Steel Magnolia – “Keep on Loving You”
As past Nashville Star and American Idol contestants can attest, winning a television singing competition isn’t the same as winning a slot on ever-shrinking radio playlists, much less a long-term career in music. In fact, the very quality that often makes acts stand out on such shows–sounding polished and professional, like something you’d hear on the radio–can, ironically, hurt an artist’s prospects when it comes to winning actual radio play.
All of the sudden, these artists are launched into a new game where everything sounds as good as what you hear on the radio, but there’s only enough space for a fraction of it. Having proven their ability to fit in to the commercial scene, these acts are charged with the new task of differentiating themselves within that scene.
That’s basically the challenge Can You Duet winners Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones, a real-life couple whose musical partnership comes tagged with the rather uninspired Steel Magnolia moniker, face with their debut single. Coupled with that, there’s the additional oddness (on the audience’s end) of hearing for the first time what you’ve only seen on the show. Steel Magnolia gives standout live performances (a fact which helped it win the competition), but live performances and studio recordings are altogether different beasts. Will the magic translate, or will viewers find that stage presence blinded them to underlying musical deficiencies?
The duo’s debut single for Big Machine Records is “Keep On Lovin’ You,” written by Chris Stapleton and Trent Willmon. Their sultry dynamic actually does translate pretty well to record, and the interplay between the two voices on this track is legitimately enjoyable. The song sounds like a standard-issue rocking love song–and indeed it was chosen for them by head cheese Scott Borchetta–but they pull it off with apparent ease and conviction. This could be a release by a major act; it doesn’t have much of that second-rate reality show stink about it. (But then, of course, Can You Duet isn’t just any old reality show.)
Given that it’s not much better or much worse than any other songs vying for radio slots, this single will ultimately live or die by Big Machine’s ability to mobilize Steel Magnolia’s existing fanbase. The inherent difficulties of launching acts from reality shows being what they are, I’ll give “Keep On Lovin’ You” a qualified thumbs-up, based on the fact that it does it exactly what it sets out to do: it’s a likable performance that gives the duo a real shot at commercial relevance. If this proves enough to get their career started on the right foot, I might be a little more prone to nitpick next time.
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Trackback URI for this postSeptember 5, 2009
[...] CM Wilcox reviewed Steel Magnolia’s first single, “Keep On Loving You.” The duo is the newly crowned victor of the CMT show Can You [...]
September 15, 2009
[...] The 9513 says Magnolia pulls it off ; Roughstock thinks that only country radio can keep this one down Link to my Country Music blogCopy the code below and paste it in your website or myspace page to link to this post. <a href="http://www.thegeorgiajukebox.com/2009/09/15/steel-magnolia-keep-on-lovin-you/" >Steel Magnolia “Keep On Lovin’ You”</a> [...]
October 23, 2009
[...] 2009 Steel Magnolia – “Keep on Loving You” Randy Houser – “My Kind of Country” Heartland – [...]
26 Comments
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September 4, 2009 at 9:40 am Permalink
I can hear the difference in this track and their live performances on the show already. This doesn’t sound like anything they performed live. I’ve been impressed with the quality of talent on Can You Duet for both seasons, and it was pretty much a given these two would win once it came down to the final 3 or 4 acts. They definitely possess the vocal chops and the stage presence a country star needs.
It’s damn near impossible for me to pick what will and won’t hit – as I’ve learned my track record in that area is seriously lacking – but I will go out on a limb and predict these guys won’t make it past the top 20 with this. Much like Caitlin & Will, Steel Magnolia sounds too much like Lady Antebellum to break through at radio right now. That’s my opinion …
Great review too. Love the first 2 paragraphs.
September 4, 2009 at 9:49 am Permalink
I totally think this sounds like a Lady A song. I like this guy’s voice better, but I’d otherwise confuse the two acts based on the song. Again, I don’t have GAC, so I missed the show. Therefore, based on this song alone, I’m not in.
September 4, 2009 at 9:51 am Permalink
I meant, CMT, not GAC, though I have neither channel.
September 4, 2009 at 10:53 am Permalink
i like this duo.
September 4, 2009 at 11:10 am Permalink
J.R. Journey said: “Much like Caitlin & Will, Steel Magnolia sounds too much like Lady Antebellum to break through at radio right now. That’s my opinion …”
J.R. I have to disagree with you on this one. I think that the more a new act sounds like a currently successful Top 20 act, the better their chances of getting radio airplay. Radio is into playing it safe and really unique artists with a sound different from all the stuff getting played rarely break through the radio barrier. Joey + Rory are a good example of that.
The real issue is that compared to the countless millions of Top 40 country radio listeners around the country, only a small percentage watched CMT’s “Can You Duet”. Even with music video airplay unless radio embraces these new artists they won’t likely get very far and radio seems to have a bias against country talent show winners except where pop-diva American Idol winners are concerned….
September 4, 2009 at 11:35 am Permalink
Seems more like a status quo type song than a breakthrough hit record. And didn’t we just have this same exact idea done by James Otto and Joe Nichols? It was just okay for me.
September 4, 2009 at 2:24 pm Permalink
average has rarely been defined more precisely. they achieved that too, respect.
September 4, 2009 at 9:10 pm Permalink
@ Rick: The formula you outlined certainly works sometimes, but my thinking here is that this duo is too similar sonically to the already-established Lady Antebellum to break through the stagnant Top 40 playlists – a concept I’ve borrowed from C.M. Wilcox, who accurately predicted a similar fate for last season’s Caitlin & Will.
September 4, 2009 at 10:34 pm Permalink
Maybe sounding like Lady A will help, not hinder, this song’s success. It has a nice groove.
September 4, 2009 at 10:41 pm Permalink
The female had exceptional chops on the live video they show on CMT. Much more than standard CMT blonde singer-types. Joplin-esque i would say. Havent heard the studio version, so cant judge that version. I was quite impressed.
September 4, 2009 at 10:43 pm Permalink
J.R. it sure would be interesting to know the mindset that drives Top 40 country radio programmers at the big conglomerates and stations in large markets in picking which “unknown” new artists they will give decent airplay to.
With such stagnant play lists and slow turnover these days, there aren’t many openings for newbies as the established Top 40 regulars usually have current singles out at all times. Of course the programmers will give priority to songs that they personally like and think will become a hit, and to me that means “sound alike” songs.
New artists with immediate “pop culture appeal” will garner favor, as for instance Gloriana with Cheyenne Kimball’s MTV connection.
Personally I think a lot of radio programmers don’t consider country artists that win country talent contests “legitimate” as radio had no part in their selection. I think the radio types don’t want TV networks like CMT and GAC having any control over their decisions and resist the artists they sponsor and promote through talent quests. In contrast since American Idol is mass market pop culture the programmers welcome those types of artists whether they are talented or not for mass audience appeal.
Radio hasn’t paid much attention to Joey + Rory, Kate and Kacey Coppola, and Caitlin and Will and they all sound very different from each other. Of the many reasons radio hasn’t embraced these “Can You Duet” artists, I think sounding like other current top acts is not a primary cause and in fact may have been working in their favor if such a similarity exists. The Eli Young band reminds me of Jason Aldean and I think that’s part of the reason radio threw out the welcome mat.
September 4, 2009 at 11:33 pm Permalink
The singers definitely make this song. The words? Repeat, repeat, repeat…Wherefore art Thou Writer?
September 5, 2009 at 8:12 am Permalink
Meh, it was alright
I liked the talent they found on the first season better =/
September 5, 2009 at 10:45 am Permalink
I loved this song. If radio played more like this, then people would actually listen to it when they were not in their cars.
September 5, 2009 at 12:16 pm Permalink
The live version sounds so much better than the studio one.
September 5, 2009 at 2:10 pm Permalink
I downloaded the single right away as I love this duo. I then emailed Big Machines that they had taken the very thing we liked about this duo out of the single, as all record companies do, and had I heard it first, I would not have bought it. To begin with, its an average song at best. Their delivery of it made it a good song. The single has been watered way down and over produced, imo. Hopefully, Big Machine will rethink this single and switch to their original song, Here Comes Love. Most message boards posters are asking for either of their two original songs. Bad decision by Scott for them to put this out first.
September 5, 2009 at 4:22 pm Permalink
Steel Magnolia actually chose this to be their debut single while on Can You Duet, Scott gave them an option
September 5, 2009 at 6:11 pm Permalink
i find steel magmolia very interesting and think if they are given creative license, they will be unique to country music. lady a, i don’t get them. nothing special about any one or all of them as a group.
September 6, 2009 at 8:49 am Permalink
Has anyone heard it on radio yet?
September 28, 2009 at 12:09 pm Permalink
i heard steel magnolia on the radio today, first time. i’ve seen the video on CMT. i tell you, this duo should have a chance. the female, meghan, has a stronger voice than the top 2-3 females on the charts right now. sm is better than lady a; more range and edgier. i would LOVE to see them get what they deserve: stardom! call into your local stations and ask them to play the song; sometimes thats what it takes to get new groups a “foot in”. . .
September 28, 2009 at 6:18 pm Permalink
I love the song. I had never heard of them and just happened upon the song one morning. I can’t stop singing it. Then I looked them up to find they were just up and coming. I thought they must have been around for years. Great job, keep it coming.
October 19, 2009 at 10:59 pm Permalink
Megan has always had a real strong voice and can just about sign anything. Hearing her and Josh sign together was amazing. I haven’t heard them on the radio up here in Illinois yet, But still waiting. Can get them an a digital junkbox and let everyone they are friends of mine and are ALSOME!!!!
November 7, 2009 at 1:41 pm Permalink
I absolutely love steel magnolia. They are amazimg! i couldnt live without their music! thank you! thank you! thank you!
i love you!(:
November 9, 2009 at 3:01 am Permalink
I have been singing w/Meghan for years. I always introduced her as “the best R & B singer in nashville. I also told her “never to change”. She is a sweetie. Her and Josh (who is also awesome)deserved to win! Anyone who disagrees, needs to dig the wax out of their ears. Hope I can open up a show for them one day.I will sing their praises. Go get their album, ya’ll. :)
November 9, 2009 at 6:42 am Permalink
Oh, good. Because when I turn on Country radio I really hope to hear an R&B singer. And when I turn on Top 40 I want to hear Opera.
November 16, 2009 at 2:48 pm Permalink
Meghan and Josh are definitely the best duo i’ve ever heard :)
friends of ours and can’t wait til they come up towards Mendon area in Illinois :)
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