Mercury's Clark Takes Acoustic Path with `Fearless' by RAY WADDELL Any She's Done
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ARTISTS & MUSIC Mercury's Clark Takes Acoustic Path With `Fearless' BY RAY WADDELL any she's done. "Basically, we tracked That's the way this record was built. Clark co -wrote eight of the 12 ANOTHER SIDE NASHVILLE -While she won't three instruments-drum, bass, and It's real, and it's something you can cuts, working with such songwrit- Clark admits the country scene permanently ditch the cowboy hat acoustic guitar-and built the rest at sit down in a room, with no am- ers as Mary Chapin Carpenter, has changed since she broke big with and electric guitar, Terri Clark does my house over a period of 11 months," plifiers, and duplicate." Gary Burr, Angelo, Beth Nielsen her first single, "Better Things To hope to showcase a softer, more she says. "It was a real creative atmos- The label gave her the freedom to Chapman, and Annie Roboff. She Do," in 1995. "I feel like country introspective side with her upcom- phere, with no clock ticking or money take a new approach for "Fearless" said they weren't exactly out to cre- music has become less of an adult ing Mercury release, due Sept. 19. flying out the window" after three records produced pri- ate an overtly "contemporary coun- format," she says, adding that she "The album is called `Fearless,' The singer credits producer marily by Keith Stegall. "I've been try" sound. "You can put a steel gui- remains happy with her first three and she was," says Mercury Nash- Steuart Smith with bringing a lot to very fortunate in that Luke Lewis tar on anything and call it country," records and doesn't feel "Fearless" ville president Luke Lewis. "Terri the project. "Steuart played mostly is a music guy, a music fan, and also Clark says. "We were more con- is too much of a departure. managed to stay grounded and everything on the record. I'm a big runs a record label," says Clark. cerned with songs that moved us. I "It's just musically diverse," she come up with something fresh at fan of what he does. He's very "He and Keith Stegall gave me total wanted people to see where I was says. "I really, really want people to the same time. She took longer on inspiring." freedom to do what I wanted to do. coming from." know I'm a singer /songwriter first this project than any other record, Clark is also pleased with the In fact, Keith suggested I call and foremost. I had a publishing and it shows." acoustic feel of the record. "I've Steuart Smith. This was Steuart's NO FEAR deal before the records started and Clark says the record, her fourth for always been a big, big acoustic gui- first foray into producing a main- The new album is indeed very [before] I ever put a cowboy hat Mercury, is "more understated" than tar fan, and I told Steuart that. stream country artist." acoustic in its presentation. It offers on." up more broad, "world view" -type Clark's diversity is what first at- songs as opposed to relationship-ori - tracted the attention of Ron Fier- ented songs, beginning with the stein at AGF Entertainment in opening track, "No Fear," which New York, Clark's Clark composed with Carpenter. manager for just Freefalls, Envoy Make Marketing Deal; " `No Fear' is about finding inner over a year. Other peace, discovering one's self, and liv- Fierstein clients AMI Acquires Country Music Magazine ing in the moment," says Clark. "I'm are Suzanne Vega, very honored to have my name on that 1 Shawn Colvin, and AROUND THE INDUSTRY: Cleveland -based inde- Veteran songwriter Chuck Jones has started his song. I learned a lot by working with Carpenter. pendent label Freefalls Entertainment has joined own publishing company, Jonesin' For a Hit. He was for- Mary Chapin Carpenter on that one." "Terri is what I forces with Nashville -based Envoy Communications merly signed to Hamstein Cumberland. Jones' wife, Clark's favorite cut is "Take My would call a `five for distribution, marketing, and promotion of Envoy- Becky Pommer Jones, will oversee all copyright ad- Time," a crisp, acoustic -based song CLARK tool player,' to use Disc artists Pat Haney and Daylon Wear. Freefalls' ministration through her company, BPJ Administration. in the style of Tom Petty or Neil baseball terminolo- roster includes Willie Nelson, Billy Burnette, High- Don Lepore is promoted from production manager Young. "That song is completely dif- gy," says Fierstein. "She's a great way 101, Lee Greenwood, and Shenandoah. to head of TV production for Picture Vision and relo- ferent from anything I've heard in a singer, plays great guitar, she's a ter- Nuance Records, headed by session guitarist Louie cates from Los Angeles to Nashville. long time," she says. rific songwriter, and she's really Shelton, has entered into a worldwide distribution Jenny Alford exits the publicity department at Mer- "Empty," written by Clark and engaging, with a very strong and agreement with Lightyear Entertainment, which is dis- cury Records to join GetMusic.com. Burr, is the record's love ballad, she attractive image," he says. "And she tributed by WEA in the U.S., Koch in Canada, and a says. "The radio remix has more has a hardworking attitude, which is network of independent distributors internationally. ARTIST NEWS: Pop artist Paul Carrack has been bombastic drums and backup vocals, something I really appreciate and Under the new alliance, Nuance will debut its first two signed to Nashville -based Compass Records. His first but I wanted to put the other version everybody who deals with her appre- releases, both instrumental albums, Aug. 22. They are album for the label, "Satisfy My Soul," is due Sept. on the record." ciates." the jazz album "Urban 12. Carrack's career The first single off "Fearless" is In an attempt to showcase Clark's Culture," which is Shel- has included stints the midtempo "A Little Gasoline," new songs, the artist will play a series ton's third solo release, in the groups Ace, currently No. 41 on the Hot Coun- of acoustic -based shows-sans hat- and "Nashville Guitars," Squeeze, and Mike + try Singles & Tracks chart. So far, in Nashville, New York, and Los a showcase for 11 of Nashville the Mechanics. radio seems to be receptive. "The Angeles, as well as Edmonton, Alber- Nashville's top players. As first tipped here single is doing real well here and ta; Calgary, Alberta; Vancouver; American Media Inc. July 8, former Razor & getting a lot of phones," says Car- Ottawa; and Toronto in her native (AMI), publisher of the Tie comedian Cledus T. son Cornell, music director at Canada. biweekly fan magazine Judd has been signed to KKCS Colorado Springs, Colo. Following the acoustic shows, Country Weekly, has ac- the Monument Records "People think it's great to have timed around the album's release, quired the bimonthly roster. He is in the stu- Terri Clark back on the radio again Clark will tour for the remainder of Country Music mag- dio working on his first with new material." 2000 and into 2001, mostly as a head- azine for an undisclosed by Phyllis Stark album for the label. Cornell says that "A Little Gaso- liner. She is booked by Keith Miller price. The two publica- Reba McEntire's line" is "a little different" and adds at the William Morris Agency. tions form the nucleus of AMI's new country music first South American performance will be as the inter- that both Clark fans and the coun- "We're still going to tour with the media group, headed by VP/group publisher Sheri national headliner at the Barretos Rodeo Saturday (19) try audience at large are open to full band, with me jumping over Warnke and group editor Neil Pond. in Barretos, Brazil. more diverse offerings from the amps, smashing cymbals, and holler- The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate its 75th anniver- artist. "She's such a talented per- ing at the audience," Clark says. ON THE ROW: Don Kamerer is promoted to VP of sary with a star -studded bash Oct. 14 at the Opry House former that she's able to step away "Everybody knows that side of me, sales for Dreamcatcher Entertainment. He previous- in Nashville. Participants include Garth Brooks, Trisha from straightforward country and and I feel like the other side has been ly was the company's director of sales. Yearwood, Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, do something different," says Cor- neglected." Curb Records reshuffles its promotion staff Midwest Travis Tritt, Steve Wariner, and Alison Krauss. nell. Clark says "Fearless" was created regional promotion director Rick Cardarelli is pro- Willie Nelson, Chad Brock, and Mandy Barnett Lewis says marketing Clark without undue attention to format. moted to national director of secondary and syndicated are among the artists who contributed songs to the Mal- albums isn't rocket science. "This "But if acoustic instruments, bare - strategies. He remains based in Cleveland. Northeast paso/Warner Bros. Records soundtrack to "Space Cow- may sound funny coming from a bones production, and real, honest regional promoter Karen McGuire takes over his Mid- boys." Nelson sings Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After record guy, but I don't think you can lyrics are what makes a country west region and relocates from the Washington, D.C., All These Years" and the standard "Young At Heart." market your way into a hit. Our m.o. album, then this is the most country area to Austin, Texas. Former Decca regional P.J.