Marshall Chapman

Critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, and author Marshall Chapman comes to campus to speak about Big Lonesome, her new CD, and They Came to Nashville, her new book that documents the personal stories of musicians (including Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Miranda Lambert, and Willie Nelson) who have shaped the modern history of music in Nashville.

Chapman has released eleven albums, and her songs have also been recorded by Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Wynonna, Irma Thomas, Joe Cocker, and Jimmy Buffett, among other artists. She has toured extensively on her own and opened shows for musicians as varied as Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Prine, and The Ramones. Chapman’s first book, Goodbye, Little Rock and Roller (2003), was a best seller and finalist for several awards. She is making her film debut in the forthcoming Country Strong, where she plays the road manager for a country star portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow.

Chapman signs books and CDs after the talk.

Cosponsored by Ohio State's Office of the President.
Marshall Chapman was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

One of the first women to front a rock band, she recorded three albums for Epic, including her 1978 debut, Jaded Virgin, which was produced by Al Kooper and voted Record of the Year by Stereo Review. Following 1982's Take It On Home (Rounder), Marshall released two albums on her own Tall Girl label: 1987's Dirty Linen (A- in Christgau Consumer Guide, released in Europe on Line Records) and 1991's Inside Job (voted Album of the Month in April 1992 Stereo Review).

It's About Time… recorded live at the Tennessee State Prison for Women (Margaritaville/Island, 1995) drew rave reviews from Time, USA Today and the Village Voice. After its release, Chapman and her band (The Love Slaves) toured with Jimmy Buffett, playing for over a million people. The following year, they went in the studio and recorded Love Slave. More recent releases are Goodbye, Little Rock and Roller (2003), a companion CD to Chapman’s first book; Live! The Bitter End (2004); Mellowicious! (2006); and now Big Lonesome (2010). In 1998, Chapman began exploring new outlets for her creativity. One was theater. She and songwriting pal Matraca Berg contributed fourteen songs to Good Ol' Girls, a country musical based on the stories of Lee Smith and Jill McCorkle. Good Ol' Girls has been presented at theaters throughout the Southeast and had a limited run off-Broadway early in 2010. Chapman has also developed and presented a one-woman show titled The Triumph of Rock and Roll over Good Breeding. Chapman’s first book, Goodbye, Little Rock and Roller (St. Martin’s Press), was a 2004 SIBA Book Award finalist and one of three finalists for the Southern Book Critics Circle Award. She has also written commentary for The Bob Edwards Show (XM) and is currently a contributing editor for Garden & Gun, Nashville Arts Magazine, and Vanderbilt Magazine.