Concord Music Prepping Stax Records Musical

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concordConcord Music Group and producer Stuart Benjamin, known for his work on the film Ray, are developing a musical production based on Memphis’ iconic Stax Records. A book will be written by Matthew Benjamin, and the Broadway premiere is expected in spring 2016.
Stax Records began in an old movie theater and became an international hit-making machine, spawning the careers of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MG’s, The Staple Singers and Steve Cropper, to name few.
As producer of Ray, Benjamin received a Best Picture Oscar nomination. He won a Grammy Award as producer of the film’s multi-platinum soundtrack. He co-founded New Visions Entertainment which has produced the films Against All Odds, White Nights, La Bamba and Everybody’s All American. He has collaborated with artists including Sting, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Mariah Carey.
In related Concord news, the company has acquired the catalog of R&B/soul label Vee-Jay Records, which includes over 5,000 master recordings by artists such as Little Richard, John Lee Hooker, Betty Everett, Jimmy Reed, Jerry Butler, The Staple Singers, Gene Chandler and The Dells. The purchase includes Chandler’s “Duke of Earl,” Hooker’s iconic “Boom Boom,” and Everett’s “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss).”
Concord Music Group’s active roster is home to Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Ben Harper, and Steve Martin and more.

Underwood To Headline Global Citizen Festival

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carrie underwood featured111Carrie Underwood is among the headliners named for the third annual Global Citizen Festival, a free ticketed concert slated for Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 on the Great Lawn in New York City’s Central Park.
Underwood will be joined by fellow headliners Jay Z, No Doubt, fun., The Roots, and Tiesto. The festival is part of the Global Citizen movement’s aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.
MSNBC and NBC News will serve as official media partners for this year’s Festival. For the first time, the festival will air live on television with MSNBC carrying the full concert on cable and msnbc.com. NBC News will produce a one-hour primetime special of the event to air on NBC at 9 p.m. on Sept. 27. MSNBC and NBC News will also highlight the issues surrounding global poverty in the coming months.
Free tickets to the festival are available beginning today (Wednesday, July 9), by fans participating in online actions at globalcitizenfestival.com. Fans take “action” to earn their admission, by signing petitions and emailing world leaders and sharing content on their social networks. These actions earn fans “points” that can be used to enter the prize draw to win free tickets. Ticket draws will occur throughout summer, and fans will be notified via Ticketmaster when they have been selected. A limited number of VIP tickets will also be available for purchase through ticketmaster.com
The Festival coincides with the UN General Assembly and will serve as a platform to call for tangible commitments from world leaders in the areas of vaccines, education and sanitation. Major campaigns tied to this year’s Festival include: securing contributions for the GAVI Alliance and the Global Partnership for Education, and building momentum by citizens for the Water for the World Act, a Congressional bill that will support efforts to benefit the 1.25 billion women and girls that currently go without safe access to sanitation.

CMA Songwriters Series Continues 10th Anniversary Celebration

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Charlie Worsham, Bob DiPiero, Striking Matches

Charlie Worsham, Bob DiPiero, Striking Matches


By: Laura Hostelley
For the past decade, the CMA Songwriters Series has given the inside scoop to fans across the country on the songs that have impacted them. To celebrate the 10th anniversary, Bob DiPiero will take the stage alongside Striking Matches and Charlie Worsham at Joe’s Bar in Chicago on July 30 to perform their hit songs and share the stories behind them.
The first part of the anniversary kicked off at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and has continued with shows performed in Nashville, New York City, and London already in 2014. Other stops planned for the rest of 2014 include Austin, Nashville, New York and Paradise Island in the Bahamas with Bobby Pinson, Brett James, Caitlyn Smith and Kristian Bush.
The series, which began at Joe’s Pub in New York City, has made 75 appearances in 13 cities with 127 artists sharing their tales.
Tickets for upcoming shows can be purchased at cmasongwritersseries.com, or by calling (312) 337-3486.

Garth Brooks' Press Conference Ignites Speculation

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garthpost1Nashville is rampant with speculation this week regarding Garth Brooks’ future plans. After the cryptic message “The  wait is over…7/7” was posted on his official website last week, the message was changed this week to announce his press conference slated for Thursday, July 10 at 11 a.m CT. The press conference will be streamed live at garthbrooks.com.
Speculation continues with Sony Music Nashville announcing a press conference to be held in Nashville, at the same time and date. Brooks released the majority of his albums via Capitol Nashville (which is now under the UMG umbrella) and Liberty Records, before releasing his most recent projects on his own Pearl Records.
It is likely that the Brooks’ announcement will address the recent cancellation of all five of his Ireland concerts, which were slated for July 25-29 at Dublin’s Croke Park.
It is also possible that Brooks will reveal details of his previously promised upcoming world tour. In December 2013, Brooks announced on Good Morning America, “We’re going on a world tour in 2014.” This would be his first tour in 13 years.
Brooks stopped touring in 2001, trading in the constant traveling to spend time raising his children. He vowed to stay off the road until his youngest daughter graduated from high school, which happened in May. Brooks has occasionally performed, including his successful series of shows at Wynn Las Vegas and a few multi-night runs in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Kansas City, Mo.
It is also possible that in addition to news of a world tour, that Brooks could offer details of a new album. He released the box set Blame It All On My Roots in 2013, but has not released an album of original material since Scarecrow in 2001.
Stay tuned…

Kobalt Appoints Smith as VP, Sales and Marketing

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kobaltKobalt Label Services has appointed Tom Smith as VP, Sales and Marketing. Smith was previously a marketing, sales and business development consultant for Kobalt, aiding the company in establishing a footprint on the west coast.
In his new role he will work alongside Kobalt’s Sr. VP of Sales, North America Shari Segalini and will continue to report to Diarmuid Quinn, president of KLS North America. Smith will conduct day-to-day business on behalf of KLS clients with national, physical, and digital retailers, as well as non-traditional and independent retailers. Smith will also pursue strategic brand partnerships for KLS artists that connect with retail.
“Tom is a dynamic executive who has delivered incredible results and support for Kobalt artists since the launch of KLS,” Quinn said. “His relationships with our retail partners and our artists runs deep, and we’re excited he has agreed to come on full time as part of the rapidly growing KLS team.”
“I am excited to be a part of the new model that Kobalt Label Services has created for artists to release their music,” added Smith. “To be able to execute on marketing launch plans based on the artists’ vision with the artist having total control is an amazing environment to work in. I am grateful to Willard Ahdritz, Richard Sanders, Paul Hitchman, Diarmuid Quinn and Shari Segalini for this opportunity.”
Smith’s career began at Capitol Records. He then worked as Sr. Director Sales for at RCA Nashville for 12 years, where he managed national campaigns for Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, and other artists.

Weekly Register: Independents Day

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colt fordTwo indies scored this week’s top-selling new Country albums. Average Joes’ Colt Ford sold 23K copies of Thanks For Listening, according to Nielsen Soundscan, to land at No. 2 Country. ATO’s Old Crow Medicine Show flew in with sales of 17K, nesting at No. 4 Country.
On the tracks chart, the top Country debut is RaeLynn’s “God Made Girls” scoring 20K clicks and coming in at No. 22. “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney is the No. 1 Country track, selling 80K.
The 4th of July helped Lee Greenwood wave his flag to the tune of 24K downloads of “God Bless the USA,” which has sold 934K digital copies RTD.
Top 5 Country Albums this week
Miranda Lambert 25K
Colt Ford 23K
old crowBrantley Gilbert 21K
Old Crow Medicine Show 17K
Luke Bryan 13K
Top 5 Country Tracks this week
Kenny Chesney “American Girls” 80K
Dierks Bentley “Drunk on a Plane” 69K
Lady Antebellum “Bartender” 63K
Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood “Somethin’ Bad” 60K
Jake Owen “Beachin’” 55K
This week the indies weren’t competing with new releases by major stars, but August and September brings projects by Brad Paisley (Aug. 26), Lee Brice (Sept. 9), Tim McGraw (Sept. 16) and Kenny Chesney (Sept. 23).

WeeklyReg070914

DISClaimer: Championing The Underdogs

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Screen shot 2014-07-09 at 9.40.53 AM1

Old Crow Medicine Show


Yes, Luke Bryan has a new single, and, yes, it sounds good, and, yes, it is a hit. Nevertheless, my Disc of the Day award is going to the underdog Grand Ole Opry stars Old Crow Medicine Show. The real story du jour is the battle for the DisCovery Award. Dean Alexander, Kristian Bush, Chris Lane and Ben Rau are all worthy contenders. In a close call, I’m giving it to Chris Lane.
BEN RUE/I Can’t Wait (Be My Wife)
Writers:Ryan Ogren/James Bailey/Jon Berry/Peter Munters/James Ulrich; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Publisher: none listed; ASCAP/BMI; Arista (CDX)
-This pretty ballad has lyrics that are woven with vivid details. His singing voice is sincere, if a little generic sounding. I think I hear a hit.
DYLAN SCOTT/Mmm, Mmm, Mmm
Writers: Dylan Scott/Forest Glen Whitehead; Producer: Jim Ed Norman; Publishers: Curb/Want a Fresh One/Black River, ASCAP; Sidewalk (CDX)
-A little swampy. A little funky. A little saucy. A whole lot Southern.
LUKE BRYAN/Roller Coaster
Writers: Cole Swindell/Michael Carter; Producer: Jeff Stevens; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Sony-ATV Cross Keys/243 Music, BMI/ASCAP; Capitol
-This rolls with verve and spirit. I like it that the vocal is mixed up bright and high, while the percussion is kept simple and steady. Very, very summer-y.
KRISTIAN BUSH/Trailer Hitch
Writers: Kristian Bush/Brandon Bush/Tim Owens; Producers: Kristian Bush/Tom Tapley; Publishers: Songs of the Architect/Another Song of the Architect/Archuleta, ASCAP; Streamsound
-I have always maintained it’s a shame that this fine singer was so consistently overshadowed in Sugarland. This bopping, percolating disc reveals a performer with jaunty personality to spare. The bonus is that there’s a nifty message beneath the happy rhythm: You can’t take it with you when you go.
AMERICAN YOUNG/Wasn’t Gonna Drink Tonight
Writers: Lee Brice/Billy Montana/Jon Stone; Producers: Jon Stone/Justin Niebank/Lee Brice; Publishers: Mike Curb/Dandon Ranch/Hears That Skyline/Adios Pantalones/BMG, BMI/SESAC; Curb (CDX)
-The jittery rhythm track is nervous sounding. It doesn’t go with the smooth singing. And that gliding vocal performance doesn’t match the downbeat lyric.
SARA EVANS & ISSAC SLADE/Can’t Stop Loving You
Writers: Victoria Banks/Phil Barton/Emily Shackleton; Producer: Mark Bright & Sara Evans; Publishers: Chrysalis/45th Parallel/Sixteen Stars/Horipro/Liz Rose/Songs of Kobalt, ASCAP/BMI; RCA
-Duet partner Slade is the lead singer of the pop/rock band The Fray. Evans dominates the track, which is loudly busy and bombastic. They try to redeem it by repeating the title over and over and over again as the noise crashes around them. Pass.
Screen shot 2014-07-09 at 9.55.17 AM1

Chris Lane


CHRIS LANE/Broken Windshield View
Writers: Rodney Clawson/David Lee Murphy/Shane Minor; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: Big Red Toe/Big Loud Bucks/Old Desperados/N2D/Sony-ATV Tree/Code Six Charles, BMI/ASCAP; Big Loud Mountain
-This backwoods rocker packs a punch. Lane’s passionate vocal rides atop a churning track and delivers a dirt-road anthem with panache. Ear catching.
JUSTIN MOORE & VINCE NEIL/Home Sweet Home
Writers: Nikki Sixx/Tommy Lee/Vince Neil; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publishers: Sixx Gunner/Downtown/Tommyland/Safe N Sound/WB/Mars Mountain/Cherry Lane, ASCAP; Valory
-The song wasn’t even a hit when Motley Crue sang it. Pointless.
DEAN ALEXANDER/Live a Little
Writers: Dean Alexander/Laura Veltz; Producers: Justin Weaver/Dean Alexander; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/Get Along/Hits of Parallel, BMI; Elektra
-Hooky. The title is interjected with stacked harmonies throughout the performance. The choppy rhythms, sunny guitar solo, urgently boyish vocal and overall groove all scream summer. Irresistible.
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW/Sweet Amarillo
Writers: Dylan/Secor/Fuqua; Producer: Ted Hutt; Publishers: Special Rider/Blood Donor, SESAC/BMI; ATO (track)
-Old Crow Medicine Show had a Gold Record with “Wagon Wheel” long before Darius Rucker covered the tune. Can lightning strike twice in the same place? I think so, especially when there’s a performance this charming, propulsive, thumpy, rootsy and earnestly relentless. The Dylan/Secor combination repeats its winning ways.

Recent RIAA Awards

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FGL

FGL’s “Cruise” has been purchased more than 7 million times.


The RIAA awarded several Nashville stars during the month of June.
Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” went seven-times Platinum.
Scoring Gold certifications were Jake Owen’s “Beachin,’” Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic,” Rascal Flatts’ “Rewind,” Keith Urban’s “Cop Car,” Zac Brown Band’s “Sweet Annie” and TobyMac’s “Me Without You.”
Garth Brooks’ The Ultimate Hits received its seventh Platinum certification, and the discs in his box set Blame It All On My Roots went Platinum.
Brantley Gilbert’s Just As I Am and Toby Keith’s American Ride received Gold album honors.

Bobby Karl Works The Nashville Songwriters HOF Induction Announcement

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Pictured, (back row, L-R): Nashville Songwriiters Hall of Fame Board Chair and Hall of Fame member Pat Alger; inductees John Anderson and Gretchen Peters and Hall of Fame executive director Mark Ford. Front row, (L-R): Inductees Paul Craft and Tom Douglas.

Pictured, (back row, L-R): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Board Chair and Hall of Fame member Pat Alger; inductees John Anderson and Gretchen Peters and Hall of Fame executive director Mark Ford. Front row, (L-R): Inductees Paul Craft and Tom Douglas.


BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 462
One of the things I find most impressive about the voters for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is that they so often choose quality over quantity and/or commerciality.
This year’s slate of inductees is a perfect example of that. There are songwriters who have larger catalogs and bigger hits than Gretchen Peters, Tom Douglas, Paul Craft and John Anderson. But you won’t find four writers with classier or better-written songs.
“The voters choose real songs,” observed Peter Cooper, who also heartily approved of this year’s inductees.
How true. The Peters catalog includes such superb creations as “Independence Day” (Martina McBride), “The Chill of an Early Fall” (George Strait), “The Secret of Life” (Faith Hill), “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am” (Patty Loveless), “Let That Pony Run” (Pam Tillis), “My Baby Loves Me” (Martina McBride), “If Heaven” (Andy Griggs) and “On a Bus to St. Cloud” (Trisha Yearwood).
As for Douglas, his list includes “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert), “I Run to You” (Lady Antebellum), “Little Rock” (Collin Raye), “Love’s the Only House” (Martina McBride), “Hello World” (Lady Antebellum) and the Tim McGraw hits “Grown Men Don’t Cry,” “My Little Girl,” “Let it Go” and “Southern Voice.”
Paul Craft, this year’s “veteran” inductee, has penned songs for practically every bluegrass band there is. Not to mention such gems as “Brother Jukebox” (Mark Chesnutt), “Come As You Were” (T. Graham Brown), “Dropkick Me Jesus” (Bobby Bare), “Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life” (Moe Bandy), “Keep Me From Blowing Away” (Linda Ronstadt), “It’s Me Again, Margaret” (Ray Stevens), “Midnight Flyer” (The Eagles) and “Blue Heartache” (Gail Davies).
The 2014 writer/artist inductee is John Anderson, whose catalog includes such choice items as “Swingin,’” “Chicken Truck,” “I Wish I Could Have Been There,” “Goin’ Down Hill,” “Seminole Wind,” ‘Bend it Until it Breaks,” “I Wish I Could Write You a Song,” “If it Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It” and “Country ‘Til I Die.”
All four inductees appeared at the announcement ceremony on Tuesday morning, July 8, at the Music City Center. This is where their names will be engraved on Songwriter Square and on the MCC steps leading up from Fifth Avenue. It is also where the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame gallery is on display. And MCC will be the site of their induction banquet on Oct. 5.
Showing their support for the new “class” were such prior Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees as Jerry Chesnut, Jerry Foster, Allen Shamblin, Dickey Lee, Larry Henley, Kenny O’Dell, Wayland Holyfield, Pat Alger and Tony Arata. How cool is that?
NSHoF executive director Mark Ford introduced them all at a post-announcement luncheon. This was also attended by Amy Kurland, Jennifer Bohler, Erika Wollam Nichols, Troy Tomlinson, Mike Dye, Ken Paulson, Woody Bomar, Bo Thomas, Corky O’Dell and Bobby Roberts.
As I have mentioned before, the MCC catering can’t be beat. We lunched on chilled herb-chicken salad and chess pie with whipped cream.
Also in attendance at the event were R.J. Curtis, Bart Herbison, Barb Hall, Barry Walsh, Connie Bauer, Carol Ann Ford, Bob Paxman, crews from all three TV news stations and a number of curious fans, conventioneers and onlookers.
“Here in Nashville where the music industry has always been built on a foundation of great songs written by legendary songwriters, each year only a few are elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Pat Alger, who is the chair of the organization’s board. This year’s “few” are truly the best of their breed.
These four will join the 192 existing members of the NSHoF. This is the 44th anniversary/ceremony of the organization.
Tickets for the Oct. 5 banquet, show and ceremony are $250 apiece. Some seats are available to the public. Contact Mark Ford for more information ([email protected])

Beuschel Joins Warner/Chappell Music as A&R Director

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Ryan Beuschel

Ryan Beuschel


Ryan Beuschel has been tapped for the role of A&R Director for Warner/Chappell Music, the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group. Beuschel comes to Warner/Chappell from ASCAP, where he spent four years as an Associate Director of Membership for their Nashville branch.
Beuschel will provide A&R resources and creative support across the publisher’s roster and catalog, and assist in the discovery of new talent and the development of songwriters. He will report to Ben Vaughn, Executive Vice President, Warner/Chappell Nashville.
Vaughn said, “I am pleased to announce that Ryan Beuschel will be joining the Warner/Chappell Nashville team. Ryan understands how to work with talent, as demonstrated through his years helping grow the careers of songwriters at ASCAP and artists at Universal, and we look forward to the excellent service he’s capable of providing to our writers.”
“I cannot wait to begin working with the world-class songwriters and A&R staff of Warner/Chappell. This is an incredible opportunity and I’m extremely grateful for it,” said Beuschel.
While at ASCAP, Beuschel co-founded the ASCAP GPS Project, which aids unsigned songwriters in navigating Nashville’s publishing community. Prior to ASCAP, he was A&R Manager at Universal Music Group, where he worked with artists signed to the MCA and Mercury labels. He began his career in 2005 as an intern for Universal Music Publishing. He was later named as Catalog Coordinator, before moving to UMG label group in 2007 as A&R coordinator. The Michigan native earned a degree in management and finance from Hope College.