12/29/97

Digestion Begins on Music Row

A lot of digesting will be done on the Row the next few days, and not just digesting of holiday treats. Numbers are beginning to be published for 1997 and the industry will take the numbers into account in making decisions. The top country artists list from "Billboard" for 1997 ranks acts according to album sales and radio success. LeAnn Rimes is the top country act, indeed the top music act in any category this year. Alan Jackson finishes second; George Strait comes in third; Deana Carter is fourth; Brooks & Dunn are fifth; Trace Adkins is sixth; Reba McEntire holds down position seven; Clint Black is eighth; Tim McGraw is ninth; and John Michael Montgomery is number ten. The list of the best in the business shows the effectiveness of Curb Records' adventurous spirit, with LeAnn Rimes and Tim McGraw capturing two spots in the top ten for the label. Note that hat acts dominate the list, with seven representatives for the men with covered heads. Don't think the older acts can't cut it. In the top ten, seven acts are true veterans -- Strait and McEntire have incredible staying power. And about Reba. The CMA members may have decided her day is over (she wasn't nominated for a single CMA honor this year) but the fans still care; she has a place with the elite in record sales and radio popularity and the Brooks & Dunn/Reba concert tour was the most successful in the industry this year. Oh, and poor Scott Hendricks, former head of Capitol Records, managed to snag two top-ten positions (MCA, Curb, Capitol, and Arista all captured two places) and ended up being pushed out of the label for his trouble.

12/23/97

Country radio blacklist II

Country radio has a blacklist. Radio programmers and consultants, especially in large markets, won't play recordings by older artists (Newsource 12/22) Also on the blacklist are song topics. The programming powers in big cities are after the largest possible audience and feel that country songs about Jesus, for example, might offend some listeners, and, therefore, Jesus, or songs about Jesus, are on the country radio blacklist. You may love your dog, and Elvis may have won his first talent show with a song about a dog, but dogs are blacklisted in country radio. One consultant, who wants to remain unnamed, probably because he fears dog lovers might punch his lights out, says, "I won't let my stations play songs about dogs, even songs with the word dog in the title." Trucks and trains are out; prison songs are taboo; no one can die in a country song anymore; drinking songs, unless they are again' it, are not allowed; and political and social commentary songs can't be played. Oh, and, don't record a song about your mama. In fact, the only safe subject for a modern country song is love. This week's Billboard country radio chart features, in the top 40, a total of 38 love songs. The programmers believe that love is the subject that will prompt the smallest negative reaction and so, playing it safe in the competitive world of major market radio, virtually nothing but love songs are programmed. Safe is boring. Country radio listenership is down significantly over the past three years and maybe, just maybe, it's because love song after love song becomes dull after the first couple of years. Give us a song about a drunk dog biting a mama and then escaping in a truck from an unfairly run prison to be killed -- accepting Jesus as Lord at the last moment -- by a train some government agency didn't inspect properly and we'll perk up our ears.

12/24/97

Christmas Eve on Music Row

'Twas the night before Christmas and on Music Row Everyone gathered beneath mistletoe Bryan White kissed LeAnn, but just a quick peck Porter tried to put a big hickey on her neck Alan Jackson kissed no one, he was shy and not rude Tanya kissed everyone and flashed 'em to boot Scott wouldn't kiss Garth and we could all understand Garth kissed Pat Quigley and said, "You're my kind of man." Shania kissed "Mutt" and said, "Thanks for the hits." Dolly kissed her plastic surgeon and said, "Thanks for the memories."

12/22/97

Country radio's black list

A black list, one that would make Joe McCarthy proud, exists in country radio. The country music black list is the reason Patty Loveless, a frequent visitor to the number one slot on the charts, didn't make the top ten with her current single "You Don't Seem To Miss Me." Not because Patty is on the black list, but because George Jones sang harmony on the song and he's on the list. A significant number of radio consultants and programmers, especially in large cities, believe enough people don't care for older country stars, including Jones, Merle Haggard, K.T. Oslin, and Willie Nelson, that playing them could cost listeners. So, George Jones, the man Frank Sinatra calls "the second greatest singer ever," a man whose life-size cutout stands in the room where Garth Brooks writes his songs, a man who co-hosted and performed on the CMA Awards show this year, is blacklisted from many country radio stations. Country radio stations are in a dog-eat-dog world, especially in the major markets. These big stations can't afford to take a lot of chances with their programming. In trying to attract the largest possible audience, they must play music with the lowest tune-out factor. Given the reality of the radio marketplace, the question is: Is music by the older artists likely to cause a significant number of listeners to tune out? The answer, as much as fans of Jones and Haggard, and Jennings may disagree, is yes. In other areas, areas to be considered here in the near future, the consultants and programmers in the big markets are missing the boat, but when it comes to the older stars, in a field that puts a huge premium on glamour, the country radio blacklisting of older (the culture does not consider old glamorous) artists is justified. Consider: Merle Haggard, screwed up the lyrics of a song he performed on Prime Time Country recently. He told the audience, "I'm sorry I muffed up there, but my false teeth slipped."

12/19/97

Visions of Platinum dance in their heads

The country music industry is heading into the New Year with sales running 17% above the same holiday period last year (Nashville Banner, 12/18). A trinity of stars is driving the boom: Garth, Shania, and LeAnn. These healthy country numbers augur well for the new year (NewSource 12/01). It is worth noting that the works responsible for country's current robust performance are NOT the result of Music Row S.O.P. Shania Twain's "Come on Over" wasn't recorded in Nashville or produced by a Nashville producer. The music is a mixture of Shania's country vocal phrasing coupled with husband/producer Robert Lange's rock hooks. The Nashville music machine produced Shania's first album, now at a paltry 500,000 in sales; her second and now third CDs have sold 13 million so far (NewSource 12/09). Garth's current album, "Sevens," was produced by Allen Reynolds, as close to an outsider on the inside as you can get on the Row. Reynolds has produced mainstream country acts, but he's very critical of the way art is often ignored for commercial considerations in Tune Town. Reynolds is among those who feel that if the artist is the first consideration, success will follow in the marketplace. With Brooks, Reynolds has ignored the current trend that has given us a number of country albums made up of nothing but love songs. Garth sings about suicide, a street preacher, drinking a woman off your mind, and World War I, and the album has sold 2.3 million copies in less than a month. And finally, LeAnn Rimes is produced by her dad, and is writing songs for her next album, not with hot shot songwriters, but with her band. Her band also plays on her recordings, a rarity in a town that uses a couple of dozen musicians on virtually all its major releases. The lesson is: It's not the Nashville establishment that produces the biggest successes in country music, it's always an ARTIST.

12/18/97

When you don't get what you heard

The country fan hears a song on the radio and, wow, it's so great that the fan breaks the speed limit getting to the record store. Fan buys the CD, slams it into the player, and -- what's the deal? -- the song doesn't sound the same at all. Fan calls record store. Fan calls radio station. Fan discovers a trend -- remixes, different versions of a song produced for different radio formats and dance clubs. A debate is raging over the proper course for the record industry to follow in the remix age. Why a debate? It's simple. Labels simply should include the remixed versions on the albums. The alternatives are not adequate. Remixes have been offered on separate discs, and as cuts on subsequent albums. It's hard enough to get a buyer into the store, willing to plop down money for an album. Radio is complicating the marketing process when the artist's name and the song title are not given. Whatever version of a song a fan hears, wherever they hear it, they should be able to assume that when they buy the album, that version will be there.

12/17/97

The true value of producers

Their names are spoken with reverence on Music Row: Tony Brown, Scott Hendricks, Barry Beckett, Josh Leo, Keith Seagall, Chuck Howard, Don Cook -- the big country music producers, the men behind the curtain, who find songs, hire musicians, and oversee the singing, playing and mixing of Nashville's sounds. Just how valuable are these guys? Do they earn the hundreds of thousands of dollars they take home from 16th Avenue? Recently, a group of music business professionals were challenged to listen to the works of five top producers and match producers with songs. The pros were a publisher, a singer, a music critic, a publicist, and a song plugger. The works were album cuts produced by Tony Brown, Josh Leo, Tim DuBois, Kyle Lehing, and, just for fun, Gail Davies, one of the few women to ever produce herself and other acts in Nashville. The pros made a dismal showing matching producers with their works. With 25 possible correct matches, only two correct pairings were made. No pro thought the Gail Davies produced song inferior to the others. One guy offered the weak explanation that top producers add a certain mysterious element to a song that, although it can't be identified on the surface, makes a big difference to the subconscious of the listener. These top producers, who command huge fees to decide how loud the guitar should be, are country music's medicine men. They present themselves as the keepers of secrets, secrets to song selection and production that can make stars. No doubt, in certain instances, producers have made the difference between so-so and great recordings, but, the success of "amateur" country producers like Wilbur Rimes with LeAnn Rimes, Robert Lange (yes, he was an amateur in country music) with Shania Twain, and artist/producers like Tim McGraw and Pam Tillis suggests that the hot shot producers really are "men behind the curtain" and just as the characters in the "Wizard of Oz" are told, we should "pay no attention."

12/16/97

When the fans speak, country radio listens?

Billboard magazine tracks the sale of country music singles and records the popularity of songs based on radio play. If country radio is responsive to country fans, these lists should be similar. Looking at last week's sales and radio charts, however, some big differences are apparent. The top-SELLING song for 19 straight weeks is "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes. Country radio isn't playing the song at all. The 4th top-SELLING song in the nation is "You Light Up My Life" by LeAnn Rimes, a song radio finished with weeks ago. Many factors are involved in the difference between the Billboard country singles sales chart and the radio chart. Some songs aren't available as singles, and radio can claim they create demand, and, therefore, should be ahead of the sales chart. However, the fact remains that a number of songs are played extensively by radio and never sell well, and a number of songs sell like everything but don't get heavy airplay. Michael Peterson had the top song on country radio last week, the follow-up to his debut song, which peaked at number three. His album, with both big radio hits on it, stopped rising at number 17 on the album charts. Country radio programmers and consultants have decided that Peterson is an artist the fans SHOULD like and they are going to play the hell out of his singles no matter how the fans respond in the record stores. In the case of the fans liking a song that the programmers don't, the best example recently is LeAnn Rimes' "Blue," which peaked at number ten on the radio list while selling more than any other record for weeks. Many programmers, especially in big cities, explained that their listeners didn't like the song "Blue," but sales figures from big cities showed the song selling just as strongly in New York as in Peoria. The industry now has a computerized system to track record sales on an individual market basis. Forget singles, because all songs aren't released as singles, and radio should follow the album sales in their individual markets and rank the singles the labels release to radio from those albums, at least in the top ten. The rest of the playlist could comprise those songs radio feels their fans might be buying in the future. Such a procedure would keep a high profile for a song like "You Light Up My Life," which is selling well as a single and driving the success of the album it appears on, but has disappeared from radio playlists. Country radio needs to follow the fans more and the instincts of programmers and consultants less.

12/15/97

Dolly Parton: The Opry's worst nightmare?

Dolly Parton has humbled Porter Wagoner and helped close Opryland. Is the Grand Ole Opry her next victim? Remember, Porter Wagoner was a major country star when he took on Dolly Parton as a girl singer (that's what female soloists were called in those days) for his TV show in 1967. The two had a love affair, and Dolly took advantage of every opportunity to learn the music business from Porter. The student soon knew more than the teacher and when Dolly Parton left Wagoner's embrace, it was obvious to observers that she was headed up and Porter might end up living out his song "Skid Row Joe." For years, the two performers made catty remarks about each other, but Porter drew in his horns as Parton became everything he had predicted she wouldn't -- crossover success, movie star, business magnate. Now, in the most recent chapter of the Parton/Porter story, Parton's successful theme park, Dollywood, has helped drive Opryland out of business -- last year, Dollywood beat Opryland's attendance figure. And, therefore, Porter has lost his sad little job, roaming Opryland in a special air-conditioned rhinestone jacket, saying hello to tourists old enough to remember him and beaming at their daughters. It's as if Dolly had driven the man to beggardom and then knocked the last crust of bread from his mouth. Parton's park will prosper from the demise of Opryland. It has a better location, better management, and a better feel than Opryland had. And if Dolly decides, as rumored, to organize her own weekly radio show to compete with the Grand Ole Opry, don't bet against its success.

12/12/97

Wynonna: Falling star

Country heavyweight Wynonna Judd's debut album as a solo act sold 5 million copies, a feat only LeAnn Rimes has equaled. Wynonna's current album, "The Other Side," peaked at number 5 on the "Billboard" country albums list and is now slipping down the chart despite the star's multiple exposures on national television. The success at country radio of the first single from the album, "When Love Starts Talkin'," was modest indeed; it stopped rising at number 13. Wynonna had played out a Garth-like strategy before the release of this collection, forcing Curb Records to allow promotion for the album to be done by a Wynonna favorite in Los Angeles instead of by the Nashville office. Garth's demands at Capitol seem to be making his album work, but Wynonna's plan hasn't helped her sales. Plans now call for a new publicist to work on the project. The plan won't work, because Wynonna has been asked to do the impossible -- split from a super act and become a super act. Even the Beatles couldn't, individually, equal the success of the group. Wynonna's debut album did so well because fans of The Judds were hoping the daughter's music would be much the same as the duo's. Wynonna is a child of the modern age of music; she once jammed on stage with U2. Her music, as fine as many think it is, was a disappointment to many fans of The Judds, and Wynonna keeps doing an in-your-face number on fans of traditional country. Her non-traditional look for her CMA appearance this year prompted long-time fan and supporter Hazel Smith to write in Music City News: "Her makeup was by Home Depot. Wy, Why?" So, if Naomi is in full remission from Hepatitis C and has the time and energy to do a book tour, pursue a TV talk show, and model, why don't the two get back together for recording multi-platinum albums and a limited tour schedule? That may be as impossible as Wynonna equaling the success of The Judds. Wynonna recently told a TV audience that she and her mother often clash these days and if they did reunite, Wynonna says, "She's have to get her own bus."

12/10/97

Missing the point

Radio consultant Keith Hill, writing to Radio and Records magazine, says the decline in country music listenership proves "we've lost our focus." Hill believes that a country music spectrum that includes "twangy" acts at one end and "rock" acts at the other is "too vast for the listener." He says "the more center-of-the-box and mainstream, the better." It's interesting to see one of these shadowy radio consultant figures crawl into the sunlight and voice an opinion that helps deepen the skepticism with which the radio consultant scam ... er, business ... is viewed by many. So, diversity is bad and has caused the drop in country radio listenership. The fact is that consultants have had their way with country radio the past few years, have initiated an era of "center-of-the-box" programming, have encouraged a climate in which a recent Billboard radio chart featured 39 love songs in the top 40. Country radio listenership, under the very programming guidelines Hill praises, has continued to decline. Hill blames the failure of "center-of-the-box" programming on the very element that could stop the bleeding -- creative, diversified music. As Buck Owens put it, "Can you like Bill Monroe AND The Beatles? Sure, you can."

12/9/97

Shania Twain shows how it's done

Shania Twain's success, indeed every country music star's success, is being ignored by the media at the moment as Garth Brooks ventures where no country star has gone before. Last week Shania Twain became the fifth women in the history of music -- all categories -- to sell 10-million copies of an album in America. The legendary "Tapestry" album by Carole King has sold 10-million copies, but took 25 years to reach that number. Twain's "The Woman In Me" has hit the same mark in a less than three years, and with no supporting tour. The other three women in the 10-million-plus club are Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Alanis Morissette. There is a lesson in Shania Twain's success for Music Row. The Nashville star machine turned out Twain's first album, a collection that, even with the success of "The Woman In Me," has not sold even 1 million units. That album was produced on Music Row and included work by some of Nashville's hot writers. Twain only became a superstar when rock producer Robert Lange married her and began writing with her and producing her work. Her impressive video for "The Woman In Me" was not produced by Nashville's hot video people, but by John and Bo Derek. The lesson? Nashville's labels should consider spreading the creative work around more, especially when it comes to producers, songwriters, musicians, and video directors. There is too much inbreeding on 16th Avenue. The same group of people are responsible for way too much product. That's why much of what the machine turns out these days sounds very similar and THAT'S why when a Twain/Lange combination or a Rimes/Daddy Rimes team gets a chance, they shake up the industry.

12/8/97

MCA Records has been warned

Garth Brooks, who humbled Capitol Records, may have MCA Records in his sights. Garth is in the studio tomorrow and Wednesday (129-10) for the first in a series of sessions with Trisha Yearwood. A duet album is expected for the 1998 Christmas season. That is if MCA, Trisha’s label, and Garth’s label, Capitol, can decide how to split up the profits from the work. Garth and Trisha held a press conference Friday (12/5) and Brooks, in his subtle fashion, addressed the situation: “The biggest challenge with Tricia and I is going to be MCA and EMI ( Capitol’s parent company). It’s not going to be Garth and Trish. It 'll be EMI and MCA, that’ll be the big battle of whether this album comes to life. Period.” MCA needs to take a deep breath and approach negotiations with Capitol (with Garth calling the shots) with flexibility. As big a star as Trisha Yearwood is, a duet album with Garth will benefit her much more than Mr. Brooks. MCA should be willing to take a much smaller than 50% share of the profits. On second thought, a battle with MCA might just be what Garth is looking for. The duet album would receive millions of dollars worth of free publicity if MCA balked at Garth’s . . . er, I mean Capitol’s. . . offered terms.

12/5/97

Download this

Beginning on the first day of the new year, songwriters will collect royalties for songs downloaded from the Internet. The rate will be the same as that paid writers for a song distributed on an album -- 7.1 cents per song. The average computer owner doesn't enjoy CD-quality sound from his or her Internet connection, but the technology is here and spreading fast. The music industry needn't worry that it will suffer if music fans prefer to record songs onto their own blank CDs from the Net. Financial transaction software will make it easy for Internet fans to "unbundle" and buy a song at a time, selecting their favorite cuts at a dollar or two each, giving the record companies a potentially higher profit margin than with CDs. Meanwhile, most music fans will continue wanting the CD, with graphics on the disc and attractive inserts. It's a possession, to be listened to, displayed, and collected. The writer Henry Miller predicted in the '60s that by the year 2000 books would be replaced by books on tape. Henry was way out in the Tropic of Cancer with that one.

12/4/97

Garth sneezes; Capitol says, 'Excuse me.'

Garth Brooks has reached the status of god (small g, so far) on Music Row. He called a meeting at Capitol Records Monday and gave a one-sentence address to label employees and his fellow Capitol recording artists, including Deana Carter, Trace Adkins, Dean Miller, The Ranch, River Road, George Ducas, and Billy Dean. The address was as follows: "I'm not running this label, he is." And he pointed to Pat Quigley, new head of the label. With that, Brooks left the room. No questions, no small talk. The god had spoken. Yesterday (12/3/97), SoundScan released numbers on the first week of sales for Garth's new album, "Sevens." The collection sold 896,932 units in its first week. Only one album in history has done better, Pearl Jam's "Vs.," which moved 950,000 its first week out. Okay, so Garth Brooks is a god. The numbers are undeniable; his success is entirely unprecedented in country music. BUT, he could have shown a lot more class in dealing with his mortal fellow artists at Capitol. First, HE calls a meeting, something a rank-and-file artist could never have pulled off. Then, he makes the dramatic statement that HE is not in charge. Yeah, and snow ain't white. He proved by his actions that he's in charge. One observer reports that Brooks was slowed momentarily in his departure from HIS meeting when he had to pause and untangle the marionette strings with which he controls Pat Quigley.

12/3/97

The $750,000 fallacy

It now costs $750,000 to launch a new country music act. So say the heads of Nashville's major labels, with one exception (more on the exception later). Album production costs are running $250,000 to $500,000; videos are costing $25,000 to $300,000; and promotions, including prime shelf space in key retail outlets, can cost $50,000 to $200,000. The huge expenses involved in breaking a new star make the labels very cautious about the artists they sign and the kind of music they are willing to take a chance on. And that's what's making country music so much less adventurous than it has been in the past, and lack of adventurousness is anathema to art. Labels should cut back on high-priced production expenses, kick some of that money into increased promotion -- you can never spend too much on promotion -- and take more chances. Back to our exception: Mike Curb at Curb Records is doing quite well without shelling out close to a million dollars for each of his new acts. He took a chance on LeAnn Rimes, with an album written by songwriters not on Nashville's current hot list, an album produced by Wilbur, LeAnn's dad. Curb has had success with The Smokin' Armadillos, with an album they had already recorded themselves. The group Perfect Stranger came to Curb with some ready-to-go material, including a huge radio hit. Labels should be finders and promoters of talent, and not fancy themselves machines for "making" stars. The strategy of taking a good-looking youngster with a decent voice, calling in hot writers, highly paid studio musicians, and a hot producer, and trying to "buy" success hurts the paper-tiger artist, who doesn't last, and the real tiger artist, who may languish as the label blows big bucks trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

12/2/97

Led Zeppelin topples Garth . . . for now

The king of country music's claim to be bigger than everybody, except the Beatles, has fallen to a defunct British rock group. Led Zeppelin, has become the music industry's second-best-selling recording artist with 63.8 million albums. Garth Brooks has sold 62 million albums at last count, not counting his latest release, "Sevens." Led Zeppelin was upgraded based on new data released by Atlantic Records, Variety said. The Beatles continue to hold the record at more than 100 million albums. Although Led Zeppelin is ahead for now, it took three decades for them to do it, while Garth's just been around for nine years. And he's got 4 CDs planned for 1998, which is shaping up to become the biggest year in country music ever (see below).

Gaylord retreats again

Another Gaylord domino has fallen. Gaylord's country music label, Word/Nashville is defunct. The label had signed two artists, renowned songwriter ("Rebecca Lynn," Someone Else's Star," and "I'm Not Supposed To Love You Anymore") and not-so-renowned singer Skip Ewing, and singer Brett Lamb. The two have been released from their contracts. In the past year, Gaylord has sold The Nashville Network and Country Music Television, due to low profits, announced that The Wildhorse Saloon's future is in jeopardy -- it's losing money -- and has struck a deal with a mall developer to make a shopping center out of Opryland, which suffered from declining attendance and a low profit margin. Gaylord has reduced their holdings now to The Grand Ole Opry (11-13, 11-15)WSM radio, the General Jackson showboat, the Opryland hotel, and the failing Wildhorse property. At the hotel, they had a public relations problem when they began charging for parking (they don't even have a validation procedure if you make a trip to the complex for shopping or dining). Gaylord is not a firm to bet the farm on unless you want the farm to end up as a shopping mall. What impact will the closing of their record label have on Music Row? The same impact the label had when it was operating.

12/1/97

Why 1998 may be the biggest year in country history

With the early success of Garth Brooks' album "Sevens," Music Row has begun to talk about 1998 in a very positive way. Just days ago, record label heads were in agreement that the industry would be lucky if 1997 final numbers were equal to or slightly better than last year's. Now, as Garth's CD is setting records for early week sales and setting records for acceptance at radio -- 12 of the collection's 14 cuts were played enough by radio this week to appear on Billboard's radio chart -- Music Row has begun to anticipate the new year with enthusiasm. The happy smiles along 16th Avenue are entirely justified. With Shania Twain's new collection just out -- her last album sold 12-million copies worldwide -- and with LeAnn Rimes turning out multi-Platinum albums at the rate of three a year AND with Garth Brooks announcing that he plans to release four new CDs in 1998, the new year should be the biggest in country music history. Country has been selling around 75 million albums a year in the modern era that began with Garth in 1990. Five Garth albums on the market during '98 could, using conservative numbers, give sales figures a 22-million-unit boost over '97; add Shania's potential, say 5 million albums sold over the new year, and 1998's sales total could jump 20-25 percent over this year.

11/24/97

Maybe they just don't know their names

The new country stars are the best, except for the older country stars, who are also the best. The Edison Media Research survey for the country music industry released last week (NewSource 11/20), says most country music listeners, 68 percent of them, feel the newer country singers are as good as the established ones. Yet, when asked to name their favorite artists, 77 percent of country listeners named established stars ó Garth, Reba, Alabama, George Strait, and Alan Jackson. How should the industry react to this contradiction? (1) By remembering that superstars have already won the battle for name recognition. A country fan may like a couple of songs by a newer act, and may feel the majority of newer acts are as talented as the majority of established artists, but they haven't heard the new talent's name or material enough to know them by heart. (2) By pressuring country radio DJ's to talk more ó identify the artists and the songs after every cut, like they used to. As we said here 11/20, radio consultants and their "more hits, less talk," format are making it hard for fresh, creative talent to break through into public awareness. The favorites who topped the list are in a class by themselves with the country music public. Label promotional budgets shouldn't abandon them, but the newcomers deserve a chance to be heard ó and recognized.

Wanted: Media Coaches

A spate of recent statements by country stars leaves one wondering what kind of public relations advice today's stars are being given. The industry is ill-served when one of its celebrities commits a public gaffe. Mindy McCready, for example. Goodness, goodness-that's what this 21-year-old wants to preach about from her country music pulpit. She says she wants to be a role model for younger women. That's like Gypsy Rose Lee wanting to be a spokesperson for modesty. Mindy, at 20, came to Nashville and started a romance with the 45-year-old producer who was helping her get a record deal. She gets the deal and decides she doesn't have to live up to a management contract she signed with a legitimate management company. Recently, she was booted off the Tim McGraw tour because, sources say, she was often late for her part of the concerts and refused direct professional requests from McGraw. Another star in need of public relations help is LeAnn Rimes, who is telling people her involvement in co-writing a book was limited to sharing ideas for a couple of days with a professional writer. LeAnn also states that country music was not her first love and that she wants to be more like Barbara Streisand than Loretta Lynn. And how's about Michael Peterson, who says, "I don't have a humble bone in my body."This in an industry where humbleness is considered next to godliness. This lack of savvy exhibited by so many young stars results from the current practice, too common at the major labels these days, of throwing young stars into the limelight before they are ready. The resulting goofs reflect badly on country music and the tactic isn't fair to the artists, who are forced to take their shot at success with too little preparation.

The people speak; will consultants listen?

A major country music survey was released yesterday at CMA headquarters here in Nashville. It's a pithy document compiled by the respected Edison Media Research Company. Five thousand random households across America contributed to the information. Generally, the survey is good news for the industry. The most striking stat from the poll shows that among current country listeners, 92 percent want country radio stations to announce the title and artist for each song they play.The villain in this piece is easily unmasked. The labels want the announcers to give titles and artists; the announcers love to be on the air, so they want to give titles and artists. It's the radio consultants, that handful of shadowy figures who dictate what most medium and major market country radio stations play and how they play it, who are at fault. More on this in future days: but for now, consider want to know who is singing what. The consultants who tell their stations otherwise are flat wrong.

11/19/97

What "the next big trend" ain't . . .

Music Row is buzzing with talk of the next big trend in country music. Recent articles and label management comments say a return to the traditional country sound is what's around the corner. The success of Lee Ann Womack is sited, and the fact that a number of radio stations began playing Daryle Singletary's "The Note," a George Jones type country song, before it was released as a single. Too many Music Row mavens have short memories. Just before LeAnn Rimes rolled into town, the experts were, then as now, anticipating the next big trend. When Rimes' first single, "Blue," worked, the word of a revival of the traditional sound spread for a couple of months. It spread until LeAnn's second single, a radio candy modern country song. Since then, Rimes has been all over the musical map. Learn from LeAnn. The next big event in country music will not be a trend, it will be a star. How can Music Row be talking about a return to traditionalism, or, indeed a return to any particular trend, when this week's top three shows how diverse country music has become. Shania Twain tops the chart with a rockin' country sound; Clint Black is number two with a pop/country song; and Mark Chesnutt is third in popularity with a traditional country song. Country music has grown too big, has too many splinter audiences, to ever again be dominated by a particular style of country music. The decision makers on the Row should be banking on stars and not on any one country music category.

11/18/97

Cheering on the Bulgarian pirates

CD piracy is one of the music industry's toughest problems. Pirates are not limited to the street vendors in Manhattan or the guy at the office who will make you a copy of Shania's new album for five bucks. In China, lack of cooperation from Chinese officials allows a thriving market for illegally reproduced CDs. In Europe, Bulgaria has become the source of an estimated 1.5 million pirated CDs that end up being sold in many European countries. Most of the pirated CDs overseas are the work of American pop acts, but some country music is involved. A good way to combat the pirates in the states would be for the labels to start a Copystoppers Program. Offer a substantial reward for anyone providing information that leads to the conviction of a music pirate. But overseas, for the country music industry, maybe nothing should be done. The pirates may be just what country music needs. How much would a label pay for a campaign exposing their artists to the Asian, European, and South American populace? Overseas pirates are doing the job for free. Later, after a strong taste for country music is established overseas, the pirates should be dealt with, but at the moment, they are doing a fine job of marketing.

11/17/97

Is there life after Grandpa Jones?

With the induction of Johnny Paycheck onto the Grand Ole Opry roster last week, Gaylord has shown us what direction it plans to go with the Opry in the new millennium. They want it to remain what it is, a place where stars with semi-recognizable names, but little popular success, hold forth. On last Friday night's Opry show, the Opry regulars, 22 acts, boasted a total of 18 No. 1 "Billboard" hits between them. Meanwhile, the week's occasional performers, Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill, have 19 No. 1 hits to their credit, but these legimate stars only performed a couple of their hits on the show. The average regular on the Opry now is an ancient artist who, at best, scored one No. 1 hit. Back to Johnny Paycheck. He had one No. 1 song. And if he lives to be 100, he'll be hauling his carcass out on the Opry stage and singing "Take This Job And Shove It" to future generations of country fans. Maybe Gaylord should take this approach and shove it. How long can they charge more for a ticket than Garth Brooks charges for his show while featuring regulars who are unknown to so many country fans? As the older fans, who keep coming to the Opry because they started listening to it on the WSM radio three or four decades ago, die off, who will replace them? Free advice to Gaylord: Pay the price for longer sets by the currently popular Opry members, inject newcomers, don't replace the departing regualrs with one No. 1 artists like Johnny Paycheck. If you don't change your tactics at the Opry, you might as well convert the Opry House into a pottery store. No, wait, here's a great idea: Just rename your business The Grand Ole Opry Museum; you won't have to change a thing. Opry ticket holders paid more than they would have for a Garth Brooks concert this past Friday to see: Performer, Number of No. 1 hits, age

• Porter Wagoner, 2, 70
• Bill Carlisle, 0, 89
• Jeanne Pruett , 1, 60
• Jean Shepard, 1, 79
• Bill Anderson, 6, 60
• Wilma Lee Cooper, 0, 76
• Grandpa Jones, 0, 84
• Charlie Louvin , 0, 70
• Stonewall Jackson, 1, 65
• Johnny Russell , 0, 57
• Ricky Skaggs, 10, played 3, 43
• Skeeter Davis, 0 , 66
• The Whites, 0
• The Four Guys, 0
• Jimmy Dickens, 1, 77
• Osborne Brothers, 0
• Billy Walker, 1, 68
• Jack Greene, 5 , 67
• Charlie Walker , 0, 71
• Vince Gill , 9, played 2, age 40.

11/14

When in Rome

Diamond Rio is a country act and a pop act - country in America and pop in Europe and Japan. Labels attempting to establish country music acts in Europe and the Orient have a problem. In most non-English-speaking foreign countries, what's known as country music is like the Western music of America in the '40s. European and Japanese country fans show up for country concerts in cowboy hats with little stings under their chins and toy guns they strap on their hips. So, when a non-hat act like Diamond Rio plays Germany, they position themselves as a pop act, looking to expose themselves to the mainstream European and Oriental audiences and avoid being the darlings of the six-shooter set. The boat is being missed here. The oldest rule in business is: Find a need and fill it. Some enterprising label needs to find a singer willing to tailor his or her act to the foreign market, an act willing to strap on the cap pistols and become a mega star in those markets where the Western half of country & Western is what's most appreciated.

11/13

Tearing down the nursery

Music Row's long time nursery for new talent, Opryland, won't be growing new acts anymore. The transformation of Opryland to Shopryland will mean the downsizing or, more likely, demise, of Nashville's incubator for country acts. The list of artists who cut their musical teeth at Opryland is impressive: Diamond Rio, Chely Wright, Ken Mellons, Lee Ann Womack, Jason Sellers, Kenny Chesney, and Rhett Akins included. The park provided a sort of country music college where young, talented people could make a living singing in Nashville and make important contacts in the business. Unfortunately, this means young dreamers arriving in Nashville will be even more susceptible to music sharks, nasty fish who prey on young artists, taking their money, and, in the case of aspiring females, attempting to maneuver them onto the Nashville version of the casting couch. Places to get started will still be there. Jeff Carson began performing in Branson; the Texas club circuit has given Nashville some great talents; Vegas sent Lee Greenwood and Tammy Graham to Music City; Canada has done its part, but Opryland will be missed as a solid rung on the country music ladder.

11/12

No NASCAR Cafe without country

Many may dismiss the NASCAR Cafe, which drew thousands to its grand opening last night, as one more place to eat an 8-dollar hamburger while staring at stuff hung on the walls. The NASCAR Cafe has much in common with The Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood, and, yes, all three do charge about 8 dollars for a hamburger. But, would any of us like to see lower Broadway go back to a sad street of porno theaters and panhandlers? No, and we have country music to thank for downtown's revitalization. Without the boom in country music and the guts shown by Gaylord in investing millions in the first modern country music theme attraction in the area, The Wildhorse Saloon, downtown Nashville might be in as bad a shape as the downtown sections of many cities its size. Country music made the difference. If you are involved in the country music industry, stick your chest out whenever the subject of the health of downtown Nashville is mentioned. And check out the NASCAR Cafe before categorizing it as a cheap tourist trap. This is no hot dog stand or bumper car track we're talking about. And as you sit there were the first Service Merchandise store grew old and died, remember the resurrection of downtown Nashville is a miracle wrought by country music.

11/11

Twain rolls on 16 tracks

The best laid plans of mice and Shania Twain ... can be changed. A strategy to sell Shania Twain's new album, "Come On Over" for a dollar higher than the industry standard price, justifying the increase by including 12 cuts on the collection (NewSource 11/04) has been abandoned. Many country albums are being released these days with more than the long-time standard 10 cuts, so Twain and company backed off from the higher price. Instead, they are offering the consumer 16 cuts - a full hour of music, the CD jacket proclaims - for the standard price. And many chain record retailers have been supplied with Twain calendars and posters to give away to early "Come On Over" buyers. Hats off to Twain and her advisors. Country music desperately needs her album and Garth Brooks's latest, "Sevens," to do very well in the marketplace. If each of these collections doesn't sell in the 7-million copy range, the media will start speculating on what grade of marble should be ordered for country music's headstone. Twain's CD is off to a roaring start, with six tracks from "Come on Over" charting on this week's "Billboard" list. Garth Brooks's 14-cut album hits stores on the 25th, but his first single is already out to radio. "Long Neck Bottle" is, according to ABC Radio, "the catchiest song since "My Maria." So, to Shania Twain and Garth Brooks: You go, girl, and you go, Garth

11/06

No more singing at TNN?

Gary Chapman, Crook and Chase, and the Statler Brothers may changing addresses. Sources in the Nashville Network organization, under new owners, Westinghouse Cable, confirm that a plan is under consideration that would move all country music programming from the Nashville Network to its little sister network Country Music Television. The plan addresses Westinghouse's difficulty in convincing cable services to carry two country music channels. Under this strategy, TNN becomes the country lifestyle channel with fishing, racing, rodeos, tractor pulls, crafts, and similar items the main bill of fare. The channel's current country shows, Prime Time Country, the Statler Brothers, and a couple of country music news programs would shift to CMT. Actually, not a bad idea.Why didn't Gaylord, previous owners of the two country music channels, think of this. The fastest growing cable channel at the moment is the Home and Garden channel; Westinghouse's revamped would fit in a similar lifestyles pocket. The country music programs currently on TNN would fit perfectly on Country Music Television without destroying its traditional role as the primary showplace for Nashville's music videos.

11/04

Connecting Shania's sales and Garth's tales

Garth Brooks fans should be watching the progress of Shania Twain's new album because of Hootie and The Blowfish. Say what? Many Garth Brooks supporters have explained the dip in his album sales -- his last studio album sold less than half the number of copies its predecessors sold -- by saying that Brooks's early efforts were embraced by a significant number of rock fans who had had it up to their nose rings with screaming guitars and unintelligible lyrics. Then, the theory goes, along came Hootie and the Blowfish to sell more than 10 million albums with an acoustic sound and lyrics that were at least semi-intelligible. And Hootie begat Alanis Morrisette, who begat Fiona Apple, and the rock fans went back to their format and forsook Garth's KISS meets country act. So, how does Shania Twain fit in? Twain releases her new album, "Come On Over," today. Her last CD sold 12 million copies worldwide by appealing to country fans and millions of rock fans in the same era that found Brooks doing so well. If the above-mentioned theory about Garth Brooks's sales is valid, Twain should see a dip in album sales. But, if she kicks butt, many will wonder if Garth lost half his record buyers because the quality of the his music, rather than the trend Hootie wrought.