06/30/00
courtesy of "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net
from countryqueens@egroups.com
LILA "GROWS UP"
AND MOVES TO LA
With high school graduation
behind her and a place of her own picked out in
Santa Monica, CA to live, Lila McCann has opted to postpone college to work
on her third album. According to Lila, the new album should reflect a more
mature Lila. ''I'm growing up,'' the 18-year-old recently told the Associated Press. ''I'm
not saying I'm like an adult completely yet 'cause I'm still a child somewhat. But, I've
definitely changed a little bit and that's cool.'' As for her new pad near Hollywood, Lila
takes the practical approach. ''It's a lot easier from a business standpoint to work out
of there rather than Seattle,'' says Lila. ''If I want to do TV or anything like that,
it's right there.'' Although music is her priority, Lila has not ruled out other ventures.
''If I'm good at it, I might pursue it," says Lila on the subject of acting. "If
I'm not, then it's no big deal. I've always wanted to do a Disney cartoon. I think that
would be cool.'' Lila's third album is slated for release early next year. (T-100)
06/29/00 courtesy of
"Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
TILLIS IN A HONKY-TONK STATE OF MIND
Pam Tillis drove to the Grand
Ole Opry Saturday night in her new car, a PT Cruiser from Chrysler, listening to a tape of
music by honky-tonk heroine Leona Williams. "I'm in such a country music frame of
mind right now," Tillis said Saturday night after Jimmy Dickens invited her to become
a member of the Grand Ole Opry. "In this mood right now I only want to play hardcore
honky-tonk in my new car." Tillis will become a member of the Opry on Aug. 26.
Recently, Tillis has cut a duet with Kenny Rogers, sung on stage
with Ringo Starr and paid tribute to Loretta Lynn at the Country DJ Hall of Fame induction
dinner. What does she think of all that? "This has been a really weird month."
(Music News)
TILLIS WOULD LOVE TO SEE
MEL JOIN THE OPRY
When she joins the Grand Ole Opry
Aug. 26, Pam Tillis will be the first in her family to become a member of the radio show's
cast. Remarkably, papa Mel Tillis is not a member and never has been a member, despite his
success as a
country recording artist. "Dad's a 'maverick' kind of guy," Pam said Saturday
night at the Opry. "He's got a huge band and he says, 'I don't know if they've got
room on the stage for the Statesiders.' I talked to [Opry general manager] Pete [Fisher],
and I'd love to see him get in eventually. I
haven't done too many things to make my dad slightly envious, but this might be one of
them." (Music News)
SONS OF THE DESERT FIND A 'CHANGE'
Sons of the Desert fan club members
are packed like sardines into the SoundShop Recording Studios off Nashville's Music Row,
but nobody seems to mind. The crowd is waiting to hear new music from its favorite band,
which hasn't released an album since 1997. When the Sons finally emerge and the thunderous
applause dies down, frontman Drew Womack has something to share before the show starts.
"I want to thank you guys for sticking by us during our downtime," he says, as
the rest of the guys nod emphatically in unison. After releasing the critically
acclaimed Whatever Comes First three years ago, downtime is something Sons of the Desert
never thought they'd face so soon. The title track was a Top 10 hit, and follow-up singles
"Hand of Fate" and "Leaving October" garnered great reviews. But in
today's volatile country music market, the band quickly found itself struggling for
airplay and parting ways with its label, Epic Records. Luckily, the Sons have rebounded
nicely, finding a new home on MCA Records and recording the album, Change. (Music News)
06/28/00 courtesy of
"Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net
from countryqueens@egroups.com
IT'S BACK TO WORK FOR PATTY
LOVELESS
Patty Loveless is in Los Angeles today
to make an appearance on "The Tonight
Show With Jay Leno." After over a year off, Patty is currently in the middle of a
huge tour that the singer says is "just for the fans." As a matter of fact,
Patty spent a couple of weeks in rehearsals for her new show. According to Patty's
publicist, she has worked up almost eighty songs for the new show and fans can expect some
old classics too. Fans can also expect some new songs from Patty's upcoming Strong Heart
album. The album features the new single "That's The Kind of Mood I'm In," as
well as a song that Patty wrote with her husband Emory called, "You Don't Get No
More." The album is slated for an August 27th release. After tonight's Leno
appearance, Patty is back on the bus headed for some shows in Canada. The video for
"That's The Kind Of Mood I'm In," debuts on CMT's "Delivery Room" this
morning. (T-100)
06/26/00 courtesy of
"Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net
from countryqueens@egroups.com
A DIXIE CHICK TAKES THE PLUNGE
Lead singing Dixie Chick
Natalie Maines is now Ms. Adrian Pasdar. After a show in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday
night, Natalie and her beau hopped into a limo, drove down to "A Little White Wedding
Chapel" on the Las Vegas strip and became man and wife. "Pastor Ann"
married the couple in a simple $55 ceremony. The bride wore a one-of-a-kind vintage gown
of champagne color Austrian crystals, designed by Giorgio di Saint Angelo. The groom wore
a steel gray Prada suit with a black ruffled Gucci shirt. Following the ceremony, the
happy couple purchased matching chapel T-shirts with purple hearts. They then joined
fellow band members Martie Seidel and Emily Robison, along with the crew and usual
"Fly" tour entourage, for an evening of gambling at Mandalay Bay before hitting
the road for Salt Lake City at 2:15am on Saturday morning. At the wedding only a
photographer and a security guard were present. Natalie and Adrian met at the May 1999
wedding of band member Emily Erwin and singer/songwriter Charlie Robison. Adrian, an
actor, is currently filming an upcoming NBC television series entitled "Mysterious
Ways." No word on when the couple will take a honeymoon. "A
Little White Wedding Chapel" has hosted weddings since 1954, and numerous celebrities
have said their vows there, including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jordan, and
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. (Mickey Rooney liked the chapel so much that he was married
there twice.) (T-100)
PAM SAYS "YES" TO
OPRY INVITE
Pam Tillis has accepted the Grand
Ole Opry's invitation to become its newest
member. Opry veteran and Country Music Hall of Fame member Little Jimmy
Dickens issued the invitation following Pam's Saturday night performance on
the Opry. "Let me think about it-yes!!" Pam responded. "This is a special
night. This is a life long dream to join. I want to send thanks to Dad and
God." Pam will be formally inducted August 26. Pam, who of course is the
daughter of country legend Mel Tillis, made her Grand Ole Opry debut at age
eight. Pam is currently recording her 7th album, slated for release early
next year. (T-100)
COLLIN
SPEAKS LOVE
Collin Raye's latest single, "Couldn't Last A
Moment" has already lasted for 22 weeks on the Billboard country single chart. This week,
the song sits patiently waiting for glory at number three. In the song, Collin does
something different from his other songs. He speaks. "This song is just so passionate
and so vulnerable in it's content," says Collin. "I think the spoken part really
helps underline that. It's pretty fragile. It's the most vulnerable song I ever recorded.
Most of the love songs I've done in the past have been pretty guarded." (T-100)
06/23/00 courtesy of
"Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net
from countryqueens@egroups.com
LEANN GETS FLOWER POWER
LeAnn Rimes is going retro with
her upcoming 30-date concert tour, which kicks off July 13 in Michigan. LeAnn describes
her stage set as a "fairy-tale-whimsical, '60s-psychedelic set." (Country
Now)
Courtesy of Adam Riggleman June 22, 2000 leannrimes@egroups.com
MATURATION
Just because you're young
doesn't mean you're like every other young artist. LeAnn Rimes is 17 now, and cut her
first record when she was eleven. She says she no longer reads articles about herself,
because the first time somebody wrote something bad about her, she cried. Rimes remembers
say was quoted as saying she couldn't stand Tanya Tucker, and a lot of other 'bad stuff.'
The blonde Texan says it was right after that, she decided she was never, ever going to
pay attention to her press again, good or bad. But Tucker's meltdown into drugs and
alcohol -- after stardom at 13 -- was
a factor in Rimes' decision to take a year's break from touring and recording, to
rediscover herself. She says Tucker was built up so much, '`she just got into her own
world and had to learn some things.' She must have -- Tucker is 41 now, and has just
released her 30th album. (Country 105)
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6/20/00 courtesy of countryqueens@egroups.com country news.
ONE FINAL FAN FAIR NOTE: HEAT MELTS MUSICIAN'S SHOES
How hot was Fan Fair? Well,
in the 90-90(90 degrees-90%humidity) weather
during the Mercury Records show, it was so hot that KATHY MATTEA's fiddle player took a double hit. It was so hot that the glue on his
sandals melted
while he was on stage and the backing on his fiddle let go leaving him half
a fiddle to finish the show with. Not only that, when he got off stage to cool down, his
sandals then cooled into a warped shape that had him walking like a weirdo backstage.
(Nashville Update)
LEE ANN ON CMT
Until the making of her new "I Hope You Dance" video, Lee Ann Womack was
never really one to think much of making music videos. "I always just showed
up," confesses Lee Ann. "But this time I wanted to have the girls (Anna Lisa and Aubrie) in it. I sat down and described to everybody
what the big picture was for me, what my vision was and then I let them do their job. I
gave them sort of a direction and a place to head toward." So does this mean that Lee
Ann may add video director to her already impressive resume? "I'm real proud of
it," says Lee Ann, "but I'm definitely not going to start directing videos or
anything. I did have a lot of input as far as the general overall picture on this one
though." "I Hope You Dance" is CMT's top requested video this week, and Lee
Ann is CMT's showcase artist all this month.
2 HOUR TOUR
WITH SHeDAISY
SHeDAISY will be featured in an upcoming episode of
Disney Channel's music-documentary series, "2 Hour Tour." The episode, which
features a concert to a packed house at the legendary Wild Horse in Nashville, will
premiere Friday, July 7, on the Disney Channel. SHeDAISY has the
distinction
of being the only country act selected to be featured on "2 Hour Tour."
Additional acts who have been featured on the series include Christina Aguilera, N'Sync,
Enrique Iglesias, Savage Garden and 98°. To promote SHeDAISY's appearance on the "2
Hour Tour," sisters Kristyn,
Kelsi and
Kassidy Osborn, will discuss
their "2 Hour Tour" experience in a live chat at www.zoogdisney.com on Monday,
July 17, 7PM ET. The group's album, THEWHOLE SHeBANG,
will be sold in Disney stores during the month of July.
TRAVIS AND CHARLIE WRITING
COLLABORTION
Travis Tritt and Charlie Daniels
recently got together to write a few songs. "Well, we wrote four songs and two of
them are going to be on the new album," says Charlie of their collaboration.
"He' s got a great new album coming out. It's a cooker. I think we are going to see a
lot more of Travis Tritt. He's a good entertainer." Several years ago, it was Charlie
who first asked newcomer Travis to open shows for him. The guys have been close friends
ever since. |
