In Color: The Roys, Stealing Angels, Jason Sturgeon

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(L-R): Elaine, Lee Roy (Photo: Anthony Ladd)







The Roys will perform at Nashville Station Inn on May 5 for a free  hour-long performance on 650 AM WSM Radio’s monthly Station Inn Sessions With Mike Terry. Lee and Elaine are scheduled to sit down with Terry for a live interview that will broadcast worldwide via www.wsmonline.com. The appearance is the duo’s first in Nashville since the March 22 release of their debut Rural Rhythm Records’ CD, Lonesome Whistle.

 

• • • •

Country trio Stealing Angels entertained fans during the MLB Red Sox vs. Yankees Game on April 9. Caroline Cutbirth, Tayla Lynn and Jennifer Wayne performed “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch from Boston’s Fenway Park. The Red Sox went on to top the Yankees 4 to 0.

Stealing Angels

 

• • • •

Toolpusher Records’ Jason Sturgeon stopped by WXBQ in Bristol, VA for a visit with station PD Bill Hagy. Sturgeon was in town for a performance at Capone’s in Johnson City, TN- just one of many stops on his 2011 Rollin’ On Tour. Upcoming dates of the tour include: Winston Salem, NC, Charlotte, NC, Asheville, NC, Albany, GA, Indianapolis, IN, Lynchburg, VA, Bloomington, IN, Sanford, FL and more.

(L-R): WXBQ PD Bill Hagy and Jason Sturgeon

 

Photo Corner: Shows & Benefits

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Wynonna recently spent some time at host Hazel Smith’s kitchen to cook up some southern comfort food and discuss her latest projects, including the premiere of The Judds on OWN. The two discussed Wynonna’s career as both a solo artist and as half of the mother-daughter duo, The Judds. Tune in to CMT, April 16th at 8:45pm EST to see Wynonna featured on Southern Fried Flicks.

(L-R): Hazel Smith and Wynonna


 
Trace Adkins will appear in today’s (4/15) episode of CMT’s Next Superstar to offer advice to the contestants. In each hour episode of the ten episode series, CMT will search to find America’s next great country star. The show will unfold weekly as each contestant competes while living together in Nashville. Each week, one finalist will be eliminated and America will have the final vote to determine who will win the title of CMT’s Next Superstar. The competitors will make an effort to impress the Matt Serlectic, the permanent CMT Next Superstar judge who will be accompanied by other celebrity judges as Adkins and Colbie Caillet every week through different challenges and their grueling performances.

(L-R): Adkins, Serletic.


Kevin Carter’s 10th Annual Waiting for Wishes Celebrity Waiter’s Dinner took place at The Palm on April 12. The event benefitted the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle TN and The Kevin Carter Foundation.

(L-R): co-host Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, celebrity waiter and Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville recording artist Jerrod Niemann, and co-host and football celebrity Kevin Carter. Photo: Donn Jones Photography


(L-R): Storme Warren, Rodney Atkins at the Celebrity Dinner

Weekly Chart Report (4/15/11)

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Columbia Nashville's Bradley Gaskin recently visited The Bull (WDXB 102.5) in Birmingham, AL and also performed an acoustic set including his debut single “Mr. Bartender” in the "Bull Lounge.” (L-R): Gaskin and WDXB PD Tom Hanrahan.


SPIN ZONE
Rascal Flatts ascends to the CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 spot with “I Won’t Let Go,” making the band’s second No. 1 single since its 2010 move to Big Machine Records. Kenny Chesney’s “Live A Little” is within striking distance at No. 2, trailed closely by Keith Urban’s “Without You” at No. 3. The Top 10 has a handful of new entries, including Toby Keith’s “Somewhere Else” at No. 8, Justin Moore’s “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” at No. 9, and Taylor Swift’s “Mean” at No. 10. The next few weeks could get very interesting as these relatively young singles battle for position.
The buzz over Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” has become a full on roar, as the singer’s latest jumps 20 positions to No. 35 in its second week on the chart. And a round of applause for the folks at Broken Bow and Stoney Creek, because they’re really on a roll. Following a big No. 1 from Thompson Square, superstar-in-waiting Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem makes its official debut at No. 57. Not far behind at No. 62, Aldean’s labelmate James Wesley has one of the fastest rising singles of his young career with “Didn’t I.”
Also making their debuts are Randy Houser’s “In God’s Time” at No. 74, Margaret Durante’s “Maybe Tonight” at No. 78, Daisy Mallory’s “Don’t Grow Up Too Fast” at No. 79, and Carrie Underwood’s “Songs Like This” at No. 80.
Frozen Playlists: KAIR, KITX, KLQL, KNCQ, KTNT, KTTI, WCMS, WKSR, WKWS, WTCR, WYVY





Upcoming Singles
April 18
Jake Owen/Barefoot Blue Jean Night/RCA
Kelly Parkes/Girl With A Fishing Rod/Lofton Creek
Jaron & The Long Road To Love/It’s A Good Thing/Jaronwood/Universal Republic/Nine North
Margaret Durante/Maybe Tonight/Stroudavarious
Jason Aldean/Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow
Billy Currington/Love Done Gone/Mercury
Stealing Angels/Paper Heart/Skyville
Acklen Park/I Love You, I Need You/Otter Rapids
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
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Jason Aldean/Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow — 57
Randy Houser/In God’s Time/Show Dog-Universal — 74
Margaret Durante/Maybe Tonight/Emrose — 78
Daisy Mallory/Don’t Grow Up Too Fast/Front Water — 79
Carrie Underwood/Songs Like This/Arista — 80
• • • • •
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Blake Shelton/Honey Bee/Warner Bros./WMN — 587
Luke Bryan/Country Girl/Capitol — 404
Jason Aldean/Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow — 345
Taylor Swift/Mean/Big Machine — 316
Trace Adkins/Just Fishin’/Show Dog-Universal — 261
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Ashley Gearing/Five More Minutes/Curb — 198
Austin Hicks/I Still Pledge Allegiance/Lick — 186
Mark Cooke/I Love It/CVR — 183
Rachel Holder/Chocolate/All Entertainment — 176
Jason Michael Carroll/Numbers/For The Lonely/Quarterback — 162
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Blake Shelton/Honey Bee/Warner Bros./WMN — 32
Jason Aldean/Dirt Road Anthem/Broken Bow — 28
James Wesley/Didn’t I/Broken Bow — 19
Reba/When Love Gets A Hold Of You/Starstruck/Valory — 14
Lucy Angel/Serious/GForce — 10
Randy Houser/In God’s Time/Show Dog-Universal — 9
Sugarland/Tonight/Mercury — 9

Stealing Angels recently stopped by WBEE/Rochester, NY to share their new single, “Paper Heart.” Pictured (L-R): Skyville President Kevin Herring, WBEE’s Billy Kidd, Jennifer Wayne, WBEE’s Bob Barnett, Skvyille East Regional Theresa Ford, and Tayla Lynn and Caroline Cutbirth


WKSR/Pulaksi, TN secured Eric Lee Beddingfield and others to perform at the banquet for the 10th Annual Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt. The hunt is an annual fundraiser for the TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) and benefits youth hunting in Tennessee. Pictured (L-R): Randy Barber of Rebel Dawg Records, Jason Phillips (Beddingfield’s hunt guide), Beddingfield, Wes Barker and manager Craig Campbell.


The Dirt Drifters stuck around Las Vegas the day following the ACM Awards to visit with KCYE. Pictured (L-R): Matt Fleener, Ryan Fleener, Cadillac Jack (MD/PM), Nick Diamond, Jeremy Little, Jeff Middleton, WMN VP Promotion Bob Reeves, and KCYE OM/PD Justin Chase

CMA Fest Nightly Tickets; City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge

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Beginning April 16, at 10:00 AM/CT, tickets to the individual CMA Music Festival Nightly Concerts at the LP Field will go on sale for $35 (plus applicable handling fees) for general admission in the upper deck of the venue. Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster or CMAFest.com. The 2011 CMA Music Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, in downtown Nashville. The event, which celebrates its 40th birthday since beginning as Fan Fair® in 1972, will once again be filmed for an ABC television special to air in late summer.
Artists currently scheduled to appear at LP Field include (in alphabetical order):

Thursday, June 9: Jason Aldean, Easton Corbin, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, and Zac Brown Band.
Friday, June 10: Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Ashton Shepherd, Keith Urban, and more to be announced soon.
Saturday, June 11: Trace Adkins, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Josh Turner, and Chris Young.
Sunday, June 12: The Band Perry, the JaneDear girls, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton.
Artists and schedules are subject to change. Additional artists will be announced soon.

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As an official part of the 2011 CMA Music Festival, the 21st annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge will be played on Saturday, June 11, at Greer Stadium. Longtime rivals Grand Ole Opry and After MidNite with Blair Garner will face off once again in an entertaining morning of celebrity antics, fan contests and friendly competition. The game supports research, treatment and education for cancer and other life-threatening diseases at City of Hope.
This year’s event sponsors include PEOPLE Country as presenting media sponsor, Staples, Humana and Carhartt, among others.
The CMA Music Festival pass does not include the game – a separate ticket is required. Game tickets are available now for $15, $20 and $50 per person through Ticketmaster. The $50 Super Fan package includes a limited edition Hatch Show Print and an opportunity to play in game antics. All ticket sales benefit City of Hope. In addition, an online auction of exclusive autographed memorabilia will be posted after the game at www.auctionsforhope.org. For more details visit www.cityofhope.org/softball.
 
 

Colt Ford Prepares New Release

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Average Joes Entertainment artist Colt Ford will release his third studio album, Every Chance I Get, to digital and physical partners on May 3. Sales of existing Ford albums have passed the 500,000 mark and he has sold almost two million digital singles. Since his first release three years ago, he has performed over 500 dates. These are unique milestones for an artist that has yet to achieve the kind of radio success that normally drives this level of response in terms of ticket and music sales. However, Ford did score a Top 10 hit with “Chicken And Biscuits” in 2010.
The new album was produced by label head Shannon Houchins, Jayson Chance and Phivestarr Productions and features guest vocals from Tim McGraw, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Charlie Daniels, Josh Thompson and others. Ford wrote or co-wrote many of the new set’s songs including “She Likes To Ride In Trucks,” a song he wrote for his 16-year old daughter.

While performing to a packed house Colt Ford was joined on stage at The Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, by WIVK Program Director Mike Hammond. (L-R) AVJ's Tom Baldrica, WIVK PD Mike Hammond, Colt Ford, AVJ's Tony Morreale.


“I wrote this song for my daughter,” says Ford. “She’s 16, coming of age, and I’m not the man in her life anymore, her boyfriend is. She wants to do her own thing, chase her own dreams, and she doesn’t need me as much as she used to. Whenever I do this song live, it’ll choke me up. It’s about real life, and real life is hard sometimes.”
 
 
 
Every Chance I Get track listing:
1. Country Thang f/ Eric Church
2. Work It Out f/ Luke Bryan
3. Waste Some Time f/ Nappy Roots and Nic Cowan
4. Do It With My Eyes Closed f/ Josh Thompson
5. This Is Our Song f/ Danny Boone of Rehab
6. Titty’s Beer f/ Trent Tomlinson
7. She Likes To Ride In Trucks f/ Craig Morgan
8. Pipe The Sunshine In f/ Tyler Farr
9. Every Chance I Get
10. What I Call Home f/ JB & The Moonshine Band
11. Overworked & Underpaid f/ Charlie Daniels
12. Skirts & Boots f/ Frankie Ballard
13. Twisted f/ Tim McGraw

McCarn Joins Black River Entertainment

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Greg McCarn


Greg McCarn, former GM of ScatterTunes and VP Sales, Marketing and Media at Lyric Street Records, has been named General Manager of Black River Entertainment. His appointment was announced today by Black River Chief Operating Officer Gordon Kerr. In his new role McCarn will oversee the label’s marketing, promotion, public relations, sales and digital media.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Greg to our company,” says Kerr. “He has a wealth of industry knowledge as well as outstanding leadership skills.  I look forward to his impact on Black River.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity that Gordon has given me to be a part of the Black River family and am looking forward to working with the staff and the artists,” says McCarn.
McCarn spent nearly 12 years at Lyric Street where he helped develop Rascal Flatts, SheDaisy, Bucky Covington, and Sarah Buxton, among others.
Black River’s current roster includes recently signed Craig Morgan plus Sarah Darling, Jeff Bates and Due West.

Jennette McCurdy Partners With Fashion Line

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Jennette McCurdy


New Captiol Records Nashville artist Jennette McCurdy has been tapped as the official brand spokesperson for Rebecca Bonbon products, the fashion import from Japan by the creator of “Hello Kitty.” McCurdy will be on all the Rebecca Bonbon marketing materials beginning with the 2011 back-to-school line, available exclusively at Kmart and Sears.
McCurdy has just released her newest single “Generation Love” to country radio. The single was produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and will appear on her debut country album in stores this fall. Meanwhile she is on a multi-week mall tour, Generation Love For St. Jude, where she is working to raise $100,000 for the hospital. She also recently won a Kids Choice Award for her role on Nickelodeon’s iCarly.
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Miss Willie Brown


A&M/Octone Records’ new country duo Miss Willie Brown has been added to the 2011 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival lineup where they are set for a Sat., June 11 performance. Comprised of Kasey Buckley and Amanda Watkins, the duo is currently on the road with the Jagermeister Country Tour Featuring Dierks Bentley. Their recently released EP was produced by Keith Stegall (Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, George Strait).
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The Band Perry


The Band Perry will headline the VH1 Save The Music Foundation Songwriters Music Series on June 2 at the Hard Rock Cafe’s Reverb Room. Tickets are priced at $100 each to benefit Save The Music, and a limited number are on sale at www.vh1savethemusic.com/songwriters.

Nashville Film Festival Opens Today

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The Nashville Film Festival opens today (4/14) and runs through April 21, with most screenings and events at the Regal Green Hills Cinema.
As always, there are numerous music-related events and movies. Tonight’s offerings include Bloodworth starring Kris Kristofferson, and a movie about the 2010 Nashville flood.
Friday (4/13) the fun continues with red carpet screenings of Bloodworth, and Wish Me Away, the documentary about Chely Wright which was executive produced by Fletcher Foster. Also on Friday, Emmylou Harris will present Kristofferson with the NaFF Career Achievement Award, and NaFF will host the world premiere of The Last Ride, a film from award-winning film maker Harry Thomason inspired by the mysterious final days of country music icon Hank Williams.
On Saturday (4/16) Vince Gill will have a free and open-to-the-public discussion on music and his journey from side musician to top-selling recording artist.
On Wednesday, April 20 at 6:00pm composer Gustavo Santaolalla will receive the NaFF 2011 Mike Curb Career Achievement Award for Film Music, and engage in a one-on-one conversation about his career. He is the two-time Academy Award-winning composer of the scores of Brokeback Mountain and Babel.
Other music related films:
Ain’t in It for My Health: a Film about Levon Helm will have screenings Sunday, April 17 at 3:00pm and Monday, April 18 at 7:45pm. It follows Helm who is thrust into the musical spotlight for the first time in a quarter century, and has to confront the dark times that have haunted him since The Band’s demise: Throat cancer, bankruptcy, drug addiction and the tragic loss of band mates Richard Manuel and Rick Danko.
Happy on the Ground: 8 Days at GRAMMY Camp follows a group of musically talented teenagers through an intense week of performing while they are mentored by some of the best in the music industry. Premiering on Saturday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 19.
Music Supervisor events include Music Supervisors 101: The Basics of Song Placement on Tuesday, April 19, at 1:00pm and other music industry opportunities here.
More on the Nashville Film Festival here.

Former Managers Sue Rascal Flatts

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Former Rascal Flatts managers Turner Nichols—Trey Turner and Doug Nichols—are suing the three band members in Davidson County Chancery Court reports Courthousenewsservice.com. The managers are represented by Jay Bowen with Bowen & Unger.
According to the complaint, the management firm whose oral agreement with the band ended last February after more than a decade, is demanding 15% from the act’s upcoming tour which Turner Nichols claims they negotiated and ends June 2013.
The Turner Nichols filing states, “The plaintiff has guided the defendants’ careers to success as internationally famed singers and recording artists, as multi-platinum record sellers, and as tremendously successful touring artists who have achieved astounding financial success, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.”
In addition to 15% from the tour which extends for the next two years, Turner Nichols requests commissions based upon TV appearances and DVDs it claims to have negotiated and is asking the court for a declaratory judgment and damages for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
MusicRow reported the split between Rascal Flatts and Turner Nichols on Feb. 7, 2011. At that time the band commented, “We will always consider Trey and Doug to be a part of our family. We have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for the work that we’ve done together over the past ten years.” Trey Turner and Doug Nichols were also quoted saying, “The Flatts are great guys and will always be part of our family as well. We wish them nothing but the best.”
On March 10, MusicRow then reported that Rascal Flatts had joined with Clarence Spalding’s, Spalding Entertainment for management. The band is currently signed to Big Machine Records. They were previously part of Lyric Street Records until the label unexpectedly shuttered last year.
In a statement released today (4/14) Rascal Flatts said, “We are disappointed they have chosen to file as we had hoped to address these issues privately, however we hope that this can be resolved amicably.”

Reba, Paul Simon Honored

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Reba celebrated her 35th No. 1 single, “Turn on the Radio,” at a VIP industry party at Starstruck Entertainment in Nashville on Monday (4/18). The song, written by Cherie Oakley, Mark Oakley and JD Twang, and produced by Dann Huff, also marks Reba’s 60th Top 10 hit. MusicRow presented Reba with a plaque marking her two-week run at No. 1 on MusicRow’s Country Breakout Chart.

Pictured (l-r): Valory's Chris Loss, JoJamie Hahr and John Zarling; Reba; Valory's Brooke Yancey and Miranda Williams; BMLG's President and CEO Scott Borchetta. Photo Credit: Justin McIntosh

• • • •

The BMI Board of Directors honored Paul Simon at its annual dinner during the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. BMI Board Chair Jack Sander and BMI President & CEO Del Bryant presented a special citation to Simon, commemorating the more than 100 million performances of his songs on U.S. radio and TV. Special songwriter guests in attendance included Kix Brooks, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and Kara DioGuardi.

Pictured (l-r): Bryant; BMI songwriters Kix Brooks, Paul Simon and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds; BMI Board Vice Chair Susan Davenport Austin; and Sander pose for a photo at the 2011 BMI Board of Directors dinner April 12 in Las Vegas. Photo: Randall Michaelson