NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ For a Saturday night outing in Nashville, it’s
hard to do better than a beautiful mountaintop setting, world-class
talent and a bargain price for carpoolers.
The second "Stellar Songwriters Evening" collaboration between Dyer
Observatory and the Bluebird CafÈ will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 18.
Songwriters Beth Nielsen Chapman, Don Henry and Kim Richey will
perform. After the concert, visitors will be invited to stargaze using
the observatory’s Seyfert telescope.
"Our first partnership with the Bluebird CafÈ was so successful that
everyone involved was eager to do another one," said Rick Chappell,
director of Dyer Observatory. "We know we’ve got the ingredients for an
unforgettable evening here. The first ‘Stellar Songwriters Evening’
last summer proved it."
In
the spirit of the old drive-in movies, advance admission is $55 per
carload ($65 at the door), with no more than eight people per car and
no RV’s or buses allowed. Individual tickets are $17.50 in advance and
$25 at the door.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Visitors are encouraged
to pack a picnic and bring blankets and lawn chairs for comfort. The
grounds will open at 6 p.m., and the concert will be held rain or
shine.
The Bluebird CafÈ was opened in 1982 by Amy Kurland and quickly
established itself as a haven for the Nashville songwriting community.
The club has played a role in the careers of stars including
Garth Brooks and Kathy Mattea and is known as a room where songwriters
can expect rapt audience attention as they perform. The club was the
setting for the film The Thing Called Love starring Samantha Mathis and
River Phoenix and currently broadcasts "Live from the Bluebird CafÈ" on
the Turner South cable network.
Chapman, Henry and Richey have
all performed many times at the Bluebird CafÈ. Richey washed dishes
there before her songwriting career took off.
"I love presenting music in the intimacy of the Bluebird," said
Kurland, whose wedding was held at the Dyer Observatory. "The Dyer
provides another kind of magical, intimate setting for music, hidden
away on a mountaintop."
Kurland calls Chapman, Henry and Richey "three Nashville originals,
each with their share of hits, but known more for their very special,
very personal music."
Among the trio’s hit songs are Chapman’s "This Kiss," recorded by
Faith Hill, Henry’s "Where’ve You Been," recorded by Mattea, and
Richey’s "Believe Me Baby (I Lied)," recorded by Trisha Yearwood.
In addition to the Bluebird CafÈ concerts, Dyer continues its "Music
on the Mountain" partnership with the Blair School of Music at
Vanderbilt University. There have been three "Music on the Mountain"
concerts at Dyer since 2003 featuring talent from Blair, including an
Appalachian music group, a brass ensemble and a jazz/swing band.
Officials at Blair and Dyer plan future collaborations in the concert
series.
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: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
Jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu