July 6, 2009 Issue 148 Charts: The Best Of Times... Benefit: A Glass Of Write Wine ..And it was the worst of times. With apologies Next month’s inaugural to Charles Dickens, this was a musically great Nashville in Napa event aims week for Country radio, with new singles (this to build a link between the week’s adds in parentheses) from five superstars entertainment and winemaking – Tim McGraw (53), Brad Paisley (46), Toby Tim McGraw industries for the betterment of children in both communities. Keith (42), Sugarland (37) and Keith Urban And good music and fine wine might have more in common (27). Adding to the excitement is that the singles than it seems. from McGraw, Paisley and Keith are all new According to songwriter and producer projects. I can’t recall the last time that many Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, major acts all released new music the same week. Josh Turner), a birthday celebration for his It was a great week if you worked at those acts’ wife in the Napa Valley was an eye-opening labels, as well. Those kind of boxcar add weeks Brad Paisley experience. “During the trip we got to be don’t come along very often. And, for Paisley and friends with several vineyard owners and Urban, the add avalanche began a week before managers,” he says. “And I was struck by the Frank Rogers their official add date of July 13. similarities in the businesses we’re in. The downside? Well … perfect musical storms “Just watching the process, you notice on the music side that can make things dicey for new artists. Recently- if you don’t have a song, you don’t have anything. And if a charted singles can appear to stall – or worse – as winemaker doesn’t have a good grape, they don’t have anything.” songs can fall out of the Top 50 when multiple Sugarland Rogers and his wife Jessica began making repeated trips to superstars debut in the 40s. That can happen the area, and saw some interesting links. “Over time I’d find despite showing increased airplay over the past wines I liked that didn’t seem to be connected, only to discover seven days. And, of course, it’s tough to gather they had the same winemaker,” Rogers says. “It reminded me of any new airplay with superstars sucking all how writers and producers can work behind the scenes and the available airplay oxygen from the room. general public may not really see all that goes on.” According to Mediabase 24/7, 55 country artists The couple built a relationship with Debi Cali of Baldacci (continued on page 5) Toby Keith Family Vineyards, and she made trips to Nashville to attend ©2009 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 6, 2009 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 2 songwriter nights. “She was equally fascinated,” Rogers says. MY TUNES : MUSIC THA T SHAPED MY LIFE Walking through the caves at the Baldacci facility, Rogers Brady Seals discusses his most important remarked it seemed a perfect place to stage a writer’s night. songs, artists or concerts: “At first it was just about sharing the passion behind it, but we 1. Steve Earle, Guitar Town: One of the best thought if we’re going to throw a party it might as well be for a country albums of all time. The lyrics and signature good reason.” guitar riffs are classic. Steve’s Texas slang while Rogers wanted to support music education in public schools; singing made a huge impression on me as a vocalist. I still try to sing like him from time to time. Cali chose literacy, and the NOTES organization was created 2. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gold & Platinum: I’m not to distribute funds accordingly. “The long term goal is to have sure it’s their best album but I know that it influenced a Napa in Nashville event, too,” Rogers says. “And then maybe Brady Seals me more than any other. I used to invite kids around spread out to various sites throughout the country.” the neighborhood and put on concerts. Of course ASCAP and SunTrust are sponsoring the Aug. 1 event in they weren’t really concerts, we just played and sang along with the record. Rivers Rutherford, Jim “Moose” 3. The Band, The Last Waltz: I really got into The Band after watching California, and songwriters Scorsese’s concert film “The Last Waltz.” They were a true, honest-to- Brown, Jon Randall, Hillary Lindsey, Don Sampson goodness band. I love how The Band backed other artists during this film. It and David Lee Murphy will perform. Details at www. showed a humility in their artistry that you don’t see much these days. nashvilleinnapa.com. 4. The Eagles, Hotel California: The quintessential American rock band. I remember as a boy hearing “Hotel California” and the lyrics being a Radio: Listeners Pay Attention little scary. Now the only thing that scares me about The Eagles is how tight their live harmonies are. Some good news for radio’s core business, as a new Harris 5. Elvis’ Golden Records: I really wanted to grow up and be like Elvis. Interactive poll shows that only 9% of consumers say they The voice, the charisma, and the production of those old records are just tend to ignore or disregard radio advertising the most. Thirteen amazing. I used to visit rest homes with my mother when I was really percent said the same of television ads, while 17% overlook young and dress up like Elvis and pantomime to his songs. In fact, after a performance one day we turned on the TV in the lobby of the nursing Internet search engine ads the most, and a huge 46% said they home and found out Elvis had died. I was heart broken. ignore Internet banner ads more than they disregard other media. • A highly regarded song or album you’ve never heard: David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. One of these days I’m Radio News going to check it out. I’ve always admired “Major Tom” but never dug any deeper. • A Country format forum will be featured during • An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: Nirvana, Talentmasters Kurt Cobain. I just wasn’t a fan of his voice. I remember some of the MTV ’ 21st Annual Morning Show Boot Camp in Unplugged performances where it was just him, a guitar and his songs Nashville July 30-Aug. 1 at the Renaissance Hotel. Among the and I just wasn’t that impressed. It was obvious that he was an honest and national radio executives participating in a July 31 session called passionate artist and for that I have the utmost respect. “Star Makers: Searching for Tomorrow’s Stars” will be Lincoln • An album you played or listened to incessantly: Financial’s Don Benson, Saga’s Steve Goldstein, Cumulus’ Jan Free, Molten Gold. There are folks out there that probably don’t even know Jeffries Pat Paxton Greg Strassell that this band even existed. It was Paul Rogers’ band before Bad Company, , Entercom’s and CBS’s . somewhere around 1963. They were a four-piece rock & roll band that you Details here or call Don Anthony at 770-737-2700. have to check out! • The NAB will host a 30-minute webcast July 14 promoting the • One obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to FCC’s Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) program. right now: Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal.” This song is definitely not The voluntary, Web-based system allows stations to report their for everyone. The only thing that comes to mind for this song is that is very original. The melodic structure and harmonies are spot on. operational status and obtain critical resources they may need to stay on the air during disaster situations. The webcast runs ©2009 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 6, 2009 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 at 3:30pm ET, and is available to both NAB members and non- BIR T HDAYS members. For details, click here. Tuesday (7/7) - Charlie Louvin, Stix Franklin ([email protected]), Chart Chat John Dorris Congrats to Dierks Bentley, Steve Hodges, Wednesday (7/8) - - Toby Keith, Fred Young (Kentucky Shane Allen and the entire Capital crew on Headhunters), Terry Choate, Pam Green ([email protected]), Mike scoring this week’s No. 1 song with Bentley’s Kraski ([email protected]), Lee Logan ([email protected]), “Sideways.” The track is the second cut from his Matt Williams, Joe Relyea current album to top the chart (“Feel That Fire”), Thursday (7/9) - David Ball, Monty Holmes, Bob James (bob.james@ and the sixth No. 1 of Bentley’s career (“Every cumulus.com), Laura McKinley Mile A Memory,” “Settle For A Slowdown,” Dierks Bentley “Come A Little Closer” and “What Was I Thinkin’”). Friday (7/10) - Jessica Simpson, Bela Fleck, Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts), Ken Mellons, Shaw Wilson (BR549), Tracy Fleaner, Stephanie Lynn And kudos to Universal South’s Teddi Bonadies-led team, ([email protected]), Johnny Dorris Jr. ([email protected]) whose top 10 with Randy Houser’s “Boots On” makes him the first new male artist to reach the milestone this year, following Saturday (7/11) - Scotty Emerick, Jeff Hanna, Dale Turner (dale. label mates Eli Young Band, who were the first new artist to hit [email protected]) top 10 with “Always The Love Songs.” Breaking two artists into the top 10 in a year is certainly cause for celebration.