Kellie Coffey was originally signed to BNA records in 2001, and it was a cut from her Dann Huff-produced 2002 album–”When You Lie Next to Me”–that introduced the country music world to her. The song spent an amazing eight months climbing up the charts, eventually resulting in a tour spot on Kenny Chesney’s Margaritas & Senoritas Tour, a 2003 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Vocalist and a spot on the George Strait tour in 2004.

But after a split from her record label in 2004, she put her music career on hold while she tackled another equally challenging new role: Mother. It didn’t come easy, and in the process, she recorded and released a song about the challenges of infertility. The video for “I Would Die For That” has become an internet sensation, collecting over half a million views while becoming an inspiration for women and couples facing the same challenges.

Coffey released an independent album, Walk On, in 2007, and an EP called Why I’m Alive within the last year. And while there are few country music stations playing the new releases, she has finally found fulfillment in becoming a mom to two healthy kids. She’s still writing and recording and fans will have new music to look forward to before the end of 2010.

The 9513 had the opportunity to talk with the ever-lovely Kellie Coffey about the time during her peak radio airplay and about what life is like for her these days. (more…)

Three friends named Butter, Big Vinny and Crystal sounds like a team of crime-fighting mice from a mid-‘80s Saturday morning cartoon, but together they are, in fact, Trailer Choir. Up until now, the band is best known for its song, “Rockin’ The Beer Gut,” and the fact that Big Vinny–a 400-plus pound former Sonic manager who wears overalls–can break out The Worm during a concert. That’s a dance move, by the way, and not anything lewd.

With that kind of a track record, it’s hard to take them seriously, and that may account for the group’s failure to crack the Top 40 yet. Sure, Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins have had hits with humorous songs, but they’ve got an equal number of somber ballads in their repertoire. Aside from one heavy-handed song about dead coal miners, Trailer Choir has been all about jokes and gimmicks from the start, and it’s tempting to put the trio in the same category as Fast Ryde and Tyler Dean and dismiss them as all schtick, no substance.

Then along comes “Rollin’ in the Sunshine.” No, it’s not a groundbreaking single by any stretch of the imagination. It’s written in the same template that most breezy summer songs use: Life’s really hard right now, but man, the weather’s sure nice! Let’s go for a ride! However, writers Big Vinny and Butter took that old template and turned out a song that’s catchier than most with a few little details–like taking a night class and hand-surfing in the car–that don’t normally pop up in a country song. Butter turns in a pretty smooth vocal performance, and the backing fiddle and accordion give the song just a bit of an always-welcome Cajun feel.

“Rolling Through The Sunshine” isn’t any deeper than Trailer Choir’s other songs. However, “Off The Hillbilly Hook” and “Beer Gut” just seemed like desperate cries for attention, too forced to be truly humorous or stand up to repeated listening. While this song doesn’t seem to have aspirations beyond being a fun summer tune, it strikes a better balance between entertainment and quality. A few more songs like this one, and people might start thinking there’s more to Trailer Choir than The Worm.

Listen: Trailer Choir – “Rolling Through The Sunshine”

So it’s unfortunate that, at various turns, Janson’s voice sounds loosely derivative of any number of hit-makers. He’ll drawl out the bottom end of low tones like Trace Adkins, power through sing-along hooks like Randy Houser (when Houser milks Ronnie Dunn), or kick back in the pocket while taking a burden-easing trip down to the river bank like Brad Paisley (on the song “Take It To The Bank”).

Janson does all of these things very effectively, but he doesn’t do much that he can call his own. On debut single “’Till A Woman Comes Along,” he steps right into the boots left open by the last guy who swore he was a rock and roll outlaw with true country credentials. Sure, the track boasts a pinch of authentic southern rock flavoring, but that’s not enough to keep it from sounding tired and exponentially redundant.

That fact spits in the face of a list of influences that boasts primarily outlaw country and punk rock artists, including the Sex Pistols, the Rolling Stones, and Waylon Jennings–there’s not one thing about Janson’s music that draws from an outlaw or punk influence, musically or otherwise.

Janson’s music is straight-ahead, mainstream radio country. And “’Till A Woman Comes Along” makes it clear right from the outset that he shouldn’t be viewed as an artist who, like his purported influences, is interested in being a game-changer or in creating something fresh. This song, from top to bottom, abides by formula. It’s a play to the mainstream, to the most centrist of audiences. That’s not rebellious. It’s submissive. And while it may not be cool to list Brad Paisley and Brooks & Dunn as your primary influences, it would be a heck of a lot more straightforward.

“’Till A Woman Comes Along” namechecks Waylon. Janson’s bio also namechecks Waylon. His list of influences, not surprisingly, lists Waylon. So, given all of that, is it really too much to ask that his music palpably demonstrate some connection to Waylon?

Listen on MySpace: Chris Janson – “Until A Woman Comes Along”

Deborah Allen was born in 1953 in Memphis, and probably has had greater success as a songwriter, having written hits for artists including Tanya Tucker, Sheena Easton and Janie Fricke. As a performer, RCA had the bright idea of dubbing her voice onto old Jim Reeves recordings to create duets. The three duets released as singles–“Don’t Let Me Cross Over,” “Oh, How I Miss You Tonight” and “Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me”–all went Top 10 in 1979-80. As a solo artist, Allen charted 10 times with three Top 10 singles: “Baby I Lied” (1983–#4), “I’ve Been Wrong Before” (1984–#2) and “I Hurt For You” (1984–#10).

Baillie and The Boys were a late 80s act which charted 10 times between 1987 and 1991 before disappearing from the charts. Seven of their hit records went Top 10, with “(I Wish I Had A) Heart of Stone” (1989–#4) being the biggest. Kathie Baillie was the lead singer, and while initially a trio, the group became a duo in 1988 with few people able to tell the difference.

Larry Boone is best known as a songwriter, having cuts by Kathy Mattea, Don Williams, Tracy Lawrence, Rick Trevino, George Strait, Shenandoah, Marie Osmond and Lonestar. As a singer, he wasn’t terribly distinctive–sort of a George Strait lite. Boone charted 14 singles from 1986-93, with only 1988’s “Don’t Give Candy To A Stranger” reaching the Top 10. The other Top 20 singles were “I Just Called To Say Goodbye Again” and a remake of “Wine Me Up”–both of which reached their peak chart positions in 1989.

Dean Dillon charted 20 times from 1979-93, with his biggest hit being “Nobody In His Right Mind (Would’ve Left Her)” which reached #25 in November, 1980. During 1982 and 83, RCA paired Dillon with fading star Gary Stewart, hoping for the kind of magic that was later achieved when Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were paired together. No real hits came of this collaboration, but the recordings were quite interesting and are available on CD.

Fortunately for Dillon, he is a far better songwriter than singer. His hits as a writer include George Jones’ “Tennessee Whisky,” and more than a dozen George Strait Top 10s. In fact, Strait has recorded over 50 of Dillon’s songs, ensuring that the wolf will never again knock at Dean Dillon’s door.

Foster & Lloyd (Radney Foster & Bill Lloyd) charted nine singles between 1987 and 1990, with 1987’s “Crazy Over You” (#4) being the biggest hit. Their first five singles all went Top 20, with four reaching the Top 10, but subsequent singles stiffed and the pair split up. Bill Lloyd really wasn’t a country artist and Radney Foster went on to be important in various phases of the music industry, although he only charted four singles (1992-93) as a solo act. 1993’s “Nobody Wins” reached #2.

Terri Gibbs, blind since her birth in 1954, was a fine bluesy singer who really was miscast as a country artist–although she won the CMA’s Horizon Award in 1981 and charted 13 times between 1980-87. The only song anyone remembers her for is “Somebody’s Knocking,” which was as big a pop hit as it was a country hit.

Vince Gill and Mark Gray were touted as the next big things during the mid 1980s. I’m not sure what happened to that Gill fellow, but Mark Gray–a lead singer of Exile from 1979-1983 and a talented songwriter–almost made it. He released three albums and charted eight Top 40 singles, with the 1985 Tammy Wynette duet “Sometimes When We Touch” climbing all the way to #6. Gray had three more Top 10 records (“If All The Magic Is Gone,” “Diamonds In The Dust” and “Please Be Love”) before fading away. As a songwriter, he found success with “Take Me Down” and “The Closer You Get,” two big hits for Alabama. He also wrote Janie Frickie’s #1 hit “It Ain’t Easy Being Easy.”

Becky Hobbs continues to record and perform. I view her as one of those performers who just never caught a break. Stunningly attractive (with rather wild hair), Becky recorded for Mercury from 1978-81, performing pop-country without any of her six chart singles cracking the Top 40. In 1983, Columbia paired her with hard-core country singer Moe Bandy for the Top 10 duet “Let’s Get Over Them Together.”

Never actually signed to Columbia, she then reappeared on Liberty/EMI in 1984-85, where she charted four singles, with “Hottest ‘Ex’ In Texas” reaching #37. In 1988, Becky–by now signed to fledgling label MTM–released three superlative hard-core country singles in “Jones On The Jukebox,” “They Always Look Better When They’re Leaving” and “Are There Any More Like You (Where You Come From).” “Jones” reached #31; it was her biggest hit, but MTM was a sinking ship. The label was purchased by RCA, which reissued Hobbs’ album in slightly altered form. Unfortunately, RCA never put much promotional push behind her. All told, Hobbs charted 15 singles from 1978-89, although she is probably best remembered today for her late, non-charting Curb single “Talk Back Trembling Lips.” The video of the song reached #6 on CMT.

I have no idea why Con Hunley didn’t become a big star. He had an excellent voice and the look that 1980s record labels were seeking. Perhaps his voice was too distinctive, as it was smoky with strong blues flavoring. At any rate, he charted 25 times (11 Top 20 hits) from 1977-86, with his biggest national hit being “What’s New With You,” which reached #11 in 1981. I doubt that anyone remembers him for that song, however, as other songs such as “Week-End Friend” (#13), “I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life” (#14), “You’ve Still Got A Place In My Heart (#14), “Since I Fell For You” (#20) and “Oh Girl” (#12) were all huge regional hits, reaching Top 5 status in many markets.

Louise Mandrell never quite escaped the shadow of big sister Barbara, although for a while–in the wake of the Barbara Mandrell and The Mandrell Sisters television show–it appeared as though she might. She charted 22 singles as a solo act, plus seven more chart singles with then-husband R.C. Bannon. She had five Top 10 singles during the three years from 1983-85, with 1985’s “I Wanna Say Yes” reaching #5. It was her biggest record. Her countrypolitan style went out of vogue immediately after that and she never again reached the Top 20.

Clark played two sets, both filled to capacity, with some of the most loyal fan club members plunking down cash for both shows. She didn’t scrimp on the sets, either, playing over her allotted 90 minutes each time. Most of the big hits were all present, with “Girls Lie Too,” “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” and “Better Things To Do” all generating a warm response from the crowd, who were encouraged to sing along.

The point of the tour, though, was to promote her new independent release, The Long Way Home. In between songs, Clark talked with surprising candor about her career as a platinum-selling country star and what let her to part with her record label in favor of an independent release. (read about it in The 9513’s interview with Terri Clark). She explained the origins of several of the songs before playing them, including “What Happens In Vegas” (a true story), “If You Want Fire” and “A Million Ways To Run” (the current single that’s up to #17 on the Canadian charts).

Being up on stage without the benefits of a backing band or any way to cover weak vocals is a tough trick to pull off for many singers, but Clark proved she was up to the task–in more ways than one. She accompanied herself on a variety of guitars and some programmed percussion tracks, and while she may not be as flashy as some of country’s well-regarded guitarists, she can hold her own with anyone. While she told the audience that if they sang more, she could sing less and conserve her voice, her vocals were strong and true right to the end of the encore of the second set.

Clark has said in interviews that she hopes her next record is even more stripped-down than her current one. Based on this performance, the less-is-more approach definitely works for her.

Jim prefaced the interview with background information on the collection:

On March 2nd, country superstar Blake Shelton released Hillbilly Bone, the first in a planned series of two 6-song releases dubbed “Six Paks.” The second, as-yet untitled Six Pak is tentatively scheduled for August.

The move is an apparent attempt by Warner Bros. to shake up the stale album release formula that has contributed to more than a decade of declining album sales. The two half-length collections–which Warner Bros. adamantly opposes referring to as EPs–will serve in place of a new Shelton full-length album, the most recent of which was released in 2008.

As Razor X mentioned in the comments, the idea is a spin-off of the “mini-LPs” RCA used in the early 80s to break new acts. Still, commenter Rick wasn’t sold on the idea:

I love the way his label won’t apply or acknowledge the term “EP” to this release and is instead trying to make us percieve it in a whole new fashion with the term “Six Pack”. I always laugh at such obvious and goofy marketing devices and see right through them. Who do they think they are fooling? As Shakespeare might have said “An EP by another other name will still sound the same!” (lol) I would really like to like “Kiss My Country Ass” but I find the bombastic anthem like production off-putting as it makes the song sound like generic Top 40 radio fare. I might buy a song or two off this album as single downloads but even at $ 6 I’m not going to purchase the physical EP CD. Still I applaud the release of a physical CD at all these days.

What do you think about the two six-song releases? Do they better meet your needs as a music consumer, or do you feel it’s more of a marketing gimmick? Do you think, as Shelton suggests in the interview, it’s a good way to eliminate filler songs and create a more cohesive collection of songs?

The Shows

Well folks, the Olympics are over. Whew, good party. We had a fantastic gig at Whistler, the mountain town where they hold most of the Olympic skiing events. I’ve played there a ton but always in bars; never in the town square. It was packed to the gills. In fact all three Olympic shows that we played were. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the performances, because sometimes at big free outdoor shows people just wander in and out, and aren’t necessarily familiar with the artist. But that’s not how it was. We also played a huge outdoor show downtown Vancouver, probably 6-7000 people. And people knew my songs so well sometimes I couldn’t hear my monitors for people singing along. It was pretty moving. As I said to the audiences from the stage a number of times, Vancouver really did a great job of things. It was the best vibe I’ve ever felt in that city, and I’ve been playing there for at least fifteen years. Surrey was the same way. A little more of a country crowd in Surrey. And a couple of RCMP officers had me take pictures with them. Lots of police around, as you’d expect for an event like this, but they’ve been impressively passive and have shown a lot of restraint from what I’ve seen. Lots of drunks on the streets. Not me of course.

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