Fan Fair Nick Krewen GRAMMY.COM Farewell Fan Fair. When it wound down June 8 with a rare reunion of The Judds, the door closed on a 32-year tradition. Upon its return in 2004, the annual Nashville country music festival – which encourages fans to mingle with its stars – will be sporting a different name: the CMA (Country Music Association) Music Festival. More troubling to hardcore country music fans,…
Tribute labels Nick Krewen Grammy.com May 2003 Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but some record companies are using it in a low-key manner to help pay the bills. Behold the tribute record, that seemingly unassuming piece of product that sits innocuously on record racks alongside the CD catalog of your favorite artist. Unlike some of their higher end brethren that include star-driven lineups and often make…
Nick Krewen GRAMMY.COM March 2003 Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchiakovsky the news: The Russians have landed! While recent breakthroughs of controversial Moscow pop duo t.A.T.u. and Grammy nominated country sextet Bering Strait may not be as prevalent as the British invasion that first introduced The Beatles, the message that North America is finally open for business is resonating throughout the former U.S.S.R.. And that gives new hope for…
Casino Royale Nick Krewen GRAMMY.COM March 2003 As the concert business continues its uneven ebb and flow, the casino circuit is continuing to establish itself as an increasingly safe anchor for the touring performer. Not only is the $25.7 billion casino gaming industry on an upswing — with over 430 commercial establishments operating in the U.S. alone — but many locations outside the seasoned hubs of Las Vegas and Atlantic…
Koko The Gorilla releases an album…kind of… Nick Krewen GRAMMY.com January 2003 Finally: a recording artist willing to work for peanuts. With the recent release of a new album, Koko, the 31-year-old Lowland gorilla that has mastered over 1000 words of modified American Sign Language to the point of being able to understand and hold a conversation, has entered the world of pop music. As the thematic subject of…
