Nitty Gritty Dirt Band To Celebrate 50 Years With PBS Taping at Ryman

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Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will celebrate its 50th anniversary of making music together with a special Ryman Auditorium show Sept. 14 that will be filmed for a PBS special. The band will be joined by a host of special guests, including Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Byron House, Vince Gill, John Prine, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and original Dirt Band member Jackson Browne, and former NGDB band member Jimmy Ibbotson.

“We’re humbled to have all of these amazing artists, who happen to be our friends, come out to honor this legacy,” says the Dirt Band’s Jeff Hanna of the upcoming celebration.

The show will be a homecoming of sorts for many of the band’s longtime friends. Prine contributed “Grandpa Was A Carpenter” on the band’s second Will The Circle Be Unbroken album, a project that featured Douglas, Bush, Johnny Cash, and others and won three Grammys and a CMA Album of the Year award. Gill contributed “All Prayed Up” to the third Circle project, an album that won a Grammy for the instrumental “Earl’s Breakdown.” And Crowell penned the Dirt Band hits “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream)” and “An American Dream.”

Tickets to show, which will kick off this year’s Americana Music Fest, are $45 and $55, and will be available beginning July 31 at all Ticketmaster locations, the Ryman Auditorium box office, and www.ryman.com. The PBS concert special is set to air during the network’s national pledge drive, March 5–20, 2016. 

Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean Rock 54,000 at Rose Bowl Show

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Kenny Chesney plays the Rose Bowl

Kenny Chesney plays the Rose Bowl. Photo credit: Allister Ann

Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean’s Rose Bowl appearance Saturday night (July 25) was a star-studded affair, with Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and ABC sportscaster Keith Jackson among those in attendance for the historic show.

Nearly 54,000 fans flooded into the stadium for the show, which was co-headlined by the two. Chesney’s tour is one of the top-grossing country tours of 2015.

“Standing out there in a sea of country fans at an iconic stadium like Rose Bowl sent chills down my spine,” said Aldean. “It reminds me how lucky I am to be doing this for a living. We’ll do it again at the crack of dawn with the Today gang  on Friday…I hope to see a lot of people there too!”

In celebration of the epic night in Pasadena, Calif., Jackson surprised Chesney backstage with a commemorative brick that will be placed in the Brick Walk at the stadium’s South Main entrance, and the first-ever Rose Bowl Stadium jersey. The Rose Bowl show was obviously particularly special to Chesney being an avid football fan.

“You know when you wake up and you see that sign, you’re on hallowed ground,” Chesney said. “I’ve seen so many games played there, so much history—and I understand the heart it took from every athlete who’s ever come out of those tunnels. To stand on that stage, I knew I wanted to try to honor all those folks who’ve come before us.”

“Those folks had had a long day in all that heat, but man, they were so ready for us… ready to hear the music, to sing along, to make every single song matter,” recalls Chesney. “When I dropped out during ‘Anything But Mine,’ they sang so clear and so true, you could’ve made a record out of it—and for me, they made a memory that will last a lifetime. To play a place where football means so much, especially to an audience that live, I’ll never forget it…”

By the time he plays Denver’s Sports Authority Stadium at Mile High Aug. 8, E. New Jersey’s Met Life Stadium Aug. 15, Detroit’s Ford Field Aug. 22 and a double header at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium Aug. 28-29, Chesney will have headlined 135 stadiums since his Washington, DC/Pittsburgh/Boston stadium run in 2005.

Jason Aldean rose bowl

Jason Aldean at the Rose Bowl. Photo Credit: Jim Wright

Family’s Champion Patsy Stoneman Dies At 90

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Patsy-Stoneman-Murphy

Patsy Stoneman Murphy.

Singer, bandleader and tireless proponent of her family’s musical legacy, Patsy Stoneman Murphy died last week.

The daughter of Country Music Hall of Fame (CMHoF) member Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman, she was a recording artist, a pioneer bluegrass female, a preserver/popularizer of the autoharp and a colorful personality. She was 90 when she passed away Thursday morning (July 23) at her home in Manchester, Tenn.

After her father died, Patsy assumed leadership of the family band The Stonemans. She campaigned for the next four decades for Pop’s induction into the CMHoF. Pop Stoneman (1893-1968) was finally inducted in 2008.

Patsy played guitar, jaw harp and banjo, in addition to autoharp. She was the family’s historian who saved most of its memorabilia while also maintaining her own musical career. She was born in 1925, the year her father became one of country music’s first million-selling artists. His “The Titanic” was a blockbuster hit that year, and it remains the most famous song about the 1912 ocean-liner disaster.

In 1927, he was the star who drew others to the Bristol, Tenn. recording sessions where Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family were discovered. Although one of country’s earliest stars, he fell upon hard times during The Depression of the 1930s.

The Stonemans had 23 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. Several of the children became musicians. Patsy and older brother Eddie (1920-2001) began performing comeback shows with their father around 1939.

More offspring joined Pop during the “folk revival” of the 1940s and 1950s. Scott Stoneman (1932-1973) became a world-champion fiddler. Donna Stoneman is a renowned mandolin virtuoso. Roni Stoneman became a famous comic on TV’s Hee Haw.

After a time spent away from music, Patsy again performed with The Stonemans in 1964-65. She became one of the voices in the Country Bear Jamboree animatronic show at Disneyland.

But Patsy was initially better known as the leader of her own group, beginning in 1963 in the Washington, D.C. area. This made her perhaps the first female bluegrass bandleader in history.
Meanwhile, Pop and her siblings moved to Nashville. The Stonemans had a string of country chart singles in 1966-68. They launched their own nationally syndicated TV show in 1966-67, and Patsy became a frequent guest on it. In 1967, The Stonemans were the CMA’s first Vocal Group of the Year winners. Pop died the following year.

At this point, Patsy took over as the leader of the family group and moved to Nashville. She recorded with The Stonemans on such LPs as A Stoneman Christmas (MGM, 1969), Dawn of The Stonemans’ Age (RCA, 1970), In All Honesty (RCA, 1970) and California Blues (RCA, 1971). In 1981, she assembled 17 extended family members and produced the acclaimed CMH Records double-LP The First Family of Country Music. Patsy’s husband John “Jack” Murphy became manager of the group.

Brothers Van (1940-1995) and Jimmy (1937-2002) were both singers in The Stonemans. Following their deaths, Patsy moved more and more to the forefront. With Donna and/or Roni, she recorded For God and Country (1990), The Stoneman Tradition (2012) and a number of other albums. In 1987, she also launched At Home With The Stonemans as a weekly show on WSVT radio in Smyrna, Tenn.

“I am not ready to hang up any of our instruments yet,” she said of her ongoing efforts to promote the family’s music. “We have too much to offer the country music business to just throw up our hands and quit.

“Besides, we have been in the business longer than anybody else, and it just wouldn’t be fair to Daddy to stop.”

She spearheaded the creation of Ivan M. Tribe’s 1993 book, The Stonemans. A number of reissues of Pop Stoneman’s music also kept his memory alive. Supported by all country historians, she campaigned relentlessly for her father.

Patsy Stoneman Murphy’s feisty, outspoken, fearless, funny and frank personality made her a media favorite. After her lively acceptance of her father’s induction into the CMHoF, fellow honoree Emmylou Harris exclaimed, “Patsy Stoneman, you are the BOMB!”

Patsy Stoneman Murphy is pre-deceased by her husband of 39 years, John “Jack” Murphy. She is survived by sisters Roni and Donna Stoneman. Visitation will be at Mount Olivet Funeral Home on Monday, July 27, 5-8 p.m. and on Tuesday, July 28, 11 a.m.-1.p.m. Her funeral service and internment will be held immediately following on Tuesday.

Deaton, Flanigen Shooting Feature Film in Nashville

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Garret Dillahunt

Garret Dillahunt

Directors Robert Deaton and George Flanigen are making their feature film debut with the adaptation of the Richard Dresser theatrical play Rounding Out. Oscar-winning producer Fred Roos serves as one of the executive producers of the film shooting at several locations in Nashville.

Also involved with the film are Nashville music business leaders Joe Galante, Scott Borchetta, Clarence Spalding and Clint Higham as executive producers.

Actors Garret Dillahunt and John C. McGinley play the protagonists in the story about baseball and fatherhood.

“We feel so honored and excited to be shooting our first feature with such talent as John and Garrett,” said Deaton and Flanigen. “We feel we have assembled an incredible cast and crew of seasoned and lauded professionals to make our vision become the reality it is.”

John C. McGinley

John C. McGinley

Dillahunt has a distinguished acting career on Broadway, as well as in film and television. He is noted for roles on the HBO series Deadwood, as well as E.R., and most recently on Fox TV’s Raising Hope. He has appeared in the films No Country For Old Men, The Road, Winter’s Bone and others.

McGinley is an award-winner best known for his roles as Sergeant Red O’Neill in Oliver Stone’s Platoon and Marv in Wall Street. His TV roles include Dr. Perry Cox on the popular comedy Scrubs. Aside from acting, he has also written and produced for film and television.

Garth Brooks Tops 2015 Country Tour Rankings

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pollstar 2015 rankingsTouring is booming according to Pollstar’s 2015 Mid-Year touring report.

According to the trade publication:
• The top 100 tours generated a combined gross of $1.43 billion, up 39 percent ($402 million) over 2014.
• The top 100 tours sold 18.8 million tickets, up nearly 23 percent (3.5 million) over last year.
• The average ticket price hit an all-time high of $76.20.
• Taylor Swift has grossed $46.5 million worldwide so far this year.

Country stars in the Top 50 North American tours
No. 2 overall, Garth Brooks, 79.9 gross millions
No. 4 Kenny Chesney 55.8
No. 12 Luke Bryan 25.9
No. 15 Eric Church 24.4
No. 25 Shania Twain 17.0
No. 28 Miranda Lambert 16.0
No. 30 Florida Georgia Line 14.9
No. 35 Jason Aldean 14.3
No. 48 Brad Paisley 10.2

See the full report for the complete list of top tours, and more info including average ticket price, total tickets, average gross, number of shows, and agency.

Connie Smith To Celebrate 50 Years As Opry Member

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Connie Smith

Connie Smith

On August 8, Connie Smith will celebrate her 50th anniversary as an Opry member.

Smith will be honored during two shows that evening featuring Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Jeannie Seely, Smith’s husband Marty Stuart, Mel Tillis, and The Whites.

“We look forward to honoring one of the greatest voices and one of the most beautiful souls the Grand Ole Opry has ever known,” said Opry Vice President/General Manager Pete Fisher. “Connie has delivered unbelievable performances on the Opry stage for decades, and we look forward to reminding her how much her fans and fellow artists love her spirit and her music.”

Growing up as a shy girl who was the eighth in a family of 14, Smith once proclaimed at five years old that “someday I’m gonna sing on the Grand Ole Opry.” Throughout the course of her career Smith recorded and made famous hits like “Once A Day,” the chart-topper that became the first debut single by a female country act to reach No. 1 and spent eight weeks at the top.

The Opry itself celebrates a 90 year history this year.

Artist Releases: Otto, Hogan, Block, Lang, Sibling Rivalry

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James Otto Releases New EP

James OttoJames Otto’s new digital EP, Somewhere Tonight, hits stores today (July 24). The three-song EP marks the first release for Otto on Blaster Records, and includes the title track single, “Back It Up,” in addition to Otto’s take on the Bob Seger classic “Night Moves.” “Somewhere Tonight,” written by Otto with Corey Crowder, JT Hodges, Patrick Davis and James Slater, recently cracked the Top 5 on SiriusXM’s The Highway Hot 45.

 

Brooke Hogan 2015Brooke Hogan Wants To Be Your Girlfriend

Brooke Hogan will release her country debut on September 4 with a five-song EP, titled I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend, on Molly Dog Entertainment. The collection features tunes co-written by Hogan and Matt Ramsey, Josh Osborne, Drew Davis, and more. The Music City resident has spent the last four years in Nashville writing and recording. “Writing alongside some of the most creative songwriters has been invaluable,” said Hogan. “I feel like today’s country music format is a perfect fit for the type of music I am writing and recording today.”

Ron Block

Ron Block Goes to Hogan’s House

Alison Krauss banjo and guitar player for more than 24 years, Ron Block, is releasing his first instrumental album, Hogan’s House of Music, September 25. Named for his father’s music store in Lawndale, Calif., Hogan’s House of Music features guest appearances by Sam Bush, Tim Crouch, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Mark Fain, Clay Hess, Sierra Hull, Rob Ickes, Krauss, Adam Steffey, Dan Tyminski, and more.

Kelly Lang, Paul Shaffer, Loretta Lynn

Kelly Lang, Paul Shaffer, Loretta Lynn. Photo: Stacie Huckeba.

Kelly Lang’s Last Date With Shaffer

Kelly Lang recently recorded “Last Date” for her upcoming CD with Paul Shaffer of the Late Show With David Letterman, who was in town to play a July 4 show at Loretta Lynn‘s Hurricane Mills. “I’ve known Paul forever, but we’d never had the chance to perform together,” said Lang. “He came down on vacation to see me, check out Nashville, and do a show. After that, we decided, ‘Why not record this for the record’?” The new CD will be out later this year.

Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry Sees First Light

Sibling Rivalry, brother and sister Olivia and Mitchell Butaud, are releasing their new CD First Light on August 21. The six-track debut EP was produced by Shane Stevens and Neeki Bey. The duo will spend this summer in Nashville immersing themselves in the local songwriting scene.

Antitrust Lawsuit Withdrawn Against SESAC

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SESAC-LOGO185Nashville-headquartered SESAC has settled an antitrust lawsuit from the Radio Music Licensing Committee (RMLC), for the first time subjecting itself to arbitration over the royalty rates it sets.

Unlike larger PROs BMI and ASCAP, the privately owned licensing company is not subject to regulatory agreements with the federal government over its licensing processes.

The settlement, announced by both parties Thursday (July 23) will extend for 22 years, maintaining license fees for commercial radio stations until 2016, when they will begin to be subject to further negotiated agreements. Final arbitration will be conducted in early 2017 and happen throughout the duration of the agreement.

SESAC will pay no damages outside of reimbursing approximately $3.5 million in legal expenses. 

Thousands of stations joined the RMLC, suing SESAC over “anticompetitive practices in how that group licenses music” with accusations of being “a cartel that has illegally monopolized an essential repertory of copyrighted music.”

According to a statement from SESAC, the settlement will allow its management to pursue the company’s previously announced strategy under its new leadership team of a simplified and more efficient, multi-right, multi-territory licensing model utilizing an ongoing focus on information technology and data science to meet the developing needs of music users, distributors, writers, composers, publishers and other stakeholders.

In July, SESAC announced that it was poised to acquire the Harry Fox Agency from the National Music Publishers’ Association for upwards of $20 million. The deal allows SESAC to become the only U.S. rights organization with the ability to offer singular licenses for the works of its affiliated writers and publishers, aggregating both performance and mechanical rights.

In October, SECAC agreed to pay $58.5 million to television stations as part of a settlement in a separate antitrust case, according to the New York Times, also subjecting it to arbitration if negotiations are unsuccessful.

Heroes Salute Talent Competition Holds Final Round Today

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Nashville-Connection-Heroes-SaluteThe final round for The Nashville Connection Heroes Salute‘s talent search will be held today (July 24) from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Musicians Hall of Fame.

Judged by a celebrity panel including Darryl Worley, songwriter Sam Tate, vocal coach Dave Brooks, A&R Executive and CEO/Icon Studios Stone Stafford, and producer and music director Roger Ryan, the national search will award prize money, a five-day event working with some of the industry’s top music makers, and a performance at a special concert in October supporting the troops and their families.

JB Productions and DB Artist Development along with FUTURE are sponsoring the Heroes Salute competition.

Taylor Tailors Clothing Line For Chinese Fans

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has made fashion a focal point of this year’s 1989 Tour, not only with supermodels on stage, but now with plans to sell her wares online in Asia beginning next month.

According to Bloomberg, Swift is teaming up with the second-largest e-commerce company in China, JD.com to offer dresses, sweatshirts, and tops designed especially for Chinese shoppers. The move comes just in time for the world tour’s swing through Shanghai in November.

JD.com is using the Swift connection to expand deeper into the apparel business, as the company is just behind China’s top e-commerce company, Alibaba Group Holding, and is wooing some American brands instead of the knockoff merchandise that is often found in China’s marketplaces. The company is also designing a special area of its site devoted solely to American products.