Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 10 July 2024
CONCERT REVIEW—NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
After nearly 60 years, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is on its farewell tour. Playing its “last traditionally scheduled gigs,” the band isn’t saying goodbye forever, only to multi-city runs and long bus rides. All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour lasts from March through July. It stopped at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls on June 27. This was a show I didn’t want to miss, since I’d never seen them in concert and it would be my last chance. The seats were not set up as they’d been shown on the website where I purchased the pricey tickets; my aisle seats five rows from the front ended up being five rows from the side of the stage. We had to look over the speakers and watch the band from the side.
The backdrop displayed “Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” as the musicians walked onstage at 7:40 and picked up their instruments. There was no opening act and no introduction. The music began, and I recognized Jeff Hanna at the microphone in the dimly lit room.
One of their first songs, appropriately so, was their 1986 hit, “Partners, Brothers, and Friends,” one of my favorites. It was written by Jeff Hanna and former member Jimmy Ibbotson as a commemoration: “For almost twenty years of touring, we’ve remained partners, brothers and friends.” And here they are, almost forty years after that. Jeff Hanna and Bruce Kunkel had put together a six-piece band in 1966 in Long Beach, California, which included Jimmie Fadden. They called it the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Throughout the years, members have come and gone, varying in number from four to six, but always with Hanna and Fadden.
Before singing “Long Hard Road,” Jeff said their friend Rodney Crowell wrote the song about his grandfather, and it became their first #1. He reminded us that “Mr. Bojangles” was written by Jerry Jeff Walker: “This is the tune that got us started — got us out on the road.” The many familiar songs that showed off the Dirt Band sound included “Dance Little Jean” and “Fishin’ in the Dark” (another of my favorites). The audience sing-along brought home to me that this legendary band was alive and in person only a few feet away from us.
John introduced son Jaime Hanna on guitar; it seemed to me that father and son traded off who was playing lead. Jaime has been with the band since 2018, as has fiddle/mandolin player and Fort Worth native Ross Holmes. John introduced bass guitarist Jim Photoglo by saying he wrote “Fishin’ in the Dark.” That song went to No. 1 in 1987, three decades before Jim joined the band in 2016. Bob Carpenter on keyboards has been with the group since 1979. About Jimmie Fadden, Jeff said, “We’ve been together since we were teenagers.” Jimmie played drums and harmonica at the same time. For one song, he came down front to play harmonica, while Jaime replaced him on drums.
When Jaime introduced “my dad Jeff Hanna,” the crowd rose in a standing ovation. Jeff grabbed his red Solo cup and raised it in a toast. Jeff celebrates his 77th birthday tomorrow. Who would guess? I enjoyed looking at him, top to bottom, throughout the show.
The band left the stage at 9:02 and returned a few minutes later to sing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Jeff and Jimmy alternated singing the verses. The audience stood and clapped during the ten-minute musical jam. Although I’d never considered myself a Dirt Band fan, I am now. This is one concert I’d like to attend again.
NEWS
Breaking News: Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys has died at age 76, reports WKRN in Nashville. “Bonsall, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” a release states. The 50-year member of The Oak Ridge Boys announced his retirement from touring in January. Born in 1948, he was from Philadelphia and lived in Nashville for nearly 40 years. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He wrote eleven books, including the upcoming memoir, I See Myself. He requested no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The ALS Association or to the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a hearing June 26, reports Billboard, with Mary and Randy Travis called to Capitol Hill to testify. Titled “Radio, Music, and Copyrights: 100 Years of Inequity for Recording Artists,” the hearing topic was the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), a bill that would establish fair market value for radio performance royalties similar to how rates are set for streaming platforms. It also would compel foreign radio stations to pay U.S.-based artists for the performance of their songs. Mary, who spoke for Randy, said, “This piece of legislation is essential to correct a 100-year-old issue regarding artists and nonpayment for their work performed on the most prominent music platform in America — one which they helped to build and sustain.” Mike Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange, told members of the committee that large national corporations could easily afford to pay royalties. Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, along with Eddie Harrell Jr. from Radio One, disagreed. They warned the committee that any additional royalties would be too much. They said radio station revenue is not growing, and any additional expense threatens what services can be provided to local communities, such as collecting donated items for needy families and broadcasting during natural disasters. Huppe pointed out that stations pay for sporting events and syndicated talk radio shows. He asked, “Why should Randy Travis have to be the one to bear the load of this community effort and all the charitable work?” (See VIDEO OF THE WEEK.)
“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends,” reported his official X account on June 27. “Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years, but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.” The Texas Tribune reports he had Parkinson’s disease and was 79 years old. Born Richard Samet Friedman to Russian Jewish parents in Chicago in 1944, he moved as a baby with his family to Texas. He graduated in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. In the early 1970s, he led a country band called Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, with songs like “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.” (That song earned him the National Organization for Women’s “Male Chauvinist Pig Award.”) His fans included Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. He ran for governor as an independent against Republican incumbent Rick Perry in 2006, finishing fourth in the race; he quipped, “I support gay marriage because I believe they have a right to be just as miserable as the rest of us.” He became a prolific writer, publishing several detective novels and writing for Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly.
The 7th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards will take place at the Ryman Auditorium on September 24. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) will honor Alan Jackson with its highest honor, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. Producer and songwriter Buddy Cannon will receive the President’s Keystone Award. Buddy’s co-written songs include “Set ‘Em Up Joe,” “I’ve Come To Expect It From You,” “Dream Of Me,” and “Give It Away.” He is also known for his work as a producer for Kenny Chesney and Willie Nelson. According to Country Now, the ceremony will also announce peer-voted “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” along with NSAI’s Song, Songwriter, and Songwriter-Artist of the Year. In a new tradition, NSAI will honor one song as the Legendary Song of its era. The NSAI board of directors chose ten influential songs from 1967-1983, and the professional membership voted to determine the winning song. The inaugural recipient of the Legendary Song Award will be unveiled and performed during the event.
I sometimes wonder if Chuck Morgan is still announcing for the Texas Rangers. And apparently he is. A recent Texas Coop Power article talked about him beginning a Texas Rangers baseball game at Globe Life Field with the greeting, “It’s baseball time in Texas.” I had called him in 2008 to talk about Marty Robbins. Chuck followed Ralph Emery as WSM-AM’s all-night radio host. He was on the air when news arrived of Marty’s death; he served as a pallbearer at Marty’s funeral. While living in Nashville, he also announced for the minor league baseball team, Sounds. He is on my distribution list, so I suppose he still gets my newsletter. Hi, Chuck!
Edmonton-born singer-songwriter K.D. Lang will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame during Country Music Week in Edmonton, Alberta, in September, reports MusicRow. She was a fixture in country music in the ’80s. Two of her four Grammy wins were Best Country Vocal Collaboration in 1989 with Roy Orbison for “Crying” and Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1990 with her “Absolute Torch and Twang.” She was recognized in 1996 with Canada’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2013. She received the Alberta Order of Excellence Award in 2021 and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
William “Rusty” Lee Golden, Jr., 65, son of William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys, died July 1 at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Born in 1959, in Brewton, Alabama, he grew up in a musical household, with both parents coming from musical families. At age 13, he started playing drums professionally for The Rambos, with Dottie Rambo. After attending an Elton John concert, he learned to play the piano and, at 17, started touring with Larry Gatlin as keyboard player. In 1984, he received an RIAA Gold Record for his songwriting contributions on The Oak Ridge Boys’ Bobbie Sue album. Rusty and brother Chris recorded under the name, The Goldens, in 1986. Following quadruple bypass surgery, Rusty returned to his gospel roots and wrote several #1 Southern Gospel songs. Rusty, Chris, and their dad formed a family band called William Lee Golden and The Goldens. They recorded and released 34 songs from 2020-2021 and were joined by brother Craig, nieces Elizabeth and Rebekah and nephew Elijah, making the group a three-generation family band. Rusty Golden is preceded in death by his mother Frogene Normand. He is survived by his father William Lee Golden (Simone), and brothers Craig Golden, Chris Golden (Marie), and Solomon Golden, along with extended family members.
The Buck Owens Private Foundation is selling the Buck Owens Crystal Palace, according to the Crystal Palace’s Facebook page, which posted: We are proud of the legacy of the Crystal Palace… 28 years of the best of local and national entertainment, great food and thousands of special occasions. Since Buck’s passing in 2006, we’ve tried to maintain the excellence that he expected, even as it became more and more difficult during these challenging times of increasing food and labor costs. A combination of this business climate and the wishes of the Owens family members to step back from the responsibilities of management requires finding new owners to utilize this beautiful venue.” All upcoming Crystal Palace events are continuing as planned.
Country Now reports Alan Jackson is a grandfather of two. His daughter Mattie and her husband, Connor Smith, welcomed a baby boy on June 20, one day after Mattie’s 34th birthday. Wesley Alan is named after her husband’s grandfather and her father. Alan and Denise’s first grandson was born on their 43rd wedding anniversary, December 12, 2022. Jackson Alvie Bradshaw’s parents are Ali and Sam Bradshaw.
“We’re just kind of stuck together,” Tre Twitty tells PEOPLE about his partnership with Tayla Lynn. “This is kind of our fate.” The two grandchildren of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn began singing together in 2016. “We wanted to see if people would care about this kind of show,” Tre says. “We wanted to tell some stories and invite them into our little family. I had no idea this would turn into what it has turned into.” With nearly 120 dates booked nationwide in 2024, Twitty and Lynn have begun focusing on their own music instead of just their grandparents’ covers. They have released their first full-length album, Cookin’ Up Lovin’. “It was so exciting to do our own thing but stay in the same vein as Conway and Loretta,” says Tayla. “We can be the caretakers of the past and carry the flag for our grandparents and their music, but we can also write our own chapters and serve as a continuation of what they started.”
Raul Malo of the Mavericks has been diagnosed with cancer, reports Taste of Country. In an Instagram video, Raul explains that a routine colonoscopy, followed by a CAT scan, revealed two cancerous spots in his intestines. He is beginning a lesser-intrusive form of chemotherapy that may allow him to continue to work throughout the course of treatment. “Some of the shows may be affected this year as we navigate this situation and see how the therapy goes,” Raul says.
Music industry leader Mary Martin, 85, died July 4 at Alive Hospice in Nashville. Born in 1939 in Toronto, Canada, she began her career in New York City as an artist manager, with Leonard Cohen as an early client. In 1972, she joined Warner Bros. Records in New York, where she signed Emmylou Harris, Leon Redbone, and The Marshall Tucker Band. She moved to Nashville in 1985 and, as Vice President of RCA Records, worked with Vince Gill, Clint Black, Paul Overstreet, Aaron Tippin, and Lorrie Morgan. She gave production assistance to Rodney Crowell and encouraged Keith Urban to move from Australia to Nashville. She joined Mercury Records as Vice President in 1999. Mary won a Grammy in 2002 for her work on the Hank Williams tribute album Timeless. SOURCE inducted her into its Hall of Fame in 2007. She inspired generations of music industry professionals.
Nashville’s WSM Radio has a new home. The station has broadcast from a studio inside the Magnolia Lobby of Opryland Hotel since 1990. That’s where I discussed my Marty Robbins biography with Eddie Stubbs on his show in 2012. As of July 8, 2024, its studio is now near the front entrance of the Grand Ole Opry House, inside the home originally built for Roy Acuff. The first guest in the new WSM Studio was Jeannie Seely, on the Coffee, Country & Cody LIVE weekday show with Bill Cody.
Toby Keith: American Icon is the title of a two-hour NBC musical special that will air August 28 in honor of Toby Keith, who died at age 62 in February. According to Variety, the special will feature performances by Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Darius Rucker, and more. Tickets for the live show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena are now on sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Toby’s charities.
When Moore, Oklahoma, hosted its annual Moore’s Celebration in the Heartland, it celebrated the 4th of July with a special tribute to the memory of hometown boy Toby Keith, with a fireworks display set to his music. Toby, who was born in Clinton, grew up on a farm near Moore and played defensive end on the Moore High School football team. The town’s water tower proclaims Moore as the “Home of Toby Keith.”
Alex Miller, 21, debuted on the Grand Ole Opry on June 27. “I think everyone who plays Country music dreams of playing the Opry,” he says. “For me, it’s been something my whole family hoped would come true one day. I wish my Grandpa had lived long enough to see me step into that circle.” He had been invited ten days earlier by Eddie Montgomery, who traveled to Alex’s home in rural Lancaster, Kentucky, to invite him to help celebrate Montgomery’s 15-year anniversary as an Opry member. “This is what Country music means to me,” Eddie said. “Helping a young musician achieve his dreams just like our heroes helped T-Roy and me.” Alex performed “Puttin’ Up Hay” and his current radio single, “My Daddy’s Dad.”
LETTERS
Jon Philibert writes from the United Kingdom, “Another informative and entertaining newsletter. Just a slight correction to Jim Fogle’s letter about the Bill Anderson song ‘Get A Little Dirt on Your Hands.’ Bill did actually record it, twice in fact. His initial version reached #14 on Billboard’s country chart in 1962 and a re-recording, in duet with David Allan Coe, made #46 in 1980 on Billboard’s chart. Both versions are great; Bill’s version is very typical of the singer at the time of recording it, while the remake is a little on the funkier side. About half a dozen other singers have also cut this great song.”
Bill Anderson sends this correction from Nashville: “I hate to dispute Mr. Fogle, but I recorded and released ‘Get A Little Dirt on Your Hands’ two different times. In early 1962 it was my 7th single on Decca Records and it rose to #14 in the Billboard charts. In June of 1980, Columbia Records released it as a duet between the original Odd Couple, me and David Allan Coe. This one got up to #46 in Billboard and stayed on the charts for 7 weeks. I’m thrilled that Johnny Tillotson has put it out again. That’s the fun part of being a songwriter. You never know when or where one of your songs will surface. Thanks for the great job you do with reporting the facts in your newsletters. I just wanted to make sure the facts were correct in this case.”
Jeannie Seely writes from Nashville, “Thanks so much for listing my ‘kids’ Cutter and Cash and The Kentucky Grass as part of the Sunday Morning Country this year…they got a standing ovation!! I’m so proud of them. If you haven’t checked out their digital single ‘Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.’ please do!! We kicked it to uptempo bluegrass and it’s so fun. Planning to go back into the studio in the next couple weeks and they will have a complete album soon. They are 14-17 years old and just amazing.”
Dominique ‘Imperial’ Anglares writes from France, “Thank you to have make mention about my friend Myron Lee’s passing. Myron Lee was a fine musician and a real lovely dude. He will be missed by many. Thanks to Sherwin Linton for his nice memories about the old days. Always great to enjoy souvenirs about those long gone days when Wanda Jackson was rockin’ the stage dressed in classy fringed dress. Keep working your welcome newsletter.”
Nobuhiko Ogino writes from Japan, “Thank you, Diane! I enjoy reading every month.”
Mike Johnson in Arlington, Virginia, says, “Still enjoying your newsletters. Turned 78 on the 13th of June and my label Roughshod Records released its 60th CD. The 28th of June will be the 1st anniversary of my double bypass heart surgery and with my renewed energy, I’ve been planning some road trips.”
Ken Johnson writes, “Thanks for considering my comments worthy of inclusion to your latest newsletter. Appreciate being part of your conversation. I agree that fact-checking is very difficult these days. Seems like an out-of-control firehose is constantly spraying false info out there. Rather than living in the information age it’s become the MIS-information age. On another topic, the NBC Tribute special for Toby Keith is a great idea. Problem is that many of the performers involved are generally horrible (in my opinion). Why are none of Toby’s contemporaries from the ‘90s included?”
Ken Johnson also says, “Sad to hear the news of Martin Mull’s passing. Always enjoyed his inventive stand-up appearances on The Tonight Show early in his career and his numerous comedic roles. But from the ‘you’re never too old to learn something new’ department, I discovered that Mull also had at least one country songwriting credit. Circa 1969-1970 when Johnny Cash’s career was at its zenith, he was the topic of several novelty songs. None were very successful. But that category included one written by Martin Mull (credited as Marty Mull) that was recorded by veteran pop singer Jane Morgan for RCA Victor. Released in early 1970, the forgettable single spent five weeks on the Billboard country chart, peaking at #61. That record did earn her a guest spot on Cash’s ABC-TV variety show the following season. Link to the story & song HERE.”
Mike Wheeler writes from Gray, Tennessee, “Always love your newsletter, please keep up the outstanding work. I wanted to comment on the quote you used from Michael Pena regarding George Strait in your 06/26/2024 newsletter. It is heartening to know there are still people out there who can appreciate an artist for great songs and players. Whether they write their songs or not, they make them their own and stand and deliver. It reminds me of the first time I took my wife to see Merle Haggard. The voice, the band – she had tears streaming down her cheeks the entire show. Not just because of having grown up listening to those amazing songs, Merle and the Strangers stood and delivered. No gimmicks or excuses – that band would breathe. The raw emotion she experienced can only come from the almost indescribable primal connection to the music that truly touches your soul. It, sadly, is a rarity anymore.”
Eric Calhoun says, “I’m sorry to hear of the death of Wayne Hobbs. What a great career! I am also sorry to hear of the health problems of Mark Chesnut, I hope he’ll recover and try and play some honky-tonks. Jim, I will take a look at 98.1 WBFR, thanks for the suggestion. If you like family-run radio stations, why not try 101.7 WJLE, and their AM counterpart, wjleradio.com. I have to warn you, sometimes the player is not completely 24 hours. I am also sorry to hear of the Program Director for SiriusXM dying unexpectedly. What a very sad loss, but the channel will be fine.”
Carol Grace Anderson writes from Nashville, “Your newsletters are always loaded with great information! Thanks for sharing.”
Jackie Allen Thomas in Arizona says, “In reading Wayne Hobbs’s memories of Marty Robbins, wanted to let you know that his memory is still alive down here in the Northwest Valley of Phoenix. We have a group named Remembering Marty Robbins started by the late John Edmonson, and we get together at an open mic once a month. We don’t do all Marty Robbins songs but always a few in there. We do keep his music and his memory alive and going down here in Arizona! Always look forward to your newsletters, thanks for all you do.”
UPDATE ON RANDY TRAVIS BIOGRAPHY
My Randy Travis biography has been officially approved and is now in production. I’ll be reviewing the manuscript twice more before the book is printed. The University of Illinois Press will publish it next June in the Music in American Life series. The official title is Randy Travis: Storms of Life. It will be issued in a jacketed hardcover edition and ebook, with a hardcover price of $34.95. The design staff is currently working on the cover image. My publisher says, “I am thrilled to see this important book move into production, and I will be cheering from the sidelines as it moves through production!”
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This link includes the June 26 video of the hearing held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet on “Radio, Music, and Copyrights: 100 Years of Inequity for Recording Artists”: https://judiciary.house.gov/. The link also provides bios and written testimonies of the witnesses, along with a copy of the letter that invited Mr. Randy Travis and Mrs. Mary Travis to testify. Mary came across as confident and well-spoken in giving their statement and answering questions. I was proud of her. Although I watched only the parts with Mary and Randy, and not the entire 3:17-hour video, it’s a great resource for anyone interested in the overall topic.
NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME – 2020
Kent Blazy, born in 1951 in Lexington, Kentucky, grew up there and played in local bands before touring as a guitar player for Canadian legend Ian Tyson in the mid-’70s. He won a national songwriting competition and then moved to Nashville, where Gary Morris recorded his “Headed For A Heartache” in 1982. He began writing with Garth Brooks in 1987, leading to their first collaboration, “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” Their future Garth Brooks hits included “Ain’t Goin’ Down (’Til The Sun Comes Up),” “Somewhere Other Than The Night,” “It’s Midnight Cinderella,” and “She’s Gonna Make It.” Kent’s other co-written hits include “That’s What I Get For Lovin’ You” by Diamond Rio and “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)” by Chris Young. He is 73 years old. His music and touring schedule can be found on his website: https://www.kentblazy.com/.
Steve Earle, born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1955, dropped out of school at age 16 and moved to Houston. Three years later, he moved to Nashville, where he eventually joined Guy Clark’s band, playing bass. He formed his own band, The Dukes, in 1982 and released his first full-length album, Guitar Town, on MCA in 1986. The title track reached the Top 10, followed by “Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left.” In 1988, Patty Loveless reached #2 with Steve’s “A Little Bit In Love,” and he hit #10 on the Rock chart with “Copperhead Road,” the title track of his landmark album. He co-wrote “Nowhere Road” and “Hillbilly Highway.” He also wrote songs such as “My Old Friend The Blues” (also recorded by T. Graham Brown, Joe Nichols, The Grascals), “Nothing But A Child” (also recorded by Nicolette Larson, Kathy Mattea, Lee Ann Womack), and “The Devil’s Right Hand” (also recorded by Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Bob Seger). He and Miranda Lambert wrote her hit, “Kerosene.” Steve is 69 years old and has a website at https://www.steveearle.com/.
Bobbie Gentry, born Roberta Lee Streeter near Woodland, Mississippi, in 1942, was raised on her grandparents’ farm following the divorce of her parents. She composed her first song at age seven and began teaching herself to play a variety of instruments. After moving to California to live with her mother, she graduated from high school and attended UCLA as a philosophy major. She performed occasionally in nightclubs and signed with Capitol Records. In 1967, “Ode To Billie Joe,” the flipside of her first single, “Mississippi Delta,” became a worldwide smash. That was followed by “Fancy.” In 1968-71, Bobbie had her own BBC-TV series in the U.K. She then produced, choreographed, and wrote/arranged the music for her own nightclub revue in Las Vegas before retiring from show business in the early 1980s. Her last public appearance was at the 1982 Academy of Country Music Awards. She has not recorded, performed, or been interviewed since then. One 2016 news report said she lived in a gated community near Memphis, Tennessee, and another said she lived in a gated community in Los Angeles. She will soon be celebrating her 82nd birthday.
Born Brett James Cornelius in 1968 in Columbia, Missouri, and raised in Oklahoma City, Brett James quit medical school to pursue music in Nashville. He spent several years as an Arista/Career recording artist and co-wrote songs recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus, Kenny Chesney, and Martina McBride, followed by #1s “Who I Am” by Jessica Andrews and “Jesus Take The Wheel” by Carrie Underwood. He now has more than 300 major-label cuts, including “When The Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker, “Cowboy Casanova” by Carrie Underwood, “It’s America” by Rodney Atkins, “Out Last Night” by Kenny Chesney, “Summer Nights” by Rascal Flatts, “The Man I Want To Be” by Chris Young, and “Bottoms Up” by Brantley Gilbert. Brett was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 2006 and 2010. In 2020, he released a new self-written album titled I Am Now. He is 56 years old.
Spooner Oldham was born Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr. in 1943 in Alabama. After working as a session keyboardist in Muscle Shoals, he moved to Memphis in the mid-1960s. There he formed the songwriting partnership, Oldham & Penn, with Dan Penn. They wrote songs such as “It Tears Me Up” and “Out Of Left Field” by Percy Sledge, “Cry Like A Baby” by The Box Tops, and “Sweet Inspiration” by The Sweet Inspirations. Spooner and Freddy Weller wrote “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers” by Bob Luman and Freddy’s hits, “She Loves Me (Right Out Of My Mind) and “Another Night Of Love.” Spooner played organ on Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1966 and on the Box Tops’ “Cry Like a Baby” in 1968. He has played keyboards in sessions and on the road for artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Dickey Betts, and many others. Spooner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the “sideman” category in 2009. He is 81 years old.