Go Ahead and Give Out the Awards Tonight

I am not going to let the CMA nominations give me high blood pressure. In the 24 hours since the nominees were announced, I've cussed the CMA and the block voting that goes along with it....Take a deep breath........

The people NOT nominated weren't going to win anyway. Tim, Faith, Toby, Sara, Alan, Trace, LeeAnn W and Rimes, Gary Allan ... none of those acts were going to beat Chesney, Flatts, Paisley and Underwood!

It's the point of political snubbing or big consolidated labels getting 41 of the 55 nominations. Or folks who don't even get radio play getting nominations. The whole thing stinks.

The CMA show is an infomercial that lasts three hours. It's about getting the act on TV that can turn around and sell a CD the next day. That's the whole thing in a nutshell. It is business ... commerce ... very big money with lots of paid influence.

You may not be old enough to remember the 1950s, when GM and Ford ruled Detroit with a little bit of Chrysler (Capitol and Warner) and the rest of the pack. That's Music Row today. Consolidated to the max. Controlled by corporate multi-format too scared to change or think. Why were the announcements NOT streamed live to the Internet? The dinosaurs still walk the earth on Music Row.

Here is what the screaming Tim McGraw fans prompted the McGraw management company to do. They took the bait and -- as politically correct as possible -- told it like it is:

From RPM Management:

To Tim Fans:

First and Foremost, thanks for being the best fans in the industry. We truly appreciate your support for Tim, his music, StyleSonic Records and Neighbor's Keeper Foundation.

We understand your disappointment in the CMA's snubbing Tim and Faith in this year's CMA awards nominations. As many of you have pointed out, this is a very political event. It is NOT based upon merit or success necessarily.

This is not to detract from any nominees. They all work very hard and deserve recognition for their music and their sacrifice to make it in this very tough business. Tim has, and will continue, to give many of them a hand up.

In fact, there are a number of folks deserving of CMA recognition who have never been recognized at all. Tim is one of the most awarded and recognized artists in the history of country music. We have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. YOU made him the most-played artist of the first half of this year, YOU made him the #1 seller of the first half of this year, YOU made his Soul 2 Soul Tour with Faith the biggest in country music history in 2006, and now the biggest multi-year tour in country music history. YOU made his Greatest Hits album the #1 catalog album in all formats. THANK YOU!!!!!!

Again, as a lot of you have noted, Tim's label is very small and has very little presence in the CMA organization. We have been a part of efforts to change the lopsided voting which favors a few select companies. CMA has resisted such efforts because vested interests have no economic interest in having the system change.

There is no perfect voting system; it is only a reflection of the rule makers. In this world, those rule makers fear for their jobs as the record industry changes. We feel their pain as we have lost many friends who have had to leave the business because there was no longer a big enough industry to support them.

Those rule makers cling to the concept that the awards can make an artist, instead of great music and artistry can make for a great awards show. Case in point: "If You're Reading This" at the competitive ACM Awards. Are we surprised that CMA's don't want an ACM performance as a single or song nomination? No. Are we disappointed? You bet. It was one of the most amazing moments EVER in awards show history. We cried. We cried again when the families walked through the audience.

Did a label think that up? Was it the show producers? Was it management? Was it the trade association? Nope, folks that was Tim McGraw. His idea, his song, his concept. We were honored to be a small part of it. Does the lack of a CMA nomination detract from the song, the performance or the tribute to the families? ABSOLUTELY NOT. We wish we could share every e-mail or letter that this song has generated. It makes one feel good that music can make a difference in someone's life.

Tim is going to continue making great music as a writer, artist, producer and performer. He is going to continue to pursue his amazing film career. We could chose to look back and point fingers or look ahead and envision the world as it could be. We chose the latter. Or in the words of Tim McGraw, we chose to "Let It Go" -- no need to carry around that kind of load.

God bless you and thank you.

RPM Management

Brave and great of them to hit it RIGHT on the head. Remember your history: The ACM was created to have another award voice for many of these same reasons.

Also remember that Waylon, among many others, never saw eye to eye with the Music Row clique that calls the shots. Garth played the game as a brilliant politician. The Chicks and their management were too blind to play the game.

Nashville can be a mine field that will blow you up in seconds. They might do it with some ice teas and cornbread, but they're just as ruthless as the gangs in Burbank, Broadway or Constitution Ave. The knife in the back feels the same.

The customers are not real happy today about Music Row. Check out The Tennessean article on the women of country getting overlooked, and Chet Flippo's CMT column on McGraw. The ABC gang better dream up a cool show with no Tim, Faith or Toby. Who knows, it may be the biggest show ever.

Times change ... the stars change. It's the way of the world. Yet something about this CMA change doesn't seem natural.