CMT Blog: Archive

A big stack of widely divergent new music videos awaited the CMT New Video Evaluation Team this week. There's the debut from new duo Carter Twins, some trademark Martina McBride, Randy Houser live at CMT, a Johnny Cash song revisited and a rowdy honky-tonker from Rick Monroe. Time to get down to business.

Artist: Martina McBride
Video: "Ride"
Director: Kristin Barlowe

Martina McBride continues her tradition of first-rate videos with this portrayal of the song "Ride," from her forthcoming album Shine (due March 24). It's more high-energy music from her.

Comments: "Another Martina hit!" "It sounds pretty pop, but I like it." "Martina is amazing." "She is really tempering her vocals these days. Sounds great."

Artist: Carter Twins
Video: "Heart Like Memphis"
Director: Eric Welch

The Carter Twins are indeed young twins. Zach and Josh Carter, 18, grew up in Akron, Ohio, and recently moved to Nashville after graduating from high school. They've been singing and writing together for years. Their first album is due in the summer of 2009.

Comments: "Cute kids. I like the video." "Good song." "It'll be interesting to watch them develop this year." "They've obviously got that family-harmony-singing thing going."

Artist: Johnny Cash (Remixed)
Video: "Folsom Prison Blues (Pete Rock Remix)"
Directors: The Brads/Turcotte

This reworking of Johnny Cash's signature song, "Folsom Prison Blues," is from hip-hop producer and DJ Pete Rock. Sonically, it does not depart much from the original. Mainly noticeable is added syncopated percussion. The video is made up of old clips of Cash performing, augmented by silent film clips illustrating the song's lyrics.

Comments: "It's great seeing a young Johnny Cash on CMT again." "I love the silent movie footage. I love Buster Keaton [a silent film comic star]." "You almost don't notice it's been remixed."

Artist: Randy Houser
Video: "Anything Goes" (Unplugged at Studio 330 version)
Director: Eric Welch

For this rendition at the CMT studios of his breakthrough song "Anything Goes," Randy Houser sings accompanied only by piano and a three-piece backing choir. The result is stark and very effective.

Comments: Loud applause. "Whoo!" "Love this, love it!" "I really like his look here. Randy is getting better looking every time he sings this." "This is one great version." "I'm diggin' it!"

Artist: Rick Monroe
Video: "Honky Tonk Road Trip"
Director: Leon Melas

Rick Monroe is a journeyman artist who maintains a heavy touring schedule -- hence the title of the new song and video. He'll be on the road this year with Pat Green and Randy Houser. The video is a pretty literal honky-tonk road tour.

Comments: "Kind of a short road trip. Looked like it was about three blocks on Lower Broad [Nashville's Lower Broadway honky-tonk strip.]" "Lot of energy there." "That's an interesting silver skull on his hat."

Consensus: Martina McBride's "Ride" and the Carter Twins' "Heart Like Memphis" will go into hot shot rotation on CMT beginning Jan. 26. Randy Houser's "Anything Goes" will debut in heavy rotation on Jan 26. The Johnny Cash remixed video will debut in heavy on Jan. 27. A video from the on-hold shelf, "Backyard" by Kevin Costner & Modern West, will debut in medium rotation on Jan. 26.