Gibson Plans Free Les Paul Tribute

les paulGibson Guitar, the musical instrument manufacturer known for crafting the Les Paul guitar, will hold a special tribute to the late innovator on Thurs., Nov. 19 at the Ryman. The free concert will feature Paul’s godson Steve Miller, John Rich, Emerson Drive, JD Souther, Steve Wariner, Joan Jett, Ace Frehley, Zakk Wylde, Jennifer Batten, and Josh Kelly. Also set to perform are jazz artists Sarah Partridge and Anna Wilson. The Les Paul Trio, known for their Monday night performances with Paul at the Iridium in New York prior to his death, will serve as the house band.

Les Paul’s son, Russ Paul, along with Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum President Terry Stewart will emcee the 90 minute program starting at 8 PM.

Les Paul, the innovator and inventor who passed away at 94 years old this past August was known throughout the world for creating multi-track recording and as the father of the electric guitar. Many other programs and special events will continue to take place throughout the year and early 2010 to mark anniversary dates significant to Les Paul’s life.

Click here for details on free tickets.

CNet: Big Champagne’s Eric Garland; Media Meltdown

Eric Garland

Eric Garland

Big Champagne has been collecting data on file sharing for over 10 years and enjoyed a front row seat as the music and entertainment industry has grappled with the changes mandated by an evolving digital world. In this CNet.com interview by Greg Sandoval, CEO/co-founder Eric Garland turns his attention from music to movies to highlight some key differences between the two entertainment formats. One area specifically addressed is consumer expectations of ownership vs. renting for music and film and the challenges that represents for various business models.

Here’s some edited quotes: Click HERE for the complete story

Garland: The cute answer, which is probably the truest answer, is that growing a sector is a privilege and not a right. There is no right size. There is no correct or God-given size for any sector. Why do we get to make movies that cost $300 million to make? Because we have found venues where people will spend more than $300 million on the result. If people spend only $50 million then the price of a movie must be $49 million or less.

Garland: But I want to be clear that I was far more bearish on music than I am about Hollywood’s prospects… Customers would say “I want MP3s” and the music industry would say “We can’t do MP3s because we have to have (digital rights management).” The customer would say “deal breaker!” The customer said “I want to eat all I want at one low price that feels like free.” The music industry said “No my friend, it’s a dollar a track.” There was no point of agreement. Hollywood conversely, is very different.

Hollywood says we like DRM, we would like to extend to you this content but on terms that we control and the customer says “Yeah, that’s cool. I’ve always been good with that. I like renting.”… The music industry says “How come we can’t we do that?” The customer says “No, because it’s not my expectation. It’s not the contract that we’ve had all along.”

To visit BigChampagne’s MusicRow country format charts click here.

CMA Sets Awards Presenters, Gets “GMA” Spot

Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Photo credit: Bob D'Amico.

Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Photo credit: Bob D'Amico.

The first group of presenters have been announced for The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, including NASCAR superstar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; stars of ABC’s The Middle Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Julianne Hough; nominee Randy Houser (for both New Artist and Music Video of the Year for “Boots On”); nominee Jake Owen (New Artist of the Year); Kellie Pickler; CMA Award winner LeAnn Rimes; and ABC News’s Robin Roberts, co-anchor of Good Morning America and host of the upcoming Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville ABC television special (airing Nov. 10). Also, Love and Theft will host the Pre-Telecast Awards.

Love and Theft

Love and Theft

The CMA Awards will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, and will air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wed., Nov. 11 (7:00-10:00 PM/CT) on the ABC Television Network.

Paisley and Underwood will also perform on ABC’s Good Morning America Tues., Nov. 10 live from Nashville. The GMA concert is free and open to the public and takes place on the Sommet Center’s outside plaza at the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue, presented by Chevrolet.

Nichols Partners With TheHopeLine

joenichols400Joe Nichols has partnered with TheHopeLine, to create a website to help people struggling with addictions. Nichols song “An Old Friend Of Mine,” from his just released CD Old Things New was the inspiration for the partnership and the site is www.anoldfriendofmine.com.

“Partnering with Joe Nichols to help people struggling with addictions is very exciting,” says Dave Anderson TheHopeLine’s Director. “Those struggling need to understand there is hope and TheHopeLine wants to help reach, rescue and restore them as they begin their journey to recovery. We are hopeful Joe’s effort will encourage other mainstream artists to consider how they might help their fans, and others, who might be struggling with difficulty in their life.”

Nichols new site will make a chat room HopeCoach available on Thursdays 7-9 p.m. during the month of Nov.

Nashville Scene: Dolly Parton Box Set

A hefty new collection reflects the many facets of Dolly Parton’s talent. Read more.

Signings And Musical Chairs

strickland

Lisa Strickland

Golden Music Nashville has hired Lisa Strickland as Regional Director Northeast Promotion and Marketing, effective Mon., Nov. 2. She has spent the last two years at Citadel Media as Director of Affiliate Relations and Distribution Sales, working on American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks.

The move to Golden, whose roster includes Williams Riley and Benton Blount, reunites Strickland and Brad Howell who first worked together in the Warner Bros. promotion department. Strickland’s 20 years in the business also includes being KZLA’s MD/Asst. PD, and time as a regional director with Asylum Records, Warner Bros., Dream Catchers, and Universal South.

She can be reached at 615-289-2319 or lisa@goldenmusic.biz.

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John Michael Montgomery has signed with The Bobby Roberts Company for concert booking.

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Sara Evans has signed with Spalding Entertainment, the company which also manages Brooks & Dunn, Jason Aldean and others.

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Average Joe’s Entertainment, the label home to Colt Ford, has signed Brantley Gilbert. With Atlanta and Nashville offices, the label is headed by CEO Shannon Houchins and other employees include Ken Madson.

Gilbert is managed by Ken Fulghum. His album A Modern Day Prodigal Son was released earlier this month and the follow-up Halfway To Heaven is due in February 2010.

Average Joe’s Entertainment is located at 1010 17th Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37212 and can be reached by phone at 615-329-4762.

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Mickie James, a star of World Wrestling Entertainment, has signed with Sherry Massaro of Skyline Management Group, Inc. for management and Absolute Publicity’s Don Grubbs for public relations. She has also obtained the services of local stylist Lori Bumgarner and is expected to announce plans for a country music career in the coming weeks.

Underwood; McBride; ABC Goes Country

carrie-underwood-play-on-album-coverTo celebrate Carrie Underwood’s Nov. 3 release of Play On, Underwood will travel to New York City where she will perform on The Late Show with David Letterman (11/2), sing in Lincoln Center on Good Morning America (11/3) and appear on Live with Regis and Kelly (11/5). Underwood is also preparing for her performance and co-hosting duties at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards, live from Nashville’s Sommet Center on ABC, Nov. 11.

The new CD pairs the artist again with Mark Bright who produced her previous album, Carnival Ride and seven tracks from her 2005 debut album. The first single from Play On, “Cowboy Casanova” sold 110,236 digital copies according to the label, making Underwood the only solo country artist this year with debut single sales above 100k units.

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Martina McBride will appear on Oprah today (10/26) in an episode that was filmed earlier this month at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. The show will feature a performance medley including songs such as “Ride” and “This One’s for the Girls.” After the show, Oprah.com will feature an exclusive web stream of McBride singing “I Just Call You Mine.”

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image003In celebration of “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, ABC will feature country music programming leading up to the awards. Highlights include Taylor Swift on Dancing with the Stars Results Show (10/27), Carrie Underwood on Good Morning America (11/3), Kellie Picker on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (11/8), Brad Paisley and Underwood performing live in Nashville on Good Morning America (11/10), and various artists on In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville. The CMA Awards will air Wed., Nov. 11 live from the Sommet Center in Nashville.

Jo Dee Messina Plans New Album, Single

Jo Dee Messina is planning her first new studio album in five years. Unmistakable is on track for a spring release and lead single “That’s God” will hit radio in January 2010. The Curb artist co-produced the album.

Messina is busy on the “Music Room Series Tour” which wraps Nov. 29 with three nights in Reno, NV. She has been debuting “That’s God,” which she wrote with Brent Rader, along the tour.

Since breaking onto the music scene in 1996, Messina has scored nine No. 1 country singles, sold over five million records, received CMA and ACM awards, and Grammy nominations. Her hits include “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “Bye Bye,” “I’m Alright,” and “Bring On The Rain” (a duet with Tim McGraw).

Jo Dee Messina spoke at the recent meeting of the Women's Music Business Association (WMBA). About 125 guests turned out at the NSAI studio to hear Messina and learn about the organization's open enrollment. WMBA will be accepting applications until Jan 19, 2010. Pictured WMBA Officers & Chairs (L-R) Stephanie Mundy-Self, Kasey Cleckler, Holly Ashby, Brandi Simms, Jo Dee Messina, Penny Dionne, Lindsay Puddy, and Kama Upton. Photo by Kat Speer

Jo Dee Messina spoke at the recent meeting of the Women's Music Business Association (WMBA). About 125 guests turned out at the NSAI studio to hear Messina and learn about the organization's open enrollment. WMBA will be accepting applications until Jan 19, 2010. Pictured WMBA Officers & Chairs (L-R) Stephanie Mundy-Self, Kasey Cleckler, Holly Ashby, Brandi Simms, Jo Dee Messina, Penny Dionne, Lindsay Puddy, and Kama Upton. Photo by Kat Speer

Industry Items: CMT Awards Date, CRS Panel

cmtSave The Date: The 2010 CMT Music Awards will take place June 9, 2010 in Nashville.

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The popular consumer focus group panel will return to Country Radio Seminar® 41 when the event hits Nashville Feb. 24-26, 2010. This will be the first time a live focus group has been held at Country Radio Seminar since CRS 35. “Normal People: From the Mouths of the Consumer” is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 26 at 10 AM/CST. The live focus group provides a candid glimpse into the minds and opinions of the Country music consumer, from high school students to career-oriented professionals. Panelists will represent a generous cross-section of regional Country radio markets of varying sizes.

Several other events that have not been featured in recent years are also expected to return for CRS 41. As previously announced, Taylor Swift will perform at the Music City Jam, and financial expert Dave Ramsey will deliver the Keynote Address. The early bird rate of $499 expires Friday, Oct. 30.

McGraw’s Early Sales Numbers And 2010 Tour

Tim McGraw has more than 60 dates on the books for his Southern Voice Tour, opening Feb. 11, 2010 in Omaha. The album of the same name was released on Tuesday (10/20), so first week sales tallies aren’t in yet, but HitsDailyDouble’s building chart has it as the top selling Country title. It is McGraw’s tenth collaboration with producer Byron Gallimore and his first studio effort since Let It Go was released in 2007.

McGraw has loads of summer dates scheduled, currently going through Aug. 15 in Virginia Beach, VA. The tour will feature support from Lady Antebellum for the whole run, with the opening slot being filled by The Lost Trailers for the first leg, and Love And Theft for later dates.

For the arena run, McGraw has partnered with Outback Steakhouse, giving restaurant patrons special access to offers and events surrounding the tour. The “Outback’s Rewards Program” will launch in January 2010, giving away points that can be redeemed for McGraw merchandise, concert tickets, VIP passes, music downloads and an opportunity to register for the text and win sweepstakes. Sweepstakes winners will receive a trip for two to a McGraw concert in Australia.