Toby Keith: New No. 1, New Song, New Video

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TKO Artist Management celebrated Toby Keith's No. 1 single, "Made In America," at this past weekend's Atlanta stop on his standing-room only Locked & Loaded Tour Presented by Ford F-Series. (Back, L-R): TK Kimbrell - Pres./Owner, Berkley Myers - Assist. to TK, Laura Covington - Dir. of Special Markets, Toby Ketih, Cassie Petty - General Manager, Alex Bridge - Artist Representative, Taylor Shults - Artist Representative, (Front, L-R): Emily Jennings - Receptionist, Misha Williams - Publishing Administrator & Jessica Johnston - Office Assist.

Toby Keith celebrates his 29th No. 1 single, “Made In America.” It topped MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart and is one of the fastest rising releases of his career.

For Keith, the song is almost an unexpected hit. “I’ve done so much patriotic stuff that I have people sending me and bringing me those kinds of ideas daily,” he says. “And when I hear most of this stuff it’s like, I’ve already done that. I’ve already done my warrior song— ‘American Soldier.’ I’ve already done my battle cry— ‘Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue.’ I’ve already done my fun uptempo— ‘American Ride.'”

Frequent Keith co-writer Bobby Pinson offered up an idea anyway. “We got to talking about how when we were kids, if your car broke down your dad could take a wrench, WD40, bailing wire and a screw driver and about fix it,” Keith explains. “We jumped on that, started writing. I just couldn’t get past thinking that my old man was that old man.”

“Made In America” is one of 11 new tracks on Clancy’s Tavern, which will be released Oct. 24. A Deluxe Edition also includes four extra songs that are covers recorded live at Keith’s 2010 Incognito Bandito club show at The Fillmore in New York City.

A new song from Keith’s Clancy’s Tavern is “Red Solo Cup,” an ode to the classic party beverage receptacle written by Brett and Jim Beavers with Brad and Brett Warren. The four writers also star in the song’s video.

Guests in the clip include TV host Craig Ferguson; sports icons Roger Clemens and Larry Bird; fishing guru Jimmy Houston; entertainers Jeff Dunham (with Bubba J), Carrot Top and Lance Burton; and fellow recording artists Sammy Hagar, Ted Nugent, Eric Church, Joe Nichols, JT Hodges, Carter’s Chord, Rose Falcon and Trailer Choir’s Butter.

 

Photo Round-up: Rascal Flatts, Frankie Ballard, The Roys

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Rascal Flatts Inducted Into Grand Ole Opry

Rascal Flatts was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Opry member Little Jimmy Dickens during the Opry’s 86th Birthday Bash celebration which aired live on GAC: Great American Country. (L-R): Opry GM Pete Fisher; Little Jimmy Dickens; and Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts.

Photo: Chris Hollo

Frankie Ballard Surprises Nashville School Teacher for OfficeMax’s “A Day Made Better”

Last Wednesday (10/5), Frankie Ballard made a surprise visit to a Title 1 elementary school in Nashville to deliver an award and $1,000 worth of school supplies to an unsuspecting teacher in support of OfficeMax’s national “A Day Made Better” event. Ballard surprised Mr. Josh Wright at McGavock Elementary with new supplies from OfficeMax including a printer, digital camera, desk chair and other essentials. (L-R): OfficeMax associate Steve Gray, Wright and Ballard.

Photo: Getty Images

The Roys Singing National Anthem

Rural Rhythm Records bluegrass duo The Roys performed the national anthem at the Tennessee Titans/Denver Broncos game to a 97,000-plus crowd at LP Field in Nashville.

Photo: Donn Jones

Mat Kearney Sets Hometown Show

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Mat Kearney

Nashville singer-songwriter Mat Kearney has announced a homecoming tour date Oct. 20 at the Cannery Ballroom. Kearney is currently on a headlining tour supporting his latest album Young Love, which was released in August and hit No. 1 on iTunes and No. 4 on Billboard. Following the Nashville show, Kearney’s tour will continue through Nov. 20 in Minneapolis, MN. Full dates here.

Kearney also recently performed a special acoustic set on a New York City rooftop for Baeble Sessions, offering selections from Young Love including his current hit “Hey Mama” (video below). Check out the performance video, as well as an exclusive interview, here.

 

Watch the full video at Baeblemusic.com

Lambert Goes Hipstamatic

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Miranda Lambert has teamed with the popular iPhone app Hipstamatic to offer fans an exclusive “Listen & Create” contest merging her music with the app’s unique analog camera settings.

For the contest, fans will hear the premiere of Lambert’s song “Mama’s Broken Heart” from her forthcoming Four The Record, and submit photos using Hipstamatic’s numerous lens, flash, and film options for a chance to win an autographed guitar.

“Listen & Create” is live now here and ends Oct. 18. Hipstamatic is one of the best-selling iPhone apps of all time, and Apple named it “App of the Year” for 2010.

Lambert’s Four The Record is due Nov. 1, and she will perform on the 45th Annual CMA Awards live from the Bridgestone Arena Nov. 9. She’s nominated for CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, an honor she won last year, as well as Musical Event of the Year for her collaboration on Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

The Band Perry, Triple In One

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The Band Perry‘s hit single, “If I Die Young,” has been certified Triple Platinum for sales exceeding 3 million. This milestone arrives as the family band marks the first anniversary of the release of its self-titled debut album on Republic Nashville.

The Band Perry will also perform on ABC’s top-rated Dancing with the Stars the Results Show on Tuesday, Oct. 18 and will soon announce a list of upcoming appearances that will take them through the remainder of 2011.

“Although we’ve planned, prepared and prayed for this moment for the past thirteen years, we’re still a little overwhelmed by the warm welcome we’ve been given,” said Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry. “Birthdays have always been celebrated big in this family, so to have a one-year-old album and hear that ‘If I Die Young’ has touched so many people; it makes us feel that we’re sharing our celebration with all of you.”

“It’s hard to believe that all of these incredible accolades have come from The Band Perry’s very first album…but they have! What an amazing way to celebrate the one year anniversary of their debut release with 5 CMA Award Nominations, a Dancing with the Stars performance and a certified Triple Platinum single with ‘If I Die Young!'” said Jimmy Harnen, Republic Nashville President.

McBride’s Train Trek Promotes Music and Breast Cancer Awareness

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Martina McBride’s epic coast to coast train ride, dubbed Eleven Across America is underway traveling from Los Angeles to New York City. The Amtrak-sponsored journey is timed to promote the artist’s new album Eleven, in stores today (Tues.) and also raise support for breast cancer. A crowd of press, fans and breast cancer survivors all climbed aboard the Pink Together Express in Los Angeles on Monday morning, and began the journey to Flagstaff, AZ the train’s first stop.

Day one included the Flagstaff arrival at 2 a.m. and a warm welcome from over 600 fans who filled the train station. Arrival times are purposely being kept secret until close to the last minute, so fans are spreading the word and keeping in touch via social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Martina’s website also has a special blog covering her daily reports daily. Martina told the crowd, “This is what it’s all about, making a memory together, and this is a memory we’ll share forever.”

One of the songs on the new album, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” is, as Martina explains, “A very moving song about someone loving someone through breast cancer. When I first heard the song I was so touched by it.”

That song is one of the reasons why this promotional adventure is being used to do more than just draw attention to music, it’s also about helping to draw attention and support for breast cancer awareness month. In fact, Martina will light New York’s Empire State building pink at the close of this Eleven Across America journey, an event sponsored by the Stanford Women’s Cancer Center.

For up to the minute reports and details of where the train will stop check @martinamcbride on Twitter.

(Stop #3 is Albuquerque, N.M. 10/11 @12:38 am)

Martina, standing in front of her specially bannered train, talks with the 2 a.m. fans and well-wishers in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Magic Mustang Ropes New Creative Director

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Keithan Melton

Magic Mustang Music has added Keithan Melton as Creative Director for the publishing company where he will be involved in all day-to-day creative activities.

Most recently Melton was in a similar role at Wide Open Music Group. He previously spent three years as the Creative Director for Sea Gayle Music. Over the course of Melton’s career he has placed songs with Trace Adkins, Jake Owen, Danny Gokey, Love and Theft, James Otto, Blake Wise and more.

“We’ve been very fortunate to be able to grow so quickly as a company,” says Magic Mustang Sr. Creative Director Juli Newton-Griffith. “With the hiring of Keithan, who has been able to hit the ground running, we have the perfect addition to our team.” The company represents songwriters Jason Aldean, Thompson Square, Sherrie Austin, Ash Bowers, Rob Hatch, Kristy Lee Cook, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, John Edwards, Rich Redmond and Westin Davis.

Melton is already on the job and can be contacted at [email protected].

 

Photo Tuesday

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Some of Music City’s top songwriters came to the Country Music Hall of Fame Sept. 29 for Wake Up Nashville, benefiting national non-profit Wake Up Narcolepsy. Writers Bobby Wood, Dave Gibson, Tyler Hayes, and many more joined the stage to have their voices heard for the disabling sleep disorder. With more than 150 people in attendance, the organization raised a little over $50,000 for research and awareness.

(L-R): Kia Jarmon, Denise Fussell, co-organizer Bob Saporiti, co-organizer Tabitha Crawford, Caitlin Rantala

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Nashville framing and gift store The Beveled Edge recently hosted Nashville author Jack Isenhour to sign copies of his new release He Stopped Loving Her Today: George Jones, Billy Sherrill, and the Pretty-Much Totally True Story of the Making of the Greatest Country Record of All Time. The book tells the story and struggle behind the creation of the George Jones classic, now regarded as the quintessential country song.

“How Jack wrote this book is a testament to the very character of Nashville,” said Susan Taylor, co-owner and founder of The Beveled Edge. “His interviews for the book were arranged through someone, who knew someone, who knew someone, all of whom were willing to help—something fellow Nashvillians will recognize and relate to.”

(L-R): William Smithson, Jack Isenhour and Susan Taylor

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The downtown Nashville location of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville recently hosted a Songplugger Mixer event, where pluggers of all stripes mingled and the fun included a tropical dress up contest.

(L-R) Penny Everhard, Melanie Howard, Will Byrd, Jason Morris and Carrie Bleitner

Americana Music Festival, Conference Launches Tomorrow

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The 12th Annual Americana Music Festival and Conference, sponsored by Nissan, opens tomorrow in Nashville and runs through Oct. 15. The centerpiece of the week will be Thursday night’s (10/13) Americana Honors & Awards show at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The ceremony will be broadcast live in Middle Tennessee on Nashville Public Television Ch. 8 at 7:00 p.m. Additionally, a one-hour cut of the program will broadcast nationwide Nov. 19, during a special edition of PBS’s Austin City Limits.

There will be rockin’ nighttime showcases at numerous local venues, and daytime educational components held at the Nashville Downtown Sheraton.

One recently announced theme running through the week will showcase the remarkable music from the state of Alabama. Included will be an evening of music, an all-star panel discussion of the Muscle Shoals sound, and a Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to Fame Studios producer Rick Hall during the Honors & Awards show.

The Americana Music Festival opens Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. at the Cannery Ballroom with an evening of Alabama song. On the bill are the Blind Boys of Alabama, The Civil Wars, Candi Staton, Mike Farris, Webb Wilder, Dez Dickerson, T Graham Brown and more.

The following afternoon, Thursday, Oct. 13, 12–1:30 p.m., offers a stacked panel discussion on the recordings which helped define the careers of Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan, Bobbie Gentry, the Osmonds, the Rolling Stones and more. Land of 1000 Dances: The Groundbreaking Sounds of Muscle Shoals, presented in partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at the Hall’s Ford Theater, will feature pioneering producers, songwriters and musicians David Briggs, Rick Hall, Norbert Putnam, Donnie Fritts, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham and Jimmy Johnson, with journalist Holly George Warren as moderator.

Details on the conference, awards, panel discussion and more at www.americanamusic.org.

New Ryman Partner Makes The Wheels Turn

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Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium has announced a multi-year partnership with Nissan North America, making Nissan an Official Partner. The auto manufacturer will become part of the daytime tour experience and nightly concerts through branding and advertising opportunities, and aims to bring its ‘Innovation For All’ campaign to the storied music destination.

“We are thrilled to align the Ryman in this long-term partnership with Nissan,” said Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium General Manager. “We look forward to putting ‘Innovation For All’ into action, enhancing our concert experiences for fans with cutting edge innovation and technology. We’re excited to have a locally based global company as our partner. Together, we’ll elevate our museum and concert offerings, not only for fans here in Nashville but for audiences around the world using a variety of media platforms.”

“We strive for ‘Innovation For All’ and that includes Nashville’s diverse music community. Where better to center that partnership but within the very epicenter of Music City, the Ryman Auditorium? Our partnership with the Ryman is an extension of our commitment to Nashville and its thriving entertainment offerings,” said Jon Brancheau, Vice President, Marketing, Nissan.

Technology will play an important role in the partnership, and consumers will soon be able to download the first official Ryman app for iPhone and Android smartphones. With the app users will be able to receive concerts announcements via text, purchase tickets directly, browse the Hatch Show Print Gallery, and share concerts through social media. Additionally, the partners are planning “Nissan Recording Sessions From The Ryman,” a national contest which will grant the finalists an opportunity to play and record on the Ryman stage.

Coming up at the Ryman are Goo Goo Dolls (10/17), Aretha Franklin (10/19), Peter Frampton (10/22), Indigo Girls & Brandi Carlile (11/17), Glen Campbell (11/30 & 12/5), Gillian Welch (12/1) and more. See full calendar here.