Songwriters Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Chris DeStefano put on an incredible show at Music City Hit-Makers’ Songwriters Under The Stars last night, performing their hits to a sold-out audience at Nashville’s Cheekwood Botanical Gardens.
There’s something incredibly special about songwriters performing their own works – writers’ rounds are a staple of Music City tradition – but James, Lindsey, and DeStefano brought their A game with an unusual but incredible pairing: the symphony.
For those unfamiliar, this is what Music City Hit-Makers, founded by Charles Dixon, does, and does extraordinarily well. Hit songs are reduced to their bare elements and then rebuilt by the renowned Charlie Judge. It’s not just a symphonic re-creation of the records, it’s a reimagining that rivals the original works.
Combined with the wit, charm, and vocal quality of the three writers, their performance of #1 song after #1 song made for a fun and engaging evening. James, Lindsey, and DeStefano all have exceptionally impressive voices, which impressed through moving renditions of songs including “Jesus Take The Wheel” (Carrie Underwood), “I Hold On” (Dierks Bentley), and “Something In The Water” (Underwood) and soulful, grooving tracks like Brett Eldredge’s “Don’t Ya,” on which DeStefano’s vocals gave Eldredge a serious run for their money. James joked about songwriting in the islands with close friend Kenny Chesney, and shared the story of the time they wrote two number ones in one day, while Lindsey quipped about the roaches and carpet of her apartment as they wrote the slightly more glamorous lyrics to Martina McBride’s “Blessed.” It was an incredible, fun offering combined with a wonderful symphonic arrangement, and we’re hoping for more very soon.
.@BrettJamesMusic singing his 21st #1 song (!!!), I Hold On by @DierksBentley! @Cheekwood #mchitmakers #cheekwood pic.twitter.com/Q2C991HEA5
— Music City HitMakers (@MCHitMakers) April 24, 2015
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