In the spring of 1999, Tim O’Connell was visiting the famed Douglas Corner in Nashville, and happened to run into John Carter, the son of Johnny Cash, who he’d been hoping to have a run-in with since 1979.
It was there that he passed on the tape of an original song he’d written called “A Singer Of Songs” to Cash’s son, which he’d been trying to get to the legend for 20 years since first writing it. Upon listening to the tape given to him by his son, Cash said something along the lines of, “I know this song. I love this song,” and mentioned how he’d heard it and wanted to record it once before, but had originally lost the tape.
From there, O’Connell’s decades’ old dream of receiving a cut from Johnny Cash became realized, and not just that, but the song was featured in a montage played at Cash’s funeral as the theme song of Jonny’s life. After his passing, the Grammy-nominated Cash Unearthed box set was released, which included “A Singer of Songs,” securing a monumental milestone in his songwriting career.
With this of course being a pinnacle, throughout the decades O’Connell has written and released numerous singles and albums, including the latest, a trilogy he’s titled, Terry and Jasmine: A Country Music Love Story. His third album, On That Hillbilly Highway, which is the final installment in the trilogy, is set to release later this year.
Through his songwriting, O’Connell has a way of telling unique stories through his own characters like no other. While the first two albums of his trilogy tell a tale of love and success, and then loss and hardship, this third project seeks to bring his two protagonists, Terry and Jasmine, back to each other to wrap up the tale.
His latest single, “Morning Glory,” is a delightful sneak preview of the album, along with his lead single, “Let The Music Work It’s Magic.” The former starts out the album by depicting an image of the character Terry, who according to O’Connell, has recovered from addictions of his past and is ready to start anew. This is reflected in the lines of the chorus: “Ain′t gonna worry about tomorrow / I′m just so thankful about being where I am / Yes I am.”
We’d of course be remissed if we didn’t mention his son, Freddie O’Connell, who has been Nashville’s mayor since last fall. When asked about his feelings regarding his son’s achievement in an interview with us also last fall, he told us, “I’m excited, but a little worried at the same time. There are a lot of crazies out there.”
It’s only right to have music run in the family of a Music City mayor.
Be on the lookout for the release of On That Hillbilly Highway, and let O’Connell’s Cash story be one of persistence and determination, because you just never know. (and maybe a little luck)
Note* Paul Howard contributed to this article.
