DISClaimer Single Reviews (12/15/10)

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The ladies rule the day.

There were only two of them in this listening session, but they bested the fellows to take our top two awards. Meaghan Blanchard hails from Canada. This talented singer-songwriter with a songbird’s voice wins the DisCovery Award.

Probably to no one’s surprise, Miranda Lambert has the Disc of the Day. But she was not without serious competition. The Randy Rogers Band, Trace Atkins, David Ball and Steve Holy also have excellent new sounds.

DAVID BALL/Hot Water Pipe
Writer: David Ball; Producer: David Ball & Dan Frizell; Publisher: Cedar Popping, BMI; Red Dirt (CDX) (615-347-9686)
—As country as grits. He sings with plenty of twang, and the chicken-pickin’ guitar work is splendid. And since this little toe tapper is about a cold, cold night, it couldn’t be more timely.

RICKY SKAGGS/Someday Soon
Writer: Gordon Kennedy/Ben Cooper; Producer: Ricky Skaggs & Gordon Kennedy; Publisher: GlennJoy/Alrighty Den, ASCAP/BMI; Skaggs Family (CDX) (www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com)
—Set to a steady, marching beat, this somber slowie is an end-of-life meditation. What a drag.

LARRY CHANCE/God Gave Me The Talent
Writer: Fred Imus/P. DiFranco; Producer: Dennis Money; Publisher: Imus, BMI; Laser (CDX) (www.larrychanceandhearts.com)
—There are two Larry Chance tracks on the current CDX. The first is a countrified remake of Jerry Butler’s classic “For Your Precious Love.” The second is this weepy lament. On both of them, you could drive a truck through his vibrato.

STEVE H0LY/Love Don’t Run
Writer: Joe Leathers/Ben Glover/Rachel Thibodeau; Producer: Lee Miller; Publisher: Mike Curb/Ghermkyle/9T One/Ariose/Little Champion/Dream Rock, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—Beautifully produced. His plaintive, heartfelt tenor is initially supported by simple keyboard work. As the song builds, so does the instrumentation. The well-written power ballad is about keeping romance alive amid adversity and should resonate well with listeners.

JOHN CONNOLLY/The Wind
Writer: John Connolly; Producer: John Connolly & Donivan Cowart; Publisher: none listed, SOCAN; Sandbar (track) (www.johnconnolly.ca)
—The title tune to this Canadian’s six-song EP is a gentle, jaunty acoustic tune. His voice is breathy and soft, so the fiddle-and-guitar track is just the right sound. He wrote all six songs and definitely shows promise in that department.

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Heart Like Mine
Writer: Miranda Lambert/Travis Howard/Ashley Monroe; Producer: Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog/Watsky/Reynsong, BMI/ASCAP; Columbia (track)
—The fourth single from Revolution is a cool, crunchy number with loads of tension and pent-up power. As usual, she sings like a fallen angel. The lyric paints her as a sinner with a heart of gold whom she thinks Jesus would understand. Performances like this are why this is the CMA Album of the Year.

GUY PENROD/Pray About Everything
Writer: Bob Regan/Jeff Stevens; Producer: Brent Rowan; Publisher: Green Hills/Big Loud Bucks/Travelers Ridge/House of Full Circle, ASCAP/BMI; Servant/Gaither (www.guypenrod.com)
—This Gaither Vocal Band mainstay has been testing the country waters for a few months now. This steel-embellished, uptempo outing is his strongest effort to date. The title phrase is his mom’s advice about life.

TRACE ADKINS/Brown Chicken Brown Cow
Writer: Kenny Beard/Rivers Rutherford/Casey Beathard; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Melrose South/Universal/Macirhyoo/Sony-ATV Acuff-Rose/Six Ring Circus, ASCAP/BMI; Show Dog/Universal
—The farming couple takes a time out from laboring to strip and make love in the barn. It’s okay. The only ones watching are the title animals. This rocks in all the right ways.

MEAGHAN BLANCHARD/Chasin’ Lonely Again
Writer: Meaghan Blanchard; Producer: Meaghan Blanchard & Remi Arsenault; Publisher: none listed, SOCAN; Sandbar (track) (www.sandbarmusic.com)
—The title tune to this singer-songwriter’s collection is a lilting swing thing. Her floating soprano is backed by some very nifty, old-school, Les Paul style guitar picking. This is a delightful listening experience.

RANDY ROGERS BAND/Steal You Away
Writer: Jeff Middleton/Mark Mulch/Nick Mulch; Producer: Paul Worley; Publisher: Music of Stage Three/Stage Three/Mulch, BMI; MCA Nashville (CDX)
—I still dig his little vocal rasp. On this throbbing ballad of hot, yearning lust, the band creates a swirl of sexy, trembling sound while the singer falls into a fevered dream. Sheer sonic excellence.

Country Stars To Appear In HBO Mini-Series

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Kix Brooks will play Winfield Scott Hancock

Several country stars have been recruited for roles in the upcoming HBO Civil War mini-series To Appomattox. Dwight Yoakam, Laura Bell Bundy, Kix Brooks and members of Rascal Flatts are expected to appear in the eight-hour event. They will play real Americans who were involved in the Civil War.

Rascal Flatts are also on board to produce the soundtrack, which will include original material as well as new versions of songs from the Civil War era. Joining them on the soundtrack will be Brooks, Bundy, Yoakam, and Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik.

IEBA Convention Sets Dates, New Venue

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The International Entertainment Buyers Association will move its annual conference to the newly renovated Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel in 2011. The event will be held October 2-4, 2011.

IEBA Executive Director Tiffany Davis says the organization had outgrown its former location, thanks to an increasing number of registrants, showcases, and growing production needs. The Sheraton will offer larger meeting spaces, more hotel rooms and multiple performance area options. Information on conference room rates will be sent to members in early 2011.

Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the IEBA conference which attracts booking agents, talent buyers, and many other members of the music business.

Photos: Dallas Frazier; Crazy 8’s

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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum recently (12/11) honored Dallas Frazier in its quarterly Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters series. Frazier discussed his life, career and extensive repertoire, which includes “There Goes My Everything,” “Elvira,” “Beneath Still Waters” and “What’s Your Mama’s Name.”

(L-R): Museum Editor Michael Gray, Dan Penn, John D. Loudermilk, Dallas Frazier, Connie Smith, Whitey Shafer and Red Lane.

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Local songplugging group the Crazy 8’s invited MusicRow Publisher David Ross to its recent lunch meeting for a discussion of music industry issues.

L-R: Jason Krupek, Juli Griffith, chef Arnold Myint, Liz Morin, David Ross, and Drew Alexander

Artists and Comedians Support Armed Forces

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Kix Brooks is on a USO Tour through the Middle East, which will continue through this weekend. Joining him on the run is hit songwriter Bob DiPiero, and stars Lance Armstrong, Lewis Black, Kathleen Madigan and Robin Williams. “We just did our first show, and it went great!” reports Brooks. “This group of folks I’m traveling with are amazing!”

Lining up their own holiday USO Tour are Emily West, Keni Thomas, Buddy Jewell and Alana Grace. The 11-day outing will commence this week, and also includes author/comedian Chondra Pierce, The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and host of NBC’s Poker After Dark Leeann Tweeden.

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Comedian Ron White will also pay tribute to men and women in uniform when his 4th Annual Celebrity Salute To Troops airs on CMT. The show tapes at the Grand Ole Opry House on February 15, and all proceeds of ticket sales goes to the Armed Forces Foundation. Rascal Flatts has signed on to perform, and more performers are expected to be announced soon. Tickets are $46.75 and available at the Opry House Box Office or Ticketmaster outlets.

The Band Perry Earns Platinum Single

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Republic Nashville's The Band Perry recently made a visit to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada’s first full-time country station – CFCW-AM. Pictured (L-R): Reid and Neil Perry, CFCW-AM’s Larry Donahue and Stella Stevens, and Kimberly Perry.

The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales exceeding 1 million units. The self-penned song from the trio scored a Grammy nomination and is their first No. 1 single.

“This song is about hope and contentment,” says lead vocalist Kimberly Perry. “Fans seem to have taken this song to heart as a positive reminder to appreciate each day you’re given. Every night we sing this song, it’s a reminder to us as well – we couldn’t be more grateful for this response.”

The Band Perry will perform “If I Die Young” on ABC’s The View tomorrow (12/15).

Praise For Hank Williams Box Set

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The Hank Williams box set is showing up on numerous best of 2010 lists, earning raves from the Washington Post and CMT.com’s Chet Flippo. The meticulously compiled project won a Pulitzer Prize in May, and is nominated for a 2011 Grammy for Best Historical Album.

Hank Williams: The Complete Mother’s Best Recordings…..Plus! is culled from his 1951 Mother’s Best radio show on Nashville’s WSM. The recordings, which were nearly thrown away in the 1970s, include his versions of chestnuts like “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” “Cool Water,” and “On Top of Old Smoky,” as well as his own classics, such as “Cold, Cold Heart” recorded just days after it was written. Joining Williams on the live show were his wife, Audrey, and his Drifting Cowboys band. The set reveals a seldom seen side of Williams’ personality, with him talking openly between songs about his life and career.

There’s also a bonus DVD featuring a conversation between Hank’s daughter Jett Williams and the two surviving members of his Mother’s Best group. The set comes with a 108-page book that includes a Foreword by Hank Williams, Jr., an Afterword by Jett Williams, a 25,000 word essay by Colin Escott, and many previously unpublished photographs from the collection of Marty Stuart.

Joe Palmaccio, who won a Grammy for his work on The Complete Hank Williams, handled audio restoration for the Mother’s Best set.

House Foundation Signs Off Tomorrow

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Faith Hill and Tim McGraw bid adieu to the House Foundation.

Country Radio Hall of Fame inductee Gerry House ends his venerable show, “The House Foundation,” tomorrow (12/15). During its 22 years on-air, the program on Clear Channel’s WSIX has become a Nashville institution. “The House Foundation” has been counting down the 12 Days of Christmas in celebration, featuring tons of celebrity guests leading up to tomorrow’s final sign-off on the twelfth day. Send well-wishes and see all the stars who have stopped by to visit House here, including Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Rascal Flatts.

Current “House Foundation” members include Mike Bohan, Richard Falklen and Katie Bright, though many others have been involved through the years.

House’s 30-year career has lead to four CMA Awards, seven ACMs, eight Billboard Awards, and being the only country DJ in the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Nashvillians Score Golden Globe Nods

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Two songs written by Nashville songwriters and with ties to the Sony Music Nashville label group earned Golden Globe nods this morning (12/14) for Best Original Song—Motion Picture.

One nominee is “Coming Home,” performed by Gwyneth Paltrow for the Country Strong soundtrack and written by Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, and Troy Verges.

Also nominated in the category is “There’s A Place For Us,” performed and co-written by Carrie Underwood, with David Hodges and Hillary Lindsey for the soundtrack to Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader.

The 68th Annual Golden Globe® Awards will air live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, January 16, 2011 from 8:00-11:00 p.m. (EST) on NBC.

Other Best Original Song nominees are from Burlesque “You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me” (Diane Warren) and “Bound To You” (Samuel Dixon, Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler); and from Tangled “I See The Light” (Alan Menken, Glenn Slater).

Lady A, Corbin and Brice Lead Recent Lists

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Lady Antebellum will close out a huge 2010 atop several of Billboard’s year-end charts. The Capitol trio earned the No. 1 spot on the Top Country Album Artists chart, the Top Country Albums chart for Need You Now, the Hot Country Songs Artists recap, the Country Digital Songs list with “Need You Now” and overall Top Country Artists.

Easton Corbin was named Top New Country Artist of the Year in Billboard’s year-end charts, followed by The Band Perry and Lee Brice. Top Country Male honors go to Jason Aldean and the Top Female Country artist is Taylor Swift.

Brice’s record-breaking “Love Like Crazy,” which spent 56 weeks on the Hot Country Songs chart, ended up as the most heard song of 2010 in the Hot Country Songs recap. He is followed by Luke Bryan’s “Rain Is A Good Thing” and Josh Turner’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance.”

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According to a Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Reader’s Digest, American mayors picked two songs with optimistic messages more than any other to describe their mindsets. Getting the highest percentage of votes with 47% was Easton Corbin’s “Roll With It.” In second place with 41% of the vote was Eminem’s “Not Afraid.”

The survey included mayors of 200 cities with populations of 30,000 or more. In addition to questions on economic issues, participants were presented with four song choices and asked which best captured their current attitudes. Rounding out the choices were Maroon 5’s “Misery” and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”