Squeaky Clean and TOOOO Hot!

Nashville is baking at 108, as another 100-plus degree day drops by. Day number 18 or something like that.

This is why the rich moved to Maine years ago to be cool in August. Summer can't end and Fall begin for Music Row for that and million of other reasons.

Music Row has backloaded 2007 like almost never before. The sales for the first eight months really smell and they will pick up heading toward Turkey time, but it sure has been a long, boring summer. And did I say HOTTT....

The tour business for the regal few has been strong. CD sales are off tragically, even in the top five, but after the top five, it's as if sales are falling off the ledge of the Empire State building.

The changing consumer and point-of-purchase habits are important to study. Mark Cuban, the big shot Internet zillionaire, says in a Portfolio.com interview, "The Internet is dead." Hey, he may be right! Cuban points out that the Net is as fast as it is getting for at least five years. It will be boring until it speeds up.

So... what does that mean for the record companies and broadcaster who see traditional audiences shrinking and are not sure how to chase them? It means you must get in the game and be ready to pour it on when the new tech does come. And it will...

The new music heard this week sounds fresh as fall. The new Eagles song, "How Long" is wonderful. So is George Strait's future #1: "How 'bout Them Cowgirls."

Have you noticed how the top country singers today are so squeaky clean? The gang of Carrie, Kellie, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift are very mother-approved. No Hank, Jrs; you never said that about Waylon, Willie, Johnny and even Elvis. It's okay, but I hope the format keeps a good balance. We need some GRIT!

Still noticing a lot of trouble at country shows this year involving drinking. See the story out of Pittsburgh where five folks were arrested for fighting with the police. Two of the five were fellow cops! The Hanover Township police say the Pittsburgh cops were intoxicated and one of the five (a non-cop) tried to un-holster one of the non --drunk cop's guns. Somebody better start backing off these full-blown booze parties or someone is going to very sorry. Now, even the cops are getting arrested.

Check out Billboard for the Rascal Flatts story --especially the part that says some folks on Music Row still think they are a manufactured boy band. These guys can really sing and play. They are good people, smart people and very talented. They have everything it takes to be Entertainers of the Year -- and maybe they will this year! Paisley in 2008!

Willie Nelson sure is the busiest old guy of all time. Now he's in a movie with Kevin Costner called "Swing Vote," a political comedy shooting now in New Mexico. Farm Aid in NYC is a few weeks away.

Hannah Montana with Billy Ray's little girl is selling out arenas faster than Ticketmaster can count. Wait until you see those box scores. She could have played stadiums and maybe should have; $66 dollar tickets are going for scalping prices of near $1,000.

Booking guys tell me why are these festivals booking acts like Ludacris when they are supposed to be family-friendly? He can do a clean show, but lots of moms and dads weren't going to a city festival to see some more mainstream acts when this guy is on the same bill. They stayed away in DROVES in Montgomery recently for that very reason.

Happy end of summer! It was too damn hot ... never rained and I can't wait for football and a breath of cooooool air.