A Writer’s Night showcases talent, benefits Relay for Life

Country music playing and an array of instruments across the stage set the tone for A Writer’s Night Monday in Shamblin Theater. The concert was organized by Lipscomb’s chapter of CMA EDU, a nationwide program thats gives college students a foot in the door to the world of country music. Lipscomb’s CMA EDU president Miranda Davidson created the concert to benefit cancer research through Lipscomb’s Relay for Life event. “We got the idea of coming up with a songwriter’s night so we could raise money for Relay For Life,” Davidson said. “We have a really great lineup, so I’m excited.” Audience members sat at round tables and sipped fresh coffee, creating an intimate atmosphere. Ashley Scire and Hayden Hines kicked the night off with some original tunes and a few covers. Scire performed her original songs “The Memory is Still With Me,” “Cracks,” “Goodbye is Cheap” and “Tough Guy.” Hines covered Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel” and Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise.” “I love doing these kinds of shows,” Scire said. “I just like to support such a good cause. I think music can speak to everybody, and I love using it for the good.” Next up were Byron Hatcher, Abbi Scott and Phillip White. Hatcher began with his song called “Nashville.” Later he played “50 Years,” a song he wrote for his grandmother after his grandfather passed away. Scott performed four original songs. Two of them, “Make Mine Count” and “Screwed Up Life,” will be on her upcoming album. White, who accompanied Scott, is a professional songwriter who has written for acts like Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire and George Strait. He gave...

Singer/songwriter Dave Barnes talks about versatile career

Being a performer was not always the plan for Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Dave Barnes. Barnes, who performed at Lipscomb on Tuesday night, originally just wanted to write music with no intention of performing it himself. He wanted to leave the performing up to the artists. After some prodding from his peers, Barnes decided to give the performing artist title a try. Six albums and countless concerts later, it’s safe to say Barnes made the right decision. Barnes is somewhat of a musical Swiss army knife. His array of talents, which includes the ability to play the guitar and drums in addition to his singing and writing skills, has proven to be a hit with audiences. Barnes’ array of musical skills gives his albums an eclectic sound. Traces of everything from pop to country to rock to soul can be heard in his songs. Despite his success as a performer, Barnes still enjoys writing music for other artists. “I like them both. The thing that writing has on being an artist is the lack of traveling. We have an about-to-be two-year-old little dude. As I’ve gotten older, traveling is a hard thing to do,” Barnes said. “The beauty of being a writer is you can stay at home, but you miss playing shows.” Over the years, Barnes has shown a chameleon-like feel for music. He has written for country crooners, contemporary Christian artists, soul singers, pop stars and even fellow singer-songwriters. Barnes especially plays a big role in the Nashville music scene, having written for local artists such as Brandon Heath, Drew Holcomb and Ben Rector. However, Barnes’ biggest...