Willie goes left and
angers many Texans
Taylor Swift and Willie Nelson have come under fire for calling on fans to
vote for Democratic candidates in their home states. Following Swift’s Internet
blurb to her 112-million fan base, encouraging Tennessee votes for Phil
Bredesen to succeed outgoing Sen. Bob Corker. Org officials stated there
were more than 65,000 new voter registrants filed.
Down Texas way, Willie entertained at a Sept. 29 Beto O’Rourke campaign
rally to defeat sitting Senator Ted Cruz, a strong supporter of the current
President. Nelson even wrote a song for the occasion, titled “Vote ’Em Out,”
telling the assemblage: “Here’s a new song I wanna spring on y’all tonight.
Take it home with you and spread it around!” In it, he’s heard warbling, “The
biggest gun we’ve got / Is called the ballot box... So if you don’t like who’s in
there/Vote ’em out...” Many fans were outraged however, especially in Texas,
where it seemed to come as surprise to them that Willie’s political viewpoint
leans a little towards the left.
Paisley aid
Brad Paisley and actress-wife Kimberly
Williams joined Belmont University in
establishing The Store to benefit the hungry
and those in need. Brad serves as president of
The Store’s board of trustees. Other partners,
including Second Harvest Food Bank, will
strive to ensure the needy receive fresh
and nonperishable groceries up to a year.
Reportedly, consumers will be referred by
nonprofits and government agencies. An actual
Store is located on 12th Avenue, adjacent to the
University. “This is a grocery store with dignity
for people who have fallen on hard times. All of
us are one unforeseen disaster away from rock
bottom. It’s nice to think about a place where
when that happens to someone, they can use it
to get back on their feet.”
Getting their digital dues
That fellow elected U.S. President in 2016, Donald Trump, signed into law - Oct.
11 - a bipartisan Music Modernization Act, updating copyright laws songwriters,
publishers, labels and now digital music firms, have long been pursuing, despite
today’s existing bitterness between political parties. Attending the Oval Office
signing were such industry names as Sam Moore, John Rich, Beach Boy Mike
Love, Recording Academy chief Neil Portnow, Kid Rock, Doobie Brother Jeff
Baxter, Craig Morgan and Kanye West (who added a lengthy, boorish POTUS
tribute to his thank you that day).
According to Steve Bogard, NSAI president, “We have worked on elements of this
legislation for 15 years. With the passage of this law, every professional songwriter
in America, including myself, who has suffered devastating economic losses in
the era of digital music delivery, can now breathe a sigh of relief and be optimistic
about the future of our profession. Along with the songs that bear my name, this is
my proudest accomplishment.”
SESAC and Sirius XM Radio were prime oppositions to the proposed new law,
but artists like Paul McCartney and Don Henley supported the Act in a stern letter
to them. Others finally lending backing include RIAA, and the National Music
Publishers Assn., in a pact brokered by Global Music Rights’ honcho Irving Azoff.
An important amendment sought by SiriusXM resolved a long-standing issue,
guaranteeing artists be paid 50% of the monies the agency pays labels for pre-1972
sound recordings, not previously covered by federal law.
NOVEMBER 2018 - cmp 5