JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Industry Message Forum F.A.O - Marc Barnette - regarding your ignorance

Quick question: who was the first black singer with a country hit?

Charlie Pride comes to mind, but I'm just guessing.

Mr. Pride is a good answer, but there were earlier ones.

One of the earliest black country music stars was DeFord Bailey. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1920's and had a record released by Brunswick records in 1927.

http://defordbailey.info/

I've been honored to write for Pride Music, had some songs signed there, and also to do some demo work for them. I've also been honored to play some gigs with DeFord Bailey Jr.

However, they are not the hits I'm thinking of. These were BIG hits.

(doing my best Ben Stein impersonation) Anybody? Anybody?

Mark, and Mike,

I know you guys like Nashville and there's a lot of positive things about it. I'm sure like the right pair of shoes if it's a comfortable fit then that's good. But there's nothing wrong with pointing out that there is another side to things and as much as you guys love it there, other people are not always going to feel the same way. Mark, you're a little judgmental, everything I said is either a fact or true from my point of view. Every place is going to have its' positive and negative. You are going to feel more at home in Nashville if you are a good ol' boy than if you are a totally out gay. Broadway or West Hollywood would be just the opposite. That is reality. It matters to some people and others seem to do fine regardless of where they live. You can cut songs in Nashville about Jesus hopping off a picture on the wall, but not about a young man being crucified on barbed wire because he was gay. What's funny is all the people that I know in Nashville would be supportive of that second song being cut, but still it won't happen. That's reality.

Pete

Mike,

My guess is Leadbelly , he's a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Pete

Leadbelly, what a great talent. An old friend of mine, the late Marv David, heard him play live. Marv said he was absolutely electrifying. He said Leadbelly played piano with a style similar to his twelve string playing.

But, no, he never had his own country hit. Though his benefactor's nephew, John A. Lomax III lives here in Nashville. John discovered Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. But no, I'm thinking of a BIG star who had BIG country hits and was black.

BTW, I've worked with openly gay artists here in Nashville. As a matter of fact, I toured and roomed with an openly gay, black, backup singer. They won't get major country radio play here, just as my bluegrass band won't get major pop radio play in West Hollywood. I just wouldn't think of putting down West Hollywood, or New Orleans, or NYC. I love those places. I worked a gig this week with Ernest Tubb's old steel player, Lynn Owsley. Lynn's as country as an ear of corn. When I told him about my recent trip to NYC, he gushed on for minutes about how much he loved Manhattan. I just get amazed, though, at how many people bash Nashville. I call them Nash Bashers.

Sorry Pete,
Lead Belly isn't in the Country Music Hall of Fame. However HE is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You can look it up.

There was another black country singer, Otis or something that a local disc jockey told me about. The guy is dead now maybe someone can remember his name.

Ray Charles was a huge success in country music. I believe it was 1962 or so when he came out with a country album that blew everyone away.

Bingo, Jack. Ray Charles had an album called "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music," that blew the doors off everything. He had "I Can't Stop Loving You," the great Don Gibson number, and my fave "You Don't Know Me," by Cindy Walker and the Tennessee Plowboy himself, Eddie Arnold. And I think it was around 1962. It was one of the first albums I owned.

Mr. Charles had to fight his label to cut the record. He had a long time love of country music and used to listen to the Grand Ole Opry as a kid. He continued cutting country music throughout his career, having hits also with "Busted," and his duet with Willie Nelson, "Seven Spanish Angels," among others.

Ray Charles is my favorite male singer, with Ray Price a close second. Patsy Cline is my favorite female singer to such a degree that I don't have a second, but Billie Holiday is third.

Ray,

You're right - he's in the 'Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame' ,my old brain was playing tricks on me. Also he's in the National Academy of Popular Music- Hall of Fame.

yes, Ray Charles - you beat me there , Jack, now hit the road.. "Busted" "I Can't Stop Loving You" - love it.

I loved that album too! The song You Don't Know Me was always one of my favorites, also.

Some other black country artists have included Big Al Downing, Stony Edwards, Cleve Francis, Linda Martell, Aaron Neville, who won a grammy for covering George Jones' "the Grand Tour," and most recently Cowboy Troy and the aforementioned Darius Rucker.

They are few. The major labels would absolutely love to find more to expand the crossover base, but, as Marc said, there aren't enough young black artists who are interested. It's like white gangsta rappers or oriental Irish singers. I've worked with a few black female and male country hopefuls. Just like the white country hopefuls, making it through the gauntlet to star status is rare. I've worked with thousands of hopefuls of any race, only about a half dozen became major stars.

Pete,

It is all about a half full half empty analogy. Those of us that sing Nashville's praises never say it is the only game in the world. It is one of three major recording centers in this country and the one that most people flock from other areas because they decry the lack of community.
And the various styles of country, rock, blues, soul, hip hop,rap, etc. are all over the place. Interestingly enough you mention gay people and in the past two years, two of my clients made that same comments about being afraid of gay slap back if they came here. Both of them came with their partners and found an overwhelimingly supportive community. There is a sizable gay community here. And that is fine. The country audience tends to be more traditional and they are entitled to their opinions too.
Since music is a luxury item no one is forced to buy anything they don't want and various elements, just like the black influence in country music is most definatly there. Charly Pride did fine, as did other African American's over the years. Cleve Francis had a number one in the mid 80's. I really liked him a lot. He was a semi retired heart surgeon who said at a press conference "You all hear that the music business is not heart surgery. It's not. It's harder. And I'm a heart surgeon."
But sometimes you can't buy your way into a deal. Around 2001 there were some friends of mine involved in a project with an attorney out of Memphis. This guy had personally won $700 million dollars out of a 7 billion dollar tobacco liability settlement and decided he was going to take on the country music industry. He had a girlfriend that he wanted to make a star. He sunk about $3 million into her, had huge writers writing for her, and did a great looking video. Then had a big coming out party. The only thing they had forgotten was to get someone who could sing, and someone who wasn't 45 years old. Then he decided he didn't like white people and fired everyone around him and quit altogether.
Darius is a very nice guy and part of the reason is because of the Hootie connection that so many producers and current writers loved. He told me he was doing all the music he couldn't do with the Hootie project and could not have found a warmer community.
Otis Blackwell was another writer who was here a few years ago and a linchpin of this community until he passed away a few years back. Ray, and Modern Country music was the biggest influence on myself and my Father. I use Ray influences in almost everything I do today.
So that connection is there and real. And as Darius and others have proven, the public buys it if it is the real deal. But people in country music purchase songs with their buying power that they feel kinship with. That is what makes country music what it is. Simply because one person thinks a certain subject is not being written for some reason or another doesn't make it so. You cannot force people to buy music. And with the Internet there is no end to the choices people have. That actually is the crux of the matter, there is so many choices, people don't have to choose, they can have it all, and usually for very cheap or free. Everyone is judgemental from their own point of view, and every one has the choice to purchase or like something they want or like, without it being forced on them. It's called free will.

MAB

Don't forget Lou Rawls. What a voice.

Clint Black.

...oh, nevermind.

Otis Blackwell, I played several shows with him. I've got a number chart of "Handyman" that he autographed for me. What a writer! "Great Balls of Fire," "Fever," "Don't be Cruel," "All Shook Up," "Return to Sender." He was a great gentleman too. Not very country though, and black! I wonder why he lived in Nashville??? Ha Ha.

What I wouldn't give to have heard him live.



One of my co-writers who was gay moved to Nashville and lived there for several years, even bought a house. She gave up the quest a couple of years ago however and moved up near Tahoe. The music community is usually a pretty tolerant group, but I was pretty angry with Country Radio over the way they did the Chicks. That and the comments of the DJ's just drove me away from wanting to write for that market. I'm probably getting too musically obsolete for it to matter much one way or the other. I loved Ernest Tubb, "No Letter Today" great stuff. I always find fault with things, just the way I am, I'm not gay, but I am a prick.

Yes, and O.C.Smith. His version of Roger Miller's "Little Green Apples" is just stunning.

Marc, you probably knew that Buddy Killen produced some cuts on Otis Redding here in Nashville? There's a great story about it. Killen kept telling Otis about one of the songs: "I don't know, Otis, it needs something, it needs something." Otis finally replied, "What this song needs...is out!"

Also, Dan Fogelberg cut most of his stuff at Quad Studios, that's where Jimmy Buffett cut "Margaritaville" among other hits. I helped build the drum booth there in my carpenter days. And Kansas cut "Dust in the Wind" at Woodland Studios. Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elvis Costello, gosh, I could go on and on. Fusion, Bagpipe music, New Age, Chant, Screamo, someone needs to tell these artists who record, publish, develop, master, rehearse here that they're in the wrong place. Heck, we're just a bunch of racist redneck hicks!

Pete, country radio didn't drop the Chicks, they dropped country radio. What Marc said was true, their comment in England was only one part of the split. Imagine what would happen to a rap artist if they said something bad about President Obama? The Chicks knew what they were doing, they were trying to break from country, and get hip with the pop/rock/anti-war and anti-Bush crowd. But it didn't work that well for them.

Mike,

The other day, did you happen to see my Klan robe behind the couch? I think I forgot it. We were burning crosses the other night and I just couldn't get some of the stains out of it. LOL!
It is amazing how many people think all that stuff about us. I am from Birmingham and the entire town is run by African Americans. It is about to go bankrupt but they have been running it a long time. Race has nothing to do with any of this. We are a true melting pot of styles, races, sexual orientations, and it is funny to hang out with so many different people and listen to them tell their stories about how the REAL racists are where they came from. And part of the reason they came here was to get away from that. That also goes for the sense of community issues. Almost continually there are new people coming to town from the very areas that so many claim are so vibrant. They all have the same stories. There are no clubs that feature live music, no radio stations, no writers nights, no places writers hang out, etc. It is exactly the lack of community from almost every other place on the planet that bring them here. And when I have visited so many other places, you rarely have people that have moved to that place for the sense of community.

I was really remember all that Dixie Chick stuff. A friend of mine,a hit songwriter and mandolin virtuoso. was teaching Emily mandolin and was taken by the attitudes those girls had toward Nashville. They called every body hicks and were just spewing venom all the time behind everyone's back while trying to fake them out to their faces.
Another friend was working at the label in their promotion department and was treated like crap by them. So when the stuff broke out, it was just one more in the latest of Chickerie's. They didn't like anybody. And the favor was returned. And like the MaCauley Caulkin, spoiled kid, what goes up, comes down.
Two days after they did their anti Bush rant, they were in Texas and called all of Nashville redneck jerks and they didn't want anyone that would have a Reba McEntire CD in their CD changers next to theirs. That caused Reba to comment at the CMA's that the "Chicks couldn't be here tonight because they couldn't get their feet out of their mouths."
And it's funny how just a couple of years before, this town had treated them like absolute God's. They were fiercly loyal when the Chicks sued their record company, SONY, to get at overdue royalty payments. My back up singers at the times were the Kinley's, who had gotten their own deal and then were dropped because of the success of the Chicks.
So there is a lot about any business most people don't see. Most songwriters and artists wounds are self inflicted. And insulting your fans, no matter how well established you think you are, never works out well. Just ask Micheal Richards.

MAB

Sure didn't seem like that to me. Or on the the PBS documentary on this subject. I opposed the Iraq War from the start, and to hear that Toby Keith crap on the Country station over and over and the DJ's just drooling over that jingoism. Sorry but you got no place for me there. So I'm happy you guys agree with each other, but I don't see it that way. "Not Ready to Make Nice" - that about says it for me. And I don't care how many copies it sold, that's not the point.
__________________________________________________________
(In Response to what Marc wrote and earlier comments)
I never called either you or Marc racist, so I don't understand your playing all wounded about that. There's all kinds of racism, eliteism, and prejudice in this world and it exists everywhere. And yes, in your beloved Nashville and here in Portland, OR too. But I have to be honest, it seemed more overt and in places I wouldn't have expected there, and it also seemed like people would act one way around certain people and another way with others. Like they were trying to prove they fit in. To score points with the good ole boys. And that's certainly not everybody, but certainly some. And that wasn't you, and I guess you never see or hear that? I never attacked either of you personally or tried to infer anything about you.

Addendum- Yes, It's a great place to be a songwriter, and you have a lot of resources and community there. It's very unique in that regard.

Pete,

Re-read your posts sir. You've done nothing but attack us. You have attacked our town, our comments, you have insinuated we are backward rednecks called us liars, you have been one offensive post from the beginning of this. As most liberals you were the one who brought up race and as usual when your arguments are refuted (no blacks in country music,Darius Rucker, the country is racists (Barak Obama), gay people are not wanted (yes they are), you simply drag out the old red neck rascist thing that is always used. And it is just as hollow now as the other billion times it is used when arguments are destroyed.
We are not offended by you. There are tons of people just like you that come here all the time. They always find something to complain about in any thing they do. You can never find anything to say positive about anything. That's okay, you can do that fine, but don't act like we are supposed to just listen to one pointless rant after another and not respond.
We do it with humor because we don't take ourselves too seriously, unlike people that come here or comment about us all the time. We don't bring up the "our neighborhood is great and yours sucks" thing. We comment on things we like about our town and are told by people like you we are full of it.
So like the Dixie Chicks, when you make comments, people are going to respond to it. Most of the time we try to do it with some well intentioned humor and try to keep it light. But after a while with the same silliness over and over we just kind of either ignore it or when it is thrown back at us over and over again, it is like a gnat, and you just swat it.
Got nothing against you or your opinions. Don't agree with them and point out our own. But when it is intimated that we can't say ours, you're might as well expect that that door will come right back at cha.
As always, I wish everybody well. You have your place you like, great. You have complaints in some place or another, fine make them. But don't go acting like you are the difinitive opinion on anything just because you don't agree with someone else. Everybody has opinions and everybody has the right to state them. But they also have to deal with it when people don't agree with them.

MAB

So, this Irish priest, Father Flaherty, is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut. The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car.

He says, 'Sir, have you been drinking?'

'Just water,' says the priest.

The trooper says, 'Then why do I smell wine?'

Father Flaherty looks at the bottle and says, 'Good Lord! He's done it again!'

Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Pete. Interestingly, I happen to love Portland, Oregon. I taught at Portland State University as a Visiting Professor. My wife and I had our honeymoon at Cannon Beach, Oregon. It's a lovely place with friendly, artistic people. Like Nashville.

I have NOT attacked YOU, Marc. You are reading that into what I said. I COULD critique what you do if you'd like. You have not refuted my views on Country music, Nashville and the conservative culture that it plays to. There are a few blacks that find a niche there granted, but it's hardly a melting pot, and it plays to a white audience that is very conservative. Did you notice that after Obamas' acceptance speech in Denver, the music was "Only in America" by Brooks an Dunn. He was doing a smart thing and reaching out. I wish I felt that the country music industry was doing more to break down some of the cultural barriers and being more diverse. This is a criticism of the radio station managers, and industry decision makers, not the artists and musicians of Nashville. And the old redneck thing is not imagination, I think we saw some of that ugliness at some McCain rallies during the last election. But as I said repeatedly above it's not just Nashville, or Tennessee, but Wisconsin and California too. And I'm not accusing you, personally, Marc.

Yes, Marc, I'm a critical person, I said that above. And I get plenty of criticism back. I'm a big boy I can take it, but don't make up things I never said and frankly don't be so defensive. Maybe the Dixie Chicks are as you say, I don't know, I never met them. I like their music and their seriousness and outspokenness, so do my wife and three daughters. And what did country music replace them with - 'what's her name' singing "I'm Here for the Party"??? (insert upchuck sound here)

Lucien, Big Jim and others have stated they found Nashville music rather formulaic and cliched. It's a critique that comes up often, personally I can take it or leave it. To each his own.

Pete

No need to feel sorry. I'm glad you have happy memories of Portland. I'm happy here. Like Nashville, yes. I remember being in Nashville one hot summer night and the fireflies were out and my two friends from California had never seen them before. It's a lovely city.

Pete,

The last time I looked there is not one person with black and blue marks on his arms forcing them to get in the music business or come to Nashville. Again,it is half full or half empty. You make claims that are simply not true. Just because a small minority don't break through is not the fault of a racist minority. Why aren't they forcing the rap and hip hop community to buy country music? That is the point on your comments.
You look at this and say "well they are all racists" but you are not close to the source, know no one who participates in it, are not involved in the industry in any shape and form. You haven't been in literally hundreds of record company meetings in the past twenty years trying to figure out marketing strategy's to sell to African Americans. You haven't seen artists and record companies market that and get no where. You haven't lost millions of dollars promoting those artists to an audience that doesn't buy it. Are you going to make the same arguments of the African American community because they don't grow up with country music and are not particularly interested in it so they are not really marketed to? Mike and I show you example after example, and like every thing you go, "yeah, but..."
You see a superficial side of an argument, watch some extrodinarily narrow slanted documentaries and get a head of steam, and get your protest posters and make a big deal about something you are only getting half the story on, but then claim you really have not been around it and don't really know they whole story, then telling some of us that HAVE seen both sides that our side is just simply wrong. And for the record, I got tired of all that Toby Keith crap too. I am sick to death of every actor, model and singer telling me what my politcal views should be, how stupid I am for believing like I do. i'm tired of idiots living in Ivory towers complaining about people not believing like they think you should believe or behave.
Yeah,I do take this very personally. There is no one that tries to be inclusive more than I do. I am constantly trying to get people to get along. I go through a lot of time and effort offering advice and do things that I don't talk about to help people do what you are talking about. Then I hear people complaing that it doesn't exist. It's stupid and unfeeling and insulting.
I'll tell you what. let's agree to disagree and get back to what these forums are supposed to be about, music and the process of trying to get somewhere in the music industry. I don't do message or protest songs for this very reason. There are forums for that and for the most part I avoid them. If I don't have personal knowledge of it, I stay away from it. The things you have mentioned I have personal first hand knowledge of.
But I am going to discontinue this discussion for that exact reason. I don't talk politics because it gets no one any where. I am going to go out today and work on what i can change and not worry about what I can't. You want to talk music and the industry and ways to make that more effective, I'm all ears. Wanna get into all this Universal silliness, that can be addressed by others. Ain't my gig.

MAB

Pete,
With respect, I was listening to country music since the early 50's. When I went in the Navy I got stationed in Atlantic City. There was no Country Music on the Radio in Atlantic City. The "Eastern Establishment" thought country music was for Hicks. Today I don't think Country Music is big in the East even today as sad as it is now. You want Nashville to become more culturally Diverse? I would say it is as diverse as it gets now.

And Pete, it is was conservative types that built the factories, businesses, places for the populace to work and make a living and be sucessful. It wasn't a bunch of drugged out Woodstock types. If we had followed Woodstock's example do you honestly think you would have that Computer to use let alone the ability to send a message to anyplace in the world?

Brian says it is the hippies that are now running the asylum. If so it isn't going to last long just like Woodstock.

You cannot prove a point about someone's sterotyping others by doing it yourself to them. It makes both arguments pointless.

Thank you, Jack. Well written.

You are right Jack. I stand corrected.

MAB

If you want to know some of the things we are doing down here, this is a part of some promotional films we are doing with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.

MAB

www.nashvillemuse.blip.tv

Speaking of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.. I just contacted the Wildhorse Saloon about doing our music awards down there on August 29th. Do you know anyone there Marc? Would the Chamber of Commerce help us out if we moved our awards from Hollywood to Nashville? It's a big risk since we're established in Hollywood and have a gigantic regional member base. It should bring in a lot of money to the economy. We'd even discuss partnering long term with them to build it up even bigger than it is.

Who should I talk to MAB?

Wasn't Brook Benton's "Rainy Night In Georgia" played on country radio? Nat King Cole could be considered a crossover. He appeared on the Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (so did Elvis) in the 50's.

Brian,

Right now the group I am working with are about to own the Chamber of Commerce. This is JUST what we are looking for. i will have some names for you tomorrow. We are having a meeting in the morning. Will get you the people to contact. Have no veer Barnette is here!

Ben, you are dead on again with Brook Benton and Nat King Cole. African Americans have a LONG history with country music. The main roots of country came from Negro Spirituals from the south, southern gospel, Mississippi and Tennessee blues,Appliachan folk and an amalgamation of other styles.

Hey, you left handed? me too. Man are we in our right minds!

MAB

Yep Marc, can't do nothing right.
Nat King Cole was from Montgomery Al. along with Hank Williams. My brother lives there.
Nat was more of a pop/jazz musician but occasionally crossed over to country type crooner tunes ala Ray Charles and Eddy Arnold (Nashville Sound). He was the first African American to have a TV variety show. He wasn't allowed to give the white female guests a peck on the cheek, but had a long running affair with Gunilla Hutton from "Hee Haw" fame.
Tell me that times haven't changed for the better. Ben

Man,

I was in Montgomery about three weeks ago. There is this hot dog place that I can;t remember the name. It has been there since the 40's. Family place. MAGNIFICENT DOGS!!! Hank used to go there. One of the last places he went.

Great to hear from you my friend.

MAB

Ben,

I did a bunch of shows around 91-92' in Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie, Ft. Meyers. There was a radio station, WAVE FM 102 I think, that helped me a TON. Opened for Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker, Charlie Daniels, Becky Hobbs, Dan Seals, and several others. Had a blast!

MAB

I think that WAVE is easy listening now. I lived in Tulsa in 91'-92' but I am from Ft. Myers. The town is growing like a weed. We have two major league baseball teams during spring training and another in negotiation. That means three large stadiums for music venues, two arenas, a college concert hall, and a convention center.
I don't know about the hot dog stand, but I have eaten at Ezell's Catfish Cabin. I visit Hank's grave whenever I go there. I also go to see "Teetot" Rufus Payne, Hanks mentor. He is buried in an unmarked grave. My brother knows where the graveyard is, but no one knows where his grave is.

Man that is cool. I figured WAVE would be a different format. They were talking about changing back then.

I go visit Hank and Audry's grave a good bit, pull out the guitar and play a song I wrote called "Waiting on Hank.' Pretty funny when people come by and stop and watch. Did the same thing on the Gettysburg battlefield. I guess I am good for playing for dead people.

MAB

Yeah, Hank is buried next to Audrey and his mother. His mom's name was Sullivan. Funny that they buried Audrey next to Hank since he remarried before his death, and Audrey died so many years later. But she was a major impact on his career. You could say that Audrey made Hank Williams what he was, along with his mother. That monument in Montgomery tells the whole story.
He's surrounded by his favorite women. Ben

"Teetot" is in an unmarked grave at the Negro cemetery in Montgomery, though some records show his grave at Oakwood cemetary where Hank is at. I tend to believe that he is in the old Negro cemetery in an unmarked grave. No one can find him to this day.

My wife says God made a few perfect people...the others were right-handed!

Alan

Ben,

Love your avatar. Collards are my favorite green. Am making some right now for a party tomorrow.

MAB

Wow, this is turning into a really interesting thread.

Lucian:

I took the time to listen to your songs and was impressed (much the same as Mike Dunbar) with your writing ability and your vocals as well. You won't find many people here at JPF with more level heads than Mike and his advice is always offered with sincerity and experience. Having seen Marc's reply (and apology) should also let you know about his character.

As a songwriter, I don't subscribe to the current co-writing theory for success. Co-writing can be difficult, time consuming and yet, for some, a very rewarding experience. Although I've done some co-writing, I would prefer to be remembered for what I accomplished (or did not accomplish) on my own. This way (writing alone) will certainly keep the math (and splits) much easier if I ever have the good fortune to "hit paydirt."

I hope you will accept the "olive branch" Marc has offered and consider the advice Mike has provided. Both are respected members of this community... but no more important to the JPF family than you and so many others. Good luck in your music career.

Best,

Dave Rice

http://www.ShowCaseYourMusic.com/DaveRice

Dave,

Thanks for the things you have said and I think we have solved this a while back. I understand your comments on not being interested in the co-writing aspect and it isn't for everyone. In Nashville it is a way of life and actually goes back quite a ways. Nashville is set up as a more intimate industry and the community is demonstrated by Music Row, which is a neighborhood of buildings three blocks wide and 10 blocks long in the middle of our town. It was designed to be a community of writers, artists, producers, labels, and publishers and while corporations have taken a lot of the real estate, those attitudes still permeate the town and that is what I like to promote.
The co-writing aspect is one way to get to know your fellow writers as well as making the connections essential to take the "next step." Actually co-writing kind of worked well outside of Nashville with names such as Rodgers and Hammerstien, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, and Lennon and McCartney.
So I just wanted to remind people that it is not so much a theory of "co-writing for success" as it is a way to build relationships, craft and in our world, the road to most successes. It is simply our nature of doing business.

MAB

Hi folks! Saw my friend MAB's name on this and was ready to throw out a life preserver if he needed one! LOL. I'm new to this site, and I already know a lot of you, but I'm looking forward to getting to know the rest.

: )
Jules

I see you!!!

Everybody, Jules. Jules, everybody. Yes, she does look as good as her picture. She is one of our hotties at another forum.

MAB

Well, I didn't imagine this thread would last this long! Seems to have taken on a life of its own as a place for people to air their differences and resolve them. Maybe we should get the Israelis and Palestinians here to have it out once and for all.

Dave - thanks for the compliments. I always listen to everyone's advice and take it all on board. Thanks again!

Well, reading up, I can see sometime or other, when I go to the USA, I'm gonna have to head off to Montgomery, Alabama and pay homage to Hank Williams. Believe it or not, he's something of an influence on me, via my father and the 7 record vinyl box set he owned of his, which I listened to as a kid. Then I'm gonna head off to visit Memphis to pay homage to The King. I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but 70's Elvis is The King to me. Then I'll finish up in Nashville/Hendersonville to pay homage to my main man Johnny Cash.

And on the way, I'm gonna stop off at Jasper, Alabama. Birthplace of Sawyer from Lost. You should have voted him to be your President!

Lucian

Lucian,

Let me know if you come here. I'm a huge Cash fan. I've been honored to play with the man twice, worked with one of his old drummers last night and played with his sister this morning. If you check out the Rockabilly Hall of Fame website:

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/cashbook05.html

You can see pictures of me playing with some of Johnny Cash's old band, as well as members of his family.

So when you get here, call me, and I'll give you a Cash tour.

All the Best,
Mike