CMT Blog: Recent Posts

Seven new entries — from artists ranging from Jack Ingram to Willie Nelson — were screened by the CMT New Music Video Evaluation Team this week. Conclusions from the videos: Summer is here and many artists think you really want to go behind-the-scenes.

Artist: Jack Ingram
Video: “Barefoot and Crazy”
Director: Stephen Shepherd

Let’s see: We’ve got a Jack Ingram outdoor show by the water. What’s next? We go “Barefoot and Crazy,” of course. Another very summery-looking, very energetic video.

Panelists’ comments: “Well, that’s the video of the day.” “The people looked real, not like they had been cast.” “Well, I prefer well-placed hardbodies. Just kiddin’.” “Looks like another ‘All Summer Long’ — without the boat.”

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This is not official in any way. At all. But it is, as of this blogging, one of the most active topics in the forum on Carrie Underwood’s Web site. So I thought I’d bring the question over here, too: How would a duet with Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson sound? A few people posted that they think it would be terrific, with two powerful vocalists and American Idol darlings putting their talent together. Another poster thought maybe Underwood would “have to bring her vocals down to not drown out Kelly.” All I know is that when Clarkson shared vocals with Reba McEntire on her already-huge hit, “Because of You,” it went all the way to No. 2 at country radio. So if Underwood and Clarkson did consider a duet, which song would be their best bet?

Photo credit: Lester Cohen / WireImage

Looks like all those years with a Dixie Chick rubbed off on Charlie Robison. He may have divorced the Chicks’ Emily Robison, but it sounds like he’s married to that whole fiddle and steel and mandolin brand of music. (That said, there’s not one single banjo lick on the entire album.) Although he may consider himself too hip to be pigeon-holed as country, his new album, Beautiful Day, is countrier than most Texas country artists ever strive for.

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At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the title of Jack Ingram’s new video, “Barefoot and Crazy.” I had this picture in mind of people boycotting their socks and shoes as they ran the streets amuck, freeing their feet from the restraints of uncomfortable thongs and stilettos. But I was wrong for the most part. Really, the video is about summertime and swimming. And, yes, it comes with all of the summertime video prerequisites — girls, bikinis, lots of water and even a sing-along thrown in at the end. But I’m a little worried for Ingram and his barefooted friends. If you watch Whitney Duncan’s latest music video you’ll know why. Word on the street is, she’s been taking off more than her shoes.

If you like bluegrass music, I have a couple of recommendations for you. The first is Marty Raybon & Full Circle’s This That and the Other. You may recognize Raybon as the engaging lead singer of Shenandoah, who had a batch of popular country singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These days he’s pursuing bluegrass music full time yet the new material doesn’t stray far from Shenandoah hits like “Next to You, Next to Me” or “If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too).” If you like those tunes, try “Everybody’s Reaching (Out for Someone)” and “Luzianna Man.” You’ll be pleased to discover that his voice still sparkles.

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One of my favorite songs right now is Eli Young Band’s “Always the Love Songs.” The video’s not bad either. But I had no idea just how popular it was until I found out that it has been consistently beating out videos from Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney and Brooks & Dunn. That’s been happening on CMT Power Picks, where viewers watch and then vote for their favorite of the two videos being pitted against each other. So while this simple, on-the-road video may not have had the production budget of the others, it still rises to the top when the fans get their say. The band’s new song, “Radio Waves,” was just released, and I wonder if that one will have a repeat performance on CMT if and when they make a video.

You know that Nickelback song, “Rockstar”? The one that has frontman Chad Kroeger screaming the litany of reasons why it would be cool to be one? He wants to dress his ass in the latest fashion, get a front door key to the Playboy mansion, have a brand new house on an episode of Cribs, a credit card that’s got no limit, and he’ll stay skinny ’cause he just won’t eat. Well, that post-grunge rocker is one of the writers behind Tim McGraw’s new single, “It’s a Business Doing Pleasure With You.” And true to his style, this one also has a litany. But this time, it’s all the ways a girl is costing a guy so much: new spinners on her Escalade, more purses than Versace, going over to Gucci before going out for sushi. But when she turns her lovin’ on, he just can’t say no. What makes this song feel much more country than Nickelback is that McGraw seems to have brought his twang out of retirement. And it’s so good, I think that if Chad Kroeger wanted to write more country songs, it would be a pleasure doing business with him.

This is the truest test of artist loyalty: You love someone’s music so much, you’d actually want to work for them.

Jake Owen is going to hire a couple of fans to do just that. Granted, it’s a short-term job and, technically, you won’t get paid. But if you like Owen and his sexy Southern drawl, what better way to get close to the music than to be at his beck and call for 48 hours?

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I’d already blogged about the fact that Alan Jackson and his family were considering downsizing and getting out from under the monster that is Sweetbriar. And now, we have the actual listing sheet. You know, the sheet you carry around with you while you are looking at the house, asking how the water pressure is and if the roof is a tear-off and what the school district’s like. Things to make you sound like a prospective buyer of this $38 million crib on the Harpeth River in Franklin, Tenn. Be sure to check out the pictures, too, just to see how lucrative it was for Jackson to have gone country. Gawk all you want here, but only schedule an appointment with the realtor if you’re serious about the purchase. Seriously.

Just in time for the dog days of summer, singer Whitney Duncan offers a video for her newest single, “Skinny Dippin’,” and the male portion of her audience will be happy to learn that it doesn’t deviate far from the song’s lyrics. The Scotts Hill, Tenn., native sings “Weren’t doin’ nothin’ wrong/We were just coolin’ off/July was hot and sticky/And we were skinny dippin’.” Near a secluded and picturesque pond the couple settles down for a picnic. Men, take note: Bring something light for lunch (don’t want to get cramped up), don’t forget the towels (but hide ‘em so it doesn’t seem like you planned this) and never be afraid to be the first one to strip down.