Willie Nillie Photos

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Kick-Off Party for Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour
BMI hosted the kick-off party for the second annual Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour at its Nashville offices on Monday (5/23). Featuring a blazing performance by Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, the party was a rollicking start to the tour, which runs from May 27 to July 4, with a June 3 stop in Nashville at The Woods at Fontanel. BMI will also proudly sponsor the tour’s Bluebird Café Stage, which will host in-the-round acoustic sets from singer/songwriters including Adam Hood, Caitlyn Smith, Austin Lucas, Brent Cobb, Dani Flowers and Erin Enderlin.

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Jody Williams, Brent Cobb, Lukas Nelson, Dani Flowers, Erin Enderlin, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour’s Sarah Baer, Craig Campbell, Drake White, and BMI’s Beth Laird. Photo: Eric England


 
Hollywood/Nashville Mingle At Anastasia Brown’s Reception
Anastasia Brown and Format Entertainment hosted a reception at Ms. Brown’s home prior to the Nashville Screenwriters Conference. Format recently expanded its Nashville music supervision division and established a Format Music Publishing office, headed by Brown. Among those in attendance at the event were music execs and artists including Rod Essig, Trey Turner, JoDee Messina, Randy Scuggs, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan Cain, Damien Horne, producer Angelo Petragila, music supervisor Julia Michels, and screenwriters John Lee Hancock, Les Bohem, Derek Hass and Michael Brandt.

(L-R): Jeff Xander, Anastasia Brown, Angelo Petragila, Chuck Prophet and Renee White. Photo: Team Strategies


 
Miss Willie Brown Visits CMA
A&M/Octone Records Miss Willie Brown visited the CMA offices recently. The duo will perform on The Lay’s Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza on Friday, June 10 during the 2011 CMA Music Festival, which runs Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, in downtown Nashville.

(L-R): CMA Senior Manager of Membership & Balloting Brandi Simms, Miss Willie Brown's Kasey Buckley and Amanda Watkins, and CMA Senior Coordinator of Member & Industry Relations Betsy Walker. Photo: Amanda Eckard / CMA

Luke Bryan Debuts Video, Sets "CMT Crossroads" Date

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Luke Bryan on the set of his new video for "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)."



Luke Bryan is gearing up for the Aug. 9 street date of his third studio set with this week’s release of the video for lead single “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” Directed by award-winner Shaun Silva, the video was filmed last month in Los Angeles at Siren Studios.
Single stats are boding well for the success of Tailgates and Tanlines, coming via Capitol Records Nashville. The song debuted at No. 1 in U.S. digital singles sales with 105,498 downloads and is the fastest moving single of his career.
It’s the follow-up to Bryan’s three consecutive No. 1 hits “Do I,” “Rain Is A Good Thing” and “Someone Else Calling You Baby.”
Bryan is teaming with The Doobie Brothers for the next installment of CMT Crossroads, premiering Friday, June 24. He is also nominated for two 2011 CMT Music Awards: Best Web Video of the Year for “It’s A Shore Thing,” and Best New Live Act—the Nationwide Insurance Award.
Fans can catch him this summer on Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic tour.

Eye On Idol (5/25/11)

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American Idol viewers got a taste of things to come last night (5/24) as finalists Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina previewed their would-be first singles.
Scotty was first to sing with a tune called “I Love You This Big,” which was written by rapper/producer Lil Ronnie (Ronnie Jackson) with Brett James and songwriter/producer Ester Dean.
The live performance was not one of Scotty’s best, but thematically and stylistically it’s a good song choice. The lyrics are fitting for a young man with big dreams and a big heart. The chorus goes: “I love you this big/Eyes have never seen this big/No one’s ever dreamed this big/And I’ll spend the rest of my life/Explaining what words cannot describe but I’ll try/I love you this big.” The studio recording has an easy, worn-in George Strait feel to it, which allows Scotty to prove to the naysayers he has plenty vocal range.
Lauren closed out the show with “Like My Mother Does,” which was co-written by Nathan Chapman, Liz Rose, and Nicole Williams.
If Scotty’s was a good song choice, Lauren’s was doggone near perfect. Avid Idol watchers know that Lauren’s mother has been there every step of the way this season, all the way back to the audition round. Nearly every episode of the Final 13, Idol producers have cut to a shot of Mom in the audience tearfully cheering Lauren on to victory. The lyrics credit Mom for her strength: “She’s a rock, she is grace/She’s an angel, she’s my heart and soul/She does it all.”
Adding to the high drama, Lauren was dealing with some serious vocal cord strain before the show even started. But she toughed it out for a winning performance, making sure to hug her mother mid-song and melting my icy heart in the process. Curiously, this same song was previously released as a single by Atlantic artist Jesse Lee in 2010 but never dented the charts. Former Idol finalist Kristy Lee Cook also recorded the song for her 2008 album Why Wait.
Both songs are already available for purchase on iTunes, and Play MPE has serviced them both to radio. America crowns its newest Idol tonight (5/25) at 7 pm CT on Fox. Whatever the outcome, it looks like good news for Nashville.

Tim McGraw Countersues Curb Records

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Tim McGraw has filed a countersuit against longtime label home Curb Records, according to today’s Tennessean. The news broke last week that Curb was suing the superstar for breach of contract.
According to the newspaper, McGraw is seeking punitive damages, an advance payment for his latest recordings, and a legal ruling that he has fulfilled his contract with the label, which would allow him to enter other recording agreements.
McGraw is represented by attorney Rusty Jones of the Nashville firm Harris, Martin & Jones. The attorney for Curb Records is Jay S. Bowen of Bowen & Unger.

Warner Releasing Music From Three Rising Acts

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Warner Music Nashville is working new releases from rising acts Frankie Ballard, Jason Jones and Mandy Barnett. The label is also bringing back its Pickin’ On The Patio parties starting tomorrow night (5/26).
Frankie Ballard’s full-length debut album hit shelves this week and he is celebrating with a string of performances in his home state Michigan. Ballard opened for Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Bob Seger in Detroit, performed a free show for fans, held an in-store signing at an area Walmart, and played a CD release party in Grand Rapids. Produced by Michael Knox, the self-titled album includes Ballard’s singles, “A Buncha Girls” and “Tell Me You Get Lonely.”
Warner Bros. will release a digital Six Pak from newcomer Jason Jones on May 31. His debut single “Ferris Wheel” was delivered to country radio on Monday (5/23). It’s also available on iTunes and will be on his debut album produced by Brett Beavers. The song was written by Kyle Jacobs, Josh Kelley and Rachel Thibodeau, and landed the Discovery Award from MusicRow’s Robert Oermann. Jones is a native of Wakulla, Florida who will be spending the summer on the road visiting radio and playing concert dates.
Mandy Barnett’s new studio album Sweet Dreams is now available via the Opry Music imprint, with digital distribution by Warner. The release is a collection of twelve Patsy Cline classics from the singer who will reprise her role as Cline this summer in the stage production “Always…Patsy Cline” at the Ryman Auditorium.
Barnett will launch Warner’s Pickin’ On The Patio parties tomorrow night (5/26) at 5:30 p.m. at the label’s offices. The series will be held the fourth Thursday of every month, from May to September. Guests must be 21 & up with ID.

Entertainment Audience Fragmentation Spurs Decline In Perceived Value

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Results from the 5th annual Value, Engagement and Trust in the Era of Social Entertainment Survey.


Public Relations firm Edelman, with offices in 53 cities and over 3,700 employees worldwide, has released findings from its fifth annual Value, Engagement and Trust in the Era of Social Entertainment survey. Results from the 2011 study show that compared with 2010, consumers believe they are getting 68% less value from entertainment sources in all areas and that only 17% feel that entertainment sources provide “very good” or “excellent” value. Interestingly, consumers rank social networking sites as a form of entertainment and its value has remained largely constant with 31% in the U.K. and 37% in the U.S. giving them “very good” or “excellent” value. Trust in the entertainment industry has fallen by 9% in the U.K .and 11% in the U.S.
“A lower perception of value in the entertainment industry represents the commoditized nature of today’s entertainment,” said Gail Becker, president of Edelman’s Western U.S. Region. “With so many forms of entertainment, consumers are spreading their attention across multiple platforms—leading to a decline in perceived value in any one format. Given the ongoing debate about revenue models and what we see from this year’s study findings, entertainment companies have a real opportunity to regain trust by articulating a stronger value proposition to their consumers and by offering the opportunity to engage with them through multiple platforms.”
The study also shows that consumers are spending more time with digital devices. Fifty-nine percent of people in the U.K. and 53% in the U.S. spent more time on their laptops in the last year, and 49% of people in the U.K. and 52% in the U.S. spent more time on their mobile phones. More than half of all respondents would like to use a computer to access entertainment content, and 30% lead by the youth market, would like to be able to access that content on their mobile phones.
Overwhelmingly, consumers (84% in the U.K. and 88% in the U.S.) feel negatively about the move from free to paid entertainment services. Pay walls created by entertainment sources for previously free services are being met with feelings of frustration and distrust by users. Some cite the lack of improvement in quality of service, while others state they would suspect a profit motive driven by greed. According to the study content providers can try to overcome feelings of pay wall distrust by delivering value in other ways. Respondents consider visual and sound quality important (87% in the U.K. and 85% in the U.S.) in making their entertainment purchasing decisions, and nearly half (47% in the U.K., 48% in the U.S.) consider the number of devices with which they can access the entertainment.
The Value, Engagement and Trust in the Era of Social Entertainment Survey is an annual online survey among 18- to 54-year-old consumers in the U.K. and U.S. and was conducted between February 22 and February 28, 2011. The sample comprised 1,017 respondents, 500 from the U.K. and 517 from the U.S. For the fifth year running, the Value, Engagement and Trust in the Era of Social Entertainment Survey explores consumer attitudes toward the entertainment industry in the U.K. and U.S. It examines consumer perceptions and behaviors as they relate to consumption habits, purchase recommendations, file downloading and sharing.
 

Signing Pics: Dean Alexander, Ahmande Grimes

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Dean Alexander Builds Team
Elektra recording artist Dean Alexander has signed with J.P. Williams and C.T. Wyatt of Parallel Entertainment for management representation. He has inked with Paradigm Nashville for booking.
Alexander joined Warner Music Nashville in early 2010 and is currently in the studio working on his debut album.
Parallel Entertainment is known for its work on the Blue Collar Comedy projects.

Pictured celebrating at a recent Predators hockey game. (L-R): Paradigm's Keith Shackleford and Mike Snider, Charlie Daniels, Dean Alexander, Parallel Entertainment's C.T. Wyatt, and Dean Alexander's producer Justin Weaver


 
Ahmande Grimes Signs With Bug Music Nashville
SESAC songwriter/producer Ahmande Grimes has signed with Bug Music Nashville for representation. Grimes recently stopped by SESAC’s Nashville headquarters to share the good news.

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Tim Fink, Salina Grimes, Ahmande Grimes, Bug Music Nashville’s Kim Hylick, SESAC’s John Mullins, and Bug Music Nashville’s Roger Murrah. Photo: Ed Rode

Bigride Records Launches With Marlee Scott

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Bigride Entertainment has launched new division Bigride Records, expanding the artist management business that has been headed by Gerry Leiske since 1997 and achieved success with country band Emerson Drive.
Marlee Scott is the label’s flagship artist and her debut U.S. single, “Beautiful Maybe,” goes for adds June 27. She is currently on a radio tour in support of the song co-written by Marcus Hummon, Tia Sillers and Tania Hancheroff, and produced by David Kalmusky.
CO5 Nashville and Marco Promotions are working the single at radio, with Teboo Consulting’s Teddi Bonadies overseeing all radio operations. Entertainment PR and marketing firm Aristo P.R. is handling publicity for Scott, while management, social media, and creative services are being handled in-house. RED/MRI is responsible for national sales and distribution. Chant Image and Music City Networks are providing additional social media and web services, and brand development company Art of the Game has been hired to explore sponsorship and corporate event opportunities.
The Canadian-born singer-songwriter has lived in Nashville since 2007, and has scored hits and award nominations around the world. She was nominated last year for the Rising Star award at the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs). Her most recent single, “Here to Heaven,” was a Top 20 success in Canada and Australia and a No. 1 hit in England, Germany and Holland.
Bigride Records President Kim Leiske says Scott’s U.S. debut album is due out in late 2011 or early 2012.
Contact Bigride Records at (615) 889-4451 or visit them online at www.bigride.us and www.marleescott.com.

The Marlee Scott Team (L-R): Dewayne Brown (Distribution, RED), Chris Kary (Distribution, RED), Gerry Leiske (Management, Bigride Entertainment), Marlee Scott, Kim Leiske (Label Services, Bigride Entertainment), Jeff Walker (PR, AristoMedia), David Newmark (Radio, CO5) and Teddi Bonadies (Radio, Teboo Consulting).

DISClaimer Single Reviews (5/24/11)

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It’s John Rich’s world, we just live in it.

On Sunday, he won this season’s Celebrity Apprentice championship. He’s a publisher on the No. 1 hit “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” He has two new Warner “Six Pak” albums, Rich Rocks! and For the Kids. And now he has two tunes in the same “DisClaimer” column, the St. Jude’s fund-raiser, “For the Kids,” plus his romping Big & Rich reunion with Big Kenny, “Fake ID.”
Nevertheless, it’s Ladies Day here at MusicRow. How can you deny a Disc of the Day award to Taylor Swift after “The Story of Us” zips through your ears?
And among our four newcomers—Glen Templeton, Whitney Mann, Jessica Ridley and David Adam Byrnes—there is no doubt about who is the strongest vocalist. Glen might have a mighty winning song, but Jessica Ridley has the performance, and therefore the DisCovery Award.
JOSH KELLEY/Gone Like That
Writer: Josh Kelley/Clint Lagerburg/Nicole Galyon; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; MCA Nashville (track)
—His pop/rock background shows in the vocally compressed mix and the overall dominance of production over lyric. A little more audio clarity would be welcome. That said, it’s a very cool, hooky song and a compelling, well-phrased performance.
JOHN RICH/For The Kids
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros. (ERG)
—Little kids face grim medical conditions while their parents pray. The chorus is an overt plea for donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. But it’s still catchy as all get out.
KID ROCK & SHERYL CROW/Collide
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Roadrunner (ERG)
—The most “country” outing yet for both of these artists. The simple tune and spare accompaniment, plus sincere and straightforward vocal performances make this a solid winner. Not to mention the sexy “hook-up” lyric.
TAYLOR SWIFT/The Story Of Us
Writer: Taylor Swift; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift; Publisher: Sony-Tree/Taylor Swift, BMI; Big Machine (track)
—Her Speak Now CD is a really special collection, full of delightful hooks and dandy textures. This frothy rocker is one of its high-energy pleasures. The sizzling, fizzy guitar work, relentless rhythm and her personality-packed vocal are all fabulously infectious. Love this.
SARA EVANS/My Heart Can’t Tell You No
Writer: Simon Climie/Dennis Morgan; Producer: Tony Brown; Publisher: Kobalt/Little Shop of Morgan Songs, ASCAP/BMI; RCA (track)
—Sara’s limp remake of this 1989 Rod Stewart pop smash adds little to the song. And let’s face it, there are very, very few—in any genre—that are as gripping a vocalist as he is.
BIG & RICH/Fake ID
Writer: John Rich/John Shanks; Producer: John Shanks & John Rich; Publisher: Reservoir/WB/Sony ATV, ASCAP; Warner Bros.
—Rousing and spirited, this has “good times” written all over it. The kid in his daddy’s Caddy is buying a fake ID in a back alley, and he’s in a rush. Extremely likable.
DAVID ADAM BYRNES/She Only Wanted Flowers
Writer: David Adam Byrnes/Jay Brunswick/Adam Fears; Producer: Rob Rappaport; Publisher: Canalco/Byrnes Country/Better Angels/Croton U/Faverett Tracks/LRB, ASCAP/BMI; Better Angels (track)
—She didn’t care about all of the material things he bought her, so now he’s lost her. He has a sturdy, if limited, country vocal range, but the ballad never really grabbed me.
GLEN TEMPLETON/I Could Be The One
Writer: Jay Knowles/Tom McHugh; Producer: Mark Lambert; Publisher: none listed; Capstone (615-686-8344)
—Glen has pleasing vocal confidence on this easy-going toe tapper. The track is mixed to perfectly showcase what a cleverly written song this is. Spin it.
JESSICA RIDLEY/Flaming Red
Writer: Bob Carlisle/Dennis Patton; Producer: Michael Lee & Don Somerville; Publisher: Jacque’s Retirement Fund/McHouse/Fun Attic, SESAC; EMG/Fontana (track) (www.jessicaridley.com)
—This lilting pop-country confection has a wafting, breezily bopping production. Her rapid-fire vocal is bursting with optimism and sunny self-assurance. Highly promising and recommended.
WHITNEY MANN/Home
Writer: Whitney Mann; Producer: Whitney Mann; Publisher: 100 Fake Kisses, SESAC; Mud Dauber (track) (www.whitneymannmusic.com)
—She wrote all the tunes on her seven-song outing titled The Western Sky and sings them in an appealing, down-home drawl. The backing is a jaunty, O Brother, string band that sounds as comfy as a living-room couch. Rootsy and charming.

Industry Ink Tuesday (5/24)

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Pictured seated (L-R): Kenneth Johnson (BNG Music Group), Samantha Stroh, Ray Bruce (BNG Music Group). Standing (L-R): Gary Stroh, Nicholas Carsner (BNG Music Group), Amy Stroh


Sharp Objects has expanded with the launch of BNG Music Group; the label joins its songplugging and artist/writer development services. CEO Kenneth Johnson and Pres. Ray Bruce have signed Samantha Stroh for recording and publishing as the independent label’s flagship artist. Her debut album is expected this fall. The Georgia native was the State Winner of the Texaco Country Showdown in 2009, and has been writing and performing since she was a teenager, opening for The Band Perry, Montgomery Gentry and more.
“Samantha has been working hard to hone her songwriting craft and sound, and writing with some of Nashville’s most talented songwriters,” said Bruce. “She is as genuine a person as she is a talent. With an undeniable passion for country music, her direction, intuition and foresight align perfectly with our vision at BNG Music. We are excited to welcome Samantha as part of the family.”
Now in its eighth year, Sharp Objects Entertainment represents Jan Buckingham, Bobby Carmichael, Michael Peterson, Randy Sharp, Maia Sharp and Jeff Silbar. The Sharp Objects/BNG Music Group offices are located at 62 Music Sq. W., Nashville, TN.

Clay Bradley


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BMI Asst. VP Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley has joined the Advisory Board of Fifth Third Bank, Tennessee.
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Bill Catino and Tim McFadden have hired Kelsey Lantrip as Promotion Coordinator for R&J Records. The recent graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University, has completed internships with the promotion department at Big Machine Records as well as Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing and Bullseye Marketing’s NashvilleCountryClub.com website. Lantrip can be reached at (615) 290-9559 or kelsey@randjrecords.com.
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The Ram Truck brand and its experiential marketing partner George P. Johnson (GPJ) took home a coveted Gold Ex Award for the Zac Brown Band Letters for Lyrics campaign at the recent Event Marketing Summit in Chicago. The Gold Ex Award acknowledges the campaign’s unconventional, cause-based approach to brand storytelling through experiences delivered online, at concerts, dealerships and through mobile devices.

Richard Marx


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Richard Marx will receive the 2011 Songwriter Icon Award at the NMPA’s Annual Meeting in New York City on June 15. In addition to selling more than 30 million records, Marx has achieved great success writing and producing songs for some of the biggest names in music, including country stars Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Kenny Rogers, and Travis Tritt.