Country ARTISTS & MUSIC

MA SUPERBOWL New Vid Network On Air In Canada; ÇF NEW NILS Replaces CMT BY EDWARD MORRIS

New Country Network -the pro- gramming service that knocked CMT out of Canada -went on air Jan. 1 as scheduled. It opened with taped salutations from Garth Brooks and the airing of his inspira- tional video "We Shall Be Free." Shaun Purdue, NCN president, says the network has already amassed "about 800" music videos in You Know Us. Guy Clark and Peter Yarrow (second and third from left) celebrate its library. "We began accumulating their induction into the Kerrville Folk Festival Hall Of Fame. Their fellow celebrants, them probably at the of end from left, are Rod Kennedy, executive director of the festival; John Briggs, ASCAP October," he adds, "and primarily representative; and Miles Wilkinson. through the Canadian record com- panies. They are able to provide us with the U.S. videos." Although he says he's not certain how many of the videos are by Can- adian artists, Purdue reports that COUNTRY NCN is running 30% Canadian con- tent every 24 -hour period. * * * * * * * * ** He estimates that NCN is now available in 5 million Canadian homes. Last year, there was speculation CORNER that the network might have to shoot and use performance videos to have enough clips on hand to ensure by Wade the obligatory Canadian content. Jessen But Purdue says NCN is not cur- HAPPY HUNTING: Tim McGraw continues to prove himself a legitimate rently doing this. artist with post-"Indian Outlaw" hits like "Not A Moment Too Soon," enjoying For the first week of broadcast, its second week atop Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks. Unlike his first NCN pronounced Patricia Conroy's big single, subsequent ones are faring well in radio tests. McGraw is one of "Somebody's Leavin'" its No. 1 four artists with more than one title on the Hot Country Recurrents chart. video, followed, in order, by Faith And his album "Not A Moment Too Soon" is second only to Garth Brooks' Hill's "Take Me As I Am," Randy "The Hits," still at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. Travis' "This Is Me," the Tractors' "Baby Likes To Rock It," and Pam IT'S A TWO -FER: and Wade Hayes bring home Tillis' "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy two of the four Airpower Awards to Sony/Nashville's Columbia label this week. Includes two brand new hit singles Life)." Carpenter's "Tender When I Want To Be," the youngest release in the top Canadian act Prairie Oyster 20, moves 19 -14. Hayes' single "Old Enough To Know Better" jumps 25 -20, earned the week's "breakout" spot- while the album of the same name debuts at No. 64 on Billboard's Top Country "This Time" and light with "Black -Eyed Susan," and Albums. Listen carefully from Music Row and you can hear the hometown Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Tender cheers all the way from Bethel Acres, Okla. Carpenter and Hayes are joined "I Don't Believe In Goodbye" When I Want To Be" was named in the Airpower circle by 's "Bend It Until It Breaks" and "pick hit" of the week. Martina McBride's "Heart Trouble." A look at NCN's list of the 29 vid- eos in highest rotation for the week B I IMPER TO BUMPER: As the song suggests, we'll have to wait awhile reveals that seven are Canadian art- for the bumper stickers. But Decca's Rhett Akins has the pedal to the metal Plus half-a- decade of hits ists: Conroy, Jack Dekeyzer, Hem- with "I Brake For Brunettes." The Georgia native pops into Billboard's Top ingway Corner, Tom Jackson, Prai- Country Singles & Tracks chart at No. 66 and swipes the Hot Shot Debut "Some Girls Do" rie Oyster, the Rankin Family, and in the process. Akins is managed by Narbel Blackstock at Starstruck, and Michelle Wright. will join Reba McEntire and Tracy Byrd for a series of live dates beginning "Thank God For You" The American videos in high rota- Feb. 5. "Brunettes" is the second single off "Thousand Memories." Other de- tion are "Teach Your Children" (the but singles include "That's How You Know When You're In Love" by RCA's "All These Years" Red Hots), "You And Only You" at No. 73. The tune features a rather prominent harmony by Hal (John Berry), "Ain't Goin' Down Til Ketchum. Meanwhile, White's album "Wishes" takes Pacesetter honors on the The Sun Comes Up" and "The Red album chart at No. 37. Chris LeDoux also makes an entry this week on the "Dirt Road" Strokes" (Brooks), "Tender When I Hot Country Singles & Tracks at No. 75 with Bruce Springsteen's "Tougher Want To Be" (Carpenter), and Than The Rest." "The Walk" "Hard Lovin' Woman" (Mark Col- lie). EARLY BYRDS: Tracy Byrd's "No Ordinary Man" album moves 24 -21 this "Trouble On The Line" Also, "The Girl From Yesterday" week, and turns in not one but two tracks on this week's Hot Country Singles (Eagles), "Take Me As I Am" (Hill), & Tracks chart. The danceable "The First Step" took Airpower honors last "Gone Country" (Alan Jackson), week and moves 17-15 this week. Meanwhile, several radio stations have begun "Cafe On The Corner" "Healing" (Wynonna, Michael airing the power- ballad "The Keeper Of The Stars." Sources at MCA Nashville English), "Listen To Your Woman" tell Billboard that "Keeper" won't arrive at radio as a single until the second "The Boys And Me" (Steve Kolander), and "Amy's Back week in February, and will probably be a re -mix or edited version. Among In Austin" (Little Texas). the stations already programming "Keeper" are KKBQ Houston and KYNG Also, "Here I Am" (Patty Love- Dallas. Dan Pearman, PD at KYNG Dallas, says that unless the new version less), "Till You Love Me" (Reba is altered drastically, he'll continue to play the album version once the single In stores Jan 24 McEntire), "Not A Moment Too ships. Nevertheless, with the early airplay, "Keeper" makes its debut this Soon" (Tim McGraw), "My Kind Of week at No. 74 and reinforces the age -old Music Row adage, "You can't hide Girl" (Collin Raye), "This Time" a hit." (Sawyer Brown), "Little Houses" (), "Mi Vida Loca" (Til- KEEPING TRACK: As part of Billboard and Country Airplay Monitor's on- lis), "Baby Likes To Rock It" (the going efforts to provide the most useful and accurate information to the indus- Tractors), "This Is Me" (Randy Tra- try, watch the Jan. 20 edition of Country Airplay Monitor for expanded song vis), and "Now I Know" (Lari activity data. The new addition will be Total Plays To Date for each song. White).

34 BILLBOARD JANUARY 21, 1995 www.americanradiohistory.com