Americana Spirit
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9/17/2007 BILLY BOB THORNTON OPENS BEAUTIFUL DOOR 
In addition to a new film, Mr. Woodcock, which opened last week, Billy Bob Thornton recently released a new album called Beautiful Door. While he describes the collection as Americana, Billy Bob says his band, the Boxmasters, will be putting out an album in the spring that's very different from the current one. He describes it as a “full-on punk electric hillbilly” record. The musician-actor tells the Reno Gazette-Journal that with Beautiful Door, his fourth record, he has “separated from the pack, from other actors who play music. I think it's kind of unfair. We all grew up in bands. They can't help that they got famous doing something else. I got famous as an actor accidentally.” And while the Oscar-winning screenwriter (Sling Blade) continues to write, direct, and act in films, Billy Bob says he’s also “kind of built a name [as a musician], not with the public, but in the business, as a songwriter. I was good friends with Waylon Jennings and [Johnny and June Carter] Cash and still am with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. They sort of took me under their wing in the '90s when I got back into the music. I did a duet with Cash years ago that's never been put on a record.” ON THE CHARTS On the Americana airplay chart this week, the Subdudes’ Street Symphony remains on top, as Lyle Lovett moves from No. 4 to No. 2 with It’s Not Big, It’s Large. Steve Earle continues to climb, moving from 11 to 5 with Washington Square Serenade. And the two big debuts of the week are both exceptional. The Hottest State is the soundtrack to a film by actor-director Ethan Hawke. I haven’t seen the film, but the beautifully eclectic soundtrack, featuring Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Emmylou Harris, Feist, and the fantastic Jesse Harris, among others, hits all the right notes. Also new on the chart this week is Song of America. I had this to say about it last week, and, again, I urge you to check it out! It’s an extraordinary American musical journey.
