CMA Songwriters Series Continues to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Show at Joe's Bar

Always enjoy when the CMA Songwriters Series comes to NYC. Today, it was announced that the Series returns to Chicago to launch the second half of its 10th anniversary year at Joe’s Bar on Wednesday, July 30 (8:30 PM/CT, doors at 7:00 PM/CT). Celebrating its decade-long run, the CMA Songwriters Series features songwriter and host Bob DiPiero performing alongside Striking Matches and Charlie Worsham. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 9 (10 AM/CT).

Striking Matches is a duo made up of Justin Davis and Sarah Zimmermann. Paired by a professor at Belmont University to perform for a classroom full of guitar majors, they have been writing and performing together ever since. Their self-titled EP was released in October 2012 and was named among iTunes “Best of 2012.” Featured on NPR and in the Wall Street Journal the pair have already appeared on the Grand Ole Opry more than 15 times, opened for some of the biggest names in music, and had five songs featured on ABC’s hit television series “Nashville.” Earlier this year, the duo participated in the CMA Songwriters Series in London as part of the Second Annual CMA International Marketing Summit to rave reviews from fans.

Warner Music Nashville recording artist Worsham released his debut album Rubberband in 2013. An alumnus of Berklee College of Music, Worsham made his Grand Ole Opry debut at just 12 years old. The accomplished musician co-wrote every song on Rubberband including the Top 20 hit “Could It Be” and has also had a cut by Dierks Bentley (“Heart of a Lonely Girl”). The Mississippi native has toured with Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Taylor Swift and was recently named a CMA Music Festival “Must-See Act” by RollingStoneCountry.com.

CMA Songwriters Series host and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, DiPiero (“Southern Voice” recorded by Tim McGraw, “Blue Clear Sky” recorded by George Strait, and “Lovin’ You Is Fun” recorded by Easton Corbin) will also return to the stage, sharing the entertaining stories behind some of his most popular hit songs. DiPiero has had more than 1,200 songs recorded by other artists, countless hit singles, and an astounding 15 No. 1 hits.

The CMA Songwriters Series kicked off its 10th Anniversary season with standing-room-only shows at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and has performed shows in Nashville, New York City, and London already in 2014. Other planned performance locations this year include: Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 30 as part of the Atlantis Live Paradise Music Festival Presented by HGTV with Kristian Bush, Brett James, Bobby Pinson, and Caitlyn Smith; as well as shows in Austin, Nashville, and New York.

Also in 2014, CMA has partnered with Public Television’s critically-acclaimed concert series “Front and Center” to present two separate hour-long concert specials for the 2014 fall season. The shows will feature the music of CMA Award winners Lady Antebellum as they are joined by special songwriter guests, and a special 10th Anniversary CMA Songwriters Series celebration with CMA Award winner Dierks Bentley. Bentley will be joined by top songwriters Jim Beavers, Ross Copperman, James, and Jon Randall. The episodes, which taped earlier this year in Nashville, are scheduled to air this fall leading up to “The 48th Annual CMA Awards.”

For nearly a decade, the CMA Songwriters Series has been exposing fans across the country and the globe to the artisans who, through their craft, pen hits that touch the lives of millions of music fans. Since it began at Joes’ Pub in New York City in 2005, the CMA Songwriter Series has presented more than 75 shows in 13 cities, including Austin, Boston, Belfast, Chicago, Dublin, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. at the renowned Library of Congress.

Tickets for the July 30 CMA Songwriters Series at Joe’s Bar are on sale tomorrow. To order tickets, visit CMASongwritersSeries.com, joesbar.com, or call (312) 337-3486 between the hours of 10:00 AM and 9:00 PM/CT. Joe’s Bar is located at 940 W. Weed St. in Chicago. JOE’S IS A 21 AND OLDER VENUE.  You must be 21+ to attend all shows and events.

For more information on the CMA Songwriters Series, including the Atlantis Live Paradise Music Festival Presented by HGTV, please visit CMAsongwritersseries.com.

ASCAP, BMI and SESAC are official partners of the CMA Songwriters Series.

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