Drag queens in limousines, nuns in blue jeans, dreamers with big dreams, they all took me in.” – “Drag Queens in Limousines,” Mary Gauthier What out lesbian moves to Nashville at 40 to start a troubadour career? Who goes from playing open mics to playing the Newport Folk Festival in one years time? It’s been 25 years since Mary Gauthier, now revered songwriter, released her groundbreaking debut album Drag Queens in Limousines. Eighteen months after this record was released, the response was so incredible that she hung up her chef’s coat, moved to Nashville, and started to make her mark as an exciting new voice in the songwriting world. “Drag Queens in Limousines” is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. It turns out, that’s all of us. For twenty-five years, Mary Gauthier has brought all kinds of folks from all walks of life together with her deeply personal, yet paradoxically universal work. By writing about what matters most to her, having the courage to sing what’s often too hard for us to say, and delivering the work authentically, Mary Gauthier opened the gate and widened the path that many who came after her have traveled. Join us in celebrating twenty-five years of the unique, courageous songs of Mary Gauthier.

Max T. Barnes is a hit writer who is the son of a hit writer. Between Max T. and his late father they have written 33 #1’s and hits and sold over 70 million records. They are the only father and son in CMA history to be nominated against each other for CMA Song Of The Year. Max T will play you songs that make you cry then serve up the lighter side and leave you laughing. He currently tours the world with his band, gives writer seminars, speaks and teaches at CLE’s and plays guitar in the studio on hit records such as, “How Do I Live” by LeAnn Rimes. Max T lives in a 100 year old school on 40 acres in Nashville with his wife Robin “Chief” of 35 years.

In 1974, when Bobby was only eight, he and his father (country musician Bobby Bare, Sr.) were both nominated for a Grammy Award for the song "Daddy What If", written by Shel Silverstein. Bare's daughter Isabella did a version of the song, which was featured on Twistable, Turnable Man, a tribute album to Shel Silverstein, co-produced by Bare and his father. He and his siblings also appeared on the television show Hee Haw when he was a child, to provide the witch scream on Bobby Bare, Sr.'s song "Marie Laveau" He began playing guitar and songwriting, and started as a professional musician when he was about 30. Bare has said that he is someone who avoided "working a real job at any cost." He worked as a member of the road crew and as a light technician. Once he started writing and performing, he was offered contracts with Immortal Records and Lost Highway. In the 1990s, he led the roots rock outfit Bare Jr., which was signed to Immortal Records, at that time the home of Korn and Incubus. They released two major label records, 1998's Boo-Tay and 2000's Brainwasher. They had a minor radio hit with "You Blew Me Off," which was featured in the movie Cruel Intentions and its soundtrack. The song was also performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on March 3, 1999. In February 2016, Bare joined a new touring lineup of Robert Pollard's band, Guided by Voices, as guitarist along with Doug Gillard also on guitar, bassist Mark Shue and drummer Kevin March. Many of Bare's songs incorporate a lot of humor and references to popular culture.His writing has been characterized as "inventive and melodic.” Shel Silverstein was a huge influence in his approach to songwriting. Bare describes it as writing poems and turning them into songs, which was very similar to what Silverstein did.