Entries by contributor

Jessica Harp Shifts Career Gears

CMT.com reports that Jessica Harp, formerly of hit country duo the Wreckers, will abandon her fledgling solo career to concentrate on songwriting. The information was gleaned from a letter the singer/songwriter posted on her website. Her debut album will, however, be released digitally on March 16. Harp had released two solo singles, “A Woman Needs” […]

Thompson and Buxton Debuts Deliver

Way Out Here, the debut album from Columbia Nashville newcomer Josh Thompson, entered the country album sales chart this week with sales in excess of 15,000 units. The album hit the No. 9 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and rose to No. 28 on the Top 200 chart. Way Out Here is the […]

Big Kenny To Speak at “TEDxNashville”

Big Kenny, half of country duo Big and Rich, has been added to the list of speakers for the inaugural TEDxNashville event to be held Sunday, March 21 at Montgomery Bell Academy from 1 p.m-6 p.m. Big Kenny, who is seeding various humanitarian efforts in stricken areas like the Darfur region of Sudan and Haiti, […]

Chesney and Miller Rock Tootsie’s

Country superstar Kenny Chesney and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Steve Miller took the stage at the Ryman Auditorium last night (3/2) for a filming of the CMT series Crossroads. After treating the SRO Ryman crowd to almost two hours of music, the pair cut across the alley and ducked into Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, […]

John Lennon Biopic to Kick Off Film Fest

Nowhere Boy, a biopic exploring the childhood of a creative, spirited and curious John Lennon growing up in post-war Liverpool, will officially kick off the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) when it takes place April 15-22, 2010 at Regal Green Hills Cinema. Directed by Sam Taylor-Wood in her feature-film debut, the film stars the Oscar-nominated Kristin […]

Jim Halsey Releases “Starmaker”

After building powerhouse country music booking agency The Jim Halsey Company and selling it to the William Morris Agency, Jim Halsey founded the Jim Halsey Institute, which focuses on helping others pursue their dreams in the music industry. This month, the veteran booking agent will release Starmaker, a book that shares the secrets he learned […]

Shaw and Friends Benefit Abintra

Hit songwriter/producer/performer Victoria Shaw will appear with a cast of acclaimed musician friends in a concert to benefit the arts program at Nashville’s Abintra Montessori School. Headliners will include Shaw, along with country artists Bryan White, and Ty Herndon. Also joining Shaw at the benefit, scheduled for Saturday March 27 at 7 p.m. at Limelight, will […]

City Paper: WKRN Dismisses Brad Schmitt

By: Ken Whitehouse Brad Schmitt, who has served as an entertainment reporter for both The Tennessean and more recently for WKRN-Channel 2, was dismissed from the station on Monday (2/22) following a weekend DUI arrest. This was Schmitt’s second DUI in three years. Matthew Zelkind, news director and station manager, told The City Paper that […]

Redneck Woman Gretchen Wilson’s Search For Radio Redemption

By Rob Simbeck [Nashville Scene] Just over a year ago, Gretchen Wilson looked into the abyss. Her third album, One of the Boys, had tanked, its singles stalling at 32, 35, and 53 in Billboard. The label team that had guided her 2004 debut CD Here for the Party to quintuple platinum sales had largely […]

On The Cover-James Otto

Label: Warner Music Nashville Hometown: Benton City, WA Birthday: July 29, 1973 Producers: Paul Worley and James Otto Interesting Fact: I’m 6’5” tall and have a 3 lb Chihuahua…opposites attract. Outside Interests: Vintage cars and trucks—I’m a major gearhead. I’ve got a 1960 Cadillac and a 1970 K5 Blazer. Musical Influences: Ronnie Milsap, Ray Charles, […]