One of my favorite parts of CRS is the opportunity to listen to some of the best songwriters in Nashville do acoustic performances of their music. In some cases, the person who wrote it also made it a hit on the airwaves. In other cases, the song was picked up by an artist and turned into a hit. The BMI Showcase, WCRS LIVE! was the second such session during the week and took place on Thursday, March 1. Participating members were Pat Green, MC Jeffrey Steele, the Legendary Mac Davis and Sarah Buxton. They gave about 90 minutes of incredible music and several laughs. Everyone is seated on stools with a guitar and they perform their music round robin style in an intimate, acoustic setting. Sarah opted out of a guitar and she had her guitar player sitting behind her for her songs and Pat Green brought in an additional guitar player as well.
Jeffrey Steele kicked things off with a little intro of all the participants. He also thanked everyone for the love and support shown him in the recent loss of his child. That has to be one of the absolute worst things to go through as a parent. Until then, I really wasn't familiar with Steele, but I came out of that session with great respect not only for his songwriting skills, but for his singing skills and great sense of humor as well. The four that were on stage had a great rapport and jokes were flying in between songs.
Sarah was first to sing, and while she may be new on the Nashville singing scene, she's been a well respected writer for a few years. Sarah has a personality that won't quit. She is very much herself and she has a unique singing style that separates her from the cookie cutter artists that are out there. She started out with "Crazy Dream" and it was quickly apparent that she pours her heart and soul into her music. She gets lost in what she is doing and everyone else just kind of fades away for her. It was pretty amazing to watch. She also performed "Stupid Boy," which is currently a top hit for Keith Urban. That song is actually a response to her marriage breaking up. She also sang "Full Grown Woman" as a dedication to her mother and what she went through as a single parent. She was just very much into her music each and every time.
Mac Davis was a real treat to have onstage. He's got a quick humor that just sneaks under your belt and hits you before you know what happened. And that humor has made him one of the top songwriters in the industry. He wasn't sure he wanted to go after Sarah since she had the audience eating out of her hand. He was making cracks about having to throw out planned songs and go right for the huge hits and everyone was laughing. But he started out with an old hit of his called "That's My Boy" about a little kid growing up. At the end he said, "and he's in his 40's now!" with a little laugh. His next song was "If They Can Play it On The Radio," which was also about raising kids and the task of letting them know just because they may hear it on the radio or see it on TV it doesn't mean it is ok to do or say. That is a real tough job for parents and definitely hit home in the audience. His last song he did was a request from the audience and one of his biggest hits. "Texas in my Rearview Mirror." Davis is a class act and his songs have stood the test of time because he writes from the heart and he writes about real life and real situations that people have no trouble relating to.
Texas artist gone big time, Pat Green, was up next. Before making the break across the country he had been a favorite on the Texas scene for years. He has a laid back style, easy going manner and a great way with words. He started out with "Carry On." Then he did "Dixie Lullaby," and finished off his songs with "Feels Just Like It Should." He mentioned that he was fighting a cold and apologized if he didn't hit all the notes right. From where I sat, he sounded just fine through it all. He also talked a little about how he had lost some fingers last year and they had to be reattached so he was still having trouble playing guitar. He said he isn't that good anyway, but after that happened he REALLY wasn't good and that is why he brought in reinforcements to help out with the music.
Jeffrey Steele is one of the most sought after writers in Nashville. He also has an amazing talent with a guitar and his voice is strong and unique. It is a very successful combination, but he seems to remain down to earth and just 'one of the guys.' His first song was a hit by Rascal Flatts, "What Hurts the Most." Then he sang one of his songs that Montgomery Gentry had a huge hit with, "My Town." And his final song was the Van Zant hit, "Get Right With The Man." I had heard of Jeffrey Steele before the showcase, but really wasn't familiar with his singing. I was definitely drawn in by the raw emotion and power that he has while singing. He truly lives in the songs he writes.
I have to say again that these sessions are at the top of my list when it comes to CRS. The opportunity to see such amazing talent in one place and get an insight to some of the stories behind the songs and hear them performed in such a casual and intimate atmosphere is priceless. This was definitely a highlight of the week for me.
