It was thirty years ago this week – June 14, 1990 – that Trisha Yearwood performed a showcase at the Douglas Corner Café in Nashville for invited record label executives. This led to a record deal with MCA. Among the songs Trisha sang was “She’s In Love With the Boy,” written by Jon Ims. MCA execs must have been impressed with Trisha and the song: “She’s In Love With the Boy” became the lead single from her self-titled debut album and topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Sadly, the iconic Douglas Corner that has been closed since the pandemic shutdown began in Nashville, and the owner said recently that he would not be reopening as it would be impossible to stay in business while following the strict social distancing requirements. Douglas Corner has been a mainstay for songwriters and rising artists since the late 80s.
See a Garth Brooks show – at a drive-in theater. Garth Brooks has always been good at getting around problems with creative solutions and staying touch with his fans. On June 27, Garth will perform a live concert created exclusively for this event that will be seen only at 300 drive-in theaters across North America. The concert will be the largest ever one-night show to play at outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada.
“I am so excited to get to play again. I have missed it so much and want to get back to it,” said Brooks. “This drive-in concert allows us all to get back to playing live music without the uncertainty of what would be the result to us as a community. This is old school, new school, and perfect for the time we are in.”
The price will be $100 per car or truck, and the show sites will adhere to guidelines from the CDC as well as state and local health mandates. Tickets go on sale at 12:00 noon ET at Ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks where you can also review participating drive-in theaters in your area.
Heidi Newfield has set a new release date for The Barfly Sessions. The album will now be released August 28, 2020. Newfield co-produced The Barfly Sessions with Jim “Moose” Brown who is best known as the band leader of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band. Heidi’s collaborators and co-writers on the new album include Randy Houser, Jim Lauderdale, Delbert McClinton, Rivers Rutherford, Chris Stapleton, and Kenny Vaughan.
A Northern California native, Heidi grew up on a Quarter Horse ranch and chose a music career as a teenager, eventually as part of Trick Pony with hits such as “Pour Me,” “On a Night Like This” and “It’s a Heartache” bringing awards, acclaim and packed houses. She has writing credits on 12 of the 14 tracks on The Barfly Sessions, and many of the tracks feature her unmistakable harmonica playing. You can see a teaser for the track, “The Blues Is My Business” featuring Delbert McClinton, at YouTube. More about Heidi, her music and upcoming shows at https://heidinewfieldmusic.com/
During the pandemic restrictions and the need for social distancing, video production pretty much screeched to a halt. But that didn’t stop Matt Stell who created a music video in a Nashville bar with a cast of 13 characters… all of them played by Matt Stell himself! The hilarious and unique new video – for Stell’s new track “If I Was A Bar” – was filmed at Nashville’s Fleet Street Pub with only 3 crew members, including director Dustin Haney, and no co-stars. The shoot includes 13 different characters – personalities such as “cool guy Matt, “post-breakup Matt,” “drummer Matt,” “bartender Matt” and more.
“If I Was A Bar” comes on the heels of his current Top 25 and climbing single, “Everywhere But On,” and his debut multi-week #1 Platinum smash, “Prayed For You.”
“It was so much fun,” says Stell. “We basically took different aspects of my personality and turned them up to eleven for this. Doing it reminded me of some of my favorite scenes in my favorite movies.” The new song was written by Dan Isbell, Zach Kale and Jonathan Singleton and the song is produced by Ash Bowers and Matt. Find tour tours and a link to the video at https://www.mattstell.com/ or go directly to the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYzZzVOkjA
He knew when to fold ‘em: On the morning of June 16, 1978, Kenny Rogers arrived at Jack Clements Studios in Nashville and recorded “The Gambler.” They went out for lunch, came back to the studio in the afternoon, and Kenny recorded “All I Ever Need Is You,” a duet with Dottie West. Not a bad day’s work…
- “All I Ever Need Is You” had previously been recorded by Ray Charles as an album track, and by Sonny & Cher as a single, both in 1971. Kenny & Dottie’s version topped the Country Singles chart in 1979.
- An instrumental version of the song, by Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, was nominated for “Best Country Instrumental Performance” at the 1973 Grammys.
College of Songology Minute
When you come to Nashville with dreams of becoming a singer or songwriter, there are SO many ways that dream can fade away – along with your money – unless you arm yourself with some basic knowledge.
There is a lot to learn, and you have to treat your time in Nashville the way a doctor would think of her time in Med School. Every day, you are gaining knowledge and experience.
There are five areas we will take a look at – today and over the next four weeks.
- Songwriting: how to “play well with others”
- Copyright: The essential tool to protect your creations
- Licensing: Where your money comes from
- Performing Rights Organizations: Why a P.R.O. is your B.F.F.
- Music Publishing: Getting your songs “out there”
Songwriting
Even if you are sure you simply want to be a singer, getting familiar with the basics of songwriting is still important. It helps you learn the structure of a song, rather than simply singing other people’s words.
- Start a ‘hook book.’ Words and phrases that might be a song title (or inspiration for a song) at a future writing session.
- Write with others. Most songs on the charts are co-writes between two or more songwriters.
- Keep writing – constantly! The next song you write will always be better than the first one you wrote! Hit songwriters will always tell you about the “awful songs” they wrote when they started out.
- Start a file. Always keep a file of songs you write and who you wrote with.
That’s just a brief overview! Anyone interested in knowing more about the subject of songwriting and how to get started can reach me at [email protected]
Next week, we’ll take a quick look at Copyright and how you protect the music you create.
Billboard Country Airplay Top 5 for the week of June 20
- (3) “I Hope You’re Happy Now” Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
- (2) “Does To Me” Luke Combs ft. Eric Church
- (4) “Chasin’ You” Morgan Wallen
- (6) “Here & Now” Kenny Chesney
- (5) “Nobody But You” Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani
- A new No. 1 this week, and Carly Pearce’s second chart-topper on Billboard’s Country Airplay. It’s the second single from Carly’s self-titled studio album on the Big Machine label.
- Three of the top 5 songs are duets this week.
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“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: Can you name the country group that had formed in Canada under the name 12 Gauge before changing their name and moving to Nashville where they scored their first No. 1 in 2007?
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No. 1 Country Songs this week over the years
June 16, 1987 “Forever and Ever, Amen” Randy Travis
June 16, 1997 “It’s Your Love” Tim McGraw w/Faith Hill
June 16, 2007 “Moments” Emerson Drive
June 16, 2017 “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt
- “Body Like A Back Road” remained No. 1 for a total of 34 weeks, setting a new record for weeks spent at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was toppled from the top spot on the October 21, 2017 chart by “What Ifs” from Kane Brown ft. Lauren Alaina.
- …and… “Lucille” by Kenny Rogers was No 1 on the pop singles chart in England, June 16, 1977
This week’s Country Music Birthdays
June 15 Waylon Jennings, 1937 (died Feb 13, 2002)
June 16 Billy “Crash” Craddock
June 18 Blake Shelton, 1976
June 20 Chuck Wicks (TV’s Nashville), 1979
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“I Know Country” Q&A ANSWER: That’s Emerson Drive whose first No. 1 was “Moments” that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on June 16, 2007. (see below)
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Preshias Harris is a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
Harris is also the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
