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Spotify Comes To MirrorLink-Enabled Cars

October 5, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Spotify continues its initiative to integrate into every aspect of users’ lives through a new deal with MirrorLink. Spotify’s Android app is now available through MirrorLink, a popular route for in-dash smartphone interfaces.

MirrorLink is similar to popular devices such as Android Auto, in that it allows users to mirror the phone’s display in their car dash, using the car’s controls to operate the system.

The Spotify app is already available via Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, as well as platforms in BMW and Ford.

Connected Car Consortium president Alan Ewing states that there are around 100 million smartphones compatible with MirrorLink, and around 20 million cars available with MirrorLink.

Charity News: Lady Antebellum, Jamey Johnson, NMPA SONGS Foundation

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

NASH To Present Lady Antebellum Concert Supporting Children’s Miracle Network

Lady Antebellum

Cumulus’ NASH will present Hearts Unsung, a benefit concert supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals nationwide. The concert is set for Nov. 9, and will feature Lady Antebellum at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.

Tickets will be available beginning Monday, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. at nashvillesymphony.org.

Jamey Johnson Helps Raise $112,000 For Pancreatic Cancer Research

Jamey Johnson

Jamey Johnson and friends teamed to raise more than $112,000 recently to support pancreatic cancer research. All proceeds went to the Nikki Mitchell Foundation, which is dedicated to seeking and supporting the most breakthrough data available for the early detection and cure of pancreatic cancer.

On Wed., Sept. 23, Johnson headlined a benefit show at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works that raised more than $45,000. He was joined by friends such as Shooter Jennings, Jerrod Niemann and Randy Houser. Also performing were Julie Roberts, Scotty Emerick, Naomi Cook, Jennifer Wayne, Chris Hennessee, Waylon Payne, Carters Chord, and Kevin “Frenchie” Sciou.

On Sunday, Sept. 27, Johnson returned to his home state of Alabama to host the Fourth Annual Jamey Johnson Golf Tournament, which raised about $67,000 for the foundation. The golf tournament was held at Montgomery’s Cottonwood Golf Club and quickly sold out.

The tournament was followed by a concert that raised nearly $4600 and 114 new toys for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots. The show featured Johnson, Randy Houser, T. Graham Brown, Chris Hennessee, legendary rock bassist Chuck Garric, Jeremy Popoff of Lit, Keith Gattis, Gina Gailey, River Dan and Donica Knight, as well as Montgomery’s own upstart group dubbed The Local Band with members ranging in age from 14-17.

“I’m so grateful to my friends for donating their time to fight pancreatic cancer,” Johnson says. “This is important to me because I’ve lost so many friends to pancreatic cancer in the last few years.”

Johnson was a close friend of Nikki Mitchell, who was Waylon Jennings’ business manager for 22 years and died from pancreatic cancer in 2013 at the age of 58. He was also close with legendary songwriter Hank Cochran, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010 at age 74.

Artists, Songwriters Team For NMPA SONGS Foundation Benefit

NMPA Songs Foundation will host music industry executives and donors at Washington’s The Country Club at Woodmore to raise money for NMPA Songs (Supporting Our Next Generation of Songwriters) Foundation.

Among those participating are Charles Kelley, Josh Kelley, Mark Bryan (Hootie and the Blowfish), Brett James, Scott Stapp (Creed), Don Schlitz, Lee Thomas Miller, Steve Bogard, Phillip White, Rivers Rutherford, Tom Shapiro, Dan Tyminski, Lance Miller, Johnny Bulford, Jon Mabe, Chris Roberts, Jacob Davis, and Brooke Eden.

“We are thrilled to have so many incredible songwriters in town to support those who hope to follow in their footsteps,” said NMPA SONGS Foundation President David Israelite. “Today, with the decline of music sales and the rise of streaming companies who fail to pay creators fairly, it has become harder and harder to make it as a working songwriter. This Foundation will award individuals with songwriting talent and ambition with grants so that they can continue offering their craft to the culture at large.”

For more information, visit nmpa.org.

Music Industry Coalition Sets Public Meeting For Oct. 7

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

The Music Industry Coalition (MIC) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation will share research about Music Row’s history during a public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at RCA Studio A, located at 30 Music Square West at 6 p.m.

Metro Planning Department Exec. Director Doug Sloan will be on hand to discuss the next steps in the development of a new design plan for the Music Row area, as well as how the research study will inform the planning process.

Speakers will include Mike Kopp, Chair of the Music Industry Coalition; David Brown, Exec. VP and Chief Preservation Officer at National Trust; Carolyn Brackett, Sr. Field Officer at National Trust; Robbie Jones, Principal Investigator and Senior Historian at New South Associates, and Sloan.

For more information, visit preservationnation.org or the Music Industry Coalition’s Facebook page.

Florida Georgia Line Purchase Two Buildings in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Florida Georgia Line

The Tennessean reports that Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard are set to create a multi-use space in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village.

The duo, along with their wives, Brittney Kelley and Hayley Stommel-Hubbard, purchased two buildings located at 1910 and 1912 21st Ave. S., for $3.18 million. Plans for the spaces include a Tribe Kelley Trading Post retail store, including space for Brittney Kelley’s clothing line, and a coffee shop. The spaces will also include room for the duo’s recently-opened publishing outfit Tree Vibez Music, as well as a recording studio.

The project is set for completion in mid-2016.

The purchase was completed through business management operation Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group.

1910 and 1912 21st Ave. S., Nashville. Photo: Map Data © 2015 Google, Nashville Davidson County

Arista Nashville Names Abi Fishbone As Director, Regional Promotion

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Abi Fishbone

Abi Fishbone has been added as Director, Regional Promotion at Arista Nashville.

With the announcement, VP, National Promotion Lesly Simon remarked, “Abi is one of the most respected record promoters in the Northeast and is a wonderful addition to the Arista team!”

Fishbone shared, “I am truly excited to be joining the Arista promotion team! Arista has such a remarkable history and an amazing roster of artists, and I feel thrilled, eager, and privileged to be a part of its future.”

A nine-year promotion veteran, Fishbone comes to the label from Stoney Creek Records, where she served as Director of Regional Promotion – Northeast since 2010, following a prior tenure with Curb Records.

Fishbone officially begins her new role on Oct. 5 and can be reached at abi.fishbone@sonymusic.com.

Live Music Drives Sales, Streaming From Millennials, Study Shows

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Live music is a key driver for brands seeking deeper recognition and loyalty from millennials, according to a new study from New Momentum Worldwide Research, commissioned by AEG.

Among the findings:

For Millennials, Live Music Drives Online Sales and Streaming
— More than 83 percent of millennials plan to attend a music experience in the next 12 months. Additionally, 78 percent of respondents say attending live music makes them want to purchase more music online, while 73 percent say seeing live music makes them want to stream more music.

Association With Live Music Experiences Improves Millennials’ Perceptions of Brands
— 89 percent like brands that sponsor a live music experience (vs. 63 percent among non-attendees)
— 83 percent trust brands that support a live music experience (vs. 53 percent among non-attendees)
— 80 percent buy products from brands that sponsor a live music experience (vs. 55 percent among non-attendees)
— 80 percent recommend brands that sponsor a live music experience (vs. 49 percent among non-attendees)
— 89 percent perceive brands as more authentic when sponsoring a live music experience (vs. 56 percent among non-attendees)
— Millennials who engaged in a unique branded live experience in the music space have a 37 percent better perception of the brand, are 55 percent more likely to trust the brand, and 59 percent more likely to perceive the brand as authentic than millennials who did not attend. Additionally, they are 46 percent more likely to purchase the brand and 62 percent more likely to recommend the brand than millennials who did not attend a live event.

Power of Exclusivity
— Millennials who receive exclusive content from brands in the music space are significantly more likely to reward the brand than millennials who did not receive exclusive content. They are 31 percent more likely to like brands in the music space, but more important, they are more likely to trust (53 percent), purchase (37 percent), and recommend the brand (58 percent) than millennials who did not receive exclusive content.

Social Media Complements Live Experiences
— 70 percent of millennials feel social media improves the live music experience, while 32 percent feel it greatly improves the experience.
— 68 percent of millennials share music moments on social media while attending live events

Mobile Access Translates To Ticket Sales
— Millennials are significantly more likely to use their mobile device to purchase tickets to live music experiences. Nearly half use mobile phones to purchase tickets (46 percent) vs. (24 percent) of non-millennials.

Industry Ink: NARAS, ACM, Nancy Cardwell Erdos, Nashville Business Hall of Fame

October 2, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

NARAS Holds Music Industry Panel Series at Nashville’s Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School

Sony ATV’s Tom Luteran and SESAC’s Tim Fink joined The Recording Academy Nashville Chapter executive director Alicia Warwick at the Music Industry Panel Series Publishing/PRO session at Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School.

The Academy has organized a series of speakers to cover different facets of the music industry with Pearl-Cohn’s students in their music studies programs. Other topics have included intellectual property, branding, and music in film and TV.

Pictured (L-R): Sam Lorber, Pearl-Cohn; Yolanda Jackson, Pearl-Cohn; Tom Luteran Sony/ATV, Alicia Warwick, The Recording Academy; Tim Fink, SESAC and Marqo Patton, Pearl-Cohn.

ACM Welcomes Leslie Cours Mather

The Academy of Country Music welcomed singer/songwriter Leslie Cours Mather to the office in Los Angeles recently. While at the Academy, she performed a few songs off of her debut album including, “Countrified” and “Hell Hath No Fury.” Mather also signed up for professional ACM membership as part of the Academy’s complimentary one-year membership offered to support emerging artists.

Leslie Cours Mather

Nancy Cardwell Erdos Begins Work For Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Continues Freelance Writing and PR Gigs

Nancy Cardwell Erdos

Nancy Cardwell Erdos, who left the staff of the International Bluegrass Music Association last April after 20 years, announced this week that she has taken a job with Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. In the newly-created position of Membership Specialist for the Hispanic Community, Cardwell will work to provide increased Girl Scout programming for Spanish-speaking girls in 39 counties served by the Nashville-based council.

During the 1980s in Missouri, Cardwell worked as a Field Executive and Assistant Camp Director for the Dogwood Trails Girl Scout Council and she taught high school Spanish, so the new position combines two areas of interest.

Cardwell is also working with Tom T. Hall and the team at Fox Hollow, handling publicity for future events and programs currently being planned to honor the memory of bluegrass songwriter and philanthropist Miss Dixie Hall, who passed away in January, 2015.

She continues to work as a freelance writer for Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. “Publisher Pete Kuykendall printed the first article I wrote in the early 1980s for a magazine writing class in college,” Cardwell said, “and I’m thrilled to still be writing for B.U. after all these years.”

Cardwell also recently joined the tutoring staff of Learning Matters, a Nashville-based non-profit that serves students in grades K-12, and she will be playing acoustic bass in a new local trio with Bell Buckle recording artist Valerie Smith. She is the executive producer for a new album to be recorded this fall by her younger brother, Ray Cardwell.

“At this stage of my career,” Cardwell says, “I’m enjoying the opportunity to do a combination of things that interest me greatly, and that I hope will have a positive impact in various ways. Any one of these projects may develop into something more full-time in the future, but for the present I’m enjoying the variety and freedom to pursue several interests.”

Amy Grant To Be Inducted Into Nashville Business Hall of Fame

Amy Grant

Singer-songwriter Amy Grant is set to become the first woman inducted into the Nashville Business Hall of Fame, which was established in 1991 by Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee.

“Amy Grant is a perfect selection as this year’s hall of fame laureate,” said Rob McCabe, the 2013 Nashville Business Hall of Fame laureate and chairman of Pinnacle Financial Partners. “While successful in business, Grant is also beyond generous with her talent and resources to this community. She has remained grounded and connected throughout the fame that comes with her stature in the music profession.”

“Amy is a great addition to the Business Hall of Fame because she represents the business of music and what it can do for a community,” said Trent Klingensmith, president of JA of Middle Tennessee. “Her love for music and people has brought Nashville and organizations together to triumph in an array of situations.”

The induction ceremony will be held Oct. 29 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the ceremony at 7 p.m. Tables of 10 are available for $2,500, half-tables available for $1,250, and individual tickets are $250. For tickets, contact Kelsey Rush at kelseyr@janash.com

Nashville Business Managers Retain Top 25 Ranking with ‘THR’

October 2, 2015/by Eric T. Parker

Lou Taylor (L), Mary Ann McCready (R)

The Hollywood Reporter has named its list of top 25 business managers for 2015. Retaining their ranking again this year are Nashville business managers Mary Ann McCready (Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy), and Lou Taylor (Tri Star Sports and Entertainment), as well as Los Angeles business manager Todd Gelfand (Gelfand Rennert & Feldman).

“Meet the most trusted moneymen and women (who manage assets and help make smart investments) in Hollywood on THR‘s list of those protecting the future,” prefaces the industry magazine.

Taylor’s company was launched more than 23 years ago and now includes 55 staffers and 15 business managers servicing Steven Tyler, Florida Georgia Line, Big and Rich, Casey James, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and many more. Taylor was among MusicRow‘s 2015 Rising Women on the Row honorees.

McCready co-founded her firm in 1990 with Churck Flood and Frank Bumstead. Now, the firm services Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton (with Julie Boos), Rascal Flatts and many more. McCready was special guest at MusicRow‘s 2013 Rising Women on the Row ceremony.

Founded by Gelfand’s father, Marshall, in 1967, Gelfand Rennert & Feldman has more than 300 employees and a Nashville office when the Haber Corporation was renamed after the 2014 death of Gary Haber. Rick Fisher manages the Nashville post with clients including Carrie Underwood, Mike Fisher, and Peter Frampton.

The Earls of Leicester Win Multiple IBMA Awards

October 2, 2015/by Craig_Shelburne

The Earls of Leicester at IBMA Awards in Raleigh, N.C. on Oct. 1, 2015. Photo: Dave Brainard

The Earls of Leicester claimed four International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards last night (Oct. 1) in Raleigh, N.C. The all-star ensemble is comprised of Jerry Douglas on Dobro, Tim O’Brien on mandolin, Shawn Camp on guitar, Johnny Warren on fiddle, Charlie Cushman on banjo, and Barry Bales on bass.

Their self-titled album pays tribute to pioneering bluegrass duo Flatt & Scruggs. The project also won a Grammy for best bluegrass album earlier this year.

The Earls of Leicester also won IBMA trophies for Album of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year. In addition, Douglas picked up Dobro Player of the Year and Camp won Male Vocalist of the Year win.

Additionally, North Carolina’s own Balsam Range took home Vocal Group of the Year and Song of the Year for “Moon Over Memphis,” and the group’s Tim Surrett earned Bass Player of the Year. Bill Keith and Larry Sparks were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

Rhonda Vincent won Female Vocalist of the Year and Becky Buller won Emerging Artist of the Year, as well as Recorded Event of the Year for “Southern Flavor,” a collaboration with Peter Rowan, Michael Feagan, Buddy Spicher, Ernie Sykes, Roland White, and Blake Williams.

Hosted by The Gibson Brothers, the show featured performances by The Earls of Leicester, Flatt Lonesome, Hot Rize, The Del McCoury Band, The Gibson Brothers, and a surprise performance by Sparks and Alison Krauss.

Alison Krauss and Larry Sparks at the 2015 IBMA Awards. Photo: Dave Brainard

Winners of the 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards are:

Entertainer of the Year: The Earls of Leicester
Female Vocalist of the Year: Rhonda Vincent
Male Vocalist of the Year: Shawn Camp
Vocal Group of the Year: Balsam Range
Instrumental Group of the Year: The Earls of Leicester
Song of the Year: “Moon Over Memphis,” Balsam Range
Album of the Year: The Earls of Leicester, The Earls of Leicester, Jerry Douglas, producer
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: “Who Will Sing for Me,” The Earls of Leicester
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “The Three Bells,” Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Rob Ickes
Emerging Artist of the Year: Becky Buller
Recorded Event of the Year: “Southern Flavor,” Becky Buller, with Peter Rowan, Michael Feagan, Buddy Spicher, Ernie Sykes, Roland White, and Blake Williams
Banjo Player of the Year: Rob McCoury
Bass Player of the Year: Tim Surrett
Dobro Player of the Year: Jerry Douglas
Fiddle Player of the Year: Michael Cleveland
Guitar Player of the Year: Bryan Sutton
Mandolin Player of the Year: Jesse Brock
Inductees into the Bluegrass HOF: Bill Keith and Larry Sparks
Distinguished Achievement Award: Alison Brown, Murphy Henry, International Bluegrass Music Museum, “Bashful Brother” Oswald Kirby, Steve Martin