CRS Day Two

Big show (in the snow) at the Ryman. Well, ok, snow flurries. They couldn’t have predicted the weather when it was planned to hold the first CRS luncheon across the street from the convention center at the Ryman Auditorium. But because of the cold and unfavorable weather, everyone was huddled inside the Ryman for the “picnic” lunch before a nearly full-roster show from the Universal Music Group. Small and large artists were paraded one by one onto the historic stage to sing an acoustic song of their choice. Some artists like Easton Corbin, or new artist Randy Montana, used the chance to play their new music, others played their hits, and in the case of Billy Currington, he chose to play one of his favorite songs, “You Ain’t Just Whistlin’ Dixie.” The only artists from the roster who sent regrets were George Strait and Shania Twain.

Back at the convention center, Darius Rucker hosted a songwriter’s showcase. He and his producer, Frank Rogers, led a parade of his songwriter friends to the stage to tell the stories behind many of the songs that comprised Darius’ string of recent #1 hits.

The evening activities opened with a cocktail party and artist reception. Here, the radio and record industries get a chance to mingle in a casual setting to meet and greet and make connections. Most labels hosted designated areas where their artists were to be stationed to meet mingling passersby. The organization didn’t last long, as many artists quickly “worked the room” and were soon scattered around to the point that you never knew who you were going to turn around and bump into. Spotted in the crowd were Bucky Covington, James Otto, Tyler Dickerson, Jason Aldean, Gretchen Wilson, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Buddy Jewell, Love and Theft, Steve Azar, Steel Magnolia, and many more.

Following the artist reception, the crowd moved inside the show hall for the Music City Jam, hosted by Taylor Swift. Taylor and her band were up for a full-blown concert experience, with breaks for costume changes filled by special guests Gloriana and Julianne Hough. Fresh from the overseas leg of the Fearlesss Tour, Taylor has grown into quite a dramatic performer. No longer the little girl who profusely thanked everyone for playing her song and making her girlhood dreams come true, Taylor commanded the stage with the theatrics of a pop diva. She spoke at the audience very slowly and deliberately to command full attention of her every word. She paused between songs to strut for the paparazzi of cameras. She performed at the piano with the mannerisms of a theatrical meltdown. As the show finished with “Should’ve Said No,” Taylor and her fiddle player, Katilyn, feigned a fight over a man by way of a musical battle of beats on a large steel drum tube that was wheeled onto the stage for the occasion. Overall, it was quite the spectacle.

To the contrary, Rascal Flatts put on a surprisingly subdued show for their 10th anniversary celebration. Entering, the ballroom was tastefully decorated with grand draperies around the room, soft candelabras to set the mood, and a smattering of decorator ottomans laid out on large throw rugs in front of the stage. Around the seating area were small end tables that offered bowls of pretzels and other munchies for the guests in the Flatts’ living room set up. The stage was small, with just three stools and a piano to suggest the acoustic show that we would receive. No large blowout bash, Rascal Flatts let a video retrospective tell their story to open the show, and then the trio came onstage to hang out, tell witty stories, and let the songs do the talking. To the boys' surprise, longtime pal Marty Raybon jumped onstage to congratulate them for ten years of success. It was a spontaneous moment at which the Flatts let Marty do the honors for one of their once-favorite songs to cover, “Church on Cumberland Road,” and then Gary insisted that Marty stay and do “Ghost In This House.” When the Flatts got back to business, they sang their hits, a couple requests, and had their own award presentation to say “thanks” and “we remember” to the radio stations who logged their first airplay way back in the day when they were a yet-unknown band presenting their first single to radio. Somebody’s got to take that chance on all new artists that come out. It’s nice to know the stations that do so are remembered. And isn’t that what CRS is all about? Building relationships between country radio and the artists of its format.