615 Music Wins Daytime Emmy

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Nashville’s 615 Music is the Winner of a 2010 Daytime Emmy Award in the “Outstanding Original Song” category. Company President Randy Wachtler and songwriter Greg Barnhill were on hand in Los Angeles on Friday, June 25 to receive the honor in person, during the 37th Annual Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment Emmy Awards event.

“The team here at 615 Music is very proud to have been involved in the making of such a memorable song to promote the Today show with NBC,” Wachtler said. “As a company, we are proud of our ongoing relationship with NBC and of the award-winning work we do together.”

615’s winning song, “Your Day is Today,” was written by Wachtler and Barnhill for the Today Show on NBC, and featured vocals by Paisley Van Patten.

Tour Updates: Flatts; Paisley; Aldean

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New Rascal Flatts tour.

••Rascal Flatts launched its JC Penney Presents Rascal Flatts Nothing Like This Tour over the weekend with shows in Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta in front of 50,000 fans. The tour has Kellie Pickler and Chris Young as openers and will continue through September 19.

Notodden, Norway – Musikkfestival – Show openers Swedish Willy Clay Band and Norwegian Lucky Lips join Paisley to close the show with “Alcohol.” Photo: Ben Enos

•••Brad Paisley played sold-out shows at London’s Shepherd Bush Empire on June 23 and 24, and then ventured over to Notodden, Norway’s Musikkfestival on June 25 to play for 7,000 fans. This marks his first trip to the UK in over ten years. Paisley is also celebrating the 17th No. 1 single of his career as “Water” makes a splash atop the Mediabase and BDS charts this week, becoming the fourth chart-topper from his American Saturday Night collection and his 13th consecutive No. 1 single.

•••Jason Aldean took his high-energy live show to Orange Beach, AL recently, setting a venue attendance record at The Amphitheater at The Wharf where 9,301 fans packed the house. The previous record was set by Kenny Chesney (9,270) in August 2009.

McEntire, Keith Lead Big July 4th Events

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Country stars will be making national media appearances this weekend to celebrate the 4th of July holiday, here’s where to catch them.

Reba McEntire is headlining A Capitol Fourth, being broadcast live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol, to mark the country’s 234th birthday. Also on the bill are Darius Rucker, Gladys Knight, David Archuleta and more with the National Symphony Orchestra. Airs live in HD on PBS Sunday, July 4, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET. As part of the program, Reba will be presented with the National Artistic Achievement Award. This is only the fourth time the award has been presented, with other iconic recipients including composer John Williams, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and Stevie Wonder.

Toby Keith will join the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra for the city’s 37th annual Fourth of July celebration broadcast on CBS. The network’s Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson will return as emcee.

At home in Nashville, Trace Adkins, Julianne Hough and Jaci Velasquez will perform at the “Let Freedom Sing!” event downtown. The NowPlayingNashville.com stage will present Jordyn Shellhart, Calico Trail, Damien Horne and Jessie James. Also, Hough will play a free concert on July 3. Details here.

LeAnn Rimes will be in New York to play the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, airing on NBC Sunday, July 4 at 9/8c. Nick Cannon and Alison Sweeney will host, with other musical guests including Justin Bieber and Enrique Iglesias, as well as appearances from the cast of Twilight-Eclipse.

Willie Nelson’s Annual 4th of July Picnic in Austin has lined-up performances by Jack Ingram, Jamey Johnson, Randy Rogers Band, Kris Kristofferson, Kevin Fowler and, of course, Willie himself. The show starts at noon Sunday and will air live on Sirius XM’s Willie’s Place.

Vince Gill will be in Los Angeles wrapping his three-day run at the famed Hollywood Bowl.

Country Hitmakers Compilation Album

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Stadium Entertainment Holding Corp. is releasing My Country: Smash Hits on Tuesday August 24, with songs from a list of hitmakers. The superstar line-up includes Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, Jypsi, Randy Houser, Big & Rich and Montgomery Gentry. The project is a multiple CD series with each annual volume benefiting the Fisher House Foundation which provides free board for military members and their families who are receiving treatment at a military medical center. Doonesbury creator and cartoonist Garry Trudeau graciously designed the album artwork.

•• A benefit for the family of security guard Fred Stapleton will be July 1 at Mercy Lounge. The member of the Rock Solid security team died while working at CMA Music Festival. Stephen Cochran is leading the line-up and has recruited The Harters, Katie Arminger, and more. Donations can be made to a fund for Stapleton’s daughter, the Lindsay A. Stapleton Trust at SunTrust Bank.

•• The concert Boots, Bars & Stars: A Tribute To The Military will be Thursday, July 1 at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville. Former Marine John Carter will headline the 7 PM show which also features ex-military performers Sal Gonzalez and Dustin Wilkes. This event is free to military families and troops from Fort Campbell and kicks off Independence Day Weekend in Nashville. Proceeds will benefit Operation Troop Aid. Sponsored by Digital Rodeo and Operation Troop Aid.

Vincent Extends Her Own 360 Brand

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Bluegrass star and seven-time IBMA Female Vocalist winner, Rhonda Vincent has added a Record label division to her in-house company, Upper Management which already boasts management and tour booking divisions and oversees her annual Bluegrass Cruise. Upper Management was founded in 2006 by the artist’s manager Herb Sandker.

“I’m thrilled and a bit overwhelmed,” Vincent states. “This is a big responsibility, but I know we can do it. We have an incredible team working on this project, in and out of the studio! Super songwriters, marvelous musicians, an exceptional engineer, and a powerhouse press agent.”

Vincent is currently recording a new project in her Adventure Studios with eight-time Grammy Award winner, Bil VornDick. “Bil is the king at capturing great tones,” Vincent shares. “With my band The Rage as the core band of the album, we’ll be able to duplicate the music in our live performances. We are joined by several guest musicians and vocalists, along with a few surprises.” Album release details are expected soon.

Underwood Ends First Leg of Tour On Strong Note

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Carrie Underwood wrapped the first leg of her Play On Tour over the weekend in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She has performed for nearly 400,000 fans since the outing launched on March 11, including selling out nearly all 54 dates throughout North America. The show received wide-ranging critical praise noting the elaborate stage sets, numerous costume changes, hi-def screens and, of course, her powerful vocal prowess. Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia were special guests on the run.

The Play On Tour will continue this fall with shows launching September 25 in Portland, Oregon, hydrated by vitamin water® and Presented AEG Live. Sons of Sylvia will stay on the tour with new guest Billy Currington. In the meantime, Underwood will perform a handful of fairs and festival dates this summer. She is scheduled for over 100 shows throughout the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2010, including an October 13 stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

During the fall leg of the tour, Underwood will donate 36 cents of every ticket sold to Save the Children’s United States Programs. This initiative was inspired by the “36 cents” written in the lyrics of her album track “Change,” which addresses how even the smallest bit of spare change can add up to make a difference.

Little Big Town Ride For A Cure

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Capitol Nashville Recording artist Little Big Town will once again host the Ride For A Cure on Sunday, July 11, benefiting the T.J. Martell Foundation. This marks the fourth year of the band’s involvement in the charity motorcycle outing, beginning at the Tin Roof in Nashville and riding to the Harley-Davidson Superstore in Columbia.

Registration for motorcycle riders and non-riders begins at the Tin Roof at 8AM with performances by Brett Eldridge and others. The ride kicks-off at 10:30AM and will be followed by a post-ride performance in Columbia at 12:30PM by Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Josh Thompson and The Band Perry.

“Every year we look forward to this day when we can get together with our fans and enjoy a beautiful ride, some great music and raise money for a cause that’s so dear to our hearts,” said Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town.

The T. J. Martell Foundation is offering a special VIP ticket for $300 that includes breakfast, access to the VIP areas during the ride, lunch, a gift bag, t-shirt and performance. Rider plus jam tickets are $35 and include the ride, lunch, t-shirt and performance. Jam tickets are $20. Tickets may be purchased online at www.nashvillerideforacure.com.

Proceeds from Ride for a Cure locally supports cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The T.J. Martell Foundation supports leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

“This is an amazing event with a demographic that is fun to reach,” said Derek Crownover, President of the T.J. Martell Foundation – Southern Region Board of Directors. “There are some true-blue Martell faithful involved. I have known Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town since before she moved to Nashville. So we go way back. It’s great to see Kimberly, Phillip, Karen and Jimi using their tremendous success to help raise money to find cures for cancer.”

Little Big Town will release their new Capitol Nashville album The Reason Why on August 24. The lead single “Little White Church” is currently Top 15 and climbing.

MR Awards Issue (July 2010)

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Pictured at Grimey’s New & Pre-Loved Music counter-clockwise from front-center: Jody Williams, Clay Bradley, Beth Mason, Mark Mason, Leslie Roberts, Thomas Cain, Bradley Collins, Perry Howard and David Preston. Cover photo by Eric England.

~ON THE COVER~
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)
BMI’s Jody Williams & his writer relations team

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is one of the pillars of Nashville’s songwriting business. Since opening its doors in 1939, an ambitious standard of service has guided the company. The establishment of BMI’s Nashville office was an active embodiment of that standard—a commitment to an entire region. When BMI opened its Music City outpost in 1958, it was the first performing rights organization to do so. A young woman named Frances Preston launched the new office of the burgeoning not-for-profit company. Suddenly, formerly marginalized and tragically overlooked blues, hillbilly, jazz and folk songwriters had a home where all were welcome.

For BMI, breaking new ground became the norm. Preston led the Nashville office
and ultimately, the entire company. Dubbed the “Songwriters’ Guardian Angel” by Kris Kristofferson, she was determined to pay the region’s songwriters more than lip service. Preston reshaped the performance royalty-payment paradigm. This groundbreaking method of directly paying songwriters for performances of their work was adopted by all PROs.

In the 1950s, the South spawned a cultural earthquake: rock ‘n’ roll. BMI’s Nashville office was ready. From Chuck Berry and James Brown to Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino, the new breed chose the new PRO. BMI also embraced Grand Ole Opry stars like Minnie Pearl and Hank Williams. The Nashville office became what it is today: a hub of activity in the middle of a region whose artistic wealth is almost too deep—too rich—to fully grasp.

Fast forward to 1996, when the bulk of BMI operations relocated to Nashville. With more than 400 employees, BMI is the largest music industry employer on Music Row.
Del Bryant’s path to assuming the role of BMI President & CEO also ran straight through Nashville. The versatile and innovative Bryant fondly refers to Nashville as his “home base,” and when he asked Jody Williams to lead BMI’s Nashville writer/publisher staff in 2006, the anticipation throughout Music Row was palpable. A veteran song man with respected ears and infectious passion for songwriters, Williams returned to BMI with a mandate to lead and serve the creative community.
Williams welcomed the challenge, developing and recruiting a devoted, effective staff, a group whose personal ties to Nashville music history—the Country Music Hall of Fame, no less—magnify BMI’s inclusive emphasis on family. In addition to tapping Clay Bradley as Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Williams assembled a team that includes longtime BMI executives Thomas Cain, Mark Mason, David Preston, Perry Howard, and Bradley Collins, as well as more recent additions Beth Mason and Leslie Roberts.

Nashville has become the epicenter of American music, and BMI’s Nashville office, in turn, is a crossroads of activity. In addition to Music Row favorites including BMI No. 1 parties and the annual BMI Country and Christian Awards, BMI’s layered approach to songwriter development comprises educational, creative and promotional opportunities: the BMI Songwriters Workshop with Jason Blume; local showcases including 8 off 8th, East Side Sounds, BMI Buzz at the Basement, and BMI Presents at 12th & Porter; the Road to Bonnaroo competition; and slots and stages at premier festivals including SXSW, the Key West Songwriters Festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza, the French Quarter Festival, Folk Alliance, the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and more.

Willie Nelson and Toby Keith, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift, Booker T. & the MGs and Cage the Elephant, Patsy Cline and Carrie Underwood, Allen Toussaint and Ben Folds, Bill Monroe and Alison Krauss, Chet Atkins and Vince Gill, the Carter Family and Lady Antebellum, Muddy Waters and Jack White, Eddy Arnold and Keith Urban, Loretta Lynn and Miranda Lambert, Allman Brothers and Zac Brown Band, Jerry Jeff Walker and Robert Earl Keen, Tammy Wynette & George Jones and Faith Hill & Tim McGraw, Wanda Jackson and Caitlin Rose, Harlan Howard and Jeffrey Steele: BMI’s Nashville family is part legacy, part present, and part future.

Today, BMI’s center of gravity remains in Nashville. And the company’s doors are still wide open.

BMI is an American performing right organization that represents more than 400,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.

Photos: Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, Jennette McCurdy

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Check out Dierks goes unplugged for “Kimmel,” Rodney and fam hang with Jeff Fisher, Jennette turns 18 and more fun photos.

Dierks Bentley and his all-star band didn’t let a power outage at Jimmy Kimmel Live! stop them from performing last week. They improvised for a totally unplugged performance of "Up On The Ridge" as Kimmel recorded the show on his laptop's webcam.

Rodney Atkins, wife Tammy and son Elijah, visited with Titans coach Jeff Fisher during the pre-game reception for his 10th Annual Comcast “Jeff Fisher & Friends” Charity Softball Game Presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners. The event benefitted Soles4Souls Nashville Flood Relief, Nashville Children’s Alliance, Mercy Ministries, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and other charities. The event has raised over $500,000 to date. Photo: Richard Suter

Capitol Records Nashville threw an 18th birthday party for Jennette McCurdy in downtown Nashville on June 21. The star of Nickelodeon’s "iCarly" invited kids from Bellevue Middle School, one of the hardest hit areas by the flood, to enjoy a night of fun. Many artists and their children also turned out, including Martina McBride, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Phil Vassar and Jamie O’Neal. McCurdy signed to Capitol Nashville on her 17th birthday and has been working on her debut album with producer Paul Worley. Photo credit: Kay Williams

BamaJam Records’ Blackberry Smoke hung with Joe Patrick backstage at the recent BamaJam festival in Enterprise, AL. (L-R): Paul Jackson, Brandon Still, Brit Turner, Richard Turner, Charlie Starr, and Joe Patrick. Photo: Bill Macky

The GAC TV booth at CMA Music Fest was all bluegrass on Sunday morning. The Grascals and Cherryholmes found themselves sharing time at the booth signing autographs for hundreds of fans. (L-R): B. J. Cherryholmes, Cia Cherryholmes, Danny Roberts (Grascals), Kristin Scott Benson (Grascals), Skip Cherryholmes, Jere Cherryholmes, Terry Smith (Grascals), Terry Eldredge (Grascals), Sandy Cherryholmes, Jeremy Abshire (Grascals), Molly Cherryholmes and Jamie Johnson (Grascals). Photo: Mechalle Myers courtesy of GAC

Wireless Spectrum Set To Double

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President Obama is scheduled to sign a presidential memorandum today (6/28) that would seek to double the bandwidth available for wireless communications over the next decade. The plan involves the auction of over 500 megahertz of wireless spectrum now controlled by the federal government and private companies. Obama’s move falls in step with recommendations previously endorsed by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

Although clearly intended to relieve predicted future smartphone data congestion, the move also helps create jobs, spur economic growth and the creation of a public safety wireless network. Wireless and mobile technology are also sure to play a starring role in the growth of the music industry. More details on the plan are expected to be announced today.

Television broadcast companies however, may be cool to the concept since it appears they may be asked to “give up” some of their existing bandwidth. Cable companies that have invested in wired networks might also have something to fear from the threat of competition by beefed up wireless entities. Currently the wireless communications spectrum is about 547 megahertz. For the new plan to become law, Congress will have to approve various steps in the process.