The Unsung Heroes

LA has actors ... Nashville has musicians. They are everywhere! The rarest kind is the studio musician. A creative, consistent player. One with endless ideas and versatile. The studio musician can stand out or they can tuck it right in. They make their work look so easy. They make everything they get better.

The Nashville Musicians Hall the Fame inducted some new pickers, producers and engineers this week. Garth Brooks was on hand to bring in his studio recording band, The G Men.

"They are the greatest musicians in the world! You won't get in the Hall of Fame unless these guys put you in! The words of Garth Brooks and he should know.

In the New World Order, some Nashville singers have shifted away from the old way of doing things. Even the Rolling Stones went to Muscle Shoals and with local help stirred up some "Brown Sugar."

Nashville got into the studio business in the '40s. Castle, Bullet in downtown. Big band and probably some hillbilly music. It took a while to get our studios up to NY/Chicago standards, but it happened. And magic has been pouring out ever since. The diversity of music that flew out of here in the '60s has never been equaled. Cash, Orbison, Brenda Lee, The Everlys, Boots Randolph and Floyd Cramer with bossman Chet Atkins. Jukebox hits from "Pretty Woman" to "Harper Valley PTA."

It is so great that Joe Chambers stayed with it through thick and thin to get this museum up and running. He has been through Hell in the process. But he was persistent. He deserves some kind of award or a parade with every music lover in town saluting him.

Music lovers must seek out The Musician's Hall of Fame. It gets better every month and it is expanding. I love it and the induction ceremonies have been off the charts.

Maybe someday, everyone will know The Wrecking Crew, The Funk Brothers, The Swampers, The Memphis Boys, The A Team and The Sound of Philadelphia. There may even be some more that have not come out of the shadows. Joe will find you!

The CMA show is upon us, as are the other performing rights society's banquets. Four days for some. Nerves for the first-timers walking the massive red carpet or maybe even winning an award.

The top-of-the-ticket categories have never been so competitive. Entertainer of the Year maybe the most difficult to predict in years. The easy choice is to have Luke Bryan three-peat. You can certainly make a case for it. Maybe it's Carrie Underwood's year. Look are her sales stats and the show that is still touring now. Some say Keith, a former winner, and who can guess the Chris Stapleton factor. Then there is Garth. Look what he has done with concert sales and long -music sales ... 138 million now?

A tough competitive field.

Maren Morris is going to get something. If not the CMAs, then the Grammys. Will the Bros get the love or the cold shoulder? To be seen!

The CMA 50 hopefully will not have to fight the Cubs/Indians contest. Game 7 would be right there. The CMA Show is going to bring in the classic gunslingers for this one. Fifty years of history and so many have passed in the last 10 years. The show should be great.

Hard week ahead ... Hope we all stay well and sleep a little bit. Good luck to all the nominees and to all the studio musicians around, God Bless You. You have taken sad songs and made them better!