Crib Notes

From Decatur CD

Dear Sugarland,

About five minutes before we started writing this letter, a customer walked in and inquired about your new CD/DVD release, Live on the Inside. “Do you know if it’s out yet?” she asked. We said that, yes, it was released Tuesday, but that we were not allowed to sell it. She’d have to go to Walmart to get it. “Walmart?” she replied, with an incredulous look. “Really?” She left disappointed, and frankly, we’re disappointed as well.

You guys have been around roughly as long as Decatur CD, and we’ve been supporters of your music from day one. We’ve put your releases on listening stations, given away tickets to your shows and so on. After all, what is a local music scene if not an extended family of sorts? We have to take care of each other.The point is that by shutting the door on independent record stores, you’re in effect shutting the door on your hometown.

We’re not naïve. We understand that exclusively releasing your music with Walmart means big, fat, non-returnable, guaranteed sales, a wide reach, a truckload of money, etc., but what do you get by cutting us out? We’ve read the articles; we understand you think we’re insignificant, offhandedly commenting that there are only “two or three” record stores left. But a lot of your fans in the city where you got your start think rather highly of us. They like to buy local. They like to support independent business.

Continue reading An Open Letter to Sugarland.

(Photo courtesy Sugarland)

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Seems like there was more action behind-the-scenes than onstage, despite the 20-plus performances at this year’s Grammy Awards.

Chris Brown reportedly got gangsta with his girlfriend Rihanna, causing them both to cancel their performances. The alleged reason behind the smackdown should bring a whole new meaning to their upcoming collabo, “Bad Girl,” produced by Atlantan Polow da Don for the Confessions of a Shopaholic soundtrack. Meanwhile the real “gangstas,” Lil Wayne and T.I., delivered upstanding, redemptive performances — neither of which required NARAS President Neil Portnow to excuse their inclusion in the program, the way he had to when Eminem performed to the chagrin of gay rights activists in 2001.

Of course, the Recording Academy continued this year with the ultra-lame generational mashup theme that made for some of the oddest pairings ever.

Surely, Stevie Wonder would’ve been insulted if only he could’ve seen how silly he looked on stage with the Jonas Brothers. The Al Green/Justin Timberlake pairing was quite a yawner, but perhaps we should be thankful that Timberlake didn’t attempt to rip Green’s shirt off for a grand finale. And did we really need to see B.B. King and John Mayer trade ugly guitar faces for the second year in a row?

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Janelle Monae is one of 19 Georgia-affiliated acts to get a Grammy nod

51st Annual Grammy Award Nominees Affiliated with Georgia (list courtesy The Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter)

Shaffer Smith/Ne-Yo (6)
Born in Arkansas, Raised in Las Vegas; Wikipedia

• Album of the Year: Year of the Gentleman
• Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Closer”
• Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Miss Independent”
• Best R&B Song: “Miss Independent”
• Best Contemporary R&B Album: Year of the Gentleman
• Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Closer”

John Mayer (5)
From Connecticut, Resided in Atlanta; Wikipedia

• Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Say”
• Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Lesson Learned”
• Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Gravity”
• Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media: “Say” (From The Bucket List)
• Best Long Form Music Video: Where The Light Is — Live In Los Angeles

T.I./Clifford Harris (4)
Born/Raised in the Bankhead section of Atlanta; Wikipedia

• Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: “Swagga Like Us”
• Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: “Wish You Would”
• Best Rap Song: “Swagga Like Us”
• Best Rap Album: Paper Trail

Trisha Yearwood (3)
Born in Monticello, Ga.; Wikipedia

• Best Female Country Vocal Performance: “This Is Me You’re Talking To”
• Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: “Let The Wind Chase You”
• Best Country Album: Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love

T-Pain (3)
Born/Raised in Tallahassee, Fla., Resides in Atlanta; http://www.t-pain.net/biography

• Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Low”
• Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Got Money”
• Best Rap Song: “Low”

Gnarls Barkley (3)
Group’s origin is in Atlanta; Wikipedia

• Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Going On”
• Best Alternative Music Album: The Odd Couple
• Best Short Form Music Video: “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported today that Sugarland founder Kristen Hall has filed a law suit against her former band. Her suit filed July 29 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, seeks more than $1.5 million in profits, along with interest, attorney fees and a formal accounting of all partnership affairs and businesses from the band’s current members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush.

News of the suit comes as a shock to fans at a time when the group’s latest release, Love on the Inside (Mercury Nashville) holds the position as the nation’s No. 1 selling album on Billboard Music Charts.

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