Elvis Presley’s "Nashville Cats" Sessions Chronicled On New Four-CD Collection

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From Elvis In Nashville, a new four-CD digital collection due out Nov. 20, will chronicle Elvis Presley‘s 1970 marathon sessions with the “Nashville Cats.” Recorded live in RCA’s Studio B in Nashville over the course of five days in June 1970 (with an additional session on Sept. 22), Elvis’ performances from those sessions formed the core of three of his most successful studio albums from the 1970s: Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, Elvis Country (I’m 10,000 Years Old) and Love Letters from Elvis.

On From Elvis In Nashville, Presley’s studio tracks from the 1970 marathon sessions are presented newly-mixed by acclaimed engineer Matt Ross-Spring (John Prine, Jason Isbell) without the added overdubs or orchestration appearing on earlier releases. The project will be available in a boxed set including two bonus discs of rare and/or unreleased outtakes from the 1970 sessions (also available digitally).

The sessions are widely recognized as among Elvis’ best because of the undeniable chemistry between Elvis and his studio band comprised of multi-instrumentalist Charlie McCoy, bassist Norbert Putnam, and pianist David Briggs. Known as the “Nashville Cats,” this finely-honed studio ensemble connected the worlds of pop, rock and country. For the June sessions, Elvis brought in his longtime on-stage guitarist James Burton; Eddie Hinton (who, like Putnam and Briggs, was part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) played lead guitar on Elvis’ Sept. 22 session, and Elvis plays acoustic guitar throughout the June sessions.

Graceland will be offering an exclusive double LP edition of From Elvis In Nashville, pressed on aqua/tangerine 12″ vinyl. A country classic from the album, Elvis’ rendition of “I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water,” is available now digitally.

‘Idol’ Creator Simon Fuller, TikTok Team To Assemble The World’s Next Music Supergroup

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Idol franchise creator and XIX Entertainment founder Simon Fuller has announced a partnership with short-form video app TikTok to discover the most talented music performers create a first-of-its-kind global music supergroup.

Fuller will be looking for extraordinary, undiscovered artists to earn a spot in the innovative new group, via a TikTok in-app audition process.

“TikTok has empowered self-expression and creativity and captured the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of passionate users. The next generation of Pop Stars have eagerly embraced the platform,” said Fuller. “With the help of the TikTok audience, I will bring together a line-up of incredible artists to shape the next level of Pop Fandom. This will be the most connected Pop Group ever, thriving on every platform and sharing their talent and positive energy with the world.”

“It’s been nothing short of awe-inspiring to see the extraordinary musical talent – from up-and-coming artists to superstars like Lizzo, JLo and Justin Beiber – that shows up on TikTok every day and inspires even more creativity around the world,” said Kevin Mayer, TikTok CEO. “Together with Simon Fuller, we have the opportunity to find the next stars, many of whom are on TikTok today, and empower them to become a cultural phenomenon.”

TikTok has become the go-to staging ground that has helped previously little known or undiscovered artists like Lil Nas X, Curtis Waters, Ambjaay, Breland, Mxmtoon, Y2K, and bbno$ find mainstream fame.

The partnership news comes as President Trump has issued executive orders that would ban transactions with TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat. The orders are set to take effect in 45 days.

President Trump Issues Executive Orders Regarding TikTok, WeChat Bans

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President Donald Trump issued executives orders on Thursday (Aug. 6) to ban social media apps TikTok and WeChat from operating in the United States if they are not sold by their Chinese-owned parent companies within 45 days.

The order regarding TikTok prohibits “any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with ByteDance Ltd.,” the Chinese company that owns the social media platform, after 45 days. The orders do not state that a definite amount of funds from the TikTok sale are required to be sent to the US Treasury Department.

The order alleges that TikTok’s platform “automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users,” which “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

After issuing the order regarding TikTok, a similar order for the Tencent-owned chat app WeChat soon followed, with Trump stating, “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. To protect our Nation, I took action to address the threat posed by one mobile application, TikTok. Further action is needed to address a similar threat posed by another mobile application, WeChat.”

TikTok released a statement Friday morning (Aug. 7) in response to President Trump’s Executive Order. The statement can be read in full below:

TikTok is a community full of creativity and passion, a home that brings joy to families and meaningful careers to creators. And we are building this platform for the long term. TikTok will be here for many years to come.

We are shocked by the recent Executive Order, which was issued without any due process. For nearly a year, we have sought to engage with the US government in good faith to provide a constructive solution to the concerns that have been expressed. What we encountered instead was that the Administration paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses.

We made clear our intentions to work with the appropriate officials to devise a solution to benefit our users, creators, partners, employees, and the broader community in the United States. There has been, and continues to be, no due process or adherence to the law. The text of the decision makes it plain that there has been a reliance on unnamed “reports” with no citations, fears that the app “may be” used for misinformation campaigns with no substantiation of such fears, and concerns about the collection of data that is industry standard for thousands of mobile apps around the world. We have made clear that TikTok has never shared user data with the Chinese government, nor censored content at its request. In fact, we make our moderation guidelines and algorithm source code available in our Transparency Center, which is a level of accountability no peer company has committed to. We even expressed our willingness to pursue a full sale of the US business to an American company.

This Executive Order risks undermining global businesses’ trust in the United States’ commitment to the rule of law, which has served as a magnet for investment and spurred decades of American economic growth. And it sets a dangerous precedent for the concept of free expression and open markets. We will pursue all remedies available to us in order to ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and our users are treated fairly – if not by the Administration, then by the US courts.

We want the 100 million Americans who love our platform because it is your home for expression, entertainment, and connection to know: TikTok has never, and will never, waver in our commitment to you. We prioritize your safety, security, and the trust of our community – always. As TikTok users, creators, partners, and family, you have the right to express your opinions to your elected representatives, including the White House. You have the right to be heard.

Weekly Radio Report (8/7/20)

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

Priscilla Block’s New Single Debuts At No. 1 On iTunes Country Chart

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Priscilla Block. Photo: Victoria Blalock

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Priscilla Block is finding some instant success with her latest single, “Just About Over You,” which was released on Wednesday, (Aug. 5). The breakup ballad, released through inDent Records, hit the No. 1 spot on iTunes Country Charts and currently sits at No. 2 on the iTunes All Genre Chart.

Block has garnered over 3 million views on TikTok and amassed a following of over 300K through sharing her original songs and empowering mission. Block entertains with her TikTok videos, but also inspires fans to embrace who they are, exactly as they are. She first previewed “Just About Over You” on TikTok, earning over 1.8 million views with the sneak peek. Block co-wrote “Just About Over You” with Emily Kroll and Sarah Jones.

Block’s songs captivate audiences with their unfiltered, relatable messages. Her latest single, “Thick Thighs” was written about being confident in the skin you are in, without taking yourself too seriously. “I’ve been told far too many times how I need to look as a female trying to make it in country music, and this is my response,” said Block.

Ryman Auditorium To Launch Livestream Concert Series With Cam, Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, And More

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Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium will launch its first livestream concert series, Live At The Ryman, on Aug. 14 with a a headlining show from Grammy winners for King & Country.

The six-week livestream series will be held each Friday night from Aug. 14-Sept. 18, and will also include full sets from Cam, Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, Brett Young, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Ryman Auditorium will strictly comply with operating plans developed in partnership with Vanderbilt Health and approved by Nashville Public Health Department that include mandatory masks for all Ryman operations and production staff, as well as enhanced cleaning practices.

Live At The Ryman is a hybrid concert model developed by Opry Entertainment with input from the company’s official wellness advisor, Vanderbilt Health. The series will launch first via livestream and expand to incorporate a small, socially distanced audience in accordance with local health ordinances.

Tickets go on sale to the public this Monday, Aug. 10 at 10 a.m. CST at ryman.com. Ticket prices begin at $10 with optional VIP add-ons. Six-week series passes for the livestreams begin at $50. Exclusive Live At The Ryman merchandise, including limited edition custom Hatch print posters, t-shirts and more will be available for purchase in advance online to commemorate the landmark series.

“Our company has prioritized the health and safety of our employees, customers and artists since day one of the pandemic,” said Colin Reed, chairman and CEO, Ryman Hospitality Properties. “This unique live music experience represents the next step in our commitment to doing things the right way while also creating a repeatable model that will allow artists and fans to connect during this bridge period until a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is available.”

“Both fans and artists are eager to once again feel the energy and excitement that concert venues foster, but we must prioritize health and safety as we reimagine live entertainment today,” said Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group. “Our team has developed a turn-key way for artists to connect directly with their fans. We hope that this series will be the first of many shows to use this model in the months ahead.”

Nissan and Pickers Vodka are supporters of Live at the Ryman and Ryman Auditorium.

LIVE AT THE RYMAN Upcoming Dates:
Aug. 14 – for KING & COUNTRY
Aug. 21 – Cam
Aug. 28 – Chris Janson
Sept. 4 – Scotty McCreery
Sept. 11 – Brett Young
Sept. 18 – Old Crow Medicine Show

JUST IN: MusicRow’s Rising Women On The Row Event Postponed

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MusicRow‘s Rising Women on the Row event, previously scheduled for Sept. 23, 2020, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new date for the ninth annual breakfast event will be announced at a later date.

The ninth annual celebration will honor the 2020 Rising Women on the Row honorees: Jen Conger (FBMM, Business Manager), JoJamie Hahr (BBR Music Group/BMG, VP Marketing), Mandy Morrison (City National Bank, Vice President/Senior Relationship Manager), Missy Roberts (Universal Music Publishing Group, Senior Creative Director), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing, CEO) and Stephanie Wright (UMG Nashville, Senior VP, A&R). Read more about the honorees here.

“I’m sure it comes as no surprise at this point that we are having to move our event again due to the pandemic,” says MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. “Although it’s very disappointing that our industry still isn’t able to safely gather in person, our desire to honor and spotlight these six women while saluting all women in our industry has not dampened one bit… if anything, it’s risen to new heights. We remain steadfast and ready. All of your purchased tables and seats are still reserved. And when it’s safe to do so, we’ll have the most memorable ‘Rising Women’ event ever!”

For purchased table sponsors and individual ticket holders, tickets will be honored at the new event date. Refunds will be administered to ticket holders who cannot attend the new date. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

The Cadillac Three Create Country Fuzz Presents Global Live Stream Series, Benefitting Second Harvest

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The Cadillac Three announced today that they will curate global stream experiences beginning Aug. 13 and running through Sept. from The Basement in Nashville, where the trio have played since their early days of playing and watching music together. Artists will alternate utilizing the space for Country Fuzz Presents dates and drive donations to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee with a goal of 100,000 meals in 100 days. Fans will watch from their own homes via a secure link straight to each show.

Following CDC recommended guidelines, The Cadillac Three has also installed multiple autonomous cameras providing a crew-less production and will have a thorough cleaning service prior to each performance as additional COVID-19 safety precautions. Confirmed artists include: The Cadillac Three, A Thousand Horses, Austin Jenckes, Bare JR. Reunion, Boy Named Banjo, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Daniel Donato, Dark Water featuring Kristian Bush, Drake White, Hailey Whitters, Hannah Dasher, HEY STEVE, Lauren Jenkins, Lillie Mae, Ray Fulcher, Steve Moakler, Tenille Arts and The Wild Feathers with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are so excited to have partnered with Grimey and The Basement in our hometown to bring high quality live stream concerts from not only TC3 but a number of our artist friends that have been sidelined from touring as well. Country Fuzz Presents is a way to give fans direct access to music in a time when we all desperately need and miss it,” said The Cadillac Three’s Neil Mason. “We’ve also partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank with the goal of providing 100,000 meals throughout the community to kids and their families that aren’t able to be in school this fall over the next 100 days.”

“We’ve seen a 50% increase in the need for our services since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” said Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee Director, Community Engagement Courtney Blaise. “We are so thankful for this new partnership with The Cadillac Three and the collective generosity of their community and fans for helping provide much-needed food and resources to our neighbors in need.”

Owner of The Basement, The Basement East and Grimey’s Mike Grimes added, “Partnering with Jaren, Kelby and Neil is the most down home thing I can think of that could happen right about now! We’ve been working together for many years, and this is gonna be good for the soul for so many. Let’s rock!”

Tickets are available now via CountryFuzzPresents.com.

DISClaimer Singles Reviews: The Grascals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, And More

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The Grascals

Have you hugged a bluegrass musician today?

This style of country music has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic, because it is so heavily dependent on the roughly 500 bluegrass festivals that re-popularize it each year. No live performance, no bluegrass.

The genre’s “bible,” Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, has been struggling so mightily (no festivals, no ads) that its publication is being taken over by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

Nevertheless, bluegrass endures. Our roundup of current sounds today includes a Disc of the Day performance by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and a DisCovery Award for Daryl Mosley.

THE GRASCALS/Haggard
Writer: Harley Allen; Producer: The Grascals; Publisher: Coburn, BMI; Mountain Home
– This is nominated as Song of the Year at this year’s (Sirius/XM-streamed) IBMA Awards, and the group’s four-time winner Kristin Scott Benson is again nominated as Banjo Player of the Year. I ask you, how can go you wrong with a heart-melting lyric about a stray puppy named Haggard?

DARYL MOSLEY/A Few Years Ago
Writer: Daryl Mosley; Producers: Mosley/Danny Roberts; Publisher: Songs of Daryl, ASCAP; Pinecastle
– Mosley bowed with this on the Bluegrass Unlimited chart this past month. It’s now at No. 21, and his album entered the album chart last week at No. 15. This thoughtful, nostalgic and lilting meditation kicks off the CD. A gentle-voiced tenor and superb songwriter, Mosley began his career entertaining at Loretta Lynn’s Dude Ranch. He is a veteran of the award-winning bands New Tradition and The Farm Hands. His debut solo album, The Secret of Life, is entirely self-written.

LARRY SPARKS/Down In Union County
Writer: Roy Acuff; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Rebel
– This lively remake of a Roy Acuff chestnut is presently at No. 3 on the bluegrass chart, having spent almost an entire year climbing it. Durable veteran Sparks takes a lickety-split guitar run in the tune that’s quite impressive. He is nominated as Male Vocalist of the Year and his New Moon Over My Shoulder is up for Album of the Year.

BRADLEY & ADAIR/Oh Darlin’
Writers: J. O’Hara/K. Kane; Producers: Tim Adair & Dale Ann Bradley; Publisher: Sony/ATV Cross Key, ASCAP; Pinecastle
– Dale Ann Bradley and Tina Adair are individually two of the finest female voices in contemporary bluegrass. Together, they are dynamite on this title track of their debut duet CD. It’s a remake of the 1986 hit by The O’Kanes that the women give a delightfully bluesy, saucy hue. The scintillating performance has apparently taken up semi-permanent residence in the No. 1 position on the bluegrass chart. By the way, both women are in the all-female band Sister Sadie, which is nominated as IBMA Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year.

GARY BREWER & THE KENTUCKY RAMBLERS/Goin’ Up Shell Creek
Writer: Gary Brewer; Producer: Vince Emmett; Publisher: Stretch Grass, BMI; SGM
– The CD 40th Anniversary Celebration is packed with guest stars. On this lead-off track, Brewer and band are joined by The Travelin’ McCourys. The cascading instrumental notes and tight vocal harmonies are classic. Elsewhere on the collection are contributions from T. Graham Brown, Ashton Shepherd, Ralph Stanley II, Dale Ann Bradley, Sam Bush, Russell Moore and Doug Phelps (of The Kentucky HeadHunters).

LORRAINE JORDAN & CAROLINA ROAD/Bill Monroe’s Ol’ Mandolin
Writer: David Stewart; Producer: Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road; Publisher: Sony/ATV/In The Wings, BMI; Pinecastle
– It’s a remembrance of Bill Monroe’s funeral where Ricky Skaggs played Monroe’s mandolin. It’s a big hit, currently standing at No. 4, but it’s all a bit sappy/maudlin for my taste. The album contains an oldie remake that suddenly seems super timely, Crystal Gayle’s “Ready for the Times to Get Better.” By the way, Crystal has a banner on the lawn outside her Music Row office quoting Allen Reynolds’ song lyrics, “It’s been too long a time with no peace of mind, and I’m ready for the times to get better.” Amen to that, pandemic people.

JB & JAMIE DAILEY/Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine
Writer: Jimmie Davis; Producer: Jamie Dailey; Publisher: Songs of Universal, no PRO listed; Pinecastle
– Dailey & Vincent bluegrass star Jamie Dailey teams with his father on the CD Step Back in Time. It’s a collection of goldies by the likes of The Blue Sky Boys, Roy Acuff, Johnnie & Jack and, in this case, Jimmie Davis. His 1934 recording of this song was one of the biggest hits of the Great Depression. The Daileys step up the tempo a little with JB taking the lead and his son offering his usual stunning high-tenor harmony. This whole sweet album is super listening.

STEVE GULLEY & NEW PINNACLE/Leaning Toward Leaving
Writers: Tim Stafford/Steve Gulley; Producer: Steve Gulley; Publisher: Daniel House/Gulley’s Curve, BMI; Rural Rhythm
– The picking is hot and the tune hops. Still, the whole outing sounds par for the course, largely because the band lacks a charismatic vocalist.

ELIZA MEYER/Hello Stranger
Writer: A.P. Carter; Producer: Cathy Fink & Liam Purcell; Publisher: peermusic, no performance rights listed; EM
– This teenage North Carolinian’s debut album is a warm, old-time music outing. She’s a fiddler, banjoist, guitarist and vocalist who offers mountain-soprano renditions of such timeless gems as “When I Stop Dreaming,” “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” “Darling Corey,” “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again” and “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On.” What better way to announce your artistry than with the Carter Family classic that kicks off and provides the album’s title tune? Her tremulous, somewhat tenuous, tender voice is joined by harmony singer Sam Gleaves.

DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER/Living Like There’s No Tomorrow
Writers: Jim McBride/Roger Murrah; Producer: Doyle Lawson; Publisher: Universal Careers/EMI April, BMI/ASCAP; Billy Blue
– Bluegrass Hall of Famer Lawson’s always stellar harmony group has another hit with this top-10 bluegrass success. An IBMA nominee for Song of the Year, it is drawn from Live in Prague, Czech Republic, nominated as Album of the Year. Penned by two Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members, the slow waltz of regret is a thrilling showcase for the group’s spectacular new tenor, Jake Vanover. It will come as no surprise that the group is again nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year (which it has won eight previous times).

FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE/Winding Road
Writers: Jesse Laquinto; Producers: Travis Book & Fireside Collective; Publisher: Fireside Collective, ASCAP; Mountain Home
– This North Carolina quintet combines elements of folk and jam-band into its progressive bluegrass sound. The poor guys scheduled the release of their Elements CD at exactly the same time as the shelter-in-place orders came down. The planned celebratory shows were scuttled. The set kicks off and concludes with this upbeat ode to their musical journey. Sit tight in Asheville, fellows: We’ll see you when this pandemic passes.

Industry Ink: Soundstripe, Lucky Bird Media, PLA Media

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Tia Watkins Promoted At Soundstripe

Tia Watkins

Tia Watkins has been promoted to Director of Customer Support at Soundstripe. Watkins has been with the tech-enabled production startup since October 2017, when she was the company’s second hire in its Customer Care department. Beginning as a Customer Care Concierge, she worked her way up to Customer Support Manager in January 2019. As Director of Customer Support, Watkins will be responsible for strategizing the branch’s growth, optimizing the timeliness and efficiency of member support, and overseeing the branch’s projects. She will be based in Soundstripe’s Nashville office.

 

Lorie Liebig Joins Lucky Bird Media

Lorie Liebig

Lorie Liebig has joined Lucky Bird Media as the newest member of the company’s growing team. Liebig previously served as a publicist at Baby Robot Media, where she worked on campaigns for Shawn Colvin, Drivin N Cryin, Brandon Stansell, and more. Earlier in her career, she served as an A&R Scout for Elektra Records after working her way up the ranks to Managing Editor at Wide Open Country. She actively writes as a freelance journalist, and will continue her work as Director of U.S. Operations at Norway’s Jansen Records.

 

Brandon Collins Signs With PLA Media

Brandon Collins

Brandon Collins has joined the PLA roster and signed with the company for PR representation. Collins, a recording artist, actor, model and outdoor/fitness enthusiast, is prepping his next single release in August. Before making the transition from Los Angeles to Nashville to focus on his music endeavors, he could be seen in ad campaigns for brands like Marvel, Nike, Samsung and SONY. On the small screen, he’s appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, McFarland, USAand ION’s holiday film A Husband for Christmas.