Northwest Herald from Woodstock, Illinois • Page 24

Page 2 STYLE NORTHWEST HERALD Tuesday. February 16,1999 mss striking By JIM PATTERSON The Associated Press fi 1 vnn Varble lanky, red-haired ill and as country as they come I 1 if fires up the coffee pot to start his work day on the country music assembly line. 4 can net writers a fortune. Most will never be heard. A star like Reba McEntire, who owns Starstruck Entertainment where Varble works, gets first shot at the best.

Lesser go fishing through the rest looking for a sleeper. Publishers like Starstruck constantly review their catalogs in search of an old number ripe for reinterpretation. It's all a matter of pitching the right song to the right artist at the right time. The pitching can be done at formal presentations or relaxed social gatherings. Desperation sometimes breeds inventiveness.

Kris Kristofferson once landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash's lawn and delivered a tape. If a "hold" is put on a song, it means the publisher agrees not to pitch it to anyone else until a singer decides whether to record it. Bryan White has stopped by Starstruck's offices, and four "song pluggers" are sitting in a room with him, ready to hawk songs written by people like Varble. The only clue White gives to Mike Sebastian and the other pluggers is that he's looking for songs "a little on the pop edge of things." Based on their instincts and White's previous hits, the pluggers start playing tapes of songs he might like. Seconds after hearing lyrics about "stumbling in, liquor on my breath," White stops the song.

The 24-year-old has a large teen-age following and doesn't drink. No drinking songs, or anything else "negative," he tells the pluggers. They nod thoughtfully. Song plugger Kos Weaver quickly locates and cues up another song. White has an arsenal of gracious ways to politely say no.

He holds up his arm like a crossing guard and says, "Stop." "That's really close," he says "It's a good idea. I'll pass on it, but I really like it." ft Varble is one of about 1.000 largely anonymous songwriters at about 100 music publishing companies in Nashville paid to feed the country music industry. He settles down with today's co-writer. Jay Knowles, in a small room stocked with recording equipment. It's slightly better than the average high school band practice room.

A large window gives them a view of Music Row, where high-rise buildings are gradually edging out restored old homes as the premier office space. After downing the coffee, Varble starts in on the chewing tobacco. "Got any ideas?" he asks, strumming his guitar. He jokes that he has only had two ideas in the past year, and has already written songs for both. That gets a laugh, then both men fall silent trying to come up with something new.

They leaf through notebooks of lyric ideas from the past few months "Well, what KIND of song do you want to write?" Knowles asks. "A good 'un," Varble shoots back. More silence. They settle on one of Knowles' ideas, a twist on the fairy tale ending "They lived happily ever after." The song will become "As Happy Ever After as It Gets." a musical comment on the stresses of modem life, and the difference between the reality of marriage and its ideal. Now they must struggle to fill in the details: "What happens at an office?" Varble Photo provided Songwriters Wynn Varble (left) and Jay Knowles discuss song ideas in an office at Starstruck Entertainment, a company owned by Reba McEntire, in Nashville, Tenn.

Writers like Varble and Knowles remain mostly anonymous while trying to create hits for song publishing companies. asks. "It's been so long since I had a job. I've never had one in an office." Then he hits on the phrase "computer down." "Does 'computer down' work in country song?" he said. He and Knowles decide that it works just fine.

After five hours they have three-quarters of their new song. Here's a sample, from the lyric copyrighted by Starstruck Writers Group, 1999: "Phone is ringinVComputer's downBoss is screamin' he wants it nowA million things to do piled on my deskThey say your wife is on line twoCan't talk now, I love you tooIt's as happy ever after as it gets." Songs are like currency in Nashville. Hits jt mximBMm 'Stella' earns three NAACP Awards The ASSOCIATED PRESS mm iiili; i The Winners Iin ow Stella Got Her lJ Groove Back" won three honors, includ-1 ing outstanding motion picture, at the 30th NAACP Image Awards ceremony. Angela Bassett was named outstanding actress and co-star Whoopi Goldberg earned outstanding supporting actress honors. The ceremony took place on Saturday and Sunday; Sunday's presentation mm 'i Tune In Tonight By KEVIN MCDONOUGH Herald News Service You know sweeps month is in full flower when almost every show features a gimmick, a walk-on and a cameo.

On tonight's "JAG" (7 p.m., CBS. TV-PG. L. V) talk-show host Montel Williams reprises his role as Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Rivers.

After accidentally killing a teen-age boy, Rivers is captured and tried by a separatist militia group that does not recognize U.S. laws. After a failed sitcom and a summer movie that sank (remember Jenny McCarthy could use a career boost. Whether she gets one from appearing on "Home Improvement" (7 p.m.. ABC, TV-G) remains, to be seen.

She plays a new mechanic (naturally) who becomes the object of Jill's jealousy. Tiffani Amber Theissen shows up on "NewsRadio" (7:30 p.m.. NBC. TV-PG) as Lisa's new assistant who only has eyes for Dave. "The Hughleys" (7:30 p.m., ABC.

TV-PG) plays up the hype surrounding Stephen King's "Storm of the Century" with a spoof of The Shining" and just about every other horror flick. John Astin (The Addams Shelley Duvall (The and Robert Englund on Elm appear as the family checks into a haunted motel room. If one teenage singing sensation (Brandy) wasn't enough for fans of "Moesha" (7 p.m.. UPN, TV-PG), they can catch LeAnn Rimes as herself as she meets Kim (Countess Vaughn), her No. 1 fan.

She even sings a song. Being the keeper of Graceland's eternal flame hasn't hurt Priscilla Presley's knack for comedy, and tonight she appears as Stacy's aunt on "Spin City" (8 p.m., ABC. TV-PG). Brian Dennehy, who just opened on Broadway as the lead in Henry Miller's acclaimed play "Death of A Salesman," returns as Finch's dad (and Nina's fiance) on "Just Shoot Me" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG). Baseball legends Pete Rose.

Darryl Strawberry and Kenny Lofton show up on "Between Brothers" (8:30 p.m., UPN. TV-PG), and even Judge Wapner (The People's has a stint on "Malcolm Eddie" (8 p.m.. UPN, TV-PG). Hope I didn't leave anybody out. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS A woman with six months to live (Katey Segal) tnes to arrange for a new wife and mother (Annabeth Gish) for her husband (Tom Irwin) and baby in the TV drama "God's New Plan" (8 p.m..

CBS. TV-PG). Have hankies handy. Scheduled on "Dateline" (9 p.m., NBC): a look at the JonBenet Ramsey case, or rather the lack of a case, two years after the murder, A high-profile lawyer (Daniel Benzali, "Murder from Sipowicz's past returns on "NYPD Blue" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14, S). "Hollywood Screen Tests: Take One" (9 p.m., AMC.

TV-PG) goes to the studio vaults to show Barbra Streisand. James Cobum, Bruce Lee. Rock Hudson and others trying out for the camera. Actress Fran Drescher gets the star treatment on "Intimate Portraits" (9 p.m., Lifetime, TV-G). CULT CHOICE A poison victim (Edmund O'Brien) races against the clock to find his killer and the antidote in the 1949 thriller "D.O.A." (9:30 p.m., Turner Classic Movies, TV-14).

SERIES NOTES "Dharma and Greg" is a Dick fears Mary's job is in jeopardy on "3rd Rock From the Sun" (7 p.m.. NBC. Peggy participates in a magic act on "King of the Hill" (7 p.m.. Fox, Buffy worries about her recent walk on the wicked side with Faith on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (7 p.m., WB, TV-14, V). Thurgood becomes a crime-fighter on "The PJs" (7:30 p.m..

Fox, Cher turns the basketball team's star from a hero to a zero on "Clueless" (7:30 p.m., UPN. TV-G). A man swallows and regurgitates unusual objects on "Guinness World Records" (8 p.m., Fox, Felicity's encounter with a childhood crush makes her question her actions on "Felicity" (8 p.m.. WB. TV-PG).

Will's estranged brother visits and Grace doesn't mind on the first of a two-part "Will Grace" (8:30 p.m.. NBC, Romance is everywhere on "Dharma Greg" (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG). LATE NIGHT Al are Actor Andy Garcia, Olympic gold medalist Tara Liptnski and comedian Wendy Liebman appear on "Lata Show With David Lettarman" (10:35 p.m., Actress Alyssa Milano and actor Dave Foley are Jay Leno's guests on "The Tonight Show" (10:35 NBC). BaMaher hosts actor John SchneirJerarxJrteSuBrvanon ToKJcafly Incorrect" (12:05 a.m., ASCV 1 MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE Daily RUSHMORE Daily t4 was taped for a March 4 telecast on Fox. "Beloved," nominated for six awards, picked up just The NAACP Image Awards will air March 4 on Fox.

BLAST FROM THE PAST Daily The following are the winners in the categories, chosen by a special committee of industry professionals and national leaders of the National Association tor the Advancement of Colored People: MOTION PICTURE: How Stella Got Her Groove Back." MOTION PICTURE ACTOR: Danny Glover, "Beloved." MOTION PICTURE ACTRESS Angela Bassett, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back." MOTION PICTURE SUPPORTING ACTOR: Morgan Freeman. "Deep Impact." MOTION PICTURE SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Whoopi Goldberg. How Stella Got Her Groove Back." YOUTH ACTOR-ACTRESS Jurnee Smolett. "Cosby," CBS. TV COMEDY: "Cosby TV COMEDY ACTOR: Steve Harvey, The Steve Harvey Show," WB.

TV COMEDY ACTRESS Tia and Tamera Mowry, "Sister, Sister." TV COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR: Cedric The Entertainer." in The Steve Harvey Show." TV COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jackee Harry. "Sister, Sister," WB. TV DRAMA: Touched By an Angel." CBS. TV DRAMA ACTOR Eriq La Salle. "ER." TV DRAMA ACTRESS: Delia Reese, Touched By an Angel." TV DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR: Ossie Davis, "Promised Land," CBS.

TV DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Ruby Dee, "Promised Land." TELEVISION MOVIE, MINI-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL: The Temptations," NBC. TELEVISION MOVIE, MINI-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL ACTOR: Blair Underwood, "Mama Flora's Family," CBS. TELEVISION MOVIE, MINI-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL ACTRESS: Cicely Tyson, "Mama Flora's Family." CBS. DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: The Young and the Restless." CBS. DAYTIME DRAMA ACTOR: Shemar Moore.

The Young and the Restless." DAYTIME DRAMA ACTRESS: Victoria Rowell, The Young and the Restless." VARIETY SERIES OR SPECIAL: "Sinbad's Summer Jam 4," HBO. VARIETY SERIES OR SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: Patti LaBelle, "Patti LaBelle Live! One Night Only!" NEWS, TALK OR INFORMATION SPECIAL: "4 Little Girls," HBO. NEWS, TALK OR INFORMATION SERIES: "BET tonight with Tavis Smiley: Is Slavery Funny?" BET. YOUTH OR CHILDREN'S SERIES OR SPECIAL: Teen Summit," BET. YOUTH OR CHILDREN'S SERIES OR SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: LeVar Burton, "Reading Rainbow," PBS.

LITERARY WORK, FICTION: "Mama Flora's Family," by Alex Haley and David Stevens. LITERARY WORK, NON-FICTION "With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together," Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. LITERARY WORK, CHILDREN'S: "Let My People Go: Bible Stories Told By a Freeman of Color," written by Patricia and Frederick McKissack; illustrated by James E. Ransome. NEW RECORDING ARTIST: Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." RECORDING MALE ARTIST: Luther Vandross, "I Know." RECORDING FEMALE ARTIST: Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." DUO OR GROUP: Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

'When You Believe." RAP ARTIST: Will Smith, "Just the Two of Us." MY FAVORITE MARTIAN Daily 2 SCREENS Daily OCTOBER SKY SNEAK PREVIEW SUN. 7:00 SHE'S ALL THAT Daily mm one outstanding actor in a motion picture for Danny Glover. Morgan Freeman won best supporting actor in a motion picture for his role in "Deep Impact." In the television categories, "The Young and the Restless" also received three awards -outstanding daytime drama series, and outstanding actor and actress, for Shemar Moore and Victoria Rowell, respectively. "Cosby" won two awards, one for outstanding comedy series and Jurnee Smolett won best youth actoractress. Lauryn Hill won outstanding new artist, outstanding female artist and outstanding album.

"The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE Daily MIGHTY JOE YOUNG Daily SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" Daily Mm A CIVIL ACTION Daily PATCH ADAMS "3 Daily Sun. Mm. Hmts In The News SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE Daily limn ikiiUMtitTga .11 Mill.) II II PRINCE OF EGYPT Daily ft a mm A SIMPLE PLAN Daily VARSITY BLUES Daily Guide for a story in its Feb. 20 issue. Stringfield says she will not do any guest shots on the show because its producers prevented her from doing television for the remainder of her contract, which hadn't expired when she left.

Stringfield, who married science writer Larry Joseph last October, says she has no regrets about leaving the hit NBC show. "It was such a great experience," she says. "(But) all I did was work, and when I wasn't working, I was running desperately to catch up." HILLARY AND JACKIE Daily The ASSOCIATED PRESS CLEVELAND Mickey Rooney should be on his feet and back in Oz by the end of the week. The 78-year-old actor missed Friday's opening performance of a stage production of The Wizard of Oz," because of a bad reaction to some medicine. He also sat out the Saturday and Sunday shows.

Barbara Ketty, spokeswoman for Cleveland's Playhouse Square Center, said Rooney was expected to be back playing the Wizard on today, the next scheduled performance. Rooney went to the emergency room Friday at SL Vincent Chanty Hospital, where he was treated and released, said Jennifer Gaglione, Playhouse's promotions manager. urn I NEW AT THE SHOWPLACE! BIRTHDAY PARTY HOTLINES! 455-1128 Information 455-1038 Reservations 1 IV' VII nlt our wvbaita at www.ksraaotM.coni Showtwes oooo for Hon. 2IS-Thurs. 218 Message in a Bottle (PG-13) DIGITAL 4:10 7:10 10:00 Blast From the Past (PG-13) DIGITAL 4:00 6:50 9:30 My Favorite Martian (PG) DIGITAL 4:20 6:45 9:15 Rushmore (R) DIGITAL 5:20 8:00 10:25 Payback (R) DIGITAL 5:00 7:20 9:50 Saving Private Ryan (R) DIGITAL 4:15 8:05 Shakespere In Love (R) DIGITAL 4:50 8:10 She's All That (PG-13) DIGITAL 5:10 7:45 10:10 Patch Adam (PG-13) DIGITAL 4:30 7:15 10:05 Stepmom (PG-13) DIGITAL 4:45 7:30 10:05 A Civil Action (PG-13) DIGITAL 5:15 7:50 10:20 Varsity Blues (R) DIGITAL 4:40 7.40 10:15 mm li mm RUGRATS Sat.

Sun. mm LOS ANGELES If Dustln Hoffman had his way, he'd be writing characters instead of playing them. Hoffman, who is to receive the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award on Thursday, said he's not entirely satisfied with acting and has been secretly writing a screenplay for years. "My first choice would be to be the author," he told the Los Angeles Times in a story published Sunday. 1 cant help being this way." AT FIRST SIGHT Fri.

Sat. 7:15 Mm NEW YORK Former "ER star Sherry Stringfield finds her old show too gruesome to watch these days. The first time I saw I after I left I was Ske, This show is horrfcle. There's blood everywhere, people are I had no clue it was that painful to watch," she told TV A DUGS LIFE Sat. Sun.

Fri. Sat. Sun. -Thur. 7:00.