FTC Approves Sony Group Purchase of EMI Music Publishing

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The pending sale of EMI Music Publishing to a group led by the Sony Corporation has been approved by the Federal Trade Commission, it was reported by Reuters today (6/29).

The deal, valued at $2.2 billion, was given the go-ahead by U.S. regulators and no divestitures will have to be made. Antitrust regulators in Europe approved the sale in April, provided the new company sell publishing rights of Robbie Williams and Lenny Kravitz among others.

The combined companies will be the world’s largest music publishing catalog, boasting songs such as “Over The Rainbow,” “Rolling in the Deep,” “New York, New York,” and many more.

“The financial arrangement behind the deal is complex, and does not give Sony complete control,” points out the New York Times’ Media Decoder blog. “Because of Sony’s joint venture with the Michael Jackson estate for its existing publishing arm, Sony/ATV, it must maintain EMI as a separate company. And while Sony/ATV will administer the EMI catalog, Sony and the Jackson estate will own only 38 percent of it.”

Other investors involved include Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala sovereign wealth fund, Hong Kong’s Jynwel Capital, Blackstone’s GSO Capital Partners, and David Geffen.

Prior to this news, Billboard reported that EMI Music Publishing president “Big” Jon Platt would be departing his position with the company after 17 years. His final day on the job is today.

The Federal Trade Commission is still debating the sale of Universal Music’s pending purchase of EMI’s recorded music division from Citigroup for $1.9 billion. Hits Magazine notes that EMI chief Roger Faxon “half-heartedly” approved of the merger during recent FTC discussions, though its approval could leave him without a job. According to Hits, Faxon’s contract states that within 30 days of the first of the two regulatory investigations finishing, he must choose to stay with either publishing or recorded music.

Charlie Cook On Air: See A Show

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Unless you’re a big college football fan, you most likely agree that summer is the best time of the year. Yeah, I love the third week of November through January 2 because you get so much time off from work during that period and then it does seem like everyone is smiling during the Christmas season. That’s very nice.

But if you are a Country Music fan the summer is unequaled.

Last week Kenny Chesney and American Express partnered for an amazing show at Wildwood Beach in New Jersey. Kenny guessed that there were 25,000 to 30,000 fans in attendance for the free show. There were 30,000 smiles throughout the entire show.

That same night Hunter Hayes played in front of 8,000 fans in Kansas City at a street fair like event.

Last weekend my old friends at Go Country had Reba on Friday, LeAnn Rimes on Saturday, and Glen Campbell on Sunday. The first full weekend of summer in Southern California was a big one for fans of live country music performances.

Three weekends ago summer kicked off with the CMA Fest where almost every big and new name played Nashville with 70,000 people a night at LP Field and thousands more around town traveling into Music City to see live Country Music.

Staying in Nashville for a second, thousands more make the trip see performances at the Opry during their summer breaks.

Festivals abound all Summer with BamaJam fighting through tough weather to make Dothan, Alabama the center of live Country Music a couple of weekends ago. Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band and Eric Church laughed at the thunder and lightning to make sure their fans went into the night convinced that these superstars know how important their fans are.

I once was interviewing an act that had big success in Pop music and then was transitioning to Country Music. I asked them how they felt about 230 dates a year on the road. They told me that they were not going to do it. One record and they were out of Country Music.

I saw the Country Throwdown tour last month in Ohio. Seeing fans “dress up” for these events makes a radio programmer’s heart jump. It shows that the passion for the music is big and getting bigger. Seeing fans from 10 years old to 60 years old makes me know that we are the format that will be around forever.

I just want to take a second and say thank you the Country Music performers who leave their families behind for weeks on end and bring the music to the fans.

I know that some of them make a lot of money from these shows but there are a lot of acts that are paying back recoupables and some pickers are making a salary and not getting rich. They get on a crowded bus because they love the looks from the fans and love what they are doing.

In or out of the business, go see a show this summer as a fan. Don’t work. Take your family or friends, drink beer that you paid for and see the show through a fan’s eyes. That feeling will pay off when you get back to work the next day.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

New Radio Licensing Rates Lead to Lay-offs

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The recently reached agreement between BMI and the Radio Music License Committee is negatively impacting BMI’s radio performance royalty revenue, and has resulted in the elimination of several positions. See an official statement from the organization below. In addition to the elimination of about a dozen positions, many employees were offered, and accepted, early retirement packages in recent months. The organization’s licensing team was the hardest hit.

Official statement from BMI:

A few months ago, BMI made an announcement to staff that the company had initiated a strategic program to restructure its workforce in an effort to generate greater efficiencies and to maintain strong royalty distributions to songwriters and music publishers by reducing costs. The program has several components including a voluntary early retirement plan and the elimination of certain positions by the end of the current fiscal year. Less than 12 positions were impacted by the reduction in force. This program is part of a multifaceted global initiative to ensure that BMI continues to offer relevant, cost effective, cutting edge services to its songwriters, music publishers and licensees in a rapidly evolving entertainment economy.

As previously reported, ASCAP also entered a new agreement with the RMLC, and has been similarly affected. In 2010, ASCAP reorganized its operations, as reported here.

Luke Bryan on GMA, Kip Moore on Today Show

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Luke Bryan has been tapped to perform during Good Morning America’s “Summer Concert Series” on Friday, July 13. Fans can catch his performance between 7:00-9:00am on ABC. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information on how to attend, click on the GMA web site at gmaconcerts.com.

“I have a big smile on my face every time I talk about being on Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series,” says Bryan. “Life’s good. To be a kid from Leesburg, Georgia, and to now be at the point in my career where I’m performing on Good Morning America in the heart of New York City at one of the most recognizable places in the world makes me super excited. It’s gonna be fun.”

Bryan is celebrating his fifth No. 1 single this week, as “Drunk On You” tops the country radio chart.

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MCA Nashville singer-songwriter Kip Moore will release his new single, “Beer Money” on July 9. The song is the follow-up to his gold-certified No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck,” which he will perform on NBC’s Today on July 4.

Moore had a hand in writing every song on Up All Night, his debut album, including his new single, which he co-wrote with Blair Daly and Troy Verges.

“It’s an easy-going feel-good song for people who are sitting in that town with nothing to do. That is the town that I grew up in,” says Moore, who was raised in Tifton, Ga., near the Florida line.

Moore has been touring extensively, performing his own shows and joining Billy Currington and David Nail on the road. He will join Eric Church’s Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour in the fall.

Florida Georgia Line, Bleu Edmondson Supporting The Boot Campaign

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Florida Georgia Line, comprised of Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, have pledged their commitment to the troops by putting on their own pairs of Boot Campaign military issue combat boots and “taking a walk in a soldier’s shoes.”

Supporters of The Boot Campaign purchase boots with all proceeds going to partner military charities that help with a variety of physical and emotional issues facing returning soldiers. The Boot Campaign wants Americans to put the boots on to “symbolically walk in the shoes of our military men and women to remember their service and sacrifice.”

Kelley says, “Anything that we can do to help our soldiers past, present and future and their families, we are thankful to be a part of. This cause really hits close to home; my uncle and cousin both served overseas and my grandfather was awarded two purple hearts during his active duty. We are proud to be a part of The Boot Campaign and thrilled to have them on the road with us for the Country Throwdown Tour. We hope to see all the country fans at the show put their boots on and join us in supporting our veterans as they return home.”

Florida Georgia Line’s debut single “Cruise” is currently No. 39 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart. Visit www.FloridaGeorgiaLine.com for more artist info.

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Bleu Edmondson

Texas rocker Bleu Edmondson is donating proceeds from digital sales of his latest single, “Black and White,” a poignant song about a young man’s struggle to find work and his decision to join the military, to The Boot Campaign.

The tune penned by Edmondson and producer Dwight A. Baker is featured on his current CD, The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be and first appeared on The Boot Campaign’s fundraising compilation CD, When They Come Back.

Edmondson says, “We didn’t start out trying to write a tribute to our men and women in uniform, but I’m sure glad that’s how it turned out.”

Larry Murray, Director of Operations for The Boot Campaign, was delighted to once again team with Edmondson on this song saying, “Bleu’s management contacted us to say he wanted to donate the money from the digital sale of “Black and White” to our organization, and of course, we were thrilled  but when they said he also plans to earmark one of his summer concerts as a Boot Campaign fundraiser, we were knocked out by his generosity.”

Visit www.BleuEdmondson.com to support The Boot Campaign by downloading the song, “Black and White.”

Photos: Jaida Dreyer, Tracy Lawrence, Bucky Covington, Charles Kelley

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Jaida Dreyer Signs With BRC, Makes Opry Debut
Streamsound artist Jaida Dreyer, who recently signed with BRC for exclusive booking representation, made her Grand Ole Opry debut Saturday night (6/23). Dreyer performed her upcoming single “Confessions,” which will officially be released to radio next month. Her debut album, produced by Streamsound co-founder Byron Gallimore, is set for release later this year.

(L-R): Mike Wilson, Streamsound Records; Bobby Roberts, CEO, Bobby Roberts Company; Jaida Dreyer; Lance Roberts, President BRC; and Matt Rizor, Agent BRC

 

Bucky Covington Fans Get Surprise
Fans at Bucky Covington‘s concert at Wild Bill’s in Duluth, GA got a treat last Friday (6/22) when Lady A’s Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley joined him onstage following their concert at nearby Gwinnett Center. Kelley and Covington sang a cover of John Mellencamp’s “Hurts So Good.”

Covington and Kelley. Photo: Dan Harr/MusicNewsNashville.com

 

Tracy Lawrence’s Film Debut
Tracy Lawrence recently spent a week on the film set of L.A. Dirt in Mobile, Ala., where he made his acting debut. L.A. Dirt is the story of a young man’s dream to become a champion dirt track racer. Lawrence’s character is the uncle of lead character Ty Hargrove, played by Michael Roark.

Tracy Lawrence on the set of L.A. Dirt with fellow cast members Madeline Thelton, and Michael Roark. Photo: Alex Torrez

Springsteen to be Honored as MusiCares Person of the Year

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Bruce Springsteen will be honored as the 2013 MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday, Feb. 8 2013, it was announced by Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow and MusiCares Foundation Board Chair Scott Pascucci.

The event will be held in Los Angeles during Grammy Week two days prior to the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. Proceeds from the benefit gala dinner and concert, now in its 23rd year, will support MusiCares. Composer/producer Rob Mathes will serve as musical director. The week’s events will culminate with the 55th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. CBS will broadcast the ceremony live at 8 pm ET.

Springsteen is being honored for his extraordinary artistic accomplishments as well as his significant charitable work over the years. His recording career began almost 40 years ago with the Columbia Records album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and includes landmark recordings such as Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A., both of which have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame an in 2009, he was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Springsteen’s latest album, Wrecking Ball, was released in March.

“Bruce Springsteen is a truly gifted and Renaissance artist of our time, a national treasure, and an exemplary humanitarian,” said Portnow. “His career is a testament to the power of creative excellence, and his contributions as a philanthropist speak to the tenacity of the human spirit. We are privileged and honored to pay tribute to Bruce this year as our MusiCares Person of the Year.”

Ray Scott Inks Management/Booking Agreement

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Ray Scott recently inked a new management and booking agreement with AStar Promotions. The singer’s latest album Rayality contains new single “Those Jeans” and a video shoot is in the works. 

Trace Adkins recorded Scott’s tune “If The Sun Comes Up” for the Act Of Valor film soundtrack, released in February.

Frank Lena is CEO of AStar Promotions, which has offices in Nashville, Chicago, and Lake Geneva, WI. “We believe Ray is a perfect match with his creativity, unique writing style and performances that engage audiences from all walks of life,” says Lena. “He connects with people because he is ‘real’ and it’s a natural complement to AStar’s business model.”

Scott is set for a Fri., Sept. 14 performance at Nashville’s Hard Rock Café to kick off the Ray Scott & Friends Country @ the Rock Concert Series.

Best know for his 2005 Warner Bros. album My Kind of Music, Scott has since released Crazy Like Me and Rayality.

For information on booking contact Joey Adams at 615-618-7646 or [email protected].

New B.o.B. Video Features Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift sings the hooky chorus in the new song by rapper B.o.B. The video for “Both of Us” premiered yesterday (6/27) on MTV.

Among the Nashville locations used in the video are Melrose Billiards and Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish. Director Jake Nava shot the video showcasing everyday triumphs and struggles of the working class. See the “Behind the Video” clip posted below.

The track is the third single from B.o.B.‘s Atlantic Records release Strange Clouds. The underdog championing lyric features Swift singing, “I wish I was strong enough to lift not one, but both of us.”

Swift and the rapper first met in October 2011 when he was a surprise guest at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium stop on her Speak Now tour. They dueted on his hit “Airplane.”

Warner Nashville Hosts “Pickin’ on the Patio”

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Warner Music Nashville will host its Pickin’ On The Patio party today (6/28), featuring Warner/Chappell writers Jedd Hughes, Jay Clementi & Tim James and special guest Blaster Records’ Brother Trouble.

Doors open at 5:00 pm and show starts at 5:30 pm. Food and drinks will be served during performances. Pickin’ On The Patio is held the fourth Thursday of every month, from May to October, on the WMN Patio. Mark your calendars for the next one on July 26.