Country ARTISTS & MUSIC

Jackson Returns To Roots With Traditional Jackson `Under the Influence' Set; Arista /Nashville Seeks Sound's Revíval Following are the tracks on Not charted. Alan Jackson's "Under The 7. "My Own Kind Of Hat." BY CHET FLIPPO Hallam is optimistic about the sin- Influence." Written and recorded by Merle NASHVILLE -Alan Jackson gle -and the album. "I've played 1. "Pop A Top." Written by Haggard on the, 1979 album doesn't think he's making any sort most of those songs before, and I Nat Stuckey. Recorded by Jim "Serving 190 Proof." A No. 4 of statement by recording an can't wait to hear them again. I Ed Brown on the 1967 album country single in 1979. album of his favorite, staunchly don't think you can successfully "Just Jim." A No. 3 Billboard 8. "She Just Started Liking traditional country songs at a time program now unless you know what country single in 1967. Cheatin' Songs." Written by when much of country is leaning was playing then," he says. "Doing 2. "Farewell Party." Written Kent Robbins. Recorded by toward pop. remakes can be risky -it's hurt by Lawton Williams. Recorded John Anderson on the 1980 "It just kind of turned out that some artists, but it just depends on by Gene Watson on the 1978 album "John Anderson." A No. way," he says of the forthcoming a case -by -case basis." album "Reflections." A No. 5 13 country single in 1980. album, "Under The Influence," due Hallam feels changes in the country single in 1979. 9. "The Way I Am." Written Oct. 26 from Arista /Nashville. "I've country climate -especially as 3. "Kiss An Angel Good by Sonny Throckmorton and been wanting to do this album typified by Dixie Chicks' blend of Mornin'." Written by Ben recorded by Merle Haggard on since I was able to do albums. I straightened him out. I've always the traditional and modern in their Peters. Recorded by Charley the 1980 album "The Way I never intended it to make a state- loved the song." sounds -can only help Jackson's Pride on the 1971 album Am." A No. 2 country single in ment or a stand. I've been singing DuBois says this is also the first project. "I feel like we're back in "Charley Pride Sings Heart 1980. most of those songs for years." time he's heard "Revenoor Man," that musical valley right after Songs." A No. 1 country single 10. "It Must Be Love." Writ- His label, however, hopes this is an old George Jones B -side. "It's `Urban Cowboy,' when Randy in 1971. ten by Bob McDill. Recorded by the sort of country statement that kind of a fun song. The rest of Travis came along and saved coun- 4. "Right In The Palm Of Don Williams on the 1978 album signals a change in direction. Aris- them, though, are some of my try. I've been praying for the day Your Hand." Written by Bob "Expressions." A No. 1 country ta /Nashville president Tim DuBois favorites. You forget how good when we can turn country around McDill. Recorded by Mel single in 1979. says, "I'm as excited by this as any- those old songs are. And Alan to its roots again. It always hap- McDaniel on the 1981 album 11. "Once You've Had The thing he's ever done. When he came makes them somehow sound new "I'm Countryfied." A No. 10 Best." Written by Johnny Pay - and fresh. `Pop A Top' to me now country single in 1981. Check. Recorded by George has a whole new life. It's awesome. 'More and more, 5. "The Blues Man." Written Jones on the 1974 album "The `I've been wanting `Pop A Top' will be the first single the country fan is and recorded by Hank Williams Grand Tour." A No. 3 country to do this album off the album, and Alan will per- Jr. On the 1980 album "Habits single in 1973. form it on the [Country Music looking for that Old And New." Never released 12. "Margaritaville." Writ- since I was able to Assn.] Awards." as a single. ten and recorded by Jimmy Buf- "To my knowledge, no one at traditional music' 6. "Revenoor Man." Written fett on the 1977 album "Changes do albums' radio has heard it yet," says Arista/ by Donny Young (aka Johnny In Latitudes, Changes In Atti- Nashville senior VP/GM Mike Dun- - JON KERLIKOWSKE - PayCheck). Recorded by George tudes." A No. 13 country single - ALAN JACKSON - gan, noting that Jackson forgoes Jones as the B -side of the 1963 in 1977. radio tours and that the few early single "I Love You Because." CHET FLIPPO copies of the CD are being held on pens. I think the Chicks are doing up with the idea, I liked the idea to by the label. "We'll ship the sin- it now, and Alan can do it. I've and green -lighted it and said, `Let's gle to radio on Monday [20]. Very always felt Alan hasn't really bro- try that.' He did not consult with few people have heard it all. I'll be ken through yet, not in the massive extent it's defined by what country should also appeal to "people who me at all what he would cut, and curious about the reaction to it. way that he can." consumers tell us it is." listen to the radio but don't normal- when we got the first roughs, I had Pop A Top' is a shuffle, which I Jackson says one key promotion- At Tower Records Nashville, GM ly get involved in the record -buying no idea what to expect. When I saw love, and I was personally thrilled al element may be a special appear- Jon Kerlikowske says he foresees process, our upper demos, those 45- the track list, I said, `Wow!' It's when Dixie Chicks did that shuffle ance on "Austin City Limits" on success for the project. "More and plus people. I think this might actu- amazing how many of the songs [ "Tonight The Heartache's On PBS. "That was pretty much the more, the country fan is looking for ally get them to go to the store may- were some of my favorites." Me "], and it worked on radio. first show I used to watch music that traditional music," he says. "A be for the first time in a long time." DuBois points out that the 12 "There's a big part of me that on, and it's always been one of my lot of it comes from the Chicks' suc- That's a challenge, Dungan songs are not obvious greatest hits. feels that with the general pop favorites," he says. "And they've cess. And Alan is the one to do it. agrees. "These are Alan Jackson "I had never heard `The Blues undertones of our format right now, got clips of most of the original He still has the traditional listener, fans, but they literally haven't pur- Man,' which is now one of my Alan could be ushering in a whole artists performing these songs on plus he attracts the younger fans." chased albums in years. I think we favorites. It's on an old Hank new wave of appreciation for coun- `Austin City Limits,' and we could At retail, says have the right piece [Williams Jr.] album." try music. There's room in the for- do some intercutting." Dungan, "make no of product to get "Hank wrote that about him- mat for both [pop and country], and DuBois says that doing cover mistake about it, `To a lot of the them back. We're self," says Jackson. "So I changed I think the fans want both. I hope tunes can be a two -way street but we're going to putting together a it to be a story about him, about that this can be the beginning of a that such a show would be ideal for receive most of our listeners out radio campaign with that hard time in his life when he long run of traditionalism included introducing some of country's past sales from the audi- some trucker radio fell off the mountain and almost in what we call country radio. And to a new audience. "We catch some ence that's always there, these will networks as well as died and had all the personal prob- I'm glad it's Alan Jackson doing it, heat for [recording cover songs] eager to purchase be new and ads on some TNN lems, and whichever wife [he had] because no one does it better." occasionally," he says, "but this is a new music from programs geared to at the time came along and KYCY San Francisco PD Dene tip of the hat to some great tradi- Alan Jackson, and fresh songs' that audience. We're tional tunes that influenced Alan. we're going to run also considering The songs sound new and fresh, and hard at those fans - TIM DuBOIS - releasing this on FIND SUCCESS to a lot of the listeners out there, with consumer vinyl for people NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS these will be new and fresh songs," awareness pieces in who've never shifted page 36) (Continued from DuBois notes (see track listing, this the usual print, from vinyl to CDs. these collaborations are a natur- industry has open arms. Any kind page). "At a staff meeting here not radio, and television outlets. We're That's a consideration. No one ser- al outgrowth of that urge to of exposure or growing of the long ago, almost no one in the room going to have print ads in Us mag- vices this group except TV pack- expand artistically and personal- audience that Nashville can get, had ever heard of `Pop A Top.' " azine and Country Weekly and ages." ly" it wants," she says. One added attraction in pulling Country Music magazine and the The album premiere, Dungan Additionally, country and pop/ Warner /Chappell Music cre- in a wider audience, DuBois notes, FFA [Future Farmers of America] says, will be at a special Westwood rock amalgams are gaining expo - ative activities director Kurt is Jimmy Buffett's appearance magazine. We'll run flags on CMT One radio broadcast Oct. 25 from the sure through such soundtracks as Denny, who represents veteran with Jackson on a duet of Buffett's and TNN and Great American Nashville Palace. Participating radio "Notting Hill," "Runaway Bride," songwriter Paul Williams (Barbra "Margaritaville." Country. We're also going to run stations will take part in contests for "Happy, Texas," and "Life." Streisand's "Evergreen" and Dia- "One of the great things about metro traffic ads in all [radio] for- winners to fly to Nashville, he says. Also notable, this year's CMA mond Rio's "You're Gone "), con- country," says DuBois, "is that it mats, not just country, because He notes the label will also tar- Awards will feature perfor- curs with Peters. "Nashville en- sets the goalposts pretty wide. And Alan has enough of a Q factor that get ads on nontraditional television. mances by Jewel, `N Sync, and a courages anything that sells I think that's a healthy thing when even people who don't always listen "Not country- specific outlets," he "surprise" orchestrated by Child, records. Right now the song is you can have Alan doing Pop A to country music know who he is says, "but we're looking for the which he will not divulge before king. More than ever in recent Top' on the same station where you and appreciate who he is. So, we'll right female -heavy audience that the show. history, a great song, regardless have pop /AC- sounding songs. To let them know there's a new Alan buys Alan Jackson." Peters says these co- creations of its origin, is probably the most me, country music is defined by Jackson album out there." Jackson is managed and booked are welcomed by Nashville. "The important aspect to a label." lyrical substance, and to a certain DuBois notes that the album by Chip Peay Entertainment Inc.

38 www.billboard.com BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 25, 1999 www.americanradiohistory.com