Nashville Notes
July 2012 was Nashville’s hottest month ever recorded. Now, I’m no meteorologist, but I’d bet that some of our local alumni are partly to blame for the summer heat wave, because they have been on fire!
David Petrelli sings the National Anthem before the start of a July game for the Nashville Sounds AAA Baseball Team.
Speaking of Small, her song “I Will Raise My Voice” won the Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Poll in the gospel category. She is also featured in Bass Player magazine’s October issue in a cover story article about her husband and frequent duo partner, Bryan Beller’92.
Trombonist Oscar Utterström ’02 released his second album, Departure, featuring fellow alumni Justin Amaral on drums, vocalist Christina Watson ’01, and guitarist Adam Agati ’04. Oscar also wrote several horn arrangements and played on a recording by Canadian country superstar Johnny Reid.
Singer/songwriter Jesse Terry ’04 was named as a Top 100 unsigned Artist on the Verge by New Music Seminar (NMS). Terry’s song “Let the Blue Skies Go to Your Head” is featured on an NMS compilation released by Tommy Boy Records. And songs from his new record won the grand prize in the We Are Listening: Singer/Songwriter Awards.
The award-winning bluegrass band Balsam Range released the song “Row by Row” by Ashleigh Caudill ’07 on the band’s new CD Papertown.
Episodes of the TV show Nashville featured the songs “Supergirl” and “Love Like Mine” by Emily Shackelton ’07. The latter will be released on the first Nashville soundtrack and as a single on iTunes.
Amanda Williams ’99 performed at the 80th birthday party for former UN ambassador Andrew Young alongside India Arie, Tyrese, and Oprah Winfrey. And Amanda’s father, Kim Williams, will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October.
Gus Berry ’10 is producing a new album for Liz Longley ’10. Her music was featured on the new summer ABC series NY Med.
Greg Bieck ’95 produced the theme song for the Veritas movie Last Ounce of Courage, which hit the theaters in September.
Luis Espaillat ’94 played bass and was musical director for the top country artists Sunny Sweeney and Greg Bates. Espaillat also toured with New York–based rock band Eve to Adam.
Drummer Nick Buda ’96 played on Taylor Swift’s new record as well as singles by Edens Edge, Sarah Darling, and the Farm. And in other drummer news, Robert Harsen ’82 will perform at the Franklin Jazz Festival as well as the Nashville Drum Show with his band Radio Republic.
Finally, songwriter Greg Becker ’95 scored a publishing deal with Southern Crossroads Music, and Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, and Meatloaf have recently recorded his songs. Becker and his wife recently welcomed their third child into the world. Keep those hit songs coming, Greg—you’re gonna need ’em!
That’s the news from Music City.