Jackson To Perform At 9/11 Concert

Alan Jackson will perform at the Washington National Cathedral Sept. 11 for  “A Concert for Hope,” marking the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
R&B legend Patti LaBelle and renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves are also slated to perform. Following the 9/11 tragedy, the National Cathedral was called on to serve as a sacred national gathering place for mourning, reflection and prayer.
Jackson wrote and recorded “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. The song was later released as the lead single from his album, Drive.
The special weekend commemoration will be shared with military men and women deployed across the country and around the world by the Pentagon Channel. “A Concert For Hope” will also air live on numerous ABC affiliates nationwide Sunday, Sept.11, at 8 pm.
Viewers can watch the live stream at www.calltocompassion.com.

CMT Adds New Sr. VP

Eliot Goldberg


CMT has tapped television industry veteran Eliot Goldberg to serve as Sr. VP, Development and Programming. From his base in Santa Monica, Goldberg is charged with developing new programming for the network, which is currently expanding its production slate. He will report to Jayson Dinsmore, EVP Development and Programming, beginning Sept. 1.
Goldberg was most recently Senior Vice President of Development and Original Programming for TV Land, where he helped boost ratings by developing scripted and non-scripted programming for the network.
Prior to TV Land, Goldberg was Executive Vice President of Programming and Development for Ryan Seacrest Productions, leading the hit franchises Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khourtney and Khloe Take Miami and Denise Richards: It’s Complicated.
Goldberg’s track record also includes developing and overseeing Beauty and the Geek for The WB, and co-developing the Emmy- winning ABC series Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. He is credited with the launch of the long-running syndicated hit Access Hollywood and has held development and programming positions at Disney and VH1, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Bands On The Run.
Dinsmore joined CMT in February 2011 to lead the charge for original programming. Among the shows created under his leadership are Texas Women and Sweet Home Alabama, which have contributed to ratings gains.
In related news, last week CMT announced the hiring of industry vet Leslie Fram to serve as Sr. VP, Music Strategy.
 

WMG Leaders Switch Roles

Edgar Bronfman Jr. (L) and Stephen Cooper (R)


Two of Warner Music Group’s top execs are trading places. Chief executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. will assume Chairman Stephen Cooper’s role, and in turn, Cooper is becoming CEO.
 
Access Industries purchased Warner about two months ago, and now Warner is bidding to acquire fellow music company EMI.
Cooper, who has a track record of getting major corporations Enron, Krisy Kreme, and MGM back on course, will take over day-to-day running of WMG, while Bronfman focuses on the bid for EMI. Some pundits say this move signals Bronfman’s pending exit.
Under the new hierarchy, WMG Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music Lyor Cohen, and Cameron Strang, Chairman and CEO of Warner Chappell Publshing, will report to Cooper.
More on WMG, EMI and its possible trickle-down effect on Music City here.

Vince Gill Offers First Music In Four Years

Vince Gill’s first radio single in four years goes for adds on Aug. 29. “Threaten Me With Heaven” is the lead track from his latest album, Guitar Slinger, due Oct. 25 on MCA Nashville.
The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee co-wrote “…Heaven” with wife Amy Grant, Dillon O’Brian and Will Owsley. “Since the song was recorded, my friend Will Owsley took his own life, so the song has a profound impact on me now,” explains Gill. “In my lifetime, ‘Go Rest High On That Mountain’ has been the song that helped a lot of people through their grief. I think this one will in turn hopefully do the same thing. It’s a powerful, powerful song. I feel like it’s the crown jewel of the new record.”
Other tracks include “True Love,” which features Grant and her daughter, Sarah Chapman, on vocals. Daughters Jenny Gill and Corinna Gill, also make guest appearances.
Among the songwriters with credits on the upcoming project are Leslie Satcher, who penned “Bread and Water” with Gill.
For the first time, Gill recorded his new project in his home studio, which he says gave it a special warmth. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s so different than most studios in that there are windows all the way around the room. You look out and see trees,” says Gill. “There’s such a great spirit running around in the house. All the musicians have raved about the vibe.”
Guitar Slinger is the follow-up to Gill’s critically acclaimed, Grammy winning four-CD box set, These Days.
He will perform tomorrow night (8/23) at the Lyrics for Lyric Benefit Show at Roosters TX Style BBQ & Steakhouse in Nashville. Proceeds benefit two-year-old Lyric Alana Frizzell, who has a rare, aggressive form of Leukemia. The Roys will also take the stage.

Average Joe's Hires Director of Label Operations


Britta Coleman


Britta Coleman has been tapped by Average Joe’s Pres. Tom Baldrica to serve as Director of Label Operations. Coleman’s twenty-year career includes time in the promotions and marketing departments for Sony BMG, where she first worked with Baldrica, and also as Manager of Marketing Operations for Sony Music Nashville.

Average Joe’s is label home to Lauren Briant, Ira Dean, Rachel Farley, Colt Ford, Kevin Fowler, Josh Gracin, Demun Jones, Sunny Ledfurd, Rich O’Toole, Corey Smith, Matt Stillwell, JB and the Moonshine Band, The Lacs, Montgomery Gentry and Nappy Roots.

Looking forward to her new role as Director of Label Operations, Coleman shares, “I am honored and excited to be joining Tom Baldrica and the extremely talented staff at Average Joe’s Entertainment.”

“Britta has been a part of my professional career from the day I started in the record business and I couldn’t be more thrilled to reunite with her here at Average Joe’s,” Baldrica adds. “Her respect within the industry is unquestioned and her organizational skills are a perfect fit for the growing and expanding AJE label.”

Coleman can be reached at (615) 733-9983 or britta@averagejoesent.com.

Average Joe’s Entertainment has offices located at 209 10th Ave. S. in Nashville, Tenn.

Average Joe’s Hires Director of Label Operations

Britta Coleman

Britta Coleman has been tapped by Average Joe’s Pres. Tom Baldrica to serve as Director of Label Operations. Coleman’s twenty-year career includes time in the promotions and marketing departments for Sony BMG, where she first worked with Baldrica, and also as Manager of Marketing Operations for Sony Music Nashville.

Average Joe’s is label home to Lauren Briant, Ira Dean, Rachel Farley, Colt Ford, Kevin Fowler, Josh Gracin, Demun Jones, Sunny Ledfurd, Rich O’Toole, Corey Smith, Matt Stillwell, JB and the Moonshine Band, The Lacs, Montgomery Gentry and Nappy Roots.

Looking forward to her new role as Director of Label Operations, Coleman shares, “I am honored and excited to be joining Tom Baldrica and the extremely talented staff at Average Joe’s Entertainment.”

“Britta has been a part of my professional career from the day I started in the record business and I couldn’t be more thrilled to reunite with her here at Average Joe’s,” Baldrica adds. “Her respect within the industry is unquestioned and her organizational skills are a perfect fit for the growing and expanding AJE label.”

Coleman can be reached at (615) 733-9983 or britta@averagejoesent.com.

Average Joe’s Entertainment has offices located at 209 10th Ave. S. in Nashville, Tenn.

NATD Plans Inaugural Honors Gala

The Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD) will salute industry leaders at an Honors Gala on Wed., Sept. 14 at Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel.
The organization’s 2011 honorees include Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Alabama, Nashville Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz, Agency for the Performing Arts President/CEO Jim Gosnell, and Conway Entertainment Group President Tony Conway.
NATD President Steve Tolman today (8/22) announced the organization’s inaugural evening event and its honorees.
Since forming over 50 years ago, NATD has served as an idea exchange for Nashville-based entertainment industry professionals through networking, educational initiatives, and fostering the growth of music business students. Though this is the first Honors Gala, NATD has recognized individuals and their industry achievements for over 25 years.
For more information and to join, visit www.n-a-t-d.com.

Americana Festival Reveals Showcases

Connie Smith, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, the Jayhawks, the Civil Wars and the North Mississippi Allstars are set for the Americana Music Festival


More than 100 acts are set for the nighttime showcases at the Americana Music Festival, ranging from genre trailblazers to rising stars. The event running Oct. 12-15 in select Nashville clubs will feature Foster & Lloyd, JD Souther, Will Hoge, Elizabeth Cook, Marty Stuart, Marshall Chapman, Connie Smith, John Oates, The Civil Wars, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Matraca Berg, the North Mississippi Allstars, the Jayhawks and many others.
Festival wristbands will be available at Grimey’s Aug. 23-27 for $40 (a $10 savings courtesy of Nissan). To kick-off this sale, Smith will give a special in-store performance at the record shop tomorrow (8/23) at 6 p.m. to celebrate the release of her Sugar Hill album Long Line of Heartaches.
The Americana Music Festival is part of the organization’s annual conference, which includes daytime panels, networking and educational opportunities. Registration for both is $350 for AMA members, and $450 for non-members. The full registration also includes a ticket to the Americana Honors & Awards Thurs., Oct. 13 at the Ryman Auditorium, and priority access to evening showcases. Conference registration, festival wristbands, and the full line-up is available at americanamusic.org.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Names New Class

(L-R): Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, John Bettis, Allen Shamblin and Thom Schuyler


The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF) today (8/22) announced this year’s inductees for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, with John Bettis, Thom Schuyler and Allen Shamblin joining in the Songwriter category, and Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson being inducted in the Songwriter/Artist category.
They will be honored at the 41st Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony, presented by AT&T, on Sunday, October 16 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
Bettis’ songwriter credits include pop/country crossover hits such as “Top Of The World” (The Carpenters, Lynn Anderson) and “Slow Hand” (The Pointer Sisters, Conway Twitty). Schuyler’s resume is known for hits such as “Love Will Turn You Around” (Kenny Rogers) and “A Long Line Of Love” (Michael Martin Murphey). Shamblin is the tunesmith behind “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Bonnie Raitt) and “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert). Brooks popularized many of his own compositions such as “The Thunder Rolls” and “The River.” Jackson created hits from many of his self-penned songs such as “Chattahoochee” and “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning).” For more biographical info click here.
John Van Mol, chairman of NaSHOF, notes the organization’s board of directors increased the number of inductees this year to five from the traditional three. “These five very talented individuals are among an era of powerhouse writers and artists who propelled country music to unparalleled heights beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and also made substantial contributions to popular and rock music,” he added. “We look forward to a fantastic evening of recognition for our inductees, and great entertainment for all who attend.”
Also at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner, sister organization Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), presents awards for the year’s best Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written,” as determined by the professional songwriters division.
Tickets for the event are $200 each. A limited number of seats are available to the public this year and may be purchased by contacting event director Mark Ford at hoftix@nashvillesongwriters.com or 615-256-3354.

More About The Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees

(L-R): Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, John Bettis, Allen Shamblin and Thom Schuyler


A 2011 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York, John Bettis is the only songwriter of his generation who has repeatedly topped the Pop, Country, R&B and Adult Contemporary charts. His biggest Country hits include “Heartland” (George Strait), “Only One Love In My Life” (Ronnie Milsap) and “One Of A Kind Pair Of Fools” (Barbara Mandrell). His successes on the Pop hit parade include “One Moment In Time” (Whitney Houston), “Human Nature” (Michael Jackson) and “Crazy For You” (Madonna). “Top Of The World” topped both charts (Lynn Anderson, The Carpenters), as did his Nashville-written “Slow Hand” (The Pointer Sisters, Conway Twitty), while The Carpenters’ “I Need To Be In Love” and “Yesterday Once More”  topped the AC charts. The California native has been co-writing in Nashville since 1971 and has been a full-time resident since 1996.
Certified by the RIAA as the #1 selling solo artist in US history, Garth Brooks has sold more than 128 million albums and is the only solo artist in RIAA history to have six albums top the 10 million mark. His most recent release The Ultimate Hits has been certified 5x platinum. His body of work includes groundbreaking albums No Fences, Ropin’ The Wind, The Hits and Double Live – all of which helped propel country music as a genre to the front pages of newspapers and magazines worldwide. Since breaking onto the charts in 1989, Brooks has covered a variety of styles, including working class blues, honky tonk, bluegrass and arena rock. As a songwriter his credits include “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “Unanswered Prayers” and “We Shall Be Free,” to name a few. Brooks has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist, including  two Grammys®, 17 American Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, five World Music Awards, 12 People’s Choice Awards, and 36 Billboard Music Awards. He was named Artist of the ‘90s at the 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, received the Artist Achievement Award at the 1997 Billboard Music Awards, was named Artist of the Decade at the American Music Awards in 2000 and the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1999. In 2001, in the midst of one of the most successful careers in music history, Brooks retired and moved back to Oklahoma to raise his children. In 2008, Brooks headlined President Obama’s Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. In 2009, Brooks emerged out of retirement and entered a five-year performing relationship with Las Vegas resort developer, Steve Wynn. He recently finished an astonishing nine concerts to raise $5 million for the flood relief efforts in Nashville, Tennessee.
Alan Jackson’s songs are distinguished by straightforward, honest and back-to-basics Country sincerity. He has written or co-written 24 #1 songs for himself, including “Remember When,” “Good Time,” “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “Where I Come From” and the career highlights “Chattahoochee” and “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning).” “Chattahoochee” won a CMA Song of the Year award. “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” won Song of the Year honors from the CMA, the ACM and the Grammys. He was ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 1993, 1994 and 1998; Jackson was ASCAP’s Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2008 and 2009; and in 2010 he was honored with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award. Jackson was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 1991, 1992, 2002, 2007 and 2008. In addition, he has penned or co-written hits for other artists, notably the #1 songs “A Better Class Of Losers” (Randy Travis) and “If I Could Make A Living” (Clay Walker). The Georgia native is a three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and a member of the Grand Ole Opry – in fact, he’s one of the most-honored singer-songwriters of the last 20 years, with a total of two Grammys, 16 CMA Awards and 17 ACM Awards to his credit. Jackson’s songs span 13 studio albums, three hits collections, two holiday albums and a critically-acclaimed gospel album with combined global sales of nearly 60-million. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2001. One of country music’s most-prolific songwriters, Jackson’s latest hit is “Long Way to Go,” the first single from his forthcoming debut album on EMI Records Nashville and his own ACR (Alan’s Country Records) venture. Recent credits also include “You’d Be Lonesome, Too,” from the new Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams project, spearheaded by Bob Dylan. Jackson completed the song based on original unfinished lyrics by the legend.
During his Nashville career, Bethlehem, PA native Thom Schuyler has worn many hats — A&R executive at RCA; recording artist for Capitol Records (solo) and for MTM Records (as a member of the trios S-K-O [Schuyler, Knobloch & Overstreet] and S-K-B [Schuyler, Knobloch & Bickhardt]) and songwriting instructor at Belmont University. Additionally, he is often credited as a founder of Nashville’s popular “in the round” style of songwriter showcases. After moving to Music City in 1978, Thom was signed to Eddie Rabbitt’s publishing company. In 1982, Thom’s “Love Will Turn You Around” (Kenny Rogers) was named ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Other songwriting credits include “I Don’t Know Where To Start” (Eddie Rabbitt), “A Long Line Of Love” (Michael Martin Murphey), “My Old Yellow Car” (Dan Seals), “I Fell In Love Again Last Night” (The Forester Sisters), “Years After You” (John Conlee) and “Love Out Loud” (Earl Thomas Conley). His “Point of Light” (Randy Travis) was the theme song for President George H.W. Bush’s volunteerism campaign. “16th Avenue” (Lacy J. Dalton) is the unofficial anthem of Music Row’s songwriting community.
Allen Shamblin was born in Tennessee but raised near Houston, Texas. He moved to Music City in 1987. He is noted for heartfelt sentimentality in such hit titles as “He Walked On Water” (Randy Travis), “In This Life” (Collin Raye) and “Life’s A Dance” (John Michael Montgomery), as well as hits such as “Thinkin’ Problem” (David Ball), “Walk On Faith” (Mike Reid) and “We Were In Love” (Toby Keith). His co-written “Don’t Laugh At Me” (Mark Wills) won NSAI’s 1998 Song of the Year. Among his Contemporary Christian cuts is the Dove-Award winner “It’s In God’s Hands Now” (Anointed). His biggest successes have come with Bonnie Raitt’s Grammy-nominated Pop rendition of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert), which was named 2010 Song of the Year by NSAI, the ACM and the CMA.