NASHVILLE, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Chet Atkins
Music Education Fund) - Grammy-winning recording artist Steve Wariner will perform a benefit concert for the Chet Atkins
Music Education Fund July 7 in Nashville. The concert will feature songs from Wariner's forthcoming CD, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins, as well as some of his greatest hits.
Proceeds from the concert and auction will benefit the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund, which supports youth music education in the Nashville area.
"I'm happy to do this concert to benefit the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund," says Wariner. "The education fund was so important to Chet. He believed, and so do I, that children should be introduced to music at a young age, and that learning to play music has tremendous educational and developmental benefits."
To Wariner, Atkins was a musical hero, friend, mentor, producer and boss. While he grew up listening to Atkins' music, it wasn't until he was 18 years old and playing bass in Dottie West's band that he met his musical idol during a tour of Europe that included several RCA artists. Atkins produced Wariner's first records at RCA Studio B, after guitarist Paul Yandell heard Wariner during a recording session for his then-boss, Bob Luman, and took a tape to Atkins. Following Luman's death, Atkins hired Wariner to play bass in his band. When Wariner scored his first top-10 hit with "Your Memory," Atkins promptly "fired" him, saying that he needed to embark on his own solo career. Their friendship continued until Atkins' death in 2001.
During his career Wariner has scored over 30 top-10 singles, including 14 No 1's-songs like "The Weekend," "Small Town Girl," "Some Fools Never Learn," "Tips of My Fingers" and "Where Did I Go Wrong." He has won 3 Grammy Awards- in 1992 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration; and in 2000 and 2009 for Best Country Instrumental. In 1998 he won the Country Music Association's Single and Song of the Year awards for his No 1 hit, "Holes in the Floor of Heaven," which was also the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year in 1999. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1996 and in 2002 he founded SelecTone Records.
Wariner's songwriting skills have earned him 16 BMI Country Awards and 11 BMI Million-Air Awards (for songs receiving over one million on-air plays). He has written many hit songs recorded by others, including Garth Brooks' "Longneck Bottle" and "You Can't Help Who You Love," Keith Urban's "Where the Blacktop Ends," Clint Black's "Nothin' But The Taillights" and "Been There," and Bryan White's "One Small Miracle."
For more info, including ticket availability, go to nowplayingnashville.com
