A2IM Names New CEO

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Richard James Burgess

Richard James Burgess

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), has named Richard James Burgess as its new CEO. Burgess most recently headed up all business aspects of the non-profit Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Membership in A2IM now comprises 382 label and 171 associate members.

“I am honored to have been chosen by the board to lead A2IM into the future,” says Burgess, who was elected chairman of the organization’s board in June 2015. “A2IM is the vital voice for independent labels−the small- and medium-sized businesses that have grown to command more than a third of domestic market share for recorded music. We will continue to grow; we will spotlight the impact our members have on jobs and revenue; and we are determined to build greater accord within the music industry.

“We will persist in our quest for equitable conditions for artists, musicians, songwriters, publishers, and labels big and small. Our label members deliver the greatest diversity of choice in recorded history, and we will work to unlock the value inherent in this pinnacle of popularity. We intend to explore the synergies and grow the industry pie. I also need to thank my predecessors: Don Rose for setting the bar in the early years, my good friend Rich Bengloff who grew the organization significantly for the past eight years and Molly Neuman, who I will greatly miss, for keeping A2IM moving at full speed through this interim period.”

For the past 15 years, Burgess has overseen all business activities for the Washington, D.C.-based label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. For the past decade, he has served as an adjunct professor at Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recordings Arts and Sciences in Rockville, Maryland. He has authored two widely-used text books on music production, began his career as a musician, artist, songwriter, and producer, and is recognized as an innovator in the electronic music field in the ’70s and ’80s.

Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Revealed

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Pictured (L-R): Blair Garner, Mike and Dana Schuff, Lisa Dent.

Pictured (L-R): Blair Garner, Mike & Dana Schuff, Lisa Dent.

The 2016 class of Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees has been revealed. Among those included are Blair Garner, Mike & Dana Schuff, and Lisa Dent in the On-Air category, and Mick Anselmo, Kirby Confer, Jack Reno, Tim Roberts and Jim Slone in the Radio category.

Reigning ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year  Luke Bryan will be on-hand to recognize the inductees live during the Country Radio Seminar 2016 opening ceremonies on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m., providing an opportunity for the class of 2016 to be acknowledged during Country radio’s biggest week.

The Country Radio Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a 20-year period, 15 of which must be in the country format.

Country Radio Hall of Fame Chairman RJ Curtis commented about this year’s class, saying “Once again, the Country Radio Hall of Fame selection committee has done a thorough job of recognizing amazing and deserving honorees. The combined contributions of the 2016 Class could practically serve as a textbook for how radio – and country radio specifically – should be executed, with every inductee truly living up to the criteria of having made a ‘significant contribution’ to the country music industry. On behalf of our committee, I am proud to congratulate the Class of 2016.”

The class will be inducted at the Country Radio Hall of Fame induction dinner and awards ceremony, which will be scheduled for later this year. Information regarding the date, ticket prices and the event location will be available in the coming months.

Coming Soon: ‘MusicRow’ Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards

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MusicRow magazine has begun accepting RSVPs for its invitation-only Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards. The ceremony will welcome MusicRow subscribed members and radio executives to downtown Nashville on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, beginning at 1 p.m. To receive your invitation, please join us as an annual member.

The afternoon will include the presentation of the MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards. Given annually, these honors recognize artists who earned the most airplay on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart during the preceding year. For 14 years, the CountryBreakout Chart has led the market for country radio’s secondary stations. Additionally, the event will feature performances from rising stars of country music.

“The value of the MusicRow chart is greater than it has ever been before,” says MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. “We are proud to pay homage to this important segment of our radio industry. Not only does the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart give insight to radio’s future trends, but it provides a fluid platform for established artists to expand success and allows new artists to begin their careers and create initial momentum.”

In-depth profiles of the winners will be included in the February/March 2016 edition of MusicRow magazine, set to debut at the awards ceremony. Copies of the print issue will be available for attendees. MusicRow paid subscribers will receive copies by mail. Magazines are also available for purchase at musicrow.com or the magazine’s headquarters at 1231 17th Ave S. in Nashville.

Opening ceremonies for Country Radio Seminar (CRS) will begin on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. This year’s conference will take place through Feb. 10 at the Omni Hotel.

Read more about last year’s exciting event:

Bobby Karl Works the 2015 Country Radio Meet & Greet

Artist Updates: Brad Paisley, Sam Hunt, Craig Morgan

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Brad Paisley Salutes Jimmy Dickens

Brad Paisley. Photo: Chris Hollo

Brad Paisley. Photo: Chris Hollo

Brad Paisley made a surprise appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night (Jan. 2) in honor of one of his best friends, Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens. Dickens passed away on Jan. 2, 2015, at the age of 94.

Paisley shared stories about the Opry legend, including a memory from the first time the two friends went fishing together. Paisley ended the night with a medley of Dickens’ favorites, including “Country Boy,” “Out Behind The Barn,” “May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose,” and “Mountain Dew.”

Dickens was the longest-running member of the Opry, joining in 1948. He last performed on the Opry on Dec. 20, 2014, singing “Out Behind The Barn” and delivering his trademark comedy.

 

Sam Hunt Returning to ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’

Sam Hunt

Sam Hunt. Photo: Chase Lauer

Sam Hunt will sing “Break Up in a Small Town” on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers on Wednesday night (Jan. 6). Hunt made his national television debut on Meyers’ show in September 2014 when he performed his debut single, “Leave the Night On,” from his first major label album release, Montevallo.

In December, Hunt earned his first-ever Grammy nominations with nods in the all-genre Best New Artist category and in the Best Country Album category for Montevallo.

 

Craig Morgan Receives AutoZone Liberty Bowl Honor

Craig Morgan and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Achievement Award

Craig Morgan poses with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s Outstanding Achievement Award

Craig Morgan received the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s Outstanding Achievement Award at the President’s Gala in Memphis, Tennessee, on Jan. 1. Each year, this award is presented in recognition of excellence in the field of music and entertainment, as well as service to the community. Morgan also headlined the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Halftime Show on Saturday (Jan. 2) as Arkansas beat Kansas State 45-23. The sold-out game was seen live by more than 60,000 fans and aired on ESPN.

Industry Ink: Country Radio Seminar, Merch Cat, Crowd Surf, Vices Verses Music

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Country Radio Seminar Extends CRS Discount Deadline

CRS 2016 Logo

Country Radio Seminar has extended the deadline to receive a $100 discount on CRS 2016 registrations, available now through Jan. 11. Following the deadline, the $529 per person rate will increase to $629. To register for the three-day event, held Monday, Feb. 8 through Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Omni Hotel, visit countryradioseminar.com.

In addition, a limited number of Omni Hotel rooms are still available. To book a room, call 1-800-THE-OMNI (1-800-843-6664) or reserve online. The CRS Rate booking code is 020616CRB2016.

Richlyn Marketing Adds Merch Cat To PR Roster

Merch Cat founder Melissa Ferrer.

Merch Cat founder Vanessa Ferrer.

Richlyn Marketing has added Merch Cat to its client roster for public relations. Merch Cat is a one-stop shop solution for merchandise sales and inventory management. Designed for performing artists, the app enables users to turn their stagefront into a successful storefront. Merch Cat founder Vanessa Ferrer developed the app and reporting component as a solution to her own challenges managing merchandise as an artist manager.

Crowd Surf Promotes Fulgum To Publicist Role

Kara Fulgum

Kara Fulgum

Crowd Surf founders, Cassie Petrey and Jade Driver, have promoted Kara Fulgum to the role of publicist. Fulgum joined Crowd Surf in 2014 as Publicity Assistant. In her new role, Fulgum will oversee publicity efforts for Crowd Surf’s country and Nashville-based clients. She will report to Driver and Petrey as well as Crowd Surf’s general manager, Teddy Cheek.

“Kara is absolutely incredible and hard-working, and we’re thrilled with her vision for taking our publicity department in Nashville to the next level,” said Petrey. “She has a very unique view and approach, and our clients are really going to benefit from this.”

Fulgum can be reached at kara@crowdsurf.net.

Vices Verses Music Launches, Signs John Kennedy

Pictured (L-R): John Kennedy, Steve Freeman.

Pictured (L-R): John Kennedy, Steve Freeman.

Writer/Producer Steve Freeman has launched Vices Verses Music, an independent publishing and artist development company with offices and studios located in Nashville as well as Manhattan Beach, California.

Vices Verses’ first exclusive publishing agreement is with former Universal writer John Kennedy, whose hits include LeAnn Rimes’ “Probably Wouldn’t Be This Way” and Jack Ingram’s “Maybe She’ll Get Lonely,” as well as cuts by Faith Hill, Julianne Hough, Billy Ray Cyrus, Josh Gracin and Bucky Covington.

“I have always been aware and a fan of both John and the huge hits he has written, but honestly, it was listening to the songs that he’s written in the last couple of years that sold me,” says Freeman. “I heard what he is currently writing and producing and knew we had to have him on our team and writing exclusively for us.”

The company will focus on signing new and established staff writers and producers, catalog acquisition and artist development. “It’s not enough to just write a great song these days, then place all of the pressure on your creative staff to find that song a home. Publishers, especially independents, have to be actively engaged in finding vehicles and outlets for their songs. That’s why we as a company will be putting our money where our mouth is creatively by utilizing our resources to find and sign talent across all genres that we want to work and write with, produce and develop for the next level,” adds Freeman.

Dave Cobb, Warner/Chappell Enter Publishing Agreement

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Dave Cobb. Photo: Michael W. Bunch

Dave Cobb. Photo: Michael W. Bunch

Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with songwriter and producer Dave Cobb and together they announce the establishment of Low Country Sound Publishing.

The Nashville-based producer recently received a Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year in recognition of his work on A Thousand Horses, Jason Isbell, and Chris Stapleton.

Cobb has also produced albums for Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Shooter Jennings, Waylon Jennings, Lake Street Dive, HoneyHoney, Houndmouth and Anderson East. East was the debut signing to Cobb’s record label imprint, Low Country Sound, a partnership with Elektra Records. The label’s next release, Southern Family, is a concept album featuring Zac Brown, Miranda Lambert and Stapleton, among others.

Fully featured in MusicRow‘s NBT print magazine, MusicRow.com ran an exclusive promotion piece of the interview last month.

Nashville Songwriting Exhibit Opens in Music City Center

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Pictured (Standing, L-R): Bill Anderson, Tom Douglas, Richard Leigh, and Pat Alger. (Seated, L-R): Dickey Lee, Bobby Braddock and Allen Shamblin. Photo: Bev Moser

Pictured (Standing, L-R): Bill Anderson, Tom Douglas, Richard Leigh, and Pat Alger. (Seated, L-R): Dickey Lee, Bobby Braddock and Allen Shamblin. Photo: Bev Moser

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) has opened a new exhibit in its gallery located in Nashville’s Music City Center. Titled “The Evolution of a Great Song,” the exhibit features memorabilia and lyric drafts from Hall of Fame members Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Paul Craft, Tom Douglas, Dallas Frazier, Dickey Lee, Richard Leigh, Layng Martine Jr., Hugh Prestwood, Curly Putman, Johnny Russell, Allen Shamblin and Hank Williams.

“Like anyone else who drops by to view our new exhibit, I was fascinated to see the creative process as it developed in manuscript form of some of my favorite songs,” said Pat Alger, Board Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, and himself a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Lyrics that seem so perfect when we heard the finished product often took a long and winding journey to get there. Every fan of songwriting will be interested in this display.”

“We wanted to give visitors insight into what a song looks like when the idea is first born and put to paper, long before it gets on the radio, when the writer has no idea whether the song will be successfully completed, let alone a hit,” said Layng Martine Jr., who is also a NaSHOF Board member.

The exhibit is located in the Hall of Fame Gallery on the first floor of the Music City Center. In addition to the new exhibit, the gallery features interactive touch screens that allow visitors to access audio, video and other digital information about the history of Nashville songwriting and members of the Hall of Fame.

Juanita Copeland Named President, Partner at Sound Emporium

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Juanita Copeland

Juanita Copeland

Juanita Copeland has been promoted to President/General Manager and named to Partner at Nashville studio Sound Emporium.

“She is the heart and soul of the Sound Emporium and her passion and love for the studio is a big reason for our continued success,” said Sound Emporium owners George and Chad Shinn.

They credit Copeland’s leadership and management with securing elite recording clients at Sound Emporium, including Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Joan Baez, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Emmylou Harris, Don Williams, the ABC show Nashville, Alabama Shakes, Jason Isbell, Cole Swindell, Sturgill Simpson, Little Big Town, Chris Isaak, Cyndi Lauper and Drive-By Truckers.

The historic studio’s output nabbed 10 Grammy nominations for the upcoming 2016 awards.

Copeland’s first role at Sound Emporium came in 1995, when she served as Operations Manager for the Almo Sounds label, which was based at the studio for a short period before moving into its own building. Almo Sounds was run by previous studio owner Garth Fundis, who owned Sound Emporium from 1992-2011. After the label closed, Copeland became the studio’s manager a few years later. Copeland began her career in the music industry at Mercury Records Nashville in 1990.

Backroad Anthem Singer Craig Strickland Found Dead

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Pictured (L-R): Craig Strickland and Chase Morland. Photo: Backroad Anthem Twitter

Pictured (L-R): Craig Strickland and Chase Morland. Photo: Backroad Anthem Twitter

 

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the body of Backroad Anthem singer Craig Strickland has been found, reports 40/29 News. Strickland’s body was recovered along the shoreline of Kaw Lake, north of where the boat capsized. The office told 40/29 News that it could take four to eight weeks for a full autopsy to be released.

Strickland’s wife Helen also confirmed that Strickland’s body had been found. “#CraigStrickland was found today. He is safe with his Father in Heaven. Thank you Lord for leading us to him today. I will praise you, Amen.” she posted on Twitter.

Strickland and friend Chase Morland had gone duck hunting at Kaw Lake during last week’s winter storm. The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office in Oklahoma City has also determined the cause of death for Morland as drowning and exposure to freezing temperatures. Morland’s body was found on Monday, Dec. 28.

Backroad Anthem visited the MusicRow offices in October to preview new music.

Bobby Braddock Adds Original Demos To His Website

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Songwriter Bobby Braddock has posted 48 of his original demos to his website in conjunction with the publication of his new memoir, Bobby Braddock: A Life on Music Row.

BobbyBraddock.com now features the original demos of some of his biggest hits including “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “Golden Ring,” “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “Time Marches On,” “I Wanna Talk About Me,” and “People Are Crazy,” as well as obscure titles like “Dead,” “Cocaine Crazy Country Boy,” and “Blackabilly” (about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll).

“I’ve always been a fan of hearing original demos of other writers’ hit songs, no matter how good or bad they might be,” Braddock wrote on his Facebook page. “I’ve included not only the original demos of hits, but also demos of other songs of mine that were mentioned in the book, plus a few of my pet obscure songs or some weird things I thought people might get a kick out of. There are 48 demos in all, in chronological order from 1966 (I think I was about seven, tee hee) to 2015.”

The website also includes a very condensed version of the book, written in Braddock’s words. Also featured are reviews from celebrities, authors, and the media, as well as testimonials about the memoir that he has received from friends and strangers alike. A gallery of the book’s many classic pictures is also included. Braddock is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Bobby Braddock: A Life on Nashville’s Music Row was published in October by Vanderbilt University Press and Country Music Foundation Press.

Read an exclusive interview with MusicRow.