THE BLUE CHIP RADIO REPORT
Country Music News, Charts, Show Prep, Sales Info
April 5, 1999
Bill Miller
Editor & Publisher
The Blue Chip Radio Report is a free weekly newsletter for people in the
radio and music industries. To add your name to our e-mailing list, or to
remove your name, send your request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks!
The Blue Chip Song of the Week: None.
Garth Brooks' Baseball Fantasy Camp is over. Garth left the Padres
without a contract as spring training ended this weekend. Garth goes down
before the sun comes up with a .045 batting average (1-for-22), far below The
Mendoza Line.
As one scout noted, he "couldn't do it all. Couldn't hit, couldn't hit
with power, couldn't field and couldn't run."
From the beginning, no one in baseball took his baseball skills
seriously, but he did leave strong impressions of his other talents. He
gained more than a few friends in the clubhouse, impressing the pros with his
love and enthusiasm for playing what the jaded pros now call "labor". His
hustle, attitude toward fans, well-mannered presence, and leadership skills
left more than one of the boys of summer in awe.
By the way, Garth 70 of the pro baseballers into funding his "Touch 'Em
All Foundation".
Under a deep shroud of secrecy, Wade Hayes was to have married Danni
Boatwright this past Saturday (4/3/99).
Emily Erwin from The Dixie Chicks has picked May 1st as her wedding
date. She'll tie the knot in Bandera TX with singer/songwriter Charlie
Robison.
Tracy Byrd didn't have to wait long for a new label. He didn't have to
order new promo pictures, either. He could have just taken an eraser,
rubbed out the "M", and inserted an "R". The Byrd camp is said to be
excited about Tracy's new record deal with RCA.
Meanwhile, Toby Keith continues to prepare his next album. He's also
hoping for another major label deal soon.
Linda Davis will soon leave her long-time role as a backup singer for
Reba McEntire. She'll be concentrating on her solo career.
On Tim McGraw's Funzone, Claudia Church is quoted as saying "Please
Remember Me" was written about her. Claudia says that writer Rodney Crowell
wrote the song after the couple broke up, but before they got back together.
The song must have worked. Claudia and Rodney are married now.
In Jane magazine, Faith Hill is quoted as saying she likes to jog with
her band members while her two kids take naps on the tour bus.
Chad Brock's hometown is Blairsville, Georgia.
In Country Weekly, Clint Black says that he's looking for a song that he
can record with his wife, Lisa Hartman Black.
Gene Davis, formerly PD at Interstate Radio Network, is available after
leaving CBS in Chicago. Gene can be reached at 708/952-0581, e-mail
[EMAIL PROTECTED] .
Welcome to our new subscribers, including Steve Goddard from KNIX in
Phoenix AZ; Bob James, OM/PD @ KOXE/fm in Brownwood TX; the folks at
KisCountry 103.4 in Knud, Denmark; Hanspeter Heggenberger, Arts & Media
Editor for FACTS news magazine in Zurich, Switzerland; and, Chris Marino.
Aficionados of Southern Gospel music now have a permanent hall of fame.
The Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum is located inside Dollywood
at Pigeon Forge TN. Grand Opening will take place the weekend of April
16-18.
The Bob McDill-penned "Gone Country", a tongue-in-cheek-lashing from
Alan Jackson about the contrived commercialism of the Nashville music
industry, has been licensed as a jingle by the Ford Motor Company for an ad
campaign. The commercial for Ford Country is to debut this month.
Billy Bob's, the famous Ft. Worth TX honky tonk, is getting into the
record business. They've launched a new label called "Live At Billy Bob's
Texas", according to The Dallas Morning News.
As the label's name indicates, the albums will be recorded live at the
nightclub.
The company's first 3 releases are due this week from John Conlee, Pat
Green, and Eddy Raven. After a push in Texas, the CD's will be rolled out
nationally around April 27th.
Upcoming releases include a June album from Merle Haggard and August
releases from Roy Clark and Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley. Individual releases in
the near future are also promised from Waylon Jennings and Ray Price.
LeAnn Rimes' "Blue" album has been certified for sales of 6 million
units.
George Strait's 1995 box set, "Strait Out Of The Box", has also been
certified for sales of 6 million units.
The Associated Press notes that Strait's collection is now the 3rd
best-selling box set in history, behind Bruce Springsteen and the E Street
Band Live, and Led Zeppelin's box set (released in 1990).
A little Texas swing goes a long way, doesn't it?
Patty Loveless' latest greatest hits package, "Classics", debuted at #
6 on Billboard's Top Country album charts this week.
The Academy of Country Music has renamed its Pioneer Award "The
Cliffie", honoring Cliffie Stone.
And whatever happened to Johnny Duncan?
BLUE CHIP SPOTLIGHT ALBUM: None.
TWANG T.V.:
4/7.............Shania Twain's Winter Break on VH-1
4/12...........Andy Griggs on Donny & Marie
4/12...........Andy Griggs on Prime Time Country, TNN
4/13...........LeAnn Rimes on "Divas Live 99", VH-1
4/13...........Jessica Andrews on "Another World"
4/13...........Bill Anderson, Clint Daniels and Freddie Hart on
The George Jones Show, TNN
4/14...........Billy Ray Cyrus hosts a special on the American
Eagle, TBS
4/18...........Brooks & Dunn, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, The
Mavericks, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Trisha Yearwood on "An All-Star
Tribute To Johnny Cash", Turner Network Television (TNT)
4/20...........Ed Bruce, Toby Keith and Martina McBride on The
George Jones Show, TNN
* 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 , a source for many of the Twang TV listings.
THE BLUE CHIP ADULT COUNTRY CHART (25-49 demographics)
4/5/99
LW TW Title Artist
----- ----- ------- --------
2 1 How Forever Feels . . . . . . . . Kenny Chesney
3 2 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . ..Lee Ann Womack
4 3 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . .. Chad Brock
5 4 Gone Crazy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Jackson
6 5 I Can't Get Over You . . . . . . ..Brooks & Dunn
8 6 Wish You Were Here . . . . . .. Mark Wills
10 7 Love Ain't Like That . . . . . . . . Faith Hill
13 8 Everytime I Cry . . . . . . . . . . Terri Clark
12 9 You Won't Ever Be Lonely . . . Andy Griggs
11 10 Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Raye
1 11 You Were Mine . . . . . . . . . . . Dixie Chicks
14 12 Don't Come Crying To Me . . . Vince Gill
15 13 Hands Of A Working Man . . .. Ty Herndon
16 14 Two Teardrops . . . . . . . . . . .. Steve Wariner
17 15 Can't Get Enough . . . . . . . . . Patty Loveless
20 16 Maybe Not Tonight . . . . . . . . Sammy Kershaw & Lorrie Morgan
18 17 I'm Leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron Tippin
19 18 Drive Me Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . Sawyer Brown
7 19 Busy Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Billy Ray Cyrus
21 20 What's The Matter..... . . . . . . Claudia Church
25 21 Please Remember Me . . . . .. Tim McGraw
23 22 You Don't Need Me Now . ... . Clint Black
26 23 Stranger In My Mirror . . . . . .. Randy Travis
22 24 Powerful Thing . . . . . . . . . . ..Trisha Yearwood
24 25 Better Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Warren Bros.
27 26 With You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Lila McCann
28 27 Hillbilly Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . .Montgomery Gentry
30 28 Your Own Little Corner . . . . . .Blackhawk
34 29 She's Always Right . . . . . . .. Clay Walker
31 30 I Will Be There For You . . . . . Jessica Andrews
32 31 I Was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Neal McCoy
35 32 Man! I Feel Like A Woman . ..Shania Twain
9 33 Meanwhile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Strait
36 34 Whatever You Say . . . . . . . .. Martina McBride
38 35 One Honest Heart . . . . . . . .. Reba McEntire
37 36 A Night To Remember . . . . . Joe Diffie
*** 37 Hello L.O.V.E. . . . . . . . . . . . John M. Montgomery
40 38 Who Needs Pictures . . . . . . .Brad Paisley
33 39 No Place That Far . . . . . . . ...Sara Evans
*** 40 Little Goodbyes . . . . . . . . . . Shedaisy
DROPPED: Mark Chesnutt, Alabama
NASH-ROCK (a.k.a "Young Country") (Teens, 18-24 demos)
LW TW Title Artist
----- ----- ------- --------
1 1 How Forever Feels . . . . . . . . ..Kenny Chesney
5 2 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . . .Lee Ann Womack
3 3 Wish You Were Here . . . . . . ..Mark Wills
4 4 I Can't Get Over You . . . . . . . Brooks & Dunn
6 5 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Chad Brock
8 6 Love Ain't Like That . . . . . . . ..Faith Hill
9 7 Gone Crazy . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Alan Jackson
10 8 Drive Me Wild . . . . . . . . . . . ..Sawyer Brown
17 9 Hands Of A Working Man . . . Ty Herndon
15 10 Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . ...Collin Raye
13 11 Every Time I Cry . . . . . . . . . . Terri Clark
14 12 Please Remember Me . . . . ...Tim McGraw
*** 13 Two Teardrops . . . . . . . . . . . .Steve Wariner
18 14 You Won't Ever Be Lonely . ... Andy Griggs
16 15 Can't Get Enough . . . . . . . . . Patty Loveless
*** 16 Hillbilly Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . Montgomery Gentry
20 17 Man! I Feel Like A Woman . ..Shania Twain
19 18 She's Always Right . . . . . . . ..Clay Walker
*** 19 I'm Leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron Tippin
*** 20 Don't Come Crying To Me . . . Vince Gill
DROPPED: Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Strait
Letters To The Editor
(Please indicate your permission to publish your letter online by writing
"Letter To The Editor" in the subject line of your e-mail. Letters subject
to editing. Keep 'em short and to the point. E-mail addresses will be added
to your signature unless otherwise requested)
Having listened to all forms of music for more than half a
century, from the Bob Wills 78's that my parents played to the bands like
Black Oak Arkansas and Marshall Tucker that I toured with years ago, I find
valid points in both sides of the arguments from Stoney Richards and LynEll
in the 3/29/99 Blue Chip Radio Report. What everyone seems to overlook is
the fact that most music is a reflection of who you are, what you think, and
what's happening to you (at the time).
Watching the personnel changes, development, and music growth
of local Dallas talent like the Dixie Chicks makes me aware that even though
I'm older and "unpierced" I still enjoy their music. Touching an audience
with a good song is not always about always looking like an Erath county dirt
farmer. Agreed, relating to your audience may be partially setting a good
example, but lamenting the loss of traditional patterns sometimes sacrifices
the exposure of spreading the music to a youthful audience. Cultural
transmission works both ways. Waylon admittedly listens to Nine Inch Nails,
what used to be " Southern Rock" is now a part of "Young Country", and if
just one purple-haired teen listens to Patsy Cline 'cause he also likes
Shanai Twains pants...who cares.
Mike Starnes
Director of Sound Products
TM Century
Dallas TX
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
As I was cruising about the net this cool, Tennessee evening, I was
suprised to see my name mentioned in the great "Blue Chip Radio Report."
So, as to "what ever happened to ....?"
I am very well, indeed, and still reasonably sound of mind and living
in Nashville, although the "sound of mind" may be subjective. It is all in
your POV, now isn't it?
Anyway, thanks for mentioning my wife's favorite songwriter and my
daughter's favorite Dad.
Cheers,
Dick Feller
Nashville TN
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