Alex Flanigan visited MusicRow headquarters last week (Jan. 16). The Connecticut native recently released her single, “Diesel, Guns and Rust.”
Flanigan and her guitarist, Grant Moore, a current Belmont University student, played an acoustic set which included “Drive,” “Blue,” and the current single.
For more information visit www.alexflanigan.com.
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Warner Music Nashville launched its new website, WarnerMusicNashville.com, which aggregates each of its artists’ separate social media activities into single pages of media. Each page serves as a one-stop-shop for fans to interact with their favorite artists. WMN worked with social curation provider Arktan to create the website.
The label has also worked with StageIt to create a monthly concert series, “Live From Music Square,” which is slated to launch Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. CT. The series will provide a “backstage pass” to artists including Brett Eldredge, Charlie Worsham and others.
“I’m honored to be the first artist featured on ‘Live from Music Square,’” said Eldredge. “While on tour, I travel far and wide but still miss out on hitting all of the cities where my fans are. ‘Live from Music Square’ gives me a chance to perform and socialize with fans around the world. They can sit in the comfort of their own home, eating Fruit Loops and drinking a cold one and watch me jam like I’m right there with them.”
“There’s nothing better than performing,” said Worsham. “The new ‘Live from Music Square’ series allows me to play for folks from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, all at the same time. And for me, it allows me to connect with fans directly and do the thing that I love most.”
“With the new and improved WarnerMusicNashville.com—which was created in part with our amazing friends over at Arktan—we’re fostering conversation by pulling each of these channels together in a succinct, easy-to-digest package,” said Jeremy Holley, Vice President, Consumer & Interactive Marketing, WMN. “Additionally, by working with StageIt, we’re able to provide fans with fully interactive live performances, further propelling the viral nature of our artists’ content. Now, when fans visit the site, they can read breaking news about Blake Shelton, watch Charlie Worsham’s live concert stream, and discover their new favorite artist Jana Kramer, all on the same site, and within a few minutes.”
The site’s minimalist design keeps the focus on WMN’s artists’ news, while the “mixed-layout” approach allows the content to be viewed on an array of devices, platforms and browsers. The social media “buzz meter” calculates an artists’ current reach and relevance in the social Web by monitoring comments, mentions and replies across numerous social networks including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. The SocialStreams product gives the artist profile pages a pulse and have transformed them into destination hubs where the artists’ global fan base can interact with all of the real-time content, further powering social music experiences.
Tim McGraw will hold a Q&A session with a select group of SiriusXM listeners at SiriusXM Msuic Theatre in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, Jan. 28. “SiriusXM’s Town Hall with Tim McGraw” will air on The Highway, channel 59, on Monday, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. ET. The special is part of Sirius XM’s “Town Hall” series. Previous “Town Hall” specials have spotlighted Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Aerosmith, Coldplay, Gregg Allman and others.
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Sheryl Crow performed her debut single on Warner Music Nashville, “Easy,” last night (Thursday, Jan. 24) on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“I couldn’t be more happy or proud than to have Sheryl join us and become a wonderful part of Warner Bros. Records’ rich musical history,” said John Esposito, President and CEO of Warner Music Nashville. “She is an incredibly special artist whose songwriting and performances are beyond magical. Sheryl has made a masterpiece that we know country radio and fans from all across the world are going to love.”
“I’m excited that my country debut album will be released on Warner Bros. Records,” expressed Crow of her upcoming release. “I believe a lot of my songs would probably be played on country radio today if they were just being released. The country music community has been incredibly welcoming and I’m excited to work with John Esposito and his team at Warner Music Nashville.”
http://youtu.be/URQFjAPu5pk
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Toby Keith unveiled a signature Takamine guitar. Crafted to Keith’s tastes and based on his longtime workhorse guitar, the Takamine TF250MCSB, the new signature model features a full-sounding jumbo cutaway body, solid spruce top with scalloped “X” bracing and flame maple back and sides. Keith’s signature is on the heel cap and his silhouette on a special headstock medallion.
The Listening Room Cafe re-opens at its new SoBro location (217 Second Avenue S., Nashville, TN 37201) on Monday, Jan. 28, offering full lunch and dinner service in a larger space. Owner Chris Blair launched the music venue five years ago, which went on to host numerous top songwriters and artists ranging from Trace Adkins to Keith Urban.
The staff includes GM Stephanie Margalis and booking coordinator Chase Armstrong. Joshua Champion is on board as Executive Chef. He most recently served in the same capacity at the award-winning 440 Main in Bowling Green, and previously worked as Sous Chef at Bluegrass Brewing Company. His menu includes Whiskey Salmon, Cajun Fish Tacos, Pecan-Crusted Chicken Fingers and Sweet + Spicy Pickles.
The Listening Room Cafe is open Monday-Thursday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and Friday-Saturday from 11:00 AM to Midnight. The restaurant is non-smoking and welcomes all ages.
The restaurant can be reached at (615) 259-3600 or www.listeningroomcafe.com.
Blake Shelton on “GAC Backstory.”
SPIN ZONE
Josey Milner visited with Renegade Radio Nashville to promote her debut single, “Not Pretty Enough.” The young singer will be performing at a Renegade Radio showcase concert on February 8 at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe. Pictured (L-R): Josey and Captain Jack.
Chris Janson recently passed through Grand Rapids, MI, to visit with WBCT in promotion of his January 22 single release, titled “Better I Don’t.” The lead single, preceeds his forthcoming debut album produced by Keith Stegall. Pictured (L-R): Bigger Picture Group’s Chris DeCarlo, WBCT’s PD Dave Taft, Chris Janson, WBCT’s OMDoug Montgomery, Bigger Picture Group’s Michael Powers
Randy Houser has been making the media rounds this week for Jan. 22 debut release from Stoney Creek, titled How Country Feels. Pictured here in New York City with CBS’ Live From The Couch, Houser was the first artist played on NYC’s new Nash FM 94.7. Pictured (L-R): Lisa Kerney, Randy Houser, Carolina Bermudez and John Elliot.
So the Subway Footlong sandwich is only 11 inches. So Lance Armstrong was not living strong when he won 7 Tour de Frances. So Manti Te’o may or may not have “thought” he had a girlfriend. (Which reminds me of one of my favorite lines. “My girlfriend thinks that I am stalking her. Well, she is not actually my girlfriend yet.”) The funny thing about all of this is it is perfect for Facebook, Twitter, etc. In fact, a sports show host from Tampa was suspended for a couple of days this week for an exchange he had with Erin Andrews via Twitter about Te’o. He was taken off the air, not for what he said on the air, but what he said on Twitter. I was thinking about what other lies are out there and how we live with them every day.
WYYY plays the most music on the radio.
KXXX plays the best music on the radio.
(Fill in the blank) is the most exciting act on tour this summer.
Are they NEVER EVER getting back together again?
The real truth is that the day after Manti was jilted (or is that jolted?) my life was not different. I don’t care that Lance is a liar. I hardly ever even get on my bike anymore. I do kind of care about Subway. You’ve gotta wonder if the veggies are fresh as they claim. What is important when it comes to marketing yourself to the American Public? The truth apparently is not. How many millions has Subway spent convincing consumers that 11 inches is a foot? How many millions did Lance Armstrong raise for cancer research based on cheating? Was Manti Te’o second in Heismann voting because he is a great linebacker or because voters thought he was incredible for playing through turmoil? Can Taylor possibly date that many guys? Heck she has had tens of hits? I looked up the word marketing. It really is quite simple. The act of buying or selling in a market. That of course is a noun. Making it a verb is what I am talking about here. So if exaggeration is acceptable when marketing a product or a person, I thought I would take liberties with marketing slogans. Let’s see how these work.
Pandora: “Enjoy a wealth of music while we go broke.”
iHeart Radio: “More live radio stations from cities you can’t find on a map.”
This one could fit any of these three stations. KKGO/LCA WUSN/Chicago or NASH 94.7/NY. They all use a variation. “Listened to by over a billion Americans every day.”
BMI: “Where one good idea will last 70 years…after you die”
Sony Records: “We know that you couldn’t care less what label Kenny Chesney is on but we need to make a living too.”
Any publishing company: “We carried these losers for years, now we’re getting paid back.”
A particular writer for Music Row On the Air: “You try doing this every week without insulting someone along the way.”
It’s harder than it looks.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
Momentum Label Group has announced that they are partnering with New Revolution Entertainment, a full-service radio promotion and artist development company. Formed in 2006 by Rob Dalton and Jeff Solima, the New Revolution Entertainment team will assist Momentum with their national promotion efforts for flagship artist Rachele Lynae on her upcoming new single, “Fishin’ for Something.”
New Revolution’s current and previous clients include The Farm, Montgomery Gentry, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Lee Brice, Gloriana, Randy Owen, Steve Holy, Emerson Drive, Colt Ford, Jerrod Niemann, Bucky Covington, Darryl Worley and many others.
“It’s very exciting and a privilege for me to work with Rob, Jeff and the entire New Revolution team,” says Momentum Label Group’s Jimmy Murphy. “I have the highest regard for their skill and dedication. All of us at Momentum can’t wait to work together getting Rachele’s new music to the ears of the industry and fans.”
“Rachele’s new single, “Fishin’ for Something” couldn’t be a more appropriate, hooky and relatable song for country radio right now,” says Dalton. “She’s such a talented artist and we’re excited to be working with her, as well as everyone on the Momentum team.”
For more information on Momentum Label Group visit www.momentumlabelgroup.com.
Katie Buchanan
Chely Wright and wife Lauren Blitzer-Wright are expecting two new members to their family this June. The couple announced that Wright is carrying identical twins on Howard Bragman’s YouTube show, “Gwissues.”
“When gay couples have babies, it’s logistically a little different than when straight people have babies, as we all know,” Wright said. “It’s been an [amazing] experience.”
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Florida Georgia Line traveled to Cancun this week to shoot the video for their current single, “Get Your Shine On.”
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Pat Green is now part-owner of the Rustic, a bar and restaurant slated to open this spring in Dallas, according to Dallas Morning News. The restaurant’s menu will center around barbecue, and it will have ample seating to allow for concerts of up to 500-600 at an inside performance or up to 2,000 for an outdoor event.
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Two members of the group Stealing Angels—Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Kuhle–will compete on the CBS reality series The Amazing Race. The reality show pits 10 teams against each other as they travel to exotic locales (including New Zealand, Bora Bora, Botswana and Switzerland) as part of the competition.