"Idol" veteran Rasmusen signed to Nashville label

By Ken Tucker

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - The recent signing of "American Idol" second-season finalist Carmen Rasmusen to Lofton Creek Records means there are now at least seven alumni from the Fox talent show affiliated with Nashville labels: Carrie Underwood (Arista), Josh Gracin (Lyric Street), Kimberley Locke (Curb), Kellie Pickler (BNA), Bucky Covington (Lyric Street), Mandisa (Sparrow) and Rasmusen.

Three of the seven -- Underwood, Pickler and Covington -- have songs climbing Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and a fourth, Locke, is on the adult contemporary chart.

Like many in the industry, Nashville label executives were hesitant to embrace the "Idol" concept. But as the show's success -- and the bumper crop of potential stars -- grew, so did decision-makers' confidence in the process.

Industry veteran and Lofton Creek president Mike Borchetta says "Idol" was definitely a reason why he considered working with Rasmusen. "She's very good, period," he says. "But the fact that she's so well-known was a very big factor. You walk into a restaurant with her and people know her."

Fox TV affiliates know her, too. Borchetta says that whenever Rasmusen visits a radio station on her current nationwide bus tour, the local affiliate sends a camera crew.

This year alone, Rasmusen has appeared on MSNBC's "Scarborough Country" a dozen times to talk about "Idol," the Dixie Chicks and other country-related topics.

Curb Records vice-president Bryan Stewart, who works with Locke, says "Idol" has proved the importance of TV beyond just the video music channels. "Before, artists and labels were viewing radio as the main driver, with MTV and VH1, the video channels, being the other," he says. "Now with 'American Idol' -- as well as shows like 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'One Tree Hill' -- there's a focus on getting songs in commercials (and) on TV ... We used to see it years ago with shows like 'American Bandstand,' but this has been huge."

Meanwhile, Lyric Street vice-president Doug Howard, who works with Gracin and Covington, says the boot camp nature of "American Idol" helps talent mature quickly.

"These guys have been through the wringer pretty good. They've been told in a real stark way, 'Either we like you or we don't.' It really matures somebody in a way that they can get up on a stage or walk into a room and say, 'Hey, I can do this."'

Curb's Stewart says that "Idol" goes a long way in rapidly developing an artist's fan base. "A lot of times when we sign a new artist, you're starting from ground zero and trying to build up from that," he says. "You can't ask for more dedicated fans than what 'American Idol' can give an artist, because they're rooting for them through the show, and they really do stick with them over time."

Rasmusen's as-yet-untitled debut will be released this summer. The first single, "Nothin' Like the Summer," will go to country radio soon. Lofton Creek's roster also includes Shawn King, Heartland, Doug Stone and Keith Bryant.

Reuters/Billboard