Shelton Christmas Special Blends Humor With Star-Studded Lineup

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Fans of Blake Shelton and NBC’s The Voice are well aware of this entertainer’s hilarious wit and endearing charm. Shelton brought his brand of slightly off-color Christmas spirit to primetime television with NBC’s Blake Shelton’s Not-So-Family Christmas special Monday night (12/3). The singer-songwriter blended comedy, guest star appearances and performances of tunes from his album Cheers, It’s Christmas.

After an opening skit featuring Shelton performing “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire” while wearing an elf costume, he performed a solo rendition of “Let It Snow” (trading the costume for a sleek suit jacket and jeans). He welcomed Kelly Clarkson for a comedic skit, where the former American Idol winner seemed to think Shelton’s holiday special was a singing competition. “It’s 2012, people are singing, it’s a competition,” quipped Clarkson. After Clarkson showed off some of her powerhouse vocal riffs, she and Shelton performed their holiday duet, “There’s A New Kid in Town.”

Shelton’s fellow The Voice coach Christina Aguilera made a brief appearance to play a fake The Voice commercial in which Shelton tries to sell a “Just-Like-The-Voice” chair–a duct-taped chair adorned with a bell, a knockoff version of his coach’s chair from the hit reality singing competition.

Shelton welcomed his mother Dorothy Shackleford and they sang “Time For Me To Come Home,” an appropriate tune about going to see your mother at Christmas.

In perhaps the most hilarious skit of the program, Shelton and Larry The Cable Guy were in the claymation style of classic Christmas shows including Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer and Frosty The Snowman. What started as a hunting trip goes sour when the pair ultimately killed nearly every beloved Christmas character. Even Shelton later admitted the scene was a little dark.

Reba, who looked regal in a stunning red gown, appeared to present Shelton with an early Christmas present–the original hand-written lyrics to “Heartbreak Hotel,” penned by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, and recorded by Elvis Presley. Shelton’s gift to Reba? One of his “Just-Like-The-Voice” chairs. Quick-witted Reba tried to decline the gift by explaining that she didn’t have room for the present in her car. The pair then performed “Let’s Have An Oklahoma Christmas.”

Shelton’s final special guest of the evening was wife Miranda Lambert, who joined him on a Christmas version of “Home,” the Michael Buble classic which Shelton remade into a No. 1 song. “I thought there needed to be one serious moment. I’m the wife that’s what I’m here for,” Lambert said jokingly before sharing how special the song is for the couple. “We don’t get to spend that much time at home as a family.”

All of the evening’s performers then joined each other onstage to thank the live audience for its support. All in all, the special hit the right blend of humor, musicality and heartfelt emotion.

Following a two-hour semifinals broadcast of The Voice, the 10 p.m. ET holiday special pulled in an average of 8.96 million viewers, according to hitfix.com.

MusicRowPics: CMT’s Artist of the Year Special

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A star-studded lineup turned out for the 2012 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony last night (12/3) at the Factory at Franklin. The event was hosted by Rascal Flatts and Hayden Panettiere.

Among the entertainment and sports celebrities appearing or performing were Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Merle Haggard, Ludacris, Luke Bryan, Eli Young Band, Morgan Freeman, Craig Ferguson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, Mike Fisher, Sammy Hagar, Hunter Hayes, Metallica’s James Hetfield, Chipper Jones, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Rodney Carrington, Roger Clemens, Kacey Musgraves, Kenny Rogers,Thompson Square, and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.

For the first time, CMT is keeping the list of honorees secret until the 90-minute telecast airs on the network this weekend (12/8), at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Executive producers are John Hamlin, R.A. Clark and Margaret Comeaux.

Photos: Alan Mayor

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Scotty McCreery Christmas Album Goes Gold

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Scotty McCreery is set to make the television rounds in support of his first holiday album, Christmas with Scotty McCreery. The album has already been certified Gold by the RIAA for over 500,000 copies shipped.

McCreery will appear on ABC’s Good Morning America on Dec. 11 and again on Dec. 24. He will be a presenter on the American Country Awards, which airs Dec. 10 on Fox at 7 p.m. CT. The singer will also perform as part of CMA Country Christmas, which airs on ABC Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. CT.

Additionally, he will appear on the 10th Annual Hollywood Christmas Celebration At The Grove, a nationally syndicated TV special which is airing across the country for the next six weeks (check local listings for show times).

His GAC special, Christmas with Scotty McCreery & Friends, will re-air numerous times in the coming weeks.

Fans can catch McCreery at an in-store appearance at Nashville’s Opry Originals retail outlet on Friday (Dec. 7) signing copies of his Christmas album.

Randy Houser Sets Stoney Creek Debut

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Randy Houser will release his third album, How Country Feels, on January 22, 2013, marking his debut for Stoney Creek Records.

The 15-track collection, produced by Derek George, features seven songs penned by Houser and a duet with labelmate Kristy Lee Cook.

“I’ve wanted to work with [Derek] since day one,” says Houser. “We just clicked… he comes from my home state of Mississippi and we share a similar creative vision that I think really shines through on this new album.”

Houser’s fastest-climbing single and title-track on the forthcoming release has sold over 250k units to date. He recently wrapped his headlining Jagermeister Presents Tour. For more information, visit www.randyhouser.com.

How Country Feels Tracklist:
1. “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight”
2. “Growin’ Younger”
3. “Top Of The World”
4. “The Singer”
5. “Power Of A Song”
6. “Absolutely Nothing”
7. “Wherever Love Goes” (with Kristy Lee Cook)
8. “Like A Cowboy”
9. “How Country Feels”
10. “Along For The Ride”
11. “Sunshine On the Line”
12. “Goodnight Kiss”
13. “Let’s Not Let It”
14. “Shine”
15. “Route 3 Box 250 D”

Carrie Underwood Adds International Tour Dates

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Carrie Underwood will take The Blown Away Tour overseas in 2013. The tour will visit Dublin on March 14, Belfast on March 15, and then London, England on March 17, where Underwood will headline the first-ever “Country To Country” music festival being held at London’s O2 Arena.

Four stops in Canada have been added next year, bringing the total number of shows on the tour’s run to over 100. The Canada dates include stops at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, SK on May 17; at EnCana Events Center in Dawson Creek, BC on May 20; at CN Centre in Prince George, BC on May 21; and at Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre in Abbotsford, BC on May 23.

Industry Notes (12/4/2012)

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• • •Amazon has tapped Harry Fox Agency for Licensing services for enhancements to its digital music locker, which Amazon calls its Cloud Player. In addition to handling license issuance, HFA will provide data management services to Amazon, matching millions of tracks to underlying compositions and identifying copyright owners. HFA will also process royalty distributions for Amazon, ensuring timely and efficient payments to publishers. For more information, visit harryfox.com.

• • • America’s Got Talent will hold auditions in Nashville on Dec. 13, and will run from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Auditions will be held at the Nashville Convention Center, located at 601 Commerce Street. To pre-register for an audition, visit AGTAuditions.com.

• • • The CRS 2013 Rusty Walker Scholarships recipients have been announced. The three inaugural winners are: Jeff Harju (GM, WHKB/Houghton, MI), Cynthia Hayward (Air Personality/MD/Asst. PD, KMOK-FM/Lewiston, ID) and Courtney Smith (Promotions Director, WOLF/Syracuse, NY).  The winners will receive an expense-paid trip and complimentary registration to Country Radio Seminar 2013, held Feb. 27 – March 1, in Nashville, Tenn.

• • • The Warren Brothers, writers behind Toby Keith‘s hit “Red Solo Cup,” are available for booking through The Songwriter’s Agency, Inc. The duo’s songs have been recorded by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Dierks Bentley and others. For information, call 1-615-879-1224.

• • • More tickets have been released for The Grammy Nominations Concert LIVE!!–Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night. The show will take place on Wednesday (Dec. 5) at 9 p.m. CT at the Bridgestone Arena. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com or via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at 800-745-3000.

• • • PLA Media is accepting applications for two immediate part-time publicist positions, which could potentially lead to full-time work based on performance. Submit resumes here. For more information, visit plamedia.com.

 

 

Americana Music Association Elects Board

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Members of the Americana Music Association have elected six new people to its board of directors, set to serve two-year terms each. Additionally, three directors have been appointed to one-year terms. All terms start in January 2013.

In all, the board is made up of 21 members from across the country.

The six new or re-elected directors are artist Mary Gauthier, Amanda Hale of New West Records, Al Moss from Al Moss Promotions, Jessie Scott from Music Fog/Hill Country, Shauna de Cartier of Six Shooter Records and Lynne Sheridan from the GRAMMY Museum.

Appointed directors are Tim Fink from SESAC, John Ingrassia of Vector Management and Jonathan Levine from Paradigm. These individuals join re-appointed voting board members Kurt Vitolo of KV Financial Group, P.C. who will continue to serve as Treasurer, and Mark Moffatt, Chair of the Association’s International Committee.

The incoming directors join returning board members AC Entertainment’s Ashley Capps, Voice of America’s Joan Kornblith, BMG Chrysalis’ John Allen, Austin City Limits Executive Producer Terry Lickona, former Rounder Records VP Brad Paul, attorney Wayne Halper, Crash Avenue’s Emilee Warner, Ramseur Records’ Holly Lowman and artists Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller.  

The 2013 executive committee will be elected at the annual board retreat in January, which will take place in Nashville. Earlier this year, the Association implemented an executive transition structure in which the board elects a President-elect each year. The President-elect becomes the President the following year and then serves a third term as Past-President.

Effective for 2013, Lowman will assume the position of President. She will be the youngest President in the Association’s 13-year history. Brad Paul will serve as Past-President in 2013.

Music Executive Rick Blackburn Passes Away

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Rick Blackburn, photographed Nov. 19, 1990 by Alan Mayor

Rick Blackburn, a Nashville record label chief for nearly two decades died on Friday, November 30 at his home in Franklin. He was 70 years old.

As the head of the Columbia and Epic imprints of CBS Records in 1980-87, he launched major hits for such stars as Ricky Skaggs, Rosanne Cash, Willie Nelson, Exile, Ricky Van Shelton, Merle Haggard, Chet Atkins, Vern Gosdin, Crystal Gayle, the Gatlins, Janie Fricke, Mickey Gilley, Moe Bandy, Joe Stampley, George Jones, Charly McClain, Lacy J. Dalton, Rodney Crowell and more.

While Blackburn was in charge of Atlantic Records in 1989-99, the label made radio stars of John Michael Montgomery, Neal McCoy, Confederate Railroad and Tracy Lawrence.

Richard Norman Blackburn was born Nov. 16, 1942 in Cincinnati, OH to Richard and Norma Horne Blackburn. He began his career promoting pop records in his hometown. He worked for Mercury Records in Chicago in 1965, then moved to CBS in New York in 1968.

Beginning in 1970, he helped run Ode Records with Lou Adler and Herb Alpert in Los Angeles. The company’s roster included Cheech & Chong, Carole King and Spirit. It also marketed the soundtrack to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Following another stint in New York, Blackburn moved to Nashville in 1974 to run Monument Records. He re-joined the CBS organization two years later and became its Nashville boss in 1980. During his tenure there, the company became the number-one label in country music.

Atlantic also prospered under his leadership, with both Montgomery and Lawrence becoming Platinum-selling artists. He remained a consultant with the label until it closed its Nashville office in 2001. Atlantic was revived as an imprint by Warner Bros. Records in 2008.

Blackburn was active in Leadership Music and the Country Music Association, where he served as Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors in 1982, and then President of the CMA in 1986.

David Ross of BossRoss Media recalls Blackburn fondly: “Rick’s unique leadership and passion for the industry left an indelible mark on Nashville. He was a remarkable man.”

“Rick was a dear friend and mentor,” adds Lawrence. “He was very instrumental in my career by signing me to my first record deal. We shared many great times together and those memories I will cherish forever.”

Blackburn is survived by his wife of 30 years, Suzanne “Suzie” McLellan Blackburn of Franklin, and brother Roger Blackburn of Kentucky.

The family will celebrate his life with private services near his childhood home in Cincinnati at a later date. There are no public services planned at this time. Friends can make memorial contributions in his honor to the charity of their choice. Heritage Funeral Home of Franklin is assisting the family. Read more or share condolences with the family here.

Rick Blackburn and Dolly Parton in 1988. Photo: Alan Mayor

Florida Georgia Line Cruises to Retail with Debut Album

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Florida Georgia Line’s debut album, Here’s To The Good Times, was released today (12/4) by Republic Nashville.

Produced by Joey Moi, the 11-track project includes six songs penned by the duo as well as the two bonus tracks on the Target-exclusive release. A deluxe version of the release is also available with live tracks and videos from performances at Joe’s Bar (full list below).

The newcomer duo recently earned its first No. 1 with debut single “Cruise,” which has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over 1 million copies.

“I remember jokingly telling Tyler when we were recording that ‘Cruise’ was going to sell a million copies and I can’t believe it’s actually a reality,” said Brian Kelley. “We’ve been working so hard to give our fans something they can bob their heads along to and a way for them to get to know us a little more. We think this album accomplishes that and has something for everyone.”

Having sold-out multiple headlining shows of its own, the band is currently opening for Jake Owen with plans to join Luke Bryan’s tour in January.

Here’s To The Good Times tracklist:

1. Cruise (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Joey Moi, Chase Rice, Jesse Rice)
2. Round Here (Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Thomas Rhett)
3. Get Your Shine On (Hubbard, Kelley, Clawson, Tompkins)
4. Here’s To The Good Times (Clawson, Tompkins, Lynn Hutton)
5. It’z Just What We Do (Hubbard, Kelley, Clawson)
6. Stay (Moi, John Fred Young, Chris Robertson, Jon Lawhon, Ben Wells)
7. Hell Raisin’ Heat Of The Summer (Clawson, Tompkins, Craig Wiseman)
8. Tell Me How You Like It (Hubbard, Kelley, Tompkins)
9. Tip it Back (Hubbard, Kelley, Clawson)
10. Dayum, Baby (Hubbard, Kelley, Clawson, David Lee Murphy)
11. Party People (Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, J.T. Harding)

Target Exclusive
11. What Are You Drinkin’ About (Hubbard, Kelley, Wiseman)
12. Country In My Soul (Hubbard, Kelley, Jennifer Zuffinetti)

Deluxe Album Tracks
12. Cruise (Live From Joe’s Bar, Chicago/2012)
13. Round Here (Live From Joe’s Bar, Chicago/2012)
14. Tip It Back (Live From Joe’s Bar, Chicago/2012)

Deluxe Album Videos (Album Only)
15. Cruise (Live from Joe’s Bar, Chicago, 2012)
16. Round Here (Live from Joe’s Bar, Chicago, 2012)
17. Tip It Back (Live from Joe’s)

Capitol Records Nashville Adds Jeremy Guenther As Southwest Regional

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Capitol Records Nashville will add radio veteran Jeremy Guenther as its new Capitol Southwest Regional, where he will report to Capitol Records Nashville Senior Vice President of Promotion Steve Hodges.

Guenther spent the past decade as APD/MD at Little Rock, Ark.’s KSSN-FM. “Being at KSSN Little Rock the past 10 years has been a wonderful experience and has helped prepare me for my future with Capitol Records Nashville. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the Capitol staff and help represent what I feel to be some of the best music and artists in our genre.”

Hodges says, “Jeremy’s passion for music and for our format is second to none. I’m excited to welcome him to the Capitol Nashville team and Universal family.”

Guenther will be in his new position starting January 2nd.  In the meantime, he can be reached at jguenther01@gmail.com and (501) 590-4878.

Capitol Records Nashville is recording home to artists including Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi and Walker Hayes.