Album Review: "Tuskegee", by Lionel Richie & Friends

Soul, R & B, and pop music legend Lionel Richie has burst onto the pop-country music scene with a brand new collection of his greatest hits, remade for the country audience.  "Tuskegee", named after the Alabama town where the entertainer was born will bring Richie's hits from the 1970's and 80's to a newer, "country" audience. 

All of the songs on "Tuskegee" are duets with (mostly) country music superstars.  The CD was released with great fanfare, timed perfectly with Richie's performance on the Academy of Country Music Awards in April, along with his own 2-hour concert special (also produced by the ACM) that aired less than two weeks after the award's show. 

Most of the songs on the album have been given a country twist, with some artists delivering stellar performances, while others simply mailed in theirs.  The album's highlights include "Stuck On You", with former Hootie and The Blowfish frontman-turned country star Darius Rucker.  Their vocals are among the best on the entire album.  That's followed closely by Lionel and Kenny Chesney's version of "My Love".  Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles delivers a wonderful performance on "Hello", and Shania Twain is flawless with Richie on "Endless Love".

Country music's most under-appreciated vocal group, Little Big Town is simply amazing on "Deep River Woman", a song that Lionel Richie originally recorded with Alabama for his 1986 album "Dancing On The Ceiling".  Lional also teams up with his longtime friend, Kenny Rogers for "Lady", a song Richie wrote for Rogers that went to #1 in 1980.  More than thirty years later, Kenny's voice is still incredible on the remake. 

For someone who admittedly does not like Rascal Flatts, I'll say that their version of "Dancing On The Ceiling" with Richie is the best up-tempo song on the album.  But "All Night Long" (with Jimmy Buffet & the Coral Reefer Band) fails to entertain, possibly because it was so overplayed in the 80's, some of us are still tired of the song.  Also falling short on this collection are "Say You, Say Me", with Jason Aldean and the unfamiliar "Just For You", with Billy Currington.  Richie struggles to keep time with a few of his own songs.  Nowhere is this more obvious on the album than on "You Are", where Blake Shelton holds his own, while Richie gets lost in the melody. 

Two of Richie's songs from his days with The Commodores are featured on this album.  "Easy", with country legend, Willie Nelson, and "Sail On" with Tim McGraw.  Both give pretty good performances. 

Considering what Country Music has become over the last decade, this album is not bad.  Maybe it's just because I know most of these songs from my teenage years.  There is a certain desperatism by many country stars to constantly cross-over to pop.  I'm not sure how "Tuskegee" is going to play-out, or if it will revive Richie's career.  But it's good for a listen or three, and I give it three dancing cowboy hats.

Megaticket Recycled Line-up Could Signal End Of Bay Area Country Concerts

Earlier this month, concert promoter Live Nation announced the line-up for it's 2012 "Country Megaticket" concert series.  This series of shows brings country artists to various Live Nation venues throughout the summer concert season.  It's a great opportunity for fans to see their favorite artists on tour.  If you have never purchased the Megaticket before, this could be something great for you, assuming you are a fan of all of the artists on the line-up.  But if you have bought the Megaticket before, this could be an expensive disappointment. 

The problem with Megaticket is the same problem with country music in general.  A national concert promoter has determined who you, the fans of country music want to see in concert.  They have decided the acts that will sell-out arenas and amphitheaters nationwide, based on their popularity.  And in doing so, they have eliminated the majority of country music's best acts.  Even worse, Live Nation apparently feels that giving fans the same acts year after year is a great template for success. 

 

The 2012 Megaticket line-up for Shorline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California is a perfect example of this.  Four of this year's headliners are re-runs from 2011.  These include Toby Keith, Sugarland, Rascal Flats and Jason Aldean.  The other two shows will be headlined by Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert.  Is this the best that Live Nation could do?  Where are George Strait, Martina McBride, Reba, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton?  Country mega group Lady Antebellum is listed as one of the series' headliners, but they have been omitted from the Mountain View line-up. 

In some cases, the opening acts are equally, if not more appealing that the headliners.  The Band Perry will open for Brad Paisley.  Chris Young and Jarrod Niemann will open for Lambert.  And if I was going to the Rascal Flats show, I'd head for the exits after Little Big Town performs. 

While the line-up may be impressive to some Bay Area country music fans, this year's series is going to be a huge challenge for Shoreline and Live Nation.  Last April, the Bay Area's San Francisco-based country radio station KBWF (the Wolf) switched formats to sports talk, leaving the San Jose's KRTY the only country radio station in the region.  Shoreline Amphitheater is located in KRTY's market, which will certainly help to bring local fans to these shows.  The bigger question is how many out-of-town fans will head back to Shoreline to see headlines that they have already seen from previous Megaticket series'?

My prediction is if the 2012 Megaticket season fails to produce sell-out concerts at Shoreline, it could signal the end of the country series in the Bay Area.  Without strong, local radio support, Live Nation will be forced to promote these shows on television and elsewhere, which will take away valuable dollars from their bottom line.  Other markets across the nation get ample country music shows throughout the year.  The Bay Area is one of the largest population centers in the U.S. that does not see country music shows on a regular basis.  If Megaticket 2012 is not a success, Bay Area country fans may be forced to travel to Sacramento, Fresno or Nevada to see their favorite performers in 2013 and beyond.

Classic Country Album Review: ALABAMA - Triple Play

Because today's country music basically sucks, I have decided to introduce you to some of country's best classic artists and their albums.  What a better way to start this series than with a review of one of s Sony Music's "Triple Feature" collections?  Now if you are not familiar with the "Triple Feature" series, it features three early cd's by various artists from the various Sony Music labels.  The best part about these collections is they are priced at around $10 each.  They can be found at most big box retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Target. 

The "Triple Feature" collection for Alabama is a great introduction to one of country music's all-time best bands.  The collection includes each of Alabama's first three albums.  These were originally recorded before the days of the compact disc, so it's nice to have cd's available for all of them.  The cd's include "My Home's In Alabama", "Feels So Right" and "Mountain Music". 

If it's legendary Alabama songs you are looking for, look no further, besides the title tracks from each cd, you will find all of the band's early #1 singles.  These include "Tennessee River", "Why Lady Why", "Feels So Right", "Love In The First Degree", "OldFlame", "Close Enough To Perfect", and "Take Me Down".  There's nothing I can say about these legendary country songs that hasn't been said before.  They helped to lay the foundation for a country music resurgance in the 1980's.

What I enjoyed about going back to these albums was listening to the album cuts that never made the radio airwaves.  These songs showed the incredible depth of talent that this band had.  Anybody who knows Alabama, can't mistake the voice of lead singer Randy Owen.  But what many of us probably don't remember are the vocal talents of guitarist Jeff Cook and bassist Teddy Gentry.  These albums will re-introduce you to their great voices. 

Some of the best album cuts from these cd's include "Some Other Place, Some Other Time", and "Hanging Up My Travelin' Shoes" (from My Home's In Alabama), "Ride The Train" and "Burn Georgia Burn" (from Feels So Right), and "Words At Twenty Paces", "Green River" and "Gonna Have A Party" (from Mountain Music).

If you are looking to add some real country music to you country collection, take a trip back thirty years and discover (or rediscover) some of the best music of country super group, Alabama.  Several other artists are featured in other Triple Feature collections.  Keep checking this blog for future reviews of other collections.