Mark Your Calendar–December 2012

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Album Releases

December 4
Florida Georgia Line/Here’s To The Good Times/Republic Nashville
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is Records-Nine North Records
Yarn/Leftovers Volume 2/RPM Entertainment

December 11
Jim Lauderdale & Buddy Miller/Buddy & Jim/New West Records
Various/The Music Of Nashville: Original Soundtrack (Season 1, Volume 1)/Big Machine

Single Releases

December 3
Big & Rich/Party Like Cowboyz/Warner Bros.-W.A.R.
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb
Jillian Kohr/What You’ve Done
Josh Pruno/23rd Psalm/Lawrence Music Group

December 4
Doug Briney/Deja Vu All Over Again/CBM Records

December 17
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista
LeAnn Rimes/Borrowed/Curb
Austin Webb/It’s All Good/Streamsound

Holiday Singles
Tim McGraw/Mary And Joseph/Big Machine Records
Lorrie Morgan/Wrapped Up In Love/Octabrook Records
Craig Morrison/Santa Claus Boogie/Lucky 53s-GMV Nashville
Clinton Gregory/Peace On Earth Again/Melody Roundup Records
Kyle Park/Winter Wonderland
Phil Vassar/Merry Christmas Darling/Rodeowave Entertainment
Tanya Tucker/Merry Christmas Wherever You Are

Industry Events

December 3

  • Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas, on NBC
  • Sixth annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum at CMHoF. 6 pm in the Ford Theater
  • JT Hodges Holiday Howler at the Gibson Showroom (1121 Church Street) at 6 pm
  • Lady Antebellum “On This Winter’s Night,” at Schermerhorn Symphony Center

December 4
Tunes for Tots toy drive and benefit show at 6:30 p.m. at Blue Bar/Lucy’s Country Café

December 5
Grammy Nominations Concert at Bridgestone Arena, airing on CBS

December 7
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill open Soul2Soul at the Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas

December 8
CMT Artists of the Year special

December 10
American Country Awards, airing on Fox

December 11
Nashville Unlimited Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Christ Church Cathedral downtown

December 13
14th annual A Home for the Holidays with Rascal Flatts. 8pm ET on CBS.

December 15
Miracle on Music Row. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at O.liv Body Bar in Edgehill Village

December 20
CMA Country Christmas. ABC telecast

December 31

  • 4th Annual Music City New Year’s Eve “Bash on Broadway”
  • Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2013

Jimmy Ritchey Signs With BMG Chrysalis

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Picture (l-r): Darrell Franklin, Exec. Vice President, BMG Chrysalis; Jimmy Ritchey; and Sara Johnson, Sr. Dir., Creative, BMG Chrysalis

Hit singer-songwriter and producer Jimmy Ritchey recently signed an exclusive agreement with BMG Chrysalis.

Ritchey co-wrote Jake Owen‘s No. 1 hit, “The One That Got Away,” with Owen and Dallas Davidson. Ritchey’s producer credits include newcomer Greg Bates, Owen, Clay Walker and Mark Chesnutt.

Additional writing credits for Ritchey include “Startin’ With Me” and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You,” both hits recorded by Owen, and “I Gotta Get To You,” which was a hit for George Strait.

Apple Releases iTunes 11 with Artist Pages

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Apple debuted a belated iTunes 11 to consumers yesterday (11/29) with major updates to iCloud and Artist Pages. The software updates were originally set for release in October after being unveiled as part of the September iPhone event.

The latest version of the iTunes Store lacks the rumored Pandora-like streaming radio service, but debuts new artist pages, designed for use by musicians for sharing photos, tour dates and information. These pages arrive in the wake of Apple’s iTunes Ping shuttering.

iCloud integrations allow users to pause content on iPhones, iPads, or Macs to resume on another. A download option allows content to be made available for offline listening, and music libraries are able to display additional un-purchased album tracks to complete the album.

Ergonomic updates for the software include song queue revisions, emphasis on cover art, and personal recommendations. Apple now allows gift card redemption via camera, able to photograph the 16-character card codes for redemption.

Download the latest version on Apple’s website. Don’t miss the debut of MusicRow’s Digital Toolbox print issue directory next month, covering iTunes Cloud, mobile hardware, and digital royalties.

MusicRow No. 1 Song

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Dierks Bentley. Photo: Jim Wright

Dierks Bentley’s latest single, “Tip It On Back,” gives him another reason to do so as it ratcheted up to the No. 1 position of this week’s MusicRow Chart.

Penned by Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, and Tully Kennedy, the song stands out from Bentley’s 19 previous singles as the first release not written by the singer. The track appears as the fourth single from his CMA-nominated Home album.

“Times are tough, so relax, drink up and let your troubles fade away,” reported Robert K. Oermann about the single for MusicRow’s DISClaimer. “His vocal has even more personality than usual, and the swirling echo of electric guitars surrounding him is a little bit of sonic magic. Intensely involving.”

Watch the Wes Edwards directed music video here.

Next month, Bentley will be featured during three primetime specials including the Grammy Nomination concert; the American Country Awards in accordance with his Album of the year nomination; and the CMA Country Christmas.

Nashville Executives Make Billboard’s ‘Women In Music 2012’ List

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(L-R): Carla Wallace, Mary Ann McCready and Kelly Rich

Three of the Nashville music industry’s most talented and hardest-working women were named Billboard Women In Music honorees. Nearly 200 executives were nominated and whittled down to 41 honorees that made the final list.

• Kelly Rich, Senior VP of Sales, Marketing and Interactive, Big Machine Label Group, lands at No. 27 on the list. Rich leads the company’s interactive and digital efforts; BMLG’s Twitter followers for its label and all its artists, have increased 104 percent from year to year. Rich lists her mentor as Big Machine Label Group CEO/founder Scott Borchetta. She has been named a Billboard Women In Music honoree twice.

• Mary Ann McCready, President, Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy, comes in at No. 31 on the list. The company’s clients include Keith Urban, Kings of Leon, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, and Blake Shelton. McCready founded FBMM in 1990, is a trustee of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and was the first female recipient of The CMA President’s Award. McCready has previously been named a Billboard Women In Music honoree. She lists her mentor as former president/CEO of Cedarwood Publishing, Bill Denny.

• Carla Wallace, Co-owner/GM, Big Yellow Dog Music, lands at No. 37. With singles on the chart every week since January, the independent publishing company’s hits this year include “Drunk on You,” Luke Bryan; “Blown Away,” Carrie Underwood; and “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright,” George Strait; as well as singles by Gloriana, Lady Antebellum, and Darius Rucker. The company placed a song in the film The Bourne Legacy, and scored an international cut on Susan Boyle’s album. Wallace, who received MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row honor earlier this year, lists co-owner Kerry O’Neill as her longtime mentor.

• • • •

Ellen Truley

The issue also profiles women in leadership roles at each of the three performing rights organizations, including Nashville’s own Ellen Bligh Truley, VP of Corporate Relations at SESAC. She produces the organization’s annual awards events for all genres, as well as the annual songwriter boot camp. Truley and her team also handle branding initiatives for SESAC at Grammys on the Hill, and partnerships with Land Rover, Maker’s Mark, Icelandic Glacial Water and Red Bull. Her department oversees SESAC magazine, and the organization’s social media and mobile marketing, which were key to making a big splash with the recent news that the organization is offering monthly royalty distributions. Other profiles feature Lauren Iossa, Sr. VP of Communications and Media at ASCAP; and Alison Smith, Sr. VP of Performing Rights at BMI.

• • • •

Other Women In Music notables:

18. Tifanie Van Laar-Frever, Senior buyer, Walmart. She’s making sure country fans can find product on retail shelves.

28. Marcie Allen, President, MAC Presents. The Nashville native moved her sponsorship and live events agency to New York a few years ago, but continues to be a major player in country music and beyond. In the last year her initiatives included placing The Band Perry for Samsung/AT&T at the Cotton Bowl, further developing social media partnerships and obtaining clients from the fashion world.

29. Kathy Spanberger, peermusic president/CEO. Among her wins this year was working with peermusic Nashville creative director Michael Knox to ink a co-publishing agreement with Neil Thrasher.

38. Kate McMahon, VP/senior director of marketing, the Messina Group/AEG Live. She worked on the sold-out George Strait dates featuring Martina McBride, as well as the Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw Brothers of the Sun tour, where she handled partnerships with American Express, Corona Light, Costa Sunglasses and GAC.

40. Beka Tischker, Producer/writer manager, Advanced Alternative Media. She works with Dr. Luke and lists Victoria Shaw as mentor. The Belmont alum’s career has included time in Nashville, where she is building a presence for AAM.

Complete list here.

Carrie Underwood To Star In NBC’s ‘The Sound of Music’

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Carrie Underwood will take on her next acting role, portraying Maria Von Trapp in NBC’s live broadcast of The Sound of Music, based on the original Broadway musical.

The three-hour event will air during the 2013 holiday season. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (producing team for NBC’s Smash) have partnered with NBC for the musical. “We’re thrilled to be presenting the Broadway version of The Sound of Music live,” said Zadan and Meron via a release, “and having Carrie Underwood as the star brings it to a new generation who will fall in love with it for the first time as many millions of people already have. It’s a particular joy to us as producers to see this amazing artist stretch into new territory with this classic musical.”

“To have a star like Carrie Underwood perform Maria in The Sound of Music—and in such a very special and unique production—is exciting beyond words,” said Ted Chapin, President, Rodgers & Hammerstein. “Part of the magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein is how their work has adapted itself to so many different incarnations, and I am certain the fresh spirit Underwood brings to her own songs will transition into exciting versions of the classic songs we all know and love.”

The musical revolves around the romantic true story of Maria von Trapp, an aspiring nun who leaves the abbey and becomes a governess for widower Captain von Trapp’s seven children. While caring for the children, she finds herself falling in love with her employer and questioning her religious calling. The Sound of Music made its Broadway debut in 1959 and later won a Tony Award for Best Musical. The 1965 film version won the Best Picture Oscar.

Underwood previously starred as youth minister Sarah Hill in the 2011 movie Soul Surfer and had a guest TV role in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. She also starred in her own holiday television variety special in 2009.

ACM Announces Changes To New Artist Category

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The Academy of Country Music announced today (11/30) that it will award trophies in three individual newcomer categories, New Male Vocalist, New Female Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group, the winners of which will compete for overall New Artist of the Year.

The Academy’s New Artist awards can change year-to-year, at the discretion of the board of directors, based on eligible candidates. Eligibility is determined on many factors including radio success. Changes might include combining or separating the duo and group categories.

For example, in 2012, only one trophy was presented, for overall New Artist of the Year. In 2011, three trophies were awarded: Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo or Group, and overall Top New Artist.

For the 2013 awards, the top three artists from the first round of ACM professional voting (which opens Mon., Dec. 3) will be considered finalists for New Male Vocalist, New Female Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group. They will compete via the Great American Country (GAC) fan vote at GACtv.com, combined with the ACM professional membership vote, to determine the winners for those Awards.

Winners in each of the three categories will automatically become nominees for the overall New Artist of the Year award, which will also be determined by a combined fan and professional membership vote. The New Artist award will be revealed on the live telecast of the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, to be held next spring on an as-yet-unannounced date.

Nominees for the Academy of Country Music Awards will be revealed in February 2013, date to be announced.

Professional membership voting timeline
1st Ballot Opens – Monday, December 3, 2012
1st Ballot Closes – Monday, December 10, 2012
2nd Ballot Opens – Monday, January 14, 2013
2nd Ballot Closes – Monday, January 21, 2013
3rd Ballot Opens – Monday, March 11, 2013
3rd Ballot Closes – Monday, March 18, 2013

Johnny Cash Museum Preps Opening

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Nashville will soon be home to The Johnny Cash Museum, which could house the world’s largest collection of memorabilia from the late country entertainer. Plans call for over 1,000 items to be displayed in the museum, including Cash’s 12th grade report card, a dining room set from his home with wife and country performer June Carter Cash, and handwritten lyrics to the song “My Lord Is Gone,” which Cash penned just days before his death in 2003.

Located at 119 3rd Ave. South, the museum is set to open in 2013. The museum’s store, an 850-square-foot retail space, is already open daily from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Among other items, the retail shop offers autographed vinyl albums, books, T-shirts and photographs.

The Cash family sanctioned friend, biographer and archivist Bill Miller to oversee the museum’s creation. He is investing millions of dollars in the project as well as displaying much of his personal collection.

Updates are posted on The Johnny Cash Museum’s Facebook page.

New Music Venue Coming to Gulch

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Nashville’s Gulch area will soon be home to a new live music venue, Anthem, which will be located at 125 12th Ave. N., across from 12th & Porter. The space was formerly home to night club Mai. Anthem is scheduled for a soft opening on New Year’s Eve.

The venue will include space for entertaining 1,000 attendees, as well as a 400-capacity VIP room that will overlook the main floor. Anthem also boasts a 3,000-square-foot staging/green room for artists and their entourages and a full kitchen headed by Chef Chad Combs, who previously oversaw the menu at Whiskey Kitchen, Lime and Radius10.

“The architectural renderings have gone through several evolutions as we explored all the opportunities to maximize the space while still making it feel cozy,” Austin Ratliff of The Status Group (who co-owns Anthem with London Parfitt) said via a release. “And now that we are under construction, I can’t wait to see the final results of our efforts.” Ratliff and Parfitt have previously worked with Nashville-area restaurants including Virago, Whiskey Kitchen and Tavern.

Weekly Chart Report (11/29/2012)

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Thunder 102’s GM and Marketing Mgr., Paul Ciliberto, received the 2012 SYDA Foundation Community Service Award earlier this month (11/15).

SPIN ZONE
Dierks Bentley‘s “Tip It On Back” jumps to the No. 1 spot this week on the MusicRow Chart. The Capital Nashville artist’s title track climbed into the top spot after spending only 17 weeks on the chart. Zac Brown Band‘s “Goodbye In Her Eyes” leaps five places to No. 2, followed by Darius Rucker‘s “True Believers” at No. 3. Rounding out the Top 5 is Brad Paisley‘s “Southern Comfort Zone” at No. 4, and Kip Moore‘s “Beer Money” at No. 5.

Big movers this week include Carrie Underwood‘s “Two Black Cadillacs” jumping from No. 47 to No. 29, gaining 550 spins. The Band Perry‘s “Better Dig Two” also made a big climb, adding 430 spins to reach No. 14. Jason Aldean‘s “The Only Way I Know” added 377 new spins while Toby Keith‘s “Hope On The Rocks” added 372 spins, both in their fifth week on the chart.

Making its debut this week, Lee Brice‘s “I Drive Your Truck” landed at No. 62. There were eight additional debuts, including Aaron Lewis‘ “Forever” at No. 71 and Michael Dean Church‘s “Still Not Over You” at No. 74.

Also, Captain Jack at Renegade Radio Nashville has new on-air hours (4 – 7 p.m. CT) and call times (Wednesdays 12 noon – 2 p.m. CT).

Frozen Playlists: WOKA, WAKG, KICR, WZMR, KYKK, WXXK

Upcoming Singles
December 3
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb
Jillian Kohr/What You’ve Done
Josh Pruno/23rd Psalm/Lawrence Music Group
Big & Rich/Party Like Cowboyz/Warner Bros.-W.A.R.

December 4
Doug Briney/Deja Vu All Over Again/CBM Records

December 17
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista
LeAnn Rimes/Borrowed/Curb
Austin Webb/It’s All Good/Streamsound

Holiday Singles
Tim McGraw/Mary And Joseph/Big Machine Records
Lorrie Morgan/Wrapped Up In Love/Octabrook Records
Craig Morrison/Santa Claus Boogie/Lucky 53s-GMV Nashville
Clinton Gregory/Peace On Earth Again/Melody Roundup Records
Kyle Park/Winter Wonderland
Phil Vassar/Merry Christmas Darling/Rodeowave Entertainment
Tanya Tucker/Merry Christmas Wherever You Are

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 62
Aaron Lewis/Forever/Blaster Records – 71
Michael Dean Church/Still Not Over You/MDC – 74
Luke Pilgrim/Back Road Lullaby/MMG – 75
Hillbilly Vegas/Little Miss Rough And Tumble/Red Dirt Music Company – 76
Brent Cobb/Love On Me/Carnival – 77
Craig Campbell/Outta My Head/Bigger Picture – 78
The Roys/Still Standing/Rural Rhythm – 79
Bill Gentry/Hell And Half Of Georgia/Tenacity Records – 80

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 33
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 26
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 25
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings/RCA Nashville – 24
Love and Theft/Running Out Of Air/RCA Nashville – 15
Hayden Panettiere/Telescope/BMLG – 14
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 14
Aaron Lewis/Forever/Blaster Records – 14
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 13
Taylor Made/That’s What Life Is/LG Records – 12
Thompson Square/If I Didn’t Have You/Stoney Creek – 12
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 12

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 550
The Band Perry/Better Dig Two/Republic Nashville – 430
Jason Aldean/The Only Way I Know/Broken Bow – 377
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 372
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 368
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings-RCA Nashville – 367

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Richie Fields/Smile – 158
Josh Abbott Band/I’ll Sing About Mine/PDT-Atlantic-WMN – 141
Jason Cassidy/Ride Of Your Life / – 131
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 131
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is-9North – 128

Carrie Underwood recently met up with WLHK PD Bob Richards at the Indianapolis stop of her “Blown Away” tour. Pictured (L-R): Arista Nashville promo rep Ryan Dokke, Underwood, and Richards.

Lisa Matassa visited Bill Cody at 650 AM WSM while promoting her Dec. 4 EP release Somebody’s Baby. (L-R): Cody, Matassa and Jonathan Shaffer

Painted Horse Records artist Ryan Broshear recently visited with WIFE Radio in Connersville, IN to take calls from fans and perform on the air. He is on the Lightning Bugs And Mason Jars 2012 tour through Christmas. Pictured (L-R): Broshear and WIFE PD Ted Cramer