Country Singer/Songwriters Are Hot Investments
- When someone starts talking about IPOs and investing my eyes gloss over, but if you have some money to blow, I mean invest, then country music is apparently a hot commodity. And by “some money,” I mean a minimum of $500,000.
Country singer/songwriters are the single hottest investment property you can find in 2008. A new artist that writes their own original material will literally make an investor three to four times their investment with original copyrights now paying over a million dollars for one hit record (ASCAP,BMI or SESAC) that stays in the charts an average of 21-23 weeks.
- Gretchen Wilson’s latest single, “You Don’t Have To Go Home,” released way back in September, is showing some surprising legs at radio. In the past seven days the song has jumped 53 spots on the MediaBase country chart, up to #54 from #107. The song’s spins have increased to 83 in the same period–up from 55. WBCT-Grand Rapids, and WIVK-Knoxville, are leading the charge, accounting for more than half of the song’s total audience. No word yet on why the renewed interest in an otherwise dead track.
- Michael McFadden, artistic producer of “Ring of Fire–The Music of Johnny Cash,” says that the show tries to present the full measure of Johnny Cash.
“The show is a celebration of Johnny Cash but no one can truly play Johnny Cash,” he said. “The singers theatricalize the numbers with their own styles.”
McFadden continued, “But people come to hear those great songs and the treat will be the audience will hear great artists perform the songs. Doing it this way gives us the freedom of having different voices, lots of harmonies, different arrangements that we can mix to make it very visual and exciting.
The 9513’s very own Matt C caught the show and wrote a review yesterday.
- Country Universe published the last two installments of “The Fifty Best Debut Singles of All-Time” and it features artists like Dolly Parton, Lefty Frizzell, Dwight Yoakum, and Deana Carter. You don’t want to miss the top spot, so check ‘em out: part four and five.
- After high school Adam Hood gave up playing music for a while to focus on raising his daughter, but he couldn’t stay gone. He played nearly 300 shows across the country last year. Read his Q&A with 210SA and then go check out some of his music on MySpace.
- Country Mike discovered a YouTube video of Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack covering the famous George Jones-Tammy Wynette duet “Golden Ring”. Funny thing is, Jackson calls her “Lou Ann” at the beginning of the video.
- The author of latherblather posted five videos from his fourth straight year at the Dale Watson Christmas show at the Continental Club in Austin, and he shares the following interaction between Watson and a random lady who wanted to sing:
Dale: What key do you want
Random Woman: I don’t know I am just going to sing
Dale: Ok start singing
Random Woman sings off mic
Dale plays a few notes on his guitar
Dale to band: B-flat guys
Song gets playedThat should give you a bit of an idea how good these musicians are.
- If you weren’t able to attend MusicFest–the Mecca of Red Dirt music–in Steamboat, Colorado this year you can still catch some live performances on XM channel 12. Check out LoneStarMusic for the schedule.
- Toby Keith still remembers in detail the first time he heard himself on country radio, it’s a moment he shared with Shania Twain on a bus for their first tour.
- American Idol season 6 finalist Phil Stacey released his debut single to country radio today. “If You Didn’t Love Me” was co-written by Wendell Mobley, Jason Sellers and Rascal Flatts’s Gary LeVox.
- The Lost Highway lists the fifteen best country albums of 2007.
- Matraca Berg had her first hit at 18 with “Faking Love”, a co-write with Bobby Braddock that went No. 1 for T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks. Read her Q&A with Peter Cooper.
Does the best stuff get through?
No. I think there are unbelievable songs out there that will never see the light of day. There’s always a great one that slips through and has mass appeal, but it’s harder these days because of the corporate mentality of music right now. Every now and then a “Whiskey Lullaby” slips through, or a “Bless the Broken Road.”
- As the decade mark passes by Tom Roland remembers the grand duel that ensued between LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood over the song “How Do I Live”. It was the first time in history that two singers squared off in the same category with the same song at the Grammy Awards.
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In each and every instance, the best country albums of the past ten years were built on the backs of songs -- stories about you and me from birth to death and stories that paint landscapes rooted in every region of America and beyond. These are the top country albums of the decade.Tagged In This Article
Adam Hood // Alan Jackson // American Idol // Dale Watson // Deana Carter // Dolly Parton // George Jones // Gretchen Wilson // Johnny Cash // LeAnn Rimes // Lee Ann Womack // Lefty Frizzell // Lonestar // Matraca Berg // Rascal Flatts // Red Dirt // Shania Twain // Toby Keith // Trisha Yearwood
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6 Comments
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January 15, 2008 at 7:26 pm Permalink
Taylor Swift is the best song writter
January 27, 2008 at 11:36 am Permalink
Howdy, I found this article and web-site while I was surfing the web and I just wanted to introduce myself to you! My name is Brady Redding
and I am a Texas country music singer/songwriter with 2 cd’s to my credit! One that was produced in Texas and one that was produced at the best and with the best in Nashville!! You can find my music at http://www.soundclick.com/bradyredding!
Please visit my web-site and I sincerely hope you enjoy my music and help me spread the word about myself!
From A Texas Singer/Songwriter
Lost In The Shuffle
May 26, 2008 at 8:19 am Permalink
i have a song called 4 inchces of print.It’s about death and what it means to the living.I need
someone who’s estabilished to look and see if they want it. i’ve got hundreds more
January 3, 2009 at 6:31 pm Permalink
Devin Derrick is steep in traditional country.The same country that won the 42nd CMA awards.Johnny wrote #8 on this cd to be play for June at his funeral as a suprise but as we know,June past first.Devin is the only one John Carter has allowed to record this song (Lady).Please go to the site and enjoy this cd (HonkyTonk Mood),produced by John Carter Cash.Thanks,Joe Burris-Manager-Devin Derrick Band
January 3, 2010 at 10:38 am Permalink
Hey there,
Very cool site! I am one of those singer/songwriters you are talking about. I moved to Austin 2 years ago and am lovin’ every lone star minute!
Plans are underway to take my musical tribute to the troops across the country. Please check out my website and music, and I’d love to hear back from you!
Keep up the great work!
Teri Hart
January 3, 2010 at 3:43 pm Permalink
Dale: What key do you want
Random Woman: I don’t know I am just going to sing
Dale: Ok start singing
Random Woman sings off mic
Dale plays a few notes on his guitar
Dale to band: B-flat guys
Song gets played
That should give you a bit of an idea how good these musicians are.
Just came across this – really funny!
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