Gator Michaels Exits Warner Bros.

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Gator-Michaels-07After seven years with Warner Music, Sr. VP Promotion Gator Michaels exited the company today (12/1), the label has confirmed. Director of National Promotion Bob Reeves is acting in Michaels’ former role and reporting directly to new label President/CEO John Esposito, who took office in September.

Michaels is a radio vet who spent 10 years in the business, primarily in South Florida, before joining Warner. His experience also includes time as VP Promotion for DreamCatcher. He can be reached at 615-400-6957 or [email protected].

AMA Announces New Board Members

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The Americana Music Association recently held annual elections for its Board of Directors and the results are in. Nine new directors will be joining the board for 2009-2010.

New Americana Music Association Board Members:

(L-R): Capps, Kornblith, Matthews, Allen, Taylor

(L-R): Capps, Kornblith, Matthews, Allen, Taylor

(L-R): Macias, Crowell, Malo, Miller

(L-R): Macias, Crowell, Malo, Miller

Finance

Ashley Capps—President, AC Entertainment and co-creator/producer of Bonnaroo

Radio

Joan Kornblith—Correspondent and Program Host, Voice of America

Booking
Pam Matthews—Owner, DuVoyant Music

Publishing
John Allen—Vice President, Bug Music

Artist
Chip Taylor

New Media
David Macias—President, Thirty Tigers

At Large
Rodney Crowell, Raul Malo, Buddy Miller


Existing Directors with another year to serve:

Artist Management
Tim McFadden—Owner, Tim McFadden Management

Performing Rights
Kay Clary— Sr. Director Media Relations, BMI

Publications
Tamara Saviano—Owner/President, Ellis Creative

Radio Promotion
Al Moss—Owner, Al Moss Promotion

Record Label
Amanda Hale-Ornelas—Director of Media Relations, New West Records

Retail Distribution
Sylvia Giannitrappani—owner, GO2 Management

Songwriter
Tift Merritt

Talent Buyer/Presenter
Brad First—Talent Booker/Showcase Coordinator, SXSW Inc.

At Large
Fred Boenig—Partner, Artist Development Group
Jessie Scott—Owner, Music Fog

Bess Lomax Hawes Dies

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bessLifelong folk-music champion Bess Lomax Hawes died Friday, November 27 at the age of 88 in Portland, Oregon.

In 1941-43 she was a member of The Almanac Singers alongside Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. In 1948, she wrote the folk classic “M.T.A.,” which became a hit for The Kingston Trio in 1959. She moved to Los Angeles in 1952 and taught guitar, mandolin and banjo, as well as folk-song classes.

During her long and productive career, Bess Lomax Hawes taught college, produced film documentaries, launched folk festivals and wrote three books. The most recent of her books is 2008’s autobiography Sing It Pretty: A Memoir.

At the National Endowment for the Arts, she served for 16 years as the director of the Folk and Traditional Arts Program and created the National Heritage Fellowships. In 1993, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.

Bess Lomax Hawes is the aunt of Nashville journalist and Roots Music Exporters businessman John Lomax III. She is also survived by three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Underwood’s CMT Special Airs Tonight

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CMT will premiere Carrie Underwood: Invitation Only tonight at 8 pm CT. Taped before a small audience in Nashville’s Studio A, the special will feature Underwood performing her hits and music from her new album Play On, as well as candidly answering questions from fans.

In other Underwood news, our web calendar had previously listed the incorrect date for Fox’s upcoming Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special. The correct date for the show is December 7, and it will air at 7pm CT.
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Pictured at Invitation Only taping (L-R): Brian Philips - President, CMT; Joe Galante - Chairman, Sony Music Nashville; Butch Waugh, EVP, Sony Music Nashville; Underwood; John Hamlin - Senior Vice President, Production and Development, CMT; Laurissa Ryan - Senior Director, Talent Relations, CMT; Margaret Comeaux - Senior Director, Music and Events Production, CMT; Jay Frank - Senior Vice President, Music Strategy for CMT; and Ann Edelblute - 19 Entertainment; Photo credit: Rick Diamond/WireImage

Toby Keith Concludes Sold-Out European Tour

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Toby performing for the sold out crowd in Helsinki, Finland.

Keith performing for the sold out crowd in Helsinki, Finland.

Toby Keith recently wrapped his first European tour, which included a two week sold-out run of nine shows in six countries. Keith opened the tour in Glasgow, Scotland Nov. 9 before playing London’s Hammersmith Apollo (Nov. 10), Dublin’s Olympia Theater (Nov. 12), Belfast’s Odyssey Arena (Nov. 13) and jumping across the North Sea for shows in Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Oslo, Norway and, finally, Bergen, Norway.

Keith’s stop on the popular Swedish talk show Skavlan was one of the highest-rated episodes of the year. He was also the subject of cover stories or features appearing in the Irish News, Sunday World, Up Country, American, Irish Star, The Newsletter and more.

GE Sale Of NBC To Comcast Likely

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NBCA deal between General Electric and Comcast to sell TV network NBC Universal to Comcast moved a step closer to reality yesterday amid reports of a key agreement between G.E. and Vivendi, essential to complete the sale. G.E. has offered to buy Vivendi’s 20% stake in NBC Universal for a reported $5.8 billion. Vivendi had an option that might allow it to offer its stake in NBC as a public offering, which would muddy the waters and likely cool Comcast’s ardor.

These figures value the entire NBC Universal sale price at about $29 billion, somewhat less than the $30 billion that was agreed to last month by both G.E. and Comcast.

A New York Times article (12/1) reports that a completed deal could be announced as soon as Thurs., 12/3.

The deal holds great potential value for Comcast, which would become a content developer in addition to its current transmitter role. If completed, the new NBC Universal would be a Comcast/G.E. joint venture. Comcast would hold a 51% stake adding in cash and its cable channels. G.E. would retain 49%. Insiders expect G.E. to eventually sell its share to Comcast.