Jimmy Eugene, “The Heartstrings” and quartet of students share country music with campus

by | Mar 9, 2014 | News Slider

Four Lipscomb students took the stage Friday night and followed the footsteps of artists like Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan as they performed with local country artist and oral surgeon Jimmy Eugene in Shamblin Theater. Eugene’s band members “The Heartstrings,” or the “E. String Band,” are local musicians who have played with some of the best in the business. Leading off the night, Eugene agreed to let a few of Lipscomb’s talented artists steal the show before “The Heartstrings” took the stage. Jesse Taylor, a junior singer-songwriter at Lipscomb, started the evening off, followed by senior Kelly Dean, freshman David Austin Lowry and senior Lacy Printz respectively. They all performed one of their own original songs. “This was the first time I’ve played this song in front of people that I know, so I was a little nervous,” senior Kelly Dean said after her performance. “I was glad to have people I knew in the audience, though.” Eugene and “The Heartstrings” played several songs throughout the night, including a song Eugene wrote titled “West Bound Plane” about a young lady with cancer he met on a flight from Memphis to New Orleans. “Tonight when you’re going to bed, say a little prayer for that lady,” Jimmy said after performing his hit “West Bound Plane.” “I think about her often.” The night continued with the feel-good music from the band. During intermission, the artists from Lipscomb took the stage once more, only this time, playing covers from their favorite artists in the business while Eugene passed out t-shirts and CD’s. “The Heartstring” band took the stage one last time, singing...

Walk Off The Earth’s Mike Taylor and Ryan Marshall talk covers, new album

by | Mar 14, 2013 | News Slider

Walk Off The Earth, the headliners of Tuesday’s SGA spring concert, sent Mike Taylor and Ryan Marshall Lumination’s way after the show to talk about their new album R.E.V.O. (out March 19), the process of recording a cover song and where the YouTube celebrities might be found next. While both are known for their versatile roles in the group (not limited to trumpet),  Taylor can be seen behind the keyboard, and Marshall is usually up front on vocals and guitar. The band’s big break came when their cover of Gotye’s chart-topping hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” (featuring the huge guitar) received over a hundred million views on YouTube. The group has been performing with the ‘multiple people – one guitar’ angle for around six years, and the novel technique helps give the band a unique identity. “Multiple people on one instrument has always been a part of this band, and so, every time we do a video, we want to try and bring our live show into the video, and same thing with the live show. We try and bring YouTube to the stage,” Marshall said. The style and inspiration to cover the Gotye hit sent the band skyrocketing to internet fame. “So, all of those together gave us this idea of ‘let’s get as many people on one guitar as we can’, and the timing with the Gotye song was just a fluke,” Marshall said. “It was a great tune, and not too many people had heard it in North America, and we loved it.” “It was a perfect storm,” Taylor added. Cover songs are one of the...

Column: Nashville finally earns ‘It City’ status

by | Jan 22, 2013 | News Slider, Opinion, Sports

Whether it’s in reference to the city’s rising economy, sports fever, southern charm or constant entertainment, Nashville has been dubbed the new ‘it city,’ and it’s about time. For a few years, different news outlets and magazines have noted the rise both population and economy in Music City, but it seems that 2013 may just be the year that Nashville emerges as a top destination in the country. Back in 2011, Forbes magazine listed Nashville at No. 3 on their list of cities in line to be the ‘next big boom town’. Last year, the Business Insider ranked the city at No. 5 for fastest growing job markets in the U.S. Now, the New York Times is referring to Nashville as the next “it city,” and people can’t wait to become a citizen of the GQ-named ‘Nowville’. For a city that used to be mocked for its honky-tonk feel, how did it rise to the top? To start, the change in country music has helped move Nashville away from the old country vibe. Names like Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton have made it popular to enjoy country music again. Urban and Shelton are both in the national spotlight with roles on the hit television shows American Idol and The Voice, while Underwood, Swift and Lambert have all spent the past five years bringing in a younger demographic to the country music fan base. Country music is no longer limited to just Broadway Ave. Bridgestone Arena is constantly rotating the biggest names not only in country music, but the music industry in general throughout...

Taylor Swift joins The Civil Wars for live song debut

by | Jan 13, 2012 | News Slider

Met by a cheering crowd, Taylor Swift joined The Civil Wars Jan. 12, at the Ryman Auditorium for a surprise appearance, debuting their new song “Safe and Sound.” The Staves opened for The Civil Wars. The sold-out show’s audience was enthralled with The Civil Wars, giving them a standing ovation after the song ‘Barton Hollow.’ Before the event, Nashville was buzzing with rumors about a possible Swift appearance during the concert. After performing several of their songs, the duo began joking that they like helping other artists and asked the audience to be nice to their guest because she was new and wasn’t well known. As soon as she stepped onto stage, the audience welcomed Swift with a long and loud cheer. The song “Safe and Sound” was written by all three artists for the “Hunger Games” soundtrack. It mashes together their talents for a folky, harmonious and mellow ballad. The Civil Wars are on the rise in the indie music scene, and Swift by all nature is a hit country music star. The musical duo has a natural talent for this type of song, but Swift was surprising in her mature lyrics and soothing voice. After another standing ovation at the end, The Civil Wars performed two encores, the latter one being all...