BELA FLECK - Nashville Musicians Association

REVIEWS: CHET ATKINS • PARACHUTE • BLAKE SHELTON • JAY PATTEN 

Official Journal of AFM Local 257 

October - December 2011 

BELA 

FLECK 

Classical 

Explorations 

NASHVILLE 

STRING 

MACHINE 

30 years and 

counting 

Nonprofit 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Nashville, TN 

Permit No. 648 

Nashville Association of Musicians #257 

11 Music Circle North 

Nashville, TN 37203-0011 

- Address Service Requested - 

LEON RHODES 

Interview with a 

country-jazz legend

Thank You! 

When the flood waters rose and we needed 

your help, you came through big time. 

The Nashville Musicians Flood Relief Fund offers our heartfelt “THANKS” to everyone 

who contributed money and gear to help musicians affected by the Nashville 

Flood of May 2010. With your invaluable help, we raised and distributed over 

$130,000 in funds and more than $60,000 worth of gear to musicians who really 

needed it. There are too many of you to thank individually, but we want you to know 

that we really appreciate your assistance. We are proud of what we were able to do 

to help our fellow musicians, but we couldn’t have done it without YOU! 

Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257 

October - December, 2011 

4 Announcments 

Date of the next membership meeting, upcoming bylaw amendments, 

past minutes and more. 

6 State of the Local 

President Dave Pomeroy discusses the meaning of respect for union 

musicians. 

7 New Grooves 

Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf reports on the local’s finances, new 

members and more. 

8 News 

50-50 man Bill Anderson, C.G.P. Paul Yandell, ACM honorees, the 

Future Of Music Coalition Summit and more. 

11 Heard on the Grapevine 

The notable comings and goings of Local 257 members. 

12 Gallery 

15 30 and counting 

The Nashville String Machine, a longtime fixture in Music City’s 

recording scene, is celebrating a milestone anniversary. 

17 The Nashville Musician interview: Leon Rhodes 

The legend stopped by the Local 257 offices recently and talked about 

the inspiration behind his guitar artistry. 

19 Bela Fleck’s classical explorations 

With the debut of his Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra, Bela Fleck 

continues to blaze new trails. 

23 Reviews 

The HOF’s Chet Atkins exhibit and book, The Lost Notebooks of Hank 

Williams, and new recordings by Parachute, Blake Shelton, Ronnie 

Dunn, Jay Patten and Frankie Ballard. 

27 Symphony Notes 

As NSO prospers, symphonies elsewhere are struggling for survival.. 

29 Jazz & Blues Beat 

Larry Carlton’s journey into Philly R&B and Rahsaan Barber’s new 

musical endeavors. 

30 RMA Corner 

Professional musicians must be positioned to profit from emerging 

revenue streams. 

31 Final Notes 

We bid a final farewell to six of our members. 

33 Member Status 

34 Do Not Work For 

Cover photo by Mickey Dobo 

The Nashville Musician October - December 2011 

Contents 

Leon Rhodes interview: The wizard 

of country-jazz guitar reflects 

on a historic career. page 17. 

Banjo virtuso Bela Fleck’s recent 

work with the Nashville Symphony 

is just the latest in a lifetime 

of musical exploration. page 19. 

AFM 257 guitar god Chet Atkins 

is the subject of a new exhibit and 

book from the Country Music Hall 

of Fame. Reviews begin on page 23. 

3

Official Quarterly Journal of the 

Nashville Musicians Association 

AFM Local 257 

Publisher: Dave Pomeroy 

Editor: Craig Krampf 

Associate Publisher: Daryl Sanders 

Managing Editor: Kathy Osborne 

Assistant Editor: Kent Burnside 

Contributing writers: Austin Bealmear, Warren 

Denney, Roy Montana, Laura Ross, Tom Wild, 

Ron Wynn 

Contributing photographers: Mickey Dobo, 

Donn Jones, Craig Krampf, Dave Pomeroy 

Art Direction: Daddy D Design 

Web Administrator: Kathy Osborne 

Sales: Anita Winstead 

Local 257 Officers 

President: Dave Pomeroy 

Secretary-Treasurer: Craig Krampf 

Executive Board 

Bruce Bouton, Jimmy Capps 

Duncan Mullins, Bobby Ogdin, Andy Reiss, 

Laura Ross, Denis Solee 

Alternates: Tim Smith, Tom Wild 

Hearing Board 

William “Tiger” Fitzhugh, Kathy Shepard, Mike 

Douchette, Michele Voan Capps, Teresa Hargrove, 

John Terrence, Jonathan Yudkin 

Trustees 

Ron Keller, Biff Watson 

Sargeant At Arms 

Tom Wild 

Next General Membership Meeting, Monday, Nov. 7, 2011 

The next General Membership meeting will be Monday, Nov. 7, 2011 at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30. There 

is one Bylaw proposal on the agenda, as well as a vote to approve the 2012 dues amount of $235, including a $5 

voluntary contribution described below. 

Immediately following the Nov. 7 general membership meeting, a special nominating meeting will take 

place. Nominations will be taken for: President, Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Board (seven positions), Hearing 

Board (seven positions), Trustees (two positions) and Sergeant-at-Arms. Following the nominations, an Election 

Committee will be elected by the members present. Ballots will be sent to all Local 257 members in good standing, 

and the votes will be counted no more than 30 days after the nominating meeting. We urge all Local 257 members 

to attend, and to consider running for office if so moved. Please note the applicable election Bylaws below: 

From our Bylaws: Article XV, Section 2: “The term of office for all elected officials shall be three years.” 

Article XV, Section 3: “To be eligible for nomination, a member must be in good standing and have held full 

membership in the Association for not less than twelve (12) months prior to the election, and during that said period 

shall not have been found guilty of the violation of any of the Bylaws.” 

Article XV, Section 5: “An Election Committee of five members and two alternates shall be elected by the 

membership after nominations are complete.” 

Also from our Bylaws, Article XV, Section 4: “To nominate a member who is not present, the member nominating 

such member must present a signed statement stating his/her willingness to accept the nomination.” 

Our complete Bylaws are viewable online at www. nashvillemusicians.org. Article XV deals with Elections. 

2012 Dues Breakdown (must be approved by Membership at Nov. 7 meeting) 

$131.50 Local Dues (Life member Local Dues $33.00) 

$56.00 AFM Per Capita (Life member Per Cap $40.00) 

$15.00 Funeral Benefit Fund 

$24.50 Funeral Benefit Fund Assessment 

$3.00 Emergency Relief Fund 

$2.00 AFM Tempo Fund (Voluntary) 

$3.00 ERF Contribution (Voluntary) 

Total 2012 Dues: $235. Regular Members (including $5 Voluntary) 

$120.50 Life Members (including $5 Voluntary contribution) 

2011 Dues for Regular Members (incl. Voluntary Contribution) were $245 

2011 Dues for Life members (incl. Voluntary Contribution) were $153.50 

Bylaw Amendment Proposal 

Whereas, on May 18, 2009, a bylaw amendment was passed unanimously by the membership changing the name of 

the Nashville Association of Musicians to the Nashville Musicians Association; and 

Whereas, this name change has proven to be beneficial in many ways as was its intention; and 

Whereas, the resulting change to the bylaws contained both names to avoid confusion as we made the transition to 

our new name; and 

Whereas, there is still some paperwork that must be completed in order for us to legally use the name “Nashville 

Musicians Association” with banking institutions, the State of Tennessee, and the IRS, including a clearly written 

bylaw describing our name; therefore be it 

Resolved, that Article 1 Section 1 shall be changed as follows, effective immediately on approval: 

(Existing Language) This Association is and shall be known as the Nashville Association of Musicians, Nashville 

Musicians Association, Local 257, American Federation of Musicians. 

(Proposed Language in Bold) This Association (known as the Nashville Association of Musicians 1902 - 2009) 

is and shall be known as the Nashville Musicians Association, Local 257, American Federation of Musicians of 

the United States and Canada. 

Respectfully submitted: Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf 

Executive Board recommendation - Favorable 

Minutes of the Executive Board meeting, June 27, 2011 

Minutes of the Membership meeting, May 31, 2011 

Attendees: John Terrence, Gary Miller, B.Ross Wellman, Phil Roselle, Bruce Radek, 

Jason Howard, Avery Gardner, Ron Keller, Steven Sheehan, Michael J. Pozzebon, 

Kent Burnside, Tisha Simeral, Denis Solee, Daniel L. Johnson, John C. Morgan, Larry 

Crew, Paul Deckelman, Matt North, Mark W. Winchester, Kenny Vaughn, Phil Arnold, 

Matt McKenzie, Andy Reiss, Kent Goodson, Jonathan Yudkin, Barry Green, 

Ted Wagner, Craig Krampf, Dave Pomeroy, Scott Mulvahill, Rick Lonow, Bruce Bouton, 

Tiger Fitzhugh, Waldo La Towsky, Bill Poe, Jon-Paul Frappier, and one member 

(sign in sheet No. 34) whose handwriting could not be deciphered by anyone. 

Meeting called to order at 6:14 p.m. by President Dave Pomeroy. 

Roll Call of Officers: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf. 

Executive Board: Denis Solee, Andre Reiss, Bruce Bouton 

Hearing Board: John Terrence, Jonathan Yudkin. 

Parliamentarian: Ron Keller 

Pomeroy asked the membership’s permission for Matt Dugger, education co-coordinator 

for the Tennessee Labor Council, AFL-CIO, to be in attendance. There were 

no objections. 

Secretary Report 

Minutes of the November 8, 2010 membership meeting were approved. 

President’s Report 

President Pomeroy reported on the following: 

1. Member Tony Harrell has generously loaned his baby grand piano to Local 257 for 

use in the rehearsal hall. Harrell received a round of applause. 

2. SRLA (Phono) negotiations are progressing slowly. 

3. The IEB meets this week in Las Vegas. The agenda includes discussion about the 

Joint Venture Agreement based on the bandstand agreement and the Single Song 

Overdub Agreement. 

4. Members with significant dues balances owed to Local 257. 

5. Progress of downtown musician loading zones and discount parking. 

6. The possibility of using Paypal for work dues payment. 

7. Musician’s Corner, which is held in Centennial Park, has now begun paying musicians 

who back-up the featured artists. 

8. Musician Rights cards are now available. They cover Weingarten Rules and AFM 

contract rules that prohibit waivers of rights and benefits. 

9. Promotional bumper stickers – nashvillemusicians.org – are now available for a $1 

donation to Local 257’s Vic Willis Emergency Relief Fund. 

10. Pomeroy introduced Matt Dugger, who gave a 10-minute presentation about the 

Tennessee Members’ Assistance programs available to union members, after which he 

departed the meeting. 

Treasurer’s Report 

Krampf distributed and discussed the treasurer’s report. MSC (Andre Reiss/Bob 

Ross) to approve report. 

The Bylaw Proposals 

Discounted Youth Membership (Bylaw with changes) 

Whereas, the Local 257 Bylaws do not offer a discounted “Youth Membership” price 

to musicians under the age of 21 who join as new members, beyond the waiving of 

initiation fees for Youth Membership, and 

Whereas, these initiation fees are waived in other circumstances, such as a membership 

drive or a number of musicians joining as a group, and 

Whereas, it is in the best interests of Local 257 to attract younger musicians and make 

it more affordable for them to not only become a union member, but to remain in 

good standing, therefore: 

Be it resolved, that Article II, Section 1B be changed to reflect a 50 percent discount 

for Local Annual dues for members under the age of 21. The proposed new language 

appears underlined, with deletions struck through. 

Section 1B. Youth Membership applies is available to any musician under 21 years of 

age. twenty (20) years or younger, who joins the Local and remains in that classification 

until their twenty-first (21st) birthday. Youth Members shall have all of the rights 

and obligations that Regular Members have, and they shall be subject to all Federation 

and Local rules, regulations and bylaws. They Youth members are exempt from Local 

and Federation Initiation fees, and shall pay Annual Local dues and assessments at the 

same 50 percent of the rate as Regular Members rate as set by the Local,. and wWork 

dues and assessments where applicable, shall be paid at regular established rates. but 

they shall not pay LIF or FIF. Applications under the legal age of sixteen (16) must 

Announcements 

have written consent of approval of their parent or guardian. 

Submitted by Dave Pomeroy 

Executive Board Recommendation: Favorable 

Discussion - Roy Vogt, Tiger Fitzhugh 

Call for the question: Tiger Fitzhugh/Jon Paul Frappier 

Motion to accept bylaw proposal: Denis Solee/Steve Sheehan 

Bylaw was adopted. 

Increase Executive Board Contribution Limit (Bylaw with changes) 

Whereas, The Executive Board has been restricted from making contributions to charities 

or functions in excess of $100 without the approval of two-thirds of the members 

at a general or special membership meeting for at least the last 30 years; and 

Whereas, There have been occasions where an important donation or expense from 

Local 257 has not occurred due to this restriction; and 

Whereas, The general membership scheduling and Nashville Musician production 

schedules have, in the past, precluded requests for a donation because a strike or disaster 

occurred rapidly and did not fall within the quarterly publication and meeting 

schedules or was in a state of flux; and 

Whereas, Some situations such as strikes can occur and end before a resolution can be 

written, approved, printed and voted on at a meeting in which a quorum is achieved; 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That Article VI, Section 2 be amended to increase the donation limit from 

$100 to $500: 

Article VI 

Section 2. The Executive Board is hereby empowered to make contributions to worthy 

charities or functions, not to exceed one five hundred dollars ($100.00 $500.00). No 

other money shall be donated for any purpose except at regular or special meetings and 

by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting. 

Submitted by the Local 257 Executive Board 

Recommendation: Favorable 

Discussion – Bob Ross, Denis Solee 

Call for the question: Bob Ross/Tiger Fitzhugh 

Motion to accept bylaw proposal: Denis Solee/Matt McKenzie 

Bylaw was adopted. 

Salary increase for the office of president and secretary-treasurer 

Whereas, Local 257 Bylaws require that salary increases for President and Secretary- 

Treasurer be addressed at the first membership meeting of each year; and 

Whereas, consideration of those salary increases has been waived by the President 

and Secretary-Treasurer for a number of years, citing efforts to save the local money, 

especially in financially difficult times; and 

Whereas, it is the concern of the Executive Board that salaries not be allowed to languish 

too long without increases to attract potential officers who would be required to 

either heavily curtail or completely stop performing to serve in office; and 

Whereas, Officer salaries do not include overtime payments or other inducements, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Executive Board of Local 257 recommend increasing the salary of 

President by two percent beginning April 1, 2011, thereby increasing the annual salary 

to $61,080.21; and, be it further 

Resolved, That the salary of Secretary-Treasurer be increased by 4.5 percent beginning 

April 1, 2011, thereby increasing the salary to $50,061.82. 

Respectfully submitted, Laura Ross, Bruce Bouton, Bobby Ogdin, Jimmy Capps, 

Denis Solee, Andre Reiss, Tom Wild, Tim Smith, Local 257 Executive Board Members 

and Alternates 

Local 257 Executive Board Recommendation: Favorable 

Discussion: Dave Pomeroy read statement from Executive Board member Laura Ross 

who was unable to attend meeting, Bob Ross, Tiger Fitzhugh, Denis Solee 

Call for the question: Andre Reiss/Tiger Fitzhugh 

Motion to adopt: Bob Ross/John Terrence 

Proposal was adopted. 

Nashville Symphony Steward 

Laura Ross 

President Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:11 a.m. 

Attending: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Bruce Bouton (BB), Laura Ross (LR), 

Office Manager: Anita Winstead 

Denis Solee (DS), Bobby Ogdin (BO), Andre Reiss (AR), Jimmy Capps ( JC) and alternate Tom Wild (TW). 

Not Present: Duncan Mullins 

Assistant: Laura Ross 

Secretary’s Report 

MSC to approve the minutes of April 11, 2011 as amended: BO and LR. 

Electronic Media Services 

President’s Report 

Director: Juanita Copeland 

1. The SRLA negotiations are proceeding slowly. Pomeroy is attending a sidebar meeting in New York this week. 

Assistant: Teri Barnett 

2. Changes have been made to the Single Song Overdub scale in order to make it easier to use, and the Joint Venture 

Data Entry: Mandy Arostegui 

Recording Dept. Assistant: Kelly Spears 

Agreement is now ready for use. 

3. Progress towards creating an agreement for publishers to release demos as Limited Pressing releases. 

4. The RFD Network 

Membership Coordinator and 

5. The CMA 

6. Progress of the downtown Musician Loading and Unloading signs. 

Live Engagement/MPF Coordinator 

Treasurer’s Report 

Rachel Mowl 

Copies of the financials were distributed. Krampf went over the various details of each component of the report. 

MSC to approve the treasurer’s report: BO and LR. 

There being no further business, Pomeroy thanked everyone for attending. 

Front Desk: Janet Butler 

New Business 

MSC ( John Terrence/Denis Solee) to adjourn at 7:20 p.m. 

A bylaw proposal that addresses overdue work dues was presented by Pomeroy. After much discussion, it was decided 

© 2011 The Nashville Musicians Association. 

P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212 

All rights reserved. 

to table the proposal. MSC to table: DP and LR 

BB left the room due to previous commitment. 

New membership applications were reviewed. MSC to accept the new applicants: AR and DS. 

MSC to adjourn meeting: BO and TW. Meeting adjourned at 11:11 a.m. 

Respectfully submitted: Craig Krampf 

Respectfully submitted: Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer 

4 October - December 2011 The Nashville Musician 


5

State of the Local 

By Dave Pomeroy 

Music City, USA, has become 

a name known around the 

world for quality, built on the 

artistic contributions of countless Local 

257 members past and present. More than 

ever before, Nashville is home to a unique 

creative community of world-class musicians 

of all descriptions. One glance at all of the 

amazing players profiled in this issue will tell 

you we have a music scene like none other 

on earth. 

“Respect” is defined in the dictionary as 

“a feeling of deep admiration for someone 

or something elicited by their abilities, 

qualities, or achievements” and “due regard 

for the feelings, wishes, rights or traditions 

of others.” Respect is also the one word that 

best describes what being a member of the 

AFM and Local 257 is all about, and the 

common thread of all different aspects of my 

job as your president. 

This really hit home to me when I attended 

the Nashville Symphony’s first Classical 

Series concert of the season, featuring the 

world premiere of Bela Fleck’s Concerto for 

Banjo and Orchestra at the Schermerhorn 

Symphony Center. If you have not 

experienced the Nashville Symphony in the 

amazing Turner concert hall, I urge you to 

do so. 

The confidence and passion of the NSO’s 

performances of Appalachian Spring and 

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 were absolutely 

outstanding, and Bela’s concerto was a 

stunning double whammy of composition 

and performance. It was an incredible night 

of music, one that not only made me very 

proud of my longtime friend Bela, but also 

the musicians of the Nashville Symphony, 

who have never sounded better. 

Respect what you do as a professional 

Although Tennessee is a “right-to-work” 

state, Local 257 has a long tradition of work 

done under AFM contracts all the way back 

to pioneers like Owen Bradley and Chet 

Atkins, who always took care of musicians 

on whom they depended. They established 

that to record in Nashville and work with 

the best professional musicians in Music 

City, you need to work through the union, 

period. Over the years, Local 257 members 

have kept this tradition alive by doing the 

right thing and respecting this principle. 

Respect takes many forms for AFM 

members. It means not being afraid to ask if 

a potential gig, session, or TV show is going 

to pay scale and be on a union contract. It 

means not signing a release that tries to take 

away your rights of fair compensation and 

protection, and using your AFM Musician 

Rights card — if you don’t have one, pick one 

up at the local — to back your position. 

It means exercising your right to ask for 

a union representative to be present at a 

disciplinary meeting with your employer. 

These are smart short-term choices that will 

benefit you in the long run. 

Educating employers to do the right 

thing 

I spend a lot of time talking about respect to 

employers who don’t want to pay musicians 

what their time is worth or cancel a gig with 

little notice. These people use the old excuse, 

“I can get someone else to do it cheaper” 

or talk about “promotional value,” which 

seldom benefits a backup musician and can’t 

buy groceries. They often don’t get it until it 

is explained to them in a non-threatening, 

informational way that the protections of 

AFM recording and live contracts work both 

ways. They serve to protect the employer, in 

addition to giving musicians a paper trail if 

something goes wrong. 

Unfortunately, I spend even more time 

chasing down employers who think it’s 

okay to sign a union contract and still 

not pay musicians who worked for them. 

Obviously, they have removed “respect” 

from their vocabulary. We filed a number of 

legal actions recently after exhausting every 

reasonable means to collect some of these 

long-delinquent debts. 

On our Do Not Work For List, which 

appears in the magazine and on our website, 

you may see names or companies you 

recognize. Sometimes it is simply because of 

bad contact information, a lack of signatory 

paperwork and/or a pension check that is 

outstanding. We urge you to help us contact 

them so we can resolve these obligations and 

move on. 

Working together to build our future 

Respect means not just doing what is best for 

you, but taking into account what is best for 

our community as a whole. It’s not as hard 

as it sounds. When players work together to 

explain to employers hesitant to sign an AFM 

agreement, “We need to do this through the 

union – it’s the right thing to do,” it makes a 

HUGE difference, not just for that one job, 

but for the future. That’s how we grow our 

business. 

Filling out time cards and signatory 

paperwork accurately and in a timely fashion 

when you are session leader in the studio 

helps us help you. If you are on the road 

and suddenly faced with an unexpected TV 

appearance or live recording, being proactive 

and getting us in the loop immediately 

greatly increases your chances of getting paid. 

Also remember that it takes a lot of Local 

257’s time and resources to process contracts, 

so paying your work dues promptly — and 

regularly — keeps our cash flow intact so we 

can continue to serve you better. 

When you work non-union, what you 

make that day is all you will EVER make, 

with no pension, no new use, re-use, or 

residuals. Simply going with the flow and 

not asking “the union question” will have dire 

consequences for everyone in the short AND 

long term. Someone has to step up and ask 

for respect. If you don’t ask for it, it probably 

won’t come. 

We do not have to be combative to make 

our point with employers. If you have a nonunion 

situation and want to bring it into 

compliance, you can talk to us honestly about 

it. This is what we do every day and it is our 

passion. The AFM offers a variety of scales 

to fit different budgets and situations, and 

we are constantly working on ways to solve 

problems and become more responsive to 

new scenarios. 

In this age of digital piracy, anti-unionism, 

and a rapidly changing music business, our 

tradition of respect is under attack like never 

before. It is up to all of us to stick together and 

do what’s right, or it’s a race to the bottom. 

The next time you have that choice to make, 

don’t forget the effects of your decision for 

not only yourself, but all of us. As Benjamin 

Franklin said, “We can hang together or we 

can hang separately.” The choice is yours. 

Dave Pomeroy is president of AFM Local 257. 

You can reach him at dave@afm257.org. 

6 October - December 2011 

The Nashville Musician 

By Craig Krampf 

Greetings Brother and Sister 

Musicians. We are at the end 

of another year and at this time 

I usually find myself reflecting on what 

transpired during the preceding months. It 

appears that many of the ups and downs of 

life are experienced by all of us during the 

course of a year, but in varying degrees. I am 

very grateful to say that, all in all, it has been 

a good year for me, and my hope is that all of 

you had a good year as well. 

The finances 

Here at the union, we also had a pretty good 

year. For the first time in many years, we were 

in the black for two consecutive quarters. 

Our revenue in 2011 was down from 2010 

by $17,977.78, with work dues revenue alone 

down $21,181.85. However, we still managed 

to pull into the black, with $13,671.45 in hard 

cash. We accomplished this by continuing to 

cut costs wherever we can. 

It’s worth noting that there will be extra 

costs in the fourth quarter since this is an 

election year, which means the local must mail 

every member ballots and return envelopes, 

along with paying for other printing and 

postal costs. Again, we are doing everything 

we can to improve our bottom line while still 

making sure we improve the services that we 

provide to you. 

New members 

Visiting with prospective new members 

is always a gratifying experience. Dave 

Pomeroy and I always take time to listen 

to their personal stories, talk about our 

common experiences, how important it 

has been for us to be AFM members, and 

explain all the benefits of joining. Many are 

new to town, and have already heard that 

all the top musicians in Nashville belong to 

AFM Local 257. 

It is wonderful when some explain that 

they already have landed a gig and that all 

or most of the musicians in the band are 

union members. A few musicians recently 

related to us that they were about to do some 

recording sessions and the producer and 

other musicians on the session asked them if 

they belonged to the union. A few were told 

that they better join…like now! 

A few of the new members are part of the 

indie recording scene. They related how they 

were getting sick of hearing themselves on 

TV shows and in films without getting paid. 

Some fellow union musicians took the time 

to explain to them that they should get paid 

for a new use of their work. 

Thank you to those producers and 

musicians who value themselves, their 

professions and our union when they spread 

the word about the benefits of the AFM and 

Local 257. We appreciate it very much. 

We can report that once again, we have 

over one hundred new members so far for the 

year and over three hundred new members 

since 2009. The majority of them are in their 

twenties and early thirties. In these times of 

what people call the “graying of unions,” this 

is most gratifying. Everyone at Local 257 is 

ready to help our brother and sister musicians 

anytime with concerns or questions. That is 

why we are here. May I say to all those new 

members: Welcome and please let us know 

how we can help you. 

We are professional musicians 

When asked what I do for a living, I have 

responded countless times, “I am a musician.” 

The Los Angeles local is called Professional 

Musicians Local 47, and I always have liked 

that name, from the first time I heard it 

when I became a member there. Over the 

years, I sometimes forget to use the word 

“professional” in my own job description. 

May I suggest we all remember to say with 

pride, “I’m a professional musician.” There is 

a difference. 

Value yourself and your profession 

Since we belong to the AFM, we should 

feel a sense of pride that we are professional 

musicians. We all have our unique stories 

of how we choose music for our career, but 

there are many common threads on how we 

got here. 

Value who you are and all that you endured 

to get you to the level of being a professional 

musician. Don’t forget it when a producer, or 

a film or video game company calls and wants 

you to work without a contract and perhaps 

for a lower wage as well. Offers of more than 

scale without a union contract are still a bad 

deal for musicians — no pension, no new use, 

no protections. The NFL players did not go 

to work without a new collective bargaining 

agreement. As of this writing, it looks like 


New Grooves 

the start of the NBA’s training camp, preseason 

and possibly the regular season will be 

delayed until there is a new contract. These 

athletes are professionals, and so are we. Let 

us stand together as professional musicians. 

The Live Department 

Some of you know, and others will find 

out with this issue, that longtime employee 

Kathy Shepard has retired. Kathy served us 

well for over 19 years and we wish her all the 

best. Thank you, Kathy! 

With that being said, we thought it was a 

good time to analyze the Live Department 

and not just quickly fill the position. Earlier 

this year, we formed various committees, 

such as education, technology, community 

outreach and promotion; one of these is the 

club and touring musicians committee. 

This committee has been especially 

diligent in meeting, and interacting with 

us. We continue to discuss ways to make 

improvements, deal with various compliance 

issues and in turn, help our union with the 

bottom line. We hope to have new strategies 

in place shortly. 

In the meantime, Rachel Mowl, our new 

front desk person and member co-coordinator, 

is helping with the live engagement work, 

along with Dave and Kathy Osborne. 

Together, all of us are working hard to 

redefine what the live department can do for 

members. 

Epilogue 

My wish, hope and prayer is for you and your 

loved ones to have a wonderful Thanksgiving, 

Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s. May 

next year be a good one for us all, filled with 

lots of love, good health, laughter, peace and 

prosperity. 

Leopold Stokowski, the great orchestral 

conductor, said “A painter paints pictures on 

canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on 

silence.” With that, I also hope and wish for 

you that you paint some beautiful pictures. 

Yours in unity, harmony, artistry and 

diversity. 

Craig Krampf is secretary-treasurer of AFM 

Local 257. You can reach him at craig@ 

afm257.org. 

Next Membership Meeting 

Monday, Nov. 7, 2011 

George Cooper 

Rehearsal Hall 

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 

Meeting starts at 6 p.m. 

Election nomination meeting to follow. 

7

News 

BILL ANDERSON: 50-50 MAN 

Bill Anderson was honored in July by 

the Grand Ole Opry on his 50th anniversary 

as an Opry member. The 

Country Music Hall of Fame member made 

his Opry debut just a few weeks before his 

21st birthday and became a member less 

than three years later. Coincidentally, this 

year also marks Anderson’s 50th year in 

AFM Local 257. 

Even with these two amazing milestones, 

Anderson doesn’t seem ready to slow down 

just yet. 

“It is amazing how time flies when you’re 

having fun making a living doing something 

you love. But that is exactly what I have 

discovered here in 2011 — the year that 

not only marked my 50th anniversary as a 

member of the Grand Ole Opry, but also as 

a member of Local 257. It’s hard to believe 

it’s been a half-century. The good news is I’m 

still having fun, and my “whisper” is just getting 

warmed up!” Anderson said. 

Anderson, a Life member who joined Local 

257 in April 1961, began his career in 

1958 when Ray Price recorded his song, “City 

Lights,” which spent 13 weeks at the top of 

Billboard magazine’s country chart. Soon 

after this success, he signed with Decca Records 

and began to have hits of his own such 

as “Po’ Folks,” “Mama Sang a Song,” “Still,” 

and “Bright Lights and Country Music.” By 

now he had affectionately been nicknamed 

“Whisperin’ Bill” because of his soft-spoken 

delivery and recitations. 

Anderson went on to write hit songs for 

many artists, including Connie Smith’s debut 

smash “Once A Day,” Lefty Frizzell’s “Saginaw, 

Michigan,” Conway Twitty’s “I May 

Never Get to Heaven” and more through 

the years, like Kenny Chesney’s “A Lot of 

Things Different.” “Give It Away,” recorded 

by George Strait, and the Brad Paisley and 

Alison Krauss duet “Whiskey Lullaby,” both 

won CMA Song of the Year honors. 

“Beginning with classics sung by Ray 

Price, Lefty Frizzell, Connie Smith, and 

more, and continuing today with unforgettable 

hits by the biggest names in the business, 

Bill Anderson tunes have hit the country 

charts in each of the last seven decades,” said 

Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general 

manager. “Of course Bill is also known 

around the world for his own hit records as 

well as for blazing country music trails far 

and wide for others to follow.” 

Dave Pomeroy, president of AFM Local 

257, praised Anderson’s accomplishments. 

“Bill Anderson is a country music icon and 

a great example of how a truly nice person 

can succeed in the music business. He has 

remained relevant through all of the changes 

Nashville has seen over the past 50 years, and 

shows no signs of slowing down. 

“His double milestone of 50 years as an 

Opry member and also being a 50-year 

member of the Nashville Musicians Association 

is a rare achievement. Congratulations 

on being a 50-50 man, Whisperin’ Bill — we 

are all very proud of you!” Pomeroy said. 

— Staff report 

Touring musicians fear 

impact of Lacey Act 

Interest in the enforcement of the Lacey 

Act went mainstream last August, when 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers 

raided Gibson Guitars in Nashville. The U.S. 

government’s Environmental Investigation 

Agency has stated that the Lacey Act 

requires end users of endangered wood to 

certify the legality of their supply chain. The 

EIA investigations concluded that Gibson 

knowingly imported tainted wood. 

Gibson vigorously denied these allegations, 

maintaining that all of its purchases from 

Madagascar have complied with U.S. and 

Malagasy law. 

Regardless of the outcome of this particular 

case, it is a fact that professional musicians 

are worried the Lacey Act will impact their 

ability to travel out of country with vintage 

instruments, or buy and sell them. 

In July, AFM Local 257 Secretary- 

Treasurer Craig Krampf brought musicians’ 

concerns about implications of the Lacey 

Act to a meeting with staff members for U.S. 

Senator Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander. 

The meeting also included representatives 

from AFTRA (American Federation of 

Television and Radio Artists), IATSE 

(International Alliance of Theatrical Stage 

Employees) and DGA (Directors Guild of 

America), and was originally scheduled to 

discuss felony Internet streaming, and other 

intellectual property concerns. 

Krampf distributed handouts on the Lacey 

Act to the other union representatives and 

the Senate staffers, who said both Corker 

and Alexander are aware of concerns and are 

looking into the issue. 

In a statement released from U.S. 

Representative Jim Cooper’s office, Cooper 

also has addressed the Lacey Act, and his 

efforts to bring changes to the legislation. 

“Many of you have voiced your concerns 

over the Lacey Act Amendments of 2008 

and their impact on musicians…I’m working 

on legislation to clarify the law,” Cooper 

said. 

Late in September, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

issued this statement through their website: 

“To be clear: Individual consumers and 

musicians are not the focus of any U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement 

investigations pertaining to the Lacey 

Act, and have no need for concern about 

confiscation of their instruments by the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service.” 

More information on the Lacey Act is 

available at www.fws.gov and www.aphis. 

usda.gov. — Staff report 



In August, AFM 257 member Paul Yandell was presented with the Certified Guitar Player 

award by Chet Atkins’ daughter Merle as fellow C.G.P. Steve Wariner looked on. 

PAUL YANDELL HONORED 

WITH FINAL ‘C.G.P.’ AWARD 

Guitarist and local 257 member Paul 

Yandell was honored with the final 

“C.G.P.” (Certified Guitar Player) 

award during a ceremony Aug. 15 at the 

Country Music Hall of Fame. 

Yandell was Chet Aktins’ bandleader for 

more than 30 years. The C.G.P. was only 

given four times by Atkins over the years. 

Other recipients were Tommy Emmanuel, 

John Knowles, Jerry Reed and Steve 

Wariner. 

Atkins’ daughter Merle asked Wariner to 

help her continue the tradition by reading a 

proclamation to officially confer the title on 

Yandell. 

After high school in western Kentucky, 

Yandell came to Nashville in 1955 and began 

his career with the Louvin Brothers, who he 

worked with until 1959. After a stint in the 

U.S. Army, he joined the Kitty Wells Show 

from 1961-1970. Yandell said he “went to 

college” playing with Jerry Reed, who he 

went to work for in 1970. 

In 1975 Yandell joined Atkins, and played 

with him for the next 25 years. 

Yandell was also sought after as a session 

player, and worked on many hit records 

with Atkins, Reed, Dolly Parton, Wariner, 

Hank Thompson, Perry Como, Kitty Wells, 

Les Paul, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Woody 

Herman, The Everly Brothers, and the 

Louvin Brothers. 

Along with his work for other artists, 

Yandell has also released solo albums, 

including Forever Chet (2001) and Dream 

Train (2004); followed by In The Groove 

(2005) and Drive On (2006). 

In 2009, Yandell performed with Steve 

Wariner at the ceremony marking Atkins’ 

entry in the Musicians Hall Of Fame in 

Nashville. 


ACM Keyboard Player of the Year Gordon 

Mote accepts his award with wife Kimberly. 

AFM 257 members 

honored by ACM 

The Academy of Country Music 

presented its annual Honors show at the 

Ryman Auditorium Sept. 19. Hosted by Joe 

Nichols, the show was a star-studded affair 

with excellent musical performances, moving 

speeches and heartfelt tributes. 

Special award recipients included Reba 

McEntire, Garth Brooks, songwriters Tom 

T. Hall, the late Hank Cochran, longtime 

ACM treasurer John Dorris, Taylor Swift and 

Larry Gatlin, both members of Local 257. 

Members accepting their Instrumentalist of 

the Year awards onstage were Dan Dugmore 

(steel) Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Gordon Mote 

(keys) and Eddie Bayers (drums), with Paul 

Worley winning his first ACM producer 

award. Other winners not present were Tom 

Bukovac (guitar) Glenn Worf (bass) and 

Bryan Sutton (specialty instrument). 

— Staff report

Calling 

for AFM 

Member 

Recordings! 

 

 

 

 

 

News cont. 

Ralph Land (far right), longtime Local 257 member (drummer) and president of the Vietnam 

Veterans of Tennessee, addresses the troops before last year’s Veteran’s Day parade in 

downtown Nashville. This year, Veteran’s Day is Friday, Nov. 11, so be certain to show your 

appreciation to our men and women in uniform, past and present. 

FUTURE OF MUSIC COALITION SUMMIT FOCUSES 

ON DEVELOPING TRENDS IN MUSIC BUSINESS 

Music advocates from across the 

country convened in Washington, D.C. 

in October for the Future of Music 

Coalition Policy Summit at Georgetown 

University. Policymakers, musicians, media 

representatives and other industry figures 

HELP IS AVAILABLE 

AT EVERY STEP! 

took part in a two-day event that addressed 

current economic, technological, and 

business trends, in light of finding “a path 

 

 

 

 

 

to a sustainable, twenty-first century music 

business that rewards creators and fans,” 

according to Summit Communication 

Director Casey Rae-Hunter. 

This year’s Summit featured a variety of 

keynote speakers in policy and performance 

arenas including Cheap Trick guitarist Rick 

Nielsen, Marie Pallante of the U.S. Copyright 

Panelists on the FMC Music Scenes and 

Community Building session were (L-R) 

Brandy Doyle (Prometheus Radio, New 

Orleans), Nashville journalist/producer Craig 

Havighurst, AFM Vice President and Portland, 

Ore., Local 99 President Bruce Fife. 

just with our partners at the Future of Music 

 

Office, and retiring F.C.C. Commissioner 

Michael J. Copps. Copps has been an strong 

Coalition, but with the ever-growing expanse 

that is our industry. This biz is changing 

advocate for independent radio and against daily, and not necessarily to the musicians’ 

radio consolidation. 

benefit, so we must make sure that we have a 

Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy took voice, on behalf of our members, in the look 

part in the AFM co-sponsored summit as of that future,” Fife said. 

a panelist with Local 802’s Gail Kruvand The Future of Music Coalition is a 

for a discussion focused on session players’ national non-profit organization focused 

revenue. AFM Vice President and Local on helping to grow the future for those who 

99 President Bruce Fife also participated make music, as well as those who enjoy it. 

For more info reach us at 

as a panelist for a discussion on local music 

scenes and community building. 

The organization’s work towards this goal 

is accomplished by building collaborations 

WWW.GOPROTUNES.COM 

GOPROTUNES.COM 

Call us at 1-800-762-3444 ext 238 during 

normal business hours EST 

“The policy summit is the perfect place for 

the AFM, and musicians, to debate, discuss 

and visualize the future of our business, not 

with musicians and other public interest 

groups. 




Rascal Flats invited to join Grand Ole Opry 

Rascal Flatts was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry during a 

surprise segment following the group’s performance at the show. 

Vince Gill announced the news onstage to singer Gary LeVox, and 

Local 257 members Jay DeMarcus (bass, keyboards) and Joe Ron 

Rooney (guitar). 

“My hero is Vince Gill, and for him to come out here…man, what 

a surprise!” Rooney said. 

Rascal Flatts has sold over 20 million albums and 26 million 

digital downloads since their musical debut in 2000. They have sent 

13 singles to the top of the chart, and are the most awarded country 

group of the past decade, with over 40 trophies from the American 

Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, Country Music 

Association, People’s Choice Awards and more. 

The group will be inducted into the Opry during its 86th birthday 

weekend, Saturday, Oct. 8. The show will air live at 8 p.m. CDT on 

GAC. 

Jennifer Nettles to host CMA TV special 

Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles will return 

to host the second annual CMA Country 

Christmas televised special, set to air on 

ABC this holiday season. 

“I love holiday traditions and am so 

excited to add hosting CMA Country 

Christmas to my new list of traditions 

now,” Nettles said. The special will tape in 

front of a live audience November 10 at 

Bridgestone Arena. 

Sugarland resumed its Incredible Machine tour following a hiatus 

after the tragic stage collapse immediately prior to a show at the 

Indiana State Fairgrounds in August. The band’s tour will conclude 

at the end of October. 

Wyatt Beard receives inaugural CMA award 

Keyboardist Wyatt Beard, a 14-year member of the Kenny Chesney 

band, was given the Inaugural Touring Musician Award by the 

CMA in August. Chesney and CMA CEO Steve Moore made the 

presentation to Beard, a Local 257 member, at Foxboro Stadium in 

Boston. 

Beard started playing for the public when he was five years old, and 

had his own band by age nine. When he was 15 he started a Branson, 

Mo., summer show and played there fulltime for seven years before 

he was hired by Chesney. 


Heard on the Grapevine 

The Touring Musician Award was established in 2011 by the 

CMA Board of Directors, and is presented to a touring musician 

who is known primarily as an instrumentalist in a non-headlining 

capacity. In order to qualify the musician must have toured with an 

artist within the country music industry. 

Jack 

Clement 

Jack Clement, Lorene Mann among NSAI 

Maggie Cavender Award honorees 

Producer-songwriter Cowboy Jack Clement and songwriter-artist 

Lorene Mann were given the Maggie Cavender Award by the 

Nashville Songwriter’s Association International (NSAI) at its 

outdoor party in Nashville Sept. 19. The award is given to individuals 

for serving all interests in the songwriting community. 

The Local 257 members were among 70 songwriters honored at 

the event. 

Condolences to Larry Paxton and family 

Local 257 member Larry Paxton and his brother Kip Paxton, report 

the passing of their father, Robert Ivan Paxton, age 87, of Nashville, 

Tenn., and formerly of McDonald, Ohio. 

Paxton was a 52-year member of the AFM, having joined 

Warren Association of Musicians (Local 118) in 1950. He passed 

away Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 at the Alvin C York VA Hospital in 

Murfreesboro, Tenn. Paxton was a World War II U.S. Army veteran 

who received two Purple Heart medals. 

In addition to a 33-year career teaching music in the Ohio school 

system, he played with the Klein’s Attraction Stage Band backing up 

such artists as Bob Hope, Steve Allen and Red Skelton. He was also 

a charter member of the Packard Concert Band and performed many 

concerts with the Kenley Players, and was active in three Ohio area 

community bands in Canfield, Cortland, and Youngstown, where 

he both directed and performed. He also served as a trustee for the 

Warren Association of Musicians Local 118. 

Survivors include his two sons, his wife, Lois Rebecca Evans Paxton; 

daughter Kathy; eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and 

several nieces and nephews. 

Got an item for the Grapevine? 

Send your news and notes to 

Managing Editor Kathy Osborne. 

kathyo@afm257.org 

11

Gallery 

1 

1. 257‘s Craig Krampf and Dave Pomeroy back up jazz guitar great 

Lee Ritenour at Summer NAMM’s “All Star Guitar Night.” 2. Local 257 

member and bassist Gene Hughey received his Life pin this summer, 

celebrating 35 years in the Nashville Musicians Association. Hughey 

got his start in Memphis on The Rhodes Show. In 1976 Hughey joined 

the Twitty-Birds, and along with his brother John, played with Conway 

Twitty for nearly 17 years, until the singer’s passing in 1993. “50 years 

has been a great journey, and it is a great honor to have been a part 

of the business, and riding the wave,” Hughey said. 3. 257 guitarist 

Russ Jeffers stopped by the offices recently to pick up his 25-year pin. 

Congrats to Russ. 4. Guitarist Brent Mason (left) salutes the great 

James Burton (right) while playing a smoking version of “Workingman 

Blues” with guitar legend Seymour Duncan and brother Randy Mason 

on drums during the “All Star Guitar Night” show. 

4 

12 April - June 2011 


2 

3 

1 2 


5 

4 

1. Guitarist Mike McAdam stopped by the 257 offices in August to receive his 

25-year membership pin. Mike joined our local on June 9, 1986. Congratulations, 

Mike. 2. Dave Pomeroy reads a special proclamation thanking longtime 

Local 257 employee Kathy Shepard for her many years of great service, as 

Kathy looks on. Kathy recently retired after 19 years of service. Thank you 

again Kathy! 3. Guitarist-artist Bobby Jenkins stopped by and received his 50year 

pin from Craig Krampf. Bobby joined Local 257 on April 18, 1958. Congratulations 

to Bobby on this wonderful milestone. 4. A pair of AFM 257 luminaries, 

bassist-producer Norbert Putnam (left) and keyboardist David Briggs 

(right) pose with “Elvis” after taking part in the Country Music Hall of Fame 

and Museum’s “Conversations With All The King’s Men” program, which was 

hosted by fellow 257 legend Harold Bradley at RCA Studio B on August 9. 

5. Multi-instrumentalist John Heinrich received his 25-year AFM membership 

pin from Krampf in August. John joined Local 257 on May 20, 1986. Kudos 

to John! 

3 

13

Gallery cont. 

1 

1. (L-R) The Time Jumpers’ Joe Spivey, Kenny Sears, Vince Gill, Paul 

Franklin and Andy Reiss pick a hot tune on stage at the Station Inn on 

Sept. 26. All five were presented with 25-year AFM 257 member pins 

on stage. 2. The group posed backstage after the show with their new 

hardware and photos of Bill Monroe and Roy Huskey, Jr. in the backgound. 

3. Lutist Francis Perry received his AFM 25-year pin at the 257 

offices recently from Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf. Francis, who 

transferred to Local 257 in 2006 after many years as a member of Local 

399, Asbury Park, N.J., is holding a theorbo (sometimes called a 

chitaronne) which is a lute with a long neck extension. Congratulations, 

Francis! 4. Pomeroy gives a thumbs up to AFM 257 guitarist and vocalist 

Darnell Miller upon receiving his 25-year pin. 

4 

4 

3 



1 

2 

3 

The Nashville String Machine at work during a recent session at Ocean Way Recording Studio under the direction of producer Bret Teegarden. 

30 AND COUNTING 

Nashville String Machine celebrates milestone anniversary 

When 15 of the best musicians in 

Music City decided to formally 

organize on Nov. 13, 1981, 

none of them suspected they would still be 

together some 30 years later. 

“Well, it was a Friday the 13th, I remember 

that,” Nashville String Machine founder and 

leader Carl Gorodetzky said with a laugh. 

“We were doing recordings for different 

people. We just decided to have our own 

group. We got the idea for the name from 

a synthesizer, an instrument that was pretty 

popular around that time. So from there 

came The Nashville String Machine.” 

The String Machine has evolved over 

the past three decades into a prolific and 

versatile aggregation, able to provide musical 

backing and support in any genre from 

country to rock, pop to soul, jazz, gospel and 

contemporary Christian, R&B and funk. 

“Anyone who needs musicians for any type 

of session, we can provide what they need,” 

Gorodetzky said. 

They are the ultimate one-stop musical 

organization, able to offer expertise for 

sessions requiring strings, woodwinds, brass 

or rhythm. In addition, the String Machine’s 

services include arrangers, engineers and/ 

By Ron Wynn 

Photos by Mickey Dobo 

or studios. String Machine members, virtually 

all of whom belong to AFM Local 257, work 

on sessions ranging from duos to 80-piece 

orchestras and everything in between. 

Their extensive list of credits and sessions is 

stunning by any yardstick. Gorodetzky, 

among a handful of String Machine 

members who have been there the entire 

Nashville String Machine founder 

and leader Carl Gorodetzky. 


time, estimates he’s played more than 17,000 

union sessions and on approximately 50,000 

songs. Bassist Craig Nelson, violist Kris 

Wilkinson and violinist Pam Sixfin are also 

30-year members. 

Bruce Springsteen’s “Silver Palomino,” Neil 

Young’s “Only A Dream,” The Dixie Chicks’ 

“Without You,” Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope 

You Dance,” Garth Brooks’ “The Dance” 

and Vanessa Williams’ “Save The Best For 

Last” are just a handful of the numerous hits 

that feature the String Machine’s signature 

sound. Matchbox 20, Alison Krauss, 

Whitney Houston, and Dionne Warwick 

are among many others who have enlisted 

their services. 

String Machine members are very 

special musicians, resulting in a remarkably 

diverse body of work for the group. “We 

do everything, with the vast majority being 

studio work,” Gorodetzky explained. “We’ve 

done television, radio, jingles, award shows, 

classical. 

“When we’re auditioning a new member, 

they need a background in classical and some 

pop work. Most of our members have played 

in some of the best orchestras around the 

country. We have a very small amount of 

15

The Nashville Musician interview: 

Leon Rhodes 

turnover. There are some of the world’s best 

musicians in the String Machine. 

“You have to look at a piece of music and 

be able to get in there and go. But it’s more 

than just sight-reading, although that is very 

important. You’ve also got to have good ears 

and be able to react and respond after only 

seeing a piece of music one time. There’s not 

a lot of rehearsals.” 

With graduates hailing from Juilliard, 

The New England Conservatory, the 

Eastman School of Music, Yale, and Indiana 

University, among other places, there’s 

little doubt any String Machine member 

can handle all musical challenges. When 

assessing the biggest changes he’s witnessed 

over his tenure in the Nashville music 

scene, Gorodetzky cited the technological 

revolution as responsible for most of them. 

“Back when we started, everything was 

predominantly eight-track recording,” he 

recalled. “You had eight-track machines, 

then later 16- and 32-track. Now, instead of 

tape, everything is on computers. We used 

to get the arrangements handwritten. Now 

Countless guitar players have come to 

Nashville, but only a handful have 

left an indelible mark on country 

music. One of those men is the legendary 

guitarist Leon Rhodes, who many consider 

to be just as innovative and influential as 

Hank Garland, Doc Watson, and Grady 

Martin. Rhodes moved to Nashville from 

Dallas, Texas, and joined Local 257 in late 

1959 as a member of Ernest Tubb’s band, 

The Texas Troubadours. 

A natural musician, he was self-taught, 

and first picked up guitar from his older 

brother, who showed him a few chords. 

Taken by the instrument, he played “day 

and night,” Rhodes has said. When he 

was 14 his father bought him his own 

guitar, and Rhodes was in the staff band 

for the local Big D Jamboree broadcast by 

everything is computerized, and the parts 

the age of 16. Humble to a fault, Rhodes 

are printed out. Pro Tools has become a big 

gives full credit for his talent to God, and 

part of the business. Playing the music hasn’t 

says he’s sure all he knows about the guitar 

changed, but almost everything else around 

“was God-given.” As a young man, he was 

it is different. 

a pro softball player, but he also worked 

“Also, we’re now facing competition from 

constantly in the Dallas music scene, and 

around the globe, with sessions being offered 

his guitar work was a key ingredient on Guitar legend Leon Rhodes shares a vintage photo from his heyday with Ernest Tubb 

in places like Canada, China and the Czech 

records by Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell, and and The Texas Troubadours during his interview at AFM 257. Photo by Craig Krampf 

Republic. This has definitely become an 

other greats of the era. 

international thing.” 

The classic mid-‘60s lineup of the Pomeroy: Did you come from a musical me through the chicken wire. He must 

Still, the Nashville String Machine 

continues to attract plenty of clients, so many 

that Gorodetzky doesn’t have any notions 

about retiring anytime soon. His wife Carol, 

who was once a violinist in the group, now 

works full-time on the business side. They 

still do between 200 and 300 sessions a year, 

which is down from a high of 500 at one 

time, but certainly still a formidable number. 

As the 30th anniversary approaches, 

Gorodetzky looks back fondly on some 

of his favorites among numerous sessions. 

“Certainly anything involving Johnny Cash 

and June Carter Cash — those were special 

days,” he recalled. “Anything with a lot of 

the great country stars like George Jones 

and Tammy Wynette, or Jimmy Dean, I 

really enjoyed working with him. Martina 

McBride, Garth Brooks, Don Williams, 

those were also wonderful.” 

“I feel very fulfilled,” Gorodetzky said in 

conclusion. “You know, we’ve never made a 

record as a group. We talked about it, but 

we’ve never done it. But I’m still feeling great, 

and as long as I can do it, I’ll keep doing it. I 

think when it’s time for the celebration, we’ll 

Troubadours, (Rhodes, steel guitarist 

Buddy Charleton, bassist Jack Drake, 

and future Opry vocal stars drummer 

Jack Greene and rhythm guitarist Cal 

Smith) was considered by many to be one 

of the finest backup bands in the history of 

country music. They recorded a number of 

memorable instrumental albums in their 

own right, and tunes like “Honey Fingers” 

and “Rhodes-Bud Boogie” (look for them on 

You Tube) are still mindboggling today. 

His incredibly fast and melodic countryjazz 

picking has earned him the respect of 

subsequent generations of guitar players. 

Known for pushing the envelope in form and 

style, Rhodes has said that he tried to play 

in a way that allowed him to get “outside 

the melody and outside other players’ way 

of thinking.” Rhodes has brought his unique 

sound to countless records with everyone 

from Willie Nelson to John Denver, was a 

regular on Hee Haw for 20 years, and also a 

member of The Grand Ole Opry staff band 

for over three decades. He still remains an 

active musician today. Recently, Nashville 

Musician publisher Dave Pomeroy and 

editor Craig Krampf sat down with this 

family? 

My mother played the piano, but we never 

had one, so I never heard her play! Daddy 

would strum a guitar — you know G, C and 

D. I started playing guitar when I was about 

9 or 10. 

Krampf: Did you know you wanted to be a 

musician from an early age? 

No, actually I was a pro ball player. I was one 

of two pitchers for a fast pitch softball team 

out of Dallas. We traveled all around and I 

played in five world tournaments with them. 

In my spare time, I had been playing drums 

in a trio at Bob Wills’ Ranch House in Dallas 

with Clay Allen and George McCoy. On 

Sundays, we would sometimes play as the 

opening act at the Longhorn Dance Hall, 

a bigger room that seated 3500, so I would 

go up front and play guitar, and we would 

add a piano player and drummer to make the 

group bigger. 

Pomeroy: How did Ernest Tubb find you 

and hire you to play for his band? 

It was an accident, because I was normally 

a drummer, but it changed my life. This 

particular Sunday in 1959, I was playing 

have stood there 20 minutes not looking at 

anyone else, and I wasn’t sure if he was okay 

or not! I didn’t have any idea who he was or 

that Ernest Tubb was closing the show that 

night. 

He took off, and I figured, “Well, that 

was it,” and a few minutes later then he 

came back with another guy. They both kept 

watching and he finally signaled to me. I 

leaned over to hear him and he said, “My 

friend and I would like to buy you a drink 

on the break.” I said, “Well, I don’t drink, but 

you can buy me a Coke.” So when we took a 

break they invited me out back to talk. They 

said, “We want to offer you a job.” I said, “A 

job doing what?” They said, “Playing guitar 

with Ernest Tubb!” 

I said, “Wait a minute, I’m not a guitar 

player, I‘m a drummer!” The first gentleman 

said, “No, man. You’re not just a guitar 

player, you’re THE guitar player.” I said 

“Who ARE y’all?” He said, “My name 

is Buddy Emmons, and I play steel with 

Ernest and this is Jack Drake, he plays 

bass.” They asked for my phone number, but 

I never took them seriously at all. I didn’t 

know who they were, or who Ernest Tubb 

have a big party, then we’ll get back to doing 

down-to-earth legend at Local 257 for a guitar at the Longhorn, and this guy came was either. They started calling me from 

more sessions.” n 

chat about his life and career. 

across the dance floor and started watching Nashville, and I kept saying “No, I’m a pro 

16 October - December 2011 The Nashville Musician 


17

At left, Leon Rhodes accompanies Ernest Tubb. At right, young Leon sports 

one of his first guitars. (Photos courtesy of Leon Rhodes.) 

ball player,” — or so I thought! 

The fourth time, Jack said, “Leon, I got 

a deal for you. We’re gonna fly you up here, 

and give you good money just to travel with 

us, no strings attached. Just think of it as a 

vacation.” I thought, you know I never have 

had a vacation, so I went up, never asked how 

much money or anything. So I came up to 

Nashville and did a 15-day tour with them. 

No rehearsal, we just went out and played, 

and Emmons was sitting next to me, and he 

knew all the tunes. 

That very first night during my first show, 

Jack Drake said, “Play an instrumental — 

whatever you want!” I said, “How about 

‘Lady Be Good in F,’ and I kicked it off at 

a pretty fast tempo. I played a couple of wild 

choruses, but when it came time for the 

steel solo, I backed off and glanced at him 

[Emmons] and he took off. In all my life, I 

had never heard such steel playing! He was 

playing like me! 

I couldn’t hardly sleep that night on the 

bus thinking about that guy on stage next 

to me – Mr. Buddy Emmons. I had been 

looking for someone like that to play with my 

whole life! I called my daddy and said “Pack 

up all my stuff, I’m moving to Nashville!” He 

said, “What are you talking about?” But he 

brought up my stuff and I’ve never gone back 

to Dallas since, except to visit. 

Buddy Emmons recalls: “We had been 

having guitar player troubles, and when I 

heard Leon I perked right up. He blew my 

mind, and a lot of people’s minds. He was an 

absolute joy to work with, and always kept 

me on my toes with that speed thing he had 

going.” 

Krampf: What was your musical training 

like? Did you ever take lessons? 

I never had any lessons, and I don’t know 

theory. Basically, you’ve got to sleep with the 

guitar, and I did that. I just hung in there 

with it. I can’t tell one note from another, 

except where it is on the guitar, but I can 

read a number chart. When I went to work 

with E.T., it was just his songs and our stuff, 

the instrumentals and such. Bottom line, it’s 

a God-given talent that He gave me, and I 

guess I had the fingers to do it. 

Krampf: Do you remember how much you 

made back then? And did the band ever get 

to play on his records? 

Mr. Tubb paid $25 a day, plus your ride and 

hotel room. He paid that the whole time I 

was with him. He always used his band to 

play on the records, which were produced 

by Owen Bradley. We didn’t have drums at 

first; I’m thinking it might have been a fellow 

named Bun Wilson who played the snare, 

but we also used Buddy Harman. 

Krampf: Did you prepare for recording 

sessions with Ernest or go in cold? 

Sometimes Mr. Tubb would give us a hint 

that we would be recording a certain song we 

had been playing live, but not always. Back 

then, everything was live, you couldn’t punch 

anything in. If one person made a mistake, 

everybody had to play the song again. He 

was most interested in the steel and the 

guitar. He never said anything if there was 

a mistake on the bass or the rhythm guitar; 

he mainly wanted that lick on the guitar, and 

the steel guitar in that style as well. 

Mr. Tubb was a kind man. He never told 

any of us what to play or how to play — just 

play that lick at the beginning or the end and 

he was happy. 

Pomeroy: You and Buddy Emmons had a 

special relationship. What was it like for 

you when he left Tubb’s band? 

When Emmons left, I thought, “Oh my gosh, 

no one can do what he does,” but Jack Drake 

said, “I know a boy in Virginia who can play 

just like Emmons, and maybe better.” They 

called him and he came down to play, and 

Buddy Charleton was unreal, just unreal. 

He could play anything I wanted to play, no 

matter how fast. I loved playing with him. 

Pomeroy: Tubb’s band made some 

amazing instrumental records as the Texas 

Troubadours. How did that happen? 

I went to Mr. Tubb and told him I had 

written some tunes that I would like to 

record, and I knew Buddy Charleton had 

some, too. I said “What do you think about 

us cutting an album?” He said “Go and talk 

to Jack Drake,” and Jack said “That’s a great 

idea,” so I told him “Go tell Ernest!” 

We recorded for Decca, Mr. Tubb’s label. 

Those albums we made together were a lot 

of fun. After a while, some people had heard 

those instrumental records and started asking 

me to play with them, and I was jamming a 

lot with folks backstage at the Opry. So after 

seven years of playing with Ernest, I got off 

the road and had a chance to play on some 

records, and thanks to the good Lord, I was 

able to do that. 

Krampf: Who were some of the folks you 

enjoyed working with in the studio? 

I enjoyed working with some of the folks 

who weren’t country, like Andy Williams, 

Debbie Boone, Nancy Sinatra, as well as all 

the country folks too. It really came together 

for me, and it pleased me to know that people 

wanted me to work on their records. I always 

love working with The Whites, and play with 

them every chance I get. They are absolutely 

beautiful people. 

Pomeroy: Speaking of The Whites, you’ve 

played regularly on the Opry for many 

years. What was it like the first time you 

played there? 

I hadn’t really listened to the Opry in Texas, 

cause our family’s little radio sounded so bad! 

But I had heard of it for years, and I thought, 

“This is The Opry! How did this happen?” 

At the time, it paid $15 a spot. Later, I was 

in the Opry staff band for around 33 years, 

and still play out there quite a bit. These days 

we have a lot of younger bands who come in 

and the players all have their effects and stuff, 

and that’s fine. I like it, but I just go out there, 

plug straight in and do my thing. 

Pomeroy: Every time you play, I can hear 

the joy and love for music that you still 

have. 

Thanks. I’m a simple guy, I like being a 

sideman, and I don’t want to be a star. I’m 

just happy to play with anyone who wants 

me to play with them. I’ve been blessed. 

Having a great home life has meant a lot 

to me, too. My wife Judi and I have been 

married 46 years, and I still think she’s the 

best thing since sliced bread! I’m a Christian 

man, and never drank or smoked ever in my 

life. I know why I’m here. n 



Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck enjoys himself during the performance of his composition Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra with the NSO, 

BELA FLECK’S 

CLASSICAL EXPLORATIONS 

Consider the banjo. Few instruments 

associated with American music carry 

its cultural weight and mystique. 

So often misunderstood and stereotyped, 

the banjo’s simple circular frame and 

distinctive sound delivers powerful, 

fundamental images. Within our history, it 

has managed to evoke representations of a 

terrible colonialism, while alternately serving 

as a plaintive bedrock of our folk music, 

conjuring the isolated, almost primitive 

individualism we hold so dear. 

The banjo’s association with old-time 

music and bluegrass has been so burned 

into our consciousness, that it is difficult to 

imagine it in any other setting. And, this 

is precisely why players such as Béla Fleck 

are so important. Over the years, Fleck has 

stretched the boundaries of the very idea of 

the banjo. 

“Banjos are really special things,” Fleck 

said recently, sitting unassumingly, in the 

back corner of a coffee shop in Nashville. 

“It’s connected to our history, and American 

ingenuity — consider what we’ve made 

By Warren Denney 

Photos by Mickey Dobo 

this instrument into here, especially when 

you think about where it started in Africa. 

It’s become one of those uniquely American 

things that have somehow made it through 

“I’m always looking 

for things to do that I 

haven’t done before. 

Especially things 

that will provide 

an opportunity for 

growth.” 

unharmed. It’s traveled through time and 

gotten to this point with integrity intact.” 

The 28-year AFM Local 257 member 

was two weeks away from the performance 

of a lifetime — the performance of his 

original Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra, 

commissioned by the Nashville Symphony 

Orchestra and dedicated to Earl Scruggs. 


Considered by many to be the world’s 

leading player, Fleck is agile and voracious, 

and beyond technical reproach, warping the 

perception of the instrument by placing it 

within unexpected and uncharted musical 

settings. It is exactly this line of thinking 

that led to Fleck’s interest in writing the 

concerto. 

The piece is a crowning achievement and 

speaks to Fleck’s artistic makeup. Challenge 

and evolution are key to his musical existence. 

A player of uncanny sensibility, Fleck has 

always sought to bring the banjo into a more 

universal perspective, and he has largely 

achieved this due to a desire and ability to 

play it as a fully chromatic instrument. 

“I’m always looking for things to do that I 

haven’t done before,” Fleck said. “Especially 

things that will provide an opportunity for 

growth. I’m hooked on that as a modus 

operandi. I need to know that whatever I’m 

doing now and whatever I’m doing next — 

and I’m keeping them all in my mind — has 

to be something that affords the opportunity 

for me to really stretch, to put the banjo into 

19

a new setting, or play with someone inspiring 

— I’ve been pretty successful at finding 

things that have challenged me again and 

again, for many years.” 

The New York City native, who has 

garnered Grammy nominations in every 

imaginable category from jazz to bluegrass 

to pop to country, and even contemporary 

Christian, earned his bones early as a soloist 

and as a member of the Boston-based band 

Tasty Licks. In 1982, he moved to Nashville 

to work with Sam Bush as a member of the 

New Grass Revival. Fleck formed his seminal 

band, Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, in 

1988 and set about the hard and joyous work 

of defying all convention. 

The Flecktones consist of electric bassist 

Victor Lemonte Wooten, his percussionist 

brother Roy “Futureman” Wooten, and 

currently — harmonica player and keyboardist 

Howard Levy. Known for their collective 

ability to meld bluegrass, jazz, and world 

music elements into their own otherworldly 

“blu-bop” sound, the Flecktones have thrived 

since their formation. They have released 

13 albums during that time, primarily on 

Warner Bros. and Columbia, and this year 

released the first Flecktones’ record since 

2008 — the acclaimed Rocket Science on 

the eOne label. And, while this record has 

earned high praise and brought the original 

Flecktones back together (with the return of 

Levy after a long absence), it is but one piece 

of Fleck’s musical puzzle. 

In recent years, Fleck has collaborated with 

legendary jazz pianist Chick Corea, brought 

the banjo back to Africa in the mesmerizing, 

award-winning documentary Throw Down 

Your Heart, released a third and fourth record 

as part of Tales from the Acoustic Planet, 

and played Carnegie Hall with virtuoso 

bassist Edgar Meyer and renowned Indian 

tabla master Zakir Hussain. Those projects 

provide a tiny window of insight into the 

musical evolution of Béla Fleck, which now, 

of course, includes the composition and 

performance of a concerto. 

“There’s the exciting potential to create 

some classical repertoire for the banjo, that 

might exist after I’m gone,” Fleck said. “It’s 

possible other people might want to play 

this banjo concerto, or if I wrote a piece for 

banjo and woodwind ensemble, or banjo 

and string quartet, or other sets of orchestral 

instruments. 

“Composing is a different experience for 

me — and it complements the improvising 

musics that I do very well. And if I continue 

to compose these sorts of pieces, it will give 

me the opportunity to interact with a world 

of musicians that I wouldn’t normally have 

access to.” 

Performing for three nights in September 

at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center 

under the direction of conductor Giancarlo 

Guerrero, in a setting in which the crowds 

were as diverse in their tastes as his own body 

of work, Fleck shone brightly, confirming his 

instincts. The concerto had been nearly a year 

in the making, and its performance had come 

in the midst of the Flecktones’ world tour in 

support of Rocket Science. Once again Fleck 

and the banjo had defied the odds. 

“We’ve [the Flecktones] been going strong 

since May,” Fleck said. “Before that I was 

finishing up a touring project with Edgar 

and Zakir — and I’ve also managed to have 

significant times when I was off the road — 

big chunks that were saved as writing time.” 

Classical music was not a direction he 

was drawn to originally, though named after 

Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, Austrian 

composer Anton Webern, and Czech 

composer Leos Janácek — Béla Anton Leos 

Fleck. 

“It takes a long time to write one of these 

[concertos] when you know what you’re 

doing — and I definitely didn’t know what 

I was doing,” he said. 

“Growing up I just loved music and I 

loved the banjo,” he continued. “I wasn’t all 

that tuned in to classical music, although my 

stepfather Joe Paladino played the cello, and 

he’d play string quartets at our apartment. So 

people would come over and read through 

stuff, and I’d watch them practicing — while 

looking at the score — and often fall asleep! 

I found it interesting but I wasn’t super 

compelled by it. 

“I was listening to bluegrass and jazz 

at the time, and I was studying all of that 

intently. When I finally got to hear some of 

the amazing folks playing [classical] music I 

became more interested in it — actually this 

also happened to me in the bluegrass world. I 

was a little disdainful of traditional bluegrass 

until I started playing with the guys who were 

really great at it, then I was very respectful of 

it. In a weird way it’s similar.” 

It wasn’t until Fleck met and forged 

his friendship with Edgar Meyer that the 

classical world opened up for him. “When I 

met Edgar, I knew he was a real composer,” 

Fleck said. “I had realized that guys like 

that existed, but I hadn’t been around them 

enough to understand what it took. I was 

a little bit familiar with some of the great 

classic composers, but I’d never studied any 

of them. 

“So when I got to spend time with Edgar, 

it was like that [being exposed to the next 

level]. You know, this guy is just amazing. I 

met him in the early ’80s. He was playing on 

the street in Aspen while going to school up 

there in the summer, and I ended up jamming 

with him there one night, while I was on tour 

with New Grass Revival. We became friends 

and then he moved to Nashville, where I was 

living, and he did recitals at [Vanderbilt’s] 

Blair [School of Music] — I saw him doing 

bass recitals, just with piano accompaniment, 

doing a lot of music that he transcribed from 

other instruments, often because there wasn’t 

really enough great repertoire for a bassist 

with his level of technique. And he was 

composing these new pieces and it was like, 

‘Wow!’ 

“It was like magic to hear a brand new 

piece that was so detailed, and so incredible 

— every single note of it. Edgar became a 

real inspiration for me. When we got to write 

some pieces together, my contribution would 

be similar to what I do in other situations — 

which is come up with tunes, arrangement 

ideas and suggestions.” 

The window had been raised. Fleck learned 

about framework and composition. He got 

the opportunity to write two concertos with 

Meyer, and felt he was starting to develop 

his own ideas and perspective. And though 

his collaborative relationship with Meyer 

remains strong to this day, Fleck began to 

dream of doing something on his own. 

“After doing the first concerto with 

Edgar and then one with Edgar and Zakir, 

I got really hungry for a chance to do one 

by myself,” Fleck said. “It started becoming 

a bit of a thing for me — it was like I had 

to show myself that these weren’t just really 

good because of Edgar — that I could do 

something worthwhile on my own. 

“Not just that, but there are some things 

I might approach differently because I am a 

different musical personality than he. And 

there really hadn’t been an opportunity for 

the banjo alone to be showcased the way I 

imagined it, in an orchestra setting.” 

Fleck began to investigate the possibility 

of getting such a gig. He asked his manager 


to look around, though finding a commission 

was of a completely different world. There 

was little reason for anyone to believe Fleck 

could compose a concerto. 

“Why would they hire me and spend 

that money and invest it?” Fleck said. “Then 

finally I had some conversations with Alan 

Valentine with the Nashville Symphony and 

he seemed quite open to it; I think it was 

largely because of the respect he had for the 

Flecktones. He seemed to like the work I 

was doing. 

“Things I worked hard on seemed to end 

up pretty good, you know. The African film, 

Bela Fleck gives a congratulatory fist bump to concertmaster Jun Iwasaki 

during a rehearsal with the NSO for his Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra, 

the duet tour and album with Chick Corea, 

and of course the Flecktones showed a certain 

level of ability and initiative. So he took a 

measured risk and gave me the opportunity.” 

And, while that opportunity has proven to 

be another benchmark in Fleck’s evolution, 

it was an altogether frightening one. There 

were defining moments of fear. 

“What am I doing?” Fleck said. “I don’t 

even know how to write or read musical 

notation. How am I going to do this thing? 

Now I’ve manipulated myself into a real 

tight corner. But that is what I do. This is my 

process — and when you’re creative, some of 

it is generated by enthusiasm, some of it can 

even be generated by fear! 

“That’s the way I like to do it. I force 

myself into situations where I have to grow 

in order to survive. It’s what happened when 

I went to Africa; it’s what happened when I 

played with Chick, et cetera.” 

And, as always, the defining moment — 

the light of recognition was revealed. Fleck 

knew what must be done. 

“In retrospect, writing with Edgar and 

21

Zakir was a very protected situation because 

it was on all three of us,” he said. “We were 

doing it very equally and Edgar had a great 

overview. He’d tell us what he thought we 

were looking for and had a real sense of 

where we were going. But I normally do 

things in a much more spontaneous way — 

by feel sometimes — that’s how I play, and 

that’s how I write, and that’s how things 

often work well for me. It occurred to me 

that perhaps my concerto should be that way 

too. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t write a concerto as if 

I know what I’m doing. I didn’t have anyone 

orchestrating it although I did have a copyist 

(Bruce Daily) to make sure it would be 

legible for the musicians. I did have to figure 

out how to work [the software] Sibelius — I 

read banjo tablature and Sibelius has that in 

its program, so I could write things in banjo 

notation and then copy and paste them 

onto other instrument staves. I did a lot of 

that. But a lot of these lines are not banjooriented 

lines. 

“I just let it naturally move to where the 

music felt right. I tried not to be limited 

by the banjo itself. I’d listen back to what I 

had and realize ‘it’s trying to go here, or it’s 

trying to go there.’ There’s the personality 

of the instrument — and then there’s my 

personality. When I get the instrument out 

of my hands at times I force my musical 

personality to come out in different ways.” 

Technical aspects aside, Fleck had to find 

his musical voice within the framework, and 

this required inspiration and introspection. 

He spent time in Oregon and in Mexico, 

scheduled specifically for writing in between 

his other commitments. He would take jogs 

on the beach or in the desert, listening to 

“The metamorphosis 

of the Nashville 

Symphony is very 

inspiring. ... They’re 

more highly regarded 

than ever in the world 

of classical music.” 

Bartók, Mozart, and Beethoven, among 

others for clarity of vision. 

The result was a thirty-five minute piece of 

beautifully orchestrated music, infused with 

rich tonal qualities, that moved effortlessly 

through each of the three divergent 

movements. In performance, Fleck’s 1937 

mahogany Gibson Mastertone banjo 

alternately took its place out front with its 

rich and evocative voice, before submerging 

itself beneath the orchestra’s current, hiding, 

only to resurface again to deliver to the 

A music transcription and arranging service in Nashville 

TRANSCRIPTIONS ARRANGING 

listener its primal singularity. 

“I wanted to do something that had some 

emotion and resonance musically, along with 

technical virtuosity,” Fleck said. 

“I’ve dedicated this piece to Earl Scruggs. 

I realized that he’s the reason that thousands 

of people have come to Nashville. None of 

the bluegrass folks would have come here if 

it wasn’t for him — or Bill Monroe — and 

for the banjo, he is the holy grail. He turned 

that instrument around and rescued it from 

the garbage bin, really. It had been excised 

from the [popular and jazz] music partly 

because some hated it and the reminder of 

the slave days. 

“He [Scruggs] made it popular again , and 

basically brought the banjo back from the 

dead. I wouldn’t do what I do if it wasn’t for 

his innovations.” 

And Fleck is thrilled that his latest 

personal progression was able to take place in 

Nashville, where he believes the instrument 

is understood and appreciated. 

“The metamorphosis of the Nashville 

Symphony is very inspiring,” he said. “It’s 

very amazing. They’re more highly regarded 

than ever in the world of classical music. 

They’re so vital — they’re commissioning 

new works, they’ve created this new hall. I 

have to say that I’m really glad I’ve ended up 

doing this here; the banjo has always had a 

home here in Nashville.”n 

Next Membership 

Meeting 

Monday, Nov. 7, 2011 

George Cooper Rehearsal Hall 

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 

Meeting starts at 6 p.m. 

Election nomination 

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By Dave Pomeroy 

Chet Atkins, the late AFM 257 icon, 

is the well-deserved subject of a 

new exhibit at the Country Music 

Hall of Fame, Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar 

Player, which will run through June 2012. 

This fascinating exhibit captures the essence 

of Atkins’s multifaceted career as a performer, 

composer, recording artist, producer, engineer, 

instrument designer, record executive, and 

of course, one of the most influential and 

imitated guitarists of all time. 

The entrance to the exhibit is a huge 

montage of dozens of Atkins album covers, 

just a small sampling of his prodigious 

recorded output from 1947 to 1997, and 

instantly gives you a sense of how long and 

varied his career really was. 

The well-designed exhibit contains many 

of Chet’s most beloved and important 

personal artifacts, including a stunning array 

of his instruments, rare photographs, awards, 

letters, and audio and visual presentations 

that illuminate the different sides of Atkins 

musical career and his incredible legacy. 

George Harrison’s original typewritten 

and hand-corrected liner notes, written for 

the album Chet Atkins Picks On The Beatles, 

is a priceless example of the respect Atkins 

routinely inspired in even the most famous 

musicians in the world. His collaborations 

with many of the world’s greatest pickers are 

well documented in pictures and video clips. 

One particularly touching section contains 

Atkins’ actual home workshop just as he left 

Photo by Donn Jones 

GUITAR GOD 

New Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit, 

book honor the late, great Chet Atkins 

it, with guitar tools, golf clubs, favorite hats, 

and more, and is a beautiful snapshot of a 

creative soul in his home environment. This 

exhibit is certainly a Holy Grail for any guitar 

aficionado, but even a casual music fan will 

appreciate this retrospective look at the life 

and music of one of the greatest musicians 

the world has ever known. 

The Country Music Foundation Press 

has also published a companion book to the 

exhibit, and it contains pictures of many of 

the highlights, along with a lot of additional 

material. The list of contributing authors is 

impressive to say the least, and includes Local 

257 members Steve Wariner, Walter Carter, 

John Knowles, Tommy Emmanuel, and Dr. 

Mark Pritchard, the longtime president of 

the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society. Fred 

W. Gretsch of Gretsch Guitars, a primary 

sponsor of the exhibit, opens the book with a 

heartfelt reflection of the special relationship 

between Atkins and the company that built 

many of his classic guitars. 

The book is split into four parts detailing 

different aspects of Atkin’s life and career, 

and the opening section “American Icon: 

The Musical Journey of Chet Atkins” 

chronicles his roots in east Tennessee and 

unflinchingly describes the challenges 

Atkins faced coming from a broken 

home. His father and mother divorced 

when he was only six years old. Despite 

their frequent absences, both his father 

and older half brother Jim, a successful 


Reviews 

guitarist 12 years his senior, were still big 

influences on his life and interest in music. 

His chronic asthma caused him to move 

to Georgia to live with his father at the age 

of ten. His health improved and he began 

to explore the world of music, influenced by 

everything he heard: his dad’s radio, street 

singers, and every guitar player within reach 

of Atkin’s inquisitive ears and fingers. 

Atkin’s career path was not an easy one, and 

this book pulls no punches when describing 

the setbacks that served to harden his resolve 

to make an impact on the world of music. He 

paid his dues with many staff guitarist gigs 

at radio stations across the country and made 

his Opry debut in 1946 playing with Red 

Foley. 

Foley featured Atkins on his own solo 

acoustic guitar spots, which were under 

appreciated and ultimately cut from the Opry 

show. Atkins resigned from Foley’s band and 

left Nashville. Following months without 

work, he finally landed a job at KWTO in 

Springfield, Mo., where he was given full rein 

to develop his guitar style as a featured artist. 

In 1947, he began recording for RCA 

Records under the direction of Steve Sholes, 

and while his initial records as a singing 

guitar player in the Merle Travis mold were 

not a success, the two men made a musical 

and business connection that would come to 

change Atkin’s life. Sholes began using him 

as a bandleader and arranger in the studio for 

his other acts on RCA. 

Still, he was not yet out of the woods. 

The recording ban of 1948 sent him back to 

Knoxville one more time, where he purchased 

piano tuning tools in order to ensure his ability 

to take care of his wife Leona and daughter 

Merle. He described this as the low point of his 

23

Reviews cont. 

career, but when the Carter Sisters came to 

WNOX, his opportunity for redemption 

arrived with them. 

Before long Atkins was a featured part 

of their act and his bold, distinctive style on 

electric guitar and dry humor as June Carter’s 

“straight man” proved to be perfect for the 

Carters, who insisted that he be included 

when they joined the Grand Ole Opry in 

1950. He moved the family back to Nashville 

and reunited with RCA’s Steve Sholes as well, 

and the rest is history. 

The “Guitarist” section of the book focuses 

on the development and impact of Atkin’s 

sound and style, those who influenced him, 

and vice versa. The book takes you through 

his long-and-storied career as a recording 

artist, and collaborator with guitar titans 

such as Merle Travis, Les Paul, Jerry Reed 

and Earl Klugh. 

In the “Tinkerer” section, guitar historian 

Walter Carter goes into intricate detail 

about Atkins’ lifelong pursuit of perfection 

in guitar design, playability, and sound, and 

the legacy of the many guitars that bear his 

name and design influence. He was famous 

for constantly tweaking his instruments 

and amplifiers right up until the end of his 

career and he also had one of the first-ever 

home studios, as well as the aforementioned 

workshop. 

“Producer: RCA’s Man In Nashville” 

spotlights Atkins’ achievements as a record 

company executive and producer. Along with 

Owen Bradley, he was one of the architects 

of the Nashville Sound, which led to the first 

country music boom in the early ’60s. The list 

of hit records with which he was associated 

remains one of the great accomplishments in 

music history. The pictures in this book alone 

are enough to make any guitar fan salivate, 

and the content is fascinating. 

The defining characteristics of Atkins‘ 

life and career — his never-ending quest 

for musical knowledge and self expression 

— is eloquently told through his music and 

the words of his friends and colleagues in 

essays, pictures, letters, and anecdotes. As a 

companion piece, this book does justice to 

the spectacular CMHOF exhibit, but it also 

stands alone as an intimate overview of the 

man known as “Mr. Guitar.” 

Chet Atkins was a one-of-a-kind person 

as well as a musician’s musician, whose 

impact on the world, the guitar, the music 

industry, and Nashville in particular, cannot 

be overestimated. It is moving to see his 

personal guitars on display once again, and 

wonderful to have his story told so well by 

the Country Music Hall of Fame. Both the 

book and the exhibit will warm your heart, 

make you laugh, and reach for the nearest 

Chet Atkins album. n 

Parachute 

The Way It Was 

Mercury 

The band Parachute, consisting of Will Anderson, 

Johnny Stubblefield, Alex Hargrave, 

Kit French, and Nate McFarland, are recent 

transplants to Music City and Local 257. 

They began their career in 2008 in the Charlottesville, 

Va., area, also home to Dave Matthews. 

Parachute’s second album for Mercury 

Records, The Way It Was, is an energetic, 

hook-filled effort that showcases excellent 

songwriting and musicianship, passionate 

vocals, state of the art production by John 

Fields, and has something to appeal to nearly 

every rock and pop fan. 

Songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist 

Anderson has a knack for creating fresh 

musical ideas and accessible lyrics that give 

Parachute its own identity, yet have an air of 

classic familiarity. His vocal performances 

on the album are unashamedly emotional 

and the band rises and falls behind him with 

excellent dynamics, plenty of U2-ish ringing 

guitars, a driving rhythm section, and explosive 

production flourishes. 

Unafraid of lyrical drama, the ever-shifting 

sonic landscape seems to reflect the 

mood of the singer in that moment. “Forever 

and Always” is a bittersweet tale of losing 

a loved one unexpectedly, and the rush 

of thoughts and images reflect the real life 

panic that such a situation creates, while the 

unexpected ending brings the built-up tension 

to a satisfying conclusion. 

The album covers a lot of stylistic ground, 

with echoes of Brit-pop, classic rock, and 

singer-songwriter influences alternating as 

the album progresses. The string section on 

“You And Me” leads the charge, and takes the 

record to an unexpected, cinematic place. 

Stubblefield’s pulsating drumming and 

Hargrave’s energetic bass work are an excellent 

underpinning to songs like “Something 

To Believe In,” which marries an uplifting 

gospel lyric with a choir vocal approach. 


“American Secrets” is the album’s epic centerpiece, 

with its stop-start rhythms building 

to a huge sing along chorus and a wall of 

melodic guitars that would do Tom Petty or 

Springsteen proud. 

The introspective coda is a glimmer of 

hope for love not lost. “Kiss Me Slowly” will 

undoubtedly gain the band legions of female 

fans with its combination of insistence, sensitivity, 

quiet piano-driven verses, and memorable, 

hooky chorus. 

The Way It Was is an intriguing combination 

of contemporary and classic rock and 

certainly points toward any number of new 

musical directions for this exciting young 

band. Keep your eyes peeled for Parachute 

— they’ve got the goods. — Roy Montana 

Blake Shelton 

Red River Blue 

Warner Bros. 

Blake Shelton is a busy man these days. Yet 

despite the recent demands of being both 

a newlywed and a network TV panelist on 

NBC’S The Voice, he somehow found the 

time to record Red River Blue, which debuted 

at No. 1, and is his seventh album for 

Warner Bros. 

The opening track, “Honey Bee,” is the 

fastest-selling single by a male country artist 

to go gold. In the chorus Shelton cleverly 

name-checks a legendary country duo: “You 

be my little Loretta, I’ll be your Conway 

Twitty.” Here’s hoping that the reference will 

motivate some of Shelton’s younger fans to 

search a few record bins. 

“Honey Bee” is followed by a range of 

mostly midtempo songs. “Get Some” is a humorous 

look at the lengths we all go to in the 

hope of, well, you know. “Good Ole Boys” 

claims it’s getting harder all the time to find 

the real men, the ones “working on a farm / 

Or out there chasin’ rainbows.” 

“Hey” is the sort of homonym joke that 

only Music Row writers really can pull off: 

“Hey, hey, I’m out here bailin’ hay.” Verse two 

takes a hilariously strange turn; without giv- 

24 The Nashville Musician 

ing away too much, let’s just say that Shelton 

probably won’t be asked to perform this one 

for the Family Research Council. The bridge 

even quotes “I Am The Walrus” just for fun. 

The final track is the true heart and soul 

of this collection. “Red River Blue,” written 

by Ray Stephenson and Buddy Owens, is an 

absolute gem, a moving tale of heartache experienced 

by the stubbornly proud man who 

let the woman he loves slip away. The acoustic 

guitars of Bryan Sutton and Ilya Toshinsky 

— both Local 257 members — drive this 

one all the way. Producer Scott Hendricks 

wisely chooses to keep the intensity level low, 

letting the lyric — and Shelton’s delivery — 

do the emotional heavy lifting. It’s the kind 

of song Nashville does best, and it draws the 

album to a perfect close. — Kent Burnside 

Various Artists 

The Lost Notebooks of Hank William 

Egyptian Records/CMF Records/Columbia Records 

Ronnie Dunn 

Ronnie Dunn 

Sony Nashville 

“Singer In A Cowboy Band,” the first track of 

Ronnie Dunn’s solo debut album, opens with 

a nasty tremolo guitar lick that explodes into 

a punk country roadhouse beat before setting 

up his familiar voice passionately belting out 

a lyric of a hard life spent on the road. 

Dunn’s distinctive vocals are front and 

center like never before, and are in top form 

throughout this self-produced project. The 

rockers are smoking, the ballads have an 

R&B edge that brings out the soulful side of 

Dunn’s voice, and his classic country growl 

is fine shape. 

The album credits reveal that 48 of Nashville’s 

finest players appear on this record, although 

individual songs are not specified, so 

it’s a bit difficult to know exactly who played 

on what. Regardless, the playing is consistently 

outstanding. Five acoustic guitar players, 

six bassists, and seven electric guitarists 

are listed, as well as dozens of other players 

and singers, including strings beautifully orchestrated 

by Bergen White. 

Nine of the 12 songs were written or cowritten 

by Dunn, and most celebrate work- 


There are many questions concerning 

the appropriateness of the new 

tribute album, The Lost Notebooks of 

Hank Williams, in which a variety of singersongwriters 

added melodies, and in some cases 

lyrics, to unpublished Hank Williams songs. 

Those questions were underscored when 

Williams’ grandson, AFM 257 member and 

recording artist Hank Williams III, revealed 

he was not asked to participate in the project. 

But putting all those questions of propriety 

aside, there can be no argument of the artistic 

credibility of the record. 

The album is the brainchild of veteran A&R 

executive Mary Martin. Martin originally 

envisioned it as a project for Bob Dylan, who has always cited the influence of Williams 

on his own music, and unquestionably a full-length album of material cowritten by two 

of the most influential songwriters in the history of popular music would have generated 

enormous interest. But Dylan thought additional artists should be involved, so they brought 

12 other singer-songwriters on board who count Williams among their influences — not 

only country artists, but also artists from the pop and rock worlds, including Levon Helm, 

Lucinda Williams and Jack White. And although Hank III wasn’t asked to participate, one 

of Williams’ grandchildren, singer-songwriter Holly Williams, was among the contributors. 

The song she cowrote with her grandfather, “Blue Is My Heart,” features her father, Hank 

Williams Jr. on backing vocals. 

Williams’ words, and their transcendent energy, are what empower this collection. You 

can tell the artists approached the project with care, borrowing heavily from the Williams 

songbook, with a few twists and turns, in crafting their melodies and arrangements. The 

result is every track feels right, even the contributions by artists whose names leap out 

as possibly not being a good fit for the project — White, Norah Jones, Jakob Dylan and 

Sheryl Crow. It’s easy to imagine Williams himself singing any of the 12 tracks included 

on this remarkable collection. 

Alan Jackson’s collaboration, “You’ve Been Lonesome, Too,” kicks off the record and 

immediately establishes an authentic tone with a sparse arrangement — “just like Hank 

[would’ve] done it back in 1949,” as he explained in an interview with GAC — no piano 

or drums. 

Dylan’s cowrite, “The Love That Faded,” follows, and even though his accompaniment 

includes drums and piano, it continues the authentic vibe. His pained vocals, which suggest 

he himself has lived William’s expression of love past, are backed with an arrangement 

featuring a catchy, Cajun-flavored waltz groove. 

A number of 257 members contributed to this unique tribute album, including Jackson, 

Patty Loveless, and Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell, who both collaborated with the late 

legend on “I Hope You Shed A Millions Tears,” the only three-way cowrite on the record. 

Although it is often written, but rarely true, there is not a bad track on this album. Some 

tracks, however, reveal more than others. It is really not surprising that Loveless’ track, 

or other tracks by artists with Nashville connections, sound like Hank Williams songs. 

But Jones’ beautiful “How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart” is a complete and 

pleasant surprise because it shows what a great country artist she could be if she wanted. 

And Levon Helm not only nails his collaboration, “You’ll Never Again Be Mine,” but in 

the process, reminds us how much Williams’ songs informed the music of The Band. 

The album closes with a religious-themed track by Merle Haggard, “The Sermon On The 

Mount.” Like Dylan and Helm, Haggard is of the generation that felt the direct influence 

of Hank Williams — while he was still alive and performing and recording — and just like 

Dylan and Helm, he is able to reach within and find that place occupied by Williams in his 

own art. Haggard’s cowrite is a moving and fitting finale to a project that was inherently 

fraught with artistic risks and yet succeeded. 

— Daryl Sanders 

25

Reviews cont. 

ing class values, perseverance, and the faithful 

side of love. “Your Kind Of Love” is a dynamic 

ballad with an insistent build, gospel vocal 

chorus, and an arena-worthy rock guitar solo. 

“Cost of Livin’” is a real world tale of a man 

doing all he can to get by, and Dunn’s understated 

vocal performance brings it home. 

“Bleed Red” is an uplifting pop rock anthem 

calling for a common understanding of 

the many things we all have in common. “Let 

the Cowboy Rock” does exactly that, with a 

funky barroom 2/4 beat featuring hot guitar 

and bass interplay. 

The closer “Love Owes Me One” is a soulful 

ballad that closes the album with a reflection 

on love lost and the hope of redemption. 

Dunn’s voice has never sounded more genuine 

and vulnerable than it does here. This album 

emphatically serves notice that Dunn is 

ready to stretch out artistically after his legendary 

20-year run with Kix Brooks as one 

of the top duos in country music history. 

— Roy Montana 

Frankie Ballard 

Frankie Ballard 

Warner Bros. 

The power chords that open track one tell 

the tale: This ain’t your father’s country. 

Frankie Ballard’s self-titled debut is a pedalto-the-metal 

ride through today’s country 

music landscape, and it never slows down or 

lets up. 

Produced by Michael Knox, Frankie Ballard 

is a crunch guitar-dominated collection 

of rock-oriented country songs in the vein of 

Montgomery Gentry or Jason Aldean — not 

surprising, given that Knox is also Aldean’s 

producer. 

Ballard is a young artist with a voice and 

guitar style well suited to the material. On 

six of the eight tracks he shares electric guitar 

duties with Local 257 member Adam 

Shoenfeld. The liner photos show him with 

four axes — a Strat, a Firebird, a Les Paul, 

and a Heritage — for those keeping score at 

home — and his “thank you” list includes one 

“for makin’ sure I don’t blow all my money on 

guitars.” Got to love his attitude! 

The first single, “A Buncha Girls,” sings 

the praises of the fairer sex while driving 

home the ageless truth: “Nothing drives the 

boys right outta their minds / Like a buncha 

girls.” And those boys want nothing more 

than to be “right-now Romeos” to the “seven-day 

senoritas” vacationing south of the 

border. 

“Sober Me Up” stands the old lyrical conceit 

of love-as-intoxicant on its head. Here 

the pressures and demands of everyday living 

“get you drunk and cloud up your mind,” so 

“I need you to come and stop the room from 

spinnin’ / Sober me up.” It’s an imaginative 

reworking of a well-known idea. 

“Grandpa’s Farm” closes the album with a 

bang. The swampy rock groove calls to mind 

late-period Lynyrd Skynyrd, right down to 

the slide guitar and gospel-drenched female 

backing vocals. It’s a classic tale of young love 

(or lust) for the girl who “comes down every 

summer / To waste time on your grandpa’s 

farm.” Ballard and Shoenfeld’s twin guitar 

attack flat-out rocks, and the drumming of 

Local 257’s Greg Morrow really seals the 

deal. Crank it up! — Kent Burnside 

Jay Patten 

Crystal Nights 

Flamingo Records 

“Blue” Jay Patten has been a respected member 

of the Nashville music scene for many 

years, and this multi-talented Local 257 

member wears many hats on his latest album, 

Crystal Nights. His trademark alto sax and 

mellow vocals are at the forefront as usual, 

but he also plays soprano and tenor saxes, 

guitar, mandolin, keyboards, and flutes. 

He wrote or cowrote eight tunes on this 

project, which he coproduced with Rick 

Lonow and Christos. This diverse record is a 

mix of jazz, rock and pop influenced instrumentals, 

sentimental vocal ballads, and reworkings 

of classic songs from various genres 

and, as Patten says in the liner notes, a couple 

of more “far-out” tunes. 

Patten moved to Nashville in 1978 and 

became a fixture in the local scene and on 

the road as longtime bandleader for Crystal 

Gayle. This record is dedicated to her and she 

makes a guest appearance as Patten’s duet 

partner on “Memories Are Made Of This,” 

which features Tony Newman on drums, Jim 

Ferguson on bass, Mike Holten on trumpet 

and Bob Patin on keys. 

The album’s opener is a creative remake of 

Allen Reynolds’ classic song, “Ready For The 

Times To Get Better,” with a ghostly vocal 

by Christos that enters at the end of the eloquent 

instrumental version, which features 

Andy Reiss’ supple acoustic guitar interwoven 

with Patten’s stacked saxophones. 

His original instrumentals have an accessible, 

friendly feel and combine Blue Note 

grooves, contemporary jazz stylings, and 

memorable melodies. 

Patten’s roots as a classic jazz singer come 

out in lush originals like “Finally” which 

sounds like it could have been written back 

in the day. He also has a way with standards, 

and both “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and 

“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” get unusual 

rhythmic and harmonic treatments that remain 

fresh with repeated listenings. 

Lonow’s drums and percussion are funky 

and tasteful in every style, as is the bass 

work by Toni Sehulster, long one of Nashville’s 

underappreciated gems. Catherine 

Marx plays keyboards with her trademark 

flair. In addition to Patten’s solid arch top 

rhythm guitar playing, Andy Reiss is featured 

on the title track playing burning 

Carlton-esque leads, and longtime Patten 

collaborator Mike Loudermilk also contributes 

some brilliant acoustic playing on 

“Little Friend.” 

“One More Goodbye” has an atmospheric 

“ECM meets David Sanborn” sound. As for 

Patten’s more far-out numbers, “True and 

Tried” features Native American flutes and 

a passionate vocal that expresses the need for 

peace and understanding between peoples, 

and the vibey “Freedom Song” rounds out 

the stylistic journey with a street-wise hip 

hop beat and a ‘60s style lyric that celebrates 

the universal need for all types of freedom. 

This album takes the listener to many satisfying 

places, and Patten and friends once 

again demonstrate the varied talents of the 

Nashville music community to great effect. 

For more information go to www.jaypatten. 

com. — Roy Montana 



By Laura Ross 

As our season begins, I find myself 

reflecting on the history of our 

orchestra; what it has endured 

and accomplished. This season we present 

a number of NSO-commissioned world 

premiers, including Bela Fleck’s Concerto 

for Banjo and Orchestra, which will be 

recorded for future release by Naxos. They 

are interested in releasing our recording 

projects this season, so the planned Nashville 

Symphony recording label is currently on 

hold. We return to Carnegie Hall 12 years 

after our first concert, which led to building 

a top-notch performance space – the 

Schermerhorn Symphony Center. 

We have a talented management team, 

led by Alan Valentine, along with a board 

and public who support the orchestra and 

understand the importance of the arts in our 

communities. The orchestra is at full strength 

and all vacancies — aside from musicians on 

disability — have been filled. We have much 

to be thankful for. As someone who lived 

through some of our worst times – the strike 

in 1985 as well as the shutdown and Chapter 

11 bankruptcy in 1988 – I am appreciative, 

but aware that it takes care and dedication by 

all parties to keep the orchestra from going 

down the wrong path. 

Orchestras nationwide struggle for 

survival 

Orchestras all around the country are fighting 

for their lives and livelihoods. ICSOM 

(International Conference of Symphony and 

Opera Musicians) delegate Brad Mansell 

and I traveled to Detroit in August to attend 

the ICSOM conference where speakers and 

panels of musicians shared their stories and 

insights with attendees. 

The Detroit Symphony strike, a result 

of unreasonable proposals that attacked 

job security, and also drastically reduced 

compensation and benefits, should never have 

happened. The strike could have been averted 

if management had wanted an agreement, 

but it was clear they did not. The strike took 

six months to settle and DSO musicians 

successfully fought off egregious terms, first 

of all because they were tenacious. They 

also received incredibly generous financial 

support from orchestras across the country 


Symphony Notes 

thanks to ICSOM’s Call to Action, which 

raised more than $300,000 in contributions. 

In addition, they had wonderful support by 

the Detroit community that sustained them 

throughout the strike. Sadly, key members 

and entire sections of the orchestra left to 

find a better working relationship without 

the toxic atmosphere in Detroit that must 

now be repaired. 

Now orchestras are filing bankruptcies 

that, in nearly all cases, could and should 

have been handled differently. 

In Syracuse, the board managed to 

negotiate two incredibly concessionary 

contracts and then bailed in the middle of 

the orchestra’s 50th anniversary by filing for 

Chapter 7 – liquidation bankruptcy. Worse 

yet, the orchestra joined the AFM-EPF four 

years ago but the majority of these musicians 

are not vested to receive a retirement benefit 

because it takes five years to qualify. 

The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra 

filed for Chapter 7 this year, and 

simultaneously, tried to cheat their musicians 

from receiving payment of back wages owed 

as claimants in bankruptcy court when 

musicians were asked to sign waivers. 

Three hours north, Louisville Orchestra 

musicians face the fight of their lives. In 

December they filed for Chapter 11 – 

reorganization bankruptcy, and though they 

worked under the terms of their contract until 

Detroit Symphony members and supporters took to the streets during a six-month strike that was resolved last April. 

27

Symphony Notes cont. 

May 31, it has now expired. The executive 

director and board chairman are attempting 

to gut and disassemble the orchestra by 

instituting a series of tiered contracts that 

drop about one-third of the musicians to 

poverty level wages. 

They also appear dedicated to replacing 

seasoned professional musicians with 

students and non-union employees. The 

board refused to take advantage of the 

impending 75th anniversary of the orchestra 

that would have begun this September. They 

also refused to take advantage of a newly 

released documentary, Music That Made a 

City, which relates how a former Louisville 

mayor convinced the city to support 

commissioning and recording of new works 

that made this orchestra famous and leaves a 

legacy of recordings unduplicated since that 

time. 

Then there is the Philadelphia Orchestra 

Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This orchestra, which 

toured Europe earlier this fall, has a $140 

million endowment and owns a renowned 

performance venue that they abandoned 

for pennies to supposedly gain better rental 

terms in a new auditorium they don’t own. 

They have a frozen private pension plan as 

UPCOMING 

AT THE SCHERMERHORN 

Mention 

promo code 

AFM for 10% 

off tickets! 

*some exclusions apply 

well as eight years of participation in the 

AFM-EPF. Yes, there were some terrible 

business decisions made by the management 

and board but rather than accept liability 

for their actions and identify solutions, the 

board filed for bankruptcy so they could 

unload their musicians’ pension obligations, 

plus burn through three million in attorney 

fees in five months with more to come until 

the bankruptcy is settled. 

The New York City Opera’s problems 

seem almost unimaginable, yet they are all 

true. Their board depleted their endowment 

while the New York State Theater, now 

called the David H Koch Theater, was 

refurbished. Then the company was told that 

due to lack of funding, they would abandon 

Lincoln Center to play in multiple venues. 

They were also told that their season was cut 

to five productions; and that the contracts 

of the various constituencies, including the 

orchestra, would be reduced to per service, 

which is illegal, since even an expired contract 

remains in place until a successor agreement 

is negotiated. 

This is unconscionable and irresponsible 

behavior by businessmen and businesswomen 

who should know better. Can you imagine if 

NashvilleSymphony.org 615.687.6400 

SunTrust Classical Series 

Nov. 3-5 TCHAIKOVSKY’S VIOLIN CONCERTO 

Nov. 17-19 MAHLER’S FOURTH 

Dec. 1-3 BRAHMS’S FIRST 

Bank of America Pops Series 

Oct. 20-22 CHRISTOPHER CROSS 

Nov. 10-12 MIKE ELDRED — The Very Best of John Denver 

The Ann & Monroe Carell Family Trust Pied Piper Series 

Oct.29 THE COMPOSER IS DEAD, Two performances: 

One in English and one in Spanish! 

Dec. 17 THE HOLIDAY MUSIC INSTRUMENT WORKSHOP 

Special Events 

Oct. 31 HALLOWEEN MOVIE NIGHT 

Featuring Phantom of the Opera 

with organist Tom Trenney 

Nov. 8 DRUMLINE LIVE 

Nov. 13 NATALIE MERCHANT 

Nov. 22 KINGS OF SALSA 

Dec. 8 HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 

Featuring LeAnn Rimes 

Dec. 15-17 HANDEL’S MESSIAH 

Dec. 18 ORGAN RECITAL with ISABELLE DEMERS 

Dec. 20 ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL: 

Santa Loves to Boogie 

Dec. 22 RICKY SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS 

they ran their own companies in this fashion? 

In all these situations the musicians, who 

have dedicated their lives and livelihoods to 

their orchestras were willing to find solutions 

but were instead treated no better than 

unwanted pets. There is no excuse for this 

abdication of responsibility. 

Thank you to our supporters 

During our week in Detroit another thing 

was made clear to me – we are blessed with 

dedicated local officers and staff who work 

hard on our behalf. The Detroit Symphony, 

with the enthusiastic assistance of Local 5, 

put on a magnificent conference. During 

the six-month strike Local 5 did everything 

it could to support its musicians, including 

spending considerable resources. Honolulu’s 

Local 677 is another fine example of the 

support and leadership we hope to find when 

we are struggling. 

Sadly, not all our colleagues are as 

lucky; there are locals in this country more 

concerned about keeping work dues flowing 

into the local than assisting musicians 

who face difficult battles. Interestingly, the 

musicians in Detroit rewarded Local 5 for 

their loyalty and support by contributing 

$25,000 to the local once the dust settled 

after the strike. 

As we begin our season, from now until 

the end of December we will perform 21 

different types of concerts – a Gala, five 

Classical Concert series, three Pops Concert 

series, one opera, two ballets (including 

Nutcracker), four holiday themed concerts, 

youth and children’s concerts, run-outs, and 

a free concert. We will even stream our first 

Thursday Classical Concert on the web — 

which is allowed under the terms of the 

Integrated Media Agreement. 

In closing, I joined some of our new 

members following a rehearsal and so 

enjoyed the opportunity to know them 

better. They are funny and charming and 

very excited to join our orchestra. They bring 

energy and enthusiasm to our orchestra, and 

we welcome them to our family. 

Laura Ross is the Nashville Symphony Union 

Steward. You can reach her at lar2vln@ 

afm257.org. 

If you run for office in 

AFM Local 257 

Remember that your candidate biography is 

limited to 250 words and may include a photo. 

The deadline for bio submissions will be determined 

and announced to the candidates by the 

chair of the Election Committee. 



By Austin Bealmear 

Although multiple-Grammy winning 

guitarist Larry Carlton has been a 

major presence here since moving 

to the area about 15 years ago, Nashville is 

rarely on his regular touring schedule. This 

was remedied with a performance Sept. 30 at 

the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, which 

showcased his latest album, Larry Carlton 

Plays the Sound of Philadelphia. 

At first glance, a smooth jazz guitar tribute 

to the Philadelphia rhythm and blues hit 

factory created by songwriters like Kenneth 

Gamble, Leon A. Huff, and Thom Bell may 

seem like just another attempt to sell product, 

but this project came about in a much more 

intriguing fashion. 

First, as AFM 257 member Carlton 

described to me in an interview, his own 

style on the Gibson ES-335 came from his 

interest and participation in many kinds of 

music, including jazz, blues, R&B, rock, and 

country, in the late ‘60s and ‘70s, the era of 

the great Philly soul sound. By the mid- 

1980s, he had done over 3000 sessions for all 

kinds of music. 

About the album, he told JazzTimes, 

“Every song was a great pop song, every song 

was a hit. They (Gamble & Huff ) had this 

unique twist of producing R&B but with 

an orchestra. They had great melodies, but 

for the day, they had more sophisticated 

harmonies, and their use of orchestration to 

present these R&B sorts of pop tunes was 

very appealing. Their songs were about social 

events of the day and they also wrote love 

songs.” 

Secondly, Carlton’s participation was not 

even a thought during the original sessions. 

“All of the tracks that were assembled for this 

project were completed before I was asked to 

be the artist,” he said. “So that was kind of 

unique. Actually, the tracks were produced 

with a singer in mind, and the singer did not 

work out. Those tracks sat for almost a year, 

untouched, until producer Billy Terrell said, 


‘I wonder if Larry Carlton could do those 

instrumentally?’ 

“So he sent me the hard drive. And then 

he just left me alone to put guitar on it the 

way I wanted to do it. If you take a song like, 

‘Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,’ the line 

‘could it be…’ on the guitar can all be played 

on one string and just be the same sound. 

But I spent most of my time in preparation, 

just trying to get those lyrics to speak on my 

guitar. What string should I play that on? 

Is that an upstroke? How do I get as close 

as I can to the articulation of the original 

version?” 

The record, released by Carlton’s own 

company, 335 Records, sounds like the 

perfect project for the signature vocal-like 

guitar lines that made his reputation in the 

early ’70s. 

Guitar legend Larry Carlton explores the 

sounds of Philly R&B on his new recording. 

Rahsaan Barber launches new 

production and promotion company 

Jazz Music City is the brainchild of 

saxophonist and 257 member Rahsaan 

Barber. The debut production, an October 

concert called “Celebrating Our Own” at 

the newly refurbished Franklin Theater, 

encompassed an impressive lineup of 

Nashville jazz talent, a dozen artists and 

groups. The company’s second effort is the 

launch of a new record label, Jazz Music 

City Records, with an album called Everyday 

Magic, featuring Barber’s new band of the 

same name. 

The band includes guitarist Adam Agati, 

pianist Jody Nardone, bassist Jerry Navarro, 

and drummer Nioshi Jackson. Trombonist 

Roland Barber, Rahsaan’s twin brother, and 

percussionist Giovanni Rodriguez guest on 

two tracks. The music, all Barber originals, 

Sax man Rahsaan Barber (right) has a 

new company and a new album. 


Jazz & Blues Beat 

is wide-ranging: uptempo groovers, gospeltinged 

love songs, waltzes, and more 

expansive compositions, which he renders on 

tenor, alto, soprano and flute. 

The philosophy behind the label and the 

company is clear when Rahsaan said, “There 

are so many different strands of music here in 

Nashville. There’s a unique opportunity here 

to build a sound.” Future projects are planned 

for El Movimiento (a Latin-jazz group led 

by Rahsaan, Giovanni and trumpeter Imer 

Santiago) pianist Bruce Dudley, vocalist 

Stephanie Adlington and a hip-hop brass 

band called the Megaphones. 

28th International Blues Challenge 

The International Blues Challenge (IBC), 

held every year in Memphis, is a worldwide 

search by the Blues Foundation and other 

blues societies for blues bands as well as solo 

and duo blues acts ready to headline national 

and international stages, but needing the 

extra break. It is the world’s biggest and most 

respected showcase for blues musicians. The 

IBC is a judged Battle of the Bands in which 

competitors play a short set for a panel of 

blues experts. The acts are judged based on 

blues content, instrumental talent, vocal 

talent, originality, stage presence, and more. 

The Nashville Blues Society will again 

sponsor the local competition this year, open 

to any blues band, solo or duo act within 

our membership and region. The Nashville 

Blues Challenge preliminary and semi-finals 

competitions will take place the week of 

Nov. 7, at World Music Nashville. The final 

competition will be held Nov. 12, at the Hard 

Rock Cafe. The winner in each category 

will be sent to the 28th International Blues 

Challenge scheduled for Jan. 31 through Feb. 

4, 2012. For entry forms and instructions, go 

to www.NashvilleBluesSociety.org 

Austin Bealmear is a member of AFM 257. He 

can be reached at austinbel@earthlink.net. 

29

RMA Corner 

By Tom Wild 

There is no doubt that the process of 

creating and distributing music — 

and video — has radically changed, 

and is no longer the sole domain of a small 

creative community. Increased access to 

technology has dramatically changed the 

market. One could argue that content 

creation — music in our case — has become 

a toy for the masses. Due to this, there is a 

perception in some circles that the talents, 

services and products of union professionals 

are now devalued. This in turn becomes 

a rationale for off-the-card work and the 

elimination of back-end payments. 

The value of intellectual property is in 

freefall and the creative field is crowded with 

people willing to give everything away. Still, 

economic realities and time constraints come 

into play. Cheap or free doesn’t automatically 

equal quality. It takes experience to create 

content in a timely manner. Professionals are 

usually involved and they get paid. Union 

agreements are not a thing of the past, nor 

are they necessarily prohibitive. 

For professionals, this is where solidarity 

should come into play. “Undeniable” product 

is our domain. Pop culture trends are, by 

nature, disposable. Fads can and do fall by 

the wayside, but there will always be a need 

for professionally created content. 

We are currently enjoying the fruits of “race 

to the bottom” wages as well as an “everyone 

for themselves” mindset, but an interesting 

phenomenon is taking place. Local AFM 

membership is on the rise. We have seen 

an increase in both younger first timers and 

returning members. Perhaps an organization 

that offers standardized wage scales, benefits 

and binding national agreements isn’t such a 

bad deal after all. It’s always good to know 

that somebody has your back. 

In today’s AFM, there is a great 

opportunity to influence the policies that 

affect our bottom lines. The everyday, realworld 

experience of RMA members can 

help shape a better union. Current economic 

conditions may cause some cornerstones of 

the past to fall by the wayside. 

Needless to say, we are beyond the 

era when protections are considered an 

entitlement. We must earn them. However, 

new revenue streams will emerge and we 

should be positioned to profit from them. 

We have energetic, forward thinking 

leaders at our local and on the International 

Executive Board (IEB). There is no reason 

for any AFM or RMA member to feel 

excluded from the decision making process. 

You cannot assume that somebody else has all 

the answers. The job of charting the future is 

happening now and your input is essential. 

Local 257 elections are just around the 

corner, with RMA Nashville elections coming 

soon as well. Your involvement in your Union 

as a dues paying RMA member keeps Local 

257 in the loop with our changing reality. 

I would urge anyone with an interest in 

the inner workings of our union to consider 

serving as an officer or board member. There 

is a great sense of satisfaction in helping 

to look after the interests of your fellow 

musicians and helping to shape the future of 

Local 257 and the AFM. 

In Solidarity. 

Tom Wild is treasurer of the Nashville chapter 

of the RMA. You can reach him at tbwild@ 

comcast.net. 

Calling 

for AFM 

Member 

Recordings! 

FOR MORE INFO REACH US AT 

WWW.GOPROTUNES.COM 

WWW. 

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

HELP IS 

AVAILABLE AT 

EVERY STEP! 

 

 

 

 

 



Jack Barlow 

1924-2011 

Lifetime Local 257 member Jack 

Barlow, born Jack Harold Butcher, 

died July 29, 2011 at age 87. The 

guitarist and singer was born in 1924 in 

Moline, Ill. Following his service in the 

Navy during WWII, Barlow returned home 

to the family farm and soon after began his 

career in radio as a disc jockey on KWPC 

in Muscatine, Iowa. In 1950 he was hired by 

WQUA Radio in Moline, Ill., and became a 

renowned DJ and country music entertainer 

in the Midwest. 

During the mid-1960s, Barlow’s career 

took off as a singer-songwriter and recording 

artist when his first hit song, “I Love Country 

Music” was released and topped the charts. 

He moved to Nashville in 1967, where 

he continued singing and appeared with 

Johnny Cash, George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, 

Dottie West, Patsy Cline, Mel Tillis, Porter 

Waggoner, Chet Atkins, Boots Randolph, 

and many more. He became a member of 

AFM Local 257 on July 16, 1969. 

Barlow went on to record four albums and 

numerous singles including “Catch the Wind,” 

which reached the top 10 on Billboard’s 

Top 100. He continued entertaining his 

fans during many appearances at the Grand 

Ole Opry in Nashville; the Landmark and 

Golden Nugget in Las Vegas; the Montreal 

World’s Fair, and other country music venues. 

He also appeared in several movies. In 1972, 

in addition to his singing career, Barlow 

recorded a memorable jingle for Big Red 

Chewing Gum. He continued recording 

commercials for many years and was the 

voice for several national brands including 

Busch Beer, Budweiser, Chrysler, Dollar 

General, Kraft, Uncle Ben’s Rice, Dodge 

Trucks, K-Mart, and Kellogg’s. 


Billy Grammer 

1925-2011 

Lifetime AFM Local 257 guitarist, 

luthier and Grand Ole Opry member 

Billy Grammer passed away Aug. 10, 

2011 in his home state of Illinois from natural 

causes. Grammer, aged 85, became a member 

of Local 257 and the Opry in 1959. 

Grammer was one of 13 children, born 

Aug. 25, 1925, in a coal mining family. After 

high school and service in the U.S. Army, 

Grammer heard of a possible opening with 

Connie B. Gay, a disc jockey and promoter in 

the Washington, D.C. area. He hitchhiked to 

Arlington, Va., auditioned, and got the job. 

His skills as a musician won him stints 

in the bands of artists such as Hawkshaw 

Hawkins and Grandpa Jones, as well as 

a sideman role on The Jimmy Dean Show. 

He then formed his own band and began 

performing as a solo artist. 

In early 1959, he recorded his memorable 

hit “Gotta Travel On.” Its million-selling 

success led to Opry membership that same 

year. The song was a crossover pop hit adapted 

from a then 150-year-old British folk tune, 

and was the first hit for Monument Records, 

founded by Fred Foster. 

Grammer was an in-demand session picker 

many major artists, including Eddy Arnold, 

Louis Armstrong and Patti Page. “Musicians 

I have talked to through the years have told 

me that I have a little extra punch, a little 

extra push,” he once said. 

In 1965 he founded RG & G Company 

with Clyde Reid and J.W. Gower, where he 

developed the flat-top Grammer guitar. After 

a fire at the factory in downtown Nashville, 

the company was sold to Ampeg and 

renamed Grammer Guitar, Inc. Grammer’s 

guitar was produced until 1970. He donated 

the original model to the Country Music 

Hall of Fame in 1969, and Grammer Guitars 

Barlow was preceded in death by his 

parents, Harold and Jennie Hyink Butcher 

of Fruitland, Iowa; a daughter, Shane 

Humphrey of Bettendorf, Iowa and his sister, 

Lorraine Hoyt of Muscatine, Iowa. Survivors 

include his wife of 24 years, Dianne; brother, 

Keith Butcher of Muscatine, Iowa; daughters 

Sherry McGuigan and Jacque Mayberry; 

sons Kelly, Mike, Beau, and Cole Butcher; 

12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. 

A memorial tribute to Barlow, known as 

“the big man with the great big voice,” was 

held Aug. 13 at Harpeth Hills in Nashville, 

Tenn. n 


Final Notes 

are still sought after by collectors today. 

Grammer was devoutly religious and 

delivered the invocation for the Grand Ole 

Opry House opening in 1974. He and wife 

Ruth celebrated his 50th Opry anniversary 

at the show in February 2009. Right up to 

the end, his natural charisma and energy 

shone through in his final performances on 

the Opry. In 1990 he was inducted into the 

Illinois Country Music Hall of Fame, along 

with Tex Williams, Lulu Belle and Scotty, 

and Patsy Montana. 

Grammer was preceded in death by his 

parents, Archie and Stella Grammer, four 

brothers, John, Don, Charles and Carl 

Grammer; and one grandson, Jeff Blair. 

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, 

Ruth Elizabeth Burzynski Grammer, three 

children, Donna Blair of Nashville, Dianne 

Mezger of Dallas, Texas, and Billy Grammer 

of Richardson, Texas; four brothers, Lonnie 

Grammer of Royalton, Ill., Archie Grammer 

of Waterford, Mich., Darrell Grammer of 

Eddyville, Ky., Carroll Grammer of Cadiz, 

Ky.; and four sisters, Ramona Taskey, 

Ruby Talley and Carolyn Williams, all of 

Benton, Ill., and Sharon Moser of Pleasant 

Prairie, Wis. Other survivors include eight 

grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. 

Funeral services were held Aug. 13 at 

Morton & Johnson Funeral Home in 

Benton, Ill.n 

Terri Lee Cathay 

1925-2011 

Lifetime member Terri Lee Cathay, 

age 85, of Mt. Juliet, died Aug. 12, 

2011. Cathay joined Local 257 June 

29, 1965, and was a banjo player and singer. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, 

Robert and Mildred Fletcher and Charles 

and Georgia Simrell. Survivors include her 

daughter, Victoria Paty; three grandchildren 

and nine great-grandchildren. Graveside 

services were held Monday, Aug. 15, in 

Hermitage Memorial Gardens. n 

31

Final Notes 

Marshall Grant 

1928-2011 

Marshall Garnett Grant, bassist and 

AFM Local 257 Life member, 

died at age 83 on Aug. 7, 2011 

in Jonesboro, Ark. Grant was a founding 

member of Johnny Cash’s backing band, The 

Tennessee Two, and also served as Cash’s 

road manager. 

Grant fell ill while in Jonesboro for an 

event honoring Johnny Cash. The festival 

featured George Jones, Kris Kristofferson 

and Cash’s children Roseanne and John 

Carter Cash, and was a fundraiser to help 

restore Cash’s boyhood home and turn it 

into a museum. Roseanne Cash later said 

on Twitter that Grant was her “back-up 

dad,” and that “lots of bass players owe him 

a debt.” Local 257 president and bassist 

Dave Pomeroy concurred, saying “Marshall 

Grant made a huge contribution to the art 

of country bass playing on those early Cash 

records and the countless live performances 

that followed. Grant was propulsive and 

solid, but always very musical as well, and 

his friendly, wide open personality shone 

through in his playing.” 

Local 257 member Rick Lonow was at 

the gig performing with John Carter Cash, 

and said Grant, who was still active in the 

music business, brought a new artist he was 

working with to the venue to perform “Cry, 

Cry, Cry,” during the festival. “Marshall was 

Kenneth Baker 

1926-2011 

Renowned fiddle player Kenneth 

“Kenny” Baker, age 85, of 

Cottontown, Tenn., died July 8, 2011. 

The Life Local 257 member was born to the 

late Thaddeus and Myrtle Baker on June 26, 

1926 in Burdine, Ky. The son and grandson of 

fiddle players, he attended school in Burdine, 

but left early to serve in the U.S. Navy during 

World War II. 

Baker began his musical career by touring 

with the USO in the South Pacific. He 

later played with several small groups, then 

worked with Don Gibson. He went on to 

play for Bill Monroe longer than any other 

member of the Blue Grass Boys, Monroe’s 

with people he had known for many years, 

and there was lots of hugging and laughing. 

He was among a large gathering that knew 

him, loved him, and respected him. Marshall 

walked tall all day,” Lonow said. 

Grant was born May 5, 1928, and raised 

in Bessemer City, N.C. He was one of twelve 

children born to Willie Leander and Mary 

Elizabeth Simmonds Grant. He married 

Etta May Dickerson in 1946, and they 

settled in Memphis in 1947. 

Grant and Luther Perkins, the other 

member of the Tennessee Two, were car 

mechanics when they met Johnny Cash 

through his older brother, Roy, who was 

also a mechanic. After Cash returned from 

military service, he began working with 

Grant and Perkins, all three playing rhythm 

guitar. 

A self-taught musician, Grant switched 

from guitar to bass when the group decided 

Perkins should play lead guitar. Grant 

played with Cash from 1954-1980, and was 

considered an essential part of his “boomchicka-boom” 

trademark sound, which had a 

significant impact on country music. 

After his time with Cash, Grant managed 

The Statler Brothers from 1980 until their 

retirement in 2002, and later wrote an 

autobiography, I Was There When It Happened: 

My Life With Johnny Cash. 

In 2007 The Tennessee Two joined the 

Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, as 

part of its inaugural class of inductees. 

Grant played at the induction ceremony in 

Schermerhorn Symphony Center, backing 

Johnny’s son John Carter Cash. 

Grant is survived by Etta May, his wife 

of 65 years; one son, Randy Grant, two 

grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, 

two brothers, and three sisters. Funeral 

services were held Aug. 12 at Memorial 

Park Funeral Home in Memphis, with burial 

following in Memorial Park Cemetery.n 

band. Baker was considered one of the most 

influential fiddlers in bluegrass music, and 

Monroe frequently described Baker as “the 

greatest fiddler in bluegrass.” 

Many players emulated what was called 

Baker’s “long-bow” style of playing. County 

Records released a dozen albums of Baker’s 

music, recordings that were studied and 

learned by fiddlers around the country. “I 

have seen and heard fiddlers from New 

England to Florida, and from the Virginia 

coast to Missouri and the Ozarks playing 

Kenny’s tunes,” said David Freeman, owner 

of County Records. 

An article from the London Guardian, 

which lists Baker’s influences as including 

jazz artist Stephane Grappelli and western 

swing, quote him as saying that bluegrass is 

Louis B. Haas 

1920-2011 

Life Local 

257 member 

Louis B. Haas, 

Sr., 90, of Evansville 

died Aug. 24, 2011. 

Haas, a pianist, was 

born Dec. 18, 1920 

to William Cullen 

Haas and Jeanette 

(Hoeppel) Haas. He was a World War II 

veteran of the U.S. Army, where he was a 

foot soldier in the 65th Infantry. 

Haas devoted his life to music as a 

musician and teacher. He retired at the age 

of 80 from the Evansville Vanderburgh 

School Corporation, as a repairman for 

the music department. An accomplished 

musician, Haas performed with the 

Evansville Philharmonic and managed the 

Louis Haas Jazz Band for decades. He was 

a member of many organizations, including 

The Scottish Rite, No-Ruz-Grotto, Hadi 

Shrine, Constellation Lodge, Germania 

Maennerchor, and VFW No. 1114, as well 

as a longtime member of St. Paul’s United 

Church of Christ in Evansville. 

Haas was preceded in death by his wife 

of 52 years, Barbara Jean Haas; brothers 

William C. Haas, Jr., Eugene (Gene) Haas; 

grandson Fredrick (Nate) Haas. 

He is survived by sons Louis B. Haas, Jr. 

of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Frederick Haas 

of Evansville; one daughter, Barbara L. Haas 

of Ames, Iowa; five grandchildren, Vickie 

Riley, Sara Bailey, Penny Haas, Corissa Sale, 

and Isaiah Huber; and great-granddaughter 

Kairi Lyric Sale. 

Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 

29, at the Ziemer Funeral Home in Evansville, 

with the Rev. Jeff Long officiating. Burial 

was in Memorial Park Cemetery, where the 

Retired Veterans Memorial Club conducted 

graveside services. 

Condolences may be made to the family 

online at www.ziemerfuneralhome.com. n 

“nothing but a hillbilly version of jazz.” 

Baker received the National Heritage 

Fellowship from the National Endowment 

For The Arts in 1993 and was named to 

the International Bluegrass Music Hall of 

Honor in 1999. 

Survivors include his wife, Audrey; two 

sons, Kenneth Jr. and Johnny Lee Baker; 

one brother, Tom; sisters, Gloria and 

Margaret; four grandchildren and many 

great-grandchildren, and Joan Shagan of 

Cottontown. 

Services were held July 12, 2011 at the 

Burdine Freewill Baptist Church in Burdine, 

Ky. n 



New Members 

Shaun Halley-Murphy 

Balin 

FDL GTR BJO LPS 

1215 Joseph Avenue 

Nashville, TN 37207 

Cell-(615)-686-8758 

Monty Glenn Bradford 

(Monty Bradford) 

DRM 

1971 Bradbury Road 

Adams, TN 37010 

Cell-(931)-216-8545 

Hm-(931)-358-4896 

Genevieve Briggs 

FLT PIC ALF 

1334 Haines Ave 

Columbus, OH 43212 

Cell-(205)-613-8160 

Robert Edward Brullo 

(R.E.B.) 

GTR DRM KEY SAX 

BAS 

1003 San Domingo Road 

Orlando, FL 32808 

Hm-(407)-592-3927 

James Edwin Button 

OBO EHN 

178 2nd Ave N #303 


Cell-(615)-955-0825 

Ernest Stephen Carlson 

TBN EUP BR BTB 

4100 Meadow View Circle 

Pleasant View, TN 37146 

Cell-(615)-766-3838 

Joshua S Colby 

PRC PIA GTR BAS 

664 Shadowood Dr 


Cell-(586)-703-5188 

Marcus Edward Finnie 

(Marcus Stix Finnie) 

DRM 

758 Vernon Avenue 


Cell-(615)-481-5099 

In Memoriam 

The 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. 

Name Born Date Joined Died Life Member 

Kenneth Baker 6/26/1926 12/13/1957 7/08/2011 Yes 

Jack Barlow 5/18/1924 7/16/1969 7/29/2011 Yes 

Terri Lee Cathay 11/19/1925 6/29/1965 8/12/2011 Yes 

Wilma Lee Cooper 2/07/1921 3/2/1957 9/13/2011 Yes 

Billy W. Grammer 8/24/1925 3/27/1959 8/10/2011 Yes 

Marshall Grant 5/5/1928 7/7/1956 8/7/2011 Yes 

Louis B. Haas 12/18/1920 9/1/1992 8/24/2011 Yes 

Marilyn Ione Johnson 11/29/1931 9/1/1992 9/17/2011 

Johnnie R. Wright 5/13/1914 11/20/1947 9/27/2011 Yes 


Benjamin Matthew Hall 

(Ben Hall) 

GTR 

913 Moleah Court 

Hermitage, TN 37076 

Hm-(662)-891-5419 

Michael R Lancaster 

DRM 

1989 Nashboro Blvd. 


Cell-(252)-229-5829 

Richard Curtis Lane 

GTR 

517 Ridge Court W 

Old Hickory, TN 37138- 

1238 

Cell-(615)-533-8819 

Hm-(615)-754-6065 

Lucas Leigh 

217 McGavock Pike 


Cell-(901)-848-6347 

Frank James Macek 

BAS DRM GTR KEY 

PRG 

9528 West Cherokee 

Avenue 

Las Vegas, NV 89147 

Hm-(615)-834-3751 

David Bowen Matthews 

(Dave Matthews) 

PRC KEY PRG 

P.O. Box 331381 


Cell-(615)-479-5466 

Thomas Allen Mayes 

(Allen Mayes) 

PO Box 603 

Smyrna, TN 37167 

Cell-(706)-244-7762 

Samuel W McClung 

(Sam McClung) 

FLH TPT GTR COM 

ARR COP BAS 

604 Arbor Creek Way 


Cell-(615)-479-3090 

Carl R Melberg 

(Carl Roberts) 

BAS 

916 S High St Apt 3 

Columbia, TN 38401 

Cell-(615)-638-4404 

Kevin Hugh Moore 

MDN PIA VLN FDL 

GTR BAS DRM 

6827 Gamble Rd 

Birchwood, TN 37308 

Hm-(865)-804-3866 

Thurman Royce Morgan, Jr 

101 Royce Morgan Drive 

Beechmont, KY 42323 

Cell-(270)-977-0962 

Hm-(270)-476-2417 

Paul C Nelson 

CEL COP 

1060 Ashmore Dr 


Cell-(615)-969-0033 

Daniel Joseph 

O’Lannerghty 

BAS DRM KEY PIA 

8382 Collins Rd 


Cell-(615)-300-6533 


Jerry Louis Pentecost 

( Jerry Pentecost) 

DRM 

147 Hillside Drive 

Hendersonville, TN 37075 

Cell-(615)-838-6144 

David Piltch 

521 De La Vista Ave 

Santa Barbara, CA 93103 

Leonard Bruce Round 

(Lenny Round) 

BAS 

229 Vernon Traylor Dr 

Smyrna, TN 37167 

Hm-(419)-975-9055 

Rob E Tyre 

(Rob Tyre) 

GTR VOC BAS KEY 

AAA 

1451 Island Drive South 

St Petersburg, FL 33707 

Cell-(727)-458-6880 

Michael Vargo 

(Mike Vargo) 

VOC BAS GTR 

1305 Ardee Ave 


Cell-(216)-406-5098 

Nathan L Walters 

PIA KEY PRG GTR 

2915 Teakwood Drive 


Hm-(615)-491-6748 

Leonard S Wolf 

(Wolf Music) 

KEY PIA SYN 

#107 

9 Music Square, South 


Hm-(615)-254-4828 

Holiday Closings 

Member Status 

Reinstated 

Jeremy Abshire 

Stephen H Bassett 

Eddie Clayton Bedford 

John Douglas Billings 

Louis J. Caisse 

Michael Brandon 

Calderon 

Gary Scott Cohen 

Darin Lee Favorite 

Reeves Gabrels 

Sherrie D. Gibson 

Daniel Lenwood Groah 

Bruce Hayes 

Lucas Kieran Kane 

Peter Aaron King 

Sonny Lemaire 

Clifford Edward Long 

Robert W Mahon 

Jeremy Douglas Medkiff 

Bruce T Pearson 

Fred Thomas Satterfield 

Richard Alan Scruggs 

Daryle Bruce Singletary 

E Blaine Sprouse 

James R Threet 

Christopher Walters 

Rick W Wright 

Application revoked 

Jeffrey Allen Edwards 

Terry Alford Gage 

Mickey Dean Sanker 

Resigned 

Albert Donald Babyok 

John N Balut 

Scott Binkley 

Stacy B Hogan 

Adam Nagel 

Ferrell D Stowe 

Stephen M Taylor 

Tyler Thomas Unger 

Erich William Wigdahl 

Veteran’s Day: Friday, Nov. 11 

Thanksgiving: Wednesday, Nov. 23, noon – Friday, Nov. 25 

Christmas: Friday, Dec. 23 – Monday, Jan. 2, 2012 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012 

Nomination Meeting 

On Nov. 7, a nomination meeting will follow the general membership meeting, 

set to begin at 6 p.m. at the local. To be eligible for nomination, a member must 

be in good standing and have held full membership in AFM Local 257 for not 

less than twelve (12) months prior to the election, and during that said period, 

shall not have been found guilty of the violation of any of the Bylaws. 

33

Do Not Work For 

The “Do Not Work For List” exists to warn 

our members and other musicians about 

employers who, according to our records, 

have not paid musicians who performed 

work for them. We are stepping up our 

efforts to collect these debts and have a 

number of legal actions in progress, with 

more to come. 

TOP OFFENDERS 

These are employers who owe musicians 

large amounts of money and have thus 

far refused to fulfill their contractual 

obligations to the musicians who worked 

for them. 

Tommy Sims/Positive Movement 

Terry K. Johnson/ 1720 Entertainment (unpaid 

contracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O’Neal 

project) 

Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country/Josh Gracin 

Eric Legg 

Dean Miller 

Casa Vega/Ray Vega 

Gregg Brown/Revelator 

Earworks Music/Jeff Teague 

Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderson 

Rust Records/Ken Cooper 

Les Rakes/Sindy’s Inc. 

UNPAID CONTRACTS AND PENSION 

Accurate Strategies, Inc. 

Adagio Music/Sam Ocampo Big Three 

Entertainment 

Shy Blakeman 

Bottled Lightning/Woody Bradshaw 

Bull Rush Inc/Cowboy Troy 

Cat Creek Publishing 

Century Music/Art Ward 

Compass Productions - Alan Phillips and David 

Schneiderman 

Daddio Productions/Round Robin Records/Jim 

Pierce 

Summer Dunaway 

Field Entertainment Group/Joe Field 

Goldenvine Prod./Harrison & Darrell Freeman 

Greg Holland 

Home Records/David Vowell 

Hot Skillet/Lee Gibson 

Mark Hybner 

Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” Mills 

Kenny Lamb 

Line Drive Music 

Lyrically Correct Music Group/Jeff Vice 

MAK Music/Lawrence Mathis 

Matchbox Entertainment/Dwight Baker 

MCK Publishing/Rusty Tabor 

Marty McIntosh 

Morris Publishing Group 

Multi-Media 

On The Green/Kevin Beamish 

Anthony Paul Company 

RLS Records-Nashville/Ronald Stone 

Region One Records 

Shaunna Songs/Shaunna Bolton 

Singing Honey Tree 

Sleepy Town/David Lowe 

Small Time Productions, Inc./Randy Boudreaux 

Sound Resources Prod./Zach Runquist 

Spangle 3/Brien Fisher 

Sterling Production Mgmt/Traci Sterling Bishir 

Adam Tucker 

UNPAID — PENSION ONLY 

Travis Allen Productions 

Ascend Productions 

Jason Blaine 

Blue Canyon Music/G. Randolph Compton 

Jimmy Collins 

Conrheita Lee Flang/Chris Sevier 

Coyote Ugly/Jeff Myers 

Data Aquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge 

Derrin Heroldt 

Jessy Dixon Ministries 

FJH Enterprises 

Larry Ferguson/Ferguson Music 

First Tribe Media 

Jimmy Fohn Music 

Rebecca Frederick 

Goofy Footed 

FUNL Music/Tamara Alan 

Gospocentric 

Rick Gunn 

Heritage Records/Lew Curatolo 

Highland Music Publishing 

Honey Tree Prod. 

Howard Music Group 

In Light Records/Rick Lloyd 

Integrity Media Group 

Don Kreiss DBA Hope Joint Venture 

Pete Martinez 

Malaco 

Joe Meyers 

Jason Morales 

O Street Mansion 

Propel Music 

Reach Ministries 

Star Path Prod./Wayde Battle 

Steal Hearts Music, Inc. 

Stonehall Records 

Strange Child Records/Susan Toney 

Nathan Thompson 

Tin Ear 

Triumphant Quartet 

Roy Webb 

Whiskey Row 

Write It Lefty/Billy Davis 

AFM NON-SIGNATORY LIST 

We do not have signatory paperwork from 

these 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 worked 

for any of these people and can provide us 

with current contact info for them, we can 

pursue this and make sure that get you 

your proper pension contribution for the 

work you have already performed. 

Allen McKendree (demo signature) 

Barry Preston Smith (Demo) 

Com Source Media (limited pressing) 

Coyote Ugly/Jeff Myers (Demo) 

Danielle Lauderdale (Demo) 

Elite III Records (demo signature) 

FJH Enterprises (phono/limited pressing) 

Gene Evaro (demo signature) 

Generator Music (demo signature) 

Ginger Lewis (demo signature) 

Honey Tree Prod. (demo signature) 

Hope Productions (demo signature) 

Jeffrey Green/Cahernzcole House (limited 

pressing) 

Jessy Dixon Ministries (phono) 

Jimmy Collins (Demo) 

Jimmy Fohn Music (demo signature) 

Journey Records (limited pressing) 

Malaco (demo signature) 

Maverick Management Group (phono/demo 

signature) 

Nashville Midnight Oil (demo signature) 

Nathan Thompson (limited pressing) 

PSM (limited pressing) 

Randy Hatchett (demo signature) 

Rick Henry (limited pressing) 

Robert David Stacy (demo signature) 

Ronnie Palmer (demo signature) 

Stage 7 Productions/Jerry Medkiff (limited 

pressing) 

Triumphant Quartet (phono) 

Allianz (demo signature) 

Blue Desert Music Group (phono) 

Caribbean Country Management (demo 

signature) 

Chariscourt, Ltd. (phono) 

Conrheita Lee Flang/Chris Sevier (demo 

signature) 

Data Acquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge (demo 

signature) 

Double J Productions/Tony Ramey (demo 

signature) 

Engelbert Humperdinck (demo signature) 

First Tribe Media (phono) 

Heritage Records/Lew Curatolo (demo 

signature) 

Joe Meyers (phono) 

KJ Entertainment (limited pressing) 

Labeless Records/Coy Ray/RPB Prod. (phono) 

MS Entertainment/Michael Scott (limited 

pressing) 

Matachack James (limited pressing) 

Peter Good (demo signature) 

Pitchmaster/Carroll Posey (demo signature) 

Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderton 

(phono) 

Region One Records (limited pressing) 

Shy Blakeman (limited pressing) 

Starpath Prod./Wayde Battle (demo signature) 

The Pitchmaster (demo signature) 

Title tunes (demo signature) 

Travis Allen Productions (limited pressing) 

Domination Records LLC (Limited Pressing) 

Kurt A. Koble (Limited Pressing) 

Point To Point LLC (limited pressing) 

Sammy Harp Productions (limited pressing) 

Wade Spencer Ministries, Inc. (phono) 

Wowboy Music Group (demo signature) 

YTG 40/Lawrence B. Gottliebs (demo signature) 

Christopher Mortland (limited pressing) 

Cottageworks/Betsy Foster (limited pressing) 

44 West/Mike Welch (limited pressing) 

Francis X. Sullivan 

Jason Kerr Ministries - Don Goodman 

J. Carlos (limited pressing) 

Lance Productions (limited pressing) 

One G Productions (limited pressing) 

Roxanne Entertainment 

Taylor Productions (limited pressing) 

TBN, Paul Crouch (phono/video) 


The Nashville Musician

New This Fall 

Celebrating 25 Years of Service to the Nashville Music Community 

Apple Computers - Recording Software and Peripherals 

Seale Keyworks is now an Apple Value Added Reseller, specializing in computer music systems for 

Prosumers and Professionals 

Hosting Logic, Pro Tools, Sibelius and Finale User Groups - Call for Dates and Times 

Available Now 

Climate Controlled 

Rehearsal Space 

Instrument & Set Cart Storage 

Coming Soon 

Harpeth Mill 

Soundstages 

Audio and Video Production Facility 

Tour Support and Music Retail Center 

Seale Keyworks, Inc. 1121 & 1117 Harpeth Ind. Ct. Franklin, TN 37064 

615-370-8800 sealekeyworks.com sealekeyworks@comcast.net 

Providing Creative Solutions for the Williamson County Music Community

BELA FLECK - Nashville Musicians Association

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