Artist Updates: Keith Urban, Delta Rae, John Prine, Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice And Justin Moore

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Keith Urban’s Ripcord Breaking Records

Keith Urban‘s Ripcord is propelling him into new heights, as he recently earned the distinction of becoming one of only two country artists whose 2016 album release was certified platinum by the RIAA. Ripcord also places Urban as the second country artist among artists with nine or more platinum albums to currently have every album certified platinum or multi-platinum.

The platinum streak also places Urban at No. 8 on the all-time list of country artists with consecutive platinum albums. He also made history upon its release, when it garnered a Number One all-genre album chart position simultaneously in the U.S., Australia and Canada. Ripcord has also been certified platinum in Australia and Gold in Canada. Ripcord has also produced four No. 1 country singles, bringing his career total chart-topping singles to 22 (on Mediabase). This places Urban at No. 8 on Billboard’s all-time Country Airplay Chart. He’s has had 524 million streams on Ripcord alone.

 

Delta Rae Celebrates Teachers On Summer Tour

Delta Rae will celebrate teachers throughout their A Long And Happy Life Summer Tour. The six-piece band, which includes Hölljes siblings – Brittany (lead vocals), Eric (vocals, piano) and Ian (vocals, guitar) – along with former teachers Liz Hopkins (lead vocals), Mike McKee (drums) and Grant Emerson (bass) has announced Tickets For Teachers, a program offering free tickets and an on-stage acknowledgement to deserving educators at each of their shows as a thank you and opportunity to spotlight the contributions, sacrifices and hard work of all teachers.

 

John Prine Goes ‘Beyond Words’ At Country Music Hall Of Fame

John Prine will appear at the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum’s Ford Theater on May 20 at 2 p.m. to discuss his new book, Beyond Words. Published by Oh Boy Records, the songbook features lyrics, stories, handwritten song drafts, and more than one hundred photographs from Prine’s personal collection. The interview is included with museum admission and free to museum members, but seating is limited. Program passes are required for admittance and will be distributed two hours prior to the program start time.

 

Dierks Bentley Earns More Black Precious Metal

Dierks Bentley has had all three singles released from his eighth studio album Black receive certifications from the RIAA. Bentley’s chart-topping platinum hit “Somewhere On A Beach” is joined by “Different For Girls” as back to back platinum No. 1 hits, and he also struck gold with his current Top 10 single ”Black.” The three singles alone have reached more than 389 million digital streams.

Lee Brice And Justin Moore Wrap Up American Made Tour

Lee Brice, Justin Moore

Lee Brice and Justin Moore closed out their co-headlining ‘American Made Tour’ April 28, wrapping up a four-month trek alongside opening acts William Michael Morgan and Brett Young. The tour encompassed 31 shows performing in front of  120,000+ fans with multiple sold-out dates.

The tour included many special moments, as when Brice’s family surprised him onstage during the Evansville, Indiana tour stop, making an unannounced appearance to celebrate Brice’s wedding anniversary. He was halfway through a solo performance of his yet-to-be-released single, “Boy,” when his two sons ran onstage, announcing that their mother was waiting in the wings. Moore also announced during the tour this year that he and wife Kate are expecting their fourth child.

Emily West To Release New EP ‘Symphonies’ This Summer

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Emily West is releasing a new collection of songs, Symphonies, on Aug. 18. West says the album resembles “a dark Disney record.” The project, which was produced by co-writer Daniel Tashian, showcases both her powerful vocals and ability to interpret the nuances of a heart-tugging, torch-singer’s ballad.

The project, described as modern-day noir pop, includes tunes like the James Bond-inspired “Heaven and Back,” the vulnerable “Don’t Ever Go to Paris (When You’re Lonely),” and the title track, which she calls “a fairytale for the broken hearted sung in the lightest of pinks.”

Symphonies is being released independently, with Tone Tree Music handling distribution for the project.

Industry Ink: Nash Country Daily, Average Joes, Tribeca Film Festival, Think Media And Marketing

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Lisa Konicki Exits Nash Country Daily

Lisa Konicki has exited her role as Editor-In-Chief at Nash Country Daily. Konicki had been with the company for 21 years. She can be reached at [email protected].

In 2014, Cumulus acquired the country print publication Country Weekly. By 2016, Country Weekly relaunched as the web-only property Nash Country Daily.

 

Kristin Palmer Exits Average Joes, Joins American Heart Association

Kristin Palmer has exited her role as Director of Publicity at Average Joes Entertainment, and has accepted a new role as Director of Communications at the American Heart Association. She can be reached at kristin.palmer@heart.org.

A 2008 Belmont University graduate, Palmer’s career includes time at Warner Bros. Records, Wortman Works Media & Marketing. In 2010 she launched Palmer House Publicity, before spending nearly five years as Director of Publicity at Average Joes Entertainment, developing public relations campaigns and branding strategies.

 

Jamie Floyd, John Martin Celebrate Dog Years At Tribeca Film Festival

John Martin, Jamie Floyd

Nashville duo Stranger Friends, including Jamie Floyd and John Martin, walked the red carpet at The Tribeca Film Festival in New York City for the premiere of the Burt Reynolds movie Dog Years. Floyd and Martin wrote and performed 10 songs for the movie’s soundtrack. Dog Years showed last week at the Nashville Film Festival, where one of the duo’s songs, “Yet To Come,” won Best Original Song.

Also, premiering last week at the Nashville Film Festival was The Last Songwriter which was an Audience Award winner. This remarkable documentary features Floyd, along with industry greats Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Matraca Berg, Allen Shamblin & Marcus Hummon.

 

Think Media & Marketing Adds Manager Of Client Services

Maggie Noonan. Photo: Michael Gomez Photography

Think Media & Marketing has hired Maggie Noonan as manager of client services. Think Media & Marketing was launched by Sheri Warnke in 2013.

Prior to joining Think Media & Marketing, Noonan was the manager of partner programs for AMG/Parade. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa and has completed internships at Sony Red, CMA and FleishmanHillard.
“Maggie’s experience with project management and client support make her a tremendous asset to the Think Media team,” says Warnke. “I’m thrilled to have her on board!”

John Mayer Wades Into Country Waters With “In The Blood”

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John Mayer is releasing a new song to country radio, “In The Blood,” which is being promoted via Arista Nashville. The single is a track from his latest album, The Search for Everything, which came out last month. The project is Mayer’s first since 2013’s Paradise Valley.

The song, which delves into family bonds and how much our parents end up undeniably influencing our own lives, is available now.

Mayer is no stranger to the country genre, having collaborated with Keith Urban for a CMT Crossroads episode, with Taylor Swift on the song “Half Of My Heart,” and performing at the Zac Brown Band‘s Southern Ground Music Festival in Nashville several years ago as well.

Hear “In The Blood” below:

Janet Jackson To Bring State Of The World Tour To Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena

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Janet Jackson is returning to the road on a four-month North American tour this Fall, following a hiatus after the arrival of her first child. Jackson’s State Of The World tour will make a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 7. The 56-city tour will launch Sept. 7 in Lafayette, Louisiana, and will hit cities including Seattle, Portland, Milwaukee, Chicago, Boston, Memphis, and Jacksonville.

Jackson began her Unbreakable tour in August 2015, but later took time off the road to focus on her family. The State Of The World tour continues the Unbreakable tour. Tickets held for previous Unbreakable tour events that are now re-scheduled will be honored at the new dates.

Tickets for the new dates will go on sale May 5. More information can be found at livenation.com. 

 

 

 

‘Nashville’ Cast Plans Fourth U.S. Tour For Summer

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The stars of Nashville will hit the road on their fourth U.S. tour this summer, playing 11 dates through July and August. Cast members Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, and Jonathan Jackson will perform on the Summer tour, which comes on the heels of a 10-show international tour that has already sold out dates in the UK and Ireland.

The tour launches July 23 in Orlando. Tickets go on sale May 5, and a limited number of VIP packages and meet and greets will be available for all shows.

“This tour has become a celebration of everything fans around the world appreciate about the TV series ‘Nashville,’” said Opry Entertainment President Steve Buchanan. “Our audience loves the stories the series tells and the music used to tell them. The tour brings our storytellers, their music, and fans together in a way that gets more exciting to witness every year, both internationally and here at home.”

The second half of Season 5 of Nashville premieres on CMT on June 1, and Season 6 is slated to begin airing in early 2018. Hulu will continue to bring Nashville fans the series 24/7 by making all episodes available to stream the day after they air on CMT. All past episodes of the series are available for viewing now only on Hulu.

July 23: Orlando, Fla.; Hard Rock Live
July 25: Clearwater, Fla.; Ruth Eckerd Hall
July 26: Atlanta; Chastain Park Amphitheatre (on sale in June)
July 28: Grand Prairie, Texas; Verizon Theatre
July 29: Robinsonville, Miss.; Horseshoe Tunica
July 30: Huber Heights, Ohio; Rose Music Center at The Heights
Aug. 1: Vienna, Va.; Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts (on sale now)
Aug. 2: Raleigh, N.C.; The Red Hat Amphitheater
Aug. 4: Richmond, Va.; Innsbrook After Hours
Aug. 5: Brooklyn, N.Y.; Coney Island Amphitheater
Aug. 6: Atlantic City, N.J.; Borgata Spa & Resort Event Center

Hillary Lindsey Teams With Rezonant Music Publishing And BMG

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Hillary Lindsey

Hillary Lindsey has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with a unique partnership of Rezonant Music Publishing and BMG. The agreement covers Lindsey’s catalog worldwide as well as future compositions. The partnership agreement between Rezonant and BMG where BMG will provide creative and synch services.

Receiving her fifth nomination at the 2017 Grammy Awards, for the Keith Urban No. 1 song “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Lindsey was also recently nominated for Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year at the 52nd ACM Awards.

With 18 chart-topping singles, Lindsey is the recipient of an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song (“Coming Home”) and a Golden Globe award for Best Original Song (“There’s A Place For Us”). Lady Gaga’s most recent chart-topping album Joanne featured several songs penned by Lindsey including the hit “Million Reasons” which she performed in duet with Gaga on Saturday Night Live and which Gaga performed during the Super Bowl LI halftime show.

Said Lindsey, “I couldn’t be more excited about moving forward with BMG and am thrilled to welcome Tim and the Rezonant team to the family!”

Rezonant CEO and founding partner Tim Wipperman said, “I am incredibly excited to be working with Hillary, one of the most respected songwriters in the business. I am also very glad to be working with Zach and my old compatriot Kos.”

Zach Katz, BMG US President Repertoire & Marketing, said, “We are excited to be working with Rezonant, which is quickly making a big impression in Nashville, and look forward to continuing to strengthen Hillary’s successes in the future as she continues to thrive.”

Daniel Lee, BMG VP Creative, said, “Hillary Lindsey is a songwriter in the truest sense. The variety of artists who have harnessed her lyrics and melodies and used them to reach new heights in their creative and professional careers speaks to Hillary’s unique ability to engage lovers of music in all walks of life. That she can achieve such profound success and yet continue to treat those around her with effortless kindness and grace is the best evidence that her brightest days are yet to come.”

Kos Weaver, BMG EVP Nashville, said, “It doesn’t get any better than this. In my book Hillary is one of the best songwriter in the world.”

Weekly Register: Brad Paisley Brings ‘Love And War’ To Chart Summit

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Brad Paisley debuts in the No. 1 spot on the Nielsen Soundscan country album rankings this week, with Love and War moving 26K.

Keith Urban‘s Ripcord lands at No. 2 this week, with 8.1K, while Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller lands at No. 3 with 7.2K.

This week’s top debut is Taylor Ray Holbrook, whose Backroads EP lands at No. 4 with 5.5K. Other debuts include Jimmy Fortune‘s Jimmy Fortune: Sings The Classics at No. 25 (1.6K), and Charlie Worsham‘s Beginning of Things at No. 29, with 1.5K.

Miranda Lambert rounds out the Top 5 this week, with The Weight Of These Wings selling 4.9K.

Sam Hunt

Sam Hunt‘s “Body Like A Backroad” continues its long trek at the top of the country digital tracks rankings, with 57K. Brett Young‘s “In Case You Didn’t Know” is at No. 2, with 30K, followed by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood‘s “The Fighter” with 24K. Luke Combs‘ “Hurricane” is at No. 4, with 20K, followed by Chris Stapleton‘s “Broken Halos” at No. 5 with 15K.

This week’s top country debut comes from The Voice contestant Brennley Brown‘s cover of Linda Ronstadt’s “Long Long Time,” landing at No. 7 country and selling 15K.

Digital country track sales are down 22.7 percent year to date, while overall digital track sales are down 24.7 percent.

All information provided courtesy of Nielsen Soundscan.

 

 

 

FGL To Perform On ‘Billboard’ Music Awards

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Florida Georgia Line is among the first performers announced for The Billboard Music Awards, set to air live Sunday, May 21 on ABC from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The show will also include Bruno Mars, Camila Cabello, Celine Dion, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Lorde and Nicki Minaj, with more to be announced soon.

Dick Clark Productions and ABC shared the news of the first round of musical performers by releasing a video today via social media.— BillboardMusicAwards (@BBMAs) May 1, 2017

Zach Farnum Exits Webster PR, Launches 117 Entertainment Group

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Zach Farnum

Nashville entertainment entrepreneur and PR and marketing professional Zach Farnum has launched 117 Entertainment Group, with vocalist Chuck Negron, former member of Three Dog Night, as his flagship artist.

Farnum previously worked at Webster PR and Hart Street Entertainment working with artists including Charlie Daniels, Don McLean, Randy Travis and more. He also co-chairs the T.J. Martell Young Professionals Council and is active with the Nashville Association of Talent Directors.

“It’s exhilarating to be starting out on a new adventure doing what I love — sharing talented and deserving artists and great music with the world,” said Farnum, “I want to create an honest and reliable company that does outstanding work. It doesn’t get much better than kicking it all off with a true icon like Chuck Negron. His voice is ingrained in music history and has been the soundtrack for millions of people across the world through the years, it’s an honor to work with him.”

Three Dog Night earned 18 consecutive top 20 hits, 21 top 40 hits, eight top 10 hits and four No. 1 hits, as well as five top 10 albums and eleven top 20 albums.

“After over five decades of recording, and 90 million records sold, to find myself excited about being represented by a new PR firm is a pleasant surprise to me. We have some great new projects coming up, and I am confident that Zach will do a great job getting the fans as pumped up about them as we are,” said Chuck Negron.

Negron will tour for his fourth year on the Happy Together tour, joining headliners The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie as well as The Association, The Box Tops, The Cowsills and The Archies starring Ron Dante.