Valory Music Hires Shari Roth

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Shari Roth

The Valory Music Co. has announced the hire of Shari Roth as the label’s Northeast Regional Promotion Director. Roth will lead northeast promotions for the label’s roster of artists including Reba, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and the newly signed Thomas Rhett.

Most recently, Roth served as the Northeast/Midwest Regional Promotion for the Republic Nashville label which she joined for its 2009 launch. While at Republic Nashville, Roth was part of team helping elevate the careers of artists like Martina McBride, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band and Sunny Sweeney.

George Briner, VP of Promotion for Valory, said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Shari join the Valory team. 2011 was a good year for Valory and with the team we have on board for 2012, we are poised for nothing less than greatness.”

Roth also expressed her excitement about joining the Valory team. “I am tremendously excited to join George and the entire Valory team and to work with such an incredibly talented roster of artists,” she said.

Roth can be reached at [email protected] or at 312-590-3229.

Gibson Guitar Announces Strategic Partnership

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The Gibson Guitar Corp. is continuing to diversify its range of products, following the announcement of a strategic partnership with consumer audio leader Onkyo Corporation. The arrangement will add technology resources to Gibson’s Pro Audio Division, which also includes KRK, Cerwin-Vega! and Stanton.

Through the arrangement, Gibson will acquire a majority of Onkyo USA and become the corporation’s second largest shareholder. Additionally, Gibson Chairman/CEO Henry Juszkiewicz will join the Onkyo board of directors and Onkyo CEO/President Munenori Otsuki will join Gibson’s board. The two entities will create a Hong Kong-based venture to design and develop consumer audio products.

“Onkyo makes some of the world’s best audio equipment, and this partnership will give Gibson the ability to bring a deeper and more enhanced audio experience to music lovers around the world,” says Juszkiewicz. “While people may be listening to more music, they are listening to it primarily in a severely compressed format. The aural disparity between a real system and compressed sound is vast, and as a result, they are simply not hearing tremendously rich sounds. With Onkyo, our goal is to bring the same exceptional experience artists demand in the studio to a larger consumer base.”

The agreements are still subject to Japanese regulatory clearance.

In other Gibson news, the New York Times is reporting that rocker (and Nashville resident) Peter Frampton was recently reunited with the Les Paul he played on his classic Frampton Comes Alive album. The guitar was previously thought destroyed in a plane crash in Venezuela, but was apparently removed from the wreckage and sold to a musician in Curacao who has been using it since then. Currently the instrument is at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville for minor repairs.

Swift Returning To Big Screen?

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Taylor Swift has been offered a role in the film adaptation of Broadway’s Les Miserables, according to numerous outlets including BroadwayWorld.

No word on whether or not she will accept the part of Eponine, a tragic street urchin who sings the classic “On My Own” in the Broadway musical. Cast members of the movie will reportedly sing their parts live to film.

Along with Swift, an offer is also out to actress Amanda Seyfried for the role of Cosette.

Big-name stars who have signed on for the flick include Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter, Russell Crowe and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Filming will begin in March under the direction of Tom Hooper (King’s Speech) with a release date of Dec. 7, 2012.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (1/04/12)

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Let’s start the New Year with some star power, shall we?

Today for your listening pleasure, we have first-rate efforts from Blake, Miranda, Lady A, Ronnie Dunn and Tim McGraw. Tim definitely has the ballad of the day.

Our newcomers are Jana Kramer, Tim Dugger and Ann Claire. Wait a minute, Tim had a record out back in 2009. So that leaves Jana Kramer as our DisCovery Award winner.

The Disc of the Day prize is a tie between two of our band entries, Lady Antebellum and Eli Young Band. Long may they sing.

Here’s to a prosperous, healthy and happy 2012 to one and all.

ELI YOUNG BAND/Even If It Breaks Your Heart
Writer: Will Hoge/Eric Paslay; Producer: Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Will Hoge/Cal IV, BMI/ASCAP; Republic (track)
—Majestic. It has a melody to get lost in and production dynamics that pound and swirl. The lyric is for aspiring musicians everywhere. I’m way, way into this anthem.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/Dancin’ Away with My Heart
Writer: Dave Haywood/Charles Kelley/Hillary Scott/Josh Kear; Producer: Paul Worley & Lady Antebellum; Publisher: Warner Tamerlane/DWHaywood/Radiobullets/EMI Foray/Hillary Dawn/Global Dog/Big Yellow Dog/Lunalight, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP; Capitol (track)
—Individually, their voices are enchanting. But when these kids harmonize, magic happens. This wafts through the room’s atmosphere like incense smoke. In a word, dreamy.

TIM DUGGER/Way Past My Beer Time
Writer: Tim Dugger/Billy Aerts/Scott Lynch/Justin Pritchett; Producer: Jim Ed Norman & Mike Curb; Publisher: Mike Curb/Stormey/Baby Gray/BMG Chrysalis, BMI; Curb
—Loaded with fiddle and steel, this wobbles and weaves its merry way to the barroom. Lotsa sing-along hillbilly fun.

RONNIE DUNN/Let the Cowboy Rock
Writer: Ronnie Dunn/Dallas Davidson; Producer: Ronnie Dunn; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Showbilly/EMI Blackwood/String Stretcher, BMI/ASCAP; Arista (track)
—The lovelorn redneck is drowning his sorrows, and the band is rollicking.

TIM McGRAW/Better Than I Used to Be
Writer: Bryan Sampson/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Byron Gallimore & Tim McGraw; Publisher: How Bout That Skyline/BMG Chrysalis/Encore Entertainment/Mr. Noise/Writers of Sea Gayle/Gorleysongs/Bug/Music of Windswept/Songs of Southside Independent, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—The man in this ballad is far from perfect, and he knows it. He’s cleaning up his act, little by little. Movingly performed and beautifully written.

JANA KRAMER/Why Ya Wanna
Writer: Catt Gravitt/Christopher DeStefano/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: Ink Pen Mama/Songs of Max/Tunes of R&T Direct/Razor & Tie/EMI April/Sugar Glider/External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent, SESAC/ASCAP; Elektra Nashville
—It’s a heartache lyric wrapped up in a jaunty, country-pop arrangement. It may not be a hit, but it certainly shows promise.

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Over You
Writer: Miranda Lambert/Blake Shelton; Producer: Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog, BMI; RCA
—This trembling ode to loss has a deeply contemplative vibe, but the track packs enough energy to keep it from being completely mournful. Miranda’s vocal, as usual, is perfect.

BLAKE SHELTON/Drink on It
Writer: Jon Randall/Jessi Alexander/Rodney Clawson; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: Reynsong/Why Ya Say/Vistaville/Happy Tears/Big Red Toe/Amarillo Sky, BMI/ASCAP; Warner Bros.
—He’s such a fine country singer, and this swaying, honky-tonk come-on fits him like a glove. Winning in the extreme.

ANN CLAIRE/Better Girl
Writer: none listed; Producer: Travis Howard & Maxwell Abams; Publisher: none listed; Prosody (track) (www.princessannclaire.com)
—She’s some kind of princess in Iran, since she’s the niece of the late Shah. Hence, her CD title, Honkytonk Princess. Its debut single isn’t a honky-tonk tune, however. It’s a sunny, bright, upbeat bopper. Her breezy soprano vocal delivery is adequate, if unexceptional.

ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION/My Love Follows You Where You Go
Writer: Lori McKenna/Barry Dean/Liz Rose; Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station; Publisher: Barrytones/Universal Music Careers/Wagnerville, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.alisonkrauss.com)
—Captivating. Every instrumental break, every vocal lick and every thing about this production is crystal acoustic perfection. And it doesn’t hurt that the song is such an evocative minor masterpiece.

Attorneys Page Kelley, Natalya Rose Named Partner

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Page Kelley and Natalya Rose

Esteemed entertainment law firm Milom Horsnell Crow has added new partners Natalya Rose and Page Kelley. “They have not only contributed greatly to our intellectual property capabilities, they are also trusted colleagues and friends,” says attorney Mike Milom.

Going forward, the firm will be named Milom Horsnell Crow Rose Kelley.

Page Kelley was already a veteran music business attorney when he joined the firm in August 2010. His career includes tenures at Baker & Kelley, Arista Records and Word Records.

Natalya Rose joined the firm more than three years ago as an established intellectual property lawyer. She has been selected by Super Lawyers as a Mid-South Rising Star – Intellectual Property each year since 2008. Rose and her colleagues are frequent contributors to MusicRow magazine.

Milom, Joyce, Horsnell and Crow launched in October 2007. The firm is currently located at 3310 West End Avenue. Reach them at www.milomlaw.com.

Rider Exits Stoney Creek

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Stoney Creek Records GM April Rider has exited her position with the label after two years. She joined the label in 2009 after more than a decade with Curb Records. During her tenure, the Stoney Creek duo Thompson Square experienced an impressive breakout with “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” Mediabase’s most played single of 2011.

“I have learned so much over the last two years as GM for the label and I cherish every moment,” comments Rider. “I am thankful to Benny Brown for the opportunity. I really enjoyed my time running the record label and watching it grow.”

Rider is currently looking for her next opportunity and can be reached at 615-714-1749 or here.

Sales Trilogy Part 1: 2011 Country Sales Mostly Flat

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Breaking: According to Nielsen SoundScan, Country album sales have ended 2011 down 1.8% compared with 2010.

Another country sales year is now in the record books and it was a sixteenth-note type finish. Not as close as this year’s Republican presidential Iowa Caucus (8 votes), but hopefully more memorable.

Country album sales ended 2011 down 1.8% representing a total deficit of 795,000 units. But additionally, country benefited from the sale of 148 million digital tracks. This was the first year that country track sales were broken out by SoundScan, so we are unable to compare the tally with last year. But since all-genre track sales were up 8% for the year, and knowing that country digital album sales were up 27% this year, it is probably a safe guess that country track sales grew faster than the average 8%. In that case, a quick wave of the TEA magic wand (track equivalent album; 10 tracks= 1 album) would indicate that overall, 2011 country sales were flat or even a wee bit up.

We’ll have a detailed analysis of the year’s performance later in the week, but for now here is the post-holiday wrap.

Lady Antebellum owned the top of the chart again this week shifting over 53k units, followed by Jason Aldean, who got to throw his kinda party ringing up over 24k units. In the third position it was cheery Scotty McCreery, with over 22k units and a clear as day view of Platinum goalposts in his near future. Filling out the Top 10 in positions 4-10 were Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert and Eric Church (now in Gold+ status).

If you haven’t heard country’s latest party anthem, “Red Solo Cup,” then you really should get out more. It took four writers (two sets of twins) to perfect this remarkable ode to the disposable vessel of choice for holiday toasts. But it was worth it. Under Toby Keith’s inspired tutelage, the song is the embodiment of a big fat hit. This week it added over 206k downloads to its track sales total which is now over 904k. That showing was enough to earn a No. 11 position on the all genre Tracks chart, but not enough to get to first place which was owned by LMFAO (Laughing My F****ing A** Off). LMFAO’s “Sexy And I Know It” was downloaded an incredible 416k+ times.

Returning to the country tracks list, Taylor Swift landed in positions No. 2 and No. 4 with her “Safe & Sound” collaboration (151k+) and latest track, “Ours” (92k). Lucky Luke Bryan’s “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” moved to No. 3 with 128k+ downloads.

Factoids

  • YTD Digital album % of Total Album Sales—31.2% (same week YTD 2010—26.4%)
  • YTD Country Digital Album Sales % of Total Country Album Sales—19.1% (same week YTD 2010—14.7%)

Photo: Carole King At The Bluebird Cafe

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Carole King (center) performs at the Bluebird Cafe.

Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe hosted a benefit for Alive Hospice yesterday (Jan. 2), featuring legendary songwriter Carole King with Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman, and Jim Photoglo. The famed venue will host another benefit for Alive this Friday, Jan. 6 with Danny Flowers, Gordon Kennedy, Janis Oliver, and Ricky Ray Rector.

Chris Young Starts 2012 With Sold-Out Success

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Young onstage at Billy Bob's Ft. Worth. Photo: James Minchin

Chris Young rang in the New Year with the biggest headlining show of his career. His sold-out New Year’s Eve concert at Billy Bob’s Ft. Worth drew almost 6,000 fans. Venue Pres. Concho Minick called it one of “the best New Year’s Eve shows in Billy Bob’s Texas history.”

Young is set for more headlining dates in Texas, including the upcoming San Antonio rodeo. He is also the special guest on Miranda Lambert’s On Fire tour, which opens Jan. 12 in Rockford, IL. Meanwhile, his latest single and follow-up to four consecutive No. 1s, “You”, is No. 10 and climbing MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.

Young enters 2012 with strong momentum. Last year he scored two Gold albums, numerous award nominations, and toured with Jason Aldean.

Becky Brenner Lands New Gig

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Country radio vet Becky Brenner has landed in her new role as a VP and consulting partner with Jaye Albright and Michael O’Malley’s radio consultancy, effective immediately. She will work out of the company’s West Coast offices.

“I brought Becky into consulting in 1992 when I was General Manager of Seattle-based BP Consulting Group,” says Albright. “I can name several hundred broadcasters we worked with back then who immediately missed her when Infinity hired her to return to their Seattle cluster (including KMPS-FM) as its General Program Manager two decades ago. They will be delighted to hear she’s come back to take on consulting clients.”

Brenner adds, “There is nothing I enjoy more than collaborating, coaching and creating success for clients. I am honored that Jaye and Mike have given me this opportunity. This partnership also gives my existing clients access to the wonderful tools and resources that Albright & O’Malley have established so successfully over the years.”

Brenner was most recently Program Director for KMPS/Seattle and Digital Web Manager for the CBS/Seattle station cluster. Her career boasts 32 years in radio, holding various on-air, programming and management positions for Infinity, CBS, Affiliated Broadcasting and more. She is also a board member for Country Radio Seminar and the Country Music Association, and is regarded as one of the top country programmers in the nation. Congratulate her here.