Industry Ink: Chris Wyatt, Jeff Stevens, Ty Herndon

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Wyatt Departs Parallel

Chris Wyatt

Chris Wyatt

Parallel Entertainment Artist Manager Chris Wyatt has exited the company to pursue a new opportunity that has yet to be announced. Wyatt maintains his share of ownership in Parallel Music Publishing. He can be reached at [email protected].

Music Master Jeff Stevens

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum explored the life of producer Jeff Stevens during a Music Masters Q&A last Saturday (August 8). Led by the museum’s editor Michael McCall, the discussion followed Stevens’ work as a songwriter and producer for Luke Bryan. The program was capped off with an acoustic performance by Stevens.

Pictured (L-R): Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Michael McCall and Jeff Stevens. Photo by Jason Davis, Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Pictured (L-R): Michael McCall and Jeff Stevens. Photo: Jason Davis

 Herndon Inks With Buddy Lee

Ty Herndon has entered into an exclusive booking agreement with Buddy Lee Attractions (BLA). “We are truly excited that Ty Herndon is joining the BLA team,” commented BLA’s David Kiswiney. 

Pictured (L-R:) (Back): Brian Fee, Aura Guadagno, Kat Boggs, Amy Aylward, Nicole Wyatt, Joe Lee, Angela Roland | (Front): Zinnia Martinez, Ty Herndon, David Kiswiney

Pictured (L-R): Back: Brian Fee, Aura Guadagno, Kat Boggs, Amy Aylward, Nicole Wyatt, Joe Lee, Angela Roland; Front: Zinnia Martinez, Ty Herndon, David Kiswiney

Muscle Shoals Studio To Get Facelift from Dr. Dre

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Muscle Shoals Sound

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.

The historic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio will get a special revamp by the end of the year thanks to a grant from Beats by Dr. Dre, the audio brand co-founded by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. 

Care will be taken during the renovations to preserve the ambience that made the studio so significant in music history while reinforcing the structure of the building.

Muscle Shoals Music Foundation’s co-founding board member Rodney Hall spearheaded the purchase of the studio from a private owner so that it could be operated as a nonprofit and the history preserved. Since the 2013 release of the documentary Muscle Shoals, more than 20,000 music enthusiasts from around the world have visited the iconic musical landmark.

“We are grateful to Beats for supporting our community’s efforts,” said MSMF Chairman Judy Hood. “Jimmy Iovine understands that the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio is magic and we are now protecting and preserving that distinct and authentic sound. The studio will be open to the public as well as to musicians for sessions. After the grand re-opening of the room that Keith Richards called ‘rock and roll heaven,’ we expect both hit records as well as selfies of visitors from all over the world to come out of the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.”

The foundation has also purchased land behind the studio for later development as museum space or a performance venue.  

Founded in 1969 by Swampers Jimmy Johnson, David Hood, Roger Hawkins and Barry Beckett, the studio at 3614 Jackson Highway has attracted and recorded everyone from the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon to Bob Dylan and Linda Ronstadt in its heyday. The studio still sees recording action these days as well. In 2010, The Black Keys‘ sixth Grammy-nominated album Brothers was recorded there.

LeAnn Rimes to Release Next Holiday Album with Tour

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LeAnnRimesChristmas

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes will the release a new album, titled Today is Christmas, due out this fall as the second holiday album in a series announced last year. The album is a special project with Kobalt Label Services.

This second-year holiday tour will take her to the west coast from December 4-20 for the Today is Christmas Tour. Ellee Duke will open the outing.

“I wait for Christmas all year long, it’s my absolute favorite holiday,” says Rimes. “I can’t wait to share some of my new original Christmas songs with my fans as well as my favorite classics. I am looking forward to making more holiday memories with my fans this year.”

Today is Christmas Tour dates:
December 4 – Tacoma, WA – Emerald Queen Casino
December 5 – Bellingham, WA – Mount Baker Theater
December 6 – Grande Ronde, OR – Spirit Mountain Casino
December 8 – Santa Rosa, CA  – Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
December 11 – Tracy, CA  – Grand Theater Center for the Arts
December 12 – Merced, CA  – Merced Theatre
December 13 – Malibu, CA  – Pepperdine University
December 18 – Chandler, AZ  – Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
December 19 – Laughlin, NV – Edgewater Hotel & Casino
December 20 – Palm Desert, CA  – McCallum Theater of the Performing Arts

Meghan Trainor’s MTRAIN Tour Grinds To A Halt

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Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor is canceling the remainder of her tour. She shared the news with fans today (Aug. 11) on her Facebook page, citing a hemorrhaged vocal cord. She said she will undergo surgery to correct the problem.

Trainor’s MTRAIN Tour was supposed to include an Aug. 15 stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

The outing, promoted exclusively by Live Nation, kicked off July 3 in Atlantic City, NJ. She played international dates throughout the summer in the UK, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Denmark, Germany and Italy. Her stateside concerts were scheduled through mid-September.

meghan trainor FB post

Trainor’s Facebook post.

CMA Week to Include Celeb Fashion Show

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Off The Record Logo-01The sparkle factor will be even higher this year during CMA Week as Off The Record, an exclusive runway show, happens Nov. 1. The elite fashion event benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank will feature models and celebrities wearing clothing from the world’s hottest designers’ 2016 spring collections from New York, Paris and Milan, along with some local designs as well.

The show will feature off-beat looks ranging from street style to stage costumes and runway-ready designs, and more than 80 styles will be modeled in the one-hour fashion extravaganza. The event will also include entertainment from very special musical guests that will be announced closer to show time.

The invitation-only catwalk event is being organized by Neste Event Marketing and celebrity stylist Christiev Alphin, and will be held at Sylvia Roberts’ home, which many may know from its appearances on the ABC-TV show Nashville. Tickets go on sale Aug. 10, and purchasers must be on the invite list and enter their first and last name and a special show code to buy tickets.

A full list of designers, models and entertainers will be announced at a later date. For more information about the special event visit www.offtherecordnashville.com.

Chris Janson’s Warner Bros. Debut Coming This Fall

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Producer Byron Gallimore, Chris Janson, President & CEO of WMN John Esposito and VP A&R, Cris Lacy

Producer Byron Gallimore, President & CEO of WMN John Esposito and VP A&R, Cris Lacy in the studio with Janson as he records his new album.

In between a busy summer touring schedule, Chris Janson has been in the studio with producers Byron Gallimore, Chris DuBois, and Brent Anderson working on his debut album for Warner Bros. Nashville. It is on track for release this fall.

The project will feature Janson’s hot debut single for the label, “Buy Me A Boat,” which shot into the Top 10 after 13 weeks on the charts and is nearing gold certification with over 475,000 downloads. “Buy Me A Boat” has also been streamed more than six million times on Spotify, and the video has been viewed more than 3.2 million times on YouTube.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to have this music coming out,” Janson said. “I’ve been writing nonstop for 10 years, so material was not a problem. My A&R rep said we have two albums of material. I have songs about boats, love, kids, back in my drinkin’ days and Jesus. It will definitely be a piece of Chris Janson.”

Janson has been opening for Toby Keith’s Good Times & Pick Up Lines Tour and playing fairs and festivals around the country this summer. 

Lifenotes: Singer Audrey Auld

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audrey auld

Photo from Audrey Auld’s official Facebook page.

Singer-songwriter Audrey Auld-Mezera, a one time Nashvillian, died on Sunday, Aug. 9 following a battle with cancer. She was 51 and had been living in California.

The Australia native’s full-length solo debut The Fallen was nominated for Best Country Album by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). During her career she also received a second ARIA nomination.

Auld worked with musicians including Bill Chambers, Kieran Kane, Fred Eaglesmith, Mary Gauthier, Dale Watson, Kasey Chambers, and Carrie Rodriguez. Auld’s music was used on television shows Justified, Longmire, NCIS: New Orleans and The Good Guys.

In recent years she hosted songwriting workshops for inmates in San Quentin Prison. Her final album, Hey Warden, was inspired by those experiences and released earlier this year.

She is survived by husband, Mez Mezera. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Songwriter News: Hits From The Hall, SNG Signing, Belmont

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Hits From The Hall at City Winery

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) will host its third Hits From The Hall show on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at City Winery Nashville. Hall of Fame members Gary Burr (“Nobody Wants To Be Lonely”) and Roger Cook (“Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress”) will be joined by special guest Josh Kear (“Need You Now”) for the 6:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $20 for downstairs seating; $30 for limited upstairs VIP seating. All seats are reserved and may be purchased beginning Thursday, Aug. 13, at citywinery.com/nashville or by contacting the venue at (615) 324-1010.

hits from the hall kear burr cook

SNG Signs Marianne Allison

SNG Music has signed artist/songwriter Marianne Allison to an exclusive global publishing agreement.

The Ocean Springs, MS native was nominated for Country Female Artist of the Year in 2015 by New Music Weekly and has had two No. 1 singles on Indie World Country Record Report. She has also had television and film sync success and won multiple international songwriting competitions, including The John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

[L-R Gary Reamey (Partner), Erin Kidd (Director of Promotion & Administration), Steve Leslie (Partner), Marianne Allison (Staff Songwriter),

Pictured (L-R) standing: Gary Reamey (Partner), Erin Kidd (Dir. of Promotion & Administration), Steve Leslie (Partner), and seated: Marianne Allison

belmontBelmont’s Songwriter’s Association

Belmont University’s Songwriter’s Association announces its new leadership board for the 2015-2016 school year, comprised of students Emma Place, Ashleigh Smith, Casey Cattie and Allie Herring. BUSA’s purpose is to unite all student songwriters into one community while providing learning and performance opportunities.

NSAI recognizes BUSA as one of its chapters. BUSA seminars in the past have included talks from Tom Douglas, Cole Taylor, Jimmy Robbins, Luke Laird, Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby and many more.

Dan + Shay Find Right Kind Of Crazy for Fall Tour

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Dan+ShayDan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) are launching a fall headlining tour, the Just The Right Kind of Crazy Tour, Oct. 1. The 15-date tour, which features Kelsea Ballerini on select shows, will hit clubs, amphitheaters, colleges and the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla. Tickets and VIP packages go on sale this Friday.

“We are PUMPED to hit the road this fall with a newly designed set list and light show!” said Smyers. “And we’re really excited to have our good friend Kelsea Ballerini on a handful of the dates. As always, we look forward to meeting as many fans as possible at the shows. See y’all out there!”

Dan + Shay’s Just The Right Kind of Crazy Tour dates:
Oct. 1 – Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, Kentucky
Oct. 2 – Rave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Oct. 3 – LC Pavilion WCOL Fest, Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 4 – Penn State, University Park, Pennsvlvania
Oct. 8 – The Mann Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania*
Oct. 9 – The Emporium, Patchogue, New York*
Oct. 10 – The National, Richmond, Virginia*
Oct. 11 – The Fillmore, Silver Spring, Maryland*
Oct. 15 – Mill City Nights, Minneapolis, Minnesota*
Oct. 16 – The Blue Note, Columbia, Missouri
Oct. 18 – The Intersection, Grand Rapids, Michigan*
Oct. 21 – UCF Arena, Orlando, Florida
Oct. 22 – University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida
Oct. 23 – Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida*
Oct. 24 – Iron City, Birmingham, Alabama*
*Denotes dates with Kelsea Ballerini as special guest

Tracy Lawrence Radio Show Scores Syndication

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Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence’s radio show, Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence, will make it syndicated debut at 12 p.m. CT, Sunday, Aug. 16 on Nashville’s WSM-AM.  

The three-hour show, produced by Silverfish and syndicated through Compass Media Networks, features hits from the 1980s, ‘90s and early 2000s, interviews and special guests (which have previously included Reba McEntire, John Anderson, and more), contests, prizes and audience interaction through calls and social media. 

“I’m so excited about WSM picking up my show,” Lawrence said. “It is such a huge thing for the show to be heard not only in Nashville but through all of our affiliates around the country. I started hosting ‘Honky Tonkin’’ in January with the desire to keep more of the traditional country sound alive with an emphasis on honky-tonk music. I feel that there is such a huge demand from the fans for this [type of programming], and with WSM picking up the show, it really validates that point. Let’s keep it country.”

Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence has secured more than 30 stations in its first six months of existence.

“Tracy Lawrence is one of the core artists of our format who can genuinely reach out to his fans and constantly builds an audience that is loyal and true to him,” said Dean Warfield, program director for 650 AM WSM.

Lawrence has over a dozen radio hits (“Sticks and Stones,” “Alibis,” “Texas Tornado,” “Time Marches On,” “Paint Me A Birmingham,” “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”), and over 13 million albums sold. He does almost 100 live appearances each year.

Tracy Lawrence radio show