Ray Starr Country Club News-letter



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Ray Starr Country Club News-letter
August 2010
Hello Country Club Members,

I hope by now, members who receive the e-mail format had a chance to check out the audio format of the Ray Starr news-letter of which was announced in the July news-letter. Again, Thanks to member, Roger Behm, working it out for the audio-format of the Ray Starr Country Club, to be up and ready for listening.

In case some members haven't checked it out, follow the steps below to hear the various issues that are posted. Right now the May, June and the July 2010, are up on the site

adaptiveinformation.org

Then Tab to: download, press enter.

Tab to: miscellaneous, press enter,

Then tab to Ray Starr news-letters
— Happy birthday, you say that your birthday is coming up! Well, it's been quite interesting to receive each and every birthday request since starting this column last year. Hope I've played your favorite country birthday song, It's like a musical birthday card from us to each of the members on their day. So, members having their birthdays in September need to get their country song in by August 25th, 2010. Without any further chatter let's lite up the candles, peek at the list to see whose birthdays are for this issue and their country song selection on the jukebox. Hey, I've got an idea! Received the August birthday song requests and there's a nice list for a Ray Starr mini concert. So in the meantime, while I unplug the jukebox, and set up the music equipment go ahead and read: Story behind the song, Article on Tim McGraw, Recipe Box, The answer to Kevin's trivia game, Plus Kevin has another trivia in this issue, Stars in the News, Letters to Ray Starr, Entries for the trivia letter, and news about Hank Cochran.

There's a nice write-up within this issue, but here's a little news about Hank and that he placed seven songs on the country charts between 1962 and 1980. Believe it or not, his biggest hit as an artist, was "Sally Was A Good Old Girl," which peaked at # 20 in 1962.


— Birthday Song Request for August —
August 1, Debbie Weadon, Birthday Song Request is, Ray, Since my birthday is the first of August, thought it was only fitting to start out The Ray Starr Country Club News-letter with a Travis Tritt song, Country Club.
August 2, Natalie Cabrera, Birthday Song Request is, Ray Starr, I'm a big George Jones fan, Please could you play, He Stop Lovin Her today. No Problem but here's a little info about George Jones. Early in his career, George recorded under the name Thumper Jones and Hank Smith.
August 4, Maryann Dowding, Birthday Song Request is, Ray Starr please play the instrumental of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Hey, Maryann, I know how you enjoy my country style to it.
August 9th, Joann Sheehan, Birthday Song Request is, Misty Blue, by Eddie Arnold.
— Kevin's Trivia Game —

Hi Members, Here's the answers to my whose talking trivia game, that was in the July issue. According to the artists who had these hits, Who would say this to whom, if they were having this conversation. He said, Does Forth Worth ever cross your mind! George Strait. And She said, She Came from Fortworth, Kathy Mattea. Ok, I'll be back later in this issue to give members another Trivia Game, Kevin Mitchell,


— Trivia letter songs, entries —
Dear John, Aunt Shirley,

Letters Have No arms, Uncle Walt,

Check Yes Or No, Natalie Cabrera,

The Big Blue Note, Patrick Haske,

The Letter That Johnny Walker Read, Don Fong,

Love Me, Barb Wilson,

500 Miles Away From Home, Sharon Weddington,

The Letter, Kevin Mitchell,

Letters In The Sand, Steve Weadon,

— Debbie's Recipe Box —


August 2010

Meat Loaf,


1 1/2 to 2 lbs, ground beef,

3/4 cup quick cook oatmeal,

1/4 cup ketchup,

1/2 cup chopped onion,

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper,
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix well. Pat into a loaf pan. Bake 1 hour.
— Kevin's Trivia Game —

Hi, Here I am again, with another Trivia Game for August. Let's see how many country artists we come up with who are named John or Johnnie.

Good luck, Send your answers to: raystarr_music@att.net deadline August 25,

Kevin Mitchell,


— Letter to Ray Starr —
Dear Ray and Donna,

It looks like you two have another great news letter for July. Got the email version of it today, and am very much looking forward to hearing the audio for this issue.

Can't wait to hear your interview with John Lynch! Just love an Irish Accent. The article about Jimmy Dean was very good, and Debbie sent in another Good sounding Recipe. The recipe talk info has given me some good information as well. She does a wonderful job, providing recipes that are not only good tasting, but not too difficult to make. That is always a winner for me, because the less time I have to spend in the kitchen, the better. Unlike me, you can tell that Debbie likes to cook.

Wow! can't believe that in three short months It will be time for another Up Close With Ray Starr Interview. This female fan had a lot of fun doing the interview last year. Sure feel honored to be the first woman to interview you for the news letter. Well actually, that isn't exactly true as Donna Really holds that position. hahahaha

Whom ever does the next one, Hope they have a lot of fun doing it. You are a good subject, so am sure it will be great!

It is so cool to read the articles you have about different country singers and events. It is always fun to hear some of what is going on in the country music scene. Thank you to everyone that contributes to those articles.

Think it is Wonderful that Roger Beam is now putting your news letters on his Web site. A very good way to hear what you do either on the computer, or on the go if it is put onto a portable reading device. Thanks to both you and Roger for making that possible. It gives your fans with a computer another way to keep it country.

Have to say, that it is very enjoyable to read the Letters To Ray Starr that your fans send to you. It's fun to know what others like and what kinds of music interests them. Appreciate you sharing them with all of us. Thanks to you and donna for all that you give to us in the form of this news letter. It is always warm and friendly, and I for one feel like you and your guests are right in my living room and we are all having fun and having a good visit as well as some great entertainment. The two of you Rock!

I mean that in the very best country way.

Your Friend, and Fan, Barb Wilson,

Hello Barb,

Wow, Praising the newsletter like you did in this letter, it's very much appreciated and yet I need to say it's easy because of the love I have for Country Music. Through the past 3 years, Yes 3 years, isn't that amazing, anyway, we have tried our best to keep every issue full of music, country news, interviews with members who are musicians in their own right, as well as members wanting to take turns in having the spot-light in doing the column Up-Close with Ray Starr, along with other info you might not hear about via tv, newspaper or radio. ,as for your question, Who will be doing the column that is an exclusive for every November issue, Up Close with Ray Starr, all I can say is, the person will be announced within these pages of this month issue. Yes, all who contribute to the news-letter it's all appreciated and It's like I said before, this is your news-letter too. Whether it's The Recipe Box which by the way is getting filled up with all those good recipes Debbie continues to search for, news and views that our roving reporters send in, or members entering the many trivia challenges members reading articles from time to time, or wanting to have the monthly audio-news-letter available to log on via computer became a wonderful reality

adaptiveinformation.org

No matter which column is your absolute favorite one, I garenty you'll find yourself waiting and looking for the next issue to come out.

Ray Starr,
— Stars In The News —
— Mosaic, is Rickey Skaggs' next cd which will be available August 24th on Skaggs Family Records.
— Hank Williams Jr's "Rowdy Friends" tour, cranks back up September 17th in Evansville, Indiana and opening acts will include JAMEY JOHNSON, ERIC CHURCH, COLT FORD, GRETCHEN WILSON, LEE BRICE, JOSH THOMPSON, SUNNY SWEENEY and THE GRASCALS. The tour will wrap up October 23rd in Raleigh, North Carolina.
— Roy Rogers famous stuffed horse "Trigger" was sold for $266,500 to RFD-TV. Roy had the palomino — that was never bred and left no heirs — stuffed and displayed after it died at age 33 in 1965. Other Roy Rogers memorabilia included:

— A 1964 Bonneville convertible fitted with silver dollars (high bid: $254,500)

— Buttermilk, Dales' former horse (also stuffed; high bid: $25,000)

— Bullet, Roy's former dog (again, stuffed; high bid: $35,000)

— Photos of Roy Sr and friends (high bid: $8,125)

— Photos of Roy and his leading ladies (high bid: $1,375)


— Roy, known as "King of the Cowboys," is the only person ever inducted twice into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 1980 as a member of the original Sons of the Pioneers group. In 1988, he was again inducted as a solo artist.

Roy died in 1998, and Dale passed away in 2001.

— Story Behind The Song —
Very few songs get a second chance on record by the same artist And under a different title — but a 1972 hit by Sonny James did just that! In 1957, Sonny James recorded a song titled "You're The Reason I'm In Love," which wound up as the flipside of his monster hit, "Young Love." He decided to re-record the song in 1961, just about the time that Bobby Edwards released "You're The Reason." So Sonny decided to hold off releasing his version. By 1963, he again decided to release it when "You're The Reason I'm Living" made the pop charts for Bobby Darin. Again Sonny James put off releasing the song.

He finally released his recording in 1972 under the title, "That's Why I Love You Like I Do," which became his final number one single for Capitol Records. The record entered the country music charts May 13th, 1972 and two days later, Columbia Records announced that Sonny James was now recording for their label. The single was 40th charted song and his 21st number one.


— Story Behind The Song —
Sonny James accomplished many firsts during his recording career, one of them being the first and only country music act personally signed by Columbia Records head man Clive Davis.

Sonny was off to a fast start with Columbia, his first effort, "When The Snow Is On The Roses," entered the country charts July 22nd, 1972 and was at the top of the charts nine weeks later.

He followed that with "White Silver Sands," which topped out at number 5 and "I Love you More And more Everyday," which peaked at number 4.

But Clive Davis was fired in May 1973 after being accused of mishandling company funds.

According to Sonny, the incident was very disheartening to him as he was just getting up and running with Columbia.

But the mishap didn't stop James from recording hit songs, as he managed seventeen more hit singles for Columbia Records.


— Country songwriter Hank Cochran dead at 74

Hank Cochran, a consummate songwriter who composed a string of country hits including "Make the World Go Away" for Eddy Arnold, died Thursday, July 15th 2010. He was 74. Martha E Moore, his publicist, said Cochran died at his home in Hendersonville north of Nashville. He had been in declining health in recent years, and suffered an aortic aneurysm in March. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago. He co-wrote the following Number 1 hits: Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces"; George Strait's "Ocean Front Property"; and "Set 'em Up Joe" by Vern Gosdin.

He also wrote the Number 1 hits: "Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me" by Ronnie Milsap; "He's Got You" by Cline and Loretta Lynn; "I Want to Go With You" by Arnold; and "That's All That Matters to Me" by Mickey Gilley.

This pleading sentiment was expressed in 1965 in "Make the World Go Away":

Moore said Cochran's close friends Billy Ray Cyrus, Jamey Johnson and Buddy Cannon visited him Wednesday night and they sang songs together.

Cochran said recently: "I'm sure thankful to be where I am, and that the good Lord has run enough songs through me that I'm seriously satisfied with. As long as he keeps giving them to me, I'm going to try to do something with them." Survivors include his wife, three sons and a daughter. A private memorial service will be held later. His ex-wife is Grand Ole Opry singer Jeannie Seely.

Cochran was born in Isola, Mississippi, and worked the New Mexico oilfields as a young man.

He arrived in Nashville in 1960, and got a job as a staff songwriter with Pamper Music for $50 a week, hired by country singer Ray Price.

Shortly after that, Cochran helped Willie Nelson get a songwriting job with Pamper. Nelson went on to write classics such as "Crazy," sung by Cline, and his own singing career. "I recorded a lot of his songs," Price said Thursday about Cochran. "He was a great songwriter and a great friend, so it's a double loss for me."

Cochran was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.
— Stars In The News —
— Jerry Lee Lewis has assembled an all-star lineup for his forthcoming Mean Old Man album, including three big-name country stars. The album, which will be produced by Jim Keltner and Steve Bing, will feature collaborations from Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. It will also feature Ronnie Wood on the title track, which was co-written by Kris Kristofferson, who also appears on the album. Other guest artists on the album include Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, John Fogerty, Sheryl Crow, Slash, John Mayer, Kid Rock and Shelby Lynne.

The album is slated for release on September 7, both as a 10-track CD and as an 18-track deluxe set.


— Reba McEntire will release her second album with her new label, The Valory Music Co., on November 9. The album has not yet been named, but the lead-off single, "Turn on the Radio," has been scheduled for release through iTunes on August 3. "I fell for the song immediately," McEntire says, according to The Boot. "I love that it's an up-tempo, strong woman song about a woman who has been done wrong by her lover and is telling him to turn on the radio if he wants to hear from her through their favorite song." McEntire's previous album with the new label, Keep On Loving You, sold over 500,000 copies in the U S alone. It produced the hit song "Consider Me Gone," which spent four-weeks atop the country music charts and marked the singer's 63rd top 10 single. While filming for Reba McEntire's "Turn On The Radio" video, it was halted when an electrical storm disrupted the production. She and the crew took shelter in a 100-year-old warehouse near downtown Nashville.
— Wynonna Judd has been released from a Salt Lake City hospital following a head-on collision that took place Wednesday, July 21, involving herself, her daughter and her tour manager. "It's a miracle that I'm alive," Wynonna told the Lake Tahoe Daily Tahoe Tribune. "I was in a major head-on collision and they didn't want to let me out of the hospital. I said, 'Listen . . . I've got to go do a show. The guys were like, 'If anybody can Wynonna, it's you. You've shown us that you have quite the spunk."

Wynonna isn't expected to miss any more shows.

Not even the show at the Lake Tahoe Music Festival on July 31. "It was pretty dramatic but I'm OK," she said the next day. "One day you're on top of the world and the next day you're in the emergency room with a CAT scan and you think, 'Gosh, life is pretty precious and it's pretty fragile sometimes . . . and it's a miracle that I survived this crash."
— Rosanne Cash and Patty Griffin are among the confirmed performers for the upcoming 9th Annual Americana Honors and Awards ceremony. Other stars slated for the show include Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris, along with Will Kimbrough, Sam Bush, Wanda Jackson, and others. Jim Lauderdale will host the show. The 9th Annual Americana Honors and Awards will be presented at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on September 9th.
— Billy Joe Shaver underwent a procedure last week in which doctors inserted a stent. Shaver's manager Greg Henry says a complete recovery is expected, and the singer plans on returning to the road next month. Shaver's next scheduled date is in Happy Valley, Oregon on August 6th.
— Roy Orbison's "The Last Concert," features his final performance recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 4th, 1988 — just two days before his death.

"The Last Concert" features 14 of Orbison's biggest hits and will be in stores on August 10th.


— Letter to Ray Starr —
Hello Ray and Donna,

I just got done listening to the July audio format of the Ray Starr Country Club. I sure enjoyed John Lynch's portion in the Stars Among us. It was interesting to find out that Danny Boy isn't a favorite song among most Irish folks. That surprised me, I thought for many years that Danny Boy was like an Irish anthum. Thanks to John, for sharing Bill Monroe's version, of Danny Boy, I had never heard it before now. I have a Jim Reeves recording of Danny Boy. I believe that even Conway twitty did a version as well. That's when Conway was in to rock and roll. Maybe I'm being picky, but I believe that Danny Boy was meant to be a slow song verses being done, in a rock and roll style. I remember in a March issue, John talking about Saint Patrick's Day and how they don't celebrate it like we do here in the states, with parades and hitting the bars etc.

Ray, I've got to tell you that it's been great receiving the audio-format not just for the info but the music as well. There have been some songs I haven't heard in a while or songs I haven't heard at all, but know it's all great. Speaking of music, I really like the song, Love Me Like A Song. Who is Kimmy Road! The cd with Georgette and her Dad, do you know where it's available for purchase! Is it at Cracker Barrel! I really enjoyed that song and she sure sounds like her Mom, Tammy Wynette.

Now, that song you put on by Tammy Cochrane and Conway! In order for them to do that song, Conway Twitty must have sung the song before!! It's amazing how record companies put out these songs, but after a while it's like they don't know what to put out and so let's have so and so sing with so and so. Even tho their no longer living.

Technology is great but sometimes it goes just a little too far, and over use today's digital format. I mean for example, there's a version of Blue Christmas that Elvis does with Martina McBride. How strange is that!!

Ray I sure did enjoy your mini concert and liked your version of Mel Tillis's song, Who's Juli! Kevin Mitchell,

Hello Kevin,

I appreciate your letter and you sure have a few topics to talk to me about. Thanks to many sources of obtaining music today helps us keep the newsletter entertaining. You asked the question who's Kimmy roads to be honest I don't know. If someone out there can shed a little information on KIMMY Roads that would be helpful.

But you know, just about anyone these days seem to be getting together to sing with Willie.

In regards to the Song Danny Boy, I've heard many versions. Even Conway Twitty's version which in my opinion wasn't too bad. I like being able to improvise and catch people off guard by playing a different version than they're expecting.

Technology is a wonderful thing to encounter. Some product are improved and then again some are not a good Example Our television format today and that's not for the better.

Now, Let's talk about the song that Tammy Cochrane and Conway Twitty sang together. Actually, Conway never sang with Tammy Cochrane nor did he sing this particular song. What a lot of people don't know is engineers went through every vocal recording that Conway Made to find exact phrasing of lines and music to coincide with Tammy's song. That took a lot of time and as a result Conway's family were very proud of this musical selection. As for the cd with Georgette and her Dad, George Jones I don't know where it's available for purchase! I had read an article about them doing this particular song, You, Me and time, so I looked it up via the computer. I didn't spot it out at Cracker Barrel, but it wouldn't surprise me if they carry it. Thanks again for your comments in regards to the newsletter.

Now going back to the July issue, John Lynch, had a request about a song and was wondering if any of the members had uncovered his answer. To hear the song that John is referring to go to: adaptiveinformation.org

Like he said, it's been one of his longtime wants, like John, I've been wondering if any member was successful in locating, who had the original of it. The song was covered over in Ireland, by an Irish showband in 1969, Gregory and the Cadets, called The Dying Ranger. This is the only version that he's ever heard of and it sounds like an Irish song in melody and style, but of course it's a cowboy one. John says, that someone like Gene Autry may have done it in the 1930's or 40's. If any member has an idea where john, might possibly research this song and who had it, he'd appreciate your country knowledge. John, I haven't stopped looking for the answer to your question, and hopefully one day we'll figure it out.!!

Ray Starr,
— Now the announcement for the winner, of the Trivia Letter Song. Our last Trivia was on duets songs, and member Cornelius Haske was the winnner with, Love Me Like A Song, by Kim Road and Willie Nelson. So, we called him up and had a little drawing, to see who was the winner of the Letter Song. There were 9 entries, then we had Cornelius (Dad) pick a number from 1 to 9. Ok, Cornelius (Dad) we need a little country drum roll as we announce your answer. Congratulations is going out to number 5, member, Don Fong, with his entry of, The Letter That Johnny Walker Read. Don, be on the look-out for your prize-package, and thanks for Keeping It Country.

— Stars In The News —


— "Loving You: Collecting Elvis Presley" will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee on August 6th, and remain through the end of January. An Elvis Christmas ornament and porcelain music box are among the featured items, along with a bottle of "Always Elvis" wine and an Armand LaMontagne bronze bust of the pop culture icon. Presley's own Munsingwear bathrobe and his Lord Nelson wristwatch are also part of the exhibit.
— According to Willie Nelson, "Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America" will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 2nd.
— Nielsen, recently presented Tim McGraw with a plaque to commemorate his 7,965,000 radio plays. According to the chart-keepers, this makes McGraw the most played artist of the last decade. Since hitting the country scene in 1990, McGraw has moved over 40 million albums, nearly a dozen of which consecutively debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart. The "Something Like That" singer also has 30 number one singles. "We congratulate Tim McGraw on being the most played artist of the decade on radio," Nielsen Entertainment President Eric Weinberg said in a statement earlier this week. "His career and songs have resonated not only with his fans, but has become part of the fabric of America, evidenced by his unprecedented airplay." Nielsen's statistics take into account all of McGraw's on-air spins from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2009.
— The Fox television network has announced that it will be airing a new country music awards show. The awards ceremony, the American Country Awards, will allow fans to select the winners and will premiere live from Las Vegas on December 6. The show will be produced by Bob Bain, who currently also produces the network's Teen Choice Awards. Fox's award ceremony is the fourth country award ceremony hosted by a network. At the moment, ABC hosts the Country Music Awards, CBS hosts the Academy of Country Music Awards, and CMT hosts the Country Music Television Awards.
— Congratulations to Ralph Emery on his induction into National Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2010. Well deserved by one of the great radio voices. Ralph has filled the airwaves for many years bringing country music and interviews with the greatest stars of music. This is a great honor for Ralph and our country music industry is a better industry because of the efforts of Ralph Emery. NATIONAL RADIO HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2010.
Ralph Emery, Terri Hemmert, Carl Kasell, Music and the Spoken Word featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Executive Cathy Hughes and the late Sam Phillips are set for induction. The National Radio Hall of Fame, announced the results of its national online balloting process for induction into America's only National Radio Hall of Fame. The public selected:
— Ralph Emery, A country music icon, Emery began his career as the late-night disc jockey on country music's flagship WSMSTNashville. The station reached much of the southern and central U S and the show became a launching pad for promising country artists. Emery left his overnight duties to concentrate on television, hosting the syndicated Pop! Goes the Country and Nashville Now on The Nashville Network. He also hosted a morning show for WSM Television and is the author of two best-selling books featuring his favorite memories from the shows.
— Terri Hemmert, A disc jockey known for her encyclopedic knowledge of music and especially the Beatles, the civically-active Hemmert made Chicago radio history in 1981 when she became the first female morning drive personality in Chicago on WXRT-FM. Currently Terri hosts mid-days on WXRT and produces Breakfast with the Beatles.
— Carl Kasell, NPR broadcaster Carl Kasell has spent over 50 years in radio holding positions such as news director, morning anchor, and newscaster. Currently he is the official judge and scorekeeper for NPR's weekly news quiz show, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Kasell also provides newscasts at the top of each hour throughout NPR's daily newsmagazine Morning Edition. Over the course of his career, he has won several awards for his contributions and commitment to public radio.
— Music and the Spoken Word, A program of inspiration and music, featuring The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Music and the Spoken Word is the longest-running radio broadcast in America. The Choir, which first started broadcasting on July 15, 1929, is made up of 360 volunteer members.

— The National Radio Hall of Fame Steering Committee also selected one posthumous inductee and one off air Executive for their major contributions to the radio industry. They are:


— Cathy Hughes, An innovative and dynamic pioneer of urban radio and Founder and Chairman of Radio One, the largest African-American owned radio-television corporations in the United States. A respected industry leader, Hughes is known for her determination to succeed, her programming skills and her business acumen.
— Sam Phillips (deceased), The late radio station owner and record producer and owner of Sun Records known for discovering Elvis Presley. Phillips ushered in an era of rhythm and blues and rock and roll music on the radio in the early 1950's. A former DJ on WLAYSTMuscle Shoals, AL, he used his airwaves to showcase a host of young talent who would become American music icons, including Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.

— Westwood One Radio Networks will produce and distribute the live two-hour induction broadcast on Saturday November 6, 2010 at 10PM (ET) from The Mayne Stage in Chicago.

To learn and hear more about the 2010 inductees as well as past National Radio Hall of Fame inductees please visit:

www.radiohof.org


— Tim McGraw: country star, film actor and changed man —

Celebrity types sometimes get accused of changing after they spend some time in the spotlight. Tim McGraw, who has become an in-demand actor as well as a hit-making country singer, is one who will admit to it. He figures he needed to change, and after a while he wanted to change. It wasn't a matter of an intervention or a watershed moment. Just some tweaks that moved him further away from a character in one of his finer singles, the one that goes, "I don't know why you gotta be angry all the time." And sobriety has helped. McGraw hasn't won a major Country Music Association award in six years, in spite of monumental commercial successes. On Thursday night, June 10, he played the CMA Music Festival for the first time since 2001. At times unsupported by the Nashville music scene and often at odds with his Nashville-based Curb Records label, he was the headliner and helped to organize the Nashville Rising flood benefit show on June 22. "I didn't want to battle anymore," said McGraw, sitting in an upstairs office at Red Light Management in Hillsboro Village. "You get in your own little world and sometimes you don't realize you're the only one battling." A Hollywood attraction McGraw's changes won't be noticed by most of the people who witness his live shows. He still saunters around the stage and sings from a catalogue that includes 44 Top 10 country singles over the past 16 years. But offstage, there's an air of openness and welcoming to the 43-year-old that wasn't necessarily there in the past. Sometimes, the changes are evidenced in the small stuff. A decade ago, McGraw was apt to grasp for a grudge to hold. These days, he smiles and jokes around people with whom he used to feud. "There was some legitimate anger and some illegitimate anger, and a lot of times I should have just shut up and sang instead of being worried about what someone said about my wife (fellow country star Faith Hill) in the paper, or what someone on a radio station was saying," he said. "I probably had some legitimate gripes that I handled the wrong way. Plus, I drank too much for a while. I've been sober for two years now, and that's done a lot to help me let go of a lot of things. "There was a time when I thought, and there's still a tinge of truth to it, that when Faith and I got married, there was this thing where people liked the idea at first, and then they didn't like the idea that both of us were successful," he continued. "So they were going to figure out how to knock one of us down. I got the attitude in my mind that that's what was going on, and I fiercely defended her, to the point where I (ticked) a lot of people off. And if you're in a high-profile situation where you feel like you're fighting windmills everywhere you turn, it starts getting dark to you." Then, too, there are other fish to fry, and they're big enough to put interpersonal Music City squabbles into perspective. McGraw is a Hollywood attraction now, starring in movies such as Friday Night Lights, The Blind Side and the upcoming Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle, Love Don't Let Me Down. McGraw said the big-screen activities augment and enable his musical endeavors. "Acting and music, one helps the other," he said. "As an actor and as a singer in the studio or onstage, you're trying to create empathy. With both of them, you're creating these scenes and wanting someone to attach themselves to the character. In acting, I've seen myself get better. But I feel like I'm about 30 percent as good as I think I can be. It's like with singing, when I go into the studio and have these notions of, 'This is how I'm going to sing this song. Then I hear it back, and, (expletive), it's just me. There I am again. I just want to be good." Or more than good. "He wants to be great," said friend and co-writer Brett Warren. "He's been able to reinvent himself and stay relevant over so many years in part because of his competitive nature." On radio and in terms of album sales, McGraw has already put together what Billboard-country-charts director Wade Jessen calls "a career for the ages." Twenty-three of his singles have topped the country charts, and 10 of his albums have sold more than a million copies. "He went from having what I think he would reflect on as lack-luster material in the early days to a lot of records that sounded good on the radio, like I Like It, I Love It, but from about 1998 forward he started to give us some intelligent, unusual, thoughtful songs" Jessen said. "Stuff like 'Please Remember Me1' 'Red Ragtop' and 'Live Like You Were Dying1' those are songs that change people's lives and change the way they think about things. He has an unbelievable career under his belt if he never had another hit record." I'm blessed. McGraw has no plans to discontinue issuing hit records. If recent history holds up, though, he won't likely be collecting any awards for those hits, or for being one of country's top touring acts. "I'm blessed, and I don't like to complain about awards and nominations," he said. "I do think it makes a difference to your fans, though. Someone may say, 'Nobody remembers who won last year1' and that's true, but there are fans who watch the awards and if someone isn't nominated they think, 'Maybe they're on their way out. It does affect the mindset of fans, and the people in the industry know that or they wouldn't try to manipulate it. What's the criteria for entertainer of the year, anyway?" According to the Country Music Association's criteria, the CMA's entertainer prize is supposed to go to "The act displaying the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field." Voters are directed to consider recordings, touring, staging, public acceptance, leadership and contribution to country's image. For his part, McGraw has recently starred in an Oscar-nominated movie, notched another top-charting album, scored hit records and sold out numerous arena concerts Several acts, most notably McGraw, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith, are annual no-shows in the entertainer final nominee pool while retaining spots near the top of country music visibility and profitability rankings.

"The CMA is 100 percent industry-voted, and if for any reason the industry has a bur under its blanket for you, you're not going to pull those votes in," Jessen said. "That said, I haven't had anybody in the business come up to me and say anything negative about Tim McGraw, and I've been working in this town the entire time he's been having hit records. When you're a standalone record company like Tim's label, there's a mathematical disadvantage to that if you don't have a big voting block to vote for you."

The west coast-based Academy of Country Music Awards is a fan-voted show, but grabbing nominations and awards there involves galvanizing supporters online. McGraw's fan base is geared more to ticket-buying than to Internet excitement. In any case, McGraw is now working on his final studio album for Curb, after which he plans to part with the label. He has yet to decide his next label move, but he'll mostly likely insist on a situation that allows him more freedom to determine which songs will be radio singles. "I almost hate for somebody to know my career just by what's on the radio," he said. "A lot of times, that's not your best music. Maybe it's your most commercial music, but not necessarily the best. I've fought to put out things that might not be big commercial hits, but they ended up being impactful. Drugs or Jesus' was only the teens on the chart, but I get a lot of comments about that song." Warren has watched McGraw attempt to move forward as an artist and as a person, while industry concerns sometimes tugged at his sleeve. "People have tried to get him to release songs that are more like I Like It, I Love It," Warren said. "And he could do that, and it could work. But he'll say, 'My fans have already heard that from me, and I don't want them to have to buy the same thing. He tries to grow, and as friends outside of our careers we've all tried to grow as people. He's a lot more focused in some ways, but at the same time he's more laid back now. He wants to do what's right."

Tim McGraw's first film appearance, playing Sheriff Cliff Powers in Rick Schroeder's iffy 2004 movie, Black Cloud, was the cinematic equivalent of his first country single, 1992's unpopular "Welcome To The Club." But McGraw soon found his way as an actor. "Maybe getting better in acting is getting more comfortable, and I'm definitely that," he said. McGraw fared much better in 2004's Friday Night Lights, in which he played a bombastic football coach. Here are some other acting highlights:

.. Flicka, 2006: McGraw played a concerned father in this family film.

.. Four Christmases, 2007: McGraw had a supporting role in this movie, which also featured Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek.

.. The Blind Side, 2009: McGraw won praise for his role as Sean Tuohy, a father who takes a struggling young athlete into the family. Sandra Bullock won an Academy Award for her role as wife Leigh Ann Tuohy. McGraw's upcoming films include Love Don't Let Me Down, in which he plays Gwyneth Paltrow's husband and manager. And Dirty Girl, which stars Milla Jovovich.

— Trivia for September —


This Trivia idea was suggested by member Patrick Haske a couple of months ago. And with Labor Day coming up, we'd like to do a tribute to the Truck-drivers. So, send in one song about truck-drivers or Trucks, as well as the Country Artist who sings the song entry.

Deadline is, August 25th. raystarr_music@att.net


Hi Everyone, Pull up a rocker, because it's time for Country Kick-back on the porch. Yes, it's time to go sit out on the porch and enjoy the cooler evenings, with a ice cold glass of Coke-classic, ice tea or maybe even ice cold lemonade, and of course sit on our Cracker Barrel Rockers. And as we do, we wanted to write and say it's been great doing the news-letters for the past three years. Hope we've entertained, as well as informed you on various Country News. Congratulations, again to Don Fong with the winning Trivia entry of, The Letter that Johnny Walker Read.
Barb Wilson had asked the question in her letter to Ray Starr, pertaining to the up-coming column Up Close with Ray Starr and who would be the interviewer in November. Well, I talked with Mark to see how things were going and if he was up to tackling the Up-Close. As a result, I told Mark to pick a number from 1 to 45, and this member would be the next person to turn the mic and interview Ray Starr. Mark picked number 27, and I'm pleased to announce that come November member Jim Dean will be the next interviewer. In fact, Jim will be the very first person to actually come right to the Ray Starr studio and do The Up-Close. The others before him had to do their portion of the interview via phone or sd card.

Congratulations Cowboy Jim and I look forward to our chat in November.

Remember the dead-line for the September trivia tribute to the Truck-drivers, Kevin's Trivia Game and those having their birthdays in September need this info by August 25th.
Continue Keeping It Country,

Ray Starr,

raystarr_music@att.net
Ps, Check out the August audio-format in a few days:

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Then tab to Ray Starr news-letters

— Any questions or comments or to order the Ray Starr second cd, Your Lovely Letters:



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