George Johnson

For any artist hoping to make a career in country music, getting advice from a seasoned professional was nearly priceless. And when that name was Vince Gill, it instantly became priceless. During his career on stage, the singer proved his talents as an entertainer and songwriter with hits like “Pocket Full of Gold,” “When I Call Your Name,” and “Look at Us.” If that wasn’t enough, he was also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. So when Gill decided to give some advice to the next generation of country singers, it was pure lunacy not to listen.  So what was the advice? First, Gill believed he was not a great person to give career tips. The reason – when Gill first traveled to Nashville decades ago, talent was at the forefront. But now, talent is accompanied by social media followings, streaming, and content creation. And according to Gill, he never even sent a text. “You’re talking to a guy that has not really delved into the modern world of anything. Truth. I’ve never sent a text. That’s the truth and people don’t believe it, but I never have, and I’m not a poster. I’ve never posted a word online about anything. At the office, they do, you know, tell where I’m playing and things like that. But I don’t.” Read more below: americansongwriter.com/vince…

We’ve all heard the phrase “through the grapevine,” likely in reference to the phenomenon of hearing gossip or news from an indirect source. Well, in 1966, two Motown songwriters, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, wrote a song with that in mind, and it ended up becoming a hit for not one, but two artists. For Marvin Gaye, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” gave him his first No. 1 hit. However, this didn’t come easily at first. Before he found success with the song, it was R&B group Gladys Knight And The Pips that proved “Grapevine” could be a smash. Gaye had recorded a version of the song before Gladys Knight And The Pips did. The song was even presented at a Motown meeting and voted on by executives as a single Gaye should release. The founder of the label, Berry Gordy, liked the song, but he wanted to focus on more of a romantic direction for Gaye. “I personally liked ‘Grapevine’ better,” he shared in his autobiography. “But I felt the other record was more in the romantic vein of what Marvin needed.” Gladys, who was a relatively new Motown act at the time, recorded a version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, and it went to No. 2 in the US. About a year later, Gaye’s version of the song, which appeared on his In The Groove album, reached No. 1 and became the label’s best-selling single at the time. Rea more below: americansongwriter.com/this-…