Front and Center is an American television series that aired on public television in 2012, presented by PBS member station WLIW. The series was originally called Front Row Center and was developed by the producers of Soundstage. The show features Grammy Award winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, chart topping artists, and emerging artists. Front and Center profiles some of the music world's better known artists and combines behind the scenes interviews with intimate performances.
CMA Songwriter Series In 2014, Front and Center joined with the Country Music Association (CMA) to present two separate hour-long concert specials, featuring Nashville country artists. The first episode featured Lady Antebellum and the second was a 10th Anniversary CMA Songwriters Series celebration and featured Dierks Bentley, joined by songwriters Jim Beavers, Ross Copperman, Brett James and Jon Randall. The idea came to fruition when Don Maggi, executive producer of Front and Center, paid a visit to one of the Songwriter Sessions in New York City at Joe's Pub, featuring Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn alongside several songwriters. "Hearing the passion and the stories that surround [the songs] was something that captured us and, for lack of a better word, was so real," Maggi told Rolling Stone Country, "That's something that we always try to capture on Front and Center."
List of episodes
+ Season 2 (2013) Episode Title201 Jack Johnson 202 Train 203 JJ Grey & Mofro 204 Preservation Hall Jazz Band 205 Buddy Guy 206 Jake Bugg 207 Zakk Wylde & Les Paul Trio 208 Rock Candy Funk Party 209 The Rides
+ Season 3 (2014) Episode Title 301 The Avett Brothers 302 Jon Batiste and Stay Human 303 James Blunt 304 Ginger Baker 305 Christina Perri 306 Alt-j 307 Cyndi Lauper 308 Grouplove 309 Here Come the Mummies 310 Tom Odell
+ Season 4 (2014) Episode Title401 Counting Crows402John Hiatt403CMA Songwriter Series with Dierks Bentley404Joe Satriani405CMA Presents Lady Antebellum406Keith Urban: The Hits407Paul Rodgers408The Fray409Richard Thompson410Richie Sambora
+ Season 5 (2015) Episode Title501CMA Songwriter Series: Hunter Hayes502CMA Songwriter Series: Bob DiPiero featuring Brandy Clark503CMA Songwriter Series: Sara Evans and Martina McBride "Ladies Night Out"504CMA Songwriter Series: Little Big Town505Zakk Wylde506Train507The Rides508Trey Anastasio509For King & Country510Warren Haynes
+ Season 6 (2016)EpisodeTitle601Joe Jackson602CMA Songwriter Series: Darius Rucker603CMA Songwriter Series: Ronnie Dunn604CMA Songwriter Series: Kip Moore605George Ezra606Børns607CMA Songwriter Series: Brett Eldredge608CMA Songwriter Series: Steven Tyler + Season 7 (2017) Episode Title701Rob Thomas702Shawn Mendes703Cheap Trick704Southside Johnny705Steve Vai706The Cadillac Three707Kaleo708Dawes709CMA Songwriter Series: Jennifer Nettles +Season 8 (2018)EpisodeTitle801Liam Gallagher802CMA Songwriter Series: Kane Brown & Luke Combs803Mike & the Mechanics804Beth Hart805CMA Songwriter Series: Miranda Lambert806Sheryl Crow807Seal808Jack Johnson809CMA Songwriter Series: Clint Black810Nile Rodgers
References