Conway’s New Firm Consulting For Ronnie Gilley Entertainment

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tonyVeteran Nashville talent executive Tony Conway has formed an entertainment consulting firm and will be acting as talent consultant and executive producer for Ronnie Gilley Entertainment. RGE’s live entertainment interests include the annual BamaJam Music & Arts Festival, as well as the multiplex of venues at the new multi-million dollar Country Crossing destination near Dothan, Alabama, which is having its grand opening this weekend.

This is the first of several projects and companies Conway will announce in the next few weeks.

Last November Conway left his post as CEO and co-owner of Nashville based Buddy Lee Attractions after 33 years with the agency.

Conway is currently serving as Executive Producer of RGE’s 2010 BamaJam Music & Arts Festival, running June 3-5 in Enterprise, Alabama; as well as the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, June 10-13.

As part of his new association, he will consult on talent and the development of additional special events, festivals and live music concert presentations in the planning stages for the Ronnie Gilley Entertainment group.

Conway is taking the talent reins for RGE’s 3rd Annual Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival, with more than 40 artists scheduled to appear on four music stages, including Hank Williams, Jr., Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Miranda Lambert, and LoCash Cowboys. The event near Enterprise, Alabama drew in excess of 125,000 fans last year.

Conway is also overseeing this weekend’s (Jan. 15-17) Grand Opening celebration at Country Crossing. Twenty artists are set to perform at the three-day extravaganza, including Tracy Lawrence, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley, Neal McCoy, Lorrie Morgan, John Anderson, The Commodores, and Pam Tillis. The attraction’s venues set to celebrate official openings this weekend are the George Jones Possum Holler Bed & Breakfast, Lorrie Morgan’s Hot Chicken, John Anderson’s Cafeteria, Darryl Worley’s Worley Bird Saloon, and The Grascals Bluegrass Hollow RV Park.

In his work with RGE, Conway will continue to based in Nashville. Contact information for Conway is: tconwaytn@gmail.com / 615-478-4989

Universal Music Partners With Freeallmusic.com

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famAccording to techcruch.com, Universal Music is partnering with new music download service freeallmusic.com to offer consumers legal, DRM-free, high-quality digital downloads at no charge from its massive catalog, which includes Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and more. Here’s the catch: registered users on freeallmusic.com have to sit through a 15-30 second video commercial for every download. Downloads will be offered to users 20 free per month, five per week, starting every Tuesday. Brands participating are Coca-Cola, Warner Bros, Zappos, Lionsgate, LG, and more.

“It’s iTunes meets Hulu,” says Richard Nailling, chief executive of FreeAllMusic in an article on nytimes.com. After downloading music, users will have the opportunity to post the information to their Facebook and Twitter pages in hopes of recruiting more users for advertisers.

The service is currently in private testing mode, but interested users can sign up to receive an invitation when it becomes available. Aside from Universal, one other yet-to-be-named major label has signed to provide its full digital catalog on FAM. Check out the freeallmusic Twitter for updates on the company’s launch.

Signings: Josh Gracin’s New Team; Molly Hunt

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Josh Gracin

Josh Gracin

Josh Gracin is building a new team, and has recently signed with Buddy Lee Attractions for booking representation. BLA Pres. Kevin Neal will be the responsible agent and can be reached at 615-244-4336 and kneal@blanash.com.

As a former Lyric Street artist, Gracin had hits such as “I Want To Live,” “Nothin’ To Lose,” “Stay With Me (Brass Bed),” and “We Weren’t Crazy.” The former Marine burst onto the national scene in 2003 as a finalist on American Idol.

Kevin Neal

Kevin Neal

It was previously announced that Gracin has signed with Full Scope Entertainment for management, working with Ken Madson (615-329-4762, kenmadson@gmail.com). His new label home is Average Joes Entertainment; also the home to country rapper Colt Ford. Contact Shannon Houchins at 615-329-4762 and averagejoesent@gmail.com. A new single is expected in the spring. Essential Broadcast Media’s Leigh Parr is handling publicity (615-327-3259 leigh@essentialbroadcastmedia.com).

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molly

Singer-songwriter Molly Hunt recently signed with Ann Wilson Music, Inc. The 13-year-old has been making the co-writing rounds on Music Row. Pictured at her BMI signing: Hunt, BMI’s David Preston and Ann Wilson.

Jessica Harp Releases New Video, Webisodes

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jessicaharpawomanneeds300Jessica Harp is promoting the video for her single, “A Woman Needs,” with three “making of the video” webisodes on AOL’s The Boot. The webisodes will be released in three parts, starting today (1/11), and on Jan. 15 and 22.

The video will premiere exclusively on The Boot on Jan 25, and the single will impact radio on Jan. 19.

The webisodes will run in correlation with a contest where fans will obtain a code at the end of each webisode to enter into a WBR-powered sweeps page. The sweeps page will be located at www.jessicaharp.com/awomanneeds and the winner will win a weekend getaway to Nashville and a meeting with Harp.

“A Woman Needs” is the title track from Harp’s Warner Bros. Records debut album, set for release later this year.

McGraw Starring In Gillette Series

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McGraw who stopped by CMT Radio Live studios last week.CMT RADIO LIVE WITH CODY ALAN recently kicked off 2010 by welcoming their newest affiliates, bring the total to 79 affiliates nationwide. CMT RADIO LIVE airs weeknights from 7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. EST, live from CMT’s state-of-the-art radio studio in downtown Nashville. Photo credit: Dingo O'Brien

McGraw stopped by "CMT Radio Live With Cody Alan" recently. The show kicked off 2010 by welcoming new affiliates, bring the total to 79 stations nationwide. Photo: Dingo O'Brien

Tim McGraw is one of the superstar artists in Gillette’s new Uncut digital documentary series, premiering later this month. Shot by renowned music filmmaker/photographer Danny Clinch, the series shows McGraw, will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Mark Hoppus (Blink-182) and the All-American Rejects ft. Tyson Ritter backstage at their concerts getting ready for the show.

This kind of branded entertainment is growing increasingly popular; tying stars and stories in with products.

Gillette will also launch “Shave Like a Rock Star,” a series of tongue-in-cheek shaving tutorials hosted by each artist on its Web site. The Gillette Uncut campaign will be supported by a broadcast television partnership with Fuse TV, print ads, and web partnerships.

ACM Plans Awards, Brooks And Dunn Tribute

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brooksdoneReba McEntire will return as host of the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sun., April 18. The 45th annual event will be held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena for the fifth year in a row and air live on CBS.

rebaThe following day (4/19) the Academy will honor Brooks & Dunn with an all-star concert special featuring Kenny Chesney, McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban, with more to be added. As country music’s best selling duo prepares for their summer farewell tour, the ACM will present Brooks & Dunn with the Milestone Award. ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn – The Last Rodeo will also be taped for television at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Both shows are produced for television by dick clark productions and will air on CBS. Nearly 15 million viewers tuned in to last year’s Awards, a 21% increase over the previous year.

Tickets for both events go on sale Jan. 15, 2010. For event and ticket information, log onto www.acmcountry.com. Tickets sales from ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn – The Last Rodeo will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music, which works to improve lives through music.

Michael McDonald, Jewel, Lorrie Morgan With The Symphony

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Jewel

Jewel

The Symphony has lined up some of Nashville’s, and the country’s, biggest stars for its upcoming season. Michael McDonald, Jewel, Peter Cetera, Lorrie Morgan and Broadway star Michael Cavanaugh are all set for the Bank of America Pops Series, headed up by Resident Conductor Albert-George Schram.

lorrie morgan

Lorrie Morgan

McDonald, the distinctive voice behind some of pop music’s most unforgettable songs (“What a Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “I Keep Forgettin’”) will kick things off Sept. 23-25, 2010. Singer-songwriter Jewel performs her pop and country hits of the past two decades Nov. 11-13, 2010; and Country star Lorrie Morgan will close the season May 26-28, 2011.

Other highlights of the eight-part series include Gershwin “Here to Stay” (Oct. 14-16, 2010); solo artist and Chicago lead singer Peter Cetera (Jan. 13-15, 2011); Broadway Rocks! (Feb. 24-26, 2011); The Sound of Philadelphia soul in the ’70s featuring Spectrum (March 31, April 1-2, 2011); and Michael Cavanaugh (Movin’ Out) Sings the Music of Bill Joel (May 5-7, 2011).

Industry Beat: Stroudavarious, Common Grounds

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Nathan Cruise

Nathan Cruise

Bill Catino, President of Stroudavarious Records, announces the addition of Nathan Cruise as Director of Midwest Promotion. He will report to Bill Macky, and will be based in the Nashville offices. Cruise was most recently with Show Dog Records, and prior stints include Arista, Equity, and MCG/Curb Records. He can be contacted at nathan@stroudavarious.com or 615-496-6356.

Catino is still seeking someone to cover the NE region, and will also be staffing up the BamaJam Records promotion department over the next few months. Resumes should be sent to: macky@stroudavarious.com

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Jamie

Jamie Nehasil

Jamie Nehasil has started consulting firm Common Grounds Entertainment, focusing on marketing, artist development, A&R, endorsements, and film/TV. He previously spent eight years at Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group as Director of Music and Marketing, and will keep Tri Star as a consulting client. Tri Star is a business and personal management firm with clients in all aspects of entertainment such as supermodel Niki Taylor, Mat Kearney, Britney Spears, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
Nehasil can be reached by email at Jamie@commongroundsentertainment.com or at 615.594.3911.

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Local company Whizbang, Inc. has secured placement of the theme song for new Style Network series Giuliana and Bill. “I Love Loving You” was written by Whizbang clients Adam McCants and Julie Downs. Whizbang also secured client Superchick’s song “So Beautiful” as the theme song for another trendy Style Network series, Running In Heels.
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Live Nation stockholders voted to approve the issuance of Live Nation common stock in connection with its previously announced merger with Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. Over 99% of the shares voted were cast in favor of the merger. The company’s stockholders also approved all other proposals submitted to a vote, including a proposal to change the company’s name to “Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.” following the completion of the merger. The transaction remains subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of other customary closing conditions.

Performance Royalty Debate Over Ringbacks

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BMI has filed suit against T Mobile, claiming that the mobile phone company hasn’t secured proper licensing for selling ringback tones. According to Digital Music News, the suit filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, says BMI has licensing agreements with other carriers.

Since BMI and other performing rights organizations deal in collecting performance royalties, the key point at issue is whether or not ringbacks constitute public performances. Ringbacks are typically heard by only one caller.

In October a federal court ruled that ringtones, which can be heard by anyone within earshot of the ringing phone, were not public performances. The judgement came in ASCAP’s suit against Verizon over ringtones. The federal court ruled that neither ringtones played in public nor a mobile carrier’s distribution of a ringtone are public performances.

Songwriter Dale Dodson Enjoys Roles At Carnival, Sony/ATV

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daleSongwriter and country music historian Dale Dodson has a unique new arrangement that allows him to remain as a staff writer for longtime publisher Sony/ATV and also take on a creative services role at Carnival Music.

Dodson is the writer or co-writer of songs including “Look Who’s Back In Town” by George Strait, “Good News, Bad News” and “Everything But Quits” by Strait and Lee Ann Womack, “20 Years and 2 Husbands Ago” by Womack, “Senses” by Reba McEntire and “I Bought The Shoes That Just Walked Out On Me” by Dierks Bentley.

“Not only can Dale write songs that sound like they fell off a 1959 Wurlitzer jukebox,” says Carnival Music’s Frank Liddell, “but he has the ability to go into a catalogue and understand what kind of songs suit specific artists…We were able to work with Sony/ATV’s Troy Tomlinson on creating a place for Dale here where he’s able to work with my writers, set-up co-writes, pitch out songs…and possibly help us become more dynamic, all the time continuing in his relationship with his primary publisher.”

“Dale is an invaluable resource to us,” agrees Tomlinson. “He knows our heritage catalogue better than I’d say anyone in Nashville, and he understands where those songs should find homes, as well as writing classic old school standards, which have found some amazing homes…We are very excited to have this opportunity to see one of our very best grow in new and exciting ways.”

“When you look at the writers who’ve been part of Sony/ATV, that is a lineage I’ve always taken very seriously,” Dodson says. “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Hank Williams, Bobby Braddock, Willie Nelson, Dean Dillon. And to be able to be a part of watching Carnival Music—a place that’s always signed writers’ writers like Bruce Robeson, Natalie Hemby, Troy Jones and Scooter Carusoe—develop into hopefully the same piece of the same kind country music history is a challenge and a thrill I’m looking forward to.”

Dodson, a native of Berkeley Springs, WV, came to Nashville in 1987 to work in the shows at Opryland, did a short stint with Evelyn Shriver Public Relations and started at Sony/Tree 1992 as a writer who also consulted on catalogue from Hank Cochran, Buck Owens, Harlan Howard and the myriad back catalogues under the Sony/ATV umbrella.