‘Discovering Lucy Angel’ Shows Less Glamorous Side of Music Business

Fans see the stage and the lights and hear the songs and cheerful mid-set banter. They miss the rush, the negative feedback, the disappointments and the characters that work to bump a promising career offtrack. The new AXS-TV show 'Discovering Lucy Angel' doesn't shy away from the lowlights.

The debut episode airs Tuesday night (Jan. 13) at 9PM ET on AXS-TV. Lucy Angel are an up-and-coming trio made up of sisters Lindsay and Emily Anderton and their mother, Kate. It's the patriarch Doug 'G-Man' Anderton that's the star of this first episode, however. "I work to keep the family out of the bread line," he says early on.

Viewers meet the family before learning they're to play a pre-race concert at Pocono Raceway. Getting there is challenging. The three ladies, G-Man and a familial entourage all pile into one vehicle (after considerable delay) and head for the airport. Once at the hotel, there's confusion about their rooms. This is followed by troubles during soundcheck and considerable bickering between mom, dad, brothers and sisters. "Nimble" is not a word one would use to describe the Lucy Angel family. It's easy to see how the drama they pack with them might be one more obstacle this talented group needs to overcome if their new music is to rise to the top of the charts.

'Crazy Too' is the new single, but viewers don't know that during Ep. 1, taped last June in Nashville and Long Pond, Pa. G-Man is difficult to embrace at first. He seems to be hamming it up for the cameras at times (even his name rolls from tongues like a cotton ball), but stick with him. By Ep. 3 (airing Jan. 27) you'll warm up to him and see how much he cares for his family first, and their career second.

"G" promises 100,000 fans at Pocono, not knowing (or maybe not sharing) that only a few dozen actually make it to their seats in time to see the pre-race entertainment. Still, the women put on a heck of a show for a panoramic view of empty black and white seats.

Other scenes find the band rehearsing in a converted bedroom inside their Nashville-area home and arguing about whether or not to take the new limo (with their faces plastered on the side) into town. Songwriter Anthony Smith turns up early. He's Lindsay's boyfriend and father to the adorable McCartney Blaze. For the most part, he hangs back during Ep. 1, but his presence brings credibility to the show.

G-Man's actual job is band manager, promoter and owner of their record label, G-Force Music. He's described as a "consummate showman," and that's an understatement. During the first few episodes you'll (literally) see more of him than you'd like, but their quirky family dynamic begins to reveal itself towards the end of this 30-minute episode. In some ways, they're every family. Who doesn't have a G-Man in their life?