Revamped MCA Black Music Division
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VOL. LIX, NO. 40 Newspaper $3.95 Inside: Ken Wilson To Head Revamped MCA Black Music Division, Also — The Cash Box Retail Guide Paul Brandt Ricochet 82791 19360 VOL. LIX, NO. 40 June 15, 1996 STAFF GEORGE ALBERT President and Publisher POP SINGLE KEITH ALBERT Exec. V.PJGeneral Manager Tha Crossroads M.R. MARTINEZ Bone Thugs N’ Harmony Managing Editor EDITORIAL (Ruthless) Cover Story Los Angeles XIHN GOFF DAINA DAFiZIN Fan Fair '96 PETER MIRO URBAN SINGLE HECTOR RESENDEZ, Lalin Edtor It’s the time of year again when country music’s finest two-step their stuff for NashMIle V\^y I Love You So Much VVENDY NEV\COMER the fans that make them stars. This edition of Fan Fair ’96, held in Nashville New York Monica features new, tried and tried & true artists from Alison Krauss, Tim McGraw J.S. GAER (Rowdy/Arista) MARKETINO/ADVERTISINO and Vince Gill to the acts featured on this year’s Fan Fair cover—Paul Brandt, Los Angeles Mindy McCready and the group Richocet. Cash Box Nashville editor Wendy FRANK HIGGINBOTHAM JOFT'IRHYS Newcomer spoke with the artists about the ingredients leading to their success RAP SINGLE BOB CASSELL during the past year. GILL, ROBERTSON IV Tha Crossroads NasTiMlle —see page 5 TED RANDALL Bone Thugs N’ Harmony CHART RESEARCH Lyric Censors Attack Los Angeles (Ruthless) Renew BRIAN PARMELLY ZIV William Bennett and C. Dolores Tucker, who in the past have challenged the TONY RUIZ recording industry to clean up its lyrical act, have been joined by a pair of U.S. PETER FIRESTONE COUNTRY SINGLE Retail Guide Research senators in a renewed campaign against lyrics deemed objectionable. The LAURI Blue Clear Sky newly-engergized coalition has established a list of artists and songs they’ve Nashville GAIL FRANCESCHI George Strait judged harmful to the nation’s youth, created a war chest and plan to wage an - CIRCULATION (MCA) ad campaign to alert parents and stockholders of companies that harbor the artists NINA TREGUB, Manager JANET YU called offensive. Cash Box urban editor Peter Miro reports. PRODUCTION —see page 13 SHARON CHAMBLISS-TRAYLOR POP ALBUM GENERAL COUNSEL Check Out Cash Box on The Internet at DONALD \AEISSMAN & ASSOCIATES The Score Phone: (818)704.5151 Fugees http://CASHBOX.COM. Also featured on PUBLICATION OFFICES (Ruffhouse) LOS ANGELES 6464 Sinset Blvd. Suite 605 CompuServe! , Hollywood, CA 90028 Phone: (213)464-8241 CONTENTS Fax: (213) 464-3235 R&B ALBUM NASHVILLE Mission To Please 50 Music Square VNfest, Suite 804 COLUMNS NashMile. 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LATIN ALBUMS 4-Chome. 30-4, Shinbashi DEPARTMENTS Minato-ku Hay Que Poner Tokyo, Japan 105 Phone: 03 (5401)2065 Victor Manuelle Industry News 3 Fax; 03 (5401)2067 (Sony) Pop Reviews 7&9 CASH BOX (ISSN 0008 7289) is pub- lished weekly (except Christmas holi- Urban Reviews 11&13 days) by Cash Box, P.O. Box 2089, FilmA/ideo 16,17 CUfTside Park, NJ 07010 for $180 first BLUES ALBUMS cto. Copyright 1 995 by George Albert. Latin Album Reviews 18 All rights reserved. Copyright under Ledbetter Heights Universal Copyright ConvenLioa Country/Positive Country 20-25 Kenny Wayne Shepherd POSTMASTER: Send address changes Coin 26 to Cash Box. 6464 Sunset Blvd., #605, (Revolution) Hollywood. CA 90028. CASH BOX JUNE 15, 1996 3 Lead Story ON Uptown Records has announced two top execu- THE MCA Records Revamps tive appointments, includ- ing Charles Warfield, Jr. MOVE 1 to sr. vp/gm and Lewis Black Music Division Tucker being promoted to vp. Prior to joining the Ken Wilson heads new executive team, David MCA Music Entertainment Group label (which is under the umbrella of Universal Records), Warfield was Harleston resigns. vp/gm of WRKS-FM in New York, and before that spent 12 years at the Inner City Broadcasting Corp. and served as vp/gm at New York’s and WLIB- By- Peter Miro WBLS-FM AM. Tucker had been national director of promotion THE BLACK MUSIC COLLECTIVE at Universal City, CA based MCA at Uptown having joined the company four years ago as a regional promotions manager. In his new capacity Records is no more. As of June 4, it was retooled as the Black Music division, he will oversee all promotional, marketing and public- and will pursue its fortunes under a new executive team headed by industry ity activities for Uptown. I John Rotella has been veteran Ken Wilson, according to an announcement by Jay Boberg, MCA appointed to vp of sales/field marketing for Polydor Records president. Records. Most recently West Coast regional director Wilson assumes the post of president. Black Music division, MCA for Island Records, Rotella started at PolyGram in 1978 Records, and will oversee all aspects of its day-to-day operations. Completing working his way through the distribution division as a the reorganized division’s executive staff are Stanley Winslow, vp, urban field merchandiser then national sales rep. In 1988 he promotion. Black Music; Kevin Bass, sr. director, administration & plan- went to product management on the West Coast, and later joined which represented Island, Polydor, ning, Black Music; Irene Rivera-Gandia, dir. special projects. Black Music; PLG Rotella and Pierre Bradshaw, mgr., A&R, Black Music. London Records and several smaller labels. H Pat Blair has been named vp of copyright administration As part of its strategy for building a label for the future, the label has for the MCA Mu.sic Entertainment Group (MME(J) accepted the resignations of David Harleston, sr. vp; long-time executive Blair will oversee song clearance and copyright regis- A. I). Washington, sr. vp, promotions marketing; Marsha Thomas-Erye, & tration of sound recordings and music videos in addition vp promotioas. East Coast; Nancy Taylor, vp; and Dyan Golden, dir. of to mechanical, synchronization and new media licens- administration for R&B promotions/marketing. ing. She joined MCA in June, 1986 as assoc, dir Commenting on the appointments, Boberg said, “MCA Records’ Black copyright administration before being upped to director Music division has been one of the crown jewels of our company, as well as Richards in October, Prior to MCA, Blair was in the copyright department of what is know known as Warner/Chappell the envy of the indastry. We are dedicated to strengthening and expanding X. Music. B Revolution Records has revamped its pro- the division’s decades-long tradition of excellence. 1 am confident that this motion department, naming Gary Poole and Gary reorganization will ensure the spirit and success of the Black Music division Richards to national posts, Poole will spearhead Revo- for many years to come.” lution’s album and rock radio efforts. A veteran of Veteran MCA Records’ Black Music executives Hank Shocklce, sr. vp on-air radio for several stations, he began his record and Ashley Eox vp, marketing. remain in place to facilitate the goals of the industry career in 1994 at Restless Records where he revitalized Black Music division. Williams was director of national rock/alternative/AAA promo- tion. similar capacity Wilson adds, “1 am thrilled at the oppor- He served in a at Discovery Records. Washington, D.C. -native Richards, who will tunity to be a player in bridging the gap focus on alternative radio, comes from a music industry between the illustrious past and the incred- family, and began his own career at while in college. ible future of Black music at MCA.’’ He has worked in promotion at labels such as RCA, Wilson comes to MCA Records after American and East/West. He also manages American’s more than six years with Columbia Re- God Lives Underwater. B Roceania Williams has cords, most recently as vp. Black Music been promoted to manager of black music artist rela- promotion. Earlier this year, he was hon- tions for Atlantic Records. Williams joined the label after begin- ored by Impact magazine with its 1996 in 1994 as coordinator of media relations, ning her eareer at Def Jam Records, where she was an Executive of the Year Award. assistant in the publicity and artist development depart- MCA Records Black Music Division ments from 19W until 1992. She held a similar role at will continue to support acts and releases Mercury Records where she eventually became coor- cultivated in its earlier incarnation as the dinator of artist development and publicity in 1993.