Urban Surprises Travelers in NYC, Philly

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Keith Urban’s sixth album Get Closer hit stores yesterday (11/16) and to help promote it, the singer played surprise gigs at New York City’s Penn Station and Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. The events were organized in conjunction with Amtrak, who transported Urban from New York to Philadelphia on one of its trains.

Urban played songs from Get Closer, including his current single “Put You In A Song” as well as a few bars of Elton John’s “Philadelphia Freedom” for the City of Brotherly Love. Pictures of the Philadelphia performance can be found at the Washington Post.

In other Urban news, he was scheduled for an appearance on The Today Show this morning (11/17), as well as CBS’ The Early Show tomorrow (11/18). He will also travel to Chicago to tape a performance for the Oprah Winfrey Show that will air later in November.

Mercury Regional Exits

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Mercury Records Southwest Regional Allen Mitchell has exited his post at the label.

A replacement is expected to be named shortly. Check back to musicrow.com for more updates. Contact Allen here.        [email protected]

“Need You Now” Among Top RIAA Certifications

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Lady A's "Need You Now" is 4x Platinum.

Numerous Country stars are on the RIAA’s list of Gold and Platinum certifications for August, September and October. Among the top selling digital singles is Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,” which hit 4x multi-Platinum to become the Capitol Nashville band’s best selling single ever.

Mercury’s Billy Currington earned a digital Platinum plaque for downloads of “People Are Crazy.” And labelmate Sugarland scored a Gold certification for “Stuck Like Glue” less than two months after its release.

Platinum album plaques went to newly crowned 2010 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Miranda Lambert, for Revolution, marking her second Platinum project. And Keith Urban received his fifth Platinum honor for Defying Gravity. Luke Bryan‘s Doin’ My Thing earned his first Gold album.

Billy Currington's "People Are Crazy" was certified Platinum for digital sales.

Pop star and Nashville native Ke$ha received the most Gold & Platinum certifications during August, September and October. Her debut album Animal (2010) was certified Gold, while her digital singles “Tik-Tok” and “Your Love Is My Drug” went 5x and 2x multi-Platinum, respectively, and “Blah Blah Blah” and “Take It Off” each earned a Gold, to total more than 8.5 million units sold.

The 6x multi-Platinum track “I Gotta Feeling” from The Black Eyed Peas became the RIAA’s highest digital song certification ever.

Songwriter Photos: Odie Blackmon, Rivers Rutherford

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Odie Blackmon

Inner city students in St. Louis got a lesson in songwriting last week from Grammy-nominated songwriter Odie Blackmon. He spent three days working with students at Garfield Elementary School as part of the ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES. Blackmon has penned smash hits for George Strait (“She’ll Leave You With A Smile”), Lee Ann Womack (“I May Hate Myself In The Morning”) and Gary Allan (“Nothing On But The Radio”).

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Rivers Rutherford

Hit songwriter Rivers Rutherford performed at the Sprint 4G launch party on November 16 at the Sheraton Downtown Nashville. Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to offer 4G technology in Music City. At the event, Sprint also made a $5,000 donation to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for flood relief efforts.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (11/17/10)

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The trend of the day is career transition.

A number of name-brand stars are reinventing themselves by recording in varying shades of bluegrass. We have previously noted this in records by Merle Haggard, Ken Mellons, Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton and others. This week, we find Joe Diffie and Michael Martin Murphey in their ranks, plus former country chart makers Donna Ulisse and Tim O’Brien continuing on this path.

Ironically, Ricky Skaggs, among the first to make a country-to-bluegrass transition, is now working under the influence of pop mastermind Gordon Kennedy to craft a distinctly non bluegrass sound. Lend him your ears.

Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson nail down the Disc of the Day award with the goose-bumpy duet they introduced on the CMA Awards telecast.

In an unusual listening session, the DisCovery Award also goes to someone with a ballad performance. That would be The Harters, a sibling trio produced by the esteemed Keith Stegall.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY/Blue Sky Riding Song
Writer: M.M. Murphey; Producer: Ryan Murphey; Publisher: 3M/Bro ‘N’ Sis, BMI; Rural Rhythm (track) (www.ruralrhythm.com)
—Murphey calls what he plays these days, “Buckaroo Bluegrass.” He sings mostly the same way, but now draws his backing musicians from a talent pool that includes Rob Ickes, Ronny McCoury, Sam Bush, Pat Flynn, Charlie Cushman and Andy Leftwich. His current CD draws its title, Riding Song, from this rapid-fire track. It showcases the fleet-fingered bluegrass sidemen more than it does its writer and singer. Instrumental sounds to tickle the brain.

LEANN RIMES/Crazy Women
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb
—“They hauled her off in high heels and handcuffs.” He treats her wrong, so she goes over the edge, torching his car, among other things. The conclusion to this snazzy rocker? “Crazy women are made by crazy men.” A winner.

JOE DIFFIE/Tennessee Tea
Writer: Joe Diffie/Billy Joe Foster; Producer: Joe Diffie & Luke Wooten; Publisher: Diffitunes/Billy Joe Foster, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.joediffie.com)
—After co-writing the 2005 chart topper “My Give a Damn’s Busted,” Joe took a left turn toward bluegrass music. His CD is titled, simply, Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album. His yearning vocal style fits the genre like a glove. On this sizzling barn burner, he wails up a storm while red-hot pickers flicker around him. The album’s cast is a who’s-who of acoustic music, including Rhonda Vincent, The Grascals, Alecia Nugent, Bradley Walker, Byran Sutton, Aubrey Haynie, Harley Allen, Carl Jackson, Mike Compton and Sonya Isaacs. With a talent level that high, you don’t have to be a bluegrass fan to love this album.

ALAN JACKSON/Ring Of Fire
Writer: June Carter/Merle Kilgore; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Painted Desert, BMI; Arista (track)
—As you might expect, it’s a somewhat mellower vocal take on this Cash classic. Groovy electric guitars replace the distinctive Mexicali trumpets heard on the original. Lee Ann Womack’s backup singing is also a plus. The song is so strong, that if you let it just carry you along like this, you’ll be rewarded. And Alan is.

DONNA ULISSE/Caney Creek To Canaan Land
Writer: Donna Ulisse/Rick Stanley; Producer: Keith Sewell; Publisher: Uncle Hadley/Pop ‘N’ Paw, ASCAP; Hadley Music Group (track) (www.donnaulisse.com)
—I was a big fan of this lady when she was an Atlantic Records country act in the 1990s. She’s been making bluegrass records for the past several years. The new one, Holy Waters, is a bluegrass-gospel collection that kicks off with this this spirited shouter. With the exception of a cover version of The Stanley Brothers chestnut, “Who Will Sing for Me,” the entire CD is self-composed.

JASON ALDEAN & KELLY CLARKSON/Don’t You Wanna Stay
Writer: Jason Sellers/Paul Jenkins/Andy Gibson; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Becky’s Boy/Godfather Rich/Do Write, ASCAP; Broken Bow (track)
—Response to the pair’s performance of this on the CMA Awards has been so enthusiastic that the duet is now being serviced to radio. He’s up higher in the mix here than he was on the telecast, but she still owns the power ballad with that sensational range of hers. A thrilling listening experience.

RICKY SKAGGS/Mosaic
Writer: Gordon Kennedy/Ben Cooper; Producer: Ricky Skaggs & Gordon Kennedy; Publisher: Vistaville/Brown Eyed Blonde/Almighty Den, ASCAP/BMI; Skaggs Family/Fontana (track) (www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com)
—Ricky is at the top of his game on his latest gospel collection. This pop-flavored title tune features thumping drumming, electric guitar and organ. Elsewhere on the collection, you’ll find string sections, steel guitar, bouzouki, synthesizer, piano, choirs and Irish fife, among other eclectic sounds. Those who have become accustomed to his bluegrass discs are in for a shock. But this is wildly creative stuff. Check out the gloriously electrified and uplifting “My Cup Runneth Over,” for instance.

THE HARTERS/If I Run
Writer: Leslie Harter/Michael Harter/Rachel Williams; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Tunes of Bigger Picture/Bug/Rain Valley/Anozera/Sage House, ASCAP; Bigger Picture
—This trio of siblings stages its debut with a lovely. lustrous ballad that begins with Leslie trembling in anticipation, then being joined by her brothers in lushly harmonized choruses. Hang on for the bridge when everybody starts weaving vocal parts in and out of the mix. In a word, fabulous.

TIM O’BRIEN/You Ate The Apple
Writer: Tim O’Brien/Jonathan Byrd; Producer: Tim O’Brien; Publisher: Cornbread Nation/Bluewater, ASCAP/SESAC; Howdy Skies (track) (www.timobrien.net)
—This wry commentary on Eden is a folk ditty that kicks off Tim’s current Chicken & Egg collection. Stuart Duncan’s jazzy fiddle accompanies Tim’s scat singing brilliantly. The rest of the CD is a showcase for his always inventive songwriting style(s). The man is a Music City treasure.

THE STEELDRIVERS/The Reckless Side Of Me
Writer: Chris Stapleton/Mike Henderson; Producer: Luke Wooten & The SteelDrivers; Publisher: Sea Gayle/Son of a Miner/Irving/Chicken Shack, ASCAP/BMI; Rounder (track) (www.steeldrivers.com)
—The second SteelDrivers CD is also, alas, apparently the last one that will feature the gripping singing of Chris Stapleton. I hear he is now heading in a rock direction. The Restless collection kicks off with this uptempo rouser that typifies what is so great about this band—the combination of the bluegrass instrumentation and Chris’s bruiser, blue-eyed soul voice. The bluesy fiddling of Tammy Rogers, in particular, stands out on this track.

CMHF Hosts Dallas Frazier, Bonnie Garner, Curly Seckler

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Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Dallas Frazier will perform Dec. 11 at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum as part of its Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters series. The 1:30 p.m. program in the Museum’s Ford Theater is included with Museum admission and free to Museum members. The program will also be streamed live at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

Museum Editor Michael Gray will host the 90-minute program, which will be illustrated with recordings, photos and film clips from the Museum’s collection. Immediately following, Frazier will sign autographs in the Museum Store.

Frazier’s hits include classics such as “There Goes My Everything,” “Elvira,” “If My Heart Had Windows,” “Beneath Still Waters,” “Mohair Sam,” “Fourteen Carat Mind” and “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” and his songs have been recorded by a diverse roster of artists including Merle Haggard, Englebert Humperdinck, Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, Charlie Rich, Tanya Tucker and many more.

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Bonnie Garner; Photo: Annie Goetze

In memory of Louise Scruggs, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will present an in-depth interview honoring music industry executive Bonnie Garner today (11/16) at 6 p.m. in the Ford Theater. The forum is free and open to the public.

The Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum, made possible by the Gibson Foundation, was established in 2007 to honor music industry leaders who can be seen as the legatees of Scruggs, the wife of Country Music Hall of Fame member Earl Scruggs and the first woman in country music to take on roles as a booker and manager.

The forum interview with Garner, whose multi-faceted career has included concert promotion, record label A&R and artist management, will be illustrated with recordings, film clips and photos from the Museum’s archives, Garner’s personal collection and other sources. The interview will be hosted by Museum Writer/Editor Michael McCall.

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Bluegrass legend Curly Seckler will be featured in a special program at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musuem, celebrating his 91st birthday and 75th anniversary in music on Sat., December 4. The program, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Ford Theater, is included with Museum admission and is free to Museum members.

Curly Seckler

During the program, Seckler will discuss the highlights of his career with host Kyle Cantrell of Sirius XM Radio, as well as perform several of his signature songs. The program will also feature photographs and video from the Museum’s Frist Library and Archive, and Seckler’s own collection. Following the program, Seckler will sign autographs in the Museum Store.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.

SiriusXM 20 Million Strong; Toyota Adds iheartradio

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The competition keeps getting stiffer for traditional radio, with today’s news from Sirius XM and iheartradio.

Sirius XM Radio has reached the 20 million subscriber mark. The satcaster is celebrating the milestone by hosting Paul McCartney‘s first concert at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater, as an exclusive event for Sirius XM listeners.

The performance on Monday, December 13 will be broadcast live nationwide on Sirius XM, and subscribers will have the chance to win tickets and trips to the event.

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Toyota plans to add Clear Channel Radio’s iheartradio to select vehicles in 2011. This is the first partnership Toyota is announcing for mobile application integration.

iheartradio will allow Toyota customers to access more than 750 of America’s local radio stations, as well as unique celebrity-hosted channels from Christina Aguilera, Eagles, and Weezer, local traffic reports and commercial-free shows from Ryan Seacrest, and more. Over 10 million consumers are already using the app.

More details will be released at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2011.

Aldean Takes His Party On The Road

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Following the release of his new album My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean has announced the 2011 My Kinda Party Tour. The 32 city trek gets underway January 21 in Little Rock, AR, and features special guests Eric Church and the JaneDear girls.

“This is the tour I’ve dreamed about putting together my whole life. My band has never been tighter, and I finally have enough material and the kinda production to really take the songs to that next level for the fans,” says Aldean. “This one is for my Mom, who used to drive me to clubs when I wasn’t even 16 yet, wait on me to play the same Alabama, John Anderson and George Strait covers every night, then drive me home and make me do my homework before bed. We’ve come a long way!”

Initial dates on the My Kinda Party Tour:

Jan. 21 – Little Rock, AR
Jan. 22 – Fayetteville, AR
Jan. 28 – Columbia, MO
Jan. 29 – Tulsa, OK
Jan. 30 – Lubbock, TX

More dates will be announced on http://www.jasonaldean.com/.

In other Aldean news, he’s one of five artists (along with Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift and the Zac Brown Band) to be selected for CMT Artists of the Year. The 90 minute special celebrating their achievements will air Dec. 3 at 7 pm CT on CMT.

Vince Hatfield

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“The new Vince is great! Really like it as good as I did the original. Vince brings a new dimension to the song!
Mickey Alexander, WQNZ/Natchez, MS

“One of the best rock anthems in music history has been re-recorded. Who would have believed a country artist could take it 30 plus years later and make it a multi-format hit?”
Randy Adams, KKRB/KFLS-FM (Klamath Falls, Oregon)

“This one is testing through the roof. It needs to be on your radar today. Like Sunny Sweeney, this one is going to have some legs, so hop on it today!”
Ted Cramer, Program Director, WIFE/Connersville, IN

Following a series of successful singles, Vince Hatfield is releasing his rendition of the Kiss classic, “Beth” to country radio. Hatfield was introduced to the song by his wife, and recorded it for his forthcoming album at her request. Through the TV program Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Hatfield also learned Gene Simmons promised Peter Criss that Kiss would never perform “Beth” again after Criss retired and has stuck to his word. Hatfield hopes that his version will allow fans to once again hear “Beth” performed in a live setting.

Born the son of a West Texas oil refinery worker, Vince worked tough jobs like cleaning inside oil tanks to pay the bills as a young man just getting started. His early life revolved around music, where drew inspiration from icons like Marty Robbins, Bobby Goldsboro, Merle Haggard and Ronnie Milsap. Hatfield later went on to record with some of Nashville’s best producers and musicians, releasing albums and singles that have built the foundation for where he is today. He was also awarded New Music Weekly’s “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” earlier in 2010, and continues to build his following outside of Texas.

http://www.vincehatfield.com/

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Rodney Clawson Re-ups With Big Loud Shirt

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L-R: Seth England, Rodney Clawson, Amy Allmand and Craig Wiseman.

Grammy nominated songwriter Rodney Clawson recently renewed his publishing deal with Big Loud Shirt. Clawson has penned the hits “I Saw God Today” (George Strait), “Amarillo Sky” (Jason Aldean), “Sunshine & Summertime” (Faith Hill), “Lost In This Moment” (Big & Rich), and current single “Old School” (Chuck Wicks).

Clawson has had songs cut by Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, Craig Morgan and Randy Montana. As a producer, he has worked with Jake Owen and James Wesley.