Industry Ink Thursday (8/25)

• Americana Defined—Merriam-Webster has added the word Americana to its Collegiate Dictionary. According to the dictionary’s editors Americana music is defined as: a genre of American music having roots in early folk and country music.

• Guy Clark’s live album Songs And Stories debuted this week. Recorded at Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre, Clark was joined at the show by longtime sidekick and co-writer Verlon Thompson, along with Shawn Camp, Bryn Davies and Kenny Malone. The Dualtone release sold over 3000 copies its first week—a great lead in to Clark’s upcoming 70th birthday. He is member of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Mike Rivers has exited his post as Sony Music Nashville Director Field Sales, Marketing & Catalog Development. He can be reached at [email protected] or 615-500-8346.

• Mark Bright will be the featured speaker at the Producer’s Chair tonight (8/25) at 6:00 p.m. at Douglas Corner.

• Marlee Scott visited the MusicRow offices recently to perform a few new songs. The rising singer has been on a radio tour promoting current single “Beautiful Maybe,” and has been getting airplay with the Wes Edwards-directed video. She often cooks her favorite chocolate Marls Bars for station visits, and is sharing the recipe with fans on her “In The Kitchen” video blog.
The Ontario native and Nashville resident is busy with upcoming events at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards and Country Music Week.

Back row (L-R): MusicRow's Sherod Robertson, Christie King, and David Ross, and Marco Promotion's Rick Kelly. Front row (L-R): Manager Gerry Leiske, Marlee Scott and MusicRow's Jon Freeman.

• Nan Kelley at WMBA Meeting—The Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) welcomed Nan Kelley as its guest speaker for the Aug. 16 membership meeting. The host of GAC’s Opry Live and Top 20 Country Countdown shared her experience as a broadcast journalist, music historian, singer-songwriter and performer, with attendees honoring her with a standing ovation at the end of the meeting.

Pictured at the WMBA meeting (L-R): Holly Ashby, Vice President; Betsy Walker, Membership Chairman; Nan Kelley; Amanda Fletcher, Social Chairman; Brandi Simms, President; Kama Upton, Community Service Chairman; Susan Myers; Amery Fridenstine, Treasurer; and Trina Lloyd-Weidner, Secretary

• A documentary produced in part by Nashville’s Thinking Bee Productions was awarded the Grand Prize for Best Documentary in the Rhode Island International Film Festival’s Viola M. Marshall Audience Choice Awards. The indie documentary is Family Band: The Cowsills Story. Thinking Bee is a visual production company founded by director/editor Bill Filipiak and producer Jo Hunt which focuses on music documentaries.

• Luna Chica Records has launched online radio station Indie Music Nashville (IMN), offering 24-hour programming of Americana, Country and indie rock at www.indiemusicnashville.com. Those wishing to submit material can send a CD and contact info to Indie Music Nashville, 2826 Dogwood Place, Nashville, TN 37204.

• Several songwriters are on the line-up for a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, scheduled for Wed., Aug. 31, 7-10:30 p.m. at The Building in East Nashville. Among those set to perform are Dave Pahanish, Lauren Lucas, and Channing Wilson.

• Musicians Corner, Nashville’s free weekly lawn party in Centennial Park, recently announced its fall season schedule which takes place on Saturdays from Sept. 3 to Nov. 5. See the line up at www.musicianscornernashville.com.

• Xtreme Muzik The Tour, featuring co-headliners Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson, has been a hit with audiences from coast to coast. For their Sept. 2 hometown show at The Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel, the artists will donate 100% of their proceeds to Operation Finally Home, a 501(c)3 organization that honors wounded and disabled veterans and widows of fallen soldiers with new homes.

Pictured at a recent Xtreme Tour date in Allentown, PA. (L-R): artist manager and Fontanel co-owner Marc Oswald; George King, OM WCTO/Allentown; Big Kenny; Gretchen Wilson; Sam Malone, AM Show WCTO/Allentown; Cowboy Troy; Becca Lynn, AM Show WCTO/Allentown; Lindsay Walleman, Manager Promo MW/NE; John Rich