Visitors
to Nashville's GEORGE
JONES
museum (which recently offered free
admission in celebration on the day of what, had he lived, would have
been The
Possum's 85th birthday), will notice that among the tourist
attraction's
memorabilia is a great article written by my late colleague, BRUCE
HONICK
and
a copy of Jones' delayed birth certificate.
Delayed birth certificates were mostly issued during the mid-twentieth
century
when Americans, born before it became a legal requirement that the
states in
which they were born issue birth certificates, had to verify
their
identity in order to obtain employment, apply for Social Security,
obtain a
passport or enlist in the military.
The state of Texas has issued birth certificates since 1903, so why was
there
no official recording of George's birth some 28 years later?
Apparently
because George was not born in a hospital.
****
DIANE
JORDAN
informs me that, 14 years after JOHNNY CASH's passing, JOHNNY WESTERN is
the focus (no pun intended) of a British TV film crew filming a new
Cash
documentary.
Western reveals "We filmed for over five hours of my four
decades of
life on the road" with the Man in Black.
"The director, PATTY, and the cameraman, GREG,
were
wonderful to work with, the whole time being directed from London on
Skype by
the executive producer.
"My life on the road with Johnny [is] among my fondest memories.
I
miss him every day!"
****
Thanks
to JOEY
AMATO for the invitation to attend BARRON RYAN's September 22, 2017
Nashville showcase at Rudy's Jazz Room.
****
From
the emailbag: ZACH FARNUM and BEV
MOSER write: "We would love it if you would join us on
[September 19, 2017] in Nashville for a celebration with LOGAN MIZE and Budweiser
at SOUTH
with a BIG announcement."
****
LOGAN
ROGERS and JANICE GRAY handled the
invitations and RSVPs to join THE OAK RIDGE BOYS and
DAVE COBB at RCA
Studio A September 13, 2017 for a unique opportunity to hear
the Oaks "perform songs and discuss their new Dave
Cobb-produced album at the studio
where it was recorded."
PETER COOPER moderated the
conversation with the five-time Grammy-winning group about their,
as yet, untitled gospel album (to be released in early 2018).
Peter's
probing led me to wish I'd brought a tape recorder instead of a
notepad. I thought I knew the ORB's history like the back of
my hand but, given this "newest"
incarnation's collection of stories and anecdotes (not to mention the
career retrospectives freely volunteered in response to Cooper's
questions), interspersed between album sneak peeks, I conceded it's
impossible to ever know it all.
As
always, DUANE ALLEN
spoke with warmth, great candor and gratitude about the Oaks' ability
to change with the times while remaining true to themselves. RICHARD STERBAN
shared his experience touring with my late neighbor J.D. SUMNER and the STAMPS QUARTET, as they sang
backup for ELVIS
PRESLEY..
Lucky
listeners were treated to the Oaks' unorthodox recordings of BRANDY CLARK's Pray
to Jesus (Play the Lotto), WILLIAM LEE GOLDEN
singing lead on Brand
New Star and a "live" a cappella performance of Life's Railway
To Heaven.
Prior
to the festivities, multi-talented Cooper entertained KATHY
HARRIS, DEBBYE SCROGGINS,
gregarious JOE BONSALL
and yours truly with Peter's hilarious LOUISE SCRUGGS impersonation.
(Yes, there was context but, as it turns out, you
didn't need to be there. Peter provides the
background in my fellow author's latest book, Johnny's Cash and Charley's Pride: Lasting
Legends' Untold Adventures of Country Music.)
Cooper
has graciously honored my request for a review copy, so look for my
take on Peter's findings here shortly.
****
CHARLIE DANIELS is never lost for
topical words. Most recently he echoed comments RAY STEVENS expressed to BILL CODY's audience nearly a year
before (September 28, 2016) during a radio/TV simulcast.
"I think the world needs DONALD TRUMP," Stevens proclaimed at
that time.
Referencing ISIS' ongoing purging
of the Middle East's ancient
monuments, Daniels, likens the August 2017 copycat
destruction of Confederate statues to "what ISIS is doing... There were
pieces of history that they didn't like, they were tearing them down...
Where does it stop?"
After Daniels advised RITA COSBY, "You don't have to
condone what happened in the Civil War. ... ROBERT E. LEE, for instance was
one of the most honorable people in our history... He fought for the
confederacy against the union, but he was also asked to lead the union
troops...
"I walk past movie posters I don't like... I'm not going to go over and
tear 'em down... I just don't look at 'em."
Similarly, Charlie defends the 45th president of the United States
against increasingly harsher criticism: "The guy's a human
being, and he's not a politician... he's not a diplomat.
"I just wish you'd give the guy a chance," Daniels adds,
citing the president's handling of North Korea's agitation.
"That's the first time I've seen KIM JONG UN, or any of these
Jungs... ever back down from anybody."
****
"The black chairs are for the adults," explained the young woman
guiding me into a dimly lit entrance to the Centennial Boulevard
recording studio within Nashville's CTK Management/NOVE
Entertainment office complex, where I was invited to attend a
DOLLY PARTON news conference
on the afternoon of August 15, 2017.
The directive made more sense once I saw light in front of the black
chairs
on which increasing numbers of adults seated themselves after arriving,
as instructed, around 3:30 p.m. for the press event scheduled to begin
a half-hour later. Closer to the makeshift stage set, on
which Dolly would appear in front of the controlled flames
of a fireplace, were semicircles of, to that point,
unidentified small children.
The hush-hush agenda (even the venue was secret, revealed to invited
media only after each accepted an invitation knowing only the time,
place and that Dolly would be on hand), hinted at by youngsters'
presence, became clear once, introduced, Parton made her entrance at
4:08 p.m.
At that point, Dolly greeted the crowd, proudly announcing the
September 29, 2017 digital release of a children's album she has
written and recorded. I
Believe in You, (not to be confused with DON WILLIAMS' classic recording
of the same name) with its 14 songs meant to teach and
encourage the younger set, is a departure for Parton, whose
first album was released 50 years ago. These topical songs
address children's concerns, ranging from bullying to chronic illness,
in a positive,
uplifting manner.
Parton told those gathered- including local school children
sitting on the studio floor stage right of Dolly while
Parton's nieces and nephews were seated stage left- that the children's
album- Dolly's
first- will be available in CD form worldwide on (Friday) October 13,
2017.
With all proceeds from I
Believe in You, earmarked for Parton's
two-decade-old Imagination Library, Parton noted
that
the album's success will increase the number of children with access to
books, noting that her once hometown (Sevierville, Tennessee) project,
having gone state, national and now worldwide, has already "seen 100
million books get into the hands of children."
Prior to and after reading her Coat of Many Colors book to the
little ones- and we once-little ones- Dolly debuted three of her songs
from I Believe in You (the title song, Makin' Fun Ain't Funny,
and Brave Little Soldier),
taking a few media questions before taking family photos with her
youngest fans and their parents.
Unable
to break the logjam of the photo line, in order to make my exit to
another engagement, at one point my patience gave way to the necessity
of finding an alternate means of departure, preferably one as close as
possible
to a restroom. As I found my way back to the
building's entrance, I asked for both permission
and direction.
Once the receptionist provided both, I saw that my
destination was a restroom large enough for only a single stall.
It's closed door was covered by a photo of Dolly, a star
befitting a luminary of her stature and a terse
instructions noting that the facilities were for Dolly's use
only.
When I balked at the intimidating written warning, I was assured that I
should ignore it. At that point, I didn't have much choice,
but was grateful for the encouragement I received from one of the
company's employees: "It's OK. There's nobody in
there."
There are some additional details that might be of interest but, in the
interest of space, I'm making those available, on request, to readers via the email address listed here.
Please put the PARTON
POTTY in the SUBJECT LINE
and include your name, city, and state (or country, if outside the
United States) in the BODY
of your email.
****
Attention OAK RIDGE BOYS fans:
Want to support the Oaks, gift yourself AND contribute to a
good cause?
Then place your bid on a Hatch Show Print Poster
autographed by all of the ORB. But you'll have to do it
quickly: This one's going fast!
Place your bid here.
****
Pensacola
News Journal Correspondent
LINDA A.B. DAVIS (not to be
confused with LINDA DAVIS- I am reasonably sure
neither is familiar with the other), citing her "soft spot for one-hit
wonders," is guilty of a bit of overreach.
The writer prefaces her mention of JEANNIE C. RILEY as a "Southern
one-hit wonder," citing her source as a 2016 list "at the al.com
website, where all things relating to the state of Alabama are
covered." And then some. Obviously...
Davis reports that her source defines "a one-hit wonder as any song
belonging to an artist or group that only had one single hit in the Top
40
list of the Billboard Top 100 chart."
Indicating that "This list from al.com is a lot of fun,"
Linda A.B. Davis confuses her readers by missing the
point: While Riley meets the list's criteria, Harper Valley PTA was not marketed
by a pop division of a record company. It was a
country song, that like several other country songs released prior to,
during, and after the time, managed to cross over to the pop charts.
No one ever suggested Riley was not a country singer, though, once
established as such, Jeannie did enjoy modest success
recording
gospel music.
But, to call the singer a one-hit wonder, by any standard, misleads
anyone accepting that designation, as it diminishes Jeannie C. Riley's
country chart success that includes five other Top 10 country singles
as well as
nearly 20 other chart singles.
.
****
Thanks to C-Suite Network Chairman,
Primetime Television and Podcast Host JEFFREY HAYZLETT
for including me among his contact list of "leading venture
capitalists and corporate investors, along with the
most successful entrepreneurs" Jeff's invited to this year's C-Suite Investors Summit at Silicon Valley,
in partnership with The Hero Club, to be held at The
Glass House in San José, September
11-12, 2017.
The event, an opportunity to meet over 100 corporate investors, will
begin with an evening cocktail reception. "Then, get started
with us early" the next morning, "as the conference will begin at 8
a.m. and include interviews, panels and breakout sessions until 5 p.m.
The Summit will conclude with a last evening reception until
7 p.m."
****
How does a
rich and famous Nashville songwriter, who turns 60 in November, 2017,
spend her money?
GRETCHEN
PETERS, the Caucasian, cis-gender mother of a 33-year-old
transgender son, tells ERIC PATTON that she donates to
favorite organizations including the "ACLU,
Planned Parenthood, Transgender
Law Center [and The] Southern Poverty Law Center."
****
"Limited media
seating available- first-come, first-served."
So reads the invitation from one of Nashville's top publicists, DON MURRY GRUBBS to "media
friends."
The occasion? "RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER
will be performing at the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman
concert series
on Thursday, July 27 at 7:30 P.M....
"We welcome your coverage."
****
Nashville's music media are marking their calendars for October 25th,
2017- and now we know why.
A month shy of his 79th birthday, KENNY ROGERS' grand entrance at a
10 a.m. news conference precluded Rogers' partaking in a sumptuous
continental breakfast awaiting invited guests (then under a media
embargo) at WME (lead anchor in Nashville's
Demonbreun Street office tower) July 18, 2017.
The Gulch summons, answered with an elevator ride up to the 15th floor,
turned out to be, after some introductory remarks by Blackbird
Presents CEO KEITH WORTMAN, for the purpose of
Kenny's taking a limited number of questions about plans for
the 7 p.m. CDT Wednesday evening staging of All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers'
Farewell Concert Celebration at Nashville's Bridgestone
Arena.
With guests yet to be announced (Rogers says just about every
entertainer he's ever worked with has been invited), the confirmed
lineup includes at press time includes DOLLY PARTON, ALISON KRAUSS, THE FLAMING LIPS, LITTLE BIG TOWN, JAMEY
JOHNSON, ELLE KING and (JOHN TRAVOLTA's "favorite,") IDINA MENZEL.
Kenny, in fact, credits Dolly as having inspired the singular
celebration of Rogers' 60-year career. Noting that "it had
been 13 years since she and I had been on stage together, " Kenny said
Dolly's response was "Are you really
doing your farewell tour? You can't leave without me and you
going on stage for the very last time and singing something."
The news conference seemed like deja vu all over again since
it marked a decade since Webster PR issued an invitation to
a Nashville news conference at which Rogers announced the lineup
for Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years.
Like the MGM Grand tribute concert
announced at the 2007 news conference, the Bridgestone event
is also being filmed in anticipation of a commitment from one of the
television networks.
The former event ended up on GAC
and it remains to be seen if a major network will see what is sure to
be a sold-out concert as a potential ratings winner. In any
case, multi-platform distribution is being planned "for distribution
throughout traditional media (worldwide broadcast,music and digital)."
And event promotion doesn't stop there: Press conference
attendees received a regulation-size playing card. While it
wasn't missing from THE STATLER BROTHERS'
"deck of 51," on one side of this delightfully
unique collectors' item was the concert's logo and website, while the face side
features a K
above a red
heart in the upper left-hand corner and an upside
down R below an upside down red heart in
the card's lower right-hand corner. In between an image of
Kenny's
upper torso is painted behind scrolls announcing the concert's date and
venue,
a guitar neck in Kenny's left hand and a couple of aces (spades and
hearts) in his right hand above the motif's reversed image of Rogers.
Proving, if proof is needed, that K(enny) R(ogers) and amiable
event host KIRT (WEBSTER)
are never "out of aces!"
****
ROBYN COLLINS
reminds us that JEANNIE C. RILEY's recording of Harper Valley PTA "sold over six
million copies as a single" making Riley "the first woman to top both
the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Hot Country Singles charts
with the same song."
Chart
positions are verifiable. Pre-SoundScan sales stats, even those
repeatedly quoted, not so much...
So should we take Robyn at her word that "the single's jump from 81 to
7 in its second week on the Billboard Hot 100 in late August 1968 was
that decade's highest climb into the Top Ten"- without looking at every
weekly chart from the dawn, to the close, of the '60s?
I ask because Collins writes that TOM T. HALL "got the idea for the
name of the song when he passed the Harpeth Valley Elementary School
in the affluent Nashville suburb of Bellevue, Tennessee."
While Tom links the idea for the song to a trip that took him past the
school, a description of Bellevue at that time as being "affluent"
would probably be true only when contrasted with the Tom's net worth
during those days.
Further, Collins credits Hall with the writing of Riley's 1984
recording of the sequel song, Return to Harper Valley.
While the melody of both the original and the sequel are the
same (i.e., Tom's), it is clear from "Return..."'s lyrics
that Riley is correctly credited on the vinyl label as
lyricist.
****
"Save the date."
So reads the beginning of BRIAN
RUBIN's
offer
of media credentials for the Academy of Country Music's ACM
honors to
be held at the Ryman
Auditorium on August 23, 2017. The event
will be taped for broadcast at a later date on CBS-TV.
