The Grand Ole Opry Salutes USO’s 75th Anniversary

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Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins. Photo: Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry has a special show set for May 24 to celebrate the USO’s 75th anniversary.

The lineup includes Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Lee Greenwood, the Oak Ridge Boys, and more, including the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band making its third appearance on the Opry stage.

Prior to the show, special guest U.S. veterans will be welcomed to the Opry House by artists and fans during a red carpet arrival parade. Participating veterans will represent service members who have served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror and have returned to support other service members as USO volunteers.

The public is invited to be a part of the red carpet arrivals outside the Opry House beginning at 5:45 p.m. The evening’s Opry performance begins at 7:00 p.m.

“All of us at the Opry are ever-thankful for the men and women we will be recognizing on May 24,” said Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher. “It’s the perfect night to show in word and song our appreciation to those who have served our country, and in particular those who have returned to strengthen America’s military as USO volunteers.”

The USO’s partnership with the country music industry dates as far back as the early 1940’s, when Gene Autry traveled to the Pacific and toured with a group of USO performers. Following in his footsteps and beginning what is now a long-standing tradition, stars of the Grand Ole Opry began touring with the USO in 1949. Among some of the earliest faces to participate in USO tours were Red Foley, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Roy Rogers, among others.

MusiCorps is a music rehabilitation program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that helps severely wounded warriors play music and recover their lives. The MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band’s Opry appearance is made possible by Humana, presenting sponsor of the Grand Ole Opry.

The USO (United Services Organization) is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Its programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of corporate partners and the dedication of volunteers and staff.

‘Nashville’ Canceled By ABC, Mayor Megan Barry “Incredibly Disappointed”

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Nashville on ABC

ABC’s Nashville will conclude its four-season run on May 25.

According to Variety, this season, the series is averaging a 1.8 rating in adults 18-49 and 6.7 million viewers overall in Nielsen’s “live plus-7” estimates.

We are incredibly disappointed to hear the news that ABC has not renewed the show “Nashville” for another season. The show has been an enormously successful promotional tool for our city, which is why the State of Tennessee and Metro Nashville were prepared to support production for a fifth season the be filmed here. This is a loss for ABC and for the millions of fans across the world who have grown to love this show. We have enjoyed hosting the cast and crew of the show over the last four years and look forward to future opportunities for film and television production here in Nashville– Nashville Mayor Megan Barry (via Facebook)

Big Machine Records will release the latest volume of the series soundtrack, The Music of Nashville, Season 4, Volume 2, on Friday (May 13).

Charlie Daniels Invites Kid Rock, Larry The Cable Guy To 80th Birthday Volunteer Jam

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Charlie Daniels Volunteer Birthday Jam

Charlie Daniels will be joined by friends Kid Rock and Larry the Cable Guy at his 80th Birthday Volunteer Jam on Nov. 30.

The concert will be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Tickets go on sale Friday (May 13) at 10 a.m. Prices start at $25. Three additional performers will be announced in the coming months.

Daniels, a 2016 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, will turn 80 on Oct. 28.

“This year, I combined two milestones, my 80th birthday and the Volunteer Jam. It’s pretty amazing that we’re both alive and kicking and still going strong. Ain’t it good to be alive and be in Tennessee?” said Daniels.

A portion of the proceeds from the night will go to the The Journey Home Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit co-founded by Daniels and manager David Corlew to help Veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

Charlie Daniels’ 80th Birthday Volunteer Jam is produced by Mike Smardak of Outback Concerts in association with David Corlew & Associates and Webster & Associates.

Giggling Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman Light Up “The Fighter”

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Keith Urban Ripcord

With more than six million views in six hours, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are charming the internet with their lip sync version of “The Fighter.”

In an adorable video uploaded Thursday (May 12), the spouses are situated in the front seat of a car, smiling and laughing their way through one of Urban’s new tunes.

“Oh my God, I love this song,” Kidman says in the clip.

“Good, thank goodness,” Urban replies, setting off a round of giggles from the couple, who will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary on June 25.

“Fighter” is a track from Urban’s album Ripcord, which released on Friday (May 6). On the project Carrie Underwood takes the female vocals. In the video, Kidman lip syncs the female part to Underwood’s vocals.

Ripcord already boasts two No. 1 songs, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” and “Break On Me,” in addition to his current radio single, “Wasted Time.”

See the video below:

The Peach Pickers, Special Guests Raise $100,000 For Georgia Music Foundation

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Pictured (L-R): Randy Houser, Luke Bryan and Lee Brice. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Pictured (L-R): Randy Houser, Luke Bryan and Lee Brice. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

On Tuesday (May 10), Luke Bryan, Lee Brice, Randy Houser and many other special guests performed at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium as part of the third annual Georgia On My Mind concert. Presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey, the concert was hosted by songwriting trio The Peach Pickers—Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins, and Ben Hayslip.

Pictured (L-R): Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Pictured (L-R): Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins
Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

The concert raised more than $100,000 to benefit the Georgia Music Foundation, a non-profit organization chaired by Davidson that supports music preservation, education and outreach in The Peach Pickers’ home state of Georgia. The concert also served as a salute to iconic soul singer (and Georgia musician) Otis Redding, with performances from sons Dexter Redding and Otis Redding III.

Dexter Redding and Otis Redding III. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Dexter Redding and Otis Redding III. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Others taking the stage that evening included Big Boi, Craig Campbell, Tyler Farr, Randy Houser, Maggie Rose and rising singer/songwriters Travis Denning, Trea Landon, Jon Langston, Jordan Rager and Cole Taylor.

Leading up to the event, MusicRow spoke with Davidson about the importance of the concert to his home state of Georgia, and discussed his publishing and management company Play It Again Music Publishing.

Pictured (L-R): Dallas Davidson, Maggie Rose and Big Boi. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Pictured (L-R): Dallas Davidson, Maggie Rose and Big Boi. Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty

Glenn Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo” Celebrates 75 Years

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Glenn Miller‘s classic “Chattanooga Choo Choo” marked its 75th anniversary with a party and parade in Chattanooga, Tennessee on May 7.

The celebration included a parade featuring a mass of local high school marching bands, a community sing-along, the dedication of the Glenn Miller Rose Garden, the premier of a documentary about the song featuring historian and MusicRow’s Robert K. Oermann, the presentation of artwork by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development’s Director of Communications Cindy Dupree, an evening big-band concert by Sweet Georgia Sound, and day-long entertainment by bands, dancers and buskers.

A 75th Anniversary celebration of "Chattanooga Choo Choo."

A 75th Anniversary celebration of “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”

The song was introduced to the world 75 years ago, when Miller and his orchestra’s performance was featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade. The song was released on RCA Victor’s Bluebird label.

By February 1942, “Chattanooga Choo Choo” sold 1.2 million copies. To commemorate the sales, RCA Victor executives painted a 78 rpm record gold, and presented it to Miller on a live radio show. Thus, “Chattanooga Choo Choo” received the first-ever gold record.

In 1996, the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In a new video, Oermann details American culture in the 1930s and 1940s that set the stage for the song’s influence.

See the video below:

Mark Claassen Returns To WME With Christian Music Roster

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Mark Claassen

Mark Claassen

Veteran music agent Mark Claassen is returning to WME in the company’s Nashville office, according to WME Nashville co-heads Rob Beckham and Greg Oswald. Claassen brings artists including Lincoln Brewster, Jon Foreman, Gungor, Kutless, Derek Minor, Jimmy Needham, Lacey Sturm, Switchfoot and Thousand Foot Krutch.

Claassen will work primarily with the office’s Christian Music team, led by agent Mike Snider.

“Mark is a terrific agent and we are fortunate to have him back at WME,” said Snider. “His addition further underscores our commitment to the Christian Music space, and we are excited about the new opportunities we will be able to provide our clients with our expansion.”

“I am thrilled to be back at WME, it feels like coming home!” said Claassen, “I look forward to working with the Christian Music department, the Nashville office and WME as a whole. This agency has incredible tools to help its clients thrive in this new ecosystem of music and entertainment.”

Claassen’s career has included roles as an agent, A&R executive, radio promoter and studio manager. After working at William Morris Agency for nine years, he opened Elite Talent Agency in 2009.

Claassen’s hire follows the creation of WME Nashville’s Christian Music team in 2014 that brought Snider, Kevin Huffman, and Sean Kelly to the agency.

ASCAP Announces Settlement Agreement With U.S. Department of Justice

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ASCAP logo

ASCAP has reached a Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice with no finding of antitrust violations by ASCAP.

The Settlement Agreement addresses concerns expressed by the Department of Justice with exclusivity provisions that were included in some historical agreements with ASCAP members. The exclusivity provisions were never enforced and have been removed from all agreements.

The Settlement Agreement also concludes a review of the composition of the ASCAP Board of Directors by the Department of Justice. The Agreement maintains the current ASCAP Board of Directors structure of 12 songwriter/composer members and 12 music publisher members elected by the membership, while ensuring that publisher board members do not participate in the approval of new licensing agreements. The current structure of the Board of Directors has been in place for 95 years.

This Settlement Agreement clears the way for ASCAP and the Department of Justice to continue their discussions in connection with updates to the Consent Decree requested by ASCAP in order to reflect today’s digital music marketplace.

“Settling this matter was the right thing to do for our members,” said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. “With these issues resolved, we continue our focus on leading the way towards a more efficient, effective and transparent music licensing system and advocating for key reforms to the laws that govern music creator compensation.”

“We took immediate steps to resolve this matter and have strong controls in place moving forward,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. “This settlement enables ASCAP to focus on our mission of protecting the rights of music creators, who depend on us for their livelihoods, and to maintain our unique status as the only member-owned and governed performing rights organization in the U.S.”

The Settlement Agreement was approved by the ASCAP Board of Directors and is now subject to the approval of the ASCAP Federal Rate Court Judge.

Hits From The Hall Lineup Announced For May 25 Show

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Hits From the Hall image

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members Sonny Curtis and Craig Wiseman will join hit songwriter Rodney Clawson for the next Hits From The Hall show.

The concert will take place Wednesday, May 25, at City Winery from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Tickets are $20 for downstairs seating and $30 for limited upstairs VIP seating. All seats are reserved and may be purchased at citywinery.com/nashville or by contacting the venue at (615) 324-1010.

Wiseman has written hits like “Live Like You Were Dying,” “The Good Stuff,” and “Believe.” Curtis has composed songs like “I Fought the Law,” “Love Is All Around” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.” Clawson’s credits include “I Saw God Today,” “Drunk on You” and “Sippin’ on Fire.”

Oh Boy Records, Thirty Tigers Announce Distribution Partnership

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Oh Boy and Thirty Tigers

Oh Boy Records has announced an exclusive music distribution partnership with Thirty Tigers.

As of Friday (May 13), Thirty Tigers will officially manage the worldwide distribution of Oh Boy’s physical and digital catalog, as well as upcoming projects. The independent label was founded in 1981 by songwriter John Prine and his manager Al Bunetta.

“We get to make the music we want to, in the way we always have, with support from a company that works with many other independent artists I admire,” Prine said.

Oh Boy Records and Thirty Tigers are both based in Nashville, which will make for a close working relationship.

Thirty Tigers founder David Macias said, “There are a few moments in this business that I will always remember, and I’ll put right at the top of the list when I found out that we were being bestowed the honor of fighting for the music of John Prine. The wit, the empathy, the songwriting perfection have been the North Star for so many artists, and his music has meant so much to me personally. I can’t wait to get started.”

Founded at a time when artist-run labels were extremely rare, Oh Boy Records has become one of the most respected independent labels in the business. In 2015, after the sudden passing of Bunetta, Prine became the sole owner and President of OBR.

John Prine

John Prine

Now a family run company, John’s wife, Fiona Whelan Prine, is Managing Partner, and oldest son Jody Whelan is Director of Operations. Supporting Jody Whelan with day-to- day operations is Eileen Tilson, Director of Marketing.

Whelan said, “We’re very excited to start working with Thirty Tigers. Oh Boy Records is a label dedicated to songwriters and their craft, and Thirty Tigers will help support us in sharing our catalog with fans all over the world. And we’ve got some great new projects that we can’t wait to announce!”

As one of the longest-running independent and artist-owned labels in the country, Oh Boy Records has released recordings by singer-songwriters such as Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Donnie Fritts, Shawn Camp, Dan Reeder and Todd Snider, along with reissues of classic country music artists including Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty and more.

Thirty Tigers is a music marketing, management, distribution, and publishing company. Thirty Tigers Distribution has served as a label infrastructure for a vast client base including The Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chase Rice, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Bingham, Patty Griffin, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Trampled By Turtles, and many others in their 14 years of working with Sony/RED Distribution.