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How's This For Openers?
June 18, 2015
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This 1's For The Girls
The chart week hasn't closed yet as of this writing, and I certainly don't want to jinx anything - but if things continue the way they're going, Black River's Kelsea Ballerini should have the #1 single on the Mediabase Country chart with "Love Me Like You Mean It" when she wakes up Sunday morning (6/21).
That would be great timing, given the recent discussion about female artists, but it will also be somewhat of a history maker. According to my chart swami buddies, Sony Music Nashville Dir./Chart Research RG Jones and CBS Radio KILT/Houston APD/MD Chris Huff, it will mark the first time a solo female's debut single topped the charts since Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" in January 2006. Some may protest that Underwood's actual first post-Idol single was "Inside Your Heaven," and they'd be right; but as Huff notes, "It was released and charted as a Pop single prior to 'Jesus, Take The Wheel,' but was not actively worked as a Country single."
For you hard-asses that want to hold firm on "Jesus Take The Wheel" as Underwood's second single, then you'd have to go back to 2004 for the last solo debut female #1, when Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" accomplished that feat.
And since we're on a roll unearthing chart factoids, here's another fascinating, ironic trivia question for those aforementioned hard-asses: Can you name the VP/Promotion for Epic Records in 2004 when "Redneck Woman" debuted at #1 for Wilson? (cue Jeopardy theme song) Aaand we're back. It was none other than Bill Macky, current Sr. Dir./National Promotion & Strategy at Black River, label home to Kelsea Ballerini. So now, he'll have worked the last two female singles to hit this milestone - 11 years apart. Boom!
Speaking of Underwood, check this out: If she holds off Blake Shelton's "Sangria" for the top spot NEXT week (Chart ending 6/27), it will make two consecutive weeks with females at #1 - the first time that's happened since May 2011, when - according to Jones - Sara Evans' "A Little Bit Stronger" spent two weeks at #1, (May 2nd and May 9th respectively) followed by Miranda Lambert's "Heart Like Mine" (May 16th).
All of this of course hinges on Ballerini first going #1, but then not holding the top spot for more than a week. Sidebar: There is also some current rumbling and grumbling about why so few songs stay at #1 more than a week anymore - but hey, that's another column for another day.
The initial question of who was the last solo female debut to top the Country singles chart was posed to me by Emily Yahr, a writer for the Washington Post's Style section. She's written about Country music and radio many times in the past, most recently in her June 4th piece, when she deconstructed the fallout after a poorly worded analogy from consultant Keith Hill relegated female artists to a vegetable. Or, was it a fruit? I'll let others ponder that one.
These kinds of questions often send those of us who love stats and a sense of history down a rabbit hole, and this was no exception. Especially with Chris Huff, who, in addition to being an extremely talented radio programmer, might be the biggest data/stat/geek/hoarder I have ever met. I say that with respect and admiration.
According to Huff's treasure trove of info, female, solo, debut #1s prior to even Wilson's "Red Neck Woman" in '04 include Cyndi Thompson's "What I Really Meant To Say" in September 2001 and Jamie O'Neal's "There Is No Arizona" in February '01. And there was another long gap prior to those milestones, although not as long as the 2006-2015 drought between Underwood and (fingers crossed) Ballerini.
Before O'Neal's 2001 chart-topping debut, Huff says you have to go back to 1994, when Faith Hill's "Wild One" hit #1 and launched her career.
But drilling further - as Huff is want to do - he also noted, "The even deeper question is 'When is the last time a female solo act on an INDEPENDENT label went to #1?' Hmmnn ... Does MGM count? If so, then you would have to go back to November 1973 for Marie Osmond's debut on MGM Records, 'Paper Roses.'"
If not, continued Huff, "Then surely the original Dot Records qualifies as an independent, and that would give the distinction to Donna Fargo's debut in June 1972, 'Happiest Girl In The USA.'"
I'm pulling for Ballerini, because she's a talented young artist with an exceptional debut album ("The First Time") to back up "Love Me Like You Mean It." Then I'm pulling for Carrie Underwood the next week with "Little Toy Guns," because I love Carrie unconditionally and had the privilege of working her records for nearly two years. That would make two female #1 singles back-to-back; hopefully providing some much needed impetus to more females ruling the chart.
Of course - and I may be getting too far ahead of myself here but you watch - then one of the many Country radio haters out there will say, "Sure, you can have two females back-to-back at #1 - but you won't PLAY them back-to-back."
Oy...
This Opener Had His Act Together
I was blessed to check another item off the bucket list the other night, when I saw iconic rockers the Rolling Stones for the first time ever, at Nashville's LP Field. If I'm being honest here, I've never been a huge Stones fan -- I'm more a Beatles guy -- but they absolutely blew me away. All original, core members are over 70; they looked, sounded and played fantastic. This wasn't just a spectacle, this was an effing great BAND, putting on a clinic. Hell, when I'm 70, my goals will be simple and few: Face the right direction, conduct lucid conversations, and control all bodily functions in public.
As is often the case at big shows, I was also impressed with the Stones' opening act. Apparently, this was a local artist who has had some success outside of the Rock genre. You may have heard of the guy - Brad Paisley?
Yeah, Brad Paisley was an opening act again.
Among the people I was sitting with - all associated with Country music, of course - the questions started flying as soon as Paisley hit the stage (with no fanfare or intro, BTW): When was the last time Brad Paisley opened for anybody, only got 40 minutes, played in the daytime, in front of a smattering of people (that is, of course a relative term - this show was in a football stadium after all), most of whom weren't paying attention because they weren't familiar with some guy wearing a cowboy hat?
The ginormous stage included a runway off the front middle that must have measured 30 yards, leading to a smaller, circular stage in the center of the crowd. But, as the opening act, Paisley wasn't allowed to utilize this extension. In fact, it wasn't even connected to the main stage during Paisley's set, as if somebody with the Stones was saying, "Don't even think about it."
The other question we all asked was: Who drew the short straw for the privilege of telling Paisley, "Hey, there's a really awesome runway out there, a mere stone's throw from the main stage, but you can't use it. You see, it's only for the actual STONES."
In spite of being a headliner for at least more than 10 years now, Paisley clearly understood how to be an opening act again, particularly for the Rolling-F'ing-Stones. He kept the chatter to almost nothing and the music played non-stop. He rocked the house, showcasing his mad guitar skillz with plenty of solos and gobs of panache. He brought out special guests, including Carrie Underwood for a sizzling rendition of "Remind Me," and by that I mean the REAL Carrie Underwood, not the hologram that usually travels with his tour. Late in the show, rocker Joe Walsh ambled onstage for "Life's Been Good." Walsh is a guitar hero, no doubt, but Paisley can match him riff-for-riff and proceeded to do so. They closed the set together, trading licks on Paisley's "Alcohol." (Special thanks to Arista Dir./National Andy Elliot for helping me recall that last song!)
By this time it was dark, the seats were full, and by now, Paisley clearly owned this crowd. It proved to me once again how smart he is. He understood the room and played it like a Stradivarius. He came out strong, then gradually ratcheted up his set at just the right times, ending big, standing next to another Rock legend, moments before the headlining Rock legends would take the stage. It was the absolute perfect entrée to the Stones, and it answered anybody's question - whether they were familiar with Paisley or not - about why he was asked to open that show. It added a very personalized touch to the Stones' Nashville tour stop.
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