Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite Message Board

Tommy · Guru

Shania mentions

lulu · Guru

Wow Tommy. Thats great news. Hopefully these gala performances will be seen on TV as well. It is nice to see Shania signed on to charity benefit. Its not her first but it is wonderful thanks for posting

Tommy · Guru

Shania is not performing at this year's event. She participated a few years ago.

2ndAmendment · Guru

I think Shania did this in 1996 as I recall Larry thanking her at the end of their interview from that year for doing this. unless she did it again in later years as well...

Tommy · Guru

Today in Music History

1999�- SHANIA TWAIN became the first woman to be honored as a songwriter/artist by the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

http://93x.com/blog.asp?id=659708&SBID=4444

lulu · Guru

Thank you for posting this Tommy. It was so hard to believe that know female had won this award prior to 1999. Country music really is a male dominated genre.

Bob · Guru

Actually it is an outright JOKE... Old boys club at its best...Bob

2ndAmendment · Guru

Yup a chauvinistic all boys club even after Loretta, Dolly, Tammy and the rest have done.

It took Shania to break the modern day mold. What a well deserved honor. Nashville, of all places. hehe

Tommy · Guru

Britney Hits the Studio "Just for Fun"

By Natalie Finn and Ken Baker
Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:52:15 PM PDT

Britney Spears has apparently decided her body wasn't the only thing in need of a little fine-tuning.��

E! News has confirmed that the "Gimme More" singer is taking voice lessons and has spent the last two days in a Burbank, Calif., recording studio to work on getting her voice back into fighting shape.�

Spears, whose 2008 didn't exactly get off on the right foot, careerwise, is not working on anything official, a source close to the 26-year-old comeback kid told E! News, but instead is just looking to enjoy herself right now.

"She's doing it just for fun," the source said. "She's just sitting at the piano, singing a little. She's just in there to have some fun. It may lead to something down the road, but right now this is just part of her staying on the right track."�

Spears is also said to be spending time under the tutelage of voice coach Ron Anderson, who, according to his professional website, has worked with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis, Chris Daughtry, Avril Lavigne, Bj�rk, Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul, Pink, Shania Twain, Usher and Tori Amos, among others.

Blackout, Spears' fifth studio album and her first in four years, was released in October and sold 290,000 copies its first week out of the gate to land at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, the first time one of her studio efforts didn't debut at No. 1.
http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=d22f33f7-2794-4305-a6bd-95f156cce37d

-- Edited by Tommy at 20:13, 2008-04-17

-- Edited by Tommy at 20:14, 2008-04-17

Bob · Guru

After� todays junk reporting I can't even bother reading it Tommy.. Your efforts are appreciated though...Bob

Tommy · Guru

Sundays with Wilkin: Times Union Center general manager Bob Belber

�

First published: Sunday, April 20, 2008

Q: Can you let the public know that the Times Union newspaper has nothing to do with whom you book into the arena?

A: That is correct. It was the same way when it was Pepsi Arena. A lot of people thought we worked for Pepsi. To confirm, the Times Union does not control any of the booking. But, whenever there is a bad situation, I'll blame it on you.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: I started in January of 1994. I've been here a long time.

Q: Is there one event that comes here you kind of like to go to yourself?

A: I enjoy all three of the teams we have -- Siena basketball, the River Rats and the Conquest. Our team tenants are very important to me and, on a personal side, I like to attend as many of their events as I can. Concerts, I am here for every major concert. If anything bad is going to happen at an event, it will generally happen at a concert.

Q: In the last year, what has been the toughest ticket to get here?

A: I would say Hannah Montana. Definitely.

Q: Did you meet her?

A: I did. Actually we had a photo taken with the staff. She is the nicest person you will ever want to meet. She's a very down-to-earth young lady who sure seems like she has family values when she speaks. I think she was 14 when she was here.

Q: You've obviously met a lot of people who have performed here. Is there one person who really blew you away, who you never thought you would meet?

A: The one concert performer I enjoyed meeting for the second time -- the first time I met him was when I was 18 -- was Mick Jagger. I met him when I was 18 in Montauk, Long Island in a bar. A little dive bar, he used to sit right at the bar and the local people would come in in the middle of winter and not give him a hard time, say 'Hey Mick, how you doing?' I was playing pool, went to buy a beer and talked to him for like a half hour. Of course, everyone thinks because you talked to an artist they are going to remember you. He was here, I would say, it was two years ago here, and we were in the dressing room and the mayor was giving the key to the city to Mick and the Rolling Stones. I was standing next to him and I told him about the day I met you out at Montauk. He said, 'Oh yeah, that's a great place."'

Q: Who else?

A: I've been in the business almost 30 years and there have been a lot of people I've had my picture taken with. Elton John. Billy Joel. Garth Brooks came in and he sold out three shows about 10 years ago. The one thing I remembered about him was he spent 45 minutes talking to myself, my wife and my one (at the time) daughter. I was really impressed with him.

Q: What is the most popular event that comes into the arena on a semi-regular basis?

A: I think it's NCAA basketball. Beyond that, from a crowd standpoint, I would say it's Siena basketball. Wrestling (WWE) is also very popular.

Q: Do any artists ever ask to wear a River Rats jersey?

A: That is the most sought after thing the performers want, the Rats jersey. Shania Twain wore one during her whole show. She asked for one and she wore it. Aerosmith asked for them, Kiss asked for them, a lot of bands. Some of the wrestlers, they got them. Springsteen, I think he got one. A lot of them have kids.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=682255&category=SPORTS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=4/20/2008

lulu · Guru

Thanx for posting Tommy. Shania wore a Vancouver Hockey jersey when she performed here in Vancouver.

Bob · Guru

AND...A Toronto Maple leaf sweater in Toronto... Actually though I have to say I never really liked that sports team sweater look... Kind of sloopy... I like that funky coloured outfit look with the booties etc...Bob

2ndAmendment · Guru

I really liked all the outfits but most especially the sports apparel especially in simple boots and jeans she wore with. It was paying a nice homage to each town or area she visited by wearing the hockey jersey or other teams sports if they didn't have hockey. It was different too. I never see chicks wear sports jerseys on concert stage, lol, Shania is cool like that, lol. She's athletic so the sporty style fits.

Tommy · Guru

Have The Big Deals Gone South?

�

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

In past headlines it read, "Ax may be hovering over Mariah Carey...recording giant ready to drop singer."

Now wait a minute, didn't Mariah Carey sell well over 50 million albums since 1990? (Strictly speaking in the dollar terms, that's roughly 649 million dollars in album sales alone.) And wasn't she one of the hottest acts in the past decade and in the exclusive Top Ten All Time Artist who have the most consecutive #1 hits?

Okay, so she's not married to the head of Sony Records any more and who cares that she had an emotional breakdown (who wouldn't with the kind of pressure she has to deal with - I think I'd like to have a breakdown now!) - She's considered a liability? When her contract was reportedly worth an estimated 80 million dollars and trouble looming over an already unsteady economy, which has hit the music industry over the past several year in declining sales, especially since the tragic events that occurred on September 11th, it's no wonder the "ax" would fall on those with huge salaries.

With sales from her first release on Virgin/EMI only reaching 400,000 when it was released, this album has been a disappointment to record company execs as I am sure it was to Ms. Carey who has always been at the top of the charts until now. But doesn't everyone have a bad hair day? Of course, but not to the tune (excuse the pun) of 25 million dollars which is what Ms. Carey was reportedly paid for the first release, "Glitter" on her old label. Now mind you, I would love to make that kind of money, and hats off to Ms. Carey's people for negotiating that kind of deal, but the risk one takes in being the highest paid, is that you are usually the first one to go when times are tough.

While Ms. Carey might have had an easier time with her old label because of loyalty to her and the huge profits she has generated and still does for them, this brand new label had nothing but dollar signs and no loyalty to her financially. Hopefully, Alain Levy who replaced Ken Berry will be able to renegotiate Ms. Carey's contract instead of letting her go.

This was and still is today definitely yet another wake up call in an already floundering industry. With Record Companies going down and out and hanging out their shingles right and left (DreamWorks being the latest). Executives being fired here, there and everywhere. Artists trying to duck for cover so they aren't the next casualty; it's a scary proposition being a musician. Okay, so it's always been a scary proposition.

So I ponder...why are things so much worse then they used to be? Could it be that too much money is being paid at the top? Is there not enough promotion? Is there too much shifting and leveraging to get the best deal? Is the quality of the product not meeting the demands of the populace? Bingo! With the fragile state of this and so many other industries, 1 hit wonders mentality must go if the recording industry wants to not just survive, but thrive. (Ms. Carey does not fall into this category; other then they are trying to find the next Mariah Carey.) Quality, not quantity. The industry needs to stop the mass cookie cutter attitude by trying to produce the same acts with different people in them over and over again. It's like eating the same meal at different restaurants night after night. Different chefs, the same recipe, but none of the meals were as good as the first taste you had at your favorite restaurant. If you keep churning out the same act with different faces, eventually the fans will get tired of the original acts also and stop buying even their product.

Change is a good thing and new acts come up all the time, but change is not good when it is constantly happening and no one knows which end is up. The industry needs some stability and consistency, not only in the ranks, but also with the artists. Too many artists are pulled off the shelves before they even get off the ground, leaving the listening audiences confused and disgruntled. The labels have forgotten the fans and is only worrying about paying their costly mortgages, thereby losing all loyalty from the paying public.

If the audience is not happy, they won't buy the product. In addition, we seem to be seeing even in the bigger named artists, with only 1 song released off their albums to the listening public. Not many people want or can afford to buy an album for $11.98 with only 1 song they like on it anymore, even if they are loyal fans of the established artist. The general population is the ones who are suffering the most in this economy.

If there is little or no money coming in, then the day of the big contracts is gone. Some of the largest selling albums are ones with multiple songs on it that the listener likes. Take Shania Twain for example. Her albums are mega sellers with more then 1/2 the album on the singles charts at various times. Why are her albums huge? Because they are quality, and a great bargain. The buying populace wants a deal. The Record Industry seems to want to put out a little and expect to get a lot, and in doing so, they are losing the fan base in general. People are spending their money elsewhere.

They forgot that we are the fans and the fans have the buying power. Without the buying power, they lose their jobs, the big deals go away, and the labels go under. They need to stick with the artists once they have signed them, promote them, and if the first album doesn't work, try another one and work harder with a different strategy. Forget trying to get another Mariah Carey, N-Sync, or Shania Twain.

Use the talent that is there and churn out more then a 1 hit wonder. Then the buying public will come back and the fan base will be there for hopefully years to come. Look at acts like the Beatles, Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley, ABBA and Barbara Streisand to name a few. These acts stir the general public, and very few people have not heard of them. They still sell records and when they do a concert, it's sold out in a second. This is because of quality. They weren't churned out and then spit out.

Let's take ABBA for example. This is a group based in the 70's, and they haven't had a hit record in decades. They are also one of the biggest selling groups of all times, still selling albums today. Recently, they were offered a billion dollars to tour for one year. The turned it down (wish I could do that!). While that is a contradiction of what I said about those with the largest pay being cut first, it is in line with what I have been trying to say here all along - the bottom line is the fan base. If it's not there, the money will not come in, and it can't be there with a 1 hit wonder. Too much spending, and not enough quality product has caused the music industry to come crashing down to reality.

A little side note on Ms. Carey. I do wish all the success on her new CD (and it looks like she's hitting the top). She certainly deserves it. She has worked hard and worked smart for the most part and has earned the right to a deal of the magnitude she received.

Jaci Rae is a #1 Best Selling author of The Indie Guide to Music, Marketing and Money and Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time. Tune in for "The Jaci Rae Show" heard live around the world every Thursday: Click on the weekly show link

Article Source: 1ArticleWorld.com

http://www.melodika.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2568&Itemid=50

-- Edited by Tommy at 17:12, 2008-04-22

lulu · Guru

Thanx for posting this article Tommy. It is well written. I was surprised the article did not touch on all the illegal downloading that goes on though. I like reading the comments about Shania...all positive.

Country gal · Guru

that is a very interesting article,it sure makes you thing about the music industry nowadays.
Lulu you are absolutely right,illegal downloading has caused big troubles sales-wise.
and surely quality is the main reason why albums DO sell,like we 've been always saying around the web,this is why we buy shania's cd's because we are satisfied.

lulu · Guru

Yes country gal, Shania's cd are excellent. Each and every song is good and well done. That is why we buy her cds and that is why we enjoy listening to them. On all of her cds I have so many favorites not just one or two songs that might be good. Yes it was a very interesting article.
'

Tommy · Guru

This Day In Music History

In 1996, Canadian Shania Twain won the top album trophy for The Woman in Me and was named best new female singer at the annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=9998

Angie · Senior Member

Scary news report!

2ndAmendment · Guru

Wow, that is interesting, you never know what's on certain people's mind.

So I see he co-wrote "Crime Of The Century" with a fella by the name of Ralph Murphy.� I like that cheeky song too....

Tommy · Guru

RE: Shania mentions

Tommy · Guru

Carrie Underwood
At the Don Haskins

By Ryan Poulos

Becoming a famous musician is easy:

Step 1: Win American Idol.

Step 2: Enjoy.

Its that darn Step 1 that can be the most difficult as country-pop sensation Carrie Underwood knows all too well. She won the contest in 2005 and has arguably been the most successful American Idol winner to date aside from Kelly Clarkson.

Shell be bringing her soft but powerful voice to the Don Haskins Center Tuesday.

Were excited to have an artist of Carries caliber play at the Don Haskins Center, said Marina Monsisvais, program coordinator at UTEP Special Events. Shes one of those artists who transcends generations everyone likes her.

Her debut album after the show, Some Hearts, is the biggest-selling American Idol album to date, selling more than seven million records in the U.S. alone.

Hearts has also been the best-selling female country album of 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Her new album, Carnival Ride, debuted last year and has already set some major records earning the highest first-week sales for any female artist in any genre at the time of release for 2007.

This part of my life has been absolutely crazy, she has said. Thats why Carnival Ride works as my album title, because it describes the wonderful craziness Ive been through over the past couple of years.

While every Idol winner has gone on to relative success, Underwood has established herself as the leader of the pack, and fans say a big part of that is because they appreciate the fact that she writes her own music and plays the guitar.

Underwoods first album focused on songs about home, and really didnt diverge from that theme.

Carnival Ride, on the other hand, is much more wide-ranging in theme and established Underwoods strength as a vocalist and her continuing emergence as a songwriter.

Underwood also made national headlines last week when she broke down into tears during a performance of Dont Forget to Remember Me, according to the most reliable source in the world, People Magazine. The song is about her mother and missing home.

(I know I would love it if the national media reported on me every time I shed a tear though there may not be enough ink in the world.)

At any rate, El Pasoans are getting excited for the show, as demonstrated by Underwood super-fan and UTEP student Angie Kirby, who said she cant wait to see Underwood live.

She is the Shania Twain of our generation, paving the way for the new sound of country music for a younger crowd, she said. This will be the first time I see her and Im looking forward to it with anticipation and excitement.

Monsisvais warned that tickets are going fast.

This show is headed for a sell out, so if you want to go to the show and havent purchased your tickets yet, I suggest you do so before the day of the show.

Carrie Underwood
UTEPs Don Haskins Center
Tuesday, May 6 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $35 for seats,
$55 for floor admission
Tickets available through UTEP Ticket Center,
Ticketmaster outlets,
www.Ticketmaster.com or call 544-8444

http://www.whatsuppub.com/showArticle.asp?articleId=5422

Tommy · Guru

Drivers in fast lane with Shania

�

MOTORISTS may like listening to Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell ... but they're unlikely to be caught driving like one.

The Meat Loaf classic was the number one driving-along song, according to a survey of 2000 adults conducted by Saga Motor Insurance.

Drivers who listen to blues numbers are the most likely to be caught speeding, the poll found.

And comparatively mild country songs - such as Shania Twain's hit You're Still The One - were the music category next most likely to induce drivers to speed, followed by reggae and hip-hop and classical.
The poll found that 49% of those who listened to blues and 45% who tuned in to country had committed a speeding offence.

Rock and pop music was the most popular style for drivers, with 65% choosing it, while 39% went for easy listening. The survey also showed 79% of drivers listened to music while in their cars.

Just 22% of drivers who listened to talk-based radio stations admitted having a minor accident, compared with 78% who listened to music.

Runner-up to Meat Loaf in the in-car charts was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, with Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild in third place and Queen's Don't Stop Me Now fourth.

Saga Group chief executive Andrew Goodsell said: "Although the charts change every week, the songs people prefer to listen to while driving are still the golden oldies."

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/search/display.var.2229529.0.drivers_in_fast_lane_with_shania.php

2ndAmendment · Guru

I'm not sure how Carrie is paving the way for new country stars, she is popular but she is not a ground breaker like what Shania did or self controlled artistically.

Kinda cool how people drive fast to country music though, Shania can have that effect but I can think of other Shania songs and not YSTO, lol, that would fit the situation better.

Country gal · Guru

People mag "the most reliable source"

good one lol
those guys were stating that Shania was pregnant since '99,what a joke

and they considered Mutt to be an ugly man,why??because he's not a fashion victim or he doesn't do Botox?

so if Carrie is "the Shania of this generation"then boy we are really getting old.

lulu · Guru

I think that article was really misleading saying Carrie can write songs. She contributed to the lyrics of 4 songs....she never was a song writer and I doubt, highly doubt she can compose the music the way Shania does. You start at a young age to write music it does not appear magically at the age of 25. I highly doubt Carrie could sit down and write a song all alone. She just could not. I know the Idol machine wants her to be taken seriously as a writer but that is not going to happen. It just does not ring true. Taylor Swift is a gifted song writer who started righting at age 9....Shania started younger than that. I think this article just wants to sell Carrie more. I am disappointed that they brought Shania into this article. Shania is a gifted singer/songwriter there is no comparison and Shania created the new country sound Carrie is now enjoying. As 2nd Ammendment stated "Shania was ground breaking".

2ndAmendment · Guru

Exactly true lulu. It seems Nashville is trying so hard to recreate another Shania and they are molding Carrie to be this stage presence performer who can play and sing as well as become a songwriter.

Shania has been composing since she was a child. There's no way someone can be like in Carrie's shoes at 25 and all of a sudden be labeled a songwriter. She's contributed to four songs as you mentioned and I can't see her siting down and doing what Shania does so well.

Idol and Nashville ought to let this acts be themselves and find their own niche, there isn't anyone who can duplicate a Shania.

Tommy · Guru

Shania Ain't No Quitter

Posted: May 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pm��|��By: Alison Bonaguro��

Oh, the irony of it all. My very favorite Shania Twain song, and possibly one of my favorite country songs ever, is "I Ain't No Quitter." So now, with the news of this alleged affair between Twain's husband and their glorified secretary, I feel blindsided, frankly.

I mean, Twain says right there in the song (that she wrote with said husband Mutt Lange), "I ain't givin' up on him just yet. Cause I'm as stubborn as a girl can get." She goes on to admit that "he flirts too much, and he loves blond chicks" and "his body rocks, and the girls they flock." Was that all just some kind of cruel hoax, like a foreshadowing they set to music?

The song is full of some very traditional country instrumentation, and the video has Twain getting her cowgirl on. And those cowboy line dancers? Hot. I could watch the video a hundred times and never tire of it. It's the one song that made me feel really connected to Twain. And I could relate to being in that position: You've fallen for a bad boy. He drinks, smokes, chews and flirts, and yet for some reason you stand by him.

I realize lyrics are not meant to be taken literally. Especially country ones. I know it's not as easy as "I tell him to change his ways, but he just turns to me and says, I ain't no quitter.'" If that were true, we'd all be married to bastards. But if there's any truth to the words of that song, I hope Twain and Lange will go back and listen to it one more time.
Learn a thing or two about flaws and forgiveness. Maybe revisiting their own music would show them that marriage is no place for quitters.

http://blog.cmt.com/2008-05-30/shania-aint-no-quitter/

2ndAmendment · Guru

NASHVILLE SKYLINE: Jessica Simpson "Goes Country" -- No Big Deal - The Sky Doesn't Fall, Nothing Much Else Seems Changed

May 29, 2008
Written by Chet Flippo

(NASHVILLE SKYLINE is a column by CMT/CMT.com Editorial Director Chet Flippo.)

Heard the new Jessica Simpson single. Later, a friend asked if I was outraged at yet another carpetbagger showing up in town, declaring country music citizenship and ready to partake of country's rewards. No, I said, I wasn't. For a lot of reasons.

I used to be a real purist, about all the forms of music that I love. Folk music -- my God, you had to practically be a card-carrying Trotskyite to qualify for true folkdom. Blues -- only aged black men need apply. Jazz -- inner city, beret, the right shades, the proper lingo, the correct namedropping. Country -- mainly Jimmie R., the Carters, E.T., Hank, Faron, Lefty, Patsy, Loretta, Dolly, George & Tammy, Merle, Kris, Johnny, Willie, Waylon, Emmylou, Randy, Alan, George. Classical -- music by dead, white, European males, if you please. But, you know, after you study society and culture for a while, especially American popular culture, you realize how much of a true mosaic and crazy quilt hodgepodge it is. Conceived by many minds and imaginations and built by many hands, with one basic common goal.

So, yeah, country music has survived a lot and can survive a lot more. A single by another pop refugee is not going to bring down the walls.

Simpson's new single is not bad. But it sounds as if it could be by any current female artist (one with no distinctive voice, that is). "Come on Over" is the title, in case you run across it. I had to look it up. The title somehow hasn't stuck with me. It is not the same "Come on Over" song that Shania Twain recorded in 1997 (which won a Grammy). But you have to wonder it the title of Simpson's song is a total coincidence.

Her song sounds like a utilitarian voice recording a heavily-produced, factory-written generic song, with carefully crafted steel and acoustic guitars, with almost too much of both, as if to point and say, "Listen to me -- I'm country! I could be the next Shania." At least there's no banjo.

Interesting that some radio stations are complaining that Simpson's single sounds too poppy. It actually sounds more country than say Rascal Flatts' or Carrie Underwood's current singles. Perhaps it just sounds as if it's trying too hard to be country with its aggressive instrumental approach.

But in looking at a video of the song, with Simpson all decked out in snug flannel shirt with a new brunette look, I have to agree with Mandi Bierly of Entertainment Weekly, as she suggests in a blog, that Simpson is being pitched as some kind of new Shania Twain, and it fairly well agitates Mandi. She writes, "If Simpson's people try to market her -- suddenly all brunette and fond of form-fitting flannel -- as the next Shania Twain, I will be forced to hurt someone." Watch your blood pressure, Mandi. Country has its own self-correcting process.

Simpson is all about posturing. Look, she almost seems to be saying. "I can portray a country singer. Therefore, I am a country singer." Well, no. I'll tell you some people who have successfully portrayed country singers. Sissy Spacek did a truly credible portrayal of Loretta Lynn. Reese Witherspoon did the same for June Carter Cash. Then they went back to doing what they do well, which is acting.

Carrie, Julianne, Jessica, Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, etc., have been coming to Nashville for years and still they come. Are they illegal immigrants or welcome newcomers? Country accepts some, spits the others out. A lot of people in the industry said it was impossible for James Otto to make it in country. Well, the audience snapped him right up. Country listeners are accepting Julianne Hough. You cannot force them to like someone that they do not like. That's a simple lesson.

Originally, country music was built by immigrants, and it has been populated and maintained ever since by people from all over.

Fred Rose, one of the greatest songwriters and probably the most important single figure in country music history, was a refugee from Tin Pan Alley. There have been others, artists and industry figures, from all walks of life.

No need for licensing potential country music practitioners, as some have suggested, or even building a wall to keep the barbarians out. The public will, as ever, be the final barometer. And poor Jessica, bless her Texas heart, has already been rejected by other formats. Turned away by the pop music audience and the movie-going audience. So where does she have left to go?

Toward the elephants' graveyard. Where pop and rock figures on their last legs go. To country music. If country music won't have them, it's their last stop on their long journey to the true elephants' graveyard itself.

Tommy · Guru

Obama rally: bigger than Shania Twain?

Filed under: Barack Obama

It's all about victory spelled with an�"O" tonight at the Xcel Energy Center. The AP has reported that Barack Obama, the Kansas heartthrob, has clinched the Democratic presidential nomination. Matt Drudge, conservative blogger turned Obama lover posted the news to his site this afternoon. He also put a little blinking siren above the news, making it all the more important.

Anyways, this is how the AP made their conclusion:

The AP tally was based on public commitments from delegates as well as more than a dozen private commitments. It also included a minimum number of delegates Obama was guaranteed even if he lost the final two primaries in South Dakota and Montana later in the day.

But whatever. Tonight, the Xcel Center will be rocking to an Obama victory dance. It's his opportunity to draw a line in the sand. Still, poli-geeks are curious to see if the guy in the skinny, sky blue tie will proclaim victory, or keep the mood slightly muted until he has enough superdelegates in his corner to secure the nomination outright. Plus, everyone, (let's just admit it) is kinda hoping for a unison arm raise between Obama and Al Gore.

Meanwhile, Kathy O'Connor, Director of Public Relations for Xcel Energy Center is pumped. As she drove to work today there were satellite trucks from the national media big boys parked outside, powering up. Rabid Obama supporters were out as well, already in line, ready to enter the center for tonights speech, which is scheduled to begin around 9ish. She joked that although it was surprising, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, as people wait in line all day for Wild tickets, too.

"But there is definite excitement," O'Connor says, "It's a pretty cool feeling to be at the epicenter of this historic election. [Combined with the Republican National Convention] its one of the best years for this facility."

As for attendance, Xcel can handle, and is expecting, 20,000 people to attend. They're basing it off Obama's packed political rally last fall at the Target Center. If crowds swell past the 20,545 mark, then Obama will beat out a five-year attendance record held by the goddess of country Shania Twain, who jammed people into Xcel tighter than country folks jam their hips into denim. But bets are good that Obama will surpass her attendance record, as we all know how good he is at out-shining powerful women.

Speaking of powerful women, Sen. Hillary Clinton says that she will not concede the election tonight, but is open to the Veep spot if it will help her party get back into the White House.

And here is a video of bears tearing apart a car. (Also courtesy of the Drudge Report.)

Posted by Bradley Campbell at June 3, 2008 3:29 PM

http://blogs.citypages.com/gop/2008/06/obama_rally_big.php

2ndAmendment · Guru

That stinks too bad a political rally had to be the act to beat Shania's record.

Tommy · Guru

Obama beat Hillary, but can't top Shania Twain

Barack may have beaten Hillary, but he didn't top Shania

Published on June 11, 2008

The big Obama rally last week drew in 19,500 folks to the Xcel Energy Center. While that's a huge number, it's still well shy of the record set by the goddess of country pop, Shania Twain.

http://www.citypages.com/2008-06-11/news/obama-beat-hillary-but-can-t-top-shania-twain/

-- Edited by Tommy at 11:28, 2008-06-11

twain2country · Guru

What more can you say, Shania's a crowd pleaser and does it in style.

2ndAmendment · Guru

Awesome take that Obama, lol!

Tommy · Guru

Say what? NYC mayor often mangles his words

By SARA KUGLER | Associated Press Writer

July 11, 2008

NEW YORK - When Mayor Michael Bloomberg called in to his weekly radio show Friday from a media conference out West, he could hardly contain his excitement as he described the beautiful mountains and weather out in "Salt Lake City, Idaho."

The problem, of course, is that there is no such place. Bloomberg was in Sun Valley, Idaho _ and Salt Lake City is 300 miles away and in a different state.

One might blame the high altitude for fuzzing Bloomberg's brain, but his tongue trip in the mountains was not an isolated incident. It was just the latest on a long list of mayoral malapropisms that the Harvard-educated billionaire has coughed up during his six years in office, tormenting his staff and entertaining various observers and the City Hall press corps.

Just last month, rock star Jon Bon Jovi gently ribbed Bloomberg during a news conference after the mayor recalled a famous concert in Central Park as being performed by the duo "Simon and Garfinkle," butchering Art Garfunkel's name.

Did I say that?" Bloomberg asked.

"Yes, you did," Bon Jovi said, laughing.

What else has he said?

He's been known to introduce former Yankee manager Joe Torre as "Joe Torres."

He once described Randall's Island in the East River near Manhattan as "Randolph Island."

He claims to have a piece of artwork hanging in his home that depicts two "flamingo dancers" _ referring, one would assume, to the flamenco musical genre and not the flamboyant bird known for its agility.

When he recuses himself from decisions about city business that might present a conflict of interest with his personal company, he says he has decided to "recluse" himself.

And when he's trying to recall the name of another elected official, he often just takes a wild stab.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are among his victims _ Nickels once became "Nettles," and Villaraigosa's name has been transformed into various creative combinations.

New York City Councilwoman Letitia James, who goes by "Tish," is always greeted by the mayor as "Trish."

"He never gets it right," said James. "But he can call me whatever he wants as long as he provides resources to my district and addresses the needs of my constituents."

Bloomberg's aides usually just exchange knowing glances after one of their boss's public bungles, or if it's particularly embarrassing, they bend over their BlackBerries and pretend not to have noticed.

Sometimes, the mayor's way with words has ended up being part of the story of the day.

In 2004, Bloomberg put on a cowboy hat and gathered some country music stars at City Hall to announce that the Country Music Association awards would be held in the unlikely location of Manhattan the following year, the first time the show had not been in Nashville in its nearly 40-year history.

But when Bloomberg referred to Shania Twain as "SHA-na-ga Twain" and Tim McGraw as "Tom McGraw," he became an automatic example for anyone looking to paint the big city as unfamiliar with the country music industry.

Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser said Friday that the city's 8.2 million residents care more about actions than words.

"New Yorkers judge him by what he does, not what he says," he said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--absentmindedmayor0711jul11,0,7199969.story

twain2country · Guru

Just been reading this on Google news alerts.

2ndAmendment · Guru

Didn't Dolly Parton make fun of this when the country awards were in NYC? She said something about mispronouncing Shania and others as well as poking fun at Bloomburg's name for that reason.

twain2country · Guru

Dolly�may have done. Come on, Shania's name isn't that difficult to pronounce.

Tommy · Guru

Let's All Agree This Truly Sucks

By Rick Koster

Published on 7/17/2008 in Home �Entertainment �Music

Part of the fun of being a Music Head is the discourse and debate with other Music Heads. As evidenced by the popularity of various media Best Of and Worst Of lists, fans will fight to the death to protect and advocate their own musical heroes and ridicule the artists and followers of artists they dont like.

Over the years, some of the most vicious commentary Ive received from correspondents has been in response to something critical Ive written about such cupcakey performers as A) Shania Twain, B) Barry Manilow, C) Michael Bolton, D) John Tesh and E) Poison.

Believe me, hell hath no fury like a Shania Twain fan scorned. There are skin head punkers who would run in terror at the sight of an angered Shania fan.

However, I think I have found something we can all agree on.

Thanks to my pal Lee Elci, WXLM morning drive dude, I have now seen the worst music video ever and, not entirely coincidentally, its a video for the worst rock song ever.

Thats quite a one-two punch of stinkage, if you think about it.

Anyhoo: the song and video in question?

Jump in My Car by David The Hoff Hasselhoff. Experience the pristine crappage of it all right here.

Maybe you've already seen this. Maybe I'm woefully late to the party. Either way, it's inexcusably sad.

Now, if you comment to this blog, I assume it will be in complete allegiance to my assertions about this piece of, uhm, work. Im pretty sure The Hoff could literally be sentenced to death in some countries for this. Alas, ours nation is not one of them or I'd pull the trapdoor on the scaffold myself and not lose one bit of sleep over it.

And if you dont agree that this is the worst ever, well, Clarence Darrow, youd better have a good reason.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=62381f8d-c334-4262-a835-58bd3be55d57

�

-- Edited by Tommy at 18:18, 2008-07-18

-- Edited by Tommy at 18:20, 2008-07-18

Country gal · Guru

you gotta watch this music video by Hasselhoff.
i had a laugh or 2 or 3 or a dozen,this is absolutely ridiculous biggrin

twain2country · Guru

Did anyone see the one episode of America's Got Talent, when Sharon had a strop and walked off and Pierce went after her, he lost all his judges and shouted 'let's�call it 'America's Got Hasselhoff'. That was funny!

ZippyDoo · Senior Member

Country gal wrote:

you gotta watch this music video by Hasselhoff.
i had a laugh or 2 or 3 or a dozen,this is absolutely ridiculous

Yes, it was funny

twain2country · Guru

On this day 5 years ago

Tommy · Guru

RE: Shania mentions

chaosinc · Senior Member

twain2country wrote:

On July 27th 2003, Shania Twain performed at Hutchinson Field in Chicago. It was her first concert in the United States since releasing her album Up!

I hope she sticks with the same band and it would be great if BB would consider re-joining, he was on that special.

-- Edited by twain2country at 11:26, 2008-07-27

�� Yeah! t2c it was a cool concert!! I too hope she comes back with all��
original members!But, if not, I'm sure whatever Shania does will be cool!!
STILL WAITIN'!!!!!1��

twain2country · Guru

HOT DISH: Carrie Underwood Suns, Jessica Simpson Debuts

�Hot Dish

(CMT Hot Dish is a weekly feature written by veteran columnist Hazel Smith. Author of the cookbook, Hazel's Hot Dish: Cookin' With Country Stars, she also hosts CMT's Southern Fried Flicks With Hazel Smith and shares her recipes at CMT.com.)

Did you see the beach photos of Carrie Underwood last week on one of the Internet sites? I did. Talk about a real beauty in a bikini! No boyfriend in sight, just Carrie, sand and sun. There's nothing trashy about our Carrie. Like country music, she's the real, first-class deal.

The great thing about these candid photos is they were not smiley or posed. Carrie was not all made up. People were around her enjoying the sun, salt and sea. She was just a natural beauty taking it all in, apparently being left alone on a day of rest.

Hey, anyone who pokes fun of Carrie being a vegetarian, you need to know that she's not the first. A huge female star who sold millions of CDs is also a veggie. Her name is Shania Twain, and she's raising her son, Eja, to eat the same.

Jessica Simpson's Fans and Friends
At the Country Thunder USA festival in Twin Lakes, Wis., Jessica Simpson wore short cut-off jeans, shirt, cowboy boots and a smile, and you've probably heard that a handful of fans booed her when she walked onstage for her debut country concert. On the other hand, several radio executives and a Chicago newspaper have all reported that there was no shortage of applause once she began performing. In view of the fact that boyfriend Tony Romo's family and friends reside just 25 miles away and drove over to Twin Lakes, could that fact add to the applause? Oh yeah, Tony was at the festival, too, and I would assume he applauded her. She has applauded him and the other Dallas Cowboys at his football games.

Jessica has made friends with legends like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. Willie and Dolly are as smart as they come in any music genre. So if they like Jessica, I'm prone to think she ain't all bad.

Hey, Washington Post
Washington Post writer J. Freedom du Lac wants somebody to explain to him Kenny Chesney's enduring appeal, his phenomenon. Two words, du Lac. Great songs! This is country music. Country songs speak through ears only to those with a heart to hear. My guess, du Lac, is that you just might understand this.

I'm Hearing Eli Young Band and the Road Hammers
Everywhere I look, everywhere I go and every time I listen to the radio, I hear the Eli Young Band. I don't know anything about these guys, but it seems like they're worth observing.

And I am also hearing about the Road Hammers. Who are these acts? Where are they from? Do they like Willie and Waylon and bluegrass?

Lo and behold, I hear that "Little E" -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- owns a bar in Charlotte, N.C., called Whiskey River. I don't think it has anything to do with the song of the same title that Willie always opens his shows with. My guess is that it's a bar where you can drink whiskey and hear country music on the jukebox.

The upcoming "Just Vince" tour will take the Gill to 41 cities. You won't want to miss plumb perfect Vince Gill when he comes to your town. Vince, the most loved person in country music.

Alan Jackson's Dyed-in-the-Wool Success
This is not a rumor, it's a dyed-in-the-wool fact that big Alan Jackson has sold 50 million albums, and I'm here to tell you there ain't a dud in the bunch. A.J. does not know how to write or sing a bad song. Like George Strait, Alan Jackson is as good as we got.

You Can Trust Randy Travis
You can always trust Randy Travis to record great country songs. I can hum ever single Randy ever released. Randy boasts the highest chart debut of his career with the No. 3 entry of Around the Bend, his first full-blown country CD in eight years. Song choice and production credit go to the Kyle Lehning, the great producer who continues to work with Travis after more than two decades. As a matter of fact, Kyle told me he flew up to New York with Randy when he appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman.

Shoot yeah, I found out about the New York trip while dining with Kyle at Ruth's Chris restaurant. I frequent all the happening places with all the happening men.

Gary Allan Buys a Sandwich
A bevy of gawkers watched as Gary Allan's tour bus driver wedged the home on wheels through a small intersection in the heart of downtown Philadelphia following their performance on Kenny Chesney's Poet's & Pirate's concert at the local stadium. Why on earth would they attempt such a trying trip? Hillbillies in the know appreciate the original Philly cheese steak sandwich from Pat's King of Steaks, a culinary landmark in Philly since 1930. A visit is something you just do when you're in the 'hood. So the gawkers gawked as 10 people exited Gary's bus and walked to the window of the eatery that was actually smaller than the vehicle they were traveling in.

Kid Rock Ignites Fuse
The Fuse, a Las Vegas-styled nightclub, opened at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, and Kid Rock flew into Music Town so he could practice his old habits -- spinning records from the '80s. Kid Rock started working as a club DJ when he was a mere 12 years old, and they tell me he's still good at the turntable. I heard that members of Lonestar turned out for the grand opening, as did Trent Tomlinson, Ty Herndon and Kid Rock's Nashville PR dude, Kirt Webster. Also in attendance was Hollywood's Kim Kardashian of the partying K-sisters. Now, Kim is the sis with the big famous behind, while sister Khloe Kardashian is the one who recently spent an entire three hours in jail in Los Angeles for violating her parole on a DUI conviction.

A Personal Note
Pardon me if it looks like I'm bragging, but I'm so excited that the Grascals' new album, Keep on Walking, has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's bluegrass chart. Most of you know that my son, Terry Smith, is a member of the band.

http://www.cmt.com/news/hot-dish/1591610/hot-dish-carrie-underwood-suns-jessica-simpson-debuts.jhtml

-- Edited by twain2country at 11:04, 2008-07-28

xxsarahnade · Senior Member

The article looks ****ty because i copied and pasted it from somewhere in google, but i lol'd hard when i read this

Drunk driver saved in court by "Shania Twain" defense
Posted by Xeni Jardin, March 29, 2006 8:45 PM | permalink
Obviously, his car accidents happened because Ms. Twain is a ****ty driver. Snip from CBC News story:
One of the most notorious drunk drivers in [Ottawa, Canada] has been found not criminally responsible on his latest impaired driving charges because of a mental disorder that makes him believe female celebrities are controlling his actions.
Matt Brownlee was arrested last October after police spotted a pickup truck speeding along a busy street in downtown Ottawa. The 33-year-old man told psychiatrists that he knew the legal repercussions of his actions, but believed singer Shania Twain was helping him drive.

Has anyone else ever read this?

Country gal · Guru

yeah that is old,they guy is a psycho and he is in a clinic now from what i know. furious

ZippyDoo · Senior Member

xxsarahnade wrote:

The article looks ****ty because i copied and pasted it from somewhere in google, but i lol'd hard when i read this

Drunk driver saved in court by "Shania Twain" defense
Posted by Xeni Jardin, March 29, 2006 8:45 PM | permalink
Obviously, his car accidents happened because Ms. Twain is a ****ty driver. Snip from CBC News story:
One of the most notorious drunk drivers in [Ottawa, Canada] has been found not criminally responsible on his latest impaired driving charges because of a mental disorder that makes him believe female celebrities are controlling his actions.
Matt Brownlee was arrested last October after police spotted a pickup truck speeding along a busy street in downtown Ottawa. The 33-year-old man told psychiatrists that he knew the legal repercussions of his actions, but believed singer Shania Twain was helping him drive.

Has anyone else ever read this?

Yes, this was well publicized in 2006.
It was pretty funny.
This story came out the same time a woman in the U.K. was charged with killing her husband after she danced to MAN I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN just before she killed� him.

These 2 crazy stories came out at the same time.