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Nashville’s Premier Event Planner Announces CMA After Party Sweepstakes

By on October 27, 2017 in Music, Special Events, The Latest

For country music fans, the CMA Awards (airing this year on Wednesday, November 8), are like a national holiday. Yet for all the fun to be had at the ceremony itself, there’s nothing like the private after parties—where the stars let loose and the music doesn’t stop until 2 am.

And this year, Nashville event planner Randi Lesnick is hosting a sweepstakes that will allow one winner and a guest to attend a CMA after party planned by Lesnick’s company, Randi Events.

“The CMAs are one of my favorite events during the year,” says Lesnick. “They’re normally closed to the public, so I’m excited to provide this opportunity for a very lucky country music fan.”

Since launching Randi Events more than 20 years ago, Lesnick has been the go-to planner for Nashville’s music industry, regularly organizing events for industry notables including Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Tim McGraw, and many others.

For the 2017 CMA Awards, Randi Events is planning some after parties and the winner of a random draw will get to tag along with Randi as she stops by each of the events.

Fans can enter the competition by visiting http://www.randilesnick.com/cma-awards-contest/ and following submissions instructions. Entries are earned by following Randi Lesnick and/or Randi Events on social media, as well as by sharing the content post on Instagram or Facebook. Each completed task qualifies for one entry, giving fans up to eight shots at the highly coveted prize.

While the contest is open to country fans across the country, Randi Events will not pay for travel to or lodging in Nashville. Deadline for all entries is 11:59 pm PST.

About Randi Lesnick/Randi Events

Randi Lesnick took a leap of faith nearly 20 years ago when announcing to a former executive of Dreamworks Records that she was a party planner, when, in fact, she wasn’t. Through sheer will, Randi landed the contract to plan the grand opening party for Dreamworks Nashville, and since then, Randi Events been the go-to event planner for Nashville’s music industry. In addition to rubbing shoulders with Music City elite like Scott Borchetta and Reba McEntire, Randi also plans luxury weddings around the southeastern U.S. and is currently working on a book detailing her rise to entrepreneurial success as a wife and mom of two.

For more information, visit RandiLesnick.com and RandiEvents.com.

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CMA Announces More Unexpected Musical Performances And Collaborations For “The 51st Annual CMA Awards,” Airing Wednesday, Nov. 8, On ABC

By on October 27, 2017 in In The Press

Artist PR Photo 2017 – Lady Antebellum

One of the best things about the CMA Awards are the surprises, and “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” has more unexpected collaborations to share as another round of superstar performances are announced for the Wednesday, Nov. 8 (8-11 PM ET), live broadcast from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on the ABC Television Network.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, P!NK, and Keith Urban will perform on this year’s Awards, and an unprecedented opening collaboration will feature Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban and more. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will co-host The Awards for the 10th consecutive year.

Hill and McGraw are among Country Music’s most nominated couples and “Speak to a Girl” marks the sixth time they’ve been nominated together for a CMA in the Vocal Event of the Year and Musical Event of the Year categories since 1997’s “It’s Your Love,” which they won. The couple has 61 nominations combined, with McGraw winning 11 times, including the 2001 Entertainer of the Year. Hill has three victories.

Grammy Award-winning pop star P!NK is nominated for a CMA Award for the first time this year. She’s up for Musical Event of the Year for her “Setting the World on Fire” duet with Kenny Chesney, and just released her new album Beautiful Trauma, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart this week.

Urban is a 10-time CMA Awards winner, including the 2005 Entertainer of the Year Award, and has been nominated 45 times since 2001 – one of the most consistent streaks of nominations over that time. He’s up for four awards this year, including Entertainer of the Year again.

Church is a rare two-time winner of the prestigious Album of the Year Award for CHIEF and Mr. Misunderstood. He’s been nominated 25 times since 2011, and is up for three awards this year, including Entertainer of the Year for the second time.

The trio of Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott have won seven CMA Awards, starting with New Artist of the Year in 2008. The trio also has taken Single of the Year twice and Vocal Group of the Year three times. Lady A is up for two Awards this year, including Album of the Year for Heart Break.

One of pop music’s most popular figures for more than two decades, Rucker won New Artist of the Year in 2009 and has performed at The CMA Awards multiple times since.

Performers previously announced for the Nov. 8 Awards include duet partners Kelsea Ballerini & Reba McEntire, Dierks Bentley & Rascal Flatts, Maren Morris & Niall Horan, Brad Paisley & Kane Brown as well as Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood.

Winners of “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” are determined by eligible voting CMA members. Ballots are tabulated by the professional services organization Deloitte & Touche LLP.

“The 51st Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton serves as the Executive Producer for the 11th year, and Gary Halvorson as the Director for the first time.

More information about “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” is on CMAawards.com. Listen to nominee playlists and purchase official CMA Awards apparel and accessories online.

About the CMA Awards: The first “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The Awards have aired on ABC since 2006. ABC is the network home of the CMA Awards and CMA’s other two television properties, “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas,” through 2021. The CMA Awards air in 43 countries.

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LIFE AND SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON Premiering TONIGHT On CMT at 9pm/Central

By on October 27, 2017 in In The Press

The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson, an all-star concert taped live in Nashville, will premiere Oct. 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CMT.

CMT will present the concert as 90-minute broadcast, and Blackbird Presents Records will release the full-length concert film as a CD/DVD combo. The broadcast, concert film and music release features a collection of legendary singers, songwriters and rising stars who came together in March 2016 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for a once-in-a-lifetime concert to celebrate Kristofferson and his classic songs.

The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson features performances, in-depth interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage with Kristofferson, Jessi Alexander, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Jessi Colter, Rodney Crowell, Larry Gatlin, Emmylou Harris, Jack Ingram, Shooter Jennings, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, the Travelin’ McCourys, Reba McEntire, Buddy Miller, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Jon Randall, Darius Rucker, Hank Williams Jr. and Lee Ann Womack.

Performances includes McEntire’s take on “Me and Bobby McGee,” Lady Antebellum’s version of “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and Church’s interpretation of “To Beat the Devil.” Other highlights include a special performance of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” by Nelson and Kristofferson and an all-star grand finale performance of “Why Me.”

The CD/DVD version is available for immediate preorder at Blackbird Presents and Pledge Music. Fans can also get exclusive merchandise from PledgeMusic, including a limited edition framed gig poster from the night of the show, color photo, and an Epiphone limited edition 1963 J-45 guitar, all signed by Kris Kristofferson. Merchandise bundles which include the official concert T-shirt, hat and CD/DVD are available from Blackbird Presents.

Keith Wortman is creator and executive producer of the show. Grammy winner Don Was served as music director alongside famed songwriter-producer Buddy Cannon.

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Hopdoddy Is First To Roll Out “The Impossible Burger” In Tennessee

By on October 27, 2017 in In The Press

Hopdoddy Burger Bar joined the Nashville community on October 23rd, bringing their creative, from-scratch burger and beer joint to Music City. Adding to the menu of thoughtfully-crafted burgers, Hopdoddy is proud to be the first in Tennessee to serve the Impossible Burger, made with all-natural, plant-based ingredients.

 

Since its debut, the sustainable, plant-based Impossible Burger has been well-received by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, as well as critics at Forbes, Buzzfeed, Business Insider, Food & Wine and more. The Impossible Burger is the world’s only burger that looks, handles, smells, cooks and tastes like ground beef from cows, but is made entirely from plants, with a much smaller environmental footprint than animals.

 

Offered as a take on its “Classic Burger,” the Impossible Burger at Hopdoddy includes the Impossible Foods patty, Tillamook cheddar, green leaf lettuce, white onion, tomatoes and its signature “Sassy Sauce” on a brioche bun for $14. The burger can also be customized with a whole wheat bun for an entirely plant-based option.

 

The Impossible Burger uses about 75 percent less water, generates about 87 percent fewer greenhouse gases and requires around 95 percent less land than conventional ground beef from cows. It’s produced without hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol or artificial flavors.

 

WHEN:                  Now available

 

WHERE:                Hopdoddy Nashville

Hillsboro Village

1805 21st Ave. S.

Nashville, TN 37212

 

About hopdoddy BURGER BAR:

Hopdoddy Burger Bar is a nationally-recognized Austin-born burger + beer joint. Hopdoddy grinds their meats in-house daily and offers a wide variety of the freshest available, all-natural proteins like Angus beef, Grass-fed Kobe beef, chicken and sushi-grade tuna that are stacked between baked-from-scratch buns. Alongside its burgers, Hopdoddy serves hand-cut Kennebec fries, farm fresh salads, and handcrafted milkshakes. Hopdoddy also carries an array of local craft beers on tap, can and bottle as well as a full bar featuring regional spirits, house-made liqueurs and freshly squeezed juices.

 

Founded in 2010, Hopdoddy now has locations in Texas, Arizona, Colorado and California with additional locations opening in 2017. Hopdoddy has been named one of the “The Best Burgers in America” by Food & Wine, garnered the #1 spot on two years in a row by Business Insider’s list of “The 50 best burger joints in America” and named one of the “10 Brands to Watch” by CNBC and MSN. For more information on Hopdoddy, visit www.hopdoddy.com and follow the company on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE FOODS:

Based in Redwood City, Calif., Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious meat and dairy products directly from plants — with a much smaller environmental footprint than those produced from animals. The privately held company was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Investors include Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Horizons Ventures, UBS, Viking Global Investors, Open Philanthropy Project and Temasek.

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Grammy-Nominated Country Sensation Cam Releases Much-Anticipated New “Single,” Diane, Today!

By on October 27, 2017 in In The Press

Available for Download and Streaming, “Diane” Was Written and Produced by the Team Behind Cam’s Platinum-Selling #1 Smash, “Burning House”, The Most-Downloaded Song by a Female Country Artist Released Since 2015.

Photo credit: Dennis Leupold

Acclaimed, multi-award-nominated songstress Cam is sure to delight fans anxious for new music as she previews her 2018 Arista Nashville/RCA Records sophomore album with the release of “Diane,” the forthcoming collection’s debut single, available now HERE.

Inspired by the storyline of Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene,” the driving, tempo-rich track delivers a sonically refreshing tale of love and regret and commiseration.  The song was co-written by Cam, Jeff Bhasker, and Tyler Johnson, the team behind the most-downloaded song by a female country artist released since 2015—Cam’s Platinum-certified #1 smash, “Burning House”—which propelled Cam to her first GRAMMY®, ACM, CMA, CMT, and American Music Awards nominations.

About the song, Cam shares, “‘Diane’ is my response to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene.’  It’s the apology so many spouses deserve, but never get.  The other woman is coming forward to break the news to the wife about an affair, respecting her enough to have that hard conversation, once she realized he was married.  Because everyone should be able to decide their own path in life, based on the truth.  Women especially should do this for each other, since our self-worth can still be so wrapped up in our partners.  And in true country fashion, I’ve set the whole raw story to upbeat music, so you can dance while you process it all.”

A GRAMMY winner as Producer of the Year, Jeff Bhasker (Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars) and multiple-GRAMMY nominee Tyler Johnson (Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran) produced “Diane,” in addition to co-writing the song with Cam.  Bhasker and Johnson also produced Cam’s widely acclaimed 2015 major-label debut, Untamed.

As part of the excitement surrounding the single release, Cam will perform “Diane” and other songs as part of a 30-minute Facebook Livestream event at 11 AM, CT, on October 31, with the performance originating from an intimate music space in Sony Music Nashville’s office in the Gulch area of downtown Nashville, near Music Row.  Stream Cam’s performance HERE.

Among other appearances in support of “Diane,” California-native Cam is looking ahead to the launch of her Best Coast Tour, headlining nine West Coast dates beginning November 28.  Having recently opened selected shows on Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s blockbuster Soul2Soul Tour and for international star Harry Styles at his sold out Ryman Auditorium show in Nashville, Cam is also set to wrap her opening slot on George Strait’s 2017 residency tour at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with shows December 8 and 9.  For complete tour dates, please visit www.camcountry.com.

Along with working on her upcoming album, Cam’s busy 2017 included co-writing the song “Palace” with Sam Smith and Tyler Johnson on Sam Smith’s forthcoming album, The Thrill of It All, releasing November 3.  She also contributed background vocals and electric guitar to the track.

About Cam
California-born singer/songwriter Cam emerged as one of the true breakthrough artists of the past two years, achieving her first Platinum record and first #1 country single with “Burning House,” which earned her a GRAMMY® Award nomination for Best Country Solo Performance. In fact, she was the only female country act to release a song in 2015 and amass a million downloads by the end of the year.  The success also sparked Cam to six nominations for the 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards (most-nominated female), two nods for the American Country Countdown Awards and three nominations for the CMT Music Awards (tied for most-nominated artist), two nominations for the 50th Annual CMA Awards, and one for the 2016 American Music Awards. Her Untamed album on Arista Nashville/RCA Records, which released December 11, 2015, debuted at #2 on Billboard ’s Top Country Albums chart with the year’s best first-week album sales by a debut country artist.  Untamed was met with widespread critical acclaim from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, PEOPLE, Associated Press, and many others. Cam, who co-wrote each of her 11 debut album tracks, has appeared on national TV programs including Good Morning America, Today, CBS This Morning, The Voice, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Talk, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, LIVE with Kelly, The Grammys, ACM Awards, and The 10th ACM Honors CBS special (with Alicia Keys). In addition to completing her first headline concert series, 2016’s The Burning House Tour , this rising country star opened two major 2016 tours: Brad Paisley’s Crushin’ It Tour and Dierks Bentley’s Somewhere on a Beach Tour. The Apple Music Festival 2015 in London, Stagecoach, SXSW, ACM Lifting Lives Party for a Cause, CMA Music Festival, the Grand Ole Opry, and the C2C Festival in the UK and Ireland are among the many events in which Cam has participated over the past two years.

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Kenny Rogers Celebrates Memories Wednesday Night At Farewell Celebration

By on October 27, 2017 in In The Press

Photo credit: Jeremy Westby

Kenny Rogers’ musical career has touched many different styles of music throughout various generations, and his farewell performance to Nashville, All In For The Gambler, served as a reminder of the musical impact that his career has had – and will continue to make for years to come. An all-star cast of Rogers’ contemporaries – and many of today’s hottest musical artists – turned up last night (October 25) at the Bridgestone Arena in Music City to pay tribute to the Country Music Hall of Fame member, who is in the midst of his farewell tour, “The Gambler’s Last Deal.” Perhaps the most emotional moment of the night belonged to Dolly Parton, who teamed with Rogers one last time on their 1983 hit “Islands In The Stream” after surprising both Rogers – and the audience – with a heartfelt performance of “I Will Always Love You” to her friend and collaborator. The two also reminisced about their lengthy friendship – which dates back to a Rogers appearance on her syndicated TV show from the mid 1970’s – almost a decade before they first teamed up. The two also closed out their performing career together with the Grammy-nominated “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” a single from 2013.

The evening was a mixture of song performances that balanced many of the singer’s iconic hits – as well as many of the early days of Rogers’ career as the lead vocalist of The First Edition. Jamey Johnson paid tribute to the singer’s versatility with a raucous take on Mickey Newbury’s “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),” a First Edition hit from five decades ago. The Flaming Lips shined the light on “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town,” with Reba McEntire tipping the hat to the group’s “Reuben James.” Elle King gave a jaw-dropping performance of “Tulsa Turnaround,” one of the First Edition’s lesser-known tracks – that Rogers himself recorded for his 1979 album Kenny. Rogers’ fellow Texan Kris Kristofferson paid tribute to the band’s cover of “Me and Bobby McGee,” which he wrote.

Of course, the main focus of the evening was on the record-setting solo career Rogers embarked on in the mid-1970s, and those hits were on full display during the evening. Justin Moore nodded to the beginning of the singer’s hit making era with “Lucille,” with spellbinding performances taking place from Aaron Lewis (“Coward Of The County”, The Oak Ridge Boys (“Love Or Something Like It”), Chris Stapleton (“The Gambler”), Little Big Town (“Through The Years”), and Lady Antebellum (“She Believes In Me”). A special moment took place with the appearance of Don Henley – who once lived with Rogers and his family – to perform the classic “Desperado,” which Rogers cut in 1977 for his Daytime Friends album.

Many of the 80’s and 90’s hits of the singer were featured during The Gambler’s Last Deal as well. Billy Currington delivered a sensual take on “Morning Desire,” with Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Idina Menzel teaming up for “We’ve Got Tonight,” a 1983 Rogers hit with Sheena Easton. Two of the singers’ most frequent collaborators figured prominently in this era with appearances with Lionel Richie giving a beautiful take on “’Lady,” a number one Pop and Country hit that he wrote for Kenny’s Greatest Hits album in 1980, and Alison Krauss saluted the singer with a pristine version of his romantic ballad “Love The World Away.” Another incredible performance came from Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and mother Linda Davis – who has toured extensively with Rogers over the years – uniting on stage for the singer’s 1987 chart-topper “Twenty Years Ago.”

There were several other great musical moments during All In For The Gambler, with Naomi and Wynonna Judd reuniting for “Back To The Well,” and an all-star group of Rogers’ former opening acts paying tribute to the icon with a sing-along performance of his 1982 hit “Blaze Of Glory,” including Travis Tritt, The Gatlin Brothers, Kim Forester, T.G. Sheppard, Crystal Gayle, Lee Greenwood, T. Graham Brown, and Billy Dean.

Blackbird Presents’ Keith Wortman, creator and executive producer of Nashville’s recent highly acclaimed “Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard,” is the creator and executive producer of “All In For The Gambler.” GRAMMY® Award Winner Don Was served as music director, and presided over a stellar house band backing the performers at this historic concert event taping. Kenny Rogers’ manager, Ken Levitan, also served as executive producer. The event was filmed and recorded for multi-platform distribution throughout traditional media (worldwide broadcast, music, and digital).

About Blackbird Presents:
Blackbird Presents is a global media company that produces premium content via a range of strategies including large-scale concert events and festivals, broadcast series and specials, and music releases featuring major music stars across all genres and demographics.

Blackbird’s recent concerts, broadcast specials and releases include “Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard,” “The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson,” “Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert,” “Outlaw: Celebrating The Music of Waylon Jennings,” “I’ll Take You There: Celebrating 75 Years of Mavis Staples,” “The Life and Songs of Emmylou Harris,” “Lynyrd Skynyrd: One More For The Fans,” “The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: Celebrating Mac and His Music,” and “All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs and Voice of Gregg Allman,” the latter of which earned a 2014 GRAMMY® Award nomination for Gregg Allman and Taj Mahal’s awe-inspiring performance of “Statesboro Blues.”

Blackbird Presents is also creator and producer behind the Outlaw Music Festival Tour, in partnership with Willie Nelson; the American Roots Music & Arts Festival, in partnership with Eric Church; and The Last Waltz 40 Tour.
Visit us at www.blackbirdpresents.com

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Nashville Ballet Presents LIZZIE BORDEN with THE RAVEN October 26-28

By on October 26, 2017 in Music, Special Events, The Latest

As a special Halloween production, Nashville Ballet presents LIZZIE BORDEN with THE RAVEN at TPAC’s Polk Theater from October 26-28 only; two ominous, harrowing tales told through movement, imagery, and music.

The Raven – Photo credit: Heather Thorne

This production begins with THE RAVEN, which is the 1st time this particular program has been presented.  Based on the narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe that was published in January 1845.

The most famous of Poe’s poems is noted for highly-stylized writing, the dark subject matter, and supernatural elements within.

The Raven. Photo credit: Heather Thorne

Only 15 minutes long, it’s the perfect prelude and pairing to LIZZIE BORDEN, which has returned by popular demand to TPAC’s Polk Theater.

The Raven. Photo credit: Karyn Photography

This production, THE RAVEN, is defined by its simplicity with only 3 dancers on stage playing the roles of the man who has lost his lover/wife, the lover/wife, and the raven.  It is accompanied only by a pianist with a foreboding and classic musical score.

We enter the mind of a tormented man who is in a drunken stuper trying to ease his pain over the loss of his lover/wife.  A simple set of a chair, portrait of his deceased lover/wife, and a door with entryway.

In and out of consciousness from alcohol, is he really seeing the ghost of his beloved or just a figment of his imagination over his longing to see her again?

In his torment, paranoia has set in as he ponders the meaning of a raven appearing at his door and why it keeps returning.  Is this raven actually taunting him and real or symbolic of the foreshadowing of something dark to fall upon him, as the raven represents death?

In the end he collapses to the floor and the curtain falls.  We’ll let you decide if all was just his imagination or not.

Followed by a brief intermission, the stage is set for LIZZIE BORDEN, the main production.

Lizzie Borden. Photo credit: Heather Thorne

The full cast of dancers from Nashville Ballet takes the stage for this story.

Based on the true story of the 1892 axe murders of Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts.  The infamous double homicide is a tale that everyone in the U.S. knows well.  Even children still sing of the famous crime in a nursery  rhyme jumping rope innocently on playgrounds.

The tale is told from the perspective of Lizzie Borden as she looks back at literally the ghosts of her past through the dark recesses of her mind.

Lizzie Borden. Photo credit: Heather Thorne (1)

Starting out, she is a young, innocent, happy girl with a loving, attentive mother.  Then, her mother passes away.  Soon after, her father remarries.  Her stepmother is cruel and cold.  Giving no love to the young Lizzie.  Her father is sexually-abusive to the young girl growing up.  The stepmother is seemingly aware of this, yet turns a cheek and urges Lizzie to keep quiet about her wealthy father known in society.  It’s all about keeping up appearances, and such things were not talked openly about then.  Thus begins Lizzie’s spiral down to the dark recesses of her mind, inner torment, and a young woman simply wanting to be loved.

The young Lizzie, no longer innocent, lost, and unhappy, grows into a woman and falls in love with a young suitor.  I say “suitor” because that is how they were referenced in her time.

Lizzie Borden. Photo credit: Karyn Photography

Lizzie and her suitor court.  Throughout, you see her trying to touch him more sexually, as he brushes off her advances.  Learned behavior by her from years of sexual abuse from her father.

We see Lizzie torn away from the loving arms of her suitor, the one good thing happening in her life, only to be drawn back into her unhappy home with her father and stepmother.  The sexual abuse by her father continues and nothing but cruelty from the stepmother.

Lizzie Borden. Photo credit: Heather Thorne

Lizzie’s mind slips more and more into the darkness.  We witness the struggle between the good & bad sides of Lizzie who is desperate to escape her current situation and losing her grasp on reality.  There are good & bad sides within all of us, and if we were placed in such a situation, what would we do? How would we react if desperate to escape a bad situation?

Shadow figures, known as malevolent spirits people describe seeing throughout history, appear and become more frequent as the tale is told starting after the death of her mother and getting progressively worse as time goes on.

Lizzie’s mind spirals and spirals downward as the story is told through the dancing and movement on the stage.  Until finally she is seemingly at her breaking point.  It is at this time that an ax appears with shadow figures around.  She takes the ax and sheds her clothing.  A red backdrop appears visually representing blood and death.

We don’t actually see anything.  Just like no one actually witnessed the murders.  Once Lizzie reappears, we see her in court with a jury.  Everyone has turned on her and she is alone, even her ex-suitor hss turned his back on her.  She is finally acquitted, but spends the rest of her life living in the same house where all her torment came from growing up and is shunned from society the rest of her lofe.  Whispers, rumors, and loneliness surround her.

Lizzie Borden. Photo credit: Karyn Photography (1)

In the end, she is now a wealthy woman having inherited her father’s money, dressed in beautiful attire.  She appears alone wearing a bright red dress and hat, which symbolizes the “blood on her hands” as she stands accused surrounded by the people from this small town regardless of whether she was acquitted or not.

Did she or didn’t she kill her father and stepmother? We will never know for certain.

Watch a short video trailer by clicking HERE for a glimpse into the LIZZIE BORDEN production.

Lizzie Borden c.1892

Watch a video of the lead of LIZZIE BORDEN and what is was like to become that character by clicking HERE.

I thoroughly-enjoyed both productions.  The dancing and score for both were perfection.  I was drawn into both worlds and maintained my interest throughout the night, and truust me, that is hard to do! Be sure and see these 2 dark productions just in time for Halloween.

This production contains mature content and brief nudity.
Age Recommendation: Adult
Run Time: Approximately 2 hours (including 1 intermission)

Lizzie Borden Choreography by Nashville Ballet Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling
Music by Philip Feeney
Based on the True Infamous Murder Trial from the 1890s

The Raven Choreography by Nashville Ballet Company Dancer Christopher Stuart
Music by Franz Liszt
Based on the Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

 

 

 

 

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Warner Music Teams With Musicians On Call For Artist Hospital Visits

By on October 25, 2017 in In The Press

Photo credit: Dusty Barer

Musicians On Call (MOC), a groundbreaking nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in hospitals across the country, continued its celebration of the 10th Anniversary in Nashville by teaming up with Warner Music Nashville to launch its Bedside Performance Program at its 10th Hospital in Nashville at TriStar Centennial Medical Center. TriStar Centennial Medical Center hosted the celebration featuring performances from Warner Music Nashville recording artists Michael Ray and Ryan Kinder. Warner Music Nashville COO, Matt Signore, and SVP Artist Development, Shane Tarleton, were on hand to show their support of Musicians On Call’s 10th Anniversary by presenting a check for $10,000 to support the new program. Following the program, Michael Ray and Ryan Kinder performed the first Bedside Performance Program within the new orthopedic patient unit, where Michael Ray suprised patients with acoustic renditions of his hits “Kiss You In The Morning” and “Think a Little Less” and Ryan Kinder performed “Still Believe in Crazy Love” and “Close.”  In addition to the support of the 10th Hospital Launch, Warner Music Nashville employees embarked on a volunteer initiative throughout the day where they volunteered at Musicians On Call programs throughout Nashville.

 

The new Bedside Performance Program takes place at TriStar Centennial Nashville’s brand new orthopedic patient unit, which held its formal ribbon cutting on Monday. The 7th floor orthopedic unit, where the Warner Music Artist visited, is phase 1 of a $98 million-dollar campus expansion and modernization project and includes 29 patient rooms.  The multi-phase project is scheduled to be fully completed in the Summer 2018. This program marks the third Bedside Performance Program MOC will have within the HCA system, where they have already played for nearly 10,000 patients, families and caregivers since 2013 at TriStar Centennial Medical Center Women’s and Children’s Hospitals and Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at TriStar Centennial. Musicians On Call’s other hospital partners include Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville Community Care & Rehabilitation at Bordeaux, VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System (Nashville and Murfreesboro Campuses), Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital, and Alive Hospice.

 

“Today was a perfect TEN! It’s the 10th anniversary of Musicians on Call in Nashville, we helped launch its 10th program and we are beyond thrilled to donate $10,000 to such a wonderful cause,” said Shane Tarleton, SVP Artist Development. “To celebrate this milestone, our staff is volunteering across all the MOC programs today alongside two of our artists, Michael Ray and Ryan Kinder. Sharing the healing power of music is a priority for all of us here at Warner Music Nashville.”

 

“Warner Music Nashville have embraced our efforts to deliver the healing power of music and we’re thrilled to have their support in today’s big milestone of our 10th Hospital Launch in Nashville,” said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President. “It’s a special milestone to cap off our 10th Anniversary in Nashville, where our Musicians On Call volunteers have performed for over 130,000 patients, families and caregivers.”

 

Musicians On Call will celebrate its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 26th with a sold-out star-studded event at City Winery, presented by National Geographic, featuring a special performance from Lady Antebellum. Fans can support Musicians On Call’s 10th Anniversary in Nashville by bidding on exclusive auction items at www.musiciansoncall.org/nash10th.

 

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About Musicians On Call (MOC)

Musicians On Call (MOC) was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities ranging from children’s hospitals to adult facilities, VA hospitals and hospices. To date, its volunteers have played for over 600,000 patients, families and caregivers across the country. By delivering live, in-room performances to patients undergoing treatment or unable to leave their beds, they add a dose of joy to life in a healthcare facility. MOC supporters over the years include Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Antebellum, Justin Timberlake, Ed Sheeran, Reba, Gavin DeGraw, Darius Rucker, Pharrell, Amos Lee, Nick Jonas, Rachel Platten and many more. For more information, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

 

 

About Warner Music Nashville

Warner Music Nashville was created in 2009 with the goal of expanding the presence of WMG and its family of labels has had in the Nashville music community for more than 60 years. Under the leadership of Chairman & CEO, John Esposito, the division is home to Warner Bros. Nashville, Atlantic Nashville, Elektra Nashville and the LoudMouth comedy label.

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LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION Is Part of Stadium Trip Around The Sun

By on October 25, 2017 in In The Press

Having spent the better part of the year culling, mixing and mastering Live in No Shoes Nation, Kenny Chesney created what he believes to be the ultimate love letter to the people who’ve come out year after year, summer after summer. Believing that his songs, especially the hits, only truly find their ultimate form after being shared with the world, Live in No Shoes Nation serves to capture the passion, the intensity and the spirit of No Shoes Nation at large.

“The more I listened, the more I realized: they have no idea how good they sound – or how much they give these songs new shapes,” Chesney says. “The last thing I thought I’d be doing for my next record was a live album, but the way No Shoes Nation sounds, it seemed like – once I really started digging in – the only thing to do.”

Further heightening that connection between the live experience and the people who make the noise, Chesney wanted to find a way to close the circle. Anyone buying a ticket to this year’s Trip Around the Sun 2018 stadium shows can receive a physical copy of Live in No Shoes Nation as part of each ticket purchased.

“It just seems like the right thing to do,” Chesney offers. “For all the people who’ve been part of making these tours so successful every single summer, let’s make it as easy as possible to put the music in their hands. We’re all moving so fast, with too many places we have to be. This way, if you want to hear something like ‘One Step Up’ from the Stone Pony, or something that goes all the way back to 2007 with Dave Matthews and I having an end-of-tour moment singing ‘Space Cowboy’ and ‘Three Little Birds,’ or the night in Boston when we sang ‘Happy on the Hey Now’ for a friend from the islands, it’s all here!”

“And as much as downloading is so convenient, there is nothing like putting a CD in your car – and just driving and sinking into the music. Maybe I’m the only person who still does that, but I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve spent during the making of this record doing just that. It does sound different, so I figured: make it part of how we get into Trip Around the Sun.”

From the beach at Perdido Key, on the Florida/Alabama line to Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Lambeau Field…from Tampa, Kansas City, or Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre to Foxboro, Massachusetts, Live in No Shoes Nation measures the fun, the friends, the soul and the songs that have come to define coming-of-age in the flyover this century as they’ve been lived, sung and cheered to since the only Country Artist on Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years found himself a true stadium headliner.

“This is about music, about getting pumped up for next summer’s stadium shows,” Chesney says of the CD that fans can receive with every ticket. “Music is meant to be lived and loved and turned up. I wanna think we got that right here, and that everyone coming to the shows thinks they sound as good on these tracks as I do.”

Kenny Chesney Trip Around the Sun 2018 Tour Stadium Shows Presented by Blue Chair Bay
with Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion and Brandon Lay

April 21                      Raymond James Stadium                                Tampa, FL

April 28                      Miller Park                                                      Milwaukee, WI

May 5                         US Bank Stadium                                            Minneapolis, MN

May 19                       AT&T Stadium                                               Dallas, TX

May 26                       Mercedes-Benz Stadium                                 Atlanta, GA

June 2                          Heinz Field                                                     Pittsburgh, PA

June 9                          Lincoln Financial Field                                    Philadelphia, PA

June 16                        Mapfre Stadium                                              Columbus, OH

June 23                        Chase Field                                                     Phoenix, AZ

June 30                        Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium            Denver, CO

July 7                          Centurylink Field                                            Seattle, WA.

July 14                        Arrowhead Stadium                                        Kansas City, MO

July 21                        Busch Stadium                                                Saint Louis, MO

July 28                        Soldier Field                                                   Chicago, IL

August 4                     Ford Field                                                       Detroit, MI

August 11                   Nissan Stadium                                               Nashville, TN

August 18                   MetLife Stadium                                             East Rutherford, NJ

August 24                   Gillette Stadium                                              Foxboro, MA

(Gillette show will have Dierks Bentley, the Brothers Osborne + Brandon Lay)

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Inaugural National Music Publishers Association’s GOLD AND PLATINUM Gala Makes A Splash In Nashville

By on October 24, 2017 in Music, Special Events, The Latest

On October 19th, the National Music Publishers Association held the inaugural GOLD AND PLATINUM Gala in downtown Nashville at the beautiful Bridge Building.

The elite of Music Row’s songwriters and music publishers filed into the Bridge Building eagerly anticipating what the cool, fall night held.  Since this was the first time this event has been held in Nashville, no one was quite certain what to expect.

Once inside, it was clear that all in attendance were in for a nice evening.  A tastefully-decorated atmosphere inside revealed food stations serving carved brisket and mashed potato bar.  Tasty salad was presented across the room, while an attentive waitstaff served savory hors d’oeuvres from trays and specialty drinks made for the occasion.  Decorative couches, tables, and chairs were scattered throughout the venue.

Outside on the patio of the Bridge Building offered additional tables with chairs for enjoying spectacular views overlooking the Cumberland River, downtown Nashville, and the Pedestrian Bridge. In addition, a mouthwatering s’mores bar, where guests could roast their own marshmallows over small open flames, tempted party goers all night long.

The outside area also featured an open bar and attentive bar staff.  Heating lamps with fire flickering safely inside them offered soft lighting, warmth for guests as a temperatures fell with nightfall, and added to the coziness of the astmosphere.

After given adequate time for attendees to mingle with other guests, grab something to eat and drink, the presentations of gold and platinum plaques by the president of the National Music Publishers Association and staff began following a two-song acoustic performance of an up-and-coming singer/songwriter, Kassi Ashton, who sang songs being awarded that night.

What I liked about the presentations is they were fast and efficient allowing adequate time to give out awards and take pictures for all honorees; however, not dragging out a long ceremony that could have become cumbersome for all. It was just right.

Then, another up-and-coming singer/songwriter from Warner Music Nashville, Cale Dodds, performed two-songs, one being a medley of some of the songs & their songwriters being honored that night.

Following the presentation of plaques for those songs from the past year in the country genre that reached gold, platinum, and multi-platinum status, the awards for song of the year were given out to 2 songs due to a tie to the songwriters of “Holy” and “Body Like A Backroad”.

After the ceremony was over, guests were then allowed to freely mingle for the rest of the night.  We took the opportunity to enjoy the peaceful setting of the outside area overlooking the Cumberland River and downtown Nashville, indulging in s’mores, champagne, and cosmopolitans as the night slowly trickled down towards the end.  It was the perfect end to a perfect evening.

Thank you National Music Publishers Association for inviting us to partake in the festivities.  We hope to see you again next year.  What a start of a new yearly event.  They clearly made a splash among the music community that evening.  It is a welcome addition to annual music events in Nashville in the fall.

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