Gene Watson Bids Farewell to Paisley Party
- A negative review motivated Brad Paisley to one-up his concert in Memphis:
“The last time we played here in Memphis I got the worst review I think I’ve ever gotten. I remember it saying, among other things, that I was no Gene Watson,” Paisley said Thursday night to the crowd in Memphis. “I certainly agree with that. That gave me an idea. In the spirit of giving everyone their money’s worth, I asked Gene if he would join the show. I am so thrilled to have the real deal here tonight. There’s nothing like kicking off the final leg of the Paisley Party with the one and only Gene Watson singing his amazing ‘Farewell Party.’ “
- Watch the trailer for Peace Queer: The Movie, which can be purchased on Todd Snider’s website along with three exclusive audio tracks. (via A Truer Sound)
- As one of the most powerful acts in country music, Rascal Flatts has access every major songwriter’s A-list catalog. Their next single, however, will be “Here Comes Goodbye,” written by American Idol castoff Chris Sligh. It’s Sligh’s first cut.
- Stephen Holden reviewed Patty Loveless‘ concert on Thursday evening for The New York Times.
- In another New York Times article, Rosanne Cash recalls the inaugural ball she performed at for Clinton’s first term and how she asked her dad to join her for a few songs.
Dad was supposed to come in after four bars, but he just stood at the front of the stage, strumming the guitar I had lent him in an absentminded-way, and surveying the crowd. I felt a surge of alarm. Four more bars went by. Had he forgotten the words? Forgotten where he was supposed to come in? I even whispered loudly to him, “Dad!”
He looked back at me over his shoulder and gave me a little self-satisfied smile. He started tapping his foot, swinging his ankle back and forth, in a way that was so iconic, so him: the sultry internal rhythm of a boy from the Mississippi Delta.
- Listen to an interview with Ben Nichols, lead singer of Lucero, on NPR. He talks about his newest EP, Last Pale Light in the West, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel Blood Meridian and plays a couple of tracks in the studio.
- This week’s edition of “Quotable Country” takes aim at season three contestants of CMT’s Gone Country.
- Matthew Houck is an alt-country singer that performs under the stage of name of Phosphorescent, but his most recent album is a collection of Willie Nelson covers titled To Willie, which pays homage to Willie’s own album To Lefty From Willie. Listen to the opening track and Merle Haggard penned “Reasons to Quit” on Texas Music Matters.
- Twang Nation published a review of the album last week.
- Melodic Sunburst dug up Gone But Not Forgotten, an album of traditional country by Dottie Rager that finds the Jordanaires joining her for a couple of tracks and Walt Wilkins for another.
Gone But Not Forgotten is built around heartache: the poetential for it, the experience and recovery from it, and ultimately, forgiveness for it. Listeners will be hard-pressed to find one truly cheerful song among the eleven tracks, but Rager delivers each number with an assuredness that makes the hurtful predicaments she sings about strangely inspirational.
- Download “Hesitation Blues” from the upcoming Willie and the Wheel album.
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[...] Gene was to release one further album on Warner Brothers, but he had no more hit singles. He has recorded for various indie labels since, and recently made the news when Brad Paisley invited him to open a show for him in Memphis. [...]
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January 19, 2009 at 11:32 am Permalink
I haven’t read the lyrics yet, but I hope you’re not trying to discredit Sligh’s writing ability simply because it’s his first cut. And I know you guys generally strongly dislike Rascal Flatts (I’m there with you), but I don’t think it’s right to take a shot at them for passing up the “A-list catalog” to pick up a song from a first-time writer. Hope that wasn’t the attempt.
January 19, 2009 at 11:41 am Permalink
I wrote that news blurb, and there’s no hidden motive. I just think it’s funny that being on American Idol, a show which requires no songwriting talent, allows you to leapfrog hundreds of extremely talented writers who (no doubt) have dozens of fantastic songs.
January 19, 2009 at 11:48 am Permalink
To be fair about Chris Sligh, he is building a reputation for himself as a promising singer/songwriter in the Christian music category, so it’s not as much of an oddball pick as you’d first think.
January 19, 2009 at 12:03 pm Permalink
Many thanks for the mention. :)
Re: the new RF single – Clint Lagerberg (the co-writer on “Here Comes Goodbye”) posted a blog about the story behind the song.
January 19, 2009 at 12:39 pm Permalink
@ ccdixon — thanks for the link to that blog. That in itself leads me to believe that it wasnt so much the AI connection as it was the Craig Wiseman / Big Loud Shirt connection that actually got it to the “Flatts camp”. So although it might not be from the “A list” writers, it is still definitely strongly associated with said list. I’ll be listening for the song.
January 19, 2009 at 12:48 pm Permalink
Hmmm, I heard the clip of the Flatts song – seems like they succeeded in writing specifically for Flatts.
LeVox also sounds a little different on this track… doesn’t extend up into that upper register of his voice as much.
I’ll be interested in hearing the full track.
January 19, 2009 at 1:24 pm Permalink
Jim,
I doubt that Chris Sligh’s being on American Idol had anything to due with the song being picked up.
January 19, 2009 at 1:27 pm Permalink
I am 100% positive that it did. Because I think if Chris Sligh were just a guy who happened to move to Nashville, it would take 5-7 years before he was able to develop the connections needed to land a top tier cut.
Unless the song is absolutely incredible. Which it may be. But I doubt it. Not because he’s not talented (he may be) but because there aren’t a lot of absolutely incredible songs in the world.
So no, I disagree, Matt–I am sure his being on AI had something to do with in. There’s nothing wrong with that, but let’s be realistic.
January 19, 2009 at 1:28 pm Permalink
oops. Spelled that wrong. After reading the story behind the song it looks as if the co-writer is the one who made the song happen (along with Craig Wiseman’s “Big Loud Shirt” publishing company).
January 19, 2009 at 1:29 pm Permalink
Every once in a while, even The New York Times gets something right. :)
January 19, 2009 at 2:28 pm Permalink
Yes they did Razor, except for her hometown (Pikeville, not Pineville) and the title of the Gretchen Peters song she performed. But other than that…. :)
January 19, 2009 at 3:09 pm Permalink
I think I agree with Jim – if Chris Sligh hadn’t had the immediate recognition a show like American Idol brings, he wouldn’t even be able to have his song played for the Flatts boys.
And thanks for the link to the Rosanne Cash piece in the NY Times. It’s been several months since she’s had a new column up. What an amazing story too – we all knew Johnny Cash had rhythm, but examples are always valuable.
January 19, 2009 at 3:21 pm Permalink
J.R.,
According to the co-writer, Clint Lagerberg, This song was pushed and promoted by HIM and his publishers, not Sligh or his publisher. It’s that simple.
January 19, 2009 at 3:54 pm Permalink
And I’m sure Clint never mentioned he wrote it with that guy from AI.
January 19, 2009 at 4:15 pm Permalink
I can’t believe you guys are arguing about something that involves both Rascal Flatts and American Idol as they both are irrelevant to real country music.(lol)
Patty Loveless sang four songs off “Sleepless Nights” on A Prairie Home Companion this past Saturday and sounded great. I don’t own the “Sleepless Nights” album and was surprised at how musically awkward the title song was and wished sshe had chosen any other song off the album rather than that cut.
Its nice that Brad Paisley introduced his concert audience to a great talent like Gene Watson. I would venture to guess the vast majority of audience members had absolutely no idea who Gene is because the radio stations Brad’s fans listen to never play his great older songs. What a shame…
January 19, 2009 at 4:32 pm Permalink
Rick, that title track took awhile to sink into my ears too and now it’s my fave off the album – ya don’t often hear a key change in the middle of a verse and i think that’s what may have caused the “awkwardness”
January 19, 2009 at 5:15 pm Permalink
I didn’t know there was so much power in finishing in 10th place on American Idol two years ago. I’m sure there was a huge demand for songs from one of the people who did worse than Sanjaya Malakar.
January 19, 2009 at 5:35 pm Permalink
This isn’t how it works. You don’t meet up with an A-list writer and get your first cut on a Rascal Flatts disc unless you’re amazing. Actually, it doesn’t happen even if you’re amazing.
There’s a reason they say Nashville is a seven year town. The fact that Sligh was about to jump around that? Of course it has something to do with Idol.
It’s not a criticism, I’d do it to. Good on him for exploiting his resources. But it’s a glaring example of what’s wrong with the Nashville system.
January 19, 2009 at 6:23 pm Permalink
You also said the writers on Flatts records have to be amazing, and I definitely disagree…
Yeah, Sligh being on AI has to have something to with it.
Rick, the title track is by far my favorite track on the album, just keep listening to it!
January 19, 2009 at 6:34 pm Permalink
Peter and Chris D., the key change definitely threw me for a loop as this was my first encounter with the song “Sleepless Nights”. I can understand how these types of songs can grow on you as that happened with me on Shelby Lynne’s “Where Do We Go From Here” on her excellent early western swing album “Temptation”. It took my brain a few times through that song to adapt to key changes that baffled me initially.
January 19, 2009 at 7:27 pm Permalink
The title track from Patty’s album is my favorite too!
January 19, 2009 at 7:43 pm Permalink
“You don’t meet up with an A-list writer and get your first cut on a Rascal Flatts disc unless you’re amazing.”
If you’re that amazing, why not hold out for someone amazing to record your song, instead of settling for Rascal Flatts?
January 19, 2009 at 8:38 pm Permalink
Rick’s Random Tidbits: Think mainstream country radio can’t get any worse? Guess again! Clear Channel is about to begin a big restructuring that will affect its radio stations nationwide. The details are discussed in this article in the New York Post:
Link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/01162009/business/clear_channel_plans_revamp_150374.htm
The paragraph that makes me cringe most is:
“Clear Channel is also likely to move toward a ‘national programming’ model that would require less local-level staffing, despite being criticized in the past for a similar action using centralized disc jockeys that made it appear as though they were broadcasting from local stations.”
Uhoh….
January 19, 2009 at 9:56 pm Permalink
Clear Channel is the worst. That being said, they’re cutting mostly unproductive sales staffers and likely are willing to cut free overpriced hacks as well.
January 19, 2009 at 10:42 pm Permalink
Aside from doing the media thing I also work in the industry and I can agree with Jim that writers do not get A-list cuts unless they are on a show like American Idol, have a connected family member, or put in their dues. In Nashville it is longer than other scenes so to start getting A-list cuts you are going to have to put in 2-3 good cuts as well as have a good catalog and play the politics that are Nashville. If Chris sligh wasn’t on the show then he wouldn’t have gotten the cut.
January 20, 2009 at 12:28 am Permalink
“If you’re that amazing, why not hold out for someone amazing to record your song, instead of settling for Rascal Flatts?”
Because you’ll make a freakin’ boatload of cash. I’d rather have a Rascal Flatts cut than any other artist in Nashville. It’s guaranteed money.
January 20, 2009 at 8:27 am Permalink
“Because you’ll make a freakin’ boatload of cash. I’d rather have a Rascal Flatts cut than any other artist in Nashville. It’s guaranteed money.”
I’d rather be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that I didn’t contribute to the further destruction of this genre.
January 20, 2009 at 8:28 am Permalink
Rick, re:
“Clear Channel is also likely to move toward a ‘national programming’ model that would require less local-level staffing, despite being criticized in the past for a similar action using centralized disc jockeys that made it appear as though they were broadcasting from local stations.”
Haven’t they been doing that all along?
January 20, 2009 at 9:08 am Permalink
I’d take a Flatts cut for sure. :-)
January 22, 2009 at 5:55 pm Permalink
A quote from Chris Sligh in a post on the CMT Blog:
After [co-writer Clint Lagerberg] and I turned that song in last April, our publisher called the next day and was squealing ‘You got a Rascal Flatts hold.’ I didn’t even know what that meant.
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