Photo Friday: WMBA, Paisley and Underwood, NMPA, Randy Travis

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Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) celebrated its newly-established non-profit status October 4 with a wine and cheese reception hosted by the organization’s Board of Directors at the Country Music Assocation’s headquarters. Contributing sponsors for the event included CMA, Huskins-Harris, Fiddlecakes, and Music City Lifestyles.

(L-R) Back Row: Rachel Rodriguez, Alumni Co-Chair, Josee Deschenes, Social Co-Chair, Becky Harris, Chairman of the Board, Betsy Walker, Membership Chair, Cindy Heath, Director, Amanda Fletcher, Social Co-Chair, Kama Upton, Community Svc./Education Chair, Dottie Rager, Alumni-Co-Chair; (L-R) Front Row: Holly Ashby, Vice President, Brandi Simms, President, Hank Adam Locklin, Director, Amery Fridenstine, Treasurer, Trina Lloyd-Weidner, Secretary. Photo: Darcy Ferris Photography

Brad Paisley’s hit duet with Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me” has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales exceeding 1 million downloads. Written by Paisley with Chris DuBois and Kelley Lovelace, remind me stormed the country charts recently as the third single from Paisley’s This Is Country Music. Paisley and Underwood will re-team to host the 45th Annual CMA Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena November 9.

(L-R): Caryl Healey (SMN VP Sales), Gary Overton (SMN Chairman & CEO), Paisley, Underwood, & Skip Bishop (SMN SVP Promotion).

National Music Publishers Association executives recently visited Nashville for the NMPA’s Annual Songwriter Showcase at the Bluebird Cafe. EMI songwriter Kelley Lovelace was awarded with two Gold Songwriting Notes for penning Brad Paisley’s “Water” and the Paisley/Underwood duet “Remind Me.”

NMPA President and CEO David Israelite (back left) and NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison (back right) with David Lee, Rachel Thibodeau, Jason Sever, and Kelley Lovelace.

Randy Travis celebrated his 25 years performing in country music with a special appearance on the Grand Ole Opry Tuesday night (10/4). Paying musical tribute to Travis were fellow artists who appear with him on his newest CD Anniversary Collection. Guests included John Anderson, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Connie Smith, Gene Watson and Joe Stampley. “It’s amazing to me to be celebrating my 25th anniversary in the music business on this stage because of the way I grew up and what I grew up listening to,” said Travis onstage. The “Opry Live” premiere of the show on GAC will air Saturday, Oct. 15

(L-R): Connie Smith, Joe Stampley, Travis, and Gene Watson. Photo: Joel Dennis

Country Music Marathon Announces New Partnership

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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Competitor Group, Inc. have announced a new title partnership as the official benefiting charity of the Country Music Marathon. The event, now re-branded as the St. Jude Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon presented by Nissan, takes place Saturday, April 28, 2012.

“The St. Jude Country Music Marathon and 1/2 Marathon is the perfect match for St. Jude’s rich history with the country music industry and our St. Jude Heroes program,” noted Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, St. Jude’s fundraising arm. “The event is truly a marriage of fitness enthusiasts and country fans alike nationwide who want to do something meaningful in the fight against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases.”

“While I believe each and every event Competitor Group organizes is spectacular, the St. Jude Country Music Marathon is my personal favorite,” said Tracy Sundlun, Sr. VP of Competitor Group and a founder of the Nashville race. “We are excited to launch a new era of the marathon by partnering with St. Jude and their incredible network of supporters and country music radio stations, which will take the promotion of this event and the city of Nashville to a whole new level.”

Over its 12 year history, the race has become a major annual event that draws over 30,000 participants. According to Sundlun, the event includes the second-largest 1/2 marathon in America and is the country’s largest combined marathon and 1/2. To date, charity partners have raised over $22.3 million through the race, one of Tennessee’s largest fundraising platforms.

(L-R): Rick Shadyae, Jr., CEO, ALSAC/ St. Jude children's Research Hospital; Jessica Turri, St. Jude Survivor; Scott Hamilton, World Champion Figure Skater & Olympic Gold Medalist; Ed Temple, legendary Head Coach of the U.S. Olympic & Tennessee State University Women's Track & Field; Suzanne Alexander, Host of GAC’s Great American Country; Council member Ronnie Stein, City of Nashville; Tracy Sundlun, SVP, Competitor Group; and J Schaffer, Senior Manager, Nissan. Photo: George Walker IV

Arista Nashville “Remains Unchanged”

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The Los Angeles Times is reporting that “RCA Music Group is slimming down for the holidays by shuttering its Arista, Jive and J Records subsidiaries, a move by new label execs to strengthen the identity of the RCA brand.”

The report further states that “In an effort to refresh RCA Records, all label imprints — J Records, Arista Records and Jive — will now be under the iconic RCA Records label,” according to a statement RCA issued Friday.] Other sites, such as Rolling Stone and USA Today, are also reporting the story.

Gary Overton, Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Nashville, responds, “Arista Nashville and its respective roster are not impacted in any way. Our 4-label Sony Music Nashville operations remain unchanged.”

Artist Visit Photos: The McClymonts and Lucy Angel

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MusicRow was recently blessed with visits from not one, but two, family trios: Australian sisters The McClymonts, and the Anderton family members of Lucy Angel. The McClymonts played selections from their American debut Wrapped Up Good, including the title track (No. 38 on the CountryBreakout Chart this week) and “I Could Be A Cowboy.” The sisters will also have a segment airing on NPR’s Weekend Edition tomorrow (10/8) as well as an appearance on Fox & Friends October 16. Lucy Angel showcased songs from their self-titled EP, including CountryBreakout Top 30 single “Serious” and possible single contender “I’ll Be Your Whiskey.”

Pictured with the McClymonts are (L-R): David Ross, MusicRow Founder; Mollie McClymont; Sara Skates, MR News Editor; Sherod Robertson, MR President; Sam McClymont; Jon Freeman, MR Chart Director; Brooke McClymont; and Christie King, MR Art Director/Production Mgr.

Pictured with Lucy Angel are (L-R): Christie King, MR Art Director/Production Mgr., LA’s Emily Anderton, LA’s Kate Anderton, MR Chart Director Jon Freeman, MR News Editor Sarah Skates, MR President Sherod Robertson, LA’s Lindsay Anderton

DeGraws Open Nashville Venue

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Singers and brothers Gavin DeGraw and Joey DeGraw are adding a new venue and restaurant to the mix on Lower Broadway. The National Underground Nashville will have a grand opening on Sat., Oct. 15 with performances by Joey DeGraw, Hilary Williams, The Cold Stares, and the Eric Jon Band.

Sister Neeka DeGraw handles booking for the club, which is available for showcases and private events, and is said to offer a top-of-the-line sound system. All three siblings live in Nashville now.

The National Underground Nashville is located at 105 Broadway near Big River Grille and across from the Hard Rock Café.

“We feature live music seven nights a week and are trying to stick to an indie, Tom Petty style rock and roll, while having a soft spot for traditional country,” reports Gavin, who plans to attract risings acts as well as established artists.

Says Joey, “The idea for The National Underground was birthed on the road. I always dreamed of a live music touring circuit that catered to more of the indie market where the draw would be less than 200 people. We’re excited to be here in Nashville opening our second location, not only because we live here now, but also because it’s the ideal environment for this kind of venue.”

Fans of all ages are welcome until 9 p.m. at the non-smoking venue.

Reach Neeka at nashvillebooking@thenationalunderground.

Tim DuBois To Exit ASCAP

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Tim DuBois has announced that he will be exiting his post at ASCAP as Vice President and Managing Executive, Nashville, at the end of this year.

Commenting on his decision, DuBois said, “My commitment to ASCAP was to guide the development of a newly configured Nashville Regional Office. Over the past two years we’ve built a strong structure and team to support and service the needs of our members in the Nashville region, and I am proud to pass the torch to such a capable group of young executives. It’s time for me to return to Vanderbilt and to devote more time and energy to my entrepreneurial activities.”

ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership Randy Grimmett added, “We have been fortunate to have had Tim’s guidance these past two years during which he oversaw a major restructuring of ASCAP’s Nashville office. We thank Tim for his service to ASCAP. As a songwriter, he remains an important member of the ASCAP family, and we value his continued support for the team that will serve ASCAP for years to come.”

ASCAP’s Marc Driskill will expand his leadership role as VP & General Manager, Nashville, overseeing ASCAP’s Nashville operations with Senior Creative Directors LeAnn Phelan and Michael Martin continuing in their roles leading the creative staff of Mike Sistad, Jesse Willoughby, Ryan Beuschel, Robert Filhart, Jess Draper and Anna Maki, who have proven their excellence as a creative resource to the Nashville community and are committed to providing outstanding service to ASCAP’s members.

Jay Frank Announces New Venture

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Music industry veteran and author Jay Frank has announced the launch of Nashville-based DigSin, a digital music company where subscriber fans will get all releases for free. In a departure from the typical record label model, DigSin will focus on single song releases and maximizing listening audience.

“DigSin is the result of years of examining the new ways music fans find and listen to music,” says Frank, who will make the announcement at today’s Digital Music Forum West in Los Angeles, CA. “We are committing ourselves to expose new songs in a targeted, organic way that enables us to be a trusted filter to music fans.”

The name is a shortened version of Digital Single and aims to build a database of music fans who will receive every label release for free in their preferred genre and format. The label will focus on pop, rock and dance music.

“To succeed as a music company today, you must be open to multiple new revenue streams and new ways of thinking,” says Frank. “Through a combination of free music, social networking, analytics and traditional promotional outlets, we will be a new model for music companies for the future.”

Deals with DigSin purport to be flexible and artist-friendly, enabling the label to partner with advertisers and other outlets in numerous exposure opportunities. Frank founded the company on the principle that developing artists need smart marketing in the digital world, and hopes to provide a stepping stone to the next plateau.

Frank was most recently an executive with CMT and authored the 2009 book, Futurehit.DNA on what it takes to have a hit in the digital era. Prior to that, he was a digital music executive with Yahoo! Music.

For more info, visit http://www.digsin.com.

MusicRow WebLinks

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• Taylor Swift tied for fourth place on Forbes’ new list of Entertainment’s Highest Paid Women, grossing about $45 million during the measurement period.

• Former AirPlay Direct employees are suing the company for wages they say they are owed according to Nashville Business Journal. AirPlay Direct is run by CEO Robert Weingartz.

• The Tennessean reports the Curb/Tim McGraw lawsuit is set for an Nov. 29 court date.

• As part of an experiment, Universal Pictures will release new film Tower Heist to video-on-demand while it is still in theaters for $59.99. More from the LA Times.

Weekly Chart Report (10/07/11)

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While in NYC recently, Craig Morgan (R) stopped by SiriusXM for some "Hangtime" with Director of Music Programming, Al Skop. Morgan’s latest single “This Ole Boy” (Black River) is currently at No. 40 on the CountryBreakout Chart.

SPIN ZONE
Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You” emerges at the CountryBreakout No. 1 song for a second week, but there’s quite a battle shaping up just below him. Positions No. 2 and 3 remain occupied by Thompson Square’s “I Got You” and Taylor Swift’s “Sparks Fly,” respectively, both of which add over 120 new spins in this chart. If you think that’s impressive, check out positions 4-6. Brantley Gilbert’s “Country Must Be Country Wide,” on the way to living up to its title, moves to No. 4 with a gain of 187 spins. Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim” is right behind at No. 5, following a 253 spin gain. And Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night” bests them all at No. 6, picking up a 301 spin gain.

Aussie sibling trio The McClymonts is now inside the top 40 at No. 38 with “Wrapped Up Good,” marking the sisters’ highest charting single to date. One spot behind them at No. 39 is red-hot new Dierks Bentley single, “Home,” which earn’s the week’s biggest spin increase in its second week charting. Also joining the Top 40 are Mark Wills’ “Crazy Being Home” at No. 37 and Craig Morgan’s “This Ole Boy” at No. 40.

Sea Gayle/BNA artist Wade Bowen is currently out on his first radio tour, and stopped for a visit with WUBE/Cincinnati. Bowen’s sixth studio album--his first for a major label--is currently in the works. (L-R): WUBE Cincinnati PD Grover Collins, Bowen

Sony Music titans Kenny Chesney (BNA) and Brad Paisley (Arista) both experience strong debuts of new singles. Chesney’s “Reality” makes its first appearance at No. 67, while Paisley’s “Camouflage” shows up at No. 70. This is the first week either song picked up any reports. A little farther ahead, Trent Tomlinson’s “A Man Without A Woman”(Skyville) is moving impressively well with a 75-59 jump in its third week charting. Could be that love is in the air right now, as Kevin Fowler’s “That Girl” (Average Joe’s) is on to No. 51 in its third week, and newcomer Andy Gibson’s “Wanna Make You Love Me” (R&J Records) is up to No. 46 after eight weeks.

Frozen Playlists: KMKS KSED, KSMA, KTTI, WAAG, WCJW, WKWS, WOWF, WQNZ, WTCM

Upcoming Singles
October 10
Burns & Poe/I Need A Job/Blue Steel Records
Billy Currington/Like My Dog/Mercury
David Bradley/If You Can’t Make Money/Gecko
Dierks Bentley/Home/Capitol Nashville
Jackie Arredondo/Rockin’ That Trailer/Gold Voice
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA
River City Gang/This Old Town/Rio Grande

October 17
Jake Owen/Alone With You/RCA
Neal McCoy/A-OK/Blaster/Rodeowave
Lee Brice/Woman Like You/Curb
Glorianna/(Kissed You) Good Night/Emblem/WAR
Johnny Solinger/Livin’ Out A Country Song/Red Dirt/Turnpike
The Farm/Home Sweet Home/All In/Elektra Nashville/New Revolution

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA — 67
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 70
Jeff Bates/He Wasn’t Like Us/Black River — 78

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Dierks Bentley/Home/Capitol — 401
Jason Aldean/Tattoos On This Town/Broken Bow — 339
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA — 330
Lady Antebellum/We Owned The Night/Capitol — 301
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 290

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 31
Dierks Bentley/Home/Capitol — 29
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA — 26
Trent Tomlinson/A Man Without A Woman/Skyville Records — 16
Jake Owen/Alone With You/RCA — 13
Lee Brice/A Woman Like You/Curb — 9
Kevin Fowler/That Girl/Average Joe’s — 8
Billy Currington/Like My Dog/Mercury — 8

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Lee Brice/A Woman Like You/Curb — 173
J.D. Malone & The Experts/Silver From (And You Still Want More)  — 170
Attwater/Never Gonna Happen/Twenty Ten Music — 165
Clay Dustin/I’ll Take That Job/Pure Heart Records — 150
Landon Michael/Might As Well Be Me/Big Dog Records — 150

As part of her ongoing radio tour, BigRide recording artist Marlee Scott stopped by KWOF 92.5 The Wolf/Denver to visit with morning show co-hosts Jonathan and Mudflap. Scott’s “Beautiful Maybe” is currently at No. 63 on the CountryBreakout Chart. (L-R): Mudflap (KWOF morning show co-host), Marlee Scott, Jonathan Wilde (KWOF PD/morning co-star), & InstiGator Entertainment’s Glenn Noblit

David St. Romain (L) hosts The WYNK/Baton Rouge-sponsored songwriter series at The Manship Theatre recently with Rodeowave recording artist Phil Vassar.

CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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Sometimes one trip on the roller coaster isn’t quite enough, and you race back around to ride it again, hopefully doubling the thrills. Artists and record promoters know the feeling pretty well, without even having to strap themselves in for a ride at Disney World.

This week it’s Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You” getting a second turn at No. 1 on the CountryBreakout Chart, a full 100 spins ahead of its closest competition. Always a popular artist with this chart’s reporters, Blake’s latest marks his seventh consecutive CountryBreakout No. 1, starting with his 2008 cover of Michael Buble’s “Home.”

Blake also recently announced his Well Lit & Amplified Tour 2012, which will hit 27 cities starting January 2012. The winter trek will kick off in Toledo, Oh and end in March at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, with supporting guests Justin Moore and The Voice finalist Dia Frampton. VIP tour packages will be available for purchase on his website.

Not that he’s sitting still until January or anything. Just recently the world got to see the video premiere of Blake’s version of “Footloose” from the new movie remake on Entertainment Tonight. Additionally, he’s scheduled to perform on the CMA Awards Nov. 9, where he’s nominated for his first ever Entertainer of the Year Award as well as Male Vocalist of the Year. And somehow in between all of this, he and wife Miranda Lambert have found the time to co-produce Neal McCoy’s new album.

Heck, at this rate Blake might even be up for a third trip on the coaster.