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Gillian Welch Goes Back Universal's Juanas Gets His Feet Wet

BY LEILA COBO Montana supported Juanes' first two work labeled him a "recommended" In `Time' On Acony Disc MIAMI -The day before the Latin singles. But most Latin stations -with artist when Fijate Bien was released.) Grammy nominations were an- their marked aversion to pop /rock- "You can't keep a good record and BY JIM BESSMAN um, because it was completely over- nounced, Juan Esteban Aristizabal- never put him on the air. Still, he a good artist down," says Marya Gillian Welch's third solo album, whelming to walk in and have it better known as Juanes- arrived in managed to establish a solid following Meyer, VP of artists' marketing for Time (The Revelator) -due July 31 right in our faces how instrumental Miami from his home in Bogotá, among key people in the industry. Universal Music, Latin America. "We from her new DNA -distributed that room has been in the history of Colombia, carrying only a gym bag And for many of these people, were convinced that this record and label Acony Records -comes at an country music," Welch says. She and his guitar. He had been urged to Juanes' music -a blend of pop, rock, this artist will sell over the midterm auspicious time for the lauded adds that she witnessed no studio attend the July 17 Grammy nomina- and Colombian folk that has commer- and, especially, over the long term. Americana artist. "ghosts," but that one of the many tion press conference, but he was cial appeal and incisive, socially con- And his body of work is going to be so Welch is still basking in the glow legends who worked in the room leery about doing so. scious lyrics- represented the direc- strong, that this will be a strong cat- of her bit part in the hit film 0 Broth- does reappear on one of the album's "I kept asking them, 'Why do I tion they felt Latin rock and pop would alog record for the rest of his career." er, Where Art Thou ?, as well as major key songs -"Elvis Presley Blues." have to go ?' " Juanes says. " 'What if and should take. This, coupled with the For all the good intentions, Juanes' roles on both the film's Mercury "I had all these mythical figures in they don't call my name? I'll just singer /songwriter's endearing person- marketing was, and still is, fraught Nashville soundtrack and the just - my head and kept recombining dif- stand there like a fool.' " ality, made for a powerful combination. with the problems that are typical for released Lost Highway set Down ferent scenarios-the Titanic, Abe Juanes had reason to be concerned. "I first heard the album because new alternative Latin acts here. If From the Mountain-Live Concert Lincoln, Elvis Presley, John Henry," His solo debut album, Fijate Bien someone put it on my desk," says "Fijate Bien," the single, got on radio, Performances by the Artists and Welch says. The song links "Elvis the (Surco /Universal), was a critic's Mauricio Abaroa, former executive then Fijate Bien, the album, was often Musicians of 0 Broth- tragic hero with John favorite but hadn't sold absent from big retail er; Where art Thou? Henry, who was luck- 100,000 units worldwide stores. (On the week Acony has also re- ier in that he didn't since its release last Octo- following the nomina- cently reissued Welch's have to live through ber. In the U.S., it had sold tions, the album re- two Almo Sounds solo his obsolescence." The only 20,000 copies. portedly wasn't on sets, Revival (1996) Titanic began sinking But management insist- shelves at the Times and Hell Among the the same date Lincoln ed that Juanes appear. So Square Virgin Mega - Yearlings ('98). And was assassinated, she he bought a $12 T- shirt, store in New York.) she has been featured adds, and both events and that evening, he Still, Martínez kept in a number of albums are commemorated in washed the only shoes he sending his artist to on Vanguard, includ- a pair of new songs. had brought with him. gigs and radio stations ing the soundtrack to Pam Hughes, GM The next day, his shoes in Mexico and Central the film Songcatcher for the Nashville -based still wet, Juanes' jaw dropped America, where he and the new compila- Acony, says a docu- in disbelief as his name was would play live for pro- tion Avalon Blues: A mentary devoted to called for seven nomina- grammers with his Tribute to the Music the making of Time tions, more than any other guitar. So by the time of Mississippi John Hurt. (The Revelator) has been lensed in artist. "I walked down," he the Latin Grammys The title of Welch's new album is hopes of a TV showing. "It shows peo- says, "and someone told me, voting process oc- obliquely derived from the old gospel - ple making music in a very tradition- 'Remember this day. It's the curred, the artist, the blues standard "John the Revelator," al way, with no fuss or Pro Tools, in a day you become a star.' " album, and its produc- made famous by the likes of Delta studio with so much history." Juanes' stardom has al- er-Gustavo Santaolal- bluesman Son House. Welch says The Studio B setting has attracted ready begun with the kind of la -were known to that she "picked up the word 'revela- Diesel Only recording artist Laura media blitz only seven most cognoscenti. This tor' and reapplied it," but the Almo Cantrell, who also hosts the Radio Grammy nominations can was important, because Music (BMI) writer is reluctant to Thriftshop country show on Jersey generate. More interesting, though, is director /senior VP of the Latin Acad- while all LARAS members vote for the reveal too much more about her new City, N.J., free -form station WFMU. "I how a relative unknown managed get emy of Recording Arts and Sciences top semi -finalists, a nominating corn - songs. "I want people to hear what- used to be a tour guide there and that number of nods in the first place. (LARAS) and now senior VP/GM of mittee of experts determines the five ever they want to hear, which is why always imagined what it would be like The answer lies in a slow, steady Crescent Moon Records. "A few weeks finalists from that list. there are no printed lyrics included: to make a record in it," Cantrell says. promotional campaign whose main later, I saw him play at an event at the "They listened to [Fijate Bien], and There are a lot of words on this "Gillian has such an awareness of thrust was to establish Juanes as "an American Airlines Arena [in Miami], they thought it was excellent," says album, but they shouldn't be read- country and really used that space to act that had mainstream appeal and and I grasped what he was about." Enrique Fernández, senior VP/execu- just heard. The meaning has to do vibe up the music." credibility," in the words of Robbie Clearly, Juanes' music had an tive director of LARAS. "And this is with the way they sound." Andy Sibray, music buyer for Bor- Lear, director of Latin artist marketing effect. But getting people to hear it the judgment of very well- informed Sonically, Time (The Revelator) ders Books & Music, says "the sky's for Universal Music, Latin America. without airplay was a challenge. people, and that's how it went." reflects the production values of the limit" regarding the album's retail Juanes was helped by his stature as "Our strategy was to get credibili- And so, the day the nominees were Welch's longtime partner David Rawl- potential, in that "her music reaches the lead singer for Colombian rock ty and make that credibility known, announced, a man with relatively few ings, as well as the musicianship of out to everybody-and she's one of group Ekhymosis, because he had which is strange in Latin pop where sales garnered the most acclaim. "He the duo -the album's sole players. "It our favorite artists to work with." gained a certain reputation among you always go for the big things first," was the 'smallest' one," Martínez just seemed like it was time to take For radio, Acony is servicing the rock connoisseurs during the past 10 manager Fernán Martínez says. Fresh says, "but he had the music." full responsibility," says Welch, whose disc to album- oriented formats, in- years, even if his band hadn't tran- from handling Enrique Iglesias' com- Since the Grammy nominations previous albums were produced by T- cluding triple A, Americana, and pub - scended Colombia. mercially successful Spanish -lan- came out, sales of Fijate Bien have Bone Burnett (producer of O Broth- lic/college stations. The label has also But Juanes' greatest asset was his guage career, Martínez took a differ- jumped-Trans World Entertainment er, Where Art Thou ?). "It was the placed ads in roots -music and lifestyle album. "The CD spoke for itself," says ent approach here. "We decided to go reports sales having quadrupled -but quickest, most in- budget record publications. Tracks from the disc will Haz Montana, programming VP for slowly, playing the album at small not enough to make it to The Billboard we've ever made, but our goals were be featured on various samplers. Entravision Radio. "It's a great combi- gatherings and listening sessions, Latin 50. Still, with Juanes scheduled modest: We wanted to get the stuff on Managed by DS Management and nation of style and substance, and the doing small showcases, sending the to be on the Watcha tour and likely to tape the way we know how to play." booked by Keith Case and Associates talent is evident from beginning to album to key journalists, and the perform at the Latin Grammys, rising Welch and Rawlings recorded the (both in Nashville), Welch will tour end. I never go out there and vouch for word started spreading." sales seem inevitable. disc at the historic RCA Studio B in the album in the U.S. from the end of a CD as a personal sound I particular- Considering that he wasn't selling "We haven't mis- marketed Juanes Nashville. "It's a good thing we fin- July through the end of September, ly like, but that CD has been a person- well; Juanes also had extraordinary sup- and made frivolous mistakes," Meyer ished it before visiting the new prior to dates in Europe, where Acony al favorite in my collection -and I port from Universal, which financed says. "We've done the right thing, [Country Music Hall of Fame] Muse- is finalizing release deals. don't even vote [in the Grammys]." three videos, spurred by MTV Latin and we think over time, we're all Through his Superestrella stations, America's support of its artist. (The net- going to win."

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