ROB MAYES

w/ Pete Sallis, Austin Moody,  Tia Sillers

Wednesday June 14, 2023

@ Joelton Hardware, Feed & Farmacy in Joelton, TN

(Review By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

The quaint unincorporated community of Joelton, Tennessee carries the very familiar aura of Small Town U.S.A. like we all grew up in; the place where all your neighbors were friends, and a stranger was simply someone you hadn’t met yet.

That same refreshing feeling radiates through Joelton Hardware, Feed, & Farmacy.

As the door swings open and rings the bell above it, the atmosphere surrounds you like a warm embrace as everyone – from patrons to the amazing staff – greets you with a friendly smile, enthusiastic wave, and a hearty “how you doing?” inviting you to be part of the family before you even get lost in the incredible live music or take a big ol’ bite of the best burger in Middle Tennessee.

Though by day one half of the building is absolutely that old school type of hardware store that instantly associates to a place your grandpa used to shop, the other half of the store sees its stage transform into a laid-back vibe that unassumingly welcomes some of the best hitmaking songwriters of the music community. 

Rob Mayes, the actor, musician, and endearing host of a very popular Wednesday night songwriter round at Joelton Hardware, Feed, & Farmacy, brought together on this night three of his ultra-talented friends and dueling dobro’s, to sit alongside him as they dipped the place into a night of stellar music that teetered the edges of several different styles under the country music umbrella.

Balancing his song selections within an expert showcase of his vast range of styles, Pete Sallis slid into a modern infused punch with the ultra-catchy “When A Girl Runs Out,” delivered a purely singer-songwriter kissed vibe on “Arrow,” and introduced the heartfelt “Shoes Under My Bed,” a recent cut he earned with the legendary country group Shenandoah.

Whereas Sallis had put on a display of his different styles, Austin Moody leaned his deep vocal and unmistakable drawl into a neo traditional branded sound, borrowing touches of dirt road stylings on “Country Mile” and bringing a flare of 90’s country influence to “Ride Like Hank,” while transparently sharing pieces of his own personal story of overcoming the struggles of not fitting in with the ultra-honest “Throwback,” the song he told was the one that kept him in town when he was all but packed up and ready to leave.

As Sallis and Moody before her encompassed the defining signatures within their sound and style, Tia Sillers, the writer behind such smash hits as Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” and The Chicks “There’s Your Trouble,” stayed on the more artsy, eccentric side of her singer-songwriter feels with songs such as the heart-tugging “Marrow” and “My Mosiac,” the latter which quieted the crowd when she took us all to church by sliding into a stunning take on “Amazing Grace” to close the night.

Wrapping a swampy grit into the Western melody of “Done Didn't Do's,” Rob Mayes immediately had the enthusiastic crowd clapping in perfect rhythm as he dropped his vocal into a muddy tilt to perfectly encompass the overall vibe as he kicked off the night.

With each pass through, the crowd became more and more hushed as they leaned in for a closer listen.

This was made very noticeable the moment that Mayes played “Ain’t Nothin’ To See Here,” taking us straight out to small town Saturday night as he painted perfect pictures of hanging out with your best girl and cold beer as Merle played on the radio, eliciting several slow head nods across the crowd as they clearly were reminiscing on their own memories.

After praising the venue, hyping their food, and humbly thanking the crowd for their amazing support, Mayes then opened his own diary when he spoke of keeping faith through the struggles and tougher times of life before he turned the venue on its stone country side with “Regular Guy,” a song from his 2021 Greatest Thing album which saw him embracing the “whatever will be, will be” tone of the lyric as he pulled us through the highs and lows of life while accenting the importance of holding on to hope.

Weaving the tale of a blue-collar guy who has learned to appreciate the things that matter most, Mayes kept the crowd silently hushed with “I’ve Got A Job,” before closing his part of the night with the incredible “The Prayer I’ve Never Prayed,” softening the pace as he lovingly praised his better half, aptly scooting the couples in the crowd a little closer to one another as they got lost in their love while Rob sang through the heartfelt lyric.

Any opportunity that arises when I can get lost in the type of down-home feel that the Joelton Hardware, Feed, & Farmacy presents, it brings me back to my own upbringing that I miss so much through its atmosphere, great food, and the good-hearted people who for two hours allow you to escape into friendships you didn’t even realize you needed.

Couple that unexplainable feel-good feeling with a night of great music that tugs your heart, connects with your story, and encouragingly uplifts you, and it leaves you checking the calendar for the next time you can get back out there to soak it all in again.  

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