It's Canada Country Rick Tippe
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Kates, the Nashville -based manger for Canadian acts Prairie Oyster and counters Ed Harris, Universal Music, Canada's director of country mar- Charlie Major. "It has to do with being talented. The Canadian Country keting. "It becomes part of a developing story that might attract the Music Awards -the one day a year Canadians celebrate-essentially ears of an A&R guy down there. Does it ensure success in the U.S.? are celebrating [Canadian artists] American success. Most country acts Obviously not." in Canada can't make a living, as far as I know. You have to break Shania Twain's former manager, Mary Bailey, sees in Canadian coun- through to be successful." try music "a gold mine only starting to be tapped." Says Bailey, "We The big problem with any burgeoning music act in Canada is reach- have brought an invasion of Canadian talent to the global market, and ing a population roughly equal to that of California, spread across some major labels have turned their heads north and allowed a lot of labels J 4,000 miles. Recording, promotional and touring costs in Canada, the majors, to start signing acts and developing them." are prohibitive even for acts like Farmer's Daughter, Bailey and others in Canada credit Ken Bain, BMG Music Canada's Jason McCoy and Cindy Church, who are signed to national video /country radio promotions manager, as the original point domestic label deals, let alone independent artists like man for much of the contemporary development of Canadian country. It's Canada Country Rick Tippe. He brought BMG artists Charlie Major and Prairie Oyster and the "It can be done if you keep recording budgets low Nashville-signed Michelle Wright on stream some five years ago. and have moderate success," says Randy Stark, VP of "We started hitting country radio just like pop radio," says Bain. "I Plenty Of Talent, But Success Still Depends marketing and promotion for Warner Music Canada. think we fueled the fire for a lot of people. We showed them this is a On Nashville Acceptance "Then we can certainly recoup, and the artist can make format that can really work. But we were really lucky; we had three a bit of money." killer acts. The snowball just kept going, and I think it makes a differ- Still, the U.S. music market always beckons. While ence. Nashville will listen now." BY JOHN P. McLAUGHLIN Twain and Clark were both signed directly to Nashville record deals-effectively making them years ago, when Michelle Wright another American product to Mercury was the definition of Canadian country- Canada-Stark was one of the principals BORDER CROSSINGS success, who could have foretold behind Paul Brandt's co- venture deal continua/ porn page 56 he three- pronged Canuck phenome- % between Warner Canada and Warner non of Terri Clark, Paul Brandt and the liii Nashville. and Mario Pelchat this year" extraordinary Shania Twain on the country "What we wanted to do," Stark says, "I'm enthused about debut albums by Holly McNarland and world stage? )i "was create a real partnership where we MAde," says Universal Music's Reynolds. "MAde's album will be "We planned double-platinum [world- both had a vested interest and could share released in late February, and Holly's album will come in late March [on wide sales], and I thought we were really a project. Paul was a natural. There was Universal Music in the U.S.]. We'll also have releases by Laura Smith and going out on a limb," says Doug Chappell, interest in Nashville, and we certainly Age Of Electric in February, Headstones in March, and a second-quarter president of Mercury/Polydor, Canada, of wanted our Canadian artist to succeed." release by [country singer] Jason McCoy. We expect to enjoy really good his original forecast for Twain's Nashville launch of "The Vancouver -based manager Bruce Allen, sales from all of those artists." Woman In Me." who now handles Bryan Adams, Anne Murray and Martina "We're feeling very good, both domestically and internationally, Chappell calculates that total sales are now over 10 million McBride, insists he wouldn't even consider Canada in trying about current releases by Bloody Chicletts [ "Presenting...Bloody units, including 1.7 million in Canada. Together with his esti to launch a new country artist. Chicletts"] andJacksoul [Absolute "]," says Paul Alois, president of BMG mate for Twain's labelmate Terri Clark's eponymous first "I would go down to Nashville and make a deal there," says Music Canada. "We'll try and build the [sales] story here before [trying] album selling just short of platinum (1 million) in the U.S. and Allen. "I would have the artist live there and immerse them - to break out internationally. We also feel that Mrs. Torrance has great almost double -platinum (200,000) in Canada and her second, selves in the country business, because the center of the coun- potential in Europe." "Just The Same," turning gold (50,000 Canada; 500,000 U.S.) Clockwise from top: try business is Nashville, Tennessee." Says Reid, "We're going to break Big Sugar [ "Hemi Vision" released in both countries after just a few weeks, Chapell is under- Shania Twain, Paul Allen further insists a hit track record in Canada is all but in Canada September 1996] internationally this year We're over plat- standably upbeat about Canadians in country music. Brant, Charlie Major, irrelevant on the world stage. "What does a Canadian rep inum [ 100,000 units] in Canada. We will have a new Jann Arden album Nashville traditionally has not been receptive to Canadian Terri Clark. mean? It doesn't mean a lot of records, and it certainly doesn't in the third quarter and a new Ashley Maclsaac record for the fourth country music. But Twain's, Clark's and Brandt's successes mean a lot of ticket sales," he says. "How many times did quarter" have some in the Canadian industry now thinkingjust maybe- George Fox win [CCMA] vocalist of the year? And Charlie Major? Those "We're now doing major promotions for albums by the Odds, and they've finally arrived. Is this true? awards didn't open the doors in Nashville at all, never have." Natalie MacMaster" says Warner's Kulin. "We also have albums this year "I don't think it has anything to do with being Canadian," says Alan "Initially, a success story in Canada helps open the door in the U.S.," by the Walton and Wide Mouth Mason, as well as solo albums by [Blue Rodeo principals] Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor" "Internationally, [albums by] I Mother Earth, Moist, Anne Murray and Dream Waniots are priorities with us," says Deane Cameron, presi- CANAEOA'S 4#7 MUSIC SERIES dent of EMI Music Canada. "Domestically, we have releases in 1997 from Ron Hynes, Change Of Heart, Bob Snider King Cobb Steehe, Dayna Manning, Econoline Crush and Tea Party. A virtual WHO'S WHO of the Canadian Music Industry "This is a big domestic year for us," says Mercury/Polydor's Chappell. "Our two new signings, Zuckerbaby and Nancy Dumais, will has appeared on have releases in the first quarter We also expect releases from the Rainbow Butt Monkeys and Barstool Prophets in either the second or third quarter" NORTHERN INVESTMENTS Despite the current unprecedented visibility of Canadian artists internationally, label executives complain of frustrations with their U.S. affiliates in securing releases of their rosters. Furthermore, they point out that overseas affiliates primarily look to the American label (.)friends or U.S. market acceptance before reacting positively to Canadian product. "We pour a lot of money into projects, looking for a few of them to starring Rita MacNeil catch fire [internationally] while we wait for a U.S. release," says Cameron. "[Sony Music Canada's] Camilleri has the best track record lib [internationally] right now. He's signing acts, and they're happening CBC Television FRIDAYS 8 P_M_ internationally." Camilleri notes that Dion's global success has been providing a launchpad for such Sony Music Canada acts as Marshall, Our lady Peace, the Philosopher Kings and Chantal Kreviazuk. "When an artist Cahada'S Roots Rock, Covhtry, Folk & gives label like Celine has the success she has, our affiliates take notice that it came out of Canada," he says. What's becoming increasingly evident to many insiders here is that PROUDLY REPRESENTING UNDER LICENCE STONY PLAIN Canadian companies must take a more dominant role -and far more Long John Baldry Linda McRae Dave Ali in CLASSICS financial risk-in the future to insure that their rosters will make an Jim Byrnes Jay McShann Steve Earle Lowell Fulson impact internationally, particularly in the U.S. Bobby Charles Maria Muldaur The Holmes Brothers Walter `Shaker' Horton "[Canadian labels] are now going to have to make a greater financial Rita Chiarelli Duke Robillard Ellen Mcllwaine Professor Longhair investment [to secure international markets]," Kulin agrees. "One Cindy Church Tom Russell The Neville Brothers Ellen Mcllwaine approach is to do joint - ventures, particularly with our U.S. labels, which Gary Fjellgaard Jo -El Sonnier Monte Warden, Maria Muldaur is what we're doing more and more. However Canadians also have to Amos Garrett South Mountain Barrence Whitfield pay more attention to developing relationships [with foreign affiliates]. and many, many others. Bearsville King Biscuit Boy Ian Tyson Bobby Charles Today, you don't work just the U.S. There are huge markets outside of Dutch Mason Jimmy Witherspoon Great Sppeckled Bird the U.S." Many industry figures remain unconvinced that Canadian affiliates of MARKETED LABELS Jesse s 'r,, Blind Pig multinationals will dig any further into their pockets to further sales of Daffodf Canadian music internationally.