NYT Feels Music Industry Pain

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“If it was as easy as it looks, everyone would do it.” These words may best describe some of the early pain being felt by the New York Times as it struggles to adjust the rules, technology and concept of its, about-to-begin March 28, paywall. And although the music industry is just an onlooker in this info-tug-of-war, no doubt music leaders can see a close parallel to their own industry.
A loophole purposely built into the NYT system has already backfired. NYT decided that links from  Twitter and Facebook should get free passage through the paywall and be able to exceed the 20 item limit per month imposed on non-subscribers. Search links would get five items per day. The thinking seems sound, since these social networking/search links are responsible for directing large amounts of traffic to the newspaper website.

Enter new Twitter feed @freeNYTimes. The feed tweets a link to every story published on nytimes.com. This allows readers to easily surf around and through the paywall, avoiding its restrictions. According to a Forbes.com story, NYT has already asked Twitter to shut down the new feed. At press the feed has 562 followers and explains itself by saying, “NYTimes articles as they’re published. Read more than your 20 articles/month allotment, because you came from Twitter! Data provided by The New York Times.”
A second similar twitter feed has already sprouted at @timeswiretap. It now has 92 followers.

Another widely reported NYT hack was created by a Canadian blogger in just four lines of code and bears the name, NYTClean. The site is already experiencing a massive slowdown due to a rash of unexpectedly high visitor traffic.
NYTClean coder David Hayes sums up the problem saying, “Wow, I’ve gotten tens of thousands of hits since this went up yesterday, especially considering this was a lunchtime project — You just can’t see a wall like this without wondering how you can get around it. I love the New York Times, don’t say that I forced you to not pay for it.”

Dolly's "Better Day" Still To Come

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Dolly Parton is making plans to release her new studio album Better Day (Dolly Records) this summer, followed by an extensive worldwide tour. The iconic star will perform the album’s first single “Together You & I” live May 26 on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The album’s exact release date is yet to be announced, but is expected in June or July.
“I wanted to do an album that would be very uplifting and positive, as well as inspirational,” says Parton. “Times are hard all over. I think people need to feel better and I thought Better Day was a perfect title because it says ‘hope.’”
The Better Day world tour kicks off July 17 in Knoxville, including two shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. On August 20, the trek moves overseas and features two shows at the O2 Arena in London. Full dates included below.
Dolly’s 2008 album Backwoods Barbie produced singles like “Better Get To Livin’” and “Shinola” and the ensuing European tour played for over 170k fans.
Better Day tour dates:
Sun 17 Jul – Knoxville, TN – University of Tennessee – Thompson Boling Arena
Tue 19 Jul – Dallas, TX – Verizon Theatre Grand Prairie
Wed 20 Jul – Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Casino
Fri 22 Jul – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sat 23 Jul – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sun 24 Jul – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion
Wed 27 Jul – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino
Thu 28 Jul – Chicago, IL – Rosemont Theater
Sat 30 Jul – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre
Sun 31 Jul – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap
Tue 02 Aug – Durham NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
Wed 03 Aug – Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater @ Encore Park
Sat 20 Aug – Glasgow – Glasgow SECC
Sun 21 Aug – Glasgow – Glasgow SECC
Mon 22 Aug – Nottingham – Nottingham Arena
Thur 25 Aug – Copenhagen – Copenhagen Forum
Sat 27 Aug – Stockholm – Globe Arena
Sun 28 Aug – Göteborg, Sweden – Gothenburg Scandinavium
Wed 31 Aug – Liverpool – Echo Arena
Fri 2 Sept – Birmingham – LG Arena
Sat 3 Sept – Cardiff – CIA Arena
Sun 4 Sept – Cardiff – CIA Arena
Tue 6 Sept – Bournemouth – Bournemouth BIC
Wed 7 Sept – London – O2 Arena
Thur 8 Sept – London – O2 Arena
Sat 10 Sept – Newcastle – Metro Radio Arena
Sun 11 Sept – Manchester – Evening News Arena
Mon 12 Sept – Sheffield – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 14 Sept – Dublin – 02 Arena
Thur 15 Sept – Belfast – Odyssey Arena

Industry Ink Wednesday

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The CMC Rocks the Hunter 2011 Country Music festival in New South Wales, Australia served as the backdrop for two recent CMA International Award presentations. Event performer Joe Nichols; event co-producer and CMA Board member Rob Potts; and event host and CMA Board member Storme Warren of GAC's "Headline Country" presented the CMA Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award to Cheryl Byrnes, Manager of Country Music Capital News, and the CMA International Country Broadcast Award to Larry Cann, of the Fairfax KIX Country Radio Network. Pictured (l-r) Warren, Nichols, Byrnes, and Potts.


>>>>The Country Network (TCN) continues to expand its broadcast reach with the addition of five new television station affiliates under an agreement with Kansas City, Missouri based Newport Television. These new markets—Salt Lake City, Fresno, Little Rock, Wichita, and Tulsa—will begin airing TCN next month. Including the association with Newport Television, TCN is available on 42 stations.
>>>>Aria Records Nashville artist David St. Romain has signed with entertainment publicity company Shock Ink for exclusive media relations representation. The Nashville Star alum released his latest album, All I Really Wanted To Say, this month. Its first single, “Twenty Years Late,” will impact radio April 4.
>>>>Debut Broadcasting Corp.‘s Syndication Division is prepping the launch of three new national radio programs: A Country Legend, Radio Racing Minute, and Boot Scooting 90’s.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (3/23/11)

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This week, we’re going from one extreme to the other.
At one end of the sonic spectrum, we have the stone-country sound of Bradley Gaskin. He stopped the show with “Mr. Bartender” during the CRS Convention, and this hardcore honky-tonk single will leave you gasping for breath. Give that man a DisCovery Award.
At the other end of the sonic spectrum is the magnificent, layered, pop/rock majesty of Music City tunesmith Chas Sandford. Go out right now and buy his Wag More, Bark Less disc debut.
We have everything from the retro-country sound of Brad Paisley to the classic R&B groove of the Don Ray Band, from the bopping return of Donny & Marie to the sober thoughts of papa Trace Adkins.
Our Disc of the Day goes to Martina McBride for telling it like it is in the lyrics of “Teenage Daughters.”
HEIDI NEWFIELD/Stay Up Late
Writer: Jimmy Yeary/Sonya Isaacs/Ben Hayslip; Producer: Blake Chancey; Publisher: Black to Black/ole/Nashvistaville/Sonya Isaacs/WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—The too-thick production almost overwhelms her soulful delivery. Mix her voice up hotter, but by all means keep that cool, shambling, backbeat rhythm track.
RACHEL HOLDER/Chocolate
Writer: Chuck Howard/Bob Regan/Kristy Osmunson; Producer: Chuck Howard & Wilbur Rimes; Publisher: none listed; All Entertainment (www.rachelholder.com)
—Brightly bouncy. Innocent fun. Her saucy delivery is nicely matched with a galloping, sprightly track.
BRAD PAISLEY & ALABAMA/Old Alabama
Writer: Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Dave Turnbull/Randy Owen; Producer: Frank Rogers; Publisher: House of Sea Gayle/Words & Music/Circle C/V Bulls/Full Circle/Sony-ATV Tree, ASCAP/BMI; Arista
—Nothing screams “1980s” like an old Alabama record. I’m not at all sure that sounding deliberately dated is a good idea. But if you’re cool with that, Brad quotes the song titles, uses the sounds and even signs up the reunited Alabama, itself, to lend vocals and guitar/fiddle chops.
ZANE WILLIAMS/Ride With Me
Writer: Zane Williams; Producer: Zane Williams; Publisher: Sony-ATV Cross Keys, ASCAP; Hack Circle (track) (www.ZaneWilliamsMusic.com)
—Perennial troubadour Zane has always been his own best interpreter. Here, he keeps things breezy, tuneful and earnest on a dandy open-road song. Love the rapid-fire lyric delivery, the fiddle solo and the steady, stuttering rhythm.
MARTINA McBRIDE/Teenage Daughters
Writer: Martina McBride/Brett Warren/Brad Warren; Producer: Byron Gallimore & Martina McBride; Publisher: StyleSonic/EMI Blackwood/Delemmava, BMI; Republic
—A little slab of universal truth from a lady who has always specialized in it. The crunchy production is full of interesting textures, and her vocal is ultra expressive.
DON RAY BAND WITH SHAUN MURPHY/Love Is
Writer: Don Ray; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Margdon, BMI; Margdon
—Darkly bluesy, throbbing and minor key. Accented with R&B horns. Shaun and Don swap gritty vocal licks like a soul sister and brother. Old school and cool.
BRADLEY GASKIN/Mr. Bartender
Writer: Bradley Gaskin; Producer: John Rich & Charlie Pennachio; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; Columbia
—It is written so perfectly, you’ll swear you are listening to a revived classic from the catalog of George Jones, Johnny Paycheck or Merle Haggard. Hot, hot honky-tonk music with a ferocious bite. Say, “Amen,” country lovers.
CHAS SANDFORD/Broken
Writer: Chas Sandford/James Matchack; Producer: Chas Sandford; Publisher: Chas Alan Sandford/Madman Matchack, BMI; Hanalei Music Group (track) (www.chassanford.com)
—This pop/rock Nashvillian is notable as the composer of such masterpieces as “Missing You” (John Waite, Brooks & Dunn), “What Kind of Man Would I Be” (Chicago) and “Talk to Me” (Stevie Nicks). Rascal Flatts, Roger Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Jimmy Barnes and Rick Springfield are among the others who have recorded his tunes. Sandford’s Wag More Bark Less CD is jam packed with potential monster hits. “Drop the needle” anywhere, and you’ll be blown away. His songwriting collaborators on the collection include such stellar contributors as Greg Barnhill, Shane McAnally, Lee Roy Parnell and James Dean Hicks. This particular track is an awesome, torn-from-the-chest ballad that he sings with searing tenor intensity. Sign me up for the fan club. You need this music in your life, too.
TRACE ADKINS/Just Fishin’
Writer: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell/Ed Hill; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Six Ring Circus/Sony-ATV Tree/Five Hills/Do Write, BMI; Show Dog Universal
—Sweetly sentimental, it’s about a Daddy making memories with his little girl he loves so much. Full of heart.
DONNY & MARIE/The Good Life
Writer: Eric Paslay/Clay Mills; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Publisher: Cal IV/Still Working for the Woman, ASCAP; MPCA (CDX) (212-796-2030)
—Jaunty, well written and produced with panache. Both Osmonds still sing with vigor.

Steel Guitar Master Ralph Mooney Passes

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Steel guitar great Ralph Mooney, the co-writer of the country standard “Crazy Arms,” died Sunday, March 20, at his home in Arlington, Texas.
Mooney was noted for his distinctive playing behind such superstars as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. He can be heard on such early 1960s Owens hits as “Under Your Spell Again” and “Foolin’ Around” and on such late 1960s Haggard classics as “The Bottle Let Me Down,” “Strangers” and “Swinging Doors.”
He spent more than two decades in Waylon Jennings’ band The Waylors, beginning in 1970. He made significant musical contributions to such classic Jennings “outlaw” albums as Dreaming My Dreams, Honky Tonk Heroes, Ladies Love Outlaws, Lonesome Orn’ry and Mean, Are You Ready for the Country, Waylon Live, I’ve Always Been Crazy and This Time. He can also be heard on the 1978 Waylon Jennings / Willie Nelson hit duet “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”
Mooney also recorded with Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Wanda Jackson, Wynn Stewart (“It’s Such a Pretty World Today”), Donna Fargo, Jessi Colter, Tommy Collins, Earl Scruggs, Hoyt Axton and many others.
He also recorded an instrumental album of his own. Corn Pickin’ and Slick Slidin’ (with guitarist James Burton) was issued by Capitol Records in 1968.
The instrumentalist was a native of Oklahoma who began his professional playing career in California in the 1940s. He and Chuck Seals co-wrote “Crazy Arms,” which became a massive No. 1 hit for Ray Price in 1956.
“Crazy Arms” has subsequently been recorded by hundreds of others, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Ernest Tubb, The Sons of the Pioneers, Linda Ronstadt, Bobby Bare, Chuck Berry, Patsy Cline, Webb Pierce, Duane Eddy, The Andrews Sisters, BR5-49, Patti Page, Johnny Paycheck, Tanya Tucker, The Sir Douglas Quintet, Trini Lopez, Patty Loveless, Bing Crosby, Conway Twitty, Van Morrison and Gram Parsons, as well as Waylon Jennings. Marion Worth revived the classic on the charts in 1963, and Willie Nelson re-popularized it on the country hit parade again in 1979.
One of Ralph Mooney’s last recording sessions was for Marty Stuart’s 2010 Ghost Train CD. On it, he delivered an instrumental version of “Crazy Arms.” Mooney and Stuart co-wrote “Little Heartbreaker (The Likes of You)” for the album.
Ralph Mooney died of cancer at age 82. He will be buried today [Wednesday, March 23] in Arlington, Texas.

Someone Else Getting A Payday

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BMI toasted the No. 1 success of Luke Bryan’s latest single “Someone Else Calling You Baby” during a feel-good gathering on Monday, March 21 at the company’s Music Row offices.
Written by Bryan and his producer Jeff Stevens, the song is Bryan’s third consecutive No. 1 off his Gold certified album, Doin’ My Thing. It follows the other charttoppers from his sophomore effort “Do I” and “Rain Is A Good Thing.”
“Someone Else Calling You Baby” marks Stevens’ sixth No. 1 as a songwriter.
Bryan released an EP, Spring Break 3…It’s A Shore Thing, on March 1. He will hit the road this summer on Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic Tour.

Pictured are (l-r): Capitol Nashville’s Mike Dungan and Shane Allen, Red Light Management’s Kerri Edwards, co-writer and producer Jeff Stevens, Luke Bryan, Bug Music’s Roger Murrah, and BMI’s Clay Bradley.

Photos: Chesney, Carter’s Chord, SXSW

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Kenny Chesney’s Goin’ Coastal Tour, presented by Corona, kicked off last Thursday in West Palm Beach. He also performed recently in Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium to a sold-out crowd of over 50,000. The tour now sets the compass north for upcoming shows in Des Moines, IA (3/24); St. Paul, MN (3/25); and Omaha, NE (3/26).

Kenny Chesney

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Show Dog-Universal Music artists Carter’s Chord performed the national anthem Saturday (3/19) at the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Bristol, broadcast live on ESPN. The group recently released the first single from an upcoming new collection of music. “A Little Less Comfortable” was written by Carter’s Chord members Emily and Joanna Robertson, with songwriter Phillip White.

Pictured (l-r) Joanna, Becky and Emily Robertson

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SESAC’s SXSW showcase in Austin featured performances by Strange Boys, Oberhofer, Superhumanoids and Band Of Heathens. SESAC also hosted a “Green Eggs & Band” Brunch during the music festival and conference. The event brought together SESAC-affiliated bands, such as Nashville-based The Honeymoon Thrillers, with journalists, music supervisors and industry executives for a fun and casual confab.

Pictured (l-r): Nathan Barlowe, Cary Barlowe and Chris Boyle of The Honeymoon Thrillers. Photo: Cara Pastore

Wynn Varble Among CMT Next Superstar Finalists

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Songwriter Wynn Varble is among the top 10 finalists on CMT’S Next Superstar, the competition series set to premiere Friday, April 8 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT. Varble has written or co-written hits including “Have You Forgotten” (Darryl Worley), “Waitin’ on a Woman” (Brad Paisley) and “I’m A Little More Country Than That” (Easton Corbin), and has earned several ACM and CMA Song of the Year nominations.
Hosted by Thea Andrews, the ten episode series has contestants trying to impress celebrity guests each week through performances and music business related challenges.
Each week, one finalist will be eliminated. Viewers at home will have the final vote to determine who will be crowned CMT’s Next Superstar.
The Top 10 Finalists
Bri Bagwell, 23, Las Cruces, NM
Adrienne Beasley, 22, Wickliffe, KY
Courtney Cole, 24, Mandeville, LA
Danielle Lauderdale, 23, Orange Park, FL
Andrea Person, 29, Kelowna, British Columbia
Steven Clawson, 29, Thomasville, GA
Matt Dame, 37, Batesville, AR
Matt Mason, 25, Fairland, IN
Ben Smith, 29, Gainesville, TX
Wynn Varble, 50, Hampshire, TN

Witherspoon, Pattinson To Present at ACM Awards

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Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson


Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson have been added to the presenters list for the April 3 ACM Awards. Hosted by Reba and Blake Shelton, the show will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS.
These Hollywood heavyweights join previously announced presenters Nancy O’Dell and Ryan Seacrest. In addition, performers include Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Alabama, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Reba, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band with James Taylor.
In more news from the Academy of Country Music, for the second consecutive year, the ACM is partnering with the USO to bring a free, private concert to troops and their families stationed at Nellis Air Force Base outside Las Vegas. The Sat., April 2 concert will feature Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Sunny Sweeney, Montgomery Gentry and Craig Morgan. Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country, returns to emcee the day.

Rootmetrics Finds Verizon 4G Fastest

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Rootmetrics, a Seattle-based company that compiles data about mobile networks has released a study showing that Verizon’s LTE 4G network delivered faster upload and download speeds in a test conducted inside the Seattle area market. Verizon’s LTE network also had better access. Other 4G networks sampled in the test included T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T. [Download the complete study here.]
“We used 4G capable smartphones to determine what the coonsumer epxerience looks like with regards to data speeds and data performance,” said Rootmetrics. “Each phone may or may not perform at 4G speeds all of the time and may connect to 3G or even 2G networks at some point depending upon time, location and network congestion.”
With respect to download speeds, Verizon’s LTE  “delivered speeds four times faster than the next fastest networks Sprint’s WiMax and T-Mobile’s HSPA+21 which tied for second place. Verizon was 14.5X faster than AT&T’s HSPA+ service.
Here are a few points from the study’s summary…

  • Verizon’s LTE download speeds were above 10Mbps 88% of the time. T-Mobile’s HSPA+21 download speeds were above 10Mbps 7% of the time and below 5MBps 61% of the time. Sprint’s download speed has higher that 10MBps 13% of the time and AT&T’s never were above 10MBps.
  • Methodology included using unaltered off-the-shelf smartphones equipped with the most up to date Android operating system (2.2). Devices used included HTC Evo (Sprint), HTC Inspire (AT&T), HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon) and Samsung Galaxy S (T-Mobile).
  • Rootmetrics is not endorsing any carrier and cautions that its results are not necessarily indicative of those across all cities nationwide. “Only time will tell,” the report states, “if Verizon can maintain these speeds as more consumers start to use the network.”