Slip Slidin' Away

Did you see where yet another music-oriented Music Row building is changing hands? A 184-room Hilton will take over the (some used to think it was haunted) United Artist Tower.

That nine-story building was a recording studio, a radio station with great Music Row views, a home to many music business companies. A nice hotel is a great addition to the area that will hopefully keep some or all of the neighborhood history.

16th and 17th Avenues still have many publishing offices and a few label HQs but the makeup changes every month. More non-music people taking over.

More studios now in the Berry Hill section than around the Row. The efforts to stop the changeover have been mixed. Saving RCA Studio A was the biggest single victory.

From playoff baseball to NASCAR's Talladega to Storm Recovery and final CMA voting, Fall is here and with 45 degrees on Music Row, it is the coldest morning of the Fall.

The chill in the air is good for Kix Brook's winery. If only the Tennessee college SEC football teams were a little better it would be a perfect time.

So many songwriters and artists love to work and write on The Gulf Coast. Hurricane Michael spared most of those songwriter hangouts, from Flora-Bama to Key West. The beach homes of Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan dodged Michael, too. Port St Joe where the Brothers Osborne put together their last album is a mess. Mexico Beach, Tyndall AFB are disaster areas.

The actual Panama City Beach is almost ready to get back to making money. The Verizon service is down and the power is still out. Damage was cosmetic and Gulf Power should be able to get the beach back very soon. The beloved Captain Andersons restaurant is closed like everything else: NO POWER.

The first benefits for the survivors underway in Mobile on TV and radio. This will be a very long recovery for the area East and Southeast of downtown Panama City.

CMA voting nearing its fourth quarter. PR people are keeping Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, and Chris Janson in the forefront. The really awful American Music Awards were very good for Carrie,Kane and FGL. Taylor Swift was the big winner but the show's ratings were down 29% in the overall audience. You have to wonder if the music for the intended audience even have TVs to watch the show. The young 20-somethings I know are cord cutters.

Memories of Troy Gentry around this week as The Troy Gentry Foundation was announced and a benefit for it at the Opry House January 9th, 2019 hosted by Blake Shelton.

For many it's the best time of the year. The Fall cool, all the sports in full swing and predictions for the CMAs.

Top moment of the week was seeing Kid Rock, John Rich, Sam Moore, Mike Love and several Music Row bigwigs in the Oval Office as Kanye steals the spotlight. You had to see it to believe it. Thought CNN was going to meltdown.