The Montana Standard from Butte, Montana • 40

ffr1-1 Montono-Stondardt Time'Out, W93 KEEPING TIME He's" learned to be Sisinnisellff Garth NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) It's hard to say when he blossomed from a mere country-music success story into a cultural touchstone, one of those celebrities whose last name is superfluous. Garth. In the John Singleton movie "Poetic Justice," the subject of country music comes up between two urban men. The name with which they associate it is Garth Brooks.

On MTV's "The Real World," aspiring country singer Jon Brannon phones home and is cut off by his father with the explanation, "Garth is singing the national anthem (on television)." When Eddie Murphy needed a country-music representative for his attempt at a "We Are the song he called Garth. He'll likely be the only country singer on the upcoming Kiss tribute album. (Brooks calls his lead vocal on "Hard Luck Woman" his "tribute to Peter "Brooks' power is reflected in big and small ways. What kind of singer would dare alienate consumers with an outspoken stance against used CDs? Why would anyone who wants airplay on always-conservative country radio stations release "We Shall Be with its line advocating that people "love anyone they choose?" them," said Brooks, 31. "I don't think we can be free until everyone can love who they choose, and something has got to be done about used CDs.

"I've got more money than I'll ever be able to use, but people who are like brothers and sistersK songwriters) to me are getting ripped off. Two things can happen with used CDs either find a way to pay the people who create them or they must be wiped out." It is hard to overestimate Brooks' popularity. He is the best-selling recording artist so far in the 1990s, with total sales hovering around 30 million. "The Chase," Brooks' last album, contained "We Shall Be Free" and sold about 5 million copies, about half, of what he's become accustomed to. "I thought I was Brooks said, completely serious.

At the time, Brooks spoke publicly of retiring and devoting himself to being a father. Instead, wife Sandy and baby girl Taylor Mayne Pearl (named after James Taylor and Minnie Pearl) are joining him on the road as he promotes his new record, "In Pieces." "In Pieces," immaculately produced by Allen Reynolds, is a nice helping of the now-familiar Brooks style, that means intensely sung slices of life balanced with rol licking odes to the regular guy, and one or two stylistic twists. "The Night I Called the Old Man Out" is a good example as to what keeps Brooks solidly country, despite showmanship inspired by 1970s arena rock. In rock 'n' roll, the story would end with youth coming out on top. In Brooks' hands, the story ends with the rebel Ning taught a lesson.

"The most telling point to me is the tear in the old man's eye that he doesn't get any pleasure from the situation," Brooks said. Brooks reunited one of his favorite bands, New Grass Revival, to play on his version of their "Callin' Baton Rouge." To do so, he had to fly in banjo player Bela Fleck from a tour with his Flecktones. Besides that, he sticks with the same revolving group of songwriters and players that have been on every Brooks album since "Garth Brooks" in 1989. Reynolds has produced every Brooks album. The singer credits him with a key piece of advice, given during the recording of the.

first album. "He told me he couldn't work with me anymore, because I wasn't being myself. I had always wanted to be George Strait, and that's what I was trying to do," Brooks said. "He said the world already had a George Strait, and all I could was give them Garth Brooks." AP Laserphoto GARTH BROOKS holds up two awards he won in 1991 from the Country Music Association for "The Dance," named best song and best video. The song was No.

7, instead of ny's office. Brooks' customary No. 1 on the Bill- Dressed in one of his trademark board country singles chart. print shirts and black cowboy hats, Not that Brooks believes he's Brooks was soft-spoken and intense, above such controversy. "My job is to be the most honest "It doesn't help," he said during Garth Brooks I can be, and I say an interview at his record compa- these things because I believe Warden seeks NASHVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) -Monte Warden is the kind of guy who can go on for hours about how Ricky Nelson was underrated, who offers sermons on the sins of digital recording, who remembers exactly where he was when he first heard the benchmark of neo-classic country, Randy Travis' "Storms of Life." In short, the 26-year-old Warden is as much music historian as musician, acutely aware of country and rock music and where he wants to fit in. His instincts lean hard to country-influenced rockers from the 1950s. Among them are Elvis Presley, Nelson and Buddy Holly, Warden's most obvious inspiration. "The most apparent thing when I was 10 was that awful disco coming from my sister's stereo in her bed-, room," the effusive Warden said during an interview at his publicist's office. "Inadvertently, she pointed me in the direction of cool music, 'cause I Weekly charts for the nation's best-selling recorded music as they appeared in this week's issue of Billboard magazine.

Reprinted with permission. (Platinum signifies more than 1 million copies sold; Gold signifies more than 500,000 copies TOP SINGLES I. "Dreamlover," Mariah Carey (Columbia) 2 "Just Kickin' It," Xscape (So So Def 3 "I'd Do Anything for Love," Meat Loaf (MCA) that She Wants," Ace of Base (Arista) 5 "The River of Dreams," Billy Joel (Columbia) 6. "Right Here(Human Nature)-Down-town," SWV (RCA) 7. "Whoomp! There It Is," Tag Team (Life) (Platinum) Mr.

D.J.," Zhane (Flavor Unit) 9 "If," Janet Jackson (Virgin) Tony! Toni! Tone! (Wing) II. "Another Sad Love Song," Toni Braxton (Laface) Steps Behind," Def Leppard (Columbia) Is Love," Haddaway (Arista) 14 "Cryin'," Aerosmith (Geffen) Janet Jackson (Virgin) 16 "I Get Around," 2Pac (Interscope) A La La La La Long," Inner Circle (Big Beat) place in history knew that was So Warden's sister, and the folks behind "Saturday Night Fever," can take partial credit for "Monte Warden," just released on the Austin, Texas-based Watermelon Records. Warden felt strong enough about making this kind of record that he allowed RCA Records to buy out his contract. It was his second strike in the big leagues, after Records never saw a return on its sizable investment in Warden's band The Wagoneers. The Wagoneers released two albums without making a commercial ripple.

Warden dismisses that work as "wimpy." Records was looking to get into country music," he said. "They were listening to country radio and not country music. "I bought into this thing they whisper into your ear, 'You make this record now and LATER in your career you get to make YOUR he said. News never rests on the weekend. Why should we? Join Savannah Guthrie and Tony Bahou for the Weekend Edition of the Night Report.

We're making a difference in Butte at 10:00 p.m. IN THE GROOVE lumbia 8. "Easy Come, Strait MCA) 9. "Retro Active, cury) Easy Go," George Def Leppard (Mer- 10. "BIind Melon," Blind Melon (Capitol) (Platinum) 11.

"Toni Braxton," Toni Braxton (La-face) (Gold) 12. 'Black Sunday," Cypress Hill (Columbia) (Platinum) 13. "A Lot About Livin'," Alan Jackson (Arista) (Platinum) 14. "187 He Wrote," Spice 1 (Jive) 15. Seated," Rod Stewart Warner Bros.

(Platinum) 16. "Core," Stone Temple Pilots (Atlantic) (Platinum) 17. In Seattle' Soundtrack," (Epic Soundtrax) (Platinum) 18. "Get a Grip," Aerosmith (Geffen) (Platinum) Bodyguard' Soundtrack," (Arista) (Platinum) Pet Shop Boys (EMI) COUNTRY SINGLES 1. "Easy Come, Easy Go," George Strait (MCA) 2.

"What's It to You," Clay Walker (Giant) 3. "One More Last Chance," Vince Gill (MCA) (RCA) Time to Kill," Clint Black 5 "He Ain't Worth Missing," Toby Keith (Mercury) 6. "Does He Love You," Reba McEntire with Linda Davis (MCA) 7. "Prop Me Up Beside the JoeJJime (Epic) Like the Weather," Suzy Bog- guss (Liberty) 9. "She Used to be Mine," Brooks Dunn (Arista) 10.

"Almost Goodbye," Mark Chesnutt (MCA) 11. "Reckless," Alabama (RCA) 12. "Trashy Women," Confederate Railroad (Atlantic) 13. "Mercury Blues," Alan Jackson Arista 14. "Half Enough," Lorrie Morgan (BNA) 15.

"That Was a River," Collin Raye (Epic) 16. "I Fell in the Water," John Anderson (BNA) 17. "Hurry Sundown," McBride the Ride (MCA) Bug," Mary Chapin-Carpenter (Columbia) 19 "Ain't Going Down," Garth Brooks (Liberty) But the Wheel," Patty Loveless (Epic) ADULT CONTEMPORARY SINGLES I. 'The River of Dreams," Billy Joel (Columbia) 2 "Dreamlover," Mariah Carey (Columbia) 3 "Reason to Believe," Rod Stewart (Warner Bros.) Rick Astley (RCA) 5 "Fields of Gold," Sting 6 "I Don't Wanna Fight," Tina Turner (Virgin) Madonna (Maverick -Sire) 8 "When I Fall In Love," Celine Dion Clive Griffin (Epic Soundtrax) 9. "Will You Be There," Michael Jackson (Epic) 10 'Tm Free," Jon Secada (SBK) II.

"Another Sad Love Song," Toni Braxton (Laface) 12. "Don't Take Away My Heaven," Aaron Neville 13. "It's Alright," Huey Lewis the News (Shanache) 14. "Fields of Gray," Bruce Hornsby (RCA) 15. "Runaway Train," Soul Asylum (Columbia) 16 "I See Your Smile," Gloria Estefan (Epic) 17.

"I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me," Expose (Arista) 18. "Have I Told You Lately," Rod Stewart (Warner Bros.) 19. "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," Don Henley (MCA) 20. "Can't Help Falling In Love," UB40 (Virgin) SINGLES 1. "Just Kickin' It," Xscape (So So Def) 2.

"Anniversary," Tony! Toni! Tone! (Wing) 3. "Right Here (Human (RCA) Mr. D.J.," Zhane (Flavor Unit) 5. "Dreamlover," Mariah Carey (Columbia) 6. "Something In Your Eyes," Bell Biv Devoe (MCA) 7 "Can We Talk," Tevin Campbell (Qwest) A UB49.

Help Falling In Love (Virgin) to Believe," Rod Stewart (Warner Bros.) I'm Yours," Shai (Gasoline Alley) TOP ALBUMS 1. "In Pieces," Garth Brooks (Liberty) 2, "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell," Meat Loaf (MCA) 3 "In Utero," Nirvana (DGC) Box," Mariah Carey (Columbia) Hits Volume Two," Reba McEntire (MCA) Janet Jackson (Virgin) (Platinum) of Dreams," Billy Joel (Co- KTVM-TV 6 "The Night Report.