National Music Council Honors Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Grand Ole Opry

Mike Dungan, Vince Gill, Roy Clark, Emmylou Harris, NMC Director David Sanders, John Conlee, NMC Board Member Charles Sanders, Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Pete Fisher, Bill Cody, NAMM Foundation Director Mary Luehrsen. Photo: Abigail Hodes

The National Music Council brought its annual American Eagle Awards presentation to Nashville for a second year in a row on Saturday (June 25). The Eagle Awards are presented in national celebration of an individual’s or an organization’s long-term contribution to America’s musical culture and heritage. This year, music legends Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill were honored, along with the iconic Grand Ole Opry. This year’s event marks the 33rd year of formal presentations of the awards.

Pictured (L-R): Pete Fisher and Bill Cody. Photo: Abigail Hodes

 

BMI, Reviver Records Help Illinois Broadcasters Association

Pictured (L-R): Coby Cooper, WCIA-TV VP/GM and IBA Board Chair; Dennis Lyle, President & CEO, IBA; LOCASH’s Chris Lucas and Preston Brust; Jerry Schnacke, Senior VP of Sales, iHeart Media-Chicago/IBA Director; BMI’s Dan Spears.

BMI helped the Illinois Broadcasters Association celebrate the best in broadcasting in the state by sponsoring a performance by Reviver recording artist, LOCASH, at the IBA’s Silver Dome Awards dinner held last week in Champaign, Illinois.

LOCASH, which is fronted by BMI songwriters Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, performed songs from their new album The Fighters (including “I Love This Life” and “I Know Somebody”) for an audience of radio and TV executives from across the country.

 

Kenny Chesney Spreads The Love In Philadelphia

Kenny Chesney honors young fan with Philadelphia Eagles helmet. Photo: Jill Trunnell

In town for his 14-stadium Spread the Love Tour, Kenny Chesney performed for 48,322 people at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. Chesney brought a little girl onstage and presented her with an official Philadelphia Eagles football helmet. The tour stop also featured performances by Miranda Lambert, Big & Rich and Old Dominion.

 

Pictured (L-R): Beth Moore, Director of Community Development, Vanderbilt University; Lorie Lytle, ACM Lifting Lives Board; Tiffany Moon, EVP/Managing Director, Academy of Country Music; RaeLynn; Stuart Dill, VUMC entertainment industry liaison. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Academy of Country Music

ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp welcomed campers from around the country to Nashville, to work with several country artists and songwriters for a week. The annual residential camp studies Williams syndrome while providing music enrichment through performance and education.

On Friday, Warner Music Nashville’s latest signing RaeLynn dropped by the Seacrest Studios to spend time with the campers and participated in a Q&A on-air for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

On Sunday, Montgomery Gentry dropped by and participated in a karaoke event with the campers at Winner’s Bar & Grill and performed some of their greatest hits.

Producer/songwriter Ross Copperman and artist Eric Paslay also took part, helping the campers to craft a song together.

The camp is a partnership between ACM Lifting Lives and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Pictured (L-R): Stuart Dill, VUMC Entertainment Industry Liaison Director; Elizabeth Roof, Senior Research Specialist, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center; Eddie Montgomery; Troy Gentry; Lisa Lee, SVP Creative & Content Production, Academy of Country Music; John Dennis, Dennis Entertainment; Alicia Lanier Jones, Dennis Entertainment

RaeLynn takes part in a Q&A session for ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp. Photo: Getty Images

Ross Copperman (L) and Eric Paslay (R) work with campers to write a song. Photo: Getty Images

Several of Nashville’s top songwriters are featured on Steven Tyler‘s upcoming solo country album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere, set for release July 15 on Dot Records (Big Machine Label Group).

Among those are Rhett Akins, Nathan Barlowe, Levi Hummon, Brett James, The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston, Hillary Lindsey, Eric Paslay, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, and more.

Tyler co-wrote 12 of the album’s 15 tracks, and co-produced the project alongside T Bone Burnett and Dann Huff, as well as Marti Frederickson and Johnston. In addition to several new tracks, the album includes a rendition of Aerosmith’s 1989 hit, “Janie’s Got A Gun.”

According to an interview last week on The Howard Stern Show, Tyler also confirmed that he and his Aerosmith bandmates are working on a farewell tour in 2017.

“I love this band, I really do, and I want to squash every thought that anybody might have about this … We’re doing a farewell tour, but only because it’s time. We’ve never done that,” Tyler said.

We’re All Somebody From Somewhere Track Listing:

1. “My Own Worst Enemy” (Steven Tyler, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
2. “We’re All Somebody From Somewhere” (Steven Tyler, Jaren Johnston)
3. “Hold On (Won’t Let Go)” (Steven Tyler, Jason Boyd, Jared Gutstadt, Jeff Peters)
4. “It Ain’t Easy” (Steven Tyler, Cary Barlowe, Nathan Barlowe, Hillary Lindsey)
5. “Love Is Your Name” (Lindsey Lee, Eric Paslay)
6. “I Make My Own Sunshine” (Alyssa Bonagura)
7. “Gypsy Girl” (Steven Tyler, Ross Copperman, David Hodges)
8. “Somebody New” (Steven Tyler, Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges)
9. “Only Heaven” (Steven Tyler, Rhett Akins, Chris DeStefano)
10. “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly & Me” (Steven Tyler, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
11. “RED, WHITE & YOU” (Steven Tyler, Nathan Barlowe, Levi Hummon, Jon Vella)
12. “Sweet Louisiana“ (Steven Tyler, Cary Barlowe, Nathan Barlowe, Hillary Lindsey)
13. “What Am I Doin’ Right?” (Steven Tyler, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
14. “Janie’s Got A Gun” (Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton)
15. “Piece Of My Heart” (with The Loving Mary Band) (Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovoy)

Photo: Ford Fairchild

Dustin Lynch has sent a new single titled “Seein’ Red” to country radio. It’s the lead release from his upcoming third album on Broken Bow Records.

“Seein’ Red” was written by Tully Kennedy, Kurt Allison, Steve Bogard and Jason Sever. Lynch will perform it on the TBS series Conan on July 6.

“’Seein’ Red’ is the perfect introduction to where I am in life and what this next chapter of music represents,” says Lynch. “It’s fun, sexy, energetic, and makes me want to dance all over somebody.”

Lynch’s prior album, Where It’s At, was released in 2014 and included three No. 1 singles on Billboard’s country airplay chart: “Where It’s At (Yep Yep),” “Hell of a Night” and “Mind Reader.”