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There’s just not room enough to report extensively on the funerals for
JIM HAGER
and
EDDY ARNOLD
(though I’ll be happy to entertain any and all specific questions readers care to email), so a few random observations: Regarding Jim’s passing, I’ve since learned that Jim’s sudden death was all the more shocking since most recently
JON HAGER’s
health has been touch-and-go. Also, I’m told that
ROY CLARK’s
conspicuous absence from the celebration of Jim’s life was due to the fact that Roy, who turned 75 April 15th, is not in the best of health.
The viewing of Eddy’s body at the
Country Music Hall of Fame
rotunda, at times scheduled and promoted through a two-column obituary running several consecutive days and various TV and radio announcements as an opportunity for friends and fans to say a final goodbye, was cut short supposedly by family members who wanted to save the opportunity for themselves after debating on whether to close the casket before the visitation. (The casket remained open.)
In the absence of a media section, someone tried to invoke caste-seating at the Arnold rites. When it became clear that they picked on the wrong person, there was a reprieve until the next victim came along. The apparently-slow learner had to be put in his/her place, which tended to underscore that, contrary to the preacher’s statement, not all of those gathered were there to praise the Lord and “bear witness to our faith.” (As it was, mourners didn’t know whether to applaud performances at the funeral or not
Those of us who try to live our faith were present only to remember Eddy. The others- many of whom were "Christians" empowered by the caste-seating numbering 150- couldn’t put aside their ill-will toward (wo)men even for the funeral.
Ironically, there was little of this from the artistic community.
MICHAEL JOHNSON
showed his peers how to behave at the Hager ceremony (Just be your sweet self, got it?) and
STEVE WARINER,
who attended services for both Jim and Eddy, was equally quick to offer a friendly greeting and, being slightly more gregarious, a hug and kiss (even though it had been years since Steve and I had a working lunch at a Chinese restaurant. How long? Well Steve was in the process of changing publicists and he wanted my take on EVELYN SHRIVER!).
It was also a thrill to reconnect with JEANINE and “Goodnight, BILL WALKER” at Eddy’s funeral, prior to Arnold’s burial at Woodlawn Cemetery. The Walkers are among
Music Row’s
top ambassadors!
Every time a major country artist dies it’s become the norm for the publicists of other artists to issue statements in their clients' names. In Eddy’s case, some of the artists probably only heard of Arnold after his death, as the statements issued in their names were more about themselves than Eddy.
It doesn’t seem that it could be worse than that, but pre-funeral and post-funeral media coverage of Arnold’s passing has been absolutely abysmal. How many examples do you want?
I didn’t even know CLIFF AYERS was still alive until I saw him on a Fox 17 newscast identified by the reporter as Eddy’s “friend.”
Then there's The Tennessean's captioning of a photo of SALLY and Eddy's son: "Eddie Arnold Jr."!
And Catholics are not the only ones cringing at a bit of hyperbole, courtesy of BOB OERMANN, who likened Arnold’s passing to the “death of a pope.” (Oermann’s enthusiasm is admirable and is easily forgiven due to Bob’s amiable nature. Once he examines his double-standard application of both praise and criticism, Bob’s expertise will be on par with his [selective] passion).
Nowhere in any posthumous coverage of Eddy’s life, other than my own, has their been any mention of Arnold’s
autobiography
nd my past reporting on the protected legacy was borne out on Channel 50 on the evening of May 14th, just as I predicted earlier in the day it would during an afternoon conversation with the station’s CHERILYN CROWE.
Guests Oermann and Arnold biographer DON CUSIC closed ranks when a 71-year-old caller named SARAH, remarking that Arnold’s life seemed to be controversy-free, asked if there had been any scandal. Both Bob and Don said there had not.
I could have gone the hour without hearing the question. I prefer to remember, as Bob did, Eddy’s acting as a caregiver for his son, DICKIE.
One week after his 1971 college graduation, Dickie’s car was hit head-on. (Oermann indicated the incident occurred during the 1960s, but, as historians know, facts are facts.) News reports at the time left the impression the younger Arnold might not live following a head injury that left him unconscious for nearly ten weeks. Dickie’s right side was paralyzed and, once released from the hospital, his care proved to be too much for a male nurse.
So it was up to Eddy to provide the in-home care that included diaper and catheter changes. And Arnold did so with, if the word applies, enthusiasm.
But the question was asked and, in the absence of a refusal to comment, it demanded a truthful answer.
As I have previously written, the answer first surfaced in rumor form during a regular feature of the syndicated JOAN RIVERS SHOW titled “Gossip, gossip, gossip.” (I know this because I was to be hired following what turned out to be the show’s final season. When the cancellation came, I received a surprise invitation to the cast “wrap” party, which I have kept to this day.)
The show debuted in 1989 and sometime before final episode there was a mention of Eddy’s siring a love child during an extramarital affair. If there were any details, I don’t remember them. I couldn’t imagine this rumor being true and I wondered why Eddy didn’t sue for libel.
Fast forward to a few years ago when CINDY ADAMS named names and indicated that Eddy’s legal representative(s) were putting pressure on a New York woman to refrain from writing any tell-all mentioning Arnold’s name. I never heard anything more about the book until May 12th when, in a tasteless revelation following Eddy’s death but before his burial, an emboldened Adams reiterated what she claimed was a 1992 conversation with the then 54-year-old ARLENE TANNER GLYNN of Astoria, Queens. (Adams touts this as a scoop but, again, that credit/or blame rests with the Rivers show.)
In any event, Cindy reports that the “one-time auburn-haired knockout in the music business” told Adams that she gave birth to a son by Eddy (who will be celebrating his 48th birthday in November).
Since “Arnold wanted nothing to do with his son,” Arlene named the boy, who grew up to become a decorated Marine, CHRISTOPHER EDWARD TANNER. (Christopher? Why not Richard?)
For those of you who wonder why I haven’t yet written about “the book” (a phrase I usually assign to a memoir I am working on)- the one reportedly containing a
BILL MONROE
short story that is less than truthful in its attribution- it’s because I’m awaiting receipt of a promised review copy and therefore haven’t read it.
I do know that EDWARD MORRIS is not receiving the credit he is due as the whistle-blower on this one.
Writers ANDY STRASBERG, BOB THOMPSON and TIM WILES have compiled an outstanding coffee-table book of photos, text and stats (namely a discography spanning several decades ) detailing JACK NORWORTH and ALBERT VON TILZER’s 1908 composition.
You as well as I can name the many country-music stars, some of whom were once major league prospects, who have played the
Country Music Association
Festival formerly known as
Fan Fair
softball and/or have otherwise expressed the love of America’s national pastime. They’re not all mentioned in this 210-page engrossing account of the song that popularized Cracker Jack, but
GARTH BROOKS,
TRISHA YEARWOOD
and
CHARLEY PRIDE
are name-checked. (A mention of
LEE GREENWOOD
and an erroneous titling of Greenwood’s signature song awaits correction in the oversize paperback version of
Baseball’s Greatest Hit…:
Strasberg, Thompson and Wiles refer to God Bless the USA as
Proud to Be an American, a reference so common that it has effectively become the Greenwood classic’s subtitle.)
With a mention of
HERB CARNEAL
the authors instantly redeem themselves (though this eternally-homesick native Minnesotan was more of a
HALSEY HALL
fan) and, if that’s not enough, those members of the music community who did not already know it will be heartened to learn that, thanks to a bequest from Norworth’s estate, royalties from Take Me Out to the Ball Game, fund the ASCAP Foundation, a program established to “honor and support young composers.”
Also of interest: a bonus, companion CD featuring 16 different recordings (but a smidgen of those mentioned in the discography) of Take Me Out to the Ball Game.
In a May 14th statement,
DOLLY PARTON
threatens to sue HOWARD STERN after the shock jock edited and otherwise manipulated sound clips from one of Dolly’s audio books to make it appear that Parton was making obscene, racist, sexist, homophobic and otherwise slanderous comments about JOHNNY CARSON, LINDA RONSTADT, BURT REYNOLDS and a few country stars.
I would have to use asterisks to describe what
KENNY ROGERS’
beard supposedly smells like, as well as to convey most of the other profane comments, but they are on the order of the following sophomoric nonsense “from Dolly” heard on the May 6th broadcast but apparently not brought to Parton’s attention until a week later: “When I was a teenager I raped
MINNIE PEARL’s
dead body.”
As gospel music fans mourn
DOTTIE RAMBO’s May 11th passing,
country-music fans are learning of the May 9th death of songwriter/musician JACK WATKINS.
Jack was a familiar figure among the PERCY PRIEST lake fishermen. But those who don’t fish may have known the instrumental composer as the pen behind some of
CHET ATKINS’ recordings.
RONNIE MILSAP’s
fans knew Watkins as Milsap’s lead guitarist (Jack also was a master of the steel guitar) while
CONNIE SMITH's
fans remember Jack as Connie’s second husband and the father of their daughter. (Additionally, Watkins leaves a daughter and son by a previous marriage.)
Feel free to send your condolences to Jack’s brother,
JAMES WATKINS.
Perhaps deservedly so, LEO JACKSON’s widow is upset by the “two nurses” story. But, whether she knows the facts or is in denial, NELL’s instructions to RONNY LIGHT should at least be heard: “I just read the tribute you wrote on the
JIM REEVES Fan Club
website. One thing I would like to make clear, and I hope you correct on the website, is the day Jim went to Arkansas, Jim did ask Leo to go with him, but the reason he did not go is because he had to pick me up because I was working the 3:00 to 11:00 shift.
”I did not have a driver’s license and he wanted to pick me up…I know the real reason why he did not go. This is very upsetting and I hope you correct your story.”
Bill-O holds
TOBY KEITH
in somewhat higher regard, O’Reilly having lauded Toby as a “patriot” during a recent Factor “Pinheads and Patriots” segment.
EDDY ARNOLD’s
death in the early morning hours (4:30 according to the intial report) of May 8th occurred one week before what would have been Arnold’s 90th birthday.
His hearing severely compromised, Eddy apparently never regained his strength following hip surgery and his wife, SALLY’s March 11th death.
Given Arnold’s extraordinary wealth and power, not to mention his recording success, Eddy didn’t need a publicist to confine the telling of his story to either his own
autobiography
or the accounts of successive biographers who chose not to upset the apple cart by straying too far from the official account. (These books could only be as good as their sources. And any author knows that the expectations for a tome that gets the Thomas Nelson treatment, given that publisher’s mission statement, go without saying.)
I won’t rehash what I have written in this Report (of my personal knowledge) on this subject. I will only admire a remarkable musical legacy, since that will not be buried with Arnold.
As for the other stuff, those whispers and a book proposal that kept Eddy’s legal representatives busy are not only old news, they are of most interest to me with respect to the aspects of courage and cowardice that will likely resurface, if at all, in the New York and Hollywood entertainment press.
Beyond that, given his resources, why did Eddy have to die in- of all places- an
NHC
facility? There’s the real
scandal!
He who has the gold makes the rules- so long as he is of sound mind and body, anyway.
And yes, it's a long way from Chester County. Even longer than Eddy wanted you to know.
I’ve already written in this space about many of the performances in the
Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s
lineup for the 2008-2009 season. Now let me call your attention to the May 6th media night/opening night performance of Twelve Angry Men starring
RICHARD THOMAS.
I’m looking forward to seeing Thomas reprise
HENRY FONDA’s
role as “Juror #8” in the 1957 movie classic. (Full disclosure,
my presence opening night comes courtesy of
TPAC’s
AMANDA VIRGILLITO SAAD,
who has comped me and a guest.)
My journey to the theatre marks a nice break in
country music’s
funereal atmosphere of recent days: I did not know
PAUL DAVIS,
TOM OTERI, LEO JACKSON and
JERRY WALLACE,
but I have known
JIM HAGER
for about 35 years.
Jim was one of the kindest and least pretentious country-music stars I have ever met- on or off the set. He didn’t wait for me (or anyone else) to approach him; a quality that is my litmus test for distinguishing the important people in this world from the self-important.
Davis’ passing evoked memories of the speculation surrounding
Paul’s being shot in the abdomen during an attempted robbery in the parking lot of Nashville’s Hall of Fame hotel on July 30, 1986.
At the time, so goes the official version, Paul was departing the “Hall of Shame.” After assisting a woman, identified in news reports only as his “companion,” by opening the door of the passenger side of Davis’ car, Paul was walking around to the driver’s side when, out of nowhere, the would-be robber appeared, seriously wounding the singer/songwriter.
I’ve always been fascinated by why the woman was never identified. Talk at the time was that, on the evening in question, Davis was with “someone with whom he was not supposed to be that evening.”
It might have been that local news media and police were complicit, as they often were in those days, reporting when they were not ignoring situations that might embarrass
Music Row,
or it could have been for GLORIA J. THERBER’s own protection, since the crime remains (officially) unsolved.
Most of the details of Jackson’s suicide have been reported elsewhere, I’ll add only that initial news of Leo’s passing came from ARNE BENONI, a Norwegian artist and a little-known historical tidbit
paralleling that of
BILLY WALKER’s being spared in the plane crash that took the lives of
HAWKSHAW HAWKINS,
COWBOY COPAS
and
PATSY CLINE:
It seems that when
JIM REEVES
wanted company as he piloted his private single-engine plane on what became the fatal flight from Bates, Arkansas to
Music Row,
DEAN MANUEL was not “Gentleman Jim’s” first choice.
Rather, Reeves had invited Jackson along for the ride, but Leo had scheduled a date with two nurses!
Column’s continuing best wishes to my fellow Minnesotan,
MICHAEL JOHNSON.
A responsible guy, Michael had medical insurance. But after Johnson underwent bypass surgery in August, the expenses of the operation and Michael’s continuing rehabilitation exceeded his policy limits.
Fortunately, Michael has many friends, including our fellow Minnesotan, JON VEZNER, who joined Johnson at Minneapolis' Fine Line Music Café for a benefit performance billed for the evening as “Michael & Friends.” The April 27th demonstration of "Minnesota nice" also included a silent auction featuring memorabilia donated by
ALISON KRAUSS,
BROOKS & DUNN,
KATHY MATTEA,
WYNONNA
and others.
If vulnerable
DOUG STONE
had an “A-list” publicist (I guess Aristo Media is the best he can afford), WALT TROTT’s interview with Doug would not appear in the
April issue of
Country Music People.
The interview, which occurred as Doug was “in the middle of my third divorce,” puts the best face on Doug’s realizing “I’ve got five children and it took me three wives” as well as the other bizarre facets of the singer’s life- including major health problems, a plane crash and jail time- that have overshadowed Stone’s music.
Doug’s “youthful first marriage” apparently was, beyond that, not up for discussion. Not so his second and third unions, though little more is written about marriage #2 than that, like the first, it was a “commitment also doomed to failure.”
Doug tells Walt that he once “made a lot of money… but last year I bet I didn’t make $50,000."
With some justification, but with an equal degree of self-centeredness, Stone tells Trott of a divorce court ruling (since adjusted) resulting in a court order that he “pay $1720 of that out a month to two different wives! I’m thinkin’ like, 'What is wrong with y’all? How do you think I’m going to survive, Dude?'” (Stone says his income was $87,000 during the year in question, but that the judge said “I’m gonna say you made $100,000,” possibly because Doug refused to turn over his financial records.)
Doug disses not only the judge (appellate judges frown on such things) but his former attorney.
Stone is attempting a comeback following the proverbial management and label changes, but unprofessional career oversight (which has garnered him nothing more than a place on a startup label roster and a social network Web site for an official home page) is not the answer for a real talent, three years out of rehab, who desperately needs the career guidance of people who care.
Writers don't come any finer than Walt Trott and in no way is he to blame. In that sense, Stone could not have been in more responsible hands.
Still, given Doug's candor, CHRISTY WALKER-WATKINS should have demanded a cover!
By now you know that
RICH FAGAN
has been arrested and charged with his “roommate”, TOM OTERI’s murder, but here is what
PAUL HARVEY
would call
The Rest of the
Story:
Rich has had a rough life: His dad died when Fagan was three.
A latch-key kid, Rich ran wild in the South Philly housing projects
while his mom cleaned other people’s homes and offices.
Fagan’s self-destructive streak, which included alcohol and drug
abuse, was encouraged when, shortly after being drafted at age 21, Rich went AWOL from Vietnam.
Fagan managed to finish his tour of duty, but not before being
busted for possession of “subversive material and pornography.”
(Think Avant Guard magazine.)
Discharged from the military in 1968, Rich became homeless until
he married and became a songwriter. The marriage produced a son but
by 1975 the Fagans were divorcing.
Nine years later Rich formed a publishing company, OF Music, with
Tom Oteri (father of SNL’s
CHERI OTERI).
Fagan arrived drunk and two hours late for his first meeting with
his future business partner and roomie, but apparently that was okay
by Oteri who appears to have been done in by his enabling
behavior.
KITTY KELLEY
may have been staying at a hotel near
Music Row
when I spoke with my fellow author April 23rd, but I’m saving my best industry stories for my own memoir. Kelley’s
Music City
mission was not an exposé of the
Country Music Association,
but to meet with those of us who have an
OPRAH WINFREY
connection (though I assume mine to be more tenuous than most, since it involves the hiring practices of the former WLAC-TV [now WTVF-TV] news department, more than its most famous employee).
My thanks to WAYNE KABAK for asking Kitty to call me and to Kelley for her referral to a friend who is expanding on Kitty’s
KENNEDY Family research. (I probably know as much or more about the
Kennedys- you won’t have to coax me to show you my personal, unpublished photo collection- as I do country music!)
BMI
extended invitations for an April 23rd Passover double-header:
Those
Music Row
types not in solemn celebration of the freeing of the original slaves or otherwise enduing a week-long restricted diet, made more difficult during
The Great Nashville Matzo Shortage of 2008
gathered at BMI’s headquarters that afternoon as the performing rights society honored
CASEY BEATHARD, co-writer (with MARLA CANNON-GOODMAN) of
RODNEY ATKINS’
#1 recording of
Cleaning This Gun (Come On Boy).
The BMI invitations followed a Pesach invitation from the JUDY NELON Group’s
AARON CRISLER
to attend the August 22nd SGMG Harmony Honors Celebration Concert at the
Nashville Hilton
If you’re wondering why, when
FAITH HILL
and
TIM McGRAW
staged a benefit at
The Ensworth School
earlier this year, the beneficiary was not the school where Tim and Faith’s daughters are students, it’s because the posh private prep school that GRACIE, MAGGIE and AUDREY attend hardly needs the dough: Annual tuition for the kiddies run $13,950 each, though the school would have you believe they’s just po’ folk: “When considering the true cost to attend an independent school, one should also understand the costs of books, lunches, computer purchases, trip fees etc. The Ensworth School buckets all of these costs together for families and calls it ancillary tuition. The ancillary tuition charges for each [of Tim and Faith’s tweens] is $1,125.”
Now you know where your concert dollar goes…
Mark your calendars: The second annual
WILBURN BROTHERS Musical Tribute
will be held at Loberg Park in DOYLE and TEDDY’s hometown of Hardy, Arkansas on Saturday, May 24th.
Steel Guitar Hall-of-Famer DON HELMS headlines the 6 p.m. tribute concert featuring ANDY NORMAN, who has opened for
WILLIE NELSON,
RAY PRICE,
GEORGE JONES,
and
GARTH BROOKS,
just to name a few.
The BILLY JOE FRENCH BAND, one of the Ozarks’ most popular groups, will also perform (French knew the Wilburns early in their careers, accepting the brothers’ invitation to come to Nashville) and Hardy Mayor NINA THORNTON says “We are obviously thrilled that Mrs. GERALDINE (WILBURN) GRISHAM and so many others of the Wilburn family will be joining us again this year.”
But the number of featured performers and excitement of the event doesn’t end there. Call (870) 856-3811 for the latest information or
click here
LES PAUL
told me some great stories when I interviewed him for the March,. 1977 issue of
Country Song Roundup: These included Paul’s performing as “Rhubarb Red, the Ozark Apple Knocker” on the
Grand Ole Opry
(in 1934), his stints “in Renfro Valley… WLS [Radio] in Chicago on the Barn Dance from 1931 on, and WJJD with the ‘Suppertime Frolic,’” not to mention Les’ 1936 pairing with ERNIE NEWMAN and JIMMY ATKINS (the latter was CHET’s half-brother).
First tagged the Ozark Apple Knocker at KWTO (“Keep Watching the Ozarks”) Radio in Springfield, Missouri, Paul told me “They couldn’t get the country out of me. My mother says ‘There’s a Tennessee growl in you that you can’t get out’ and I said ‘Mother, I don’t want to get it out. I like it.’ So I played that kind of music and it has rubbed off on Chet, GRADY MARTIN and others.”
Strange then that, writing the forward to Guitarist and Photojournalist ROBB LAWRENCE’s new hardcover,
The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy: 1915-1963, Les writes “When I was a kid, piano was number one.”
Better-known for his pop(ular) music career, Lawrence’s Les Paul is captured as the mass-appeal artist he is and through Paul's “who’s who” of collaborators, not the least of whom was his duet partner, MARY FORD. (Given Les’ support of Robb’s project, Lawrence’s readers are respectfully reminded of the pair’s performance magic, but receive no insight into the reason[s] for their divorce following a marriage that seemed to survive stresses ranging from a serious car accident to family planning.)
This coffee-table book is a must-read not only for guitarists, (who need no reminder of Les’ musical wizardry and renown as the inventor of the multiple tape machine, tape loop echo, the solid body guitar and so forth), but for any music-lover.
And as they tune their Les Paul model guitars, literally or figuratively, fans spanning all levels of musical knowledge and expertise will await autumn publication of the second of what will be a two-volume look at the Wizard of Waukesha’s life and career from the mid-sixties through the present.
Several years ago, Report reader
JERRY REED’s
daughter, SEIDINA asked for my help in dispelling an Internet-generated rumor suggesting her father’s passing.
Though Seidina believed the rumor was widespread, her disclosure was the first I’d heard of it. In any case, I was happy to convey the frustration and hurt feelings of Jerry and family who had to risk dignifying the rumor in the effort to clear the air.
Now 71, Jerry is looking forward to an April 18th event at Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s
ALVIN C. YORK
VA Medical Center. There, “Jerry Reed’s Salute to Our Nation’s Heroes” will take the form of a release party for Reed’s new Warrior Spirit CD.
Reed tells former VFW National Commander and current day columnist JOHN FURGESS
that “I earnestly feel a special calling of God to do this CD, which is so late in my life.” John addsns that “Jerry is currently not in good health,” but that, thinking of others, Reed “said he would donate any proceeds from the CD sales to our ‘Veterans in need.’”
A complete list of celebrity participants, exhibits, demonstrations, screenings, home décor, travel
and shopping opportunities, along with show times and (discounted) ticket prices is available
by clicking
here.
You read it here first:
Gaylord Entertainment’s
shareholders’ meeting has been set for May 5th and 6th in Washington, D.C.
This is by design. Company officials and board members will not have to worry about being asked why it is once again lawsuit time for the Gaylord Gang, this time in Davidson County Circuit Court. (Doesn’t “my company” have its fists full in federal court right now?)
These latest developments occur in the wake of the embarrassing MARIA SASTRE incident; yet another debacle the Gang doesn’t want to address. (Sastre was a Gaylord Board member for about three weeks before the Gang figured out that the presence of Royal Caribbean Cruise’s vice president of international American and Caribbean sales and marketing on it Board posed a conflict of interest for the Gang-ster’s own self-promotion as a hospitality and leisure industry leader.)
If you think you, too, have forgotten funds coming, call (615) 741-6499 to stake your claim or for
more information.
If you're looking for the biggest TV marketing phenonemon since
SLIM WHITMAN,
I predict that will be the telegenic, talented, though somewhat cheesy,
CELTIC THUNDER.
Column’s best wishes to
STEVE BROOKS,
for a rapid recovery following surgery April 2nd.
AMANDA VIRGILLITO
reports that not only will
EMMYLOU HARRIS
be performing in the “perfect acoustics of War Memorial Auditorium on April
26, for the elegant Premiere Evening, the annual benefit for the
Educational and cultural programming of the
Tennessee Performing Arts Center,
TPAC’s full Broadway schedule (through June, 2009) is now available on its
Web site.
(I’m pleased to announce that the TPAC is bringing my favorite musical of recent years,
Jersey Boys to its stage [March 18- April 5, 2009] and that I’m looking forward to
seeing the musical adaptation of my one my favorite TV series Happy Days: A New Musical
[May 5-10th]. But let’s hope the singers and hoofers can fill the heavy shoes of the
CUNNINGHAMS, FONZIE, POTSIE, RALPH, PINKY, CHACHI, ARNOLD, etc. as effortlessly
as Broadway’s Tony Award-winning cast captures
FRANKIE VALLI.
BOB GAUDIO, TOMMY DeVITO and NICK MASSI.
AMANDA VIRGILLITO
reports that not only will
EMMYLOU HARRIS
be performing in the “perfect acoustics of War Memorial Auditorium on April
26, for the elegant Premiere Evening, the annual benefit for the
educational and cultural programming of the
Tennessee Performing Arts Center, “
`TPAC’s full Broadway schedule (through June, 2009) is now available on its
Web site.
(I’m pleased to announce that the TPAC is bringing my favorite musical of recent years,
Jersey Boys to its stage [March 18- April 5, 2009] and that I’m looking forward to
seeing the musical adaptation of my one my favorite TV series, Happy Days: A New Musical
[May 5-10th]. But let’s hope the singers and hoofers can fill the heavy shoes of the
CUNNINGHAMS, FONZIE, POTSIE, RALPH, PINKY, CHACHI, ARNOLD, etc. as effortlessly
as Broadway’s Tony Award-winning cast captures
FRANKIE VALLI.
BOB GAUDIO, TOMMY DeVITO and NICK MASSI.
ROB PATTERSON, author of
Country Music People’s April cover story on
KINKY FRIEDMAN,
doesn’t indicate if the British scribe’s circle of “Jewish” acquaintances extends beyond the
Fox News
contributor. Patterson, with some encouraging from Kinky, seems to know and evoke Jewish
stereotypes (a staple of country-music news groups, btw), so I would recommend that Rob educate
himself by picking up to him a new book by Patterson’s own countryman: Sir MARTIN GILBERT,
CHURCHILL and the Jews: A Lifelong Friendship.
On a related subject: Kudos to SOURCE for choosing HELEN FARMER among a half dozen other female
Music Row
veterans will be saluted at the organization’s annual Foundation Awards August 21st.
While it’s a no-brainer to be honoring strong women like REBA HANCOCK (posthumously) and easy enough to give a tip of the hat to some of the others, the frail Farmer’s award is especially important since the present-day employees of the
Country Music Association
probably don’t even know her name; this despite the fact, that were she not Jewish, Helen would today be the (retired?) director of that organization.
Unfortunately, the
CMA
never allowed Helen, its director of programming and special projects, to fulfill her leadership potential.
While lesser women quit the sexist, racist and anti-Semitic 501 (C) 3 corporation, Helen
soldiered on until her retirement, breaking her silence about some segments of the industry only when interviewed by CHARLES HIRSHBERG for an article in July 22, 19992 issue of
The Jewish Daily Forward
titled Nashville’s Jewish Newcomers Assert Themselves (Softly)..
Though hardly a newcomer, neither to Nashville nor to
Music Row,
Helen recounted to Hirschberg the climate of negotiations during the early ‘90s between the New York office of the WILLIAM MORRIS Agency (which, as I indicated when revisiting the incident in my own 1999 update of Hirshberg’s findings,
Kosher Country: Success and Survival on Nashville’s Music Row,
published in the highly-respected academic journal,
Southern Jewish History: Volume 2,
did not have a Nashville office at the time) “locked horns with
Music Row’s
BUDDY LEE Agency over the right to book
GARTH BROOKS.”
Helen told Charles that “the Nashville agents’ feeling boiled over to the extent that their hostility ‘immediately reflected their stereotypes about New York Jews.’
”Farmer explained that those who did not know she was Jewish felt free to make remarks along the lines of ‘HITLER had the right idea’ and ‘You think this is bad, you just wait. They all want the money and the stakes are sky high. We’re gonna be inundated.’”
There is much that is fishy about
The Celebrity Apprentice
,
beginning with the fact that, appreciating that the rules keep changing, losing project manager
has been spared in the competition only for ratings purposes.
Viewers may never know about another manipulation: While the two-hour March 27th season finale is being described as a “live” presentation (as have previous season finales for the program),
CAROL ALT
indicates that two different endings already have been “filmed.” (One will be shown if Trace emerges as the Celebrity Apprentice, the other is PIERS MORGAN gets the nod.)
If you’re rejoicing at official confirmation of the news you read here first re:
Comcast adding
RFD-TV
to its Nashville cable lineup March 31st you may not want to celebrate quite so fast: Unless you’re
already a Comcast digital subscriber, you’ll have to forget the recession and cough up an additional
monthly charge of $15.95 to see RALPH EMERY Live! as well as RFD’s other programming.
Speaking (writing?) of Ralph, longtime Report readers will remember my receiving several cases
of Emery’s last book (after I had complained to Ralph and his publisher about plagiarized material I
wrote and gave Emery for that same book) and what I did with the books when Ralph waited too long
to pick them up. Though its not quite an instance déjà vu, at least not of the same variety, on March
25, 2008 I received a package that requires an explanation from
TOM T. HALL.
Tom, if you’re missing something, you know where to find it. And, if this is a joke (It wouldn’t have anything to do with my giving PAUL POTTER your phone number would it?), I can think of at least one other person and a company who don’t get it.
Column’s best wishes to
STEVE BROOKS,
for a rapid recovery following surgery April 2nd.
AMANDA VIRGILLITO
reports that not only will
EMMYLOU HARRIS
be performing in the “perfect acoustics of War Memorial Auditorium on April
26, for the elegant Premiere Evening, the annual benefit for the
educational and cultural programming of the
Tennessee Performing Arts Center, “
`TPAC’s full Broadway schedule (through June, 2009) is now available on its
Attn:
PETA
fans: J JACKLYN, Nashville's oldest and finest fur salon, is promoting its current sale in print ads featuring a photo of a sheared mink trimmed with dyed silver fox reversing to trench worn by
MANDY BARNETT.
(The dyed silver fox in this instance would not be the deceased
CHARLIE RICH!)
SARA EVANS
divorce from
CRAIG SCHELSKE
was granted after both parties agreed to what amounts to an extended, post-divorce gag order.
When Evans appeared as a guest cohost on
The View
December 12th, Sara appeared to be mindful of the restrictions imposed upon her. When Evans
reappeared with the ladies in the same capacity on the December 14th telecast (actually taped for
delayed broadcast following the live show two days earlier), the waters appeared to be muddied.
Joining in on a discussion stemming from a less-than-original ethical question (Would you cheat
on your husband if you knew you could get away with it?), Sara said she would not.
I wondered if the ladies were living under a rock during the public nastiness of the Evans-Schelske breakup. Did they not know of the split or that Sara's divorce petitions alleged infidelities on Craig's part while Schelske's response to the court was a denial of Sara's claim with a concomitant charge that it was Sara who was unfaithful to him? Were they trying to play dumb?
Apparently Evans' answer was not enough. One of the ladies wanted to know Why?
Another added, "You're divorced, aren't you?"
That answered my question, but Sara's acknowledgment, "Yes" (That is, as in yes, I am divorced) did not answer the pending question: "I wouldn't want to be cheated on," was Sara's elaborated "because" response; a strangely hypothetical reaction to a very real course of action involving ALISON CLINTON's threatened, albeit apparently since aborted, lawsuit listing Sara as a defendant.
The "hot topics" segment did not end there: Sara was asked "Would it embarrass you if your mother bought you a sex toy?" (I don't remember the context of the question, but, hey, this being push-the-envelope daytime TV, would it matter?)
Evans responded "I'm freaking out even discussing it," so Sara (deftly?) shifted the discussion to an observation about an unnamed friend of Sara's who was recently touring with the singer and who asked Sara if Evans' mother and stepfather still have sexual relations.
Re:
TRAVIS TRITT s lawsuit
against Category 5 Records and the label president's over-the-top
response. (Ray Termini's e-mail blasting of Tritt's over-the-top
ego-fading career, and Travis' manager, DUKE COOPER's "mental
midget management," etc.)
In Tritt's more circumspect U.S District Court for the Middle
District of Tennessee filing, Travis indicates that Ray promised that Termini s label would be built around Tritt and that Travis' permission would be necessary before the label could sign other artists. If, as alleged, it is
true that, as soon as the ink was dry on Tritt's contract, the label signed
SAMMY KERSHAW,
JERROD NIEMANN,
DONOVAN CHAPMAN
and
ODISS KAHN
and obtained
GEORGE JONES
services without Travis' permission, it seems as though Travis could have walked, sued or whatever at that point.
Column's congratulations to my old NEJA cohort,
DIANE ROSE.
The list of media contacts/leads I gave Diane, one of the sweetest women on
Music Row
I ever met, many moons ago must be obsolete by now. But even as Rose has left Tennessee for Texas, it's gratifying to learn that she is finally receiving the recognition she deserves, courtesy of one of the best of the current crop of Nashville's TV news anchor-reporters,
TOM RANDLES.
NANCY MOORE
has extended a December 12th invitation strongly encouraging punctuality. The occasion is a
BMI
salute to/the opportunity to hear performances by Texas songwriters BILL CARTER, MONTE WARDEN, SUNNY SWEENEY and BRUCE ROBISON: "Join us for an elite cross-section of Travis County troubadors."
"Can you feel the love?"
That's the question EDWARD MORRIS wryly asked me at
BMI
during the perfunctory presentation portion of a number one party the performing rights society threw December 11th in honor of the writers of
CARRIE UNDERWOOD's
chart-topper (for three consecutive weeks) So Small. These would be
BMI
writers LUKE LAIRD and Underwood, with a nod toward the song s third composer, HILARY LINDSEY.
And this was before I got a hug from JOE GALANTE!
Apparently, Morris was not alone in his reaction to the recipients expressions of gratitude that, though sincere, may have bordered on excessive. Underwood received the biggest laugh of the evening when, losing the struggle to fight back tears, Carrie interrupted her characterization of the gathering and the events leading up to it: "It's---- . Crap!
With her thoughts coming faster than her words, Carrie quickly explained "The party's not crap. I can feel the waterworks," Underwood explained, noting earlier that Laird's expression of gratitude made Carrie fell like "the most ungrateful child, [standing] next to Luke."
RANDI RADCLIFF was runner-up provider of the evening s second biggest guffaw: When Randi told me that she celebrated a birthday December 7th, I wished her a belated happy birthday, noting that she was born on the "day which will live in infamy."
Acknowledging my knowledge of history, Radcliff quipped, "Yes, PEARL BAILEY Day."
No match for Randi's wit, I replied, "Well, this is a music event. I guess you could call it that." (March 29, 2008 will mark what would have been Bailey s 90th birthday.)
Others in the crowd telling me "Hello" were hostess NANCY MOORE, ED SALAMON, PRESCHIAS TOMES (who introduced me to JOSH MARTIN), MICHELLE HONICK, PATRICIA PRESLEY, MICHELLE CHRISTMAN, BOB PAXMAN and VERNELL HACKETT.
DON GRUBBS
extended an interesting invitation re:
RONNIE McDOWELL's
December 7th appearance at the
Nashville Palace:
"Feel free to come out and enjoy the show. Coverage of this is totally optional. IF you decide to attend please RSVP."
Thanks to
MEGAN JAKES
for the invitation to attend the December 10th
RANDY OWEN
media day.
British buddy TONY BYWORTH brings word that
Bear Family Records
has released all 52 Country Style USA TV shows. The four DVDs in the collection of complete (15-minute) programs from the United States Army Recruiting Services, that ran from the late 1950s through the early '60s, include virtually every big-name country star of that era when even the subtlest of displays of support for Army recruitment was considered the patriotic thing to do.
I have seen the list of stars and it is a long one. If you'd like specifics, contact
RICHARD WEIZE.
As those of you who have read my
bio
are aware, while I am a Vanderbilt alum (Take note,
MIKE SCHOENFELD,
I've never been able to get my Vandy e-mailbox working), I am
also a proud
University of Maryland
graduate.
Had I not moved to Nashville, I would have remained in the Washington, D.C. area. As is, I ve maintained ties to the Terrapin community and so it is with special pride that I inform you that NARIMAN FARVARDIN, the university s current Senor Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, has requested that I assist the College Park campus' Strategic Planning Steering Committee
(SPSC) with its ongoing assessment if the state of the University, and brainstorming about new initiatives.
Professor Farvardin believes I have a handle on the university s main strengths and weaknesses and he has solicited my input on the changes and initiatives necessary to propel Maryland into the top echelon of
public research universities.
December 7th was the day of infamy. It was also my deadline to submit my proposal to the professor, which I was happy to do.
Why is
LORRIE MORGAN
playing the Silver Springs (Florida) theme park December 8th?
Could be, she needs the money: Nashville s
Suntrust Bank
filed suit against Lorrie in Davidson County Chancery Court December 5th to the tune of $327,236.45!
While I was up for the wine, apple cider and cookies, I m sure that Jody and the Three Wise (Wo)men understood that I had to extend, along with my thanks, my regrets, as the scheduled Christmas tree lighting and caroling aspects of the celebration would render my participation inappropriate.
I did manage to make another annual event December 6th: In fact, NANCY CARDWELL, RUTH WARADY,
ICEBERG-FAQ #21,
and I led the music industry contingent at the holiday open house hosted by JO ANN NORTH, CHARLIE CARDWELL and staff.
There, Nashville Mayor
KARL DEAN
learned there is not only no such thing as a free lunch, but so such thing as free punch. For while I headed for the red concoction station to grab a plastic cup of the gratis drink for Hizzoner (who, as the center of attention upon his arrival, was so slowly working the room I was confident he would never get a sip of anything otherwise), the price of my "gift" was a few seconds of Dean s time during which he graciously allowed me to tell him how to run the city!
That negotiations between bankruptcy trustee BOB WALDSCHMIDT and
Country Music Foundation
have stalled over gifts to the
CMF
from its favorite "benefactor"/con artist, the late
ROBERT McLEAN,
is not surprising. That Waldschmidt is snowed by the suggestion that there is anything to "negotiate" is beyond me.
While the
CMF
has yet to honor a November 13th request to make its 2006 990s available for public inspection, "Farmer" LIZ THIELS says the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
has been trying to "help Waldschmidt understand who we are and what are resources are."
The poverty plea includes the
CMF s
taking McLean's stolen money and spending $11,422 of it to fly
GLEN CAMPBELL
(no pauper himself) by private jet to the 2006 Hall-of-Famers medallion ceremony.
Instead of fleecing country music's flock with its All for the Hall fundraisers, the folks who are throwing not-so-good money after bad could be more resourceful: Double-dipping "Farmer Liz," she of the Belle Meade zip code, could toss some of her farm subsidy income into the pot.
As for Thiels' boss, KYLE YOUNG, in a November 27th email to Kyle, I pointed out that he has overlooked a revenue source of which many 501(C)(3)s are availing themselves. I checked to see how many of the organizations that I support are taking advantage of this opportunity and also the number and legitimacy of other names in the
database.
Then I checked for a Country Music Foundation listing. When I found none, I sought to determine the CMF's eligibility. As best I can tell (one category of eligibility is subjective), the CMF is not only eligible, but could even successfully pursue this fund-raising opportunity independently if it did not see the value in the "network"'s seal of approval/validation.
You would think that Kyle would bring this information to the attention of his rubber-stamp board and that he/they would be chomping at the bit to learn the details.
You would be wrong- but not surprised...
PHIL SWEETLAND
reports that TRISHA WALKER CUNNINGHAM, of Trisha Walker International concert promotions, tells him that I don't know if the Chinese are into country music. I'm not sure they're even familiar with it. Let's face it, we've also had a few problems with China, with contaminated food and toy recalls. These issues involve sloppy work.
Careful, Trisha. The
Country Music Association
may demand you return its
2007 CMA International Award;
an "honor" it bestowed upon you presumably because you wouldn't remind Phil's readers of not only China's sloppy work, but of the
CMA's
own sloppy work dating back to its May 27, 1988 defamation of the People's Republic. On that date, the trade association issued a press release announcing the winner of a Voice of America essay contest for country-music listeners. In an ultimate embarrassment to the VOA, the news release headline came complete with an ethnic slur: Chinaman Wins VOA Letter-Writing Contest.
While an international incident was averted, the clumsy
Country Music Association
effectively aggravated, if not otherwise set back, Sino-American diplomatic relations from that time to the present.
WILLIE NELSON
may be known for his Fourth of July picnics, but
BILL O REILLY
did not laud the
High Times
November 27th cover boy as a patriot during Bill-O(w)'s November 29th "Pinheads and Patriots" segment.
Rather, O'Reilly noted Nelson s pot possession arrest of last year and that the singer paid a $1,000 fine. (Willie's weed, as the magazine points out, was sufficient to warrant a felony charge, but Nelson received only a misdemeanor.)
Bill added that in his mind Willie is not a pinhead, but suggested that some might call him a pothead.
Following his acquittal in a copyright infringement lawsuit,
TOBY KEITH
is using the removal of a gag order to attack the plaintiff.
The singer says the charge against him pissed me off, but his complaint contains no answer to the question, why, if you feel so strongly, didn t you counter sue (for malicious prosecution)?
Grand Ole Opry
statistician/performance chronicler
JOHNNY SHEALY
always claimed to have a lot of friends in the country-music community. Always optimistic, if not in denial, Shealy, a Navy veteran, was probably still convinced he was among pals, even following Johnny s June 26, 1999 arrest on stalking charges, when less than a handful of those friends came to the mildly-retarded fan s defense.
Johnny died November 28th at age 65. His survivors are limited to a brother, sister-in-law and the couple s children. I wonder if Shealy s December 1st funeral at Emory United Methodist Church will be attended by any of his friends - or just by those few people who should have counted most.
I had similar thoughts about JO TROMBLEY. Jo died thinking most of the Opry stars were her friends.
While I witnessed the kindness with which some of the Opry artists treated Jo, I was amazed at the cruelty of a few. Trombley could be a pest, she was oblivious to body language, but many of her idols needed her idolatry. So the situation was, for the most part, from the pre-Gaylord Opry management perspective, manageable.
One of the stars Jo admired did her a big favor at a book store signing: When Trombley's excesses could no longer be ignored, from several aisles away where I was book-browsing, I could hear the Opry guest artist/author give Jo a dressing down. As he chastised her for being oblivious to the others waiting in line while she (guilelessly) monopolized his time, the singer softened the blow by telling Trombley how much he appreciated her support. but that he would appreciate her even more if she got a grip.
My fellow author had a lot of guts raising his voice and laying down the law, but it had to be done. I hope that meant as much to her as the time when my mom came to visit and, as we bumped into Jo while I was showing Mom the Ryman, Mom recognized Trombley's neediness and, at my mother's insistence, we took Jo to lunch.
On a related note, I know first-hand that
Music Row
is full of folks that will praise you to the hilt- privately. While I m grateful for whatever kudos I receive, I get a chuckle out of two particular apple-polishers: One of these calculating types is somewhat of a mentor to the other. Both have public forums such as mine. Both, by design, come across to their readers as something they are not: the type of people who never say a bad word about anyone and never overlook the opportunity to pay a compliment.
I admire Row types who are genuinely complimentary and without guile- having benefited greatly from the example of such folks- but these are not them.
I've listened to the private flattery of me from both, only then to hear the mentor ridicule the acolyte behind this person s back.
I don t have to call names. When you lay it on pretty thick, but
also show your real side AND you aren t there when push comes to shove, your identity-even, in some cases, before you trip up- is pretty obvious to those in your circle.
Congratulations to DICK McVEY! Dick was the subject of a rather flattering profile by MANNIX PORTERFIELD, published in the November 25th edition of Beckley, West Virginia's Register-Herald.
Porterfield magnificently captured the highlights of Dick s long and illustrious career in the music biz, beginning with the time when, as
JIMMY DICKENS
bass guitarist, Dick rescued his employer from a fire in a Washington, D.C. motel.
Staying in the room adjoining Jimmy's in "one of those L-shaped, single-story types favored by traveling musicians," McVey witnessed the blaze "in full bloom down the left side of the motel and immediately repaired to the adjoining unit to his right."
Dick had visions of his own heroism, job security and a big raise as he banged on Jimmy's door. That is, "until Dickens got up, peered outside, sized up the situation and nonchalantly advised him, Wake me up when it gets to your room."
The article doesn't mention if the incident occured during Dickens drinking days, but it does indicate that Jimmy hired Dick after Dickens "fired his bass player and a drummer for smoking pot with the police chief's daughter while performing at a California show for, of all groups, the Fraternal Order of Police."
McVey's "lifetime" employment as one of Dickens Country Boys turned out to be an 18-month tenure that enabled Dick to tour with several big names during the period of McVey s multifaceted career spent as a musician, including
DOLLY PARTON: I got to meet Dolly's husband [the famously-reclusive CARL DEAN]. I m probably one of the few people that's ever been around him. It was a pretty exciting time for me.
Dick, when you write your autobiography, I'm buying the first copy!
What is it with The Church in Society author and Manna for Episcopalians (an online Episcopalians' forum) poster GRADY BARBOUR and
STEVE DOMINY,
pastor of The First Baptist Church of Gatesville, Texas?
The men seem to share a fixation with
TOM T. HALL's
1972 hit, Me and Jesus, 35 years after the song s release!
I ve already explained Pastor Dominy s current fascination with the song. Barbour addressed it in his writing of November 26, 2007 (albeit inaccurately, though perhaps when he refers to Hall s hit he means a cover version if not Tom s hit as a songwriter. Further, Grady needs to be educated about the difference between a verse and a chorus and the terms country vs. country-western music): Now I know that most of you reading this post (assuming that most of you are Episcopalians) are not familiar with the world of Country and Western music. Earlier this year Tom T. Hall had a top ten hit entitled Me and Jesus. Please don t let me get going about the horror I experience when I consider the grammatical errors in this title. I have even more problems with the lyrics! Just take a gander at the first four [lines]
These verses give us, theologically, what, I believe, is a major problem in our Church and in society in general. As we have become more self-centered, we have taken our consumerism into our religious affiliations "
Spelling Communications
Senior Account Executive
BRIAN McWILLIAMS
is pleased to report that Following the conclusion of the American
Music Awards on Monday, November 19th, 2007, industry standard digital distribution system Play MPE celebrated having delivered every winning track to radio through the system With more than 17,000 users and 60,000 songs from more than 1,000 record labels, Destiny's Play MPE system is the most widely used digital distribution system available to the recording and radio industries.
Shame on
The Tennessean
for (as of November 26th) devoting no more space than a paid obituary to note the passing of
DIANNE PETTY EMMONS!
As you read my 1993 Country Fever article
Nashville s Power Women,
pay special attention to Dianne's early experiences, dating back to 1969, on sexist
Music Row.
Dianne Petty, as I knew her, was even more outspoken than she would allow herself to be for publication. That s probably why she was not one of the three (female Record Row execs to whom I referred) who seemed to receive all of the ink of the day; their "reward" for saying the things that wouldn t upset the apple cart, even to the point of protesting too much in that regard, disavowing the inequality of position, pay and power that exists to this day, thanks to the Row s institutional sexism.
My condolences to BLAKE EMMONS, DARREN PETTY and all who are bereaved.
Rumors of duo and band breakups circulate with regularity, so it is wise to be skeptical in the absence of official confirmation and/or evidence. In the instance of the Chicks, the inability of the group, its fans and/or detractors to separate politics from performance makes this particular trio particularly vulnerable to rumors generated by those who long for the trio's professional (if not personal) demise.
The source of this latest rumor is apparently a professional driver, formerly of the Chicks' organization, who claims the trio has broken up and turned in their buses. Their bus had three rooms in it and it had to be converted to a 12-sleeper, which is pretty expensive for the bus company.
At this time of Thanksgiving, I would continue to be remiss if I did not give special thanks to DAN WUNSCH, CRAIG BAGULEY, LOUDILLA, LORETTA and KAY JOHNSON and PHIL SWEETLAND for keeping me on their comp lists.
It s easy to take such consideration for granted, just as it is the influx of invitations I receive. Upcoming occasions requiring an RSVP include one from
TPAC
Senior Public Relations Manager
AMANDA VIRGILLITO,
who has requested my presence at an Media Night (opening night) performance of
IRVING BERLIN s
White Christmas, November 27th at TPAC's (ANDREW) JACKSON Hall. (Performances run through December 2nd.)
Another invitation... This one is from
MEGAN JAKES
and
CHELSEY SHULTS.
The ladies request "Media friends: Please save the date;" that being Thursday, November 29th, the occasion of Combustion Music's BRENT KEITH showcase at The Rutledge.
While other entertainers are happy to make a big show of helping the hungry during the holiday season- as long as the cameras are present-
BRENDA LEE
quietly has made a tradition of extending Thanksgiving hospitality to singles who would otherwise be alone during this family holiday.
Edited by MARK STEISEL, this handy, easily-indexed reference offers the basics of what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do when suddenly confronted with unexpected threats to health and well-being.
STEVE DOMINY,
pastor of The First Baptist Church of Gatesville, Texas, is telling his parishioners
that "While I love listening to
TOM T. HALL,
his theology [as evinced in the lyrics of Me and Jesus, Tom s hit of more than three decades ago], is way off base.
"While it may be that [Hall] writes in response to the kind of judgmental attitude that Jesus condemns, Jesus does not believe the Christian community will be without conflict and gives us the way to deal with conflict between brothers."
Of course, and perhaps rather inconveniently from the sermonizer s viewpoint, Jesus lived as a member of the Jewish community. Then again, Pastor Dominy s theology is consistent with that of anyone who believes in a "my way or the highway" approach to life; a combative philosophy practiced not only by some Christians, but by, say, believers in Islam.
JOHN HUGHEY
is being eulogized, and deservedly so, for his musical contributions.
Like many, Hughey faced the delicate task of moving on from one (famous, in John's case) employer to another. Hughey's artful maneuver, amid his loyalty, was the centerpiece of an interview John granted me several years ago when it was published in Country Music People.
STONEWALL JACKSON
is stonewalling any reaction to
CHARLIE DANIELS
joining the
Grand Ole Opry.
(Will Charlie remain uncharacteristically silent about Jackson s travails with Opry management, relinquishing his soapbox, now that Daniels is one of the family?)
And how would
ROY ACUFF's
react to Charlie's induction? When I interviewed the King of Country Music, backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, for the November, 1978 issue of Country Song Roundup, he told me that he feared for the Opry's musical direction: "If the officials want to let the Opry go rock 'n' roll, I won't do nothing- only turn in my resignation.
"But as long as I'm there, I want to see it kept neat and clean. I want to see people go out on that stage without too much hair all over their face. I like to see people where you can look at them and tell whether they re blushing or not."
I remember Acuff calling Charlie "old beardy face," while simultaneously emphasizing that "I appreciate Charlie Daniels. When he comes here, he comes to see me.
"I'm glad to see Charlie Daniels. He's a good artist of his kind."
An interesting thought from GRAEME NEWELL:
"The DIXIE CHICKS
MySpace page [promoting] Shut up and Sing invited
visitors to speak their mind [sic] on free speech.
At the beginning of the Iraq war, the [Chicks] were labeled as traitors because of anti-war comments. Record stores quickly banished their albums. The MySpace page stoked the fires of controversy by challenging the audience to define the line between legitimate expression and traitorous slander.
"Conversational marketing has worked for the Dixie Chicks. Their records are climbing back up the charts. Music always loves a rebel. The Dixie Chicks are re-branding themselves as unrepentant pushy agitators who aren't afraid of a fight. They embrace their supporters AND their critics."
Tattoos have always worked for them, too. Promises to add body art with each number one record weren't the most legitimate ways to zoom up the chart past worthy competitors who relied on artistry alone, but they marked the Chicks first stab at conversational marketing. (No, I'm not needling you.)
Following the events of November 6th,
when
DEBORAH SIERCHIO
and
JILL KLEINER
assured me that
"MARY KAY
doesn't like controversy," they and
MARTINA McBRIDE
are casting more than a bystander's eye toward the irony of the circumstances that have
TRAVIS TRITT's
manager, DUKE COOPER (BUNNY's hubby), suggesting Travis may end up suing the parent company of Travis' record label if the case can be made that, by association with business partners who were up to no good, Travis was the unwitting victim of having his good name tarnished by those hurting the very people fans associate with Tritt's high-profile efforts to lend a hand.
DEVON O'DAY
has extended a November 17th invitation for me to join "Hip & camp; Holy Songwriter KIM McLEAN (whose credits include songs by
PAM TILLIS,
TIM McGRAW
and
TRISHA YEARWOOD)
at Kim's First Lutheran Church showcase- near
Music Row.
(McLean is the congregation's Tuesday night bible study leader.)
Belated thanks to all of you for the great response to the new CD and DVD review page
here. We re still working some bugs out of the layout. But we thought time was of the essence, so hang on.
If
R.HORTON FRANK III,
DICK FRANK's son, hasn't instructed his receptionist to hang up on callers, it might be helpful if he'd let her know.
Etiquette lessons might also be prove helpful to
TOM COYNE.
Responding to the second of two emails (Hey, it was the equivalent of what worked during the Cuban Missile Crisis),
Tom
called me November 15th under false pretenses. EMILY POST, and Coyne's clients, would tell Tom that when you are on a speakerphone, in the presence of others (presumably recording the call, as seemed evident in what appeared to be an attempt to be self-serving), you disclose that immediately. You also state the true purpose of your call.
When I wouldn't take the bait, self-proclaimed crisis management "expert" Coyne grew frustrated.
The fat lady doesn t sing on your say-so, Tom, regardless of how it may appear in the short run. You could make it happen, but not the way you're going about it.
It's as simple as doing the right thing. If you don t understand that now, you will.
After all, TEDDY and DOYLE's supporters include such heavy-hitters as Former President
GEORGE H.W. BUSH,
presidential candidate
MIKE HUCKABEE,
Arkansas Governor
MIKE BEEBE,
3rd Judicial Circuit Court Judges KEVIN KING and HAROLD ERWIN, Circuit Judge PHILIP SMITH, Sharp County District Court Judge MARK JOHNSON, Sharp County Judge LARRY BROWN, Sharp County Sheriff DALE WEAVER, Sharp Circuit and County Court Clerk TOMMY ESTES, Sharp County Tax Collector CHARLOTTE RATLIFF, Sharp County Assessor KATHY NIX, Sharp County Treasurer WANDA GIRTMAN, Attorney TOM GARNER,
(all of whom have sent letters to the
Country Music Association
and/or it Board of Directors), as well as Hardy, Arkansas Mayor NINA THORNTON (who has enlisted the help of Mountain Home, Arkansas Congressman MARION BERRY and who has joined Hardy Alderrmen BOB GILLILAND, NATHAN CIRCLE, RAYMOND HICKS, SUE TAYLOR, AMY HUSSUNG and JACK HUFFMASTER in signing a petition directed to
CMA s
Board on the Wilburns' behalf).
At age 70,
BILL ANDERSON
makes references to his two divorces a part of his act. It's as though, as the son of a happily-married couple, Bill's astonished how he got here from there.
A 70-year-old woman might have a clue. But it was
ICEBERG-FAQ #21,
who, like Bill, is no stranger to the red carpet, who wondered why Anderson squired the ex-wife of Bill's former guitar player, GREGG GALBRAITH to the November 7th
CMA Awards.
Vickie and long-time, controversial Tennessee State Fair Concessioner MAX SALAS "divorced last Spring and Vickie moved back to Nashville shortly thereafter. Vickie would be 54 now."
Else why would Belmont allow COURTNEY DRAKE, a junior journalism major, to accept a
Country Music Association
award as "the student who demonstrated the most creativity, dedication and promise in covering the 2007
CMA Music Festival"
while "on assignment from the association."
Such an "assignment" isn't "journalism," it's promotion.
I would consider it an honor to win such an award if it came from some other source, but this former "Journalist of the Year" award has never been anything but a suck-up kudo. After I exposed the initial "qualification" (the award went to the journalist who best "promotes" country music), pointing out that journalists are not supposed to "promote" anything, the "purpose" was slightly modified.
However, the award was capriciously given, always on
ED BENSON s
whim and on an irregular schedule.
Benson's successor, the
First Lady of the Country Music Association,
TAMMY GENOVESE,
bureaucratized the process. Now "CMA member publicists nominate media candidates for consideration. The top five nominees are collected and sent to the publicist panel for a second round of voting. The overall winner is presented to the CMA Executive Committee for approval.
Top Five nominees? Are there that many suck ups? (Don't get me wrong. Of the 25 winners, a couple are outstanding journalists. I'm just sorry they haven t worked to make the Award legitimate; something of which a hard-working, ethical winner, dedicated to her/his profession, would be proud.)
Since my invitation to the
Americana Music Association's
Halloween costume party/memorial "salute" to
PORTER WAGONER
indicated that there would be prizes for the best costumes, I went dressed as "The Thin Man from West Plains" himself!
I had to modify my rhinestone suit, though. Since it was a pullover that didn t allow me to flash an embroidered lining, I taped a piece of orange paper on which I had written Hi to my arm, a visible vestige of the Wagonmaster available for all to see every time I shook hands, if not before.
I didn t really expect to win the contest, since my hair doesn t lend itself to Porter s once-blond pompadour. But, unlike most such competitions, about which is it is often said there were no losers, apparently with this one there were no winners. That is to say, I saw no judges and no prizes being given out and I was there the entire time!
At least, I was far from the only one in costume!
It was a wonderful evening, though! How many times do you see Nashville Mayor
KARL DEAN,
NORMA JEAN,
JANET RENO
and Porter s daughter, DEBRA JEAN in the same room?
As I was attempting to find Norma Jean, I got distracted. Not only did I run into
BILL WENCE,
I got to meet my hero,
JESSE GOLDBERG!
Jesse gave me his last copy of a CD featuring performances of his that you can view on YouTube, prompting me to introduce Goldberg to BARRY McCLOUD and to tell Jesse that he ought to have Barry and me on his show. That would be pretty scary, wouldn t it?
I never did get to speak with Norma Jean, that night or at Porter's funeral, but one of her fans senses a sore spot that Porter's biographer,
STEVE ENG,
seemed to anticipate in his 1992 Wagoner biography,
Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner:
Perhaps Porter Wagoner did care deeply for his fans. But when it came to his own flesh and blood daughter, ROMA, he and his family chose to pretend that she didn't exist.
"Pretty Miss Norma Jean," Porter's first female vocalist, who was with his TV show and road show for seven years, made the ultimate sacrifice. She gave up her career in 1967, when she became pregnant with Porter's child.
"At that time, a child born out of wedlock was not socially acceptable. A statement was released, saying that Norma Jean had moved back to Oklahoma, leaving (married) Porter Wagner's reputation intact. (It's interesting to note that Porter and his wife did not live together for over 40 years, but never divorced).
"Porter acknowledged Roma and contributed, financially, to her support through the years. They had a relationship. At the funeral home visitation, Wagner family photos were displayed, but there was
no photo of Roma."
