New Addition To Stars For Second Harvest Lineup

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The 7th Annual Stars For Second Harvest benefit takes place tonight (Oct. 18) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Recently added to the performance lineup is Martin Johnson from rock band Boys Like Girls.

Presented by Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and hosted by songwriter Craig Wiseman, the show will feature acoustic performances from Johnson and previously announced talents Kix Brooks, indie artist Dave Barnes, and songwriter Dallas Davidson. Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas will also be in attendance.

Proceeds from the evening, sponsored by O’Charley’s, will benefit Second Harvest and help raise awareness of hunger issues in the Middle Tennessee area. Tickets are currently on sale through Ticketmaster.

Photos: Musica Shreds For Gill

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It’s been said that everybody in Nashville owns a guitar, so this was probably bound to happen at some point. But credit Vince Gill and team for executing the clever concept, decorating the dancers of Musica with oversize Telecasters to promote his album Guitar Slinger, due out next Tuesday, Oct. 25.

Jennifer Nettles, Carrie Underwood And George Jones Give Back

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>>>Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles recently completed her third trip to Guatemala on behalf of the Shalom Foundation’s mission in the region. “Shalom likens their service initiatives to a four-legged table: Education, nutrition, homes, and health care,” says Nettles, who first visited Guatemala as a Spanish and anthropology major in college. That initial visit, she says, “was my first time being in direct contact with that degree of poverty on a massive level. I connected on an emotional and spiritual level.” While in Guatemala Nettles visited the Moore Pediatric Surgery Center in Guatemala City, whose construction was made possible thanks to monies collected via Sugarland’s four-year-old practice of donating one dollar per ticket to Shalom. The Moore Center is named after the organization’s Chairman/Founder, Steve Moore who also currently serves as CEO of the Country Music Association.The Shalom Foundation is a 501(c)(3) humanitarian aid organization dedicated to providing assistance to children and their families living in extreme poverty.

Carole Underwood (Mom)- who taught in the Checotah school system- and Carrie Underwood. Photo: Matt Sperling

>>>Carrie Underwood worked alongside hundreds of volunteers on Friday Oct. 14 at Marshall Elementary School in her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. Together, Underwood’s C.A.T.S. Foundation (Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation) and national non-profit KaBOOM! assembled a children’s playground in less than eight hours. Underwood started C.A.T.S. in 2009 as a means to support her home town. The organization has donated money to buy instruments for the school’s music program, and also to help rebuild the local animal shelter. “We had the most amazing day putting together something truly special for the kids – and the community,” said Underwood.  “I’m so proud that so many volunteered their time to be here today.”

 

>>>George Jones was honored at a gala tribute Oct. 3 hosted by Louisiana personalities Hollywood Hal & Rhinestone Al. Hal & Al, formed by Scott Innes (radio host and voice of Scooby Doo and Shaggy) and Jim Hogg (longtime singer-songwriter,) organized the event and invited many of their fellow VIP guests to attend. The event raised over $90,000 for The Miracle League of Cypress Mounds, a non-profit organization that helps children with mental and physical disabilities achieve their dreams and play baseball on a specially designed field. One of the highlights of the evening came when Mike Shepherd, Chairman of The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, inducted Jones into The Hall of Fame. Mayor of Baton Rouge, Kip Holden, followed up by giving Jones a key to their city and a special signed document in his honor from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. The audience included notables such as Marty Raybon (former lead singer of Shenandoah,) Richie McDonald (former lead singer of Lonestar,) Marty Roe (lead singer for Diamond Rio,) Mike Reno (lead singer for Loverboy,) and Jimi Johnson (former lead singer of Survivor.) Mr. Jones also received a special video message from Ronnie Dunn.

 

Flatts Announce 2012 Tour

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Rascal Flatts have announced its winter tour, Thaw Out 2012, with special guest Sara Evans and opener Hunter Hayes. The tour will kick off in Charleston, West Virginia at the Civic Center Coliseum on Jan. 12 and run through Feb. 18.

Rascal Flatts wrapped up touring for 2011 last month and critics across the nation touted this year’s Flatts Fest. Since the band’s touring career began, the Flatts have sold over 6 million concert tickets.

The band is nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at the CMA Awards Nov. 9 on ABC, and also received three nominations for the American Country Awards taking place Dec. 5 on FOX.

Thaw Out 2012
Jan. 12     Charleston WV            Charleston Civic Center Coliseum
Jan. 13     Roanoke, VA               Roanoke Civic Center
Jan. 14     Hershey, PA                Giant Center
Jan. 19     Columbia, MO             Mizzou Arena
Jan. 20     Peoria, IL                     Peoria Civic Center
Jan. 21     Columbus, OH             Nationwide Arena
Jan. 26     Albany, NY                 Times Union Center
Jan. 27     Providence, RI             Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Jan. 28     Atlantic City, NJ          Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
Feb. 9       Jacksonville, FL           Jacksonville Arena
Feb. 10     Birmingham, AL          BJCC Arena
Feb. 11     Little Rock, AR           Verizon Wireless Arena
Feb. 17     Wilkes-Barre, PA         Mohegan Sun Arena
Feb. 18     E Rutherford, NJ         Izod Center

Kid Rock Set For Tootsie’s Birthday Bash

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Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge will celebrate with a 51st Birthday Bash on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Kid Rock, who will perform that night at the Ryman Auditorium, is expected to join the celebration.

“We couldn’t be happier that Kid Rock is working with us to make the Tootsie’s Birthday Bash a ‘rockin’ good time for everyone in Nashville,” said Steve Smith, owner of Tootsie’s. “Kid Rock is a part of Tootsie’s history. It’s going to be a memorable night.”

The Tootsie’s Birthday Bash will begin at noon in the streets on Broadway. Entertainment will be on both stages of Tootsie’s, the roof-top of Rippy’s, along with a possible stage in the street. After Kid Rock’s Ryman show, Tootsie’s will continue the celebration into the night.

Tickets to Kid Rock’s show are available at Ticketmaster or at the Ryman box office.

Lauren Alaina To Perform at Martell Family Day

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Parallel Entertainment will present The T.J. Martell Foundation’s 2nd Annual Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins “Family Day” on Oct. 29. The event, which takes place at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, will feature a performance by Lauren Alaina. Also, Trace Adkins and his family will be honored with the T.J. Martell Family Achievement Award for Adkins’ success and the strength of their family through the challenges of public and private life. Likewise, Nashville Predators Coach, Barry Trotz, and his family will receive the T.J. Martell Family Spirit Award, recognizing their family for reflecting the spirit of Nashville.

There will also be an indoor carnival, bungees and trick or treat booths. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best costume. Tickets are available at www.nashvillefamilyday.com. Tickets are $50 for a family of four or $15 for individual tickets. There will also be a “Your Family Meets Our Family” reception prior to the event, with special tickets of $150 for a family of four. All proceeds benefit The T.J. Martell Foundation’s fight against cancer and AIDS.

Also benefiting Martell was the recent Best Cellars Dinner, which took place Saturday, Oct. 15 in Atlanta, GA. Scheduled to attend were HLN’s Robin Meade, basketball legend Julius Erving, Styx manager Charlie Brusco, former NFL running back Jamal Lewis, songwriter/producer Dallas Austin, and vocal coach Jan Smith.

Upcoming Releases From Radney Foster, Neal McCoy

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Radney Foster is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of his album, Del Rio, Texas, 1959, by recording a live version of the project. Foster and band will perform in Del Rio, Texas, Jan. 27-28 to record the album from top to bottom, as well as other songs. The live album, Del Rio Revisited: Live At The Paul Poag Theater will be released in Spring 2012. Tickets for the Del Rio performances go on sale Nov. 14 at www.radneyfoster.com.

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Neal McCoy will release the first single off his twelfth album, XII, on Oct. 18. Lead single “A-OK” will be worked at radio by Rodeowave Entertainment. XII was produced by Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Brent Rowan, and is due out in January 2012. It marks McCoy’s first album with label Blaster Records.

Also in the works is a 60-minute concert special, Music of Your Life with Les Brown Jr. and His Band of Renown, Starring Neal McCoy, and Special Guests Charley Pride and Janie Fricke. The show will include many of McCoy’s hits with the backing of a 20+ piece orchestra. A 13-song CD and 21-song DVD of the performance are due Nov. 8, and will be available through traditional, online and digital outlets. Visit www.nealmccoy.com for more details.

 

Artists Revive Williams’ Unrecorded Songs

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When Hank Williams passed away in 1953, he left behind a series of notebooks filled with lyrics. Some songs were only fragments, while others were written in their entirety. These unrecorded songs have recently been revived in The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams. Released earlier this month (10/4), the CD is a collection of previously dormant Williams lyrics recorded for the first time by artists such as Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, Jack White and other artists influenced or inspired by Williams.

“The history of Hank’s notebooks is as complex as the legend himself. Yet, in the end, what matters most are the songs, and these new works rise from the ether with ghostly relevance. As with his many standards, these new recordings tap straight into the soul of man. This is songwriting at its most artful and most powerful,” said Michael McCall of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams compliments a current exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Until Dec. 31, the exhibit, Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, will be open to the public and features Williams’ original lyric notebooks and other memorabilia.

The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams tracklisting:

1. You’ve Been Lonesome, Too – Alan Jackson
2. The Love That Faded – Bob Dylan
3. How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart? – Norah Jones
4. You Know That I Know – Jack White
5. I’m So Happy I Found You – Lucinda Williams
6. I Hope You Shed a Million Tears – Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell
7. You’re Through Fooling Me – Patty Loveless
8. You’ll Never Again Be Mine – Levon Helm
9. Blue Is My Heart – Holly Williams
10. Oh, Mama, Come Home – Jakob Dylan
11. Angel Mine – Sheryl Crow
12. The Sermon on the Mount – Merle Haggard

Initial CMA Broadcast Winners Revealed

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Several country stations and broadcasters received a nice surprise this morning, when Taylor Swift called to personally notify them of their CMA Broadcast Award wins. Swift notified stations from Major, Large, Medium and Small markets of their wins, as well as Broadcast Personality of the Year winners from Large, Medium and Small Markets.

The Major Market Broadcast Personality winners were notified this afternoon by Kid Rock, and the National Broadcast Personality winner will be revealed tomorrow morning (Oct. 18).

Winners in all categories will be recognized during the 45th Annual CMA Awards, Nov. 9 at 7 pm CT on ABC.

2011 CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year winners:
Large Market: Chris Carr, Jeffrey “Maverick” Bolen, and Jason Statt, “Chris Carr & Company,” WUBE/Cincinnati, Ohio.
Medium Market: Brian Pierce and Kellie Michaels, “Mornings with Brian and Kellie,” KFDI/Wichita, Kan.
Small Market: Scotty Cox and Carissa Loethen, “Scotty and Carissa in the Morning,” KCLR/Columbia, Mo.

2011 CMA Radio Station of the Year winners:
Major Market: WYCD/Detroit, Mich.
Large Market: WQDR/Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
Medium Market: KATM/Modesto, Calif.
Small Market: KCLR/Columbia, Mo.

Major Market Broadcast Personality:
“Edwards & Lee” (Chuck Edwards and Linda Lee) – WYCD, Detroit, Mich.

Nominees for National Broadcast Personality:
“American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks” (Kix Brooks) –  Citadel Media
“Big D & Bubba Show” (Derek Haskins and Sean Powell) – Premiere Radio Networks
“The Lia Show” (Lia Knight)  – Dial Global

Americana Fest: Saturday Showcases

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My sleep schedule has (almost) returned to normal after four straight days of Americana Music Festival showcases. I’m happy to say that the genre is quite healthy and still capable of surprising jaded music nerds like me. You can also read about my experiences here, here and here.

Nanci Griffith performs at Musician’s Corner in Centennial Park, courtesy of the Americana Music Association. Photo: Stacie Huckeba

On Saturday (10/15), festival attendees and members of the public were rewarded with an absolutely perfect day for outdoor musical enjoyment.

The Southern Festival of Books, held at Legislative Plaza, hosted the Civil War-inspired 1861 Project. Over at Musician’s Corner in Centennial Park, the impressive lineup included “I Love”: A Tom T. Hall Tribute, Ben Sollee, and Nanci Griffith.

When the evening showcases rolled around, I decided to get away from the Mercy Lounge for at least one night. With no headlining performer scheduled for the Cannery Ballroom, it was an ideal opportunity to check out some of Americana’s new faces.

It was a packed house when I arrived at the Basement, and Deep Dark Woods was already onstage. The Canadian band played a highly melodic brand of folk-rock, recalling The Band and Neil Young along with contemporaries like Midlake. They’ve got another Nashville show tonight (10/17) at 3rd & Lindsley, and their album The Place I Left Behind comes out in the U.S. tomorrow (Oct. 18) via Sugar Hill.

Nashville-via-Ohio singer-guitarist Patrick Sweany was up next, offering up retro-styled blues rock. His his songs like “Shoestring,” “Oh Temptation,” and “Them Shoes” recall gritty ‘60s soul and the scuzz of fellow Ohio-to-Nashville ex-pats The Black Keys. Appropriately, two of Sweany’s album’s were produced by the Keys’ Dan Auerbach. His latest album is That Old Southern Drag.

Jim Lauderdale joins Bobby Keys (L) onstage at the Mercy Lounge, courtesy of the Americana Music Association. Photo: Stacie Huckeba

The crowd had started thinning by this point, perhaps to catch James McMurtry, saxman Bobby Keys, or Deadman at the Mercy Lounge. Across the train tracks at the Station Inn, showcasers included Sierra Hull and Highway 111, Tara Nevins, Catherine Britt, and Brigitte DeMeyer. I stayed the course at the Basement, and was handsomely rewarded for my inaction.

Hymn For Her

Hymn For Her, the musical guise of Lucy Tight and Wayne Waxing, played a trash can symphony of demented country blues and punk attitude turned up to 11. Lucy sang and played an instrument comprised of a cigar box and broom handle that had one bass and two treble strings on it. Wayne handled everything else. While seated he sang, played an acoustic guitar (or banjo) and harmonica, and used his feet to keep time on a kick drum and high hat.

Their own songs like “Slips” and “Fiddlesticks” crackled with energy, and they added a nightmarish cover of Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of Hollis Brown,” for which Wayne requested a “dark, murderous reverb” from the sound man. They closed the set with a pedal-to-the-floor run through Led Zeppelin’s “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” and announced they’d be back in town on Halloween weekend.

Hymn For Her was one of the strangest bands during Americana fest, which is perhaps indicative of its evolution and inherently inclusive nature. The genre occasionally has a dignified, too-serious air around it, so it was a nice surprise to see a band flip that notion on its head by playing music that was brash, snotty, and undeniably fun. According to Hymn For Her’s website, the pair recorded their album Lucy & Wayne and The Amairican Stream in a 16 foot Airstream trailer, which also serves as a rolling home for them, their baby, and dog.

And by golly, what’s more American than that?