The Journey Home presents Groovin’ In The Boro with Ashley Cleveland, Pam Tillis and Tricia Walker, a captivating evening of songs, stories, food and drinks. The award-winning singer-songwriters will perform “Bluebird Cafe Style” at Hop Springs on Thursday, Sept. 29, beginning at 7 p.m., to support The Journey Home.
As the child of Country music royalty, Pam Tillis was determined from a young age to find her own way in music as a singer and songwriter. Her 1991 album, Put Yourself in My Place, yielded two No. 1 hits and two Top 5 singles in its first year when the album was certified gold. Tillis followed with three platinum albums on Arista Records.
Tillis achieved six No. 1 songs during this time: “Shake the Sugar Tree,” “Mi Vida Loca,” “When You Walk in the Room,” “In Between Dances,” “Don’t Tell Me What to Do” and “Maybe It Was Memphis.”
Tillis is a two-time Grammy winner, a three-time CMA award winner, and is a proud member of The Grand Ole Opry.
Ashley Cleveland is a three-time Grammy and two-time Dove Award winner who has released 10 critically acclaimed albums.
Her most recent release, One More Song, dropped in 2018 and features 11 songs, many of which are autobiographical and touch upon themes such as addiction recovery, loss and leaving home.
Prior to that, Cleveland released 2009’s God Don’t Never Change, featuring songs rooted firmly in a “host of traditions—black spirituals, folk songs, 18th-century hymns, gospel blues, and jubilee.” The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional Gospel Album.
Three of her albums have been on Billboard’s year-end best list and, in addition to her own recordings, she has contributed background vocals on over 300 records over the course of her career.
Cleveland resides in Nashville with her husband, respected guitarist Kenny Greenberg, and their three children.
Tricia Walker is a singer and songwriter whose songs are steeped in the passion, pain and grace of the American South.
Born and raised in Mississippi, her music has been recorded by Faith Hill, Patty Loveless and Alison Krauss, whose performance of Walker’s “Looking in the Eyes of Love” netted a Grammy.
A recording artist herself, Walker’s 2019 album, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter Eye, is a collection of songs with a continued perspective of the South with lyrics and melodies that reflect her folk, R&B and storytelling influences.
Walker’s instrumental skills earned her a spot backing Grand Ole Opry star Connie Smith, with whom she played for six years. She also toured extensively with Shania Twain and Paul Overstreet as a keyboard player and vocalist.
Along with Tillis, Cleveland and Karen Staley, Walker was a founding member of “Women in the Round,” one of the most celebrated foursomes at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe.
The Journey Home is a Christian ministry whose primary focus is to serve the homeless and disadvantaged of Rutherford County, providing resources and relationships that encourage faith, economic stability, wholeness, and reintegration into community life.
Being homeless brings daily challenges that are interconnected and impact every aspect of a person’s life. Lasting change happens when we meet a person at their point of need, help them set goals and enhance their life skills, address their health and self-worth, and secure jobs and stable housing, according to the Journey Home team. Above all, change requires the hope and strength found in a relationship with Jesus Christ and a caring community of volunteers.
Tickets for the Sept. 29 fundraiser start at $75 and include a barbecue dinner. The evening will also include a cash bar and a silent auction featuring artisan items and experiences. Find tickets at lovegodservepeople.org.
For more information on Groovin’ In The Boro to Benefit The Journey Home, including details on sponsorships, contact Lis Couser at lcouser@lovegodservepeople.org or 865-278-8757.
