Chase Rice Headlines Fall Tour, Brings The Cadillac Three

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ChaseRiceJDandJesusColumbia Records Nashville recording artist Chase Rice will head out this fall with his own headlining tour, JD and Jesus Tour 2015, beginning in October. Dates and on-sale information will become available later this week.

“When I was playing football in college I learned the most about my peers, and my competitors, by studying their moves on and off the field,” shares the North Carolina native. “I have been engaging in the same practices I did while in school: observing and performing alongside Kenny Chesney and Eric Church, on stage. I want to make sure my fans know they need to be ready because we’re nowhere near done for the year.”

Rice has been touring steadily for the last five years, most recently on over 40 dates with Chesney’s The Big Revival Tour. He will continue with Chesney through August while playing select solo and festival dates for the rest of the summer.

The Cadillac Three will join Rice as a special guest for select appearances in the fall.

Weekly Register: Sam Hunt Still at No. 1

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Sam Hunt surprised over 55,000 Taylor Swift concert-goers at last night’s sold out Soldier Field in Chicago. Before joiningHunt on his Platinum-selling, No. 1 smash hit, “Take Your Time.” Photo: TAS Rights Management

Sam Hunt, who has the No. 1 country album this week, surprised over 55,000 Taylor Swift fans at last night’s (July 19) sold out concert at Soldier Field in Chicago. She joined Hunt on his Platinum-selling, No. 1 “Take Your Time.” Photo: TAS Rights Management

Soundscan is completing its transition to a new measurement period. Due to the change, last week’s Soundscan sales chart was based on an 11-day period. This week’s chart is based on the standard 7-day period. Therefore, last week’s chart was inflated and week-to-week comparisons aren’t apples-to-apples.

The change is due to the official music release day moving from Tuesday to Friday.

There were no notable country debuts this week, so let’s look at the top 5, where Sam Hunt has the No. 1 album, and two tracks in the top 5.

Top 5 Country albums this week
Sam Hunt 13K/643K RTD
Zac Brown Band 11K/445K RTD
Kacey Musgraves 10K RTD/89K RTD
Little Big Town 9K/296K RTD
Eric Church 7K/1 mil RTD

Top 5 Country tracks this week
Little Big Town “Girl Crush” 57K, 1.481M RTD
Luke Bryan “Kick The Dust Up” 51K, 588K RTD
Sam Hunt “House Party” 46K, 451K RTD
Sam Hunt “Take Your Time” 45K, 1.539K RTD
Thomas Rhett “Crash and Burn” 39K, 398K RTD

Tyrese had the top overall debut with total activity of 86K.

Soundscan says there will be adjustments to this week’s report.

Reviver Adds Promo Team: Gator Michaels, Skip Bishop Tapped

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Pictured (L-R): Gator Michaels, David Shaw, Kim Stephens, Amara Hall.

Pictured (L-R): Gator Michaels, David Shaw, Kim Stephens, Amara Hall.

Reviver Records, led by Founder/President/CEO David Ross, is adding a 4-person, in-house promotion team headed up by Gator Michaels, who will be Senior Vice President. Additionally, Skip Bishop‘s consulting firm Studio1Bee will serve as Executive Advisor.

David Shaw has been named National Director of Promotion, Kim Stephens will serve as Regional Southwest/Midwest Promotion, and Amara Hall will be Southeast Regional.

“When I started Reviver Records, my intention all along was to have our own in-house promotion staff,” said Ross. “You take the necessary baby steps to grow the business…slowly and methodically. With the help of others, you get to that point where it becomes necessary to bring on your own people to get you to the next level and beyond. Now, I have my dream team in place, with more to come. My primary focus is to give my artists the shot they so richly deserve for success. Period.”

The Reviver roster includes LOCASH, Blackjack Billy, and Lucas Hoge.

Based in New Jersey, Reviver opened its Nashville operation on December 1, 2014 after launching the Let Us In Nashville and Let Us In Americana projects.

Blake and Miranda Call It Quits

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Pictured (L-R): Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton at the BMI Country Awards. Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI

Pictured (L-R): Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton at the BMI Country Awards. Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI

Country music superstar couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert divorced after four years of marriage, MusicRow has confirmed.

The couple issued the following statement to the Associated Press:

“This is not the future we envisioned. And it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately. We are real people, with real lives, with real families, friends and colleagues. Therefore, we kindly ask for privacy and compassion concerning this very personal matter.”

Brantley Gilbert Plans Chattanooga Benefit

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Brantley Gilbert

Brantley Gilbert

In the wake of the recent, tragic shootings in Chattanooga, Tenn., Brantley Gilbert has announced he will perform a benefit for the families of the fallen servicemen. He announced the plans for a “full-blown concert” by calling in to US101 radio.

Details for the event are still being ironed out, but a date and venue will be announced soon.

An avid supporter of the military, Gilbert just released a video highlighting his impactful motorcycle ride with the Wounded Warrior Project that helped launch their Rolling Odyssey therapy program over Memorial Day Weekend.

Miranda Lambert To Play Rare Club Show in Nashville

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Miranda-Lambert-club-3rd-&-Lindsley-nashvilleMiranda Lambert will headline a sold-out club show at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley on Tuesday, July 28 with five women, including songwriters Natalie Hemby and Jessi Alexander in addition to her tour openers RaeLynn, Clare Dunn and Courtney Cole.

The evening will be “unplugged” and is billed after Lambert’s 2015 tour Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars.

The club lineup will begin at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6:00 p.m.), with all proceeds going to The Miranda Lambert Women Creators scholarship at Belmont University.

Tickets were announced via social media and went on sale at 10:00 a.m., July 20 for $30. 3rd & Lindsley has a capacity of about 1,000.

The superstar played a club show at Nashville’s Exit/In before her 2015 tour launched in January. That show was free and also announced via social media, but only three hours before doors opened.

Jay Allen Signs With MV2

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Pictured: (L-R) Clay Myers, Tony Harrell, Jay Allen and James Archer/ CEO, MV2 Entertainment photo credit- MV2 Entertainment Jay Allen

Pictured (L-R): Clay Myers, Tony Harrell, Jay Allen and James Archer/ CEO, MV2 Entertainment

Singer/songwriter Jay Allen has inked an exclusive publishing deal with MV2, the publishing and artist development company formed by Tony Harrell, James Archer, and Clay Myers.

“I am both honored and excited to be working with Jay,” said Harrell. “He is an exceptional artist with an undeniable voice and presence that is truly captivating.”

Allen hails from Cedar Falls, Iowa. He moved to Nashville in 2013.

“When I first walked into MV2, it was a new venture and the place was empty…no furniture, only a card table and a few folding chairs,” shared Allen. “Tony and Clay greeted me at the door with a firm handshake, we spoke for an hour or so, and I knew I had found my home. Seems like I’ve been through hell and back to get here, but I can’t help but feel blessed. James, Tony, Clay, Kendra, and the entire MV2 team are the most authentic, hardest working, faith-driven people I’ve ever met, and I’m proud to call them my family.”

Also on board at MV2 are the executive team of Blake Gage and Harold Johnson. 

Harrell and Myers can be reached at 615-320-0036, or tony_harrell@mv2entertainment.com and clay_myers@mv2entertainment.com.

Sturgill Simpson Adds Two Ryman Dates to Extended Tour

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Sturgill Simpson 2015Sturgill Simpson will perform shows at the Ryman Auditorium Oct. 30-31 as part of the second leg of his Living The Dream Tour, which runs through Nov. 22. Billy Wayne Davis opens the Nashville shows, and tickets for all of the newly-announced dates go on sale this Friday (July 24). Every date on the first leg of Simpson’s tour was completely sold out.

Simpson has been touring heavily all year in support of his highly acclaimed 2014 release, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, and will hit Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Vancouver, and other cities on the next leg of dates. He’ll also perform some dates abroad in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK in August.

The critic’s darling has graced the stages of the Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, the BBC’s Later…with Jools Holland, A Prairie Home Companion, Austin City Limits and The Grand Ole Opry over the past year. He is up for three awards at the Americana Honors and Awards Show in September including Artist, Album, and Song of the Year. 

STURGILL SIMPSON TOUR DATES
July 24—Cooperstown, NY—Brewery Ommegang*
July 25—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival
July 26—Hampton Beach, NH—Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
July 29—Pittsburgh, PA—Stage AE*
July 30—Columbus, OH—The LC Pavillion*
July 31—Chicago, IL—Metro (SOLD OUT)
August 1—Chicago, IL—Lollapalooza
August 2—Indianapolis, IN—White River State Park*
August 14—Gothenburg, Sweden—Way Out West
August 15—Oslo, Norway—The Oya Festival
August 18—Edinburgh, U.K.—Liquid Rooms
August 19—Leeds, U.K.—Brudenell Social Club
August 20—London, U.K.—Islington Assembly Hall
August 22—Wales, U.K.—Green Man
August 24—Groningen, Netherlands—Noorderzon Festival
August 25—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Paradiso Grote Zaal
August 27—Tonder, Denmark—Tonder Festival
August 29—Helsinki, Finland—Helsinki Festival
September 6—Moorhead, MN—Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheatre†
September 7—St. Paul, MN—Minnesota State Fair – Grandstand†
September 12—Maryville, TN—The Shed (SOLD OUT)
September 13—Asheville, NC—Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
September 15—Norfolk, VA—The NorVa
September 16—Charlottesville, VA—Jefferson Theater (SOLD OUT)
September 18—Philadelphia, PA—Theatre of Living Arts
September 19—New York, NY—Beacon Theatre
September 20—Buffalo, NY—Town Ballroom (ON-SALE JULY 24)
September 23—Washington, DC—Lincoln Theatre (SOLD OUT)
September 24—Washington, DC—Lincoln Theatre (SECOND SHOW JUST ADDED)
September 25—Baltimore, MD—Rams Head Live
September 26—Boston, MA—Boston Calling Festival
October 2-4—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 9-11—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 15—Tuscaloosa, AL—Tuscaloosa Amphitheater‡
October 23—Atlanta, GA—The Tabernacle
October 30 & 31—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium
November 5—Denver, CO—Ogden Theatre
November 7—Salt Lake City, UT—The Complex
November 10—Spokane, WA—Knitting Factory Concert House
November 12—Vancouver, BC—Vogue Theatre
November 13—Seattle, WA—Showbox SoDo
November 14—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom
November 15—Eugene, OR—McDonald Theatre
November 18—Oakland, CA—Fox Theater
November 20—Los Angeles, CA—The Theater at Ace Hotel
November 22—San Diego, CA—The Observatory North Park
*appearing with Old Crow Medicine Show
†appearing with Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson
‡appearing with Jason Isbell

UMPG Upgrades Online Portal Features

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Universal_Music_Publishing_logoUniversal Music Publishing Group has enhanced its online royalty account portal, RoyaltyWindow.com, so that account holders can now see balance updates as royalties are being processed during the royalty period. The company is also offering a new “one-click advance” service that gives writers the ability to request an advance against their incoming royalties without an extra fee.

“Because of our industry-leading technology we’re able to continually develop new features and services that meet the needs of our songwriters. Universal Music Publishing Group continues to be at the forefront in offering the very best system and global copyright administration worldwide,” said Jody Gerson, Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group.

UMPG was the first major publisher worldwide to provide online accounting for its writers, including 24/7 online access to royalty statements, payment information, royalty data, and a suite of analysis tools and personalized income tracking services.

American Eagle Awards Honor Jim Halsey, Among Others

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Jim Halsey (Pictured second from left) with the Oak Ridge Boys and Dr. David Sanders.

Jim Halsey (second from left) with the Oak Ridge Boys and Dr. David Sanders.

The National Music Council honored legendary music manager/booker Jim Halsey, his late son Sherman Halsey, Kris Kristofferson, Jim Lauderdale, and Charley Pride last week (July 11) at the 32nd Annual American Eagle Awards, which were held in Nashville for the first time.

Halsey’s award comes in recognition for his lifetime commitment to music and music education and was presented by the Oak Ridge Boys.

“We have a tradition of honoring not only musical performers and writers, but also music educators, supporters of music, impresarios and producers who have shaped the music of our nation,” said NMC president Dr. David Sanders. “Jim Halsey’s ability to nurture artists, and his record of guiding the careers of some of America’s greatest talents, has earned him a special place among those who have made comprehensive contributions to musical life in America.

Halsey has worked directly to shape the careers of 24 members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, including the Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Minnie Pearl and George Jones. He will be honored later this year when he is inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.