Heavy Metal: Lady Antebellum

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Lady Antebellum will have to clear some space on their already full award shelves, as their No. 1 single “Just A Kiss” has earned Double Platinum certification by the RIAA for sales eclipsing two million downloads. Simultaneously, the group’s recent No. 1 “We Owned The Night” has earned Gold certification for more than 500,000 downloads.

“We’re planning a big party to celebrate both of these songs going No. 1 at radio, and now we’ll be able to toast this at the same time… and then we can do it again with our fans on the tour,” said Charles Kelley. “A little downtime over the holidays has been great, but we’re about to go crazy to get this tour back up and running next week… can’t wait to see everyone in Tulsa!”

The aforementioned Own The Night 2012 World Tour gets underway Jan. 27 with guests Darius Rucker and Thompson Square. The trek currently has 57 dates scheduled in the US and Canada. More info here.

Paisley’s Plays Sold-Out Weekend Tour Dates

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Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality World Tour 2012 completed its first weekend by playing three sold-out shows before a total of over 39,000 fans, with stops in Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and St. Paul.

On Saturday afternoon (1/14), Paisley performed before an intimate crowd at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. He sat in with Guy’s All Star Shoe Band, performed in a Guy Noir Skit and performed two of his own songs along with “Life’s Railway to Heaven” with Keillor. Paisley tweeted following Prairie Home Companion, “It’s surreal opposites day. Intimate live radio with pal Garrison Keillor at Prairie Home Companion, then over to the arena for my big circus.”

Later Saturday evening, Paisley surprised the audience by having rockabilly guitarist Brian Setzer, who lives in Minneapolis, join him on stage for two encore songs.

The Virtual Reality Tour continues this week with shows in Kansas City, MO, Wichita, KS and Denver, CO. Special guests on the tour are CMA New Artist of the Year The Band Perry and 2011 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. Live Nation is the national tour promoter. Log on to www.bradpaisley.com or www.livenation.com for tour dates and information.

Recording Academy News: Grammy Foundation, MusiCares

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Paul McCartney will be honored as MusiCares' 2012 Person of the Year

The Grammy Foundation will host “One Night Only: A Celebration of the Live Music Experience” at the 14th Annual Grammy Foundation Music Preservation Project on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. The event takes place at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills and features historical footage from preservation archives as well as live performances from Robert Cray, Jonny Lang, Mavis Staples, Dave Koz, Ledisi, the Colburn Orchestra, A Fine Frenzy, Trombone Shorty, Tyrese and more artists to be announced. Television personality Sharon Osborne will host, and songwriter Darrell Brown will serve as the evening’s musical director. Tickets are $25.

On Feb. 10, the Recording Academy’s MusiCares arm will honor Paul McCartney as the 2012 Person of the Year at a sold-out tribute at the Los Angeles Convention Center’s West Hall. McCartney will perform at the gala, as well as artists yet to be announced. Guests include Recording Academy President Neil Portnow, MusiCares Foundation Board Chair Scott Pascucci, and MusiCares Board Chair Emeritus Paul Caine. Tribute co-chairs are John Eastman, Bob Iger, Sir George Martin and Lorne Michaels. Proceeds from the event will benefit MusiCares’ emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery programs.

These events are part of a busy Grammy Week leading into the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The awards telecast will be shown live on CBS starting at 7 PM/CT.

AFTRA, SAG Reach Merger Agreement

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Entertainer unions the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have reached a merger agreement reports the LA Times. AFTRA, which represents actors, broadcasters, disc jockeys, singers and dancers, maintains a Nashville office.

Leaders of the organizations have come to a deal following nine days holed up at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. The negotiation process began two years ago, according to the article.

The organizations’ boards are expected to endorse the merger which would then go to member vote. Approval would be needed by at least 60% of those vote.

Combining the outfits would give them more leverage in contract negotiations with members’ employers and end feuding between the two groups.

AFTRA has about 70,000 members, and SAG represents about 125,000 actors, with at least 40,000 who are members of both unions.

Snapshots (1/16/12)

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First time members of the CMA Board of Directors visited the organization’s headquarters on Friday (Jan. 13) for a luncheon with staff and Board leadership.

(L-R): CMA Board Chairman and Sony Music Nashville President and Chief Executive Officer, Gary Overton; CMA Board President-Elect and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Chief Executive Officer, Troy Tomlinson; The Greenroom PR President, Mary Hilliard Harrington; Biff-Bangs Productions, Inc. President, Biff Watson; Schlitz Law Attorney, Stacey Schlitz; XIX Entertainment Personal Manager, Ann Edelblute; Host of Premiere Radio Networks' "After Midnite with Blair Garner," Blair Garner; CMA Chief Executive Officer, Steve Moore. Photo credit: Christian Bottorff/CMA

• • • •

Thomas Rhett was in Memphis for the Country Cares seminar of the weekend and spent some time with Northern Colorado’s KXBG. Rhett’s upcoming first single for Valory Music Co. is “Something To Do With My Hands,” which might explain the poses.

(L-R): Front KXBG staffers Sadie (mornings), Carli, and Sue Sutton (middays). Back: KXBG’s Steve and Jeff; Thomas Rhett; and KXBG’s Big Rob

Apple Debuting Mini-Shops in Target

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Apple is partnering with Target to open mini-shops within select stores of the retail giant. According to the big-box chain, 25 stores will be home to these Apple outlets. If the venture is successful, the number could grow.

Target has long sold Apple iOS devices which includes iPods and iPads, but hasn’t offered Apple’s line of computers. It’s a keen way to give consumers who may not have had access to learn about or test-drive Apple computers the chance to do so, especially in smaller markets that can’t support a stand-alone store.

Similarly, Best Buy has hosted mini Apple stores inside its chain since 2007. After debuting with a small number of host stores, the partnership has expanded to include Apple shops inside about 700 locations, according to AllThingsD.

The move is part of Target’s larger strategy to bring in exclusive product lines via partnerships, such as the clothing and housewares designers who already offer merchandise there. Additionally, The Shops at Target will be an online storefront for short-term offerings by smaller, independent specialty boutiques.

 

RESCHEDULED: We’re All For The Hall Benefit Concert

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Keith Urban, has rescheduled his 2012 We’re All For The Hall Benefit Concert to be held Tuesday, April 10 at the Bridgestone Arena. The event was originally scheduled for January, but was postponed due to Urban’s vocal chord surgery and rest at the end of 2011.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Reserved seating tickets start at $25 and go on sale January 27 at 10 AM through Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bridgestone Arena Box office.

In addition to performances by musical directors Urban and Vince Gill, the show will include performances by Alabama, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Band Perry, Blue Sky Riders, Diamond Rio, Exile, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Oak Ridge Boys, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts and Thompson Square.

“My goal for the concert, is really the same as the Hall’s,” said Urban. “To help country fans connect the dots – to find out where their music came from, how it’s evolved (and is still evolving) and to discover the artists that have influenced their favorite artists. Country music is like a big beautiful strange family tree and nowhere is that more honored than at the Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum.”

This year’s 2012 We’re All For the Hall event is the third in a series started by Museum Board President Vince Gill, which has raised roughly $1 million for the Hall according to Museum Director, Kyle Young.

A limited number of VIP Packages will also become available Jan. 27. Ranging in price from $150-$3,500, options include invitation to a dinner in the Country Music Hall of Fame Rotunda the evening before (April 9) the concert; meet & greet and photo with Keith Urban before the benefit with premium floor concert seats and commemorative ticket; choice of a Keith Urban autographed electric guitar or signed customized Concert Seat that you can take home; or an invitation to a post-concert party at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

McGraw Release Streaming In Entirety

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McGraw's newest digital single "Halo."

Curb Records is promoting next week’s release of Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic album with a new digital single, and streaming music on NPR.org.

Today through the Jan. 24 release, NPR’s “First Listen Series” is offering the album in its entirety. The series is available online, via NPR member stations, and NPR mobile apps.

Emotional Traffic’s fourth digital single, “Halo,” is being made available as an iTunes exclusive download starting tomorrow (1/17). This follows the release of No. 1 hit “Felt Good On My Lips,” current chart climber “Better Than I Used To Be,” and last week’s release “One That Got Away.”

The 12-song collection will be McGraw’s last release via Curb. He re-teamed with longtime producer Byron Gallimore for the anticipated project—his first new album since 2009.

Fred Eaglesmith Releases Album, Plans Bluebird Show

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Singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith released his 19th album this month (Jan. 2012) titled, 6 Volts.

The album is fully analog, recorded live with one microphone onto a one-track reel-to-reel tape machine without overdubbing or autotune fixes. 6 Volts references the power source for the transistor radio and the music is a blending of rock’n’roll, country, folk and bluegrass styles.

“I’m doing better, and I’m loving my life more than ever before,” Eaglesmith says about the secret to his sustained success. “I’m gonna play good, sing good, write good, act good.”

In support of the album, Eaglesmith will bring his Traveling Steam Show to The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on Jan. 23 with additional dates listed below.

2012 Traveling Steam Show Dates:

1/18   Bamboo Room— Lake Worth, FL
1/19   Mojo Kitchen— Jacksonville Beach, FL
1/20   Red Clay Theatre— Duluth, GA
1/21   The Shed— Maryville, TN
1/23   The Bluebird— Nashville, TN
1/25   Red Dragon Listening Room— Baton Rouge, LA
1/26   Courville’s— Beaumont, TX
1/27   John T Floore’s Country Store— Helotes, TX
1/28   Granada Theater— Dallas, TX
1/30   Padre’s Marfa— Marfa, TX
2/1     Santa Fe SOL— Santa Fe, NM
2/2     The Rhythm Room— Phoenix, AZ
2/4     Suite 147 in Plaza Palomino— Tuscon, AZ
2/13   Molly Malones— Los Angeles, CA
2/16   Studio E— Sebastopol, CA
2/17   Club Fox— Redwood City, CA
2/18   Kuumbwa Jazz Center— Santa Cruz, CA
2/19   Harlows— Sacremento, CA
2/22   Tales from the Tavern – The Maverick Saloon— Santa Ynez, CA
2/23   The Barn— Gilroy, CA
2/24   Chico’s Women Club— Chico, CA
2/25   The Center for the Arts— Grass Valley, CA
2/26   Rancho Nicasio— Nicasio, CA
3/3     Jefferson Hall— Ogden, UT
3/5     The United Center— Idaho Springs, CO
3/7     Knuckleheads— Kansas City, MO
3/31   Masonic Hall— Stratford, ON

“ACM Showcase” Highlights New Artist Of The Year Nominees

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Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, JT Hodges, Scotty McCreery, Justin Moore, David Nail, Jerrod Niemann and duo Thompson Square are each each competing for the Academy of Country Music’s New Artist of the Year honor. Tonight (1/16) on GAC, they will be featured on ACM Showcase at 7 PM/CT, where host Storme Warren will interview the eight semi-finalists.

While the first round of eight artists was chosen by ACM professional membership voting, fans will help choose the three finalists. Online voting began today (1/16) at 8 AM/CT on gactv.com and closes Monday, Jan. 30, 11:00 PM/CT. Fans may vote once per day. When the three final nominees are chosen, online voting for the New Artist of the Year honor begins Monday, Mar. 19, at 2 PM/CT by logging on to VoteACM.com.

“We’re pleased to once again partner with the Academy of Country Music to offer fans the chance to help make country music history by casting their vote for New Artist of the Year,” said GAC VP/Programming, Suzanne Gordon. “Our strong platform of new artist specials gives viewers an opportunity to find out more about these hot young performers.”

The three finalists will be featured on ACM New Artist of the Year, a performance special premiering Monday, Mar. 19, 8 PM/CT on GAC. The winner of the New Artist of the Year honor will be announced on the ACM Awards telecast live on Sunday, Apr. 1.