Entertainment

Fabulous Music
From country to blues to jazz to rock, Nashville truly is music city! The 2005 National NOW Conference will present two special nights of music, on Friday and Saturday. An eclectic mix of performers are sure to get everyone in the groove.

Friday Night | Saturday Night | Early Arrivals

Friday Night - July 1

Jenny Madison
Growing up in Louisville, Ky., music was never an ambition or business for Jenny Madison, but rather a way of life. Her paternal grandmother could relate any situation to a certain song and sometimes felt compelled to sing it loud to someone she was conversing with at the dinner table or even a stranger at the grocery store. Music played an important role and seemed to make living easier. Madison was blessed with that deep-rooted "music-in-the-blood" way of life, and was additionally given the gift of voice so powerful that it was evident early on that she was born to perform. Madison witnessed her grandparents reaching out to touch people with the original songs they wrote to perform each Sunday at church. Madison is still reaching out and sharing her own life experiences through music the same passionate and honest way her grandparents did.

Wall of Jules
Based in Nashville, Wall of Jules is an exciting, new acoustic rock band. Cindy Finkle, originally from Portland, Maine, is the lead voice and guitarist. Her songwriting style reflects her love for all types of music from Etta James to Led Zeppelin. Prior to moving to Nashville, Finkle lived and performed in New York City. On bass and background vocals is Susan Charnley from Washington, D.C. Her fretless bass work is a rarity among bassists. Charnley also toured with disappear fear on their 1991 national tour. Nancy Given Gardner is the groove behind the Wall of Jules. She grew up in South Carolina and went on to graduate from the University of South Carolina with a Jazz/Commercial Music degree. Gardner is a versatile drummer, having performed with Restless Heart, Steve Warner and Wild Rose. She also has a Grammy nomination to her credit for songwriting. More info.

Saturday Night - July 2

Mary-Ann Brandon
An accomplished Blues artist, Mary-Ann Brandon earned the Nashville Music Award Nomination for Best Blues Record for her album "If Love Hurts." In addition, she was awarded three Grammy Nominations for songs featured on records in the Best Blues Release Category. Brandon has toured extensively throughout Europe, playing at the Amsterdam Blues Festival, Poretta Soul Festival, Belgium Blues Night Festival, along with many other prestigious dates as opening act on Albert King's final European tour. She has also performed at The King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Ark. In addition to her own recording career, Brandon has worked as a background vocalist on records with Larry LaDon, Ken Saydak, Tommy Tu Tone, Earl Gaines, Roscoe Shelton, Johnny Jones, Al Garner and the Roadrunners, Sam Lay, Fingers Taylor, Charles Walker, Stan Webb, Freddie Waters and more. Brandon is also a longtime NOW friend; in fact, when she was a struggling young artist, Brandon provided childcare at a Tennessee NOW state conference! More info.

Fowler, Mosher, Tackett and Stamps
This formidable foursome is comprised of some of the hottest musical talents that Music City has to offer. The band members met while performing with the infamous Girls With Guitars collective in Nashville. Along with other members (Mindy Smith and Mary Gauthier among others), these women honed their songwriting and performing skills in the local club scene, building a loyal following in a tough music town. It didn't take long to see that this group had a special chemistry that couldn't be denied. Great music provides the foundation, but high energy performance and the occasionally twisted sense of humor make each show a special event. More info

Jazzmyn
A native Nashvillian, Jazzmyn has been on the local and national music scene for years. She is an eclectic and innovative vocalist with an elegant jazz style all her own. Jazzmyn has been the headliner on Olivia Cruises and at numerous festivals and galas. Recently she was a co-writer on Gabriel Katona's soon-to-be-released CD project "Rumors Have it." Jazzmyn is currently recording solo vocals for a full-length independent project titled "This Time It's For Me," scheduled for release this year on the Love's Ensemble label. She is also writing material for her own project slated for release in late 2005. In an effort to better the community, Jazzmyn has lent her time and talent to such worthwhile causes as Nashville Cares and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few.

Jonell Mosser
Jonell Mosser is a powerful singer whose gritty self-determination and finely-honed vocal instrument have kept her working consistently. Mosser moved from Kentucky to Nashville in 1985, and in short order she was in high demand as a backup singer, making records with the likes of Etta James, Wynnona, Patti Smyth, B.B. King, Trisha Yearwood and Ringo Starr. She has toured widely, playing at Farm Aid and with performers including Keb Mo' and Bonnie Raitt. Mosser has recorded four albums and has songs on the soundtracks from the popular movies "Boys on the Side" and "Hope Floats." Her music style ranges from blues to rock to folk and her live performances are legendary in Nashville. More info.

For early arrivals:
"A Single Woman"
Thu, June 30, 7:30 pm
Special discount for NOW members - 20% off ticket price

"A Single Woman" is the story of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the the House of Representatives in 1916, before most U.S. women even had the right to vote. A tireless activist for the rights of women and the cause of peace, Rankin was a founder of the ACLU and the recipient of NOW's first Susan B. Anthony award.

This is the debut production of the Tennessee Women's Theater Project, and the Southeastern premiere of "A Single Woman," which will also be playing in New York and L.A. this year. The play, written by Jeanmarie Simpson of the Nevada Shakespeare Company, is produced in partnership with the Vanderbilt University Margaret Cuninggim Women's Center.

The theater is just across the street from the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel conference site, in the Vanderbilt University Sarratt Student Center. NOW members will receive a 20% discount on tickets — $12 instead of the $15 general admission price. Get more information and order tickets online at the Tennessee Women's Theater Project web site.