Nashville’s 45 RMP Celebrates Classic Country With Live Shows & A New CD

Members of 45 RPM are Nashville musicians, songwriters, and producers who’ve worked in the industry for years. They’ve toured with some of the biggest names in country music and played on sessions for many hit songs and albums. Two are established songwriters and one had a record deal. They are all heavily involved in a host of other projects, but once a month they carve out time to come together on stage at Nashville’s iconic Station Inn.

They do it for the music itself.

45 RPM pays tribute to classic country, those much-loved, timeless songs that came out of Nashville’s Music Row in the 60s and 70s. Songs produced by the legendary Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins that featured the soulful sounds of the steel guitar and fiddle, and were written by songwriting greats like Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Fred Rose, and others.

Acclaimed steel guitarist, Mike Johnson, arranges much of their music, and produced their just-released CD. It features favorites like “Deep Water,” “Make the World Go Away,” “Another Bridge to Burn,” and more.

Johnson, who currently tours with Reba McEntire, and has recorded with Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, is a four-time ACM Steel Guitarist of the Year, who has played music professionally since moving to Nashville in 1976. He and a couple of other musicians formed 45 RPM after listening to old classics during a soundcheck one day. They found themselves enjoying it so much, they decided to form a band just to play the music. He says those old songs have so much heart and soul.

“I love that stuff we grew up on. I was raised that you learn the technique and how to play, but if you don’t play with your heart and soul, it’s just noise. And the players on those old records played with so much heart and soul. You can feel it.”

In every live show, they strive to honor those old records. They have a number of fans who consistently pack their monthly shows – people who love and appreciate that “true country” sound.

Guitarist and songwriter, Jimmy Melton, who currently tours with Jamey Johnson, is the front man for 45 RPM.

He opens every show by saying, “We play country music like it was, before it got like it is.”

It always gets a big laugh. Melton explains what he means.

“I guess a lot of people, those of us in the band, and our fans who regularly show up, prefer country music from the era we grew up in. I think everybody likes what they grew up on and we think ours is best. It’s an art form.”

They’ve found the perfect spot to play that type of music. The Station Inn has been around for nearly 50 years and is especially known for bluegrass. Famous pickers from Bill Monroe to Ricky Skaggs, the Whites, and many others have performed there through the years. It’s remained unchanged inside and out since it opened in 1974, even as the Gulch neighborhood that surrounds it has added high-rise apartment buildings, hotels, and restaurants in every direction.

“I played the Station Inn the first time with a bluegrass band in the late 80s,” Melton recalls, “and you walk in there now and it has the same vibe to it. It’s a great place with a lot of history and looks like so many of the places we used to play. It’s kind of stuck in that era, in a good way.”

45 RPM singer and guitarist, Joannie Keller Johnson, says that’s all part of Station Inn’s charm.

“They don’t take reservations, you stand in line outside for the show, and you pay cash for tickets, so they’ve kept it old school that way. And we’re playing old school music which ties in with the concept. That’s why it gels so well.”

It’s also known as the kind of place where musicians come to watch other musicians. That’s true whether the Station Inn is featuring its regular bluegrass or in 45 RMP’s case, classic country.

“There’ll be a table full of steel players sitting in front of Mike Johnson every night,” Melton says. “He’s the best of the best and there’s always five or six steel players that come to hear him play.”

Johnson, who is very humble about that, says the Station Inn has typically always attracted great musicians.

“That place has always been like that, especially with bluegrass. You talk about some incredible players. Some of the best players in the world play there, whether it’s young kids or the older players, they’re just amazing. So, yeah, I think that even rolls over into our thing. We have fiddle players that come out to see Joe Spivey and piano players that come to see Dirk Johnson, and the steel player thing,” Johnson stops here, laughs, then adds, “Yeah, there’s a lot of steel players that come out to critique me.”

Their shows not only draw fellow musicians, but country artists, as well. Those who’ve shown up include Martina McBride, Rhonda Vincent, Joe Nichols, Mo Pitney, and others. Some come to listen to the music, others get up to sing. The late Daryle Singletary often sang with 45 RPM. He was a good friend and much loved by the band.

“Daryle would come down maybe once every two or three months,” Johnson says. “He and Rhonda were two that really supported us the most. That’s two of the greatest singers ever put on this earth. Darryl was really special and we miss him.”

Vincent still shows up on a regular basis and the crowd loves it when she takes the stage.

45 RPM has been playing so long, they’ve developed a strong and dedicated following.

“And the funny thing is they’re not all locals,” Melton says. “There are people that come from Illinois, Kentucky, and Eastern Tennessee. People who drive hundreds of miles to get there for that show and stand in line for two hours. It’s amazing.”

They come not only for the music, but the traditional, respectful, and professional way it’s played.

“Someone told me one time they were watching clips somebody posted of us on Facebook,” Melton remembers, “and they said the steel player’s not playing there, the fiddle player’s not playing there, and they’re supposed to. No, they’re not. Knowing when NOT to play is the secret of country music, it’s the secret of any music. It’s knowing when to leave space to let the song tell the story, then when you do play, you make it count.”

With the love of the old music so strong, 45 RPM decided to document what they’re doing and make a CD reminiscent of the old records that used to come out of Nashville. Johnson, who has an extensive background as a music producer put it together.

In fact, Keller-Johnson, a Nebraska-native who grew up playing in her dad’s country band, met Johnson years ago after getting a record deal with Broken Bow Records. He produced her first album and the two later married. When she launched her career, releasing her debut album in 2000, she kept hearing industry people say her voice was “too country” for radio.

“Yeah, that’s what I always heard,” she recalls. “And when I was coming into it, the girl thing was going really pop at that point. Also, Broken Bow was just starting out then and I was the second person they signed, so they were still learning, too.”

She sings two country classics on the new 45 RPM record.

“There are so many songs and artists I love, but sometimes you just find a song that feels like you can make it yours and it resonates with you. So, I did “Here Comes My Baby” and “Make the World Go Away.” And Mike kind of put his own arrangement on that one.”

The 10-track CD also features Melton singing “Deep Water,” fiddler Joe Spivey doing “South’s Gonna Do It Again,” bassist Mark Johnson singing “Night Life,” drummer Brent Rader on “Drinking Champagne,” and more.

It was a labor of love for everyone involved.

“We pay tributes to those old records,” Johnson says. “We want people to know we’ve heard the record and not just the song. Then, we take it and make it a little bit more of what we do. I think it’s a good balance. People who know those songs are not going to be mad that we’ve come in and changed them all up, but it’ll be enough to where it’s interesting. And hopefully, they’ll enjoy it.”

They’re selling the CDs through Johnson’s website, but in time, some of those songs may be available for streaming.

In the meantime, their next live show is set for Tuesday, January 17^th at 8pm. Every member of the band is already looking forward to it.

“I love playing this music so much,” Melton says, “I’ve missed other gigs and flown back to town just to make a 45 RPM show. I won’t miss it.”

And as always, they’ll be playing to a packed house.

To purchase a CD, click on the link below.

Mike Johnson ProductionsMike Johnson Productions