In The Round with Amelia White, Sally Barris, Don Henry & Linda McRae

If there were an East Nashville Music Hall of Fame, Amelia White would already be in it. The now famous scene was in its formative days when White arrived from Boston in the early 2000’s and became a fixture at The Family Wash. She’s been a leading light in America’s most musical zip code. Ever since, even as she developed a reputation in the rest of the U.S. and Europe as a first-rate songwriter, she helped define and refine the core folk-rock sound of Americana with her unique sound and her carefully wrought lyrics. She’s a poet who has been compared to more famous songwriters like Lucinda Williams for years now. She has quickly distinguished herself as a new benchmark.

She’s shared shows with Brandy Clark, Asleep at the Wheel, John Prine and Justin Townes Earle. White has always gleaned song inspiration through talking with people in the cities she visits. “I find that if I truly open up on stage, people want to tell me about the skeletons in their closets.”, says White.

“Over the last couple of decades, East Nashville fixture Amelia White has built a folk-pop catalog that's as unfussy as it is consistent in quality, and full of insinuating hooks, slyly sleepy singing and lean, jangly backing. "Rhythm of the Rain," the title cut of the album she released in January, looks at the current political frenzy from a seasoned, bohemian remove.” - Jewly Hight NPR Music, August 2019

Sally Barris is a Nashville based performing songwriter who has had songs covered by such top-level artists as Kathy Mattea, Martina McBride, and Lee Ann Womack. Her song “Let The Wind Chase You”, recorded by Trisha Yearwood and Keith Urban, received a Grammy nomination for vocal collaboration in 2009. While her writing credits mightily impress, fans and peers are most captivated by her bright spirit and expressive mountain soprano.  Dirty Linen says “Barris knows how to write lyrics that are as forthright as a stream of clear water and how to support them with melodies that share that quality”. The Minnesota native has performed Mountain Stage,  New Bedford Summer Fest, Wildflower Arts & Music Festival and The Kerrville Folk Festival. In 2021, Sally released her new cd “Grasshopper Mile”.

Grammy Award winner Don Henry's songs have been recorded by legends like:
Ray Charles, Patti Page and Conway Twitty
By country crooners like:
Gene Watson, John Conlee and B.J. Thomas
By young hit makers of today like:
Blake Shelton, Lonestar and Miranda Lambert ….
.....and the list goes on.

And he’s shared the stage with performers as diverse as Joey Ramone to Keith Urban.

The wit and wisdom of Don's songs are widely renowned whether it's campfire favorites, the hilarious "B.F.D." and biker lullaby "Harley", to the wonderfully poignant tribute to Martin Luther King "Beautiful Fool", and of course his Grammy Award winning country classic "Where've You Been".

In addition to a Grammy, Kathy Mattea's version of "Where've You Been" won Don (and co-writer Jon Vezner) song of the year honors from ACM (Academy of Country Music), CMA (Country Music Association) and NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International). "Where've You Been" was the first song in country music history to be awarded all four honors in the same year!

McRae has offered six critically acclaimed solo recordings throughout her years as a solo performer and is featured on multiple artists’ albums. Numerous accolades and top radio charting have landed Linda a Canadian Folk Music nomination for Contemporary Album of The Year for “Rough Edges and Ragged Hearts,” two Escape to Create Residencies in Florida, Winner of the Family Folk Chorale for “Be Your Own Light”. Linda is also highly sought after as a teacher, mentor, juror, panelist and workshop facilitator. 

And if all that isn’t enough Linda has worked alongside husband/manager with at risk youth and adults in her Express Yourself Writing Workshops presented across the country at detox, and correctional facilities including New Folsom Prison in California.