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>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE
PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> MAILMAN TURNED HIT SONG
WRITER.
JIM MCBRIDE ON THIS EDITION OF
CONVERSATIONS.
>> JIM MCBRIDE IS ONE OF THE BIG
GUYS ON NASHVILLE'S MUSIC ROW.
HIS SONG WRITING RESUME BOASTS
GRAMMY NOMINATION AND COUNTRY
MUSIC ASSOCIATION SONG OF THE
YEAR AWARD.
IN THE LATE 1970s AND MOST OF
1980, MCBRIDE DELIVERD THE MAIL
IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.
THE FOLLOWING 30 SOME ODD YEARS,
HE WOULD DELIVER HIT SONGS WITH
SIX NUMBER ONES, TEN TOP TENS
AND 18 TOP 40 HITS.
MCBRIDE'S SONGS HAVE BEEN
COUNTRY GOLD FOR ARTISTS LIKE
ALAN JACKSON, JOHNNY LEE, CONWAY
TWITTY AND WAYLON --
CHATTAHOOCHEE, ROSE IN PARADISE
AND BET YOUR HEART ON ME.
GLAD TO HAVE JIM MCBRIDE ON THIS
EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> HOW DID YOU GO FROM CARRYING
THE MAIL IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
TO NASHVILLE'S MUSIC ROW?
>> I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS CURSED
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER BUT
APPARENTLY I WAS.
I DON'T KNOW.
I CARRIED MAIL FOR 14 1/2 YEARS
BUT TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, I
WROTE MY FIRST SONG WHEN I WAS
12 YEARS OLD.
I WROTE THE NEXT ONE WHEN I WAS
19.
THEN I JUST KEPT GETTING THESE
SONGS IN MY HEAD AND I COULDN'T
EVEN PLAY GUITAR OR PIANO.
I WOULD GO TO THE FIRE HALL AND
SING TO THIS GUY WHO WAS A GOOD
GUITAR PLAYER AND CARRY MY TAPE
RECORDER OUT THERE.
SO I WOULD SING SONGS TO HIM, HE
WOULD PLAY THEM, THAT'S WHEN I
TOOK TO NASHVILLE AND THROUGH
THE YEARS, I WOULD STOP FOR
MAYBE SIX MONTHS THEN IT WOULD
BE -- I WOULD START BACK AGAIN.
AND FINALLY, JUST DECIDED I HAD
TO FIND OUT IF I COULD DO IT OR
NOT.
THEN I GOT SERIOUS ABOUT IT.
>> TAKE ME BACK WHEN YOU WERE A
CHILD.
HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER I CAN
DO THIS?
>> WELL, I GREW UP IN CHURCH OF
CHRIST.
THERE WAS NO MUSIC.
THEY SAID THE PENTACOSTALS GOT
THE JUMP ON US.
MY MOTHER'S FAMILY WAS VERY --
THEY LOVED SING AND COUPLE
PLAYED INSTRUMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW.
I LOVED BASEBALL AND I THOUGHT I
WAS GOING TO BE A BASEBALL
PLAYER.
THAT DIDN'T WORKOUT.
BUT I LIKED POETRY AND I KIND OF
KEPT THAT TO MYSELF T BOYS ON
THE PLAYGROUND, THEY DON'T WANT
TO HEAR THAT.
SO I KIND OF KEPT THAT WRITING
THING AND THE ONLY THANK
INTERESTED ME IN SCHOOL, I LIKED
AMERICAN HISTORY BUT MY SENIOR
YEAR WE HAD CREATIVE WRITING AND
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY
EDUCATIONAL CAREER THE TEACHER
WAS HOLDING MY PAPER UP IN FRONT
OF THE CLASS.
IT'S LIKE -- IT'S JUST -- I
THINK IT'S ALWAYS THERE.
>> SOMETHING YOU WERE BORN WITH.
>> I THINK SONG WRITERS ARE
BORN.
I DO.
I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO
DEVELOP THAT TALENT JUST LIKE A
LOT OF OTHER THINGS BUT YES, I
THINK ABOUT EVERY -- YOU KNOW,
2,000 OR SO GOD GOES OKAY, YOU.
YOU KNOW.
>> WHEN YOU WENT TO NASHVILLE,
OR I GUESS PRIOR TO GOING TO
NASHVILLE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO
SET THE STAGE?
>> I MADE A LOT OF TRIPS,
LOBLOLLY I WAS ONLY 100-MILES A
WAY IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA SO I
COULD GO UP IN THE MORNING AND
COME BACK.
LATER WHEN I WAS MARRIED WITH
KIDS, I WOULD GET A HOTEL ROOM,
HOTEL ROOM IN FRANKLIN SOUTH OF
TOWN AND THEY WOULD STAY THERE
AND I WOULD GO INTO TOWN.
MY LAST YEAR AT POST OFFICE I
HAD 20 DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE, I
SPENT 18 OF IT IN NASHVILLE.
AND I GUESS IT'S OKAY TO SAY
THIS NOW, BUT AFTER 14 YEARS AT
THE POST OFFICE WHEN I LEFT, I
HAD 3 DAYS SICK LEAVE.
IT WAS A GREAT JOB, I WAS VERY
BLESSED TO HAVE IT BUT I WAS
MISERABLE, IT'S NOT WHAT I
WANTED TO DO.
FIRST IT STARTED WAY TOO EARLY.
YOU KNOW, 6:00 O'CLOCK IN THE
MORNING.
>> WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG YOU
HAD SUCCESS WITH IN NASHVILLE?
>> I HAD A FEW THINGS, THE FIRST
SUCCESS I HAD WAS H A
HEALTHCAREGER TWINS CUT AN
ALBUM, I HAD HALF THE SONGS ON
THE ALBUM, DIDN'T MAKE MUCH
MONEY BUT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF
ALMOST EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT THEY
WERE DOING A SONG OF MINE ON
HEEHAW AND MY HEART JUST NEARLY
JUMP OUT OF MY CHEST, I JUST
COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
BUT WHILE I WAS STILL CARRYING
MAIL I WROTE A SONG WITH ROGER
MURROW CALLED THE BRIDGE THAT
JUST WON'T BURN AND CONWAY
TWITTY BURNED IT, AND I MADE UP
MY MIND IF IT DID WELL, THAT I
WAS GOING TO QUIT THE POST
OFFICE.
SO HE SINGLED AND I DID, I QUIT
THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS AND
MOVED MY FAMILY TO NASHVILLE.
>> AND ONCE YOU GOT THERE, WHAT
WAS IT LIKE?
>> I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I MEAN THEY'RE PAYING ME TO
WRITE SONGS, ARE YOU KIDDING?
MY LAST YEAR AT THE POST OFFICE,
BY WORKING SIX DAYS A WEEK TEN
HOURS A DAY I MADE PRETTY GOOD
MONEY.
ALL WENT TO NASHVILLE FOR A
GUARANTEE OF $18,000.
THAT WAS TWO-THIRDS OF WHAT I
MADE THE YEAR BEFORE, THIS WAS
1981.
SO ALL I HAD WAS ONE YEAR
GUARANTEED.
I HAD TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN
THAT FIRST YEAR, I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO BUT YOU
KNOW WHAT, I DIDN'T CARE.
I KNEW FINALLY AT 33 ALMOST 34,
HEYDAY CHANCE TO DO WHAT I HAD
DREAMED OF DOING SO IT DIDN'T
REALLY -- I DIDN'T EVEN THINK
TWICE.
I KNEW -- I HAD ALWAYS WORKED.
IF THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT I
WOULDN'T GO BACK TO ALABAMA BUT
I WOULD FIND A JOB AND SUPPORT
MY FAMILY.
>> I READ SOMEWHERE A QUOTE OF
YOURS THAT SAID SOMETHING TO THE
EFFECT THAT YOU WERE EXCITED
ABOUT BEING SCARED.
>> OH, YEAH.
WHEN I USED TO TAKE SONGS UP
THERE, I SMOKED BACK THERE, IT
WAS 100-MILE UP AND BACK AND I
WOULD SMOKE LIKE FOUR PACKS OF
CIGARETTES.
I WAS SO NERVOUS IT WAS LIKE
NEVER NEVER LAND TO ME TO GO
THERE AND KNOWING THAT ALL OF
THE MUSIC THAT I LOVED, I MEAN I
LOVED ROCK AND ROLL TOO BUT ALL
THE COUNTRY MUSIC I LOVE WAS
MADE ON THOSE THREE OR FOUR
STREETS RIGHT THERE.
AND IT WAS NEVER NEVER LAND TO
ME.
I WAS SO NERVOUS TO GO TALK TO
ANYBODY.
AND I THINK ABOUT THAT NOW
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING IN I
REMEMBER DRIVING THANK YOU VERY
MUCH SAME ROAD FRANKLIN ROAD,
AND I REMEMBER HOW SCARED I WAS
WHEN I FIRST STARTED TAKING
SONGS TO NASHVILLE.
>> YOU HAD A HIT FAIRLY EARLY ON
WITH JOHNNY LEE.
>> YEAH.
ACTUALLY I WROTE THAT SONG WHILE
I WAS STILL CARRYING MAIL.
I DID A DEMO SESSION WHICH IS,
THAT'S WHERE YOU TAKE THE SONGS
AND DRESS THEM UP AND YOU USE
THE SAME PLAYERS THEY USE ON THE
RECORDS, THEY JUST DON'T SPEND
AS MUCH TIME WITH THEM.
YOU DO FIVE OR SIX SONGS IN
THREE HOURS.
THE MUSICIANS ARE INCREDIBLE.
SO I DID THIS, MY PUBLISHER WAS
TRYING TO -- THE GUY THAT WAS
WANTING TO BE MY PUBLISHER WAS
TRYING TO GET AGREE TO PAY MY
ADVANCE.
SO I DID THIS SIX SONG DID THIS
SIX SONG DEMO, AND THEY HEARD IT
AND GAVE ME A YEAR.
I FORGOT THE QUESTION.
>> DID JOHNNY LEE SONG --
[LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY.
>> YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, SONG
WRITERS WE SIT AT THE STAGE AND
IT'S LIKE OKAY, THIS HAPPENS TO
ME AND MY FRIEND, IT'S LIKE OKAY
WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?
WE HAVE TO DO THE FIRST VERSE,
AND THEN IT GETS TO THE -- I
WROTE THAT SONG.
I USED TO -- I DIDN'T START
WRITING UNTIL ABOUT TEN O'CLOCK
AT NIGHT AND WIFE AND KIDS GO TO
BED, I GET IN A DARK LIVING
ROOM, LIGHT A CANDLE AND GET MY
GUITAR AND NOTE PAD AND START
WRITING AND I WROTE THAT SONG
BEFORE I MOVED TO NASHVILLE.
RIGHT AFTER I MOVED TO
NASHVILLE, I THINK CHARLIE MONK
WHO WAS THERE MANY YEARS,
CHARLIE PITCHED THAT SONG AND
JOHNNY LEE CUT IT LIKE IN APRIL
AND IT WENT NUMBER 1 IN OCTOBER
OR NOVEMBER, WHICH BOUGHT ME TWO
MORE YEARS.
>> CAN YOU DO A LITTLE BIT OF
IT?
>> YEAH.
♪♪ YOU TOOK A CHANCE ON HIM ♪♪
♪♪ HE BROKE YOUR HEART AND HE
LEFT YOU CRYING ♪♪
♪♪ YOU LOST YOUR WILL TO LOVE
AGAIN, YOU AIN'T EVEN TRYING ♪♪
♪♪ ALL YOU NEED IS SOMEONE TO
LOVE YOU TENDERLY ♪♪
♪♪ HERE I AM, TAKE MY HAND, BET
YOUR HEART ON ME ♪♪
♪♪ YOU CAN BET YOUR HEART ON ME
♪♪ HONEY YOU CAN BE A WIN ♪♪
♪♪ FORGET ABOUT THE LAST TIME
YOU WERE JUST A BEINGER ♪♪
♪♪ DON'T BE AFRAID, YOU HAVE GOT
IT MADE ♪♪
♪ IF YOU JUST LET IT BE ♪♪
♪♪ LAY YOUR LOVE DOWN ONE MORE
TIME ♪♪
♪♪ SET YOUR HEART -- BET YOUR
HEART ON ME ♪♪
>> WHEN I'M PLAYING THAT LIVE I
SAY, EVERYBODY REMEMBER THE SONG
LOOKING FOR LOVE AND I'LL GO
YEAH, YEAH.
I WENT GOSH I WISH I HAD -- AND
THAT WAS LIKE --
>> YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MOST DON'T
KNOW, HE WROTE THAT SONG.
THEY GO, NO, I WISH I HAD.
BUT I WROTE THE ONE AFTER IT.
>> OF COURSE, THAT WAS DURING
THE URBAN COWBOYER RA.
>> I MOVED THERE RIGHT AT THE
END OF THE URBAN COWBOY.
IT WAS KIND OF STILL GOING ON
AND IT WAS A BLESSING AND A
CURSE BECAUSE THE MUSIC CROSSED
OVER.
THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO CROSS
OVER BUT BECAUSE OF POPULARITY
OF THE MOVIE, YOU GOT GUYS ON
WALL STREET WEARING WESTERN
JACKETS AND COWBOY BOOTS.
SO IT WAS A FAD.
BUT THEY SOLD A FEW RECORDS AND
THEY THOUGHT OH, IF WE MAKE
THESE ARRANGEMENTS A LITTLE MORE
POP, THEN WE'LL GET THE POP
MARKET AND IT WENT OFF INTO
SOMEWHERE, A LOT IS LIKE WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS, IT'S
NOT COUNTRY.
AND THEN THAT KIND OF SET THE
STAGE FOR THE RESURGENCE THAT
CAME IN 1989 THAT STARTED REALLY
WITH RANDY TRAVIS IN '87.
THAT KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR
THAT.
THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO DID
WELL, KENNY ROGERS AND ALABAMA
WAS DOING OKAY THEN.
>> YOU HAD -- TALKING ABOUT
THAT, SO IN THE LATE '80s AND
EARLY '90s, YOU HAD AS YOU
MENTIONEDDED RANDY TRAVIS AND
CLINT BLACK AND GARTH BROOKS AND
P SOME FELLOW YOU KNOW WELL
NAMED ALAN JACKSON.
>> YES.
THOSE -- THE FACT THAT ALL OF
THOSE PEOPLE CAME AT THE SAME
TIME AND HIT AT THE SAME TIME
WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING.
EVERY WEEK THERE WAS A NEW
ARTIST WITH A GREAT SONG.
FOR A WHILE CLINT BLACK WAS THE
HOTTEST THING THEN GARTH THEN
ALAN THEN VINCE.
PATTY LOVELESS THEN BROOKS AND
DUNN, DIAMOND RIO.
IT'S LIKE WHEN IS IT GOING TO
STOP?
AND EVERYBODY WAS MAKING MONEY
AND IT WAS --
>> IT WAS GOOD TIMES.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T CHASE THAT POP MARKET AND
IT WAS JUST THE ARTIST AND THE
SONGS.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE GRAVITATED TO
IT.
SO THIS TIME IT WASN'T A FAD, IT
WAS ABOUT THE MUSIC.
>> REALLY GOOD STUFF.
>> THEY WOULD GO IN TO BUY GARTH
BROOKS ALBUM AND PICK UP AN ALAN
JACKSON OR PATTY LOVELESS OR
SOMEBODY.
>> AND YOU AND ALAN JACKSON GOT
TOGETHER, WRITTEN A FEW SONGS,
CHATTAHOOCHEE FOR EXAMPLE.
>> I MET HIM A YEAR AND A HALF
BEFORE HIS RECORD DEAL, HE HAD
BEEN IN TOWN A WHILE AND CALLED
ME AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I WOULD
WRITE WITH HIM AND I SAID SURE.
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO
DO.
I WAS GETTING -- IT WASN'T REAL
COUNTRY ON THE RADIO SO I WASN'T
DOING THAT WELL.
STILL HAD A WRITING DEAL.
YEARS LATER HE SAID WE WERE ATEN
AWARD SHOW AND HE SAID I CALLED
YOU AND I SAID WHY WOULD I CALL
YOU, ALAN?
I DIDN'T KNOW WHO YOU WERE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> HE HAD HEARD -- HE KNEW I WAS
COUNTRY AND THE FIRST TIME WE
SAT DOWN, I FOUND OUT TWO
THINGS.
I FOUND OUT HE COULD SING, AND I
FOUND OUT HE COULD WRITE.
SO WE WERE COMING FROM THE SAME
PLACE.
HE'S FROM GEORGIA, I'M FROM
ALABAMA, NOT A LOT OF DIFFERENCE
THERE.
SO WE HIT IT OFF, WE LOVED THE
SAME SINGERS.
WE JUST STARTED WORKING TOGETHER
AND THANK GOD FOR THAT.
MY CAREER IS -- MY CAREER WAS
TEN TIMES STRONGER BECAUSE OF
ALAN JACKSON.
>> WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG YOU
WROTE TOGETHER?
>> PRETTY SURE IT WAS NEON
RAINBOW.
>> AND WHICH IS ALMOST A STORY
OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
WHAT IT'S LIKE
>> YEAH.
I HAD HAD THAT REQUESTED FOR TWO
YEARS.
CHASING THAT NEON RAINBOW LIVING
THE *** TONG DREAM.
I WROTE THIS DOWN AND HELD IT
FOR TWO YEARS.
I KNEW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT BUT I
DIDN'T LIVE IT.
I WASN'T IN A BAND GROWING UP
AND I WASN'T IN A TOURING BAND.
SO WHEN I MET ALAN AND HE STARTS
THE TELLING ME ABOUT WHAT HE'S
GOING THROUGH, THEN I SAID I
THINK I GOT A SONG TITLE YOU
NEED TO HEAR.
WE WROTE THE SONG, THANK GOD.
>> GREAT SONG.
>> IT WAS GOOD FOR HIM.
IT WAS REALLY GOOD FOR ME.
>> WHY DON'T YOU DO SOME FOR US.
CHASING THAT NEON RAINBOW.
JIM MCBRIDE.
>> FOUND OUT I DID NOT COME TO
NASHVILLE TO BE A PICKER NOR A
SINGER.
♪♪ DADDY WON A RADIO, TO A
COUNTRY SHOW
♪
MUCK
♪ I WAS ROCKING TO THE CRYING OF
A STILL GUITAR ♪♪
♪ MAMA USED TO SING TO ME,
TAUGHT ME THAT SWEET HARMONY ♪♪
♪ MUCK NOW SHE WORRIES BECAUSE
SHE NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER
REALLY TAKE IT THIS FAR ♪♪
♪
SINGING IN THE BARS AND CHASING
THAT NEON RAINBOW ♪♪
♪♪ LIVING THAT *** TONG DREAM
♪♪
♪♪ ALL I EVER WANTED IS TO PICK
THIS GUITAR AND SING ♪♪
♪♪ TRYING TO BE SOMEBODY, JUST
WANT TO BE HEARD AND SEEN
♪
♪♪ CHASING THIS NEON RAINBOW,
LIVING THAT *** TONK DREAM,
CHASING THAT NEON RAINBOW,
LIVING THAT *** TONK DREAM ♪♪
>> VERY GOOD.
BET THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
NASHVILLE COULD RELATE TO THAT.
>> OH.
YEAH.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THEY COME THERE BY THE
HUNDREDS EVERY WEEK.
THEY LITERALLY, IT'S -- IT'S
LIKE BROADWAY TO DANCERS AND
ACTORS, LA, LIKE HOLLYWOOD.
THERE ARE SONG WRITERS, THERE'S
SO MUCH TALENT IN THAT TOWN,
IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS.
>> WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE IT?
>> TAKES TALENT.
IF YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY
TALENT YOU'RE PROBABLY -- THE
CHANCES OF MAKING IT ARE NOT
VERY GOOD.
YOU CAN TRY TO BUY YOUR WAY IN
BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
NOT FOR LONG ANYWAY.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE TALENT, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE PERSISTENCE.
I HAVE ASK FISH IRISH ANCESTRY,
I HAVE A REALLY HARD HEAD.
I'M VERY SUBURB.
THAT'S PROBABLY SERVED ME WELL.
YOU CAN'T GET YOUR FEELINGS HURT
AND QUIT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO
GET REJECTED OVER AND OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.
THEN THE LAST THING IS SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL, YOU --
THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO BE PRESENT
TO WIN.
YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP -- YOU
HAVE TO STAY THERE AND DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN AND JUST KEEP
DOING THAT.
IF YOU HAVE GOT TALENT AND
YOU'RE PERSISTENT YOU WILL GET
YOUR SHOT.
IT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK FOR
WHATEVER REASON BUT IF YOU HAVE
TALENT AND YOU'RE PERSISTENT YOU
WILL EVENTUALLY GET A SHOT.
>> WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE
INDUSTRY TODAY, AS COMPARED TO
WHAT IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE
STARTING OUT, WHAT ARE THE
BIGGEST CHANGE?
OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY.
BUT BESIDES THAT.
>> YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC CHANGES
FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO THAT'S A CYCLICAL THING.
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THERE'S NO DOUBT, THE FIRST
THING THAT HURT US TO BE QUITE
HONEST IS WHEN RADIO STATIONS
BECAME CONGLOMERATES.
AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR LOCAL
STATIONS ANY MORE THAT GET THE
RECORDS IN.
AND THEY LISTEN TO THEM AND THEY
PLEA AGREEMENTPLAY THEM ON THE
RADIO AND PEOPLE CALL IN.
IF THEY LIKE THEM THEY KEEP
PLAYING THEM.
SO WHAT YOU END UP WITH THERE
AFTER A WHILE IS A GUY IN AN
OFFICE SOMEWHERE LISTENING TO
THE SONG AND HE'S DECIDING WHAT
ALL OF YOU PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
LISTEN TO.
MAYBE 40 OR 50 STATIONS.
WHATEVER HE SAYS, THAT'S
HORRIBLE.
PEOPLE CAN ONLY CHOOSE FROM WHAT
THEY HEAR.
MY FRIENDS WRITE SONGS THAT I
WOULD LOVE FOR MY SISTER BACK IN
ALABAMA AND PEOPLE TO HEAR.
THEY'RE WONDERFUL SONGS.
BUT GREAT SONGS HAVE A HARD TIME
GETTING ON THE RADIO SOMETIMES.
>> BECAUSE RADIO HAS BECOME SO
CORPORATE.
AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, YOU
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I KNOW
PEOPLE IN THE RADIO INDUSTRY
AGREE WITH ME ON THIS, RADIO IS
HURTING ITSELF.
YOU HAVE SEEN THE RISE OF
INTERNET RADIO, YOU HAVE SEEN
THE RISE OF SATELLITE RADIO.
>> RIGHT NOW AS WE SIT HERE
TODAY, YOU STILL CANNOT BREAK A
COUNTRY ARTIST A MAYOR CAREER
WITHOUT RADIO BUT THAT COULD
CHANGE.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S NEVER HAPPENED
DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T.
HEN THE THING THAT DEVASTATED
THE WHOLE INDUSTRY, THE RECORDS
LABELS FIRST OF ALL THEY WEREN'T
PREPARED FOR DIGITAL
DOWNLOADING.
THEY WEREN'T PREPARE FORD THE
INTERNET.
AN 18-YEAR-OLD COMES ALONG AN
TOTALLY CLEANS THEM OUT.
AND THEY'RE STILL PLAYING CATCH
UP.
>> FROM NAPSTER.
IF THEY HAD BEEN AWARE, IF THEY
HAD GONE TO THIS KID OR WHOEVER
WHEN IT FIRST STARTED AND SAID
LOOK, WE NEED THE GO INTO
BUSINESS TOGETHER, WAY BEHIND,
WAY BEHIND THE 8 BALL.
AND NOW THEY'RE STILL PLAYING
CATCH UP.
WE'RE STILL PLAYING CATCH UP.
IN THE MEANTIME IT'S BEEN
DEVASTATING.
LIKE WALKING INTO A STORE AND
JUST PICKING UP WHATEVER IT IS
YOU WANT AND WALKING OUT WITH
IT.
>> FOR FREE.
>> YEAH.
SO THE MONEY HAS REALLY DWINDLED
DOWN.
>> I GUESS PROBABLY PARTICULARLY
FOR THE WRITERS AND --
>> WE'RE THE LAST ON THE FOOD
CHAIN.
THE RECORD LABELS COLLECT THE
MONEY, AND THEN THEY PAY THE
PUBLISHERS, THE PUBLISHERS PAY
THE WRITERS.
SO THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
THAT WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY
BACK IN THE '90s THAT AREN'T
THERE ANY MORE, PROBABLY
THOUSANDS.
AND SONG WRITERS, THE NUMBER OF
PROFESSIONAL SONG WRITERS HAS
DWINDLED GREATLY.
EVEN THE OLD CATALOG SONGS THAT
HAVE ALWAYS PAID WELL, THEY'RE
NOT PAYING AS MUCH ANY MORE.
THERE'S TOO MUCH OF IT GOING OUT
THERE AND NOT BEING COLLECTED
ON.
>> YEAH.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS,
YOUR COPYRIGHT RECAPTURE
BUSINESS.
WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?
>> WELL, AFTER I HER IN TOWN 25
YEARS MAKING A LIVING WRITING
SONGS, I NEEDED A BREAK.
I WAS BURNT OUT.
I HAD GONE TO AN NASI, NATIONAL
SONG WRITER ASSOCIATION TOWN
HALL, TALKING ABOUT REP
CAPTURING COPYRIGHTS.
WHICH I HAVE NEVER GIVEN THOUGHT
TOM I WAS JUST HAPPY TO BE
THERE.
WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO SIGN?
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE ME MONEY TO
WRITE SONG?
OKAY.
THEN I WOULD WRITE THESE SONGS
AND AS I TURNED THE SONGS IN, I
WOULD DO AN INDIVIDUAL
ASSIGNMEN ASSIGNING THE
PUBLISHING WHICH WAS INVESTED IN
ME BUT AM NOW SIGNING TO
PUBLISHER BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVE
MEG MONEY TO LIVE ON.
SO IN LOOKING INTO IT, MY SONS
WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO
GET INTO, THEY HAD HAD A COUNTRY
ROCK BAND THAT HAD BEEN PLAYING
FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS AND HAD A
RECORD DEAL FOR A FEW MINUTES AN
LOST IT.
SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO DO.
O WE STARTED INVESTIGATING THIS
AND DECIDED TO START A COMPANY.
WE COULDN'T LOOK AROUND AND SEE
-- YOU WANT TO START A QUICK
MARK TO SEE HOW THEY DO THINGS,
WHATEVER.
THERE'S NOWHERE TO LOOK.
THERE WERE LAWYERS THAT WERE
DOING COPYRIGHT TERMINATIONS AS
PART OF A STATE -- ESTATE
PLANNING OR WHATEVER.
SO WE FOUND BEFORE 1978,
JANUARY 1st, IF YOU WROTE A
SONG AND ASSIGNED IT TO A
PUBLISHER IN 56 YEARS YOU OR
YOUR HEIRS COULD FILE PAPERWORK
AND GET THE PUBLISHING BACK ON
THAT SONG.
JANUARY 1st, 1978, 35 YEARS.
SO HIT SONGS THAT WERE WRITTEN
IN 1978 IF THE PAPERWORK WAS
DONE AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO,
NEXT YEAR THEY GET THOSE SONGS
BACK.
WHICH MEANS IF YOU GET THE SONG
BACK, YENLY IF IT'S A STRAIGHT
DEAL THE WRITER MAKES 50%,
PUBLISHER MAKES 50%.
SO IF YOU GET THE PUBLISHING
BACK THE NEXT TIME THAT SONG
GETS CUT OR REPACKAGED YOU GET
ALL THE MONEY.
AND THE REASON THE COPYRIGHT LAW
WAS CHANGED AFTER, GOSH, 70
YEARS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A
SONG IS WORTH WHEN YOU FIRST
WRITE IT.
WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW
CHATTAHOOCHEE WAS GOING TO BE
WHAT IT WAS ON THERE.
SO IT GAVE WRITERS A SECOND
CHANCE.
LIKE THIS ALL TURNED OUT TURNED
OUT TO BE A STANDARD.
AND YOU HAVE PRACTICALLY -- YOU
DIDN'T GET ANY PUBLISHING ON IT.
AND YOU CREATED THAT.
SO IT'S A CHANCE FOR THE WRITER
OR THE HEIRS TO GO BACK AND
RECAPTURE THAT PUBLISHING.
AND ONCE THEY DO THAT, THEY CAN
LEAVE IT THERE, THERE ARE
MULTIPLE OPTIONS THEY HAVE WHEN
THEY DO THAT BUT WE HAVE CLIENTS
THAT ARE GRAMMY OSCAR, EMMY, WE
HAVE ROCK AND ROLE HALL OF FAME
CLIENTS, COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF
FAME CLIENTS.
>> YOU MENTIONED CHATTAHOOCHEE A
MINUTE AGO, WE'RE GETTING SHORT
ON TIME, 3 MINUTES LEFT.
HOW DID YOU AND ALAN JACKSON
COME UP WITH CHATTAHOOCHEE THEN
I WANT YOU TO DO IT FOR US.
>> I HAD BEEN WRITING WITH ALAN.
ONCE HE HIT HE'S OPT ROAD SO NOW
HE DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO WRITE
WHEN HE'S IN TOWN.
I HAVE TO GET ON THE BUS AND I
WILL SAY MY FIRST BUS TRIP WITH
HIM THE FIRST STOP WAS
TALLAHASSEE, SECOND WAS
PENSACOLA, WE STAYED AT THAT
TIME MOTEL RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO
ACROSS THE LONG BRIDGE, GULF
BREEZE, THAT WAS OUR SECOND
STOP, THEN WE WHEN FROM THERE TO
LOUISIANA.
BEFORE THAT TRIP I HAD TWO
NOTEBOOKS, ONE FOR REGULAR
IDEAS, ONE WHERE I KEPT IDEAS
FOR ALAN.
AND I WAS FAMILIAR THE
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AND THE
SIDNEY WILL NEAR POEM AND ALL
THAT.
I WAS SITTING AT THE HOUSE ONE
MORNING AND STARTED PLAYING THIS
MELODY, I GOT THE FIRST TWO
LINES AND THOUGHT I THINK ALAN
WOULD LIKE THIS.
I LOOKED AT THAT TIME MAP TO
MAKE SURE NEWNAN, GEORGIA WAS
CLOSE TO CHATTAHOOCHEE.
IT WAS.
SO I PUT IT ASIDE.
WHEN I WENT ON THE BUS I SHOWED
IT TO HIM AND I PLAYED IN THE
FIRST COUPLE OF LINES AND WE
WROTE THE SONG, HE RECORDED IT
WHEN HE GOT BACK OFF THE ROAD
TRIP NEXT WEEK.
IT CHANGED -- IT'S THE BIGGEST
SONG HE'LL HAVE.
IT WILL BE -- IT'S THE BIGGEST
SONG I'LL HAVE.
>> COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION
SONG OF THE YEAR, CORRECT IN
>> SONG OF THE YEAR.
DIDN'T GET THE GRAMMY, THEY GAVE
TO IT SOMEBODY ELSE BUT I'M OVER
IT.
>> LET ME CLOSE OUT HERE JUST A
SECOND AND I WILL GET YOU JUST
TO PLAY CHATTAHOOCHEE AND TAKE
US OUT TO BREAK.
JIM MCBRIDE, HE'S WRITTEN SOME
OF THE BIG ESCAMBIA SONGS IN THE
COUNTRY -- BIGGEST SONGS IN
COUNTRY MUSIC.
WE APPRECIATE HIM SPENDING TIME
WITH US, HE'LL CLOSE WITH HA HUE
COMMITTEE.
YOU CAN SEE MORE CONVERSATIONS
ONLINE AT
WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.
I'M JEFF WEEKS, THANK YOU FOR
WATCHING THE BROADCAST.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.
TAKE GREAT CARE OF YOURSELF, SEE
YOU SOON, LET'S TURN IT TO JIM
MCBRIDE WITH CHATTAHOOCHEE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
♪♪
♪♪ IT GETS HARDER THAN A HOO
COMMITTEE ♪♪
♪♪ DOWN BY RIVER ON A FRIDAY
NIGHT ♪♪
♪♪ TALKING ABOUT CARS AND
DREAMING ABOUT WOMEN ♪♪
♪♪ NEVER HAD A PLAN, LIVING FOR
THE MINUTE ♪♪
♪♪ WAY DOWN YONDER ON THE
CHATTAHOOCHEE NEVER KNEW HOW
MUCH THE MUDDY WATER MEANT TO ME
♪♪
♪♪ I LEARNED TO SWIM, I LOT OF
LIVING ♪♪
♪♪ WE FOGGED UP THE WINDOWS IN
MY OLD SHED, I WAS WILLING BUT
SHE WASN'T READY SO SETTLED FOR
A BURGER, A GREAT SNOW CONE,
DROPPED HER OFF EARLY BUT I
DIDN'T GO HOME ♪♪
MY MUCK DOWN BY THE RIVER ON
FRIDAY NIGHT
♪
♪♪ TALKING ABOUT CARS AND
DREAMING ABOUT WOMEN ♪♪
♪♪ NEVER HAD A PLAN, JUST LIVING
FOR THE MINUTE ♪♪
♪ WAY DOWN YONDER ON THE
CHATTAHOOCHEE NEVER KNEW HOW
MUCH THE MUDDY WATER MEANT TO ME
♪♪
♪
I LEARNED HOW TO SWIM, A LOT
ABOUT LIVING AND LITTLE ABOUT
LOVE.
A LOT ABOUT LIVING AND A LITTLE
ABOUT LOVE
♪
>> JIM MCBRIDE CMA SONG OF THE
YEAR, HA HUE COMMITTEE ON THIS
EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU, MY FRIEND.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.
♪♪
>> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
PROVIDED IN PART BY THESE
CORPORATE SPONSORS.
♪♪
>> AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.