THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE THE NOISE...

In thinking about this week's blog, I decided (even though it has been one of the most varied and busy weeks I have had in a while) to do another of my "Top Ten" lists. But, rather than take a look at artists, I wanted to give you my thoughts on ten of the best songwriters in Country Music history. Doing a list like this can be tough. You're going to leave out somebody.....and I'm sure that I did. I did have one set rule: If a writer had undeniable success as an artist, I left them off. Also, out of fairness...lol....I omitted the names of Harlan Howard, Hank Cochran, and Cindy Walker. They are obvious no-brainers, and if you throw in names like Hank Williams, Don Gibson, Dolly Parton, and Bill Anderson, the list would almost be taken.....So, here's my tribute to the "Boys and Girls who make the noise on 16th Avenue! All but my number one choice are in alphabetical order......

1. MATRACA BERG-----Yes, she did notch a pair of top-40 records (and should have had many more), but Berg has preferred to remain one of Nashville's most successful female writers of all time, earning induction into the NSAI Songwriters' Hall Of Fame. She's written so many for so many, it's hard to pick one....so I'll pick two!

BEST BERG SONG YOU KNOW: "Strawberry Wine," 1996----Though I think her current "You And Tequila," as recorded by Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter might eventually become my favorite, there's no denying that this song struck a chord with many.....and helped to make Deana Carter a star!

BEST BERG SONG YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW: "Dickson County," 1998----Sure, go ahead and call me biased because of my birthplace, but this cut from Deana Carter's EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT disc is one that someone needs to recut!

2. BOBBY BRADDOCK-----The most recent writer to gain admission into the Country Music Hall Of Fame, he's written so many classics---including the song that many consider to be the greatest song of all time, "He Stopped Loving Her Today." So.....

BOBBY BRADDOCK'S BEST SONG....BESIDES, YOU KNOW....THAT ONE: "Time Marches On," 1996----The moment I first heard this song from Tracy Lawrence in 1996, I knew this was something special.....and each listen later over the past 15 years, it still is!

3. GARY BURR----Conway Twitty helped to cement Burr as a Nashville tunesmith with his 1987 hit "That's My Job," and he has continued to excel since, with cuts like "Watch Me," "What Mattered Most," and "More Love." Still, not every song he wrote became a huge hit....sadly,,,,which leads me to....

BEST BURR HIT THAT WASN'T: "I Already Do," 1998----Depending on what radio station you were listening to in '98, you might have heard this Chely Wright ballad a lot.....And, if you didn't....you should have!

4. DEAN DILLON-----Name 70 percent of George Strait's hits, and they probably at least share the name of Dean Dillon as a writer......but he has written for other acts.

BEST DILLON SONG CUT BY SOMEBODY NOT NAMED GEORGE: "By Now," 1981--The song was one of Steve Wariner's earliest hits....and thirty years later, it's still one of his best.

5. WAYNE KEMP----A journeyman as a recording artist, Kemp never got his due as a singer. But, his writing fared much better, with such hits as Ricky Van Shelton's 1988 chart-topper, "I'll Leave This World Loving You."

BEST KEMP SONG WORTH SEARCHING FOR: You won't have to look far for George Strait's 1984 CMA-winning DOES FORT WORTH EVER CROSS YOUR MIND
album. On it, you will find a honky-tonker called "I Should Have Watched That First Step" that will blow you out of your mind!

6. JOHN D. LOUDERMILK----A relative of the Louvin Brothers, Loudermilk wrote some of the 60s biggest hits, including "Break My Mind" and "Tobacco Road." But, perhaps his best song IMHO was a 1967 hit for the Casinos that was upstaged by a sharecropper's son.

BEST CUT OF A LOUDERMILK SONG: A tough call, but Eddy Arnold wrapped his voice around his 1968 cover of "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" like nobody else could!

7. HUGH PRESTWOOD: Getting one of his first breaks in the Country format with Randy Travis's 1990 hit "Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart," he notched one of his biggest successes with a song that could very well wind up in a songwriting textbook one day.

IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, DO IT LIKE THIS: Trisha Yearwood made Prestwood's "The Song Remembers When" an instant classic upon recording it in 1993. It could be the perfect example in craftsmanship and performance.

8. DON SCHLITZ: He looked like no other songwriter when he took home all the awards for "The Gambler" in 1978-79, and his writing has definitely been in a class all by itself.

BEST SCHLITZ SONG NOT HEARD BY MASSES: One of the best parts of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's CIRCLE 2 album was the top-20 masterpiece "And So It Goes," a song that gave John Denver one of his last hits as an artist as well, in 1989.

9. SHEL SILVERSTEIN: Like Schlitz, he didn't look like a Country songwriter, and technically wasn't per se, but his songs received so much attention from Country artists that he has to be included on this list. Like with Berg, I could not just choose one.

BEST OF SHEL'S HITS: Many people thought that "One's On The Way" had to be written by Loretta Lynn. It wasn't. I don't know if Silverstein wrote it for her or not, but it sounds like he got right into her brain on that one.

BEST OF THE ALBUM CUTS: Bobby Bare recorded so many of Shel's songs, with my personal favorite being the eight-minute song "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe." Artists are called that for a reason!

And.....who is my choice for # 1? Well, it's not one, but it's two!

DENNIS MORGAN / KYE FLEMING: While each has had separate successes, together these two were absolute magic in the late 1970s and early 1980s, writing what became in many ways the soundtrack of my childhood. Picking one from this duo is tough, but....

IF I HAD TO PICK A FAVORITE: It would be (by a nose) Barbara Mandrell's 1980 recording of a song called "Years." I don't know whether the two did it on purpose, but the song is one of those that can have different meanings to different people...and I know what it means to me.....but I could also say "The Best Of Strangers"....or "Wish You Were Here" or "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool." To say that these two were on a roll would have been the understatement of the century!

SOFTBALL, FACEBOOK, AND THE END OF THE WORLD

This is one of those weeks where there is too much going on to just write about one little thing. So, I am going to offer my thoughts (which will get you a dollar soda...if you have the dollar) on a few different subjects this week.....Joe Biddle from the TENNESSEAN calls these "Random Ruminations." I call them "Scattered Thoughts"..........

THE KIDS-----I have to start off by saying that our kids have achieved some wonderful things as of late. Our daughter just won an award for academic excellence that resulted in her winning a bike.....and my son has just been appointed as a historian for his local Boy Scout troop. We love you both!

CREEK WOOD SOFTBALL-----Congratulations to the Creek Wood Lady Red Hawks. Coach Nancy Jackson's squad won 5-1 tonight over White House to advance on to the TSSAA Spring Fling. They've got an impressive team and a D1 pitcher who is a junior. Hopefully, the Lady Red Hawks can bring a state title to Jones Creek. In all my years covering sports, this is my first state tournament. Thanks to Grace Broadcasting for letting me be a part of it.

FACEBOOK----I tried to avoid it for as long as I could. But, around the time of CRS this year, people started asking me if I "Facebooked." I told them no, but I gave in to the pressure!....LOL....I'm still trying to understand the fuss, but it gives me another alley to promote radio broadcasts and articles that I am a part of. I think people put too much info (Do you really want to see a picture of what I had for dinner or know that I have gone to Dollar General?), but it can be fun. Just don't tell me everything......because I don't want to know.,.....LOL....

THE END OF THE WORLD----Apparently, Jesus is coming back tomorrow. Whether this comes to pass or not, Anderson Cooper brought up a question tonight on CNN----What time zone will he come back in? I don't mean to make light of it, because he could come back then......or June 25, or September 22....but I recall in October 1987 he was slated to come through during Study Hall at Dickson Junior High School.....We even had a countdown......Simply put, all kidding aside, nobody knows when the day is......but it's good to be ready!

TV END OF SEASON-----With my assignment here in Tennessee the past few weeks, I have not watched any TV. Seriously, except for CNN tonight for a few minutes, I haven't even turned it on. I do know via the Net that Langston killed the psycho guy on CSI, Patrick Jane killed somebody.....maybe Red John, maybe not on THE MENTALIST, and Cuddy is leaving HOUSE. The TV world has gone crazy. I will miss Cuddy more than I will miss Charlie Sheen. I have a feeling the DVR is going to be full once I get home. Oops....did you not know any of the above information? I'm sorry!

COMPUTERS------I have taken on a job for one of my editors over the next few weeks. It has made me realize just how little I actually know about this thing I am typing on. Seriously, I can tell you what Reba had on the radio in 1995, or who played drums for Buck Owens in 1973 (Jerry Wiggins), but HTML, HTTP, and FTD....I have absolutely no idea about.....But I am learning....enough to do what I am supposed to be doing.....

MUSIC-----Two things I wanted to close with......Actually, make that three. I got a chance to interview Ronnie Dunn a couple of weeks ago. That was a biggie. His new solo album is incredible. Brad Paisley has a new album coming out on Tuesday. It's pretty good, but remember that I told you about a song called "Remind Me," which is a duet with Carrie Underwood. If the song is not a monster, well...I don't know what I'll do....But it's a powerful, well-written song that just might bring a tear to your eye.......and lastly, check out an album called THE DREAMING FIELDS from Matraca Berg. She's a member of the NSAI Hall of Fame, and with good reason. But the only reason I can think of that she never became a huge star in mainstream Country was that she wanted to do the writing, and leave the being a "star" to others. She looks like a star, sounds like a star, and Heaven knows, she writes like one too.......The disc contains her version of "You And Tequila," the new single from Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, that is as good as anything Chesney has cut!

Well, to quote Cathy Baker (Do you know who that is?)......That's All!

WHAT IF?.........

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

Between broadcasting Creek Wood Red Hawks District 11-AA Tournament action, interviews, and a day of being a D.J., it has been a busy week. I have had a few conversations with some of my friends this week concerning "What If" some of the more legendary acts in Country Music hadn't met an untimely death at a young age....That got me thinking back to last year, when I wrote this article. I'll be the first to admit it is a little bit fictional, when dealing with the question of "What If?".......I would love to hear your thoughts on these....

March 5 marks the 47th anniversary of “the day the music died” for country music fans. On that evening, a Piper Comanche airplane carrying Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and the pilot, Randy Hughes crashed not more than two hours from Music City on the way back from a benefit concert for a Kansas City air personality, killing all aboard. With that sad date in mind, let's look back on ten of the most tragic dates in country music history. In each of these cases, I will offer my thought on what would have happened had these events not occurred, in an attempt to answer the never-ending question “What If?”

• January 1, 1953----Somewhere between Knoxville, TN and Oak Hill, WV---nobody knows for sure---Hank Williams passed away in the backseat of a Cadillac while on his way to a New Years’ Show in Canton, OH. Though his personal life had been erratic during the past few years, a new marriage and huge success on the charts in 1952 offered hope that things would improve in the New Year. With radio being more prevalent than during the time of the death of Jimmie Rodgers some two decades ago, the death of Hank Williams is one of those moments that fans who were alive then remember. While it did cut short his life, it also froze him in time, captivating audiences almost six decades later.
WHAT IF?----Williams arrived in Canton safe, and performed a show that kick-started a strong year for him. After a couple of years away, he rejoined the Opry in 1954, and though the rock and roll crowd took away some of his traditional-based audiences, he remained a chart and crowd favorite through the 70s and 80s, before turning over the spotlight to his son, Hank, Jr. His songwriting still became the gold standard in the format.

• November 4, 1960----Johnny Horton’s ultra-cool voice and matinee-idol looks made him a natural for cross-over stardom, and he did just that. Horton recorded some of the biggest story songs of the era, such as “North To Alaska,” and “The Battle Of New Orleans.” However, after a concert date in Austin, TX, he was killed on his way back to his home in Shreveport. Incidentally, his widow—Billie Jean was no stranger to tragic ends. Her first husband died on the road, as well. His name? Hank Williams.

WHAT IF?----Horton returned from his concert date, and kept recording for Columbia with much success. His rockabilly style made him a natural to record many songs from pop star Roy Orbison---the biggest being 1966’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.”

• March 5, 1963---Never before, and never since, have three giants in country all died in the same crash. While Cline’s name gets the most attention now, some argue that Cowboy Copas was the biggest name at the time of the crash. Maybe, but Cline was developing a name as the pre-eminent female vocalist of the day, and there was nowhere to go but up. Copas and Hawkins were both in the middle of career comebacks, with the latter’s “Lonesome-77203” hitting the airwaves just a few days before the tragic accident.

WHAT IF?---The plane arrived safely that evening at Nashville, and Cline continued her career climb. She recorded a long string of hits with Owen Bradley and Decca that kept her on the charts through the mid-70s. Her biggest musical risk paid off as well, a 1969 album entitled Moods---recorded in Memphis, which inspired countless female singers in pop, soul, and country. The careers of Hawkins and Copas also stayed steady, with Copas becoming a semi-regular on Hee Haw in the mid-70s. A switch to Capitol in the late 60s saw Hawkins record frequently with his wife, Jean Shepard

• July 31, 1964-----Flying back from business trip to Arkansas, Jim Reeves was at the controls of his Beechcraft plane when he entered into rain upon approaching Nashville. The storm proved to be too much for Reeves to overcome, and the plane crashed a few miles south of Nashville. At the time of his passing, Reeves was one of the biggest stars in Nashville---and he stayed that way afterwards---due to an amazing supply of unreleased recordings that kept him on the charts until 1984.

WHAT IF?---Reeves made it home that fateful Friday? He had just released his first film, Kimberley Jim, and with his popularity here and abroad, there was no reason to think more acting wasn’t in the cards. He would have still been a giant on record, and his duet with Dottie West, “Love Is No Excuse,” hinted at a successful recording partnership with the newcomer. As long as he stayed on the charts posthumously, it’s intriguing to wonder if his run of hits would have lasted longer had he survived. One thing is for sure, he was one of the smoothest singers Music City had ever seen.

• November 10, 1973----David Akeman, better known as “Stringbean,” had a reputation for being one of the top comedians and banjo players in the business. His joining the cast of “Hee Haw” in 1969 helped to make him a household name. He also had a reputation for carrying a large sum of money as he reportedly didn’t believe in banks. After an Opry performance one Saturday night, he and wife Estelle returned home---only to find two robbers waiting. The two were gunned down in what was definitely one of Nashville’s more dark moments.

WHAT IF?----As Stringbean was never a fixture on the charts, one can safely assume that he would have stayed on “Hee Haw,” and became a prominent fixture on the roots music circuit in the 70s. He probably would have kept up what he was doing----but only for many more years!

• July 17, 1974----Don Rich was the leader of perhaps the best back-up band in country music history, the Buckaroos. He could sing harmony, play guitar, and the fiddle like few before or since. He also had a love for motorcycles, which led to his death on a warm summer California evening. After his passing, Buck Owens—as a person or a recording artist---was never the same. Though his chart numbers in the 70s were not what he was used to in the 60s, after Rich’s death, he never hit the top as a solo artist again. Owens attributed the death of his “right arm” as one of the main reasons for his 1980 retirement from the stage. As a musician and a singer, Rich had few peers, and influenced so many that came after him, including Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill.

WHAT IF?---Though Owens had not crested the top of the charts in a couple of years, one can assume that he would have stayed in the game a bit longer. I think with Rich’s influence, Owens might have experimented a little bit more musically in the latter part of the decade---perhaps recording an album of Eagles cover songs. After all, he did record “Hollywood Waltz” for his 1977 Buck Em’ album on Warner Brothers, and with Rich backing him on songs like “Take It Easy” and “Lyin’ Eyes,” who knows? I think it could have been a hit!

• August 16, 1977----Of course, the importance of this date cannot be underestimated. About 4:00 CST that afternoon, the world stopped when it was announced that Elvis Presley had died. His importance to American music is obvious, but he had his first hits on the country charts, and his last hits on the country charts, a fact that many may not realize.

WHAT IF?---Since I haven’t delved into what happened to anyone’s personal life had they survived, I’m not going to start here. I think that Presley’s role in country music would have been as big as he wanted it to be. He would always have had an audience for whatever he desired to perform. I think he might have tried acting one more time, having been forced by Col. Parker to turn down A Star Is Born.

• October 21, 1978------Things were looking up for Mel Street. The much-revered singer had just signed a huge deal with Mercury Records, and there were plenty of show dates on the books. Everybody in Nashville considered him a singers’ singer---including his hero, George Jones. That being said, it was a shock when news broke the singer committed suicide on his 45th birthday, for reasons that he only knew. As a singer, he was one of few that could rival “The Possum,” who showed up at his funeral to sing “Amazing Grace.”

WHAT IF?----In Street’s case, I think the die was being set. His deal with Mercury should have carried him into the big time, and even though Nashville entered the “Urban Cowboy” era in the 80s, it wouldn’t have deterred Street, who would have had his hand on many of the top songs of the early 80s---giving Jones a run for his money!

• May 9, 1989----In an era where the media wasn’t aware of every move a country star made, the news that Keith Whitley had died from alcohol poisoning at the age of 33 shocked many fans. Most had no idea of the demons the singer dealt with---or how deeply they ran. His death froze him in time as a tragic hero, a la Williams or Street, and cut short what could have been one of the most successful careers of all time.

WHAT IF?----Whitley’s traditional style would have kept him on the radio through the mid 90s, at least. The pop sounds of the latter part of the decade would stifle some of his success, but he would rebound---first by recording a duet album with his former Stanley Brothers band member, Ricky Skaggs, then with a stunning tribute album to Buck Owens in 1998 that included a Grammy-winning cover of “Together Again” with his wife, Lorrie Morgan. The album would be dedicated to the manager of Whitley and Owens, Jack McFadden.

• March 16, 1991-----Reba McEntire had just been back on the road for a few months following the birth of her son Shelby. She and her band took different flights out of San Diego for the next flight. Not too long after take-off, the plane carrying her band crashed, killing all. She dedicated her next album, For My Broken Heart to her fallen band members, which included the poignant album closer, “If I Had Only Known.” Though she didn’t write the track, many consider the song to be a tribute to those she lost.

WHAT IF?----All of the musicians on the plane were talented artists in their own right, but Chris Austin was something special. He had recorded for Warner Brothers prior to joining Reba’s band, and I think that success would have been awaiting him---either in country or bluegrass.

THE NEXT THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS

I was reading a report the other day----you know, the kind they use to fill newspaper pages---that the average life expectancy for men was 73.4 years. Well, as I just turned 37 a few months ago, that means I am on the downhill slope....It, along with some other things, has got me thinking about the decisions you make over the course of your life. It's a scientific fact that novody ever sets out to make mistakes----at least no one I have ever met. However, it's a given that over the course of time, we all screw up. I'm not going to make any mid-life resolutions, but here's a few things that I hope I do better on during the second half.....

HEALTH------I am taking somewhat better care of myself than I have in a while. I have lost 40-50 (depending on scale) pounds over the past few months, am making an effort to eat more salads and things of that nature, though I do slip up and turn the wrong way into a Dairy Queen sometimes. At 37, I know I feel different than I did at 27......and I really don't want the trend to continue at 47......It's all about motivation. If you order the hamburger, throw away the bread. That's not that hard for me, but go into a Dollar General or a Wal-Mart, and the cheapest food is the kind you don't need.....Kind of ironic, isn't it!

FINANCES-----Dave Ramsey I will never be, but it is apparent that I need to do a better job on this. Of course, everyone says "Don't Spend." But, that it easier said than done......I'm aiming to do better, but this one is tough....but I've got to.

RELATIONSHIPS-----Over the past two years, I have been in somewhat of a funk----depression-----whatever you want to call it. That caused me to pull away from some of my friendships a little. I had a true scare about one of those friends a couple of weeks ago, so that's something that I am going to work on. Thankfully, the scare looks like it was a false alarm...but let's just say it was a wake-up call to do things differently.

GOD-------Being 37 is a little more intricate than it was at 17. Back then, you tend to think of your spirituality in terms of black and white.....As you get older, other colors / factors tend to coem into view.I don't know if that is right or wrong, or maybe I do.......But, I want.....I need to get closer to who I used to be in that area than I am now.

CAREER-----This is one huge hurdle for me right now. I have been extremely blessed to do what I do for a living for two decades now. My love for music and journalism has always been the one thing that has set me apart and made me different. I don't have hobbies, and sitting by the pool for six-seven hours a day doesn't attract me too much. I'd rather be interviewing, covering a concert / soccer game / two men playing checkers on the front porch than anything. But, I need to steo my career up a notch financially if I am going to make it work as my sole career focus. I am open to any ideas about this, because while I don't think I'm Robert K. Oermann or Peter Cooper.......I think I'm pretty good at it, and I don't know if there's anyone out there who is writing as much as I am.....(You know, you get the e-mails!....LOL)

Well, that's what is on my mind this morning. Again, any ideas about these topics would be considered. Have a good week!