All For The Hall Adds Etheridge

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Academy and Melissa_EtheridgeGrammy Award winner and multi-platinum artist Melissa Etheridge has been added to the star-studded line-up of performers at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s All for the Hall Los Angeles fundraiser, which will take place on Thurs., Oct. 1 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Etheridge joins previously announced performers Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Dwight Yoakam. www.allforthehall.com/LA.

Meanwhile, several upcoming events at the Hall in Nashville will be presented in conjunction with Americana Week. There will be a screening of Behind the Confessions: Radney Foster’s Revival featuring opening remarks by Foster (9/17), a Songwriter Session with Will Kimbrough (9/19), Banjo Demonstration with Ned Luberecki (9/20) and a screening of 35 Years of Austin City Limits: The Anniversary Show with Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel with opening remarks by ACL founder Terry Lickona (9/19). Free to Americana Music Association conference registrants with badges, and Nashville Film Festival members.

Other happenings: Interview and Performance with Jerry Chesnut as part of the Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters series on Sept. 26. And free Workshops for Teachers on Sept. 17, 22 and Oct. 1. Details for teachers at [email protected].

CMA Broadcast/Radio Nominations

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Final nominees for the nation’s tcma-awardsop Country radio stations and broadcast personalities were delivered to Country Radio today, when Chuck Wicks revealed the 2009 CMA Broadcast Personality and Radio Station of the Year finalists live from Premiere Radio Networks’ New York City studios. The winners will be notified in mid-October and will be acknowledged at “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards.”

A tough race to call this year is who will claim bragging rights for the National Broadcast Personality of the Year. Nominee Bob Kingsley has won the trophy two times, in 2001, which was the inaugural year for the CMA National Broadcast Personality Award, and 2003. Lia Knight was nominated in 2003 and won in both 2005 and 2007. Nominated for the first time in 2008, Kix Brooks, of Brooks & Dunn, host of “American Country Countdown,” is nominated again in 2009 and if he wins it would be the first time that a County artist would claim a CMA Broadcast Awards trophy.

CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:
National
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Citadel Media
“Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40″ (Bob Kingsley) – KCCS Productions, Inc.
“The Lia Show” (Lia Knight) – Dial Global

Major Market
• “The All New Dr. Don Morning Show with Doc, Grunwald, Rachael, and Jason” (Don Carpenter, Steve Grunwald, Rachael Hunter, Jason “The 300 Pound Cowboy” Raithel) – WYCD, Detroit, Mich.
• “Cliff and Company: Cliff, Morgan, Tanner, and Tori” (Cliff Dumas, Morgan Thomas, Bill Tanner, Tori Peck) – KSON, San Diego, Calif.
• “The Cornbread Morning Show featuring Cornbread, Pat James, Producer Annie, Father Harry, and Captain Mac” (Cornbread, Pat James, Annie Henson, Harry Schroeder, Mac “Captain Mac” Douglas) – WIL, St. Louis, Mo.
•  “The Laurie De Young Morning Show” (Laurie De Young) – WPOC, Baltimore, Md.
• “Paul Schadt and Sarah in the Morning” (Paul Schadt, Sarah Waters) – WKKT, Charlotte, N.C.

Large Market
• “Bucky & Bob: The Talk of Austin” (Bucky Godbolt, Bob Cole) – KVET, Austin, Texas
• “Chris Carr & Company” – (Chris Carr, Jeffrey “Maverick” Bolen, Jason Statt) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
• “Jeff Roper in the Morning” (Jeff Roper, Angie Ward, Adam “Flash” Dellinger) – WTQR, Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, N.C.
• “Jim Denny and Friends” (Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt, Kevin Freeman) – WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
• “Karen, Scott and Radar. . .The Moo Crew” (Karen Dalessandro, Scott Dolphin, Tony “Radar” Hess) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.

Medium Market
•    “The 97 Country Breakfast Club with Roger, Tom, and Melissa” (Roger Todd, Tom O’Brien, Melissa Moran) – WPCV, Lakeland, Fla.
•    “Brian and Kellie Morning Show” (Brian Pierce, Kellie Michaels) – KFDI, Wichita, Kan.
•    “The Kat 103 Morning Show with Steve Lundy, Gina, and Craig (Steve Lundy, Gina Melton, Craig Allen) – KXKT, Omaha, Neb.
•    “Tom & Becky in the Morning” (Tom Owens, Becky Palmer) – WBBS, Syracuse, N.Y.
•    “WIVK at Night with Jack Ryan” (Jack Ryan) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.

Small Market
•    “Barrett, Fox & Berry” (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, Tracy Berry) – KKNU, Eugene, Ore.
•    “Bearman and Ken in the Morning” (Benny “Bearman” Martin, Ken Hicks) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.
•    “Gator & The StyckMan” (Gator Harrison, Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WGSQ, Cookeville, Tenn.
•    “Mee in the Morning” (Kevin Mee, Brenda Mee) – KIZN, Boise, Idaho
•    “Middays with Philip Gibbons” (Philip Gibbons) – WGSQ, Cookeville, Tenn.

CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
Major Market
KMPS – Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.
KYGO – Denver/Boulder, Colo.
WPOC – Baltimore, Md.
WUSN – Chicago, Ill.
WYCD – Detroit, Mich.

Large Market
KAJA – San Antonio, Texas
KASE – Austin, Texas
WQDR – Raleigh, N.C.
WTQR – Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, N.C.
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market
KSSN – Little Rock, Ark.
KUZZ – Bakersfield, Calif.
KXKT – Omaha, Neb.
WBBS – Syracuse, N.Y.
WGNA – Albany/Schenectady/Troy, N.Y.

Small Market
WAXX – Eau Claire, Wis.
WBKR – Owensboro, Ky.
WKSF – Asheville, N.C.
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.
WYCT – Pensacola, Fla.

Swift’s Sales Pass 10 Million Mark

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You can also catch Swift on Sunday night's (9/13) MTV VMAs. Pictured here in an ad for the Awards show.

You can also catch Swift on Sunday night's (9/13) MTV VMAs. Pictured here in an ad for the Awards show.

Just three years after the release of her debut album, Taylor Swift has surpassed the 10 million milestone for album sales. The 19-year-old’s sales tally is comprised of actual full albums sold and doesn’t include track equivalent albums (TEA), which is made up of paid downloads. Additionally, Swift has sold over 20 million paid song downloads, more than any other Country artist.

Swift, who pens all of her own material, released her now quadruple-platinum self-titled debut album in October 2006 on Big Machine Records. She followed it up with Fearless two years later, which has also sold 4 million copies in the US. It has also earned Gold and Platinum certifications in fourteen countries. The singer-songwriter has had singles top both the Country and Pop radio charts, and sold more albums last year than any other recording artist, in any genre of music.

Here’s how she got to the 10 million mark (sales figures provided by Big Machine Records):

Taylor Swift 4,369,749 units US

Fearless 4,020,725 units US

Taylor Swift & Fearless 1,297,059 units International

Beautiful Eyes 256,822 units (Wal-Mart only)

The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection 151,844 units

Reba Making The Media Rounds In L.A.

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val

Last week Universal Music Group Distribution surprised Reba and her label The Valory Music Co. with two awards. One recognizes Reba’s "Keep On Loving You" as No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, and the other recognizes the superstar as UMGD's top revenue-generating artist for the week of release. Pictured above (l-r): UMG’s Keriann Shults, Valory’s George Briner, UMG’s Cliff O’Sullivan, Reba, and Valory’s Scott Borchetta, John Zarling, Andrew Kautz, Kelly Rich, JoJamie Hahr, Brooke Yancey, Natalie Kilgore, Sandi Spika Borchetta and Jon Loba.

Reba McEntire’s new album, Keep On Loving You, holds steady at the top of the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart for the second week in a row. Reba’s first solo studio album in six years—and her first on new label The Valory Music Co.—remains in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart, landing at No. 6.

Reba’s new single, “Consider Me Gone,” is rising as she travels to Los Angeles this week for some big media appearances. She is set to perform on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien tomorrow (9/9), and she will join Craig Ferguson for an interview and performance on The Late Late Show on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Reba will also drop by the syndicated Bonnie Hunt Show on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and is the subject of a new A&E Biography premiering Thurs., Sept. 10 on the Biography Channel.

Treehouse Expands Promotion Staff

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bhelton-1Treehouse Records has announced the addition of Brad Helton to its promotion staff, effective September 14. Helton comes to the label with experience in the promotion departments of Montage Music Group, Equity Music Group and Lofton Creek Records. “Brad’s tenacity and knowledge of the ins and outs of promotion has impressed me,” said Treehouse Promotion VP Tony Benken. “He is exactly what we’re looking for…passionate, relentless, driven and committed. It is my pleasure to welcome him into the Treehouse.” Helton can be reached via email at [email protected] and by phone at 615-400-3269. Treehouse Records was founded in 2009 by partners Irving Azoff, Dale Morris, Clint Higham and Mike Betterton and its first single, Blaine Larsen’s “It Did,” is currently impacting country radio.

Win A Date With Gretchen Wilson, And More

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Gretcgretchenhen Wilson is hosting a charity auction, which ends with the winner getting a date with her. Seven of the highest bidders will get to drive a car in a Demolition Derby Exhibition Heat, then the winner of the derby gets a date with Wilson. The auction will take place at The Stage in downtown Nashville on Friday, Sept. 11. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and you must be 21 years of age or older to participate.

Proceeds from the auction benefit the McClain Christian Academy in Lebanon, Tenn. In addition, the auction and demolition derby competition will be filmed for a future reality television program. For details about placing a bid, email [email protected].
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After the auction, Country fans can cruise to the nearby Wildhorse Saloon for the Phil Vassar concert. The Universal Records South artist will debut songs from his upcoming studio album as well as perform his numerous hits. Show is Sept. 11 at 9:30 PM.
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One of Jimmy Wayne’s favorite songs has always been “Sara Smile.” Now it is scheduled to be his upcoming single. The new recording even features the song’s original hitmakers Daryl Hall and John Oates.

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The remastered Beatles’ catalogue will be available tomorrow (9-9-09). The band’s entire original recorded catalogue has been digitally re-mastered for the first time by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios over a four-year period. The new CD releases include 14 re-mastered stereo titles available individually or collected in a box set, as well as 11 mono titles released in a limited edition boxed set. All of the re-mastered stereo CDs are packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, 13 of the stereo CDs are embedded with a unique mini-documentary about the album. Also out tomorrow, The Beatles on the video game Rock Band.

Belmont Series Launches With Wynonna

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Wynwyonna Judd will help launch the inaugural Professional-in-Residence series at Belmont University. Judd, manager Kerry Hansen, and long-time producer and musician Don Potter will contribute to the three-part panel discussion series designed to give a group of Belmont seniors the opportunity to engage with music industry professionals in a conversational Q&A setting. The topic of this year’s residency will be the “Journey of the Creative Business Mind.”

Wynonna’s participation in the 2009-10 Professional-in-Residence program marks the second significant mentoring contribution she has made to Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. Earlier this year, the Record Company Operations class had the privilege of working closely with Wynonna and Hansen, to oversee, promote and execute a concert and CD release party exclusively for Belmont students for her seventh studio album Sing: Chapter 1.

Movies In Music City

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minnie

Mario Van Peebles and Murphy

Rising artist Minnie Murphy will appear in the new film Bailey, which is being shot around Nashville. When the project is released in 2010, she will be seen performing her original song “Bluer than Blue” at one of the many juke joints featured in the movie. She got the gig after producer Rhoads Rader saw her performance at hip Nashville restaurant Sambuca. The film is directed by veteran Hollywood actor Mario Van Peebles (Kerosene Cowboys, Bring Your “A” Game, New Jack City) and co-stars Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, The Whole Nine Yards, The Island), Morgan Simpson, and Tom Skerritt.

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The ten finalists from the Doorpost Film Project’s Short Film Contest will be shown at Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 17 beginning at 7 p.m. The popular contest is voted on by fans at thedoorpost.com as well as members of the industry. Voting ends on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Sept. 19, also at the Belcourt Theatre. On hand to make the announcement will be Doorpost jurist and writer/producer Jeff “The Dude” Dowd, the inspiration for “The Dude” in the Cohen Brother’s The Big Lebowski. He will be joined by producer Dean Batali (That 70’s Show). The festivities will begin with red carpet arrivals at 6 p.m. followed by the awards presentation at 7:30 p.m. The three films with the highest scores will receive cash prizes of $100,000, $35,000 and $25,000 respectively. The Sept. 17 and 19 events are open to the public, but to attend you must RSVP to [email protected].

Rascal Flatts To Open Oprah’s New Season

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rascalflattsRascal Flatts will make its second appearance on Oprah this Thursday, September 10. The band will head to Chicago today (9/8) to be part of the hit daytime show’s 24th season kick-off celebration. Rascal Flatts will join the Black Eyed Peas, James Taylor and Jennifer Hudson to perform live for the crowds on Michigan Avenue when the show shuts down the street for the taping which will air Thursday.

The Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour continues this weekend with shows in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Camden, New Jersey; and Boston, Massachusetts.

Urban Announces We’re All For The Hall 2010

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KKeithUrban2eith Urban’s “We’re All For The Hall” benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum sold out almost immediately. The stellar line-up for the Oct. 13 show at the Sommet Center in Nashville includes Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Little Big Town and other big-name surprise guests.

Urban released this statement about the fantastic response to the concert: “We are overwhelmed and truly grateful for the support that everyone is giving the We’re All for the Hall benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity. Given the response, we are thrilled to announce that we will absolutely be doing this again next year!”