Automaker Tesla Reportedly In Talks With Labels For Music Streaming Service

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U.S. electric car company Tesla has reportedly been in talks with all of the major record labels for its own, multi-tier streaming music service.

According to Recode sources, the independent audo manufacturer would bundle the service with its cars, which come equipped with a high-tech dashboard and internet connectivity.

As of January, the growing company had sold over 100,000 cars, according to Peter Kafka and Johana Bhuiyan’s report, and 400,000 preorders have been taken for its Model 3, due to be rolled-out this Friday, July 7.

“We believe it’s important to have an exceptional in-car experience so our customers can listen to the music they want from whatever source they choose,” a Tesla spokesperson told Recode and Forbes, without confirming or denying the report. “Our goal is to simply achieve maximum happiness for our customers.”

Recode goes on to note Tesla already has a deal with Spotify for vehicles sold outside the U.S.

Mark Your Calendar—July 2017

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Single Add Dates

July 10
The Cadillac Three/Dang If We Didn’t/Big Machine
Kelsea Ballerini/Legends/Black River
Sam Outlaw/Trouble/Six Shooter Records/Thirty Tigers
Brian Milson/I’d Have To Kiss Ya/First Short Road Productions

July 17
Chris Stapleton/Broken Halos/Mercury Nashville
Brett Young/Like I Loved You/BLMG Records
Dan + Shay/Road Trippin’/Warner Music Nashville
Joe Nichols/Never Gets Old/Red Bow Records
Andy Ross/Playing in the Mud/Buck Shot Records

July 24
Michael Ray/Get To You/Warner Music Nashville
Dave McElroy/Without You/Free Flow Records
Kaitie Wade/Don’t Wanna Miss/Burning Ground Entertainment

July 31
Randy Rogers Band/Meet Me Tonight

Industry Events

July 4
Nashville’s July 4 celebration, Let Freedom Sing! July 4 in Music City, at Riverfront Park with Chris Young, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jonny P, and The Sisterhood

July 20
51st Annual CMA Awards first round voting closes at 6:00 p.m. CT

Album Releases

July 7
Rhonda Vincent, Daryle Singletary/American Grandstand/Upper Management Music
Charley Pride/Music In My Heart/Music City Records

July 14
Republican Hair/The Prince and The Duke [LP]
Lewis Brice/Lewis Brice [EP]/Pump House Music-Straight 8 Entertainment-Kobalt
Sun Seeker/Biddeford [EP]/Third Man Records

July 17
Mitchell Tenpenny/Linden Ave./Riser House

July 21
Sara Evans/Words/Born To Fly Records
Parmalee/27861/Stoney Creek Records

July 28
Joe Nichols/Never Gets Old/Red Bow Records
Cage The Elephant/Unpeeled/RCA Records

Kid Rock’s Third Annual Fish Fry Set For October

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Kid Rock will host his Third Annual Fish Fry at Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel on October 6th-7th. The backyard party will feature a full set by Kid Rock along with special guests Gretchen Wilson, Wheeler Walker Jr. and more, as well as a ferris wheel, corn hole, fireworks, local food trucks, plenty of cold beer, and of course—fried fish.

The artist’s previous two Fish Fry events were sellouts, and tickets go on sale this Thursday, June 29th at livenation.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets start at $45.00 for general admission lawn seating.

Jake Owen Hometown Field Dedicated By Cal Ripken, Jr. and Kevin Harvick

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(L-R): Cal Ripken, Jr., Jake Owen, Kevin Harvick and his son. Photo credit: Rob Smith Photography/Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Kevin Harvick Foundation recently dedicated a youth baseball field in Vero Beach, Florida to Jake Owen. The new facility will provide youth from the singer’s hometown with a clean, safe place to learn, play and grow.

On hand for the ribbon cutting were Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., and NASCAR star Kevin Harvick.

“I have great memories of playing baseball as a kid with my twin brother, Jarrod,” said Owen. “Growing up in Vero Beach, I never imagined that one day there would be a baseball field here with my name on it. I’m thankful for music being the creative outlet that got me to where I am today and what brought us all together. I’m also very grateful to my good friends Cal Ripken, Jr., Kevin Harvick and Mark Butler [of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation] for dedicating this baseball field to me. I hope there will be many incredible memories made on this field and that the kids who play here will believe that anything is possible with the support of their community.”

The synthetic turf baseball field includes a digital scoreboard, dugouts, backstop and bleachers. The park will be gifted to and maintained by the Indian River Sports Complex, with whom the Ripken Foundation and Harvick Foundation will work closely with to create and implement character education programming and clinics.

Non-Stop Music On Tap For Nashville’s July 4th, with Headliner Chris Young

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Nashville is gearing up for its annual Fourth Of July celebration downtown with a bevy of entertainers on tap for the day’s festivities. Along with headliner Chris Young, DJ Coach will kick off the live entertainment on the main stage, located at Fifth and Broadway, with Jason Eskridge performing the national anthem. The Sisterhood is set to perform at 5:30 p.m.,  Jonny P will perform at 6:15 p.m., the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band performs at 7 p.m., and Young will take the stage at 8:10 p.m.

The annual Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th presented by Dr Pepper Cherry is set up in a new layout this year, with the Nashville Symphony performing at Ascend Amphitheater. The new configuration will spread attendees over a larger area, allowing concertgoers to congregate closer to the Broadway Stage at Fifth and Broadway, while those attending for the fireworks show can find spots around Riverfront Park, The Green at Riverfront Park and Ascend Amphitheater. The pyrotechnics are synchronized to a live performance by the Nashville Symphony. The free, family-friendly event will include a Family Fun Zone at Music City Walk of Fame Park from noon to 4 p.m.

The celebration marks the third consecutive year Nashville will host the largest fireworks show in the country, featuring more than 35,000 pounds of explosives, and 150 miles of wire, with over 275,000 people expected to attend.

Those not wanting to hassle with parking downtown can use Lyft, the official ridesharing partner of Let Freedom Sing! 2017. Up to 1,000 users can enter code BUDAMERICA in the Lyft app under ‘Promos’ to claim a free ride home (up to $10), courtesy of Budweiser and Ajax Turner. Rideshare pickup and drop-off areas are located at Korean Veterans Boulevard from 5th Avenue to 7th Avenue and Deaderick Street from 3rd Avenue to 6th Avenue.

Backpacks, luggage and coolers are not permitted this year as a safety measure, but there will be reasonably priced hot dogs and bottles of water available.

Big Machine To Sponsor Brickyard 400 Starring Brantley Gilbert

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Big Machine Label Group has become the new entitlement sponsor of the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and has renamed this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at IMS the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400. Gilbert will attend the July 23 race and perform for fans during pre-race celebrations. More details about the multi-year agreement with Big Machine, including plans for the 2018 Big Machine Brickyard 400, will be announced at this year’s race.

“I’m very excited today to officially announce that Big Machine and Brantley Gilbert are joining the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2017 Brickyard 400 NASCAR race!” said Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta. “Racing has always been part of Big Machine’s DNA, and we’re thrilled to partner with the world’s most iconic racing brands.”

The Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 23, will feature all of the stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and will also mark the final IMS start of popular NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is retiring after this season.

The 24th annual Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 race weekend features plenty of attractions and entertainment this year, including 400 Fest, a new, two-night concert at IMS, scheduled for July 21-22. The event features six superstars performing over two nights, with Major Lazer headlining July 21 and The Chainsmokers headlining July 22. The annual IMS Hauler Parade returns this year as well, featuring a special “NASCAR Fan Fest” that will bring the stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to Speedway’s Main Street for an evening of fun activities July 21.

Tickets and more information on all events can be found at IMS.com.

Exclusive: Steven Lee Olsen Talks Keith Urban, Career Moves

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When Steven Lee Olsen’s major label album wasn’t released, it was the beginning of what he calls the “best, saddest story ever.” But the unexpected ending was triumphant, when his idol Keith Urban turned Olsen’s song “Blue Ain’t Your Color” into a massive hit.

Co-written by Olsen, Hillary Lindsey and Clint Lagerberg, “Blue Ain’t Your Color” was voted Song of the Year at the recent MusicRow Awards.

Here’s what Olsen had to say about the win. Read more in the new issue of MusicRow magazine or subscribe today.

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MusicRow: You’ve said that Keith Urban is the reason you moved to Nashville. When did you finally get to meet him?

Steven Lee Olsen: I met Keith after “Blue…” was already a single on the radio. One day he asked to write with Ross Copperman and myself. I was pretty nervous but he was the most graceful, talented dude I’ve ever met. Everything you want your idol to be. We went to lunch and he drove us around—I think we were in a Rolls-Royce—showing us where he used to live, where he came from nothing, and he became a real human to me. And then we ate at The Smiling Elephant where he’d been going for 10 years. It showed me to stick it out and gave me a second wind [as an artist and writer].

Whatever Keith does, he does from the heart. He needs to feel the song, feel the lyrics. It was cool to see that up-close. Since then we’ve become good friends.

It was bittersweet to let “Blue…” go, but there’s no one in the world that could’ve done what Keith did. He gave it listeners and it was the most successful song of his career. It blows my mind that I was able to be a small part of it. I even got to sing “Blue…” with him at the No. 1 party.

A hit like this has been a long time in the making for you.

It came to us from the heavens and changed my life completely. I’ve been in Nashville 11 years.

This year has been absolutely insane. It took me to the Grammys and I was able to take my mom. And also to the ACMs too and now the MusicRow Awards. It’s been a whirlwind. I don’t know how I’m going to top this year. As a writer, I feel gratification because it is an uphill battle to get these wins. You really need to let it soak in and drive you to the next one. And the next one for me is going to be as an artist.

What’s next for your artist career?

“Blue…” represents the direction I was going as an artist—a classic r&b throwback sound.

After the Columbia deal fell apart, we didn’t get to keep the record. That’s okay because I’m writing much better songs that fit me as an artist and my voice—where I want to sit in country music.

I’m building the right team of people and dabbling with producers and trying to find the right fit.

I’m writing as much as I can. You’ll love a song that you write, and you listen to it a 100 times and say, “This is definitely going on the record.” Then you keep writing and you beat that. And then you have 20 songs that you absolutely love, but you feel like you are still growing and evolving into the artist that you are going to be. I’m really excited and I’ve never had more fun writing for a project—ever.

You want to make sure that when you actually do release something, that it’s true to you and you can stand behind it and say, “This is absolutely the best I have.”