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"It’s the sound of a young man attempting to make peace with his past and coming to terms with the changes of his present — the realization that while he might not be where he was or even where he wants, that good things happen. There’s both celebration and solace in such a moment of clarity, and that Bigwood spins it into sonic gold is evidence of an artistic soul wise beyond the years of its mortal shell." - Steve Wildsmith of The Daily Times (Maryville, TN)
The Vinyl Show will be broadcast from the Family Music School in Manchester this month and streamed live from 11am to 7pm on Alabama Jams Online Radio and WFMC Jams. This month's theme will be songs about love in celebration of Valentines Day! Shows are also rebroadcast every Wednesday on Heat FM Radio
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The Vinyl Show is a live monthly show syndicated on WFMC Jams and Heat FM Radio featuring music spanning many decades and genres played from Vinyl Records. Each show brings a unique theme and variety of artists and songs that you will not find on mainstream radio today along with interesting history trivia, and sometimes even a blooper or a thousand! |
Melissa Ellis is an award winning singer-songwriter and a 2020 quarterfinalist of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN where she shared the stage with over 100 rising solo/duo blues acts from all over the world.
Beginning her professional career as a singer/actress/dancer in theater at the age of 16, she performed in regional tours before moving on to study classical and jazz music at Tennessee Technological University as a vocalist while pursuing a singing career in Nashville.
In 2009, Melissa released her debut album Melissa Benjamin, lending her seasoned talent to the world of bluegrass & gospel. Her original single, “Crossville,” was adopted by her hometown as the official city song. While touring, she found new inspiration and started writing more original songs. With new songs came a new sound that evolved into a more soulful genre.
Melissa’s sophomore album, Just Me, was released in 2011 and as a multi-instrumentalist, the album showcased her musicianship on guitar and piano, as well as more of her original material.
Melissa’s latest musical journey brings out the raw emotional sounds of blues & her training in jazz. Her repertoire includes her original songs mixed with re-imaginings of familiar classics that are presented in fresh new ways. Melissa has landed opportunities that have placed her on world renowned stages, on radio, on television, and at high profile festivals, including Nashville’s acclaimed CMAfest where her soulful style was showcased among the sea of rising country twang.
Kayleigh’s love for music and singing started at the young age of three in Tucson, AZ. With musical influences such Reba McEntire, Vince Gil, The Eagles and Journey, she began to train professionally and performing live at the early age of five. As Kayleigh grew older her love of traditional country storytellers, such Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe and Patsy Cline, inspired her to begin writing her own story through music.
By the age of fifteen, Kayleigh had written her first song which planted the seeds for her future life endeavors. At the age of twenty-two, she began honing her songwriting skills on stage in local country bars and clubs. With her ever-growing passion for singing, writing and performing her own music, she moved to Nashville in 2018. Kayleigh knew the only way to feed the hunger within was to come to the home of country music, honky tonks and, of course, the Grand Ole Opry!
Since moving to Nashville, Kayleigh has opened for artists on the world-famous Broadway honky tonks, sang the national anthem at Vanderbilt University and venues throughout Kentucky. One of the many highlights of her young career was when she won a vocal competition for a Gospel festival. Her prize for winning this competition was the honor of performing her rendition of “How Great Thou Art” at Storytellers Hideaway Farm and Museum, which belonged to country music legend Johnny Cash. In true Kayleigh fashion, she gave her version acapella highlighting the true beauty and power of not only the song but her voice!
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In the House at the GrinderHouse - 2/05/2021 - James Crowley and Allen Morrell
We are honored to host James here at the Grinder House with his second appearance.
One of six Grand Prize winners in the 2020 Tennessee Songwriter's Week Contest sponsored by The Bluebird Cafe and The Tennessee Tourism Board for my original song "Songwriter".
The July 2020 Bluebird Cafe Golden Pick Winner, co-sponsored by Taylor Guitars.
The opportunity to perform at some incredible venues such as The Grand Ole Opry House, The Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, The Bluebird Cafe, Douglas Corner, Commodore Grille, The Walnut House Murfreesboro, Puckett's Franklin, Arrington Vineyards, GMA Seminar in the Rockies, and The Nashville Network.
Beyond fortunate to have co-written songs with some of my favorite songwriters of all time including Bobbie Cryner, Jimmy Yeary, John Scott Sherrill, Gary Nicholson, Cyndi Torres, Jeff Pearson, Michael Salacuse, Brittany Allyn, Thad Guerra, Craig Karp, Kim Parent, Shelly Rann, Don Goodman, Shirley Myers, Rod Nicholson, Rob Heath, Sheila Stephen....and many others along the way.
Being a part of the band Passenger in the early 2000's with treasured friends Barry Hackett, Mike and Kristy Rhode, Matt McGee, Mike Mahaffey, Mark Smith, and Joseph "Billy" Fulk.
Winner of several awards at the 2002 Academy of Gospel Music Arts competition (AGMA) 2002 including: Southern Gospel Song and Overall Song of 2002 for "Passenger", and Praise & Worship Song of 2002 for "If I Did Not Sing."
This week's guest on The Midnight Madness Show is Jonathan McQuay. Follow Jonathan on Facebook to catch new music and future shows.
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This week's guest on The Midnight Madness Show is Corey Layne Follow Corey on Facebook, Spotify, and Apple Music to catch new music and future shows.
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Nashville, Tennessee-based indie-folk trio TOWNE consists of longtime singer/songwriter collaborators Steevie Steeves, Jon Decious and guitarist Luke Marshall. Like Steeves, who cut her teeth singing in Pittsburgh’s riverboat and cover band scene, Decious spent the years prior pursuing a career in songwriting, leaning on his poetically simple, “Kentucky talk”, style of writing to land songs on albums of up-and-coming roots and Americana artists such as; Caitlin Rose, Anderson East, and most recently, Lucette. Inspired by the likes of everyone from; Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris, Heart, The Killers, and the perfectly imperfect harmonies of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty, the two set out as an acoustic duo for years. Eventually, landing slots on The Pilgrimage Festival, Master Musician’s Festival, 30AFest, performing alongside artists such as; Willie Nelson, Travis Meadows, and Eddie Vedder, among others. The pair released two EP’s: 2016’s Games We Play, and 2018’s Audacious (which included the single “Camouflage” that placed 2nd in the International Songwriting Competition), before meeting guitarist, Luke Marshall, while guest-speaking at a Kentucky 4-H music seminar. Marshall, along with his Johnny Marr-meets-Nels Cline-inspired playing, proved to be the missing link for the duo that had been forever in search of “that sound”.
In late 2018, the trio caught the eye of Grammy Award Winning producer, Mitch Dane, while playing a show at a bar on a slow Sunday night in Nashville. Long story short: it was meant to be. TOWNE was looking for a producer that could capture their live sound on tape and Mitch was looking for a band with a live sound the he wanted to capture. Soon after, sessions were booked at Mitch’s Nashville studio, Sputnik Sound.
In early 2019, TOWNE’s fans came together, organizing two fundraising concerts to finance the recording of the band’s first full-length album, “In The In Between”. The album is set for release in August of 2019.
"In the House" at the Grinder House is broadcast live on WFMC Jams every Friday from 6-8pm central.
