TMCnet News
American Idol's Pickler lands record deal(Blade, The (Toledo, OH) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 4--Fans of "American Idol" no doubt remember Kellie Pickler, who had some memorable conversations with judge Simon Cowell. Now, Pickler is going to try and follow in the footsteps of fellow "American Idol" alumni Josh Gracin and Carrie Underwood, who have parlayed exposure on the talent show into success in country music. Pickler has signed a recording contract with 19 Recordings/BNA Records. "I've always dreamed about getting a record deal, so now my dream has come true. I'm really excited about making my first album and giving something back to the fans who supported me on 'American Idol'," Pickler said in a statement announcing the deal. Pickler, 20, of Albemarle, N.C., will record the album in between stops on the American Idols Live! tour. Her first single is expected to be at radio stations next month, and the album is scheduled to be in stores on Nov. 14. *** During his recent stop at Country Concert in Fort Loramie, Ohio, Phil Vassar spent the afternoon of the day of his performance holed up in a hotel room working on songs with songwriter Tim Nichols. It's a technique that Phil has employed for all of his albums. He brings songwriters out on the rode with him, and they hang out, tossing ideas off of each other. "We've been turning out some good stuff. I just cut seven new tracks for a new album that's supposed to be out in a year. I feel good about the stuff I've been writing," Vassar said earlier this week. Make sure you catch Phil's upcoming single, "Woman in My Life." It's probably going to be a big hit. *** In a brief statement this week, it was announced that Diamond Rio and Arista Nashville have amicably agreed to sever their 15-year relationship. *** Remember Carolyn Dawn Johnson? The Canadian has resurfaced at Equity Music Group. In 2000, Johnson released "Room with a View," which became the highest debuting album for an Arista Nashville artist. The album produced the top 10 hits "Complicated" and "I Don't Want You to Go." She is scheduled to release his first Equity album, "Love & Negotiation," in November, and the title track has been shipped to radio as the first single off of the album. Equity has been one of Nashville's biggest success stories. The independent label is the home for Little Big Town, Clint Black, and Carolina Rain. *** RCA newcomer Jake Owen has had a couple of cool experiences surrounding the release of his album, "Startin' with Me." On the day the album was released, Jake went to a Best Buy in California to see it on the shelves and buy his own copy. While standing in front of the CD rack, the store manager came by to see if he needed any help. He looked at the CD in his hand, then at Jake, and asked if that was him. While they were talking, a young woman came up and grabbed a copy of the album. The manager pointed out that she was standing next to the man on the CD cover, and the stunned woman was only able to muster a "I love your song" as Jake signed her copy. To make things even better, the store manager also bought a copy. And this week, Jake was aboard a flight from Dallas to Hartford, Conn, to rejoin the Kenny Chesney tour when a group of women who were actually flying to see the show recognized him. The attention caused such a buzz that the other passengers asked to hear his single, "Yee Haw," and Jake accommodated them with a version piped over the in-flight entertainment system. *** And finally, congratulations to Rodney Atkins, whose album, "If You're Going through Hell," topped the Billboard Country Albums chart last week in its first week in stores with sales of 55,000 copies. The title track also climbed to the top of Billboard's Country Singles chart this week. Brian Dugger's column on country music runs the last Saturday of each month. » E-mail him at [email protected]. » Read more Brian Dugger columns at www.toledoblade.com/dugger |