CMT Tour: Kip Moore With Sam Hunt And Charlie Worsham At The Tivoli

  • Sunday, October 19, 2014
  • Mark A. Herndon

CMT Artist Kip Moore with friends brought a standing room only crowd to Chattanooga OnStage at the Tivoli Theatre.  The venue  continues to bring to the Chattanooga “Live” Music Scene the right performances to fill the historic house.  On Thursday night was no exception with CMT Country contender Moore, whose rising heat and fire gives more smoke than Mt. Kilauea's volcanic lava.

The crowd started building around 6 and within 30 minutes it was obvious the event was a sellout.  The front seats had been pulled back making way of the mosh pits for standing room only.  I was invited to capture this event and was glad to be part of it… the 20-30ish floor crowd gave way to allow some great photos.  Did I fail to mention Kip Moore (native of Tifton, GA) brought some equally talented guys with him…. Sam Hunt, a native of Cedartown, GA ( and yes I have been there many times) and Charlie Worsham from Nashville.     

Let me admit I was not as familiar with these young country guns.  It a common known fact country music is not the same country of the 50s, 60s, 70, and even the 80s & 90s.  These artists have their own style … and the label we put on them is not as defined decades ago. However, I got schooled pretty quickly standing around this younger generation who buy the music (mostly through iTunes and not Walmart). The young people in this house also fork out the lettuce to soak in the feeling of these singers/songwriters.  These artists write and sing what relates to their following audiences.

So to find out more about Kip, Sam and Charlie, I turned to social media…… Facebook pages of each…  The headliners:

Kip Moore

http://www.KipMoore.net

Singer-songwriter Kip Moore combines a raw and rustic voice with compelling lyrics of honesty to create a unique sound that’s simultaneously hypnotic and edgy. His voice is weathered by life’s detours and disappointments and strengthened by his dreams and determination. His music is infused with relentless intensity, both of passion and frustration.

The boy who grew up daydreaming about life outs...ide of the small town of Tifton, Ga., became a man who has been continually inspired by Bruce Springsteen and Kris Kristofferson to paint vivid portraits with his lyrics. 

“I am not drawn to the fairytale kind of love,” says Kip, who had a hand in writing every song on his debut album. “I am drawn to the real-life experiences between a woman and a man. I try to sing about the way it is, but yet at the same time, what you can hope for between a couple. I don’t intend to paint of picture of what it’s really not.”

His music powerfully captures some of the contradictions that he grapples with personally. Although he’s from a large family and enjoys musical collaborations and performing onstage, he’s an introvert who is often more comfortable being alone. “There’s a combativeness to the music too, a fight within,” he says. “With ‘Faith When I Fall,’ I know how bad I need that spiritual realm, but yet I find myself on this other end a lot of times.”

Despite its edge, his music remains desperately optimistic. “I am hoping for what I have yet to become,” he says. “I feel like it’s hopeful for what I’ve yet reached, how I look forward to feeling, but I haven’t gotten there yet.

“I have truly lived my music to a sense, even the milestones I haven’t reached yet,” he says. “I have been in those moments. I’ve been at those crossroads with a girl: ‘Are we going to take that next step?’ I look forward to taking that next step, but I haven’t wanted to yet. I look forward to being ready for that.”

He drove to Nashville on Jan. 1, 2004 in an old black Nissan truck that contained one bag and his guitar. He immersed himself in the songwriting community, observing songwriters’ rounds for two years and honing his craft before gaining the confidence to join in. After four years of performing locally, he caught the attention of Creative Artist Agency’s Mark Dennis, who called Universal Music Group Nashville’s Joe Fisher. Not only did Joe’s encounter lead to his record deal with MCA Nashville, but it also brought about his introduction to songwriter Brett James, who produced Kip’s debut album.

He also found important relationships with songwriters Dan Couch, Scott Steppakoff, Westin Davis and Kiefer Thompson, two of whom didn’t have publishing deals when he began writing with them. “There was definitely a special thing when we got in the room together,” Kip says. “I got offers to write with a lot of the bigger guns in town, but I enjoyed what I was doing with them. They were open to my ideas of being different.”

Sam Hunt

http://www.samhunt.com

Hailing from rural Cedartown, Georgia - Sam Hunt is quickly becoming one of Nashville's most talked about young talents.
After finishing his football career as quarterback for the University of Alabama Birmingham - Sam made the move to Nashville to try his hand at songwriting. Shortly after settling into the Nashville scene, he was given the opportunity to write full-time for a publisher. Using the work ethic and discipline he accrued as a ball player, Sam began to develop his craft and quickly gained recognition as a gifted songwriter.
Sam made a name for himself in the country music community co-writing Kenny Chesney's #1 single "Come Over", as well as upcoming singles "Cop Car"/Keith Urban and "We Are Tonight"/Billy Currington.  Sam’s sound owes its roots to country music but has an eclectic style that’s based on pop, urban, folk and R&B influences.
 

Charlie Worsham

http://charlieworsham.com/

Singer. Player. Songwriter. Gear-hound. I’ve been fortunate to play with, work with and learn from some incredible musicians. My friends are crazy talented. If I hadn’t been able to do this for a living, I’d probably be the world’s worst accountant about now

Let me interject what is not said for Charlie in his bio.  He is direct, he reaches and connects with his audience.  He will make eye contact and get you into the concert.  I saw many put away their texting mode cell phone and became part of the concert. He turned the cell phones into e-candles to light up the house.  It was amazing.

The music of these artists can be obtained through their websites and iTunes, in addition, to their YouTube videos.

---

Mark A. Herndon, certified professional geologist and professional photographer grew up in the Chattanooga area, and he graduated from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.  He is the Entertainment and Chattanooga cityscape/event photographer affiliated with Chattanoogan.com and contributor to several magazines, venues and Friends of the Festival events.

Email at  MAHerndon@ChattanoogaLiveMusic.com

 

Entertainment
Chattanooga Live Music Upcoming Events
Chattanooga Live Music Upcoming Events
  • 3/28/2024

The upcoming Chattanooga Live Music (CLM) events are scheduled through April 6 th . Send your event co-host invites to Chattanooga Live Music (Mark A Herndon) to amplify your events. The ... more

 Harnsberger And Jones To Present Faculty Recital At Lee Wednesday
Harnsberger And Jones To Present Faculty Recital At Lee Wednesday
  • 3/28/2024

Lee University’s School of Music will present Dr. Andy Harnsberger, director of percussion, and Dr. Caitlin Jones, instructor of percussion, in a faculty recital on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The ... more

UTC Theatre Co. Presents “Out At Sea” April 9-13
UTC Theatre Co. Presents “Out At Sea” April 9-13
  • 3/25/2024

An absurdist tale of survival and democratic decision-making is coming to the UTC Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre stage. The UTC Theatre Co. continues its 2023-2024 season ... more