Brad Paisley To Release New Album in August

Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley


Arista Nashville’s Brad Paisley will release his as-of-yet untitled ninth regular studio project on Aug. 26.
To promote the project, Paisley will appear on ABC’s Good Morning America as part of their Summer Concert Series on Aug. 29.
Paisley’s current single, “River Bank,” was co-written by Kelley Lovelace.

Industry Ink (5/8/14)

umgKeriann Shults has exited Universal Music Group Distribution as Director of Label Marketing in Nashville after a restructuring at the company. She is currently exploring her next opportunity and can be contacted via email at keriann.shults@outlook.com.

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sag aftra logoSAG-AFTRA®, a union for actors, broadcasters, and recording artists, has developed a new logo and brand identity, after a partnership with global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale. The SAG-AFTRA National Board voted by supermajority to approve and implement the union’s new brand at its April 13 plenary in Los Angeles.

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guitarMusic Row Administrators Group will hold its next meeting May 15 at BMI’s 6th Floor Theater. Attorney Steven Gladstone will be speaking on 360 Deals and building companies. To reserve a spot, contact musicrowadmgroup@aol.com.

Dave Grohl Performs Surprise Acoustic Set in Nashville

dave grohl111Dave Grohl from the legendary rock bands Nirvana and Foo Fighters performed an acoustic show at the Bluebird Cafe Wednesday, May 7. An intimate crowd of less than 100 people were in attendance, and most had no idea that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member was there to entertain. Grohl is rumored to have been filming the performance as part of a documentary that he is putting together. This would be a follow up to his successful documentary release Sound City.
During his performance at the Bluebird, Grohl’s set list included gems “Times Like These,” “Friend of a Friend,” “Learn to Fly,” and others.

Artist Pics (5/8/14)

Columbia Nashville recording artist Leah Turner hosted a StageIt show earlier this week. The singer-songwriter performed songs from her newly released self-titled digital EP, including “Take the Keys” and her current single, “Pull Me Back.” Turner will take part in her first nationwide tour opening for Brad Paisley beginning May 16.
leah turner stageit1111

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Crystal Gayle sat for a rare public interview and performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame ® and Museum on Saturday, May 3. In support of the spotlight exhibit Crystal Gayle: When I Dream, which opened May 2, Gayle discussed her career in the Country and pop fields, and performed songs from her catalog. Crystal Gayle: When I Dream features fashion, awards, letters, family photos and more from Gayle’s career. The exhibition will run through Nov. 3, 2014.

Pictured (L-R): Rob Price, Peggy Sue Wright, Blue Jay Patten, Crystal Gayle, Will Barrow, Bill Gatzimos, Duane Norman and John Kearns.

Pictured (L-R): Rob Price, Peggy Sue Wright, Blue Jay Patten, Crystal Gayle, Will Barrow, Bill Gatzimos, Duane Norman and John Kearns.

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Travis Tritt recently attended the 2014 Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Ky. Tritt performed alongside Richie Sambora, Johnny Gill, Mary Wilson and many others at The Barnstable Brown Gala. Tritt and his wife have attended the Kentucky Derby every year for the last 16 years.

Pictured (L-R): Travis Tritt with wife, Theresa Tritt, and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.

Pictured (L-R): Travis Tritt with wife, Theresa Tritt, and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.

Stars For Second Harvest Adds To Lineup

david lee murphy

David Lee Murphy


Luke Laird, Tyler Farr, and David Lee Murphy have been added to the 10th annual Stars for Second Harvest benefit, slated for Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. They will be joined by previously announced headliners Florida Georgia Line. NashTrash Tour’s The Jugg Sisters will also appear to entertain the audience in between performers’ acoustic performances.
Columbia Nashville artist Farr’s platinum-selling single, “Redneck Crazy,” earned a CMT Music Award nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year. He is currently on the road with Jason Aldean‘s 50-city Burn It Down Tour.
Tyler Farr

Tyler Farr


Laird is one of the Grammy-winning producers behind Kacey MusgravesSame Trailer, Different Park project. As a songwriter, Laird has notched 15 chart-topping singles, including “Downtown” (Lady Antebellum), “Drink in My Hand” and “Give Me Back My Hometown” (both recorded by Eric Church), and “One of Those Nights” (Tim McGraw).
luke laird111

Luke Laird


In addition to his own hits as an artist (including “Party Crowd” and “Dust On The Bottle”), David Lee Murphy has co-written the hits “Living In Fast Forward” and “Live A Little” (both recorded by Kenny Chesney), “Big Green Tractor” (Jason Aldean), and “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” (Thompson Square), among others.
Proceeds from the event benefit Second Harvest Food Bank Middle Tennessee’s mission to provide food to hungry people of all ages in the Middle Tennessee area. Tickets for the 10th annual Stars for Second Harvest are currently available for $35.00 at Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, Ryman box office, ryman.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Willie Nelson Preps Album Release

willie nelson 2014Willie Nelson is releasing a new studio album on June 17. Band of Brothers (SONY/Legacy) offers 14 tracks, including nine songs composed by Nelson and Buddy Cannon. It is his first album of predominately new original material since Spirit in 1996.
A video for “The Wall,” one of the album’s key tracks, debuted exclusively on RollingStone.com. The single is already at digital retailers and will go for adds June 2.
Working with producer Cannon, who helmed Nelson’s first three Legacy releases, he recorded the bulk of Band of Brothers during sessions at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, with additional recording at Pedernales Studio in Austin, Texas and The Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, Florida. Recording sessions took place between October 2013 and March 2014, with a band made up of Jim “Moose” Brown (keyboards), Eddie Bayers (drums), Kevin “Swine” Grantt (bass), Bobby Terry (guitar), Tommy White (steel guitar) and Mickey Raphael (harmonica).
The project also includes Nelson’s interpretations of Vince Gill’s “Whenever You Come Around,” Billy Joe Shaver’s “The Git Go” (a duet with Jamey Johnson) and the appropriately-titled “Songwriter,” written by Gordie Sampson and Bill Anderson.
The album is the successor to To All The Girls… which was Nelson’s first Top 10 album in more than three decades when it was released in October 2013.
Band of Brothers – tracklisting
1. Bring It On (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
2. Guitar in the Corner (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
3. The Wall (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
4. Whenever You Come Around (Vince Gill/Pete Wasner)
5. Wives and Girlfriends (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
6. I Thought I Left You (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
7. Send Me a Picture (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
8. Used to Her (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
9. The Git Go (Billy Joe Shaver/Gary Nicholson)
10. Band of Brothers (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)
11. Hard to Be an Outlaw (Billy Joe Shaver)
12. Crazy Like Me (Dennis Morgan/Shawn Camp/Billy Burnette)
13. The Songwriters (Gordie Sampson/Bill Anderson)
14. I’ve Got a Lot of Traveling to Do (Willie Nelson/Buddy Cannon)

Dierks Bentley Offers Pre-Tour Preview

bentley1111Dierks Bentley has spent the past three weeks in a sweltering Nashville rehearsal hall crafting and perfecting the details of his upcoming headlining Riser Tour.
I ain’t afraid of working to the bone, a line from his Riser project’s title track, is an apt description of Bentley, who is still clearly enamored with his craft of music and performance after more than 10 years and eight albums for Capitol Nashville.
“I’ve always been one of the guys that designs sets on cocktail napkins on the back of the bus,” Bentley explained. “When we first started off, we were just figuring out how we were going to build a stage and … a lot of amplifiers have been a big part of our production … and our look. The older you get and the more you get the chance to do this, the less you take for granted and you never know what tomorrow will bring. I told everyone, ‘Let’s just go big. Let’s put together a show like it was the last show we’re ever going to do, like this was the last tour.’” The very hands-on entertainer even tweeted a photo of himself on a forklift earlier in the day.
The relentless heat inside the rehearsal hall didn’t faze Bentley, who has been running through his entire tour set multiple times throughout the day. “You should see the 4 p.m. showing. It’s even hotter in here,” he quipped. In fact, Bentley explained the heat will prepare him for his upcoming run of outdoor amphitheater shows.
Riser has already spawned one chart-topping single, “I Hold On.” Friday night (May 9) will see the launch of the Riser Tour in Charlotte, N.C. Bentley will bring Chris Young, Chase Rice and Jon Pardi along for the trek.
Bentley offered Nashville media an early look at the new show’s production. The stage was drenched in red, white and blue light as the band strummed the first strains of “5-1-5-0.” Though his audience was a small crowd of crew and media, Bentley performed as though a full amphitheater crowd filled the room, entertaining from within the marked off sections of warehouse floor as if it were a real stage. Behind him, a massive lighting rig and video screen blazed with luminosity and sound, adding a swirl of intensity that heightened Bentley’s already energetic performance.
From there, Bentley sailed through more hits, including “Tip It On Back.” His humorous new single “Drunk On A Plane” received an even more hilarious video treatment, while he tested his between-song conversation on the industry crowd during “I Hold On.”
“This song is about things I believe in, and Country music is at the top of that list,” he said. Fitting words from a bonafide riser, fighter, survivor who has spent the past decade carving his own musical path in the Country music landscape.

CMA Music Fest Brings Free Music To Fans

Music Fest key art wFFX copyThe CMA Music Festival will offer plenty of free music and entertainment for the thousands of fans who will descend on downtown Nashville June 5-8.
“The fans tell us they want music and we have plenty of options for them this year with multiple free stages, and a full lineup of artists from industry hitmakers to singers on the verge of making it big,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.
While tickets to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field have sold-out 15 weeks ahead of the 2014 festival, downtown Nashville will hold plenty of enticing offerings. Hundreds of artists will perform in free, open to the public concerts that will dot the downtown Nashville landscape.
Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza has more than 40 artists confirmed, including Lauren Alaina, Keith Anderson, Katie Armiger, Kelleigh Bannen, Jeff Bates, Big Smo, BlackHawk, Brothers Osborne, Mark Collie, Bucky Covington, Joel Crouse, Sarah Darling, Clare Dunn, Morgan Frazier, JT Hodges, Will Hoge, Home Free, Sam Hunt, Chris Janson, Joshua Scott Jones, Krystal Keith, Meghan Linsey, Robin Meade, Granger Smith, Jamie Lynn Spears, Chris Stapleton, Striking Matches, Sundy Best, The Henningsens, Leah Turner, Trick Pony, Aaron Watson, Austin Webb, Drake White, Chuck Wicks, and Holly Williams.
New for 2014, the Walk of Fame Park featuring the Samsung Galaxy Stage will feature daily concert by an array of artists, including Robby Armstrong, Rob Baird, Ty Bates, Dakota Bradley, David Bradley, Laura Bell Bundy, Cam, Brandon Chase, Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister, Heath Haynes & the High Dollars, Sam Hollyman, Joey Hyde, Jukebox Mafia, John Karl, Ryan Kinder, John King, Jenny Leigh, Cheryl LuQuire, Rachele Lynae, Brian Milson, Danielle Peck, Pierce Avenue, Stephanie Quayle, Raven Cliff, Julie Roberts, Gwen Sebastian, Canaan Smith, Phoenix Stone, The Brothers Road, The Nelsons, The Railers, The Stickers, Chad Warrix, Ryan Weaver, Jesse Keith Whitley, and Zane Williams (artists and schedule are subject to change). The Walk of Fame park is located on Demonbreun between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. The park is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7, as well as from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 8.
The Buckle will cover three blocks on Broadway, with ASCAP songwriter/artists performing including Carlton Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Bonner Black, Misty Rae Carson, Karli Chayne, Steven Clawson, Courtney Cole, Hannah Dasher, Jacob Davis, GirlBilly, Ryan Griffin, Curtis Grimes, Adam Hambrick, Brett Kissell, Ryan Lafferty, Brandon Lay, Josh London, Daisy Mallory, Michaelis, Oklahoma, Carly Pearce, David Ray, Jameson Rodgers, Smithfield, Walker County, and Hailey Whitters.
Located at the outdoor area in front of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Fan Alley’s Chevrolet Roadhouse Stage will feature rising artists from noon-3 p.m. each day. Performers include: Ballie and the Boys, Brinn Black, Cast of “Crazy Hearts Nashville,” Cerrito, Jaida Dreyer, Jordan Grassi, Marty Haggard, Lyndsey Highlander, Rachel Holder, Levi Hummon, Angie Johnson, Stevens Layne, Matt Mason, Walker McGuire, Randy Montana, Music City Doughboys, Aaron Parker, Jacob Powell, Brent Rupard, Lizzie Sider, The Danberrys, Keni Thomas, and Whiskey Rose.
The BMI Tailgate Party is back for the third year. Located off the Cumberland River outside LP Field, the stage will feature BMI’s songwriters and artists warming up the crowd prior to the LP Field concerts. A Thousand Horses, Blackjack Billy, Chase Bryant, Adam Craig, DJ Du, Brett Eldredge, David Fanning, Sara Haze, Chris Lane, Natalie Stovall and The Drive, Michael Ray, Josh Thompson, and Whiskey Jam are all slated for the show.
 

Dorff Launches Latigo Shore Music

Pictured (L-R): Andrew Dorff, Beth Brinker, Jeston Cade, and Steve Dorff.

Pictured (L-R): Andrew Dorff, Beth Brinker, Jeston Cade, and Steve Dorff.


Songwriter Steve Dorff and Creative Director Beth Brinker are now heading up publishing company Latigo Shore Music in Nashville. Latigo represents the early catalog of songwriter Andrew Dorff, as well as recently signed ASCAP songwriter/artist Jeston Cade.
“We are so excited to have Beth heading up our Nashville office. She brings a lifelong passion and a deep understanding of what makes a song great. I am excited for her to contribute her creative flair and a proven track record of creating successful partnerships to Latigo,” says Dorff.
As Creative Director, Brinker will develop new writers, facilitate co-write and pitch songs to producers, artists, A&R executives and film/tv supervisors. The Texas native’s career began at Thirty Tigers. Prior to working in publishing, Brinker worked at SpikeTV, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour and The Marty Stuart Show. She also spent time in marketing at GAC-TV.
Brinker can be contacted at beth@latigoshoremusic.com.

Curb Records Adds Mo Pitney to Roster

mo

Mo Pitney


Curb Records recently announced the signing of Cherry Park, Ill., native Mo Pitney. Singer-songwriter Pitney’s career began at age 12, when he picked up his father’s guitar; he went on to master banjo, bass and drums.
He counts Randy Travis, Buck Owens, Keith Whitley, and Johnny Cash among his influences.
Pitney’s debut Curb project is said to be a mixture of traditional and mainstream Country.