Wy Joins Beatles Themed Benefit For Music School

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Wynonna will appear with The WannaBeatles, former Apple Records executive Ken Mansfield,  contemporary Christian artist Phil Keaggy, country singer David Ball, guitarist Jonny Lang and other celebs tonight (6/9) to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album. The “With a Little Help From My Friends benefit” will include performances and storytelling at the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School from 7-9 PM. Proceeds from the event will be used to help W.O. Smith continue to provide instruments and music instruction to hundreds of children from low-income families. Admission is $20 per person. To order tickets, call (615) 255-8355.

New Music Update: Paisley, Gretchen, Gary and More

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paisley-asnStarting today (6/9) iTunes users can purchase tracks from Brad Paisley’s new album, American Saturday Night, prior to its June 30th release date. One new song will be made available each week for the next three weeks, beginning with “Water.” The first single from the album, “Then,” is already a radio hit. American Saturday Night is Paisley’s eighth album release.

Also new from Sony, Gretchen Wilson’s next single, “If I Could Do It All Again,” is available for digital purchase at all major outlets today. The song was written by hitmakers Rivers Rutherford and George Teren.

Valory’s Justin Moore will issue an EP today exclusively on iTunes.  The five-song collection is appropriately titled The ‘You Asked For It’ EP, and includes “Small Town USA,” “Back That Thing Up,” “I Could Kick Your Ass,” “Hank It” and “How I Got To Be This Way.”

“Skinny Dippin’,” the latest from Warner Bros.’s Whitney Duncan, is at radio today (6/9) and will go on sale to all digital retailers on Tues., June 16. Soon to follow: a ringtone, and music video directed by Roman White. Duncan’s forthcoming album, Right Road Now, is due out later this year.

UMG’s Gary Allan will release his new song to radio on Friday, June 12. “Today” is the debut single from his upcoming studio album due in stores this fall.

Today Lyric Street is releasing Sarah Buxton‘s “Outside My Window.” Buxton produced the song and wrote it with Victoria Shaw, Mark Jeffrey Hudson and Gary Burr.

Black River Announces New Staffers

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Black River Music Group has added former echomusic staffers Shay Boone and John Gusty to its team. They will be spearheading comprehensive new media efforts for the Nashville-based music group with a heavy focus on fan engagement, community building, data-capture and overall monetization of all BRMG initiatives.

Additionally, Boone and Gusty will be launching Black River Community Management under the BRMG umbrella. Black River Community Management will offer service packages designed to engage, grow and monetize fan communities for entertainment brands. BRMG’s roster is home to Jeff Bates, Sarah Darling and Emma Jacob.

Previously Boone and Gusty were key department heads of echomusic’s Marketing Services division. Boone launched echo’s Street Marketing Department in 2006 where she successfully managed and lead grass-roots and viral promotions for some of the industry’s biggest names such as Jonas Brothers, Keith Urban and Bon Jovi. Gusty was a founding member of echo’s original Marketing Department and was in charge of all advertising coordination and data-capture, as well as moving echo into the mobile realm in 2008 via a strategic relationship with mobile pioneers Mozes Inc.

CMA Music Fest Draws Near: Chesney To Close Week, Street Closures

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cma-festWith CMA Music Festival opening this week, the big announcements just keep coming.

A set by Kenny Chesney will be the grand finale of the 2009 CMA Music Festival on Sunday when he closes out the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. In addition to Chesney, Jason Michael Carroll, Heidi Newfield, and Jimmy Wayne will be performing acoustic sets during the Nightly Concerts.

Festival related events start tonight (6/8) with the “CMA Global Artist Party,” at 6:15 PM at The Stage, hosted by Jace Everett and featuring performances from a variety of international Country Music artists. The celebration of the genre’s worldwide appeal continues Tuesday at 3:30 PM at The Second Fiddle, when Robert Reynolds hosts the AristoMedia Global Showcase.

Also Tuesday night, Darryl Worley and friends will perform at the 103 WKDF Country Beach Party benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event will be at The Stage, and tickets can be purchased here.

Getting things started on Wednesday is the GAC Fan Breakfast and this year’s sold-out event at the Country Music Hall of Fame will feature performances by Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Emily West, Lane Turner and Jesse Lee as well as autograph sessions and museum tour.

On Wednesday, beginning at 2:00 PM, “The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade” will feature Country Music artists and other celebrities riding in Chevy vehicles, with Rodney Atkins as Grand Marshal.

Now in its second year as an official CMA Music Festival event, Marty Stuart‘s Late Night Jam” takes place Wednesday (10:00 PM) at the Ryman. Benefitting MusicCares and CMA’s “Keep the Music Playing” music education campaign, this event will feature Cherryholmes, The Oak Ridge Boys, Connie Smith, Tanya Tucker, Stuart and more. A separate ticket is required via www.ticketmaster.com.

For the first time, the Daytime Riverfront Stage will be free to the community and Gretchen Wilson will kick off four days of concerts beginning Thursday (10:00 AM).

The lifestyle exhibits and autograph booths in the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall at the Nashville Convention Center are a traditional favorite. For the first time in 13 years, Reba McEntire will be among the artists meeting fans and signing autographs. Taylor Swift will also be signing all day Sunday.

Other happenings include the Sommet Center Plaza Stage, the Hard Rock Outdoor stage, and the Dr Pepper®-McDonald’s® Family Zone Mainstage featuring shows geared toward kids and families such as storytelling. The Music City Zone will have the GAC Stage, a Guitar Hero competition, the NowPlayingNashville.com autograph booth and more. And the Sports Zone will host the Field & Stream magazine Total Outdoorsman Challenge, the New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race, and 20 PlayStation®3 gaming stations with Jason Michael Carroll stopping by to game with fans.

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Downtown Nashville will experience some changes in traffic flow to accommodate the numerous events and activities that are part of the Festival.

On Tuesday, June 9, one lane of Fifth Avenue from Demonbreun to Broadway will be closed until early morning on Monday, June 15.

On Wednesday, June 10, Fifth Avenue from Demonbreun to Broadway will close as well as First Avenue from Demonbreun to Church Street. Broadway from First and Third Avenues will also close on this day. Second Avenue will remain open; however, vehicles will be prohibited from turning at the Broadway and Second Avenue intersection. These closures will all be cleared by early morning on Monday, June 15.

During the afternoon of Wednesday, June 10, there will also be temporary road closures for “The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade” and “The Fouth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party.” Beginning at 2:00 PM/CT, Broadway will close from Third to Seventh Avenues, Demonbreun will close from Third to Sixth Avenues and Third, Fourth and Sixth Avenues will close from Broadway to Demonbreun. These road closures are scheduled to be re-opened at the end of the Kick-Off Parade (approximately 4:00 PM/CT).

Alan Jackson To Play Europe For First Time in 19 Years

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alan-jacksonAlan Jackson is set for his first string of European dates since 1990. He will perform in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, on August 13, 14 and 15, respectively. These will be his first-ever shows in Scandinavia. In Norway, where where his latest release Good Time has already sold Platinum, fans snapped up 14,000 tickets within days of them going on sale. Jackson has fans around the world, and they are constantly requesting that he tour their home countries. His 1990 European dates included Germany and the UK.

CMA Awards Voting Schedule

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The Country Music Association has alerted members of the voting schedule for the 2009 CMA Awards.

The ballot schedule is:
Nominating Ballot (round 1): Email sent/polls open Tues., June 30 and close Wed., July 16 at 5:00 PM/CDT
Second Ballot (round 2): Will be sent Tues., Aug. 11 and close Mon., Aug. 24 at 5:00 PM/CDT
Final Ballot: Will be sent Friday, Oct. 16 and close Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 5:00 PM/CDT

Voting will be conducted entirely online and members will receive an e-mail on the “Polls Open” dates above. If your e-mail address changes during the balloting schedule, you must contact CMA at [email protected] or at (800)788-3045. If you do not receive an email on the above “Polls Open” dates above, contact Election Services Corporation at [email protected]. Members will need their CMA Member Number and PIN number to vote. The CMA member numbers will be e-mailed out separately. Only current CMA members, along with approved new CMA members whose applications were received by June 26 will receive the second and final ballots.

Twitterific: MusicRow Debuts Chart, Twitter Stops Fake Accounts

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twitter-logoEver been duped into following a celeb imposter on Twitter? You’re not alone. So the brains behind the microblogging site have begun working on a new feature called “Verified Accounts.” The beta version will debut this summer, with a special seal to help users differentiate between the real and fake Oprah, Brad Paisley, etc. First up, the company plans to tackle accounts belonging to public officials, public agencies, famous artists, athletes, and other well-known individuals at risk of impersonation.

MusicRow has a new Twitter chart, ranking the Country music artists with the most followers. Click here to check it out.

Leadership Music Names Class of 2010

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lmusicFifty-four new members have been selected to participate in the twenty-first annual class of Leadership Music. The annual program is designed to create a forum for established music community leaders to identify and explore issues currently affecting the music industry.

“The selection committee, composed of more than 50 Leadership Music alumni from all areas of the industry, has chosen an outstanding group of leaders from hundreds of candidates for the Class of 2010,” explained Ken Robold, immediate Past President of the Board of Directors and chair of the selection committee, and Executive Vice President of UMG Nashville.

Members of the Class of 2010 are: John Allen, Vice President, Bug Music Publishing; Sherrill Blackman, Owner, The SDB Music Group; Diane Blagman, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Greenberg Traurig (Washington D.C.); Niko Bolas, Producer/Engineer; Daniel Bowen, Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Communications, CMA; Jim Bradfield, CEO,  Bradfield Stage Lighting; Carey Nelson Burch, Consultant/Manager/Producer for TV/Film, My Own Shingle; Gary Burr, President, Gary Burr Productions; Christina Calio, Director Music Relationships & Strategy, Microsoft (Seattle); Shawn Camp, Songwriter/Artist, Big Yellow Dog Music; Cameo Carlson, SVP, Digital Business Development, UMRG (NYC/Nashville); Michael Carpenter, General Sales Manager, Clear Channel Communications; Gary Churgin, President & CEO, The Harry Fox Agency (NYC); Gil Cunningham, President & Owner, Neste Event Marketing; Craig Currier, Sr. Director of Advertising Markets/Executive Producer, peercommercialmusic (a division of peermusic); Ansel Davis, Managing Member, Ansel L. Davis & Associates, PLLC;  Mayor Karl Dean, Mayor, Metro Nashville Government; Bob Doyle, Owner, Major Bob Music; Trey Dunaway, Director of Taxes & Royalties, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.; John Esposito, President & CEO, WEA, Inc. (NYC); Rory Feek, Artist/Writer, Joey & Rory; Tim Fink, Associate VP Writer/Publisher Relations, SESAC;  Mitch Glazier, Executive VP, Government & Industry Relations, RIAA (Washington D.C.); Mike Grimes, Co-Owner, Grimey’s/The Basement; Mary Hilliard Harrington, President/Owner, The Greenroom; Ben Howard, SVP Marketing & Sales, Provident Label Group; Craig Krampf, Secretary/Treasurer, AFM; Jason Lehning, President, Jason Lehning; Lee Levine, Grant Writer, Clarinetist, ALIAS Chamber Ensemble; Kent Marcus, Owner, KMM, PC; Ralph Mastrangelo, Sr. Director of Touring, Clair Audio; Barry Mazor, Freelance Journalist, Author; Kim McCollum, Owner, Words & Music; Jason McCoy, President, Airstrip Music/Road Hammers; Pat McGrew, Vice President, Morgan Keegan; Rasheed Muhammad, First Vice President, SunTrust Wealth Management (Atlanta); Denise Nichols, Vice President, Spalding Entertainment; Kathleen O’Brien, President & CEO, TN Performing Arts Center; Vance Powell, Chief Engineer, Blackbird Studio; Melissa Preisler, VP Finance, The Disney Music Group; Steven Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music & Music Marketing, Electronic Arts (Playa Vista, CA); John Shomby, Director of Programming & Operations, Max Media of Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, VA); Cheryl Slay, Assistant Professor of Music, Belmont University; Jennie Smythe, Owner, Girlilla Marketing; Dave Steunebrink, Owner, Showdown Management; Jeff Stoltz, Sr. Director Sales & Analysis, UMG Nashville; Bonnie Sugarman, Senior Vice President, APA, Inc.; Beka Tischker, VP A&R/Publishing, Razor & Tie (NYC); Deborah Varallo, Varallo Public Relations; Wes Vause, Sr. Director, Media, Sony Music Nashville; Storme Warren, Partner, Surfing Moose Productions; Lane Wilson, Agent, Senior VP, William Morris Agency; Tommy Womack, Singer/Songwriter; and Rolff Zwiep, Manager, Blackbird Audio Rentals.

Trailer Choir Gets MusicRow Ready For The Weekend

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_2Trailer Choir members Crystal Hoyt, Big Vinny and Butter stopped the MusicRow offices yesterday to talk about their latest single on Show Dog Nashville. They have been promoting the song “Rockin’ The Beer Gut” by sharing beer with press and radio. Front (L-R) Crystal Hoyt, Big Vinny and Butter; Back (L-R) MusicRow’s David Ross, Sarah Skates, Michelle Ross, and Jon Freeman.

TV Time Pays Off

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ladyaTV time paid off for Lady Antebellum when the band’s weekly album sales doubled following their performance of “I Run To You” on April’s Academy of Country Music Awards. The increase also coincides with the single’s rising popularity on radio.

Dolly Parton is set to perform on Sunday night’s Tony Awards on CBS, where she is nominated for Best Original Score for 9 to 5: The Musical. Joining her on the show will be the cast of the musical.

Julianne Hough will host the 2009 CMT Music Awards Video of the Year Special, premiering Saturday, June 13 at 1 PM/CT. Voting is going on now at CMT.com and the final four nominees in the Video of the Year category will be announced at the beginning of the live awards show so fans can vote online and via text on Verizon phones throughout the broadcast.

Dateline: On Tour With Taylor Swift, originally broadcast May 31 on NBC, is being re-broadcast Sunday, June 7, in the network’s All Night time period. The program’s original air time was disrupted in several markets due to NBC’s live telecast of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup.