Showing posts with label The Judds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Judds. Show all posts
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Naomi Judd of The Judds Passes Away At 76 - Mental Illness To Blame
Instead, it’s a day of deep sorrow.
Naomi Judd, the mother of Wynonna (and actress Ashley Judd), died today (4/30).
In their statement to the Associated Press, the sisters wrote:
Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.
The wording does imply that Naomi may have taken her own life; however, no explicit details were released.
The Judds’ Hall of Fame career began with “Mama, He’s Crazy” in 1984. After follow-up hits like “Why Not Me,” “Give a Little Love,” and the Grammy-winning “Love Can Build a Bridge” brought them to superstardom, Naomi, who had started singing with daughter Wynonna (who took her stage name from the song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”: “Flagstaff, Arizona, don’t forget Winona”) while working as a nurse, stopped performing in 1991 because of a diagnosis of hepatitis C. Wynonna continued on her own with a successful solo career.
Mother and daughter were hoping to do a reunion tour in 2020 before COVID hit. The plans were rescheduled for last year, and had finally been set for later this year.
Naomi, however, had a long history of battling severe depression. She was quite open about the sexual abuse she endured as a youngster and her prolonged panic attacks that kept her locked away in her home for months at a time.
Deepest condolences to Wynonna, Ashley, and a world of fans who are shocked and stunned by this tragic news the day before what was to be the crowning achievement in the Judds’ wonderful career.
Naomi Judd was 76.
K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Grammy-Winner K.T. Oslin Passes Away At The Age of 78
She is by far best known for her recordings. In the 1980s she captivated us as she sang the definitive anthem of the decade, “80s Ladies.” In the 1990s she had us chuckling along with her No. 1 hit “Come Next Monday.” In the new millennium, K.T. Oslin returned with Live Close By, Visit Often, the first collection that surveyed all her musical skills as a composer, interpreter, producer and story teller. The album’s musical textures were dazzlingly diverse. On it, she ranged through country, soul, Latin, pop, dance and swing sounds.
That is as it should be: K.T. Oslin’s career has never been “by the book.” Born in Arkansas and raised in Houston, Texas, Kay Toinette Oslin initially performed as a folk singer with fellow Texan Guy Clark. She moved to New York and worked as a chorus girl in such musicals as Promises Promises, Darling of the Day and revivals of Hello Dolly and West Side Story. Then she began doing ad-jingle singing, which led to appearances in TV commercials.
Her songwriting talent led her to Nashville. She sang backup on Guy Clark’s 1978 album for Warner Bros. Records, then had a brief stint as an Elektra Records artist in 1981-82. Meanwhile, K.T.’s songs were being recorded by performers such as Gail Davies, Dottie West, Sissy Spacek, Judy Rodman and The Judds.
She broke through as an artist on RCA Records in 1987. A year later she became the first female songwriter in history to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award. That song, “80s Ladies,” also led to her coronation as the CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year and earned her the first of her three Grammy Awards. Her succeeding Grammys were for writing 1988’s “Hold Me” and for her performance of the same.
In addition to her Grammy winners, “Do Ya,” “I’ll Always Come Back,” “Hey Bobby,” “This Woman” and “Come Next Monday” all became top-10 smashes. “Wall of Tears,” “Money,” “Didn’t Expect it to Go Down This Way” and “Mary and Willi” are among her other notable disc successes. Her rendition of “Blue Christmas” on RCA’s 1990 holiday CD and her vocal on Alabama’s 1988 chart-topper “Face to Face” were also standout performances.
Her three Grammys and two CMA awards are among several show-business prizes she has received, K.T. Oslin won the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist and Best Video awards in 1987 and its Top Female Vocalist and Best Album awards in 1988. She was SESAC’s Most Promising Songwriter of 1982 and its Country Songwriter of the Year in 1988, 1989 and 1991.
She has also been honored repeatedly by the RIAA. Her Platinum-plus albums include 1987’s 80’s Ladies and 1988’s This Woman. Love in a Small Town (1990) and Songs From an Aging Sex Bomb: Greatest Hits (1993) are both Gold. Her 1991 video compilation Love in a Small Town was also certified Gold.
In the early ‘90s she translated disc stardom into acting prominence, winning guest-star roles on such television series as Paradise (1991), Carol and Company (1991) and Evening Shade (1994). She co-starred in the TV moviePoisoned by Love in 1992 and was featured in the 1993 theatrical film The Thing Called Love, costarring Sandra Bullock and River Phoenix. K.T.’s 1992 USO tour became the basis for her first cable special, and a year later she hosted the country-music community’s first AIDS benefit concert.
In addition to The Thing Called Love, she has been heard on the soundtracks of such films as White Palace andMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys. Oprah Winfrey, Johnny Carson, Larry King and virtually every other talk-show host in the industry have been charmed by her quips and wit.
She has also enjoyed continued success as a songwriter. Among those who recorded her songs in the 1990s were Dorothy Moore, Anne Murray, Dolores Keane, The Forester Sisters, Josh White Jr., Dan Seals, Amie Comeaux and Dusty Springfield. She also sang backup on Springfield’s 1995 album.
K.T. Oslin has provided stellar tracks on tribute CDs to Edith Piaf (1993), Roy Rogers (1998) and Tammy Wynette (1998), and she collaborated with Barry Manilow on his 1990 Christmas album. The singer was sidelined by coronary bypass surgery in 1995, but returned to recording with her acclaimed Americana-music CD My Roots Are Showing a year later. Her Super Hits collection was released in 1997.
She starred in a 1999 pops concert with The Nashville Symphony, then began work on 2001’s Live Close By, Visit Often. RCA saluted her with a Country Legends compilation in 2002. Her hits were repackaged for 2004’s All American Country collection. In 2011, four of her original albums from the 1980s and 1990s were reissued.
In recent years, K.T. Oslin has become a popular convention speaker, and in 2004 she began writing a memoir. She debuted her one-woman, autobiographical theater show at Belmont University in 2006. In 2012, she was nominated for induction into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In November 2013, K.T. celebrated her 25th anniversary of the release of her iconic debut album “80’s Ladies” by performing two shows in Nashville. The first at The Rutledge with fellow singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters on November 7th, and the following week, November 15th at the Franklin Theater in Franklin, TN, she performed a 90 minute headlining set to a sold-out audience. There will be more of K.T. in 2014.
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Write You a Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriter Paul Overstreet
This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.
It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.
Paul Overstreet recorded 10 studio albums between 1982 and 2005, and charted 16 singles on the Billboard country charts, including two No. 1 hits. He has also written 27 top ten singles for several other country acts, including No. 1 hits for Randy Travis, Blake Shelton, and Keith Whitley, as well as hits for The Judds and Kenny Chesney.
It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.
Paul Overstreet recorded 10 studio albums between 1982 and 2005, and charted 16 singles on the Billboard country charts, including two No. 1 hits. He has also written 27 top ten singles for several other country acts, including No. 1 hits for Randy Travis, Blake Shelton, and Keith Whitley, as well as hits for The Judds and Kenny Chesney.
Hear more of this unique Nashville success story from one of country music's most sought-after collaborators, this month, on this unique Write You a Song podcast.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Wynonna Judd Starts New Duo With Cass McCombs Called The Frothy Pit
“Like many people, I grew up listening to The Judds,” Cass McCombs explained. “Needless to say, it's been a real honor to collaborate with Wynonna, co-writing “The Child” together and stepping into the uncharted terrain of The Frothy Pit.”
“Getting to work with artists like Cass McCombs has broadened my musical horizons and made me even more grateful that even after 35 years I still love the creative process,” Wynonna said.
Nashville Scene's PJ Kinzer gave a inkling on what to expect to the duo from that night's performance, "Judd’s voice is as soulful and velvety as ever, and her charisma is as strong it’s ever been in her 36-year career. There’s something special about seeing a woman used to commanding an arena play to a small room, and Judd couldn’t have done it better. McCombs, normally the star of the show, made a great partner. They even pulled out a few unexpected tricks out of the bag, with a jovial cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Ramble on Rose” — Judd had a great deal to say about her appreciation for the Dead’s Bob Weir — and The Judds’ No. 1 hit “Why Not Me.” For a band just getting used to playing in public together, The Frothy Pit came across like well-groomed veterans."
The first collaboration of the two won't be a The Frothy Pit duo release, but a song the two wrote together that Wynonna will release as a solo artist. The song is a deeply personal autobiographical take on her musical journey called "The Child." You can hear it below:
Friday, March 30, 2018
Songwriter Hall of Fame Member Kenny O'Dell Passes Away At 73
K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Kenny O'Dell died Tuesday (3/27) in a suburban Nashville healthcare facility.
Born Kenneth Guy Gist, Jr. in 1944, O'Dell changed his name because of the difficulty people had pronouncing his real last name. His interest in songwriting began early, writing songs while he was still in grade school. Moving to Nashville in the late 60s, he recorded three albums of his own music, with his biggest hit as a singer being 1978's "Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin'."
As a songwriter, however, O'Dell attained legendary status in 1973...thanks to Watergate. He told the Nashville Tennessean in 2017 that he kept hearing about Congressional hearings related to the Watergate scandal being held in secret. "They're always talking about how no one knows what goes on behind closed doors," O'Dell told Bart Herbison. "And I'm thinking, I like the title 'Behind Closed Doors.'"
O'Dell played rhythm guitar on Charlie Rich's recording of the song, which became a chart-topping smash in country and pop. The song won the "Country Song of the Year" Grammy award for the year, as well as the "Song of the Year" award in both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards presentations.
His other massive songwriting success -- earning him a BMI "Country Song of the Year" award and a Grammy nomination -- was "Mama, He's Crazy," one of the biggest hits in the career of the Judds. Additionally, O'Dell wrote or co-wrote other hits such as "Lizzy and the Rainman" (Tanya Tucker), "I Take It on Home" (Charlie Rich), and "Trouble in Paradise" (Loretta Lynn).
O'Dell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1996. His wife, Corki Casey O'Dell, was a Musicians Hall of Fame guitarist. She passed away last year.
Kenny O'Dell was 73.
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Kenny O'Dell died Tuesday (3/27) in a suburban Nashville healthcare facility.
Born Kenneth Guy Gist, Jr. in 1944, O'Dell changed his name because of the difficulty people had pronouncing his real last name. His interest in songwriting began early, writing songs while he was still in grade school. Moving to Nashville in the late 60s, he recorded three albums of his own music, with his biggest hit as a singer being 1978's "Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin'."
As a songwriter, however, O'Dell attained legendary status in 1973...thanks to Watergate. He told the Nashville Tennessean in 2017 that he kept hearing about Congressional hearings related to the Watergate scandal being held in secret. "They're always talking about how no one knows what goes on behind closed doors," O'Dell told Bart Herbison. "And I'm thinking, I like the title 'Behind Closed Doors.'"
O'Dell played rhythm guitar on Charlie Rich's recording of the song, which became a chart-topping smash in country and pop. The song won the "Country Song of the Year" Grammy award for the year, as well as the "Song of the Year" award in both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards presentations.
His other massive songwriting success -- earning him a BMI "Country Song of the Year" award and a Grammy nomination -- was "Mama, He's Crazy," one of the biggest hits in the career of the Judds. Additionally, O'Dell wrote or co-wrote other hits such as "Lizzy and the Rainman" (Tanya Tucker), "I Take It on Home" (Charlie Rich), and "Trouble in Paradise" (Loretta Lynn).
O'Dell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1996. His wife, Corki Casey O'Dell, was a Musicians Hall of Fame guitarist. She passed away last year.
Kenny O'Dell was 73.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Interview Flashback - Terri Clark Makes Her Long Road Home
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 February 2010 on The 9513.
In the business of country music, few active artists boast as deep of a resume as Terri Clark. Her nineteen singles that have hit the Billboard Hot Country charts, two number ones, multiple platinum records, a Grand Ole Opry membership and numerous top tens are only rivaled by an even greater level of success in her native Canada- measured in part by eight Canadian Country Music Association Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year awards. Clark’s songs like “Easy On The Eyes”, “Girls Lie Too”, “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”, and “I Wanna Do It All” have left an indelible mark on the country landscape.
But three years ago, a major event in Clark’s life shifted priorities 180 degrees. At the time, Clark was recently signed to Sony/BMG and preparing what would have been the next evolution of a big country radio star’s career. With a discovery of cancer in her mother, however, that road of fame led back home. The person closest to Terri, the one who had taken her to Nashville and changed her life so that her daughter could live out her dreams on stage was in a fight for life.
“When the most important person in your whole life… when the doctors tell you they’re going to be taken away, it pulls you up short,” said Clark. “You don’t think about expiration dates with the people you love, but that’s the reality. And that kind of thing makes you get very real very very fast.”
And in a stunning turn of events, Clark asked for and was granted a release from one of the most powerful studio labels in the business. She went home, tended to her mother until she was healthy again and in the process, changed her musical priorities. There was a new conviction that every song and every album that was going to be put out hereafter was going to be on her terms and filled perhaps not with radio smashes, but with music that has meaning and deep emotion for her.
What resulted was an album that is appropriately titled The Long Road Home released late in 2009. The 9513 had a chance to sit down with the lovely Ms. Clark and talk about the new album, the Canadian country music scene and even a little snow in Nashville.
Ken Morton, Jr.- This exceptionally cold Nashville winter has to be downright balmy compared to your childhood Quebec winters, doesn’t it?
Terri Clark- (laughter) Absolutely. What is a way of life for us for half a year literally sends everybody into a complete state of emergency down here. Schools are shutting down. Kids are tobogganing down the middle of the street. It’s interesting to see the reaction to the cold and weather. Pipes will freeze down here because things just aren’t insulated the same way. People don’t have snow tires so it’s more of a hazard driving. They’re just not prepared for it. But, yeah, I’m pretty used to it. It reminds me of home, actually.
KMJ- You have a brand new album titled The Long Road Home and I thought that the title was appropriate considering your journey the last two or three years. Tell me about the journey.
TC- I chose The Long Road Home as the album title because it has a metaphorical meaning as well as the fact that I’m concentrating a little more on Canada with my airplay and touring. It doesn’t by any means that I’m abandoning the U.S., because I’m doing a lot of touring there as well. But I’ve been all the way around the world since I came to Nashville when I was eighteen. And I feel like I’ve sort of come full circle- coming back to my community and that side. So figuratively, The Long Road Home represents that to me. But it also represents that journey within me- a lot of the self-realizations and things that have become non-negotiable within myself within the last couple of years. It’s still a long journey and I’m still learning every single day working on myself. It’s been an eye-opening last couple year. Home is really inside your self. You just have to find your own way there. That’s the best thing. And it’s all reflective in my music as well.
KMJ- Speaking of the music, how would you describe the album from the artist’s perspective?
TC- I would say the album, musically, is more organic in sound. But it’s still a big band. It’s lush sounding with a full sound. I used more organic instruments. I don’t have a lot of screaming guitars, there’s a lot of mandolin. Instead of lush strings, we have more chamber strings. There’s some quartet sounds, a lot of acoustic guitar. I didn’t want it to sound like a big ole commercial record. I wanted it to sound sonically pleasant to listen to but different from what I’ve done in the past. I didn’t want to stray too far from what I’ve done in the past, but wanted it different enough to sound different.
KMJ- Was your goal of being more organic than all your previous albums was attained?
TC- I think compared to everything but Fearless, yes. And on my next record, I’m going to strip it down even more. I’m going to focus even more on the acoustic elements of the instruments. I just love that sound. The stuff I listen to at home is triple A and folk rock and more acoustic music. Less is more as I get older. I find less is more in every fashion both in music and in life. I feel the album musically is organic but not so organic as to feel not full. It’s still got horsepower where it needs to have it.
KMJ- I saw on your website that you’re already back in the studio doing some additional recording, I understand.
TC- I went in to rerecord a couple songs including one I recorded about eleven years ago called “Empty.” We did an acoustic version of that song for copyright reasons so I could pitch them to film and TV. It’s a song that I’ve always gotten a great response to all these years and I always felt like that was one that got away. We thought it could be showcased in television or film like so many different people told me it ought to be. We went in a rerecorded it and another because legally speaking, the record label I was working for owned that master. But after so long, we can go in and redo it and now the new version belongs to me. So now we’ll try to go out and get that song someplace somewhere.
KMJ- There is one full-fledged duet on the new album and a certain recognizable Country Music Hall of Famer backing you on another song. Talk to me about those songs.
TC- Johnny Reid, who is the golden boy in Canada right now- he’s doing really well there right now, did a duet with me on a song called “You Tell Me.” It’s a song that a lot of people face in relationships- when they don’t know whether to stay or go. It’s about the conversation between those people and whether they are at a turning point in their relationship. It’s very adult and very grown up. He did such a great job. He’s got such an R&B sounding voice and the two of us sounding so different really worked. And Vince Gill sang on “The One You Love.” It’s more of a guest vocal than a full-fledged duet, but Vince Gill can blend with anybody. He’s just got such great vocals.
KMJ- You mentioned Johnny Reid. You’ve been one of the few artists that has found full-fledged success on both sides of the border. Why do you think there isn’t more crossover on both sides?
TC- I think the key to that is having an American record deal. If you are on a Canadian label, it’s going to be hard to have radio airplay in the United States. I moved to Nashville when I was 18 or 19 and pursued it the other way. I knew if I could get an American record deal, it would bleed over into Canada. But a lot of Canadian artists work at just getting that Canadian record deal and unfortunately, it doesn’t work both ways over the border. Traditionally, you can cover all of North America with a U.S. record deal- actually you can cover the world that way. But in Canada, it’s more of a domestic type of success that you can have. I think that played a big role in my own success.
KMJ- You’re doing this more on your terms this time around rather than doing it on a big record label. What has that meant on this particular album?
TC- It means I have to wear more hats. (Laughter) No pun intended. I’ve got to oversee a little more. But I’ve got great business management. I’ve got a great operation and people that handle the paperwork on stuff that would normally steal away the creative energy when I’d be focused on that part of it. I had to kind of abandon some of my childhood expectations and dreams by going this route. More than likely, I’m not going to get any American radio airplay in any big way. There won’t be mainstream radio airplay any more. You need that major label budget and push to really get that airplay, unless something really strange happens. Things like being nominated for things like CMA awards are probably over. I’ve had to take some time and wrap my head around the realities of that. Those probably won’t happen any more. But that’s okay with me. When one door closes another one opens. I’ve got all the creative freedom in the world and I can do whatever I want, cut whatever songs I want to in whatever way I want to. And I can still do really well with my fan base and get satellite radio airplay and GAC play for videos and get played in Canada all day long. So I really have the best of both worlds. And I’ve got major label distribution with Capitol Nashville and BMI Canada.
KMJ- You alluded to this whole change of focus coming after your mom’s illness. How is she doing these days?
TC- She’s doing really well right now. It’s an up and down rollercoaster ride, but she’s doing well right now. She shouldn’t even be here any more according to doctors, so that’s all good. When you’re faced with something like that, it makes you regroup and reprioritize things in your life. I have a real gift of music in being able to deliver whatever message I choose to deliver. And I can help people that way. There’s a difference you can make if you choose to.
KMJ- I’ve got two more questions for you. On your website, I saw a quote that caught my eye. You said, “People aren’t getting anything from country music the way I think people should, the way I did.” I was hoping you could expound on that a little bit.
TC- I shouldn’t say anything. What I should have said people aren’t getting the same type of thing out all the artists that I listened to like The Judds, Reba, George Jones, Haggard, classic country, Loretta, and Patsy. It was a real adult format with real adult issues. It was about tragedy. And it was about facing things like death and suicide and drinking. That is what country music meant to me- more of a lifestyle kind of music. It’s just shifted. And it doesn’t mean that it’s different in a bad way, it’s just different. What I got out of it was the learning of life by listening to it. Real life. I find that the subject matter and the material and the things that are decorating it now are a little different. It’s definitely taken on a more of a pop format feel.
KMJ- You covered it a bit with that last question, but what is country music to Terri Clark?
TC- Country music is about real life. It’s about real loss. It’s about demons. It’s about angels. It’s about life. It is a lifestyle type of music- what we face every day in life. Some of it’s good and some of it’s not. But we have to look at it all to get a true picture of it. And that’s what country music has been to me. And it’s about the people who came before me, the people that started out. It’s about the Opry members that I run into every night. They’re the ones that paved the way so a lot of it is about the history of the music to me too.
But three years ago, a major event in Clark’s life shifted priorities 180 degrees. At the time, Clark was recently signed to Sony/BMG and preparing what would have been the next evolution of a big country radio star’s career. With a discovery of cancer in her mother, however, that road of fame led back home. The person closest to Terri, the one who had taken her to Nashville and changed her life so that her daughter could live out her dreams on stage was in a fight for life.
“When the most important person in your whole life… when the doctors tell you they’re going to be taken away, it pulls you up short,” said Clark. “You don’t think about expiration dates with the people you love, but that’s the reality. And that kind of thing makes you get very real very very fast.”
And in a stunning turn of events, Clark asked for and was granted a release from one of the most powerful studio labels in the business. She went home, tended to her mother until she was healthy again and in the process, changed her musical priorities. There was a new conviction that every song and every album that was going to be put out hereafter was going to be on her terms and filled perhaps not with radio smashes, but with music that has meaning and deep emotion for her.
What resulted was an album that is appropriately titled The Long Road Home released late in 2009. The 9513 had a chance to sit down with the lovely Ms. Clark and talk about the new album, the Canadian country music scene and even a little snow in Nashville.
Ken Morton, Jr.- This exceptionally cold Nashville winter has to be downright balmy compared to your childhood Quebec winters, doesn’t it?
Terri Clark- (laughter) Absolutely. What is a way of life for us for half a year literally sends everybody into a complete state of emergency down here. Schools are shutting down. Kids are tobogganing down the middle of the street. It’s interesting to see the reaction to the cold and weather. Pipes will freeze down here because things just aren’t insulated the same way. People don’t have snow tires so it’s more of a hazard driving. They’re just not prepared for it. But, yeah, I’m pretty used to it. It reminds me of home, actually.
KMJ- You have a brand new album titled The Long Road Home and I thought that the title was appropriate considering your journey the last two or three years. Tell me about the journey.
TC- I chose The Long Road Home as the album title because it has a metaphorical meaning as well as the fact that I’m concentrating a little more on Canada with my airplay and touring. It doesn’t by any means that I’m abandoning the U.S., because I’m doing a lot of touring there as well. But I’ve been all the way around the world since I came to Nashville when I was eighteen. And I feel like I’ve sort of come full circle- coming back to my community and that side. So figuratively, The Long Road Home represents that to me. But it also represents that journey within me- a lot of the self-realizations and things that have become non-negotiable within myself within the last couple of years. It’s still a long journey and I’m still learning every single day working on myself. It’s been an eye-opening last couple year. Home is really inside your self. You just have to find your own way there. That’s the best thing. And it’s all reflective in my music as well.
KMJ- Speaking of the music, how would you describe the album from the artist’s perspective?
TC- I would say the album, musically, is more organic in sound. But it’s still a big band. It’s lush sounding with a full sound. I used more organic instruments. I don’t have a lot of screaming guitars, there’s a lot of mandolin. Instead of lush strings, we have more chamber strings. There’s some quartet sounds, a lot of acoustic guitar. I didn’t want it to sound like a big ole commercial record. I wanted it to sound sonically pleasant to listen to but different from what I’ve done in the past. I didn’t want to stray too far from what I’ve done in the past, but wanted it different enough to sound different.
KMJ- Was your goal of being more organic than all your previous albums was attained?
TC- I think compared to everything but Fearless, yes. And on my next record, I’m going to strip it down even more. I’m going to focus even more on the acoustic elements of the instruments. I just love that sound. The stuff I listen to at home is triple A and folk rock and more acoustic music. Less is more as I get older. I find less is more in every fashion both in music and in life. I feel the album musically is organic but not so organic as to feel not full. It’s still got horsepower where it needs to have it.
KMJ- I saw on your website that you’re already back in the studio doing some additional recording, I understand.
TC- I went in to rerecord a couple songs including one I recorded about eleven years ago called “Empty.” We did an acoustic version of that song for copyright reasons so I could pitch them to film and TV. It’s a song that I’ve always gotten a great response to all these years and I always felt like that was one that got away. We thought it could be showcased in television or film like so many different people told me it ought to be. We went in a rerecorded it and another because legally speaking, the record label I was working for owned that master. But after so long, we can go in and redo it and now the new version belongs to me. So now we’ll try to go out and get that song someplace somewhere.
KMJ- There is one full-fledged duet on the new album and a certain recognizable Country Music Hall of Famer backing you on another song. Talk to me about those songs.
TC- Johnny Reid, who is the golden boy in Canada right now- he’s doing really well there right now, did a duet with me on a song called “You Tell Me.” It’s a song that a lot of people face in relationships- when they don’t know whether to stay or go. It’s about the conversation between those people and whether they are at a turning point in their relationship. It’s very adult and very grown up. He did such a great job. He’s got such an R&B sounding voice and the two of us sounding so different really worked. And Vince Gill sang on “The One You Love.” It’s more of a guest vocal than a full-fledged duet, but Vince Gill can blend with anybody. He’s just got such great vocals.
KMJ- You mentioned Johnny Reid. You’ve been one of the few artists that has found full-fledged success on both sides of the border. Why do you think there isn’t more crossover on both sides?
TC- I think the key to that is having an American record deal. If you are on a Canadian label, it’s going to be hard to have radio airplay in the United States. I moved to Nashville when I was 18 or 19 and pursued it the other way. I knew if I could get an American record deal, it would bleed over into Canada. But a lot of Canadian artists work at just getting that Canadian record deal and unfortunately, it doesn’t work both ways over the border. Traditionally, you can cover all of North America with a U.S. record deal- actually you can cover the world that way. But in Canada, it’s more of a domestic type of success that you can have. I think that played a big role in my own success.
KMJ- You’re doing this more on your terms this time around rather than doing it on a big record label. What has that meant on this particular album?
TC- It means I have to wear more hats. (Laughter) No pun intended. I’ve got to oversee a little more. But I’ve got great business management. I’ve got a great operation and people that handle the paperwork on stuff that would normally steal away the creative energy when I’d be focused on that part of it. I had to kind of abandon some of my childhood expectations and dreams by going this route. More than likely, I’m not going to get any American radio airplay in any big way. There won’t be mainstream radio airplay any more. You need that major label budget and push to really get that airplay, unless something really strange happens. Things like being nominated for things like CMA awards are probably over. I’ve had to take some time and wrap my head around the realities of that. Those probably won’t happen any more. But that’s okay with me. When one door closes another one opens. I’ve got all the creative freedom in the world and I can do whatever I want, cut whatever songs I want to in whatever way I want to. And I can still do really well with my fan base and get satellite radio airplay and GAC play for videos and get played in Canada all day long. So I really have the best of both worlds. And I’ve got major label distribution with Capitol Nashville and BMI Canada.
KMJ- You alluded to this whole change of focus coming after your mom’s illness. How is she doing these days?
TC- She’s doing really well right now. It’s an up and down rollercoaster ride, but she’s doing well right now. She shouldn’t even be here any more according to doctors, so that’s all good. When you’re faced with something like that, it makes you regroup and reprioritize things in your life. I have a real gift of music in being able to deliver whatever message I choose to deliver. And I can help people that way. There’s a difference you can make if you choose to.
KMJ- I’ve got two more questions for you. On your website, I saw a quote that caught my eye. You said, “People aren’t getting anything from country music the way I think people should, the way I did.” I was hoping you could expound on that a little bit.
TC- I shouldn’t say anything. What I should have said people aren’t getting the same type of thing out all the artists that I listened to like The Judds, Reba, George Jones, Haggard, classic country, Loretta, and Patsy. It was a real adult format with real adult issues. It was about tragedy. And it was about facing things like death and suicide and drinking. That is what country music meant to me- more of a lifestyle kind of music. It’s just shifted. And it doesn’t mean that it’s different in a bad way, it’s just different. What I got out of it was the learning of life by listening to it. Real life. I find that the subject matter and the material and the things that are decorating it now are a little different. It’s definitely taken on a more of a pop format feel.
KMJ- You covered it a bit with that last question, but what is country music to Terri Clark?
TC- Country music is about real life. It’s about real loss. It’s about demons. It’s about angels. It’s about life. It is a lifestyle type of music- what we face every day in life. Some of it’s good and some of it’s not. But we have to look at it all to get a true picture of it. And that’s what country music has been to me. And it’s about the people who came before me, the people that started out. It’s about the Opry members that I run into every night. They’re the ones that paved the way so a lot of it is about the history of the music to me too.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Monday, September 5, 2016
Concert Review Flashback - Wynonna at Lake Tahoe Music Festival & Northstar at Tahoe
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 several hundred features/pieces. One of those was this concert review that I will reprint here to give it a home in perpetuity. This concert review was originally published in August 2010 in The 9513.
It’s not often that the venue for any concert is as much as part of the discussion as the music performance. But for the Wynonna Judd performance during the Lake Tahoe Music Festival at Northstar at Tahoe this past Saturday, this was definitely the case.
Quite the unique experience awaits the attendee as he or she pulls into Northstar at Tahoe- a longtime established ski resort during the winter and a community of mostly vacation and retirement homes by summer. After parking in the large lots reserved for wintertime skiers, large state-of-the-art buses pick you up and take you into the heart of the ski village where every restaurant, bar or shopping experience awaits for those that arrived early enough. Electronic signage and volunteers everywhere assist with finding your way over to the gondolas- the same gondolas that run you up the face of the mountain to the top of Northstar Mountain. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly peaceful gondola ride up over 1000 vertical feet and a mile in length up high on the mountainside. (The actual summit is 8,610 feet in elevation.) There, at the end of your gondola ride, is a stage that has been set up in the middle of flat spot on a wide ski run and a recently sod grass hillside for a attendance of roughly 1500 people. Behind the stage is the North Tahoe basin of the Eastern Sierra Mountains with Martis Lake off in the distance. Lake Tahoe isn’t in view but just over the mountain just a few minutes down the road. The scenery and environment are unmatched. As the concert got underway, the temperature was perfect in the low 70’s.
Seating arrangements were three-fold. Sponsors and special guests had 20 rows of seats or so and the rest of the crowd had two general lawn-seating areas. They called it Preferred and General. We thought it Close and Closer. As we entered the seating area, we were handed two low-back folding chairs given to those with or without chairs of their own as to not block the vision of those behind you. Multiple wine-tasting and wine vendor booths were sprawled around the venue. It was difficult not to be impressed by the grandeur of it all- and all of that’s before Wynonna ever came out and sang a note. Much to the delight of the crowd, she came out right on time- looking healthier and better than she has been in recent years- and kicked right in with the brassy “If the House Is a Rockin.” She had been involved in a serious car wreck just a week or two before this performance and she showed no signs of stiffness or discomfort dancing around the stage. Wynonna was supremely backed by a solid and professional backing band, featuring 2 guitarists that switched from electric to acoustic to mandolin seamlessly depending on the number, a base player, a drummer, two back-up singers and a keyboardist. She finished up the first song and announced to everyone in the audience, “Hi, I'm Wynonna and I'm attitude personified.” That became the theme of the night. Like a VH1 Storytellers, Wynonna would share personal stories of growing up with her Mom and sister, Ashley- always with sass and many of them self-depreciating. In between songs, she’d alternate between lessons learned throughout her career and hysterically chastising those who arrived late or had to get up and use the restrooms. One poor guy- who took it all in stride- had her commenting all his way to the porta-potties. And on his return, she started right back in again. “Are you going to be able to make it the rest of the show, now, huh?” Her trademark growl came out several times throughout the night- reminding this attendee that she’s really the female country “Elvis” of our time. One break was spent talking about her dedication and performance at Tammy Wynette’s funeral service and how a comment she made about how country radio ignored the legend at the end of her career really hurt her relationship with radio in general. The comment was philosophical, but her attitude of “I have to say and do what’s in my heart” really played well to the crowd and spoke volumes about where she is in her career these days.
At one point during the event, she stopped and made a comparison between where she was now and where she was growing up. She remarked that when she was growing up on welfare up on a mountain side with a single mom that worked long hours and a younger sister she had to take care of, she couldn’t wait to get off that mountain. Now, here she was full circle on a mountainside again. Only this one was okay because it had a Ritz Carlton on it. “Room service is going to be up all night tonight, everybody!”
Her voice is as powerful and strong as ever- gaining strength and power as the night went on. That brassy and sassy persona carries forth into her singing and gives it an edge and uniqueness that is specifically Wynonna. That voice is big and bold and rises to the occasion on the slower numbers that she covered. After her opening number, she went four straight classic hits of her own including, “No One Else on Earth,” “Tell Me Why,” “Rock Bottom,” and “Only Love.” A fan in the front row pleaded for “To Be Loved By You” next and after making the lady promise that she wasn’t a stalker, satisfied the fan with the beautiful soft ballad.
Wynonna has had no shortage of covers in her career and her most recent album, Sing: Chapter 1 has many different tributes on it. She went on long about how every artist needs those to look up to and take them by the hand- for girls she called them her “Sheros.” Female heros. Nearly half of the concert was dedicated to performing songs, from classic 1930’s tunes such as The Boswell Sister’s “That’s How Rhythm Was Born” to modern soft rock anthems such as Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is.” She flipped genres fluidly from Haggard to Christian band MercyMe and from Tammy Wynette to Elvis. Wynonna commented how, at this stage of her career, she really has musical ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which is why she borrows so easily from many genres. Each cover was unique in its always semi-country arrangement, always honoring the original version but allowing Wynonna to put her own stamp of take-no-prisoners attitude in the song. The balance of the two never swung too far either way. The encore brought Wynonna back out for two last numbers, both of which she played an acoustic guitar with a much quieter set behind her. But that wasn’t all that was behind her. The setting sun across the valley and adjoining mountains cast an amazing sunset that combined multiple shades of yellows, blues, oranges and reds. Mother Nature knows how to run special effects as good as any other concert operator, evidently.
Her first song returning to the stage was the classic “Grandpa (Tell Me Bout’ The Good Ole Days)” which was followed up with the other huge Judds hit, “Love Can Build A Bridge.” Over the course of the two songs, things darkened up on the hill. Wynonna let the crowd finish the chorus of “Bridge” completely on their own to end the concert which gave at least two of us in the audience goose bumps- and it wasn’t from the Sierra Nevada chill in the air. And as Wynonna left the stage to a standing ovation, the first stars of the evening began poking out through the evening sky above the stage up on that mountain. It reminded me that, while Wynonna’s own star may have faded a bit on current country radio, for this night she shone as brightly as any in the night sky.
Set list
“The House Is Rockin’”
“No One Else On Earth”
“Tell Me Why”
“Rock Bottom”
“Only Love”
“To Be Loved By You”
“That’s How Rhythm Was Born” (Boswell Sisters Cover)
“Don’t Advertise Your Man” (Sippie Wallace Cover)
“Til’ I Get It Right” (Tammy Wynette Cover)
“Are The Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver)” (Waylon Jennings Cover) “Burning Love” (Elvis Cover)
“I Can Only Imagine” (MercyMe Cover)
“I Want To Know What Love Is” (Foreigner Cover)
Encore
“Grandpa (Tell Me Bout’ The Good Ole Days)”
“Love Can Build A Bridge”
Quite the unique experience awaits the attendee as he or she pulls into Northstar at Tahoe- a longtime established ski resort during the winter and a community of mostly vacation and retirement homes by summer. After parking in the large lots reserved for wintertime skiers, large state-of-the-art buses pick you up and take you into the heart of the ski village where every restaurant, bar or shopping experience awaits for those that arrived early enough. Electronic signage and volunteers everywhere assist with finding your way over to the gondolas- the same gondolas that run you up the face of the mountain to the top of Northstar Mountain. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly peaceful gondola ride up over 1000 vertical feet and a mile in length up high on the mountainside. (The actual summit is 8,610 feet in elevation.) There, at the end of your gondola ride, is a stage that has been set up in the middle of flat spot on a wide ski run and a recently sod grass hillside for a attendance of roughly 1500 people. Behind the stage is the North Tahoe basin of the Eastern Sierra Mountains with Martis Lake off in the distance. Lake Tahoe isn’t in view but just over the mountain just a few minutes down the road. The scenery and environment are unmatched. As the concert got underway, the temperature was perfect in the low 70’s.
Seating arrangements were three-fold. Sponsors and special guests had 20 rows of seats or so and the rest of the crowd had two general lawn-seating areas. They called it Preferred and General. We thought it Close and Closer. As we entered the seating area, we were handed two low-back folding chairs given to those with or without chairs of their own as to not block the vision of those behind you. Multiple wine-tasting and wine vendor booths were sprawled around the venue. It was difficult not to be impressed by the grandeur of it all- and all of that’s before Wynonna ever came out and sang a note. Much to the delight of the crowd, she came out right on time- looking healthier and better than she has been in recent years- and kicked right in with the brassy “If the House Is a Rockin.” She had been involved in a serious car wreck just a week or two before this performance and she showed no signs of stiffness or discomfort dancing around the stage. Wynonna was supremely backed by a solid and professional backing band, featuring 2 guitarists that switched from electric to acoustic to mandolin seamlessly depending on the number, a base player, a drummer, two back-up singers and a keyboardist. She finished up the first song and announced to everyone in the audience, “Hi, I'm Wynonna and I'm attitude personified.” That became the theme of the night. Like a VH1 Storytellers, Wynonna would share personal stories of growing up with her Mom and sister, Ashley- always with sass and many of them self-depreciating. In between songs, she’d alternate between lessons learned throughout her career and hysterically chastising those who arrived late or had to get up and use the restrooms. One poor guy- who took it all in stride- had her commenting all his way to the porta-potties. And on his return, she started right back in again. “Are you going to be able to make it the rest of the show, now, huh?” Her trademark growl came out several times throughout the night- reminding this attendee that she’s really the female country “Elvis” of our time. One break was spent talking about her dedication and performance at Tammy Wynette’s funeral service and how a comment she made about how country radio ignored the legend at the end of her career really hurt her relationship with radio in general. The comment was philosophical, but her attitude of “I have to say and do what’s in my heart” really played well to the crowd and spoke volumes about where she is in her career these days.
At one point during the event, she stopped and made a comparison between where she was now and where she was growing up. She remarked that when she was growing up on welfare up on a mountain side with a single mom that worked long hours and a younger sister she had to take care of, she couldn’t wait to get off that mountain. Now, here she was full circle on a mountainside again. Only this one was okay because it had a Ritz Carlton on it. “Room service is going to be up all night tonight, everybody!”
Her voice is as powerful and strong as ever- gaining strength and power as the night went on. That brassy and sassy persona carries forth into her singing and gives it an edge and uniqueness that is specifically Wynonna. That voice is big and bold and rises to the occasion on the slower numbers that she covered. After her opening number, she went four straight classic hits of her own including, “No One Else on Earth,” “Tell Me Why,” “Rock Bottom,” and “Only Love.” A fan in the front row pleaded for “To Be Loved By You” next and after making the lady promise that she wasn’t a stalker, satisfied the fan with the beautiful soft ballad.
Wynonna has had no shortage of covers in her career and her most recent album, Sing: Chapter 1 has many different tributes on it. She went on long about how every artist needs those to look up to and take them by the hand- for girls she called them her “Sheros.” Female heros. Nearly half of the concert was dedicated to performing songs, from classic 1930’s tunes such as The Boswell Sister’s “That’s How Rhythm Was Born” to modern soft rock anthems such as Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is.” She flipped genres fluidly from Haggard to Christian band MercyMe and from Tammy Wynette to Elvis. Wynonna commented how, at this stage of her career, she really has musical ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which is why she borrows so easily from many genres. Each cover was unique in its always semi-country arrangement, always honoring the original version but allowing Wynonna to put her own stamp of take-no-prisoners attitude in the song. The balance of the two never swung too far either way. The encore brought Wynonna back out for two last numbers, both of which she played an acoustic guitar with a much quieter set behind her. But that wasn’t all that was behind her. The setting sun across the valley and adjoining mountains cast an amazing sunset that combined multiple shades of yellows, blues, oranges and reds. Mother Nature knows how to run special effects as good as any other concert operator, evidently.
Her first song returning to the stage was the classic “Grandpa (Tell Me Bout’ The Good Ole Days)” which was followed up with the other huge Judds hit, “Love Can Build A Bridge.” Over the course of the two songs, things darkened up on the hill. Wynonna let the crowd finish the chorus of “Bridge” completely on their own to end the concert which gave at least two of us in the audience goose bumps- and it wasn’t from the Sierra Nevada chill in the air. And as Wynonna left the stage to a standing ovation, the first stars of the evening began poking out through the evening sky above the stage up on that mountain. It reminded me that, while Wynonna’s own star may have faded a bit on current country radio, for this night she shone as brightly as any in the night sky.
Set list
“The House Is Rockin’”
“No One Else On Earth”
“Tell Me Why”
“Rock Bottom”
“Only Love”
“To Be Loved By You”
“That’s How Rhythm Was Born” (Boswell Sisters Cover)
“Don’t Advertise Your Man” (Sippie Wallace Cover)
“Til’ I Get It Right” (Tammy Wynette Cover)
“Are The Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver)” (Waylon Jennings Cover) “Burning Love” (Elvis Cover)
“I Can Only Imagine” (MercyMe Cover)
“I Want To Know What Love Is” (Foreigner Cover)
Encore
“Grandpa (Tell Me Bout’ The Good Ole Days)”
“Love Can Build A Bridge”
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
A Case For The Class of 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame Selection
It’s also quite possibly one of the more debatable arguments in country music. Each time a column is posted here, omissions are complained about and oversights are pleaded. And as we turn the page, let’s start the debate on who will be selected for this year’s class- traditionally announced in early Spring.
In 2009, the Hall changed the way it categorizes its selectees. Three new members will continue to be inducted every year, with one each coming from the new categories, which will be renamed and defined as follows:
Modern Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 20 years after they first achieve national prominence. They will remain eligible for that category for the next 25 years. This replaces the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present” category.
Veterans Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 45 years after they first achieve national prominence. This combines the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975″ (which was voted on annually) and “Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II” (which was voted on every third year in rotation) categories into one.These are the ones that I believe should be inducted- and hopefully not posthumously for those still alive on this list.
Rotating Categories: The third slot will continue to be a rotating category, with each group in the spotlight every third year. The Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non Performer slots will remain, joined by a new Songwriter category. 2016’s selection will come from the non-performer category.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9. Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. Kenny Chesney- It's hard to imagine that he's old enough to qualify for the Country Music Hall of Fame, but it was 20 years ago that Kenny Chesney released his first major label album with BNA. Chesney has been country music’s biggest and most-active stadium draw for the last decade or so, sold 30 million albums and has had over 30 Top 10 singles.
7. Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
6. The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
5. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One. He's gone through some significant health issues over the past couple of years which could influence the sentimental vote or mentally cause the voters to wait a couple more years as he continues to heal.
4. Dallas Frazier - Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter. His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
3. Sydney Nathan - Who, you say? My friend, author and country music historian KF Raizor says it best: "In the early 40's the hotbed of country music wasn't Nashville, it was Cincinnati. While publishing companies and record labels pooh-poohed the idea of signing "hillbilly" singers or, worse, publishing their songs, Syd Nathan used his keen businessman's sense and noticed that "hillbilly" records were selling very, very well in his Cincinnati record store. With a deep well of talent to draw from in the area (including future hall of famers Merle Travis, Grandpa Jones, Homer & Jethro, and the Delmore Brothers, and should-be hall of famers such as Moon Mullican and Cowboy Copas), Sydney Nathan founded the nation's first all-hillbilly music label in 1943, King Records. Nathan has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the label's work with pioneering R&B acts such as James Brown, and into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame because of the presence of the Stanley Brothers and Reno & Smiley. He did much more for country music than either of those genres, and yet he continues to be ignored by the genre of music he helped popularize thanks to easy access to recordings." With this being the non-performer category, it could be Nathan's turn.
2. Alan Jackson- An accomplished songwriter, Jackson wrote much of his first album, which remained on the U.S. country charts for more than a year. His next two albums, Don't Rock the Jukebox (1991) and A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) (1992) were even bigger hits, spawning five No.1 singles each. Notable among these hits were "Love's Got a Hold on You," "Midnight in Montgomery" (Jackson's tribute to the legendary country star Hank Williams), and "Chattahoochee." With the 1994 release of his fifth album, Who I Am, Jackson's record sales reached a total of over 10 million. Throughout the course of his career, Jackson has been honored with over 45 awards from organizations like the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). He released his Greatest Hits album in 1995 and won eight major awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year.
1. Hank Williams, Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. His discography consists of fifty-six studio albums and twenty-two compilation albums. He has released 106 singles and twenty-four music videos. Eleven of his singles have reached Number One in either the United States or Canada. Hank Williams Jr. has sold more than 70 million albums world-wide. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
Consideration should also be given to June Carter Cash, Dottie West, Dwight Yoakam, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Linda Ronstadt, Larry Gatlin, the Stanley Brothers, Johnny Horton, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Charlie Rich, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray, Crystal Gayle and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Wynonna Preps Some "Big Noise" For Release In February 2016
Album: Wynonna and the Big Noise
Label: Curb
Release date: Feb. 12, 2016
With husband-drummer Cactus Moser producing, Wynonna is back with another solo album this coming February. After topping the charts with 14 #1 hits as half of the country music duo The Judds, Wynonna ventured out on a solo career and has eight previouis studio albums to her credit. Wynonna and the Big Noise will be number nine.
In an interview with Alabama Media Group, Wynonna explained the name of the band:
“We’re loud and we call ourselves The Big Noise,” she says. “We go out and shake it up. Piss and vinegar is an understatement.”
But her shows have gotten rowdier, bolder and more unpredictable. Wynonna likes it that way, and Moser does, too.
“We’ve kind of become a Sonny & Cher,” she says. “I tell stories to the crowd, about putting him between my mom and sister at Thanksgiving. We have our shtick. There’s an emphasis on music, but the rest is just an absolute ‘Let it fly.’ We have fun; what a concept.”
Monday, August 3, 2015
New Albums Forthcoming From Stoney LaRue, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, The Judds, Asleep at the Wheel and Patty Griffin
Album: Us Time
Label: eOne
Release date: Oct 30, 2015
Source
After three years in between his last few albums, it appears that LaRue is following up last year's critically acclaimed Aviator with another project. The title track has been around a long time. It's a track he's performed live many times over the years and even shared with a television performance on Texas Music Scene that you can watch here.
Album: Hot Night in Roslyn
Label: Icongraphy
Release date: Sep 18, 2015
This release is a live radio broadcast recording done by Emmylou Harris and her band back in 1976 during the very height of her popularity. By this stage in her career, Emmylou was already an established artist in her own right. Two of her three extant studio albums, 'Pieces Of The Sky' and 'Elite Hotel', had been bona fide hits on the US Country Music charts, reaching numbers 7 and 1 respectively. Emmylou's latest studio album, concurrent with this broadcast, was 'Elite Hotel' and this radio recording has that record extensively featured here.
Album: Live on the Silver Eagle Radio Show
Label: Hotspur
Release date: Aug 7, 2015
By the time Merle Haggard played Nashville's Opryland theme park in 1982, he had a decade and a half of country stardom under his belt. He draws on one of the deepest repertoires in popular music on this Silver Eagle radio broadcast, including such mammoth hits as "Okie from Muskogee," "Workin' Man Blues," "Big City," and "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink." The two-dozen-song set also includes less familiar tunes that testify to Haggard's astonishing versatility, including covers of classics by Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell, and Jimmie Rodgers, as well as his hit duet with Leona Williams, "The Bull & the Beaver." The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound with background liners.
Album: Girls Night Out- Live 85'
Label: Hotspur
Release date: Aug 21, 2015
In the mid-1980s, the mother-daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd became one of the hottest acts in country music, reeling off five straight number-one country singles in 1984 and 1985. All of those chart-toppers -- "Mama He's Crazy," "Why Not Me," "Girls' Night Out," "Love Is Alive," and "Have Mercy" -- were included in this October 27, 1985 concert at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. Broadcast on WCSM-FM in Hampton as part of the Silver Eagle Cross Country Radio series, it also includes highlights from their debut EP and first pair of albums, as well as covers of Rodney Crowell's "One Way Rider" and Little Richard's "Rip It Up." The entire broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound with background liners.
Artist: Asleep at the WheelAlbum: Havin' a Party- Live!
Label: Goldenlane
Release date: Aug 28, 2015
This CD and DVD combination is, as the press release announces, "One spectacular live event by Texas swing traditionalists Asleep At The Wheel. Includes boot-stomping performances of the classics Choo Choo Ch Boogie, The Letter That Johnny Walker Read (#10 Country Singles chart), Hot Rod Lincoln and much, much more! DVD includes the full concert, professionally shot with multiple cameras, 5.1 surround sound mixes and special behind the scenes footage and interviews!"
Album: Servant of Love
Label: Thirty Tigers
Release date: Sep 25, 2015
Servant of Love is the Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter's tenth album, and her first to be released on her new self-owned imprint in conjunction with Thirty Tigers. It marks the third time she has collaborated with producer Craig Ross. In Servant of Love, Patty Griffin digs deep into folk and roots tradition with its grounding in the experience and rhythms of the everyday, but she also writes in the vein of another tradition, less often mined: the transcendentalism of writers like Emerson and Whitman. Grounding itself in the natural world and finding patterns there which speak both to human experience and to the call of the spirit, Griffin's new album weaves an elemental spell out of the stuff of life.
Monday, January 6, 2014
A Case For The Next 2014 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is country music's highest honor. The Country Music Association (CMA), the country music industry's trade organization, created the accolade to recognize significant contributions to the advancement of country music by individuals in both the creative and business communities. The first members-Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, and Hank Williams-were inducted in 1961.
It’s also quite possibly one of the more debatable arguments in country music. Each time a column is posted here (or on sites such as The 9513 and Engine 145 that I contribute to as well), omissions are complained about and oversights are pleaded. And as we turn the page, let’s start the debate on who will be selected for this year’s class.
In 2009, the Hall changed the way it categorizes its selectees. Three new members will continue to be inducted every year, with one each coming from the new categories, which will be renamed and defined as follows:
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9. Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
7. The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
6. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
5. Dallas Frazier (tie)- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. Hank Cochran (tie)- This being a songwriter year category, another great candidate that should be considered for selection is the veritable everyman songwriter Hank Cochran. Eddy Arnold, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Mickey Gilley, Vern Gosdin, Merle Haggard, Burl Ives, Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn, Henry Mancini, Dean Martin, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Johnny Paycheck, Elvis Presley, Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, Dinah Shore, Nancy Sinatra, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr, Lee Ann Womack, and Keith Whitley are just some of the artists who have cut Cochran-penned tunes. The only melancholy part of this selection would be that Cochran passed away back in 2010.
4. Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
3. Alan Jackson- An accomplished songwriter, Jackson wrote much of his first album, which remained on the U.S. country charts for more than a year. His next two albums, Don't Rock the Jukebox (1991) and A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) (1992) were even bigger hits, spawning five No.1 singles each. Notable among these hits were "Love's Got a Hold on You," "Midnight in Montgomery" (Jackson's tribute to the legendary country star Hank Williams), and "Chattahoochee." With the 1994 release of his fifth album, Who I Am, Jackson's record sales reached a total of over 10 million. Throughout the course of his career, Jackson has been honored with over 45 awards from organizations like the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). He released his Greatest Hits album in 1995 and won eight major awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year.
2. Hank Williams, Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
1. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
Consideration should also be given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, Dwight Yoakam, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Linda Ronstadt, Larry Gatlin, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
It’s also quite possibly one of the more debatable arguments in country music. Each time a column is posted here (or on sites such as The 9513 and Engine 145 that I contribute to as well), omissions are complained about and oversights are pleaded. And as we turn the page, let’s start the debate on who will be selected for this year’s class.
In 2009, the Hall changed the way it categorizes its selectees. Three new members will continue to be inducted every year, with one each coming from the new categories, which will be renamed and defined as follows:
Modern Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 20 years after they first achieve national prominence. They will remain eligible for that category for the next 25 years. This replaces the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present” category.These are the ones that we believe should be inducted- and hopefully not posthumously for those still alive on this list.
Veterans Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 45 years after they first achieve national prominence. This combines the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975″ (which was voted on annually) and “Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II” (which was voted on every third year in rotation) categories into one.
Rotating Categories: The third slot will continue to be a rotating category, with each group in the spotlight every third year. The Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non Performer slots will remain, joined by a new Songwriter category. 2014’s selection will come from the songwriter category.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9. Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
7. The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
6. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
5. Dallas Frazier (tie)- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. Hank Cochran (tie)- This being a songwriter year category, another great candidate that should be considered for selection is the veritable everyman songwriter Hank Cochran. Eddy Arnold, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Mickey Gilley, Vern Gosdin, Merle Haggard, Burl Ives, Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn, Henry Mancini, Dean Martin, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Johnny Paycheck, Elvis Presley, Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, Dinah Shore, Nancy Sinatra, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr, Lee Ann Womack, and Keith Whitley are just some of the artists who have cut Cochran-penned tunes. The only melancholy part of this selection would be that Cochran passed away back in 2010.
4. Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
3. Alan Jackson- An accomplished songwriter, Jackson wrote much of his first album, which remained on the U.S. country charts for more than a year. His next two albums, Don't Rock the Jukebox (1991) and A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) (1992) were even bigger hits, spawning five No.1 singles each. Notable among these hits were "Love's Got a Hold on You," "Midnight in Montgomery" (Jackson's tribute to the legendary country star Hank Williams), and "Chattahoochee." With the 1994 release of his fifth album, Who I Am, Jackson's record sales reached a total of over 10 million. Throughout the course of his career, Jackson has been honored with over 45 awards from organizations like the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). He released his Greatest Hits album in 1995 and won eight major awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year.
2. Hank Williams, Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
1. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
Consideration should also be given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, Dwight Yoakam, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Linda Ronstadt, Larry Gatlin, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Keith Whitley, The Judds, Blake Shelton, Guy Clark and Jason Aldean Among Early ACM Winners
The Academy of Country Music Special Awards are voted on by the ACM Board of Directors and are awarded during years where the Board of Directors feels there are clear and deserving candidates.
SPECIAL AWARDS
Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award - Keith Whitley and The Judds have been chosen to receive the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award, honoring individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre.
Keith Whitley brought a blend of traditional bluegrass, classic country and contemporary songwriting influences to his timeless recordings. Although his catalog is regrettably small, this Kentucky native stands as one of the most respected vocalists of his era, thanks to a rich baritone that effortlessly conveyed the emotion of any song. Whitley first entered the Top 10 in 1986 with “Ten Feet Away,” setting the stage for enduring ballads like “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “When You Say Nothing at All” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain,” all of which reached No. 1 before Whitley died in 1989 at age 33.
The Judds gave country music an acoustic boost in the 1980s, ultimately racking up 20 Top 10 hits. They picked up seven consecutive ACM Awards in the Vocal Duet category, as well as a Song of the Year trophy for “Why Not Me.” Their winning streak began in 1984 with “Mama He’s Crazy,” the first of 14 No. 1 hits. Fans also identified with the ups and downs of Naomi and Wynonna’s mother-daughter relationship, adding another dimension to modern classics like the nostalgic “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days)” and the empowering “Love Can Build a Bridge.”
Past recipients of the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award include Alabama, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, George Jones, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Jerry Reed, Tex Ritter, Marty Robbins, Kenny Rogers, Billy Sherrill, Ricky Skaggs, Mel Tillis,Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr., Bob Wills and Dwight Yoakam, among others.
Crystal Milestone Award - Jason Aldean has been chosen to receive the Crystal Milestone Award, which is given to an artist or industry leader to commemorate a specific, remarkable achievement.
Jason Aldean soared to stadium headliner status in 2012. He sold out his first stadium show last year, moving more than 27,000 tickets for Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. All tickets were purchased more than two months in advance. Aldean’s arena show tickets went quickly too. He sold 24,000 tickets in two minutes for his Indianapolis show, along with 20,000 seats in just four minutes in St. Louis. Aldean is now swinging for the rafters with his “Night Train Tour.” Stadium shows on the itinerary include Wrigley Field in Chicago, Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA, and Boston’s Fenway Park—which sold out in seven minutes, setting a venue record and making Aldean the first country act to headline the historic ballpark. The Academy is honoring Aldean for this remarkable achievement.
Past recipients of the Crystal Milestone Award include Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Gayle Holcomb, Jennifer Nettles and Taylor Swift.
Gene Weed Special Achievement Award - Blake Shelton has been chosen to receive the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award, which acknowledges unprecedented, unique and outstanding individual achievement in country music.
Blake Shelton stepped into his role on NBC’s The Voice as a well-known figure in country music circles. Now he’s a household name to millions of viewers who appreciate his lively personality, his honest approach toward aspiring talent and his camaraderie with pop stars like Christine Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine. That broad appeal paved the way for a network special to coincide with his first holiday album, Cheers, It’s Christmas. A three-time ACM Awards co-host, Shelton is climbing the charts with “Sure Be Cool If You Did.” Look for his “Ten Times Crazier Tour” starting in July.
Past recipients of the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award include Garth Brooks, George Burns, Jeff Foxworthy, Willie Nelson and George Strait.
Jim Reeves International Award - Lady Antebellum has been chosen to receive the Jim Reeves International Award, which is presented to an artist for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world.
Lady Antebellum seized the day with their “Own the Night World Tour,” ultimately performing to more than a million fans in 11 countries and three continents. Along with packing venues in the U.S. and Canada, the trio sold out three shows at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Band members Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott also accepted the honor of opening for a musical hero, Bruce Springsteen, at London’s Hard Rock Calling. A three-time winner in the ACM Vocal Group category, Lady Antebellum will release its fourth studio album, Golden, in May, likely taking their newest hit “Downtown” around the globe.
Past recipients of the Jim Reeves International Award include Garth Brooks, Dick Clark, Roy Clark, Merv Griffin, Alan Jackson, Charlie Nagatani, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, among others.
Mae Boren Axton Award - Tommy Wiggins has been chosen as the recipient of the Mae Boren Axton Award, which is given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music.
Tommy Wiggins co-founded the organization that is now the Academy of Country Music. While pursuing opportunities performing on radio and on stage, Wiggins lived in Tucson and Nashville before relocating in 1960 to Los Angeles, where he appeared on local television shows. Along with releasing several singles on Stadium Records, Wiggins launched a radio industry publication titled D.J.’s Digest. In 1964, he teamed with songwriter Eddie Miller and club owners Mickey and Chris Christensen to stage a Los Angeles-based awards show and form the Country Western Music Academy--later renamed the Academy of Country Music--to draw attention to country artists based on the West Coast.
Past recipients of the Mae Boren Axton Award include John Dorris, Rod Essig, Gayle Holcomb, Jack Lameier, Marge Meoli,Ray Pilzak, Gaynelle Pitts, Gene Weed and David Young.
Poet’s Award - Guy Clark and Hank Williams have been selected to receive the Poet’s Award, which honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers in the field of country music.
Guy Clark has earned the respect of countless songwriters by crafting his compositions with wit, wisdom and warmth. This native Texan made a lasting impression with his 1975 debut album Old No. 1. His extensive songwriting catalog includes cuts by Johnny Cash (“Texas 1947”), Kenny Chesney (“Hemingway’s Whiskey”), Rodney Crowell (“She’s Crazy for Leaving”) and Ricky Skaggs (“Heartbroke”). Meanwhile, his own recordings of “L.A. Freeway” and “Desperadoes Waiting for a Train” make listeners feel as though they know him personally. The 2011 collection, This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark, received a Grammy nomination for best folk album.
Hank Williams remains one of the most revered songwriters in history. A native of Alabama, Williams’ commercial style found a champion in music publisher Fred Rose in 1946. Despite a brief career, Williams catalog includes “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Hey Good Lookin’” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” His compositions have been recorded by Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffett, Norah Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charley Pride, Linda Ronstadt and Hank Williams Jr., among many others. The legendary figure was found dead on Jan. 1, 1953. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 and received the 1973 ACM Pioneer Award. Hank Williams will be inducted posthumously.
Previous recipients of the Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Hank Cochran, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Harlan Howard,Roger Miller, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz and Cindy Walker.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
CASINO OF THE YEAR – Red Rock Casino & Resort - Las Vegas, NV
NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR – Joe's Bar - Chicago, IL
VENUE OF THE YEAR – Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR – Jerry Hufford - Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR – Ed Warm - Joe's Bar
MBI (MUSICIAN, BANDLEADER, INSTRUMENTALIST) AWARDS:
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – Jay Joyce
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR – Chuck Ainlay
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jimmie Lee Sloas
PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR – Matt Chamberlain
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Aubrey Haynie
GUITARIST OF THE YEAR – J.T. Corenflos
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Michael Rojas
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Ilya Toshinsky
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Mike Johnson
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR – Dallas Davidson
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Cracker Barrel Unveils New Collections From LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw, Larry Gatlin, The Judds, Rodney Atkins and Wynonna
Track Listings are as follows:
LeAnn Rimes (Special 3 CD Package)
Disc 1 – This Woman
1. I Want To Be With You
2. You Take Me Home
3. Something’s Gotta Give
4. Won’t Be Lonely Long
5. Nothin’ Bout Love Makes Sense
6. Probably Wouldn’t Be This Way
7. The Weight of Love
8. With You
9. I Got It Bad
10. I Dare You
11. When This Woman Loves A Man
12. Some People
Disc 2 – Blue
1. Blue
2. Hurt Me
3. One Way Ticket
4. My Baby
5. Honestly
6. The Light In Your Eyes
7. Talk To Me
8. I’ll Get Even With You
9. Cattle Call (with Eddy Arnold)
10. Good Lookin’ Man
11. Fade To Blue
Disc 3 – You Light Up My Life
1. You Light Up My Life
2. The Rose
3. Bridge Over Troubled Waters
4. I Believe
5. Ten Thousand Angels Cried
6. Clinging To A Saving Hand
7. On The Side Of Angels
8. I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
9. God Bless America
10. How Do I Live (Extended Mix)
11. Amazing Grace
12. National Anthem
Tim McGraw -- Classic Collection, Greatest Hits
1. Indian Outlaw
2. Don't Take The Girl
3. She Never Lets It Go To Her Heart
4. I Like It, I Love It
5. Just To See You Smile
6. It's Your Love (With Faith Hill)
7. Where The Green Grass Grows
8. For A Little While
9. Please Remember Me
10. Something Like That
11. My Best Friend
12. Maybe We Should Just Sleep On It
13. Down On The Farm
14. My Next Thirty Years
15. Let's Make Love (With Faith Hill)
Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Bros -- Classic Collection
1. All The Gold In California
2. Night Time Magic
3. Broken Lady
4. Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You
5. Statues Without Hearts
6. Johnny Cash Is Dead (And His House Burned Down)
7. Handsome Young Gringo
8. Family Reunion
9. Down
10. Americans, That’s Who
The Judds -- Classic Collection
1. Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days)
2. Why Not Me
3. Love Can Build A Bridge
4. Mama He’s Crazy
5. Young Love
6. Rockin’ With The Rhythm Of The Rain
7. Love Is Alive
8. Have Mercy
9. Girls Night Out
10. Turn It Loose
Rodney Atkins
1. These Are My People
2. About The South
3. Watching You
4. Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)
5. In The Middle
6. A Man On A Tractor
7. Wasted Whiskey
8. Invisibly Shaken
9. Angel’s Hands
10. If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)
11. Farmer’s Daughter
12. More Like Your Memory (Always Takes Me Back)
Wynonna – Love Heals
1. She Is His Only Need
2. No One Else On Earth
3. My Strongest Weakness
4. Tell Me Why
5. Only Love
6. Rock Bottom
7. What The World Needs
8. Come Some Rainy Day
9. Is It Over Yet
10. Let Your Light Shine
11. Sing (Radio Mix)
12. When I Fall In Love (Radio Edit)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2012 To Be Announced Tomorrow- Who Should Get In?
Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow is the announcement of what three artists will be the next inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame's Class of 2012.
Reba McEntire, Bobby Braddock, and Jean Shepard were announced as the latest members to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame- the class of 2011.
Those three are extremely deserving and very worthy candidates. But there are others that should be in as well- and not posthumously.
While I have absolutely no say in the matter, I would like rerun a column that I wrote this past June- a list of the music acts I believe to the most deserving to be inducted into The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9.Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen filmsAs a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. (tie) Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
8. (tie) The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
7. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
6. Dallas Frazier- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. (tie) Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
5. (tie) Connie Smith- Still possessing one of Nashville’s most beautiful voices to this day, Smith’s recording of “Once A Day” became the first debut single in country music history by a female artist to reach number one, a record that Smith maintained for the next 25 years. She was a fixture on country radio in the second half of the 60’s and most of the 70’s.
4. Hank Williams Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
3. Garth Brooks- He’s the youngest of the bunch but has done more single-handedly to raise the popularity of country music more than any other artist since Johnny Cash. And that’s pretty good company. With more albums sold than any other artist EVER, he’s a no-brainer.
2. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
1. Kenny Rogers- I’ve already made my case here at That Nashville Sound. They’ve waited too long already for The Gambler.
Consideration should also given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray, Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
Reba McEntire, Bobby Braddock, and Jean Shepard were announced as the latest members to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame- the class of 2011.
Those three are extremely deserving and very worthy candidates. But there are others that should be in as well- and not posthumously.
While I have absolutely no say in the matter, I would like rerun a column that I wrote this past June- a list of the music acts I believe to the most deserving to be inducted into The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9.Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen filmsAs a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. (tie) Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
8. (tie) The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
7. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
6. Dallas Frazier- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. (tie) Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
5. (tie) Connie Smith- Still possessing one of Nashville’s most beautiful voices to this day, Smith’s recording of “Once A Day” became the first debut single in country music history by a female artist to reach number one, a record that Smith maintained for the next 25 years. She was a fixture on country radio in the second half of the 60’s and most of the 70’s.
4. Hank Williams Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
3. Garth Brooks- He’s the youngest of the bunch but has done more single-handedly to raise the popularity of country music more than any other artist since Johnny Cash. And that’s pretty good company. With more albums sold than any other artist EVER, he’s a no-brainer.
2. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
1. Kenny Rogers- I’ve already made my case here at That Nashville Sound. They’ve waited too long already for The Gambler.
Consideration should also given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray, Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Top Tens- The All-Time Best Music Acts Deserving To Be NEXT Inductees In The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame
Earlier this year, it was announced that Reba McEntire, Bobby Braddock, and Jean Shepard were announced as the newest members to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame- the class of 2011.
Shepard had been a strong candidate for the past several years, but just couldn’t seem to get the votes to get her in. She had 44 charted hits between 1953 and 1978 and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years. Her first hit, "A Dear John Letter", a 1953 duet with Ferlin Husky, was the first post-World War II record by a woman country artist to sell more than a million copies.
For Reba McEntire, her box set that came out a couple years back prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s worthy- 50 hit singles that are some of this generation’s top songs. Some of her best known songs include “You Lie,” “Rumor Has It,” “Fancy,” “Is There Life Out There,” “The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia,” “Take It Back,” “The Heart Won’t Lie” (a duet with Vince Gill), and “Does He Love You” (a duet with Linda Davis, which a CMA as well a Grammy Award).
Braddock is known for classics like “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” to more modern hits like “I Wanna Talk About Me” and the recent “People Are Crazy.”
All are extremely deserving and very worthy candidates. But there are others that should be in as well- and not posthumously.
While I have absolutely no say in the matter, I would like to present this month’s top ten list- The All-Time Best Music Acts Deserving To Be In The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9.Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen filmsAs a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. (tie) Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
8. (tie) The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
7. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
6. Dallas Frazier- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. (tie) Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
5. (tie) Connie Smith- Still possessing one of Nashville’s most beautiful voices to this day, Smith’s recording of “Once A Day” became the first debut single in country music history by a female artist to reach number one, a record that Smith maintained for the next 25 years. She was a fixture on country radio in the second half of the 60’s and most of the 70’s.
4. Hank Williams Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
3. Garth Brooks- He’s the youngest of the bunch but has done more single-handedly to raise the popularity of country music more than any other artist since Johnny Cash. And that’s pretty good company. With more albums sold than any other artist EVER, he’s a no-brainer.
2. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
1. Kenny Rogers- I’ve already made my case here. They’ve waited too long already for The Gambler.
Consideration should also given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray, Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
Shepard had been a strong candidate for the past several years, but just couldn’t seem to get the votes to get her in. She had 44 charted hits between 1953 and 1978 and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years. Her first hit, "A Dear John Letter", a 1953 duet with Ferlin Husky, was the first post-World War II record by a woman country artist to sell more than a million copies.
For Reba McEntire, her box set that came out a couple years back prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s worthy- 50 hit singles that are some of this generation’s top songs. Some of her best known songs include “You Lie,” “Rumor Has It,” “Fancy,” “Is There Life Out There,” “The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia,” “Take It Back,” “The Heart Won’t Lie” (a duet with Vince Gill), and “Does He Love You” (a duet with Linda Davis, which a CMA as well a Grammy Award).
Braddock is known for classics like “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” to more modern hits like “I Wanna Talk About Me” and the recent “People Are Crazy.”
All are extremely deserving and very worthy candidates. But there are others that should be in as well- and not posthumously.
While I have absolutely no say in the matter, I would like to present this month’s top ten list- The All-Time Best Music Acts Deserving To Be In The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame.
10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.
9.Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen filmsAs a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.
8. (tie) Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.
8. (tie) The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.
7. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.
6. Dallas Frazier- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.
5. (tie) Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?
5. (tie) Connie Smith- Still possessing one of Nashville’s most beautiful voices to this day, Smith’s recording of “Once A Day” became the first debut single in country music history by a female artist to reach number one, a record that Smith maintained for the next 25 years. She was a fixture on country radio in the second half of the 60’s and most of the 70’s.
4. Hank Williams Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.
3. Garth Brooks- He’s the youngest of the bunch but has done more single-handedly to raise the popularity of country music more than any other artist since Johnny Cash. And that’s pretty good company. With more albums sold than any other artist EVER, he’s a no-brainer.
2. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.
1. Kenny Rogers- I’ve already made my case here. They’ve waited too long already for The Gambler.
Consideration should also given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray, Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.
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