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Baby It's Cold Outside
November 8, 2019
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As we get into CMA Week, the weather is going to get in on the story, as it has the past few years, with low temps of 18 and 22 on two of the three nights early this week. I don't see rain or, God forbid, snow in the forecast, but the weather is crazy around CMA time every year, even when the awards were in October around DJ week. (Anyone remember that October used to be Country Music month?)
The water on the red carpet one of these past years was terrible. Wet feet ... yuck!
This year's on-air show is going to feel different with the hosting situation, and the reintroduction of stars singing songs everyone should know with a few exceptions. The other networks' competition should not be huge, but ABC has struggled at times the last two years with ratings on regular programming nights.
The BMI, ASCAP, SEASAC and CMA Awards are the industry's prom nights.
Cold weather, whatever, all the glitter and all the posed pictures will exhaust even the veterans. Will the CMAs roll out as the wizards plan, or will there be some upset winners? It doesn't feel like an upset year, and sure feels like the winners were all but determined a few months ago. Hopefully, an upset or two would be great, but unlikely. Maybe Carrie Underwood or Eric Church?
Luke Combs showed off his new line of Croc shoes last week. They're tactical, camo Crocs. Find them if you haven't seen them yet. Meanwhile, Combs was on the road playing West Coast last weekend. Every show was sold out, and his new album finally arrived on November 8th.
Dolly Parton's "Heartstrings" mini movies got a lot of publicity last week, with stars from the made in Georgia shows talking up the series. All eight-hour episodes launch on Netflix November 22nd. By the way, Netflix is putting the word out that it is going to crack down on password sharing. Soon, older Samsung TVs with built-in Netflix might stop loading the channel up. The geeks and the suits at Netflix are figuring out how to recapture all those lost millions. You've been notified.
Vince Gill, Kye Fleming/Dennis Morgan and Bob McDill have all gotten early nominations in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame. That gala is June 11, 2020 in New York City. Six of the 30 names on the list will be announced maybe in December. Tough competition this year, everyone from Vince Gill to Beach Boy Mike Love, even Steve Miller, Mariah Carey and Andre 3000.
Sirius/XM already has a Christmas channel going, and the Opryland Hotel's 3.2 million lights came on last week. Alabama's "Christmas in Dixie" remains one of the best songs of the season ever. The end of the year is just around the corner.
After the CMAs on Wednesday (11/13), the next big thing will be Garth Brooks at The University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on November 16th. The 75,000 tickets sold broke the concert record, but more tickets have been made available lately. It's going to be a huge show. Cold, but huge.
The concert halls and amps will be crowded in 2020. Alan Jackson is going back on the road, with two shows in January, four in February, two in March and so on, adding up to 18 for the year. He's playing Stagecoach, and the Bridgestone Arena (on August 7th) will be his first Nashville arena concert in several years.
Dustin Lynch has a new album coming in January, and he's going out solo in 2020.
Dan Rather has Little Big Town on AXS-TV in the coming days. Those long form interviews are rare these days. The Travis Tritt one was very good.
Good luck to all the honorees and nominees this 2019 CMA Week.
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