McGraw To Release 'Sundown Heaven Town' in September

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sundown1Tim McGraw‘s upcoming Big Machine Records album, Sundown Heaven Town is set for release on Sept. 16.
Beginning on Sunday, April 6, during his performance on the ACM Awards, McGraw will launch “Countdown To Sundown.” When fans Shazam his ACM performance, they can join the Countdown program and will have access to exclusive content and be entered to win a season pass for two tickets to each of McGraw’s summer tour dates, including an all expense paid trip to the tour’s opening night on May 8. McGraw will be revealing new songs from the album through major primetime television performances and will provide fans with exclusive access to free downloads, first listens, behind the scenes looks, exclusive tour experiences, contests and more through countdowntosundown.com.
On May 8, McGraw will begin his Sundown Heaven Town 2014 Tour, covering more than 30 cities. Joining him for the summer run will be Kip Moore and Cassadee Pope.

Jack White Aims to Set Guinness Record For World's Fastest Record

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jack white222Jack White aims to set a Guinness Book record on Record Store Day on Saturday, April 19. The singer-guitarist will record a limited edition single from his album Lazaretto in front of a live audience, and release it for sale the same day. The “studio to store” single will be recorded in Third Man Record’s Blue Room in Nashville.
The whole process is slated to take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. After the direct-to-acetate project is recorded, the masters will then be run to United Record Pressing, which will begin press 45s and then taken back to Third Man to sell to waiting fans, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As long as fans are waiting in line to buy the single, United Records will continue press the 45s.
Tickets for this whole day – “Ultra Tickets” – are limited and will be available exclusively through the Third Man Records Vault to Platinum Members. Ultra Ticket holders will get to watch Jack White live recording his world’s fastest record, and will receive copies of both the 7-inch and the Whirlwind Heat Record Store Day LP release.

T.J. Martell Foundation To Honor Rob Beckham

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Rob Beckham

Rob Beckham


The T.J. Martell Foundation will honor the career achievements of Rob Beckham, co-head of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment’s Nashville office, with a “roast” at its inaugural Ambassador of the Year event.
The celebration will take place May 12 at Nashville’s The Rosewall at 6 p.m.
“Rob Beckham is extremely generous and giving of his time,” says Tinti Moffat, Director of Strategic Development at the T.J. Martell Foundation. “His unwavering commitment to both projects that are meaningful to him and to people he believes in, coupled with his willingness to invest in them, make him a most worthy recipient of this accolade.”
Beckham is a Partner at WME, and has spent nearly 25 years working in the entertainment industry. His client roster includes Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Reba, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, Gary Allan, Chris Young, Easton Corbin and Jerrod Niemann among many others. In addition to his work at WME, Beckham also serves on the Board of Directors for the Country Music Association, the T.J. Martell Foundation and Make-A-Wish for Middle Tennessee.
The 2014 Ambassador of the Year event will include a cocktail reception, buffet dinner and special presentation. Beckham’s clients, colleagues and friends will come together on stage to pay homage to him by sharing colorful stories born from the miles logged together on the road.
Tables range from $1,500 to $2,500 and individual tickets are $50 to $75 on sale now at tjmartell.org.

Industry Ink (4/3/14)

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hummingbird productions11Hummingbird Productions has contributed the score to the documentary Living Hope. The documentary follows the stories of three individuals who have devoted their lives to serving the poor in South Africa. Hummingbird’s Aaron Howard worked as the score’s engineer, while additional orchestrations were produced by Larry Hall. Bob Farnsworth, CEO, founder and creative director at Hummingbird Productions, wrote a 90-minute score. The voice over narration was recorded by For King & Country‘s Joel Smallbone.

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Screen shot 2014-04-03 at 2.44.15 PM1The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has partnered with Frost Specialty to offer its members affordable and easy-to-purchase general liability insurance for performances on a per-show basis. The premium covers one show and is made available exclusively to members of NSAI for $55 per show and can cover multiple shows.
According to Robert Frost, president of Frost Specialty, this is a significantly-reduced premium designed specifically for the songwriter members of NSAI who are often required by venues to carry liability insurance for their performance.
For more information on the general liability insurance policy, contact 615-322-9171 or info@frostspecialty.com.

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SOLID welcomed Sony/ATV Music Nashville Pres./CEO Troy Tomlinson to speak at their General Assembly meeting, held April 1 at Oceanway Studios in Nashville. Tomlinson spoke to the SOLID membership about believing in what you do and the importance of staying present in the moment. “You’ve got to be present,” Tomlinson said. “You’ve got to be awesome at what you do and where you are. People will notice.”

Photo (L-R): Michelle Tigard Kammerer, SOLID Vice President; Brian O'Neil, SOLID President; Troy Tomlinson; Alex Luebbert, SOLID Education Committee Chair; Stefany Reed, SOLID Education Committee Co-Chair.

Photo (L-R): Michelle Tigard Kammerer, SOLID Vice President; Brian O’Neil, SOLID President; Troy Tomlinson; Alex Luebbert, SOLID Education Committee Chair; Stefany Reed, SOLID Education Committee Co-Chair.

Big Brands Want To Woo Country Fans

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Underwood welcomed Almay, along with numerous beauty editors, to Nashville today as part of the launch of her campaign as their Global Brand Ambassador.

In January Carrie Underwood welcomed Almay and numerous beauty editors to Nashville to launch her campaign as their Global Brand Ambassador.


Major brands are working hard to connect with Country music fans, due to the genre’s growing popularity. An article in Marketing News explores the trend, which has brands Coors Light, Cover Girl, Diet Coke, Lipton Tea and Ram Trucks partnering with country star endorsers.
Damon Whiteside, CMA Sr. VP of Marketing and Partnerships told the magazine, “Brands are now more proactive about reaching out to country artists, whereas before, we had to do more of an educational process with them…Now artists can be a little bit more choosy about what brands fit their image.”
Country fans are more affluent than 10 years ago, with annual household incomes averaging $75,000 in 2013, versus $54,000 in 2003 (Nielsen). This has attracted more partnerships with luxury and tech brands than in the past.
According to the article, the CMA’s year-round brand partners are American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, Patrón and Chevrolet, with about 50 more brands sponsoring CMA’s events.
Blake Shelton is the most effective celebrity endorser, reports The Marketing Arm, which ranks celebrities based on consumer awareness, likability and trustworthiness. Carrie Underwood ranks No. 2 on the list, followed by Reba McEntire at No. 5 and Faith Hill at No. 6.
 

Linn Launches AmpliFLY Entertainment

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Stephen Linn

Stephen Linn


Stephen Linn, formerly a Sr. Director of Music Programming and Promotion with CMT, has launched AmpliFLY Entertainment, a consulting firm specializing in strategic artist development, branding and music marketing.
“When you’re on stage, you’re an artist; when you’re not, you’re running for governor,” Linn said. “We’ll help with all of the ‘running for governor’ stuff.”
Most recently, he served as Sr. VP at BBR Management, the artist management division of the Broken Bow Records Label Group.
Linn can be contacted at stephen@ampliflyent.com or 615-306-9407. For more information, visit ampliflyent.com.

Revolution Pictures Adds Head of Music and Brand Relations

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Maranda McGeary

Maranda McGeary


Nashville-based Revolution Pictures has added Maranda McGeary as Head of Music and Brand Relations.
McGeary will collaborate with artists, labels, brands and agencies to develop video content, while also serving as Revolution’s Director Representative. Previously, McGeary worked as Marketing Manager at MillerCoors, and has collaborated with brand clients including Coca-Cola and Verizon Wireless.
Revolution Pictures launched in 1997, and has produced content for Verizon, Ram Trucks, Samsung and Hyundai. The company has produced videos for Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Carrie Underwood and others.
For all business-related inquiries, contact McGeary at maranda@revolutionpictures.com

Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Celebrates Expansion

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countrymusichalloffameThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate the completion of its 210,000 sq. ft. expansion at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 15, at 1:15 p.m. CST.
The celebration is open to the public and will take place on an outdoor stage at the corner of Demonbreun and 5th Ave. S., featuring performances by Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Ann Womack, Buddy Miller and more, in addition to appearances by Mayor Karl Dean and other special guests.
“This expansion is a major milestone for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Museum Director Kyle Young. “It also embodies the exciting momentum shaping Nashville today, especially downtown. All of us at the museum are so proud to help lead the current growth that is defining one of the country’s most culturally significant regions.”
Debuting exhibits at the newly expanded museum, which doubles its previous size, include the ACM Gallery, the Fred and Dinah Gretsch Family Gallery, and the Design Gallery: A Window into the Collection. These join previously unveiled sections of the expansion which include the 800-seat CMA Theater, the Taylor Swift Education Center, the letterpress operation Hatch Show Print, and the Event Hall, among others.
For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

5th Annual Music Row Rally Set For April 15

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Craig Wiseman

Big Loud Shirt’s Craig Wiseman


Songwriter Craig Wiseman and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee will hold the 5th annual Music Row Rally on Tues., April 15.
The event will be held in the Big Loud Shirt parking lot located at 1111 16th Ave. S. Wiseman will be joined by Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, and a few local food trucks, including fan favorites Riffs Fine Street Foods, Deg Thai, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, and Smoke Et Al from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ten percent of all profits made by the food trucks will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. A $1 donation is requested from all attendees at the door as an additional way to give to this incredible charity.
The Music Row Rally leads in to the 10th annual Stars For Second Harvest benefit, slated for Tues., June 3, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ryman Auditorium. Presented by O’Charley’s and hosted by Wiseman, Country duo Florida Georgia Line will headline the benefit for the third year in a row. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

Writers Roundup (4/3/14)

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Ashley Monroe Publicity photo

Ashley Monroe


Warner Music Nashville singer/songwriter Ashley Monroe will perform in Nashville on Monday, June 5 at 3rd and Lindsley beginning at 5 p.m. CT. She will be joined by special guests Striking Matches.
To purchase tickets, visit 3rd & Lindsley’s site.
Monroe penned several songs featured in ABC’s Nashville, and will star in a one-hour show Nashville: On The Record, which airs April 23 on ABC.

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Jeffrey Steele

Jeffrey Steele


 
3 Ring Circus Music will host the YMCA Songwriters Night at 3rd & Lindsley on Thursday, April 17 from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. The lineup includes Jeffrey Steele, Alissa Moreno, The Shuggah Pies, Brandon Hood, Adam James, Alyssa Bonagura, Charlie Crowe, Jimmy Stewart, Willow Park and others.
The event will benefit the Brentwood Family Y of Middle Tennessee. Tickets are available by visiting 3rd & Lindsley’s site.

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There’s a new songwriters round in Nashville, this one combining the richness of songs and coffee.
“Songwriters Singing For Coffee—Where Lyrics and Lattes Collide” launched its first show at Starbucks in Green Hills on April 2. Songwriters Billy Yates, Greg Friia, Scott Reeves and Pete Sallis performed several of their well-known songs.
For a list of upcoming shows, visit songwriterssingingforcoffee.com.
Photos by Bev Moser.
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