Snapshots (9/24/12)

/by

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and the Music City Music Council (MC2) have named Kings of Leon as recipients of the second annual Music City Ambassador Award. The honor was presented on Friday (9/21) at Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame, where the band was also honored with a commemorative star.

Kings of Leon with Nashville Mayor Karl Dean

• • • • •

Gloriana recently stopped by ASCAP Nashville’s offices to present the organization with a plaque for the Gold single “Kissed You Good Night.” The song was penned by ASCAP members Josh Kear and Tom Gossin and is the group’s first top 5 hit.

Pictured with Gloriana (front) are ASCAP staff members (L-R): Mike Sistad, Evyn Mustoe, Ryan Beuschel and Michael Martin

• • • • •

Sarah Darling recently visited Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends Weekend, where she played her upcoming single “Home To Me.” She also stuck around to perform her song “Old T-Shirt” during the After The Show Show. Check out Darling singing “Home to Me” here.

(L-R): Fox & Friends Co-Host, Alisyn Camerota, Fox & Friends Co-Host, Dave Briggs; and Sarah Darling

Songwriters to Play Benefit Show at Lucy’s Country Cafe

/by

A selection of Nashville’s hit songwriters will come together at Lucy’s Country Cafe on Wednesday, Oct. 3 during Bobby Pinson’s weekly “Sing For Your Supper” show to benefit the Nashville-based non-profit Charley Foundation. The organization provides support to charitable agencies addressing the critical needs of children.

Performers at the benefit include Jessica Andrews, Marc Beeson, Lisa Carver, Sarah Davidson, David Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Danny Myrick, Randy Owen, Bobby Pinson, DJ Silver, Jon Stone, Adley Stump, Bridgette Tatum, Chad Warrix, Trent Willmon and more.

The show begins at 7 pm at Lucy’s, located at 1911 Broadway inside the Blue Bar. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at charleyfoundation.org. Food tickets will also be available for $10.

Toby Keith Releases Track Listing and Cover Art

/by

Toby Keith has unveiled the track listing for his upcoming Oct. 30 album titled, Hope On The Rocks. The list was originally presented to Toby’s Facebook fans on a napkin in the below image. The album artwork has also been unveiled (at right).

The collection’s first single, “I Like Girls That Drink Beer” (music video below), has climbed to No. 11 on the MusicRow Chart.

Hope On The Rocks (Deluxe Edition)
1. Hope On The Rocks
2. The Size I Wear
3. Scat Cat
4. I Like Girls That Drink Beer
5. Get Got
6. Haven’t Had A Drink All Day
7. Haven’t Seen The Last of You
8. Cold Beer Country
9. Missed You Just Right
10. You Ain’t Alone

Bonus Tracks:
11.   Red Solo Cup – Johnny Mac Remix
12.   Beers Ago –  Jason Nevins Remix
13.   Whiskey Girl (Live)
14.   Get Out Of My Car (Live)

YouTube video

Lauren Alaina Kicks Off “Inch-by-Inch” Tour

/by

Lauren Alaina is heading out on her Inch-By-Inch Tour in support of her current single “Eighteen Inches.” The tour, which kicks off in Bloomsburg, PA today (9/21), will stop in eighteen cities. Appropriately, Alaina will celebrate her 18th birthday during the tour on Nov. 8.

She is also teaming up with local charities and the Special Olympics to donate a portion of each sale of her limited edition Inch-By-Inch Tour t-shirt. Fans who cannot make it to one of these shows can still do their part and purchase the t-shirt from www.laurenalainaofficial.com.

“Eighteen Inches,” co-written by Carrie Underwood, Kelley Lovelace and Ashley Gorley, has hit the Top 40 on the country singles chart and is steadily rising.

For a full list of tour dates click here.

Artist Snapshots (9/21/12)

/by

The Lucchese boot company celebrated the grand opening of its flagship store in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood on Wednesday night (9/19). Performers at the event included RCA Nashville’s Love and Theft and guitar wizard Lee Roy Parnell, who is a huge Lucchese fan. Guests attending included Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, Lucchese president Doug Kindy, Kings of Leon’s Jared Followill and fiance Martha Patterson, Neal McCoy, Nashville Predators Nick Spaling, Roman Josi, and Matt Halischuk, MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage, and World Champion Bull Rider Tuff Hedeman, among many others. The new store offers 4,000 square feet of retail space, including a working design center for custom boots.

Left: Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson. Photo: Randi Radcliff; Right: Model Martha Patterson with fiance Jared Followill of Kings of Leon. Photo: Mike Willett

• • • • •

Easton Corbin recently made his first appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America to support his sophomore album All Over The Road. He performed his current his “Lovin’ You Is Fun” and was interviewed by anchor Elizabeth Vargas. Check out the interview here.

(L-R): George Stephanopoulos, Easton Corbin, Elizabeth Vargas, Amy Robach, Sam Champion

• • • • •

The Academy of Country Music recently welcomed ACM Award winning group The Mavericks to the office while they were visiting California. The band performed its latest single “Born To Be Blue,” from new EP Suited Up and Ready, and classic the hit “Dance The Night Away.” The Mavericks’ Valory Music Co. full length album is due in January 2013.

(L-R): Michael Guerra, Michelle Goble, ACM Senior Vice President Membership & Industry Relations; Raul Malo; Lisa Lee, ACM Senior Vice President Creative, PR & Production, Eddie Perez. Photo: Nina Prommer/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Charlie Daniels to Host Veterans Benefit

/by

Charlie Daniels, along with his wife Hazel, will host the Charlie Daniels Scholarships for Heroes charity event benefiting Sentinels of Freedom and veteran students of Lipscomb University on Tues., October 9.

Hosted at The Nashville Palm, the event will include guests Sal Gonzales, Aaron Lewis, and honoree Mark Green, MD FACEP, who penned “A Night with Saddam” – A Special Ops Flight Surgeon’s Interview with Saddam Hussein on the night of his capture. Storme Warren will emcee the event, which includes a VIP cocktail reception, silent auction, and dinner to precede the program and live auction at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $250 per person. Tables of 8 are available for $1,800, with a VIP option at $5,000. Contact Paige Dixon for tickets.

FTC Approves UMG Acquisition of EMI

/by

Within hours of the European Commission’s approval of Universal Music Group’s acquisition of EMI, the Federal Trade Commission has closed its investigation in the United States.

“Today, the Commission voted to close its investigation of the proposed acquisition by Vivendi, S.A., parent company of Universal Music Group (“Universal”), of EMI Recorded Music (“EMI”),” said Bureau of Competition Director Richard A. Feinstein in a statement. “After a thorough investigation into the likely competitive effects of the merger, Commission staff did not find sufficient evidence that the acquisition would substantially lessen competition.”

As reported earlier, UMG will be selling off one-third of EMI’s assets to satisfy the European regulatory board. The FTC will not require any additional divestitures for the deal, valued at $1.9 billion, to pass in the United States.

“Although the Commission did not conclude that a remedy was needed to protect competition in the United States, we note that the remedy obtained by the European Commission to address the different market conditions in Europe will reduce concentration in the market in the United States as well,” noted Feinstein in the statement.

It remains unclear exactly what this will mean for Nashville, but expect some changes as the labels begin to combine resources. Former Capitol Nashville/EMI Records Nashville President Mike Dungan previously made the switch to head up Universal Music Group Nashville in May 2012, so it is likely his some of associates and artists from Capitol/EMI will once again be back under his leadership.

Nashville Gears Up for World of Bluegrass Week

/by

The International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass Week, Sept. 24-30, will get an exciting early start when The Travelin’ McCourys and Friends host a free show at Cumberland Park Sunday (9/23) following the Tennessee Titans game. The concert will also be streamed live for fans around the globe on musiccityroots.com beginning at 4:30 pm CT.

The week-long festival and business conference at Nashville Convention Center will feature numerous special performances in addition to the International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday (9/27) and Bluegrass Fan Fest next weekend.

Highlights through the week include “Heart & Soul: A Concert Honoring Hazel Dickens” Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 6:15 pm featuring Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Laurie Lewis, Claire Lynch and more; “Slidegrass: Honoring the Music of Dobro Pioneers Josh Graves & Pete ‘Bashful Brother Oswald’ Kirby” Monday, Sept. 24 at 6:15 pm; the 40th Anniversary “Will the Circle Be Unbroken Sing-along” with John McEuen and friends on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6:15 pm; and “The Doc Watson Hour” Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 10:30 pm with Buddy Greene, Ricky Skaggs, Bryan Sutton and more.

Advance ticket sales for have ended, but single day and full week passes to the week’s events will be available onsite at the Nashville Convention Center. A detailed schedule is available here.

Snapshots: CMT Empowering Education, Songposium at The Bluebird

/by

Wednesday night (9/19) in Washington D.C., CMT officially launched its new pro-social initiative, CMT Empowering Education, which encourages CMT viewers to pursue post-secondary education. Broken Bow’s Dustin Lynch performed at the CMT-hosted event. Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan offer their own stories on CMTEmpoweringEducation.com, a one-stop resource providing information on schools, career paths, motivation and financial resources.

(L-R): DeDe Lea, EVP Global Government Relations for Viacom; Dustin Lynch; Frank Gallagher, Exec. Dir. of Cable in the Classroom; Lucia Folk, Sr. Director of Public Affairs, CMT

• • • • •

NSAI hosted a writers-in-the-round event at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe on Sept. 19 as part of NSAI’s Songposium Week. The packed house enjoyed performances by legendary singer-songwriter Bill Anderson, rising Curb artist Mo Pitney, TV series singer and hit songwriter Bobby Tomberlin, and noted producer and songwriter Buddy Cannon. NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison hosted the event.

(L-R): Bobby Tomberlin, Bart Herbison, Mo Pitney, Bill Anderson, and Buddy Cannon. Photo: Alan Mayor

Paisley Gets in the “Southern Comfort Zone”

/by

Brad Paisley released his new single, “Southern Comfort Zone,” to country radio last night (9/20). The single was written by Paisley, Chris DuBois and Kelley Lovelace, the team behind Paisley’s previous No. 1 hits, “Water,” “Online” and “Remind Me.” “Southern Comfort Zone” is the first single from Paisley’s upcoming album, scheduled for release April 9. More info here.

Paisley will appear tomorrow (9/22) at the iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. His Virtual Reality Tour 2012 will resume the following week in Florida, with stops in Jacksonville, Sept. 27; Tampa, Sept. 28; and West Palm Beach, Sept. 29.

Paisley is currently nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the Country Music Association Awards and will co-host the show for the fifth year with Carrie Underwood. “The 46th Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Nov. 1 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.