The Nashville Music Scene

Breakout sensation Colbie Caillat is playing the Cannery Ballroom tomorrow night!! She is an incredibly talented young singer-songwriter whose debut Coco brings to mind the days when albums were crafted with each song contributing to the finished work–pieces which added together formed the whole picture. She grew up in Malibu surrounded by musicians, as her father Ken co-produced Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours masterwork and also their Tusk album, and later ran his own label. Her influences range from Lauryn Hill to Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac and Steve Miller to Bob Marley, and she’s currently on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls. The show is at 9:00, and Tyler Hilton is also on the bill, cover is $15. I’m thinking that this album is going to go the same route as Norah Jones first album, and wind up with some Grammy nods, and that the next time we see this one coming through town–she’ll be playing the Ryman and tickets will be a lot more expensive, and harder to come by as well. This show should be well worth the cover, and braving the sweltering heat (and even going out on a Monday night)!

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Sorry to my loyal readers for the lack of posts, as I have been traveling the past few days.  But I have lots of stuff coming about those ever-present Nashville connections, as well as local band goes national Paramore’s recent success.  I’ll be posting it up today!

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Summer just somehow doesn’t seem the same here in Nashvegas without shows at Starwood. I was in high school when Starwood was built, and have seen many, many shows there–some of which I remember quite fondly, some I barely remember through the haze of many beverages, but in spite of the overpriced beer, it was always great fun. There’s nothing quite like seeing a show outside under the stars on a beautiful night, and summer to me always meant shows at Starwood. Granted, it was never my top pick acoustically, although I have heard it when the mix was dialed in just right and it was mighty sweet! But the people watching was always fun, and they always had a wide range of acts–everyone from perennial faves Hank Jr., Jimmy Buffett, and James Taylor to Poison, Judas Priest, The Cult, Dwight Yoakum, The Black Crowes, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz, The Allman Brothers, Steely Dan, Alan Jackson, and on to teen scene and Ozzfest & Loolapalooza. Live Nation closed out Starwood and a couple of other venues because they weren’t "profitable"–and real estate in that area (like everywhere else in Nashville and surrounding areas) has shot through the roof. We keep hearing rumors of the baseball park/amphitheatre in downtown–who knows if that will ever come to fruition, but I never thought we’d see professional football or hockey here either (although we’re still touch and go on the Predators). A much more likely (to me) scenario is the redevelopment of the Fairgrounds–rumors have been swirling for quite a while, and although I sure would hate to see the track go (Music City Motorplex) since some of my earliest memories are watching my dad race there when I was a couple of years old–I keep hearing rumbles about it. I imagine any outdoor venue is going to be a good deal more sizable than Starwood–gots to fill those seats to get the top-tier talent–and parking and access is going to be another issue. You can hit the Fairgrounds from several directions. Anyway, I just miss the stars as the backdrop for all those fine tunes.

What are some of your favorite Starwood memories/shows?

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Say it ain’t so!! The Wreckers (Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp) are splitting up. Their reps attribute the split to creative differences, saying the two wanted to try new things individually. The break may or may not be temporary, the duo is currently out on the road with Keith Urban, and also doing some solo gigs. The debut album, Stand Still, Look Pretty went gold, and I personally love this album. I love the writing, and the tight harmonies. I know they are both young, and have a lot of living and growing to do, but I sure hope that we hear them together again!

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Well, the word is that Mindy McCready was arrested yesterday at Nashville International Airport, accused of probation violation. This all stems from last week’s arrest in her hometown of Ft. Myers, Florida. Allegedly, McCready got into a scuffle with her mom–which resulted in misdemeanor charges, as she allegedly scratched her mother’s face (notice the nice scratch on McCready’s and the bruised left cheek), and resisted arrest. McCready was on probation from her 1994 arrest, where she was charged with obtaining OxyContin with a fraudulent prescription, and has another probation violation charge pending from a DUI arrest. Of course, if this were me or you, we’d have been locked up long ago.

I don’t know what kind of issues she has going on, aside from the major issue of addiction, but I’m thinking she needs to get some help, and get serious about accepting that help and addressing her issues, or she is going to either be dead, or wind up spending the rest of her life in jail or on the streets. And I’d bet she’s in for some jail time now. I hope she gets some help, and gets serious about her recovery.

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The great Willie Nelson will be honored by BMI on November 6th at their 2007 Country Awards dinner. Willie will be joining some pretty good company, as some the past honorees include Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Daniels, Bill Anderson, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Brian Wilson, the Bee Gees, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Pretty impressive company, I’d say. Some of the many songs Willie has penned are "On The Road Again", "Good Hearted Woman", "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground", "Hello Walls", and "Crazy". Well-deserved I say, and I’m sure fun and festivities will be enjoyed by all. Wonder if Willie will repeat is White House moment on BMI’s plush roof??

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The Drive By Truckers are headlining a show this Saturday in Chattanooga that will also feautre The Whigs and Dishwater Blonde. This is a benefit show for the Kidney Foundation, and you can’t beat Karma points plus a great show! The show is at Ross’s Landing, and gates open at 11:00, with music starting up at 11:15 and continuing all day. Tickets are available online at www.kfest.net for $20 in advance, or $25 at the gate. Presale pricing ends Friday the 27th, so go on and pick up your tix now. You can also get them locally at Nouveau Classics furniture at 3201 Belmont Blvd. And if you want to go a little more high-class, you can purchase VIP tickets through the kfest website listed above for $50, which includes shaded premium seating, a private VIP restroom (worth way more that $50 at lots of shows I’ve been to!), and 2 bottled waters per person, plus your admission to the whole gig, of course. Chattanooga is just right down the road, and summer is fast drawing to a close–the kids will be back in school in a mere three weeks or so–so load up and head down to support a great cause, and hear some great music!

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I heard through the bandvine that Cosmic America has been asked to open for Futureman (Roy Wooten) on his upcoming tour. You should know Futureman from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. I’m confirming this info, and working on a post for tomorrow about Futureman Presents the Black Mozart–I was lucky enough to catch the Nashville performance a month or so ago, and have some pics from said gig coming my way tomorrow.

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Boy, it’s been a rough few days for a couple of country singers–Mark Collie was arrested and charged with DUI here in Nashville on Thursday night (7/19), and Mindy McCready, who has been in enough trouble over the past few years to last three lifetimes, was arrested in Ft. Myers, Florida yesterday and charged with battery and resisting arrest.

Mark Collie, country singer-songwriter who was signed to MCA Nashville from 1990 through 1994, was found slumped over the steering wheel of a car with the engine running near 21st Avenue and Scarritt Place (in the Vanderbilt University/Music Row/Hillsboro Village area) by Vanderbilt University police officer Jeremy Douglas Baker. The 51-year-old Collie had the keys in the ignition, but wasn’t driving at the time of the arrest. Someone had apparently called in, and Office Baker found Collie when he went to investigate. According to an affidavit by Officer Baker, he woke up Collie, and and asked him if he was ok. Collie responded by by stating "he had drunk a beer", per the affidavit, and was emanating a strong odor of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes (as evidenced by the mug shot). He then agreed to take a field sobriety test, which he failed, but refused to allow his blood to be drawn for alcohol testing unless his personal physician was present–which resulted in him being charged with implied consent. Collie was booked into Metro jail at 10:26 Thursday night, and after posting a $1,500 bond, he was released Friday morning at 2:12 a.m.

Mark Collie was born in Waynesboro, TN, and joined his first band at age 12. He earned a strong local following through regular performances at Douglas Corner Cage, and was eventually signed to MCA. Although his debut album, Hardin County Line, garnered him critical success, it wasn’t until 1993’s Mark Collie that he really broke out, returned to debut’s rockin’, rowdy style. That album brought him his first two top 10 hits, "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin’" and "Born to Love You.". Collie parted ways with MCA in 1994 to pair up with longtime friend and uber-producer James Stroud (Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Tracy Lawrence, and Clint Black just to name a few people he’s worked with) to record and co-produce his Giant Records debut–Tennessee Plates. He’s also been involved with film and television work since 1998, beginning with his film debut in Steven Seagall’s Fire Down Below , much of which was shot locally, and featured several country artists, including Kris Kristofferson (LEGEND!), Randy Travis (still one of the best voices in the business, IMHO), Marty Stuart, and Travis Tritt.

Collie was diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager, and has been a major advocate for diabetes research, founding the Mark Collie Foundation–which provides financial support for diabetes and diabetes research to the American Diabetic Association, The Vanderbilt Diabetes Center, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. He started the Mark Collie Celebrity Race for Diabetes Cure in 1994, and has raised over $2.5 million since doing so (I remember seeing everyone from ZZ Top to Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, John Hiatt, and Sterling Marlin running in this time!). Collie was also voted Tennessean of the Year in 1995.

You may wonder why I elaborated on the bio, and brought up his foundation, charity work, and the Tennessean of the Year award when he just got busted for DUI…..it’s because I don’t know what the situation and circumstances leading up to this were, and the man a) has talent, and b) has done an awful lot of good to help an awful lot of people. Looks like he made a mistake, but I’m praying for him tonight, and damn it all–PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE people–whether you’re country singers, rock-n-rollers, or just folks–call a cab, call a friend, or at least turn the car off, and take your keys out of the ignition.

In other "What Was I Thinking" news–Mindy McCready was arrested and jailed Friday (7/20) in Pinellas County, Florida. McCready is accused of violating her probation on a drug conviction, and, as this is her second violation, she is expected to have to do jail time and can’t post bail. According to the arrest warrant, McCready left Tennessee without first getting permission from her probation office, and then didn’t report to said probation office during the month of July. She was released on $1, 000 bond Saturday, and has a court appearance scheduled for August 14.

McCready had a big hit in 1996 with "Boys Do It All the Time", and was engaged to Dean Cain, of Lois and Clark fame, from 1997-98. Over the past two years, she’s been in the news for everything for prescription fraud, DUI, suicide attempt, drug overdose, her boyfriend/fiance’/whatever tried to kill her, and the list goes on. Again, she obviously needs help, in a major way, and I’ll be praying that someone can get her turned around (although not necessarily back in the music bid’ness, as I think that would be like taking a match to gasoline.

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