Bobby Karl Works The Room, Chapter 341
Photos: Alan Mayor
Chris Young
Host Clay Bradley has the magic touch: He actually got the capacity crowd of schmoozers to shut up during the presentation of the MusicRow Awards in the notoriously loud BMI lobby on Thursday (6/24).
Anthony Smith, Frank Myers, Trisha Walker-Cunningham, Alan Kates, Chuck Thompson, Preston Sullivan, Phil Sweetland, Richard Fagan, Doak Turner, Melanie Howard and their pals were models of good behavior this year. This, by the way, was the incredible 22nd year of the event.
“2010 has been an exceptional year for music,” said Clay in greeting the assembled multitude. “We’re proud to represent the greatest creative community in the world. Thank you for coming.”
Clay also announced that BMI is going to match any Music Row flood-relief donations up to $50,000. Go to BMI.com for more info.
Tom Douglas, MR's David Ross & Allen Shamblin
David Ross read a letter from the AFM’s Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf thanking the publication for spotlighting session musicians. MusicRow reviewer Larry Wayne Clark is recovering from cancer treatments in Canada. His letter, also read by Ross, was encouraging and concluded with, “We miss the Nashville buzz. But things could be a lot worse.”
Echoing Clay’s sentiment, David added, “I continue to be amazed by the stream of creativity that continues to come from this town.”
Jon Freeman and Sarah Skates presented the Top Ten Album All-Star Awards to the year’s hottest session players. The 2010 winners were Aubrey
Haynie (fiddle), Paul Franklin (steel), Wes Hightower (vocals), Justin Niebank (engineer), Shannon Forrest & Chris McHugh (drums), Brent Mason (guitar), Charles Judge (keyboards) and Glenn Worf (bass).
Artist of the Year Zac Brown Band producer Keith Stegall & Roar Mgmt.'s Matt Maher
Looking every inch the Southern gentleman in an off-white linen sport coat and South Carolina straw chapeau, Robert K. Oermann stated that, “The past five winners of the Breakthrough Artist Award have been Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and Jamey Johnson. So this year’s winner is in excellent company.” Accepting for the Zac Brown Band were its producer, Keith Stegall and Roar management’s Matt Maher.
“Producer of the Year has been an annual MusicRow award since 1982,” said Oermann. “This year, we have two winners, the first time a production team has won.” Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke accepted for their outstanding work with Miranda Lambert and David Nail.
Ross retook the stage to present the Breakthrough Songwriter Award to Chris Young. Chris told of how his
do-or-die hit “Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song)” struggled up the charts. With plaque in hand, he added, “This is going on my wall immediately after I leave here.”
To the delight of one and all, he sang his winning tune. Splendidly.
MR's Robert K. Oermann, Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke
“We all pride ourselves on being able to hear a hit song,” said Ross presenting the Song of the Year honor. “But if it was that easy we’d all be a lot richer. Regardless, we are all a lot richer for having this incredible song in our lives.” This year’s Song of the Year honor went to Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas for “The House That Built Me.”
“No one is more surprised than Allen and me,” said Tom. He recalled that it was pitched to Scott Hendricks, who sent it along to Blake Shelton, who gave it to his fiancée Miranda Lambert, who took it on a four-week trip to No. 1. “God’s fingerprints are on all of this,” said Allen. “I like it!” added publisher Troy Tomlinson.
Allen and Tom performed their special composition and mesmerized the crowd, swapping verses while playing guitar and piano, respectively.
Among the many working the room were such fabulons as Gary Overton, Billy Block, Ben Vaughn, Jon Lytle, Allen Brown, Cathy Gurley, Judy Harris, Sherod Robertson, Mike Milom, Michael Martin, Alan Kates, Tom Roland and Wes Vause.
MusicRow Reader-Voted Awards
Breakthrough Artist: Zac Brown Band
Breakthrough Songwriter: Chris Young
Song of the Year: “The House That Built Me” written by Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas; published by Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Co., Built On Rock Music, and Tomdouglasmusic
Producer of the Year: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Top Ten Album All-Star Musicians
Bass: Glenn Worf
Drums: Chris McHugh and Shannon Forrest
Engineer: Justin Niebank
Fiddle: Aubrey Haynie
Guitar: Brent Mason
Keyboards: Charles Judge
Steel: Paul Franklin
Vocals: Wes Hightower
Musician winners Charles Judge, Aubrey Haynie, Chris McHugh and Wess Hightower; & MR's Sarah Skates and Jon Freeman. Photo: IzzyNashville.com
Weekly Chart Report 6/25/10
/by FreemanSPIN ZONE
Hats off to Little Big Town, whose “Little White Church” has earned the Capitol quartet its first CountryBreakout™ No. 1 since 2006’s “Bring It On Home.” LBT labelmate Keith Urban is just a few paces behind them with “I’m In,” however, and looks poised to nab the top spot in the near future. Carrie Underwood’s “Undo It” also makes a big leap from 9-6, and should move even higher as some of the old top 5 records start to fall out.
Capitol Records also has the two greatest spin gains in this chart cycle. Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love” has soared all the way to No. 14 in a short five weeks and again picks up the biggest gain of 366 spins. Eric Church’s “Smoke A Little Smoke” is a close second in spins gained (at 365) as it moves 63-47 in its second week charting.
The highest debut goes to Matthew Huff, who makes his first appearance at No. 69 with “Back Again.” Others debuting include Greg Hanna’s “What Kind Of Love Are You On” (No. 70), Blaine Larsen’s “Chillin’” (No. 72), Steel Magnolia’s “Just By Being You” (No. 73), Jewel’s “Satisfied” (No. 74) and Sunny Sweeney’s “From A Table Away” (No. 75).
Frozen Playlists: KFLG, WDHR, KJAM, KMKS, KNCQ, KTHK, KUUB, KWEY, KYYK, WAXX, WKWS, WOWF
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label/chart pos.
Matthew Huff/Back Again/MGH Records 69
Greg Hanna/What Kind of Love Are You On? 70
Blaine Larsen/Chillin’/Treehouse 72
Steel Magnolia/Just By Being You/Big Machine 73
Jewel/Satisfied/Valory Music 74
Sunny Sweeney/From A Table Away/Republic Nashville 75
Lucky Seven Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label/spin+
Lady Antebellum/Our Kind Of Love/Capitol 366
Eric Church/Smoke A Little Smoke/Capitol 365
Billy Currington/Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer/Mercury 296
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal 254
Justin Moore/How I Got To Be This Way/Valory Music 250
The Band Perry/If I Die Young/Republic Nashville 220
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 213
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label/spins
Leah Seawright/Country Girl 101/Skytone Records 250
Nathan Lee Jackson/Inside 236
Susan Hickman/Hell Still Ain’t Frozen Over/4L Clover/Prickly Pear 234
Frankie Ballard/Tell Me You Get Lonely/Reprise/WMN 227
The Springs/Summer All Year Long/CFC 224
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 213
Randy Rogers Band/Too Late For Goodbye/MCA 209
Chelsea Field/Things I Should Have Said/Moxy Records 204
James Wesley/Real/Broken Bow 200
Darren Kozelsky/Somebody Find Me a Preacher/Major 7th/Spinville 183
Two Week Most Added*
Artist/song/label/new adds
Eric Church/Smoke A Little Smoke/Capitol 22
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 22
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 19
Sunny Sweeney/From A Table Away/Republic Nashville 16
Steel Magnolia/Just By Being You/Big Machine 15
Cody McCarver/I’m America/PLC Records 15
The Roys/Beautiful/Pedestal 13
*Total Adds rec’d over two weeks
Upcoming Singles: Going For Adds
June 28, 2010
Sunny Sweeney/From A Table Away/Republic Nashville
Danny Gokey/I Will Not Say Goodbye/19/RCA
Darryl Worley/Keep The Change/Stroudavarious
John Rich/Country Done Come To Town/Reprise/WAR
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal
July 6, 2010
The Warren Brothers/Dear Mr. God/CO5
Sherry Lynn/What A Day To Shake A Heartache/Steal Heart
Blake Wise/Cornfields/Broken Bow
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol
July 12, 2010
Stealing Angels/He Better Be Dead/Skyville/Nine North
Thompson Square/Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not/Stoney Creek
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA
Texas Songwriters Honored
/by contributor“Givin’ It Up for Your Love”), Gary Nicholson (“That’s The Thing About Love,” “One More Last Chance”) and Lee Roy Parnell (“What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am,” “Love Without Mercy”) will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during an awards show and concert next March.
TxHSA founder Terry Boothe said these honorees are not only Texas music contemporaries, but also collaborators.
“These icons have their own diverse lives and careers, but there is linkage between them that makes it appropriate that they be honored together,” Boothe said.
Noting just several of many instances where these performers have worked with each other, Boothe pointed out that McClinton’s distinctive harmonica work while a member of the Ron-Del’s was featured on a recording of Channel’s “Hey! Baby.”; Nicholson was once a member of McClinton’s band and later produced two Grammy-winning albums for him; and Parnell co-wrote “Lucky Me, Lucky You” with Nicholson.
Del McCoury Honored With Nat’l Heritage Fellowship
/by contributorBoth McCoury and Texas Shorty (Jim Chancellor) will be honored at the Library of Congress and at a special concert on September 24 in Bethesda, MD. They will also receive a one-time award of $25,000.
Hearing of the award, McCoury expressed his surprise and delight.
“All I’ve ever done is play the music I love,” McCoury said. “I feel very fortunate to have made a career of it. To receive an honor like this for doing something you love just doesn’t seem real, but I am very thankful.”
Other 2010 honorees include Ghanaian percussionist Yacub Addy, Hawaiian weaver Gladys Kukana Grace, basketweaver Mary Jackson, Indian dancer Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan, Irish folk flautist Mike Rafferty, and Afro-Cuban drum maker Ezequiel Torres.
In the past 25 years years, the NEA has bestowed this lifetime achievement award to Mike Seeger, Mac Wiseman, Doyle Lawson, Jean Ritchie, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Ola Belle Reed, Wayne Henderson, Kenny Baker, Wayne Mainer and Johnny Gimble.
Nashville Rising Wrapup Video
/by adminNashville Rising, a benefit concert for flood recovery was held on June 22, 2010 at the Bridgestone Arena to benefit the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Over 20 performers donated their talents including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill who spearheaded the event, plus Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and many more…this video was provided by Travis TV/Aristomedia…
Friday News Bits & Pieces
/by contributorGarth Brooks will be taking part in next month’s Daytime Emmy Awards. HollywoodReporter.com reports that the country superstar is among the celebrities who’ve signed on to help celebrate American Bandstand and its iconic host, Dick Clark, at the event. Others confirmed for the Bandstand salute include Cher, The Spinners, and Marie Osmond, along with Barry Manilow, Ann Margaret, American Idol judge Simon Cowell and Jay Leno.
Brad Paisley is in London performing two sold-out shows and guesting on BBC Breakfast on BBC One TV, the UK’s highest-rated morning show. He and show hosts Charlie Stayt and Sian Williams, chatted about why he wears a hat, how he met his wife and why he loves country music. On Wednesday Paisley visited with BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris and taped a segment complete with an acoustic performance for Harris Country and also visited with Mark Coles on BBC World Service The Strand.
Legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was honored this week in the U.S. Congress by Florida Congressman Connie Mack and Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus during a reception at the U.S. Capitol. The congressional honor for the group came during a visit to Washington including stops at both the Capitol and the White House. Representatives Bachus and Mack presented a Congressional Record tribute to the band members, recognizing the band’s career and successes.
Fans have been flocking to iTunes for the debut album from Jaron and The Long Road To Love, causing the album to soar to No. 1 on the iTunes Country Chart less than 24 hours after its release. Released on Tuesday (6/22), Getting Dressed in the Dark is currently in the Top 10 overall albums on iTunes. The albums leadoff single, “Pray For You,” has already reached Gold status, selling more than 500,000 copies.
Loretta Lynn’s best-selling memoir, Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner’s Daughter, will be re-issued in September as an E-book, as an Audio Book and as a new trade paperback from Vintage Books. The audio book will be narrated by Sissy Spacek, who portrayed Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter, the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the book. The publication coincides with the 50th anniversary of Lynn’s first single and the 30th anniversary of the film’s release.
Country newcomer Todd O’Neill is currently on a radio tour promoting his latest release “Somethin’ With Some Attitude,” and executives from his label are learning something new about the singer.
“He can basically sing anything from Otis Redding to Nickelback,” says Aria Records’ Barbara Farkas.
O’Neill started taking requests during station visits, amazing station staffers with his ability to perform virtually anything from any genre. From there, things evolved into a game where staffers write down requests and O’Neill plays them on the spot.
“He’s only been stumped twice,” Farkas says. “There was a Styx tune he
didn’t know and a rap song. That’s it. We call him the human jukebox.”
Currently collaborating with producer Jim Allison in the studio, O’Neill will be featured in Great American Country’s (GAC) Get To Know segments in July.
Last weekend’s NAMM show at the Nashville Convention Center featured well-known mega-companies like Fender, Gibson and Yamaha, but also turned the spotlight on smaller companies and products. One such product is the Nashville-made Cooperstand, a diminutive-and-durable instrument stand that folds up and fits into the headstock area of a guitar case. The brainchild of two Nashville songwriters – Melanie Dyer and Daniel Cooper – this innovative product was nominated in NAMM’s “Best of Show” category, the only Nashville-made product to earn that distinction. To learn more about this cool accessory, visit www.cooperstand.com.
MusicRow Readers Name “House” Song of the Year
/by Bobby KarlBobby Karl Works The Room, Chapter 341
Photos: Alan Mayor
Chris Young
Host Clay Bradley has the magic touch: He actually got the capacity crowd of schmoozers to shut up during the presentation of the MusicRow Awards in the notoriously loud BMI lobby on Thursday (6/24).
Anthony Smith, Frank Myers, Trisha Walker-Cunningham, Alan Kates, Chuck Thompson, Preston Sullivan, Phil Sweetland, Richard Fagan, Doak Turner, Melanie Howard and their pals were models of good behavior this year. This, by the way, was the incredible 22nd year of the event.
“2010 has been an exceptional year for music,” said Clay in greeting the assembled multitude. “We’re proud to represent the greatest creative community in the world. Thank you for coming.”
Clay also announced that BMI is going to match any Music Row flood-relief donations up to $50,000. Go to BMI.com for more info.
Tom Douglas, MR's David Ross & Allen Shamblin
David Ross read a letter from the AFM’s Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf thanking the publication for spotlighting session musicians. MusicRow reviewer Larry Wayne Clark is recovering from cancer treatments in Canada. His letter, also read by Ross, was encouraging and concluded with, “We miss the Nashville buzz. But things could be a lot worse.”
Echoing Clay’s sentiment, David added, “I continue to be amazed by the stream of creativity that continues to come from this town.”
Jon Freeman and Sarah Skates presented the Top Ten Album All-Star Awards to the year’s hottest session players. The 2010 winners were Aubrey
Haynie (fiddle), Paul Franklin (steel), Wes Hightower (vocals), Justin Niebank (engineer), Shannon Forrest & Chris McHugh (drums), Brent Mason (guitar), Charles Judge (keyboards) and Glenn Worf (bass).
Artist of the Year Zac Brown Band producer Keith Stegall & Roar Mgmt.'s Matt Maher
Looking every inch the Southern gentleman in an off-white linen sport coat and South Carolina straw chapeau, Robert K. Oermann stated that, “The past five winners of the Breakthrough Artist Award have been Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and Jamey Johnson. So this year’s winner is in excellent company.” Accepting for the Zac Brown Band were its producer, Keith Stegall and Roar management’s Matt Maher.
“Producer of the Year has been an annual MusicRow award since 1982,” said Oermann. “This year, we have two winners, the first time a production team has won.” Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke accepted for their outstanding work with Miranda Lambert and David Nail.
Ross retook the stage to present the Breakthrough Songwriter Award to Chris Young. Chris told of how his do-or-die hit “Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song)” struggled up the charts. With plaque in hand, he added, “This is going on my wall immediately after I leave here.”
To the delight of one and all, he sang his winning tune. Splendidly.
MR's Robert K. Oermann, Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke
“We all pride ourselves on being able to hear a hit song,” said Ross presenting the Song of the Year honor. “But if it was that easy we’d all be a lot richer. Regardless, we are all a lot richer for having this incredible song in our lives.” This year’s Song of the Year honor went to Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas for “The House That Built Me.”
“No one is more surprised than Allen and me,” said Tom. He recalled that it was pitched to Scott Hendricks, who sent it along to Blake Shelton, who gave it to his fiancée Miranda Lambert, who took it on a four-week trip to No. 1. “God’s fingerprints are on all of this,” said Allen. “I like it!” added publisher Troy Tomlinson.
Allen and Tom performed their special composition and mesmerized the crowd, swapping verses while playing guitar and piano, respectively.
Among the many working the room were such fabulons as Gary Overton, Billy Block, Ben Vaughn, Jon Lytle, Allen Brown, Cathy Gurley, Judy Harris, Sherod Robertson, Mike Milom, Michael Martin, Alan Kates, Tom Roland and Wes Vause.
MusicRow Reader-Voted Awards
Breakthrough Artist: Zac Brown Band
Breakthrough Songwriter: Chris Young
Song of the Year: “The House That Built Me” written by Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas; published by Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Co., Built On Rock Music, and Tomdouglasmusic
Producer of the Year: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Top Ten Album All-Star Musicians
Bass: Glenn Worf
Drums: Chris McHugh and Shannon Forrest
Engineer: Justin Niebank
Fiddle: Aubrey Haynie
Guitar: Brent Mason
Keyboards: Charles Judge
Steel: Paul Franklin
Vocals: Wes Hightower
Musician winners Charles Judge, Aubrey Haynie, Chris McHugh and Wess Hightower; & MR's Sarah Skates and Jon Freeman. Photo: IzzyNashville.com
Rodney Atkins Scores With “Farmer’s Daughter”
/by contributorAtkins’ tune about a hot summer romance that turns to true love has become the fastest climbing single in the singer’s career, selling more than 140,000 downloads on iTunes in only a few weeks. His previous No. 1 hits, “If You’re Going Through Hell,” “These Are My People,” and “Cleaning This Gun,” are approaching three-quarters of a million single downloads and with the rapid rise of “Farmer’s Daughter,” he is sure to break the million mark soon.
Filming the video in rural Franklin, Tennessee, Atkins got a taste of authentic farm life, driving a tractor and bucking hay. Chris Hicky directed the clip which features Atkins’ real-life wife, Tammy Jo, as the “Farmer’s Daughter” whom he ends up marrying.
Hicky also directed Miranda Lambert’s “White Liar,” recently winning Best Female Video of the Year at the CMT Awards.
“Farmer’s Daughter” is the fourth single from Atkins’ third studio album It’s America. The title cut went to No. 1. Atkins’ 2006 album If You’re Going Through Hell yielded four chart-toppers.
Raul Malo Readies “Sinners & Saints”
/by contributorRooted in Malo’s lifelong connection to Latin music but infused with his wide-ranging love of country, blues, jazz and vintage rock ’n’ roll, Sinners & Saints combines sonic ingenuity with emotional sincerity.
In a departure from past projects, Malo took tracks from his home studio in Nashville to Austin, where he joined longtime friend Ray Benson at his Bismeaux Studios and finished the album with the help of Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornado keyboard veteran Augie Meyers and guitarist Shawn Sahm, son of legendary Texas singer/songwriter Doug Sahm. The Trishas (Savannah Welch, Kelley Mickwee, Liz Foster and Jamie Wilson) provided background vocals.
Coming of age in Miami, Malo spent many nights in neighborhood music rooms listening to local artists perform their Flamenco zarzuelas. Malo wrote “Sinners & Saints” by conjuring up those nights in his head, and playing his electric guitar with a cross between Flamenco melodicism and retro surf-twang. “It has no chorus, no repeatable line,” Malo says, “And it’s long. Purposefully long.”
Along with original songs like “Living for Today,” “Superstar” and “San Antonio Baby,” Malo turns in distinctive cover versions of Rodney Crowell’s “Til I Gain Control Again,” Los Lobos’ “Saint Behind The Glass,” as well as songs from acclaimed songwriters Todd Snider and James McMurtry.
“This is the hardest I’ve ever worked on an album,” Malo says. “This really is about me and my point of view. I realized that after I’d done it. It reflects really how I feel about a lot of things. That’s why this is as much of me as I’ve ever put on a record.”
DISClaimer Single Reviews (6/24/10)
/by Robert K OermannFor me, it’s a very, very good week when there are four solid contenders for a DisCovery Award. Michael Sarver, Savannah Jack, Rosehill and No Justice all have debut singles that deserve the honor. But only one of them has the brilliant Radney Foster sitting in the producer’s chair. That would be Rosehill. Salutations, brothers!
All four of those records are also good enough to be contenders for Disc of the Day. So is the inspirational item from Ty Herndon. If you’re into bluegrass, it doesn’t get much better than The Grascals. And Mandy Barnett, as usual, is a delight.
But at the end of the day, Darius Rucker could not be denied. “Come Back Song” is as cool as the breeze.
RAY STEPHENSON/Farmboy
Writer: Ray Stephenson/Bob DiPiero; Producer: Ray Stephenson & Bill McDermott; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Love Monkey, ASCAP/BMI; TWANG Town (www.raystephenson.com)
—His voice won’t blow you away. In fact, he’s barely adequate in the singing department. But there’s an easy-going jauntiness about this hick ditty.
DARIUS RUCKER/Come Back Song
Writer: Darius Rucker/Chris Stapleton/Casey Beathard; Producer: Frank Rogers; Publisher: Cadaja Music/House of Sea Gayle Music/New Son of a Miner Songs /Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music/ Six Ring Circus Songs; Capitol Nashville
—Insanely catchy and kind of like a Hootie tune. It seems to me that his singing becomes more and more relaxed and less mannered the deeper he wades into the country idiom. Whatever the case, this is his strongest Nashville single to date.
TY HERNDON/Journey On
Writer: Caleb Collins/Ty Herndon; Producer: Ty Herndon & Wayne Haun; Publisher: Sunset Gallery/Journey On, no performance rights listed; Funl (track)
—Ty’s latest is a gospel outing, and this is its title tune and 2010 single. As always, he sings with immense expression and range. Blessed with a soaring melody and a gorgeous arrangement, this is truly inspirational sounding.
ROSEHILL/White Line And Stars
Writer: Jay Clementi/George Ducas/Blake Myers; Producer: Radney Foster & Jay Clementi; Publisher: Myers McBain/WB/Mountain Morning, BMI/ASCAP; Cypress Creek (track) (www.rosehill-live.com)
—Rosehill is a new male duo consisting of Blake Myers and Mitch McBain, but judging from the superb sound of this, the team already has its act together. The sweeping, rolling production lifts their pitch-perfect harmonies aloft and carries the delicious melody skyward. Essential listening.
NO JUSTICE/Love Song
Writer: none listed; Producer: Dex Green; Publisher: none listed; Carved (track) (www.nojustice.com)
—This band is evidently a big deal down in Texas and Oklahoma. The sound here is big, beefy and rocking, with a soulfully raspy lead vocal. A hillbilly ZZ Top?
SAVANNAH JACK/I Know
Writer: Don Gatlin/Rob Crosby/Billy Montana; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Singing Honey Tree/Ann Wilson/ICG/Mike Curb/House of Moraine, ASCAP/BMI; McMurry (www.savannahjack.com)
—They harmonize splendidly. The electric guitar accompaniment is somewhat loud and overdone. But every time they swung into those trio choruses, I got hooked all over again.
DOUG ADKINS/Why Not
Writer: Doug Adkins; Producer: Brent Mason; Publisher: Lyric Mountain, BMI; Lyric Mountain (track) (www.dougadkins.com)
—Talk about “country,” this is one big, fat slab of honky-tonk music. He drawls like a true “old school” baritone. The steel and twang guitarists have a field day. And any song that starts with, “Why not one more drink?” has got to have grit. A roadhouse roar.
MANDY BARNETT/Walking After Midnight
Writer: Don Hecht/Alan Block; Producer: Larry Klein; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose, no performance rights listed; Favored Nations (track) (www.crazy-themovie.com)
—Next Tuesday sees the release of the DVD and CD soundtrack to the indie film Crazy: The Hank Garland Story. Garland was the greatest of all the early Nashville guitar pickers, and he is portrayed brilliantly in the flick by Sammi Smith’s son Waylon Payne. The plot takes quite a few liberties with the historical facts, but the music holds up brilliantly, with country classics revived by Shawn Colvin, former dance-pop hitmaker Stacy Earl, jazz chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux and more. Ms. Barnett is completely captivating on her version of this Patsy Cline standard.
MICHAEL SARVER/Ferris Wheel
Writer: Thibodeau/Kyle Jacobs/Charles Kelley; Producer: Michael Sarver & Rachel Thibodeau; Publisher: none listed; Dream/Fontana (track) (www.michaelsarversite.com)
—Sarver was a contestant on American Idol’s Season 8 in 2009. His feathery tenor is perfect for this dizzy, swirling tune about being giddy in love. The little falsetto notes he tosses in are charming. Promising as all get out.
THE GRASCALS/Last Train To Clarksville
Writer: Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart; Producer: The Grascals; Publisher: Screen Gems EMI, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.grascals.com)
—It will come as no surprise to most of you that this Monkees oldie works splendidly as a country tune. In fact, Ed Bruce put out as a single back in 1967. Now the song is a bluegrass single, complete with banjo, mandolin and fiddle solos. I hear that the band is working on a video of it this week. Enjoy.
New Single, New Video For Miranda Lambert
/by contributor“To me, ‘Only Prettier,’ is an anthem, it’s my own anthem, and I want girls to have their fists in the air singing ‘Only Prettier,’” Lambert says. “It’s antagonistic in a fun way, and I loved the attitude behind it. It kind of fools you, because it’s got this really country, laid-back intro, but then it’s balls-to-the-wall the rest of the way. It’s so much fun!”
For the song’s video, Lambert asked a few of her girlfriends, including Kellie Pickler, Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum and Laura Bell Bundy, to join her. While the particulars of the video are being kept under wraps, Lambert and friends portray two rival cliques attending a high school sock hop.
Lambert, a three-time Grammy nominee, platinum-selling recording artist and hit singer/songwriter, recently added her first CMT Award to an already impressive list of accolades. The fan-voted CMT Award for Female Video of the Year joins Miranda’s recent ACM wins for Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year (“White Liar”). Her current single, “The House That Built Me,” has held the No. 1 position for four straight weeks. It follows “White Liar,” Miranda’s first career No. 1. Lambert recently wrapped up her Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars headlining tour and will be joining the Lilith Fair tour this summer. For more information, visit www.MirandaLambert.com