CMA Close Up News Service
© 2006-2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc
Let the "Good Times" Roll: New Exhibit Celebrates the Life and Career of Ray Price - December 5, 2006 - By John Hood
Ray Price presents one of the most interesting paradoxes in American music. He is a man who is an icon and a giant in the Country Music genre. He charted a remarkable 108 songs including such seminal hits as "Crazy Arms," "Make the World Go Away," "For the Good Times" and "Nightlife." Price's influence caused seismic shifts in the way Country Music was performed, not once, but twice. Yet, as an artist, Price doesn't have the same name brand recognition that other legendary performers do, including many that he helped along the way by giving them jobs in his band (Roger Miller, Willie Nelson... Read full story
Raul Malo Opens A New Musical Chapter With "You're Only Lonely" - December 12, 2006
By Wendy Newcomer
For more than 15 years, Raul Malo fronted The Mavericks, a Country band that garnered multiple awards - including CMA Awards for Vocal Group of the Year in 1995 and 1996 - and enjoyed mainstream success in both the U.S. and Europe. Their recipe, equal parts Roy Orbison and Hank Williams, tested the boundaries of Country Music. Malo, the son of Cuban émigré parents, further widened those boundaries with his 2001 Latin solo album, Today, and his work with super group Los Super Seven in 2005. He also produced other artists, including K.T. Oslin and Rick Trevino. One project that has long... Read full story
Guy Clark with Rodney Crowell: Talking Shop - December 19, 2006
By Peter Cronin
"Sure, I'll do that." - Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell didn't hesitate for a second when CMA Close Up approached him about sitting down to interview his old friend Guy Clark. As friends, collaborators and creative rabble-rousers, Crowell and Clark go way back. Both Texas born-and-raised, they've continually shared that indefinable and quirky something that seems to distinguish singer/songwriters from that particular planet. Whatever the reason, the enduring friendship and creative energy between these two musical iconoclasts has constantly been special and still runs deep. They both hit Nashville in.. Read full story
Troy Tomlinson: A "Song Guy" Takes the Reins at Sony/ATV Music Publishing - Jan. 2, 07
By Crystal Caviness
Day in, day out, Troy Tomlinson asks himself the same question when making decisions in his Music Row office as President and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. "Does this contribute to an environment that is healthy for our writers and our employees?" "Every decision we make must pass through that filter," Tomlinson said. "It's about putting our writers and employees top of mind in all decisions." The music business is in Tomlinson's blood. As far back as the Portland, Tenn., native can remember he has been around creative types. His earliest memories involve drinking his fill of pink... Read full story
"CMT Loaded": Taking Aim at Artists and Labels Seeking An Alternate Music Venue - January 9, 2007 - By Crystal Caviness
Lewis Bogach wants to create water cooler moments. As the Vice President of Programming and Production at CMT and the chief of its recently-launched broadband channel video initiative, CMT Loaded, Bogach observed that linear channels (a.k.a. cable or network television) offer finite programming opportunities, a boundary Bogach and others working with online content don't have. "It's an infinite medium," Bogach said of the Internet, particularly as he views it in regard to what he and his team can offer CMT fans. "To me, it's the Wild West, it's open, it's freedom," Bogach said. "You're... Read full story
The Year In Country Music: Country Music Remained Steady In 2006 - January 17, 2007
By CMA Communications
Country Music remained steady in 2006 with a modest 0.5 percent drop in album sales from 2005, according to figures released Jan. 4, 2007, by Nielsen SoundScan. Total all-genre album sales (CD, CS, LP, digital albums) for the entire music industry were down 4.9 percent from 2005, while overall music sales (albums, singles, music video and digital tracks) were up 19.4 percent. "Last year really showcased the depth of Country Music's diversity across all areas of our business, from record sales to tours, movies to books and outstanding media coverage," said Tammy Genovese, CMA COO.... Read full story
Who New To Watch In 2007 - January 17, 2007
By Peter Cronin
A Partial List Of Artists With Debut Singles Or Debut Albums Set For Release In 2007
Lee Brice / Curb/Asylum Records - Luke Bryan / Capitol Records Nashville - Laura Bryna / Equity Music Group - Sarah Buxton / Lyric Street Records - Cadillac Sky / Skaggs Family Records - Jason Michael Carroll / Arista Nashville - Carter's Chord / Show Dog Records - Donovan Chapman / Category 5 Records - Stephen Cochran / Aria Records Nashville - Cole Deggs & The Lonesome / Columbia Records Nashville - Joanna Cotten / Warner Bros. Records - Bucky Covington / Lyric Street Records Flynnville Train / Show Dog Records - Lindsey Haun / Show Dog Records - Elana James / Snarf Records... Read full story
A College Boy Can Survive: The Academic Side of Music Row - January 23, 2007
By Edward Morris
It used to be that ambitious youngsters knocked on Music Row doors or networked in nearby bars to gain a foothold in Nashville's music industry. Some still prefer these approaches, but the more savvy among them have learned that the odds favor those who've earned a music business degree, particularly if it's from a local college where the interaction between gown and town is constant. There are plenty of high-profile success stories to drive home this point. Brad Paisley, Josh Turner and Trisha Yearwood, are all music business grads from Belmont University. Grand Ole Opry manager... Read full story
903 Music Aims to be Artists' Missing Link - January 30, 2007
By Edward Morris
As a performer, Neal McCoy had all he could hope for - except a record company that loved him as much as the crowds did. So he started his own label, dubbing it "903 Music" after the area code of Longview, Texas, his hometown. So far, the new enterprise has done well. For starters, it generated McCoy his first Top 10 single in nine years. It's also developed enough muscle and confidence to take on two more acts: Darryl Worley and the Drew Davis Band. Worley's first 903 album was released on Nov. 21, while Drew Davis Band is scheduled to make its recording debut the second quarter of 2007..... Read full story
CMA Relationship with "Wheel of Fortune" Spells S-U-C-C-E-S-S for Country Music
February 6, 2007 - By Wendy Pearl
The ongoing relationship between CMA and television's most popular game show, "Wheel of Fortune," spelled S-U-C-C-E-S-S for the music industry with a second Country Music-themed week of programs taped Jan. 13 in Charleston, S.C. Fifteen Country Music artists came together to take a spin for charity. A proven winner with viewers, "Country Music Stars Week" pairs Country Music enthusiasts with Country artists with the stars' winnings going to their favorite charities. This year's charitable contributions came to a whopping $402,000. The week of shows, hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna... Read full story
Ronan Keating's Country Soul - November 29, 2006
By Peter Cronin
Looking at Ronan Keating's career trajectory - from boy band heartthrob to multi-Platinum selling solo artist - "Country" may not be the first word that comes to mind. But a look (and a listen) below the surface of this Irish-born singer's prodigious output reveals a serious and multi-faceted artist who, through his songwriting and song choices and his massive popular appeal, has emerged as a major international voice for Country Music.
"There's a great relationship between Irish music and Country Music, and I grew up listening to Country," Keating said. "All the TV shows showed American ... Read full story
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New Artist Spotlight: Sarah Buxton - February 6, 2007
By Kristen Scherer
With a playful attitude and an irresistible rasp in her voice, Sarah Buxton has a distinct sound. Lyrically, the singer-songwriter is dedicated to painting a picture of her own life. Growing up in Lawrence, Kan., playing piano and flute and writing music was dominating Buxton's free time. At age 12, she got involved with the Lawrence Children's Choir and quickly realized she was a part of "something that was truly beautiful." Later, during her junior year in high school she sang solo for the first time at the school's talent show and here she knew she'd found her true calling. "I stood backstage with that.... Read full story
Barbara Mandrell's Cool Country Tribute - February 14, 2007
By Phyllis Stark
As a longtime performer who knows the demands of a busy schedule, Barbara Mandrell is both humbled and gratified that so many top-tier Country artists took the time to contribute to an album that pays tribute to her and her amazing career. "They have really given me a great gift of not only their talent and their time, but their love," Mandrell, the two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, said in an emotion-filled voice. The album, She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute To Barbara Mandrell, was released Oct. 17 on BNA Records. Mandrell, whose six No. 1 hits include "Years" and "I Was... Read full story
CMA Elects Clarence Spalding as Board President - February 14, 2007
By Peter Cronin
From fledgling promoter to full-time road manager to artist's manager for some of Country Music's biggest stars, Clarence Spalding's career has taken him from a small town in Kentucky to places he never dreamed he would go. As he heads into 2007 and steps into his new role as President of the Country Music Association's Board of Directors, Spalding is feeling a mix of emotions. "I'm excited and a little intimidated by the whole thing," Spalding said. "Coming from Lebanon, Ky., you didn't think you could make a living in the music business. There must have only been 12 people who made a living... Read full story
Being George Strait - February 21, 2007
By Phyllis Stark
George Strait gave a memorable lead performance as Country singer Dusty Chandler in the 1992 film "Pure Country," but hasn't been seen on film since. But with his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and with 54 No. 1 hits under his big belt buckle, Strait confessed he's considering going Hollywood once more. "I am starting to get the bug again," he said of acting. "If the right thing was to come along, I may get serious. I need to do it again because I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun." In the meantime, Strait has plenty to keep him occupied on the music side of his career, with two new... Read full story
CMA and the City of Nashville Celebrate "Flatts Tuesday" - February 21, 2007
By Wendy Pearl
Let the good times roll as the Country Music Association and the City of Nashville celebrated the 2006 best-selling act of all genres, Rascal Flatts, at a Mardi Gras-style event on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in Nashville. "An accomplishment like this calls for a celebration," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "And we were delighted to partner with the City of Nashville to acknowledge the significance of this career milestone and the positive impact that this outstanding group has had on Country Music, Tennessee, and Rascal Flatts' hometown - Music...Read full story
