and I rehearsed it and I threw as much of that in it as I could. It kind of grew out of that.
Bev: When I talked to you last, you said green is your favorite color. Is that still correct?
Jeff: It’s a certain kind of green. It’s a real bright green. It’s the fluorescent greens.
Bev: Is that kind of the icon for your “Rock n Roll Guitar”, one of your green guitars?
Jeff: [laughs] Yeah. I take it you heard “Run Run Rudolph”. Yeah I changed those lyrics right there.
Bev: Will you be putting any hard copies of the CD out on store shelves for people to have access to that or is it typically going to be an online where if they want it they have to order it.
Jeff: They can get hard copies from jeffcook-agb.com and they can order it online where it is available for digital download via i-Tunes, Amazon.com, and Cook's website, www.jeffcook-agb.com.
Bev: Jeff, as always, you are a joy to talk to and I enjoyed the visit. I look forward to the next time and hope you have a joyous Holiday Season and best of luck with the surgery.
Jeff: Same to you and I hope to see you again very soon. Thanks for sharing your time with me.

For more information on Jeff Cook visit www.jeffcook-agb.com

INTERVIEW: Lorrie Morgan

Lorrie Morgan is a name synonymous with amazing music and heartfelt lyrics that listeners can relate to in their own personal lives. Recently Lorrie released a new project through Country Crossing Records titled A Moment In Time. The CD is a collection of new interpretations of fourteen country classics produced by Wally Wilson and Chip Voorhis; recorded live in the studio without overdubs which has not been the norm for some time on Music Row.
Robert Reynolds and I sat down with Lorrie to visit about her new project, her life and what we can expect in the future from her.

Robert: Lorrie, you have taken something that is often, maybe, overdone. Or too often approached with the wrong agenda and you have done it so right. You want to tell me a little bit about your thoughts on that?
Lorrie: I would love to! When Wally Wilson talked to me about going in the studio and recording a country classic, I was really skeptical, I was like “You know I don’t know, everybody and their brother is doing one” and it’s kind of been way over done and so I said why don’t we put our heads together and think of a special way to do it, you know and make it come off a little bit different. So we decided we would go and we would do it like old school and as you know and what some people aren’t aware of, technically the way records are done now is the band goes in one day and the artist comes in the next day and then the background vocals, it’s all put together so technically or technical that we’ve lost a heart of making music. So we decided that we would take everybody in and be all in one room, nobody’s in a booth, nobody’s in a small area, we’re all in a circle in the studio no over dubs, and that was a really cool part for me because you know how professional and particular, Nashville musicians are so precise with everything and they agreed to do this. Which was you know what I thought a really gracious gesture on their part because they don’t want to be out there with a mistake on an album or anything just like nobody does but they all agreed to come in with no over dubs and I said “Look, I’m not doing any over dubs so y’all can’t do any over dubs”, and we had the best time. We did seventeen songs in two days. Harold Bradley was on the session and he was on so many of the original recordings, he said, “Lorrie this has been so much fun”, he said, “it has been so emotional for me like the old times,” you know it makes recording fun. We had strings and background vocals it was like living and making a real record.
Robert: You have phrased it all very well, I think people, fans and consumers of your music don’t realize that now-a-days you can almost make anybody sound good. There are all kinds of studio tricks and smoke and mirrors that can make just about anybody come up with a record. An actor can sound amazing on record now, even if they’re not great musically or vocally. It’s not running anyone down but in the old days you had to be really spectacular to even put out a record because there was no choice but to do this process,
Lorrie: Right, you had to be able to sing because if you couldn’t sing it was like well you can’t sing and we’re not putting you out, but now if you have just even the look they can put you out and pro tool you up and make you be whatever. The true test is when you can put anybody into an acoustic room and say sing and if they can pull that off then they’re a singer.
Robert: We’ve always known or most people know you are a real consonant professional, you are a real singer and you’re appreciated for it. I love your voice, I think you grabbed some of the finest songs and I think part of the secret of this record is, these songs, they are timeless.
Lorrie: Well as you know it is hard to pick those songs that you want to record and especially when there is thousands to choose from these old great country catalogs and we literally listened to thousands, maybe not all the way through but we went through days and days. Me and Wally were sitting there going “I like this one, I like this one, I like this one” finally we got it down to like twenty five and I told Wally I can’t go any more you’re going to have to pick the final seventeen I just can’t, I can’t eliminate these and so I was really pleased that we didn’t just do, we did songs that were surprises, like not just your typical girl song. You know what I mean? I like doing that, and I like a challenge it was a challenge to complete all these songs , seventeen songs in two days and it was a challenge to be able to pull it off and from a woman’s point when it’s sung in male perspective.
Robert: I haven’t thought about it until now but its usually two songs in seventeen days!
Lorrie: Yes it is! It’s unbelievable. You do two songs in two months, and we did seventeen in two days. So, it was incredible it was a lot of fast work.
Robert: There are a lot of great old stories like Sinatra giving the engineers a take or two and saying that’s it I’m done for the day, you better have captured it, I’ve done my part.
Lorrie: That’s right and you know what I think ? That’s how it should be. I think an artist can over sing and when you over sing it you lose that special sound and feel; and I like that feeling of the band. It makes me perform better.
Bev: Tracy Lawrence joined you on one song, can you tell me how that came to be.
Lorrie: Well I’m a huge Tracy fan, huge Tracy Lawrence fan and always have been from the time I first heard him sing. I love Tracy! He’s good friends with Wally, the producer of the album and we were in recording and Wally said…He’s good friends with Wally Wilson and he came by the studio to see Wally while I was recording and I was in the studio thinking who in the heck is that guy in there in the studio and I mean in the booth in there and he was standing with his head down and he was listening and I was thinking who is that?! And I walked in there and it was Tracy! I was like what are you doing here?! And he was like, “I just came by to see Wally I didn’t know you were doing this really cool project.” Wally said “Y’all I’d love to do a duet on this album” and I was like you want to and he said “Yeah”. He looked at the list of songs and he said let’s do this one and the next day he was in there singing with me.
Bev: Tomorrow night is George Jones at the Opry, you’re going to be on that. Tell me how, especially with the album you have out now and bringing back the old songs; how does that make you feel, the memory of singing some of those songs, and being a participant in the legends of country music shows.
Lorrie: You know, first off, I’m glad we’re having the legends. I think it’s important to honor these people while they’re still here. To me it’s a show that I think has been long overdue and plus I have worked with George for quite a long time and I’m still associated with George through our country crossings connections we have down in Alabama, which has been a really cool thing for me to be back in his life. Any time I can be at the Opry is a great thing for me. I’m happy that George is going to be there. I’m happy I get to do some older songs because I have a passion for that era in country music. That’s the music that made me fall in love with music. Working with George was an extreme, a great and trying, education for me in the music industry, because I had no idea that any of that kind of behavior went on because I grew up with my dad George Morgan, who was the total other end of the spectrum. Perfect dad, didn’t drink, you know it was calm and George was high strung in the time that I worked for him, all of his really, really wild days. When I left the George Jones show I decided that was it and I was getting out of the business. I don’t want it to turn me in to this. I got out of the business for a couple years because of my experiences with George. As I’ve gotten older and I have been able to realize you don’t have to be that to be in this industry. I started appreciating George a lot more too because I know he was influenced by a lot of crazy situations. And George is here, he’s still alive and he deserves to be honored for his triumph and overcoming of his demons and so I’m glad to be a part of his celebration and his legacy, tomorrow night.
Bev: When you perform a show such as this, does choosing and performing these songs put you back to a certain time and place?
Lorrie: Oh yeah for sure! Well of course when I do “Picture Me Without You” it puts me back to when I worked with George and sang harmony with him every night on that song. I think I’m doing “Are you lonesome tonight”, which I love the simplicity of that song, it’s acoustic and vocal. To me, it’s just a beautiful song. Plus, I love Patsy Cline; to me she is just the epitome of a female country singer. I get to perform “If You’ve Got Leaving On Your Mind” and I can remember the first time I sang that song I was on Nashville Now, years ago. I had gone back into the archives and found “If You’ve Got Leaving On Your Mind” and ever since I did it on Nashville Now I always wanted to record it. I was able to get that goal accomplished this year.
Bev: Early next year, you will be in New York to begin rehearsals for the Broadway show Pure Country, the 1992 film starring George Strait. You are cast as “Lula”, the role originally played in the movie by Lesley Ann Warren. Starring opposite of you is fellow country star Joe Nichols in the role of “Dusty”; What are you afraid of most with your involvement on Broadway?
Lorrie: Loneliness. I’m afraid of that. I’m not afraid of the criticism, I’m not afraid of being critiqued, I’m not afraid of you know anything other than being so extremely homesick for my boyfriend and my kids and of course my mom who is seventy-eight now. I’ve got five dogs and a bird, I know they’ll come to see me but it’s just that you know lonely feeling. That’s the only thing that scares me. I’ll overcome that, just a little apprehensive.
Bev: How many shows a week?
Lorrie: Eight of them. Eight shows a week, I think we’re dark on Mondays. I think there’s two matinee’s on Saturday and Sunday, then Monday’s off.
Bev: You’re not going to have any time to be lonely.
Lorrie: No, they’re going to wake me up and put me on the stage. The good thing about it is I’ll be able to rest during the day and I won’t have a lot of outer activities going on, I’ll just be focused on this job, getting it done, making some money and coming home.
Bev: Have you had the opportunity to sit and talk with Joe Nichols at all?
Lorrie: I have not.
Bev: I’m going to go back to the album in a way, I know you said you let them pick the last few, has there ever been a song you really wanted to record and a label said no to that you have on the backburner that someday you want to get out there?
Lorrie: Yeah, matter of fact I recorded it but it didn’t make it on the album and I thought it should’ve been a single for me. It’s an Angela Kaset song called “The Heart That Jack Broke” and it is just so me and represents so many women; and I am a huge, huge, Angela Kaset fan. I just love everything she writes but that is one particular song that I regret, that I really didn’t fight to get on the album. I have a feeling I will record it again.
Bev: Once the Broadway show is done and you’ve got the new CD project out that you’re promoting ; what do you see for the future of Lorrie Morgan.
Lorrie: Resting! After Broadway I’m going to take a little vacation to Italy. I’m going to Italy with my boyfriend and after that you know I just want to continue working. I love working the road, I’ve got a great band. As I said earlier, I don’t know if it was that interview or previous but I have that motherly guilt right now. I can go and I can really have fun and I’m not going they should’ve done their homework tonight, have they have a basketball game tomorrow night, I don’t have that right now. While I miss those days I’m happy that I’m able to really focus right now on some things that I need to do.
Bev: Speaking of your kids, your son, Jesse, how is he doing with his music career?
Lorrie: He’s doing awesome! He’s actually going to be doing a show at The Palace for some kind of tribute to his dad. Jesse has not let me get to much involved in his career because I’m very strict. I think he should do something a certain way and I told him any time you want me to help you, any time, you come to me and ask me; because when you do come to me I’m going to tell you so be ready. When he’s serious about it I’m ready to jump in both feet with him. But until he asks for my help I’m just letting him feel his own way. He’s got a great album he recorded.
Bev: I’ve seen you sing together twice, once at CMA Fest and again at the benefit that you did at Cannery Ballroom for Chris Kent. When you sing together it is so fun to watch you and you sound great together too.
Lorrie: He’s got a great album that he recorded, it’s not what I would’ve picked for him to do but he’s got a great album, he really does. It’s really a different cool album. Again, if he asks for my help then I’ll do it but not until he’s really…
Bev: Does your daughter sing as well?
Lorrie: No, she is a comedian and she’s a funny, ad-lib, funny kind of person. She gets stage fright, she just clams up. She’s actually got a pretty good voice, but she’s going to nursing school in January. She’s been to mortuary school, then cosmetology and now to nursing. She can fix up the dead people and if she kills them she can fix them up and embalm them. [laughs].
Bev: She’s how old?
Lorrie: She’s twenty eight. You know everybody her age have had babies and are getting married, they have a career. Morgan is hanging back in life and it’s like she hasn’t found her place yet. Which is fine ; you know, it’s hard to know at twenty-whatever what you really want versus what you need.
Bev: Lorrie, I have a feeling we could talk for hours, but our time is about up. Thank you so much for sharing so much about this project, the kids and all the exciting things you have going on with your life. Robert and I both wish you the best with this amazing new CD and look forward to seeing you again very soon.
Lorrie: Thank you both very much I loved visiting with you both and appreciate you taking time to come see me.


For more information on Lorrie Morgan visit http://www.lorrie.com/

INTERVIEW: Lynn Anderson

Lynn Anderson is best known for her Grammy Award-winning country crossover mega-hit, "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden." She also was one of the most popular female country singers of the 1970s and continues to be a fan favorite to this day.
I was honored and blessed to be able to spend some quality one on one time with Ms. Anderson, who is not only one of my first influences in country music but is a loving, big hearted and amazing woman who I admire for the many things she has done over her career.

Bev: I think I have told you before you were the very first concert my Dad ever took me to.
Lynn: Yes, how many years ago was that concert?
Bev: Oh gosh, I was probably ten years old. It was in Sioux City, Iowa in a little arena and I admit I probably didn’t know who you were. I remember we were right up front and I went home and I was in awe.
Lynn: I thank you so much. I have been doing this for so long and I have heard a lot of these stories, like “you were my Mom’s favorite” or “you were my Dad’s favorite”. My personal favorite is “you were my Grandfather’s favorite from the Lawrence Welk show.” I am sitting here realizing that I have been doing this since 1967 which means 42 years, that’s a long time.
Bev: Looking back, what is one of the most cherished moments that you remember the most?
Lynn: I think that probably the neatest moment in my career was when the guys came home from Vietnam. I was with the USO and Bob Hope one evening where there were about 2,000 Navy guys in the front and 2,000 Air Force on one side and a couple of thousand Marine Corp on the other side. When I started to sing Rose Garden they all stood up at attention and saluted all the while I sang the song. It stopped your heart. When I finished the song, an honor guard of the United States Marine Corp paraded up to the stage and presented me with an American Flag that had flown over a Marine Corp Aviation Station in Thailand called MCAS The Rose Garden. There were a lot of US Marines that had served there. I still have that flag.
Bev: Did you know that it bore the name prior to that?
Lynn: No. It was kind of a secret station, a place where Marines or other servicemen went that were injured or needed repairs to their aircraft; so it was a secret place in the middle of the jungle somewhere in Thailand. I believe it was Nam Pong, Thailand. Having those guys stand and salute was awesome.
In March I get to do it again in the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, California. There are a bunch of them coming back from Iran, Iraq and Pakistan. The United States Marine Corp is doing another similar presentation at the Rose Bowl and I get to sing it again. The song has become entwined with the United States Marine Corp which is an honorable thing. When you sing three minutes of music, you never know where it is going to go.
The American Rose Society named a rose for me, actually two. There is a Lynn Anderson rose and there is also a Rocky Top rose. I think I am the only one with two roses.
Bev: What color are they?
Lynn: The Lynn Anderson rose is a beige color with hot pink around the edges and the Rocky Top rose is orange for the state of Tennessee. There are several ladies in our business that have roses named for them. There is a Reba McEntire; which is also an orange; there is a Minnie Pearl which is of course a miniature rose.
Bev: Talking about “Rose Garden”, when it became a pop crossover, was that intentional, did you try to do that or did it just happen? That was back before we had so many crossover artists and you were one of the first ones to do that.
Lynn: I attended a meeting with CBS marketing that Clive Davis headed. Clive Davis sat down all the heads of marketing from each region and he said “gentlemen, we understand that this is a number one country record but I am telling you that this is a number one pop record. I am going to be talking to each of you in the next week or so, and if it is not number one in your market I am going to want to know the reason why”. He reached out and touched me and said “this is a number one pop record, I am not going to be satisfied in your market if this is only a country record, because I think it is more” So Clive Davis reached out and said “okay boys, this is what I am expecting from you” and they came through.
Bev: When you receive honors such as the 100 greatest songs of country music, how does that make you feel? What goes through your mind when you hear those types of accolades?
Lynn: I am amazed. I have had a really blessed life. My mother is a wonderful songwriter. I have been involved in the Country Music business since I was five or six years old and people like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens would come to the house to sing with Mom and Dad. Later, I met and fell in love with a guy named Glen Sutton, who wrote 56 BMI award winning songs and is a Hall of Fame Songwriter. He’d come home with “I Don’t Want To Play House” and I go “God, it is great, is it for me?” and he said “that’s for Tammy”; same with “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.” and “Take Me To Your World”, those kind of things. So those songs were part of my life. From about the time I was ten years old I have been hearing great Country Music and been involved with the people that made that great Country Music. For the last 26 years I have lived with Mentor Williams. He wrote “Drift Away” and that song is arguably the most recorded, most sold song in the history of ASCAP. Mentor’s brother, my brother-in-law, Paul Williams is the new President of ASCAP. Recently if you bought a Happy Meal at McDonalds you got a kid’s CD with “Drift Away” on it, right next to “Teardrops On My Guitar”. We met when his song was getting an award at the same time as “Rose Garden” was receiving an award. It is amazing how my family is all so deeply involved in the music business and at a pretty good level.
Bev: Out of all the people that you have performed with, do you have a favorite?
Lynn: I just got back this past weekend from the 50th anniversary of a John Wayne movie called “Rio Bravo” and it was John Wayne’s birthday party. I re-met Deana Martin who is Dean Martin’s daughter. This question is really hard because I have sung with everybody from Minnie Pearl to Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. I think Dean Martin is definitely one of my all time favorites though. I did three years with him on a series called “Music Country U.S.A.” which I think was the forerunner to country music videos. Deana was always real interested when we went out on location. I remember doing “Rocky Top” on top of Lookout Mountain in Tennessee and Deana was very fascinated by the fact that we used tracks. The Dean Martin “Roasts” are in reruns now on television but not the Dean Martin show itself. Because they used tracks to do Music Country U.S.A., it means that they might be able to actually re-release Music Country U.S.A... It was me and Jerry Reed, God bless his soul and Ray Stevens who were the hosts of that series. We had everybody on there. We traveled and did videos all over the country before videos were done. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I am going to L.A. on Monday and I will see Deana again at the Gene Autry museum for an event there and we are going to try to get that Music Country U.S.A. series back out again, wouldn’t that be cool?
Bev: Would you utilize the internet? You tube and other applications are so popular right now.
Lynn: I don’t know how to deal with that. I know that there is so much of my stuff on You Tube. My song, “Rose Garden”, was utilized several years ago to enact a new law that is literally called the “Rose Garden Law.” It was passed around the time when samplings first happened. A group called ConCan redid “Rose Garden” and they called it “I Beg Your Pardon”. It was a computer synthesizer recording where they made up the words to the verses and then they dropped my vocal in the choruses. It was very obviously me, but they didn’t ask my permission and they didn’t pay me but they sold three million! So the people who owned the masters took it to Congress and they played the Concan version and then they played mine and pretty much everybody in Congress was familiar with the song. They enacted a law and when someone uses a sample of someone’s voice you must indeed make a contract and pay them. There is so much new technology out there now, it is almost impossible to keep up with it.
Bev: Let’s talk about the Lawrence Welk show. I am sure you have some hilarious stories about things that happened on that show.
Lynn: Well, there are a lot of great quotes from Lawrence Welk. I really give him credit for my career, although, obviously I would not be here if not for my mother and Dad and their talent. At that time, in the mid-sixties, there was no Country Music on TV. So my one country song on the Lawrence Welk show was basically it. If you wanted to hear Country Music you had to turn on the Lawrence Welk show and hear me.
He was a great teacher, a very tough teacher. He had to “schlep” around 40 people of all genres. He had everyone on there from Polka to Tap Dancers to Opera singers and each one of them thought they were the “hot stuff”. He had to balance all these egos. He told me that most people go to work each day and they have one boss to answer to. If you please your boss that day you keep your job. If you are in the entertainment business you have thousands of bosses. If you displease one of them then you have lost a customer or boss. Everybody you meet, everybody you work with, each one of those people have an opportunity to either accept you or turn their back on you. So as an entertainer we have a little harder job than most. Most people think that hour on stage is so glamorous; they don’t realize it took you two days to get there. You had to schlep six artists and all their egos and the musicians and all of their family problems and all of the stuff that goes into it. People don’t realize that it is hard work. What is fun is when you are able to stand up on a stage with Paul McCartney and sing or with Poco.
Bev: Was Lawrence Welk as funny as he appeared to be on TV or was that a persona that he did for the TV audience?
Lynn: I think he was hilarious, but I think a lot of it was inadvertent. He was a parody of himself. I will use Charo as an example because they become a parody of themselves. It is as though they become somebody that has an identity that is easy to identify and therefore easy to make fun of. At some point in your career, it is a great thing if you are actually able to create a persona because other than that, you are forgettable. If you are the coal miner’s daughter, then that’s you, you are that and nobody else can be that. It was easy to laugh at him and I do not mean that in a negative way. Bob Hope had his ski nose and that became his persona. Dean Martin always had a drink in his hand and that was part of his image. I think my cowboy hats are part of me. Kenny Chesney is the island guy. Different people have different things that are identifiable. I feel kind of sorry for the new kids on the block, it is very difficult. They seem to be given only one chance and one CD and if it does not hit, they are gone. They don’t have an opportunity to really establish a personality, a persona. It is a lot tougher out there now than when I started.
Bev: On a totally different subject, are you still showing horses or do you just have them on the ranch for pleasure now?
Lynn: My horse won the Texas cutting horse championship for the year of 2007. I just got his buckle, I am not wearing it today but I think I have it with me.
Bev: Do you actually show or do you have people that do it for you now?
Lynn: I don’t show as much as I use to but I still do some. I will ride in the “Roundup for Autism” in September in Texas. I will ride in the National Cutting Horse Championship in December. This week I have been working with about ten girls who are running for “Miss Rodeo” of Taos, New Mexico.
I rode yesterday. I still ride. I love it and it is my golf and tennis. I have some lovely horses which I have raised and trained, they are all my babies. I have all quarter horses now. I have had other breeds over the years, I have had some Appaloosas, I’ve had some Arabians, and I have had a couple of pretty nice Egyptian Arabians. I gave my last Arabian to an artist here in town in exchange for a painting. He dresses up as “Zorro” and rides him in all the parades. My horse is called “The Black”, that is his nickname, he is a gorgeous horse.
Bev: Do you breed on your ranch also?
Lynn: Not anymore, I use to. Horses that I have bred and raised have won about $6,000,000 in prizes. I have done very well with my quarter horses, specifically the cutting horses. They have gone on to win a lot but I probably can’t afford their grandkids at this point.
Bev: If you had to choose between music and the horses, could you do it?
Lynn: I could not. I think I can always ride off into the sunset singing. When I go out, I’ll go probably singing “Happy Trails To You” into the sunset in Taos, New Mexico. I play music when I want to play music. I ride the horses and work with kids, I have been very lucky to be able to combine those things that I love, literally all my life and still be making a living at my age.
Musically, I am still going to Europe, I have a record that is sitting at number six in Norway this week. I am supposed to talk to someone this week about doing a duet with someone in Australia. I went to Australia probably ten or fifteen years ago and rode in an international cutting horse competition. I had to ride a strange horse, everybody came in from all over, and everybody rode horses they had never ridden before. I was lucky enough to win but all the time I was there, they kept telling me about this Australian artist that I really needed to listen to. You know who that was?
Bev: Keith Urban?
Lynn: Yes, Keith Urban, before he made it in the States. I thought he was pretty good,
Bev: Have you told him that story?
Lynn: No, I have not had the opportunity to tell him that. He was very famous in the Outback before he ever got to Texas.
Bev: When you think of yourself as a role model, does it put any added pressure on you or does it give you a lot of pleasure?
Lynn: I have received a couple great compliments I will never forget. I had somebody back stage one time say “I wish you were my Mom” and somebody else said “when I grow up I want to be just like you”. Then I have my cowgirls that I work with all the time and that is fun. I get to do that for about a month or six weeks before each rodeo competition. It is hard to be a role model because I’ve not always been perfect. I have slipped, slid, stumbled and crawled in the mud a few times. If you are in show business, you can’t get away with anything. At a low point in my life, 20 or 25 years ago, there was a bad story about me somewhere and I confronted the person who wrote it and I said “I haven’t recorded for five years or so, at what point do I get to make a mistake without it being in “the Globe” And he said “oh, two or three years after you die”. I thought that was the coldest thing I’d ever heard. But it struck me; I realized that what I do is going to be looked at even though at that point I hadn’t had a record on the charts for a while. I was surprised to hear my name on Jay Leno. I thought “leave me alone”. But when you put your name out there and it becomes known in any way or recognizable, or your face is recognizable, you lose the privacy in your life. It is something that I had to learn. There are a couple of kids out there that seem to make more publicity by being bad than they have by being good and having hit records. My Daddy told me a long time ago that it doesn’t matter if they are talking about you good or they are talking about you bad as long as they spell your name right. I don’t know if that is true. I would love for the rule to be “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.
The written word doesn’t contain a smile. I have had things I have said online be misinterpreted because you can’t print a smile or an inflection. People take it wrong. A lot of what I have said has been said with a smile.
There is room in this business for all of us and we each have our own specialties and we each have things that we do better than another woman in the business. We each have things that are identifiable that we contribute and it is not a competition.
Bev: Let’s talk about another TV show, Starsky and Hutch, how fun was that?
Lynn: That was great fun because I got to do stunts and all that stuff. It was great fun to do a little acting. The fun was I literally got to throw myself out of cars and roll around in the dirt, get shot at and be an actress.
I think that singing, if done right, is part acting because you are putting your emotions into the song, you are becoming the character. That is why you have to be careful what you sing because people identify you with the content of that song. I know there are some folks that have to literally change their style because they are labeled as being a certain way.
I won the Cowboy Hall of Fame award last year and that has put me in with a lot of the Western movie people. You don’t have to be sixteen to do that, it puts me in a position where I might get to work with someone like Tom Selleck. One thing that I have not done in my career that I would really like to do is a movie, a cowboy movie.
Bev: Do you still write songs?
Lynn: I write a little bit. I am writing a song with my Mother right now because we are in the middle of another CD. The western CD we did about two years ago received seven awards including the “Cowboy Hall of Fame” award.
Bev: How old is your Mom now?
Lynn: My Mom is 82 and what I am going to do with this new album is I am using a couple of cowboy actors on it. There is a fellow named Barry Corbin who was in “Dances With Wolves” and he headlined a TV series called “Northern Exposure” and is now on “The Closer”. He is going to come in and play the part of the trail boss. It is a difficult line to walk when you are doing Western music. When Warner Western was in business, I went in and talked to them because I wanted to do a cowgirl album. They said “there is no cowgirl music, it is all cowboys, nobody cares about the women”. So we have to write our own songs but in this particular song, it is not becoming and reasonable for a woman to be the trail boss. So I have asked Barry to come in and play that part and act that part for me on the record. He is perfect. At 82 years of age, my Mother still has a crazy, silly sense of humor that I love her for. We are trying to envision the roll of the women in the expansion of the West.
Bev: Do you do anything internet-wise? Facebook, Twitter
Lynn: I have my webpage, it is LynnAndersonshow.com and I do a lot of talking back and forth with a crazy group of fans that gather there. I have not been into Twitter or Facebook because it is kind of an invasion of privacy. My husband is pretty private so I haven’t done that but we are totally reworking the website right now.
I have actually had people show up at my house with guns. One time several years ago, I got on the phone with the Chief of Police and he told me that if they come in your house, you shoot them and call me. This is when I was living in Brentwood and I could see my gate which was about a ¼ mile away, I could see his truck was parked crossway so that I could not drive out. I couldn’t just get in my car and leave. I had several horses and I probably could have run out and jumped the fence but it was pretty weird and then that same person was arrested at a concert several months later carrying a gun. He wanted to kill my husband so he could have me.
Bev: Has there ever been something that someone has told you that has stuck with you as far as advice?
Lynn: I was told to never spend money to make myself a star. That if you were good enough, people would pay you. I see a lot of people now that are so desperate for it that they will spend $10,000 to go in the studio with someone that says “I can make you a star”. I see so much despair and heartbreak. I do not believe you can buy stardom. If you got it, you got it and if you don’t got it, you don’t got it! You can’t buy it. It doesn’t matter how many voice coaches, how many dance teachers, I encourage people to not go and spend a lot of money, it just can’t be done, makes you look foolish.
Bev: What has been the most embarrassing thing to happen to you?
Lynn: One of them would be when my dress fell off on the Brady Bunch. I had this really gorgeous Bill Blast designer gown and it was tight, tight! Thank God it had a little jacket over the top. I took a deep breath to hit a high note and that thing dropped. It was on the Brady Bunch Variety Hour on live TV. What was funny is Paul Williams was on the show, who is my brother-in-law now. It was this big gown and it fell to the floor, and nobody realized it because it was a ball gown that was big enough to hold itself up and the jacket was right there. AND, you finish the song.
And then there was a time when my hair fell off at the Louisiana State Fair Rodeo. I still hear about that. I was appearing at the Grand Stand Show and often I would appear at the Rodeo. They asked me to do a ride in and promote the appearance at the Grand Stand. Ordinarily, I wore my cowboy hat. At that point in my life, I would wear what they called a “fall” which is a hair piece that you stick on with a couple of hair pins. With my hat on, I could jam that thing on and hold the hair. These guys thought it was great fun, they knew me enough to know I am a pretty good cowgirl so they gave me the rankest horse in the bunch. I said give me something that can run fast, look pretty, I am going to do a sliding stop and a spin in the spot light, wave and run off. Well, I did my little run, did my little sliding stop and at that point the spot light had hit the horse, the horse went straight up and started to fall over backwards. So what you do is you throw all your weight forward. When I threw all my weight forward, my hair went flying about ten feet in front of the horse. I ripped out all the hairpins, did my rodeo queen wave and out the other end. The rodeo clown went and got my hairpiece with a pitch fork and carried my hair down the entire length of the arena going “Lynn, is this your dog”. All the people were either clapping or laughing; they didn’t know what to do. I have never gone back to the Louisiana State Fair without someone saying “do you remember that night your hair fell off?”
Bev: We have talked about some of the dark moments, the low points in your life. If you had to give someone advice now, what would you say?
Lynn: There are a lot of things I would go back and do over. There were a lot of things I had no control over, things I would like to fix. There are things that you have to turn over to a higher power. There is a little prayer that I say “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”. There are things you can’t control, you have to live through them, walk through the other side. Along with the sunshine, there has to be a little rain sometime. I think that is why that song has been around so long because it is so true. You can’t walk through life without having some bad times, there is always going to be down times.
Bev: Do you think, with starting at such a young age, having a family involved with it, do you think you had a natural talent from the start or do you think because of the music business that your parents encouraged you to work within it. Or is it a combination of both.
Lynn: I think it is a combination of both. I think that I am genetically inclined. My mother is a wonderful songwriter. On my dad’s side, he is a salesman. His part in it is the business side and the practical side. I feel that being raised by my family it was part nature and part nurture. Having Merle Haggard and Buck Owens in my home and listening to those times and getting to sing. Before that, my mother and her sisters all sang harmony together every weekend for as long as I can remember, that whole family sang together. We would get together on Sunday afternoons and everyone would sing, play instruments, play whatever and everybody would sing harmony. That part came naturally but the luck part was getting to gradually meet people like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, the California country contingency. When we moved to Nashville, it expanded. I just had some incredibly lucky breaks.
Bev: Let’s talk about some of your charities.
Lynn: I founded with Bonnie Garner and Tom T. Hall’s wife, Miss Dixie, My Special Riders, which has now evolved into “Saddle Up”. It, it began at a birthday party for my little girl. I had another mare and we were giving buggy rides with her. One little boy had spin bifida and he wanted to ride that horse so bad. We kept pushing him back because we didn’t want him to get hurt. We finally put him up there, one person held his right leg, the other person held his left leg and I led the horse. His mother called me back that evening and she was ecstatic, said “I have never seen this kid so excited in my life that is the best day he ever had. He has not stopped talking about it. Can we come back and do it again.” So that is how the “Saddle Up” program started in my front yard at a birthday party. There is now Rocky Top Riders in Dallas Texas, which is named for Rocky Top. There is a new program in Taos, New Mexico that I also work with. There are several other organizations like N.A.H.R.A, National Association of Handicapped Riders of America. If you walk into the NAHRA headquarters in Colorado, there is a song called “Ponies” that we did years ago that is their theme song.
My grandmother told me many years ago that there is nothing better for the inside of a kid than the outside of a horse. There is something so empowering to the kids, even a kid that can’t walk, you put that kid up on a horse and suddenly there are legs that move and he can guide the horse left and right and he can walk where he wants to go and suddenly they start to smile. And suddenly they are bigger than everybody.
Bev: Do you prefer the smaller venues or the larger venues?
Lynn: I just did a venue in California called Stage Coach. It was huge. Everybody has been there from Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert and all the way to Ralph Stanley. I got to sing with Poco. It was huge. I loved it and hope I get invited back. Working in the bigger arena, I sang in the big arena at the Mohican last time, didn’t get to work in my favorite room but then after I did my thing I got to go in the arena and sing with Ringo Starr! I am at a place now where I can go from singing with Bill Monroe, singing with Poco to going and singing with Men At Work and Ringo Starr. Music is a universal language. Last year I was asked to present an award at the Norwegian Grammy Awards. Getting inducted into the German Hall of Fame was exciting. I won an award in Australia. I have hung in there long enough to travel the world in both horses and music.
Bev: Speaking of all your awards, do you have a place where you display them all?
Lynn: You know what is awful, when I moved to New Mexico several years ago my CMAs and my Grammys got stored. I live with Mentor and we have a lot of awards and I don’t mean to sound bad, but I need to pull the awards out of boxes and put them someplace in the living room. We do have the plaques displayed up and down the hallway and the most recent big was the Germany Hall of Fame and that is on the fireplace in the living room.
Bev: Do you have a favorite color that you have a lot of?
Lynn: Pink. (as she pointed to a hat at the side of the table) It is a special version for breast cancer that will be auctioned and the proceeds will go towards the Loretta Johnson foundation, who co-founded IFCO. This is the first time that I have given up one of my pink hats.
Bev: This is one that you have personally worn and used.
Lynn: I have worn this many, many times. There was one that was suppose to come in for this that said dedicated Loretta Johnson and IFCO, but it hasn’t gotten here so it looks like this one will be the one. I will wear it out on stage and then give it from there. I also have a jacket that is a pink Manuel and it goes for the YMCA auction, the Martina McBride auction. I founded that auction years ago, I did the first one.
Bev: Speaking of Martina McBride, she did a version of “Rose Garden”, how did that make you feel?
Lynn: Martina used four of my guys including my band leader, Steve Gibson who is now the music director at the Opry. The band knew it upside down and backwards. A radio station in California (KTLA), did a composite where they switched one line after another, one line of Martina, on line of me, it was an amazing compliment to have her chose that song and an amazing compliment for her to ask me to sing it with her on the Opry when she debuted it. I walked on stage and handed her a rose. It was like passing the torch. I was very honored that she chose that song to be in that album and she chose it to be the first single. I told her “honey you can borrow it for about a year and then I get it back”. That was a fun moment on stage at the Opry with Martina.
Bev: Lynn, I am so honored and feel very blessed to have shared this time with you and to have been able to discuss so many things with you. Thank you.
Lynn: The pleasure was mine, and thank you for such a wonderful conversation.

For more information on Lynn Anderson visit http://www.lynnandersonshow.com