Music for Education

The beloved Nashville Songwriters’ Round is just around the corner

By LYNN DILLARD

The Nashville Songwriters’ Round is a signature event in Cashiers featuring Rivers Rutherford and friends. This year’s event will be held on August 24 at the Keller Pavilion of the Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau and will include a catered dinner. Tickets are available beginning in July at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce.

Rutherford landed his first cut with American legends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson (aka The Highwaymen). What followed were a dozen No. 1 hits, multiple Grammys, CMA and ACM nominations, and over 20 ASCAP awards, including the coveted awards for Country Music Song of The Year and Country Music Songwriter of The Year.

Rivers brings with him Kelley Lovelace, George Turnbull, and Tim James, all highly acclaimed country music songwriters. Kelley Lovelace, best known for his extensive work with Brad Paisley, is credited with numerous No. 1 Hits, including “The World,” “Ticks,” “Online,” “I’m still a Guy,” and “He Didn’t Have to Be,” which was awarded Song of the Year by the TNN Music Awards and Music Row Magazine. Dave Turnbull, also a songwriter of the highest caliber, has multiple No. 1 songs to his credit, including “The Boys of Fall” (Kenny Chesney), “Lucky Man” (Montgomery Gentry), “Old Alabama” (Brad Paisley), and “Anything Like Me” (Brad Paisley), as well as hits such as “Outskirts of Heaven” (Craig Campbell), “Arlington” (Trace Adkins), and “The More I Drink” (Blake Shelton). Tim James’ numerous credits include Toby Keith's "My List," which was a No. 1 single on the country music charts in 2002. Other songs that he co-wrote include "Good People" by Jeff Bates, "It's Good to Be Us" by Bucky Covington, "Love Like Crazy" by Lee Brice, and "Give It All We Got Tonight" by George Strait.

The Songwriters’ Round is the primary fundraiser sponsored by the Blue Ridge School Education Foundation.  As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the Foundation’s mission is to provide supplemental resources for Blue Ridge School to expand educational experiences for children and staff in order to achieve and maintain a superior educational environment.  Resources that the Jackson County Board of Education is sometimes unable to fully provide include advanced technology, experiential learning, and exciting extracurricular opportunities.  The Foundation fully funded the new 3-year-old preschool two years ago and also awards scholarships to graduating seniors.

There are eleven members of the Board: Susan Waller, former teacher and Interim President; Chuck Self, Realtor, Vice President; Leigh Foss, Southwestern Community College liaison and computer facilitator, Secretary; Chad Boswell, Owner of The Orchard Restaurant, Treasurer; Cindy Fowler, Parent Volunteer; Alison Moody, Realtor; Nancy Albers, Volunteer; Bridget Henson from The Old Edwards Inn; Eric Moody, CPA; Myra Bumgarner from Mountain Top Golf and Country Club, and Dr. Lynn Dillard, elected member of the Jackson County Board of Education. All members of the Board have a vested interest in making Blue Ridge School and Blue Ridge Early College the best they can be. Blue Ridge School was the highest performing school in Jackson County for the 2022-23 academic year, exceeding all growth standards.