Alive’s biggest annual fundraiser kicks off in January with a month-long series of performances by hit singer/songwriters at the legendary Bluebird Cafe. This year’s full line up has yet to be announced. Artists for 2024 include Kent Blazy, Tom Douglas, David Nail, The Warren Brothers, David Hodges, Darrell Scott, Chris DeStefano. and Josh Osborne.

The only nonprofit hospice in Middle Tennessee, Alive provides nearly 1.5 million dollars in charity care each year so no one in our community has to die alone. Proceeds from Alive & The Bluebird are a critical part of the funding for Alive’s community services: grief support, financial assistance for patients when insurance doesn’t cover everything, education for families and professionals, grief camps for kids, and more.

“Over the years, the songwriters who call The Bluebird home generously donate their time and talents to supporting Alive with this series of magical performances in January,” said The Bluebird Cafe’s COO and General Manager Erika Wollam-Nichols. “Many of our Bluebird songwriters, along with their friends and families, have been cared for by Alive and we’re grateful for the chance to participate and give back with this annual fundraiser.”

Alive hosts additional events throughout the year to bring the excitement of The Bluebird to other parts of Middle Tennessee. For those who can’t attend but still want to support Alive, donations can be made online.

“We are immensely grateful to The Bluebird Cafe and the songwriters who donate their talents each year to support our community at the end of life,” said Joseph K. Hampe, COO and interim President/CEO of Alive. “We couldn’t ask for more talent or more compassion! This is a true Nashville experience that people come from all over the country to enjoy.”

DETAILS:

Tickets will be available on The Bluebird Cafe website. Visit The Bluebird Cafe Site

Select pre-sale shows will go on sale Friday, December 22 at 8 a.m. CT:
January 2 (6 PM) – Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me
January 2 (9 PM) – Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me
January 3 (9 PM) – Jon Vezner, Pat Alger, Kathy Mattea & Amy Speace
January 4 (9 PM) – Jamie Floyd, Ty Herndon, Rebecca Lynn Howard & Stephony Smith
January 10 (9 PM) – Doug Johnson, Elvie Shane & Adam Wood
January 12 (9 PM) – Lance Carpenter, Aaron Barker, Lionel Cartwright & friend
January 16 (9 PM) – David Nail, Scooter Carusoe, Lee Thomas Miller & Randy Montana
January 23 (9 PM) – Dan Wilson, David Hodges & Donovan Woods
January 30 (9 PM) – Jeff Black, Sam Bush & Darrell Scott 

ABOUT ALIVE:

Alive is the only nonprofit provider of hospice care and end-of-life services in Middle Tennessee. Its mission is to provide loving care for people with life-threatening illnesses, support to their families, and service to the community in a spirit of enriching lives. This includes in-home and in-patient hospice care, grief support, advance care planning, outreach, support to underserved communities, education about the end of life, financial assistance, a robust volunteer program, and clinician training through the Alive Institute. A pioneer in the “good death” movement, Alive established the third hospice in the nation in 1975. Today, it remains true to its roots as an innovator and leader, helping individuals live fully while approaching death. To learn more or volunteer, visit AliveHospice.org or call 615-327-1085.

SANTA FE, New Mexico (November 30, 2023) – Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection, the award-winning luxury resort and thoughtfully restored landmark, today announces it has once again partnered with The Bluebird Cafe for a now annual tradition that brings Nashville’s legendary listening room to the UNESCO Creative City of Santa Fe, N.M. The renowned venue, which has gained worldwide recognition for launching the careers of Maren Morris, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and many others, will once again bring its signature ‘In The Round’ songwriter show format to the intimate setting of the resort’s Bunkhouse. Stemming from the success of the sold-out inaugural partnership in 2023, Nashville’s top hitmakers will inspire travelers and locals with four performances taking place over two weekends on February 16-17 and March 15-16, 2024. It is a captivating experience that few forget, and one that reflects why Nashville is known as Music City and Bishop’s Lodge is renowned for its deeply rooted creative culture.

World-renowned songwriters will, in true Bluebird fashion, take a seat in the center of the Bunkhouse’s Great Room, a warm setting that brings friends and family together around a two-story stone fireplace. On February 16th and 17th (featuring JT Harding – “Somewhere With You” by Kenny Chesney and “Sangria” by Blake Shelton; Marv Green – “True” by George Strait and “Amazed” by Lonestar; and Jenn Schott – “7500 OBO” by Tim McGraw and “Better Than You Left Me” by Mickey Guyton) and March 15th and 16th (featuring Victoria Banks – “What Are You Going To Tell Her” by Mickey Guyton and “Saints & Angels” by Sara Evans; Phil Barton – “A Woman Like You” by Lee Brice and “Prayed For This Day” by Chrissy Metz; and Emily Shackleton – “Every Little Thing” and “What He Didn’t Do” by Carly Pearce), the songwriters will share their chart-topping music and stories behind how the songs came to be. This unique musical experience and collaboration intends to cultivate and inspire Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection’s community. Each evening’s concert will feature a unique set list and will conclude with a brief Q&A session before guests have the chance to visit with the performers following the show.

Performances will begin each night at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. and guests welcomed with inspiring beverages. Following the memorable performance, guests are invited to SkyFire for a notable dining experience ($95 per person) created by Executive Chef Pablo Peñalosa starting at 7:30 p.m. The artful culinary presentation of Nashville-style barbeque with a New Mexican twist will nod to the Southern roots gathering all for the weekend. A deeply rooted destination for art and creativity, Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection is known to curate one-of-a-kind experiences in a spectacular natural setting, and the partnership with The Bluebird Cafe is no exception. 

Tickets are available to locals via Eventbrite (starting at $75, up to $195 for VIP tickets) and guests through a two-night VIP Overnight Package, which can be built upon additional nights for travelers or serve as an ideal staycation for locals. The package (starting at $2180++) includes room accommodation, two show tickets, a post-show dining experience and a custom gift. Join Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection for an entertaining weekend of music, culinary arts and Santa Fe adventures in a cozy winter setting.

To purchase tickets or for more information, please contact [email protected].

Join us at The Bluebird Cafe for a festive holiday open house! 🛍️🎄🎁 Explore our merchandise, perfect for holiday gift shopping. Get ready for some amazing deals and support a small business this holiday season. See you there on Sunday, November 26 from 10 AM–2PM. No ticket needed.

Nashville – (November 1, 2023) – Two of Nashville’s highly and long-respected champions of supporting the songwriting community, Erika Wollam Nichols and Bart Herbison, were each honored Monday night with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award. The event, on hiatus since the pandemic, returned for a 7^th time at the Opry House to benefit the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund. The event began in 2014 to celebrate the remarkable career of Bob Kingsley and has raised more than $350,000 since the event’s inception. Previous honorees have included Kingsley himself in 2014, Joe Galante (2015), Jim Ed Norman (2016), Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase (2017), Clarence Spalding (2018), and Lon Helton (2019). 

Monday night’s participating songwriters included Jeffrey Steele, John Rich, Rivers Rutherford, Lee Miller, Steve Bogard, Tim Nichols, Lee Roy Parnell, Victoria Shaw, Tony Arata, Don Henry, Kathy Mattea, Jon Vezner, and Rhett Akins.

The Opry Trust Fund began in 1965 with a mission to help those in the country music industry by offering financial assistance during a time of extraordinary need, emergency, or catastrophe. This includes individuals who are or have been employed full time in a facet of the country music industry (i.e. performer, songwriter, publisher, radio, session musician, etc.). The fund pays for items such as medical bills, living expenses, utilities, and rent or mortgage. The Opry Trust Fund accepts referrals from individuals within the country music community, including Opry members, as well as from other charitable organizations such as MusiCares, ACM Lifting Lives and Music Health Alliance.

About Erika Wollam Nichols

Erika serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Bluebird Cafe and oversees all aspects of the venue’s on-site and off-site operations along with marketing, sponsorship, and brand development of The Bluebird Cafe name. She is also co-director of the Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival and handles the performance program of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Prior to her role at Bluebird Cafe, Erika held several executive positions within the entertainment industry, enabling her to cultivate a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of the business. Her expertise in artist relations, talent management, and event production has been instrumental in establishing strong industry partnerships and elevating the profile of Bluebird Cafe.

About Bart Herbison

Bart operates as Executive Director of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the world’s largest not-for-profit Songwriters trade organization and advocacy group dedicated to the songwriting profession. A Paris, Tennessee native, Bart Herbison worked as a reporter and spent 14 years in radio and as a correspondent for The Nashville Banner newspaper before joining the administration of former Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter as Deputy Director of Communications in 1987. Herbison ventured to Music Row in 1997 following his successful political career. He has played a pivotal role in legislative efforts aimed at protecting intellectual property rights, ensuring fair compensation, and fostering a sustainable ecosystem for songwriters in the digital age. Through his tireless lobbying efforts, Herbison has helped shape key copyright legislation, bringing about positive change and safeguarding the livelihoods of countless songwriters. Herbison’s accomplishments include the adoption of the “Music Modernization Act” of 2018, the most important copyright law reform for songwriters in decades which created The Mechanical Licensing Collective. Herbison also led NSAI’s involvement in the 2016 Copyright Royalty Board trial that led to a historic 44 percent mechanical royalty increase for American songwriters. He was instrumental in the passage of the landmark “Songwriters Capital Gains Tax Equity Act” in 2006 and the creation of the first-ever Group Copyright Infringement Insurance for songwriters and music publishers.  Bart Herbison continues to shape the music industry, ensuring that the voices of songwriters are heard and celebrated.

Calling all Nashville fans! The Nashville: Reunion Tour is coming to town on Monday, September 25 and we’re celebrating by opening up our doors for special hours on Sunday, September 24th! Stop by from 10 AM–2 PM to take pictures, shop merchandise, and step on the same stage as Deacon and Rayna.

No reservations required.

Celero Commerce (“Celero”), a top ten U.S. non-bank payment processor, has announced an exciting new partnership with Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. A revered music venue that has launched the music careers of many top stars, including Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and Faith Hill, The Bluebird Cafe is a true Nashville icon.

In addition to providing payment processing services for The Bluebird Cafe, Celero will also be the presenting sponsor of Bluebird on the Mountain, a six show concert series produced by Vanderbilt University’s Dyer Observatory. The annual series, in its 20th year, occurs between May and October and features noted Bluebird songwriters. New this year, local small businesses or nonprofits will be joining Celero at each concert as a Community Feature to help build their awareness in the Nashville community. The list includes Abbie’s Safe Home, Turnip Green Creative Reuse, Strings for Hope, Pencil, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, and The Cookery.

“Our mission is to deliver simple-to-use, bundled payments solutions that enable small to mid-sized businesses to compete and win in the marketplace,” said Celero founder and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Jones. “We cannot think of a better way to fulfill this mission than by supporting local charities, singers, songwriters, and recording artists as our way of preserving and growing what is so special about Nashville. Partnering with The Bluebird is a dream come true for us.”

The Bluebird Cafe is a 90-seat songwriters club where more than 80,000 annual visitors witness up-and-coming songwriters hone their craft and listen to established recording artists tell the stories behind their hits. Over 20,000 music lovers attend Bluebird’s off-site events, such as Bluebird on the Mountain.

“Celero Commerce and the Bluebird Cafe share a commitment of connection and service in our community, which is how we came to this idea for partnering with Bluebird on the Mountain,” said Erika Wollam-Nichols, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Bluebird Cafe. “We are excited to have Celero as our payments partner, but even more excited about the impact we can make in the community together.”

“Like so many other businesses, we chose Nashville to begin our journey at Celero, and we couldn’t have made a better choice,” concluded Jones. “You can build great technology in many places, but we wanted to be somewhere special where our team could thrive, grow, and enjoy a special, creative, and innovative community. The Bluebird Cafe is certainly one of the places that defines Music City’s greatness.”

About Celero Commerce

Headquartered in Nashville, Celero Commerce is a full-service, integrated electronic commerce solutions provider powered by leading-edge technology, strategic partnerships, and business intelligence. Celero offers small and medium-sized businesses payment processing services, business management software, and data intelligence, empowering them to drive growth and profitability. Visit https://www.celerocommerce.com/ to learn more.

About The Bluebird Cafe

Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe is a noted listening room where emerging songwriters hone their craft, and established hit-makers and recording artists tell the stories behind their hits. Now in its 41st year, this iconic venue hosts more than 80,000 visitors annually, with another 20,000 enjoying events like the Bluebird on the Mountain summer concert series at Vanderbilt University’s Dyer Observatory. For more information, visit https://bluebirdcafe.com/.

About Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a globally renowned research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Ranked No. 13 among national universities, Vanderbilt offers an immersive living-learning undergraduate experience, with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education, and human development. The university also is home to nationally and internationally recognized graduate schools of law, education, business, medicine, nursing and divinity, and offers robust graduate-degree programs across a range of academic disciplines. Vanderbilt is committed to inclusive excellence, drawing the world’s brightest students, faculty and distinguished visitors from across all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and provides a collaborative atmosphere of discovery that drives positive change in the world. Learn more at www.vanderbilt.edu.

About Vanderbilt University Dyer Observatory

Crowning one of Nashville’s tallest peaks, Vanderbilt University Dyer Observatory has pointed its telescopes to the sky since 1953. Its nine-acre hilltop, surrounded by Radnor Lake State Natural Area, provides visitors with a serene, park-like setting only eight miles south of downtown Nashville. Today, Dyer Observatory continues to inspire interest in astronomy and space science through programming including public viewing nights, lectures, school field trips, and summer camps. Dyer brings together art and science with events such as the Bluebird on the Mountain concert series plus collaborations with Nashville Opera and the Vanderbilt Blair School. In addition to its public outreach, Dyer Observatory provides rental opportunities for hosting events, making it one of the most unique venues in the area. dyer.vanderbilt.edu

The Bluebird Cafe has partnered with Turnip Green Creative Reuse in Nashville and Southwest Airlines® to upcycle retired awnings that hung outside our historic music venue. Featured in thousands of personal photographs, The Bluebird’s awning has distinguished our venue for 41 years with its iconic imagery. Through the creative efforts of Turnip Green artists, Bluebird awning material along with Southwest Airlines® recycled seat leather have been used to create a limited-edition line of guitar cases, tote bags, guitar straps, and wallet sleeves.

We look forward to the Bluebird Cafe history living on in these unique items and encourage you to shop the Reblue collection by purchasing or bidding on an item (via Ebay) for a limited time. 

In keeping with our commitment to be sustainable and support local, a portion of the proceeds generated by the Re-Blue campaign will be donated to PENCIL to support Metro Nashville public schools.  

SHOP THE AUCTION

About Turnip Green Creative Reuse: 
Turnip Green Creative Reuse (TGCR) fosters creativity and sustainability through reuse. They provide a welcoming, inclusive space to divert materials from the landfill and connect them with teachers, students, artists, and more. TGCR has diverted over a million pounds of materials from the landfill for reuse! Their areas of service include a donation-based storefront with reuse materials, a sustainable art gallery, and extensive art programming for youth and adults.

About Repurpose with Purpose:
Repurpose with Purpose is a Southwest Airlines® award-winning, global environmental sustainability initiative that upcycles items like aircraft seat leather coverings and transforms them into new products. Southwest partners with organizations to reimagine thousands of pounds of materials into new products every year, helping keep waste out of landfills.  Since 2014, Southwest has donated more than $1.3 million dollars in grants and more than 1.4 million pounds of leather to provide employment, skills training, and other social benefits for communities.

About PENCIL:

PENCIL is a non-profit organization that builds strategic partnerships between community groups and the needs of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).

Sundance Mountain resort has long been recognized as a haven for art, culture, and natural beauty. Creative expression has always been the heartbeat of the resort, with one of its most unique artistic endeavors being its 20+ year partnership with The Bluebird Cafe. Sundance regulars look forward to our Bluebird concert series every year, which features some of Nashville’s best singer-songwriters in an acoustic in-the-round style show. 

Spurred by the high demand for our shows, we are pleased to present a new Bluebird Bands series which will feature original music by some of Nashville’s most talented bands. The series will kick off September 3, 2023 with Stephen Kellogg Band.

“Although today’s Bluebird Cafe is best known for its acoustic performances by notable songwriters, that’s not how the club started,” explains Erika Wollam Nichols, Bluebird Cafe’s General Manager and COO. “When the venue first opened, the nightly performances were all band shows. We still present these plugged-in performances at least twice a week, if not more with both our regular Monday Night shows featuring the Mike Henderson Band and our plugged-in weekly Sunday Spotlight. It’s exciting to me to have the chance to show our fabulous Sundance family this other facet of The Bluebird Cafe!  And you couldn’t ask for a more mind-blowing performance to kick off this new series than one from Stephen Kellogg and his band.”

Kellogg’s songs and stories speak to our lives with an immediacy scarcely seen in the modern landscape. Each performance paints a unique canvas that covers the full spectrum of human emotions. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll go home with a full heart.

Tickets begin at $60 for general admission lawn seating, with the most VIP experience being our $150 Stage Right by Zions Bank Experience. This ticket price includes prime bench seating, BBQ dinner at Stage Right, a meet ‘n’ greet with the band, and a Bluebird Band poster. Make it a dinner-and-a-show evening with your family, friends, or significant other, and enjoy an exclusive BBQ dinner only available at Bluebird Bands.

Purchase your tickets for Stephen Kellogg Band today and be one of the first in attendance at this brand new music experience. A harmonious fusion of breathtaking landscapes and soul-stirring melodies, Bluebird Bands offers music enthusiasts an unforgettable evening in the heart of nature. Tickets available here.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) along with presenting sponsors The Bluebird Cafe and CMT have announced details for the 24th annual NSAI Song Contest.

Launching August 1 at 12:00 PM CT, this year’s contest will award over $20,000 worth of prizes. Songwriters of all genres are invited to submit their songs and/or lyrics to be evaluated by industry professionals for feedback and their chance to win.

All eligible submissions received by NSAI from August 1 at 12:00 PM CST through September 30 at 5:00 PM CT will be judged in their respective categories by music industry professionals with a 10-question scorecard evaluation. Highest scoring entries will advance to the second round for another review, and in the third round of judging, up to 10 finalists and up to 10 honorable mentions will be determined for the Song Category, and the Lyric Category winner and runner-up will be selected.

In January 2024, the top finalists for the Song Category will be scored during a live-streamed event where a panel of elite music industry professionals will score each submission from one to 10, with the highest combined score receiving the Song Category Grand Prize.

This year’s prize packages include two cash prizes ($5,000 and $2,500); $1,500 towards a Guitar Center purchase; two 417e guitars from Taylor Guitar; a mentor session with either Ingrid Andress or David Hodges; one-year single-song publishing contract with Anthem Entertainment; a tour of the CMT Headquarters and two pairs of 2024 CMT Music Awards tickets; and an experience at The Bluebird Cafe, among others.

For more information, see here.

The Bluebird Cafe’s documentary BLUEBIRD is available digitally for audiences to enjoy in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.! Our film tells the origin stories of megastars like Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift, while follow emerging singer-songwriters as they chase their dreams inside The Bluebird Cafe, an accidental landmark that altered the course of music history. BLUEBIRD is available to view on iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and more.

Watch the trailer here. 
Watch the film here. 

Not available in your neck of the woods? We have region free DVDs and Blu-Rays available for purchase on our website store and onsite at our venue.

Accolades

#1 Documentary on iTunes/AppleTV

Official Selection of:

SXSW Film Festival

Nashville Film Festival

Newport Beach Film Festival

Woods Hole Film Festival

Circle Cinema Film Feestival

Dead Center Film Festival