Bluebird on the Mountain series launches third season; May show to spotlight Kim Carnes, Dana Cooper and Greg Barnhill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The popular Bluebird on the Mountain concert series begins its third season at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory with a show featuring Kim Carnes, Dana Cooper and Greg Barnhill. The 2007 series – which includes six concerts – runs from May 12 to Oct. 13 and will showcase nearly two dozen of Nashville’s premier singer-songwriters.

Advance tickets are available through Ticketmaster, which will add a handling fee. Tickets are limited, and past performances have sold out in advance of the show, so it is advisable to get your tickets early. All concerts will be held rain or shine.

Concert attendees 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.

Bluebird on the Mountain showcases artists from one of Nashville’s top music venues, the Bluebird Café, performing on the scenic observatory grounds offering a spectacular view of Nashville. The series is booked by the club’s owner, Amy Kurland, who founded the Bluebird in 1982.

In 1981, Carnes released the album Mistaken Identity that included what would become her signature song, “Bette Davis Eyes.” The song topped the Billboard chart for nine weeks and earned a Grammy for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Living and working out of Nashville since 1994, Carnes has written chart-toppers including “The Heart Won’t Lie,” a duet for Vince Gill and Reba McEntire and the Kenny Rogers-Ronnie Milsap duet “Make No Mistake She’s Mine.” Carnes will be accompanied by multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Billy Panda and Tim Lauer.

Plying his trade on the club circuit in Kansas City as a teenager, Cooper gave up a college art scholarship to pursue a career in music. Teaming up with Shake Russell in the late 1970s, the duo recorded a series of folk-rock albums, establishing a large following throughout Texas and the Southwest. Cooper’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Maura O’Connell, Jonell Mosser and Jen Cohen, and his solo albums, including Miracle Mile (1997), Harry Truman Built a Road (2002) and Made of Mud (2005), have all been met with critical acclaim.

Rounding out the set for the May 12 performance is Greg Barnhill. A Louisiana native, Barnhill has written songs for some of Nashville’s most discriminating talents such as Pam Tillis, Martina McBride, Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs. In the early 1990s, Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley recorded “Walkaway Joe,” which was nominated for a Grammy.

A multi-talented artist, Barnhill has also written, recorded and produced a host of television themes including Murphy Brown, The Today Show, The View and Murder, She Wrote.

Other show dates for the 2007 series are June 23, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 15 and Oct. 13. Gates will open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. shows. The July 14 and Aug. 11 shows, however, have an 8 p.m. start time with gates opening at 7 p.m. Other artists scheduled to appear during the 2007 season include Mike Reid, Bob DiPiero, Victoria Shaw, Tom Schuyler, Don Schlitz, Richard Leigh and Allen Shamblin.

Season tickets for carloads with a maximum of eight people are $350 for a season pass and $80 for a single show. No RVs or buses will be admitted. No individual tickets will be available this year.

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.

Media Contact: Chris Skinker, (615) 322-NEWS
chris.skinker@vanderbilt.edu