CRS Adds Keynote Speaker, Closed Circuit Viewing

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Jeffrey Smulyan

Jeffrey Smulyan


Chairman of the Board of Emmis Communications Corporation, Jeffrey H. Smulyan, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the opening day of the Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 27. Smulyan will address attendees at 10:15 a.m. in rooms 204-205 of the Nashville Convention Center.
Smulyan formed Emmis Communications in 1980 and oversaw its transition into a publicly traded company in 1994. Emmis includes 18 FM and 3 AM stations in the United States and overseas (Slovakia). It also operates six local, regional and national magazine operations. Smulyan was a principal negotiator for the radio industry in the recently announced Sprint agreement, whereby Sprint customers will be able to access FM radio on smartphones through an FM radio chip.

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Thomas Rhett

Thomas Rhett


The Warren Brothers and Thomas Rhett will co-headline CRS 2013’s WCRS Live! Songwriter’s Showcase. The showcase will take place on Feb. 27 from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. on the second floor of the Nashville Convention Center.

“Enter this showcase at your own risk…. these three BMI songwriters could possibly tear the house down,” commented Jody Williams, Vice President of Writer/Publisher at BMI.  “Thomas Rhett’s rocket ship has already taken off.  He’s going to be a big part of country radio’s future.  And Brad and Brett Warren continue to write groundbreaking music for the format.  BMI is very excited to represent these talented and entertaining hit songwriters.  This year’s line-up at WCRS live should be a blast.”
• • •
CRSThe Country Radio Seminar has added a closed circuit viewing site within the Nashville Convention Center to accomodate the overflow crowd resulting from the previously announced sold-out New Faces of Country Music Show.

All registrants who do not have an assigned seat to the New Faces of Country Music Show will receive a ticket to the viewing event, which will be held in room 204 and 205 of the Convention Center on March 1 at 6:30 p.m.

As previously announced, the CRS 2013 New Faces performers include Easton Corbin, Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Kip Moore.

Artist News (1/29/13)

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gretchen wilson right on time1Gretchen Wilson has released a new single to country radio, “Still Rollin’,” and the songstress has been in a recording frenzy recently. Wilson has three albums scheduled for release in 2013. The first, Right On Time, is a collection of 12 new songs that will hit stores on April 2. Under The Covers, which will feature 12 classic rock numbers from the ’70s, will release May 28, and Wilson’s first full-length Christmas album will ship in October.

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chesney11011 Columbia Nashville artist Kenny Chesney’s Greatest Hits II album has earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Chesney also received gold certifications for his singles “The Good Stuff” and “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem.”
The RIAA has issued a double platinum certification for Atlantic/WMN artist Hunter Hayes‘ “Wanted.”

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Singer-songwriter Sarah Darling will be featured as a surprise musical guest on an upcoming episode of ABC’s The Bachelor. The episode features a special “one-on-one date,” where Darling performs a concert in Whitefish, Mont., with the newest bachelor, Sean Lowe. The episode will air Monday, Feb. 4.

Pictured (L-R): Sarah Darling and Sean LowePhoto Credit: Cassie Lambert Scalettar

Pictured (L-R): Sarah Darling and Sean Lowe
Photo Credit: Cassie Lambert Scalettar

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The members of High Valley, including Curtis Rempel, Brad Rempel and Bryan Rempel, recently visited The Country Network.

Pictured (L-R): Curtis Rempel (High Valley), Cary Rolfe (EVP / Programming & Artist Relations), Brad Rempel (High Valley) and Bryan Rempel (High Valley) during a visit with The Country Network.

Pictured (L-R): Curtis Rempel (High Valley), Cary Rolfe (EVP / Programming & Artist Relations), Brad Rempel (High Valley) and Bryan Rempel (High Valley) during a visit with The Country Network.


 

BMI Salutes Shapiro With Million-Air Awards

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BMI recently presented Tom Shapiro with Million-Air Awards for five of his songs at its Music Row office. One of Nashville’s most successful songwriters, Shapiro received Million-Air Awards for “She Never Lets it Go to Her Heart,” recorded by Tim McGraw (2 million performances); “That Ain’t My Truck,” recorded by Rhett Akins (3 million performances); “Wink,” recorded by Neal McCoy (4 million performances); “Nothin’ New Under the Moon,” recorded by LeAnn Rimes (1 million performances); and “When Boy Meets Girl,” recorded by Terri Clark (2 million performances). Shapiro is a four-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and has penned 23 No. 1 hits.

Pictured are (l-r): BMI’s David Preston, Tom Shapiro, and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo by Drew Maynard

Pictured are (l-r): BMI’s David Preston, Tom Shapiro, and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo by Drew Maynard

MusicRowPics: Kellie Pickler Hosts 'Unleashed'

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Kellie Pickler hosted the 3rd annual Unleashed: Dinner with Your Dog on Saturday evening (Jan. 26). Pets and their owners flooded The Hutton to see some of the Nashville Humane Society’s most adoptable dogs walk the runway. Celebrity dog walkers included Dean Alexander, Michael Burcham, Angela Evans, Leslie Fram, Phran Galante, Jeff Garner, Manuel, Travis McNabb, Danielle Peck, Raelynn, Phoenix Stone and Mike Wolfe.
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Global Repertoire Database On Track For 2015

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grdMajor music rights stakeholders from around the world are working to build the first, single, comprehensive and authoritative representation of the global ownership and control of musical works.
On track to debut in 2015, the Global Repertoire Database (GRD) will offer improved music licensing processes for creators, publishers, collecting societies, and others, which is expected to save money currently lost to duplication in data processing.
Overseeing the project is the GRD Working Group, made up of representatives from 14 organizations including APRA, GEMA, PRS for Music, SACEM, STIM, CISAC, Sony/ATV/EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, ICMP, ECSA, Google, iTunes and Omnifone.
Supporting the project with funding, knowledge and access to their databases are ASCAP, BMI, APRA (Australia), BUMA (Netherlands), GEMA (Germany), PRS for Music (UK), STIM (Sweden), SACEM (France), SOCAN (Canada), SABAM (Belgium), SGAE (Spain), SIAE (Italy) and UBC (Brazil).
The project recently commenced its Requirements and Design Phase, running from October 2012 to late May 2013. This phase includes:
• Business Requirements, Rules and Readiness: Development of the GRD’s functional and non functional requirements and rules;
• Data Standards and Schemas: Definition of GRD standards for works, agreements and repertoire mandates, and definition of the GRD logical data model;
• Technology Blueprint: Definition of the logical technology architecture for the GRD solution;
• Data Assessments and Strategy: Development of data dashboards and the delivery of data assessments of selected existing copyright systems;
• GRD Business Design and Setup: Design of critical business processes, the development of GRD performance measures and business plan, enrichment of the agreed Governance framework and support to the set up of the GRD legal entity.
More information at globalrepertoiredatabase.com.

Tim McGraw Lines Up Promotional Appearances For Album Release

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Tim McGraw Two Lanes of Freedom Album CoverTim McGraw is set to release his Big Machine Records debut, Two Lanes of Freedom, on Tuesday,Feb. 5, and the singer has a heavy lineup of promotional appearances to ushering in the new project.
McGraw will appear on Good Morning America on Friday, Feb. 1 on location at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The next day, McGraw’s previously taped performance on Austin City Limits will air (Feb. 2). He will head to the West Coast to visit The Ellen Degeneres Show on Feb. 5 and will hold a live streaming concert from aboard the USS Midway in San Diego at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 5 for Ram Country on Yahoo!
The singer will be a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Feb. 6 and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Feb. 7. On Feb. 8, McGraw will pay tribute to friend and MusiCares Person of the Year Bruce Springsteen, before wrapping up his promotion schedule with a visit on Chelsea Lately on Feb. 11.
On April 8, he will tape an all-star concert special, ACM Presents: Tim McGraw’s Superstar Summer Night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, featuring several of McGraw’s celebrity friends.

Artist News (1/28/13)

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billy ray cyrus hillbilly heart1Billy Ray Cyrus released the single “Hillbilly Heart” (written by Cyrus) to country radio on Monday (Jan. 28).
“Let’s get this party started!” Cyrus says of the track. “I’m so excited about ‘Hillbilly Heart.’ I wrote this song as a tip of the hat to my pure love of country music … past, present and future. It’s a blend of my early musical roots; Outlaw Country (Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Jr.) mixed with my Southern rock heroes (Lynyrd Skynyrd and Charlie Daniels), all fusing together for a feel-good anthem that I can’t wait to share with radio and fans!”

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Kip MooreKip Moore debuted the single “Hey Pretty Girl” on Monday (Jan. 28). The song is the third single from his first album Up All Night and follows two consecutive No. 1 songs, “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck” and “Beer Money.”
“‘Hey Pretty Girl’ for me is where I think every man and woman desires to be at some point in their life,” explains Kip.  “I am not at that place in my life right now, but I’m not going to fool myself.  At some point we all desire to have that person that knows you inside out and cares about you.”

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jazz fest1Willie Nelson and Little Big Town are slated to perform at Jazz & Heritage Festival 2013 on May 3 and 4, respectively. More than a dozen musical artists, including Fleetwood Mac and Maroon 5, are expected to take the stage in the Big Easy between April 26 and May 5.

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classic1Terri Clark will release her 10th studio album, Classic, on Jan. 29. The album features duets of classic country songs with Dierks Bentley, Reba, Tanya Tucker, Dean Brody and Jann Arden. The first song shipped to country radio is a cover of the George Jones/Tammy Wynette duet “Golden Ring,” featuring Bentley.
“I tried really hard to pick a song or two from every decade from the ‘50s to the ‘80s,” says Clark.  “This is the type of project I’ve wanted to do my whole life and it represents so many things for me.  My family roots, the Opry, my influences, and many of the songs that make up the fabric of country music.”

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Scarletta will perform the National Anthem and a pre-race concert on the Spring Fan Zone Stage prior to the DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 23. Fans can watch the performance live on ESPN starting at 1 p.m. EST.

“We can’t wait to hear the roar after those classic words are echoed through the speedway ‘Ladies and gentlemen start your engines!’” says Aubrey Collins. “Knowing that we are going to be a part of the program that day is so exciting. Talk about an adrenaline rush.”
Scarletta: Benji Harris, Aubrey Collins, and Nathan Stoops

Scarletta: Benji Harris, Aubrey Collins, and Nathan Stoops

 
 
 
 
 

Industry Ink (1/28/13)

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AdamWright1

Adam Wright


Singer-songwriter Adam Wright has signed with Frank Liddell‘s Carnival Music.
“Adam is highly regarded as a talented songwriter, artist and multi-instrumentalist,” said Liddell. “He has been working with other Carnival writers for a while, so it makes perfect sense that he is now a member of the family. He is going to make great music for many years and we are excited he will be making it at Carnival.”
Wright currently has a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song for Alan Jackson‘s “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore.”

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josey milner1

Josey Milner


MTS Management Group’s Josey Milner has signed with HGN Entertainment for regional club bookings and promotion. The Livingston, Texas-based agency will handle upcoming club bookings in Texas, Missouri and surrounding states. HGN will also be promoting Josey to local media outlets.
“We’re excited to be working with Jason McClelland and the folks at HGN,” said Michael Stover of MTS Management Group. “They’ve got a very talented stable of artists. Josey’s single [“Not Pretty Enough”] is doing very well at radio right now, and we hope to capitalize on the airplay, by getting her on the road very soon.”

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Pictured (L-R) Nancy Peacock, Shelton and Shelton's manager David Polemeni.

Pictured (L-R) Nancy Peacock, Shelton and Shelton’s manager David Polemeni.


Fifteen-year-old actor Uriah Shelton visited Nashville recently. Shelton, who co-stars on the A&E drama “The Glades” and WIGS network webisode “Blue” starring Julia Stiles, signed up with the Country Music Association during his visit.
He looks forward to meeting fans at the upcoming CMA Music Festival.
 

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Patrick Joseph Music has signed 21-year-old songwriter Jake Mitchell. Mitchell has had cuts for Austin Webb, including Webb’s first single, “It’s All Good.”

Pictured (L-R): Pat Higdon (Patrick Joseph Music), Jake Mitchell (seated) and Matt Pincus (Songs Music Publishing)

Pictured (L-R): Pat Higdon (Patrick Joseph Music), Jake Mitchell (seated) and Matt Pincus (Songs Music Publishing)


 
 
 
 
 
 

Gamma Blast Adds Editor and Motion Graphics Artist

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matt carrollNashville video production and editing company Gamma Blast has added Matt Carroll as Editor and Motion Graphics artist. Carroll comes to Nashville from Iowa, where he worked in editing on accounts including John Deere and Alcoa. He previously worked with Silver Oaks Communications, The Buzz and most recently as a Video Director and Editor at St. Ambrose University.
“Matt Carroll is the perfect addition to our staff since he’s able to create cool visual looks, has a great sense of timing and has got the client-service gene,” says co-owner Chad Denning.
Gamma Blast’s recent clients have included Gloriana, The Grand Ole Opry and CMT, among others.
 
 
 

Music Promoter Awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

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ron sakamoto

Sakamoto with a CCMA Promoter/Talent Buyer of the Year award


Music promoter and business owner Ron Sakamoto, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in honor of his contributions and achievements as a Canadian. The award commemorates the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.
“I feel very honored to receive this award.  I want to thank my wife Joyce, my family, all of my business acquaintances and friends who inspire me daily to do what I do. For that I am grateful and thankful,” said Sakamoto.
After nearly 50 years in the business with Gold & Gold productions, he recently launched Sakamoto Entertainment, an artist procurement, representation and event production company. Sakamoto has been included in MusicRow’s In Charge issue. He has won 17 consecutive Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Promoter/Talent Buyer of the Year awards and in 2010 they named the award after him in his honor. Sakamoto has also received two Country Music Association (CMA) International Promoter/Talent Buyer of the Year trophies.