Album News: Luke Bryan, Kevin Fowler, McClymonts

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Luke Bryan’s highly anticipated new album Tailgates & Tanlines hit stores today (8/9) and he kicked off release day by performing “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” on Live! With Regis & Kelly (pictured below). Bryan will also be performing on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! later tonight. Tomorrow (8/10), he’ll appear on the Today Show and then be featured in ABC’s special “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock” Sunday, August 14.

Photo: Michael Monaco


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Texas mainstay and Average Joe’s artist Kevin Fowler released his sixth studio album Chippin’ Away today (8/9) as his single “Hell Yeah, I Like Beer” spent a fourth week at No. 1 on the Texas Music Chart.
Fowler wrote eight of the collection’s 11 tracks and the second single, “That Girl,” will be impacting country radio later this month. A weekly web series following Fowler’s life at home and on the road, “The Good Life,” also started this week and is available for viewing here. Fowler and band are currently on the road in Texas and surrounding areas. Concert dates are available here.
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Aussie sister trio The McClymonts is set to release its new album Wrapped Up Good in the United States Tuesday, August 23.
The sisters–Sam, Mollie, and Brooke–started their own imprint BSM Music in partnership with Universal Music Group. They also recently set out on a nationwide tour of county and state fairs, having wrapped up a stint on Jason Aldean’s fall 2010 tour.
Eleven of the 12 songs on Wrapped Up Good were co-written by the sisters, and production was handled by Nathan Chapman and Adam Anders (Glee, Backstreet Boys, Nick Jonas). The Australian release of Wrapped Up Good was a Top 5 Best Selling Country Album in 2010, and its first four singles were No. 1 on the Australian country charts.

CEMB Pipeline Project Shares Findings

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Pipeline student Margaret Shehan and her adviser Grand Ole Opry VP/GM Pete Fisher.


Belmont University’s Pipeline project shared its findings with the entertainment industry last evening at a reception held at Regions Bank (8/8). The Pipeline project, an initiative of the Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business (CEMB), was created as a think tank. Some of the school’s best and brightest students were chosen to participate and charged with developing cutting edge concepts and solutions aimed at helping the entertainment industry.
The nine Pipeline students are:
Chase Geiser, a sophomore Audio Engineering Technology and Philosophy double major.
Kevin Grosch, a senior Songwriting major
Eric Guroff, a junior Entrepreneurship major and Music Business, Production minor
Ross Hill, a junior Music Business and Entrepreneurship double major
Jessica Pangrazio, a sophomore Public Relations major and Music Business minor
Kyara Rafferty, a senior Music Business major and Mass Communications minor
Lisa Sekscinski, a sophomore Political Science major and Music Business minor
Margaret Shehan, a recently graduated Music Business major
Gia Vangieri, a recently graduated Entertainment Industry Studies major and English Writing minor

(L-R) Belmont Sr. Director CEMB Initiatives Sarah Cates; Regions Bank Sr. VP Entertainment & Sports Lisa Harless; and Regions Branch Officer Ann Brock.


CEMB Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives Sarah Cates, who was responsible for helping to move Pipeline from concept to reality was one of several Belmont faculty on hand. “We believe that Belmont students can be at the heart of creative solutions for the entertainment industry,” Cates said. “We are excited to encourage the next generation of innovators.”
Also instrumental in the project’s success was Assistant Professor of Entertainment Industry Studies Sarita Stewart, who is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Mass Communication with a specialization in Entertainment Media and Statistics. Stewart was the project point person and worked closely with the students. Also in attendance at the event was Belmont University President Bob Fisher and CEMB Dean Wesley A. Bulla.
Industry mentors included Jay Frank, CMT; Pete Fisher, Opry; Tim Fink, SESAC; Beth Mason Laird, BMI; Barry Jeffrey, WME; Mark Montgomery; George Flanigen, Deaton Flanigen; Joe Galante; and Wendell Moore, The Capitol Group.
 
Photos: BossRoss

Bluegrass News—IBMA Noms Coming Soon

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Nominees for the 2011 International Bluegrass Music Awards and this year’s inductees into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame will be announced on Wed., Aug. 17 at a press event hosted by Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Josh Williams and Sierra Hull.
Following the announcement, these artists are on that night’s line-up for a special bluegrass edition of Music City Roots at the Loveless Barn. Tickets and details at www.musiccityroots.com.
Th 2011 IBMA Awards will be presented Thurs., Sept. 29 at the Ryman Auditorium. The show is the highpoint of the IBMA’s “World of Bluegrass” week, running Sept. 26- Oct. 2, and featuring the IBMA Business Conference and Bluegrass Fan Fest. Details at ibma.org.
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Rhonda Vincent onstage at Craponne


Rhonda Vincent & The Rage have been on a successful tour in Europe, including two back-to-back sold out shows in Laufen Switzerland on July 27-28. In addition to the Swiss performances, Vincent played France’s Craponne Country Music Festival. Next week Rhonda & The Rage will give their first performance in Honolulu, Hawaii, followed by an Aug. 15 show at Pearl Harbor Memorial for the United States Military. The band returns stateside Aug. 17 at the Missouri State Fair.
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Reigning IBMA Entertainer of the Year Dailey & Vincent have added fiddle player B.J. Cherryholmes to the band. He was previously part of the Grammy-nominated group the Cherryholmes, which disbanded earlier this year.
Per doctor’s orders, former Dailey & Vincent fiddle player Jesse Stockman recently departed the band after suffering a wrist injury.
Rounding out Dailey & Vincent’s lineup are Jeff Parker on mandolin and vocals; Joe Dean, Jr. on banjo, guitar and vocals; and Christian Davis on guitar and bass vocals.

B.J. Cherryholmes

Live On The Green Returns For Third Season

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Live On the Green’s third season, presented by Lightning 100, will open Sept. 8 with a unique collaboration between Nashville-based artist K.S. Rhoads and the Nashville Symphony. The performance is the first in a free, six-week concert series taking place Thursday nights through Oct. 13 at Nashville’s Public Square Park downtown. The show kicks-off at 6 p.m. with a performance by Will Hoge.
The Nashville Symphony works with a diverse array of artists each season, but this is one of the first times it has collaborated with an emerging local singer-songwriter. Rhoads will write and chart the music for his performance, where he will play piano, guitar and harmonica. NSO Associate Conductor Kelly Corcoran will conduct the 60-piece ensemble. The performance will feature Rhoads’ original music including new songs from an EP that will be released that night.
The remaining series lineup:
Sept. 15—Los Lonely Boys; Rumba
Sept. 22—Robert Randolph & The Family Band; The Dirty Guv’nahs; Moon Taxi
Sept. 29—Ten Out of Tenn; Edwin McCain
Oct. 6—Brett Dennen; Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Oct. 13—Here Come the Mummies
More artists will be announced as they are confirmed.

Joey+Rory, Charlie Daniels Already Hearing Jingle Bells

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It’s only August, but Joey + Rory, and Charlie Daniels are already in the holiday spirit.
Joey+Rory are prepping the Oct. 11 release of A Farmhouse Christmas, featuring 10 new holiday songs, as well as the standards “Away In A Manger” and “Blue Christmas.”
The Vanguard/Sugar Hill Records album also contains the Garth Brooks/Kent Blazy-penned “I Know What Santa’s Getting for Christmas,” the irreverent “What the Hell, It’s the Holidays,” and Rory’s beautiful original album opener “It’s Christmas Time.”
Christmas at the beach sounds appealing on “Let It Snow (Somewhere Else),” and fittingly Joey+Rory wrote it with James Slater and Tim Johnson at the Key West Songwriters Festival. The husband-wife duo also cut Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” and recruited the Hag for guest vocals.
A Farmhouse Christmas was produced by Gary Paczosa and Carl Jackson, and an accompanying tour is in the works.
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Charlie Daniels has tapped Phil Vasser and Sawyer Brown to join him at his 10th annual Christmas 4 Kids benefit concert. The show is set for Monday, Nov. 21 at the Ryman Auditorium.
The funds generated by the concert, and a separate Tour Bus Show/Artist Meet and Greet event, are used to give over 400 children a special holiday shopping excursion. On the trip, the kids enjoy a tour bus ride, a Walmart shopping spree, new coat, and a party hosted by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Tickets for the concert will be available Sept. 15 at www.Christmas4kids.org.

Celebrating Writer/Publisher Highlights

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The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has established a Nashville chapter that will operate in tandem with existing bases in Los Angeles and New York. “We are very excited to have Nashville become a valuable part of our organization,” said AIMP President Richard Feldman, in making the announcement. “With encouragement from publishers here in Nashville, and the overwhelming success of our recent panel on licensing songs for film and TV, there has never been a better time to bring the AIMP to Music City. We believe that the large and diverse music community here will find value and benefits in the AIMP’s programs and advocacy initiatives.”
The Nashville chapter will be led by a steering committee until a board of directors is elected. Committee members include veteran music industry executive Jill Napier, Randy Wachtler (President, 615 Music), Walter Campbell (President, Big Garage Music Publishing), Eli Ball (CEO, Lyric Financial), Marc Driskill (VP/GM, ASCAP) and Kevin Lamb (VP, Peer Music), Ross Asher (Creative, Razor and Tie), Josh Collum (Sorted Noise Productions), Jewel Coburn (Co-president Ten Ten Music), Tim Fink (Assoc. VP Writer/Publisher Relations, Sesac), David Preston (Director Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI), Diana Maher (Owner, Moraine Music Group). Membership dues are $74 per year. For more information on AIMP or to become a member, please visit www.aimp.org

>>Songwriter Tim Nichols recently was honored with a BMI Million-Air Award for more than one million performances of “The Man I Want To Be” recorded by Chris Young. This and other Nichols compositions including “Live Like You Were Dying,” and “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” bring his airplay total to more than 30 million spins.

(L-R) BMI’s Clay Bradley, Tim Nichols, This Music’s Connie Harrington and Rusty Gaston, and BMI’s Bradley Collins. Photo: Drew Maynard


 
Dallas Davidson is likely getting used to the view from the top of the charts. Recently he celebrated Justin Moore’s “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” and scant weeks later he’s now parked again in the top spot with his eighth No. 1, Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss.” Davidson is the 2010 Billboard Hot Country Songwriter of the Year and writes for EMI Music.
 
 
 
Big Machine Records and ASCAP celebrated Rascal Flatts’ latest No. 1, “I Won’t Let Go.” The song was written by Jason Sellers and Steve Robson. Also honored were publishers BMG Chrysalis and Sony/ATV. It’s Seller’s second No. 1 this year after “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” Rascal Flatts producer Dann Huff was also recognized along with the band with the announcement that the new album Nothing Like This had been certified Platinum.

(L-R): Jason Sellers, Jay DeMarcus, ASCAP's Ryan Beuschel, BMG Chrysalis' Darrell Franklin, Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, Big Machine's Scott Borchetta, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson. Photo: Ed Rode


 

Take A Sniff Of Keith Urban

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Four-time Grammy Award Winning artist Keith Urban is set to release his first fragrance for men, Phoenix by Keith Urban, in partnership with Boom LLC.
Joining artists such as Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill, Urban’s fragrance launches worldwide in the fall and reflects his personal triumphs and spirit. The phoenix symbol resonates with Urban for its immortality and ability to renew and be reborn.
Urban says, “I grew up with a father that had great taste in music, cars and colognes. So the idea to eventually create my own fragrance seemed natural. I’ve always loved the feeling that comes from finding the right scent and the way it can say so much about a person. We created Phoenix to express just the right blend of masculinity, mystery and sensuality.”
The fragrance is described as having top notes of blackberries, cognac and plum, which segues into the aromas of dark chocolate and crisp fir balsam with a finish of warm cashmere wood in the background. It becomes available in October at mass-market retailers such as CVS, Sears and Target, with price ranging from $24-$48.
Fans will get a sneak peek of Phoenix during Urban’s 50+ city Get Closer 2011 world tour with giveaways, sampling opportunities, and distribution of scented tattoos.
For more information, visit www.keithurban.net/phoenix.

Brett James Signs With Warner/Chappell/ Combustion

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Warner/Chappell Music, together with its joint venture partner Combustion Music, announces a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James. Additionally, Warner/Chappell will co-publish a selection of his past works and establish a co-publishing venture with James’ boutique publishing company, Cornman Music. This venture enables James to sign songwriters to publishing deals with the company.

“Brett James is an incredibly talented and creative songwriter who writes hit songs in all genres,” said Cameron Strang, Chairman & CEO, Warner/Chappell Music. “Brett and Warner/Chappell are already having great success together and we are thrilled to have someone of his character and talent join our roster.”
“Combustion Music is thrilled to establish this new relationship with Brett James,” said Chris Farren, President, Combustion Music. “Brett is one of the most dynamic and intelligent songwriters I know, and for years we have talked about partnering. To finally get that opportunity energizes me and the whole Combustion team beyond words.”
“I am truly excited to join forces with Warner/Chappell and Combustion Music,” said James. “Their combined creative and administrative expertise is second to none and it gives me the chance to work with some of my favorite people in the music business. Additionally, I believe that Warner/Chappell will be an amazing partner for my roster of artists and writers at Cornman Music.”

Brett James has had more than 300 of his songs recorded by some of music industry’s biggest artists including Rascal Flatts, Daughtry, Bon Jovi and Backstreet Boys. James’ songs have appeared on albums with combined sales of more than 100 million with 11 of his singles reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart. In 2006, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which James wrote for Carrie Underwood, received Grammy Awards for “Best Country Song.”
He has been twice-named ASCAP’s songwriter of the year, in both 2006 and in 2010, and appeared in Billboard’s year-end Top Ten Country Songwriters list in seven of the ten years it has been published. As a producer, his credits include Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Josh Gracin and Kip Moore. A native of Oklahoma, where he spent three years in medical school, Brett now lives in Brentwood, Tennessee with his wife Sandy and their four children.

(L-R): BJ Hill (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Steve Markland (VP A&R WCM Nashville), Nate Lowery (Creative Director Cornman Music), Brett James, Chris Farren (President Combustion Music), Phil May (VP & GM WCM Nashville), Alicia Pruitt (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Chris Van Belkom (Sr. Creative Director Combustion Music), Kenley Flynn (Catalog/Office Mgr, Combustion Music). Photo: LeeAnn Carlen

Industry Ink Tuesday (8/9)

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Photographer Alan Mayor sent this update showing the progress of rebuilding Jack Clement's Cowboy Arms studio following a recent fire.



Matt Gary has visited more than 100 radio stations during the last 24 months. Pictured here with (L-R): Tony Benken (VP Promotion), Lisa Hamilton (MD, KJUG), Matt Gary, and Adam Jeffries (PD, KJUG).


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Artist Matt Gary has signed with John Ettinger’s Ettinger Talent Associates (ETA) for management representation. Since releasing his debut single in 2009 via his own 17 Music Entertainment, Gary has secured sponsorship/endorsement relationships with PING Apparel, Boulder Creek Guitar and Copley, and had his music used in Microsoft ad campaigns. His current release is the single and 6-pack, “I’m Just Sayin.'”
Ettinger’s track record includes time as VP of Promotion at Mercury Records, and Lyric Street. He opened ETA in September of last year, managing Emerson Drive.
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Canadian songwriter Freddy Litwiniuk has signed with Dan Hodges Music , LLC. Hodges can be reached at (615) 401-7399 or [email protected]
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Steve Wilkinson





Steve Wilkison has joined Watkins College of Art, Design & Film as associate professor in the graphic design department, where he has been an adjunct instructor since 2008. Wilkison has extensive experience building websites, and in creating album packaging for such artists as Emmylou Harris, and Lucinda Williams. He has helmed online projects for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Keith Urban, and Dolly Parton. Wilkison’s previous positions include president of Eminent Records in Nashville, and VP/GM of Koch Records New York.
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Tickets for the 5th Annual ACM Honors go on sale to the public Friday, Aug. 12 at 10:00 AM CT. Joe Nichols will host the show Monday, Sept. 19 at the Ryman Auditorium, awarding the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. ACM A-List members can purchase tickets starting Wednesday at 10:00 AM CT, details at www.acmcountry.com. Tickets are $37 at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.
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The ASCAP Foundation is seeking submissions for its 2011 Nashville Pop Songwriters Workshop. The workshop will be held once weekly for six consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 13. Interested writers should submit a CD containing two original songs with typed or neatly written lyrics, and a brief bio including address/phone number/e-mail.
Send complete submission package to:
ASCAP
Attention: Pop Songwriters Workshop
Two Music Square West
Nashville, TN 37203
Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 2, 2011. Those accepted will be notified by Tues., Sept. 6. Materials submitted will not be returned. For more information, call the Nashville ASCAP office at (615) 742-5000.

Dale Bobo Forms Music Direction Company

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Dale Bobo


Music publishing veteran Dale Bobo has started Dale Bobo Music Direction, providing consultation, management, and creative propulsion to music publishers, songwriters and producers. The company’s inaugural client is hit songwriter/producer Jeff Stevens, who has written songs for George Strait, Tim McGraw and others including the recent Luke Bryan #1 single “Someone Else Calling You Baby” whom Stevens also produces.
“I’m tremendously excited,” Bobo told MusicRow. “Working with songwriters and producers has always been a strong passion for me and this new company will place me right on the front lines doing what I love the most.”
Prior to his new venture, Bobo was Executive VP of Chrysalis Music Nashville, overseeing all aspects of the Nashville office and working with successful producer/writers Jeff Stevens and Brett Beavers and hit writers Danny Orton, Jim McCormick and Victoria Banks.
He started his career at the Nashville office of Chappell/Intersong, following graduation from Middle Tennessee State University’s Recording Industry Management program. After the acquisition of Chappell by Warner Bros. Music, his A&R efforts lead to numerous singles on the charts. He rose to VP and head of Creative in 1996 and assumed the Warner/Chappell General Manager post in 2003 which he held to 2009.
As SVP/GM at Warner/Chappell Nashville, he lead a formidable staff that celebrated 22 number one records with hit writers Marv Green, Steven Dale Jones, Wendell Mobley, Tim Nichols, John Rich, Wynn Varble, Chris Wallin and others. Under his leadership, the company enjoyed successes such as the ten-week number one smash “Live Like You Were Dying” and the breakout of superstar group Lady Antebellum.
Based in Nashville, Dale Bobo Music Direction can be reached at 615-504-9803, [email protected] or Twitter: @dalebobo.