Reba Celebrates Return To Television

/by

Reba

Reba McEntire celebrated the premiere of her new ABC show Malibu Country this past Friday night (11/2) with staff at her Nashville Starstruck offices on Music Row.

The new comedy series ranked in the evening’s top slot, with 8.9 million viewers tuning in. The debut also helped to make ABC the evening’s number one network among adults 18-49.

Preceding the 8:30 pm ET/7:30 CT premiere, McEntire held an hour-long webchat to answer questions from fans and host phone calls from Malibu Country co-stars.

Included in promotions for Malibu Country is new music from McEntire called “The New Me,” written by Dave Stewart, McEntire, and her husband/manager Narvel Blackstock. The song is currently available from ABC on iTunes.

The morning of the CMA Awards (11/1), McEntire performed another new song from the show, called “Goodbye Looks Good On Me” as well as recent hits “Turn On The Radio” and “Consider Me Gone,” live from Nashville on Good Morning America.

Stoney Creek Promotes Jen Joe

/by

Jen Joe

Stoney Creek Records has promoted Jen Joe to Midwest Manager of Promotion, effective immediately. She has served as the Promotion Coordinator for Broken Bow Records and Stoney Creek Records for almost four years.

Joe takes over the position previously held by Shelley Hargis, who was upped to National Director of Promotion for new imprint RED BOW Records, a partnership between the BBR Music Group and RED Distribution.

Joe can be reached at 615-320-1372 and at [email protected].

ACM Reveals Radio Award Submission Details

/by

Earlier today (11/5), the Academy of Country Music announced the radio awards submission dates for the 48th Annual ACM Awards will extend from Wednesday, Nov. 14 through noon PT on Friday, Dec. 7.

Nominees for the radio awards categories (outlined below) will be announced in spring 2013. The ACM Awards telecast, airing LIVE on CBS next spring at a yet-to-be-decided date, recognizes winners for the previous calendar year (radio eligibility period extends from Jan. 1, 2012 through Dec. 7, 2012).

Only current ACM members may submit for Station or On-Air Personality category consideration; the application deadline for new memberships is this Friday, Nov. 9, and for existing membership renewals is Friday, Nov. 16 here. Categories to be awarded include:

  • On-Air Personality of the Year – National
  • On-Air Personality of the Year – Major (Markets 1-25)
  • On-Air Personality of the Year – Large (Markets 26-50)
  • On-Air Personality of the Year – Medium (Markets 51-100)
  • On-Air Personality of the Year – Small (Markets 101+)
  • Radio Station of the Year – Major (Markets 1-25)
  • Radio Station of the Year – Large (Markets 26-50)
  • Radio Station of the Year – Medium (Markets 51-100)
  • Radio Station of the Year – Small (Markets 101+)

Benefits and Lifenotes

/by

MusicRow extends condolences to PLA Publicist Carly Caramanna on the passing of her father. Her family’s home and business, located on one of New Jersey’s barrier islands, suffered a complete loss during Hurricane Sandy. Her father died of a heart attack on Saturday at the age of 52. She is with her family and is on extended leave from work. To donate to her family’s relief fund, go to the PLA website and use PayPal (note “for Carly” with the donation), or contact Pam Lewis at [email protected] or (615) 327-0100.

• • • •

Ronnie Milsap at Rock The Cradle.

Ronnie Milsap headlined Rock the Cradle, a benefit for the Baptist Hospital NICU, on Oct. 23. Presented by the ACM, the show at Loveless Barn featured a performance by songwriter Leslie Satcher, and Allison DeMarcus as emcee.

Rock the Cradle has generated more than $400,000 in proceeds over the past three years for the Beaman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Rock the Cradle is organized by a committee of music industry, business and community leaders and led by event co-chairs Connie Bradley and Troy Tomlinson.

• • • •

Operation Finally Home has joined forces with LP Building Products, Kix Brooks and American Country Countdown to build six homes for deserving veterans across the country over the next two years. The first home will be built in Las Vegas, Nev., in 2013 for wounded Ft. Campbell soldier Army Cpl. Christopher Bales. The Bales home build is scheduled to begin in January 2013 with a projected completion date in January 2014. More at FinallyHomeUSA.com.

• • • •

Danny Gokey has tapped fellow singing competition stars Kris Allen (Idol) and Jamar Rogers (The Voice) for the 3rd Annual Cruise for Sophia’s Heart Foundation, setting sail from Port Canaveral, Florida on Feb. 24, 2013. All guests on the four-day Bahamas Cruise will enjoy concerts, meet & greets, silent and live auctions, dinners and more the artists. Sophia’s Heart supports compassion programs in Nashville that benefit homeless children, families and victims rescued from human trafficking. www.sophiasheart.org

CRS 2013 Artist Humanitarian Award Recipient Named

/by

Warner Music Nashville duo Big & Rich has been named as the recipient of the CRS 2013 Artist Humanitarian Award, which will be presented during CRS 2013 on Wed., Feb. 27.

The duo’s collective charitable endeavors are wide-ranging and date back more than a decade. Among the causes the pair has championed are St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the 173rd Airborne Memorial Fund, Project Clean Water, the Special Olympics, Second Harvest Food Band and more. The duo has also done international outreach for underprivileged children in Uganda, Sudan, Haiti, and Kenya among others.

“Big Kenny Alphin and John Rich individually and collectively have used their success to set a personal example for all of us to follow as humanitarians,” says CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne. “Their selfless contributions have gone a long way to help make life better for countless men, women, and children, both today and tomorrow.”

The honor will be conferred at 10:30 am on Feb. 27 immediately following the CRS Keynote Address.

Register for CRS 2013 here.

Way Out West Plans National Radio Strategy, Announces Promotions

/by

Way Out West Records Nashville has aligned with independent promoter InstiGator Entertainment’s David Haley to head up national promotion for the label, which begins with the release of LiveWire’s new single “Lies.”

“Way Out West is thrilled to partner with David Haley and InstiGator to help move our artists to the next level,” says Mike Severson, VP/Artist Development, Promotion & Marketing for Way Out West. “We look forward to what’s ahead with our artists and the promotion team we are building around them.”

Haley’s efforts will compliment the secondary promotion efforts of Regina Raleigh and Ann Chrisman. Reach Haley here. Way Out West is also home to flagship artist and co-founder Shawna Russell.

Additionally, label Managing Partner Clif Doyal has been promoted to the role of President, responsible for overseeing daily operations and creative direction. Tim Russell will transition to VP Special Projects and Shawna Russell will continue her role as consultant.

McGraw Debuts New Music During CMA Week

/by

Tim McGraw and Ne-Yo

Tim McGraw hosted an exclusive party at downtown Nashville’s One Eleven rooftop venue on Halloween night, the eve of the 46th Annual CMA Awards.

Industry and media were invited to preview songs from McGraw’s upcoming Big Machine Records album, Two Lanes of Freedom, out on Feb. 5. He unveiled his new single, “One Of Those Nights,” and invited special guest, R&B star Ne-Yo, to join him onstage.

Plaques were also presented during the event, honoring McGraw as Nielsen BDS’ most played Country artist of the past 20 years with 10 million detected spins and the most played Country artist in the history of Mediabase.

McGraw received a 2012 CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year with Kenny Chesney for the duet “Feel Like A Rock Star.” Additionally, he performed twice during the live broadcast.

Pictured (L-R): Josh Bennett (Nielsen-BDS-SoundScan/Nashville), McGraw, Scott Borchetta, Robin Rhodes (Mediabase).

Maroon 5 To Perform at Grammy Noms Concert

/by

Maroon 5 is set to perform an exclusive concert for guests attending The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 5. The concert will immediately follow the one-hour televised nominations special. Performers during the televised program will include Luke Bryan and Maroon 5. LL Cool J and Taylor Swift will co-host the event, which will air on CBS from 10 – 11 p.m. ET/PT (9 p.m. Central). Additional performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

The road to “Music’s Biggest Night” begins with The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! and culminates with the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards, live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013, and broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

The nominations concert is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ken Ehrlich is the executive producer. LL Cool J is producer. The event is open to the public and tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com.

Aldean Continues Stadium Sell Outs, Releases New Single

/by

Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan.

Jason Aldean’s recently announced 2013 Night Train Tour is quickly becoming one of next year’s most in-demand tickets. After selling out his July 13 date at Boston’s famed Fenway Park, Aldean also sold out his newly-added second show at the stadium on July 12. Additionally, Aldean quickly sold out his April 13 show at the University of Georgia’s Stanford Stadium.

Miranda Lambert, along with special guests Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett will perform during both Fenway Shows as part of his 2013 tour.

“The list of guys in country music who sell out stadiums is pretty short, it’s guys like Chesney and Garth…I’m not supposed to be on that list,” said Aldean. “It’s a big testament to the hard work my band and crew put in every night out there and to the loyalty and passion of country music fans. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Aldean also revealed the second single from his fifth studio album, Night Train, last week (11/1) during the opening performance of the CMA Awards. Titled “The Only Way I Know,” the track includes Luke Bryan and Eric Church is available at radio now. Night Train sold 409,000 copies in its first week out.

For a full list of appearances and more information, visit www.jasonaldean.com.

CMA Instrumental Healthcare Launches

/by

CMA Board President-Elect Ed Hardy and board member Jeff Walker visit a Vanderbilt healthcare information booth during CMA’s annual membership meeting. Photo: Christian Bottorff/CMA.

The Country Music Association has announced the creation of CMA Instrumental Healthcare, formerly known as CMA Sound Healthcare. The new initiative, a partnership between CMA, Pancoast Benefits, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was launched during CMA’s annual membership meeting in Nashville.

“Affordable and available health insurance is one of the most valued benefits for members of CMA,” said Steve Moore, Chief Executive Officer of CMA. “We strive to provide insurance options that meet our constituents’ needs and offer a whole new level of security – especially for members who are self-employed or otherwise not in a position to obtain coverage that fits their health requirements and budget. We feel confident that CMA Instrumental Healthcare accomplishes this important and necessary goal.”

Among the benefits for the new program include savings of up to 60 percent on generic prescriptions, and 25 percent on brand name prescriptions at over 58,000 pharmacies. The program also includes supplemental coverage for accidental, disability, dental, and vision. Additionally, all participants will get a 25 percent discount on balances at Vanderbilt University Medical Center up to $2000.

More information here.