The 411 Country Connection 10.03.08: Country Crossover Artists Top The Charts
Posted by Stormin Norman on 10.03.2008
This week in the Express: the 19th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards show, Kenny Chesney and iTunes give eager fans a Lucky Old Sun treat, big money maker Toby Keith receives the Spirit Award, outspoken Natalie Maine says no more country music for the Dixie Chicks and the launch of a Nashville first-the Nashville Music Alliance. A fiery future hall of famer is this week’s Artist of the Week. And Stars vs. Legends showdown will feature a country music legend whose life and career have been made into a musical and a star that has had a hit song named after him.
Welcome back to the C-squared! For those of you who checked out the inaugural edition of the C-squared thank you so much for your continued support and a double thank you for those who of you who expressed your opinion it is definitely appreciated as I would like to make this column as reader interactive as possible. Now I have decided to make a change to the Stars vs. Legends feature, instead of the winner advancing we will have two new challengers each week and down the road we will be having a face-off between the weekly winners. Although the response to last week's showdown was not what I was looking for, we do have a unanimous winner (total of a whole 2 votes, mine included) the star and FUTURE legend Brad Paisley. BP beat out legendary challenger Hank Williams Jr. in our inaugural battle.
So I don't know about you but I am more and more impressed with the crossover success of Jessica Simpson and Darius Rucker. After commandeering the #1 spot a couple of weeks ago, Simpson has passed the #1 spot baton on to Rucker, who now owns the #1 country music single in the country. It appears that country music has lost a band of Chicks but gained a blonde vixen and a blowfish. If this were fantasy football I would take this trade any day of the week, it's like trading Willie Parker for both Peyton Manning and Randy Moss (with a healthy Tom Brady throwing to him), no brainer. But enough about that, on to the express!
the Express
The Dixie Chicks are done with country music according to Natalie Maines. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Maine revealed that the Dixie Chicks are leaving country music and the infamous "incident" behind and are starting anew with their new album. Which is going to be produced mostly by Rick Rubin, it is an old fashioned 70's rock album. Although band mates Emily and Martie aren't thrilled about the new direction, they are along for the ride.
Throughout the interview she takes a couple of jabs at the country music industry and ultimately sites that she was never really a fan of country music or country music culture. Check out the interview here.
The historic Ryman Auditorium, birth place of bluegrass music, will host the 19th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards on Oct. 2. This year's show will be hosted by the bluegrass icon Del McCoury. The 2008 IBMA's will feature performances by Dale Ann Bradley, Dailey & Vincent, Blue Highway, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Del McCoury Band, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Grascals and many others. The Del McCoury Band is up for the Entertainer of the Year award and if they are if they walk away victorious it will be their 10th time receiving this honor.
Topping all nominees are first year duo Dailey & Vincent, who are nominated for 10 crystal trophies which include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and two Song of the Year nominations. Presenters for this year's award show will include Sierra Hull, Sonya Issacs, Bradley Walker, G2 Bluegrass Band, Marshall Wilborn and many more. Entering this year's Hall of Fame are artist, songwriter and international ambassador for bluegrass music, Bill Clifton and historian/author Charles K. Wolfe. Tickets for the public are on sale now at the Ryman box office.
Toby Keith, singer, songwriter, entertainer and proud Oklahoman has been bestowed with the 2008 Will Rogers Spirit Award. He received the nomination and award for his support of Ally's House, which provides assistance and support for families of Oklahoma children who have cancer. The Spirit Award will be presented to Toby on Nov. 4 at the Will Rogers Rotary Club Gala dinner. Before he receives this award he will embark on a six show Canadian tour beginning Oct. 3 in Vancouver.
A hard working man he is and his 07-08 earnings represent it. The $48 million he made landed him at #3 on Forbes Magazine's list of the world's top earning musicians, right behind Beyonce at #2 and her $80 million. Topping the list is legendary rock band, The Police who earned $115 million. Also in the top 5 are Justin Timberlake and Madonna.
With the release of Lucky Old Sun a few weeks away, Kenny Chesney and iTunes team up for the "Countdown to Kenny Chesney's Lucky Old Sun" in which one song from his new album will be released on iTunes every week leading up to the release of the full CD. The countdown began on Sept. 23 with the release of "Nowhere To Go, Nowhere To Be". On Tuesday "Key's In A Conch Shell" was released and will be followed by "Spirit Of A Storm" on Oct. 7. This will definitely delight fans especially with purchase of each individual single counting toward the purchase of the complete album on iTunes.
The deluxe package of Lucky Old Sun will be available on Oct. 14 and will give fans access to download the animated opening of Chesney's "Poets & Pirates Tour" and will also include the "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" video featuring The Wailers. The music only edition will be in stores Oct. 21.
On Oct. 31, the Nashville Music Alliance is set to launch. A Nashville music industry first, the Nashville Music Alliance is an all encompassing online community and resource for country professionals and enthusiasts alike. The NMA will offer preferred rate health insurance, help with finding gigs, songwriter contests, a battle of the bands contest and other services. The NMA makes it clear that their goal is to increase accessibility to the Nashville music community and aide in the career development of country music artist.
As an added bonus for NMA members and business members are invitation only Red Carpet Events. These exclusive monthly events will present an opportunity to network with music industry professionals.
Borderline headlines…..
Service man Craig Morgan will return to Ft. Bragg, where he was stationed from 1990-92, to do an hour and a half show for military personnel and their families on Oct. 21st. The Country Music Association, a longtime supporter of the Hall of Fame of Music, will make a $1 million endowment gift to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's "Words & Music" program. Conway Twitty: The Man, the Music, the Legend…the Musical, honoring the life and career of Conway Twitty and told from the point of view of his children, opens at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Polk Theater in Nashville on Oct. 12th.
Artist of the Week
Name a the female country music artist who has earned a Tony Award, had a hit T.V show and eight #1 country albums…give up? It is none other than the queen of country music, the artist known as Reba. Reba McIntire has recorded twenty-three #1 hits, 5 certified gold albums, 6 platinum albums, 4 triple-platinum albums, 2 double platinum albums, 4 triple-platinum albums, a quadruple-platinum album and a quintuple-platinum album. The amazing thing is that she is tied with Ms. 9-5 herself, Dolly Paton in all of these categories.
In her first 10 years Reba did not experience much success outside of the bar scene. But in 1984 she scored her first #1 hit with "How Blue". That same year she won her first of 4 consecutive CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards, a feat that has yet to be topped by any other female country music artist. She was also a 5 time CMA Entertainer of the Year, one of only five women to win the award. The rest of the 80's would entail 5 Academy of Country Music awards, 3 Academy of Country Music awards and 4 Country Music Association awards.
The end of the 80's saw nine #1 hits for McIntire, a tradition that would continue into the 90's. All 8 albums she released in the 90's were certified platinum and five of them went platinum multiple times. This decade would also include 11 American Music Awards, 4 Academy of Country Music awards, 7 People's Choice awards, a Billboard award and a prestigious Grammy Award. 1995 was an amazing year for Reba, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
In 1990, Reba made her acting debut in Tremors and in 2001 she made her Broadway debut in Anne Get Your Gun, stepping in and staring as Anne Oakley. She received a special Tony Award for her performance and later that year she got her very own, self titled T.V show on the WB Network. The show lasted until 2007. Later this month, Reba will release a three disc 50 greatest hits album encompassing her magnificent 30+ year career. Here is a Reba McIntire playlist for your enjoyment!
Stars vs. Legends Showdown
VS.
<
Last week someone made a comment about awards not being the most important indicator of an artist's success, my response to that is what else could be a more important determining factor? Artists are nominted for awards based on the sales performance of their albums i.e certification and the chart performance of their singles which are determined by the people who purchase the music, the fans. Therefore, major music awards are a direct representation of an artist's success.
As earlier stated, I have decided to switch up the format of Stars vs. Legends and this week's battle will feature two new challengers. The iconic Conway Twitty will face off with country music sensation Tim McGraw, both Twitty and McGraw have a plethora chart topping singles, certified records and awards to their names. But only one of them will advance to the latter stages of the S.v.L Showdown. Lets see how they match up.
Conway Twitty is a country crossover artist who began his career as a rock ‘n roll singer and his voice/singing style was often mistaken for that of Elvis Presley. After 10 years of mediocre success with rock music, Twitty decided to try his hand at country music. Initially his attempts were not welcome with many DJ's refusing to play his records because he was known as a rock ‘n roll singer. But the release of "Hello Darling" his biggest hit ever, he finally broke the shackles of his rock n' roll image.
A year later he joined forces with Loretta Lynn to create the combustable stage act "Conway and Loretta". With Loretta by his side, they would go on to win four consecutive (1972-75) CMA awards for Best Vocal Duo and record four chart topping singles, "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man", "Country Partners", "Feelins'" and "United Talent". Although as a solo artist, Conway never won a CMA award. But what he lacked in solo awards he made up for with thirty-six #1 singles spanning almost 30 years, beginning in 1958 with "It's Only Make Believe" and ending in 1986 with "Desperado Love".
Over the course of career Conway has six certified gold albums, We Only Make Believe, Lead Me On, Conway Twitty's Greatest Hits Vol. I, Conway Twitty's Greatest Hits Vol. II, The Very Best of Loretta and Conway, Number Ones, and one platinum album The Very Best of Conway Twitty, to his name. In 1999 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and in 2003 he was ranked #8 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.
Here is a Conway Twitty playlist for your enjoyment!
With his debut album Tim McGraw Tim McGraw he reach relative obscurity, but it was his sophomore album, aptly titled Not a Moment Too Soon, which made him a household name. Not a Moment Too Soon was the best selling country album of 1994 and featured the #1 hits "Don't Take the Girl" and "Not a Moment Too Soon". The album has gone 5x multi-platinum, actually 8 of his 9 studio albums have gone multi-platinum.
Since he burst onto the scene in 1992 Tim has had eleven consecutive albums to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country chart, thirty-one chart topping singles and three country songs of the year with "Just To See You Smile", Live Like You Were Dying and :It's Your Love". He has also won three Grammy awards, 11 CMA awards, 14 ACM awards, and 10 AMA's. Not to mention he has also had three supporting roles in the films "Friday Night Lights", "The Kingdom" and "Flika". Here is a Tim McGraw playlist for your enjoyment!
These two men are both legends in their own right. But I am going to again have to side with "Star". It is unbelievable the amount of success that he has had in his relatively short career. Where do you side?
Outro
As always, I know you have plenty of choices when it comes to getting your steady dose of country music entertainment, so thanks for hanging out with me at The C-squared. Tune back in next week for more express headlines, another ATOW and the results of our heavy weight Stars vs. Legends Showdown and two new challengers. Be sure to check out The 411 Music Top Five: Absolute Best Singles Of The 1990's and The 37th Chamber 10.01.08: Hip Hop And R&B, Hand-In-Hand. Until next time, be well.
