Three of Nashville’s most respected songwriters will appear onstage at Dyer Observatory in the fifth concert of the 2008 Bluebird on the Mountain series. Veteran songwriters Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz and Tom Schuyler will perform on Sat., Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. on the observatory grounds overlooking downtown Nashville.
A native of Jackson, Miss., Knobloch moved to Nashville in 1983 and began turning out hits for many of Nashville’s top country artists including Lorrie Morgan ("Back in Your Arms Again"), Sawyer Brown ("Used to Blue"), Faith Hill ("If My Heart Had Wings") and George Strait ("Which Side of the Glass").
Schlitz is the only person to be honored as Country Songwriter of the Year four consecutive times by ASCAP. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993, Schlitz hit it big with Kenny Rogers’ recording of his song, "The Gambler," which was named the CMA Song of the Year and the Grammy’s Country Song of the Year in 1979. The Judds, Alabama, Randy Travis and the late Keith Whitley are just a handful of the artists whose careers were shaped by Schlitz’s songs. Schlitz has amassed an enviable string of successes, some 40 Top Ten hits in all, including "On the Other Hand," "Strong Enough to Bend," "I Feel Lucky" and "When You Say Nothing at All."
Thom Schuyler has won numerous songwriting awards since arriving in Nashville in the late 1970s. Lacy J. Dalton’s recording of Schuyler’s poignant ode to songwriters, "16th Avenue," remains a perennial favorite of country radio. Schuyler scored the chart single "Love Will Turn You Around" with Kenny Rogers, and has had his songs recorded by artists ranging from Paul Overstreet to The Judds and Levon Helm of The Band. For six years, Schuyler was a vice president of operations at RCA Records and is currently writing a non-fiction collection of stories entitled How to Get Out of the Music Business.
Harmonica player Jelly Roll Johnson is a much in-demand session musician who won the Academy of Country Music‘s award for best Specialty Instrument in 2003. Moving to Nashville in 1984, the Louisiana native has appeared on recordings by Alison Krauss, Marty Stuart, B. B. King, Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. His latest CD, Songs from the Record World, was released earlier this year.
Season tickets for carloads with a maximum of eight people are $375 for the full series. No RV’s or buses will be admitted. Single show tickets are $90 for a carload and are available through Ticketmaster. No single tickets will be available for this season’s series.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. for the show and visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and pack a picnic basket. After the show, visitors can linger to stargaze using the observatory’s Seyfert telescope.
The final concert of this year’s series is Oct. 11 and will feature Dean Dillon, Scotty Emerick and Shawn Camp.
On Sept. 20 at 7 p.m., Grammy-award winning singer Judy Collins will be performing at Dyer Observatory with Amy Speace and Jon Vezner. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Carload ticket pricing is $120 for the general public; $90 for Bluebird season ticket holders and Dyer members. Each carload ticket allows up to eight people in the vehicle.
Dyer Observatory is located at 1000 Oman Drive, off Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Otter Creek Road, near Radnor Lake. A map is available at www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu/directions.htm.
Media Contact: Chris Skinker (615) 322-NEWS
chris.skinker@vanderbilt.edu