Photo Roundup: ACM Awards

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The Academy of Country Music Awards brought out plenty of starpower, including performances or presentations from Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and plenty of others. Below, some of the best moments, onstage and off:

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Garth Brooks and George Strait on George’s bus prior to their performance on the ACM Awards.


Taylor Swift meets Shania Twain at the ACM awards.

Taylor Swift meets Shania Twain at the ACM awards.


Reba with Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum at the ACMs.

Reba with Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum at the ACMs.


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Taylor Swift has fun in the audience during Hunter Hayes’ performance with Stevie Wonder.


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Hunter Hayes, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley prepare for their ACM Awards performance.


 
Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert celebrate their award win.

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert celebrate their award win.


Pictured (L-R): Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill

Pictured (L-R): Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill–via ET Canada


 

ACM Weekend in Photos: ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic

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Darius Rucker hosted the ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic at TPC Las Vegas for the second consecutive year this weekend. The ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic–the seventh event held since 2004–brought together Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Jake Owen, Scotty McCreery and Brett Eldredge as well as label executives and other members of the music community. The tournament helped raise funds and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives’ Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund, which provides immediate relief for those in need in the music industry.

Owen, McCreery, Brett Eldredge, Charles Kelley and Darius Rucker at ACM Lifting Lives Golf Classic11111

Pictured (L-R): Jake Owen, Scotty McCreery, Brett Eldredge, Charles Kelley and Darius Rucker. Photo: Getty Images for ACM


Golf Classic Charles Kelley Golf Classic

Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley. Photo: Getty Images for ACM


Golf Classic Jake Owen

Jake Owen. Photo: Getty Images for ACM


Golf Classic Scotty McCreery

Scotty McCreery. Photo: Getty Images for ACM


Golf Classic, Rucker Eldredge McCreery

Pictured (L-R): Darius Rucker, Brett Eldredge, Scotty McCreery. Photo: Getty Images for ACM.


Golf Classic Brett Eldredge

Brett Eldredge. Photo: Getty Images for ACM

ACM Weekend in Photos: ACM Party for a Cause Festival

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Prior to the ACM awards, artists and fans took over Las Vegas this past weekend. During the ACM Party for a Cause Festival, Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, Kix Brooks, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Lynch, Eli Young Band and Love and Theft performed for the crowd, and brought along two surprises guests, Sheryl Crow and Tim McGraw. The party took place in the East Parking Lot of the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Brice performed “Ring in My Pocket,” and ended his set with “Parking Lot Party.” Hayes covered Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” while Eli Young Band tossed out guitar picks, sweaty towels and drums sticks after their set. Angie Johnson, who was a contestant on Season Two of The Voice, and is also a military veteran, belted out the National Anthem with the honor guard in the background.
Brooks introduced Willie, Jep, Korie and Jessica Robertson from A&E’s Ducky Dynasty to greet fans before bringing out ACM CEO Bob Romeo, along with the ACM Lifting Lives® team, to present a $10,000 check to Nellis Air Force Base Force Support Squadron, $25,000 to Wounded Warrior Project® and $25,000 to Folds of Honor.
Bentley’s performance was filled with surprises. He brought “Easy” singer Crow came out to perform a song with him, as well as her hit song “If It Makes You Happy.” While Dierks performed his hit “Home,” McGraw appeared to introduce the crowd to Army Sgt. Mathew Pickar and his wife, who received a brand new home through Operation Homefront. He then proceeded to shock them by awarding an additional $10,000 to get them started in their new home.
 

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A check is presented to Army. Sgt. Mathew Pickar and his wife to get them started in their new home. Photo: Getty Images


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Dierks Bentley and Tim McGraw Photo: Getty Images


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Sheryl Crow and Dierks Bentley Photo: Getty Images


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Dustin Lynch  Photo: Getty Images


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Eli Young Band Photo: Getty Images


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Kix Brooks  Photo: Getty Images


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Lee Brice  Photo: Getty Images


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Love and Theft  Photo: Getty Images

2013 ACM Winners

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EOY Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan wins Entertainer of the Year


Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and Jason Aldean were the big winners at last night’s Academy of Country Music awards. Bryan won Entertainer of the Year, and Vocal Event of the Year (for “The Only Way I Know” with Eric Church and Aldean) while Lambert took home awards in the Female Vocalist of the Year, Single Record of the Year (“Over You”) and Song of the Year (“Over You”) category.

Little Big Town took home honors as Vocal Group of the Year and Video of the Year (“Tornado”), while Aldean won Male Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year (“The Only Way I Know” featuring Bryan and Eric Church).
Eric Church‘s Chief took home Album of the Year honors, while Florida Georgia Line won New Artist of the Year.
Read a full review of the show.

Nominees (winners marked in bold):
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR (fan voted)
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Blake Shelton
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Sugarland
Thompson Square
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Zac Brown Band
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (previously determined via fan voting)
Lee Brice
Brantley Gilbert
Hunter Hayes
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (previously determined via fan voting)
Jana Kramer
Kacey Musgraves
Sunny Sweeney
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR (previously determined via fan voting)
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Thompson Square
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORES [Winners of New Male, New Female & New Vocal Duo or Group Of The Year]
Florida Georgia Line
Brantley Gilbert
Jana Kramer
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Blown Away – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville), Produced by: Mark Bright
Chief – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
Red – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records), Produced by: Jeff Bhasker, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff, Jacknife Lee, Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Butch Walker, Dan Wilson
tailgates & tanlines – Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Mark Bright, Jeff Stevens
Tornado – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville), Produced by: Mike Wrucke
“Over You” – Miranda Lambert (RCA), Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
“Pontoon” – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
“Springsteen” – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes (Atlantic/WMN), Produced by: Hunter Hayes, Dann Huff
SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“A Woman Like You” – Lee Brice
Composers: Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone
Publishers: 3JB Music (BMI), Adios Pantalones (SESAC), Hears That Skyline Music (SESAC), Sixteen Stars Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band
Composers: Will Hoge, Eric Paslay
Publishers: Cal IV Songs (ASCAP), Will Hoge Music (BMI)
“Over You” – Miranda Lambert
Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton
Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)
“Springsteen” – Eric Church
Composers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell
Publishers: Bug Music (BMI), Ole Purple Cape Music (BMI), Sinnerlina (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes
Composers: Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges
Publishers: Happy Little Man Publishing (BMI), Songs From The Engine Room (BMI), Songs Of Universal Inc. (BMI)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award) [TIE]
“Creepin’” – Eric Church
Producer: Iris Baker; Director: Peter Zavadil
“Merry Go ‘Round” – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Perry Bean, Kacey Musgraves; Director: Perry Bean
“Tornado” – Little Big Town
Producer: Iris Baker; Director: Shane Drake
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes
Producers: Stephanie Reeves, Eric Williams; Directors: Traci Goudie, Patrick Hubik
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Taylor Swift
Producer: John Nguyen; Director: Declan Whitebloom
“The Wind” – Zac Brown Band
Producer: Ben Kalina; Director: Mike Judge
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] *(Off Camera Award)
“Don’t Rush” – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill (19/RCA/Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: Dann Huff
“Easy” – Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield (Big Machine Records)
Produced by: Dann Huff, Brian Kennedy, Rascal Flatts
“Feel Like A Rock Star” – Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw) (Blue Chair/BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
“Let It Rain” – David Nail Featuring Sarah Buxton (MCA Nashville)
Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell
“The Only Way I Know” – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church (Broken Bow)
Produced by: Michael Knox
Radio award winners were honored April 6 during a ceremony in Las Vegas.
Off-camera awards will be presented at the ACM Honors Sept. 10 in Nashville.
 

CMA Songwriters Series Returns to NYC on May 7-8

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cmasongwriters1The CMA Songwriters Series will return to the acclaimed Joe’s Pub in New York City for a special two-night event on May 7 and 8. Celebrating nine years, the CMA Songwriters Series will feature guests Phil Vassar, Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and host Bob DiPiero. Tickets go on sale today (April 5) and show times for both nights will be 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. /ET. 
“Nashville’s songwriters are the best in the world and CMA is excited to showcase them again in New York City at the famed Joe’s Pub,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “It’s great to see how this series has grown since it began in 2005. What started at Joe’s Pub in New York has expanded to other cities over the years. We have even taken the series overseas with shows in the U.K., Ireland, and Paris.”
Tickets are $40 and $35 each. For information about Joe’s Pub or to order tickets, visit joespub.com or call (212) 967-7555. Joe’s Pub is located at 425 Lafayette St. in New York City.

MusicRow No. 1 Song

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Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert


Miranda Lambert takes the cake this week, landing atop the MusicRow Chart with “Mama’s Broken Heart.”
Written by Shane McAnally, Brandy Clark, and Kacey Musgraves, the fourth single from Lambert’s Four The Record album indulges some behind-closed-doors impulses that may arise when expectations are felt after a breakup. In this case, from a mother.

Although the sassy and feisty production comes from producers Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay and Glenn Worf, video producer Trey Fanjoy appropriately matches the song’s visual with a 1950s country club glam treatment.
We’re head over heels for this song and video combination! If you haven’t yet experienced the single from our reporting stations across the U.S., take a peek at the victorious single below.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gets $50,000 Contribution

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Pictured (L-R): are: NaSHOF treasurer Mike Dye; ole CEO Robert Ott, NaSHOF vice chair Ken Paulson, Alger, ole COO Lou Ragagnin and ole CCO Gilles Godard. Photo Credit: Steve Lowry

Pictured (L-R): are: NaSHOF treasurer Mike Dye; ole CEO Robert Ott, NaSHOF vice chair Ken Paulson, Alger, ole COO Lou Ragagnin and ole CCO Gilles Godard. Photo Credit: Steve Lowry


Board members from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF) were recently gifted with a $50,000 contribution from ole to benefit the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame exhibit.
It has been 40 years in the making but the Songwriters Hall of Fame will finally have a physical home in the new Music City Center. Both open their respective doors in mid-May of this year.
Said Hall of Fame Foundation chair Pat Alger, “ole Music Publishing, the Majorly Indie, came through in a major way for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame capital campaign with a $50,000 contribution. Robert Ott, Lou Ragagnin and Gilles Godard believe that being a part of the Nashville community means supporting worthy ideas that celebrate the unique contributions of our artists and songwriters. We are proud to have them as the only independent publisher on our wall of benefactors.”

ACM Awards Announce New Performer, Presenters

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mayerThe Academy of Country Music announced today Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer will perform with Brad Paisley at the 48th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards.
In addition, country superstars Gary Allan, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Young and Eli Young Band have been added to present.
The ceremony, which will be co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, honors country music’s top talent, as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists. It is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

Artist Updates (4-5-13)

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Travis Tritt


Travis Tritt will sing the National Anthem prior to the NCAA men’s basketball National Championship game April 8 in Atlanta. Tritt’s April performance adds to a resumé that includes two Super Bowl performances, a World Series game, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the opening of Atlanta’s Georgia Dome and the final Braves game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. May 3 he’ll play the Barnstable Brown Gala at the Kentucky Derby, his 15th consecutive appearance at the benefit for diabetes research.
 

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Pictured (L-R): TBP’s Neil Perry, Gigi’s founder Gina Butler (aka Gigi), TBP’s Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry/ Photo Credit: Ben Krebs


The Band Perry now has a Gigis Cupcake named after the group. The new cupcake, called Very Perry Chocolate Cherry, was inspired by The Band Perry’s song called “I’m A Keeper,” from the band’s latest album Pioneer.
Kimberly Perry explains, “When we heard that we might have a Gigi’s cupcake named after us we knew right away what the flavor would be. There is a song on our new album that has a line in it that says, ‘I’m gonna change my name to Cherry….,’ so we decided that the cupcake had to be some kind of a cherry cupcake.”
“I’m so excited to be working with The Band Perry! They are very talented and we had a blast creating the Very Perry Chocolate Cherry cupcake. Our fans are going to love it- just as much as Kimberly, Reid, and Neil do!” says Gina Butler, “Gigi.”
Gigi’s will be selling Very Perry Chocolate Cherry two days a week in all of their stores nationwide, and will be selling the trio’s album Pioneer in the stores.
 

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Kellie Pickler and Kyle Jacobs


Kellie Pickler announced today on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she and her dance partner, Derek Hough, will dance to a very special song on Monday night’s Dancing With The Stars. In honor of the show’s theme of the week, “Most Memorable Year,” Pickler chose to dance to one from 2011— the year she married her husband, Nashville songwriter, Kyle Jacobs.
Pickler and Hough will dance the rumba to “Say I Do,” a romantic ballad written by Jacobs for Pickler shortly before their wedding day – and to top it off, Jacobs will perform the song in person on the show Monday night with the help of the Dancing With The Stars house band.
“It’s going to be an 100 percent emotional moment, and I’m just hoping I can keep it together,” Jacobs says. “Kellie’s doing so well on the show, and she’s having so much fun. The fact that she’s dancing to this song, our song, means so very much to both of us… it honors the love that we have so much.”

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The Country Music Hall of Fame ® and Museum presented Country Sunshine: Remembering Dottie West on Saturday (March 30). The panel discussion featured Steve Wariner, Jeannie Seely, songwriter Red Lane and Shelly West as they shared their memories of the vibrant, Grammy-winning artist. West, known for her hits “Here Comes My Baby” and “Country Sunshine,” died in 1991. The panel was presented in support of the spotlight exhibit Dottie West: Country Sunshine, currently on display at the museum.

Pictured (L-R): Shelly West, Red Lane, Jeannie Seely, Senior Historian John Rumble and Steve Wariner.

Pictured (L-R): Shelly West, Red Lane, Jeannie Seely, Senior Historian John Rumble and Steve Wariner.

UMPG, SACEM Sign Agreement with YouTube

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umpglogoUniversal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM) have reached an international agreement with YouTube.
The agreement includes the use of music from SACEM’s repertoire and UMP’s Anglo-American repertoire in videos distributed by YouTube throughout 127 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The new agreement aims to facilitate greater transparency, coordination, and data-sharing between the organizations. It also ensures equitable compensation for rights holders who are entitled to a share of the platform’s revenues.
Zach Horowitz, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group said via a statement, “Universal Music Publishing is pleased to have concluded this agreement with Youtube through DEAL for the proper remuneration of the composers we are privileged to represent. The digital market can only flourish if creators receive fair remuneration delivered through efficient and innovative licensing solutions. We are proud to be at the forefront of that effort with our partners at SACEM.”
“SACEM is proud to be the first authors’ society in the world to have signed an agreement of this scale with YouTube, the world’s leading digital platform of music videos,” said SACEM CEO Jean-Noël Tronc. “This contract bears witness to our commitment to increasing both the visibility of works and the remuneration of our members with a major partner, YouTube, the number one vector for discovering works on the internet.”