Last night’s Dateline NBC piece on Taylor Swift was undeniably flattering. The hour-long segment followed her through preparations for a headlining tour, portraying her as one of the most hands-on young entertainers in the business. She was shown participating in every aspect of her career—designing the stage, auditioning back-up dancers, decorating her backstage vibe room […]
Press Release—Brian Philips has been promoted to President of CMT, managing the brand’s overall portfolio including CMT, CMT Films, CMT.com, CMT Pure Country and all brand extensions, it was announced today by MTV Networks Music and Logo Group President Van Toffler. Philips formerly held the title of Executive Vice President and General Manager of CMT. […]
Virgin Entertainment Group North America (VEGNA), owner of the Virgin Megastores as well as three other retail outlets, is expected to close this summer. The company has been working on shuttering its Virgin Megastores in New York City and San Francisco for months. Other retail spaces in Orlando, Denver and Los Angeles will follow soon, […]
Sugarland has scheduled more than 30 dates for its upcoming run, opening April 10 in hometown Atlanta. The 2009 leg of the duo’s successful Love On The Inside Tour is supporting its platinum-selling third album of the same name. Joining them on the road will be Mercury Nashville labelmate Billy Currington, RCA recording artist Jake […]
SESAC honored Jason Ingram as its 2008 Christian Songwriter of the Year during ceremonies held Monday (2/23) at Nashville’s Sambuca Restaurant. The performing rights organization also named Peertunes Ltd., Grange Hill Music, and Windsor Way Music as 2008 Christian Publishers of the Year. Ingram realized extraordinary success last year with his song “Give Me Your […]
This week GACTV.com premiered the first of its exclusive webisodes featuring Universal Records South’s Randy Houser. The 8-part weekly series, titled The Road Home, follows the rising artist during a trip to his homestate of Mississippi where he visits his old school, childhood home, and the nightclub where he got his start. New webisodes will […]
Vince Gill has had a busy week. On Tuesday night (2/24) he concluded his residency at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and on Wednesday he was recognized as an honorary professor by the College of Mass Communication at Middle Tennessee State University. The final night of his sold-out three-show stint as the Country Music […]
Many in the music industry spent Tuesday afternoon (2/24) celebrating Billy Currington’s recent No. 1 hit, “Don’t.” Parties at BMI and ASCAP marked the occasion for the song’s co-writers Jim Beavers and Jonathan Singleton. It is the pair’s second trip to the top of charts together; they also co-wrote Gary Allan’s “Watching Airplanes.”
Longtime A&R executive Peter Robinson and former publishing executive Alex Heddle have opened Propel Music, which will offer creative outsourcing for music publishing companies, songwriters, and others in the music industry. The company currently provides song pitching and writer management for Jeff Cohen, Greg Crowe, Jenn Schott, Lila McCann and Evie Nicole. Robinson started his […]
Tracy Gershon has joined Warner/Chappell Music in the newly created position of Senior Vice President and Head of A&R, Nashville. After more than twenty years in the music business, she most recently spent three years as Vice President, A&R at Warner Bros. Records Nashville, working with artists including Big & Rich, Faith Hill, and Blake […]