Entertainmentwatch.net

By Bob Doerschuk

© 2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.

Few albums expressed less enthusiasm for the Big Apple than a 1971 release from Buck Owens: I Wouldn’t Live in New York City (If They Gave Me the Whole Dang Town). If Owens were here to perform at a CMA Songwriters Series show at Joe’s Pub, perhaps he’d change his mind.

Situated in Manhattan’s East Village, Joe’s Pub is one part of a complex of venues known as the Public Theater. The interior marries sleek modern design, comfort and intimate access to the entertainment with gourmet Italian food.

Given that this venue has hosted performances by Elvis Costello, U2 and The Who’s Pete Townshend, the consistently sold-out CMA Songwriters Series shows say a lot about the increasing presence of Country Music across the demographic board.

“The CMA Songwriters Series events are always packed because our audiences know how good they are,” attested Kevin Abbott, GM, Joe’s Pub. “We’ve already sold more than 50 seats to the Nov. 29 show — and the artists haven’t even been announced.”

Lines snaked out the door onto Lafayette Street on May 31, a steamy evening that marked another summit of Country songwriting giants for the CMA Songwriters Series. On the bill were Tony Arata (“The Dance,” Garth Brooks; “Here I Am,” Patty Loveless); Fred Knobloch (“If My Heart Had Wings,” Faith Hill; “Meanwhile,” George Strait); and Thom Schuyler (“16th Avenue,” Lacey J. Dalton; “Love Will Turn You Around,” Kenny Rogers), with instrumental sweetening added by Nashville harmonica virtuoso Jelly Roll Johnson.

“CMA is thrilled with the success that the ‘Songwriters Series’ has had in New York City throughout the past two years and it only continues to get better with each show,” said CMA COO Tammy Genovese. “Country Music has a huge fan base in New York and we want to continue to offer those fans unique opportunities to see truly talented singer/songwriters in these shows.”

CMA Songwriters Series at Joe’s Pub was started as part of the Country Takes NYC events surrounding the 2005 CMA Awards in New York. Most of the shows this year follow a theme; this one, for example, marked the 25th anniversary of Nashville’s Bluebird Café.

The March 29 gathering was dedicated to “The Men of Country Music,” with Keith Anderson (“Pickin’ Wildflowers,” Anderson; “Beer Run [B Double E Double Are You In?]’” Garth Brooks and George Jones); Bob DiPiero (“Blue Clear Sky,” George Strait; “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl,” Brooks & Dunn); Tony Mullins (“Me and My Gang,” Rascal Flatts; “How Forever Feels,” Kenny Chesney); Jeffrey Steele (“What Hurts the Most,” Rascal Flatts; “My Town,” Montgomery Gentry); and Craig Wiseman (“Believe,” Brooks & Dunn; “The Good Stuff,” Kenny Chesney).

Though there was no theme for the July 18 show that took place during CMA Board meetings, it did share one important trait with every CMA event at Joe’s Pub; It was all about great songs, created by some of the best writers in the business. Participants included Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn (“Red Dirt Road,” and “Only in America” recorded by Brooks & Dunn); DiPiero (“Take Me As I Am,” Faith Hill; “Cowboys Like Us,” George Strait); Brett James (“Blessed,” Martina McBride; “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Carrie Underwood); Tim Nichols (“Girls Lie Too,” Terri Clark; “Live Like You Were Dying,” Tim McGraw); and Victoria Shaw (“The River,” Garth Brooks; “I Love the Way You Love Me,” John Michael Montgomery).

The cream of Nashville’s creative community has found a solid foothold at Joe’s Pub. But its horizons have expanded with two milestone events, one recently completed and the other just around the corner. On Sept. 20, the CMA Songwriters Series moved uptown and outdoors to the Delacorte Theater, longtime home base for “Shakespeare in the Park” productions. The lineup included Bob DiPiero (“Blue Clear Sky,” George Strait; “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl,” Brooks & Dunn), Gretchen Peters (“You Don’t Even Know Who I Am,” Patty Loveless; “Let That Pony Run,” Pam Tillis), Rivers Rutherford (“Ain’t Nothin’ Bout You” Brooks & Dunn; “Real Good Man,” Tim McGraw), and Victoria Shaw (“The River,” Garth Brooks; “I Love The Way You Love Me,” John Michael Montgomery).

And on Oct. 4, at 6:30 and 9:30 PM/ET, a special “Women of Country Music” theme heralds the return of the CMA Songwriters Series to Joe’s Pub. Participants will include Matraca Berg (“Strawberry Wine,” Deana Carter; “Everybody Knows,” Trisha Yearwood), Sarah Buxton (“Stupid Boy,” Keith Urban; “That Kind of Day,” Buxton), Carolyn Dawn Johnson (“Single White Female,” Chely Wright; “Complicated,” Johnson) and Gretchen Peters (“Independence Day,” Martina McBride; “The Secret of Life,” Faith Hill).

Anticipation seems to run even higher than usual for this particular gig. Feelings range from pride (“I’m proud of the legacy of women in Country Music, and it’s great to be able to celebrate that” – Peters) to playful (“I’m sure the stage patter will be slightly different from your usual writers circle” – Berg) to maybe a little amused, as Johnson attested: “When I got into the music business, I was at some conference where somebody said, ‘Just remember, girls, 90 percent of this industry is male. And I remember thinking, ‘Well, I’m going to be part of that 10 percent!’”

Looking further ahead, Nov. 29 will be dedicated to “The Groups and Duos of Country Music.”

“I think these shows work well with people who haven’t really heard Country Music,” said Nichols, who has appeared at three CMA Songwriters Series events at Joe’s Pub. “When it’s just a voice and a guitar, they don’t hear it as Country or pop or rock; it’s just a song — a lyric and a melody. And that resonates with people, to the point that they come up after we’ve finished and say, ‘That was fantastic.’”

Even Buck Owens couldn’t have said it better.

On the Web: CMAsongwritersseries.com, joespub.com

Two shows take place each night. Purchase tickets at Joe’s Pub (212) 967-7555 or joespub.com. Official sponsors for CMA Songwriters Series include American Airlines, ASCAP, BMI and Country Weekly magazine. American Airlines is the official airline of the CMA Songwriters Series.

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