Two Things I Think

I think it's not unreasonable to say Garth Brooks has earned at least a nomination for ACM Entertainer of the Year, and possibly could win the damned thing. That would mean pulling an impressive double, bringing home back-to-back CMA and ACM EOTY trophies. More on why Garth should grab an ACM nod in a minute, but first, I had to go to the reading glasses and check on some previous double-double winners, and by that, I don’t mean In ‘N Out Burgers.

Speaking of food, if you’re hungry for useless trivia to impress and amaze, chew on this: While the CMA always gave an Entertainer of the Year trophy starting with its inaugural ceremony in 1967, the ACM’s first such prize debuted in 1970, with Merle Haggard taking the honors. Later that year, Haggard won the CMA EOTY, too, making him the first artist to win both in a calendar year. It’s happened 19 other times since, and guess who’s done it the most? Garth, for a total of four times: 1991 and ’92, and again in 1997 and ’98. Kenny Chesney and Alabama have each doubled up three times; George Strait and Hank Williams Jr. did it twice each. Most recently, Luke Bryan won both CMA and ACM top awards in 2014.

Then, there are those who won CMA and ACM Entertainer prizes in back-to-back years, but not in the same year. Are you still with me? Alabama and Garth have each done it three times, going CMA-ACM in ’82-’83, ’83-’84, ’84-’85 and ’91-92, ’92-’93, ’97-98, respectively. If Brooks does win the 2017 ACM Entertainer crown, he’ll of course be the all-time Entertainer of the Year, no matter how you spin, slice, extrapolate, and otherwise analyze the situation. All of this info and a dime won’t even buy you a cup of coffee, but if you feel the need to go Rain Man on your industry friends, you’re welcome.

But back to Garth. I suppose it was considered a mild surprise when his name was announced at the CMAs in November, but I didn’t hear anybody crying upset, either. Nobody could or would challenge the quality of a live Garth Books concert experience, because that's what it is, a true journey for fans that goes far beyond a great musician delivering a night of stellar live versions of familiar songs that exceeds the standard 75-minute set. The guy is an endurance athlete, and you’re tempted to think his approach is “This is a marathon, not a sprint.” Except, of course, for the fact that he actually is sprinting for two-plus hours at a time, running laps around his set in between climbing up, on, and inside a rotating geodesic dome containing a drum kit.

Even before Garth shut it down for 14 years to raise his daughters, he was already a bucket list act. That list of artists is short, with all of us debating who would make our personal bucket list – acts to see before you (or they) die. Again, subject to conversation, but a short/safe list could consist of: The Rolling Stones; The Who; Fleetwood Mac; Bruce Springsteen; U2; Madonna; The Police; AC/DC; and, because this is my list, George Strait. Because: The King.

The one "but" in the equation early on in his World Tour was the lack of new material from Garth – and a radio presence with current music. It remains to be seen what kind of legs "Baby Let's Lay Down And Dance" will ultimately have, but as of this writing, he's sitting in the top 20 after 17 weeks, the third-youngest song in that pack, along with Kelsea Ballerini’s “Yeah Boy.”

It would be a lot to ask Garth to duplicate the chart run he had from 1989-1998. From ’89-92 alone, he logged 12 straight songs peaking at no worse than #3 with 9 going #1. And, 1992’s “We Shall be Free” stalled by comparison at #12 – but then six of the next 11 singles went #1, with all but two in the top five. Next, “The Change” was top 20, followed by three #1s and four top fives.

I've now seen four Garth shows in three different cities during the past nine months. Not one has been like the other. All are lengthy affairs, ending with just Garth and a guitar and no apparent set list. Despite state-of-the-art lighting, staging, and production, it’s these final moments where he connects with fans most. There are other artists doing amazing things on the road now, too – look at what Eric Church is giving fans every night currently – so whittling ACM nominees down to five will be hard. But based on the sustained ticket sales, and nightly audience reaction, Garth needs to be one of them.

Oh, Ye of Little Faith

I think every Country station should spin the Reba McEntire single “Back To God” at least a few times on their morning show. I know your pushback already: Reba is considered a heritage artist, and this is a Gospel song – from her Gospel album, “Sing It Now: Songs of Faith And Hope." Yes, I get all that, but I’ll bet if you stage this song the right way – which is to say, little to no setup or fanfare – the reaction you’ll see will be positive and immediate.

An inspirational message from a familiar and trusted voice may be not only welcome, but important to hear right about now. That’s certainly the case, according to KSOP Inc. Country KSOP/Salt Lake City PD Deb Turpin. She’s played “Back To God” nearly 20 times so far in mornings, telling me the song definitely hits a nerve with listeners. “So many people are looking for some relief, some positivity, a lightening of the load they are under,” said Turpin. “We had call after call and knew we had to play the song for those reasons. Some were even shedding tears. It was like this song was speaking to what they had been looking for; it provided a lift or a light.”

Mapleton Country KDRK/Spokane, WA Asst. OM/morning co-host Jamie Patrick has used the song as a spike record, saying it needs no pre-sell or explanation. He shared this listener feedback with me: “It absolutely has a place on Country radio, as faith is the foundation for so much that this genre is built on.” Another listener emailed Patrick, “It has a powerful message and it is definitely something we need to hear. It’s also something we need to do. I like the new music that has been coming out, don’t get me wrong, but to me there had been no true meaning behind them, and this song is all meaning.” And finally: “Faith was and is [Reba’s] foundation.”

We’ve always known that about Reba McEntire though, haven’t we? While this album is the first Gospel or inspirational collection of music from her, we could always sense those qualities in Reba. I go back to the early 80s playing her music and having the occasional interaction with McEntire, and it was always a positive experience. She has always treated people with respect and grace; I always assumed she was a spiritual person because of that.

As for inspiration, Reba McEntire has been providing it for years –though never in a preachy way – by her actions. I will never forget her acceptance speech for the 1986 CMA Entertainer of the Year award, when she was only the third female to ever receive it. “I’m not gonna cry, I’m gonna faint,” Reba said, when she hit the stage. She then added that among the many “cants” she was told about early in the music business was “women can’t do this, and women can’t do that. Y’all just proved ‘em wrong.”

When accepting the ACM Top Female Vocalist Award in April 1991, just weeks after eight members of her band were killed in a tragic plane crash, McEntire was visibly emotional, saying, “This is for my eight buddies.” It was difficult, yet heartening, to see then without crying, and still is if you go back and watch today.

As for music, songs like “I’m A Survivor” and “Is There Life Out There” have provided inspiration, too, as did 1994’s “She Thinks His Name Was John,” a song about AIDs. That was a pretty bold move – even for 23 years ago – but Reba McEntire had the career equity and gravitas to make it a success, while perhaps opening a conversation, too.

Patrick told me “Back To God” is probably not something that works for Country in a regular rotation or for a weeks in a row. But often, songs like this can make a big impact – and maybe even a difference – in a short time. Inspiration, hope, and perseverance have always connected with Country listeners. That’s still true, and especially now, during what seems like our current global climate of divisiveness and fear.