Shooting Nashville Wild Child

We didn't get funded through Kickstarter. Not even close, only 20% pledged and Kickstarter is, all or nothing", so we get nothing.

We leave for Nashville in the morning to shoot New Years Eve celebrations downtown, and to check on Vernon and Helen who have been living in his car in Walmart parking lots, waiting. Waiting for royalty checks from the songs he co-wrote with Keith Urban that were recorded and released last year, and waiting to launch his own label, Broken Boat Records, with the release of Vernon's latest effort, A Lot More Jesus.

I'm looking forward to seeing my old friend.

Happy New Year!

Broken Boat Records

Our Kickstarter.com fundraiser for the documentary, Nashville Wild Child, ends in 24 hours. What a great experience that has been! I've learned a great deal and met many surprise new friends. Thanks to everyone who participated.


Even as that fundraiser that we have all lived with for the past two months ends, it is exciting because we will be traveling to Nashville to shoot more music with Vernon, and hear about his new venture, Broken Boat Records, and the digital release of a new song.  All launched from his home office, parked in a Walmart parking lot somewhere in Nashville.  I'll be posting updates from the road, and sharing videos from behind the scenes as we move forward with Nashville Wild Child in 2012.

Happy New Year!

I Got a Note Today

"John- I'm concerned and amazed at the tepid response from Kickstarter. My pledge is good whether you reach your KS goal or not. best wishes for a great new year. bo"

This is a quick note I got from Bo, an unknown supporter on Facebook today.  It's frustrating for our supporters, who love the story, and want to find out what happens next.  I feel frustrated too.  Where is the funding?  Where is the support form better placement on Kickstarter?  Should I have waited until after the holidays?  Why don't we get any support from Nashville? (I think I know the answer to that)

Less than 48 hours to find funds for this, or we lose all that is pledged.  More than 1100 fans on Facebook.  But only 22 supporters willing to pledge.  Grateful for those who supported us.  Wishing I could do more.

Tonight, Vernon and Helen are sitting in their car in a Walmart parking lot, somewhere in Nashville, Tennessee.

I Need Your Help (60 hours left)

Late in the summer of 2011, we found Vernon living a homeless lifestyle on the streets of Nashville, unaware that one of his Keith Urban co-written songs, "Homespun Love", had been released in January, on the hot new country duo, Steel Magnolia's self titled CD. Vernon would later learn that the Oak Ridge Boys had included his song, "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway", in their new CD, It's Only Natural, which was released in September, 2011. Vernon was later very surprised to learn that another Keith Urban co-write, "Walk in the Country", had been included in the debut CD by 2010 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. McCreery's album, Clear As Day, debuted at number 1 on Billboard's Album Chart selling 197,000 units in the first week of October, 2011.

Kickstarter will not release our funds unless we are fully funded in the next 60 hours.  Please follow the link to our Kickstarter page and make a pledge?  $10 would help.  $25 pledges are rewarded with a signed DVD.

Broken Boat - Vernon Rust

Why is this man homeless?

"Why is this man homeless? Why isn't he getting his royalties for these songs that were recorded by other musicians? Does he have an attorney (a good one, because I know quite a few, used to work for one of the best in Nashville)? Enquiring minds want to know!!!"

A good question came in via the Facebook page yesterday.  Why is Vernon homeless.  When I ask him questions like that, "where is all the songwriting money", for instance, he says that he has been without a permanent address for at least 10 years.  Couch surfing, staying in cheap hotels that cater to the down and out.  Urban camping as he calls it, sleeping in parks. 

When I got in touch with Vernon this summer past, he asked me to read Jeff Apter's biography of Keith Urban, Vernon's songwriting partner.  Fortunate Son:  The Unlikely Rise of Keith Urban mentions Vern's homelessness as problematic at the time that he and Keith were writing Keith's first American album, The Ranch.  Apter touches on Vernon's homelessness contrasted against his importance to the Urban camp at the time as the wordsmith for these great songs.

Nashville Wild Child

Twenty-five years ago Vernon Rust moved his family from Shreveport, LA, to Nashville to make his way as a songwriter, following his friend, Kix Brooks. Vernon enjoyed success somewhat early with his music, and even discovered Keith Urban, forming a song writing partnership that led to Urban's first American album, The Ranch. 

Late in the summer of 2011, we found Vernon living a homeless lifestyle on the streets of Nashville, unaware that one of his Keith Urban co-written songs, "Homespun Love", had been released in January, on the hot new country duo, Steel Magnolia's self titled CD. Vernon would later learn that the Oak Ridge Boys had included his song, "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway", in their new CD, It's Only Natural, which was released in September, 2011. Vernon was later very surprised to learn that another Keith Urban co-write, "Walk in the Country", had been included in the debut CD by 2010 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. McCreery's album, Clear As Day, debuted at number 1 on Billboard's Album Chart selling 197,000 units in the first week of October, 2011.



This is Vernon's story of success in Nashville's Music Business, as well as his homeless life on Nashville's streets, and friends made and lost along the way.
We need your help to tell this story of friendship, homelessness and the Music Business. We are already shooting using our own equipment to do this on our own time so our expenses are very low. We need your help with the travel expenses as we will return to Nashville many times over the next twelve months to record interviews. We also expect to use some of the funds for some post production expenses as this project moves forward in 2012.


Thank you.

Vernon's Christmas Song

Merry Christmas!

Nashville Wild Child Vernon Rust co-wrote this with Keith Urban in their manager's apartment in Australia for Toby Keith's fantastic Christmas album, Christmas to Christmas.

Outside Tootsies in Nashville

This is shot with my iPhone 4 and the Panorama 360 app.  Use your cursor to spin the photo around 360 degrees and you'll see Vernon and Scott the Director of Photography.  We were shooting with Vernon in downtown Nashville and he wanted to stop in at Tootsies to say hello to a friend.  Downtown Nashville is a lot of fun and you don't have to be a fan of Country Music to enjoy it.

Merry Xmas from Walmart

 

Vernon has been living with Helen in his car since returning to Nashville after the Thanksgiving holiday.  They park their 20 year old car at various Walmarts and rely on the corporate policy of welcoming travelers to overnight in the parking lot.

 Last night, someone asked me if Vernon was still homeless, and why, with all of his friends and fans, does he live this way?  To see my old friend live like that is shocking.  But all I know is that reading the Keith Urban biography, Fortunate Son:  The Unlikely Rise of Keith Urban by Jeff Apter, Vernon has been homeless for nearly 25 years.  Still, it's hard to see a friend live this way.  Especially one so gifted.



Vern told me recently that his old friend and writing partner had been telling folks that Vernon had died a few years ago.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Alive and pretty well at least, Vernon has a new creation, a record company he is forming, and a new song soon to be released.  All from the parking lot of Walmart, Tennessee.  Merry Christmas.

The Urban Campers

Vern and Helen: Urban Campers

With four songs on major record releases this year, including "Walk in the Country" which is on Scotty McCreery's gold album, It's Only Natural, Vernon and his mate, Helen, are spending their days in a public library, and their nights parked in various Walmarts around Nashville.

"Since the weather is chilly at night we have to consider if there will be enough gas in the tank to idle the car all night or start her up periodically for warmth. It certainly helps to layer up on clothing and hang drapes of some kind over the windows." - Helen Bird on camping at Walmart

Only 8 days left on the Kickstarter.com project to raise funds for the documentary production, Nashville Wild Child.

Man Of The House - Vernon Rust

 
 


Here is Vernon Rust singing his original composition, "Man of the House", from the Keith Urban album, The Ranch.  A mournful love song about a desperate affair:

"Cause he stays so busy with his money
And you, you get so lonely when he's gone
And me, I'm just your temporary lover
'Til your blues are gone
I'm the man of the house whenever he ain't home"

Vernon wrote this during a period of high achievement after discovering and teaming with Keith Urban to write many songs, ten of which made it onto the little known but highly acclaimed album The Ranch.


He says that he wrote this song about an affair several years before it actually happened to him.  Sad and lonely, it still paints a dark but lovely canvas.  (more after the jump)

Nashville Wild Child

Nashville Wild Child

Twenty-five years ago Vernon Rust moved his family from Shreveport, LA, to Nashville to make his way as a songwriter, following his friend, Kix Brooks. Vernon enjoyed success somewhat early with his music, and even discovered Keith Urban, forming a song writing partnership that led to Urban's first American album, The Ranch.

Late in the summer of 2011, we found Vernon living a homeless lifestyle on the streets of Nashville, unaware that one of his Keith Urban co-written songs, "Homespun Love", had been released in January, on the hot new country duo, Steel Magnolia's self titled CD. Vernon would later learn that the Oak Ridge Boys had included his song, "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway", in their new CD, It's Only Natural, which was released in September, 2011. Vernon was later very surprised to learn that another Keith Urban co-write, "Walk in the Country", had been included in the debut CD by 2010 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. McCreery's album, Clear As Day, debuted at number 1 on Billboard's Album Chart selling 197,000 units in the first week of October, 2011.