NEWS

ASHLAND Many special things await singer-songwriter Michael Moore when he returns to Ashland for a visit: a visit with his parents, his favorite spaghetti and connecting with fans.

Moore, who sings with the rock band Breaking Broadway when he’s at home in Nashville, will perform with country band Southern Push and Brian Clark at the Boyd County Fair on Friday.

After 15 years in Nashville, he said he’s making progress in his career and having fun.

“It’s a blast,” he said.

Moore got his start performing at Highway 23 Jamboree at the Paramount Arts Center.

“I was enjoying it and it took off from there,” he said.

He survived several cuts on the reality television show “Nashville Star,” but never appeared on the show. He first auditioned in Cincinnati and was the Ohio representative in the show; two months later, he and Southern Push returned to Cincinnati to perform the National Anthem at the Taste of Cincinnati festival in front of about 7,000. That’s where he met country star Dierks Bentley.

“Dierks came up and said, ‘You’re not bad’ and I said, ‘You’re not bad, either.’ That kind of inspired me,” he said.

In  2015, Moore won Song of the Year for “Our Way” from Nashville Universe, a website that helps boost visibility and opportunties for rising  music artists in Nashville. In 2017, he won Male Vocalist of the year from the organization. He makes steady appearances in downtown Nashville and has the album titled “Honestly” available on Amazon, iTunes and at shows.

“It’s my favorite song on the album and that’s why I titled the album after it, even though it was written by (Michael Krompass and Jim McCormick),” he said.

“I was playing downtown Nashville and Krompass was in town with the band Train,” Moore said. “They came in to the bar where we were and heard us and he introduced himself and said he’d like to work with me.” Krompass has worked with Nelly Furtado, and David Archuleta.

“It was one of those things, being at the right place at the right time,” he said.

He still gets back to Ashland every few months and when he does, he tries to squeeze in a show.

“When I get a chance to come, I try to get a few acoustic shows like at Callihan’s,” he said, adding he plans to visit with fans, especially a teen fan from the area who has muscular dystrophy.

“She has mobility issues and I promised her an album,” he said. “I can’t wait to see her.”

He also likes to eat at Rocco’s Ristorante in Ceredo.

“I can’t get away from that spaghetti sauce,” he said. “When I’m there, I buy four or five (containers) of it and put it in a cooler and take it back with me.”

lward@dailyindependent.com