MusicRow is excited to share a three part essay series by renowned songwriter Marcus Hummon. Among his best known hits are Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road,” Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly,” Tim McGraw’s “One of These Days,” and Dixie Chicks’ “Ready to Run” and “Cowboy Take Me Away.” Hummon and co-writers Bobby Boyd and Jeff Hanna won a 2005 Grammy for Best Country Song for “Bless The Broken Road.”
by Marcus Hummon
A letter to a young songwriter Marcus Hummon:
The first cut I ever had in Nashville was Michael Martin Murphy’s “Pilgrims On The Way” in 1988. It was a rolling travelogue of the places and faces I had seen as I made my way to the Mecca of songwriting, Nashville Tennessee. The lines in the chorus read:
You don’t know me/ But I know you/
We are pilgrims/ Pilgrims on the way
Fast forward 24 years and I find myself standing in front of a couple hundred or so students from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, asked to speak about the profession of songwriting. As I look into the eyes of these hopeful souls, I tell them that songwriting is not really a vocation in the contemporary sense, that it is more like a ‘calling’. It is a prism through which we refract Truth and Beauty. I am thinking this may sound a bit pretentious coming from a songwriter who has written such luminary lyrics as…
I’m ready, ready, ready, ready to run
Still, it is exactly how I have come to feel about this life I’ve chosen. I came to Nashville as any poor pilgrim might journey to a sacred site, with little to my name, committed to seeing and visiting the holy sites, venerating the saints, facing the brokenness of my nature and hoping to achieve a kind of ‘enlightenment’ through the writing of songs; or as I sometimes refer to them, living poetry.
There are many holy sites for the songwriter. In truth they exist throughout the world, but having come to Nashville in 1986, my options narrowed a bit. First and foremost there was the Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of country music, and home to the Grand Ole Opry. Then to the west was Graceland, home of Elvis Presley, which would have to be seen and while I was at it, cruise the blues bars of Beale Street, stop off at Al Green’s church for a little gospel. Back in Nashville there were famous dives lining lower Broadway, places like Tootsies, where country stars had honed their songwriting and drinking skills for years. One of my favorite little dives was Mack’s Country Kitchen, where Willie Nelson, down on his luck, was said to have stripped naked, walked outside, and begged a truck to run him over. Perhaps these stories were apocryphal, but they were inspiring to the pilgrim.
In concrete terms, the first steps in the ‘stations of the cross’ would take me to the Sunday afternoon auditions at The Bluebird Café, for a slot on the Monday Open Mic Night Show. Anyone with any hope at being the next Nashville singer-songwriter-poet had to stand before the measured gaze of the Bluebird’s owner, founder, and High Priestess…Amy Kurland. The line of applicants was around the corner so I took my place, and when I had my chance I played my song for Amy with youthful exuberance. Amy was gracious enough to give me the thumbs up.
Monday night came and the chosen 12 were given their baptism by fire in front of 100 congregants packed into the little room (the room seats 75 comfortably, and so it was jammed, as it is most nights). Each novice was allowed two songs to play in front of a crowd that always seemed to have a few music biz notables lurking in the shadows. It was about this time that I learned that the open mic performance was not the only part of the evening’s liturgy. Every Monday Open Mic Night also featured the appearance of a ‘Guest Writer’…usually a successful published and/or recorded singer-songwriter. I asked the attractive young hostess at the door the name of the guest writer, and she said, ‘Kevin Welch’ with breathless anticipation. Never heard of him.
I remember thinking that I had done exceptionally well with my two songs. In fact, I was quite certain that I had been the best songwriter that evening, and flushed with self-congratulations I sat back to take a long sip on a well deserved beer, as the guest writer stepped forward. Kevin Welch was this skinny, languid, long-haired Oklahoma boy, with a wry smile and piercing blue eyes. He looked like a portrait of Jesus you might find in some Methodist fellowship hall. As he began to strum his guitar and sing, he seemed both entirely present in that little bar, but also far away. It was as if he were looking across a field, like in ‘Christina’s World,’ Andrew Wyeth’s famous portrait of American yearning. And his lyric began:
O life is like
/ A candle bright
/ Death must be the wind/
You can close your window tight/ But it still comes blowing in
I put the beer down and felt a tightness in my chest, my mouth was suddenly very dry. The room that had seemed to pulse with restless energy now seemed as still as a tomb. He continued:
Let me watch my children grow/
To see what they become/
O Lord don’t let the cold wind blow/ ‘Til I’m too old to die young
As he sang my mind left the tomb and was transported to a field far off, the same field that Christina and Kevin were staring across. I could see a house on the hill, and the lights on the porch coming on as night approached. I could see, standing on that porch, my beloved…my wife yet to find, my children yet to be born, and my heart was filled with a great yearning. I yearned for a life full of meaning, full of living poetry.
I left the Bluebird Café that night, scared and excited. Listening to Kevin Welch perform “Too Old To Die Young,” I realized how far I had to go on my journey. At the same time I said a prayer of thanks for having chosen the path of the pilgrim on the way.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Bring “Soul2Soul” to The Venetian
/by Eric T. ParkerTim McGraw and Faith Hill perform at the Rod Laver Arena on March 20, 2012, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo: Martin Philbey)
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill announced today (8/7) at an exclusive press conference they will bring their Soul2Soul to The Venetian this winter.
Being billed as “the biggest musical event in the history of The Venetian,” the limited engagement opens on Dec. 7 and covers 10 weekends through April 2013. A ticket pre-sale will begin tomorrow and tickets for the general public will go on sale Monday, Aug. 13.
Soul2Soul at The Venetian will mark the first time in six years that McGraw and Hill have performed together in the United States. Soul2Soul will feature an all-new production with innovative lighting and set design technologies that were synonymous with the Soul2Soul concerts. The Venetian Theater will also be modified to accommodate this new production.
“We are creating a show that will be completely different from what we’ve done before – and might ever do again,” said Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. “In arenas and stadiums, you’re always faced with the challenge of finding ways to make people feel closer to the action, no matter where they might be sitting. Now everyone will be close, so it opens up all kinds of creative possibilities and we’re looking forward to exploring those so that we can really give our fans something truly special.”
“It’s not every day that Las Vegas welcomes such stellar star power to the Strip,” said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo & Sands Expo. “Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are country music’s first couple and we are proud to have such extraordinary talent. When they hit our stage in December it will surely be the hottest ticket in town.” Caparella’s connection to Nashville include his prior stint as Chief Operating Officer of Gaylord Entertainment Company until he left the company in 2009.
Notable duets between the two include “Let’s Make Love,” “It’s Your Love,” and “I Need You.” Collectively, they’ve sold 70 million albums, won eight Grammy Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, 14 American Music Awards, seven People’s Choice Awards and 26 Academy of Country Music Awards.
The couple’s first Soul2Soul Tour in 2000 visited 65 North American cities, grossed nearly $50 million and was witnessed by close to 950,000 people. Joining forces again in 2006 for the Soul2Soul II Tour, the superstar couple played 74 shows in 56 cities, selling 1.1 million tickets. The tour was rebranded the following year as Soul2Soul 2007 when the couple hosted opening acts including Taylor Swift, and grossed some additional $52 million. Combined, the 2006-07 tours grossed $141 million and supported almost 150 crew, 22 trucks, and 14 busses.
McGraw and Hill took to Australia this past March for a 6-show run before McGraw headed out on a summer headlining tour with Kenny Chesney, which has surpassed sales of 1-million tickets. Hill performed during CMA Fest in Nashville, which will be aired as part of ABC’s CMAMusic Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, September 17.
This residency joins Shania Twain’s upcoming stay at the Caesars Palace Coliseum and Garth Brooks’ current residency at the Wynn’s Encore Theatre.
Members of The Venetian’s loyalty program, Grazie, as well as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s official fan communities and Clear Channel subscribers will be able to purchase advance tickets through the pre-sale starting tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. Performances are scheduled for 8 and 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 8; 14, 15; Jan. 18, 19, 25, 26, 2013; Feb. 1, 2, 15, 16, 22, 23, March 1,2; April 12, 13, 26 and 27.
Ticket prices are $95.50, $175.50 and $255.50 and $295.50 inclusive of tax. A limited number of VIP Packages – including preferred seating in the first two rows, a complimentary pre-fixe dinner at a select resort restaurant, two complimentary drinks at the show, a merchandise credit and more – will be available for $1,000, inclusive of tax. Performance dates and times are subject to change. Tickets are available for purchase at any Venetian | Palazzo Box Office, online at venetian.com or by phone at 702-414-9000.
For more information on Grazie and to become a member, please call Grazie Services at 702-414-1500 or click here.
Click here to watch the full press conference.
Music Video Roundup: Rascal Flatts, Bucky Covington and More
/by MichelleRascal Flatts featured their new music video for “Come Wake Me Up,” with a behind-the-scenes special that launched August 6 at CMT.com. The full video will make its world premiere Friday, August 10 on CMT at 6 a.m. ET, and run at the top of every hour during music hours.
Filmed in Nashville, the video includes a cameo by Joe Don Rooney’s wife, Tiffany Fallon. Two-time female street freestyle world champion Dena Sodano steps in Fallon’s role as the motorcycle stunt driver. “Come Wake Me Up” was directed by Shaun Silva.
To preview the making of the video, click here.
Photo: Justin Nolan Key/Big Machine Records
• • • •
Bucky Covington and Shooter Jennings have teamed up with Maxim.com for the world-premiere of their music video, “Drinking Side Of Country.” The neo-outlaw action clip, which depicts Covington and Jennings stirring up trouble in a tiny town, can now be viewed here.
Directed by Blake Judd, the raucous music video was shot in Greensburg, KY in the midst of a record-setting heat wave in the region. Friends Kellie Pickler, X Games medalist Kenny Bartram and TNA Impact Knockout wrestler Mickie James make cameo appearances as they help Covington and Jennings evade the law and celebrate over a cold beer. “Drinking Side Of Country,” written by Covington and twin brother Rocky along with Ducky Medlock, can be found on Covington’s forthcoming sophomore album Good Guys, set to release September 11.
Bucky Covington and Shooter Jennings
• • • •
• • • •
The first in a series of fan generated music videos for Mary Chapin Carpenter’s new song, “Soul Companion,” premiered August 1 on YouTube. Featuring a duet with James Taylor, “Soul Companion” is the first single from Carpenter’s Zoë/Rounder Records album, Ashes and Roses. The video features images that were sent in by fans. The remaining videos will premiere throughout the next few weeks. Click here to view the video. In celebration of the album, Carpenter is currently in the midst of a North American headlining tour, including dates at Wolf Trap and Ravinia as well as an appearance at Lincoln Center’s 2012 White Light Festival.
• • • •
Corey Wagar
Corey Wagar recently released the official music video for “Take Ya Back.” The video brings viewers a glimpse into Wagar’s life at a young age. Filmed in the heart of Music City, Corey relives the moments she cherished most growing up, listening to her father’s old records and her own personal favorite country classics. Penned by Wagar and songwriters Beau Fuller and Cece DuBois, “Take Ya Back” has been receiving rave reviews since its radio release in June. It immediately charted at No. 71 on the MusicRow Country Breakout chart. To view the video, click here.
• • • •
Southern California country crooner Nick 13 has premiered a serene new music video for “Carry My Body Down” from his debut self-titled album. To view the video, click here.
• • • •
Up and coming country rockers, Whiskey Myers, recently released the music video for the song, “Anna Marie.” Directed by Matt Bizer of Robot Fondue, the 1940’s-esque video follows the tale of five moonshine-drinking outlaws on the hunt for money and trouble. Little do they know, they’ll meet their match with the equally dangerous Anna Marie, played by Natalie Wilemon. To view the video, click here.
The Marshall Tucker Band’s Stuart Swanlund Passes
/by Eric T. ParkerPhoto: Barry Sigman
Marshall Tucker Band family is mourning the loss of longtime band member and guitarist Stuart Swanlund who passed away in his sleep at his Chicago home last Saturday (8/4). Swanlund was 54.
Swanlund was the longest standing member of the band since 1985 when he started playing slide guitar for the group.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Stuart’s family and those who knew him,” said founding member Doug Gray. “We have lost a great friend.”
Puerto Rican born, Swanlund was raised in Spartanburg, SC, where he was influenced by Gray, who rehearsed in his neighborhood.
When not touring with The Marshall Tucker Band, Swanlund performed in Chicago with local band, the Tone Generators.
Swanlund is survived by his son, William “Billy” Swanlund, his lifelong partner Stacey Schmaren, three grandchildren and sister, Suzanne Spencer.
Funeral services for Swanlund will be held this Saturday, August 11 at 11:00 am at the Good Shepherd Memorial Park in Boiling Springs, SC.
Gibson to Pay $350,000 Fine in Illegal Wood Case
/by Eric T. ParkerThe agreement defers prosecution under the Lacey Act by requiring Gibson to pay a penalty amount of $300,000 in addition to a community service payment of $50,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which promotes efforts surrounding protected tree species used in the musical instrument industry.
Gibson will implement a compliance program regarding controls and procedures in addition to withdrawing claim to the wood seized for the investigation, total invoice value of $261,844.
“As a result of this investigation and criminal enforcement agreement, Gibson has acknowledged that it failed to act on information that the Madagascar ebony it was purchasing may have violated laws intended to limit overharvesting and conserve valuable wood species from Madagascar, a country which has been severely impacted by deforestation,” said Assistant Attorney General Moreno.
“We felt compelled to settle as the costs of proving our case at trial would have cost millions of dollars and taken a very long time to resolve,” said Gibson CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz. “This allows us to get back to the business of making guitars.”
Juszkiewicz spoke of the prosecution in his July 19 Wall Street Journal piece, which he says cost his company $2-3 million in products and productivity. He called the Government’s actions an “overreach” and a “job killer.”
This case was investigated in part by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Haley Joins InstiGator Entertainment
/by MichelleDavid Haley
David Haley has joined InstiGator Entertainment as a partner in the newly launched consulting division. In this position, Haley will provide consulting services to clients as well as oversee the secondary radio promotion provided with this service.
Gator Michaels, President of the company, commented, “David is iconic in the music business, his resume and reputation are unparalleled. We are honored to have David join the InstiGator family.”
“I’m excited to join this team of young, aggressive promotion professionals and the stellar roster of artists they are presenting to radio,” said Haley. “I look forward to bringing my experience and relationships to this winning team.”
This partnership reunites Haley and Michaels, as well as InstiGator team members Glenn Noblit and Brooks Quigley who all worked together at Warner Music Group where Haley was Senior Vice President of Promotion. His long career includes that same position at MCA Nashville and Equity Music Group.
Haley can be reached at 615-973-0132 and david@musicinstigator.com
The initial client for the consulting division is Taytown Records’ debut record from recording artist Steve Luscombe.
Marcus Hummon’s Pilgrimage—Part 1
/by contributorA letter to a young songwriter Marcus Hummon:
The first cut I ever had in Nashville was Michael Martin Murphy’s “Pilgrims On The Way” in 1988. It was a rolling travelogue of the places and faces I had seen as I made my way to the Mecca of songwriting, Nashville Tennessee. The lines in the chorus read:
You don’t know me/ But I know you/ We are pilgrims/ Pilgrims on the way
Fast forward 24 years and I find myself standing in front of a couple hundred or so students from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, asked to speak about the profession of songwriting. As I look into the eyes of these hopeful souls, I tell them that songwriting is not really a vocation in the contemporary sense, that it is more like a ‘calling’. It is a prism through which we refract Truth and Beauty. I am thinking this may sound a bit pretentious coming from a songwriter who has written such luminary lyrics as…
I’m ready, ready, ready, ready to run
Still, it is exactly how I have come to feel about this life I’ve chosen. I came to Nashville as any poor pilgrim might journey to a sacred site, with little to my name, committed to seeing and visiting the holy sites, venerating the saints, facing the brokenness of my nature and hoping to achieve a kind of ‘enlightenment’ through the writing of songs; or as I sometimes refer to them, living poetry.
There are many holy sites for the songwriter. In truth they exist throughout the world, but having come to Nashville in 1986, my options narrowed a bit. First and foremost there was the Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of country music, and home to the Grand Ole Opry. Then to the west was Graceland, home of Elvis Presley, which would have to be seen and while I was at it, cruise the blues bars of Beale Street, stop off at Al Green’s church for a little gospel. Back in Nashville there were famous dives lining lower Broadway, places like Tootsies, where country stars had honed their songwriting and drinking skills for years. One of my favorite little dives was Mack’s Country Kitchen, where Willie Nelson, down on his luck, was said to have stripped naked, walked outside, and begged a truck to run him over. Perhaps these stories were apocryphal, but they were inspiring to the pilgrim.
In concrete terms, the first steps in the ‘stations of the cross’ would take me to the Sunday afternoon auditions at The Bluebird Café, for a slot on the Monday Open Mic Night Show. Anyone with any hope at being the next Nashville singer-songwriter-poet had to stand before the measured gaze of the Bluebird’s owner, founder, and High Priestess…Amy Kurland. The line of applicants was around the corner so I took my place, and when I had my chance I played my song for Amy with youthful exuberance. Amy was gracious enough to give me the thumbs up.
Monday night came and the chosen 12 were given their baptism by fire in front of 100 congregants packed into the little room (the room seats 75 comfortably, and so it was jammed, as it is most nights). Each novice was allowed two songs to play in front of a crowd that always seemed to have a few music biz notables lurking in the shadows. It was about this time that I learned that the open mic performance was not the only part of the evening’s liturgy. Every Monday Open Mic Night also featured the appearance of a ‘Guest Writer’…usually a successful published and/or recorded singer-songwriter. I asked the attractive young hostess at the door the name of the guest writer, and she said, ‘Kevin Welch’ with breathless anticipation. Never heard of him.
I remember thinking that I had done exceptionally well with my two songs. In fact, I was quite certain that I had been the best songwriter that evening, and flushed with self-congratulations I sat back to take a long sip on a well deserved beer, as the guest writer stepped forward. Kevin Welch was this skinny, languid, long-haired Oklahoma boy, with a wry smile and piercing blue eyes. He looked like a portrait of Jesus you might find in some Methodist fellowship hall. As he began to strum his guitar and sing, he seemed both entirely present in that little bar, but also far away. It was as if he were looking across a field, like in ‘Christina’s World,’ Andrew Wyeth’s famous portrait of American yearning. And his lyric began:
O life is like / A candle bright / Death must be the wind/ You can close your window tight/ But it still comes blowing in
I put the beer down and felt a tightness in my chest, my mouth was suddenly very dry. The room that had seemed to pulse with restless energy now seemed as still as a tomb. He continued:
Let me watch my children grow/ To see what they become/ O Lord don’t let the cold wind blow/ ‘Til I’m too old to die young
As he sang my mind left the tomb and was transported to a field far off, the same field that Christina and Kevin were staring across. I could see a house on the hill, and the lights on the porch coming on as night approached. I could see, standing on that porch, my beloved…my wife yet to find, my children yet to be born, and my heart was filled with a great yearning. I yearned for a life full of meaning, full of living poetry.
I left the Bluebird Café that night, scared and excited. Listening to Kevin Welch perform “Too Old To Die Young,” I realized how far I had to go on my journey. At the same time I said a prayer of thanks for having chosen the path of the pilgrim on the way.
Artist News (8/6/12)
/by Eric T. ParkerLittle Big Town recently appeared (8/2) on ABC’s Good Afternoon America performing the debut theme song for the show and it’s current single “Pontoon.” Members Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, and Phillip Sweet wrote the theme song with Brett Warren and Brad Warren.
The group’s new album, Tornado, is slated for release Sept. 11.
••••
Katie Armiger
Katie Armiger will perform on this evening’s (8/6) episode of ABC’s Bachelor Pad during a special group date. The summer series is based on contestants vying for love and an ultimate prize of $250,000.
Her latest single, “Better In A Black Dress,” is available for free when the yet-to-be-titled project is pre-ordered here. Currently, she is headlining her Get Smart Tour sponsored by GAC through November with select opening dates with Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, and Josh Turner.
••••
“When I heard ‘American Beauty’ for the first time last month, I knew immediately it would be a great anthem to use somehow during our Olympic coverage,” said Dial Global Sports Executive Producer Howard Deneroff. “Stokes and Jason were receptive and gracious enough to cut customized lyrics, and Gabby Douglas gave us the reason to put it all together.”
The band is currently on the road opening for Blake Shelton. Click here to hear the single.
••••
Auctions America has listed a tour bus previously used by Willie Nelson’s band at its upcoming Labor Day Weekend sale (8/31-9/2), in Auburn, Indiana.
Known as ‘Me & Paul,’ the 1986 Eagle Motorcoach, a 12-year-member of his entourage, was built specially for Nelson drummer, Paul English.
Big Machine to Release “A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary” Collection
/by Eric T. ParkerTop: Big Machine Release. Bottom: Word Release
Big Machine Records will release A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary collection on October 16 as a benefit for the Special Olympics.
Artists on the collection include Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, The Band Perry, Amy Grant, Jason Mraz, Christina Aguilera, Francesca Battistelli, Michael Bublé, Cheap Trick, Dave Matthews, One Republic, Train and Wonder Girls.
The release will be made in conjunction with A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace on Earth, released with Word Records on the same day, featuring Meredith Andrews, Chris August, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Group 1 Crew, for KING & COUNTRY, Dara Maclean, Jamie Grace, Natalie Grant, and Sidewalk Prophets.
Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics; Scott Borchetta, President and CEO of Big Machine Label Group; Rod Riley, President and CEO of Word Entertainment; Jimmy Clark, Special Olympics athlete and Global Messenger; Nashville Mayor Karl Dean; Francesca Battistelli and members of Train made the announcement today (8/6) at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, where Train is recording “Joy to the World.”
This 25th Anniversary marks more than $100 million raised through the album series, which has seen help from artist such as U2, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Madonna, Sting, Bon Jovi, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson and Sheryl Crow.
Grants from the Christmas Record Trust have enabled Special Olympics to implement programs worldwide. In the United States, these funds have supported Special Olympics programs in urban areas such as New York City, Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Learn more about A Very Special Christmas visit here.
Michael W. Smith Embarks on First-Ever USO Tour
/by Eric T. ParkerSmith will perform a selection of his hits during a USO show, visit posts and sign autographs. His songwriting titles “Heroes” and “The Patriot” are about servicemen and women.
Last year, Smith joined the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign, which sent messages to troops downrange, and participated in Sean Hannity’s Holiday Salute to the Troops concert alongside combat-decorated Oliver North and John Ondrasik.
“Our nation’s troops and military families are among the bravest and most selfless people I know and we, as a nation, owe them not only our respect and gratitude but also our time,” said Smith.
For ways to show support, click here.
Pandora Announces July 2012 Audience Metrics
/by Sherod RobertsonShare of total U.S. radio listening for Pandora in July 2012 was 6.13%, an increase from 3.51% at the same time last year.
Active listeners were 54.9 million at the end of July 2012, an increase of 48% from 37.1 million during the same time period last year.
Last week, Digital music service Spotify revealed it now has 15 million active users and 4 million paid subscribers worldwide.