Jason Aldean Exhibit Coming To Country Music Hall of Fame

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cmhof

Jason Aldean has been revealed as the first of five country artists who will have new exhibits at the Country Music Hall of Fame this year. The reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year’s exhibit will open May 26, 2017 and will run through Nov. 5, 2017. The exhibit will chronicle Aldean’s early childhood, through his move to Nashville, his struggle to be heard and his groundbreaking success with an independent record company.

On Sept. 6, Aldean released his seventh studio album for Broken Bow, titled They Don’t Know, which debuted at No. 1 on the country albums chart. The album launched two chart-toppers, including “Lights Come On” and “A Little More Summertime,” as well as his current single, “Any Ol’ Barstool.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame will reveal a new artist each day this week, by sharing a mystery image and clue each evening at 9 p.m. CT via social media. The artist will be revealed the following day.

The Academy Of Country Music Selects Pete Fisher As New CEO

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Pete Fisher, CEO of the Academy of Country Music

Pete Fisher, CEO of the Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music announced today (Jan. 9) that Pete Fisher has been selected as the Academy’s new Chief Executive Officer. He will take the helm beginning Monday, January 30, 2017 and will relocate with his wife from Nashville, TN to Los Angeles, CA.

Fisher has served as the Vice President and General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, a post he held for 17 years that will end on January 20. Fisher oversaw the Opry through significant transformation over the years and was instrumental in navigating the Opry through the historic Nashville flood in 2010 with a $20 million renovation of the Opry House.

Ken Tucker, Chairman of the Academy’s Board of Directors, says “Pete is a team builder, a champion of the importance of office culture and a person who believes strongly in discerning and following a strategic path alongside those around him. Through Pete’s successful leadership, the Opry became a place that recognized the importance of exposing legendary, contemporary and emerging artists equally. Tucker adds, “The Board thanks Tiffany Moon for her command through this interim search period as well as the staff for keeping the Academy on a forward trajectory. We feel very lucky to have Pete’s leadership in the next phase of the Academy’s growth and presence on the world’s entertainment stage, heading into 2017.”

“Our mission when we started the selection process was to take our time and do it right,” says Duane Clark, ACM Vice President and co-chairman of the CEO selection committee. “We wanted to have a process that was thorough and one that opened the doors so we had every opportunity to find the right candidate. We were very fortunate to have had such a wide range of great candidates and we were all very excited when Pete voiced his interest in the position.” Clark also shared with MusicRow some of the key criteria in filling the position. These traits included someone with leadership experience, TV and entertainment background, the ability to be an ambassador for the Academy and to represent the face and voice of the Academy moving forward. Other important qualities included strong brand awareness and strong partnership management skills.

Fisher will be only the second Chief Executive Officer in the Academy’s 53-year-history. Bob Romeo stepped down from the post in May of 2016 after 13 years at the organization. Prior to that, the Academy was managed day-to-day by Fran Boyd and Bill Boyd, dating back to the Academy’s inception in 1964.

Fisher spoke to MusicRow to discuss his new leadership position with the ACM:

With such a significant career change after many successful years at the Opry, what are you feeling right now?
I am thrilled. My 17 years at the Opry have been extraordinary and I’m so proud of what the team has accomplished during that time and now it’s time to start a new chapter in my career. Industry service and music industry trade organizations have always been a passion of mine and when this opportunity came up, I didn’t hesitate to throw my name in the hat.

What attracted you to the CEO position with the Academy of Country Music?
First of all, I’ve been a board member and a believer of everything the Academy represents since 2003. A few years later, I became a board member of ACM Lifting Lives as well. Throughout my career, I’ve always made it a priority to serve industry organizations. It has been a passion of mine and very fulfilling. When I look at the Academy of Country Music, it’s a perfect alignment with the things I love to do. As CEO, I think I bring the skill sets that will help this organization grow into the future and enjoy new accomplishments and build upon everything that has been accomplished so far.

What have you learned at the Opry that you will be taking with you in this new leadership role?
The Opry has prepared me so well. I am so grateful to people like Colin Reed, Mark Fioravanti and Steve Buchanan for all they have taught me over the years. The Grand Ole Opry is one of the world’s renowned brands so I have developed a great understanding of branded entertainment and brand development. I have been involved in the production of over 300 television shows, specials, DVDs and audio projects. My time at the Opry has fed me an incredible array of relationships throughout the music industry both in Nashville and Los Angeles. I have developed close and sometimes personal relationships with almost all of the artists in the country music industry. The Opry is a showcase for the entire country music artist community so over the years, I have literally grown up with many of those careers and consider many of those artists my friends. Also, being in a corporate environment that the Opry is part of, I learned some incredible ‘best practices’ for how to run a successful organization. I have learned to appreciate the importance of people first, culture second, and strategy third. If you don’t get people and culture right, the best strategy in the world is not going to be executed with success.

Speaking of strategy, are you looking to expand the brand and reach of the ACM?
My first commitment to the organization is to listen and learn from the staff, the board, and from the music industry at large. I want to understand their perceptions of the academy and hear their ideas for what the academy can become. Then we plan to move into a successful awards show in Vegas. Lastly, we will enter into a collaborative strategic planning process with the board, revisit the mission, and create a roadmap to that vision.

After 32 years in Nashville, relocating to Los Angeles is a big move. How will that affect your relationship with Nashville?
My job will be to be as connected as I’ve ever been to Nashville. I really want to increase the presence of the Academy of Country Music in Nashville and also discover what the Academy might be able to bring from the west coast to country music to help broaden and strengthen its reach.

Colin Reed, Chairman and CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties, released a statement regarding Fisher and the GM/VP position at the Grand Ole Opry. “We are excited for Pete and believe this position is a tremendous opportunity for him, the ACM and our industry,” said Reed. “I feel certain that the Opry will continue to have a great relationship with him in this new capacity. We have begun our search for someone to fill this key role within our organization and will have more to share once we have identified that individual.”

To send congratulations, you can reach Pete Fisher at [email protected].

Curb Records Promotes Blair Munday To VP, Creative Services

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Blair Munday

Blair Munday

Curb Records has promoted Blair Munday to Vice President, Creative Services. Munday will oversee all aspects of Creative for the label’s country, Christian and pop rosters, and will continue to report to Curb Records Vice President of Marketing, Jeff Tuerff.

Munday has served in the Creative department since joining the company in 2003.

Tuerff says, “Blair’s creativity and passion for her work and the artist roster are a tremendous asset to the Creative department. We are incredibly pleased to recognize her hard work with this well deserved promotion!”

Munday says, “It’s such an honor to work at a company that has a clear vision for its future under the leadership of Jim Ed Norman and Taylor Childress. I am excited about my new role and look forward to continuing to work with Jeff Tuerff.  This is an exciting season for our company with a great roster full of young, diverse talent.”

Congratulations can be sent to [email protected].

Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban Top Country Charts

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Chris Stapleton. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Webster PR

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Webster PR

Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller returns to the top of the country albums rankings this week, with 11K sold. Those numbers put the album topping 1.781 million in sales to date.

Miranda Lambert‘s The Weight Of These Wings is at No. 2 with 7.8K sold. Keith Urban‘s Ripcord lands at No. 3, with 7.7K sold, followed by Blake Shelton‘s If I’m Honest at No. 4, with 7.5k sold. Jason Aldean‘s They Don’t Know is at No. 5 with 6.2K.

Garth Brooks‘ Ultimate Hits remains in the top spot on the Country catalog chart, selling 4.7K this week, for total sales of 2.648 million.

Overall album sales are down 15.2 percent year to date, while overall digital album sales are down 16.9 percent year to date. Country album sales have decreased 1.8 percent, while country digital album sales declined 15.1 percent year to date.

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

On the digital track sales chart, Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” remains in the top slot, with 32K sold, for a total of 692K to date. Little Big Town‘s “Better Man” is at No. 2, with 26K, while Jon Pardi‘s “Dirt On My Boots” lands at No. 3, with 21K. Florida Georgia Line‘s “May We All” featuring Tim McGraw is at No. 4, with 19K, while Little Big Town‘s 2015 hit “Girl Crush” remains in the Top 5 this week with 18K sold, following last week’s return to the chart.

Brantley Gilbert‘s “Outlaw In Me” debuts at No. 29 country (No. 119 overall), with 7K sold.

Overall track sales have declined 25.7 percent year to date, while country track sales have decreased 26.1 percent YTD.

Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.

Rezonant Music Publishing Appoints Rebekah Gordon As VP, Creative

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Rebekah Gordon

Rebekah Gordon

Rebekah Gordon joins the staff of Rezonant Music Publishing as Vice President, Creative, according to an announcement from Tim Wipperman, the company’s CEO and founding partner.

In her new role at Rezonant, Gordon will create and explore opportunities for the writers and their works, as well as the catalog of Rezonant Music songs. She will also focus on new writer and artist development.

Gordon has been involved in the Nashville music community for nearly a dozen years, having most recently worked as Director of A&R at Warner Music Nashville. Outside of the Nashville community, she oversaw the A&R direction of Jimmy Fallon’s comedy album Blow Your Pants Off, as well as the soundtrack for the major motion picture, Footloose.

“Rebekah has a reputation in town for getting things done, and that fits perfectly with the Rezonant culture,” Wipperman said. “Our company is entering this new year with tremendous excitement about the team and the talented writers we have signed.”

Gordon can be reached at [email protected].

LifeNotes: Ruth Jackson, Mother of Alan Jackson, Dies at 86

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Alan Jackson Ruth Jackson

Alan Jackson‘s mother, Ruth Musick Jackson, affectionately known by family and friends as “Mama Ruth,” passed away Saturday (Jan.7) at her home in Newnan, Georgia, where she resided for 70 years. She was 86.

“Mama Ruth” was well-known and loved by her son’s fans and her influence factored heavily into his songs throughout his career. She inspired his Precious Memories album, a collection of hymns originally created as a gift to her for Mother’s Day with no intention of being a commercial release. And Jackson’s second holiday album, Let It Be Christmas, was also inspired by Mama Ruth’s desire to hear her son sing some of the holiday’s traditional classics. And the early days of his parents’ marriage of course inspired his song “Home,” as well.

Mama Ruth was born in 1930 in Lowell, Georgia, and married Jackson’s daddy, Eugene Jackson, in 1946. The two had five children, Alan and four girls, and she is survived by her children as well as 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

 

 

U2 to Headline Bonnaroo as Part of Special ‘Joshua Tree’ Tour

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u2

U2 is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Joshua Tree album this year with a special international stadium tour, which will include the band’s first-ever U.S. festival headlining appearance at Bonnaroo, according to Billboard.com.

The legendary band will perform their classic fifth album in its entirety on every date of the upcoming tour, which kicks off May 12 in Vancouver and hits Dallas, Seattle, Miami, Boston, and other U.S. cities plus a handful of European dates as well. Opening acts for the stateside dates will include Mumford & Sons, OneRepublic or The Lumineers. 

The Joshua Tree 2017 tour is the band’s first tour since 2009’s 360, which made history by grossing more than $736,137,344 with a total attendance of 7,268,430, both the highest tour tallies ever reported to Billboard. Tickets for the North American leg go on sale January 17th. More information can be found at u2.com and livenation.com.

U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017:

NORTH AMERICA DATES:
May 12 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place*
May 14 – Seattle, WA – CenturyLink Field*
May 17 – Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium*
May 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Rose Bowl+
May 24 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium+
May 26 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium+
June 3 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field+
June 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Field+
June 8-11 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Festival
June 11 – Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium^
June 14 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium^
June 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field+
June 20 – Washington DC – FedExField+
June 23 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre+
June 25 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium+
June 28 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium+
July 1 – Cleveland, OH – FirstEnergy Stadium^
17
* with Mumford & Sons
+ with The Lumineers
^ with OneRepublic

EUROPE DATES:
July 8 – London, UK – Twickenham
July 12 – Berlin, DE – Olympic Stadium
July 15 – Rome, IT – Olympic Stadium
July 18 – Barcelona, ES – Olympic Stadium
July 22 – Dublin, IE – Croke Park
July 25 – Paris, FR – Stade de France
July 29 – Amsterdam, NE – Amsterdam Arena
August 1 – Brussels, BE – Stade Roi Baudouin
with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

 

Industry Ink: Kris Lamb, Blair Garner, Elissa Newland

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Dot Records VP To Teach At Belmont University

kris-lamb

Dot Records VP of Promotion, Kris Lamb, will teach a new class at Belmont University during the Spring 2017 semester. Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, Lamb will begin teaching as an adjunct professor, bringing over 11 years of radio promotion experience to the 3-hour-credit course Music Promotion Strategies.

“Belmont was invaluable to me during my formative years in radio and records,” expressed Lamb. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to give back by teaching and mentoring students in real-time on the process of taking an artist from zero to hero utilizing all the evolving tools in the world of music promotion.”

Lamb graduated from Belmont in 2005 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis on Music and Entertainment Studies. He joined Big Machine Label Group in 2010; his past roles include Senior Director West Coast Promotion (Big Machine Records) and Director National Promotion (Dot Records). He will continue his full-time position as the Dot Records VP of Promotion, guiding the careers of Drake White, Maddie & Tae, Tucker Beathard and Aaron Lewis.

Blair Garner Marries

Blair GarnerCongratulations to radio personality Blair Garner who officially married partner Eric on Garner’s birthday, Sept. 24. The host shared the good news via the Morning Hangover outlet. The two celebrated their big day with children Braxton and Ava.

 

CMHOF logo1Elissa Newland Joins Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Elissa Newland has joined the Country Music Hall of Fame as Creative Department Traffic & Assets Manager. In her new department, Newland will work closely with the museum’s graphic design team. She will be responsible for facilitating job workflow, creating schedules, tracking project progress, routing work for review and approval and more.

Newland comes to the Hall of Fame from NASH Country Weekly, where she was Photo Editor. Prior to moving to Nashville, she worked in New York City as a photo editor of celebrity portraiture that was licensed to media outlets globally. She also managed special gallery and e-commerce projects for key accounts with Duggal Visual Solutions. A California native, she graduated from the Brooks Institute of Photography with a bachelor’s degree in Media.

Promotions, Departures At Black River Entertainment

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Pictured (Clockwise, L-R): XX, Dawn Delvo, XX, Mike Wilson

Pictured (Clockwise, L-R): Bailey White, Dawn Delvo, Tanya Welch, Mike Wilson

Black River Entertainment CEO Gordon Kerr has announced the promotion of Dawn Delvo, Tanya Welch, and Mike Wilson.  Bailey White is welcomed as the new Promotion Coordinator. Exiting the company are General Manager Greg McCarn, and Promotion Coordinator Taylor Weil.

Delvo, who joined the team nearly six years ago in 2011, has been promoted from Director of Public Relations to Head of Media and Public Relations for the company.

Following more than 20 years with Sony Music Nashville, Welch joined Black River Entertainment in June of 2015 as Senior Director, Marketing and has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing.

Wilson, who joined the Black River team in 2013 and has served most recently as Vice President of Promotion, has been elevated to Sr. Vice President of Promotion.

“We continue to make strides to become the company we know we have to be in order to help our artists, songwriters, and staff reach their full potential,” said Kerr. “Elevating Dawn and Tanya is the natural step towards that end. I am continually impressed with their leadership, vision and commitment to the Black River family!”

“Mike has mentored and guided our excellent promotion staff, and through that leadership, we have achieved history making results,” said Black River Records’ Executive Vice President Rick Froio. “We are thrilled to announce that Mike will continue to play a major role in the company as our Sr. Vice President of Promotion.”

Dawn and Tanya continue to report to Kerr and can be reached by phone at 615-780-3070 or via email, [email protected] or [email protected].

Mike reports to Black River Records’ EVP Rick Froio, Mike can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 615-780-3070.

Joining Black River’s promotion department as Promotion Coordinator is Bailey White. With a background in pop, country, and Christian formats, Bailey’s previous stops include Sony Music Nashville, Checkd.in, Provident Label Group, Crowd Surf, and most recently the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

“We are very excited to have Bailey joining us,” said Mike Wilson. “She brings in new energy, passion for music, and a great work ethic.”

Bailey reports to Black River’s Sr. Vice President of Promotion Mike Wilson, and can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 615-780-3070.

Nashville Predators To Host Music Row Preservation Night

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nashville_predators_logo_2011-svgThe Nashville Predators will host “Music Row Preservation Night” on Feb. 7 at Bridgestone Arena to show the team’s appreciation for the heart and soul of Music City and support for its future. Special Music Row ticket packages will include admission to the game and a limited-edition T-shirt designed by Tree Vibez Music.

“The Predators are proud to host Music Row Preservation Night in support of efforts to continue making Nashville known around the world as ‘Music City’,” said Nat Harden, Nashville Predators Senior VP of Tickets, Premium Sales and Youth Hockey. “Music Row has been around for over 60 years and it is important to all of us in the Nashville community that it to continue to thrive.”

Tickets for Music Row Preservation Night are now available online nashvillepredators.com/musicrow or by contacting Michael Matts at [email protected].