Country2Country Festival Wraps Another Successful Year

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CMA Songwriters Series on Friday, March 6, 2015 at indigo at The O2 in London as part of C2C.-r) Butch Spyridon, President of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corps.; Milly Olykan, Senior Event Producer of AEG London and CMA Board member; Sarah Trahern, Chief Executive Officer of CMA; Justin Davis and Sarah Zimmermann of Striking Matches; Sam Palladio; Jon Randall; Jessi Alexander; Kix Brooks; and John Esposito, President and CEO of Warner Music Nashville and CMA Board President.

CMA Songwriters Series on Friday, March 6, 2015 at indigo at The O2 in London as part of C2C (L-R): Butch Spyridon, Pres. of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corps.; Milly Olykan, Sr. Event Producer of AEG London and CMA Board member; Sarah Trahern, CEO of CMA; Justin Davis and Sarah Zimmermann of Striking Matches; Sam Palladio; Jon Randall; Jessi Alexander; Kix Brooks; and John Esposito, Pres./CEO of Warner Music Nashville and CMA Board President.

The 2015 C2C, Country 2 Country Festival, the U.K.’s largest country music festival, was a success again this year. Concerts were held Feb. 28 and March 1 in Oslo and Stockholm, and March 7 and 8 in London and Dublin, featuring performances from the biggest names in country music, alongside emerging artists from the U.K. and Europe.

The third C2C London event, presented by AEG Europe and SJM Concerts in association with the Country Music Association, attracted more than 30,000 fans.

C2C featured performances by Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Brandy Clark, Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert, Lady Antebellum, Kip Moore, Lee Ann Womack and many others.

The London events kicked off with a special presentation of the CMA Songwriters Series Friday night at indigo at The O2. Presented in partnership with the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. (NCVC), the evening was hosted by Kix Brooks with Jessi Alexander, Clark, Nashville cast member Sam Palladio, and Jon Randall. Due to their overwhelming success at last year’s CMA Songwriters Series at C2C, Striking Matches was invited to join the show as special surprise guests.

CMA also hosted meetings and receptions that brought together international executives to discuss all things country music, including a CMA Executive Strategy Session with the CMA U.K. Advisory Council.

Photos: Anthony D’Angio / CMA

BBC Radio's Mark Hagen (r) interviews Sam Palladio during a "CMA Talk" during C2C Festival Saturday at indigo at The O2 in London. Saturday brought U.K. native Palladio, songwriter and star of the hit ABC show "Nashville," to the stage again, this time with the BBC's Mark Hagen in a "CMA Talk" where he performed acoustically and discussed his career as an actor and musician. Meanwhile, Alexander, Brooks, Clark, and Randall greeted fans during autograph sessions at the CMA Booth in Town Square. Photo Credit: Anthony D'Angio / CMA

BBC Radio’s Mark Hagen (R) interviews Sam Palladio during a “CMA Talk” during C2C Festival Saturday at indigo at The O2 in London.

CMA Songwriters Series on Friday, March 6, 2015 at indigo at The O2 in London as part of C2C. (l-r) Kix Brooks, Brandy Clark, Sam Palladio, Jessi Alexander, and Jon Randall perform during the CMA Songwriters Series at indigo at The O2 Friday in London. Photo Credit: Anthony D'Angio / CMA

CMA Songwriters Series on Friday, March 6, 2015 at indigo at The O2 in London as part of C2C. (L-R): Kix Brooks, Brandy Clark, Sam Palladio, Jessi Alexander, and Jon Randall perform during the CMA Songwriters Series at indigo at The O2 Friday in London.

‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ Lands New Lead Music Booker

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Julie Gurovitsch

Julie Gurovitsch

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon will soon get a new lead music booker, MusicRow has confirmed. Julie Gurovitsch, coordinating music producer for NBC’s Today, will begin her new role as lead music booker next month.

The Tonight Show role was previously held by Jonathan Cohen, who left last month.

After starting at Today in 2014, Gurovitsch oversaw 24 bookings for Today‘s Toyota Summer Concert series. The program included artists Rascal Flatts, Hunter Hayes, Kenny Chesney, and Lady Antebellum, alongside artists including Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, Counting Crows, Usher, and more.

Entertainment Law Practice Leavens, Strand & Glover Opens Nashville Office

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LSG NashvilleChicago-based entertainment law practice Leavens, Strand & Glover (LSG) has opened a new Nashville office, located on Music Row at 1102 17th Ave. S. The Nashville office will be led by Hillel Frankel, who has joined the firm as partner, and has split his time between Chicago and Nashville for the past year. He joins LSG founding partners Tom Leavens, Peter Strand and Jerry Glover.

LSG’s clients include Pitchfork Media, Inc., The Windish Agency, Second City Communications, Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, Leo Burnett, Telepictures, and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, among others.

Frankel also represents Nashville-based Big Yellow Dog Music songwriter-producer Chris Gelbuda, who co-wrote and produced two tracks on Meghan Trainor’s debut project, Title.

Leavens has worked on the PBS series Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and served as General Counsel for MusicNow and Platinum Entertainment. He also served as executive producer for several House of Blues Essential recordings, and authored the ABA-published Music Law for the General Practitioner.

In his pre-law career, Strand was a full-time touring musician and recorded two albums for RCA/Millennium Records. Strand was recently named one of the top 50 music lawyers in the country by Billboard Magazine and ranked by Super Lawyers as one of the Illinois Top 100 lawyers.

Glover previously served as General Counsel for Chicago public television station WTTW and its radio station WFMT, and now serves as outside counsel to the stations. He heads the firm’s film and television, sweepstakes, and advertising practice. His clients also include motion picture studios, television and film production companies, Broadway producers, advertising agencies, musicians and writers.

“I am thrilled to join my longtime colleagues in music and entertainment law, Leavens, Strand & Glover,” said Frankel. “The new Nashville office will give us the opportunity to better service existing clients and build on our strong relationships in Music City and beyond.”

“This is an exciting time for our firm,” said Leavens. “Thanks to Hillel, we are building on our decades of music and entertainment law experience in Chicago and planting seeds in major music markets around the country.”

The attorneys at Leavens, Strand & Glover have been listed in the Billboard Top 50 Music Lawyers and the US News and World Report Best Law Firms of 2015. They have been featured panelists and moderators at conferences including SXSW, the Winter Music Conference, the Yellow Phone Music Conference, and the Chicago Music Summit, and have served in leadership positions for The Recording Academy, the American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries, and Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

For more information, visit www.lsglegal.com.

LifeNotes: Country Songwriting Great Wayne Kemp Passes

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Wayne Kemp

Wayne Kemp

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Wayne Kemp, who wrote hits for such superstars as George Strait, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty and George Jones, died Monday morning, March 9, in Lafayette, Tenn.

Kemp, who was 74, had multiple ailments and was on kidney dialysis at the time of his passing. He was a native of Greenwood, Ark. As a youth, he was an auto racer.

He first rose to prominence in Music City as the writer of the 1965 George Jones hit “Love Bug.” His “Feelin’ Single, Seein’ Double” was recorded by both Jones and Emmylou Harris. Conway Twitty took Kemp’s “Next in Line” to No. 1 on the country charts in 1968, scored with the songwriter’s “The Image of Me” that same year and also hit with “Darling You Know I Wouldn’t Lie” (1969) and “That’s When She Started to Stop Loving You” (1970). Johnny Cash took Kemp’s “One Piece at at Time” to the top of the charts in 1976. Johnny Paycheck’s 1977 “outlaw” tune “I’m the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)” was also a Wayne Kemp creation.

Kemp continued to write big hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including “I’ll Leave This World Loving You” (Ricky Van Shelton, 1988), “The Fireman” (George Strait, 1985), a remake of “Love Bug” (George Strait, 1994), “Tell Ole I Ain’t Here He Better Get on Home” (Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley, 1980) and “Who’ll Turn Out the Lights in Your World Tonight” (Mel Street, 1980). Strait also recorded Kemp’s “I Should Have Watched That First Step,” “Haven’t You Heard,” “Hot Burning Flames,” “That’s Where My Baby Feels at Home,” “She Knows When You’re on My Mind” and “Won’t You Come Home and Talk to a Stranger.”

Others who recorded his songs include Faron Young, Patty Loveless, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie McDowell, Ernest Tubb & Loretta Lynn, Jack Greene, Ronnie Milsap, Charlie Walker, David Allan Coe, Mickey Gilley, Elvis Costello, Michelle Shocked, Tom Petty, Charley Pride, Doug Sahm and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Kemp was also a recording artist. Between 1969 and 1986, he placed 24 singles on the country charts. His biggest hit as a singer was 1973’s “Honky Tonk Wine.” He recorded for Decca, MCA, United Artists, Mercury and Door Knob.

He died at Macon County General Hospital. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson & Sons Funeral Home in Lafayette, TN. Kemp is survived by wife Patsy, son Robert, daughters Paula Hosale and Natalie Hudgins, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, a brother and six sisters.

Visitation with the family will be on Thursday, 10 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. with graveside services to follow at 2 p.m. at Anderson Memorial Park.

His medical bills are substantial. The family would welcome contributions c/o Anderson & Sons Funeral Home, 997 Highway 52, Bypass East, Lafayette, TN 37083.

Ten Out Of Tenn to Compile 10 Years on Two Discs

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unnamedThe Ten Out Of Tenn artist collective–comprised of 10 independent musicians–will compile the past decade onto an album release, slated for March 17 with Kirsten Dabbs‘ Ready Set Records. Two disks, Ten Out Of Tenn: 10 Years will include musicians as Joy Williams, Sarah Siskind, Kate York, Jeremy Lister, Mikky Ekko and more.

The release will coincide with a special anniversary show at the Ryman Auditorium on April 24. Tickets are on sale, to include Kyle Andrews, Andrew Belle, Butterfly Boucher, Trent Dabbs, Andy Davis, Gabe Dixon, Katie Herzig, Tyler James, Matthew Perryman Jones, Lister, Erin McCarley, Paper Route, K.S. Rhoads, Siskind, Amy Stroup and more to be announced.

Ten Out Of Tenn has had over 500 TV/Film placements.

Track Listing for Ten Out Of Tenn: 10 Years
1. We Were Just Kids – Andy Davis
2. Lie Or Lie Awake – Katie Herzig
3. Time – Mikky Ekko
4. Wants What It Wants (Blackwatch Remix) – Andrew Belle
5. ZHIVAGO – Paper Route
6. Let Me Love You – Erin McCarley
7. Nobody’s Stranger Anymore – Trent Dabbs
8. Too Far From You – Sarah Siskind
9. I Realize – Jeremy Lister
10. Speaking A Dead Language (J. Alan Morant 2010 Remix) – Joy Williams
11. Emerald City – Kyle Andrews
12. Back Burner – Amy Stroup
13. Battles – K.S. Rhoads
14. Burn – Madi Diaz
15. One Thing – Gabe Dixon
16. Mama Hold Your Head Up – Tyler James
17. All My Worry – Kate York
18. Go Through It (Live From Prison) – Griffin House
19. It Pulls Me Under – Butterfly Boucher
20. Cancion de la Noche – Matthew Perryman Jones

Performers Revealed For 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards

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iheartradio music awards 2015 logoJason Aldean, Meghan Trainor, Kelly Clarkson, and Florida Georgia Line are among the performers announced for the second edition of the iHeartRadio Music Awards, slated for Sunday, March 29.

Other performers include Sam Smith, Madonna, Rihanna, Iggy Azalea, Jason DeRulo, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Nate Ruess, Alesso, as well as an appearance by Taylor Swift.

Jamie Foxx has signed on as host for the event, which will air live on NBC beginning at 8 p.m. ET from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

“This is the night we celebrate the biggest songs and artists we played for fans on our iHeartRadio stations across America and on the iHeartRadio app over the past year, along with a look at what’s coming in 2015,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia, Inc. “And who better to host than both a Grammy winning musician and Oscar winning performer Jamie Foxx? This is going to be an amazing star packed Sunday night of music on NBC.”

Category finalists for the iHeartRadio Music Awards were announced on Feb. 4. Social voting through iHeartRadio stations nationwide for the Best Lyrics, Best Fan Army and Renegade categories will run through Friday, March 20.

Category finalists include:

Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Iggy Azalea
Luke Bryan
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
“All About That Bass” – Meghan Trainor
“All of Me” – John Legend
“Happy” – Pharrell Williams
“Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift
“Stay With Me” – Sam Smith

Best Collaboration
“Bang Bang” – Jessie J + Ariana Grande + Nicki Minaj
“Dark Horse” – Katy Perry featuring Juicy J
“Fancy” – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
“Problem” – Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea
“Talk Dirty” – Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz

Best New Artist
Bastille
Cole Swindell
Iggy Azalea
Meghan Trainor
Sam Smith

Country Song of the Year
“Bartender” – Lady Antebellum
“Burnin’ It Down” – Jason Aldean
“Dirt” – Florida Georgia Line
“Give Me Back My Hometown” – Eric Church
“Play It Again” – Luke Bryan

Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year
“Don’t Tell ‘Em” – Jeremih featuring YG
“Drunk in Love” – Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
“Flawless” – Beyoncé
“Loyal” – Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga
“New Flame” – Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross

Dance Song of the Year
“Animals” – Martin Garrix
“Blame” – Calvin Harris featuring John Newman
“La La La” – Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith
“Summer” – Calvin Harris
“Waves” – Mr. Probz

Alternative Rock Song of the Year
“Come With Me Now” – KONGOS
“Do I Wanna Know?” – Arctic Monkeys
“Fever” – The Black Keys
“Something From Nothing” – Foo Fighters
“Take Me to Church” – Hozier

Best Lyrics
“All of Me” – John Legend
“Blank Space” – Taylor Swift
“Counting Stars” – OneRepublic
“Habits (Stay High)” – Tove Lo
“Stay With Me” – Sam Smith
“Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran

Best Fan Army
5SOSFAM – 5 Seconds of Summer
Arianators – Ariana Grande
Bey Hive – Beyoncé
Team Breezy – Chris Brown
Sheerios – Ed Sheeran
Church Choir – Eric Church
Directioners – One Direction
Selenators – Selena Gomez
Mendes Army – Shawn Mendes
Swifties – Taylor Swift

Renegade Award presented by the All New 2015 Jeep Renegade
Brantley Gilbert
Charli XCX
Hozier
Iggy Azalea
Meghan Trainor

Tanya Tucker Signs New Booking Agency Deal, Preps Tour

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TANYA TUCKER ©2009 photograph by Alan Messer [www.alanmesser.com]

Tanya Tucker

Tanya Tucker has signed a new booking agreement with APA Nashville. The songstress is prepping to hit the road with a new tour and new music. Slated for release later this year, the new tracks will be included in her first album since 2009’s My Turn.

“We are so delighted to be working with Tanya Tucker once again,” said Steve Lassiter, SVP/Partner and Head of Concerts at APA Nashville. “She is simply one of those artists that is an American original – where you don’t have to doubt who it is when you’re listening to her. The fans have always been responsive to her live show, so this is nothing but a win-win for everyone concerned.”

Since her 1972 debut, Tucker’s career that garnered her four platinum albums, eight gold albums, and hits such as “The Jamestown Ferry,” “Down To My Last Teardrop,” and “Soon.” In 1991 the CMA named her Female Vocalist of the Year.

Tour dates will be announced soon.

Attorney McDonald Joins Butler Snow

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Brenner McDonald

Brenner McDonald

Butler Snow has added attorney Brenner Lackey McDonald to the firm. McDonald will practice with the firm’s business services group and entertainment/media industry team. McDonald has been in private practice since 2011, and previously co-founded and co-owned Nashville-based entertainment management company Modern Management, where she represented Sara Evans, Josh Turner and Diamond Rio in recording agreements, licensing, television, film, music publishing, and more.

“Brenner is a great addition to the firm and our business services group,” said Donald Clark, Jr., chairman of Butler Snow. “The experience she brings in the entertainment, business and litigation fields will provide our clients with yet another great asset.”

McDonald completed her undergraduate education at the University of Kentucky, before going on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee Law School.  She is a member of the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, the Tennessee Bar Association and the Nashville Bar Association.

McDonald has also been actively involved in the Nashville community, playing an instrumental role in the development of Team Rio, which has raised over $1 million since its inception in 2005. Since 2011, she has served as a “Big” in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee program.

Industry Ink: ASCAP, Music Row Administrators Group, Country Music Hall of Fame

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DeStefano, Tompkins, Arata, Alger Slated for Songwriters Round

ASCAP WE CREATE MUSIC1ASCAP will host a songwriters evening to benefit Notes for Education on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. The event will feature Chris DeStefano, Chris Tompkins, Pat Alger, and Tony Arata.

DeStefano penned “Something In The Water” (Carrie Underwood) and “Don’t Ya” (Brett Eldredge). Tompkins is a co-writer on hits including “Burnin’ It Down” (Jason Aldean) and “Before He Cheats” (Carrie Underwood). Arata is best-known for the Garth Brooks classic “The Dance,” while Pat Alger is a writer on Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls” and “Small Town Saturday Night” (Hal Ketchum).

The event will be held at Nashville’s City Winery. For more information, visit citywinery.com/nashville.

Music Row Administrators Group To Hold First Spring Meeting of 2015

Music Row Administrators GroupThe Music Row Administrators Group will hold its first spring meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 1 p.m. in the sixth floor theater at BMI’s Nashville office.

The guest speaker will be Charles Alexander, who will speak on opportunities for independents in the new music economy.

Alexander is the CEO/Founder of Outside The Box Music a digital strategy, management, marketing and artist services company. They have managed digital strategy and marketing campaigns for Keb’ Mo’, SHEL and Gabe Dixon, as well as, other artists, labels and brands. He manages indie artist Keeley Valentino. He is also the director of “Rock The Net,” a digital music initiative that educates music business professionals and shows them how to amplify their online presence.

To RSVP contact eddiekeithwilson@gmail.com.

Country Music Hall of Fame Honors Michael Rhodes In ‘Nashville Cats’ Series

Pictured (back row, L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Abi Tapia; former Nashville Cats honorees Reggie Young and Steve Gibson; Michael Rhodes; former Nashville Cats honorees John Hobbs, Bergen White and David Briggs; and Bill Lloyd; (front row, L-R): former Nashville Cats honorees Paul Franklin, Eddie Bayers, and Mac Gayden. Photo: Terry Wyatt

Pictured (back row, L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Abi Tapia; former Nashville Cats honorees Reggie Young and Steve Gibson; Michael Rhodes; former Nashville Cats honorees John Hobbs, Bergen White and David Briggs; and Bill Lloyd; (front row, L-R): former Nashville Cats honorees Paul Franklin, Eddie Bayers, and Mac Gayden. Photo: Terry Wyatt

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrated bassist Michael Rhodes this weekend during its quarterly series, Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians. Hosted by Bill Lloyd, the program included an in-depth, one-on-one interview illustrated with vintage recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive.

Rhodes has performed live and played on sessions for many country and pop chart-toppers, including Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Steve Winwood, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, Wynonna Judd, the Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker, Neal McCoy, Chely Wright, Doug Stone, and many more.

Will Hoge To Embark on Small Town Dreams Tour 2015

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will hoge

Will Hoge. Photo: Glen Rose

Nashville singer-songwriter Will Hoge is gearing up to launch his Small Town Dreams Tour 2015. The tour opens April 10 in Tallahassee, Fla., and will make 16 stops in cities including Dallas; Charlotte, N.C.; Milwaukee; Birmingham, Ala., and more.

Hoge’s 10th album Small Town Dreams is slated for an April 7 release. Hoge recently gave Nashville music industry a taste of the project, including the lead single “Middle of America.”

Hoge was thrust into the national spotlight when his tune “Strong” was included in General Motors’ 2014 Chevy Silverado ad campaign. “Strong” sold more than 200,000 copies and was featured on Hoge’s previous album Never Give In. An accomplished artist and songwriter, Hoge has penned songs for Lady Antebellum (“Better Off Now (That You’re Gone)”) and Eli Young Band (“Even If It Breaks Your Heart”).

SMALL TOWN DREAMS TOUR 2015

April 10 – Tallahassee, FL
April 11 – Fort Lauderdale, FL
April 21 – Birmingham, AL
April 22 – Charlotte, NC
April 23 – Asheville, NC
May 1 – Milwaukee, WI
May 2 – St. Louis, MO
May 7 – Little Rock, AR
May 8 – Dallas, TX
May 9 – New Braunfels, TX
May 16 – St. George Island, FL
May 29 – Louisville, KY
May 30 – Salem, VA
June 5 – Buffalo, NY
June 6 – New York, NY
June 7 – Uncasville, CT