Jim “Moose” Brown Homecoming Show
With Special Guests Steve Azar, Wynn Varble and Don Sampson
Special Pre-Show featuring Ken Yarbrough
Jim “Moose” Brown is coming home. The Nettleton High School alum turned Nashville singer/songwriter/musician will headline his own Jim “Moose” Brown Homecoming Show Friday, September 30 at the Northeast Arkansas District Fair. The show will include Brown’s special guests Nashville singer/songwriters Steve Azar, Wynn Varble and Don Sampson performing an intimate Nashville songwriter “round” style show. The show is free at the fair grandstand with your paid gate admission. It is presented by 104.9 The Fox and the Central Dealerships.
As a songwriter Moose Brown won the Grammy award for Best Country Song for co-writing “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere”, and he has had songs recorded by Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, Steve Wariner, Jamey Johnson, Mo Pitney, John Schneider, Heidi Newfield, Tyler Farr, Darryl Worley, Ronnie Milsap, Josh Turner, David Allen Coe, James Otto, Joe Nichols, Teea Goans, Eddie Montgomery, and others. As a touring musician Moose has toured and recorded extensively as a member of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band. As a record producer Moose co-produced Daryl Worley’s top 10 single “Sounds Like Life To Me” as well as the critically acclaimed album by Jamey Johnson “That Lonesome Song” which features the ACM and CMA Song of the Year “In Color”. The Platinum selling album was nominated at the Grammys, ACMs and CMAs for Album of the Year. Moose also co-produced Jamey’s certified Gold double album “The Guitar Song”, which was also grammy nominated for best country album. As a session player Moose won the award for Academy of Country Music award for Keyboard Player of The Year in 2015 and 2017. He has played on the movie soundtracks of “Varsity Blues”, “Country Strong”, ”Cars, and Cars 2”, and played on over 30 #1 singles and millions of albums sold for a wide variety of artists including Kid Rock, Bob Seger, Brad Paisley, Willie Nelson, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, and many others. Jim “Moose” Brown was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainer’s Hall of Fame in 2010.
A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Steve Azar is a hit songwriter, recording artist, and music producer whose sound traverses a blend of country, blues, folk, and rock n’ roll, a genre he calls, “Delta Soul.” He has released seven critically acclaimed studio albums. Azar’s debut album Waitin’ On Joe was released in 2001. The title track went to #1 on CMT and featured Academy award winning actor Morgan Freeman. From the same album the hit single “I Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday)” received three BMI Million-Air awards for over 3 million in air plays and is one of the top five most played songs of the past decade on country radio. Steve has written, and recorded songs for film and has been the music supervisor for a number of movies. In 2006, Steve and his wife Gwen started the Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation, and annually host the Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event. Since its inception, the foundation has channeled over $950,000 to many worthwhile causes in the Delta and beyond.
Wynn Varble came to love country music at a very young age when he discovered his dad’s collection of classic country vinyl albums. He even traded his big brother’s “Grand Funk Railroad” for a copy of Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John”, and he still has a scar to prove it! Around the age of 14, a neighbor showed Wynn a few chords on an old guitar. Before long, Wynn was playing on his own and writing his own songs. After many years of playing in honkytonks & bars, Wynn decided to make the move to Nashville. His first radio single was “Fit to Be Tied Down” by Sammy Kershaw. Since then, Wynn has had numerous hits including three number ones… all three were nominated for “Song of the Year” by the CMA and/or ACM. “Have You Forgotten” by Darryl Worley, “Waitin’ on A Woman” by Brad Paisley, and “I’m A Little More Country Than That” recorded by Easton Corbin. In addition to his number ones, Wynn’s had songs recorded by artists such as Garth Brooks, Cody Johnson, Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Mark Chesnutt, Kellie Pickler, Lee Ann Womack, and many others.
Don Sampson was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Falls Church,VA. When Don was 22 years old, he moved to Nashville from San Antonio,TX, where he had been playing guitar in the honkytonks. Don signed his first publishing deal in 1985 with New Clarion Music. After various successful publishing deals, Don signed with Sea Gayle Music in 2000. His songwriting credits include the #1 singles Brad Paisley’s “Waitin’ On A Woman,” Gary Allan’s “Tough Little Boys,” Alan Jackson’s “Midnight in Montgomery,” and Bryan White’s “Rebecca Lynn.” “Waitin’ On A Woman” also received the NSAI Song Of The Year honor in 2009. Don has won numerous ASCAP awards, seven NSAI awards, and the TNN Music City News Songwriters Award. Other artists that have recorded Don’s songs include Darius Rucker, Josh Thompson, Jimmy Wayne, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Josh Turner, Tim McGraw, Charlie Daniels, John Conlee, Joe Nichols, and Charlie Pride.
The Jim “Moose” Brown Homecoming Show will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, September 30 with a special pre-show performance by Jonesboro musician Ken Yarbrough, who has known Moose Brown since his days at Nettleton High School. Yarbrough says he recognized Brown’s talent at an early age and encouraged him to follow his dream to Nashville. In addition to his love for music, Yarbrough owns family automobile dealerships and recently opened a restaurant, Poppy’s, in the former Ruby Tuesday location where he is featuring local musicians who perform for customers.
