Skyville Adds Herring

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Skyville Records managing partners Paul Worley, Glen Morgan and Wally Wilson have named Kevin Herring President of Skyville Records.
“I can hardly wait to get started!” declares Herring. “Few people have made bigger or better records than Paul Worley, from Lady Antebellum and The Dixie Chicks to Martina McBride. He knows hit music and recognizes superstar talent.  Paul will provide hit music, of that I have no doubt!”

Kevin Herring


Herring’s first priority at Skyville Records will be hiring and guiding an A-LIST promotion staff to work Stealing Angels and all future Skyville artists to country radio.
With more than twenty years experience in radio promotion, including tenures at Mercury Records and most recently as VP of National Promotion for The Walt Disney Company’s Lyric Street Records, Herring has been an integral part of breaking some of country music’s most well-known acts, including Rascal Flatts, Shania Twain, and Toby Keith.
Kevin Herring can be reached at 615-320-7052 or [email protected].
About Skyville Records: Industry veterans Paul Worley, Wally Wilson and Glen Morgan joined forces in 2004 to launch Skyline Publishing. Wayne Halper joined the organization in 2009 as head of business and legal affairs. After many years of successful chart action, the partners founded Skyville Records in 2010, with a focus and emphasis towards toward recognizing and nurturing the talents of new artists and artist/songwriters. Long time music industry executive Kevin Herring serves as the label’s president.

Weekly Chart Report (1/21/11)

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Lee Brice visited with NashvilleCountryClub.com's Editor Leslie Armstrong to discuss his current single "Beautiful Every Time."


SPIN ZONE
Three weeks into 2011, we are starting to see some movement on the CountryBreakout Chart. Luke Bryan’s long, patient climb with “Someone Else Calling You Baby” is rewarded by finally ascending to the No. 1 position. Bryan has over 150 spins on the No. 2 song, Blake Shelton’s “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking,” but look to see it challenging the top spot soon, competing with Lady Antebellum’s No. 4 “Hello World” and Taylor Swift’s No. 5 “Back To December.”
Elsewhere, newly released singles are starting to pop as programmers move older titles into lighter rotations. Miranda Lambert’s “Heart Like Mine” gets a big boost, moving 35-27. Similarly, Zac Brown Band’s “Colder Weather” leaps up to No. 29, and Rascal Flatts is close behind at No. 32 with “I Won’t Let Go.” Also quickly advancing is The Band Perry’s “You Lie,” which makes a 54-37 jump in its third week.
Reba’s “If I Were A Boy” earns a huge debut, landing at No. 52 for its first appearance. In the final slot at No. 80 is sister trio Carter’s Chord, whose just-released “A Little Less Comfortable” picked up 120 spins to sneak on the chart. Also debuting are Jayme Lynn Scott’s “No Explainin’ Love” at No. 75, Sandra Piller’s “Days Like These” at No. 78, and LeAnn Rimes’ “Crazy Woman” at No. 79.

(L-R): Brett Eldredge, WDSY PD Stoney Richards, John Oates and Warner Music Nashville Pres./CEO John Esposito at the Pittsburgh Steelers v. Baltimore Ravens playoff game.


RADIO NEWS
Adelle Borchetta has joined McVay New Media as VP/Social Media. Borchetta most recently worked with Lofton Creek Records before launching her own Adelle Borchetta Promotion in 2008. Reach her at [email protected].
Hoss Michaels will join Clear Channel’s KXKT and KTWI/Omaha as Music Director, starting Wednesday, January 26. Michaels spent the previous six years as PD for KZKX/Lincoln, NE. Michaels will also be handling KXKT middays. KXKT/KTWI PD Erik Johnson says, “We couldn’t be happier to have Hoss join our team. His dedication to community and solid relationships in country music will help us build on our 4-book streak at #1 P25-54.”



Upcoming Singles
January 24
Jeff Bates/One Day Closer/Black River
Reba/If I Were A Boy/Valory
Star De Azlan/A Man Who Can Dance/Curb
January 31
Carter’s Chord/A Little Less Comfortable/Show Dog-Universal
Jacob Lyda/I’m Doin’ Alright/Davis Music Group/Nine North
Jamey Johnson/Heartache/Mercury
Jenny & Ashley/Indescribable/Tall Tree/Lofton Creek
•  •  •  •  •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Reba/If I Were A Boy/Starstruck/Valory — 52
Jayme Lynn Scott/No Explainin’ Love/Big 7 — 75
Sandra Piller/Days Like These — 78
LeAnn Rimes/Crazy Women/Curb — 79
Carter’s Chord/A Little Less Comfortable/Show Dog-Universal — 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Reba/If I Were A Boy/Starstruck/Valory — 419
The Band Perry/You Lie/Republic Nashville — 404
Zac Brown Band/Colder Weather/Bigger Picture — 403
Miranda Lambert/Heart Like Mine/Columbia — 362
Rascal Flatts/I Won’t Let Go/Big Machine — 315
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Daniel Smith/Until I Close My Eyes for Good/DLS Records — 190
Kate Russell/Damned If I Do — 179
Johnny Tillotson/Not Enough/MAYDU Inc. — 176
David Bradley feat. Rodney Crowell/Hard Time Movin’ On/Gecko — 171
Emma King & The Heartsets/I’m Not Forgotten/PLC — 168
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Reba/If I Were A Boy/Starstruck/Valory — 33
The Band Perry/You Lie/Republic Nashville — 29
Rascal Flatts/I Won’t Let Go/Big Machine — 18
Zac Brown Band/Colder Weather/Bigger Picture — 16
Miranda Lambert/Heart Like Mine/Columbia — 15
Carter’s Chord/A Little Less Comfortable/Show Dog-Universal — 10
Trace Adkins/Brown Chicken, Brown Cow/Show Dog-Universal — 10
David Bradley feat. Rodney Crowell/Hard Time Movin’ On/Gecko — 9

Little Engine artist Sean Patrick McGraw stopped by WCJW (Warsaw, NY) to visit with PD/MD Lee Richey and play some songs from his upcoming album. (L-R) McGraw, guitarist "Shaker" and Richey.


New duo Jenny and Ashley recently stopped by MusicRow. (L-R) back: Mike Borchetta, MR’s David Ross and MR’s Jon Freeman. Front: Jenny Cooke, Ashley Cooke and Martha Borchetta.

AMA Announces 2011 Board Executive Committee

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The Americana Music Association has announced its Executive Committee for the 2011 calendar year. These positions are held for one year terms. Returning to their posts for an additional term, David Macias from Thirty Tigers has been named Board President; artist manager Tim McFadden, Vice President; Sylvia Giannitrapani, Secretary; and the two at large Executive Committee members are Music Fog’s Jessie Scott and Al Moss of Al Moss Promotion. Bob Benckert of The Alternate Root is the new Treasurer.
The Board of Directors consists of 19 industry representatives elected by the Americana Music Association membership. Each Director holds his seat for a two year term. The 2011-2012 Board brings newly elected Bob Benckert, Tim Fink of SESAC, Ramseur Record’s Holly Lowman, Todd Ohlhauser of the Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom, and artist Mary Gauthier.
The incoming directors join newly re-elected Amanda Hale-Ornales of New West Records, Sylvia Giannitrapani, Tim McFadden, Al Moss, John Allen of Bug Music, Jessie Scott and returning Board Members Ashley Capps of AC/Entertainment, Joan Kornblith of Voice of America, Pam Matthews, David Macias and artists Chip Taylor, Rodney Crowell, Raul Malo and Buddy Miller.
Super Early BirdFestival and Conference registration rates are now available for the annual Americana Music Festival and Conference which will take place October 12-15, 2011. Visit www.americanamusic.org

WMG Tests Dual Buy-Sell Strategy

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The New York Times has reported that Warner Music Group is putting itself in play. The major music label, one of the four remaining (Universal, Sony, EMI) has hired Goldman Sachs “to seek out potential buyers for the company, a process that will play out while Warner continues to explore buying the beleaguered British music giant EMI.”
Apparently, WMG had received several offers in recent months. The article specifically names Kohlberg Kravis Roberts as one of those having expressed interest.
Insiders note that Warner Music Group’s two main assets, the record label and Warner Chappell Music Publishing might be split. Interestingly, while preparing to place a For Sale sign in its front yard, WMG is also actively exploring talks with Citigroup to acquire EMI. EMI and Citigroup are embroiled in a debt process that might possibly result in the bank gaining control of EMI later this Spring.
The Times article, written by Tim Arango and Andrew Ross Sorkin, explains the dual approach saying it, “underscores the desire of Warner’s private equity owners to either make a big strategic move and double down on the music business by buying EMI, or cash out.” An investment group led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. purchased Warner Music from Time Warner in March 2004 for $2.6 billion.
K.K.R. is in a joint venture with Bertelsmann. The company has a large cash warchest and has been actively purchasing publishing catalogs.
The article cites a letter sent to shareholders by Mr. Bronfman who wrote, “Our confidence in the company’s future prospects is based on our consistent track record and our proven ability to outperform the rest of the industry.” WMG’s stock has had wide valuation swings. It reached a high of almost $30 per share in 2006 and fell below $2 per share in 2009. As of this writing (1/21 9:03 am CT) it was up $1.12 to $5.84 likely in response to the news about the possible deals described in this story.

RIAA 2010 Country Certs

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This year’s 2010 RIAA shipments report shows Nashville country artists accounting for about 20 million units in Gold and Platinum treasure. Leading the Row was Capitol Nashville with 5 million certifications (24%) and its flagship artist Lady Antebellum which contributed 4 million of its total. Arista and Big Machine each received 4 million certs or 20% of the RIAA shipments awards based upon sales. Arista’s tonnage came from Carrie, Alan, Brad and Brooks & Dunn, while Big Machine’s was all Taylor Swift. Mercury took control of 12% based upon sales from Sugarland, Billy Currington and Jamey Johnson. (See the pie chart for more details.)
Looking at the Sales By Artist graph, Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum were tied with 4 million each followed by Carrie Underwood (2) ZBB (1.5) and Sugarland (1.5). Swift’s Fearless got a 6 million award which was the highest Nashville artist multi-platinum cert. Lady A’s Need You Now was awarded for 3 million.
Methodology: RIAA Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum certifications are based upon shipments, not actual sales and are therefore different from SoundScan numbers which are based upon actual sales. RIAA Gold is 500,000, Platinum 1 million and then additional awards are in one million increments. If an artist gets a Gold and Platinum in the same year for the same album, we count it as one million units (not 1.5 million.) The first platinum certification gets a 500,000 tally, since that is what it needed to go beyond its Gold award. All multi-Platinum certs get credited for one million per award. Another detail is that in the case of catalog and older albums that received an award in 2010, not all the sales/shipments leading up to that award necessarily occurred in the same year.

Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown Tour

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Organizers of the Country Throwdown Tour have teamed with legend Willie Nelson for its second annual summer outing. The outdoor amphitheater trek, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011, will also feature Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, Craig Campbell, and Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real.
The festival-like concert tour is from 4 FINI, Inc., producers of the wildly successful Vans Warped Tour. Country Throwdown will have a full concourse of lifestyle attractions and vendors, as well as three stages, one of which will be a Bluebird Cafe stage. The latter line-up of singer-songwriters is yet to be announced.
The outing kicks off in Philadelphia, PA on May 27, and wraps with a July 4th extravaganza. On the itinerary is a June 3 stop at Nashville’s The Woods at Fontanel.
Last year’s Country Throwdown Tour was hit hard by a slumping summer concert season.
A portion of the ticket price will benefit Unite the United. Ticket pre-sale begins Friday, February 11 and sale to general public begins February 18 at 10 a.m. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.countrythrowdown.com.

Photo Edits

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Gretchen Wilson Nabs Grammy Noms • “ACM Showcase” • Jessi Colter and Stealing Angels Support Child Help • Josh Thompson Celebrates Co-Writes

Gretchen Wilson Nabs Grammy Noms

Gretchen Wilson and the staff of her Redneck Records label celebrated her two nominations at this week’s Grammy nominee party at Nashville’s Loew’s Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel. Wilson received nods in the “Best Country Female Vocal Performance” category for “I’d Love to Be Your Last,” and the single is also nominated for “Best Country Song.”

(L-R): Craig Campbell, publicist for Redneck Records; Bob Mitchell, Redneck Records; Gretchen Wilson; Nancy Shapiro, NARAS; tour manager Ryan Nelson; and manager Marc Oswald. Photo: Rick Diamond/Wire Image

“ACM Showcase”

“ACM Showcase,” a one-hour GAC special featuring performances by Academy of Country Music Top New Solo Vocalist nominees Eric Church, Randy Houser and Easton Corbin and Top New Vocal Duo or Group nominees The Band Perry, The JaneDear girls and Steel Magnolia was taped January 18 at the Ryman Auditorium as part of a special Tuesday night Opry. Hosted by reigning ACM Top New Artist Luke Bryan, the special premiers January 27 on GAC and kicks off fan voting for these categories. One winner from each category will compete for the Top New Artist prize which will be handed out at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, Sunday, April 3, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

(L-R) back: Bill Mayne, ACM chairman; Easton Corbin; Luke Bryan; Randy Houser; Eric Church; Pete Fisher, VP/GM Grand Ole Opry; and The Band Perry’s Neil Perry. Front: Sarah Trahern, GAC GM and ACM board president; Steel Magnolia’s Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey; The JaneDear girls’ Susie Brown and Danelle Leverett; The Band Perry’s Kimberly and Reid Perry; and Butch Waugh, ACM VP

Jessi Colter and Stealing Angels Support Child Help

Jessi Colter and Stealing Angels recently participated in a Child Help charity event at the Paradise Valley Country Club near Phoenix, AZ in support of the prevention and treatment of child abuse.

(L-R): Tayla Lynn, Jessi Colter, Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Wayne

Josh Thompson Celebrates Co-Writes

Columbia Nashville’s Josh Thompson recently took a break from his busy touring schedule to write with legendary country crooner John Anderson. Thompson, who wrote all 10 songs on his debut album Way Out Here, has also enjoyed cuts by artists such as Brad Paisley (“A Man Don’t Have To Die”),  Jason Aldean (“Church Pew Or Bar Stool”), Craig Morgan (“Accidents Don’t Just Happen”) and Jason Michael Carroll (“Growing Up Is Getting Old”).

(L-R): John Anderson and Josh Thompson

Alan Jackson/Sony Part Ways

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Sony Music Nashville today announced that it and superstar Alan Jackson have ended their relationship. He was the first artist signed to the Arista roster in 1989—today under the Sony umbrella—leading to a successful partnership for more than 20 years.
According to the label’s official statement, “Sony Music Nashville wishes to thank Alan Jackson for their long association and the many hit records achieved as a result of that association. In an amicable parting, Sony confirms that Alan has delivered his final recordings to the company and wishes him well.”
“I’ve had a great run with Arista going all the way back to the beginning of my career when I signed with Tim DuBois,” explained Jackson in a statement. “I’ve gotten to work with some real great people along the way and we accomplished a lot. It just seems to me like the time may be right to change things up a bit and see what comes next.”
Jackson’s manager Nancy Russell relaunched her firm last year under the name the co-op. She has been building a team that includes former Sony exec Maurice Miner. Jackson is also represented by William Morris Endeavor.
He is gearing up for the first leg of his 2011 tour with sold-out shows in Canada, followed by his first tour of Australia. He is currently writing and working on songs for a new album.
With 50 million album sales to his credit, Jackson is a 16-time award winner at both the CMA and ACM Awards, a tally that includes three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors. He is a GRAMMY winner and has topped the country singles charts 35 times.

Idol Judges Get Thumbs Up

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America’s love affair with talent was renewed again as the tenth season of American Idol stoked its star-maker fires introducing a judges bench with two new faces and of course a bevy of wannabe hopefuls. Not unexpectedly, opinions were mixed moving into the debut as to whether the new personalities could reverse the show’s recent downward ratings trend. However, “judging” by the morning-after articles, facebook opinions and blog comments from around the web, judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez acquitted themselves quite nicely on opening night. The role of new mentor/judge Interscope Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine is yet to be unveiled but he will sign the winner to a recording contract. Here’s a few quotes from some of the high profile writers and links to read more…

“Season 10 and American Idol finally brought in a couple of pros,” said the L.A. Times Mary McNamara… “And after the bipolar antics of last year’s woefully mismatched panel — including a zombified Ellen DeGeneres and a manically flirtatious Kara DioGuardi — their natural confidence in front of the camera was such a blessed relief that it was hard to miss even the bracing ballistics of Simon Cowell…’Baby, you got so much drama but you’ve got no notes,’ Tyler told one young woman, quickly establishing himself as capable of telling the truth in a colorful but nonhostile way.”

The Wrap.com’s Jennifer Kelly had the morning’s best headline saying, ‘American Idol’: How It Went With the Diva, the Dawg and the Demon of Screamin’

“Yes, it was the debut of the new judging triumvirate, featuring Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and veteran Randy Jackson. Perhaps more importantly, though, it marked the official end to the banal season 9, and that in itself is a bonus… Tyler, on the other hand, is an entertaining walking paradox. While it’s not fair to call him a Paula-Simon hybrid, he is equal parts kooky and no-nonsense. Whether he’s spontaneously breaking into song mid-speech or spouting wacky wisdom (“Water her flower ‘cause it’s gonna grow”), he is definitely the stand-out personality. Unlike Paula, though, you never lose the feeling that he actually knows what he’s talking about…”

Linda Stasi wove colorful phrases into her insights that stretch beyond the new judges and address the direction of the show itself for the New York Post.

“In fact, the instant chemistry among the three judges was so right, they couldn’t have created it in a lab. Everything that made us fall in love with Idol in the first place was back: The heart (Lopez), the soul (Randy Jackson) and the Crazy (Tyler). But it was back in a whole new way. And now that Nigel Lythgoe, the genius behind the show, is back, he brought with him his credo about what had made “Idol” the show it was: The simplicity — and the soap. Idol was never, and will never really be, a show about singing. It’s really a show about singing for your supper or else you won’t eat. The more down and out, miserable and depressing your life has been and the more you struggled for your dream, the better chance you have. Last night they hit depression jackpot, too. There was the kid who beat life in a wheelchair, the throat cancer father who brought his singing daughter, and finally and most touching, the homeless Bronx boy with the voice of a modern day Johnny Mathis. Cry? Are you kidding me? They don’t need car and Coke commercials — they should just have Kleenex ads…”

Nashville’s Brian Mansfield also clocked in for USA Today with his take on the new Idol dynamic.

“Lopez comes off like a more businesslike version of the supportive, nurturing Abdul, who left Idol after the 2009 season — lots of tears and hugs, and she struggles with having to say some obvious no’s, but she has constructive things to say to even the worst contestants. Tyler, on the other hand, brings back the goofy unpredictability that was Abdul’s stock-in-trade during her eight seasons on the show. He gets directly involved with the auditions — drumming on the desk, harmonizing, providing backing vocals, whatever he thinks the contestants need. He’s willing to be ‘brutally honest,’ but he’s also not above lightheartedly mocking auditioners — or flirting with the females: ‘Where’s your pitchfork, you sexy devil?’ he asks one.

Performance News: Urban To Rock Super Bowl Pre-game

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Photo by: John Mayer


Latest tour news from Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Billy Falcon/Bon Jovi, CMA Songwriters Series, Teddy Gentry and the Oak Ridge Boys.
>>Keith Urban will perform at the Super Bowl XLV pregame festivities at Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6. Fox Super Bowl Sunday pregame coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET. Urban’s performance will also kick off on-sale dates (starting 2/11) for his summer Get Closer 2011 World Tour. The Black Eyed Peas will handle halftime duties.
>>As previously announced, Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party Tour launches tomorrow (1/21) in Little Rock, AR at the Verizon Arena. Tickets for the outing are selling out faster than ever before, with over 41,000 tickets already sold for the first four nights. Special guests are Eric Church and the JaneDear girls.

Billy Falcon


>>Nashville songwriter Billy Falcon will open for Bon Jovi in Raleigh, NC on Feb. 21. The performance marks the release of Falcon’s new album, When, featuring songs he wrote with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Falcon has co-written more than a dozen songs on the last six Bon Jovi albums, including the hit singles “When We Were Beautiful” and “Superman Tonight.” Also, Falcon and daughter Rose co-wrote the track “Give In To Me,” performed by Faith Hill on the Country Strong soundtrack.
>>The CMA Songwriters Series will return to the venue where it all began, New York City’s Joe’s Pub, on Thurs., March 24 (6:30 and 9:00 PM/ET). This will be the seventh year for the wildly popular series that continues to play to sell-out crowds. On the line up are MCA Nashville’s Ashton Shepherd, and hit songwriters Rivers Rutherford, Chris Wallin, and Bob DiPiero. www.joespub.com.
>>After taking a break, Teddy Gentry of Alabama fame is prepping for a return to the road. His concert series starts with a public party on Jan. 21, 7:30 pm at 3rd and Lindsley, celebrating his 59th birthday. It’s also the debut of his new band, Rockit City, comprised of Gentry, Billy Davis, Charles English, Chip Davis, Dillon Dixon, Jimmy Stewart, and Shawn Fichter.
>>The Oak Ridge Boys are kicking off their 2011 concert appearances with a series of events at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort. The boys will entertain fans at their 2-night, 3-day rally, set for Jan. 21-23.