Hayes Earns Platinum With “Wanted”

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Atlantic recording artist Hunter Hayes recently earned Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over 1 million copies of his current single “Wanted.” The fast-climbing hit simultaneously makes a big move to mark Hunter’s first ever Top 5 radio single. “Wanted” is Hunter’s second single off of his Atlantic Records self-titled debut album, Hunter Hayes.

“I cannot believe I’m celebrating a Platinum single in the Top FIVE!” said Hayes when asked to describe this exciting success. “I’ve been dreaming about what this would feel like my entire life…and huge thanks to Country Radio’s support and the best fants in the world, I now know that it feels better than I ever imagined. Thank you!”

“Wanted” is also Top 20 in all genres on iTunes digital chart and to date, Hunter has sold a combined total of nearly 2 million digital singles. His first single, “Storm Warning,” is nearing Gold certification as well.

Songwriters Play Benefit For Daughter of Music Row Veteran

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Taliaferro Family. Photo: Shannon Jenkins

A slew of hit Nashville songwriters will perform at a benefit for Ellie Taliaferro, the 4-year old daughter of Music Row veteran Mike Taliaferro and wife Kerri who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer and is undergoing treatment at Vanderbilt.

Donations will be accepted during the event, which takes place at 5 pm tomorrow (8/28) at Loser’s Bar and Grill.

The list of performers includes Dallas Davidson, Bobby Pinson, Billy Joe Walker, Bekka Bramlett, Arlos Smith Aaron Barker, Daryle Singletary, Donny Kees, Jumbo Shrimp Band, Larry Henley, Melonie Cannon, Richard Leigh, Trent Tomlinson, Wynn Varble, and 2012 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Larry Henley.

Mike Taliaferro career includes managing artists such as Tracy Byrd, Justin McBride and more

For more information about Ellie, click here. Contact Donny Keeys for additional information.

Americana Music Awards Signs Multi-Year Agreement With AXS TV

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Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly has announced a partnership with AXS TV, resulting in a two-year commitment to provide the live broadcast of the annual Americana Honors & Awards. Beginning with this year’s ceremony September 12 at the Ryman Auditorium, AXS TV will give viewers an exclusive experience of the show including sound checks, red carpet and interviews.

The event will feature performances from Bonnie Raitt, John Hiatt, Alabama Shakes, Brandi Carlile, The Civil Wars, Jakob Dylan, Guy Clark, Booker T. Jones, Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, The Mavericks, and more. Additionally, the late Levon Helm will be remembered will an all-star tribute.

“The Americana Music Association is home to a great community of independently spirited artists, and as an entrepreneur with the largest independently owned and operated television network, I relate to these musicians and their spirit,” says AXS TV co-founder and President Mark Cuban. “AXS TV shines a spotlight on the Americana Honors & Awards to celebrate the important history of this music genre and more importantly, to celebrate these incredibly talented artists and all they offer music fans everywhere.”

In addition to the live television broadcast, the Honors & Awards will be broadcast live on radio, satellite and the web through numerous outlets including WSM, SiriusXM’s “Outlaw Country,” and NPR.org. As usual, Austin City Limits will present an edited TV special for PBS in the weeks following.

The annual Americana Music Association Festival & Conference kicks off September 12 at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, and runs through September 15 with nightly performances in venues across town. More information here.

CRS Names Panel Moderators

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Five Country radio veterans have been selected to serve as core panel moderators for CRS 2013. Collectively, they will oversee and direct the bulk of the educational panels over three days at CRS 2013, to be held Feb. 27- March 1 inside the downtown Nashville Convention Center.

The core panel moderators are: Ken Boesen, Operations Manager, WKIS/Miami; Beverlee Brannigan, Operations Manager, Journal Broadcast Group/Milwaukee; Dan Halyburton, Business Development at Texas State Network, CBS Radio/Dallas; Todd Schumacher, VP/Market Manager, Cox Media Group/Louisville; and Matt Sunshine, Executive VP, The Center For Sales Strategy/Plano.

“We’re so excited to announce the five core moderators,” says CRS Agenda Committee Chair Annie Sandor. “I have the utmost respect for all of them and get more excited with each call. They bring so much to the table and will enhance the great panels the Agenda Committee has put together for CRS 2013.”

Halyburton is serving for the third year in a row, while Brannigan returns for her second year. Meanwhile, Boesen, Schumacher and Sunshine are making their debut appearances as moderators.

The $399 Early Bird registration rate for CRS 2013 is now available at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com or (615) 327-4487.

Dave Stewart Film Premiere Draws Nashville Notables

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At the premiere of "The Ringmaster General." (L-R): Martina McBride, Dave Stewart, John McBride. Photo: Chris Champeau

Singer/songwriter Dave Stewart premiered his documentary The Ringmaster General at Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre on Thursday night (8/23). The project captures the making of his two albums at Martina and John McBride’s Blackbird Studios including the acclaimed 2011 project The Blackbird Diaries, and the upcoming The Ringmaster General (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/Surfdog), set for release Sept. 4.

(L-R): Jessie Baylin, Dave Stewart, Nathan Followill. Photo: Chris Champeau

Stewart, previously of the Eurthymics and currently in Superheavy with Mick Jagger and Joss Stone, recruited Stone, Alison Krauss, Diane Birch, and Jessie Baylin to join him in the studio. Among the top musicians on the project are guitarist Orianthi, guitarist Tom Bukovac, drummer Chad Cromwell, bassist Michael Rhodes, steel guitarist Dan Dugmore and pianist Mike Rojas. Colbie Caillat, The Secret Sisters and Stevie Nicks also appear in the documentary.

Many of the contributors turned out for the film premiere, as did Vince Gill, Nathan Followill, Nash Overstreet, Karen Elson, Travis McNab and Anne Marie Calhoun.

Stewart spent the weekend performing three dates on the Sugarland tour.

YouTube video

Apple Awarded $1B in Infringement Lawsuit

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A federal jury in San Jose, California has sided with Apple in its patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, and awarded the tech company over $1 billion in damages.

Following the three week trial, the verdict was delivered Friday (Aug. 24) and found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple’s utility and design for some (but not all) products, including willful infringement on five or six patents. The jury also ruled against Samsung’s counter-claim that Apple had infringed on its patents. However, Samsung was cleared of charges of violating antitrust law and the damages are considerably less than the $2.5 billion originally sought by Apple.

The design patents and what they should cover have been a hotly debated topic since the trial began. The victory for Apple might be precedent-setting for companies with distinctive design cues. Despite the verdict, Samsung hasn’t conceded defeat, though many changes will be eminent.

“Today’s verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer,” said a statement from Samsung. “It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.”

Some experts predict the win for Apple could signal a showdown between Apple and Google, whose Android operating system is now the leading smartphone platform worldwide. More immediately, Apple is attempting to have a ban placed on several Samsung products found to infringe, including the Galaxy S II and the Verizon Droid Charge. Samsung is trying to overturn a previous sales ban against its Galaxy Tab 10.1, which was found in this case not to infringe on Apple’s design.

Steve Earle Signs Book Deal

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Steve Earle

Steve Earle recently sold the rights for two books to Twelve, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group. Included in the deal is the acclaimed artist’s memoir and a novel.

Earle’s memoir, due in 2014, is described as a literary work in three acts. The first section will focus on meeting Townes Van Zandt and the complicated friendship and musical mentorship that ensued, taking place in Texas and Tennessee. The second section will center on bottoming out in Nashville, culminating in a prison sentence, during which he got clean. The heart of the third and final section will be recovery, starting around the recording of the masterful album, Train a Comin’. 

The novel is a work of historical fiction and will tell the story of a runaway slave who survived the battle of the Alamo. No release date has been set for the novel.

Grand Central Publishing Executive Editor Ben Greenberg acquired world rights for the two books and will edit the titles for Twelve. Cary Goldstein is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Twelve.

Darius Rucker Releasing New Music

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Darius Rucker has released “True Believers,” the first single from his upcoming 2013 album, at Country radio today (8/27). The album, Rucker’s third as a solo Country artist, is being produced by Frank Rogers.

“Josh [Kear] brought the general idea of ‘True Believers’ into the writing sessions, and to me, it was so exactly what I wanted to say,” said Rucker. “It’s such a defiant song for me – the message that ‘My life works for me, whether it’s what you agree with or not’ – and it’s something I am really proud of as a singer and a writer.”

Rucker’s first two solo albums, Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1966, produced five No. 1 singles including “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.” Rucker was most recently a special guest on label mate Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night Tour.

GOP Convention Announces Entertainment Lineup

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The 2012 Republican National Convention announced a long lineup of entertainment on hand for this week’s convention.

Today’s (8/27) activities were cancelled due to inclement weather brought on by what is expected to become Hurricane Isaac. While the rest of this week’s activities are scheduled to resume tomorrow, that will largely depend on the storm’s developments.

This week’s scheduled performers include Neal Boyd, Randy Owen, Jack Blades of Night Ranger, Taylor Hicks, BeBe Winans and more. The performance lineup will also feature an exclusive, worldwide premiere of “One Light,” a new single from the Grammy award-winning rock band, 3 Doors Down.

“We’ve booked outstanding performers and world-famous acts,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.  “The convention attendees will be treated to special performances they will remember for a very long time.”

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum August 27-30, 2012.

GOP’s Full Lineup (Original Schedule):

Monday, August 27
Oak Ridge Boys
Conrad Oberg
Lynyrd Skynyrd

Tuesday, August 28
Philip Alongi
Neal E. Boyd
Lane Turner
Randy Owen
Jack Blades
3 Doors Down

Wednesday, August 29
Ayla Brown
Beau Davidson
The KatinasDanny Gokey

Thursday, August 30
The Mighty Sound of SEVEN
Taylor Hicks
BeBe Winans
Tampa Gospel Choir

“Brothers Of The Sun Tour” Wraps, Breaks Record

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The Brothers of the Sun Tour, with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, ended its run this weekend with two sold-out shows at Foxboro, MA’s Gillette Stadium. The 111,209 tickets sold for the New England shows were what Dan Murphy, Gillette Stadium’s Vice President of External Affairs, called “a record for the biggest country music event in New England history.” Two weeks ago, Chesney and McGraw hosted the biggest ticketed country show in NYC/NJ history at a sold-out MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

“I couldn’t imagine bringing this incredible journey to a close anywhere else but Gillette Stadium,” Chesney said. “The fans in New England welcome us with such energy year after year, and it was the perfect ending to one of the most fun tours I’ve been a part of.”

Those fans proved to be quite rowdy according to the Boston Herald, as Foxboro police arrested 101 concertgoers and placed 466 others into protective custody over the two nights of the New England Country Music Festival. Foxboro Selectman Mark Sullivan stated, “It’s just the way these young adults are today. They’re just crazy.”

The Brothers of the Sun Tour spanned 22 cities and packed 23 stadiums featuring Chesney and McGraw, as well as opening acts Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and Jake Owen. According to Pollstar, it’s the biggest stadium tour of the year and the highest-grossing tour of the summer.

Photo: Jill Trunnell