Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch, Tony Arata and Jelly Roll Johnson
Bluebird on the Mountain continues with the third concert of the series on Saturday, July 16. Singer-songwriters Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch, Tony Arata and instrumentalist Jelly Roll Johnson will perform at Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory at 8 p.m. Gates will open at 6.
Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa., Schuyler has become an integral part of Nashville’s country music scene through both his songwriting and his position as vice president of RCA Records, from which he retired in 1994. His chart-topping songs include “16th Avenue” (Lacy J. Dalton), “Years after You” (John Conlee), “Hurricane” (Leon Everette), and American Music Awards Song of the Year in 1983 “Love Will Turn You Around” (Kenny Rogers).
Knobloch’s desire to perform began as a teenager growing up in Mississippi. After years of performing as a solo artist with modest success, he teamed up with Schuyler and Paul Overstreet to form S-K-O, releasing an eponymously titled album that contained a No.1 Billboard single, “Baby’s Got a New Baby.” George Strait (“Which Side of the Glass” and “Meanwhile”), Faith Hill (“If My Heart Had Wings”) and Ray Charles (“I Had It All”) are just a few of the singers who have recorded Knobloch’s songs.
Arata’s laid-back demeanor caught the attention of producer Allen Reynolds and then-aspiring star Garth Brooks, after Arata’s arrival in Nashville in the 1980s. His No. 1 records include “Here I Am” (Patty Loveless), “I’m Holding My Own” (Lee Roy Parnell) and “Dreaming with My Eyes Open” (Clay Walker). Brooks has to date recorded seven of Arata’s songs, including multi-award winner “The Dance,” “Kickin’ and Screamin”’ and “Face to Face.”
Johnson has made a name for himself through the soulful reverberations of his harmonica. Winning the Nashville Music Award for Best Wind Instrumentalist in 1998 and the Academy of Country Music’s Best Specialty Instrument Award in 2003 and 2008, Johnson can be heard on more than 50 gold and platinum albums. He has recorded with artists including Lee Ann Womack, Shania Twain, The Judds and Alan Jackson.
Season tickets are available through Ticketmaster and a limited number of advance tickets for single shows are also available through the ticket outlet, which will add a handling fee. Single show tickets are $95 for a carload. No individual tickets will be available for the series. In the event of severe weather activity, check the Dyer Observatory calendar for updates the day of the concert.
The next show is scheduled for Aug. 20 and will feature Kevin Griffin and Dave Berg.
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. No RV’s or buses will be admitted.
Dyer Observatory is located at 1000 Oman Drive, off Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Otter Creek Road, near Radnor Lake. Directions are available on the Dyer website.
Built in 1953, Dyer Observatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The property consists of the observatory, 1953 house and garage. The observatory serves as a community resource for the teaching of science as well as a venue for public, private and corporate events.
The series is sponsored in part by Vanderbilt Heart, Nissan USA and Jack Daniels.