Day 11 - Get 'em Before I Go

Day 11 - Get 'em Before I Go
Only a couple of days to go and so the next couple of days will be vital to long-term plans. Today I'm catching up with long-time Nashville resident and Aussie 'friend' John Lomax III (from THAT legendary American musicology family), visiting Belmont Uni's Mike Curb School of Entertainment and Music Business, lunching with Jed to discuss Aussies at Americana 2010 in detail and catching up with old mate Tommy Emmanuel.

Later -
The Belmont visit is a 'side' project to investigate the possibilities of staff/student exchange with NMIT - the Melbourne TAFE where I teach music business. As we've got a Bachelor Degree in place in performance and are about to introduce one in Music Industry with 'majors' in technical production, songwriting and music business, it's a perfect time to try to establish a 'partnership' with Belmont. Meet a posse of the senior staff and everyone's very positive about the possibilities. Lots of questions about accreditation and course detail to be discussed - firtunately, not by me! Will go home with the good news and the departmental heads can carry it forward. It's a beautiful campus which incorporates the classic ante-bellum Belmont Mansion. Just at the end of Music Row - our students will love it.

Off to Fido's to meet John. Fido's is a Nashville institution, situated in Hillsboro Village - the student 'quarter' of town. It's like a little slice of Brunswick Street with REAL coffee. I've now realised that it's such a popular haunt, it's no trouble to arrange to meet people there. I just sit in the 'office' and they come to me. Very handy.
John first came to our (Australian) attention as a fan and local promoter of the Dead Ringer Band, featuring a very young Casey Chambers, brother Nash (now producer and manager) and mum and dad Bill and Di.
He was largely responsible for getting an initial US deal for Kasey and now runs a successful business exporting roots product to Europe and other markets. He's interested in helping to generate interest in the US and Europe for Aussie artists, but is also a mine of information on the local scene. He's happy to do whatever he can to help promote Aussies coming to Americana 2010.

Next it's lunch with Jed. He looks and sounds tired - no surprise there, but is very happy with how things have gone. He's wearing his Sounds Australia Akubra (the Lawson model) and gets lots of compliments while we're there - good move Dobe!
I lay out my tentative plan for Aussie involvement in next year's event - extra gigs, showcase appearances, an Aussie panel in the Conference, the idea of an academic involvement, songwriter/producer program .....
All good!
The AMA usually has an 'exclusivity' clause for showcase performers so additional performances don't detract from their Festival appearance, but Jed's quite happy with 'taster' gigs - such as an Aussie showcase at the Bluebird Cafe. He and I agree it will only help spark interest in visiting Australians. He's also mindful to try to provide our artists with as much exposure as possible.
He also reassures me on the one major potential problem I'd identified. If Aussie artists are to be eligible for funding assistance, there's a considerable time-lag and the need for some sort of 'guarantee' of involvement in the showcase program which is by application and panel assessment.
As Jed details, with international visitors, there are 'special' invitations and an ability to call an early meeting of the selection panel so overseas artists can make long-term plans.
It's all good and I'm delighted!
We chat for a long time about the event and I offer some thoughts based on my previous 'life' as director of the long-dead (but large) Melbourne Music Festival which bore striking resemblance to Americana.
Jed's a lovely bloke and I'm feeling really positive about the future.

So, I'm in a great mood when Tommy arrives. And if I wasn't already, the 'tornado' of positivity and enthusiasm that's Tommy would have soon changed that. I was so looking forward to this as I'd spent two of the best years of my musical life when Tommy was a member of the Bushwackers (80s).
Tommy's been working his arse off from his base here - 320 shows a year, and this year was honoured by Guitar Player with a Lifetime Achievement Award - a BIG deal!
He's taken over Keith Urban's early role as host and landlord (free bed and board) for visiting Australians. (I'm told later that Keith's house was apparently known as the 'Koala Hilton' for years).
Tommy hasn't changed a bit - still the same corny (dreadful!) jokes, but told with such verve that you can't help but laugh.
Of course the serious business is to get Tommy to agree to add his 'headline' status to the Aussie contingent. If he's in AND we could get Kasey and Shane involved, we will have a 'serious' showcase demanding a prime venue/spot.
He's VERY keen to be involved, and mentions the prospect of a reunion gig with the Bushwackers. I'd LOVE it - but early days yet.
This day's going very well, but until I speak to Gina Mendello - Tommy's manager, I'm not counting too many chickens.
He's such a generous and warm human being, that I'm in a great mood for today's final treat.

Have been hearing all week about the Doyle and Debbie Show which has been an institution at the Station Inn for the last couple of years. I'm told it's hilarious - always a worry.
Not a problem though, it's really good.
It's a satirical and affectionate look at the attempted resurrection of ex 'star' Doyle after a past littered with personal problems and a dark secret. He's here with his third 'Debbie' a young hopeful he's rescued from teenage single-motherhood in a trailer park in East Kentucky.
'Doyle' in real life, originally came to Nashville to be a songwriter (of course!), before discovering a passion and talent for acting and film making. He could easily have made it! The songwriting is fantastic - a fact confirmed by a number of prominent songwriters in tonight's audience. As a theatrical show, it allows them to touch on a number of 'taboo' subjects that would be no-go for ordinary writers. The singing's great too. They're off to do a 6-month residency in Chicago and hopefully London. It'd be a hit here and I'll pass on details to a couple of producers. It's not called 'Music City' for nothing!