News in Country Music

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Singer, Songwriter and Pianist Big Al Downing Dies at Age 65
Big Al Downing, one of the most successful African-American artists in country music history, died Monday (July 4) at a hospital in Worcester, Mass., following a battle with leukemia. Downing, 65, was a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.Born in Centralia, Okla., Downing hit Billboard's country singles chart 15 times during the '70s and '80s as an artist on the Warner Bros., Team, Vine Street and Door Knob labels. After his 1978 single, "Mr. Jones," reached No. 20 on the country chart, he scored his biggest hit a year later when "Touch Me (I'll Be Your Fool Once More)" peaked at No. 18.

During his childhood in Lenapah, Okla., Downing grew up listening to country legends like Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams on Nashville radio station WSM-AM and rhythm & blues stylists such as Fats Domino on another Nashville station, WLAC. Living in a family of 12 children, Downing was just 10 when he began playing a piano that had already lost more than half of its usual 88 keys.

Several years later, Downing performed the Domino hit "Blueberry Hill" to win first prize in a talent contest sponsored by a radio station in Coffeyville, Kan. Local singer Bobby Poe heard his performance and invited him to join his bi-racial band, the Poe Cats. In accepting the offer, Downing turned down a basketball scholarship at Kansas State University.

After playing with Poe throughout Kansas and Oklahoma, Downing became keyboardist and background vocalist for rockabilly queen, Wanda Jackson. In addition to appearing at concerts with Don Gibson, Marty Robbins, Bobby Bare and others, Downing played on Jackson's most famous recording, "Let's Have a Party," in 1960.

Before Charley Pride broke country music's racial barrier in 1966, Downing faced considerable hardships while attempting to make a living just a few years earlier. In a 2003 interview with CMT.com, Jackson talked about the obstacles Downing faced during the early '60s simply because of his race.

"He couldn't eat in most of the restaurants," Jackson said. "He couldn't eat in the hotel restaurants. They'd have to take his food out to the car. On our jobs, he couldn't even use the men's restroom. He had to stay on the stage. The guys would bring him Cokes and things. ... It was very hard on Al. We've all asked him how he put up with it, and he said, 'It's for the music.'"

As a songwriter, Downing's compositions were recorded by Domino, Bobby Blue Bland, Tom Jones and Webb Wilder, among others. In 2003, he released the CD One of a Kind and was recording tracks for an upcoming project when his leukemia worsened. His last public performance took place in May in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry. Having concentrated on the European market in recent years, he was planning another overseas tour before being hospitalized in late June.

Downing is survived by his wife of 27 years, Beverly, and four stepsons, five brothers and five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Saturday (July 9) at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Spencer, Mass.

[GOTGETTIN]

Kenny's Happiness and Cheatin' Songs


Kenny's Happiness
Since Kenny Chesney has said the marital vows, I find myself repeating, "I hope Kenny is happy," over and over. "I hope Kenny is happy." It's just that he was out there and free for oh so forever, and at 37, he said those two words that changed not only his life, but it changed country music history. Here we were coasting along with all the unmarried country cuties, hotties as hot as nature allows -- besides Kenny, there's Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Dwight Yoakam, Keith Anderson and any one of 'em special enough to make even an old heart like mine skip a beat. What each one gives us musically is as good as it gets. Nobody fills venues like Kenny, nobody plays a guitar hotter or better than Keith Urban, nobody, but nobody is as cute as Dierks Bentley with his head full of curly hair -- don't blame the girls -- why even his dog Jake worships him! Long-legged Dwight Yoakam in those skinny jeans twisting around before breakfast on Imus in the Morning this week awakening all parts of any American female who tuned in. And newcomer Keith Anderson has got babes at People mag breathing heavy over his photo this week. Shoot, if those guys didn't sing, they'd still be the cutest guys in town. Their singing is like adding whipped cream to a banana split. Yummy.

After all these years, tears and songs George and Norma Strait, Alan and Denise Jackson, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Martina and John McBride, Clint and Lisa Hartman-Black, Brad and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Travis and Theresa Tritt managed to keep it in the road. Vince Gill and Amy Grant finally have the happiness they deserve. It appears Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have found the fountain of forever.

Lordy, who is gonna write them cheating songs when nobody lives 'em anymore?? Maybe we got some misbehaving songwriters. Wait a minute -- there's always the best album of the year -- the one by Lee Ann Womack full of cheating and truth.

Willie's Broke Record?
Cross Canadian Ragweed sold tickets to 23,656 fans breaking Willie Nelson's attendance record on his own home turf of Dallas, Texas, at the Lone Star Park. Not only that, for miles around unexpected traffic was down to a standstill. Police had to extract the band's bus from the gridlock and escort them to the venue. Can you believe, vendors sold plumb out of the 3,000 gallons of beer! According to their label, Universal Records, the band is putting the finishing touches on their highly anticipated new CD due out late this year.

90 Degree Happenings
It is 90 plus degrees in Music City. Whew! The music is hot and so are we. Word reached me that the great Earl Scruggs has a beagle dog he is plumb crazy over. Being sure the dog got proper exercise, Scruggs got him one of those collars that work with an invisible electric fence he had installed in the yard. Doubting the contraption worked, plus being from the old school like me, Earl put the dog's collar around his neck and edged to the invisible fence. The master banjo player learned the hard way his beagle was safe when he was knocked for a loop.

I hear the late Jimmy Martin's children are starting a bluegrass band a-singing their late daddy's songs.

Eye saw Elvis Presley's stepmom, Dee Presley, cruising onto Old Hickory Boulevard in Madison [Tenn.] driving her white Cadillac.

Everywhere is where Keith Anderson has been since People named him one of the 50 Hottest Bachelors. His single "Pickin' Wildflowers" is No. 10 on the charts and No. 2 on CMT's video chart thanks to NBC's Today Show, People and CMT's Top Twenty Countdown. It helped. His CD, Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll took a 26 percent sales jump.

John Carter Cash, only son of the late Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash has no desire to be a performer. He's happy working in the recording studio. His half sister, on the other hand, Carlene Carter, will fill their mother's shoes July 12-31 at Nashville's BellSouth Acuff Theatre when she appears in the biographical musical Wildwood Flowers: the June Carter Story. Carlene's cousin, Lorrie Davis Bennett, daughter of Anita Carter, is also set to appear as her mother. Both girls worked the road with Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters and are great singers.

Remember William Hung, the famed reject from American Idol who pops up here and there on TV? Well, the New York Post wrote a piece saying Hung has recorded his second album which I understand is true. First single from second album is "Achy Breaky Heart" which I also understand is true. However, the Post reports that Billy Ray Cyrus will do a cameo in the video which I understand is not true. BRC said no.

Jett Williams went to the Oval Office to present a Bill Rains bronze sculpture of the daddy she never knew, Hall of Famer Hank Williams to President Bush. Jett does favor her daddy, but she is not blessed to sing like him.

Porter Wagoner: the Rhinestone Troubadour will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on July 15 and remain until January 2006. His diverse contributions to the genre such as his long-running syndicated television show, classic hits like "Green, Green Grass of Home," his tenure as Opry ambassador and his building the career of the great Dolly Parton will all be included. Colorful costumes complete with matching boots, his first guitar, awards and other artifacts will be on display.

Ralph Stanley is resting and recovering at home from five-hour triple-bypass surgery in a Virginia Hospital. The operation was uneventful and successful, and Stanley is expected to make a full recovery.

If you love good harmony singing of songs originally performed by brother acts, then you will not walk, but run and buy A Tribute To Brother Duets by Jesse McReynolds and Charles Whitstein on the Pinecastle label. Spotlighting songs like the Monroe Brothers' "What Would You Give," Delmore Brothers' "Blues Stay Away From Me," Stanley Brothers' "The White Dove" and the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," just to name a few.

I hope and pray all the record company mergers are for the good of country music. After 40 years at 34 Music Square [in Nashville], Sony Music is moving to 1400 18th Avenue South to join their sister company, RCA Label Group.

Rascal Flatts performed an exclusive online concert for their fan club members. I know less than nothing about this kind of stuff, but it sounds like to me that these guys are putting their fans first. Lord knows, it's paying off. So far in 2005, they've sold more records than any act in the genre.

You Kenny Chesney fans will want to get up a mite earlier Sunday morning, July 24 to watch CBS Sunday Morning. Reigning entertainer of the year for both the CMA and ACM, Chesney allowed, "I certainly don't think a good ole boy from East Tennessee would be of interest to them. I'm just a regular guy!" Now Kenny, we know better. We know you got a million fans who adore you. We know you got a bank plumb full of money. And the whole world got your number when we learned you love yourself enough to marry an Oscar winning movie star! Saying you are just a good ole Tennessee boy is like Jeff Foxworthy saying he might be a redneck.

Over 40 stellar acts are set to appear during Bluegrass Fan Fest at the Nashville Convention Center Oct. 28-30. Top of the line performers like Alison Krauss & Union Station, the Del McCoury Band, J.D. Crowe & the New South, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, the Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Time Out, the Grascals, Claire Lynch, John Cowan, Tim O'Brien, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Mountain Heart and a passel of others.

Trace Adkins and Waffle House are cooking up a contest. The country hit maker and the 24-hour eatery will award one grand prize winner a three-night/four-day trip for two to New York City Nov. 13-16, 2005, to attend the 39th annual CMA Awards. The contest begins now and ends Sept. 18. Get your entry forms at Waffle House.

[countrygirl5]

Heh awesome

CHESNEY BUTTS-IN-SEATS CHAMP SO FAR FOR 2005
So far this year, Kenny Chesney has played to 610,000, making him the overall number one seat filling ticket seller of the year. That means he’s drawn more fans to his shows than U2 (499,109) and Celine Dion (321,169).

(Note: U2 and Dion are the #1 and #2 gross dollars champs so far this year because their per ticket price is much higher than Chesney’s average $60 dollars per ticket price).

"The thing I hate about these rankings is that no one lever looks at what the facts mean -- and you can make all kinds of claims based on any number of things," says Kenny. "To me, I'd like to think the biggest tour isn't measured by ticket prices, but about the number of people coming to see you play… and for me, even though this is big production, a lot of trucks, a major crew, I wanna do it -- ultimately -- for the fans. I want to play for all those kids, all those people who come to have a big party with us, and I really try to make sure that everybody who wants to come can."

STRAIT TOP CERTIFIED COUNTRY ARTIST OF ALL TIME
George Strait’s topping of the country and overall Top 200 album charts last week with the debut of SOMEWHERE DOWN IN TEXAS, opened the books on his chart accomplishments far. Turns out he now ranks as the #1 most certified country artist with 26 different Platinum or Multi-Platinum albums and the #2 most certified male artist in all genres of music (just behind Elvis Presley). Strait holds the record for the most number one songs by a single artist with 51. Strait has sold more than 62 million records.

“The most rewarding thing for those of us at UMG Nashville is to be a part of working with a superstar as he takes it to an even higher level,” said Co-Chairman UMG Nashville Luke Lewis.

TOBY KEITH HUGE WEEKEND IN PA.
Toby Keith began July 4th weekend performing for an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 fans at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, Pa., Sat., July 2nd. That same day he jetted to Pittsburgh for one of two, back to back sold out shows there, Friday and Saturday night. Then on Monday he played for capacity crowd at a big 4th of July celebration back in Philadelphia.

On top of that he was profiled nationally on a July 4th Country Giants special on United Stations radio networks.

One of the hundreds of thousands of people to see Keith over the weekend,
WDSY/Pittsburgh staffer Stoney Richards, had this to say: "At the stage of the game Toby Keith is at these days all he needs to do is show up and sing hits. Instead he invests in an opening film short, plays hit after hit, woos the audience, wows the audience and wrings heart, soul and libido. He is able to talk blue collar without letting you forget he's a star.”

Cadillac Jack, the music director of WXTU in Philadelphia, added "Toby sounding better then ever! My ears are still ringing. Polished, fun and loved the open." (more of these stories are on gactv.com)