Producer Pete Andersen Leads Calif.'S Gold Rush
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UIYTRr Producer Pete Andersen Leads Calif.'s Gold Rush fill (Warner Bros.) to Rosie Flores make." an alternative firm in Hollywood, Not being a part of the Nashville BY HOLLY GLEASON (Reprise) California country. Yoakam and Anderson met Calif., "kind of stuck out in the pile hierarchy works to Anderson's ad- LOS ANGELES With the success "I don't know if it's so much a while playing in bands and discov- of TSOL and Hell Comes To Your vantage, he believes, since he of Dwight Yoakam's gold albums resurgence of the California coun- ered they shared mutual attitudes House records." The grass -roots doesn't waste time worrying about ( "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc." try sound as much as it is a resur- about music. When Yoakam need- rock press embraced the record, what everyone else is doing. He and "Hillbilly Deluxe "), producer gence of country music," Ander- ed a guitarist, he called on the De- praising it as honest and authen- feels many country music estab- Pete Anderson has found a beach- son says. "I don't like the label of troit-born Anderson. tic. Soon, the Nashville labels lishment leaders don't understand head from which to launch the re- traditional country music because Yoakam's group, playing songs started showing interest. Paige his mission. "I have a good rela- birth of the California country either it's country or it's not." by Yoakam himself in addition to tionship with those people because sound. Laced with Mexican-influ- Some country radio programming solid country numbers by such leg- of Dwight's success ... but I real- enced rhythms, an often melan- has Anderson baffled: "There's a ends as Haggard, found at first `People know what ly don't think they know what I'm choly sense of melody, and a lot of stuff on country radio that that the going wasn't easy. "We about or understand what I'm try- strong honky -tonk approach, it is a has almost nothing to do with kept getting fired," Anderson re- real country music ing to do at all." sound that was popularized by art- country radio. But the bottom line calls. "I think we got fired from Anderson insists that he must ists like Buck Owens, Merle Hag- is that people know what's real every place we ever played." is, and they're believe in an artist before taking gard, and Wanda Jackson back country music and they're re- Figuring that the average club on the project. "I don't want to when Capitol Records' country di- sponding. They're going out and owner didn't understand the responding' make records just to make records. vision was run out of Los Angeles. voting with their $9 by buying group's vision, Anderson talked I want the artists to come away But Anderson isn't sure he Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Yoakam into cutting an EP. An- Rowden from Warner Bros. finally really loving the record we make, wants to call what he's doing with and the Judds." He adds, "That's derson remembers that the re- inked Yoakam. thinking it's the best thing they've artists ranging from George High- the kind of music I'm trying to lease, promoted and distributed by "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc." ever done. That's what's important was licensed and rereleased with to me." four additional tracks. Though While some producers rely on country music was still experienc- studio tricks, Anderson tries to ing its much -touted slump, "Hon - keep the music as straightforward Veteran Acts Fall By Wayside In Crowded Talent Market ky-Tonk Man" went to No. 1, and and pure as possible. "I'm trying the rest is history. If Nashville had (Continued on page 31) been leery about outside forces prior to Yoakam's success, the sit- Cautious labels Keep Faves From Fans uation started changing shortly thereafter. Chris Hillman & the ONE OF THE BEST letters Nashville Scene has re- veteran carries no assurance of sales or airplay. Perhaps Desert Rose Band were signed to PUBLICITY ceived recently poses questions that many country that's not the way it should be, but that's the way it is. MCA /Curb, while Warner Bros. music fans are asking. Writes John O'Dowd, age 25, Such label action, or inaction, leads country fan picked up Anderson -produced acts PRINTS from Pine Brook, N.J.: O'Dowd to opine: "Epic wasted the talents of Connie like Flores and Highfill in addition Lithographed on Hem Wou Stock "Country music nowadays is the most exciting it Smith. Her two singles with the company were great, to the highly successful Highway BLACK L WHITE 8x10's has ever been. The variety of sounds one hears on underrated, and mostly unheard. Capitol had the won- 101. 500 - $60.00 1000 - 85.00 country radio is a very positive sign that it's growing derful Barbara Fairchild on its roster, and what hap- Anderson says the reasons for COLOR in popularity. I love every facet of country music - pened? Her three singles disappeared without a trace. Nashville's opening up go beyond 1000 - $388.00 from the pure traditionalism of Randy Travis to the The same with Hunley Con ... It's disheartening to Yoakam's success. "Jim Ed Nor- Above Prices Include Typesetting & Freight in torchy sounds of k.d. lang and everything between. see someone like Mark Gray, so promising on Colum- man [head of Warner Bros. /Nash- Send 8x10 Photo - Check or M.O. Lyrically, country music bia, being relegated to an ville] is fairly progressive, and he is stronger and more pro- independent label. And used to live out here," he says. "So Full Color & B/W Posters found than ever before. you see a performer like did Tony Brown at MCA. There are Composites - Cards - Other Sizes This is the one factor Sami Jo Cole, who has a lot of people in Nashville now Send For Catalog & Samples that is converting more been a superstar -in -wait- who either moved back or got jobs people into country mu- Nashville ing for years, without a and ended up there, so naturally PICTURES sic lovers. record contract, and you these people aren't going to be as 1867 E. Florida. DeDt. BB do one Springfield. MO 65803 "I have huge have to wonder why. Is it unsure or as afraid of the West (417) 869-9433 or 869-3456 complaint, however. Why luck, politics ... what ?" Coast as their predecessors were " do the record companies How about all of the sign veteran acts and ei- above plus talent, timing, ther let them release and attitude? Kris Kris- product that goes by vir- by Gerr7y Wood tofferson and Jimmy FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 16, 1988 unnoticed and unpromoted, and why do the la- Buffett couldn't give their songs away during their ©Copyright 1988, Billboard Publications, Inc. No part of this bels release only singles on performers with proven publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or first years in Nashville. RCA Rec- illboarc! transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, track records? A good example is Lynn Anderson, on ords put Willie Nelson in a Nehru jacket for a cover photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written Mercury/PolyGram. She signed with the label in 1985 photo, for God's sake. No wonder he felt like he was in permission of the publisher. and she has released only two singles in that time. a straitjacket and headed for Texas. Some talents are This is a case of a singer who has shown remarkable ahead of their time -and there has been enough tin in HOT COUNTRY SINGLES ACTION depth and growth in her vocal abilities and interpreta- the ears of some music executives to supply the Boliv- tions over the last few years. Couldn't Mercury show ian mining industry. But sooner or later, most excep- RADIO MOST ADDED a little faith and belief in that talent, find great materi- tional talents rise to the top. BRONZE/ al for her, and treat her fans to a new Lynn Anderson One final observation from O'Dowd: "I always GOLD SILVER SECONDARY TOTAL TOTAL ADDS ADDS ADDS ADDS ON album ?" get a sinking feeling when I see a single reviewed in 26 REPORTERS 61 REPORTERS 63 REPORTERS 150 REPORTERS Funny that you ask. Steve Popovich, PolyGram's Billboard that I look forward to hearing on the radio STREETS OF BAKERSFIELD Nashville papa, informs Scene that Anderson's first Po- ... and then never do." Radio is your demon here. D.YOAKAM /B.OWENS REPRISE 10 25 34 69 77 lyGram album will be released in September. It's titled Despite the repeated and renewed rhetoric heard ev- TEAR STAINED LETTER "What She Does Best," and from all reports, it should ery year from broadcasters at the Country Radio JO -EL SONNIER RCA 3 15 24 42 46 be the best effort of her career. Other PolyGram veter- Seminar about how they listen to all new records UNTOLD STORIES KATHY MATTEA MERCURY 4 17 18 39 87 ans releasing albums the same month will be Johnny and give everyone a chance, etc., it's simply not STRONG ENOUGH TO BEND Cash, Charly McClain, and the Statler Brothers. true. Only a few programmers in the entire country TANYA TUCKER CAPITOL 5 14 16 35 35 Other veteran acts that have recently made Bill- have the ears, confidence, and courage to listen to MONEY board's Top Country Albums chart include Vern Gos- all the new records they receive, including indie K.T.