Over the past few years, Nashville’s country scene has seen an influx of artists from the Golden State launch radio hits, each with a unique style of California country—including Brett Young’s soulful R&B, Jon Pardi’s Bakersfield-drenched strains, and Cam’s soothing approach.
Of course, those artists only add to country’s deep California linage created by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allan and others.
Today, with the release of their EP Magic, new Sony Music Nashville trio Fairground Saints are intent on deepening the long line of country performers with California origins and influence, even as they offer a relaxed, smooth sound that drifts in on their feathery harmonies.
Though the trio’s music is informed by throwback sounds of groups like the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, the Santa Barbara, California-grown trio formed in a very modern, organic fashion—social media.
The trio’s Mason Van Valin (a Santa Ynez, Calif. native) met Elijah Edwards (Santa Barbara) after posting an ad on Facebook seeking band members.
“I was the only person that answered it,” Elijah recalls with a laugh. “I played bass with him and we played around Southern California for a little while, but we wanted to expand our endeavors and so we went to the L.A. area.”
Searches on YouTube and Craigslist brought in California transplant and Michigan-raised Megan McAllister to the group.
“We saw a video of her singing background with another person on YouTube and we said to ourselves, ‘Who’s that in the background singing?’” says Edwards. “Then we found her on Facebook.”
The first day the trio wrote together, they also blended their voices on the track “Somethin’ From Nothin’.”
“It just fell into place and felt really natural,” Edwards says.
The group originally signed with Verve Music Group in 2014, but later exited the deal and moved to Nashville nearly three years ago, driven by a desire to deepen their songwriting. Fellow songwriters Chuck Cannon and the late Lari White opened their home to Van Valin, McAllister and Edwards, and began introducing them to others in Music City’s writer community.
Cannon and White also contributed to two tracks on the current EP, including the title track “Magic,” and “Somewhere Down The Line.” Old Dominion singer-songwriter Brad Tursi, along with Eric Arjes, contributed “How It Rolls.”
“All three of us were craving a community of songwriters, and there’s not really anywhere else like Nashville for that,” Edwards says. “It’s such a community of musicians and talented people and I think we wanted to try something new, and it was just calling our name.”
Word spread about the new trio in town with serious writing chops and ethereal harmonies. Within two weeks, they had inked a deal with Sony Music Nashville.
“Fairground Saints capture the breezy aesthetic of the California coastline grounded in the equally potent songwriting tradition of Nashville,” notes Taylor Lindsey, Vice President of A&R, Sony Music Nashville. “The combination, wrapped around their distinctive harmonies, is fresh, inspired, and attracting an enthusiastic audience.”
“That was sort of like a very solidifying moment,” Edwards says of the signing, “where we were sort of like, well, that’s awesome, we’re gonna stay here and chase that.”
Though their harmonies are unfettered, their devotion to the craft in the studio and the writing room is pronounced. Van Valin performs acoustic and electric guitar, while McAllister handles percussion. Multi-instrumentalist Edwards brings work on guitar, keys, mandolin, lap steel, dulcimer and more to the studio.
“We only used other musicians for bass and drums,” Edwards notes. “And Megan played some harmonica, and all the lap steel and mandolin and everything is us.”
Having the ability to craft music as a mostly self-contained unit offered ample opportunities for those harmonies to nestle in the natural grooves around the melodies. Edwards estimates they have penned more than 150 songs since making the move to Music City.
“We will generally take melodies that are, just by their nature, very easy to harmonize or lend themselves to harmony. I don’t think we’re ever thinking specifically about it, it just sort of develops that way because there are three singers in the room and we love harmonizing so much.”
The trio brought in producer Marshall Altman, known for his work with Frankie Ballard, Amy Grant, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, as the trio worked on the Magic at Nashville’s Sound Emporium.
“He’s very good at communicating with everyone as a whole and communicating with people individually and he knows exactly what he wants to hear, and he’s also very open to trying stuff, which I think is a very valuable asset in a producer,” Edwards notes.
Only a couple of tracks on the EP come from outside writers—one being the trio’s first single from the EP, the aptly titled “California,” which was penned by Altman, Dylan Altman, and Anna Vaus.
“As soon as we heard that first chorus, all three of our hands went up. It was pretty unanimous. It was very obvious that that was something we wanted to put on the record. It just felt natural and we knew we could make it our own to a certain degree.”
As they were creating the EP, the trio was also testing the songs in concert, which informed which would ultimately be chosen for the project.
“Playing the songs live really gives you an idea of what’s working and what’s not, because when you’re just in your room playing a song, that’s one thing, and you can think ‘this is great’ to yourself. I think that’s what really makes a great song is how many people like it and/or how people respond to it live, and so that’s definitely affected our decisions.”
Though the trio has a tight touring schedule for much of the year, they are also making time to get in the studio to finish up a full-length project.
“We actually just got out of the studio doing a couple more songs, and then as soon as we get back from this little tour we’re on, we’re gonna go back into the studio and track vocals and stuff like that. We can’t wait to continue with it.”
Trio Fairground Saints Build On California Country Leanings With EP ‘Magic’
/by Jessica NicholsonOver the past few years, Nashville’s country scene has seen an influx of artists from the Golden State launch radio hits, each with a unique style of California country—including Brett Young’s soulful R&B, Jon Pardi’s Bakersfield-drenched strains, and Cam’s soothing approach.
Of course, those artists only add to country’s deep California linage created by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allan and others.
Today, with the release of their EP Magic, new Sony Music Nashville trio Fairground Saints are intent on deepening the long line of country performers with California origins and influence, even as they offer a relaxed, smooth sound that drifts in on their feathery harmonies.
Though the trio’s music is informed by throwback sounds of groups like the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, the Santa Barbara, California-grown trio formed in a very modern, organic fashion—social media.
The trio’s Mason Van Valin (a Santa Ynez, Calif. native) met Elijah Edwards (Santa Barbara) after posting an ad on Facebook seeking band members.
“I was the only person that answered it,” Elijah recalls with a laugh. “I played bass with him and we played around Southern California for a little while, but we wanted to expand our endeavors and so we went to the L.A. area.”
Searches on YouTube and Craigslist brought in California transplant and Michigan-raised Megan McAllister to the group.
“We saw a video of her singing background with another person on YouTube and we said to ourselves, ‘Who’s that in the background singing?’” says Edwards. “Then we found her on Facebook.”
The first day the trio wrote together, they also blended their voices on the track “Somethin’ From Nothin’.”
“It just fell into place and felt really natural,” Edwards says.
The group originally signed with Verve Music Group in 2014, but later exited the deal and moved to Nashville nearly three years ago, driven by a desire to deepen their songwriting. Fellow songwriters Chuck Cannon and the late Lari White opened their home to Van Valin, McAllister and Edwards, and began introducing them to others in Music City’s writer community.
Cannon and White also contributed to two tracks on the current EP, including the title track “Magic,” and “Somewhere Down The Line.” Old Dominion singer-songwriter Brad Tursi, along with Eric Arjes, contributed “How It Rolls.”
“All three of us were craving a community of songwriters, and there’s not really anywhere else like Nashville for that,” Edwards says. “It’s such a community of musicians and talented people and I think we wanted to try something new, and it was just calling our name.”
Word spread about the new trio in town with serious writing chops and ethereal harmonies. Within two weeks, they had inked a deal with Sony Music Nashville.
“Fairground Saints capture the breezy aesthetic of the California coastline grounded in the equally potent songwriting tradition of Nashville,” notes Taylor Lindsey, Vice President of A&R, Sony Music Nashville. “The combination, wrapped around their distinctive harmonies, is fresh, inspired, and attracting an enthusiastic audience.”
“That was sort of like a very solidifying moment,” Edwards says of the signing, “where we were sort of like, well, that’s awesome, we’re gonna stay here and chase that.”
Though their harmonies are unfettered, their devotion to the craft in the studio and the writing room is pronounced. Van Valin performs acoustic and electric guitar, while McAllister handles percussion. Multi-instrumentalist Edwards brings work on guitar, keys, mandolin, lap steel, dulcimer and more to the studio.
“We only used other musicians for bass and drums,” Edwards notes. “And Megan played some harmonica, and all the lap steel and mandolin and everything is us.”
Having the ability to craft music as a mostly self-contained unit offered ample opportunities for those harmonies to nestle in the natural grooves around the melodies. Edwards estimates they have penned more than 150 songs since making the move to Music City.
“We will generally take melodies that are, just by their nature, very easy to harmonize or lend themselves to harmony. I don’t think we’re ever thinking specifically about it, it just sort of develops that way because there are three singers in the room and we love harmonizing so much.”
The trio brought in producer Marshall Altman, known for his work with Frankie Ballard, Amy Grant, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, as the trio worked on the Magic at Nashville’s Sound Emporium.
“He’s very good at communicating with everyone as a whole and communicating with people individually and he knows exactly what he wants to hear, and he’s also very open to trying stuff, which I think is a very valuable asset in a producer,” Edwards notes.
Only a couple of tracks on the EP come from outside writers—one being the trio’s first single from the EP, the aptly titled “California,” which was penned by Altman, Dylan Altman, and Anna Vaus.
“As soon as we heard that first chorus, all three of our hands went up. It was pretty unanimous. It was very obvious that that was something we wanted to put on the record. It just felt natural and we knew we could make it our own to a certain degree.”
As they were creating the EP, the trio was also testing the songs in concert, which informed which would ultimately be chosen for the project.
“Playing the songs live really gives you an idea of what’s working and what’s not, because when you’re just in your room playing a song, that’s one thing, and you can think ‘this is great’ to yourself. I think that’s what really makes a great song is how many people like it and/or how people respond to it live, and so that’s definitely affected our decisions.”
Though the trio has a tight touring schedule for much of the year, they are also making time to get in the studio to finish up a full-length project.
“We actually just got out of the studio doing a couple more songs, and then as soon as we get back from this little tour we’re on, we’re gonna go back into the studio and track vocals and stuff like that. We can’t wait to continue with it.”
Charlie Daniels And Travis Tritt Kick Off Outlaws And Renegades Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughTravis Tritt and The Charlie Daniels Band are kicking off their 2019 Outlaws & Renegades tour with special guest The Cadillac Three tonight in St. Augustine, Florida. Supporting acts The Marshall Tucker Band and Love & Theft are also set to appear on select shows throughout the tour, which visits Richmond, Chattanooga, Pittsburgh, Myrtle Beach and more and runs through Aug. 25.
June 2 -Riverbend Music Center | Cincinnati, OH*
Aug. 20 – Antelope Valley Fair | Lancaster, CA
Grammys Outpace Oscars As Awards Show With Most Social Impact
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Grammy Awards are the most social awards show, according to Nielsen’s recent Social Content Ratings study. The study monitored social media activity (including retweets, shares, likes and comments) for each awards show that aired between Aug. 1, 2018 and Feb. 24, 2019.
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards (CBS), which aired on Feb. 10, 2019, won the study with 26.2 million social interactions.
The Grammys outpaced the No. 2 most social awards show, ABC’s The Oscars, which aired Feb. 24, 2019 and earned 17.7 million interactions. Rounding out the Top 5 awards shows that bring the most social media impact are the 2018 MTV Music Awards (12.2 million), NBC’s Golden Globe Awards (8.6 million) and Univision’s Premio Lo Nuestro 2019 (6.7 million).
Of note, Six of the top 10 awards shows with the most social media impact were music-related shows.
The study also offered examples of specific awards show moments that contributed to each show’s overall ranking. Cardi B’s animated Instagram shout out after winning her Grammy sparked 1.6 million engagements in the linear window—which is more social engagements than some shows generate across all of their official accounts combined. By comparison, the most social Oscars-related post came from talent Angela Bassett, including an image of her in formal attire beside Courtney B. Vance, with over 515,000 engagements on Instagram.
Grammys host and performer Alicia Keys spiked on social media when she played across two pianos at once in her tribute to pianist Hazel Scott. This was the most social moment of the night, inciting close to 80,000 interactions on Twitter. Immediately before the tribute, Keys posted a video to social media encouraging audiences to tune in to the performance and garnered over 116,000 owned engagements. In the minutes following the post and during the performance, viewership toward the Grammys even saw some lift, with overall ratings experiencing upward of a 10 percent increase compared to the telecast’s average rating.
The report also states, “Discussions around award shows in particular are thriving on social media feeds, allowing fans, celebrities and businesses to gush about the winners, gaffes and viral moments that only live TV specials can provide. Not to mention, viewers can do this all in real-time, on platforms that encourage high-volume engagement that has the entire internet in on the conversation.”
David Fanning Inks Publishing Deal With RED Creative Group
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Jeremy Stover, Owner/President, RED Creative Group; David Fanning; Brooke Antonakos, VP Creative, RED Creative Group.
David Fanning has signed a global publishing deal with RED Creative Group.
The Ardmore, Alabama native celebrated early success in his career as a producer on the No. 1 singles “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” and “If I Didn’t Have You” for Thompson Square, “Carolina” for Parmalee, as well as 10 other Top 40 singles recorded by various country artists. In 2014, Fanning signed a solo deal with Broken Bow Records where he debuted at number 60 on the Country Airplay charts with a cover of Justin Timberlake’s “Drink You Away.” In 2018, Fanning decided to focus solely on writing and production.
“David has been collaborating with some of our artist/writers for a few years and his tracks have always been standouts. I’m blown away by his diversity and ability to make each track feel massive,” said Brooke Antonakos, VP of Creative, RED Creative Group.
“I’m excited to be working with a likeminded team who is so passionate about great music,” states Fanning.
“David is a multi-talented songwriter and producer. His future is bright. I look forward to watching his career continue to grow here at RED,” said Jeremy Stover, Owner/President, RED Creative Group.
Since its launch in 2014, RED Creative Group has earned over 200 cuts and 25+ singles including hits like Tim McGraw’s “How I’ll Always Be,” Justin Moore’s “Somebody Else Will,” Brett Young’s “Sleep Without You,” and Dan+Shay’s “How Not To.” RED also represents songwriters Kelly Archer, Travis Denning, LJ, Jeremy Stover, Nathan Spicer & Adam Hambrick.
‘Breakthrough’ Soundtrack To Feature Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Lauren Alaina
/by Lorie HollabaughThe star-studded album Breakthrough, music from and inspired by the new motion picture, releases April 5 on Mercury Nashville. The soundtrack features songs by Adam Hambrick, Carrie Underwood, Chrissy Metz, Darius Rucker, Jukebox the Ghost, Lauren Alaina, Maddie & Tae, Mickey Guyton, Phil Wickham, Pigeon John, and Taylor Mosby plus special featured guests Kirk Franklin and Lecrae.
This soundtrack comes just ahead of Twentieth Century Fox’s April 17 release of the feature film, which stars Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammell, and Dennis Haysbert and is based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love and faith in the face of impossible odds.
Fans who pre-order the album will immediately receive lead actor Chrissy Metz’s “I’m Standing With You,” an original song written for the film by Diane Warren. Additional tracks featured in the movie include the inspirational hit single “Love Wins,” co-written and performed by Carrie Underwood; “Hold On,” co-written and performed by Mickey Guyton; “This is Amazing Grace,” performed by Phil Wickham featuring Lecrae; and more.
Breakthrough [Music From & Inspired By The Motion Picture] Track Listing:
“I’m Standing With You” – Chrissy Metz
Written by Diane Warren
“Hold On” – Mickey Guyton
Written by Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks
“Love Wins” – Carrie Underwood
Written by Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Brett James
“Breathe Again” – Lauren Alaina
Written by Felicia Barton, David Hodges, Jason Weiss
“Big Old Shoulders” – Darius Rucker
Written by Allen Shamblin, Tom Douglas
“Colorful” – Jukebox the Ghost
Written by Ben Thornewill, Tommy Siegel, Jesse Kristin, Chris Wallace
“Play it Again” – Pigeon John
Written by Shane Eli Abrahams, Jonathan Pakfar, John Dust
“Looking Out For Me” – Adam Hambrick
Written by Adam Hambrick
“People Need People” – Maddie & Tae
Written by Maddie Marlow, Taylor Dye, Jimmy Robbins
“This is Amazing Grace” – Phil Wickham feat. Lecrae
Written by Phil Wickham, Josh Farro, Jeremy Riddle, Lecrae Moore
“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” – Taylor Mosby feat. Kirk Franklin
Written by Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm
Spotify Deepens Samsung Partnership
/by Jessica NicholsonSpotify Technology S.A. continued its strategic relationship with Samsung Electronics, by providing users with access to Spotify on Samsung mobile devices. Additionally, new Spotify consumers in the United States with select Samsung Galaxy mobile devices (including Galaxy S10) can qualify for six months of free Spotify Premium usage.
Beginning today (March 8), Spotify also comes pre-installed on millions of Samsung mobile devices.
Spotify has been deeply integrated with Bixby, Samsung’s intelligence platform, designed to work across Samsung’s ecosystem of devices, Spotify also enhances the Bixby Home screen by providing Spotify content and recommendations tailored for each listener.
“We were very excited to be named Samsung’s go-to music streaming service several months ago and today’s news will only ensure a more seamless Spotify listening experience across devices for listeners around the world,” said Sten Garmark, VP of Consumer Products, Spotify. “This partnership makes it easy for Samsung mobile users to access their favorite music and podcasts on Spotify, wherever they are and however they choose to listen.”
“Our goal is to deliver the best possible mobile experience to our consumers, and Spotify is the ideal music partner to help us make that vision a reality,” said Patricio Paucar, VP of Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “Whether they’re listening to the latest hit albums or checking out their favorite playlist, we’re giving eligible Galaxy S10 users access to an amazing six month Spotify Premium offer.”
In August 2018, it was announce that Spotify had become Samsung’s go-to music service provider.
Fans Can Now Order Concert Tickets From Ticketmaster Via Amazon’s Alexa
/by Jessica NicholsonTicketmaster has teamed with Amazon for a new Alexa skill that allows music fans to discover new concert events and buy event tickets from Ticketmaster.
Fans can order tickets from Ticketmaster’s inventory of live events with Alexa-enabled devices, including Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, using their voice. The service is currently only available to U.S. users, though it will soon expand to other countries.
To start, fans can say “Alexa, open Ticketmaster” or “Alexa, ask Ticketmaster to find events this weekend.” Fans can then search for an artist or team name, city, and date range such as, “find concerts in Los Angeles” or “find Miami Heat tickets”. From there, fans finalize their order details and purchase tickets by linking their Ticketmaster account to Alexa.
“Ticketmaster has the largest ticket inventory in the world, and our team is always looking to leverage it along with our open platform to reach new fans,” said Dan Armstrong, SVP and GM of Distributed Commerce at Ticketmaster. “This new integration with Alexa will offer yet another avenue for fans to access the best live events, allowing them to discover and buy tickets using only their voice. We’re excited to be working with Amazon Alexa and look forward to seeing fans utilizing it to see the artists, teams and events they love the most.”
The move expands on Ticketmaster’s focus on expanding where tickets can be discovered and purchased, by integrating with streaming services, e-commerce sites and global social platforms, including Facebook, Spotify, Groupon, BandsinTown, Samsung, and YouTube.
Weekly Chart Report (3/8/19)
/by Alex ParryClick here or above to access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Google, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Appeal CRB Royalty Ruling; NMPA, NSAI Respond
/by Jessica NicholsonIn February, the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board formally issued the final rates and terms for songwriter mechanical royalties, determining the amount labels and digital services are to pay music publishers. The rates represent a rise of 44 percent to be issued to songwriters. As reported today by Variety, digital service providers Spotify, Google, Pandora and Amazon have each filed a notice of appeal for the ruling.
A joint statement issued from Spotify, Google and Pandora says:
NMPA President & CEO David Israelite and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Executive Director Bart Herbison have issued their own response to the actions of the digital service providers. The NMPA is set to file its own notice of appeal.
Herbison stated:
DISClaimer: Tucker Beathard, The Vegabonds Issue Career-Making Music
/by Robert K OermannIt’s an alpha-and-omega kinda day here at DisClaimer.
We have everything from bona fide Country Music Hall of Fame members to the newest of baby acts. Ronnie Milsap, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire are here to remind us of what great country music sounds like. Maddie & Tae, Tenille Townes and Sam Grow are on board with strong bids for future stardom.
The Disc of the Day belongs to Tucker Beathard. It sounds like a career breakthrough to me.
Our DisCovery Award winners are The Vegabonds. I see that this is not their first record, so where has this awesome band been all my life? And will somebody please pick these guys up for a major-label shot?
SAM GROW/History
Writers: Cam Montgomery/Mike Hardy/Nick Donley; Producer: Jacob Rice; Publishers:MV2 Music (BMI), Harding Road Music/Watsky Music (admin. by Kobalt) (BMI), Big Loud Mountain, CamTrack Music, Cam I Am Music (BMI); Average Joe’s
– Very involving. He has a wonderfully strong, expressive delivery. The production soars in all the right places. The song about a troubled relationship has hooks a-plenty.
MADDIE & TAE/Tourist In This Town
Writers: Maddie Marlow/Taylor Dye/Barry Dean/Jimmy Robbins; Producers: Jimmy Robbins/Derek Wells; Publishers: Super Big Music/Seven Red Birds Publishing/Big Machine Music/Jehovah Nissi/Be Barry Quiet/Creative Pulse Music/Pulse Nation; Round Hill Songs Jimmy Robbins/Extraordinary Alien/Jammy Rabbins Music; Mercury Nashville
– Yowza. This has spunk, vocal verve and tempo, tempo, tempo to chase away those winter doldrums.
DAVE ERNST/Superstar
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Eastwood
– This Louisville alt-country fellow has a new CD titled Hickory Switch. This track finds him emoting over a garage-y rock backing track featuring organ, guitar and crashing percussion. He doesn’t have the pipes for mainstream country appeal, but brims with conviction.
STELLA PARTON/Dirty Rotten Dog
Writers: Stella Parton; Producer: Stella Parton; Publisher: none listed; SP
– The track could use a little bass. But the humorous, sarcastic ditty is catchy, her slide-guitar work is dandy and her stacked vocals in the fade are an audio delight. Worth some spins.
THE VEGABONDS/Best I Can
Writers: none listed; Producer: Tom Tapley; Publisher: none
-Love it, love it, love it. This has all the pulse-quickening snap, crackle and pop you could want of a country rocker. The band has the heat cranked up to “10,” and the blue-collar, working-musician lyric blazes like an bonfire. I turned it up and howled. Here’s to all the “poor boys doin’ the best they can.”
TENILLE TOWNES/White Horse
Writers: Tenille Townes/Daniel Tashian/Jeremy Spillman; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: noen listed; Columbia
– I dig this artist. Her feisty voice sounds like no one else. This hand clapper has slammin’ beats, a chorus with big hooks and a layered track, as well as her personality-packed vocal performance.
TUCKER BEATHARD/Better Than Me
Writers: Tucker Beathard/Dan Isbell/Jonathan Singleton; Producer: Tucker Beathard; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– His best yet. Tucker is singing his face off here, especially on that airborne chorus. The track rolls with admirable forward momentum as he sings of a breakup where she’s doing better than he is. Played it twice, and can’t wait to hear it on the radio. By the way, that’s him on lead guitar and drums, as well as vocals.
REBA McENTIRE/Stronger Than The Truth
Writers: Hannah Louise Blaylock/Autumn McEntire; Producers: Buddy Cannon/Reba McEntire; Publishers:Big Deal Beats / Fouche River Publishing (BMI)/ Catch This Music / Autumn McEntire Songs (ASCAP); Big Machine
– Praise be, there’s still an artist in this format who believes in telling a story, feeling some pain and cherishing real song craftsmanship. This Hall of Famer proves she remains way out in front of the youngsters when it comes to taking a heartbreak lyric straight into your heart. Great song. Great performance.
THE HIGH PLAINS DRIFTERS/Virginia
Writers: none listed; Producers: Greg Cohen/Charles Czarnecki; Publishers: none listed; HPD
– The song is okay, in a simplistic-melody kinda way. The lounge-y lead vocal is way too pop for me.
RONNIE MILSAP & DOLLY PARTON/Smoky Mountain Rain
Writers: Kye Fleming/Dennis Morgan; Producers: Ronnie Milsap/Rob Galbraith; Publishers: none listed; G-Force
– They sound great together. Dolly rewrote the lyric to make the song come from the points of view of two lovers, instead of one lovelorn man. The beautifully melodic tune remains a timeless country treasure. A terrific listening experience.