RodeoHouston To Debut Rotating Main Stage For 2018

For the first time in over 30 years RodeoHouston is debuting a new rotating concert stage on opening day, Feb. 27, 2018, and Garth Brooks will be the first entertainer to perform on the new stage. Brooks is returning for his third RodeoHouston performance ever and will be opening and closing the Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Designed and fabricated by TAIT, the leading producer of live entertainment equipment in the world, the stage will feature the latest technology to boost concert presentation and fan experience. It is star-shaped with five star points, and each star point can be raised individually or jointly and can be lowered to the arena surface or raised to create an elevated performance position. The stage’s 48-foot diameter round rotating performance area enables the artist to be closer to the audience, and it has a 22-foot-tall motion controlled LED backdrop video screen. 

Tickets for the two Garth Brooks performances set for Feb. 27 and March 18, 2018 will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. A minimum of 18,000 tickets will be available for purchase, and these tickets will be located in the Loge and Upper Level sections of NRG Stadium. Tickets for the remaining RodeoHouston performances will go on sale following the official lineup announcement which is scheduled for January 2018.

The 2018 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 18.

The Gambler Sits In For One More Deal: Kenny Rogers Announces Farewell Concert Celebration In Nashville

Kenny Rogers is going all in for one more hand with an all-star, once-in-a-lifetime concert taping to celebrate his legendary 60-year career, “All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration.” The Bridgestone Arena tribute concert in Nashville on Oct. 25 will include performances by Rogers, Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Alison Krauss, The Flaming Lips, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson, Elle King and many other special guests that will be announced in the coming weeks.

This once-in-a-lifetime event will also feature the final performance together by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, singing one of pop music’s most beloved duets of all time.

“As I’m bringing this chapter of my career to a close, this will be an unforgettable way to celebrate with my talented friends, who I’m so grateful to have crossed paths with,” says Kenny Rogers. “It means so much that they would feel compelled to do this for me. Of course, the night would not be the same without Dolly Parton being part of it. We’ve enjoyed a special friendship for decades, and I’ll forever look back fondly on the many collaborations, performances, and laughs we’ve shared as some of the most extraordinary moments of my career. I know it will be a moving experience for us standing on that stage together for one last time.”

Tickets for the Blackbird Presents show go on sale July 21 at 10 a.m. CT online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena box office. A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation and the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center.

Industry Ink: Sam Hunt, Scott Borchetta, Sandi Spika Borchetta, Tony Martin, Ruthie Collins

UMG Team Celebrates In Tampa With Sam Hunt

Pictured (L-R): UMGN’s Brian Wright, UMGN’s Cindy Mabe, UMGN’s Mike Dungan, Sam Hunt, UMGN’s Royce Risser, UMGN’s Mike Harris, Homestead / Red Light Management’s Brad Belanger.  Photo: UMG Nashville

Universal Music Group Nashville visited with Sam Hunt after his sold-out show at Tampa’s MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre last Friday night (July 14). The multi-platinum selling star performed for a crowd of more than 19,000 over the weekend. Hunt’s latest smash single, “Body Like A Back Road” recently broke the Billboard Country Hot 100 record for the longest running No. 1 by a solo male artist, with 23 weeks at the top spot and counting. The song has remained in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart for 16 consecutive weeks, longer than any other song in the 25-year history of the chart. It has also accumulated over 249 million streams, and is currently the No. 1 most-streamed country song, most-downloaded country song and the No. 3 most-downloaded song across all genres of 2017.

 

Scott And Sandi Spika Borchetta Honored By Starkey Hearing Foundation

Scott and Sandi Spika Borchetta were honored with the Humanitarian Award by the Starkey Hearing Foundation Monday night at the 17th Annual So The World May Hear Awards. The Borchettas were bestowed the honor because of their longtime involvement with Starkey as well the TJ Martell Foundation, Hands On Nashville, American Cancer Research, City of Hope and more. The powerhouse couple created the Music Has Value Fund in 2015 to provide financial endowments to nonprofits, which support those who make, aspire to make and appreciate music. They have also led Big Machine Label Group’s longstanding partnership with General Mills’ groundbreaking hunger initiative, Outnumber Hunger, which has helped provide over 50 million meals to America’s hungry through Feeding America. Other honorees of the night included actor Ben Affleck, First Lady of Zambia Madam Esther Lungu, Wilf Family Foundations and the FedEx Corporation.

 

Tony Martin Racks Up Some Million-Air Awards

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Phil Graham and Leslie Roberts, Ole’s Mike Whelan, Tony Martin, John Ozier, Ben Strain, Emily Olson and BMI’s Mason Hunter

Tony Martin was presented last week with an impressive number of BMI Million-Air awards. Each of the certificates represent Martin’s songs reaching a milestone number of radio spins. His song “Just to See You Smile” has achieved five million spins, “I’ll Think of a Reason Later” reached three million spins, “Perfect,” “I Just Keep Looking,” and “No Place That Far” have all hit 2 million spins, and “Banjo”, “You Look Good In My Shirt” and “Time is Love” have all achieved their first million spins.

 

Ruthie Collins Co-Hosts New DIY Show Home.Made

Curb artist Ruthie Collins has been tapped to co-host Home.Made, a series of DIY vignettes that air during the Saturday morning 9 a.m.-12 p.m. EST programming block on the A&E network. The series inspires personal creativity in creating a home through design and DIY, upcycling, and recycling. “I love all things DIY,” beams Collins. “I am so passionate about turning one’s home into their own personal sanctuary. It’s amazing to see what you can do with a few pieces of rustic wood (preferably shiplap!) – and a little imagination.”

Kane Brown Surprised With Second Gold Record During Industry Gathering For “What Ifs”

Kane Brown first hears the news of his Top 20 “What Ifs” single’s RIAA Gold certification. Photo: Alan Poizner

Country newcomer Kane Brown was invited to a industry gathering at WME for what he thought was an event honoring his agent, Rob Beckham, on Monday, July 17.

When Sony Nashville’s Randy Goodman welcomed the crowd after Brown’s arrival, the program immediately revealed the true purpose behind the gathering: Brown’s latest single, “What Ifs,” was announced to have earned Gold certification.

“We’ve been giving out Gold and Platinum records on behalf of the industry for almost 60 years,” said the RIAA’s Liz Kennedy. “In the last six months, only four country songs have been released and certified in our program. One of those songs was Kane Brown’s…”

To a standing ovation, Brown walked before the gathering to accept his plaque for the song he co-wrote with Matt McGinn and Jordan Schmidt, featuring Brown’s middle school pal and UMG Nashville breakout star Lauren Alaina, who was not in attendance.

“I just want to say thanks to everybody that has been behind,” said the reserved Brown, naming a few executives he spotted in the audience from UMPG, Sony and WME. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for y’all. And thank you for believing in me even with all the hate on Facebook.” [laughs]

Pictured (L-R): WME’s Braeden Rountree, EFG Management’s Martha Earls, Kane Brown, RIAA Director of Communication and Gold & Platinum Awards Program Liz Kennedy and Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman. Photo: Alan Poizner

Goodman introduced a sizzle reel he described as showing the breadth of what Brown has been up to.

“It’s nice to step back and take a look at the enormity of the body of work that Kane Brown has already produced with records, at radio and on the road,” said Goodman. “We thought we had it updated, but as of today, [“What Ifs”] went Top 20, and by the end of the day today we’re 15 stations away from being locked.”

The single also marks the Academy of Country Music New Male Vocalist and CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year nominee’s first Top 20 hit, with more than 66 million streams to date. His debut single, “Used to Love You Sober,” was certified Gold earlier this year from his debut album, released at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and Top 10 on the Billboard 200 charts in December 2016. The album earned Brown the fourth best-selling new artist debut in album sales across all genres.

In addition to headlining the Monster Energy Outbreak Ain’t No Stopping Us Now and the Hometown Proud Tours, Brown has earned opening slots for Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean.

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Caryl Healey, Ken Robold and Randy Goodman; EFG Management’s Martha Earls; Kane Brown; RIAA Director of Communications and Gold & Platinum Program Liz Kennedy; Sony Music Nashville’s Steve Hodges and Alaina Vehec. Photo: Alan Poizner [Click for full size]

Pictured (L-R): Universal Music Publishing Group’s Kent Earls, Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Ken Robold and Randy Goodman; EFG Management’s Martha Earls; Kane Brown; and, Sony Music Nashville’s Steve Hodges; WME’s Braeden Rountree and Rob Beckham. Photo: Alan Poizner [Click for full size]

War Memorial Auditorium To Launch ‘House Concerts’ Series

SiriusXM radio personality Storme Warren and artist Joe Denim are set to host Nashville House Concerts, a 10-month concert series to be held at the historic War Memorial Auditorium. The series begins Thursday, Sept. 7, and continues the first Thursday of every month through June 2018.

The Sept. 7 line-up includes Martina McBride; songwriter Josh Osborne; singer, songwriter, and record producer Shane McAnally; Ryan Kinder, and Denim.

Tickets for all 10 shows in the Nashville House Concerts series are $25 each and go on sale today at 10 a.m. at WMArocks.com, by phone at 615-782-4030, and at the TPAC Box Office, 505 Deaderick St., in downtown Nashville. For groups of 10 or more, call 615-782-4060.

“We are really excited to work with Storme and Joe in presenting a show that celebrates the Nashville music community in such an intimate format,” said Brent Hyams, Chief Operating Officer for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and War Memorial Auditorium. “This is going to be fun.”

The live musical variety show is a uniquely Nashville experience to showcase a diverse blend of talent from chart-topping artists, music legends, rising stars and accomplished songwriters. Every show promises musical performances, imaginative interviews, surprise guests and unpredictably funny experiences.

“This is about Nashville, its music and the moment. And no two moments will ever be the same. Rising stars, established legends, songwriters and entertainers of all types will share this iconic space together with the audience,” Warren said. “And the audience will always play a key role in each show. Joe and I will more than likely embarrass ourselves on a regular basis. We’re kind of like the weird uncles you only have over for holiday dinners – fun to be around for a while but you’re not real sorry when we leave.”

“Imagine the coolest living room you’ve never been to,” continues Denim. “There is a bar, comfy couches, an all-star band and a denim-wrapped baby grand piano. Musical guests and comedians from across all genres drop in to tell stories, sing songs and make jokes. All the while, Storme and I make the audience feel like companions at home, in between two plants, on a Thursday night live!”

Sponsored by Coca-Cola, the series’ concerts will take place on the first Thursday of each month, from Sept. 2017 to June 2018. Each runs from 7-9 p.m.

Dates for the 10-show, monthly series include:

Sept. 7, 2017
Oct. 5, 2017
Nov. 2, 2017
Dec. 7, 2017
Jan. 4, 2018
Feb. 1, 2018
March 1, 2018
April 5, 2018
May 3, 2018
June 7, 2018

Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton Among iHeart Radio Music Festival Lineup

iHeartMedia has revealed the lineup for its 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, taking place Sept. 22-23 at Las Vegas’ new T-Mobile Arena. The two-day lineup will feature performances by Chris Stapleton,Thomas Rhett, Coldplay, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled, Lorde, Kings of Leon, Big Sean, P!NK, Miley Cyrus, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Niall Horan, David Guetta, Harry Styles, Kesha and more along with performances from this year’s Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star winner, James Maslow.

For the seventh year, the star-studded festival will once again feature one-of-a-kind collaborations and surprise performances, with Ryan Seacrest returning as host for the entire weekend.

The Daytime Village Presented by Capital One at the iHeartRadio Music Festival will also return this year to the Las Vegas Village across from the Luxor Hotel and Casino on Saturday (9/23) with performances by Migos, Halsey, Flume, Little Mix, French Montana, Niall Horan, Bleachers, Kelsea Ballerini, Judah & The Lion, Bebe Rexha, Noah Cyrus, Hey Violet, Cheat Codes, All Time Low, Khalid and Julia Michaels. In addition to live performances from emerging artists, The Daytime Village will also feature fan zones including an exclusive Capital One cardholder viewing area and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio’s brand partners.

“Because our lineup is based on feedback from iHeartRadio users, it’s one of the most diverse you’ll ever see,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer of iHeartMedia. “As our listeners interact with our app, favoriting songs and saving stations, we learn what their ideal festival would be, then we bring that to life!”

Each night, the festival will be broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets, and the CW Network will also exclusively livestream both nights of the festival via CWTV.com and The CW App, and also broadcast a two-night television special on October 4-5.

Capital One is the first-ever marquee partner of the iHeartRadio Music Festival, and beginning July 25 at 1 p.m. EST, Capital One cardholders will have access to a limited number of tickets through a special pre-sale. Tickets will be available only at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOne. Tickets go on sale to the general public on July 28 at 1 p.m. EST via iHeartRadio.com/tickets.  Tickets for the Daytime Village are also on sale and can be purchased via iHeartRadio.com/village.

Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton And Sam Hunt Dominate, Old Dominion Makes Strong Debut

Old Dominion. Photo: Dove Shore

Chris Stapleton continues to top the Nielsen Soundscan country albums sales chart this week, with From A Room: Vol. 1 again at No. 1 with 11K. Now That’s What I Call Country 10 (Various Artists) is at No. 2, with 8K. Lady Antebellum‘s Heart Break re-enters the Top 5 at No. 3, with 7.3K. Stapleton’s 2015 debut album Traveller is again in the Top 5 this week, to land at No. 4 with 6.3K sold. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit‘s The Nashville Sound rounds out the Top 5 with 5K.

Two top debuts this week include Rhonda Vincent & Daryle Singletary‘s No. 10 debut on the country albums chart, with American Grandstand selling 3.1K. Parker McCollum debuts at No. 15 with Probably Wrong selling 2K.

On the country digital songs chart, Sam Hunt again dominates with “Body Like A Back Road” at No. 1, selling 46K. The song is now at 1.341 million units RTD.

Brett Young‘s “In Case You Didn’t Know” is at No. 2, with 17K. Billy Currington‘s “Do I Make You Wanna” is at No. 3 with 17K. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood‘s “The Fighter” is at No. 4 with 16K, and Dustin Lynch‘s “Small Town Boy” rounds out the Top 5 with 15K. The top country debut is Old Dominion‘s “Written In The Sand,” landing at No. 6 country and selling 15K.

Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.

Warner Music Nashville Adds Rohan Kohli As Director, A&R

Rohan Kohli

Warner Music Nashville has welcomed a new member to their A&R team with the addition of Rohan Kohli. Kohli, who has been named Director of A&R, will report to EVP Scott Hendricks.

“Warner Music Group was built on artist relationships, and we here at Warner Music Nashville have created and fostered one of the most artist-friendly cultures in any label in the music business anywhere,” said WMN Chairman & CEO John Esposito. “In keeping with our family philosophy, Rohan has made a career of connecting with artists. Our A&R team is made up of individuals who, in addition to their artist-facing values, possess a wide and varied taste in music that reflect the breadth of our genre. Rohan’s well-rounded experience will bring us a fresh perspective on the kind of talent we aim to pursue. I’ve long considered artists and repertoire the foundation of any label, and with Rohan our foundation just got stronger.”

Added Hendricks: “We are very fortunate to have Rohan on our team. He is well-respected in the music community for his discerning musical tastes and his relationships with artists, songwriters and publishers.”

Kohli graduated from Emory University in Atlanta with a degree in economics. He began at Ozone Entertainment in New York as a manager for bands including Boys Like Girls and Hey Monday, as well as songwriters/producers Sam Hollander and Dave Katz. He moved to Los Angeles and transitioned into full-time writer/producer management before settling in Nashville in 2013, where he worked with talents such as Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert and more.

“As an outsider, Warner was always a place that I held in high esteem,” said Kohli. “Being here now is an honor and a privilege. I’m looking forward to working with the A&R team, label staff and artists whom I respect most in this industry.”

Landon Dirickson Opens Nashville-Based Dirickson Law

Landon Dirickson

Nashville-based entertainment attorney Landon Dirickson has opened Dirickson Law, a practice with a focus on the negotiation of various entertainment contracts, intellectual property rights, general business and corporate law.

His client roster includes recording artists, songwriters, producers, film and television actors, artist managers and entertainment industry professionals. Among his clients are Hunter Hayes, Jay DeMarcus, Walker Hayes, singer/songwriter Mitch Rossell, pop/EDM artist SVRCINA, actor Jason Marsden and contemporary R&B artist/producer “Mr. Talkbox.”

“I’m truly excited to hang out my own shingle as I continue working with some of our industry’s most creative individuals,” Dirickson said. “I’m thankful for the opportunities of the past 12 years and look forward to this new phase of my career.”

Dirickson was most recently a partner at Davis, Dirickson, PLLC. He is a graduate of Belmont University and the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Dirickson can be reached at landon@diricksonlaw.com or 615-669-5584.

Curb Promotes RJ Meacham To National Director, Promotion And Chart Strategy

RJ Meacham

Ryan Dokke, Vice President of Promotion for Curb Records, announced today the elevation of radio promotion executive RJ Meacham to the position of National Director of Promotion and Chart Strategy.

“I couldn’t be more excited to elevate RJ to this new position at Curb Records. His passion for our artists, their music, and his joint leadership with Mike Rogers of our promotion team makes this well-deserved promotion a ‘no-brainer.’ Over the past year, RJ has helped cultivate key relationships with radio programmers and guided key chart strategies culminating in our No. 1 success with Dylan Scott’s “My Girl.” I look forward to working even more closely with RJ as Curb Records continues to expand into its next chapter,” comments Dokke.

Meacham will be responsible for formulating plans for the set-up and launch of the label’s new music and will manage chart strategies on behalf of the department’s promotion efforts. He will continue working with the label’s flagship artists to enrich their relationships with radio and will work with the regional staff to achieve airplay goals on behalf of the department.

“Being in the trenches with friends – new and old – this past year has been a blast. I’m excited about what we’ve accomplished so far and even more so about where we’re headed as a team. I’m grateful for being given the opportunity to assume even more responsibility and look forward to working closely with our staff – and radio – to bring Curb’s music to the forefront,” adds Meacham.

With over three decades of experience, Meacham has held key positions at several major labels (Monument, Asylum, BNA, Columbia, Sony), and has been influential in the set-up and execution of countless hit records, working with Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Hank Williams Jr., Tyler Farr, Kellie Pickler, Craig Morgan, Maren Morris, among others.

Meacham joined Curb Records in 2016 as Senior Director, Country Promotion & Chart Strategy, where he has been part of the team behind the chart success of the label’s current roster, including record-breaking artists Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann and the recent breakthrough success of Dylan Scott’s No. 1 RIAA certified Gold hitsingle, “My Girl.” The single is one of only seven songs in chart history to reach the No. 1 slot after 46+ weeks.