Underwood’s “Good Girl” Debuts At No. 1

Carrie Underwood’s new single, “Good Girl,” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Country Songs chart with 108,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The song was released on Friday, Feb. 24.

“Good Girl” is the lead single from Underwood’s forthcoming album due May 1, and was co-written by Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Ashley Gorley, and produced by Mark Bright.

Since her 2005 debut Some Hearts, Underwood has sold more than 14 million albums and has taken 14 singles to No. 1.

Rucker Celebrates No. 1, Plans New Album

L-R: Steve Hodges/Capitol, Marc Driskill/ASCAP, Frank Rogers, Darius Rucker, Ron Stuve/UMPG, Cyndi Forman/UMPG, Mike Dungan/Capitol. Photo Credit: Jim Wright

Darius Rucker recently celebrated his fifth No. 1 single, “This,” while in Nashville to work on his third album for Capitol Records. The song appears on Rucker’s sophomore album, Charleston, SC 1966.

“‘This’ was a special song for me because it was the first time I ever wrote a song on iChat,” Rucker shared. “Kara [DioGuardi], who had started writing the song with Frank [Rogers], was in Los Angeles and we were in Nashville! I just thought it was the perfect song to really bridge the gap from Learn to Live to this album.”

Rucker is currently in the studio with Rogers and expects to release his new album in Fall 2012. “I come from that ‘album age,’ so with this next record–while we’re writing a lot of material that’s different from Learn to Live and Charleston–we’re still focusing on creating an album fans will hopefully want to listen to from start to finish,” added Rucker.

For more information, visit www.dariusrucker.com.

Date Set For Next Chesney Album

Kenny Chesney performed Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" Tuesday on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

Kenny Chesney’s next album will be released June 19 on BNA Records. The as-yet-untitled project is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Hemingway’s Whiskey, a platinum album which yielded major hits “You and Tequila,” “The Boys of Fall,” “Somewhere With You,” “Live A Little,” and “Reality.”

Chesney leads the Academy of Country Music nominations heading into the April 1 show. His nine nods include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (Hemingway’s Whiskey as both artist and producer), and Male Vocalist of the Year.

After playing to more than 11 million fans over the last decade, Chesney will continue the party this summer. His Brothers of the Sun Tour with Tim McGraw kicks off June 2 in Tampa, FL. The outing marks the first time in 10 years the longtime friends have hit the road together. Featuring Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen, the tour will hit stadiums across the country, including a June 23 stop at Nashville’s LP Field, just days after the release of Chesney’s album.

His career sales total more than 30 million units.

Artist Updates (3/1/12)

Broken Bow Records newcomer Dustin Lynch will make his Grand Ole Opry debut Friday, March 2 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Also on the bill are Mel Tillis, Montgomery Gentry, Gloriana, Rhonda Vincent and more.

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Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope artist Lauren Alaina will make her return to the American Idol stage on March 8, where she will perform her single “Georgia Peaches.” Currently on Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party tour, Alaina was also recently named as one of two opening acts on select dates of the upcoming Sugarland In The Hands of the Fans tour.

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Nashville’s Big 98/WSIX will host its first Friday Free-For-All show Friday, March 2 at the Cadillac Ranch. On-air personality Anthony Allen will host the event, which runs 3-7 PM and concludes with a free concert from Chris Cagle at 8 PM.

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Singer/Songwriter Sunny Sweeney has been named the NRA Country Artist of the Month for March.

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As of March 1, guitar wizard Steve Wariner has launched a new mobile website. Fans are being offered a free ringtone, instructional videos, and opportunities to win prizes. Check it out at www.stevewariner.com.

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(L-R): George “Goober” Lindsey, Ralph Emery, Stevens. Photo: Alan Mayor

Ray Stevens recently released Encyclopedia of Recorded Comedy Music (Clyde Records), a nine CD, 108 song box set of classic comedy songs through the ages such as “Monster Mash,” “Yakety-Yak,” and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” Stevens celebrated the release with an invitation-only listening party Tuesday, Feb. 28.

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Curb Records will release Long Gone Daddy, the latest album from Hank III, on April 17. The 10 song collection, six of which are previously unreleased, features covers of classic country songs from Hank Williams Sr., Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.

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Multi-platinum trio Point of Grace (Shelley Breen, Leigh Cappillino, Denise Jones) has launched lifestyle and music radio show “Graceful Living,” which is being syndicated through KMG Networks. Starting Saturday, March 3, the three-hour program will be available to Contemporary Christian and Country Stations. More info at gracefullivingradio.com.

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Austin-based singer-songwriter Darden Smith is recording his new album in Nashville. The new release, produced by Jon Randall and Gary Paczosa, is due later in 2012. Writing collaborators on the project include Radney Foster, Jack Ingram, Jay Clementi, Gary Nicholson, and Harley Allen.

Country Throwdown Tour Adds Performers, Preps For Kick-off

(L-R): Gary Allan with Country Throwdown Tour Co-Producers Sarah Baer and Kevin Lyman. Photo: Chaise Crosslin

Gary Allan is headlining the 2012 Country Throwdown Tour Fired Up by Kingsford. He and tour co-producers Sarah Baer and Kevin Lyman discussed the upcoming trek with members of the media on Monday (2/27) during an event at Allan’s Nashville store, The Label.

Josh Thompson, Eric Paslay, and Sunny Sweeney are set for the full tour, opening May 18 in Gulfport, Miss. and visiting 20 cities through July 8. Special guests on select dates include Rodney Atkins (June 1-30) and Justin Moore (May 18-27). Newcomers Florida Georgia Line and Maggie Rose are also scheduled for the run.

One of the tour’s three stages will spotlight emerging singer-songwriters. Performing on the Bluebird Cafe Stage will be Channing Wilson, Rose Falcon, and Carly Pearce.

The third-annual, outdoor amphitheater trek is produced by 4 FINI Inc. No Nashville date is scheduled at this time.

WKSR’s Carter Honored During CRS

(L-R): record promoter Christina Bear, honoree Ed Carter, record promoter Jan Woods, KMGO’s Russ Ocker

The 2012 Randy Jones Memorial Award was presented Tuesday, Feb. 21 during the Billy Block Show at the Rutledge. The second-annual CRS-week honor was conferred to Ed Carter of WKSR/Pulaski, TN by last year’s winner, Russ Ocker of KMGO/Oskaloosa, IA.

Carter has over 25 years of experience and has worked to raise funds for numerous charities as well as disaster relief. His award was voted upon by a panel of independent MDs, PDs, and music industry professionals.

The Randy Jones Memorial Award recognizes an on-air personality for exceptional commitment to charitable work, dedication to listeners, and daily preservation of Country music. The award is given in memory of Randy Jones of WDHR/Pikeville, KY, who was a community leader in his town, an exemplary fundraiser, and a passionate fan of country music.

Trisha Yearwood To Perform “A Celebration of Paul Newman’s Dream”

Trisha Yearwood will perform along with Josh Groban and Paul Simon at an event to support Paul Newman’s programs for children facing serious illnesses.

Joanne Woodward will host the event, billed as Paul Neuman’s Dream, which is scheduled to take place April 2 at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. Camp alumni from the network of 14 camps worldwide will be in the audience for an evening of music, and appearances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Jimmy Fallon.

The 2010 Celebration of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camps raised more than $3 million and featured guests including Renee Zellweger, Bette Midler, Bill Cosby, Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett.

Show-only tickets for this year’s event begin at $35 and escalate to $1,500, to include a post-performance supper, inquiries accepted with the Lincoln Center Box Office.

Photo: “Drink In My Hand” No. 1 Party

L-R: (back row) Kent Earls, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Universal Music Publishing Group; Mike Dungan, President/CEO, Capitol Records, Nashville; Jody Williams, Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations Nashville, BMI; and Troy Tomlinson, President/CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville; (front row) co-writer Luke Laird, Eric Church, and co-writer Michael Heeney.

Music industry professionals gathered at BMI’s Nashville office yesterday (Feb. 28) to celebrate Eric Church’s first No. 1 song, “Drink in My Hand.” The rowdy anthem is the second single off of Church’s hit album, Chief. The song was co-written by Luke Laird, who has nine No. 1 hits to his credit, and Church’s long-time collaborator, Michael Heeney, who now has three No. 1s.

Sugarland Launches Fan Interactive Tour

Sugarland has announced the launch of In The Hands of the Fans, their sixth consecutive headlining tour this April. The interactive tour, with opening acts Lauren Alaina and Canaan Smith, will rely solely on fan interaction and requests to determine the set list played in each city.

“The fans will make the requests that will help form the set list and guide the show through texts, handwritten signs, the Internet (Twitter, Facebook, etc), phone calls made during the show and selections directly from the stage,” explained Nettles. “The fans will become the conductors as well as the audience. If it’s on one of our records or if we’ve played it on a stage it is fair game.”

Specific guidelines and details will be forthcoming on the duo’s website about how to specifically engage with the interactive tour.

In The Hands of the Fans dates:

4/5­ – Toledo, OH
4/6 – Youngstown, OH
4/10 – Niagara, ON
4/11 – Niagara, ON
4/13 – Pikeville, KY
4/14 – Louisville, KY
4/19-20 – Thackerville, OK
4/21 – Mississippi State, MS
4/26 – Virginia Beach, VA
4/27 – Charlotte, NC
4/28 – Raleigh, NC
5/25 – Rancho Mirage, CA
5/31 – San Diego, CA
6/1 – Mountain Valley, CA
6/21 – Oshkosh, WI
6/22 – Cadott, WI
6/23 – Chicago, IL
7/21 – Harrington, DE
7/22 – Bristow, VA
7/27 – Tampa, FL
7/28 – Valdosta, GA
7/29 – West Palm Beach, FL
8/3 – Cincinnati, OH
8/10 – Sturgis, SD
8/17 – Brownsville, OR
8/18 – Stateline, NV

Industry Ink (2/29/12)

(L-R): BMI’s Mark Mason, Julie Stuckey, and Leslie Roberts; AC Entertainment’s Neeley Polka; one of 2011’s Road to Bonnaroo winners Chancellor Warhol; Mercy Lounge’s Drew Mischke, Toy’s Alana Grace, AC Entertainment’s Carissa Stolting; Colorfeels’ Parker Cason; and BMI’s Penny Everhard and Thomas Cain. Photo: Drew Maynard

BMI, Mercy Lounge, the Nashville Scene and the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicked off the 2012 edition of the Road to Bonnaroo music competition at 8 off 8th on Monday, Feb. 27. The lineup featured local bands Colorfeels, By Lighting, Toy, The Hollywood Kills, Quichenight, Sam & Tre, Laura Reed, and Brandon Jazz & His Armed Forces. By Lightning emerged as the winner, earning a coveted performance slot at Bonnaroo, June 7-10 in Manchester.

The second round of Road to Bonnaroo 2012 will be held Monday, March 26 at Mercy Lounge. Performers include Wild Cub, Five Knives, The Running, Tesla Rossa, Static Revival, Marquee Mayfield, Nikki Lane, and Evan P. Donahue.

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Billy Dean and Ron Rainey

Billy Dean has signed an exclusive artist management contract with Beverly Hills-based Ron Rainey Management. He joins existing Rainey clients The Marshall Tucker Band, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Alvin Lee, and Kid Creole and the Coconuts, among others.

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Flat Earth Music has announced the signing of Canadian-born singer/songwriter Dawson Reigns to a publishing deal. Reigns scored a hit in 2010 with “If Crazy Wasn’t So Beautiful,” and also released singles “Someone Watching Over Me” and “Empty Handed.” Now a Nashville resident, Reigns has been working with other writers in town on material for his next album.

(L-R): David Wilson, Flat Earth Bus. Development Dir.; Reigns; Todd Wilkes, Flat Earth Creative Dir.

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Heath Forbes

Luna Chica Records International has signed country artist Heath Forbes to the artist roster. The Monroe, LA native is currently touring with former NFL player Kyle Turley and will be opening for David Allan Coe in spring. Complete tour dates at heathforbes.com.