CMA Songwriters Series goes on road to LA, Chicago

Monday, August 3, 2009 – The CMA Songwriters Series, which has played to sell-out crowds in New York City for the past five years, goes on the road this fall with a show in Los Angeles on Sept. 15 and Chicago, Oct. 2 and 3.

The Los Angeles show will be at the House of Blues with Chicago shows on Oct. 2 at Joe's Bar, and Oct. 3 at the Chicago Country Music Festival.

Each show will be hosted by Bob DiPiero, writer of hits such as Take Me As I Am recorded by Faith Hill, You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl recorded by Brooks & Dunn, Blue Clear Sky recorded by George Strait and Gone recorded by Montgomery Gentry, and feature other singers and songwriters.

Kellie Pickler will be the featured artist/songwriter for the Los Angeles show. Pickler, a two-time CMA Award nominee, is enjoying a Top 10 hit with Best Days of Your Life, which she wrote with friend and tour mate Taylor Swift. Pickler also co-wrote the Top 15 hits Red High Heels and I Wonder from her gold certified debut album, "Small Town Girl."

Joining Pickler will be songwriters Chris Lindsey (Amazed recorded by Lonestar and Let's Make Love recorded by Tim McGraw and Hill), and Aimee Mayo (This One's For the Girls recorded by Martina McBride and Red High Heels recorded by Pickler).

Lee Ann Womack will be the featured artist/songwriter for both Chicago shows. A six-time CMA Award winner, Womack has sold over five million albums. Her hits include I Hope You Dance, A Little Past Little Rock, The Fool, and I May Hate Myself in the Morning. Womack's current release, "Call Me Crazy," contains the top 20 hit Last Call as well as her current single, Solitary Thinkin'. Womack is also an accomplished songwriter having penned her own single Twenty Years and Two Husbands Ago. She also wrote Good News, Bad News, her duet with Strait that won the CMA Musical Event of the Year Award in 2005.

Joining Womack in Chicago will be Dean Dillon (The Chair, Unwound, Ocean Front Property and Marina Del Rey recorded by Strait; and A Lot of Things Different recorded by Chesney), and Scotty Emerick , (I Love This Bar and Good As I Once Was recorded by Toby Keith and Beer For My Horses recorded by Keith and Willie Nelson).

The Chicago Country Music Festival takes place Oct. 3 and 4 in Grant Park. The event is free and open to the public.