Denial Is A Destination

Jimmy Carter on the road in Oregon

What a beautiful place ... the Pacific Coast of Oregon! The geography makes me thankful for all things given me ... So I don't even want to dip into the last two weeks in Country music

... Wel,l maybe a little bit ... looking back...

It was about the worst week in the Country concert business since the Sugarland stage disaster in Indy ... that concert changed the way concert runners did go and cancelled shows ... That show did change things.

From the death at the Aldean show in Cleveland to the rape investigation at Urban in Boston. Hundreds of Ugly headlines and publicity that will filter down for years to come ... How many people read all that and said, "my child isn't going to that Country show."

How long did the industry work to have mostly family-friendly shows? The last 10 days shot a lot of that to Hell ... One cop in Boston saying, "We often have trouble with those Country shows" ... was really sad and troubling.

I'm scared to look and see if the free Blake show in Atlantic City was trouble-free ... I somehow bet it was, but I wouldn't think an Urban show would have as much trouble. So you never know.

Tom Roland wrote a good story in Billboard about song content, asking radio folks about the over-abundance of drinking songs. The general consensus: It's a trend ... party music and everyone jumped on board. The radio station self-police the drinking music ... and it works somewhat.

Okay ... like songs about trucks and girls in cut-off jeans themes come and go ... You would wonder today how loud radio programmers would laugh if you gave them "God Bless The USA."

Look at those big stadiums filled with fans ... the big festivals ... Taylor Swift's influence on teens, and the "make me want to roll the window down" FGL. Luke shaking his booty and Eric playing really loud. Things are really good in the concert business. You would hope if for only selfish reasons, heads would come together and tighten up the reins.

Anyone want to explain the Garth Brooks magic? Ever seen anything like that? Seventeen to 18 years out of a market and little to nothing on radio and selling out 10 shows! That is nothing short of amazing. Will the Garth effect change anything on radio or the sale of other Country shows?

The "legendary" RCA studio A building doubling rental rates and artist/studio owner Ben Folds is leaving. This building may be coming down...Should it? It does need a lot of work! Preserving history is important but you can't save everything ... Is this place worth throwing down on? Maybe not.

Those trying to make a movie with a major Country star ... it's a fun idea but remember, comedy is the hardest genre ... it has little international upside, and the best of them can make you cringe 10 years in the future. Go big or go home ... Get big stars to help you and pray you can do it first class. A cheap comedy can't even be sold at truck stops in bargain bins ... Go big ... get big-time acting help ... big-time producer like Ivan Reitman ... major editors and DP ... Movies aren't music videos ... Don't find out the hard way ... good luck...