Blackbird Studios Dishing Out the Hits

What do Bon Jovi, Brad Paisley and the White Stripes all have in common? Besides having albums occupying the top three spots on Billboard's Album Chart, all three recorded their albums at Nashville's Blackbird Studios--well maybe that's a little stretch, because Brad Paisley really just had his album mixed there and recorded at the Castle. The Blackbird Studio, owned by John and Martina McBride, has seen a diverse crowd of artists from different genres enter it's doors over the last few years making Nashville truly live up to its name of Music City USA.

Blackbird is located in the section of Nashville called Berry Hill, which is a mixed-use area. Berry Hill is home to some other music studios, restaurants, clothing retail shops, antique shops, and even residential units. So many people think the music business (i.e. studios) is contained to Music Row, but that obviously is not the case. It is neat to see musicians' tour buses parked on the side streets of Berry Hill, because you just don't think of the area as a music hotspot--unless you are aware of the "off the beaten path" studios. If you're a music fan, then the next time you are in Nashville, you should check out Berry Hill for yourself. Like I said earlier, there are some good places to eat--some neat shops--and you may just see one of your favorite country stars grabbing a sandwich at one of those places before going into the studio.

On a side note for the true country fans--the cemetary (Woodlawn Memorial Park) where a lot of the country legends are buried (such as Marty Robbins) is just down the street (Thompson Ln--which is also Briley Parkway)from Berry Hill.

Charlie Louvin Still Touring

Charlie Louvin knows a little about country music. He has been performing it for about 50 years. The mileage is not stopping him from still putting out great music. Not only has the seasoned veteran released a new album this year, he is also going on tour with top notch singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. The tour will kick off on July 14 in Kansas City and end on Aug. 1 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. A week before the tour starts Louvin will celebrate his 80th birthday on July 7. Charlie will have a week-long itinerary dedicated to this occasion. Louvin will first perform a concert at Mercy Lounge on July 6, a cd signing at Grimey's Records, and will appear on the Opry on July 7, and will perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame on July 8. A five-song EP will be released on July 3 called 80th Birthday EP to celebrate this accomplishment.

The Charlie Daniels Band Went Down To Iraq

The long haired country boy is a patriot. Performing for various USO tours, the Charlie Daniels Band has entertained troops for the past 35 years. On Tuesday a CD/DVD package of the most recent USO tour to Arifjan, Baghdad, Tallil(Nasiriyah), Taqqadum, Habbinayah, and others was released to show this great experience.

On a side note, through all the examples of Charlie's patriotism, the Pentagon has bestowed him with the Defense Department's top civilian award. This is not only for the numerous USO tours that he has been a part of, but he has also donated about 13,000 instruments to servicemen through the charity that he started called Operation Heartstrings.

Charlie is not the only country artist that has taken pride in entertaining the troops. Country Music and the USO have gone hand in hand since the tour began. Legends such as Hank Williams, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Roy Acuff have performed for the military. It is amazing the patriotism that has been revealed through country music.

They Call Him Fats

There's something about a Fats Domino song that makes you smile. The mixture of smooth piano playing and vocals helped propel Fats to be one of R&B's greatest artists. Not only did Fats influence R&B and Rock n Roll, even some country songs have a hint of Fats in them. A tribute album that celebrates all the contributions that Fats has made to the music canon will be released on Sept 25th. The album, very eclectic in nature, will feature artists such as Willie Nelson("I Hear You Knockin'"), Elton John("Blueberry Hill"), Paul McCartney("I Want to Walk You Home"), Tom Petty("I'm Walkin'"), and other artist such as Robert Plant, B.B. King, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Neil Young, and Bonnie Raitt. The money that is made from the sales of this album will go to purchase musical instruments for public schools in New Orleans, which is Fats' hometown.

Seasoned Veteran

The Country Music Hall of Fame's Aritist-In-Residence program has been something to catch. Legends such as Earl Scruggs, Cowboy Jack Clement, Guy Clark, and Tom T. Hall have performed for this concert series. On August 14th and 15th Kris Kristofferson will be the featured artist at the Museum Ford's Theater. The ticket costs are $40 and go on sell July 16. Every aritist that has recorded and performed Kristofferson's songs have done incredible justice to these well written songs, but to hear Kris put his special touch on them is just something to behold.

Country Artists Featured On Heart Member's Solo Album

Heart singer Ann Wilson will release a solo album September 11 featuring a number of country artists. The album, Hope & Glory, features socially-conscious material from Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Creedence Clearwater Revival and others. Deana Carter, Alison Krauss, k.d. lang, Gretchen Wilson and Wynonna are among the artists contributing their talents to the album. Heart was recently featured on the VH1 Honors award ceremony where Gretchen Wilson perfomed the band's classic "Barracuda" backed by rock group Alice in Chains. Check out the clip here:
The album also features guest appearances by Ann's sister and bandmate Nancy Wilson as well as Shawn Colvin, Elton John and Rufus Wainwright.

ABC announces night it will show CMA performances

It is official now. ABC will show CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock on July 23rd. I believe they showed CMA performances last year, and I remember them talking about the great viewer ratings they had for last year's show. They may have even more viewers this year, because the CMA Fest reported record attendance this past June. Country music is going strong--especially for live shows. Concert attendance for country music shows were reported at record numbers last year, and with the summer concert series just heating up, it looks to be another successful year on tour for many of the country stars. Has anyone out there seen any great "country" concerts this summer? If so, then please share your experience.

Johnny Rodriguez Arrested

It's a sad day in country music folks, and while I hate to be the bearer of bad news, this is a story that must be reported on. Singer Johnny Rodriguez was arrested Friday night in Blanchard, OK, after being pulled over for speeding. He was charged with three felony counts of possesion of a controlled substance, possesion of marijuana, and driving under the influence of drugs. The police found an open container of beer in the car when he was pulled over and, upon further search, found bags of marijuana and methamphetamines. They also found paraphernalia for which he was givien a misdemeanor. It is never good when anyone gets a drug charge, but especially a country music star. These people are somebody's hero and kids look up to these folks, which is just a shame. I mean I was dissapointed when Willie was arrested for possesion, but at least he wasn't driving. That's the scariest part, Mr Rodriguez could have killed somebody. Maybe next time he should "Ride His Thumb to Mexico......"

Jersey's Gone Country

It is not that odd for rockers to record a country album. Artists from Neil Young to Bret Michaels (lead singer of the rock band Poison) have experimented with country music. So it shouldn't be that strange for the band Bon Jovi to put out a country record. The only problem is Lost Highway isn't country. I wouldn't even call it country-rock. Filled with heavily distorted guitars and pop drum loops, the album feels contrived and leaves you with the question, Why? It looks like their just riding on the coat tails of the Grammy they won from the song "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which was a duet with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles. Lost Highway is supposed to be about the troubles and trials that the band went through this past year, but creatively it is too subtle. There's no need to water down a country song, the situation speaks for it self. So if you want a real country album stay away from this record. Even Keith Urban, whose albums border on pop, sounds more country than Bon Jovi.

Scruggs Is A Legend

There is only a handful of people that you can name that are solely responsible for popularizing a particular genre of music. Earl Scruggs has done that for bluegrass. Sure, Bill Monroe is the father of bluegrass, but Earl broke the barriers that allowed Bluegrass to be a viable force in the music industry. It is only fitting that Earl Scruggs will headline a bluegrass concert on Thurday night at the Ryman Auditorium. The players along with Earl are not only talented musicians, but are mostly family. These include, Randy Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Jon Randall, Rob Ickes, John Jorgensen, John Gardner, and Hoot Hester. Scruggs is one of the only remaining artists that is synonymous with the rich history of the Ryman. It all started when Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs broke off from Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys and created their own band. This burned Monroe, so he tried to keep them from being on the Opry, but through the sponsorship of Martha White they became a staple at the Opry. I think it is safe to say that Earl can add the Ryman as one of the places that is responsible for his success.

Another Score for the Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame has given country music fans another reason to feel nostalgic. They are adding yet another exhibit. What's the new exhibit you might ask? The Bristol Sessions. The Bristol Sessions were made up mainly of the recordings of The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, who pretty much was responsible for the creation of Country Music. During these sessions The Carter Family recorded "The Poor Orphan Child" and "The Wandering Boy" which are on a 78 that has the original recording. The "Hall" also has the original typewriter that Jimmie Rodgers used to type the lyrics to his songs during his recording time.

Remembering Your Family's Legacy

There are not many sons that honor their parents as much as John R. Cash. It is very remarkable too see what Cash has done to keep the spirit alive of his father and mother, Johnny and June Carter Cash. Whether it was working as the Executive Producer for the film Walk the Line, or serving as the engineer for his mom's later recordings he has shown love and appreciation for what his parents have contributed to music. Two major endeavors that he has undergone to achieve this is being the producer of a tribute album called Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash, and the author of the biography, Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash.
What makes the tribute album so different was rather than getting obscure country and pop vocalist he chose mostly family. Such songs like the immortal "Jackson" that features the duet of Carlene Carter, June's daughter, and Ronnie Dunn(Brooks and Dunn), the duet of Pam Tillis and Kris Kristofferson doing great justice to the song "Far Side Banks of Jordan.
The Biography is just as poignant as the album. But don't take my word for it, check out this excerpt from the link http://www.spinner.com/2007/05/28/book-club-anchored-in-love-an-intimate-portrait-of-june-carte/.
So sink your teeth into the history of the Cash family. You might just find a little piece of yourself.

Dolly, Brownie for Life

Dolly Parton has sold over 100 million records and apparently she might be selling Tagalongs as well. The 60 year old country music icon has been awarded the honor of Girlscout for life by the Girlscouts of Tanasi Council, which has 10,000 members in sixteen counties in eastern Tennessee. While Dolly was never a girl scout during her childhood she always wanted to be one, and this was just a way for her to live out that desire. Parton was honored with this award, because of her commitment to instill commitment and confidence in young women, which is the same goal of the Girlscouts of America. Dolly congratulations! When we eat Thin Mints we will always think of you.

Ghost of Country Past

Billy Joe Shaver still has a vibrant recording career. His new album that will debut in August will feature country artists both past and present who are currently alive, except one. Johnny Cash will appear on a duet with Shaver called, "You Just Can't Beat Jesus Christ" which will be on the upcoming gospel album "Everybody's Brother". The artists that will also be featured on the album are John Anderson, Tanya Tucker, Kris Kristofferson, Randy Scruggs, and Marty Stuart. This situation is unlike most songs that feature artists that have passed on. Natalie Cole and Hank Williams Jr both sang duets with their fathers, but they just sang on top of the original recording. Billy Joe Shaver actually recorded this song with Johnny Cash back in 1970's, but it never got released. Let's hope that this album will be successful for Billy Joe.

Lorrie Loves Politicians

Lorrie Morgan's mate Sammy Kershaw, is throwing his hat into the political ring. Kershaw has been hinting for a long time about running for office in the state of Louisiana. It looks like Sammy is going to run for Lieutenant Governor in the fall. First will come the primary on Oct 20Th, and then the general election will take place on Nov 17Th. Kershaw wants to change every one's view of Louisiana. He said on WSIX radio here in Nashville that he is tired of Louisiana, "being the black eye of Louisiana". Sammy is looking to reform education and bring in more entertainment to Louisiana to boost up the economy.
This all sounds good, but how far can one trust a celebrity to bring about positive change. Reagan has been the only exception, but he still did not serve without controversy. One aspect of Kershaw's political agenda that I can get behind is that he hasn't been extremely vocal about it. Save your political views for when you get behind the podium. Your job is to entertain not to soapbox. But these are my opinions, what are yours, give me some feedback. Please, challenge me.

Country Fans Galore

LP Field would have some trouble fitting the amount of country fans that were here for the CMA Music Festival this past week. A record 191,154 were in attendance this year. That record averages more than 50,000 people a day! The attendance was up from last year's total of 161,000. Next year's festival might prove to be even more successful. The Four Day elite packages called the "gold circle" tickets which are priced at $275, sold out in 90 minutes. But don't be discouraged about this, there are other four day packages that are cheaper and are pretty much just as good.

To get some insight on how the Festival went this year, I got some feedback from one of my colleagues here at work who was in attendance at the Saturday night show. He said it was very good, performance wise, but there were no surprise guests like they have had in the past, and it didn't run as late as it has in previous years.

But don't take our word for it. Here is a clip from fans at the festival.

Farming in New York City

It was announced yesterday that New York City will host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert, which Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young co-founded in 1985. According to the official Farm Aid website (www.farmaid.org), the money raised through the benefit concert is used to "help keep family farmers on their land." Farm Aid also supports local farmers' markets. In fact, the announcement to have Farm Aid in NYC was made yesterday at Union Square, which is well-known for having a fresh-produce market.

The concert will be held on September 9th at Randalls Island. New York City, being our nations most populated city, seems like an odd place to have Farm Aid--but I'm sure the concert will be a success and great amounts of money will be raised--because I'm sure Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and the Dave Matthews Band will draw a huge crowd.

Check out this You Tube clip from last year featuring Willie Nelson speaking about Farm Aid before the 2006 concert:

Live Earth Concerts and Country Music

Live Earth--a continuous nine concert event taking place on seven different continents around the world on 7/7/07 is beginning to take shape. Performers are being announced for each of the venues. I saw a list of scheduled performers, but I did not see any country acts right off. Why is this? Country music is listened to by millions of Americans and people all over the world love it (Japan, Germany, England, and Australia have always had large numbers of country fans).

I seem to remember that Tim McGraw was part of the concerts held a couple of years ago for Live 8. I think he performed in Italy. Well, does anyone know if any country stars will be part of this upcoming Live Earth?

CMA Music Fest

For the past few days Nashville has been crowded (especially downtown) with country music fans young and old. It is great to see the sidewalks filled downtown with pedestrians walking to and fro in search of good country music entertainment--whether it's a small honky-tonk like Robert's or Tootsie's on Lower Broadway or one of the nightly CMA concert shows at LP Field. I was downtown last Friday night for a concert by renowned Brazilian jazz artist Sergio Mendes at the new Symphony Hall, which is located a block over from the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was a gorgeous night to be out in Nashville--and like I said before, it was invigorating to see such thralls of people walking the streets throughout Downtown Nashville. I really think all the visitors to the CMA Music Fest are having a great time--everyone just seems to be happy and excited about being here.

By the way, LeAnn Rimes is scheduled to perform on September, 20, 2007, at the Nashville Symphony. You must see the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center--it is awesome--and the acoustics are incredible. I am sure LeAnn will sound incredible there.

Speaking of LeAnn Rimes--have you seen her on the cover of the July 2007 Shape magazine?
She obviously has been in the gym lately. I heard her on a radio interview the other day--I really think she has her head on straight. It is hard to believe that she is only 24 years old, because it seems like she has been famous for so long now--but of course, that is because she began her fame at such an early age. I think she was about 14 years old when she had her first big country hit.

Check out this You Tube clip featuring Michael Peterson during the 2007 CMA Music Fest Parade, which kicked off the festival this past Wednesday (June 6th).

Three Stars Set to Perform at Sporting Events Over the Weekend

This weekend is the CMA music fest, formally known as Fan Fair, which means that most of country's biggest stars are out and about. They are performing on Broadway in downtown Nashville during the day, or are headlining the nightly concerts held at LP Field. However, this weekend there are a few stars branching out and performing in other venues as well. This weekend there are three stars in particular who come to mind. Mainly because they are performing at sporting events, and I am an avid sports and country fan.

Today, Saturday June 9th, Phil Vassar will be performing a pre-race concert at the Nashville Super Speedway to kick off the Federated Autoparts 300, Busch Series Race. It should be a great concert, as Mr. Vassar is known for his great performances. Julie Roberts will also be at the race to perform the National anthem. The third, and probably most well-known artist is LeAnn Rimes, who will be traveling away from Nashville for her turn in the spotlight. She will perform the National Anthem on Sunday(June 10th) night at the NBA Finals Game 2 match up of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio. This game will air at 8:50 Pm on ABC, so be sure to tune in early to catch Mrs. Rimes' performance.

Carrie Underwood Gets Run'd Over

Carrie Underwood may be an All-American softball player, but at yesterday's City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game, at Greer Stadium, she proved she was also a bit of a football player. After hitting a nice single, she advanced the bases all the way to third on the next hit. Then, on her way into home... Well click on this link to watch the video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mW0VB5bLEMY

An American Icon Bids Farewell

Bob Barker is to gameshow hosts as Bob Hope was to comedy and Johnny Carson was to late night talkshows. Sadly, Bob Barker has officially bowed out of "The Price is Right". The last episode that he hosted will air on June 15th. People wanted to be a part of history, as many actually camped outside the studio so that they could be first in line for Bob's last show. If you were like me, growing up watching television in the morning always had to include "The Price is Right". There were tons of gameshows that had great games, but there were not really any at all that had the appeal of great games and a great host, "The Price is Right" is one of them. Whoever the new host is, it is going to take a long time to fill the shoes of Bob Barker. There is a rumor it might be George Hamilton. Let's hope not! I don't have anything against Mr. Hamilton, but don't we see him enough on t.v. already? Mmmmm. Toasted.

Toby Keith Opens Fourth Location in Dining Chain

Many stars like to venture into the world of entrepreneurship. You hear everyday about so and so opening up a bar in this or that city, but most of the time it's a PR stunt. Lots of famous people just put their name on the opening of a restaurant to get publicity or money for the namesake. However, I just got word that Toby Keith is opening up his fourth location of I Love This Bar and Grill, which means that for Mr. Keith this is more than just a little venture. He is opening it up in Catoosa, OK on the Cherokee Casino Resort, which is undergoing a $125 million expansion. He already has other locations in Las Vegas and Kansas City, and is planning to open more, especially if the new 10,000 sq ft restaurant does well. Which, if it follows in the footsteps of Toby's other diners in the chain, it should by all means be very profitable. I commend Mr. Keith for going into the restaurant business and hope that he brings one here to Nashville. Good Luck Toby!

Marty Stuart the Collector

Collecting has always been a pastime for most Americans. Whether it is something valuable or something that is sentimental, someone is going to collect it. Both of these characteristics apply to country music artist Marty Stuart. Once just a fanatic fan, Marty Stuart has accrued quite the collection over the years. This collection will be on display at the Tennessee State Museum. The new exhibit will be called Sparkle and Twang: Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey. This exhibit is just another testament to how Marty is keeping the culture of Country Music past,present, and future alive. He has collected some really remarkable pieces. The collection consists of: handwritten lyrics by Hank Williams, boots worn by Bob Wills, Hank Snow's rhinestone suit, and plenty of other priceless collectibles. Marty, our hat is off to you for showcasing such a collection that makes country music even more tangible.

On a side note, Marty is hosting his annual Late Night Jam at the Ryman which will take place on June 6th. The line up includes, Neko Case, John Rich, Jon Langford, Ashley Monroe, Charley Pride, Pam Tillis, Porter Wagoner, and others.

Oh What A Beautiful Day For Toby Keith

I might not know how to 'rope and ride', but he sure has made a great living out of country music. His home state has noticed the accomplishments he has made towards music and towards his humanitarian endeavors, so they are rewarding him by inducting him into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. One accomplishment that has impressed the state of Oklahoma is his charity, Ally's House, which gives financial support to children with cancer. The induction ceremony will be held on November 8, 2008 with 8 other inductees.

Dukefest is Right Around the Corner

That's right Duke fans, it's that time of year again. Dukefest 2007 is this weekend, which means that the cast of your favorite t.v. show are coming out of the wood works. This year's Dukefest is going to be spectacular with Rosco, Enos, and Cletus all making appearances. Ben Jones(Cooter) and his wife, Alma, are the organizers of Dukefest and even set up appearances with charitable organizations and functions. Catherine Bach, John Schneider and other cast members visited Vanderbilt's Monroe Carrell Jr Children's Hospital, which is where all proceeds from Dukefest are going, this morning, Friday June 1st. It's good to see the stars coming into town and actually visiting with fans as opposed to just showing up for Dukefest and leaving when its over. I commend all of those stars and look forward to meeting them at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds this weekend.