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International Country Music Association Update July 2002 P. O. Box 292937, Nashville, TN 37229 On The Web: www.radiocountry.org Email: intlcma@aol.com Scarlett Vanek, Publisher, Bobbie Patterson, Editor Rhett Ashley, Writer ************************************************** Drop In Dollar's Value Creates Music Leasing Opportunity The rapid rise in the value of the Euro has created an even stronger foreign market for American music. International business is almost always conducted in dollars. Oil, natural gas, gold, silver, wheat, rice, sugar, and many other such things are priced in dollars. Music, movies, and other art forms are usually priced in dollars. Most of western Europe uses coins and bills called Euros. Just a few months ago, the Euro was worth about 80 cents, in American money. Now, the Euro is worth slightly more than a dollar. This is a very important fact, if you are interested in leasing your music to one of the European music distributors. The rise in the value of the Euro has lowered the price of everyday items in Europe. Here's an example. Oil sells on the world market for about $30 per barrel. When the Euro was worth 80 cents, a barrel of oil cost 36 Euros. That same barrel of oil now costs about 30 Euros. If you take this same effect and apply it to other everyday items, you see the impact it is having on the European economy. Imported cars, electronics, and clothing from Asia, meat and grain from the United States and hundreds of other items have become 20% cheaper. The overall effect is to increase the purchasing power of the average European by about 20%. It is almost the same as if everybody in Europe had been given a tax free 20% raise in pay. The average European has more money to spend on entertainment. Some of that increase will be spent on American music. The demand for American music is increasing. European music distributors will need more American music to meet the increased demand. This is only half of the overall picture. Let me give you another example. Assume a German music distributor wants to lease American music to meet the increased demand. Assume the cost per album is $20,000. Last year, a $20,000 album lease would have cost the German company 25,000 Euros. This year, it will cost only 20,000 Euros. Assume the German music distributor had a total of 100,000 Euros to spend leasing American music. Last year, he could lease four American albums. This year, he can lease five American albums. Each American artist is still getting $20,000 for his album. The payment has not changed. The overall pie has became larger. The total number of artists receiving $20,000 has increased. The German music distributor's cost has remained the same. The demand for American music has increased. The price in dollars has remained the same. The cost to the distributor has fallen about 20%. These three factors mean there has never been a better time to lease American music to European record distributors. The world's largest music trade fair is coming up in January. Visit http://www.midem.com for details. If you can afford the time and expense, you should attend MIDEM. If you have other demands on your time and money, contact us. Send a copy of your album to MIDEM Project, International Country Music Association, POB 292937, Nashville, TN 37229. It will be carefully reviewed. If the quality is there, we'll be glad to act as your agent. Can you afford to miss this amazing opportunity? ************************************************** Audition For More Than 30 Music Companies Record companies, publishing companies, promotion companies and more will be scouting for new talent, Labor Day Weekend. The event will take place in Nashville. Thirty-eight music companies have already confirmed they will be there. Seven artists were signed to all expense paid album contracts at the last event. Do you have something more important to do, Labor Day weekend? For more information visit http://www.karaokesociety.com Or; email info@karaokesociety.com ************************************************** These DJs Play Independent Music Hank Svennson, POB 53, S 240 30 Marieholm, Sweden Kjell Hoerlin, Yvradsvagen 57 C, S 792 34 Mora, Sweden Lars Kjellberg, Slattavagen 2, S 791 75 Falun, Sweden Lars, POB 2039, S 792 02 Mora 2, Sweden Thomas Hyden, Bruksgatan 12, S 71595 Kilsmo, Sweden ************************************************** Kentucky Music Trails Kentucky's Board of Tourism and their publicity firm (Stone and Associates) contacted us last month. They invited us to send a staff member on a five days tour of their new tourist attraction, Kentucky Music Trails. The only staffer who could get away was our editor, Bobbie Patterson. She returned filled with great stories of the trip. She had a large time! The music was superb. The food was fabulous. The hotel rooms were plush. The hospitality was up to Kentucky's legendary standards. She has all of us feeling a little envy. If you love good music and true southern hospitality, contact Kentucky's Board of Tourism. They'll send you out a packet of information. You may visit http://www.stoneandassociates.com for more details. ************************************************** A Few Comments About Our Memorial Day Weekend Festival Subj: hello From: Dsimms55@aol.com Thank you so much for letting us be apart of your estival.. We had a great time at the show. The people seemed to enjoy themselves and sounded great These festivals are great! Can't wait for the next one. Debbie and Ernie (http://nashvilleonstage.com) Subj: What a Weekend! From: tboned1@juno.com (Troy Slaughter) Wanted to drop a line to say thank you for inviting us. It was great to see all of our new family again! Subj: Nashville Music Festival From: clsaunders@atomic.net (Cheryl Saunders) I want to take a few minutes to talk to you. First I want to thank you for a great weekend. My daughter and I came from Asheboro NC and we were very pleased with the outcome. We came to have a good time and we did. She ended up with several promoters cards and some very good advise. She met Robbie from South Carolina and they will be getting together to write some music and they are already planning to come back next year (providing we can work around her senior graduation). ************************************************** Nashville On Stage Moving To Better Venue Nashville On Stage has outgrown their venue, again. Artists and music companies continue to take advantage of this great free showcase opportunity. For more information, visit http://www.nashvilleonstage.com ************************************************** Tenth Annual King Eagle Show The tenth annual King Eagle Show is scheduled for the last weekend of September. It's been going on for 10 years, folks. You know they're doing something right. For more details, email airplayint@aol.com ************************************************** Texas Karaoke Society Plans East Texas Talent Search The Texas Karaoke Society will host their first annual east Texas Talent Search the three day weekend, after Thanksgiving. A lot of great talent has been discovered in east Texas. These folks are looking to find more of it. The legendary music promoter, Ambassador Charlie Ray will be attending. Numerous other music industry people will be there. If you live in east Texas and want a shot at being discovered make your plans. Instead of staying home eating left over turkey, get on stage. Be seen and be heard. You just might be discovered. For more information, email info@karaokesociety.com ************************************************** Country Music Contact Directory Available No matter what you need to advance your career, you're going to find it on this CDROM. It has hundreds of Nashville music companies, country music DJs, Songwriters' Associations, Country Music Associations, places to send your press releases, and more. For information email us at, intlcma@aol.com ************************************************** Chesney's Home Struck By Lightning Kenny Chesney came home from his tour to find his house had been hit by lightning. Chesney said the lightning strike "fried" all the electrical stuff in the house, including his "great" sound system, big-screen TV, computer and exterior lights. But he's glad nobody was hurt, that the house and its contents -- particularly pictures and mementos -- are intact and that everything that was damaged is replaceable. Chesney's "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" album hit No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and "The Good Stuff" moved into the top spot on the singles list. ************************************************** Foot In Mouth Disease Chad Brock's show in Colorado last week wasn't entertaining to some members of the crowd who were taken aback by the singer's remark that immigrants should learn to speak English. The pro wrestler turned country-western singer said during songs he is tired of having to adapt to the newcomers. He said, "We don't speak Spanish. We speak English here." Some Hispanics at the concert walked out. The Denver Post reported Brock later said he wasn't directing his comments at a particular group, and was "speaking his mind as an American." Hispanic leaders say Brock's remarks were "bigoted" and "hateful." Brock's third album is on the Warner Brothers label. ************************************************** Mel Tillis Sells Theater In Branson Mel Tillis has sold his theater in Branson, MO. He announced the sale of his 2,600 seat venue and 13 acres of land, July 10. He will perform 135 more shows there, through New Year’s Eve. He plans to write songs, record with his band, and make a Christmas album with his family. Tillis has been on the Branson scene since 1990. He built the theater in 1994. Sale price was not disclosed. Tillis will spend time at homes in Branson, Tennessee, and Florida. ************************************************** Delbert McClinton Has New Album Grammy winner, Delbert McClinton expects to release a new album, Sept. 24. One of the album's songs, "Lone StarBlues," features guest vocals from The Flatlanders, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, and others. McClinton wrote or co-wrote all 12 songs on the album and co-produced with Gary Nicholson. McClinton says. "I think we did a good job of following "Nothing Personal." This one picks you up at the end of that last one and takes you through the stuff going through my head since then. And there are some new twists that I'm very anxious for people to hear." ************************************************** Willie Nelson Records With Toby Keith Toby's new album will be released soon. Keith said Nelson came into the studio to team up with him on "Beer For My Horses," a song written by Keith and Scott Emerick. Nelson suggested a couple of changes and they recorded the track. Keith said of Nelson, "He amazes me." The song title comes from a cowboy expression used when a tough job is finished: "Whiskey for my men, and beer for my horses." ************************************************** Tim McGraw's Uncle Charged With Murder Country star Tim McGraw's uncle has been charged with murder, in California. Dennis McGraw, 55, was arraigned for the murder of a neighbor, July 16. Dennis McGraw is the brother of Tim's father, former New York Mets baseball star Tug McGraw. ************************************************** "Billboard" Magazine Starts Bluegrass Chart Billboard magazine will begin tracking bluegrass album sales separately. The magazine's new "Top Bluegrass Albums" chart will rank the many styles of bluegrass separately. The chart will be compiled by Wade Jessen, who manages the country and gospel music charts. Top-selling bluegrass albums such as the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack, Alison Krauss & Union Station still will appear on the Top Country Albums chart. ************************************************** Music Reviews On Hold This update does not contain reviews as is usually the case with the regular newsletter. Other duties prevent me from having the time to include reviews in this update. **************************************************
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