Gametime App Expands To Concert Ticketing

gametimeEstablished mobile sports ticketing app Gametime is expanding into concert ticketing. The rollout will happen first in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Chicago and Seattle, offering tickets to famed venues including San Francisco’s Fillmore, New York’s Radio City Music Hall, LA’s Staples Center and the Showbox in Seattle. More cities will soon be added.

Gametime features in-seat panoramic views, a two-tap purchase process and tickets delivered directly to smartphones, eliminating the need for printing.

Known for last-minute deals, the app is also now listing concert events much further in advance—months rather than weeks. Additionally, it sells concert tickets even after a show begins.

Concert tickets will initially come from third party suppliers including FanXchange, TicketNetwork and Ticket Evolution. 

Through the app, tickets can be purchased for events from over 250 teams and artists in more than 45 markets across the U.S. and Canada.

Brad Griffith is Founder and CEO of Gametime, which is available on iPhone and Android.

Nashville Entrepreneur Center Names Sam Lingo President & COO

Sam Lingo

Sam Lingo

Stuart McWhorter, CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), announced that Sam Lingo has added President to his current role as Chief Operating Officer.

In addition, McWhorter announced the promotions of John Murdock to VP of Entrepreneurial Development, Heather McBee to VP of Accelerator Programming, and Kelli Nowers to Community Director.

“Sam has been an essential part of the EC leadership from its very beginning,” McWhorter said. “He is a proven leader, and he shares the entrepreneurial spirit with the partners and clients we serve. We have entered into an exciting new phase at the EC, one filled with growth and development. These promotions will continue to help us achieve the goals we have for the future of this dynamic organization.”

Lingo was the EC’s second hire and has served as Chief Operating Officer since July 1, 2011. The Nashville native has been the executive in charge of managing operations, finances, business development, and accelerator programs. Lingo led the project to fund and renovate one of Nashville’s historic Trolley Barns into the EC’s permanent home, historically restored and LEED Gold certified.

The past two years have seen partnerships with key Nashville business leaders as well as with Google, Inc. Magazine, Steve Case and the Kauffman Foundation to name a few.

“Sam has played an important role at the EC, and it makes sense to have him in this critical leadership position as we move forward,” said John R. Ingram, Chairman of the EC Board of Directors. “Sam brings the experience, the skills, and the dedication to our team that will put us right where we want to be. I’m excited about these additional promotions to enhance this important work for the future of our hometown – to serve the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nashville.”

“I’m incredibly honored and excited about my new role,” Lingo said. “Being an entrepreneur myself and a native Nashvillian, the future of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is incredibly important to me. We’ve had great success as an organization and an entrepreneurial community over the past six years and I’m thankful for the risk our inaugural board of directors took on Michael and me. In addition, I believe the vision set forth by Stuart and our Board, the execution from our team and the continued support from our community of alumni, mentors, investors and partners will solidify Nashville as the best place in America for entrepreneurship.”

Ryan Seacrest Partners For Multimedia Studio at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital

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Rendering of Seacrest Studios at Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.

American Idol and radio host Ryan Seacrest is establishing a Seacrest Studio media center at Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. The studio is set to open in early 2016. The Ryan Seacrest Foundation builds the state-of-the-art, multimedia broadcast centers in pediatric hospitals, to aid patients in exploring radio, television, and new media that can help with the healing process.

The Seacrest Studios will be located on the second floor of Children’s Hospital, inside the Butterfly Garden performance area. The 723-square-foot studio will be encased in glass, allowing patients and visitors to see what is happening inside the studio. A full-time programming manager for the studio will work with Child Life, art and music therapy, nutrition and other services to create programming unique to the Children’s Hospital. Programs produced and broadcast in the studios include interviews and live performances from celebrities and music artists; live radio programs and music; educational segments on science, history and art, and patient created shows and music videos, and more. The studio will also bring journalism students from area colleges and universities as interns.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation has opened nine other Seacrest Studios in pediatric hospitals across the country along with the help of their sponsors, E! Entertainment, The Coca-Cola Company, iHeartMedia and ACM Lifting Lives.

“It’s an honor and privilege to expand our studio footprint to Nashville,” said Seacrest. “Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has fully embraced the spirit and intent of Seacrest Studios. We are confident that patients, their families, and the entire hospital community will benefit from the addition of our studio.”

“We are excited and honored to be selected as a site for Seacrest Studios,” said Luke Gregory, chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital. “The Ryan Seacrest Foundation and Seacrest Studios complement our mission for patient- and family-centered care to ensure our families feel engaged in all aspects of care and the healing process and to make Children’s Hospital a welcoming and inspirational place for every child.”

 

ACM Lifting Lives Announces 2015 Fall Grant Beneficiaries

PrintACM Lifting Lives announced its 2015 fall grant cycle beneficiaries today with grants totaling more than $180,000 for a selection of organizations including Alive HospiceAbe’s Garden Alzheimer’s and Memory Care Center of ExcellenceThe Center for Courageous KidsCreatiVetsMiddle Tennessee State University FoundationMusicians on CallNotes for NotesPorter’s CallW.O. Smith Music SchoolThe Quest Center for Art & Community Development andVanderbilt Kennedy Center.  Partnerships with artists and generous giving from fans and the Nashville community enable ACM Lifting Lives to provide funding to organizations that share the same mission, and strive to improve lives through the power of music.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the artists and volunteer board members that donate their time and efforts to ACM Lifting Lives.  It’s because of their kindness we’re able to give back and be a part of continuing the impact made through the power of music in these communities,” said ACM Lifting Lives Vice-President Debbie Carroll.

For information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.

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Melissa Moldovan

Melissa Moldovan

In other ACM news, Melissa Moldovan has joined the ACM in a junior publicist role. Moldovan began her career in country radio four years ago as Social Media Coordinator for The Big Time with Whitney Allen. She was later elevated to Assistant Producer before joining the Academy of Country Music.

Moldovan can be reached at melissa@acmcountry.com.

MusicRowPics: Allie Louise, Apollo’s Crown, Shane Owens

Sixth Beat Production’s flagship artist Allie Louise is set to release a self-titled EP, which highlights her first radio single (“It’s Gettin’ Old”), as well as four self-penned originals and showcases the work of Nashville music producer Eddie Gore.

The 16-year-old recently previewed new music for MusicRow.

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Allie Louise with MusicRow staffers.

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Allie Louise performs for MusicRow staffers.

Producer Dave Brainard (Brandy Clark) recently showcased new group Apollo’s Crown, which includes vocalist Brian Melo, vocalist Victoria Boland, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Rudd, and fiddler Kristal Vanderkruk. The group has been performing together informally for four years, and as Apollo’s Crown for the past two years. They are currently in the studio working on new music.

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Apollo’s Crown with MusicRow staffers.

Apollo's Crown performs for MusicRow staffers.

Apollo’s Crown performs for MusicRow staffers.

Traditionalist Shane Owens has released the single “Where I’m Comin’ From” on AmeriMonte Records. The song was executive produced by country artist Randy Travis, and produced by James Stroud, and mixed by Ed Seay. Owens’ full-length album is set for release in early 2016. Owens recently showcased music for MusicRow.

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Shane Owens with MusicRow staffers.

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Shane Owens performs for MusicRow.

Country Songwriter Don Chapel Passes

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Nashville songwriter Don Chapel died on Sunday, Dec. 6 at age 84.

Among his best-known compositions is the George Jones hit “When the Grass Grows Over Me.” It was nominated as the CMA Song of the Year in 1969.

The 1980 Ray Price single “Misty Morning Rain” is also a Don Chapel song. Eddy Arnold’s “Baby That’s Living,” Charlie Louvin’s “Loving You Is a Way of Life for Me” and Doug Kershaw’s “Feed It to the Fish” are among the songwriter’s other works.

Jones also popularized Chapel’s “From Here to the Door,” “Let’s Get Together” and “Call Off the Party Tonight,” the latter two as duets with Melba Montgomery.

Tammy Wynette, to whom Chapel was married in 1967-68, recorded his “All Night Long,” “My Heart Is Soakin’ Wet,” “Joey” and the David Houston duet “Together We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Chapel and his daughter Donna were members of the Tammy Wynette road show during the early years of her career.

The songwriter was born Lloyd Franklin Amburgey in Kentucky. His older sisters Irene, Bertha and Opal formed The Amburgey Sisters, who recorded for King and Capitol. They were variously billed as “The Sunshine Sisters,” “The Amber Sisters,” “The Hoot Owl Holler Girls” and “Mattie, Marthie and Minnie” in the 1940s and 1950s.

don chapel 2The family moved to Nashville in the early 1950s. Bertha took the stage name Minnie and joined The Carlisles. Irene became gospel/rockabilly star Martha Carson (“Satisfied”). Opal performed as Mattie O’Neil on the Opry, then became successful Nashville songwriter Jean Chapel (‘To Get to You,” “Lay Some Happiness On Me,” “Lonely Again,” etc.).

After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Don Chapel joined his sisters in Music City. Jean Chapel encouraged her younger brother’s songwriting ambitions as well as his courtship of Wynette. Don Chapel adopted his sister’s nom de plume.

He recorded for Musicor, Surespeed and other labels. But he mainly concentrated on songwriting. More than 50 artists recorded his songs over the years, including Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lynn Anderson, Johnny Paycheck, The Osborne Brothers, Webb Pierce and Conway Twitty.

Don Chapel is survived by his wife Virginia Eloise Amburgey and by children Donna Cuno, Lloyd Amburgey, Gary Lehnertz, James Amburgey, Robbie Amburgey and Alison Garland. He is also survived by stepchildren Janet, Hazel, Terry and Gail, as well as by 12 grandchildren. Grandson Michael Amburgey is a music and technology entrepreneur in Nashville.

A public visitation will take place on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. with funeral services to follow at Madison Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

Property Notes: Noshville, Virgin Hotel, John Hiatt’s Farm, Holly Williams’ Store, Colonial Bakery Site

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Noshville Midtown To Close

Noshville Delicatessen will close its Midtown location on Dec. 27. The property where it is located was purchased by a developer who is planning a 25-story mixed-use project. In a letter to employees obtained by The Tennessean, deli owner Tom Loventhal attributed the closing to the rising cost of insurance premiums and meeting government requirements related to the Affordable Care Act. The Noshville restaurants in Green Hills and at the airport will remain open. In related news, the developer is trying to have the lease of J&J’s Market & Cafe, neighbor of Noshville Midtown, declared void.

Virgin Hotel Reworks Plans

Virgin Group is altering construction plans for its upcoming Nashville hotel located at the end of Music Row, reports The Tennessean. The company has purchased the site at the corner of Division and 17th Ave. S. from local developer Dean Chase, who initially planned to own the property which Virgin Hotels would operate. The recent $11 million transaction has spurred Virgin to rework the building plans, with the latest incarnation set to include approximately 240 hotel rooms, a 7,500 square foot event space, recording studio, music venue, rooftop lounge and fitness center. Construction is expected to start this summer with the hotel set to open by late 2017.

Original plans for the Virgin Hotel included two tours. Current plans include only one tower.

Original plans for the Virgin Hotel included two towers. Current plans include only one tower.

Hiatt’s Leiper’s Fork Farm

John Hiatt’s 97-acre property in Lieper’s Fork is on the market for $2,690,000. Covered Bridge Farm, located at 5539 Big East Fork Rd., includes a four-stall barn and outbuilding.  The main house, established in 1910, has been extensively updated.

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Covered Bridge Farm. Photo courtesy of Realtracs.

White’s Mercantile Adds Franklin Location

Holly Williams has opened a second outpost of her store White’s Mercantile in downtown Franklin. The new location at 345 Main St. is in a building owned by Mike Wolfe of American Pickers fame. The original White’s Mercantile is located in 12 South. Williams describes it as a “general store for the modern-day tastemaker.” Her other properties include clothing boutique H. Audrey.

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Photo from White’s Mercantile Facebook page.

Apartments Coming To Former Colonial Bakery Site

Alliance Residential Company has broken ground on Broadstone 8 South, a luxury apartment community at 2407 Franklin Pk., which is best known as the former Colonial Bakery. Among the amenities will be a courtyard with outdoor movie theater and an indoor electronic golf range. Alliance Residential is also set to open Broadstone Germantown in Nashville in the second quarter of 2016, featuring a swim-up bar, and a rooftop sky deck with a live music venue.

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Good Givings: Cumulus Nashville, CMA Foundation, KRKT, Chuck Wicks, Dave Pomeroy, Christmas 4 Kids

Cumulus Nashville Radio Stations Collect Thousands of Christmas Gifts at ‘Toy Field’

Cumulus Nashville radio stations NASH FM 103.3, 104-5 The Zone, 92Q, i106, Super Talk 99.7 WTN and 95.5 NASH ICON in conjunction with Sudden Service Convenience Stores collected thousands of toys and gifts for those in need at the annual Toy Field event to benefit The Salvation Army’s Forgotten Angel Program at Nissan Stadium.

Cumulus Nashville’s partners in the successful event included Sudden Service Convenience Stores, State Water Heaters, Metro PCS, ESCU, Iron Tribe and Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.

Pictured (L-R): Santa and Major Ed Lee, Area Commander - The Salvation Army Nashville Area Command.

Pictured (L-R): Santa and Major Ed Lee, Area Commander – The Salvation Army Nashville Area Command.

CMA Foundation Makes Donation To W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School

The CMA Foundation recently donated $75,000 to benefit music education programs for low-income students at the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School – a 50 percent increase over 2014 and the fourth year the Foundation has supported the school.

To date, CMA and the CMA Foundation have committed more than $13.6 million to support local and national, in-school and after-school music education programs on behalf of the country artist community. Support for programs includes purchasing instruments, but the Foundation is also focused on supporting teachers and creating sustainable music education programs that make a difference in a child’s life. The figure includes a recent $1 million grant to Metro Nashville Public Schools for instruments and teacher development initiatives.

Pictured (front, L-R): W.O. Smith students Jean Carlo Arias Neda, age 10; Whitney Thai, age 8; and Gabriel Barreda, age 11. (Back, L-R): Tiffany Kerns, CMA Community Outreach Manager; Ron Samuels, CMA Foundation Board Chairman; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; Jonah Rabinowitz, W.O. Smith School Executive Director. Photo: Kayla Schoen / CMA

Pictured (Front, L-R): W.O. Smith students Jean Carlo Arias Neda, age 10; Whitney Thai, age 8; and Gabriel Barreda, age 11. (Back, L-R): Tiffany Kerns, CMA Community Outreach Manager; Ron Samuels, CMA Foundation Board Chairman; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; Jonah Rabinowitz, W.O. Smith School Executive Director. Photo: Kayla Schoen / CMA

 

MusicRow Panel Station Wraps 16th Annual Food Drive

MusicRow panel station KRKT in Albany, Oregon, wrapped up its 16th Annual Scott and Angie’s Food Drive. Together with a local corporate match sponsor Coastal Farm and Ranch Store, the station raised $39,540. Roughly translated, this will provide enough food for 197,700 meals over the coming months. All food and money went to Linn Benton Food Share.

Pictured (L-R): Angie Foster (with son Braddock), KRKT; Amanda Peaslee, Coastal; Scott Schuler (with son Anthem), KRKT;  Jess Ropp, Coastal.

Pictured (L-R): Angie Foster (with son Braddock), KRKT; Amanda Peaslee, Coastal; Scott Schuler (with son Anthem), KRKT; Jess Ropp, Coastal.

 

Chuck Wicks Honored By Susan G. Komen Foundation

Chuck Wicks — recording artist and co-host of nationally syndicated “America’s Morning Show with Blair Garner”– was selected as one of Susan G. Komen’s “Pink Tie Guys” Class of 2016.

“To be selected as a ‘Pink Tie Guy’ is nothing short of an honor,” Wicks said. “To be among a group of gentleman — all with the same goal and purpose — is a great thing that can only bring hope, promise and faith that one day together we can and will beat cancer.”

Wicks joins nine other gentlemen representing a cross section of athletes, doctors, celebrities and leaders from corporate and philanthropic sectors in and around the Greater Nashville area. Wicks was selected after he raised more than $5,000 for Susan G. Komen through a “Pull Up Challenge” on “America’s Morning Show.” “Blair Garner saw Mark Wahlberg do 22 pull-ups in 30 seconds on Ellen the day prior and challenged me — on the air — to beat Mark’s record. The next day I brought a pull-up bar into the studio and, with the help of listeners across the country, we raised $5,000 by doing 28 pull-ups in 30 seconds. Yeah, I beat Mark Wahlburg, but who’s counting? It was all for a great cause,” Wicks said.

The 2016 “Pink Tie Guys” will be recognized at the “Pink Tie Party” in Nashville on Thurs., Feb. 25, the day before Wicks releases his sophomore album Turning Point. The evening will include dinner, cocktails, a silent auction and more.

Chuck Wicks

Chuck Wicks

 

Dave Pomeroy’s 16th Annual Nashville Unlimited Christmas Concert Set For Dec. 15

Dave Pomeroy

Dave Pomeroy

The 16th Annual Nashville Unlimited Christmas Concert, which raises funds for Nashville’s Room In The Inn homeless program, is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 15. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, located at 900 Broadway in Nashville.

This year’s guests include Emmylou Harris, Three Ring Circle, Mary Gauthier, The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, The Don Juans, the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and more.

Hosted by session bassist and producer Dave Pomeroy and singer-songwriter Don Henry, the concert is free, with a suggested minimum donation of $20. Seating is first come, first serve and the doors open at 6 p.m.

Since 1992, Pomeroy’s holiday concerts have raised over $260,000 for Room In The Inn.

 

Christmas 4 Kids Lineup Revealed

christmas4kidsThe Christmas 4 Kids organization has announced its lineup of participating artists for this year’s annual tour bus show to be held at the Hendersonville, Tenn. Walmart. On Monday, Dec. 14 from 5 to 9 p.m. stars will gather on parked tour buses to meet fans and give them an inside look at a country artist’s home on the road.

This year’s participating artists include Darryl Worley, the Bellamy Brothers, Shenandoah, Lonestar, Trick Pony, Craig Wayne Boyd, 3 Doors Down, .38 Special, Lucy Angel, Guy Gilchrist, James Robert Webb and more.

For more information, visit christmas4kids.org.

Exclusive: Dave Cobb, One Day Before the CMA Awards

Dave Cobb. Photo: Michael W. Bunch

Dave Cobb. Photo: Michael W. Bunch

Dave Cobb sat down with MusicRow at his Nashville home studio just one day before his big win at the 49th annual CMA Awards in early November. Although he was nominated as a producer for Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, Cobb’s prediction about the following day’s ceremony seemed clear: “There’s no way they’re going to give it to us!”

Of course, Stapleton ended up sweeping all three categories he was nominated in—including album of the year for the Cobb-produced Traveller. The acclaimed project has sold nearly 375,000 copies since the live ABC award show, with a total of 470,000 moved to date. On Monday (Dec. 7), Traveller received Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Country Album, while the title track will compete in the categories of Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song. Cobb also nabbed a Producer of the Year nomination.

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Cobb has also produced albums like A Thousand HorsesSouthernality, Jason Isbell’s Something More Than Free and Southeastern, in addition to Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.

Read the full interview with Cobb in MusicRow’s 2016 Next Big Thing print issue.

On being a Nashville outsider:

I’ve always been an outsider in country but I feel like everybody has been really sweet and accommodating. They seem to be interested in these records in a good way.

When my [go-to session players] all got hired away from California and came here, I had to move too. They make me look really good. They aren’t a part of the Nashville establishment. Not that I don’t want to be a part of it, but I feel safe with those guys. It’s fun to work with them and I give a lot of credit for the sound to them. Of course

Vance Powell came in to engineer Stapleton’s record and Justin Niebank mixed Thousand Horses’ Southernality.

On his recording approach:

Most of my records are based around the singer. The band has to play to them. It may work for some people to record like a modern assembly line—cutting instruments separately—but I just like that live vocalist. At the end of the day, people listen to the singer more than anything else. Why not put them first? People also talk about how an artist may be so much better live than on the records. Why does it have to be any different? Someone told me a long time ago that records happen in the live room, not the control room. So I have that philosophy.

Records like “Wichita Lineman” send chills down my spine. I’m digging for that with every artist, whatever that is. If you get the track and groove right, the singer sings right. A lot of it is clearing the path for the singer so they can relax and enjoy themselves.

On his early influences:

My parents were Pentecostal so they listened to a lot of ‘50s, Elvis and the Oak Ridge Boys. My first loves though were the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. When I met Shooter [Jennings], he got me into “good country music”: Waylon [Jennings], his mother Jessi Colter and Paul Kennerley’s White Mansions [a 1978 concept album about the Civil War] changed my life. I kept digging and found Jerry Reed. I love country music that has heart and a rock ‘n’ roll spirit. Lately it’s been chasing anything of Alan Lomax’s field recordings, ‘30s prison gangs, front porch recordings, and mountain recordings.

All those Stones, Zeppelin, or Beatles records were made by figuring it out in the studio. That’s why I don’t like demos. When you hear a demo, you get used to how things are, as opposed to your gut reaction about finding the right tempo or adding parts. Those ideas begin to disappear the more you hear a demo.

Same way with pre-production because when you land on a riff for the first time, that’s when you play it with the most conviction. You can tell those ‘70s Waylon records were made just by figuring it out in the studio and figuring out when the vibe was right. I’m very much a student of those old albums. They’re more human.

On A Thousand Horses:

I did an EP for them in 2010 when they were on Interscope. Jeff Sosnow in A&R introduced me to them. We hit it off because we were all from the South. One of the guys is from Savannah too. It was like people from the same backyard goofing off in Los Angeles. I consider those guys like little brothers. We stuck together after Interscope and made some demos, which became Southernality.

On Jason Isbell:

The lyrics of the Drive-By Truckers song, “Outfit,” crushed me. I was really homesick for the South in California. When I got to Nashville, Jason’s manager, Traci Thomas connected us. That was a stroke of luck. Ryan Adams was supposed to produce him. That fell through and we were just fortunate enough to cut [2013’s] Southeastern in the middle of this incredible point in his songwriting.

On Sturgill Simpson:

Shooter pointed Sturgill out at a concert, saying, “That’s the best singer in Nashville.” We met again a few days later and started going in the studio. I didn’t think twice about it—he has a natural gift.

On Chris Stapleton:

When I heard his voice, I was stopped in my tracks. He is the ultimate cool. There are songs on Traveller where he was literally just testing the mics. It’s frightening how good he is.

DISClaimer: Rhonda Vincent Tops Holiday Music Releases

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The holidays will be here before you know it, so here’s the first installment of DISClaimer’s seasonal music guide.

There are some dandy tracks here, notably from John Berry, Mickey Guyton, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and the duo of Kenny Rogers & Jennifer Nettles.

But nobody tops Rhonda Vincent. She has the uncontested Disc of the Day.

ROBBY JOHNSON/Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Writers: John Lennon/Yoko Ono; Producer: James Stroud; Publisher: none listed; CMR
-His vocal is clear and strong, and he gives this plenty of country heart.

ERIC HEATHERLY/Christmas To Me
Writers: Eric Heatherly; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Psychobilly, ASCAP; Town & Country
-It has an r&b groove and a bluesy vamp. A bump-and-grind for the holidays.

LESLIE COURS MATHER/Santa Baby (You’ll Be Mine)
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Lion Eyes
-Saucy sounding. Best line: “I’m about to make your sleigh bells ring.”

RHONDA VINCENT/Dreaming of Christmas
Writer: Rhonda Vincent; Producer: Rhonda Vincent; Publisher: Sally Mountain; BMI; UM (track)
-Vincent’s Christmas Time CD has four of her original tunes alongside eight holiday standards. This lilting ditty kicks off the set with scintillating fiddle, mandolin, dobro and guitar work, lovely harmonies and an instantly lovable melody. Check out her all-star “Twelve Days of Christmas” featuring Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, the Oaks, Ronnie Milsap, Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis, Bill Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Gene Watson and EmiSunshine. Hands down, the best new Yule CD of 2015.

CLAIRE PETRIE & T. GRAHAM BROWN/He Would Be King
Writers: James Larson/Roger True; Producer: Mark Moseley; Publisher: Woodgrain, ASCAP; Mosrite
-Claire wisely lets his mighty T-ness take the lead most of the time, since his charisma is unstoppable. The song is quite uplifting.

JAMES ROBERT WEBB/Wonderful Christmas
Writer: Paul McCartney; Producers: James Robert Webb/Daniel Kleindienst; Publisher: MPL, ASCAP; Bison Creek (CDX)
-This McCartney favorite lends itself quite nicely to a country arrangement. Webb sings with warmth, and the session musicians are superb. Nice job.

KENNY ROGERS & JENNIFER NETTLES/Here It Is Christmas/Baby It’s Cold Outside
Writers: Kenny Rogers/Frank Loesser; Producers: Kyle Lehning/Warren Hartman; Publishers: Lilonsmate/Wixen/Frank, ASCAP; Warner Bros.
– As usual, Rogers is tops as a duet partner. Nettles does her part with deliciously jazzy phrasing. The strings are nicely done, too. Jennifer Nettles hosted ABC’s Country Christmas special last week, and tonight she’s in the spotlight on NBC in the TV movie of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.”

DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER/It’s Christmas Time
Writers: Charlie & Ira Louvin; Producers: none listed; Publishers: Central Songs, BMI; Mountain Home
-Lordy, these men can harmonize. This gorgeous ballad is decorated with both superb singing and poetic dobro and twin-fiddle accents. Spine tingling.

MICKEY GUYTON/Do You Want To Build A Snowman
Writers: Robert Lopez/Kristen Anderson-Lopez; Producer: Byron Gallimore; Publishers: Wonderland, BMI; Capitol (CDX)
-Swirling, echoey production backs a heavenly sweet vocal performance. Wistfully romantic.

JOHN BERRY/Blue Christmas
Writers: Billy Hayes/Jay W. Johnson; Producers: John Berry/Robin Berry; Publishers: Judy J Olmstead Trust/Universal Polygram, ASCAP; JB (CDX)
-Simple guitar, piano and brushed drums back him. And with a voice this splendid and a song this great, that’s all he needs. Masterful.