ACM New Membership Application And Renewals Open

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The Academy of Country Music announced today (Oct. 1) that the ACM Membership application and renewal process is now open, along with updates to membership criteria, including category name changes, newly added categories and the removal of categories; as well as, the submissions and ballot timeline for membership voting for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards. The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. ET/delayed PT on CBS.

This year, the Membership Committee presented systematic changes to the Board for ratification that include an updated membership definition as well as membership category name changes and criteria. Member eligibility is limited to individuals and industry business organizations whose primary professional engagement is in the creation, production, promotion and distribution of country music. Membership approval is subject to the complete discretion of the Board.

“To further evolve the ACM membership, the Board thought it was important that there be updated language and criteria that govern membership to ensure that the most knowledgeable members of the country music community are voting in the awards process,” said Nick Di Fruscia, ACM VP, Awards & Membership. “It has been a pleasure working with both the Membership Committee and Board to create a new administering process for renewals and new applicants. The intention is that the sum result of this new member review process will positively impact the results of our awards.”

The submissions eligibility period for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards is January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Key dates for Academy professional members for the 2020 ACM Awards cycle are as follows:

New Membership/Membership Renewals Opens: October 1, 2019
DEADLINE for New Membership/Renewals Closing: November 29, 2019
Submissions Period Opens: December 2, 2019
Submissions Period Closes: January 3, 2020
First Round Voting: January 21, 2020 – January 27, 2020
Second Round Voting: February 4, 2020 – February 10, 2020
Final Round Voting: March 3, 2020 – March 9, 2020

New membership applications and existing membership renewals open today October 1, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. CT with a deadline to apply by Friday, November 29, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. CT for members to be eligible to vote during the 2020 Awards cycle. To apply online for a membership with the Academy of Country Music, please visit the ACM Membership platform at: www.acmcountry.com/membership.

ACM membership categories and updated name changes below:

Affiliated – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must be professionally engaged in the country music industry whose activities are undefined in one of the below membership categories.

Producer/Engineer/Studio Manager *SUB Category – REMOVE

Artist/Entertainer/Musician/Instrumentalist – Updated to Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer
Criteria: To qualify, members must have contributed to no fewer than (10) commercially released country performances.

Club/Casino/Venue – Updated to Venue
Criteria: To qualify, members whose principal responsibilities are directly related to the music operation of an establishment that presents no fewer than (4) four country music acts per calendar year.

Composer – Updated to Songwriter
Criteria: To qualify, members must have written no fewer than one (1) country song published, commercially released and must be a member of a nationally recognized performing rights organization.

Digital Marketing/Distribution – NEW CATEGORY
Criteria: To qualify, members must work for a digital service provider or work in digital marketing, digital content, or social media marketing.

Artist Manager – Updated to Manager
Criteria: To qualify, members must represent no fewer than one (1) artist who qualifies for ACM Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer membership through personal or business management.

Media/Public Relations – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must represent no fewer than one (1) artist who qualifies for ACM Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer membership or be employed by a commercial publication or media outlet who actively promotes country music.

Music Publisher/PRO – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must be employed by a company in a creative capacity that has no fewer than ten (10) country songs published and commercially released.

On Air Personality – REMOVE

Radio – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must be actively involved in or employed by country a music radio station.

Record Company – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must be employed by a record company that has no fewer than one (1) artist signed to their company roster that meets the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer membership criteria.

Talent Agent – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must represent at least one (1) artist that meets the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer membership criteria and secures no fewer than fifteen (15) dates per year.

Talent Buyer/Promoter – No Change
Criteria: To qualify, members must actively buy and/or promote no fewer than ten (10) country shows or acts per year.

TV/Motion Picture – Updated to Visual Content
Criteria: To qualify, members must be actively engaged in the production, packaging, selling or distribution of country music in visual media.

On The Cover: ‘MusicRow’ Features Carrie Underwood on October/November Issue

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MusicRow has released its 2019 Publisher Issue, with Carrie Underwood gracing the cover.

Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 American Idol win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, and film. A seven-time Grammy Award winner, she has sold 64 million records worldwide and recorded 26 No. 1 singles, 13 of which she co-wrote. Underwood is currently nominated for three CMA Awards, including the coveted Entertainer of the Year honor, as well as Album of the Year (Cry Pretty) and Female Vocalist of the Year. Underwood will host the upcoming CMA Awards on Nov. 13 in Nashville, along with guest hosts Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.

Last fall, she released the Gold-certified studio album Cry Pretty, her first on Capitol Records Nashville, marking the first time she has co-produced her own album. The title track and lead single, co-produced and co-written by Underwood, topped the iTunes Top Songs charts in 12 countries. The second leg of her Cry Pretty Tour 360 launched in San Diego, California in September, and has included stops at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The tour will wrap Oct. 31 in Detroit, Michigan.

In 2018, she released the hit event anthem she co-wrote, “The Champion” featuring Ludacris, which opened NBC’s Super Bowl LII. The song was also incorporated into the network’s coverage of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Also in 2018, Underwood celebrated her 10th anniversary as a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry. This year, Underwood returns for her seventh season as the voice of primetime television’s No. 1 program, NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

The 2019 Publisher print issue includes the 2019 Publisher Directory and features interviews with new UMPG Nashville President/CEO Troy Tomlinson, Spirit Music Nashville CEO Frank Rogers, and SESAC Holding’s President and Chief Operating Officer Kelli Turner.

John Ozier discusses his new role and vision as head of Reservoir Media Management’s Nashville office, while Warner Chappell Music Nashville President/CEO Ben Vaughn, Specialist insurer Beazley’s Focus Group Leader Angela Weaver, and Anderson Benson Partner Brent Daughrity discuss protection against copyright infringement. This issue also details the challenges and opportunities song pluggers face, as told by Janine Appleton-Ebach, Creative Nation’s Shaina Botwin, Sea Gayle’s Kim Wiggins, and Downtown Music Nashville’s Natalie Osborne. Concord Music executive and Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) Board member Evelyn Paglinawan offers an update on the MLC’s work to ensure songwriters are compensated fairly for their creative works.

This issue also highlights the work and careers of some of Nashville’s most impactful tunesmiths, including Relative Music Group’s HARDY, StudioBeast/BMG’s Claude Kelly, BMG’s Hillary Lindsey, Sony/ATV’s Lindsay Rimes, and Big Machine Music’s Laura Veltz.

Single copies of MusicRow’s Publisher Issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $45, and are included with yearly memberships.

Weekly Register: Zac Brown Band’s ‘The Owl’ Tops New Releases

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Zac Brown Band’s latest album, The Owl (BMG) debuts at No. 1 on the country albums chart, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The album moved 106K in total consumption (99K album-only and 6.5 million song streams). Luke Combs‘ This One’s For You is at No. 2, with 19.5K in total consumption (2K in album-only sales/22.4 million song streams).

Dan + Shay’s self-titled album is at No. 3 with 13K (651 album-only/16 million song streams), while Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me is at No. 4 with 12K (855 album only/14 million song streams). Luke Combs‘ The Prequel EP rounds out the Top 5, with 12K in total consumption (60 album-only/13.4 million song streams).

Other album debuts include indie artist-rapper Upchurch‘s Parachute at No. 6, released on his own Redneck Nation Records. The album moved 11K (10K album-only, and 523K song streams).

Meanwhile Riley Green‘s Different ‘Round Here (BMLG) debuts at No. 11 with 8.2K in total consumption (2.2K album-only and 6.5 million song streams).

Blanco Brown’s “The Git Up” continues to hold the top slot on the Top 100 Country On-Demand streaming chart, with 17.4 million streams this week (315 million to date).

Wallen and Combs appear on the rest of this week’s Top 5. Wallen’s “Whiskey Glasses” is at No. 2 with 7.9 million streams, followed by Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy” at No. 3 with 7.6 million streams. Combs also holds the No. 4 spot with “Beer Never Broke My Heart” moving 7.6 million streams. Wallen appears again in the No. 5 spot, featured on Diplo‘s track “Heartless,” which earned 7.2 million streams this week.

Lady Antebellum, Chet Atkins, Clint Black, Mac McAnally, DeFord Bailey To Receive Walk Of Fame Stars

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Lady Antebellum, Clint Black and Mac McAnally are among the latest artists to receive stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. They will be inducted during a ceremony on Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. in Music City Walk of Fame Park. Chet Atkins, the GRAMMY-winning “Mister Guitar,” and harmonica wizard DeFord Bailey, the first African American member of the Grand Ole Opry, will also be honored during the ceremony with Walk of Fame stars.

They will receive the 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th and 89th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

“This class of inductees truly represents the diversity and heritage of the Music City brand,” Mayor John Cooper said. “I’m glad to see greats like DeFord Bailey and Chet Atkins are being recognized and that the Music City Walk of Fame is inducting the extraordinary talents of Mac McAnally, Clint Black and Lady Antebellum. This wonderful park — a place that both visitors and Nashvillians can enjoy — represents the best of Music City.”

The Music City Walk of Fame was created in 2006 on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one-mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Permanent sidewalk medallions with the names of the inductees are displayed in a star-and-guitar design.

Rissi Palmer Shares Cover, Track Listing For New Album ‘Revival’

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Rissi Palmer is revealing the cover and track listing for her upcoming new album, REVIVAL set for release Oct. 22. Beginning today (Oct. 1), fans who pre-order REVIVAL exclusively from her website will automatically receive free downloads of Palmer’s latest feature track “Soul Message” and the album’s previously released lead single “Seeds.”

“This album is one of the most personal I’ve ever written and recorded,” says Palmer. “Everything I write is personal, but I feel like I’m in a place of being really honest and transparent with people because that’s what I like in an artist. That’s what I look for; those are the people I’m interested in, and I want to do that same thing for others.”

Recorded in Durham, NC, where Palmer currently resides, REVIVAL marks the first full-length album she has created outside of Nashville. It features eight original songs co-written by Palmer with soulful melodies and themes ranging from deeply personal to political and everything in between. Brian Owens served as producer on most of the album, with the exception of “Seeds” and “You Were Here,” which were produced by Grammy Award-winning Shannon Sanders and Palmer, respectively. 

The project includes the powerful and deeply personal “You Were Here,” which Palmer penned after her miscarriage and deems one of the most challenging songs she’s ever written. The rest of the project reflects Palmer’s engagement with a world clearly in need of inspiration and uplifting, with songs like “Breathe In,” “Speak On It,” “Revival” and “Little Black Boy, Little Black Girl,” a song of hope and compassion she co-wrote with Owens.

Revival Track Listing:
1) “Seeds” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford)***
2) “Breath In, Breathe Out” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford)*
3) “Ghost” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford) *
4) “Soul Message” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford)*
5) “Speak On It” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford)*
6) “Little Black Boy, Little Black Girl” (Rissi Palmer/Brian Owens/Darion Alexander)*
7) “You Were Here” (Rissi Palmer/Deanna Walker/Rick Beresford)**
8) “Revival” (Rissi Palmer/Drew Ramsey)*
9) BONUS TRACK: “Seeds” (Acoustic Version) **
 * Produced by Brian Owens
** Produced by Rissi Palmer
*** Produced by Shannon Sanders

On The Row: Adam Hambrick

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Pictured: Adam Hambrick. Photo: Haley Crow/MusicRow

Capitol Records Nashville/Buena Vista Records’ artist Adam Hambrick recently visited the MusicRow offices to play some new songs. Hambrick is currently on his Fall tour, and just released his newest single, “Forever Ain’t Long Enough.” Hambrick shot the fun video at Lebanon, Tennessee’s Snow White Drive In.

 

Hambrick welcomed his second child into the world this summer. His first single was a song inspired by becoming a parent, “Rockin’ All Night Long.”

“I know that when you look at me, you don’t think, ‘Man, that man is real deal, country and western musician,'” Hambrick said laughing. “But when I was a kid, country music was the very first thing that left a mark on me. It gave me a definition, and gave me a baseline for what a song was supposed to be.

“So last year I got to release my first single to country radio, it was a dream come true. I knew when I wrote this song from the beginning that it was special to me. It was pitched a little bit before I had a record deal. But when it came time to put a single, it was the obvious choice. This is the kind of story I want to tell, this is the kind of song I want to sing. I like tell people this song is about the moments that you can’t sleep on,” he said before he went into the tender song.

Pictured (L-R): Adam Hambrick and MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. Photo: Haley Crow/MusicRow

Hambrick had a bit of success at country radio before acquired his recording contract.

“I moved to Nashville six years ago write songs. The storytelling, the songwriting, that’s what always moved me. That’s what I always wanted to do, and then I got the opportunity to do that. I could not believe that I was in Nashville getting to make music for a career. If that wasn’t enough, somebody actually cut one of my songs. Dan + Shay recorded this song, and it was my first No. 1 as a songwriter,” he said as he played the duo’s 2017 hit “How Not To.”

Hambrick also has co-written Justin Moore’s “Kinda Don’t Care” and “Somebody Else Will,” as well as Lindsay Ell’s “Waiting On You.”

The Arkansas native can thank Justin Moore for his entrance into the music community in Nashville. “I was making music on my own back in Arkansas. I had made a record of just songs that I’d written in college and shortly after, and I just went into the studio with some buddies and I made this record. Then a few months later, I was on Good Morning, Arkansas, the local 8 a.m., channel seven show in Little Rock. And Justin Moore just happened to be home and watching. And he called his producer Jeremy Stover, and Stover sent me email the next day, which I thought was junk mail; and it turns out it wasn’t. So I called him.

“I feel like I’ve had a lot of those very serendipitous kind of moments. It’s been magical,” Hambrick said.

Pictured: MusicRow staffers with Adam Hambrick. Photo: Woody Bomar

Breaking: Loeb & Loeb Adds Derek Crownover And Team To Nashville Office

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Derek Crownover has joined Loeb & Loeb’s Nashville office as partner, joining the firm from Dickinson Wright, where he was chair of the Entertainment Law Practice Group. Also joining Loeb & Loeb are five members of Crownover’s team, including senior counsels Cam Caldwell, Robert Kouchoukos and Noah McPike, as well as associates Nate Drake and Colleen Kelley.

“Derek is a pillar of the Nashville music community and his presence is felt nationally throughout the music industry,” said John Frankenheimer, partner and chair of Loeb & Loeb’s Music Industry Practice. “I’ve known Derek for many years, and he and his team are very well known and respected by everyone in our group. Derek’s business philosophy, industry-standing and collaborative approach mirrors ours. The team’s arrival is a great way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Nashville office.”

With this move, Loeb & Loeb adds to its roster Craig Wiseman and his Big Loud entities, as well as Sam Hunt, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, Hillary Lindsey, Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson and the estate of Otis Redding, Jr. This adds to Loeb & Loeb’s existing Nashville roster which includes Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Midland, the Academy of Country Music and the estate of Johnny Cash.

The team has served as “out-sourced yet in-house” counsel for publishing companies, producers, independent record labels, media and entertainment entrepreneurs and executives and singers and songwriters. They handle deal negotiations, strategic investments/business strategy, copyright matters, licensing, recording agreements, catalogue sales and asset purchase agreements, as well as estate planning and family office matters.

“With the team joining, we have solidified our reputation as the best place for Nashville’s music and entertainment talent and businesses,” said Tiffany Dunn, Loeb & Loeb’s co-office administrative partner.

“Loeb & Loeb is one of the premier firms in the music, entertainment and sports sectors, and its broad, international reach, substantial New York and Los Angeles presence, and strong local brand provides the perfect platform for my practice and for my clients,” said Crownover. “I’m thrilled to join this dynamic team.”

In addition to his music practice, Crownover also advises several sports-related businesses and athletes, which is an important industry vertical and area of growth for Loeb & Loeb.

“Nashville is a dynamic, growing city that is attracting a wide range of new businesses and industries,” said Kenneth R. Florin, chairman of Loeb & Loeb. “Loeb has a long history of growth and diversification that has mirrored Nashville’s trajectory. I am proud of what we have built in Nashville over the last 25 years and know that this prominent team of lawyers will help us continue this growth.”

“We are so pleased to welcome Derek and his team, and look forward to continuing to invest in this vibrant city,” said Debbie White, vice chair of the Music Industry Practice.

Scotty McCreery To Play Ryman In March

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Photo Credit: Steve Lowry/Ryman Auditorium

Scotty McCreery is planning a show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville next Spring. The March 11 show will be the Triple Tigers recording artist’s first concert at the “Mother Church” in six years.

“When you play in Nashville, you’ve got to be on your A-Game, and when you play the Ryman Auditorium, you have to give it everything you’ve got,” said an excited McCreery. “I cannot wait to be back on that stage where my heroes have performed. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now. We’re going to have a fun night.”

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, Oct. 3, at 10:00 am Central at Ryman.com and Ticketmaster.com, with the Scotty McCreery Fan Club Pre-Sale happening tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 10:00 am CT, and the Ryman Pre-Sale taking place on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 10:00 am CT. Special guests for this show will be Heather Morgan and Adam Doleac.

McCreery is currently in the Mediabase Top 40 and rising with his song “In Between,” the third single from his album Seasons Change. He co-wrote all 11 songs on the album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and achieved one of the strongest first weeks for a country album in the last year, moving over 40,000 albums in the first week alone. The first single from the album was the Platinum-certified No. 1 hit “Five More Minutes,” the song that Nashville Songwriters Association International named one of the “Top 10 Songs We Wish We’d Written” in 2018. “This is It,” the album’s second Platinum-certified single which spent two weeks at No. 1, was inspired by the North Carolina native’s engagement to his high school sweetheart (and now-wife) Gabi and has quickly become a wedding song standard.

Ingrid Andress Announces U.S. Leg Of The Lady Like Tour

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Following a string of completely sold-out shows in the UK, Ingrid Andress is returning to the road back home for her Lady Like Tour Part II beginning this month through December. Prior to the Lady Like dates, she’ll make her debut on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Oct. 18.

Tickets for the new shows go on sale this Wednesday (Oct. 2), and stops will include major markets such as Boston, San Diego and New York City, where Andress is currently featured on NASDAQ’s Times Square billboard.

The singer/songwriter can also be found in this month’s ‘Women in Music’ issue of ELLE magazine. She recently celebrated the release of her Rosebank Acoustic Sessions, a three-song project that showcases stripped-down versions of “Lady Like,” “Both” and her single “More Hearts Than Mine,” which totals nearly 30 million on-demand streams to date and is rapidly approaching Top 25 at country radio.

Ingrid Andress 2019 Tour Dates:
10/5 – Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/18 – Grand Ole Opry Debut
10/30 – New York City, NY*
11/19 – San Diego, CA*
11/21 – Bakersfield, CA*
12/2 – Boston, MA*
12/3 – Philadelphia, PA*
12/6 – Mount Pleasant, MI^
*The Lady Like Tour Part II
^with Brett Young

Raffaella Braun Joins Triple Tigers Records

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Raffaella Braun

Triple Tigers Records has announced that Raffaella Braun has joined the label as Director, National Promotion. She reports to Partner and GM Norbert Nix, as well as Sr. VP, Promotion Kevin Herring. Braun will relocate to Nashville, following eight years in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Reuniting with Kevin Herring, and learning once again from his leadership is more than I could wish. Add the ability to work under the equally revered and loved Norbert Nix with a proven team of excellent, devoted and invested regionals and you have a dream opportunity!” said Braun. “Triple Tigers’ focused approach to their artists and development, across various platforms (most importantly country radio!) is something this landscape demands. And I look forward to returning to my adopted home of Nashville, which holds my friends, philanthropy, heart and Calypso Cafe obsession!

“Raffaella’s hard work ethic and strong relationships with radio makes her the ideal choice for our first-ever Director, National Promotion,” said Herring. “Having worked with her in the past, I know firsthand that she’s going to fit in perfectly with our label family.”

“With her unique background of industry experience, Raffaella brings both a diverse skillset and a strong passion for excellence to the Triple Tigers team,” said Nix.

Braun, a Vanderbilt University graduate, began her career at Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One. She later transitioned to Creative Artists Agency as an agent. In 2011, she began an eight-year run with Warner Music Nashville as Manager, West Coast Radio and Streaming.

Braun is a member of both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, as well as an alum of SOLID. She served on the CRS Agenda Committee in 2017-2018 for the 50th year of CRS. A finalist for the 2008 Nashville Emerging Leader Awards, she went on to create Music Row Madness, an industry bowling event to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN, which grew last year to $50,000. She has helped Musicians on Call expand their volunteer mission at Phoenix Children’s hospital and she has been a longtime supporter of Nashville’s W.O. Smith School.