From heartfelt to funny: songs to get us through the virus
Country music is where songs tell stories. What better music genre to express the hopes and fears of us all as we deal with the fear and uncertainty of the current coronavirus? Here are some of the songs that are worth a listen, along with links to the accompanying videos:
Big & Rich: “Stay Home”
In the official video, John Rich sits by the guitar-shaped pool at his Mt. Richmore home (carefully-placed bottles of Granny Rich Whiskey on the table beside him!) and is joined remotely by Big Kenny with fun lyrics such as:
The shelves are bare and empty / Because some people just don’t care /Got one roll of toilet paper / And I’m down to my last square
Thomas Rhett: “Be A Light” ft. Keith Urban, Chris Tomlin, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott
A sweet and inspiring song encouraging us all to take the
opportunity to do what’s right for ourselves and each other.
In a world full of hate, be a light / When you do somebody wrong, make it right /Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine / In a world full of hate, be a light
Here’s Thomas singing an acoustic solo version of the song while self-isolating.
Here’s a quick look at some of the stories from the April 2020 edition of my column Inside Track on Music Row, the longest continually-running country music column in the USA. I’ve been writing this column for more than a quarter of a century (Phew!) and you can catch the full column (and archived previous columns) when it is published at Nashville Music Guide.
ACM Awards to clash with Americana Awards
New album from Craig Morgan
Maddie & Tae know The Way it Feels
CDB set Volunteer Jam date
Opry icon Jan Howard passes
Scroll down to read these stories…
ACM news: ACM Awards set for same date as Americana Awards
The ACM announced the new date for the 55th ACM Awards. It has always been held the first week in April following a full week of charity events, golfing tourneys, etc. The new Awards date is going to be Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will stream live and on demand on CBS All Access. As previously announced, the 55th ACM Awards® will be hosted by reigning ACM® Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award® winner Keith Urban for the first time.
Joe Diffie, who passed away March 29, 2020, will be deeply missed by fans and members of Nashville’s music industry. My personal memories of Joe are below, but first just a few of the many tributes from the music community.
Joe Diffie, December 28, 1958 – March 29, 2020. Photo: Crystal K. Martell
“Joe was much more
than a great country singer. He was a great song guy as well. He also knew how
to put on a show. I will miss you, my friend.” – Teddy Gentry on behalf
of ALABAMA.
“Joe was a character. A great singer of songs and always had a story or joke to make you smile. I’ll miss crossing paths with him every year on the road, and my heart goes out to his family.” – John Anderson.
“Joe Diffie was the
‘pickup man’ — always had a smile and a story, to cure and encourage. It was my
fortunate blessing to come along the same time JD did, in music —so many great
memories, and so many times he ‘propped me up.’” – Randy Travis.
“He was a warm-hearted,
good-natured, fun-loving man with an extraordinary voice. I will miss
him.” – Lee Roy Parnell.
“Rest in peace, Joe
Diffie. Country music‘s huge loss of my friend, a great singer and songwriter.
May God Bless his family and friends.” – Jerry Lee Lewis.
Personal memories of Joe
I have many personal memories of Joe. We met in the 90s when Joe cut “Coolest Fool in Town,” a track on his first album (A Thousand Winding Roads) that was written by my future boss Randy Boudreaux (“Alibis” “Brokenheartsville”). All of us would hang out at Barbara’s bar and restaurant with Joe, Tim McGraw, Tracy Lawrence and others. Nobody “ghermed” them there; they were just regular joes, no pun intended.
When I was working with award-winning songwriter Mary Francis in the late 90s I was listening to some of the demos of songs she had written. One of those demos was for a song titled “Tonight the Heartache’s on Me” with a male vocalist singing the demo. I told Mary that the vocalist sounded like Joe Diffie and she replied, “It is Joe, singing the male two-step version that I have been pitching for several years.” I went ahead and sent the demo with Joe’s vocal to Paul Worley who, with Blake Chancey, was producing Wide Open Spaces, the major-label debut album for the Dixie Chicks. The Chicks cut “Heartaches” that was included on the Platinum-selling album and was also a hit single – thanks in part to Joe’s great vocals on the demo.
Joe’s first release was “Home,” followed by “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets),” and many more including “Third Rock From the Sun,” “Bigger Than the Beatles” and “Pickup Man” that became a perennial fan favorite.
He charted 18 Top Ten singles, with the majority reaching the Top Five, including the 1993 radio staples “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)” and “John Deere Green.” More about Joe here.
Lyrics from “Prop Me Up By the Jukebox”: “Just let my headstone be a neon sign/ Just let it burn in memory of all of my good times,” Joe sang. “… I’ll be the life of the party, even when I’m dead and gone.”
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
Tours canceled, venues dark, but the music lives on! ‘ACM Presents: Our Country’ to air April 5
Here are a few more items from the March 2020 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, the longest-running country music column in the USA, and now around the world on the Web. See the entire column in this month’s Nashville Music Guide, along with a lot more Nashville news.
BREAKING NEWS: See below for link to story about ACM TV Special to air on original date of ACM Awards Show.
NOTE: Some news items refer to current or upcoming tours. Because of concerns about Covid-19, many shows have been postponed, canceled or rescheduled. Always check with the artist’s website or the ticket seller before making any plans to attend a show. Hopefully, this problem will soon be over, but let’s remember: the music lives on!
Some of this month’s column items. Scroll down to continue
reading…
‘ACM Presents: Our Country’ to air April 5
Luke Combs gets 3 ACM Award nods, but show postponed
Pam TillisLooking For a Feeling with new album
Jason Isbell’sReunions, recorded at RCA Studio A
Secret Sisters record album at Brandi Carlile’s home studio
Walker Montgomery sings “Like My Daddy Done It”
Scroll down to read these news stories from Inside Track on Music Row
BREAKING NEWS:
A two-hour special. ACM Presents: Our Country, will air in the former 55th ACM Awards timeslot April 5 at 8pm ET on CBS. The special will feature at-home acoustic performances from artists, as well as their thoughts on and clips of favorite ACM Awards moments. Participating artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Although
the highly anticipated 55th ACM Awards show is unable to take place on April 5
due to the health crisis, we still wanted to deliver fans an entertaining ACM
country music special as planned,” says ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. Adds DCP
President Amy Thurlow, “Music has always served as a powerful form of hope
and solidarity during challenging times. It’s our privilege to offer audiences
an uplifting message through music as well as a look back at some of the best
moments in ACM Awards history.” Updates and details of artists appearing will
be posted at https://www.acmcountry.com/
AMID NATIONAL UNCERTAINTY, SHENANDOAH VOWS TO “KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING” WITH SPECIAL FACEBOOK LIVE CONCERT
Live Broadcast Featuring Special Guests Michael Ray, Aaron Tippin, Austin Merrill,T. Graham Brown and Katie Austin Set for Tonight, Wednesday, March 18, at 7 PM CT
Concert to be Hosted by Inside Edition’s Megan Alexander; Sponsored by Foundry Records
During a time of national uncertainty, GRAMMY® Award-winning country music group Shenandoah is looking to brighten spirits with a special Facebook Live performance event that will bring music to the masses. Today the legendary country band announced “Keep the Music Playing,” a free live-streamed concert set for tonight, Wednesday, March 18, at 7 PM / CT. Amid concert postponements nationwide, the event will provide a unique opportunity for fans to enjoy live performances from the comfort of their living rooms.
Stars join Shenandoah for live web show
Shenandoah has enlisted Michael Ray, Aaron Tippin, Austin Merrill, T. Graham Brown, and Katie Austin to join them during the live web broadcast. The event, sponsored by Foundry Records and hosted by Inside Edition’s Megan Alexander, will take place at Nashville’s SIR Rehearsal Studios with no live audience and minimal staff.
“The main mission here is to hopefully, with music as only music can, bring some sunshine to the gloom,” says Shenandoah frontman Marty Raybon. “We’ll be taking all of the recommended precautions to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, is thrilled about the event. “We are happy to see artists doing everything they can to ‘Keep the Music Playing’ during these challenging times as we try to keep the virus from spreading,” he says. “Seeing all the ways that live music is still being shared is part of the creative spirit in Music City.”
Though the event is free to view online, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp Foundation / Music City, Inc will be accepting donations throughout the live broadcast. All donations will aid Middle Tennesseans who have been affected by COVID-19 and the recent tornadoes that ravaged the area.
“It has taken an army of people to put this event
together in less than 24 hours,” notes Foundry Records/Johnstone
Entertainment’s Cole Johnstone. “I want to give special thanks to SIR
Nashville, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, 2911 Media, TNDV and Nic
Dugger, Mama Sue, Absolute Publicity, Shenandoah’s band and crew, all of our
guest artists, and the Foundry Records staff for making this possible.”
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Songs write themselves, we just hold the pen” – Garth Brooks on stage at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN.
My column, Inside Track on Music Row, is the longest-running country music column in the USA and now worldwide on the Internet! Send me music stuff, I love to get it!
Here, below, are just some of the news items in the March 2020 column that is published by Nashville Music Guide. Scroll down to continue reading…
Lauren & Thomas Rhett welcome baby Lennon Love
Love Lives On tells stories of fallen warriors’ survivors
Cody Purvis on “Drinkin’ Terms” with Billboard Indicator chart
Brandy Clark: “Love Is a Fire” can warm you or burn you
“Copper Coil” new song from duo Band Steele
CJ Solar’s “Watered Down Whiskey” heralds new EP
Outlaw music from Billy Don Burns
Chris Bandi’s first step on hallowed Opry stage
Tin Pan South tix going fast: grab yours now
Scroll down to read these news stories from Inside Track on Music Row
BABY NEWS
Thomas * Lauren Akins
County singer Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins welcomed their third daughter last month. Her name is Lennon Love Akins, and she weighed 9lbs 2oz and a head full of dark hair and blue eyes. His father Rhett Akins and his wife Sonya are expecting a boy in March… More baby news… Shay Mooney (Dan+ Shay) and wife Hannah welcomed their second child, another boy, named Ames Alexander on February 21st in Nashville. He joins big brother, three-year-old Asher James.
New song, album honor families of fallen service men and women
By Preshias Harris
Country music has a big heart. Singers and songwriters come together at the drop of a cowboy hat to donate their time and talent to a worthy cause. Causes don’t get much worthier than the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
Love Lives On is the title of a new album with all net proceeds from the album going to TAPS, but it is more than that. The songs on the album tell the personal stories of the sacrifice of both the fallen warriors and also the families who must live with their loss.
The album comprises 10 original songs that feature Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, John Rich, All-4-One, The Gatlin Brothers, Lonestar and many more. It is set for release over the 2020 Memorial Day weekend. However, “Love Lives On,” the album’s lead single and title track, will drop on March 20 and can be pre-ordered now via links at https://www.lovelivesonmusic.com/
Many country artists wear cowboy hats and sing songs that evoke visions of ranches, horses and cowboys, but Kolt Barber has lived that life and has the bruises and broken bones to prove it.
Kolt Barber
We caught up with Kolt at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville to hear about his new single, two albums and a unique tour that combines music and rodeo.
Kolt recorded the new single at Square One Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, where Kolt was able to really develop the song organically.
“Set the Night on Fire”
“The new single is titled ‘Set the Night on Fire,’” said
Kolt. “I went into the studio without a
demo. I’d written the song and we started creating it, in the studio, from
scratch. We were able to take our time. If I liked something we went with it,
if I didn’t like something we took it away.
It was really cool; instead of the normal, fast-paced way of ‘you have a
demo, you cut it, you’re done,’ we were able to sit and create. It was a really
cool experience and I really enjoyed it.
Justin Moore recently celebrated his latest No. 1 hit, “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” with the song’s co-writers. He also talked about his current single, “Why We Drink.”
(See my interview with Justin at the No. 1 party, previously posted here.)
Every type of music is constantly changing – pop, R&B,
jazz, even classical – and that is true about country music, too. Just compare
Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart’” (1952) with Luke Bryan’s “Knockin’ Boots”
(2019)! Over the years there have been sub-genres
such as countrypolitan, the Bakersfield sound, outlaw country, honky tonk,
bro-country and more.
‘Classic’ 90s Country
Today, the country music of the 1990s is what many fans consider ‘classic’ country. Justin Moore was born in 1984, so the music he listened to in his teens and early twenties was, of course, 90s country. That was the music influenced his own music when he moved to Nashville in 2002. With help from producer and songwriter Jeremy Stover, Justin met Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group. Borchetta signed Justin to Valory Music, a new label that was part of BMLG.
Remembers “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home”
By Preshias Harris
Justin Moore remembered “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” (Valory Music Group) at a No. 1 party in Nashville on 05 February. Justin was joined by his co-writers Jeremy Stover, Chase McGill and Paul DiGiovanni. Stover produced the song with Big Machine Records chief, Scott Borchetta.
The song is Justin’s eighth No. 1 single. For the other
writers, it was Jeremy’s seventh No. 1, Chase’s fourth and Paul’s second
chart-topper. It was also Jeremy’s thirteenth No. 1 as a producer. Paul is also
lead guitarist with the rock band, Boys Like Girls.
Before the award ceremony, I sat down with other members of the music media as we talked to Justin, Jeremy, Chase and Paul.
Pictured L to R: Chase McGill, Paul DiGiovanni, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover. Photo credit: Preshias Harris
The story behind the song
Justin began by talking about how audience reaction to one of his earlier No. 1 songs, combined with his admiration of his grandfathers’ military service, inspired the creation of “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home.”
