Voice of Country | A Night at the Bluebird

A Night at the Bluebird

Every week, I look over the gig listings for the week ahead and make a mental note on the shows I want to get out and see.

And every week, most (and sometimes all) of those targeted gigs slip by, as I get wrapped up in the time-consuming details of day to day life.

But boy, am I glad I made it to the Bluebird on August 31st, for a songwriter-in the-round performance to benefit the Miller Harris Asthma Camp. My primary motivation was to see Mason Douglas, whose single, "Anything Can Happen", had just been added to the VoC A-List.

And with all due respect to the other songwriters performing, Mason stole the show with his masterful vocal style and sharp songwriting skills. Barry O'Neill and I looked at each other while Mason performed and nodded, stating "this guy would go over REALLY well in the UK."

Mason also has just released a new album called "My Wild Heart", which showcases his versatility as a performer and writer. But most of his work is impacted by his appreciation of rock and pop music, which combines with his Country sensibility to make a compelling (and UK-friendly) mix.

Also appearing was Doug Johnson, who had an amazing backlog of hit songs to his credit. Among those he performed were Clay Walker's recent Top Ten, "She Won't Be Lonely Long, Randy Travis' "Three Wooden Crosses" and numerous other Top Ten hits. Doug was head honcho at Giant Records in Nashville, back in the boom years of the 90's.

Songwriter Gary Hannan had loads of great tunes to perform, including the ever-popular "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off". Gary has a really interesting background, hailing originally from Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia). Montgomery Gentry have recorded several of his songs.

To keep the line-up from being a boys night out, Denise Locke took her place in the circle, accompanying herself on both guitar and keyboard. Although her music was new to me, I would not be at all surprised to see her name on the credits of some chart hits at any time.

Barry and I are desperate to get some of these people over to the UK to perform some songwriters' nights. Working out the logistics can be complicated and time consuming, but in the meantime, you're all invited to our CMA Awards tour in November, where you can spend a night at the Bluebird in addition to a host of other great Music City happenings. Wish You Were Here, to coin a phrase!