2nd Annual Grassroots of Grassland

Gordon Kennedy is a Grammy award winning songwriter, (Change the World-co-written with Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tommy Sims), and is also a Grammy award winning producer, (best pop instrumental album for Peter Frampton’s “Fingerprints”).

He has written for Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley & Stevie Nicks, Garth Brooks, Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, Peter Frampton, among others. He recently was a co-writer on Bonnie Raitt’s 2016 single “Gypsy in Me” which reached #1 on the Americana charts.

Danny Flowers is a hit songwriter that is best known for having penned classic hits for other artists, but as a solo artist his bluesy blend of raw emotion combined with a heartfelt yearning will speak to your very soul. Danny’s instrumentality has also earned him a high level of notoriety in the industry.

His writing credits span several genres and his flexibility as a guitarist and wordsmith is well known. He penned “Tulsa Time” for Eric Clapton, which Don Williams also cut. Williams then had hits with “Back In My Younger Days,” “Senorita” and “To Be Your Man.” Emmylou Harris recorded “Before Believing” as the title cut for her Pieces of the Sky album. “Gulf Coast Highway” was recorded by Emmylou and Willie Nelson, as well as by Nanci Griffith and Evangeline. The list goes on….

We welcome back our very own talented Neil Medley, Grassland Elementary Dad, as well as a Warner/Chappell songwriter. He has had songs recorded by Luke Bryan (“Tailgate Blues”), Tyler Farr? w/Jason Aldean (“Damn Good Friends”), Josh Abbott’s radio single (“Wasn’t That Drunk”) and Brent Cobb ("Down In The Gulley"). For complete list of Neil's recorded songs visit www.neilmedley.com

Grassland Elementary alum and singer/songwriter, Jenny Gill, daughter of Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill. It’s not surprising that she grew up singing. Her first public performance was at age 5, when she sang “Jenny Dreamed of Trains" with her dad at Nashville’s "Summer Lights" Festival. She spent her summers on the road with her parents. After graduating from MTSU’s Recording Industry Program and working in the music business for years, she decided it was time to make her own music. Her debut project, “The House Sessions,” Jenny unveils an autobiographical collection of songs that blend blues, Americana and country to create a sound and style that is as unique as she is. “The House Sessions” was inspired after giving birth to her son Wyatt in 2014. “The way I feel about my parents and how I am so proud of them, I want him to feel that way about me,” she says. The album is a collection of very personal songs like “Obviously, ‘Your Shadow,” “Whiskey Words” and “Look Where Your Love Landed Me.” She is inspired and has been influenced by the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Grace Potter. Jenny’s album emanates her sultry blues tone with a hint of country here and there.

Last but certainly not least, we welcome Kelsey K back to open the show. She began writing songs at 6 yrs old. She bought her first guitar with her birthday money and began teaching herself how to play guitar at age 9. Two years later she won a country music contest giving her the opportunity to open for Gary Allen, singing two of her self penned original songs at the age of 11. Since then she has released three independent albums in 2011, 2012 & in 2015. Her song “Run Girl” was a Highway Find on Sirius XM The Highway. Kelsey has opened for Lady Antebellum, Billy Currington, Toby Keith, Scotty McCreery, Hunter Hayes, Thomas Rhett, Jerrod Niemann, and more. She is currently in the studio working on her next project! She is a natural talent who strives to inspire and touch others with her music.