Alan Jackson’S New Single Released Long Before Cd

Alan Jackson’s brand-new single, “I’ll Go On Loving You,” will be released by Arista Records unusually far in advance of the singer’s next album on the theory that it could become one of the more memorable of Jackson’s long string of hits. The usual lead time for a CD’s first single is four weeks.

Arista-Nashville executives say the next Jackson album will come two months after Monday’s radio-release date of the striking lyric written by country singer-songwriter Kieran Kane.

It is difficult to envision two more varied talents than mainstream superstar Jackson and the alternative-country Kane, who in the early 1980s was half of the progressive country duo The O’Kanes. But the two obviously have some things in common.

The story goes that Arista-Nashville boss Tim DuBois heard the Kane song on a demo and was struck by its sexy seriousness. The lyric contains multi-line recited segments, and DuBois, feeling that only a star of considerable reputation could carry that to the satisfaction of radio programmers, dispatched it to Jackson’s office with a recommendation that he give it a listen. Jackson did - and loved it.

Arista is doing a Jackson blitz in support of the song’s release. An appearance on NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show” is scheduled for July 28 following other guest shots on “Entertainment Tonight” on Wednesday and “The Nashville Network’s Primetime Country” on Thursday.

Reportedly, a main reason for rushing “I’ll Go On Loving You” is that it is markedly different from Jackson’s previous fare and different than the rest of the collection’s material.

Wariner wins songwriter nod

Billboard Magazine has named Steve Wariner its top-ranking country songwriter of the past half-year over weighty competition like Robert John (Mutt) Lange, Shania Twain, Jamie O’Hara and a Wariner duet partner, Anita Cochran.

The Wariner hits during the eligibility period of December ‘97 through May ‘98 include Clint Black’s “Nothin’ But the Taillights,” Garth Brooks’ “Longneck Bottle,” Bryan White’s “One Small Miracle” and his own “Holes In the Floor of Heaven.”

Billboard ranked Wariner first, Lange second, Cochran third, Jamie O’Hara (the other half of the O’Kanes duo) fourth and Twain fifth.

After debuting his first Capitol Records album, “Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down,” with the No. 1 first single “Holes,” Wariner is now rising in the hit charts again with a hot-tempo follow-up titled “Road Trippin’.”

Boys will be, uh, boys?

A couple of Alabama members, the group with the 41 hit singles and the 57 million total record sales, were asked the other day if they had any remaining goals.

“Just to win female vocalist of the year is all,” said fiddle-playing vocalist Jeff Cook.

“We’re drawing straws to see who’s going to get operated on,” said his cousin, bassist Teddy Gentry.

The group is composed of three cousins - Cook, Gentry and lead singer Randy Owen - and drummer Mark Herndon, who is unrelated, so guess who’s the best candidate for the short straw?

“So far Mark’s in the lead,” Cook not surprisingly confides.

Boys in BR5-49 not lazy

Nobody can accuse BR5-49 of laziness.

The ultra-traditional alternative-country band was scheduled to leave on a 90-day tour (including a date in Sandpoint on Aug. 1). The tour was to immediately follow a shorter trek during which they were to be out about a week with scheduled days off - which already had been allocated to make a music video. The video of the new single “Wild One” was to be filmed in urban Milwaukee and at an Indian reservation.

Yes, there still are country acts who go on lengthy tours, but a 90-day one is hardly the norm. The most distinctive thing about BR5-49, however, is that members don’t complain. They swear they love it.