Milsap / Bleve Strike Back – Part 2
To read about the conflict between Ronnie Milsap and Capitol Records Nashville, click here, and to read about Milsap’s first protest click here.
I know some of you might be tired of this story, and others might think that the Milsap/Adkins song is not worth defending. But this might be the most important story I have ever covered in the fight to save country music. Of all the past sins of Nashville and its big money institutions, never have they stooped so low to take legal action against charitable contributions.
This issue has exposed many people to the hidden ills of Nashville; people like firefighters, police officers, and even pop country fans. You can read some of their thoughts in comments to my previous stories on this subject.
Ronnie Milsap and Bleve Records have not backed down one inch. A week after staging a protest with firefighters, Ronnie buzzed the headquarters of Capitol Records Nashville in a vintage Barney Fife-esque police car while throngs of protesters stood on the curb in support. Check it out:
Local news stations covered the protest as well, and you can click here to see one.
Capitol Records Nashville has still yet to comment publicly, and so has Trace Adkins. As time goes on, Trace’s “no comment” begins to become almost as conspicuous as Capitol’s. However take in mind, Adkins might have signed away his First Amendment privileges when he signed with Capitol.
Mark my words: this might be the incident that history marks as the moment a Nashville institution went too far.
To read my letter to Capitol Records Nashville, CLICK HERE.
Burch
October 5, 2009 @ 11:51 am
I can’t really blame Adkins for not saying anything to this point. He’s in the most precarious position of anyone involved here, it wouldn’t be hard to envision him getting dropped by the label or even sued if the Capitol lawyers could figure out a way to do it. They probably won’t drop him since that would give him free license to diss them all he wanted but there’s no telling how this will play out. I don’t really expect any kind of reaction from him. As nice as it’d be to see him be vocal in this situation I can’t blame him for keeping his mouth shut, he really does need to cover his ass at this point. Maybe in the future he’ll get the opportunity to open up about it.
The Triggerman
October 5, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
A precarious position to say the least Burch. I thought we lived in a country that was founded on freedom of speech. When did we get to the point that such a silly thing as a record label, something so superfluous, could control someones right to speak their mind? I mean really, think about this for a second. Back in the 70’s the fight was weather to have strings back the music up. Now people are facing legal ramifications if they make a Freudian slip. Milsap is trying to help the police. Capitol has created a police state amongst their artists.
stubblejumper
October 6, 2009 @ 8:52 am
It’s ludicrous that a record label can shut up its artists. Every other worker in every other industry has laws protecting them from that kind of crap. I guess its pretty telling about who’s running the show down in Nashville though
Burch
October 6, 2009 @ 11:30 am
That’s the problem with free speech – when money is attached to it then speech isn’t free. Even if nothing specifically prevents Adkins from speaking his mind, the label could make his life a living hell if he decides to open up and give them bad PR. If he still owes them a handful of albums they could effectively end his recording career until he fights a long, messy legal battle. Plus I’m sure he has a clause in his contract that disallows him from saying anything bad about the label.
Max the Dog
October 7, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
This is a worthy story. I, for one, am not tired of hearing about it. Please continue to report on it and keep your visitors updated. It’s important for David/Bleve to beat Goliath/Capitol on this one. Thanks for your fine work.
dtodd
October 12, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
Thanks for getting this story out there. I am a fire fighter who had the the responsibilty of getting relief fund checks to the fire fighters in the Gulf Coast area post Katrina/Rita. Over 3,500 fire fighters were affected some losing everything yet they continued to work and rescue victims. I appreciate what BLEVE and Ronnie Milsap are doing for us. With your permission I would like to send out your letter to Capitol to all my contacts and post on my website.
The Triggerman
October 12, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Dtodd,
Please do!
Saving Country Music » Blog Archive » Trace Adkins Leaves Capitol b/c of Bleve Brushup?
May 2, 2010 @ 9:58 am
[…] Ronnie Milsap struck back and struck back again. But as Ronnie was running around Nashville with a bullhorn, Trace, on tour with Toby, was […]