Charlie Cook On Air: Pushing Music

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I was driving home the other night listening to WKKW in Morgantown. At 7:30 PM they run a competition between two records. The second record was one that I had not heard yet.

It turned out to be the new Brantley Gilbert song “Kick It in The Sticks.” I called the station PD and asked him if there was a Country version of the song that we could play.

It got me thinking about the direction of the format on the radio. Can we all agree that there are two kinds of Country Music? One that plays really well in concerts and particularly against the crowd that has come to see an act, like Brantley and Eric Church, for example.

The other target is one that plays to the core of the radio listener. The format’s target, on the radio, is very broad. That said, it really does center with women 35-44 years old.

I know that record companies and, even more so, the artists feel constrained by any kind of box that the radio puts around their art. I understand this totally and artists are going to push the envelope, as they should. If individual programmers avoid a song because it fails to meet the “sound of the station,” he or she should be allowed to make that call.

We know that this is not how Country radio/promotion works. If you fail to play a major label release your picture quickly shows up in post offices across America.

Let’s compare country to some other formats, where programmers make decisions based on different criteria.

AC has become a music format made up of established hits from other format, Country included. The only AC only song that has had any impact recently is “Happy Pills” by Norah Jones.

Heck this week AC still has two Adele songs in the top 10. Two Katy Perry songs, Maroon 5, Carly Rae Jepsen, One Direction and FUN. are top 10 songs.

Usually Country has an entry on AC radio but CHR/Hot AC has been so good the last 6 months that they have stayed in those formats for music. Carrie Underwood’s “Good Girl” is in the mid 40s but that means about a half dozen stations on the panel. Not significant.

AC programmers can pick and choose what fits the sound they hear in their heads.

No one wants to go this way. The number one song, “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson gets about half the spins as the number one song on the Country chart gets. Of course the song will be in Power on AC for months and months. In Power, not just in rotation.

CHR programmers need to be watching and listening to their stations 24/7. The music could change after a long lunch meeting.

Records get 125 plus spins a week on CHR stations. The audience turnover on CHR is the reason for this.  The number one cume station in Country is usually around 1.25 million listeners a week. CHR is 4 million. Usually Country music radio leads the way with time spent listening (with the exception of talk radio) so playing the top records between 40 and 50 times a week is more acceptable. Though I did notice that WKKA played the number one record almost 120 times last week.

I point that out just as a way to talk more about CHR radio’s music choices.

CHR is all over the road. CH plays divergent titles like “Lights” (how about that unique voice on Ellie Goulding) to “Scream” by Usher. CHR plays thin songs like “Give Your Heart A Break“ by Demi Lovato to something as layered as “Payphone” by Maroon 5.

CHR gets away with going from one extreme to the other. AC plays it pretty safe, making sure that songs are exposed and successful on other formats before adding it their stations.

Country has set its own course. There has been more excitement in Country Music and Country radio in the last few years than at any time since the early 90s.

This charge is being led by Brantley Gilbert and Eric Church and Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert and on and on.

I just wonder when we reach a point where a record on the radio is so far out of the genre musically that lyrics can no longer carry it.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

Kathy Mattea To Celebrate New Album In Nashville

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Kathy Mattea has lined up a string of Music City appearances to celebrate the upcoming release of her album Calling Me Home. The project, due out Sept. 11 from Sugar Hill, finds the singer returning to the rootsy Appalachian sound of her previous album Coal.

Mattea will preview material from Calling Me Home during shows at Music City Roots at the Loveless Barn (8/29), the Bluebird Café (9/5), The Station Inn (9/7) and the Grand Ole Opry (9/8).

She co-produced the album with Gary Paczosa and recruited top musicians including Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton, Byron House, Jim Brock, Bill Cooley and harmonizing siblings Tim and Mollie O’Brien. Bestselling author and fellow Kentucky-born kindred spirit Barbara Kingsolver contributed the liner notes.

After three decades away from her childhood home in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, Mattea felt called to immerse herself in the music of Appalachia and released Coal in 2008.

For the follow up she sought out old and new songs through research and at folk gatherings.

Of her journey from mainstream country to Appalachian music, Mattea says, “To be a complete novice at something after you’ve been singing for three or four decades, to feel that humility of ‘I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to pull this off again,’ it’s a great gift. I feel like I just made the album of my life; I articulated something I was put here to say. It’s my childhood and life experience of a sense of place and culture and history and family, and of all the music that I’ve learned and all I’ve learned performing all rolled into one thing.”

McGraw Gives Exclusive Interview About Homefront Program

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Tim McGraw recently gave an exclusive interview to the Academy of Country Music about HomeFront, his partnership with Chase, ACM Lifting Lives and the non-profit Operation Homefront, which gives mortgage-free homes to deserving military families.

The short interview was filmed at McGraw’s July 14 tour stop in Anaheim, CA where he presented the keys of a new Canoga Park, CA home to U.S. Marine Sgt. Anthony Hodge and his wife Laura. Hodge retired from the U.S. Marine Corps due to injuries sustained while deployed after ten years of service in Kuwait and Iraq.

To date, 18 homes have been awarded. Additionally, ACM Lifting Lives has donated $125,000 to the initiative for families to purchase necessities for the new homes.

“Our military families answer a call to action every day, and Operation Homefront gives civilians an opportunity to give back to them,” said McGraw. “Anyone can make a donation to support this effort, and we also hope to spread the word to military families that they are invited to apply for help, if they need it.”

To view the full ACM interview, click here.

Industry Ink (8/02/12)

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Through the help of Stars For Stripes and the Minot Exchange, RCA Nashville’s Chris Young recently had the opportunity to reunite with Wounded Warrior Scott Lilley and spend some time with military personnel at Minot Air Force Base before his show at North Dakota State Fair. Lilley was wounded in Iraq in 2007 and accompanied Young on a tour in 2009 to entertain troops for GAC’s special “Stars For Stripes: Wounded Warriors Return.”

Scott Lilley and his family reunite with Chris Young. Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Kristoffer

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HarperCollins Publishers has appointed Mark Schoenwald as President and CEO of its new Christian division, which is comprised of Zondervan and the newly-acquired Thomas Nelson. Zondervan president Scott Macdonald will leave his position and serve in an advisory role. Both companies will continue publishing their respective brands. Schoenwald joined Thomas Nelson in 2004 and was named CEO in 2011, and previously served as president of several home decor, garden and gift companies. He will continue to be based in Nashville, and will spent part of his time in Grand Rapids, MI, where Zondervan is based.

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Nashville country duo Blackjack Billy has signed with The Bobby Roberts Company for exclusive booking representation.

(L-R) Standing: BRC Agent Matt Rizor, BRC SR VP Brian Jones, Ontourage Management Brandon Mauldin, Ontourage Management Tony Conway. Seated: Blackjack Billy’s Rob Blackledge, BRC CEO Bobby Roberts, Blackjack Billy’s Noll Billings

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Artist services firm Clover Marketing & Management has moved its offices to 2 Music Circle S., Ste. 202 Nashville, TN 37203. The phone number remains 615-364-1382. Laura McKinley’s email is McKinley@clovermktg.com.

Songwriter Bob McDill to be Honored at ASCAP Awards

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Bob McDill

ASCAP has announced it will honor Country music songwriter Bob McDill with the prestigious Golden Note Award at its 50th Annual Country Music Awards, to be held Oct. 29 at Opryland Hotel.

“Bob McDill is one of Country music’s most eloquent and literary songwriters,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. “His dedication to the art and craft of writing honest songs that come straight from the soul has touched the hearts of millions around the world.”

The Texas-born songwriter has written 31 No. 1 songs throughout his three decade career. He has garnered four Grammy nominations, ASCAP Songwriter of the Year (1994), NSAI Songwriter of the Year three times and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985.

After Perry Como recorded his song, “Happy Man” in the ’60s, McDill moved to Nashville. He went on to score hits and cuts by Johnny Russell (“Catfish John”), Don Williams (“It Must Be Love” and “Good Ole Boys Like Me”), Waylon Jennings (“Amanda”), Alabama (“Song of the South”), Mel McDaniel (“Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” and “Louisiana Saturday Night”), and Keith Whitley (“Don’t Close Your Eyes”).

McDill’s success continued into the ’90s with titles including “Gone Country,” “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful,” “Why Didn’t I Think of That,” and “All The Good Ones Are Gone.”

“Bob McDill wrote [“Gone Country”] and he is one of my favorite writers of all time,” said Alan Jackson in the liner notes of his Greatest Hits Collection. “When I first heard it, I fell in love with it. I wish that I’d written it cause it says a lot of things that I’d like to say.”

ASCAP’s invitation-only gala will also award Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Publisher of the Year, and feature live performances of the top five most performed songs of 2011.

Previous recipients who have earned the Golden Note award for extraordinary career milestones include Don Williams, Garth Brooks, Lindsey Buckingham, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and J.D. Souther.

Arista Nashville Names New Regional Promo Rep

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Halie Hampton has been named to the post of Manager, Regional Promotion for Arista Nashville, it was announced by Arista Nashville VP National Promotion Lesly Tyson. Hampton is already in her new role and is based in Nashville.

“Halie has such incredible drive and passion and is a true natural at record promotion,” says Tyson. “Over the past few months she has done a fantastic job helping Arista in a handful of markets. We are thrilled to officially add her to our team!”

A Nashville native, Hampton most recently served as Promotion Representative for Sony Music Nashville after interning in the company’s promotion department. She also spent time as a Regional Promotion Rep for Cold River Records after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in 2011.

Congratulate her here.

Chris Austin Songwriting Contest Accepting Online Entries

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2011 CASC finalist with judges, Wyatt Durrett, Corb Lund, and Molly Nagel and volunteer chairperson Jim Lauderdale

The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest began accepting online entries yesterday (8/1) for an early entry discount price of $25 per song.

Now in its 21st year, the contest offers aspiring writers exposure to a judging panel of Nashville music industry professionals including this year’s volunteer contest chairperson Jim Lauderdale. Twelve finalists representing four categories, bluegrass, country, general and gospel/inspirational, will be narrowed with the finalists competing at MerleFest on April 25-28, 2013.

Pete Fisher and Kari Estrin created the songwriting contest to honor Chris Austin, a member of Reba McEntire’s band, recording artist and songwriter himself, who passed in the private plane crash carrying him and six other members as well as her tour manager.

Net proceeds from the contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $36,000 to 75 students.

Mail-in entries will be accepted Nov. 1 through Feb. 19, 2013. To learn more details about the contest, click here.

ZBB’s Southern Ground Music & Food Festival Reveals Line Up

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Zac Brown Band’s Southern Ground Music & Food Festival will descend on Nashville’s Lawn at Riverfront Park for the first time Sept. 21-22. Zac Brown Band & Friends will offer nightly super sets with special guests including Gregg Allman. Also set to perform are Amos Lee, David Gray, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Jerry Douglas, The Lumineers, Los Lonely Boys, John Driskell Hopkins & Brighter Shade, The James Arthur Band, Coy Bowles & The Fellowship, and Southern Ground Artists including Sonia Leigh, Nic Cowan, Blackberry Smoke, Dugas, Levi Lowrey, and The Wheeler Boys.

The line up was revealed this morning (8/2) by Mayor Karl Dean, President of Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Butch Spyridon, and Outback Concerts’ Kate Dore and Andrew Farwell at a press conference at the event site.

The festival, which debuted last year in Charleston, is curated by the band and focuses on offering fine food helmed by Southern Ground Executive Chef Rusty Hamlin.

Charleston’s Blackbaud Stadium will again host the event Oct. 20-21, where ZBB will lead the bill with nightly performances. Also on the schedule are The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and many of the artists who will play in Nashville.

VIP offerings include Front Porch Stage Boxes with a four-course gourmet meal and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. For more information visit www.southerngroundfestival.com.

Snapshots (8/2/12)

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SESAC-affiliated songwriter Brian White took to the streets recently to announce his new publishing agreement with SB21 Music. White, who has penned several No. 1 hits in both the Country and Christian Music genres, and executives from SESAC and SB21 Music stopped traffic on the busy streets of Music Row to celebrate the new partnership.

(L-R) (standing): SESAC’s John Mullins & Tim Fink and SB21’s Shane Barrett & Steve Pasch (seated): White. Photo: Peyton Hoge

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ASCAP’s Mike Sistad caught up with Gloriana at the Pepsi Billboard Summer Beats Concert Series in Nashville on the night before the release of the group’s new record, A Thousand Miles Left Behind.

(L-R): Emblem Music Group's Dean Serletic, ASCAP's Mike Sistad, Gloriana's Tom Gossin and Mike Gossin, Emblem Music Group's Matt Serletic

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently (7/28) honored Kye Fleming in its quarterly series Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters. Fleming’s songwriting career includes Michael Johnson’s “Give Me Wings;” Barbara Mandrell’s  “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed” and “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool;” Ronnie Milsap’s “Smoky Mountain Rain” and “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It for the World;” and Sylvia’s “Nobody.”

(L-R): Museum Editor Michael Gray, Kye Fleming, Sylvia Hutton, Allen Reynolds. Photo: Donn Jones

Nashville Songwriter Lands “Today Show” Performance

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Nashville songwriter Paul Sikes recently got the opportunity of a lifetime after doing what writers typically do: play a round at the Bluebird.

The Nashville native gained national renown after NBC’s Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb discovered him at the Bluebird and invited him to play on the show. Following his July 13 appearance and performance, the song he performed, “My Epitaph,” was the No. 2 downloaded song on iTunes’ singer/songwriter chart. See the performance here.

Sikes chalks it up to being in the right place at the right time. He played the round at the Bluebird back in May and noticed Kotb among the audience members. Days later word spread that she had raved about him on the show and even played a video clip of his performance. NBC producers contacted him via Twitter to extend the performance invitation.

Sikes still considers himself a producer and songwriter first. He says he has “never really chased the road of being an artist, but has enjoyed playing songs at smaller venues around town.” His independent album Craft was released to iTunes July 9.