Country Chatter Archive (February 15th - February 21st, 1999)

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February 15th - February 21st You may be surprised to know, but Shania Twain does not enjoy being in videos. Shania has released 18 videos during her three-album career, but she says she'd prefer being on the other end of the camera in the editing suite. You may remember me mentioning last week that her album, Come On Over went octuple platinum. This, along with her The Woman in Me album shipping 11 million puts her in some mighty impressive company. She is only the third female singer to have two albums each pass the 8 million mark. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are the other two. Shania was in Australia last week, then she returned to the US to play the Houston Rodeo, make an appearance on Jay Leno's show, and attend the Grammys. She will play Canada in May, June and early July, then head back to the states to play dates at the cities that had the biggest ticket demand. Ron Baird, Shania's agent says, "It's just something of a victory lap." Just call him cupid. Neal McCoy, who was indirectly responsible for Kevin Sharp and Tracy, his sister-in-law getting together was also responsible for fixing up Bryan White with Erika Page. Believe me, it wasn't an easy thing, either. Neal met Erika at a benefit concert three years ago at the ACM Awards. Bryan was also at the benefit, so Neal introduced the two. He later found out she thought Bryan was cute, so he told Bryan he should get together with her. He gave Bryan her phone number, and Bryan lost it. Erika told Neal that Bryan didn't call, so Neal again prodded Bryan to "Meet this girl!" They finally did, but he didn't ask her out. Again, Neal called him and asked what was up. Bryan said he wanted to ask her out but he didn't know how. Neal suggested Bryan take her to the upcoming ACM's, and even told Bryan how to ask her, saying, "Boy! If you want her to go to the awards show with you, you have to ask her! Hello! You have to say: will-you-go-to-the-awards-show-with-me.'" He did and they ended up falling in love. You know the rest of the story. The year 1999 is a good one so far for Sara Evans, who has scored her first Top 10 country hit with "No Place That Far." Fan Fair this year is looking to be one of the most exciting ever with a long list of Country stars set to appear. Among the artists that have confirmed are: Trace Adkins, Jessica Andrews, Susan Ashton, T. Graham Brown, Terri Clark, Mark Chesnutt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Linda Davis, Joe Diffie, Deryl Dodd, Alecia Elliot, Wade Hayes, Ty Herndon, George Jones, David Kersh, Sammy Kershaw, the Kentucky HeadHunters, the Kinleys, Patty Loveless, Shane McAnally, Lila McCann, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Georgia Middleman, Shane Minor, Montgomery/Gentry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Collin Raye, Redmon & Vale, Ricochet, LeAnn Rimes, Sawyer Brown, Marty Stuart, Randy Travis, Trini Triggs, Steve Wariner, Bryan White, the Wilkinsons, Mark Wills, Lee Ann Womack, Chely Wright and Trisha Yearwood. Even though he's without a record label at the time, Billy Dean plans for 1999 to be a busy one. He has two new LP projects scheduled for release later this year. The first will be a "live" studio album, which he will record with an audience of his fans during "Fan Fair." The second will be a Christmas album geared for the millenium, with "the greatest holiday songs of our century." Country stars are showing their support for the "Nashville Predators," not only attending the games, but helping with some of the promotion. While attending a game, you might catch a glimpse of The Dixie Chicks on the Jumbotron, taunting the opposing penalized players with their mega-hit, "There's Your Trouble." The video is complete with the "Chicks" dressed in Predator jerseys shaking their "fang fingers" and sticking out their tongues. Then of course, you can catch Tim McGraw singing "I like it, I love it, I want some more of it..." after every Predators goal. All in all, it's a fun time. Reba McEntire compares acting and singing, saying that acting is more forgiving. When you make a mistake, you can always do it over, but with singing, if you hit a bad note, you just have to hope that the audience doesn't notice. Looks like Judds music is on the horizon. Mercury Records has signed the reunited duo. Wynonna has also signed with Mercury, but intends to continue ties with Curb. Mercury Records is teaming with BNA to jointly release a single by their respective artists, Sammy Kershaw and Lorrie Morgan. The duet, "Maybe Not Tonight," will start playing on radio on February 22nd, and be on both Sammy's and Lorrie's upcoming CDs. Both Lorrie and Sammy hope that their labels will allow them to record a whole album of duets together. Garth Brooks plans to release a new album, tentatively scheduled for May 4th. The album, the soundtrack to his upcoming motion picture The Lamb will be a pop/rock offering. The name of the lead character in the movie is Chris Gaines, and will possibly be played by the G-man himself. As such, Garth will be releasing the album under the alias of Chris Gaines, however it's assumed record stores will place it in with the Garth Brooks releases. The movie itself is expected to come out sometime in 2000. Shania Twain will be in an upcoming Nancy ® comic strip. The strip which will run on March 3rd, the date of Shania's tv special, Shania Twain's Winter Break, shows Shania on a poster in Nancy's bedroom. Guy Gilchrist, creator of the Nancy ® strip has added many other Country Music artists to the strip over the years. You can view them and even order autographed copies of them from his website at: Gilchrist Studios Nancy ® Files. Legendary performer, Boxcar Willie has had to cancel his season of performances in Branson due to his fight against Lukemia. Willie, who first was diagnosed in 1996 has been battling the disease ever since. He was hospitalized last week for a third round of chemotherapy. Our prayers go out to Willie at this time. Neal McCoy had to scrap a song that was to be added to his current release, The Life of the Party called "Hoedown" due to copyright problems. The song included samples of Queen's "We Will Rock You," and The Village People's "YMCA." Specifically, it was Atlantic Nashville, reps for the publishers of "YMCA, couldn't get clearance in time for the release date, so the song was removed. Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown is having second thoughts about making videos for the group's music after the problems with their last video for "Drive Me Wild." Mark asks the question, "If the door's going to be closed... then won't more people know about the album if we spend that money somewhere else?" While on the Rosie O'Donnell show last week, the groups lead singer, Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, mentioned that she would love to go to the Grammy's with Party of Five actor Scott Wolf. She even had her publicist call his managers, who love the Dixie Chicks. Scott however has no idea who she is and asked for a picture to see if he might be interested. I guess Scott doesn't subscribe to TV Guide, where the Chicks have a four page spread this week? The American Film Institute honored actor Dustin Hoffman with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Reba McEntire was invited to perform "Everybody's Talking." The event took place last Thursday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, and was taped for a spring airing on ABC. Just when you thought it was settled, the subject of exhuming Tammy Wynette is in the news again with medical experts and a congressman chiming in that the autopsy should be performed. Doctor Cyril Wecht, one of the nation's leading pathologists has said the Medical Examiner's decision not to exhume the body was wrong. He says, "You do it and its done with, and the answer is then forthcoming scientifically after the studies. Why would you want something to go on and on like this?" The cities Vice Mayor is also in agreement and he plans to asks the Metro Council for a full investigation into why an autopsy was never done. When Diamond Rio goes into the studio to record a new album, they take their time. They listen to somewhere between 1000 - 2000 demo tapes, and when they have four songs they think they'd like to record, it's off to the studio. Then they sit on them for a few months, collecting maybe another four, and living with the music. Their current single, "Unbelievable," from the album of the same name sits at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard charts, while the album itself has sold about 400,000 copies, and hopes to hit the 500,000 mark, which earns them a gold record, perhaps even make it to the million mark. Of their previous five albums, they have collected two platinum discs for their debut album, Diamond Rio, and Love a Little Stronger, so it surely isn't unbelievable that this album will join those illustrious ranks. The group is currently touring, as well as trying out some of the new tunes from their upcoming cd in shows, along with some older stuff, a little bluegrass, and something in the Riverdance vein thrown in for good measure. The long awaited Trio II album has earned a spot on Billboard's Top Country Album charts its first week out. Actually it placed No. 5, which is an impressive debut. Whether you hear any of the songs from the album on country radio remains to be seen, but it's doubtful, with country radio for the most part playing only new country stars. Jo Dee Messina is nominated for six BMA Awards. What's a BMA Award? If you're from Boston, you'd know.. these are the Boston Music Awards. All types of music are represented here, and Jo Dee is the first country act to dominate the awards. She is nominated for Album of the Year, for I'm Alright, Act of the Year, Single of the Year, for Bye Bye, Song of the Year, for I'm Alright, Outstanding Female Vocalist, and Outstanding Country Act. Go Jo Dee!! The "Country Steps In For First Steps" concert held last week at the Ryman Auditorium raised over $70,000. Performers included Joe Diffie, Collin Raye, Lee Ann Womack, Michael Peterson, Ricochet, Ty Herndon, and others. Alan Jackson claims that he prepares for concerts just like his idol Waylon Jennings does. He gets up from where he was sitting and goes out and sings. Alan's latest single, "Gone Crazy" is in the No. 21 spot on the Radio and Records singles charts this week. Alan's also getting into the hat business. He's got his own line of hats with Stetson. The straw hats, Chatahoochie, and Chatahoochie Jr., go for $78.00, while the top of the line Montgomery goes for $210.00. Rhett Akins may be without a record label, but he has an idea of what he'll be doing on his next record. Rhett says that the crowds at his shows really love the rockin' songs, and when he gets a new label, that is the direction he wants to go with his music. You might have seen Billy Ray Cyrus in the Love Boat: The Next Wave episode last week. It seems Billy Ray has caught the acting bug. He has been cast in an upcoming David Lynch tv movie, and the character is very different from himself. The movie, Mulholland Drive is a tv pilot, although it's not sure if it will be a series.

February 15th - February 21st

You may be surprised to know, but Shania Twain does not enjoy being in videos. Shania has released 18 videos during her three-album career, but she says she'd prefer being on the other end of the camera in the editing suite.

You may remember me mentioning last week that her album, Come On Over went octuple platinum. This, along with her The Woman in Me album shipping 11 million puts her in some mighty impressive company. She is only the third female singer to have two albums each pass the 8 million mark. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are the other two.

Shania was in Australia last week, then she returned to the US to play the Houston Rodeo, make an appearance on Jay Leno's show, and attend the Grammys. She will play Canada in May, June and early July, then head back to the states to play dates at the cities that had the biggest ticket demand. Ron Baird, Shania's agent says, "It's just something of a victory lap."

Just call him cupid. Neal McCoy, who was indirectly responsible for Kevin Sharp and Tracy, his sister-in-law getting together was also responsible for fixing up Bryan White with Erika Page. Believe me, it wasn't an easy thing, either.

Neal met Erika at a benefit concert three years ago at the ACM Awards. Bryan was also at the benefit, so Neal introduced the two. He later found out she thought Bryan was cute, so he told Bryan he should get together with her. He gave Bryan her phone number, and Bryan lost it. Erika told Neal that Bryan didn't call, so Neal again prodded Bryan to "Meet this girl!" They finally did, but he didn't ask her out. Again, Neal called him and asked what was up. Bryan said he wanted to ask her out but he didn't know how. Neal suggested Bryan take her to the upcoming ACM's, and even told Bryan how to ask her, saying, "Boy! If you want her to go to the awards show with you, you have to ask her! Hello! You have to say: will-you-go-to-the-awards-show-with-me.'" He did and they ended up falling in love. You know the rest of the story.

The year 1999 is a good one so far for Sara Evans, who has scored her first Top 10 country hit with "No Place That Far."

Fan Fair this year is looking to be one of the most exciting ever with a long list of Country stars set to appear. Among the artists that have confirmed are: Trace Adkins, Jessica Andrews, Susan Ashton, T. Graham Brown, Terri Clark, Mark Chesnutt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Linda Davis, Joe Diffie, Deryl Dodd, Alecia Elliot, Wade Hayes, Ty Herndon, George Jones, David Kersh, Sammy Kershaw, the Kentucky HeadHunters, the Kinleys, Patty Loveless, Shane McAnally, Lila McCann, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Georgia Middleman, Shane Minor, Montgomery/Gentry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Collin Raye, Redmon & Vale, Ricochet, LeAnn Rimes, Sawyer Brown, Marty Stuart, Randy Travis, Trini Triggs, Steve Wariner, Bryan White, the Wilkinsons, Mark Wills, Lee Ann Womack, Chely Wright and Trisha Yearwood.

Even though he's without a record label at the time, Billy Dean plans for 1999 to be a busy one. He has two new LP projects scheduled for release later this year.

The first will be a "live" studio album, which he will record with an audience of his fans during "Fan Fair." The second will be a Christmas album geared for the millenium, with "the greatest holiday songs of our century."

Country stars are showing their support for the "Nashville Predators," not only attending the games, but helping with some of the promotion.

While attending a game, you might catch a glimpse of The Dixie Chicks on the Jumbotron, taunting the opposing penalized players with their mega-hit, "There's Your Trouble." The video is complete with the "Chicks" dressed in Predator jerseys shaking their "fang fingers" and sticking out their tongues. Then of course, you can catch Tim McGraw singing "I like it, I love it, I want some more of it..." after every Predators goal. All in all, it's a fun time.

Reba McEntire compares acting and singing, saying that acting is more forgiving. When you make a mistake, you can always do it over, but with singing, if you hit a bad note, you just have to hope that the audience doesn't notice.

Looks like Judds music is on the horizon. Mercury Records has signed the reunited duo. Wynonna has also signed with Mercury, but intends to continue ties with Curb.

Mercury Records is teaming with BNA to jointly release a single by their respective artists, Sammy Kershaw and Lorrie Morgan. The duet, "Maybe Not Tonight," will start playing on radio on February 22nd, and be on both Sammy's and Lorrie's upcoming CDs. Both Lorrie and Sammy hope that their labels will allow them to record a whole album of duets together.

Garth Brooks plans to release a new album, tentatively scheduled for May 4th. The album, the soundtrack to his upcoming motion picture The Lamb will be a pop/rock offering. The name of the lead character in the movie is Chris Gaines, and will possibly be played by the G-man himself. As such, Garth will be releasing the album under the alias of Chris Gaines, however it's assumed record stores will place it in with the Garth Brooks releases.

The movie itself is expected to come out sometime in 2000.

Shania Twain will be in an upcoming Nancy ® comic strip. The strip which will run on March 3rd, the date of Shania's tv special, Shania Twain's Winter Break, shows Shania on a poster in Nancy's bedroom.

Guy Gilchrist, creator of the Nancy ® strip has added many other Country Music artists to the strip over the years. You can view them and even order autographed copies of them from his website at: Gilchrist Studios Nancy ® Files.

Legendary performer, Boxcar Willie has had to cancel his season of performances in Branson due to his fight against Lukemia.

Willie, who first was diagnosed in 1996 has been battling the disease ever since. He was hospitalized last week for a third round of chemotherapy. Our prayers go out to Willie at this time.

Neal McCoy had to scrap a song that was to be added to his current release, The Life of the Party called "Hoedown" due to copyright problems. The song included samples of Queen's "We Will Rock You," and The Village People's "YMCA." Specifically, it was Atlantic Nashville, reps for the publishers of "YMCA, couldn't get clearance in time for the release date, so the song was removed.

Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown is having second thoughts about making videos for the group's music after the problems with their last video for "Drive Me Wild." Mark asks the question, "If the door's going to be closed... then won't more people know about the album if we spend that money somewhere else?"

While on the Rosie O'Donnell show last week, the groups lead singer, Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, mentioned that she would love to go to the Grammy's with Party of Five actor Scott Wolf. She even had her publicist call his managers, who love the Dixie Chicks. Scott however has no idea who she is and asked for a picture to see if he might be interested. I guess Scott doesn't subscribe to TV Guide, where the Chicks have a four page spread this week?

The American Film Institute honored actor Dustin Hoffman with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Reba McEntire was invited to perform "Everybody's Talking." The event took place last Thursday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, and was taped for a spring airing on ABC.

Just when you thought it was settled, the subject of exhuming Tammy Wynette is in the news again with medical experts and a congressman chiming in that the autopsy should be performed. Doctor Cyril Wecht, one of the nation's leading pathologists has said the Medical Examiner's decision not to exhume the body was wrong. He says, "You do it and its done with, and the answer is then forthcoming scientifically after the studies. Why would you want something to go on and on like this?"

The cities Vice Mayor is also in agreement and he plans to asks the Metro Council for a full investigation into why an autopsy was never done.

When Diamond Rio goes into the studio to record a new album, they take their time. They listen to somewhere between 1000 - 2000 demo tapes, and when they have four songs they think they'd like to record, it's off to the studio. Then they sit on them for a few months, collecting maybe another four, and living with the music.

Their current single, "Unbelievable," from the album of the same name sits at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard charts, while the album itself has sold about 400,000 copies, and hopes to hit the 500,000 mark, which earns them a gold record, perhaps even make it to the million mark.

Of their previous five albums, they have collected two platinum discs for their debut album, Diamond Rio, and Love a Little Stronger, so it surely isn't unbelievable that this album will join those illustrious ranks.

The group is currently touring, as well as trying out some of the new tunes from their upcoming cd in shows, along with some older stuff, a little bluegrass, and something in the Riverdance vein thrown in for good measure.

The long awaited Trio II album has earned a spot on Billboard's Top Country Album charts its first week out. Actually it placed No. 5, which is an impressive debut. Whether you hear any of the songs from the album on country radio remains to be seen, but it's doubtful, with country radio for the most part playing only new country stars.

Jo Dee Messina is nominated for six BMA Awards. What's a BMA Award? If you're from Boston, you'd know.. these are the Boston Music Awards. All types of music are represented here, and Jo Dee is the first country act to dominate the awards. She is nominated for Album of the Year, for I'm Alright, Act of the Year, Single of the Year, for Bye Bye, Song of the Year, for I'm Alright, Outstanding Female Vocalist, and Outstanding Country Act. Go Jo Dee!!

The "Country Steps In For First Steps" concert held last week at the Ryman Auditorium raised over $70,000. Performers included Joe Diffie, Collin Raye, Lee Ann Womack, Michael Peterson, Ricochet, Ty Herndon, and others.

Alan Jackson claims that he prepares for concerts just like his idol Waylon Jennings does. He gets up from where he was sitting and goes out and sings.

Alan's latest single, "Gone Crazy" is in the No. 21 spot on the Radio and Records singles charts this week.

Alan's also getting into the hat business. He's got his own line of hats with Stetson. The straw hats, Chatahoochie, and Chatahoochie Jr., go for $78.00, while the top of the line Montgomery goes for $210.00.

Rhett Akins may be without a record label, but he has an idea of what he'll be doing on his next record.

Rhett says that the crowds at his shows really love the rockin' songs, and when he gets a new label, that is the direction he wants to go with his music.

You might have seen Billy Ray Cyrus in the Love Boat: The Next Wave episode last week. It seems Billy Ray has caught the acting bug. He has been cast in an upcoming David Lynch tv movie, and the character is very different from himself. The movie, Mulholland Drive is a tv pilot, although it's not sure if it will be a series.

Your Guide,

countrymusic.guide@about.com