Variety on Main returns August 21! Featuring Mandy Barnett, Monica Ramey, Jason Coleman, The Biscuit Eaters, Crystal Gayle, Zeta Kenner, Val Story and Pat Coil and The Mainstays!
Variety on Main at the Franklin Theatre is a captivating blend of entertainment that transcends generations. This vaudeville-style show seamlessly weaves together performances from seasoned artists and up-and-coming talents. It's a celebration of talent, tradition, and the vibrant spirit of community, all under the historic charm of the Franklin Theatre.
THE PRESENTERS
About Mandy Barnett:
www.mandybarnett.com
Mandy Barnett, a Nashville treasure and Grand Ole Opry member, has left an indelible mark on the country music scene. Renowned for her soulful voice and versatile talent, Mandy rose to prominence as the original star of "Always... Patsy Cline" at the Ryman Auditorium. A veteran performer, she has garnered critical acclaim for her performances and recordings. Hailing from Crossville, Mandy's roots run deep, she stands as a respected figure and a favorite among critics. Whether captivating audiences with her Opry performances or exploring diverse musical landscapes, Mandy Barnett continues to shine as a luminary in the world of country music.
About Monica Ramey:
www.monicaramey.com
"Now that the trend of aging rockers cutting albums of show tunes and standards seems thankfully to have run its course, we're back to vocalists with a real feel for and understanding of the jazz tradition doing them justice. Nashville's Monica Ramey is a shining example. Her delivery offers resourceful, soaring and engaging interpretations of material from The Great American Songbook." -Ron Wynn, Nashville Scene Monica is a native of Francesville, one of Indiana’s smallest towns. She moved to Nashville in 2000 after college, studying under some of the nation’s finest jazz musicians. Ramey is best known for her longstanding musical relationship with jazz pianist Beegie Adair. Together, they appeared on and produced multiple recordings and played sold out jazz clubs across the US, most often Birdland Jazz Club in New York.
THE GUESTS
About Jason Coleman:
https://jasoncolemanmusic.com/
For Nashville pianist Jason Floyd Coleman, the connections between music and memories, piano and family are inseparable. And as the grandson of piano legend Floyd Cramer, it’s only natural that the timeless music of days gone by would find new life in Jason’s fingers. Although he was only 12 years old when his 'Grandad' passed away in 1997, their close relationship formed the foundation upon which Jason has built his own career in music. At age 19, Jason played for the Medallion Ceremony recognizing Floyd’s posthumous induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, kickstarting a career spent in the studio and on stage. Jason has released more than 20 piano albums and has toured in hundreds of concerts coast to coast, bringing his grandfather’s signature ’slip-note' piano style to audiences old and new. And in 2022, Jason was invited to “step into the circle” and make his own Grand Ole Opry debut, honoring the 25th anniversary of his grandfather’s passing. Jason currently hosts and produces The Jason Coleman Show, an hour-long country piano concert series broadcast weekly on the world-famous WSM Radio and streaming as a TV show online and on Country Road TV. A lifelong Nashville native, Jason makes his home in the Music City with his wife, Natalie, and their piano-playing son, Avery Cramer.
About The Biscuit Eaters:
https://www.facebook.com/thebiscuiteatersnc/
"The Biscuit Eaters," a bluegrass band located in Surry County North Carolina is comprised of the Wilkerson family including: Sam age 15, Jo age 12, Maggie Jane age 10, Silas age 8, Molly age 6, and Mom and Dad who are both too old to mention.
About Crystal Gayle
www.crystalgayle.com
Grammy®-winning songstress Crystal Gayle is a beloved country music icon whose reign in the music business includes 22 No. 1 country hits, four top twenty pop hits, six albums certified Gold by the RIAA and three certified Platinum, including We Must Believe in Magic which was the first album by a female artist in country music history to reach platinum sales. Her list of platinum and gold is matched by her awards and accolades. CMA’s “Female Vocalist of the Year” for two consecutive years, Crystal is also a Grammy® Award winner for “Best Female Vocal Performance” thanks to her timeless, international smash hit “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” – a song that she today admits she has never grown tired of singing. Crystal has three Academy of Country Music Awards statuettes for “Top Female Vocalist'' and won four American Music Awards. Not surprisingly, she was named the Most Performed Country Female Artist on radio for the decade of 1975-1985. Perhaps nothing sums up Crystal’s career achievements better than being awarded with a star on the fabled Hollywood Walk of Fame in October 2009. Famous for her nearly floor-length hair, Crystal was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine and in 2016 the Academy of Country Music honored her with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award. Gayle was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in January 2017 by her sister and Opry legend Loretta Lynn.
About Zeta Kenner:
https://www.instagram.com/zeta_kenner/
A Nashville native, 13-year-old Zeta Kenner is a ventriloquist, singer, actress, and dancer. She takes pride in performing and uses her talents to make people smile. Zeta has starred, sung, and danced in such musicals as Annie, Oliver, Jungle Book, Bugsy Malone and many more, along with displaying her ventriloquism skills at school Talent Nights, church events and in July 2024 she performed at the International Vent Haven Ventriloquist Convention and placed 2nd in the Junior open mic contest.
About Val Storey
https://valstoreysings.com
Anyone who’s had the opportunity to experience a live show at Nashville’s iconic Station Inn is likely familiar with the mesmerizing Val Storey. The petite dynamo has been a staple at the iconic venue for several years. With her versatile, crystalline vocals, Val’s performances, ranging from driving bluegrass to traditional county, gospel and jazz stylings, evoke genuine emotion in her many fans.
With the May 2023 release of Share Your Secrets With Me, produced by the legendary Larry Cordle, those many fans are sure to multiply for the diminutive singer with the powerful pipes.
Storey is indeed one of the entertainment industry’s premier vocalists. Her pure and sincere styling takes the listener to a very personal place, evoking a colorful palate of emotion. Her flawless and captivating performances, both in the concert hall and the recording studio, have earned for her the admiration of fellow musicians and fans alike. In short, Val Storey is truly a “singer’s singer.”
THE MAINSTAYS
About Pat Coil:
www.patcoil.com
Pat is an accomplished pianist, composer, producer, arranger, teacher, and highly respected studio musician. His credits span the musical spectrum of jazz, R&B, pop, country and gospel. His touring and recording credits include Michael McDonald, Carmen McRae, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Woody Herman, Larry Carlton, Natalie Cole, Nancy Wilson,Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Peter Cetera, Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers, Travis Tritt and Olivia Newton John. Additionally, Pat has taught jazz piano, improvisation and combos at MTSU and served at Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the renowned University of North Texas. We’re honored to have Pat at our Musical Director for Variety on Main. The Mainstays include Brian Allen (bass), Larry Aberman (drums) and Sam Hunter (guitar).
About Brian Allen:
www.brianallenonbass.com
Hailing from Columbus, Indiana, Brian started playing the bass at age eleven. His playing won him several awards throughout high school, including the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz award. Brian has toured and recorded with a diverse range of artists, including The Oak Ridge Boys, Brandi Carlisle, Lori Mckenna, Jason Isbell, Keb Mo, Christopher Cross, Miranda Lambert, Sturgill Simpson, Zac Brown, Jamey Johnson, Shooter Jennings, Dolly Parton, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sara Bareilles, John Scofield, Natalie Cole, Four Tops and the Temptations. Brian has taught at the world famous Musicians Institute (MI) and private lessons and live playing workshops.He plays all types of basses, from a standard four string to a six string fretted and fretless. He also plays upright bass and cello.
About Larry Aberman:
www.larryaberman.com
Larry Aberman is a drummer whose career has taken him from the stage of Avery Fisher Hall as a percussion soloist with the NY Philharmonic to the studios of Memphis to record the Grammy winning CD "Family Style" with Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan. A graduate of The Eastman School of Music, Larry has recorded and toured with artists like Wynton Marsalis, David Lee Roth, Lionel Richie, Dianne Reeves, John Hiatt, Ben Harper, Aaron Neville, Paul Williams, Joe Sample, Marcus Miller and Foreigner, just to name a few. Larry worked in Las Vegas with Cirque du Soleil’s “Zumanity” at the New York New York Hotel and Casino. He is an adjunct professor of applied drum set at UNLV as well as a sub percussionist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. He continues to compose and record drums remotely via the web for numerous album, TV and film projects.
About Sam Hunter:
www.sammusicsongs.com
Sam Hunter is a Nashville based singer, songwriter, session and producer. The multi-talented musician’s writing credits include hits for Ronnie Milsap and Willie Nelson and for TV shows for CMT and Fox. Additionally, Sam has written songs for movies like “Bad Roomies”, “The Confirmation” and “Dial a Prayer".
Proud Partners of Variety On Main:
