Posts by: FiftyForward

Hailed as one of Nashville's finest song interpreters, Kathy Mattea has had great success in country, bluegrass, and folk music.  She has amassed Grammys, CMAs, #1 country singles, gold, and platinum-selling albums, but her performance dreams nearly ended when in her early fifties her voice started to change. In our Squeeze the Day podcast, Mattea shares how perseverance, faith, and the power of music led to unexpected new opportunities in this second chapter of life.

Larry Cox shares stories of survival. As a young man, he worked work as a sharecropper with his parents in West Tennessee and ultimately sought new beginnings in Chicago. It was there his love for the harmonica led him to the South Side blues scene where he rubbed shoulders with greats including Muddy Waters.

Grammy-winner Tricia Walker has performed with country artists Shania Twain, Paul Overstreet, and Grand Ole Opry legend Connie Smith. As a singer and songwriter, her passion for music is rooted in the American South. In this podcast she speaks about her friendship with King of Country Music Roy Acuff, her success in country and gospel music, being a founding member of the Bluebird Cafe's Women in the Round, as well as establishing a Grammy Museum in her home state.

Edward Morris is a prolific writer, author, poet, playwright, and renowned country music journalist. A longtime editor of “Billboard Nashville,” he also wrote for Country Music Television into his 80s until COVID caused significant layoffs. This music industry insider offers an intriguing look at his career as well as his unconventional love story and caregiving journey for his late wife Norma.

Andy Andrews has been hailed by the “New York Times” as someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America. His books have been translated into 40 languages. Four U.S. presidents have asked him to present as an inspirational speaker. He has worked with the Department of Defense, and some of the world's largest corporations and sports teams. Learn how being homeless pushed him to become a voracious reader. This continual learning helped him create a new beginning. Today Andrews is at the top of his game inspiring others to do the same.

Singer-songwriter Tom Grant has written songs for Tammy Wynette, Eddy Arnold, Ray Price, and Mickey Gilley. He sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, on “Hee Haw,” “Pop! Goes the Country,” and for years was a regular performer on the “The Ralph Emery Show,” and The Nashville Network's “Nashville Now.” In this interview, learn about Grant’s career, health challenges -- including living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease -- and how growing up in a “Happy Days” type environment gave him a solid foundation for life.