DISClaimer Single Reviews (2/01/12)

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Every now and then I am reminded of why I do this job.

This week, that reminder came after listening to the thrilling new collection by Gretchen Peters. Her Hello Cruel World album is so great it is practically terrifying. She tore me apart with every song. There is going to be a star in Frank Liddell’s crown for bringing this songwriter into the Carnival family. Needless to say, Gretchen has the Disc of the Day.

I’ll spread the love around. This week, Alan Jackson reminded me of why I cherish Real Country Music as much as I do. His new EMI single gets the male Disc Award.

The Dirt Drifters reminded me how much joy it brings me to see a young act on its way up the ladder of success. Give those country-rocking chaps the group Disc Prize.

KELLY PARKES/Don’t Make Me
Writer: Keith Follese/Adrienne Follese/Nicole Johnson/Vencent Hickerson; Producer: Darren Smith & Mark Lambert; Publisher: The Family Business/Overall Attraction/3 in Key/Denham Jeans, BMI/SESAC; Edge (CDX)
—It’s a big-production pop ballad. Her soprano delivery is sure footed and true, but there’s not much memorable “character” in her style.

TRACY LAWRENCE/Pills
Writer: none listed; Producer: Flip Anderson & Tracy Lawrence; Publisher: none listed; LMG (track) (www.tracylawrence.com)
—Tracy’s album The Singer is an audio delight of crisp simplicity. The song selections are superb, and nowhere more so than with this bopping, witty, swinging, sideways look at our pharmaceutical dependence and over indulgence. Essential listening.

GRETCHEN PETERS/The Matador
Writer: Gretchen Peters; Producer: Doug Lancio, Gretchen Peters & Barry Walsh; Publisher: Circus Girl/Carnival, ASCAP; Scarlet Letter (track) (www.gretchenpeters.com)
—You think you’re a songwriter? One listen to Gretchen’s new Hello Cruel World CD will have you thinking again. She has the uncanny ability to not only create commercial hooks, but also to pen lyrics with something to say (witness her prior “The Secret of Life,” “Independence Day,” “If Heaven,” “Let That Pony Run,” “My Baby Loves Me,” “The Chill of an Early Fall,” or “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am”). This stunning first single/video is a hushed ballad of love, violence and artistic striving. If you care about real song craftsmanship, it will bring you to your knees. Buy This Record Now.

JASON ALDEAN/Fly Over States
Writer: Neil Thrasher/Michael Dulaney; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Sweet Summer/BMG Gold/Major Bob/Circle C/Mojave Rain/Full Circle, ASCAP; Broken Bow (track)
—The lyric is simply sensational, a first-class ode to the American heartland. My only quibble is that the title phrase isn’t married to a super melodic hook. As usual, Jason’s performance and Michael’s production are dynamite.

ERNIE HAASE & SIGNATURE SOUND/Here We Are Again
Writer: Ernie Haase/Wayne Haun/Joel Lindsey; Producer: Wayne Haun; Publisher: ErnieSigSound/Blackberry Town/Bridge Building/Hefton Hill, BMI; Stowtown (www.erniehaase.com)
—The tradition of country-gospel harmony singing exemplified by The Oak Ridge Boys and The Statler Brothers is being admirably upheld by this outfit. Its new CD mixes traditional material (”Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” “I Believe,” “Stand By Me”) with newly composed tunes, often by the group’s members. This title tune showcases all four voices in turn, from the sub-cellar bass to the attic-rafter tenor.

THE DIRT DRIFTERS/There She Goes
Writer: none listed; Producer: Justin Niebank; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros. (track)
—I like these guys, and this is their best yet. This time around, the ultra-cool lead vocal is answered by a ghostly “Greek chorus” commenting on his heartbreak while the country-rock track canters along with chiming guitars and dusty percussion. Delicious sounding.

CHANCE CODY & SPUR 503/You Can’t Argue with That
Writer: Chuck Allen Floyd/Jenn Schott; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Spur 503 (www.spur503.com)
—They have talent, but the mix is mighty muddy. Go for a cleaner sound next time.

DOLLY PARTON & QUEEN LATIFAH/Not Enough
Writer: Dolly Parton; Producer: Mervyn Warren; Publisher: Velvet Apple, BMI; WaterTower (track)
—I haven’t seen the movie Joyful Noise, but I can tell you that the soundtrack is a delight. In addition to gospel-ized versions of “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Man in the Mirror,” “I Want to Take You Higher,” “That’s the Way God Planned It,” and the like, you get three new Dolly tunes. This hand clapper kicks things off with a full soul choir backing the film’s two stars. Latifah holds her own opposite the always-exuberant Dolly.

ALAN JACKSON/So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore
Writer: Adam Wright/Jay Knowles; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Alrighty Den/Dean-Parnell/Acme Nashville, BMI; EMI (CDX)
—Alan begins a new recording chapter with a plain-spoken heartache ballad that packs a massive emotional wallop, thanks to its terrific songwriting and his devastating vocal. This man is a country-music master, through and through.

THE McCLYMONTS/I Could Be a Cowboy
Writer: Brooke McClymont/Samantha McClymont/Mollie McClymont/Nathan Chapman; Producer: Nathan Chapman; Publisher: EMI Australia/Copy Control/Sony-ATV, no performance rights listed; BSM (track) (www.themcclymonts.net)
—Their creamy harmonies remain audio perfection. Brooke’s throat-catching lead vocal grabs your attention immediately, while Nathan’s production finesse continues to amaze. I particularly liked the mandolin bubbling in and out of the mix.

Charlie Cook On Air: The Spring Book

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We are getting close to an important time of the year for the smaller market country radio stations in America. Twice a year hundreds of markets are measured by Arbitron to gauge their audience. The bigger markets are measured continuously and a number of markets are also measured in the Winter and Summer months but the smaller markets participate only twice a year.

The Spring Rating period starts March 29. This is just a couple of days before the Academy of Country Music Awards Show April 1 from the MGM Arena in Las Vegas. The timing is good for both the stations and the show.

That’s why I am talking about this two months before the event. Stations tend to try and raise their profile during the rating period and the ACM is going to get a ton of exposure as the rating book starts, on CBS-TV, in magazines, and on the Internet. This is all good for raising the awareness of Country Music and Country Radio.

If this is good for Country Radio it is also good for the Country record business. Shouldn’t there be something that we can all do together?

We know that the big stars are going to be doing new music on the show. I heard of a duet coming from what is going to be the biggest show of the year. We know that radio is going to be playing the big acts.

What if a label did a “national” contest taking the tune in from the TV show and moving the audience into radio station morning shows on Monday morning?  Watch the show, listen for the new song from, let’s pick Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, and when the station plays that song Monday morning between 7-8 AM, listeners can call for a chance to get registered for a trip to see The Brothers Under the Sun concert.

There can be a lot of unaffiliated stations involved in a promotion like this. Make it a Clear Channel-like contest with any number of stations willing to participate. This would get exposure across a number of stations for the TV show and for the performers. This would be good for the radio station and for the listeners.

Wait a minute: a win-win-win-win.

I keep saying that the format is again at a jumping off point. We have so many acts that have broken out of Country only. We have some of the best music on the radio today. Young acts like Jason (who will be on the Grammy Awards next weekend), Eric Church and ZBB bring vibrancy to Country Radio but do not get lulled into thinking there is no competition on the radio for your listeners.

Lady A, The Band Perry and Jason Aldean are all over AC/CHR but Adele, Colbie Caillat and Bruno Mars are very attractive alternatives to our audience.

Country Music and Country Radio should be thinking about ways to work more closely to wrestle these AC listeners away from their stations. I am not questioning the relationship between the two but let’s think more about building the entire format and not just individual songs or labels.

The Awards show, the beginning of the rating period for the smaller stations and beginning of the concert season all seem like a great time to swing for the fences. (I know, the baseball season starts that weekend too).

LBK Entertainment Partners With Music City Sports and Entertainment

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Tammy Genovese

LBK Entertainment, the content affiliate of London Broadcasting Company, has announced a strategic relationship with Music City Sports and Entertainment Group for sponsorship, marketing and event-related services.

As part of the relationship, Music City Sports and Entertainment Group will provide services for LBK Entertainment’s production company 41 Entertainment, as well as its artist development company, BE Music and Entertainment. 41 Entertainment produces the Troubadour, TX television series, and BE Music and Entertainment manages and develops artists.

Former COO/CEO of the Country Music Association and president of The Country Network, Tammy Genovese launched Music City Sports and Entertainment Group in 2011 to foster partnerships between sports franchises, artists, athletes, events and corporate brands. Marketing, sales and brand expert Dave Pritchett operates as VP/Business Development.

Carl Kornmeyer

“I am happy to announce our strategic relationship with Music City Sports and Entertainment Group,” says Carl Kornmeyer, COO of London Broadcasting’s Content Group. “As our 41 Entertainment production company continues to expand Troubadour, TX and BE Music provides an environment where artists of all types can achieve their full potential, Tammy and Dave are uniquely gifted and ready to help us meet the challenges of the fast-changing sponsorship landscape with their experience and creativity.”

Adds Genovese, “We are extremely excited about our new association with LBK Entertainment and the opportunity that lies ahead to work with such a respected and talented team. We feel there is great potential to uniquely connect the sports world and the entertainment business, and LBK Entertainment shares our vision to make it happen.”

New Underwood Album Due In Spring

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Carrie Underwood will release her as-yet-untitled fourth studio album for 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville on May 1. Longtime collaborator Mark Bright returned as producer on the collection, and debut single “Good Girl” (co-written by Underwood) will be released to radio Feb. 23.

Underwood will be highly visible starting in February, including an appearance on “CMT Crossroads” with Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler that airs this Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10 PM ET. She’s due to visit the Grammy Awards Feb. 12, and make the rounds during CRS Feb. 22-24, as well as performing at Nashville’s Nordstrom Symphony Fashion Show Feb. 28.

Mercyland Comp Features Civil Wars, Harris, and More

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Some of the bright lights of Americana and beyond are contributing songs to Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest of Us, a collection of songs of personal faith. Due out April 10, Mercyland is the vision of songwriter/musician/producer Phil Madeira, and features performances by The Civil Wars, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miller, Mat Kearney, Emmylou Harris and more. Full track list is included below.

“When I was a young, my mother played me Mahalia Jackson, which introduced me to the reality of a bone chilling, soul-stirring music that made everything else pale in comparison,” says Madeira. “These were joyous odes to a Gospel that sang of the love and the dignity of all humanity. Watching the news during the last presidential election, I wondered why that message had been thrown out of what we hear in the national dialogue on religion, and replaced with exclusivity and mean-spiritedness.”

Mercyland: Hymns For the Rest of Us tracklist:
1. From This Valley – The Civil Wars
2. Give God The Blues – Shawn Mullins
3. I Believe In You – Buddy Miller
4. Lights In The Valley – The Carolina Chocolate Drops
5. Mercyland – Phil Madeira
6. Walking Over Water – Mat Kearney
7. Leaning On You – Cindy Morgan
8. Fell Like A Feather – Amy Stroup
9. If I Was Jesus – The North Mississippi Allstars
10. Light Of Your Love – Dan Tyminski
11. I Didn’t Know It Was You – Emmylou Harris
12. Peace In The Valley – John Scofield

Ram Truck Brand Goes Country For “Ram Jam” Concert

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The Ram Truck brand is presenting “Road to the Ram Jam,” an all-star series with five country artists leading up to an invitation-only concert event December 29 in Nashville where all five artists will perform.

Kellie Pickler is the first of the five artists to be announced, and is offering fans a chance to win a download of her single “Tough” by entering to win a trip to the Ram Jam. Remaining artists will be announced throughout 2012, and all will receive a one year lease on a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn which will later be auctioned off to benefit military-focused charities.

“Road to the Ram Jam extends the brand’s already established alignment with many of today’s top country music artists and their far-reaching fan bases by creating an innovative platform for promoting the artists’ music and connecting with their fans,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO of Ram Truck Brand. “We are excited to have Kellie and all the artists drive a Laramie Longhorn and experience firsthand the quality and refinement that make it the most luxurious Ram Truck ever produced by the company.”

Competing fans will have access to exclusive video content plus the chance to win collectible posters, vinyl records, downloads, and trips to the Ram Jam concert. For more information or to enter the sweepstakes, visit http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/road_to_ram_jam/.

Myers Departs Still Working/Orbison Music [Updated Email]

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More changes are happening in the Nashville publishing world, as Clay Myers has departed his post as VP and GM of Barbara Orbison’s Still Working Music and Orbison Music LLC publishing companies. He had served with the company for 10 years.

Prior to Barbara Orbison’s death in December 2011, she and Myers enjoyed a decade of success that included the 2010 BMI Song of the Year for Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”

Myers can be reached at [email protected].

Shelby Kennedy, Lynn Gann Join Wide Open Music

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Shelby Kennedy

Derek George, President of publishing and artist development company Wide Open Music Group, is pleased to announce the addition of Shelby Kennedy as Sr. VP and Lynn Gann as VP, Publishing.

George, a songwriter and musician, co-founded Wide Open Music Group with Steve Williams. In its first year alone, the company secured cuts by Danny Gokey, Love and Theft, Bryan White, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and more.

“I’m so happy to have Shelby and Lynn on board,” said George. “They are the perfect guys to have on our team as we expand our publishing and artist management/development opportunities. I’m really excited about our new direction and Wide Open’s future in the industry.”

Kennedy brings a distinguished 25-year background in songwriting, publishing and production to the Wide Open team. He was most recently Sr. Vice President/COO at Cherry Heart Music, and has also held posts at ASCAP, BMI, and Lyric Street Records. His father is legendary guitarist and record executive Jerry Kennedy, and his brothers are songwriters Gordon and Bryan Kennedy. “I am looking forward to creating opportunities in this new frontier of our industry, where doing business as usual is expanded to the unusual,” said Kennedy. “I am proud to be on a team that can live up to its name…Wide Open.”

Lynn Gann

Gann also brings almost 25 years of experience to his new post as Vice President of the company’s publishing division. Beginning his career at Tom Collins Music, he later worked at MCA Music Publishing and Zomba Enterprises before joining Full Circle Music Publishing as Vice President/Partner in 2003. During his eight-year stint at Full Circle, he was responsible for hits such as Kenny Chesney’s “Boys of Fall,” Brad Paisley’s “When I Get Where I’m Going” and the recent hit “Old Alabama.” He said, “I am excited to be working with such a talented and forward-thinking group of writers, artists and executives.”

Wide Open Music Group is located at 54 Music Sq. E., Ste. 390, Nashville, TN. Visit them online at www.wideopenmusicgroup.com.

Tom-Leis and Love Monkey Music Name New Creative Director

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Alex Heddle has been named Creative Director for Love Monkey Music and Tom-Leis Music, where he will be responsible for managing and plugging the catalogs of Bob DiPiero, Sarah Buxton, Amanda Flynn, Kimberly June, and Brandon Kinney. Heddle replaces Penny Everhard, who recently moved to BMI.

“I’m here to help the writers grow creatively and professionally,” says Heddle of his new position. “I’m aggressively pursuing opportunities for each writer and promoting the heck out of their respective catalogs.”

Heddle was previously with Writer’s Den Music Group, where he managed a writer staff including Adam Wright, Ronnie Rogers, Tami Hinesh, Ben Cooper, and Bonnie Bishop. Prior to that, he helped launch Propel Music as Creative Director, after previously worked same position at Ash Street Music in 2005. He is a 2008 graduate of Belmont University with a degree in Business Administration.

Alex can be congratulated at [email protected] or [email protected].

New Faces Shine on RIAA 2011 Wrap-up

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The RIAA’s 2011 wrap-up report is full of Nashville certifications, including numerous first-time honorees.

2011 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery’s Clear As Day debut earned his first Gold album plaque, and Gold awards for singles “Clear As Day” and “I Love You This Big.”

The Band Perry took home its first Platinum album award for its self-titled debut, and earned triple-Platinum honors for digital downloads of “If I Die Young.”

First-time Platinum download plaques were awarded to Eli Young Band’s “Crazy Girl,” Hot Chelle Rae’s “Tonight Tonight,” Jake Owen’s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” and Thompson Square’s “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”

Jason Aldean scored his first double-Platinum album award for My Kinda Party.

Gold awards for 2011 album releases included Luke Bryan’s Tailgates & Tanlines, Eric Church’s Chief, Miranda Lambert’s Four The Record, Brad Paisley’s This Is Country Music, Blake Shelton’s Red River Blue, Tony Bennett’s Duets, and Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger.

Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night shipped more than one million copies in 2011, earning Platinum certification. The band’s “Need You Now” single also secured a 5x multi-Platinum plaque.

On the catalog front, Taylor Swift’s self-titled 2006 debut went 5x platinum. In addition, 2x Platinum certifications were awarded to Carrie Underwood’s Play On (2009), and Kings of Leon’s Only by the Night (2008).

Overall, more download honors were presented in 2011 than ever before in RIAA Gold and Platinum program history, and 25 percent more than in 2010. In total, 411 digital songs were certified in 2011, vs. 313 in 2010. In particular, multi-Platinum download certifications nearly doubled in volume year-over-year: 112 multi-Platinum digital singles were certified in 2011 vs. 66 in 2010.

Adele earned 2011’s highest G&P album. Her sophomore release 21 took the top annual album prize at 5x multi-Platinum.

Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne earned double-Platinum awards for their respective 2011 releases Born This Way and Tha Carter IV. Gaga’s 2011 song certifications represent more than 19 million paid downloads, and Lil Wayne’s tally ten million.