Mickey Jack Cones
By James Rea
Mickey Jack Cones has produced, engineered, mixed, written songs, sang or played on over 50 major artist’s albums since his arrival in Nashville in 1996. His impressive body of work includes
Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Reba, Sara Evans, Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols and
Kenny Rogers.
In 2012, 39-year-old Cones’ vocal engineering expertise combined with
Michael Knox’s production on Aldean’s 2x Platinum album
My Kind of Party, to earn numerous awards and a Grammy nomination.
It’s been said that most great vocal producers are also great singers, Cones is certainly one. His voice can be heard on albums by
Joe Nichols, Trace Adkins, Reba, Gretchen Wilson, Billy Gilman, Jeff Bates, Katrina Elam, Andy Griggs, Julianne Hough, Chuck Wicks and
Kristen Kelly.
He comes by it naturally, his great grandparents and grandparents were musicians, and his mother and two aunts were
The Cones Sisters. By age 10, he was playing guitar and singing in their band, which was later discovered by
Barry Beckett and offered a record deal with RCA Nashville.
Cones was bitten by the songwriting bug when he was about 13 and by age 15 he was the lead singer and guitarist in his first band,
Hired Guns. In the mid-‘90s, he left college at the University of Texas in San Antonio to become the lead singer, guitarist and band leader for
Rhythm of The Road, a well-known band on the south Texas dance hall circuit.
Mickey moved to Nashville and in 1998 graduated from Belmont’s Music Business program with an emphasis in studio production, which landed him an interning gig with Beckett. After graduation, Cones went to work as a staff engineer for
David Malloy’s publishing company studio.
He recalls, “I was able to use the studio for my demos and quickly learned the difference between the vibe on my sessions compared to the vibe on David’s sessions. On the first session with David, I learned about not stifling the creative process. From ’98-’99 was a huge learning curve as an engineer, but I started meeting all the A-musicians and eventually got the opportunity to engineer several of David’s projects.”
Through friend
April Taylor of Ladd Management, Cones got the opportunity to write the music for
Nemesis, a pop/rock act signed to Curb. About ’99 Mickey signed a production deal with Curb to produce Nemesis, which landed him his first pub deal with EMI.
A big turning point in his career as a producer came when
Desmond Child, who loved Cones’ ’98 production on Nemesis, hired Mickey to engineer
Motley Crue and
Linkin Park. Famed rock producer
Marti Frederiksen, who today is partners with David Malloy and Mickey at Westwood Studios, asked Mickey to engineer
Buck Cherry and
Aerosmith.
Around 2000, Malloy asked Mickey to work with him and
Kenny Beard on a
Jeff Bates’ session for RCA. The Jeff Bates project propelled Mickey as a vocal producer. Malloy and Cones worked on a multitude of projects together, but eventually Cones decided engineering was not hands-on enough, so he set his sights on producing.
Although his producing career was just taking off, every musician’s dream is to hear what they sound like in a concert arena and Mickey was no exception. He had been writing with
Julie Roberts while they were both signed at EMI. So, when she landed her record deal and asked Mickey to go on the road as her band leader (background vocals and guitar), he jumped at the chance. It turned into a two-year run including performing on the
Rascal Flatts’ Here’s To You Tour, and appearing on
Good Morning America and
The Tonight Show.
When Mickey came off the road in 2004,
Beard immediately hired Mickey to engineer and sing background vocals on
Trace Adkins’ next album,
Dangerous Man. Blake Chancey also asked Mickey to work on
Kellie Pickler’s
Small Town Girl album. Since then, Mickey has worked on the majority of Trace’s albums.
But the rock gods were not the only gods watching Mickey Jack Cones.
Tony Brown hired Mickey to sing background vocals on
Katrina Elam’s project. Tony continued to call Mickey for vocals and engineering for
Reba, Heidi Newfield and other projects including
Lionel Richie’s
Tuskegee album.
Through his association with Adkins, Mickey met
Michael Knox who also produced some sides on Trace’s
Cowboy’s Back In Town album. They wound up working together on
Chuck Wicks and
Montgomery Gentry, which led to their huge
Jason Aldean /
Kelly Clarkson duet “Don’t You Want To Stay” and the
Ludacris / Aldean duet, after which Ludacris tapped Mickey for his new project
Burning Bridges.
Cones’ current or recent production work includes
Trace Adkins,
Joe Nichols,
James Wesley, and a multi-artist
Merle Haggard tribute album.
Do you try to push the boundaries of country music sound-wise?
Mickey Jack Cones: Loving the feeling of a “kick” at a live show and the impact of the sound as it hits you, is the way I mix. Coming from that Mutt Lang-world to Hank Williams, I always try to merge the sonics of both worlds. But I try to throw things in discretely, rather than break new ground. I think that’s why I haven’t been forced to leave town yet. That doesn’t mean I haven’t saved a few tricks up my sleeve.
When a producer hires an engineer, do they discuss what the producer envisions prior to going into the studio?
No … usually if the producer calls you to engineer, he’s calling you because you have created some sort of sound or expectation that he knows he’s going to get. If you’re being called to co-produce, it depends on the other producer. With Tony Brown, absolutely, the answer is yes. From phone call one, we discussed everything.
People sometimes describe today’s country music as being more like ‘80s rock. Does your background, with artists like Motley Crue and Steven Tyler, enhance your chances of remaining relevant in Nashville?
Absolutely, and I say that because I’ve now been in town for about 17 years. That cycle that people talk about and that ‘80s sound that I grew up with has definitely influenced the evolution of country music. To me there’s a marriage sonically in a sound between getting too technologically processed and that ‘80s sound, which has more of an analog-type warmth and punch to it, but with that straight-ahead “live” feeling. It gives an edge to me and anyone else raised in that era.
Has the decline of rock caused an influx of musicians to Nashville?
I’d say so. Nashville is booming and they need a new outlet. They’re coming here because country is not just known for its twang anymore. It’s actually helping both genres.
Which producer taught you the most about dealing with artists and musicians?
I’ve learned something from every single producer but without a doubt 100 percent, David Malloy.
What is the producer’s biggest challenge?
The songs… The song makes or breaks the artist. The label’s role and how they’re changing has created more gray areas, as far as who makes decisions on the creative side. The hardest part to me is narrowing that down. Listening to songs is a large chunk of the work. You track in a couple of days, but it takes months to get to that point.
Do you find more songs through pluggers or writers?
The writers… It may be because they are so focused on trying to find the best songs for that artist, that they’ve written, so their brain is only on that catalog. Whereas the pluggers are having to stay on top of the publishing company’s entire catalog. I’m not saying the pluggers aren’t focused on finding the best songs. The best thing I can do is to be as informative as I can with the pluggers and the writers about what I’m looking for.
Is it obvious that a song is going to be a hit when you are recording it in the studio?
If it’s not too quirky and everybody knows it’s a hit, there’s a feeling in the room when everybody looks up … and they’re ready to make it happen.
Do the budgets that you’re given these days restrict the creativity of a project?
Income is down so budgets have had to come down. There are certain aspects of the business where budgets have not been adjusted, but the first people to adjust are those of us guiding the ship. The per-song rate has been reduced. If I want to work and stay busy, instead of lowering the budget, I’ll take on more responsibilities.
Have you ever given a hit song to one artist and another artist complained?
That wouldn’t happen if there was a bigger gap between projects, but it happens all the time when you’re recording a lot of projects at the same time. But because I’m a vocal guy, I can explain why to the artists, maybe it doesn’t showcase their strengths, due to a long note, the range, too much diction or being too wordy. There’s usually a case or I wouldn’t have done it, but it’s honest.
Is traditional country music ever going to be lost?
Absolutely not. You can stray sonically from artist to artist and you can have different dialects and not have the same twang because you’re from a different region, but the true element of country music and what it stands for and the story portion of it and the real life element is to me, what makes country, country.
Even in the most rocking sounds and projects, traditional country is always going to circle back around. There’s a demand right now for more traditional sounding music, in my opinion and it needs to be satisfied. Like with any product, when there’s a demand, it’s going to be met, then it might be overly-met and it’ll dip down and people will stray from it, but traditional country is always going to be there.
Can the industry ensure that country stays country?
Now we’re going to get deep here. What you’re referring to has been in place since long before I was born. It’s got to be country. We’re not going to sign anybody who does not know who Hank Williams and Merle are. Nobody is going to let that happen.
Producer Credits
- Trace Adkins (ShowDog/UMG)
- Jeff Bates (Black River)
- Joe Nichols (Red Bow Records)
- Nemesis Rising (Curb Records))
- Chad Hudson (Universal Music Group)
- James Wesley (Broken Bow Records)
- Matt Stillwell (Average Joe’s Entertainment)
- Nicky Barot (UK Rock)
- Damien Leith (Australian Idol)
- Jimmy Fortune (Statler Brothers)
Engineer Credits: (Recording and/or Mixing)
- Jason Aldean
- Kelly Clarkson
- Luke Bryan
- Carrie Underwood
- Eric Church
- Reba
- Trace Adkins
- Sara Evans
- Blake Shelton
- Joe Nichols
- Kenny Rogers
- Jeff Bates
- Andy Griggs
- Frankie Ballard
- Gretchen Wilson
- Montgomery Gentry
- Kellie Pickler
- Blaine Larsen
- Julie Roberts
- Katrina Elam
- Chuck Wicks
- Julianne Hough
- Randy Owen (of Alabama)
- Billy Gilman
- Mötley Crüe
- Aerosmith
- Steven Tyler
- Buckcherry
- Ludacris
- Exile
- Lionel Richie
- Rachel Farley
- Hayden Panettiere
- Damien Leith (Australian Idol winner)
- John Daly (yes the golfer)
- Matt Stillwell
- Brother Trouble
- Nicky Barot
- Kristen Kelly
- Paul Overstreet
- Daniel Powter
- Jimmy Fortune
- Ryan Tyler
- Fools For Rowan
- Kevin Fowler
- 3 Doors Down
Back Ground Vocal Credits:
- Andy Griggs
- Julianne Hough
- Matt Stillwell
- Chuck Wicks
- Joe Nichols
- Jeff Bates
- Jimmy Fortune
- Kevin Fowler
- Nicky Barot
- Country Strong (soundtrack)
- Kristen Kelly
- Gretchen Wilson
- Trace Adkins
- John Daly
- Billy Gilman
- Katrina Elam
- Brother Trouble
- Reba
- Act of Valor (soundtrack)
Musician Credits: (Guitar/Synth, Bass and/or Percussion)
- Trace Adkins
- Joe Nichols
- Billy Gilman
- Nicky Barot
- Matt Stillwell
- Country Strong (Soundtrack)
- Nemesis Rising
- Jeff Bates
- Heidi Newfield
- Act of Valor
- Damien Leith
- Act of Valor (Soundtrack)
For more, visit www.theproducerschair.com.
Eddy Arnold Tribute Album Coming This Spring
/by Sarah SkatesEddy Arnold
A new Eddy Arnold tribute album will be released in time for what would have been his 95th birthday. Cheetah Chrome (originally of punk band The Dead Boys) and author/music historian/Belmont University professor Don Cusic produced the album You Don’t Know Me: Rediscovering Eddy Arnold. It will be released May 14 on Plowboy Records. Arnold would have turned 95 on May 15.
Contributing to the project are Chuck Mead, Melinda Doolittle, Pete Mroz, Frank Black, Mandy Barnett, Bebe Buell, Alejandro Escovedo, Lambchop, Jason Isbell, Chris Scruggs, Pokey LaFarge, Bobby Bare Jr., Peter Noone, Jason Ringenberg, Sylvain Sylvain, The Bluefields, Cheetah Chrome, Drivin’ n Cryin’ and Mary Gauthier.
Many of the tracks were recorded at the Sound Emporium studio, and many others were recorded at famed RCA Studio B, where Arnold often recorded. See a video here.
Known the world over as The Tennessee Plowboy, Eddy Arnold is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. He released over 100 albums and placed 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, including 28 No. 1 hits. He had at least one charting single for the past seven straight decades, hosted The Eddy Arnold Show for CBS, guest-hosted Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and starred in two films.
Plowboy’s founders are Cusic, Chrome, and Arnold’s grandson and musician Shannon Pollard. You Don’t Know Me is the label’s second full-length release, following Bobby Bare’s Darker Than Light.
Alphabetical track list:
“Anytime” – Chuck Mead
“Bouquet of Roses” – Melinda Doolittle
“Cattle Call” – Pete Mroz
“Don’t Rob Another Man’s Castle” – Frank Black
“How’s The World Treating You?” – Mandy Barnett
“I’ll Hold You In My Heart” – Bebe Buell
“It’s A Sin” – Alejandro Escovedo
“Jim, I Wore A Tie Today” – Lambchop
“Johnny Reb, That’s Me” – Jason Isbell
“Just A Little Lovin” – Chris Scruggs
“Love Bug Itch” – Pokey LaFarge
“Make The World Go Away” – Bobby Bare Jr.
“Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue” – Peter Noone
“Texarkana Baby” – Jason Ringenberg
“That Do Make It Nice” – Sylvain Sylvain
“That’s How Much I Love You” – The Bluefields
“What Is Life Without Love” – Cheetah Chrome
“Wreck of Old ’97” – Drivin’ n Cryin’
“You Don’t Know Me” – Mary Gauthier
Nashville Firm Launches New Music TV Series
/by Jessica NicholsonThe series begins airing March 10, with the first group of shows centered on the music of Dolly Parton. The programs feature exclusive interviews with Parton, as well as stars Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Miranda Lambert, Lily Tomlin, Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Janis Ian, Mac Davis and Kristin Chenoweth.
“I admire Dolly so much as both a music talent and a business person, and working with her made me respect and love her even more,” says Song By Song producer Barb Hall. “Also, the eagerness of people to participate far exceeded our expectations. She is truly a beloved and revered figure.”
Dolly Parton: Song By Song will consist of six episodes, focusing on such iconic hits as “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right,” “9 to 5” and “Travelin’ Thru.” Dolly Parton: Song By Song will launch with “I Will Always Love You” and “9 to 5” on March 10, “Coat of Many Colors” and “Jolene” on March 17 and “Travelin’ Thru” and “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” on March 24.
The series was created entirely with Nashville-based personnel. Barb Hall is the series producer/director. Robert K. Oermann is the writer. Stacy Kline serves as associate producer, and the shows were edited at Rock Creative by Eddie Hales and Brian Humphreys. The director of photography was Tom Zaleski.
Founded in 2001, TH Entertainment LLC has previously produced programming for A&E, Bravo, PBS and multiple broadcasters around the world. Stars featured in the company’s documentaries have included Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline, The Mamas & The Papas, Willie Nelson, Blondie, Carrie Underwood, The Monkees, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jerry Lee Lewis, Loretta Lynn and The Band.
MusicRowPics: Charlie Worsham
/by Caitlin RantalaHe shared several songs, including his current single “Could It Be.” A music video for the single recently released.
Worsham also played “Rubberband,” “You Gotta Be Young to See” and “Mississippi in July.” Of “Mississippi…” he said, “This is the song I’m most proud of as a songwriter.” Rightfully so.
You can catch Worsham locally at his upcoming show Feb. 25 at Nashville’s 12th and Porter. For more information visit charlieworsham.com.
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Artist Updates (2-22-13)
/by Jessica Nicholson• • •
The Dr. Steve Show paid a visit to Nashville last spring where host Dr. Steve Salvatore got personal with Dolly Parton to discuss down home mountain medicine from her Appalachian youth. In this rare, personal, and intimate interview Dolly Parton covered topics ranging from growing up poor in the Smoky Mountains as the 4th of 12 children, reminiscing about her family’s use of “mountain medicine” and the death of her baby brother.
Sibling Rivalry
Teen country duo Sibling Rivalry, comprised of Olivia Butaud, 14 and older brother Mitchell Butaud, 18, will appear on Next Great Family Band, a new musical competition reality show on COZI TV, a network developed by NBCUniversal. The episode featuring Sibling Rivalry will air March 3.
• • •
Former American Idol contestant Danny Gokey first took the Idol stage just four weeks after his wife’s death. The singer-songwriter will share his story of healing in a new book Hope In Front of Me, slated for an October release. The book will be released via NavPress, the publishing arm of the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Navigators.
“It has been a gratifying process to be able to share the parts of my story that many people may not know,” Gokey says. “My hope is that people can find a part of their story in mine and that it will inspire hope in others. NavPress really caught the vision for what I am trying to accomplish and I’m delighted to be working with such as supportive, creative team on this project.”
Big and Rich’s Big Kenny introduced Meghan Linsey at her showcase for her solo project at Exit/In in Nashville this week.
Weekly Chart Report (2/22/13)
/by Jessica NicholsonCarnival Music’s Brent Cobb recently stopped by WEIO The Farm in Huntingdon, TN to promote his single, “Love On Me,” which takes our No. 46 position this week. Pictured (L-R): Kelly Green (WEIO GM), Brent Cobb
SPIN ZONE
Taylor Swift reigns at the top of this week’s Weekly Chart Report with “Begin Again.” It is a tight race, however. Only 42 spins separate the top two spots, with Kacey Musgraves‘ “Merry Go Round” at No. 2. Blake Shelton‘s “Sure Would Be Cool If You Did” is also a strong contender, jumping from No. 8 to No. 3 this week. Lee Brice continues his fast and steady climb with “I Drive Your Truck” at No. 4, while Toby Keith‘s “Hope On The Rocks” holds steady at No. 5 again this week.
Last week’s No. 1 hit, Carrie Underwood‘s “Two Black Cadillacs,” sits at No. 6, while Chris Young‘s “I Can Take It From There” is at No. 7. Hunter Hayes‘ “Somebody’s Heartbreak” (No. 8), Miranda Lambert‘s “Mama’s Broken Heart” (No. 9) and new Top 10 entry George Strait‘s “Give it All We Got” at No. 10 round out the Top Ten this week.
The biggest gainers this week include Jason Aldean‘s “1994,” with an added 409 spins and Kenny Chesney‘s “Pirate Flag” increasing by 406 spins this week. Lady Antebellum‘s “Downtown” gained 348 spins, while Tim McGraw’s (w/ Taylor Swift) “Highway Don’t Care” added 319 spins.
The chart saw several debuts this week, with the highest being Jason Aldean‘s “1994” at No. 50, followed by Tim McGraw’s (w/ Taylor Swift) “Highway Don’t Care” at No. 52, Randy Houser‘s “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” at No. 57, Gary Allan‘s “Pieces” at No. 70, Mumford & Sons‘ “I Will Wait” at No. 71, Kelly Parkes‘ “As Good As Me” at No. 76, John Karl‘s “That’s What I Believe” at No. 77, Jaida Dreyer‘s “Half Broke Horses” at No. 79 and Stephanie Grace‘s “Would U Be Mine” at No. 80.
Frozen Playlists: KKAJ
Upcoming Singles
February 25
Zac Brown Band/Jump Right In/Atlantic-Southern Ground
Gary Allan/Pieces/MCA
Maggie Rose/Better/RPME
Tyler Farr/Redneck Crazy/Columbia
Jenna Jentry/Lovin’ Lazy/Circle 4-Nine North-Turnpike
Jason Charles Miller/The Way You Still Want Me/Render
March 4
Randy Houser/Runnin’ Outta Moonlight/Stoney Creek
March 11
Sheryl Crow/Easy/Old Green Barn-Sea Gayle-Warner Bros.-WMN
Tate Stevens/Power Of A Love Song/Syco Music-RCA
Billy Dean/I Can’t Leave A Good Thing/Rainman-Flying Island
Erica Nicole/Better Beer/Heaven-Nine North-Turnpike
Tobacco Rd. Band (Feat. Colt Ford)/That’s Country/Turnpike-Big Southern
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Jason Aldean/1994/Broken Bow – 50
Tim McGraw w/ Taylor Swift/Highway Don’t Care/Big Machine – 52
Randy Houser/Runnin’ Outta Moonlight/Stoney Creek Records – 57
Gary Allan/Pieces/MCA – 70
Mumford & Sons/I Will Wait/Glassnote – 71
Kelly Parkes/As Good As Me/Ocala Records – 76
John Karl/That’s What I Believe/Pourboy Records – 77
Jaida Dreyer/Half Broke Horses/Streamsound – 79
Stephanie Grace/Would U Be Mine/SMG – 80
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Jason Aldean/1994/Broken Bow – 31
Tim McGraw w/ Taylor Swift/Highway Don’t Care/Big Machine – 22
Randy Houser/Runnin’ Outta Moonlight/Stoney Creek Records – 18
Gary Allan/Pieces/MCA – 16
Ash Bowers/Red/Wide Open Records – 14
Greg Bates/Fill In The Blank/Republic Nashville – 14
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is-9North – 12
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Jason Aldean/1994/Broken Bow – 409
Kenny Chesney/Pirate Flag/Blue Chair-Columbia Nashville – 406
Lady Antebellum/Downtown/Capitol Nashville – 348
Tim McGraw w/ Taylor Swift/Highway Don’t Care/Big Machine – 319
Jake Owen/Anywhere With You/RCA – 246
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Jordan Anderson/Toxic/GTR – 168
Joe Bachman/Small Town Rock Stars/Joe Bachman – 163
Bobby Cyrus/Milkman’s Eyes/BGC-GMV Nashville – 158
Matt Farris/Redneck Radio/Skytone Records – 156
Craig Wayne Boyd/Learning To Dance/Big Ride – 155
Kristen Kelly recently spent time with WCOL APD/MD Dan E. Zuko at the Columbus, Ohio stop of Rascal Flatts’ 2013 “Changed” tour. Kelly lands at No. 59 with “He Loves To Make Me Cry.”
Randy Houser recently taped a St. Louis Country show at Wild Country in Missouri. Pictured with WIL’s Danny Montana, Houser’s “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” claims our No. 57 spot.
MusicRow's 'Rising Women on the Row'–Last Day For Nominations
/by Jessica NicholsonThis year’s honorees will again be feted at a sit-down breakfast and awards ceremony set for Friday, March 22 at 8:30 a.m. at Maggiano’s.
“We are very excited to present MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row breakfast again this year,” says Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. “This event gives us a great opportunity to honor professional women in our industry who are making significant contributions as they advance their careers. Nashville’s music industry has never shone brighter in the national spotlight than it does right now, and we are proud to highlight some of the women that make it all happen.”
To nominate those women who are fast becoming visionary leaders in Nashville’s music industry, use the official form here. Self-nominees and peer-nominees are welcome. Multiple nominations do not increase chances of recognition.
MusicRow invites the industry to celebrate with us at the event. Tickets are now on sale for $35 for individuals or $300 for a table of ten and can be purchased below.
The Rising Women on the Row breakfast joins other annual events hosted by MusicRow, including the CRS Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards on Feb. 26, and the reader-voted MusicRow Awards ceremony in June.
Click here for nomination form.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Charlie Cook On Air: Good News For Broadcast Radio?
/by contributorI have a Droid DNA and I am comfortable to go out of town for a day or two without a laptop because it can do so much. I have it loaded with station apps and I can hear just about any of the stations that I work with if I need to. Obviously my calendar is on the phone along with my banking, e-mail, contact and Shazam. Who in radio can live without Shazam? What is not on most smart phones though is a radio tuner. Many broadcasters think that phones do have a radio chip buried somewhere in the technology. Without question having a radio tuner on phones would be a huge boom for radio. Knowing everyone with a phone would have immediate access to local stations would be incredible.
Apparently the cajoling is coming to an end. Emmis COO Jeff Smulyan has been the driving force behind convincing Sprint to unlock the radio chip in their phones. This is being done with a little jingle jangle on the side. The radio industry has committed $15M to Sprint in advertising the new hardware. This is a little like blackmail but it will benefit the radio folks. Is radio building a monster though? If I am Ford do I go to Mr. Smulyan and say they are considering removing AM/FM radios from their automobiles unless radio ponies up some dinero? Does Verizon take all of their money out of radio and move it to TV? And considering Sprint is pretty far down the list in number of customers, how much is this going to cost to convince Verizon and AT&T to play? Forget Apple and their hardware. Why would they provide something that conflicts with iTunes? You wanna hear “Better Dig Two” by The Band Perry? That will be $1.29.
This all came during a week filled with good news for broadcast radio, though. Not only may they get on cell phones but Wall Street is starting to smile on the industry. All of the bigger chains are getting attention from Wall Street and this interest could lead to some more mergers or maybe even some sell-offs. One of the savviest media guys, Les Moonves, has continued to be bullish on radio. He has such a big media empire that you might think radio would be insignificant. Not so, according to Mr. Moonves.
Cox Radio is divesting itself of its smaller radio properties. Two buyers were excited to take these choice properties off their hands. One of things those of us in radio know is Cox has been an exemplary operator of radio stations. The new owners know they are getting first class people and facilities with this sale.
We are soon going to see the first PPM number for Nash-FM in New York. I don’t believe they have started to market the station and it is not easy to move 14,000,000 listeners in the Tri-State area but we do know Jason Aldean went into Madison Square Garden this year and sold out in minutes. The interest is pent up and Nash-FM is ultimately going to do big numbers. This week though they are staging their first concerts across three nights and that should show Madison Avenue all about the talent in the format. Another bright light on Nashville.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
The Producer’s Chair: Mickey Jack Cones
/by contributorMickey Jack Cones
RowFax Column No. 17 (February 2013)
By James Rea
Mickey Jack Cones has produced, engineered, mixed, written songs, sang or played on over 50 major artist’s albums since his arrival in Nashville in 1996. His impressive body of work includes Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Reba, Sara Evans, Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols and Kenny Rogers.
In 2012, 39-year-old Cones’ vocal engineering expertise combined with Michael Knox’s production on Aldean’s 2x Platinum album My Kind of Party, to earn numerous awards and a Grammy nomination.
It’s been said that most great vocal producers are also great singers, Cones is certainly one. His voice can be heard on albums by Joe Nichols, Trace Adkins, Reba, Gretchen Wilson, Billy Gilman, Jeff Bates, Katrina Elam, Andy Griggs, Julianne Hough, Chuck Wicks and Kristen Kelly.
He comes by it naturally, his great grandparents and grandparents were musicians, and his mother and two aunts were The Cones Sisters. By age 10, he was playing guitar and singing in their band, which was later discovered by Barry Beckett and offered a record deal with RCA Nashville.
Cones was bitten by the songwriting bug when he was about 13 and by age 15 he was the lead singer and guitarist in his first band, Hired Guns. In the mid-‘90s, he left college at the University of Texas in San Antonio to become the lead singer, guitarist and band leader for Rhythm of The Road, a well-known band on the south Texas dance hall circuit.
Mickey moved to Nashville and in 1998 graduated from Belmont’s Music Business program with an emphasis in studio production, which landed him an interning gig with Beckett. After graduation, Cones went to work as a staff engineer for David Malloy’s publishing company studio.
He recalls, “I was able to use the studio for my demos and quickly learned the difference between the vibe on my sessions compared to the vibe on David’s sessions. On the first session with David, I learned about not stifling the creative process. From ’98-’99 was a huge learning curve as an engineer, but I started meeting all the A-musicians and eventually got the opportunity to engineer several of David’s projects.”
Through friend April Taylor of Ladd Management, Cones got the opportunity to write the music for Nemesis, a pop/rock act signed to Curb. About ’99 Mickey signed a production deal with Curb to produce Nemesis, which landed him his first pub deal with EMI.
A big turning point in his career as a producer came when Desmond Child, who loved Cones’ ’98 production on Nemesis, hired Mickey to engineer Motley Crue and Linkin Park. Famed rock producer Marti Frederiksen, who today is partners with David Malloy and Mickey at Westwood Studios, asked Mickey to engineer Buck Cherry and Aerosmith.
Around 2000, Malloy asked Mickey to work with him and Kenny Beard on a Jeff Bates’ session for RCA. The Jeff Bates project propelled Mickey as a vocal producer. Malloy and Cones worked on a multitude of projects together, but eventually Cones decided engineering was not hands-on enough, so he set his sights on producing.
Although his producing career was just taking off, every musician’s dream is to hear what they sound like in a concert arena and Mickey was no exception. He had been writing with Julie Roberts while they were both signed at EMI. So, when she landed her record deal and asked Mickey to go on the road as her band leader (background vocals and guitar), he jumped at the chance. It turned into a two-year run including performing on the Rascal Flatts’ Here’s To You Tour, and appearing on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show.
When Mickey came off the road in 2004, Beard immediately hired Mickey to engineer and sing background vocals on Trace Adkins’ next album, Dangerous Man. Blake Chancey also asked Mickey to work on Kellie Pickler’s Small Town Girl album. Since then, Mickey has worked on the majority of Trace’s albums.
But the rock gods were not the only gods watching Mickey Jack Cones. Tony Brown hired Mickey to sing background vocals on Katrina Elam’s project. Tony continued to call Mickey for vocals and engineering for Reba, Heidi Newfield and other projects including Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee album.
Through his association with Adkins, Mickey met Michael Knox who also produced some sides on Trace’s Cowboy’s Back In Town album. They wound up working together on Chuck Wicks and Montgomery Gentry, which led to their huge Jason Aldean / Kelly Clarkson duet “Don’t You Want To Stay” and the Ludacris / Aldean duet, after which Ludacris tapped Mickey for his new project Burning Bridges.
Cones’ current or recent production work includes Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, James Wesley, and a multi-artist Merle Haggard tribute album.
Do you try to push the boundaries of country music sound-wise?
Mickey Jack Cones: Loving the feeling of a “kick” at a live show and the impact of the sound as it hits you, is the way I mix. Coming from that Mutt Lang-world to Hank Williams, I always try to merge the sonics of both worlds. But I try to throw things in discretely, rather than break new ground. I think that’s why I haven’t been forced to leave town yet. That doesn’t mean I haven’t saved a few tricks up my sleeve.
When a producer hires an engineer, do they discuss what the producer envisions prior to going into the studio?
No … usually if the producer calls you to engineer, he’s calling you because you have created some sort of sound or expectation that he knows he’s going to get. If you’re being called to co-produce, it depends on the other producer. With Tony Brown, absolutely, the answer is yes. From phone call one, we discussed everything.
People sometimes describe today’s country music as being more like ‘80s rock. Does your background, with artists like Motley Crue and Steven Tyler, enhance your chances of remaining relevant in Nashville?
Absolutely, and I say that because I’ve now been in town for about 17 years. That cycle that people talk about and that ‘80s sound that I grew up with has definitely influenced the evolution of country music. To me there’s a marriage sonically in a sound between getting too technologically processed and that ‘80s sound, which has more of an analog-type warmth and punch to it, but with that straight-ahead “live” feeling. It gives an edge to me and anyone else raised in that era.
Has the decline of rock caused an influx of musicians to Nashville?
I’d say so. Nashville is booming and they need a new outlet. They’re coming here because country is not just known for its twang anymore. It’s actually helping both genres.
Which producer taught you the most about dealing with artists and musicians?
I’ve learned something from every single producer but without a doubt 100 percent, David Malloy.
What is the producer’s biggest challenge?
The songs… The song makes or breaks the artist. The label’s role and how they’re changing has created more gray areas, as far as who makes decisions on the creative side. The hardest part to me is narrowing that down. Listening to songs is a large chunk of the work. You track in a couple of days, but it takes months to get to that point.
Do you find more songs through pluggers or writers?
The writers… It may be because they are so focused on trying to find the best songs for that artist, that they’ve written, so their brain is only on that catalog. Whereas the pluggers are having to stay on top of the publishing company’s entire catalog. I’m not saying the pluggers aren’t focused on finding the best songs. The best thing I can do is to be as informative as I can with the pluggers and the writers about what I’m looking for.
Is it obvious that a song is going to be a hit when you are recording it in the studio?
If it’s not too quirky and everybody knows it’s a hit, there’s a feeling in the room when everybody looks up … and they’re ready to make it happen.
Do the budgets that you’re given these days restrict the creativity of a project?
Income is down so budgets have had to come down. There are certain aspects of the business where budgets have not been adjusted, but the first people to adjust are those of us guiding the ship. The per-song rate has been reduced. If I want to work and stay busy, instead of lowering the budget, I’ll take on more responsibilities.
Have you ever given a hit song to one artist and another artist complained?
That wouldn’t happen if there was a bigger gap between projects, but it happens all the time when you’re recording a lot of projects at the same time. But because I’m a vocal guy, I can explain why to the artists, maybe it doesn’t showcase their strengths, due to a long note, the range, too much diction or being too wordy. There’s usually a case or I wouldn’t have done it, but it’s honest.
Is traditional country music ever going to be lost?
Absolutely not. You can stray sonically from artist to artist and you can have different dialects and not have the same twang because you’re from a different region, but the true element of country music and what it stands for and the story portion of it and the real life element is to me, what makes country, country.
Even in the most rocking sounds and projects, traditional country is always going to circle back around. There’s a demand right now for more traditional sounding music, in my opinion and it needs to be satisfied. Like with any product, when there’s a demand, it’s going to be met, then it might be overly-met and it’ll dip down and people will stray from it, but traditional country is always going to be there.
Can the industry ensure that country stays country?
Now we’re going to get deep here. What you’re referring to has been in place since long before I was born. It’s got to be country. We’re not going to sign anybody who does not know who Hank Williams and Merle are. Nobody is going to let that happen.
Producer Credits
Engineer Credits: (Recording and/or Mixing)
Back Ground Vocal Credits:
Musician Credits: (Guitar/Synth, Bass and/or Percussion)
For more, visit www.theproducerschair.com.
Industry Ink (2-22-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonNew member Sarahbeth Taite stopped by the ASCAP offices in Nashville to join the performing rights organization as a songwriter. Taite recently signed to a publishing and artist development arrangement with Green Hills Music Group. “Though she is still in her teens, Sarahbeth is so talented as an artist, gifted as a writer, and has the drive and natural skills of a seasoned performer,” said Green Hills Music Group President Woody Bomar.
Pictured (L-R): Green Hills Music Group’s Woody Bomar, ASCAP’s Kele Currier, Sarahbeth Taite and ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan
Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Clay Bradley, Tiffany Houghton, Alex Masters, Emily Mueller, Viktor Krauss, and BMI’s Leslie Roberts. Photo: Drew Maynard
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The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley To Headline ACM Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonScheduled to appear on April 5 is headliner The Band Perry, along with performers Greg Bates, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Cassadee Pope and Florida Georgia Line. Scheduled for April 6 is headliner Bentley, along with performers Lee Brice, Kix Brooks, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Lynch, Eli Young Band and Love and Theft.
Friday’s line-up will be sponsored by Outnumber Hunger, an initiative from General Mills, Big Machine Label Group and Feeding America. In its second year, Outnumber Hunger is a program that helps fight hunger in local communities by helping Feeding America secure meals for its network of local food banks. Concert attendees will have the opportunity to help secure meals for Feed America through special on-site activities. Saturday will be hosted by Kix Brooks and will include a presentation of charitable donations to the military-inspired non-profit organizations Wounded Warrior Project®, Folds of Honor and Nellis Air Force Base Youth Education Programs.
The full schedule for THE ACM EXPERIENCE and tickets for Party for a Cause, as well as room and ticket packages, are available HERE through The Orleans Hotel and Casino or by calling 800-675-3267.