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ARTISTS & MUSIC With `Rose,' Mercury's Edwards Has A Hit Within `Reach' BY DEBORAH EVANS PRICE a group called the Mississippi Show record, and much to our pleasant sur- country roots. One of the reasons I lad about how difficult it is to move on NASH V 1 LLE- Childhood friends Stoppers," Bass recalls, explaining that prise, she's a huge country fan," says wanted to do business with him is he when a relationship is over, it features often make promises, but few keep the troupe traveled around the state Mercury chairman Luke Lewis. "She has a good head on his shoulders. We Music City newcomer David Nail. them. That's why newcomer Meredith promoting the Mississippi Agriculture came in and sang three or four songs really wanted to be involved with Bass says he initially didn't want Edwards was happily surprised when Museum. "Even back then, everyone and had this really endearing, power- [Edwards], and we figured out we programmers to know Edwards' age longtime pal Lance Bass, now a mem- was just blown away by this girl." ful voice. She had an affinity for coun- could have the luxury of an association for fear they wouldn't take her seri- ber of top -selling pop group `N Sync, Bass made good on his promise to try music, knowledge of the history of with [Bass]. It's important for this ously. "Every person that [responded] made good on his pledge to land her a take Edwards with him when he it, and didn't seem to be to be one of genre to have young people inspired said, `This is a mix between Patsy record deal. launched his artist-management com- these people that is into this as a back by it creatively." Cline and Martina McBride," he says. "He's always told me, `If I go any- pany, Free Lance Entertainment. He door to pop music. She's an amazing "Then when I told them she was 16 where in the music business, you are signed Edwards as his first client and singer. She carries herself well, is real COUNTRY ROOTS years old, they were like, This is going coming with me,' " says Edwards in a linked with Mercury Records in honest and polite, and has a good work Bass and Edwards developed their to be incredible, because they are honey -dripping Southern drawl. "So I Nashville, which has first right of ethic -all the things you look for in an appreciation for country music grow- going to be able to watch her grow am the debut artist for [Bass'] Free refusal on any country act Bass brings artist. She's fearless." ing up in Clinton, Miss. During their throughout the years." Lance Entertainment." the label. Lewis also says he enjoys working high school years, each performed at Bas. , 21, has known Edwards (who "When she carne in we were ex- with Bass. "He seems really dedicat- different times in the show choir OUT WTTH THE BOYS turns 17 March 15) since she was 8 pecting another young female singer ed to looking for country artists," Attaché, which also spawned pop Edwards has received enviable years old. 'We used to sing together in that wanted to try to do a crossover Lewis says. "He has great taste and group Innosense and a member of exposure in the past six months open- country group Marshall Dyllon. ing for 'N Sync in San Diego, Los "I've always loved country music," Angeles, Atlanta, and other key mar- says Edwards. "It's always fit my kets. The label sent country pro- Magazine /Station /label PureSpunk.com voice. One of the songs I used to sing grammers to the `N Sync shows to in competitions is meet Edwards and see her perform. Tammy Wynette's According to Mercury VP of market- To Promote Roots, triple -A Music Online `Stand By Your ing Kim Markovchick, the label passed Man.' Everybody in out 20,000 samplers with two cuts SINGER/SONGWRITER Radney Foster and music duced by Gaylord Entertainment and Carolyn Rossi my family listens to from Reach--"A Rose Is A Rose" and journalist Cyndi Hoelzle have launched PureSpunk.com, Copeland. Auditions will be held in New York and country music. It's "Slow Learner"-at the concerts. an online magazine, radio station, and record label devot- Nashville in April. in my roots. I don't "She had 300 to 400 people lined up ed to roots and triple -A music. In March, PureSpunk.com think I'd want to for autographs after the show. It's will debut a song-of -the -month club, where fans will pay ARTIST NEWS: Steve Wariner has requested and sing anything else." obvious she can appeal to them," a yearly subscription fee to receive a new record each received -a release from Capitol Records after three Edwards' debut EDWARDS Lewis says of the younger demo. month by artists like Foster, Lee Roy Parnell, and Dar- years and two gold albums with the label. disc, Reach, was "And she wasn't singing pop songs. den Smith, among others. Also in development is the Rodney Crowell kicks off a tour to support his new album, originally set for mid -April but has She was singing the songs that are on streaming-audio feature PureSpunk Radio. The Houston Kid, April 1 at the Roxy in Los Angeles. been pushed back to a May 15 release this record." Foster serves as the site's CEO and head of A &R. After undergoing a successful liver transplant last fall, date. The project's initial single and Marketing efforts will be targeted Hoelzle is GM and editor in chief. Ashley Arrison joins Chris LeDoux will return to the road this summer on a video, "A Rose Is A Rose," is cur- to both the core country consumer and as content coordinator. Lisa Austin is marketing rep. limited tour beginning in June at the Country Stampede rently No. 48 on Billboard's Hot Coun- to the young audience that is interest- Meanwhile, Foster's new album, Are You Ready for in Manhattan, Kan. try Singles & Tracks and is garnering ed in Edwards because of her associa- the Big Show ?, is set for release in May on PureSpunk Paul Overstreet has written an as- yet -untitled book play on CMT and Great American tion with Bass. There will be a link on .com in conjunction with Dual Tone. The live album that features stories behind 20 of the hit songs he has Country. Bass' Free Lance Entertainment Web was recorded at the Con- written, along with per- "When you hear that she's associ- site to Edwards' site. According to tinental Club in Austin, sonal stories from fans ated indirectly with `N Sync, it's only Markovchick, Edwards will gain expo- Texas. It features five whose lives were natural -if you're in country -to sure via a special promotion with Kel- new songs as well as changed by the songs. think that's a negative and that she's logg's that will place her on millions of acoustic versions of Fos - Nashville The book, due in the just another pop artist masquerading cereal boxes. Additionally, "A Rose Is ter's hits. spring, will be published as country," says Dene Hallam, oper- a Rose" will be featured on a country In other Internet by Pennsylvania -based ations manager at WKHX/WYAY music sampler that will be available by news, Todd Cassetty Destiny Image Publish- Atlanta. "When I heard `A Rose Is A mail with proof of purchase. has launched Nashville - (kNF', ers. Overstreet's latest Rose,' it really turned me on, much Edwards will open the next leg of based Hi -Fi Fusion, album, Living by the like early Tanya Tucker, and when I the `N Sync tour starting May 15 in which creates, imple- Book, is due March 27. saw her perform, it was obvious she is Miami. Booked by Dave Zebeck of the ments, and tracks online country." New York -based Evolution Talent marketing campaigns by Phyllis Stark SIGNINGS: Asleep at Reach was co- produced by Mer- Agency, Edwards also plans to open for music product that the Wheel has been cury executive VP and head of cre- dates for country artists this spring use multiple Internet mediums- including consumer signed to Relentless Nashville, a division of Madacy ative Keith Stegall, Richard Marx, and summer. Web sites, chat rooms, message boards, and fan-cre- Entertainment. Relentless will release the album The and writer /producer Robin Wiley, ated sites -and includes radio marketing to enhance Very Best ofAsleep at the Wheel in late April or early May. whom Bass credits with helping DOUBLE -EDGED SWORD these campaigns. Cassetty, who serves as the compa- The start-up label's roster also includes Randy Travis and develop 'N Sync's vocal sound. Those involved with Edwards' ny's president, previously worked at Warner/Reprise T. Graham Brown. Edwards admits her age was a fac- career admit the `N Sync connection Records and Country Radio Broadcasters. Most Songwriter Steve Dukes has inked a multi -year tor in the song selection process. 'We is both a plus and a minus. `There's a recently, he ran Gaylord Entertainment's Music publishing agreement with Chrysalis Music and Cre- didn't want to have songs on the sort of stigma attached because of her Country.com. ative Artists Agency, which will jointly administer his album that are too bubble- gum," she association with `N Sync, and we have catalog. Dukes' hits include Tim McGraw's "I Like It, says.

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