musicrowreport

Stacy's Music Row Report

Swifties beware: Digital goddess KIM KOMANDO reports Home Security Heroes' finding that "A crazy 79% of searches for TAYLOR SWIFT contained potential malware."

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Column's congrats to CONNIE SMITH and SAM WELLINGTON who will join fellow notable native Ohioans (ROY ROGERS, EARL THOMAS CONLEY, SHELLY WEST, BOBBY BARE, DENNIS McCALL and JOHNNY PAYCHECK to name a few), as members of the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame when the two are officially inducted December 1, 2003.

Thanks to Sam for advising me of the honor and letting me know that we can look forward to yet another book from The Four Guys alum.

I know the (working) title and when Wellington wants to make it official I'll let you know. Sam knows a review copy will land in the right hands (BRENT BURKETT brought Sam's first published book to my attention back in 2005) as he paid me a high compliment, explaining that while "most book reviewers I have come across merely do a 'book scan,' checking out a few chapters and then writing the review, it looks to me as though YOU read the entire book before beginning your review of In The Beginning... There Was the Men's Room... I thought your review was fair in every sense and I greatly appreciate your taking the time to examine the contents for your publication."

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Thanks to The Common Ground Sound Team for inviting me to check out JILL RILEY's December 11, 2023 Franklin Theater one woman show

... to MADI FLORENCE for inviting me to NIGHTLY's November 16, 2023 appearance at The Brooklyn Bowl

... to ERIN RYAN for extending a media invitation to attend BRITTANY HOWARD's November 7, 2023 performance at The Ryman

... and to DOUG HALL, JULIA CASEY and GOMI ZHOU for the invitation to attend LYDIA LUCE's November 4, 2023 album release show at The Blue Room on November 4, 2023

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Harper's Bazaar has named DOLLY PARTON to its The Voices of Now "essential list of the indomitable changemakers, creative visionaries, and groundbreakers who are defining the culture."

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Nashville's 2023 mayoral election runoff resulted in a landslide victory for FREDDIE O'CONNELL no doubt, in part, due to endorsements from EMMYLOU HARRIS, AMANDA SHIRES, KETCH SECOUR, BROTHERS OSBORNE, BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN, BRITTNEY SPENCER, JASON ISBELL, MAREN MORRIS, TOMMY PRINE and MOLLY TUTTLE.

My understanding is none of their colleagues publicly supported O'Connell's opponent, ALICE ROLLI. O'Connell's campaign was too low-key, not to mention ultimately successful to spark much any interest in campaign theme songs, but if it were otherwise, had he wanted to lighten up a bit and had otherwise been so inclined I would have suggested the erstwhile dance favorite, Do the Freddie as well as Pay No Attention To Alice.

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ICEBERG-FAQ 21, waiting for my review of NANCY JONES book (it's coming here soon, I promise!), has perhaps another take: "Nancy portrayed KIRK WEST, her business partner, as a 'man of God,' and practically a saint, who saved her life.

"When they were remodeling the downtown building for the GEORGE JONES Museum and restaurant, the music biz buzz was that Nancy had a much younger boyfriend. With the 20-year age difference most anyone would assume that Kirk was after money. Thanks to the Nashville Scene article I found that Kirk West's real name is KIRK LEIPZIG.

"In the book, Nancy claims that she was hit by a car and was lying in a pool of blood from a head wound. An hour later at the hospital the doctors couldn't find a source for the blood because God healed her!

"I wonder why God didn't heal Nancy's severe diarrhea when she had Covid. She said it lasted for months!

"Kirk would have gone to prison in 2016, so he obviously came back to Nancy when he got out.

"She wrote that they both got Covid in 2021, but Kirk took Ivermectin and got over it almost overnight. Nancy, however, almost died.

"Kirk probably did save her life because she did not want to be put on a ventilator and he saw to it that she wasn't.

"Nancy said that she had severe diarrhea and that Kirk could hardly keep up, changing her diapers and 'cleaning her up... yuk!) sometimes 20 times a day.

"One of Nancy's doctors said to her 'I've never seen such love.'

"Wow... what a 'business partner'!"

"I saw Nancy on Huckabee and she acted strange. She kept her arms crossed across her chest for the whole interview.

"Kirk's daughter, LAUREN, is married to to DAVID PEDEN who preaches at We Are Church Nashville in Old Hickory, Tennessee.

"On its Facebook page it's described as 'a religious organization.'

"Kirk's son, RICH LEIPZIG, lives in Franklin, Tennessee."

Kirk Ronald Leipzig was born May 18, 1967 and I guess if you want to know anything else about him, real or imagined, you'll have to take it up with him- or Nancy!

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Pet insurance, anyone?

Paid commercial spokesman BRAD PAISLEY has a recommendation.

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HELEN CORNELIUS' fans, concerned that neither Helen's official website nor her official Facebook page have been updated in over a decade, are, according to ICEBERG-FAQ 21, sadly learning that Cornelius, turning 82 on December 6, 2023, is "seriously ill."

The 'Berg reports that Helen is "in the final stages of Parkinson's Disease."

As JIM ED BROWN's publicist I got to know Helen fairly well, but that was after my time repping Brown at Top Billing. So, no, I was never Helen's publicist.

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Sure and begorrah! Thanks to DAN BLAKESLEE Stacy's Music Row Report is somewhat of a big deal in Ireland!

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GEORGE STRAIT fans will want to know that, following a Forex.com-commissioned analysis of celebrities' investments (including business ventures, intellectual property, luxury properties, financial instruments and collectibles), Strait ranks ninth among the top ten entertainers found to be "the most money-savvy... music artists" generating "the highest returns on their net worth."

With an estimated worth of $310 million, George is thought to earn $3 million/month based on "real estate, luxury vehicles and ownership investments." If true, Strait enjoys an 11.6% return on his net worth. from an FB, (and reportedly closer) friend and Grand Ole Opry member (whose name I am withholding)

I won't tell you how that ROI compares with my own, except to confirm that this published estimate is laughably way off (hence, no doubt the disclaimers).

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Thanks to ROMY BAYHACK for these media invitations: MIPSO's October 26, 2023 Basement East appearance (and LILY & MADELEINE's appearance at the East Room on October 12, 2023)

... to The Common Ground Sound Team for including mine among its industry invitations to JILL RILEY's October 22, 2023 Common Ground album release party at Nashville's Virgin Hotel's Late Great Speakeasy.

... to JULIA CASEY for inviting me to MICK FLANNERY's October 10, 2023 Goodtime Charlie instore appearance and signing at Vinyl Tap

... to SARAH HABERFELD and LISA GOTTHEIL or inviting me to MARGARET GLASPY's October 10, 2023 Echo the Diamond album release party and performance at The Blue Room

... to DEVIN VELEZ for requesting that I check out BECCA MANCARI's October 6, 2023 Left Hand album release party at The Blue Room

... to the Music Forward Foundation for including me in its list of "music industry change makers" invited to the Foundation's 30th anniversary celebration October 1, 2023 at The Hollywood Bowl

... to MARTHA MOORE for extending an invite to CHARLOTTE MORRIS' September 27, 2023 Wild Child release party at The Local.

... to ZACK KRAMER and KENZIE DAVIS for extending an invite to join FRANKIE and the WITCH FINGERS' September 20, 2023 performance at The Blue Room

... to SCOTT SEXTON and the folks at CANYON STAR TV for inviting me to "do lunch" September 18th at Monell's. It's a great opportunity to learn all of what the streaming channel has to offer and hear about forthcoming additions to its lineup.

... to JULIA HANEY for the press invitation to attend Nashville VegFest September 17, 2023 in East Park

... and to MADI FLORENCE for inviting yours truly to join SUN ROOM at the trio's fall tour September 15, 2023 kickoff appearance at The End.

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"Come celebrate GEORGE JONES' birthday with NANCY JONES.

"You are invited to a private gathering at Nancy Jones' home."

So read the invitation from JEREMY WESTBY and SCOTT SEXTON. The September 11, 2023 afternoon gathering in Franklin, Tennessee, a day before what would have been George's 92nd birthday.

I had been a media guest at the Jones' former Nestledown Farms home but, while Nancy remains a Williamson County resident, George's widow has relocated since then.

Invitees who journeyed to the Cool Springs area received a gate code for the 2023 posthumous birthday celebration where those present were given the opportunity to preview clips from Still Playin' Possum, the Fathom Events all-star concert tribute to George premiering in theaters October 17, 2023.

"Nancy will also have copies her new book, Playin' Possum: My Memories of George Jones for attendees."

KEN ABRAHAM is Nancy' s ghostwriter. Look for a review here soon.

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As an ASCAP songwriter (CONNIE BRADLEY is spinning in her grave), I always want to share the wealth.

If you'd like a front row seat, at no charge, at the 2023 ASCAP Experience click here.

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CHARLEY PRIDE is "first up" among those featured in the Nashville Public Library's A Journey Through Black Music History series.

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Want to be a part of collecting on the relaunch of KANE BROWN's Grand with a Life of Rights investment term?

Consider that the song has already racked over 28.5 million Spotify streams as well as nearly 30 million Pandora streams and that these streams and other public performances have chalked up $27,131 earnings over the first three quarters- with 65% of the earnings attributed to streaming and radio airplay.

Further, Brown is wrapping up his 2023 tour that has featured Grand on Kane's set list for every show. (BMI has yet to pay out for U.S. dates. These will be payable to the buyer.)

Interested? Place your bid here.

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