Grand Ole Opry Adds Wednesday Night Shows To Summer Schedule

the band perry opry chris hollo

The Band Perry performs on the Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Chris Hollo

Nashville will get an additional night of Opry performances each week this summer. The Grand Ole Opry® presented by Humana® is adding eight weeks of Wednesday night shows to its schedule, running June 19 – Aug. 7. The Wednesday evening performances will join the Opry’s Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday weekly scheduled lineup on the Opry’s show calendar.

Alison Krauss will celebrate her 20th anniversary as an Opry member on Wednesday, July 3, and The Band Perry will visit the Opry the following Wednesday, July 10, playing an extended 30-minute segment.
Additional performers scheduled for Wednesday evenings include American Idol finalist Janelle Arthur (who will make her Opry debut), Larry Gatlin, Kristen Kelly, Dustin Lynch and Restless Heart (June 19); and Aaron Tippin (June 26).
 

Weekly Register: Tickets n' Touring Bar Goes Up; Rimes and Pope Debut

leannTouring has always been an active part of the country album sales formula as well as a hefty revenue stream in its own right. So it should be no surprise to see the competition to attract live audiences (and the ticket profits they yield) ratcheting up. Artists have an array of social media tools and media channels such as reality TV shows like The Voice, American Idol, Dancing With The Stars and Celebrity Apprentice to help put butts in seats. But like every other part of the entertainment biz, the pressure to “deliver the goods” is also rising.
CMA Music Festival 2013 presented a revealing window through which to view and grade onstage wow! as country’s major acts graced the LP Field Stage in short 30-minute time slots. Being chosen to perform in that venue is a testimonial in itself, and as expected, all of the acts presented well. But some came ready to show they intend to dominate—while others seemed to feel that pretty darn good was good enough.
This writer did not see every act over the four days, so please don’t consider the following examples to be a comprehensive list. Two acts that turned the stage into a high energy audio-visual battleground were Florida Georgia Line and The Band Perry, both on the same label.
weeklygrid6-9-13Kimberly Perry exploded onto the stage jumping up and down making calculated sharp turns and spins almost reminiscent of Beyonce in scale and scope. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget that she can sing, sing sing. The crowd responded like a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse jumping to its feet all at once. Florida Georgia Line was different, but similar, if you will. They have a different vibe, but from the second they appeared the energy level was on high alert. (Isn’t it great to see how a few platinum plaques can up an act’s swagger?) Also deserving mention was Keith Urban who substitutes intergalactic guitar licks for choreography to achieve the same out-of-your-seats effect.
weeklygrid6-2-13When the touring smoke clears at the end of the summer, the acts that did their homework should own the pole positions for next year while the others may find themselves riding out in smaller buses.
And now to this week’s results…
Weekly Register
LeAnn Rimes was this week’s sole Top 10 country debut coming in with Spitfire at No. 9 and almost 11k units (54% digital). Last week’s CMT Awards didn’t seem to pump Country album sales much. Overall they climbed 1% W/W while the Current Country tally was slightly down. The fast facts are contained on the grids which show country’s Y/Y lead edging down while all genre sales also lag.
Blake Shelton enjoys a second consecutive week at No. 1 with over 36k units on his Gold-headed-for-Platinum Based On A True Story. Darius Rucker spins his “Wagon Wheel” single which keeps his album True Believers No. 2 again although sales fell about 18% w/w to 33k. The next three titles are Florida Georgia Line (No. 3; 28k), George Strait (No. 4; 21k) and Lady Antebellum (No. 5; 20k).
At the end of Q2 we’ll study the TEA effect more closely, but through this week, Taylor Swift’s Red leads the country pack in YTD Albums w/TEA showing over 1 million combined units. Blake Shelton’s True Story (almost 900k) and FGL’s Good Times (almost 800k) follow.

Pope12

Cassadee Pope


Keeping Track
This week’s track listings reinforce the industry adage, “don’t diss TV cred.” Echoing the wisdom of that advice is The Voice’s Cassadee Pope with her new single “Wasting All These Tears.” Pope impressed the trade press with her recent meet/greet/perform visits. During last year’s show she sold enough tracks to make most any new artist green with envy and this week she storms onto the chart at No. 2 with a robust 125k units. But for now, nothing can touch FGL who remain in No. 1 with 225k units. The duo’s track “Cruise” has now passed an RTD of over 4 million.
This year’s new The Voice star-in-the-making, Danielle Bradbery, continues her reign of chart terror with the Sara Evans hit “A Little Bit Stronger” which debuts at No. 13 with almost 36k units. Not Bradbery’s best showing, but clear evidence she has developed a solid fan base.
Stay tuned…

DISClaimer: Awards Show Edition

Let’s pretend this is an awards show, and give out prizes in lots of categories. Our Female Vocalist Disc of the Day honor belongs to  Miranda Lambert, with special kudos for coloring outside the lines with her song choice. The Male Vocalist Disc of the Day prize goes to Chris Stapleton. No one else even comes close. The Vocal Group Disc of the Day award, I am delighted to announce, is presented to the Eli Young Band for its outstanding audio work. I can’t say enough good things about the magnificent Chris Stapleton, who is also taking home this week’s DisCovery Award. Applause, applause.

Stapleton

Chris Stapleton


BRANCH & DEAN/The Dash
Writers: Marlon Dean/Michael Huffman; Producers: Michael Huffman, Marlon Dean Scallan & Jeff Silvey; Publishers: Shootin Straight/Huff Stuff, BMI/ASCAP; SSM Nashville
-The “dash” is the one they place between your birth and death years. The message here is to spend that brief “dash” well, because, “There’s only so much breath you get to take….So love like you mean it, everyday.” Imaginative and emotionally valid.
CLINTON GREGORY/You Smile
Writers: Pebe Sebert/Gerald Smith; Producers: Jamie Creasy & Clinton Gregory; Publishers: Laloluka/Melody Roundup/Bluewater, BMI; Melody Roundup
-Tender and caressing. This thoughtful ode to perseverance finds its perfect voice in this fine, stone-country stylist. Songwriter Sebert, by the way, is the mother of pop star Ke$ha.
LAUREN ALAINA/Barefoot and Buckwild
Writers: Lauren Alaina/Chris DeStefano/Jon Nite; Producer: Chris DeStefano; Publishers: Lyles/EMI April/Sugar Glider/Jon Mark Nite, BMI/ASCAP; Mercury/19 (CDX)
-Just what we need, a female artist jumping onto the dirt-road-party bandwagon.
ELI YOUNG BAND/Drunk Last Night
Writers: Laura Veltz/Josh Osborne; Producers: Frank Liddell & Justin Niebank; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/Want a Fresh One/Black River, BMI/ASCAP; Republic Nashville
-Frothing and foamy, this is one delectable slab of country-rock. Everything works here: The morning-after lyric, the frenetic tempo, the stuttering guitars, the group harmonies and the crisp production work.
TAYLOR SWIFT/Red
Writers: Taylor Swift; Producers: Dann Huff, Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Taylor Swift, BMI; Big Machine (Track)
-It’s Taylor in her twirling, swirling uptempo mode. Dizzy, bright and delirious.
CHRIS STAPLETON/What Are You Listening To
Writers: Chris Stapleton/Lee Thomas Miller; Producer: Tony Brown; Publishers: House of Sea Gayle/Small Fish/Writers of Sea Gayle/Itchy Baby, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury
-Sublimely soulful. If you never caught his performances in The SteelDrivers, welcome to the Next Great Vocalist in country music. Chris has written hits for Josh Turner, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Steel Magnolia and more, but Nashville insiders have always known that his powerful singing has always deserved its own spotlight. Now it has it.
lambert

Miranda Lambert


JASON ALDEAN/Night Train
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Broken Bow (track)
-This restrained, subtle, gracefully shaded performance is his most accomplished vocal to date. The come-on song casts him a romantic role. An attractive change of pace.
JESSE & NOAH/Driven Back
Writers: Jesse & Noah Bellamy; Producers: Jesse and Noah Bellamy; Publisher: Skunk Ape, ASCAP; Jessandnoah
-David Bellamy’s boys head in a funky, pop direction on the title tune to their latest collection. Left of center, but definitely listenable.
MIRANDA LAMBERT/All Kinds of Kinds
Writers: Phillip Coleman/Don Henry; Producers: Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay & Glenn Worf; Publishers: Gravitron/Carnival/Warner-Tamerlane, SESAC/BMI; RCA (track)
-Exquisitely produced, with rolling Dobro notes, strummed acoustic guitar, rippling mandolin and shuffling percussion. Her vocal is a crystalline wonder, and the song is a pure, off-kilter delight. In a word, brilliant.
LENNY COOPER/Rodeo
Writers: L. Cooper/J. Sciullo/J. Spilner; Producers: www.PhiveStarr.com & DjKo; Publishers: Average ZJS/DJKOPhivesarr/Riley Payton, BMI/SESAC; Backroad/Average
-This guy represents the mud-people, off-road, ATV subculture, hence his album title, Mud Dynasty. Its single is packed with electronic effects and thumping beats. As a general rule, I hate country rapping. And this is no exception.

Industry Ink (6-12-13)

caan't111

A derisive advertisement against CAA.


Creative Artists Agency (CAA) was the object of a derisive advertising campaign on Tuesday (June 11) in Los Angeles. The campaign is reportedly the work of CAA’s rival agency William Morris Endeavor (WME). According to the LA Times, ads installed at the Westfield Century City mall featured the word “CAAN’T,” in CAA’s signature red-and-white color scheme. The ads referenced a recent New York Post Page Six column that claimed a CAA client was unhappy with his or her representation.

• • •

Carolina Story

Carolina Story


Americana music duo Carolina Story has signed with the Texas-based Lee Crosby Agency. “We are proud to announce that Carolina Story has come on board with us,” Trey Newman, founder of the Lee Crosby Agency, said. “With their upcoming album release, we are excited to represent their touring in the upcoming year. “

  • • •

SESAC songwriter Allen Salmon has signed with Razor & Tie Publishing for representation.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter/producer stopped by SESAC’s Nashville headquarters with Razor & Tie Publishing executives to celebrate the deal.

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s John Mullins, Razor & Tie’s Ross Asher, Salmon, Razor & Tie’s Craig Balsam, Sharon Tapper and Lisa Johnson & SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s John Mullins, Razor & Tie’s Ross Asher, Salmon, Razor & Tie’s Craig Balsam, Sharon Tapper and Lisa Johnson & SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode

 • • •

mr and mrsPhotographer Russ Harrington and painter Brenda Harrington will launch an exhibit showcasing their art at Nashville’s Chromatics Second Floor Gallery (625 Fogg Street). The exhibit, titled Mr. & Mrs., will run from June 13 through Aug. 16. An opening reception will be held tomorrow (June 13) from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Chromatics Second Floor Gallery.
Russ Harrington has photographed album and publicity artwork for Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Reba, Kellie Pickler, Miranda Lambert, Sara Evans, Loretta Lynn, Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Nikki Taylor, Melinda Doolittle, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Alan Jackson, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Darius Rucker, Brooks & Dunn, Trace Adkins, Rascal Flatts, Kirk Franklin, Faith Hill and many others.
 

Americana Music Assoc. Reveals Festival Performers

americana 2013The Americana Music Association has unveiled the first round of artists scheduled to perform during the 14th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference, presented by Nissan, Sept. 18 – 22, 2013 in Nashville. The early lineup features a mix of icons, innovators and up-and-comers with highlights including Rosanne Cash, The Lone Bellow and Holly Williams.

Showcase artists confirmed to perform include: Black Prairie, Billy Bragg, Rosanne Cash, The Del-Lords, The Devil Makes Three, Sam Doores, Riley Downing & the Tumbleweeds, Frank Fairfield, Field Report, John Fullbright, Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, Hurray for the Riff Raff, The Infamous Stringdusters, Kruger Brothers, Pokey LaFarge, Nikki Lane, The Lone Bellow, Luella & the Sun, JD McPherson, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale, Aoife O’Donovan, Old Man Luedecke, Lindi Ortega, Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien, Shakey Graves, Sturgill Simpson, Sons of Fathers, Spirit Family Reunion, Steelism, The Stray Birds, Richard Thompson, Holly Williams, The White Buffalo and The Wood Brothers.
The Americana Music Festival & Conference is open to the general public and music industry professionals. Festival and Conference Registrations are now available at the reduced rate of $350 for Americana Music Association members and $450 for non-members. The week’s cornerstone event is the 12th annual Americana Honors & Awards, set for Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Ryman Auditorium. Details and registration at www.americanamusic.org.

Music City Hitmakers to Perform with Boston Symphony

MCHMThe Music City Hitmakers, comprised of hit songwriters and session musicians from Nashville, will travel to Boston, Mass. for three evening sets with the Boston Symphony Orchestra Thursday-Saturday, June 13-15.
Nashville songwriters and lead singers Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson and Brett James will be joined by songwriter Troy Verges; producer, violin player, Charles Dixon; arranger/piano, Charles Judge; drummer, Nick Buda; background vocals, Kelly Archer; guitar, Milan Miller; and bass, Tim Marks.
The Hitmakers will share the behind-the-scenes stories of songs written for Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, and Lady Antebellum. Along with performances of “It’s America,” “Jesus Take the Wheel,” and “Mr. Know-It-All,” the weekend concerts will feature “Coming Home” from Country Strong, “There’s A Place For Us” from the Chronicles of Narnia series, and a debut of a song titled “Free,” commissioned specifically for the Boston shows written by members of the Hitmakers.
The program is part of the Bring Music City To Your City organization, founded by Dixon. For more information, click here.

Artists Sign On For iHeartRadio's "Show Your Stripes" Campaign

show your stripes111Clear Channel has launched iHeartRadio’s Show Your Stripes, a company-wide community service project to address unemployment among U.S. military veterans and to encourage businesses to hire skilled veterans. The company is set to spend more than $75 million on radio, digital and other resources to highlight skills brought back by returning servicemen and women that are valuable to employers.
To launch the campaign, artists including Elton John, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Ryan Seacrest, Mario Lopez, Trace Adkins and LL Cool J have recorded a series of PSAs that showcase stories from veterans who have successfully found jobs. Clarkson tells the story of Jeff Marshall, a 10-year member of the U.S. Air Force special operations command who is now working in online operations at Facebook.
By the year 2016, more than a million servicemen and women will end their military careers and transition back to civilian life. According to a 2012 survey by Prudential and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 60 percent of returning servicemen and women said they have faced a challenge translating the valuable skills they obtained in the military into civilian employment. 98 percent of all veterans cited at least one challenge in seeking employment.

Clear Channel Signs Performance Royalties Deal with Fleetwood Mac

clear-channelClear Channel Media & Entertainment has signed the first direct performing rights partnership deal between a radio company and an artist. Clear Channel Media & Entertainment inked a deal with Fleetwood Mac that will enable the group to receive revenue from airplay on Clear Channel’s digital and broadcast radio platforms. The group’s new EP features the first new Fleetwood Mac music since “Say You Will” was released more than a decade ago.
The agreement is the first to be negotiated directly with an artist or group, creating a milestone for Clear Channel and the industry. The independent labels who have similar agreements with Clear Channel include Big Machine Label Group, Glassnote Entertainment Group, eOne, DashGo, Robbins Entertainment, Naxos, rpm Entertainment, Wind-up Records, Fearless Records, Zojak Records and Dualtone Records.
“Fleetwood Mac has blown me away from the first time I heard them – they are the perfect group for radio,” said Bob Pittman, CEO of Clear Channel. “Reaching an agreement with them is the clearest sign yet that this kind of revenue-sharing model represents the industry’s future—it is a win-win-win, for artists, fans and the music business. We look forward to helping Fleetwood Mac get their hit songs to their fans on whatever platform or device they want to find them.”
The band, which formed in London in 1967 and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has released 17 studio albums over its career.

'Kenny Chesney Presents: No Shoes Nation' To Air June 19

kchesneyKenny Chesney Presents: No Shoes Nation, a 60-minute documentary produced by long-time collaborator and acclaimed music video director Shaun Silva, premieres Wednesday, June 19, 10 p.m./EST on Great American Country. The special goes into Chesney’s world, his touring reality and beyond, providing the most comprehensive picture of the four-time consecutive Academy of Country Music and four-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.
“When we were finishing Life On A Rock, which was a collection of songs that were never meant to be part of an actual album, it occurred to me how thin the line between the music, me and my fans really is,” says Chesney. “I realized not only were those songs my fans’ lives, too; but that my fans like their lives with every bit as much heart, as much passion as I do — I wanted a special that showed them how they look to me, too.”
The documentary was filmed in Ft. Lauderdale, Key West, Tampa, Jacksonville, St. John and Barbados during rehearsals, in the islands, at club gigs, stadiums shows, etc.

Artist Updates (6-11-13)

Jake Owen

Jake Owen


After Jake Owen’s concert set was cut short at the 2013 CMA Music Festival due to weather, The Bobby Bones Show offered the country star a way to make it up to fans. Fans can tune in tomorrow, June 12, at 8 a.m. CT to hear Owen perform his entire concert set live on air from The Bobby Bones Show studio in Nashville.
The special fan concert was set up via a quick Twitter exchange between Owen and Bones:
@jakeowen: Sorry to all my fans that paid good money for #CMAFEST2013 tix. Due to the weather coming in, I was told to only play one song. I ❤ you guys
@mrBobbyBones: Hey @jakeowen, you are formally invited to finish your set from last night on our show.
 @jakeowen: Say when…

• • •

craigmorgan2013Country music star and Army veteran Craig Morgan put his EMT training to use on Sunday (June 9) when he helped emergency responders attend to a bad accident on Interstate 40 eastbound near Lobelville, Tenn., just 30 miles outside his hometown of Dickson. Morgan was returning from a recent concert date when, at approximately 11:15am central time Sunday morning, two semis and a tanker collided 1/4 mile in front of their tour bus.
Morgan and two members of his crew, Jerry Hines and Joey Greer, ran to the scene to help extinguish flames and care for the drivers.
“Anytime there’s a situation like this, I think it’s important to do what we can to help others,” shared Morgan this morning in an exclusive interview with Fox News.

• • •

grand_ole_opry_logo_20051The Grand Ole Opry is about to get its own ice cream flavor. The “Graham Ole Opry” ice cream flavor won best in show at Sunday’s 28th annual Miss Martha’s Ice Cream Crankin’ fundraiser. Purity will begin producing the Graham Ole Opry flavor, which is made with chopped peanuts, caramel swirls and chocolate-covered graham chunks.
The flavor inventor, Amanda Allen, 22, is a recent college graduate. “I recently returned to Nashville from college, so I think I was feeling a lot of city pride in being here again. My midlife crisis plan is to open up an ice cream shop somewhere, so it’s nice to know that I am creating flavors that people think are worth eating,” said Allen.