NashvilleHype!

As readers know, Glenn Sweitzer from Fresh Design+Film is a great friend of mine and an incredibly talented designer/filmmaker.

Several months ago he released several videos on his YouTube site from his shoot with Reba’s DUETS album — since that time I’ve wanted to post a few here for you on NashvilleHype!

Enjoy.

Reba and Kelly Clarkson

Reba and Justin Timberlake

Reba and Ronnie Dunn

Reba and Vince Gill

Reba and Kenny Chesney

Okay, so it is getting close to Summer where everyone seems to be getting busy. We have decided here at NashvilleHype! to make a few changes slowly and add a few new things to see how our readers like and accept it. If you might have any suggestions for something new just let us know, it might be something fun!

So, what we are wanting to do is to showcase some of our new, unsigned artists that are in Nashville or have a connection to Nashville. In this world of YouTube we want to be able to provide you with pretty much the same type of free video service. We have had the same opportunity on the site since the beginning but I am not quite sure that everyone who has visited us has taken the chance to use it. On the right side of the page you will see a box that states “Submit Your Videos to NashvilleHype!” click on that, then proceed with the directions.

We will then choose an artist to showcase for the week. We want to write about that artist, and hopefully get them some attention that maybe they don’t get on YouTube or MySpace. We’ve had over 100,000 hits on the site since February and can you just imagine if the right person at the right time clicked on the video you posted? Our goal is to help you. This is a free service that we provide for you and how in the world could you go wrong with using it right? Free is good! We look forward to many of you adding your videos especially with CMA Music Fest coming up right around the corner! Keep in mind, it does not have to be just Country, it can be any genre.

You know last night I was thinking over and over again about something that was said to me about someone else, “in all that time they had never had anything negative said about them” and in my quite frank opinion maybe it should have been. Of course as far as I am concerened it is just that, “an opinion”. I could repeat the same old tacky phrases we have come to know and hear over and over again but I promise to not make our readers go through that agony! My thoughts are thoughts that have been tossed and turned all day long. Being in the medical field people are asked when they come in with pain to rate that pain on a scale of 1 to 10. One being the least of the pain and ten being the greatest most intense pain of thie patients life. Well, to me in all truth of the matter, it would depend on one’s pain tolerance as to where you would rate any type of pain. That pain scale is almost silly to a certain degree. What might be a general headache to me maybe a 2 or 3 might be excrutiating to someone else therefore a pain rating of 8 or 9. This brings me to my point in telling the truth of one’s music and personal opinion’s.

Wikepedia defines an opinion as a person’s ideas and thoughts towards something, an assesment, judgement or evaluation of something. Now, we here at NashvilleHype! are all for loving our artists we write about……nope, we are ecstatic about loving them!  When we choose to write about them, let me stress that “choose”, it is something that we have really thought long and hard about. We do not just write about anyone. Now, I have to say, we can be picky, but I think in this industry you have to be. What Paul or David might like, I may not. What I may absolutely love, Paul may shrug his shoulders and raise a brow. Then there are the times when we have the bell’s and whistle’s going off cause there is a round table agreement! This is a good thing! It all comes down to a difference of opinion. Some might like a little more “twang” or some might like a little more “rock” or even some might like a group sound. Whatever the case may be, Nashville has many different sounds to choose from and many rising artists to fit the perfect “taste”.

All in all, music is a wonderful gift that has been given to many wonderful people here in Nashville and we look forward to promoting so many you that continue to put forth all that hard work and effort - it does pay off. Just never let anyone stop you.  One persons opinions may be a tear rolling down your face, but it very well could mean the ink drying on that contract!

We love you guys and keep up the great work!

An Update:

For the fourth time in my life, I’m living and working in beautiful Southern California for a little while. I flew in to Ontario on Wednesday and I’ll be going from Victorville to Riverside, to Murrietta and Temecula to San Diego and Oceanside - and even another trip up to Beverly. Nice. It should be a pretty good trip. The only downside is, I used to live out here and life was all but perfect then - had everything - now, it’s just what it is - work - and I will eventually leave. Not that Nashville is a bad thing, I love it there - I just want California weather. As time permits, and for those who read NashvilleHype! and care, I’ll be placing up updates.

Please welcome David J. Reed as a contributing writer to NashvilleHype!.  David is a great friend of mine going on 20+ years.  We’ve often worked together, roomed together, written songs together, partied together, and had a blast together.  He’s got a great ear for singers and songs - he knows who has real potential and who’s a pretender.  He’s fair and honest in his opinions.  If I had a complaint about David, it would be that he got all the pretty girls (though I wouldn’t say they were altogether stable).

Many of you who attended the Supercell Benefit might remember David as he was the one taking care of our guest artists and trying to keep them comfortable, hydrated, and happy.  He’s a great guy and he’s going to make a great addition to myself and Cathryn here on NashvilleHype!.

One reason I am bringing David on at this time is I will be leaving the site for about the next 6 weeks or more.  I have a contract where I have to travel throughout the country for a little while.  But in my absense NashvilleHype! will continue to bring you the best Nashville has to offer - albeit at a much slower pace. 

Once again as always, I appreciate you reading NashvilleHype! and making us the premier weblog concerning emerging artists in Nashville. 

Sometime last night Myspace decided to add an advertisement to their videos.  This advertisement was embedded in their code so that the video would begin playing immediately.  We had no less than 4 Myspace videos from various artists here on the front page, and others on other pages.  As you might imagine, Myspace loaded all of them and they all began playing at once.  What a loud, noisy nightmare.  We had to remove all the Myspace vids and in two cases, remove the whole post associated with those vids, Kelsey Skaggs at the Supercell Benefit, and the new song from Kerry Harvick.  Apologies to everyone affected, and to Myspace, well, I can’t say in public what I’m thinking right now.

Twenty days and too many hours to even count have been spent in preparation for this one night. It all came about when Paul and I were having a conversation during a newscast when the hot topic was all of the looting against the tornado victims. How sad! But God above knew something else was going to come together for these people and all starting with us.  

The mood is being set. The greeting of incoming artist who look around and frantic runs from the sound check booth to the “Artist Only” area to prepare snacks. Hair pins being removed and hands being shaken. Last minute guitar tunes and warm up notes being sung accompanied by smiles of twenty one artist that came together for a cause.  This night will hopefully turn into one of new and lasting friendships and generous amount of money raised for people who will soon see that we all care. It has come to be known as the SuperCell of Giving Benefit Concert. 

Paul King of NashvilleHype!, was giving directions for those of us who were there for support as well as assist in being the backbone for helping the night run as smoothly as possible. Glenn Sweitzer, Fresh Design + Film, was smiling, setting up cameras as he would be feverishly filming the event all night and greeting artist. I have said it before and I will say it again, that he must invest in a great set of knee pads! I was running back and forth to see that every artist was at the stage at the right time, and I cannot forget saying, ”I now proclaim thee “Queen of Sharpie!”  Nixa Country had already begun to  set up in the corner to bring this awesome show to so many that were not able to be there with us in person.  And the guests? Well they have now started to show up, anxious for the night to begin.
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