Pre-Heating Fan Fair

Notice the temperatures in Southern Europe at 90-95 degrees? Nashville too. Texas? Oh yeah. The weatherman knows when the CMA Fest is coming, and the world is being pre heated for that sprawling urban Country music gathering in early June.

It’s an ABC-TV late summer special, and you see their fingerprints all over it. With Covid rising into the red in some parts of the U.S, will CMA Fest be a super spreader? People are asking. Let’s hope for a safe event.

The Tennessean wrote an article about who isn’t in the Country Music Hall of Fame and should be, and called the discussion a “barstool debate.” That is as good a name as any. The selections this week were very well received: Joe Galante, Keith Whitley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Solid picks and no controversy.

Now, who’s next? The fans are confused why so few are selected each year. Jerry Lee now, but why not 30 years ago? The number of inductees must grow to at least by 30% each year or do a catch-up year with those who are dead, but still need to be remembered. That list is huge, starting with June Carter Cash. She’s Country royalty, so why is she not in there? Also Charlie Rich, John Denver, Eddie Rabbitt and Johnny Horton, just to name the most obvious.

It can’t be based just on chart success. June Carter Cash not in, REALLY?

The Covid fear is real. Every day brings a new story that editors know no one wants to hear: Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert both get relapse, Eric Clapton cancels several shows. Will Covid wait until late fall to return or is it here, and do the Live Nations and other have any responsibility to do anything in advance?

With the stock market having its worst week in years, how will that affect Music Row? The touring expenses keep going up by the day. Fuel costs have doubled in a year. So much hope for this summer’s tour schedule. Hopefully it will stay just a black cloud on the horizon.

“Yellowstone” is back November 13th on the Paramount network. You wonder if any Music Row folks have plugged any songs into that soundtrack? Trace Adkins is on the Fox TV show “Monarch,” coming this fall.

As a great political consultant said loudly and on many occasions, “It’s the economy, stupid!” That’s why it’s called the music business! The cost of touring is higher as the competition is greater, and the fan base is concerned about money.

From CNBC: “Americans are more stressed about money than they’ve ever been, according to the American Psychological Association. Eighty-seven percent of Americans said that inflation and the rising costs of everyday goods is what’s driving their stress,”

This will roll downhill into tour attendance, concession purchases, festival attendance, everything. Radio and TV are in for the fight of their lives with the economy, the internet, streamers, and you name it.

Country music should be and has been a mirror of what the fans are feeling. The songwriters and producers better leave their comfy estates and get down with the folks, find out what’s on their minds and act accordingly.