Winner Named For 30th Annual Texaco Country Showdown

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Laurel Wright, a 16-year-old singer-songwriter who represented WIVK/Knoxville, recently won the 30th Annual Texaco Country Showdown in Nashville. The competition was produced as a one-hour television special at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Host LeAnn Rimes presented Wright with the $100,000 Grand Prize.

Wright was chosen from over thousands of contestants, ending as one of five finalists competing for the Grand Prize. The four other National Finalists were: Shane Martin (Midwest Region- KLCI/BOB FM, Ramsey); Keeira Lyn Ford (Southwest Region- KNIX, Phoenix); Paisley Van Patten (West Region- KEGA, Salt Lake City); and Gwendlyn Kay (Southeast Region- KHOZ, Harrison).

At the Final, Wright was accompanied by Lewell Molen and performed her original songs “Can’t You See” and “All That’s On Her Mind.” Her music, photos and concert dates can be found at www.facebook.com/laurelwrightmusic.

Country music expert judges making the final decision were Lisa Ramsey-Perkins, Senior Director of A&R for Sony Music Nashville; John Ozier, Vice President of A&R for Curb Records; Rod Essig, agent from Creative Artists Agency; Tracy Gershon, Artist Manager at Red Light Management; and Tim Molyneux, Owner of Molyneux Entertainment, Producer and Performance Coach.

CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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It’s difficult to believe that The Band Perry is still a relatively new group, isn’t it? After “If I Die Young” conquered the world in 2011, it feels like they’ve been around making music for a lot longer. But I suspect this is just the beginning for the Perry siblings.

“All Your Life,” the fourth single from their self-titled 2010 debut, is now the CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 song for a second consecutive week. Written by hitmakers Brian and Clara Henningsen, “All Your Life” lets leader Kimberly Perry express her simple desire to have a devoted partner above all else, including the “sun, the moon, and all their light.”

The trio is currently bracing for pranks on Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality tour, but they’ll soon have an incredible opportunity to play on the Grammy stage Feb. 12 with Blake Shelton and the legendary Glen Campbell. They have also reportedly been working on their sophomore album during breaks from the road. The future looks pretty bright indeed.

Nashville Film Festival Returns in April

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If A Tree Falls won Best Documentary last year at the Nashville Film Festival and is nominated at the Oscars this year

The 43rd edition of the Nashville Film Festival will return to Regal Green Hills Stadium 16 April 19-26. The eight day festival, presented by Nissan, will feature more than 200 independent, international and studio releases plus panels, workshops and music performances.

This year’s film selections, workshops and panelists will be announced in early Spring. Tickets will be available in early April. Last year, the festival exceeded previous attendance records by 15% with more than 1,500 tickets sold. Over 2,800 entries have been submitted representing 101 countries this year, a 20% increase over 2011.

“Every year, not only have our entries increased, but so has the number of countries they are coming from,” says Brian Owens, Nashville Film Festival artistic director. “The selections are truly going to be some of the best films this world has to offer.”

The Brooks Institute recently named The Nashville Film Festival one of the top ten film festivals in the United States. Two films honored last year both recently received Oscar nominations. Marshall Curry’s, If a Tree Falls, was nominated in the Documentary Feature and William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg’s animated film, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, was nominated in the Short Film category.

Nashville Film Festival receives funding from the NEA, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, The Brooks Fund, The Frist Foundation and The Memorial Foundation.

Weekly Chart Report (1/27/12)

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Kellie Pickler recently stopped by Premiere Radio Networks’ After MidNite to talk with host Blair Garner about her upcoming release 100 Proof, which hit stores Jan. 24.

SPIN ZONE
That sound you hear? It’s probably promotion executives cursing at the logjam happening in the upper half of MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart. The Band Perry’s “All Your Life” is tough enough to stay at No. 1 for a second consecutive week, but the Top 10 remains entirely unchanged save for George Strait’s “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” creeping into that last spot.

Things are a little better if we zoom out to the Top 40, at least if you’re a member of something with “Band” in the name. Case in point: Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” is looking to capitalize on the success of “Crazy Girl” and has already risen to No. 27 after four weeks. Similarly, Zac Brown Band’s “No Hurry” is actually moving quite fast, reaching No. 40 in its second week on the chart. Competing with these ensembles is Kellie Pickler’s “100 Proof,” which moves up to No. 28, and Alan Jackson’s “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore,” now at No. 37.

Yep, it’s tough out there, but there are independent (and indie label) artists making headway regardless. Average Joe’s duo Montgomery Gentry has a bona fide hit with “Where I Come From” at No. 8. Neal McCoy is staring down the Top 20 at No. 23 with “A-Ok.” Inside the Top 40 are LiveWire’s “Tater Fed” at No. 35, Madonna Nash’s “Dirty Little Secret” at No. 36, and Taylor Made’s “Good Love” at No. 38. Rodeowave’s Phil Vassar is off to a good start with his latest, clenching the weeks’ biggest debut with “Don’t Miss Your Life” at No. 62, while Marlee Scott also has a big first week with “Train Wreck” debuting at No. 73.

Frozen Playlists: KICR, KITX, KKAJ, KXBZ, KYEZ, WBKR, WKWS, WRHT

Upcoming Singles
January 30
Maggie Sajak/First Kiss/AO Recordings/CO5
Thompson Square/Glass/Stoney Creek Records
Ira Dean/Somethin’ ‘Bout A Sunday/Average Joe’s
The McClymonts/I Could Be A Cowboy/BSM
Leah Seawright/Til Your Boots Are Dirty/AttaBaby
Royal Wade Kimes/Cold Country/Wonderment Records

February 6
Shooter Jennings/The Deed and the Dollar/Flying Island
Jason Aldean/Fly Over States/Broken Bow
David St. Romain/Some Things/DSR Entertainment
Tyler Farr/Hot Mess/BNA

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Phil Vassar/Don’t Miss Your Life/Rodeowave – 62
Jason Aldean/Flyover States/Broken Bow – 67
JT Hodges/Goodbyes Made You Mine/Show Dog-Universal – 70
Marlee Scott/Train Wreck/Big Ride/InstiGator – 73
Sherry Lynn/Breakin’ Up Song/Steal Heart – 78
Bucky Covington/I Wanna Be That Feeling/E One – 79
Kinsey Sadler/Sometimes I Forget/ — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Zac Brown Band/No Hurry/Southern Ground/Atlantic – 382
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine – 376
Alan Jackson/So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore/ACR/EMI – 363
Blake Shelton/Drink On It/WMN/Warner Bros. – 310
Eli Young Band/Even If It Breaks Your Heart/Republic Nashville — 293

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Zac Brown Band/No Hurry/Southern Ground/Atlantic — 29
Alan Jackson/So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore/ACR/EMI — 23
Marlee Scott/Train Wreck/Big Ride / InstiGator — 22
Phil Vassar/Don’t Miss Your Life/Rodeowave — 19
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine — 18
Jason Aldean/Flyover States/Broken Bow — 17
JT Hodges/Goodbyes Made You Mine/Show Dog-Universal — 12
Rachel Holder/In Your Arms/Curb — 12
Kellie Pickler/100 Proof 19/BNA — 10
Eli Young Band/Even If It Breaks Your Heart/Republic Nashville — 10

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Lewis Copeland/She’s Got It Goin’ On/Phull Entertainment – 197
Claudia Lee/Hollywood Sunset/CLM96enterprises — 195
Kaleb McIntire/Redneck In All Of Us/Rockin’ Country Doc Music – 195
Thompson Square/Glass/Stoney Creek – 158
Ira Dean/Something About A Sunday/Average Joe’s – 154
John Maison/Fast Enough/Big High Five — 152
Coy Taylor/Fall For You — 152

Brantley Gilbert spent his birthday in Cape Girardeau, Missouri as part of the Blood, Sweat, and Beers tour with Eric Church. The gang from B97.9 KBXB/Sikeston, MO took it upon themselves to present the artist with a cake following his set. (L-R): B97.9 Dir/Promotions, George Davis; B97.9 Dir./Programming, C.J. Cruze; Gilbert; B97.9 Afternoon Personality, Brian Taylor

Flying Island’s Levi Riggs visited Clear Channel’s WTCR in Huntington, WV to promote his new single “My Best Friend’s a Girl.” (L-R): WTCR hosts Jim McElroy and Judy Eaton, Levi Riggs.

Singer/songwriter Jason Cassidy recently got two times the Jon while visiting Nashville’s WSIX. The singer/songwriter’s latest single “What If” is currently going for adds at country radio. (L-R): MusicRow Managing Editor Jon Freeman, Cassidy, WSIX Program Director Jon Anthony

Charlie Cook On Air: SOPA and PIPA

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If I was to walk into a Wal-Mart here in Morgantown, put an $11.99 CD under my jacket, and walk out of the store without paying, I would be committing shoplifting in my home state of West Virginia. If I walked into Target and put a $19.99 DVD under my jacket and walked out I would be guilty of shoplifting.

Here is the law in West Virginia:

“A person commits the offense of shoplifting if, with the intent to appropriate merchandise without paying the merchant’s stated price for the merchandise, such person, alone or in concert with another person, knowingly: transfers the merchandise from one container to another.”

This sounds a lot like online piracy to me. Now, the law goes on and on, describing other situations and the penalties. In fact, the law goes on for about two pages. All of this was said, more succinctly many years ago:

“Thou Shall Not Steal.”

Four pretty simple words that lawmakers have not been able to improve through the years.

At the urging of my friend Jim Urie I wrote a letter to Senators Feinstein and Boxer (of my other home state, California), joining with most of the Nashville Music community asking that they support PIPA in the Senate.

Those of you who know me well know that I did not want to write those two Senators. Not because I don’t believe in the cause but because I don’t ever want to show up on a list associated with either of those Senators. But I did. Did it do any good? No.

Their leadership was bullied into backing down because they couldn’t check the definition of a crime on Google one day that week.

The law is to stop U.S. companies from providing funding, advertising, links or other assistance to foreign sites selling pirated material. Pretty simple concept. Not as simple as Thou Shall Not Steal but in the ballpark.

We have become so dependent on the Internet for every aspect of our lives from e-mail, entertainment and information that the new media guys threatened our lifeline and Congress, afraid to be blamed for you not being able to stream Coldplay for one day, buckled.

Unfortunately the White House was no leader on this issue. A carefully worded memo that tried to appease both sides and yet provide no help, gave Congress cover.

I don’t know if PIPA and SOPA are well written bills. I suspect that by watching the other legislation that comes out of Washington we can guess that these laws were poorly constructed too. I mean these are the same politicians who fashioned a tax code that is 1.3 million pages.

We send our representatives to Washington to accomplish things. To protect our interests. Why we keep sending them back when they accomplish so little that is in our best interests boggles me.

(Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow)

Bobby Karl Works EYB and Lady A No. 1 Parties

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Chapter 386

To quote the late, great Jerry Reed, “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot.”

Monday evening (1/23) was a confluence of hotness in Music City. You see, “Crazy Girl” isn’t just another No. 1 record, it’s THE No. 1 record of 2011. Lady Antebellum hasn’t just another No. 1 record, but TWO No. 1 records in a row, “Just a Kiss” and “We Owned the Night.” Both are co-written with red-hot Dallas Davidson. The band’s label, Capitol Nashville, is currently also hot, hot, hot with back-to-back chart-toppers for Eric Church (“Drink in My Hand”) and Luke Bryan (“I Don’t Want This Night to End”). It also has Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley in the Top 10.

Monday’s bashes celebrated all of that and more.

At BMI (1/23), the lobby was packed, because, “Everybody loves Lee Brice; everybody’s pulling for him,” explained Jody Williams. And, “Everybody loves Liz Rose. So that makes a lot of people,” gathering to support the “Crazy Girl” co-writers. Plus, there are the four members of the Eli Young Band and their friends and relatives.

(L-R): Sony / ATV Tree’s Terry Wakefield, Eli Young Band’s James Young, co-writer Lee Brice, Cake Taker Music’s Gilles Godard, co-writer Liz Rose, Eli Young Band’s Jon Jones and Mike Eli, producer Mike Wrucke, Eli Young Band’s Chris Thompson, Cake Taker Music’s Arthur Buenahora, Mike Curb Music’s Drew Alexander, and BMI’s Leslie Roberts. Photo: Steve Lowry

Jody had to hustle to hand out their awards and still make it to The Boun’dry to celebrate Lady A’s two chart toppers. Group members Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood are both BMI affiliates, as is Dallas.

The celebration (1/23) was held in the venue’s third-floor space The Phoenix Room, festively festooned with paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and party lights massed on the cornices. Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, Davidson’s co-conspirators in The Peach Pickers, joined Lance Miller, Daniel Miller, Rick Murray, Sarah Trahern, Ed Morris, Alicia Warwick, Linda Edell, Donna Hughes, Bob Paxman, Bobby Young (on the eve of his “31st birthday,” RIGHT), Mary Hilliard Harrington, Perry Howard, Vernell Hackett, Suzanne Gordon, Julie Boos, Clay Bradley and Clarke Schleicher in making merry.

“This is a great and special event,” said Mike Dungan in greeting the throng. He noted that Lady A is now out on its first headlining tour and emphasized the character that Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley consistently display. Normally, you expect “misbehavior” and/or “attitude” by this point in a stellar career. Instead, Dungan noted that these three are, “respectful,” “joyful” and “focused.”

“If somebody wanted to paint a picture of the state of songwriting in Nashville, they would look no further, than ‘Just a Kiss’ and ‘We Owned the Night,’” stated Jody. Lady A’s album is now approaching Double Platinum and is up for a Grammy, he added. These are Charles and Dave’s sixth and seventh No. 1 singles as writers. “Then there’s Dallas Davidson,” Jody marveled. Dallas has four singles on the charts right now, is BMI’s Country Songwriter of the Year (along with Rhett). He has co-written 16 hits and 11 No. 1 smashes in his career to date.

(L-R): Jody Williams (BMI), Dallas Davidson, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood, Ben Vaughn (EMI Music Publishing). Photo: Adam Boatman

Jody called producer Paul Worley to the stage as, “The best friend a hit singer ever had.” Steve Markland of Warner-Chappell (Dave and Charles) and Ben Vaughn of EMI Publishing (Hillary and Dallas) were summoned to the stage as well. Everybody got plaques.

Ron Cox announced that Avenue Bank is making a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project on the band’s behalf. Tim Fink noted that Hillary Scott is SESAC’s Country Songwriter of the Year and that the organization is making a donation to her charity, My Life Speaks. That group is building orphanages in Haiti. Dallas Davidson also made a donation to it, and gave vintage guitars to Charles and Dave.

(L-R): Dallas Davidson, Charles Kelley, Tim Fink (SESAC), Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood, Ben Vaughn (EMI Music Publishing). Photo: Adam Boatman

“I thank God for bringing Lady Antebellum into my life,” Dallas told the crowd.

The man who brought Dave and Charles to Warner-Chappell was in the house. B.J. Hill gave out some more plaques, followed by the CMA’s Steve Moore and Brandi Simms.

“Great songs make great radio,” said the CRB’s Bill Mayne. “Country radio world-wide loves you…Thank you for kicking off CRS by bringing your tour this year.”

“It would be very easy to take this stuff for granted, but they don’t and we don’t,” said Mike Dungan in conclusion.

For the past 11 years, Mike has led his staff in annual acoustic celebrations with the Capitol roster. Lady Antebellum upheld the tradition by capping the party with lushly harmonized renditions of their two honored tunes, accompanied only by Dave’s guitar and percussion by Hillary’s new hubby, Chris Tyrrell.

“We just want to say a huge ‘thank-you’ to each and every one of you,” Hillary said. “We’re having a blast,” added Dave.

The bash attracted Capitol’s biggest national and international brass, including Roger Faxon, Leo Corbin, Matthew Tilley, Greg Thompson and Colin Finkelstein. Now that’s what you call hot.

Article Traces History of Women on The Row

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Music Row hasn’t always been easy street for women in the music business. An article in the Nashville City Paper by Kay West includes interviews with some of the industry’s pioneering females, and others including Joe Galante and MusicRow’s own Robert K. Oermann.

Frances Preston signing Dolly Parton to BMI in the late 1960s. Front (L-R): Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. Back (L-R): Bill Earl Owens, and Preston. Photo: BMI.com

In the article, Frances Preston recalls opening BMI’s first Nashville office from her home—where she still lived with her parents. Jo Walker-Meador discusses becoming the first female executive director of the CMA, only after Minnie Pearl stuck up for the young woman who had already been toiling away at the upstart organization for four years.

The report covers other women leading the industry in the ‘60s and ‘70s such as Maggie Cavender, who became the first executive director of the Nashville Songwriters Association, and Dianne Petty who helped bring SESAC’s headquarters to Nashville from New York.

Well-known executives and friends Connie Bradley and Donna Hilley first met while working at an advertising and PR firm, and went on to head ASCAP and Sony-Tree, respectively. Nancy Shapiro paved the way for future females as executive director of the Nashville chapter of NARAS.

West reports on the present-day situation: “Five of the 11 VPs at Sony Music are women, as is half of Capitol/EMI’s senior executive roster. All were hired by the men running the label. What remains elusive: a female head of a major label.”

Read more.

Artist Photos (1/26/12)

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Emmylou Harris celebrated her 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, Jan. 21. The special occasion was marked with appearances and performances from Harris, Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell (with whom Harris is recording a duets album), Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller, Kimmie Rhodes and The Whites.

Emmylou Harris performs with Vince Gill (L) at her Grand Ole Opry 20th anniversary. Photo: Chris Hollo

• • • •

Retro duo The Secret Sisters (Laura and Lydia Rogers) were recently invited to become “Friends and Family” members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The Sisters will spend much of February touring through Europe before returning home to do a show in Russellville, Alabama.

(L-R) back: Rachel Weingartner (Membership Coordinator), Pamela Johnson (Vice President, Development), Jay Orr (Vice President, Programs); front: Laura Rogers and Lydia Rogers (The Secret Sisters)

Industry Toasts Keith Urban’s “Long Hot Summer”

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BMI and ASCAP celebrated the creative powers behind Keith Urban’s recent No. 1 hit “Long Hot Summer” (Capitol Nashville) at a party held yesterday (Jan. 25) at Cabana. Urban co-wrote the song with Grammy winner Richard Marx, and it’s his 13th overall No. 1.

During the event Urban invited two fans, whom he found on YouTube performing the song, to join him onstage for a sing-along.

(L-R): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, producer Dann Huff, co-writer Richard Marx, Keith Urban, BMI’s Jody Williams, Universal Music Publishing Group’s Pat Higdon, and Capitol Nashville’s Mike Dungan. Photo: Rick Diamond

Richard Marx and Keith Urban perform their No. 1 single “Long Hot Summer” with talented fans Leslie Strong and Patrick Woolam. Photo: Rick Diamond

Band Perry, Shelton To Perform With Glen Campbell On Grammy Telecast

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Five time Grammy winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Glenn Campbell will be saluted by a couple of country music’s brightest stars at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 12. Current Grammy nominees Blake Shelton and The Band Perry are slated to join Campbell onstage for a special performance.

Music’s Biggest Night will air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be hosted by LL COOL J. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon.

Shelton is up for two awards: Best Country Solo Performance for “Honey Bee” and Best Country Album for Red River Blue. The Band Perry is nominated in the all-genre Best New Artist category.

Previously announced performers for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards include current nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, and Nicki Minaj.