DISClaimer Single Reviews (11/14/12)

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King's Bullet, Lee Brice

As we get deeper into the fall, the sounds of country music grow warmer.

On the holiday drives to friends and relations that lie ahead, I’m going to welcome hearing Kix Brooks and Lee Brice coming over those car speakers. I’m taking along some left-field CDs, too, like the new one by Lindi Ortega and the duets of Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale.

You’ll find all four of them discussed in this week’s column. Lee Brice has my heart as the Disc of the Day.

There was a little surprise tucked into today’s listening session. Singer-songwriters Trey Bruce and Loni Rose have become King’s Bullet, and in so doing win this week’s DisCovery Award.

LINDI ORTEGA/The Day You Die
Writer: none listed; Producer: Colin Linden; Publisher: none listed; Last Gang (track) (www.lindiortega.com)
—I’m still crazy about this gal. This super hooky, neo-rockabilly, speedy romp has mordant wit as well as echoey twang and thump. It’s produced with verve by her fellow Canadian in Nashville, Colin Linden.

DAVID KROLL/Little Soldiers
Writer: David Kroll/Arlos Smith; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Tenacity (www.davidkrollmusic.com)
—This being the week of Veteran’s Day, this ballad is certainly timely. It concerns the families left behind when soldiers go off to war, and it is very well written. In addition, Kroll sings it with real feeling. Proceeds from downloads of the single this week go to the Code of Support Foundation.

LIZZIE SIDER/Butterfly
Writer: Lizzie Sider/Jamie O’Neal/Jimmy Murphy/Lisa Drew; Producer: Jamie O’Neal; Publisher: none listed; Blue Steel (www.lizziesider.com)
—Wildly upbeat and catchy as all get out. The pulsing production rings with repeated guitar riffs and notes of steel. She sings with confidence and volume, riding atop the sonic excitement like a pro.

CARRIE ZARUBA/Woman on a Mission
Writer: Carrie Zaruba/Kent Wells; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; CZ
—Her vocal is almost swamped by the busy-sounding instrumental track. But there’s real talent here, in songwriting as well as singing.

BUDDY MILLER & JIM LAUDERDALE/I Lost My Job of Loving You
Writer: Lauderdale/B. Miller; Producer: Buddy Miller; Publisher: Ginger Dragon/Songs of Bug/West Bay/Julie’s Freaking Out, SESAC/ASCAP; New West (track) (www.buddymiller.com / www.jimlauderdale.com)
—Talk about a dream team. Individually, these two men are among the best country singers and songwriters in this whole city. Their Buddy & Jim collection together is a banquet of audio delights. This opening-track twang fest is drawling and haunting, with plenty of alt-country production touches. Most of the CD is original material by them. But they do take side trips to Johnnie & Jack (”South in New Orleans”), Joe Tex (”I Want to Do Everything for You”), Jimmy McCracklin (”The Wobble”) and to a pair of traditional tunes.

CLAY WALKER/Jesse James
Writer: Kyle Jacobs/Joe Leathers/Ben Glover; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Curb/JacobsongFortune Favors the Bold/Mike Curb/Ghermkyle/WB/Screaming Norman, ASCAP/BMI; Curb (track)
—He dreams of being a free-and-easy, wild outlaw in the Wild West. It’s a battle between the dark and the light, the good and the wicked, sung high up in his range while chanting men, screaming electric guitars and a plunking banjo surround him. Too noisy for these ears.

KING’S BULLET/Watermelon Sun
Writer: none listed; Producer: Trey Bruce; Publisher: none listed; KB (track) (www.kingsbullet.com)
—Hit Nashville songwriter Trey Bruce spent part of his summer months collaborating on songs with Loni Rose. While working in the studio, they “accidentally” created an album, a new sound and an identity as King’s Bullet. Her sweet soprano takes the lead, while he provides a dusky harmony part. This opening track wafts across like a dry prairie breeze in late afternoon. Refreshingly different.

LEE BRICE/I Drive Your Truck
Writer: Jessi Alexander/Connie Harrington/Jimmy Yeary; Producer: Kyle Jacobs, Matt McClure & Lee Brice; Publisher: none listed; Curb (track)
—This man is turning into a star with every successive disc. He smacked homeruns right out of the ballpark with “A Woman Like You” and “Hard to Love.” The third single from Brice’s CD is immensely evocative, as a son recalls his deceased dad by driving his truck and listening to their favorite country station. If this doesn’t punch you in your heart, you haven’t got one. Another homer.

KIX BROOKS/Moonshine Road
Writer: Kix Brooks/Leslie Satcher; Producer: Kix Brooks; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Buffalo Prairie/Leslie Satcher, BMI; Arista (track)
—The drawling country boy promises the fancy lady a wild and wooly time in this moody, minor-key “outlaw” slab of sound. Very, very cool, with a “heartbeat” rhythm track that is irresistible and a production that gets right under your skin.

J.D. SHELBURNE/Grandma & Garth
Writer: J.D. Selburne/Bob Stewart; Producer: Greg Cole; Publisher: J.D. Shelburne/Giraffekey, BMI; Star BLase (CDX) (www.jdshelburne.com)
—He cleans out his late Granny’s house and finds a guitar. It leads him to a life as a country singer. Along the way, the lyric quotes the Garth song titles she loved. As a song, it’s certainly unique.

Keith Urban Announces 2013 Tour

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Keith Urban announced the first leg of his 2013 North American tour today (11/14) in an online video short with tour mates Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch. The video shows the artists on a road trip together.

The first leg opens July 18 in Cincinnati, OH and has about 25 dates scheduled through Oct. 5 in West Palm Beach, FL. No Nashville date has been announced but the current itinerary includes nearby stops in Atlanta on July 27 and Birmingham on Aug. 22.

Details at Keithurban.net/tour

YouTube video

Thompson Square Pens First Novel

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CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Thompson Square will publish their first novel titled Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not? with Howard Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not? is based on Keifer and Shawna Thompson’s chart-topping love song of the same title and features characters David Winters and Zoe Spark and their journey to love. Travis Thrasher will co-author.

David and Zoe are friends from high school and musical partners who date sporadically throughout college. Though they go their separate ways, two of their songs eventually become hits. The pair reconvene at a low point in their lives and realize what they had been missing all along.

The book is slated for release June 4, 2013.

Thompson Square will also join award-winning Country star Luke Bryan on his first headlining tour, the 2013 Dirt Road Diaries Tour, beginning January 17 in Evansville, IN. Thompson Square’s latest release, “If I Didn’t Have You,” is the duo’s fastest rising single to-date and the first from the duo’s sophomore album due in early 2013.

Patsy Cline’s Live Performances Featured in New Collection

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Fourteen recordings of Patsy Cline’s live performances have been collected for Patsy Cline On Air: Her Greatest TV Performances, which was released today (11/13) by Universal Music Enterprises. The collection is available both digitally and on CD.

For the first time, the album brings together some of Cline’s greatest on-camera appearances, including a 1963 performance of “Walking After Midnight” on Country Style U.S.A., her Pet Milk Grand Ole Opry debut in 1962 singing “Crazy,” and two performances of “San Antonio Rose” and “I Fall To Pieces” on The Glenn Reeves Show just five days before she passed in a plane crash.

Additional performances throughout the years at the Opry include “She’s Got You,” “Strange,” “Imagine That,” “A Church, A Courtroom, Then Goodbye,” “You’re Stronger Than Me,” “So Wrong,” “When I Get Through With You (You’ll Love Me Too),” “Why Can’t He Be You,” “Blue Moon Of Kentucky,” and “Leavin’ On Your Mind.”

Big Machine to Release ‘Nashville’ Soundtrack in December

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Don’t finalize those Christmas wish lists just yet, because Big Machine Records is releasing the soundtrack to ABC-TV’s Nashville on December 11. The collection features new music performed by the cast including Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Clare Bowen, and Sam Palladio. A full track listing for the album is below.

Producers T Bone Burnett, Dann Huff, and Michael Knox have collaborated to assemble the music featured in the show and soundtrack. Download sales of songs from the series have already exceeded 500,000 and the first official single, Panettiere’s “Telescope,” is quickly climbing the charts.

Nashville airs Wednesdays 9-10 pm/CT on ABC. See full episodes here.

Track listing:
1. Buried Under
Performed by Connie Britton / Written by Chris Destefano, Natalie Hemby

2. If I Didn’t Know Better
Performed by Sam Palladio, Clare Bowen / Written by Arum Rae, John Paul White

3. Undermine
Performed by Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten / Written by Trent Dabbs, Kacey Musgraves

4. Sideshow
Performed by Charles Esten / Written by Aaron Scherz, Brad Tursi

5. Wrong Song
Performed by Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere / Written by Marv Green, Sonya Isaacs, Jimmy Yeary

6. No One Will Ever Love You
Performed by Connie Britton, Charles Esten / Written by Steve McEwan, John Paul White

7. Twist Of Barbwire
Performed by Jonathan Jackson / Written by Elvis Costello

8. Love Like Mine
Performed by Hayden Panettiere / Written by Kelly Archer, Emily Shackleton, Justin Weaver

9. Telescope
Performed by Lennon Stella, Maisy Stella / Written by Cary Barlowe, Hillary Lindsay

10. When The Right One Comes Along
Performed by Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio / Written by Georgia Middleman, Justin Davis, Sarah Zimmermann

11. Telescope (Radio Mix)
Performed by Hayden Panettiere / Written by Cary Barlowe, Hillary Lindsay

New Power Duets

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Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera on the set of The Voice.

• Blake Shelton joined fellow The Voice coach Christina Aguilera on her new song “Just A Fool.” The track is from her album Lotus, set for release today (11/13). See the video below for Shelton’s take on matching Aguilera’s high notes.

Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill perform "Don't Rush" on the CMA Awards.

• Kelly Clarkson tapped Vince Gill for her latest single “Don’t Rush,” which is being worked at country radio by Columbia Nashville. It is from her Greatest Hits – Chapter One, due out Nov. 19. The track was produced by Dann Huff and written by Blu Sanders, Natalie Hemby and Lindsay Dawn Chapman. The hits album also features “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean.

 

YouTube video

‘Hee Haw’ Co-Creator Frank Peppiatt Dies

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John Aylesworth (L) and Frank Peppiatt (R).

Frank Peppiatt, who brought country culture to the forefront of the national media as co-creator of Hee Haw, died on Wednesday (11/7) in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He was 85 and had been battling cancer.

Peppiatt and John Aylesworth helped launch the show in 1969. After CBS cancelled it two years later, it went on to become one of the longest-running syndicated series of all time, lasting more than two decades.

Peppiatt and Aylesworth loosely based the show on the then-popular sketch comedy series Laugh-In. The idea for the country twist came after appearances by country stars including Jimmy Dean, Dale Evans and Minnie Pearl led to a ratings spike on The Jonathan Winters Show, which Peppiatt and Aylesworth previously produced.

Hee Haw was produced by Sam Lovullo. Buck Owens and Roy Clark co-hosted, and regulars included Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones, Stringbean, and George Lindsey. George Richie, and later Charlie McCoy, led the house band which backed the numerous country stars who performed on the show.

Peppiatt also produced television variety shows, including series and specials for Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews. His book, When Variety Was King: Memoir of a TV Pioneer Featuring Jackie Gleason, Sonny and Cher, Hee Haw and More will be published in April 2013. Aylesworth passed in 2010.

Artist Updates (11/13/12)

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Ty England and wife Justina

Congratulations go out to Love and Theft member Eric Gunderson, who recently announced that he and wife Emily are expecting their first child in May 2013. The couple has been married since April 2010.

MusicRow also sends congrats to singer Ty England (“Should’ve Asked Her Faster”), who recently tied the knot with Justina Cardoza in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The couple currently lives in Oklahoma City and England continues to perform shows nationwide. He plans to begin recording a new album in 2013.

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EMI Nashville’s Kelleigh Bannen has been named CMT’s “Listen Up” Artist of the Month for November. Fans can now visit www.listenup.cmt.com to see exclusive videos of Bannen at the Capitol Street Party in downtown Nashville last month. Songs include “Sorry on the Rocks,” “Rose Colored Glasses,” “I Wore Green,” and more.

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Jo Dee Messina pulled double duty over the weekend in San Antonio, running 13.1 miles in the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & 1/2 Marathon to benefit Susan G. Komen and then headlining the finish line concert after the race. Messina finished the race in 2:36:50, and performed the show still wearing her compression socks and running shoes. Over the event’s 5-year history in San Antonio, runners have raised nearly $6 million for charity.

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Deborah Allen has joined with Altimarc network and the Franklin Theatre to launch Digital Entertainment Broadcast-TV (deb-tv). Production will begin Nov. 19 for “The Deborah Allen Show… Live at the Franklin Theatre,” a variety show featuring interviews, videos, and performances. Initial guests include Steve Cropper, Pam Tillis, Steel Magnolia, and more.

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In touring news, Dwight Yoakam has started a string of Australian dates to support his critically acclaimed new album 3 Pears, which was Yoakam’s highest charting debut on the Billboard 200 upon its release. Yoakam will be back in the United States November 26 for several shows through the end of 2012. See tour dates here.

Rounder Records VP Promotion to Exit

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Rounder Records’ VP Promotion Brad Paul is leaving the independent label that specializes in all forms of Roots music after 29 years of service. His tenure includes radio host, producer, concert promoter and video director. As a producer, Paul’s credits include the Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert Special and Alison Krauss’ 100 Miles Or More GAC special. His radio production credits include The Club 47 50th Anniversary radio special, Paul Simon’s So Beautiful or So What – A Guided Tour radio special, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand radio special.

Rounder Records is home to such notable acts as Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffith and Gregg Allman among many others.

After Fri. Nov. 16, Paul can be reached at bradpaul56@gmail.com.

Country Thunder Arizona Announces Lineup

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Country Thunder Arizona has announced the initial lineup for its April 11-14 music festival will include headliners Lady Antebellum, Toby Keith, and Eric Church, and many more. The 2013 lineup (full schedule below) will entertain guests throughout the four day festival in Florence, Arizona in addition to on-site thrill rides and a brand new Bluegrass tent. Four day passes are currently available at the early bird registration rate of $99, which ends tonight (11/13) at 11:59 pm CT.

For more information, visit www.countrythunder.com.

Thursday:
4:00-5:00pm – Chris Janson
5:30-6:30pm – Sweetwater Rain
7:00-8:30pm – Kip Moore
9:00-10:30pm – Brantley Gilbert

Friday:
1:00-2:00pm – TBA
2:30-3:30pm – TBA
4:00-5:00pm – Jana Kramer
5:30-6:30pm – Love & Theft
7:00-8:30pm – Tracy Lawrence
9:00-10:30pm –  Eric Church

Saturday:
1:00-2:00pm – TBA
2:30-3:30pm – Morgan Frazier
4:00-5:00pm – Parmalee
5:30-6:30pm – Diamond Rio
7:00-8:30pm – Lee Brice
9:00-10:30pm – Toby Keith

Sunday:
1:00-2:00pm – TBA
2:30-3:30pm – Edens Edge
4:00-5:00pm – TBA
5:30-6:30pm – Jerrod Niemann
7:00-8:30pm – Justin Moore
9:00-10:30pm – Lady Antebellum