Updated: Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert Reschedule Tour Dates

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Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert have both have individually rescheduled upcoming concert dates due to the recent passing of Blake’s father, Dick Shelton. Mr. Shelton was in declining health over the past year and was surrounded by loved ones upon his passing in Oklahoma.

“I appreciate your understanding during this difficult time and thank you for all your prayers,” said Blake. “Your support means the world to me. I love you guys.”

Miranda said, “Thank you to the fans for all the support and prayers. This is a really difficult time for our family and the most important thing is being together. Tell your loved ones you love them. See you next week.”

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be mailed to:

Unity Health Foundation
Note: In memory of Mr. Dick Shelton – 1102 W. MacArthur, Shawnee, OK 74804

January tickets for both Blake and Miranda will be honored at the rescheduled dates. Refunds for Blake will be honored by request at the original point of purchase. Blake’s tour will resume as scheduled next week in Columbus, GA (Jan. 26).

Rescheduled dates for Blake’s Well Lit & Amplified Tour:
Bismarck, ND (1/20)— rescheduled for March 20th
Rapid City, SD (1/19)— rescheduled for March 21st
Bozeman, MT(1/22)— rescheduled for March 22nd
Billings, MT(1/21)— rescheduled for March 23rd

Rescheduled Dates for Miranda’s On Fire Tour:
Charlotte, NC – January 25th
Greensboro, NC – February 19th
Lexington, KY – February 26th

Charlie Cook On Air: How Come

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How Come:

  • Craig Morgan isn’t a bigger star?

I saw him perform in Las Vegas last month and it seemed like every song was a hit and the stuff he did off his new CD is very good. The CD is in my player in the car. He seems like a nice enough guy. That shouldn’t be a problem.

  • Taylor Swift (whom I love) still struggles with research numbers yet sells more music and tickets than almost anyone?

No one has anything bad to say about Taylor. I look forward to her new music. I try to watch her every time she is on TV because she reflects so positively on Country Music and Country Radio but song after song, her stuff scores poorly and burns quickly.

  • Females just have not risen to the level of consistency in Country Music like they have in Pop?

Country has its stars. The aforementioned Taylor, Miranda, Carrie, Martina and Sara come to mind right away but if you look at the chart (Mediabase 1/16/12) Martina and Taylor are the only females in the top 20. Pop’s biggest stars are females and this week 5 of the Top 10 are females in CHR and 8 of the top 20 are females in AC with two more are males/female duets.

  • Every radio station doesn’t support the ACM and the CMA?

We have a couple of organizations that are advocates for the format and are there to help it grow (along with both doing incredible charity work) and yet most of the stations in the format ignore any participation with the groups. (Okay, I serve on the board of both the ACM and CMA and I may be biased about them but believe me we are better for the efforts of Steve Moore and Bob Romeo.)

  • More radio stations and personalities don’t enter the ACM and CMA awards competition?

I know that this takes some effort. Think of it as show prep. You do need to prepare all year so that you can collect the material for when you enter the competition. But you can do it once for both contests with basically the same entry. It is a good team building exercise and a great morale builder for stations that make the finals.

  • That NARAS just does not get Country Music?

I admit that this year they got it right. There are a couple of goofy songs but that’s okay. Getting it 80% right is better than in the past. They made so many changes after the show last year that the good stuff may have trickled up to the Country categories too. I know that when a Country Song wins as THE song of the year (“Need You Now”) I shouldn’t complain but you need to look at the nominees in 2011 and you’ll agree with me. This year? Maybe they are starting to get it.

  • Radio stations and artists don’t all require fan “gating” on Facebook?

Hand in hand with this is the need to provide material that the visitor really wants. If you provide something valuable to the fan make sure that they “Like” you before they have access to it. Remember what mom used to say, “who’s gonna buy the cow when they get the milk for free?” Not sure that’s what she was talking about but you get the idea.

  • Radio stations still play the chart game with record companies?

I understand that record promotion and record sales are not necessarily tied together. Different staffs and different goals but shouldn’t one’s goal be to drive the other? I had a friend send me SoundScan information for LA. The highest Country CD was Lady A at No. 17 with less than 1000 units sold. The second highest country record was The Band Perry at No. 35 at about 500 units sold. The bad news here is that both of these acts get considerable AC/CHR play to drive the sales. The top Country radio only CD was Clancy’s Tavern – Toby Keith at No. 38. And those were the only Country acts in the Top 50. This in a city where over a million listeners cume the Country station each week. Something about promoting music to Country Music fans is not working.

  • Every Country Radio station, with live personnel, is not attending the Country Radio Seminar?

Nothing provides more usable information for the success of your station and your staff then the three days in Nashville next month. Plus you meet the artists that you play every day. I know that this is not inexpensive and it is time away from the station but the ROI is incredible.

  • Every Country Station is not doing something with St. Jude?

I did not go to Memphis last week. I have never been to the facility. But I believe in the work that they do and the relationship with Country Radio and the kids that are helped. If you’re not THE St. Jude station in your town, still do a weekend event sometime during the year to raise some money for the cause.

  • No Country stations have played Adele?

If AC can play the acts mentioned in the last comment how about Country inviting Adele into Country. Heck she’s Country…well from another Country. That should count for something.

• • •

Just thinking. Let me know about your “How comes.”  And do not write, “How come you have a weekly column?” Just get over that.

Rascal Flatts Announces Seventh Album

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Rascal Flatts announced today (1/19) the release of Changed, the group’s seventh studio album, on Apr. 3. Dann Huff co-produced the new project with Flatts.

Changed follows the Flatts’ first Big Machine Records album release, Nothing Like This, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country albums sales chart in 2010. Nothing Like This went on to become a platinum-selling album, featuring two No. 1 hits including the platinum “I Won’t Let Go” and the gold-certified “Easy” (featuring Natasha Bedingfield).

Currently, the band is performing across the country on their Thaw Out Tour, which earned a slot on CMT’s Top Tours of 2012. For tour dates and album updates, visit www.rascalflatts.com.

Todd Snider Debuts New Music

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Nashville singer/songwriter Todd Snider doesn’t shrink away from tough subject matter. In “The Ballad of the Kingsmen” (from 2004’s East Nashville Skyline), he hilariously lampooned religious conservatives past and present for the absurd claim that rock & roll incites violence. In 2008, he released Peace Queer, a politically charged EP that included a cover of the incendiary Creedence classic “Fortunate Son.”

That same confrontational spirit and trademark wit was on display when Snider debuted a handful of new songs during his band’s tour rehearsal last night (Jan. 18) at the East Nashville Rehearsal Hall. Located on 11th St. in Five Points, the room was decked out with patchwork wall coverings, thrift store couches, and folding chairs. Beers were being passed around and the unheated space smelled of incense and considerably less legal substances.

Snider’s loose, playful set included “In The Beginning,” a stream-of-consciousness rant on the disparity of wealth and religion’s role in the matter; “Precious Little Miracles,” a jazzy, laugh-and-grimace-inducing tale of some no-good kids; and a cover of Jimmy Buffett’s acidic “West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown.” Before wrapping up Snider led the crowd through one final song, the sneering Eastsider anthem, “Hey Pretty Boy (Go Back To Franklin).”

Snider’s forthcoming album, by the way, will be titled Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables and hits stores March 6 via Aimless Records. Track listing is included below. His tour launches tomorrow (Jan. 20) in Evanston, IL.

Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables track listing:
1. In the Beginning
2. New York Banker
3. West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown
4. Precious Little Miracles
5. The Very Last Time
6. In Between Jobs
7. Brenda
8. Too Soon To Tell
9. Digger Dave’s Crazy Woman Blues
10. Big Finish

Folds, Civil Wars Join Ballet Ball Fundraiser

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The Nashville Ballet announced that its annual fundraising gala will feature musical performances from singer/songwriter Ben Folds and breakout duo The Civil Wars. The artists will perform some of their popular songs as the Nashville Ballet dancers perform original routines choreographed by Nashville Ballet Artistic Director/CEO Paul Vasterling.

“Collaborating with musicians of this caliber for innovative productions like Ballet Ball illustrates the versatility and talent of Nashville Ballet,” Vasterling said. “Putting ballet dancers, The Civil Wars and Ben Folds on the same stage shows that Nashville Ballet is where fine art meets southern culture.”

Folds is slated to play his songs “Zak and Sara” and “Selfless, Cold and Composed,” while The Civil Wars will perform their recent hits “Barton Hollow” and “Poison and Wine.”

The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 3 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. 400 of Nashville’s arts supporters will enjoy a cocktail reception, followed by a silent auction and seated dinner. A limited number of Late Party tickets will also be available for $95, which will allow attendees to enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres before the performance and late night dance party.

Ballet Ball raises money for Nashville Ballet’s outreach initiatives in Middle Tennessee. More info here.

Grammys Name Host, More Performers

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LL Cool J at the GRAMMY Nominations Concert. Photo: Jesse Grant/WireImage.com

LL Cool J is set to host the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, marking the first time in seven years that the show will have an official host. Music’s Biggest Night takes place live on Sunday, Feb. 12 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on CBS.

LL Cool J has hosted The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night since its inception in December 2008, and this will be his first time hosting the GRAMMY Awards telecast.

Also at the show, nominees Coldplay and Rihanna will perform live together for the first time. Paul McCartney, nominee and 2012 MusiCares® Person of the Year, joins them on the performance line-up. Previously announced performers include nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift.

Events surrounding the awards include the annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala on Saturday, Feb. 11 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Clive Davis and The Recording Academy will host the event honoring Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson the evening before the GRAMMY Awards.

Dolly Parton, Gaylord To Build Theme Park

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Gaylord Entertainment and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company are entering a 50/50 joint venture to develop a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. The Dollywood Company will serve as the operating partner of the as-yet-unnamed outfit.

Phase one of the project is an approximately $50 million water and snow park, the first of its kind in the United States. A late 2012/early 2013 groundbreaking date is expected, with the park opening slated for summer 2014.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined Parton and Gaylord Entertainment Chairman and CEO Colin V. Reed at today’s announcement at the Grand Ole Opry House at Gaylord Opryland.

The water and snow park will anchor the project which will include 35-acres set aside for future expansion. The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play. Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville. Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part-time employees.

“Tourism is the second largest industry in Tennessee, generating more than a billion dollars in tax revenue annually and employing more than 170,000 Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “This project will be a welcome addition to the wide variety of attractions and destinations across our great state, and I applaud the collaboration and spirit that has led to this announcement.”

This proposed attraction furthers Gaylord’s focus on growing the leisure side of its business.

“We are thrilled by the prospect of bringing to Nashville a family focused entertainment center with one of the preeminent theme park owners and operators in the country,” said Reed. “I am confident this proposed attraction, which will be a destination not only for our hotel guests but also for the entire Nashville community, will meaningfully enhance our transient and leisure strategy by providing a fun, family environment at the doorstep of the Opryland Hotel. With Dolly Parton’s country music legacy and strong ties to Nashville, we can think of no better partner for this venture than Dolly’s Dollywood Company.”

Music Powerhouses Team For AXS TV

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AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) are launching a new television network, AXS TV (pronounced “access”). The joint venture scheduled to debut this summer will rebrand Mark Cuban‘s HDNet as AXS TV. Offering live entertainment and lifestyle programming, the outlet will have behind-the-scenes access to live concerts and music festivals, red carpet premieres, award shows, parties, pop culture events, and in-depth interviews.

Production facilities will be based at AEG’s L.A. LIVE, home to venues including STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, and Club Nokia. Despite the ready-made access to AEG venues, Timothy J. Leiweke, AEG President & CEO notes, “This is a platform for all agents, all promoters and all managers. It is not the creation of an AEG channel.”

Ryan Seacrest Media holds an ownership stake in AXS TV, and Ryan Seacrest Productions will develop and produce programming for AXS TV.

DISH is moving AXS to its America’s Top 120 programming package, reaching well over 35 million North American households. In addition, DISH will begin offering a large selection of AXS-branded Video On Demand concerts starting March 15. Unique ticketing opportunities will be available for DISH viewers of AXS TV. Debuting Aug. 1 is the AXS Headliner Club, an online audition site providing local bands and musicians the opportunity to audition to perform at an AEG-affiliated club or theater.

AXS TV will continue to be available on HDNet’s existing distributors including DIRECTV, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Charter, NCTC-member systems, Suddenlink and Shaw (in Canada).

Gill and Grant Join Alive at the Bluebird Concert Series

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Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Don Schlitz and other special guests are taking part in the 19th annual Alive at the Bluebird concert series on Jan. 26. The songwriting series benefits Middle Tennessee’s Alive Hospice.

Pre-paid reservations for the show are available to the public on the Bluebird website for $75.

The series continues through the end of January featuring shows from Shane McAnally, Allen Shamblin, Kent Blazy, Karyn Rochelle, Victoria Shaw, Gary Burr, Matraca Berg, Barry Dean Lori McKenna, and Bob DiPiero.

The Bluebird Cafe also recently introduced a new Hatch Show Print celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The print is available through The Bluebird Cafe’s website and in person.

Sonia Leigh Joins Church and Kracker Tours

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Southern Ground Artists’ Sonia Leigh has been praised by some of country’s biggest names, and will soon be reaching new audiences in 2012.

In addition to her continued appearances with Zac Brown Band, Leigh will be joining the red hot Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour with Eric Church and Brantley Gilbert for dates in February, as well as Uncle Kracker’s Hometown tour in March and April. Dates below.

Leigh’s debut album 1978 December, produced by Zac Brown, was released in 2011 through Brown’s Southern Ground label. Her new single “Bar” will be impacting radio soon.

Sonia Leigh 2012 Tour Dates:
With Eric Church
Feb 2 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Civic Center
Feb 3 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena
Feb 4 – Norfolk, VA – Constant Convocation Center
Feb 16 – Greenville, SC – BI-LO Center
Feb 17 – Salisbury, MD – Wicomico Civic Center
Feb 18 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
Feb 23 – Battle Creek, MI – Kellogg Arena
Feb 24 – Cleveland, OH – Wolstein Arena
Feb 25 – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen Country War Memorial Coliseum

With Uncle Kracker
Mar 2 – St. Louis Park, MN – Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
Mar 3 – Lincoln, NE – Uncle Ron’s
Mar 8 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
Mar 9 – Indianapolis, IN – 8 Seconds Saloon
Mar 10 – Rootstown, OH – Dusty Armadillo
Mar 14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
Mar 15 – Foxboro, MA – Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
Mar 16 – Niagara Falls, NY – The Rapids Theatre
Mar 17 – Mt. Laurel, NJ – Prospectors
Mar 22 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop
Mar 23 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
Mar 24 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s Bar on Weed Street
Mar 25 – Kansas City, MO – Beaumont Club
Mar 29 – San Miguel, CA – The Ranch
Mar 30 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory
Apr 4 – Davis, CA – The Davis Graduate
Apr 5 – Boise, ID – Knitting Favtory
Apr 6 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
Apr 7 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market
Apr 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Westerner Club
Apr 13 – Cheyenne, WY – Outlaw Saloon
Apr 14 – Denver, CO – Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
Apr 17 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Museum Club
Apr 19 – Mesa, AZ – Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
Apr 20 – Bakersfield, CA – Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace