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LARRY GATLIN ELECTED TO NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FA

Larry Gatlin

Nashville, Tenn. (August 7, 2019) — Wednesday morning in Nashville, GRAMMY® Award-winning country music legend Larry Gatlin was announced as a 2019 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Gatlin, who’s been performing with brothers Steve and Rudy (collectively known as Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers) for more than 60 years, holds one of the most prolific songwriting résumés in all of country music.

“I’ve had a grin on my face since I got the good news,” says Gatlin. “I feel kinda like I’ve fathered a child here in my golden years. I’m humbled and grateful to be honored by my peers in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”

Over the course of his career, Gatlin has self-penned hundreds of songs, including seven No. 1 hits for the Gatlin Brothers: “All the Gold in California,” “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You),” “Broken Lady,” “Statues Without Hearts,” “I Don’t Wanna Cry,” “Night Time Magic,” and “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love.”

His songs have been recorded by many household names including Elvis Presley, Barry Gibb, Glen Campbell, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Dottie West, and Roy Orbison.

He appears on several “best of” songwriter lists. With 35 songs, he’s currently tied at No. 4 with Tom T. Hall for the most self-penned: 40 Billboard hits as a country artist. The pair follow Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, and Hank Williams Jr.

Larry Gatlin

Gatlin will be inducted in the Veteran Songwriter/Artist category. Additional 2019 inductees include Sharon Vaughn in the Veteran Songwriter category, Marcus Hummon, Kostas Lazarides and Rivers Rutherford in the Songwriter category, and Dwight Yoakam in the Songwriter/Artist category.

A formal induction ceremony will take place on Monday, October 14, 2019 at the Music City Center in Nashville.

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers

About Larry Gatlin
The close family harmonies of Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers have given the trio a signature sound that led to country classics like “All the Gold in California” and “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You).”

The brothers won a GRAMMY® for their 1976 breakthrough hit, “Broken Lady,” and reached #1 with several other songs soon thereafter. Along with five career nominations for the ACM Vocal Group, the Gatlin Brothers picked up three 1979 trophies: Single of the Year (“All the Gold in California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year for Larry Gatlin.

The brothers were also nominated for multiple CMA Awards including Vocal Group of the Year, Single of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. Larry Gatlin has written songs recorded by Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Dottie West, Roy Orbison, Barry Gibb and countless Gospel artists including the Gaither Vocal Band, the Booth Brothers, the Isaacs and many more.

After 60+ years of music, the brothers continue to perform nearly 100 live concert dates each year.

For more information on Larry Gatlin,   go here. gatlinbrothers.com

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Meet the Writer: Michael Jason Frost discusses “Choose Life” by the Hyssongs

The Hyssongs

Have you had an experience where you had to convince someone to “Choose Life”? Have you personally faced this choice? The Hyssongs’ new song came from a very personal place for writer Michael Jason Frost.

Here are the lyrics, followed by a video interview with Richard Hyssong, as Michael gives his testimony behind the song…

Michael Jason Frost

Choose Life
(Michael Jason Frost / Morning Frost Music / BMI)

1)
There’s a woman crying softly, a heavy heart and worried mind
As she wonders how she’ll care for this precious unborn child
Somebody said to her you have a choice, in this day and time
But in spite of her uncertainties, the choice becomes clear in her mind

(Chorus)
She chooses life, full and abundant, a precious gift from Heaven above
Life, in spite of all of its trials, is God’s manifestation of marvelous love
When it seems there’s no other choice you can find,
Remember God created us to prosper and thrive,
The choice becomes clear every time,
Choose life

2)
There’s a man crying softly, a heavy heart and a worried mind
As he ponders a decision to give up, and end it all this time
Somebody said to him you have a choice, find the strength inside
In spite of all his uncertainties, the choice becomes clear in his mind

(Chorus)
He chooses life, full and abundant, a precious gift from Heaven above
Life, in spite of its trials, is God’s manifestation of marvelous love
When it seems there’s no other choice you can find,
Remember God created us to prosper and thrive,
The choice becomes clear every time,
Choose life

3)
There’s a world crying softly, with heavy hearts and worried minds
We’ve forgotten there’s abundant life, through Jesus Christ
We all have a choice before we leave this world behind
Jesus is life, so now is the time to decide

(Chorus)
Choose life, full and abundant, a precious gift from Heaven above
Life, in spite of all of its trials, is God’s manifestation of his marvelous love
When it seems there’s no other choice you can find,
Remember God created us to prosper and thrive,
The choice is clear this time,
Choose life

We hope you enjoy this song as sung by the Hyssongs.

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Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Jerry Salley Releases First Bluegrass Gospel Album

Nashville, Tennessee (November 3, 2015) Once in a while songwriters miss their calling and try to be singers as well as writers. Not so with Jerry Salley. With his new Bluegrass Gospel album Gospel From My Grassroots, Jerry proves to be not only the ultimate songwriter, but also a prolific singer. With all of the love and expression any singer could produce, Jerry treats these tunes with masterful performance.

Jerry has had some major hits with his songwriting in Country, Bluegrass, Southern Gospel, as well as Contemporary Christian genres. Turning to his roots this new CD features his Country/Bluegrass talents.

Referred to by Billboard Magazine as “One of Music Row’s greatest veteran tunesmiths,” Jerry Salley has had an incredibly successful songwriting career in Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel music. Showing his bluegrass roots, and with his five-year-old granddaughter gracing the cover, Gospel From My Grassroots is Jerry’s first all Bluegrass Gospel album. It shines with 13 original, heartfelt tunes that range from the energetic, up-tempo song “How High Is That Mountain,” to the brand new finger-snapping a cappella song, “Just Drink The Water.”

Jerry breathes new life into these self-penned songs, most of which have been previously recorded by Bluegrass and Gospel greats. Guest vocalist Steven Curtis Chapman sings with Jerry on an acoustic, stripped-down translation of their co-written Gospel classic, “His Strength Is Perfect” and IBMA Female Vocalist Of The Year, Dale Ann Bradley, lends her warm angelic voice to “Send The Angels Down,” a song that she previously recorded. The project also includes Jerry’s original versions of “It’s Not What You Know” and “You Don’t Have To Go Home,” which have been recorded multiple times in the Bluegrass and Gospel worlds, and “I Want To Thank You,” a #1 song for Karen Peck and New River .

The fifth song on the album, “Cross On The Right” features Jerry with friends Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, and Bradley Walker and is the initial focus track for radio from the album, although Jerry invites you to play any and ALL of your favorite tunes!

If you would like to interview Jerry Salley contact AG Publicity at info@agpublicity.com .

To learn more about Jerry Salley you can go to www.jerrysalley.com or his Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/jerry.salley.7 .

To book Jerry at your church, event, or concert contact him at jerrysalleymusic@gmail.com or call 931- 450-4220.
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About Jerry Salley

Referred to by Billboard Magazine as “One of Music Row’s greatest veteran tunesmiths”, Jerry Salley, the 2003 “SESAC Country Music Songwriter of the Year”, has had over 400 songs recorded in his multi-award winning career.

Born in the small southern Ohio town of Chillicothe, he signed with Performing Rights Organization SESAC at eighteen years old. Writing and singing in Nashville since 1982, he has written multiple hits in Country, Bluegrass and Gospel Music and may well be the most successful songwriter to have earned equal recognition from all three genres of music – not to mention his recent activity of songs/awards recorded by some of the best/current artists in the “Americana” music genre.

His country hits include the Reba McEntire smash “I’m Gonna Take That Mountain”, “Breakin’ New Ground” (Wild Rose/Universal Records), “I Fell In The Water” (John Anderson/BNA Records), “How Do You Sleep At Night” (Wade Hayes/DCK/Columbia Records), and four other Billboard chart records. His has written Three #1 Gospel hits, several #2 Gospel hits and over a dozen other top ten/top twenty Gospel songs. In addition to songs recorded by the previously mentioned artists, he has had songs recorded by Patty Loveless, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley, Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy, Mark Chesnutt, Cece Winans, The Whites, and many others. He is a nine-time Dove Award nominee, having won a prestigious Dove for the 1990 Inspirational Song of the Year “His Strength Is Perfect”, recorded by and co-written with Steven Curtis Chapman.

Internationally he has penned no less than seven #1 Country hits in Australia just since 2001. To date Jerry’s songs have sold in excess of fourteen million records worldwide.

As an artist, Jerry has performed on numerous stage shows, including the honor of performing as a soloist many times on the world famous GRAND OLE OPRY. His television appearances include LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, REGIS AND KATHY LEE, NBC’S TODAY SHOW and several different TNN (THE NASHVILLE NETWORK) shows.

Donna King Lands in Top Ten of NSAI Song Contest

Last October, upwards of 2000 songwriters entered songs in the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Song Contest presented by CMT (Country Music Television Network).

On February 1, 2015 the Top Ten Finalists were announced and among that select group was producer, songwriter, and artist in her own right, Donna King. Donna is well known in Christian music circles, having written, produced, and performed many hit Christian songs. However, this particular song is from Donna’s Country music songwriting collection. The song is entitled “THIS KIND OF COLD.”

Donna says, “I am still in complete shock over making it to the NSAI CMT Song Contest Top 10 Finalists. I know I have to write songs and nothing I am able to do is done in my own strength. I pray that each song I write will find the home it was meant to live in. Some of those songs are just meant to live in my own heart and others are meant to reach places that I can only imagine they might go.

“The most wonderful thing about this contest is the opportunity to expand the reach of my songs and to live fully in what I feel is God’s most definitive call on my life. I congratulate every finalist for their achievement and I thank the NSAI and CMT for helping to create a path for songs that may never otherwise have an opportunity to be heard. I also thank every person taking the time to vote for “THIS KIND OF COLD” and to share it with others to vote as well. Finally, I thank God. He knows the plans He has for me…Jeremiah 29.11.”

Donna King

The GRAND PRIZE winner of the NSAI Song Contest is determined solely by fan vote. Right now through February 28th, 2015, Donna will need our help by voting and also by sharing/asking others to vote for her song, “This Kind of Cold,” on the CMT website. You only need to vote one time per person and it’s as easy as selecting Donna’s song, entering your email address and submitting. The direct link to the NSAI CMT Song Contest page is www.nsai.cmt.com . When sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and the like, please use hashtags #NSAIsongcontest #VOTEThisKindOfCold when possible.

Also, to make it even easier, Donna’s family has graciously set up a listening link to her song and a direct link to the CMT Voting site. You can find the links here:

Vote: http://www.cmt.com/asm/contests/nsai/cmt_choice/2015/
Listen: http://tinyurl.com/ListenDonnaKing
Good luck Donna and we are pulling for you!