Grammys Add Country Performers, Online Coverage

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Multiple nominees Sugarland have been added to the performance schedule for this Sunday’s (2/8) 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus have also joined the line-up for a special performance together. At the Awards airing live from the LA Staples Center, Sugarland is up for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (“Stay”) and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (“Life In A Northern Town” with Jake Owen and Little Big Town). Previously announced performers include Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock, Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, U2, and Jay-Z.

As in years past, the Awards will be broadcast on television and radio, airing in HD on CBS from 7–10:30 PM/CT and Westwood One, respectively. For 2009, the Recording Academy has broadened online coverage to include social networking sites such as Twitter (“theGRAMMYs”), Facebook (“The Recording Academy”), YouTube (“51stGRAMMYs”) and Last.fm (“the51stgrammys”), in addition to coverage on Grammy.com and CBS.com.

The Pre-Telecast Ceremony, where a majority of Grammy categories are awarded, will also be available online at www.grammy.com on the afternoon of the show. Taking place from 1–3:45 PM/PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the non-televised event has grown into its own celebrated affair with guest presenters and live performances.

Other Nashville artists heading to Los Angeles for performances surrounding the Grammys include Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Brenda Lee. McGraw and Hill will sing at the Feb. 6 tribute to 2009 MusiCares® Person of the Year Neil Diamond. The event celebrating his artistic achievements and philanthropic work, will also feature Kid Rock and Raul Malo. Lee will receive The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award on Sat., Feb. 7 at the Los Angeles Wilshire Ebell Theater. Also being honored are Gene Autry, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Four Tops, Hank Jones, Dean Martin, and Tom Paxton.

ACM Noms Coming Next Week

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Nominees for the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be announced at a press conference on the morning of Wed., Feb. 11. Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes, and Jessica Simpson will reveal the nominations at 7:30 AM/CT at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sun., April 5, starting at 7 PM/CT on CBS.

GAC, Armiger Partner In Unique Promotion

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Katie Armiger and Great American Country (GAC) are teaming up to fly a contest winner to Nashville for a writing and recording session with the budding artist. “Kapturing A Love Song with Katie Armiger” kicks off today and runs through Friday, Feb. 27 at www.GACTV.com. When complete, the song will be made available on iTunes.

GAC, where Armiger is the February Artist of the Month, says this is one of the most unique sweepstakes it has ever offered. “Katie has a lot of fans at GACTV.com because of her successful Kapturing Katie web series,” adds GAC’s director of music marketing John Alexander.

CRS Offers One-Day Rates

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Single day registration will be available for those attending Country Radio Seminar on March 5 “Music Industry Town Meeting Day” or March 6 “Radio Sales Day.”

Admission to the Music Industry Town Meeting is $265 and includes the Sony Music Nashville Luncheon with Miranda Lambert and Jake Owen, informational panels about technology and small markets, and WCRS Live! with Bobby Pinson, Paul Overstreet, Josh Turner and Jamey Johnson.

Those signing up for Radio Sales Day will enjoy that evening’s New Faces of Country Music Show, sure to be a highlight of the week with performances by Lady Antebellum, James Otto, Kellie Pickler, Chuck Wicks and The Zac Brown Band. For the $370 one-day registration fee, attendees can learn from panels focused on consumer habits, promotional and research ideas. Also included is the Managers’ Breakfast, and Capitol Nashville’s luncheon with Darius Rucker and Little Big Town.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, who has officially proclaimed the week of March 2, 2009 “Country Radio Week” in the city, will greet CRS-40 attendees on March 4. Registration for the full event, to be held March 4-6, 2009 at the
Nashville Convention Center, will be $699 until Feb. 6. On-site
registration will be $749.

Sundresses By Swift Shipping Now

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Taylor Swift’s line of sundresses began shipping exclusively to Wal-Mart yesterday (2/1). The dresses are being made through a partnership with clothing manufacturer L.E.I., who also made Swift’s namesake jeans.  All retailing for $14, there will be three sundress styles available at launch and two additional styles are planned for a March 1 delivery.

“It was very important for me to create cute, affordable dresses,” says Swift, who is on the current cover of Teen Vogue. “If I couldn’t see myself wearing them, I wasn’t interested in making them.” She plans to wear the dresses throughout her spring and summer tour.

As previously reported, this will be her first headlining outing, and includes dates in Canada and Australian. She is in such demand Down Under that another show has been added in Melbourne. Chugg Entertainment and Rob Potts Entertainment Edge tacked on a March 9 date specifically for the under 18 set, to precede the next night’s 18-and-up show. Her first Australian Tour also includes sold-out stops in Brisbane and Sydney, and a festival performance in Thredbo, NSW.

Parton Plans Big Night

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Dolly Parton is in town for two big events tonight (2/2). She will be inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame and perform at an all-star fundraiser at the Wildhorse Saloon.

Alongside Michael W. Smith, Dr. Bobby Jones, Dixie Hummingbirds, and Lari Goss, Parton will join the Gospel Music Hall of Fame during an invitation-only dinner and ceremony. Among the evening’s presenters and performers are Steven Curtis Chapman, Toby McKeehan, Stella Parton, and The Imperials.

Parton will also perform at tonight’s “Gift of Music” Concert with Ronnie Dunn, Keith Anderson, Kellie Pickler and many others. Presented by the Dustin J. Wells Foundation, the second annual fundraiser for the W.O. Smith School of Music will take place at The Wildhorse Saloon. General Admission tickets, $45, are available through Ticketmaster. A limited number of VIP passes are available for $500 and include parking, stage-front seating, and limited backstage access by calling 371-8878. Last year’s event raised over $50,000.

Grady Becomes President Borman Nashville

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Borman Entertainment owner/founder Gary Borman has announced that John Grady will join the company as President of its Nashville operations.

Grady, started 32 years ago as a college rep for A&M Records and more recently served as president of DMZ Music, Columbia Nashville, Epic Nashville and Monument Nashville. For the past 2 years, Grady was a partner in Redlight Management. He currently sits on the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Directors and was elected President of the Academy of Country Music.

“My career could be described as a series of unique opportunities,” says Grady. “Gary and his staff have built a unique company based on artists, music, creativity, loyalty, intelligence and hard work. I am honored to be called upon to contribute to what they have already built. I am humbled to work with the company’s extraordinary artists and management team. I can hardly wait to go to work.”

Borman Entertainment represents Faith Hill, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum. According to Borman, who has been in business since 1976, the goal has always been to specialize in building long term careers from the bottom to the top. “Due to our size we have the advantage of focus plus the ability to move quickly and go deep every day for our 3 artists,” says Borman. “We love what we do and who we do it for. Adding John’s experience, skill and passion for music is incredible for us. I look forward to many years working with John and our Nashville team as we meet the challenges and opportunities our business encounters.”

John Grady will be based in the Borman Entertainment Nashville office at 1222 16th Avenue South suite 23. Ph. 615-320-3000
[email protected]