Americana Band Goodnight, Texas To Release Third Album In April

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Transcontinental Americana outfit Goodnight, Texas is set to release Conductor, its third full-length album, on April 6. Goodnight, Texas includes singer-songwriters Avi Vinocur and Patrick Dyer Wolf, who also contribute mandolin, banjo and guitar, in addition to bassist Scott Griffin Padden and drummers Alex Nash and Kyle Caprista.

In the years since their last LP, Uncle John Farquhar (2014), the band has seen the deaths of three family members and the birth of a child, and much reflection on the current turbulent times. The self-produced the tracks recorded in the Sierra foothills, in an art store in Atascadero, California, and in apartments in San Francisco and New Jersey. The band worked with longtime collaborator Scott McDowell on the new project.

Conductor Track Listing:
1.Keep Movin’
2.Long Shot
3.Takin’ Your Word For It
4.Outrage For The Execution of Willie McGee
5.End Of The Road
6.Tucumcari
7.Cassie, Come On Over
8.Laramie
9.Mona, Take Me Home
10.Barstow
11.Homesick

The album is available for pre-order via Bandcamp.

The Bluebird Cafe To Launch NYC Series

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After 35 years with its iconic Nashville location as a home base, The Bluebird Cafe is launching a series of shows in New York City. The series will take place at the Grand Ole Opry’s first “home away from home,” a four-level entertainment complex in the heart of Times Square – Opry City Stage.

The Bluebird Cafe Songwriter Series at Opry City Stage will kick off in March with four shows. The first two shows are March 16 (7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) with Chris DeStefano (“Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood), Nicolle Galyon (“Automatic,” Miranda Lambert), JT Harding (“Sangria,” Blake Shelton) and will follow with two shows on March 30 (7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) with Dylan Altman (“Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” Jake Owen), Marshall Altman (“Young & Crazy,” Frankie Ballard), and Gabe Dixon (Keyboardist, Paul McCartney). The Bluebird’s intimate performances will take place on the venue’s fourth floor, known as The Studio at Opry City Stage.

Tickets for March 16 and 30 are $30.00 and are on sale now via oprycitystage.com. Additional upcoming Bluebird shows are slated for March 16, March 30, April 13, April 27, May 11 and May 25. With seating for 195, the intimate club on the venue’s fourth floor will feature “in the round” style nights in partnership with Nashville’s famed songwriting haven, The Bluebird Cafe. The space boasts state-of-the-art production capabilities, making it one of New York City’s premiere listening rooms. Additionally, the space is specially equipped for artist media events and music releases.

“We are tremendously excited that two of the most compelling and iconic entertainment brands in Nashville—the Grand Ole Opry and The Bluebird Cafe– are embarking on this partnership to share our unique styles of entertainment in New York City and beyond,” said Erika Wollam Nichols, President and General Manager, Bluebird Cafe, Inc. “The Opry and The Bluebird have each developed a wide base of loyal fans who are wildly passionate about and respectful of the music, both in our longtime homes of Nashville as well as when we have stepped outside Music City for special shows on the road. Our songwriting community is part of what makes Nashville so great, and we can’t wait to bring the intimacy of hearing the songs and the stories behind the songs to the New York City audience, introducing them to Nashville and New York-based writers alike.”

Concord Music Execs To Deliver MIDEM Keynote

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Pictured (L-R): Scott Pascucci, Steven Salm, Jake Wisely

Concord Music execs Scott Pascucci (CEO), Steven Salm (Chief Business Development Officer), and Jake Wisely (Chief Publishing Executive), will deliver a shared keynote at Midem 2018 on June 6 in Cannes, France.

The trio will highlight how the group has evolved from a small independent publishing company (Bicycle Music) and label (Concord Music Group) to a global independent company encompassing all fields of the business from recording to publishing, to film and TV production, thanks to the ownership of a unique catalogue of musical works. They will also discuss how they have been able to develop a strong acquisition strategy to grow their musical and international footprint.

“It is important to welcome leading independent companies who are pushing the business forward by creating new and innovative business models, so we are honoured to host Concord Music, since it perfectly encapsulates the global music ecosystem which we promote at Midem,” said Alexandre Deniot, Director of Midem.

“Midem has been an important annual tradition for our executives throughout the evolution of Concord Music. With our acquisition of Imagem last year, Midem is now more than ever the place to come together with our global music industry peers to talk about creativity, productivity, and connectivity. I look forward to the Concord Music keynote and Q&A with my colleagues Jake Wisely and Steven Salm. Hopefully what we’ve learned from our successes and failures in our ever-changing business will help others — and vice versa,” said Pascucci.

Midem takes place in Cannes, France, from June 5-8 2018.

Scotty McCreery Teams With Cracker Barrel For “Five More Minutes” Video Contest

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Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Scotty McCreery are asking music fans to submit entries for their “Five More Minutes” video contest. Fans are encouraged to submit a video clip (one to three minutes in length) of them reuniting with the people in their lives they want to spend five more minutes with including their families and friends, as well as loved ones in military service.

Submitted videos will have the chance to be featured in a new music video for McCreery’s hit single “Five More Minutes,” premiering March 15, 2018 on Cracker Barrel’s YouTube channel.

“Five More Minutes” is the first single off McCreery’s upcoming third album Seasons Change, which will be available at all Cracker Barrel locations nationwide and online at shop.crackerbarrel.com beginning March 16, 2018.

Video submissions may be uploaded to crackerbarrel.com/FiveMoreMinutes between Feb. 19, 2018 and March 4, 2018. For every album sold at Cracker Barrel locations and at Cracker Barrel’s official online store from March 16, 2018-April 30, 2020, the company will donate $1 to its flagship nonprofit partner, Operation Homefront.

“I have always been impressed with the support that Cracker Barrel has given our military and their families through the years,” said McCreery. “Both of my grandfathers served in the armed forces, which instilled in me a huge respect for our military, their families, and the sacrifices they all make on our behalf. I am so proud that Cracker Barrel is stocking my new album ‘Seasons Change’ and donating $1 from each album sold to military families via Operation Homefront. I’m also looking forward to seeing the video submissions that come in from the fans as we create this new video for ‘Five More Minutes’ for Cracker Barrel’s YouTube channel.”

“Cracker Barrel has long supported military-focused programs, especially those that give back to military families,” said Cracker Barrel Senior Marketing Manager Julie Ulmer. “We share a passion for supporting America’s military with Scotty and are thrilled to give back to Operation Homefront in this way. We hope that our ‘Five More Minutes’ campaign will provide an opportunity for people to express their love and gratitude for loved ones, especially those serving in the military.”

Visit crackerbarrel.com/FiveMoreMinutes for full contest information and official rules.

 

MV2 Adds Two New Staffers, Promotes One

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MV2 Entertainment has announced two new staff additions and a promotion. Nicole Sherrill has joined MV2 Entertainment as Creative Director, Lindsey Parrish has joined the MV2 Entertainment team as Digital Marketing Manager, and Lauren Davis has been promoted from Office Manager to Artist Management & Contract Administration.

Sherrill is a Nashville native who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Mississippi. She began her career working with Matt Davenport Productions, and later returned to Nashville in 2013, where she joined the cast of the General Jackson Showboat as a full-time entertainer for four seasons. In Summer of 2015, Sherrill began working with Lisa Ramsey-Perkins at indie publishing company Little Extra Music, where she spent two years as creative director and as a full-time song plugger before joining MV2.

Davis has been promoted from Office Manager to Artist Management & Contract Administration. A licensed attorney in both Tennessee and Texas, Davis received a BBA in Business Management from the University of Texas at Tyler and attended law school at the University of Texas at Austin. While in law school, she took courses in entertainment and music law, was a staff editor of the Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law, and served as Communications Director for Law Students for the Arts. As Communications Director, she helped organize LSFTA’s annual pro bono clinic, in which local attorneys gave free consultations to musicians and artists in need of legal advice. Lauren also served as a legal intern for the Texas Music Office.

Parrish has joined the MV2 Entertainment team as Digital Marketing Manager. A native of a Chattanooga, she moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of working in the music industry by earning her degree in Music Business from Belmont University in 2017. Before joining MV2, Parrish held internships at Capitol CMG, The Recording Academy, and at Big Yellow Dog Music. Parrish was also a member of GRAMMY U and CMA EDU.

“MV2 Entertainment continues to expand, and we are pleased to add talented industry professionals to our executive team to contribute to that ongoing success,” MV2 Entertainment General Manager Tony Harrell said.

MV2 Entertainment represents an accomplished roster of songwriter/artists including Nora Collins, David Fanning, Terry McBride, Thomas Archer, and Clay Mills.

Don Gibson’s Hickory Records Career Highlights Chronicled On New Collection

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Don Gibson’s most popular singles of the 1970s will be chronicled for the first time on The Best of the Hickory Records Years (1970-1978), a new collection to be released by Omnivore Recordings on April 6. The release date coincides with Gibson’s 90th birthday (April 3, 1928) and the 60th anniversary of his Grand Ole Opry induction (April 12, 1958). The new set features 25 remastered tracks, as well as 20 of Gibson’s singles on Hickory Records that charted in the Top 30 and five other key tracks, and was mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Michael Graves.

Compiled by Grammy-winner Cheryl Pawelski and music journalist Craig Shelburne (author of an upcoming Don Gibson biography and who also penned the set’s liner notes), this is the most comprehensive overview of Don Gibson’s output on Hickory Records. He joined the label (part of Nashville’s Acuff-Rose publishing empire) at the invitation of executive Wesley Rose, who had first signed him to a publishing deal at Acuff-Rose in 1955.

Track Listing:
1. Games People Play
2. Don’t Take All Your Loving
3. Pretending Everyday
4. A Perfect Mountain
5. Guess Away The Blues
6. Having Second Thoughts
7. (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle
8. Country Green
9. Far Far Away
10. Woman (Sensuous Woman)
11. Is This The Best I’m Gonna Feel
12. If You’re Goin’ Girl
13. Touch The Morning
14. Snap Your Fingers
15. One Day At A Time
16. Bring Back Your Love To Me
17. I’ll Sing For You
18. There She Goes (I Wish Her Well)
19. What’s Happened To Me
20. Praying Hands
21. I’m All Wrapped Up In You
22. If You Ever Get To Houston (Look Me Down)
23. Starting All Over Again
24. The Fool
25. Any Day Now

 

Thomas Rhett Celebrates Double Chart-Toppers And Gold Album

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Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group’s Nicole Csabai, BMLG’s Mike Rittberg, G Major Management’s Virginia Davis, Thomas Rhett, BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, BMLG’s Allison Jones, The Valory Music Co.’s George Briner and BMLG’s Jake Basden. [Click photo to enlarge]

Thomas Rhett celebrated his eighth and ninth No. 1 singles yesterday (Feb. 15) during a No. 1 party held at Nashville venue Von Elrod’s. The song also marks BMLG imprint Valory Music Co.’s 24th and 25th No. 1 songs.

Dave Barnes and Julian Bunetta were honored for their work on “Craving You,” while Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally and Bunetta were honored for co-writing “Unforgettable.”

Thomas Rhett was also surprised with a Gold certification for his latest album Life Changes. His current single, “Marry Me” has also been certified Gold.

Among those celebrating the two No. 1 songs were ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Sony/ATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg, BMG’s Kos Weaver, Combustion Music’s Chris Farren, SMACKSongs’ Robert Carlton, MusicRow Magazine’s Sherod Robertson and Country Music Association’s Brandi Simms. First Tennessee Bank’s Andrew Kintz was also celebrating, while Pinnacle Bank, which announced a donation on behalf of the songwriters to the charity 147 Million Orphans (an organization supported by Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren).

Also celebrating were BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, George Briner and Alison Jones, as well as Thomas Rhett’s manager, Virginia Davis of G Major Management.

Next week, Thomas Rhett will be recognized as a CMA Triple Play Award recipient, which honors songwriters who have penned three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period (“Die A Happy Man,” “Star of the Show” and Michael Ray’s “Think A Little Less”).

Pictured (L-R): Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Thomas Rhett, Shane McAnally, Dave Barnes and Dann Huff attend the BMI Thomas Rhett # 1 Party on February 15, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI [Click photo to enlarge]

Benson Woo Rejoins Gibson Brands As CFO

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Benson Woo

Nashville-based Gibson Brands has brought back former Chief Financial Officer Benson Woo, who will return to the role next week. Woo previously served as CFO for Gibson Brands in 2016. He succeeds Bill Lawrence

“We are excited and pleased that Benson with be coming back to the Gibson Brands family,” CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said. “He has a great knowledge of the industry, our current businesses and is liked and respected by everyone at Gibson and with whom he dealt. We are confident he will contribute to moving the company forward.”

Mr. Woo has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He spent his early career at General Motors and then moved onto senior financial positions at more entrepreneurial companies.

 

Danny Gokey Signs With Capitol Christian Music Group

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Pictured (L-R): John Huie, CAA, Partner; Brad O’Donnell, Capitol CMG, Chief Creative Officer; Penny Railey, Maximum Artist Management; Danny Gokey; Hudson Plachy, Capitol CMG, Chief Marketing Officer; Mitchell Solarek, Maximum Artist Management; Gary Gilbert, Partner, Manatt, Phelps, Phillips.

Danny Gokey has signed with Capitol Christian Music Group. The announcement comes on the heels of Gokey’s first GRAMMY nomination for his hit album Rise.

“I’m excited to embrace a new chapter and walk into a new beginning with Capitol CMG,” Gokey said. “The music industry has gone through tremendous changes within the last decade and Capitol has always been at the forefront of innovative and creative solutions to help artists embrace the future. I’m honored to share in this next chapter with them and am expecting great things.”

“Danny Gokey is an artist that we have admired for some time,” said Brad O’Donnell, Capitol CMG Chief Creative Officer. “He’s an incredible singer, passionate communicator and has a strong sense of who he is as an artist. When the opportunity came along to work with him we jumped at the chance.”

Capitol CMG Chief Marketing Officer Hudson Plachy added, “We at Capitol CMG could not be more excited about working with Danny and the incredible talent he is gifted with. The passion, creativity and vision Danny brings has already brought him so much success, and we are honored to come alongside him and his team to serve his gifts moving forward.”

Gokey recently released his latest single “Masterpiece” and joined TobyMac on the road for the TobyMac Hits Deep Tour.

In 2009, Gokey earned third place on American Idol, and signed a recording deal with RCA Nashville, where he released a few singles to country radio before transitioning into the Christian radio format.

Industry Pics: Kelsea Ballerini, Cole Swindell, Lindsay Ell

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Kelsea Ballerini Embraces Love During Ryman Debut

Kelsea Ballerini makes her headlining debut at the Ryman on February 14, 2018. Photo: Blythe Thomas [CLICK TO ENLARGE]

Standing in front of an illuminated heart backdrop, Black River Entertainment’s Kelsea Ballerini personified loss, life and especially love during her headlining debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium Wednesday night (Feb. 14).

Despite fighting the flu, Ballerini thrived from the energy of the sold-out crowd and treated fans to a live performance of every song off her sophomore album, Unapologetically. Performed chronologically, the setlist included “I Hate Love Songs” which resonated perfectly with the lovestruck holiday.

Celebrating her first Valentine’s Day as a married woman, Ballerini welcomed her husband, Morgan Evans (Warner Music Nashville), as a surprise guest. The couple introduced an unreleased song by Evans titled “Dance With Me,” marking the first time the pair has publicly performed together.

Ballerini ended her milestone show with an acoustic version of her Platinum-certified, No. 1 hit “Love Me Like You Mean It,” from her Gold-certified breakout album The First Time. “I want it to be me and you, because it’s always been me and you,” she humbly shared onstage, before leading an impassioned sing-along off-mic in closing.

 

Cole Swindell Kicks Off First Headlining Tour

Pictured (L-R): Michael Monaco, FlyHi Films; Katie Bright, National Dir. of Promotion, WMN; Jerry Padden, PD, WCTO; Morning Show Sam, WCTO; Cole Swindell; and Kerri Edwards, President, KP Entertainment.

Cole Swindell and members of the music industry celebrated the opening night of his Reason To Drink Tour Thursday night (Feb. 15) in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Joining Swindell for each of the dates on his first headlining tour are two of country music’s biggest rising stars Chris Janson and Lauren Alaina. Click here for a full list of tour dates.

 

Lindsay Ell Visits Academy Of Country Music

Pictured (L-R): Tom Torii, ACM SVP, Finance and Operations; Lindsay Ell. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music® welcomed Stoney Creek Records recording artist Lindsay Ell to the office while she was in Los Angeles recently. While at the Academy, Ell performed her current single, “Criminal,” and other songs from her current album, The Project.

Click here to watch a video from Ell’s visit featuring an exclusive interview and clips from her performance.