Luke Bryan Sells Out Nashville Tour Dates

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luke bryan crash my party album cover1111
Luke Bryan has sold out both of his Dirt Road Diary tour dates at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 18 and 19. Both dates sold out in less than five minutes. Bryan’s Oct. 18 show will feature tour mates Florida Georgia Line and Thompson Square, while his Oct. 19 show will feature special guests Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell.
“I have had the most amazing week launching the new album,” said Bryan. “The overwhelming response of my fans to this new music and to the ‘Dirt Road Diaries Tour’ has blown me away.  We are definitely going to have a party in Nashville in October!”
When the singer learned that his diehard fans were camping out around the arena’s box office, he thanked them for their support by sending them coffee and donuts. Bryan’s latest album Crash My Party is on shelves now. For more information on the singer’s album and tour, visit lukebryan.com.
 

Nathan Hubbard Exits Ticketmaster

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ticketmasterGlobal President of Ticketmaster Nathan Hubbard has exited the company, according to Billboard.biz. The company’s North American President Jared Smith will retain that title, but is expected to assume many of Hubbard’s duties. Smith, along with Ticketmaster’s International President Mark Yovich will report to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino. An SEC filing confirmed Hubbard’s departure from the company.
Hubbard was named CEO of Ticketmaster after it merged with Live Nation in 2010. He had previously been Chief Executive Officer of Ticketing Unit at Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. He joined Live Nation through the acquisition of Music Today’s direct-to-fan platform in 2006, where Hubbard served as CEO. Hubbard is a graduate of Princeton University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
In early 2009, Live Nation Ticketing was launched as a direct competitor to Ticketmaster, but LNT was done away with after Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation.

T.J. Martell Foundation Announces 38th Annual Gala Honorees

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TJcarrie underwood featured111The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research has announced that Carrie Underwood will be honored at its 38th Annual Honors Gala on Tuesday, Oct. 22 with the 2013 Artist Achievement Award. The gala will be held at the legendary Cipriani in New York.

Other honorees during the evening include Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Marketing CITI (Spirit of Music Award), Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports (Humanitarian of the Year Award), John Sykes, President of Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises (Lifetime Music Industry Achievement Award) and Target Corporation (Spirit of Excellence Award). Celebrity performers and presenters will be announced throughout the summer.
“When I started this Foundation with several of my peers in the music and entertainment business in honor of my son T.J., I wanted to do all that I could to make sure other families would not have to suffer the way my family did,” said Tony Martell, Founder & Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation. “We are thrilled to honor Carrie Underwood with this year’s Artist Achievement Award.”
Past honorees have included former President George W. Bush and former President William J. Clinton, the late Frances Williams Preston, Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Anne Curry, Al Roker, Clive Davis, Arnold Palmer, Del Bryant, Scott Borchetta, Clarence Avant, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, the late Gil Freisen, Irving Azoff, Russell Simmons, Monte & Avery Lipman, Bruce Lundvall, John Esposito, Joel Katz and the late Ahmet Ertegun. The T.J. Martell New York Honors Gala is sponsored by American Airlines.

Old Crow Medicine Show To Become Opry Members

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Old Crow Medicine Show, Sally Williams (second from left) Ryman Auditorium, Marty Stuart and Pete Fisher (far right) Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Chris Hollo.

Old Crow Medicine Show, Sally Williams (second from left) Ryman Auditorium, Marty Stuart and Pete Fisher (far right) Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Chris Hollo.


Old Crow Medicine Show was invited to become the latest members of the Grand Ole Opry during their show last Friday night (Aug. 16) in Ohio. The string band has long-standing ties with the Opry since some of its first performances took place on the sidewalks outside the Opry House in 2000 playing for fans on their way into and out of Opry shows. They’ve come a long way since then, making their first official performance on the Opry stage a year later in January 2001, and subsequently playing the hallowed hall dozens of times since. Their formal induction ceremony will take place Sept. 17.
The band received their surprise invitation to join the Opry from Marty Stuart during their show at the Ohio Theater in Cleveland. Clearly thrilled with the invitation, they gave a resounding yes and then launched into  “We Don’t Grow Tobacco” with Stuart before performing their signature tune/fan favorite, “Wagon Wheel.”
“Inviting Old Crow to become our next member is truly exciting for us,” said Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager. “For one, Old Crow has grown before our eyes from entertaining Opry-goers for free in the Opry Plaza a dozen years ago to rank today among the most respected and popular acts in music. It’s also exciting that in many ways Old Crow looks and sounds a lot like some of the string bands of the 1920s  which helped first propel the Opry to national prominence. While recent Opry inductees and contemporary hit-makers such as Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, and Dierks Bentley, will help shape the Opry in coming years, our future is also in excellent hands with this group, which happens to be quite reminiscent of our musical past. It’s an awesome full circle.”

16th Annual Buds-n-Suds Music Festival Announces Headliner

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buds n suds111Joe Diffie is confirmed to headline Losers’s Most Wanted Bar and The Big 98 WSIX Present the 16th Annual Buds-n-Suds Music Festival, set for Thursday, Oct. 17.
The outdoor concert will be held at Loser’s in Nashville, to support the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America Tennessee Chapter. The performance will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Additional performers will be announced soon.
General admission tickets are Free, with VIP tickets available for a discounted $50 donation. VIP tickets will include a special seating area, drink tickets and light appetizers. To purchase VIP tickets, visit budsnsuds.eventbrite.com.

Sony Corp. A Contender For Elvis Presley Estate

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elvisThe estates of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali, owned by Core Media, were up for a second round of auction bidding which ended Wednesday (Aug. 14), according to the New York Post. Assets of the estate include a half interest in Elvis’ music publishing catalog, which has an annual net publishing revenue of $6 million. According to reports, real estate assets Graceland and Heartbreak Hotel are also included in the Presley estate. Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie commented via Twitter, stating that, “Graceland and all of its artifacts are all mine and always will B [sic].”
Sony Corp. and the G2 Investment Group are reportedly working on a joint bid for the assets. Sony Music Entertainment currently controls the Presley master recording catalog; a purchase of the estate would eliminate artist royalty payments from Sony to the estate.

'MusicRow' No. 1 Song

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Kenny Chesney. Photo: Shaun Silva

Kenny Chesney. Photo: Shaun Silva


Perhaps it’s fitting that Kenny Chesney’s “When I See This Bar” takes the MusicRow Chart’s No. 1 spot this week, at the end of the summer season.
As the weather softens and school bells ring, the title offers a chance for reflection on vacations and memories beyond. The song, written by Chesney and Keith Gattis, has spent the past 13 weeks surfing to the top as the second title released from Chesney’s 2013 project, Life On A Rock.
The 4:07-minute radio edit has been extended to over six minutes for the music video, directed by Chesney’s mainstay director Shaun Silva.
Speaking of summer wrapping, Chesney has four dates left on his No Shoes Nation tour, not including his appearance at The Zac Brown Band’s Southern Ground festival in Nashville, Fri. Sept. 27. The stadium singer has announced plans to take 2014 off from touring.

Eli Young Band To Headline 'Drunk Last Night' Tour

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eli young band 1

Eli Young Band


Republic Nashville artist Eli Young Band is set to headline the Drunk Last Night Fall/Winter Tour, with guest Eric Paslay (EMI). Select dates will also include Warner Brothers artist Josh Abbott Band and other guests.
The nearly 30-date tour will launch in Kansas City, Mo. on Oct. 3 and end in mid-December. Other tour stops include Chicago, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and El Paso, Texas.
For more information, visit eliyoungband.com.
Drunk Last Night Tour Dates:
Oct. 3 Kansas City, Mo.
Oct. 4 Conroe, Texas
Oct. 5 Waco, Texas
Oct. 6 El Paso, Texas
Oct. 23 Bloomington, Ind.
Oct. 25 Chattanooga, Tenn.
Oct. 26 Norfolk, Va.
Oct. 27 Raleigh, N.C.
Nov. 1 Fayetteville, Ark.
Nov. 2 Fayetteville, Ark.
Nov. 8 Austin, Texas
Nov. 13 Baltimore, Md.
Nov. 15 Milwaukee, Wisc.
Nov. 16 Chicago
Nov. 17 Chicago
Nov. 18 Chicago
Nov. 7 Atlantic City, N.J.

Academy of Country Music Names Officers For 2013-2014

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Pictured (L-R): Treasurer Duane Clark, Vice President Paul Barnabee, Chairman of the Board Ken Robold, outgoing ACM Chairman of the Board Butch Waugh, President Darin Murphy, Parliamentarian Paul Moore, Secretary Tiffany Moon

Pictured (L-R): Treasurer Duane Clark, Vice President Paul Barnabee, Chairman of the Board Ken Robold, outgoing ACM Chairman of the Board Butch Waugh, President Darin Murphy, Parliamentarian Paul Moore, Secretary Tiffany Moon


Ken Robold, Darin Murphy, Duane Clark, Paul Moore, Tiffany Moon and Paul Barnabee are among the newly elected Academy of Country Music officers for the 2013-2014 term.
Chairman of the Board—Ken Robold, Southern Ground Artists
President—Darin Murphy, CAA
Vice-President—Paul Barnabee, Sony Music Nashville
Treasurer—Duane Clark, FBMM
Parliamentarian—Paul Moore, WME
Secretary—Tiffany Moon, Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music Board of Directors elections will be ratified in the fall, and new Board members will be announced at that time.

Artist Action (8-16-13)

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Chris Young

Chris Young


• Chris Young is continuing to improve and has been moved to a regular room (out of ICU) after being hospitalized in Denver with a serious leg infection Tuesday night, according to his publicist. Upon discovering the infection, Young was forced to cancel a show in Kalispell, Mont. and this weekend’s performances on Brad Paisley‘s Beat This Summer Tour. The cause of the infection is unknown. He is slated to resume his schedule in Redding, Calif., on Aug. 21.
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Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer


• Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer have called it quits and will not be heading down the aisle after their seven-month engagement, according to People.com. The two, who are both busy on the road touring, reportedly blame their careers for the demise of their relationship. Kramer was previously married to Johnathon Schaech for a month in 2010, and to Michael Gambino in 2004.
charlie daniels

Charlie Daniels


• Charlie Daniels and his wife Hazel will host “Charlie Daniels Scholarships for Heroes,” an annual charity event benefiting The Task Force Dagger Foundation, on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the Nashville Palm restaurant. Phil Vassar will make a celebrity guest appearance at the benefit, which will be emceed by Storme Warren and will include a VIP cocktail reception, a silent auction, a surf and turf dinner, and a live auction.
The Task Force Dagger Foundation is a charity that supports the US Army’s Special Operations Command (USASOC). It is dedicated to providing immediate assistance to the wounded, ill, or injured USASOC soldiers and their families as well as Gold Star families.
Tickets to the event are $250 per person and VIP Tables are $5,000. For ticket information, contact Paige Dixon at (615) 742-3193 or [email protected].
tracy-lawrence

Tracy Lawrence


• Tracy Lawrence will debut music from his brand new CD Headlights, Taillights and Radios this weekend on SiriusXM’s Prime Country channel 58. The three-day world premiere event runs today (Aug. 16) through Sunday and features Lawrence in front of a studio audience performing his new songs and some old favorites as well, as he shares personal stories behind the making of the new project. The entire CD will be premiered throughout the weekend on the channel, and hits stores Aug. 20.
• sweetwater rain11Curb recording group Sweetwater Rain has just been added to the fall leg of the Rascal Flatts Live and Loud Tour with The Band Perry. The group recently digitally released their sophomore single “Pray For Me.”  Sweetwater Rain is made-up of lead vocalist guitarist Danny Rivera, lead guitarist/vocalist Fred Stallcup, and bassist/vocalist Thomas Hewlett.