Artist Updates (11/19/13)

Florida Georgia Line‘s “‘Round Here” was used as the theme song for WWE’s Monday Night RAW‘s appearance at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena (Nov. 18). The duo were welcomed guests as they performed the single, and then took part in backstage segments that featured WWE stars John Sena, 3MB and Zack Ryder. THe WWE Divas used Florida Georgia Line’s hit “Cruise” for a round of musical chairs.
Monday Night Raw airs on Monday evenings on USA Network.

FGL_WWE RAW - 11.18.1311

Florida Georgia Line performs “‘Round Here” as part of WWE’s Monday Night RAW.

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Cigarettes single art1111Ronnie Dunn released a new track, “Wish I Still Smoked Cigarettes,” on iTunes today, Nov. 19, 2013. Penned by Luke Laird, Lori McKenna and Barry Dean.
The song has already resonated with listeners, garnering nearly 50,000 impressions since Dunn posted a streaming version of “Wish I Still Smoked Cigarettes” to his social media platforms last week.
 

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thrive111Casting Crowns will release its seventh studio record, Thrive, out Jan. 28, 2014. Casting Crowns singer Mark Hall’s newest book, Thrive – Digging Deep, Reaching Out (Zondervan), will release on Feb. 11, 2014.
In support of the new record, Casting Crowns has also announced its upcoming national tour, The Thrive Tour, which will feature Laura Story and For King & Country and will kick off in Lexington, Ky. on Feb. 20, 2014.
Track Listing for Thrive:
1. Thrive
2. All You’ve Ever Wanted
3. Just Be Held
4. You Are The Only One
5. Broken Together
6. Love You With The Truth
7. This Is Now
8. Dream For You
9. Follow Me
10. Heroes
11. House Of Their Dreams
12. Waiting On The Night To Fall

Stars Align For Great American Country's Alabama Tribute Special

Pictured (L-R): Brian Kelly (Florida Georgia Line), Randy Owen (Alabama), Tyler Hubbard (Florida George Line). Photo Credit: Thien Phan

Pictured (L-R): Brian Kelley (Florida Georgia Line), Randy Owen (Alabama), Tyler Hubbard (Florida Georgia Line). Photo Credit: Thien Phan


Country group Alabama will receive an all-star tribute on Wednesday, Nov. 27, when Alabama & Friends airs on Great American Country. The one-hour concert special begins at 9 p.m. ET  and will feature artists performing their favorite Alabama hits.
Among the Alabama classics to be included in the tribute are “Tennessee River” (performed by Jason Aldean), “Love In The First Degree” (Luke Bryan), “I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)” (Florida Georgia Line), “Forever’s As Far As I’ll Go” (Trisha Yearwood), “My Home’s in Alabama” (Jamey Johnson) and “The Closer You Get” (Eli Young Band).
Alabama will also perform “All American,” one of two new songs on their recently released Alabama & Friends tribute project.
“I think it’s given us renewed energy,” said Alabama lead singer Randy Owen. The concert was filmed during one of two sold-out Alabama concerts at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

Industry Ink (11/19/13)

Songwriter and session musician Mac Gayden was honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently in its quarterly series Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians. Gayden played on records for J.J. Cale, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Charley Pride, Linda Ronstadt, and others, and has also penned hits like “Everlasting Love,” “She Shot a Hole in My Sole,” “Morning Glory” and “Gotta Get Yourself Together,” over the course of his career.

L-R: (front row) program host Bill Lloyd, Gayden and previous Nashville Cats honoree Pig Robbins; (back row) Vice President of Museum Programs Jay Orr, previous Nashville Cats honorees Norbert Putnam, Jimmy Capps, John Hobbs, Billy Sanford, Bergen White, David Briggs and Weldon Myrick

Pictured (L-R, front row): Program host Bill Lloyd, Gayden and previous Nashville Cats honoree Pig Robbins; (back row) Vice President of Museum Programs Jay Orr, previous Nashville Cats honorees Norbert Putnam, Jimmy Capps, John Hobbs, Billy Sanford, Bergen White, David Briggs and Weldon Myrick.

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Last night (Nov. 18), Grammy award-winning Ricky Skaggs began his first Artist-in-Residency show, titled “Country Boy at Heart,” at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s CMA Theater. Special guests Emmylou Harris and Brian Ahern, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton, Gordon Kennedy, The Whites and Molly Skaggs, joined Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, to perform some of his biggest country hits. Tuesday night’s show, “Bluegrass Rules,” will also feature special guests.

Pictured (L-R, back): Gordon Kennedy, Brian Ahern, Brad Paisley, Buck White, Molly Skaggs, Sharon White, Cheryl White and Peter Frampton; (front) Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Country Music Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee and Vice President of Development Pamela Johnson.

Pictured (L-R, back): Gordon Kennedy, Brian Ahern, Brad Paisley, Buck White, Molly Skaggs, Sharon White, Cheryl White and Peter Frampton; (front) Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Country Music Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee and Vice President of Development Pamela Johnson.

Music Health Alliance• • •

Forerunner Music is holding a reunion showcase to help raise funds for Music Health Alliance. Performers on the Wed. Nov. 20th show at Douglas Corner Cafe’ will include Tony Arata, Pat Alger, Shawn Camp, Hal Ketchum, Pete Wasner, Barry & Holly Tashian, Ruby Lovett, Susan Taylor Pie, Herb McCullough, Matt Lindsey, Benita Hill, Sandy Mason, Jim Rooney, and Randy Handley. The Forerunner catalog was purchased in 2000 by Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and features nearly 1,500 titles and more than thirty Top 20 country singles, including twelve No. 1 hits by artists like Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, Hal KetchumKathy Mattea and Patty Loveless. Tickets to the benefit are $10 or a donation to Music Health Alliance.

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imgresDream Row has opened a new record label and will work with local artists to produce and distribute music across multiple platforms including online media third party providers, the company website, and in its publication entitled The Art of Fashion, Food and EntertainmentGeoff Koval, a freelance producer and engineer, will be working with Dream Row to produce projects. The first two signees to the new company include Kris Bell and Ashley Bean.
 

George Strait Gets Star-Studded Lineup For Last Concert

Photo credit: Jill Trunnell

Photo credit: Jill Trunnell


Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year George Strait will play his final concert June 7, 2014 at the 100,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The show, which is the last date for Quicken Loans Presents George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014, will include an all-star lineup of guest artists (performing three songs each) including Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack.
Fittingly, the opening act for Strait’s final concert will be the “Kings of Texas Swing,” Asleep At The Wheel.
Tickets for the highly-anticipated concert will go on sale to the public Friday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. CST and can be purchased via Strait’s official website.

High Valley Releases Debut EP Today

Rescue_You_Cover3.1Sibling trio High Valley are releasing their debut U.S. EP, Rescue You, today (Nov. 19) on iTunes. The album’s title track is receiving airplay on Sirius/XM’s The Highway as an “On The Horizon” pick, and five of the six tracks on the collection were co-written by lead singer Brad Rempel. The band also includes Bryan Rempel on harmony vocals and bass, and Curtis Rempel on harmony vocals and mandolin.
After 16 years of touring and opening for artists including Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban in their homeland of Canada, the reigning Canadian CMA Awards Interactive Artists of the Year are now making their U.S. debut. The project is being released by Eaglemont Entertainment, and is produced by Phil O’DonnellSeth MosleySean Neff, and Jeremy Spillman.
High Valley Rescue You Track Listing:
1.     Let It Be Me* (Brad Rempel / Phil Barton / Jared Crump)
2.     Rescue You** (Brad Rempel / Ben Stennis)
3.     Call Me Old Fashioned*** (Jerry Saley / David Turnbul)
4.     Have I Told You I Love You Lately* (Brad Rempel / Danny Wells)
5.     Dirt Rich* (Brad Rempel / Phil O’Donnel)
6.     Love You For A Long Time* (Brad Rempel / Jared Crump / Ben Stennis)
*Produced by Jeremy Spillman and Phil O’Donnel
**Produced by Seth Mosley
***Produced by Sean Neff

Underwood To Appear on 'Sound Of Music' Soundtrack

NY03443A companion soundtrack to NBC’s upcoming live broadcast of The Sound Of Music, starring Carrie Underwood as Maria, is set for release by Sony Masterworks on Dec. 3. The Sound of Music – Music From The NBC Television Event will include studio versions of all of the numbers performed by cast members in the show, including the title track, “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” and many more.
Joining Underwood in the cast for the holiday TV event are Audra McDonald, Stephen Moyer, Christian Borle, and Laura Benanti, among others. The three-hour live production will air Dec. 5.
The Sound Of Music originally premiered on Broadway in 1959, where it broke box office records and won the Tony Award for best musical. The 1965 film adaptation starring Julie Andrews also won the Oscar for best picture.

John Rich To Premiere New Talk Show on TV Guide Network

image001John Rich is adding talk show host to his resume’ next week when his new show, Rich At Night, premieres on Nov. 25 on the TV Guide Network (TVGN). Among the special guests lined up to appear on the new show are Wynonna, Kix Brooks, Wayne Brady, John Ratzenberger, and former fellow Muzik Mafia member Gretchen Wilson.
Rich is joined by co-host Aussie actress/singer Sophie Monk on the show, which features Rich’s Nashville home, along with various bars around the city. He’s appearing on Fox & Friends and Today this morning (Nov. 19) to promote the show, and will guest on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon tonight at 12:35 ET.
As one half of the well-known country duo Big & Rich, Rich is no stranger to TV, having spent weeks on the 11th season of the Celebrity Apprentice, where he was named winner of the competition and raised over 1.4 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
For a sneak peak of Monday night’s show click here: http://tinyurl.com/oh72369.

New Co-Host For Great American Country's 'Headline Country'

stacy mccloud111

Stacy McCloud


Nashville reporter Stacy McCloud is set to join Great American Country’s Headline Country as a co-host, reporter and producer. She has been part of Nashville’s Fox 17 news team since 2009 as an entertainment reporter and anchor, and shared the news via a blog on fox17.com.
Prior to joining Fox 17, the Tennessee native worked as an anchor and reporter for WVLT-TV in Knoxville, Tenn. She graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2002.

Voting For CRS New Faces Show Opens Tomorrow

CRS2014-LogoVoting for CRS 2014 New Faces of Country Music Show® performers will open tomorrow, Nov. 19, to all Country radio station employees.
This year’s nominees are: Frankie Ballard (Warner Bros./WAR), Craig Campbell (Bigger Picture), Brett Eldredge (Atlantic/WMN), Tyler Farr (Columbia), The Henningsens (Arista), Dustin Lynch (Broken Bow), Jon Pardi (Capitol), Parmalee (Stoney Creek), Eric Paslay (EMI Nashville), Cassadee Pope (Republic Nashville), Thomas Rhett (Valory) and Charlie Worsham (Warner Bros./ WAR).
Any employee of a commercial, full-time Country formatted radio station may vote for the 2014 New Faces of Country Music Show performers. Voting determines the five finalists and remains open through Nov. 27 at countryradioseminar.com.
The New Faces of Country Music Show, held Feb. 21, 2014 at the Nashville Convention Center, is co-sponsored by the Academy of Country Music and Muscular Dystrophy Association and is one of the most anticipated events at Country Radio Seminar. Five emerging artists who have achieved significant success at Country radio during the qualification period are selected each year to perform at the showcase event.

The Agency Group's Nashville Office Adds Two

agency groupThe Agency Group has announced the addition of Scott Galloway and Stu Walker to its Nashville office.
“We are thrilled to have Scott and Stu join our team in Nashville,” stated Neil Warnock, Worldwide President of The Agency Group. “As we continue to develop The Agency Group worldwide it is a pleasure to have two such talented agents, Scott and Stu, join us in our Nashville office. We look forward to developing our working businesses with the Nashville community and introducing Scott and Stu’s artists to worldwide territories.”
After years of touring with such acts as the Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic, Galloway left the road to work in the William Morris Agency mailroom in 1996. In 2003 he was awarded New Agent of The Year by the International Entertainment Buyers Association. In 2006 he became VP of APA in Nashville. His eclectic roster of artists includes: Asleep At The Wheel, Bill Kreutzmann, Cody Canada and The Departed, Dread Clampitt, Jake Shimabukuro, Sundy Best and The Molly Ringwalds.
Prior to joining The Agency Group, Walker worked as an agent at APA Talent and Literary Agency in Nashville. Walker’s career in the music business began as an assistant at the William Morris Agency. Walker’s clients include Wanda Jackson and Shooter Jennings.
The Agency Group’s Nashville office is located at 209 Tenth Ave. S., Ste. 505.