(May 12, 2026) - "It's one of the songs off our ‘Spirit of America' album," said Bluegrass, "Entertainer of the Year" Kody Norris about the single release by his band, The Kody Norris Show, titled "Declaration of Independence: An Instrumental" (Rebel Records). "We never recorded an instrumental before. My wife Mary Rachel plays the fiddle (in the band), she wrote this instrumental and the crowd went wild. They asked us what's its name? I said I don't know. They said it's like a declaration of independence and the name stayed."

My interview with Kody was about The Kody Norris Show's instrumental but at the same time they were releasing a new single titled "Good Ol' USA." With the Bluegrass vocals, grassroots instruments and their vibe (how they dress) The Kody Norris Show offers in the purest form what "good old America" is all about - freedom, pride in country and grassroots music played with grassroots instruments. The new album, "Spirit of America," is to be released this summer, and these singles lead the way. They also provide the tone of what we can expect from The Kody Norris Show's new project. The "Spirit of America" album celebrates America's 250-year anniversary of its independence and that is what you will get.

‘The ‘Spirit of America' is our first concept album in celebration of America's 250. To honor our great country that we live in," he explained. "There are story songs...'Davy Crockett' is on there. Anything patriotic is a big deal in my hometown. Patriot songs like ‘Bible on the Table' and brand-new songs like ‘Good Ol' USA'."

The members of The Kody Norris Show, aside from Kody on guitar and Mary Rachel on fiddle, are Michael Cleveland also on fiddle, and Ron Stewart on banjo. The band is on their "Spirit of America" tour which started April 17th with their first single release from the new album and continues until the end of July stretching from Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky, Indianapolis, West Virginia and Colorado.

Aside from the Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America's (SPBGMA) "Entertainer of the Year" honor, Kody has garnered the "Make Vocalist of the Year," the "Band of the Year" and the "Song of the Year" for the single "The Auctioneer". The music video for "The Auctioneer" released just a year ago has over 125,000 views on YouTube, where they have over 4,000 subscribers to their channel.

The Mountain City, Tennessee native said its "wonderful" working with his wife, even though "being together all the time is challenging, but we work it out," Kody told me when I asked about the dynamics of working with your spouse. Mary Rachel was honored with the "Fiddler of the Year" Award from SPBGMA. The Kody Norris Show reached Billboard's Top 10 in 2021 and 2023

"I started at the age of 9 or 10," Kody said when I asked about when he started performing Bluegrass professionally. "I was interested my whole and as a teen...I wanted to go into the Airforce, but I had the opportunity to work with the Punch Brothers. I had just turned 18...I didn't want to miss the opportunity...I knew the Airforce will be there...and I never looked back." www.TheKodyNorrisShow.com

I went to review one of his shows several years ago and he sang Grammy Award winning Nat King Cole's hit "Mona Lisa." He didn't sing it - he "performed" it, and he delivered it with that Smooth Jazz influence. I remember saying no wonder this show was on Broadway. In fact, the "Into the Cole" show was nominated by BroadwayWorld.com for the "Best Male Cabaret Concert Artist" Award.

Attendees on June 18th at the Catalina Jazz Club will also be treated to a musical experience with the Aaron Akins Band.

"Yes, I have an amazing band," he said when I asked if the band that was there a couple years ago will be back. "There is Iya Iwata on piano, she is my music director. She plays for The Whispers. There is John Valentine on sax, he plays for The Whispers too and he is their frontman. Emilio Conesa is on guitar and the music director for The Whispers. The drummer is Moyes Lucus, he plays for George Michael. Ahamd Jamal is a straight-out legend, a genius piano player. They are my regular band."

One of my favorite hits of Nat King Cole is "Rambling Rose" because I have the pleasure of being a friend of the lady who this song is named after - her first name is Rosa. She was a singer who released the hit song "Mr. DJ." She was touring with Nat King Cole as his opening act. During that time, he wrote and released a song about her - "Rambling Rose." Once she retired from touring, she honored him by naming her column "Rambling Rose." Aaron Akins gives Cole accolades too, not only with the "Into the Cole" A Tribute to Nat King Cole" show, but he released a cover of the Cole hit "Mona Lisa" on the NAKICO Records imprint. This single garnered Cole a Grammy Hall of Fame honor. Nat King Cole also garnered Oscar and Emmy Awards. Now, I am not saying Aaron Akins will be singing these hits in his "Into the Cole: A Tribute to Nat King Cole" show, but other notable Nat King Cole hits include "Unforgettable," "At Last", "Ain't Misbehaving" and "I Have Grown Accustomed to Her Face."

"When I first started the tribute to Nat King Cole, I was trying to figure out a way...to get to my songs, "Aaron pointed out as we continue talking about his show. "Nat King Cole was all about love...so it's a great fit."

What Akins said is true, his own catalog of hits is all about love too. There is his debut "I Just Wanna Love You" (NAKICO Records); "What the World Needs" followed; "God Make Women Beautiful" (NAKICO Records); "Love is All Around" (NAKICO Records), and his latest hit single "When Do We Love" which features Walter and Wallace Scott of The Whispers (20th Century Jazz).

"Yes, my latest single ‘When Do We Love' features Walter and Wallace Scott of the legendary Whispers," Aaron reaffirmed for me when I asked.

"In fact, one song, an original, was written by the songwriter for Nat King Cole. He also wrote for Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughn. His name is Henry Nemo," Akins pointed out in a way that you can tell he was so very honored to be an artist that has this man's song as part of his catalog of music.

The Catalina Jazz Club is legendary, and I congratulated Aaron on performing at such a legendary venue and he agreed with me saying, "The pedigree of who played there before me...stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Stevie Wonder."  http://www.AaronAkinsMusic.com http://www.CatalinaJazzClub.com

SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large)/journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations). EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!