LA MARQUE, TX. (CAPITOL MANAGEMENT GROUP/ www.capitolmanagement.com) - 'MCA Universal Producer,' Robert Metzgar is 54 years old. A Texan by birth, Metzgar has spent a life time in the city of Nashville working in the music business as a producer. He is
Texas born and
Texas raised, and has fierce loyalty to his
Texas roots.
Metzgar was born in the home of W. D. & Janie Metzgar in 1950 in the small rural town of Fairfield, Texas. Shortly thereafter his father moved to Velasco/Freeport,
Texas and started pastoring a small church. Robert Metzgar went through the fifth grade in Velasco,
Texas before his parents moved on to pastor the First Assembly of God church in Midland, Texas. Growing up in the home town of President
George Bush and graduating from
Midland High School, Mr. Metzgar was a very successful high school member of the
National Forensic League and represented his school throughout the
State of
Texas in various tournaments, achieving the highest award the Society bestowed on a high school student in the year of 1968. His many trophies and awards still occupy the treasure trove of awards in the halls of
Midland High School.
For further information go to:
www.robertmetzgar.com or see:
www.nflonline.org 'Music was always in my blood,' the gray haired father says backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. I was elected as 'Producer Of The Year' at Cashbox magazine 3 times. I was elected 'Independent Producer of the Year' by Billboard magazine, and in the year of 2002 was nominated by Roy Clark and Willie
Nelson into the
Legends Hall Of Fame in Branson, Missouri for the Smokey River Boys album entitled, 'O Brother,' from the movie by the same name. His election to the
Legends Hall Of Fame was one of the great highlights in Metzgar's life as an artist and singer/songwriter in the year of 2003. For further information go to:
www.smokeyriverboys.com However, in the past 30 years, although I have always been a member of the
Texas Music Commission's group of
Texas artists and producers, I have never received any recognition from my home
State in which I was born.
Texas is just so big that it's easy to get lost in a book that has over 5,500 listings for those in the music business just in Texas. I traveled with a group when I was going to school in Waxahachie,
Texas at Southwestern and probably sang or performed in every small town west of the
Pecos in my early years as a singer/songwriter. I pastored a church for a short time in Plainview,
Texas and married a girl from Big Spring, Texas. I have one child who is a medical professional at Vanderbilt hospital here in Nashville.
However, the happiest day of my life was January 3rd 2005, when Lucky Boyd called to tell me that I had been nominated, 'Producer Of The Year' for the
Texas Music Awards for the year of 2005. And, strange as it may seem, it's for a jazz album not a country album. I have produced countless numbers of country, bluegrass and gospel albums here in Nashville through the years, but never received any recognition for those projects like I have for the Jen Rathbun album entitled, 'Chocolate, Coffee, and Men.' The album is currently the best selling jazz album on Amazon.com and has been reviewed as a 'brilliantly produced but tawdry jazz project' on Houston,
Texas jazz star, Jen Rathbun. I first saw Jen Rathbun perform at the Bluebird Caf? in Nashville and later met with her and her husband Tom about producing her current Universal album.
Little did I know how hugely popular the smooth jazz album would become, said Metzgar in our interview with the mild mannered, soft spoken member of the
Legends Hall Of Fame. Metzgar talks about the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium with such respect, you would think this was his first time in those hallowed halls of country music's greatest landmarks. For further information go to:
www.jenrathbun.com My mother was an incredible singer/songwriter and my father was a banjo player, Metzgar remembered of his upbringing in the Assemblies Of God church. My mother was an orphan who was raised in the Buckner Baptist Orphanage in Dallas, Texas. She wrote so many famous gospel songs and helped introduce me to the music business. Mother and dad worked for the famous tent evangelist from Dallas,
Texas 'Jack Coe' during the 50's. My earliest memories were carrying chairs into the tent which seated over 25,000 people for my dad and listening to the inspired singing of the thousands that followed the 'faith evangelist' at the turn of the century. My mother's story is currently in production as a book, movie and Broadway musical called, 'The Orphan,' and recognizes the many contributions that Buckner's Orphanage and Baylor University made to my mother's life. For further information go to:
www.janiemetzgar.com or see
www.buckner.org along with
www.baylor.edu Mr. Metzgar's life reads like a story right out of a movie. He left
Texas in the late 70's after his mother died in San Angelo,
Texas and came to Nashville to pursue his music career. One of the first jobs he had was promoting the
Elvis Presley gospel album entitled, 'He Touched Me.' Working for
Elvis Presley Enterprises, was just one of the most touching and deeply moving experiences of my life. Elvis attended the First Assembly Of God church in
Memphis and there Mr. Metzgar met his gospel music heroes, The Blackwood Brothers. They used to come and sing at my dad's church in Midland, Texas. My dad, known to his many friends as Bill Metzgar, was one of the best music promoters ever. Dad taught me how to play the guitar and gave me banjo lessons. My father promoted the Oak Ridge Boys, the Blackwoods, The Gatlins, The Cathedrals, and so many great music groups. I can remember when Big John Hall, Jimmy Doan, Levoy Dewey, and others stayed in our home as a little boy. Growing up around such music superstars caused me to want to be involved in the music business. Levoy Dewey convinced me to move to Nashville. For further information go to:
www.capitolmanagement.com or see
www.deweymusicgroup.com Nashville has been so good to me. Everyone I met here in Nashville was from Texas. I met the world famous talent agent, Billy Deaton from San Antonio,
Texas and he helped establish me in the music business in Nashville.
George Strait & Erv Woolsey, Strait's manager had the office across the hall from me before
George moved back to San Antonio. Billy Walker, the legendary Grand Ole Opry star, wrote a wonderful tribute to Metzgar in his latest album ' Thank You, Thank You Very Much' about the friendship and love Metzgar and Walker had for a song called, 'I saw Elvis at Wal-Mart.' Walker who has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for many years is another
Texas artist that sold millions of records and his career started in the
Texas town of Ralls, Texas. Metzgar was Billy Walker's pastor at the First Assembly Of God church in Hendersonville, Tennessee for a number of years. They collaborated on several songs together including El Paso Pesos, and I Saw Elvis At Wal-Mart, Walker's latest single record on Tall
Texas Records. For further information go to:
www.billydeaton.com or see
www.billywalker.com 'Leaving the ministry and doing nothing but music full time was difficult at first,' Metzgar said in looking back on his music career here in Nashville. However, I had the help of some wonderful people. Joe Harris, Sr. who was
Garth Brooks exclusive booking agent helped Mr. Metzgar open an office and start producing records again. His love for traditional country music, gospel music and especially bluegrass music has been the driving force behind much of what Metzgar has done in the past 25 years. His current projects include a gospel album on a former Miss
America and a pop album on Miss Hawaiian Tropic International,
Amanda Jo Henkel. For further information go to:
www.amandajohenkel.com or see
www.garthbooksbook.com Metzgar's first Grammy nomination was for production of
Black Gospel music and he has produced over 50,000 sides of music in the city of Nashville. But, Metzgar's long time involvement with bluegrass and gospel music garnered him more awards for the 'O Brother' project than any other music project to date. The Smokey River Boys album entitled, 'O Brother' stayed in the Top-40 bluegrass Billboard charts for 54 weeks consecutively and in the
Radio & Records Americana charts for 104 weeks and is still in the R & R Americana charts this week. That is a phenomenal record never before achieved by any bluegrass group or bluegrass singer/songwriter in history. Metzgar deserves to be in the
Legends Hall Of Fame. The Smokey River Boys election was overwhelming by radio and the public alike. Metzgar's version of 'Man Of Constant Sorrow,' was voted one of the 20 greatest bluegrass hits of all time this year and appears on the Universal album, 'The Greatest 20 Bluegrass Hits In History.' By the way, Metzgar is the only ASCAP songwriter that has two songs on that project, and two cuts as well. Metzgar writes exclusively for Walt Disney Music, Inc. (ASCAP) in Hollywood, California. For further information go to:
www.obrotheruniversal.com or see
www.disney.com 'I am so looking forward to the awards show in
Texas in February of 2005 and hope that the trip down to
Texas will be a highlight of my life. I came very close to dying two years ago and I am looking forward to the
Texas Awards Show like a kid at Christmas with a new toy.' Two years ago, Mr. Metzgar had six heart bypasses and almost died in Vanderbilt hospital while having open heart surgery. My surgeon, renowned open heart surgeon, Dr.
James Greelish at Vanderbilt hospital performed my surgery. He listened to my bluegrass album while he operated on me. The day after my surgery, I invited him to Denny's for the grand slam breakfast. He laughed really big and told me that was the reason I was in there having open heart surgery, was too many late night stops at Waffle House, Denny's Restaurant, and the Cracker Barrel. 'Don't they have anything besides eggs and bacon on those menus,' Greelish said, and Metzgar answered, 'Not on the menus I get.' For further information go to:
www.mytexasmusic.com I can't thank the Lord enough for allowing me to live to be recognized by my home
State of
Texas in this marvelous event. Nothing means more to you than having those you love and those where you were born take the time to recognize your life as meaningful. I am honored and humbled to be nominated 'Producer Of The Year' for the
Texas Music Awards for the year of 2005. And, to have the 'Female Vocalist Of The Year' nomination as well on Jen Rathbun just brings tears to my eyes. No individual songwriter in
Texas deserves that honor anymore than Jen Rathbun. She's the greatest jazz writer I've ever known.
Metzgar gets in his car and waves at us as we are leaving the Ryman auditorium. He has tears in his eyes. 'Thank you for taking the time to ask me about my life and God bless all of you,' he says as he drives off. You are touched by his humility and love of God, country and music. I've interviewed a lot of famous people in my life, but no one has treated me with greater respect or kindness than
Legends Hall Of Fame member, Robert Metzgar. I hope he lives many more years and gets the opportunity to write a lot more hit songs for people in the future. Honor for some people is all about service. Mr. Metzgar has served the music community and his country honorably for over 30 years. For further information go to:
www.opry.com or see
www.ryman.com 
