Facebook Unites SoundCloud And Moontoast

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If the social networking revolution is about bringing users together to share experiences and affinities, then a smoothly integrated commerce engine should provide mutual value to all parties. And that seems to be the rationale behind the new collaboration between SoundCloud and Moontoast.
SoundCloud is an audio platform that enables its four million users to create, record, promote, and share original sounds across the web. SoundCloud’s cornerstone product is a unique waveform player that allows anyone to share their tracks and other sound content online, and collect feedback from listeners. (See example above.)
Moontoast has created Impulse, a Facebook application which gives SoundCloud users a quick way to offer their original music, recordings and merchandise directly to their Facebook fans. The direct-to-fan storefront lives on the artist’s Facebook page and can be promoted in the artist’s News Feed. Fans are able to listen to tracks, share the store with their friends, and purchase digital downloads, physical merchandise, and tickets — all without ever leaving Facebook.
Blair Heavey, Moontoast CEO, comments, “We love what SoundCloud is doing to take sound creation and distribution mainstream. Their amazing community is like YouTube for audio — we’re glad we can deliver a great solution that brings social commerce into the mix.”
“We think the addition of direct-to-fan sales on Facebook through the Moontoast Impulse app is going to provide great opportunities for our users,” says Alexander Ljung, SoundCloud’s founder and CEO. “This is another example of how important it is to let third party developers build on our API – they create awesome new ways for our users to get even more out of our platform and that makes everyone happy.”
 

Funky Winkerbean Goes Country

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This Sunday, June 26, the lyrics to the classic country song, “Til I Gain Control Again,” play a prominent role in the long‐running comic strip “Funky Winkerbean.” Written by Rodney Crowell and published by Tessa Publishing Company, song was first recorded by Emmylou Harris in 1975.
Tom Batiuk, the cartoonist, specifically requested the use of the song as a loving tribute to his wife for their 40th wedding anniversary. Nearly all seven cells of the strip feature the lyrics to the song as the basis for an anniversary sequence starring the main characters, Funky and Holly.
Many artists have recorded “‘Til I Gain Control Again” over the years, including Willie Nelson, Crystal Gayle and, most recently, Raul Malo on the 2010 album Sinners & Saints. Crowell included it on his self‐titled album in 1981.
“Funky Winkerbean” is syndicated in 400 newspapers nationwide. Tessa Publishing Co. is administered by Conexion Media Group, Inc., based in Nashville, TN.

Guy Clark Tribute Album Due In November

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A who’s who of roots, country and Americana will pay tribute to the legendary Guy Clark with the November 1 release of This One’s For Him: A Tribute To Guy Clark (Icehouse Music). Guests include Rodney Crowell, Shawn Colvin, Rosanne Cash, Willie Nelson, Steve Earle and many more. The release is timed to coincide with Clark’s 70th birthday on November 6.
Produced by Tamara Saviano and multi-instrumentalist Shawn Camp, the double album collection includes 30 tracks from 33 artists who are Clark’s friends and colleagues or influenced by his work. The full track list is included below. Austin-based engineer Fred Remmert mixed and mastered the project, which was recorded in Austin and Nashville with a band that included Camp, guitarist Verlon Thompson, pianist Jen Gunderman and more. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University in San Marcos.
“Guy’s songs are literature,” says Lyle Lovett, who also appears on the album. “The first time I heard Guy Clark, I thought it made everything I’d heard up to that point something other than a song. His ability to translate the emotional into the written word is extraordinary.”
Volume 1
1. That Old Time Feeling – Rodney Crowell
2. Anyhow I Love You – Lyle Lovett
3. All He Wants Is You – Shawn Colvin
4. Homeless – Shawn Camp
5. Broken Hearted People – Ron Sexsmith
6. Better Days – Rosanne Cash
7. Desperadoes Waiting For A Train – Willie Nelson
8. Baby Took A Limo To Memphis – Rosie Flores
9. Magdalene – Kevin Welch
10. Instant Coffee Blues – Suzy Bogguss
11. Homegrown Tomatoes – Ray Wylie Hubbard
12. Let Him Roll – John Townes Van Zandt II
13. The Guitar – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
14. Cold Dog Soup – James McMurtry
15. Worry B Gone – Hayes Carll
Volume 2
1. Dublin Blues – Joe Ely
2. Magnolia Wind – Emmylou Harris & John Prine
3. The Last Gunfighter Ballad – Steve Earle
4. All Through Throwing Good Love After Bad – Verlon Thompson
5. The Dark – Terri Hendrix
6. LA Freeway – Radney Foster
7. The Cape – Patty Griffin
8. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kris Kristofferson
9. Texas Cookin’ – Gary Nicholson, Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien
10. Stuff That Works – Jack Ingram
11. Randall Knife – Vince Gill
12. Texas 1947 – Robert Earl Keen
13. Old Friends – Terry Allen
14. She Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – The Trishas
15. My Favorite Picture of You – Jerry Jeff Walker

Bug Relocates, Adds Multi-Media Facility

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Publishers continue to adopt a larger role in the discovery and development of talent, and in an effort to streamline and intensify that process, Bug Music has announced its new offices will contain new multi-media tools. Bug, which calls itself the largest U.S. independent contemporary music publisher, is set to move July 1 into new offices at the 17-story building at 6100 Wilshire Blvd. The publisher will occupy about 20,000 square feet of space which will include a multi-media digital hub for performance showcases, recording and visual media production. The new facilities, spanning the top two penthouse floors and a new lobby-level recording studio, will augment the publisher’s efforts toward developing artists and writers and allow for recording and performances via webcasts in a premier showcase space.
Bug holds nearly 300,000 copyrights and has a roster comprising a long list of top songwriters across all genres, including Bruno Mars, Kara DioGuardi, Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, Pete Townshend, Three 6 Mafia, and the estates of Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Bug Music co-owned Arthouse Entertainment, the publishing company led by singer-songwriter Kara DioGuardi and co-founder, Stephen J. Finfer, will join Bug in the new offices from its current location in Beverly Hills.
“The July 1 move is the next milestone in our growth and evolution to develop and innovate with creative talents,” Bug Music CEO John Rudolph said. “We realize our future lies in our ability to maximize opportunities for our writers on multiple digital platforms. With this new space, we will be able to provide them the tools to efficiently address the new marketplace.”
 

Weekly Chart Report (6/24/11)

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Atlantic/WMN artist Brett Eldredge was recently in Maryland, where he visited with WXCY/Baltimore. He also sang the national anthem and threw the opening night first pitch at the sold-out Aberdeen Ironbirds minor league game. Former Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken, Jr. owns the Ironbirds team. (L-R): Ironbirds mascot, Eldredge.


SPIN ZONE
If the subject is CountryBreakout Chart No. 1 songs on this particular day, then the answer to Dierks Bentley’s question “Am I The Only One” is, simply, “yes.” In a short 14 weeks, Bentley’s latest has ascended to the upper reaches of the chart and now taken the top spot. His Capitol brethren Luke Bryan and Lady Antebellum are holding down spots No. 3 and 5 with “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “Just A Kiss,” respectively.
Keith Urban nails down another accolade for Capitol, as his new single, “Long Hot Summer” zooms on the chart at No. 59 for the week’s highest debut. Also making a first appearance is Shania Twain’s long-awaited “Today Is Your Day,” which enters at No. 70. Other debuts include J.T. Hodges’ “Hunt You Down” at No. 72, Shawna Russell’s “Get Right Or Get Left” at No. 73, and Brother Trouble’s “Summer’s Little Angel” at No. 76.
Urban’s new tune and George Strait’s “Here For A Good Time” (No. 29) both have 400+ spin increases, and yet Toby Keith somehow trumps them both. Following a major first week debut in at No. 34 in the previous chart, it piles on an additional 511 spins and shoots upward to No. 24.
On the independent side, Lucy Angel’s “Serious” is on the move at No. 34 with over half the panel reporting. Newly independent Phil Vassar is rising quickly at No. 36 with “Let’s Get Together,” followed by Jason Michael Carroll’s “Numbers” at No. 37. Amber Hayes notches a few spots higher to No. 38 with “Wait,” and Lea Seawright’s “On The Backroads” jumps to No. 40.
Frozen Playlists: KDXY, KVAY, KXOX, WAAG, WCMS, WCOW, WHWK, WKWS, WTCM
RADIO NEWS
Mark Lindow has taken over PD duties at WCMS/Nags Head, NC following the exit of Tom Jeffries. Reach him at [email protected].



Upcoming Singles
June 27
Brett Eldredge/It Ain’t Gotta Be Love/Atlantic/WMN
Marlee Scott/Beautiful Maybe/bigride/CO5
Ronnie Dunn/Cost of Livin’/Arista
Alan Jackson/Long Way To Go/ACR/EMI
Rascal Flatts feat. Natasha Bedingfield/Easy/Big Machine
Brian Robinson/Without God, Where Does That Leave America/Lamon
Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood/Remind Me/Arista
July 5
Dirt Drifters/Always A Reason/Warner Bros./WMN
July 11
Sonia Leigh/My Name Is Money/Southern Ground/BPG
Jason Sturgeon/The Cover/Toolpusher/Spinville
Christian Kane/Let Me Go/Bigger Picture
Katie Armiger/I Do But Do I/Cold River
• • • •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Keith Urban/Long Hot Summer/Capitol — 59
Shania Twain/Today Is Your Day/Mercury — 70
J.T. Hodges/Hunt You Down/Show Dog-Universal — 72
Shawna Russell/Get Right or Get Left/Way Out West Records — 73
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Toby Keith/Made In America/Show Dog-Universal — 511
George Strait/Here For A Good Time/MCA — 447
Keith Urban/Long Hot Summer/Capitol — 427
Alan Jackson/Long Way To Go/EMI — 334
Ronnie Dunn/Cost Of Livin’/Arista — 319
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Keith Urban/Long Hot Summer/Capitol — 34
Ronnie Dunn/Cost Of Livin’/Arista — 25
Alan Jackson/Long Way To Go/EMI — 23
Shania Twain/Today Is Your Day/Mercury — 22
Toby Keith/Made In America/Show Dog-Universal — 20
Rascal Flatts f. Natasha Bedingfield/Easy/Big Machine — 15
George Strait/Here For A Good Time/MCA — 13
J.T. Hodges/Hunt You Down/Show Dog-Universal — 11
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Kellie Pickler/Tough/BNA — 243
Colt Ford/She Likes To Ride In Trucks/Average Joe’s — 230
Rascal Flatts f. Natasha Bedingfield/Easy/Big Machine — 221
Susan Hickman/Just Missed This Train/4 L Clover Entertainment — 220
Alison Krauss & Union Station/Paper Airplanes/Rounder — 209

While out on her Speak Now tour, Taylor Swift visited with staff members of WCJW/Warsaw, NY. (L-R): CJ morning show producer Jeff Bennett, Weeknight personality Kelli Carson, Swift, PD Lee Richey, News Director Steve Weber.


Katie Armiger visited with WOKQ/Dover, NH, where she performed her new single, “I Do But Do I” for the staff. (L-R): Cold River regional rep Mary Lynne O’Neal, WOKQ PD Mark Jennings, Armiger.


Josh Turner spent Father’s Day headlining an all UMG day of performances at WBCT’s Birthday Bash in Grand Rapids, MI. (L-R): WBCT’s Dave Taft, Turner, WBCT’s Doug Montgomery.

 

Photo Friday

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Luke Bryan, Doobie Brothers on “CMT Crossroads”
Luke Bryan teamed with The Doobie Brothers for the new installment of CMT Crossroads, set to premiere Friday, June 24 at 9 p.m., CT. Taped before an invitation-only audience in Nashville, the show includes major hits from The Doobie Brothers (“Black Water,” Long Train Runnin,” “China Grove”) and Bryan (“Rain is a Good Thing,” “Do I,” “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”).

(L-R): John Hamlin, SVP Music Events & Talent, CMT; Bill Flanagan, EVP Editorial Director, MTVN; John McFee, The Doobie Brothers; Tom Johnston, The Doobie Brothers; Patrick Simmons, The Doobie Brothers; Brian Philips, President, CMT; Luke Bryan; Mike Dungan, President, Capitol Records Nashville; Tom Forrest, Producer, Taillight Productions. Photo: Rick Diamond/WireImage.com


 
Justin Moore and his Outlaws
Justin Moore took songwriting pals Jeremy Stover and Rhett Akins with him to perform Wednesday (6/22) in Indianapolis. The show presented by Hank FM (WLHK) was called The Making of Outlaws Like Me, named for Moore’s new album.

(L-R): HANK FM’s Bob Richards, Justin Moore, HANK FM’s Lisa Aigner, Ernie Mills, Fritz Moser, Jeremy Stover and Rhett Akins


 
Xtreme Muzik Tour Opens At Show Me Fest
Xtreme Muzik The Tour starring Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson launched Saturday night (6/18) at the Show Me Music and Arts Festival in Springfield, Missouri. Produced by Tony Conway, the festival was the first event of its kind in the area, drawing three-day aggregate attendance of 34,000 fans. Other performers included Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, Train, OneRepublic, and REO Speedwagon.

Artists and crew of "Xtreme Muzik The Tour" gathered with Show Me Music & Arts Festival producer Tony Conway (center w/ball cap) prior to the tour's first show on Saturday night in Springfield, MO.

Vince Gill Heads To Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ryman Tonight

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Vince Gill will get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the 2012 class of inductees alongside Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, David Foster, Heart and others. Gill, who moved to Los Angeles at age 19, has long had an affinity for the city. Today he recalls, “When I lived out there, I was such a young person that I hadn’t really accomplished much of anything. So even the thought of one day having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was preposterous. It was silly. It wasn’t even in the realm of my thinking.”
The first time he performed in Los Angeles was at the famed Troubadour. He played in Sundance, a bluegrass group fronted by Byron Berline that opened for Guy Clark. “It turns out Emmylou Harris was there, and Rodney Crowell and Guy Clark,” he says, “all of these people that I had no idea how they would shape my future. There they were right off the bat, and we hit it off.”
Even today as Gill preps for the fall release of his new album Guitar Slinger, he remains close to those bluegrass roots. Tonight (6/23) in Nashville he is kicking off the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman concert series. Others set for the string of shows are Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (June 30); Sam Bush with The Josh Williams Band (July 7); a Bill Monroe 100th Birthday tribute with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-press and Sierra Hull & Highway 111 (July 14); Dailey & Vincent with Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (July 21); and Doc Watson (July 28). More info at ryman.com.

Dolly Looks Toward "Better Day"

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Dolly Parton chats with American Country Countdown host Kix Brooks to promote her new album. Photo: Thien Phan as photographer.


Dolly Parton is gearing up for Tuesday’s (6/28) release of her new album Better Day. The first single “Together You And I” is climbing MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart, and she recently shot a video for the song in Nashville with director Trey Fanjoy. The project is coming via Dolly Records, with distribution through Warner Music Nashville.
Parton will kick-off a world tour July 17 in Knoxville, TN. She is set for a July 22 performance on The Tonight Show, and a two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles July 22 -23. After wrapping the U.S. dates August 3, the tour moves overseas for 18 shows in England, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden starting August 20. She will play a pair of shows September 7-8 at the O2 Arena in London, the venue where Parton recorded her 2009 two-disc DVD/CD set, Live From London. A tour of Australia will follow in November, and more dates in the U.S. and Canada in 2012 are in the works.

Country's Night To Rock TV

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Blake Shelton performs at the Nightly Concerts at LP Field on Sunday, June 12 . Photographer: John Russell / CMA


The ABC-TV special CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock will air Sun., Aug. 7. The concert special was taped June 9-12 at the 40th annual festival.
Among the artists who will perform on the program are Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Sara Evans, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.
The primetime television special, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, debuted in 2004 on CBS as a two-hour special highlighting the Festival and Music City. In 2005, the special moved to the ABC Television Network, and expanded to three hours in 2009.
In 2010, the special helped ABC hit a Wednesday summer-high in both Total Viewers (6.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.7/5). It also grew by 6% year to year with Women 18-34 (1.8/6 vs. 1.7/5).
CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock is executive-produced by Robert Deaton.

Memorial Scheduled For Bill Johnson

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Bill Johnson with his favorite paint brush, wearing a t-shirt with the logo he designed for his hometown of Yankton, SD.


A memorial celebration will be held for late art director Bill Johnson on Sun., June 26. The event will be 3-5:30 PM at the WO Smith Music School.
His wife Cynda Johnson requests friends bring stories to share and photographs of Bill to post on a memory board. She writes on his CaringBridge site that the party will have his “favorite ingredients: good friends, stories, food and vodka.”
See the full obituary here.