RIAA’s Bainwol In Auto Talks

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According to various reports including CNET, Billboard, All Access and others, Recording Industry of America (RIAA) CEO/Chairman Mitch Bainwol may soon be “driving” away to a new job as head of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. The auto-industry trade organization represents companies such as BMW, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Reportedly, Bainwol has not actually accepted the new position, but talks have progressed sufficiently for him to inform the RIAA Board of Directors he might soon be departing.

Under Bainwol’s watch, the RIAA has enjoyed high profile success in battling music piracy including a recent finding against file sharing site Limewire and a deal with ISPs to more aggressively discourage subscribers from pirating movies and music.

Obviously it is premature to know who might replace Bainwol should he depart, but insiders are already pointing to current RIAA President Cary Sherman.

 

RIAA's Bainwol In Auto Talks

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According to various reports including CNET, Billboard, All Access and others, Recording Industry of America (RIAA) CEO/Chairman Mitch Bainwol may soon be “driving” away to a new job as head of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. The auto-industry trade organization represents companies such as BMW, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.
Reportedly, Bainwol has not actually accepted the new position, but talks have progressed sufficiently for him to inform the RIAA Board of Directors he might soon be departing.
Under Bainwol’s watch, the RIAA has enjoyed high profile success in battling music piracy including a recent finding against file sharing site Limewire and a deal with ISPs to more aggressively discourage subscribers from pirating movies and music.
Obviously it is premature to know who might replace Bainwol should he depart, but insiders are already pointing to current RIAA President Cary Sherman.
 

CCM Artist Dan Peek, Formerly of America, Dead at Age 60

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Christian-music recording artist Dan Peek passed away on Sunday, July 24, at his home in Farmington, MO.
Peek’s CCM work topped the gospel charts and earned a Grammy Award nomination, but he was best known for his earlier tenure in the pop group America. He sang and played on such America hits as “A Horse with No Name” (1972), “I Need You” (1972), “Ventura Highway” (1972), “Tin Man” (1974), “Lonely People” (1975) and “Sister Golden Hair” (1975).
He wrote “Lonely People,” as well as such America tunes as “Rainy Day,” “Everyone I Meet Is From California,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Saturn Nights,” “Simple Life” and “Woman Tonight.”
He left the group in 1977. He renewed his Christian faith and embarked on a second career while former partners Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell continued America as a duo. Peek’s CCM debut album, All Things Are Possible, was released in 1979. It was nominated for a Grammy. Its title tune was a No. 1 CCM hit, crossed over to the mainstream pop charts and became a top-10 A/C hit.
The CCM field was quite young at the time. Dan Peek was a pioneer of the genre alongside such other former pop stars as Barry McGuire, Richey Furay, Larry Norman and Noel Paul Stookey.
Peek’s second CCM collection, 1984’s Doer of the World, also had a title tune that became a top-10 hit on the gospel charts. Peek’s 1986 album, Electro Voice, included a remake of America’s “Lonely People” with rewritten, Christian-oriented lyrics. It and the album’s title tune both became top-10 gospel hits.
Other albums included Cross Over (1987), Bodden Town (1999) and Caribbean Christmas (2000). During the 1990s, Peek also recorded four CCM albums as a member of the group Peace.
Dan Peek published an autobiography titled An American Band: The America Story in 2004. No cause of death has been made public.

Photos: David Bradley, Chris Young, The Cleverlys

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Gecko Music artist David Bradley recently premiered the video for single “Hard Time Movin’ On” (which features Rodney Crowell) and performed for a standing room only crowd at 12th & Porter. The video was directed by award-winning director Steven Goldmann (Shania Twain, Faith Hill) and shot at the Fillmore and Western Railway in Santa Clara, CA.

(L-R): Bradley’s producer Brady Seals, CO5 Nashville’s David Newmark, AristoMedia Group’s Craig Bann, CRB’s Cheri Lynn Martin, Bradley, Marco Promotions’ Sarah Matlock, Bradley’s manager Judy Libow, Jerry Duncan Promotions’ Jerry Duncan. Photo: Christy Watkins.


Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Chris Young made his debut appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week, performing songs from his newly released third album Neon.

(L-R): Jimmy Kimmel, Chris Young. Photo: ABC/Randy Holmes

Acclaimed “family” ensemble The Cleverlys made their Grand Ole Opry debut on July 15, and posed backstage with Opry legend Jimmy Dickens. After receiving a standing ovation at The Opry, The Cleverlys headed to the The Station Inn for a sold-out performance.

(L-R): Vernon Dean “VD” Cleverly, Miles Cleverly, Harvey D Cleverly, Digger Cleverly, Otto Cleverly and Jimmy Dickens in front. Photo: Joel Dennis

Adkins Roars With Pride on Release Week

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Trace Adkins is kicking off a busy release week promoting new album Proud To Be Here. He’s set for a street-date appearance on the Today Show (8/2), followed by Fox & Friends (8/3), and visits next week to Piers Morgan Tonight and Chelsea Lately. Adkins will also perform on the primetime concert special CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, airing Sun., Aug. 14 on ABC.
Adkins says his latest project is very autobiographical. Lead single “Just Fishin’” is about father-daughter bonding, so it was fitting that the video was shot at his family farm and features youngest daughter, Trinity. The Michael Knox produced track is reacting with fans and is already No. 3 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.
For the remainder of the Show Dog Universal release Adkins teamed with co-producers Mark Wright and Kenny Beard. The title track particularly resonates with Adkins. “Chris Wallin, Aaron Barker and Ira Dean wrote that song for me,” he says. “I’ve been close to death several times in my life, and they know me well enough to know what I’ve carried away from that.”
Ten songs are on the regular edition of the album, or fans can purchase a 14-song deluxe set. Target is also offering a 16-song package, which exclusively contains the Blake Shelton duet, “If I Was a Woman.”