Pedal Steel Guitarist Bill Johnson Dies

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William Donald “Bill” Johnson, acclaimed pedal steel guitarist for artists including Red Sovine, George Jones and Marty Robbins, died March 17 in Tallassee, Alabama. In addition to his steel playing, Johnson made his mark as a songwriter, most notably with “A Wound Time Can’t Erase,” which was recorded by over 150 artists, including Jack Greene, Johnny Cash, Stonewall Jackson and Ricky Skaggs. Funeral services were held Saturday (3/21), in Camp Hill, Alabama.

SOURCE Names 2009 Honorees

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SOURCE, the nonprofit organization of executive women in the Nashville music industry will honor Joyce Jackson, Peggy Lamb, Pat McCoy, Sandy Neese, Margaret Parker, and the late Marion Keisker MacInnes with its 2009 Foundation Awards. The 7th annual awards dinner will be held Thursday, July 30 at the Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum.

Jackson’s career included time at Jim Reeves Enterprises, Floyd Cramer and Ernest Tubb Record Shop. Lamb’s experience includes Music City News and Sony/Acuff Rose Music. McCoy worked in television production, for AFM Local 257, and she continues to work with her husband, Charlie, at Charlie McCoy Enterprises. Neese worked with the Charlie Daniels Band and at Polygram/Mercury Records. Parker was a veteran employee of WSM and Gaylord Entertainment, and Keisker MacInnes served as office manager at Sun Records where she was the first to meet Elvis Presley, who had come to record a song for his mother in 1953.

Cox Radio Going Private

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Cox Enterprises Inc. announced today (3/23) that it is beginning a $3.80 per share cash tender offer for the remainder of Cox Radio Inc.’s publicly held shares, for a total payment of about $69.1 million. Cox Enterprises owns a roughly 78 percent equity stake in Cox Radio with a voting interest of about 97 percent. The tender offer expires on April 17, depending upon shareholders tendering their shares. If the transaction is completed, Cox Radio will become a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, which is privately owned.

615 Unveils New Site and Search Engine

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Nashville production music company 615 Music has redesigned its website and launched a comprehensive new music search engine called “615 Music Search.” The company will unveil its new website and Music Search features at the NAB convention in Las Vegas April 20-23.  According to 615 Music President and CEO Randy Wachtler, the newly launched “615 Music Search” allows users to enter information into one basic search box, as opposed to scrolling lists that had previously encompassed key words, genres, styles, instruments, etc. The search results are displayed in a similar fashion to iTunes with a scrolling list or by CD cover only. The features of “615 Music Search” also extend to auditioning tracks—users can follow the audio wave form and fast forward or rewind at the point in the track of their choice. Another benefit to the new music search is its ability to create cue sheets of particular play lists. 615 Music’s new website can be seen at www.615music.com. The “615 Music Search” system can be accessed by clicking on “Search and Download Music” from the home page, or by going directly to http://Search.615music.com.

Jennings Meets Johnson at Crossroads

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Country outlaws Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson came together at Nashville’s Rocketown recently to shoot an episode of CMT Crossroads. The duo’s rowdy performance, which was taped before a live audience, will premier Monday, March 23 at 9:00 PM/CT on CMT. The episode features Jennings and Johnson collaborating on Johnson’s “High Cost of Living,” “Between Jennings and Jones” and his recent Grammy-nominated single, “In Color.” They also sang duets on Shooters’ “God Bless Alabama” and on a cover of his dad Waylon Jennings’ song, “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out Of Hand.” CMT Crossroads, pairs country music stars with artists from other genres to play together, swap stories, and share their common love of music.

Shooter Jennings accompanies Jamey Johnson on CMT Crossroads. Photo: Rick Diamond

Shooter Jennings accompanies Jamey Johnson on CMT Crossroads. Photo: Rick Diamond

No Depression Adopts Community Model

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No Depression, the roots music publication, has created a “community-driven website” powered by the ning.com platform. (Nashville’s Digital Nashville organization is also powered on the Ning platform.) Located at community.nodepression.com the new network allows the formation of niche communities based around a variety of themes. Readers can create a member page, plus share music, videos, photos and blogs. Also included are contributions from the publication’s editorial staff including co-founders Peter Blackstock and Grant Alden. “In this current state of the magazine industry, more and more magazines are shifting to the web,” said publisher Kyla Fairchild. “With our new presence harnessing the capabilities of Ning, we envision a No Depression online community where we will pass the torch to our faithful readers who will help us create the next chapter in our story.”

Alden and Blackstock will continue to publish twice-annual “bookazines” and No Depression has joined with Sasquatch Festival creator Adam Zacks to promote the first No Depression Festival, set for July 11, 2009 at Marymoor Park, outside Seattle, WA. No Depression ceased print publication in May 2008.

Americana Assoc. Offers Health Coverage

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The Americana Music Association is now offering members the opportunity to obtain affordable health insurance coverage. The program, known as Americana Sound Healthcare, is designed for members who are self-employed, involved with small businesses that cannot easily offer coverage, or otherwise not in a position to afford coverage. True Group plans are also available to music companies who provide employee benefits. For more information go to www.americanamusic.org.

Industry Veteran Joe Boyland Dies

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Nashville music industry veteran Joe Boyland passed away earlier this week at Nashville’s Vanderbilt Medical Center after suffering a heart attack. He was 61. Boyland moved to Nashville in 1980 and worked with Judds manager Woody Bowles before founding Hit List Music in 1986. He subsequently worked with a host of artists including Celine Dion, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Van Zant, Devonsquare, Robert Plant and Laura Branigan. Songs from his Hit List catalog were recorded by a wide range of artists including Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Billy Squier and Peter Wolf. Boyland also managed Bad Company for a few years in the mid-‘90s. Most recently, through his Nashville-based company, Big Street Entertainment, he produced the debut album for southern rockers Swampdawamp.

DISClaimer (3/20/09)

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Share and share alike. We’re giving out two Disc of the Day awards today. One is for traditional country excellence. And that, hands down, belongs to a masterful honky-tonk stylist, Mark Chesnutt. Long may he sing.
 The second goes to a modern, rocking-country disc maker. That would be Jack Ingram, who has the first summertime sound this year. Keith Urban is similarly sunny, but we have come to expect that from him.

I was all set to honor Daniel Smith with a DisCovery Award, until I found out that he has appeared in this column before. I liked him then and I like him now. And extra

Jack Ingram

Jack Ingram

kudos for cutting such a well-written song.

Today, by the way, is officially the first day of spring. Celebrate.

MARK CHESNUTT/She Never Got Me Over You
Writer: Keith Whitley/Dean Dillon/Hank Cochran; Producer: Jimmy Ritchey; Publisher: none listed; Lofton Creek/Big 7 (track) (www.loftoncreekrecords.com)
—This is said to be the last thing that Keith Whitley ever recorded. In my opinion there is only one country singer alive who can stand toe to toe with Keith, and it’s this man. The song is a stone-country masterpiece. The production is fiddle-and-steel flawless. Mark’s performance is three minutes of hillbilly heaven. The next time somebody asks you what country music is, play them this.

STEPHEN COCHRAN/Wal-Mart Flowers
Writer: Thom Shepherd/Vincent Hickerson/Mark Fortney; Producer: Jim Allison; Publisher: Next Big Twang/Keeping Music Alive, SESAC/BMI; Aria
—Sucking up to Wal-Mart gets you nowhere in this column, pal.

KEITH URBAN/Kiss A Girl
Writer: Monty Powell/Keith Urban; Producer: Dann Huff & Keith Urban; Publisher: Universal Tunes/Songs of Universal/Eden Valley/Mary Rose/Third Tier, SESAC/BMI; Capitol Nashville
—The sound of sunshine. I’ll bet there are plenty of lady listeners out there who’d be more than willing to take this guy up on his invitation.

KEN HATTON/Small Town Girl
Writer: Bill Spencer; Producer: Brien Fisher; Publisher: Coal Miner’s/PoNoMo, BMI; Spangle (CDX) (615-822-8690)
—It’s one of those redneck stompers about the joys of rural romance. Ho hum.

TRACY LAWRENCE/Up To Him
Writer: David Kent/Tim Johnson; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Finch Valley/State One Copyrights America/The Bigger They Are/Cherry Lane, BMI/SESAC; Rocky Comfort/9 North  (www.tracylawrence.com)
—The multiple rhymes are just about brilliant. Tracy, as usual, delivers the goods as a vocalist on this common-man’s anthem.

KACEY JONES/I Wanna Be Up Front Like Dolly
Writer: Kacey Jones/Becky Hobbs/Benita Hill; Producer: Kacey Jones; Publisher: Mamalama/Becca’s Mecca/Gooby/Universal, ASCAP/BMI; IGO (track) (www.kaceyjones.com)
—The melody is strictly from nursery school, but you can’t argue with the cute lyric that salutes our greatest female superstar.

JACK INGRAM/Barefoot And Crazy
Writer: Ben Hayslip/Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publisher: WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This/EMI Blackwood/Rhettneck/String Stretcher, ASCAP/BMI; Big Machine (www.jackingram.net)
—It’s official: Summer is here. And this is its soundtrack. Righteous and rocking, with an insistent guitar groove to twist your mind.

RAZZY BAILEY/Hank Wrote That
Writer: Razzy Bailey/Ben Marble; Producer: Razzy Bailey; Publisher: Toucabaca, BMI; SOA (track) (www.razzybailey.com)
—Next time, hire a real producer.

DANIEL SMITH/Man Like Me
Writer: Charles Moore/Bobby Pinson/Kris Bergsnes; Producer: Larry Sheridan; Publisher: Tunes From the Farm/Music of Stage Three/Warner Chappell, no performance rights listed; Parlor (CDX) (615-385-4943)
—His vocal range is impressive and the complex, involving lyric is even more so. This is his second good review. Who is this guy?

SHOOTER JENNINGS/Living Proof
Writer: Hank Williams Jr.; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Universal South (track)
—Shooter’s Bad Magick: The Best of Shooter Jennings & The .357’s drops on Tuesday. It features 13 fan favorites and two new tracks. One of them is this Hank Jr. classic about trying to live up to a legendary father. Can Shooter relate? You bet your life.

Question: To Pre-Release Or Not

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Greg McCarn

Greg McCarn

Rascal Flatts and Lyric Street are celebrating the record-breaking success of the pre-release single “Here Comes Goodbye” at iTunes. According to Nielsen Soundscan, the track sold 125,884 downloads, delivering the highest first-week paid sales ever by a country artist for a debut single and the song is one of four tracks to be made available digitally prior to the April 7 release of the band’s new CD Unstoppable.

Digital and/or physical singles have traditionally been released in advance of the album, so what distinguishes a “debut” from a “pre-release?” According to Greg McCarn, Lyric Street’s VP Sales/Marketing/Media, a digital pre-release serves as “a kind of countdown to the launch of the album, because this business is still about selling albums.” While McCarn agrees that Rascal Flatts’ younger-skewing audience is likely to be more iTunes savvy than the average country fan, he insists the 4-song pre-release plan is more about raising awareness for the album than about nurturing an audience of digital downloading consumers.

Despite opinions to the contrary, McCarn feels that younger fans still want to purchase the physical CD. Another key reason for these pre-releases is to combat the widespread feeling that today’s CDs are composed of a couple of singles and a lot of filler. “The ultimate goal is to let them know there is depth and quality to this album,” McCarn says.

The Flatts song has already spent about 10 weeks climbing the Country Breakout™ chart during which time it was not available for purchase. Now with the CD release event only a few weeks away, giving fans the opportunity to  own some of the tracks places the focus on Unstoppable. iTunes Complete My Album adds versatility to the process since fans can purchase the album and receive credit for previously purchased tracks.

Rascal Flatts is not the first country act to go with digital pre-releases. Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis’ “I Told You So” duet was digitally pre-released to coincide with their appearance on this week’s Grand Ole Opry-themed American Idol broadcast. Keith Urban is pre-viewing all 11 tracks from his upcoming Defying Gravity album through social music discovery service iLike. Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney have also pre-released music to add marketing impact. According to one executive, “You name it, we’ve tried it. In front of the album, with the album, after the album. There doesn’t seem to be a consistency with the results. When it comes to maximizing sales through timing the release it’s hard to find a pattern.”