Industry Photos (5/30/14)

Rising Country music trio Sweetwater Rain recently presented ACM Lifting Lives® with a generous $10,000 donation – the second $10,000 donation the band has given to the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music in the past year. ACM Lifting Lives President, Lori Badgett, accepted the gift on behalf of the charity.

Pictured (L-R): Fred Stallcup, ACM Lifting Lives President Lori Badgett, Danny Rivera, Thomas Hewlett, Curb Records VP of Marketing, Jeff Tuerff. Photo: Randi Radcliff/Courtesy of ACM Lifting Lives®

Pictured (L-R): Fred Stallcup, ACM Lifting Lives President Lori Badgett, Danny Rivera, Thomas Hewlett, Curb Records VP of Marketing, Jeff Tuerff. Photo: Randi Radcliff/Courtesy of ACM Lifting Lives®.

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The 31st Annual International Country Music Conference was held at Belmont University on May 22 through 24. Hosted by Belmont Professor of Music Business Don Cusic and Tennessee Technological University Professor James Akenson, the conference featured a special panel on the late CMT Editorial Director Chet Flippo.

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Chevrolet Continues Partnership With CMA

2014_cma_music_festival_logoChevrolet has been tagged the Official Ride of Country Music and will return to the CMA Music Festival in Nashville with exciting fan experiences. Chevy is the title sponsor of the Kick-Off Concert on Wednesday, June 4, at 11 a.m. CT on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage. The concert will include Lindsay EllShooter Jennings performing with Waymore’s Outlaws (his father Waylon Jennings’ touring and studio backing band), bluegrass ensemble The Grascals, and The Marshall Tucker Band. 
CMA Music Festival officially begins on Thursday, June 5 at the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage with Big & Rich at 10 a.m. CT. The Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is free and open to the public and will feature more than 50 artists including  Frankie Ballard, Kristian BushTerri ClarkDan + ShayTyler Farr,  GlorianaLove and TheftEric PaslayKellie PicklerCole Swindell, and more.
The Chevrolet Roadhouse stage will feature concerts daily from noon-3 p.m. CT with performers including Jaida Dreyer, Marty Haggard, Rachel Holder, Matt Mason, Randy Montana, Aaron Parker, and Whiskey Rose.

The 2014 CMA Music Festival runs June 5-8 in downtown Nashville.

Martens Named WMN's National Director for Team WAR

Tom Martens

Tom Martens


After Jordan Pettit recently took on the role of VP for Team WEA, Tom Martens has joined WMN’s Team War as National Director of Radio Promotion.
Martens joined WMN in September 2012 and was most recently the Southeast regional of Team WAR. Prior to his work at WMN, Martens had a 16-year run as Midwest Regional for Interscope, where he worked with artists including Eminem, U2, Lady Gaga, and the Black Eyed Peas. He also previously worked at Universal Republic.

DeCarlo joins RPM Entertainment

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Chris DeCarlo


RPM Entertainment announced today that Chris DeCarlo will be joining the Radio Promotion team as a regional manager. She will officially start Monday, June 2. DeCarlo will report directly to VP of Promotion, Jack Christopher.
“DeCarlo is a seasoned veteran in both radio and records,” says Christopher. “She is the perfect fit for the expansion of our promotion department. Her passion, competitiveness and extensive knowledge of the industry is invaluable.”
Chris’s former career stops include RCA, R&J and most recently Bigger Picture.
DeCarlo commented, “I’m thrilled to reunite with old friends. Jack and I previously worked together at WDSY/Pittsburgh and I had the pleasure of working with Maggie Rose two years ago. Radio’s buzzing about Chasin’ Crazy and I’m extremely excited to join the RPM promotion team and work with such a talented group of artists.”
DeCarlo can be reached at chris@rpmegroup.com.

Terri Clark's 'Some Songs' Drops in September

some songs111Terri Clark will release her brand new album Some Songs on Sept. 2 via BareTrack Records/ Universal Music Canada. The album’s title track is now available digitally.
Michael Knox produced the 10-song set, which includes five songs co-written by Clark, as well as two songwriting credits from Brandy Clark (The Band Perry and Miranda Lambert). Clark teamed with PledgeMusic to create the project with the involvement of her fans.

Artist Updates (5/30/14)

Photo courtesy of PANDORA Jewelry

Kellie Pickler. Photo courtesy of PANDORA Jewelry


Pandora Jewelry has partnered with Kellie Pickler. The entertainer and Dancing With the Stars champion will be featured in Pandora’s U.S. advertising campaign for summer 2014.
The partnership was brokered by CAA.
“At the end of the day, I think we all want the same things — to love and be loved by our family and friends, to be respectful and respected, and to, hopefully, reflect the women we are on the inside,” Pickler said. “I’m really looking forward to working with Pandora because they are a brand that celebrates and encourages the individual lives of women.”

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood took part in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last month at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where she performed as part of an all-star tribute to Linda Ronstadt. HBO will air the induction special on Saturday (May 31) at 9 p.m. ET.

Underwood performed solo and alongside Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, and Sheryl Crow on some of Ronstadt’s hits including “Different Drum,” “Blue Bayou,” “You’re No Good,” “It’s So Easy,” and “When Will I Be Loved.”
This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees included Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, KISS, Nirvana, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, the E Street Band, Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham.

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George Strait


Fans attending George Strait‘s final concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on June 7 will have to pack lightly. Due to security policies, AT&T Stadium will limit the size and style of bags allowed inside the 100,000-seat capacity venue.
According to the policy, prohibited items include, but are not limited to: All purses, bags or containers larger than a small, single-compartment clutch purse; backpacks; binocular cases (binoculars may be worn around the neck); briefcases; camera bags; cinch bags; computer bags; coolers; diaper bags; fanny packs; luggage of any kind and seat cushions.

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Photos: JKOE studio’s Jason Koenig.

Photos: JKOE studio’s Jason Koenig.


CCM entertainer Brandon Heath married his bride Siebe on Sunday, May 25 at Nashville’s Scarritt-Bennett Chapel. Country artist Deana Carter sang for the couple’s first dance.
The couple donated a well in the names of their wedding guests via Blood:Water Mission.
 

Industry Ink (5/30/14)

David Shaw

David Shaw


David Shaw has joined Nine North/Turnpike Music as Director of Promotion, NE/MW effective Monday, June 2. Shaw worked in pop promotion at Columbia Records for 15 years, covering four different regions during his tenure. He has worked in Country radio promotion for the past eight years, including at Category 5, Ride Records, Capstone Management, R&J Records and most recently at Tenacity Records.
Shaw can be reached at david@ninenorthmail.com or 401-219-1139.

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The 28th annual Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament (MRLGT) will take place Monday, Aug. 18 at Old Natchez Country Club in Nashville. The event will once again benefit the United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee. This year’s tournament will be sponsored by ASCAP, City National Bank, Tim McGraw, McGhee Entertainment and others.
Registration will open with a launch party on Tuesday, June 17.

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Rain didn’t stop a crowd from gathering at WMN earlier this week to watch Cole Swindell perform during 2014’s first Pickin’ On The Patio. Guests enjoyed delicious food and beverages provided by sponsors Bound’ry, South Street, GiGi’s Cupcakes, Aramark, AJ Turner, Bud Light and Patron.
Pickin’ on the Patio is held the fourth Wednesday of every month from May through September on the WMN patio. The next Pickin’ On The Patio will be held June 25.

Pictured (L to R): Jeremy Holley (SVP, Consumer & Interactive Marketing), Scott Hendricks (EVP, A&R), John Esposito (President & CEO, WMN), Cole Swindell, Cris Lacy (VP, A&R), Justin Luffman (VP, Brand Management), John Oates, Peter Strickland (EVP & GM, WMN)

Pictured (L- R): Jeremy Holley (SVP, Consumer & Interactive Marketing), Scott Hendricks (EVP, A&R), John Esposito (President & CEO, WMN), Cole Swindell, Cris Lacy (VP, A&R), Justin Luffman (VP, Brand Management), John Oates, Peter Strickland (EVP & GM, WMN)

WebLinks: Amazon To Offer Streaming, HFA For Sale

amazon112310Reports have been circulating for months that Amazon is prepping the launch of a music streaming service. BuzzFeed reports that the service will be available to Amazon Prime subscribers and will only offer music that is at least six months old. It could debut this summer and work across multiple devices.
Back in March, Billboard reported that the company had presented labels with an “insanely” low offer for licensing music.
Amazon Prime already includes TV and movie streaming.
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Is HFA on the auction block? Billboard reports Rizvi Traverse, the private equity firm owner of SESAC, is planning a bid to acquire the U.S. mechanical rights organization from the National Music Publishers Assn.
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A sales slump in Apple’s iTunes store is part of the reason for the company’s purchase of Beats Music this week. Fortune reports iTunes sales per account are down 24% year over year. Sales in the App Store are expected to pick up the slack by the end of the year

Chesney Named A Top Grossing Live Act of Last 25 Years

chesney1Kenny Chesney is the only Country artist named in the Top 10 in Billboard‘s listing of the Top Grossing Live Acts of the past quarter century. Chesney landed at No. 9 on the list, bested by artists including the Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.
Since the mid-’90s, Chesney has grossed $752,706,599, with an attendance of 12,681,629 fans over the course of 755 shows.
The rankings are tallied according to gross sales.
“You look at a list like this… with so many iconic rock acts, people like Madonna, or Elton John, and you think, ‘Man…’.” Chesney says. “When you get on the bus for the first time, you’re just hoping people will come. You never expect to be in this kind of company, unless you’re buying a ticket.”
The Rolling Stones topped the list with a gross income of $1,565,792,382 and an attendance of 19,677,569 over the course of 538 shows.
Chesney wasn’t the only Country artist to land in the Top 25. George Strait earned the No. 19 spot, grossing $405,034,063, with an attendance of 9,736,580 over the course of 584 shows.
Meanwhile, Toby Keith landed at No. 22, grossing $361,256,245 with an attendance of 8,608,696 over the course of 711 concerts.

Weekly Chart Report (5/30/14)

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Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report

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