Anderson and Stroud Reunite for Bigger Hands
Perennial country star John Anderson has reunited with James Stroud, the producer behind his early ‘90s career resurgence and a long string of hits including “Seminole Wind,” “Straight Tequila Night” and “Money in the Bank.” The pair has teamed to coproduce Bigger Hands, the singer’s first release for Country Crossing records, a division of Stroud’s recently launched Stroudavarious Records. Anderson cowrote all of the album’s 12 songs and included his own version of “Shuttin’ Detroit Down,” the current hit single from John Rich, who cowrote the song with Anderson. The album’s leadoff single, “Hot Coffee and Cold Beer,” brings the singer back to his earliest hitmaking days in the ‘80s. It was one of the last songs Anderson wrote with his late friend and collaborator Lionel Delmore, his cowriter on the 1982 smash hit single, “Swingin’.” Bigger Hands is scheduled for a June 9 release.
“James and I have recorded quite a bit over the years, and he even played that signature drum track on my comeback single “Straight Tequila Night,” Anderson said. “I feel like we’re giving this one our very best effort and it is feeling pretty true to what I do.”
SESAC has announced the promotion of Hunter Williams to Senior Vice President, Strategic Development/Distribution & Research Operations. Williams began his career with SESAC over 16 years ago and most recently served as Vice President, Royalty Distribution & Research Services. In his new role, Williams will be responsible for developing new business opportunities utilizing SESAC’s licensing, distribution and copyright management capabilities. He will also continue to oversee all royalty distribution operations, including the development of the company’s distribution policies and performance tracking systems. In addition, Williams will continue to oversee the company’s research division, which helps drive the strategic development of the company through business and industry analysis.
In other news, Keith Gale, Vice President, National Promotion, for RCA Records Nashville, has announced the promotion of Norbert Nix to National Director of Promotion for the label. Most recently Regional Director, Nix joined RCA Nashville in July of 2006 and remains based in Nashville, where he reports directly to Gale. Nix came to RCA with a twenty-year background in the music industry, with experience in artist management and booking, as well as a decade-plus tenure in promotion and artist development for Mercury Nashville. In 2001, Nix began a four-year stint with Nashville’s Refugee Management and subsequently helmed his own artist management & publishing enterprise, N2 Entertainment.
Divas Nashvegas 2009, the annual Nashville fundraising event benefiting the Oasis Center, has announced country stars Kenny Rogers and Wynonna as this year’s headline performers. Presented by HCA and hosted by acclaimed musical comedy duo, Doyle and Debbie, this year’s event is set for Saturday, May 16 at 7:00 PM in the Loveless Barn at the Loveless Cafe. Also featured will be a rare appearance by legendary country duo The Judds. Naomi Judd will join daughter Wynonna onstage to sing some of their classic hits. Oasis Center has dedicated Divas Nashvegas 2009 to six of Nashville’s greatest “Do Right Divas” who have made this community a better place for children and youth: Genma Holmes, Ellen Martin, Jana Davis, Tammy Genovese, Sally Shepherd, and Renata Soto.
Music rights licensing organization The Harry Fox Agency (HFA) announced today that its President & CEO, Gary Churgin, has accepted a contract extension to continue to lead the organization through 2011. HFA’s governing Board of Directors unanimously voted to extend Churgin’s contract, confirming the work of he and his team in transforming HFA into a key player in the digital music marketplace. During this 
tenure, HFA transformed its technology systems and business processes, adding new online applications for publishers and licensees through a new registered user area of www.harryfox.com, including the licensing platform eMechanical®, the catalog maintenance tool eSong®, and a completely revamped version of Songfile®, the popular online licensing store aimed at the smaller-quantity licensee.
CMT has announced the start of voting today (4/13), announcing finalists for the 2009 CMT Music Awards, country music’s only entirely fan-voted awards show. Dynamic duo Sugarland leads the pack with six first-round nominations followed by Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift who have four each. Beginning today (4/13), at 10:00 AM/CT, fans can vote on CMT.com to determine the final nominees for CMT’s eighth annual awards show. Videos that debuted on CMT between January 18, 2008 and February 23, 2009 are eligible. This year’s awards includes a new category, CMT Performance of the Year, spotlighting a live performance from the past year. Finalists were determined by an industry panel that includes noted country music journalists, as well as music industry, music retail and CMT executives. Streaming clips of nominated videos can viewed at CMT.com.
Headliner Darryl Worley will be joined by fellow country artists Marty Raybon, Billy Yates, Ken Mellons, Randy Kohrs and Billy Ryan at 6 PM on Friday, April 24 for the Erica Carmen Droze Memorial Benefit Concert at the Boaz VFW Fairgrounds in Boaz, Alabama. For up-and-coming country artist Ryan, the benefit concert has a very personal meaning. Boaz native Ryan, whom locals know as Billy Ryan Droze, lost his sister, Erica Carmen Droze, age 24, earlier this year to a domestic homicide when her husband shot her to death in front of their two children and Ryan himself, who was in his hometown visiting her. Heroically, Ryan grabbed the children and ran with them to safety. Overwhelming support from several members of the Nashville music community, especially the aforementioned artists, led to the upcoming benefit. All proceeds from the concert will go into a special fund for the two children who were left with no financial security after the funeral costs. Tickets for the event are $15.00 and may be purchased by clicking 
Big Machine artist Jack Ingram has returned from a four-day, three-show USO tour of Cuba. The tall Texan chose to visit the isolated island nation to spend time with soldiers stationed at Guantanamo Bay, because, he said, he wanted to sing for the soldiers serving our country that maybe nobody notices. The singer/songwriter spent hours signing autographs after playing various military venues including the “Goat Locker,” a sort of makeshift officer’s club and an intimate venue for Ingram and his three-piece band. On his final night in Cuba, Ingram played for the general population at Guantanamo Bay’s community center with a raucous set that saw people up and dancing. “It felt like any Friday night in Anytown, U.S.A. with a bunch of kids and people looking for an escape from their everyday problems,” Ingram said. “It was certainly fun to play for them – it’s always fun, especially with audiences like those – but this was a special kind of honor, too.”
Opry Originals: The Shop On Broadway, a Grand Ole Opry-themed retail store, is set to open on Nashville’s Lower Broadway area at 300 Broadway on Thursday, April 16. A rhinestone-studded ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Monday, April 20 followed by a week of grand opening events. With a design sensibility dubbed “Country Archeology,” the free-standing, 5,000 square-foot store will bring together the roots of the Grand Ole Opry and country music’s contemporary culture in a collection of old and new, brought to life through media, graphic imagery, and re-claimed materials and finishes. Reminiscent of a market, the space will encourage hands-on interaction and invite guests to discover and take home their own piece of the Opry lifestyle. The store will showcase an extensive line of lifestyle products including Opry-branded clothing; local artisan merchandise; a new Opry Country Kitchen line of food products; dinnerware and home furnishings. The store will also feature artist appearances and book/record signings as well as listening stations, photo opportunities, and food and beverage offerings. Included among the store’s apparel offerings will be an “Opry by Manuel” collection of jackets, shirts, and jeans designed exclusively for the Opry by legendary clothier Manuel. The 300 Broadway structure was built circa 1911 as the home of the Broadway National Bank. It housed banking institutions until 1987 and has been occupied by R.C. Mathews and The Mathews Co. since 1991.