DISClaimer Single Reviews (1/18/12)

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Canaan Smith

It’s Ballad Week, with Phil Vassar, Laura Bell Bundy, Georgette Jones and Mark Wayne Glasmire all offering slower tempo numbers.

Rascal Flatts is still on hand to bring a rocker, so that’s a nice change of pace. The mid-tempo winner belongs to the Zac Brown Band. Is it just me, or does Zac sound more and more like James Taylor? The third single good enough to compete for Disc of the Day belongs to our winner, JT Hodges.

As far as this week’s newcomer prize goes, I was all set to present it to Hodges, but it turns out that he had a Show Dog platter last summer (Hunt You Down) that I was also enthusiastic about. So that leaves softly earnest Canaan Smith as our DisCovery Award winner.

JT HODGES/Goodbyes Made You Mine
Writer: JT Hodges/Ross Copperman/Jon Nite; Producer: Don Cook, Mark Wright & Ross Copperman; Publisher: Songs of Universal/Adeline 29/Sings Station/Boomer Sooie/Ross Copperman/EMI Blackwood/Jon Mark Nite/EMI April, BMI/ASCAP; Show Dog Universal
—This has a certain “presence.” He’s not only a solid writer, but his vocal performance is up-close and personal, packed with personality and exuding confidence. The deep-twang guitar and driving production are also pluses. A star is born?

DOTTSY/Meet Me in Texas
Writer: Guyanne McCall; Producer: Justin Trevino; Publisher: Tracy Pitcox, BMI; Heart of Country (track) (www.heartoftexascountry.com)
—Dottsy reprises her ‘70s hits “I’ll Be Your San Antone Rose,” “Storms Never Last,” “Trying to Satisfy You,” and “(After Sweet Memories) Play Born to Lose Again” on her comeback CD. Its title tune is a gentle two-step. Her more mature, somewhat narrower range makes her vocal less than the strongest you’ve ever heard, but she gets the job done with warmth.

PHIL VASSAR/Don’t Miss Your Life
Writer: Phil Vassar/Charlie Black; Producer: Phil Vassar; Publisher: Phylvester/Big Hitmakers/Rainy Graham/Songs of Salt Air, ASCAP/BMI; Rodeowave
—Vassar continues to make music as powerfully as ever. His new ballad is the latest take on the businessman who is too busy to enjoy his children growing up. An older man points him in the right direction. This pushes all the right emotional buttons. I’m in.

TYSON BOWMAN/Thank God for People
Writer: Tyson Bowman/Lance Lambert/Judy Rodman; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Guitar Shark (track) (www.tysonbowman.com)
—The ballad’s lyric about people helping one another is solid. But his voice is a completely generic honky-tonk baritone that is ordinary in the extreme.

RASCAL FLATTS/Banjo
Writer: Tony Martin/Wendell Mobley/Neil Thrasher; Producer: Dann Huff & Rascal Flatts; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Casa Jaco/Warner-Tamerlane/Boatwright Baby/BMG Gold/We Jam Writers/BMG Crysalis/Songs of Peer, BMI/ASCAP; Big Machine
—Are you sitting down? The new Rascal Flatts single has the banjo as a focus instrument. Mind you, the surrounding track rocks with plenty of crunch, electric guitar screams and percussion pounding. Exciting.

GEORGETTE JONES/Strong Enough to Cry
Writer: Max Barnes/Rory Lee; Producer: Justin Trevino; Publisher: none listed, BMI/ASCAP; Heart of Texas (track) (www.georgettejonesmusic.com)
—I’ve always been in this gal’s corner. The Nashville industry can’t seem to get past the fact that she’s Tammy and George’s daughter and listen with open ears. So it’s off to Texas, where this title tune to her new CD shows that she’s a super-fine country vocalist in her own right. The ballad is beautifully produced with perfect steel accents, delicately placed guitar notes, sweet fiddle sighs and a breath-taking harmony vocal by, I think, that Texas wonder Amber Digby.

ZAC BROWN BAND/No Hurry
Writer: Zac Brown/Wyatt Durrette/James Otto; Producer: Keith Stegall & Zac Brown; Publisher: Weimerhound/Lil’ Dub/Angelika/Warner-Tamerlane/Eldorotto, BMI; Atlantic (track)
—Single #5 from the ZBB CD You Get What You Give is a lilting ode in praise of kicking back. And what country act would you rather relax with while the harried workaday world rushes by? The richly textured “No Hurry” is following the multi-week chart topper “Keep Me in Mind,” so I look for big things from it.

MARK WAYNE GLASMIRE/Going Home
Writer: Mark Wayne Glasmire; Producer: John Albani & John Wayne Glasmire; Publisher: Traceway, ASCAP; Traceway (track) (www.markwayneglasmire.com)
—Sung at the top of his tenor range, this conveys immense yearning. The buzzy harmonica passages, plus subtle keyboard and fiddle backing are adroitly mixed and very ear catching. A folk-country gem.

LAURA BELL BUNDY/That’s What Angels Do
Writer: Jon Mabe/Jason Sellers/Michael Dulaney; Producer: Nathan Chapman; Publisher: none listed; UMG (track) (www.laurabellbundy.com)
—Formerly noted for her bounce, Bundy returns with a soaring, dramatic ballad of rescue and redemption. She marches confidently forward with every precisely placed vocal note while guitars shudder, pierce and shriek around her head. This lady can sing.

CANAAN SMITH/We Got Us
Writer: Canaan Smith/Tommy Lee James/Stephen Barker Liles; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; UMG (track) (www.canaansmith.com)
—Boyish sounding and likable. The gently shuffling track supports a poor-kids-rich-in-love lyric that’s just sweet enough.

MusicRow Promotes Jon Freeman

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MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson is proud to announce the promotion of Jon Freeman to Managing Editor.

In his new role, Freeman will be responsible for assigning and editing web-based news content as well as contributing news and feature posts for musicrow.com. He will continue to oversee the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart and related matters as Chart Director. Additionally, he will partner with Sr. News Editor Sarah Skates in assigning, writing, and editing content for MusicRow’s print editions.

“I knew immediately after meeting Jon Freeman that his enthusiasm and authentic desire to fly high above the status quo was an excellent match to my own philosophy,” explains Robertson. “I am very excited to have him at MusicRow in this expanded capacity. His contributions to MusicRow’s comprehensive and unparalleled editorial content, the hit-predicting CountryBreakout Chart, and managing daily operations are highly valued.”

Freeman joined MusicRow in January 2005 as Chart Manager, and has since been a regular contributor in print and online. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Management Information Systems, and later studied Music Business at Belmont University. Prior to joining MusicRow, he interned with the Americana Music Association and ASCAP Nashville while working at The Great Escape’s former Broadway location.

Jon continues to be available at [email protected].

Dates Announced For CMA Songwriters Series In U.K. And Ireland

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Bill Anderson, Clint Black and Bob DiPiero

The Country Music Association’s popular CMA Songwriters Series is coming to the U.K. and Ireland for the first time and dates have recently been announced for London, Belfast, and Dublin. The international tour will be known as CMA & BMI Present the CMA Songwriters Series.

“Music enthusiasts in the UK and Ireland are among our most ardent global fans,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The audiences there have a deep admiration for the art of songwriting and the artists. The popularity of our music and the receptive audiences make this an opportune time to travel the series abroad.”

Songwriters participating in the Series include Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson, former CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Clint Black, and host Bob DiPiero, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Tickets are on sale now at the following locations:

Feb. 22
London – Islington Assembly Hall, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1
https://agmp.ticketabc.com/events/cma-songwriters-seri/
Ticket prices £15 or £10 at the door or in advance.

Feb. 23
Dublin – Whelan’s, 25 Wexford Street, Dublin 2
Tickets available at www.wavtickets.ie or www.ticketmaster.ie or local phone: 1-890-200078 or outside of Ireland 353-1-4780766
Ticket price 20 Euros at the door or in advance.

Feb. 25
Belfast – Empire Music Hall, 42 Botanic Avenue, Belfast BT7 1JQ
Tickets available through  www.belfastnashville.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk.  Walk in at any Ticketmaster outlet or Belfast Welcome Center.  Phone:  02890-246609
Ticket price £20 at the door or in advance.

SoundExchange Royalty Distribution Nearing $1 Billion

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SoundExchange distributed $292 million in royalty payments last year, up 17 percent from the prior year. The royalties are paid by Internet radio, satellite radio and cable TV music-only channels for their use of sound recordings, and are distributed by SoundExchange to recording artists, record labels, and a non-featured artist fund.

This brings total royalties distributed since the organization’s inception to more than $900 million. Based on last year’s distribution, it is likely the organization will hit the $1 billion mark soon.

SoundExchange’s distributions continue to grow each quarter, with the most recent being its largest to date. Fourth quarter 2011 distribution totaled $89.5 million with more than 18,000 payments.

The PRO’s 2010 administration rate was 6.7 percent, and the organization is projecting its 2011 administration rate to be even lower.

Photo: Keb Mo Joins Forces With Second Harvest

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Grammy winning artist Keb Mo hosted a special volunteer shift at Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville last Thursday (Jan. 12). In collaboration with CMT One Country, Keb Mo treated the other volunteers to a live performance that included his new single “We Don’t Need It.” Following his performance, Keb Mo helped volunteers sort and package food for the organization’s BackPack program, which provides children with packs of nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to take home on weekends and school vacations. The program serves more than 6,200 children in Middle Tennessee.

For a limited time, Keb Mo is also offering fans an autographed copy of his current release The Reflection for a $25 donation to Second Harvest. More info here.

(L-R): Lucia Folk (Sr. Director Public Affairs, CMT), Keb Mo and Jaynee Day (President and CEO Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee)

Jake Owen Reschedules Concerts

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Photo: @JakeOwen Twitter

Jake Owen has been forced to cancel the rest of his January tour dates following surgery today (Jan. 17) to mend a broken collarbone he sustained in a snowboarding accident.

Owen was in Crested Butte, CO attending the BMI Songwriter’s Festival and crashed on the mountain Friday, Jan. 13 after hitting a 17 inch block of ice. The 30 year old singer is expected to make a full recovery, but his progress during rehab will determine when he will be able to start performing again.

Owen told Storme Warren, who was covering the songwriting event, “Man, it wasn’t like I was doing anything crazy. That’s why this is such a freak accident but the reality is if you’re not falling, you’re not learning.”

Owen was taken to the ER in Colorado and then to Nashville orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Thomas Dovan who confirmed multiple fractures in Owen’s collarbone and recommended surgery the following day.

“I’m so bummed that I have to postpone some shows but I promise you this, I’ll be back out on the road as soon as possible,” said Owen. “I probably won’t be able to hold a guitar for a while but I can still perform.”

Owen’s shows from Jan. 18 and 19 at Joe’s Bar in Chicago, IL have already been rescheduled for April 18 and 19, and the Island Resort & Casino shows from Jan. 20 and 21 have been rescheduled for April 20 and 21.

Avenue Bank Expands Team

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Clockwise from top left: Gaines, Grubbs, Yates, Small

Avenue Bank Chairman and CEO Ronald L. Samuels has announced a round of hirings, as well as a promotion in the company’s Nashville offices.

Paula Gaines has joined Avenue as Treasury Management Specialist, and brings with her 25 years experience in the financial services industry. She is a Certified Treasury Professional and currently serves as VP of the Nashville Chapter of the Association for Financial Professionals. Most recently she held the post of VP, Treasury Management Sales with First Tennessee.

Tony Grubbs has become a part of Avenue’s team as Mortgage Originator. Most recently, he was a Senior Mortgage Analyst with Eagle Bank in St. Louis, and has 20 years experience in residential lending.

Erika Lamanna Small has been promoted to Private Client Banking Assistant. She originally came on board at Avenue in May 2011 as a Concierge Banker. She received her M.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University in 2011, and her B.A. in Economics from Elon University in 2009.

Finally, Alex Yates has been named to the team as Concierge Banker at the Cummins Station branch. She graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2010 with a B.A. in Banking & Finance.

Country Stars Tape “Little House On The Prairie” Project

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During the taping at the Loveless Barn.

Nashville stars teamed for a special performance at the Loveless Barn recently. The show celebrating the music of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House On The Prairie books featured Randy Travis, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ashton Shepherd, The Roys, Natalie Grant and NBC’s The Sing-Off champions Committed. The event was taped for a PBS special titled Pa’s Fiddle: America’s Music with Randy Scruggs serving as musical director. An all-star string band was made up of Matt Combs, Dennis Crouch, Chad Cromwell, Hoot Hester and Shad Cobb.

Pa’s Fiddle: America’s Music will be broadcast during the 2012 June pledge-drive season on PBS stations throughout the nation. An accompanying CD featuring songs mentioned in the Little House books will be released at the same time. Pa’s Fiddle: American Fiddler includes “Buffalo Gals,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Polly Put the Kettle On,” “Life Let Us Cherish,” “All the Blue Bonnets,” and more. Scheduled for retail release June 5, it is available now at www.laura-ingalls-wilder.com, and features acoustic masters Bryan Sutton, Matt Flinner, Matt Combs, David Grier, Jeff Taylor, and Dennis Crouch.

The project is the brainchild of Dr. Dale Cockrell, director of MTSU’s Center for Popular Music. “I’ve been working on the Pa’s Fiddle project for about 12 years now,” he explains, “and sometimes it’s felt like we’ve been pushing that boulder up that hill every day. Now we’re finally at the top and get to share this music with everyone.”

To create the project Cockrell teamed with actor Dean Butler, who played Wilder’s husband Almanzo in the Little House TV series.

“It’s terribly exciting to see this all finally happening,” said Cockrell, who also is a professor emeritus of musicology at Vanderbilt University. “But as exciting as it’s been for me, it’s even more exciting to see these excellent musicians get so excited about playing this music. They don’t get the opportunity to do that very much, and to see them almost melting in the studio in the presence of this great music is a wonderful opportunity.”

MTSU students also taped a documentary on the inspiration, creation and execution of the special. The students’ documentary, Inside Pa’s Fiddle, will accompany the PBS special in a DVD package. The student crew from the Department of Electronic Media Communication was led by Professor Tom Neff, founder and former CEO of The Documentary Channel and an award-winning producer and director.

Gretchen Wilson Sells Estate

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House with Pool

Gretchen Wilson hit No. 1 on the list of Nashville area homes sold during December 2011, as her 340-acre Wilson County estate brought in a reported (via Nashville Post) $2.9 million.

The singer decided to sell the property after the sudden death of her Uncle Vernon Heuer in Sept. 2011 from a heart attack at the age of 44.

“We just can’t be there without him,” Wilson told The Boot. “It’s not the same anymore. Everywhere I look, I see him. I miss him. It’s a great place for a tight family,” she adds. “That was our dream, to live and work together there. The dream will have to live on for someone else now.”

The Lebanon property originally listed for $3.2 million and was later increased to $3.5 million when two more homes and an additional 27 acres were added. Ultimately, the property included a total of three log homes, a studio/office building, pool, pavilion, two shop buildings, a 20 stall stable with an indoor riding arena, stocked lake, greenhouse and “miles of beautiful trails.”

According to Trulia, an online real estate resource, the 3 bedroom 6 bath home was built in 1985 and is approximately 4,912 square feet.

The property appears in photographs on a Facebook page titled Gretchen Wilson Farm with contact info linking to the Pam Adams, the selling agent.

Wilson was nominated for a Grammy last year for her song “I’d Love to Be Your Last” from her 2010 album I Got Your Country Right Here. She was also featured with Big and Rich on the 2012 Footloose remake soundtrack for the line dance track “Fake I.D.”

Kitchen

Foyer

Heavy Metal: Lady Antebellum

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Lady Antebellum will have to clear some space on their already full award shelves, as their No. 1 single “Just A Kiss” has earned Double Platinum certification by the RIAA for sales eclipsing two million downloads. Simultaneously, the group’s recent No. 1 “We Owned The Night” has earned Gold certification for more than 500,000 downloads.

“We’re planning a big party to celebrate both of these songs going No. 1 at radio, and now we’ll be able to toast this at the same time… and then we can do it again with our fans on the tour,” said Charles Kelley. “A little downtime over the holidays has been great, but we’re about to go crazy to get this tour back up and running next week… can’t wait to see everyone in Tulsa!”

The aforementioned Own The Night 2012 World Tour gets underway Jan. 27 with guests Darius Rucker and Thompson Square. The trek currently has 57 dates scheduled in the US and Canada. More info here.