Bug Music Reportedly On The Block

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The New York Post is reporting today (6/2) that Bug Music, one of the world’s biggest independent music publishers, is being shopped by JPMorgan Chase, with an asking price of $300 million.

In the chase for the firm are several big record companies including Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Sony/ATV Music and a joint venture with private equity powerhouse KKR and BMG.

The privately-owned indie publisher/administrator reps acts such as Kings of Leon and Kara DioGuardi. Bug claims to have shares in eight top 100 charting hits in the first quarter including the Kings of Leon hit, “Use Somebody,” and “Sex on Fire.” The company is number six in the Billboard top publishers chart.

At $300 million, Bug is looking for a higher multiple than other recent music company sales. That price would equate to 12 times net publisher’s share (NPS), or the equivalent of gross margin. Revenue is said to be $70 million.

Bug was established in Los Angeles in 1975 by entrepreneur Dan Bourgoise.

Chad Schultz Joins WMG Promotion Team

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Chad Schultz

Warner Music Nashville (WMN), the Nashville-based music operations of Warner Music Group, announced today Chad Schultz will join the newly created Warner Bros., Atlantic & Reprise (WAR) promotion team as National Director starting June 7. Schultz will report directly to Chris Palmer, the Vice President of Promotions.

Schultz began his career as Director of Marketing/Promotions for Insight Management out of Scottsdale, AZ. Following his time at Insight, he spent eight years with Mercury Records, where he eventually became Sr. Director of Promotion for the Southwest region. He went onto Sony BMG, where he spent three years as Director of Promotion for Epic and Columbia Records, managing the Southwest region.

The last four years, Schultz has worked on the technology side of the music business. Recently, he was the Director of Business Development and Client Services for the Silicon Valley based company Mozes, Inc, running the Nashville office after they acquired Hurricane Interactive Promotions. During his time at Mozes, he worked with clients such as EMI, Rock The Vote, Universal, Virgin Mobile, Warner Music Group  and many others.

Time Life To Release Rare Hank Sr. Recordings

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Time Life is scheduled to release the highly anticipated The Hank Williams Complete Mother’s Best Recordings….Plus!, on September 28. The 16-disc collector’s box set contains 72 complete 15-minute shows, featuring 143 performances by Hank Williams together with conversation, and much more. 

The recordings are from Williams’ Mother’s Best Flour shows, recorded at the pinnacle of his career in 1951. When Williams was planning to be out on tour, he pre-recorded his Mother’s Best shows, and 72 of them miraculously survived. Thinking the shows would only reach a small, mostly rural audience in mid-Tennessee, Hank was unguarded in both his conversation and choice of songs. Accordingly, we hear him perform many songs he never performed elsewhere, including some from his childhood. The original acetate recordings were painstakingly restored after they were salvaged from a trash can by a WSM employee and turned over to the Hank Williams estate. The sound quality of these exceptional radio shows is at least comparable to his studio recordings, and many critics have remarked that the “direct-to-disc” Mother’s Best recordings actually have more presence and clarity.

Hank Williams Complete Mother Best Recordings….Plus! is comprised of fifteen audio discs and a bonus DVD. The shows contain so many priceless moments, including Williams’ first-ever performances of “Cold, Cold Heart” and “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You)” just days after they were written, as well as many songs he never recorded elsewhere such as “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “On Top of Old Smoky.” On the DVD, two of Hank’s original band members reminisce about his brief, incendiary career. Sadly, both of them died shortly afterward. The project also contains a booklet with an introduction by Hank Williams, Jr. and over one-hundred pages on the history of Williams, written by respected music writer and Hank Williams historian, Colin Escott. This deluxe, limited box set is packaged in an antique working radio where the listener presses the radio dial and selections of Williams will play..

For additional information about the box set please visit, www.hankwilliamsmothersbest.com.

NARAS Elects New Nashville Officers

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Daniel Hill, Doug Howard, and Carla Wallace were elected as officers of the Nashville Chapter Board of the The Recording Academy. Hill will serve as President, Howard will serve as Vice President, and Wallace is the new Secretary. The newly elected officers will work in conjunction with The Recording Academy® staff and Chapter Board regarding the Chapter’s local programs and initiatives.

“We are fortunate to have the diversity and breadth of music industry experience available to The Academy with the election of our new slate of Chapter Presidents around the country,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. “With their backgrounds, combined with the strong capabilities of our Chapter and National staff, we will continue to enhance and broaden our professional development and networking events, health and human services, advocacy initiatives, and music education programs for our membership. I look forward to working with our new elected leaders.”

About The Officers:
Hill is the President of Cal IV Entertainment, and is a 23-year veteran of music publishing in Nashville. Since joining the independent music publisher in 2000, the company has had hits by numerous artists including Rodney Atkins, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Keith Urban, and Lee Ann Womack.  Cal IV’s song “If You’re Going Through Hell” was distinguished as the 2007 ASCAP Country Song of the Year, and their writer Dave Berg was named the 2008 ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year. Prior to Cal IV, Hill was VP, acting GM at PolyGram/Universal Music Publishing. He is an alumnus of Leadership Music, an executive committee board member of the Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee, member of the ACM, CMA, and a voting member of The Recording Academy.

Howard is the former Senior Vice President of A&R for Disney’s Lyric Street Records where he served as head of A&R since its inception in 1997.  He’s worked with Sarah Buxton, Bucky Covington, Rascal Flatts, Love and Theft, SHeDAISY, and Aaron Tippin. In addition, he also served as the GM of the Nashville Disney Publishing office.  Previously, Howard was the VP/GM of PolyGram Music/Nashville where he represented the song catalogs of Angelo, Billy Ray Cyrus, Toby Keith, Gordon Kennedy, Kostas, Dickey Lee, Bob McDill, Ricky Skaggs, Don Williams, and many others. Howard has served as Trustee and Chapter President for The Recording Academy and is the current chair of the advisory board for the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University.

Wallace is a native Nashvillian and Belmont University grad.  She has worked in the publishing industry for more than 15 years.  Throughout those years she has worked with writer/ artists including NRBQ’s Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Josh Kear, Pat McLaughlin, Vanguard Recording Artist Mindy Smith, John Scott Sherrill, and many others.  She previously pitched songs for Bluewater Music and Little Big Town Music. In 1998 she partnered with Kerry O’Neil to form Big Yellow Dog Music. Since then, the company has had 13 No.1 songs and 11 top ten songs including numerous Toby Keith recordings and Lady Antebellum’s multi-platinum downloaded single “Need You Now.” Big Yellow Dog has garnered awards including BMI 2006 Song Of The Year, ASCAP’s 2007 Song Of The Year, 2010 ACM Song Of The Year, and GRAMMY®-winning Country Song Of The Year for “Before He Cheats.” Wallace currently serves on the The Recording Academy and Nashville Human Association boards and is a Leadership Music alumnus.

Alan Jackson’s Estate Sells For $28 Million

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The 135-acre Williamson county estate belonging to Alan Jackson has sold for $28 million. He placed the home on the market almost a year ago for an initial asking price of $38 million. The Nashville Post reports the buyer is a trust in the name of Willis and Reba Johnson. He is the founder and chairman of the publicly traded California company Copart Inc., which auctions off wrecked cars for insurance companies and other institutions. Read the full story here.

Chevy Parade, Party To Open CMA Music Fest

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The CMA’s relationship with longtime supporter Chevy is still going strong. The CMA announced today that a Chevy sponsored parade and block party will kick-off the CMA Music Festival on Wed., June 9. Both events are free and open to the public.

The parade starts at 11:30 AM/CT, with Brenda Lee as Grand Marshal and members of the National Guard driving artists in Chevy vehicles. Participating in the parade will be Lynn Anderson, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, The Band Perry, Bo Bice, Ash Bowers, Carter Twins, Jeff Cook, Diana DeGarmo, Fast Ryde, Colt Ford, Brantley Gilbert, Gloriana, Josh Gracin, The Grascals, The Harters, Buddy Jewell, KingBilly, Jesse Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, Jerrod Neimann, James Otto, Danielle Peck, Point of Grace, Marty Raybon, Pam Tillis, Trent Tomlinson, and Chuck Wicks.

The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party will follow the parade at 1 PM on the Chevy Music Stage on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza (corner of Fifth Ave. and Broadway).
12:50 PM-12:55 PM Bria Kelly (National Anthem)
1:00 PM-1:20 PM David Nail
1:35 PM-1:55 PM Chuck Wicks
2:10 PM-2:30 PM Jerrod Neimann
2:45 PM-3:15 PM Joe Nichols
3:30 PM-4:00 PM Randy Houser

The Chevy Music Stage on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza Free and open Thursday – Sunday, June 10-13 (see schedule below). At the stage, fans can test drive a new Chevy and the car maker will donate $10 for every test drive to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s flood relief efforts.

Thursday, June 10
11:00 AM-11:25 AM Bomshel
11:45 AM-12:10 PM  Tyler Dickerson
12:30 PM-12:55 PM  Jaron and the Long Road to Love
1:15 PM-1:40 PM  Blaine Larsen
2:00 PM-2:25 PM  Randy Montana
2:45 PM-3:10 PM  Kentucky HeadHunters
3:30 PM-4:30 PM  Classic Country Show featuring Lynn Anderson, Jim Ed Brown with Helen Cornelius, Jeannie Seely, and Gene Watson
4:50 PM-5:15 PM  Doug Stone

Friday, June 11
11:00 AM-11:25 AM  James Wesley
11:45 AM-12:10 PM  Katie Armiger
12:30 PM-12:55 PM  Mark Wills
1:15 PM-1:40 PM  Fast Ryde
2:00 PM-2:25 PM  The Harters
2:45 PM-3:10 PM  Steve Azar
3:30 PM-3:55 PM  Chris Janson
4:15 PM-4:40 PM  Brantley Gilbert
5:00 PM-5:25 PM  Emily West

Saturday, June 12
11:00 AM-11:25 AM  Trent Tomlinson
11:45 AM-12:10 PM  Jesse Lee
12:30 PM-12:55 PM  Brady Seals
1:15 PM-1:40 PM  Mallary Hope
2:00 PM-2:25 PM  Ash Bowers
2:45 PM-3:10 PM  Julie Roberts
3:30 PM-3:55 PM  Jason Boland
4:15 PM-4:40 PM  Thompson Square
5:00 PM-5:25 PM  Shel
5:45 PM-6:10 PM  Bo Bice

Sunday, June 13
11:45 AM-12:10 PM  Whitney Duncan
12:30 PM-12:55 PM  KingBilly
1:15 PM-1:40 PM  Carter’s Chord
2:00 PM-2:25 PM  Confederate Railroad
2:45 PM-3:10 PM  Jason Michael Carroll
3:30 PM-3:55 PM  Trailer Choir
4:15 PM-4:40 PM  LoCash Cowboys
5:00 PM-5:25 PM  Stealing Angels

http://www.cmafest.com/

Melissa Peterman To Host CMT Red Carpet

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CMT has tapped Melissa Peterman to host the red carpet special for its upcoming awards show. The comedienne and host of the CMT series The Singing Bee, will be joined by fellow CMT host Evan Farmer at the event airing live on Wednesday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT and CMT.com.

The network is ramping up fan interaction initiatives for its upcoming show. Throughout the one-hour red carpet special, fans at home can see artists on the CMT Skype candid camera. They can also submit red carpet questions for consideration to Peterman via @Followtheblonde or @FollowCMT on Twitter in the coming weeks.

Peterman will also serve as backstage correspondent during the 2010 CMT Music Awards, airing live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and timed to coincide with the CMA Music Festival.

Scheduled to perform on the awards show are Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band, with more to be announced. Presenters will include Trisha Yearwood, Zac Brown Band, celebrity cook Paula Deen, American Idol’s Kara Dioguardi, the NFL’s Terrell Owens, actress Hayden Panettiere, NASCAR legend Richard Petty and Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, with Kid Rock set to host.

Fan Events Surround CMA Fest

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CMA Music Festival officially runs June 10-13, but events for fans start as early as June 8. Here’s a run-down of some of the events sent to MusicRow. If you would like your event to be listed, please email [email protected].

••The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum has special programming on the docket. During June 8-13, Museum visitors will be able to attend autograph signings and/or performances featuring some of country music’s most popular artists. Live from the Museum Store, Presented by CMT, will include autograph signings with Dierks Bentley, Diamond Rio, Danny Gokey, Jake Owen, Josh Turner and Trisha Yearwood, and a performance by and autograph signing with Cherryholmes. The Museum will also present a special Songwriter Session with Jeffrey Steele. Details at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

•• City of Hope’s 20th annual Celebrity Softball Challenge will be June 7 at 7 p.m. at Greer Stadium in Nashville. Playing for the “After MidNite with Blair Garner” team are Keith Anderson, MLB’s Ben Broussard, Chuck Wicks, David Nail, Joe Nichols, Josh Thompson, Luke Bryan, comedienne Melissa Peterman, JP Dumont of the Nashville Predators, CMT’s Katie Cook as emcee, Mike Gossin and Rachel Reinart of Gloriana, Randy Montana, Savannah Jack, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ken Amato and Donnie Nickey of the Titans, Vince Gill and Whitney Duncan. Grand Ole Opry team players include Brian Lambert as coach, Carrie Underwood, Cheyenne Kimball and Tom Gossin of Gloriana, Craig Morgan, Colt Ford, Felix Cavaliere, Jaron & the Long Road to Love, Jason Aldean, Wade Belak of the Nashville Predators, Julianne Hough, Justin Moore, Mallary Hope, GAC’s Storme Warren as emcee, The Band Perry, Titans Courtland Finnegan and Justin Gage, Trailer Choir and Two Foot Fred. Tickets ($20) are available at www.ticketmaster.com. An online auction is at www.auctionsforhope.org.

••The Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists & Anglers Fishing Tournament is set for Tuesday, June 8. Country music artists and celebrities will be paired up with top professional bass anglers for a day of fishing on Nashville’s J. Percy Priest Lake. Bobby Bare, Mel Tillis, Ash Bowers, Jeff Cook, Easton Corbin, Andy Griggs, Todd Harrell of Three Doors Down, Wade Hayes, Brice Long, Matt Kennon, Jeremy McComb, Trent Willmon and others are set to participate. The weigh-in will take place at the Music Valley Event Center. In addition, the pre-tournament reception and flood relief party scheduled for Monday, June 7, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., will be at the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant in Hendersonville, TN.

••Lynn Anderson and George Hamilton IV will co-host the 31st Sunday Mornin’ Country® Celebration at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre on June 13 at 2:30 pm. The inspirational event will feature performances by Louise Mandrell, Buddy Jewell, Jason Crabb, Gary Morris, T. Graham Brown, a reunion of many original “Hee Haw” cast members, and a musical tribute to the legendary Roy Clark. Tickets are $20 and available at  www.TPAC.org or by calling TPAC, 615-782-4040. Donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted for Nashville’s Second Harvest Food Bank.

••The R.O.P.E. (Reunion of Proffessional Entertainers) Spectaclur will be Wed. June 9, 7 p.m. at the Al Menah Shriner’s Temple in Nashville. It will be hosted by Keith Bilbrey with performances by Lorrie Morgan, Crystal Gayle, John Conlee, Charlie McCoy, Tommy Cash, David Frizzell and more. Adult admission is $20, and children are $10. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to flood relief. For details call Leslie Elliott at (615) 860-9257. Ticket orders can be sent to  R.O.P.E., PO Box 2048, Madison, TN 37116.

••Darryl Worley’s fan club party is set for Tuesday, June 8 at The Stage on Broadway. Doors open at 11 am, followed by a performance and autograph signing.

Among the other previously announced events are:

June 7
7th Annual CMA Global Artist Party at The Stage On Broadway
Darius Rucker and Friends Benefit Concert for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at Wildhorse Saloon

June 8
7th Annual AristoMedia Global Showcase at The Second Fiddle
Chely Wright’s 10th Annual Reading, Writing, and Rhythm Concert at TPAC – James K. Polk Theater
Country Weekly Fashion Show & Concert at Wildhorse Saloon

June 9
2010 CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena
Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at Ryman Auditorium

June 12
Grand Ole Opry Fan Fair Matinee featuring Pam Tillis, Mandy Barnett, Mark Chesnutt, and more at Ryman Auditorium

Bluebird Birthday Bash; Wildhorse To Reopen

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The Bluebird Cafe is planning its 28th Birthday Bash, set for June 9 at 9 p.m. On the line-up are Will Barrow, Ric Lonow, Mike Loudermilk, Toni Sehulster, Shawn Camp, Cowboy Jack Clement, Ashley Cleveland, Gail Davies, Jimmy Hall, Michael Johnson, Carleton Moody, Jonell Mosser, Frank Sheen and Roberto Bianco. All of the performers will be backed by The Jay Patten Band. Patten played the first-ever show at The Bluebird Café and has continued to return annually for the Birthday Bash.

The show will be presented as part of The Bluebird Café’s BirdSongs Campaign, which was established to help secure the future of the venue, currently under the direction of COO Erika Wollam Nichols. The cost is $20.00. For more information or for reservations visit: www.bluebirdcafe.com.

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The Wildhorse Saloon will reopen its doors this weekend, following the flood that ravaged much of downtown Nashville and other areas. The Wildhorse is returning in time for the CMA Music Festival, and is holding a grand reopening event Saturday, June 5, from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Lifenotes: Ella Tomlinson, Mother of Troy Tomlinson

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Condolences to Sony/ATV President/CEO Troy Tomlinson and his family on the passing of his mother, Ella Tomlinson, on May 30.

The devoted wife and mother was born in Sumner County, TN and retired from Eaton Corp. in Gallatin in 1984.

She is survived by four sons, James (Faye) Wright of Gallatin; Bobby (Polly) Wright of Gallatin; Troy (Sylvia) Tomlinson of Portland; and Tim (Vanessa) Tomlinson of Portland; daughter, Mary Watson of Jackson, TN; ten grandchildren; several great grandchildren; sisters and brothers. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Tomlinson.

Funeral services for Mrs. Tomlinson will be held at 1 p.m. today (Tuesday, June 1) at Wilkinson & Wiseman Funeral Home in Portland, TN, followed by interment in Old Brush Cemetery. Visitation will precede from 10 a.m. until the funeral at 1 p.m. Wilkinson & Wiseman Funeral Home can be reached at (615) 325-4191.