Artist Updates (4/24/12)

19 Recordings/BNA Records artist Casey James performed at the CMA EDU End of Year Party last Thursday (4/19) in the CMA Atrium for students from Belmont University, Lipscomb University, and Middle Tennessee State University. CMA EDU, CMA’s education-based college initiative, gives college students a hands-on opportunity to enhance skills in marketing and promotion.

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Last Tuesday (4/17), National 4-H Council hosted the third annual 4-H Legacy Awards Gala and presented the 2012 4-H Distinguished Alumni Medallion to 4-H alumna and Grammy Award-Winner Jennifer Nettles. Prior to leading Sugarland to fame, Nettles was a member of Coffee County, Georgia 4-H. She also served on the Junior and Senior State Boards and as camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center and won Georgia State 4-H Congress honors for her Performing Arts project.

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Vince Gill and jazz trumpet player Chris Botti appeared on Good Morning America and The View on April 23. The pair performed the Randy Newman-penned song “Losing You,” which appear’s on Botti’s album Impressions.

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The Valory Music Co.’s Thomas Rhett has been selected as one of the opening acts this summer on Toby Keith’s previously announced Live In Overdrive Tour Presented By Ford F-Series. The 36-city trek kicks off in Salt Lake City, UT, on June 14 and will run through September 22. A full list of tour dates and ticket information are available here.

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Jaida Dreyer, the flagship artist on Streamsound Records, released her first single “Guys Girl” to radio late last month and it has become one of the most-added singles so far this month. The song was co-written by Dreyer, The Warren Brothers, and Lance Miller. Dreyer is currently out on a radio promotion tour across the country which has already made stops at about 70 stations and will continue through May.

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Render Records artist Rick Monroe is releasing his new EP Part 1 on May 1, which features his current single “Crazy Not To.” Monroe has also been added to the 2012 Jagermeister Presents Tour in support of Randy Houser.

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While vacationing on the Gulf Coast, Billy Dean rescued a Great Blue Heron, a protected species, from an abandoned fishing line and lures. Dean joined a group of teenagers standing in deep water and with the bird biting him, carried it out of the water. Dean was proud the students who went out to rescue the bird. “The girls of Port St. Joe High School and a few other vacationers were the true heroes but I was fortunate to have been there to help them untangle the bird and bring it to shore,” he said. The bird is being treated for its wounds before being released back into the wild.

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Author and country/pop music pioneer Maxine Brown will be presented the Ella Dickey Literacy Award on April 26 at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, MO. Brown is the author of Looking Back To See, a chronicle of The Browns vocal trio, best-known for “The Three Bells.” Her country hits include “Here Today And Gone Tomorrow” and “Looking Back To See.”