Brothers Osborne, Steve Earle, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band To Play ‘Bluegrass Underground’

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Producers of the 16-time, Emmy award-winning public television series Bluegrass Underground announced today (Aug. 29) the national PBS premiere of Season IX will be on Sept. 4, 2019 with an episode featuring one of the most accomplished bands in American roots music, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Taped in The Caverns in Tennessee’s Cumberland Mountains, Bluegrass Underground is a musical adventure series showcasing a broad spectrum of music from the heart of the American experience. Produced by Todd Squared Productions (Todd Mayo and Todd Jarrell) and presented on PBS by WCTE Upper Cumberland PBS, Season IX is jam-packed to the stalactites with revered living legends, groundbreaking musical innovators, and future household names.

Each week for 12 weeks Bluegrass Underground offers a new episode. In addition to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Season IX artists include musical legends Keb’ Mo’ and Steve Earle; Platinum-selling country rockers Brothers Osborne; Americana Music Association’s Emerging Artist of 2017, Amanda Shires; Josh Ritter, one of Paste Magazine’s “100 Greatest Living Songwriters”; Memphis-based country-punk trailblazers Lucero; South African-born, indie-folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov; Oscar and Tony award-winning, Irish songwriter Glen Hansard; folk-rock power trio The Devil Makes Three; lyrically talented Americana newcomer Lauren Morrow; and Nashville musical treasure and song stylist Mandy Barnett. Air dates will vary.

Underwriters of this PBS television series include the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Grundy County Tennessee.

 

The complete Bluegrass Underground Season IX artist line-up:
1. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2. Amanda Shires
3. Keb’ Mo’
4. Josh Ritter
5. Lucero
6. Brothers Osborne
7. Gregory Alan Isakov
8. Steve Earle
9. Lauren Morrow
10. Glen Hansard
11. The Devil Makes Three
12. Mandy Barnett

 

Industry Pics: NMAAM, Tucker Beathard, Hayden Haddock

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NMAAM Takes Possession Of Space At Fifth + Broadway

Pictured (L-R): Mayor David Briley and NMAAM President and CEO H. Beecher Hicks III.

The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) President and CEO H. Beecher Hicks III and Mayor David Briley today (Aug. 29) signed the lease that officially gives the museum control over the space the museum will occupy at Fifth + Broadway.

The lease document solidifies the agreement between the museum and the city of Nashville for NMAAM to occupy the 56,000-square-foot space within the Fifth + Broadway development. Now that the lease has been signed, the exhibit build-out can begin with the expectation of opening in the summer of 2020.

“I’d like to thank Mayor Briley for his continued support of the museum throughout the fundraising and construction process,” Hicks said. “This is an important moment for our museum and this city, when we take the next step in fulfilling a musical legacy that began centuries ago. Today marks the day the long-held dream of NMAAM begins to become a reality, and now we can begin to build what will be a jewel in the crown for Music City. The work starts today.”

“With this lease, Nashville demonstrates its commitment to this museum and lets the world know that, when we say ‘Music City,’ we mean all kinds of music,” Briley said. “NMAAM will be an incredible attraction and will tell the important story of African American music in our city and beyond. This is the culmination of years of organization, hard work and planning from city and business leaders alike. I’m honored to have played a role in helping make this a reality for our city, and I can’t wait for all Nashvillians to experience it.”

 

Tucker Beathard Rocks Stage at Pickin’ on the Patio

Pictured (L-R): Shane Tarleton (SVP Artist Development, WMN), Tucker Beathard, Cris Lacy (EVP A&R, WMN), and Ben Kline (EVP/GM, WMN). Photo: Kirsten Balani

Warner Music Nashville’s Tucker Beathard closed the Pickin’ on the Patio season last night (Aug. 28) with a rocking finale. The singer-songwriter plugged in for a full-band show that included songs from the first installment of his debut double album, Nobody’s Everything, and more.

 

Hayden Haddock Joins CMA

Pictured (L-R): CMA’s Brenden Oliver, Hayden Haddock, and CMA’s Angela Strader.

Red dirt singer-songwriter Hayden Haddock recently joined the CMA as a new member. The 20-year-old, college junior performs 100+ dates per year in Texas and surrounding states and has amassed more than 300K streams on Spotify.

Haddock is currently working with Trent Willmon (Cody Johnson’s producer/hit songwriter) on his sophomore project due out late this year.

SESAC, Victoria Shaw’s Fabulicious Music And AvaRu Production Sign Cooper Alan

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Pictured (back row, L-R): SESAC President & COO Kelli Turner, SESAC VP Creative Services Shannan Hatch, SESAC songwriter Victoria Shaw. Front: Cooper Alan

Rising singer-songwriter Cooper Alan recently signed with SESAC, as well as Fabulicious Music Publishing, and AvaRu Production company, owned by award-winning songwriter, producer and fellow SESAC affiliate Victoria Shaw. Alan’s new single, “Climate Change,” co-written with Shaw and fellow SESAC affiliate Seth Mosley, will be available on all digital platforms on Friday, Aug. 30.

“The first time I saw Cooper perform and heard that incredible voice, I knew then and there that I wanted to sign him,” says Shaw. “I am excited that we are releasing his first single and can’t wait for everyone to hear!”

for King & Country, Dolly Parton Team For New Version Of “God Only Knows”

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for KING & COUNTRY has teamed up with Dolly Parton on a brand-new version of their award winning single “God Only Knows,” which includes a powerful music video. The iconic Country Music Hall of Famer’s presence on the track takes the song to new heights, with shimmering acoustic guitars complementing the song’s message of hope. The song will be available at all digital music retailers tonight at 11 p.m. CT.

“When I first heard ‘God Only Knows’ I thought it was one of the best songs I’d ever heard. I came from a very spiritual background, and I love anything to do with inspirational songs that lift people up,” said Parton. “I feel that this is a good song for right now, and it’s so well written. I know that it touched me at a time when I needed to be lifted up.”

Dolly is featured in the powerful new music video for “God Only Knows,” as she and the Smallbone brothers struggle to find themselves before resigning to faith and belief. The full-length video was shot in Nashville, produced by Patrick Tohill and directed by Benjamin Smallbone. It will premiere tonight (Aug. 29) on YouTube at 11 p.m. CT.

“Hearing Dolly sing that chorus and those words was an out of body experience for us as writers and artists,” says Joel Smallbone, one half of for KING & COUNTRY. “As soon as we heard her vocals on the track, we immediately realized that this song was meant for her voice.”

“God Only Knows” held the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top Christian Songs chart for 11 weeks, recently took home Song of the Year honors at the K-LOVE awards, and received a Dove Award nom for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. Additionally, the song hit Top 30 on Mediabase and Billboard’s Hot AC charts while garnering 330 million radio impressions and over 65 million streams across all digital platforms.

 

Austen Adams Named Chief Operating Officer Of Big Loud

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Photo Credit: Amy Allmand

Austen Adams has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Big Loud Records and its publishing divisions. He’ll start in his new role Sept. 15.

Adams, a Louisiana native, built a respected Nashville entertainment law practice and has represented artists and behind-the-scenes players within the industry for more than 15 years, structuring and negotiating everything from recording and publishing deals to joint ventures. Well-versed in the fields of digital distribution and intellectual-property protection, he’s also spent time as a day-to-day artist manager. Adams was named to the Leadership Music Class of 2018, and maintains membership in a wide range of legal professional and music business associations.

“Austen is coming to Big Loud at an exciting time,” said Big Loud’s Seth England. “We’ve worked with him for many years and have watched him become a leader in this industry. Admired for his strong character and high moral standards, Austen’s reputation is second to none. These traits align perfectly with our company’s culture and we couldn’t be prouder to have him on board. With an amazing roster of artists, innovative executive team, and a family-oriented atmosphere, the future is even more bright at Big Loud.”

“I have been lucky enough to work closely with Big Loud’s founding partners for many years and can’t wait to join the incredible teams they have put together,” said Adams. “I have always admired their talent, drive, and the cutting-edge approach they have taken in building such amazing companies. I couldn’t be more excited to become a member of the Big Loud family.”

YouTube Picks Up Johnny Cash Documentary

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YouTube has picked up “The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash,” a documentary set to premiere on Oct. 8. The 90-minute documentary, which world premiered at SXSW 2019 and is directed by Thom Zimny, explores the artistic victories, the personal tragedies, the struggles with addiction, and the spiritual pursuits that colored Cash’s life.

The original composition for the project was composed and performed by Mike McCready, and the companion soundtrack to the film, The Gift: The Journey Of Johnny Cash (The Original Soundtrack) will be released in the fall of 2019 by Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. “The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash” will screen at the Telluride Film Festival on Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31 in Telluride, Colorado.

For the first time, YouTube’s audience of two billion logged in monthly users will have the opportunity to enjoy new YouTube original series and specials released after Sept. 24, 2019 for free with ads. YouTube’s subscription service, YouTube Premium, will continue to offer ad-free access to all YouTube Originals with all episodes available to them at once to binge. Additionally, YouTube Premium subscribers will have exclusive access to director’s cuts and bonus content of YouTube Originals when available. The news follows record growth for YouTube Originals, with total views of the full slate growing more than 40% compared to last year. 

“Today, we are welcoming a global audience to enjoy our award-winning series and specials,” said Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer for YouTube. “We see a tremendous opportunity to develop more region-specific content, particularly in Europe, Asia and Latin America, and will continue to partner with the biggest stars and creators in the world to share their stories and voices.”

Industry Ink: Leadership Bluegrass, Travis Greene, Hometown Rising

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Leadership Bluegrass Applications Open

Leadership Bluegrass is accepting applications for its 2020 class. The annual education program created by IBMA for its professional members was created to gather a cross section of both well-established and rising leaders in the bluegrass industry for a three-day intensive program of learning and communication. The intent of Leadership Bluegrass is to foster a broad-based understanding of the total needs of the bluegrass community and assist graduates to determine the goals of the particular organization, company or group in which they choose to serve. The network is now 20 years old, with over 450 graduates. Only 25 applicants are chosen each year and represent all areas of the bluegrass music industry. Leadership Bluegrass is hosted by BMI in their Nashville offices. The application for the Class of 2020 is now available at IBMA’s official site.

 

Travis Greene Celebrates Gold Plaque

Artist, songwriter, and producer Travis Greene was presented with a Gold Plaque from RCA Inspiration for his No.1 smash hit single “Intentional,” which has been RIAA-Certified Gold for a half million in sales. The chart-topper was presented with this award during his annual Engage Culture Weekend in Columbia, South Carolina.

The weekend featured empowering live events with special guests including Kirk Franklin, DeVon Franklin, Heather Lindsey, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Matt Kemp, and more. Greene recently released a new single and video for “Won’t Let Go,” from his forthcoming album Broken Record.

 

Hometown Rising Announces Performance Schedule

Hometown Rising, the first-ever Country Music & Bourbon Festival, has announced its music schedule which will feature Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Little Big Town with additional appearances from Dwight Yoakam, Trace Adkins, Brett Young, Jake Owen, Bret Michaels, Frankie Ballard, and many more. The festival, which takes place Sept. 14-15 at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky, will include more than 30 artists on the festival’s three stages over the course of the weekend. For the full performance schedule, visit HometownRising.com.

 

DISClaimer: Lady Antebellum Offers “Uniform Excellence” On New Song “Pictures”

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Everybody is batting a thousand today.

Knock-it-out-of-the-park entries by Eric Church, Luke Combs, Cam, Chris Young and Ingrid Andress are the order of the day. Plus, we have breath-takingly great collaborations between Miranda and Maren, as well as Taylor and the Chicks.

Give a Disc of the Day to Lady Antebellum for uniform excellence on every level with “Pictures.”

The DISCovery Award goes to the FGL-found Dylan Schneider. I believe you’re gonna like this guy.

NOAH SCHNACKY/I’ll Be The One
Writers: Noah Schnacky/Seth Ennis/Jordan Schmidt; Producer: Dann Huff; Publisher: WB/Sony-ATV Countryside/Sony-ATV Accent/Songs From the Rose Hotel/Wc/We-volve/Georgia Song Vibez/Smacknacky, no performance rights listed; Big Machine
– The performance has a slight blue-eyed-soul quality. His jaunty, youthful tenor seems sincere. For all those dewy-eyed, tween-country gals out there.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/Pictures
Writers: Dave Haywood/Charles Kelley/Hillary Scott/Sarah Buxton/Corey Crowder; Producer: Dann Huff; Publishers: none listed; Big Machine
– Very nice. The mellow melodic vibe pushes a wafting breeze over the wistful, downbeat lyric that is mighty, mighty pleasing. The relationship is over, but the sentimental photos remain. Love the guitar work. Love the harmonies. Love the songwriting.

 

DYLAN SCHNEIDER/How To Country
Writers: Dylan Schneider/Mark Holman/James McNair/Justin Wilson; Producer: Mark Holman; Publisher: none listed; Interscope/Round Here
– The “I’m-so-country” lyric territory is well worn. Practically worn out, in fact. But the funky production, processed audio effects and his strong vocal make the whole thing sound super fresh. The four-song EP is called Whole Town Talk, and it is an introduction to a fine talent.

LUKE COMBS/Even Though I’m Leaving
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; River House/Columbia Nashville
– The newest member of the Grand Ole Opry proves again how much he deserves his stardom. Life might be fleeting, but those who depart from us never really do. The feelings conveyed here are authentic, and his vocal is country perfection. Say “Amen,” somebody.

 

CAM/La Marcheuse
Writers: none listed; Producer: Jokke Pettersson; Publisher: none listed; RCA
– It’s a lilting Nashville cover of a pop song by the Euro act Christine & The Queens. Cam sings it entirely in French. It is simply beautiful, even if you don’t understand a word. I remain a huge fan of this sublimely creative and individualistic artist.

CHRIS YOUNG/Drowning
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; RCA
– He’s lost in waves of misery and mourning. Chris sings for all of us who have lost someone way too soon. And he does it with a true country heart.

 

INGRID ANDRESS/We’re Not Friends
Writers: Ingrid Andress/A.J. Pruis/Derrick Southerland/Nate Cyphert; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Atlantic
– This lady so beautifully captures how complicated relationships can be. It’s a complex song, full of twists and turns. But her assured performance and brilliant writing keep the whole thing wooshing down the tracks. Wonderfully involving, ear-catching and brain tickling. She’s a terrific music creator. Play her.

ERIC CHURCH/Monsters
Writers: Eric Church/Jeff Hyde; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Longer and Louder/Mammaw’s Friend Okra/Little Louder/Songs of Kobalt, BMI; EMI
– For my money, this is the greatest singer-songwriter currently working in country music. Every single line of this had me on the edge of my seat. It’s a cautionary ode of an unsettled heart, a loving father and soul sicknesses that stalk us all. And the rhythm track kicks ass.

 

TAYLOR SWIFT & THE DIXIE CHICKS/Soon You’ll Get Better
Writers: Taylor Swift/Jack Antonoff; Producers: Jack Antonoff/Taylor Swift; Publishers: none listed; Republic
– The softly melodic, heartfelt, hopeful ballad is reportedly about Taylor’s mother’s battle with cancer. The harmonies and banjo droplets by the Chicks are heavenly. This stop-the-world performance touches every corner of your heart. Awesome and gorgeous and real.

MIRANDA LAMBERT & MAREN MORRIS/Way Too Pretty For Prison
Writers: Lambert/Hillary Lindsey/Lori McKenna/Liz Rose; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; RCA/Vanner
– They’ve thought about “Goodbye Earl” and “Thelma and Louise” (not to mention Brandy Clark’s “Stripes”), but those prison jumpsuits just won’t do. These two Texas twisters define “feisty.” In a word, a hoot.

 

Dierks Bentley, Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell Return To Seven Peaks [Interview]

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Seven Peaks Festival, 2018.

Dierks Bentley and Live Nation’s President of Country Touring Brian O’Connell return to Buena Vista, Colorado this weekend (Aug. 30-Sept. 1), for the second installment of their unique Seven Peaks Festival.

This year’s event features Bentley along with Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Travis Tritt, Bentley’s tourmates Jon Pardi and Tenille Townes, as well as Caylee Hammack, The War and Treaty, Larkin Poe, Steep Canyon Rangers, Clare Dunn, Lauren Jenkins, and more.

The event launches with Friday evening’s ‘90s Night, featuring Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Diamond Rio, Deana Carter and of course, Bentley’s own mullets-and-mustaches wearing, ace-pickin’ ‘90s band, Hot Country Knights.

“The Knights are covering Travis sometimes during regular shows, anyway,” O’Connell says. “I can’t wait to see if I can get the Knights and Travis together, and maybe Travis can sit in with them after his set.”

While artist performances are the main draw during the evenings, Buena Vista is the star during the day, where attendees can partake in the area’s array of opportunities including camping, ATV rides, fly fishing, kayaking and rafting—or simply enjoy the stunning mountain views from an approximately 8,000-feet elevation.

“Our goal was put on a great festival not like any other festival,” O’Connell says. “It’s toward the end of the year for touring acts and they’ve been through so many different festivals, so Dierks and I wanted to curate something unique to Colorado and different. We felt we accomplished that on an artist vibe side and I believe last year we had fans from 49 states that showed up.”

“I was honestly overwhelmed with the response from artists like Miranda Lambert and Brothers Osborne [in 2018],” Bentley says. “Some artists changed their travel plans and elected to stay longer with us after their show…they couldn’t leave! The setting alone is enough to take your breath away. I’m really grateful for everyone who took a chance on it last year and trekked out to be part of it. It’s something I’ll remember forever.”

Bentley works closely with O’Connell, Red Light Management’s Mary Hilliard Harrington and WME’s Jay Williams to curate the lineup, a potent mix of rock, ‘90s country, singer-songwriter, R&B, and more.

“A lot of the curating each year is me thinking about who I’d love to personally see,” Bentley says. “The lineup is the anchor of the whole weekend experience, so the ultimate goal to me is to gather a completely unique group of artists so that fans can do everything from hear their favorite radio hits to discover a new roots band that they might not have heard of yet.”

Many of the most memorable moments from Seven Peaks’ first year came from Dierks himself, as he took every opportunity to perform and meet with fans.

“Right when we were ready to open doors on Friday last year, and I can’t remember—I think it was a power issue and Dierks and I had walked the festival site to the main entrance,” O’Connell recalls. “He was hidden around the corner and we had a long line of people waiting to get in. I got word on the radio that we couldn’t open the doors just yet. So we had about a 15-minute lull in the action. I looked at Dierks and said, ‘Send someone to grab a guitar.’ Someone got in a golf cart, ran backstage and brought him back his acoustic and he basically stood on a tree stump with a couple hundred people that could fit in that area and did a song acoustic to welcome everyone to the festival and thank them for their patience, then we opened the doors. That’s the level of involvement and the kind of guy he is. He’s doing this because he’s passionate about it. That was my favorite moment.”

Heading into the second year, O’Connell and his team worked to further enhance the experience, both for attendees and for Bentley.

“Dierks is so heavily involved, so we tried to navigate time for him to experience as much as he possibly could. We had lots of pacing conversations. We made tweaks such as traffic patterns. We moved the Whiskey Row stage to a place where it wasn’t buried in a corner, which opened up more room for the main stage. We worked on activating the Somewhere On A Beach area, because the climate out there is a little weird. It can be 80 degrees one minute and 50 degrees the next. The minute the sun goes behind that mountain you go from sweating to needing a hoodie.”

As the festival continues to grow year over year, Bentley has plenty of ideas for how to both expand and deepen the fan experience for years to come.

“I want as many fans as possible to get a chance to experience Seven Peaks Festival while also maintaining the overall vibe that exists now. And I want to keep exploring ways for fans to immerse themselves in every element of what it’s like to be there—from expanding off-site excursions to DJ sets after the Main Stage is over.” Bentley says.

Nashville-based Startup Soundstripe Receives $2 Million In Financing From Craft Ventures

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Pictured (L-R): Soundstripe Co-Founders Travis Terrell (Co-CEO), Trevor Hinesley (CTO), and Micah Sannan (Co-CEO).

Nashville-based tech-enabled production music startup Soundstripe has earned additional financing of $2 million from Craft Ventures. Soundstripe, which launched in 2016, is a provider of unlimited, royalty-free music for video. The company’s subscription model allows video producers to pay a fee for usage of the music in Soundstripe’s catalog. That music is created by a Soundstripe-employed group of composers, mix engineers, songwriters, and producers. Via this model, more than 2 million licenses have been issued for tens of thousands of customers in more than 130 countries.

The $2 million in financing comes a few months after Soundstripe raised a $4 million Series A investment.

Craft Ventures is led by David Sacks, founding COO of PayPal and co-founder/former CEO of Yammer, and Bill Lee, a prominent founder and investor in San Francisco. Craft Ventures invests in teams who are creating market-defining products, including eSports favorite Cloud9, among many others.

The additional $2 million from Craft will allow Soundstripe to continue expanding its presence in the production music space. The funding will also enable the company to invest further in music acquisitions and partnerships, and expand their relationships in that space, especially with producers, songwriters, and engineers.

“This investment by Craft will allow Soundstripe to continue taking tangible steps that give creators the most agile and seamless means to bring content to the consumer, while attracting a wider-reaching subscriber base,” said Travis Terrell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Soundstripe. “Our goals are as ambitious as our users’, and we look forward to welcoming more subscribers as we look to expand into the growing podcast segment and international markets.”