All Feature Articles

Bishop Gunn Aims Higher in Nashville

by Rich and Laura Lynch

It was only the first day of Country Music's biggest festival in Nashville known as the CMAs but the best group in town this week just might be the upstart and insurgent rock band called Bishop Gunn from Natchez, Mississippi. They played a dynamic one-hour set from the top of the new downtown Westin facility on Thursday, June 7, 2018 on a stage built above the hotel's outdoor pool.

We caught their debut album release party for their brilliant self-titled opening statement Natchez named so in honor of their roots and hometown. Having now seen the band twice we can say they are two for two in delivering the goods that are winning them fans up and down the Natchez Trace in spots like their home base, Leiper's Fork, Tupelo and Music City proper.

Their set was pretty close to last month's gig but still finely displayed the quartet's roots and influences in a quick and concise, compelling showcase. You could call the young lads a hair band but that's only because all four still have their mighty and Samsoneque locks. But, don't look to them for 80's style pop metal. They are more prone to mix the sound of British guitar based blues distilled through the Delta and their own southern rock heritage. So, in addition to their own captivating catalogue we got prominent covers from Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers and Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude" to bring the rooftop celebration to a close.

Bishop Gunn is Travis McCready (vocals, guitar), Burne Sharp (drums), Drew Smithers (guitar) and Ben Lewis (bass). They announced from the stage at the L27 on the 27th floor of one of Nashville's newest hospitality properties that this was the highest they have ever played. But, they are also quickly moving up the ranks in rock and roll - so you don't know where they'll play next. Call your promoters and it might just be a town near you! As they target their follow-up record it will be interesting to watch the guys evolve. They might even find a home on the jam band scene if they can stretch out the middle a bit more to lengthen the dance party.







Scenes from the triumphant Bishop Gunn concert on the Westin rooftop at L27.

Related Links: For more information on BISHOP GUNN and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Bishop Gunn


.





Did you know that MCN Founder Rockin' Rich Lynch hosts some of the world's top musicians and songwriters on his regularly scheduled webcast - watch all the episodes here - and please share the links far and wide!





Do you like MCN??? Did you know that the easiest way to support this site is to BUY our founder's Latest Single on BANDCAMP? At check out you can even throw in a bit more to really say "we appreciate you"! Thanks!!!





Squeeze and Adam Ant Squish the Heat With a Cool Night of Music in Nashville



The Nashville Sounds' Bats Were Anything But Dead on a Sweltering Theme Night in Hit City



Elizabeth Cook Brings The Easy Kind Home: Belcourt Screening Caps an Eight‑Year Odyssey



It Was a Big Weekend for the Kats and Cats in Nashville



Nashville Becomes an International Soccer Hub as Premier League Arrives in Music City



Men At Work and Toad the Wet Sprocket Join Forces at The Pinnacle in Nashville



The Countrification of Kentucky Thunder Rolls On at the Ryman's Bluegrass Finale



Niko Moon Launches Roots From Maggie's Place and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville



The Circle Welcomes Three New Voices in Back‑to‑Back Debut Nights at the Grand Ole Opry in Music City



Roots & Rhythms Closes Its Season with a Powerful Night of Story, Song and Tennessee Heritage at The Hermitage



A Living Lineage: Indigenous Artists Reimagining Abstraction Across a Century at the Frist in Nashville



Los Lonely Boys Take a Trip Down Memory Lane at Harken Hall in Madison



Threads of Gold: Dolly Parton's Summer Symphony Series Opens in Nashville



Samurai Blue Aim to Become the Team of the Century From Century Farms Training Grounds in Antioch, Tennessee



Patrick Wolf Brings a One‑Night‑Only Storyteller's Spell to 3rd & Lindsley



Melissa Etheridge Lights Up CMA Fest and Turns HiFi Buys Into Her Own Listening Lounge



Rockin' Rich Lynch Returns to the Stage at "Quiet In The Library" Open Mic, Delivering a Literary‑Themed Medley in Southeast Nashville



Travis Bolt Sets the Opry Ablaze With a Soulful, Triumphant Debut



They Were Putting On the Reggae Riffs at New Golf-Themed Venue in Nashville



Beauty From Ashes: A Night of Worship, Witness and Unshakable Hope at the 2026 K‑LOVE Fan Awards





• Meet Rich and Laura Lynch.

© 2026 MusicCityNashville.net
All Rights Reserved