RIVERS RUTHERFORD Beta Songwriter Among Country Music’s Best Making a big splash in Nashville the last decade has been songwriter-singer Rivers Rutherford, Mississippi ’89, the writer of six No.1 hits for some of country music’s top recording artists. His song, “When I Get Where I’m Going,” recorded by Brad Paisley, was nominated by the Academy of Country Music as 2006 Song of the Year and also earned a Song of the Year nomination from the Gospel Music Association.
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Rutherford’s first No.1 hit was Brooks and Dunn’s “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” in 2001, which won him the 2002 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Song of the Year award. The song is still the most successful single ever recorded by Brooks and Dunn. Since then, Rutherford has reached No.1 status with “Real Good Man” by Tim McGraw in 2003, “If You Ever Stop Loving Me” by Montgomery Gentry in 2004, “Homewrecker” by Gretchen Wilson in 2005 and Kenny Chesney’s “Living in Fast Forward” this year. Montgomery Gentry’s “She Don’t Tell Me To” has also been a top five hit in 2006. Born and raised in Memphis, Rutherford’s parents were his early musical influences. His dad played piano with the Apollo Boys’ Choir and started him on the guitar and piano at age seven. He reminisced, “I grew up with my dad and me sitting at the kitchen table singing all kinds of music. I soon knew I loved the grooves of R&B, the guitars of rock and roll, and the lyrics of country.” He played piano on the Memphis Queen riverboat at age 15 and performed in Beale Street clubs during high school. He went to the University of Mississippi on a piano scholarship, majoring in English and music. At 21, Rutherford met Memphis resident Chips Morman (who produced Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds”) by climbing the fence at Morman’s home so he could play for him. Rutherford recalled, “Chips was not too happy about waking up to barking guard dogs and squad cars but he listened . . . and when I had finished playing, he just sat there silently smoking a cigarette.” Morman did like his music and chose “American Remains” as a sequel to “Highwayman,” a hit made famous by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Two weeks later, Rutherford walked into a Nashville recording studio where he
Just Another Coaster, is available online at www.riversrutherford.com.
played the song for the group. They cut the song that day and it was on the Highwayman II album. After moving to Nashville in 1993, Rutherford worked as a studio guitar player on albums by Ringo Starr, Amy Grant, Gary Allan, Tracy Byrd and Mark Chestnutt before becoming a full-time songwriter. He joined his current employer, the Universal Music Publishing Group, in 1996 and has had his songs recorded by Faith Hill, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Trick Pony, Travis Tritt, Mark Wills, Clay Walker, Tracy Lawrence, Blake Shelton, Josh Gracin, Chely Wright, Deana Carter, Jamie O’Neal, Clay Davidson and Andy Griggs. In addition to his songwriting talents, Rutherford has had the opportunity in recent years to perform his own songs on stage. In 2005, he opened concerts for Keith Urban; Beta’s Pat Green, Texas Tech ’95, and Gracin. This summer, he opened five concerts for Gretchen Wilson, including a date in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. He is also producing albums for Terri Clark and newcomer Cole Degges. Rutherford’s own CD, Just Another Coaster, is available online at www.riversrutherford.com. — J. Langhammer
Just two weeks after Rutherford celebrated a No. 1 song with Brad Paisley’s “When I Get Where I’m Going,” he scored his sixth No. 1 hit with Kenny Chesney’s “Living In Fast Forward.” • Rutherford’s song, “When I Get Where I’m Going,” was nominated by the Academy of Country Music for the 2006 Song of the Year. He received a nomination from the Gospel Music Association for Song of the Year, also for “When I Get Where I’m Going.” • The RCA Label Group has recently employed Rutherford to produce Terri Clark’s next record. • Rutherford opened five concerts for Gretchen Wilson this summer, including a date at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Summer 2006
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