The CMA Board of Directors and nearly 400 Washington luminaries attended an intimate evening of acoustic music in the Coolidge Auditorium in the Library of Congress' Jefferson Building with performances by Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, Bob DiPiero, Lorrie Morgan, John Rich of Big & Rich, Randy Scruggs, and Victoria Shaw. (l-r) U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, Morgan, CMA Board President-Elect Gary Overton, Shaw, and Rich. Photo: Mitchell Layton, courtesy of CMA.
Libraries are meant to be quiet, but John Rich and Kix Brooks helped a passel of country figures make some important noise Tuesday in Washington, D.C., as the Country Music Association presented a show in conjunction with the Library of Congress.
“Story Tellers And Story Keepers” featured Kix, John and Lorrie Morgan, as well as ace musician Randy Scruggs and noted songwriters Victoria Shaw and Bob DiPiero, representing voices from several sectors of Nashville’s best-known industry. Delivered to a room that included influential lawmakers, the concert also allowed the music-makers to mingle with their guests in a pre-show reception.
“I truly believe that country music has become America’s music,” John told The Washington Post. “It’s wonderful to see D.C. and our lawmakers recognize and respect what we’re doing.”
The CMA presented the Library of Congress with some useful historical documents celebrating country music, including a leather-bound collection of DVDs featuring more than 40 years of CMA Awards shows. The Library of Congress already contains numerous country artifacts, including pioneering recordings from the 1920s and hand-written documents by the likes of Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard that accompanied their applications for copyrights.
CMA execs toured the library and also used the occasion to look for new ways that the organization and the Library of Congress might work together. Country music tells the story of many heartland Americans, and part of the CMA’s mission is to make sure that narrative is recognized by other agencies that catalog history.
The experience in a building that represents America’s scrapbook was particularly impactful to Kix, who’s chairman of the CMA’s Artist Relations Committee.
“On my tour bus,” he said, “it’s all History Channel and ESPN.”
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kix,bob victoriarandy all a thumbs up BUT John Rich is an ahole
I was at the concert and also got to speak with Kix Brooks a few times earlier in the day. Let me tell you it was an absolutely great experience. Both the concert and talking with Kix. He came up and introduced himself, no big star stuff, just a really nice guy. And the concert, wow! John Rich was awesome. Lorrie Morgan's voice is to die for, and her keyboard player (Mark Oliverius) is top notch. Songwriters Victoria Shaw and Bob DiPiero showed they were great performers too. Randy Scruggs obviously knows how to carry on a family tradition. In all one of the best concert experiences of my life. Thanks Kix et al.
I too have heard all about john rich and his exploits at nashville clubs and restaurants.
my son worked at a local restaurant and told me about the same thing happening
where he worked.
john was drunk as usual and cursing everybody out and they had to call the police to get him out of there.
what a good representative of the community.I don't know where he came from but I wish he'd go back there and while he's at it tear down the awful house he built on love circle and take all the cash he's made with little or no talent and leave town with his a hole attitude.
the fact that john rich would be a good rep for anyone is beyond me.
he's been kicked out of every club in town and even threw a bottle at a server who asked him to leave because they were closing…and he wants to talk about respect!!!
What a joke