Dixie Does Nashville - Spring 2008

Internationally known country and contemporary songwriters gather for the fifth installment of Dixie Does Nashville will be held at the Historic Dixie Theatre in Apalachicola, Florida Friday and Saturday, March 7th and 8th.

For showtimes and ticket information, contact the Dixie Theatre.

Friday

Charlie and Dana Black

Charlie Black

Arriving in Nashville in 1970, Charlie Black has produced a large catalog of recorded songs. He has been named Songwriter of The Year three times and was elected to the NSAI Songwriter Hall Of Fame in 1991.
 
Beginning with his first hit “I Don’t Know You Anymore”, recorded by Tommy Overstreet, Charlie has written 14 #1 songs including “Shadows In The Moonlight” by Anne Murray, “Right On The Money” by Alan Jackson”, “You Lie” by Reba McEntire, 100% Chance Of  Rain by Gary Morris, and the Grammy nominated songs “A Little Good News” by Anne Murray and “Come Next Monday” by K.T.Oslin. Charlie Black songs have been recorded by such legendary artists as Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Don Williams, Paul Anka, Crystal Gayle, Tanya Tucker, and George Strait.

His song “Goodbye Says It All” was Blackhawk’s first big hit, and he helped launch Phil Vassar’s rising star with “Carlene”, and “Six-Pack Summer”. Charlie and his wife, hit songwriter Dana Hunt Black, have also written the title song for George Strait’s recent platinum album “Somewhere Down In Texas”.  They now live in Port St. Joe, Florida.

Dana Hunt Black

Dana Hunt Black, a North Carolina native, moved to Nashville in 1993 to pursue a career in music. She signed her first publishing deal with Double J Music in 1994 and had her first Number One song in 1995 with GEORGE STRAIT'S  "CHECK YES OR NO" which went on to win the SONG OF THE YEAR. While at Double J, Hunt also landed cuts on CLAY WALKER, PERFECT STRANGER, and JAMES BONAMY.

Upon signing with Neon Sky Music in 1996, Dana Hunt landed GARY ALLAN'S top five debut single "IT WOULD BE YOU" co-written with Kent Robbins and "YOU HAVEN'T LEFT ME YET" on GEORGE STRAIT'S "One Step At A Time" album. In 1999 her song "WRITE THIS DOWN" proved to be another big hit for George staying at Number One for four weeks and once again winning SONG OF THE YEAR. Other cuts Hunt acquired while with Neon Sky include "I KNOW WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS" on GEORGE STRAIT'S last Christmas album, two cuts on George's self-titled album called "WHICH SIDE OF THE GLASS" and "HOME IMPROVEMENT", "GOODNIGHT" recorded by SUZY BOGGUS, "WHOLE NIGHT TONIGHT" cut by CLAY  WALKER, "WHAT DO I DO NOW" recorded by TRACY BYRD and "THE THRILL IS BACK" cut by ALAN JACKSON.

Certainly Dana has had a steady line of cuts  in Nashville. Still, she follows the theory that she hasn't written her best song yet and daily crafts her songwriting skills with a love for the art that continues to grow.

Steve Bogard

Steve BogardSteve Bogard's music career began at age 12 fronting his first band in Tampa, Fla. By the age of 19, Steve had a top 20 R&B hit on James Carr, "Freedom Train," and two cuts on A&M Records' soulful star Rita Coolidge. While in Memphis, Steve played guitar, sang background and toured extensively with both Charlie Rich and Jerry Lee Lewis. He was drawn to Nashville in 1981 when an 11-year-old song of his -- "Touch Me With Magic" -- became a Top 10 hit for Marty Robbins. To date, Steve has eight #1 Country songs among 18 ASCAP- and BMI-award winners, including George Strait's "Carried Away” and “Carrying Your Love With Me," Rascal Flatts' career-breaking "Prayin' For Daylight," Jack Ingram's “Wherever You Are” and Dierks Bentley’s “Every Mile A Memory,” a 2007 Grammy nominee for Country Song of the Year. Steve's co-written second single on Dierks is the title cut “Long Trip Alone.” Additional songwriting credits for Steve include Clay Walker's "If You Ever Feel Like Lovin' Me Again," BlackHawk's "There You Have It," Tanya Tucker's "Hangin' In," Steve Wariner's "A Woman Loves," Patty Loveless' "Jealous Bone," Eddy Raven's "Til You Cry," Reba McEntire's "New Fool At An Old Game" and Lee Greenwood's "Mornin' Ride." Steve also has cuts by Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Restless Heart, Lonestar, Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys and Diamond Rio.

Saturday

David Lee

David was born in Wichita Falls Texas in 1968, a third generation guitar player and singer. Through the years he had many musical influences, most of which were Texas singer songwriters and artists.

In 1993, he left his honky-tonk band, sold most of what he owned and took the 300 dollars and his wife of 30 days and moved to Nashville with a homemade trailer and a two-toned wreck resembling a truck. David took a job at the Budgetel Inn in Franklin, TN as a maintenance man and worked other odd jobs until 1997 when he met Sharon Archer. She introduced him to Estill Sowards of Hallmark Direction Co. and they signed him to an exclusive songwriting agreement. Read more....

Luke Laird

Luke Laird is a singer/songwriter from Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in 2001, Luke went on the road with Brooks and Dunn for 2 tours working as Assistant Tour Manager. While on tour, Luke continued pursuing his lifelong passion for songwriting. Upon returning to Tennessee, in November of 2002, Luke signed with BMG Music Publishing. Luke currently writes for Universal Music Publishing Group and is represented by Oglesby Writer Management. His songs have been recorded by Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Jedd Hughes, and Emily West to name a few.  Website.

Travis Meadows

Singer Songwriter Travis Meadows writes about life the only the way he knows it, a bittersweet well of love, irony, anger, pain, healing and happiness. They are the kind of honest songs that reach beyond perfect words and chords to reveal the reality of what life is really like. Through the artistry of his poetic lyrics, he balances good with bad and love with pain.

Well-known among songwriter's circles in Nashville, Travis is an unforgettable performer whose well crafted songs and raw vocal ability have won him the attention of fans in some of Nashville’s more popular live venues. In part, it was his commanding performances that landed him a coveted songwriting contract with Universal Music Publishing Group in 2005, who invited him to join their celebrated list of songwriters, some of the best in the world. Having already received numerous accolades for his songwriting, including a 2001 ASCAP award and eight Top 20 hit singles in the Christian market, joining with Universal was a natural progression.

Growing up in Mississippi, Travis laid the foundation for his music career while making the rounds at local bars and clubs, performing with legendary blue's players such as Sam Myers (Anson Funderburg and the Rockets) and Fingers Taylor (Jimmy Buffett). His music has taken him around the world, where he has performed before millions in over twenty countries. Additionally, he has recorded five independent projects gaining him loyal fans everywhere.

*For more information on Travis contact Scott Gunter at UMPG Nashville.

Ed Hill

With a couple of dozen BMI performance awards and the 2006 BMI Songwriter of the Year award, Ed is no stranger to those looking for great songs. He has had hit songs on the charts for 3 decades. Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, George Strait, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Trisha Yearwood, Kenny Chesney, Trace Adkins, Sara Evans, Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allen, Montgomery Gentry, John Michael Montgomery, Tracy Lawrence, Clay Walker, Aaron Tippin, among others have recorded his songs.

A farm boy from Hanford, California, Ed was raised mostly on radio rock-n-roll. Among his many influences were The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Al Green, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, and Stevie Wonder. He served his country music apprenticeship in the early 1970s in Bakersfield, California. He backed such artists as Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, and Billy Mize. In 1980 and 1982, Ed was nominated for Piano Player of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.

Ed moved to Nashville in 1985, where he joined Karen Conrad’s New Haven Music. He has been working with BMG Music Publishing since 1997. He and his beautiful wife Laura have three awesome children Savanna, Gracen, and Beaux.