DISClaimer

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Christien Sawyer

Christien Sawyer

Doff your caps to the ladies, gentlemen.

This week, the fairer sex rules the listening session. Carrie Underwood has a splendid outing with the Randy Travis goldie “I Told You So.” Newcomer Christen Sawyer is our DisCovery Award winner.

And the Disc of the Day is by a group that actually has “Lady” in its name. Hillary Scott swaps vocals with Charles Kelley on “I Run to You,” and the result is an undeniable single by Lady Antebellum.

The other news of this column is the quality of the songwriting talent we encounter. From Archie Jordan and Hal David’s lovely classic “Santa Barbara” to the fine craftsmanship in “Red Light” (not to mention “I Run to You,” “I Told You So” and “Walkaway Joe”) and including a new collection by the masterful Thom Schuyler, today is a showcase of Music Row composing excellence.

MEGAN MUNROE/Moonshine
Writer: Megan Munroe/Brian Oaks; Producer: Doug Deforest; Publisher: Triple-Sixty/Forever Lush, ASCAP; Diamond (track) (www.meganmunroe.com)
—The production is big and thumping. Her voice isn’t.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/I Run To You
Writer: Dave Haywood/Charles Kelley/Hillary Scott/Tom Douglas; Producer: Victoria Shaw/Paul Worley; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/DWHaywood/RADIOBULLETPUBLISHING/Shaw Enuff/MLultiSongs/Sony-ATV/Tomdouglasmusic, BMI/SESAC; Capitol Nashville
—Very nicely done. The vocal harmony work is flawless. The production is delicious. The song has more hooks than a tuna boat. If this isn’t a Number-One hit, there is something seriously wrong with our format.

VINCE HATFIELD/Santa Barbara
Writer: Archie Jordan/Hal David; Producer: Vince Hatfield; Publisher: Universal Polygram International/Casa David, ASCAP; Blue Moon (www.vincehatfield.com)
—This lovely 1978 Ronnie Milsap tune gets dusted off for a reprise. But this guy is no Milsap vocally, and the sluggish pace does him no favors.

DAVID NAIL/Red Light
Writer: Jonathan Singleton/Melissa Peirace/Dennis Matkosky; Producer: Frank Liddell/Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Crosstown Uptown/Kobalt/Crosstown Downtown/Karles, ASCAP/BMI; MCA Nashville
—It’s an ordinary day. They’re stopped at a red light, and she tells him it’s over. I like the structure of the song, and his singing is wonderfully piercing. Sign me up for the fan club. Co-writer Singleton, by the way, now has a Universal South recording contract of his own.

CHRISTEN SAWYER/Crazy
Writer: none listed; Producer: Mark Oliverius; Publisher: none listed; Rapid Rise (track) (www.christensawyer.com)
—This is not the Willie Nelson/Patsy Cline “Crazy.” It is a feisty little bopper with some sting in its sound. She sings with plenty of oomph, and a sizzling, searing electric guitar echoes her at every turn. This is one hot disc.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY/One In Every Crowd
Writer: Eddie Montgomery/Ira Dean/Kim Tribble; Producer: Blake Chancey; Publisher: Plowin Ground/Copyright Controlled/Music of rpm/Category 5, BMI/ASCAP; Columbia (track)
—This is a stomping ode to the big ol’ “party boy” inside ya. Rousing and fun. Complete with crowd noise.

JUSTIN MOORE/Small Town USA
Writer: Brian Dean Maher/Jeremy Stover/Justin Moore; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publisher: West Moraine/Welk/Lichelle/WB/Universal-Z Songs/West Bay St/2820/Watwedoiz, ASCAP/BMI; Valory Music
—We’ve essentially heard this song a zillion times before. It’s the one about how great it is to be on a dirt road with your baby on Saturday night with a brew and some sounds, and then go to church on Sunday morning, and how great it is to live a simple country life. Yaddadda, yaddadda, yaddadda.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/I Told You So
Writer: Randy Travis; Producer: Mark Bright; Publisher: Sometimes You Win, ASCAP; Arista/19 (track)
—I have always loved this song. Randy had a massive hit with it in 1988. Carrie’s remake is a silver arrow of emotional truth. Soft, subtle harmony work from Vince Gill is the icing on this yummy track.

VINCE MELAMED/Walkaway Joe
Writer: Vince Melamed/Greg Barnhill; Producer: Jim Tract; Publisher: Songs of Universal/Warner-Tamerlane/WB, BMI/ASCAP; Adroit (track) (www.adroitrecords.com)
—This comes from a compilation called Words & Music Nashville. Melamed’s own rendition of this Trisha Yearwood hit he cowrote is loaded with sincerity and purpose. The other writers on the disc include Ray Sisk, Brendan McKinney, Lucas Hoge, Craig Monday, Mason Douglas, Cheley Tackett, Lisa Carver, Joshua Rush and Karleen Watt. Recommended.

THOM SCHUYLER/Prayer Of A Desperate Man
Writer: Thom Schuyler; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Rondor/September Second,; TJS (track)
—It has been far too long since we’ve had a new record from this former Capitol and MTM recording artist. The title tune to Thom’s self-penned collection is a tender, heart-tugging ballad that showcases one of Music City’s true songwriter treasures. For romance, listen to “When She Danced with Me.” For humor, turn on “Who Needs a Hummer?” or “Too Drunk.” For a meditation on mortality, check out “Starting to Go.” This man is such a gem.

UMG Sales/Marketing To Restructure

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According to a Universal Music Group spokesperson, Executive VP Sales and Marketing Ben Kline is leaving the company, effective immediately, to pursue  a new opportunity. Kline was a fixture at the Nashville label for 11 years and with Universal for a total of 17 years. He was a frequent voice in many Music Row articles dealing with his area of expertise. Kline was in charge of all sales, marketing and new media functions for Mercury, MCA Nashville and Lost Highway.

Kline’s departure is effective immediately. It is expected that as soon as next week UMGN will announce a restructuring plan for its Sales/Marketing department which is not expected to include any new hires.

RIAA Reveals Year-End Stats

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Only three albums released in 2008 were certified multi-platinum in the same year, according to the RIAA’s year-end tally. The year’s top certifications—all double platinum—went to rapper Lil Wayne (Tha Carter, Vol. 3), Brit rockers Coldplay (Viva La Vida), and metal masters AC/DC (Black Ice).

Lil Wayne’s June release reached double-Platinum prestige within only one month. AC/DC’s first commercial outing in eight years debuted in late October and hit the 2x Platinum mark in November. Meanwhile, Coldplay’s album came out in June and reached Platinum by August.

Twenty-one albums released last year received Platinum certification in 2008, with Sugarland and Toby Keith being the only Country crooners in the group. Helping the Mercury Nashville duo move a million units was its third release Love on the Inside. For Keith it was That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy, released in October on Show Dog Nashville and certified Platinum in December. That pushed his career total to more than 23 million albums sold since his 1993 debut.

As for December RIAA certifications, Faith Hill’s Joy to the World was certified Gold, and Miranda Lambert earned a Gold Single and Gold Mastertone for “Gunpowder & Lead.”

Little Jimmy Recovering

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“Little” Jimmy Dickens has been moved from the hospital into a rehabilitation center to recuperate from a recent brain surgery. His stay at the center is expected to be short. The 88-year-old Grand Ole Opry star underwent surgery Jan. 13 to repair a subdural hematoma.

Pickler Scores Sexy Endorsement Deal

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Kellie Pickler has signed on as a 2009 celebrity spokesperson for Sexy Hair products. As part of the multi-million dollar endorsement agreement, Pickler and fellow celeb Cheryl Burke will appear in the company’s consumer and trade publication ads, promotional materials, and publicity campaign. Advertising roll-outs will begin in April and run through December in Allure magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Launchpad, Modern Salon, American Salon and Canadian Hairdresser.

Pickler, who will specifically represent products including Big Sexy Hair and Short Sexy Hair, says she has been a fan of the line for years and jokes, “I need all the Sexy I can get!”

Sony Nashville Layoffs

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(Updated 6:40 pm) With country music sales dropping from 75 to 47 million units over the last two years, ”restructuring” has become a dreaded and unfortunately, all too familiar term on Music Row streets. Sony Music Nashville is the latest label to be affected by the softness in the CD marketplace and the weakness in the overall economy.

The layoffs began late in the afternoon today (1/22). They all occurred under the marketing department umbrella, and consisted of artist development and media employees mostly at the Director level. Three of the label’s four imprints were affected.

Confirmed exits include RCA Media Director, Lori Genes (615-715-5922 lgenes@gmail.com); Jensen Sussman, Columbia Associate Media Director (615-915-9318 sussmanj@mac.com); and Media Coordinator Michelle Lorge (615-587-4980 michelle_lorge @ yahoo.com).

BNA Director Artist Development/Marketing Dan Anderson (615-294-8432 danHanderson@comcast.net) and RCA Director Artist Development/Marketing Rachel Fontenot 615-516-2803 rachel.fontenot@comcast.net) were also impacted.

The cuts coincided today with the announcement that worldwide electronics and software giant Sony Corp. would report an annual loss for the first time in 14 years. The company says that due to global economic conditions it would post a company-wide net loss of $1.7 billion.

Americana Series Set For Bluebird

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The Americana Music Association will host a new “Live at The Bluebird Cafe” concert series every Thursday beginning Feb. 19 and running through March 26.

Celebrating some of the genre’s best-loved and most influential performers, the six-show series sponsored by the Gibson Foundation will feature Jim Lauderdale (2/19), Sam Bush (2/26), Nanci Griffith (3/5), and Foster & Lloyd (3/26). Surprise performers are likely to sit in during many of the dates. Artists for the March 12 and 19 shows will be announced soon. A series pass is $125 and available through Feb. 11 by calling the AMA at 615-386-6936. Reservations for individual shows ($25) can be made at www.bluebirdcafe.com a week before each show.

Urban Planning To Defy Gravity

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Keith Urban’s new album Defying Gravity will be released March 31 on Capitol Records Nashville. The project’s lead single “Sweet Thing” has already reached No. 3 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart and is still climbing.

“Defying Gravity comes from the lyrics of a song on the album and it just struck me at the time as a phrase that really defined the joyous, optimistic and uplifting spirit that seemed to show itself while making the album,” Urban explains.

In May he’ll launch the Escape Together World Tour, which will visit 58 cities across North America. Urban will team with a different touring partner in each city, with guests including Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and The Zac Brown Band.

Nashville Screenwriters Conference Returns In 2009

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The eleventh annual Nashville Screenwriters Conference (NSC) is set to take place May 29-31 at the historic Union Station hotel. The open-to-the-public conference will bring some of Hollywood’s top writers, producers, directors, managers, agents and studio executives to Nashville to network and share their experiences with local aspiring screenwriters and other interested individuals.

The popular “Music in Film & TV Luncheon” is returning to give songwriters, composers and artists an opportunity to learn how to place their music in films and TV.  Attendees can purchase to tickets to all or just some of the conference’s events. More details will be announced soon.

New Hiring At NSAI

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Erin Burr

NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) has added Erin Burr as Communications Director. She most recently spent more than three years handling publicity for the Colgate Country Showdown talent competition. At the new gig, Burr will report to NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. She can be reached at erin@nashvillesongwriters.com or (615) 256-3354, ext. 233.

Next up: NSAI hosts Spring Training, a songwriter’s symposium, running April 3-4 at Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville. There will be panels, seminars, and performances, with songwriters including Ray Stevens, Kelley Lovelace, and Kye Fleming.