DISClaimer: Dog Days of Summer

/by

bakersfield album11They call these the “dog days” of summer, and there are definitely a few dogs in this column. But rather than dwell on them, let’s focus on the folks who got it right this week. One of them is newcomer Justin Adams. He is an Oklahoma native and former college football player who displays impressive chops as both a writer and a singer on his EP debut. Somebody sign this guy. In the meantime, give him a DisCovery Award. The pickin’s were slim when it came to naming a Disc of the Day. Only one record stood head and shoulders above the rest. It comes from two members of the Grammy-nominated Time Jumpers, Vince Gill and Paul Franklin. Lend this your ears. It is a salute to the Bakersfield country sound of yore, but this is no exercise in nostalgia. It is as vibrant and contemporary a CD as you’ll hear all year.
KELLY CLARKSON/Tie It Up
Writers: Shane McAnally/Ashley Arrison/Josh Osborne; Producer: Shane McAnally; Publisher: none listed; ASCAP/BMI; RCA (CDX)
-She’s such a super vocalist, and that’s what keeps you hanging on every note. From her staccato alto notes in the verses to her searing, soaring soprano shouts in the choruses, Clarkson totally owns this number. Catchy, catchy, catchy.
JOSH THOMPSON/Cold Beer With Your Name On It
Writers: Brent Anderson/Clint Daniels; Producers: Mark Wright and Cliff Audretch III; Publishers: House of Seagayle/Writers of Seagayle, ASCAP/BMI; Show Dog (CDX)
-His thin, strangulated singing conveys the regret he feels about his country girl having gone to the city. Pass.
JAKE OWEN/Days of Gold
Writers: Jaren Johnston/Neil Mason; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texas Rae/Nettwerk One B/Revelry/Nevada House, ASCAP/BMI; RCA
-The tempo is frenetic, and the production is zippy. The country-party lyric is as dull as mud.
AUSTIN WEBB/Slip On By
Writers: Allen Dukes/Blake NeeSmith/Nathan Tomberlin/Chris Stevens; Producer: Byron Gallimore; Publishers: Universal/Brentwood Benson/Finding Favour/Meaux Mercy/Larrydavid/EMI CMG, ASCAP/BMI; Streamsound
-The old man wishes he hadn’t wasted his youth and his opportunities. Considering the emotional possibilities, the vocal performance is somewhat monochromatic.
BRAD PAISLEY/I Can’t Change The World
Writers: Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Kelley Lovelace; Producer: Brad Paisley; Publishers: House of Sea Gayle/Words & Music/EMI April/Didn’t Have To Be, ASCAP; Arista (track)
-Brad belts in bodacious balladeer mode here. The heartfelt lyric promises to change the world with love, even if he is helpless in the face of the reality that surrounds us. The echoey production that swirls around him is punctuated with his pin-sharp guitar notes. A terrific listening experience.
ZANE WILLIAMS/Sure Felt Like Goodbye
Writers: Zane Randolph Williams; Producers: Zane Williams and Tom Faulkner; Publishers: Born Into Love/BE Original, ASCAP; Be
-Unapologetically country and undeniably classy. His hearty singing is matched by his skill as a sturdy tunesmith. Formerly a Music Row publishing staff writer, Williams returned to his native Texas a few years ago. This single will appear on his fifth CD, Overnight Success, which drops next week.
LAURA BELL BUNDY/Two Step
Writers: Laura Bell Bundy/Andy Davis/Colt Ford/Lance Kotara/Adam McInnis/Bryan Ray; Producer: Nathan Chapman; Publishers: EMI April/If I Had A Nickel/Really Complicated/Average JZS/Jacobstream/Playboy Poetry/Penny Dog/ASCAP; Big Machine
-Bundy is back in the bouncing dance-floor mode with which she began her county career two years ago. This time her ditty includes terpsichorean instructions as well as a guest rap from Colt Ford. As if this track isn’t busy-sounding enough, there’s also a dance mix available.

Justin Adams

Justin Adams


JUSTIN ADAMS/Miss Me Whiskey
Writers: Justin Adams/Karyn Rochelle; Producers: Aaron Eshuls and Matthew McGuinn; Publisher: none listed; JA (track)
-He hooked me from the well-written opening lines. This is a real piece of songwriting craftsmanship, and fact that he sings it with so much force makes it that much more involving. An artist who has all the ammo he needs for stardom. And I loved the haunting instrumental coda.
VINCE GILL & PAUL FRANKLIN/Foolin’ Around
Writers: none listed; Producers: Vince Gill and Paul Franklin; Publisher: none listed; MCA Nashville
-Steel guitarist Franklin and Hall of Famer Gill’s new Bakersfield collaboration salutes the tunes of Buck, Merle and their peers. It kicks off with a remake of this 1961 Buck bopper, which sounds like an onrushing locomotive on a breakneck pace. Super exciting, as is the whole package.
DAVID SHELBY/Kick A Little Dirt Around
Writers: F.J. Turner; Producers: David Shelby, Chris Virzi and F.J. Turner; Publisher: none listed; Highway South
-It’s a rousing invitation to get out on the dance floor. What it lacks in melodic inventiveness, it more than makes up for in enthusiasm. Rhythm happy, to say the least.

Cumulus, Dick Clark Productions Team On Awards Coverage

/by

Cumulus LogoCumulus Media Networks has partnered with Dick Clark Productions to create original radio and digital content around the upcoming American Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards, according to Billboard.com.  As part of the partnership, Cumulus will create six hours of original programming surrounding the upcoming AMAs on Nov. 24 that will be broadcast to its 5,500 affiliate stations across the country. The programming will be live and tailored to major formats including country, pop, urban, and rock.
Leading up to the televised broadcast, Cumulus stations will also build excitement about the show by announcing the artist nominees across its various platforms. Radio listeners across the country will also have the opportunity to win tickets to the AMAs, and following the broadcast, event coverage will be available across the stations’ websites and owned-and-operated social media profiles. The company will take a similar approach to its coverage of the Billboard Music Awards in 2014.
“There’s never been that level of interactivity and access to these shows that we’ve been able to bring to radio and our audience,” Cumulus Media Networks executive VP and co-COO John Dickey tells Billboard.biz. “We’re very excited about having that opportunity to get up close and personal, from the red carpet and backstage to embedding some of our talent with the artists as they get ready and dressed for the show.”
Dick Clark Productions and Billboard share the same parent company in Guggenheim Partners.

peermusic Adds Creative Manager

/by

Heather Cook

Heather Cook


Heather Cook, founder of Cook’n Up Music Publishing and Artist Management, has joined peermusic‘s Nashville team as Creative Manager in Advertising Markets.
Cook has closed down her boutique publishing and artist management company, which she managed for the past three years. Cook’n Up Music Publishing and Artist Management worked with songwriters including Simone Simonton, Robin Grant, Sonia Lee, Seth Jackson and artist-writers Big Vinny, Emily Reid, Leah Turner, Jessie Smith and Savannah Jane, among others.
“The last three years have been an amazing journey and I have enjoyed working with every single artist and songwriter who have come to my door,” says Cook. “I am proud to say we have been successful in accomplishing many of the goals we set for each of our artists and songwriters. I am excited about the next chapter and look forward to joining the peermusic team.”
peermusic songwriters include Neil Thrasher, Vicky McGehee, Rachel Farley and Michael Tyler, among others.
Cook can be reached at 615-329-0603 and here.

Cassadee Pope Releases Album Cover, Release Date

/by

Cassadee_Pope_FRAME_BY_FRAME
Cassadee Pope, winner of season three of NBC’s The Voice, is giving her fans creative control by letting them choose the cover for her latest album, Frame By Frame. 
Cassadee used social video site Vine over the weekend to unveil the title of her forthcoming album. Over the course of 72 hours, thousands of fans took to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to select their favorite artwork.
“My fans are the ones who gave me this incredible opportunity to create Country music and I want to ensure they are a part of the process as much as possible” says Pope. “I’ve received great feedback on my new music while visiting Country radio stations each week and while out on the Rascal Flatts tour, so I also wanted to make sure the fans had input on the artwork for Frame By Frame.”
The singer’s latest hit “Wasting All These Tears” has already sold more than 200,000 downloads and earned the #1 spot on iTunes Top Country Songs chart. Pope’s new album will be released on Oct. 8 on Republic Nashville.

Artist Updates (8-6-13)

/by

jake owen days of gold1Jake Owen will debut his brand new single “Days of Gold” on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday (Aug. 8). “Days of Gold” is the lead single/title track from his forthcoming full-length studio album produced by Joey Moi, expected for release later this year. Owen is currently on the road with Jason Aldean‘s Night Train Tour with upcoming shows in Hershey, Pa., Saratoga Springs, and Cincinnati.

• • •

 
Florida Georgia Line performed their Top 10-and-climbing hit “Round Here” on TBS’ Conan last night (Aug. 5). The duo, comprised of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley , also taped a web exclusive of the emotional ballad “Stay” for TeamCoco.com during their visit to the show.

Photo Credit: Meghan Sinclair/Team Coco

Florida Georgia Line. Photo Credit: Meghan Sinclair/Team Coco

• • •

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood received an out of this world introduction prior to her performance at the recent WE Fest on Aug. 3. Underwood, via a video link, was welcomed on stage by Karen Nyberg, who is currently serving at the International Space Station (ISS), circling the earth in a 255-mile high orbit.

• • •

Charlie Daniels and emerging artist Jay Jolley met recently in Monroe, Mich. Aboard Daniels’ bus, the two began their own dialogue on Jay’s new single, “God Save Us All From Religion,” written by Daniels, Kim Williams and Doug Johnson. “It was simply amazing to meet the man who co-wrote this song that I love; the man behind the larger-than-life legend,” says Jolley. The track was originally released by The Charlie Daniels Band on their Dueces album in 2007.

charlie daniels1

Pictured (L-R): Jay Jolley and Charlie Daniels

Odie Blackmon To Teach Music Class at Vanderbilt

/by

Odie Blackmon

Odie Blackmon


Songwriter Odie Blackmon, known for penning hits including George Strait’s “She’ll Leave You With A Smile,” Lee Ann Womack’s “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” and Gary Allan’s “Nothing On But The Radio,” will teach his popular Nashville Number System class at Vanderbilt University again this fall semester.
The songwriter will teach MUSC 104, Nashville Number System For Songwriters and Performers. Students will learn aspects of song forms, music notations, theory, chords and the Nashville Number System. Additionally, students will observe and discuss studio work, as well as chart original and classic songs.
The class begins Aug. 22 and will take place on Thursday evenings from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, Room 1169. The course will consist of 15 class sessions. Tuition is $230 and the course is open to pre-college, adult, and college students.
Blackmon first offered the course in 2012.
For enrollment information, click here.

NMPA Files Suit Against Youtube Network Fullscreen, Inc.

/by

nmpaThe National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Fullscreen, Inc. (Fullscreen), a multi-channel network (MCN) behind some of YouTube‘s most popular channels, for its illegal use of unlicensed musical works. Fullscreen produces, markets, promotes and exploits videos (including music videos) on YouTube.
NMPA and Maker Studios (Maker), another large MCN, have agreed to a settlement regarding similar copyright issues. Once finalized, NMPA’s settlement with Maker will enable music publishers and their songwriting partners to be compensated for past infringement and license Maker going forward.
“The problem of copyright infringement and unlicensed use of music is endemic to the MCN industry,” said David Israelite, NMPA president and CEO. “Fullscreen’s success and growth as a digital business is attributable in large part to the prevalence and popularity of its unlicensed music videos. We must stop the trend of ignoring the law, profiting from someone else’s work, then asking forgiveness when caught. It is not only unfair, it is unacceptable.”
Comprised largely of cover song videos, MCN channels represent a significant number of the total views on YouTube. Fullscreen alone has 15,000 YouTube channels with more than 200 million subscribers and averages 36 million viewers responsible for 284 million video views per month in the U.S.

Amos Lee Hits Ryman On November Tour

/by

Amos Lee

Amos Lee


Amos Lee will bring a new set of songs from his forthcoming fifth studio album, Mountains Of Sorrow, Rivers Of Song, to the Ryman Auditorium this winter (Nov. 14) as part of his U.S. tour that kicks off November 5. The new CD drops October 8, and Lee will hit the road the entire month of November in support of the project.
The new album includes special guests Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, and Jerry Douglas as well as Lee’s longtime touring band. Produced by Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin, Eric Church, Cage the Elephant), it is the first album ever recorded at Joyce’s new studio, St. Charles, which is housed in a converted East Nashville church.
Along with his Ryman date this fall, Lee will hit Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Washington D.C. A complete list of dates is listed below.
Amos Lee – Fall 2013 U.S. Tour Dates
Sept. 21 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Farm Aid
Sept. 22 – Canton, Mass. @ Prowse Farm – Life Is Good Festival
Nov. 5 – Milwaukee, Wisc. @ Riverside Theatre
Nov. 6 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ State Theatre
Nov. 8 – Chicago, Ill. @ Chicago Theatre
Nov. 9 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Old National Centre-Murat Theatre
Nov.10 – Royal Oak, Mich. @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Nov. 12 – Louisville, KY @ Louisville Palace
Nov. 14 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Ryman Auditorium
Nov. 16 – North Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Nov. 18 – Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center
Nov. 19 – Charlottesville, VA @ Paramount Theater
Nov. 20 – Baltimore, MD @ The Lyric Opera House
Nov. 22 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theatre
Nov. 24 – Westhampton Beach, NY @ Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
Nov. 26 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
Nov. 27 – Upper Darby, Penn. @ Tower Theatre
Nov. 29 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Nov. 30 – Knoxville, Tenn. @ Tennessee Theatre

James Robert Webb – Party In The Barn

/by

James Robert Webb is heads and shoulders above other country artists, and that isn’t just figurative either! At 6 foot 5 inches tall, the phrase holds true literally as well.
With all that height, one would have expected Webb to be pursuing some sort of athletic career, but music had a greater calling on his life. Growing up in rural Oklahoma in a small town called Kellyville, Webb quickly started experimenting with music. At 7, he began to teach himself how to play piano. In his teens, he added guitar to his instrumental repertoire. He learned both instruments by ear, giving him the skills necessary to excel at jazz music later on, becoming an Oklahoma All-State Jazz pianist in high school. He also applied his ear training to other improvisational genres such as Western swing.
In 2010, Webb began to pursue songwriting. Drawing inspiration from his favorite artists, including Garth Brooks, The Rolling Stones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill and more, Webb’s music gives a modern take on traditional country. He blends the best of the music genres to create a unique country flavor.
“I listen to virtually every kind of music there is, but when it comes to country music, I am mostly moved by the traditional country music and honky tonk, as well as the vocal stylists. Garth Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill—these are the kinds of artists that I relate to the most. In my personal opinion, that’s what’s missing from country radio today—country music. Namely, fiddle and steel.”
To stay up to date with all things James Robert Webb, like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @JamesRobertWebb. You can order Born This Day at JamesRobertWebb.com or download it on iTunes.

Nielsen Finds Correlations Between Tweet And Tune-in Surges

/by

nielsenTwitter is helping drive TV viewership, and for the first time there is statistical evidence of a two-way causal influence between broadcast program tune-in and the Twitter chat around that program thanks to the Nielsen company. Nielsen conducted an independent study using a minute-by-minute time series analysis to determine if Twitter activity drives increased tune-in rates for broadcast TV and if broadcast TV tune-in leads to increased Twitter activity. By analyzing minute-to-minute trends in Nielsen’s live TV ratings and tweets for 221 broadcast primetime program episodes using Nielsen’s Social Guide, the study found that live TV ratings had a meaningful impact in related tweets among 48 percent of the episodes sampled. The results also showed that the volume of tweets caused significant changes in live TV ratings, driving them up among 29 percent of the episodes.
“Using time series analysis, we saw a statistically significant causal influence indicating that a spike in TV ratings can increase the volume of tweets, and, conversely, a spike in tweets can increase tune-in,” said Paul Donato, Nielsen’s chief research officer. “This rigorous, research-based approach provides our clients and the media industry with a better understanding of the interplay between Twitter and broadcast TV viewing.”
Twitter and Nielsen are also readying their Nielsen Twitter TV ratings for the fall TV season. The ratings will measure the total audience for social TV activity on Twitter, including people who tweet and people who see those tweets. Twitter is supplying the data, but the product will be sold by Nielsen, which hasn’t yet announced what the unit of measurement will be.
“These results substantiate what many of our TV partners have been telling us anecdotally for years: namely, that Twitter drives tune-in, especially for live, linear television programming,” said Ali Rowghani, Twitter’s Chief Operating Officer. “As the world’s preeminent real-time social communication medium, Twitter is a complementary tool for broadcasters to engage their audience, drive conversation about their programming, and increase tune-in.”