Music Biz Announces Full Agenda for Indie Music Forum

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The Music Business Association (Music Biz) and co-organizer Hypebot have announced the full agenda for this year’s “Indie Music Forum powered by Hypebot,” set for May 18th. The forum is part of the Music Biz 2017 convention at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville which will be held May 15-18th.

The Indie Music Forum will include a Keynote Conversation with Richard James Burgess, Ph.D., CEO of the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), a trade organization representing over 400 independently-owned record labels. Burgess will share how his experiences as an artist, musician, producer, composer, manager, educator, inventor, and label executive inform his advocacy for independent labels and artists.

Other sessions include Authentic Artist Branding Bootcamp, led by Kevin Breuner, VP of Marketing, CD Baby, and Chris Robley, Editor, CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog; and What’s Your Deal? Understanding Recording Agreements in 2017, moderated by Jamie Starling, Director of Business & Legal Affairs, Entertainment One and including Molly Shehan, Associate, Milom Horsnell Crow Rose Kelley, PLC and Chris Taylor, President, Entertainment One Music.

For more information or to register for Music Biz 2017, visit www.musicbiz2017.com. A special rate of $249 is available for first-time artists, songwriters, managers, and independent labels.

 

Chris Waters Joins Pearl Promotion Team

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Pearl Records continues expanding its staff with the addition of Chris Waters as Director, Regional Promotion. Waters comes to Pearl from his post at Show Dog Nashville, and has also previously worked for Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Cumulus Media.

“Chris is a seasoned promotion executive whose creativity, work ethic and relationships make him the perfect fit for our team.  We are thrilled to have him on board,” said Lesly Simon, General Manager.

“I’m humbled and grateful to Mandy, Lesly and Garth for trusting me with the responsibility of representing the greatest artist of all time,” said Chris Waters. “Garth Brooks has an aggressive vision and his energy is contagious. I’m very excited to join the Pearl team!”

Waters can be reached at: chriswaters@pearlrecordsinc.com.

LifeNotes: Lynda Ann Duncan, Wife of Promoter Jerry Duncan, Dies

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Pictured (L-R): Lynda Ann Duncan, Jerry Duncan

Wife to Duncan Promotions’ Jerry Duncan and and mother to Lisa Smoot, Lynda Ann Duncan, peacefully passed away at her home in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017.

In addition to her husband and daughter, Duncan is survived by son Mark Davis and grandchildren Laura Prestige, Kendall Davis, and Waylon Tolliver.

The visitation and funeral service will be held at South End United Methodist Church, located at 5042 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, Tennessee. Visitation will take place at noon with the service following at 3 p.m. CT. Burial will take place at Christ Church Memorial Gardens, located at 15354 Old Hickory Blvd in Nashville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Mountain Outreach (operated by the University of the Cumberlands), South End Methodist Church or any other charity of choice. For more information, please contact Rick Kelly at 615-269-7071 ext. 134 or email [email protected].

Weekly Register: Reba McEntire Tops Country, Christian/Gospel Albums Charts

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Reba McEntire tops the Country Albums chart (and lands at No. 4 on the overall albums chart) this week with Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope, moving 52K (album only). Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope also tops the Christian/Gospel charts, with 54,426 in total consumption.

Brantley Gilbert‘s The Devil Don’t Sleep lands at No. 2, with 19K. Garth Brooks‘ The Ultimate Collection lands at No. 3 with 11K. Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller is at No. 4, with 7.2K, while Keith Urban‘s Ripcord rounds out the Top 5 with 6.8K.

Sam Hunt

On the Country Tracks rankings, Sam Hunt‘s “Body Like A Backroad” lands at No. 1, with 72K. The track’s two-week total is 125K.

Zac Brown Band‘s “My Old Man” takes the No. 2 position with 37K. Little Big Town‘s “Better Man” takes the No. 3 spot with 24K. Jon Pardi‘s “Dirt On My Boots” lands at No. 4, with 19K. Keith Urban‘s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” is at No. 5, with 19K.

Information courtesy of Nielsen Soundscan.

Compass Records Signs Dublin-Based Band I Draw Slow

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I Draw Slow

Compass Records has signed Dublin-based roots band, I Draw Slow.

The band is fronted by siblings Dave Holden (guitar) and Louise Holden (vocals), who have been writing together for two decades. In 2008 the pair teamed up with violinist Adrian Hart, clawhammer banjo player Colin Derham, and double bassist Konrad Liddy to form I Draw Slow.

The band has played to audiences in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, and performed at North American festivals including MerleFest, Pickathon, Wintergrass, RockyGrass, Grey Fox, Red Wing, Edmonton Folk Fest, Sisters Folk Festival and Mountain Stage. It was their 2014 performance at MerleFest that first put the band on the radar for Compass co-founders Garry West and Alison Brown, who were impressed with the band’s performance and the reaction from buyers in the MerleFest merch tent.

“First, we noticed how they got the crowd involved in what they were doing. Their energy is truly infectious,” says West. “Then we noticed that their CDs and merchandise were flying off the shelves in the festival store. That kind of immediate response is always going to get our attention! But more than anything we’ve been impressed with the strength of the songwriting, the sibling harmony and the musical proficiency of the band. They are truly dedicated to their craft.”

Dave says, “We are delighted to sign with Compass Records for our new album. An Irish band that plays American folk music doesn’t always make sense to everyone, but we feel right at home on their roster. Their relationships and reputation in the industry will help us tell our story and take us to the next level.”

The band crowd-funded their latest album, Turn Your Face To The Sun, which will release April 21 on Compass Records.

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill Sign With Sony Music Entertainment

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Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have each signed with Sony Music Entertainment, MusicRow has confirmed. McGraw was previously signed with Big Machine Label Group, while Hill was previously signed with Warner Bros.

Billboard reports the multiple-album deal includes solo albums from both McGraw and Hill.

They also reported the deal was orchestrated by Sony Music Entertainment CEO Doug Morris, Columbia Records Chairman and CEO Rob Stringer, Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman, as well as Hill’s manager, Sandbox Entertainment’s Jason Owen, and McGraw’s manager Scott Siman and attorney Joel Katz, who negotiated the deal for Hill and McGraw.

Hill’s final album for Warner Bros. Records, titled Deep Tracks, released Nov. 18, 2016. The project was a compilation of album cuts from previous projects.

McGraw previously released the album Damn Country Music on Big Machine Label Group in November 2015. His song “Humble & Kind” earned songwriter Lori McKenna a Best Country Song honor at Sunday (Feb. 12)’s Grammy awards.

Plowboy Music Names General Manager, Launches New Imprint And Artist Management Services

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Ben Ewing, Shannon Pollard

Ben Ewing has been appointed as General Manager for Plowboy Records. In celebrating Plowboy’s five-year anniversary, a new imprint—Plowboy Legacy—has been created to include a roster of artists who helped shape modern country and rock music.

Additionally, the Need More Artist Management company has been launched to managed established artists, specifically those who produce their own recordings and actively tour to support their music.

“This is a great time for independent artists and labels to unite and create important, memorable music that matters,” said Plowboy Music President Shannon Pollard. “Ben understands the fine balance between art and commerce and I am excited to partner with him to reenergize our current catalog and build our future.”

“I look forward to working with Shannon in continuing the legacy of Eddy Arnold and exposing the world to great artists, past and present, of American made music,” said Ewing.

One of label’s first releases, You Don’t Know Me: Rediscovering Eddy Arnold, was a tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame member and Pollard’s grandfather, Eddy Arnold. Current releases for Plowboy Records include projects by Paul Burch, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, The Kentucky Headhunters and Blackfoot Gypsies. Plowboy Records is distributed by Select-O-Hits in the U.S. and Canada and by Proper Distribution in Australia and Europe.

Industry Ink: T.J Martell Foundation, Curb Records, Houston Livestock Show, Personal Managers Hall of Fame

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T.J. Martell Foundation Young Professionals To Host Second Annual “Derby Bed Race”

The second annual “Downtown Derby Bed Race” will take place on May 6 in Nashville. Presented by the T.J. Martell Foundation Young Professionals Council, the competition, in which teams build and decorate their own beds to race up 5th Avenue to Bridgestone Plaza, netted over $70,000 last year for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

Team registration is now open here.
 

Curb Records Promotes Jesse Lowe

Jessie Lowe has been promoted to Curb Records Coordinator of Promotion. Lowe started in the promotion department of Curb’s Sidewalk Records and has been with the company since 2015. In her new position, she will be the primary liaison to secondary radio, management, and artists and will assist with daily activities for Curb’s artist roster.
 

Meghan Trainor Cancels Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Performance

Due to extended vocal rest, Meghan Trainor will be unable to perform at RodeoHouston March 14 as scheduled. Houston Livestock Show officials are currently working on booking a new artist. Tickets previously purchased for the March 14 RodeoHouston performance are still valid. Refund information for individual tickets will be announced next week.

 

Nominations Being Accepted For 2017 Personal Managers Hall of Fame Induction

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2017 induction into the Personal Managers Hall of Fame. Established in 2015 by the National Conference of Personal Managers (NCOPM), the Personal Managers Hall of Fame celebrates illustrious careers in entertainment, music, sports and talent management. Hall of Fame members include such legendary managers as Bernie Brillstein, Brian Epstein, Shep Gordon, Ken Kragen, Doc McGhee, Jack Rollins, Jerry Solomon and Larry A. Thompson.

Inductees are selected by the NCOPM National Board of Officers and will be inducted in ceremonies on May 18 in Las Vegas. Nominations will be accepted online until March 10, 2017, at personalmanagershalloffame.org.

2017 Grammy Ratings On Par With Last Year

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Sunday evening’s (Feb. 12) Grammy Awards, dominated by Adele, drew ratings on par with 2016, drawing a 7.3 rating among adults 18-49, with a 22 share. The show brought in 23.97 million viewers, according to deadline.com.

Only Fox ran original programming on Sunday, Feb. 12, during the same time slot as CBS’ Grammy Awards.

In 2016, when the show aired on a Monday (Feb. 15, 2016), a Taylor Swift-dominated Grammys came in at 24.95 million viewers, and a 7.7 rating.

Adele swept the evening’s largest categories last night, earning Song, Record and Album honors. Highlights from the evening included performances from Adele, Beyonce, A Tribe Called Quest, Bruno Mars, Maren Morris with Alicia Keys, Sturgill Simpson, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban.

James Corden hosted the show for the first time.

 

 

Dolly Parton Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Debut Album

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Fifty years ago today, Dolly Parton released her groundbreaking debut album project, Hello, I’m Dolly. The Monument Records album, which was produced by Fred Foster, reached No. 11 on the country albums chart and contained Parton’s hits “Dumb Blonde” (written by Curly Putman) and “Something Fishy” (written by Parton). Both singles reached the Top 20 on the country singles charts.

The album caught the attention of Porter Wagoner and ultimately inspired him to invite Parton to become a member of his band and appear on his popular weekly TV show. It contained Parton’s versions of three songs she penned that had already been hits for other artists: “Put it Off Until Tomorrow” (Bill Phillips), “Fuel to the Flame” (Skeeter Davis), and “I’m In No Condition” which charted by Hank Williams Jr.

“I can’t believe it’s been 50 years since I did my first album,” Parton recalls. “What a wonderful 50 years it has been. Thanks to my Uncle Bill Owens and Fred Foster for believing in me early on. And thanks to all the fans out there…I hope to have at least another 50 years!”