Miranda Lambert Sets Headlining Tour

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Platinum recording artist Miranda Lambert will hit the road for her Roadside Bars And Pink Guitars tour this spring. Kicking off March 18 in Beckley, WV, the tour will make stops in at least 22 cities, with more to be announced. This is Lambert’s first official headlining tour. She will be joined by David Nail, James Otto, Randy Houser and Wade Bowen, among others.

In addition to her own tour, Lambert will take part in the upcoming Lilith Fair tour, joining a lineup including Kings of Leon, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band and Norah Jones and performing at this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival in June.

“In the last 5 years, I have learned so much from all the amazing artists I’ve toured with,” said Lambert. “Now it’s my turn to venture out and do more shows of my own. I’m happy that there are a lot of great new artists who are willing to come out and support my tour.”

Last week, Lambert taped an episode of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, which airs this spring and was a presenter at the Grammy Awards, where she was also nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her self-penned song “Dead Flowers.” While in Los Angeles as part of Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night tour, she will tape two upcoming shows for the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (air dates TBA.)

Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars tour cities include:
Beckley, WV
Ft Worth, TX
Wichita Falls, TX
Kennewick, WA
Medford, OR
Duluth, GA
Orlando, FL
Airway Heights, WA
Florence, AZ
Cincinnati, OH
Akron, OH
Kalamazoo, MI
Amarillo, TX
Belton, TX
Houston, TX
Jonesboro, AR
Bossier City, LA
Stillwater, OK
Spencer, IA
Mankato, MN
Davenport, IA
New Braunfels, TX

Vince Gill To Clapton Crossroads, Time Jumpers

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Vince Gill will join several of his fellow guitar heroes at the 2010 edition of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Sponsored by T-Mobile myTouch, the festival will take place June 26 at Toyota Park in Chicago. Joining Clapton and Gill for the one-day event will be over 20 of the world’s greatest guitarists, including BB King, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy and John Mayer. Also on the bill are Sheryl Crow, ZZ Top, Steve Winwood and The Allman Brothers Band.

All profits from this third edition of the festival will benefit The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment and education facility founded by Clapton for chemically dependent persons.

In other news from the land of Vince, the Tennessean reported today (2/10) that Gill will be joining Nashville’s Time Jumpers. A frequent visitor at the western swing band’s steady Monday night gig at Nashville’s Station Inn, Gill will reportedly become a “full-fledged member,” playing with the Time Jumpers every Monday night whenever he’s in town. For a $10 cover charge, fans can now catch the Country Music Hall of Fame member picking and singing in an intimate venue (with a fabulous band) every week.

Daniell To Nine North, Eli Young To Republic, EMI/CMG Extend Relationship

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Trudie Daniell

Nine North Records President Larry Pareigis, has announced the
addition of Trudie Daniell as Manager Of Promotion, SE/SW for the company, effective today (2/10). Based in Atlanta, Daniell brings over 14 years of industry experience to Nine North’s team. Most recently serving as Manager of Promotion/South for Disney’s Carolwood Records, Daniell was part of the team that introduced  group Love and Theft to country radio with a Top Ten debut single. Prior to joining Carolwood, she worked with CO5 Nashville, Curb, Atlantic and Decca. Daniell will report directly to Pareigis and Tom Moran, Nine North’s VP/Promotion & Marketing.

“Now my dream team is complete,” says Pareigis. “Trudie is an incredibly gifted and experienced promotion person, and her addition makes this a promotion crew to truly be reckoned with.”

“I have admired the careers of Larry Pareigis and Tom Moran for many years and I am looking forward to working with them, along with my colleagues Stephanie Keshe and Dave Collins, to take Nine North to new heights,”
says Daniell.

Daniell can be reached at [email protected] or at (770-253-1784).

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Eli Young Band Joins Republic Nashville
ACM “Top New Vocal Group” nominee The Eli Young Band has joined the Republic Nashville roster. The Eli Young Band comes to the label from their prior home, Universal Republic/Universal South Records. “Guinevere,” a song from the band’s Universal South debut, Jet Black & Jealous, will be the first single released through Republic Nashville. The song will be serviced to radio in the coming weeks.

“This band was born with the fans, grown with the fans and continues to prosper and thrive with the fans on every level,” said Jimmy Harnen, President of Republic Nashville. “It is both exciting and an honor to welcome the Eli Young Band to Republic Nashville.”

Scott Borchetta, President/CEO Big Machine Label Group, said, “I’ve been following the build and momentum of EYB for quite some time. This isn’t the first time I’ve tried to sign them but we’ve got them now and we can’t wait to get to work!”

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EMI CMG And Gaither Extend Relationship
EMI CMG Distribution and Gaither Music Group have agreed to extend the 16-year relationship that has already generated sales of more than 22 million albums and videos. The new, long-term agreement extends EMI CMG’s distribution rights in all markets worldwide for all Gaither Music Group audio and video products, including the popular Homecoming series and music from artists such as The Gaither Vocal Band, Bill & Gloria Gaither, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, Lynda Randle, The Isaacs, Mark Lowry and more.

The deal also encompasses distribution for Gaither Music Group labels: Spring Hill Music, Coming Home, Slanted Records and Green Hill Music, whose rosters include recent Grammy winner Jason Crabb. Other artists featured on the labels are DecembeRadio, Beegie Adair, John Tesh, Jim Brickman, Jaimee Paul, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jeff & Sheri Easter and The Martins.

Gaither and EMI CMG have launched the newest chapter of their partnership with the release of two new projects from Gaither Vocal Band – the DVD releases Reunited and Better Day.

“EMI CMG and Gaither Music Group have enjoyed a rewarding relationship for more than a decade, says Bill Hearn, President and CEO of EMI Christian Music Group (EMI CMG). We are grateful for the confidence Barry Jennings and the Gaither team have expressed with this distribution agreement extension and look forward to many more years of success together.”

“We do not take for granted the value of the long-standing business relationship we enjoy with EMI CMG,” says Barry Jennings, President of Gaither Music Group and Spring Hill Music. “It is exciting to begin another season working together with Bill Hearn and his talented staff.”

Country Hall Set To Auction Taylor’s Taylor

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is getting ready to auction off Taylor Swift’s lucky guitar to one lucky bidder. Swift surprised the crowd at last October’s Keith Urban-hosted We’re All for the Hall benefit when she announced that she would donate the guitar she performed with that night for auction, to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The guitar (pictured, right), a 2009 Taylor model 655ce twelve-string, is emblazoned with Swift’s autograph and with her lucky number, 13. Accordingly, the auction will begin this Saturday, February 13 and will run for 13 days, through February 26. To place a bid, fans simply need to visit www.countrymusichalloffame.org and click on “Auction.” The guitar will be on display in the Museum Store for the auction’s duration, so interested bidders can come down and check it out.

Sam Cooke At Vanderbilt Tonight

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Tonight (2/10), acclaimed music journalist Peter Guralnick will present Sam Cooke: Legend, his Grammy-winning 2003 documentary about the groundbreaking soul singer, songwriter and entrepreneur, in a special screening as part of Vanderbilt’s International Lens film series. The 7 PM screening, at Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema in the Sarratt Student Center, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, is free and open to the public.

Guralnick, author of Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke and writer and interviewer for the documentary, will introduce the film and take questions afterwards. Guralnick, also author of a two-volume biography of Elvis Presley, is currently a writer in residence at Vanderbilt.

“(Cooke) wrote his own songs, hired his own musicians, and started his own record label and music publishing company – all at a time when record companies treated black artists like hired help,” Guralnick writes in Dream Boogie.

The International Lens film series strives to transcend geographic, ethnic, religious, linguistic and political boundaries by promoting conversation through cinema.

Miranda Lambert Steps Up for Humane Society

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Tickets for Miranda Lambert’s Third Annual “Cause for the Paws” benefit go on sale today (2/10). The concert event and live auction benefiting The Humane Society of East Texas will be held Saturday, May 15, at the Villa de Felicita in Tyler, Texas. Thanks to Lambert and her fans and the generous citizens of East Texas, the Humane Society of East Texas has become a no kill sanctuary since the inception of the “Cause for the Paws” fundraiser three years ago.

At this year’s event, Lambert will be joined by fellow artists Whiskey Myers, Kacey Musgraves and GAC on-air personality Nan Kelley.

“I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together for my charity,” Lambert says. “The shelter, which is run entirely on donations, was able to make great improvements and create better living conditions for the animals of East Texas last year, but there is still so much that needs to be done for the abused and unwanted animals of East Texas.”

“Cause for the Paws” isn’t Lambert’s only animal-related charity work. This week, she and Blake Shelton were in Tishomingo, Oklahoma hosting the “Hearts and Tails” benefit.

“Because of the amazing response and the support of the community we had for the “Hearts and Tails” benefit in 2009, we’ve been able to do some wonderful things for the animals in Tishomingo,” said Lambert. “This year, my charity, “MuttNation Foundation,” hopes to build on that success and continue to help unwanted and abandoned pets.”

Find more information on Lambert and “Cause for the Paws” here.

Cherry Heart Starts Marketing Division

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Cherry Heart Music & Entertainment has expanded to include an entertainment marketing division focusing on securing sponsorship deals for artist clients. The company reports that it has agreements in the works for some of Nashville’s top Country artists.

“Sponsorship opportunities are becoming increasingly valuable in the music business as more and more artists are turning to alternative revenue streams,” says Jennifer Rose Parker, Cherry Heart Senior VP Entertainment Marketing. “We recognized that there was a market that existed for these type of arrangements, and Cherry Heart had the vision to make a specialized department to fill that niche. The interest and response we’ve gotten in only our first year has been incredible.”

Nashville-based Cherry Heart Music was originally founded in 1996 by 22-year industry veteran Gratton Stephens, but has since grown to include publishing and administration, artist management, a record label, and now marketing. Senior VP/COO Shelby Kennedy and Creative Director Cassandra Tormes anchor the company’s publishing and administration division. General Manager Rondal Richardson heads the Cherry Heart artist management division, working with artists Ashton Shepherd and newcomer Ty Williams.

Contact info: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Cherry Heart, LLC is located at 1510 16th Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37212. For more information, visit www.CherryHeart.com, call 615-468-3335 or email [email protected].

Wilson Opens Club Tour; Underwood Adds Dates

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Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson is kicking off her I Got Your Country Right Here club tour this week. The small venue tour will feature music from her fourth studio album of the same name, due in stores March 30. Additionally, the shows will include hits like “Redneck Woman,” “Here for the Party,” “All Jacked Up” and “Work Hard, Play Harder.”

Booked by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, the tour will kick off Wednesday, February 10 in Jacksonville, Florida and run through March 20 in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Carrie Underwood

Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood has added a slate of new dates to her upcoming Play On Tour. The outing, hydrated by vitaminwater®, will kick off March 11 in Reading, PA with special guests Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia. As of now, it is slated to run through June 20 in Saskatoon, SK. Underwood’s previous tour, 2008’s highly successful Carnival Ride Tour, wrapped after 137 shows with over 1.2 million fans in attendance.

Texans Build Nashville Teams

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Brandon Rhyder

Nashville is experiencing an influx from the Lone Star state as Texans build teams made up of Music City mainstays. All of the acts listed here have several albums under their belt buckles and have pushed hits up the Texas charts. Now they are seeking bigger success stories and bigger audiences.

Brandon Rhyder is gearing up for the release of his sixth full length album, Head Above Water, and has made some new additions to his team, signing with Ambiance Artists for management and Sweet Talk Publicity for public relations. Rhyder is currently represented by Thirty Tigers for marketing/distribution, APEX Music for radio promotion and Red 11 Music for booking. The album’s lead single “Rock Angel” landed in the No. 2 spot on the Texas Music Chart this week.

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The band No Justice is signed to new Dallas-based indie Carved Records, and has inked with Scott Welch for management and Jon Folk of Red 11 Music for booking. Founded by CEO Tim Porter in 2009, Carved Records is anchored by VP of Operations Phil Thomas (formerly of UMG Distribution/Fontana, RED Distribution) and Label Director Jenn Littleton (CO5 Music, former Sr. Marketing Director/A&R Geffen Records). No Justice is currently in Nashville completing its debut album with producer Dexter Green.

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Aaron Watson with Pam and Billy Minick, proprietors of Billy Bob’s, where he performed for over 3,000 people, his largest attendance yet at the venue.

Aaron Watson is working on his tenth album, and already has a Texas hit with lead single “The Road.” For the project he has joined forces with David Haley’s Edgehill Music and Media, Larry Pareigis and Tom Moran of Nine North Records, Nancy Tunick’s Grassroots Promotion, and Jules Wortman’s Wortman Works Media & Marketing. This is in addition to working for over a year with Paradigm Agency and being distributed by Sony RED. Watson took home two “Gruene With Envy Awards” on January 13, then wrapped the week performing at “Honky Tonkin’ For The Hungry” at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, TX, where he helped raise over $10,000.

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Texas singer/songwriter Zane Williams appeared on WSMV's "Better Nashville" recently to promote his new project, "The Right Place," which was produced fellow Texas native Radney Foster. Williams is the writer of "Hurry Home," the hit for Jason Michael Carroll. Williams has signed with Vanessa Davis's Splash PR. Pictured (L-R) "Better Nashville" host Kacy Hagerty and Zane Williams.

Others Texans on the rise that have recently been reported on by MusicRow include Josh Abbott Band and Reckless Kelly. Josh Abbott Band is celebrating its highest single debut to date with “She’s Like Texas,” the title track from the album coming February 16 via Pretty Damn Tough Records and Thirty Tigers.

Off the helm of an Americana Music Award nomination for Best Duo or Group, Austin based Reckless Kelly releases its seventh studio album Somewhere In Time today (2/9). The group is crossing genres with recent features on  AOL’s The Boot Feb. 8-12th Listening Party, and Country Weekly.

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Mark McKinney has had six consecutive top five hits on the Texas chart as well as two videos on GAC and CMT. McKinney is signed to Rob Dennis’s Super Loud Music for recording and management and is booked by Red 11. During 2009 he was on the cover of Best in Texas, had music featured by NASCAR and scored a sponsorship deal with Budweiser.

Lyric Street Creates Off Cycle Flatts Holiday Song Bundle

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Rascal Flatts and Lyric Street are offering fans a special Valentines Day song bundle, 14 Love Songs For The 14th. The 14-track bundle offers some of the group’s more passionate songs from previous CDs including “Bless the Broken Road,” “Unstoppable” and “My Wish.” The specially priced digital-only package is available at retailers such as iTunes and Amazon for only two weeks starting Feb. 9.

Ashley Heron

Ashley Heron

“Ultimately, in the business of digital music we live in a very a la carte world,” says Lyric Street Sr. Manager of Marketing, Ashley Heron. “Sometimes customers don’t get the opportunity to discover album tracks that they otherwise may have looked over. It’s not unusual to purchase the CD for a specific song, and later fall in love with an additional album cut. In today’s digital marketplace we aren’t force feeding these other tracks which are potentially new fan favorites. The love songs compilation allows us to not only wrap a bundle around a theme of songs, but also reintroduce some tracks to Flatts fans. It’s also a way to partner with iTunes and our other digital retailers and say, “We don’t have new product right now, but here’s a way for us to give something new to the fans. We’re not trying to confuse them, but want to make sure that if they were creating a play list then we gave them an easy way to bundle them together.”

The fourteen song bundle has special pricing. MusicRow found it on iTunes for $9.99 and Amazon at $9.49. “It’s up to the retailer,” says Heron. “We have a wholesale price which determines our cost, then it is up to the retailer to assign a price. This kind of package is still an experiment. I expect we’ll get both good and bad feedback. In the future you might see packages like this with added new tracks or a pdf file. But this bundle is a good step toward taking advantage of the digital format and the ability to release products off cycle.”

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Here’s some actual reviews lifted from iTunes this morning that illustrate different fan reactions
by the_heights
…of course if you’re a Flatts fan then you probably already have all of these songs. So just go make a play list to match. If you’re new though this would be an excellent album to buy because the songs are some of their best stuff.

by Gabe 19
I’m a big fan of Rascal Flatts, but this seems like an unnecessaaryu release. Anyways all songs on here are great.