CMT Adds Five To 'Next Women of Country' Initiative

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next women111CMT will continue to spotlight pioneering women in Country music with the addition of five new artists to its Next Women of Country initiative. Angaleena Presley, Lindsay Ell, Lucy Hale, Natalie Stovall and The Drive, and Nikki Lane are the latest to join the multi-platform initiative that recognizes women making an impact on Country music.
Since the campaign launched, the network has named 21 major label, indie label and unsigned female artists to its ‘Next Women’ list, providing support on-air and online with exclusive video premieres, live performances and more.
Since CMT’s Next Women of Country launched in January 2013, several alumnae — Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Cassadee Pope and Ashley Monroe included — found success ranging from commercial and critical acclaim, to Musgraves’ two Grammy wins for best Country song and best Country album.
For more on these artists, visit nextwomen.cmt.com.

Writer’s Den Signs Salley

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(Seated L-R): John Rolfe, Writer’s Den attorney; Jerry Salley; Bobby Rymer, Writer’s Den partner. (Standing L-R): Writer’s Den writers Ben Cooper, Melissa Fuller and Thom Schuyler

The Writer’s Den Music Group has signed singer-songwriter Jerry Salley to a worldwide publishing agreement. Salley’s songs have enjoyed more than 360 cuts by Reba, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Joe Nichols, among others.

“I’ve had the good fortune of knowing Jerry Salley for a lot of years but have never had the great fortune of working with him until now,” said Writer’s Den partner Bobby Rymer. “My belief in his talent is unquestioned and I’m looking forward to a lot of fun times for the both of us.”
In addition to previously winning SESAC’s Country Music Songwriter of the Year, Salley wrote “Where We Both Say Goodbye,” Sir Elton John’s only single to appear on Billboard’s Country Chart, and the popular Gospel song “His Strength Is Perfect.” Salley also released his acclaimed Bluegrass album New Songs, Old Friends in 2007. His more recent project is titled Showing My Age.
Salley will perform during Tin Pan South Songwriter’s Festival at Nashville’s Station Inn on Thursday, March 27 at 9 p.m. For more information, visit jerrysalley.com.

[Updated] Keith Urban Announces 'Raise 'Em Up Tour'

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keith urban1111Keith Urban will bring his music to fans across the nation on his forthcoming Raise ‘Em Up Tour, which will feature Brett Eldredge and Jerrod Niemann. The tour will kick off on July 12 in Canada, and July 17 in the United States.
Atlantic Records artist Eldredge was recently spotlighted during Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces concert, while Jerrod Niemann’s latest album, High Noon, is slated to release March 25 (Sea Gayle Records/Arista Nashville).
In addition to the upcoming tour, Urban is in the middle of American Idol’s 13th season, serving as a judge alongside Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick, Jr. The singer-songwriter and guitarist recently revealed a new T-shirt line.
Urban recently wrapped his Light The Fuse Tour, which featured Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch.
Check out Urban’s upcoming tour dates below:
THU JUL 17        Atlantic City, NJ
TUE JUL 22        Harrington, DE
FRI JUL 25        Darien Center, NY
SAT JUL 26        Boston, MA
THU JUL 31        Cincinnati, OH
FRI AUG 1         St. Louis, MO
SAT AUG 2         Indianapolis, IN
FRI AUG 8         Raleigh, NC
SAT AUG 9         Virginia Beach, VA
FRI AUG 15        Holmdel, NJ
SAT AUG 16        Hartford, CT
SUN AUG 17        Bethel, NY
FRI AUG 22        Charlotte, NC
SAT AUG 23       Birmingham, AL
FRI AUG 29        Denver, CO
SAT AUG 30        Salt Lake City, UT
FRI SEP 5         Irvine, CA
SAT SEP 6         Mountain View, CA
SUN SEP 7         Sacramento, CA
FRI MAR 14        Houston, TX
SUN MAR 23       Melbourne, FL
SAT JUL 12        Calgary, AB
SUN JUL 13        Craven, SK
FRI JUL 18        St. Clairesville, OH
SAT JUL 19        Brooklyn, MI
THU JUL 24        Gilford, NH
SUN AUG 10        Bethlehem, PA
SUN AUG 24       Atlanta, GA
SAT SEP 13        Puyallup, WA

SESAC Honors Artists During Christian Music Awards

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SESAC named Christian songwriter/producer Jason Ingram as SESAC’s Christian Songwriter of the Year during the SESAC Christian Music Awards, held at the Hillwood Country Club in Nashville Tuesday evening (March 4). Sony/ATV Timber Publishing was named SESAC’s Christian Music Publisher of the Year. The awards recognize activity for songwriters and publishers in 2013.
A highlight of the evening occurred when SESAC presented the band Petra with its Legacy Award, marking the first time the award has been given in the Christian music genre. Previous recipients of this prestigious award have included Neil Diamond, Paul Shaffer and Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains.
Additional SESAC award winners during the evening included Cary Barlowe, Jamie Grace, Juan Otero, Ian Eskelin, Natalie Grant and Tiffany Arbuckle Lee (Plumb), among others.
For a full list of honorees, visit sesac.com.

Pictured (left to right):L SESAC’s Trevor Gale & John Mullins, Ingram & SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode.

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Trevor Gale & John Mullins, Jason Ingram & SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode.


Pictured (L-R): Petra’s John Lawry, SESAC’s John Mullins, Petra’s Greg Bailey & John Schlitt, SESAC’s Tim Fink and Petra’ Bob Hartman & Cristian Borneo. Photo: Ed Rode.

Pictured (L-R): Petra’s John Lawry, SESAC’s John Mullins, Petra’s Greg Bailey & John Schlitt, SESAC’s Tim Fink and Petra’s Bob Hartman & Cristian Borneo. Photo: Ed Rode.


Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Trevor Gale, Sony’s Holly Zbaka, Terry Hemmings & Devon DeVries and SESAC’s Tim Fink.

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Trevor Gale, Sony’s Holly Zbaka, SESAC’s John Mullins, Terry Hemmings & Devon DeVries and SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode.


SESAC’s Pat Collins with Billboard’s Christian Producer of the Year, Seth Mosley and SESAC’s John Mullins. Photo: Ed Rode.

SESAC’s Pat Collins with Seth Mosley and SESAC’s John Mullins. Photo: Ed Rode.

AXS To Broadcast Americana Awards March 9

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americanamusic_logoAXS TV will broadcast this year’s Americana Honors & Awards, dedicated to celebrating American Roots Music, on Sunday, March 9 at 7 p.m. CST.
Hosted by Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller, the program will honor Stephen Stills, Dr. John and Robert Hunter, among others. Additionally, it will include performances by Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Duane Eddy, Richard Thompson, Delbert McClinton, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Shovels & Rope, John Fullbright, the Milk Carton Kids, Lennon and Maisy Stella, and JD McPherson.
The program will also feature Holly Williams, who pays tribute to her grandfather, Hank Williams.
The program will include presentations for the Lifetime Instrumentalist Award, Performance of the Year Award, Songwriter of the Year Award and the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement for Executive Award, which will be presented to Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz by Ry Cooder. The show’s finale will feature a performance of Crowell’s song “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight,” by several artists.
The awards ceremony, which was originally presented on Sept. 18, 2013, is held annually at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

BBR Music Group Names Kilgore As VP, Publicity

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Natalie Kilgore - BBR Music Group VP of Publicity - photo by Justin Nolan Key LO RES11

Natalie Kilgore. Photo: Justin Nolan Key


Dashboard Media Founder Natalie Kilgore has been named Vice President of Publicity for the BBR Music Group.
In her new role, Kilgore will continue to strategize and lead publicity endeavors for the music group that serves as the umbrella for Broken Bow, Stoney Creek and RED BOW Records as well as BBR Management and Magic Mustang Music.
Additionally, Kilgore will maintain direct publicity representation for Thompson Square, Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols, Parmalee, Lindsay Ell,  Kristy Lee Cook, James Wesley and newcomers Chase Bryant, Jackie Lee and David Fanning on the BBR Music Group roster.
A Greenbrier, Tenn., native, Kilgore began her industry career 14 years ago as an on-air personality for WBUZ-Nashville. She later worked as an entertainment writer for Gannett; the Communications Director for NSAI; and as the Sr. Publicist for G7 Entertainment. Additionally, Kilgore spent more than four years as Head of Publicity for the Big Machine Label Group prior to founding her own boutique firm – Dashboard Media – in 2011.
Kilgore can be reached at 615-610-2096 and at [email protected]
Brittany Perlin

Brittany Perlin


Dashboard Media’s Associate Publicist Brittany Perlin follows Kilgore to the BBR Music Group. Perlin joined Dashboard Media in October 2012 and previously spent five years at The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson where she served as Music Assistant before being promoted to Music Booker. The Los Angeles native began her entertainment career as an intern at Cosmopolitan magazine while majoring in Communications at California State University – Dominguez Hills.
Perlin will serve as Associate Publicist for the BBR Music Group. She can be reached at 615-610-2094 and at BrittanyPerlin@bbrmusicgroup.com
FOR WEB Jessica Pangrazio headshot 111

Jessica Pangrazio


Additionally, Jessica Pangrazio joins the BBR Music Group Publicity Department in the newly created position of Jr. Publicist. A December 2013 graduate of Belmont University, Pangrazio previously held public relations internships at Kaleidoscope Media, The Franklin Theatre and Sugar Hill Records. Pangrazio can be reached at 615-610-2110 and at [email protected].
The BBR Music Group is headquartered at 65 Music Square West in Nashville, Tenn.

ACM's March “My Cause” Web Feature Spotlights Corey Smith

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corey smith111

Corey Smith


ACM Lifting Lives® announced today (March 5) that the March “My Cause” web feature will spotlight Corey Smith and the charity organization, Seva Foundation. The web feature drives awareness of artist-supported charitable organizations and supports fundraising efforts for those philanthropies.
My Cause allows ACM Lifting Lives to tangibly demonstrate the Academy’s support of Country music artists. Over the past two years, ACM Lifting Lives has donated more than $200,000 to artists’ favorite charities through this program.
This month, “My Cause: Seva Foundation” highlights an organization that is dedicated to the prevention of blindness around the globe. Seva builds sustainable eye care programs in places where access to services is extremely limited and people commonly lose their eyesight due to cataracts, injuries and other easily preventable causes. Since 1978, Seva’s Sight Program has helped nearly 3.5 million people see again.
Watch the video below to find out more about “My Cause: Seva Foundation.”

Artist Updates (3/5/14)

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eric church111

Eric Church


Eric Church will tape his debut performance for “Austin City Limits” on Sept. 23, 2014 as part of the ground-breaking music program’s 40th anniversary season.
The television show is taped live before a concert audience at the venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin, Texas, and will air nationally on PBS Television on a date to be revealed later.

                                                   • • •

corey smith111

Corey Smith


 
Corey Smith will join forces with Darius Rucker beginning April 10 in Morgantown, W.V., as he will open select dates for the singer’s 2014 True Believers Tour.
Before the run, Smith will stop through Austin, Texas, to perform during the famed annual SXSW festival on March 12, at Rowdy’s Saloon.

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Keith Urban


 Keith Urban has launched his own T-shirt line, By Keith Urban. Urban partnered with Industrial Revolution II and artist Raphael Mazzucco for the new line, which includes various shirt designs for men and women.
For more information on the American Idol judge’s new line, visit bykeithurban.com.

Weekly Register: Bentley Rises To No. 1

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Albums

riser dierks bentley11Country album sales are down six percent week over week, while overall album sales are up five percent from last week thanks to Top 10 debuts from Schoolboy Q, Beck, Kid Cudi, Romeo Santos, The Fray, St. Vincent and Dierks Bentley.
Bentley’s Riser (Capitol Nashville) debuts as the top Country album (No. 6 overall), selling 63k units. The singer’s Riser Tour will launch on May 9 in Charlotte, N.C. with special guests Chris Young, Chase Rice and Jon Pardi. Rounding out the top five is Eric Church’s The Outsiders (EMI Nashville) at No. 2 (42k), Cole Swindell’s self-titled album (Warner Bros.) at No. 3 (19K), Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party (Capitol Nashville) at No. 4 (14k) and Florida Georgia Line’s Here’s To The Good Times (Republic Nashville) at No. 5 (13k). Swindell, Bryan and FGL are enjoying Top 5 tracks as well.
Schoolboy Q’s Oxymoron is the top overall album, debuting with 138k units sold. YTD, Country album sales are down 12.7 percent, while overall album sales are down 15.1 percent. The same week last year, Bruno Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox was the top overall album, selling 95k units, while Taylor Swift’s RED remained the top Country album with 24k units sold.

Tracks

AlbumTracks-030514Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up” is the top Country track this week (No. 15 overall), selling 66k units (544k RTD). The top Country debut is Lee Brice’s “I Don’t Dance” coming in at No. 6 (No. 39 overall), selling 37k units. Pharrell Williams’  “Happy” remains the top overall track, selling 413k this this week (2.1 million RTD). Justin Timberlake’s “Not A Bad Thing” is the top overall debut, appearing at No. 23, with 50k units sold.
YTD, Country track sales are down 16.9 percent, while overall track sales are down 11.6 percent. The same week last year, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “Thrift Shop” was the top overall track, selling 247k units, while Blake Shelton’s “Sure Be Cool If You Did” continued as the No. 1 Country track, selling 74k units.
Next week’s numbers will include David Nail’s I’m A Fire, Eli Young Band’s 10,000 Towns, Sundy Best’s Bring Up The Sun, Bill Anderson’s Life and Kevin Fowler’s How Country Are Ya?

Lawrence Receives ASCAP’s Sammy Cahn Award

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Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan and Sandy Lawrence


For the past 18 years, The ASCAP Foundation has celebrated the life of former Board member Sammy Cahn with its Sammy Cahn Award, presented annually to a promising songwriter. This year’s recipient is Nashville-based ASCAP member Sandy Emory Lawrence, who won for her song “The Pretty One.”
Lawrence lives in Franklin, Tenn. and cites musical influences including Bob Wills, Roger Miller, Broadway’s My Fair Lady, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, The Eagles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Emmylou Harris, among others.
Lawrence previously won a Kerrville songwriting award in 1988 and has released an album titled The Hammer Lands. Additionally, she performed alongside Joey + Rory at the Grand Ole Opry in 2013. More recently, ASCAP included Lawrence in its Nashville’s Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters (GPS) Project, which introduced her to Nashville’s publishing community.
Previous winners of the Sammy Cahn award include John Mayer, Josh Ritter, Lori McKenna, Daniel Mackenzie, Chris Keup, Cinco Paul, John Francis and Katie Herzig. For more information, visit ascapfoundation.org.