Dan Fogelberg Tribute Album Includes Garth Brooks, The Eagles, Zac Brown, Vince Gill & More

Album: A Tribute To Dan Fogelberg
Label: BMG
Release date: 11/1/18

Produced by Fogelberg’s wife, Jean, Norbert Putnam, his lifelong friend/manager, Irving Azoff, and Chuck Morris, the homage to Fogelberg will be released through BMG.

The album contains recreations of some of Dan's biggest hits, such as the Top 10 hits, including "Longer," "Hard to Say," "Leader of the Band," performed by Zac Brown and "Same Old Lang Syne," performed by Train. Songs from his multi-platinum albums are also featured, such as the eponymously titled hits "Phoenix," performed by Garth Brooks, and "Nether Lands," performed by Donna Summer. Additionally, a moving rendition of "Part of the Plan," from 1974's Souvenirs, performed by the Eagles, is included on the collection. A complete track listing can be found below.

"A good thing never dies and that 'good thing' is Dan's music. As for me, my life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man. That man is Dan Fogelberg, and he will live forever in those of us who have let his gift bring so much light to our paths." - Garth Brooks

"I first heard some of Dan's music from Irving Azoff, while visiting him in the early 70's. he played me some demos of songs by a young kid from Peoria, Illinois; a part of the country were both from. I was immediately transported to a musical place that I would look forward to returning to time and again over the years with each new release of a Dan Fogelberg album. So proud to be part of this project." - Michael McDonald.

"I always loved Dan's music and getting the opportunity to sing on the High Country Snows record, over 30 years ago, is still a great memory for me." - Vince Gill

A Tribute to Dan Fogelberg track listing:

 

1.Phoenix performed by Garth Brooks

2.Nether Lands performed by Donna Summer

3.Better Change performed by Michael McDonald

4.Longer performed by Amy Grant/Vince Gill

5.Same Old Lang Syne performed by Train

6.Don’t Lose Heart performed by Dobie Gray

7.Old Tennessee performed by Fool’s Gold/Denny Henson and Tom Kelly

8.As the Raven Flies performed by Casey James

9.Sutters Mill performed by Randy Owen

10.Run for the Roses performed by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Richie Furay

11.Hard to Say performed by Boz Scaggs

12.Part of the Plan performed by Eagles

13.There’s a Place in the World for a Gambler performed by Jimmy Buffett

14.Leader of the Band performed by Zac Brown

Interview Flashback - Second Acts And Next Chapters With Jessica Harp

I have been blessed to write contributions/reviews/interviews/opinion pieces for several country music and roots-oriented websites and publications over the years including Saving Country Music, Nashville Scene, Country California, Country Weekly, American Noise, The 9513 and Engine 145. As a regular contributor to the last two in that list, I did close to a 100 interviews with different artists- and since both of those great sites have come down, I will reprint some of those interviews here to give them a home in perpetuity. This interview was originally published in January 2010 on The 9513.

Jessica Harp is hoping for that rare successful second act in music. Don Henley did it after the Eagles. John Fogerty managed it after Creedence Clearwater Revival. Paul McCartney pulled it off twice after the Beatles and Wings. 

And while no one would compare the placement of Harp in music history with some of those legends, the comparison does underscore the difficulty of finding success as a solo artist after success in a band. Richie McDonald and Randy Owen have shown that impressive credentials as lead singers in bands like Lonestar and Alabama don’t always translate easily to successful radio play or album sales as individuals. 

For Harp, this next chapter in her career comes after a wildly successful first album in 2006 with then pop-star Michelle Branch under the band name of Wreckers (a shortened form of the band name “The Cass County Homewreckers” given to the girls by Branch’s husband). The band’s first and only album, Stand Still, Look Pretty, included the Billboard number one single “Leave The Pieces.” They would go on to win a CMA for Best Vocal Duo Of The Year and a Grammy For Best Duo or Group Performance for that same single. 

Fast-forward to 2009 and Harp has had a solo single called “Boy Like Me” that has reached the Top 30 and a brand new single that has just been released called “A Woman Needs.” This latter single is the title of her to-be-released album this next spring. 

The 9513 got a chance to sit down with the lovely songstress and talk about the new album and life after the Wreckers. 

Ken Morton, Jr.- You have a brand new album that will be coming out in the coming months- tell me about the new project.

Jessica Harp- The album doesn’t have a date quite yet, it’s the new single that’s coming out soon. The album isn’t actually going to be out until early spring. It’s sort of been pushed back. It was supposed to come out in September but my record label went through a bunch of changes and it ended up getting pushed back. The record is coming out early spring, but the new single is coming out called “A Woman Needs” which is the title track for the record. It has actually been shipped to country radio so people can start to hear it. I just shot the video
for it and that will hit CMT in January. 

KMJ- Is the overall album finished and in the can or are you still working on it?

JH- Nope, it’s been finished for awhile. I would have loved to have it out a year ago, but you know how things go in the music business. It’s slow going. It’s hurry up and wait. 

KMJ- Sonically, what can we expect from the album in influences and music?

JH- I would say that for anyone who listened to me when I was in The Wreckers, I think The Wreckers sort of had a folk-country influence to it, this record is
definitely straight up more modern country. What I really love about the record is that Jerry Flowers produced my record and he’s an up and coming producer. A lot of people don’t know this, but there are about five producers in Nashville that are incredible producers but they do everything you hear on the radio. I loved having someone with a fresh set of ears produce my record because while it’s very much modern country, it sounds very fresh to me. 

KMJ- I recognize Jerry’s name as the bass player in Keith Urban’s band- did you meet him while you were on tour with Urban as part of The Wreckers?

JH- Actually, my husband and Jerry have been friends for years. When we were going on tour with Keith, my husband said, “You have to write with Jerry. He’s an incredible writer.” And Jerry and I started writing and clicked and really hit it off. He wanted to get into producing. He took a chance on me and I took a chance on him and I’m really proud of what we came up with together. 

KMJ- What I’ve heard so far is decidedly more upbeat and more energetic than what we heard from The Wreckers. Did you make a conscious effort to write songs and pick songs that had more energy to them?

JH- Definitely. I would never knock The Wreckers at all. I love that record. But I definitely experienced a country festival of 30,000 people and had a set of a bunch of sad sappy songs. One of my biggest goals when putting this record together was making a record that would be a blast to play live. 

KMJ- I know you’ve written all but three of the songs on the upcoming record. How important was it for you to tell your story on this album versus look for outside songwriters?

JH- It’s always very important. I’m a singer but I’m also a songwriter and I always have been. It’s kind of cheesy, but my songs are kind of my personal journal. They’re my little diaries. They’re very autobiographical. I like to let people know who I am through my music. If I’m going to cut an outside song, it has to be a song that I think that I could have written or something that I’ve experienced. Because when I go into that vocal booth, I have to mean it. It’s very important that there’s a lot of me in any given song or record. 

KMJ- When you’re going through catalogs on songs that you didn’t write yourself, what specifically were you looking for- what kind of songs would catch your attention?

JH- One of them was “Boy Like Me.” That was a song that Jerry wrote and played for me early on and I just loved it because it was fun and sassy and I hadn’t heard anything like that before. I wanted to cut that one. Another one was a fun up-tempo throw your hair back type of song that I thought would be geared towards a live setting. The other one was a ballad that knocked me off my feet. It’s a beautiful and incredible ballad that I can completely relate to and feel like it was something I could have written. I listened to 300 to 400 different songs while writing for the record and preparing for the recording process. Those were the three that stuck out for me. 

KMJ- I know there’s a certain Country Music Hall-Of-Famer that’s on the record with you too, isn’t there?

JH- Yes! Vince Gill was quite kind in agreeing to come play on my record. I met Vince when The Wreckers played the Opry and he was hosting. He was actually a Wreckers fan and like the record and mentioned that he’d like to collaborate someday. After I started working on my record, there was a song called “Homemade Love” that we had cut that I felt would be just perfect for Vince to sing on. I was at an awards show and sort of tracked him down and stalked him. (Laughing) “Do you remember when you said you want to collaborate? Would you still like do that?” He was gracious enough to come in and sing on it and it made the song all that more special. 

KMJ- Do you have any favorite songs or tracks on the album yet?

JH- I think that one is probably one of my favorites- not only because Vince is on it, but because it was one of the first love songs that I’ve written that I didn’t was cheesy. I’ve always had a difficult time writing love songs. It’s a lot easier writing the sad songs. I really love that song. Also, “A Woman Needs” is special because it’s about women finding their own place in life and finding their path. I can really identify with that. It really sums up the theme of the record for me. 

KMJ- The Wreckers was more melancholy in theme. This new album seems a little feistier. Is that more representative of who you are as a person?

JH- Yes. I wanted people to see different sides of me. And while there are some of the sad heartbreak songs, there are definitely more feisty songs. That is definitely a piece of my personality. I wanted people to see all sides of me as an artist as well as a songwriter. 

KMJ- What do you have planned in touring or promotion as we get closer to the album’s release?

JH- I don’t have anything set in stone yet. I’m waiting for the new single to get up and going. But I’ll definitely be touring next year and I would imagine by the spring I’ll be hitting the road. That will be the point in time we start going and won’t be home for a year. We’ll be busy. 

KMJ- You need be spending time with your husband now while you can, right?

JH- Definitely. We’re enjoying a little downtime. 

KMJ- I’ve got a Wreckers question for you. Are you still in contact and communicate regularly with Michelle Branch at all?

JH- Absolutely. Absolutely. We’re label-mates and proud of each other and proud of each other’s records. That was a long friendship so there’s no way we couldn’t follow each other’s lives and careers closely.

KMJ- I have one last question for you- and this one is meant to be a little open-ended. What is country music to Jessica Harp?

JH- Country music has always been- and it’s probably why I was drawn to it at such an early age- songs about real people and real things. They’re songs that are easily relatable and songs that mean something to people. Growing up, being a country music fan, there were always a number of songs that really meant something to me. As a songwriter, I’ve always felt like Nashville and country
music were my home. 

Interview Flashback - Wade Hayes Finds a Place to Turn Around

I have been blessed to write contributions/reviews/interviews/opinion pieces for several country music and roots-oriented websites and publications over the years including Saving Country Music, Nashville Scene, Country California, Country Weekly, American Noise, The 9513 and Engine 145. As a regular contributor to the last two in that list, I did close to a 100 interviews with different artists- and since both of those great sites have come down, I will reprint some of those interviews here to give them a home in perpetuity. This interview was originally published in October 2009 on The 9513.

On the surface, it might look like country music success may be Wade Hayes’ rear view mirror. In all reality, he’s doing exactly what he had hoped for when he came to Nashville in the early 1990’s. 

The son of a professional country music musician, Hayes grew up in music all his life. He was a phenomenally talented mandolin and guitarist by the age of 11. Unlike most acts that come to Nashville dreaming of a major record deal and hits on the radio, Hayes dreamed of the life of a studio and road musician after seeing Ricky Skaggs perform live. Picking the strings has always been the first love of his life.

But his original Nashville goals were all set aside when he signed a record deal with Columbia Records in late 1994.  Over the next handful of years, few artists could match the success that Hayes was creating across the radio airwaves.  Songs like 1994’s “Old Enough To Know Better,” “Don’t Stop,” “What I Meant To Say,” and “On A Good Night,” are just some of the 14 charted singles he’s released. In 1995, he was nominated for Top New Male Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association.  

But after his last solo album called Highways & Heartaches was released in 2000 on Monument Records, Hayes spent the next few years dabbling in a band called McHayes with Alan Jackson’s fiddler Mark McClurg and recorded an unreleased album for Universal South Records.  Afterwards, he returned to Oklahoma- and wrote and wrote and wrote.  

Then a funny thing happened. In 2008, 17 years after he came to Nashville looking to become a musician, he rejoined the Nashville ranks by taking a job as the lead guitarist in former Alabama lead singer’s Randy Owen’s band.  “It’s really the perfect job for me,” says Hayes. With the musical spark alive with the perfect gig the last two years, Hayes decided it was time to record all the songs he had written since his last album. He released his indie fifth album, Place To Turn Around, in July 2009 and calls it “the album I always wanted to make.”   

Ken Morton, Jr.- Your career got off to an interesting start right off the bat in Nashville, didn’t it?

Wade Hayes- I moved to Nashville and ended up getting a writing deal and record deal with nine months. It’s an odd story. I was playing lead guitar for another artist and ended up meeting Chick Rains, who was my primary co-writer back in those days. We ended up writing a couple of songs that were number one songs- “Old Enough To Know Better” and “I’m Still Dancing With You.” Everything was moving at blazing speed. I was just a country boy and I hadn’t seen anything like was happening to me. It was an incredible time.

KMJ- It’s been nine years since your last album. Why 2009 for this release?

WH- I just got to thinking. I’d had a lot of songs lying around that I’d written. I actually started to do this project two years ago and for a few reasons I decided to put it on the back burner to do other stuff. I got to listening to those songs again on my computer and I thought that I was going to do this project on my own. I wasn’t going to worry about anybody else. I paid for everything by myself. I produced it myself. And good or bad, that’s what came out of it. And I’m really proud of how the project turned out. 

KMJ- From the artist’s perspective, what was the mission behind the new album?

WH- I just got tired of people of people wondering what happened to me. (Laughter) I worked on a couple of deals that took a lot of time that ended up not working out. Both deals took over a year. And they had both gotten down to the point of hiring lawyers and stuff and something weird happened and they ended up not happening. I got tired of that. So I decided to this on my own and see what came out of it. And luckily, I’ve had lots of positive response from it. 

KMJ- You wrote or co-wrote nearly the entire album, how was that as a new process for you?

WH- When I was on Sony, they wanted commercial hit songs. I didn’t care if I wrote them or if someone else did. I would usually write two or three songs on the entire album. But this time, I had a lot of time between projects and had written with a ton of really good writers. And I had lots of really good songs around and I just wanted to record them. There were so many songs that I just really liked. 

KMJ- Compare this album to some of your earlier work and some of the differences fans will hear. 

WH- This time around I didn’t have anybody around to tell me what to record or how to do it or anything like that. Which I’ll be honest with you, there were times during this project that I would have welcomed the help- especially on the production end of it. Fortunately, there were some really good engineers that I worked with and they helped me out with stuff. That’s probably the primary difference between this project and my previous ones. 

KMJ- Do you have any favorite songs on this album?

WH- Yes I do. I really love “What’s A Broken Heart For You.” I’d had that idea for a long time. I was talking to my mom one time and she planted that seed for me. She’s a very religious person and she’s a salt-of-the-earth kind of gal. And she planted that seed in me to plead that way to God. And I thought, that’s a great idea for a song. And it knocked around in my brain for almost a year and a half before I finally wrote the song. When it finally came out, I was really proud of the way it turned out.
 
KMJ- I’ll look back a bit. When you look back at your Sony and Columbia days, do you think that your time on that label just ran its course or if you had a time machine, would you go back and do something differently?

WH- Of course hindsight is 20/20. And of course, I’d go back and do some things differently. When we came to a parting of the ways, they gave me the opportunity to redo the last album – or at least some of the songs on the last album- and at the time, I thought it was just better for me to leave. It was because there had been a lot of changes there at the label and everyone that had been there when my deal broke- all the people that had championed my project and my songs- were all gone. All my friends were gone from that label. All the people that had made things happen for me. They had all gone to other labels and I felt like it would be best to leave and try to pursue another deal somewhere else. But in hindsight, and this is a very personal and candid answer, I would have stayed and redone the project. I would have tried to do whatever was necessary. It’s really hard to get a record deal. And even the record labels are having troubles these days. I certainly see their side to it. I probably would have stayed and done a different project with them. 

KMJ- With “Old Enough To Know Better” hitting number one with your very first single, was it difficult climbing that mountain again and recreating that same success?

WH- It’s always difficult to catch lightning in a bottle. And we did it that first time. That was a wonderful time in my life and I’m so thankful to have gotten to experience that. And it’s difficult to stay on that ride. That peak. Especially when you start out that quickly. I consider myself very fortunate and very thankful for that time. There were a lot of good people on that label and we did some good work and I’m proud of it. 

KMJ- I know the last two years, you’ve been playing guitar with Alabama’s  Randy Owen. What has that time been like?

WH- It’s been an amazing blessing. Randy Owen is a great guy and he treats us like gold. I’ve learned a lot from him and it’s been a wonderful time. I just got home from doing a job with him this weekend. We had a great time. It was really a pretty easy job to learn because I grew up listening to all of his stuff. I had heard it so many times on the radio, that there wasn’t a lot to learn. I just think it’s really cool to play with a legend and for them to appreciate my guitar playing. That’s always been a big part of my deal. That’s originally what I moved to Nashville to do. That’s what brought me here to begin with. Being an artist and having hit records on my own was just icing on the cake. My dreams were just to be a lead guitar player and a songwriter. So I’ve kind of come full circle and gotten back to my original dreams and roots with this thing. More importantly, it’s been a blast.

KMJ- It’s funny how a journey that has taken you on a wild ride of a career can bring you back to the destination you set out to find nearly 20 years ago. 

WH- It’s odd that I’ve come full circle like that. But I fully expect to do an artist deal one more time. I think there are some songs on this project that are really good. I don’t know how commercial they are to be honest. But I don’t really know what that means anymore. I do know that there are some good songs on there. I would like to have a hit record again. But if that doesn’t happen, there are lots of people still buying this CD and I’m just really thankful for that. There are still people that still like my music. It’s an odd thing. You get so wrapped up in what’s happening around here (Nashville) you kind of miss what’s happening around the country. You forget the fact that there are people who bought your records before and really like it. I’m so thankful for those people who have bought this new project. That’s where I’m sitting today. 

KMJ- Is music as big a thrill today as it was when you got started?

WH- I’d say it’s different. To be honest with you, I had never even been on an airplane when I came to Nashville. So there were a lot of firsts in my life. I had rarely even been out of the state of Oklahoma when I moved to Nashville. There were so many first time things and big things for me. I got to meet a lot of my idols. In fact, I’ve met all of my idols. I got to hang around a lot of famous people. It was a magical and wonderful time. But at this time in my life, I get to share a lot of great stuff with people who have become great friends of mine. Musicians. Guys I get to pick with are my best friends. And we do a lot of fun stuff- neat stuff- together. I’m so thankful. It’s really a great way to make a living. 

KMJ- What is country music to Wade Hayes?

WH- Country music is always changing. I think people’s opinions of what country music is are changing. There are a lot of different opinions. There are artists like Taylor Swift right now that are making a fortune right now and doing well. And I think she’s great. I’m proud of the fact that she writes all her own songs and she does a great job. But then you’ve got people like the legends that I think are overlooked. Guys like Merle, Waylon and Willie.  Guys like Gene Watson. Guys that made this my music of choice. I wish that people could go back and rediscover them. I think a lot of those guys that paved the way for guys like me are all too often overlooked. Like George Strait’s early stuff. People today just don’t know anything about that and that music is just awesome. I’ve loved him since I was a kid. I don’t know how to wrap this up. Today, country music is a pretty broad spectrum. I’m just thankful that I still get to be a part of it. 

Randy Owen, Will Jennings, Layng Martine, Jr. and Jeffrey Steele To Be Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Will Jennings, Layng Martine, Jr., Randy Owen (Alabama) and Jeffrey Steele will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October, according to an announcement made today by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF).

The four new inductees will join the 188 existing members of the elite organization when they are officially inducted during the 43rd Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremonyon Sunday, October 13th  at the Music City Center. AT&T will again be a sponsor of the event.

“Among all the great songwriters who have put the music in Music City, only a few are elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Pat Alger, chair of the foundation’s board of directors. “This year we are delighted to bestow this honor upon Will Jennings and Jeffrey Steele in the songwriter category; Randy Owen in the songwriter/artist category, and Layng Martine Jr. in the veteran songwriter category.”

Will Jennings’ songwriter credits include “Up Where We Belong” (Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes) and “My Heart Will Go On” (Celine Dion).  Jeffrey Steele’s resume is known for “The Cowboy In Me” (Tim McGraw) and “What Hurts The Most” (Rascal Flatts).  Layng Martine, Jr. is the tunesmith behind “Rub It In” (Billy “Crash” Craddock) and “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” (Reba McEntire). Alabama front-man Randy Owen popularized many of his own compositions with the band, such as “Feels So Right” and “Fallin’ Again.”

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony is one of the music industry’s foremost events of the year.  The evening features tributes and performances of the inductees’ songs by special guest artists.  In recent years artists such as Garth Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, the Del McCoury Band, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Barbara Mandrell, Michael McDonald, Ronnie Milsap, Blake Shelton, Marty Stuart, Taylor Swift, Steve Wariner, Gretchen Wilson and Trisha Yearwood have performed at or participated in the event. During the evening, NaSHOF’s sister organization, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), presents its annual awards for the year’s Best Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written,” as determined by the professional songwriters division.

Alabama Getting A Little Help From Their Friends On New 8/27 Release

One of country music's most successful and influential groups of all time, ALABAMA, will release their highly anticipated new album, ALABAMA & Friends, on Tuesday, August 27 through Show Dog-Universal Music. The project is a tribute album, honoring the legendary group that helped change the face of country music.

ALABAMA & Friends will feature some of country music's hottest stars -- all delivering their own unique versions of the multi-platinum-selling band's biggest hits, including Jason Aldean ("Tennessee River"), Luke Bryan ("Love in the First Degree"), Kenny Chesney ("Lady Down on Love"), Eli Young Band ("The Closer You Get"), Florida Georgia Line ("I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)"), Jamey Johnson ("My Home's in Alabama"), Toby Keith ("She and I"), Rascal Flatts ("Old Flame") and Trisha Yearwood ("Forever's As Far As I'll Go").

The 11-song collection will also feature the band's first new tracks in over 10 years - "All American" (written by Trey Bruce) and "That's How I Was Raised" (written by Charley Stefl, Tony Ramey, Skip Sasser and Trent Tomlinson), which has the group teaming again with legendary producer Harold Shedd who worked closely with the group in their early years.

"It's a storybook episode in my life and in the career of ALABAMA to have Harold on board and to see him as excited as we were after all these years," says frontman Randy Owen.

The songs chosen for the project are among the most memorable in country music and will remind fans and the music industry alike why this Southern Rock/Country band broke so many sales records throughout their remarkable career. Their crossover appeal to country, rock and pop audiences and meteoric accomplishments set the bar high for those that have since followed.

"Our longevity is a tribute to the hard work we did in selecting songs, because it's the songs that people remember," says bassist Teddy Gentry.

"It's very much an honor that they'd take part in an ALABAMA tribute," guitarist Jeff Cook says of the acts included on the album. "We had a lot of fun working with them, and I think the finished product testifies to both the fun and the quality that went into it."

After signing with RCA in 1980, ALABAMA soared to the top with 21 consecutive No. 1 hits, a feat that will most likely never be equaled in any genre. During their career, they have had more than 30 singles that have topped the country charts and have sold more than 73 million albums worldwide. They are one of the most celebrated groups, scoring more than 150 major industry nods, including two Grammys, the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian award, Entertainer of the Year awards three times from the CMA and five times from the ACM, as well as the ACM Artist of the Decade award. They have earned 21 Gold ®, Platinum ®, and Multi-Platinum ® albums and were named the RIAA's Country Group of the Century.

For more information on ALABAMA & Friends, as well as a complete listing of tour dates, visit www.thealabamaband.com.

Alabama's Randy Owen Plans Benefit Album Release In April

Randy Owen from the Country Music Hall Of Fame music group Alabama and Bleve Entertainment Label have joined forces to produce the upcoming CD Friends. It is a brand new album with 10 original songs. Proceeds from the sale of the April release CD go toward the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Fire Fighters. This clip below is a behind-the-scenes video- capturing production of the new CD.

CD Reviews- Clay Walker- She Won’t Be Lonely Long

The Background
Clay Walker is keeping things real as he launches this, his tenth album, She Won't Be Lonely Long. Of his nine previous albums, four are RIAA- certified platinum, 2 are certified gold and nearly 3 dozen singles have reached the top spot on radio charts. Like his 2007 Curb debut Fall, She Won't Be Lonely Long was produced by Keith Stegall. The album's first single, 'She Won't Be Lonely Long,' written by Galen Griffin, Phil O'Donnell and Doug Johnson is already inside the top ten.

The Review
Vastly underrated throughout his career, Walker has been known as much for his personal crusade and endless fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis than for his long line of music successes. But for the better of nearly two decades, Walker has generated generally good, if not truly spectacular albums, filled with radio hits. Along the way have also been songs that have gone under radio’s radar like “A Cowboy’s Toughest Ride” from Hypnotize The Moon and his Freddy Fender duet “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” off of Fall. “She Won’t Be Lonely Long” is a song celebrating being the rebound guys and is already a chart success for Walker. It’s followed up by the romantic storytelling tale “Like We Never Said Goodbye.” Two exes find each other again and it’s a touching story of rekindling that old flame with lyrics about a common dream and probably most important, believable. He celebrates the cowboy way of life of “Double Shot of John Wayne” not with horses and the old west way of life, but with the cowboy mentality of cowboy principles. It’s unique without being preachy, lightweight fare that’s entertaining. “People In Planes” is a great study of people-watching and the introspective feelings it dredges up inside of us personally. The strongest track on the album is held out for “Seven Sundays”- a reflection about sitting in the back pew of an old white steepled church thinking about his adolescence and getting his “soul washed clean” at the age of thirteen. We’re reminded what a good storyteller Walker is with such great inflection in his voice for country music. The slower-tempo-than-the-original version of Alabama’s “Feels So Right” feels so right with its deliberate and sensual timing- and he’s even backed by former Alabama lead singer Randy Owen for added familiarity. Overall, the album has no tricks, isn’t revolutionary and has no novelties. It’s just good consistent country music- just like Walker’s career.

Sounds Like:
Strong Joe Diffie song selection with Justin Moore vocals

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
She Won’t Be Lonely Long
Like We Never Said Goodbye
Double Shot of John Wayne
Seven Sundays
People in Planes
Feels So Right

The Verdict:
Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five

New Clay Walker Album She Won't Be Lonely Long Due June 8

Clay Walker's upcoming Curb Records album, She Won't Be Lonely Long, has been green-lit with a June 8 release date. Produced by Keith Stegall, it's Walker's first album of new material since Fall was released in 2007. The title cut of the new album has been selected as the project's first single and is currently in the Top 20. As a bonus track, Walker sings with Randy Owen on "Feels So Right," which Owen wrote and recorded as the lead singer of Alabama.

Dozens Of Big Names In Country Music Looking For New Labels

Over at CMT.com, their editorial team has finished a huge survey of signed and recently released acts- and there’s several big surprises on current unsigned acts.

Among the departures are Emerson Drive from Valory Music Co., Randy Owen from Broken Bow, Trace Adkins and Kenny Rogers from Capitol (Adkins has since signed to Show Dog-Universal) and the Bellamy Brothers, Hal Ketchum and Hank Williams Jr. from Curb. Also moving on are SHeDAISY, Jessica Andrews and Trent Tomlinson from Lyric Street, Kate & Kacey Coppola and Adam Gregory from Big Machine, Rhonda Vincent from Rounder, Jennifer Hanson, Kevin Costner and Shooter Jennings from Show Dog-Universal, Jason Michael Carroll from Arista, Crystal Shawanda from RCA Nashville, Pat Green from BNA, Keith Anderson, Caitlin & Will and Gretchen Wilson from Columbia Nashville (Wilson has since started her own label) and Shelby Lynne from Lost Highway.

BMI Celebrates Steve Wariner's 15 Million Plays

BMI honored Steve Wariner at a luncheon yesterday by presenting him with Million-Air Awards for writing and publishing four songs that have reached new million performance levels. The Million-Air Award recognizes songs that have earned more than one million performances on U.S. television and radio. To date 11 songs written by Wariner have achieved Million-Air status, with three titles reaching multiple plateaus, resulting in his receiving a total of 15 Million-Air Awards.

Awards were presented at the luncheon for:
“Nothin’ But the Taillights” – recorded by Clint Black – 3 million
“Where the Blacktop Ends” – recorded by Keith Urban - 2 million
“Holes in the Floor of Heaven” –Wariner’s 1998 CMA Single and Song of the Year, 1999 ACM Song of the Year – 2 million
“I Should Be With You” - #1 hit for Wariner – 1 million

Wariner’s other Million-Air Awards are for the following songs:
“Longneck Bottle” – recorded by Garth Brooks
The rest were recorded by Wariner:
“Been There” – duet with Clint Black
“Two Teardrops” – top 5
“Where Did I Go Wrong” - #1
“I Got Dreams” - #1
“I’m Already Taken” – top 5
“You Can Dream of Me” - #1

“Steve is the quintessential combination of artist, musician, and BMI songwriter,” said Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations. “Over the past three decades, he has continued to create a deep catalog of country hits that remains both popular and artistically compelling, evidenced most recently by his 2010 Grammy nomination. We at BMI couldn’t be prouder to represent him.”

Williams placed the million-air milestone in perspective by noting that playing a song back-to-back one million times would take about six years.

“I’m so thankful to BMI for the support they’ve shown in the 35 years we’ve worked together,” said Wariner. “Of course I also have to thank Garth, Clint, Keith and the other artists who have recorded some of my songs, country radio for playing them, and the fans for listening to and requesting them.”

With a total of 15 Million-Air Awards, Wariner reaches a rare plateau achieved by only a fraction of BMI writer/artists including Chuck Berry, Stevie Nicks, Randy Owen, Hank Williams, Jr., Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Steve Winwood.

TNS Video History- Alabama's "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"

"40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" is a song made famous by the band Alabama. Originally released in 1985, the song was the title track to Alabama's sixth album. Alabama holds the record of the longest uninterrupted streak of number ones in the history of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Songs chart, with 21 songs peaking atop the chart between 1980 and 1987, "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" was the song that set the new standard.

Alabama Reuniting (Almost) This Weekend

Randy Owens, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook of the supergroup Alabama haven’t forgotten about their home. As in recent years, the group is (almost) reuniting together on stage at Northeast Alabama Community College with the approach of the June Jam Songwriter’s Showcase.

Featured songwriters that will also appear include Brice Long, best known for “Anywhere But Here” and “Nothing On but the Radio,” Jim Weatherly, known for “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “Neither One of Us (wants to be the first to say goodbye),” Monty Powell, who works closely with Keith Urban and Diamond Rio and Wynn Varble, known for “Waiting on a Woman” and “I Just Came Back from a War.”

Randy, Teddy and Jeff are expected to close the show with some Alabama favorites and the stories behind them. Jeff will be doing a show earlier with his Jeff Cook & His All-Star Band earlier in the Showcase. They’ll share the stories behind all the songs, as well as the songwriters themselves performing them in their acoustic form. All of the proceeds from the showcase go to John Croyle’s Big Oak Ranch that helps provide a home for children in need.

Tickets are still available for the event for $50 and can be purchased by calling 845-1646 or (800) 557-8223.

Up & Coming New Nashville- Megan Mullins (With Exclusive Interview)

Megan Mullins was born on November 24, 1986, in Fort Wayne, Indiana where she began to learn several instruments as soon as she was walking. By the ripe old age of three, she had won the Indiana State Fair Showmanship award at the State Fiddle Championship. Many of her family members are also professional musicians, most notably her brother Marcus, with whom she performed on the Grand Ole Opry at age fourteen. They would actually tour as a family act growing up on the road. It would eventually make an incredible song on her forthcoming album (and currently on her mySpace page) of All American Family Band.

By 2006, she was signed to Broken Bow Records. Her first single, titled "Ain't What It Used to Be" (also recorded by Billy Currington on his debut album) was issued early that year, reaching a peak of #32 on the country music charts.

In 2008, Mullins recorded a duet with former Alabama lead singer Randy Owen (who is also signed to Broken Bow), for his solo debut album One on One. Mullins also plays fiddle in Owen's road band. In April 2009, she switched to Stoney Creek, a sister label also started by the founder of Broken Bow. Her first release for Stoney Creek, "Long Past Gone", made its chart debut in May 2009 and looks to crack the top 50 this week.

Listen to her new Stoney Creek Records single Long Past Gone here.

We had an opportunity to hear Megan play at Golf & Guitars in Sacramento a couple weeks back and she put on a terrific show. We also were thrilled to sit down with her and do a little interview which you can see the results of as well…

That Nashville Sound- You have a great story about what brought you to music in the first place that you've put in a song- tell us about it...

Megan Mullins- Well, my dad played and sang in a one-man band every weekend (he worked in a factory during the week) My older brother wanted to play like my dad, and I wanted to play like my brother and my dad, so my mom took us to violin lessons. It wasn't long after that we started getting up at my dad's shows, and it sort of snowballed into us doing between 100-200 shows a year from the time I was 3 on. I wrote a song that's on my new record called All American Family band, it's very autobiographical. It was a great way to grow up, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

TNS- Describe your music- what's the mission behind the music?

MM- My music definitely sounds like me, and I just want to make good country music. I wrote 6 songs on my new album, and it's produced by Buddy Cannon, who also produces Kenny Chesney, Reba, and Willie to name a few. I also was lucky enough to play fiddle and mandolin on my record, so it definitely has those acoustic influences without being too raw.

TNS- How many instruments do you play and how has that been an asset getting your foot in the door in Music City?

MM- I play 10 instruments, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, piano, bass, viola, clarinet, accordion, cello and banjo. It definitely helped when I moved to town, because as I was waiting to get my solo career rocking I was able to get out there on the road and be a musician with other artists, and also do some TV work. For instance, I was in the house band for Nashville Star the past 4 seasons, also a musician for the Next GAC Star, and recently PBS's The Outlaw Trail and "Legends and Lyrics" where I played with Lamont Dozier, Motown Legend, and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues. Also, playing with Randy Owen led to me singing a duet with him that's on his current album.

TNS- What kind of music are you listening to? What's in your iPod?

MM- Probably the last thing I listened to was Dwight Yoakam.

TNS- What's next for Megan Mullins? Where do you hope to be career-wise a couple years from now?

MM- I would LOVE to be playing and singing my music for anybody that'll listen. I will be playing and singing my whole life, there's no question about it.

TNS- Quick questions (which do you like best?): Opry or Opera?

MM- Opry

TNS- Record stores or downloads?

MM- Lately downloads out of convenience, but I love liner notes.

TNS- Fine dining or southern cooking?

MM- Southern cooking for sure.

TNS- Baseball or fishing?

MM- I love fishing!

TNS- West Coast or East Coast?

MM- Can I say anywhere on the road is great with me?

TNS- Nickname for your guitar or other instruments?

MM- I have an old french fiddle named Fugly, (cause she's french and ugly) and a black fiberglass stand-up bass named Black Sally. More names to come I'm sure, those are the two that stand out.

PBS Hosts Songwriters Show Called "Legends & Lyrics"

Darryl Worley, Dwight Yoakam, Guy Clark and Mac Davis are among a long list of talents slated to tape the PBS show "Legends & Lyrics" in Nashville running from February 20 through 24.

The program focuses on singer-songwriters with performances and interview segments. The shows mix it up a bit, too, balancing established legends with newcomers. The first round, taped last summer, airs in April with such names as Kris Kristofferson, Randy Owen, Patty Griffin, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Phil Vassar, Pam Tillis, Charlie Daniels and Michael Martin Murphey.

Congrats To Our Randy Owen CD Winner

Congratuations to Samantha P, our Randy Owen One On One CD Giveaway winner. Keep an eye out soon, we'll be doing another giveaway in about another week!

Randy Owen CD Giveaway From TNS

To recognize the continued success of Randy Owen's new album, One by One That Nashville Sound is giving away the album. All subscribers to the website between now and January 18th will be entered to win this special prize. The subscription form is found at the top right of the website just under the masthead. Good luck!

Contest Rules

Enter to WIN a Randy Owen CD

No PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER THIS CONTEST

TERMS: This contest ends at 11:59 PM ET on January 18, 2008.

PRIZE: 1 winner will receive one (1) Randy Owen Prize Pack, given away by That Nashville Sound

ODDS OF WINNING: Odds of winning will be determined by the number of entries received.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST: You are automatically entered into the Contest when you complete and transmit the on-screen entry form before 11:59 PM ET January 18, 2009. That Nashville Sound is not responsible for transmission and/or computer error. One random selection will be held on or about the following date: January 19, 2008. Limit one entry per individual. That Nashville Sound reserves the right to modify scheduling of the contest without prior notice.

NOTIFICATION: The Prize winner will be notified via e-mail after drawing date. Prize winners do not need to be online at time of notification.

REDEMPTION: The prize will be sent to the winner's home address after confirming eligibility.

ELIGIBILITY: All legal US residents who are 18 years or older may participate in this contest. Employees and their immediate family members (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter and spouse) of That Nashville Sound are NOT ELIGIBLE. This contest is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law and is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Limited to one prize per person.That Nashville Sound and participating promotional companies are not in any way liable for damage, loss or injury resulting from computer malfunctions, misdirected or incomplete entries or acceptance and use of the prize. Winners assume liability for injuries caused or claimed to be caused by participation in this Contest, or the use or misuse of any prizes. That Nashville Sound reserves the right in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this contest should virus, bugs or other causes beyond the control of sponsor, corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the contest. Winners may be required to execute an affidavit of eligibility and release which must be completed and returned within 21 days of notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Taxes, and additional shipping, handling and delivery fees in excess of the prize amount, if any, are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. By registering to win the prize, the winner grants That Nashville Sound permission for the use of his/her name and likeness for advertising and future promotion purposes without additional compensation (except where prohibited). Un-accepted prizes may not be awarded. By entering the sweepstakes, you agree to join and review our email list. All email promotions include instructions for removing your name. This contest is subject to these complete and official rules.

Congratulations To Our Randy Owen Winner

Congratulations go out to our Randy Owen CD & Book Giveaway winner- Laura A. from the great state of Kentucky. She won the the new book BORN COUNTRY and new CD ONE BY ONE from legendary Alabama singer Randy Owen.

TNS Literary Week- Randy Owen's "Born Country: How Faith, Family and Music Brought Me Home"

All this week, we've been celebrating the written side of music style with our mini-feature, That Nashville Sound Literary Week. This is the fifth and final installment of the series.

Randy Owen, the front man and lead vocalist for one of the biggest music groups of all time, was raised in rural Alabama, grew up working on a small sharecropper farm, and today lives on this same land that his family worked for generations. Born Country: How Faith, Family and Music Brought Me Home weaves together never-before-shared stories about life on the road with the legendary band Alabama, Randy's family, his experiences with temptation in the face of superstardom, and how he held on to his traditional Christian values through it all. An inspirational story about how a poor country boy became a country music hero to millions of fans, the book will reveal never before shared material about Randy’s close relationship with his father, his troubled teen years, and how his down-home country roots kept him grounded. Each chapter begins with Randy’s lyrics to an Alabama song that sets up the stories of his life, instantly connecting readers with their favorite songs and the man behind the music.

Born Country is an inspiring story about how a poor country boy came to touch the lives of millions of fans. It will be released Tuesday, November 4th at all major book stores.

Randy Owen Of Alabama To Release Solo Album in November

Randy Owen from the legendary country music group Alabama will be back in the new release section across record stores next month. After more than 150 industry awards, 73 million albums sold, 42 number one singles, and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame with the rest of his band mates, it's time for a new chapter to be written. One On One is the debut solo album title. It will be in stores on November 4th, but you can listen to tracks from the album and read Randy's thoughts on each song here.

Off the Broken Bow Records label and produced by John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, Randy wrote or co-wrote seven of the 11 cuts on One On One. Also on the writing team are Muzik Mafia members Shannon Lawson and James Otto- as well as one Dolly Parton on "Holding Everything." Says Owen, "Dolly and I share the same hair stylist, and she has brought me several songs over the years. She kept telling me about this wonderful song Dolly just wrote, and she said I just had to hear it. It’s a great song, and I had the chance to have Megan Mullins to sing it with me. It’s one of the most exciting tracks on the whole cd."

Sounds like one more thing's on my shopping list come the first week of November!