I owe a lot to Foster & Lloyd. I first heard Bill Lloyd on the radio in 1986. The song “Feeling The Elephant” was played on local radio like it was a national hit. He was part of a compilation album and showcase concert called “City Without A Subway." I was working at cable television network TNN and talked them into letting me field produce a series of entertainment news stories on the concert. I used that as an excuse to meet Bill (and Webb Wilder and Richie Owens). Bill and I have been pals ever since. He then invited me over to MTM Music Publishing, where he was a songwriter - there he introduced me to his writing partner, Radney Foster. The following year, they were signed to RCA Records. Since I had a resume of directing music videos from my days in North Carolina, I was asked to create a music video for “Crazy Over You,” but I backed away from the offer, feeling too insecure about my demo reel. Their song was a hit and so was the music video. At that point I realized that I should have taken the deal because I would have made a better video. Their next music video was “Texas In 1880” and they asked me again. This time I said yes. The video and song were a hit. That opened the door for me with the major labels. So, it was Bill and Radney who gave me my start in Nashville and for that I will always be grateful! Through the years, whether they are together as a duo or as solo artists, they both have been kind enough to remember me when it’s time for a video. Thanks guys! • These videos have won 26 awards ranging from Emmys, Addy’s (Advertising Agency Awards), international television awards, international film festival awards, and international film festival select screenings.
FOSTER & LLOYD
TNN Mini Doc (1987)
This TNN Entertainment News package was the first time I officially worked with F&L. In this case, as editor.
FOSTER & LLOYD
"Texas In 1880" (1988)
While in an edit session at TNN the phone rang and it was Foster & Lloyd calling me from the ACM awards in Los Angeles. They had spent their budget on "Crazy Over You" and needed anther video and asked me to make this video (which they personally funded) for $4,000. I came under budget by $4. When RCA Records saw the video, they bought it from me for $8,000. So, the profit went from splitting $4 with my partner, Greg Crutcher to splitting $4,000. Plus the music video was a hit! And the beginning of many Nashville major label music videos. • This video won the very first Addy Award given to a music video. And it also won Music Row Magazine’s 1989 Group Performance video award.
FOSTER & LLOYD
"What Do You Want From Me This Time?"
News Story (1988)
Since I was working at TNN, why not get a little promotion! This is the unique case of an Entertainment News story I put together and also happened to be featured in as an interview. From the popular Country Entertainment News show, "Crook and Chase."
FOSTER & LLOYD
"What Do You Want From Me This Time?" (1988)
The idea was to create a 360 Sgt. Pepper's by having F&L perform in a box surrounded by pop culture icons who influenced them. Note: F&L are the only two people in the video, except for a quick cameo from my 8-month old daughter, Mary who is playing the part of “baby.” Typecasting, huh! And, yes, I still own a piece of that wall. I just had to keep that great artwork!
FOSTER & LLOYD
Music Video Set Tour & CMT Promos (1988)
After shooting the Foster & Lloyd music video “What Do You Want From Me This Time?” CMT asked for a Tour of the set, a promo for a contest they wanted to do to give the music video set away to a fan, and a general CMT ID. CMT never did the promo or contest or aired the set tour. F&L’s “problem” sticking to CMT’s script may have been one of the reasons. Ha! Check it out. F&L are funny and the tour is fun too! If you listen closely you can hear me (I was the director and camera operator) and GREG CRUTCHER (he produced the original 1988 film) asking questions and making comments. Whadaloada fun!
FOSTER & LLOYD
"Before The Heartache Rolls In" (1989)
This was meant to be my "art" piece with images influenced by Dada photographers like Man Ray. I got away with having the model naked in the video, which means this is the first major label Country music video with nudity. All tastefully done since I won an Emmy for Editing and an Emmy Nomination for Cinematography, along with a Certificate of Excellence from the Addy’s and Best Group Video Honorable Mention from Music Row Magazine’s Music Video Awards.
FOSTER & LLOYD
"Fat Lady Sings" (1989)
I love 1960s Psychedelic films and suggested the concept to F&L and they loved it. I was totally surprised that RCA Records signed off on the concept, considering this isn't a very "Country" looking music video. The VW bus welded on top of a school bus was owned by a local spelunker and hired for the video. The bus is painted by local artist Russel Brown who painted the bus with house paint, figuring it was easily removable. The bus owner loved it the way it was and never changed it and so for the next three years, I would occasionally see the bus around town, just as you see it in the video. • This video won Best Use of Humor Award from Music Row Magazine, as well as an Emmy Nomination for Best Director and an Addy Certificate of Excellence.
BILL LLOYD
Hard Rock Cafe ID's (1994)
I co-created and was running Hard Rock Cafe's music video television network in 1994. I commissioned Bill Lloyd to create a series of quirky bits of music used as network ID's, which aired in between music videos. These were seen in Hard Rock Cafe's around the world. Bill's ID's and other promos won a number of television and international film festival awards. To see more HRC promos, click here.
BILL LLOYD
"Channeling The King" (1994)
I added the idea of Elvis "The King" coming from the imagination of a homeless guy and his homeless guy entourage. Black & White made it just that bit more grungy. • This music video won GOLD at the Houston International Film Festival and BRONZE at the Charleston International Film Festival.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Labour Of Love"
Mini Doc / EPK (1994)
This EPK / Mini Documentary was created for the European and Asian markets. This includes a performance of Radney with Hootie & The Blowfish I shot specifically for this video, as well as interviews with John Kay (Steppenwolf), Raul Malo (The Mavericks) and Pam Tillis. And since I was running Hard Rock Cafe's music video television network, I was able to shoot Radney's interview on the roof of the Nashville HRC with the Shelby Street bridge behind him - the same bridge used in the music video for "The Running Kind."
RADNEY FOSTER
"The Running Kind" (1994)
The concept was to follow Radney "running" on his 1994 tour. Locations were Nashville, Dallas, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Los Angels, Venice Beach. In Nashville I had the city shut down the Shelby Street Bridge as a performance location. Alan Jackson had just come off the road, so I wrangled his lighting to rig to the bridge. And to make it a grand production there was a Chapman crane hired as well as a second camera hovering overhead in a helicopter. Best piece of trivia: In Venice Beach we had to walk through a Baywatch shoot (yes, I saw Pam Anderson!) to get to our location in a graffiti ridden beach kiosk that had been taken over by the homeless. • This video was the first music video to receive Select Screening at the Sinking Creek Film Festival, which is now known as the Nashville Film Festival.
RADNEY FOSTER
"The Running Kind"
News Story (1994)
I’ve created everything on this page, but not this news story. I thought I would include it as a fun behind the scenes look at the making of the music video. Plus you see me behind the camera, riding “Hollywood style” on a Chapman crane.
RADNEY FOSTER
"The Running Kind"
Euro Version (1994)
Since so much performance footage was shot on the Shelby Street Bridge, I thought it would be fun to create a second performance video which the label promoted in the European and Asian markets in association with the "Labour Of Love" Mini Doc.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Nobody Wins"
Euro Version (1994)
I made an offhand comment to the label exec how I felt that the storyline in the "Nobody Wins" music video (which I didn't direct) looks uncomfortable and that he should hire me to recut the video as an all-performance video, and to my surprise he agreed! This video was promoted to the European and Asian markets. I guess my idea of focusing the video totally on Radney was the right idea since the original posting of this video has over 2.5 million views.
FOSTER & LLOYD
Soundcheck (1996)
This was test footage I shot on my Hi8 home movie camera. My plan was to shoot F&L's performance at Nashville's Exit-In for archive reasons, but after the afternoon soundcheck I received a call from my daughter's babysitter saying she couldn’t babysit, so I had to go home to be a dad and didn’t shoot the show. Glad I had time to at least shoot this fun bit of soundcheck. Note Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen) playing bass.
FOSTER & LLOYD
“It’s Already Tomorrow”
Promo-A (2011)
While shooting "It's Already Tomorrow" at United Record Pressing plant, I thought it would be fun to shoot footage of them actually pressing the F&L record and then used that as a quick F&L promo. Bill made a joke about the album sounding better with packaging, so I made that the promotional tagline.
FOSTER & LLOYD
“It’s Already Tomorrow”
Promo-B (2011)
A Teaser of "It's Already Tomorrow" as it was in production which means that this snippet of video is unique to this promo since this scene was further augmented with effects for the final music video.
FOSTER & LLOYD
"It's Already Tomorrow" (2011)
I was commissioned to document the F&L reunion recording sessions. After that I was asked to put a music video together from the footage. To wrap the video, I shot vocals at Radney's home studio, as well as shooting some lip sync performance at Nashville's historic United Record Pressing plant. Otherwise the rest of the footage is from the original recording session. • This music video won GOLD at the Houston International Film Festival, as well as winning a BRONZE Telly award for Best Music Video and another BRONZE Telly award for Best Editing.
BILL LLOYD
"Boy King Of Tokyo"
東京の王子 (2012)
This autobiographical song from Bill talks about his loneliness as a kid living in Japan. All of the photos featured in this video were taken by Bill's mom (great photos!). And the home movie of the kid with the sword, is Bill in Japan as a kid. And yeah, that's really Bill as a kid in a kimono and straw hat. Since kids like to "get away" from stress by watching cartoons, I decided to create a series of cartoons following the eras during Bill's younger days from the 50s to the 90s. Look for influences from Astro Boy, Clutch Cargo, Godzilla, kinescope local television, Toho films, Pokémon, Gundam, and Super Mario Bros. Yeah, this took me forever to make. Yes, that's Bill's mouth singing the song. And yes, that's real Japanese text throughout the video courtesy of my daughter, Mary who was living in Japan at the time and fluent in the language. • This music video won GOLD at the Houston International Film Festival, a SILVER Telly award for Best Animation, a BRONZE Telly award for Best Music Video, won Select Screening at the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa (seeing it play in a movie theater was amazing!), and won and Emmy Nomination for Editing.
BILL LLOYD
"Boy King Of Tokyo"
Teaser (2012)
Since it was taking such a long time to get the animation completed on this video, a Teaser was requested for the fans so they could see a bit of the video in progress. Most scenes in this Teaser are the same as the final video, but there are some differences, especially the ending.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Louisiana Blue" (2012)
When Radney called asking me to make a video for "Louisiana Blue" I happen to be producing/directing a national sport fishing television series and was about to be living in a houseboat in Venice, Louisiana. Footage used in this video is from that boat trip as well as me spending a few days on Bourbon Street in New Orleans to shoot additional footage. Radney's performance was shot around his house in Nashville.
BILL LLOYD
"Channeling The King"
Version 2 (2014)
20 years after the song and video came out, Bill re-recorded the song for a new album and asked me to come up with a second video version for the updated song. I still had the original film transfer so I edited a new video using only Bill's performance from the original 1994 outtakes.
RADNEY FOSTER
"California" (2014)
Radney called and asked me to join him at his recording sessions at Dockside Studios which is located in the Louisiana bayou, to shoot a music video for "Whose Heart You Wreck." Once there, Radney asked me to create a lyric video for "California." Since there was a swimming pool on the property, I thought that was a classic "California" location and shot his performance poolside. The rest of the images are home movies from 1945 to 1957 with the concept of the video as a diary entry about travels chasing a lost love. Finding the girl in the home movie was pure luck giving the character some continuity. It looks like it was her honeymoon home movies. BTW - all of the home movies are from from the Prelinger Archives. • This video won SILVER for Best Country Music Video at the Houston International Film Festival, a BRONZE Telly award for Best Music Video, as well as CMT requesting a non-lyric version for broadcast where it played in heavy rotation.
RADNEY FOSTER
“California”
CMT version (2014)
The Lyric Video version of this song was released and it really took off! CMT loved the song and the video and wanted to play it, but they have a rule of not broadcasting Lyric Videos, so they asked for a special edit without lyrics. I had to add a few scenes to fill the video out, but honestly, without the lyrics the video looses some dynamics. But, it is fun to see what it’s like without the lyrics. This version of the video played in heavy rotation on CMT for quite some time.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Whose Heart You Wreck" (2014)
A fun storyline music video shot around the Dockside Recording Studio facilities in Maurice, Louisiana. The muse is Radney's wife, Cyndi.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Everything I Should Have Said" (2014)
Another video shot around Dockside Recording Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, showcasing some of the great locations in and around the facility.
RADNEY FOSTER
"Greatest Show On Earth" (2017)
A full crew music video showcasing a common occurrence in Nashville - a backyard party with a guitar pull around a roaring fire. This video also played in heavy rotation on CMT and generally performed very well.
RADNEY FOSTER
"For You To See The Stars"
LIVE (2018)
A live performance at Nashville's City Winery. Production is me running 12 cameras.
BILL LLOYD
"The Girls Of Sylvan Park" (2020)
The idea was to shoot girls at the actual location in Sylvan Park, but the pandemic hit and so stock footage was used along with original footage of street signs and a load of of animation.
RADNEY FOSTER
Sequester Concert (2020)
Radney was scheduled to perform a concert in Arlington, Texas, but due to the pandemic, the concert was cancelled and rescheduled as an Online event. Rather than deliver his performance as just another cell phone video, I acquired the very empty 3rd & Lindsley for the day. I ran 12 cameras, there was an audio person and a stage tech and a guy who opened the building, along with Radney and Eddie Heinzelman and Mike Vargo on stage. This socially distant concert was very well received by fans. . . and no one got sick from the production.
BILL LLOYD
"Hazmat Suit" (2020)
Bill played this 2-minute Power Pop track for me and I knew exactly what to do! This video was built with stock footage and a lot of animation, and is a really fun video that every sequestered human on the planet can relate to.
BILL LLOYD
"Mistakes Were Made" (2021)
This was fun to create and it's fun to watch too! This fully animated lyric music video for Nashville Power Pop star Bill Lloyd starts as a Neo Noir night at Gotham City and then travels through a variety of looks, along with a midway retrospective of the artist. The video is visually entertaining and even more fun to discover the insider nods to some of Bill’s past videos.
BILL LLOYD
“Lisa Anne” (2021)
If I’m given a fun song, I have to make a fun video! This is truly a classic Power Pop song - the lyrics are sad but the music is fun, catchy and stuck in your head all day. Since the song is sort of a love letter responding to a break-up, the visual are a series of communications, from handwritten letters to television promotions to literal broken hearts. But, all delivered with a smile.
ANTLERS & ACORNS
“Come To Boone In September” (2021)
Here’s a fun promotional film I created for the upcoming ANTLERS & ACORNS SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL in Boone, NC. What a great little artsy town! And the festival has some wonderful artists to be announced. Meanwhile, check out the video. It’s a cute script and it features the very talented Radney Foster and Eric Erdman.
BILL LLOYD
"Feeling The Elephant" (2021)
This is the first song I heard from Power Pop artist Bill Lloyd. It played non-stop on local Nashville radio in 1986. The song and original album have been remastered and the album extended with additional era tracks. This is a current lyric video of this Power Pop classic. The video features fragmented images along with some 80s Bill Lloyd archives and of course, images of elephants. This is a fun, kinda freaky and kinda arty music video.
BILL LLOYD
"This Ain't My Parade" (2023)
I had way too much A.I. fun creating this music video. I went for the obvious and dug up a bunch of public domain parade newsreel films and home movies along with a couple of home movies from Bill, all dating from 1936 to 1967. I then tossed some A.I. at them so that folks in these archive films are actually singing Bill’s song! It’s the strangest, craziest, eeriest music video I have ever created! • This video has won 4 international film festival awards for Best Music Video. • This video has won 4 international film festival awards.
BILL LLOYD
"Look Into It" (2024)
Boy did I have fun creating this music video! Since I created a Film Noir album cover for Bill’s new album, it was fun to take the theme further, creating a music video as a Neo Noir Graphic Novel. As far as I can tell, there isn’t another music video like it! “Look Into It” is a great song coming from Bill’s brand new brilliant album of the same name.