Fans Can Now Help Raise Money For Artists Via Spotify

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Spotify has launched a new feature, Artist Fundraising Pick, which allows artists to highlight a fundraising initiative, in addition to selecting a song to highlight on their profile. Fans can now donate money to artists via Spotify, to help artists, bands and crew members, charity initiatives, and more. Artists can add a link on their Spotify page to a GoFundMe page, PayPal or Cash App.

Spotify has partnered with Cash App, which has established a $1 million relief effort for artists. Spotify for Artists users who submit their “$cashtag” username as their Artist Fundraising Pick, and who secure at least one contribution through Spotify, will receive an extra $100 in their account from Cash App, until the collective $1 million total has been distributed. The effort is open to artists in the United States and United Kingdom, though Spotify listeners from around the world can make contributions via Cash App.

Alternatively, artists can select any of the verified organizations participating in the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project as their Artist Fundraising Pick, such as MusiCares.

Spotify for Artists admin users can select “Get started” on the banner at the top of their dashboard to submit their Fundraising Pick. Visit the best practices guide for more details on how it works. The fundraising pick you select is up to you: You can fundraise for yourself, your crew, a charity partner — as long as it fits within the safety policy.

Nashville Music Clubs Partner With National Independent Venue Association

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The National Independent Venue Association launched last week, and already has more than 700 member venues in 47 states and Washington, D.C.  Eleven Nashville clubs have joined the association including 3rd and Lindsley, The 5 Spot, The Bluebird Cafe, the Cannery Ballroom, Mercy Lounge, The High Watt, The End, The East Room, Exit/In, Springwater and Third Man Records (home of The Blue Room).

These venues and promoters across the country are banding together to seek help from the federal government for small venues with the main goal being to secure immediate financial support from Congress. The group has received some financial support from ticketing companies Lyte and See Tickets, and is seeking additional sponsors. The organization is also serving as an opportunity for venue owners and promoters to communicate and share resources regarding immediate needs like navigating small business loan applications as well as longer-term goals.

“Independent venues and promoters have a unique set of circumstances that require specialized assistance, so we’ve banded together and secured a powerhouse lobbying firm,” said Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group and founding member of NIVA. “Akin Gump has been tapped to represent us, and that telegraphs to Capitol Hill that our needs are serious. Most of us have gone from our best year ever to a dead stop in revenues, but our expenses and overhead are still real, and many will not make it without help. Our employees, the artists, and the fans need us to act. But we are also an important income generator for those around us, bringing revenue to area restaurants, bars, hotels, and retail shops. Our contributions to the tax base far exceed our ticket sales.”

Senate Bill Adding Billions To The SBA’s COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program

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Leading artist rights and music companies are applauding yesterday’s Senate passage of a bill to add $310 billion to the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 loan program, including $50 billion for loans for economic disaster aid. The House is expected to approve the bill later this week. Once signed into law, it is expected to take a day or two before the funds will be available. The SBA will not accept new PPP loan applications until the appropriations of this new funding is made.

The original $349 billion allocated to the Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses quickly ran out based on high demands. Subsequently, some have spoken out about the large public companies that were given access to these funds which seemed to go against the original purpose of this stimulus plan to help small businesses.

In a joint statement, the music community organizations said: “We applaud leaders of the Senate and House, Secretary Mnuchin, and the Administration who worked to find an agreement to include more funding for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. This action is an important next step to ensure the program has funds to reach all Americans who need it.

“Musicians, songwriters, and composers have had their ability to work upended by the pandemic. Because they often act as independent contractors and sole proprietors, traditional unemployment benefits fail to provide financial relief. That’s why it remains essential that the PPP make independent contractors and sole proprietors fully eligible for loans and loan forgiveness including accounting for lost wages and insurance costs during the eligibility period.

Earlier this month, a broad cross-section of the music community came together to release MusicCovidRelief.com with up-to-the-minute guidance and resource materials for the arts/entertainment community. The website is designed to help people make real-world sense of the recently passed CARES Act and connect those in need to resources and opportunities.

The music coalition includes the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), Global Music Rights (GMR), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), the Songwriters of North America (SONA), and more.

Dixie Chicks Postpone ‘Gaslighter’ Album Release

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Dixie Chicks fans will have longer to wait for the release of the trio’s upcoming album, Gaslighter. The album, which was slated to release May 1 via Columbia, has now been postponed and no new release date has been revealed at this time.

The album marks the trio’s first new project since 2006’s Taking The Long Way, which was certified 2x Platinum and earned the group’s Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison five Grammy honors.

They recently released the lead single from the album, the title track “Gaslighter,” along with an accompanying video.

 

Luke Bryan To Perform During NFL Draft

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Luke Bryan. Photo: Jim Wright

Luke Bryan will appear during this year’s 2020 NFL Draft performing “Play It Again” as part of Verizon’s #PayItForwardLIVE Series. Bryan’s performance will air during the draft broadcast on April 25 beginning at 12 p.m. ET.

This year’s NFL Draft will be fully virtual, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, league personnel and club staff working from their individual locations. ESPN, NFL Network and ABC are joining forces to present the Draft across their broadcast networks. It will also be live-streamed on the ESPN app and NFL app as well as streaming on Sling TV and YouTube TV.

“I was honored to be included in the partnership with Verizon #PayItForwardLIVE supporting small businesses,” Bryan said. “They are such a vital part of our communities and it is important we continue to raise awareness for them so they can sustain themselves and keep their doors open. My boys and I look forward to watching the NFL Draft ALL weekend.”

In 2019, Bryan joined the GameDay hosts live on set during their prime-time coverage of the 2019 NFL Draft as it broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee. The evening before Luke, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Music City, Inc. hosted a charity fundraiser at LUKE’S 32 Bridge Food+Drink, raising money for the Predators Foundation, Tennessee Golf Foundation, Titans Foundation and Vanderbilt Children’s Foundation.

Shakey Graves’ New EP ‘Look Alive’ To Drop In May

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Shakey Graves will release Look Alive, a new EP on May 4 that will coincide with the final episode of the band’s ongoing “Hello Gorgeous” web series.

Shakey Graves frontman and bandleader Alejandro Rose-Garcia debuted “Hello Gorgeous” on Monday, April 6 as a three-part bi-weekly documentary/music video project, inspired by the name of his new studio. Each chapter in the series takes a behind the scenes look at the history of Shakey Graves, the making of Hello Gorgeous, life on the road, as well as a performance of a brand new track. Episode 2, “The Recipe,” is premiering today with two new songs: the title-track as well as “Not Everything Grows.”

“I made ‘Hello Gorgeous’ without goal—not to create a TV show, not to make music videos, simply to document and create something that meshed all the worlds of my creative life into one,” said Rose-Garcia. “It was an experiment of sorts, trying to peel back that personal veil of secrecy. How many bad takes happen before a good song emerges? If an idea enters a room, can you see it in real time? I was weary of spending hours and months working behind closed doors only to emerge with a handful of carefully crafted songs to then sit on and promote until you can’t stand hearing them, all before anyone in the public had heard a single note. I wanted to create a unified project, a song that was the video, a video that was the story, the story that was the point.”

In the weeks between episodes, Rose-Garcia will live-stream a concert/hang/call-in/quiz show/performance to raise money on behalf of MusiCares. The next live stream will take place next Monday, April 27.

Ray Wylie Hubbard Collaborates With Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Don Was, Chris Robinson On New Single

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Ray Wylie Hubbard. Photo: Alan Messer

Ray Wylie Hubbard has released the single “Bad Trick” featuring an all-star guest lineup of Ringo Starr, Don Was, Joe Walsh and Chris Robinson. The tune establishes the tone of his gritty upcoming new 10-track collection CO-STARRING, due out July 10 on Big Machine Records.

Hubbard conceptualized and produced CO-STARRING, his 17th studio album, which includes bluegrass/folk legend Peter Rowan on the tender “Hummingbird,” Ashley McBryde on the tough girl homage “Outlaw Blood,” Paula Nelson and Elizabeth Cook on “Drink ‘Til I See Double” and Aaron Lee Tasjan on “Rock Gods.”

“I have believed in the rule that one should not sing their own praises, but with my new record on Big Machine Records, well I’m going to have to break that rule,” said Hubbard. “Co-Starring has got grit, groove, tone and taste and is so righteously cool that small demons will drool, and little angels will want to line dance.”

Average Joes Entertainment Launches Texas/Americana Label Imprint With Rich O’Toole

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Average Joes Entertainment has launched a new Texas/Americana imprint, Buffalo Roam Records, with artist/writer Rich O’Toole as both the first artist signed to the label, as well as the leader for the new venture.

The imprint’s first album release is O’Toole’s New York City, which will release June 26. Texas native O’Toole has topped the Texas Music Chart three times, has had 23 Top 10 singles at Texas radio, and sold more than 100,000 albums. The signing marks a return to Average Joes for O’Toole, who released the album Kiss Of A Liar on the label in 2011.

“As we began to consider re-approaching the Texas music scene, Rich was a natural pick for a partner. Having worked with him in the past when he was an artist on Average Joes, we knew his drive and determination, as well as his Texas roots, would align well with the core spirit of Average Joes. We’re excited to have him back, and look forward to a bright future,” said Forrest Latta, Average Joes Entertainment A&R.

“I’m excited to bring a Texas/Americana sound with the new AJE imprint, Buffalo Roam Records. We will be delivering some of the best up-and-coming artists out of the southwest,” said O’Toole.

O’Toole can be reached at [email protected].

Industry Ink: Grand Ole Opry, Third Man, Nashville Musicians Association, James Robert Webb

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Ricky Skaggs, Dailey & Vincent Usher In 4920th Opry Saturday Night

Ricky Skaggs, Dailey & Vincent. Photo: Grand Ole Opry


Grand Ole Opry members and bluegrass legends Ricky Skaggs and Dailey & Vincent performed on the  Opry’s 4,920th consecutive Saturday night last Saturday night (April 18). Their performance could also be seen on Circle Television. For the past six weeks, amidst the current COVID-19 crisis the Opry has continued without an audience in attendance.

 

Third Man Records Relaunches Public Access Show

Third Man Records has re-launched Third Man Public Access, which will now consist of long-form broadcasts of exclusive content, intimate at-home performances, readings, music videos and more from Third Man artists and friends in lieu of live-streamed performances. In this new episode, Olivia Jean and J Mascis perform songs from home, and elsewhere artists like Kelley Stoltz, Redd Kross, Dale Crover, Luke Schneider and many more showcase both live and studio versions of their songs. Additionally, Third Man Books author Ben Myers reads from his novel “The Gallows Pole,” and Shadow Show walk us through the recording of a demo. Third Man Public Access Episode 3 – From Home premieres on YouTube today (April 21).

 

Nashville Musicians Association Crisis Assistance Fund Opens

The Nashville Musicians Association has re-launched its 501c3 charitable fund to accept donations which will be distributed to help Nashville area musicians who have been adversely affected by the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. The fund was originally created to provide financial assistance for musicians who suffered losses in the 2010 Nashville Flood. Donations will be tax-deductible, and all funds raised will be distributed equitably to musicians in need through the NMA Crisis Assistance Fund. Application details will be forthcoming, and donations can be made at the nashvillemusicians.org COVID resources page or at the Nashville Musicians Association Facebook page. All SunTrust branches (and drive throughs) can accept donations made out to the“NMA Crisis Assistance Fund,” and donation checks or money orders may be mailed directly to AFM Local 257, 11 Music Circle North, Nashville, TN. 37203.

 

James Robert Webb Sets Self-Titled Release For May

James Robert Webb‘s upcoming self-titled release is set for May 1. The project includes songs penned by Wynn Varble, Bob McDill, Casey Beathard, as well as Webb himself. The album was produced by Buddy Cannon, and is available for pre-order.

Old Dominion Releases Documentary Behind Music Video For "Some People Do"

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Old Dominion with Jason Schneidman

Old Dominion has released a mini-documentary in support of the music video for their single “Some People Do.” The documentary looks at the story of celebrity men’s groomer Jason Schneidman and shows members of Old Dominion working with him in Los Angeles.

Schneidman, who also works with Old Dominion, was previously homeless and overcame drug addiction. In his spare time, he helps out the homeless of Los Angeles, providing free haircuts as a means to connect with those who may be battling addiction issues, and funds scholarships to rehab centers. In February 2020, the band joined him on the ground to help out.

Jason Schneidman’s Men’s Groomer Foundation is inspired by more than just a calling but the ability to help people get off the street and back on their feet.  The foundation is working with rehabs in California providing funding through the sales of Schneidman’s products.

“Some People Do” is Old Dominion’s newest single with currently over 26.2 million streams. The song is the latest track off Old Dominion’s self-titled third studio album, which was released in the fall of 2019.