Songwriter Bios
WT DAVIDSON | WT was born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, where he cut his teeth playing local spots like The Mill and the Sanctuary. He moved to Nashville in the fall of 1974, having neglected to graduate from college. WT put himself to work as a performing songwriter right off and had the good fortune to have his song “Paintin’ This Old Town Blue” recorded by Crystal Gayle in 1977, and “The Blues Don’t Get Tired of Me” by the great Millie Jackson a few years later.
His biggest thrill as a songwriter came when Ray Charles recorded “They Call It Love” in 1984. He is also very proud to have both “She’s Real” and “Gee, I’m Glad I Worried About That” recorded by the late Michael Johnson, a unique talent and great friend.
WT has played with his band “The Bad Eggs” and as a solo artist from the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to The Speakeasy in New York City to the Green Awning in Portland, Oregon.
DEBRA GRINER | Debra, born and raised in New Jersey, began her musical journey as an actor after graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. In addition to performing Off-Broadway, she began appearing on the New York cabaret scene in popular night spots such as Don’t Tell Mama’s and Danny’s Skylight Room. Debra launched her first singer/songwriter album, Bound to Rise, at The Bitter End on Bleeker Street. She has appeared at the ROMP Bluegrass Festival in Owensboro, KY, with “American Flyer” and toured Holland with “Bianca Bob & Flystrip.”
Since moving to Nashville in late 2022, Debra has been interviewed on Equestrian Legacy Radio Network’s, Live: From Nashville and featured on the Hang On to Your Daydreams video podcast with Kim Wood.
She has been a guest on WMOT’s American Roots radio for their weekly showcase, Finally Friday. And most recently at East Tennessee’s own WDVX in Knoxville, performing live on The Blue Plate Special.
Some of Nashville’s most respected writers like Buddy Mondlock (The Kid), and mega-hit writer, Rory Bourke (The Most Beautiful Girl) have embraced Debra. Add to that Grammy-winners, Steve Leslie (Brand New Strings), who co-produced her latest project, as well as Don Henry and Jon Vezner (Where’ve You Been?) both of whom appear on A Place To Start.
Debra is forever grateful to Beth Drake, with whom she created Westminster Presbyterian’s weekly Songwriters Circle, where local writers can share their music and is thrilled that you can see some of them at live shows right here in the Café!
Albums: Bound to Rise (2011), On the Bluegrass Trail (2014), A Place To Start (2023) available on all major streaming platforms. For more about Debra, visit DebraGriner.com.
GLENN BURKE | Glenn has an Americana sound with roots in Country, Rock, Cosmic Cowboy Country, Folk and Blues.
About ten years ago he formed the band Marshall Rhodes, and they released a self titled CD that was a top 30 Americana radio chart album. The band was made up by Glenn (guitar/vocals), Michael Lehman (guitar/vocals), Michael Godwin (bass/vocals), Austin DeLone (keyboards) and Adam Berkowitz (drums/vocals and Producer on the album). Burke’s song, “This Perfect World,” appeared in the Warner Brothers film, “The Postman” a few years earlier. He also has songs in a number of independent films including an award winning animation short with artist Craig Frazier and the surf documentary “The Women And The Waves.”
With Texas roots and California sand in his boots, his songs ride the highs and lows along the highways and dirt roads of life. For more information about Glenn, visit, glennrhodesburke.com.