Artist Action (11/8/13)

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler


Kellie Pickler fans can check out a full stream of her brand new album The Woman I Am beginning today through the weekend at CMT.com.  The album sneak peek includes all 12 songs from the new project, which was produced by Luke Wooten and Frank Liddell.
The stream will be promoted across all of CMT’s digital properties, including CMT.com, CMT Pure, CMT Mobile, CMT Radio Networks, and to the network’s seven million social media fans, and will also be promoted across MTV and VH1’s social platforms as well. To listen to the new CD, go to Kelliepickler.CMT.com.
The Woman I Am tracks:
1. “Little Bit Gypsy” (Kyle Jacobs, Tammi Kidd Hutton and Fred Wilhelm)
2. “Ring for Sale” (Chris Stapleton and Jim Beavers)
3. “Buzzin’” (TJ Osborne, John Osborne and Steve Moakler)
4. “The Woman I Am” (Kellie Pickler and Kyle Jacobs)
5. “Closer to Nowhere” (Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby and Phil O’Donnell)
6. “Selma Drye” (Kellie Pickler, Billy Montana and Phillip Lammonds)
7. “I Forgive You” (Busbee, Hillary Lindsey and Aimee Mayo)
8. “Bonnie and Clyde” (Kellie Pickler, Kyle Jacobs and Liz Rose)
9. “Where Did Your Love Go” (Kalisa Ewing and Rivers Rutherford)
10. “No Cure for Crazy” (Kyle Jacobs, Joe Leathers, Billy Montana and John Ozier)
11. “Tough All Over” (Gary Nicholson and Leslie Satcher)
12. “Someone Somewhere Tonight” (Davis Raines and Walt Wilkins)

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Craig_Campbell_Royals_Artwork.1featuredCraig Campbell and radio personality Bobby Bones had some fun recently with a cover of  Lorde‘s pop smash “Royals,” covering the song country style with Bones’ band the Raging Idiots. The song was released on iTunes earlier this week and features an accompanying video that has already logged over 50,000 streams in the past few weeks.

All proceeds from the fun-filled remake will benefit the Humane Society.

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john prine11

John Prine

John Prine will have his own spotlight exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opening Nov 15, which will feature instruments, manuscripts, and other mementos spanning Prine’s 40 year-career as a singer/songwriter.

“John Prine: It Took Me Years To Get These Souvenirs” traces the singer’s life from his stint on the Chicago folk circuit where he met Kris Kristofferson, (who helped him get a record deal), to his early 80’s Nashville years founding Oh Boy Records and his Grammy win in 2005, and everything in between and since.

The exhibit is located within the museum’s permanent exhibit on the second floor, and will run through May 2014.

Charlie Cook On Air: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Charlie Cook

Charlie Cook


It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The last two months of the year are just so darn different than any other time of the year. It’s not just the holidays, that starts now with Halloween (not officially part of the last 61 days) as a big time holiday celebrated by every age group.
The note this week is really directed towards radio station program directors who are guiding their radio stations through what can be bumpy waters for the next two months.
We have two HUGE holidays this month. You’re thinking Thanksgiving but what else? I contend Black Friday is as big a day, and more anticipated by a majority of your listeners and sponsors.
The female portion of the audience tolerates Thanksgiving. It is filled with them having to cook and clean while their (mostly) lazy husbands, boyfriends or male relatives use the day as an excuse to over eat and watch 12 hours of Pro Football.
The tryptophan that immobilizes the male portion of the audience is the perfect way set up the shopping frenzy your female listeners look forward to starting at midnight Friday morning in many places.
Because Thanksgiving is as late this year as possible, Cyber Monday is a December holiday. It could be renamed “Goof Off Monday”.
The term is only eight years old, first being introduced in 2005. Last year over $1B was spent on Cyber Monday. Since it became a significant shopping day it has grown about 15 percent every year. Even with a soft economy again this year, retailers expect a double digit increases in 2013.
If you are not part of this incredible AMERICAN weekend, you are missing an opportunity to connect with your listener’s life. You need to insert yourself into this weekend.
1. Have your morning shows participate in local food bank/church activities on Thanksgiving.
2. Have your personalities at local malls on Friday.
3. Have your station giving tips all day Monday about sites with Cyber Monday sales.
As December progresses toward Christmas Day your programming begins to change and the listening levels begin to change. If you’re the Christmas Music station in town you are welcoming in new listeners. What are you doing on the air to keep those people into 2014 when the holiday music ends? If you compete against Christmas Music stations, what are you doing to make sure you get your fair share of listening through the holiday and then the listeners reset their listening habits in the new year?
Will you run promos the last couple of weeks reminding listeners you’ve been there for them for months and that come 2014 your plans include, A, B and C?  Any thought in going commercial-free the first of 2014, when spot loads are light to non- existent, to win back Christmas Music listeners? Better yet, how about a “pay your bills” contest during the month of January? Even $100.00 a few times a day to win back those listeners and get back into their old habits helps.
What are you doing between Christmas and New Year’s Eve to appeal to the listeners who are not travelling, but are easing back into their routines?
This is the most wonderful time of the year. It is also an opportunity to solidify your position as the most wonderful radio station partner.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

Deborah Evans Price Presented With 2013 CMA Media Achievement Award

deborah evans price cma award

Deborah Evans Price accepts the 2013 CMA Media Achievement Award. Photo: Jamie Schramm


Freelance journalist and author Deborah Evans Price was presented the 2013 CMA Media Achievement Award in the backstage media center during “The 47th Annual CMA Awards” on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
“I’m so honored to win the CMA Media Achievement Award this year, especially when I think of all the wonderful journalists who precede me like Chet Flippo, my beloved former bureau chief at Billboard,” said Price. “The publicists in the Country Music community are the hardest working, most caring people and such a joy to work with. I’m blessed to get up every day and write about music I love and am so touched by this recognition.”
“Deborah is respected within the industry and is highly regarded for her passion for the music, her relationships with our artists, and her creative, collaborative approach to her work,” said CMA VP of Corporate Communications Wendy Pearl. “Over the years, Deborah has made great contributions to the development of many artist’s careers as well as championing our legends.”
Price authored a coffee table book on the history of the CMA Awards, which was released in 2010. She also recently released Country Faith, a compilation of musical artists’ favorite scriptures.
Based in Nashville, Evans Price is a frequent contributor to Billboard, Country Weekly, FIRST for Women, GospelMusicChannel.com, PEOPLE Country, HomeLife, and CMA Close Up, among other publications. A respected music industry analyst, Price has been interviewed by key media outlets, including MSNBC, CNN, the “Today Show,” ABC’s “Prime Time Live,” the Gospel Music Channel, CMT, The Washington Post, The New York Times, among others.
A native of Richlands, Va., Price’s father was in the Air Force, and she grew up on military bases all over the world, from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey to Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan. She majored in journalism at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and, while in college, worked at KTAL-TV Channel 6. During college, she worked as a disc jockey at Country station KRMD-FM for four years while also writing articles on Country music for the Shreveport Times and Shreveport Journal. A Nashville resident since 1983, Deborah began her career on Music Row as editorial assistant at Radio & Records magazine before landing the editor-in-chief post at Country News.
She has served as associate editor with American Songwriter and Country/Christian editor at Billboard. She was a contributor to the Billboard Encyclopedia of Record Producers, profiling such music industry legends as Sam Phillips, Billy Sherrill, and Ken Nelson. She was a contributing author to The World’s Best Songwriters on Creating the Music That Moves Us.
The CMA Media Achievement Award was established to recognize outstanding achievements in the media as they relate to Country Music. Print and Internet journalists, columnists, authors, and editors; television writers, producers and bookers; and syndicated radio reporters are eligible to win this award. CMA member publicists nominate media candidates for consideration. The top five nominees are collected and sent to the publicist panel for a second round of voting. The overall winner is presented to the Awards and Recognition Committee and then approved by the CMA Board of Directors.
Previous Winners of the Media Achievement Award:
1982 Jack Hurst
1983 Neil Hickey
1984 Dolly Carlisle
1985 Red O’Donnell
1986 No Recipient
1987 David Zimmerman
1988 Robert K. Oermann
1989 Bob Claypool
1990 Dick Heard
1991 No Recipient
1992 Mark McEwen
1993 Lynn Lester
1994 Judy Massa
1995 Clay Smith
1996 Tisi Aylward
1997 Jay Orr
1998 Chet Flippo
1999 Hazel Smith
2000 Neil Pond
2001 Harry Chapman
2002 Jim Patterson
2003 Denise Quan
2004 Alanna Nash
2005 Mark Bracco
2006 Donna Hughes
2007 Storme Warren
2008 Monica Escobedo
2009 Cynthia Sanz
2010 Beville Darden
2011 Ashley Dvorkin
2012 Jennifer Meyer and Ray Sells

Twitter IPO Creates Frenzy

Twitter copy
Twitter’s highly publicized and anticipated IPO launched today creating a whirlwind of hungry investors. The social media platform opened at $45.10 on the New York Stock Exchange (NYX) this morning (Thurs., Nov. 7), up 73 percent from the $26 initial public offering price. Twitter is the largest U.S. technology IPO since Facebook, Inc. went public nearly two years ago.
Trading under the symbol TWTR, the frenzy escalated until reaching a high today of $50.09, closing at $44.90 a share.
While revenues have more than double over last year, Twitter has yet to make a profit.

2013 MusicRow Awards Predict CMA Trophies

Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Alan Mayor


Kacey Musgraves, who swept the 25th Annual industry-voted MusicRow Awards earlier this summer, took home the statue for CMA’s Best New Artist last night (Nov. 6) at its 47th Annual Awards Show. The Mercury Nashville newcomer had become the first person ever to take home both MusicRow‘s Breakthrough Artist and Breakthrough Songwriter awards.
In addition to Musgraves’ success last night, MusicRow’s 2013 Song of the Year winner, “I Drive Your Truck,” garnered the coveted Song of the Year prize at last night’s awards show. The song, written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington and Jimmy Yeary, and recorded by Lee Brice tied with “Merry Go ‘Round” back in June at the MusicRow Awards.
The MusicRow Awards, voted by Industry members, are often a key predictor for select CMA Awards. In past years, Song of the Year honors at both ceremonies went to “If I Die Young” (2011), “The House That Built Me” (2010) and “In Color” (2009). Almost every year since 2006, MusicRow’s Breakthrough Artist winners also received the CMA New Artist/Horizon Award later the same year, including The Band Perry (2011), Zac Brown Band (2010), Lady Antebellum (2008), Taylor Swift (2007), and Carrie Underwood (2006).

ACM Lifting Lives Teams with The Henningsens For November "My Cause" Feature

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The Henningsens


ACM Lifting Lives® has unveiled its November “My Cause” web feature, spotlighting The Henningsens and the charity organization, Elijah’s Heart. The web feature drives awareness of artist-supported charitable organizations and supports fundraising efforts for those philanthropies.
Over the past two years, ACM Lifting Lives has donated more than $190,000 to artists’ favorite charities through this program, and will again make a donation in addition to driving fan awareness.
This month, “My Cause: Elijah’s Heart” highlights an organization whose purpose is to show love to underprivileged children and their families, to assist them with practical needs and to raise awareness about their desperate situations to inspire others to act. Throughout America, countless children and their families are buried under the oppression of poverty, hunger, poor education and other devastations. The plight of these people often goes unnoticed. Elijah’s Heart is calling others to unite with them to show mercy and practical love to those individuals.
Visit ACMLiftingLives.com to watch the November “My Cause” video and donate to this cause.

47th Annual CMA Awards After Party Pics

Sony Music Nashville celebrated at a gathering at The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum following Wednesday’s 47th Annual CMA Awards, co-hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. Miranda Lambert took home her fourth consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year honor.

    Pictured L-R: Top row: Love and Theft (Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Lyles), Dee Jay Silver, Jake Owen, Keith Gale (VP National Promotion, RCA Nashville), Bush Hawg's Alex Wilshire, Craig Hand, Shaun Ames, Russ Caldwell, Ben Helton, Bob Garbarini (SVP, National Sales, Sony Music Entertainment), Mike Craft (SVP Finance & Operations, Sony Music Nashville), Angie Magill (VP Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Nashville). Middle row: Taylor Lindsey (Director A&R, Sony Music Nashville),im Catino (VP A&R, Sony Music Nashville), Casey James, Chris Young, The Henningsens (Brian, Clara, Aaron), Leah Turner, Jerrod Niemann, Kix Brooks, Caryl Healey (VP Sales, Sony Music Nashville), The Swon Brothers (Colton and Zach). Front row: Paul Barnabee (SVP Marketing, Sony Music Nashville), Lesly Tyson (VP National Promotion, Arista Nashville), Angie Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Gary Overton (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville), Brad Paisley. Photo credit: Alan Poizner

Pictured L-R: Top row: Love and Theft (Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Lyles), Dee Jay Silver, Jake Owen, Keith Gale (VP National Promotion, RCA Nashville), Bush Hawg’s Alex Wilshire, Craig Hand, Shaun Ames, Russ Caldwell, Ben Helton, Bob Garbarini (SVP, National Sales, Sony Music Entertainment), Mike Craft (SVP Finance & Operations, Sony Music Nashville), Angie Magill (VP Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Nashville). Middle row: Taylor Lindsey (Director A&R, Sony Music Nashville),im Catino (VP A&R, Sony Music Nashville), Casey James, Chris Young, The Henningsens (Brian, Clara, Aaron), Leah Turner, Jerrod Niemann, Kix Brooks, Caryl Healey (VP Sales, Sony Music Nashville), The Swon Brothers (Colton and Zach). Front row: Paul Barnabee (SVP Marketing, Sony Music Nashville), Lesly Tyson (VP National Promotion, Arista Nashville), Angie Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Gary Overton (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville), Brad Paisley. Photo: Alan Poizner

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UMG celebrated George Strait‘s Entertainer of the Year title, Kacey Musgraves‘ New Artist of the Year honor, and Little Big Town‘s Vocal Group of the Year award.

LBT's Phillip Sweet, Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, LBT's Jimi Westbrook, LBT's Karen Fairchild, LBT's Kimberly Schlapman, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group EVP and CFO Boyd Muir, Universal Music Group Distribution President and CEO Jim Urie. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Hollo

Pictured (L-R): LBT’s Phillip Sweet, Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, LBT’s Jimi Westbrook, LBT’s Karen Fairchild, LBT’s Kimberly Schlapman, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group EVP and CFO Boyd Muir, Universal Music Group Distribution President and CEO Jim Urie. Photo: Chris Hollo.


Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Universal Music Group Distribution President and CEO Jim Urie, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group EVP and CFO Boyd Muir. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Hollo

Pictured (L-R): Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Universal Music Group Distribution President and CEO Jim Urie, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group EVP and CFO Boyd Muir. Photo: Chris Hollo.


Pictured (L-R): Kacey Musgraves, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Hollo

Pictured (L-R): Kacey Musgraves, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan. Photo: Chris Hollo.

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Warner Music Nashville celebrated another historic CMA night, with Blake Shelton winning the Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year awards, marking the first time a husband and wife garnered four consecutive wins in the Male and Female Vocalist of the Year categories.

    WMN artists and senior executives gathered for a family photo including John Esposito, President and CEO WMN; Peter Strickland, EVP & GM WMN; Tree Paine, SVP Publicity; Chris Stacey, SVP of Promotion; Scott Hendricks, SVP A&R; Mark Robinson, VP and Sr. Counsel, WMG; and Jeremy Holley, SVP Consumer and Interactive Marketing.

WMN artists and senior executives gathered for a family photo including John Esposito, President and CEO WMN; Peter Strickland, EVP & GM WMN; Tree Paine, SVP Publicity; Chris Stacey, SVP of Promotion; Scott Hendricks, SVP A&R; Mark Robinson, VP and Sr. Counsel, WMG; and Jeremy Holley, SVP Consumer and Interactive Marketing.

• • •


The good times continued with a star-studded guest list at Rosewell for the BMLG After Party, which featured an Origami Owl jewelry bar, signature Crown Royal cocktails, a booming Beats photo wall and more. Florida Georgia Line took home Vocal Duo of the Year and Single of the Year honors, while Taylor Swift took home the Pinnacle Award, and Swift and Tim McGraw were honored for “Highway Don’t Care” as Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year.

Pictured (L-R): Front Row – The Band Perry’s Reid, Neil and Kimberly Perry; Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta; Taylor Swift; Danielle Bradbery; Cassadee Pope; RaeLynn; Laura Bell Bundy; Back Row – Eli Young Band’s James Young; Mike Eli; Rascal Flatts Joe Don Rooney; Jon Jones; Tim McGraw; Brantley Gilbert; Eli Young Band’s Chris Thompson and Rascal Flatts Jay DeMarcus

Pictured (L-R): Front Row – The Band Perry’s Reid, Neil and Kimberly Perry; Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta; Taylor Swift; Danielle Bradbery; Cassadee Pope; RaeLynn; Laura Bell Bundy; Back Row – Eli Young Band’s James Young; Mike Eli; Rascal Flatts Joe Don Rooney; Jon Jones; Tim McGraw; Brantley Gilbert; Eli Young Band’s Chris Thompson and Rascal Flatts Jay DeMarcus


Pictured (L-R): Front Row – Universal Republic Records Chairman/CEO Monte Lipman; Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley; Taylor Swift; Universal Music Group Chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge; Back Row – BMLG EVP/Republic Nashville President Jimmy Harnen; Universal Republic Records President/COO Avery Lipman; Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard; and BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta

Pictured (L-R): Front Row – Universal Republic Records Chairman/CEO Monte Lipman; Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley; Taylor Swift; Universal Music Group Chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge; Back Row – BMLG EVP/Republic Nashville President Jimmy Harnen; Universal Republic Records President/COO Avery Lipman; Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard; and BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta

CMA Awards Gets Ratings Rise

CMA_KeyArtAfter a move to Thursdays in 2012, The 47th annual Country Music Association awards’ annual show was up 24 percent last night among adults 18-19 (21 percent overall) on Wednesday, Nov. 6, with an average 4.7 rating among adults 18-49, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That score earned the awards a win for the network in both the key demo and total viewers. ABC saw the show draw in 16.6 million viewers.
Last year, Country music’s biggest night peaked at 14.1 million viewers and brought in a 3.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Spotify Adds Concert Dates To Apps Through Songkick

spotify225Spotify users on iPhones and iPods can now access artist concert dates through Songkick, according to Hypebot.com. After updating to the new app, users can now tap on an “On Tour” section that will take them to Songkick for concert listings, info, and ticket information. The upgrade also includes new search features that add playlists and user profiles.
BandsInTown and BandPage have also recently cut deals to expand their tour dates to more music sites and services. Songkick registered 100,000 new users within four months of launching the special Spotify app and has sent millions of personalized concert alerts to users who register through the company.

Kenny Rogers Honored with Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award

Photo Credit: Donn Jones / CMA

Photo Credit: Donn Jones / CMA


During last night’s (Wednesday, Nov. 6) 47th Annual CMA awards, newly inducted Country Music Hall of Fame member Kenny Rogers received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. He was saluted with an all-star tribute that featured Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker.
“Kenny Rogers is a living legend and Country Music trailblazer,” said Ed Hardy, President of the CMA Board of Directors, when Rogers was first named the recipient of the award. “He is more than deserving of this honor and what is sure to be a stellar tribute. He represents everything that this Award was intended to recognize when we initiated it last year with Willie.”
Rogers is a five-time CMA Awards winner with 23 career nominations. Rogers has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, recorded 24 No. 1 songs and 12 No. 1 albums, is a New York Times Bestselling author, and recently released his 35th studio album, You Can’t Make Old Friends.
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award was presented for the first time in 2012 to its namesake. The Lifetime Achievement Award was created and meant to be presented to an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music. The Award recognizes an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level.