Artists
Thank you to our past artists
Walt Aldridge
Walt Aldridge, a songwriter, singer, musician, engineer and producer has exercised his musical skills in Muscle Shoals and Nashville for more than thirty years. Billboard magazine named Aldridge one of the Top Ten Country Songwriters of the year twice based on the strength of his chart activity. His song "No Getting Over Me" was named one of ASCAP's most performed country songs. "Holding Her and Loving You" was named Song of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters' Association International.
His work spans a wide spectrum of music, including artists as diverse as Lou Reed, Peter Cetera and Blessid Union of Souls. Traditional country acts from Conway Twitty to Reba McEntire have also found success with Aldridge's songs. Recently he produced and co-wrote "I Loved Her First," a number one chart topper for Lofton Creek Records act Heartland.
Will Rambeaux
Will Rambeaux was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in the heart of cajun country. He grew up listening to the classic pop, rock and country music of his day, as well as a healthy dose of the Cajun, Zydeco and New Orleans R&B native to Louisiana. With a degree in Literature under his belt, Will left home on a musical odyssey that took him first to Austin, Texas and then to New York City. On a chance visit to Tennessee in the 1980's Will managed to get a tape to his boyhood idol, Roy Orbison. Mr. Orbison took note of his talent and offered to bring Will to Nashville where his career as a writer and producer has blossomed. Will fronted his own original roots-rock band for years, but really hit paydirt with his first cut as a songwriter in 1993. Recorded by Warner Bros.artist Faith Hill, "Wild One" took the country charts by storm staying at 1 for four weeks and breaking all records for a new female artist. He then had a pair of back-to-back 1 songs for country crooner John Michael Montgomery, the first one, "How Was I To Know", followed by "Hold On To Me". He has also had several other Top 10 singles, including "Nobody Gonna' Rain On Our Parade" (Kathy Mattea) and "Can't Get Enough" (Patty Loveless) and his songs have been recorded by such diverse artists as Dolly Parton, Hal Ketchum, Jo Dee Messina, Trick Pony Tammy Cochran, Lee Greenwood, Danielle Peck and Ronnie Milsap. Will's songs have also garned many BMI "Most Performed Songs of the Year" awards, as well as several BMI "Million-Air" awards. More recently, Will has been dividing his time between songwriting and record producing. He has recorded four albums for singer/songwriter Sherrie' Austin, "Words", "Love In The Real World", "Following A Feeling" and "Streets Of Heaven" which have yielded many chart singles including "Lucky In Love", "Put Your Heart Into It" and "Never Been Kissed". He is also currently working on several new artist projects which should see the light of day in the coming months.
Jillia Jackson
"I didn't choose this dream this dream chose me..." This line, from ‘Watch Me", Jillia Jackson's first song written in Nashville, couldn't ring more true. But Jillia's journey into country music began long before she wrote a song or stepped foot on any of Nashville's stages. It began in Arkansas where her passion for country music began at an early age.
Like so many country artists, she first learned about music in church. Her father in the pulpit, she grew up singing a cappella in the Primitive Baptist Church of Fort Smith Arkansas. With her dad also moon lighting as a DJ, she spent her early days singing jingles on the local radio station then later hosting her own radio show.
She later studied vocal technique at the University of AR by day while learning the ways of the honky tonk by night. She also won a handful of talent contests and opened shows for several major country touring acts.
On her first trip to Music City, Jillia loaded her mother, grand mother, and great grand mother into a car and set out for Nashville with nothing but a three song demo and a ton of passion. On her first day in town she met the unofficial mayor of Nashville, Chris Bergeness, and one of Nashville's great songwriters Will Rambeaux. "My grandma Sue had gotten lost somewhere on Music Row. Somehow she stumbled into Song Garden Publishing Co. where Bergeness worked. Long story short, on my first day in town my Grandma met and connected me with several of the folks that I still work with today."
t took only that one visit to Nashville for Jillia to realize Tennessee was going to be her future. "I passed the Cracker Barrel sign on my way into town that read, ‘Welcome Home'. They say that home is where the heart is...and I knew right then that country music was going to be my home." So she packed her bags and within months she was Nashville bound.
Now a full time Nashvillian, Jillia spends her days writing songs, recording, and performing live. Blending traditional country, bluegrass, and commercial songwriting with a modern eclectic edge, Jillia Jackson has quickly found her place in Nashville, TN. This stunning red headed country vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter consistently delivers the energy of a trained professional in her live show while managing to harness an organic creativity in the recording studio.
Drawing influences from Loretta Lynn, Alison Krauss, Don Williams, Alan Jackson, and Hank Sr. among others, Jillia's sound attempts to fuse old country with a contemporary and original tone. "I want to bring the simplicity and beauty of traditional country music into the hearts of modern country fans." says Jillia. "I can't imagine doing anything else."
Lisa Shaffer
Lisa is originally from Crittenden Kentucky. It lies between Lexington, Ky and Cincinnati, Oh. She was signed to a major record deal, Lyric Street Records. Her producer on the Lyric Street Record is Brent Rowan. He has produced such acts as Joe Nichols, Blake Shelton, Gene Watson, and Julie Roberts to name a few. She has had cuts on Rhonda Vincent, Colt Ford, Kristy Cox, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, New Found Road, Darrin and Brooke Aldridge, Jeff & Sheri Easter, and Dailey & Vincent.
Sherrie Austin
Sherrie Austin was born Sherrie Veronica Krenn in Sydney, Australia on 28th August 1970. Austin's first taste of fame came in 1985 at the age of 14 when she was asked to open for Johnny Cash's Australian Tour. After touring with Cash, Austin was spotted by NBC who were casting for the role of Pippa McKenna in The Facts of Life.
Austin accepted the NBC role and, together with her mother, moved to California. After The Facts of Life, Austin appeared in a few minor movies such as An American Summer, Exile, Shadows of the Heart and Call from Space. However, Austin had alays been more interested in music than acting and was to move back into music n the early 1990's.
In 1992, Sherrie Austin together with Phil Radford formed Colorhaus and released an album entitled, Water to the Soul . The album was unsuccessful and the duo parted. Sherrie decided to go back to what she new best, country music and flew to Nashville to attempt to make it there. Sherrie wrote and performed her own songs and was noticed by Arista Records. Arista signed her and she changed her name to Sherrie Austin. Austin's debut solo album, Words, was released in 1997. The album was moderately successful, with the singles 'One Solitary Tear' and 'Lucky In Love' providing minor hits.
Austin's second album 'Love In The Real World' was more successful, and her single 'Never Been Kissed' charted well across the Country Charts. In conjunction with the single Austin also launched a charity lipstick called Austintatious.
In 2000, Arista Records were took over by RCA and Austin was released from her contract. Austin and her publisher Ree Guyer-Buchanan founded there own independent record label named WE Records. Austin launched her third album, 'Followin' A Feelin'' under this label in March 2001. 'Jolene', a cover of the Dolly Parton's famous song, was the only hit. After the album she focused more on songwriting and wrote songs for Ronnie Milsap, Dolly Parton, Tammy Cochran, Hal Ketchem and Tim Rushlow.
2003 saw Austin return to the studio with the Broken Bow/C4 Records label. The album was named 'Streets of Heaven'. Three of the title single, 'Streets of Heaven' broke into the US Country Top 20.
Wil Nance
Wil Nance hit the top of R&R and Billboard with his #1 BRAD PAISLEY smash "She's Everything", a song on Time Well Wasted, the Multi Platinum 2007 CMA Album of the Year.
He also landed on Troubadour, GEORGE STRAIT'S Platinum selling, Grammy Winning, 2008 CMA Album Of The Year with a song called "If Heartaches Were Horses."
In 2009, GEORGE STRAIT cut another Wil Nance song; "Where Have I Been All My Life", which is on the GEORGE STRAIT Cd Twang.
In 1999, Wil received a BMI award for "Round About Way", a #1 hit single for GEORGE STRAIT, a song on the Multi Platinum CMA Album Of The Year Carrying Your Love With Me. "Round About Way" is also on GEORGE STRAIT'S Latest Greatest Hits and GEORGE STRAIT'S 50 Number Ones … Over ten million sales and counting.
Wil has received "Million Air" Awards from BMI for GEORGE STRAIT'S "Round About Way" and BRAD PAISLEY'S "She's Everything".
In 2004, Wil received another BMI Award for his top ten JOE NICHOLS single "Cool To Be A Fool".
Other singles include; BLUE COUNTY "I Get To", JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY "You Are", GENE WATSON "Next To Nothin", CHAD BROCK "You Are", & more. Plus additional cuts on artists BRAD PAISLEY, TRACY LAWRENCE, JOE NICHOLS, NEAL MCCOY, CRAIG MORGAN, DIAMOND RIO, SAMMY KERSHAW, OAKRIDGE BOYS, and many many others.
Steve Leslie
Steve received his bachelors degree in guitar/jazz studies from Morehead State University in Morehead Ky. After teaching privately in Tallahassee, Fl. for eight years, Steve moved to Nashville in 1992. He was signed to a staff songwriting position at EMI Music Publishing shortly thereafter, where he had songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Mark Chesnutt, George Strait, Darryl Worley, Rhonda Vincent, and Neal McCoy, to name a few.
Steve earned a Grammy Certificate for the title cut to Ricky Skaggs' 2004 "Brand New Strings" which won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year.
Steve left EMI after nine years to open his own publishing company, Chord Boy Songs. He signed to Stage Three Music Publishing in 2005. Since 2007 he has maintained a career as an independent songwriter and music publisher. His new company, New Modern Songs, has published works by Darryl Worley and Darius Rucker, all written by Steve.
As an educator Steve was adjunct professor of Jazz History at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, FL. from 1991-1992. He is a popular songwriting clinician, and has held workshops all over the country and in Canada, at places like Morehead State University, Morehead, KY., Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN., Belmont University, Nashville, TN., Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA., Nashville Songwriters Association International, and NSAI Chapters in Toronto Canada, and Madison Wisconsin. He teaches songwriting courses online via Skype, offers song critique via mp3, and mentors students privately.
Abigail Rose
I cannot believe it is time for Blast on the Bay again! Thank you for having me back! I have been writing, co writing (with Steve Leslie who I met at this event last year) and recording guitar vocals for 12 new songs. I’ve been busy performing festivals and writers nights all over, one of my most exciting gigs this summer, was opening for Chris Cavanaugh and The Dirt Drifter at an event called Pelotonia, which raises money for finding a cure for cancer! I also have added the mandolin and electric guitar! Please check out my facebook page and my website, new music to come real soon!
I am so honored to participate in the 3nd Annual Blast on the Bay and be in the company of such accomplished songwriters, musicians and performing artists…and friends! I can’t wait to listen, enjoy, learn and perform. Music is my passion and I am excited to be a part of the Blast on the Bay ….
Tim Buppert
Since moving to Nashville in July of 91' Tim has not only become a successful songwriter but he has become one of Nashville's most sought after session singers. In addition to singing demos for every writer in town he has sung on albums for: Trisha Yearwood, Michael Peterson, Paul Brandt, Anita Cochran and Kevin Sharp, Billy Ray Cyrus and Rodney Atkins to name a few and on jingles for: Pepsi, Luvs diapers, TNN and many more.
As a songwriter Tim has had cuts by: Trisha Yearwood, The Wiggins, Continental Divide, Perfect Stranger, the top 10 single by YANKEE GREY called " ANOTHER NINE MINUTES and a #1 single by Kevin Sharp "SHE'S SURE TAKING IT WELL" which was the #5 song of the year in 1997 and is included in ASCAP's top 50 songs of the 90's.
Tim plays regularly here at 3rd & Lindsley as the drummer for the BEATLES tribute band "FAB" and for the Soul / R&B group "The Consoulers"
Haden Carpenter
The pairing of country and soul is often lost in today's popular music. But it comes naturally to Watson Grain's southern soulster, Haden Carpenter, who strives for its restoration. Born and raised singing a capella in a little church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Carpenter later gathered influences at the crossroads of blues and rock-and-roll in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended the University of Memphis, winning numerous accolades, including Outstanding Vocalist awards, studied under Memphis' Queen of Jazz and Classic Pop, Joyce Cobb, and played regularly on world-famous Beale Street. His successes followed him east to Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee, where Carpenter has been writing with hit songwriters. He was even featured on CMT with his niece and Watson Grain front lady, Jillia Jackson.
Like the creators of Southern Soul, Carpenter has mastered a unique blend of blues, country, and rock-and-roll. Influenced by the stylings of Otis Redding, Steve Earle, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, and John Mayer, this versatile vocalist adds a tender yet fiery dynamic to the seamless harmonies of Watson Grain. It's no wonder Bobby "Blue" Bland's advice to Carpenter was, "young man, keep on singin'."
Kevin Denney
Kevin Denney can remember the moment his calling settled down around him. It came after six months in which he had drifted away from music for the first time in his young life. He had grown up in tiny Monticello, Kentucky, surrounded by musicians. His parents, who comprised half a gospel quartet, bought him his first guitar when he was three. He became enamored of the classic artists he heard on the Grand Ole Opry and on the radio, and played for years in a cousin's bluegrass band. Then, at 17, he had backed off to reassess his future.
"I got to thinking maybe I should go to school, or begin putting time into something more beneficial in the long run," he says. "That was until I went to a George Strait concert for my 18th birthday." It was there, in the stage lights of Rupp Arena in Lexington, 140 miles up the road from Monticello, that he saw his future.
"When I heard that band fire up and saw the reaction in that arena," he says, "I changed my mind. That's when music became more than playing around and having fun and I started thinking, 'Man, I really love this. This is what I want to do.'"
The next day, he called a band he knew was looking for a singer, and Kevin, who had heretofore sung only bluegrass on stage, started working toward being a full-fledged country singer.
Fortunately, his newly awakened passion for the spotlight was accompanied by a great deal of natural talent that had been honed over the years as he sang those bluegrass harmonies and learned the art of performing. The road that wound from that Lexington concert through clubs and festivals in the hills and hollows of Kentucky, led finally to Nashville and to a debut album that showcases a remarkable young talent.
Kevin Denney's debut album introduces a young man whose genuine passion for country music permeates every note. "I wanted to make music my heroes would be proud of," he says, "people like George Jones and Merle Haggard and Porter Wagoner."
The result, in an era where many new artists seem to fumble for direction, is an assured collection of songs as rooted in classic sounds as it is cutting edge in its production. While his voice shines in songs like "We Rhyme" and "Takin' Off The Edge," with their disparate takes on romance, and "That's What I Believe" and "Daddy Was Navy Man," both of which display a depth and resonance uncommon in present-day country, he is perhaps most impressive in the songs which also display his writing abilities--"It'll Go Away" and "It Don't Matter," with their treatments of regret, the poignant "That's Just Jessie," and "My Kind Of Song," a tail-kicking musical manifesto.
Throughout, there is an obvious respect for country's legends that has been part of Kevin's life since that first guitar he received. "I'd sit in front of the TV with that guitar on Saturday nights watching the Opry on TV," he says, "acting like I was playing along." The only child of a family whose living came from raising tobacco and cattle, he learned simple pleasures, and music was first among them. As his interest in the gospel and bluegrass music being played in his family grew, his grandmother bought him a banjo when he was 11. He took part in family jam sessions and evidenced an affinity for the three-part harmonies and soulful styling the genre calls for. He was eventually invited to play festivals with his cousin's band.
"I remember seeing some of the biggest names in bluegrass-Larry Sparks, Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, some of the real innovators. I can't tell you what a big influence it was on me and my music at that age. The thing I noticed most was the soul behind what they did. They lived their songs and believed what they were singing. "Of course," he laughs, "there was also the fact that when you're young and you play, then somebody goes on after you that you look up to, you can't help but being somewhat intimidated."
Then came the epiphany in Lexington, and the attempt to get out on the road. With two guitars, a bass and drums ("It was kind of hard to find a fiddle or steel player in Monticello, Kentucky"), he played top 40 country and the classics, always looking to improve himself. He opened for Wade Hayes and Kenny Chesney at the Black Gold Festival in Hazard, Kentucky, and for Little Jimmy Dickens at the World Chicken Festival in London, Kentucky. "That's one of the best memories I've got playing music," he says. Two years into that roadwork, at the age of 20, Kevin decided it was time to try Nashville. He saved money and moved into an apartment building, taking a job doing maintenance in the complex to help make ends meet.
A friend who was tour manager for Lorrie Morgan got him a job selling merchandise on one of her tours for several months, and he worked in a Western clothing store for a few more. All the while, he was haunting the city's writers' nights, meeting people and learning the business. He began writing seriously, and landed a publishing deal with March Music that allowed him to write full-time.
"I made it a point to meet other people in town here, especially those producers and writers I looked up to." Among those he met was Leigh Reynolds, who spent several years as Reba's bandleader and had written hits for Garth Brooks and Aaron Tippin, among others. The two hit it off, and agreed that Reynolds would produce some of Kevin's work.
They began cutting guitar/vocal demos in Reynolds' basement studio, then moved to fully produced cuts in hopes of landing Kevin a record deal. After just a few weeks, they played some songs for Lyric Street Records' Sr. VP of A&R, Doug Howard, who offered encouragement and an open door. For the next two years, they searched for songs and refined their recordings. "We had a lot of time to get our marbles in a row," says Kevin.
Finally, Lyric Street gave the go-ahead for the two to cut four sides. They cut two of Kevin's songs--"That's Just Jessie" and "It'll Go Away,"--and two outside tracks--"Ain't Skeered" and "That's What I Believe"--and sent copies to the label. "Two weeks later," Kevin says, "we were in the studio and I heard Leigh on his cell phone with Doug, shouting, 'You've got to be kidding!' I knew it had to be good."
It was. The label was offering Kevin a record deal and they did it in the manner that means the most to an artist. "The label was very open-minded, very understanding of who I was and what I believed in, and they pretty much let me be myself. That meant a lot to me."
It also gave Kevin the opportunity to pour himself, heart and soul, into the debut album that introduces him to the public. "When I listen to music," he says, "I want it to make me feel something. I want to feel good or sad. I think good music should just move you in some way. If it does that, it's done its job, and that's what I wanted to do with this album." Kevin is currently writing and recording new songs working toward another recording deal.
James Slater
James Slater is a piano-playing bilingual singer-songwriter of Bolivian-American descent. Born in Durham, North Carolina to a mandolin loving psychiatrist and a Spanish speaking mother, they raised their son in the tropics of the Panama Canal Zone in Central America. After circling the globe his music has him residing in music-city U.S.A., Nashville, Tennessee. After high school in Panama James returned to America and was accepted to and graduated from Florida's distinguished University of Miami school of music which includes such notable alumni as Bruce Hornsby and Pat Metheny. Fresh out of college James hit the road with his band and after a memorable trip to Hot Lanta, Georgia he penned the hit single "All I Want From Santa, Is A Girl From Atlanta". This taste of success found him packing his bags and his piano and heading for the bright lights of Hollywood. "I always wanted to see the world, and music takes you here, there, and everywhere. I'm just glad my mother made me take those piano lessons, I may have moaned back then but now I thank her every day," says James. He quickly met and befriended Carroll O'Connor, (Archie Bunker) and became the house pianist at the Ginger Man in Beverly Hills, entertaining Tinseltowns elite at night and by day writing and recording his own compositions, one of which caught the attention of European promoters. James then found himself living in Zurich, Switzerland where he wrote "Dont Break My Heart" for BMGs supergroup Vaya Con Dios. This top ten single enabled him to tour Europe and South Africa with the band as composer, pianist, and vocalist. James says, "I felt like a modern day Hemingway, walking the streets of Paris, Rome, Berlin, it was a magical time." After scoring several songs for different European acts James signed a solo deal with BMG-Switzerland and wrote the sensuous ballad Poco A Poco. Its timeless sentiment became instantly popular and he found himself touring England, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. He performed in Dublin, Ireland with Celtic Harmony and in Havana, Cuba with the historic Bridges Over Troubled Water alongside Burt Bacharach, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers and many other luminaries. James says Cuba was an awesome experience, vibrant, sensuous, inspiring and totally captivating. James and his grand piano now live in the songwriting mecca known as Nashville, Tennessee. "I've come full circle, back to the South where I was born, and I love it!" He is signed to Byron Gallimore's Song Garden/Cal IV publishing company and has had songs recorded by Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Lorrie Morgan, Mark Wills, Jessica Andrews, Billy Gilman, Marcel, Kellie Pickler, Kenny Chesney, Jamey Johnson, Rodney Atkins, and many others. His song "In My Daughters Eyes" has become a crossover classic and even resulted in a Grammy nomination. James continues to perform in Nashville and around the world, practices the piano everyday, loves Cuban food, salsa dances, plays tennis and still finds time to call his parents regularly and thank them for piano lessons.
Chas Sandford
"We lived the good times/Now we feel the pain/Wonder if those days/Will ever come again… The past is the past/What's done is done/Time to let go/Time to move on." "It's Changing"
The saying goes that most artists have an entire lifetime to make their first album, and six months to come up with the second. For veteran artist/songwriter/producer/ engineer/ guitarist Chas Sandford, it took over two decades for his sophomore album, Wag More, Bark Less, the long-awaited follow up to his debut Parallax View, which came out on Elektra/Asylum.
That album included songs that were soon covered by John Waite, Sammy Hagar, Rick Springfield and Sheila B. Devotion. When three of the songs he was writing for a planned second album turned into a #1 hit for Waite ("Missing You") and Top 5 singles for both Stevie Nicks ("Talk to Me") and Chicago ("What Kind of Man Would I Be"), Sandford found himself one of the most in-demand producer/songwriters in the business, his songs recorded by a list that includes Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Melanie, Roger Daltrey, Millie Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Alison Krauss and David Wilcox, often producing as well in his own Secret Sound studio. He has also produced a wide range of artists, including Chicago, Stevie Nicks, Roger Daltrey, Rod Stewart, Berlin, Gene Loves Jezebel, House of Schock and Don Johnson, whose cast of guest musicians included Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt , Ron Wood and Dickey Betts.
Now living in Franklin, TN, outside Nashville, the Atlanta-born Sandford has enlisted an all star line-up of the city's best musicians for the album, anchored by bassist Davis Santos [Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John Fogerty, Billy Joel, Elton John, Phoebe Snow, James Taylor] and drummer Nick Buda [Taylor Swift, Jewel, Edwin McCain, Mindy Smith, Randy Houser], with cameos by friends and colleagues including Chicago's Bill Champlin and James Matchack, Survivor's Jim Peterik, recording artist/slide guitarist Lee Roy Parnell and singer/songwriter Nicole Witt on background vocals.
"It was just too frustrating to think of being one of 10,000 guys trying to get a cover on a Rascal Flatts album," he says about his decision to record his own music. "Everything is so upside-down in the business anyway—as hard as it's ever been—so I might as well do something I really wanted to do, and see what happens. My best successes have always come when I'm doing my own thing."
Wag More, Bark Less is "about being happier, rather than in conflict all the time," explains Sandford, who wrote the songs over the past two years after his divorce and a follow up romance went awry. "Let Love Back in This House" has a folk-rock jangle that evokes the likes of the Eagles, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Fleetwood Mac, in its tale of longing and sorrow amid ghostly memories. ""My friends keep saying just move on/But I think of you in every song."
"I originally wrote that with Little Big Town and/or Fleetwood Mac in mind," says Sandford. "But when nobody pulled the trigger that's when I decided to do it myself."
It was the beginning of an outpouring of material that eventually became a cathartic album that helped Sandford get the past few years off his chest. "The Best of Times," "Someday Susan," "I Believed," "Broken" and "My Favorite Regret" look back with a combination of disappointment, disbelief and a desire to move on. Sandford proves he can rock out pretty damn good also with the "Witchy Woman"-meets-Led Zeppelin "Waiting for the Sun," the tongue-in-cheek rock of "Love Can Really Mess You Up" ("One day I wanna marry you/Next day I wanna bury you/What the hell am I gonna do?) and the soaring, Springsteen-esque socio-political "It's Changing" bring the album's sentiments full circle, from feeling sorry for oneself to getting out and doing something about it. On the other hand, the affecting "Let Love Back in This House," "Whenever I See You Smile" and the soaring set-piece "Because of You" (written with Tyrone Noonan from the Australian band George) all show that Sandford's optimism hasn't been snuffed completely.
About the events leading up to the album Sandford says, "There were a great many emotions swirling around. So, the record's pretty personal. As we all know, the more real, the better. There are a lot of raw nerve endings hanging out. The songs flowed out pretty easy."
Wag More, Bark Less is the culmination of a career that began when Sandford ran off to Los Angeles at 15 years old. When the self-declared teenage guitar slinger, case in hand, met Ike Turner, resplendent in leopard skin bathrobe and shades, in an Inglewood alley in back of his own studio, the legendary musician invited him to a recording session with Ike & Tina and Delaney & Bonnie later that night, and Chas never looked back. He opened for The Eagles on the European leg of their Hotel California tour, then played in a band he put together with future A&R exec Tony Berg who played themselves in Robert Altman's A Perfect Couple, including a live show at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic. Among his other cherished memories are two months on Broadway (and on film) backing Bette Midler in Divine Madness and being handpicked by the late, great James Brown to play with him at a charity show at the Arena (now-named The James Brown Arena) in Augusta, GA. His personal studio, Secret Sound, which has had incarnations in L.A., Kauai, Nashville and now Franklin, TN, has become a go-to destination for a wide range of recording artists, including Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Madonna, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Celine Dion, Joe Cocker, Aaron Neville, Def Leppard, Kiss, Keith Urban, Amy Grant, Wynonna, Levon Helm, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain and Tim McGraw, among many others.
"I've always wanted to be a artist, but I was on a roll as a producer and writer, so I went with it," says Sandford.
Since moving to Music City from L.A. several years ago, Sandford has been active in songwriter festivals like Tin Pan South, and many of the musicians on the album are people he's been playing with for quite some time.
"After awhile in L.A., there seemed to be a lack of ideas, which got kind of boring," he says. "I wanted to find people who could throw something back at me and up my game a little bit. There are so many talented people in this town, people I greatly respect and I am blessed to call many of them my friends."
"Once we make it through/We'll never be the same" "It's Changing"
"It's Changing" is about both the personal and the macro, a point in time for each of us, where we must seize the moment and make it happen for ourselves.
For Sandford, Wag More, Bark Less, serves as a personal renewal, taking his past experiences, and moving on to the next level, with a flow and feel, from beginning to end, that makes it sound like albums did in the classic rock era.
"The world seems to be in real upheaval right now," says Chas. "This feels right. Everyone's looking for material with more depth. They're tired of the way things are going. It's a perfect time for me to be doing this."
Chas Sandford's Bark still has plenty of bite.
Steve Dean
Steve Dean has written six #1 hits including Socg of the Year - "Watching You" for Rodney Atkins, "Round About Way" for George Strait, "Walk On" for Reba McEntire, "Southern Star" for Alabama, "It Takes a Little Rain" for the Oak Ridge Boys and "Hearts Aren't Made to Break" for Lee Greenwood. Steve was raised in Little Rock on a steady diet of Beatles, Byrds and Eagles, with early influences of Buck Owens, Roger Miller and Johnny Cash. After earning a degree in advertising, Steve moved to Nashville to pursue his songwriting dream. He also spent several years as a touring artist in Europe with a duo called "James/Dean."
Steve's songs have been recorded by Joe Nichols, Graig Morgan, Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, John Michael Montgomery and numerous other artists. To date, Steve has earned 10 BMI Songwriting Awards. Steve is a great storyteller and the audience has the unique experience of hearing the stories hehind the hit songs.
Bill Whyte
Bill's unique presentation of funny and twisted songs makes him a favorite everywhere he entertains. Whether he's picking on pseudo celebrities in his song "Celebutard" or wondering how much he could get away with in "If I had Boobs" he leaves the crowd laughing. His tribute to the AARP "Retired" was recorded by Ray Stevens and is aways a crowd favorite. Bill's song "I'm Goin' Ugly Early Tonight" was recorded by Cledus T. Judd and is the perfect howling climax for his routine. However, there is also a serious side to Bill which has resulted in many songs being written/recorded with songwriters and artists like: Keith Anderson, Craig Morgan, Linda Davis, Billy Dean, Brady Seals, Steve Dean, Steve Williams and many others. In addition to songwriting, Bill has had a long career as a morning radio personality. Bill has won numerous broadcast awards including the CMA Award (Country Music Association) for large market "Broadcast Personality of the Year." You can still hear him occasionally on 650 WSM-AM in Nashville. Bill always makes sure that every audience leave with as many "grins" as they do "hits."
Todd Taylor
Todd Taylor hails from Northern Virginia where he attended Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music. After completing his formal education at the Musicians Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, Todd stayed in California where he became a successful studio musician and vocalist; working with some of the world's finest musicians and multi-platinum recording artists including Cher, Sheryl Crow, and Gregg Allman. He was also the featured vocalist on numerous national advertising campaigns for McDonald's, Taco Bell, Pepsi, and Tecate Beer. As a songwriter and composer, Todd's music has been and continues to be used in many feature films and network television shows such as Access Hollywood, Melrose Place, Fox Sports, Nickelodeon, CMT, VH1, MTV, Paradise Beach, and CBS Movies of the Week.
After moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2003, Todd quickly gained recognition as an "A-list" studio vocalist among writers and producers. He continues to do studio session work and collaborates with some of Nashville's most talented writers and artists, and in 2007 signed with Cherry Lane Publishing/BMG Music.
Susan Ruth
Susan has received notable attention with her contemporary pop, rock and country songs, winning several awards nationally, including Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year in the Seattle Area Music awards, XM Satellite Radio Album of the Year, FEMMUSIC.com's Artist of the Year and she was a finalist in the Rock category for the song "Everything You/Everything Me" in the USA Songwriting Competition, as well as a top 10 finalist in the CMT Song Contest with her song "The Fall Back Inn."
After releasing three critically acclaimed independent releases (Horse of a Different Color, How To Say Goodbye and Surfacing to Breathe) with songs featured on MTV Road Rules and in independent films, Susan began focusing her talents on writing for other artists and has had cuts by Hannah Michelle Weeks, Winfield's Locket, Derin Togar, and Hannah Ellis, to name a few.
She resides in Nashville, Tennessee where she spends her time writing and, also a visual artist, painting.
Bruce Wallace
Bruce Wallace is an Oklahoma native with an accomplished career as a musician and songwriter. He has performed with superstars such as Wynonna, Kid Rock, Shelby Lynne, Mindy Smith, and David Gates (of Bread). He has also written with hit songwriters Liz Rose, Randy Bachman, Rachel Proctor, Dave Berg, and Victoria Banks to name a few.
Most recently his music can be heard on releases by CCMA winning band Doc Walker, on the top 10 single "Tumblin' Tears" by vocal group One More Girl, on the debut album by Tara Oram, and on the hit single "Old Fashioned Girl" by Jaydee Bixby. His most current single, "Damn You, Bubba" can be heard on Trace Adkins new album.
Marty Dodson
Marty Dodson was born in Apple Valley, California, but has lived in the Nashville area since he was five. Growing up, he always dreamed of being a songwriter, but didn't know how you could ever manage to do that for a living. His mother always told him that he could do anything he dreamed of doing, but he never even dared to dream that he would actually get to write songs for a living one day. Today, after three #1 songs - "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" and "Let Me Down Easy" by Billy Currington and "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" by Kenny Chesney - he is starting to believe that his mom might have been right all along.
Marty's songs have been recorded by Carrie Underwood, George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Lonestar, Saving Jane, John Michael Montgomery, Billy Ray Cyrus, Rebecca Lynn Howard, The Oak Ridge Boys, Darrell Worley, Diamond Rio, The Plain White T's and many others. "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" was one of ASCAP's five most played songs in 2005. "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" was recorded and released by Kenny Chesney and George Strait. Each of them spent two weeks at #1. "While You Loved Me" went to #7 and was the first ballad released by Rascal Flatts. With many gold and platinum records and multiple BMI and ASCAP awards, Marty has become one of Nashville's most successful songwriters. He co-wrote and co-produced two songs on the rock band Saving Jane in 2009 and has had recent cuts with Johnny Reid, Craig Morgan, Glen Templeton and Leon Russell, Diamond Rio and Charlie Worsham.
Earl Bud Lee
Earl Bud Lee has been writing songs for over 28 years in Nashville.
You know his songs! He co-wrote with Dwayne Blackwell Friends "In Low Places"-Garth Brooks(1991) – one of the top five country songs of all time! It is still enjoying regular radio play almost twenty years later. Bud had another huge smash with George Strait in 1998 (co-written with Roger Cook and Eddie Collagen) with his Number One song – "One Night At A Time." Both of these smashes were ASCAP Song of the Year award winners.
He has had his songs recorded by Loretta Lynn, Joe Nichols, Holly Dunn, Mark Chestnut, TG Sheppard, The Kendalls, Moe Bandy, Joe Stampley, Charlie Louvin featuring Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss and many more.
In 2005 Bud started his own publishing company Work With Me Music and began extensively developing his young signed writers. He co-produced a record for Don Pedigo What I Was Running From for Tight-Knit Records and just this March of 2011 Bud enjoyed another Number One record with Blake Shelton's version of who Are You When I'm Not Looking on Blake's EP All About Tonight. Look for Earl Bud Lee as he performs around the world this year performing your old favorites and new treasures.
