Judah & The Lion Celebrates Platinum Certification

/by

Judah & The Lion with Ochsner Medical Center staffers. Photo: Jacob Ruth/Courtesy Musicians on Call

Nashville rock band Judah & The Lion were recently presented with an RIAA Platinum plaque for their hit “Take It All Back” on Oct. 9, during a Musicians On Call visit to play for patients at New Orleans’ Ochsner Medical Center.

In 2017, the band’s hit “Take It All Back” topped the alternative songs chart for three consecutive weeks, paving the way for a Best New Rock/Alternative Artist win at the 2018 iHeartRadio Awards. The band currently includes Judah Akers, Brian Macdonald and Nate Zuercher.

Musicians On Call is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year; since it’s launch, MOC Volunteer Musicians have performed for more than 750,000 patients. MOC’s Bedside Performance Program serves individuals in facilities ranging from children’s hospitals to adult facilities, VA hospitals and hospices in 20 major markets, including Nashville, New York, LA, Las Vegas, Miami, Washington, DC, Dallas, Phoenix, New Orleans, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and more.

Dwight Yoakam To Be Honored With BMI President’s Award

/by

BMI is celebrating the career of Dwight Yoakam by presenting him with its President’s Award at the company’s 67th annual BMI Country Awards, to be held at BMI’s Nashville office on November 12.

The BMI President’s Award is presented to songwriters who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry. In receiving the award, Yoakam will join an impressive list of past honorees that includes Kenny Chesney, P!nk, Harlan Howard, Brooks & Dunn, Pitbull, Adam Levine, Billy Sherrill, and Toni Braxton.

“To this day, no other artist has captured country music’s past and catapulted it into the future quite like Dwight Yoakam,” said Jody Williams, VP, Creative, Nashville. “Standing on the shoulders of Bakersfield legends, Dwight’s self-penned songs have made indelible marks on America’s musical culture. His career includes roles in most every facet of the entertainment business and we are thrilled to celebrate him with BMI’s Presidents Award.”

Yoakam has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, with five reaching the No. 1 spot on Billboard. He is a 21-time nominated, multiple Grammy award winner, who has 12 gold albums and 9 platinum or multi-platinum albums. He is also the recipient of the Artist of the Year award from the Americana Music Association. In 2018, Yoakam launched his very own SiriusXM channel, Dwight Yoakam & The Bakersfield Beat, featuring music from the icon’s extensive career and celebrating the Bakersfield sound and California Country. Yoakam will be exploring this theme further at his Wynn Las Vegas debut this December with a six-night residency entitled An Evening with Dwight Yoakam & The Bakersfield Beat, performing a variety of music that influenced and created the Bakersfield and California Country Rock genres.

In addition to Yoakam’s award, this year, BMI will introduce a new honor, the Legacy Award. The inaugural award will go to the timeless “Rocky Top,” penned by legendary BMI writers Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The Legacy Award will honor indelible classics that not only found commercial success, but have also found a life of their own in the consciousness of the public.

Sam Hunt, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, ‘This Is Us’ Star Chrissy Metz Added To ‘CMT Artists of the Year’ Special

/by

CMT has revealed its lineup of performers and presenters for the 2019 CMT Artists of the Year special, set to air live from Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. ET.

Sam Hunt, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Maddie & Tae, This Is Us stars Chrissy Metz and Lonnie Chavis, iHeartRadio personality/entertainer/Dancing With the Stars winner Bobby Bones, and The Big Bang Theory‘s Johnny Galecki. Metz will perform in honor of first-time CMT Artists of the Year honoree Luke Combs, while two-time CMT Artists of the Year recipient Lady Antebellum will team with Hunt to honor Reba McEntire.

This year’s honorees include Combs, Carrie Underwood, Dan+Shay, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett and Breakout Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde. Vince Gill will present Reba with her “CMT Artist of a Lifetime” honor.

CMT Artists of the Year is executive produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux and SwitchedOn Entertainment’s John Hamlin; the Executives in Charge of Production are Jackie Barba and Heather D. Graffagnino. 

 

Industry Ink: Lady Antebellum, Chuck Wicks, Change The Conversation, Urban Writers’ Round

/by

Lady A Jumps Into ‘Ocean’ With Industry Crowd

(L-R): Red Light Management’s Coran Capshaw, BMLG Records’ Jimmy Harnen, Lady A’s Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta, Red Light Management’s Callie Cunningham, Billboard’s Melinda Newman Photo Credit: Hodges Usry

Lady Antebellum performed selections from their new album Ocean for industry friends and family at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville last night (10/8). The CMA Awards Vocal Group of the Year nominees joined Billboard‘s Melinda Newman, who moderated a discussion with the band about the process of writing and recording their first project under new label home BMLG Records. Lady A performed an eight-song set, including “Be Patient With My Love,” “Pictures,” “Boots,” “Let It Be Love” and “Crazy Love” and their Top 15-and-rising single “What If I Never Get Over You” as co-writer Ryan Hurd supported from the audience.

Chuck Wicks And Friends Support The Navy League

Back Row (L-R:) Mitchell Tenpenny, Gavin DeGraw, Chuck Wicks, Lee Brice and Jerrod Niemann. Front Row (L-R): Chase Irwin (Whiskey Row) and Rowan Pickering (Heartstrings Foundation)

Chuck Wicks hosted his first-ever “Chuck Wicks and His Super Famous Friends” at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row with special guests Mitchell Tenpenny and Lee Brice. Proceeds from the event raised $14,000 for the Navy League of the United States. Other guests performing during the event included Jimmie Allen, Gavin DeGraw and Jerrod Niemann.

Dr. Jada Watson To Speak At Change The Conversation Event

Dr. Jada Watson, who has garnered international acclaim for her research in the area of gender and music, will speak to Change the Conversation on Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at BMI. The event is free and open to the public. Drawing on her recent work on gender representation in country music culture, the University of Ottawa professor will reflect on the credibility of data within a culture that disadvantages and systematically ignores women. She will discuss the impact that data has on the broader cultural ecosystem of a genre and share preliminary results of her ongoing projects.

Nashville Is Not Just Country Music Celebrates Anniversary

Nashville is Not Just Country Music celebrated its one-year anniversary of providing opportunities for the urban music community in Nashville with an urban writers’ round. The writers’ round took place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on October 7 at True Music Room in Cambria Hotel. The event included performances by 2LiveBre, Aaron Dews, Canon, Drew Castle, Krysten Simone, Robin Raynelle, Tahne and Tryon. During the event, which brought out approximately 200 attendees, Thalia Ewing, also known as “Muziqueen,” owner of Muziqueen Publishing and founder of Nashville is Not Just Country Music, awarded several attendees with special awards and gifts.

Bandsintown Launches Live Music Charts

/by

Bandsintown has launched its Live Music Charts today, the first data-driven predictive charts illustrating current interest in artist touring activity.

The 24 Worldwide, US and City charts, powered by Bandsintown’s data insights based on interactions of its 50 million registered fans, weigh a formula that blends tracker growth and fan engagement.

Bandsintown, Bandsintown for Artists, and Hypebot will publish monthly Worldwide and US emerging and established artist charts, as well as weekly buzzing and emerging artist charts for 10 major US cities, including Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. International charts will also roll out in coming weeks.

Bandsintown has partnered with Billboard to present the Billboard + Bandsintown Tour Index, four exclusive weekly charts that will showcase the top overall and rising artists both domestically and globally.

“In a fast-growing streaming music world, there is nothing more true than real fans’ interactions and engagement at live music events to build successful and long-term artist careers,” said Fabrice Sergent, Bandsintown Managing Partner. “Bandsintown’s dataset is unique in the marketplace as it highlights national and local rising stars based on fans engagement in the real world. The Bandsintown Live Music Charts furthers Bandsintown’s mission to support developing artists.”

BMI Foundation Accepting Applications For 2019 Scholarship

/by

The BMI Foundation is accepting applications online for its 2019 scholarship season, which is open to students attending colleges and universities nationwide. The Foundation will administer five songwriting and composing scholarship competitions, judged by musically acclaimed panelists.

These annual programs include the BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship, BMI Student Composer Awards, John Lennon Scholarship, peermusic Latin Scholarship and the Nashville Songwriting Scholarship. In addition, the Foundation administers two scholarship competitions outside the area of music creation: the BMI Founders Internship Program for broadcasting students, and the Woody Guthrie Fellowship for scholars pursuing topics or themes related to the American folk music progenitor.

The fifth annual Nashville Songwriting Scholarship will award $5,000 for the best original song in any of the following genres: Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, and roots. The contest is open to students between the ages of 17 and 24, who are enrolled in any college or university located in the U.S. GRAMMY-winning recording artist and BMI songwriter Kacey Musgraves endorses the competition and serves as a final judge.

““This is an exceptional opportunity for new songwriters and composers to be recognized and supported for their work.” said BMI Foundation President Deirdre Chadwick. “Our programs are designed to provide new writers with opportunities to build a firm foundation from which to launch their careers–and many have done so quite successfully.”

Most program applications must be completed online no later than January 15, 2020, though the Founders Award, Woody Guthrie, and Student Composer Awards have extended deadlines. For complete details and to apply, please visit bmifoundation.org/programs.

Trisha Yearwood Brings All-Female Lineup To ‘Every Girl On Tour’ Dates

/by

Trisha Yearwood is welcoming an all-female lineup of opening acts on her upcoming Every Girl On Tour, her first major North American solo tour in five years.

Caylee Hammack, Caroline Jones, Kim Richey and Rachel Wammack will serve as direct support on select dates. The tour will resume on Oct. 13 at Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

“This tour is a very special one, because I haven’t done a proper U.S. run in five years. I know, I know, it was long overdue! Because it’s such an important moment for me, I wanted to showcase and support a really diverse and dynamic group of girls on the bill. These are strong and confident women who have their own voices, styles, and attitudes. I love that. They’re going to make every night stand out and be unforgettable. I had the support of some really great mentors and artists I admired over the years. There’s nothing better than being able to shine a spotlight on someone else now. Make sure you get to Every Girl On Tour early to watch these ladies bring down the house,” Yearwood said.

Yearwood recently released Every Girl, her first full-length project in 12 years and launched her tour with three nights at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center last week, performing with the 70-piece Nashville Symphony conducted by Enrico Lopez-Yanez.

Several of country music’s top female artists have been touring with all-female lineups this year. Carrie Underwood’s current Cry Pretty Tour 360 features Runaway June and Maddie & Tae. Miranda Lambert’s Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour has a rotating lineup including Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, and the Pistol Annies. Earlier this year, Morris led her own headlining GIRL Tour featured artists including Cassadee Pope, Hailey Whitters, Tenille Townes, Kassi Ashton, Ashley McBryde, Pistol Annies and RaeLynn.

Trisha Yearwood Every Girl On Tour Dates:
10/13/19 Atlanta, GA° Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
10/24/19 Carmel, IN° The Center for the Performing Arts – The Palladium
10/25/19 St. Louis, MO° Stifel Treheatre
10/26/19 Cincinnati, OH° Taft Theatre
10/27/19 Cleveland, OH° Playhouse Square – KeyBank State Theatre
11/02/19 Tulsa, OK* Brady Theater
11/03/19 Sugar Land, TX* Smart Financial Centre
11/04/19 Fort Worth, TX Bass Performance Hall
11/07/19 Chicago, IL* The Chicago Theatre
11/08/19 Milwaukee, WIˆ Riverside Theater
11/09/19 Minneapolis, MNˆ Orpheum Theatre
11/21/19 New York, NY+ Town Hall Theatre
11/22/19 Boston, MA+ Wilbur Theatre
11/23/19 Wilkes-Barre, PA+ The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
11/24/19 Glenside, PA+ Keswick Theatre
12/04/19 Melbourne, FL° Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts
12/05/19 Fort Lauderdale, FL° Parker Playhouse
12/06/19 Clearwater, FL° Ruth Eckerd Hall
12/07/19 Jacksonville, FL° Florida Theatre

*Caylee Hammack
ˆCaroline Jones
°Kim Richey
+Rachel Wammack

ACM Welcomes The Sisterhood Band

/by

Pictured (L-R): Ruby Stewart; RAC Clark, Interim ACM Executive Director; Alyssa Bonagura. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music welcomed Sony Music Nashville recording duo The Sisterhood Band to the office while they were in Los Angeles recently. While at the Academy, they performed “Get Up and Go” and “Bullet,” new songs written and produced by the duo’s Alyssa Bonagura and Ruby Stewart.

Country Radio Seminar Adds Eric Church As Keynote Speaker

/by

Country Radio Seminar has secured EMI Nashville’s Eric Church as the keynote speaker during an exclusive Q&A session, set for 4 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Nashville’s Omni Hotel during Country Radio Seminar (CRS 2020).

CRB/CRS President of the Board, Kurt Johnson, comments, “As if CRS 2020 wasn’t already star-studded—Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood—the addition of Eric Church ups the ante for sure. You can bet I’ll be front and center to take in this amazing, intimate conversation with a modern country music legend.”

Registration for Country Radio Seminar (CRS 2020) will increase from $599 to $649 starting Thursday, Oct. 17. Registrations are available for purchase at countryradioseminar.com.

Already released agenda highlights include: A Conversation With Miranda Lambert; the “CRS Artist Interview” with Capitol Nashville’s Carrie Underwood; Rascal Flatts appearing at Rascal Flatts: 20 Years Of Country Radio Success; and Kenny Chesney headlining this year’s Warner Music Nashville Kickoff Luncheon, where he will be joined by several artists from the Warner Music Nashville (WMN) family.

Country Radio Seminar is the premier educational and networking event for country radio and music industry professionals, offering attendees access to informative panels, countless valuable networking opportunities, prominent speakers, research presentations and intimate performances from some of today’s biggest stars and emerging artists. Panels at CRS 2020 will cover a broad range of topics relevant to today’s country radio industry, including social media and digital innovations, PPM, brand strategies, leadership skills, consumer research studies, the relationships and economics of the radio and record industries and much more.

Toby Keith To Release ‘Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years’

/by

Toby Keith Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years is set for release Oct. 25 and available for pre-sale now, featuring more than a dozen tracks and four newly-recorded songs including “Don’t Let The Old Man In” and Keith’s current single, “That’s Country Bro.”

Two other previously unreleased tracks on the collection are “American Ride (Official Remix)” featuring DJ KO and “Back In The 405,” a co-write with Colt Ford that celebrates a hometown girl’s return. The album is a time capsule of Keith’s career, celebrating hits from the fun “Red Solo Cup” and rousing “Made In America,” to the wrenching “She Never Cried In Front Of Me” and mournful “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song),” as well as “Hope On The Rocks” and “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” which was featured on the soundtrack of the Clint Eastwood film The Mule.

Toby Keith Greatest Hits, The Show Dog Years Track listing:
1. That’s Country Bro*
2. Made In America
3. Beers Ago
4. Red Solo Cup
5. American Ride
6. Don’t Let the Old Man In*
7. God Love Her
8. Hope On The Rocks
9. Trailerhood
10. Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)
11. She Never Cried In Front Of Me
12.  High Maintenance Woman
13. Love Me If You Can
14. Lost You Anyway
15. Back In The 405*
16. American Ride (Official Remix)*