CMT Extends Deal With iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks

/by

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc., and iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks have announced a multi-year deal extension that keeps intact the country music platform spanning radio, television, digital and social, and reaching more than 100 million combined fans.

Under the agreement, CMT and Premiere Networks will continue to collaborate and develop programs and events for multiple platforms and screens that give fans insider access to country music and artists. Additionally, Premiere Networks serves as the exclusive distribution partner for CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan, which broadcasts weeknights from 7 p.m. to midnight ET. CMT Radio, including shows After MidNite and CMT Radio Live, originates from the network’s Nashville-based studio bringing fans the latest in news and entertainment direct from Music City. The shows can be heard on more than 210 country broadcast stations in over 110 markets, and via iHeartRadio.com and the iHeartRadio app.

Additionally, country radio and CMT personality Cody Alan will continue as host of Premiere Networks’ syndicated radio program CMT After MidNite with Cody Alan, which celebrates 25 years on-air this year. Alan was recently nominated for ACM Radio Awards’ National On-Air Personality of the Year.

“Music is the center of our brand and we look forward to exploring new avenues of growth with Premiere,” said Frank Tanki, General Manager of CMT and TV Land. “Our partnership with Premiere Networks provides endless opportunities and unrivaled reach to connect even more with fans everywhere, and on every platform.”

“I’m honored to continue our work with Premiere Networks, and humbled by the ACM nomination for National Personality of the Year,” remarked Alan. “It’s a real testament to the hard work of our team. We take pride in creating engaging content for our fans every day.”

Top Country Showman Ronnie Prophet Passes

/by

Ronnie Prophet

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame member Ronnie Prophet died on Friday (March 2) at age 80.

Known as one of country’s finest all-around entertainers, Prophet is perhaps best remembered in Nashville as the house act in the Printer’s Alley showplace The Carousel Club in the 1970s and 1980s. He was also a recording artist for RCA on Music Row.

The ebullient singer, flashy guitarist, comic, TV star, business entrepreneur, witty emcee, songwriter, impressionist and raconteur was noted for his live-wire stage presence and endearingly manic manner. He was a popular guest on Ralph Emery’s Nashville Now TV program on TNN and a regular in the casinos of Las Vegas opening for Danny Thomas and Perry Como.

Born Ronald Lawrence Victor Prophet in 1937, he was raised near Montreal. He was entertaining in local venues while still in high school in the 1950s. By 1962, he was performing during summer seasons at a dude ranch in New York State. He moved from there to resort engagements in Florida and the Bahamas.

He began performing in Music City in the 1970s. He did comical impersonations, engaged audiences in his act and hooked his guitar up to gizmos that made novelty sounds.

Meanwhile, he returned to Canada to launch The Ronnie Prophet Show on CBC-TV in 1973-81. He moved to Canada’s CTV network for long-running stints as the star of the Grand Old Country (1975-80) and Rocky Mountain Inn television series. Other Canadian TV starring gigs included Country Roads (1973) and Ronnie & The Browns (1990-91).

In Nashville, he was signed by RCA Records in 1975. His charted country singles in the U.S. were “Sanctuary” (1975), “Shine On” (1976), “It’s Enough” (1976), “Big Big World” (1976) and “It Ain’t Easy Lovin’ Me” (1977).

In England, he became the star of Ronnie Prophet Entertains on BBC-TV. Success in Canada continued as well. He won CCMA awards as Male Vocalist of the Year in 1977 and 1978, then CCMA Entertainer of the Year in 1984.

He sang duets with Glory-Anne Carriere, whom he married in 1986. These won them the CCMA Duo of the Year award in 1984.

Prophet’s solo successes on the Canadian country charts began with 1973’s “San Diego.” Another notable hit in Canada was 1979’s “Phantom of the Opry.” He also scored top-10 Canadian country hits with “The Ex-Superstar’s Waltz” (1982), “No Holiday In L.A.” (1987) and “If This Is Love” (with Carriere, 1984).

A total of 31 Ronnie Prophet singles hit the Canadian country charts between 1973 and 1992. He formed his own Prophet Records in the 1980s. He was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

In the new millennium, he became a headliner in Branson, Missouri. He was the opening act for George Jones on tour in 2005.
Son Tony Prophet also became a country music artist. Ronnie Prophet’s second cousin was Canadian country singer Orval Prophet.

Ronnie Prophet passed away in Florida, following kidney failure, with family and friends at his side. Prophet is survived by his wife of 32 years, Glory Anne Carriere Prophet, sons Tony (Kitty), Jimmy (Emily), step children Rhonda, Paisley, Warren Carriere, and Tamara Greer, as well as 12 grandchildren.

He will be laid to rest at Avoca Cemetery near his farm home in Quebec, Canada. In lieu of flowers, the Prophet family has requested donations be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – Ronnie Prophet Memorial Fund.

[Updated]: Mike Huckabee Resigns From CMA Foundation Board Following Industry Backlash

/by

[Updated, March 2]:

Former CMA Foundation Board member Mike Huckabee published his full resignation letter on his official site Friday morning (March 2), after it was announced that he had resigned from the CMA Foundation Board following criticism from some music industry members.

“It appears that I will make history as having the shortest tenure in the history of the CMA Foundation Board,” he says in the letter, published to his official site under the title “Hate Wins.” “I genuinely regret that some in the industry were so outraged by my appointment that they bullied the CMA and the Foundation with economic threats and vowed to withhold support for the programs for students if I remained…Bullies succeeded in making it untenable to have “someone like me” involved. I would imagine however that many of the people who buy tickets and music are not that “unlike me.” I hereby tender my resignation effective immediately.  I hope this will end the unnecessary distraction and deterrent to the core mission of the Foundation which is to help kids acquire musical instruments and have an opportunity to participate in music programs as students.”

Huckabee’s full resignation letter can be read at mikehuckabee.com.

[Updated, March 1, 3:54 p.m.]: The Country Music Association (CMA) tells MusicRow that the CMA Foundation has accepted the resignation of Mike Huckabee from the CMA Foundation’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. The resignation follows a letter of protest sent yesterday (Feb. 28) from Sandbox Entertainment owner and artist manager Jason Owen to the CMA.

[Original post, March 1, 3:39 p.m. CT]:

Sandbox Entertainment owner and artist manager Jason Owen has responded to the CMA Foundation’s recent appointment of former Governor Mike Huckabee to its board. The letter indicates that Owen—in addition to the artists affiliated with his Sandbox Entertainment management firm or his recently renewed Monument Records—will no longer support the CMA Foundation. Owen’s Sandbox roster includes Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves, Midland, and more, while Monument Records counts Walker Hayes and Caitlyn Smith on its roster.

MusicRow has obtained a copy of the letter, which was sent from Owen to CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, and to CMA Foundation Director of Community Outreach Tiffany Kerns (below):

Sarah and Tiffany –

It is with a heavy heart that I must let you know moving forward, Sandbox and Monument will no longer support the CMA Foundation in any way (this includes everyone we represent collectively) considering the heartbreaking news shared today regarding Mike Huckabee appointee/elected to the CMA Foundation. Further, we find it hard to support the organization as a whole as a result. As you may know I have a child and two on the way. This man has made it clear that my family is not welcome in his America. And the CMA has opened their arms to him, making him feel welcome and relevant. Huckabee speaks of the sort of things that would suggest my family is morally beneath his and uses language that has a profoundly negative impact upon young people all across this country. Not to mention how harmful and damaging his deep involvement with the NRA is. What a shameful choice. I will not participate in any organization that elevates people like this to positions that amplify their sick voices. This was a detrimentally poor choice by the CMA and it’s leaders. 

I only wish the best for you and I know how hard you work for the foundation but a grossly offensive decision like this only makes your job harder and diminishes the foundation’s purpose. 

Jason

As the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, the CMA Foundation supports music education programs across the United States.

Huckabee served as Governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007, and ran for President in 2008 and 2016, finishing second in the Republican primary in 2008. Huckabee is the host of Huckabee on Trinity Broadcasting Network and is a Fox News contributor.

Third Day Announces Farewell Tour, Includes Ryman Auditorium Show

/by

CCM band Third Day will hit the road one last time this summer to headline their Farewell Tour, which concludes a touring career that spans 25 years. The tour, produced by Awakening Events and sponsored by Food for the Hungry, kicks off May 31, in Seattle, Washington, and will visit 12 major US markets before wrapping up on June 27 in Denver at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater.

The tour will include a stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on June 23.

“We know this is a season that is coming to a close, and we wanted to give our fans one more chance to see us perform live. The live show has been the core fan experience, and this tour will give us an opportunity to go out and say thank you to the fans who have always been so supportive of our music” said lead vocalist Mac Powell.

“These last twenty-five years of Third Day have been an amazing ride that we never in our wildest dreams thought we would experience,” said founding member and lead guitarist Mark Lee.

The Farewell Tour will feature a full slate from the band’s 31 No. 1 radio singles, as well as new material from Mac Powell and the Family Reunion, new music from Mark Lee featuring stories from his book Hurt Road, and special guest artist appearances in all markets.

THIRD DAY – FAREWELL TOUR
* Dates, markets and venues subject to change without notice
May 31 – Seattle, WA at Moore Theater
June 1 – Portland, OR at Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center
June 2 – Los Angeles, CA Citizens Business Bank Arena
June 3 – Dallas, TX at Verizon Wireless Theater at Grand Prairie
June 8 – Houston, TX at Cynthia Woods Pavilion Amphitheater
June 9 – New York City, NY at Beacon Theater
June 13 – Louisville, KY at Southeast Christian
June 14 – Indianapolis, IN at Murat Theater
June 16 – Atlanta, GA at Fox Theater
June 22 – Grand Rapids, MI at DeVoss Performance Hall
June 23 – Nashville, TN at Ryman Auditorium
June 27 – Denver, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Volunteer Jam XX To Air As AXS TV Special

/by

The upcoming Volunteer Jam XX concert will be filmed for a primetime broadcast special on AXS TV which will air in summer 2018. “Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute To Charlie” will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on March 7.

The concert will feature performances by Charlie Daniels and The Charlie Daniels Band, ALABAMA, Alison Krauss, Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top, Blackberry Smoke, Bobby Bare, Chris Janson, Chris Young, Chuck Leavell, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Justin Moore, Lee Brice, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ricky Skaggs, Sara Evans, The Oak Ridge Boys, Travis Tritt, and is hosted by Storme Warren.

“I am thrilled to partner with AXS TV in making Volunteer Jam XX an extraordinary broadcast event so that fans around the country can experience an unforgettable night of performances,” says Keith Wortman, CEO of Blackbird Presents, executive producer of Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute To Charlie, creator and executive producer of Nashville’s recent highly acclaimed All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration and Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard.

“With its electric roster of Country icons and modern hit-makers, Volunteer Jam XX is a perfect fit for AXS TV’s music programming lineup,” said Evan Haiman, vice president of music programming and production, AXS TV.  “This unique event truly offers something for Country music fans of all ages to enjoy, and we look forward to sharing the star-studded special with our viewers this summer.”

Carrie Underwood, Ludacris Release Video For ‘The Champion’

/by

Carrie Underwood’s music video for “The Champion” featuring Ludacris premiered on NBC’s Today Show this morning (Friday, March 2) before launching globally across digital platforms. Directed by Jimmy Lynch, the montage video features a behind-the-scenes look at Underwood and Ludacris recording the song along with historic moments and footage highlighting professional athletes and everyday champions, including kids fighting cancer, as well as supporters of the #MeToo movement.

Fans have already started joining in by sharing their own champion-inspired photos and videos across social media using #TheChampion. The song was originally written to open NBC’s Super Bowl LII with its own video seen by over 131 million viewers worldwide, and was incorporated into NBC’s current coverage of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

“The Champion” has reached No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 10 countries including the U.S., where it held the top spot throughout its release week. It also debuted Top 5 on the all-genre Top 200 Digital Songs chart.

Underwood is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

Country Music Website RareCountry.com To Cease Operations March 31

/by

Country music and lifestyle website RareCountry.com will cease operations on March 31. Rare Country is a subsidiary of Cox Media Group’s Rare.us.

The site was launched in 2015 with General Manager Laurissa Phillips at the helm. Among those employed by rarecountry.com were Senior Content Editor Phyllis Stark, as well as music writers Tricia Roegner Despres, Hunter Kelly, Melinda Lorge, Tammy Ragusa, and Samantha Stephens.

In 2016, the site launched the Rare Country Awards.

“We took chances, listened to our gut and created something truly special, and for that, I’m thankful,” Phillips said in a social media post. “Thank you for believing in us, taking our calls and being willing to be a part of something new.”

The site will continue publishing stories until March 31. After that date, staffers can be reached at their personal email addresses, provided below:

Hunter Kelly – [email protected]
Tricia Despres – [email protected]
Melinda Lorge – [email protected]
Phyllis Stark – [email protected]
Samantha Stephens – [email protected]
Tammy Ragusa – [email protected]

Weekly Chart Report 3/2/18

/by

Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.

In Pictures: ASCAP, Carly Pearce, Cale Dodds

/by

ASCAP Presents At The Back Corner

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Robert Filhart and Holly Chester, Chase Goehring, Apollo Kings’ Zach Carter and Josh Carter, ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe and Mike Sistad.

ASCAP showcased two emerging pop artists on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at The Back Corner to a capacity crowd.

Chase Goehring, a 2017 contestant on America’s Got Talent, kicked things off with an acoustic set, followed by emerging pop duo Apollo Kings. Comprised of brothers Josh and Zach Carter, Apollo Kings debuted new music from their upcoming project at the showcase. Their first single, “Freak Show,” will be released this Friday (March 2).

 

Carly Pearce Earns First ACM Awards Nomination

Carly Pearce learns she has been named a New Female Vocalist of the Year nominee at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards. Photo:Courtesy of Big Machine Records

Carly Pearce has been named a New Female Vocalist of the Year nominee at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards.

“I have dreamt of being nominated for an ACM Award my entire life,” shared Pearce. “All the years I watched the show from my couch, wondering if I’d ever make it to the awards as a nominee are now coming true. I LOVE YOU COUNTRY MUSIC!!”

Watch the breakthrough singer/songwriter react to her first nomination here.

The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards will take place April 15 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

 

Cale Dodds Meets U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team

Pictured: Cale Dodds with members of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team.

Cale Dodds recently visited WFUS radio in Tampa, Florida where he had the pleasure of meeting members of the gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team.

 

 

 

Chris Tomlin, Governor Bill Haslam Discuss ‘Good Friday Nashville’ Concert

/by

Pictured (L-R): Chris Tomlin, Kristin Allender, First Lady Haslam, Governor Haslam

CCM artist Chris Tomlin joined Governor Bill Haslam, First Lady Crissy Haslam and Kristin Allender, Executive Director of Tennessee Kids Belong (TKB) on Thursday (March 1) to talk about Tomlin’s second annual ‘Good Friday Nashville’ concert, set for March 30 at Bridgestone Arena, which will again benefit Tennessee Kids Belong.

Nashville resident Tomlin has committed to performing the yearly concert event indefinitely and is currently holding the venue through 2024.

‘Good Friday Nashville’ 2018 special guests include Kim Walker Smith of Jesus Culture, Matt Maher, Christine D’Clario, Tauren Wells and Pat Barrett who will all perform on stage with Tomlin throughout the night. Best-selling author and Pastor Levi Lusko will speak. ‘Good Friday Nashville’ is produced by Awakening Events, presented by K-LOVE, Air1, The Fish and WAY-FM.

The concert also aims to bring awareness to the TNFosters Initiative – a joint partnership between Governor Haslam, First Lady Haslam, The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), and Tennessee Kids Belong.

“We are so unbelievably overwhelmed by the response of Nashville to the second ‘Good Friday Nashville’ concert,” shared Tomlin. “And because of that reaction this community has come together so we can offer the concert proceeds to Tennessee Kids Belong to help children and their families. To hear about the success of Tennessee Kids Belong as well as the impact they are having locally and in the state of Tennessee, and to know that ‘Good Friday Nashville’ has even played a small role in those successes is humbling.”

Currently there are roughly 7,500 children in Tennessee’s foster care system. Of those 7,500 children, roughly 325 are available for adoption and are waiting for their forever family. The remaining children have the goal of reunification with their biological families and just need a loving foster family while they wait. The TNFosters Initiative with spearheading partner, Tennessee Kids Belong, set goals to increase the number of certified foster families in Tennessee and to place 100 children in adoptive families. By the end of the first year of the TNFosters Initiative 1,309 new foster families were certified, yielding a 40.8% increase over 2016. Additionally, 116 children were placed in forever families, far exceeding the original goal of 100 children in families.

“Every child deserves a loving family and I am grateful to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for its increased focus on recruiting new foster and adoptive families, and to Tennessee Kids Belong for supporting these efforts,” said Governor Bill Haslam. “I am inspired by the work DCS does every day providing service to the children of Tennessee in a way that models what it should look like for the rest of the country.”

“Improving child welfare by wrapping around these children and families takes an incredible amount of work, strategy and commitment on the part of the entire Department of Children’s Services staff and our partners,” stated First Lady Crissy Haslam. “I am so proud to be a part of a state that prioritizes taking care of its children.”

“We are so pleased with the progress that DCS has made last year on the foster and adoptive family recruitment,” DCS Commissioner Bonnie Hommrich said. “And we greatly look forward to the results our team and the whole TNFosters Initiative can yield in 2018 as we continue to engage, recruit and support more foster and adoptive families.”

“Tennessee Kids Belong is grateful to be working with Governor Haslam and First Lady Haslam through the TNFosters campaign,” shared Kristin Allender, Executive Director of TKB. “It’s critical to have all spheres working together to make a big, sustainable impact. That’s what we’re seeing here in Tennessee. We also want to offer a huge thank you to Chris and his entire team for their hearts for children in care. One of the hardest things about foster care is that it’s largely an invisible issue. We say all the time that we want to “give a voice” to children in foster care. It’s people like Chris who are taking that literally and serving as tremendous advocates in this space.”