2019 PERFORMERS
TIM NICHOLS
Inducted into the 2017 class of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, award winning songwriter, Tim Nichols, has been writing hit songs and entertaining audiences for over two decades.
Tim Nichols
Inducted into the 2017 class of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, award winning songwriter, Tim Nichols, has been writing hit songs and entertaining audiences for over two decades. A veteran in the country music industry, he's become one of the genre's most respected and well liked members. He's known for an easy-going, honest manner, creative lyrics and a comedic banter onstage.
While fans of classic country music appreciate his number one hits for artists like Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Keith Whitley, LeeAnn Womack and multiple others, newcomers are just as thrilled about his recent work. You may recognize songs cut by Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Chris Young or Jana Kramer when he takes the stage in a writer's show. And of course, crowd favourites include record setting hits like JoDee Messina's "Heads Carolina, Tails California", Dustin Lynch's "Cowboys and Angels" and the Grammy Award winning "Live Like You Were Dying" recorded by Tim McGraw. Nichols is a writer, and performer for all ages and never ceases in his quest to move people and touch hearts with his honest lyrics.
When not writing songs or performing, Nichols spends free time volunteering and raising funds for charitable causes such as High Hopes Pediatric Clinic and the T.J. Martell Foundation.
Nichols lives in Nashville with his wife Stacie. They are avid travelers with many of those adventures centering around bringing incredible music to those in far reaching locales.
JIMMY YEARY
Raised in the cornfield community of Hillsboro, Ohio, from the early age of 8, Jimmy Yeary began singing in churches with his family.
Jimmy Yeary
Raised in the cornfield community of Hillsboro, Ohio, from the early age of 8, Jimmy Yeary began singing in churches with his family. Jimmy played 200 plus dates a year singing Southern gospel music and began discovering that music was his passion. In 1994 Jimmy made the move to Music City, and landed a deal with Atlantic Records. When the record deal ended, Yeary knew that song writing would continue to be his passion and now his main focus. Jimmy began writing for Skyline Music Publishing. During his time there, artists such as Rascal Flatts, John Michael Montgomery, Craig Morgan, Brooks & Dunn, Jeff Bates, and Steve Holy recorded his songs. The Top 10 hit “In Another World” by Joe Diffie was also written by Yeary during this time.
In 2010, Jimmy signed with THiS Music. His song “Why Wait” spent 2 weeks in the #1 position with country super group Rascal Flatts. Jimmy’s success continued with cuts by artists including Easton Corbin, Martina McBride (“I’m Gonna Love You Through It”), LeAnn Rimes, Jake Owen (“Anywhere With You”), Bucky Covington, Heidi Newfield and James Otto.
In 2013, along with co-writers Connie Harrington and Jessi Alexander, Jimmy Yeary penned an inspiring ode to a fallen soldier with the song, “I Drive Your Truck” recorded by artist Lee Brice. The song went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award, an ACM Award, and a CMA Award for Country Song of the Year winning two of the three awards (ACM and CMA). Yeary achieved yet another #1 song with Kenny Chesney’s recording of “Till It’s Gone” and received a BMI award for the song in 2015, and most recently, his 2017 David Lee Murphy/ Kenny Chesney feel-good single “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” reached top 10.
Jimmy, his wife Sonya Isaacs and their three children live in Hendersonville, TN.
JESSICA MITCHELL
Singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell has been lauded as ‘country’s Adele’ and likened to Sheryl Crow, and much like them, her genre-bending vocals and tone are universally appealing.
Jessica Mitchell
Singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell has been lauded as ‘country’s Adele’ and likened to Sheryl Crow, and much like them, her genre-bending vocals and tone are universally appealing. She is, at heart, a storyteller– an open book, inspired by the raw honesty and storytelling nature of the genre. Mitchell’s much anticipated debut album Heart of Glass, was released May 11, 2018. She has spent the last decade travelling between Toronto and Nashville, collaborating with top-notch songwriters, focusing on writing new music and crafting her richly unique sound. The record embodies powerful and soulful melodies and lyrical brilliance, while showcasing Mitchell’s vocal talent in the purest of forms – and the result is utterly and heart breakingly beautiful.
Over the course of the last two years, Mitchell has toured with iconic names across varied genres, including; Kiefer Sutherland, Royal Wood, Ron Sexsmith, Terri Clark, Bonnie Raitt. In 2018, she hit the road on a cross-country tour with Canadian icon, Johnny Reid, which is soon be book ended with tours alongside Glass Tiger and Dean Brody, on his Dirt Road Acoustic Tour. All roads have led to her first-ever solo tour which kicks-off in Calgary on November 14, and includes legendary venues such as The Great Hall in Toronto.
Mitchell’s “Workin’ on Whiskey” was the top added song to radio at the time of release. 2016 and 2017 were ground-breaking years for the rising star, which saw Mitchell snag a coveted Guild Sponsorship, take to the stage at major festivals, and honour Neil Young with a Tribute at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Massey Hall.
Mitchell believes that pain and loss are oftentimes at the heart of every relatable piece of music. As she puts it, “You’ll never see the light until it’s completely dark, and it got dark for a while.” After losing her mother to a long battle with cancer, Mitchell had her own epiphany about what kind of artist she wanted to become. Her hope is that by sharing grief, and other personal experiences through her music, she will forge genuine bonds with her audience. When listening to Mitchell’s music, she makes it very easy for you to latch on to her genuine, powerful lyrics – while making just anyone realize they are not alone.
BOB DiPIERO
Since his first #1 in 1983, Hall of Fame Songwriter Bob DiPiero has been responsible for an uninterrupted string of country music hits.
Bob DiPiero
Since his first #1 in 1983, Hall of Fame Songwriter Bob DiPiero has been responsible for an uninterrupted string of country music hits. One of Nashville’s most prolific and consistent songwriters, Bob possesses a humble drive to keep learning and stay relevant. He has had over 1,000 songs recorded by other artists, countless hit singles, and an astounding 15 #1 hits. His songs have been featured in TV shows, commercials and movies.
Among his countless awards are 50 BMI Million--Air honors, multiple Songwriter of the Year awards and 2 consecutive Triple Play awards for 3 #1 songs within a 12-month period. In 2007, Bob was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Nashville’s Walk of Fame. In 2014, the Country Music Hall of Fame honored Bob with their prestigious “Poets and Prophets Series: Salute to Legendary Songwriter Bob DiPiero” and the Country Music Association also presented Bob with the CMA Chairman’s Award.
On November 7, 2017 Bob DiPiero received yet another incredible honor when BMI presented him with their prestigious Icon Award celebrating his outstanding career achievement and honoring his unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers. This remarkable accolade leaves no question that Bob DiPiero’s career has truly been iconic.
PAUL McGUIRE
A pop-culture junkie, Paul McGuire spent his childhood devouring movies, TV, comic books and music. Inevitably, he chased a career in the entertainment industry.
Paul McGuire
A pop-culture junkie, Paul McGuire spent his childhood devouring movies, TV, comic books and music. Inevitably, he chased a career in the entertainment industry. A few commercials gigs and small TV roles paved the way for a hosting job on a children’s game show that aired on “Canada’s Nickelodeon,” YTV. Paul moved on from YTV to work at Canada’s largest network, CTV, as host and producer of Canada’s first entertainment magazine show, ENow.
In 2005, he joined CMT Canada where he worked for 12 years hosting the network’s weekly two-hour flagship music show, The Chevy Top 20 Countdown. He also hosted CMT’s original interview series, One 2 One, where he interviewed the hottest names in country music, including Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, Dolly Parton, Lady Antebellum, Reba, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Jason Aldean.
In addition, Paul became a co-host for ET Canada, a post that continues to this day. Paul has traveled across North America and Europe for ET Canada reporting on music, television and film and is regularly seen anchoring the show alongside Cheryl Hickey and the other studio hosts.
In 2017, Paul was invited to create original content for the YouTube channel owned by ole Media Management, one of the largest independent music publishers in the world with offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Toronto. In conjunction, Paul launched Paul McGuire’s Country Countdown that can be heard weekly on 21 Stingray radio stations across Canada.
Currently Paul hosts a series called Always A Leaf on Leafs Nation Network. The show features long-form interviews with some of the greatest players that have ever donned the legendary Maple Leafs uniform, including Doug Gilmour, Curtis Joseph, Wendel Clark and Paul Henderson.
Paul was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and grew up in a suburb of Toronto. Today, Paul lives in the city with his wife and two young boys. He continues to host and emcee live events and awards shows across the country.
He also owns a drum kit.