NASH Icon Signs Martina McBride / Still Mum on Ronnie Dunn
NASH Icon, the partnership between Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group meant to give new life to older country stars, has its second signee. Martina McBride, rumored since the beginning of the new imprint to be a possible artist for the label, made it official on Tuesday (12-23) while making an appearance on The Today Show. She was on the show promoting her just released book on cooking and life called Around The Table. Martina joins Reba McEntire as the official artists on the NASH Icon roster.
The McBride signing makes sense for both parties, and was presumed to happen by many when the NASH Icon venture was first announced. Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta had mentioned Martina McBride specifically in connection with the label, and her 2011 disc Eleven was released through Republic Nashville—a joint venture between Big Machine and Universal Republic. Her last album Everlasting was a collection of soul and Motown covers, and was released independently, leaving McBride with no label affiliation.
There certainly was nothing curious about the Martina McBride signing by NASH Icon, but there is a curious situation brewing between the label and another older star—Ronnie Dunn, formerly of Brooks & Dunn. On November 27th, Dunn took to his Facebook page, where he often posts colorful and involved missives to his fans about the music business, and specifically its interfacing with older artists like himself, and announced he was NASH Icon’s next signing.
“Got my new company cap yesterday”¦..NASHIcon / NASHChetta / Big Machine. Thanks Narvel, Jim Weatherston, Scott Borchetta,” Dunn wrote with a picture of his sporting the new headgear. Jim Weatherston is the General Manager of NASH Icon, and Narvel Blackstock is an artist manager. The announcement came after weeks of Dunn hinting at the possibility, and it looked legit enough. Dunn even confirmed the news in later Facebook comments. Outlets like Music Row dutifully reported the announcement, though making sure to also point out that nothing official had been announced from Big Machine. Subsequently it’s been a month, and still there’s no official word from the label or NASH Icon that Ronnie Dunn will be a part of the imprint, even though many are taking the signing as a given.
Furthermore, there’s been many opportunities for NASH Icon or Big Machine to confirm the news. On December 1st, the label made a big deal about how Reba McEntire would be honored at the inaugural American Country Countdown awards with the first ever NASH Icon award. Also, there was much fanfare around the announcement that Reba McEntire would be playing a Las Vegas residency as her first move under the label, and that Ronnie Dunn would be partnering back up with Kix Brooks to co-headline the engagement. And still, no word from NASH Icon on Dunn signing with the label.
The situation already was beginning to feel awkward before the Martina McBride signing and official announcement from the Big Machine Label Group. Now it makes it even more curious of why they’re mum on Dunn if he is indeed signed to the label. Could Dunn’s NASH Icon announcement actually do with the Las Vegas residency, and not the label itself? Did Dunn jump the gun, and the deal either hasn’t gone through, or the label’s not ready to announce it? And now that we’ve had another artist signing roll down the hopper, you would have though it would have jarred Ronnie’s announcement loose if it was stuck in the pike. It doesn’t mean Ronnie Dunn isn’t signed to the label confidentially, or that he won’t be signed to it in the future. But at this point, NASH Icon now officially has two artists signed to their roster, and neither one of them is named Ronnie Dunn.
Hank Williams Jr. also stirred rumors he might be headed towards NASH Icon by wearing an “ICON” hat to the ACC Awards, though he’s reportedly been wearing the hat for months. Hank Jr. is also unsigned with a label, and fits in the NASH Icon window.
December 24, 2014 @ 11:46 am
Well, if Martina “made it official” via an announcement on The Today Show, perhaps Ronnie did the same with his Facebook? Or maybe they were close to the final signing and the deal fell through? Or maybe the actual deal hasn’t been finalized just yet, but it’s considered a sure thing by both sides? By the way, since he and Kix are going to be playing shows together under the Brooks & Dunn banner in Vegas, is it still appropriate to consider the duo a “former” proposition? Sure, they may not make any new music for a while or even at all, but they’re once again flying under the name (which baffled me, personally, after all of the subtle animosity between the two after the breakup, particularly from Ronnie). Wait, perhaps NASH is trying to coax Ronnie and Kix back together since they netted the live shows deal? That’d certainly be more lucrative than Ronnie solo, and has almost certainly come up in meetings (how could it not).
Crud, I’m still waiting with bated breath for Clint Black. The man’s been without a label for SIX YEARS. Please, Mr. Country Music Anti-Christ, SIGN HIM. I want new music from the other man in black! He even played the “NASH Bash” concert (along with a few other Big Machine acts and one Joe Diffie), and claimed that he was injecting some “new material” into the set list.
http://www.countryweekly.com/news/clint-black-ready-winter-nash-bash
December 24, 2014 @ 11:58 am
Big Machine acknowledged, tweeted, retweeted, press released the Martina McBride announcement. There is not one bit of communication from Big Machine that has ever mentioned Ronnie Dunn, aside from the announcement of the Las Vegas residency, which again makes it even more curious why they wouldn’t at least mention he’s signed to their roster.
The Brooks & Dunn thing appears to be a one-off deal at the moment, and I believe Dunn said there would be no new music. But who knows. There’s a lot of money in that franchise.
December 24, 2014 @ 12:40 pm
That’s what I was thinking. I bet after Ronnie agreed to the Vegas shows, NASH realized that he wasn’t diametrically opposed to flying under the old banner once more, even if it’s a slightly different capacity. Perhaps they figured that was their foot in the door and are putting the hold on Ronnie until he gives in or something? I could definitely see something like that. As you say, a lot of money to be made off of that name, and a lot of prestige/attention/respect would go along with it. Think about it: “NASH Icon, the label that got Brooks & Dunn back together.” That would draw a fair amount of eyes their way and maybe even more talent or names that they might be having trouble getting on the roster.
That said, Ronnie seemed almost ecstatic when he was set free to do his own thing back in 2010. I’ve heard certain fans even claim that his heart wasn’t in it during the final B&D tour, judging by his lack of enthusiasm. However, as we all know, that didn’t exactly pan out for him the way he seemed to think it would. That and his much maligned second solo album that got everyone talking about the conflicting messages and even engendered an admission of misfire from Dunn on Facebook might have got him considering the B&D moniker again. Sure, he said that there wouldn’t be any new music. But he’s also been saying that he’s signed to NASH Icon as well, and we haven’t seen confirmation of that, hence this article. If he’s at all on the fence about a reunion and new material, I could see NASH pushing as hard and holding out as long as they can to make it happen. I don’t think it will, but I bet the duo’s franchise has something to do with the whole fracas with Ronnie. They could just be waiting until the residency starts when there’s a lot of attention on him to make the announcement. My guess is this won’t be clarified for a while longer yet, particularly since no one seems to have any idea just what the hold up is.
December 27, 2014 @ 12:03 am
I wonder if Dunn–along with Brooks–are angling to do the residence at the Hall of Fame. After Skaggs, Tanya and Alan Jackson get inducted in the next three years, it’s really their turn–and the residence gig seems to be a way for certain country artists to claim their dibs.
December 24, 2014 @ 11:48 am
I am just glad that older artists are getting signed to a label hopefully they will be smart and sign Dolly. It’s about these supposedly older artists receive the respect they deserve.
December 27, 2014 @ 12:16 am
I seriously doubt that Dolly Parton would WANT to sign with that label.
Dolly is a completely unique personality whose been marketing herself successfully for 40-plus years. The last thing she needs to do is be yet another me-too artist or afterthought on a label that just signed Reba McEntire and Martina McBride.
Dolly’s the type of artist who commands the respect to sign on as maybe the only country artist on a label that carries, say (just as an example), Eric Clapton. She don’t need Nash Icon.
December 24, 2014 @ 4:48 pm
Man, this is quite the dropping of the ball, though on whose part I am not sure. Seems quite odd that Ronnie Dunn would make such a big deal out of it without a peep from anyone involved with Big Machine.
I will say that I do question B&D getting back together, even if it”™s just a Vegas thing. Would it be that lucrative beyond the nostalgia factor? I genuinely wonder. Their first ten years were pretty solid, but I think they probably peaked with Borderline and were on a plateau until Red Dirt Road, then it just started going downhill in a hurry ”” at least if the singles were any indication. I don”™t know if there”™s any going back from songs like “Hillbilly Deluxe” and “Put A Girl In It.” But maybe that”™s just me.
December 25, 2014 @ 6:23 am
I would say that there’s plenty of value there, even outside of the nostalgia realm. After all, it was HUGE news when they announced that they were breaking up back in 2009. As for their career, I feel like they peaked with their debut album Brand New Man. Sure, they’ve had some great, some good and some not so good singles since then, but from a holistic album perspective they released their best set of tunes at the start. After that album they sort of settled into the huge country star mold that many artists do and simply stagnated within their own image. That’s not necessarily a BAD thing in my opinion, just the nature of the beast with many musicians for better or worse. I don’t honestly remember “Put a Girl In It” but “Hillbilly Deluxe” wasn’t bad at all. It was by no means great, but it was honest fun. Plus, you have to remember that they released two of their best singles, “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” and “Indian Summer” after the Hillbilly Deluxe album in 2005. If they were to get back together and start making new material, it would surely be big. The only unknown is whether they would be able to survive in the current country radio climate or appeal to the NASH Icon crowd.
December 26, 2014 @ 11:55 pm
Ronnie Dunn is over 60 years old–and Kix is right around there. I think you can take it as a given that Dunn is not going to be played on country radio–whether solo or with Brooks.
As far as the reason for reuniting: I get the sense that a lot of these artists who are the dominant members of groups–Dunn of B&D, Raul Malo of the Mavericks, Marty Raybon of Shenandoah–like the idea of going it alone and headlining under their own name, but when they start to do it, they become chagrined to learn from concert promoters that they are not nearly as marketable under their own names as they are as part of their old group. So they go back.
December 27, 2014 @ 3:12 am
I had no idea Ronnie Dunn was over 60.
Anyway, Nash Icon would definitely play any new Brooks & Dunn material.
Not that there’s necessarily going to be any.
December 28, 2014 @ 11:31 am
George Strait is 62, so I wouldn’t call it outside of the realm of possibility. Brooks & Dunn’s brand has a lot of cultural value for country music and it’s a respected name. Of course, the fact that Kix is employed by Cumulus Media and Clear Channel is hesitant to play songs by artists that are closely associated with competitors is one of the reasons why B&D didn’t have many latter day hits originally, so that would obviously play a part.
As for artists striking it out on their own, you’re completely right. When you’re one of the primary forces behind an act’s music, I think that can go to your head. One starts thinking that the people that line up to see you are just YOUR fans instead of fans of the whole show. This is especially true for Ronnie, since he was very much the voice of Brooks & Dunn. They only had a few minor hits with Kix on lead vocals. Most of the songs that Ronnie sang on became big hits. I could see why he would start to think he could do all of that without his partner.
December 28, 2014 @ 12:39 pm
Kix Brooks sang lead on a few of their hits like ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone’ which was a #1 song and another really good song he sang lead on was ‘Lost And Found’ which was a top ten hit. There were a few others through the years as well that were released as singles.
December 30, 2014 @ 12:39 am
Yes Strait is over 60, too–and even he retired from the hit-chasing game. And King George is universally respected and admired, while B&D were already wearing thin and taking a lot of criticism when they broke up a few years ago.
December 30, 2014 @ 12:51 am
Another thing–
Just for comparison, when a dominant duo member who left his partner and went out on his own–and had enormous success–was Paul Simon. But when Simon left Garfunkel, he also changed and evolved his music in a lot of ways. “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Kodachrome,” “Me And Julio,” etc. have a different sound than the old S&G records–so Simon truly justified going out on his own.
Ronnie Dunn’s solo album was fine–but it pretty much sounded like B&D. So he’s no really establishing any new identity as a solo artist. And at 62, it’s probably not going to happen.
December 30, 2014 @ 7:44 am
Good grief, folks; if you’re going to respond to one of my comments, at least do it on one where I can respond! 😛 Regardless, here we go.
Scotty J: I’m aware that Kix sang lead on “You’re Gonna Miss Me” but I had forgotten that it was a number 1 hit. I know that plenty of other singles were released with him on lead vocals at the outset, but with the odd exception Ronnie more or less dominated the duo’s singles. It’s even apparent if you go back and listen to their albums: at the beginning in 1991 with Brand New Man, it was 50% Ronnie and 50% Kix. By the release of Cowboy Town in 2007, it was more like 80% Ronnie and 20% Kix, and that 20% was used on cuts that were obviously never going to see the light of day outside of the album. I’m not downplaying his contribution to Brooks & Dunn so much as pointing out why Ronnie might have begun to get stir crazy. I know more than a few Brooks & Dunn fans that only like Ronnie’s songs for the most part.
luckyoldsun: Apparently George needs to clarify his position, because everywhere I turn someone has a conflicting opinion on the nature of his career post-Cowboy Rides Away tour. My understanding was that he was done TOURING, not done releasing albums. So, one would surmise from that information that he would still be in the “hit chasing game.” And even if he weren’t, he still had an uncanny knack for getting to the upper reaches of the charts based on his name alone. A friend of mine has frequently stated that George could sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and get a number 1 hit out of it. I’m inclined to agree.
But you’re right about Ronnie not changing his sound; his first solo album was very much B&D lite. However, I’d argue that his sophomore album Peace, Love and Country Music wasn’t as close to the template, if only for all of the wrong reasons. Aside from maybe “Honky Tonk Stomp”, Brooks & Dunn never featured the hard rock guitars and country rock leanings of songs like “Country This” or “Cowgirls Rock & Roll.” Even if they were facing some criticism and wearing thin like you say, they were always much more laid back neotraditional country music than country rock, not counting the odd single. And on that note, even if they were wearing out their welcome by the time of their breakup, absence makes a heart grow fonder, as they say. I could see a reunion being a big deal, and if the utterly ridiculous prices of tickets to the Vegas shows are any indication, there’s still a market for Brooks & Dunn.
December 27, 2014 @ 7:29 am
I don”™t honestly remember “Put a Girl In It”
Well, it was a Peach Pickers song. Which should explain that. 😀 “Hillbilly Deluxe” just didn’t appeal to me at all. “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” was all right, I suppose. Maybe it was just the way my tastes had shifted between, say, 1998 and 2002 that makes me think the way I do about them. I bought those first four albums and played them quite a bit, especially Hard Workin’ Man. (Kix Brooks isn’t that good of a singer, I know, but strangely enough, “Mexican Minutes” is actually my favorite Brooks & Dunn song.)
December 29, 2014 @ 7:33 am
Funny, “Mexican Minutes” is my favorite B&D tune as well. I was first turned on to it not by hearing on their album, but because a cover band in northern Colorado played it. I’m pretty sure that song was the sole reason I bought “Hard Workin’ Man”.
December 30, 2014 @ 7:58 am
I’m not familiar with the Peach Pickers, but from the sound of that appraisal I’m not missing anything. I can respect someone not liking “Hillbilly Deluxe”; the song has little to no substance, I just like it because if you’re going to cut a checklist song, at least do it right. And that one was done right. There was plenty of charm and swagger on display, and it had some semblance of a story. It wasn’t so much braggadacio about the country life as it was a description of it (cartoonish embellishments notwithstanding).
As I said, I thought “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” was excellent. But, I can see why it might not appeal to the more jaded or informed listener. Part of the problem with B&D that I hinted at before and has been lamented by many a critic is that the duo really stagnated within their template and didn’t diverge from it for 20 years. When you’re bread and butter is cutting songs that pull at the heartstrings, it can cause the listener to become a bit cynical towards the material. At a certain point, any new Brooks & Dunn song would cause me to listen for the inevitable crescendo of “emotion” that was always there. “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” very much sticks to this template, I just liked it. I don’t know if your tastes changed so much as you think or if you just became subconsciously tired of the B&D formula. I was a kid in the ’90s and my mom is a huge B&D fan, and she constantly had their first four albums on rotation in the car. In particular, “My Maria” was one of my absolute favorite songs at that time and if I play it today and block the rest of the world out, it still takes me back.
As for Kix, I don’t think he’s a “bad” singer so much as he’s a much less distinctive one than Ronnie. He has very much the “everyman” sort of voice, with a bit of a strained quality to it that makes his range seem a lot more limited than it actually is. He’s not unpleasant, just a bit dry. I don’t begrudge anyone liking any of his songs. I actually thought his self-titled solo album from 1989 was very good and at least on par with Brooks & Dunn’s weaker material. His followup New to This Town from 2012 was okay, but I thought that his Ambush at Dark Canyon soundtrack album from 2014 was actually very good, give or take a cringe worthy moment. The movie was horrible, but he cut some good music for it.
December 30, 2014 @ 10:31 am
What is the story with “Peace, Love and Country Music”? Is it a genuine album release–or just something that Ronnie Dunn has been selling through his website? According to Wikipedia, it came out in April–but it has not charted at all?? I’ve seen it listed on ebay for $24.99–like it’s a rarity. Has it been aborted or shelved–Or is it due for a general release. It seems like Dunn’s management/marketing people screwed the project up brutally.
December 30, 2014 @ 10:49 am
It was released but didn’t chart because it wasn’t heralded all that much by anyone but Dunn and his fans. It was released digitally to all major retailers, but the physical copies are only available at certain places. His website obviously carries them and I happened to come across one at a Hastings store. Smartly, Little Will-E Records has started selling physical copies on Amazon.com, but only as a third party seller for whatever reason. That’s where I got my copy. Fast shipping, arrived in good condition.
I’m inclined to agree that Dunn’s marketing department dropped the ball with this one. It seems like most folks don’t even know that he released a new album. That’s to be expected from an artist transitioning from major to independent, but even people that are versed in the independent scene seem to be baffled by it. If you’re on the market for a copy, I’d go with the Amazon listing I mentioned (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00IWWUBEI/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1419961418&sr=8-1&keywords=peace+love+and+country+music). I’d wager that since all or at least most of his team are probably new to the independent game, he didn’t know how to handle it as well as he could have.
December 30, 2014 @ 10:58 am
Ah, and I almost forgot: Ronnie and Kix seem destined to have their careers intertwined, if only incidentally. Brooks also released a new album this year that flew under the radar, only it was a soundtrack to a film he was in by the name of Ambush at Dark Canyon, and it’s only available in a pack with the DVD itself (http://www.amazon.com/Ambush-Dark-Canyon-CD-DVD/dp/B00HWI6JNK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1419961988&sr=8-6&keywords=kix+brooks).
As I said in my response to the pistolero, the movie is horrible but the album is actually good. In fact, it’s Kix’s best solo album by far and better than Ronnie’s Peace, Love and Country Music as well. It’s worth noting, however, that while it’s primarily Kix’s music and his name is on the album cover, a few other artists contributed a couple of tracks (but it’s still 75% Brooks). It has a cringe-worthy moment or two in respect to lyrics, but the music is pretty good.
December 26, 2014 @ 6:32 pm
RD was railing against his duo gig for a long, long time. We all know KB was the personality and enthusiasm factor that kept it all going.
Why eat crow after the all of that break-up and reunite. Could it be that RD’s solo choice resulted in less than stellar interest from the fans…. To say KB was the cog in the wheel is to understate the power of his personality by several thousand degrees. He was the ultimate essential to that engine.
December 28, 2014 @ 6:05 pm
I followed B&D for many years and I can honestly say that I never went to a show to see Kix Brooks. I found him annoying. I hate his whole country boy schtick. He grew up upper middle class. Even though KB has a deal with Cumulus for radio, last I checked he was still signed as an artist with Arista Nashville. I agree with Acca Dacca that Clear Channel will not play new B&D music, not only because of the Cumulus connection but also because of all the ranting against CC that RD did last year.
December 29, 2014 @ 12:42 am
I don’t know, NASH Icon’s Wikipedia page says that Ronnie Dunn is signed, and God knows Wikipedia’s never wrong.
December 29, 2014 @ 1:09 am
Ha, yes. I have scoured the archives of any and all missives coming from Big Machine/NASH Icon, and there’s no mention of Ronnie Dunn being signed.