At 8 o’clock on a busy Thursday night with the smell of pizza looming in the air, C.J. Vaughn and Highway 58 take the stage at the local Mellow Mushroom.
The brightly painted hippie bus that serves as a backdrop and the laughter of a crowd enjoying food and brews set the tone for the evening. The band kicks off its 3-hour set which includes original songs like “What’s to Be” and a jazz-influenced version of “You are my Sunshine.”
C.J. Vaughn, Ron Vaughn, Don Kendrick and Ross Lester have been playing together as C.J. Vaughn and Highway 58 for over three years. The four-piece, which often incorporates other musicians into its line-up, added the Mellow Mushroom to its concert schedule in August.
“This is a new series of shows for us,” Vaughn said. “Our first in Murfreesboro in a long time.”
For some restaurant patrons, this marks the first time they’ve caught Vaughn’s music.
“I’m not usually here on Thursdays,” Josh Anderson, an MTSU student, said. “I think it’s great a band will be playing every Thursday night. It adds a lot to the atmosphere of the place.”
Boasting influences like Jimi Hendrix and Ray Charles, the band plays a mix of originals and classics.
“Our favorite cover tune is Ray Charles’ ?Drown in My Own Tears,’ ” Vaughn said. “My favorite originals would be a tune called ?What’s to Be’ and ?Baby Blue’.”
Vaughn, who teaches guitar lessons at The Music Stop in Murfreesboro, says that the addition of the Mellow Mushroom to their concert lineup has been a great experience for the band.
“We love the no smoke and really mellow atmosphere,” Vaughn said. “The crowd is awesome. The Mushroom is really great for kids, too, and that’s important. These young ?rising stars’ can come out to a really cool venue and see their teacher in action.”
The band has become well known for Vaughn’s vocal styling, smoky blues sound and soul-inspired lyrics. Vaughn has been honored on several occasions for his work in the blues genre. The Music City Blues Society honored Vaughn in 2005 by nominating him for three “Bluesey Awards,” including Blues Guitarist, Blues Vocalist and Electric Blues Act of the Year. Vaughn and the band won the Kentucky Blues Challenge in 2006 and were chosen by the judges of the Kentucky Blues Society to represent them at the 2007 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.
The band plans to release its debut CD soon.
“We are always working on new material,” Vaughn said. “Check It Out will be done and released next month.
“We hope these shows become the thing to do in the ’Boro on a Thursday night,” Vaughn said. “We are having a great time.”
Highway 58 plays from 8-11 p.m. at the Mellow Mushroom at 2955 South Rutherford Blvd. every Thursday. For more information, visit cjvaughn.com.
