THE BLUE CHIP RADIO REPORT
News, Charts, Show Prep, Sales Info
February 15, 1999
Bill Miller
Editor & Publisher
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The Blue Chip Song of the Week: "She's Always Right" by Clay Walker.
Written by Phil Barnhart, Ed Hill and Richie McDonald. Produced by Doug
Johnson and Clay Walker. Label: Giant. It's "She's Got A Way About Her"
gone country.
Too bad a great marketing plan can't help you hit the hard slider. Or
curve. Or fast ball. Or change-up, for that matter.
If you could hit off the tee forever, Garth Brooks would be in the
baseball Hall of Fame before Easter. After the media coverage this week,
you'd think Garth was a shoe-in for Cooperstown. You might expect to hear
that Mark McGwire had called up for a for tips on how to handle the high, hard
one.
Of course, if you've played baseball beyond Little League and you saw the
TV shots of Garth in the batting cages this week, it would take about 10
seconds to sniff this one out.
Despite his college and high school athletic background, Garth ain't no
spring chicken by Major League Baseball standards. Depending on which
reference you consult, he celebrated a 36th or 37th birthday last week.
Facts. Around 1,000 men will play Major League Baseball in 1999. Two-
thirds will spend the entire season in The Show, the rest will be up and down
between the majors and the minors. The vast majority will be in their 20's.
Only 3 or 4 dozen will be older than Garth.
Baseball is a game of mental skill, critical hand to eye coordination,
and physical strength. By Garth's age, most major league players are former
major league players and already entrenched in another career. Of those who
remain valuable players into their late 30's, most will have survived on
experience...s a v v y. All will have battled through more than one near
career-ending hamstring pull, groin injury, and/or torn rotator cuff.
Michael Jordan, perhaps America's greatest athlete since Jim Thorpe,
bombed at the Double A level of professional baseball. Michael could run, of
course. Since he didn't spend his young adult years in front of a microphone,
Michael had the advantage of keeping in shape on an NBA court several nights a
week. Great for the legs and lungs. If Michael could've just hit off a tee
and not faced that doggone slider, things might have turned out differently
for him in baseball.
The Padres made it to the World Series last fall and immediately started
a fire sale of their top players. It's a franchise that has gone through at
least 3 ownership groups in the past 10 years, a franchise where fresh
investment money can't be found fast enough. You can bet the Padres' honchos
knows that ol' Garth is worth an estimated $ 75 million dollars. That might
be play money for some major league baseball players, but it's more than most
members of baseball's ownership groups are worth.
For the most part, limited partners and minority owners are men (and a
handful of women) who have achieved great success in other fields and take a
small ownership interest in a major league franchise as an ego-stroking
trophy. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, and the players
appreciate the revenue stream.
Garth may dream of slamming World Series homers. Haven't we all. But I
suspect the Padres' ownership is setting up the golden one for an invitation
to join their little ownership group.
In the meantime, you've got to admire the guy's incredible ability to get
media attention.
John Michael Montgomery and wife Crystal are happy parents again. Walker
Carl Montgomery came screaming into the world on Saturday (2/13) at 8 pounds
and 10 ounces and reportedly wearing a black cowboy hat.
Boxcar Willie is hospitalized in Springfield MO. By press time, we
couldn't confirm the reason behind his latest hospitalization. Boxcar has had
a bout with cancer the past few years.
The Tammy Wynette soap opera update from various published sources:
.....Nashville's medical examiner refused to exhume the body for
autopsy.......a lawyer for 3 of her daughters has asked the DEA to investigate
the way prescriptions were written for the singer.......Wynette was taking
multiple prescription drugs.......the National Enquirer called Metro police to
confirm the death that night, but the police couldn't confirm.......police
weren't notified of the death until 2 hours after the Enquirer's
call.......hubby George Richey has been criticized for his handling of the
death scene.....whispers that the marriage wasn't on firm footing.......hints
and allegations that the exhumation request was a veiled attempt to invalidate
Wynette's will, which supposedly disinherits anyone who directly challenges
it.
Next: Will Kenneth Starr investigate what role, if any, that Bill and
Hillary Clinton may have played in the singer's death?
Stay tuned.
The Nashville Scene has several insightful articles this month about
consolidation in the country music industry. If you can't pick up a hard
copy in Nashville, you can read them online at
<A HREF="http://www.nashscene.com/">http://www.nashscene.com</A> .
Readers in the mid-Atlantic region from Richmond VA to Baltimore MD to
Washington DC can now get a digest version of The Blue Chip Radio Report in
the newspaper/magazine "Country Plus". Copies of the monthly "Country Plus"
can be picked up at most important radio stations, nightclubs, and other
country music spots in the region.
Alabama's ace guitarist, Jeff Cook, has launched a guitar and amp line.
The company is called Stinger Guitars and is based in the group's hometown of
Ft. Payne AL.
In the past year, Terri Clark has been hit in the face with a softball,
dislocated her shoulder, and broken her hand.
She had a few country hits, too.
Despite big sister Shelby Lynne's trailblazing in Nashville, Allison
Moorer basically found the doors of the Music Business City slammed shut.
Great emotion in her voice, but she doesn't shake it to the left and shake it
to the right. She just sings wonderfully.
The street story is that Robert Redford heard Moorer, fell in love with
her voice, and insisted that she appear in "The Horse Whisperer" singing "A
Soft Place To Fall", which she wrote. It's said that MCA reluctantly took
her because they had the soundtrack for the movie and Redford insisted.
Spin forward.
Last week, Allison Moorer was nominated for an Oscar (not a Grammy) for
"A Soft Place To Fall". Category: Best Original Song.
Not only is "A Soft Place To Fall" on the soundtrack, but it's on her
critically acclaimed album "Alabama Song".
You know "Alabama Song". It's the album that Entertainment Weekly
called one of the top 3 country albums of 1998.
Rolling Stone said "Moorer is full of that rare, elegant intimacy that
was once the cornerstone of country music."
Time said "Moorer coaxes a gorgeously plaintive edge from her voice."
But it didn't originate in Nashville, so many people at MCA's office
never became excited about "A Soft Place To Fall" or the album. But with all
this crossover media buzz about Moorer and her music, I'm sure you're right on
top of it and playing cuts off the album anyway, especially "A Soft Place To
Fall".
Vince Gill and Shania Twain are set to perform on the Grammy Awards show
Feb. 24th (Gill is up for 4 Grammy's). Martina McBride will be a presenter on
the show.
The Nashville Network begins a 13-part documentary on March 31st,
"Century of Country". The series is billed as a definitive history of
country music.
Shania Twain is currently touring Australia.
Tom Milewski, President and COO of Greater Media, died Monday (2/8) of
cancer. He was 47 years old.
After a disastrous Arbitron (falling to 25th in the market), San
Francisco's KYCY 93.3 and 1550 switched to automation and away from the Young
Country format on Friday (2/6). RadioDigest.com reports unconfirmed rumors
that the station has canned the on-air staff, disabled the website, and is
gearing up to call itself "Y-93" and shift to a country music format featuring
older country hits.
Don't expect to hear Haggard and Jones, though. "Older country hits" is
defined in the article as "...hits since 1993".
Hey, no big deal. It's San Francisco, not Amarillo.
Come to think of it, is it logical for trade magazines to give stations
in cities like San Francisco, Boston and New York more weight in country chart
action than medium markets like Amarillo, Knoxville and Calgary. The larger
markets are more important if you're selling CD's by The Backstreet Boys, but
they don't carry the same weight for the country music industry.
And why are these smaller, and more influential markets, mirroring their
playlists to reflect the tastes of the larger and less country music friendly
metropolitan areas?
And why are country stations in the south, southwest and midwest (the
bell buckle of the country music belt) so dumbfounded when their ratings fall
apart while spinning playlists more suited for eastern, northern and
northwestern markets?
As John Prine said, "It's a big ol' goofy world".
Welcome to our new subscribers, including Bob Richards, PD at WFMS 95.5
in Indianapolis IN; Bobby Lopez, "Cowboy Bob" with KRNH "The Ranch" in
Kerrville TX; Rick James, MD at KWWR Country 96 in Mexico MO; Jamie Matteson
from The Gavin Report; and Gerold Stocker with Swiss National Radio DRS3.
EXIT/IN: Mike Ireland and Holler have left the Sub Pop/Sire
label.......Billy Dean has split with Capitol Records.......Jeff Foxworthy has
signed with Dreamworks Nashville.
The great Mickey Newbury is about to be represented in Young Country.
One of Newbury's early compositions, "Why You Been Gone So Long?", will be
included in Diamond Reo's next album, due out in July.
Dan Seals is still working the road and blowing 'em away with acoustic
shows. Seals, who has had eleven Billboard # 1 country hits and two # 1 pop
hits, is booked by The Bobby Roberts Company in Nashville.
And whatever happened to Connie Cato ?
BLUE CHIP SPOTLIGHT ALBUM: "The Mountain" by Steve Earle and The Del
McCoury Band. Produced by "the twangtrust" and Ronnie McCoury. Label: E-
Squared.
Steve Earle is the closest thing to an outlaw that the Music Business
City tolerates these days, and they don't tolerate him like they used to. On
his latest, Earle took the offbeat, but ingenious, approach of teaming up with
The Del McCoury Band, a renowned bluegrass group noted for their fast picks
and hot licks. It was a great move. Borrowing heavily from Bob Dylan to the
Scots-Irish who brought their old country folk melodies to the Appalachians
mountains, Earle's 14 cuts will knock your white socks off.
Best radio cuts: "Texas Eagle", "I'm Still In Love With You" (w/ Iris
Dement), "Harlan Man", "The Mountain", "Leroy's Dustbowl Blues", and
"Dixieland".
TWANG T.V.:
2/15-19.....Garth Brook & Trisha Yearwood on "Hollywood Squares"
2/15..........Dixie Chicks on Rosie O'Donnell
2/16..........LeAnn Rimes on "Moesha", UPN
2/18..........Shania Twain on Rosie O'Donnell
2/20..........Billy Ray Cyrus on "The Love Boat"
2/21.........."Shania Twain: Behind The Music", VH1
2/23..........Shania Twain on Leno, NBC
2/24..........Grammy Awards, CBS
Check local listings for all shows, especially syndicated programs and "Austin
City Limits". Special thanks to Katie Pruett at SuperStar Country KYNG/fm in
Dallas/Ft. Worth TX and her work on the station's website,
http://www.superstarcountry.com, from which we borrow heavily for the Twang TV
listings .
CROOK & CHASE musical guests: (afternoon shows repeat the next
morning)
2/16........Jerry Reed
2/17........The Fairfield Four, Tareva Henderson
2/18........Terri Clark, Tareva Henderson
2/26........Mark Wills
TNN PRIME TIME COUNTRY musical guests:
2/16.......Collin Raye, Michael Peterson
2/17.......George Jones, Trace Adkins, Sara Evans
2/18.......Joe Dee Messina, The Mavericks
2/22.......Shania Twain
THE BLUE CHIP ADULT COUNTRY CHART (25-49 demographics)
2/15/99
LW TW Title Artist
----- ----- ------- --------
5 1 I Don't Want To Miss...... . . .. Mark Chestnutt
2 2 Powerful Thing . . . . . . . . . . ..Trisha Yearwood
3 3 Wrong Night . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reba McEntire
4 4 For A Little While . . . . . . . . . Tim McGraw
10 5 You Were Mine . . . . . . . . . . .Dixie Chicks
6 6 Hold On To Me . . . . . . . . . . .J. M. Montgomery
7 7 No Place That Far . . . . . . . ...Sara Evans
8 8 Unbelievable . . . . . . . . . . . ...Diamond Rio
11 9 How Forever Feels . . . . . . . . Kenny Chesney
9 10 Busy Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Billy Ray Cyrus
1 11 Stand Beside Me . . . . . . . ....Jo Dee Messina
14 12 Meanwhile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Strait
17 13 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . ..Lee Ann Womack
15 14 Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Wilkinsons
16 15 Keepin' Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alabama
18 16 Love Ain't Like That . . . . . . . .Faith Hill
20 17 I Can't Get Over You . . . . . . ..Brooks & Dunn
12 18 A Bitter End . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deryl Dodd
24 19 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . .. Chad Brock
35 20 Gone Crazy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Jackson
21 21 That Don't Impress Me...... . . Shania Twain
25 22 Hands Of A Working Man . . ..Ty Herndon
26 23 When Mama Ain't Happy . . . .Tracy Byrd
13 24 Spirit Of A Boy..... . . . . . . . ...Randy Travis
28 25 You Won't Ever Be Lonely . . ..Andy Griggs
30 26 Somebody's Out There . . . . ..The Kinleys
29 27 Drive Me Wild . . . . . . . . . . . .Sawyer Brown
34 28 Wish You Were Here . . . . . .. Mark Wills
31 29 Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Raye
32 30 Can't Get Enough . . . . . . . . . Patty Loveless
33 31 Don't Come Crying To Me . . . Vince Gill
37 32 Everytime I Cry . . . . . . . . . . Terri Clark
23 33 By The Book . . . . . . . . . . . .. Michael Peterson
36 34 No More Looking Over ..... . . Travis Tritt
39 35 I'm Leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aaron Tippin
*** 36 You Don't Need Me Now . ... . Clint Black
38 37 You Still Shake Me . . . . . . . .Deana Carter
27 38 Every Little Whisper . . . . . . ..Steve Wariner
*** 39 Better Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Warren Bros.
*** 40 Say Anthing . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shane McAnally
DROPPED: McBride, Rimes, White
NASH-ROCK (a.k.a "Young Country") (Teens, 18-24 demos)
LW TW Title Artist
----- ----- ------- --------
1 1 I Don't Want To Miss..... . . . ..Mark Chestnutt
2 2 For A Little While . . . . . . . . . Tim McGraw
5 3 Unbelievable . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diamond Rio
3 4 Stand Beside Me . . . . . . . . . .Jo Dee Messina
4 5 Hold On To Me . . . . . . . . . . . J. M. Montgomery
6 6 Powerful Thing . . . . . . . . . . . .Trisha Yearwood
7 7 Wrong Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reba McEntire
8 8 No Place that Far . . . . . . . . . Sara Evans
9 9 You Were Mine . . . . . . . . . . . Dixie Chicks
10 10 Busy Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Billy Ray Cyrus
12 11 That Don't Impress Me..... . . . Shania Twain
13 12 Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wilkinsons
14 13 Meanwhile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Strait
15 14 How Forever Feels . . . . . . . . .Kenny Chesney
16 15 Keepin' Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alabama
20 16 Somebody's Out There . . . . . Kinleys
*** 17 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . . Lee Ann Womack
19 18 I Can't Get Over You . . . . . . . Brooks & Dunn
*** 19 Love Ain't Like That . . . . . . . .Faith Hill
*** 20 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chad Brock
DROP: Dodd, Peterson, Travis
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Blue Chip Communications produces great-sounding, easy-to-sell radio features!
Special thanks this week to Rowdy Yates at KILT in Houston, Patsy Bruce, Chuck
Chellman, Russ Smith, Roger Olson and Rhonda Clark. The Blue Chip Radio
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