Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews To Appear On ‘At Home With Farm Aid’ COVID Benefit

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Pictured (L-R): Willie, Micah, and Lukas Nelson. Photo: Janis Tillerson.

Farm Aid and AXS TV are presenting a special broadcast of At Home With Farm Aid, featuring performances by Farm Aid Board Members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews, on Saturday, April 11 at 8 p.m. ET.  The hour-long live event reunites Farm Aid president Nelson, joined by sons Lukas and Micah, with Mellencamp, Young, and Matthews for an intimate performance to raise funds and awareness for farmers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The unique concert captures the quartet as they each tune in from their own homes and studios to deliver an unforgettable night of music. At Home With Farm Aid airs as part of AXS TV’s new “@Home And Social” initiative, an ongoing series giving artists a platform to broadcast live performances from their homes and studios directly to their fans, with proceeds supporting those in need from the coronavirus. Viewers can enjoy the simulcast on AXS TV and at farmaid.org, as well as across the network’s various social media platforms.

“The coronavirus has disrupted our entire country and is a grave threat to all of us. One of its many impacts is that it has helped us to better see the value of essential people like healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, delivery truck drivers, and farmers and ranchers,” said Nelson. “Farm Aid has worked for 35 years to build a family farm centered agricultural system, and we are here now to support farmers and ranchers in this crisis, without whom we could not eat. The time to build a resilient family farm food system is now!”

Viewers can also relive performances from Nelson, Mellencamp, Young, Matthews and more when AXS TV presents The Best Of Farm Aid 2019 on Sunday, April 12, at 8 p.m. ET. The special compiles footage from AXS TV’s live broadcast of the 2019 festival, giving viewers the best seat in the house for hit-packed sets from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Margo Price, Yola and Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real, among others, as well as Bonnie Raitt‘s previously-unaired performance of “Devil Got My Woman.”

With COVID-19 presenting farmers across the country with a new set of challenges to overcome, Farm Aid is responding immediately to invest in farmer-led solutions to the COVID-19 crisis, including making emergency grants to farmers and ranchers in need, creating comprehensive resources for farmers, connecting farmers to legal, financial, and mental health support resources, supporting local, state, and national farm organizations, and advocating for COVID-19 recovery funds and resources from the federal government for short-term relief and long-term resilience. To make a donation so that Farm Aid can support and strengthen our farmers, visit farmaid.org/donate.

Scotty McCreery’s "Five More Minutes" Video Hits 100 Million Mark For YouTube Views

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Scotty McCreery. Photo: Jeff Ray

Scotty McCreery‘s video for “Five More Minutes” has now garnered more than 100 million views on YouTube.

The video, directed by filmmaker Jeff Ray, featured rare footage of McCreery growing up with family and friends and peaked at No. 1 on both the CMT Hot 20 Countdown and the GAC Top 20 Countdown. Ray also directed McCreery’s videos for his second No. 1 hit “This is It” (nearing 60 million videos views on YouTube) and his current top 15 single “In Between,” in addition to  directing all three acoustic videos from his recent digital EP, The Soundcheck Sessions.

“Jeff Ray went through hundreds of hours of rare family footage and perfectly captured what ‘Five More Minutes’ was all about,” said McCreery. “I wanted the video to feel as intimate as the song that I wrote with Frank and Monty, and Jeff did an incredible job of presenting some very personal moments that visually gave the song a different dimension. When I saw what he did with the ‘Five More Minutes’ video, I knew I loved his creative vision and wanted him to direct all the music videos from the Seasons Change album.”

“Five More Minutes” was McCreery’s first No.1 hit on both Mediabase/Country Aircheck Country Singles Chart and Billboard Country Airplay Chart. He wrote it with Frank Rogers (who also produced the song) and Monty Criswell, and it was the lead single from his album Seasons Change, which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart.

 

 

Country Radio Hall Of Fame Induction Rescheduled

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Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has rescheduled the 2020 Country Radio Hall of Fame induction and dinner, which was originally set for June 24, has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 3 at Nashville’s Westin Hotel.

As previously announced, the 2020 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees will include three off-air radio broadcasters and three on-air radio personalities. The off-air honorees include Jim Duncan, Victor Sansone and George Beasley. The on-air honorees include Tim Wilson, Chuck Edwards and Mark “Hawkeye” Louis. Country Radio Hall of Fame honorees must have made a significant contribution to the radio industry over a 20-year period, in which 15 of those must have been in the country radio format.

CRB’s Board President, Kurt Johnson, commented, “For the safety of our country family attending the ceremony, we are delaying the CRHOF event, and encourage everyone to stay safe. I want to say congratulations to the Class of 2020. While we are sad to hold off an evening celebrating you, it will definitely be all the sweeter when we can gather later. See you then!”

Kory Caudill Launches Inside Music Nashville

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Pictured (Back row): Matt Reviere, Roger Lee Coleman II, Donnie Marple, Dave Dubas. Front row: Martin ‘Bucky’ Seja, Marc Costanzo, Kory Caudill

Production and songwriting company Inside Music Nashville has opened in Music City, spearheaded by producer/keyboardist and arranger Kory Caudill. Also joining the new company is writer and music publishing executive Marc Costanzo, as well as Matt Williams, who will serve as General Manager. Inside Music Nashville is located at 2741 Larmon Drive in Nashville.

“When Marc and I first met, what stood out the most was how important roots are to both of us,” said Caudill. “Marc is an absolute guru when it comes to writing and producing pop music. He’s also bringing to Inside Music Nashville many of the resources from his world, including his longtime R&B and Hip Hop production partner, Martin ‘Bucky’ Seja.”

“It’s a real pleasure to bring together the knowledge, resources, and personnel from both Kory and Marc’s vastly different cultural, musical and business backgrounds,” said Williams. “We are looking forward to bringing together two different worlds of music and business and working together towards a common goal.”

Caudill adds, “I couldn’t be more excited about the team we’ve put together. When working with Marc and Bucky, there’s an endless amount of hooks, ideas and production coming out of these guys daily. We’re looking forward to welcoming writers and Nashville-based publishers who want to jump in on some ideas and collaborations with us. While social distancing guidelines have us temporarily away from the studio, we’ve always been setup for high quality remote work and we’re going to see a lot of music come out of our camp in the next six months.”

ACM Updates: COVID-19 Response Fund; ‘Our Country’ Rebroadcast

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ACM Lifting Lives and the Academy of Country Music announced today (April 8) the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund allocated $1 million in less than a week following the ACM Presents: Our Country special that aired Sunday, April 5 on CBS. The special was viewed by early 8 million music fans around the country, and featured at-home acoustic performances from country artists, along with clips from past ACM Awards moments and an introduction of the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund.

Since the announcement, $1 million was raised thanks to ACM Lifting Lives sponsors FirstNet, Built with AT&T and Amazon Music, and donors, including The Bobby Bones Show, City National Bank, and other individuals. The ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund—which was created to assist individuals working in the country music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic—began with an initial endowment of $250,000, matched $250,000 in outside support, and is now contributing another $250,000 due to the need of applicants. To date, more than $500,000 has been distributed to country music industry professionals who demonstrate immediate financial needs due to COVID-19 and meet the outlined criteria.

“In less than 48 hours, ACM Lifting Lives was able to send financial support to hundreds of applicants with the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund at an expedited pace,” said Lyndsay Cruz, Executive Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “A huge thank you to our generous private corporate donors, partners, and many individual industry leaders for their contributions. Because of them, ACM Lifting Lives matched donations to aid those in the county music community during these extraordinary times. We are hopeful to continue supporting future applicants with this fund and thank you to all for the support.”

It was also announced that ACM Presents: Our Country will rebroadcast Saturday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. CT on the CBS Television Network and on CBS All Access. The special features performances from Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown & John Legend, Luke Bryan, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Brad Paisley & Darius Rucker, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Additionally, the special will honor 10-time ACM Award winner Kenny Rogers with performances by Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker.

“The Academy thanks the artists that participated in the special as they brought comfort and music to nearly 8 million people in this time of uncertainty,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “The show also spread the message about the good work of ACM Lifting Lives through the generosity of our artists and partners, and directed viewers to our ACMOurCountry.com website where they can apply or discover how to support this important cause.”

The ACM Presents: Our Country Pre-Show is available to watch via the ACM Facebook, YouTube and the newly launched ACMOurCountry.com website. Lauren Alaina, Ingrid Andress, Gabby Barrett, Lee Brice, Blanco Brown, Lindsay Ell, Riley Green, Mickey Guyton, Caylee Hammack, Ashley McBryde, Jake Owen, Carly Pearce, and Tenille Townes appear on the Our Country Pre-Show. The Pre-Show also pays tribute to 6-time ACM Award nominee Joe Diffie, who passed away due to complications with COVID-19, with a special performance by Chris Young.

For more information about the COVID-19 Response Fund including corporate partnerships, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.

Artists Remember John Prine

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One of music’s premier songwriters, John Prine, died on Tuesday (April 7) at age 73. Since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1971, a project which contained instant classics such as “Sam Stone,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Hello in There,” “Paradise” and “Illegal Smile,” Prine has become a revered artist and songwriter who has won two Grammy awards (and was named a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by the Recording Academy for 2020). He released 18 full-length studio albums over the course of his career and had the highest debut of his career with 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness. Last year, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In recent years, artists such as Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Kacey Musgraves and more have cited him as a chief influence. Prine worked with and earned praise from artists including Bob Dylan, “Cowboy” Jack Clement and Kris Kristofferson.

Following news of Prine’s passing, tributes poured in from many artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Miranda Lambert, Isbell, Bonnie Raitt and more. Also among those offering tributes to Prine was Trisha Yearwood, who was among Prine’s collaborators on his 1999 album In Spite of Ourselves.

Read below for several tributes to Prine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warner Music Nashville’s Radio & Streaming Department Adds Chase, Transitions Marsh

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Michael Chase, James Marsh

Michael Chase has been named National Director of the Radio & Streaming department at Warner Music Nashville beginning April 13. James Marsh will also move to a newly created National Director role in the label’s department, in which he will be responsible for airplay across the WAR, WEA and WMN radio teams concurrently. Both positions will report to VP Radio Tom Martens.

Chase was most recently the National Head of HAC Promotion at The Orchard (formerly Sony RED), where he worked with artists including BTS, Ingrid Michaelson, Jewel, Kelsea Ballerini, Lovelytheband, The Raconteurs and more. He previously worked in radio programming in marketing for more than 20 years, with his last stop at WSTR Atlanta. Currently a Georgia resident, Chase will be relocating to Nashville with his wife and two children.

“The strength of our radio team is dependent on the artists we serve and the people who serve them,” Martens said. “We’re so fortunate to add another brick to an already robust foundation with Michael Chase. He has both the radio and label know-how that will make him an incredible asset to the WAR roster.”

Marsh began his career as an artist development rep at Universal Music Group in 2000. The following year he became a promotions manager at Island Def Jam, where he remained until 2006, and then transitioned to a Pop/Rock southwest regional role at Atlantic Records. The Texas native then spent four years as a National Director at Roadrunner before returning to regional positions at Warner Records and, most recently, Big Machine Label Group.

“We already knew James was an essential part of our framework,” said SVP Radio Kristen Williams of Marsh’s transition. “When we decided to proceed with creating an ancillary National Director role, we happened to have the perfect person for the job right under our roof. We can’t wait for him to lend his experience and incomparable personality to even more of our radio journeys!”

Kip Moore Launches "In The Wild Sessions"

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Kip Moore will offer insight into his upcoming fourth studio album, Wild World, via a series of acoustic video sessions, titled “In The Wild Sessions.”

The album releases May 29, but the first video in the acoustic series is already available. The clip shows Moore performing the album’s title track in the Mohave Desert, collaborating with vocalist India Carney and guitarist Melissa Dougherty.

The clips filmed in Mojave Desert were directed and filmed by PJ Brown, though Moore has continued to shoot stripped-back sessions solo while in isolation at his rock-climbing facility in Bedrock, Kentucky. Additional videos from both locations will be released in the coming weeks.

“The ‘In The Wild Sessions’ began as a way to tell the story of these songs in a bare bones kind of way,” shared Moore. “I love to travel, and so PJ and I scouted a spot in the desert in California and hand-picked some independent artists to do the sessions with, as a way of also highlighting their amazing talents too. We shot five videos in the desert and then when our plans changed a little with everything going on, we shifted gears while I’m here in Kentucky in isolation. The scenery here in Red River Gorge is also one of my favorite places to be and so I’m looking forward to also sharing this pocket of the world in some of the videos to come.”

 

Warner Chappell Music A&R Executive Katy Wolaver’s Role Now Includes Nashville

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Katy Wolaver

Katy Wolaver, Vice President of A&R at Warner Chappell Music, will broaden her current role to now include Nashville. Working between Los Angeles and Nashville, she will help to foster even more collaborations between the cities’ robust rosters of songwriters and producers.

Wolaver joined the company in 2016, and is responsible for signing and developing new and established songwriters and producers from Warner Chappell’s downtown Los Angeles headquarters. She currently manages a broad array of pop and country talent, including Ava Max, Michael Pollack, Tayla Parx, Jesse Frasure, Sasha Sloan, and Devin Dawson.

“Nashville is home to some of the best songwriters in the world, and we’re looking forward to working with Katy to expand opportunities for the incredible talent in this city,” said Warner Chappell Music Nashville’s President & CEO, Ben Vaughn. “As music genres continue to evolve, it’s our responsibility to create a space for more songwriters to make music together.”

Warner Chappell Music’s President of A&R, U.S., Ryan Press said, “Katy has spent more than a decade working with pop and country songwriters and is in a unique position to bring talent from both genres closer together. Her strong relationships will enable us to create bold new pairings, and I can’t wait to see what will come of this new role.”

Wolaver got her start in music in 2006 while working for songwriter Kara DioGuardi at Arthouse Entertainment, supporting writers and producers like Jon Bellion, Mitch Allan and Ari Levine of The Smeezingtons. She went on to serve as Director of A&R at SONGS Music Publishing. Throughout her career, Wolaver has been behind numerous top hits, such as “Club Can’t Handle Me” by Flo Rida, “Heart Attack” by Demi Lovato, “Never Be The Same” by Camila Cabello, and “Fight” by Florida Georgia Line and Tayla Parx.

“This decision says a lot about Warner Chappell and our commitment to songwriters,” said Wolaver. “It’s so important that we encourage innovation by empowering our writers and producers to experiment with different artists and new styles, regardless of what they’ve done in the past. I’m proud to be part of a team that is willing to do things differently to get our songwriters heard.”

John Prine’s Wife Fiona Whelan Prine Shares Message Following Legendary Singer-Songwriter’s Passing

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Pictured: John Prine and his wife/manager Fiona Whelan Prine at Prine’s album release party for The Tree of Forgiveness in Nashville in 2018. Photo: Neilson Hubbard

John Prine‘s wife and manager, Fiona Whelan Prine, shared a post on Facebook following John Prine’s death on Tuesday (April 7) at age 73 due to complications from the COVID-19 coronavirus.

She shared that she was able to be with Prine in the hours before his passing, and urged readers to follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She also asked that in lieu of gifts or flowers, that readers donate to organizations including Thistle Farms, Nashville Rescue Mission and Room in the Inn. John and Fiona wed in 1996; John Prine is also survived by three sons, Jody, Jack and Tommy, as well as two brothers and three grandchildren.

Read Fiona’s full message below:

Our beloved John died yesterday evening at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville TN. We have no words to describe the grief our family is experiencing at this time. John was the love of my life and adored by our sons Jody, Jack and Tommy, daughter in law Fanny, and by our grandchildren.

John contracted Covid-19 and in spite of the incredible skill and care of his medical team at Vanderbilt he could not overcome the damage this virus inflicted on his body.

I sat with John – who was deeply sedated- in the hours before he passed and will be forever grateful for that opportunity.

My dearest wish is that people of all ages take this virus seriously and follow guidelines set by the CDC. We send our condolences and love to the thousands of other American families who are grieving the loss of loved ones at this time – and to so many other families across the world.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love we have received from family, friends, and fans all over the world. John will be so missed but he will continue to comfort us with his words and music and the gifts of kindness, humor and love he left for all of us to share.

In lieu of flowers or gifts at this time we would ask that a donation be made to one of the following non profits
thistlefarms.org
roomintheinn.org
nashvillerescuemission.org