Yesterday (5/17), Republic Nashville’s Greg Bates visited MusicRow headquarters. The Nolensville, TN native played his current single, “Did It For the Girl.” While Bates’ debut album isn’t due until the fall, he also shared several more cuts from it including “Go Time,” “Brothers” and “Fill In The Blank,” which he described as a “country Mad Lib.” Bates wrote or co-wrote every song on the upcoming album.
Blake Bollinger
Nashville’s Parallel Music Publishing has announced the addition of songwriter and producer Blake Bollinger to its growing roster.
Texas native Bollinger has had cuts in multiple genres including Marie Miller (Curb Records) and Lindsey Hager (AVJ Records). He has also produced several acts such as No Other Name (Curb Records), Marie Miller (Curb Records), High Road and independent artists Chad Harris, Drew Davis and Kayla Conn. Recently, he won first place in the International Songwriting Competition with his song “Where the Heart is Found.”
“We’re excited to have Blake on board at Parallel and expect great things to come from our new relationship with him,” said Tim Hunze, managing partner, Parallel Music Publishing.
“Parallel is a great organization who is involved in many aspects of the entertainment business and I’m honored to be joining them,” added Bollinger. “I look forward to writing and producing with such a respected publishing company.”
Nashville’s Old Crow Medicine Show has announced the release of its latest album Carry Me Back, due out July 17 via ATO Records.
Carry Me Back is the fourth studio release for OCMS and first since 2008’s Tennessee Pusher. The album was produced by Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly) and recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios.
“Ted Hutt asked us to really dig deep as artists, as songwriters, to get to the heart of the matter of these songs and, especially, not to settle for anything less than their greatness,” says OCMS member Ketch Secor. “For me, Carry Me Back is all about the songs, how they line up, intertwine, switch partners, and promenade home. Each of these songs was an accident waiting to happen.”
OCMS (Ketch Secor, Critter Fuqua, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahnig, Gill Landry, and Chance McCoy) will also hit the road in summer to support the album’s release. The trek gets underway July 19 in Indianapolis, IN and includes stops at New York City’s Central Park (8/6) and Nashville’s The Woods at Fontanel (7/28).
Old Crow Medicine Show Tour Dates
June 30 – Owensboro, KY @ ROMP Festival
July 19 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
July 20 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
July 21 – Kansas City, MO @ The Crossroads
July 26 – Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre
July 27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 28 – Nashville, TN @ The Woods at Fontanel with Special Guests
August 1 – Richmond, VA @ Maymont Park w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 2 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 3 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 6 – New York, NY @ SummerStage, Central Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 8 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 9 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 10 – Burlington, VT @ Waterfront Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE w/The Lumineers
August 17 – Salem, VA @ Salem Civic Center w/The Lumineers
August 18 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre w/The Lumineers
August 19 – Charlottesville, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion w/The Lumineers & Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
August 23 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre w/The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 24 – Knoxville, TN @ The Tennessee Theatre w/ The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Fox Theater w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
In the new video for Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You,” the story picks up where the “I Don’t Want This Night To End” video left off. Luke the country star is preoccupied with the beauty he met at a bonfire and leaves a ticket in hopes that she’ll show at one of his concerts.
And now the song is the new No. 1 on this week’s CountryBreakout Chart. The lyrics don’t explicitly link it to Luke’s previous hit, but it’s traveling similar thematic territory. This time around, the campfire encounter has blossomed into a full-on intoxicating obsession.
“Drunk On You,” penned by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, appears on Luke’s third studio album Tailgates & Tanlines, which was recently certified Platinum. Luke is also currently on the road as part of Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party tour.
BMI is hosting a party at its Nashville offices May 22 at 4:30 pm to celebrate the publication of Secrets of the List, the first book from David M. Ross, MusicRow founder, journalist, and now author.
The digital marketing insider’s guidebook was released in April and is designed to help readers take advantage of digital marketing opportunities using email and social media to grow their businesses and brands. Secrets of the List explains cutting-edge online marketing strategies, and how to profit by harnessing their power. Step by step he shows how companies big and small can communicate directly with customers and market themselves effectively and economically.
This event is open to all members of the Music Industry who are invited to join the celebration and book signing.
Please RSVP to [email protected].
Secrets of the List is available on Amazon.
Trisha Walker International has now expanded into worldwide management for Southern rock and country band Flynnville Train. Discovered by Toby Keith, the band was signed to his label until 2010 and produced two charted singles.
“We are surrounding ourselves with great professionals, which includes Martha Moore (SomuchMOORE media) as publicist, Al Pichot of Spectra Entertainment for USA and Canadian shows and an international and domestic team of believers,” says TWI President Trisha Walker-Cunningham. “They stole the three-day Festival in Craponne, France last July and will be peforming in Poland at the end of July this year. They will also have numerous shows during CMA Fest to re-connect with their many fans.”
Walker can be reached by email at [email protected] or phone 615.269.0856. For more information on the band go to www.Flynnvilletrain.com.
Darryl Worley and Jimmy Wayne are scheduled to play a benefit concert for Mercy Ministries on June 18 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. Tickets for the concert, presented by Music With a Purpose, are now on sale. Doors open at 6 pm and the concert begins at 7 pm, with popular 103.3 radio host Becca introducing the artists.
Mercy Ministries’ free-of-charge, voluntary, Christian residential program serves young women aged 13-28 from all socioeconomic backgrounds who face a combination of life-controlling issues such as eating disorders, self-harm, drug and alcohol addictions, depression and unplanned pregnancy. Mercy also serves young women who have been physically and sexually abused, including victims of sex trafficking.
Tickets can be purchased through the Schermerhorn Symphony Center’s box office, or online here.
Darryl Worley (L), Jimmy Wayne (R)
EMI Records newcomer Kelleigh Bannen recently kicked off her radio tour to promote her debut single, “Rose Colored Glasses.” She brought a 'fish eye' lens to take photos with her visits with WVVR/Clarksville. Pictured (L-R): Fletch (Fletch & Bailey on WVVR) and Bannen
SPIN ZONE
It’s new No. 1 song time, as Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You” climbs into the CountryBreakout Chart’s top position after 14 weeks of airplay. Carrie Underwood’s “Good Girl” moves up to No. 2, followed by Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” at No. 3. Brantley, Toby, Kip, and The Band Perry also gain spins inside the Top 10.
Blake Shelton’s “Over” is really on the move, leaping to No. 30 in its third week on the chart. Other new offerings by Lady Antebellum (“Wanted You More”), George Strait (“Drinkin’ Man”) and newcomer Greg Bates (“Did It For The Girl”) are also making quick work of the chart. Lee Brice’s “Hard To Love” and Jake Owen’s “The One That Got Away” are neck-and-neck at No. 55 and 56, respectively, after only two weeks.
Several big debuts are impacting the chart, beginning with Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over.” Chesney and Tim McGraw’s “Feel Like A Rock Star” is in the upper reaches of the chart, but his new solo effort rocketed up to No. 63 in its first week of reporting. Newcomers Florida Georgia Line also made an impression with summertime-ready single “Cruise,” which lands at No. 71. Rascal Flatts’ “Come Wake Me Up” gains 203 spins to hit No. 77, and Due West’s “Things You Can’t Do In A Car” picks up 184 spins to jump to No. 79.
Frozen Playlists: KDOL, KYKX, WBKR, WBYZ, WXXK
Upcoming Singles
May 21
Blake Shelton/Over/Warner Bros./WMN
Bill Gentry/That Kind of Life/Tenacity
Rascal Flatts/Come Wake Me Up/Big Machine
Jake Owen/The One That Got Away/RCA
May 29
Jason Charles Miller/Up To Me/Render
Mavericks/Born to Be Blue/Valory
Big & Rich/That’s Why I Pray/WMN
• • • • •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Kenny Chesney/Come Over/BNA – 63
Florida Georgia Line/Cruise/Big Loud Mountain – 71
Rick Monroe/Crazy Not To/Render Records – 75
Rascal Flatts/Come Wake Me Up/Big Machine – 77
Due West/Things You Can’t Do In A Car/Black River – 79
Kristen Kelly/Ex-Old Man/Arista – 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Blake Shelton/Over/Warner Bros. – 446
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 421
Kenny Chesney/Come Over/BNA – 374
Jake Owen/The One That Got Away/BNA – 232
Dierks Bentley/5-1-5-0/Capitol – 232
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 28
Kenny Chesney/Come Over/BNA – 28
Blake Shelton/Over/Warner Bros. – 18
Rascal Flatts/Come Wake Me Up/Big Machine – 18
Due West/Things You Can’t Do In A Car/Black River – 16
Jake Owen/The One That Got Away/BNA – 15
Heidi Newfield/Why’d You Have To Be So Good/Sidewalk Records – 15
Greg Bates/Did It For The Girl/Republic Nashville – 13
Florida Georgia Line/Cruise/Big Loud Mountain – 11
Lee Brice/Hard To Love/Curb – 10
Little Big Town/Pontoon/Capitol – 10
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Jessie James/Military Man/Show Dog-Universal – 211
Craig Wayne Boyd/I Ain’t No Quitter/Big Ride – 198
Randy Houser/How Country Feels/Stoney Creek Records – 193
Sean Patrick McGraw/Git Yer Cowboy On/Little Engine Records – 191
Glen Templeton/Sing That Song Again/Black River Entertainment – 180
Black River Entertainment's Sarah Darling kicked off her radio tour this week with 103.7/WSOC in Charlotte. (L-R): Rick Baumgartner (Black River Ent.), Rick McCracken (WSOC MD), Sarah Darling, D.J. Stout (WSOC PD), and Megan Good (Black River Ent.)
Show Dog-Universal’s Trace Adkins paid a visit to Denver’s/KYGO while out on his his “Songs and Stories” Tour. (L-R): John Thomas (PD), Adkins, SDU Regional Promotion Director Lisa Owen, and Garret Doll (MD)
Darryl Worley visited with The Farm backstage at WWYZ/Hartford’s benefit for Wounded Warriors on Monday (5/14). Several country stars participated in the 92.5 "Swingin' and Singin" fundraiser at the Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Hartford. (L-R): Nick Hoffman (The Farm), Worley, and The Farm’s Krista Marie and Damien Horn
We are already about half way through 2012. I hope that the Mayans were wrong, by the way.
I thought I would look at the MVPs at this point in the year. We have one awards show down and the CMA show coming in the fall. The CMT Awards show is in a couple of weeks and the MusicRow Awards nominees were announced earlier this week.
I don’t want to use just the awards and the nominations as the criteria for the “Halfway MVP” awards. If it was that easy I would just report on the nominees and winners so far. Additionally, the CMT awards use a very different standard than the other awards shows, as the video is the determining factor. First I thought I would look at some of the radio superstars that haven’t yet won awards.
Artists like Kip Moore and Lee Brice, who have not won performing awards yet, have had a huge presence on radio so far in 2012. Also true for the Eli Young Band and Brantley Gilbert.
We talk a lot about radio’s influence on sales but the number one advantage is introducing new acts to the public and the above acts are perfect examples of this benefit. To be fair it is really easy to look back six months and “make predictions.” If you can’t get that right you really have problems.
I went back and looked at some new artist/break through artist choices made in MusicRow in past years. Winners like The Band Perry, The Zac Brown Band and Lady Antebellum look like geniuses are picking these choices. Past winners also include Buddy Jewel, Eric Heatherly and Mark McGuinn.
Buddy had two big radio songs. Not so much for Eric and Mark.
There have been some past MVPs missing from the list this year. Someone is going to win the Albert Puljos award for first half of 2012 (renamed from the Adam Dunn Award-2011).
I have spoken to fans who are missing Sugarland. Easton Corbin has a hit on the radio right now but he seemed to disappear from the first half of the year. Randy Houser was on the cusp of exploding last year but has slowed down a bit this year.
Here are my “Halfway MVP” award nominees for 2012 and from this will come a “Halfway MVP” award winner.
The list could really be 20 artists. Lady A has had a great first half. Taylor, Flatts and Toby could be on the list but I had to cut it at some point. The above 10 have the buzz so far this year.
My choice for the “Halfway MVP” is Blake Shelton. Number one after number one, social media and TV exposure are hard to beat.
Who did I miss? Let me know your thoughts.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
Big Ride’s Craig Wayne Boyd stopped by MusicRow headquarters yesterday (5/16) to share some of his music, including his current single “I Ain’t No Quitter.” The video for the single was recently filmed and is expected to be released next month. The Dallas, TX native also shared cuts from his upcoming album due this summer including “Blood, Sweat and Beer” and “Dirty South.”