Country Update BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS MARCH 1, 2021 | PAGE 1 OF 18 INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
[email protected] What’s Up With Strait Talk With Songwriter Dean Dillon Bryan’s ‘Down’ >page 4 As He Awaits His Hall Of Fame Induction Academy Of Country Life-changing moments are not always obvious at the time minutes,” says Dillon. “I was in shock. My life is racing through Music Awards they occur. my mind, you know? And finally, I said something stupid, like, Raise Diversity So it’s easy to understand how songwriter Dean Dillon (“Ten- ‘Well, I’ve given my life to country music.’ She goes, ‘Well, we >page 10 nessee Whiskey,” “The Chair”) missed the 40th anniversary know you have, and we’re just proud to tell you that you’re going of a turning point in his career in February. He and songwriter to be inducted next fall.’ ” Frank Dycus (“I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” “Marina Del The pandemic screwed up those plans. Dillon couldn’t even Rey”) were sitting on the front porch at Dycus’ share his good fortune until August — “I was tired FGL, Lambert, Clark home/office on Music Row when producer Blake of keeping that a secret,” he says — and he’s still Get Musical Help Mevis (Keith Whitley, Vern Gosdin) pulled over waiting, likely until this fall, to enter the hall >page 11 at the curb and asked if they had any material. along with Marty Stuart and Hank Williams Jr. He was about to record a new kid and needed Joining with Bocephus is apropos: Dillon used some songs.