ARTISTS & MUSIC Neal McCoy Getting `Good At It' New Atlantic Set To Benefit From `Shake,' TV BY DEBORAH EVANS PRICE setup we could have going into this "The more TV we can get on him, the record," says Atlantic VP/GM Bryan better. That's where he wins." NASHVILLE -With new manage- Switzer. "There won't be a big time Avalon Entertainment president ment, an increased television presence, span between `The Shake' and the new Greg Janese and VP of artist manage- and the momentum generated by his album ... We're ment Karen Kane agree that TV is a current single, "The Shake," Neal going to have such prime vehicle for McCoy. "He's a nat- McCoy looks poised to take his career a head of steam ural on camera," Kane says. "He's very another rung up the ladder with the coming from `The at ease with the media. He can think Oct. 28 release of his new Atlantic Shake,' and the very quickly, and he can ad-lib in every album, `Be Good At It." new single should situation. There's not much that can McCoy's previous set is a greatest- be one that radio throw him." No. on should look for- McCoy signed with Avalon Enter- Collins Calls On Radio. New Career artist Jim Collins recently visited WIVK-FM hits package that sits at 8 the issue, to playing. for management last May. Knoxville, Tenn., posing with station personnel and their froggy mascots, report- Top Country Albums chart this ward tainment 10 McCOY We've got so much According to Janese, there are three edly telling them that he'd "croak" if they didn't play his new single, "Helplessly propelled by the top hit "The going divisions of Avalon Entertainment Hopelessly Yours." Pictured, from left, are Career's Denise Nichols, WIVK PD Les Shake," the only new cut. momentum - now, on Neal now" management, corporate enter- Acree, WIVK music director Chris Huff, Collins, and Career's Rob Reid. "Right The Shake' is working right artist so well for us that it is really the best Some people were skeptical about tainment, and Warner Avalon, which, "The Shake's" ability to be a hit, in- according to Janese, "specializes in pro- cluding Switzer. "Early on, what hap- ducing entertainment marketing pro- pened was even with minimal airplay grams for corporate clients ranging that record was generating a lot of from broadcast events to tour sponsor- phones. You hope to get records like ships to special music -retail promo- Loveless Lets Listeners In On `Long that," he says. "I would never in a mil- tions." lion years have bet that would have "It covers an array of different kinds been the story on `The Shake.' But I of projects, and because of our rela- Stretch Of Lonesome'; BMG Buys AMR love being wrong on situations like that. tionship with Time Warner as a part- "What it tends to show is a lot of ner, there's just tremendous deal flow ON THE RECORD: One of the more striking albums of lonely, I've had some very good friends in songs. That's what times we overthink what we do here. that comes through this company that the year is arriving early. Patty Loveless' "Long Stretch I want my songs to be to others." The general public wants to be enter- are tremendous opportunities for our Of Lonesome" was first planned for an early 1998 release, tained, whether it's an `Achy Breaky management clients," Janese says. then for November '97. Response at her label, Epic, says ON THE ROW: BMG Songs, BMG Music Publishing Heart' or `The Shake' or 'Elvira.' Those "Our corporate entertainment division Loveless, led to an even earlier release, and now the set will Worldwide's domestic division, picks up a major Nashville songs entertained the audience. When produces 200 shows a year ... We're be out Sept. 30. Loveless has always been one of country publisher with the acquisition of AMR/New Haven Music. `The Shake' went out, there was such trying to funnel as many broadcast music's most passionate, involved, emotional interpreters AMR president Karen Conrad becomes VP for country huge phone response, we knew we had opportunities to Neal as possible. and almost transcends herself on this work. Apart from the operations of BMG Songs /Nashville. One of the big advan- something there ... You take a chance `Country Fest' was one of the first, and songs -encompassing stellar work from Gretchen Peters, tages in the deal, she says, was that she was able to take sometimes and hit one out of the park." there are more coming down the line Kim Richey, Jim Lauderdale, Stephen Bruton, Gary her staff and writers along with her to BMG Songs /Nash- Atlantic VP of marketing Bob that we can't talk about yet, but that's Scruggs, and Don Schlitz, among others -there was ville. "That had always been a concern with selling," Con- Heatherly says he knew the song would certainly going to be an element in another reason she wanted to pour herself into it. rad tells Nashville Scene. "That made all the difference." be a hit. "I was in the studio when Neal marketing Neal." This is her fourth album produced by husband Emory AMR VP Ron Stuve becomes senior director, country cut it, and I saw the magic," he says. McCoy is thankful for the opportu- Gordy Jr. (after Gordy and Tony Brown co- produced two division, and Chris Oglesby continues as senior director, In addition to the momentum the sin- nities and is excited about the plans Loveless albums at MCA creative. Writers making gle is providing, McCoy's career re- Avalon has for his career. "Nothing Nashville), and along the the move are Aimee cently got a boost from his appearance against my old manager, but he wasn't way it became very special Mayo, Bob Regan, Ed on CBS' televised "Country Fest" pro- in Nashville, wasn't in the loop -you to her. Gordy became Hill, Mike Pyle, and Bill gram Aug. 6, which originated from the know, that whole political circle they've severely ill during the Luther. Now, Conrad Dallas festival. (TNN also plans to air got," McCoy says. "I had no one there, album's course, and there Nashville says, "being with a multi- the special Monday [22], and it will air no one fighting for me in that circle was doubt along the way national corporation pre- internationally on the Armed Forces ... So therefore I was never a part of that he would live. sents wonderful opportu- Network.) the loop. They just didn't know who [I "That's why I thank so Scene nities for international McCoy's co-hosting stint, combined was]. Now with Avalon Entertainment many doctors on this al- cross- pollination and mov- with his performance of "Hillbilly being our management, they know a lot bum," Loveless tells Nash- ie and advertising mar- Rap," garnered a great deal of atten- of people, and I think it's turning ville Scene. "Out there on kets, which we had not tion. Heatherly says the exposure around." the road for the longest by Chet Flippo been all that directly con- caused the artist's "Neal McCoy" set to Avalon is putting together a country time last year, .I felt like I nected with in the past as re -enter the charts because consumers music festival on the Caribbean island was losing my heart to sing a small company." BMG rushed out to purchase the album with of St. Lucia, for which McCoy is host because there was so much I was going through. I had just Songs president Danny Strick says that the acquisition "Hillbilly Rap" on it. and spokesman, and his next big lost my sister right before Emory went into the hospital. I bolsters BMG's Nashville presence. "TV is Neal's key," says Switzer. (Continued on page 35) was feeling that the thing that I had loved and love so Meanwhile, BMG Entertainment North America's much -which is the music -was taking me away from so Nashville operations will move in late 1998 to 18th Avenue many people that I loved. Out there on the road, I travel South into what is now the Home for the Aged. The 70,000- many, many days out of the year, and Emory and I are sep- square -foot castle -like building was built in 1916 by the Lit- arated many, many times." tle Sisters of the Poor. After renovation, the building will When her sister died, Loveless says, the issue of sepa- house the RCA Label Group, Arista Nashville, Career ration weighed upon her. "She lived only two heurs away, Records, BMG Distribution, BMG Music, and BMG Direct. and I hadn't seen her in two years," she says, "so I was feel- BMG, with all its operations now crammed into a building ing guilty, and I blamed the thing that I loved, and I just on Music Circle North, considered trying to shoehorn a really was losing heart. Then I had walking pneumonia out new building on the edges of Music Row until the 18th on the road and struggled with that. Finally, when Emory Avenue site became available. survived, even though he's still struggling with pain, I was just so thankful. I was very, very grateful. So, I really took PEOPLE: Wayne Halper is named head of label opera- all these feelings into the studio with me." tions at DreamWorks Records Nashville (the label uses no As she says, there is a lot of emotion in the songs, beyond official titles). Halper was formerly CFO /VP of business their words. "I was doing a lot of beating on myself. Emory development at Imprint Records. Label head James pulled me through this album. I call it `Long Stretch Of Stroud says Halper will oversee day -to -day activities at Lonesome' because, aside from that title song, that's what the label and liaise between the Nashville operation and the Clark Collects Platinum. Mercury Nashville executives recently presented Terri it has been for me in my life. That song is about faith and home office in L.A. ... At the Curb Group, John Curb is Clark with a platinum plaque for her million -selling debut disc. The Canadian hope and everything that I was feeling. It was so hard for promoted to VP at Curb/Universal Records, based in Los songstress recently captured three Canadian Country Music Awards-including me to song; I so of myself. is promotions sing that was critical The rea- Angeles. Jeff Hackett upped to VP of at entertainer of the year-at recent ceremonies in Hamilton, Ontario. Pictured, son is that I was putting too much of myself into it. I final- MCG/Curb, based in Nashville. Eva Wood is named nation- from left, are VP of national promotion /artist development Norbert Nix, Mercury ly needed to lighten up a little bit. I'm very emotional, and al director at Curb Records ... Keith Stegall is promoted Nashville president Luke Lewis, Clark, senior VP of communications Sandy songs have been the best of friends to me. When I've been to senior VP of A&R for Mercury. Neese, senior VP of sales John Grady, and VP of promotion Larry Hughes.

BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 27, 1997 33 www.americanradiohistory.com