Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

36
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF AFM LOCAL 257 JULY—SEPTEMBER 2012 REVIEWS: PUNCH BROTHERS ETTA BRITT DON WILLIAMS BILL WENCE AFM GOES TO CHINA Historic treaty signed LEGENDARY INSTRUMENTALIST Charlie McCoy NUTTY PROFESSOR WORLD PREMIERE

description

Quarterly publication of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257.

Transcript of Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

Page 1: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 1

OffIC IAL JOUrNAL Of AfM LOCAL 257JULY—SEPTEMBEr 2012

REVIEWS: punch bRothERS • Etta bRItt • Don WIllIamS • bIll WEncE

AFM Goes to

ChinA Historic treaty signed

lEgEnDaRy InStRumEntalISt

charlie mccoy

Nutty Professor WorldPremiere

Page 2: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

2 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

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

music, drinks, fellowship!

4–7 p.m. local 257,

11 music circle n.

come help us celebrate 110 years

of representing the finest musicians

in the world – afm local 257 members!

don’t miss the nashville musicians association

110th anniversary celebration

wednesday, october 17!

Page 3: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 3

Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AfM Local 257 | july—september 2012

Content

4 Announcements Details on the next membership meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 5, a new bylaw proposal, past minutes and more.

6 stAte of the LocAL President Dave Pomeroy gives a roundup of Local 257 priority issues.

7 new Grooves Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf explains the Local 257 Funeral Benefit Fund, and why this unique offering is a great boon for members.

8 news The latest on carry-on instrument legislation, Bob Babbitt celebrated with Walk of Fame honors, and a Pension Fund website update.

11 heArd on the GrApevine The notable comings and goings of Local 257 members.

13 GALLery Summer NAMM, CMA Fest, member milestones and more.

16 interview The legendary Charlie McCoy expounds on his life in music.

18 cover story: the Afm Goes to chinA A delegation from the AFM made an historic trip to help pass a world treaty that will protect and strengthen your intellectual property rights. Dave Pomeroy reports.

22 reviews Punch Brothers kick it up a notch, plus new records by Etta Britt, Don Williams and Bill Wence.

25 rmA corner RMA input remains essential to AFM success.

26 symphony notes The NSO returns to Carnegie Hall, and another great season draws to a close.

27 Live music The "Nutty Professor" premiere charms Nashvillians with great acting, danc-ing, singing and a killer orchestra.

28 JAzz & BLues BeAt New offerings from Chris Walters and the Kelli Cox Collaborative spice up summer.

29 finAL notes We bid farewell to a number of our members, including Kitty Wells, Doug Dillard, Everett Lilly and Bob Babbitt.

31 memBer stAtus

32 do not work for List

Cover Photo by DAve PoMeroy

Charlie MCCoy

"The nuTTy professor"

27

18

16

afM Goes To China

Page 4: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

4 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

@ 2012 nashville musicians associationp.o. box 120399, nashville tn 37212

all rights reserved.

nashvillemusicians.org

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

PublishereDiTOr

managing eDiTOrassisTanT eDiTOrs

COnTribuTing WriTers

COnTribuTing PhOTOgraPhers

arT DireCTiOn

Web aDminisTraTOraD sales

lOCal 257 OffiCersPresiDenT

seCreTary/Treasurer

exeCuTive bOarD

hearing bOarD

TrusTees

sergeanT-aT-arms

nashville symPhOny sTeWarD

OffiCe manager

eleCTrOniC meDia serviCesDireCTOr

assisTanTDaTa enTry

reCOrDing DePT. assisTanT

DireCTOr, live/TOuring DePT. anD PensiOn aDminisTraTOr

membershiP COOrDinaTOr & live engagemenT/mPf COOrDinaTOr

member serviCes/reCePTiOn

Dave PomeroyCraig KrampfKathy Osborneleslie barrKent burnsideaustin bealmearbruce boutonroy montanalaura rossmickey DoboDonn Joneslydia hutchinsonCraig Krampfrick malkinDave Pomeroyrandi radcliff ed rodeCheryl stewart lisa Dunn DesignKathy OsborneThe horton group 615-292-8642

Dave PomeroyCraig Krampf

Jimmy CappsDuncan mullinsandy reisslaura rossTim smithTom WildJonathan yudkin

michelle voan CappsTiger fitzhughTeresa hargrovebruce radekKathy shepardJohn Terrenceray von rotz

ron Kellerbiff Watson

Chuck bradley

laura ross

anita Winstead

steve TveitTeri barnettmandy arosteguiKelly spears

leslie barr

rachel mowl

laura birdwell

The next General Membership meeting will be Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. There is one Bylaw proposal on the agenda and a vote to approve the

2013 dues which include a $6.50 (regular) and $1.50 (life) increase in local dues.

next General membership meeting, monday nov. 5, 2012

2013 dues Breakdown (must be approved by Membership at Nov. 5 meeting)

$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 27.00 .................. funeral Benefit fund Assessment (pending Bylaw approval) 3.00 .................. Emergency relief fund 2.00 .................. AfM Tempo fund (voluntary) 3.00 .................. Erf contribution (voluntary)

$244.00 .................. totAL 2013 dues reGuLAr memBers (including $5 voluntary) $124.50 .................. totAL 2013 dues Life memBers (including $5 voluntary)

AnnounCeMents

funeral Benefit Bylaw Amendment proposal

Whereas, the Local 257 Funeral Benefit is governed by the fiduciaries of the Fu-neral Fund, and Section XII of the Local 257 bylaws that outline how the fund is to be distributed 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 beneficia-ries 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 con-tinue 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 Lo-cal 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 lan-guage in bold)

Section 8. If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payments exceed $100,000, $200,000, the local Fiduciary Trustees shall levy an additional Fu-neral Benefit Fund assessment upon each member, in an a minimum amount equal to of fifty cents ($.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: Favorable

Page 5: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 5

minutes of the General membership meeting, June 25, 2012

Attendees: Michael Poole, B. Ross Wellman, Phil Arnold, Brian Miller, Sam McClung, Don Pickert, Craig Krampf, Tom Wild, John Terrence, Ron Keller, Adam Beard, Tiger Fitzhugh, Vince Barranco, Kyle Stallons, Bill Poe, Vail Johnson, Teresa Hargrove.

President Dave Pomeroy was in China as part of the AFM delegation at the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Convention. The meeting did not achieve a quorum so no official business could be conducted. Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf conducted an informal meeting. Krampf gave a few reports, including one from Pomeroy, and various discus-sions took place. Krampf thanked everyone in attendance for their support.

—Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer

minutes of the executive Board meeting, march 15, 2012

AttendinG: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Andre Reiss (AR), Laura Ross (LR), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Jimmy Capps (JC), Tim Smith (TS) and Tom Wild (TW). not present: Duncan Mullins (DM).

President Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

President’s reportPomeroy reported on the following items:1. Sony Video Games. Discussion followed.2. Jimmy Adams, who still owes our members for 63 TV shows that were filmed.

Discussion followed.3. Change of personnel in the recording department. Steve Tveit has accepted the direc-

tor of recording position, electronic media. MSC: (JY and TS) to approve hiring. 4. Encourage the committees to get active. The committees are: Education-

Community Outreach, Legislation, Club and Road Musicians, Technology, and Recruiting-Marketing. Only the Club and Road Musicians committees have met recently. Discussion followed.

secretary’s report MSC: (AR, JY) to approve the minutes of Jan. 27, 2012.

treasurer’s reportCopies of the financial statements were distributed. Krampf explained the report. MSC: (TW, LR) to approve the financial report.

JY left due to prior commitment at 9:48.

new businessLR recommended Local 257 make a donation to the musicians of the Louisville Orchestra who have been locked out due to a contract dispute with management of the Louisville Orchestra. MSC: (LR, TW) to approve a $500 donation.

MSC: (AR, TS) to accept new members.

MSC: (AR, JC) to adjourn meeting. Meeting adjourned at 10:16 a.m.

—Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf

Do we hAve your Current eMAil ADDress?

AnnounCeMents

Additions and Corrections for the April-June 2012 issue:

in the gallery section, rufus Long was incorrectly identified as a 50-year member. he is actually a life member who joined the afm in 1947.

“110 reasons nashville is music city”

n special thanks to John Lomax iii for his invaluable assistance and feedback on the cover story.

n in early studios (no. 19), we add for clar-ity that rCa studio b was built in 1956, as stated, but was opened in 1957.

n nashville symphony Orchestra (no. 24), local 257 initially donated $1,000 to the nsO — incorrectly listed as $5,000.

n in Jazz in music City (no. 39), we add Bill frisell’s album Nashville, a groundbreaking blend of jazz guitar, americana and bluegrass sounds, which brought attention to the versatil-ity and high artistic level of nashville acoustic musicians.

n Bill pursell, listed in arrangers (no. 43), was incorrectly identified as bill Pur-cell. in addition, Pursell played on many hit records, including a 1962 Top Ten instru-mental as a solo artist, “Our Winter love,” and is also a keyboardist, composer, nsO soloist, and longtime belmont professor.

n lastly, thanks to daryl sanders for his concept and hard work on the cover story. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

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 [email protected]

Page 6: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

6 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

By Dave Pomeroy

stAte oF the loCAl

In this 110th anniversary year of our local, we want you to know that your input and involvement are an essential part of our success. Please make plans to attend our birthday celebration on Oct. 17 at the local. We plan to begin about 4 p.m. with music, refreshments, and general fellowship, and we hope to see you here!

ChinaThe AFM trip to China was a real eye opener for me. It underscored my fundamental belief that all people of the world are essential-ly the same. Our basic needs are simple – food, shelter, and cloth-ing. Once we move past mere sur-vival, music, art, and education are crucial to our social evolution, and have always played a role in moving society forward. It was amazing to be in a room with representatives of 131 countries who were all in agreement about the need to protect intellectual property. When we learn to respect each other’s differences while searching for common ground, there is a real chance of progress being made, and the Beijing Treaty is proof of that.

Nashville comes to townABC Studios, Gaylord Entertainment and Lionsgate Television have com-bined to produce a new prime time series, called Nashville. Not long after Lionsgate’s very successful non-union cable show, Mad Men, was picketed in Los Angeles by the AFM, both that se-ries and Nashville series were signed

to AFM agreements. This is another example of how union activism creates tangible results. This project is bring-ing in a lot of work for Nashville mu-sicians, as well as actors and singers, and we look forward to seeing how Nashville portrays Nashville!

negotiations — engaging the rank and fileOne of the signature elements of AFM President Ray Hair’s leadership style is to involve musicians in the negotiating process. I totally agree with that ap-proach. It echoes the increased involve-ment RMA Nashville brought to the table a few years ago that changed the nature of Local 257’s interaction with its mem-bers. I flew to New York City and Los Angeles in July to meet with players who work under the TV/Videotape Agree-ment, which we will begin negotiating

in September. These meetings, which included members of the bands from Saturday Night Live, American Idol, and Dancing With The Stars, were very productive and revealing. I could feel the wall between leadership and rank and file crumble as trust and honesty were being rebuilt. We also had a TV/Videotape meeting with President Hair in Nashville. Many Local 257 musicians eligible to ratify the TV/Videotape Agreement were invited, but unfortunately, only a few showed up. The poor turnout was disappointing, but more importantly, when you don’t ex-press your specific issues and concerns to us, we run the risk of being disconnected. These very important negotiations will be ongoing over the next few months, and I

will continue to keep you posted and so-licit your opinions as we move forward to get a new TV agreement, which hasn’t had a raise since it expired in 2006. We tried the same approach with our recent CMT negotiations and had a bit more success in involving players. Thanks to those musicians who came to our caucus meeting, and to RMA Nash-ville President Bruce Bouton, who came to the caucus and the negotiations as well. It appears we have an agreement, with raises and new media protections in place, as well as progress on CMT’s compliance issues. I will let you know when the deal is confirmed.

A sense of communityMore and more, Local 257 has been get-ting involved in our schools. Recently, Craig and I had the great experience of working at Pearl-Cohn High School’s

recording studio with middle school students taking summer music classes. Two 14-year-olds had written their own songs to be recorded, and two 12-year-old twins wanted to sing a cover of one of their favorite songs. Guitarist Gary Burnette and key-boardist Jim “Moose” Brown joined Craig and I as we backed up these young artists in their first recording experience. It was so rewarding to see the kids’ en-thusiasm and even cooler to wit-ness how quickly they adapted to

the studio environment.

looking aheadAmong many planned initiatives, we will be reconstituting the member committees we set up last year. While we still have challenges to deal with, especially the issues of union members doing non-union recording sessions, and collecting money from deadbeat employers, there is also a lot to look forward to. I hope that all of you realize what an important time this is for the future of musicians around the world, appreciate the worldwide significance of Nashville music, and understand the absolute necessity of solidarity in our local and the AFM.

Page 7: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 7

bership current. It is also important to keep your beneficiary information up to date; your loved ones are counting on you. The Fund is replenished yearly with a combination of a set $15 fee and a variable assessment that is calculated by a formula based on the total payout of the fund in the previous complete cal-endar year. A bylaw change will be of-fered Nov. 5 at the general membership meeting to adjust the way the Funeral Benefit Fund assessment is calculated. Following is some additional infor-mation about the changes that were made to the funeral benefit fund in 2010 to make sure it remains strong going forward, and why a revision in the bylaw will help sus-tain the positive growth of the fund and keep annual dues as low as possible.

Positive change When we took office, we learned that the financial condition of the fund was not good. The “graying” of our mem-bership, the stock market losses of the last decade and the fact that for six years — 2002 through 2007 — there was no funeral fund assessment, all contributed to decreases in the fund. In that five-year period, members paid a building fund assessment for building improvements, and the thought was that an additional assessment would raise dues too much. The number of member deaths for the last ten years combined with the to-tal monetary value of the fund led to the conclusion that the fund could poten-tially be out of money within five years. We met with several insurance brokers, took the best plan to the trustees and the executive board, and the local signed on with ING Insurance July 1, 2012.

how the inG plan works Local 257 pays the premium on a $15,000 life insurance policy for ev-ery member. There are no age, health, smoking or pre-existing condition re-strictions. After a member passes, the named beneficiary will receive the fu-neral benefit based on the number of years the member was in the local. For example, if the member was in the lo-cal for 20 years or more, the beneficia-

ry will receive $8,000 after submitting an original copy of the death certificate to the local. After filing the necessary paper-work, the local receives a check for $15,000. The $7,000 that remains after the $8,000 payout goes straight back into the fund. We have had this plan in effect for two years now and it is truly working. The increase in the amount of money in the fund has helped shore up the fund’s dwindling finances. We hope that within a few years, a Funeral Benefit Fund assessment may not al-ways be necessary.

Assessment bylaw proposalA mathematical formula contained in our Local 257 Bylaws, Article XII, Section 8, governs how the assessment is calculated: “If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payments exceed $100,000, the local Fi-duciary Trustees shall levy an additional Funeral Benefit Fund assessment upon each member in an amount equal to fifty cents ($.50) for each ad-ditional $1,000 in benefits paid.” The fund’s fiduciaries and the lo-cal executive board met, and after dis-cussion are proposing a bylaw change. The current language of “If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payout exceeds $100,000” would change to “If during any calendar the Funeral Fund Benefit payout exceeds $200,000.” See page four for the com-plete bylaw proposal.

epilogue I hope this issue’s column gives you a better understanding of our unique fund, one of many benefits of Local 257 membership. I sat next to a gentleman from an-other local at the AFM convention in 2010. As we were having lunch he said, “Your local has one of those funeral benefit things, right? We used to have one, but it ran out of money.” I asked him about what they told their mem-bers. He said “All we could tell them was: ‘Too bad, guys.’” For us, that was never an option. With some of the ad-justments that we have made and will continue to make, hopefully our fund will now remain intact for Local 257’s future generations of musicians. I hope you have a wonderful fall.

By Craig KramPf

new Grooves

reetings, brother and sister musicians. I hope everyone

is well and had a nice summer. It’s been a busy time for me this year. Along with the normal business of the local I’ve been in-volved with various clinics and seminars, traveling to the AFM Southern confer-ence, preparations for a redesigned, up-dated website, and financial reports. Each day brings new challenges and it keeps the job interesting. We are working for you. It’s very rewarding to help our musicians, and makes me feel as happy as when I lay down a great drum track. As professional musicians, we all know how important it is to be respon-sible on the gig, and to be prepared in every way when we play. In like fashion, as adults we take responsibility for those who depend on us and who will be left with many tasks and obligations in the event of our passing. I feel it is very impor-tant to keep you up to date on our unique and valuable Funeral Benefit Fund, and how it can help you and your loved ones.

Funeral benefit FundOnly a handful of locals have a funeral fund, and Local 257 has a generous one, a benefit that escalates over the course of continuous local member-ship: One to four years: $1,250.00, five to nine years: $2,500.00; 10 to 14 years: $3,750.00; 15 to 19 years: $5,500.00; 20 years and over: $8,000.00. In order to have continuous mem-bership, as defined in our bylaws, a member must not have a lapse of mem-bership for more than one year. After one year of lapsed membership, you will have to rejoin as a new member. After a member resigns he or she is no longer able to collect a funeral benefit. For some members, this is the only “in-surance” benefit loved ones will receive, which is a good reason to keep your mem-

g

Page 8: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

8 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

abbitt, who died in July at age 74, is the first backing musi-

cian to be honored with a star on the walk. He was a Grammy-winning member of the Funk Brothers, a Mo-town studio band and was responsible for some of the most memorable tracks in music history, including “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” “Mercy, Mercy Me,” and “Midnight Train To Georgia.” He moved to Nashville in the mid-80s. Babbitt was unable to attend the cer-emony in June due to illness, and his award was accepted by Dave Pomeroy, President of the Nashville Musicians Association. The following is extracted from Pomeroy’s remarks at the event: “I can still remember the excite-ment in the Nashville bass commu-nity when we heard Bob Babbitt had moved to Music City. What a pleasure it was to get to know him. He refused

news

Bob Babbitt, iconic bassist and recipient of 25 gold and platinum records for his studio work, became the 60th member of the music City Walk of fame in a ceremony held June 5 in Nashville. The induction ceremony also hon-ored Steve Winwood, and was held downtown at the Walk of fame Park in front of the Country music Hall of fame.

BaBBitt Honored with star at Music City Walk of Fame

to let any of us put him on a pedestal, and right away he was simply one of us. Bob’s groove could not be denied, and it crossed all musical borders. That groove was the glue that held thou-sands of recordings together, and made the whole world dance. “The late Harlan Howard called country music ‘three chords and the truth.’ I would like to improvise on

that, and say that Bob Babbitt changed the world with four strings and a groove.” The induction cere-mony was sponsored by Great American Coun-try. “The sole purpose

of Walk of Fame is to honor the depth and breadth of Nashville,” said Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These 60 stars represent all genres and ages, and speak to how Nashville’s talent tran-scends a genre.”

For more info reach us at WWW.GOPROTUNES.COM

Call us at 1-800-762-3444 ext 238 during normal business hours EST

For more info reach us at GOPROTUNES.COM

Calling for AFM Member Recordings!

• Set your own prices, pay no upfront fees

• Receive 100% of sales,minus credit card processing fees

• Easy to use online interface

GoPro Tunes, the AFM’s new online music store, is now collecting singles, EPs and full albums from AFM members.

HELP IS AVAILABLE AT EVERY STEP!

b

“Bob Babbitt changed the

world with four strings and a

groove."

Steve Winwood, Mayor Karl Dean and Dave Pomeroy

tnM

Page 9: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 9

news

On Feb. 14, 2012 new regulations were signed into law governing carry-on luggage on flights. The legislation will allow musicians to stow their instruments in overhead compartments when

the dimensions of the case match the allowable measurements for the airplane’s carry-on compartments. If an instrument does not fit in an overhead compart-ment, the law allows for passengers to purchase a seat for the instrument. Carry-on compartment size does vary from plane to plane, so travelers should check the size requirements for their particular plane before arriving at the airport. This information can be found on the carrier’s website, or you may call the airline for more information. The last step that remains is the actual implementation of the law. FAA regu-lations allow up to two years from the time the bill is signed for full implementa-tion. Zack Marshall, senior legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, advised Local 257 in April that the Department of Transportation has started the process of economic analysis as part of the rule-making progress, so implementation is well underway. In the meantime, two major carriers have already changed their rules to include the new allowances for carry-on instruments. These two airlines are Frontier and Delta. If you will be traveling by air in the upcoming months, before final imple-mentation of this law for all airlines, you may want to carry information on the passage of the legislation with you. Please contact Local 257 and ask for an elec-tronic copy of AFM tips for making your flight pleasant for you and your instru-ment, as well as a copy of the new law.

CArry-on update

loCAl 257 sCores biG At MusiC row AwArDs

(L-R): Music Row’s Jon Freeman, vocalist Perry Coleman, keyboard-ist Charlie Judge, guitarist Ilya Toshinsky, Music Row’s Sarah Skates and Sherod Robertson

Nashville Musicians Association members racked up the awards at the 24th annual MusicRow magazine ceremony in June.

Here is the pertinent section of the new law re-garding bringing your instrument onto a flight:

h424/s713section 424 requires air carriers to permit passengers to carry a small musical in-strument, such as a violin, guitar, onto the aircraft cabin if it can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or baggage or cargo storage compart-ment if the instrument can be stowed prop-erly and there is space for such instruments. air carriers are to permit passengers to bring a large instrument into the passenger com-partment if the instrument can be stowed properly in a seat and the passenger has purchased a seat for the instrument. air car-riers must transport as checked baggage musical instruments that may not be car-ried on provided they meet certain weight and size limitations (i.e., if the sum of length, width, and height does not exceed 150 inch-es, weigh over 165 pounds, or exceed size and weight restrictions for that aircraft) and can be properly stowed. it directs, no later than two years after the date of enactment, the secretary of Transportation to issue final regulations to carry out this section.

conGrAtuLAtions to the foLLowinG winners of the AwArd for top 10 ALBum ALL-stAr musiciAn:

Ilya toShInSky — guItaR

chaRlIE JuDgE anD goRDon motE — tIE FoR kEyboaRD

paul FRanklIn — StEEl

JImmIE lEE SloaS — baSS

Shannon FoRRESt — DRumS

laRRy FRanklIn anD aubREy haynIE — tIE FoR FIDDlE

All-Star Musician awards are based on the number of top 10 albums on which each musician performed in the previous year.

tnM

tnM

Page 10: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

10 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

many of you know, last year the AFM & Em-

ployers’ Pension Fund added a new area to their current website – a “Pension Estima-tor.” Participants can register on the web-site – it’s a quick process – then may access yearly contribution statements from the link “Covered Earnings Reports – Interim and Annual.” Here you will find covered earning reports – or what we sometimes think of as our annual statements – from 2000 through your most recent covered earnings report for 2011, which will be the same as the one mailed this August or Sep-tember to more than 54,000 participants. You can also view the interim state-ment of contributions that have been re-ported to the Fund on your behalf for 2012 engagements for the quarter preceding the end of the next quarter – in other words, contributions through March 31, 2012 were posted on July 1. The entire sched-ule for interim statement posting can be viewed in the participant window once you have logged on. Should you have an address or phone number change, you can do this in “My Profile.” There is also an area to change your password. The Pension Estimator will allow you to estimate what your monthly ben-efit would be when you attain the ages of 55 – 65. It will also allow you to es-timate the benefit based on whether you take your benefit as a Single Life Annuity — monthly payments for the rest of your

news

life or take your benefits as a Joint/Sur-vivor Annuity — monthly payments for the rest of your life and payments to your joint annuitant, generally your spouse, of either 75 percent or 50 percent of your monthly benefit amount. Understand these are only estimates so be sure to read the disclaimer on the estimator page, which you must agree to before using the pension estimator. This basic estimator will give you an idea of what you might receive upon retire-ment. Also, re-retirement and re-deter-mination benefit calculations for those who continue to receive some contribu-tions after they retire are not covered by the pension estimator but are described in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) which is available on the Fund’s website. The recent change to the pension estimator is in regard to covered wages earned during various time periods A through E – for which a $4.65 through $1.00 pension benefit multiplier applies – will now automatically be populated by the amount listed on your Covered Earning Report. This is a great enhance-ment, as previously it required you to write everything down and then enter it once you got to the pension estimator. Registering for the website is impor-tant for several reasons, two of which are in regard to the covered earnings report. First, you have three years in which to request corrections for either missing wages and contributions or underpaid contributions – notices have been sent to participants in regard to this three-year rule – so it is ad-visable to keep an eye on your annual state-ments to make sure you receive the correct amount of contributions you are due. Secondly, to receive a pension ben-efit you must be vested. To receive one

year of vesting credit you must earn $3,000 of covered wages in a calendar year, but you can earn vesting credits in increments – one-quarter when you reach $750 on covered earnings, another one-quarter when you reach $1500 and another quarter when you reach $2250. You can earn a maximum of one vest-ing credit per year. If you earn less that $750 of covered wages in a calendar year, those wages will not be counted and you will be considered to have a one-year break in service. Once you accumulate five vesting credits you are vested. Once you are vested you remain vested, even if you stop working in the industry. Other rules applied before 1985, but currently, if there are five consecutive years that are considered to be a break in service, the entire process restarts and all contri-butions made before that break in service are lost, even if you later become vested. All this information is found on the first page of your annual statement. “It saddens me as a trustee when a participant reaches retirement age and assumes they will re-ceive a pension benefit but have not taken the time to double-check their statements. Please keep track of this,” Pension Trustee Laura Ross said. Finally, the third reason to register on the website is because the trustees and staff are looking at the option of electron-ic communication, thus cutting down on administrative expenses like printing costs and postage. “The government has been changing regulations so participants may soon be able to opt in to receive plan documents, communications, and state-ments. There are only a little over 6,000 registered users on the website so I en-courage you all to sign up,” Ross said. To register, go to www.afm-epf.org.

asAFM-ePF website

updateto reGister, Go to www.Afm-epf.orG

Last year the afm & employers’ Pen-

sion fund added a new area to their

current website – a “Pension estima-

tor.” Participants can register on the

website – it’s a quick process – then

may access yearly contribution state-

ments from the link “Covered earnings

reports – interim and annual.”

tnM

Page 11: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 11

heArD on the GrAPevine

on The Grapevine

continued on page 12

CAllinG Dr. KrAussAlison Krauss was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from The Berklee College of Music, bestowed during the school’s graduation cere-mony held May 12 in Boston. Krauss is the most awarded female artist in the history of the Grammys, and is recognized as one of the artists who helped bring bluegrass into a wider

prominence during the ‘90s, with the crossover popularity of her distinctive voice and proficient fiddle playing. Her success has continued for decades, most recently with Raising Sand, her duet album with Robert Plant; and a new offering with her band, Union Station. Also accepting honorary degrees were Ethiopian pianist Mulatu Astatke and the members of The Eagles.

PArton tune in librAry oF ConGressCongratulations to Dolly Parton, whose song “Coat of Many Colors” was added this year to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. The iconic singer was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986, and has been a member of the Nashville Musicians Association since 1967. The autobiographical song recounts her impoverished childhood in Tennessee as well as the sustaining love of her family. Parton has called “Coat of Many Colors” her favorite composition because of the attitude and philosophy it reflects. Each year the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings that are at least 10 years old and considered historically, culturally, or aesthetically significant. Including this year, the registry will now have 350 recordings. The goal of the National Recording Registry is to preserve these selections for future generations.

Mr. Zoro Goes to wAshinGtonNashville Musicians Association member and drummer Zoro was honored in Wash-ington D.C. as part of an event designed to recognize individuals who have made sig-nificant strides in promoting responsible fa-therhood and mentoring of boys. “Being invited to this event by the

highest office in the land and getting a shout out for my work as an author and men-tor from Special Assistant to President Obama Joshua DuBois was one of the great honors of my career,” Zoro said. “It was truly a privilege to be among such distin-guished guests who are each doing their part to help strengthen American families.” In 2010 President Barack Obama announced the creation of the President’s Fa-therhood and Mentoring Initiative, which was spearheaded by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Zoro, who played drums for Lenny Kravitz and other legendary performers, is also the author of The Big Gig, a book designed to motivate and inform readers who want to increase chances of success in their chosen endeavor, in or out of the music business.

roCK & roll hAll oF FAMe honors sonny CurtisNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame mem-ber Sonny Curtis was inducted April 14 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Crickets by a special com-mittee, aimed at correcting the mistake of not including The Crickets with Buddy Holly when he was first inducted in 1986. When Buddy Holly was offered a contract with Decca Records in 1956, he recruited three fellow musicians from his hometown of Lubbock, Texas to join him, including guitarist Sonny Curtis, who joined Holly on the road as lead guitarist. Following Holly’s death in 1959, he took over as lead vocalist for the group as well. In addition to his time with The Crickets, Curtis wrote many songs includ-ing the theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show — "Love is All Around," — which he also recorded, "More Than I Can Say,” record-ed by Anne Murray, and “I Fought the Law,” recorded by a wide range of artists including Bobby Fuller, The Clash, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Or-bison and Hank Williams, Jr. Over the last six decades, Curtis, an AFM life member, has continued to re-cord and perform as part of The Crickets, and has helped reprise many of their hits.

Jewel As June CArter CAshSinger-songwrit-er Jewel will play June Carter Cash in Ring Of Fire, a Lifetime channel movie about the late wife of John-ny Cash. The bi-opic is based on a book by June’s son, Local 257 member John Carter Cash,

heard

Page 12: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

12 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

heArD on the GrAPevinecontinued from page 11

called Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash. Jewel will be transformed into June Carter Cash with the help of blue-tinted contacts, hair dye, and prosthetic straight teeth. The movie will follow the late singer from her early years in the mountains of Virginia to her rise to success with the Carter Sisters. It will also explore her tumultuous relationship with Johnny Cash. Jewel will star alongside Frances Conroy of the HBO series Six Feet Under as June’s mother Maybelle Carter, and Matt Ross of American Horror Story (FX) as Johnny Cash. Lifetime has not yet set a release date for the film.

FriZZell honors brother leFtyLocal 257 member David Frizzell has written a book about his brother, Lefty Frizzell. I Love You A Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story, was released in late 2011 and named one of the Top Music Books of the Year by CMT (Country Music Television). "This is my year of giving back," Frizzell said. "I've wanted to honor Lefty for a long time and

writing the book was a painful but loving process." Still touring and performing at age 70, Frizzell has also launched an awareness campaign for Mothers Against Drunk Driving with his latest single, “Say Hello To Heaven.” Sadly, it is a story the Frizzell family knows well. David's own niece was killed by a drunk driver in 1998. "I could never repay MADD for the help and care when we lost my niece, but when I heard this song, I knew it may be the perfect way to shine a light on the tragedies that come from drunk driving," Frizzell said.

new GosPel hAll oF FAMerAFM Local 257 member Ricky Skaggs was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in August at a ceremony at Trinity Mu-sic City Auditorium in Hendersonville. The GMA Foundation (GMAF) also inducted Aretha Franklin, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard. "For some-one who has spent my entire career playing

music in the marketplace, not in the church, this is quite an honor! I've always loved the Gospel, I sing about it in many different ways. I've never seen myself as a Christian artist, just an artist who is a Christian. I'm very grateful for this award," Skaggs said. The GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, established in 1971, has inducted more than 150 members since its inception. Previous inductees include Johnny Cash, Dol-ly Parton, Elvis Presley, Blind Boys of Alabama, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Pat Boone, and the Jordanaires.

Gibson noMinAteD For eMMySteve Gibson, guitarist and member of the Nashville Musi-cians Association, has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Musical Direction on the show Country Music: In Performance At The White House. “Performing with a world class group of artists before the president, the first lady, and their invited guests demanded the very best in musicianship. As music director, I had no hesitation whatsoever about taking our Nashville guys to Washington for this event.To then be nominated for an Emmy Award puts it right at the top of life-time achievements for any musician,” Gibson said. Several Local 257 members including John Jarvis, Stuart Duncan, Paul Leim, David Hungate, Kerry Marx, Paul Frank-lin, and Andrea Zonn participated in the Washington show. Gibson said the Nashville

players “are not only some of my dearest personal friends; they are musicians of the highest caliber anywhere. Their ex-traordinary contribution to this show is a testament to the amazing heart and soul of all the musicians who make Nashville such a special place. This nomination belongs to them as much as to me. Con-gratulations, guys, and thank you!"

JAn GrAntt beneFit rAises More thAn $40,000

Nashville musicians, artists, and other members of the music community came out in droves to support Kevin “Swine” Grantt and family at 3rd and Lindsley with a benefit for Kevin’s wife Jan. The benefit was organized by Jim “Moose” Brown and Eddie Bayers, Jr. and featured a house band that includ-ed Mike Johnson (steel guitar), James Mitchell (electric guitar), John Willis (acoustic and electric guitar), Grantt (bass), Brown (keyboards) and Bayers (drums). Artists and songwriters who performed included Craig Morgan, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Ashton Shep-herd, Josh Thompson, Darryl Worley, Josh Turner, and Incognito Bandito, also known as Toby Keith and band. Many artists and organizations con-tributed auction items including Brad Paisley, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack and the Country Music Hall of Fame. The June 19 event raised over $40,000. Grantt and his family sent thanks: “Words cannot explain how moved our family was. Thanks to y’all, the fi-nancial weight was not near as heavy. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued prayers and support. You have made this time more pleasant than it should have been.”

send contributions to Jan Grantt fund at Bank of America.

Page 13: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 13

GAlleryPhoto

: Donn Jones

jiMMy Capps

nAshville CAtLegendary guitarist Jimmy Capps, pictured here with his wife Michele, was honored as a "Nashville Cat" at the Country Music Hall of Fame on June 16.

eriC ChurCh

2012 CMA MusiC FestivAl Eric Church performs at L.P. Field during the 2012 CMA Music Festival held in June. Big thanks go out to all the Local 257 musicians who took part in this hugely successful event that brings in millions of tourist dollars to Nashville each year. local 257 scale for cma Fest went up 50 percent this year.

s

AFM 25-yeAr Pin Bassist Matt McKenzie, currently touring with Don Williams and Olivia Newton-John, picks up his 25-year pin from fellow bassist Dave Pomeroy, also a veteran of Williams' band.

s

MaTT MCKenzie

continued on page 14

Page 14: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

14 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

continued from page 13

GAllery

leon russell

paT flynn

j. fred KnobloCh

AFM booth The legendary Leon Russell and guitarist Pat Flynn,

who are currently working on a project together,

stopped by the AFM booth to visit with Dave Pomeroy

and Craig Krampf during Summer NAMM.

ssuMMer nAMM Singer/Songwriter J. Fred Knobloch joins Dave and Craig for the NAMM seminar "So You Want To Be A Session Player?" along with guitarist Troy Lancaster and violinist Jonathan Yudkin. (not pictured)

s

The Jamie Hartford Band rocks the house with a smokin' opening set for the NAMM Top 100 Dealers show. (L-R) Jamie Hartford, Rick Lonow, and Dave Pomeroy.

photo: mickey doBo

nAMM toP 100 DeAlers show

Page 15: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 15

loCAl 257 25-yeAr Pin Bassist and tuba player G.R. Davis was presented with his AFM 25-year pin by Dave Pomeroy. G.R. received a master's degree in music from Indi-ana University and is currently an adjunct professor of tuba at Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music, and also a life AFM member.

GAllery

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

Drums/Percussion Live/ Studio/ Virtual 678-346-0032 AFM 257 Member

[email protected] myspace.com/chuckbradley

G.r. davis

s

nAshville FrinGe leGenD AwArD

Bassist Mike Doster received the Legend award and Local 257

proclamation from Craig Krampf. The annual Nashville Fringe

Festival celebrates local art featuring music, dance, crafts, spoken

word and film.

MiK

e d

osT

er

s

ConGrAtulAtions Craig Krampf congratulated drummer Wayne Killius when he stopped by the union office for his AFM 25-year pin. Wayne joined Local 257 on Feb. 2, 1987.

Wayne Killius

s

jaCK freCKMan

liFe MeMber Pin Banjo player Jack Freckman received his life member pin from Secre-tary-Treasurer Craig Krampf. Jack transferred to Local 257 on July 13, 1987 after being a long-time member of Local 193, Waukesha, WI. Jack brought along his one-of-a-kind, 22-fret, Plectrum-Tenor Hummingbird banjo built by Bill Sullivan.

s

photo: mickey doBo

Page 16: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

16 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

dp: What inspired you to start playing music? cm: When I was eight years old I saw an ad in a comic book, “You too can play harmonica in seven days or your money back!” for a box top and 50 cents. Later that year I got a guitar and I just kept playing.

dp: What brought you to Nashville?cm: I first came to Nashville in 1959 as a singer, and I auditioned for both Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins. I had a guitar and I went in and sang “Johnny B. Goode” for them – I wish I had a video of that – and they both said ‘you’re pretty good, son, but we’re not doing that kind of music around here.’ I was crushed, of course but then Owen invited me to a session, so I went over to the Quonset Hut and watched Brenda Lee cut her first hit. I got there early, and Owen said “Sit up about halfway up this stairway and you’ll get a real picture of what we’re doing here here.” So I did, and saw the microphones and drums and everything. Then the musicians came in, and when you’re 18, everyone looks old, so I wondered who these old guys were, of course it was Buddy [Har-man] and Bob [Moore] Floyd [Cramer] Grady [Martin] and the rest of the A-Team. Then Brenda came in, and I thought “She’s just a kid, who’s gonna record a kid?” They played the demo on an acetate and it looked to me like the players were barely paying attention, and I suddenly thought, “There’s no music – where’s the music?” Then they cut it, and when the first playback came on, it was magic, the greatest thing I ever heard, and at that moment I said “The heck with singing, I want to do this.” I came back to stay a year later.

ck: What was your first master session?cm: It was in May of 1961 for Ann Margaret, produced by Chet Atkins. I had played on a demo for Jim Denny with Cedarwood Publishing for Kent Westbury and Marijohn Wilkin. I had played harmonica on a demo and Jim called me and said “Chet Atkins just called and he’s going to record that new song and wants you to play exactly what you played on the demo. Jim went with me to the studio, and introduced me to Chet, and he said “I know you.” And I said, “Yes, I auditioned for you a couple years ago,” and he said “Now I remember – black Les Paul custom, you sang Johnny B. Goode for me.” That knocked me out. So there I was in the studio with Chet and the A-Team, the Anita Kerr singers, and an 18 year old Ann Margaret. At the end of the session, Bob Moore walked up to me and asked me if I was busy that Friday. I said “no” and he said, come back to this same studio Friday morning, we’re recording Roy Orbison. I was a big Orbison fan, and the first thing we cut was “Candyman,” which was a huge hit.

dp: As the new guy, how did you learn how to fit in with the A-Team’s way of doing things?cm: Early on, I was on a session at the Quonset Hut, and I noticed that Grady [Martin] was giving me dirty looks, and I thought, “Oh, I’m in so much trouble.” We stopped and listened to a play-back, and I walked over to Grady and asked if there was something wrong. He said “Yeah, man you’re playing too much! Listen to the lyrics – if you can’t hear ‘em all and understand them, then you’re playing too much.” So that was a wakeup call. So I thought about it and I listened to him play and went, “That’s what it is. Less is more.” That became my trademark – thanks to Grady.

Born in West Virginia and raised in Mi-ami, Fla., he discovered the harmonica at age eight, had his first rock band at age 16 — with Donny Young, later known as Johnny

Paycheck — and after winning first prize in a band

contest, came to Nashville at 18 on an invitation by

Mel Tillis. Hired early on by Chet Atkins, his career

as a session musician was fully launched after he

was hired by Fred Foster to play on the Roy Orbison

hit “Candy Man.” McCoy’s success as a solo artist led

to a No. 1 song, “Today I Started Loving You Again,”

and a Grammy for his record The Real McCoy. He has

also garnered two CMA and seven ACM awards, and

has played on thousands of recording sessions for

artists like Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Joan Baez, Bob

Dylan, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Simon,

Ringo Starr and Ween. He was inducted into the West

Virginia Hall of Fame and the International Musicians

Hall of Fame in 2008, and in 2009 he was elected into

the Country Music Hall of Fame. He remains active as

a session player, solo artist and bandleader, and still

tours Europe regularly. McCoy sat down with Dave

Pomeroy and Craig Krampf at Local 257 to discuss his

life and career in music.

the nAsville MusiCiAn interview

Harmonica virtuoso

and multi-instrumentalist

Charlie McCoy

is one of the

most recorded musicians

in history and a member

of the fabled

A-Team of Nashville

studio players.

CharlieMcCoy

Page 17: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 17

ck: How old were you when you started playing so many different instruments?cm: I already played guitar and harmon-ica, I could play a little piano and fooled with the sax, all during high school. Not long after I got here, Wayne Moss called me to play a rock & roll gig at Ft. Camp-bell, Ky., and asked me if I could play bass guitar. I said I played a little upright bass in high school orchestra, and he said, “this is just the bottom four strings of the guitar, you can do it!” So I started playing bass. Then one day I was doing a session for Chet and he said, “I’m not hearing any harp on this song, why don’t you go play some vibes on this one?” I said I can’t play vibes!” and he said “Aw you can do it, go on.” And it was fun, so I started going to sessions early and practicing vibes. And it just went on from there.

dp: The A-Team played on all kinds of records—what were some memorable dates you remember? cm: One time Shelby Singleton pro-duced three number one hits in one day with three artists in totally different styles with the same musicians. “Ahab the Arab,” “Walk On By” and “Wooden Heart,” all completely different. When things got really busy and we were do-ing three and four sessions a day, I re-member being really tired and looking at Harold Bradley, Grady and Bob and think, ‘These guys are the real pros – their work ethic was amazing and the bottom line was excellence.’

dp: What are the keys to suc-cess as a session player?cm: The main thing is to check your

ego at the door. People who don’t learn how to do that don’t last very long. The best I ever heard it put was, “the song is the picture, we’re just the frame,” you know? We want to make a frame that makes the picture look good.

ck: What was it like working with Elvis in Los Angeles?cm: I went out there for a few of the Elvis movie soundtracks. He loved the studio; that was his safe place. He was away from the public and surrounded by people he respected. Even though some of the music was dreadful, and he knew it, he was a pro and he gave it his best. He’d say, “I’m sorry about this music but let’s get it done and do it the best we can.” Every night, at the end of every session, he came over and thanked every musician individually

for helping him. The biggest star in the world thanking me for helping him. That’s big, man.

dp: Can you talk about your parallel career as a solo artist?cm: Once I decided to be a studio musician, I put the artist thing on the shelf. I didn’t care about it, but it kept following me around. Fred Fos-ter asked me to record for Monument. I said no, I’ve already done that, but he talked me into it. I asked him what he wanted me to do, and he said, “I don’t know, whatever you want.” I did some vocal stuff with the Escorts, and we couldn’t give it away. Eventually I started recording instrumentals, and then we had a hit single, and it was off to the races. So I got back into the art-ist thing, and it was another way to be

creative outside of being a studio mu-sician. I had learned how to play melo-dies on the harp like a singer, and if I don’t already know the words, I always keep the lyrics in front of me when I record instrumentals. I just made my 38th solo album.

dp: When did you start touring as an artist over in Europe?cm: There was a French artist, a big star named Eddie Mitchell, who started us-ing me as a special guest on his tours around 1975. I played the Wembley fes-tival in England a few times with him. In 1987 I did a session with a Danish artist. I played Wembley with him and a couple of tours in Denmark, and the steel player asked me if I wanted to work in France, and that’s how it got started. I‘ve been working with that same band

ever since. One thing I know, American music is still the most popular overseas. It’s everywhere. We may be the only in-dustry in our country that doesn’t have a trade deficit!

ck: Any final thoughts? cm: One great thing the music business does is, it makes the age gap go away. When we come together and work on something, it just goes away. I can hang with Little Jimmy Dickens or a kid who just came to town. I love that. You know, I am the most blessed man in America. All my life I’ve done nothing but what I wanted to do. I’ve been paid well for it, and I’ve been awarded for it. I’ve made a lot of friends, seen a lot of places. If someone asked me if I would do anything different, I can say “No.” It all worked out.

ChArlie MCCoy

Page 18: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

18 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

the AFm Goes to

by dave pomeroy

June a delegation from

the AfM attended the

World Intellectual Prop-

erty Organization’s (WIPO) Diplomatic Confer-

ence as part of a coalition of artist organiza-

tions determined to ensure that intellectual

property concerns of professional musicians

were addressed in the new WIPO treaty. On

the final day of the conference the treaty

was approved unanimously and prepares a

pathway for the AfM to finally capture and

distribute overseas performance royalties to

American musicians. Local 257 President

and AfM International Executive Board

member Dave Pomeroy was part of the

delegation that traveled to Beijing, for WI-

PO’s Diplomatic Conference on the Protec-

tion of Audiovisual Performances.

18 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

Great Wall of China

As a country with a centuries-long tradition of theater, dance and music, the Chi-

nese government is finally recognizing the importance of the issues of copyright

and intellectual property. As they continue to be one of the world’s strongest

economies, the Chinese appear to be eager to be a partner in the international

movement towards protecting the rights of performers.

Page 19: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 19

hen the subject of an afm trip to China ini-tially came up, i was somewhat skeptical. it

took a while to wrap my mind around the idea that a trip to a u.n.- sponsored con-ference could have a positive effect for afm members. The more i learned about the WiPO conference, the more i began to understand that giving intellectual property issues an international forum for mutual agreement on the rights of musicians and creators could and should be an essential part of moving this discussion forward, es-pecially given the lack of action in Congress on this issue due to the powerful lobbying of the broadcast industry. The 13-hour flight to China gave me plenty of time to reflect on why the afm trip was so integral to achieving one of our long-standing goals: getting american musicians paid royalties for recordings that are played on terrestrial radio. it is no secret that american music is played everywhere around the globe, and the bottom line is this is a simple balance of trade issue. in other words, american musi-

cians are owed much more for their music that is aired overseas than foreign musicians would ever be paid for their music being on terrestrial radio here. in the vast majority of cases, our american musicians never see the money they generate overseas. Our frus-tration with this inequity, combined with the lack of action by Congress to pass reciprocal performance rights legislation was the key reason for our presence in beijing.

history of wiPoWiPO was established by the united nations, and is charged with establishing and coordi-nating international recognition of the rights of creators, performers and content produc-ers of all types, including musicians, actors, authors, and composers. i was there to rep-resent nashville as part of a seven-member afm delegation that included President ray hair, secretary-Treasurer sam folio, vice President from Canada alan Willeart, local 802 (nyC) President Tino gagliardi, local 47 (l.a.) President vince Trombetta, and in-house counsel Jennifer garner. The purpose of this important seven-day diplomatic conference, or “dip-con” in

international relations lingo, was to com-plete, finalize and approve a new treaty to protect intellectual property rights of performers in audiovisual works. This new treaty completes a long process that began in 1961 with the rome Convention treaty, the first international agreement establishing performance rights across international borders. The united states did not sign the rome treaty in 1961 because of pressures from the broadcast industry who did not — and 50 years later — still do not want to pay perfor-mance rights royalties to musicians and sing-ers whose work is played on am and fm ra-dio. as many of you are aware, performance rights for radio airplay is an area where the united states lags behind the rest of the world. There are only a handful of countries that do not pay these royalties besides the u.s. These include China, north Korea, Tur-key, iran, and rwanda. all of these countries were at the conference as well as the u.s., and their presence showed that this confer-ence and treaty were an important step for-ward in recognizing the rights of musicians.

continued on page 20

tHE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 19

Beijing Street Market

Page 20: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

20 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

uring the ‘90s, there were a number of developments that paved the way for this historic event. The World Trade Organization’s TRIPS treaty in 1994 provided worldwide validation of the concept of intellectual prop-erty in international business. The 1996 WPPT (WIPO Performances and

Phonograms Treaty) reinforced the concept of performance rights for sound record-ings, but the lack of a reciprocal performing rights agreement in the U.S. has thus far prevented American musicians from getting airplay money they deserve, unless they are registered with an overseas collective for works that qualify due to international content. The U.S. eventually ratified the WPPT in 2006. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 finally provided performance royalties for Internet and satellite radio play, but still excluded AM and FM “ter-restrial” radio. This royalty split gives the copyright owner 50 percent, the featured artist 45 percent, and backing musicians and singers 2.5 percent each of the net income. The royalty split is administered through Sound Exchange and the AFM-AFTRA Fund, and is a rapidly growing revenue stream. The year 2000 saw an unsuccessful attempt to establish an audiovisual perfor-mance treaty at a conference in WIPO’s home location of Geneva, Switzerland. 19 out of 20 articles were passed, but the negotiations broke down due to an inability to agree on certain terms and language. The past twelve years have seen laborious work from many parties around the world to try and resolve these issues for another attempt at a worldwide treaty, which is how the Beijing WIPO conference came to be.

why China?Why hold a conference in China, arguably the world’s center of unauthorized bootlegs of CDs and DVDs? I had my doubts, but it does appear that at long last the Chinese government is attempting to take meaningful action to curb this terrible problem. As a country with a centuries-long tradition of theater, dance and music, the Chinese government is finally recognizing the importance of the issues of copyright and intel-lectual property. As they continue to be one of the world’s strongest economies, the Chinese appear to be eager to be a partner in the international movement towards protecting the rights of performers. The hotel’s conference center also simultaneously hosted the fourth annual China International Copyright Expo, and the message of the exhibitors was clear in their attempt to correct the problems of the past. Conducting this meeting in Beijing showed the Chinese government’s willingness to address the issue publicly, which is a start. This is not to say they have it all worked out. There are still a few people here and there selling counterfeit watches and bootleg DVDs. Time will tell, but I believe the intention is there, which is an essential first step.

building essential connections and making new friendsThe AFM had a strong presence in Beijing and our input and support to the U.S. diplomatic delegation, led by Justin Hughes, helped ensure that essential principles of the treaty nego-tiated in 2000 which affect AFM musicians were not compromised as the final details and language were negotiated. We also strengthened relations with our labor union counter-parts from around the world, and reached out to the representatives of the 131 countries in attendance. We were able to achieve these goals, and make sure that the world knows the AFM is fully engaged in protecting the intellectual property of our members. Dozens of labor organizations that represent performers were there, including the International Federation of Musicians, (FIM) — of which the AFM is a member — the newly merged SAG/AFTRA, content producers such as the Motion Picture Association and collectives from around the world who receive royalties from radio and television airplay. The AFM was able to lay groundwork for new relationships with the international organizations that collect money from airplay and performances of audio and audiovi-sual works we have not previously been able to access, to create a long overdue revenue stream from American recordings and movies exhibited overseas. President Hair spoke eloquently in his opening and closing statements and the new relationships we forged will bear fruit for years to come. It was amazing to be in a room

Dave models a traditional Chinese hat at a Beijing street market with Local 47 (L.A.) President Vince Trombetta and Local 802 (N.Y.) President Tino Gagliardi.

AFM President Ray Hair addresses the WIPO Convention. Canadian V.P. Alan Willeart, Tino Gagliardi, and Vince Trombetta in background.

The AFM delegation with Francis Gurry, world renowned intellectual property expert and Director General of WIPO.

A helpful salesman in a Beijing music store demon-strated a variety of traditional Chinese instruments.

Page 21: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 21

with countries large and small, some of whom who are often in conflict with one an-other, including Egypt, Iran, Syria, Turkey, North Korea, China and Russia, and to see that everyone in the room shared a common goal of protecting the rights of artists. Beijing is a city of nearly 20 million people, and has been the political center of China for centuries. Although there are many ideologically-themed statues and imagery, and references to Mao are ever-present, at no time did I feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Beijing is also a city of contrasts, where 21st century technology sits side by side with ancient buildings. Opulent hotels and modern skyscrapers transition to neighborhoods of extreme poverty in just a few blocks. The people are friendly, and approachable and capitalism has definitely taken hold in many ways. Like any big city, street hawkers are everywhere, and the price of goods in the mar-ketplace is always negotiable. I will admit that I was a walking, talking, meeting and greeting advertise-ment for Music City. I made new friends with many people, and I must tell you that Nashville, Tenn., gets a lot of respect around the world. We should never take that for granted. I also had plenty of opportunities to pitch Nashville as a destination for recording, film, and more. I made sure that all those I spoke with understood that we record every kind of music here with quality, efficiency and soul. Hopefully we can continue to generate more international business for Nashville musicians in the global economy.

looking ahead after much debate, important and es-sential language endorsing the concept of “no collection without distribution,” agreed upon in 2000, remained in the treaty, which is huge, and gives us a mechanism to get the money we are owed. The afm has recently started receiving money from spain’s collec-tion society, five million so far, which is dis-tributed by the afm-afTra fund. This is a huge first step in the right direction, and we made every effort possible to reach out to the collectives and enlist new allies in our quest to get musicians what they rightfully deserve. i must commend everyone in our delegation for their hard work, dedication and teamwork on behalf of all american musicians. i am very pleased and proud to say that we made huge progress towards our very am-bitious goal of creating a new revenue stream for afm musicians from international exploita-tion of american music. On the sixth day of the conference, after much internal and external debate about critical areas of language and interpretation, the treaty was unanimously ap-proved by all 131 countries, 41 of which had the authority to not only approve, but also ratify the treaty of behalf of their governments. One can only imagine how much more income for musicians could have been gen-erated if the u.s. broadcasters were paying performance rights all these years, instead of fighting against proposed Congressional leg-islation intended to give u.s. musicians and singers the same rights they enjoy all over the world. hopefully this will happen soon, but in the meantime this historic treaty gives the afm an opportunity to work around the inaction of Congress and create our own revenue stream. The governments of the remaining 90 countries, including the u.s., will now have to ratify the treaty, a process that will begin imme-diately around the world. When the time comes, we will urge all of you to reach out to your repre-sentatives in Congress and get them to sign off on this very important international initiative. This treaty is a game changer for ameri-can musicians, and gives us an avenue to col-lect new revenue streams from the use of our music around the world. it was very exciting to be a part of this historic event, and i can-not tell you how proud i am of the music we create in nashville, the solidarity and strength of our community, and how much it means to me to be your representative as president of the nashville musicians association. Thanks to all of you for your support.

one of four "worker's statues" at tiananmen square, the scene of infamous protests in 1989 that changed the course of Chinese history.

tHE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 21

Page 22: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

22 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

From the opening cascades of mandolin and pulsing bass of the first song, “Movement and Location,” it’s clear that Punch Brothers third album release, Who’s Feeling Young Now? is an ambitious artistic leap for a band already known for its adventurousness. Rich acoustic tones seamlessly melt into electronic effects and bandleader Chris Thile’s breathy vocals float over the band and collide with stirring instrumental interludes, leaving the listener breathless. Top to bottom, the band’s third album incorporates a myriad of contemporary and traditional influences into its own unique blend and succeeds in going where few bands have gone before. Bluegrass, pop, funk, to classical, jam band and alternative rock — it’s all here, and it all works. A mandolin prodigy since his early teens, Local 257 member Thile first came to prominence with the long running neo-bluegrass group Nickel Creek, which also included Sara and Sean Watkins. Thile has grown into a prime visionary of the progressive acoustic movement, and his various collaborations and tours with the likes of bassist Edgar Meyer, including the recent Goat Rodeo project with Meyer, cellist YoYo Ma, and Nashville fiddle-mandolin virtuoso Stuart Duncan, have met with critical and commercial success. With Punch Brothers, Thile has surrounded himself with four of the finest acoustic musicians of his generation, Noam Pilkeny (banjo), Chris “Critter” Eldridge (guitar) and Paul Kowert (acoustic bass) — all Local 257 members — and Gabe Wichter (fiddle), a longtime Local 47 (Los Angeles) member. Thile’s 2006 solo CD, How to Grow A Band and subsequent tour was the genesis of the group, which quickly coalesced into a “real” band with the release of Punch in 2008. A true collaborative band, they all share writing credit on the 10 original compositions, and Wichter trades lead vocals with Thile on the bluesy “Hundred Dollars.” Produced by Jacquire King, of Tom Waits and Kings of Leon fame, Who’s Feeling

Young Now? was recorded at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio and breaks new sonic ground with its use of electronic effects on acoustic instruments. The performances, arrangements and textures keep the listener attentive and stimulated throughout. Standout tracks include “This Girl” which starts out as alternative pop-rock and suddenly builds into an upbeat bluegrass feel for the chorus, with evocative layered vocals throughout. “No Concern Of Yours” features a mysteriously dark lyric, remarkable group dynamics and impeccable arco bass from Kowert. The title track defies easy description, but with repeated listening, the choppy chording, fuzzed out bass, banjo madness, and vocals that range from wistful to snarky, it becomes apparent that the Punch Brothers are tapping into Led Zeppelin-esque levels of dynamics and energy—and without drums! “Flippen (The Flip),” one of two instrumentals not written by the band, starts out as a blazing mandolin-guitar duet, dissolves into an atmospheric middle section, then follows Eldridge’s solo flatpicking guitar back up to tempo and concludes with an odd time fiddle-banjo jig that roars to a finish. “Patchwork Girlfriend” has an old-time vaudeville feel with a hilarious lyric. Pikelny’s chromatic, slippery banjo fills are a perfect counterpoint to Thile’s

processed “megaphone” vocal. The aforementioned “Hundred Dollars” brings the funk, and the stop-start arrangement has light and shade that matches the contrasting vocal textures of Thile and Wichter to a T. “Soon or Never” is a beautiful lullaby and song of hope to a love that may or may not be possible. The rollicking “New York City” pays tribute to their adopted hometown while lamenting the slim chance of finding the needle of love in the proverbial haystack. British alt-rock icons Radiohead’s song “Kid A” is covered as a spacious instrumental with arco bass taking much of the lead while mandolin, banjo, and guitar criss-cross in broken percussive rhythms and the fiddle drones, building to an intense climax. The album closes with “Don’t Get Married Without Me,” another roller coaster ride that shows off the amazing synergy of vocal and instrumental ideas that flow from this band of stellar instrumentalists, composers, and arrangers. Punch Brothers’ star continues to rise, and solo projects and collaborations with the likes of Elvis Costello, Dierks Bentley, and Steve Martin plus near constant touring continue to add to the considerable legacy they are building. They are all masters of their instruments, but together they have created a cohesive whole even greater than the sum of their considerable individual parts. Who’s Feeling Young Now? captures the incredible stylistic range of this band of virtuosos without leaving the audience behind. A rare feat, indeed.—Roy Montana

ReviewsTHE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

PUNCH BROTHeRs “who’s Feeling Young Now?” (Nonesuch)

photo: dAnny cLinch

Page 23: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 23

out oF the shADows eTTa briTT(Wrinkled)reviewed by kent BurnsideIt’s fitting that Etta Britt’s debut release for Wrinkled Records contains “Leap of Faith.” Her story — now well known, courtesy of the Huffington Post — can perhaps be summarized in two lines from that song: “When I went ahead and spread my wings / I found out I could fly.” At a point in life when so many other singers would have abandoned their dreams of making a record, Etta delivers the goods. Bob Britt’s slide/wah guitar kicks off the seriously grooving opener, “Dog Wants In.” Britt and Tom Bukovac split the guitar duties throughout, with Local 257’s Greg Morrow and Steve Mackey laying down drums and bass, respectively. Harlan Howard’s classic “The Chokin’ Kind” gets a slower treatment than usual, which allows Britt to savor each line. Several outside writers contribute songs (including two from Michael McDonald), with Britt writing four, including the stirring “She’s Eighteen,” inspired by an experience with her own daughter: “She’s eighteen, she’s ready to go / She wants to leave this house, to where, I don’t know / She’s not a woman, not a child.” The moving “Quiet House” explores the pain of “living life without my life” until they return for weekend visits. Best single line in this collection? “I should have picked on a love my own size” (from “The Bigger The Love”). With Chad Cromwell’s fat snare, John Jarvis’ B-3 and the Mingo Fishtrap horns, this is old-school soul the way it’s supposed to sound. Just like Etta Britt.

AnALoG mAn in A diGitAL worLdbill WenCe (615 records) reviewed by kent BurnsideVeteran country pianist/songwriter Bill Wence worked his Rolodex hard, and what a band he got for his efforts: Becky Hobbs, Jonell Mosser, Gretchen Peters, and The Jordanaires. And that’s only

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

mericanPRESS & LABEL

��

For all your printing needs!For all your printing needs!Call us if you or your company needs...� Letterhead� Envelopes� Business Cards� NCR Forms� Labels� Silk Screening� Bumper Stickers� Lapel Stickers

�Yard Signs� Banners� Newsletters� Design Work� Contract Books� Folding� Spiral Binding� And much more!

A Union Label Company

2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211

615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443

the backing vocals. Charlie McCoy’s harmonica is featured prominently throughout the album as well. The title is appropriate for the material here — Wence understands the kind of songs best suited to his voice, and he sticks to them faithfully. “Borderline Crazy” laments the pace of modern life, yearning to head south and escape. In “Thirty Years” he looks back ruefully at missed opportunities, yet never succumbs to the bitterness those might bring, always looking ahead to the next thirty. Wence finds new possibilities in “Unchained Melody,” recasting it in a midtempo 4/4 groove. Another classic, Buster Brown’s “Fannie Mae,” is pure roadhouse shuffle, with McCoy’s harmonica and Dean Hall’s electric guitar providing just the right amount of grease. “I Like Your Kind Of Love” is a duet of sorts with Local 257’s Becky Hobbs. There’s a tongue-in-cheek sexiness that keeps this one on the fun side. “Fortunate Man” looks at the good things that come our way in spite what’s not so good: “I never made any money, fame was a Tuesday night stand / In spite of all this I am a fortunate man.” Four songs come from Wence’s own pen: “Missing Millie,” “Lookin’ For You,” “Kathy Please,” and “Love Ride.” All are solo writes; in fact, only two of the songs in this collection are cowrites. (The beginning of a trend, perhaps?) “Love Ride” closes the album, and The Jordanaires really bring this one to life as only they can.

And so it Goes DOn Williams(sugar hill) reviewed by kent BurnsideA Don Williams album is like dinner at a great meat-and-three: It’s warm, unpretentious, and good for the soul. For his first collection of new music since 2004, Williams teams up once again with veteran producer Garth Fundis. Most of the songs come from outside writers (alas, no Bob McDill),

and each one sounds as though it was written just for this record. Sonically this album is a real breath of fresh air, ironically so because it’s a throwback to an earlier era. The instrumentation, the mixing and the mastering all work to support Williams’ laid-back vocal style. No slamming drums, no screaming guitars, and no overcompression. Would that more Nashville records still sounded like this one. The opener, “Better Than Today,” is a heartfelt hymn to optimism: “I know it’s dry, but that’s gonna change / Lord, I ain’t felt a drop, but I can smell the rain.” The lyric gently emphasizes that we must choose to be hopeful, even in the face of adversity. “I Just Come Here For The Music” tells the tale of a broken-hearted cowboy taking his first tentative steps back into the disorienting world of new romance. Alison Krauss provides luscious backing vocals, and the tasteful pedal steel work of Local 257’s Russ Pahl wraps up the whole package perfectly. The real standout here is “She’s With Me,” written by Don and Tim Williams. It’s a simple meditation on the maturation of a love affair, accented by the unmistakable guitar of Vince Gill. Powerful stuff.

Page 24: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

24 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

live review

fter a couple of deafening explosions rock a student

assembly at mythical Korwin College, the setting of The Nutty Professor, amid the smoke and debris, a trap door opens, and up comes a disheveled Professor Ju-lius Kelp, looking for all the world like a young Jerry Lewis, buck teeth and all. This summer, Tennessee Perform-ing Arts Center’s Polk Theater was the scene of an exclusive world premiere of The Nutty Professor, a new musical inspired by the classic 1962 movie starring Jerry Lewis. With evocative music by Marvin Hamlisch, a smart and snappy book and lyrics by Rupert Holmes and directed by Lewis himself, the show’s producers hope to get a shot at a Broadway run. Hamlisch’s untimely passing in the mid-dle of the show’s Nashville performances gave it an extra poignancy, as this will be his last musical score. I was lucky enough to catch some rehearsals, as well as the premiere and closing show, and it was a great experi-ence to see some of our finest musicians doing what they do best. I had a chance to speak briefly with Jerry Lewis and Ru-pert Holmes, both of whom were very complimentary of our musicians and the experience of working in Nashville. The show is nothing short of a star turn for Michael Andrew, who plays the

title role to the hilt and absolutely nails the dual roles made famous by Lewis 50 years ago. Whether playing the eccentric Dr. Julius Kelp or the ultra hip Buddy Love, Andrew, who originated The Nutty Professor stage show concept, is totally believable and hilarious as the surrogate Lewis. Other standout acting and singing performers are Marissa McGowan as the lead female role Stella Purdy, Klea Blackhurst as the hi-larious Miss Lemon, and the versatile Mark Jacoby, playing four completely different characters to great effect. The show was produced by Mac Pirkle, co-founder of the Tennessee Rep-ertory Theater, along with Ned McLeod; and all aspects of the production were visually and sonically first-rate. The sets were innovative and versatile, providing a lot of different looks through a vari-ety of staging techniques and lighting. The choreography was outstanding. The entire cast was up to the challenge of playing multiple roles; and singing and dancing at a high energy level in the en-semble pieces. The script and the songs are full of one-liners zinging by at the speed of a chemical reaction. The 14-piece orchestra, conduct-ed by keyboardist Stephen Kummer, sounded excellent throughout the show, playing everything from show tunes to dream sequences to swing and Latin

dance numbers flawlessly, often stop-ping on a dime and changing rhythms perfectly in sync with the onstage action despite spending most of the show off-stage and in isolation booths. The band, contracted by trombonist Barry Green, included Local 257 members Jimmy Bowland, Matt Davich, Robbie Shankle and Doug Moffett on woodwinds, Jen-nifer Kummer on French horn, Steve Patrick and Jeff Bailey on trumpet, Pat Coil on keyboards, guitarist Paul Carrol Binkley, percussionist Ron Sorbo and Local 802 members Bobby Brennan on bass and Danny Young on drums, a re-cent Nashville transplant. The mix was excellent, and at times it was easy to forget that the music was a live band — not a recording. However, there was no doubt towards the end of the show when the “Buddy Love Band” came out from the shadows to play in full view, much to the delight of the audience. To my eyes and ears, the show is on a level with productions in New York and London, and with the recognition factor of one of Jerry Lewis’ finest moments turned into a high energy, well written and performed show, one can only hope it will get a fair shake in the Broadway theater world. TPAC and Nashville have a lot to feel good about with the conclusion of this successful run of 32 shows. Hats off to everyone involved.

a

Musical reinvents a Classic ComedyTHE NUTTY ProfEssorBy Dave Pomeroy

"this summer, tennessee Performing arts Center’s Polk theater was the scene of an exclusive world premiere of 'the nutty Professor', a new musical inspired by the classic 1962 movie starring Jerry Lewis."

Photo: riCK MAlKin

Page 25: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 25

his month’s column will be short and sweet, as

there’s not much to report from the frontlines of the RMA. Fortunately, we have great leadership and a great staff at Local 257. In addition, we now have Ray Hair running the national Fed-eration, along with an exceptional IEB. All of these folks have tremendous re-spect for recording musicians, and they spend many hours and dollars working on our behalf. For the first time in the ten-plus years I’ve been with the RMA, there is an inclusiveness and coopera-

rMA CornerBruCe BouToN

t

set the rateOnce you’ve heard the song, negotiate your “per-song” rate. There is a $100/song minimum, with all “extras” — H&W, Pension, etc. —included. The scale goes up in $50 increments ($150, $200, $250, etc) and the breakdown can be found on the Single Song Scale Worksheet included with the agreement. Different songs can have different per-song rates depending on difficulty, number of parts, etc. It’s your call.

execute the agreementDownload the Single Song Overdub Agreement from the Local 257 website and email it to the Employer before you do the work. They can sign it online and email it back to you. Then email a copy to [email protected].

Do the work and get paidDo not send an isolated track until you’ve been paid the agreed amount. When you have received the payment, send the employer the separate files. Up to 12 songs can be recorded under one agreement for one artist or employer in a six-month period.

File the card and pay the pensionAfter you get paid, come to the union and file the completed SSOS time card, which we will turn into an AFM contract. The scale worksheet will give you the amount of pension due. Write a personal check to the AFM-EP Fund for your pension contribu-tion. We will send it in for you. This is the ONLY AFM recording scale that allows you to do this.

Multiple musicians can work under one agreement if all musicians appear on all songs at the same rate. Each musician pays his own pension amount.

tion between the Federation and the recording musician player conference. In the past Nashville musicians had a tendency to lay back and not get in-volved until there was a “call to arms.” Yet in my opinion, now is an excel-lent time for Nashville musicians to be heard and to help create opportunities to establish new business models for the future of our industry. Even as we were having a leader-ship crisis a few years ago, both nation-ally and locally, RMA Nashville had almost 200 members. This enabled us to have a strong voice and a strong trea-sury. We were able to send RMA repre-sentatives all over the country, and we were able to donate thousands of dol-lars to help Nashville musicians who were suffering losses from the floods. We still need to have a strong RMA

to ensure our place at the table. Not only do we need to expand our membership roles, we also need to have new leaders step up and take the reins. No one un-derstands the business of sound record-ing better than recording musicians. I have proudly served this organi-zation for many years. During this time we have had great leaders who have sac-rificed their careers and families for the benefit of recording musicians. I have come to a point in my life where I feel like I need to focus my energy on other things. It’s time for me to step away and let the next generation take over. RMA Nashville will have elections within the next 90 days. I’m hoping we can have our membership back up towards 200 so that we can elect some good people to continue a great institution.—Peace and respect, Bruce Bouton

how to use the AFM single song overdub scaleThis “per-song” scale is intended for musicians over-dubbing, usually in a home studio, via hard drive or sending audio files back and forth over the Internet. This simple, all-in rate is primarily designed for in-dependent projects on non-signatory labels, but also can be combined with Limited Pressing projects. It’s easy to use. Here’s how it works:

If you have any questions, call us at

615-244-9514. All paperwork for

this agreement and a more detailed

explanation — including the SSOS

Overview and Guidelines — are on

our nashvillemusicians.org website.

Page 26: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

26 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

my last column, I shared highlights from Norma

Grobman Rogers’ 40-year career as she prepared to retire from the Nashville Symphony. I’d like to share one final noteworthy event during the evening celebrating her retirement. Following her wonderful performance of the Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto in C Major, her son Alex announced that he and his wife have endowed the piccolo chair in perpetuity – it will be named the Norma Grobman Rogers Chair. This kind of gift is something donors in many orchestras do to support orchestras. Some orchestras do this very effectively – The Cleveland Orchestra donors have endowed and named 51 musician and three conducting chair positions. As Alex said, the endowment will allow Norma to be a part of the Nashville Symphony forever.

the road to CarnegieThe highlight this spring was our trip to Carnegie Hall May 12. On our way to New York City we bussed to Carmel, Ind., and performed in a hall designed by David Schwartz, the architect who designed the Schermerhorn Symphony Center (SSC). The colors were different (blues and reds), the “window” was in the ceiling, and the building was oval rather than shoebox shape, but it felt very familiar. The acousticians at Carmel used clouds – adjustable clear disks suspended over the stage from above – so the sound was different. Colleagues from the Indianapolis Symphony who attended the concert were very complimentary. The next day was a gorgeous day to fly to New York. We arrived around dinnertime, which allowed time to explore and meet friends and family. My family was in the same hotel as the Milwaukee Symphony, which performed

the evening before our concert and shared a New York Times review; the reviewer noted that both orchestras had flourished under Kenneth Schermerhorn’s direction. Rehearsal Saturday afternoon included practicing our entrance for the concert. Imagine a single door opening with chairs, wires, and stands with music crammed onstage. Suddenly you realize that no one is sitting where they normally sit, and there are 115 of you trying to line up backstage, which is narrow and jammed with recording and instrument storage equipment. It took over three minutes for everyone to get to their designated seats for the concert that evening, as the audience clapped and waved green bandanas provided by Spring for Music. Then the concert began, not with tuning, but with an eight-minute radio interview with the Maestro before the concert, which was broadcast live. The Ives Universe Symphony certainly had people talking afterward, whether they loved or hated the piece. Terry Riley’s concerto for electric violin performed by Tracy Silverman was our best performance and, I think, benefited from the earlier performances in

Nashville and Carmel to find its groove. Grainger’s The Warriors was also well received, as was our encore, “Finale” from Roberto Sierra’s Sinfonia No. 4. Sarah Jones, the assistant to the general manager & VP of operations, has a great sense of humor in addition to her amazing organizational skills putting together our tour materials, because our tour books had photos of the four venues where we would be playing while “on tour.” The first was a picture of Laura Turner Hall at SSC, the second was Carmel, the third was Carnegie Hall and the fourth was Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville where the majority of the orchestra performed a runout concert following our return from NYC two days later!

the season comes to a closeThe rest of our regular season went off without a hitch and ended with a wonderful performance of Carmina Burana, where the antics of the singers during some of the solos became more animated as the week progressed. On the final evening they elicited loud laughter from the chorus and orchestra, in addition to the audience.

syMPhony notesBy Laura roSS

In

The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Ind., was designed by David Schwartz, the architect who designed the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Page 27: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 27

at Schermerhorn Symphony Center

OCTOBER4-6 CLASSICAL - Beethoven’s Fifth12 JAZZ - Charlie Haden and Quartet West25-27 POPS - Michael W. Smith27 PIED PIPER - Halloween in the Wild West29 ORGAN RECITAL - Halloween Movie Night: Nosferatu with Tom Trenney

NOVEMBER1-3 CLASSICAL - The Power of Imagination5 SPECIAL EVENT - Gilberto Gil8-10 POPS - Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies15-17 CLASSICAL - Fairy Tales and Fate29-DEC. 1 CLASSICAL - All That Classical Jazz

DECEMBER2 ORGAN RECITAL - Thomas Murray20-22 SPECIAL EVENT - Handel’s Messiah22 PIED PIPER - A Spirit for the Holidays

BUY TICKETS: NashvilleSymphony.org | 615.687.6400Mention promo code AFM for 10% off classical series tickets!

The orchestra added a number of special concert presentations this summer, the first of which was Willie Nelson as CMA Week began. Then, wanting to be as far away from downtown as possible the rest of the week, we performed concerts in East Park in East Nashville, Bicentennial Park and Crockett Park in Brentwood. Thankfully the weather was temperate. Beethoven was back as the focus of our three Festival concerts, and we added a new venue this year: The Woods at Fontanel, a beautiful area for concerts off White’s Creek Pike. We had a wonderful return engagement with Idena Menzel and a smaller orchestra played with Earth, Wind and Fire the next weekend. I was at the Southern Conference (of AFM locals), so I could not perform. The final two weeks of the season, which ended July 6, were a mixed bag of concerts and problems. Sarah McLachlan was a delight to work with in another special concert at SSC, Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony No. 9 was a hit as always, and our final concert for the American Guild of Organists (AGO) National Convention showed the orchestra in a very favorable light. Many compliments have been passed on to me from Nashville’s AGO members and their colleagues. The problems, unfortunately, were due to the excessive heat, with no available alternative indoor sites. The orchestra’s runout to Glasgow, Ky., loomed large as measures were

discussed to bring the temperature down to the maximum outdoor performance temperature ceiling of 94 degrees. Firemen hosed down the pavement twice before the orchestra seating was set up, huge fans – a couple of which blew air over ice – were brought in, and water and popsicles were provided. Even so, the concert was delayed for more than 30 minutes because the temperature was still 100 degrees when we arrived at the concert site. July 4 had its own issues, and though the city provided air conditioning vents directly on the stage, it was still too hot to perform a sound check. Another concern for the orchestra committee was the sound of the fireworks, but happily by moving the stage to its new location on the other side of the Shelby Avenue Bridge – on the site of the old Thermal plant – we were actually able to hear at least portions of our colleagues, and Stars and Stripes ended together! After hearing 109 piccolo audition candidates to replace the retiring Rogers; 20 semifinalists and 3 finalists, the position has been offered to

syMPhony notes

Kathryn Ladner. Meanwhile, we are losing second-year third French horn player Kelly Cornell, who leaves us for the Fort Worth Symphony.

50th anniversary of iCsoMIn August Brad Mansell and I travel to Chicago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) in the city where it began. In 1962, only one orchestra – Boston – had musicians at the bargaining table; most did not have ratification rights. There was no strike fund or symphony department at the federation. All this changed in the past 50 years thanks to the formation and persistence of ICSOM and its members. More will be written in the International Musician in August about the accomplishments of ICSOM. It is worth pointing out that the Nashville Symphony enters the final year of its agreement this coming season and will be negotiating a new contract beginning next spring. Now it’s time to rest and prepare for Mahler Eight in September. Stay cool!

A view of Carnegie Hall from the second violin section during rehearsal of the Terry Riley Electric Violin Concerto on May 12.

Page 28: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

28 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

Chris walters’ yay! everybody yay! City Lore MusicNew Orleans born musician Chris Walters is an independent artist who has resided in Nashville since 1989. Chris can usually be seen gigging with the likes of J.D. Souther, Peter Mayer, Bela Fleck, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and the Jeff Coffin Mu’tet. Walters’ third album further explores his unique and compelling sound, offering nine new tracks ranging from jazz trio excursions to fully orchestrated original songs featuring an eclectic mixture of musicians from Nashville and around the globe. This is music that makes you want to write poetry, not a review, but I won’t try to compete with Danny Coots remarkable liner notes. Walters’ pallet is so colorful it’s like a stroll through the world’s largest museum, or cocktails at a sidewalk café. Six tunes are by Walters, and three of the nine are instrumentals. The tour starts with a sardonic love

song about a fat cat who’s got everything but “He Ain’t Got You,” then cuts to a tortured soul in a haze of absinthe and despair hearing the voice of “La Chanteuse Josephine” — a haunting musical saw played by Natalia Paruz over Denis Solee’s string and woodwind arrangement. “Bootsoles” is an earthy drone with guitar and harmonica that to me somehow combines Paul Simon, Mose Allison, and the Dali Lama. The title tune is a celebration, with tuba, kazoos, and solos by Solee and Rod McGaha. A gypsy fortuneteller’s lair is created with help from Peter Mayer on mandolin, a Romanian poem, and a bit of the pop hit “Que Sera Sera” while Walter’s vocals ask “Do You Really Want To Know.” Walters reflects on the eternal tug of war between men and women with a chant-like rhythm from mother Africa in “Woman’s Greatest Weapon.” His piano chops get a work-out on “Malambo” and “Panama” and the album ends with what sounds like a phone call from the twilight zone using Cole Porter’s classic “Every Time We Say Goodbye” lyrics over a string quartet. Chris is also a graphic artist and award winning animator. You can see some of his animations set to his original music — and check out the record — at www.cityloremusic.com

the Kelli Cox CollaborativeKelli Cox MusicFemale pianists in early jazz may have been rare, but there was no shortage of virtuosity. In the 1920s it was said that Lovie Austin from Chattanooga, Tenn., could play for singers and dancers in vaudeville theaters, and write a chart for the next act at the same time! A century later, one can name a number of excellent lady keyboardists, some here in Nashville. Pianist Kelli Cox has been a fixture on Music City’s jazz scene for well over a decade, fronting her own ensembles and playing everything from jazz to choral concerts, to country and rock & roll. Cox formed the Collaborative in 2008 as a creative outlet for herself and a band of local jazz veterans who often

work in genres other than jazz. The band’s first project was recorded in April at Hot Haus Studios in Nashville, Tenn., by Mike Holmes and features Cox on piano, Tisha Simeral on acoustic bass, Ted Tretiak on drums, Steve Herrman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Greg Cox on trombone and Mark Douthit on tenor and alto saxes. Special guests are John Birdsong, acoustic bass, John DiModica, electric bass and Willie Cantu, percussion. The record includes four original compositions as well as new arrangements of four jazz standards. You could call this a progressive jazz group that blends modern bebop with blues and Latin influences. Of the originals, Cox has “Gotcha!” which sounds like something the old Jazztet might have done, waves of shifting harmonies in the horns over a bolero rhythm and lovely solos, plus “Saying Goodbye” — a hymn-like ballad for trombone and piano. Greg Cox’s “Constant DeTayl” is a Latin-ish groove in honor of saxist Dennis Taylor with a wicked tenor solo by Mark Douthit. Herrman’s “Winter’s Solace” is a modern workout for the horns over a piano riff, and a cool coda for bass and drums that ends the album. Standards include an old hard-bop line by Hank Mobley with Cox on B3, a clever acoustic trio version of the Rodgers-Hart classic “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” that puts the melody in 5/4 — it works so well I wonder why Rodgers didn’t think of it — and an arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s 1964 classic “Cantaloupe Island” that uses the horns, electric bass, funky fusion drums, and Cox on Fender Rhodes, to make it sound like Hancock wrote it for his Fat Albert-Mwadishi bands five years later. I don’t know if that was her intention, but it really works. Jeff Clayton’s “Blues on Parade” is in the Bobby Timmons “Moanin’” bag, complete with funky horns and a shuffle backbeat. This is solid, modern jazz all the way with a great sound and groove. Look for it at www.kellicoxmusic.com

By auSTiN BeaLmearJAZZ & blues beAt

Page 29: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 29

ountry music pioneer Kitty Wells, 92, a life member of

the Nashville Musicians Association, died July 16, 2012, in Madison, Tenn. Wells, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, was country music's first female superstar. In 1952, Wells, who was 33 years old, was ready to give up her musical career when she decided to do one last session for Decca Records. She commented later that she was persuaded to do the session because it offered union scale, which was $125 at the time. The song she sang, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk An-gels,” went to the top of the charts, where it stayed for six weeks, and Wells became a star, as well as the first female solo artist to garner a No. 1 record. It was the beginning of a country music reign for Kitty Wells, who joined Local 257 in 1953. She stayed at the top of the charts throughout the 1950s with solo hits and duets, and continued recording and performing for much of her long life, hitting the Billboard charts again at age 60 with "I Thank You for the Roses." Awarded top female vocalist for 14 years running, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976. She was also awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 1991. Wells was often called the “Queen of Country Music”, and singer Marty Stuart said this nickname was undisput-ed. “There's more to being a queen than just calling yourself a queen — it's a title

that goes with an entire lifetime of ser-vice and influence. You check the careers of anyone in [Nashville], and you won't find anyone with a more spotless career than Kitty Wells," Stuart said. Born Muriel Ellen Deason in Nash-ville in 1919, Wells was part of a musical family. Her father was a country musi-cian, her mother a gospel singer, and Wells embraced music at an early age. As a teenager, she learned to play guitar and began singing with her two sisters and a cousin as the Deason Sisters. It was her husband, Johnnie Wright, who gave Mrs. Wells her stage name, which came from a folk song recorded by the Pickard Family in 1930. Wells sang with Wright in several bands: first with her sister as Johnnie Wright and the Harmony Girls, and later with Wright and Jack Anglin as Johnny & Jack. The latter’s performances on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio program led to a deal with RCA Records, and before her career break Wells made a few solo recordings for the label in 1949 and 1950. She was one of the few country superstars born and raised in the Nash-ville area, and throughout her career and 74-year marriage to fellow coun-try star Wright, Mrs. Wells provided a model to which future generations of female country stars aspired. “She was my hero,” Loretta Lynn said in a press release. “If I had nev-er heard of Kitty Wells, I don’t think

I would have been a singer myself. I wanted to sound just like her, but as far as I am concerned, no one will ever be as great as Kitty Wells.” WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs, who worked for a time as a fiddle play-er for Wells and Wright, once spoke to Wells about her historic career. “I asked her how it felt to be the first one to have that breakthrough success.” Stubbs said. “She said, ‘Somebody had to be the first. I was the one that was just fortu-nate enough to be put in that position.’” “Kitty Wells was the epitome of class and understatement, despite the fact that she was a true pioneer of country music. She was influential in so many ways, but never let it go to her head, and the 74-year love story of her and Johnnie Wright is one for the ages. The Queen of Country Music will never be forgotten – or replaced,” said Dave Pomeroy, President of Local 257. Mrs. Wells was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie Wright. Surviv-iors include one son, Bobby Wright; one daughter, Sue Wright Sturdivant; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held July 20, at the Hendersonville Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Goodpasture Christian School in Madi-son, Tenn., by way of the Kitty Wells/Johnnie Wright Scholarship Fund.

FinAl notes

Kitty wells1919-2012

c

Page 30: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

30 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

recorded as a solo artist in the late ‘70s and then formed the Doug Dillard Band in 1982. The 1988 release, Heartbreak Hotel, was nominated for a Grammy. Dillard played a plethora of sessions over the years, including work with Hoyt Axton, Johnny Cash, Arlo Guth-rie, Vassar Clements, Harry Nilsson, Linda Ronstadt, Kay Starr, The Monkees, Tom Pacheco, Michael Martin Murphey, Woody Guthrie, Don Davies, Doug Ker-shaw, The Beach Boys, and Ginger Boat-wright. He also worked in motion pic-tures, scoring and performing in many, including Bonnie and Clyde, Junior Bonner, Vanishing Point and Popeye. The Dillards received many profes-sional accolades over the years, includ-ing induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, singer-songwriter Vikki Sallee-Dillard; two brothers, Homer Earl Dillard, Jr., of St. Louis, Mo., and Rodney Adean Dillard of Branson, Mo.; stepdaugh-ters Kelly Snead of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., and Kristi Ritson of Peachtree City, Ga., nieces, nephews and grand-children, as well as numerous cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews; and his beloved dog, Venus. Funeral services were held May 24 at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home, with burial following in the Harpeth Hills Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Douglas Dillard Legacy Fund, P.O. Box 90537, Nashville, Tenn., 37209.

anjo virtuoso Doug Dil-lard, a life member of the

AFM and a longtime member of Local 257, died in Nashville May 16, 2012, af-ter a long illness. Dillard was a founding member of The Dillards, a bluegrass band that moved from the Ozarks to the West Coast to seek fame — and found it — as part of the developing ‘60s Southern Cali-fornia folk scene. After being signed by Elektra, the band made multiple appear-ances on the iconic Andy Griffith Show as the hillbilly band the Darlings, which led to other guest spots on television, as well as appearances at virtually all the well-known folk festivals of the era. They later toured with Elton John, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Carl Perkins and many others, and played on acclaimed records with Glen Campbell and Byron Berline. Dillard was born March 6, 1937 in Salem, Mo., into a musical family. One of three sons of Homer and Lorene Dil-lard, Homer played fiddle, Lorene was a guitarist, and his older brother Earl played keyboards. Dillard started first on guitar, and then got his first banjo at 15. He recounted the first time he heard Earl Scruggs playing: “I was driving down the road with the radio on. All of a sudden I heard this incredible banjo music. I got so excited that I drove off the road and down into a ditch. I had to be towed out.” The new banjo prompted Dillard to write Scruggs to ask if 16 was too

young to learn the instrument, a let-ter to which Scruggs graciously and encouragingly replied. This milestone event is said to have sealed the deal between Dillard and the banjo. Not long afterwards, Dillard persuaded his parents to drive to Madison, Tenn., to Scruggs house, where he rang the bell, introduced himself, and asked Scruggs to install his famous tuners on Dillard’s banjo. Scruggs not only did so, he let Dillard inspect his own banjo, gave him some finger picks and showed him some techniques for using them. By the age of 19 Dillard was perform-ing on local radio stations, and by 1956 he and his brother Rodney, who played guitar, were members of the Ozark Moun-tain Boys. In 1958 Dillard and his brother joined the Dixie Ramblers, a band that in-cluded John Hartford, and shortly there-after the two brothers recorded for Mario Records, a St. Louis based label. Billed as the Dillard Brothers, the brothers added a mandolin and bass play-er, and The Dillards were formed. They moved to the West Coast in 1962, and their recurring appearances on the top-rated Andy Griffith Show brought bluegrass music directly to a large audience. After parting ways with The Dillards, Doug performed live with The Byrds, and released a critically acclaimed record with Gene Clark, Banjo Album. Other solo projects followed in the ‘70s, as well TV work as a cast member of Music Country USA, guest appearances on The Dean Martin Show, and a reunion with his brother and old friend John Hartford for recording projects. He

continued from page 29

FinAl notes

b

DouG DillArD1937-2012

robert lee CriGGer1942-2012Robert Lee Crigger, age 69, died July 21, 2012 at his residence in Johnson City. Crigger, a life member of Local 257, was a guitar player. He joined the local in 1986. Son of the late Robert and Roby Onks Crigger, he was born Nov. 28, 1942, in Bal-timore, Md. Crigger performed with many artists, including Bobby Bare, Tom T. Hall, Donna Fargo and Jean Shepard, and also played thousands of shows at the Grand Ole Opry. He toured extensively, and performed at the White House, as well as at festivals in Great Britain and Ireland. He was also a member of the Citizens Police Academy in Johnson City, Tenn. Survivors included one son, Robert Austin Crigger, of Huntington Beach, Calif., one daughter, Darla Rose Loflin of Columbus, Ohio; three brothers, Rex Crigger, of Flag-pond, Ronald Crigger of Johnson City, and Ralph Crigger of Nashville; and two sisters, Karen Kimes of Gray, and Sherry Toothman of Lerna, Ill. Funeral services were held July 26 at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home with Rev. Len-ny Smith officiating, with interment following July 27 at Fairview Cemetery.

Page 31: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 31

FinAl notes

bob bAbbitt1937-2012Legendary session bassist Bob Babbitt died July 16, 2012 at age 74 in Nashville. He was a 25-year member of Local 257, having moved here in 1987 after a long studio career in Detroit, where he was a member of the Motown house band, The Funk Brothers. Babbitt was well-known for his unforgettable bass lines on a host of hits including “Tears of a Clown,” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Mercy, Mercy, Me” by Mar-vin Gaye, and Robert Palmer’s “Every Kinda People.” He was born Robert Kreinar in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1937. His musical influences ranged from the gypsy music of his Hungarian heritage to jazz bassists like Ray Brown and Charles Mingus, and especially the R&B and soul music of the day. At the age of 17, he traded his upright bass for an electric, and never looked back. Babbitt moved to Detroit in the mid-‘60s and soon became an in-de-mand studio bassist, playing on hits like The Capitols’ “Cool Jerk,” and be-fore long doing sessions with the top Motown studio players. In 1966, he got the call to record with Stevie Wonder, and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” the second song they cut, was the first of

many Motown hits Babbitt played on. Motown house bassist James Jam-erson was known for his unpredict-able behavior and occasionally fail-ing to show up, and Babbitt was one of the few Detroit bassists with the chops to fill those big shoes. Lesser men would have been intimidated by the mere presence of Jamerson, and it is a tribute to Bob’s sense of self, his confidence and his abili-ties that he was able to not only fill in ably for Jamerson when needed, but earned his respect as well. They even played together on “Agent Double-O Soul” by Edwin Starr, a Nashville native. Babbitt also worked extensively in New York and Philadelphia studios, cutting hits like “I’ve Got A Name” by Jim Croce and “Rubberband Man” by The Spinners. All in all,

he played on more than 200 top 40 hits, including Dennis Coffey’s “Scorpio,” a 1971 instrumental hit that featured the longest bass solo in the history of pop music. He later gained greater recogni-tion through the award-winning 2002 film about the Funk Brothers, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. President of Local 257 Dave Pome-roy, who spoke on Babbitt’s behalf dur-ing his induction at the Nashville Walk of Fame June 5, commented on his move to Nashville, and his impact on players here. “The entire bass commu-nity was excited to have him here. He was friendly and accessible and refused to let any of us put him on a pedestal. His musical influence cannot be overes-timated. He was a bass icon.” Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf also commented on Babbitt’s passing. “I will always remember Bob’s sense of humor, the smile and hardy laugh, the gentleness, and of course, his one-of-a-kind musicianship. He played ev-ery take with passion, drive and a sense of commitment. I will treasure, like so many other people who worked and got to hang with him, every single moment. Rest in peace Bob, your legacy lives on.” Funeral services were held private-ly, and a memorial concert is planned for later this year.

everett lilly1924-2012AFM life member Everett Lilly died May 8, 2012 at age 87, in Clear Creek, W.Va. The mandolinist was born July 1, 1924, the son of a carpenter. He and his brother worked first in the coal fields of West Virginia, but formed a band in the early ‘50s, known as the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover. The band was one of the earliest groups to introduce bluegrass to various venues in the Northeast, including a standing gig for more than two decades at the famous venue Hillbilly Ranch in Boston, Mass. For a period of time in the 1950s Lilly also played mandolin and sang tenor in the Foggy Mountain Boys, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ band. He appeared with them on the Grand Ole Opry, and also on several of the band’s recordings in the early ‘50s, including “Earl’s Breakdown” and “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.” With his own band, he appeared reg-ularly on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree, and made records for the local Page label, as well as Folkways, Prestige and other re-cord companies. In 1979 the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover’s career was chronicled in a documentary called True Facts in a Country Song, and the band was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 2002 and the West Vir-ginia Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Lilly continued to perform with his sons Daniel and Mark in a group called the Lilly Moun-taineers until his death. Lilly was preceded in death by one son, Jiles Lilly. Survivors in addition to his two sons Daniel and Mark include his wife, JoAnn; four daughters, Karen Pierangelino, Diana Tomah, Ann Lilly and Laverne Wheeler; a sister, Flossie Williams; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held May 12 in Clear Creek, W. Va. continued on page 32

Page 32: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

32 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

Jess wAyne “wooDy wAyne” whitACre 1943-2012Jess Wayne “Woody Wayne” Whitacre, 69, died July 13, 2012. He was a life member of AFM Local 257 who joined in 1969. He played guitar and banjo. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Darlene Whitacre; one daughter, Jessica Whitacre; five sisters, Loretta Delli-Pizzi, Joan Muse, Betty Whitacre and Anne Whitacre; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held July 18 at Christ Church Wallace Chapel, with burial following at Christ Church Memorial Gardens.

DAviD nye 1959-2012Guitarist David Nye, 53, died June 14, 2012 in Antioch. Nye played in the ‘80s with Little Jimmy Dickens, and on the Grand Ole Opry for over 20 years. He joined the Nashville Musicians Association in 1975. Born in Ellwood City on Aug. 30, 1958, to the late Victor and Margie Ol-zak Nye, he started playing guitar in the first grade. He was also a skydiving in-structor in the Nashville area.

FinAl notes

A Funeral is Not a Day in a Lifetime.It is a Lifetime in a Day.

We have many options to make your Life Celebration an experience that is unique, personal and memorable.

Call us today to ask how we can help you plan a Life Celebration for you or a loved one.

Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, Funeral Home &

Cremation Center646-9292

Hendersonville Memory Gardens, Funeral Home &

Cremation Center824-3855

West Harpeth Funeral Home & Crematory

352-9400

Crestview Funeral Home, Memory Gardens &

Cremation452-1943

www.afamilylegacy.com Find us on Facebook.

Survivors include his brother, Kim V. Nye, of Ellwood City, and his longtime companion, Anne West. A celebration of life service will take place in the fall.

velMA lee MCenery 1929-2012Life AFM member Velma Lee McEnery, 83, died June 13, 2012 in Texas. She was born March 18, 1929, to Charles Frank-lin and Lora C. Woodruff in Tishom-ingo county, Miss. The guitarist and vocalist worked in radio in Pleasanton, Texas, and also wrote a column in the local Atascosa County News. She joined Local 257 in 1975. McEnery was preceded in death by two husbands: John E. Reynolds and David McEnery (Red River Dave); her parents; one brother, one sister, and one grandchild. Survivors include two sons, Lawrence Reynolds of Mexia, Texas, John Reynolds of San Antonio, Texas; seven great-grand-children; eight grandchildren; and two sisters, Theda Cannon of Detroit, Mich., and Oveda Felix of Rogers, Ark. Funeral services were held in the Cam-ero Funeral Home in Von Ormy, Texas.

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.

nExt

mEmbERShIp

mEEtIngmonday, nov. 5, 2012

george cooper Rehearsal hall

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.

Don't forget to like us on Facebook and twitter.

search for nashville Musicians Association

Page 33: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 33

MeMber stAtusnew MeMbersArthur Victor AlligoodGtr225 Oakdale DrWhite House, tN 37188Cell (615) 708-2465

Muriel AndersonGtr865 Forest Acres DriveNashville, tN 37220-1804Cell (615) 691-0287 Hm (615) 332-9878

Michael David BallDrm109 Drake CtFranklin, tN 37064Cell (617) 359-6574

David Thomas BondpIA OrG Key3703 Dickerson pk lot 24Nashville, tN 37207Cell (615) 479-2725

Victoria rae BrewerVOC15 sunline Drpetal, ms 39465Cell (601) 788-4083 Hm (601) 544-7671

Darrell royce BrownGtr pIA4117 Hillsboro pike# 103257Nashville, tN 37215

Josh randall BrownbAs Drm431 Hogans branch rdGoodlettsville, tN 37072Cell (615) 944-2356 Hm (615) 851-0989

Christopher Charles CampbellbAs Drm Gtr Key VOC6931 Noffke DrCaledonia, mI 49316Cell (616) 706-7205

Gregory Scott Daugherty(Doc maxroy)bAs Drm Gtr pIA prC483 Old salem Church rdHorse branch, Ky 42349Cell (270) 256-3113 Hm (270) 274-5891

Joseph Barnett DavidianpIA Key bAs3432 33rd Ave southNashville, tN 37212Hm (802) 922-5255

Tim Edward Easton406 scott AveNashville, tN 37206Cell (323) 428-7611

Mark David EltingDrm prC bAs VOC3505 jackson stst joseph, mO 64507Cell (816) 261-3419

Mark Steven Evitts(mark evitts)FDl VlN3020 soaring eagle Wayspring Hill, tN 37174Cell (615) 974-1368

Walter E ferguson, JrKey OrG202 Grandview DriveDickson, tN 37055-1524Cell (615) 268-0013 Hm (615) 446-4978

Adrian floresDrm348 stones river CoveNashville, tN 37214Hm (512) 698-4590

David Keith fowlerbAs Gtr1508 elm run CourtNashville, tN 37214Cell (615) 977-2277 Hm (615) 889-7027

Brian Scott Goldberg(brian s. Goldberg)Drm prC4100 Central pike #313Hermitage, tN 37076Cell(615) 497-4570

Elizabeth radock Gottlieb(beth Gottlieb)prC Drm230 Gardenridge DrFranklin, tN 37069Hm(321) 217-5511

Trevor G HillbAs125 Vintage CircleHendersonville, tN 37075Cell(954) 464-1069

Jonathan f HullDrm VOC930 swaney rdChillicothe, OH 45601Cell(740) 703-4347

Timothy Allen HullGtr bAs930 swaney rdChillicothe, OH 45601Cell(740) 703-4334 Hm(740) 993-4068

Mark Jovanovich(mark johanson)Gtr Drm2131 elm Hill pk Apt s332Nashville, tN 37210Cell (412) 818-2555

Daniel Kassteentpt1239 s. 2nd st. unit Alouisville, Ky 40203

Chester J Kowall(C.j. Kowall)bAs Gtr Drm VOC508 sanders Drivela Vergne, tN 37086Cell (615) 594-9306

Kevin ray LawsonpIA OrG Key Gtr bAs sAX1030 latimer laneHendersonville, tN 37075Cell (615) 429-6756

Colleen Lynnette LloyGtr VOC prC9016 rigden mill DrNashville, tN 37211Hm (615) 294-9574

Jason Peter MasseybAs Gtr1225 shelton AveNashville, tN 37216Cell (615) 336-0915

Joey Dee Wayne McNew(joey mcNew)Drm871 rodney DriveNashville, tN 37205Cell (615) 415-1611

Martin Anthony OchoabAs Drm Key sAX Gtr prC381 W main stHendersonville, tN 37075Cell (210) 378-6524

Stephen Jacob PalmerpIA prC2002 15th street southNashville, tN 37212Cell (540) 850-5485

Joshua David Pantana(josh pantana)4810 Darby DrNashville, tN 37215Hm (615) 974-9879

Hyram Lee PoseyFDl pIA Gtr mDN198 Farrar laneDickson, tN 37055Cell (915) 637-6021 Hm (615) 441-4144

William D rigby(Will rigby)Drm Key prC VOC pIA141 berry patch laneChapel Hill, NC 27514Cell (919) 672-0977 H m (919) 443-1443

Zachary Simon Shumate(Zak shumate)Drm101 spade leaf blvdApt 1124Hendersonville, tN 37075Hm (615) 300-4049

Andrew Michael SovinemDN bjO Gtr lps427 patterson stNashville, tN 37211Hm (931) 622-1061

James Michael Sweeney(mike sweeney)stl1330 Williamson rd lot# 135Goodlettsville, tN 37072Cell (615) 207-3590 Hm (615) 851-1062

Travis Anderson VancebAs2610 traughber DriveNashville, tN 37206Hm (615) 598-0903

Luke S WitchgerVlN1711 N. 52nd streetOmaha, Ne 68104Cell (402) 218-6284

reinstAteDStephen H BassettPaul Carrol BinkleyWilliam C Cook, JrTroy Anthony EngleBenjamin Lain GravesDaniel Lenwood GroahJames Edward JohnsonMichael G JoyceGlenn D Keenerronald D Levineraul MaloJames A Nalls, IIIHolly C rangCharles Lloyd roserobert Eddy rossWilson B SharpeJames Travis TrittJames A WhitingLeonard S Wolf

APPliCAtion revoKeDTerry Alford GageGarry Lloyd Murray

resiGneDHubert W Knight, JrMartin S Young

exPelleDJames B. JohnstonJason Howard AndersonJohn Michael NicholsMark Andrew MillerSeth Daniel Gangwer

name born Joined Died life member

bob babbitt 11/26/1937 01/12/1987 07/16/2012

robert lee Crigger 11/28/1942 05/23/1977 07/21/2012 yes

Douglas Flint Dillard 03/06/1937 07/12/2002 05/16/2012 yes

Velma lee mcenery 03/18/1929 10/06/1975 06/13/2012 yes

David Allen Nye 08/30/1958 12/22/1975 06/14/2012

jess Wayne Whitacre 02/25/1943 06/12/1969 07/13/2012 yes

muriel Deason Wright 08/30/1919 01/23/1953 07/16/2012 yes

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.

Page 34: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

34 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN

The “Do not Work for” list exists to warn our members, other musicians and the general public about employ-ers who, according to our records, owe players money and/or pension, have failed to sign the appropriate afm signatory documents required to make the ap-propriate 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 workthrough this website and elsewhere. Do not work for them under any circumstances without an afm contract.

These are employers who owe musicians large amounts of money and have thus far refused to fulfill their contractual obligations to local 257 musicians.

Positive movement/Tommy sims (multiple unpaid contracts – 2007 CeCe Winans project)Terry K. Johnson/ 1720 entertainment (unpaid con-tracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O'neal project)beautiful monkey/Jab Country/Josh gracineric legg (multiple unpaid contracts)ray vega/Casa vegaQuarterback/g force/Doug andersonrust records/Ken Cooper (unpaid contracts and pension)J.a.m. Jimmy adams media (multiple unpaid con-tracts/pension – now making payments)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 big Three entertainment bottled lightning/Woody bradshaw bull rush, inc/Cowboy Troy (unpaid demo upgrade – making payments)Casa vega/ray vega 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 press-ing signature)mark hybner Kyle Jacobs Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” mills Kenny lamb King Craft, inc./michael King ginger lewis line Drive music lyrically Correct music group/Jeff vice mC Productions/mark Cheney mCK Publishing/rusty Tabor mPCa recordings/John Titta mDC Productions/michael Clute mark mcguinn marty mcintosh miss ivy records/bekka bramlett (unpaid upgrades)ms entertainment/michael scott matchbox entertainment/Dwight baker 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 – making payments)roxanne entertainment shaunna songs/shaunna bolton 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 Tin ear (pension/demo signature)Tough records/greg Pearce (making payments)adam D. Tucker We 3 Kings eddie Wenrick

unPAiD Pension onlyTravis allen Productions audio rx blue Canyon music/g. randolph Compton John bunzow Dave Cobb ProductionsJimmy Collins Comsource media/Tommy holland Conchita leeflang/Chris sevier ricky D. Cook Coyote ugly/Jeff myers Data aquisition Corp./eric Prestidge

Daywind records Derrin 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. howard music group 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 steve Pasch/sb21music llCreach ministries ride n high records ronnie Palmer barry Preston smith Jason sturgeon music nathan Thompson veritas music/Jody spence roy Webb Wildfire Productions/Donna Phillips Write it lefty/billy Davis michael Whalen

AFM non-siGnAtory Phono listWe do not have signatory paperwork from the fol-lowing 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 haun and Ward entertainment hi Octane records mCm universal Productions stonebridge station entertainmentstowtown records straight shooter music studio Works Productions Word farmer music

Do not worK For

chAttAnooGA symphony & operAKAYOKO DAN

Music Director & Conductor

Announces auditions for sub/extraMusicians for All string sections

Auditions to be held in Nashvilleon Wednesday, October 10, 2012

send resume to: Personnel Manager

Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Association701 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402

fAX (423) 265-6520, e-mail:[email protected]

for more about the cso visitwww.chattanoogasymphony.org

The CSO is an equal opportunity employer

Page 35: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 35mobile app developmentinternet marketingSEOlogos, branding & strategyweb development & design

CALL US TODAY!615.292.8642

Page 36: Nashville Musician July - Sep 2012

36 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN