Country 2008: A Year End Report

The country music record business was especially hard hit as the previous year’s drop of 16.3% rose to 24% in 2008. Actual country album sales (physical and digital) toppled from 62.7 to 47.6 million, a new all time low under the SoundScan era. Country 2008: A Year End Report asks questions and presents much of […]

Nashville-Related Music Obituaries, 2008

The loss of two Country Music Hall of Fame members in 2008 was a major blow to the Nashville music community. But we lost many other friends as well. Here is a look back at those who passed away during 2008. VERNON DERRICK, 74, died Jan. 4. Multi-instrumentalist sideman for The Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, […]

Katie Armiger Visits Texas Children’s Hospital

Cold River recording artist and Houston native Katie Armiger recently visited the Texas Children’s Hospital to spread cheer to some of the patients. Armiger, pictured with nurses, sang Christmas songs and led the children in Christmas Carols. Texas Children’s Hospital is an internationally recognized full-care pediatric hospital ranked in the top ten among children’s hospitals […]

iTunes Drops DRM

CNET.com reports Apple has finally cut deals with Universal, Warner Music and Sony that would allow iTunes to sell DRM-free music files. EMI has been offering DRM-free files on iTunes for over a year. In return, iTunes will compromise on single song pricing. The tech giant had steadfastly refused to accept the idea of variable […]

Sony Adds To A&R Department

As first reported on 12/23/08, Lisa Ramsey-Perkins has joined Sony Music Nashville as Senior Director, A&R. Reporting to Renee Bell, Exec. VP, A&R, she officially began the role on Dec. 22. Ramsey-Perkins began her career as a personal assistant to Wynonna Judd, and later took on roles at Music Mill, Hamstein Music Group, and Mosaic […]

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