Vern Gosdin to Be Celebrated with VernFest

The life and legacy of Vern Gosdin will be honored with VernFest on August 4 at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville. Singer/songwriter Max T. Barnes will host the one-day event, which will feature performances from Johnny Rodriguez, Linda Davis, Lang Scott, Kelli Johnson, and Ken Mellons.

The late Gosdin is most well-known for his songs “That Just About Does It,” “Do You Believe Me Now,” “Set’em Up Joe,” and “Chiseled in Stone,” which procured him a Country Music Association Awards nomination for Single of the Year and Song of the Year. Furthermore, the 1988 album Chiseled in Stone scored him two more CMA nominations for Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017.

Gosdin had three songs reach the No. 1 spot on the country charts between 1977-1990. Those three songs that hit the peak position are “I Can Tell By the Way You Dance” (1984), “Set ‘Em Up Joe” (1988) and “I’m Still Crazy” (1989).

In 1998, Gosdin suffered a stroke, though he never stopped touring. Up until his death in 2009 at the age of 74, Gosdin continued to write songs and produce new music.

Max T. Barnes, son of acclaimed Grammy-nominated songwriter, Max D. Barnes, planned this event in light of the longtime relationship he and his father had with Gosdin. Barnes Jr. first collaborated with Gosdin when he was only 19. He wrote Gosdin’s hit song “Way Down Deep,” which was released in 1983. Though, their relationship does not end there, as both Barnes Sr. and Jr. have written a profusion of songs for Gosdin, including, “Chiseled in Stone,” “This Ain’t My First Rodeo,” “Slow Burning Memory,” and many more. The pair have written 33 No. 1 songs together.

For information about tickets and other details on VernFest, click HERE. Additional acts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)