The Outlaws,’ Multitude Of Tom Bresh Gets Farr CMA Nominees, Off To A Good Start Topped A Remarkable Year At RCA LOS ANGELES — While less than a year old, Farr Records has already made its — With roots firmly planted in series titled “Dolly.” vice president NASHVILLE RCA Brown and Helen Cornelius emerged as a presence known in the country market- RCA’s Nashville billed Guitar," past accomplishments, Chet Atkins, as “Mr. has #1 duet success. place. The company’s debut country single, country stands ready and waiting to harvest a vocal artist with a single emerged as Closing the year, RCA can boast nine #1 “Homemade Love” by Tom Bresh rose into the of country caring. titled “Frog Kissin’.” He has rewards novelty been singles and 10 #1 LPs. Jerry Bradley, divi- the top ten on the country charts, es- After capturing five of the experimenting with an old/new string sion of vice president Nashville operations, tablishing both Bresh and Farr as hit Association’s top awards presented on sound for a group called The Chet Atkins says will continually “RCA strive to maintain makers. Currently climbing the charts is television in has has also released its nationwide 1975, RCA String Company, and a position of leader in the country music Bresh’s latest single, “Sad Country Love again excelled by holding the majority of collector’s LP (teaming his artistry with Les field". Song” and his first Farr LP "Homemade finalists nominated for awards in 1976, with Paul) titled “Chester And Lester”. Love.” Bresh was chosen #1 new male three out of five nominees for entertainer of Major throughout the year happenings vocalist on singles in the 1976 Cash Box of five for of the year, two out the include the return of Eddy Arnold to his country poll. year, two out of five for male vocalist of the long time home base. Charley Pride, whose Asa Farris Founder year, two out of five for instrumentalist of career is ever spiralling upward with top Farr Records, division of Farr Music, Inc., the year, plus nominees for female vocalist, chart and sales action, plus heavy inter- is headquartered in Los Angeles at 9220 vocal group and vocal duo. national concert demands, found and con- Sunset Blvd., Suite 201, L.A. 90069. Asa 1975-76 saw a major breakthrough into tributed to the production of the highly suc- Farr is founder and board chairman of the the new style of sound which had been an- cessful group of Dave and Sugar. Jim Ed company bearing his name. ticipated but nebulous. “The Outlaws” album, which has been certified gold with a platinum award just around the corner, has Capital Country Features Diversity Of had more impact on the national music public than any other since the Talent, Major Restructuring In 1976 breakthrough in the early ’60s. With CMA male vocalist of the year for 1975 Waylon NASHVILLE — 1976 is the third full year of Williams shifting his efforts to marketing names to our list of firmly established stars Jennings standing at the core of the operations for Capitol Records country and overall promotional planning. 1976 such as Merle Haggard, Freddie Hart, Glen “outlaw” movement, this is only the beginn- division under the guidance of Frank also has seen the addition of Chuck Flood Campbell, Jessi Colter, Anne Murray, Ten- ing. Jones, vp and general manager and Bill as director of press and special projects, nessee Ernie Ford and Stoney Edwards Ronnie Milsap maintains his solidarity Williams, head of country promotion and including heavy concentration on working and you can see the development of a very with chart topping singles which have sales. 1 975 saw a major restructuring of the country acts at AOC and AOR radio. impressive roster,” says Jones. We are also sparked excellent LP sales, making him Nashville office when Capitol abandoned Capitol remains firmly committed to the very excited about the new acts signed this one of the top marketing figures in the the concept of regional country promotion breaking of new acts as the lifeblood of this year which include three singer/songwrit- industry. managers and brought Ed Keeley, formerly operation and point to such diverse acts as ers from the streets of Nashville: Larry Along with the ever-growing national ac- regional country promotion in Chicago, into Gene Watson, Ray Griff, Asleep At The Ballard, Mel McDaniel and Michael Clark, ceptance of country music, coupled with its the Nashville office to operate as field coor- Wheel, Dr. Hook, LaCosta, Linda Hargrove, the near-legendary Steve Fromhoiz from ever-shifting facets, many new avenues are dinator directly under Bill Williams. 1976 Connie Cato and James Talley as evidence Texas and a fine Canadian songstress now opening. 1975 CMA female vocalist of has seen a further refinement of this of this commitment. These people are all Colleen Peterson. Two groups have en- the year Dolly Parton has now restructured restructuring as Ed Keeley assumed direct well on their way to becoming major acts in tered our fold, Side Of The Road Gang, an her career with her own national television responsibility for singles promotion with the field of country music. “Add these excellent country/rock group from Dallas, and R.W. Blackwood and the Blackwood SESAC Celebrates A ‘Convoy’ Of Hits For The Bicentennial Singers, both of whom had chart records with their first release. NEW YORK — 1976 has seen the greatest first opened in 1964, a constant center of The theme for the show, aired five times a Our most recent ad- dition, Diana Williams, is artist expansion and growth of country music in activity as more and more new, as well as week, is also by Chip Davis and Bill Fries another en- joying tremendous chart with its long and illustrious history, and since established, country writers and publishers and published by American Gramaphone success her country music has long been recognized as signed agreements for worldwide (SESAC). first release. “These new signings further reflect the the nation’s own musical art form, it was representation of their works. These works, But “Convoy” was only one of the many diversity of talent only natural that the celebration of Ameri- as well as those of our many longtime af- chart-topping hits to come from the SESAC we feel is essential to the success of label,” ca’s 200th birthday would find the country filiates, have kept SESAC constantly on the catalogs during 1976. Chariey Pride hit the our Jones continues. sound emanating from everywhere. Even move. top of the charts with another SESAC song Dr. Hook Good Example radio stations that had previously prided Early in the year, SESAC writer and by the award-winning writer Ted Harris, Dr. Hook is a prime example of that at- themselves on programming “pure” rock, country music artist C.W. McCall made “The Happiness Of Having You,” which also titude. “They had a pop record ‘Only Six- jazz, background music, etc., began in- history with his recording of the #1 country became the title song of Pride’s RCA LP. teen' shooting up the charts and we

filtrating country tunes into their solid for- and pop crossover hit “Convoy.” Written by Faron Young, too, scored chart billing with decided to ship it country,” says Williams.

mats. Truly during this bicentennial year, Chip Davis and Bill Fries, this tunehas been his Mercury recording of “Feel Again” by “That record wasn’t a country smash, but it country music came of age and proved credited with starting the current John Virgin of Cherry Tree Publications did go a long way towards introducing the

once again that it is the one music all Amer- nationwide craze for CB radios, and (SESAC). And the list goes on with such group to country audiences and created

ica loves because it is America’s own. because of the record’s success, C.W. was writer-affiliates as Tommy Overstreet, Ricci some country press interest in the group. This phenomenal growth of country signed this fall by the NBC radio network to Mareno, Delia and Glenn Ray, Gary Bran- We predict the country acceptance of this music throughout 1976, SESAC’s 45th host a 52-week series entitled “Modulatin’ son, Charlie Black, Jerry Gillespie and group will be overwhelming in the next year, has made the firm’s Nashville office, With McCall,” which premiered on Oct. 4. others. year,” says Williams. Five New LPs Cap An Exciting Elektra/Asylum Records Year For Phonogram Inc./Mercury CHICAGO — Capped by five new , Together Again.” The Statler Brothers had Enlarged Roster, Staff In ’76 the traditionally outstanding country a fine year, with two gospel albums achiev- success of Phonogram, Inc. /Mercury ing combined sales of over 175,000 copies NASHVILLE — Since 1975 the Nashville 190 cuts to his credit in the last two years, Records has been especially evident this and “The Best Of The Statler Brothers” operation of Etektra/Asylum Records has broke through as an artist with three chart past year. The new albums (Tom T. Hall’s album becoming the biggest country album evolved from a promotion office to a major singles. Sammi Smith was reunited with her

“Magnificent Music Machine,” Jerry Lee in Mercury’s history. division of the label with several new staff “Help Me Make It Through The Night” Lewis’ “Country Class,” Cledus Maggard’s The two relatively new artists enjoyed appointments and a growing artist roster. producer Malloy at the label and has com- “Two More Sides,” Johnny Rodriguez’s good initial success with Nick Nixon’s Mike Suttle, now the division’s marketing pleted an album titled “As Long As There’s “Reflecting,” and the special “Country “Rockin’ In Rosalie’s Boat” moving high up director, was joined by Jim Malloy, director A Sunday.” Archie Campbell, star of the Sampler” featuring tracks by eleven artists) the charts and Jackie Ward’s current of A&R, and by Terry Fletcher as national “Hee Haw” television show, recorded a live

are just the final touches on an incredible single, “I Never Said It Would Be Easy,” promotion director. Malloy had been vp album for the label in Tupelo, Miss. year for Mercury. becoming his biggest for Mercury. Also, a A&R for Mega Records for several years Linda Ronstadt continued to prove her Cledus Maggard was responsible for new-to-Mercury artist, Skeeter Davis, has and has produced an impressive string of across-the-board appeal with three top ten Mercury’s biggest country single of the hit the charts with her current single, “I Love hits, including the three-million selling singles and two number one albums in the

year, “The White Knight.” The novelty CB Us.” “Help Me Make it Through The Night.” country charts. The Eagles also made it to record was number one across the U.S. This past summer saw the introduction of Malloy immediately began strengthening the top of the country charts with “Lyin’ and firmly established Cledus (aka Jay what may be the surprise of next year in the the country roster by signing new artists Eyes.” Carmol Taylor completed his first Huguely), as a force to be reckoned with. internationally known Twiggy. Her album and assisting in the selection of materials Elektra album, “Songwriter,” containing Rodriguez also enjoyed his biggest “Twiggy” was not recorded as a country LP for them. the hit single, “Really Had A Ball Last single in three years recently, w'th “I Won- but seemed to emerge that way. Her single, Recently, David Malloy, who produced Night.”

If I der Ever Said Goodbye.” Likewise, Hall “Here I Go Again,” is currently being heard the Eddie Rabbitt sessions independently, E/A has recently signed several new ar- struck number one with the single “Faster on country and pop stations. was hired as a staff producer. Eddie Rabbitt tists: Jerry Inman, with Snuff Garrett Horses," and Top Ten with the LP of the Of special interest was the re-signing of scored two number one singles this year, producing, has just released his first same name. the man responsible for producing most of “Drinkin’ My Baby Off My Mind” and album, and Stella Parton, Wayne Carson Lewis is currently enjoying his biggest the country hits on Mercury, Jerry Ken- "Rocky Mountain Music,” which also char- and Vern Gosdin are readying singles for single in three years with “Let’s Put It Back nedy. ted pop. Even Stevens, a songwriter with immediate release.

80 Cashbox/October 16, 1976