Eye On Idol (4/22/11)

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The men are finally starting to pack up and leave American Idol, which has got to make the two remaining females feel a little better.
Stefano Langone, Jacob Lusk, and Haley Reinhart were Thursday’s (4/21) Bottom Three after the Post Millenium-themed performance show. Langone ended up being the latest guy to depart, after trying on his contemporary digs with Ne-Yo’s “Closer.”
It’s probably safe to say it wasn’t a huge shock. Since the Top 13 started singing March 10–seven weeks in all so far–Langone has made four trips to the Bottom Three, which is the season’s highest. Well, except for Reinhart, who has also made four trips and survived to sing another week.
I pretty frequently mention the “dreaded” opening spot on the longer performance shows early in the season, and there is interesting statistical data where that’s concerned.
In the seven weeks thus far, four of the opening slot contestants have been in the bottom three: Naima Adedapo (3/17), Casey Abrams (3/24), Jacob Lusk (4/6), and Paul McDonald (4/13). McDonald and Abrams were both sent home, though the judges revived Abrams with the season’s lone save.
On the flip side, by looking at the three weeks where the opening slot performer was not sent to the Bottom Three, it reaffirms who the season’s strongest contestants are. Country crooner Scotty McCreery has been given the opening slot twice this season, and still hasn’t been in the Bottom Three. Similarly, Lauren Alaina had an opening slot early in March and still hasn’t faced the possibility of elimination.
The only other contestant who hasn’t been in the bottom three is James Durbin, who continues to rise to every challenge with a big production and memorable performances. His take on Muse’s “Uprising” featured marching band percussion and space age costuming befitting the song’s over-the-top theatricality.
I wonder if the other contestants are secretly thinking, “Dude! You’re making us look terrible!” Because, let’s face it, he kind of is.
So Durbin, Alaina and McCreery are the likely Top 3 right now, but Abrams is enough of a wild card that he could spoil all the fun. Since his near-elimination, he hasn’t spent a turn in the Bottom Three. The performances haven’t all been winners, but he’s got serious guts. Never mind the performances, who else would dare sneak a kiss off Jennifer Lopez?
There’s only six left, so a really wild season of Idol is about to get even more so.
As a final interesting point, it might all be changing next year. Billboard reports that Idol producers are considering changing next season’s voting process to make it more fair and possibly limiting the number of times a contestant can use an instrument.
I can hear the mob chanting now, “Justice for Pia! Justice for Pia!”

Hollywood Growing Pains Echo Music Industry

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Like a mariner lost in the fog searching for dry land, the music industry wandered into the digital zone over ten years ago. Since then, it has been zig zagging, sailing in circles and only sometimes moving closer to the goal of evolving its business model to fit new realities. The film industry looked on from a distance, content that movie files were too big to be traded and swapped as easily as music.
But as the Walrus and the Carpenter smiled at the hapless oysters [before eating them] in Lewis Carroll’s classic poem, technology has now arrived to visit the film industry. The widespread adoption of high speed bandwidth means that downloading or streaming a movie file is becoming common. So is Hollywood managing change more efficiently than the music industry? Not so much, judging by the latest tussle between film studios and theater owners.
The flare up between studios and theaters is over a plan to offer VOD high definition premium movies only eight weeks after a film hits the big screens and months before it is normally available via Netflix, or Redbox. The cost will be $30. DirectTV began offering several titles under this plan (4/21). The economics are such that VOD is lucrative for the studios, but according to some analysts, it could be disastrous for the theaters. And theaters are also concerned that the eight-week window could get even shorter…
“How seriously would a 5 percent drop in attendance hurt them [theaters],” asks Edward Jay Epstein, author of the The Hollywood Economist in an article for TheWrap.com. Epstein quotes an unnamed senior executive familiar with the numbers who says, “In 2000-2002 just a 3-5 percent drop in tickets sold caused almost half of all the theaters in the U.S. to file for bankruptcy. A 10 percent drop in ticket sales, and the attendant decline in concessions income and advertising income, will close over two-thirds of the American movie theaters — and they will never re-open.”
“If so” Epstein notes, “the studios are undertaking a highly risky business. They are offering the public the possibility of watching new movies at home without the hassle and expense of hiring a baby-sitter, driving to a megaplex, and buying food at the concession stand.”
A followup Wrap article presents the other side of the argument saying that predictions of doom are premature since most box office runs are largely over by the time the new windows would take effect. Paramount and Disney have not signed on to the plan, leaving Warner Bros., FOX, Universal and Sony to face the wrath of the theaters. Theaters have fired back at studios by demanding to renegotiate ticket percentages for movies that are part of the new plan.
Music observers will likely see some parallels between the two entertainment industries. The film group is in the process of realizing they will have to give consumers what they want, when they want it or suffer the consequences. Today’s increasingly on demand media world means this issue will not go away simply by ignoring it. Theaters are going to have to find ways to make the big screen experience so attractive they can compete with watching at home and shorter windows of exclusivity. Digital piracy will also exert a stronger influence over release schedules as the ability to toss feature film files across the Internet continues to improve.
Exactly how the ending will play out for the film industry is unclear, but they are right to experiment and find better ways to meet consumer needs. The music industry was slow to embrace change and has spent over a decade suffering falling sales and decreasing revenues. Let’s hope Hollywood has learned from those mistakes.

ASCAP EXPO to Feature Nashville Writers/Execs

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Some of the biggest names in Nashville, including Rodney Crowell, Josh Kear, Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Tommy Sims, Dave Berg, Ben Glover, Chris Stapleton, Darrell Brown, Jonathan Singleton and Jamie Moore are among the panelists participating in the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO. Nashville industry leaders including Fletcher Foster (Red Light Management), Kerry O’Neil (O’Neil Hagaman, PLLC), Jordan Keller, Esq., Eric Hurt (Brentwood Benson Music Publishing) and Daniel Lee (Ten Ten Music Group) are also confirmed as panelists.
Now in its sixth year, the EXPO brings together a diverse group of songwriters, composers, producers and music industry leaders to participate in a broad range of panels designed to support music creators at every stage of their career.  The three-day conference takes place April 28-30, 2011 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. 
Some of the panelist and programming include;

  • ASCAP 2008 Country Songwriter of the Year, Dave Berg, and ASCAP 2010 Christian Songwriter of the Year, Ben Glover, will join a panel including entertainment attorney Jordan Keller, Esq., manager Fletcher Foster and A&R exec Jake McKim and moderated by writer/producer Darrell Brown on The Real Nashville panel to discuss Nashville as one of the world’s greatest musical communities and hub for music creators and businesses alike.
  • Grammy winner and ASCAP’s 2010 Country Song of the Year writer (“Need You Now”) Josh Kear, will join producer/writer Ari Levine (The Smeezingtons), songwriter/vocal producer Savan Kotecha and songwriter/producer Dan Wilson (Semisonic) on the Hitmakers panel.
  • ASCAP’s 2009 Country Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley will participate in The Business of Being a Songwriter panel with Nashville business manager Kerry O’Neil, producer DJ Frank E, songwriter/producer Nicole Morier, songwriter/producer Mike Viola (The Candy Butchers) and songwriter/performer Anuhea.
  • Hit songwriter and ASCAP 2010 Country Publisher of the Year’ Sea Gayle Music partner Chris DuBois will join the Two Sides of the Coin: Music Publishing – Side 2, “The Independents” panel along with publishing execs Justin Kalifowitz, Sam Kling, Barbara Vander Linde and Tom DeSavia.

Other highlights will include singer/songwriter Fergie of  The Black Eyed Peas, who will join the We Create Music panel to discuss how to forge a lasting career; singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles interviewing music legend Lindsey Buckingham; and Desmond Child’s Master Class in Songwriting offered to 60 randomly selected attendees.
For an updated list of panelists, performances and additional information, click here.

Weekly Chart Report (4/22/11)

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Atlantic/WMN artist Hunter Hayes (L) started his radio tour through Texas Monday with a stop into KKBQ/Houston. He met with PD Johnny Chiang, and the two seem to have really hit it off, if their pearly white smiles are any indication. Hayes’ debut single “Storm Warning” goes for adds May 16.


SPIN ZONE
The results are in, and the people can’t live without Keith Urban’s “Without You.” Urban’s latest takes over the No. 1 spot most recently occupied by Rascal Flatts’ “I Won’t Let Go.” It’s going to get very tight in the next few weeks, as the barrage of superstar singles all fight for position. The Top 10 alone contains Kenny Chesney, Ronnie Dunn, The Band Perry, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and more. Expect to see them getting competition from Eric Church’s “Homeboy” (No. 13), Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl” (No. 14), and Chris Young’s “Tomorrow” (No. 15) very soon.
The lovefest for Blake Shelton continues, as “Honey Bee” again picks up the week’s greatest increase in spins, which propels it on to No. 23 in its third week charting. Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem” may be a topic of discussion because of its rap-inflected verses, but you’d never know it from looking at the chart. This week it collects 423 new spins and makes a huge jump to No. 39. Also seeing big response is Jake Owen’s latest, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” The summer-ready anthem packs on 351 extra spins to move to No. 43.
Big debuts include Sugarland’s “Tonight,” which lands at No. 65, Rodney Atkins’ “Take A Back Road” at No. 73, Brantley Gilbert’s “Country Must Be Country Wide” at No. 74 and Stealing Angels’ “Paper Heart” at No. 75.
Frozen Playlists: KYYK, WCMS
 







Upcoming Singles
April 25
Ash Bowers/I Still Believe In That/Stoney Creek
Mark Cooke/I Love It/CVR/Quarterback
Brantley Gilbert/Country Must Be Country Wide/Valory
Randy Houser/In God’s Time/Show Dog-Universal
Rodney Atkins/Take A Back Road/Curb
Brother Trouble/Summer’s Little Angel/Blaster/Bigger Picture
Jennette McCurdy/Generation Love/Capitol
Susan Hickman/Just Missed This Train/4 L Clover
Corey Wagar/Hurricane/GTR
May 2
Sunny Sweeney/Staying’s Worse Than Leaving/Republic Nashville
Lucy Angel/Serious/GForce
• • • • •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Sugarland/Tonight/Mercury — 65
Jason Michael Carroll/Numbers/For The Lonely/Quarterback — 72
Rodney Atkins/Take A Back Road/Curb — 73
Brantley Gilbert/Country Must Be Country Wide/Valory — 74
Stealing Angels/Paper Heart/Skyville — 75
Mark Cooke/I Love It/CVR — 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Blake Shelton/Honey Bee/Warner Bros./WMN — 547
Jason Aldean /Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow — 423
Dierks Bentley /Am I The Only One/Capitol — 380
Brad Paisley/Old Alabama/Arista — 378
Jake Owen/Barefoot Blue Jean Night/RCA — 351
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Lucy Angel/Serious/GForce — 250
Rachel Holder/Chocolate/All Entertainment — 232
Austin Hicks/I Still Pledge Allegiance/Lick — 196
Ashley Gearing/Five More Minutes/Curb — 191
Corey Smith/Twenty One/Average Joe’s — 184
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Jake Owen/Barefoot Blue Jean Night/RCA — 25
Jason Aldean/Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow — 23
Sugarland/Tonight/Mercury — 17
Randy Houser/In God’s Time/Show Dog-Universal — 17
Blake Shelton/Honey Bee/Warner Bros./WMN — 17
Rodney Atkins/Take A Back Road/Curb — 15
Brantley Gilbert/Country Must Be Country Wide/Valory — 15
James Wesley/Didn’t I/Broken Bow — 13
Stealing Angels/Paper Heart/Skyville — 12
Lucy Angel/Serious/GForce — 12
Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett/Knee Deep/Southern Ground/Atlantic — 10
Jason Michael Carroll/Numbers/For The Lonely/Quarterback — 10

Josh Kelley has been on the road with Miranda Lambert’s tour since last fall and last week he passed through Ft. Myers, Fl. This summer, he’ll be out on the road with Taylor Swift. (L-R): MCA regional Louie Newman, Kelley, WCKT/Ft. Myers PD Todd Nixon.


Edge Records/Loftoncreek artist Kelly Parkes recently visited with XM 11 at its Cincinnati studio. Parkes performed her new single "Girl With A Fishing Rod" and her previous single "Nothing.” (L-R): XM 11‘s Jordan, Parkes, XM 11‘s Kent Terry, Lofton Creek Pres. Mike Borchetta.


David Bradley recently stopped by the KVWF-Wichita, KS studios to visit with the staff. Bradley’s single “Hard Time Movin’ On” is currently at No. 30 on the CountryBreakout Chart. (L-R): KVWF Mornings/MD Colby Ericson, Bradley, KVWF PD Ron Allen.

McCurdy Raises $140k For St. Jude Children’s Hospital

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When marketing a new single joins hands with raising funds for a worthy charitable cause it elevates the artist involved and becomes even more unique when that artist is a teen. Jennette McCurdy, star of Nickelodeon’s iCarly, decided to promote her new single with a cross country mall tour, Generation Love For St. Jude. And made a personal mission to raise $100,000 for the Children’s Research Hospital in the process. Along the way she performed for thousands of fans, and raised money by signing autographs and selling charity CDs with all proceeds to benefit the cause.
“What a great few weeks this has been,” said McCurdy. “What made it even better was the opportunity to partner with St. Jude and not only bring awareness to their life-changing facility, but also raise money to help the patients that come through their doors. I’m proud and honored to be associated with St. Jude and their amazing cause!”
The tour was named after the young artist’s new single “Generation Love,” produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and available digitally now. A music video for the track, produced by Roman White is set to premiere on CMT’s Big New Music Weekend (April 22-24). The single will also appear on the artist’s debut country album scheduled for fall.
Buzz Jackson of KIIM in Tuscon, AZ said, “After a record-breaking crowd of over 4,000 came out for her mall show, it’s clear Jennette strikes a chord with listeners.” Birmingham, Alabama WDXB’s Tom Hanrahan said, “A mob scene would be an accurate description of the event we did here recently.”
 

Tour Press

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Following the success of his overseas tour dates last year, Toby Keith will be returning to Europe this fall. He is set for a run of 12 shows on his Locked & Loaded Tour, visiting arenas and concert halls in the UK, Holland, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Keith’s 2010 American Ride Tour ranked as one of Pollstar’s top outings of the year, bringing more than a million fans to venues worldwide.
His new album Bullets In The Gun debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre chart in October 2010, rolling Keith into his 18th-straight year with a chart-topping album and/or single.
• • • • • •
Billy Currington set a record at famed San Antonio establishment Cowboy’s recently. His headlining show sold close to 5,500 tickets, breaking the record at the venue for pre-sales and total tickets sold. The show set an all-time high for total revenue for the venue.
Currington is also on Kenny Chesney‘s 2011 Goin’ Coastal Tour, and recently celebrated his fifth consecutive No. 1 single—and seventh overall—with “Let Me Down Easy.”
• • • • • •
Joe Nichols will kick off his The Shape I’m In Australian Tour April 29 in Toowoomba, QLD. This tour marks the third visit to Oz for the singer, and follows his well-received performance there at last month’s CMC Rocks The Hunter festival. Promoter Rob Potts says, “He sold out of product at each of his previous shows. He has been diligent and consistent about coming back to Australia to develop his fan base here, and I feel like that’s paying off for him.”
Back in the states, Nichols recently teamed up with Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, Texas for a benefit concert for victims of the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
• • • • • •
Lady Antebellum just made the long trek back to the States from their first ever tour to Australia and New Zealand. The trio won over fans and critics during their six shows opening for Keith Urban before heading to New Zealand for their own headlining show at Auckland’s Civic Auditorium. Australia and New Zealand left Lady A with additional souvenirs, Platinum plaques signifying the certification of their album Need You Now in both countries.

Gaskin Fires Up The Press

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“I fell in love with a sad song and a teardrop at a young age,” said Gaskin at today's event.


Columbia newcomer Bradley Gaskin entertained a roomful of press and media mavens this afternoon (4/21) at Sony Music’s Chet Atkins Place venue. Promo VP Jimmy Rector was wearing a smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat, obviously proud to show off his imprint’s latest talent.
But it was the Celebrity Apprentice, John Rich, who held the mic to introduce Gaskin, since Rich discovered the singer on MySpace and is producing his music. “A year ago he was hanging sheetrock in Duck Springs, Alabama,” Rich told the crowd. “And today he’s in Nashville with a song on the radio. He’s a true blue collar, working man, success story.”
Gaskin strummed acoustic guitar sitting on a stool, accompanied by a lone fiddle player. He told the crowd how one evening in 2005 when he returned from working with his dad, and covered in sheetrock dust, he grabbed his guitar and decided to write a country song with some honest emotion. That song turned out to be “Mr. Bartender” which has recently gone to radio and is currently at No. 42 and climbing on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart.
It was Gaskin’s wife who was insistent that he should put a recording of the song on MySpace. “I didn’t even have a computer,” smiled Gaskin. “But she did. In fact one of my friends said it was too country and didn’t fit what was currently going on. But apparently they were wrong.”
After finding the singer’s MySpace page, Rich’s development company invited Gaskin to come perform at the Get Rich Talent Search. Gaskin won the competition. In February Rich brought his new discovery to Sony where was signed PDF (pretty damn fast).
As part of a four song set at today’s event, Gaskin respectfully performed Keith Whitley’s classic “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”  “I fell in love with a sad song and a teardrop at a young age,” said Gaskin who confided that as a youngster he would grab a broom or even a fly swatter and pretend he was singing to a crowd. Now, that dream is coming true.
 

Artist Action: Dolly Plans Album, Tour

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Dolly Parton caught up with former collaborator Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) while in London as part of a European press tour in support of her forthcoming Better Day album. Featuring 12 original songs, the album will be released on Dolly Records this summer. She will debut the first single “Together You & I” with a live performance May 26 on Ellen and will launch a worldwide tour in July.

Pictured (l-r): Neil Warnock, CEO of the Agency Group (Dolly and Yusuf's agent), Yusuf Islam, Dolly Parton, and Danny Nozell (Dolly's manager).


• • • • • •
Jake Owen’s new single “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” scored over 20,000 first-week downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan. It is the lead single from his forthcoming third album, due in stores late summer, with tracks produced by Joey Moi (Nickelback), Rodney Clawson and Tony Brown.
• • • • • •
Matraca Berg has signed with Keith Case & Associates for booking representation. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee will release her new album May 17. The Dreaming Fields is her first album in 14 years. For booking info call 615-327-4646.
• • • • • •


Alan Jackson performed at the “Coming Home Concert” in Rogersville, TN recently. The sold-out event was organized by veteran country radio and TV personality Charlie Chase – a Rogersville native – to benefit the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life of Hawkins County.”
• • • • • •
Margaret Durante premiered the video for her new single, “Maybe Tonight,” on Tuesday (4/19) exclusively through AOL’s The Boot.   The video, directed by Kristin Barlowe for Taillight TV, was shot in downtown Nashville. The song was co-written by Durante along with Rachel Proctor and Blair Daly and is on the singer’s new four-song digital EP for Emrose/Stroudavarious Records.

Photo: Ann-Marie Hensley


• • • • • •
Kenny Rogers is working on his autobiography, tentatively scheduled for a fall 2011 release by HarperCollins. Rogers is also gearing up for his first tour of South America – a five-date run in May that includes stops in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Punta del Este, Uruguay; Santiago, Chile; and Bogotá, Columbia.

Music at the Film Festival

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SESAC hosted the panel “Music Supervisors 101: The Basics Of Song Placement” as part of the Nashville Film Festival. Among the participating music supervisors were Andrea von Foerster (500 Days Of Summer), Alethia Austin (The Cursed), Jon Ernst (The Hills), Chris Mollere (The Vampire Diaries), Marcy Bulkeley (Music Supervisor/BLT & Assoc) and Richard Glasser (Motion Picture Music/Weinstein Co.). The enlightening panel was moderated by Jim Scherer, President of Whizbang Inc.

Pictured (l-r): Jim Scherer, Marcy Bulkeley, Alethia Austin, Chris Mollere, SESAC’s Tim Fink, Andrea von Foerster, Richard Glasser & Jon Ernst. Photo: Peyton Hoge

• • • • • •

BMI sponsored the official party celebrating the world premiere of documentary Wish Me Away, which debuted at the 2011 Nashville Film Festival. The film follows the groundbreaking journey of BMI singer/songwriter Chely Wright as she becomes the first openly gay artist within country music’s mainstream.

Pictured (l-r): BMI’s David Preston and Alison Smith, manager Russell Carter, Chely Wright, Red Light Management’s Fletcher Foster, and Wish Me Away directors Beverly Kopf and Bobbie Birleffi. Photo: Tanya Braganti

• • • • • •

Earlier this week the ASCAP Music Lounge @ The Nashville Film Festival with Sorted Noise Entertainment featured Michael Castro, Holly Cormier, Perrin Lamb and The Co. Today’s (4/21) ASCAP Music Lounge will be at The Rutledge at 4PM with Katie Herzig, Jeremy Lister, Mikky Ekko and Alyssa Bonagura.

Pictured (l-r): Nate Fleming (The Co), Perrin Lamb, Collin Brace (The Co), Michael Castro, Annie Beaty (Sorted Noise), Holly Cormier, Troy Akers (The Co), Nathan Spicer (The Co), Thad Beaty (Sorted Noise), Jesse Willoughby (ASCAP), Jason Collum (Sorted Noise). Photo: Anna Maki

 

Tomorrow Is "Girls' Night Out"

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Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country – The Concert of the Year airs tomorrow night (4/22) at 9:00 PM ET on CBS.
The special tribute features performances by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, the JaneDear girls, The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Jennifer Nettles, Pistol Annies (ft. Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley), Rascal Flatts, Reba, Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood.
Among the show’s honorees are:
The Judds – Recognized for being the ACM’s most award-winning female duo having won Vocal Duo of the Year seven years in a row, 1984 – 1990 and Song of the Year in 1984 for “Why Not Me.”
Miranda Lambert – Recognized for being the only female artist in the Academy’s history to ever win Album of the Year, twice, first for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in 2007 and again for Revolution in 2009.
Loretta Lynn – Recognized for her amazing 50-year career as a leading female artist in country music, which includes being the only female artist to win Artist of the Decade, Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year.
Martina McBride – Recognized by ACM Lifting Lives for her dedication to raising social consciousness of domestic violence and encouraging female empowerment through her music. She is a three-time Female Vocalist and was also awarded the ACM Humanitarian Award in 2004 for her charitable work.
Jennifer Nettles – Recognized for being one of only two female artists in the Academy’s history to ever perform and solo write the winning Song of the Year, in 2007, with “Stay.”
Reba – Recognized for winning Female Vocalist more times than any other artist in the Academy’s history – a whopping seven times.
Carrie Underwood – Recognized for being the only female artist in the Academy’s history to ever win Entertainer of the Year, twice, first in 2008 and again in 2009. Underwood has won Female Vocalist three times and has won a total of ten ACM Awards.
Ticket proceeds from the live event went to ACM Lifting Lives®.