Rimes to Headline VH1 Fundraiser

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LeAnn Rimes will headline the VH1 Save the Music Foundation’s Songwriters Music Series Napa, presented by William Hill Estate Wines and Raymond Weil. The event will take place Thursday, September 20, 6:30-10 pm at William Hill Estate in Napa and follows the April 2012 series kick off with Robin Thicke.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation’s Songwriters Music Series,” said Rimes. “Music is such an important part of my life and I’m happy to help spread awareness about the incredible work VH1 Save The Music is doing to keep music education programs in our schools. I look forward to a great show!”

The Songwriters Music Series, which originally featured performances by Jewel, Darius Rucker, Rob Thomas and more, got a reboot in 2011. The newly re-launched version featured performances by The Band Perry, Glee star Matthew Morrison, Colbie Caillat and Andy Grammer. Since 2011, it has raised over $388,000 for 12 music education programs nationwide.

Tickets for the event are sold out, but individuals can pledge support with the purchase of a t-shirt to benefit Save the Music. Details here.

Erin Enderlin Inks Management Deal

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Standing (L-R): Mike Taliaferro (Carter & Co.), Noah McPike (Almon Law, PLLC). Seated: Joe Carter (Carter & Co.), Erin Enderlin

Singer/songwriter Erin Enderlin has signed an exclusive management agreement with Carter & Company. Enderlin’s songwriting credits include hits such as “Monday Morning Church” (Alan Jackson), “Last Call” (Lee Ann Womack), and “You Don’t Know Jack” (Luke Bryan).

Managers Joe Carter and Mike Taliaferro previously worked with Country artist Tracy Byrd.

Enderlin is featured on an upcoming September 15 Nick Lowe tribute album (Fiesta Red Records) alongside artists including Lori McKenna, Hayes Carll, and Robert Ellis with proceeds benefiting the Nashville flood victims. She released an 8-track EP in May 2011 and was a featured artist on the 2011 Country Throwdown Tour.

SoundExchange Seeking 50,000 Copyright Holders

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SoundExchange today (8/15) released a list of more than 50,000 recording artist and record label names owed tens of millions of dollars in unclaimed digital performance royalty payments. This list also includes more than $31 million in royalties that are three or more years old.

SoundExchange is the nonprofit organization entrusted by the Library of Congress to collect and distribute royalties for sound recordings streamed on Internet radio, satellite radio and cable music services.

The organization is encouraging recording artists and record labels to view the searchable database located on its website to learn more and register to receive their share. The unclaimed royalties, ranging from $10 to more than $100,000, have been collected by SoundExchange during the past decade. Those that are not included on the list, and have not yet registered with SoundExchange, are encouraged to also register to receive future digital radio royalties.

SoundExchange has paid more than $1 billion in digital performance royalties to the artists and labels it represents since its inception. It has contacted tens of thousands of recording artists and record labels owed money throughout the years, and has registered more than 30,000 artists and labels in the last three years.

“The digital music industry is continuing to grow, providing recording artists and record labels with an increasingly beneficial revenue stream. We are doing everything possible to make sure artists and labels know that and capitalize on it,” said SoundExchange President Michael Huppe.

To register online, visit: http://sndx.co/register.

Jake Owen to Release ‘Endless Summer’ EP

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Jake Owen and RCA Nashville will release a four-song EP titled Endless Summer on September 25, available digitally and at most retailers.

Owen unofficially announced the EP at his CMA Music Fest Fan Club party and has been previewing the tracks, including “Summer Jam,” written by the duo Florida Georgia Line and Craig Wiseman, and a cover of Ben Harper “Steal My Kisses,” at various live dates.

Owen earns his first executive producer credit on the EP, and Joey Moi returns as producer for all four tracks. Moi previously produced “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Alone With You,” and Owen’s current single, “The One That Got Away.”

“It’s been almost a year since our album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, came out,” says Jake. “And, I started thinking that I really wanted to put out a few new tunes that had a summer vibe. Hopefully, these songs will be ones that keep the party going into the fall and people will crank them up loud when they are out on the water enjoying their own endless summer.”

To hear more from Owen about the EP, click here.

Programmer Playlist: Tim Dugger

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Breaking new Curb artist Tim Dugger is addicted to the “fast lane” –whether it’s horsepower in the pursuit of superstardom in country music, or hanging-out at the track with the major names in NASCAR who just happen to be his “good buddies.” Speed is in the blood of the Alabama born native.

A diehard NASCAR fan, Dugger developed a loyal fan base in the country music clubs surrounding the race circuit. “I grew up in awe of Dale Earnhardt and it was a major Sunday tradition back at home to sit around with my dad and watch the races,” Dugger recalls. “When I started playing the clubs I had the thrill of meeting Richard Childress and struck up a real friendship with his whole family. From that meeting I ultimately met Mike Curb at Daytona and got to hand him a CD—that was the beginning of where I am today.”

After forming his own bands as a teenager, in a few short years his reputation as a performer kept him on a solid road schedule of club performances throughout the south.

“At home growing up there was always a guitar in the house and I taught myself out of a little book that showed me three basic chords,” Dugger recalls.  “I’d go to this music store in town every day during the summer when school was out—it was a bunch of old school musicians just pickin’ and singin’ and I’d get in the circle with them and watch their fingers. That led me to going around to the circuit of little pickin’ houses—I was 99% percent of the time the youngest musician there. It was like a college education in music.”

Dugger musical influences reflect his love of the traditional.  “I’ve always loved the legends—Merle Haggard, Vern Gosdin, Gene Watson.  My dad was a truck driver and he’d come home with all their cassette tapes from the truck.  That sealed the deal with me when I heard their music.”

As witnessed by his debut single, (I Called Her) Tennessee, a world of new country fans are about to have Dugger on their playlists.

The single itself is one of his favorite songs from his debut album. “I wrote the song four or five years ago and it’s actually one of my favorite songs that I’ve written to date.  I think every good ‘ol Alabama boy in high school dreams of spring break when he can hit the beaches down to Mobile or Panama City and meet that older and wiser college girl that can teach him a thing or two about love.  That’s the story in this song.  They have a great time—he never asks her name—but he knows she’s from Tennessee.”

Tim’s music reflects his passion for a great country lyric and his debut album for Curb offers the proven production genius of veteran producer Jim Ed Norman whose long list of credits include the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Kenny Rogers.

“Jim Ed is more than someone whose production I love—he’s a guy whose opinion I respect on all aspects of the music industry.  Spending time in the studio with him is a learning experience for me and I’ve dug every second that’s gone into the album so far.”

Sharing stages with artists of the caliber of Trace Adkins, Diamond Rio, Sarah Evans and Craig Morgan gives further witness to Dugger’s ability to command attention with his own special brand of music and onstage charisma. His featured spot in the television reality series, Highway To Fame took the message wider that a new major career was in the making.

With new music on the horizon and with smoldering good looks and southern charm packed securely under his cowboy hat, America’s about to buckle up for Dugger’s fast ride to the top.

Dugger is philosophical about the potential of super stardom on the horizon. “The only goal I had setting out in music was to make a living at it so I’ve already been very blessed. This world is very stressful if you’ve written a song that can give someone a lift for three minutes —I think you’ve done something pretty cool.

Paisley and Underwood Returning to Host CMA Awards

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The rumors have been confirmed—Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will return to host “Country Music’s Biggest Night” for a fifth consecutive year. The 46th Annual CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Thursday, Nov. 1 (8-11 pm/ET) on ABC.

“I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we are extremely excited to be back for a fifth year hosting the CMA Awards,” said Underwood. “Each year we work harder so that we can help present the best show possible.”

“We’re waiting on someone to do something really stupid between now and then,” said Paisley. “I have faith. We are excited. I think you walk out there with people expecting a certain thing now and that’s a great place to be. I think they know who we are. They know what we do up there together and we’ve become something different together than we are separately I think, which is fun.”

Paisley is a 14-time CMA Winner, including Entertainer of the Year (2010) and Male Vocalist (2007, 2008, 2009). Underwood is a five-time winner, including three consecutive wins for Female Vocalist (2006, 2007, 2008) and Single of the Year in 2007 for “Before He Cheats.”

The 46th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton serves as the show’s Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer.

Swift Single Heads For Huge Debut

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Taylor Swift’s new single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is headed for a huge debut sales week. When Nielsen Soundscan closes tracking on Sunday (8/19), industry sources believe that the song will have sold between 450k- 500k downloads, according to Billboard.

If the track debuts in the predicted range, it could become the best selling female debut since Lady Gaga sold 448k downloads of “Born This Way” in 2011, just three days post release. Swift has almost a week to rack up the sales.

She will likely trump her own best download stats. Swift scored her best digital single sales week when “Love Story” moved 360k during Christmas week 2008. As far as debut single sales, she tallied 325k units of “Today Was a Fairytale” in 2010. These stats were reported in Billboard.

“Never” was first released exclusively to iTunes and Google Play, and is now at all digital outlets. Pop and country versions of the track have been serviced to radio, but only the pop mix is available for paid download.

The single is shooting up the radio charts and has an official impact date of Aug. 20. Her fourth studio album, Red, hits shelves Oct. 22.

Jerrod Niemann Frees The Music

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Jerrod Niemann unveiled the album artwork for his October 2 release, Free The Music, featuring actual photographs from instruments used when recording.

The Sea Gayle Records/Arista Nashville release, which Niemann co-produced and contributed co-writing credits to every track, is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

“This album is my interpretation of how I feel about country right now,” said Neimann. “The pedal steel guitar has come to define country music, but there were years and years of country being made before that instrument was even invented. Horns have been in country going back to the 1920s, and fiddles and other string instruments date back even further.”

In other Niemann news, the singer recently visited Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to help launch Musicians on Call’s 11th Weekly Bedside Performance Program, celebrating five years of service in Nashville. The singer performed his latest single, “Shinin’ On Me” (photo below).

Free The Music track listing (Track/Title/Songwriters):
01-“Free The Music” (Niemann)
02-“Whiskey Kind of Way” (Niemann, Randy Boudreaux)
03-“Get On Up” (Niemann, J.R. McCoy, Jesse Clingan)
04-“I’ll Have to Kill the Pain” (Niemann, J.R. McCoy, Arlos Smith)
05-“Only God Can Love You More” (Niemann, Jon Stone, Lee Brice)
06-“Shinin’ on Me” (Niemann, Rob Hatch, Lee Brice, Lance Miller)
07-“Honky Tonk Fever” (Niemann)
08-“Guessing Games” (Niemann, J.R. McCoy)
09-“It Won’t Matter Anymore” (Niemann, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller)
10-“I’m All About You” [featuring Colbie Caillat] (Niemann, Richie Brown)
11-“Real Women Drink Beer”(Jerrod, Houston Phillips)
12-“Fraction of a Man” (Niemann)

Jerrod Niemann with hospital staff at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital.

Survey Reveals Music Discovery Habits

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Radio remains the dominant form of music discovery in the United States, unless you happen to be a teenager.

According to Nielsen’s recent “Music 360” report, 48% of those surveyed said radio was how they found new music, followed by recommendations from friends/family (10%), and YouTube (7%). But the teenage results show they listen to new music mostly through YouTube (64%), then radio (56%), iTunes (53%) and CDs (50%).

“The accessibility of music has seen tremendous expansion and diversification,” said David Bakula, SVP Client Development, Nielsen. “While younger listeners opt for technologically advanced methods, traditional methods of discovery like radio and word-of-mouth continue to be strong drivers. With so many ways to purchase, consume and discover great new music, it’s no wonder that the consumer continues to access and enjoy music in greater numbers.”

There are approximately 42.7 million individuals between the ages of 10-19, or 13.8% of the country’s total population, according to US Census Data from 2010. People ages 20-29 account for roughly the same percentage as teens, with 30-39 year olds slightly less at 12.9%. People ages 40-49 years make up the largest slice at 14.1%, and those 50-59 years of age amount to 13.6%. There are an additional 40.5 million people below the age of 10 who will grow up with a multitude of discovery options at their fingertips, from YouTube to traditional radio to Spotify and beyond.

Young consumers who purchase digital tracks are also more likely to download a song soon after release. Thirty-three percent of teens reported buying a digital track within one week of release, versus only 21% of those ages 18 and above for the same period.

And while 18-24 year olds are most likely to attend live events, 54% of teenagers who go to concerts will purchase t-shirts, versus 46% of 18-24 year olds.

Other interesting findings from the Nielsen study show 54% of respondents are more inclined to purchase something if a friend gives it a recommendation, and 25% are more likely to purchase something hyped in the blogosphere. Of smartphone users, 54% report having some kind of music player app, and 47% have a radio app.

Jones Announces Farewell Tour

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In 2013, George Jones will mark the end of an era with a farewell tour for his fans called The Grand Tour. After over 50 years of touring, Jones has decided he is ready to slow down and spend more time with family.

“It is tough to stop doing what I love, but the time has come,” said Jones in a statement.

The Grand Tour will visit approximately 60 cities in 2013. The star will perform many of his hits such as “White Lightning,” “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” and “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair.” 

Jones also plans to record a new studio album, and Dolly Parton has been writing songs for him. There is no scheduled release date for the project at this time.

After a brief bout with an upper respiratory infection earlier this year, Jones was forced to cancel several tour dates. However, he is currently back on the road and dates can be found here.