All Feature Articles

Songwriter Tim O'Connell Completes His Trilogy at The Shelby in Nashville

by Rich and Laura Lynch

Songwriter Tim O'Connell held a record release party on Tuesday, October 8th, 2024 at The Shelby at Queens WeHo. Tim - who is still best known for penning "A Singer of Songs" that was recorded by Johnny Cash and later featured in a montage played at Cash's funeral as the theme song of Johnny's life - was accompanied by a fantastic four piece band as he sang through the songs on his forthcoming On That Hillbilly Highway for a room full of family, friends and fans in Nashville.


Tim O'Connell and band were right at home on The Shelby stage.

One of those family members was Tim's son and current Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell who proudly introduced his father while praising him for seeing through this current recording project that has seen the elder O'Connell release a trio of albums - one each for the past three years - that tell a redemptive love story about a musician struggling to achieve success in the Music City. On That Hillbilly Highway follows On Broadway (2022) and On a Wobbly Bar Stool (2023) to complete an ambitious trilogy entitled Terry and Jasmine: A Country Music Love Story. O'Connell as the creator of this storyline believes it is a one-of-a-kind project as each chapter was released a year apart from the prior making it particularly newsworthy and even potentially historic, too.




Tim O'Connell; the view from The Shelby; Tim's trilogy is complete in Nashville.

Tim led his sturdy band through a long set of strong songs many of which were marked by his exceptional harmonica playing especially on the glorious "Morning Glory" and the reminiscing "What Country Was". O'Connell took time to introduce every group member and he gave shout-outs to many dignitaries in the audience including producer Buck Brown (Nils Lofgren Band) who watched the proceedings while seated on a barstool inside the uber chic confines of the newly minted speakeasy at The Shelby.




Mayor Freddie and his father, Tim; publicist David Hawkins at The Shelby in Nashville.

The Shelby is a brand-new live entertainment venue located on the rooftop of Queens Wedgewood Houston. This cool room offers a full stage with professional sound equipment, modern lighting and a bar ready to pour only the best local craft beers. As we discovered at the Tim O'Connell show - The Shelby is the perfect space for intimate concerts, listening parties and private events. If that's not enough - the fourth floor's sweeping view of the downtown Nashville skyline is perhaps the best in the city - making this a must room to play for any and all Nashvillian musicians.




Producer Buck Brown; the string section; the whole gang gathers at The Shelby in WeHo.

Related Links: For more information on TIM O'CONNELL and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Tim O'Connell | Buck Brown | The Shelby


.





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