Leadership Music Offers Exclusives In Online Auction

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auction1Leadership Music will be part of Charitybuzz‘s online Father’s Day auction, which begins today (May 15), and will remain open for three weeks, closing June 5th. This will be Leadership Music’s first online auction to raise funds for the Leadership Music Program. Their primary revenue sources are from generous corporate donors, dues and donations from dedicated alums, and their two annual events – the Dale Franklin Awards and the Leadership Summit.
Communications and Events Manager Judi Turner says, “We are excited to partner with Charitybuzz as we embark on our first on-line auction targeting fans and consumers.  Thanks to the generosity of a host of Leadership Music alums and friends, we have very special one-of-a-kind experiences available to the highest bidder. Susan Heard (LM ’03) has been invaluable to us here in the office in coordinating the offerings.”
 
 
auction2The auction offers several top-notch offerings including:
• A one-hour meeting with Mike Dungan of Universal Music Group
• A one-hour mentoring session with Tim Dubois
• A 30-minute dialogue with Jimmy Harnen of Big Machine Label Group
• A four-hour songwriting session with Jim McCormick
• A one-hour songwriting critique with Odie Blackmon
• “Fly on the wall” experience in a Nashville Studio with Adam Shoenfeld (guitar player for Tim McGraw)
• Tickets to George Strait‘s Cowboy Rides Away farewell show and signed memorabilia
• The Vinny experience – Two tickets to the pairings party at the Embassy Suites, two passes for the two days of the invitation-only The Vinny Golf Tournament at the Golf Club of Tennessee, and a private post-tournament dinner at the home of Vince Gill and Amy Grant
• A personalized, signed guitar from Brad Paisley
• Concert tickets and meet-and-greets for a variety of artists including Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Kellie Pickler and others.
• A CMA Awards Show package
To bid on any of the above prizes, visit charitybuzz.com.

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Industry Ink (5-15-13)

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NashvilleAlthough the ABC drama Nashville has been picked up for a second season, the second season will be filmed without producer Loucas George. The producer made the announcement via Twitter today, saying, “Just heard heard, [sic] my contract is not being picked up! Moving On. By [sic] Nashville.”
 

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plamedia1PLA Media has added Brendan McCarthy as International New Media Coordinator. McCarthy previously worked at international music events in Ireland and the UK as Zone Manager and Hospitality coordinator. He earned a Masters in Business Management and a Bachelors in Multimedia before moving to Nashville. He can be reached at brendan.mccarthy@plamedia.com.
 

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maple star logo1Nashville-based publicity agency MapleStar Music & Media, LLC, has opened a Canadian office of the agency, and appointed Lori Thompson to lead the office as Associate/Account Manager. The Canadian office will be based in Kitchener, Ontario. MapleStar’s roster includes Nashville-based performers Nick Canger, Charlotte Medley, and television personality Sheyla Paz Hicks, as well as singer-songwriter Lesley Curtis and Canadian country performer Gord Bamford.

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grand_ole_opry_logo_20051The Grand Ole Opry will salute military heroes with a red carpet arrival parade and a special Opry performance on Tuesday (May 21). Vietnam veteran members of the Tennessee State Council for Vietnam Veterans of America, along with Tennessee National Guard Soldiers, will enter the Opry House via a red carpet arrival.
The arrival and celebration outside the Opry House will begin at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. The Opry performance will begin at 7 p.m. and will include performances by Diamond Rio, Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin, Lee Greenwood, Maggie Rose and U.S. veteran and Sony recording artist Angie Johnson.
 

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Singles Only and Fifth Third Bank recently hosted SOjourn, a private event for Music Row’s top A&R and producers. Held at M Street, the night showcased new material from Trent Willmon, Clint Daniels, Jeff Middleton, Ben Daniel, Caitlyn Smith and Gordie Sampson.

Pictured (L-R): Brad Peterson (5/3 Music), Cheryl Martin (5/3 Music), Scott Ponce (Liz Rose Music), Taylor Lindsey (BMG Music), Daniel Lee (BMG Music), Denny Carr (Roots Three/Ole), Penny Everhard (BMI), Eric Gallimore (Red Vinyl Music), Natalie Harker (Liz Rose Music), Shane Barrett (Shane Barrett, Inc.), Kari Barnhart (5/3 Music), Phillip Feemster (5/3 Music)

Pictured (L-R): Brad Peterson (5/3 Music), Cheryl Martin (5/3 Music), Scott Ponce (Liz Rose Music), Taylor Lindsey (BMG Music), Daniel Lee (BMG Music), Denny Carr (Roots Three/Ole), Penny Everhard (BMI), Eric Gallimore (Red Vinyl Music), Natalie Harker (Liz Rose Music), Shane Barrett (Shane Barrett, Inc.), Kari Barnhart (5/3 Music), Phillip Feemster (5/3 Music)


 
 

Google Play Music: All Access Launches Today

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Google-All-AccessGoogle today (May 15) announced a new streaming music service, Google Play Music All Access, during its sixth annual I/O developer conference for software programmers in San Francisco.
Expected to compete with rapidly growing music companies including Pandora and Spotify, the pay-by-month service allows users to blend their current music collections with its licensed library of songs from major labels UMG, Sony and Warner. Additionally, customers can create radio stations based on any song or artist, browse recommendations from an expert music team or explore by genre. Free storage for up to 20,000 songs is available in the cloud for listening alongside the All Access catalog.
The new service will be available in the U.S. on smartphones, tablets and Web browsers with a free 30-day trial, then for $9.99 a month for millions of songs on demand. Trials beginning by June 30 will pay only $7.99 a month.
Google Play is the company’s online media hub, which already includes a download store and storage locker.
Additional announcements at today’s roll-out include tools for developers to monetize apps in the Google Play download store, a new Samsung Galaxy S4 exclusively for Google Play, a tablet program for educators, a new web platform payment feature for Chrome, and a standalone app for “Hangouts.”

Weekly Register: The Virtues Of Frugality

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ladyaToday’s mauve-colored column is about making do with less. It’s a righteous theme that has rippled through numerous country songs extolling the virtues of frugality.
Yes, country music is up 1.1% YTD, but that translates to less than 150k units at this time. And please note that all genre music sales (which includes country) is down 5.4% or over 5 million units! Saying, “Flat or slightly down is the new up,” was pretty cute a few years ago, but today it has become a somber reality describing the album sales business. Adding pathos is the fact that Nielsen SoundScan’s trusty sales yardstick, which accurately measures scans and digital downloads, is being inundated by a fast moving industry tsunami whipped by technology and a coalition of new revenue streams.
pistolUnfortunately, we find few tools to help us quantify these appreciable business opportunities. I’m talking about revenue from touring, endorsement, merchandise, sponsorships, publishing, TV, streaming and more. Billboard took a brave step adding numerous measurement variables to its music charts, but its formula is still experimental. The RIAA last week tried to evolve its venerable Gold and Platinum awards to include streaming plays, but may have permanently injured its “girl scout cookie” brand in the process. If these “precious metal” awards have always been about sales, then how do we now start including credits for streaming without differentiating between paid subscriber streams and free (ad-supported) streams?
These weighty issues funnel down to this week’s prime example, Lady Antebellum. The trio’s latest album tops today’s country and all-genre lists with over 167k physical and digital debut units. But the trio’s previous album debuted the week ended 9/18/11 with over 347k units, more than double this week’s showing.
Does this mean that Lady A’s fame is in jeopardy? No way! The trio is at the top of its game, visible across a plethora of media channels, with great new music, headlining sold out tours, selling truckloads of merchandise and promoting brands like Lipton Tea.
Last week we saw the same effect with Kenny Chesney who debuted with 153k units, down from his previous release which sold 193k in 6/24/12. Like Lady A, Chesney’s career is bubbling on all fronts including his new signature rum rolling out with the new album and featured on his headliner tour. Brad Paisley’s latest came out about a month ago and also fits the pattern.
weeklygrid5-12-13Problem: The music industry doesn’t have a reliable tool to measure artist success. It’s about time we acknowledge that fact, and try to solve it.
All right, let’s move on to this week’s Nielsen SoundScan results, the data we can measure.
The Nitty Grid-y
Two trios are nested at the top of the country album chart this week, the aforementioned Lady A at No. 1 (167k; 32% digital) and the Pistol Annies at No. 2 with over 83k; (47% digital). (The Annies’ last outing sold 42k units 8/28/2011. Does this somehow negate the above discussion? Not really because the trio’s first album was released digital only.)
With the two debuts and recent product from Chesney, Shelton and the Band Perry, we’re seeing the Top 75 Current Country total swell to over 676k units. Then next week we’ll get new offerings from George Strait and Trace Adkins, followed a week later with product from Darius Rucker and Restless Heart which should keep the good news flowing.
weeklygrid5-5-13While many want to sound a death knell for physical product, please note on our grid chart that digital album sales are only about 32% of total album sales which means that 68% of the album sales are still physical.
This week’s tracks discussion begins with the venerable “I Told You So” department, every writer’s self-indulgent delight. I’m talking about 16-year-old The Voice contestant Danielle Bradbery who sang “Maybe It Was Memphis” last week and was highlighted in this space for her great performance. This week she gets highlighted again, but for her performance on the tracks chart. “…Memphis” lands at No. 9 on the Digital Genre Country list selling over 49k units!
The top of the country tracks list shows few surprises as Florida Georgia Line continues to DOMN8 adding another 151k units to remain at No. 1. Next week they’ll pass the 3.3 million marker. The remainder of the Top 5 is as follows: Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies “Boys Round Here” 110k; Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel” 95k; Tim McGraw/Taylor Swift “Highway Don’t Care” 86k; and Luke Bryan “Crash My Party” 58k.
For an interesting NYT read/review of the two trios at the top of the country album charts this week, click here. Here’s the opening line from the invincible Jon Caramanica, “For Lady Antebellum, lipstick represents optimism. For Pistol Annies, it’s a tool of the oppressor.”
See you next week…

DISClaimer: Trace Adkins Towers Above Them All

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Disc of the Day winner Trace Adkins.


There is no shortage of “name” attractions in this stack of platters. Worthy of your attention are such familiar folks as Tracy Lawrence, Natalie Maines, B.J. Thomas & Vince Gill, Opry star Jim Ed Brown and Nashville TV diva Hayden Panettiere.
But towering above them all is tall Trace Adkins. Paired with pop princess Colbie Caillat, he delivers the unchallenged Disc of the Day. Play and believe.
It turns out that there is yet another Cyrus making records. Billy Ray and Miley have company. Hailing from Kentucky is Bobby Cyrus, who earns a DisCovery Award for his debut effort.
TRACE ADKINS & COLBIE CAILLAT/Watch the World End
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Show Dog Universal (ERG) 
—Arguably the finest vocal performance of Trace’s career. He brings so much warmth, depth of expression, soul, passion and believability to this extraordinary lyric that it feels like he’s sitting in the same room with you. Grammy-winning, million-selling pop star Colbie Caillat shadows him in harmony and breathes soft ad libs throughout the beautifully orchestrated ballad.
Bobby Cyrus

DisCovery Award winner Bobby Cyrus.


KIX BROOKS/Complete 360
Writer: Kix Brooks/Rafe Van Hoy; Producer: Kix Brooks; Publisher: Sony ATV Tree/Buffalo Prairie/Se-Lo-Tek/Zambala/Kobalt, BMI/SESAC; Arista (track)
—Loud and rocking. Despite the clever lyric, it is sonically irritating.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE/Hypnotizing
Writer: Cary Barlowe/Steve Robson/Caitlyn Smith; Producer: Ross Copperman & Buddy Miller; Publisher: Castle Bound/We Be Partying/Imagem CV/Music of Stage Three/Songs of Cornman/BMG Chrysalis, SESAC/ASCAP/BMI; Big Machine (track) 
—Sprightly, bopping and pop-y. I dig her voice.
TRACY LAWRENCE/Stop, Drop & Roll
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Lawrence Music Group/Tenacity (ERG) 
—He’s on fire because she’s so hot, hence the the title’s advice. The percolating production, cute lyric and forceful vocal performance all work.
JIM ED BROWN/In Style Again
Writer: Lance Miller/Austin Cunningham; Producer: Bobby Bare; Publisher: Sony ATV Rhythm/In Style Again/Drivers Ed/Worleyworld, SESAC/ASCAP; Century II 
—The veteran Grand Ole Opry star has always possessed one of country music’s most resonant baritones. The lyric of this fine song is about being passed over, pushed aside, made irrelevant, tossed away, replaced and forgotten in favor of someone younger and better looking. And what entertainment vet hasn’t experienced that? Very touching and poignant.
NATALIE MAINES/Take It On Faith
Writer: Natalie Maines/Ben Harper/Jason Mozersky/Jesse Ingalls; Producer: Ben Harper & Natalie Maines; Publisher: EMI Virgin/Three Chord Symphony/Iggy Brain, ASCAP; Columbia (track)
—I’m not sure whether Natalie’s solo CD has a single or not. The title tune “Mother” is drawn from Pink Floyd’s 1979 opus The Wall. Other tracks come from Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Patty Griffin, Jeff Buckley and her fellow Dixie Chicks. This soulful power ballad is the song she performed on Letterman and it is a totally gripping performance and production. No matter what genre you call this collection, she’s still singing her fanny off.
B.J. THOMAS & VINCE GILL/I Just Can’t Help Believing
Writer: Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Publisher: EMI Blackwood/Screen Gems EMI, BMI; Wrinkled (track)
—I have always loved this song. Producer Lehning strips it down to a gently strummed acoustic arrangement, and stellar tenor Gill turns it into a duet while Thomas provides his trademark fluttering, embellished and ornamented vocal style. A superb listening experience.
BOBBY CYRUS/Send Me Wings
Writer: Bobby Cyrus; Producer: Don Rigsby; Publisher: Somewhere in Tennessee, BMI; BGC (track) 
—Billy Ray’s cousin has a debut CD titled Homeplace. Its single is a splendid story song about a neglected youth growing up angry and hurt. He asks to be taken to Heaven, because no one on earth will miss him when he’s gone. At the finale, his wish is granted. This guy writes as well as he sings.
LIZZIE SIDER/I Love You That Much
Writer: Joe Vulpis; Producer: Joe Vupis; Publisher: none listed; LSM 
—Ordinary in every way, from the dull lyric to the formulaic melody, from the routine production to the bland vocal.
J.J. LAWHORN/Stomping Grounds
Writer: none listed; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publisher: none listed; Average Joes (track) 
—It’s one of those this-is-my-country-home thangs, complete with dirt roads, beer, deer hunting, partying in the fields, small-town blah-blah-blah and I’ll die here. Fine. But take some singing lessons.

Presenters Announced For The 2013 Billboard Music Awards

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shania52311Shania Twain, Florida Georgia Line and Jennifer Nettles will join Cee-Lo Green, Celine Dion, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Rowland, PSY, Kid Rock, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ke$ha, Sky Blu, Alanis Morisette and Wiz Khalifa as presenters for the upcoming 2013 Billboard Music Awards.
Nashville‘s Hayden Panettiere (Juliette Barnes) will also serve as a presenter, along with fellow actors and actresses Chloe Grace Moretz (“Dark Shadows”), Alyssa Milano (“Mistresses”), Jennifer Morrison (“Once Upon a Time”), Gabriel Mann (“Revenge”), Stana Katic (“Castle”) and Emmy Rossum (“Shameless”).
The 2013 Billboard Music Awards will air this Sunday (May 19) at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. “30 Rock” alum Tracy Morgan will host, with Don Mischer producing.

Luke Bryan To Release Fourth Studio Album August 13

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lbryanLuke Bryan will release his fourth studio album on Aug. 13. The project has not yet been titled. The release date was announced during a recent episode of The Late Show with David Letterman. Bryan performed the project’s first single, “Crash My Party,” during the episode.
The Aug. 13 release will be the follow-up to Bryan’s double-platinum certified project tailgates & tanlines, which contains the singles, “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” “Drunk On You,” “I Don’t Want This Night To End” and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye.”

Bryan takes his “Dirt Road Diaries Tour” back on the road this weekend on May 17 in Virginia Beach, Va. The tour is set to run through the end of October.

Bobby Karl Works The 2013 Grammy Block Party

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Pictured (L-R): Singer/Songwriter and GRAMMY Nominee Will Hoge; Susan Stewart, South Regional Director, The Recording Academy; MCA Recording Artist Kip Moore; Suzanne Alexander, GAC host and Nashville Chapter Board member Shawn McSpadden of Red Light Management.Photo by Frederick Breedon

Pictured (L-R): Singer/Songwriter and GRAMMY Nominee Will Hoge; Susan Stewart, South Regional Director, The Recording Academy; MCA Recording Artist Kip Moore; Suzanne Alexander, GAC host and Nashville Chapter Board member; Shawn McSpadden of Red Light Management. Photo by Frederick Breedon


If you lifted your face into the spring breeze, gazed at the community of music people gathered around you and listened to the fabulous sounds wafting from the stage, you would be perfectly justified in thinking you were in the exact best place in the universe yesterday evening at the Grammy Block Party.
“Thank you, everybody, for being out on a beautiful day in Nashville,” said Mayor Karl Dean at the annual event (May 14). He really is the Music Mayor, the first one to graduate from Leadership Music, the first one to convene a Mayor’s Music Council and the first one to oversee a Music Makes Us education initiative. He said the Recording Academy’s Nancy Shapiro was the force behind the last named.
Mayor Dean also stated that this year, Nashville has been cited as a boom town, been called the “It” city and heralded as one of the four top cities in the world to visit.
“The Grammy nominations concert was a big moment,” he added, “But the one that means the most to me is that Rolling Stone said we were the best music scene in America. It’s a great city, and I thank you.”
“We do this event for you, our members,” said Recording Academy Nashville director Susan Stewart. “We’re proud to be part of this community.”
Jon Randall Stewart (no relation) is the current president of the Nashville Chapter board. “I hope everybody’s having a good time,” he said. We were. He described the good work done by the chapter’s MusiCares office. Event coordinator Alicia Warwick thanked the many sponsors.
As I mentioned, the music was extraordinary. Kristen Kelly, The Megaphones and Southern rockers The Rhett Walker Band heated things up. Will Hoge was triumphantly soulful during a set that included his much-nominated “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” New country sensation Kip Moore and terrific Americana music makers The Lone Bellow were booked to cap the festivities.
Oweing to the perfect weather, women were in their spring frocks, lightweight blouses and sun dresses. Gents were attired in short-sleeved sport shirts, polos, Hawaiian tops or t-shirts.
Everywhere you looked in the crowd, there was a talented Somebody. Schmoozing fabulons included Doug Howard, Rod Essig, Tracy Gershon, Dan Hill, Jay Frank, the band Stovall, Allen Brown, Trey Fanjoy, Lisa Harless, Steve O’Brien, Bob Paxman, Walter Campbell and Marc Oswald. I don’t know if he was kidding or not, but Chuck Ainlay maintained that May 14 is Studio Engineers Day. “We should throw a party,” he suggested, gesturing at his surroundings.
The event was staged at Owen Bradley Park and on Music Square East. The space is the “back door” of ASCAP and the “front door” of BMI. Working the “room” were Becky Harris, Chris Keaton, Charles Dorris, Ed Salamon, Doak Turner, r&b record makers Jo Carter and Jonathan Winstead, Dave Pomeroy, John Grady, Frank Liddell, Joe Scaife, Kyle Frederick, Brian Kolb, former Detroit Tigers baseball standout and now Music City singer-songwriter Andy Kropf, Bob Doyle, Fletcher Foster, Dan Dailey, Doug Casmus, Matt Singleton, Misty Loggins, Cindy Watts, Leslie Roberts, Not Just Country Nashville TV producer Michael West, Rich Fagan, Lori Badgett, Raeanne Rubenstein, Erika Wollam-Nichols, Sarah Skates, jazzman and percussionist Marcus Finnie, John Ingrassia, Chandra LaPlume, Pat McMakin, Earle Simmons, Steve Griel, Diane Pearson and Gary Paczosa.
Not to mention such Recording Academy Nashville staffers as Ashley Ernst, Laura Crawford and Lyn Aurelius, intern Casey Elliott, who was/is as enthusiastic about The Lone Bellow as I am. Which proves she has good taste. Former Grammy U Nashville rep Bryan Downing reports that he has left Combustion Music and is freelancing as a guitar man, notably in the band of “Gunnar” (Sam Palladino) on the TV show Nashville. Look for him in tonight’s episode on bass.

Borchetta Named One Of '100 Most Creative People in Business 2013'

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Pictured (L-R): Scott Borchetta and Tim McGraw. Photo: Andres Gonzalez for ‘Fast Company’

Fast Company has named Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business 2013.” Borchetta is the only record label executive to be included on Fast Company‘s annual list of global leaders from companies including Apple, Google, Nike, American Express and Ford.

As Fast Company notes, “Borchetta has a reputation as a fierce advocate for his artists, a creative problem-solver who can get things done when nobody else can, and a titan who holds Nashville’s future in his hands.” Borchetta has crafted a sterling label roster that includes Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, Florida Georgia Line, Cassadee Pope and many others.
Pushing beyond musical boundaries, Big Machine Label group has also partnered with General Mills and Feeding America for the national Outnumber Hunger campaign, released two soundtracks for the recently renewed television drama Nashville, entered into a groundbreaking performance royalty rights agreement with Clear Channel, Entercom and Beasley Broadcasting; partnered with NASCAR’s Brickyard 400, and most recently, partnered with Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald’s Prescription Songs to bring together Nashville-based and Los Angeles-based pop and country songwriters.
 

No. 1 Party: Lee Brice's 'I Drive Your Truck'

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I drive your truck trade photo11

Pictured are (L-R): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad; Disney Music Publishing’s Barbara Vander Linde; This Music’s Rusty Gaston; co-writers Jimmy Yeary and Connie Harrington; Sony ATV Music Publishing’s Tom Luteran; co-writer Jessi Alexander; Lee Brice; father of fallen soldier Jared Monti, Paul Monti; BMI’s Perry Howard; Curb Records’ Mike Curb, and BMG Chrysalis’ Kos Weaver.


A recent No. 1 party honoring Lee Brice‘s “I Drive Your Truck” and the ballad’s writers, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander, held more emotion than your typical Music Row shindig.
The song was inspired by the passing of U.S. Army Sergeant 1st class Jared Monti. Harrington got the idea for the song after hearing a talk radio interview where Jared Monti’s father, Paul Monti, told the story of his son’s death and how he kept his son’s truck in remembrance. Paul Monti was on hand during the celebration to honor his son’s legacy. “I have never been able to listen to the song beginning to end,” said Monti. “That song has touched so many people.”
The event was held at the Country Music Association offices and hosted by Mike Sistad of ASCAP and Perry Howard of BMI. Those in attendance included Curb Records chairman Mike Curb, Sony/ATV’s Tom Luteran, “I Drive Your Truck” producers Kyle Jacobs and Matt McClure, THiS Music’s Rusty Gaston, Kos Weaver, Brad Hill, Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox.
Yeary recalled that Harrington was understandably emotional throughout the writing of “I Drive Your Truck,” and they used the emotional response as a barometer to create an even more powerful song. “If she didn’t cry on a line, we didn’t write it,” quipped Yeary.
All three songwriters credited the song’s success to Brice’s powerful, soulful vocal rendition. “We wanted the right person–someone with conviction and passion, and no one sings it like him,” said Alexander, who also dedicated the song to her late mother. Harrington agreed, saying, “You sang from the bottom of your heart and it tore mine apart, in a good way.”
Though he clearly preferred to let the spotlight rest solely on the songwriters during the event, Brice did speak briefly to thank the song’s writers, Mike Curb and the promotion and label staff, as well as his wife and his management. He also thanked Paul Monti. “This is more than a No. 1 song,” said Brice.
Curb summed up the event’s atmosphere as he told Monti, “We wonder how we can say thank you to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. [Harrington, Yeary and Alexander] were able to say ‘thank you’ in a way that the whole world will know of the great service of your son.”