eBay and AEG Align

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eBay Inc. and AEG have announced a global partnership that will involve venue sponsorships and technology integrations. Multiple eBay digital properties and AEG venues will be included in the multi-year agreement aimed at improving live event experience for fans worldwide.

Beginning in Q1 of 2013, eBay’s StubHub ticket resale property will becoming the exclusive secondary ticketing outlet for AEG venues and its AXS Ticketing platform. StubHub will also be the official Secondary Partner of the Staples Center, the LA Kings, and the LA Galaxy starting with the 2013-2014 seasons. Additionally, PayPal will become one of AXS Ticketing’s new payment methods, and AEG’s BandMerch will be available in the eBay marketplace.

“Technology is revolutionizing commerce, and eBay Inc. is working with leading companies around the world to use our platforms to bring innovative new experiences to consumers,” said Devin Wenig, president of eBay marketplaces. “Integrating our technology platforms with AEG is a natural fit for eBay Inc., and allows our companies to give fans nearly unprecedented access to the events, performers and athletes they love.”

”eBay is one of the most complete and well-rounded e-commerce and technology companies in the world and pairing our combined capabilities and global reach is an exciting opportunity” said Tim Leiweke, president and CEO, AEG. “This partnership will help bring even deeper digital resources and online marketing reach to the AXS Ticketing platform and will allow us to continue to transform the live event fan experience.”

George Jones Reveals Final Nashville Concert

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George Jones will play his final concert in Nashville during the farewell Grand Tour when he stops at the Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 22, 2013, along with special guest Tanya Tucker.

“The Grand Tour will have surprises throughout the shows – you never know who may show up!” said Jones. “The Possum has lots of friends so it is going to be the most exciting thing to see who shows up during the final show.”

The Nashville show is among approximately 60 dates The Possum will visit during his farewell tour (announced dates below), which will include surprise guests at various stops.

Tickets for the Nashville show go on sale Friday, November 16 at 10 am at all Ticketmaster locations.

The tour will be promoted by Outback Concerts. Visit www.georgejones.com for more information.

The Grand Tour (2012-2013)
11/09 – Branson, MO – The Mansion Theatre
11/10 – Morton, MN – Jackpot Junction Casino
11/16 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center
11/17 – Hiawassee, GA – Anderson Music Hall
11/23 – Winnie, TX – Nutty Jerry’s Winnie Arena
11/24 – Bossier City, LA – Horseshoe Casino
12/01 – Elizabeth, IN – Horseshoe Casino
12/15 – Jackson, TN – Carl Perkins Civic Center
02/02 – Tunica, MS – Sam’s Town
02/07 – Lakeland, FL – Youkey Theater
02/22 – Greenville, TX – Greenville Memorial Auditorium
02/23 – Forrest City, AR – East Arkansas Community College
03/15 – Joliet, IL – Realto Square Theater
03/16 – Muncie, IN – Emens Auditorium
03/22 – Chattanooga, TN – Memorial Auditorium
04/05 – Fairfax, VA – Patriot Center
04/06 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Coliseum
04/19 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theater
04/20 – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center
04/27 – Huntsville, AL – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall
05/17 – Charlottesville, VA – John Paul Jones Arena
05/18 – Spartanburg, SC – Memorial Auditorium
06/01 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theater
06/02 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theater
11/09 – Grant, OK – Choctaw Event Center
11/22 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

RIAA Issues Fall Gold & Platinum Recognitions

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Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, and Carrie Underwood are among the artists receiving Gold & Platinum certification Awards from the RIAA in October.

Swifts “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was certified 2x multi-Platinum to mark the singer’s sixth career double-Platinum song, attributing to her more than 33 million career downloads sold.

Republic Nashville duo Florida Georgia Line also earned high marks for the Big Machine Label Group with, “Cruise,” receiving a first-time digital song certification alongside Havana Brown (“We Run the Night”), Driicky Graham (“Snapbacks & Tattoos”), Imagine Dragons (“It’s Time”), Kreayshawn (“Gucci Gucci”), and French Montana (“Pop That”).

Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” was certified Platinum, denoting more than one million downloads sold since its release, alongside Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me” and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Otis.”

October’s Gold certified albums included Glassnote Records’ Mumford & Sons sophomore album Babel, which easily surpassed the mark with first week sales exceeding 600k. Additionally, the Mumford crew earned its first double-Platinum download certification for “Little Lion Man” and a third Gold single award for the new track “I Will Wait.” Dave Matthews Band’s Away From the World and P!nk’s Truth About Love also earned Gold album status.

In total, 38 digital single awards and 8 album certifications were issued for October. The Black Keys, Postal Service and Madonna additionally received notable sale benchmarks.

Levon Helm Documentary Due in 2013

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A new documentary film will provide an intimate look at the life of the late Levon Helm, founding member of The Band who passed away in April 2012. Ain’t In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm will be distributed by Kino Lorber and released to North American theaters in early 2013.

Under the guidance of director Jacob Hatley, Ain’t In It For My Health follows Helm at home in Woodstock, NY, in the middle of recording his first studio album in 25 years. Filmed over two years, the documentary tracks the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer through an intensively creative period after his 2007 album Dirt Farmer brought him back to the spotlight.

“Jacob was the perfect fly on the wall for many months as we experienced the ups and downs of a wonderful time in all our lives,” says Helm collaborator and musical director Larry Campbell. “The result is a rare, artful, and honest glimpse into the fascinating world of one of our true American treasures, Levon Helm.”

This news follows the recent “Love For Levon” concert in early October, featuring Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Lucinda Williams, Roger Waters, Gregg Allman, John Hiatt, and many more. Proceeds from that event benefited the Helm estate, including home, barn, and studio.

Veterans Day News

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The music video for Kristy Lee Cook’s new single “Airborne Ranger Infantry” debuted exclusively on Fox411 Country yesterday (Nov. 8). Directed by Roman White, the clip is a tribute to the men and women who have served in the US military as well as the loved ones who await them at home. Cook co-wrote the song with her father Larry Cook, in addition to songwriters Michael Logen and Luke Sheets, based on her father’s experiences in Vietnam.

“Singing a song about men and women that have fought and served for our country and those who have lost their lives for us is very emotional – and I’m not an emotional person but there is a soft spot in my heart for our soldiers,” says Cook. “I feel very privileged to be able to sing something for them in return for their sacrifice for me.”

See the video here.

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An impressive group of Nashville singer/songwriters has been assembled for the “Nashville to You” Armed Forces Entertainment-sponsored tour, which kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 11 in Southwest Asia. Included on the bill are singer/songwriter and combat veteran Keni Thomas, Billy Montana, Hillary Lindsey, Ray Scott, and Troy Verges. More info here.

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Newcomer Joe Bachman is saluting men and women in uniform this Veterans Day with the release of his song “Soldier’s Memoir.” Penned by Bachman with Mitch Rossell, the song is a thank you to members of the Armed Forces and a portion of the proceeds from sales will go to benefit The Boot Campaign. Purchase “Soldier’s Memoir” on iTunes here. More info on Joe Bachman here.

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Tenacity Records has released David Kroll’s “Little Soldiers” just in time for Veterans Day. Kroll penned the song with Arlos Smith to acknowledge the sacrifices made by military families and, along with Tenacity, has partnered with the Code of Support Foundation to donate proceeds from a two-week sales period, running Nov. 5-18. More information here.

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“The Journey Home: A Soldier’s Story” by d corlew films made its debut on GAC Wednesday, Nov. 7. The documentary, narrated by Charlie Daniels, follows US Army and Marine veterans returning home from combat zones and facing the new challenges awaiting them. GAC will re-air the film throughout the weekend on 11/10 (10:30 pm), 11/11 (2:30 am, 5 pm, 10:30 pm), 11/12 (1:30 am, 4 pm, 9:30 pm) and 11/13 (12 am, 9:30 am, 8 pm). See the trailer here.

Swift Reveals RED Tour Pre-Sale Details

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Details are emerging regarding ticketing for Taylor Swift’s 2013 Red Tour as pre-sale tickets become available this Sunday (11/11) for 14 dates. The singer has released information about two VIP Packages for the tour on her official website:

Option 1: One floor ticket in the first 20 rows, an autographed copy of Red, and access to the Pre-show VIP lounge, hosted by a dedicated personality. The official lounge will include complimentary food and non-alcoholic beverages, prizes, gift bags, photos, and VIP check-in and event entrances (where available). A customer service hotline is also provided.

Option 2: One lower level ticket and gift bag.

Swift’s North American RED Tour will headline 58 shows in 45 cities with general admission tickets available Nov. 16 for a number of dates. Applications for pre-sale access can be found here.

In other Swift news, Sony Electronics announced the Nov. 20 release of 8 Hours/Taylor Swift, a 60 page photo book available to Sony customers who purchase a Sony Alpha DSLR or NEX camera in an official store. Ten copies signed by photographer Nigel Barker and Swift will be auctioned by Sony on eBay to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

‘CMA Country Christmas’ Bringing Holiday Cheer to ABC

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CMA Country Christmas will air Thursday, Dec. 20 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET) and repeat Saturday, Dec. 22 and Sunday, Dec. 23. For the third year, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland will host the ABC holiday program.

Artists on the two-hour special celebrating the season with songs and stories include Dierks Bentley, Colbie Caillat, Katherine Jenkins, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Nettles, The Band Perry, and Keith Urban.

In 2011, the broadcast of “CMA Country Christmas” drew more than 9 million viewers, which was an increase of nearly 23 percent over the inaugural broadcast in 2010. Adults 18-49 increased year-to-year by nearly 50 percent. Total viewers who watched the show within a week of premiere increased 2 million viewers from 2010 to 2011 (7.663 vs. 9.624). The cumulative audience for all three airings reached 14 million viewers.

“The popularity of ‘CMA Country Christmas’ grows each year,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The special is reaching across format lines and bringing in new viewers who appreciate great performances. It is especially rewarding that ABC has made the decision to air the program three times during the holiday season.”

CMA Country Christmas is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director, and David Wild is the writer. Full CMA Country Christmas show details can be found at CMAChristmas.com.

Nashville Wins Big At Billboard Touring Awards

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During Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw's final 'Brothers of the Sun' dates (8/24-25) at Foxboro, MA's Gillette Stadium. Photo: Jill Trunnell

Country music took home big honors during Billboard’s 9th Annual Touring Awards last night (11/8), hosted by actress/comedienne Sandra Bernhard at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

Billboard’s Breakthrough Award went to Lady Antebellum. The Brothers of the Sun tour brought home Top Package honors for Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and Jake Owen, marking Chesney’s seventh win in the category. Independently, McGraw took home the Concert Marketing & Promotion Award with Pennzoil while Chesney additionally received The Road Warrior Award.

With the exception of a handful of reader-voted honors including Road Warrior Award and the Concert Marketing & Promotion Award, the Touring Awards are based on calculations reported to Billboard Boxscore between Oct. 1, 2011 and Sept. 30, 2012.

The Top Package Award recognizes the top-grossing tour with 3+ artists on the bill, which also included Taylor Swift’s Speak Now Tour with Needtobreathe, Danny Gokey, Frankie Ballard, Hunter Hayes, Randy Montana, Josh Kelly and more; and Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party with Luke Bryan, Lauren Alaina/Rachel Farley and DeeJay Silver.

The Breakthrough Award, which honors artists still in their first decade of headlining, additionally nominated Miranda Lambert and The Black Keys.

Billboard honored its own Ray Waddell with the Legend of Scribe Award to mark his 25 years of tour industry reporting.

Additional awards were bestowed upon the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival; The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas; Live Nation; William Morris Endeavor Entertainment; Roger Waters; Bruce Springsteen, and Lady Gaga. A full list of winners can be found here.

The Awards cap off the Billboard Touring Conference, which took place Nov. 7-8 and included panels with Holly Williams and Irving Azoff.

Snapshots (11/9/12)

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This Music’s Rusty Gaston joined sponsor Regions Bank’s Lisa Harless in the WSM studio with Ben Hayslip and WSM’s Tom English for the premiere of “The ASCAP Songwriters Show.” The exclusive weekly songwriter program will air Wednesdays from 2-3 pm and spotlight a different ASCAP songwriter each week. The writers will talk about the stories behind their hit songs, play live in the studio, and feature new songs currently being pitched to some of the biggest artists in music today.

(L-R) Rusty Gaston, Lisa Harless, Ben Hayslip, Tom English

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Big Ride’s Craig Wayne Boyd performed at WFKY/WVKY’s annual St. Jude Jam at the Grand Theatre in Frankfort, Ky on November 3. Country artists J.D. Shelburne and Darren Warren also performed. Boyd, Shelburne and Warren ended the acoustic event with a surprise group jam.

WFKY/WVKY Staffers with Darren Warren, J.D. Shelburne and Craig Wayne Boyd

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Steve Luscombe made his debut performance on the Billy Block Show, now 16 years old, at Mercy Lounge Tuesday evening (11/6). Luscombe’s debut single on Taytown Records, titled ” I’m a Natural,” has shipped to country radio.

(L-R): InstiGator Entertainment's David Haley, Steve Luscombe and Billy Block

Carter Robertson Releases Memoir

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Artist, writer and background singer Carter Robertson’s memoir, Playin’ on the Tracks, is set for release on Nov. 12. The book reveals Robertson’s journey from the rural Pentecostal church culture to performing as the only female member of Waylon Jennings’ band throughout the “Outlaw” era and beyond.

“Very seldom does one get to experience the view from inside the circle around a superstar artist like we do in Carter Robertson’s Playin’ on the Tracks,”says John Zarling, VP/Promotion & Media Strategy for Big Machine Label Group. “Her life is one fully lived, and fully documented, leaving her vulnerable for the benefit of every reader.”

Robertson has worked in the music industry most of her life. She sang on more than 15 of Jennings and his wife Jessi Colter’s albums, including hits like “Luckenbach Texas,”  “Are You Ready For the Country” and “The Good Ol’ Boys” (Dukes of Hazzard theme song). Other studio credits include Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and James Taylor. She later joined up with Waylon and other friends to form the Waymore Blues Band. She is also the mother of Becky, Emily, and Joanna Robertson of Carter’s Chord.

For more information about Playin’ on the Tracks as well as Robertson’s new CD and live show based on the book, visit www.carterrobertson.com.