December 23, 2024

Skylight Webzine

Online since 2000

Legendary Nashville Songwriter Even Stevens Offers Backstage View Of The Music Business In New Autobiography


Someday I’m Gonna Rent This Town (Heritage Builders Publishing, ISBN# 978-1-941437-92-6, $22.95, November 2015), is a peek behind Nashville’s musical curtain, written with humor and truth, revealing the struggles and glories of life as a hit songwriter. From Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night,” to Dr. Hook’s “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman,” the creative process is laid bare for all to see. Welcome to the odd world of legendary songwriter Even Stevens.
How does a preacher’s kid from a small farm town in Ohio, arrive in a beat-up mail truck with forty bucks in his pocket, survive on the cold, lonely streets of Nashville and end up as BMI’s Songwriter of the Century? In Someday I’m Gonna Rent This Town, Even Stevens offers a backstage view of the music business, revisiting the rejection, false promises, inspiring creative characters and money-grubbing bottom feeders he met along the way: The drugged-up record label executive . . . The Tina Turner “mistake” . . . Hey! Clint Eastwood’s at the door! . . . and other life changing brushes with the famous (and infamous).

Even Stevens’ songs have been recorded by: Joe Cocker, Tim McGraw, Eddie Rabbitt, Martina McBride, George Jones, Julio Iglesias, Kenny Chesney, Conway Twitty, Elvis Costello, J.D. Souther, Sammie Smith, B.J. Thomas, Brenda Lee, Engelbert Humperdinck, Blake Shelton, Marilyn McCoo, Tom Jones, Shel Silverstein, Mac Davis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Steel Pulse, Micky Gilley, Lacy J. Dalton, Ricky Skaggs, Crystal Gayle, Trace Adkins, Glen Campbell, Alabama, Kim Carnes, Paul Davis, Kenny Rogers, Dr. Hook, The London Symphony and even The Chipmunks.

Thirteen of Even Stevens’ songs have reached the revered status of BMI Millionaire, representing more than 143 years of consecutive radio airplay.

Even Stevens’ legendary songwriting, music producing and entrepreneurial career spans many years and stylistic borders, from the multi-platinum international hit, “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman” by Dr. Hook, to the three-week #1 smash, “I Love a Rainy Night” by long-time writing partner and superstar, Eddie Rabbitt. Even Stevens’ never-ending list of awards and accomplishments includes an unprecedented 53 BMI Awards, a Big Apple Advertising Award, BMI’s Robert J. Burton Award, Song of the Year for “Suspicions” by Eddie Rabbitt, ASCAP’s Most Played Song of the Year for “Love Will Turn You Around” by Kenny Rogers, and the distinction of being named BMI’s Songwriter of the Century. Even Stevens lives in Carthage, IN.

 

 

Source:
http://www.heritagebuilders.com/