O’Neal Returns With Momentum

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Singer/songwriter Jamie O’Neal is going the entrepreneurial route and joining forces with music industry pros to launch Momentum Label Group. O’Neal will oversee all aspects of the label, including serving as producer for some of the label’s artists.

Key staff members assisting with the launch include O’Neal’s father and manager Jimmy Murphy, who will serve as General Manager and Partner; ETA/Quarterback Records’ John Ettinger, heading up radio strategy; Jessica Northey, handling Social Media/Web Strategy; and John Christian, overseeing West Coast promotion.

“I’m so excited about this amazing opportunity,” says O’Neal. “I’ve had my own studio for many years, and being a part of the creative process has always been one of my favorite things about the music business. By having our own label, we can now help introduce the world to some exceptionally talented new artists.”

Momentum’s first release due in March will be the debut single for Rachele Lynae, “Party ‘Til The Cows Come Home.”  More info here.

Ringo Starr To Celebrate Birthday In Nashville

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Ringo Starr will celebrate his birthday on July 7 with a performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. At noon that day he will be at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville, where he will continue his tradition of recent years by asking those around the world to join him in a wish for Peace & Love.

Starr’s tour with his 13th All Starr Band will launch June 14 at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario and conclude July 21 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. New to the All Starrs are Steve Lukather (Toto) and Gregg Rolie (Santana & Journey), who join All Starr alumni Richard Page, Todd Rundgren, Mark Rivera, and Gregg Bissonette.

The tour is being produced by Dave Hart and fans can expect to hear a jukebox worth of hits including classics such as “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Photograph,” “Little Help From My Friends,” “Yellow Submarine” and “Wings.”

Publisher Notes: ole, Parallel

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Johnny Reid Signs Agreement with ole

ole has signed a worldwide administration deal with Canadian songwriter and seven-time CCMA award recipient, Johnny Reid.

“It’s no secret that ole is one of the most successful publishing companies in the world and I’m very excited to be part of it,” says Reid. “I look forward to a successful and lucrative partnership with [CEO] Robert Ott and his entire team.”

Notable copyrights under the deal include Reid’s “Out of the Blue,” “A Woman Like You,” “Dance With Me,” “Old Flame,” “Today I’m Gonna Try and Change the World” and “Let’s Go Higher.”

“Fire It Up” is the first single and title track from Reid’s upcoming self-produced album due March 13, which follows the triple platinum, A Place Called Love. Reid will set out on a 28-date Canadian tour with Carolyn Dawn Johnson beginning April 10 in Victoria, B.C.

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Parallel Music Adds Brian Maher

(L-R) Tim Hunze (Parallel Publishing), Maher, Jeremy Stover, C.T. Wyatt (Parallel Talent Management), Denise Stevens (Loeb & Loeb)

Parallel Music Nashville has signed songwriter Brian Maher to its publishing roster. Maher, is the son of Nashville producer/songwriter Brent Maher and perhaps best known for co-writing Justin Moore’s “Small Town USA” with Jeremy Stover. Maher joins recently signed Parallel writer Blake Chaffin on the roster.

“I was just constantly around the creative community as a part of my life,” explained Maher. “Writing and producing was just something I naturally absorbed. I am really excited about the additional opportunities the relationship with Parallel will bring.”

Maher has also had previous cuts with Taylor Swift (“Mary’s Song”), Lonestar, Emerson Drive and Randy Montana for which he received recognitions from ASCAP, NSAI and Billboard.

Parallel Music Publishing is a partnership between Tim Hunze and Parallel Music’s full-service talent management and production services out of Los Angeles founded by CEO J.P. Williams and C.T. Wyatt, who runs the Nashville office.

Country Sees Digital Surge

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Country consumers arguably have arrived fashionably late to the digital download party, but the YTD 2012 numbers show they are making up for lost time and partying down.

The grids, all based on data from Nielsen SoundScan tell the story. Country digital album sales are up 21.6% over last year and now represent over a quarter of all country physical/digital album sales. Last year at this time the increase in digital album purchases by country consumers was a more modest 13% showing the digital transition is accelerating. That is not to say we should stop manufacturing plastic CDs, since they still account YTD 2012 for about 74.4% of the business.

But the digital wave is not limited to albums. Country track downloads are up 16.5%. Doing the TEA (track equivalent album; 10 tracks = 1 album) math shows that country TEAs are also up a full 16.79%.

This is the first year that we can actually compute an apples-to-apples comparison at album sales with TEAs included. Measuring TEA sales for 2011 and 2012 YTD we find that country TEA album sales are ahead a robust 16.79% and if included in total album sales the TEAs increase country’s YTD lead to 8.87%.

Yes, it’s too early in the year to be cheering as if country had somehow just won the Superbowl, but good news is welcome. So I say to all the country fans arriving at the party via a click or a link, “Come one, come all, buy an album, buy a track, just keep clicking and coming back.”

Underwood And Lady Antebellum Added To Grammy Night

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Current Grammy nominees Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood will perform together on the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Five-time Grammy winner Underwood is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for “Mama’s Song.”

Also added to the line up are nominee Chris Brown, Alicia Keys, and Bonnie Raitt, who will give a tribute to the late Etta James.

Nominees Lady Antebellum, Marc Anthony, and television and radio host/producer Ryan Seacrest will appear as presenters.

The Grammy Awards, hosted by LL Cool J, take place Sunday, February 12 and will be broadcast at 7 PM/CT on CBS. Previously announced presenters for the show include Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Drake, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, Fergie, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, and Ringo Starr. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Katy Perry, Adele, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, and Nicki Minaj.

Bank Shuttering Music Row Branch

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Bank of America is closing its Music Row branch located at 1013 16th Ave. S. Employees of the local branch are expected to be relocated to other B of A offices.

Customers were notified by letter that the location will shutter on May 18.

According to the New York Times, the bank closed more branches than it opened in 2011.

Last month the Charlotte, N.C.-based lender reported a $2 billion profit in the fourth quarter of 2011, but the newspaper stated that was largely a result of one-time gains. The bank employees about 282,000 and is expected to trim about 30,000 jobs going forward, according to the NYT.

New UMPG Nashville Signing

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(L-R): Kent Earls, Executive Vice President/General Manager, UMPG Nashville; Nathan Chapman; Ron Stuve, VP of A&R/Special Projects, UMPG Nashville; Freeman Wizer, Creative Manager, UMPG Nashville

Universal Music Publishing Group has signed hit producer Nathan Chapman to a worldwide publishing deal. Chapman is well known for producing Taylor Swift’s three multiplatinum albums, as well as The Band Perry’s current hit “All Your Life.”

“We are incredibly excited to have such a special songwriting talent as Nathan join our Universal Music Publishing family,” said Evan Lamberg, President, Universal Music Publishing Group, North America, “With Kent Earls now leading UMPG Nashville and great creative executives such as Ron Stuve signing Nathan, we look forward to partnering with him in all of his creative and songwriter endeavors.”

“We are honored and excited Nathan has entrusted this UMPG team to further his already illustrious career,” said Kent Earls, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Universal Music Publishing Group, Nashville. “Nathan’s musical knowledge, immense talent and impressive work ethic make him a tremendous asset not only for Nashville but all of Universal Music Publishing.”

Chapman has earned two Grammy Awards, for Album of the Year and Country Album of the Year, along with CMA and ACM Album of the Year awards for his work with Swift. Hits he has produced for her include “White Horse,” “You Belong With Me,” “Mean,” “Back To December,” and more. He also produced The Band Perry’s “All Your Life,” Lauren Alaina’s “Like My Mother Does,” and two songs on the upcoming Lionel Richie album Tuskegee.

Reba Preps TV Pilot, GAC Concert Special

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Reba has been on the racetrack supporting son and professional driver Shelby Blackstock. (L-R) Narvel Blackstock, Shelby, and Reba at the Daytona Continental Tire Challenge race

Reba McEntire has been busy preparing for the pilot episode of primetime ABC TV show Malibu Country, first reported by MusicRow last September.

Reba said, “ABC loves the pilot script of Malibu Country that Dave Stewart thought up, Brandon Blackstock brought to me, and Kevin Abbott wrote! What a team, April is gonna be a fun month!”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, McEntire will executive produce and star in the multi-camera comedy from ABC Studios. Her husband and manager Narvel Blackstock joins Abbot as a writer. Full production is expected to start in August 2012.

Reba brought along a video crew to a recent tour stop at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, LA, to capture the show for her first concert special in 15 years. All The Women I Am was produced by Jon Small, a creative partner of Reba’s since the mid-‘80s. It will premiere Sat., March 17, 10:00 pm/ET on GAC.

In addition, Reba will host the March 24 Celebrity Fight Night benefit in Phoenix, and co-host the 47th Annual ACM Awards with Blake Shelton April 1 on CBS.

Reba will also be featured in upcoming episodes of NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are and Oprah’s Master Class. Reba’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are will premiere March 2, offering an up-close look inside her family history. “I can’t wait to watch the final edit,” McEntire said. “We filmed for 11 days! So worth it.”

Oprah’s Master Class airs Sunday nights on OWN and will feature McEntire on a yet-to-be-announced date.

Reba will also perform away from the camera on the International Festival of Country Music tour, hitting London, Belfast, Zurich and Mannheim, February 26-March 4. The singer is hosting a sweepstakes through Feb. 22 for tickets and backstage passes to the international dates here.

Reba is set to release her latest Dillard’s Reba collection in June, with clothes, luggage, furniture, dishes, flatware, shoes, table linens and bedding.

All that on top of recently falling victim to a death hoax fabricated by the Global Associated News. McEntire clarified, “I definitely did not fall off a mountain, nor am I dead. I am alive and kicking!”

Turner & Nichols Adds Associate Partner

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Turner & Nichols Management Company has announced the addition of music industry veteran Chris Alderman as Associate Partner.

“We are excited to have Chris join our management team,” says partner Trey Turner. “He brings tremendous value and character to our company.”

Alderman’s music business journey started in 1999 and includes time as a production manager for Jo Dee Messina, tour manager for Rascal Flatts, and most recently three years as tour manager for Dierks Bentley. Congratulate him here.

Turner & Nichols was started in 2001 by Trey Turner and Doug Nichols. They managed superstar trio Rascal Flatts for nearly a decade from the beginning of the group’s career, and the company’s current roster includes Easton Corbin, the JaneDear girls, and new Republic Nashville artist Jackie Lee.

Redbox/Verizon To Marry Content And Distribution

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A newly announced joint venture between Redbox and Verizon Communications has Netflix looking over its shoulder and movie content owners happily anticipating a new round of licensing revenues. The Redbox/Verizon strategy pairs content and distribution together. Financial analysts however, have been unable to assess the new deal because many key details are yet to be announced.

Redbox, owned by Coinstar, secured success by renting physical DVDs from strategically placed kiosks. Redbox’s 2011 Q4 net income nearly tripled to $31.5 million, almost $1 a share, and handily beating estimates of $.65 per share.

In return for its $26 million investment, Verizon will own 65% of the new venture, but few hard details have actually been answered about what content will be available over the new Internet streaming channel and what a subscription will cost. Reuters reports that packages will start at $6/mo. for movie streaming and one DVD rental at a time, but the companies have not commented. Netflix streaming and rental packages start at $15.98. One key differentiator is that Netflix incurs postage expenses sending the DVDs through the mail. Redbox customers will have to drive to the machines to exchange discs.

“We are confident we will have a very competitive offering at a great value,” Coinstar Chief Executive Paul Davis told the Wall Street Journal. The new venture’s spending would “not be at the Netflix level,” he added.

Key to the success of the new streaming venture will be content licensing costs for which Netflix now spends over $1 billion/yr.

In making the announcement, Coinstar also revealed that it will buy additional kiosk vending machines from NCR in a deal valued at around $100 million.

At the end of December, Netflix had about 24.4 million subscribers. Coinstar has about 30 million customers (not subscribers) who rent an average 1.9 million movies daily at its 35,000 kiosks.