Megatrax Blog

... THIS JUST IN...

While this isn’t a new revelation, a couple of recent situations with 2 well known newscasters and their passion for music crossed my world.

Readers of this blog know that I frequently have the honor of performing in the staff band at the Grand Ole Opry. This has given me the opportunity to perform with a wide variety of artists and musicians. When I say wide variety, I refer not only to the rainbow of styles, but also these performer’s “day jobs”.

In addition to guest announcers (the Opry continues to be a live radio show as well as the longest consecutive running live radio show – 86 years this year) such as Larry King, Garrison Keillor and Robin Roberts, musicians such as Paul Shaffer and Roger McGuinn will sit in with the band.  Many politicians including presidents and senators, sports figures and other celebrities within our pop culture will show up on any given night to either observe or even participate as a performer in some fashion. Nashville visitors run quite a gamut.

To that point, recently, two newscasters had the Nashville connection – both on their own separate projects.

Victoria Shaw, Robin Meade, Randy Hart, Eddie Bayers

CNN Headline News’ Robin Meade just completed recording and performed at the Opry. One song she sang, “Welcome Home” can apply to any loved one returning from an absence, but to her is a tribute to our military men and women returning from their duties in war. Not only is the song very well written (and produced by Victoria Shaw), but she delivered it flawlessly and is a strong singer.

CBS's Bob Schieffer

On another note (pun intended), CBS’s Bob Schieffer has been working on a music project. It’s well known that Bob is a musician when not sitting behind the desk of “Face The Nation”. Bob, too, has performed on the Opry.

While I won’t say that these worlds collide, they actually peacefully co-exist. Two different methods of telling a story – both behind a microphone, but one with a melody. Yes, this is another definition of “News Music”.