ountr INDIE LABELS GAIN CLIP FOOTHOLD Video Outlets Turn More to Lesser-Known Artists less well -known performers BY ANDREW ROBLIN would Other nationally seen country vid- still get airplay on HBO, according eo outlets are also giving greater NASHVILLE Athough the inde- to vice president of music and vari- emphasis to unknown artists. pendent country labels are out- ety programming Betty Bitterman. "Country Express," a program seen gunned by the majors' superior bud - "We do that a lot," says Bitter - on PBS stations in more than 30 gets and greater manpower on vir- man. "We like to [expose new art- markets, has started featuring tually at every front, the indies are ists] on HBO." Along with major -la- least one clip by an independent -la- winning the battle in the fight for bel videos starring Waylon Jen- bel artist in each half -hour program. television exposure of their artists. nings and the Oak Ridge Boys, The show has recently aired videos With only about 200 country vid- HBO /Cinemax has also aired Mesa by Pete Peterson ( "Shine On "), Jim eos in circulation, television pro- artist Karen Taylor- Good's video of Glaser ( "You're Getting To Me grams featuring country clips face "We Just Gotta Dance." Again "), John Hartford ( "Piece Of a shortage of product. As a result, Bitterman concedes that the spot- My Heart ") and Karen Taylor-Good Home Free. Michael Martin Murphey, right, looks over initial local and national results from outlets for coun- ty availability of major -label videos ( "We Just Gotta Dance "). Trailways Bus Co.'s Operation Home Free program, which gives free return try videos are depending more on is partially responsible for HBO's Visual and audio transportation to runaway children. Showing standards have Murphey the.information are, from clips from independent artists to fill use of independent clips, but adds been below par on some indepen- left, Ed Grubbs, head of Trailways' Nashville offices, and Joe Casey, Nashville's out their programming schedules. that quality is the determining fac- dent -label videos, according to a chief of police. Murphey's new video, "What She Wants," is supporting a But even if more clips starring tor. "If something is good, we use source at "Country Express." - national runaways media campaign. major How -label artists were available, it," she says. (Continued on page 52) Noble Vision Success Story , ASHVILLE SCENE Iaser Wanting on New Albun consistently by Kip Kirby BY EDWARD MORRIS strong activity for each of Glaser's releases has "estab- NASHVILLE The bottom line for lished our credentials as a label," Noble Vision Records is still in- CAPITOL RECORDS kept Music Row busy not just with radio, but also among last Vince Gill, Albert Lee, Hank DeVito, Russ Kunkel, scribed in red, but if Jim songwriters, week as the label hosted three separate events. The Larrie Glaser's publishers and distrib- Londin and nearly 20 others. second album for the label matches utors. first was a reception announcing its new distributions Best news of all is that Harris plans to tour "exten- the success pact with the of his first, "The Man In Good songs for the first album MTM Music Gròup. All MTM Records sively" in 1985 to support the album project. It's been The Mirror," product wil now be then 1985 may see the were very slow in coming, he says. handled through Capitol. too long since U.S. fans had the opportunity to see this Atlanta -based MTM principals Howard company register a "In the beginning, we had to go Stark and Alan Bernard artist in concert. financial as well declined to discuss specific acts already as an artistic gain. back and pull cuts off old albums." signed to the Glaser is finishing fledgling label, but said they hope to have the up the prelimi- There has been no such problem first MORE NEW Nashville imports: Muscle Shoals key - nary studio product out in January. work for an as-yet -unti- with the second album. Tolle says At least two of their signings boardist Barry Beckett has moved to Music City, as tled album, will be longtime scheduled for March he now has to sift through the 14 pet projects of in -house MTM produc- have artist Paul (" '65 Love Affair ") Davis and his release. er Tommy Label head Don Tolle is songs already cut to select the most West. producer Ed Seay, from Atlanta. Nicolette Larsen again producing. The following day, promising 10. Capitol's Nashville president hasn't moved to Nashville, but she's spending a lot Meanwhile, Jim Foglesong borrowed the Glaser's sixth single He adds that "a couple of labels BMI conference room from the "Mirror" album, for a special screening of Michael Martin "Let Me have approached us for a national Murphey's Down Easy," has risen latest video, "What She Wants." Murphey and his to a bulleted distribution deal," but that Noble MTM news highlights 36 on the country chart. wife Mary star in the clip, which is designed to call at- Its prede- Vision has declined, preferring the cessor, "You're Gettin' To Me tention to the growing plight of runaway children. Capitol's busy "flexibility and sense of indepen- week Again," reached No. 1 The press conference brought a number of local radio -a first for dence" of dealing with indies. "Two and tv stations and print both the label and Glaser. The al- years ago," he admits, "we would media, as well as Nashville's more time here since signing with MCA Records. chief of police Joe Casey. bum itself has been on the charts probably have jumped for [major Shelly West's new solo album is titled "Don't for slightly more To close out the week, Capitol held Make than a year. distribution]. Now I think we would a listening party Me Wait On The Moon." It's Barry Beckett's first Tolle says "The luncheon at Music Mill for the new Man In The Mir- give up more than we gained." Harold Shedd - country production, we understand. Singer /songwrit- ror" has sold Lane Brody collaboration. Shedd is producing "just over 60,000" Steady singles activity has generat- er Becky Hobbs has two cuts featured on the album. units, using a network of indepen- ed steady monthly Brody's album for the label. Bill income from dis- Anderson's wife Becky is home from the hospi- dent distributors. Last week, Tolle tributors, he notes. tal following a near-fatal automobile wreck in early reports, Noble Vision product AS "KENTUCKY HEARTS" hits the top spot on the was Glaser's concert fortunes have October. Despite serious injuries, doctors are predict- accepted for distribution to U.S. mil- Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week, it be- similarly escalated. Last January, ing a full recovery for her within the next six months itary bases worldwide. An album by he says, he comes not only Exile's first No. 1 but also the first did only one date. But, or so. Anderson says he wants to thank everyone who Noble Vision's only other act, No. 1 album ever for veteran producer Tony he jokes, "I was able to double that Buddy Killen. sent cards and telegrams or phoned. We wish Killen has worked with countless Becky Arata, will be out by next summer, the next month." acts in pop, country the best during her convalescence. he says. and r &b over the years, yet never before has one of Ultimately, through the efforts of his projects managed While Noble Vision still isn't in the Joe Taylor Artist Agency, Gla- to reach the pinnacle. Congratu- KATHY MATTEA'S "God No lations! Ain't Stained Glass the black, Tolle maintains that the (Continued on page 5J) Window" is being released as a 12 -inch single for ra- Rick & Janis Carnes (who are reportedly close to a dio airplay during Christmas. The cut appeared on publishing deal with MTM Music Group in Nashville) Mattea's debut PolyGram album. are the proud parents of a baby daughter, Claire Lau- Paradise Can Be Yours: rel But the price will undoubt- Bevin, born Nov. 6. edly cost you more than a song. Health problems Merle Haggard is sell- kept Janis out of the studio -and ing his private estate, Shade Tree Manor, located flat on her back 15 -for the final four months of her miles outside Redding, Calif. We're talking pregnancy. Now oversized that the baby's arrived safely, how- sunken bathtub, hot tub, Olympic swimming ever, both Carneses pool, sau- expect to be back in the studio af- na, secluded fruit grove and your own ter the first of vineyard, not to the year working on the new MCA mention the 10 -room house. tracks. Interested? We thought so. All serious bidders should contact Hag Inc. EMMYLOU HARRIS hasn't at (916) 241 -9020. written much in the George Strait has received his first gold album for past. What she has written, though, is special: "Tulsa "Right Or Wrong." The shy. Texas native isn't Queen, "Boulder To Birmingham," letting "Amarillo." In the gold go to his head: He'll finish the past, she's shied away out the end of the from songwriting because year with dates in his home state, she says she didn't feel and ring in the new adequate, surrounded as she year at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth. was by such legendary talents as Rodney Crowell, Cyndi Lauper brought down the house Guy & Susanna Clark, and when she others. surprised her Vanderbilt Univ.