Author Archive for Bobby Karl

Bobby Karl Works Lady Antebellum at The Ryman

Chapter 334
Photo: Jamey Walls
Lady Antebellum concluded its two-night stand at The Ryman Auditorium on Thursday (3/11) by demonstrating to a sold-out, A-List crowd that it is one terrific little party band.
The set was peppered with bright, tightly harmonized rockers, including the concert opening “Stars Tonight” and such radio favorites as “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” [...]

Bobby Karl Works The Room: Grammy Nominees Party

Chapter 330

It’s all about the guest list.
“Go on in,” I said to late-arriving Tracy Gershon. “It’s everybody you’ve ever met in your life.”
“This is one of my favorite parties of the year,” said Tom Baldrica. “It’s January 21st, and I still get to wish everybody Happy New Year.”
It’s true. The Grammy is [...]

Bobby Karl Works The Room: CMA Awards

Chapter 328
Photographer: John Russell / CMA

It’s Taylor’s world; the rest of us just live in it.
As surely the entire known universe is aware by now, the country-pop princess bagged four CMA Awards Wednesday night (11/11), including the monumental Entertainer of the Year trophy. That win makes her the youngest person in history [...]

Bobby Karl Works The Room: BMI Awards

Chapter 327

More Stars Than There Are in the Heavens.
That was the saying about the MGM lot during Hollywood’s golden age in the ‘30s and ‘40s. If there’s an organization in country music that can say the same in this golden age of country music, it is surely BMI. The performance rights organization’s [...]

Bobby Karl Works the SESAC Awards

Chapter 326
We Are Family.
That concept was repeatedly invoked at Monday night’s SESAC banquet on Music Row (11/9). And, my, how the “family” has grown: The event is now double in size what it was just a few short years ago.
“I’m proud to be a member of the SESAC family,” said Songwriter of the Year winner [...]

Bobby Karl Works The MusicRow Awards

The readers have spoken, and they have class.
Both Jamey Johnson and James Otto were double winners at this year’s MusicRow awards ceremony. Jamey won the Breakthrough Artist award as well as the Song of the Year prize for “In Color,” co-written with James and Lee Thomas Miller. Because James also co-wrote his big hit “Just [...]

Bobby Karl Works CMA Music Fest (6/14)

Chapter 312-C
SUNDAY, JUNE 14
Sunday Fan club activities began in the morning for Jo Dee Messina at The Belcourt Theater and concluded with Pam Tillis at The Wildhorse Saloon that evening.
In the Sports Zone downtown, we had the fourth annual Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race, sponsored by New Holland. The man to beat was last year’s [...]

Bobby Karl Works CMA Music Fest (6/13)

Chapter 312-B
SATURDAY, JUNE 13

This was our first really hot day of the fest. Boaters were out in force on the Cumberland behind the Riverfront Stage, and kids were frolicking in the Metro Courthouse fountains.
I took Miss Mary with me downtown. “Don’t walk too fast,” she implored. I laughed: “Don’t worry: There are so many people [...]

Bobby Karl Works CMA Music Fest (6/12)

Chapter 312-A
FRIDAY, JUNE 12

Friday always seems, to me, to be the busiest day of the CMA Music Festival. On Wednesday and Thursday, the faithful gather. On Saturday and Sunday, they disperse to various Fan Club parties or find other ways to amuse themselves in Nashville “off campus.” But on Friday, they’re still fresh, ready [...]

Bobby Karl Works Music Fest (6/11)

Chapter 311

Both the start and the finish of Thursday’s CMA Music Festival concerts were marred by weather, but in between it was a blast.
Thunder rumbled, and an ominous black cloud descended on Music City as things were about to get underway at Riverfront Park. About 10 minutes before the 10:00 AM show time, [...]

Bobby Karl Works Music Fest (6/10)

Chapter 310

The CMA Music Festival always starts before it’s supposed to. There has already been plenty of activity, including a superstar sighting.

Alan Jackson isn’t “officially” playing the fest this year, but Wednesday night (6/10) he took over Cadillac Ranch on Lower Broadway to celebrate his 20th anniversary. It was this month in 1989 [...]

Bobby Karl Works Jamey Johnson Gold Party—Chapter 309

(L-R): Brian Wright, UMG Nashville VP A&R; Luke Lewis, UMG Nashville Chairman/CEO; Jamey Johnson; Hank Cochran; Cowboy Jack Clement; and Buddy Cannon.

The Gold good old days are back.
“This looks like a good turnout; I haven’t been to one of these in a long time,” said Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys. Neither has the [...]

Bobby Karl Works the Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony—Chapter 308

Birds of a feather, flock together.
It wasn’t until we had them all in the same room for the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony (5/17) that I realized how much this year’s inductees have in common. Receiving their industry’s highest honor were Charlie McCoy, Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell. All three began their careers [...]

Bobby Karl Works the DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Banquet

Chapter 305
House and Haggard rocked the room at this year’s Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame banquet.
Nashville’s favorite morning jock and the poet of the working man were in the spotlight in the Convention Center ballroom Tuesday evening (3/3) as we eased our way into this year’s Country Radio Seminar whoop-de-doo.
Merle Haggard received [...]

Bobby Karl Works the MusicRow Meet & Greet

Chapter 304
Photos: Alan Mayor
Our favorite reporting stations got an earful.
The 7th Annual MusicRow Country-Breakout™ Meet & Greet had the best music of any such event to date. After David Ross welcomed one and all, he introduced Rob Dalton of New Revolution Entertainment. Rob informed the throng that both CMT and GAC have added “Wild at [...]