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| "Womack likes meeting fans"; IndyStar.com article | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 9 2006, 03:24 PM (242 Views) | |
| Whoa-mack | Apr 9 2006, 03:24 PM Post #1 |
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Arizona Buckaroo
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Womack likes meeting fans She'll get her chance at expo this weekend April 7, 2006 By David Lindquist david.lindquist@indystar.com Lee Ann Womack calls country music fans her favorite people to be around. That's the essence of Country Music Expo, which will feature Womack and more than a dozen more Nashville acts Saturday and Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Sponsored by radio station WFMS-FM (95.5), the festival is designed to nurture musician-fan relationships. Thanks to the 12-year-old event, several artists have become stars in Indianapolis before the rest of the country caught on. In addition to a string of concerts, the expo offers question-and-answer sessions with performers. And every attendee has a good shot at going home with an artist's autograph. Womack, who collected three trophies at the 2005 CMA Awards, knows the value of the personal touch. Her 2000 hit "I Hope You Dance" became a touchstone for listeners needing five minutes of inspiration. "I've been able to hear a lot of great stories about how music affects people and changes their lives," Womack said in a telephone interview. "If you can record a song or album that changes someone's life in a positive way, it makes you feel like you're doing something worthwhile." Exceptional bonds between country musicians and their fans are almost a cliché. WFMS program director Bob Richards traces this to the songs' universal themes: love, family, faith and fun. "The person who's writing and performing those songs wants to get to know the fans even more," Richards says. "Find out how close that song is to their real life, what it means to them. The earlier in the process that we can start connecting those artists with fans, the better." Richards expects Country Music Expo attendance to top 15,000 across the two days. Mooresville resident Susan Haskins says she's been to at least nine expos, and plans to return this weekend. Haskins notes the growth from when the event attracted 2,000 fans a day. "When it was a little smaller-scaled, we were able to meet a lot of the artists," she says. "There's just more people to please. It's huge compared to what it was." Richards says the event's main elements -- acoustic performances, Q&A sessions and autograph sessions -- haven't changed. "The basics are the same," he says. "Don't overwhelm people with production, but try to have them feel like they're getting as close to the artist as possible." WFMS modeled Country Music Expo after "Fan Fair," the sprawling Nashville fan-appreciation event that began in 1972 and now is called the "CMA Music Festival." Expo tickets are given away at area businesses in weeks leading up to the event. WFMS also sells reserved seating, and general admission tickets will be available Saturday and Sunday at the fairgrounds. Performances are scheduled at the Champions Pavilion; autograph booths and various vendors will be found in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion. Richards says the radio station aims to bring a balance of established artists and newcomers to each expo. Womack and Clint Black are in the former category this weekend, while Rockie Lynne and Megan Mullins are in the latter. In past years, current stars Keith Urban, Trace Adkins and Blake Shelton have entertained expo audiences as virtual unknowns. "People come to see the stars, and then they walk away with two or three new favorites," Richards says. Haskins believes she has good instincts for predicting stardom. She and her daughter were the 11th and 12th members to join Brad Paisley's fan club. "I always thought Brad Paisley was good. We've been fans of his since he first came on," she says. "Rascal Flatts was the same way." Richards says accessibility is part of a country singer's job description. "Most country artists, from the time they start out, know the fans are where their bread and butter is," he says. "Those are the people who going to help them be successful, that are going to help them build their career." Womack says Nashville stars don't dwell on their celebrity, which she speculates is a result of growing up with hard-working parents. "A lot of us have kids and are very hands-on . . . That kind of thing will keep you grounded. When you're a working mom and you're juggling day care just like everybody else, that will keep you normal." |
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-CF http://www.icfmusic.wordpress.com/ | |
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5:24 PM Jul 10
