"Muscle Shoals" Panel, Free Movie Screening Added to CRS Agenda

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muscle shoals111Featured musicians from the new award-winning documentary Muscle Shoals will present a panel called “Music Schoals: The Magic In The Music” at the 2014 Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 19. The panel will be followed by a screening of the movie during CRS After Hours.
The panel will include renowned producers and musicians Rick Hall, Jimmy Johnson, and Spooner Oldham, and musician Mac McAnally. These industry legends will discuss the impact Muscle Shoals has had on the music industry. Charlie Morgan will moderate the panel. To view a trailer from the movie, click here.
Following the panel, a free screening of the movie will be held during CRS After Hours. The film tells the story of the outburst of music in the Alabama town on the Tennessee River that started in the ‘60s and became known as the defining model for great rock, pop, R&B, soul and country music.
In addition to the “Muscle Shoals: The Magic in the Music” panel, CRS 2014 will include more than 20 educational panels and industry-leading speakers, including “Cracking the Code: Using Data to Discover the Hits,” “Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Beats: It’s Their Country, Too,” “Marketing On A Shoestring Budget,” “Would You Like Sales Prospects to Call You?” and more.
CRS 2014 will be held Feb. 19-21, 2014 in downtown Nashville, Tenn. at the Nashville Convention Center. For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.

Layoffs Come To Rdio

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rdio logo111Music streaming service start-up Rdio, created by Skype co-founder Janus Friss, has laid off approximately 30-40 staff members, according to Digital Music News. This comes after an increase in paid subscribers for Rdio; the company now has more than 250,000 paying subscribers.
Prior to the layoffs, Rdio had about 130-140 employees. At least two people affected by the layoffs are engineers that focused on mobile and web apps.

K-LOVE and Up To Present Christian Artist Christmas Special

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Pictured (L-R): Candace Cameron Bure and TobyMac


K-LOVE radio and Up TV are presenting a Christmas Special “K-LOVE Music City Christmas” hosted by actress Candace Cameron Bure.  The first-ever, hour-long special will include Christmas standards and originals by Christian artists, including TobyMac, Newsboys with for KING & COUNTRY, Mandisa, Colton Dixon, Kari Jobe, Matthew West, Brandon Heath, Crowder, Big Daddy Weave and Tenth Avenue North, as well as holiday memories with the stars.  The special was taped before a live audience in Nashville, Tenn. and will premiere exclusively on UP on Monday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. EST, as well as broadcast to K-LOVE listeners in December.
“We are excited that the very first K-LOVE Music City Christmas special will premiere on Up,” said David Pierce, K-LOVE and Air1’s Chief Creative Officer. “The network is the ideal partner to present this beautiful Christmas special that is filled with spirited musical performances and meaning.”

Loretta Lynn Honored With 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom

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Loretta Lynn with President Barack Obama


Loretta Lynn was among those honored with the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom today (Nov. 20) by President Barack Obama. The nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
This is one of my favorite events every year,” said President Obama. “This year it’s just a little more special, because this marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy establishing this award.”
“Loretta Lynn was 19 the first time she won big at the local fair. Her canned vegetables brought home 17 blue ribbons and made her Canner of the Year. Now that’s impressive,” said President Obama. “For a girl from Butcher Holler, Ky., that was fame. Fortunately for all of us, she decided to try her hand at things other than canning. Her first guitar cost $17 and with it, this Coal Miner’s Daughter gave coice to a generation, singing what no one wanted to talk about and saying what no one wanted to think about. Now, over 50 years after she cut her first record and canned her first vegetables, Lorretta Lynn still reigns as the rule-breaking, record-setting Queen of Country Music.”
Members of the Kennedy family were in attendance: Robert Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, and JFK grandson and son of U.S. ambassador Caroline Kennedy, Jack Schlossberg.
More than 500 individuals have been honored with the medal. Additional recipients this year include Oprah Winfrey, Ernie Banks, Ben Bradlee, Bill Clinton, Daniel Inouye (posthumous), Daniel Kahneman, Richard Lugar, Mario Molina, Sally Ride (posthumous), Bayard Rustin (posthumous), Arturo Sandoval, Dean Smith, Gloria Steinem, Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian and Patricia Wald.
The event can be viewed below; Lynn’s portion of the tribute begins at the 6:57 mark and at the 30:08 mark.

HitShop Records Signs Kira Isabella

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Kira Isabella

Kira Isabella. Photo: HitShop Records


HitShop Records President Skip Bishop has signed Kira Isabella for her U.S. music debut.
Isabella, a Canadian native, opened for Carrie Underwood on her Blown Away Tour in the market. Isabella signed with Sony Music Entertainment Canada in 2009. In 2012, she won the “Rising Star” award at the Canadian Country Music Awards, and went on to earn the coveted “Female Artist of The Year” award this year. Isabella is now poised to embark on her U.S. music debut.
“We have watched Kira’s meteoric rise to Canadian superstardom! Her numerous top-ranked awards and consistent radio smashes speak for her tremendous talent,” exclaims Bishop. “She is a lovely and a remarkably gifted young vocalist and performer. The stage is set for Kira to begin her U.S. Country radio journey and we are so honored that she chose HitShop as her Nashville home!”
HitShop Records is distributed by Warner Music Nashville and is part of the Ramblin Music Group, whose holdings also include Young Guns Publishing.

CAA Moves Football Division To Nashville

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caa artist agency11111Creative Artists Agency has moved its NFL sports division to Nashville, MusicRow has confirmed. Among the team members are CAA football agent R.J. Gonser, Trace Armstrong and lawyer/sports agent Tom Condon, a former 12-year NFL player who has relocated to Nashville.
Condon works with CAA Football co-head Ben Dogra and represents 14 of the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks including Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Condon won the sports honor recently at the NATD Gala on Nov. 12.
CAA’s Nashville office is located at 401 Commerce Street.

Chris Young To Play C2C Festival Overseas in 2014

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Chris Young


Chris Young will make another trek overseas in 2014 to perform at the C2C Festival where he’ll perform in Dublin March 15 and London March 16. Young made his first trip to the UK and Ireland earlier this year when he performed at the CMA’s Songwriter’s Series with Kristian Bush and Brett James.
He’ll reunite with Bush and James for two intimate shows next month in Decatur, Ga. at Eddie’s Attic on Dec. 1 and 2. Tickets for the special shows can be purchased at eddiesattic.com. Young recently rejoined Brad Paisley for the fall leg of his Beat The Summer Tour, and will appear on the upcoming American Country Awards as a presenter on Dec. 10.

Kay Clary To Be Honored At Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum

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KayClary

Kay Clary


Kay Clary will be honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame at the Seventh Annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Dec. 4 at the Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater.

The forum was established in 2007 to explore issues related to the business side of the music industry and to recognize an individual each year who represents the legacy of pioneering agent-manager Louise Scruggs, the wife and business partner of Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs. Previous recipients of the honor include Denise Stiff, Liz Thiels, Mary Martin, Bonnie Garner, Sarah Trahern and Nancy Shapiro.

Museum Editor Michael Gray will host the interview with Clary and track the history of her career working for a fledgling record label and helping establish Nashville’s Americana and alternative-rock music scenes. Clary also served as part of BMI Nashville’s communications team from 2005 through 2012, rising to the rank of Executive Director of Media Relations.
The interview will be enhanced by video clips and vintage photos from the museum’s archives, Clary’s personal collection, and other sources. The program is free and open to the public but reservations are requested.

Artist Updates (11/20/13)

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Kelly Clarkson and manager fiance Brandon Blackstock.

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock.


• Newlywed Kelly Clarkson announced yesterday via Twitter that she and new husband Brandon Blackstock are already expecting their first little bundle of joy. The happy couple married a month ago in Tennessee, and Clarkson is already a stepmom to Blackstock’s two children from a previous marriage.
a802d25636fb0539ee95b539_280x280• Lucinda Williams will celebrate the 25th anniversary of her self-titled 1988 album with a special reissue with bonus features Jan. 14. The album, released in conjunction with her new indie label and Thirty Tigers, has been out of print for a decade. The new package will include a remastered version from the original recordings, which had been missing for over 20 years.
It also includes a bonus disc with an unreleased 1989 live concert recorded in Eindhoven, Netherlands and six previously-released live bonus tracks. The expanded booklet will include never-before-seen photos and two new sets of liner notes.
51bb01a0c1f4f27583209d3a_480x267• MercyMe debuted a brand new single and music video, “Shake,” that premiered on K-LOVE’s website last week and immediately racked up over 200,000 views in less than a week. The new clip was filmed in downtown Huntsville, Ala. with dancers from the North Alabama Dance Center and over 100 local extras.
“The song is about enjoying the fact that we’re changed, having joy and living life that way,” says lead singer Bart Millard. “Shake” was serviced to Christian radio last week and is available on iTunes and all other digital retailers now.

Gladstone Joins Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

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Steven G. Gladstone

Steven G. Gladstone


Steven G. Gladstone, attorney at law, has joined the Nashville office of Hall Booth Smith, P.C., adding to the firm’s capabilities in entertainment and business law, especially in the formation of Series Limited Liability Companies.
Throughout his career, Gladstone has worked with celebrities such as Trace Adkins, Larry Gatlin, the Dixie Chicks and composer Paul Williams, among others.
“I am passionate about creative people, the content they create and the businesses they develop,” said Gladstone. “That’s what my entertainment practice was focused on and that’s what my corporate business practice is about– helping them put structures in place to succeed.”
At Hall Booth Smith, Gladstone focuses on company formation (especially Series Limited Liability Companies), intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, transactions/contracts, employment agreements, and general business legal matters.
“The Series LLC option is less expensive and very effective for certain companies,” said Gladstone. “Since Tennessee is one of only nine states that allow it, it’s a good option that is not well known, but is a great business tool.”