Hank Williams Jr. Could Be Next NASH Icon Artist
UPDATE: NASH Icon Signs Martina McBride / Still Mum on Ronnie Dunn
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It looks like Hank Williams Jr. might be the next signee to the Cumulus Media / Big Machine Label Group joint venture known as NASH Icon meant to give new life to aging artists who’ve been passed over by mainstream country radio. On Monday night’s poorly viewed American Country Countdown Awards, Hank Williams Jr. closed the night out as a late edition to the show’s lineup with a rendition of his famous song from 1984 “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight.” In the midst of the performance, Hank Jr. switched over from a cowboy hat to a black hat with gold lettering that simply read “ICON” across the front.
Since NASH Icon is part of Cumulus Media, who were one of the major underwriters of the American Country Countdown Awards, and the first signeee to the label Reba McEntire was honored on the night with a “NASH Icon” award herself, and the fact that Scott Borchetta was also a part of the presentation and Jr. was added to the lineup so late, it seems to match up that the “ICON” on Jr’s lid was the preliminary announcement of his partnership with the new label.
The NASH Icon record label is looking to sign legacy country music talent that is still commercially-relevant and help get them back on the radio through Cumulus Media NASH Icon radio stations which mix older music dating all the way back to 1980, with hits from the 90’s, 2000’s, and today. Hank Jr. would fit right into that NASH Icon sweet spot as an artist whose heyday was in the past, but is still releasing records to a loyal fan base. Hank Jr.’s last album, 2012’s Old School New Rules was released independently.
One extra layer of intrigue with the signing is that Hank Williams Jr. was a long-time artist of Curb Records, and a close personal friend of the label’s owner, Mike Curb. Like with many Curb Records’ artists, the relationship ended poorly between Hank Jr. and Curb, with Williams saying upon his exit, “We’re going to get off this old, dead sinking ship.” This would be the second major artist that has made the transition from Curb to the Big Machine Label Group. Tim McGraw made a similar move under a wave of lawsuits and counter-lawsuits between the two companies, with Big Machine and Tim McGraw eventually coming out as the victors in court.
Headgear was the way another potential signee to NASH Icon made his announcement. Ronnie Dunn, one half of Brooks & Dunn, posted a picture of himself wearing a “NASH Chetta” hat on his social network feed on November 27th after dropping hints he was signing with the label in weeks prior. However, the news of Dunn’s signing has never been announced or confirmed by the company. Subsequently, Brooks & Dunn have announced their reuniting with NASH Icon’s Reba McEnitre for a small run of shows in Las Vegas. No word on if it’s just Ronnie, or potentially Brooks & Dunn who would sign to NASH Icon, or if Ronnie’s “signing” simply had to do with the Vegas shows and not the label. Kix Brooks, the other half of Brooks & Dunn, is the host of the Cumulus Media syndicated show American Country Countdown, which was the backdrop for Monday’s American Country Countdown Awards.
If Hank Williams Jr. does eventually sign with NASH Icon, it would give the imprint an artist who is a two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, a one who carries on of the most famous names in the history of country music.
December 16, 2014 @ 1:17 pm
Dont know if it means anything it in the song he said, “Pig in the ground and Contract on ice”……..
December 16, 2014 @ 1:23 pm
I’m torn on this. On one hand I have always loved the Hank Jr. classics and a part of me is really excited for him to be able to record new music (though let’s be honest he could probably afford to bank roll a new album by himself if he needed to) and I like the Nash ICON idea.
That said I’m really not all that excited for new Hank Jr. material. His recent couple albums have left me cold, especially on the song writing part. I don’t say this because of his well known politics, I may disagree on some of his stances and comments, but I’m a pretty apolitical person and generally don’t care what a particular artists views are. It just has more to do with a lot of his later material not feeling as inspired or fresh as his classic material does.
Honestly I’m more intrigued by what Ronnie Dunn may do since the part of his last album where he was not desperately trying to keep up with the trends at Country radio were pretty damn solid like “Grown Damn Man” and “Wish I Still Smoked Cigarettes”.
December 17, 2014 @ 3:32 pm
I totally agree. Hank Jr. is what got me into country music in the first place and Dinosaur remains my all time favorite song. His classic stuff is still my go to country. That said, I don’t think he has released a good album since Montana Cafe. Everything since has definitely been uninspired and news of a new album is not particularly interesting at this point. I really, really hope he can dig up a few good albums at this point in his career and go out with a bang. Frankly, I think an album composed of nothing but Hank3 and Holly Williams songs would be just the ticket. Also, less rock and more country, circa Old Habits and Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. Just my two cents.
December 18, 2014 @ 9:26 am
Agreed on all points. Hell, at this point I think he should consider writing less and searching out different songwriters period as it seems he has lost a lot of passion to his songwriting in recent albums.
Seems in recent albums he has become more fixated on trying to play up the “Hank Jr. Party Songs” portion of his music rather than the songs with real feeling and substance that I liked the best of his like Old Habits.
December 16, 2014 @ 2:27 pm
Any vehicle that will give these guys the platform they deserve is fine with me.. If they are done then they are done, but they will live and die because of the quality of their music, not because of some over thought demographic formula or because they qualify for senior coffee at McD
onalds.
December 16, 2014 @ 4:04 pm
This.
December 16, 2014 @ 2:39 pm
If he is signing with NASH Icon, then I approve. A legend like him deserves to be given radio play even if it’s only minimal. But I think all of you may just be looking too far into an incident that may have just been coincidental. I say this because I know for a fact that Hank’s been changing the lyrics to “contract on ice” for at least 20 years now. He even sang it that way on his “Full Access” movie from the 80’s. He’s also been wearing that “Icon” hat for a couple of months now. Here’s a photo of him wearing it weeks ago. https://www.facebook.com/eastoncorbin/photos/a.174188437403.121855.91042107403/10152563924527404/?type=1&theater
December 16, 2014 @ 3:09 pm
I didn’t mention the changing of the words in the article, it was mentioned by a commenter, so I don’t know that “all of” us are buying into something that may not be true. And just because Bocephus has been wearing the hat for a few weeks I don’t think somehow refutes the message he may have been trying to convey with it. In fact it might validate that he’s pursuing NASH Icon for all we know.
Who knows, he may not sign with the label. But I do think there were enough curious coincidences last night that it was worth mentioning.
December 16, 2014 @ 4:07 pm
See Jimmie Wilson above: nobody deserves radio play because he/she is a legend. If the music deserves it, then it’s nice to have the venue.
December 16, 2014 @ 4:31 pm
Ronnie Dunn has confirmed on his facebook page that he signed with Nash Icons as a solo artist. He also stated that there are no plans for new B&D music. He made those statements in the comments as answers to fan questions.
December 16, 2014 @ 4:58 pm
I have seen and read all of the stuff relating to NASH Icon on Ronnie Dunn’s Facebook page, and nowhere have I seen a signed contract, a press release, or any information from NASH Icon announcing Ronnie Dunn as an artist, or confirming any relationship with Ronnie here weeks after he made his own announcement. I’m not saying that he isn’t signed with the company, or that he may not be in the future. But according to NASH Icon, the only artist signed to the label right now is Reba McEntire. NASH Icon has mentioned absolutely positively nothing about Ronnie Dunn.
http://www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com/labels/nash-icon/
It would be extremely strange for a label to sign an artist, and then not mention it or promote them whatsoever. Again, I’m not saying Ronnie Dunn doesn’t have some arrangement with NASH Icon that will be made public in the future, but at the moment, according to NASH Icon, he is NOT on their roster. I have been following this story for weeks now and there may be an even deeper story here. I’m still waiting for other shoes to fall.
December 16, 2014 @ 5:56 pm
For me, Hank Williams Jnr is now the Dennis Miller of country music, his old stuff was great, but it would appear that he now just appeals to the average Fox News Viewer, make a few jokes or sing a few songs about how much he dislikes President Obama.
December 16, 2014 @ 8:39 pm
Hank Jr. has become a joke, in terms of his album output and the defense of his political positions. He has become the king of overt, inept, pseudo-conservative, pseudo-reactionary, “US or suck my cock and die” sentiment.
Please do not slander Dennis Miller with this label. Miller is far more intelligent and far more nuanced than the average FoxNews, CNN, or MSNBC viewer. The problem with Dennis Miller’s audience and appreciation is that the intelligence of the average American has declined by at least 20 points over the last 30 years. When Miller was on MNF, 90% of his comments fell on deaf ears because they required a 12th grade grasp of the English language. Dennis Miller and Norm MacDonald are for selected, and diminishing audiences only; because, as the Western world becomes dumber, and more laden with third-world morons, the diminishing genuine citizens of Western lineage, are fewer.
December 16, 2014 @ 8:42 pm
RD:
Fair points about Dennis Miller and great reply.
December 16, 2014 @ 11:46 pm
Dennis Miller is a war hawk, just to let you know.
Also, can you show me proof that “third-world” immigrants have reduced the intelligence of the “Western” world by 20 points? Furthermore, what is so special about one’s lineage? Should people be judged on their own merits or on who their ancestors were?
December 17, 2014 @ 2:48 pm
Monday Night Football is a great example of something which jumped the shark decades ago.
And I’m not too fond of most of the Sunday NFL games either for that matter.
December 16, 2014 @ 10:27 pm
I like his classics as much as anybody, as I feel he’s the best singer of all 3, but he’s such a dumbass. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get past that unless his new material is great.
December 17, 2014 @ 7:36 am
I am betting he wore the icon hat because he’s insecure and feels the need to remind us that he considers himself an icon. I mean he is kinda crazy and self-absorbed. The thing I don’t understand with Bro-cephus (I love calling him that!) is why does wear a hat and a toupee? Isn’t wearing one of either supposed to eliminate the need to wear the other? Plus it’s gotta be stupid hot under there. Do you think if he ever decided to model his attire after Ray Wylie Huubard that he would wear a hat, a toupee, AND a scarf?
December 17, 2014 @ 9:20 am
If you fell 300 feet off of a mountain, fractured your skull and had your brain exposed, I bet you would remain bald and never wear a hat…Must be nice to ridicule someone who survived a near-death accident.
December 17, 2014 @ 9:35 am
Oh I would wear a hat or a toupee (wig?) but not both. My question was why does he wear both? Seriously has to be kinda hot don’t you think? I know all about the scaring from the injury (which is also the reason he wears shaded glasses) and I only ridicule him because he’s a jerk not because he had a near death experience.
December 17, 2014 @ 8:50 am
As long as he writes his own music, he will still be great!
BOCEPHUS!!!
December 17, 2014 @ 11:23 am
Um Hank Jr is a icon and he is far from being insecure he is the most confident person I have ever met in my life… In 2008 he recived the bmi icon award witch is far more relavent than this new nash icon deal… However I do think it would be cool if he did sign on with this to get him more exposure. But he has been wearing this icon hat for a little while and wouldent put him past just him showing off cause he is a icon because he does love to show off so Im not gonna read a lot into it just yet and would not advise anyone else to either..
January 1, 2015 @ 12:08 pm
Hank Junior is lazy. Plain and simple. Yes, he’s talented, but he hasn’t done much with that talent.
December 17, 2014 @ 1:43 pm
I’m thankful for celebrities like Hank Jr. who speak out publicly against lying, pieces of crap like brobama. Almost every celebrity and media personality in this country government butt lickers, so it’s nice to know there’s a few who aren’t.
December 17, 2014 @ 2:23 pm
Hard to find a bigger fan of Jr.’s stuff in the late 70’s through the mid 80’s, but he’s become such a caricature of himself that it’s hard to take seriously. Feel the same way about Jimmy Buffett. Both are so concerned about living up to an image that they’ve quit developing at all. If Nash Icon just provides a vehicle for more of the same, I’ll pass.
December 17, 2014 @ 2:44 pm
I agree with you, Will, and I have been a fan of both of these guys for decades.
Jimmy Buffett is a big business – he’s certainly not an artist anymore.
And Bocephus is way past his prime to say the least.
DAC is certainly a charicature of something these days.
But I don’t view artists as having eternal shelf lives.
Popularity is usually ephemeral, and the creative spark is as well.
Most artists go through peaks and valleys and usually fizzle out at some point.
I think a lot of great ones, including for example, Waylon did that.
But their contributions are eternal and I still listen to their music.
I have 6 Jerry Jeff CDs in my car CD player right now, and he hasn’t put out much of any great quality in quite a few years.
December 18, 2014 @ 4:04 pm
I love me some Hank Jr. Always have. I gotta say though, he is arrogant. He simply brags way too much about himself. He is a huge talent, no doubt. However, it would mean much more if he let others call him great. Rather than do it himself.
December 21, 2014 @ 5:08 pm
And if you don’t like it, well you can …. … …
December 22, 2014 @ 11:06 am
I don’t think Hank Jr. is arrogant though I can see where people that don’t no his whole story can easily see him as arrogant… In truth he is cocky x-treamly self confident and likes to show off but he is not arrogant people would shit if they new how much charity work he has done
December 29, 2014 @ 8:32 am
Hank is Hank and those who don’t like him can have an opinion. You have to look at his accomplishments over the years. At least he does not try to change his music to “keep up with the times”. I think his new music is ok and not garbage like these new so-called artists who call themselves “country”. As far as his opinion on the leadership of our “country”, there needs to be more celebrities speaking out against policies because there are too many that go along with them! Way to go Hank!