MBN: The Monte Bubbles Network: CMA CLOSE-UP

May 22

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Kellie Pickler
By Kristen Sherer

Kellie Pickler may not have been the winner on "American Idol," but from the opening notes of Small Town Girl, her debut album, it's crystal clear that she has no intention of giving up on her dream. Raised by her grandparents since 2 in Albemarle, N.C., Pickler was surrounded by the music of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride and Dolly Parton. She started singing at an early age and hasn't stopped since.

After graduating from North Stanly High School in New London, N.C., Pickler's life began to change after she sang her first solo at her graduation in 2004. Having caught the performing bug, she began competing in local Miss America pageants, winning the "Miss Stanly County" contest at 17 and vying for Miss North Carolina 2004.

The 19-year-old Pickler auditioned for "American Idol" in the Fall of 2005 in Greensboro, N.C. After surviving the first few rounds, it was off to Hollywood, where she became one of "Idol" judge Simon Cowell's favorites. She made it to Top 6 before being eliminated. In the show's finale, she showed off her formidable comedic skills in a segment entitled "Puck 'n' Pickler" with chef Wolfgang Puck.

Following her "American Idol" experience, she returned to her hometown where she was feted with a parade and presented with a key to the city. The mayor proclaimed May 6, 2006 as "Kellie Pickler Day." For the young singer, the whirlwind was just beginning as she hit the talk show circuit, appearing on "Today," "The View," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Live with Regis and Kelly" and the "Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Small Town Girl was produced by Blake Chancey and released Oct. 31 on 19 Recordings/BNA Records. Pickler is a writer on five of the album's songs, including the lead single "Red High Heels," which she co-wrote with Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo and Karyn Rochelle.

IN HER OWN WORDS:
Who is your musical hero? "Dolly Parton, of course."

What actor would portray you in a biopic about your life?
"Reese Witherspoon."

What moment in your life would you relive if you could?
"Every moment I shared with my grandma Pickler."

What song do you wish you had written?
"'I Will Always Love You' by Dolly Parton."

When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you? "That they have enjoyed my music and that Ialways had great shoes!"

On the Web: www.kelliepickler.com

Johnny Gray's Radio Days
By Deborah Evans Price

Johnny Gray didn't grow up dreaming of life as a broadcaster, but like any true calling he found it just the same. What began as a college job evolved into one of the most successful careers in Country radio. Along the way, he helped build the careers of numerous artists from Alabama to Kenny Chesney to Sugarland. Now retired from Atlanta's WKHX and WYAY, Gray is virtually on a permanent weekend.

"Five days before my actual final day, we woke up and [my wife] Susan said, 'Just think Johnny, five days from now everyday is going to be Saturday,'" Gray said.

He has earned the right to relax. For more than 40 years, he's worked at radio stations in the South, interspersing air shifts with occasional record company promotion gigs during the times away from radio.

"Johnny is a guy who sees it from both sides of the fence, and I think that's the reason he's been so successful and stable in a radio business which is notoriously transient," said Wade Jessen, Country Editor/Director of Country Charts for Billboard and R&R. "He's such a good guy and he's somebody that everybody likes, but that's the easy part. The tough part is to be so consistent in his work and to really know what it means to be one of the tastemakers in radio, and he's definitely that. He has a background in record promotion and in radio and he sees the business from a pretty unique perspective."

Gray admitted he sort of stumbled into a radio career. After high school, he prepared to enter the University of Alabama, but had no idea what his major was going to be.

"I was looking through a manual and I didn't really know what I wanted to do," he recalled. "They had a program in there for radio and television and I thought that would be interesting."

He began working at the campus television station and later landed a job as an announcer for Alabama Public Television. A friend was working the 7 PM to midnight shift at the local Top 40 station and invited him to visit.

"So one evening I went there and it just blew my mind that he was playing all these cool records and great sounding chicks were calling him," Gray remembered with a laugh. "So I thought 'Man I'm going to leave television and get into radio.'"

He left college after his second year and took a job at an FM station in Huntsville, Ala.

"This was 1963, so there was nobody in the world listening to FM. They all listened to AM Top 40," Gray said. "But I took the job anyway because it paid money. I think it was $60 a week, and the only people who listened to the FM station were building the Saturn rocket at the Huntsville Space Center. The only radio they could get out there was FM and they listened to us."

Gray joined the National Guard and when he was sent to Birmingham after basic training, he began working at WYDE. After four months, the station was bought out and the new owners let everyone go except him.

When the new manager called him into his office, he thought he was being fired.

"He sat me down and said, 'I want you to listen to something and tell me what you think,'" Gray recalled. "I'll never forget it. He put a Marty Robbins record on. I can't really remember the song, but it wasn't traditional Country, it was what we called 'Countrypolitan.' He said 'What do you think of that?' I said, 'It's certainly not as bad as I thought; it's actually pretty good.' He said, 'That's what you are going to be playing starting at 4:45 Monday morning.' So, that was in 1967 and that was when the station changed from an AOR rock station to Country. We called it called it 'Countrypolitan WYDE.'"

Thus began Gray's love affair with Country Music. It was also at that station that Larry Paul Smith became "Johnny Gray."

"When they hired me, they had some old tapes and they were so stretched for cash they said, 'Well this guy used to be here four years ago, but you are going to become Johnny Gray and here's the jingle package.'

That's how I got to be Johnny Gray," he said, noting that his father was the only person who always called him by his given name, Larry Paul. Gray stayed at WYDE for 14 years before he made a change.

"I decided there had to be more to life than radio in Birmingham, Ala.," he said. "I had some friends in the record business in Nashville that had always told me, 'You ought to become a promotions guy for a record label. You'd be great because you get it. You understand that music is important and you have a lot of friends in the business.'"

So he went to work for Mercury Records, moving to Nashville in early 1979. At the time, he also had to promote R&B, Top 40 and other records as well as Country. He wasn't really happy working multiple formats, so when label executive Joe Galante recruited him to work a new RCA imprint, Free Flight, he jumped at the chance and relocated to Atlanta to work for the fledgling label. The label didn't last, but Gray developed roots in Atlanta, and he found himself working for WPLO from 1980-84 as a DJ and Program and Music Director.

Next came another short stint in promotion when he spent a year working for Warner Bros., but he couldn't escape his love for radio. After a tenure again at WPLO, he became Music Director for WKHX where he remained until his retirement on Sept. 22, 2006. Over the years, he also took on MD responsibilities for WYAY, eventually becoming Assistant Program Director as well, for both stations, which are owned by ABC Radio.

When Citadel announced plans to buy the ABC Radio stations, Gray decided it was time to retire. He admitted he's seen a lot of changes during his career, and said the most unsettling has been consolidation.

"They stretch people so thin that they're not able to do one job real well," Gray said of the way some companies handle their stations. "They do a lot of jobs not so well and I think that's very unfortunate."

He said he was lucky to be able to be an off-air Music Director, which allowed him to focus on the music instead of an air shift. At many stations MDs do double or triple duty.

"The music director probably does an air shift and then he does remotes, so there's really no time for him to really concentrate on what I think is the real heart of the radio station and that's the music," Gray said. "I just would like to see radio take more of a deep interest in what their product is and their product is music."

Gray and his wife plan to divide their time between homes in Georgia and Florida. Still he doesn't rule out radio in his future. "I learned a long time ago, never say never."

What did he enjoy most about working in radio? "I liked the ability to reach people through music," he said. "Music has such an impact on people. It's an amazing thing."

May 15

John Anderson Gets Rich with Easy Money
By Bob Doerschuk

The funny thing about John Anderson's voice is that even back in the late '70s and early '80s, when he came out of nowhere with his first smash hits, something about it seemed familiar.

It took a while to realize that Anderson sings with the voice that America hears in its imagination. It's rough and untamed. It can sound like it's ready for a fight or aching for some love. It can raise hell in a honky tonk or rise toward heaven on a sunny Sunday morning.

It's also been quiet over these past four years, since Somehow, Someway, Someday, his only album from his fifth major label deal. But that should change when Easy Money hits the streets on May 15. Anderson's debut for Big & Rich's Warner Bros.-distributed Raybaw Records label is what you would expect, in its wide emotional range, with plenty of heartbreak, humor and rugged warmth.

It is traditional Country Music - a sound that Anderson can claim a fair amount of credit for bringing back. Before Randy Travis had washed his first dish in the Nashville Palace kitchen, Anderson was breaking into the Top 10 with "Chicken Truck" and "1959," climbing higher into the Top 5 with "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal," and hitting the No. 1 spot for the first time, in 1982, with "Wild and Blue."

These hits, and the performances he packed around them on seven albums during a five-year run with Warner Bros., invigorated Country Music with a volatile, moonshine mix of outlaw, mainstream and roots elements. In the process, he established himself as one of the most distinctive personalities in the business - the successor, some were saying, to George Jones as a performer and Merle Haggard as a truth-telling writer.

Then, like a number of other legends or legends-to-be, Anderson parted company with his label and began wandering from one imprint to the next, never losing the respect of his peers or the affection of his fans yet forced to scramble as changes furrowed the Country landscape. Anderson emerged with at least one bit of hard-won wisdom. Leaning forward, winking playfully, pointing his finger for emphasis, he put it simply: "I didn't want a crappy little record deal."

He came to this realization slowly, during his two-year swing through the boardrooms along Music Row. "I went to all the labels in town, period," he said. "Somewhat to my dismay, nobody showed any interest, not even close friends and old buddies who could have jumped right up and signed us right away."

Opportunity came not from old-school pals but from a young superstar who, at the peak of his own success, never forgot how it felt to look up at Anderson from the audience.

"John Anderson is officially my honky tonk hero," stated John Rich of Big & Rich, who produced Easy Money. "I don't think that even John can comprehend what an influence he is. There's a hole in Country Music where he used to be, and I'm hell-bent on filling it back up."

The two met about 10 years ago, when Rich, then singing lead with Lonestar, knocked on the door of Anderson's tour bus. They stayed in touch and, years later, hooked up for a co-writing date which led to an invitation to come onboard for a week during a Big & Rich tour. For Anderson, the experience was at once a flashback and a premonition.

"It was like old times," he said, smiling. "John, Kenny, James Otto, Shiny [Shannon] Lawson, we were all on the bus, passing the guitar, singing and writing songs. Then John asked me what I wanted. I told him I'd take a decent record deal but if we could just write some good songs together, that would be like icing on the cake, because I was thinking," he said with a sly wink and a laugh, "'Man, I'm going to get me some Big & Rich cuts!'"

He got more than that: an offer to sign with Raybaw. By the time they hit the studio, Anderson and Rich were armed with a bunch of songs, about half of which they had written together, the rest a combination of things they hatched on their own or brought in from other writers, with highlights including a tear-it-up drinking song ("Brown Liquor"); a romantic ballad ("You Already Know My Love"); a slapstick rocker with a punch-line hook ("If Her Lovin' Don't Kill Me"); the heartfelt ("Bonnie Blue"); and fist-pumping ("Funky Country") tributes to Dixie, the de rigueur dig at the business side of Country ("Easy Money"); and a musically ambitious, Celtic influenced tour de force ("Weeds").

"A lot of making these songs work together came into play with the production, more so than on most of my other records - and that was all John Rich," Anderson said. "Yeah, a few songs were pretty spontaneous, but for the most part John came to each one with an arrangement in his head. He directed us, the players and me, and we all believed in him. Nobody had a sour face as they were being told what to do, and in Nashville, with players this good, that's walking on eggshells, brother. And for a guy like me to watch that, hell yeah, I was taking notes."

By his own admission, Anderson can be ornery when he's cutting tracks. "Norro Wilson, bless his heart, directed me a little bit on my first record and rightfully so. After the second album, though, I became a producer and I didn't let nobody tell me a damn thing. But within an hour after John and I started our first session, I stood at the studio window watching him work and decided that I wasn't going to co-produce this one. I'd just keep my opinions and ideas out of it and let him go. He kept saying, 'Trust me, Uncle John, I'm not going to screw up your record.'"

Rich insisted that it was never his intention to seize the sole production credit for Easy Money.

"I just wanted to get in there and do anything that would let me hear some new John Anderson music," he explained. "But I work real fast, so I think he saw me get in my groove and just let me do it. After we'd done a song or two, I realized I hadn't even taken the time to see how John thought about it. But he told me, 'If I hear something I don't like, I'll stop you.' And he never did."

They were kindred spirits, each drawing from the energy of the other in music, whether playing it or in laying out exactly what it needed from a broader perspective.

"The folks who run this business now think they can contrive their stars," Anderson said. "Anybody with any attitude barely makes it to the executive screen. Well, nobody had more of an attitude about their music than Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings. Trust me, I knew them. You didn't tell Johnny Cash how to sing. You didn't tell Waylon what to sing. And you don't tell Merle Haggard a damn thing, if you got any sense. So I'd say to every artist, do your thing. Knock a hole in that screen; and tell 'em old John sent you."
Young John, grinning from the sidelines, said "Amen."

On the Web: www.johnanderson.com

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Heartland
By Kristen Scherer

With the out-of-the-box success of their debut single, "I Loved Her First," Heartland seems to be one of those overnight success stories. But it's not that simple. In reality the band worked for years to develop the song and stagecraft that brought them to the attention of veteran Music Row executive Mike Borchetta, who signed Heartland to his Lofton Creek Records label. And with that leadoff song already established as a bona-fide wedding standard, these guys are off to a great start.

The members of Heartland - guitarists Craig Anderson and Mike Myerson, bassist Keith West, lead singer Jason Albert, fiddler Chuck Crawford and drummer Todd Anderson - are Alabama-based in more ways than one, having been strongly influenced from day one by a certain superstar Country band from their home state. Back in1997 the band got their first shot at stardom performing at the June Jam, Alabama's annual concert event in Fort Payne, Ala. For Heartland, playing the June Jam was a defining moment.

Lately, Heartland has been busy on the road in support of their debut album, I Loved Her First, which was produced by "I Loved Her First" co-writer Walt Aldridge and released in October.

IN THEIR OWN W ORDS:
Who is your musical hero?
ALBERT: "Sam Cooke."
WEST: "Elvis."

What CD is on your stereo?
ALBERT: "Los Lonely Boys."
MYERSON: "Conway Twitty."
WEST: "Merle Haggard."

What song do you wish you had written?
ANDERSON: "'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.'"

Do you prefer planes, trains or automobiles?
WEST: "Fast cars."

Which song would you like to cover?
Band: "'Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution' by AC/DC."

What song do you sing in the shower?
ANDERSON: "'Dirt,' by Motley Crue."
MYERSON: "'Fruit Salad,' by The Wiggles."

On the Web: www.heartlandcountry.cc

Heartland will perform at CMA Music Festival in Downtown Nashville on Friday, June 8 at the Greased Lightning® Daytimes Stages. Single-day tickets for the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages will be sold the day of each show at the gate for $14 each. Children 6 and younger are admitted free of charge. Four-day and tickets to the individual Nightly Concerts at LP Field are also still available to purchase at (615) 255-9600; 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); CMAfest.com or Ticketmaster.com.

May 9

Borderline Crazy For Canadian Country Artists
By Lorie Hollabaugh

Canada and the United States have more than a border in common - the two also share an abundance of Country Music fans. Canada has long been an exporter of talented Country artists who found success in the United States, including George Canyon, Terri Clark, Emerson Drive, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Shania Twain and Michelle Wright. And American artists have long recognized Country's popularity in Canada, with most major stars touring the country periodically. Brooks & Dunn, George Strait and dozens of other artists make Canada an integral part of their itineraries when they launch a major North American tour.

International touring can occasionally bring adventure and most artists have at least one border crossing story to share. Emerson Drive road manager Mark Oglesby has made more than 100 border crossings during the last four years working with the Canadian band. His political science classes have come in handy while representing the group, especially during sensitive situations like crossing over checkpoints.

"I'm responsible for 10 guys, so it's my job to go in there first and try to smooth everything out," Oglesby said. "I have to get out my contracts and show them where we're playing, and they want to talk to all the guys. It's almost like playing poker. You don't want to say too much, or give them a reason to question. We're not hiding anything; you just don't want the inconvenience of the questions."

Having paperwork in order ahead of time expedites the process, according to Wayne O'Connor, a Canadian road manager who has spent 16 years crossing with artists Nick Carter, the Crash Test Dummies, and most recently George Canyon, who late last year, wrapped up a cross-Canadian tour. "It's getting almost impossible to cross into the U.S.," O'Connor said. "If I got a call today for a gig within the next three months, I would not be able to get the artist in through normal channels. Applying for the form takes at least three months. The process is slow."

Even with the proper forms submitted, there are no guarantees. O'Connor recalled a trip from Vancouver to Las Vegas with 15 people. He had everything in order, got everyone through customs and was then denied entry himself for no apparent reason. "I filed through 15 people and everything was great," O'Connor said.

"I was the 16th person, and the guy said to me, 'You're not coming in the country.' I thought he was kidding. These guys are judge and jury - the supervisor will not overturn a decision that an agent makes, right or wrong. They have a heavy job to do, let's face it. When I'm taking a new artist across I tell them, 'You answer the questions that are asked, you don't joke with these people, you don't say anything, you just play their game.'"

Consequences can be severe for artists who don't comply or even act surly, but it's easy to see how tempers can flare during a 2 AM bus search with an overeager agent. "Crossing at Niagara Falls we pulled up at 3 AM and got the wrong guy," Oglesby recalled. "He pulled everyone out of bed, took all our suitcases out, brought dogs and searched our socks, our bathroom kits, everything. And it took four hours."

Emerson Drive lead singer Brad Mates has definitely spent his share of time out in the cold during the 11 years the band has toured both countries. "I remember years ago, going home for Christmas," Mates said. "It was minus 30 degrees outside and they made us take every piece of equipment out of our trailer and checked the serial numbers on all of them."

There is always room for confusion during checkpoint searches as well. Mates recalled coming from Saskatchewan into North Dakota when they were stopped by friendly agents for a check and lost one of their members. "We had been through this border a number of times and they know the band and usually it's a quick breeze through," Mates said. "We got off, they did a quick search and Dale went to the washroom. When they were done, we hopped back on the bus and started driving and realized we had left him. So we turned around and went back, and there he was out talking with the officers, who had given him a border patrol hat. They all just thought it was hilarious."

According to Mates, it doesn't seem to matter which side you're crossing on. An artist can encounter an overzealous agent on either side. "A lot of times we have more trouble getting into Canada than we do coming into the U.S.," Mates said. "There are some people who will let you through, and some who will keep you there for hours. And there will always be new agents who need to dig a little deeper than they should."

Canyon, who enjoys special privileges because of his work visa, agreed. "I don't envy the job the border patrol has to do," Canyon said. "Being in law enforcement before, I had a taste of what that feels like, so when I go across it's whatever they need. But there are people in positions of power who sometimes should not be in them - it goes to their head and they don't know how to deal with it. I notch that up to inexperience on the agent's part. But they're all doing the best they can."

No matter the agent's personality, one thing is for sure. Honesty is the best policy when crossing the borders now that worldwide security concerns are at an all-time high. "The big thing is to be honest," Canyon agreed.

"Don't try to hide things and don't lie, because if you get caught you're going to go down hard and probably not cross the border again. The big thing is just be on the up and up. You can't go wrong if you do that."

On the Web: www.emersondrive.com; www.georgecanyon.com

George Canyon won second place on "Nashville Star" and signed a record deal with Universal Records South in 2004. His debut album, One Good Friend, featured four Top 5 singles in Canada and was produced by Tim DuBois and Tony Brown. Canyon's new album, Somebody Wrote Love, was released on July 4, 2006 on Universal Music Canada.

Emerson Drive is Patrick Bourque, bass guitar; Danick Dupelle, guitar; Brad Mates, lead vocals; Mike Melancon, drums; David Pichette, fiddle and Dale Wallace, keyboards. Their third album, Countrified, was released on Sept. 19, 2006 on Midas Records Nashville and produced by Brad Allen, Keith Follese, Josh Leo and Country Music Hall of Fame Alabama band member Teddy Gentry.

Clay Hunnicutt: Clear Channel's Country Connoisseur
By Crystal Caviness

One can only imagine what size business card Clear Channel's Clay Hunnicutt carries. In 2006, Hunnicutt's cluster of job titles sounded like he's a one-man operation: VP of Country Programming; Director of Programming for Nashville's five-station group (WSIX, WRVW, WNRQ, WUBT and WLAC); Brand Manager; and Regional VP of Programming for a 28-station region in the Southeast.

As VP of Country Programming for Clear Channel's 200+ Country radio stations, Hunnicutt's job is to know Country Music. But his other hats require that he knows what's going on at rock, Top 40, urban and talk radio, all of which makes Hunnicutt better at his Country gig, he said.

"I love what I do because it affords me the flexibility to not only focus on the Country format but also to be able to look at and understand all formats," Hunnicutt said about his multiple roles at the nation's largest operator of radio stations.

"I think we do a disservice to Country radio when we circle the wagons and say 'this is the only way we do it.' When you see what classic rock does, they have historical artists, just like Country does," he said. "I think a lot of Country radio stations make the mistake of thinking we're primarily a female format. It's foolish for us not to acknowledge the male aspect of our format. Classic rock is a very male 25-54 driven format and [males] do go back and forth [between Country and classic rock stations]. . Charlie Daniels, Hank Jr. and Toby Keith drive the male listeners and a lot of new (Country) artists - Jake Owen, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley - are still bringing a lot of males to the format."

Make no mistake, Hunnicutt knows radio. The 18-year veteran of the industry began his career at WUSY-FM in Chattanooga, Tenn., while attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He climbed the corporate rungs at WUSY from unpaid intern in the production department to Program Director for the nine-time CMA Radio Station of the Year. Before joining Clear Channel, Hunnicutt spent a year and a half as Program Director at WGAR-FM in Cleveland, Ohio.

"Clay has an extensive knowledge and love of Country Music," said Butch Waugh, Executive VP, Sony BMG Nashville. "He not only reaches out to support established artists, but is always eager to hear music from, and know more about, new acts. Clay is very creative and looks for innovative ways to introduce new artists to the Country audience."

A number of those innovations involve new technologies, including Internet and high definition (HD) strategies.

"Ten years ago, the Internet was a minor player for us," Hunnicutt said. "Now it is such an integral part of what our radio stations do in building the brand."

Live concerts online, acoustic-based performances titled "Stripped," and a program called "New," introducing up-and-coming acts is how Clear Channel is working to grow its demographic, Hunnicutt said.

"You go to a Keith Urban or Rascal Flatts concert, and there's a lot of the 12-24 [age group] in the crowd too," he said. "And that's who is going online. Eventually people grow out of your target demos and we need to keep building our future audiences."

Building the audiences means listening to the existing ones, an area of his job Hunnicutt takes seriously. "I think everything we do is listener based," he said. "We ask listeners what they want to hear. We still do research projects to directly touch the listeners."

Today's listeners want choices beyond terrestrial radio, Hunnicutt said, which is why Clear Channel is aggressively implementing online and alternative initiatives.

"There will always be radios and a market for free radio stations," he said. "But we do have to react to giving listeners more choices. That why you see our stations streaming. We're also on XM Radio. The streaming, HD, XM and terrestrial - that's not building a radio station, that's building a brand. Coke doesn't promote Coke. Coke promotes lifestyle, youngness, vitality. We have to get better about that. Our brands have to become more important than an FM frequency.

"It's about growing it and making it have value to the listeners," he added. "If terrestrial's only stronghold is that it's free, we're done. It's not about free. That makes it cheap. It's not cheap. It has great value. It adds value to our society and communities. It must maintain a sense of companionship."

Clear Channel's content can be heard on AM/FM stations, HD digital radio channels, on the Internet, via iPods, through Motorola's iRadio cell phone service and via mobile-navigation devices from Cobra, Garmin, Kenwood and others.

The passion Hunnicutt maintains for radio spills over into the loyalty he has for his company.

"This may be a big group of radio stations - Clear Channel owns more than 1,000 radio stations worldwide - but it is still an individual programming a radio station, impacting their local community everyday," Hunnicutt said. "We're the ones out here doing this on a day-to-day basis. Every programming director makes their decisions about their programming on a daily basis. There aren't national playlists. There aren't national edicts about what they play and how often they play it. Those are fallacies. No one wants to believe that you can be a very large company but still make an impact on a local market."

Though he wears many hats including CMA Board member, Hunnicutt's primary focus remains clear.

"I'm trying to be the conduit and communicator of the company through our successes and failures," he said. "What I'm trying to do with all the Country programmers at Clear Channel is to share as much information as is out there, whether it's research or trends in the format. I learn as much from my Country programmers as I hope they learn from me."

On Dec. 21, 2006 Clear Channel announced that Clay Hunnicutt had been named Atlanta OM of the company's six-station group there, including Country WUBL-FM, News/Talk WGST-AM, Regional Mexican WBZY-FM, Rock WKLS-FM and Spanish CHR WWVA-FM & WVWA-FM.

On the Web: www.clearchannel.com

May 4

Terri Clark Kicks Off 2007 CMA Music Festival on the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages

Craig Morgan, John Anderson, Jamie O'Neal and Chris Young Join Clark To Jump-Start Four Full Days of Non-Stop Music in Downtown Nashville

GAC To Tape Performances for Upcoming Concert Series

Tickets for Riverfront Shows Available at the Gate for $14 a Day

How do you kick off the biggest Country Music festival in the world? With one of the most fan-friendly, crowd- pleasing entertainers in the format -- Terri Clark. The leave'em rocking singer/songwriter kicks off the 2007 CMA Music Festival on the Greased Lightning(R) Daytime Stages Thursday, June 7 (10:00 AM/CT) with her distinctive brand of power Country. The four-day event takes place in Downtown Nashville and runs through Sunday, June 10.

"Terri Clark is one of the most energetic performers in Country Music today," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "She is a fan- favorite; her high-energy performance and engaging personality will set the tone for four days of fun, great music and great times."

Clark, a quadruple CMA Award nominee, has sold more than 4 million albums and scored nearly a dozen Top 10 hits, including "Better Things To Do," "I Wanna Do It All" and "Girls Lie, Too." The first Canadian woman inducted into the historic Grand Ole Opry, she is a prolific entertainer, musician, producer and songwriter. Recently signed to BNA Records, her debut single "Dirty Girl" is fast climbing the singles and download charts and her new album My Next Life will hit stores in August.

Joining Clark in the opening morning show June 7 are Craig Morgan, John Anderson, Jamie O'Neal and Chris Young. Genovese added, "What I love about all of these performers is the diversity of styles and talent they bring to the occasion. This group is a microcosm of the best this Festival has to offer -- a place where you can find your favorite stars and discover the stars of tomorrow."

Since it began in 1972, CMA Music Festival has been about the fans and every year CMA attempts to put together concert performances that will bring them to their feet. And this year is no exception.

Other artists added to the line up of stars at Riverfront include Lynn Anderson, T. Graham Brown, Jason Michael Carroll, John Conlee, 2007 "Nashville Star" winner Angela Hacker, Steve Holy, Hal Ketchum, Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Louvin, Rockie Lynne, Lorrie Morgan, Connie Smith and many more.

Single-day tickets for the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages will be sold the day of each show at the gate for $14 each. Children 6 and younger are admitted free of charge, making the Riverfront concerts a popular destination for families who want to enjoy great musical performances while relaxing on the sloping bank of the Cumberland River. The concerts are fun in the sun within easy walking distance of all the Festival event sites, with food vendors, activities and more.

The opening festivities are just the start of more than 30 hours of performances covering the entire range of Country Music from today's rising stars, to legends, bluegrass, and more at the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages. Over the four-day event, more than 100 artists are scheduled to perform during the Daytime Concerts.

Thursday, June 7:

John Anderson, Catherine Britt, Sarah Buxton, Eric Church, Terri Clark, Bucky Covington, Ty Herndon, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Blaine Larsen, Little Texas, Neal McCoy, Craig Morgan, Jamie O'Neal, Jake Owen, Danielle Peck, PovertyNeck Hillbillies, Julie Roberts, Kevin Sharp, Trent Tomlinson, Gene Watson, Whiskey Falls, Darryl Worley, and Chris Young.

Friday, June 8:

Luke Bryan, Carolina Rain, Jason Michael Carroll, Cole Deggs & the Lonesome Brad Cotter, Dusty Drake, Katrina Elam, Jace Everett, Flynnville Train, Josh Gracin, Andy Griggs, Angela Hacker, Jennifer Hanson, Heartland, Steve Holy, Jypsi, Hal Ketchum, The Lost Trailers, Ashley Monroe, Lorrie Morgan, Megan Mullins, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ray Scott, Jeffrey Steele, and Mark Wills.

Saturday, June 9:

Alvarado Road Show, Jeff Bates, Blue County, Bomshel, Lane Brody, T. Graham Brown, Laura Bryna, Sonny Burgess, Donovan Chapman, Cowboy Crush, Crossin Dixon, Linda Davis, Emerson Drive, Morgan Evans, Adam Harvey, Lady Antebellum, Rockie Lynne, Lila McCann, Memarie, Jerrod Niemann, Michael Peterson, Carmen Rasmusen, The Road Hammers, Connie Smith, Rick Trevino, Trick Pony, and Bryan White.

Sunday, June 10:

Deborah Allen, Lynn Anderson, John Berry, Lee Brice, Carter's Chord, Elizabeth Cook, John Conlee, Earl Thomas Conley, Amy Dalley, Janie Fricke, Todd Fristch, Billy Gilman, The Grascals, LoCash Cowboys, Charlie Louvin, Pirates of the Mississippi, Rio Grand, John Stone, Pam Tillis, Aaron Tippin, Jett Williams, and Trent Willmon.

And bringing the excitement to the fans at home is Great American Country. GAC will capture numerous performances at Riverfront Park for a 13-part concert series to air this fall. In addition, "GAC Nights," the network's nightly primetime program, will be on hand each day as host Suzanne Alexander speaks with artists and fans. And once again, GAC will produce two "CMA Celebrity Close Up" programs, hosted by popular media personality Lorianne Crook. The GAC autograph booth inside the Fan Fair(R) Exhibit Hall at the Nashville Convention Center will be buzzing with artists who will sign autographs and pose for photos throughout the event. Check in with http://www.gactv.com/ for the latest information on GAC's involvement and coverage of CMA Music Festival.

The National Anthem will be sung by Minnie Murphy on June 7; Rissi Palmer on June 8; Keni Thomas on June 9; and Rhonda Towns on Sunday, June 10. Each day's concert schedule is broken down into hosted segments. Among the hosts scheduled to appear during the Daytime Concerts are GAC personality Suzanne Alexander; XM Satellite Radio personality Jon Anthony; GAC personality Bill Cody; GAC personality Lorianne Crook; WSIX Radio (Nashville) personality Slam Duncan; WGSQ Radio (Cookeville, Tenn.) personality Philip Gibbons; GAC personality Kylie Harris; owner Country Air Check and host of the weekly "CMT Country Countdown USA" Lon Helton; The Tennessean celebrity columnist Beverly Keel; radio personality and "The Unofficial Mayor of Music Row" Charlie Monk; WKRN-TV (Nashville ABC affiliate) entertainment reporter Brad Schmitt; WZTV-TV (Nashville FOX affiliate) personality Kelly Sutton; MuzikMafia member Two Foot Fred; GAC personality Storme Warren; and WGKX Radio (Memphis) personalities Young & Elder. Special appearances will also be made by some of the ABC Daytime actors on Saturday, June 9.

Greased Lightning has been a title sponsor of the Daytime Stages since 2002.

"We are honored to be a sponsor for CMA and particularly this event. It's not only a sampling opportunity for us, but we actually get our retailers involved and we get to interact with consumers," said Greased Lightning Brand Manager Tracy Hudson. "Country Music has the greatest and most loyal fans and every year we look forward to participating in the CMA Music Festival."

This year, selected show segments on the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages will be sponsored by partners including Dr. Pepper, New Holland and Wrangler.

"The Wrangler brand has proudly partnered with the CMA Music Festival for six years now and we wouldn't miss the chance to be involved again this year," said Edyie Brooks-Bryant, Marketing Manager, Wrangler Special Events. "We're especially excited to be a part of the Riverfront concerts and activities and to have the rare opportunity to interact with some of our most-beloved consumers -- Country Music fans!"

All of the artists participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time. They are not compensated for performing. In appreciation of their continued support, CMA launched "Keep the Music Playing," a program, which donates half the net proceeds from the event to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, to support music education in Metro Nashville's 134 public schools. In March, CMA donated $368,000 from the 2006 CMA Music Festival for music education brining to date a total of $1.1 million that CMA has donated to charity on behalf of the artists who participate in the Festival.

For up-to-the-minute information about tickets, travel information, schedules, artist appearances and more, visit http://www.cmafest.com/ and sign up for e-news.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music. Borders(R) Books & Music: The Official Music & Book retailer of the CMA Music Festival. Additional promotional partners include American Airlines, Coca-Cola(R), Country Weekly, CMT(R), Crisco(R), Dr Pepper(R), GAC, Great American Country, Greased Lightning Cleaning Products(R), Gibson Guitar(R), Hard Rock Café Nashville, Music Festivals(R), New Holland Agriculture Equipment S.p.A., On the Run(R) at Exxon, Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, The Sportsman Channel(R), Wrangler(R), and Yamaha Motor Corp., USA. Fan Fair(R) is a registered trademark of CMA.

Source: Country Music Association

May 1

Ken Nelson's Positive Prescription
By Tom Roland

When Ken Nelson needs cheering up, he sings a 60-year-old song to himself: "You've got to accentuate the positive / Eliminate the negative / Latch on to the affirmative / Don't mess with Mr. In-Between."

It's an appropriate choice for three reasons: One, it lifts his spirits; two, it connects Nelson, who turned 96 in January, to the years when he was a young man; and three, "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" lyricist Johnny Mercer was one of three co-founders of Capitol Records, the place where Nelson built the legacy that got him enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

"The funny thing is I never met Johnny," Nelson mused at his airy home near a golf course in California's Ventura County.

Their time at Capitol certainly overlapped - Mercer founded the label in Los Angeles in 1942, and Nelson joined the firm in 1946, one year before Mercer ceded the presidency to Glenn Wallichs.

Nelson's day-to-day influence lasted much longer; he stayed with the company into the mid-1970s, signing and/or producing such acts as Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Freddie Hart, Buck Owens, Hank Thompson and Sonny James.

"The only time I ever raised my voice to an artist was when I was recording Sonny James," Nelson chuckled. "We had made three takes of 'Young Love,' and Sonny was insisting that he wanted to do another take. I said, 'That's it! Period!' That's the only time I ever raised my voice to an artist. Of course, the record only sold a couple million."

James recalled that day in the studio a little differently.

"He didn't really raise his voice; he just said, 'No Sonny, that's the last one we're going to do,'" James said. "The longer I worked with Ken, the more liberty he would give me. He gave you that liberty to show what individuality that you had. That's one of the things that I think was the greatest thing to happen to me, because I did work with someone like Ken. You see, I love to play the guitar and it became a part of my sound. And without that, it wouldn't have been me. By him giving me the liberty to bring out my guitar, it's a style. Without that, there wouldn't have been a Sonny James sound that people are familiar with."

Nelson earned a reputation as an artist-friendly producer. His 1956 recording of Ferlin Husky's "Gone" is often cited as the beginning of the smooth, pop-flavored Nashville Sound, which helped Country weather the early years of rock 'n' roll. But it's telling that his best-selling artists, Haggard and Owens, were California-based singer-songwriters whose cutting brand of honky tonk provided an antecedent to the period's biggest trend.

"An artist has to be himself," Nelson said. "If he doesn't have the artistry and the ability to convey to people what he's feeling, he's no good. You can't tell an artist what to do."

Nelson operated in a much simpler time. James' first contract with the label was just one page. Most sessions yielded four recordings in a scant three hours. And labels sometimes signed artists sight unseen, a practice that would never be allowed today.

Nelson recalled specifically leaving Shreveport, La., radio station KWKH, where he'd conducted a session, and heard an unnamed singer on Webb Pierce's radio show. On a hunch, he headed back to town and booked a hotel, then showed up at the station the next day to ask questions about the mystery performer, who turned out to be Faron Young.

"I went to [booking agent] Hubert Long," Nelson recalled, "and said, 'Hubert, this kid Faron Young, he's pretty great, and I would like to sign him, but I can't stay, because I've got a couple of sessions back in Nashville. If he's not signed to a record label, would you sign him for Capitol and let me know?' So I went back to Nashville, and Hubert got Faron to sign with Capitol and also became his manager."

The association led to more than 25 Top 10 hits throughout the next decade, including "Hello Walls" and "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')." Young would also find a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

Nelson remains fairly practical about it all. He knows his story cuts across multiple periods in entertainment history, so he wrote his autobiography, My First 90 Years Plus Three, released in February 2007 by Dorrance Publishing. Nelson spent $40,000 of his own funds to make sure it made it into print "before I kick the bucket."

"My book is practically a history of the music business," he said. "I saw radio come in, I saw TV."

And he saw the changes wrought by the rock era. In fact, his own glory years as a producer came during the 1960s, at the same time that Capitol hit paydirt with The Beatles and The Beach Boys. As it turned out, Nelson had a minor, but influential, role in the surfer group's emergence. A struggling songwriter, Murry Wilson, had phoned him about the band, and Nelson promised that pop A&R director Nik Venet would respond. Nelson ended up prodding Venet several times - the last one an expletive-laden tirade - before Venet finally returned the call.

The Beach Boys were, of course, signed, and A&R VP Voyle Gilmore ended up chiding his department for not being more responsive.

"At the next A&R meeting," Nelson laughed, "Voyle said, 'Let this be a lesson to you. We could've lost The Beach Boys. The next time you get a tip like Ken gave, you follow it through.' Of course, I didn't know what the group sounded like, but I just felt like the man should at least be listened to by somebody."

Whether they knew it or not, millions have listened to works that were produced by Nelson, who is still remarkable. Even in his late 90s, he still exercises 45 minutes, five times a week, and allows himself one beer around 5 PM. He still reads the newspaper with a magnifying glass, and a scrapbook contains letters to the editor he's had published in recent years.

A founding Director and former two-term President of CMA Board of Directors, he admitted that his diminished capacity frustrates him at times, but that's when Nelson starts singing the old Mercer song and accentuates the many positives he's experienced.

"It's difficult to not keep thinking about my aging," he conceded. "I hate it, but there's nothin' you can do about it. So you just eliminate the negative."

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Tresa Jordan
By Kristen Scherer

For Tresa Jordan, music came naturally and has been a dominate part of her life. She is an artist who sings from the heart about the joys and heartaches of real life. Jordan's journey began in the small Florida town of Melrose.

"I was on stage with my Dad and his band at the age of 10, but forced everyone in my family to sit through hours of living room performances, school plays and talent shows ever since the age of 3," Jordan said.

Determined to make her dream of singing a reality, she auditioned and was accepted to the Florida School of the Performing Arts where her creative juices started flowing and she began writing songs. Jordan's heart was yearning to pursue a career in Country Music so she packed her bags and headed to Nashville.

Jordan found out quickly how hard it is to break into the music industry and was soon waiting tables to pay the bills. Seven years and three kids later, she emerged from a failed marriage determined to rekindle her passion for music.

The songs she wrote reflected both the good and bad times she had experienced. Eight of those songs she co-wrote are featured on her self-titled debut album, which was released last year on South River Road Records.

Produced by Jim Cooper, the album is built around acoustic instruments, which, according to Jordan, makes the music "organic, raw and natural; the instruments match the lyrics." The lead single, "I Turn to Country," Jordan co-wrote with Robin Scoffield.

Jordan's songs reflect her wide-ranging influences, which include Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton and Steve Wariner. From the contemporary groove of "Underneath the Wheel" to the bluegrass feel of "Ain't No Grave," Jordan's auspicious debut spotlights the struggles and triumphs she has experienced on her journey to become a Country star.

IN HER OWN WORDS:
What book is in your nightstand?
"The Long Home by William Gay."
" by William Gay."
What moment in your life would you relive if you could?
"Dancing on my Daddy's feet - that's why I wrote the song."
"Dancing on my Daddy's feet - that's why I wrote the song."
What song do you wish you had written?
"'One More Day.'"
"'One More Day.'"
Which mode of transportation do you prefer - planes, trains or automobiles?
"None. I am waiting for someone to invent a little traveling space machine that will instantly take me to my destination."
"None. I am waiting for someone to invent a little traveling space machine that will instantly take me to my destination."
Who is your dream duet partner?
"That would be a tie between Keith Urban and Vince Gill."
"That would be a tie between Keith Urban and Vince Gill."

On The Web: www.tresajordan.com

April 24

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Sunny Sweeney
By Kristen Scherer

Sunny Sweeney has one of those unmistakable East Texas accents when she speaks, and when she opens her mouth to sing, that accent just gets thicker. That's one of the reasons listeners never have to guess where this singer is coming from. Sweeney delivers every song on her debut album, Heartbreakers Hall of Fame, with a sweet southern drawl.

Growing up in the small town of Longview, Sweeney's first taste of Country came in the pop-leaning 1980s. It was only later, when she stumbled upon more traditional singers including Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn that she knew the kind of Country she was born to sing.

Initially she pursued a different kind of creative career, in theater and comedy. After spending a few years in New York City, Sweeney returned to her home state, joining an improvisational comedy troupe in Austin. Basking in that city's thriving live music scene and heeding the advice of her fellow comedians, she soon found her true calling in the local clubs and began making her way toward her debut album.

Initially released on her own independent label, Heartbreakers Hall of Fame found a passionate believer in Music Row executive Scott Borchetta, who licensed the album for a March 6 release on his Big Machine Records label. The album, co-produced by Sweeney and Tommy Detamore (guitar, pedal and lap steel, Dobro) and Tom Lewis (drums) and featuring three songs written or co-written by Sweeney, promises to deliver a slice of pure honky tonk music to the Country landscape.

IN HER OWN W ORDS:
Who is your musical hero?
"I have two: Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn."

Which song would you like to cover?
"[Merle Haggard's] 'Misery and Gin.'"

What actor would portray you in a biopic about your life?
"I don't really care, just as long as she is kind of hot!"

What song do you wish you had written?
"'Angel from Montgomery.'"

Who is your dream duet partner?
"Merle or Dwight Yoakam, assuming that if I got that chance, I wouldn't pass out on the stage."

When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you?
"I hope they say, 'Dang, that girl sure had fun and she always sang that real Country Music.'"

On the Web: www.sunnysweeney.com

Brenda Lee is Still "Dynamite" After All These Years
By Stephen L. Betts

With boundless energy and an incendiary vocal style, Brenda Lee was being billed as "Little Miss Dynamite" in the late 1950s, selling millions of albums and becoming an international superstar - all before she entered her teens. Five decades later, the pint-sized powder keg is still running on full power and influencing a whole new generation of artists in both rock and Country. She may have slowed down her busy touring schedule in favor of family (she's the mother of two and grandmother of three), but the woman John Lennon once said "has the greatest rock 'n' roll voice of them all," is now a respected role model for women in the ever-evolving music business, and a tireless champion of several charitable causes.

In September 2006 at the new Musician's Hall of Fame, the Nashville-based organization SOURCE, a networking foundation that mentors women working in the music industry, bestowed upon the 61-yearold singer the Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the first woman CMA Executive Director, who, along with surprise guest Garth Brooks, presented her with the award.

"Brenda has certainly been a long and faithful contributor to the music industry in general and especially to Country Music, because, of course, that's where she started her career," Walker-Meador said. "When CMA was established, it was some of the Board members' idea that it could be supported by the artists doing benefit shows, and Brenda did CMA's second benefit show in 1960 in Fort Wayne, Ind. She's such a trouper. She appealed to people, not just because of her talent but because she was Brenda."

"I was stunned to accept the award in the Musician's Hall of Fame, which honors the guys and girls that helped me make my music and helped get me to this point in my life," Lee said. "And then to have the award presented to me by Mrs. Walker-Meador and Garth Brooks, I was shocked. He flew in especially to do it, and flew right out because he had to take his kids to school on Friday morning. All I could think of to say when he walked on stage was, 'I love your wife!' And he said, 'I do too!'"

Although Brooks' wife, singer Trisha Yearwood (who, like Lee, is a Georgia native) was on the road in Pennsylvania and couldn't attend the event, she called Brooks earlier that day to remind him to convey her congratulations.

A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (elected in 2002) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (inducted in 1997), Brenda Mae Tarpley's career began at age 5 when she won a talent contest, representing Conyers (Ga.) Grade School. Soon after, she appeared for a year on an Atlanta radio show, and was later seen on local television. In May 1953, when Lee was 9, her father was killed in a construction accident. Two years later, her mother remarried, and the family moved to Cincinnati. In February 1956, the 11-year-old who by this time was being billed as Brenda Lee, returned to Georgia and was living in Augusta where her big break came during a meeting with another future Country Music Hall of Fame member, Red Foley, then host of the popular "Ozark Jubilee" TV program.

She also met Dub Allbritten, Foley's manager and the man who would guide her career as her manager until his death in 1971. The meeting with Foley led to a Decca Records contract, and in early 1957 Lee's first chart success came with "One Step at a Time," which climbed to No. 43 on the pop charts and No. 15 on the Country charts. Although it would be another 12 years before Lee returned to the Country charts, a string of pop hits began in 1960 with the No. 4 hit, "Sweet Nothin's" and the No. 1 smash, "I'm Sorry."

The streak continued for the next seven years, accompanied by such heady experiences as meeting her idols Judy Garland and Elvis Presley, sharing a concert bill with The Beatles, becoming (at age 12) the youngest headlining performer in Las Vegas history and appearing before Queen Elizabeth II in a Royal Command performance.

An internationally-recognized superstar before she turned 21, Lee had nonetheless only been allowed to double-date, until her first "solo car date" with the young man she would marry in 1963, Ronnie Shacklett. Lee took time off to be at home with the couple's two daughters when they were born, Julie in 1964, and Jolie in 1969, but returned to a full-time music career in 1973 with "Nobody Wins," the first of six consecutive Top 10 Country singles.

Julie is now an author working on her third book. She shares co-writer credit on Brenda's 2002 autobiography, Little Miss Dynamite, with her mother and journalist Robert K. Oermann. Younger daughter Jolie works within the criminal justice system in Tennessee.

Preferring to spend less time touring these days, and more time with her three grandchildren, Lee does about 25 singing engagements per year instead of the 100-plus she has in years past. The doting grandmother says that 18-year-old Taylor is, "fluent in French and brilliant in math," while 10-year-old Jordan is "a very good artist." Grandson Charlie, is "a 4-year-old and he's just precious. He has music in him."

Speaking volumes for her influence and for the esteem in which she's held by her peers, Lee released on April 10 her first gospel album, Gospel Duets with Treasured Friends, a spare, acoustic collection of duets with some notable partners: fellow Country Music Hall of Fame members George Jones ("Have a Little Talk with Jesus") and Dolly Parton ("This Old House"), along with Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn ("Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"), Charlie Daniels ("This Little Light of Mine"), Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn ("Where Could I Go But to the Lord"), Vince Gill ("I Saw the Light"), Emmylou Harris ("Jesus Loves Me"), Alison Krauss ("In The Garden"), Martina McBride ("Uncloudy Day"), Delbert McClinton, Pam Tillis ("Precious Memories"), Trisha Yearwood and rocker Huey Lewis ("Oh! Happy Day").

Lee, whose first gospel performance was with Georgia's Master Worker's Quartet when she was 5, said, "When you're a poor daughter of the South, church is where you go for your social activities because it's free. So every time the doors were open, we were there. As I child, it was just ingrained in me."

Taking almost two years to complete because of all the schedules that needed to be coordinated, Lee calls the resultant project, "an upbeat, happy thing." Other happy things in Lee's busy life include her involvement as a board member for organizations including Habitat for Humanity and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). She also gives four scholarships per year to two Nashville universities, and is quick to pass on a bit of the wisdom she learned from the man who was one of the most important keys to her success, producer Owen Bradley.

"[He] always told me two things: Don't ever try to compete with anybody else; and, you don't have to be the conductor, you just want to be on the train. I've been on the train for a long, long time and I really appreciate it. I see strong women every day in our world of entertainment, more so in the last decade than I've ever seen. And I'm always glad to see the girls do well, because no matter what they say, the girls have a harder time breaking that glass ceiling than the guys do in this town. Once the door is opened by people before us, it's a little bit easier to get through the cracks. I hope that the young group that's coming - and I was in that young group, too - I hope they have a passion and a love for whatever it is they do. The entertainment world is hard enough when you love what you do. In any business, without that passion, it must be truly hard."

On the Web: www.brendalee.com

April 17

Ron Sakamoto's Solid Gold Touch
By Lorie Hollabaugh

The 2006 CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year is a fixture not only on the Canadian music scene, but on the global stage as well. As one of the primary promoters in Canada for the last 30 years, Ron Sakamoto, or "Sak," as he is affectionately known, has presented shows from KISS to George Strait and been a constant champion of Canada's entertainment scene, helping build it into the thriving business it is today.

His story reads like a typical rags-to-riches, small-town-boy-makes-good tale - but with a few unlikely twists. Growing up on a farm in Southern Alberta, Canada, Sakamoto was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and has sung in choirs but turned his attention to baseball and hockey. It was on a hockey team trip that he would get the inspiration to open his first club.

"I was playing hockey in different cities, and at that time Dick Clark's 'Bandstand' was popular," Sakamoto said. "I was watching 'Bandstand' and I thought, 'Hmm, that looks kind of neat.' Then I got hurt and knew I was never going to make the pros, so I decided to open a teen club. We opened on Friday and Saturday nights, with no booze - I sold pop, chocolate bars and chips - and it did very well."

Realizing he would need to work with business people to book his club, Sakamoto decided to become a Fuller Brush Man.

"The hardest thing for me to do was talk to people, Sakamoto said. "My friend managed a Fuller Brush business, and I felt that going door to door was the hardest thing. If I could do that and be successful, then I could do anything."

Sakamoto's philosophy worked. He opened a club in Lethbridge and started his company, Gold & Gold Productions. Some were surprised to encounter a Japanese Canadian at their first meeting, but Sakamoto won them over with his contagious enthusiasm and tireless work ethic - the same traits that have helped him become one of Canada's biggest promoters.

The first promoter to bring KISS to Canada, Sakamoto has seen plenty of changes during his three decades in the business, and he's watched the careers of countless rock and Country artists blossom and grow. Perhaps the biggest change has been the size of the arenas and the magnitude of the shows presented.

"At the time I started there were mainly hockey arenas," he said. "Most smaller towns had arenas because of hockey. They didn't have all-purpose buildings at that time, so we had to use movie theaters with stages. Today, entertainers travel in huge buses with tons of equipment, and the show has gotten a lot more complex and sophisticated."

Although Canada has only one tenth of the population of the U.S., Sakamoto noted that it still supports music in a big way. He should know. During his career he's worked with nearly every name in the business, including Bryan Adams, the Bee Gees, the Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Santana, Van Halen and Country artists including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Pride, Shania Twain and Keith Urban.

Recognition of outstanding industry contributions is part of the mission of CMA - including those accomplishments outside of our domestic borders. Last September, CMA presented promoter Ron Sakamoto with the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award.

"Part of the CMA mission statement is to bring the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "Throughout many years, Ron has helped build a market for our artists to tour in Canada, and we are proud to recognize him with this Award."

The Award is given to an international talent buyer / promoter who has promoted at least two concerts of Nashville-signed artists outside the United States in the past 12 months. Genovese and CMA Board Member and Chairman of CMA Global Markets Committee Jeff Walker, President of AristoMedia / Marco Promotions, presented the Award to Sakamoto during the Industry Awards Brunch on Sept. 9, as part of the Canadian Country Music Association's Country Music Week in Saint John, New Brunswick. Sakomoto also received the Award in 2001.

"I find myself not only honored, but humbled to be recognized on such a level," Sakamoto said. "I am so fortunate to be able to work with such fine people, right from the talented and amazing artists; their bands and crew members; management and agents and their assistants; to the road crew; sound and light people - everyone involved from start to finish in promoting and producing a first class event. To be rewarded by CMA for doing something I love and feel so passionate about is beyond my largest dreams."

"We are delighted that Ron Sakamoto is the 2006 recipient of the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award," said CMA International Director Bobbi Boyce. "He works tirelessly to promote Country Music in Canada and is responsible for introducing some of the biggest names in our industry to the Canadian market place."

A multiple award winner for services to Country Music, Sakamoto, through his agency Gold & Gold Productions, has introduced some of the top names in Country Music to the Canadian marketplace. He co-founded CSA, a full service booking and brokering agency that puts Canadian artists together with major tours, including Charlie Major with Randy Travis, Aaron Prichett with Brooks & Dunn and Johnny Reid with Brad Paisley and Terri Clark. He has been named the Canadian Country Music Association's Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year for 14 consecutive years.

Sakamoto's ventures include partnerships in casinos, racetracks and a golf course, and ownership of several racehorses, one of which represented Canada at the MNBA Challenge Race in Texas. Retirement hasn't crossed his mind, although Sakamoto conceded that balance is one of the keys to a successful life.

CMA Presents Six International Awards to Industry and Media Professionals in Australia and the UK
By Scott Stem

Recognition of outstanding industry contributions is part of the mission of CMA - including those accomplishments outside of U.S. borders. In early February 2007, six industry and media professionals in Australia and the United Kingdom were honored by CMA with international awards.

"CMA is thrilled to honor the efforts of these six individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support and promote Country Music in Australia, the United Kingdom and around the world," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese.

AUSTRALIA
Rob Potts, CEO of Entertainment Edge and a CMA Board Member, surprised two Australian professionals with awards recognizing their continued support of Country Music on Jan. 30 at The Basement in Sydney, Australia.

Tim Daley, Country Music Channel (CMC) Program Manager, was the recipient of CMA's Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award which recognizes outstanding achievements in the media which contribute to the development of Country Music outside the United States. Radio, TV and print journalists, authors, editors, television writers, producers and organizations based outside the United States are eligible to win this award.

"To have my name mentioned in the same sentence as Wesley Rose is truly an honor," Daley said. "It is fantastic to be acknowledged by the CMA for simply doing something that I love to do."

Ian Holland received the CMA International Country Broadcaster Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to Country Music by a radio broadcaster based outside the United States. CMA may present up to three of these awards per year.

"Winning the award came out of the blue," Holland said. "It was a complete shock for me. I've been a huge supporter of Country for a long time and I'm keen to help with the development of Country Music in Australia. I believe when it really takes off in Australia it will be as big, if not bigger here per capita than it is in the United States. My dream is to see my prediction proved correct in the not-too-distant future."

In addition, it was announced that Michael Chugg, Executive Chairman of Chugg Entertainment, was the winner of the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award, which honors an individual who has contributed significantly to the advancement of Country Music by creative artist tour packaging, new artist development and producing new and creative Country Music promotions. Chugg was out of the country and unable to attend the presentation, but will receive his award soon.

"It is with great pride that I accept this award on behalf of all my hardworking staff who give blood for Chugg Entertainment," Chugg said. "I congratulate CMA for the magnificent job they have done particularly in the last decade in breaking not just American music but international Country Music worldwide. I would also like to thank my clients the Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban for believing in us when touring down under. I would also like to mention Simon Renshaw and Rob Potts for getting me interested in Country Music many years ago."

UNITED KINGDOM
Alan McBlane, Owner of mcb3, received CMA's Jo Walker-Meador International Achievement Award on Feb. 1, by Country Music artists Jace Everett and Julie Roberts. The presentation took place backstage at CMA's Third Annual New from Nashville event at Carling Academy, Islington in London, England. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual or company in advocating and supporting Country Music's market development in territories outside North America.

"I'd like to thank CMA for honoring me with this award, and the recognition that they feel I've supported Country Music's marketing development here in the UK," McBlane said. "In particular, I'd like to thank Richard Story at Sony BMG, Nick Stewart at Warner Music and Debbie Linn at Sony BMG in Nashville for their encouragement and support, and all associated with the CMA International Advisory Group. Most of all however, thanks go to Joe Galante and the extended RLG / Sony BMG family in Nashville who have put up with me for the past six years!"

On Feb. 3, Everett and Roberts presented Moray Firth Radio host Helen MacPherson with the second CMA International Country Broadcaster Award while backstage at a New from Nashville performance during the Celtic Connections Festival at Classic Grand in Glasgow, Scotland.

"It's a great reward for all the work you put into it, although I don't think of it as work," MacPherson said. "It is a really great thank you."

Rick Murray, CMA VP of Strategic Marketing and Bobbi Boyce, CMA International Director, presented the third CMA International Country Broadcaster Award to Tim Rogers at a luncheon in London on Feb. 5.

"You program Country Music but never really know if you are doing it right," said Rogers. "Then someone from Nashville recognizes you and says 'Yes, you ARE doing it right.' It says it all. It's amazing! I really appreciate it."

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECIPIENTS BIOGRAPHIES
Michael Chugg is considered one of the pioneers of the Australian music industry, having promoted artist concerts for more than four decades. Since forming Chugg Entertainment in 2000, he's promoted more than 150 Australian and international artists, earning his reputation as one of the most prominent and respected promoters in the world. His company organized Wave Aid in January 2005, a charity concert that raised more than $2.3 million for the victims of the Boxing Day tsunami. Among the most recent Country tours of Australia promoted by Chugg Entertainment are: the Dixie Chicks (2003, 2006); Steve Earle (2005); and Keith Urban (2003, 2005).

United States-native Tim Daley began his career working at KQIL-AM in Grand Junction, Colo., with Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member Don Rhea. After marrying an Australian native, he moved to Sydney in 1992 and worked at Triple M radio. He joined TV operator Foxtel in 1997 before starting XYZnetworks (a Foxtel and Austar joint venture) in 1999, where he produced music-oriented TV shows for Channel [V], including the live pop request show "By Demand." In 2000, Daley launched the adult music channel, Max; and in 2002, he launched CMC for regional pay TV operator Austar. The 24-hour channel is available in more than 2 million homes in Australia and has become the most influential medium for Country Music in the nation. Daly has secured the Australian broadcast rights for Country Music's Biggest NightT, the annual CMA Awards, while also filming and airing specials on Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols and Australia's Golden Guitar Awards. He works closely with the record labels on both local and international album releases and serves on the CMA Global Task Force Australian Advisory Group.

During his more than 30-year radio broadcasting career, Ian Holland has been a strong supporter of Country Music. He introduced Australians to the music of Ed Bruce, Ronnie Milsap, Michael Martin Murphy, Ray Price and many other Country artists in the 1970s on 2UE where he later became the MD. For three years, he was heard on more than 50 stations hosting "Australian Top 40." After becoming the PD of 2CH, he helped the station become Sydney's No. 1 radio station for the first time in its history. In the '80s, Holland worked with 2BG on the development of its highly successful News Talk format before moving to 2SM in 1992 where he served as host of "Sydney's Hottest Country." Holland was also the host of the Australian edition of the successful "American Country Countdown" syndicated radio program. In 1997, Holland opened his own business operating charter flights throughout Australia while giving traffic reports from the air for three stations. In 1995, he returned to broadcasting fulltime at 2CH where he continues to serve as both PD and night announcer. In his quest to re-establish 2CH's dominance in the marketplace, Holland is using Country Music to play a strong role in the station's development.

When Moray Firth Radio went on air in Scotland in February 1982, Helen MacPherson loaned them her considerable Country Music album collection with the understanding that she would determine their playlist. After attending the Wembley Country Festival that year and obtaining a sizeable number of artist interviews, MacPherson received her own Country program on Sundays and later added a mid-week show. Twenty-five years later, McPherson is still hosting two shows on Moray Firth Radio: "Classic Country" on Mondays and "A Kind of Country" on Wednesdays.

Alan McBlane is the Owner of mcb3, an independent UK marketing company that manages all aspects of UK releases for Sony BMG Nashville, as well as a variety of independent projects for labels including Flying Sparks, Hungry Dog and Persevere. McBlane consults for Gibson Guitars Europe and lectures in music at Buckinghamshire and Chilterns University College. McBlane has also worked in music retailing, artist management and with several UK music companies including Polydor, Island Records and The Grapevine Label.

Tim Rogers is in his fourth decade of presenting Country Music radio shows in the UK. Through the years, fans have listened to his weekly programs on Trent FM, Gem AM, the national "Classic Gold" show and currently on Saga 106.6 FM, where he interviews top stars, legends, rising artists and more. Rogers frequently visited Nashville to obtain artist interviews and bring the best of Country Music to his listeners. A colleague once remarked that Rogers "has been a benchmark that other local Country presenters aspire to since the 1970s."

April 11

CMA Broadcast Awards Submissions Accepted Online Now
By Brandi Sanford

© 2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.

The Country Music Association is accepting online submissions for the 2007 CMA Broadcast Awards for Broadcast Personality, Radio Station and National Broadcast Personality of the Year at www.Broadcast.CMAawards.com.

Categories for submission include Broadcast Personality and Radio Station of the Year in four market sizes (major, large, medium and small), as well as CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year.

"The online system continues to be a huge success since we first launched it in 2004," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "It simplifies the process for our CMA member radio stations, personalities and judges."

To submit an entry, CMA member radio stations and broadcast personalities should logon to www.Broadcast.CMAawards.com, where entry requirements, guidelines and instructions for submitting entries are posted. CMA's panel of judges, who are radio professionals, will view and evaluate the entries online.
After judges' scores are recorded, the accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP will tabulate.

The deadline for submitting entries online is 5:00 PM/CT, Thursday, June 28. Winners will be notified in early October and recognized at "The 41st Annual CMA Awards," which will be held in November and broadcast live on the ABC Television Network. For more information about CMA Broadcast Awards entries contact Catherine Thompson, CMA Marketing Coordinator, at CThompson@CMAworld.com.

To view winning entries from last year's 2006 CMA Broadcast Awards, visit www.CMAawards.com. CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years in the same category. Only CMA Awards members may enter the CMA Broadcast Awards. CMA member radio stations and personalities in the United States and Canada are eligible. Want to enjoy the benefits of being a CMA member? Visit CMAworld.com/membership, e-mail Membership@CMAworld.com or call CMA Membership Services at 1-800-788-3045 for more information and to apply for CMA membership.

CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association, Inc. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards.

On the Web: www.Broadcast.CMAawards.com

Country Music DJ and Radio Halls of Fame Welcome Five
By Peter Cronin

Country Radio Broadcasters welcomed Joe Ladd and John Trimble into its Country Music DJ Hall of Fame, and Les Acree, Larry Daniels and Bob Moody into the Country Music Radio Hall of Fame in ceremonies held at the Nashville Convention Center on Feb. 27. Hosted by Dale Carter, Program Director, KFKF-FM/Kansas City, Mo., the induction ceremony served as the opening event of CRB's 38th Annual Country Radio Seminar. CMA was a proud sponsor.

During the ceremonies, CRB also presented Charlie Monk with the President's Award and Kenny Rogers with the Career Achievement Award. Rogers joins past Career Achievement Award winners Alabama, Sonny James, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap and Dolly Parton.

Accepting his President's Award, the usually loquacious CHARLIE MONK, the "Mayor of Music Row," was caught off guard when his granddaughter McKenna walked on stage to deliver his acceptance speech for him. The precocious 11-year-old proved to be a gifted public speaker and kept the crowd in stitches with stories of her grandfather's long and distinguished career.

LARRY DANIELS, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary in the radio industry, began his illustrious career in high school in 1957 at KGEN/Tulare, Calif., and soon moved to Bakersfield, where he began a long and successful association with Buck Owens. He spent much of his career at Owens-owned stations in Bakersfield and Phoenix. Daniels reminisced about his boyhood days in Tulare, where he "picked cotton and learned to drive a tractor at the age of 8." He went on to describe his career as "a rewarding experience. How many people get to realize their dream and have it turn into a lifetime career?"

With a career that has taken him from his native Arkansas to stations in San Antonio; Denver; Detroit; Windsor, Ontario; Louisville; Shreveport; and Baltimore, BOB MOODY went right back home in his acceptance speech, thanking his grandmother for making him "curious about the world outside of my small town horizons." He went on to defend Country radio against various critics. "We're in the entertainment business," Moody said. "Bookstores sell people books they want to read, and theaters sell people tickets to films they want to see. We broadcast - most of us free of charge - music that people want to hear. And we should never apologize for that."

LES ACREE was introduced and inducted via a letter from Kenny Chesney thanking the broadcasting veteran for helping him with his career. In his remarks, Acree described his early conversion from Top 40 to Country. "I was sitting there one day playing 'Paint it Black' by the Rolling Stones, and I said, 'What the hell are they talking about?'" Acree said. "So that night, I went to a bar and I played the jukebox, just punched the first thing I saw. This song that came on was 'This is It' by Jim Reeves. I said, 'You know what? This is it.'" Acree began his radio career at KDKD/Clinton, Mo., in 1961 and has since worked at radio stations in Ohio, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Inductee JOE LADD has long been one of Houston's most visible and venerable radio personalities. Credited with breaking stars Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee and Gene Watson, Ladd remembered his fellow Country Music DJ Hall of Fame member, the late Pete Hunter for giving him invaluable advice. "He said, 'Ladd, if you have nothing intelligent to say, shut your mouth and play the music.'" These days, Ladd serves as manager for Mark Chesnutt.

JOHN TRIMBLE brought his trademark booming voice and personality to his acceptance speech, reminiscing about his 50-plus year career and regaling the crowd with stories of his long-running "Trucking Radio Show." "I feel like Ernest Tubb when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame back in 1965," Trimble remarked. "Ernest said, 'I don't know if I deserve this award, but I'm certainly glad that somebody thought I did.' And that's the same way I feel. This is a tremendous honor." Trimble has worked at stations in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, Virginia and Washington.

To celebrate KENNY ROGERS amazing career - including 20 Platinum albums, 22 No. 1 hits and more than 100 million albums sold - Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Don Schlitz performed some of his classic hits. Schlitz sang his composition, "The Gambler," Rogers' biggest hit, thanking Rogers by asking the question, "How many careers has this man given to people like me? How many other guys have been lucky enough to have the freedom to write anything we wanted for the rest of our lives because of him?"

In accepting his Career Achievement Award, Rogers expressed similar sentiments to the radio executives in the audience.

"You've given me the gift of competing, because all I ever asked for was a chance to compete," Rogers said. "Radio has always said to me in so many words, 'Do a great song and we'll play it; if it's an average song, you're going to stand in line like everybody else.' And I can live that. Most importantly, while you guys are awarding me, it is you who have made this possible for me."

On the Web: www.crb.org

April 3

Crisco Presents the "Road to CMA Music Festival" Tour
By Ryan Noreikas

As a precursor to CMA Music Festival, the "crown jewel of Country Music Festivals" according to USA Today, for the third consecutive year, Crisco continues to partner with the Country Music industry as title sponsor for the Crisco Presents the "Road to CMA Festival" tour. CMA, with the support of Crisco and additional partners Anderson Merchandisers, Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music, Gibson Guitar, Greased Lightning, Southwest Airlines and Wal-Mart, will once again bring Country Music fans a taste of the music and excitement of CMA Music Festival, offering fun activities and free product samples at free-to-the-public outdoor concert events, which will take place in Wal-Mart parking lots throughout the Southeast. (Note the Lansing, Mich., event takes place at Meijer). After the shows, autograph signings will allow fans to meet and be photographed with artists, an experience that has always been a cornerstone of the Festival.

Artists scheduled to participate in this year's "Road to CMA Festival" tour include Jeff Bates, Blue County, Eric Church, Emerson Drive, Buddy Jewell, Craig Morgan, Danielle Peck, Ray Scott, Trent Willmon and Chris Young.

"This tour is a wonderful way to sample what CMA Music Festival is all about: Country artists performing and interacting with fans," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "Thousands of fans travel to Nashville each summer for CMA Music Festival from all 50 states and more than 20 different countries. The 'Road to CMA Music Festival' brings a piece of the experience directly to the fans' hometowns."

The tour dates are: April 3, Raleigh, N.C.; April 4, Charlotte, N.C.; April 5, Atlanta; April 10, Fayetteville, Ark.; April 11, Memphis, Tenn.; April 12, Birmingham, Ala.; April 17, Charleston, S.C.; April 18, Jacksonville, Fla.; April 19, Orlando; and April 24, Lansing, Mich.

"We are thrilled that Crisco has once again stepped up as title sponsor of this year's 'Road to CMA Music Festival' tour, said Rick Murray, CMA VP of Strategic Marketing. "Country Music is truly the fabric of America and what better way to bring our music to the people than a tour that allows us to share such great talent and a taste of the CMA Music Festival directly with the fans. We appreciate our partners for helping to make this possible."

Crisco presents the "Road to CMA Music Festival" tour dates and store locations are as follows. Pre-event activities begin at 5 PM and concerts begin at 7 PM at all locations. Autograph sessions with the artists and fans take place in each store, following the concert. Please note that artists are subject to change without notice.

TOUR INFO
4/3/07 - Raleigh
Wal-Mart
2114 South Main Street
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Featuring: Buddy Jewell, Danielle Peck

4/4/07 - Charlotte
Wal-Mart
2420 Supercenter Drive NE
Kannapolis, NC 28083
Featuring: Buddy Jewell, Danielle Peck

4/5/07 - Atlanta
Wal-Mart
2510 Redmond Circle
Rome, GA 30165
Featuring: Jeff Bates, Danielle Peck

4/10/07 - Fayetteville
Wal-Mart
4208 Pleasant Crossing
Rogers, AR 72758
Featuring: Craig Morgan, Ray Scott

4/11/07 - Memphis
Wal-Mart
7950 Craft Goodman Road
Olive Branch, MS 38654
Featuring: Eric Church, Craig Morgan

4/12/07 - Birmingham
Wal-Mart
5335 Highway 280 South
Hoover, AL 35242
Featuring: Blue County, Eric Church

4/17/07 - Charleston
Wal-Mart
4920 Centre Pointe Drive
North Charleston, SC 29418
Featuring: Emerson Drive, Chris Young

4/18/07 - Jacksonville
Wal-Mart
1505 County Road 220
Orange Park, FL 32003
Featuring: Emerson Drive, Chris Young

4/19/07 - Orlando
Wal-Mart
2501 North Citrus Blvd.
Leesburg, FL 34748
Featuring: Eric Church, Chris Young

Family-friendly entertainment is also the foundation of CMA Music Festival, which takes place in Downtown Nashville, Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10, 2007. The event features more than 70 hours of live musical performances; more than 30 hours of autograph signings; family activities; celebrity sports competitions; and much more, earning its reputation as the dream destination for fans of America's music.

To learn more about CMA Music Festival, visit www.CMAfest.com. A schedule of activities, artist appearances, concert lineups, ticket and travel information and more are available at the click of a mouse. Plus, sign up for CMA Exclusive, a periodic e-mail featuring artist interviews and the latest news on CMA events.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music. Borders® Books & Music: The Official Music & Book retailer of the CMA Music Festival. Additional promotional partners include Crisco®, Greased Lightning Cleaning Products®, Music Festivals®, New Holland Agriculture Equipment S.p.A., On the Run® at Exxon, Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, The Sportsman Channel®, Wrangler® and Yamaha Motor Corp., USA. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA.

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Tom Wurth
By Kristen Scherer

Tom Wurth may have come from a small town, but his voice and ambition are anything but small. Growing up in rural Marcus, Iowa, Wurth's parents were vital musical influences. "My dad gave me two choices; to learn to play piano or guitar," Wurth said, who's mom was a music teacher at a Catholic school and who's dad taught special education, made mandolins and played guitar.

He made his first public appearance at the Iowa State Fair at 10, but Wurth didn't get serious about music until high school when he wrote his first song and joined the choir. After graduation, he moved to Nashville and entered Belmont University to pursue his music business dreams, but fate had other plans. Not even through his first day at Belmont, Wurth suffered severe injuries from a car crash that nearly left him paralyzed. Lying in the hospital bed for more than two months, the singer found inspiration in his faith and in the music of Vince Gill and Steve Wariner.

Things started looking up for Wurth when he landed a job at J. Aaron Brown Publishing and recorded lead vocals, Love Songs and Lullabyes for Daddy's Little Dreamer. The children's album earned a GRAMMY nomination and led Wurth to his first publishing deal with Belden Enterprises, and later signed to BMG Music.

Wurth landed a cut with Ty Herndon ("If the Road Runs Out") and a single on a NASCAR compilation. He formed a duo, Mitchell and Wurth, and opened shows for Lonestar, Rascal Flatts and Marty Stuart. When the duo parted ways, Wurth became more determined to make it as a solo artist.

Wurth co-wrote four of the tracks on his self-titled debut, produced by John Ford Coley and Bart Butler, and released last October on Aspirion/Navarre. His debut single, "Bread on the Table," was penned by Sonny Lemaire, Shane Minor and JP Pennington. "If you want to know who I am, just listen to the record," Wurth said. "Every song has reflections of my life."

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

Who is your musical hero?
"Vince Gill and Steve Wariner."

What CD is on your stereo?
"A Keith Whitley CD."

Do you have a lucky charm?
"My guitar strap. I've had it forever."

What song do you wish you had written?
"'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,' because it's just a good Country song."

When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you? "I'd like to be remembered as an honest, solid, reliable guy. And I want people to remember my music."

On The Web: www.tomwurth.com

MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION VOTES DETERMINE WINNER OF CMT’S FIRST ONLINE TALENT SEARCH “MUSIC CITY MADNESS”

MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION VOTES DETERMINE WINNER OF CMT’S FIRST ONLINE TALENT SEARCH “MUSIC CITY MADNESS”

Nashville’s Stephanie Beck Williams Wows Fans With Original Song and Video “D.R.U.N.K.”

NASHVILLE – April 3, 2007 – CMT announced today the winner of MUSIC CITY MADNESS, the network’s first online talent search inviting fans to create and produce original music videos at CMT.com for a chance at national notoriety. More than 1.2 million votes later, Nashville’s own Stephanie Beck Williams was crowned the winner by fans for her original song and video “D.R.U.N.K.” As the winning entrant, Williams will visit CMT’s Nashville studio to record an episode of STUDIO 330 SESSIONS, CMT Loaded’s online performance series. She will also walk the red carpet and attend the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS on April 16.

More than 600 entries were received, and 64 finalists were posted at madness.CMT.com, where fans voted over six weeks in a head-to-head video competition. Entries representing all ages and styles of country music were received — with musical inspirations ranging from war to Wal-Mart, dirt roads to honky-tonks, and love to love gone bad. The nationwide talent search offered unsigned or independent artists a chance to reveal original, unpublished music to fans across the country.

Williams is currently in production on a CD titled Not Your Normal Country Girl, in which she wrote and co-wrote seven of the songs. “D.R.U.N.K.” is the first single and video from the album, and chronicles the desperate cry from a woman in her quest to be perfect. Williams is originally from Biloxi, Miss., and is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where she performed in a traveling all-girl trio, “Southern Dolls.” Her influences range from Elvis, to Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Karen Carpenter.

Martin Clayton, vice president of digital media for CMT and Lewis Bogach, vice president, programming and development for CMT, oversee the development of original music and entertainment programming for CMT LOADED. Mark Hall is executive producer for CMT Loaded.

For more information on the MUSIC CITY MADNESS Video Contest or to view the winning submission, visit madness.CMT.com.

Visit CMT's press-only web site www.cmtpress.com for more information and downloadable photos on all of CMT's programming.

CMT, America’s No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches more than 84 million households in the United States. Go to country music’s biggest web site at www.cmt.com

CMA CLOSE-UP ADDED