Stacy’s Music Row Report- Music Row Report

The pandemic has hit PBS' Song of the Mountains especially hard.

The 17 year-old monthly telecast, which continues to bring Appalachian (and some Americana) music to the masses from its home at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia, endured a 10-month shutdown before resuming production in January 2021.

The reopening, at 25% capacity, has doubled in capacity at this writing, but the need for social distancing has put performing for a full house anytime soon on performers' wish list.

The non-profit has established a GoFundMe page with 83 supporters (including VALERIE SMITH & LIBERTY PIKE and CLAIRE RATLIFF ) having helped to raise $4,038 over 5 months. Organizers' goal to continue to "keep the music alive" is $100,000.

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DOLLY PARTON has zillions of fans but none more admiring than DAVID MUIR.

Muir, who has quite a fan base of his own, gushes about Parton's million-dollar funding of the Moderna vaccine, "Can we have Dolly on every night? Always setting the example."

When Parton set that example by being vaccinated before the TV cameras, many news organizations edited her reaction to receiving the inoculation, which included her appeal to the anti-vax crowd: "Cowards! Don't be such a chicken squat!"

Parton's cleaning up a common vulgarism prompted JUDY WOODRUFF to remark to PBS Newshour viewers: "The one and only Dolly Parton: I'm still trying to figure out what 'chicken squat' is.

"I'm going to look it up. I've got Dolly Parton's accent."

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Speaking (writing) of Dolly, didja know about the WNYC (GEORGE FOSTER) PEABODY Award-winning podcast titled Dolly Parton's America? If not, check out the first of nine episodes here.

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Ever wonder about what inspired BRAD PAISLEY and KIMBERLY WILLIAMS-PAISLEY to create The Store?

It was a actually a parenting lesson. Back in 2012, Brad says his wife "got real mad" at their children "because they were acting like brats and [she] said 'Throw 'em in the car. We're going to teach them about people in need.

"A friend recommended the Unity Shop, which is a similar situation to what The Store ended up being."

The result was that The Store's customers "get choice. They get the dignity that comes with that, their family feels normal and eventually they graduate out of the plan and are back on their feet."

Even Nashville's most recent tornado, coupled with a global pandemic couldn't torpedo the Paisley's plan: Since these events The Store "went to curbside and no-contact delivery."

The Store has served over 1 million people as of 2021.

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Thanks to SHELLY MULLINS for the invitation to attend the FLYING BUFFALOES "exclusive screening of their highly-impactful upcoming Official Music Video A New Day Is Gonna Dawn" May 19, 2021 at East Nashville Beer Works.

An hour-long mix and mingle will precede the screening that, "out of an abundance of caution" will be held "on the outside patio.

"In case of unfavorable weather, the event will be moved inside for a socially-distanced screening (Please be prepared and bring your masks)."

...Thanks also to LUCY VOLPE for the invitation to see JOHN R. MILLER in performance May 14, 2021 at The Basement.

"John will officially announce his debut album, Depreciated, released July 16, 2021 via Rounder Records."

Miller's performance, part of The Basement's Get Happier Friday series, "will be a COVID conscious event.. held outdoors" in the venue's parking area "with social distance in place."

Want to hear Shenandoah Shakedown, the album's first track, NOW? You're in luck: It's available here! :

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Long before NBC's Saturday Night Live, "Live from New York" was the point of origination for Sunday evening for TV viewers of CBS' Toast of the Town (later The ED SULLIVAN Show).

The Sullivan show's variety of entertainers included country music's biggest crossover stars.

But the program's November 22, 1970 telecast was unusual to say the least. Ed took the show to the West Coast, devoting the hour to a tribute to RICHARD RODGERS at The Hollywood Bowl.

So what does this have to do with country music? For the Oklahoma! portion of the tribute, MINNIE PEARL reverted to her background as a trained stage actress, portraying "Aunt Eller."

And that's not all: The Grand Ole Opry comedienne teamed with (handsome feller) JOHN DAVIDSON (as "Curly,") along with JEANNIE C. RILEY (as "Laurey")!

The "trio," likely appearing on the same stage for the first and only time, joined the rest of the show's cast (including JOHNNY MATHIS, SHIRLEY JONES and THE LENNON SISTERS ) for Oklahoma!'s big finale.

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Thanks to BEV MOSER for the "VIP private invitation" to attend the "exclusive premiere of DALLAS REMINGTON's brand new single," Uncommon Man April 29th at 3rd & Lindsley.

"Enjoy lunch, drinks and a special interview hosted by DEVON O'DAY."

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Want to work for the Country Music Foundation?

There are two openings: The first is for a maintenance technician. Qualifications are listed here.

If working the night shift suits you, you'll want to apply here.

Should you prefer a Country Music Hall of Fame day job, perhaps you'd like to be a museum retail supervisor.

Qualifications are listed here. You may apply here.

If interested in either position, you'll want to know what you're getting into.

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Column's congrats to DARIUS RUCKER, Southern Living's Southerner of the Year!

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Shortly after LYN PHILLIPS joined TOM T. HALL's Hallnote Music publishing company in 1974, after working as PAUL COHEN's "girl Friday" at Kapp and ABC Records and following a stint at Nashville's Chart Records (all before Hall promoted her to a general operation manager position in August, 1976), Lyn recommended a book to me; a literary classic that she said Tom previously recommended to her: KALIL GIBRAN's The Prophet.

After forcing myself to read the book cover-to-cover, I had no idea what I was supposed to get out of it.

But apparently the book has been as popular in country-music circles as everywhere else: According to SHERWIN LINTON, my neighbor BARBARA's late husband (DON GIBSON ) gave Sherwin a copy of The Prophet, telling Linton that Gibson's fondness for the classic was a result of BOUDLEAUX BRYANT's having introduced the book to Don!

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The Tennessee Stage and Film Company's DEBBIE MATHIS WATTS promises a "FREE afternoon of girly-fun!" on Saturday, March 20, 2021 from 1- 4 p.m. at Hendersonville, Tennessee's Lighthouse on the Lake Event Center.

Debbie will be presenting "my second annual Spring Sing and Bling. This year's music will be a 'Tribute to Women's History month,' singing songs by famous female artists who have influenced me most."

Print off your free tickets at Eventbrite where the event is listed as Spring Bling and Sing Celebration of Women's History month.

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NANCI GRIFFITH recently sold her Blair Boulevard home for $1,080,000.

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Historical reporting of the Camden, Tennessee plane crash that took the lives of PATSY CLINE, HAWKSHAW HAWKINS, COWBOY COPAS and RANDY HUGHES on March 5,1963 notes that ROGER MILLER joined a search party that included the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Civil Defense, but it was apparently never reported in either The Nashville Banner nor The Tennessean, nor by other news organizations of the day, that the late Nashville businessman HOWARD WERTHAN was among those on horseback who also played a part in the recovery of the victims' remains.

That oversight, a bit of historical trivia, has privately circulated among Werthan family and friends through the years, but it has just come to my attention and thus to yours.

(I'd like to know a little know of the details on this and have left a couple of messages with Mr. Werthan's widow. Memories fade, but if I hear back from the centenarian, whom I will presume is in good health, I will clarify and otherwise update what is being reported for the first time.)

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From the emailbag (and used with permission): OWSLEY MANIER writes: "Dear STACY, This morning I was doing some research to jog my memory for my book project around my Exit/In days (1971-1980).

"I came across your post from last May regarding DAVID HOLLERITH's Exit/In article in the Nashville Scene. You lamented missing RICK NELSON's show.

"Sorry you didn't get comped. At that time I was no longer an owner but continued as a talent buyer during the (NICK) SPIVA/(VIANDA) HILL ownership era post-1975.

"I got a call from Rick's manager saying he was in town recording and would like to appear at the Exit/In. My compensation deal with Spiva/Hill was based on a percentage of gross profits from gate receipts. If a show lost money, I made zip.

"I mentioned something about the risk involved and Rick's manager said 'How about three days with a guarantee of $500 vs. 80% of the door with a $10.00 ticket?'

"I said 'Done.'

"All six shows sold out. Rick and the Stone Canyon Band walked away with over $11,000.

"Like you, I grew up with Rick Nelson's songs. I started playing guitar in 1960 and JAMES BURTON's Telecaster sound blew me away.

"I got to hang out with Rick some during his Exit/In gig. His countenance was one of the calmest I ever encountered. Almost BUDDHA-like.

"It was a moment. Lonesome Town."

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Thanks to Carlton College Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) Communication Specialist CLARA POSNER and Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life 's Director of Heritage and Interpretation NORA KATZ, M.Phil., for featuring me on Segment 12 of the ISJL's popular Virtual Vacation series. Titled Southern Jewish Music: Jews and Country. the February 5, 2021 interview aired along with remarks from, and performances, by JOE BUCHANAN, "live" on Facebook February 23, 2021.

In case you missed the show, it remains available here.

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ROSANNE CASH and CLINT BLACK are the first country stars to be featured on the PBS genealogy series Finding Your Roots.

You might think that you know of Cash's celebrity father, uncle, aunt, half-brother, etc., but series researchers have unearthed another famous blood relative whose identity was as surprising to Rosanne as it will be to you.

(Clint and Rosanne follow in the footsteps of REBA McENTIRE, TRISHA YEARWOOD and TIM McGRAW who were featured in the erstwhile NBC (and later TLC) celebrity family history series, Who Do You Think You Are?)

Now in its seventh season, episode six, predictably titled Country Roots featuring Rosanne and Clint, airs February 23, 2021 on your local PBS station.

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Will someone who is attending CRS 2021 ask the powers-that-be why they are confusing their late, 2005 inductee JOHNNY K(OVAL) with TOM JONES? (It is unusual, no?)