CMA’s Nashville Celebrates Country Week

Sarah Gilbert – 10/26/2006

The CMA has compiled a detailed schedule of events for “Nashville Celebrates Country Week” which is now available on its website. The week will encourage Nashville residents to take part in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the CMA Awards. Activities and events, leading up to the Nov. 6 Awards show, will include private and public events and promotional initiatives throughout Downtown Nashville with live music, art, fashion, celebrity appearances, charity benefits, and more. Most of the events on the new schedule have been highlighted in previous issues of @MusicRow and can be found on the Music Row events calendar or for a complete list go to http://www.cmaawards.com/2006/events/nashvillecelebratescountry.asp.

Nassau Songwriters’ Festival

Sarah Gilbert – 10/26/2006

The Nassau Songwriters’ Festival, running Nov. 10-12 in the Bahamas, will feature BMI singer-songwriters Sherrié Austin, Lee Brice, Mitzi Dawn, Randy Houser, Tim James, Ben Margulies, Kendell Marvel, Vicky McGehee, Kylie Sackley, James Slater, Keith Stegall as well as D-Tox and Chad Warrix. The attendees will perform shows all three days of the BMI-sponsored festival.

Tandy Rice Partners With BusinessHere

Sarah Gilbert – 10/26/2006

Tandy Rice, President of Top Billing, has partnered with Dayton, Ohio based BusinessHere to establish offices on Music Row. BusinessHere operates the website CMTauctions.com which auctions celebrity memorabilia to raise money for charity. BusinessHere also works with many other country music fundraising programs like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation. Rice will work to create fundraising initiatives which appeal to country music fans. He can be reached at tandyrice@aol.com.

AirPlay Direct First Anniversary

Sarah Gilbert – 10/26/2006

AirPlay Direct is currently celebrating its first anniversary. In one year, the digital music promotion system estimates it has saved independent artists over $1,000,000 in postage and material costs. To celebrate, AirPlayDirect.com is offering a contest to artists that create a free account in the next six weeks—a winner will be chosen every two weeks to receive a prize package valued at over $1,500.

2006-2007 CMA Board

Sarah Gilbert – 10/26/2006

The Country Music Association held the annual Board of Directors election meeting in Nashville this week for the new Board beginning Nov. 7, the day after the 2006 CMA Awards. Taking over as President of the Board is Clarence Spalding, President of Spalding Entertainment. The new CMA Board Chairman will be Mike Dungan. Also serving as Officers of the Board for the 2006-2007 term are President-Elect Randy Goodman, President Lyric Street Records; and Secretary/Treasurer Tim Wipperman, Chief Creative Officer Equity Music Group.
CMA Directors: Jeff Walker, Aristo Media/Marco Promotions; Kix Brooks, B&D, Inc.; Trace Adkins; Brett James, Cornman Music; Tim Nichols, THIS Music; Ron Sakamoto, Gold & Gold Productions, Alberta, Canada; Paul Fenn, Asgard Promotions LTD, London; Gary Overton, EMI Music Publishing; Tim Wipperman, Equity Music Group; Clint Higham, Morris Management Group; Clarence Spalding, Spalding Entertainment; Victor Sansone, ABC Radio Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.; Becky Brenner, KMPS-FM, CBS Seattle, Seattle, Wash.; Rusty Walker, Rusty Walker Programming Consultant, Inc., Iuka, Miss.; Luke Lewis, UMG Nashville; Randy Goodman, Lyric Street Records; Sue Peterson, Target Stores, Minneapolis, Minn.; Tony Conway, Buddy Lee Attractions; Steve Buchanan, Gaylord Entertainment; Brian O'Connell, Live Nation; Brian Philips, CMT; Kitty Moon Emery, Moll Anderson Home; Paul Corbin. Lifetime Directors: J. William Denny, National Tape & Disc., Inc.; Ralph Peer II, peermusic, Novato, Calif.; Frances Preston, New York, NY.
Directors At Large: Amy Abrahams, Weiden+Kennedy, New York, NY; Bruce Allen, Bruce Allen Talent, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Charlie Anderson, Anderson Merchandisers, Knoxville, Tenn.; Mick Anselmo, Clear Channel, Minneapolis, Minn.; Bill Bennett, Warner Bros. Records; Connie Bradley, ASCAP; Barry Coburn, Ten Ten Music Group, Inc.; Charlie Cook, Cumulus Media, Atlanta, Ga.; Jay DeMarcus, Rascal Flatts; Bob DiPiero, Love Monkey Music/Sony/ATV Songs; Tim DuBois, Universal South; Mike Dungan, Capitol Nashville; Larry Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Hartley Co.; Jim Free, Smith-Free Group, Washington, D.C.; Joe Galante, SonyBMG Nashville; Dick Gary, The Gary Group, Santa Monica, Calif.; Troy Gentry, Montgomery Gentry; John Grady; Ed Hardy, Great American Country; Lon Helton, Country Aircheck; Pat Higdon, Universal Music Publishing; John Huie, Creative Artist Agency; Clay Hunnicutt, WSIX Clear Channel Communications; Wade Jessen, Billboard/Radio & Records; TK Kimbrell, TKO Artist Management; Kim Kosak, Chevrolet Motor Division, General Motors, Detroit, Mich.; Ken Levitan, Vector Management; Eric Logan, XM Satellite Radio, Washington, D.C.; JD May, ECHO Music; Mike Moore, KWJJ-FM Entercom Communications, Portland, OR; Steve Moore, AEG Live; Rob Potts, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, Sydney, Australia; John Rich, Big & Rich; David Ross, Music Row Publications, Inc.; Rick Shipp, William Morris Agency; James Stroud, UMG Nashville; Jody Williams, BMI; Jim Yerger, Broken Bow Records

Dierks Debut Leads Country Sales

David Ross – 10/26/2006

Dierks Bentley’s Long Trip Alone stormed into the No. 1 country position with debut week sales scanning 82,448 copies and beating first week sales from last year’s album by about 10%. Also in debut news: Vince Gill’s box set reached the No. 4 spot with 42,187 units sold and Lonestar closed out the Top 10 with 22,105 units in sales. Bentley’s Capitol outing also earned him Top 5 honors on the Top 200 sales list which was topped by No.1 and No. 3 debuts respectively from Diddy (170,483 units) and JOJO (108,053 units).

Universal South Restructuring

David Ross – 10/26/2006

“I can’t confirm anything now,” Universal South Senior Partner Tim DuBois told Music Row yesterday afternoon (10/24). “There is no official word.” Rumors have swirled on Music Row during the past few weeks, including that DuBois had unsuccessfully tried to buy Universal South from Universal. Universal South is a joint venture label that was formed almost a full five years ago with Tony Brown and Tim DuBois in 2002. The label roster includes Joe Nichols, Katrina Elam, Matthew West, Shooter Jennings, Rockie Lynn and others. Speculation is that DuBois will exit and Brown, in light of his 18+ years of previous Universal service at MCA, will retain a position inside the Universal family. As many as three major label groups may be involved in this spin of Nashville’s executive turntable, but we'll have to wait for contracts to be signed, plans firmed and the appropriate staffs informed before it can be revealed.

Keith Anderson Goes Gold

Sarah Gilbert – 10/24/2006

Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll, the Arista Nashville debut by Keith Anderson, has been certified gold by the RIAA. The album spawned Top 10 hits "Pickin' Wildflowers" and "Every Time I Hear Your Name" as well as the current single, "Podunk." Anderson co-wrote each of the album’s 11 tracks, ten of which were produced by Jeffrey Steele with the title track being produced by John Rich. His hometown Miami, Oklahoma will celebrate Keith Anderson Day in mid-November.

Sugarland Show Sets Stage For CMA Awards, New Album

Sarah Gilbert – 10/24/2006

Sugarland will give a free public performance in downtown Nashville on Nov. 6 to celebrate the next day’s release of their sophomore album Enjoy The Ride and that evening’s CMA Awards. The show on The Chevy Stage outside the Gaylord Entertainment Center at the corner of Broadway and Fifth Ave. will air on ABC’s Good Morning America. Special guests Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi will join Sugarland that morning and that night, as the groups vie for a trophy in the Musical Event of the Year category for their collaboration on "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Good Morning America airs from 7-9 a.m. and The 40th Annual CMA Awards will air later that night, 7-10 p.m., both on ABC.

Felix Cavaliere has signed with Jim Della Croce

Sarah Gilbert – 10/24/2006

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Felix Cavaliere has signed with Jim Della Croce at Pathfinder Management for exclusive management representation. For exclusive booking, he’s signed with The Bobby Roberts Company. Best known for his work with the Rascals, Cavaliere has a 40-plus year career which spawned hits including “Groovin’,” “It’s A Beautiful Morning,” and “Lonely Too Long.” Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals will continue to tour under the new arrangement, in addition, Cavaliere will perform select solo dates in 2007.