Michael Guth Named COO Of Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Entertainment Segment

/by

Ryman logoRyman Hospitality Properties has hired Michael Guth as chief operating officer for its Entertainment segment.

In this role, Guth will oversee all operations at the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium and WSM 650 AM, including the retail, food & beverage and marketing departments that support these operations as well as the new venues the company has in the planning phase.

Colin Reed, chairman and chief executive officer of Ryman Hospitality Properties, said, “We are thrilled to have Michael on board as we enter into an important phase of growth for the Entertainment side of our business. Michael brings a wealth of operations, marketing and business development expertise to this new role for our Company. With his addition to our senior leadership team, we are creating the infrastructure we need to support the recent growth our Entertainment segment has experienced and also to accelerate the strategic initiatives we have outlined as part of our future plans for this business.”

Guth’s most recent role was chief operating officer for The Bleachers Corporation, a global digital media startup specializing in HD production and streaming for sports and entertainment events.

Prior to The Bleachers Corporation, Guth spent eight years as executive vice president of sales and marketing for The Madison Square Garden Company, where he was responsible for developing the overarching consumer vision, sales strategy and sponsor integration plan throughout the facility’s award-winning $1 billion transformation.

Guth began his career developing sales and marketing strategies for the New York Mets Baseball Club and The Coca-Cola Company before moving on to a number of leadership roles in media and product marketing that included serving as senior vice president of Time Warner Global Marketing.

Guth earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

In addition, the company has promoted its senior vice president of investments, design and construction, Bennett Westbrook, to executive vice president and chief development officer. In this expanded role, Mr. Westbrook will lead the venue development strategy for the Entertainment segment in addition to his oversight of investments, design and construction for the Hospitality segment.

Reed continued, “This is an exciting time for our Entertainment business, and Bennett will help accelerate our growth further by working closely with our Opry Entertainment Group president, Steve Buchanan, to bring new venue concepts to life in strategic locations across the country and beyond.”

CRB Elects Board of Directors For 2016-2017

/by

CRBLogo-HiRes

The Country Radio Broadcasters recently elected its Board of Directors for 2016-2017.

Charlie Morgan, Sr. VP and Market Manager for Emmis Communications/Indianapolis, has been re-elected as President of the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. for the 2016-2017 term. In addition, R.J. Curtis (All Access Music Group) will return as Vice President and Beverlee Brannigan (Scripps Co.) will serve as Secretary.

Those elected and appointed to the Board include: Becky Brenner (Albright & O’Malley & Brenner Consulting), George Couri (Triple 8 Management), John Crenshaw (Cumulus Media), Mike Culotta, Ryan Dokke (Curb), Mike Dungan (UMG), Randy Goodman (Sony Nashville), Scott Huskey (Rusty Walker Programming Consultants, Inc.), Kurt Johnson (Townsquare Media), Keith Kaufman (Center Stage Tour Promotions), Dave Kelly (Big Machine Label Group), Mike McVay (Cumulus Media), Charlie Morgan (Emmis Communications), Rod Phillips (iHeartCountry), John Shomby (Cumulus), Joel Raab (Joel Raab Country Radio/Media), and Annie Sandor (Capitol).

Returning to the Board with continuing terms are: Chuck Aly (Country Aircheck), Brannigan (Scripps Co.), Johnny Chiang (KKBQ-FM), R.J. Curtis (All Access Music Group), Andy Denemark (United Stations), John Esposito (Warner Music Nashville), Dan Halyburton (Falls Media Group), Clay Hunnicutt (Big Loud Records), Jeff Kapugi (WUSN-FM), Jon Loba (BBR Music Group), Nick Martin (Big River Broadcasting), Royce Risser (UMG), and Tim Roberts (WYCD).

Charlie Monk continues as a Lifetime Director Emeritus.

“I am honored to serve again as President of the CRB Board,” said Morgan. “This promises to be another important year for Country Radio Seminar. With Bill Mayne as our Executive Director, our terrific returning staff and the incoming board, I feel we are set up for success.”

Country Radio Seminar 2017 is set for Feb. 22-24, 2017 in downtown Nashville at the Omni Hotel.

LifeNotes: Thirty Tigers Executive Bob Goldstone Passes

/by
Bob Goldstone

Bob Goldstone

Bob Goldstone, an owner and VP of Sales at Thirty Tigers, died from injuries sustained in a cycling accident near his home in Pegram, Tennessee, on Sunday (July 3).

Goldstone held a number of positions in the music industry before joining Thirty Tigers. He had been community relations director for Tower Records and was vice president of sales and marketing at Emergent Music Marketing. He had also worked at record labels such as Eminent, Mercury, Capricorn and I.R.S. Records, all the while being a visible part of the Nashville music community.

On Tuesday afternoon, Thirty Tigers President Davis Macias issued the following statement:

“Bob was my friend first and foremost. A more loving and lovely man you could never find. Love is one of our core values, and Bob was the ultimate in that regard. He was our happy warrior, to be sure. He cared about the young people in this company so deeply. He was proud of them and was their fiercest advocate. He was their mentor and confidante. He had a hard job and did it very well. He cared so much, and there will never be another like him. Never, ever. I’m biased, I know, but I feel that Thirty Tigers is a special place, and if that is so, outsized credit goes to Bob Goldstone. He made this place cooler and was responsible for establishing so much of the culture we cherish.

He loved music. Lord, did he love music and felt it deeply. It’s not always like that in this business. He was as passionate about “the good stuff” as he was when I met him many years ago.

And above all, he was about his family. Tami and Emma were at the center of his life, and he loved them so much.

We loved him and will miss him more than you can imagine. – David Macias, President, Thirty Tigers. 

As news spread on social networks on Tuesday morning, a spokesperson at Thirty Tigers issued the following statement:

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we mourn the passing of Bob Goldstone. Bob died Sunday July 3rd after being seriously injured in a bicycling accident near his home in Pegram. Thirty Tigers’ Vice President of Sales and an owner, he was an integral part of the business and the spirit of Thirty Tigers. His passion for music was only surpassed by his love for his family and friends. We’ve lost the beating, loving heart of Thirty Tigers. We’ve lost a friend, a mentor, a respected colleague and someone that loved us all so much, as we loved him.

Our love and thoughts go out to Bob’s family, his wife Tami and his step-daughter Emma. Details for services are pending.

Guy Clark Biography Slated For October

/by

unnamed

A comprehensive biography on songwriter Guy Clark will be published on Oct. 18 by Texas A&M University Press. Starting in 2008, and with Clark’s approval, author Tamara Saviano interviewed more than 200 of Clark’s friends and family members for the book, titled Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark.

The book details Clark’s marriage to Susanna Clark and their friendship with songwriter Townes Van Zandt. It also includes 113 photos from all phases of his life and career. Saviano completed the 406-page book just before Guy Clark died in May. She is currently working on a documentary about the relationship between Guy and Susanna Clark and Van Zandt.

“It was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. I went back to every part of Guy’s life and found the people who were there at that time,” Saviano says. “I learned details that nobody else knew, including his closest friends.”

Saviano is also part of the book’s narrative. She was managing editor of Country Music magazine when she met Clark in 1998. In 2006, she became his publicist for the album Workbench Songs, a role she repeated for 2009’s Someday the Song Writes You. In 2011, she produced the Grammy-nominated album This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark, which was named the 2012 Americana Album of the Year by the Americana Music Association.

“I had no idea that I was going to grow to love the old curmudgeon, but I did,” Saviano said. “I felt I needed to make it very clear that I was not only a reporter. We had become good friends and Guy confided in me about many things. I’m not sure it was a typical relationship for a biographer and subject.”

Clark’s most notable songs include “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “The Randall Knife,” “She Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere,” “L.A. Freeway” and “Texas, 1947.” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.

Pinnacle Closes Merger With Avenue Bank

/by

Screen Shot 2016-01-28 at 5.42.01 PMPinnacle Financial Partners completed its previously announced acquisition of Avenue Bank on July 1.

“The completion of our legal merger with Avenue is an important step in our march to build Nashville’s bank,” said M. Terry Turner, president and CEO of Pinnacle Financial Partners. “Associates of both banks have worked incredibly hard to get us to this point and made it possible to close the acquisition only five months after the announcement.”

Joe Galante, former chairman of Sony Music, Nashville, David Ingram, CEO of Ingram Entertainment, and Marty Dickens, former regional executive with AT&T, were appointed to Pinnacle’s board. Additionally, Avenue’s music and entertainment team of Andy Moats, Ron Cox and Cooper Samuels will continue in their roles servicing clients under the new merger.

“The culmination of this merger benefits shareholders and clients of both firms,” said Ronald L. Samuels, Avenue’s chairman and chief executive officer, who will serve as vice chairman of Pinnacle’s board of directors and on Pinnacle’s senior leadership team. “Our teams have the same passion for delivering outstanding client service and the same commitment to Nashville, and we’ll be even better together.”

Based on financial information as of March 31, 2016, on a pro forma basis, the combined company has total assets of over $10.5 billion with offices in 14 Tennessee counties.

Avenue Bank will operate as a division of Pinnacle Bank until September of this year when both firms anticipate combining their operations and the brand converting to Pinnacle. Avenue Bank clients should continue to bank with Avenue as they always have, using their existing checks, ATM/debit cards, payment coupons, etc. until the operational conversion in the fall.

 

Weekly Register: Chase Rice, Dustin Lynch Singles Make Top 10 Debuts

/by
Chase Rice

Chase Rice

Chase Rice and Dustin Lynch made high debuts on the country tracks chart this week, with Rice’s “Everybody We Know Does” moving 26.3K and landing at No. 2. Lynch’s “Seein’ Red” moved 20.4K to land at No. 8.

Florida Georgia Line‘s “H.O.L.Y.” remains atop the country digital tracks rankings (and is at No. 2 overall this week), moving 79K and landing at 730K to date. Luke Bryan’s “Fishin’, Huntin’, and Lovin’ Every Day” is at No. 3 (23.4K), followed by Carrie Underwood’s “Church Bells” at No. 4 (22.6K) and Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind” (22.1K).

Justin Timberlake‘s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” continues its reign on the overall digital tracks rankings, with 107K sold this week, landing at 1.4 million to date.

Overall digital track sales are down 23.9 percent, while country digital track sales have declined 21.8 percent.

Dustin Lynch

Dustin Lynch

Meanwhile, on the country albums chart, the Top 5 is filled with familiar projects. Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller ranks at No. 1, with 15K sold this week, bringing the album’s sales total to 1.4 million. Blake Shelton‘s If I’m Honest follows with nearly 14K. Music compilation Now Country 9 ranks at No. 3 with 8.8K sold. At No. 4 is Dierks Bentley‘s Black with 7.6K, followed by Keith Urban‘s Ripcord at No. 5 with 7.3K.

Drake‘s Views stays atop the overall chart, with 111K combined units (24.8K album only).  Meanwhile, The Avett Brothers‘ True Sadness lands at No. 3 with 45.8K units (43.1 album only).

Overall album sales are down 13.6 percent, while overall digital album sales are down 18.4 percent. Country album sales have declined 5.8 percent, while country digital album sales have decreased 12.6 percent.

13495214_10153965056032663_6815157797234994099_n

 

 

 

Man Arrested Following Threats Before The Band Perry Concert

/by

The Band Perry

One man has been arrested after making a threat before The Band Perry concert in Selbyville, Delaware, on Sunday (July 3). Another man involved in the threat has been identified but not arrested, according to the news website Delmarvanow.com.

Dzmitry N. Papou, 35, of Selbyville, turned himself in on Monday night. He was charged with felony terroristic threatening and released on $20,000 unsecured bail, according to the news website. The two men spoke to a front-desk worker at the venue just before 3 p.m., although it has not been disclosed what was said.

The show was canceled just 15 minutes prior to the opening act, after a discussion with venue representatives and the band’s management.

The Band Perry released a statement following the cancellation and rescheduled the show for Aug. 17.

Weekly Chart Report (7/1/16)

/by

CBO1

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

Artist Updates: Haley & Michaels, Home Free, Neal McCoy, Randy Rogers Band, Kelly Willis

/by

Haley & Michaels Release “Drinking About You”

Haley & Michaels

Newcomer duo Haley & Michaels are kicking off the holiday weekend with their brand new single, “Drinking About You.” Featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist, the track was written by the married duo’s Shannon Haley and Ryan Michaels along with co-writers Jeff Cohen and Zach Abend. It is the first song released from their upcoming EP, Taking Off.

 

Vocal Group Home Free Sings “God Bless The USA”

Home Free. Photo: Neil van Niekerk

Home Free. Photo: Neil van Niekerk

Vocal group Home Free debuted their new video for “God Bless the USA” in celebration of Independence Day, at tasteofcountry.com.

The video was produced, mixed and mastered by Darren Rust at Skyland Studios. The clip was filed in front of Mount Rushmore and concludes with a quote from Abraham Lincoln, penned during the Civil War: “Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as best he can, the same cause.”

Neal McCoy Will Sing In New York City on 4th of July

Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy will appear on Fox & Friends on Monday (July 4) at 6 a.m. ET. He will discuss his tradition of saying “The Pledge of Allegiance” every morning and will perform live in New York City.

McCoy has performed more than 15 USO Tours. He will also preview a new album of standards, titled You Don’t Know Me, produced by Steve Tyrell.

Known for his high-energy shows, McCoy’s hits include “No Doubt About It,” “Wink,” and “They’re Playin’ Our Song.”

 

 

Randy Rogers Band Makes Opry Appearance

Photo ID (L-R): Enzo DeVincenzo, Red Light Management; Todd Stewart, utility player; Geoffrey Hill, guitar; Les Lawless, drums; Brady Black, fiddle; Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry; Randy Rogers, lead vocals; Jon Richardson, bass guitar

Photo ID (L-R): Enzo DeVincenzo, Red Light Management; Todd Stewart, utility player; Geoffrey Hill, guitar; Les Lawless, drums; Brady Black, fiddle; Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry; Randy Rogers, lead vocals; Jon Richardson, bass guitar

The Randy Rogers Band played the Grand Ole Opry on Wednesday (June 29), playing tracks from the group’s latest album Nothing Shines Like Neon.

As a salute to the band’s favorite holiday, Independence Day, the six-piece ensemble has compiled a patriotic playlist that embodies the spirit of their collective tastes. Listen to the full playlist here: http://bit.ly/RRB_USAplaylist

 

Kelly Willis Teams With Bruce Robison For New Single

Kelly Willis teamed up with husband Bruce Robison to record and produce her first original single in a decade as part of his multifaceted media company and web series, The Next Waltz. Willis will release the single “Flower on the Vine” on July 8.

The new episode of The Next Waltz is set in Robison’s Lockhart studio, where the singer-songwriter’s ability to engage artists on a peer-to-peer level allows him to draw out stories.

YouTube video

Exclusive: Dave Cobb Settles In After Move To RCA Studio A

/by
Pictured (L-R): Craig Shelburne, Dave Cobb, Sherod Robertson. Photo: Moments by Moser

Pictured (L-R): Craig Shelburne, Dave Cobb, Sherod Robertson. Photo: Moments by Moser

Dave Cobb has hit his stride in Nashville, moving to Music City after spending nearly 11 years in Los Angeles. Artists like Chris Stapleton, A Thousand Horses, Jason Isbell, Jamey Johnson and Sturgill Simpson put him on track to win awards, including 2016 MusicRow Producer of the Year.

Read more about Cobb’s 2016 win with the magazine in the latest MusicRow Awards print issue, available now.

–––

MusicRow: Before Chris Stapleton’s 2015 CMA Awards sweep, you told us that you hadn’t yet felt a part of the Nashville establishment. Do you more at home with your recent success?
Dave Cobb: I’m humbled by it all. It’s such a prestigious thing—so much history with MusicRow magazine, and Music Row in general. There are no words to be in RCA A on Music Row and to be embraced by the industry. It’s beyond any wildest dream I could have had. I’m very happy to start and be part of the community and I’d love to help other people wherever I can. I definitely feel welcomed.

It’s been a pleasure getting to know everybody. I had been just in the back of my house in a little studio and didn’t really get out. I love getting to know people and who they are and feel happy to be part of the community.

Dave Cobb accepts 2016 MusicRow Producer of the Year. Photo: Moments by Moser

Dave Cobb accepts 2016 MusicRow Producer of the Year. Photo: Moments by Moser

Have you enjoyed your RCA Studio A move?
You walk in everyday humbled by who came before you. You feel the history and it inspires songs and playing. … It has become a clubhouse. Chris Stapleton came in and played on an Anderson East record I was working on just because. He called up and had some extra time. All these people just stop by. They befriend each other and feels like a great community here. It’s a really special place.

On July 29, Lori McKenna’s CN Records project you produced will be released. Can you tell us about that project?
Lori is one of my favorite songwriters ever. I love her voice. It was a pleasure to work with her—she’s an amazing human being. She’s got such good wit with a pen. It was so enjoyable to hear her everyday. She’s a master class in songwriting. Seeing that everyday and seeing her bring in new songs everyday kinda shocked us all. She’s got so much emotion and heartfelt lyrics. I can’t wait for people to hear it.

Lori and her management/label had a really good grasp on who she was coming into the project. I benefited greatly from that. All I did was show up and make the record. The song choice was mostly done prior to the studio. We recorded it in the back of my house, prior to me moving into RCA Studio A.

Also in RCA Studio A is where you operate Low Country Sound, your label and publishing company. 
It’s amazing. I’m really, really happy with my partners and team with Atlantic/Elektra and now Warner/Chappell in Nashville. It’s great to be able to find an artist you feel passionate about and have a team of support around to run with it and try to make the record a success. Before I would make a record and hope someone would pay attention to it. Now we have a really solid team and great strategic plans.

On the publishing side with Warner/Chappell, we have Aaron Raitiere and Adam Hood, with another signing to be announced soon. [A third signing, Charlie Pate, was announced on Thursday.] So now if there’s a void on a record for an artist I sign, we can go find the right song to finish the record. It’s picking up where all the great labels left off—Stax, Muscle Shoals, Motown. They all had facilities for writers interacting with the artists as well. It’s a little bit of a one-stop shop, in a good way.

As far as staff, we have Ben Vaughn [Executive Vice President] at Warner/Chappell, who handles the publishing side, and New York handles the label side. The writers are here with offices upstairs in RCA Studio A. So there’s a lot of synergy with the writers upstairs and the studio downstairs. But Adam and Aaron have been getting cuts and are a little bit left of center with the way they write and sing. They follow similar principles that I do.

Now that your wheels are off the ground, what’s next?
It’s been great to do something like Southern Family. Who in their right mind would OK that to happen? It sounds like a nightmare to get all those artists lined up, but they were up for the task. It’s amazing to have this creative freedom.

There’s a film being made right now with Southern Family that may be out before next year. It’s a bit of a process and we want to make it right—something lasting and meaningful. But there is probably not a second volume coming anytime soon. That’s a huge hill to climb. I’m really happy with what we have.

Right now I’m [producing] Old Crow Medicine Show. Their record is really incredible. I’m really into the band and the record. I’m just taking my time to find things that I’m crazy about. When those people cross my path, we act on it.