The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 39

SECTION ARTS oLEISURE TV Log, 4, 5D Comics, 6D Horoscope, 7D The TENNESSEAN SATURDAY, February 13, 1988 Aquarius, remember to take care of business, 7D Will Randy Travis unseat Statlers? 5D Symphony conductor tried for 'big leagues' 4 1 JOHN BRIDGES Staff Writtr Kenneth Schermerhorn, conductor of fhe recently silenced NashvilleSymphony, said yesterday he hai "an unwritten mandate" to lead the orchestra to full-time status when he came to Nashville in 1982. His eyes brimming with tears, Schermerliorn, 57, faced reporters during a press conference, his first local public appearance since the board of tike financially strapped orchestra voted Feb. 3 to cancel all future symphony performances. "When 1 came here, the civic leaders, aid nobly so, said they were interested in having a first-rate symphony orchestra, something in the big leagues," Schermerhorn said. "If it was not specifically planned that this meant a full-time orchestra, it was certainly alluded to.

"That's why! came here; I was convinced the time was right. We had dates reserved in Carnegie Hall for our coming-out. "I suppose the trajectory of growth astonished the organization. It seems it caught the city by surprise." Under Schermerhorn's leadership the Nashville Symphony's annual budget increased from $1.5 million in 1982 to $3.8 million for the current fiscal year. During the same time period, the orchestra's full-time core orchestra increased from 32 to 70 musicians.

Although Schermerhorn said he had had "intimations for some time" of the orchestra's financial keep him on the orchestra's payroll through July. According to a source at symphony headquarters, Schermerhorn's annual Nashville salary Is $120,000. However, symphony board president Dennis Bottorf said on Wednesday that the actual figure is "a little less than that." Schermerhorn said yesterday he did not believe the size of his salary "can have made a difference" in the cash-flow crisis which plagued the symphony's budget He said, however, that, if the future of the symphony required, he would consider a salary cut. Schermerhorn said he would "continue to offer" his "services to the orchestra to whatever extent is possible." He will conduct the symphony's out-of-work musicians, who received their last paychecks on Feb. 5, in a relief fund benefit concert at 8 p.m.

today at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. However, Schermerhorn said he was uncertain as to his future commitment to Nashville, especially should the orchestra be revitalized on a less-than-fulltime basis. "I would have to give that some serious thought," he said. "That would depend on other circumstances." In 1987 Schermerhorn, who owns a condominium here, married model and interior designer Tish Fort Hooker, a well-known Nashville personality. "This is my home now, in as much as a trouba-dor can have a home," Scher- Turn to PAGE 3D, Column 1 James Larson Nashville Symphony.

recently been completed to "phase out" his Hong Kong contract by 1989. Symphony of ficials said earlier this week that Schermerhorn's Nashville contract, scheduled to expire in 1989, Includes a "six-month notice" clause which will I yT Every day is Valentine's Day for Sweethearts of the Rodeo Country fans embrace talented singing sisters 1 -ts. THOMAS GOLDSMITH Nashville Notes On the road with rabbits, doves, chimp David Allan Coe, who has recently attempted to dispel his image as the bikers' favorite country star, now numbers rabbits, doves and a three-year-old chimpanzee among his traveling companions. The animals, used in Coe's magic act while on the road, join a menagerie which includes the five jaguars who live at the singer's home base in El-don, Mo. According to the latest edition of the singer-songwriter's newsletter, Coe has been a magician for more than 20 years, but "let it go while pursuing other projects.

"Now he's back to it and in full swing with rabbits, doves and even a chimpanzee," the singer's self-titled publication continued. The chimp, known as Rocky, is more than simply Coe's straight man in magic routines. He's also achieved a measure of celebrity by appearing in television commercials and posing for post-show autograph-session pictures with Coe. As for the jaguars, the pair that Coe already owns gave birth a few months back to two female cubs, Carmello and Mandolynn. Coe acquired the fifth jaguar, Sasheetah, during a road trip, and finds the three young animals "quite a responsibility," according to his newsletter.

What all this has to do with Coe's music isn't clear, but it certainly indicates that his lifestyle remains unusual even if he no longer rides his Harley on stage to start off his shows. Country stars Randy Travis, the Forester Sisters, Johnny Rodriguez and John Wesley Ryles earned more than $33,000 for child-abuse prevention programs with their sold-out Opry House concert Tuesday, WSM-AM of ficals report. Country-music fan and newly elected Fifth District Rep. Bob Clement was the special guest of the Oak Ridge Boys during recording sessions yesterday for the quartet's forthcoming LP. Former Little Feat member Billy Payne dropped into town recently to play keyboards on the upcoming Steve Wariner LP.

Payne and other Feat-ers are regrouping to record under the direction of Trio producer and new Nashvillian George Massen-burg. John Carter Cash, move over. Just like the Man in Black's youngest son, Mickey Gilley's son, Greg, is pursuing a career in heavy-metal music. Speaking of musical family traditions, Hank Williams Jr. recently sold out Atlanta's Omni concert venue in one hour.

Promoters of the show, set for next Saturday, added an additional show Thursday to accomodate demand. This year's edition of the annual Jerry Jeff Walker birthday concert in Austin, Texas, will feature veteran Music City songwriters Harlan Howard, John D. Loudermilk, Whitey Snaferand Dick Feller. Mae Axton, whose son Hoyt will also appear, is scheduled to co-host the March 19 event with Walker. In other news of the Mr.

Bojanglcs man, Rykodisc, USA, of Salem, is releasing Walker's 20-song Gypsy Songman cassette on CD. The 70-min-ute release, which Walker has been selling at shows for a couple of years, was partly recorded in Nashville at Jack Clements' Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa. Texas tunesmith B.W. Stevenson, who scored a major 1970s pop hit with My Maria, has moved to Nashville and has scheduled a performance Thursday at the Bluebird Cafe. And Nashville singer-songwriter Steve Forbert, whose moment of pop glory came with Romeo's Tune, has signed with Gef fen Records and is hard at work on a new LP in New York City, his Praxis management team reports.

Hying Fish Records is releasing an all-formats anthology of the music of Grammy-winning banjoman and songwriter John Hartford. The LP and cassete versions of the compilation, entitled Me Oh My, How the Time Does Fly, feature Gentle on My Mind and nine other cuts; the compact disc includes 18 tunes. Cousin Bubba, the first solo co-, median signed by MCA Records Jv Nashville office in 15 years, will re portedly be produced by fellow fun-nymen Sandy Pinkard and Richard Bowden. Friday about the rise and fall of the bad news," Schermerhorn said. "He asked if I would make a call to confirm." Regarding his own career, Schermerhorn said, "the timing" of the board's decision was "somewhat awkward." According to Schermerhorn, negotiations have "Then we asked our husbands." Janis and Vince became parents of Jennifer Gill on May 5, 1982.

Nine months later, on Feb. 2, 1983, Mary Del Arnold was born to Kristine and Leonard. Vince got a country recording contract with RCA in Nashville. "I moved to Nashville with Vince in 1983," recalls Janis. "I had no knowledge of Nashville and had never spent any time here.

But I was kind of looking at Nashville as the last chance for the Sweethearts. "It was very sad and very scary when I left Kristine in California. I really didn't know what I would find or whether or not I could stir up any interest in the Sweethearts. For all she knew, that was end for us. i "Within two weeks I called Kris and said, "This is the place.

This is our time. I think you should move Sweethearts of the Rodeo arrived just as Music City was beginning to embrace a whole new generation of country stylists. Within months, they would take their place among an elite group of musical newcomers who were revitalizing an American art form. In 1985 the sisters were chosen from among 150,000 participants as the grand prize, $50,000 winners of the Wrangler Country Showdown talent competition. Columbia Records signed the act Their remake of the Everlys oldie Hey Doll Baby took off in March 1986.

The follow-ups, Since I Found You, Midnight GirlSunset Town, Chains of Gold and Gotta Get Away, plus the Sweethearts music featured in the film Nadine, carried the debut LP ever higher in the charts, despite its slim eight-song length. Kenneth Schermherhorn spoke troubles, he said he received "actual news" of the board's shutdown action last week while on a recording date in Czechoslovakia. "My manager in Hong Kong where Schermerhorn is music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic sent me a telex that he had deal ih LA. This was in 1976-77. We were playing all the showcase clubs like The Palomino and The Troubadour and there seemed to be a market for our music.

"At the time there was a nice little underground of country music there you had Emmylou Harris, Asleep At the Wheel, Linda Ronstadt, Ni-colette Larson and people like that forming a real hub of country music. "We had such a big following by then. But we were so young, we didn't know what to do or how to do it "And then everybody turned sour on country music in California Right after the Urban Cowboy deal happened, it was a fad that passed. There was no work to be found in LA. for anyone who sang country." Janis and Kristine Oliver were rejected by the record companies.

But the sisters, particular Janis, were determined to fight back. "We said, 'We'll show They stuck together. And they became more deeply involved in the world of professional music. On January 26, 1980, Kristine married touring and recording session guitarist Leonard Arnold (Rusty Weir, Blue Steel, Pinkard Bowden, Three months later Janis married a musician, too. On April 12, 1980, she wed Vince Gill, then a stellar multi-instrumental member of Pure Prairie League, Emmylou Harris Hot Band and Rosanne Cash's Cherry Bombs.

While the Sweethearts' career was sidetracked, "Kristine and I sat down and said, 'Well, nothing's happening with our music; how about starting our families and let's try to have our babies together? That way, in a couple of years when we start back working, the girls will be like ROBERT K. OERMANN Stuff Writer In just a little more than a year Sweethearts of the Rodeo have become everybody's sweethearts in country music. As a result of their debut LP the singing sisters have had five hit singles, two hit videos, 150 concerts, a movie soundtrack appearance and reams of press attention. The LP finished 1 987 as one of Billboard's top 1 0 albums of the year. Success is so sweet, the Sweethearts have chosen Valentine's Day to kick off the follow-up disc.

"It sounds so stupid to say this, but we still pause and pinch ourselves to make sure this all isn't some joke someone's playing on us," says guitar playersongwriter harmony singer Janis Gill. "A mean joke, because we have had this as a serious dream ever since our high school days together." Janis and sister Kristine Arnold, two years her junior, have been musical partners all their lives. "My dad has believed in us since I was nine and Kris was seven, two little tiny voices first learning how to harmonize. "My mom was pensive about the whole thing, thinking 'What are my little girls getting But she had this very low, strong, beautiful singing voice. And I think that's where Kris-tine got her voice." Harry and Delphine Oliver raised their daughters in California, but the girls' ears caught the sounds of the South, particularly the angelic harmony voices of Nashville's Everly Brothers.

"When we reached our late teens we made some tapes and started making attempts to get a country record Sweethearts of the Rodeo are inviting Nashville to spend Valentine's Day with them tomorrow night at the Camel nightclub, where they'll preview their new LP One Time, One Night. The 9 p.m. show is sold out. Tickets for the 11 p.m. show are $10.

The new country hit makers are Kristine Arnold, left, and sister Janis Gill. 1 4 A "t'i 1 ating careers, making their lives more complex. "I know Vince didn't expect things Turn to PAGE 5D, Column 1 your deductible moving expenses, add whatever expenses you can to the basis of your house or to the adjusted sales price. For example, increase the basis of your new home by a real-estate agent's commission you paid. You can write off, among other things, the full cost of moving household goods and "personal effects." What does the term "personal effects" mean? A recent Tax Court case answered that question.

Mr. Fogg was transferred from Florida to South Carolina by his employer. He shipped his family's sailboat to his new residence and deducted $1,796 for the cost of shipping. The IRS disallowed the deduction, claiming the sailboat was not a "personal effect" But the Tax Court upheld the de-ductioa Reason: Personal effects include any item "intimately associated" with the taxpayer. The Foggs used their boat so frequently that it qualified as a personal effect Taxpayers getting a few good breaks A rose is a rose Mark Hall manages Joy's Florist on West End Avenue.

This is a busy time for florists. We've had some spring cuts in a wicker basket that have been popular for this Valentine's Day, but some things never change. Most pople want roses, red roses. Red is the color of love. That's what people want to give The Sweethearts' rapid rise has meant some adjustments at home.

Leonard quit his other jobs to go on the road with the duo as musical road manager. The Gills both have acceler- actually conduct business during the entertainment. Goodwill entertainment doesn't count. The Tax Court says a taxpayer can discuss business-related matters while fishing or golfing and deduct his out-of-pocket expense for the entertainment. Job-relates moving expenses.

You can take these as itemized deductions. The new job must be at least 35 miles further from your old home than your old home was from your old job. The deduction for the cost of making a job-related move is not subject to the 1986 law's floor for unreimbursed employee business expenses. You are better off itemizing your moving expenses to get your deductions sooner, but if you can't itemize (because the sum of your deductions doesn't exceed the standard deduction), or you've reached the limit on 1 and it's what they want to receive. SYLVIA PORTER Los Angeles Times Syndicate Most recent tax talk has been about the new laws that have been enacted.

But this is far from the only important tax news for 1987. There has also been a steady stream of new cases and rulings in which taxpayers came out winners. Here's a rundown of some of the important tax winners for 1987. Keep it handy when filling out your 1987 re Home sale exclusion: The law permits home sellers age 55 or over to escape tax on the first $125,000 of profit from the sale of a house. But a taxpayer can claim this break only once in a lifetime.

And both spouses of a couple are ineligible for the exclusion if one of them had claimed it before they were married. Deductions when mixing business with pleasure: You can deduct 80 percent of the cost of entertaining if the entertainment is "directly related" to your business. This means you They express love. I just got off the phone talking with a man. I ii.mrn, rO started to tell him what the charges would be.

He said, "I don't even want to know. I love her. Send them." The roses in Nashville are flown in from South America and California. A lot of flowers went to women at work today, so they could be shared with friends, but we will be busy Saturday and Sunday, too. It's a little different this year, with Valentine's Day coming on Sunday; Asiort tnose reia roses, we nave aireaay soia mousanas ana sye i will senaiof mom vt; ..4.,.