Lifenotes (1/12/08)

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Longtime Music Row copyright attorney Bob Thompson died on January 7 at age 77. He was the former president of the Nashville SESAC office and former chairman of the Tennessee State Film, Music & Entertainment Commission.

Jon Hager of The Hager Twins has died at age 67. He was found dead at his Nashville home on January 9. The Hagers gained national fame as 1969-1988 cast members on television’s long-running Hee Haw. The duo was said to have received more fan mail than anyone else in the cast. Discovered by Buck Owens, Jon and his identical-twin brother Jim were on Capitol Records in 1969-1972 and placed five singles on the country charts, including a 1970 version of Merle Haggard’s “Silver Wings.” Brother Jim Hager died in May 2008.

Mandolin virtuoso Butch Baldassari passed away at age 56 following a courageous battle with brain cancer. He died on January 10 at Saint Thomas Hospital’s Alive Hospice unit. He came to Nashville in 1989 as a member of the bluegrass band Weary Hearts. He was subsequently in Lonesome Standard Time in 1992-1996. Baldassari became best known as the founder of The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble. He was also an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music and a writer/journalist for Mandolin Magazine.

Billy Ray Sets Release Date

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Billy Ray Cyrus will release a new album March 31 via Lyric Street Records and Walt Disney Records. He wrote the title track and lead single “Back To Tennessee,” with Tamara Dunn and Matthew Wilder. It is one of two tracks he contributed to the album. Produced by Mark Bright, Back To Tennessee, also has tunes by hit writers Jeffrey Steele, Neil Thrasher, Craig Wiseman, Rivers Rutherford, Blair Daly, Troy Verges and Casey Beathard. Cyrus’s most recent hit was “Ready, Set, Don’t Go.”

American History Explored In Song

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Fifty-six songwriters and performers including Dolly Parton and Kathy Mattea have collaborated on a new concept album exploring American history called This Is My America. The 3-disc set was conceived by Canadian Douglas Hutton, Executive Producer and president of King Motion Picture Corporation. He explains, “Portraits of the American experience have been expressed and distributed through film, television, recordings and countless literary works, but I wanted to tell it in a more inventive way that respects and reflects today’s American values.”

Songs and spoken narratives chronologically span more than 500 years, touching on significant subjects such as European exploration, the arrival of the Mayflower, the California Gold Rush, the Civil War, World War I and II and the recent Sept. 11 tragedy.

While talents such as Charley Pride, Billy Dean, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and J Fred Knobloch contributed to the project, Hutton says, “The ‘star’ of this project is a place called America.” Also appearing are the Nashville Symphony, and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

“This is My America is simply one of the most amazing projects the Nashville Songwriters Association International has had the privilege to be involved with,” says NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. It is currently available at www.ThisIsMyAmerica.com.

Lambert and Lady A Join Chesney Outing

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Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum will join Kenny Chesney for his entire Sun City Carnival 2009 Tour. Known for numerous guest artists and a party atmosphere, Chesney is expected to announce more openers and a complete schedule soon. A few tour dates have been revealed and tickets have already gone on sale for stops including Boston’s Gillette Stadium, which sold out in less than 10 minutes. Chesney’s Poets & Pirates Tour was the most attended tour in any genre of music for 2008, according to Pollstar.

GAC Changes Name of Show, Adds New Producer

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Though GAC is changing the name of Country Music Across America to Headline Country, the show’s format will stay the same and Storme Warren will remain as host. Former CNN Entertainment coordinating producer Jeremy Weber has been named producer, and comes to GAC after nine years in Los Angeles.

The first episode of Headline Country airs Thurs., Jan. 15, at 8 PM/CT, showing all the action from this weekend’s Sound & Speed 2009; discussions with Billy Ray Cyrus and John Rich; and more. The show is produced by Surfing Moose Productions, with executive producers Larry Fitzgerald and Mark Hartley.

1720 Hires New VP Promotion

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Tim Burruss is on board as the new VP Promotion (Nashville) for 1720 Entertainment, replacing Bill Macky who has exited the company. Most recently, Burruss was VP Promotion and Marketing for Capitol Records, based in Los Angeles. His more than 25 years of experience also includes time as Columbia Records’ Regional Promotion Director for the Southeast, and VP Promotion for Interscope Records and Hollywood Records. 1720 is home to Jamie O’Neal, Rissi Palmer, and newly signed singer-songwriter Jesse Walker.

RAC To Team With Grammys On The Hill

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The Recording Artists’ Coalition (RAC) will soon become part of The Recording Academy’s “GRAMMYs on the Hill” initiative. Because both organizations have similar missions and focus on advancing the rights of music creators, they have been working together for years.

The alliance will be effective immediately to coincide with the beginning of the 111th Congress and the Obama administration. The first objective of the GRAMMYs on the Hill/RAC program will be to educate new and returning policy makers about issues facing music creators and the need to ensure their fair compensation.
On behalf of its membership of more than 150 recording artists, RAC has addressed issues such as artist contract reform, media consolidation and artist compensation. Longtime RAC proponents Irving Azoff and Simon Renshaw will serve as advisors to The Academy’s RAC program. Former RAC National Director Rebecca Greenberg has moved to a senior position reporting to Azoff at Ticketmaster Entertainment and Front Line Management.

Rascal Flatts Reveal New Release Info

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In a unique promotion, Rascal Flatts used a text message to alert fans this afternoon about its new album. Those who sent a text message to a number provided by the band received a text reply, stating that the new album will be called Unstoppable, and will be released April 7 by Lyric Street. The band is also holding a contest to design the project’s cover art in conjunction with tonight’s (1/7) People’s Choice Awards at http://www.pcavote.com.

DISClaimer—Happy New Year

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We’re starting things off just right here at DisClaimer. I am happy to report that The Bellamy Brothers, Tim McGraw, Darren Kozelsky and Trent Tomlinson are all ringing in the new year with excellent 2009 singles.

Let’s face it, 2008 was no banner year for country sales. I’m suggesting that we start looking off the beaten path for success stories. Thus, Rounder’s Grammy-nominated The SteelDrivers have the first Disc of the Day award for the new year.

And it’s always healthy when we have a DisCovery Award winner as potent as Bluefield. This duo is very promising indeed.

Here’s to a happy and prosperous new beginning for us all.

BLUEFIELD/Ready To Love You Now
Writer: Rick Ferrell; Producer: Rick Ferrell & Herbert Graham; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/Rick Ferrell/Rockin’ Rodeo, BMI; Country Thunder (615-327-2788)
 —Bluefield is a duo consisting of songwriter Rick Ferrell (Martina’s ”Where Would You Be,” Tim’s “Something Like That”) and former Nashville Star competitor Jennifer Hicks. The debut single is enchanting, featuring her plaintive lead and his hearty harmony on a mid-tempo production with plenty of wooshing atmosphere and heartbeat rhythm. I think I’m in love.

STEVE HOLY/Might Have Been
Writer: Doug Johnson/Pat Bunch; Producer: Phil Gernhard & Lee Miller; Publisher: Mike Curb/Sweet Radical/Pat Price/Songs of Mighty Isis/Kobalt, BMI; Curb
—Co-produced by the late Phil Gernhard, Steve Holy returns to the fray with a tender ballad about the saving grace of love. Touching.

TODD FRITSCH/Texas Talkin’
Writer: John Ramey/Tony Colton; Producer: Butch Baker; Publisher: Sixteen Stars/Dixie Stars/Horipro, BMI/ASCAP; Diamond Music Group (www.toddfritsch.com)
 —Well written. He’s a polite, gentleman cowboy because that’s the way he was raised. Todd’s performance is on the money, but the pace feels like it’s plodding a bit. Goose the tempo.

TIM McGRAW/Nothin’ To Die For
Writer: Craig Wiseman/Lee Thomas Miller; Producer: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw & Darran Smith; Publisher: Big Loud Shirt/Big Loud Bucks/EMI Blackwood/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat, ASCAP/BMI; Curb
—The mighty Tim knocks another one out of the ballpark. In the midst of a chiming production, he delivers a morality tale of a man who heedlessly risks his life. I got completely swept up in its audio excellence.

JONALEE WHITE/Wake Me
Writer: Pauken/Harris/White; Producer: Jeff Tweel; Publisher: none listed; Lick (www.jonaleewhite.com)
 —It’s a snappy bopper that she delivers with panache. But the overall sound is thin and malnourished.

CHUCK WICKS/Man Of The House
Writer: Chuck Wicks/Michael Mobley; Producer: Dann Huff & Monty Powell; Publisher: Universal-MGB/CEW/Castle Street, ASCAP; RCA
—The little 10-year-old shoulders household responsibilities because his dad’s away at war, and he’s now the “Man of the House.” Great storytelling has always been what country music does best.

THE STEELDRIVERS/Blue Side Of The Mountain
Writer: Mike Henderson/Chris Stapleton; Producer: Luke Wooten & The SteelDrivers; Publisher: EMI April/Sea Gayle/Iriving/Chicken Shack, ASCAP/BMI; Rounder (track) (www.steeldrivers.com)
 —Hey country radio, why don’t you try playing something that people will actually want to run out and buy? This slab of raw soul singing meeting for-real country acoustic instrumental work is like discovering a banquet when you’ve been eating Jello for years. Thrilling is the only word that will do. This track is also well-deservedly nominated for a mainstream country Grammy Award. Play it now!

TRENT TOMLINSON/That’s How It Still Oughta Be
Writer: Trent Tomlinson/Jim Collins/Tom Shapiro; Producer: Leigh Reynolds & Trent Tomlinson; Publisher: Hope-N-Cal/Trent Tomlinson/Sexy Tractor/Big Loud Bucks/EMI Blackwood/Little Dooey/Cal IV, BMI; Carolwood
—Back in the day, when kids got into fights, there weren’t any guns or knives involved. Dinner was eaten as a family without TV. Jobs weren’t sent overseas. Preachers and teachers were trusted role models. This song yearns for all kinds of perceived bygone values. I know, I know. On paper, it sounds ridiculously corny. But the writing is so sturdy, and Trent’s delivery is so sincere, that it all works.

DARREN KOZELSKY/Good Day To Get Gone
Writer: Jason Blaine/Willie Mack/Noah A. Gordon; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Anchor Down/Red Cape/Ole/New Millennium/NMM Tunes, SOCAN/BMI/ASCAP; 9 North/Spinville (www.darrenkozelsky.com)
 —This Texas roadhouse regular has a “driving” tune that makes you want to hit the open road and throw caution to the wind. It may be winter outside, but this sounds just like summer sunshine. Turn it up and sing along. Somebody get the name of that producer, ‘cause he’s got a little Springsteen in his blood. An absolute winner.

THE BELLAMY BROTHERS/Lord Help Me Be The Kind Of Person (My Dog Thinks I Am)
Writer: David Bellamy; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb/Spinville/Bellamy Brothers (www.bellamybrothers.com)
 —This lopes rhythmically along with the steel guitar answering the vocal lines brilliantly. As is usual with the Bellamys, the whole thing is wildly catchy.

iTunes Gets Competitive As Digital Sales Growth Slows

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As reported yesterday in @MusicRow, the iTunes Store is now offering DRM-free music from all four major labels—Universal, Sony, Warner, and EMI—as well as thousands of independent labels. The move will please consumers because downloads without copy protection software are interoperable with a variety of programs and devices.

However, today’s (1/7/09) Wall Street Journal suggests that Apple may be adopting this user-friendly format in order to stay competitive in the changing digital music marketplace. While more than one billion songs were legally purchased in 2008, the rate of growth in paid downloads slowed significantly year over year. In 2007, paid downloads grew 45% from 2006, but between 2007 and 2008 that number slowed to a 27% increase (Nielsen SoundScan). Tough competition could also be a contributing factor to Apple’s new strategy, the newspaper points out. Amazon.com and others have been undercutting iTunes prices for months, and doing so without the burden of copy protection.
Beginning in April, iTunes is also offering three new price points. Songs will sell for 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29, with most albums still priced at $9.99. It currently uses the 99 cents price almost exclusively for every track.

The iTunes Store began offering eight million of its 10 million songs in the higher-quality, DRM-free iTunes Plus format yesterday, with the remaining two million songs offered in iTunes Plus by the end of March. Customers can also upgrade their library of previously purchased songs to iTunes Plus for 30 cents each or 30 percent of the album price.