Bob Payne
Years ago, I coached Dixie Youth Baseball. I umpired youth ball, high school and some college ball, too. Along the way, I always used to get a chuckle out of parents that would watch an 8 year old play baseball and be convinced he/she would make it to the major leagues someday. Such was the case with twins, Kevin and Nick Green. At a very young age, spectators were saying they would be destined for the bigs. I just laughed, as the number of major league players that actually make it through youth ball to the big leagues is like 1 in 5 million.
Kevin and Nick were signed a few years later to the Atlanta Braves. Kevin was hurt in the minors, but Nick made it through to play for the Braves, Tampa Bay, the Yankees, Seattle, Boston, Los Angeles, and Toronto. I suppose I was wrong about those little Green boys.
Many say Bartlee Norton & 64 Highway is destined for the big leagues of Country music. Well, I am not laughing. This band packed Rhythm & Brews on a cold, rainy Tuesday, and put on a professional quality show. They have the sound, the look, and the x-factor to make it big. Yes, it takes some luck and timing, but Nick Green made $550,000 last year playing baseball, so it can be done.
Bartlee Norton & 64 Highway is made up of Tim Jester on fiddle, Keith Guillot on bass guitar, Ian Porter and Josh Harris on guitar, Jake Ketterer on drums, Devon Goins on keyboards, and of course, Bartlee Norton. All their music is original country music, some “traditional” and some “new” country. They are tight, have all the right moves, and Tim Jester even has a belt buckle that would rival any WWE Wrestling championship belt.
These guys didn’t graduate from the Taylor Swift School of Tone Management, either. They know how to play and sing, without all the effects and pitch control devices. While having talent doesn’t seem to count for much in today’s major record label world, it helps. Couple the talent with the right look and a little luck, and wah-lah – you could have the Nick Green factor. Like I said, I’m not laughing, and neither did a couple hundred fans at Rhythm & Brews. Here is their facebook page.
And yes, that Mike Dougher is pretty crafty. He runs Rhythm & Brews and opened his club and arms to the band for the first time. Now, when they make it big, ol’ shrewd Dougher will probably get them back, assuming the band remembers those that helped them along the way, which I am betting the band is just the type that will remember. Maybe they will even remember me. Speaking of Mike, he has some great acts coming in over the next few weeks, including The Distribution, Deep Fried 5, Here Come The Mummies, Alejandro Escovedo, Abbey Road Live, Keller Williams, Cornmeal, and The annual Johnny Cash Birthday Bash.
Here is a great choice for a weekday pick-o-the-week – Dalton Roberts plays the new Camphouse on Tuesday at the Songwriters Line-up night.
Bob’s pick-o-the-weekend: Hall-of-Famer Dennis Massengale, with his band No Big Deal play T-Bones this Saturday night. They mainly play private functions, so this is a rare public appearance for the band. Get there a little early and try T-Bones great wings or burgers.
To get the latest schedule of live music, links to bands websites, pictures of activities in Chattanooga, and more, just CLICK HERE!
Email Bob Payne at davrik2000@yahoo.com or click here for Facebook Page.