The fifth show of the 2010 Bluebird on the Mountain concert series is set for Saturday, Sept. 18, and will feature singer-songwriters Lori McKenna, Tom Douglas and Natalie Hemby. The show starts at 8 p.m. with gates opening at 6 p.m.
Season tickets for this year鈥檚 series are sold out, but advance tickets for the two remaining single shows are available through or by phone. Tickets are $95 for a carload and a handling fee will be added. No RVs or buses will be admitted. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome.
The mother of five, McKenna began performing at open mic nights in Boston area clubs when she was 27. The enthusiastic response from the crowds encouraged her to continue performing. She managed to do all of the things she loved: play with her kids, perform at shows in the evening, and write songs at the dinner table at night. The explosion of her music career began when a friend passed along some of McKenna鈥檚 songs to Faith Hill. Though Hill had just finished an album, she was so taken by McKenna鈥檚 songs that she returned to the studio and added three of her tunes, including the title track to that album, 鈥淔ireflies.鈥�
After a series of albums on independent labels, McKenna was signed to Warner Brothers and released her first album for that label, Unglamorous, in 2007. In addition to Hill, McKenna鈥檚 songs have been recorded by Tim McGraw (鈥淣ot a Moment Too Soon鈥� and 鈥淟et It Go鈥�), Sara Evans (鈥淩eal Fine Place鈥�) and Heidi Newfield (鈥淲hat Am I Waiting for?鈥�).
After a few years of writing songs in Nashville in the early 1980鈥檚, Tom Douglas decided the music business was not for him and relocated to Dallas, where he worked as a real estate broker. Minus the pressures of the music business and with a steady income, Douglas began to write again and in the summer of 1993, he gave a tape containing the song 鈥淟ittle Rock鈥� to a Nashville producer. The song later became a No.1 hit for singer Collin Raye and was nominated for Song of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1994.
Douglas was signed as a staff writer for Sony/ATV and has continued to write hits for artists including Jim Brickman (鈥淭he Gift鈥�), Martina McBride (鈥淟ove鈥檚 the Only House鈥�) and Tim McGraw (鈥淕rown Men Don鈥檛 Cry鈥�). Douglas鈥� latest release is Songs and Short Stories.
At 19 years old, Natalie Hemby signed her first publishing deal and quickly began working with writers including Tommy Lee James and Mike Dulaney. In 2008, she signed a deal with Carnival Music Publishing and has enjoyed success with cuts by Lee Ann Womack (鈥淭he Bees鈥�), Eli Young Band (鈥淢ystery in the Making鈥�) and Amy Grant (鈥淥vernight鈥�). 聽In 2009, she enjoyed her first Top Ten hit with Miranda Lambert鈥檚 recording of 鈥淲hite Liar,鈥� a song she co-wrote with the talented young singer.
The final concert of the series is scheduled for Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.聽 That show will feature Steve Seskin, Chuck Jones and Allen Shamblin.聽 Additionally, a new date has been set for Marshall Chapman鈥檚 performance, which was cancelled due to inclement weather. Chapman has been rescheduled to perform Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Additional details are forthcoming.
Weather permitting, the observatory also invites visitors to remain and stargaze using the observatory鈥檚 Seyfert telescope. If severe weather is forecast for show dates, please check the Dyer Observatory for updates or call (615) 373-4897.
Dyer Observatory is located at 1000 Oman Drive, off Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Otter Creek Road, near Radnor Lake. Directions are available at .
Built in 1953, Dyer Observatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The property consists of the observatory, 1953 house and garage and 2006 Star Chamber.聽The observatory serves as a community resource for the teaching of science as well as a venue for public, private and corporate events.