This is incredible.

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Support BNL and…Team Canada?

TORONTO (CP) – Canada’s winter athletes are getting a financial boost from one of the country’s biggest rock bands.

The Barenaked Ladiesare donating a portion of the ticket proceeds from their upcoming tour to the Own the Podium 2010 program.

That’s pretty cool.

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One of the good guys

[From 1989 to 1999], [Clint] Black enjoyed success with millions in album sales, critical acclaim, awards from his peers and dozens of chart-topping radio hits, including “A Better Man” and “Walkin’ Away.” His 1998 participation in the all-star single “Same Old Train” won him a Grammy.

But here’s something that might shock you. Black says record companies, almost from day one, questioned his ability to write a song – despite the fact his hits are originals. He took the second-guessing over 10 years, but in 2003 decided to launch a new label, Equity Records, that would be fairer to both himself and new artists. He released “Spend My Time” in 2004 and “Drinkin’ Songs and Other Logic” last year on the label.

Here’s yet another article that is proving Clint is one of the good guys when it comes to the music industry.

Black always wears a black cowboy hat, but he’s one of the good guys, trying to help the bands that often get taken advantage of by greedy record companies. Artists who sign with Equity retain ownership of their masters, get paid from their first SoundScan sales, and at a predetermined sales level earn an equity stake in the company. Little Big Town, Carolina Rain and Buddy Jewell are three of Equity’s artists.

It is too bad that there aren’t options like this in other businesses. A stake of ownership in the company one works for would keep him motivated and give his work value far and above the paycheck he receives every two weeks.

Kudos, again, to Clint for realizing this.

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Clint Black and the Fox and the Hound

This is a cool little video someone put together:

After that, you can watch Clint and Roy Rogers sing “Hold On Partner.”

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“They can go to France”

I’m not the only one disinterested in the Dixie Chicks…

“No way I’m going to their concert this time,” said longtime follower Elizabeth Wilson, 26, of Dilworth, Minn., who feels burned by the Chicks’ big mouths. “They can go to France.”

France is a nice place for them.

“They made a big mistake when the album came out; they decided they were going to keep fighting,” said radio programmer Gregg Swedberg of K102, the Twin Cities’ top country station. “The band didn’t want to make it about the music; it became about ‘woe is us.’ “

That is exactly right. Remember when they were referring to it as McCarthyism?

On their current trek, the Chicks have scaled back seating in arenas they once filled. For instance, they played to 9,108 people in Philadelphia’s Wachovia Center (maximum capacity: 21,000) and 12,828 in New York’s Madison Square Garden (capacity: 20,697).

Last time in St. Paul, in 2003, they sold out two shows (over 40,000 seats). Last Friday’s show attracted 10,000.

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Hilarious Music Video

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Shocker: ‘N Syncer is Gay

People Magazine reveals that one of the ‘N Syncers is gay, and I know we are all soooooo surprised.

“The thing is, I’m not ashamed – that’s the one thing I want to say,” he explains of his decision to come out. “I don’t think it’s wrong, I’m not devastated going through this. I’m more liberated and happy than I’ve been my whole life. I’m just happy.”

It’s always grand to be liberated from Truth.

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No wonder it sounds so good

Buford Jones, Meyer Sound’s tour liaison manager, has added his illustrious credentials to the company’s education program with a new seminar offering that focuses exclusively on all aspects – artistic, technological and psychological – of FOH mixing. Entitled The Mixing Workshop, the full-day presentation draws extensively on Jones’ three decades of top-level FOH touring experience with the elite of rock and country acts: Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, James Taylor, Faith Hill, Counting Crows and Clint Black, among many others.

Wow, no wonder Clint always sounds so good.

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A solid business model

Navarre Corporation announced today that it has extended its relationship with Equity Music Group. Navarre is a media distributor in physical and digital form. This is interesting, but even more interesting is the short summary of [tag]Equity Music Group[/tag], a company that was co-founded by [tag]Clint Black[/tag].

The unique new business model on which Equity Music Group is founded was the brainchild of partners Clint Black, Mike Kraski and Charles Sussman. Since the company’s inception in 2003, this business model has positioned Equity as the alternative to the prevalent major-label system that treats artists as works-for-hire, and creates instead a revolutionary true partnership between the artist and the record label. Equity has built an infrastructure that not only allows it to compete effectively in the country music marketplace, but also to sign, promote and market artists in many other formats as well. Led by President Mike Kraski, the label’s employee roster boasts a combined music business experience of well over 250 years.

The current Equity Music Group roster of artists manifests both depth and diversity. Clint Black has been at the forefront of country music since the late 1980s, and has already had a great deal of success on many levels. His celebrated songwriting and traditional country style are much-admired in all critical circles. [tag]Little Big Town[/tag] is fast emerging onto the country music scene as one of its most vibrant and unique new artists, who, along with newcomers [tag]Carolina Rain[/tag], are bringing country music back to its roots while at the same time offering very progressive musical styles. [tag]Mark Wills[/tag] has been a mainstay of country radio for almost ten years, and is poised to be redefined in this genre. New artist [tag]Laura Bryna[/tag] brings forth a unique style and a confidence all her own.

I’m surprised that more businesses haven’t gone to a model similar to this. It encourages maximum effort from each of the “employees” considering they also have part ownership in the company. It is clear that some of the [tag]country music[/tag] newcomers see the wisdom that a veteran like Clint Black have and are taking advantage of a much fairer opportunity to create and sell music.

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Writing more than songs

Clint Black is busy these days:

In an interview with Sunday Times reporter Roxanne Todd prior to the Lancaster show, Clint revealed that he’s writing more than songs these days. The story states: “He’s currently writing a nonfiction book. ‘It’s about all the stupid things I’ve done and thought as a kid. Unfortunately, I can fill a book. My wife, Lisa, encouraged me to include my short, stupid one-liners like, “Food is just another excuse to eat ketchup.” It’ll be fun, silly stuff with a few heavy moments.’ Black plans to continue to write and record songs, and he’s working with people on writing a few screenplays. He’s also planning to co-write a Broadway musical about the trials and tribulations of life in Texas from the 1800’s to present day. ‘We have lots of songs to tell the story,’ he said.”

(from clintblack.com)

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