The Producer's Chair: Frank Liddell

Frank Liddell

Frank Liddell


By James Rea
Don’t miss Frank Liddell’s fourth appearance on The Producer’s Chair on Thursday, Dec. 11 at Douglas Corner at 6 p.m. It’s the last show of this year. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
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Frank Liddell has staked his claimed as one of Nashville’s most respected artist advocates and trusted creative partners. The 2014 MusicRow Producer of the Year has a growing trophy collection which includes winning CMA Album of the Year twice, and ACM Album of the Year three times, as well as wins for ACM Producer and Single of the Year—all largely due to his work with Miranda Lambert. But Frank’s less interested in talking about trophies and more interested in talking about music, artists, songwriters, and musicians—proof of the dogged focus that paved his path to success.
Along with serial collaborators Chuck Ainlay and Glenn Worf, Frank also co-produced David Nail’s well-received third album I’m a Fire, released in March, and his wife Lee Ann Womack’s anticipated masterpiece The Way I’m Livin’, released in September.
In the early ’90s, Frank moved from Houston to Nashville, where his first two career stops were Bluewater Music and Decca. He pitched songs, scouted talent, and helped creatively direct careers. At Decca, he also began producing.
Then came his own Carnival Music, an embodiment of his fully formed music-first philosophy. Frank launched the company’s publishing arm in 1997 with partner Travis Hill. Today Carnival has 14 staff writers: Adam Wright, Aubrie Sellers, Brent Cobb, Dani Flowers, David Nail, Derik Hultquist, Hailey Whitters, Logan Brill, Mando Saenz, Scooter Carusoe, Stephanie Lambring, Stoney LaRue, Troy Jones, and Gretchen Peters. Since its inception, Carnival has published the first No. 1 singles of eight songwriters’ careers, and diligently shepherded songs as they circulated for a decade or more waiting for the perfect performer and perfect time. Carnival Recording Co., the record label division, is currently developing Cobb, Brill, Hultquist and Saenz. The dedicated staff—Brittany Hamlin, Courtney Gregg, Matthew Miller, Emily Schiraldi, and consultant Dale Dodson—are like members of Frank’s extended family.
Frank is an ACM board member, CMA member, and serves on the board of The Recording Academy, where he is part of the Advocacy Committee and the Producers & Engineers (P&E) Wing.
The Producer’s Chair: How did you and Miranda meet?
Frank Liddell: She heard a record I’d produced on Jack Ingram called Electric. She bought it, listened to it, and hated it. Then she listened to it again, and it inevitably grew on her. She looked at who produced it and said, “That guy’s making my record.” She never wavered—even when I tried to talk her out of it. Before she had anything going, she had decided that she wanted me to produce her record. She was in Texas at the time. She talked a little bit about her career goals, but for the most part all we ever talked about was music. And that was all she ever wanted—that was the most important thing. Like, “Let’s just come make a badass record.”
Miranda has won the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year five times—more than any other artist. Now that she has conquered Country music, does she have movies or TV in mind?
I stay out of that. The most important thing to her is to be an artist. Not an entertainer or a celebrity. Everything stems from her artistry, not from the entertainment factor. And she’s Country. We’ve never remixed or done a radio mix for her to crossover into pop music. She’s comfortable with the success she’s having as a Country artist. She touches a lot of lives and a lot of people. She has a lot of respect across a lot of genres.
Has Miranda changed over the years and if so, have those changes affected your job as her producer?
She’s exactly same. When making her records, we’ve always tried to take a picture of who she is at that time, with each record. She’s not an 18-year-old girl anymore. She’s a 30-year-old woman. So, that’s the difference in the picture. It’s not that we changed the lens. She’s always had great instincts—spot on—and that’s hard to find. She doesn’t weigh opportunities. She just tries to take the best song, and when you’re working on arrangements it’s either right or wrong. For this record, my gut was, “Let’s not change a thing from the last record.” These musicians have been with her ten or twelve years. It’s the same band on every record, which I dig, because instead of changing a sound, the change was from within—adopting her own. I feel in a weird way like everybody, including Miranda and the musicians, felt the pressure this time. It was a blast, but it was really intense. [Every record has been critically acclaimed and hard to follow.] And every time, we would just talk. I’d say—and I got this from Richard Bennett—“You just get the right songs and you treat every song with the respect that it individually deserves, and everything will turn out OK.” So, we’ve taken that approach from the beginning.
Do you still work with artists and writers in Texas?
I still do that a little bit, and I always will because I’m a big fan. Stoney LaRue is a perfect example. His music really inspires me. It’s not flavor of the month. And it’s going to be hard, but if he can stick with it, sooner or later something good will come his way. When you’ve finished a record, it’s hard to say whether you got it right or wrong, or you would have changed this or that. And with Stoney, we got it right. Moving forward, it’s going to take some holing up and some belief in what we do, because there’s not any compromise in that record. Stoney LaRue just needs to build his fan base.
In our last interview, four years ago, you said, “I feel like there’s a bigger gulf than ever between the creative and the business side.” Do you still feel that way?
Here we are today, and it’s probably bigger. I’m just hard-wired differently. I love this town. I love what people do. My goal for our future is for me to do what we’re about, not to follow or chase [trends]. It’s not always easy. Miranda’s a perfect example. Her career was born out of her music. I still think that there’s a lot of music in this town that, to me, the marketing plan exists and the music is just sort of dropped in it.
The great thing is it’s still the songwriter capitol of the world. There are great songwriters here, old and young, and it’s the musician capitol of the world. And as long as it’s an artistic center where artists have the opportunity to make new art and for that art to grow—I hope that opportunities increase for some people. It used to be that you could have a great artist that had a brilliant career and they wouldn’t even go Gold but could make a lot of money touring, earn a lot of respect and have a great career. Now, everything’s gone. So, people aren’t really giving anyone a shot unless they think it can go Platinum. I would hope in the coming years as perhaps the copyright is monetized better, that we would be able to open up some doors to some more younger artists, more thoughts, more opinions, more creative ideas. I’ve been here a long time. I’ve seen the artists that labels got in bidding wars over—they were going to be the hot new thing. I’ve seen them disappear. So, basically I was standing here four years ago, and I thought the same thing I think now.
Four years ago you joined the Grammy P&E Wing. What are some of their biggest concerns?
There are a lot of things we talk about on the P&E Wing. We discuss a lot of the future of monetizing music: defending and sticking up for the producer and engineer, protecting and making our contracts better, and strengthening the business side of things for us. There’s also the sound quality and the protection of the copyright—protection of your sound and original ideas. I sometimes walk into the studio and say, “We’re going to make a record.” And it’s pretty simple. But you go into the meetings and you realize how intense the situation is. From the future of recording records, to what they’re stored on, to how they are archived, to what they’re going to sound like in years—and to making sure that as a producer I’m protected and somebody can’t just come out and remix something. There are a ton of concerns.
In another interview you said, “There are a lot of great writers out there whose work is being overlooked because they don’t know how to play the game.” What game?
I’ve always thought that. It’s now a business game. Years ago, the art of this business was getting two great writers together, or for one great writer to write a great song. Now, everything is like, “Let’s stick this writer with this writer and the artist.” So, a lot of publishing these days is managing calendars and trying to get your writer with artists. It’s less about, “Hey, I want to go get a great song for people to fight over,” like “The Dance” or “I Hope You Dance.” It’s become more political. I know very few people out there who aren’t writing most of their songs with other people. There’s a business objective behind it and not necessarily the objective of making the best music.
Can independent writers play the game or do they really need a publisher to play the game?
I think for the most part independent writers struggle, and they always have. I know a few who are doing OK now. They have help. I’ve always felt like publishers earn every dime they make for the most part. You know the old saying about the attorney who represents himself in court has a fool for a client.
How should they play the game?
I don’t know. I look at where Carnival is right now and where we need to go, and, to me, I just want to get better at what we do. I don’t necessarily want to play the game. I don’t hate the game. I have friends in the game, and I respect the hell out of them, but I came here because I love music. The longer I’m here the more I just want to make sure that every bit of music I’m surrounded with is music that I love and I would have loved in my gut when I got here. So, to me, it’s how do we design our own game to succeed with that philosophy? It’s not easy.
Someone was telling me we have a song on a new record and it’s the only song on there that had only two writers. I found that interesting. We also have a song on the Garth Brooks record. It’s 100 percent. Adam Wright wrote it by himself. That takes the place of three cuts. You write a great song by yourself and somebody acknowledges it. Good things happen.
What are your thoughts on signing writers?
At Carnival the first two writers we signed were Bruce Robison and Luke Reed. Bruce had a few people sniffing around but he had never lived here and no one would give him a shot. And Luke was already an established writer and had some cuts. Never on a huge level, but he was a good guy for sure.
Today I’m still hoping that age and gender have absolutely nothing to do with it. If I were a writer and I went and listened to Gretchen Peters speak at her Songwriter Hall of Fame induction, I’d think, “Buddy, I better step it up.” She’s a genius. If somebody walks in my door who’s 22 years old and has the promise of being able to do what Gretchen does, I’m going to be excited. I’m not going to be excited about working with an established writer who has made it and who is dabbling in it now. Gretchen is touring a lot and making records. We represent her and help her collect her money. But when she plays a song it will kill you. She’s damn Gretchen Peters, and she sets a mark in this building.
If this stuff never matters again—well then, it’s over for me. And if that’s the case then I’ll go home. But if it still matters then I don’t see how Gretchen is not relevant. Take the song “All Kinds of Kinds,” which is ours that Miranda cut, written by Phillip Coleman and Don Henry. It was at least 15 years old. My goal is to be able to work with music that is as good as or better than music that inspired me growing up. That’s a tall but simple task. And to help our writers make a great living makes it even better.
How has 2014 been for Carnival, compared to 2013?
Carnival has always existed on one hit a year. We’ve gotten lucky and had two before. We’ve gone six or eight months without anything on the charts, which is not unusual for Carnival. The problem is [sinking album sales]. Fifteen years ago we had a No. 1 song with The Dixie Chicks and the album sold 10 million records. Today, the $900,000 you’d make roughly off of that copyright would probably exceed the performance money. So there was never a problem that a handful of good cuts weren’t going to take care of. We’ve got a bunch of album cuts right now but they don’t sell anymore. If those things can be fixed we’ll be fine—if we can get compensated for the things we’re doing. But I don’t think [consumers] are ever going to buy disposable music. I know what we’re good at and we have to get better at it. If you have a boutique store on the same block as Walmart, you better have something they don’t have or you’re going to get killed.
Tell me about your musical family: Aubrie Sellers and Anna Lise Liddell.
Aubrie is in her early 20s and we’ve been working with her in the studio finishing things up. She has both a mother and a father from whom she can draw a wealth of experience in the artist world, and a stepfather who has been a publisher and A&R guy and a producer. She’s covered! She’s in Texas right now playing some shows and my wife is leaving tomorrow night to go on the road in the Northeast. Anna, who is 15, is going to go and play guitar with her.

DISClaimer: Mining For Songwriter Gold

Josh_Dorr_small(1)111

Josh Dorr


The excitement in discovering new sounds is what I live for in these columns.
And today I was especially rewarded. Josh Dorr, The Jacob Martin Band, Joshua Radin and Adam Searan all lifted my spirits.
The DisCovery Award goes to singer-songwriter Adam Searan for the fine work displayed on his debut, six-song EP. The Disc of the Day prize belongs to new RCA record maker Josh Dorr, who is coincidentally also a singer-songwriter. Come to think of it, all of these DisClaimer first-timers are. So hooray for that.
ADAM SEARAN/Last
Writers: Adam Searan/Jon D’Agostino; Producers: Jason Garner/Jon D’Agostino/Adam Searan; Publishers: Demolition, no performance rights listed; Demolition (track)
-This Nashvillian won the John Lennon International Songwriting Contest’s grand prize in the country division with this ringing, stirring, upbeat anthem about questing for answers in an uncertain world. I can certainly hear why. It is immensely melodic and effortlessly hooky. The bonuses are that he sings it like a bird, and the production is a mini masterpiece. Essential listening.
BOB MORRISON/Kill the Moon
Writers: Bob Morrison/Eric Emerson; Producers: Bob Morrison/Joe Funderburk; Publishers: none listed; BM (track)
-Morrison is a highly successful Music Row tunesmith (”Lookin’ for Love,” “You Decorated My Life,” “Love the World Away,” “Don’t Call Him a Cowboy,” “Tonight the Heartache’s on Me,” etc., etc.). He has a pair of new CDs that compile songs from his catalog that have been overlooked. The Bucket List Sessions Volume 1 contains country tunes. Volume 2 has pop selections. He’s correct in his feelings that these are all potential hits. This two-step, for instance, is as dandy as anything being written today. Session leader Chris Leuzinger backs him with excellent pickers. With CDs like these lying around, there’s absolutely no excuse for producers complaining about not being able to find quality material.
Adam Searan

Adam Searan


BERNADETTE/Life After Life
Writers: Bonnie Jewel Baker/Verlon Thompson; Producers: John Mock/Bernadette; Publishers: Stage Three/Songs of Otis Barker, no performance rights listed; Rachael (track)
-During the making of her new CD Not the Same Me, this Irish-born singer was devastated by the death of her fiancee, Brian Fitzgerald. The tragedy and her grief inform several of the selections, including this hopeful-heartache lyric. Songwriting contributors include Leslie Satcher, Vince Gill, Al Anderson, Dolly Parton and Jon Randall. As with her other Nashville projects, country sounds mingle with instrumentation echoing her Emerald Isle homeland.
JOSH DORR/Save Your Breath
Writers: Josh Dorr/Jason Mizelle; Producer: Jim Catino; Publishers: Old Red Cape/Joshua Dorr/Offer You Can’t Refuse/Black River, ASCAP/BMI; RCA (CDX)
-I like this guy. He has a boyish, romantic, sexy vibe on this steady bopper. The thumping bass-drum undertow contrasts effectively with his yearning tenor-vocal delivery. That sidewinder electric guitar is nice, too. Mighty fine.
VINCE HATFIELD/Pray For Me
Writers: Allen Shamblin/Rob Crosby; Producer: Eric Paul: Publishers: Built on Rock/Music of Ever Country, ASCAP/BMI; Blue Moon (CDX)
-Hatfield has been kicking around on the indie scene for years. He’s never been a barn burner of a singer, but this time around he has a super-strong piece of material. In the song, an encounter with a homeless fellow transforms the singer’s attitude toward life.
JACOB MARTIN BAND/Take It To The Moonlight
Writers: Jacob Martin/Mike Guy; Producer: Jody Stevens; Publisher: SB21, ASCAP/SESAC; Hype Train (CDX)
-The verses are okay, but the song truly takes flight on its rumbling, soaring choruses. I’d have put a little echo on his somewhat dry lead vocal.
CONNIE BRITTON & LAURA BENANTI/Gasoline and Matches
Writers: Buddy Miller/Julie Miller; Producer: Buddy Miller; Publisher: none listed; Big Machine (track)
-The first volume of the music from the Nashville TV show’s third season is out. Star Connie Britton duets with newcomer Laura Benanti on this super catchy rocker. If it sounds familiar it’s because it has previous recordings by LeAnn Rimes (2013) and by its composers (2009), both of which are better.
CHIP ESTEN/I Know How To Love You
Writers: Chip Esten/Deana Carter; Producer: Buddy Miller; Publishers: none listed; Big Machine (track)
-Britton may be the star and Hayden Panettiere might be the show’s most compelling vocalist, but of all the Nashville cast members, Chip Esten (”Deacon”) has made the strongest commitment to Music City. He has moved here permanently and is present for every benefit and do-good cause where he’s asked. Plus, he has co-written this lovely ballad with our hometown gal, Deana Carter. He sings it with wonderfully homespun sincerity. A winner.
JOSHUA RADIN & SHERYL CROW/Beautiful Day
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Glass Bead (track)
-Radin’s songs have been heard in more than 150 films, commercials and TV shows, including Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs and House. He has performed on The Tonight Show and Conan. Ellen DeGeneres invited him to play at her wedding. He has toured with Nashville’s Sheryl Crow, and she’s evidently impressed enough with his talent to duet with him on his lilting, acoustic, folkie new single. The result is utterly charming.
DYLAN SCOTT/Lay It On Me
Writers: Dylan Scott/Josh Kerr; Producers: Matt Alderman/Jim Ed Norman; Publishers: Curb/Songs of Black River; ASCAP; Sidewalk (CDX)
-Oh goody. More bro-country.

Carrie Underwood To Launch Fitness Lifestyle Apparel Brand

CALIA_IMAGE 1_106_1974_G_Extension_cropped AP1111

Carrie Underwood


Carrie Underwood has partnered with Dick’s Sporting Goods to launch Calia by Carrie Underwood, a fitness lifestyle apparel brand. The line will be sold exclusively at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores nationwide and online, beginning March 5, 2015.
“It has been such a rewarding experience working with DICK’S Sporting Goods on all aspects of the design process for CALIA, from choosing fabrics to making sure the look, feel and fit is right for active women,” said Underwood. “The inspiration for this line came from my desire to have clothes that seamlessly take me from workouts, to errands, to rehearsals and beyond. As someone who is passionate about health and fitness, I’m excited to offer women a wardrobe that will move with them and encourage them to stay the path of leading an active lifestyle.”
“We are proud to be working with Carrie on this exciting new line,” said Lauren Hobart, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “From the very beginning of our partnership, we aligned with Carrie around a vision to provide fitness apparel and accessories that are as versatile as they are functional. The result is a collection that will truly fit the incredibly busy lives of active women.”
Customers can visit caliastudio.com to sign up for more information on the collection.

Big Machine's Scott Borchetta Joining 'American Idol' As Mentor

 

Scott Borchetta

Scott Borchetta


Scott Borchetta, President and CEO of the Big Machine Label Group, has joined American Idol XIV as mentor. Big Machine Records will partner with 19 Entertainment and Universal Music Group to oversee the launch of the season 14 winner’s recording career. The winner will join Borchetta’s label roster of superstar talent, including Taylor Swift, Reba, Tim McGraw, and Florida Georgia Line.
The mentor role has been expanded to allow Borchetta to give mentorship through the live shows to the final winner’s round and beyond. Borchetta joined American Idol during Hollywood Week, and watched performances in advance to offer his expertise to contestants as they progressed in the competition.
“There’s only one reason I’m doing this: American Idol has proven again and again that it can launch superstars. I believe that working with these young artists the same way we work with new artists at the Big Machine Label Group will help the next American Idol be as prepared as possible to continue the tradition of creating new superstars,” said Borchetta. “The entire label group will be invested and we look forward to bringing our energy, focus and know-how to help develop this young talent at the highest levels.”
“This season Jennifer, Keith and Harry have found some truly talented singers, and the addition of Scott’s expertise in how to develop an artist gives our contestants a unique shot at success,” said Trish Kinane, President of Entertainment, Fremantle Media North America and executive producer, American Idol. “It’s been terrific to see Scott’s enthusiasm as he watched each of the performances at Hollywood Week and we can’t wait for America to see our hopefuls transform into superstars.”
American Idol XIV launches with a two-night, three-hour premiere event on Wednesday, Jan. 7 and Thursday, Jan. 8.

Country Voices Abound On New Holiday Albums

darius rucker home for the holidaysCountry artists are known for their love of releasing holiday music, and the 2014 Christmas season abounds with offerings featuring country voices, along with collaborations and releases from other musical genres. Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Sara Evans, The Henningsens and Darius Rucker are just a few of the names releasing holiday albums in 2014.
Below is a smattering of the new musical gems available this holiday season.
Jim Brickman, On A Winter’s Night: The Songs and Spirit of Christmas—Kenny Rogers and Jana Kramer are just a few of the vocalists who join piano man Brickman on this holiday collection. Rogers lends his voice to “That Silent Night,” while Kramer contributes to the bonus track “Clouds.”
Sara Evans, At Christmas—This CMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner offers several Christmas classics, including “O Holy Night,” “Run Rudolph Run,” and a special rendition of “12 Days of Christmas,” featuring vocals from two of her daughters, Olivia, 12, and Audrey, 10. The title track of this Mark Bright-produced project is an original penned by Shane Stevens and Toby Lightman.
The Henningsens, Our Family Christmas—Family trio The Henningsens have released their first holiday album, a 10-song digital project that includes gems such as “Silent Night,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and two originals, “Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, Baby Jesus,” and “Christmas Kissin’,” featuring vocals from Jerrod Niemann.
claire lynch bandAlan Jackson, Let It Be Christmas (re-release)—The traditional country stalwart brings his southern baritone to 11 Christmas chestnuts on this project, which originally released in 2002. Jackson composed the title track. Let It Be Christmas has earned gold certification from the RIAA.
Jamey Johnson, The Christmas Album—This five-song holiday EP is the first project released on Johnson’s own Big Gassed Records. The project includes the Johnson composition “South Alabam Christmas,” penned with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon, and recorded in RCA Studio A. The Secret Sisters join Johnson on “Mele Kalikimaka,” as does Lily Meola on “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
sara evansThe Claire Lynch Band, Holiday!—IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner Lynch embodies a retro ambiance in her take on several holiday standards including “White Christmas,” “Home For The Holidays,” and “Scarlett Ribbons,” featuring harmonies from Lynch’s daughter, Christy. Ace musicians Mark Schatz, Matt Wingate, and Bryan McDowell back her on this sterling 10-track offering.
Darius Rucker, Home For The Holidays—The 12-track album features Rucker’s renditions of songs including “Winter Wonderland” and “Please Home For Christmas.” One album highlight, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” features vocals from Sheryl Crow. The project also features two originals co-written by Rucker. “What God Wants for Christmas” was penned with Frank Rogers (who also produced the album) and Monty Criswell. “Candy Cane Christmas” was penned by Rucker, Rogers, and Steve Leslie.
NAS_ART_ALBUM_Christmas_Cover_2014.08.26_FNL11Tim Rushlow, Tim Rushlow & His Big Band Classic Christmas—Former Little Texas lead singer Tim Rushlow offers a big band, Sinatra-style spin on 10 holiday favorites, as well as two songs penned by Rushlow specifically for the project. “What Do I Do With the Blue” and “A Soldier’s Gift” were penned by the singer with producer Jimmy Ritchey and Don Poythress.
Michael W. Smith & Friends, The Spirit of Christmas—Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Jennifer Nettles, Michael McDonald, Martina McBride, and U2’s Bono join legendary Christian artist Michael W. Smith for a mix of hymns and Christmas classics, backed by orchestral arrangements. Co-produced by Robert Deaton, Smith, and maestro David Hamilton.
Various Artists, Christmas With Nashville—The cast of ABC’s hit television drama Nashville get into the Christmas spirit on this Jay DeMarcus-produced project. Guest artist Vince Gill joins Charles Esten, who portrays “Deacon Claybourne” on the show, on the classic “Blue Christmas.”

Artist Updates: Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Chesney, Linda Davis

florida georgia line11Florida Georgia Line will join MAGIC! and Idina Menzel to perform live for more than one million fans in Times Square as part of the lineup on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2015.” Menzel will sing the winter wonderland instant classic “Let It Go,” Florida Georgia Line’s medley of songs will include their smash “Cruise,” as well as “This Is How We Roll” and current single “Sun Daze,” and MAGIC! will perform their chart topper “Rude” and recent release “Let Your Hair Down.” They will join headliner Taylor Swift. New Year’s Rockin’ Eve programming begins at 8:00 pm ET/PT on ABC Television Network.

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Carrie Underwood performed earlier this week as part of U2’s surprise World AIDS Day (RED) event in New York City’s Times Square, by personal invitation from Bono. Underwood performed “Change” from her Play On album, and was joined by U2 guitarist The Edge. Other appearances included Kanye West, U2’s Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr., Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and former president Bill Clinton.

Carrie Underwood and The Edge. Photo: Kavin Mazur/Getty Images

Carrie Underwood and The Edge. Photo: Kavin Mazur/Getty Images

 • • •

tortuga logoKenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band are set to headline the third annual Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival at Fort Lauderdale Park Beach in Florida on April 11-12, 2015. Joining them will be Jake Owen, Little Big Town, Trace Adkins, Sublime with Rome, David Nail, The Mavericks, Colt Ford, Chase Rice, Sam Hunt, Frankie Ballard, Chase Bryant, Dirty Guv’nahs, The Cadillac Three, Old Dominion, Maddie & Tae, Nikki Lane, Brooke Eden, Drake White and The Big Fire, and Judah & The Lion. Additional acts will be announced in coming weeks.

• • •

Linda Davis

Linda Davis


Linda Davis, along with Commander Nash, Benton Stokes, Jenny Tolman, and Donna Ulisse, will perform at You Have The Power’s third annual Powerfully Original Christmas Songs Event and Auction on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Douglas Corner Cafe in Nashville. The event will take place beginning at 6 p.m., and will feature an auction.
Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.
 

Entertainment Lawyer Joel Katz Joins Berklee Trustees

Joel Katz

Joel Katz


Berklee College of Music has named Joel Katz, a leader in the field of entertainment law, to its board of trustees. Katz is former Chairman of the American Bar Association’s Entertainment & Sports Law Section.
His clients include Kenny Chesney, Julio Iglesias, Willie Nelson, Ludacris, Michael Jackson’s estate, the Country Music Association, Dick Clark Productions, and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS).
“As I have spent my entire working life in the entertainment and music business, being now included on Berklee’s board will give me a chance to give back even more to an industry that has been so good to me,” said Katz. “I look forward to working with the school administration, the teaching and professional team, and of course the students. I hope to be able to give of my experiences in the artistic community directly to the students.”
“Joel Katz has advised and represented a who’s who of the music industry, and is someone who cares about giving opportunities to musicians and to students, and at Berklee, we have both,” said Berklee president Roger H. Brown. “His vast knowledge of the music and music makers will be extremely valuable to the college.”
 

Jamey Johnson Launches Big Gassed Records With Christmas Album

jamey johnson christmas
Jamey Johnson is releasing new music through his own Big Gassed Records. The label’s first project is a five-song holiday EP called The Christmas Song, which unveils the first new Johnson composition in four years, “South Alabam Christmas.” The song was written with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon on the same day it was recorded in the famed RCA Studio A.
The Secret Sisters join Johnson on “Mele Kalikimaka,” and Hawaiian singer Lily Meola guests on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” The Christmas Song also includes “Pretty Paper,” which was written by one of Johnson’s heroes, Willie Nelson. Johnson recorded the vocals in the same studio in Garland, Texas where Willie recorded Red Headed Stranger. A limited number of autographed copies of The Christmas Song are available at www.jameyjohnson.com.
Through Big Gassed, Johnson says he will be releasing his new songs as soon as they are recorded, without waiting for a full album release. The label will put out its own projects as well as partner with other record companies to release music by other artists, which could include projects produced by Johnson.
Johnson has won Song of the Year Awards from the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music.

 His Mercury Nashville 2008 album, That Lonesome Song, was certified platinum, and his 2010 double album, The Guitar Song, received a gold certification. His fifth studio album was a star-studded tribute project to late songwriter Hank Cochran.

Reba, Brooks & Dunn Set For Las Vegas Residency

reba brooks & dunn111Reba, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are set for a country music residency in 2015. Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas will open June 24, 2015 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Tickets for select performances in 2015 go on-sale tomorrow, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m. PT.
Presented jointly by Caesars Palace and AEG Live, the initial dates announced for 2015 are:
June 24-27; July 1, 3, 4; December 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12
The residency marks Brooks & Dunn’s first performances together since their final concert tour date at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in 2010.
The residency also marks a reunion for the trio, who toured together in 1997, and had a hit with “If You See Him/If You See Her” the following year. The song was included on McEntire’s If You See Him project, as well as Brooks & Dunn’s If You See Her album. Reba also provided a guest vocal on the duo’s hit “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” in 2008.
Both Reba and Ronnie Dunn recently announced signings to Big Machine Label Group’s Nash Icon label, which is a co-venture between Big Machine Label Group and Cumulus Media (though the label has not made an official comment or announcement on the Dunn signing). Kix Brooks hosts Cumulus’ syndicated radio show American Country Countdown.
Tickets for Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas, may be purchased in person at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office, by calling 866-320-9763 or online at thecolosseum.com or axs.com. Orders are subject to additional service charges and fees. Ticket prices are $205/ $155/ $105/ $85/ $59.50 (prices include 10% Live Entertainment Tax). For groups of 10 or more, call 866-574-3851. All shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Watch below for a behind-the-scenes video of Reba and Brooks & Dunn during their photo shoot for the Las Vegas residency.

'CMT Artists of the Year' Honors Haggard Alongside Today's Stars

Merle Haggard is honored with the first CMT Artist of a Lifetime award.

Merle Haggard is honored with the first CMT Artist of a Lifetime award, presented by Billy Bob Thornton. Photo courtesy of CMT


CMT held an elegant soiree Tuesday evening (Dec. 2) at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center, an upscale music venue known for its impeccable acoustics and hosting everyone from bluegrass musicians to the Nashville symphony.
The event, which aired live, honored Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Florida Georgia Line as CMT Artists of the Year for their career accomplishments in 2014.
However, the star of the evening was clearly Merle Haggard, who was presented with CMT’s first Artist of a Lifetime award. Billy Bob Thornton was on hand to present the honor, and went off-script to add his own words of tribute.
Keith Urban performs with an all-female band at CMT Artists of the Year.

Keith Urban performs with an all-female band at CMT Artists of the Year. Photo courtesy of CMT.


“I’d just like to add something to what they’ve got here,” said Thornton, “which is that I wouldn’t only include Merle Haggard in the greatest songwriters of all time. But I would put him up there alongside people like Tennessee Williams and William Faulker, Erskine Caldwell and John Steinbeck because he is truly a storyteller. That’s something that has been lost over the years, and I’m glad to see that it is coming back a little bit. And Merle Haggard personifies the storyteller.”
Haggard was nearly in tears as he accepted the honor. “Anything I would say would be short of the mark, so thank you very much and God bless you,” he told the audience. Off-camera, industry members and artists including Aldean and Florida Georgia Line were quick to welcome the legend as he entered the room.
Florida Georgia Line performs during the CMT Artist of the Year airing.

Florida Georgia Line performs during the CMT Artist of the Year event. Photo courtesy of CMT.


Jason Aldean and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden opened the show with Aldean’s latest single, “Just Gettin’ Started.” Kenny Chesney was in attendance to honor his future tourmate. Chesney and Aldean will combine their headlining shows for several stadium concerts in 2015. “His fire and passion is one of the reasons he’s one of CMT’s Artists of the Year,” said Chesney.
Host Larry the Cable Guy kept the elegant evening from getting too stuffy, with his repertoire of one-liners.
Luke Bryan could not be in attendance. He is in Georgia with his family, following the death of his brother-in-law Ben Lee Cheshire over the weekend. Cheshire was 46, and the husband of Bryan’s late sister Kelly.
2014 CMT Artists Of The Year

Chris Stapleton and Lady Antebellum perform “Drink A Beer” to honor Luke Bryan during the CMT Artists of the Year. Photo courtesy of CMT.


Lady Antebellum and Chris Stapleton stepped in to honor Bryan with an emotional rendition of his single, “Drink A Beer,” (co-written by Stapleton and Jim Beavers), which drew the first standing ovation of the evening. Other artists, including fellow Georgian Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, offered their condolences to Bryan’s family throughout the broadcast.
Miranda Lambert was honored by friend and fellow songwriter Ashley Monroe. Lambert gave a soulful, refined performance of “Holding On To You,” an album cut from her recent album Platinum. She also teared up while thanking husband Blake Shelton. “You are my rock,” she said. “I think he’s on a TV show somewhere tonight.”
Wiz Khalifa honored genre-melding duo Florida Georgia Line as CMT Artists of the Year. “As musicians, we are all brothers and sisters,” he said. Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard gave a rousing rendition of their single, “Sun Daze.”
Miranda Lambert performs during CMT Artists of the Year.

Miranda Lambert performs during CMT Artists of the Year. Photo courtesy of CMT.


Another highlight of the evening was Urban’s guitar-driven rendition of James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” backed by a 15-piece all-female band, complete with a string and horn section.
Urban was quick to praise his fans after receiving his CMT Artists of the Year honor. “Why are fans so important? Because without them it’s just one long sound check,” he said.
Chris Cornell and Jason Aldean kick off the CMT Artists of the Year.

Chris Cornell and Jason Aldean kick off the CMT Artists of the Year. Photo courtesy of CMT.


Eric Church, Ashley Monroe, and T Bone Burnett rounded out the evening’s performances with a tribute to Haggard on his 1969 classic, “Workin’ Man Blues.”
Encore presentations of Artists of the Year will air Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 1:30 a.m., 8 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. ET/PT, and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. ET/PT.