Dave Barnes & Matt Wertz promoting the Haiti benefit concert this Sat at Ryman Auditorium

I don't have the audio to post right now for a proper podcast but did want to get these videos posted, since the concert is this Saturday at The Ryman.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW2yucueE9s



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfGiSEerNng

Ryman benefit featuring Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller and more

Here is the press release for the Music Saves Mountains benefit at the Ryman

The Messina Group/AEG Live and the Ryman Auditorium Announce

Line-up for NRDC Presents Music Saves Mountains

NRDC Presents Music Saves Mountains Featuring Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews,

Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea plus special guests

NASHVILLE, TN (February 26, 2010) –The Messina Group/AEG Live and the Ryman Auditorium are pleased to announced the star-studded line-up for Natural Resources Defense Council Presents Music Saves Mountains concert.  This fundraising concert will be held May 19^th at 8:00 p.m. at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Featured performers include Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea plus special guests.  Tickets will go on sale Friday, March 5^th at 10:00 a.m. by phone, the Ryman box office, www.musicsavesmountains.org and ryman.com. Ticket prices are $45, $75, $95.  Fifty premium seat tickets will be sold via online auction at ticketmaster.com starting Friday, March 5^th at 10:00 a.m., with a minimum of $300.  NRDC also has a VIP ticket package including premium seating, back stage VIP cocktail party, artist meet and greet, limited edition concert poster and gift bag. For VIP packages please contact Jessica Esposito, jesposito@nrdc.org or 212-727-4523.

The Music Saves Mountains concert will serve as a fundraiser for NRDC’s campaign to end mountain top removal in Appalachia.  Net proceeds will be put directly back in to efforts to pass strong laws that bring an end to this destructive practice. 

Two of Music Saves Mountains biggest supporters, Emmylou Harris and Kathy Mattea, have both covered Utah Philips’ “Green Rolling Hills”, a song about the mountains of West Virginia.  “The mountains of Appalachia are responsible for countless folk, country and bluegrass songs. Now, the home of that rich tradition is being destroyed,” Harris told The Tennessean last year.

Today, the Appalachians are being ravaged by the most destructive form of coal mining ever devised. Companies are blowing up entire mountaintops to get at the thin seams of coal below. Already 500 peaks have been leveled, wide swaths of forests have been clear cut, miles of streams have been destroyed or polluted, and countless communities have been harmed by this devastating practice.

“The Appalachian Mountains are where country music was born,” said Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC.  “NRDC is proud to be banding together with musical artists to raise national awareness of mountaintop removal and mobilize millions of Americans to end the most ecologically and culturally destructive strip mining on earth.”

The Music Saves Mountains concert is an important step in the effort to enlist singers, songwriters and musicians in the cause by bringing much-needed attention and resources to bear on the issue.

####

About Ryman Auditorium A National Historic Landmark, Ryman Auditorium was built as a church in 1892, served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-74, and was completely renovated in 1994. The Ryman is open as a museum during the day and at night continues its more-than-100-year music tradition by offering the best in live entertainment. The Ryman Auditorium is owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a Nashville-based hospitality and entertainment company that owns and operates Gaylord Hotels and the Grand Ole Opry. For more information, visit www.ryman.com

About The Messina Group/AEG Live  The Messina Group (TMG) is a partner of AEG Live, one of the top live entertainment companies in the world which produces world tours featuring internationally renowned artists and regional concerts and festivals.  TMG/AEG Live is recognized throughout the industry for its artist-friendly approach and commitment to quality.

For more information on NRDC please visit www.nrdc.org, or www.musicsavesmountains.org.

Billy Bob Thornton Lightning 100 Interview

In celebration of my new podcast on itunes I wanted to revisit some of my favorite interviews and performances I have archived during my career in the radio business, working at Lightning 100, and with events like the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. 

One of the more famous guests I have had the opportunity to interview is Billy Bob Thornton. Mr. William Robert Thornton came to the Lightning 100 studios in 2008 for an interview. It was Friday afternoon and Billy was in town promoting his new upcoming record with his band, "The Boxmasters". They had sent me an advance copy of the double disc album, and I had listened to it twice before interviewing him. I personally really enjoyed the record. Even though it is a bit country for my usual taste, it is well produced and was fun listening to it, especially since I knew I would be interviewing the band. I also enjoyed the production qualities and how the songs transitioned into one another, creating a unique listening experience for anyone listening to the album in it's entirety vs a particular song.

After our 45 minute interview I took The Boxmasters to the Yazoo Brewery. It was there I realized how special it was getting the time alone with the guys. Once in public, it was hard to have Billy Bob Thornton's attention for more than one sentence. The pints of Yazoo gave just about everyone at the taproom the liquid courage to meet their hero, if you know what I mean.

Here is a link to listen to our conversation. Let me know what you think.

http://ftp.wrlt.com/production/interview/2008/BillybobThornton.mp3

Also, if there are any other interviews you would like me to blog about, shoot me an email or leave me a comment.

Email: Buckley@tunedin.com

Here is a link to my new podcast on itunes!

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=356874536

Todd Snider

Todd Snider is a staple of East Nashville and has a big show this Saturday night at Tpac's Polk Theatre. You can get tickets here:

http://patron.tpac.org/main.taf?p=9,5,1&ProductionID=722

Here is a link to listen to his performance last week on Lightning 100


http://ftp.wrlt.com/production/int/10/ToddSniderfeb9th2010.mp3

Here is the web footage that Brian Waters made.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ud3zNM98Mo



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUm_Eb8g0tk




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p84xGbbq54

Matthew Ryan

Matthew Ryan has been making Nashville, TN USA his home since 1993. He's written a lot of music since then and has had his share of songs played on Lightning 100. It was great getting him into the studios last week before he played our Nashville Sunday Night broadcast with Edwin McCain on Valentines Day in front of a sold out crowd.

Here is the audio from his in studio performance and chat.

http://ftp.wrlt.com/production/int/10/matthewryan.mp3

His new album, Dear Lover, in stores now and available at finer Independent Record Stores like Grimey's New & Preloved Music. http://www.grimeys.com/ and on his website http://www.matthewryanonline.com/

Matthew Ryan brought in his laptop and webcam to create this video footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TdLe53Ysg0



our video guy Brian Waters shot this video footage for http://Lightning100.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEiV4N7OsFk



I've just submitted my rss feed to itunes for podcasting, so if you use the itunes store to download podcasts, keep an eye out for mine! I think it takes a couple days for it to be available.

North Mississippi Allstars

Last Friday February 25th, 2010 the North Mississippi Allstars visited the Lightning 100 studios for the first time since we moved to our Marathon Village location in 2005. They performed two songs before rocking out the Cannery Ballroom later in the evening.

Here is video footage of their interview and performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nL3HfpiFo



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AbcePoqhPk



Here is a link to listen to the entire interview:

http://ftp.wrlt.com/production/int/10/100205nmallstars.mp3

Top 10 most viewed Lightning 100 videos

I've been waiting all weekend to see the North Mississippi Allstars video performance! I know it will be posted soon but I haven't seen it every time I have checked. So, I thought I would do a post about the top 10 most watched Lightning 100 videos.

Coming in at number ten with 16,500 views on the countdown is Ingrid Michaelson performing Be Ok in the Lightning 100 studios.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxbUgod2sqw



At number nine with 17,559 views is the first of three videos from the band Old Crow Medicine Show. Here they are performing Mary's Kitchen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU4_eJqDO-s



Here is the eighth most viewed video and it is one we recorded on location at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2008. It's the band M.I.A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtRhRbeQLIQ



This next video has shot up the charts making it's way into the top ten in less than four months. It currently is in seventh place with 18,947 views. It is the band Needtobreathe and a video of their song Something Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-Bevn_rmA



In sixth place is the first of two top ten videos by this artist. With 20,769 views here is Donovan Frakenreiter performing Your Heart live in the Lightning 100 studios.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH3Txir27RY



This next band has three videos in our top 10 and two in our top five. With 21,035 views this is Old Crow Medicine Show performing Next Go 'Round in the Lightning 100 studios.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir9HbkjWSIE



In fourth place is a legendary Austrailian guitarist who gave us an amazing performance. He was a good friend of Chet Atkins and if your interested let me know and I can post the full audio version of our interview. It is definitely one of my personal favorites. With 23,259 views here is Tommy Emmanuel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uscSMtEvjuI



In third place here is another top ten video from Ingrid Michaelson. This time she performs her song Maybe. It currently has 24,479 views.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCf2rWLxCRE



In second place with 29,500 views is surfer and songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter performing Life Love and Laughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRtFQdvoMjA



Before I post the first place blog I want to post a video that Matt Morris did in the Lightning 100 studios for an episode of Music Business Radio. It currently has 26,542 views and would have made our top 10 if it wasn't posted under the Music Business Video channel. Here is Matt Morris performing his song Money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN1pkz71KZo



Also, check out the Music Business Video channel for brand new videos just posted of Nashville based musician Mat Kearney. http://www.youtube.com/user/musicbusinessvideo

ok, here is what you have been waiting for! The most viewed Lightning 100 video is by a Nashville based band that formed in upstate New York and has performed a good many times in front of a sold out crowd, even at venues as prestigious as the historic Ryman auditorium. With 50,410 views here is Old Crow Medicine Show performing the Alabama High Test in the Lightning 100 studios!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh2BFj4_kgM



This is just a list of the most viewed videos, which is subject to change. Today is Monday February 8th, 2010. Last night the Saints beat the Colts in a tremendous Super Bowl upset! If you have a favorite Lightning 100 video, I would love to know what it is and why!