2014 CCMA Awards Nominees Revealed

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Brett Kissel

Brett Kissel leads the CCMA awards nominations with eight nods.


Singer-songwriter Brett Kissel leads the nominations for the 2014 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, which will be held Sept. 7 in Edmonton. Kissel is up for eight awards, including Single of the Year for “Started With A Song” (penned by Kissel and Craig Wiseman).
Dean Brody earned six nominations, while last year’s big winner Gord Bamford earned five nominations.
Rick Mercer and Jann Arden will host the 2014 Canadian Country Music Awards, slated to air on CBC Television beginning at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. in Newfoundland in Labrador).
Additional notable nominations include Dallas Smith, who is nominated for Album of the Year for Tippin’ Point EP, as well as Single of the Year for “Tippin’ Point.” He also earned a nod for Male Artist of the Year.
Meanwhile, Smith’s Tippin’ Point EP producer Joey Moi notched a nomination in the Record Producers of the Year category. Additional nominees in the category include Gord Bamford/Byron Hill (for Bamford’s Country Junkie), Jason Blaine/Scott Cooke (for Blaine’s Everything I Love), Ted Hewitt/Brett Kissel/Bart McKay/Ben Phillips (for Kissel’s Started With A Song), and Deric Ruttan/Luke Wooten (for Ruttan’s Take The Week Off).
Dean Brody earned six nominations at the 2014 CCMA Awards

Dean Brody has earned six nominations at the 2014 CCMA Awards


Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington and Deric Ruttan are up for Songwriters of the Year, for penning “Mine Would Be You,” recorded by Blake Shelton.
Stoney Creek Records singer, songwriter and guitarist Lindsay Ell earned a Rising Star nomination.
Terri Clark and HitShop Records’ Kira Isabella are both nominated for Female Artist of the Year.
Small Town Pistols earned a nomination for Group or Duo of the Year.
Booking Agency nominees for 2014 include The Agency Group, The Feldman Agency, Invictus Entertainment Group, Paquin Entertainment, and Sakamoto Entertainment.
Music Publishing Company of the Year nominees include CCS Rights Management, ole, Royalty Music Publishing Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada, and Warner/Chappell Music Canada.
For a full list of nominations, visit ccma.org.

SiriusXM Launches Y2Kountry Channel

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siriusFans of Rascal Flatts‘ “Bless The Broken Road,” Tim McGraw‘s “Live Like You Were Dying,” and Kenny Chesney‘s “I Go Back” now have a new station that will air all of their favorite Country songs from the 2000s–SirusXM’s latest Country music channel, Y2Kountry on Channel 57.
“Prime Country tried to handle the early bits of 2000, The Highway tried to handle the later bits, but there were too many hits from country artists to get played,” said Y2Kountry channel program director Joey Black.
To celebrate the launch, Y2Kountry will feature guest DJ launch parties from Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Rascal Flatts, and Clay Walker, who will each select personal favorite songs and talk about their selections. Walker’s party launched Thursday morning (July 17); the singer-songwriter debuted two new songs during his radio slot, “Rock the Radio” and “Long Live the Cowboy,” which he recently recorded for an upcoming project.
“We’re looking for Y2Kountry to inspire nostalgia,” said Black. “All of [the artists we play] are still living and breathing and thriving today. This is a place for these artists to be heard. Who else is still playing Blake Shelton’s ‘Austin’? That was a huge hit. And nobody’s playing it. That’s a huge part of 2000s country history.”
“Sonically, we’ll dip into some later ’90s, and some 2011-2012,” Black continues. “But it’ll be all about sonics. There was a clear distinction when Gretchen Wilson and Big and Rich came on the scene that the direction of country music was changing in the early 2000s. For a while, country music was real serious. But starting in the ’00s, country artists brought a little bit more beer cooler and tailgate back into it. There were still serious subjects, but every other song injected a little more fun.”

Live Nation Launches New Country Festival in Las Vegas

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route 91 harvestLive Nation and MGM Resorts International are launching a new Country music festival this fall in Las Vegas. The Route 91 Harvest festival will be Oct. 3-5 at The Lot across from Luxor Hotel & Casino. Set to perform are Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Brantley Gilbert, Tyler Farr, Dwight Yoakam, Randy Houser, Dustin Lynch, Neal McCoy, Dan + Shay, Josh Thompson, Sam Hunt, Ashley Monroe, Lindsay Ell, Dee Jay Silver and Nashville stars Charles Esten and Clare Bowen.
Live Nation, creators of premier country music festivals Watershed and Faster Horses, will offer plenty of VIP upgrade options for Route 91 Harvest, including exclusive bar access, elevated stage views, lounge seating and massage services.
“Las Vegas and country music are synonymous with over the top events, and we know that Route 91 Harvest will deliver the latest, greatest experience for fans from all over the world,” said Brian O’Connell, Live Nation President of Country Touring. “After launching Watershed and Faster Horses, this festival is the next step in the evolution of Live Nation’s fan and artist friendly festival family. We’re thrilled to have it land in MGM Resorts International’s newest venue, The Lot.”
Chris Baldizan, senior vice president of entertainment for MGM Resorts International, said, “It’s exciting to see the Route 91 Harvest Festival come to fruition. With an amazing line-up of talent over three days, our guests will experience country music at a unique, one-of-a-kind venue right on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. It’s great to have a partner like Live Nation who shares our passion and vision for entertainment.”
The festival takes its name from the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard.
Three-day passes start at $169 and go on sale Friday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. PST. Details at www.rt91harvest.com.

Lucinda Williams To Release Double Studio Album in September

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spirit meets the bone111Lucinda Williams will release her first double studio album, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone, on Sept. 30. The project will we available on Williams’ new independent label Highway Records, via Thirty Tigers.
Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone will offer 20 new songs, with 18 written solely by Williams. The album’s opening track, “Compassion,” was originally a poem written by her father, poet Miller Williams. Lucinda wrote the music and additional lyrics for the song.
Guests on the project include guitarists Bill Frisell and Tony Joe White, Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, Elvis Costello’s rhythm section of Pete Thomas (drums) and Davey Faragaher (bass) and Wallflowers guitarist Stuart Mathis.
Jakob Dylan adds harmony vocals on “It’s Gonna Rain,” while Williams’ longtime rhythm section of Butch Norton (drums) and David Sutton (bass) make significant contributions.
Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone was produced by Williams, Tom Overby and Greg Leisz.

Matchbox Twenty's Kyle Cook Opens Nashville Label

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TN Recording company

From left: Angela Everett, Kyle Cook, Mike Fiorentino, Ben Shaw


Matchbox Twenty’s Kyle Cook has partnered with longtime collaborator Mike Fiorentino and web developer Ben Shaw to create the Nashville-based label Tennessee Recording Company. Former Country Music Association and Haber Corporation alum Angela Everett serves as the company’s Director of Operations, overseeing the Nashville office and studio in the burgeoning Berry Hill music community.
The label will develop artists of different musical genres under one umbrella. The label’s debut project, an EP from hip-hop artist Maurico, will release Aug. 12.
The multi-talented musician, songwriter, singer, composer and producer Cook has compiled a dedicated team in Music City and London. Fiorentino brings producing, songwriting and engineering talents to the mix, while Shaw manages the company’s online presence from the United Kingdom.
“I always loved Tennessee, because there are so many great writers and musicians here – but, of course, there’s more to it than just country music,” Cook said. “When starting a label in Nashville, most people would think that the most obvious thing to do is to sign a country artist. But then, we’re just another needle in a haystack if we do that, aren’t we? Maurico is a talented singer and has a great sense of storytelling, with a heart-opening quality. So, Tennessee Recording Company wants to break a hip-hop artist out of Nashville… let’s get people talking.”
“We knew we didn’t want to be genre-specific with the music we put out,” said Fiorentino. “I grew up loving The Beatles, Hank Williams and Run DMC- and everything in between. Kyle and Ben have that same creative outlook. Making great music that really moves people is priority No. 1.”
Everett can be reached at 615-482-5621 or [email protected].

Black River Publishing Names Creative Director

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Dave Pacula

Dave Pacula


Black River Entertainment‘s VP of Publishing Celia Froehlig has hired Dave Pacula as Creative Director of BRE Publishing.
Pacula, New York native, is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, and also has an audio technology diploma from SAE Institute of Technology. Pacula previously spent five years at Universal Music Publishing as Creative Manager, and most recently served as Creative Director at Ten Ten Music.
“I am thrilled to join the BRE team,” says Pacula. “I’m looking forward to working with Gordon, Celia, and the amazingly talented songwriters at Black River Publishing.”

Black River Publishing recently celebrated the chart-topping single “My Eyes,” co-written by Black River’s Josh Osborne. Osborne currently has five songs in the Top 30, including Billy Currington‘s “We Are Tonight,” Blake Shelton/Gwen Sebastian‘s “My Eyes,” The Band Perry‘s “Chainsaw,” Eli Young Band‘s “Dust,” and Sam Hunt‘s “Leave The Night On.”
Pacula can be reached at [email protected] and at 615-780-3070 (x 6218).

Chesney Plans Free Flora-Bama-Jama Concert

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kenny chesney11111

Chesney in the studio earlier this year.


Kenny Chesney will play his only concert of the year on Aug. 16 at the Flora-Bama-Jama, a free event he organized for fans.
The performance will be at The Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar, on the Alabama/Florida border where Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Ala. meet Perdido Key, Fla.
Details for the August 16 show, including how to get wristbands for access to the enclosed beach area, will be available tomorrow (July 17) at 7 a.m. CT at kennychesney.com/florabamajama, along with a clip from Chesney.
“I’ve been holed up making a record for the last year… and anyone who knows me knows how much I miss playing, miss the fans, but especially miss the culture the people who love this music bring with them,” Chesney says. “Obviously, this isn’t going to be one of those huge shows we do, but it’s gonna be a long day, a whole lotta music and even more fun.
“To me, a place like the Flora-Bama is all about kicking back, being with your friends and not worrying about a thing… Just hang out and be easy. I love that it’s on a border, that it’s on a beach, that it’s like the best bar anywhere people get together and just be! It’s everything the notion of The Big Revival is built on: taking that time to regroup, replenish then re-engage with the passion of being truly, absolutely alive.”
“This all started with ‘American Kids’ for me,” Chesney explains. “The idea how passionate my fans are, the way they come together and how much they love life, they love music and they celebrate every moment. I miss getting out there and playing, and I figured this is a way to combine everything they love in one place… Capture the essence of that freewheeling, seize the moment notion of the song, the album and the Nation.”

Chesney’s album The Big Revival will be released Sept. 23 and the lead single “American Kids” is scaling the radio charts.

Darlene Bieber Forms Bieber Public Relations

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Darlene Bieber

Darlene Bieber

Longtime music publicist Darlene Bieber has formed Bieber Public Relations, and will represent Country star Brad Paisley exclusively. She exits Schmidt Relations after a successful 16-year stint.

Bieber can be reached at Bieber Public Relations, P.O. Box 51863, Bowling Green, KY 42102, or at [email protected] and at 615-584-9060.
In related news, Dixie Owen has joined Schmidt Relations.

Dixie Owen Joins Schmidt Relations

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Dixie Owen

Dixie Owen


Publicist Dixie Owen has joined Schmidt Relations, the publicity company that handles the careers of Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Easton Corbin, Luke Bryan, and the Grand Ole Opry.
Owen has nearly 20 years experience in public relations, media marketing, events and strategic planning. She served as Sr. Director of Artist & Media Relations at Universal Music Group Nashville, spent eight years at Capitol Records Nashville, and three years as Sr. Publicist at CMT: Country Music Television. She also served four years at the CMA and began her career at Network Ink Public Relations.
Owen opened PR firm All The Buzz in 2012. She will continue to operate All The Buzz, and her roster and projects, which include Billy Gilman, Brian Davis, Stephanie Quayle, and PawnShop Kings, will remain exclusive to All The Buzz.
Beginning July 21, Owen can be reached at [email protected] or at 615-440-6171. Schmidt Relations owner Jessie Schmidt can be reached at her new office number at 615-491-7988.
Longtime Schmidt Relations publicist Darlene Bieber has exited Schmidt Relations to form Bieber Public Relations.

Artist Updates (7/16/14)

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Screen shot 2014-07-16 at 10.08.22 AM1Brothers Osborne released the music video for their single “RUM” on CMT, cmt.com, CMT Pure, and CMT Artist app. It can be viewed here.

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Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens


Ray Stevens will be spotlighted at the Country Music Hall of Fame with a Songwriter Session on Saturday, July 19 at the CMHoF’s Ford Theater.
The 45-minute program will begin at 11:30 a.m. Stevens will perform several of his hit songs and discuss his career. Following the program, Stevens will sign copies of his recently released memoir, Ray Stevens’ Nashville, in the museum store.
The session is free with museum admission or museum membership. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.
 

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Slate Creek Records artist Angaleena Presley gave Nashville media a preview of her project American Middle Class earlier this week. Guests enjoyed a home-cooked meal of soup beans, cornbread, cucumber and tomato salad, and blackberry cobbler, while Presley shared the stories behind the songs on the album with host Robert K. Oermann.
American Middle Class, a dozen-song concept record, was co-produced by Presley and husband Jordan Powell, and will release Oct. 14.

Pictured (L-R): Garth Fundis, President/Creative Director, Slate Creek Records; Jordan Powell, AMP Managment/Co-Producer; Angaleena Presley; Jim Burnett, CEO/Founder Slate Creek Records; Scott Kernahan, AMP Management (Photo Credit: Blu Sanders).

Pictured (L-R): Garth Fundis, President/Creative Director, Slate Creek Records; Jordan Powell, AMP Managment/Co-Producer; Angaleena Presley; Jim Burnett, CEO/Founder Slate Creek Records; Scott Kernahan, AMP Management (Photo Credit: Blu Sanders).