Country Update BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 1 OF 19 INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
[email protected] Sam Hunt’s COVID-19 Complicates Nashville’s Southside Debuts >page 4 Fragile Studio Business John Prine Remembered If you’re looking for peace and quiet, the best place to find it globe. Overseas clients, nervous about contracting the novel >page 10 right now might be at a Nashville recording studio. coronavirus on airplane flights or in hotel rooms, had begun There are no pounding kick drums, no screeching guitar solos canceling sessions. and no singers belting out the high notes. The mics are turned At the Black River studios — which have held sessions for Mi- off, the rooms are empty, and the music is in hibernation, wait- randa Lambert, George Strait and Dan + Shay – numerous Russell Dickerson’s ing for the COVID-19 pan- players called nervously the Video Bonanza demic to pass over. morning after Music Row >page 10 Some of the city’s largest discovered that a prominent studios closed their doors manager had tested positive even before Nashville shut for COVID-19 after attend- down nonessential busi- ing a 15-minute meeting at Bellamys, nesses with a safer-at- Black River’s nonstudio Billy & Buds home order that took effect wing. In short order, the >page 11 March 23. And most are company canned a program likely to remain quiet until that allowed tourists to view June at the earliest, though live recording dates, and Makin’ Tracks: the lack of a concrete na- Black River sessions went Avenue Beat tional plan has left owners dormant on March 17.