DISClaimer Single Reviews (9/05/12)

Gloriana, Joanna Mosca

It’s a Battle of the Bands!

All four of our top contenders this week come from groups. You couldn’t go wrong adding Livewire, The Time Jumpers, The Ray Johnston Band or Gloriana to your playlists. But, alas, only one can be a Disc of the Day. That would be Gloriana.

The DisCovery Award goes to Joanna Mosca. Her EP is called Let It All Begin, and I sincerely hope it does.

RAY JOHNSTON BAND/Me, You & Emmylou
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; RJB (track) (www.rayjohnstonband.com)
—I like the band’s deep-twang sound. The featherly-light tenor lead vocalist takes a little getting used to, but makes for an interesting contrast. The bopping song is a winner.

GLORIANA/Can’t Shake You
Writer: Tom Gossin/Stephanie Bentley/James Slater; Producer: Matt Serletic; Publisher: Gossin/Echometrics/Fru Fru/BPJ/EMI Blackwood/Jameslater, ASCAP/BMI; Warner Bros.
—Completely irresistible, from the swapped male-female leads to the insistently magnetic track, from the fevered lyric to the pulsing rhythm, from the swirling production to the chorus harmonies. Play this endlessly.

THE TIME JUMPERS/On the Outskirts of Town
Writer: Vince Gill/Reed Nielson; Producer: The Time Jumpers; Publisher: Vinny Mae/Songs of Kobalt/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Single Track, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.thetimejumpers.com)
—Previously nominated for a Grammy, this all-star Nashville band is now on Rounder with a self-titled CD and a western-swinging emphasis track that will definitely put the mojo back into your jazzbo soul. Way, way cool, especially when all of these instrumental masters take turns on hot, hot solos.

CRAIG CAMPBELL/Outta My Head
Writer: Cole Swindell/Brandon Kinney/Michael Ray Carter; Producer: Keith Stegall & Matt Rovey; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Songs of Red Bandana/Tom Tom Leis/Sony-ATV Cross Keys, BMI/ASCAP; Bigger Picture
—Craig comes into his own with this throbbing ode to a romantic memory that continues to haunt. He and Gloriana, whose single mines this same theme, might want to form a support group.

ALI BECK/Getaway Heart
Writer: Jennifer Schott/Marty Dodson; Producer: Larry Beard & Ali Beck; Publisher: none listed; AB (track)
—There’s nothing at all wrong with the breezy title tune to this gal’s six-song EP. But she’s going to have to find a song a lot more distinctive if she wants to stand out from the pack.

CLAY WALKER/Jesse James
Writer: Kyle Jacobs/Joe Leathers/Ben Glover; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Curb/Jacobsong/Fortune Favors the Bold/Mike Curb/Ghermkyle/WB/Screaming Norman, ASCAP/BMI; Sidewalk/Curb
—He tries to be a good guy, but fantasizes about being a bad, bad boy. The track rocks, and he sings the choruses powerfully, at the very top of his vocal range.

JOANNA MOSCA/Dream on Savannah
Writer: Troy Verges/Hilary Lindsey/Marv Green; Producer: Bryan White; Publisher: Universal/Raylene/Warner Chappell, no performance rights listed; Dolce Diva (track) (www.joannamosca.com)
—Her six-song EP kicks off with its single, a nifty ditty to a plain-jane, small-town teen who will one day blossom. Despite discouragement from everyone around her, she winds up with her name in lights. Lilting, uplifting and utterly delightful.

BRETT ELDREDGE/Don’t Ya
Writer: Brett Eldredge/Chris DeStefano/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Chris DeStefano; Publisher: Paris Not France/Dwight Wiles/EMI April/Sugar Glider/External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent, BMI/ASCAP; Atlantic
—She’s teasing, flirty and coy. And she knows exactly what she’s doing. Being driven crazy with desire sounds like a boatload of fun in this sexy bopper. Radio ready in the extreme.

LIVEWIRE/Lies
Writer: Andrew Eutsler; Producer: Justin Woods; Publisher: Real Man/Parrot Island, BMI; Way Out West (615-319-1863)
—Super professional. This toe-tapping indie sounds as good or better than any major-label outing out there. The single has it all, a dynamite rhythm, pristine production values, a lead vocal packed with energy and personality, a song with serious chops and instrumental work that soars. This is the third time I have raved about this band. Who are these guys? Where is the album?

JORDAN ANDERSON/Key to My Heart
Writer: Anderson/Crosby; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: none listed, BMI/ASCAP; Go Time (track)
—Pleasant, but little more. The song is kinda bland, and her singing lacks moxie.

46th Annual CMA Awards Nominations

Leading nominee Eric Church.

Eric Church leads the nominations for the 46th Annual CMA Awards, earning nods in five categories.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton scored four nominations each, while Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Little Big Town and Dierks Bentley received three apiece.

The first round of nominations were announced this morning on ABC’s Good Morning America by Aldean and Luke Bryan (who was filling in last minute for Lady Antebellum after severe weather interrupted the band’s travel plans). Remaining categories were announced via livestream from B.B. King Blues Club in New York City.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return to host “Country Music’s Biggest Night” for a fifth time in 2012. The CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thurs., Nov. 1 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Thurs., Oct. 4. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Mon., Oct. 22 (5:00 PM/CT).

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Chief, Eric Church, Produced by Jay Joyce, EMI Records Nashville
Four The Record, Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf, RCA Nashville
Home, Dierks Bentley, Produced by Brett Beavers, Luke Wooten, and Jon Randall Stewart, Capitol Records Nashville
Own The Night, Lady Antebellum, Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum, Capitol Records Nashville
tailgates & tanlines, Luke Bryan, Produced by Jeff Stevens and Mark Bright, Capitol Records Nashville

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelly Clarkson
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban 

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

SONG OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” Will Hoge and Eric Paslay
“God Gave Me You,” Dave Barnes
“Home,” Dan Wilson, Brett Beavers, and Dierks Bentley
“Over You,” Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton
“Springsteen,” Eric Church, Ryan Tyndell, and Jeff Hyde

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lee Brice
Brantley Gilbert
Hunter Hayes
Love & Theft
Thompson Square

SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Dirt Road Anthem,” Jason Aldean, Produced by Michael Knox, Broken Bow Records
“God Gave Me You,” Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros. Records
“Home,” Dierks Bentley, Produced by Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten, Capitol Records Nashville
“Pontoon,” Little Big Town, Produced by Jay Joyce, Capitol Records Nashville
“Springsteen,” Eric Church, Produced by Jay Joyce, EMI Records Nashville

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR (Award goes to each Artist)
“Dixie Highway,” Alan Jackson featuring Zac Brown, ACR/EMI Records Nashville
“Feel Like A Rock Star,” Kenny Chesney (duet with Tim McGraw), Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville
“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,” Willie Nelson with Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson, and Jamey Johnson, Legacy Recordings
“Safe & Sound,” Taylor Swift (featuring The Civil Wars), Big Machine Records/Universal Republic Records
“Stuck On You,” Lionel Richie (with Darius Rucker), Mercury Records Nashville

DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Love &Theft
Sugarland
Civil Wars
Thompson Square

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Director)
“Come Over,” Kenny Chesney, Directed by Shaun Silva
“Over You,” Miranda Lambert, Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Pontoon,” Little Big Town, Directed by Declan Whitebloom
“Red Solo Cup,” Toby Keith, Directed by Michael Salomon
“Springsteen,” Eric Church, Directed by Peter Zavadil

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush, mandolin
Paul Franklin, steel guitar
Dann Huff, guitar
Brent Mason, guitar
Mac McAnally, guitar

• • • •

Robert Deaton is Executive Producer of the CMA Awards, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer.

Tickets for The 46th Annual CMA Awards and CMA Country Christmas will go on sale to the public Sat., Sept. 29 (10:00 AM/CT). Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster outlets. Pre-sale access for both events is available to subscribers of CMA’s free email newsletter CMA Exclusive, plus fans who like or follow CMA on Facebook or Twitter. Fans can connect with CMA by visiting CMAawards.com.

Little Big Town Earns First No. 1 Single

Little Big Town is celebrating a career milestone, having reached the top of the Country charts for the first time with the No. 1 song, “Pontoon.” The achievement includes a five week run at the top of MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.

The lead track from the forthcoming Sept. 11 release, Tornado, has become the band’s fastest rising single, recently receiving platinum certification. Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby and Luke Laird revealed the song in April at Tin Pan South, when they explained the concept was inspired by a publisher who jokingly mistook the title of Laird and Hemby’s Miranda Lambert cut, “Fine Tune,” for “Pontoon.”

“After working towards this for 13 years, it’s an even sweeter reward than we dreamed!” says member Kimberly Schlapman. “We’re just soaking it all in and it feels so good!”

“We’ll be celebrating this for a while,” said bandmate Karen Fairchild. “We can’t say thank you enough to country radio, the fans and our whole team for giving us our first number one!”

Recently the band showcased the album during an exclusive performance in Nashville. Pre-order the album at digital retailers, or on the band’s website.

Kix Brooks’ Solo Debut Available For Streaming

Beginning today (9/4), Kix Brooks’ Arista Nashville solo debut album, New to This Town, is being exclusively streamed on Amazon. The full album is available for listening at amazon.com/kixbrooks until its official release on Sept. 11.

New To This Town features 12 songs, nine of which Brooks co-wrote. Brooks produced the album, and Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus co-produced the title track.

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, Brooks will perform “New To This Town” on ABC’s Good Morning America. “Bring It On Home,” the follow-up single to title-track “New To This Town,” was recently released to radio.

New To This Town track listing with songwriters:
1. New To This Town (Feat. Joe Walsh) – Kix Brooks/Marv Green/Terry McBride
2. Moonshine Road – Kix Brooks/Leslie Satcher
3. Bring It On Home – Kix Brooks/Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson
4. There’s The Sun – Trent Summar/Brandon Kinney
5. Complete 360 – Kix Brooks/Rafe Van Hoy
6. My Baby – Brian White/Bruce Wallace
7. Tattoo – Curly Putman/Kix Brooks/Rafe Van Hoy
8. In The Right Place – Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson/Ben Hayslip
9. Next To That Woman – Kix Brooks/Rivers Rutherford
10. Let’s Do This Thing – Kix Brooks/Leslie Satcher
11. Closin’ Time At Home – Bob DiPiero/Kix Brooks/David Lee Murphy
12. She Knew I Was A Cowboy – Kix Brooks/Tony Lane/David Lee

Mumford & Sons, Emmylou to Meet On “Crossroads”

English folk rock quartet Mumford & Sons will share the stage with the legendary Emmylou Harris in the latest episode of CMT Crossroads, which will tape tomorrow (9/5) in Nashville.

Over the course of her four-decades-plus musical career, Grammy winner Harris has secured her place as a highly influential artist across numerous genres. Her work has contributed to the birth and growth of country-rock, Americana, and bluegrass among others. In addition to her adventurous solo output, she remains a highly sought after collaborator. Her latest album is the Jay Joyce-produced Hard Bargain, from 2011.

Mumford & Sons gained worldwide acclaim with the release of the 2010 album Sigh No More, which contained the hit Grammy-nominated singles “Little Lion Man” and “The Cave.” The group also picked up Americana Music Association Award nominations for Group of the Year and New/Emerging Artist in 2011. Mumford & Sons’ new album Babel hits stores via Island/Glassnote on Sept. 24.

The pairing will be the first meeting for the two musical entities, who plan to play their hits as well as a few surprises. Seats for the private taping are booked solid, but fans can watch the episode when it premieres Thursday, September 20 at 9 pm/ET on CMT.

WTVF NewsChannel 5 To Be Sold

Nashville’s WTVF NewsChannel 5 Network will be sold to Journal Communications, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin based company. Subject to FCC approval, Journal will purchase the CBS affiliate from Landmark Media Enterprises for $215 million in cash plus a working capital adjustment at closing.

Journal Communications owns and operates or provides programming and sales services to 35 radio stations and 14 television stations in 12 states. It publishes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and several community newspapers and shoppers.

NewsChannel 5 Network consists of NewsChannel 5 (WTVF), NewsChannel 5+, a This TV affiliate (D3) and NewsChannel5.com, a market leading local digital news site. According to a press release, WTVF is the ratings and revenue market share leader in the Nashville market, as well as one of the top three CBS affiliates in the nation based on CBS ratings in metered markets. The station has been recognized with awards including: 2012 DuPont, 2011 National Headliner, 10 regional 2012 Emmy awards, 2011 NPPA National Photographer of the Year, and five 2011 AP Awards including Best Investigation.

Based in Norfolk, VA, Landmark owns CBS affiliate KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, data center provider Continental Broadband, and several newspapers.

CRS 2013 to Present Innovative Fan Research Study

The Country music fan research studies are always a highlight of Country Radio Seminar, but the 2013 version promises to take things in an entirely new direction from the statistical analysis and focus groups of years past.

Titled “A Day In The Life Of A Country Fan,” the project conducted by Edison Research will offer a video-based Ethnographic Research study of Country music fans as they go about their daily routines under the lens. Subjects will presented in high definition video in a variety of environments including work, home, and in their vehicles.

“We are very excited to have Edison Research bring us to a new level this year by actually taking us into the home, car, office and other natural environments of the Country fan,” says CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne. “This will allow us to see how they listen to radio, discover new music, use new media and more in their daily life. Joel Raab and his research committee have put together one of the most powerful and useful experiences at CRS 2013 for our attendees to take back to their businesses for profit. You simply cannot afford to miss this!”

Participants in the project include both male and female Country fans, aged 18-54 from Country lifestyle and non-Country lifestyle markets with varying degrees of technological knowledge. Edison Research is partnering with Prosperity Productions to conduct the study.

The results of the study will be presented by Edison Research’s Larry Rosin and Prosperity Productions’ Lori Hamilton during CRS 2013 on Wednesday, Feb. 27. CRS 2013 runs Feb. 27 – March 1 in downtown Nashville. Register here.

Baldrica Joins Show Dog-Universal Music

Tom Baldrica

Show Dog—Universal Music President Mark Wright today (9/4) announced the appointment of Tom Baldrica to Vice President Promotion and Radio Marketing. Baldrica, who recently exited his post as Pres. of Average Joes Entertainment, is already on the job at his new gig.

“Tom is such an injection of positive energy every time he walks into a room,“ remarked Wright. “We are honored to add such an experienced and passionate professional to our SDU team.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Show Dog-Universal Music promotion team and reuniting with my long time friend Rick Moxley,” added Baldrica. “We’ve enjoyed much success together in the past, and I look forward to our new successes in the future!  I am a fan of Mark Wright, George Nunes and Bill Kennedy, and I look forward to working side by side with that most talented executive trio. Sic ’em Dogs!! Woof, Woof, Woof!”

Baldrica’s lengthy career in the music business also includes promotion and marketing positions with Sony Music Nashville and BNA Records.

SDU’s promotion team had a vacancy due to the exit earlier this summer of VP/ Strategic Planning & Promotion Jimmy Rector, who moved to EMI Records Nashville.

Baldrica can be reached at tom.baldrica@sdumusic.com or (615) 324-7779.

Eric Church Plans Live Album

Photo: Jim Sutter

As he prepares to head out on another leg of his headlining Blood, Sweat, & Beers Tour, Eric Church has revealed plans to bring his concert experience home with a live album slated for release in early 2013. To create the album, Church will record his two nights of concerts at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre October 8-9.

Church is offering fans a chance to see the special taping with his newly-launched “Captured” video contest. Fans are encouraged to submit videos about how they first got into Church’s music for a chance to win two tickets to the taping, one night’s hotel stay, and a meet and greet with the artist. Entries are due by Sept. 12. Church will announce his top 10 favorites on Sept. 17 when polls will open for the final vote. The winner will be revealed Sept. 26.

See all upcoming tour dates here.

Industry Ink (9/4/2012)


Pictured (L-R): ASCAP's Michael Martin, Nicolle Gaylon, RaeLynn, ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan and Ryan Beuschel

Republic Nashville’s previous The Voice participant, RaeLynn, has officially joined ASCAP as a writer and publisher member.

The singer-songwriter was part of Blake Shelton’s team on the NBC show, and recently opened shows in the midwest for Miranda Lambert. She is working on a forthcoming debut record with fellow TV show participant and co-writer Nicolle Gaylon. RaeLynn is managed by Judy Stakee.

••••

Pictured (L-R): Inna, Holly Strawn, Laura Huftless, Shanna Strassberg, Rosie, Catherine Melvin, Cindy Heath, Fiona, Montine Felso. Photo: Zac Koffler

Three teams of women from Music Row will compete in the Women’s Half-Marathon Sat., September 22 on behalf of ABLE Youth’s Run, Walk, Wheel & Roll initiative.

Catherine Melvin (High Five), Cindy Heath (Monarch Publicity), Holly Strawn (Attorney, Rubin Lublin, LLC), Laura Huftless (CAA), Martha Ivester (CAA), Montine Felso (WMG), Shanna Strassberg (GAC) and Whitney Duncan (singer/songwriter) will compete in the 13.1 miles race alongside ABLE Youth partners DoveyRosie, and J.Rod who are racing in their wheelchairs.

Since its inception in 2010, the organization has provided 1st-time race experiences for over 50 children while raising over $50,000 for programs that teach children in wheelchairs the importance of living happy, healthy, successful and independent lives. To learn more about the event and to make a donation, click here.