Benefits: Mow The Row In Memory of Joshua Ragsdale

Craig Morgan was saluted recently by the Tennessee City Volunteer Fire Department for rescuing two children from a burning house last month. Pictured backstage at the Grand Ole Opry House. (L-R): Danny Tucker, Jr., Chief Mike Grant, Joe Murraca, Craig Morgan, and Lieutenant Brian Bretoi.


>>>Songwriter Harley Allen is battling stage four lung cancer. Among his hits are Blake Shelton’s “The Baby,” Joe Nichols’ “I’ll Wait For You,” and Darryl Worley’s “Awful, Beautiful Life.” Allen has also had numerous cuts by Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Gary Allan, Garth Brooks, Josh Turner and more. He is married to Debbie Nims. Friends are welcome to send cards to Harley Allen c/o Harlan Howard Songs, 1902 Wedgewood Ave., Nashville, TN 37212.
>>>Darius Rucker’s second annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert will be Monday, June 6 at the Wildhorse Saloon. Performers have not been announced. Last year he raised over $48,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Ticket info at DariusRucker.com.
>>>The 5th Annual Country Weekly Fashion Show & Concert will take place Tuesday, June 7 at Nashville’s Rocketown. The event will benefit Musicians On Call, a non-profit organization which brings live and recorded music to patients in healthcare facilities.
>>>Planning is underway for the inaugural Mow The Row benefit in memory of songwriter Joshua Ragsdale. The celebrity lawnmower race and concert is set for Tuesday, June 7 on Demonbreun. Ragsdale, who died of cancer last year at age 32, came up with the idea to benefit the Hospital Hospitality House. A committee of his friends and loved ones from the music business are organizing the event. Artists are still needed to participate. Hospital Hospitality House is a home away from home for patients and families seeking medical treatment in Nashville hospitals. To get involved, visit www.mowtherow.com.
>>>Also benefiting Hospital Hospitality House is an upcoming dinner and concert featuring Steve Cropper and Lee Roy Parnell. On Tuesday, April 19, Balfour Beatty Construction will host an evening at the Nashville Dinner Theatre in Printer’s Alley. Tickets at www.hospitalhospitalityhouse.org.
>>>Randy Owen has joined forces with BLEVE Entertainment to release a new album on May 19. Friends was produced by Michael Knox and will kick off BLEVE’s Help the Good Guys campaign. Profits will benefit the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

Alan Jackson Teams With Capitol's EMI Records Nashville

Alan Jackson is teaming with Capitol Records Nashville to release his next album. The superstar is heading into the studio soon and his new music will be released as a joint venture between ACR (Alan’s Country Records) and Capitol/EMI Records Nashville.
Jackson, who built his 60-million album selling career at former home Arista Records, has had a long standing relationship with Capitol Records Nashville President and CEO Mike Dungan.
In 2010 Capitol Records Nashville announced its newest imprint EMI Records Nashville, which is designed to be a sister label to Capitol Nashville.
ACR (Alan’s Country Records) was formed by Jackson when he released his 2002 Let It Be Christmas album, followed by the platinum-selling Precious Memories in 2005.

Alan Jackson and Mike Dungan—the early years.


“Mike Dungan and I go way back. He was right there during my early days at Arista, and it’s going to be great to work with him and his team there at Capitol,” Jackson says. “I’m happy to be joining the hottest label in Nashville.”
“Everyone here at Capitol/EMI is beyond thrilled to represent Alan Jackson,” responds Dungan. “A true American original, a future Hall of Famer, and an artist whose work to date is not only commercially successful, but is of historical cultural significance. We are honored, and we are jacked!”
Jackson has topped the country singles charts 35 times, and won countless awards, including three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors.

NYT Feels Music Industry Pain

“If it was as easy as it looks, everyone would do it.” These words may best describe some of the early pain being felt by the New York Times as it struggles to adjust the rules, technology and concept of its, about-to-begin March 28, paywall. And although the music industry is just an onlooker in this info-tug-of-war, no doubt music leaders can see a close parallel to their own industry.
A loophole purposely built into the NYT system has already backfired. NYT decided that links from  Twitter and Facebook should get free passage through the paywall and be able to exceed the 20 item limit per month imposed on non-subscribers. Search links would get five items per day. The thinking seems sound, since these social networking/search links are responsible for directing large amounts of traffic to the newspaper website.

Enter new Twitter feed @freeNYTimes. The feed tweets a link to every story published on nytimes.com. This allows readers to easily surf around and through the paywall, avoiding its restrictions. According to a Forbes.com story, NYT has already asked Twitter to shut down the new feed. At press the feed has 562 followers and explains itself by saying, “NYTimes articles as they’re published. Read more than your 20 articles/month allotment, because you came from Twitter! Data provided by The New York Times.”
A second similar twitter feed has already sprouted at @timeswiretap. It now has 92 followers.

Another widely reported NYT hack was created by a Canadian blogger in just four lines of code and bears the name, NYTClean. The site is already experiencing a massive slowdown due to a rash of unexpectedly high visitor traffic.
NYTClean coder David Hayes sums up the problem saying, “Wow, I’ve gotten tens of thousands of hits since this went up yesterday, especially considering this was a lunchtime project — You just can’t see a wall like this without wondering how you can get around it. I love the New York Times, don’t say that I forced you to not pay for it.”

Dolly's "Better Day" Still To Come

Dolly Parton is making plans to release her new studio album Better Day (Dolly Records) this summer, followed by an extensive worldwide tour. The iconic star will perform the album’s first single “Together You & I” live May 26 on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The album’s exact release date is yet to be announced, but is expected in June or July.
“I wanted to do an album that would be very uplifting and positive, as well as inspirational,” says Parton. “Times are hard all over. I think people need to feel better and I thought Better Day was a perfect title because it says ‘hope.’”
The Better Day world tour kicks off July 17 in Knoxville, including two shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. On August 20, the trek moves overseas and features two shows at the O2 Arena in London. Full dates included below.
Dolly’s 2008 album Backwoods Barbie produced singles like “Better Get To Livin’” and “Shinola” and the ensuing European tour played for over 170k fans.
Better Day tour dates:
Sun 17 Jul – Knoxville, TN – University of Tennessee – Thompson Boling Arena
Tue 19 Jul – Dallas, TX – Verizon Theatre Grand Prairie
Wed 20 Jul – Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Casino
Fri 22 Jul – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sat 23 Jul – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sun 24 Jul – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion
Wed 27 Jul – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino
Thu 28 Jul – Chicago, IL – Rosemont Theater
Sat 30 Jul – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre
Sun 31 Jul – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap
Tue 02 Aug – Durham NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
Wed 03 Aug – Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater @ Encore Park
Sat 20 Aug – Glasgow – Glasgow SECC
Sun 21 Aug – Glasgow – Glasgow SECC
Mon 22 Aug – Nottingham – Nottingham Arena
Thur 25 Aug – Copenhagen – Copenhagen Forum
Sat 27 Aug – Stockholm – Globe Arena
Sun 28 Aug – Göteborg, Sweden – Gothenburg Scandinavium
Wed 31 Aug – Liverpool – Echo Arena
Fri 2 Sept – Birmingham – LG Arena
Sat 3 Sept – Cardiff – CIA Arena
Sun 4 Sept – Cardiff – CIA Arena
Tue 6 Sept – Bournemouth – Bournemouth BIC
Wed 7 Sept – London – O2 Arena
Thur 8 Sept – London – O2 Arena
Sat 10 Sept – Newcastle – Metro Radio Arena
Sun 11 Sept – Manchester – Evening News Arena
Mon 12 Sept – Sheffield – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 14 Sept – Dublin – 02 Arena
Thur 15 Sept – Belfast – Odyssey Arena

Industry Ink Wednesday

The CMC Rocks the Hunter 2011 Country Music festival in New South Wales, Australia served as the backdrop for two recent CMA International Award presentations. Event performer Joe Nichols; event co-producer and CMA Board member Rob Potts; and event host and CMA Board member Storme Warren of GAC's "Headline Country" presented the CMA Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award to Cheryl Byrnes, Manager of Country Music Capital News, and the CMA International Country Broadcast Award to Larry Cann, of the Fairfax KIX Country Radio Network. Pictured (l-r) Warren, Nichols, Byrnes, and Potts.


>>>>The Country Network (TCN) continues to expand its broadcast reach with the addition of five new television station affiliates under an agreement with Kansas City, Missouri based Newport Television. These new markets—Salt Lake City, Fresno, Little Rock, Wichita, and Tulsa—will begin airing TCN next month. Including the association with Newport Television, TCN is available on 42 stations.
>>>>Aria Records Nashville artist David St. Romain has signed with entertainment publicity company Shock Ink for exclusive media relations representation. The Nashville Star alum released his latest album, All I Really Wanted To Say, this month. Its first single, “Twenty Years Late,” will impact radio April 4.
>>>>Debut Broadcasting Corp.‘s Syndication Division is prepping the launch of three new national radio programs: A Country Legend, Radio Racing Minute, and Boot Scooting 90’s.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (3/23/11)

This week, we’re going from one extreme to the other.
At one end of the sonic spectrum, we have the stone-country sound of Bradley Gaskin. He stopped the show with “Mr. Bartender” during the CRS Convention, and this hardcore honky-tonk single will leave you gasping for breath. Give that man a DisCovery Award.
At the other end of the sonic spectrum is the magnificent, layered, pop/rock majesty of Music City tunesmith Chas Sandford. Go out right now and buy his Wag More, Bark Less disc debut.
We have everything from the retro-country sound of Brad Paisley to the classic R&B groove of the Don Ray Band, from the bopping return of Donny & Marie to the sober thoughts of papa Trace Adkins.
Our Disc of the Day goes to Martina McBride for telling it like it is in the lyrics of “Teenage Daughters.”
HEIDI NEWFIELD/Stay Up Late
Writer: Jimmy Yeary/Sonya Isaacs/Ben Hayslip; Producer: Blake Chancey; Publisher: Black to Black/ole/Nashvistaville/Sonya Isaacs/WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—The too-thick production almost overwhelms her soulful delivery. Mix her voice up hotter, but by all means keep that cool, shambling, backbeat rhythm track.
RACHEL HOLDER/Chocolate
Writer: Chuck Howard/Bob Regan/Kristy Osmunson; Producer: Chuck Howard & Wilbur Rimes; Publisher: none listed; All Entertainment (www.rachelholder.com)
—Brightly bouncy. Innocent fun. Her saucy delivery is nicely matched with a galloping, sprightly track.
BRAD PAISLEY & ALABAMA/Old Alabama
Writer: Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Dave Turnbull/Randy Owen; Producer: Frank Rogers; Publisher: House of Sea Gayle/Words & Music/Circle C/V Bulls/Full Circle/Sony-ATV Tree, ASCAP/BMI; Arista
—Nothing screams “1980s” like an old Alabama record. I’m not at all sure that sounding deliberately dated is a good idea. But if you’re cool with that, Brad quotes the song titles, uses the sounds and even signs up the reunited Alabama, itself, to lend vocals and guitar/fiddle chops.
ZANE WILLIAMS/Ride With Me
Writer: Zane Williams; Producer: Zane Williams; Publisher: Sony-ATV Cross Keys, ASCAP; Hack Circle (track) (www.ZaneWilliamsMusic.com)
—Perennial troubadour Zane has always been his own best interpreter. Here, he keeps things breezy, tuneful and earnest on a dandy open-road song. Love the rapid-fire lyric delivery, the fiddle solo and the steady, stuttering rhythm.
MARTINA McBRIDE/Teenage Daughters
Writer: Martina McBride/Brett Warren/Brad Warren; Producer: Byron Gallimore & Martina McBride; Publisher: StyleSonic/EMI Blackwood/Delemmava, BMI; Republic
—A little slab of universal truth from a lady who has always specialized in it. The crunchy production is full of interesting textures, and her vocal is ultra expressive.
DON RAY BAND WITH SHAUN MURPHY/Love Is
Writer: Don Ray; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Margdon, BMI; Margdon
—Darkly bluesy, throbbing and minor key. Accented with R&B horns. Shaun and Don swap gritty vocal licks like a soul sister and brother. Old school and cool.
BRADLEY GASKIN/Mr. Bartender
Writer: Bradley Gaskin; Producer: John Rich & Charlie Pennachio; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; Columbia
—It is written so perfectly, you’ll swear you are listening to a revived classic from the catalog of George Jones, Johnny Paycheck or Merle Haggard. Hot, hot honky-tonk music with a ferocious bite. Say, “Amen,” country lovers.
CHAS SANDFORD/Broken
Writer: Chas Sandford/James Matchack; Producer: Chas Sandford; Publisher: Chas Alan Sandford/Madman Matchack, BMI; Hanalei Music Group (track) (www.chassanford.com)
—This pop/rock Nashvillian is notable as the composer of such masterpieces as “Missing You” (John Waite, Brooks & Dunn), “What Kind of Man Would I Be” (Chicago) and “Talk to Me” (Stevie Nicks). Rascal Flatts, Roger Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Jimmy Barnes and Rick Springfield are among the others who have recorded his tunes. Sandford’s Wag More Bark Less CD is jam packed with potential monster hits. “Drop the needle” anywhere, and you’ll be blown away. His songwriting collaborators on the collection include such stellar contributors as Greg Barnhill, Shane McAnally, Lee Roy Parnell and James Dean Hicks. This particular track is an awesome, torn-from-the-chest ballad that he sings with searing tenor intensity. Sign me up for the fan club. You need this music in your life, too.
TRACE ADKINS/Just Fishin’
Writer: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell/Ed Hill; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Six Ring Circus/Sony-ATV Tree/Five Hills/Do Write, BMI; Show Dog Universal
—Sweetly sentimental, it’s about a Daddy making memories with his little girl he loves so much. Full of heart.
DONNY & MARIE/The Good Life
Writer: Eric Paslay/Clay Mills; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Publisher: Cal IV/Still Working for the Woman, ASCAP; MPCA (CDX) (212-796-2030)
—Jaunty, well written and produced with panache. Both Osmonds still sing with vigor.

Steel Guitar Master Ralph Mooney Passes

Steel guitar great Ralph Mooney, the co-writer of the country standard “Crazy Arms,” died Sunday, March 20, at his home in Arlington, Texas.
Mooney was noted for his distinctive playing behind such superstars as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. He can be heard on such early 1960s Owens hits as “Under Your Spell Again” and “Foolin’ Around” and on such late 1960s Haggard classics as “The Bottle Let Me Down,” “Strangers” and “Swinging Doors.”
He spent more than two decades in Waylon Jennings’ band The Waylors, beginning in 1970. He made significant musical contributions to such classic Jennings “outlaw” albums as Dreaming My Dreams, Honky Tonk Heroes, Ladies Love Outlaws, Lonesome Orn’ry and Mean, Are You Ready for the Country, Waylon Live, I’ve Always Been Crazy and This Time. He can also be heard on the 1978 Waylon Jennings / Willie Nelson hit duet “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”
Mooney also recorded with Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Wanda Jackson, Wynn Stewart (“It’s Such a Pretty World Today”), Donna Fargo, Jessi Colter, Tommy Collins, Earl Scruggs, Hoyt Axton and many others.
He also recorded an instrumental album of his own. Corn Pickin’ and Slick Slidin’ (with guitarist James Burton) was issued by Capitol Records in 1968.
The instrumentalist was a native of Oklahoma who began his professional playing career in California in the 1940s. He and Chuck Seals co-wrote “Crazy Arms,” which became a massive No. 1 hit for Ray Price in 1956.
“Crazy Arms” has subsequently been recorded by hundreds of others, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Ernest Tubb, The Sons of the Pioneers, Linda Ronstadt, Bobby Bare, Chuck Berry, Patsy Cline, Webb Pierce, Duane Eddy, The Andrews Sisters, BR5-49, Patti Page, Johnny Paycheck, Tanya Tucker, The Sir Douglas Quintet, Trini Lopez, Patty Loveless, Bing Crosby, Conway Twitty, Van Morrison and Gram Parsons, as well as Waylon Jennings. Marion Worth revived the classic on the charts in 1963, and Willie Nelson re-popularized it on the country hit parade again in 1979.
One of Ralph Mooney’s last recording sessions was for Marty Stuart’s 2010 Ghost Train CD. On it, he delivered an instrumental version of “Crazy Arms.” Mooney and Stuart co-wrote “Little Heartbreaker (The Likes of You)” for the album.
Ralph Mooney died of cancer at age 82. He will be buried today [Wednesday, March 23] in Arlington, Texas.

Stealing Angels "Paper Heart"

Caroline Cutbirth, Jennifer Wayne, and Tayla Lynn are STEALING ANGELS. Photo: Ann-Marie Hensley Photography


Members: Caroline Cutbirth, Tayla Lynn, Jennifer Wayne
Single: “Paper Heart”
Album: Stealing Angels, releasing 2011
Label: Skyville Records
Caroline Cutbirth, Jennifer Wayne, and Tayla Lynn are STEALING ANGELS. In case any of their last names sound familiar…they should! These young women are descended from American icons, including country great Loretta Lynn, film legend John Wayne and American folk hero Daniel Boone. But it is their music, not their background that promises to make their names as well known as their famous families.
• STAR POWER is in their genes: Jennifer Wayne is John Wayne’s granddaughter. Tayla Lynn is Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter. Caroline Cutbirth is a sixth generation Texan and counts Daniel Boone as a relative.
• Initially aspiring solo artists, the ladies of Stealing Angels met on the Nashville music circuit, performing, writing and trying to be heard by record executives and A&R people. They began writing music together and quickly found artistic common ground as a group.
• The Trio will take part in Sean Connery’s “Dressed To Kilt” fashion show on April 5 in New York City, benefitting Wounded Warriors Project.
• Album produced by Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum, Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride).
• New single “Paper Heart” from upcoming debut album ships to country radio on March 28th for an April 18th impact date.
• The music video, directed by Travis Nicholson and Wes Edwards, will debut this spring.
• “Paper Heart” was written by: Gordie Sampson, Hillary Lindsey, and Steve McEwan.
• The women of Stealing Angels are all gifted songwriters and contributed 11 of the 13 songs on their upcoming debut album.
• Even before their debut album has been released, Stealing Angels has been featured by ABC’s Robin Roberts in her one‐hour national TV special on country music.
• Home States: Jennifer/California, Tayla/Tennessee, Caroline/Texas.

Skyville Promotion Team. (L-R): Kevin Herring, Paul Williams, Dale Turner, Theresa Ford, Dave Collins, and Meredith Salefski. Email contact: firstname@skynash.com. (exception: paul.williams@skynash.com)



Paper Heart (Radio Edit) by StealingAngels

Official Website: www.StealingAngels.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StealingAngels
Twitter: @StealingAngels
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/StealingAngelsMusic
Diane Richey Promotions: 615-320-7618 • richeypromodr@comcast.net

Someone Else Getting A Payday

BMI toasted the No. 1 success of Luke Bryan’s latest single “Someone Else Calling You Baby” during a feel-good gathering on Monday, March 21 at the company’s Music Row offices.
Written by Bryan and his producer Jeff Stevens, the song is Bryan’s third consecutive No. 1 off his Gold certified album, Doin’ My Thing. It follows the other charttoppers from his sophomore effort “Do I” and “Rain Is A Good Thing.”
“Someone Else Calling You Baby” marks Stevens’ sixth No. 1 as a songwriter.
Bryan released an EP, Spring Break 3…It’s A Shore Thing, on March 1. He will hit the road this summer on Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic Tour.

Pictured are (l-r): Capitol Nashville’s Mike Dungan and Shane Allen, Red Light Management’s Kerri Edwards, co-writer and producer Jeff Stevens, Luke Bryan, Bug Music’s Roger Murrah, and BMI’s Clay Bradley.

Photos: Chesney, Carter’s Chord, SXSW


Kenny Chesney’s Goin’ Coastal Tour, presented by Corona, kicked off last Thursday in West Palm Beach. He also performed recently in Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium to a sold-out crowd of over 50,000. The tour now sets the compass north for upcoming shows in Des Moines, IA (3/24); St. Paul, MN (3/25); and Omaha, NE (3/26).

Kenny Chesney

• • • •

Show Dog-Universal Music artists Carter’s Chord performed the national anthem Saturday (3/19) at the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Bristol, broadcast live on ESPN. The group recently released the first single from an upcoming new collection of music. “A Little Less Comfortable” was written by Carter’s Chord members Emily and Joanna Robertson, with songwriter Phillip White.

Pictured (l-r) Joanna, Becky and Emily Robertson

• • • • •

SESAC’s SXSW showcase in Austin featured performances by Strange Boys, Oberhofer, Superhumanoids and Band Of Heathens. SESAC also hosted a “Green Eggs & Band” Brunch during the music festival and conference. The event brought together SESAC-affiliated bands, such as Nashville-based The Honeymoon Thrillers, with journalists, music supervisors and industry executives for a fun and casual confab.

Pictured (l-r): Nathan Barlowe, Cary Barlowe and Chris Boyle of The Honeymoon Thrillers. Photo: Cara Pastore