David Nail's 'I'm A Fire' Tour Launching in September

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David Nail. Photo: Jim Wright

David Nail. Photo: Jim Wright


David Nail will launch his I’m A Fire Tour in September. He will bring Show Dog-Universal duo Native Run to open shows.
The tour will visit 22 cities, including Boston; Tulsa, Okla.; San Antonio;  Green Bay, Wis.; and others. Earlier this year, Nail showcased songs from his album I’m A Fire on Darius Rucker‘s True Believers Tour, as well as Lady Antebellum‘s Take Me Downtown Tour.
Sept. 11-Oxford, MS-The Lyric Oxford
Sept. 12-New Orleans, LA-House of Blues
Sept. 24-Athens, GA-Georgia Theatre
Sept. 26-Tallahassee, FL-The Moon
Sept. 27-Orlando, FL-House of Blues
Oct. 9-Wichita, KS-The Cotillion
Oct. 10-Denver, CO-Grizzly Rose
Oct. 16-Tuscaloosa, AL-Jupiter Bar
Oct. 17-Jacksonville, FL-Maverick’s
Oct. 24-Columbia, MO-9th Street Summerfest
Oct. 26-Cincinnati, OH-Bogart’s
Oct. 29-Springfield, MO-Gillioz Theatre
Oct. 30-Tulsa, OK-Cain’s Ballroom
Oct. 31-San Antonio, TX-Aztec Theatre
Nov. 6-Rocky Mount, VA-Harvester Performance Center
Nov. 7-Sayreville, NJ-Starland Ballroom
Nov. 8-Boston, MA-House of Blues
Nov. 9-New York, NY-Irving Plaza
Nov. 11-London, ON-London Concert Theater
Nov. 13-Cleveland, OH-House of Blues
Nov. 14-Grand Rapids, MI-The Intersection
Nov. 15-Green Bay, WI-Meyer Theatre

Steph Jones Signs With Disney Music Publishing, Big Deal Music

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Pictured (back row, L-R): Patrick Clifford, VP Music Publishing and A&R Nashville, Disney Music Publishing; Greg Gallo, Creative Director, Big Deal Music Nashville; Mike Daly, Director, A&R, Disney Music Group; Ciara Gardner, A&R Coordinator, Disney Music Publishing; Dale Bobo, SVP, Big Deal Music Nashville. Front row: Steph Jones, songwriter)

Pictured (back row, L-R): Patrick Clifford, VP Music Publishing and A&R Nashville, Disney Music Publishing; Greg Gallo, Creative Director, Big Deal Music Nashville; Mike Daly, Director, A&R, Disney Music Group; Ciara Gardner, A&R Coordinator, Disney Music Publishing; Dale Bobo, SVP, Big Deal Music Nashville. Front row: Steph Jones, songwriter)


Songwriter Steph Jones is one of the latest songwriters to join the Disney Music Publishing family. Jones has inked an exclusive worldwide agreement with DMP, in association with Big Deal Music, according to Patrick Clifford, VP, Music Publishing and A&R Nashville.
“We are so pleased and honored to be working with Steph and all of the great folks at Big Deal Music,” says Clifford. “Steph is and will be for many years a force to be reckoned with. Hang on to your hats!”
Jones, a St. Louis native, later moved to Austin, Texas, before settling in Nashville. In 2014, she co-wrote Hollywood Records artist Cole Plante‘s single “If I Fall” (and was a featured vocalist on the project under the name Ruby O’Dell). Jones also co-wrote Plante’s upcoming release “‘Til The Stars Burn Out,” as well as “Tell Me,” for Chuck Wicks.
Jones said, “I could not be more excited and honored to work with Disney and Big Deal. They each bring unique knowledge and experience to my career, and are some of the kindest people I know. This is going to be good. Really good.”

Attorney Chip Petree Joins Ritholz Levy to Open Nashville Office

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Matt Cottingham - Headshot - 2013 (0023048xC5E9E)

Matt Cottingham


Chip Petree - Headshot - 2013 - Closeup (0022822xC5E9E)

Chip Petree


Nashville-based entertainment attorney Chip Petree will be joining Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields, LLP as a partner in the Entertainment Practice group, and will be opening a Nashville office in Germantown at 1221 6th Ave North. Petree will be joined by associate Matt Cottingham.

Petree will continue representing songwriters, artists, producers and music publishers, which have included Florida Georgia Line, Thompson Square, Brothers Osborne, Brett James and others.
“We are very proud and excited to be joining Ritholz Levy and opening their Nashville office,” says Petree. “Not only are they great lawyers, they are fantastic people, and the focused range of additional services that the firm provides is a perfect fit for our clients from both a national and international perspective.”
Adam Ritholz, the firm’s founding and managing partner, added, “I am thrilled to welcome Chip Petree and Matt Cottingham to Ritholz Levy. Nashville has been an important part of our practice for a number of years. When we met Chip Petree and learned about his practice we knew we’d found the right partnership for our Nashville presence and Matt Cottingham’s background, experience and exciting new clients make a great addition.”
The entertainment-focused law firm also has offices in New York and Los Angeles.

Erv Woolsey Management Expands Staff, Artist Roster

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Pictured (L-R): Erv Woolsey, Clint Woolsey, Tom Cheney and Allen Mitchell. Photo: Tony Czech

Pictured (L-R): Erv Woolsey, Clint Woolsey, Tom Cheney and Allen Mitchell. Photo: Tony Czech


Erv Woolsey Management has signed singer-songwriter Tyler Reeve and entertainer Marisa Rhodes to its expanding roster of clients. Florida native Rhodes appeared on American Idol in 2007, and later landed a leading role in the Off Broadway musical Love Kills, followed by a tour with the Tran-Siberian Orchestra. Reeve, an Alabama native, moved to Nashville to pursue his career, after spending time polishing his musical talent in Georgia.
The company has also hired Allen Mitchell to the senior management team as an artist manager; Mitchell joins EWM from his role as Director of SW/MW promotion at Bigger Picture. Prior to Bigger Picture, Mitchell worked at Mercury Records, Universal South Records, and Audium/Koch, following a one-year stint at WKDF.
“I first met Allen when he was working at WKDF, and I have had the distinct pleasure of watching him grow and expand his expertise over the last 12 years. I know he will be a great fit within the company to help continue to grow our roster and vision for the firm,” said Erv Woolsey, the company’s founder and president.
Mitchell can be reached at allen@ervwoolsey.com or by calling 615-346-0678.
Erv Woolsey Management’s list of management clients has included George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Clay Walker, Branch and Dean, and Shawn Lacy, among others.

Tim McGraw's 'Sundown Heaven Town' To Release in September

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sundown heaven town1Tim McGraw‘s upcoming Big Machine Records project, Sundown Heaven Town, will release Sept. 16. The album, co-produced by McGraw and longtime producer Byron Gallimore, features a 13-track standard edition, and an 18-track deluxe edition. Sundown Heaven Town will be available for pre-order on iTunes and Amazon Mp3 on July 29.
Album cuts “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” features Catherine Dunn, while “Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs” (deluxe album) features a duet with Kid Rock. McGraw’s current single, “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” features Faith Hill.
“This album is very encompassing of everything that I’ve done in my career,” said McGraw. “I think it’s a good microcosm of what my 20 or so years in music have been, in a lot of ways. You can certainly hear parts of my career throughout all of these songs, as well as the future and where my music is headed. To me, the title of the album is all about that time where you stop doing what you have to do, and start doing what you want to do.”
SUNDOWN HEAVEN TOWN TRACK LIST:
1. Overrated
2. City Lights
3. Shotgun Rider
4. Dust
5. Diamond Rings and Old Barstools (with Catherine Dunn)
6. Words Are Medicine
7. Sick Of Me
8. Meanwhile Back At Mama’s (featuring Faith Hill)
9. Keep On Truckin’
10. Last Turn Home
11. Portland, Maine
12. Lookin’ For That Girl
13. Still On The Line
DELUXE TRACKS
14. Kids Today
15. Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs (duet with Kid Rock)
16. The View
17. I’m Feelin’ You
18. Black Jacket

Nashville Film Festival Names New Officers and Directors

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imgresFour officers and three new directors were announced for the Nashville Film Festival’s Board of Directors. The officers are President, Kelly Frey of Frost Brown Todd, LLC, has been named as President. Taryn Anderson of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy will take the role of Vice President, while Cynthia Tyler of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities has been named Secretary. Stephanie Mundy Self of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy has been named Treasurer. The three new directors are Shannon Casey of Creative Artists Agency, Courtney Ross of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Stephanie Mundy Self.
The Nashville Film Festival has been named an Academy Award–qualifying festival by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and is one of the oldest and largest film festivals in the United States.
“Year after year I’m astounded at the level of experience we’re able to access with our board,” said Ted Crockett, executive director of NaFF. “We have a very strong leadership foundation in place and we couldn’t be more pleased with these appointments.
The next festival is scheduled for April 16-25,  2015.  More information can be found at nashvillefilmfestival.org.

AT&T To Bring GigaPower To Nashville

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at&t uverse1AT&T U-Verse with GigaPower, AT&T’s answer to Google Fiber, will soon come to Nashville.
Less than four months after Google announced that Nashville was one of the top candidate cities to receive Google Fiber, AT&T has announced that GigaPower will soon be offered in Nashville. GigaPower will offer download broadband speeds up to one gigabit per second, which is approximately 100 times faster than average American internet speeds. Additionally, customers on the AT&T GigaPower network can enjoy television services, including the ability to watch and record five simultaneous HD streams, as well as a capacity DVR at one terabyte of storage.
Specific locations and pricing for the Nashville area will announced at a later date.
“We are very pleased that AT&T has selected Nashville for its ultra-high speed fiber network,” Mayor Karl Dean said. “This kind of technology is important to keep our city vibrant and attractive, and it is further proof of how Nashville is positioned as a city of the future. We look forward to working with AT&T as they bring this exciting new service to our residents.”
Though the coming GigaPower will only apply to Nashville, AT&T is considering five surrounding areas as candidates for service, including Clarksville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna and Spring Hill.
GigaPower is already available in Austin, Texas; AT&T also plans to introduce the service in Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding cities, as well as in Raleigh-Durham and in Winston-Salem.

Alan Jackson Exhibit To Be Featured At Country Music Hall Of Fame

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aj

Alan Jackson. Photo: Kristy Belcher


Alan Jackson’s 25-year career will be on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame in an exhibit titled Alan Jackson: 25 Years of Keepin’ It Real.  It will open up on Aug. 29, 2014 and run through March of 2015. Jackson will also be the first person to simultaneously be the subject of a museum exhibit and the Artist-in-Residence. He will be at the Hall of Fame later this year with several unique and intimate performances.
“This exhibit will be a rare treat for museum visitors,” said Museum Director Kyle Young. “Fans will recognize artifacts from milestone moments in Alan’s career, as well as items from his life away from the stage that are as personal as many of the songs he has penned over the years. This exhibit and his Artist-in-Residence shows this fall are not to be missed.”
Some of the features and items on display will be:
  • The guitar he played on the CMA Awards when he debuted “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” just two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks and the nation’s response that inspired the song.
  • The front of an old, red Ford pickup truck that served as Jackson’s first Fan Fair booth, before his sister and brother-in-law had it made into a desk.
  • Items from Jackson’s collection of “Mayberry” memorabilia—a jacket, jersey and autographed picture from Don Knotts—from one of his favorite television shows, The Andy Griffith Show.
  • Jackson’s first tricycle, childhood bike and scooter, evidence that his love of vehicles started early.
  • Harley-Davidson motorcycle from the cover of the seminal album A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ’bout Love).
  • The water ski Jackson rode, while wearing his trademark white cowboy hat, in the “Chattahoochee” music video.
  • A collection of belt buckles from the Houston Rodeo—which Jackson has played more than 20 times.
  • Handwritten manuscripts of classics like “Drive,” “First Love” (about his ’55 T-bird), “Livin’ on Love” and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).”
  • Numerous music awards, a sailfish caught by Jackson and much more.

For more information on the Country Music Hall of Fame, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

Sturgill Simpson, Robert Ellis and More Added to Americanafest Lineup

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sturgill simpson11Americana Music Association’s 15th annual Americanafest has added more than 70 artists to its already robust list of performers. Sturgill Simpson, Jim Lauderdale, The Haden Triplets, Banditos, The Black Lillies, Carolina Story, Truth & Salvage Co., and The Bros. Landreth are a few of the latest artists slated to perform during the music festival, awards show, and conference.
They will join previously announced performers including Lee Ann Womack, Angaleena Presley, Marty Stuart, The Avett Brothers, and more. Eleven music haunts across Nashville, including Jack White‘s Third Man Records, The Listening Room Cafe, Station Inn, and Cannery Ballroom, will host 160 official music showcases during the festival.
Americanafest takes place Sept. 17-21, 2014. A limited number of festival wristbands will become available in August.
On Sept. 17, many of the best in Americana will be celebrated during the Honors & Awards show, which will be held at the Ryman Auditorium. Last year, Dwight Yoakam was honored as Artist of the Year, while Shovels & Rope took home Emerging Artist of the Year, as well as Song of the Year for “Birmingham.” Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris were named Duo/Group of the Year, while their project Old Yellow Moon earned Album of the Year. This year, Rosanne Cash, Robert Ellis and Jason Isbell are among the top nominees.
For more information, visit americanamusic.org.
Artists added to Americanafest 2014:
Andrew Combs
Anthony D’Amato
The Audreys
Banditos
Baskery
The Black Lillies
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Bobby Bare Jr.
Bradford Lee Folk
Brooke Russell & the Mean Reds
The Bros. Landreth
The Brothers Comatose
Cale Tyson
Caleb Klauder Country Band
Carolina Story
Cory Branan
Cory Chisel’s “Soul Obscura”
The Danberrys
David Ramirez
The Devil Makes Three
Elizabeth Cook
Ernie Hendrickson
Falls
Feufollet
Frank Fairfield
Grace and Tony
Griffin House
The Haden Triplets
Harlan Pepper
The Hot Nut Riveters
Howard Fishman
Humming House
Humming People
Ian McLagan
James Maddock
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Oblon
Laura Cantrell
Lauren Shera
Leftover Salmon feat. Bill Payne of Little Feat
Liz Longley
Los Colognes
The Mae Trio
The Mastersons
Matt Anderson
Matt the Electrician
Matthew Perryman Jones
Matthew Mayfield
Matthew Ryan
Mike Farris
Mipso
Moot Davis
NQ Arbuckle
Over the Rhine
Peter Bradley Adams
Phil Madeira
Police Dog Hogan
Parsonsfield (formerly Poor Old Shine)
Promised Land Sound
Robby Hecht
Robert Ellis
Ryan Tanner
Shinyribs
The Silks
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys
Sons of Bill
Steelism
Steep Canyon Rangers
The Stray Birds
Sturgill Simpson
Tim Carroll
Truth & Salvage Co.
Webb Wilder
Willie Sugarcapps
Zachary Lucky
Zoe Muth

LifeNotes: Top Song Scout Don Lanier Passes

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Don Lanier

Don Lanier


During his 1980s tenure as Director of A&R for MCA Records in Nashville, Don Lanier found the songs that helped turn George Strait and Reba McEntire into country superstars. He was also a hit songwriter, himself. Lanier died on Wednesday, July 23, at age 78.
Raised in West Texas, he became friends with future producer/executive Jimmy Bowen when both were in junior high school. Lanier was nicknamed “Dirt” at this time, and the moniker remained with him.
With Lanier on lead guitar and Bowen on bass, they became key members of the band The Rhythm Orchids. In 1957, they backed Bowen and bandleader Buddy Knox on their co-written hits “I’m Stickin’ With You” and the Knox No. 1 smash “Party Doll.” Other Lanier/Bowen/Knox songs included “Hula Love” and “Rock Your Little Baby to Sleep.”
Both Bowen and Knox recorded for Roulette Records. So did Lanier, who created teen singles for that company, as well as for Dot, Gee and Apt in 1957-62.
Bowen subsequently moved to Los Angeles and became a record producer. In 1964, he brought Lanier to L.A. to become a contractor for his recording sessions. After arranging musicians for Bowen’s sessions as Dean Martin’s producer, Lanier became in-demand as a musician contractor throughout the West Coast recording scene.
Lanier also continued to write songs. His “Here We Go Again” became a hit for Ray Charles in 1967 and for Nancy Sinatra in 1969. His songs have also been recorded by Hank Snow, Glen Campbell, Bobby Vee and Norah Jones, among others.
Among Lanier’s songwriting collaborators were Tommy Overstreet, Tom Thacker, Joe Bob Barnhill and Red Steagall. He also continued to play lead guitar, contributing to records by Lee Hazelwood, Phil Everly, Bill Haley, Dean Martin and more.
Bowen brought Lanier to Nashville when he took over MCA Records in 1984. Lanier became renowned and respected in Music City for his “ears,” that is, his ability to hear future hit songs. In addition to Strait and McEntire, he found tunes for Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn and many of the other MCA artists of the 1980s.
Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home is handling arrangements. A memorial celebration was held there on Sunday, July 27 at 1 p.m., with the funeral service at 2 p.m. The funeral home is located at 660 Thompson Lane.