2016 marks the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards and its legacy of creating some of the biggest moments in Country Music history. At the beginning of this historic year, CMA and “Front and Center” join musical forces once again to announce season six of “Front and Center,” which kicks off this month with five all-new CMA Songwriters Series episodes featuring Country Music icon Ronnie Dunn, 2014 CMA New Artist of the Year Brett Eldredge, multi-Platinum selling Country star Kip Moore, Grand Ole Opry member and CMA Award winner Darius Rucker, and iconic Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler.
The chart-topping line-up is joined on stage by some of Nashville’s top songwriters who have helped pen Country Music’s biggest hits. Filmed at Marathon Music Works in Nashville (Dunn, Eldredge, and Rucker), New York’s Iridium (Moore), and Melrose Ballroom (Tyler), fans can tune into the new season which will begin airing this month on public television (check local listings).
Award-winning singer/songwriter Dunn tapped renowned craftsmen Dallas Davidson, Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Tommy Lee James, Tony Martin, Wendall Mobley, Neil Thrasher, and Craig Wisemen to perform No. 1 hits including “Red Dirt Road” and “Neon Moon,” as well as songs from his recent solo album Ain’t No Trucks In Texas. Dunn was also joined onstage by Eldredge for special performances of the Brooks & Dunn smash “Believe” and Eldredge’s “One Mississippi.”
“It was a once in a lifetime experience shooting ‘Front and Center’ in Nashville with a bunch of my buddies, not to mention the best songwriters in Twang Town,” said Dunn.
In addition to his performance with Dunn, Eldredge takes the stage for his own show featuring songwriters Scooter Carusoe, Ross Copperman, Douglas, and Heather Morgan. Eldredge treats the sold-out crowd to chart-topping hits from his debut album Bring You Back including “Beat of the Music,” “Mean To Me,” and “Don’t Ya.” A songwriter in his own right, Eldredge also performs songs from his recent release Illinois, including a performance of the album’s first single, “Lose My Mind.”
Moore, whose current release Wild Ones hit No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, performs an acoustic set with the help of fellow songwriters Brett James and The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston. Moore delights the crowd with stripped down versions of his No. 1 hits “Beer Money” and “Hey Pretty Girl” from his debut album Up All Night, and gives a rousing performance of his recent single “I’m To Blame.”
Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter and CMA Award winner Rucker is joined by an illustrious group of songwriters including Casey Beathard, Nathan Chapman, Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Tim James, Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Clay Mills, Frank Rogers, and Rivers Rutherford. The group gives an electrifying performance filled with No. 1 hits including “Homegrown Honey,” “Alright,” “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” and “Come Back Song.”
“There would be no great songs without great songwriters willing to put everything they feel and think about life’s little nuances out there for the world to hear,” said Rucker. “They are the creative core of our industry, and I’m happy to help shed some light on that process and talent with ‘Front and Center.’”
Rounding out the line-up for the CMA Songwriters Series episodes of season six is legendary Aerosmith front man Tyler. The stripped down, Country-inspired set marks Tyler’s CMA Songwriters Series debut and features stories behind the making of his first Country single, “Love Is Your Name,” with Lindsey Lee and Eric Paslay. The multiple Grammy Award winner also shares the stage with Nuno Bettencourt for “More Than Words” and The Loving Mary Band for performances of “Jaded” and “Sweet Emotion.”
“Front and Center” is the critically-acclaimed concert series that airs nationwide on public television. The show has presented an eclectic mix of award winners, rock icons, and multi-Platinum sellers including Dierks Bentley, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Jack Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, The Fray, Train, Keith Urban, and more.
“Front and Center” is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW21 for WNET, and distributed by American Public Television.
Celebrating the craft of storytelling through song and the stories behind Country Music’s greatest hits, the CMA Songwriters Series began in 2005. The CMA Songwriters Series has presented more than 90 shows in 15 cities including Austin, Belfast, Chicago, Dublin, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. at the renowned Library of Congress. Some of the artists who have been part of the series include Bentley, Clint Black, Kix Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Hunter Hayes, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rucker, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, and more.
For more information on the “Front and Center” music series, please visit frontandcenter.com and check out the YouTube page at youtube.com/frontandcentertv.
For more information on the CMA Songwriters Series, visit CMAsongwritersseries.com.
**SUGGESTED TWEET**: .@frontandcenter’s S6 feat #CMAsongwriters: @ronniedunn @dariusrucker @bretteldredge @KipMooreMusic &@IamStevenT