Anne Sarosdy-Yarbrough Joins Tenacity Promotion

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Nashville’s Tenacity Records recently announced that Anne Sarosdy-Yarbrough has been hired as its newest National Director of Promotions. The announcement was made last week during the label’s CRS showcase that included performances by Tenacity artists Darryl Worley and Bill Gentry.

“Anne is well-respected in the industry, and knows her music,” said label president Mike Kraski. ” We are honored to have her join the Tenacity team.”

Sarosdy-Yarbrough comes to Tenacity with over 25 years of experience, including time radio (in the DC market) and promotion gigs at Capitol/Liberty/Patriot, Curb Universal, Magnatone and Audium.

Congratulate her here.

Ticketmaster Debuts iPhone App

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The app alerts users of upcoming events.

Ticketmaster has released an iPhone app that allows users to find events and purchase tickets. As an extension of Ticketmaster.com, the app allows users to log into their MyTicketmaster account for a seamless purchasing experience on their iPhone.

The app scans users’ iTunes music library to learn his or her music preferences. Users can activate the iPhone’s built-in location services to automatically recommend relevant upcoming local events. Fans can further personalize the recommended shows by using more than 40 preset filters.

The app also offers social media connections, allowing fans to Tweet and Facebook during the discovery phase, as well as after purchasing tickets. It also allows check in on Foursquare during the event.

Screenshot shows how users search for tickets.

Scotty McCreery Gets Gold For His “Trouble,” Pranks Paisley

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McCreery dressed like Paisley, complete with goatee, and surprised him onstage.

Scotty McCreery’s second single, “The Trouble With Girls,” has been certified Gold for reaching sales of 500,000 units, becoming his second single release to receive a Gold or higher certification by the RIAA.

McCreery’s platinum debut album Clear As Day debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, making him the youngest man in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release. It also garnered the highest sales of any country solo album released last year and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for six weeks.

For 2012, McCreery has been on the road with Brad Paisley‘s Virtual Reality Tour 2012 and the tour mates have been scheming pranks. During Paisley’s show, he projected doctored photos of McCreery’s head on the body of a muscular man in a bathing suit, and when he sings “Celebrity,” the screens flash fake tabloid headlines “Is Scotty McCreery Brad Paisley’s Love Child?”

McCreery capitalized on the publicity by dressing up like Paisley and surprising him onstage.

“Apparently Brad leaves his hat backstage at every show, but I didn’t find out until last week,” McCreery says. “I was going to take the hat out onstage that day and poke fun, but we decided it would be too early in the tour because it would leave too much time for him to prank me back. He loved it! He was cracking up. So now I am sleeping with one eye open.”

McCreery is also nominated for ACM New Artist of the Year, along with Brantley Gilbert and Hunter Hayes. Voting runs March 19 through April 1 on the ACM site, and GAC will premiere its ACM New Artist of the Year special on March 19.

“We Walk The Line” Concert Pays Tribute To Cash

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On Apr. 20, music stars and friends will join together to celebrate the life of Johnny Cash in Austin, TX with tribute concert “We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash.”

In the year that would mark Cash’s 80th birthday, the concert at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theatre will pay tribute to Cash’s musical legacy. Performers at the event include Carolina Chocolate Drops, Kenny Chesney, Chris Cornell, Ronnie Dunn, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Ray LaMontagne, Amy Lee and Lucinda Williams, Brandi Carlile, Andy Grammer, John Hiatt, Shooter Jennings and Rhett Miller. More performers will be announced shortly.

An all-star band led by Grammy Award-winner Don Was – which includes Buddy Miller, Kenny Aronoff, Ian McLagen, and Greg Leisz– will back these performances. The concert event will be produced by Keith Wortman. Was, who worked with Cash on an album for The Highwaymen, will serve as musical director. Tisha Fein and Chantel Sausedo will serve as talent producers. A percentage of the net proceeds will be donated to Charley’s Fund, to help in the fight to find a cure for the fatal children’s disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

“Our family is honored to know that this amazing line-up of artists will gather together on one stage to pay tribute to the music and history of my father,” said John Carter Cash. “There is no doubt in my mind that, although he is no longer with us in body, his spirit will shine true on this night thanks to these inspired artists.”

Cash’s 80th Birthday celebration kicked off on Sunday (2/26) with the ground-breaking of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Project in Dyess, AR. The house that Cash grew up in will become a permanent tribute to him and his family’s early life, as well as reflecting a historical slice of American life during the 1930s’ Great Depression. In addition, Legacy Recordings is set to celebrate this landmark year with a full slate of projects to be released throughout the next 12 months. First up is Bootleg Vol. IV: The Soul of Truth, a 2-CD, 51-track collection which comprises gospel and spiritual recordings made by Cash in the 1970s and ‘80s, to be released on Apr. 3.

“We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash” will be produced and distributed in conjunction with Legacy Recordings, the division of Sony Music Entertainment that serves as the home of Johnny Cash’s catalog. Tickets will go on-sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 10 a.m. CST and are available at www.acl-live.com, at Waterloo Records or charge by phone 877-4-FLYTIX.

For more information about “We Walk The Line” please visit www.johnnycash80.com.

Photo: “All Your Life” No. 1 Party

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The great tradition of musical family was the theme of the day, when BMI toasted the team behind The Band Perry’s No. 1 song “All Your Life” on Monday, Feb. 27. The song was co-written by Clara Henningsen with her father Brian, and was performed by one of the top family groups in country music. Clara and Brian Henningsen were also saluted—along with Clara’s brother Aaron—for co-writing TBP’s hit “You Lie.” Additionally, The Band Perry celebrated its self-titled Republic Nashville debut album reaching platinum status.

“Brian and Clara wrote a great song and we are so happy that they pitched it to us!” says Kimberly Perry. “We get such a great reaction from it live and the fact that it stayed in the #1 position for two consecutive weeks proves what a well-crafted song it is.”

BMI Assistant VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley presented the band and writers with silver cups for the achievement. BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta and Republic Nashville President Jimmy Harnen then presented TBP with a Platinum plaque for their self-titled album.

(L-R): (back row) BMI’s Clay Bradley, Republic Nashville’s Jimmy Harnen, Rainbow Skyline Music’s Paul Worley, EMI Music Publishing’s Ben Vaughn, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta, producer Nathan Chapman, and Cactus Moser Music’s Cactus Moser; (front row) The Band Perry’s Neil, Reid, and Kimberly Perry; and co-writers Clara Henningsen and Brian Henningsen. Photo: Rick Diamond

Rachel Platten’s Modest Production Packs Arena Wallop

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Rachel Platten

with Bess Rogers and Craig Meyers
The National Underground, Nashville, Feb. 25, 2012

If you have already visited The National Underground in Nashville’s downtown Broadway music district, then you know it’s a friendly, but sparse listening room with great burgers and reasonably priced drinks, but short on atmosphere. TNU relies on its performers to provide that missing ambience. From a bar stool perspective, it means you’d be well advised to pick and choose the nights you drop in. Fortunately, in the world of social media you can arrange an online audition at your leisure, so making informed choices is easier than ever.

Rachel Platten

New York-based Rachel Platten and friends rewarded the small, but wise crowd of decision makers that gathered to hear her pop/piano/beatbox stylings on Feb. 25. Amply supported with Craig Meyers’ punchy percussion and Bess Rogers on background vocals and acoustic guitar, Ms. Platten’s radiance made the modest production feel like a full-blown arena show. Currently on a national club tour, the singer/songwriter has mostly eluded mainstream media, but her work continues to attract widening circles of attention.

Actually this developing artist has already had quite a bit of success. Signed to EMI Music, her song “Work Of Art” was recently chosen as the theme song for new ABC series Jane By Design. Her music has been used for products like Dixie Paper Plates, Downy, Jeep and Barbie commercials. She’s sung the National Anthem at Fenway Park in Boston and Gillette Stadium, and her song “1000 Ships,” in rotation on Hot AC radio, worked its way to Top 20 status.

Platten’s voice, which The Boston Globe described as, “Breathtaking and brilliant” is equally at home reading a folksinger’s phrase with crystalline quality or an R&B crunch that moves her closer to the streets. Her pop songs deal with romance, risk and whimsy, sliding from the philosophical, (“Nothing Ever Happens”) to the seductive (“You Don’t Have To Go”).

Hopefully, Rachel Platten will grace Music City again soon. You might want to sign up on her web site to make sure you don’t miss her when she does.

Bentley Wraps Canadian Trek, Heads Home To US

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Dierks Bentley wrapped the Canadian leg of his 2012 Country & Cold Cans Tour Friday (2/23) night in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The eight city venture north of the border was the first official trek in support of Bentley’s sixth studio album Home.

The title track and current single “Home” is resonating with fans in the U.S. and Canada, as it climbs to the No. 1 spot on Canada’s Mediabase Country Chart this week. “Dierks may have had America in mind with ‘Home,’ but the fact it went to No. 1 in Canada shows that the song has universal appeal,” said EMI Music Canada’s Ron Harwood. “We are all proud of where we are from. We’ve all faced tough times recently. We all know that things can be better again. It is a song that reflects on our own past and gives hope for a bright future, regardless of where you call ‘home.’”

Shortly after crossing the border on his return to the U.S., Bentley’s tour bus “Old Goldie” marked its one millionth mile. “Goldie has been my home on the road since I put out my very first single,” said Bentley. “A lot of memories have been made traveling across the country in Goldie, and I’ve been able to see every city and town three or four times. If you look at my guitar or my boots or my truck, you know that I love old things. I hope she makes it another million!”

Bentley played the San Antonio Rodeo over the weekend. Next his tour heads to Australia, followed by a 20-city U.S. spring run.

Nashville’s DWP Live Projects Success at Super Bowl Halftime

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Madonna on the Super Bowl Halftime stage

Although the halftime show at the 2012 Bridgestone Super Bowl lasted only 12 minutes, months of planning and testing by Nashville production company DWP Live went into the spectacle.

Set designer Bruce Rodgers of Tribe engaged Orlando based LMG, a video, audio and lighting technology provider, to develop lightweight LED for the main stage. In turn, LMG partnered with Danny Whetstone’s DWP Live, for field projection in front of the stage.

In preparation for the Super Bowl, DWP Live staffers traveled to LMG’s headquarters in December 2011 to test eight crane rigs, which were each used to hold a bundle of four projectors in the air, shooting downwards 150 feet onto the field surface. A total of 32 Barco FLM HD20 projectors were used to cover the 11,000 square foot projection area.

Actual setup time for the halftime show happened in a strict 12 minute time frame. The LED team and over 500 volunteers rolled out and assembled the stage on the field, comprised of 796 lightweight FLED tiles, constructed into fourteen customized LED carts. The result turned the stage and field projection area into everything from Vogue magazine covers to reverberating speakers.

More than 114 million Americans watched as Madonna performed songs with guests LMFAO, Cee Lo Green, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, around the displays. After the performance, breakdown and removal of the stage and projection area from the field was completed in less than seven minutes.

DWP Live was founded in 2007 as a single source solution for production services, AV design, and equipment rental. Since the company’s founding, it has experienced rapid growth and become a key partner for trade shows, corporate events, concerts and permanent facilities around the world.

The Band Perry’s Sold Out Show at the Ryman

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The Band Perry makes its headlining Ryman Auditorium debut February 20, 2012 – the first act to perform on the Ryman’s new stage. Front Row: The Band Perry's Reid, Kimberly, and Neil Perry. Back Row: Jimmy Harnen, Republic Nashville President; Erik Peterson, TBP Artist Management; Bob Doyle, TBP Manager; Rob Beckham, William Morris Agency; Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium; Dana Burwell, Producer; Steve Buchanan, Gaylord Entertainment; and Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Records CEO.

The Band Perry played to a full house at the Ryman Auditorium on Feb. 20 in downtown Nashville, TN. When tickets went on sale last fall, the show sold out in a staggering twenty minutes, a first for the Republic Nashville breakout trio. Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry were also the first artists to perform on the recently renovated stage at the legendary venue.

“We are so excited to have performed our first headlining show in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium! Country music’s ‘Mother Church’ was in need of some loving attention, so a brand new stage has just been added,” says Kimberly. “We had the honor of being the very first act to perform on it. The evening was even better than we imagined.”

Natalie Hemby opened for the 2012 ACM Vocal Group of the Year contenders. Hemby, who wrote Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim” and “White Liar,” told the audience when The Band Perry offered her the opening slot, she was so excited that she screamed. She performed several songs including the hits she wrote for Lambert, as well as a lullaby that she recently penned for her daughter.

Afterwards, accompanied by a full band, The Band Perry shared a few new songs as well as their Gold-certified No. 1 single, “All Your Life;” their Triple-Platinum, No. 1 smash, “If I Die Young” and the Gold-certified “You Lie” from their Platinum Republic Nashville debut album. Their set included a backdrop made up of three LCD screens, which showed various animations and music video clips during the performances.

Not only did the Feb. 20 show in Music City sell out in a matter of minutes for The Band Perry, their show Feb. 18 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Ft. Worth, also sold out in advance. With more than 16,000 in attendance, the sibling trio also performed to a packed venue at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 15.

The Band Perry heads back out on the road this week with Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality Tour 2012. Upcoming stops include:

2/23       Madison, WI – Alliant Energy Center
2/24       Moline, IL – iWireless Center
2/25       Springfield, MO – JQH Arena

Lineup Announced For Charley Foundation’s Ringside Event

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Nashville-based organization The Charley Foundation will host its 8th Annual “Ringside: A Fight For Kids” on Friday, March 2. The black-tie event, emceed by Storme Warren, takes place at Liberty Hall in The Factory at Franklin. Average Joes president Tom Baldrica will serve as the ring announcer.

“Ringside” will offer gourmet dining, live music, celebrity guests, and a live auction to start off the evening. The main event is four bouts of professional boxing, sanctioned by the Tennessee Athletic Commission.

Musical performers include 80s pop hitmaker Tiffany, plus country artists James Otto, Bridgette Tatum, and Ira Dean. Additional performers include songwriters Chas Sanford (John Waite’s “Missing You”); Blair Daily (Uncle Kracker’s “Smile”); Danny Orton (Rascal Flatts’ “Stand”); and Marabeth Poole (Julianne Hough’s “Dreaming Under The Same Moon”).

All money raised will provide assistance to disabled and underprivileged children served by medical, recreational, and care groups in the Nashville area. NFL Alumni Tennessee Chapter will be a beneficiary, and expected NFL guests include Eddie George, Neil O’Donnell, Brad Hopkins, Kevin Dyson, Kelly Holcomb, and Al Smith.

“This year’s amazing lineup of talent will play a significant role in assisting the Charley Foundation help make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of local children, their families, and their communities,” said Carolyn Miller, Charley Foundation founder and chairman. “I am forever grateful for their unfailing support.”