Oscars Score In Ratings, “Weary Kind” Wins Song
Pictured at the post party for a Nashville screening of "Crazy Heart." (L-R): BMI's Jody Williams, Lost Highway recording artist Ryan Bingham, T-Bone Burnett, Jeff Bridges, and New West Records President Cameron Strang. Photo: Erika Goldring
Country music had a much deserved moment in the Hollywood spotlight last night (3/7). “The Weary Kind,” written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song during the telecast which drew the highest ratings since 2005.
Bingham, a Lost Highway artist, and Burnett penned the song for Crazy Heart, starring Jeff Bridges as a past-his-prime country singer. Bridges also won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of “Bad Blake.” Bridges, Bingham and Burnett all won in similar categories during the recent Golden Globes.
Also at the Oscars, Sandra Bullock was named Best Actress in a Leading Role for her work in The Blind Side, a film that also starred Tim McGraw in a supporting role.
According to preliminary data from Nielsen, last night’s Academy Awards drew an average audience of 41.3 million viewers. This is the show’s highest ratings in five years, since 2005 when 42.2 million people tuned in. The Oscars sank to record low viewership in 2008 with 31.8 million. By last year its numbers had rebounded, making this the second consecutive year of ratings growth.
CBS reports that Nielsen is counting digital video recorder data for the first time this year, which could make comparison to last year’s ratings a little off.
Below is Bingham’s performance of “The Weary Kind” on SIRIUS XM’s Outlaw Country.
Hi Sarah,
I hope you know that I love and appreciate all that you do to support the Americana World, but in today’s headline, I think there is a pretty big error… Country did not get a huge shout out from the oscars, rather it was AMERICANA… Ryan Bingham is a classic americana artist,,, down the middle. T-Bone burnett is clearly one of the foremost americana producers and both have attended my Festival and Conference, spoken and performed in support of the Americana Music Association and within the bigger picture, represents them… and Crazy Heart, the soundtrack, sits at #1 on the Americana Airplay Chart now for the 3rd week this past month….
I am not seeing Crazy Heart or the Weary Kind getting any airplay or support from nashville’s music row… this is an independent album on New West Records…
I would love to see an editorial edit to this article… my two cents for the day… 🙂 thanks Sarah,I appreciate your support.
Jed
The biopic, was an honest effort to capture the feel for folks of the old school who made country music alive.
From the early radio days, through it’s various established genre and hierarchies, into what essentially is now POP music on the row.
I went by BMI a couple seasons ago, seeking an introduction to “get past the gate keeper” at a Major publisher, for a cold call pitch and the VP who was “counseling” that afternoon simply missed the point and said outright that Country was now POP, get used to it. (Of course, I don’t believe he ever made the call)
I had to explain the tune to the guy, as a story board as he was too full of his opine to actually listen to the words on the first pass.
I explained that a videographer, could take this lyric sheet and make a three minute hit, and NOT need off camera wind machines blowing the singers dress around while “B” side lyric content wafted through the screen and speakers as folks tried to figure out what the darn thing was about.
Nuff’ said about the comment above then, we agree most certainly.
More to the point, the “Row” should take a step back, look for material that engenders the essence of the 40’s, 50’s 60’s sonically and restate the content in a modern framework, instead of the recycled 80’s rock which even the session players know is PAP.(At least a few that I know who have admitted to looking the other way, agree)
It’s not impossible, but head through the Hall of Fame museum and see for oneself how POP culture ate country.
Lastly, my friend from some years back, Stephen Bruton, had he lived to see this day, would have indeed been standing up there with Jeff, T-Bone and Ryan, as the MD for that film.
The opening scene with the water bottle, that was Bruton’s idea, along with the Suburban.
Last time I saw him, was at the Mint here in LA, CA helped him load the gear after the set and he drove off afterward a journeyman as ever.
Even then, to my eyes, there was still a broken element in his being, you can hear it on his indie releases but one had to be here (Trancas Bar) back in the day when he an Tom Canning, Todd Sharp and even T-Bone played almost every weekend to know why that pain was never resolved.
Let’s just say he finally joined her.
God bless all those who play and write from heart, if done that way, the wallet will follow in due time.
Rob Manning
Malibu, CA