CMT Adds VP of Creative Services

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Peter Mannes

Peter Mannes


CMT’s Sr. VP of Brand Strategy, Marketing and Creative, Dee McLaughlin, announced that Peter Mannes has been hired as VP, Creative Services for CMT. The position is effective immediately, and Mannes will direct efforts of the creative team in creation, development and production of all on and off-air production and graphics for CMT. Mannes will be based in Nashville.
“From award-winning promo work to his successful brand campaign executions, to his vast experience working with other nets, Peter’s broad skillset is exactly the synergy we were seeking,” says McLaughlin.
Mannes has over 20 years experience in the media industry. Prior to his work at CMT, he was with Sundance Channel, where he was Director of Brand Marketing. His previous career ventures include founding Argot Media, a full-service creative production agency that worked with several TV networks, including History Channel, Biography and Bloomberg Television. Mannes also held the position of VP, Production for Global Media Holdings/Global Japan where he supervised production of all on-air promos, series, specials, print and marketing projects for the launch and operation of two television networks developed for the Japanese market, SheTV and SF.
Earlier in his career, Mannes was a production manager for MTV Networks. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1991.
 
 

Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town at CMA Music Festival

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LIttle Big TownLuke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Carrie Underwood are the first artists announced to perform during 2013’s CMA Music Festival.
Luke Bryan“What an exciting lineup – and we are just getting started,” said Steve Moore, the Country Music Association’s CEO. “Ticket sales are stronger than ever and we are always researching and developing ways to enhance the Festival experience for our attendees and the artists who continue this time-honored tradition of giving back to the fans.”
carrie_underwood300The CMA Music Festival will take place Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9. The event began in 1972 at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium, bringing in 5,000 fans. 40 years later, the event brings in tens of thousands of country music fans from all 50 states and numerous countries. Once again, this year the CMA Music Festival will be recorded to air as part of an ABC television special.
lady antebellum1More artists slated to perform during the event will be announced soon.

Underwood, Kear and Tompkins Celebrate No. 1 "Blown Away"

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Pictured (L-R): ASCAP's Mike Sistad, Big Yellow Dog's Carla Wallace, co-writer Josh Kear, Carrie Underwood, co-writer Chris Tompkins, producer Mark Bright, Big Loud Shirt's Craig Wiseman and Sony Music Nashville's Gary Overton

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Big Yellow Dog’s Carla Wallace, co-writer Josh Kear, Carrie Underwood, co-writer Chris Tompkins, producer Mark Bright, Big Loud Shirt’s Craig Wiseman and Sony Music Nashville’s Gary Overton


Nashville’s music industry braved chilly, rainy weather on Wednesday (Jan. 16) to help Carrie Underwood and ASCAP songwriters Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins celebrate the No. 1 song, “Blown Away.” Held at the Country Music Association offices, CMA CEO Steve Moore introduced ASCAP’s Mike Sistad to kick off the party.
Kear has four songs on Underwood’s current album and penned Lady Antebellum‘s smash hit “Need You Now,” while Tompkins has penned songs for Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton. Together, Kear and Tompkins also penned Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” and Luke Bryan‘s “Drunk On You.”
The writers and singer accepted plaques, medallions and congratulations from the CMA’s Brandi Simms, Big Loud Shirt’s Craig Wiseman, Country Radio Broadcasters and Carla Wallace of Big Yellow Dog Music.
“I’m just honored that they write songs and I get to sing them,” said Underwood. “I’m a lucky lady indeed. I’m lucky to know you guys. Whatever way the song get to me, just keep doing what you’re doing. I definitely look forward to more of these in the future. It’s just such a blessing to be able to write songs and hear songs that are amazing and that I know from the first second that I hear them start to play, that I want to sing them.”
“We respect you as an artist and you are such a great singer and we know that with the kind of songs that we write, we can deliver something that at least touches on something that you might want to record,” said Tompkins. He also thanked ASCAP, Sistad, Big Loud Shirt and singer Caitlin Lynn, who sang the demo for ‘Blown Away.’ “Carrie’s such a strong singer so we needed a strong singer.”
“You changed our lives,” Kear told Underwood, referring to his and Tompkins’ hit “Before He Cheats.” “Everything we’ve had since then, all comes back to that song.”
The gracious singer was quick to reflect the praise back to Kear. “Well then you changed your own life by writing it.”
 

Chesney Sets Album Release Date

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lKenny Chesney will release his next album April 30 on Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville Records. The as-yet-untitled project will be the follow up to 2012’s Welcome To The Fishbowl.
Released June 19, that project was his 13th studio album and has yielded hits “El Cerrito Place,” “Come Over,” and “Feel Like A Rock Star,” featuring Tim McGraw. After 30 weeks on the charts, the album has sold over 605,000 copies.
Chesney will kick off his No Shoes Nation Tour on March 16 in Tampa, Fla.
His career has resulted in 24 No. 1 singles and more than 30 million in album sales.

PLA Media Adds Publicist and Marketing Executive

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kylePLA Media, headed by Pam Lewis, has hired Kyle Frederick as Publicist and Marketing Executive, effective immediately. Frederick brings over 25 years of music business experience that includes publicity, artist management, publishing, producing, songwriting and touring, along with a background in corporate partnerships and health-related not for profit work.
“I’m thrilled to be part of Pam Lewis’ legacy and look forward to sharing the experiences and relationships I have had the pleasure to develop over the years,” said Frederick.
Frederick moved to Nashville in 1980 to pursue career as a guitarist and has since recorded and toured US, Canada, and Europe with several nationally acclaimed recording artists. In 1992, he was hired by Clay Walker as band leader. That led to the role of Walker’s tour manager, publicist and then manager. Later, during his tenure at Network Ink Public Relations, Frederick was a key part of the team that coordinated the grand opening of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Most recently and following a stint with SHeDAISY in 2005 and 2006 as manager, Frederick returned to the Clay Walker camp as director of the singer’s charity organization, Band Against MS.
“As we continue to build the PLA team we’re very happy to have Kyle and his background as part of our brain trust,” said Lewis.
Frederick can be reached at 615-327-0100 or kyle.frederick@plamedia.com.

Artist News (1/17/13)

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood


Carrie Underwood‘s music video for “Two Black Cadillacs” will debut on Entertainment Tonight and VEVO on Wednesday, Jan. 23.
• • •
Gary Allan

Gary Allan


Gary Allan is scheduled to perform his smash hit “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)” on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Jan. 23 and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Feb 11. The single is the lead track off the forthcoming album Set You Free, due in stores on Jan. 22.

• • •

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Photo: David McClister

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Photo: David McClister


Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell will embark on a series of tour dates this March with co-headliner Richard Thompson Electric Trio. Tickets go on sale starting this week. The tour will launch on March 13 at the House of Blues New Orleans and will run through April 4 in Atlanta. The outing supports Harris and Crowell’s new collaborative album, Old Yellow Moon, out Feb. 26 on Nonesuch Records.

CMT Names 'Next Women of Country'

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Jana Kramer

Jana Kramer


While the country charts have been dominated by male artists in the past few years, CMT will highlight several of country music’s best up-and-coming female performers (both signed and unsigned) with its year-long ‘Next Women of Country’ initiative.
The campaign launched Wednesday (Jan. 16) and named 10 female powerhouse vocalists and performers who will be promoted across CMT platforms and at Nextwomen.cmt.com. The 10 high-profile ladies include Ashley Monroe, Holly Williams, Jana Kramer, Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Lauren Alaina, Sarah Darling, Rose Falcon, Rachel Farley and Kelleigh Bannen.
Coverage will include video premieres, performances and more across CMT, CMT.com, CMTEdge.com, CMT Pure, CMT Radio Networks and more than 4 million followers on social media. Videos premiering this month include Kramer’s “Whiskey” and Williams’ “The Highway.”
“Women are the cornerstone of country music,” said Leslie Fram, SVP of Music Strategy, CMT. “We want to recognize, support and expose the next wave of authentic female artists, signed or independent, who are writing, recording and making it happen on their own in a crowded, male-dominated format.”
 

Sony/ATV Negotiates Higher Royalty Rate From Pandora

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indexSony/ATV has negotiated a 25 percent increase in the royalty rate it receives from Pandora, according to the New York Post. The deal will last 12 months. This is a coup for songwriters and publishers who have been paid nominal fees for song performances on non-interactive streaming services, such as Pandora.
It has been widely reported that as of 2013, Sony/ATV is no longer using ASCAP and BMI to collect digital performance royalties. This change allows the publishing giant to negotiate rates directly with Pandora and similar services.
Payments to songwriters and publishers for online performances have been a hot topic in recent months. In November 2012, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison and songwriter/NSAI President Lee Miller explained the situation to MusicRow. Giving a specific example of the low payments received by songwriters, Miller explained that five hit songs collectively received 33 million spins on internet radio during the third quarter of 2012, and the songwriters were collectively paid $500 in royalties.
Herbison said, “[Songwriters and publishers] get paid from a share of the ad revenue that is on the free part of Pandora [and there aren’t many ads].”
According to Pandora’s 2012 annual report, it paid 49.7% of its revenue in royalties to SoundExchange, which pays labels and artists, and 4.1% of its revenue in royalties to the US PROs, which in turn pay songwriters and publishers.

Bentley Gives Sneak Peek of Arena Tour

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home2After 10 days holed up at Nashville’s Steel Mill rehearsal space, Dierks Bentley invited members of the media to preview his upcoming tour yesterday (Jan. 15). His 2013 Locked & Reloaded Tour with Miranda Lambert opens tomorrow in Columbia, S.C.
A major highlight of the arena run will be Bentley’s use of video and lighting effects for the first time. Yesterday, his brief set included “Tip It On Back,” during which the room swam with icy blue lights sure to be impactful in a large space. Bentley said he and his team strove to keep the “raw” feel of his show while mixing in video. “If this was the last tour we were ever going to do, what would we do?” Bentley and company mused while coming up with ideas. One result was a giant new stage he enthusiastically called a “jungle gym for adults.”
Band members huddled close together to perform “Up On The Ridge,” creating a sense of intimacy among the musicians that will translate to the arena audience. On the video screen behind them, a campfire danced under a full moon. Bentley also added personal elements to the videos, with one montage including a photograph of his father.
“’Home’ is one of my favorite songs to sing onstage every night,” he continued. “This song has so many different meanings for me.” He also referenced members of the military and their families in conjunction with the song that will vie for a Grammy at the Feb. 10 awards.
dierks2This week, the song’s meaning includes the homecoming of his beloved companion, Jake. The white dog happily wandered among rehearsal visitors as Bentley recounted the story of Jake’s escape and return, and the “overwhelming” outreach from friends and fans during the ordeal.
The father of two misses his family when he’s away from home, but said the sacrifice pushes him, his band and crew to make every show completely worthwhile.
After a hectic 2012 on the road, which included legs in the U.S., Canada and Australia—and notching the one millionth mile on his faithful tour bus “Goldie”—Bentley admitted he is looking forward to the consistency of an arena outing.
It’s not the first time Lambert and Bentley have hit the road together. She was one of his supporting acts on the 2006-2007 Locked and Loaded Tour. In upcoming shows, he said, they will team onstage for “some things fans expect, but will also throw in some things they might not expect.” Overall, he summed, he’s just plain excited.
Bentley has dates scheduled through July.

Americana Music Association Appoints Exec. Committee

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Americana_Music_Association_logo1The Americana Music Association has announced its executive committee for 2013, and added to the Board of Directors.
Holly Lowman, artist manager from Ramseur Records has been named President, independent consultant Brad Paul will remain on the Board as Past-President, producer Mark Moffatt will serve as President-Elect and the Grammy Museum’s Lynne Sheridan will serve as Secretary.
The three At-Large Executive Committee members are Amanda Hale (New West Records), John Ingrassia (Vector Management) and Jessie Scott (Music Fog and Hill Country). Kirt Vitolo will continue in his role as Treasurer and his firm, KV Associates, will act as the association’s accounting firm.
These positions are held for one-year terms.
The Board of Directors includes 21 industry representatives elected by the Americana Music Association membership or appointed by the Board. The 2013 Board brings new directors Shauna De Cartier (Six Shooter Records), Ingrassia, Paradigm’s Johnathan Levine and Sheridan. The incoming directors join Ashley Capps (AC Entertainment), Rodney Crowell, SESAC’s Tim Fink, Mary Gauthier, Hale, Nashville attorney Wayne Halper, Voice of America’s Joan Kornblith, Austin City Limits’ Terry Lickona, Buddy Miller, Moffatt, Al Moss, Paul, Scott, Vitolo and Emilee Warner from Crash Avenue.