Carrie Underwood, Rob Potts Honored With CMA International Awards

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Pictured (L-R): Sally Williams, CMA Board Chairman; Carrie Underwood, CMA International Artist Award winner; Brandi Simms, CMA Senior Director of Awards and Industry Relations; and Ann Edelblute, CMA Board member and Underwood’s manager. Photo: Chris Hollo

The Country Music Association (CMA) has announced more International Awards recipients for 2017. Australian promoter Rob Potts was recently honored backstage at CMC Rocks QLD Festival in Australia with the Jo Walker-Meador International Award, while Carrie Underwood was honored backstage at the Grand Ole Opry while celebrating her 100th performance with the CMA’s International Artist Achievement Award.

Formerly the International Touring Artist Award, the CMA International Artist Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a U.S.-based artist who contributes to the awareness and development of country music outside the United States.

Underwood has made touring internationally a priority since performing her first U.K. concert with a quick sell-out at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in 2012, followed by sold-out tours throughout Australia and Canada. After first headlining C2C in 2013, she became the first artist to headline twice, performing in London, Glasgow, and Dublin in 2016, as well as adding dates in Sweden and Norway. Underwood made three additional trips to the U.K. in support of her recent Storyteller album for the Apple Music Festival and major TV performances including X Factor and The Jonathan Ross Show. Last winter, she reteamed with former tour mate Keith Urban for an arena/stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand, bringing her to nearly 25 international markets over the course of the year.

Named for Country Music Hall of Fame member and longtime Executive Director of CMA, the Jo Walker-Meador International Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual or company in advocating and supporting Country Music’s marketing development in territories outside the United States.

Potts, one of Australia’s leading promotors, heads Rob Potts Entertainment Edge where he has been at the forefront of country music’s surge Down Under. He is one of the founders of the CMC Rocks festival franchise, including CMC Rocks QLD, Australia’s first sold-out country music festival. Potts also serves as Chairman of the CMA Australian Advisory Group. Five-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town presented Potts his trophy backstage at the CMC Rocks QLD Festival in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.

“CMA International Awards are a way to recognize our genre’s best ambassadors to fans globally. The recipients of these Awards are the ones on the front lines, continuously driving CMA’s mission to advance Country Music around the world,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

The announcement follows several weeks packed with festivals and other country music events in three different countries – first with the C2C Festival in London, Dublin, and Glasgow; and more recently with the CMC Music Awards and sold-out CMC Rocks QLD Festival in Australia.

Rob Potts (center) receives the Jo Walker-Meador International Award from Little Big Town backstage at CMC Rocks QLD Festival in Australia. Photo: Lachlan Douglas

New Spotify And UMG Agreement Offers Flexible Release Policy

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Spotify and Universal Music Group have entered into a new, multi-year global license agreement.

The new deal will give UMG artists a “flexible release policy,” the option to window new album releases on premium for paid Spotify users for a two-week period.

Under the new agreement, UMG will also have unprecedented access to data that will enable artists to expand, engage, and build deeper connections with the fans.

“Eight years ago, when streaming was a welcome but small source of revenue, UMG embraced partners like Spotify as a way to help return music to a vibrant future benefitting the entire ecosystem,” said Chairman/CEO Universal Music Group Sir Lucian Grainge. “Working hand in hand with these digital services brought us the industry’s first real growth in nearly two decades. Today, streaming represents the majority of the business. Our challenge is transforming that upturn into sustainable growth. In a market this dynamic, one evolving more rapidly than ever before, success requires creative and continual re-evaluation of how best to bring artists’ music to fans. At UMG, we’ve not only reimagined distribution models and technologies, but entire business models. The only constants must be great music and fair compensation for artists and creators. To that end, the long-term success of Spotify, and others like it, is essential to the ecosystem’s enduring health. I congratulate Daniel on Spotify’s continued growth and innovation, and I look forward to working together with him and his team to develop exciting new ways to connect artists and fans around the world.”

“This partnership is built on a mutual love of music, creating value for artists and delivering for fans,” said Daniel Ek, Chairman and CEO of Spotify. “We will be working together to help break new artists and connect new and established artists with a broadening universe of fans in ways that will wow them both. We know that not every album by every artist should be released the same way, and we’ve worked hard with UMG to develop a new, flexible release policy. Starting today, Universal artists can choose to release new albums on premium only for two weeks, offering subscribers an earlier chance to explore the complete creative work, while the singles are available across Spotify for all our listeners to enjoy. I want to thank Sir Lucian for his leadership in everything we have done so far and in everything that we will do together to deliver on the promise of the new music economy for all the people who make music and all the people who love it.”

Chris Young To Headline Music City July 4th Celebration

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Chris Young. Photo: David McClister

Chris Young has been tapped as the headliner for “Let Freedom Sing! July 4 in Music City,” Nashville’s July 4 celebration at Riverfront Park. Presented by Dr Pepper Cherry, the free event will also include the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, R&B artist Jonny P, and folk rock duo The Sisterhood, featuring Alyssa Bonagura and Ruby Stewart, daughter of Rod Stewart.

The show kicks off an extended patriotic weekend that will include MercyMe in concert at Ascend Amphitheater on July 6, My Morning Jacket and Margo Price at Ascend July 7, and the Gold Cup soccer double-header featuring the U.S. Men’s National Team taking place on July 8 at Nissan Stadium.

“This is another great lineup that showcases the immense diversity of music that calls Nashville home,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, board chair of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and president at DVL Seigenthaler. “This year we have even more to offer with additional live music at Ascend Amphitheater leading up to a Gold Cup double-header featuring the U.S. national men’s soccer team. We always expect tens of thousands of visitors to enjoy our Independence Day festivities, and, with these additional activities, we expect to fill even more hotel rooms across Davidson County and generate substantial economic activity that is good for the city.”

Artist Updates: Kelsea Ballerini, Scotty McCreery, John Prine

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Kelsea Ballerini On Demand After ACMs

Kelsea Ballerini debuted the encore performance of her unreleased song “High School” on Xfinity On Demand directly following the ACM Awards on Sunday (April 2). Her performance of the song can be seen here.

 

Scotty McCreery Receives Long Leaf Pine Award From Home State

Pictured (L-R): Sally Williams, Senior VP of Programming and Artist Relations for Opry Entertainment, and GM of the Grand Ole Opry; Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member and previous recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award Charlie Daniels; McCreery; and Andy Lancaster, VP, MWC Advocacy for McGuireWoods Consulting representing former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. Photo: Scott Stem

Scotty McCreery was presented with the esteemed Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award from the State of North Carolina at his recent Grand Ole Opry appearance. The North Carolina native received the award in honor of his charitable service to his home state.

Past Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award recipient and Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Daniels was on hand for the presentation.

 

John Prine Opens The Vault For New Book

John Prine is releasing a new book of his favorite songs, photographs and stories from his catalogue, Beyond Words. Presented by Oh Boy Records, the book features copies of hand-written lyrics showing how Prine’s songs evolved, lyrics and guitar chords from over 60 of his classic songs, and over 100 photographs from his personal collection. Pre-orders of the book are available here.

Justin Timberlake To Headline 2017 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival

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Justin Timberlake. Photo: Tom Munro / RCA Records

Justin Timberlake will headline this year’s Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, set for Sept. 23-24 at the Park at Harlinsdale in Franklin, Tennessee. Last year, Timberlake signed on as both partner and producer for the festival.

Also on the performer lineup are Eddie Vedder, Ryan Adams, The Avett Brothers, Mavis Staples, Gary Clark, Jr., Walk The Moon, Fiz and The Tantrums, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, The Revivalists, Better Than Ezra, Shovels & Rope, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Jerry Douglas Band, Valerie June, Langhorne Slim, Nikki Lane, Joseph, Pokey LaFarge, Colony House, Amanda Shires, Larkin Poe, Karen Elson, Ruby Amanfu + Steelism, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Muddy Magnolias, Colter Wall, Banditos, Sinclair, The Shadowboxers, Blackfoot Gypsies, Kingfish, Bishop Gunn, Towne, The Settles Connection, Ralph’s World+Friends, Electric Western Dance Party, and more.

The two-day annual festival debuted in 2015, and was co-founded by Better Than Ezra’s Kevin Griffin.

Two-day passes go for $175 and there are VIP passes for $725. Tickets go on sale Tuesday at pilgrimagefestival.com.

Sony Music Nashville Celebrates During 2017 ACM Awards Afterparty

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Pictured (L-R): ShopKeeper Management’s Crystal Dishmon, Sony Music Nashville’s EVP/COO Ken Robold and Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman, Miranda Lambert, ShopKeeper Management’s Marion Kraft, and Sony Music Nashville’s EVP, Marketing/New Business John Zarling and EVP, Promotion/Artist Development Steve Hodges

Sony Music Nashville celebrated following this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards with an afterparty held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville artist Miranda Lambert set a record with her eighth consecutive win for Female Vocalist of the Year at the 52 Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs) last night.

Maren Morris took home the ACM honor for Best New Female Vocalist of the Year.

Pictured (Front row, L-R): EM.Co’s Scott Siman, Sandbox Management’s Jason Owen, Faith Hill, Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman. (Back row, L-R): Sony Music Nashville EVP/COO Ken Robold, Tim McGraw, Sony Music Nashville’s EVP, Promotion/Artist Development Steve Hodges and EM.Co’s Kelly Clague.

Arista Nashville’s Seth Ennis, Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman and RCA Nashville’s Chris Young. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for Sony Music

Pictured (L-R): RCA Nashville’s Kane Brown, Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman and RCA Nashville’s Chris Young. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for Sony Music

Maren Morris, Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman

RCA Nashville artists Matthew Ramsey of Old Dominion, Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown and Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman

Maren Morris attends the Sony Music Nashville ACM Party presented by Hostess at T-Mobile Arena. (Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for Sony Music)

LifeNotes: Country Radio Great Rhubarb Jones Passes

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Rhubarb Jones

Country Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member Rhubarb Jones has died at age 65.

Warren “Rhubarb” Jones was a legendary broadcasting figure in Georgia. He was the longest lasting morning radio host in the city’s history. In addition, he spearheaded a number of high-profile charity initiatives.

He was well known to the Nashville music industry as a former board member of both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Between 1993 and 2005, he was the host of the Georgia Music Awards gala.

Jones was born in Miami, Florida, but grew up in Tallapoosa, Georgia. He was a graduate of the University of West Georgia and earned a masters degree at Shorter College. During his 36-year radio career, he had on-air stints at WLWI in Montgomery, Alabama; WSKY in Asheville, North Carolina; WWCC in Bremen, Georgia and WCLS in Columbus, Georgia.

He is best known for his long tenure at Y107 and Eagle 106.7 in Atlanta. He was there from 1985 to 2008. For the past nine years, he has been on the communications faculty at Kennesaw State University.

For more than two decades, he ran a celebrity golf tournament and an annual Rhubarb Jones March Across Georgia event. These raised more than $4 million for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Along with Randy Owen of Alabama, Jones established the Country Cares for St. Jude’s Kids fundraiser. He was also a 20-year local host of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Rhubarb Jones died following a heart attack on Sunday, April. 2.

He is survived by daughters Presley Frances Jones and Callie Reeves Jones, by sons David and McCole and by four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Miller Funeral Home in Tallapoosa, GA.

Ruston Kelly Signs With Washington Square Music

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Ruston Kelly has signed a deal with Razor & Tie imprint Washington Square Music. Kelly’s debut EP with the label, Halloween, is due out April 7. The 10-track collection was produced by Mike Mogis. Kelly has penned songs for Tim McGraw (“Nashville Without You”), the Josh Abbott Band (“Front Row Seat”), and more. His song “Poison” has racked up over 590,000 Spotify streams, and the track “Black Magic” was featured on the season finale of the CBS show Scorpion.

“Ruston is an inspiring, honest, thoughtful songwriter who puts on a hell of a show,” says Washington Square/Razor & Tie Co-Owner Cliff Chenfeld. “You don’t see that combination often and we are thrilled that he has decided to work with us at Washington Square/Razor & Tie.  We also like to hang out with him.” 

“When people hear my songs, I want them to be affected in the way music affected me before I started doing it for a living,” Kelly states. “I want them to think, ‘Damn, that made me feel something important I didn’t know I needed to feel.’ I love playing music; it brings me so much joy, and I’m appreciative that Washington Square is helping share my music with the world.  If I’m still doing this years from now, that’s more luck than I deserve.”

Weekly Register: RaeLynn’s ‘WildHorse’ Races To No. 1

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Warner Music Nashville’s RaeLynn debuted at the top of the Nielsen Soundscan country album rankings this week with WildHorse moving 16K. See MusicRow‘s interview with RaeLynn about the new project here.

Keith Urban‘s Ripcord pushes past the 500K RTD mark, with 9.3K sold this week. He lands at No. 2.

Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller moved 6.1K this week, coming in at No. 3, followed by Reba‘s Sing It Now, which moved 5.9K to settle at No. 4.

Little Big Town‘s The Breaker rounds out the Top 5 with 5.4K sold.

Other major label debuts this week come from Lindsay Ell, whose Worth The Wait EP lands at No. 9 on the country album rankings, with 4.4K. BMLG band Delta Rae debuts at No. 39 with A Long and Happy Life EP selling 931.

Last week, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill‘s latest single, “Speak To A Girl,” debuted at country radio on Thursday (March 30), just hours before the sales week ended. This week, the single moved from No. 20 to No. 2 on the country digital tracks rankings, selling 44K.

Sam Hunt’s “Body Like A Back Road” continues its reign atop the country digital tracks rankings, with 59K sold for a RTD total of 546K. Brett Young‘s “In Case You Didn’t Know” is at No. 3, with 26K sold this week. Jon Pardi‘s “Dirt On My Boots” is at No. 4, with 23K. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood‘s “The Fighter” rounds out the Top 5, with 22.5K.

The top debut comes from Young, with “Mercy” landing at No. 43 on the country tracks rankings and selling 3.5K.

Overall digital track sales are down 23.8 percent YTD, while country digital track sales are down 22.3 percent YTD.

Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.

Industry Ink: BMLG, Nashville Symphony, Banner Music

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Thomas Rhett Launches Outnumber Hunger Campaign

Pictured (Top row, L-R): Marketing Communication Sr. Planner at General Mills Kristin Merchant, Graham DeLoach (ATH), Bill Satcher (ATH), Michael Hobby (ATH), Zach Brown (ATH), SVP Creative Big Machine Label Group Sandi Spika Borchetta, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Cameron Duddy (Midland), Jess Carson (Midland), Mark Wystrach (Midland) and Associate Director of Marketing at General Mills Jay Piccanatto. (Bottom row, L-R): Ryan Follese, Drake White, Trent Harmon, Elizabeth Hopkins (Delta Rae), Brittany Holljes (Delta Rae), Ian Holljes (Delta Rae), and Eric Holljes (Delta Rae). Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Big Machine Label Group [Click to Enlarge]

BMLG artist Thomas Rhett kicked off the 2017 ACM Weekend with an Outnumber Hunger Launch Event at Las Vegas’ Sake Rok Friday night (March 31). The event’s 150 attendees were treated to an intimate performance and Q&A with Thomas Rhett as well as a preview of his new single, “Craving You.” Rhett has participated in every year of the Outnumber Hunger campaign since the program’s inception and is the official 2017 spokesperson.

 

Vinay Parameswaran Heads To Cleveland Orchestra

Vinay Parameswaran

Nashville Symphony Associate Conductor Vinay Parameswaran has been named Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, as well as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Parameswaran’s two-year term will start in August.

Parameswaran was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Nashville Symphony in February 2014 and promoted to Associate Conductor in August 2015.

In his three-plus years with the Symphony, he has conducted classical and pops performances, as well as all of the organization’s annual summer Community Concerts.

 

Banner Music Holds Pop Up Writers Round On The Row

Banner Music held its first pop up writer’s round at its Music Row location on March 30. The show featured Jerry Salley, Shelby Lee Lowe, and James Robert Webb, along with guest performers Jackson Capps, Matt Roy, and Brian Carper. Later rounds featured Casey Kelly, Alex Dooley, Banner Partner, Daniel Kleindienst, Shane Thompson, Victoria Powell and Christine Inlow.