People Releases Nov. Country Special

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People’s Nov. Country Music Special reaches newsstands nationwide today (10/8) with a cover price of $3.99. Newlywed Carrie Underwood does the cover girl honors for this issue which contains an article about her new marriage to hockey player Mike Fisher, which the article calls, “a perfect fit.”

Also highlighted in this sixth and final country special of 2010 are trio Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Jimmy Wayne, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band and more. The issue also contains a link to download free iTunes music from artists such as Jerrod Niemann, Josh Kelley, Joey & Rory, Katie Armiger, Chelsea Field and others. To get the music click here.

ReTune Nashville Benefit Lineup

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The first group of performers for the ReTune Nashville Benefit Concert and Art Auction Event have been announced. Warner Bros. Jeremy Lister, Anthony Smith, Eddy Raven and Kentucky Thunder, Jonell Mosser, Etta Britt, Sheila Lawrence and Vickie Carrico will perform at the Oct. 23 event at Nashville’s Soundcheck.

The event will help raise money for Nashville’s uninsured musicians affected by the May floods and will include an art opening showcasing more than 70 pieces of artwork created from flood damaged instruments, a full evening of live music, a live and silent auction, and complimentary beverages and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Tickets for the Benefit Concert and Art Auction Event are on sale now and can be purchased for $35 by visiting ReTune Nashville’s website, retunenashville.org.

Proceeds from ticket, merchandise and artwork sales will directly benefit Nashville’s uninsured musicians through MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief and the Nashville Musicians Association Flood Relief Fund.

Wilson Partners With Dollar General

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Gretchen Wilson has partnered with Dollar General for their “Country Million” sweepstakes, where more than 5,500 prizes will be awarded. The sweepstakes, which kicked off Oct. 3, will run through Dec. 15, 2010.

The grand prize consists of a trip to Nashville  as well as $1 million in cash. Prizes such as Wilson’s CD and Dollar General gift cards will also be awarded.

This is not the first time Gretchen has partnered with Dollar General. A high school drop out, Gretchen earned her GED in 2008. She has since teamed up with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the Ad Council to promote a PSA targeted towards other high school drop outs who are interested in information on how they can earn their GED.

Presently Gretchen is on a nationwide tour promoting her current CD, I Got Your Country Right Here.

To  enter the “Country Million” sweepstakes, visit http://www.dollargeneral.com.

Jackson Plans Aussie Tour

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Tickets for Alan Jackson’s first Australian tour sold out just hours after being posted online Friday morning, October 8. The tour originally spanned four dates—Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane (2)—but after an overwhelming show of support, a third Brisbane show has been scheduled for March 12th. Those tickets are set to go on sale October 14th. Jackson’s tour is the fastest selling country show or tour in Australian country music history.

“We’re looking at what may be the fastest selling country show or tour in Australian country music history,” said Rob Potts, CEO of Rob Potts Entertainment Edge and co-promoter of the tour. “The excitement level for Alan Jackson’s first tour in our country just can’t be measured. The fans can’t believe he’s really coming – and ticket sales have proven just how excited they are.”

As a successful, respected songwriter/performer, Alan Jackson is a 16-time CMA, a 16-time ACM, and a Grammy award winner.  He has sold more than 50 million albums and has 34 #1 hit singles. Jackson will release 34 Number-Ones on November 22 of this year.  The double disc collection will feature 37 songs consisting of his 34 hit singles, two rare additional tracks and his collaboration with the Zac Brown Band “As She’s Walking Away.”

New Releases: Steve Wariner and Burns & Poe

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Steve Wariner’s Guitar Christmas album will be released Oct. 12 on iTunes, Amazon.com and in stores. Originally released in 2003, the instrumental collection of Christmas standards arranged, recorded, and produced by Wariner was previously available only through his website.

“I absolutely loved recording this album,” Wariner says. “The initial idea came about as I was thinking of the wonderful gatherings that Chet Atkins would host in his office around the holidays. Everyone would sing and play and remember those beautiful melodies from our childhood.”

••••

Blue Steel Records’ duo Burns & Poe will release a double disc collection on Nov. 16. Their self-titled debut includes radio singles “How Long Is Long Enough?” and “Don’t Get No Better Than That” and was produced by Mark Oliverius.

Burns & Poe have been on the road performing at shows from coast to coast. They signed with Blue Steel Records late last year. Since Keith Burns and Michelle Poe came together in 2006, they’ve secured a variety of sponsors including Taylor Guitars, Peavey Guitars, Dan Post Boots, Silpada Designs and Crow’s Nest Trading Company.

Tech Bytes: Nashville Gets 4G; Apple Cloud Shopping?

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Nashville is on the list of 38 metro areas that will be part of Verizon’s initial launch of its new 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. “The launch of our 4G LTE network in Nashville, TN is the start of a new era in wireless communications with faster connections and endless possibilities for both consumers and businesses,” says Jerry Fountain, regional Verizon President for the Carolinas and Tennessee. “Choosing Nashville as one of the first markets to launch LTE in the United States is further proof of our commitment to and investment in the Nashville community.” The deployment of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE in Nashville provides LTE coverage to metro Nashville and the surrounding cities of Murfreesboro, Brentwood, Franklin, Dickson, Kingston Springs, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Lebanon, Spring Hill, Columbia, Tullahoma, Shelbyville and Manchester.

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Reuters reports that once again rumors are surfacing that Apple is in discussion with record labels to provide a subscription-based music service that would allow unlimited access to music for a monthly fee. The New York Post reports that Apple iTunes boss Eddy Cue has been in recent talks with the labels.

Prices in the $10-$15/mo. range are being talked about. Actual prices might also depend upon how much music was included and for how long consumers might access the content. Apple has not commented.

Weekly Chart Report (10/08/10)

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Atlantic/WMN artist Brett Eldredge has visited several stations on his recent radio tour including KIZN/Boise, ID. (L-R): KIZN PD Rich Summers and Eldredge.

SPIN ZONE
CountryBreakout Chart positions 1 through 3 are a repeat with Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song” still at No. 1 for a third consecutive week. Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue” is piling on the spins at No. 2 but short of overtaking Rucker. Taylor Swift’s “Mine” looks strong at No. 3. Big Machine Label Group has three of the Top 5 spots, as The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” gets a big push up to No. 4, and Rascal Flatts’ “Why Wait” lands at No. 5.

Chart movement is relatively slow at the moment, unless your name is Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban or Lady Antebellum. Urban’s “Put You In A Song” has rocketed to No. 19 in only four weeks, adding 337 spins in today’s chart alone. McGraw and Toby are neck and neck at No. 29 and 30, respectively. Greatest Spin Gain of the week goes to McGraw’s “Felt Good On My Lips,” which picks up 506 spins, though the 462 spin gain by Toby’s “Bullets In The Gun” is nothing to sneeze at. Right behind is Lady Antebellum’s “Hello World,” which quickly moves to No. 32 in its third week charting.

New additions include Troy Olsen’s “Good Hands” at No. 71, Rocket Club’s “One Thing Beautiful” at No. 73, Chris Heers’ “Happy Thought” at No. 76, Andy Velo’s “Hank It Up” at No. 78, and Mike Aiken’s “Love You Tonight” at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists: KNCQ, WCMS, WJVL, WKKW

Upcoming Singles
October 11
Craig Morgan/Still A Little Chicken Left On The Bone/BNA
Daniel Smith/Until I Close My Eyes For Good/DLS Records

October 18
Little Big Town/Kiss Goodbye/Capitol
Mark Cooke/Can’t Cheat In A Small Town/Cotton Valley
Christian Kane/The House Rules/Bigger Picture

•  •  •  •  •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Troy Olsen/Good Hands/EMI Records — 71
Rocket Club/One Thing Beautiful/Feather — 73
Chris Heers/Happy Thought — 76
Andy Velo/Hank It Up/Shalimar Pearl Group — 78
Mike Aiken/Love You Tonight/Aspirion — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Tim McGraw/Felt Good On My Lips/Curb — 506
Toby Keith/Bullets In The Gun/Show Dog – Universal — 462
Lady Antebellum/Hello World/Capitol — 407
Keith Urban/Put You In A Song/Capitol — 337
Zac Brown Band feat. Alan Jackson/As She’s Walking Away/Atlantic/Bigger Picture — 269

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Sara Evans/A Little Bit Stronger/RCA — 227
Jewel/Ten/Valory — 199
Bellamy Brothers/Back In The Day/Bellamy — 178
Ken Domash/Ding Dang Darn It/Thunder Mountain/Spinville — 164
Chris Filer/John Deere, John 3:16/Lofton Creek — 164

Two Week Most Added*
Artist/song/label — New adds
Toby Keith/Bullets In The Gun/Show Dog – Universal — 22
Lady Antebellum/Hello World/Capitol — 20
Billy Currington/Let Me Down Easy/Mercury — 18
Tim McGraw/Felt Good On My Lips/Curb — 17
Lucy Angel/Only Woman Left/GForce — 14
Troy Olsen/Good Hands/EMI — 10

WGH 97.3 The Eagle Virginia Beach recently hosted a lunchtime concert with Columbia Nashville's Joanna Smith, who is out promoting her debut single "Gettin' Married." (L-R): Columbia Nashville's Cliff Blake, WGH PD John Shomby, Smith and WGH APD/MD Mark McKay.

Minneapolis based Rocket Club stopped by K-102 to deliver their new EP after a sold out (over capacity) show at the new Minneapolis location of Toby Keith's I Love This Bar. (L-R): KEEY-Clear Channel Minneapolis VP Programming/OM Gregg Swedberg; Rocket Club Members Matt Kirkwold, Chris Hawkey, Don Smithmier, and Brian Kroening; KEEY Mornings Mike Mussman

Broken Bow Records' James Wesley (L) and KMPS/PD Becky Brenner (R) take a moon walk at the Museum of Flight in Seattle on Oct. 1 as part of the 2010 USO Puget Sound Area Star Gala. The sold out event, benefitting local U.S. Troops and military familes, raised over $366,000.

Gloriana Joins sp[Oil]ed Campaign

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Vocal quartet Gloriana has signed on to raise awareness and funds for oil spill relief efforts in Louisiana. The sp[OIL]ed campaign is a photographic movement created by New Orleans photographer, Matthew Arthur, to raise funds for www.protectourcoastline.org, a nonprofit organization founded to raise money to help the fishermen, shrimpers, and natural wildlife of the Louisiana Coast. Gloriana, along with several other country artists, took a picture with “oil” on their hands, symbolizing the fact that solutions to the environmental and economic impact of the oil spill are in our “hands.”

“We are proud to be a part of this campaign to try and help out the workers and wildlife affected by the oil spill,” said Gloriana’s Tom Gossin. “The possible long-term effects could be detrimental. It’s important that we continue to aid Louisiana’s recovery.” For more information on sp[OIL]ed, please visit www.nicholaslandryevents.com/spOILed and www.protectourcoastline.org

Worley To Perform Free Concerts on Army Garrisons

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Darryl Worley kicks off his 2010 God & Country Tour Oct. 15 as a tribute to military families on various Army garrisons located across the U.S. The seven tour dates are free and open to the general public. Worley will be on hand prior to the nightly concerts to sign autographs and visit with servicemen and women and their families.

Worley’s seven song God & Country EP will be for sale at stops along the tour. A free download of the song “Unsung Heroes” will be available online at http://darrylworley.com/unsungheroes/ for members of the Armed Forces.

Worley has performed for soldiers both here and overseas. His Stars For Stripes Tour to Iraq in May 2010 was his eighth visit to the region and included full band and acoustic sets at several remote Forward Operating Bases for military  who rarely receive celebrity entertainment. He has been honored with the VFW’s Americanism Award, the USO Merit Award and the U.S. Army Appreciation Award.

For more information about the tour visit www.darrylworley.com

Toby Keith TV; Songwriters visit Martha’s Vineyard

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Toby Keith headlines CMT’s Invitation Only Oct. 8. In this one-hour special, Keith performs songs from his new album which hit stores this past Tuesday, including the title track “Bullets In the Gun,” plus opens up during a question and answer session.

(L-R) John Hamlin, SVP Music Events & Talent, CMT; Toby Keith; TK Kimbrell, Toby Keith manager. Photo: WireImage.com/Rick Diamond

The 2nd Annual Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival, hosted by BMI, was held Sept. 24-26 on the tiny east coast island. Locals and vacationers enjoyed performances from an eclectic crew, which represented a cross-section of indie up-and-comers, successful young hit-makers, and renowned Nashville chart-toppers.
Pictured (l-r): (front row) singer/songwriters Thom Schuyler, Even Stevens, Mayaeni, Tom Douglas, and Keith Stegall; (back row) Storme Warren, singer/songwriter Laura Warshauer, BMI’s Samantha Cox and Leslie Roberts, singer/songwriters Arama, Courtney Jaye and Jeff Cohen, the Key West Songwriters Festival promoter Dani Holliday, singer/songwriters Cary Barlowe and Toby Lightman, the Key West Songwriters Festival director Charlie Bauer, singer/songwriter Shane Stevens, BMI’s Mary Loving, singer/songwriter Kylie Sackley, and BMI’s Mark Mason. Photo by Brett Johnson