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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 2 July 2019
Cody Johnson is bridging the Texas-Nashville musical gap

By KRISTIN M. HALL He made it clear that he
Associated Press wanted creative control,
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — including choosing his own
Ever since Willie Nelson left producer and songs, own-
Nashville in the early 1970s ing his own publishing and
to return to Texas, there's even deciding how he
been a large chasm be- dressed.
tween the "red dirt" country "There were a lot of people
artists working primarily in that wanted to change a
Texas and Oklahoma and lot about me. This being
the polished, radio friendly a huge factor for a lot of
music being produced in people," he said, pointing
Nashville. to his cowboy hat.
Even today, there's a sepa- His debut as a Warner art-
rate country radio chart for ist, "Ain't Nothin' To It," hit
Texas stations and the inde- the top of Billboard's coun-
pendent country acts that try album chart in Janu-
are popular there often get ary, and his first single from
labeled in Nashville as just that album, "On My Way To
"regional artists." You," peaked at No. 11 on
East Texas-raised Cody Billboard's Country Airplay
Johnson spent more than Chart, his best charting
a decade in that musical single yet. He's opening up
scene and heard the dis- for George Strait and Blake
trust that many Texas coun- Shelton at Gillette Stadium
try artists had for Nashville in Foxborough, Massachu-
record labels. This June 4, 2019 file photo shows country singer Cody Johnson performing during the CMT Cross setts, in August. He also
"There were a lot of artists Roads Brooks & Dunn and Friends live taping on Broadway in Nashville, Tenn. opened for Luke Combs,
from that era who were Associated Press one of country radio's fast-
probably a bit arrogant in est rising stars, on select
the fact that 'I'm from Texas he's finding an audience ing to overcome a cultural bums that reached the top dates this summer.
and I've got this and you're his own way. challenge. 10 without major label sup- Johnson's album reflects
not going to tell me what to Warner Music Nashville's ex- "There's so much pride in port or distribution and sold the traditional country he
do,'" Johnson said. "I think ecutive vice president for the Texas music scene be- out the Houston Rodeo with idolizes but adds elements
there has been something A&R Cris Lacy tried to sign cause it is so special," Lacy 74,000 tickets. But John- of gospel, rock and blues
lost on some guys from Johnson for years, but he said. "They are very protec- son knew that he couldn't to sound fresh for younger
Texas that maybe thought kept rejecting their offers. tive of it. And each Texas make the next leap without ears. He chose a honky-
they were Willie or Waylon." Lacy knew that major la- artist has to think about the support of a label and tonk blues song written by
Johnson, a former rodeo bels often got stereotyped when they move on to the commercial country radio. Chris Stapleton, a rocking
cowboy turned country as being heavy handed next step, are they going Last year, Johnson a signed Charlie Daniels cover, a
singer, wants to bridge that with new artists by chang- to alienate the people that a deal with Warner Music couple songs about the ro-
gap by straddling the tra- ing their sound or forcing believed in them?" Nashville in a 50-50 part- deo, a gospel song and a
ditional and the modern, they work with certain pro- As an independent artist, nership with his own im- cover of Roger Miller's "Hus-
Texas and Nashville, and ducers. But she was also try- Johnson released two al- print called CoJo Music. bands and Wives."q

Old friends return in Doiron's 'Almost Midnight'

By BRUCE DESILVA rendered helpless, with a rescue, kills one of the at- where the prison is located,
Associated Press bullet to the head. tackers, and gets stabbed and the mountains, where
"Almost Midnight," by Paul The other friend is Shadow, in the gut for his trouble. Shadow was found, hell-
Doiron (Minotaur) a wolf-dog hybrid that Not long after, a game bent on figuring out what
In nine previous crime nov- Bowditch once rescued warden who patrols a his human and canine
els, Paul Doiron's protago- from a couple of meth mountainous territory near friends have gotten them-
nist, Maine game warden heads and briefly consid- the Androscoggin River selves into.
Mike Bowditch, has made ered keeping as a pet be- calls Bowditch with more The Cronk case proves far
more than his share of fore the beast broke free bad news. Shadow has proves far more complicat-
friends and enemies. Now, and fled into the woods. been found at a ramshack- ed, involving a conspiracy
in "Almost Midnight," two The plot begins when le farm, the bolt from a that puts prisoners, prison
friends featured in earlier Cronk calls Bowditch from crossbow protruding from guards and even Cronk's
books return, and both are prison, where he is doing his torso. family in mortal peril. The
in desperate need of help. time for that head shot. Investigating the prison Shadow case is difficult as
One of them is Billy Cronk, He begs Bowditch to look stabbing is a job for the well, hampered by a lack
an ex-soldier who's prone into the background of a state police. Because of cooperation from hostile
to paranoia, fiercely loyal, prison guard but won't ex- Shadow was shot outside mountain folk. As usual in
and capable of explosive plain why. Chalking it up to of Bowditch's territory, a Doiron novel, the char- This cover image released by
Minotaur shows "Almost Mid-
violence. In an earlier book, Cronk's paranoia, Bowditch that's none of his business acters are well drawn, the night," a novel by Paul Doiron.
Cronk saved Bowditch's life declines. either. But Bowditch has Maine landscape is vividly Associated Press
by shooting two gunmen, But within hours, two shiv- never been one to stand portrayed, and Bowditch
impetuously dispatching wielding cons ambush the on protocol. Soon, he's rac- pursues his passion to pro- evil doers to justice regard-
one, who already been guard. Cronk comes to the ing between the shoreline, tect the innocent and bring less personal cost.q