HomeProfileRugby, TnDoobie BrothersToby Keith
Cowboy Cookin' On The RangeLinks to Additional ArticlesLinks to Additional Articles-2BlogContact Me

 A native of Riesel, Texas, Vernell Hackett moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career as a freelance journalist. Hackett writes about a variety of subjects including art and entertainment, travel, pets, food, legislation, interesting people, home décor, crafts, history, video and business.

As a freelance journalist, Vernell has written for Reuters News Service, AOL’s www.theboot.com, American Cowboy, Country Weekly, www.gactv.com, The Quilter, Bluegrass Unlimited, PetLife, Southwest Profile, Amusement Business, www.gmc.com; Outdoor World, The Washington Times, Billboard Magazine, Southern Sporting Journal, Pro Bull Rider Magazine, Encyclopedia Britannica, Country Music People, Grit, Nashville Magazine, The Western Way, Writer’s Digest, Working Cowboy, Camping Journal, Country America and Satellite TV Week. 

She was the daily prep writer/producer for Westwood One/Metro Radio network for two years, and was the Nashville freelancer for both MJI Broadcasting and SJS Entertainment, both New York City syndicators of music shows, for several years. 

Vernell was editor of American Songwriter magazine for 20 years, a magazine which she helped found in 1984. Prior to American Songwriter, she was editor of Country News, the largest consumer-based, country music newspaper in existence at the time. While Vernell was editor, the magazine grew from a subscriber base of less than 10,000 to over 200,000 subscribers.  

Vernell wrote the script for a 15-minute tele¬vision special about Michael Martin Murphey's WestFest at Copper Mountain, Colorado that aired on Country Music Television (CMT). She also wrote “Newsbreak” segments for Chuck’s Country, a video and interview television show which originated in Los Angeles. She wrote the script for the two-hour Academy of Western Artists’ Awards Show in 2002. 

Vernel books talent for "The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca," and also does publicity for that syndicated entertainment show. 

Hackett has interviewed a number of personalities from all genres of music and the arts, among them ....

Country/Folk: Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Alabama, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Christian Kane, John Schneider, Lonestar, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Barbara Mandrell, Brad Paisley, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Judy Collins, George Jones, Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, Tom Wopat, the late Roger Miller, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, John McEuen, Martina McBride, Clint Black, the Oak Ridge Boys, Terri Clark, LeAnn Rimes, The Statler Brothers, Brenda Lee, Bobby Bare 

Comedians: Steve Martin, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Andrew Dice Clay

Pop/Rock/Rap:  Kid Rock, Quincy Jones, Mark Hudson, Steve Lukather and David Paich of Toto, Martin Page, the Doobie Brothers

Bluegrass:  Ronnie Reno, Larry Stephenson, Dale Ann Bradley, Daily & Vincent, the late Bill Monroe, The Rarely Herd, Del McCoury, Lonesome Standard Time, Rhonda Vincent

Western:  Michael Martin Murphey, Wylie Gustafson (Wylie & The Wild West), R.W. Hampton, Waddie Mitchell, Don Edwards, Red Steagall, Joni Harms, Baxter Black, Sons of the San Joaquin, Riders in the Sky, Brenn Hill 

Americana and singer/songwriters:  Jack Ingram, Joe Ely, Dale Watson, Monty Warden, Kelly Willis, Butch Hancock, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, the late Mickey Newbury, Billy Joe Shaver, Dave Alvin, Dean Dillon 

Christian/Gospel: Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Mark Lowry, Mylon LeFevre, Bill Gaither (Gaither Vocal Band), Selah, Margaret Becker, Rick Cua

Visual artists and sculptors: Ed Morgan, Anderson Kee, David Wright, Ouray Meyers, Gary Roller, J. D. Challenger

Other articles Hackett has written include travel stories on Rugby, Tennessee; Land Between The Lakes (Ky./Tn.); Dale Hollow Lake as a Fishing Destination; Ski Rio, N.M.; Taos Ski Valley, N.M.; Michael Martin Murphey's WestFest as a travel destination; The Fort Worth Stockyards; Decorating With Southwest Art; Container Gardening; and restaurant reviews. 

Photos on left from top:

Vernell with country star Jason Aldean

Vernell and author Deborah Evans Price signing their books at Billy Bob's nightclub in Fort Worth, Texas
BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY