Bentley To Honor Brooks and Dunn at Country DJ HoF Induction

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Dierks Bentley has been tapped to perform at the 2010 Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which will take place 6 pm Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Nashville Convention Center.

During the event Bentley will give an acoustic tribute to Brooks & Dunn, who will be honored with CRB’s Career Achievement Award. Longtime B&D fan Bentley traveled to Australia with the duo in 2009 and as their tour together closed, they were all honored with the CMA’s International Artist Achievement Award for contributions to country music outside the United States.

“Kix and Ronnie are the original modern day honky-tonkers,” says Bentley. “A lot of acts playing down on Lower Broadway try to emulate those guys. When we toured together, I watched their show every night from side-stage in total awe of the number of hits they’ve had and what they’ve built over the last few decades. They’ve done it all. I still can’t believe they’re about to retire. In true B&D fashion, I have no doubt they’ll go out in a BIG way and leave us wanting more. I’m honored the CRB asked me to help recognize them and their huge contribution to our format.”

The 2010 Country Music DJ inductees this year include Bill Bailey, Laurie DeYoung and Rudy Fernandez, while Cy Blumenthal, Dan Halyburton and Michael Hammond will be inducted into the Country Music Radio Hall of Fame. Charlie Cook will receive the CRB President’s Award.

CRS registrants can purchase tickets to the ceremony for $90. Non-registrant advance tickets are $100, and the on-site rate is $125. Tickets are available at www.crb.org

SESAC Ups Ellen Truley To VP

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SESAC has promoted longtime employee Ellen Bligh Truley to Vice President, Corporate Relations. She has worked for the performing rights organization since 1996, starting as a Advertising/Promotion Manager. SESAC Pres./COO Pat Collins announced her promotion from her previous role of Associate Vice President, Corporate Relations.

As VP, Truley will oversee SESAC’s  advertising, promotion, sponsorships, website, online marketing and corporate magazine endeavors. Additionally, she will be instrumental in the formulation of SESAC’s future marketing and creative strategies.

“Ellen Truley is a highly creative marketing executive and consummate professional,” said Collins. “Her expertise in all aspects of the creative fold coupled with her unfailing business acumen has been instrumental in helping SESAC progress and succeed over the past decade. This promotion is richly deserved and we anticipate her efforts will help take SESAC to the next level.”

Truley is a Nashville native who graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Advertising/Journalism. She is a member of NARAS, CMA and ACM.

Wariner Inks Management Deal With Clearview

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L-R: Schweidel and Warnier

Fresh off his Grammy win for Best Country Instrumental, Steve Wariner has entered into an exclusive management agreement with Steve Schweidel’s Clearview Artist Management.

With clients including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Beth Nielsen Chapman, Clearview focuses on the integration of new media into the careers of established artists. Throughout his career Schweidel has worked with a diverse range of artists in both recording and management capacities. Early on, he got started as a Hit Factory engineer, working with Paul Simon, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Tony Bennett, Billy Joel and numerous Broadway musicals. He has also held tour management positions with Big & Rich and Jewel.

Wariner is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer with over 30 Top 10 hits and 14 No. 1s to his credit as an artist. In 1998 he won the Country Music Association’s Single and Song of the Year awards for his charttopper, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven,” which was also the Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year in 1999. As a songwriter Wariner has earned 16 BMI Country Awards and 15 BMI Million-Air Awards. Four Grammys line Wariner’s shelves, with his most recent win being for “Producer’s Medley” from Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins, which he released on his own SelecTone Records.

Schweidel can be reached at [email protected], 615-852-5265, and P.O. Box 120191, Nashville, TN 37212.

McMurry Taps Promo Boss Gator Michaels

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Longtime promotion executive Gator Michaels has been named VP, National Promotion at McMurry Records. He previously spent seven years at Warner Music Nashville, ending as Sr. VP Promotion.

Michaels’ background also includes promotion stops at Dreamcatcher Records, and ten years on the radio side in Florida.

Howard Fields and Everett Zinn launched Nashville based McMurry Entertainment Group in November 2009. The enterprise is a three-way partnership between Fields, Zinn and Wyoming entrepreneur Doris McMurry, and is comprised of a record label and management company all under the MEG moniker.

Fields has been involved in artist management since 1992 and has worked with such artists as Kenny Rogers, Jo Dee Messina, Rebecca Lynn Howard, and Ashley Gearing. Zinn published George Strait’s early hits, including “Unwound,” “Down and Out,” and “Marina Del Rey.”

Consultant Larry Shell is heading up MEG’s A&R efforts. Claire Cook is handling publicity and marketing efforts.

McMurry Entertainment Group is located on Music Row at 1103 16th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212; Phone 615-457-1515; Fax 615-457-1616. E-mails addresses include: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].

AirPlay Direct Offers Orbison To Radio

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Digital-to-radio service, Airplay Direct (APD), partnered with Orbison Records several months ago to release the legendary Roy Orbison catalog to radio. The timing was set to coincide with the 21st anniversary of Orbison’s death on Dec. 6, 1988. Nineteen tracks are available via the  In Dreams Greatest Hits collection, including “Pretty Woman”, “Blue Bayou”, “Dream Baby”, and “Only The Lonely.”  Other avilable CDs include Black & White Night, Mystery Girl and King Of Hearts. Of particular interest to radio is the Roy Orbison Interviews CD with Q&A.

“Mr. Orbison’s catalog has had a cumulative 10 thousand download’s by radio stations around the world, states Raleigh Squires APD operations manager, and it appears that this catalog may be on its way to meeting or surpassing APD download records already set by Dolly Parton, Lee Roy Parnell and others.We are very excited by this news.”

APD, founded in 2005, represents music from every virtually every genre of music, including Rock, Country, R&B, Rap, Christian, Hip Hop, Pop, Gospel, Folk, New Age, Native American and Americana. Currently the site has over 25k artist/label members and about 4,400 radio stations from around the world. Last November, APD CEO Robert Weingartz relocated the company from Atlanta to Nashville.

BLA Adds Brian Waymire As Agent

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Brian Waymire

Brian Waymire has joined Buddy Lee Attractions as an agent, and brings with him clients Here Come the Mummies and the RedGorilla Music Fest. He will head the College and International division at BLA.

“We are very excited about Brian coming aboard at BLA, and this adds another piece to our rebuilding process. His vast experience in the College and International market will greatly enhance opportunities for our artists. In addition, we are very excited to represent Here Come the Mummies and RedGorilla,” said Kevin Neal, President of BLA.

In 2000 Waymire moved to Nashville and established himself as an agent and manager for artists such as AutoVaughn, Here Come the Mummies, and others. During this time, Waymire also founded the RedGorilla Music Fest which takes place every March in Austin, Texas and showcases over 500 bands. Brian is a member of both NACA and APCA.

BLA has secured Here Come the Mummies to open the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards on February 17.

Brian Waymire can be reached at 615-244-4336 and by email at [email protected]. For full client roster, please visit www.buddyleeattractions.com.

CMA Posts “Rhythm Of The Radio Charts”

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Understanding radio airplay charts is the focus of the latest installment of CMA Industry InSite, an online educational series, posted today.

The tenth episode, “The Rhythm of the Radio Charts,” is available now and features interviews with Wade Jessen, Senior Chart Manager, Nashville/Billboard; Jon Loba, VP Promotion & Artist Development, The Valory Music Group; Lon Helton, Publisher/CEO, Country Aircheck; and David M. Ross, Publisher/CEO, MusicRow.

This latest installment discusses why chart success is crucial to an artist’s career as well as the methodology behind the Billboard, Country Aircheck and MusicRow charts. “Chart position is the primary measurement of success that everyone in the departments outside of promotion look at,” said Loba.

Episodes are posted on the third Monday of the month. With each new episode, CMA members are able to submit questions to the panel of experts. The series began as a member benefit designed to provide information about each segment of the music industry in a clear, informative, and entertaining way. Due to the popularity of the series, the CMA Board of Directors saw the importance of sharing these webisodes with non-members as the organization focuses on becoming an educational resource for the community. Non-members will now be able to view the first two episodes in the series on CMA’s consumer Web site, CMAworld.com. Subsequent episodes will be posted on the third Monday of each month. The series is produced by digital marketing firm Hi-Fi Fusion.

Shelton Promotes Six Pak With Bundle, Web Series

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Image of Hillbilly Bone Premiere Pak, www.blakeshelton.com

As the March 2 release date for Blake Shelton’s new Hillbilly Bone Six Pak draws near, Warner Music is offering special bundles for those who pre-order between Feb. 16 and March 1. The packages range in price from $18.99 to $34.99 and include items such as an autographed copy of the album, fan club membership, and T-shirt.

Shelton has also been posting short Take 6 Tuesday videos on his web site as a lead-in to the Six Pak. The latest installment in the series offers his take on the top six worst Valentine’s Day cards. The weekly series began on Dec. 31 and will continue through the March 2 release. See the videos here.

Stoney Creek Grabs Durham For Northeast Region

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Abi Durham

April Rider, General Manager of Operations for Stoney Creek has announced the addition of Abi Durham to the label’s promotion staff as Manager Regional Promotion, Northeast. Durham will report directly to Rider. Stoney Creek, a Broken Bow Records imprint, has an artist roster which inlcudes Ash Bowers, Megan Mullins and Crossin Dixon.

“Abi is a dedicated, passionate worker and had much success working the Midwest region on my team in the past,” says Rider. “I am so happy to have her added to the great staff at Stoney Creek Records and confident she will take over the Northeast region with ease.”

“Carson James [Broken Bow Sr. VP Promotion] gave me my first break into the industry so this new opportunity is a natural fit,” explains Durham. “I am thrilled to work with April and Carson again and so thankful for the relationships I have built in the Midwest. Now I’m excited to get out and make new friends in the Northeast.” Durham can be reached at [email protected]

Morris Stations To Broadcast Live From CRS

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The Morris Radio Group of Morris Communications will send crews from six of its country format stations to broadcast live from Country Radio Seminar 2010. The stations will set up in the exhibit hall beginning Wed. Feb. 24 and continue through Friday, Feb. 26. The six stations inlcude KGNC (Amarillo, TX), KBRJ (Anchorage, AK), KYEZ (Salina, KS), WIBW (Topeka, KS), KAYO (Wasilla, AK) and KKRV (Wenatchee, WA).

John Windus, from KKRV in Wenatchee, WA, will facilitate interview requests for each of the stations. “Nashville and CRS are so special because it’s the only time during the year that we can connect our listeners with so many of their favorite artists,” says Windus.  “The accessibility to artists that the labels provide remains unique to our format and is one of our ‘secret weapons.’  What the Morris Group is doing is special too, because we’re not just attending seminars, we’re also bringing listeners to the party.”

Radio consultant Jaye Albright, commented,  “These broadcasts will give listeners the ability to experience some of the entertaining and educational aspects of CRS and hopefully set a trend, as more stations take advantage of this opportunity at future Country Radio Seminars.”

Exhibitors already announced for CRS-2010 include Avid Path, Ad Mall, Country Fastball, Operation Troop Aid, Moby in the Morning and Radiolicious.