April–June 2014 1

Official JOurnal Of afM lOcal 257april–June 2014

Musicians Hall of faMe 2014 inductiOn cereMOny

carry-On instruMent update

lOwdOwn On signatOries

Road to successPaved witH HaRd woRk and a vision

R E V I E W S : R o b b E n F o R d • G a I l d a V I E S • E R I c c h u R c h

2 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 3

Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257 | April—June 2014

contents

4 annOunceMents Details on the next membership meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2014. Local 257 Financials; plus minutes of past meetings.

10 state Of the lOcal President Dave Pomeroy discusses the preponderance of new television shows filming in Nashville, Local 257 legal actions, and member perks for the Musicians Hall of Fame and Summer NAMM.

11 new grOOves Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf talks about the 2013 Local 257 financial statement, and our diverse membership.

12 news Reports on the Grammy Awards, and an important update on the status of the musician instrument carry-on law.

13 heard On the grapevine The notable comings and goings of Nashville Musicians Association members.

14 gallery Member milestones and events, including our annual life member party.

16 cOver stOry: Keith urban Warren Denney talks to Keith Urban about what it takes to make a dream reality.

21 feature interview: 2014 Musicians hall Of faMe inductiOn A sweet housewarming at the newly re-opened Musicians Hall of Fame, as a new crop of legendary side men and session players are honored.

24 reviews Record reviews for Robben Ford, Gail Davies and Eric Church.

26 Jazz & blues WAMB changes formats and a new big band show premiers, F. Scott’s shuts its doors, and more.

27 recOrding Local 257 Recording Director Steve Tveit riffs on signatories.

28 syMphOny nOtes A tough year for the NSO, but the band plays on — and brings bright new musical offerings as well as more educational service to the community.

30 final nOtes We bid farewell to Billy Adair, Frances Lyell Blanchette and John Sibert.

32 MeMber status

34 dO nOt wOrK fOr list24

21

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Dave Pomeroy & Jimmy CaPPs

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@ 2013 nashville Musicians associationP.o. box 120399, nashville Tn 37212

all rights reserved.

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O F F i c i A L Q u A r t e r L y J O u r N A L O F t h e N A s h v i L L e M u s i c i A N s A s s O c i A t i O N

A F M L O c A L 2 5 7

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DireCTOr, live/TOuring DepT. AnD pensiOn ADminisTrATOr

membership COOrDinATOr & live engAgemenT/mpf COOrDinATOr

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Dave pomeroyCraig Krampf

Jimmy CappsDuncan mullinsAndy reisslaura rossTim smithTom WildJonathan yudkin

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ron Kellerbiff Watson

Chuck bradley

laura ross

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announceMents

The next General Membership meeting will be Monday, May 19, 2014. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. There will be president and secretary-treasurer reports, and discussion on a number of important issues. Please make plans to attend and take part in the business of your union.

Minutes Of the MeMbership Meeting nOv. 5, 2012

attending: Vince Barranco, Michael Thomas, C.J. Kowall, Kent Burnside, Ron Keller, Jonathan Yudkin, Sam McClung, Jim Corrigan, John Terrence, Don Pickert, Kent Good-son, Craig Krampf, Laura Ross, Steven Sheehan, Phil Roselle, Lance Martin, Andre Reiss, Ed Cook Jr., Gary Miller, Vince Santoro, Mark Johnson, Duncan Mullins, Dave Pomeroy, Jan Folsom, Linda Davis, Beth Gottlieb, Clifford Lory, Howard Duck, Teresa Hargrove, Rick Lonow, Sam Bacco, Jim Brown.

Meeting called to order: 6:14 p.m.

rOll call Of Officers:Dave Pomeroy, President, Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer.Executive Board: Duncan Mullins, Laura Ross, Andre Reiss, Jonathan Yudkin.Hearing Board: Teresa Hargrove and John Terrence.Parliamentarian: Ron Keller.

reading Of the Minutes:Minutes of the Membership Meeting of March 12, 2012 were distributed. There were no objections or corrections. MSC: to approve the minutes: Lance Martin and John Terrence. These minutes will appear in the next issue of our magazine.

new businessPresident Pomeroy read the Funeral Benefit Bylaw Proposal: Whereas, the Local 257 Funeral Benefit is governed by the fiduciaries of the Funeral Fund, and Section XII of the Local 257 bylaws that outline how the fund is to be distrib-uted and funded, and; Whereas, Article XII, Section 8, defines a formula designed to replenish the fund through an annual assessment to all members, based on the total amount over $100,000 paid out by the Fund in the previous calendar year to beneficiaries of the Fund, and; Whereas, in recent years, this annual assessment has significantly increased Local 257’s annual dues, causing a hardship for the membership, and will continue to do so under this formula, and; Whereas, as of July 1, 2010, the Funeral Fund has been reconfigured as a term life insurance policy, and is now funded in such a way that the members of Local 257 need not bear as much of the burden for replenishing the Fund on an annual basis as in the past, Therefore; Be it resolved, that Article XII, Section 8, be amended as follows; (New language in bold)Section 8. If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payments exceed $100,000, $200,000, the local Fiduciary Trustees shall levy an additional Funeral Benefit Fund as-sessment upon each member, in an a minimum amount equal to of fifty cents ($.50) for each additional $1,000 in benefits paid. The exact amount of the assessment will be determined annually by the fiduciaries of the Funeral Fund, with the approval of the Local 257 Executive Board. Submitted by the Funeral Benefit Fund fiduciaries: Dave Pomeroy, Craig Krampf, and Bobby Ogdin, and the Local 257 Executive Board. Board Recommendation: FavorableKrampf and Pomeroy explained the reasoning behind this proposal. There were no questions. Motion to accept: Andre Reiss and John Terrence. Ballots were distributed. Vote tally indicated the proposal passed unanimously.

next general Membership Meeting Monday, May 19, 2014

announceMents

lOcal dues fOr 2013Pomeroy read the local dues structure for 2013:$138.00 ... Local Dues (Life Member local dues $34.50)$56.00 ....AFM Per Capita (Life Member per cap $40.00)$15.00 ..... Funeral Benefit Fund Fee$27.00 ..... Funeral Benefit Fund Assessment$3.00 ...... Emergency Relief Fund$2.00 ......AFM Tempo Fund (voluntary for Legislative Action)$3.00 ...... ERF Contribution (voluntary)

$244.00 ..Total Dues Regular Members with $5.00 voluntary $124.50 ...Total Dues Life Members with $5.00 voluntary

Krampf explained the various categories. There were no questions. Motion to accept: Don Pickert and Jim Brown. Ballots were distributed. Vote tally indicated the dues for 2013 were approved unanimously.

treasurer’s repOrt Copies of the financial report were distributed; Krampf led the group through the various categories. MCS to accept the financial report: Laura Ross and Lance Martin.

president’s repOrtPomeroy reported on the following items: 1. The AFM and the major TV networks are close to reaching an agreement. The last

agreement was concluded 10 years ago.2. AFM-Motion Picture negotiations will resume in Los Angeles this Wednesday. The

AFM has proposed “dual oversight” of the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund to the film industry, like the Phono Special Payments Fund. Pomeroy reminded members that if soundtrack work is done with a signatory film company you will be paid residu-als annually as long as the movie continues to make money. The importance of doing work under an AFM contract means that if a piece of music was recorded for an album and is used in a film, you will get a new use payment and if the soundtrack has AFM original scoring, you will also share in the FMSMF residuals in perpetuity.

3. Non-union video games sessions continue to occasionally be done here. Meetings continue to discuss this matter with our members, employers and third parties who are involved.

John Terrence asked a question about programs now being aired on TNN. Pomeroy responded: 4. TNN has not been paying on the shows “Music City Tonight” and “Nashville Now” that they have been recently airing. These shows were recorded under an AFM

Agreement and we have made it very clear that the contract must be honored and mu-sicians must be paid.

Minutes Of the MeMbership Meeting nOv. 5, 2012 continued

5. RFD: the network has yet to pay for on any shows that they aired in 2011 and 2012. These shows include: “Pop Goes the Country”, “The Porter Wagner Show” and “The Wilburn Brothers.” Pomeroy has reached out to the head of the network and dis-cussions are continuing. We expect RFD to make these payments in the near future.

6. The “Single Song Overdub Scale”: there is a simple explanation of how to use this scale in the latest edition of our magazine. Pomeroy urged members to read it and to take ad-vantage of using this scale which allows you to pay into your own pension fund.

7. The AFM has a new video game agreement. Pomeroy explained the main misnomer: there is no “back end” payment on video games. Sev-eral top video game companies are “coming to the table” to have discus-sions with the AFM.

Pomeroy said he recently saw former Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman. Bil-ly is doing well and recovering from his medical issues. There was no correspondence. MSC to adjourn: Laura Ross and Jonathan Yudkin.

Meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer

C h u c k B r a d l e y

Drums ♬ Percussion ♬ Programming ♬ Electronic Percussion 678-346-0032 chuck.bradley@hotmail.com AFM 257 Member

6 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 7

announceMentsMinutes Of the executive bOard Meeting MOnday, dec. 17, 2013

announceMentsMinutes Of the executive bOard Meeting

feb. 24, 2014attending: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Tom Wild (TW), Duncan Mullins (DM), Andre Reiss (AR) and Tim Smith(TS); Laura Ross (LR) joined via conference call.

Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 8:25 a.m.

Pomeroy and Krampf led the Board through the financial charts that showed the impact of staff member raises. Discussion fol-lowed. MSC to approve raises: AR and TW. Approved. LR abstained.

Christmas bonuses were discussed. MSC to approve Christmas bo-nuses: AR and TW. Approved. LR abstained.

president’s repOrtPomeroy reported on the following:1. Negotiations are continuing with TNN.2. Negotiations for a new contract for the General Jackson are in

progress.3. AFM Jingle negotiations are scheduled to begin in January in

New York.4. Clarifying when a demo can be filed directly as a jingle or other

use without needing to upgraded to full master.

LR presented the proposed bylaw change pertaining to the new rate for per diem which was approved at the AFM National Convention:

bylaw prOpOsal – change in per dieM fOrMula and language

Whereas, Delegates to the 2013 AFM Convention approved a bylaw change that more accurately reflects the cost of meals and incidentals when traveling outside Nashville; and

Whereas, AFM per diem rates will automatically follow the established IRS rate; and

Whereas, Local 257 normally treats per diem in the same manner as that established for the Federation; therefore, be it

Resolved, That Article I: Officers and Committees - Duties of Offi-cers: Compensation and Benefits, Sections 46, 47 and 50 be changed to mirror AFM policy as follows:

Section 46. Compensation for the Office of President shall be the salary last determined by the membership. Whenever the interests of the Association demand his/her leaving the immediate jurisdic-tion (exceeding 90 miles) of the Local, he/she shall receive fifty dollars ($50.00) per diem at the applicable IRS rate and all hotel and travel expenses. Further, he/she shall be reimbursed for all accountable expenses incurred while attending to official business of the Association for which there is no other financial provision. He/She shall be allowed two (2) weeks paid vacation annually. He/She shall be allowed three (3) weeks paid vacation annually after ten (10) years of continuous service.

Section 47. Compensation for the Office of Secretary/Treasurer shall be the salary last determined by the membership. Whenever the interests of the Association demand his/her leaving the imme-diate jurisdiction (exceeding 90 miles) of the Local, he/she shall receive fifty dollars ($50.00) per diem at the applicable IRS rate and all hotel and travel expenses. Further, he/she shall be reimbursed for all accountable expenses incurred while attending to official business of the Association for which there is no other financial provision. He/She shall be allowed two (2) weeks paid vacation annually. He/She shall be allowed three (3) weeks paid vacation annually after ten (10) years of continuous service.

Section 50. Elected Convention Delegates who are not full-time em-ployees of the Local shall receive a salary of fifty dollars ($50.00) per day. They shall receive fifty dollars ($50.00) per diem at the appli-cable IRS rate and all travel expenses not allowed by the Federation.

Submitted by Laura Ross – Executive Board Recommendation - Favorable

Pomeroy and Krampf presented the proposed bylaw that pertains to a new membership category for disabled members:

bylaw prOpOsal – new MeMbership categOry – disabled MeMbersWhereas, some of our AFM brothers and sisters have or will become disabled and are no longer able to work as a professional musician, and;

Whereas, a disabled member may be unable to pay full Local Regular dues but may still want to remain a member of the AFM, be it

Resolved, that Article II, Section 1, be amended to include as follows:

NEW SUBSECTION Article II, Section 1E:“Disabled Membership”: Members in good standing in Local 257 for more than five years who are disabled and no longer able to work as a professional musician, can, with proper documentation of their medical diagnosis and yearly approval by the Local 257 Executive Board, pay Local dues at 33 percent of Regular Member rate. All other yearly assessments and per capita dues will remain at the regular rate.Submitted by Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf - Board Recom-mendation: Favorable

reading Of the MinutesMSC to approve the minutes of Sep. 24, 2013 as amended: TS and JC. Unanimously approved.

MSC to approve new members: AR and JC.

MSC to adjourn: TW and DM.Meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.

Respectfully submitted, Craig Krampf

attending: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Laura Ross (LR), Jimmy Capps (JC), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Tim Smith (TS), Duncan Mullins (DM), Andre Reiss (AR) and Tom Wild (TW).

President Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.

secretary’s repOrtMSC to approve the minutes of Dec. 17, 2013: AR and LR.

president’s repOrtPomeroy reported on the following items:1. A new General Jackson contract with Matt Davenport Pro-

ductions has been ratified. 2. The new improved website is getting close to being launched.3. The rehearsal hall has a new PA system thanks to the SAE

(School of Audio Engineering) Institute, our next door neigh-bors. Through a generous donation from Auralex, acoustic treatment (deadening) panels will soon be installed.

4. We have hired two part-time employees, Jason Smart and Mark Allen.

5. Dick Gabriel, the head of the AFM EMSD (Electronic Media Service Division) has retired.

Bill Thomas has been appointed as the new EMSD Director.6. The lawsuit against Jim Owens Entertainment for unpaid

wages totaling more than $1 million will be filed very soon.7. We continue to work on getting the three new Nashville

Reality TV shows covered by a union contract.8. The CMA (Country Music Association) has new leadership.

A few issues still exist from previous shows and Pomeroy will be reaching out in an attempt to resolve them.

9. Some progress collecting past-due money from employers has been completed.

10. The first round of AFM Jingle negotiations has been com-pleted. The second round will begin in June. In the mean-time, the contract has been extended.

11. Downtown musicians are still experiencing some problems with taxis and others blocking the musician loading zones. Pomeroy has been working with the downtown Police Commander and the city to resolve these issues. Pomeroy has also been working on a way to create discounted park-ing for musicians.

treasurer’s repOrtMSC to approve: TW and JY.

MSC to approve new members: LR and TW.

MSC that a $500 donation be made to The Billy Adair Fund for Jazz at the Blair School of Music in honor of the late Billy Adair: LR and AR.

MSC to adjourn: AR and TS.Meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m.

Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer

Big Band to Bluegrass all true, all real

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local 257 MeMbeRs:

Please check to see that your funeRal fund beneficiaRy

is listed correctly, and up to date.

We can't stress the importance of this enough.

Your loved ones are counting on you.

Take a moment and ask the front desk to verify your

funeral benefit beneficiary information.

Please also check to see that we have your correct email address.

8 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 9

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nasHville Musicians association | Revenues & eXPenses | yeaR ended deceMbeR 31, 2012 FunERal REGulaR SPEcIal bEnEFIT ER Fund Fund Fund Fund ToTal

REVEnuES lOCAl Dues 386511 386511iniTiATiOn fees 6100 6100erf COnTribuTiOns 15754 15754funerAl benefiT COnTribuTiOns 96304 96304feDerATiOn iniTiATiOn fees 2340 2340WOrK Dues 594742 594742fines & reinsTATemenT fees 3633 3633inTeresT eArneD 734 3 5525 3 6265unApplieD members’ esCrOW 512 512CAsh Over & shOrT -8 -8venDing mAChines 132 132serviCe ChArges (non-members) 35439 35439lATe fee - serviCe ChArges (members) 6073 6073CreDiT CArD usAge fee 1704 1704supplies sOlD 72 72ADverTising sAles 3748 3748DisCOunTs reCeiveD 49 49ArTisTs & OThers 190812 190812Afm heAlTh & WelfAre 12829 12829serviCe ChArge 5756 5756musiCiAns’ pAyrOll TAxes 13209 13209COnvenienCe fee 2620 2620CArTAge 1668 1668resignATiOn CleArAnCe fees 300 300insurAnCe benefiTs reCeiveD 297000 297000

tOtal revenues 1044701 224277 398829 15757 1683563 EXPENSES sAlAries & pAyrOll TAxes 427969 427969OffiCer’s expenses 18164 18164OffiCe expenses 137363 66 137429OTher expenses 59988 250 60238builDing & eQuipmenT mAinTenAnCe 67529 67529per CApiTA TAx 120086 120086DepreCiATiOn 24044 24044feDerATiOn iniTiATiOn fees 2340 2340Afm-ep funD 46801 46801Afm WOrK Dues 147010 147010CAnDy & snACK purChAses 374 374ADverTising 725 725ArTisTs & OThers 205796 205796COmmissiOns 392 392serviCe ChArge 4778 4778musiCiAns pAyrOll TAxes 13208 13208bAnK ChArges 9971 15 9986benefiTs 189500 18770 208270insurAnCe premiums expense 108297 108297reTurneD CheCKs -83 -83erf COnTribuTiOns (local matching funds) 6470 6470prOfessiOnAl fees 4500 4500TOTAl expenses 1069144 223848 302312 19020 1614324OperATing prOfiT (lOss) -24443 429 96516 -3263 69239minus depreciation 24044ACTuAl CAsh prOfiT/lOss -399 429 96516 -3263 93283* note: 2014 property tax bill paid in 2013 normally paid in 2014 13916* note: irs 2013 tax credit owed 5876actual cash prOfit/lOsswith * frOM abOve figured in 19393 429 96516 -3263 113075

financials financialsnasHville Musicians association stateMent of assets, liabilities and fund balances ddeceMbeR 31, 2013 FunERal REGulaR SPEcIal bEnEFIT EMERGEncY Fund Fund Fund RElIEF Fund ToTal aSSETS: CAsh & CheCKing ACCOunTs 233499 19029 303126 7287 562941invesTmenTs 24181 ______ 188026 ______ 212207

ToTalS 257680 19029 91152 7287 775148 Due TO/frOm funDs -221237 0 218852 2385 0 prOperTy & eQuipmenT lAnD 125000 125000builDing 457995 457995builDing renOvATiOn 410741 410741furnishings & eQuipmenT 405180 405180less: ACCumulATeD DepreCiATiOn -866142 ______ ______ ______ -866142TOTAl prOperTy & eQuipmenT 532774 0 0 0 532774

ToTal 569217 19029 710004 9672 1307922 lIabIlITIES esCrOW AnD ADvAnCe pAymenTs 13510 11731 8000 33241pAyrOll TAxes WiThhelD 372 0 0 372TOTAl liAbiliTies 13882 11731 8000 33613 Fund balancES 555335 7298 702004 9672 1274309

ToTal 569217 19029 710004 9672 307922

do we Have youR cuRRent eMail addRess?

local 257 sends important advisories to members by

email, including updates on our annual naMM pass giveaway, and invitations to local 257

events. don't be left out of the loop! notify the front desk of any changes to your contact information, including phone

number, address and beneficiary.

call 615-244-9514 to make sure we have your correct

information, or email kathyo@afm257.org

don't forget to like us on facebook and twitter.

search for nashville Musicians

association

Local 257 members in good standing are

eligible for FREE admission to

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email nammpass@afm257.org to request your pass

10 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 11

By Dave Pomeroy

state of tHe local

As Nashville continues its run as the new “It City,” it is getting hard to keep up with it all. The effects of this rapid growth are everywhere, from traf-fic jams, condos and office buildings springing up like weeds, to the “knock down a cottage and build a McMan-sion” syndrome. While there are many tangible benefits to progress and de-velopment, it is hard not to wonder whether we risk losing the essence of Nashville in the rush to attract more businesses and increase the population density of our neighborhoods. We face similar challenges in the continuing evolution of the Nashville Musicians Association. We have had an amazing influx of new members and musicians moving from other cities and transferring their membership to Local 257. Our goal is to continue to increase our level of service to existing and new members and be responsive to their changing needs. There will always be new issues and problems to deal with, and we need to communicate and work together to solve them

Reality check The influx of new reality shows about Nashville and the music business is a great example of how differently peo-ple treat musicians, depending on their ethics and level of understanding of how our business works. Some musi-cians have been convinced to sign away their rights for no payment whatsoever, and spend hours and even days with cameras tracking their every move in

exchange for some “exposure.” As we often joke, “people in the frozen north DIE of exposure!” However, it’s not so funny when you wake up and realize that you gave away something of value so that others can make money from it. My conversations with the produc-ers of these shows have ranged from friendly and respectful to contentious and insulting. However, if they are will-ing to listen, many times they change their tune and understand that if you want the best musicians Music City has to offer, you have to pay them fairly. We pride ourselves on our positive attitude, but it can really be a challenge when you deal with people who are unwill-ing to listen to reason or respect those whose work they want to exploit.

Jim owens/tnn To add insult to injury, there are also some people who have been in Nash-ville for decades who apparently still don’t “get it.” Some time ago, TV pro-ducer Jim Owens acquired The Nash-ville Network’s trademark that had been allowed to expire. He struck a deal with Luken Communications, and received a huge amount of money for the use of the TNN name and for programming Owens provided to them, including shows recorded for the original TNN. The “new” TNN launched in Novem-ber 2012, but Owens has yet to pay one penny to any of the hundreds of musi-cians who worked on those shows. After more than 16 months of frus-trating and fruitless negotiations with Owens over payment to the musicians who worked on shows recorded for TNN, we have now sued him for more

than $1 million in rerun payments for Music City Tonight. I did everything I could to work this out, but after endless delays, excuses and broken promises, I came to the sad but inevitable conclu-sion that he does not care about any of these musicians and is only in it for his own personal gain. We feel we have a very strong case, and look forward to the chance to bring his irresponsible behavior to the light and make sure he can never do this again. We will con-tinue to do all we can to protect the in-tellectual property rights of our legacy musicians as well as our current mem-bers from all those who try to take ad-vantage of them.

Musicians Hall of fame and summer naMMOn a positive note, it is exciting to see the Musicians Hall of Fame back up and running. Museum founder Joe Cham-bers has extended a very generous offer to AFM members and their guests: with a valid AFM membership card, admis-sion to the museum for you and your guests is only $10 apiece, a 45 percent reduction of the regular price. The ex-panded museum is a visual and sonic treat for musicians and music fans of all ages. I hope you will take advantage of this offer and support the Hall. We are also excited to welcome Summer NAMM to Nashville in July and extend our thanks to our friends at NAMM and all the exhibitors and guests who will be coming in. As in years past, all Local 257 members in good standing can get a free pass by sending an email to nammpass@afm257.org by June 30. Enjoy the show! tnM

“There is always a delicate balance between honoring the traditions that created Music City, and looking ahead to find proactive solutions to the new challenges that arise. Your involvement and willingness to stand up for what’s right gives us the strength to make a difference for musicians everywhere.”

received in 2013. While these figures will actually be accounted for in 2014 (and help our bottom-line), they are being figured in on the last line item in order to compare “apples to apples” with the previous years.

diversityReflecting on the membership of our local, one can’t help but think of the diversity that exists within our ranks. Within our approximately 2,400 members, are virtually every kind of musician, from our varied backgrounds to the type of work we do and style of music we play. We not only represent players, but also singers, arrangers, contractors, copyists, music librarians, and more. In this age of multi-tasking, many of our members are also producers, engineers and/or teachers. .Professor Felix Adler said: “People may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture.” When we took office, we added the word “Diversity” to the Local 257 AFM motto: “Unity, Harmony and Artistry.” We felt it was important to let musicians of all styles and backgrounds understand that we welcome them and their uniqueness and inspirational perspectives. We encourage you to share your ideas, talent and experiences with us. This will create new concepts and changes that can be beneficial to us, the whole of society and even the world.

a few interesting statistics I learned through a recent study conducted at Local 257: Our members live in 44 different states, Tennessee, of course, is number one with 1,971 followed by Kentucky, Florida, Texas and California. We also have members who live in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Austria. These stats are impressive

and show our geographic diversity. 11.86 percent of our members are female. Going into this research, I guessed that number would have been higher. We are so proud of all our female members whose wide range of diversity encompasses incredible symphony musicians, jazz musicians, studio musicians, major stars and young hopefuls. We hope that our members will take the opportunity to reach out to more women and help close what we feel is a gender gap. We have 928 members who are guitarists, followed by 506 bass players (I have heard many bassists say to guitar players, “You can’t claim it if you don’t own the instrument!”), 357 pianists, 283 drummers and a category which follows after that slightly surprised me — 203 mandolin players. The bottom end of this survey: One zither player, one musician plays concertina, one plays Bodran drum, and I am not ashamed that I hadn’t heard of this instrument until taking office — the ophicleide is played by one member. As far as we know, no one in our local plays sitar and believe it or not, we have had two recent requests for people who play that instrument.

epilogueIt is our belief that our diversity brings strength to our local and boosts our marketing abilities in the vast music marketplace. Emerging global trends are driving the growing economic power of a diverse workforce. Recognizing and valuing the many differences that make us who we are is so important, because these differences bring a depth and an array of ideas to our union. They are the keys to finding new solutions to business challenges and new opportunities to the ever-changing music industry. We are proud to serve each of our unique members — happy spring to all.

Greetings brother and sister musicians.I hope by the time this issue reaches you it has finally turned into spring. This has been a long difficult winter for many, but if the weather has been our only challenge during this time, I think we’re doing all right.

financesPlease take the time to look over the financial reports on pages 8–9 that were prepared by our CPA Ron Stewart. All in all, 2013 was a pretty good year. Work dues, which reflect the amount of union contract work, again continued their upward trend from the low point of 2011. We were up $11,422.60 from 2012 and $39,600.31 from 2011. 2013 was our best year for wages since 2008. On the expense side of the ledger, professional fees were up over $15,600 from 2012 — this expense was for legal fees. We became involved in several legal disputes in 2013. After many attempts on our part to reach solutions with the individual parties, legal action had to be taken. We can no longer tolerate long-term disregard for our members and their work. There are two asterisked notes towards the bottom of the Revenue and Expense report. Through an action that was well-intentioned, but an oversight, $13,916 for our 2014 property tax was paid in 2013. This bill is usually paid in January of the given year, so it should have been paid in 2014. Also, a check from the IRS is due for approximately $5,876 for a tax credit. This check should have been tnM

By Craig KramPf

new GRooves

“We encourage you to share your ideas, talent and experiences with us. This will create new concepts and changes that can be beneficial to us, the whole of society and even the world.”

12 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 13

kiRk wHaluM launcHes ileMbe festival in afRicaAFM Local 257 member Kirk Whalum, Grammy-winning jazz sax player, was in Kwa-Zulu-Natal in April to help launch the Awesome iLembe Festival – aimed at bringing the arts to rural communities. Whalum, who has had a long career in the music business as both session player for artists like Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston and Quincy Jones, and as an award-winning artist for his own works, is also known for his generous service to charities around the world. Whalum, who holds a master’s degree in religion, commented on his work in com-munities in the US and other parts of the world. “Whoever we are, whatever station we happen to be … that doesn’t negate our responsibility to serve and specifically to serve the marginalized, those who have not been given the same opportunity, and to provide an environment where there are more choices for the next generation … They say char-acter is who you are when no one’s watching. So the idea that we should constantly be trusting in God for wisdom, for insight … that’s important,” Whalum said.

fatHeR/son PRoduceRs Have no. 1 and no. 2 sonGsNashville Musicians Association mem-bers Jeff Stevens and his son Jody Stevens hit an incredible milestone mid-February. The two producers had the No. 1 and No. 2 songs on the Me-diabase chart in the same week. Luke Bryan’s No. 1 “Drink a Beer,” was pro-duced by the elder Stevens, and his son

produced Cole Swindell’s “Chillin’ It” — No. 2 the same week — and later also going on to achieve No. 1 status. Both have had numerous successes in the music business. Jeff has written hits for many artists including George Strait and Tim McGraw, and his son Jody, a member of the duo Fast Ryde with James Harrison, has had writing success with Swindell and Bryan. “Chillin’ It,” written by Swindell and Shane Minor, was actually a demo that Jody Stevens created with Swindell singing and Stevens playing the instruments. Ac-cording to the producer, radio began airing it while it was still in demo form, and the mastering came later. The idea that father and son could appear together this closely on the charts was not a complete surprise to Jeff Stevens. “We entertained that this might happen a few weeks ago, ‘Wouldn’t it be something if we were one and two on the charts…’ It really is an exciting time.”

news

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fRed fosteR PRoduces final Ray PRice albuM Beauty Is

AFM Local 257 life member Fred Foster served as producer of the final Ray Price album Beauty Is, released on AmeriMon-te Records Apr. 15. On his collaboration with the late Country Music Hall of Famer Price, he said, “In 2012, Ray had just been diag-nosed with pancreatic cancer and he told me that he wanted to do one last album, and he wanted me to produce it. He told me he had only one request, to have strings on the album, and that I promised him. I thought he did really well and he never complained one time. He never said he felt bad and he never asked for a break. He was a real pro.” Beauty Is features Price’s classic sound in the form of duets with fellow coun-try stars like Vince Gill and Martina McBride, with strings arranged and con-ducted by Bergen White and recorded live in the studio with the rhythm sec-tion. The album also features tunes by country music songwriting icons, Cindy Walker’s “Until Then,” and Willie Nel-son’s “It Will Always Be.” The founder of Monument Re-cords, Foster signed and produced many iconic artists such as Dolly Par-ton and Kris Kristofferson. Foster’s leg-endary producer credits include Willie Nelson, Larry Gatlin, Ray Stevens, Tony Joe White and Roy Orbison. “Roy Or-bison was a champion and one- of-a-kind. He was really easy to work with, just like Ray Price,” said Foster.

HeaRd on tHe GRaPevine

on the GraPevinehearD

tnM

615-613-1121www.brianarrowood.com

arrowoodproductions@gmail.com

BRIAN ARROWOODNashville based Fiddle Player

• Fiddle for studio recordings• Fiddle for live performances• Fiddle for workshops, clinics, and conventions

Have something missing from this list? Give me a call and we’ll figure it out!

tRavelinG Musicians:Read tHis befoRe you flyIn 2012, the president signed off on new legislation to assist traveling musicians by allowing them to stow instruments in the overhead compartments of air-planes. The legislation was set for full implementation this past Feb. 14, 2014. However, the FAA has not yet finished its rulemaking process, citing difficul-ties created by budget reductions, and the need for an increase in funding in order to complete the process. Although some airlines have voluntarily complied with the new rules, please be advised that if you fly with an instrument you may still run into difficulty. At AFM Lo-cal 257, we have put together an elec-tronic packet for those who will be traveling with an instrument. For more information, call us at 615-244-9514. In the meantime, U.S. Rep. Jim Coo-per and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander led members of Tennessee’s congressional del-egation in demanding action that would protect musicians and their property in

flight. In a letter to U.S. Transportation Sec-retary Anthony Foxx, the delegation said they understood the FAA’s challenges, but urged the agency to do more with less. “We don’t expect our airlines to car-ry a tune, but we do expect them to carry our precious instruments safely,” Rep. Cooper said. The issues traveling musicians deal with concerning the safe transport of in-struments is one with which the AFM and Local 257 have long been involved. In March, AFM President Ray Hair and AFM Legislative Director Alfonso Pollard held meetings with Department of Trans-portation Acting General Counsel Kathryn Thomson and Secretary Foxx. Hair made it clear, “The AFM sees this as a major prior-ity for musicians everywhere. The union

will continue to work closely with the DOT providing every resource at its disposal to accomplish this important rule, and move this process to a meaningful conclusion.” AFM Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy stressed the importance of the new law to every traveling musician. “I have person-ally dealt with issues regarding traveling with my own basses, and the problems of many other musicians over the past few years. Many of our members’ very liveli-hood depends on the safety of their instru-ments. You can all be assured we won’t let up until this law is fully implemented,” Pomeroy said. Touring musicians should also be aware that the U.S. has joined a global ban on ivory importation that requires much more detailed documentation for instruments containing ivory that come through customs. We ask that every AFM member log onto afm.org and go to the Elephant Ivory Link. Please take the sur-vey which covers elements of both the African ivory and carry-on issues. There is also a petition on afm.org we encour-age you to sign. Your participation will help immensely.

local 257 MeMbeRs HonoRed foR woRk at 2014 GRaMMysSeveral Local 257 members were hon-ored for their work at the 2014 Grammys, held in Los Angeles on Jan. 26. Old Yellow Moon won Best Americana Album, a duet record with Rodney Crowell along with Emmylou Harris; Guy Clark won Best Folk Album for My Favorite Picture of You; and Best Bluegrass Album went to the Del Mc-Coury Band for The Streets of Baltimore. The Grammy Awards are presented annually by The Recording Academy and voted by its membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sci-ences. Grammys are awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions.

“We don’t expect our airlines to carry a tune, but we do expect them to carry our precious instruments safely.” — U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper

14 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 15

GalleRy1. songwriter and guitarist bob REGan gets his 25

year pin from 257 secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf.

2. funky keyboard man claYTon IVEY shows off his Afm life member pin.

3. FREd “Too SlIM” labouR from riders in The sky ecstatically receives his Afm life member pin from local 257.

4. MaRk bRInE presents his Afm life member pin after performing at the 257 life member party.

5. The always enthusiastic c. MIchaEl SPRIGGS with one of his many guitars, his life member pin and Afm card.

1. An audience member is invited to conduct a song at the “nashville symphony plays led Zeppelin” concert at the schermerhorn.

2. Drummer PaT McInERnEY, longtime local 257 member, is congratulated on his u.s. citizenship by president Dave pomeroy.

3. members of Trace Adkins’ road band rehearse at the union hall for upcoming tour dates. (l-r) Jon colEMan, JohnnY RIchaRdSon, ToMMY Mcdonald, bElla, MaRk GIllESPIE, bRIan WooTEn, WaYnE addlEMan.

4. Drummer chuck bRadlEY, along with dEucE bEnnETT, guitarist from Afm local 433 in Austin, perform with the cast of the traveling theater production Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

5. ScoTT VESTal, dIERkS bEnTlEY, SaM buSh, MIkE bub, JoN Randall STEWaRT, and guest SuzI RaGSdalE perform “bad Angel” at bentley’s special acoustic show at the station inn.

1. WadE JackSon, who has entertained many u.s. troops around the world, gives Craig Krampf a demonstration of his inimitable performing style.

2. singer, songwriter and guitarist bRucE channEl, pictured with his wife Christine, proudly wears his new life member pin.

3. guitarist chIP YounG and his wife Diane enjoy a relaxing moment with friends.

4. bETTY aMoS, Jim Ed BrowN and JudY lEE take some time to catch up.

5. life members daVId hunGaTE and REGGIE YounG, and reggie’s wife Jennifer lynn young, who is also a member, celebrate in the lobby of the union hall.

6. saxophonist RoGER “Rock” WIllIaMS and drummer/nm columnist auSTIn bEalMEaR enjoy the refreshments.

7. dukE duMaS, marsha and STu baSoRE and bob bRoWnInG pose for a picture in Cooper hall before the jam session.

8. Country singer and guitarist VErNoN oXford and his wife loretta enjoy some punch and conversation.

9. fellowship, refreshments and music were plentiful at our wing-ding.

GalleRy

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the house was packed for our life member gala, held feb. 13. thanks to all who were able to attend.

third annual life MeMber party

3.

1.

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14 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn

16 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 17

continued on page 18And The AmericAn dreAm

inthis town of hard

knocks, dreams

are the currency

of the musician’s

trade. But, endurance and a second

wind are key. You need the talent,

and more — you need encourage-

ment. It wasn’t a snap, even for Hank.

For every star that is made, for every

near-miss, and for everyone who

has struggled, there is the one com-

mon thread. The dream.

And, when one of the planet’s

biggest stars talks about persever-

ance and belief in self, you have to

listen. Keith Urban has a story to tell,

one that proves there is no blueprint. It

begins with that talent and desire, and

is told through hard work and endur-

ance. And, it is proof that authenticity

can survive the glare of celebrity.

When television audiences tune in to Fox’s American Idol, they see the star who has sold millions of records, and sold out countless arenas. They see the phenom-enal guitar player who is married to an Academy Award-winning actress. They don’t see the nine-year-old boy in a talent contest at a shopping center in Australia, a whole world away. They don’t see the tireless seeker who came to Nashville on a sheer belief in himself. Urban built on that belief early on. “Compared to what was happening in my little neighborhood and my little world, I was probably above average — slightly — in the talent department,” Urban said recently, from Los Angeles, referring to his childhood. “It certainly was enough to keep me motivated. I guess more than anything though, mu-sic was just such a natural thing for me. “I never made that decision to play music for life — I mean when do we decide we’re gonna start walking? It comes on as naturally as walking does for people. Music was exactly like that for me. It was something that I just started doing, and I just kept doing it and I never questioned the role, or what I was doing with my life.” His father had been a musician, and a folk and country music fan. Urban was born in New Zealand and grew up in Caboolture, Queensland, Australia. There, he was exposed to live music, and to his parents’ record collection. “My dad was a drummer most of his teenage years and on into his early twenties,” Urban said. “He played in a band in New Zealand. He didn’t keep it up, unfortunately. He’d play a little bit every now and then, and he’s certainly a natural rhythmic musician. His father

was a piano teacher his whole life, and my dad and his three brothers played music. I certainly get that thing from that side of the family. “My mom and dad — they grew up in the 1950s, and somewhere in the 1960s guys who were playing music either went toward rock & roll, or they went toward folk and country. My dad went more in the folk and country direction. Oddly enough, he really liked a group, the Pozo Seco Sing-ers — Don Williams was a member — and that’s really how my dad ended up loving country music.” Urban’s parents joined a country music club, instilling in him that same love. Not coincidentally, Urban has al-ways cited Williams as a major influence, and was featured on the song “Imagine That” on the legendary Texas singer’s 2012 release And So It Goes on Sugar Hill. As a kid, Urban began cutting his teeth by competing in talent contests. “I was competing in talent quests at about nine years of age at different shopping centers,” he said. “My par-ents joined a country music club when I was about eight. They’d have gather-ings about twice a month where people would get together and anyone could get up and sing and play. There were clubs like that all around Australia. “Once a year, a designated city in Australia would be chosen, and all the clubs would travel there and compete over a long weekend for all kinds of trophies. The great thing was they had a sub-junior section, for boys my age, and in all kinds of categories. That’s re-ally the first part of a musical founda-tion where I was singing and playing and working onstage.”

“i never mAde ThAT decision To plAy music for life

— i meAn when do we decide we’re gonnA sTArT

wAlking? iT comes on As nATurAlly As wAlking does

for people.”

BY wARREN dENNEY

April–June 2014 17

18 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 19

continued from page 17

continued on page 20

rban began to sense a way of life. He had been riding the thing that felt natural, but by the time he was in his teens, he had begun to dream. He never thought of

anything else, and in a world where any-thing is possible, he made a bold move. “The trajectory for me was kind of — you know — playing in talent quests, from nine or ten-years-old on-ward, and at about 15 I left school,” Ur-ban said. “I started playing five nights a week in a cover band, and that was it. I was done with school at 15, and I was really fortunate to have parents who supported that. The next thing was playing four hours a night, five nights a week in a cover band in Sydney. I did it for several years, and somewhere along the way I became a guitar player in a really popular cover band.” He could have remained there, in that life, but when he was 20, or 21, he picked up a pen. There was no question Urban could play a guitar and sing, but

until then he had never written, and he knew that to succeed he would have to become a storyteller. And, he was good. Though he was very much immersed in the rock club scene in Sydney, he was drawn to country music all the while. And, he knew where he wanted to be. “Somewhere in there I started writing songs,” Urban said. “Before I knew it, I ended up with a publishing deal and the main thing I wanted was to get a way over to Nashville.” Urban had experienced some lim-ited success on EMI Australia, and re-leased a successful self-titled album there in 1991. “I ended up in Nashville for the first time in 1989,” he said. “I didn’t know anybody. I took my demo tape all around to the different labels, and kept at it. Through the publishing deal, I was coming here off and on for a few years. My move here happened slowly by making writing trips, and every time I would travel, I’d leave more clothes behind. So I was slowly moving in until

about 1992. That’s the year I felt like I was officially living in Nashville.” The kid from Caboolture had fi-nally arrived. “I remember in 1989 when I was walking around town, around Music Row, it felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz,” Urban said. “It was so surreal. I stayed at the Shoney’s there on Demonbreun, and I just remember that whole feeling being intensely magical at that time. You know, all the country artists had their own gift shops on Demonbreun — Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Bar-bara Mandrell — it seemed everyone had their own gift shop there. I was a kid from Australia walking around in the mecca of country music.” But, for all of his talent, Urban had landed here when the musical landscape was changing drastically, and he began to experience real setbacks — both with his career and in his personal life. “The next six or seven years in Nashville were really tough,” he said. “No matter what I did I just couldn’t find

a way musically to fit in without com-promising who I was or what I did.” But, there were people who recog-nized the light inside, and it was the small victories that allowed him to persevere. “The thing about it was in 1989 — I got one letter back,” he said. “It was from Mary Martin, the head of A&R at RCA Records. She sent me a letter and said she had been listening to my demo, but, unfortunately at the time, country was enjoying a traditional period, of which my music didn’t really suit. But, instead of leaving it at that, she said she hoped I could find a good home here. It was such a perfect letter to read.” Even in rejection, Urban had been given hope, and as any artist fighting to find a way, hope can be tangible — the things that make a difference. But, Mar-tin was right about the time period. “Clint Black’s record Killin’ Time was No. 1 then,” Urban said. “I felt completely out of place at the time. I’d grown up with contemporary country — Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, Eddie Rab-

“i remember iT so vividly,” urbAn sAid. “one

nighT i wAs AT 12Th & porTer, And he cAme

over To me And sAid ‘you’re reAlly unique,

And iT’s going To be your biggesT curse, buT

iT’s your greATesT blessing ...

u

April–June 2014 19

20 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 21

fact that I spent a lot of years before I came to Nashville playing solo gigs too.” Urban had formed The Ranch with Jerry Flowers and Peter Clarke, and the local Nashville outfit had a brief run on Warner Bros., and Capitol Records, is-suing one record on Capitol. And, along with the dissolution of that band, Urban found himself staring at rehab by 1998. He would eventually check into Cum-berland Heights for treatment, the first of three rehab stints in the following eight years. But, even in the midst of that tur-moil, he had found another bit of inspi-ration. It had come from Cliff Audretch, who worked at Sony, and who was one of The Ranch’s biggest champions. “I remember it so vividly,” Urban said. “One night I was at 12th & Porter, and he came over to me and said ‘You’re really unique, and it’s going to be your biggest curse, but it’s your greatest bless-ing.’ And I remember they were the most powerful words from above I could have ever heard at the time. To this day, that one little thing, he said to me, helped me to stay true to myself — and to get back in the trenches and to stick with it.” He made his solo debut record Keith Urban in 1999, tempered by his early tri-als, also on Capitol. “Eventually, I did that first solo al-bum, and the timing was right,” he said. “The songs worked, the record worked, and I was very fortunate to have a label who believed in what I was doing and got behind it.” It was the tipping point. There have now been nine records, not counting compilations, and all have appeared on Capitol, including last year’s release of Fuse, which debuted at No. 1 on Bill-board’s Top 200. Over the years, Urban has enjoyed nine No.1 singles, garnered four Grammys, all for Best Male Country Performance, and was named the ACM’s Top New Male Vocalist in 2000, and won the CMA’s 2001 Horizon Award. As confirmation that his life was moving in the right direction, he met actress Nicole Kidman at an event in Hollywood in 2005, and the two mar-ried in 2006. The couple has two daugh-ters, both born in Nashville. Urban’s band today — his extended family — includes drummer/bandlead-er/MD Chris McHugh and longtime tnM continued on page 22

April–June 2014 21

The Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

ON Jan. 28th, 2014 the Musicians Hall of

Fame opened its doors at Nashville’s

Municipal Auditorium to an enthusiastic

crowd of music lovers for its 4th Induction Ceremony. The new

location, which resulted from the city’s purchase of the Hall’s

original location to make room for the Music City Center a

few years ago, not only has lots of room for its ever growing

exhibits, but has 30,000 square feet of event and performance

space and a long history. Municipal Auditorium has been the

scene of countless Nashville events over the years, from R&B

revues to oldies shows, dance contests and wrestling matches,

to concerts by Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, Volunteer Jams, and

much, much more. The bigger space has allowed the MHOF to

expand its exhibits significantly and the results are spectacular.

bit — and between those kind of coun-try artists, and playing in cover bands in Australia, in a sort of club rock environ-ment, my take on country was just really out of whack. “So I really loved getting that letter because it gave me a lot of confidence. It’s gonna take awhile, so dig in and get to work, you know.” And Urban did get to work, joining AFM Local 257 in 1994. “I always knew where I was gonna be for years,” he said. “Joining was a way for me to solidify [what I do]. In a couple of years, I will have lived in Nashville longer than I lived in Australia.” Still, Urban found many obstacles, some placed there by his own hand. He would later characterize his first several years in America as years of increasing drug use. But he never lost hope, and his music reflected his life along the way. There has always been something intense-ly personal about Urban’s songs. And, his guitar work is infused with emotion and grit, capable of capturing the funk, or lift-ing a song into the stratosphere — a gift that he credits to his years in the clubs, and to his father’s musical background. “I always go back to the fact that I come from a drumming father,” Urban said. “My foundation has a strong sense — a rhythmic sensibility about it. I can play drums a little bit too. I spent a lot of years playing in bands where I was the rhythm player and the lead player. Particularly with The Ranch, I was leaning into the rhythm side of things. And then, just the

bassist Jerry Flowers, multi-instrumen-talist Danny Rader, and guitarist Bryan Nutter, all fellow AFM 257 members. “Each of the albums I have done from that first solo album are honest snapshots of where I was at the time in my life,” Urban said. “They’re very real. Each of them defines my place, and where I was musically. [A place] more mental some-times than literal. I went through my own personal struggles which were kind of evident with some of the dark stuff. “I’ve written a lot of songs about my struggles but none of them ever felt right for where I was at that moment. Some of those songs I feel can come to life now. It’s an interesting thing I think, as I’m getting more comfortable with my life this side of that journey. It’s widening out now, and Fuse is tapped into that. They’re all snapshots — they are who I am.” Fuse is, above all, a clarifying record, full of buoyancy and brightness. It is a record full of stories, viewed through the prism of his own rocking country style, and one which somehow manages to lead the listener back to his roots. His love for country music still springs from the classics — a storyteller’s approach. “That’s from growing up with guys like Glen Campbell, Charley Pride, Mer-le Haggard — they’re all greats,” Urban said. “Great storytellers. Particularly somebody like Glen Campbell. I guess I learned a lot about interpretation back then. Because even with songs I didn’t write, it was about making memories, and guys like him were really a huge in-fluence in my life when I was finding my career.” And, today, in his high-profile role as a judge on American Idol, he sees him-self in so many of the contestants that perform, the present dreamers hoping for that one huge break. “It’s a beautiful thing, really, be-cause I’ve learned so much over the course of my career up to this point,” Urban said. “I think there’s so much guidance we can give a lot of people and I love to be able to share my experience. “But, everybody has to find their own path, and make their own road, and there’s no rules – you just sort of have to make your own way. I’m always willing to share my experience with someone if it can help them find that way.”

randy bachMan, will lee, billy gibbOns, Kenny wayne shepherd and peter fraMptOn

JaM with the hOuse band On “la grange”

22 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 23

continued from page 21

Many people still don’t realize that although there are many inductees from Music City and

it is located in Nashville, the Musicians Hall of Fame honors backing musicians and studio players from everywhere. Previous honorees include The Wrecking Crew stu-dio musicians from Los Angeles, the Mus-cle Shoals Rhythm Section, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Eddy, Dick Dale, Toto, The Memphis Horns, The Crickets, Motown’s Funk Broth-ers, including the late Bob Babbitt, and many more. Nashville artists and Local 257 members already in the Hall include the A Team, The Tennessee Two, Billy Cox, Fred Foster, Billy Sherrill, Charlie Daniels, and the late Chet Atkins. This year’s class of inductees was typi-cally eclectic and all well-deserved – Will Lee, Randy Bachman, Corki Casey O’Dell, Buddy Guy, and Local 257 members multi-instrumentalist Barbara Mandrell, and guitarists Peter Frampton, Jimmy Capps, and Velma Smith, who was one of the few females to play with the A-Team in the ear-ly days of Nashville recording. The late Roy Orbison and Ben Keith, both longtime 257 members, were also honored, as was Ste-vie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, rep-resented by the three surviving members, Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon, and Local 257’s own Reese Wynans.

The show was hosted by the affable Chip Esten of the TV show Nashville, and the presentations were all heartfelt and moving, especially Neil Young’s tribute to the late Ben Keith and Roy Orbison’s three sons accepting the first ever “Iconic Riff” award for “Pretty Woman.” Orbi-son’s signature song was performed by Chris Isaak, featuring guitarist Wayne Moss, who played on the original record-ing along with Jerry Kennedy, who was in the audience. The house band was led by key-boardist Shane Keister, and included Gor-don Kennedy and Steve Gibson on gui-tars, Mike Douchette on steel and slide, Bobby Wood on keys, Randy Leago, Vinnie Ciesielski, Jimmy Bowland, and John Hinchey on horns, MHOF member David Hungate on bass, and Mark Beck-ett and Craig Krampf on drums and per-cussion. The ensemble sounded excellent throughout. The Oak Ridge Boys per-formed with, and inducted session great and Opry guitarist Jimmy Capps, who played on all of their big hits. ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons inducted bassist/vocalist Will Lee, and they performed a smoking mini-set featuring the R&B classic “Get Out of My Life, Woman.” Barbara Mandrell’s career was pro-filed in a series of video clips document-

ing her instrumental prowess from a very young age, and her induction by Brenda Lee was a priceless moment. Duane Eddy inducted Corki Casey O’Dell, who played rhythm guitar on his early recordings, and performed a fiery “Rebel Rouser,” with O’Dell playing with her trademark fire and enthusiasm, and Dave Pomeroy sitting in on bass. Nashville icon Velma Smith was all smiles as she was inducted by Steve Wariner, who paid tribute to her impor-tance to Music City’s history. Randy Bach-man played a medley of his Guess Who hits, and then rocked out on “Taking Care of Business” with the house band. Peter Frampton brought down the house with “Do You Feel Like I Do,” and then spoke passionately about his parents’ support of his musical career from a very young age. Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy spoke briefly, thanking Joe Chambers, founder of the MHOF, for his tireless work as a great advocate for musicians and his perseverance in keeping the MHOF alive. Pomeroy then introduced AFM President Ray Hair, who spoke with conviction about the importance of solidarity and ac-tivism to avoid unfair exploitation of musi-cians and their work. Hair then inducted Buddy Guy, who was unable to attend but whose award was accepted by MHOF member, Local 257 bassist Billy Cox.

The marathon show ended with an epic jam on ZZ Top’s “La Grange.” It was a great night for musicians everywhere, and the AFM and Local 257 extend our con-gratulations to all of this year’s inductees. The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is back and better than ever, and we urge any and all of you to check out their incredible showcase of musical exhibits the next time you are in downtown Nashville. To top it all off, AFM members can now get admission to the Hall with a valid membership card for ten dollars (regularly priced at $18.99). www.musicianshalloffame.com

chris isaaK and wayne MOss

barbara Mandrell

peter fraMptOn and band rOcK the hOuse

dOuble trOuble - reese wynans,

chris laytOn and tOMMy shannOn,

inducted by Kenny wayne shepherd

velMa sMith randy leagO, cOrKi casey O’dell, dave pOMerOy, and duane eddyafM president ray hair and

Musicians hall Of faMe

fOunder JOe chaMbers.

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JiMMy capps and the OaK ridge rOys

24 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 25

emotion of the lyric, and the band rises and falls in perfect sync. The B-3 and trom-bone lines work together with upright bass to provide an excellent underpinning to Ford’s vocal and guitar. “Cut You Loose” has a great groove, with Freed’s tremelo guitar and Peterson’s B-3 outstanding solo driving the track. Little’s drumming on this track is inventive and sympathet-ic, bringing a jazz sensibility to the blues groove. Ford’s daredevil solo demonstrates his well-deserved reputation as a player who can incorporate many styles into his own distinctive sound. “Thump and Bump” again features the unique melody combination of guitar/trombone, and Green’s ability to phrase ex-actly with Ford is uncanny. The open space that the band leaves allows the track to breathe and everyone plays with the sound of players who know instinctively what to play, and more importantly, what to leave out. The album closes with “Just Another Country Road,” an uptempo shuffle that ties everything together and once again showcases the versatility and tonality of this great ensemble. A killer groove from Little and Allen, with guitar, trombone and B-3 dancing around each other, frames Ford’s sardonic lyric perfectly. This is not just another blues record by any means. Ford’s artistry shines through-out, the sound is excellent, the songs are strong, and the band rises to meet every musical challenge he gives them. This al-bum showcases Music City at its best, and is a perfect example of what we call the Nashville Experience – an artist or pro-ducer comes to town and is blown away by the efficiency, versatility, and quality of Lo-cal 257 recording musicians. Special credit goes to Ford’s tour manager, engineer and co-producer Rick Wheeler, who lives here and helped put this project together with impressive results. To top it all off, Ford and band played two shows at 3rd & Lindsley recently to celebrate the album’s release. All the mu-sicians on the album played the gig, and it was a special experience to hear these songs played live to a packed house of music lovers, who received the new ma-terial as enthusiastically as Ford’s classic tunes from his long and storied career. A Day In Nashville was definitely time very well spent by all concerned.– Roy Montana

The Nashville MusiciaN Reviews

“Green Grass, Rainwater,” one of sev-en Ford originals, kicks off the album with Wes Little’s funky fatback groove set-ting up Ford’s yearning vocal, and when the band kicks in after a few bars, it is im-mediately obvious that these guys are not messing around. “Midnight Comes Too Soon” is a slinky 6/8 tune with an insis-tent guitar riff that distills decades of blues guitar tradition to just six notes, contrast-ing with Ford’s world-weary, gentle vo-cal. Ford’s solo at the end of this tune is evocative and emotional, demonstrating his mastery of the instrument. “Ain’t Drinkin’ Beer No More” is a light-hearted romp with some clever rhymes de-tailing the story of someone who is ready for

a change. Barry Green’s wailing trombone and the group vocal refrain make this track feel like the flip side of Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35,” also recorded in Nashville nearly 50 years ago. “Top Down Blues” is the first of two instrumentals fea-turing Ford’s guitar and Green’s trombone twinning the melody in unison for a very unique tonality, and Green’s solo is off the hook. Brian Allen’s bass playing is also par-ticularly funky on this track, as is Audley Freed’s rhythm guitar, and the whole tonal-ity is slightly reminiscent of the Crusader’s classic recordings in a very good way. Written with Michael McDonald, “Different People” has an unusual chord progression that reflects the unsettled

ROBBEN FORDA Day In NashvilleProvogue/Mascot label Group

a five-time Grammy nominee, guitarist Robben Ford has had an amazing career thus far. he may be the only musician to have played with Miles davis, George harrison, Phil lesh, and Joni Mitchell. In addition to his versatile sideman work and collaborations with larry carlton and others, he has forged his own identity as a blues-based artist with overtones of jazz, funk, and more, in forming his distinctive musical style. begin-ning with 1988’s Talk To Your Daughter, a dozen solo albums have reflected his evolu-tion as a soulful singer, strong songwriter and phenomenal guitarist and bandleader. A Day In Nashville finds Ford, a longtime member of aFM local 47 in los ange-les, recording in Music city with a top-notch group of local 257 musicians: Wes little (drums), brian allen (bass), audley Freed (guitar), and barry Green (trombone), along with Ricky Peterson on b-3, a member of Twin cities’ local 30-73. True to its title, all the tracks on this album were recorded live in one day with only a few overdubs added while mixing. The project covers a lot of musical ground, but is tied together by the im-mediacy of the performances that only a live band can provide.

Gail davies Since I Don’t Have You little chickadee RecordsFrom the opening song, “Love Ain’t Easy,” it’s obvious that Since I Don’t Have You is a departure for Gail Davies, but as the album unfolds, it becomes clear that she knows exactly where she’s going. A confident exploration into jazz, blues and swing, this album showcases a different side of Davies’ artistry and

the results are stunning. The guest star on six tracks is her longtime friend, legendary tenor saxophonist Benny Golson. His buttery tone and nimble phrasing are a perfect counterpoint to Davies’ vocals, and their chemistry permeates the whole project. The originals blend well with the jazz standards, and the tastefully varied in-strumentation keeps the listener involved. “Here’s That Rainy Day” gets a delicate treatment, with Chris Walters’ piano setting up Davies’ smoky vocal and Golson’s counterpoint, with Bob Mater’s gentle brushwork and Rob Price, who also arranged the strings on this tune, on bass. “Cry On My Shoulder,” one of three songs written by Gail’s late brother, Ron Davies, features Pat Bergeson playing a slippery acoustic solo that captures the open spirit of the lyric, as does Billy Contreras’ swinging fid-dle. “The Way It Used To Be” features a gorgeous string arrangement by Conni Elli-sor, and “Bring Me Down,” written by Davies’ son Chris Scruggs, frames the ironic lyric in a upbeat groove courtesy of Scruggs’ solid acoustic playing, Bob Mummert on drums, and a gravity-defying electric guitar solo by Bergeson. “You’re Moving On,” one of three Gail Davies compositions, has a New Orleans feel featuring the unexpected tonality of Chris Scruggs’ steel trading licks with Gol-son’s sweet sax and Will Barrow’s piano. On “Am I Blue,” Davies’ vocal range and phrasing really shine, as does Andy Reiss’ guitar. “Butterfly” is driven by drummer Duane Norman and bassist Mike Rinne with the superb horn section of Steve Pat-rick, Barry Green, and Mark Douthit. M. Ward’s “Chinese Translation” is given a samba treatment that fits Davies’ musical concept, and shows off her warm lower register. The album as a whole is a great listen and it is a special treat to hear the 85-year-old Golson playing with so much vibrancy and soul. Since I Don’t Have You is an excellent example of an experienced artist, writer, and producer stretching out beyond her comfort zone, and pulling it off – in fine style. –Roy Montana

eRic cHuRcH The Outsiders EMI Records nashvilleEric Church stretches out a bit on his fourth studio album, employing some cutting-edge sonic textures without stray-ing far from the rock-based country groove he’s known for. Longtime Church compatriot, Local 257 member Jay Joyce occupies the producer’s chair, while Arturo Buenahora Jr. serves as executive producer.

No fewer than five guitarists are credited here, so it’s no surprise that the instrument is more than adequately represented throughout. Electrics are used occasionally in spots where an acoustic would have been the more typ-ical choice; “A Man Who Was Gonna Die Young” is the best example of this. In “Roller Coaster Ride” Church upends the pop music tradition of small verse/big chorus, which nicely draws attention to the melodic strength of the chorus itself. “Give Me Back My Home-town” laments the way in which a failed relationship sours one’s perception of even old and familiar places and events. Every road-weary musician with a partner back home will relate to the sentiment behind “Like A Wrecking Ball,” though the intensity level of the song’s reunion could invite some con-cerned inquiry from the neighbors: “I wanna rock some sheetrock / Knock some pictures off the wall / Wanna rock you baby like a wrecking ball.” On a related note, has anyone else noticed a recent dramatic increase in the number of songs featuring wrecking balls? The title track starts off with just guitar and vocal before the chorus comes in with a bang. It’s not exactly clear what these outsiders are up to. Are they today’s country artists operat-ing outside the Music Row System? Or merely outsiders in the larger meta-phorical sense? Church and co-writer Casey Beathard leave the question un-answered, but “That’s who we are / That’s how we roll.” –Kent Burnside

photo: Mascha Muenzesheimer

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26 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 27

partnership with John Fahey’s Revenant Records, Volume 1 came out last year, and Volume 2 is due November 2014. This is not your average reissue. The Paramount Records Wonder Cabinet is a large handcrafted oak box containing six 180g vinyl records in a wood-covered album, the label’s complete history and track lists in two large books, including 200 fully restored graphic images from the 1920s, a USB drive with 800 re-mastered tracks by 172 artists, a catalog management app, and more. And that’s only Volume 1! Project two is the chronological reissue of the complete recordings of three early blues legends, Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell, and The Mississippi Shieks. Jack White told PBS interviewer Charlie Rose that his intention was to finally make the foundations of American music thoroughly accessible to the public. For details, go to www.thirdmanrecords.com.

On behalf of the jazz and blues community, I’d like to acknowledge the passing of musician, teacher, producer, arranger, director and 257 life member Billy Adair. No one who was the recipient of his talent, humor, and generosity will ever forget him. He will remain an inspiration to all of us who carry on this art form.

waMb ends big band format, bob Randall carries onFor 45 years, radio station WAMB kept alive the big band music that was a Nashville legacy from the days of hotel ballrooms, the Francis Craig Orchestra, and Dinah Shore. But in January, loyal listeners were surprised to hear the station’s format change to Spanish and English pop music. WAMB was the 1960s brainchild of Nashville broadcaster Bill Barry, who realized the older audience was being ignored in rock & roll’s takeover of pop radio. In 1968, Barry set up a studio in Donelson and licensed WAMB at 1160AM, calling his format “The Music of Your Life.” WAMB’s format was eventually franchised to hundreds of stations throughout North America. Although it was AM, the 50,000 watt signal reached many who still loved the music of the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. As that audience aged, the station broadened its playlist into the easy listening range. Sponsorship of the summer big band dances in Centennial Park helped sustain interest, but the audience continued to shrink. In 2005, Barry sold the 1160 frequency to a religious broadcaster, and moved WAMB to 1200AM and 99.3FM with reduced power. The dedicated disc jockeys and staff soldiered on until the death of Bill Barry in late 2013, after which his family decided it was time to change. There is some good news. With his own Internet radio station and a massive record collection, trombone player Bob Randall has become Nashville’s unofficial ambassador for big band music. Randall’s interest began as a kid when his parents would play big band records and dance

to the music on Saturday nights. Today, Randall hosts “Ballroom Bandstand” on Live365.com. With an obvious love for big band music and a vast knowledge of its history, his mission is to make sure it doesn’t lose its place in our musical heritage. WAMB fans have a new place to go for big bands and beautiful ballads.

end of an era at f. scott’s Many of us in Local 257 have had the fun of playing F. Scott’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar, probably the longest continually operating venue for jazz in Nashville. Sure, the bar was too small, and sometimes the customers could get noisy. But it had the atmosphere — and the grand piano. It appears that Green Hills is about to lose this popular destination as the restaurant plans to leave the neighborhood after 26 years of business. Last December, Wendy Burch, who has owned the restaurant with Elise Loehr for ten years, announced they will move to the recently opened Homewood Suites on West End Avenue. According to reports, there will be a name change, a bar that may be even smaller, probably a continuation of jazz in the evenings, and a re-opening around October 2014.

third Man Records reissues classic bluesJack White’s boutique indie label is about to complete two major history projects. One is a two-volume reissue of the complete catalogue of Paramount Records, known for early recordings of legends like Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and many others, from 1917 to 1932. Released in

By austin BealmearJazz & blues beat

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did you know the following?If the client does not sign the demo timecard, the pension will not be allocated to the session musicians until such signature is acquired. If the client does not sign a signatory agreement - either a limited pressing or a master recording agreement - the pension will not be allocated to the session musicians until we get the correct signatory agreement. As shocking as this all may sound – it’s true. We spend an inordinate amount of time here at your union

By steve tveit

RecoRdinG

No SigNaTUReNo peNSioN along with other misunderstood tidbits

chasing down signatures and signatory agreements. Although we really enjoy doing that, we would much rather chase down nefarious characters who somehow forget to pay for the sessions at all. I thought I would take a moment and share some of the better excuses we have heard so far this year: “I know I’m the producer, but I was just hired to do a job. I have no idea who is paying the musicians for the session.”“The producer has been in the hospital since the session, and I don’t think he’s

going to make it.”“I thought I paid for that already.” Here are some other things to think about when filling out the timecards: Please put the full name, address, email and contact number for the employer. If you sign the timecard with a partial social security number, please write your name legibly so we know we have the right person. As always, please feel free to check in with us often about any concerns you may have – we are here to serve you. tnM

28 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 29

First, an apology is owed to Nashville Symphony librarian, Jennifer Goldberg. While correctly identified in the photo accompanying my column in the last issue, throughout the article itself she was incorrectly identified as Goldman. I guess that’s what happens when doing too many things at once, which seems to be this season’s theme for me and for my colleagues.

More work, less moneyIt’s been a hard year. At the bargaining table last summer, we encountered misguided claims of inefficiency and failure to perform the maximum amount of services the board and others said our contract required. Let’s be very clear —while the NSO contract says musicians can perform up to a maximum of eight services per work week, we have not been a per service orchestra for decades. Our weekly and annual wages are paid to engage the very best talent available and to assure that the NSO has first call on our services. It is also important to point out that our weekly rehearsals and concerts are but the tip of the iceberg, because there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for those rehearsals and concerts. Just as adjunct faculty, school teachers, sports professionals and so many others do, we put in hours and hours away from our workplace at the Schermerhorn as we prepare for the one, two or three different concerts we may be performing that week. Even if we have performed something before, we must perfect that piece along with all the rest of the concert repertoire. It’s not about performing eight services each week, it’s about how well we perform each concert, because it’s very likely we spent far more than 20 hours at home learning the music for those concerts and for the next week.

But I digress. Management has been scheduling more orchestra services to help boost the NSO’s earned income – in other words, increase ticket sales. One of these added shows was an all-Beethoven concert with violinist Itzhak Perlman, conducted by our new assistant conductor Vinay Parameswaran, who did a great job with only one rehearsal to prepare. A large number of additions to our schedule are “Specials” that are prepackaged one-night performances, with a rehearsal held earlier the same day. Rather than a classical concert, these generally feature a pops-style artist or band who is traveling around the country performing with symphony orchestras – we are the ultimate back-up bands. Another type of Special is based on a successful big name rock band that features the orchestra and includes “faux” band members. The first of these was a Led Zeppelin concert that was very successful. The conductor/arranger of these concerts, Brent Havens, has put together a variety of orchestra-tribute band programs over the years and two more are scheduled – Pink Floyd in June, and Queen during the 2014-15 season. Another type of orchestra concert

By laura rosssyMPHony notes

currently sweeping the country is “movie night.” Orchestras perform the movie soundtrack as underscoring while the movie plays above our heads. In October, we performed Casablanca and this summer a three movie series will include Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain and Fantasia. Speaking to a Chicago Symphony colleague who had recently performed The Lord of the Rings he remarked that, unlike how movies are actually recorded a segment at a time over a couple of days, we have little rehearsal and perform all the music within a two to three hour period with no retakes. It takes great skill and endurance to pull these off.

education and community engagementThe most significant additions to our schedule have been education and community engagement services. The NSO has performed education services for decades, and began with the orchestra traveling around the community performing concerts in elementary, junior high and high schools. These were in addition to the Young Person’s Concerts (YPCs) we performed throughout the

amy Grant and Vince Gill performing with the nashville Symphony

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season when kids were bused to the concert hall. Following the shutdown, in 1990 we invited the superintendent of schools, Dr. Richard Benjamin, to our negotiating sessions. He was able to secure funding to underwrite these concerts that brought small ensembles to the schools and helped expand the number of kids we served. This funding is now distributed by the Metro Arts Council to numerous arts organizations. The NSO receives a far smaller allocation these days. In 2006, our schedule expanded further so school concerts were removed from the schedule and became opportunities to make additional income. However, the education department’s focus changed and the number of ensemble concerts diminished over time. So, the establishment of these education and community engagement services in the recent negotiation help restore school concerts, expand coaching and side-by-side performance opportunities, provide new ways to reach out to our audiences with free concerts in public spaces, and support management’s efforts by performing house concerts for donors and supporters and also performing at functions that bring the orchestra to the attention of the business community. NSO musicians have made profound contributions to the organization this year – it is the musicians who have identified most of the education and community engagement services they are performing this year. The unfortunate consequences are that, having taken a 15 percent cut in pay, we are even busier now but must also replace lost income by regaining some of the work and teaching we gave up to make the NSO our first priority. Some have been more successful than others, but we are all stretched pretty thin.

trumpets can’t hear themselvesIn an effort to protect musicians onstage, we also added a significant working condition that limits decibel levels onstage during amplified services. Laura Turner Hall is incredibly resonant and sensitive – the softest notes can be heard. Yet pop artist sound engineers ignore our staff’s advice. Sound levels concern orchestras around

the country as more of these amplified concerts are added to our schedules; these days it’s like we’re trapped in the movie Groundhog Day, reliving painful sound levels over and over again. Not only will this damage our hearing and affect our careers when we’re unable to hear those soft notes, but we also fear it will do irreparable harm by driving away audiences because it’s too loud. Artists and sound engineers must be more receptive and willing to adjust when their output is louder and more sustained than July 4th fireworks!

acknowledging generous friendsMany thanks to Ben Folds for his highly complementary remarks following performances of his piano concerto that had its world premiere March 13. This wonderful work contains unique effects, including several bars of clicking sounds made by the woodwind players loudly fingering their instruments without blowing, and another that required some coordination as we played various

syMPHony notes

ringtones on our cell phones. The second was a humorous nod to the fact that, while we announce audiences should turn off cell phones, someone inevitably forgets and their phone rings at an inopportune moment. I once wrote a letter to the editor of the Tennessean when a phone erupted during a performance of Mahler Symphony No. 5 – months later I received an embarrassed apology from the offender who was a friend of mine! We have amazing friends within our musical community who continually demonstrate their devotion to symphonic music and the Nashville Symphony. Amy Grant and Vince Gill generously performed their holiday concert with the orchestra, continuing a relationship that began 20 years ago with the assistance of Ronn Huff. Amy Grant and Ben Folds also serve on the Nashville Symphony board. And one day soon my colleagues and I would like to personally offer our thanks to Taylor Swift for her incredible generosity when she donated $100,000 to the orchestra, even while on her world tour.

“NSo musicians have made profound contributions to the organization this year — it is the musicians who have identified the lion’s share of the education and community engagement services they are performing.”

30 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 31

Nashville Musicians Association life member Billy Adair, age 66, died Feb. 18, 2014 in Nashville, Tenn. Adair, an arranger who played electric and acoustic bass and guitar, was a pro-fessor of music at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School. His career in music included work with Chet Atkins, Merle Hag-gard, Alabama, Willie Nelson, Greg Allman, The Ink Spots, and many more. He was a senior lecturer in jazz and director of the Big Band Program at Blair. Adair was born in Franklin, Tenn., son of William Daw-son and Edith Lucile Stephens Adair. He graduated from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College with a degree in history of edu-cation and human development. In the 1970s, he recorded and toured with many country and rock acts, and then branched out into composing and arranging for radio, television and commercials. In 1998, Adair became the music director and arranger for The Establishment, a 22-piece non-profit jazz orchestra. In 2002, he began teaching at Blair, where he rose to the depart-ment chair of Jazz and Folk Music. Denis Solee, an adjunct instructor in jazz saxophone and friend of Adair’s who played with him often over the years, commented on his passing. “Billy was a true gentleman, a beautiful soul, a wonderful musician and a supremely dedi-cated educator. All of us whose lives he touched are richer for having known him. He left the world a better place.” Preceded in death by his parents, Adair’s survivors in-clude his wife of 38 years, jazz pianist Beegie Adair, and one brother, Tommy Adair. A visitation for family and friends was attended by over 1,000, and was followed by a private graveside service at Wil-liamson Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family re-quests gifts be made to: The Billy Adair Fund for Jazz at the Blair School of Music, c/o Gift Processing, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN, 37240-7727.

JoHn sibeRt 1939–2013 Steel Guitar Hall of Famer John Sibert, a life member of AFM Local 257, died Dec. 21, 2013 in Smyrna, Tenn. Sibert’s legendary tone and playing style were said to be a contributing factor in hits for Carl Smith, Kitty Wells, and Little Jimmy Dickens. He also worked on recordings for Lefty Frizzell, Gene Autry, the Everly Brothers and many others. He joined the Nashville Musicians Association in 1951. In October, 1951, when Sibert was 17, he joined Smith’s band, The Tunesmiths. In a 1998 interview Smith said Sibert “set the style for the music on my records for years and years.” Sibert was known for his expertise in the “no-pedal style,” which he continued to use well after most players began to use knee levers and foot pedals. Born in Indianapolis, Mr. Sibert was raised in Nashville. He said that attending the Grand Ole Opry as a 12-year-old started his inter-est in country music. He learned to play steel two years later and formed his first band, which led to radio performances that eventu-ally attracted the attention of Smith, who hired him for his band. In the ‘70s, Sibert gave up playing professionally and worked the rest of his career for the Tennessean as a security guard. Howev-er, his innovative contributions were not lost to musicians, espe-cially steel players — including those new to the instrument. In 2000 he was sought out by a 17-year-old Chris Scruggs, who credits Sibert with teaching him how to play. Sibert was preceded in death by his parents, Matthew and Sue McDuffe Sibert. Survi-vors include his son, John Devin Sibert; one brother, Roger Paul Sibert; and one grandchild. Graveside services were held Dec. 30 and followed by burial in Woodlawn Memo-rial Park.

final notes final notes

Name born Joined died life Member

William D Adair 04/18/1947 02/20/1970 02/18/2014 y

robert K Seymour 12/21/1939 02/13/1969 03/20/2014 y

Gary Miller Williams 04/07/1943 09/22/1961 12/28/2013 y

in MeMoRiaMThe officers, staff and members of local 257 extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of our members who have recently passed away. you are in our thoughts, hearts and prayers.

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We showcase each one.

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fRances lyell blancHette 1941–2013 Frances Lyell Blanchette, age 72, of Old Hickory, Tenn., died Dec. 20, 2013. Born Feb. 1, 1941 in Dickson County, Tenn. to the late Lacey and Doris Potts Lyell, she was raised in Hickman County, Tenn. Blanchette was a life member of the Nashville Musicians Association. The multi-instrumentalist and singer joined the local in 1975. Blanchette was a performer on the Grand Ole Opry, and also worked with the Carter Family for several years. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her infant son, Gary Blanchette, Jr., and one sister, Katie Lyell Collins. Survivors include her husband of 44 years, Gary Blanchette, as well as several cousins and many friends. Funeral services were held Dec. 26, 2013 at the Chapel of Spring Hill Funeral Home. Interment was at the Little Rock Cemetery in Lyles, Tenn.

Maybelle carter, frances lyell and helen carter perform in centennial park in the early 60s

billy adaiR1947–2014“Billy was a true gentleman, a beautiful soul, a wonderful musician and a supremely dedicated educator. all of us whose lives he touched are richer for having known him. He left the world a better place.”– Denis Solee

32 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 33

MeMbeR status MeMbeR statusnew MeMbeRsBrian K AllenBAs ceL1815 cloverleaf DrNashville, tN 37216hm (213) 399-3130

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Joe Allen carrell(Wild Blue recording Llc)DrM Prc Gtr169 east harborhendersonville, tN 37075cell (615) 504-4450 hm (615) 265-8127

Gary W chapman(Double Wide Prod.,inc.)BAs Gtr stL8382 collins roadNashville, tN 37221cell (615) 456-9990

spencer W cullumPst Gtr MDN BAs310 Jefferson st Apt 214Nashville, tN 37208cell (615) 775-8700

Perry DanosGtr4872 shshone DrOld hickory, tN 37138cell (615) 260-3473

Jerry A FlowersBAs Gtr PiA vOc4487 Post Placeunit 84Nashville, tN 37205cell (615) 775-3505

David Nathaniel Girard(Nathan Girard)PiA Key ceL BAs Gtr633 Gaylemore DrGoodlettsville, tN 37072hm (781) 366-2469

Joshua GrangePst BAs Gtr Key BJO MDN1030 15th Ave southNashville, tN 37212

trey hensleyGtr MDN BJO BAs282 hunters creek BlvdLebanon, tN 37087cell (423) 737-9510

Maria teresa Kowalski100 Middleton stApt 202Nashville, tN 37210

Dwight carl MartinGtr hrM FLt vOc405 W Garvinstratford, OK 74872cell (580) 279-5372

tyler MiretPt FLh Arr cOM252 colt Dr.Nashville, tN 37221cell (281) 961-5038

edward c MoonBAs ceL GtrP O Box 3714cary, Nc 27519hm (919) 740-2649

James shay Mooney(shay Mooney)vOcPO Box 340020Nashville, tN 37203

tom PetersonGtr330 Franklin rd#135 a-210Brentwood, tN 37027

thomas J Petersson(tom Petersson)BAs Gtrc/O smith Wiles900 Division stNashville, tN 37203cell (615) 708-7249

charles A PevahouseGtr BAs DBr MDN DrM Key3800 hwy 203savannah, tN 37372cell (731) 438-0733

ernest roy reed(ernie reed)vLA vLN2422 crocker springs rdGoodlettesville, tN 37072hm (417) 294-5789

Deborah rhoads(country rhoads)AhP vOc MDN1101 Morrow AvenueNashville, tN 37204cell (615) 294-2054 hm (615) 294-2054

Nethan reyes san(Nathan Alan strickland)sAX FLt PiA vOceo Qol ingk2400 south 5th Avecheyenne, Wy 82007cell (731) 444-3937

Audie J shieldsstL DBr239 Fairway DrNashville, tN 37214cell (615) 972-2774 hm (615) 430-2474

Dan smyersGtrPO Box 340020Nashville, tN 37203

Jeffery David stevens(Jeff stevens)Gtr655 cumberland hills Drhendersonville, tN 37075cell (615) 210-8116

Jerald thorpeDrM BAs1650 cason Lane Apt 1312Murfreesboro, tN 37128cell (774) 451-1840

terry Lee townsoncOt FLh tPt tBN ArrBelisario Dominguez #389entre hidalgo y constitucioncol. centro cp 23000, LA PAZ Bcscell (612) 142-6216 hm (612) 142-6216

Katelyn N WestergardvLN PiA401 Bowling Ave #42Nashville, tN 37205cell (208) 869-7709

1305 Murfreesboro PikeNashville, TN 37217

m (615) 424-6924o (615) 385-9010

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James r hallthomas Jay hambridgeLarry thomas hardenDawn Bradley hartleyLevi clayton headerick thomas hedrickDavid G henrysteve B herrmanKarl t himmelDaniel Glen hochhalterJason howard AndersonJonathan Michael howardBobby G huffDavid L huffJedd Michael hughesWilliam t hullettJames F hunt, JrJames e hurstthomas David hurstPeter J huttlingerJeffery Don hydecharles L JacobsPeter Lynn JeffreyLarry B JentryDirk JohnsonGail rudisill JohnsonJoseph Daniel Justice, iiiJohn P Kearnsrobert c KellyDouglas J KershawPeter Aaron Kingrandy Alan KohrsKeith h Landryhoward hugh Laraveatracy Lee Lawrencerandy Paul LeagoBoyd LefanKenneth Wayne LewisWilliam stephen LewisBenjamin r LloydJames William Longtimothy W LorschAllyn LoveGary Lee LunnPhilip K MadeiraKevin D Madillraul MaloBarbara Ann Mandrellrobert Dale MarlerKathy MatteaJoe B MauldinDavid c McAfeeeric reid McclureJames Matthew McGeeMichael h McGuirePatrick thomas McinerneyMark Andrew MillerBobby howard Minner, Jrsteve edward MisamoreJames curtis MitchellJohn Joseph MockDaniel tag NadasdiPhillip L NaishDavid clark Neal

chris e NelsenJimmy M NicholsMark OakleyDaniel Joseph O’LannerghtyAdam Ollendrofferic r PaulJohn harold PennellWilliam Burt Poe, Jrronnie victor Prophetsteve Gayle PurcellWilliam W PursellBrent raderDanny L raderNorman J rhodesJohn Mathew richardsonrich ripaniJames Andrew risingerMica robertsJames Burnett rogansuzanne rohrer MitchellLarry h rolandoJason Lee rollertripper ryderGary sadkerMark L schatzGene siskerin slaverrichard Wm Gerrard smithJimmie rodgers snowWayne Dee southardsAlan stokerJames cary stroudAlan M suskaLarry taylorBobby W terry, JrDowns B thompsonMark F thompsonDavid thornhillPaul thurmondJonathan Marc trebingWilliam trimarcoJohn henry trinkosamuel c triticoJesse tuckerJerry tuttletravis Anderson vanceGeorge Larry WallacePatrick J WalleJason Brent WebbDonald Lloyd WhiteJames earl WhiteJett WilliamsLynn Williamsralph Donald WilsonXiao-Fan Zhang

ResiGnedJ. chad carlsonMark David eltingLee W Garnerrodney L hillMichael Patrick hollandJamison Daniel huntJennifer Diane hunt

Jessica Dawn huntJonathan David huntJordan Wayne huntJoshua clinton huntJustin John-Michael huntcarrel todd LilesMonty Powellray vaughn reed, Jrcarolyn Marie treybigJett Williams

Michael J ArndtGreg G Dannerrobert h DurhamJoe Weldon FerrisAdrian FloresBenjamin Matthew hallelizabeth irene LongAudrey valerie Mezerachristopher shane PhillipsDonald M PooleDavid Wayne varnadoMitchell A White

eXPelledJeremy AbshireBrad c AlbinMichael clayton Ashworthrachel Darby BaimanMichael David Ballrahsaan Jelani BarberKen A Barkenstephen h BassettDavid Anton BeigertBrian richard BondsLarry L Bordenvictoria rae BrewerLauren robin BurnetteJustin Butlershawn P. Byrnesteve callahanBranden campbellchristopher charles campbellWalter c carter, JrMichael Dinan catalanoron chanceyJoshua s colbychristopher colemanJason Floyd colemanJon e conleyWilliam c cook, JrJasen Lee cordieroWendell terry coxJamie DaileyGregory scott DaughertyAndrew Depreytimothy A DishmanButch richard DixonMelvin clifford Downs, iiitom sim Drenon, iiitroy Anthony engleMark steven evittsWalter e Ferguson, JrPatrick h Flynn

Michael todd Foleyian William FolsomDavid Kirby FrankJeffrey A Garrissonny F Garrishelio Paolo Giordanorichard M GlassKirsten Marie GreerDavid Alan GrierDaniel Lenwood GroahMike GugginoAdam Wade hamptonPaul h hendersonBernie hermsrussell hicksAndrew Barrett higleyNick William hoffmanWohanka edward MartinJoseph Allan howecharles humphrey, iiiNoah Joseph hungateJimmy ibbotsonMatthew James izaguirrestonewall Jackson, Jrstonewall JacksonDina M JohnsonJames edward JohnsonGarry r JonesMichael Aubrey KennedyJerry Kingtom KirkLauren Kochcraig Dwayne Koonsshaunna Larkinhara Laskaris-hackettKevin ray LawsonGeorge B Lillystephen Burke Lindbergtodd vincent Lombardosara Jane LucasJason Peter MasseyArthur John MastersMichael e McAdamNathan Allen McFarlandeamon McLoughlinMichelle Marie collinsWilliam r Middeltonstacy Alan MitchhartAshley Lauren MonroeKevin hugh MooreJoel todd MottAlex MunozDaniel r NeedhamLoren L NelsonDavid A NudingBradley charles OrcuttDaniel Paul OxleyMichael todd ParksDarren edward PotuckAndy PeakeJoe c Pearlsteve M Peffersydni ragan PerryMatthew Guy Pierson

Marco PinnaPeter Michealson PisarczykWoody Plattchristopher Aaron Powellholly c rangFred eugene redmonrobert J regancale Martin richardsonJohn richardsPerry c richardsonJimmy ritcheycameron Lee robertsLouie e robertsMatthew c rollingscharles Lloyd roserobert eddy rosscurt rylestephen r schafferthomas Justin schneiderGraham sharpNathan Wayne sheppardherb shucherterry Klenner smithedward L smoak, Jrrobert Barker stamps, Jreric Brice stephensregi t stoneDavid Patrick stroudJerry Lee surberchester cortez thompsontimothy J thompsonLouis toomey, JrGuthrie trappBen Lake trechselrobb L trippJames travis trittchristopher tyrrellPaula van GoesDarrin Lee vincentBernard WalkerBilly Joe Walker, JrWilliam James WallaceArt WardJay D WeaverKyle WhalumByron K Whitmanchristopher Kyle WhitakerLawson Wayne White, JrMichael robert WhittakerJustin G WilliamsonKevin Brent Williamsterry Wayne Williamscraig e Williams, JrWilliam Louis Winfield, JrLuke s WitchgerMichael Adam WolofskyJoseph Allen WootenBenjamin WoynaroskiJustin M york

Mary Lynne Zirkle(Mary Proctor)cOt1004 summer haven circleFranklin, tN 37069cell (615) 268-3244 hm (615) 599-3446

ReinstatedPeter Glen AbbottBeegie AdairKevin J AdamsJohn James AlbaniKurt Michael Allisonsamuel Brinsley AshworthDenise elaine BakerMichael t Bakereddie clayton Bedfordemelyne Marie BinghamJohn A BirdsongGinger hammond BoatwrightJimmy BowenBob M BrittDarrell royce Browncurtis e Burch, JrDennis J Burnsiderobert Lewis Burnsvictor caldwellJames D cappsMichele voan cappschanning Joseph carrollrichard B carterBrian K christiansonArthur skip cleavingerthornton Douglas clineDavid Allan coeJonathan David colemanBradley Matthew corbinGene cottonDana eugene cupp, JrJason Boone DaughdrillJoshua Wellborn DayGerald Bruce DeesWilliam Moody Denton, iiiJerry DouglasMichael J DunbarMichael M DurhamBrian robert eckertDuane eddyGarry eldersJohn Anthony elefanteclayton Mitchell FeibuschFred Luther FosterBrian B Fullenreeves GabrelsJohn GavinMark A Gillespievince GillAlison Felise GoodingMark Kevin GranttBrian Lee GreenJohn William GreubelWylie Galt GustafsonJoan Bell hager

34 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn April–June 2014 35

The “Do not Work for” list exists to warn our members, other musicians and the general public about employers who, according to our records, owe players money and/or pension, have failed to sign the appropriate Afm signatory documents required to make the appropriate pension contribution, or are soliciting union members to do non-union work.

tOp Offenders listrecordingmusicians.com - Alan and Cathy umstead are soliciting non-union recording work through this website and elsewhere. Do not work for them under any circumstances without an Afm contract in place.

The following are employers who owe musi-cians large amounts of money and have thus far refused to fulfill their contractual obligations to local 257 musicians.

Jim Owens/luken communications/tnn/heartland tv – we have filed suit against Owens for nonpayment of rerun wages for Music City Tonight, recorded under the original nashville network agreement and licensed to the “new” Tnn, now renamed heartland Tv. luken, who have severed ties with Owens, is responsible for rerun payments for 30 Nashville Now shows. positive Movement/tommy sims (multiple unpaid contracts and pension from 2007 CeCe Winans project. sims has made several pay-ments, but still owes a considerable sum under the legal judgment we obtained against him.)terry K. Johnson/1720 entertainment (unpaid contracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O’neal project. We have a legal judgment against him but he has declared bankruptcy. We continue to monitor his activities.)honky tone records – Debbie randle/elbert West – multiple unpaid sessions and pension) eric legg & tracey legg (multiple unpaid contracts and pension)ray vega/casa vegarust records/Ken cooper (unpaid contracts and pension)revelator/gregg brown (multiple bounced checks/unpaid contracts)

unpaid cOntracts and pensiOnAccurate strategies, inc. Adagio music/sam Ocampo Wayd battle/shear luck beautiful monkey/JAb Country/Josh gracin bottled lightning/Woody bradshaw bull rush, inc/Cowboy Troy (unpaid demo

upgrade – making payments)

Cat Creek publishing Chez musical/sanchez harley Compass productions - Alan phillips and David

schneiderman Daddio prod./Jim pierce (making payments)summer Dunaway field entertainment group/Joe field goldenvine prod./harrison freeman golden vine/Darrell freeman greg holland home records/David vowell hot skillet/lee gibson (unpaid contract/limited

pressing signature)mark hybner Kyle Jacobs Katana productions/Duwayne “Dada” mills King Craft, inc./michael King ginger lewis line Drive music lyrically Correct music group/Jeff vice mCK publishing/rusty Tabor mpCA recordings/John Titta mark mcguinn marty mcintosh ms entertainment/michael scott multi-media steve nickell One shot management Anthony paul Company Quarterback/g force music/Doug Anderson rls records-nashville/ronald stone region One records richDor music/Keith brown river County band/svC entertainment (unpaid

demo conversion/pension)robbins nashville round robin/Jim pierce (unpaid contract – mak-

ing payments)shauna lynn shear luck productions/Wayd battleshy blakeman singing honey Tree sleepy Town/David lowe small Time productions, inc./randy boudreaux sound resources prod./Zach runquist mark spiro spangle 3/brien fisher sterling production mgmt/Traci sterling bishir Tough records/greg pearce (making payments)Adam D. Tucker eddie Wenrick

unpaid pensiOn OnlyAudio rx Jimmy Collins Comsource media/Tommy holland Conchita leeflang/Chris sevier

ricky D. Cook Coyote ugly/Jeff myers Data Aquisition Corp./eric prestidgeDerrin heroldtfJh enterprises first Tribe media matthew flinchum dba resilient Jimmy fohn music rebecca frederick goofy footed gospocentric Tony graham Jeffrey green/Cahernzcole house randy hatchett highland music publishing honey Tree prod. engelbert humperdinck in light records/rick lloyd little red hen records/Arjana Olson malaco pete martinez maverick management group mike Ward music (pension/demo signature)Joseph mcClelland Tim mcDonald Joe meyers missionary music Jason morales (pension/demo signature)O street mansion OTb publishing (pension/demo signature)Tebey Ottoh reach ministries ride n high records ronnie palmer barry preston smith Jason sturgeon music nathan Thompson roy Webb michael Whalen

afM nOn-signatOry phOnO listWe do not have signatory paperwork from the following employers — pension may have been paid in some cases, but cannot be credited to the proper musicians without a signatory agreement in place. if you can provide us with current contact info for these people, we will make sure you get your proper pension contribution for your work.

604 recordsChris lindsey heaven productions stonebridge station entertainmentstraight shooter music

do not woRk foR

36 THe nASHVille MuSiCiAn

Nashville Musicians AssociationPO Box 120399Nashville, tN 37212-0399—Address service requested—

Nonprofitu.s. Postage

PAiDNashville, tN

Permit No. 648

N A S H V I L L EMUSICIANSA F M L O C A L 2 5 7

We PUt the music

in mUsiC CityNext general Membership Meeting

Monday, May 19, 2014 6:00 p.m.