Lifenotes: Ramsey Casteel

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Ramsey Casteel


Ramsey Casteel, an associate manager at Mike Robertson Management, passed away in his hometown Dallas on February 3, 2011. He was 29 and had fought courageously through an 18-month battle with cancer.
Friends and family say he was blessed with support and kindness throughout the illness, which he faced with patience, courage and dignity.
Casteel was born on March 30, 1981 in Dallas. His career in the music business began as a high school intern at 99.5/The Wolf. In 2003, Ramsey graduated cum laude from Belmont University with a music business degree. He also interned at MCA Records, and management companies Force, Inc. and The Firm. He eventually joined Force, Inc., and then later worked at William Morris Agency.
According to friends, working on Music Row was a dream come true for Casteel, and the result of his diligent study and hard work. He was easygoing with a love of country music, animals and travel.
Ramsey is survived by his mother, Caroline Burk Casteel; father, Frederick R. Casteel; sister, Catherine Casteel Olasky and brother-in-law Peter L. Olasky.
Services will be held in Dallas on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 11:00 AM at Highland Park United Methodist Church, where he was a member.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Ramsey Casteel Memorial Fund at Regions Bank, 1600 Division St., Nashville, TN 37203. This fund will be used to support his love of animals and music business education.

ACM Takes Dunn, Evans To Fremont Street

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Ronnie Dunn and Sara Evans


ACM party with Ronnie Dunn and Sara Evans • News from Little Big Town, Trailer Choir, the Doobie Brothers
>>Ronnie Dunn and Sara Evans will headline the ACM Concerts at Fremont Street Experience, to be held April 1-2, 2011 in Las Vegas. This is one of the event that takes place during The Week Vegas Goes Country®, leading up to the ACM Awards on April 3. For the fifth year in a row, the Academy of Country Music presents these free and open-to-the-public concerts.

Little Big Town


>>Little Big Town’s Road Trips and Guitar Picks tour will be presented by Country Financial. The partnership covers 20 dates. The band is up for a Grammy at this weekend’s awards. They are also nominated for an ACM in the Top Vocal Group of the Year category. Catch them tonight (2/8) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC.
>>Vocalist Crystal Hoyt has left Trailer Choir. Remaining are co-founders Big Vinny and Butter.
>>The Doobie Brothers’ newest single “World Gone Crazy” is shipping to country radio next week.

Ratings Race: Super Bowl v. Awards Shows

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Sunday night’s Super Bowl was the most-watched telecast in U.S. history, attracting 111 million viewers (Nielsen). Ratings for other popular TV events may pale by comparison, but the numbers are worth a look.
With today’s ever-fragmenting audiences, garnering high ratings is becoming increasingly difficult. It is easy to see a correlating decrease in viewership as each of the following shows appeal to a more narrow group of fans.
The demographic-crossing Oscars are traditionally a ratings magnet, falling only behind the Super Bowl and NFL championship games each year. In 2010, the show drew about 41.3 million viewers.
In 2010 the Grammy Awards—which appeal to music fans of a variety of genres—posted an average audience of 25.8 million viewers.
Last year’s American Idol season finale scored 24.2 million fans.
The CMA Awards and ACM Awards draw mostly country music fans. Last year the CMAs attracted about 16.45 million viewers. The ACMs garnered about 13 million viewers.

Artist Action (2/8)

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TV appearances by Gretchen Wilson, Josh Turner, and Laura Bell Bundy • Chris Young Celebrates No. 1 • Josh Thompson and Frankie Ballard at the Opry
>>RCA Nashville’s Chris Young stopped by his record label offices last night (2/7) to toast his third consecutive No. 1 single, “Voices.” The song made Billboard country chart history this week as only the second time in the modern chart era – and the first time in 25 years – that a re-release of the same recording returned to the chart and went to No. 1.

Pictured (l-r): ShopKeeper Management’s Crystal Dishmon; the RCA promotion team’s Keith Gale, Norbert Nix, and Josh Easler; Young’s manager, ShopKeeper Management’s Marion Kraft; Young; the RCA promo team’s Liz Sledge, Matt Galvin, and Parker Fowler; and Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton. Photo credit: Alan Poizner


>>Josh Turner and Laura Bell Bundy co-hosted a special Valentine’s Day fan-voted countdown on GAC’s Top 20: Lovin’ & Leavin’ Songs. The episode features hits by acts such as Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and more. The show premieres Wednesday, February 9, 8:00 pm CT.

Josh Turner (L) and Laura Bell Bundy (R) on the show's set.


>>Gretchen Wilson will be in Los Angeles after the Grammy Awards to make her debut appearance on the popular new CBS Television show The Talk, Feb. 14, and to return to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno the following day. That same evening, she will join fellow songwriters Chris Young, Brett James, Victoria Shaw and host Bob DiPiero at Club Nokia for the CMA Songwriters Series.
>>Warner Bros. Records’ newcomer Frankie Ballard returned to the Grand Ole Opry stage on Saturday, January 29 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. Ballard was in good company as the evening featured Trace Adkins and Toby Keith, along with Laura Bell Bundy and Josh Thompson (pictured).

Pictured (L-R): Josh Thompson and Frankie Ballard

Dailey & Vincent Lead SPBGMA Bluegrass Honors

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Dailey and Vincent at the SPBGMA Awards.


Dailey & Vincent were the big winners at the 37th Annual SPBGMA [Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America] Bluegrass Music Awards, held over the weekend at Nashville’s Music City Sheraton. The duo took home Bluegrass Band of the Year, Entertaining Group of the Year, and Album of the Year (for Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers on Cracker Barrel/Rounder Records). They also won Vocal Group, and Gospel Group of the Year (Contemporary). Additionally, Jamie Dailey was named Male Vocalist (Contemporary), and Darrin Vincent took home honors for Bass Fiddle Performer.
The Grascals were voted Instrumental Group of the Year. Meanwhile, members Danny Roberts and Kristin Scott Benson, won Mandolin and Banjo Performers of the Year, respectively.

The Grascals


Other winners: Alecia Nugent, Female Vocalist (Traditional); Josh Williams, Guitar Performer; James King, Male Vocalist (Traditional); and Michael Cleveland, Fiddle Performer.

Also at the event, Farm County Jubilee debuted before hundreds of convention-goers.

CMA Names First Festival Performers

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Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton and Keith Urban are the first artists announced for the 2011 CMA Music Festival. They are set for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. This will be Crow’s first performance at CMA Music Festival. Additional names and performance schedules will be announced in coming weeks.
In a testament to the power of social networking, the CMA tipped the news this morning on its official Facebook page.
The 2011 CMA Music Festival will be June 9-12 in Downtown Nashville. This is the 40th CMA Music Festival, which started as Fan Fair in 1972. Last year more than 65,000 fans from all 50 states and 26 nations attended the event.

Fab Photo Spread

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Rosehill visits MusicRow • Hall of Fame hosts Street Corner Symphony • Chicks With Hits salutes Brenda Lee
Rising duo Rosehill visited the MusicRow offices yesterday (2/7). They performed an acoustic set of songs from their latest album White Lines and Stars, including current single “Midnight America.” The project was produced by Radney Foster and Jay Clementi, who also co-wrote several tracks on the album with the duo’s Mitch McBain and Blake Myers. The Texas natives are working with Neal Spielberg and Mike Kraski.

Rosehill visits MusicRow. (L-R): Sarah Skates, Jon Freeman, Rosehill's Mitch McBain and Blake Myers, Michelle Stephens and David Ross

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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum recently (Feb. 5) partnered with Ford Motor Company Fund for its fourth annual Ford Community Day, offering free Museum admission to all visitors. In addition to touring the galleries at no charge, Ford Community Day visitors were treated to special performances by songwriters Cory Batten, Kent Blazy and Victoria Shaw, and by a cappella group Street Corner Symphony.

Members of Street Corner Symphony pictured with Museum VP of Development Pamela Johnson, and Ford Motor Company Fund’s Jim Graham and Rebecca Bunting Kuchar. Photo: Donn Jones

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On Feb. 4 songplugging and publishing group The Chicks With Hits inducted artist Brenda Lee as an Honorary Member. The organization hosted a special luncheon to mark the occasion.

Pictured from top: Kim Jones, Whitney Daane, Ree Guyer Buchanan, Karen Sturgeon, Melissa Taylor, Celia Froehlig, Tracy Gershon, Jewel Coburn, Janie West, Kay Smith, Judy Harris, Rob Palmer, Stephanie Cox, Brenda Lee, Melanie Howard

Tim Johnson Benefit Tomorrow

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Tim Johnson


Tim Johnson benefit • Country stars sing for City of Hope • Jason Sturgeon shares benefit story on “Tennessee Mornings”

>>NSAI is hosting a benefit tomorrow night (2/9) for board member Tim Johnson who is battling cancer. Performing at the Bluebird Cafe at 9 PM will be Phil Vassar, Joey+Rory, Chuck Cannon, Chuck Jones, Joe West, Wynn Varble and Johnson, along with special guests. Reservations suggested here.
>>The 2nd Annual CountryMusicIsLove Concert is set for March 1, 2011 at the Hard Rock Nashville with acoustic performances by Josh Thompson, Chuck Wicks, Thompson Square, Brett Eldredge, Troy Olsen, Chris Cavanaugh and Ty Brown. Whitney Duncan will host and perform. Opening the evening will be Ashley Gearing, Chelsea Lena, and Savannah Berry. Proceeds will benefit City of Hope, one of the nation’s leading research, treatment and education centers for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Tickets are available here.
>>Singer Jason Sturgeon stopped by Tennessee Mornings on Nashville’s Fox 17 recently to talk about his music and his involvement in a benefit concert for William Wood, a young man in need of a kidney transplant. Sturgeon is busy continuing his “Rollin’ On Tour.”

(L-R): hosts Nick Paranjape and Kelly Sutton with Jason Sturgeon and meterologist Craig Edwards

30k Fans Watch Dierks In Studio

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Bentley in the studio.


More than 30,000 fans logged on to watch Dierks Bentley track 15 songs for his sixth studio album during five days in the recording studio. The entire recording process was streamed via a 24 hour video feed from the Echo Mountain studio in Asheville, NC. The project wrapped last Friday (2/4).
“This entire recording process was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had as a singer or a musician…it was definitely intense and at times a roller coaster emotionally as we worked through the arrangements of these songs,” said Bentley. “I guess I’m still a little old school in the way I like to record..and as a fan, the way I like to listen to music. I still enjoy the process of making an album and not just a collection of singles. Letting the fans be part of that process was a total bonding experience…it was 24 hours a day, and they probably know more about me than they ever wanted to now!”

Flatts Part Ways With Management

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In a brief press release Rascal Flatts announced this evening they will part ways with Turner Nichols & Associates after more than a decade of working together.
“We will always consider Trey and Doug to be a part of our family,” says Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts. “We have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for the work that we’ve done together over the past ten years.”
“The Flatts are great guys and will always be part of our family as well,” shared Trey Turner and Doug Nichols.  “We wish them nothing but the best.”
Business going forward should be directed to Rascal Flatts Entertainment. They can be reached at 615-772-5466 or info@rascalflattsent.com.