Rucker And Team Toast Platinum Album

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Photo 2: (Top Row L-R) Charles Vegara, (McGhee Entertainment), Jason Hauser (McGhee Entertainment), Melanie Wetherbee (McGhee Entertainment), Doc McGhee (McGhee Entertainment), Mike Dungan (President/CEO Capitol Records Nashville) & Cindy Mabe (SVP Marketing Capitol Records Nashville) (Bottom Row L-R): Steve Hodges (SVP Promotion Capitol Records Nashville), Scott McGhee (McGhee Entertainment), Rucker, Frank Rand (McGhee Entertainment), & Frank Rogers (Learn to Live Producer).

(Top row L-R) Charles Vegara, (McGhee Entertainment), Jason Hauser (McGhee), Melanie Wetherbee (McGhee), Doc McGhee (McGhee), Mike Dungan (President/CEO Capitol Records Nashville) & Cindy Mabe (SVP Marketing Capitol). (Bottom row L-R): Steve Hodges (SVP Promotion Capitol), Scott McGhee (McGhee), Rucker, Frank Rand (McGhee), & Frank Rogers ("Learn to Live" Producer).

Capitol Records Nashville threw a party for Darius Rucker last week to celebrate the success of his country debut album Learn To Live which was just certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipments of over one million copies.

Rucker will continue the celebration tomorrow (8/25) at his No. 1 party for his latest song “Alright.” All three of Rucker’s singles (“Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” and “Alright”) have shot to the top of the Country Singles charts.

After his No. 1 party, Rucker will head to the Grand Ole Opry House to perform a free show for Samsung AT&T’s 3rd Annual Summer Krush series. A portion of the performance will air on Jimmy Kimmel Live this Thurs., Aug. 27. He will also be one of the artists featured Aug. 31 on ABC’s CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, as well as upcoming Unstoppable Tour dates with Rascal Flatts.

Carroll Makes Video, Darling Chats, Ingram Tries For World Record

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Carroll searches for a runaway in his new video "Hurry Home."

Jason Michael Carroll’s latest video, “Hurry Home,” tells the story of a father anxiously awaiting word from his runaway daughter. Carroll portrays a friend helping search for the missing girl.

The story hits close to home because when he was a child, Carroll’s aunt was missing for more than 15 years after running away. “I felt that if we were going to make a video for ‘Hurry Home,’ it was important to try to do something to help, even in a small way,” he says, “and that’s why we chose to include information at the end of the video about the National Runaway Switchboard.”

The video for “Hurry Home” is online now at www.jasonmichaelcarroll.com.
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CMT.com will be streaming live as country star Jack Ingram attempts to break the world record for most radio interviews in a 24-hour period beginning Tuesday, August 25 at 8:00 a.m., ET.  A first for CMT.com, the website will have video and audio of this event live from New York City as Ingram conducts 215 total back-to-back radio interviews during this time. CMT Radio Live host Cody Alan will conduct the final interview with the singer as the event concludes on Wednesday morning. The live stream will be available beginning Tuesday by going to CMTLive.CMT.com.

This event is to promote Ingram’s new album Big Dreams and High Hopes, out tomorrow (8/25).

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sarahdTomorrow (8/25) Black River artist Sarah Darling will conduct a live, on-line chat for fans. The chat will take place at 7:00 PM (Central) on Darling’s StickAm page. Fans can connect via www.sarahdarling.com. Questions are now being accepted at questions@sarahdarling.com.

Love And Theft’s Multimedia Launch Week

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Love And Theft's Brian Bandas, Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson played their hit single "Runaway" on NBC's top-rated morning program the TODAY SHOW and were excited to meet host Kathie Lee Gifford. Love And Theft's debut album, World Wide Open, will be in stores Tuesday.

Love And Theft's Brian Bandas, Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson played their hit single "Runaway" on NBC's "Today Show" and were excited to meet host Kathie Lee Gifford. The band's debut album, "World Wide Open," will be in stores Tuesday.

With their debut album World Wide Open set for release tomorrow (8/25), Love And Theft’s Brian Bandas, Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles are preparing for a jam-packed launch week.

In addition to their Friday (8/21) performance of their Top 20 hit “Runaway” on NBC’s Today Show, Love And Theft can be seen in coming episodes of CMT Insider, CMT Top 20 countdown, GAC’s Headline Country and GAC’s On The Streets.

Release week for the Carolwood Records album kicked off with a performance at a radio station show in Atlanta Sunday night after which the band returned to Nashville for four days of satellite radio tours, set to stream live on AOL’s “The Boot.” The remainder of the week will include a visit to Sirius XM’s Music Row Happy Hour along with more satellite radio tours, radio station visits and concert appearances in Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Various stores will have different limited edition versions of World Wide Open. Stephen, Brian and Eric spent tens of hours on buses, airplanes and in hotel rooms autographing the signature edition that can be found in Target stores. At Wal-Mart and walmart.com the album will contain a code to download demo/acoustic versions of three songs. And the CDs at Best Buy will contain a poster of Love And Theft inside the package.

Online outlets will also offer up some love from Love And Theft. At iTunes fans who download the full album will receive two previously unreleased bonus tracks. Amazon will offer up a bonus track as well.

Love And Theft has also created an exclusive website for its first record. With a visit to www.worldwideopencd.com, fans can preview and pre-order the album, access free Love And Theft wallpaper and buddy icons, participate in a “Tweet Your Love” contest and register for a wake up call from the band.

Fans can also text the word ‘WAKEUP’ to 66937 on their cell phone to register to receive a phone call from the band on Tuesday morning, release day. Love and Theft even made a commercial for the album, and the code can be found at www.youtube.com/loveandtheft.

Miley Is Latest To Offer Walmart Exclusive

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Sporting an outfit from her new clothing line Miley Cyrus & Max Azria.

The new Miley Cyrus album, The Time of Our Lives on Hollywood Records, will be released Aug. 31, 2009, exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com. With an $8 retail price, the offering will have seven tracks – including the single “Party In The USA,” which debuted this week at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 following three consecutive weeks as the No. 1 most added song at Top 40 Radio. The song is currently the most downloaded MP3 on Walmart.com.

In addition, Cyrus and fashion designer Max Azria of  BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, Inc. have teamed up to create a new apparel line which launched this month exclusively in Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com. Walmart is also the sponsor of the Miley Cyrus North American Tour.

“Party In The USA” has sold over 225,000 units. It is the highest debut by a female solo artist since Carrie Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven” (in July of 2005.)

Miley is scheduled to perform the hit on The Today Show August 28. She is currently filming the new drama based on a book by romantic novelist Nicolas Sparks called The Last Song and will embark on a 45-city North American tour beginning in September.

Photos: Artists Visit Industry

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Up-and-coming artists Sean Patrick McGraw and Holly Williams are the newest professional members of the Academy of Country Music. McGraw, currently on the America's Toughest Tour with Toby Keith, stopped by the ACM office recently to play a few songs and sign up for professional membership. The Academy also welcomed Williams to professional membership while she was in Los Angeles at The Mint promoting her album, “Here With Me.” (Photo L-R: McGraw with Michelle Goble, ACM Director of Membership & Events; Goble and Williams)

here's a shot of Greg Hanna with me, and Bobbe Morhiser and Jeff Walker. He stopped by to bring us beers and Greg Hanna "Mans Job" beer mugs and work gloves! can you us this? r
Artist Greg Hanna stopped by AristoMedia to show them how to do a “Man’s Job”–with work gloves and beer mugs. The group then celebrated his single “It’s A Man’s Job.” (L-R) Rick Kelley, Bobbe Morhiser, Hannah and Jeff Walker.

Recently the MusicRow offices welcomed artist visits from Bill Gentry and Veronica Ballestrini. They are pictured below with Publisher David Ross and Chart Manager Jon Freeman.

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Briefs From Sony, WSIX, and the Hall of Fame

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wsixThe Big 98 WSIX tower was struck by lightning during yesterday’s storm, damaging equipment and disrupting broadcasts. See the video of the lightning strike here.

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Sony Music Nashville is looking for a Senior Director – Label Sales following the recent departure of David Fitzgerald. Interested applicants can view the job posting and apply online via the Careers tab at www.sonymusic.com. Fitzgerald can be reached at 615-579-8614 or via e-mail at davidfitzgerald55@bellsouth.net.

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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will host Get the Scoop on Volunteering, an information workshop and ice cream social on Saturday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m. The one-hour meeting is for those interested in being school tour guide volunteers who provide small-group tours for students grades K-12 and must be available on weekdays between 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. An optional guided tour of the Museum will immediately follow the workshop. Ice cream comes compliments of Blue Bell Creamery. Reservations are requested. Please contact Sandy Conatser, volunteer coordinator at the Museum, at (615) 416-2092, or email volunteer@countrymusichalloffame.com.

Americana Awards Adds Artists

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Justin Townes Earle is up for Artist, New Artist, and Album of the Year at the Americana Awards.

Justin Townes Earle, The Flatlanders, and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit are the latest artists to confirm their appearances at this year’s Honors & Awards show. Set for September 17th at the historic Ryman Auditorium, the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony will toast winners in six member-voted categories and bestow Lifetime Achievement Awards on Asleep at the Wheel (Performance), Sam Bush (Instrumentalist), Jim Rooney (Producer/Engineer) and several others.

Earle is nominated for Artist of the Year, Album and New/Emerging Artist. The 40-year friendship between Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock—which unites them as The Flatlanders— earned the trio two 2009 nominations: Duo/Group of the Year and Song of the Year. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit are Album of the Year nominees.

This year’s event will also bring appearances by the Belleville Outfit, Rodney Crowell, The Gourds, Nanci Griffith, Raul Malo, John Prine and many others. Presented by the Gibson Foundation, the Honors & Awards will once again be hosted by Jim Lauderdale along with Buddy Miller and his All-Star band.

More info including tickets and conference registration here.

Rodney Atkins Youth Home Dedication

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As a baby, atkinsRodney Atkins was adopted from Holston Home in Greenville, TN by Margaret and Allan Atkins. Now the staff, children and Director Charles Hutchinson call him “Our poster boy for Hope.”

Atkins returned home to Greenville this week to help celebrate Holston House’s newly renovated campus. He spent part of the day performing an acoustic concert, signing autographs and getting to know the children one on one. He also participated in the official ribbon cutting ceremony in which the “Rodney Atkins Youth Home” was named and dedicated. He wrapped up the day’s events with a tour of the new buildings.

“This is absolutely one of the greatest things of my life,” says Atkins. “This isn’t a career achievement. This is a life achievement. Just to have the opportunity to try and positively affect those kids’ lives is wonderful. I am so thankful for the folks at Holston Home and their hard work. ”

Atkins has been a strong supporter of the children’s home for some time. He became a major spokesperson for the Greeneville-based home that serves children unable to live with their families as well as becoming the celebrity spokesperson for the National Council For Adoption.

You can catch the Holston Home tour with Atkins’ airing on CMT Insider August 29 and 30th.

Bennett To Exit Warner

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Bennett-EspitoIt’s unofficial and unconfirmed, but MusicRow has learned that Exec. VP/GM Warner Bros. Records Nashville Bill Bennett is exiting the label. Bennett moved to the Nashville division in Sept. 2004 after previously heading the Geffen and Maverick record labels. During his watch he saw success with Big & Rich, Blake Shelton, The Wreckers, James Otto and more.

It is believed, but also unconfirmed that Bennett’s successor will be New York-based President/CEO of WEA, Corp.—Warner Music Group’s U.S. sales and retail marketing company—John Esposito. In New York Esposito oversaw sales, marketing activities and distribution. He also oversaw global management and distribution of WMG’s digital assets, the E-Commerce department, and mobile and online business for WMG’s U.S. labels.

It is not known if the transition will result in additional restructuring among staff and/or artist roster.

Rascal Flatts Earn More Platinum, Pass 4 Million Ticket Mark

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rascalflattsRascal Flatts was already the largest selling and grossing group in country music history, and now the band just sold its four millionth concert ticket in a span of four years.

Also just announced, the band’s latest album for Lyric Street, Unstoppable, has been certified Platinum for shipments in excess of 1 million. The CD was the group’s fourth consecutive studio album to open at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, more than any other country artist in the history on Soundscan. This brings Rascal Flatts’ career album sales to 20 million units in this decade. The band has also amassed 10.5 million paid digital downloads.

The Rascal Flatts Unstoppable American Living Tour continues with shows through October.