Curb Signs New Artist

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Front (L-R): Ruth Collins and attorney Jordan Keller. Back (L-R): Jeff Lysyczyn (Big Show Music Co.), Tiffany Goss (Curb Music Publishing), John Ozier (Curb Records), Colt Cameron (Curb Music Publishing), and Al McManus (Big Show Music Co.)


Ruth Collins has signed with Curb Records and Curb Music Publishing. The rising singer-songwriter is represented by managers Jeff Lysyczyn and Al McManus of Big Show Music Co.
Fans of CMT’s Can You Duet may recognize Collins from her time on the show, where she performed alongside Victoria Gibson as part of the duo Wild Honey.
Collins is native of New York state who moved to Nashville in 2007 following a stint at the prestigious Berklee College of Music.
The lifelong musician has been studying violin and classical piano since age three. She began writing songs as a teenager after her dad introduced her to the music of James Taylor.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (7/6/11)

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Superstars Taylor Swift and Shania Twain are in the mix this week, but both were trumped by lesser lights.
Challenging the two divas for supremacy were excellent new sounds from Craig Morgan, Robin Meade, Royal Wade Kimes and Jody Jenkins. Kasey Chambers and Billy Ray Cyrus were so good that they finished in a dead heat for Disc of the Day.
Atlantic/Warner newcomer Ty Stone sings in a soulfully strangulated tenor voice. But his real reason for earning a DisCovery Award is his remarkable, truth-telling song, “American Style.”
TY STONE/American Style
Writer: Ty Stone/Marlon Young; Producer: Marlon Young; Publisher: Ty Stone/Jo Ray Dean/Sony-ATV, BMI; Top Dog/Atlantic/Warner
—This solid little blue-collar rocker echoes the classic work done by folks like John Mellencamp, Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen. Stone chronicles the hard times faced by working-class Americans, yet concludes that we’re still all standing together. Sing it, brother.
MARTY McINTOSH/The American Night
Writer: Dennis Knutson/Roger Alan Wade; Producer: David Frizzell; Publisher: Major Bob/Rio Bravo/Castle Bound, BMI/SESAC; Nashville America (CDX) (615-654-4909)
—The well-produced track packs plenty of punch, and the song is very well written. The vocalist has a two-note range.
CRAIG MORGAN/This Ole Boy
Writer: Ben Hayslip/Dallas Davidson/Rhett Akins; Producer: Phil O’Donnell; Publisher: WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This/EMI Blackwood/Song Stretcher/Rhettneck, ASCAP/BMI; Black River (CDX)
—This Grand Ole Opry star remains one of the finest pure-country singers of ‘em all. This toe tapper celebrates hillbilly love with joy poured into every note. Absolutely radio ready.
ROYAL WADE KIMES/500 Miles Away From Home
Writer: Bobby Bare/Charlie Williams/Hedy West; Producer: George Bradfute & Mike Noble; Publisher: EMI/Warner-Unichappell/Central Songs, BMI; Wonderment (CDX) (www.royalwadekimes.com)
—This 1963 Bobby Bare pop-crossover smash now serves as Royal’s finest single in recent memory. Like Bare, he lets the song’s inherent sadness carry the day rather than engaging in any vocal histrionics. His hang-dog delivery, the note-perfect instrumental support and the sweetly retro backing vocalists are all audio delights.
SHANIA TWAIN/Today Is Your Day
Writer: Shania Twain; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Shania Twain; Publisher: Loon Echo/Songs of Universal, BMI; Mercury (CDX)
—The lyrics of this ballad sound cribbed from the self-help-book cliche encyclopedia. But the memorable melody, crystalline production and vocal performance are all sterling.
ROBIN MEADE/Dirty Laundry
Writer: Don Henley/Danny Kortchmar; Producer: Victoria Shaw; Publisher: Woody Creek/Warner Tamerlane/WB, BMI/ASCAP; Robin Meade/Somerset Entertainment (track)
—How deliciously ironic that this HLN TV newswoman’s country single debut is Don Henley’s famed 1982 screed against TV journalism. Bo Bice, Kix Brooks, Gary Burr, Sarah Buxton and Victoria Shaw join her on the choruses, but this is Robin’s feisty vocal showcase all the way. This gal has moxie.
BILLY RAY CYRUS/Runway Lights
Writer: Josh Kear/Mark Irwin/Jameson Clark; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Publisher: Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Big Purple Dog/Universal/MGB, ASCAP; Buena Vista (track) (www.billyraycyrus.com)
—Billy Ray’s new I’m American CD is dedicated to our men and women in uniform. Its lead-off single is the stirring saga of a Navy flier overseas who yearns for the sights, sounds and sensations of home. Brilliantly written and performed with sincerity and passion.
JODY JENKINS/Brings Back Amarillo
Writer: Bart Butler/Frank Solesbee; Producer: Bart Butler; Publisher: Bill Butler, BMI; Zone 7 (210-497-7908)
—Very dusty and western sounding. The track has a wide-open-spaces vibe, but the song is almost claustrophobic in its yearning misery of lost love. Very echoey and evocative.
TAYLOR SWIFT/Sparks Fly
Writer: Taylor Swift; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Taylor Swift, BMI; Big Machine (track)
—Delirious pop romance. As usual with this artist, the hooks are impossibly catchy.
KASEY CHAMBERS/Little Bird
Writer: Kasey Chambers; Producer: Kasey Chambers & The Millionaires; Publisher: Essence/Mushroom, no performance rights listed; Essence/Sugar Hill (track) (www.kaseychambers.com)
—This gifted Aussie seems to grow more creative with each release. The title tune to her latest offers a birdie’s lilting advice about how to win him back. She retorts in a sweetly snarky soprano that she doesn’t want him that badly anyhow. The twinkling production, her layered vocals and the swirling mood are all ear tickling in the extreme. Play it again.

Flying Island Names Radio Promotion Team

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Nashville-based Flying Island Entertainment has finalized its radio promotion staff with the addition of Shelia Shipley Biddy, Brian Fee, Jill Tomalty, and Bonita Allen to the team. The group’s first project will be FUNL Music artist Amber Hayes.
Industry veteran Shelia Shipley Biddy will be handling promotion duties in the Northeast and Southeast regions, and brings a wealth of experience from both labels and management to the table. Her career includes time with MCA, Decca (where she became the first female to lead a Nashville label), Vivaton and Stringtown. Most recently she served as manager and project consultant with Hallmark Direction Company.
Brian Fee will take on the West Coast/Southwest regions. He previously held positions with Lofton Creek, Quarterback, and the Bobby Roberts Agency. Jill Tomalty will focus on the Midwest/South Central region, her experience includes time with Curb Records and Word Entertainment. Bonita Allen will serve as Promotion Coordinator and most recently worked with WSM-AM and Westwood One. Nancy Tunick will serve as Flying Island’s label and promotion consultant, while also continuing her role as GrassRoots Promotion’s Managing Partner.
Flying Island has also landed a national promotion agreement with FUNL Music, home to Amber Hayes and Ty Herndon. Hayes’ current single “Wait” has climbed inside the Top 40 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.
“We could not be more excited at Flying Island about the announcement of our new radio team and our agreement with FUNL Music,” says Flying Island co-founder Nancy Eckert. “Our team is smart, enthusiastic and aggressive, and that’s exactly the type of personalities that we were looking for to help talented up-and-coming artists like Amber Hayes get the attention they deserve at Country radio.”
Reach Biddy at [email protected], Fee at [email protected], Tomalty at [email protected], and Allen at [email protected].

LeRose Cleans Up Online With New Album

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CJaye LeRose hasn’t stormed up the radio charts yet and she’s anything but a regular face on TV. However, if you have a computer, visit YouTube and are into social networks such as Facebook and Twitter then chances are you may already be a follower or friend.
In 2009, LeRose created her own YouTube channel to raise awareness about animal adoption. But she didn’t receive much reaction until she began posting videos of her songs. She now has over 2.5 million views and 35 thousand subscribers. LeRose has also garnered over 18 thousand Twitter followers and more than 15 thousand Facebook ‘likes.’
“My channel grew like it did not only because of my love for music, but also because of my love for people,” says LeRose who left her hometown Houston only a few short months ago to move to Music City. “I would spend all day just writing people back and answering as many comments as possible. I’ve gotten to be friends with so many of my subscribers.”
Now the young artist is set to release a nine-track album on July 12 called Date With The Tub. “I’ve been waiting so long for this day,” laughs LeRose. “I’m finally ready to take the plunge. Thanks so much to everyone for their support. I love you all!”
The first single from the new package is “The Porch,” which debuted exclusively on Sirius-XM’s The Highway in May. CJaye also helped out the radio network as The Highway’s official video blogger at the recent CMA MusicFest in Nashville.
“Social networking” has become an overused marketing phrase—discussed continuously, but rarely implemented. That makes it all the more contagious when an indie artist without the clout of a well oiled marketing machine, attracts attention in the form of fans, followers and views and ends up with more links than a chain fence.
Date With The Tub Track Listing:
1. Down In My Grave
2. The Porch
3. Slow Down
4. Love You Like A Country Song
5. Declaration of Independence
6. Date With The Tub
7. Already Over You
8. Too Bad For Me
9. Unhappily Ever After

Pat Finch Forms New Publishing Venture

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Publishing veteran Pat Finch has entered into a joint venture with former S1 Songs Group CEO Steve McMellon and Reynold D’Silva (founder of UK indie Silva Screen Records) to form Pat Finch Music Publishing/Southern Crossroads Music.
“I’m privileged to have been given the opportunity to, once again, try and build a successful publishing company from scratch,” says Finch. “I hope to replicate many of the successes the writers, artists and I have previously accomplished in this new venture.”
“We see this as an opportunity to build a new Nashville-based and artist-driven publishing and production company,” adds McMellon. “One that will comprise either artist/writers or producer/writers. We had great success in Nashville during S1 Songs ‘days’ and Pat was instrumental in delivering that success. At Southern Crossroads Music we hope to replicate some part of that achievement in an artist/writer friendly environment.”
Southern Crossroads Music currently represents Nashville singer/songwriter Jabe Beyer whose songs have been featured in HBO’s True Blood and the Fox-TV’s Lie to Me, among others. Also on the roster are UK-based Americana acts Danny and the Champions of the World and Owen James Harvey.
Finch was previously Sr. VP/GM for S1 Songs America, part of the global publishing company First State Media Group that was acquired by Chrysalis Music Publishing in April 2010. BMG then purchased Chrysalis in late 2010 to become BMG Chrysalis.
The company’s offices are located at 1229 17th Ave. S., and the phone number is 615-320-7766. Reach Finch at [email protected], McMellon at [email protected] or D’Silva at [email protected].

Dwight Yoakam Re-Teams With Warner

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Dwight Yoakam has reunited with former label home Warner Music Group. The two-time Grammy winner is set to release his first studio album in seven years on Warner Bros. Records.
Yoakam has been co-producing his upcoming album with Joe Chiccarelli, known mostly for his work with rock acts including My Morning Jacket, The Shins, and The Strokes. Recently, Yoakam has also been in the studio with rock star Beck.
This will be Yoakam’s 28th project for Warner and/or Reprise. It follows his 2007 Buck Owens tribute, Dwight Sings Buck, which was released on New West Records.
Yoakam’s more than 25 million career album sales have been fueled by hits including “Honky Tonk Man,” “Please Please Baby,” “Little Ways,” “I Sang Dixie,” “It Only Hurts When I Cry,” “Fast as You” and “Thousand Miles from Nowhere.”

Stars Support ACM Lifting Lives Camp

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ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp was in session last week in Nashville, with 31 campers from around the country participating in activities around Music City.  The residential camp has the dual purpose of studying Williams syndrome and other developmental disabilities, and providing music enrichment through performance and education. The camp is a partnership between ACM Lifting Lives and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
Photos: Getty Images/Courtesy of ACM Lifting Lives

Gary Allan, Odie Blackmon and Brett James led campers in a songwriting session, creating “In Harmony,” an original song based on campers’ personal experiences and inspirations. (L-R): Odie Blackmon, ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp founder/volunteer Lorie Lytle, Gary Allan, ACM Lifting Lives Exec. Director Erin Spahn, Brett James


Little Big Town participated in a music-driven art activity inspired by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts’ current Andy Warhol exhibit.


 

Wynonna Judd participated in a karaoke event at Winner’s bar. Pictured with camper Brigitte Anderson.


Carrie Underwood visited the campers during their recording session, where they recorded their original song, “In Harmony” with producer Mark Bright and songwriter Brett James. The campers wrote the song with James, Gary Allan and Odie Blackmon. Pictured (L-R): Erin Spahn, ACM Executive Director, Lifting Lives, Carrie Underwood and Lorie Lytle, ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp Chairman


Darius Rucker and campers perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

Nashville In Hollywood

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Chord Overstreet


Blake Shelton will return to the big red coaching chair on The Voice next season. In fact, all four celebrity coaches—Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Shelton—are on board for season two. Starting this winter, NBC’s vocal competition series will air on Monday nights. The network is also expected to give the series a big push with a special post-Super Bowl show.
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Shelton may be returning to his gig but Chord Overstreet isn’t. The Nashville native is no longer part of hit Fox show Glee. He joined the musical’s cast last year playing transfer student “Sam.” Regardless, he is busy on the show’s tour and will be in Glee Live! 3D!, the movie about the tour, as well as other upcoming films. Overstreet, 22, is the son of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Paul Overstreet. The younger Overstreet may be following in his father’s musical footsteps, he Tweeted last week that he plans to start work on an album.
• • • •
Obviously musical talent runs in the family in Nashville. Band Hot Chelle Rae, comprised of local music biz offspring, is climbing the pop/rock charts with hit single “Tonight, Tonight.” Chord’s brother Nash is part of the group, along with Ryan Follese and Jamie Follese, sons of Keith Follese, and Ian Keaggy, son of Phil Keaggy.
Check out the “Tonight, Tonight” video, featuring an appearance by Chord.

Technically Speaking: SocNet War, Hootsuite and Twitter DM

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It’s almost like watching a cheesy Japanese horror movie from the ‘70s, perhaps The Kracken Defies Godzilla. Yet here we are, in 2011, seeing two titans fight for social network supremacy. Of course Facebook, with its 650 million users worldwide is light years ahead of Google’s new Google+ product that is still in beta. However, Google+ has some great new features and ‘change waves,’ especially in the tech field, can sometimes happen unexpectedly and with lightning speed.
In the meantime, there are three main differentiating factors with the new Google+ product—Circles, Sparks and Hangouts. Circles allows users to sort their friends into groups, which is not a Facebook option. Sparks is a new way to utilize Google news by topics, etc. And lastly, Hangouts is a group video chat option that allows people to pop in and out of communication with friends. For a lot more detail on these topics check out this LA Times story…
 
>>>While the heavy hitters talk about Facebook and Google+ this week (see above story), Twitter continues to grow, almost unopposed and with no direct competitor. Naturally artists and their team members endeavor to perch on the cutting, nay, bleeding edge with repsect to the best ways to bend and shape the Twitter universe. The following thenextweb.com story highlights an important change in the requirements for direct messaging.

Twitter verified accounts {Brands} can let followers Direct Message without following back. According to theNextWeb.com, The relaxation is aimed at providing Twitter users that have large follower counts with a private system with which they can receive a personal message without having to go through the tedious process of following the user, asking them to direct message them, and then unfollow the user after it has been sent. Twitter has not announced whether the feature has begun rolling out to all users.

It remains to be seen how brands and artists will respond to the new rules which are likely to result in added streams of personal messages to process.
 
>>>Hootsuite, the social sharing tool, recently passed the 2 million mark in signups. It hit one million users in Nov. 2010, seven months ago. The service, which is free for about 95% of its users, offers a multitude of tools for social networking handlers including custom interfaces, scheduled updates across all platforms, a plethora of social network analytics and more.
The company’s blog offers this description of its future direction:

Amidst all the consolidations, acquisitions and changes in the marketplace, we are proud to keep leading the way with unique features and thoughtful improvements. As the first social media dashboard, HootSuite has helped define new ways of understanding how social media tools and tactics can be applied to small and enterprise business, political campaigns, government management, civic revolutions, emergency response or just connecting with friends about hobbies you enjoy. With a heaping handful of networks already in the dashboard, look for more connections and tools to come as we are aren’t slowing down.
 


 
 
 

Songwriter Charlie Craig Passes

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Charlie Craig


Charlie Craig, the songwriter behind “Wanted” and other gems, passed away on Friday, July 1. Co-written with Alan Jackson, the hit was one of several of Craig’s songs recorded by the artist. Craig was 73.
The South Carolina native also wrote “Between an Old Memory and Me,” recorded separately by Travis Tritt and Keith Whitley, and “I Would Like to See You Again,” recorded by Johnny Cash, Don Williams, and others. During his forty years in Nashville, Craig had cuts by Reba, Dolly Parton, Aaron Tippin, George Strait, Waylon Jennings and many more.
Friends remember the songwriter as a “talented, loving and loyal man.”
He was preceded in death by his wife Betty. He is survived by daughter Dawn, and two grandchildren.
Arrangements were handled by Bond Memorial Chapel in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (615) 773-2663.
Visitation was held Saturday, July 2, followed by the funeral on Sunday, July 3.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
See Charlie Craig’s website.