ARTICLE: Bluebird 25th Anniversary Celebration

Bluebird Cafe's 25th Anniversary Party at BMI Nashville

by Bev Moser
A beautiful Spring evening atop BMI, one of Nashville's icons on Music Row honored another historic icon in the music industry and the woman who is responsible for entertaining fans and tourists and giving a home to aspiring writers, artists and long time industry favorites. The rooftop party held at sunset brought Nashville's finest together for an evening of music, laughter and a social gathering to celebrate 25 years for The Bluebird Cafe. A token "shhhhhhhh" fan was handed to each guest upon arrival, not to indicate that quiet was the expectation at this event, but as a souvenier and reminder of the intimate and quiet atmosphere that The Bluebird Cafe represents. The Jay Patten Band played while the crowd mingled until Jody Williams, BMI, held up a very large sign with the same "Shhhhhhhhh" wording to get the attention of the crowd gathered for the evening. Jodi gave a heartwarming welcome along with some words of appreciation for the opportunity to honor Amy Kurland, owner of The Bluebird Cafe, before turning the microphone over to Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell and then, famed music row writer and frequent guest at The Bluebird Cafe, Thom Schuyler, who both honored Kurland with accolades for her continued success with the Bluebird Cafe, which opened in 1982. Presented to Kurland was an oversized poster which had been personally autographed by the artitsts and writers in attendance at the party.Amy Kurland beamed with pride as she accepted the mic herself and was asked to say a few words. The list of thank you's was too long to name every writer and artist who has made The Bluebird Cafe a must see for those visiting Nashville and for those who's dreams of becoming the next big artist or hitmaker as they sit among the writers in the round and share the stories behind the song and give a personal touch to the music.

Among some of the names Kurland did mention, were her parents who were in attendance at the party that evening, her business partner Bob White aka Roberto Bianco, Sandra Bullock and the late River Phoenix for the movie The Thing Called Love in which The Bluebird Cafe was a main event and focal point during the movie, Kathy Mattea who put The Bluebird Cafe on the map when she did a national televised interview from The Bluebird Cafe on ABC's "Good Morning America", Garth Brooks who was discovered at a writers night on stage at The Bluebird Cafe, as well as hit songwriters Jonell Mosser, Don Schiltz, Gary Burr, Hal Ketchum and many many others.

The last person Amy recognized and said a very heartfelt and special thank you to was the man she described as having "good hands", her husband Kelly, and then went on to explain that it was because he was always there for her in the middle of the night when the bathrooms were backed up, light bulbs needed changed or any one of the the other things it takes to keep The Bluebird going.Some of the guests attending were singers , Hal Ketchum, Michael Johnson, Danny Flowers, Jonell Mosser, Crystal Gayle and Mark McGuinn along with songwriters Jim Photoglo ("Fishin' in the Dark"), Alex Call ("8675309 / Jenny"), Don Henry ("Where've You Been"), Kent Blazy ("If Tomorrow Never Comes"), Dave Berg ("If You're Going Through Hell"), James Slater ("In My Daughters Eyes"), Becky Hobbs ("I Want to Know You Before We Make Love"), Benita Hill ("Two Pina Coladas"), Victoria Shaw ("The River"), Gary Burr ("What Mattered Most"), and Fred Knobloch ("Baby's Got A New Baby"). In typical Bluebird Fashion, as the evening sky turned to dusk, some of the songwriters took to the stage and sang special songs dedicated to Amy Kurland and The Bluebird Cafe, bringing the special event to an appropriate and very personal close.

(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

ARTICLE: 13th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards 2007

13th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards

by Bev Moser
Big Winners include: Alan Jackson’s “Precious Memories” won the Inspirational Country Album Of The Year Del Way won Entertainer of the Year Josh Turner won Mainstream Country Artist of the Year.
I was honored to attend and photograph the taping of the 13th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards held at the historic Acuff Theatre in Nashville, TN. Co-Hosted by Del Way, TBN radio host and multi-award winning Christian artist along with the “Queen of Clean, Chonda Pierce. Both kept the audience laughing with their wit and charm. At one point in-between taping Chondra pulled Del out to the center of the stage and yelled out for her mother, who was in the audience, telling her this is the person who’s CD she just gave her and said she wanted “more of.. well here is “more” .. Del happily ran into the crowd to hug her mom and pose for a photograph. A very touching moment. During the show, many times I caught myself smiling and feeling the warmth and love of the artists during their performances. One of these came during the very heart-touching dedications of the #1 song “Moments” by Emerson Drive to the loss of their former bass player, Patrick Borque, who passed away in October. Jason Meadows video for his song “18 Video Tapes”, which introduces us to the families and especially the children of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice during the war, had me in tears. And I was not alone in wiping my eyes as I looked across the audience. The night held some special performances for those in attendance. Richie McDonald, former lead singer of Lonestar, sang his new song titled, “Hey God” which is simply a prayer of thanks set to music. Lee Greenwood, who is a country legend, sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and Tammy Cochran sang her heart out with her new single “Where I Am”Audience members were treated to many wonderful and big names in the music industry who performed during the awards ceremony including Mike Hammock, Brad Cotter, Mike Manuel, Del Way, The Bellamy Brothers, Blue County, Cross Country, Mary James, Corey Brooks, Sharen Spielman and Branded. Each of the performances were powerful and inspiring.Those presenting the awards were funny, beautiful, charming and delivered some touching moments of their own and were assisted by the beauty of Miss Tennessee USA 2008, Hailey Brown and Miss Tennessee Teen USA, Natalie Phillips. Presenters included Rhonda Vincen, Andy Griggs, Rich McCready, Trent Tomlinson, Jason Meadows, Margo Smith and Holly, The Fox Brothers, Lawrence Bishop, James Payne, Sandra Dee, Chunky Nelms, Barry McGee, Miko Marks, Russ Murphy, Laura Bryna, John Sines Jr, Greg McDougal, Tommy Brandt, Steve McGranahan, and Mike Rimmey.
(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

ATICLE: Bluebird On The Mountain July 2007

Another beautiful summer evening in Tennessee and a very large, sold out crowd gathered at the Dyer Conservatory to enjoy the camaraderie, stories and laughter as Bob DiPiero, Victoria Shaw and Jim Photoglo took the stage under the stars and stage lights. Rick Chappell representing the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory opened the evening with a welcome, introductions and acknowledging the lady who brought everyone together, Amy Kurland owner of the famed Bluebird Cafe, who was lounging front and center and enjoying the music under the stars along with her husband, Kelly Kurland. Victoria Shaw took a moment to also point out that congressman Jim Cooper was enjoying a pleasant evening of stories and song as he sat up front near the stage.Bob DiPiero started the round, although the chairs sit in a row facing the crowd, by stating he would include the street the song was written on as part of his narrative for each of the songs he would perform during the evening, and each of the writers who followed him did the same, which added not only a history to the song, but added some very funny stories on why they were on that particular street. He opened the night with Shenandoah’s hit “The Church On Cumberland Road.” Stating he is a self proclaimed Italian hillbilly he went on to tell the story of how in 1983 after writing Reba’s “I Can See Forever In Your Eyes” and spending nearly every dime of his earnings he was forced to write another hit, which produced the first big hit for him with the Oak Ridge Boys “My Baby Is American Made.” The song poignantly mentioned item by item the things he spent his money on after his first hit. Throughout the evening, Bob performed many of his hit songs including “You Can’t Take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl”, Cowboys Like Us” and several others, including “Gone” which was a huge hit for Montgomery Gentry. Victoria Shaw followed DiPiero with her first number one and my all time favorite song “The River”, recorded by Garth Brooks. Throughout the evening Victoria joked several times about her love of shoes and would lift her legs to reveal her bright red sandals which were followed by much laughter from the audience. Victoria brought two very special guests with her to perform on one of her songs, her two daughters, Ruby, age 8, and Ava, age 6. The crowd rose and gave them a standing ovation after their performance of Waikiki Cowboy, a fun upbeat song about a cowboy in Hawaii. Bob took full advantage of his audience and the fact Victoria was a proud mama and joked about her being a stage mom, to which Victoria then made reference to her own mom, who was in the audience, and told a story of how she could always see her mom helping her breathe as she sang on stage.

Victoria’s plea for the sound technician to turn down the sound of crickets again had the crowd erupting with laughter. On a serious note and following Bob’s initial statement to tell the location or street where the song was written, Victoria told how she started writing “I Love The Way You Love Me”, which was recorded first by John Michael Montgomery and later the pop band Boy Zone, on the New JerseyTurnpike on her way to Pennsylvania when she first fell in love with her husband and finished it in Nashville with Lari White’s husband, Chuck Cannon. The song represents so much of her love for her husband she sang it to him at their wedding. Jim Photoglo started off his set with the Faith Hill recording, “You Give Me Love” which was the song used for the final episode of Mad About You. He shared with the audience how he started in the business as a James Taylor wannabe and how he took to the highway with his guitar and a sleeping bag and a lot of time on his hands. After Victoria’s girls left the stage he shared his own song about babies called “Baby Looks Good On You”, pointing out the obvious physical and emotional changes a woman goes through before delivery and adding some comical lines about the intimate and creative ideas that are born out of desire during this time. J

im’s son, Griffin who was enjoying the show stage side, stole the lime light from Jim at the mention of fixing up their home to sell it and it was more than apparent the young Photoglo is not anxious to leave his neighborhood. The closing song for the evening turned into a sing a long as Photoglo started the classic Nitty Gritty Dirt Band hit “Fishing In The Dark” which has also been recorded by Garth Brooks. After the show the artists moved inside the observatory where they signed autographs, took pictures and sold CD’s and t-shirts. The crowd also enjoyed the other stars by looking through the Seyfert telescope from the observatory tower and the star chamber. For more information on the observatory, go to http://www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu/. The next Bluebird on the Mountain is scheduled for August 11th and will showcase the talents of Jelly Roll Johnson, Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz and Thom Schuyler.
(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

INTERVIEW: John Tigert

Recently, Bev had the opportunity to sit down with John Tigert, Make-It-Big Records' new hot artist. John has a new CD out called "If I Could Be 10," and the first single off the album, "Coming Home," is about the troops overseas. Bev and John talked about his new material, his career and what comes next.
Bev: Tell me about the first single?JT: Well the song is called Coming Home. Basically we’re trying to let the troops that are over in Iraq and Afghanistan and all the troops all over the world who are fighting for our freedom know that we care about them. And that we can’t wait for them to come home. And we are going to be here for them, you know if they need anything. We are taking a portion of the proceeds and giving it back to the family’s who have soldiers missing or have fallen in Iraq. We are currently working on our web site where you will be able to get our single. The web site is http://www.johntigert.com/.
I first wrote this song about something else a long time ago and I started researching the internet and watching the news about all these soldiers coming home from war and the people were welcoming them home with such open hearts and love that I was just blowing away. There was one soldier in particular, Matt Maffin, who is missing in Iraq and with each day his family and the whole town has yellow ribbons in hope that he will come home and that really grabbed me and meant a lot to me so I wanted to let people know that we do can.Bev: Any idea on the release date of the current project?JT: It is going to be in the fall I don’t have an exact date yet. But we are working on everything right now. But you will be able to go to the web site and purchase the single as well as the video and the full album as well here very shortly. There is contact info on there if you would like to reach me or my crew and ask any questions.Bev: What did you grow up listening to?
JT: Oh wow, that’s kind of crazy. When I was very young you could listen to two types of music in my house and that was country or western. I kind of rebelled and I liked Elton john and Billy Joel and bands like Journey and then I got into bands like Led Zeppelin and Boston, Iron Maiden, Judus Priest. The Scorpions, Motley Crew, you know I got into the heavier side of rock. About 17 years ago my friends dared me to go up and sing a country song and I kind of liked the change and then I seen Garth Brooks sing and I said now there's a man to reckon with.Bev: With a Rock –n- Roll band in high school .. How has the transition into country affected you and your music?JT: Well I brought the passion of the first old school country when they sang a song it meant something. So I brought that and the edginess of rock and a little of pop music and put it together to make my style you get a little of everything which is not like anybody else. Like it or leave it, its me.Bev: What difference do you notice in the fans – and kinds of fans in the different genres?JT: That’s a crazy question because I thought there was a major difference when I first started. But in the last show I did which was Comstock in Nebraska I noticed they are there to just have a good time and if you treat them good and you’re a guy like me and go walk through the crowd and shake peoples hand and sign autographs there the same. They just don’t bang there heads.Bev: I know one of your lucky charms is a medal given to you by a decorated soldier. Do you have any plans in the works for going over and entertaining the troops as many artists do?JT: We don’t have anything lined up yet but we are working on that. It is something I would love to do for our troops. When that soldier came up to me and gave me his cap with his medal of excellence and told me that they give these to use when we do excellent work and that is what I had done that day it brought tears to my eyes and really moved me, it was real. I want to be real in that aspect. If Carrie Underwood can go over there then there's no reason I can’t.Bev: Does your faith play a role in your writing?JT: Well, I thoroughly believe in God. And I am not ever going to say anything other than that because I have seen and experienced a lot of things growing up that a lot of children should not have seen. My father dying and my sister being killed and friends dying and going through rough times. But it was God putting his hand on me and I felt it and realized that I needed to get my stuff together and be the man he put me on earth to be. So when I write my songs I write them straight form the heart.Bev: If you could write with anybody in the world, your ideal co-writing partner, who would it be?
JT: Neil Young, because he has been one of the more incredible writers. Also John Rich is incredible they have what it takes to be a great writer. I feel that they have captured pain and sorrow in there music and that is something that has not been captured in country music of today.Bev: How about duet partner? Who would your ideal duet partner be?JT: Wow there are so many incredible ladies. Trisha Yearwood has done many songs, also Sarah Evans who I have a huge crush on. Ever since I have heard her first sing there has been something about her voice. I would love to do a duet with her. She has a enchanting persona.Bev: Do you have any particular idols in the industry?
JT: Garth brooks, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley, and Vince Gill because they are real and bring it to the table. Anybody who can get up there on stage and bring it to the table I think is the bomb.Bev: So far what is one particular memory of your career that really stands out?JT: Like I said before while I was in Comstock Nebraska opening up for Jason Aldean and that soldier came up and gave me his medal I was just blowing away and it really meant something to me. Also I was reading my email and there was a lady soldier who I had sent a mp3 song to and told her I hoped she liked it emailed me back saying they had flown a flag with 8 injured soldiers who had listen to my song and loved it in my name later they sent that flag to me and it has meant a lot to me as wellBev: Do you remember the first time you ever performed or did anything in public?
JT: Well I was actually 14 at the time and it was in Pasadena Texas, I was playing hard rock in the battle of the bands and we had won the contest. When they were giving me the award I had asked why they picked me and they said they liked me and my energy that I didn’t just stand up there and play my instruments that I got into it and gave a real show.Bev: What’s your worst pet peeve?
JT: Iam a freak when it comes to things being on time and going in a positive way. If I am walking and there is a brick wall in my way I will turn and walk the other way and I mean that in a positive way. Some people try head butting that walls and never win. I believe you need to just keep moving on and go around that wall.Bev: If you could turn back time and relive any part of your life, what would it be or are you happy with where you’re at?
JT: I would go back to the time before my grandma died and stop touring and to stand by her and tell her that I love her. Bev: What’s next on the horizon for you?JT: Well we just got the video finished, also we got the single finished, the cd is going to be coming out in the fall of 07 and it should be kickin hard by the first of the year. I am ready to start rockin' and rollin' out on the road. Also Id like to get on the road with a major act and open up for them.Bev: What would you most like people to say about John Tigert when they look back in fifty years?
JT: I want them to say that was the nicest guy they ever met and he had a heart as big as Texas.

For more about John, visit his website at: http://www.johntigert.com/

(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

ARTICLE: Cops n Jocks Fundraiser for MADD 2007

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) benefited as a large crowd of spectators and fans of all ages gathered to enjoy the perfect spring weather and watch the 2007 Cops and Jocks Celebrity Softball Game held on Tuesday May 29th, at Mundy Park in Mt Juliet, TN. Organized by Lt. Wesley Neely of the Mount Juliet Police Department, this year celebrates the eighth year for the event, which enlists officers from Mt. Juliet, Metro Nashville, and both the TN and KY Highway Patrol along with many celebrities and professional sport athletes.

The fundraising event started as a result of a tragic automobile accident in 1998 when a drunk driver killed both Joyce and Jennifer Bennett of Mt Juliet while traveling on Lebanon Road. Besides bringing to the forefront the awareness of drinking and driving, the crowd and the participants of the event enjoyed entertainment on and off the field, chances to bid on one of a kind autographed items and a free after game concert by some of the performers who participated in the game.103 WKDF and its staff was big sponsor of the event along with Bridgestone Firestone Tires and Providence Marketplace. Play by play action by Keith Ingram and George Plaster kept the crowd entertained with additional help from 103 WKDF staff, Eddie Fox, Lisa Manning, Becca Walls, Bud Ford, Stunt boy Justin, David Reed, Billy Harper and Darlas Rai taking turns with the microphone as players swung at the ball or attempted to make a play on the ball diamond and keeping both the crowd and the players laughing and cheering.

Some of the fun included Tennessee Titans Cheerleader, Shannon Halters, taking her turn at home plate for her turn to swing and giving the players and the fans some cheerleader moves, the crowd chanted AMY GRANT, AMY GRANT to remind pitcher Vince Gill of his devotion to his wife as he smiled and gave everyone some moves of his own. Vince also got the crowd’s attention when he literally gave the shirt off his back to young player, Alex DeRiggi who caught a ball for his team and getting the player at bat out.Charlie Daniels, a Mt Juliet resident and big supporter of this event, once again donated an autographed violin to be auctioned off during the game to help raise funds for the awareness against drunk driving and the bidding rose higher and higher with Tennessee Titan, Donnie Nikkey, walking away with the prized possession. Many other items were also auctioned off, including a guitar autographed by all the celebrities who participated in the fundraising event, T-shirts which were also autographed and several other memorabilia items.Some of the players who participated this year included country artists such as Vince Gill, Andy Griggs, Erika Jo, Chris Young, Michael Visconti and Bill McCorvey of Buffalo Rome, Redd Hot Mamas, Dean Sams of Lonestar, Sage Keefer, Rhean Boyer- Jeremy Baxter and Marvin Evatt of Carolina Rain, Linda Davis, Ira Dean – Aubry Collins and Keith Burns of Trick Pony and Keith Anderson. Also among the celebrities playing were former Mrs. Tennessee, Ashley Eicher, Tennessee Titans Ken Amato, Casey Cramer, Donnie Nikkey as well as Titans Cheerleaders Shannon Halters, Lindsey Hamlett, Valerie McAllister, Jennifer Hill and Brooke Bailey, Music Row’s number one song plugger, Sherrill Blackman, News 2 Reporter Joe Dubin and many many others. The evening was highlighted with a free concert on the ball diamond held after the game concluded. The crowd was entertained by country newcomers, Sage Keefer and the boys bringing country back into country music, Buffalo Rome. The Redd Hot Mamas got the crowd on their feet with their upbeat songs and ended their set with a patriot song which included the American Flag being held as a backdrop which emotionally touched everyone in the crowd.

Chris Young surprised everyone and took the stage for several songs and stories and Trick Pony ended the concert with many antics and great music. Raffle drawings held at the end of the concert awarded those enjoying the free concert with movie tickets and popcorn and the big winner of the night was Alex DeRiggi who not only got Vince’s shirt (and had it autographed) but also won the autographed guitar.
(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

INTERVIEW: Abel Kane

I was honored to be asked to attend a show at the Clarksville River fest by one of Nashville’s newer acts, Abel Kane. As the name implies – if you know your biblical references – and as the band members themselves describe who they are and what the group name refers too as little bit bad and a little bit of good.

Abel Kane is made up of three band members, Ryan Reynolds, Dave Webb and Jamey Perrenot. Each bringing to the group many years of working within the music industry, with some of the top name groups, behind the scene writers, and music row icons. This particular show was held outdoors, on the banks of the Cumberland River and the crowd filled not only the sloping grassy area in front of the stage, but also crowded the sidewalks and vendor areas stretching along the riverfront. The show was nothing short of everything the band claims to be, true country music – with a kick butt rockin’ feel and attitude. They formed this band with the desire to bring the lyrics from their hearts to yours, while they follow their dreams of changing the face of country music, and I believe, as they do, it is gonna happen!
The Best of UsThere’s a crowd outside my windowGathered in the streetThey’re screaming at each otherAll in the name of peaceWar never is the answerBut some battles must be foughtJust as long as we rememberWho it is that pays the cost ….
Recently lead singer Ryan Reynolds wrote the lyrics to this heartfelt and touching tribute to those who serve in our armed forces and within days of putting the song on the band’s YouTube website and official band website, it had been “hit” well over 2000 times. The band put out a request to their listeners and friends asking for photos of service men and women to be included in an upcoming video for the song. What the band did not expect, was 1000’s of letters along with the photos and the stories and touching words expressed in them. You can see a slideshow on YouTube of some of the photos at www.youtube.com/AbelKaneRocks and also on the bands website at http://www.abelkane.com/ After the show, I met with the guys and visited with them about who they are, where they have been and where they are headed … and in true Abel Kane fashion, the visit was a little rough around the edges at times, and others very down to earth, heartfelt and revealing of the good natured people they are. I was blessed in sharing some of their time and taking a peek inside what makes Abel Kane so appealing. Bev: I am so glad to get to visit with each of you and thank you for inviting me tonight. I know tonight’s show was a tribute to the troops, our war hero’s. Can you share with me your feelings on your participation and feelings to this tribute?Abel Kane: We support our troops, no matter the politics are behind it. Those people are over there sacrificing their lives, and their time with their families, so we are definitely behind them. It is a way for us to say THANK YOU. It is pretty humbling, because I know I would not want to be over there. I would not want to do that, but thank God, there are men and women who are willing. Bev: You have a website with photos and letters from the soldiers, I understand it has been overwhelming. What has had the most impact on you from this part of the tribute?Abel Kane: Jamey - The website is already up, Ryan wrote a song a couple weeks ago called “The Best of Us”; this was his brilliance and his idea. He sent out messages via myspace and youtube and our band website to ask people to send us photos and stories of their friends and family, both past and present in the military that they would like to see honored. We put together this slide show of the photos. Unfortunately, we do not have time during the time-span of the song to share the story that accompanies each picture, but we have pictures that we felt really were significant. We were over whelmed with the response and are still getting photos and letters, but we had to agree on a cut off to a degree – so we could get this out there. If you go to our Youtube site you can see the slide show and listen to the song. And it is also on our website, http://www.abelkane.com/ and we will put it up on our myspace page as well.

Ryan - We are also working on something new, and I think we have agreed it will be a website at http://www.thebestofus.com/, but it is a work in progress. This whole thing started as simply being a homage to those who have served, and within a week to ten days we were inundated with several hundred photographs of fallen soldiers by their parents, sisters, brothers, wives and husbands of their last picture of their loved ones. We originally wanted to do a video for the song …but it quickly turned into a slide show which we then extended the length of the song by a minute and a half just to fit in all the pictures we could.Bev: Where does the name Abel Kane come from?Abel Kane: Dave - It is a little bit of good and a little bit of bad in all of us.

Ryan - Some people are good at being bad, and some people are bad at being good. Bev: The three of you come from many years experience in the music business, as a culmination of these experiences, what makes your music grab the hearts of the listeners?Abel Kane: Ryan - We all started out as groupies (much laughter filled the air).

Jamey - That is a really good question (pointing at Ryan) he is a song writer by trade and comes up with the catchy lyrics and ideas and the hooks and stuff, and Dave and I come from the player and instrumentalist background and when Ryan and I started it was just his concept really, but I had wanted to do something just like this for awhile where you could take country songs and you just rock ‘em out, not country rock so much, but really ROCK THE COUNTRY. So the song and the music is more like a rock song with country lyrics, and add some banjo and fiddle, so it still has that country twang on there, but also has that heavy rock thing as well.

Dave - for me, being selfish or whatever, but my background is being a bass player for a lot of years and I have had the opportunity to travel and play with some very big names and very cool people and do very cool things but, at the end of the day, you are still just a hired gun, you are a side man, so when these guys offered the opportunity to come in and be a part of something, and step up to the front line and actually have my name on it too, as an artist I jumped at it. I fell in love with the music and the guys Bev: How long have the three of you been together as Abel Kane?Abel Kane: Dave – As the three of us, I came in the end of May

Ryan (adds chidingly) – but we still have not told our parents about us yet!Bev: Do you have any plans in the works for going over and entertaining the troops?Abel Kane: We are trying to get that worked out, yeah, but there seems to be a lot of wrinkles and kinks in the system between trying to get over there and get to our soldiers, but we are really wanting too and hoping we can work this out. When it is meant to happen, then it will happen. We want to take to them just a little piece of home.Bev: You have written with some great songwriters, do you have a favorite or if you could write with anybody in the world, who would it be?Abel Kane: Jamey - well I am a Beatles fan, that is what made me want to play music was hearing the Beatles, so if I ever got a chance to do anything with Paul McCartney, I would probably faint.

Ryan - And you would wake up and write a really good one!

Dave – I could probably be just as happy playing bass for Aerosmith or Conway Twitty – of course it would be difficult to do it now with Conway.

Ryan - well I have actually probably already have had the honor to write with who I wanted too. In the country format, there was a guy named Harlan Howard, and Harlan was the sh*t! There is nobody more awesome. We smoked, and we drank and we played a 1000 games of chess where he kicked my ass every time, and sometimes on accident a song would fall out. That probably is my guy. I have been lucky enough to be one of the few people who can say I have had that dream come true. Bev: Going back to the tribute and the Best of Us, will there actually be a video, or are you going to stick with the slide show? Abel Kane: The slide show. When you see this, you will realize there really is not a video that can do as much justice and have as much impact as the slide show. Bev: Are you looking to get picked up by a major music label or are you happy with the way you are promoting your music? Abel Kane: There is some stuff we are involved with, called INSIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, make sure you check out what is coming up in December. We have a pretty cool thing worked out with them that is going to bring us a lot of exposure. And we will be neck deep in the whole thing, kickin’ butt. When you take a chance on something like this and talking about homage, we are the people for the people. This first album by itself we were really proud of it, the second album is in the pipeline and it is rollin’ up to the deck and it is very close to being finished.

If you loved the first one, well we have gotten nothin’ but two thumbs up on the second one. It is souped up, bigger and meaner. It is a little more like we have found ourselves and discovered what, as a group, we are, the first one was definitely honest and we feel like it is us, but this second one, we are growing up a little bit, and I don’t mean like emotionally (laughter fills the air again) cause we are not ever gonna grow up. Bev: So far what is one particular memory of your career that really stands out?Abel Kane: LOTS of laughs and snickers when I asked this question.

Dave - I just played my first ever biker rally, and it was with these guy (emphasizing THESE GUYS) and it was like one of my first gigs out with them, and it was a crazy, very crazy weekend. Enuf said. It was at Little Sturgis, in Sturgis KY . Hells Angels was our security. I will say one thing and that is that there are just certain things that you cannot un-see. Bev: What’s next on the horizon for you?Abel Kane: Short term, we just got a big gig in Phoenix AZ, they have locked us down, for the entire state fair for AZ. We will be doing shows on both country stations, doing on air stuff, and the rock station too, because we can, we are both. We are headed west, the dirty bird is flying west, for 24 dates, the 1st day of the fair to the last day of the fair, three times a day for three weeks. Bev: What would you most like people to say about Abel Kane when they look back in fifty years?Abel Kane: Dave - That we changed the face of modern music.

Ryan - We want them to still be trying to figure out just what the h*ll it was that we did. I want them to be teaching a class at Belmont in Nashville and half the class is factual and half is figurin us out. And it is the most simplest of all things, we just give the truth. We are straight with everybody. We don’t cringe… we don’t smile and pretend we like everybody. Man this is the best part, getting’ to meet everybody. We do not have fans, there is no such thing, and we have the KANE GANG, that is a whole different animal. That is our backbone, we are nothing without them, there is no marketing machine, no over paid labels, no fake manufacturing, this is human based. Jamey - Hey we just want to add, that when you print this, make sure you tell 'em all how good looking we are!

(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)

ARTICLE: Bluebird On The Mountain May 2007

A few miles South of Nashville, atop a curvy road, hides one of the best outdoor concert series secrets in town. Bluebird on the Mountain was held on Saturday May 12th at the Vanderbilt Dyer Conservatory to a sold-out crowd. Concertgoers arrived carrying blankets, picnic baskets, lawn chairs and the love of music in their hearts. People of all ages, from the young ones in strollers to young-at-heart grandparents, enjoyed a beautiful Spring night with clear skies and music in the air. Many sprawled out on blankets and kicked off their shoes while enjoying the night. Bluebird on the Mountain is part of the Bluebird Café concert series comprised of the best songwriters and singers in Nashville. This week's lineup was Greg Barnhill, Kim Carnes and Dana Cooper, backed by Dave Ellingston, Tim Lauer and Billy Panda.Dr. Rick Chappell, Dyer Observatory Director, kicked off the evening by thanking everyone for attending and telling a brief history and story about the conservatory. He then introduced Amy Kurland, owner of the famed Bluebird Café which is celebrating 25 years this summer, and then the performers. The audience was treated in typical Bluebird fashion with stories behind the songs and music played the way the songwriters wrote them.Greg Barnhill started of the show as the sun was setting, winning the attention of the crowd with his brilliant vocals and endless energy as he wowed the audience with his guitar playing talent. He and Kim performed his milestone hit and Grammy-nominated song, "Walkaway Joe," which was recorded by Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley. Greg and Kim also sang together on several other songs.Dana Cooper's ability to play the guitar and add gutsy harmonica brought attention to his passionate voice and insightful lyrics. Dana said, when asked about his music, "There are songs about mortality and immortality, politics and religion and love, the struggle of living, and the possibilities of how much we can accomplish. It's a journey through life, from song to song." Grammy award winner and #1 hitmaker Kim Carnes spoke admiringly of her desire to become an artist and said "I never had any other thought in my mind. I was gonna write songs, I was gonna be a star and a singer and I never thought of doing anything else." She said how she always had wanted to cover the Smokey Robinson hit “More Love” if she made it big, which she then played for the crowd who sang along. Kim told the audience “I write from what’s in my heart, I write what I love and have always done that. I’m so lucky to be writing and performing with some of the best writers in the world. I’m having a blast.” Kim closed the evening with the marvelously haunting “Bette Davis Eyes” which had the crowd on its feet and dancing to the music.
(reprinted with permission Music News Nashville)