CMT Blog: Archive

For years I've been curious about the CMA Songwriters Series in New York City and since it coincided with this trip, I caught the early show last night (Nov. 5) at Joe's Pub. The lineup was pretty remarkable: host Bob DiPiero, Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall and Mark D. Sanders. DiPiero opened with "Blue Clear Sky," co-written by Sanders and recorded by George Strait. On his next time through, he played "Southern Voice," the new single from Tim McGraw. Randall offered a new song he co-wrote with Brad Paisley and Bill Anderson, "If You Can't Make Money, Make Love," an incredibly catchy and fun tune. Sanders told the audience that songwriters always know they're onto something when the crowd sings along with a song they've never heard before, which is exactly what happened.

As members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Sanders and DiPiero cheerfully swapped stories all night. For example, Sanders said Patty Loveless took "Thinkin' Thing" off hold when Sanders wouldn't rewrite the opening line. Also, DiPiero said Brooks & Dunn's "You Can't Take the Country Out of the Girl" was inspired by his former sister-in-law, Connie Tillis. Alexander and Randall have their share of knockout tunes, too. She wrote Miley Cyrus' "The Climb," and he wrote Paisley's "Whiskey Lullaby." Sanders is no slouch either, proven with crowd favorites like Faith Hill's "It Matters to Me," Jo Dee Messina's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" and Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." Toward the end, Montgomery Gentry's Troy Gentry emerged from the shadows to sing "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" and "Gone." He admitted being nervous, but the crowd embraced him immediately.

In a city known for its museums, it's satisfying to know that Nashville's own art form is gaining momentum in Manhattan with the series returning in 2010.