Loretta Lynn's Eldest Daughter Dies at 64

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Loretta Lynn


The eldest daughter of Loretta Lynn passed away on Monday, July 29. Betty Sue Lynn died from complications of emphysema at her home in Waverly, Tenn. She was 64.
She is survived by two daughters, Lynn Markworth and Audrey Dyer, as well as five grandchildren.
Loretta Lynn turned 81 in April. The singer married her late husband, Doolittle “Doo” Lynn, in 1948; they had six children. In 1984, she previously lost her eldest son, Jack Benny, at age 34.

Artist Photos (7-29-13)

Kacey Musgraves performed her latest single, “Blowin’ Smoke,” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday (July 26). Other guests on the show included singer Katy Perry and sportscaster Cris Collinsworth.

Pictured (L-R): Katy Perry, Cris Collinsworth, Kacey Musgraves

Pictured (L-R): Katy Perry, Cris Collinsworth, Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Paul Drinkwater/NBC


The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Season 21

Kacey Musgraves performs “Blowin’ Smoke” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Photo: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

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Zane Williams visited with GAC’s Suzanne Alexander during Williams’ recent “Overnight Success” showcase in Nashville. Williams’ album Overnight Success will release Aug. 13.

Pictured (L-R): Suzanne Alexander and Zane Williams

Pictured (L-R): Suzanne Alexander and Zane Williams

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Brett Eldredge and Steve Wariner performed at Joe’s Pub in New York City on July 23 and 24 as part of the CMA Songwriters Series. Joining Eldredge and Wariner were Country music songwriter Tia Sillers and Songwriters Series host and songwriter Bob DiPiero. The two-night stint marked Eldredge’s series debut.

cma songwriters series

Pictured (L-R): Steve Wariner, Bob DiPiero, Brett Eldredge, Tia Sellers, Sellers’ guitarist and husband, Mark Selby. Photo: Kevin Yatarola/CMA

Red Light Management Signs Star Act, Adds Staff

red light logoRed Light Management has signed The Band Perry to its roster of clients and has added two staffers.
Allison Hardy, formerly with Capitol/EMI and UMG, will direct online and digital efforts for the RLM/Nashville artists.
Additionally, Kristy Reeves, who formerly worked at Fitzgerald Hartley on day-to-day management for Brad Paisley, has joined Red Light Management working with The Band Perry.
The Band Perry is currently on the road with Rascal Flatts‘ Live & Loud Tour.

Jack White Donates $200,000 For Recording Preservation

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Jack White


Jack White has donated $200,000 to the National Recording Preservation Foundation. The NRPF is an independent, non-profit organization created by the U.S. Congress. The organization aims to preserve American radio music and sound recordings and to support archives, libraries and other institutions.
“Here we have a whole nation of cultural heritage in recorded sound [and] a lot of it is in precarious shape,” Executive Director Gerald Seligman tells the Washington Post, “Some was recorded on very fragile media — like old cylinders, acetates, reel-to-reel tapes — and it’s turning into shards. Some of these things have got to be saved quick.”
White is on the board of directors for the NRPF. The foundation was chartered in 2010 and is the third component of the National Recording Preservation Act.
The first element of the act established a national recording registry for music, radio broadcasts and any sounds that have made their way into the public consciousness–including recordings of AOL’s “You’ve Got Mail” and the “NBC Chimes.” The second element, the National Recording Preservation Board, oversees the selection process for the registry.

'Shania: Still The One' To Return To Las Vegas

shaniaLas Vegas’ newest resident, Shania Twain, will return to the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for Shania: Still The One this October.
Following a four-month hiatus, Twain will begin her next run of 22 performances beginning on Oct. 15; the concert event will run through Dec. 14.
The entertainer has released a behind-the-scenes video (below) that allows fans a look at her journey from backstage to center stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lCmUvdv8NY&feature=youtu.be
Tickets are available here.

CRS Battle of the Bands Set For September

CRS battle of the bands 2014
Country Radio Seminar will hold the second annual “CRS Battle of the Bands” on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 6-9 p.m at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley.
Bands formed from Nashville’s music industry executives will compete against one another in front of their friends and peers. Last year’s event featured bands with members from Broken Bow Records, Capitol Nashville, Sony Music Nashville, UMG Nashville and Warner Music Nashville.
The event proceeds will benefit the CRS Scholarship Fund and The Country Radio Hall of Fame.
“CRS Battle of the Bands” is a private, industry-only event. Last year’s event was sold out. For more information on sponsorships and group table sales, please call the CRS offices at (615) 327-4487.
CRS 2014 will be held at the Nashville Convention Center from Feb. 19-21, 2014. For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.

Dierks Bentley To Host 7th Annual ACM Honors

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Dierks Bentley


Dierks Bentley will return to host the 7th Annual ACM Honors, dedicated to the honorees and off-camera category winners of the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music awards. The event will take place Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Tickets, priced at $40.00, will go on sale to the public at 8 a.m. PST on Friday, Aug. 2, 2013. They will be available at ticketmaster.com and at the Ryman box office.
This is Bentley’s second consecutive time hosting the event, and the fourth time the ceremony will be held at the Ryman Auditorium. The evening is sponsored in part by American Airlines, City National Bank and Spot Shot®.
Those being honored include Special Award recipients Jason Aldean, Guy Clark, Blake Shelton, Tommy Wiggins, Lady Antebellum and The Judds. Keith Whitley and Hank Williams will also be honored posthumously. The evening also recognizes winners of the MBI (musician, bandleader, instrumentalist) and Industry categories, which are not presented during the live telecast of the Academy of Country Music Awards. In addition, Dallas Davidson will be recognized as the winner of Songwriter of the Year.

Keith Urban Lights The Fuse on 2013 Tour

Keith Urban in Georgia on his 2013 Light The Fuse Tour.

Keith Urban in Georgia on his 2013 ‘Light The Fuse’ tour.


Without a doubt, Keith Urban is igniting a flurry of excitement across the country during his current tour with opening acts Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch. On Saturday (July 27), Universal Music Group invited a group of Nashville industry players to Alpharetta, Ga.’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park to experience the second week of this headlining phenomenon billed as the Light The Fuse tour.
Fresh from his role as a judge on season 12 of American Idol, Urban proved a reliable authority not only for vocal prowess and entertainment charisma but for production quality. Together with set designer Travis Shirley, Urban has created a signature experience including lighting, CGI, video and confetti cannons for a must-see spectacle.
Throughout the evening, the Georgia audience was treated to a sampling of his new music with the tunes “Little Bit Of Everything” and “Even the Stars Fall For You,” alongside a slew of recognizable hits including “Kiss A Girl,” “Sweet Thing” and “Stupid Boy.” Event surprises included UMG opening act Little Big Town joining Urban for “You’re Gonna Fly,” as well as a satellite stage in the lawn, and to the delight of the audience, an invitation from the singer for two sign-waving sisters to join him on stage for a conversation and picture.
Keith Urban with opening label mates Little Big Town on the 'Light The Fuse' Tour singing "You Gonna Fly."

Keith Urban with opening label mates Little Big Town on the ‘Light The Fuse’ Tour singing “You Gonna Fly.”


Although Urban is capable of carrying the show solo, his talented bandmates Danny Rader, Brian Nutter, Chris McHugh and Jerry Flowers add a thrilling dimension to the audio and visual production. Meanwhile, Urban remains a dedicated musical cheerleader for his audience, as the first one on the stage and the last to leave. There is never a time the class act isn’t wearing his heart on his sleeve. Judging from the Georgia show, crowds are having no trouble embracing the entertainer as their own.
Additionally, Little Big Town showcased why they are the reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year during their opening set. Saving big guns “Pontoon” and “Boondocks” for the end, the band performed a set that included soulful vocal harmonies and instrumental proficiency with “Little White Church,” “Tornado” and “Your Side Of The Bed.”
Catch upcoming dates for the 2013 tour here. Urban’s forthcoming album Fuse will be available September 10.

Lady Antebellum Announces Take Me Downtown Tour Dates

Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum


Multiple award-winning band Lady Antebellum will launch the headlining Take Me Downtown Tour on Nov. 8 in Southhaven, Miss. The tour, which will feature artists Kip Moore and Kacey Musgraves, will run through December.
“We spent almost every day last year backstage writing for our album Golden, so we were really focused on writing songs that would connect with the fans in these arenas,” says Lady Antebellum band member Charles Kelley. “We definitely learned a lot about ourselves as live performers and the type of catalog we wanted to have so that we could go out and try to give the fans the best show they’ve ever experienced. All of that was the jumping off point for this tour, and now it’s time to take it to the next level.”
Fans can purchase tickets and VIP packages for the band’s upcoming tour starting September 13. For more information, visit ladyantebellum.com.
Take Me Downtown Tour Dates:
Nov. 8 Southaven, Miss.—Landers Center
Nov. 9 St. Louis—Chaifetz Arena
Nov. 10 Evansville, Ind.—Ford Center
Nov. 12 Grand Rapids, Mich.—Van Andel Arena
Nov. 15 Chicago—Allstate Arena
Nov. 16 Toledo, Ohio—Huntington Center
Nov. 17 Cleveland, Ohio—Quicken Loans Arena
Nov. 19 Fargo, N.D.—Fargodome
Nov. 21 Rapid City, S.D.—Rusmore Plaza Civic Center
Nov. 22 Denver, Colo.—Pepsi Center
Nov. 23 Salt Lake City—EnergySolutions Arena
Dec. 3 Springfield, Mo.—JQH Arena
Dec. 5 Minneapolis—Target Center
Dec. 6 Kansas City, Mo.—Sprint Center
Dec. 7 Omaha, Neb.—CenturyLink Center
Dec. 12 Cincinnati—U.S. Bank Arena
Dec. 14 Peoria, Ill.—Peoria Civic Center

John Fogerty To Launch Tour in October

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John Fogerty


John Fogerty recently released his latest project, Wrote A Song For Everyone, which includes collaborations with several of country music’s top-selling artists. Mixed by Bob Clearmountain and produced by Fogerty, the project was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, except for “Proud Mary,” which was recorded in New Orleans with Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band.
The entertainer will launch a string of solo tour dates in support of the project beginning with an Oct. 10 show at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre L.A. Live. The tour wraps Nov. 13 with a show in New York City.
Oct. 10 Los Angeles—Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE
Oct. 11 Paso Robles, Calif. —Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Oct. 12 Berkeley, Calif. —Greek Theater Berkeley
Oct. 15 Denver, Colo. —The Fillmore Auditorium
Oct. 17 Tulsa, Okla. —Hard Rock
Oct. 18 Dallas—Verizon Theatre
Oct. 19 Austin, Texas—ACL
Oct. 20 Houston—Pavilion-Woodlands
Oct. 22 Tupelo, Miss.—BancorpSouth Arena
Oct. 23 Huntsville, Ala.—Von Braun Center
Oct. 25 Alpharetta, Ga. —Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Oct. 26 St. Augustine, Fla.—St. Augustine Amphitheater
Oct. 27 Tampa, Fla.—Starz Center For The Arts
Oct. 29 Hollywood, Fla.—Hard Rock
Oct. 30 Orlando, Fla.—Hard Rock
Nov. 1 Salisbury, Md.—Wicomico Civic Center
Nov. 2 Atlantic City, N.J.—Borgata
Nov. 3 Durham, N.C.—Durham PAC
Nov. 5 California, Pa.—Cal U Convocation Center
Nov. 6 Baltimore, Md.—Lyric Theatre
Nov. 8 Washington, D.C.—DAR
Nov. 9 Wallingford, Conn.—Oakdale Theatre
Nov. 10 Albany, N.Y.—Times Union Center
Nov. 12 New York—Beacon Theater
Nov. 13 New York—Beacon Theater