Big & Rich: The Year Of Living Dangerously - March 28, 2006
By Chris Neal
Being Big & Rich can be dangerous. "I sliced my finger open on a disco ball one time," observed John Rich, seated next to partner Big Kenny (Alphin) in the conference room at the Warner Bros. Records Nashville office. "You've gotta be really careful." "I slit my hand picking up a piece of guitar you'd smashed on the stage," Alphin said to his partner, pointing out the still-visible scar. "I went to grab it and pick it up to hand it to someone in the audience, and the edge just slit three fingers. Razor sharp!" "I did that a couple times myself," replied Rich, nodding his head. Very few Country acts would have...Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Joey Martin - March 21, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Joey Martin grew up in Alexandria, Ind., a small farming and factory town. One of five children, Martin gained a love of music from her parents. Her first performance was in first grade at a talent show, where she sang Dolly Parton's "Coat Of Many Colors" as her dad played guitar. She continued to perform as she grew up. Martin developed a love of horses and worked as an assistant to a veterinarian after she graduated from high school. Meanwhile, she played shows around her hometown. Soon, she moved to a small farm south of Nashville to continue her work with horses. Over time, she began... Read full story
Martina McBride Records An Album of 'Timeless' Classics - March 21, 2006
By Bobby Reed
Martina McBride has been surrounded by traditional Country Music her entire life. At age 7, the Kansas native joined her father's band, which played cover versions of chestnuts including "Heartaches By The Number," "Satin Sheets" and "I'll Be There." Then she grew up to become a Country Music superstar. In 1995, McBride joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, where she has frequently shared the stage with trailblazing artists such as Country Music Hall of Fame member Loretta Lynn, Jeanne Pruett and Connie Smith. With the October 2005 release of her album Timeless, which debuted at No. 1... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Brice Long - March 14, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Raised on a 60-acre farm outside of Hopkinsville, Ky., Brice Long grew up working in the fields, taking care of cattle and hogs and absorbing the musical influences of his family, who loved Country Music. He particularly loved Charlie Rich, Gary Stewart and Conway Twitty. "Country Music was on the radio in the truck, on the tractor and in the barn," Long said. "I just couldn't get enough. I would've crawled inside that radio if I could." After his first performance in church at the age of 4, Long sang everywhere he could - at other churches, weddings, talent shows and the school choir. When Long graduated from... Read full story
Rivers Rutherford, All the Way from Memphis - March 14, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
The childhood home of Rivers Rutherford was four blocks from Graceland, Elvis Presley's estate. Naturally, "The King" became one of his strongest childhood influences, as did Memphis' renowned Beale Street musicians. But Rutherford's greatest influence is his father, who encouraged him from a young age. "One night when I was 9, my dad and I were singing and playing guitar in the kitchen while my mother was cooking and after a while my dad asked her what she wanted to hear," Rutherford recalled. "We didn't know it, but she was going deaf and loud noises hurt her ears, so she answered with an... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Jamey Johnson - March 7, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Jamey Johnson moved to Nashville on Jan. 1, 2000. "That was the day that everything was supposed to stop and I decided if the world is going to come crashing down, then I'm going to Nashville to write and sing about it," Johnson said. Born and raised just outside of Montgomery, Ala., Johnson grew up loving and playing Country Music. At 10, he started playing guitar and after high school, a little college and an eight-year stint in the Marine Corps Reserve, Johnson felt he was ready to pursue his Country Music dreams. The dawn of a new millennium was reason enough to make a change. He worked as... Read full story
Chris Cagle Regroups After A Difficult Year - March 7, 2006
By Lorie Hollabaugh
Not too long ago, Chris Cagle seemingly had it all. His music career was gaining momentum with two Gold albums. His home life was happy. Then it all came tumbling down. Things began to unravel. He started having trouble with his voice. There was a change in his management. His relationship with his girlfriend got rocky. He was drinking and smoking, making the vocal problems worse. Shaken, Cagle consulted renowned voice specialist Dr. Robert Ossoff, Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Ossoff immediately placed him on... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Bo Bice - February 28, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Bo Bice was born in Huntsville, Ala., and grew up in a musical family in the South. He assumed everyone was into music. "I remember how weird it was the first time I realized not everybody could sing," Bice said. Bice's parents gave him his first guitar for his 9th birthday, an electric Squire Telecaster. "It cost $500 and that was a lot of money for my parents," he said. "I had that guitar around my neck all the time." The same year, he performed in public for the first time, singing "God Bless the U.S.A." in a talent contest at the Atlanta Civic Center. Bice was 13 when his father's work took the... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Ray Scott - February 21, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Ray Scott comes by his Country roots honestly. Raised in the farming community of Semora, N.C., he was the son of a Country Music singer. He credits his dad, Ray Sr., as his biggest musical influence. "A lot of people name off artists as influences and I have those too, but the biggest impression on me was my dad," Scott said. "He was a singer and I heard his interpretations of all those great Country songs growing up. I realize more all the time that listening to his versions and comparing them to the originals I heard on the radio taught me a lot about how to make a song your own." As he... Read full story
HD Radio to the Rescue - February 21, 2006
By John Hood
Traditional radio is facing competition with the emergence of satellite radio newcomers XM and SIRIUS. But conventional radio has new digital technology of its own to help level the playing field. Digital radio, also known as HD Radio, provides a better, higher-fidelity sound quality, especially on the AM band; allows for data display on new receivers and will give stations the ability to multicast their signal. Broadcasters see the new technology as a game-changer while they face competition from satellite radio and other new media. Current CMA Board Chairman Victor Sansone, who is also President/General Manager of ABC Radio Group Atlanta (WKHX-FM, WYAY-FM), believes HD Radio will be a boost, both to the radio industry and to consumers.
"I think we have to do this period," Sansone said. "Even without satellite radio, if we can enhance our technical... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Luke Stricklin - February 15, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Born in Arkadelphia, Ark., Luke Stricklin grew up playing on the river and hunting with his family. His father, who passed away when he was 11, instilled a love of Country Music in his son. Stricklin's early musical influences include Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Keith Whitley and Hank Williams, Jr. After he studied piano and drums, Stricklin developed a passion for songwriting. He joined the Arkansas National Guard while he was still in high school. On his second day of small arms training, his drill sergeant announced that the September 11th attacks were underway. In March 2004, he went.. Read full story
The Business of Placing Country Music In Film - February 15, 2006
By Mark Crawford
Hollywood hasn't gone enough Country - yet. But 2005 experienced a rise in Country Music on movie soundtracks plus hot artists such as CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban and CMA Vocalist of the Year Gretchen Wilson are making music supervisors in the film industry take a more serious look at Nashville. Even though the popularity of Country Music is high, it's still behind rock, pop and jazz when it comes to soundtrack cuts. Less than five percent of soundtrack music in movies is Country. However recent years show promise. In 2005, The Charlie Daniels Band, Montgomery Gentry and.... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Shane Owens - February 7, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
A native of tiny Samson, Ala., the first musical influence for Shane Owens was his grandmother, who played piano and sang to him. "I dedicated my album to her," he said. "She passed away a year before last. She was probably the biggest inspiration to me. I know we got on her nerves, but she'd play if we asked her to play. She'd play all night long." He started singing early on, and at 6 was part of the church choir. An outgoing youngster, Owens was not shy about being in front of a crowd and welcomed opportunities to sing at nursing homes and charity events. He became an accomplished... Read full story
The Long Arm of Country Music - February 7, 2006
By Rob Patterson
Country Music has come a long way since Grand Ole Opry advertisers were nearly the only sponsorships to be had. Today, companies with products far beyond traditional notions of the music's appeal are investing in Nashville's most famous export.
Phil Vassar sings the praises of Prilosec OTC, a product he uses to combat heartburn, which in turn helps his singing. You can find the new CD from Heather Lynn Williams in Saks Fifth Avenue, Carrie Underwood promotes trendy Skechers footwear, and ExxonMobil helps keep Steve Azar on the road. Martina McBride has her own Mattel doll and Sprint cell phone customers were the first to be able download the ring tone for her recent single "Rose Garden." Meanwhile, the usual alignments remain strong. Terri Clark sings commercials for Dodge pick-up trucks in Texas, Montgomery Gentry hit the highway for... Read full story
New Artist Spotlight: Cherryholmes - January 31, 2006
By Gary Voorhies
Just a few years ago, the family band today known as Cherryholmes didn't exist and several of its young members didn't play instruments yet. The band is comprised of Jere and Sandy Cherryholmes and four of their six children; Cia, 21, on banjo; B.J., 17, and Molly, 13, on fiddle; and Skip, 15, on guitar. The family, which hails from just outside Los Angeles, formed the band in 1999 after elder sibling Shelley died at age 20 in her sleep from respiratory failure due to chronic heart problems. They had attended a bluegrass concert to lift their spirits and the parents "assigned" the kids instruments. Read full story
CMA Close Up News Service
© 2006 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc
The Oak Ridge Boys Are Helping To Renew Interest In National Anthem - Feb. 28, 2006
By Amy Green
Oh say, can you sing our nation's anthem? Most Americans can't. In fact, two out of three don't know the words, a 2004 Harris poll found, and many more don't even recognize "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the national anthem. Fewer still can name the anthem's composer (Francis Scott Key) or the arduous battle that inspired it (at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812). To remedy this, The National Association for Music Education (MENC) is staging the National Anthem Project, a multi-year campaign to renew interest in the anthem and build support for the school music programs where most... Read full story
