Overton to Head Sony Music Nashville

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Sony Music Nashville will announce Gary Overton as its new CEO this afternoon, sources tell Billboard.biz.

Overton, currently EMI Music Publishing’s executive VP and GM, will replace Joe Galante who announced yesterday that he is exiting his position of chairman of Sony Music Nashville. Galante is expected to assist during a transition period.

In turn, Ben Vaughn will be tapped to lead EMI Music Publishing, replacing Overton. Vaughn was previously VP of writer and artist development and will be named executive VP and GM. He’ll report to EMI Music Publishing chairman and CEO Roger Faxon.

Writer’s Den Adds iPhone App

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Nashville’s Writer’s Den Music has become the first known music publishing company to launch an iPhone Application. Designed by Writer’s Den Music Group Internet Marketing staff member Adam Moore, the app allows subscribers to hear the latest demos from the company’s writers, find out where and when their writers are playing around Nashville, watch exclusive videos of their writers’ shows and read the current buzz on the company and writers. In addition, followers over 21 years of age will have the chance to score a free beer at one of their writer’s showcases if they find any of the company’s staffers; Bobby Rymer, Janice Jackson, Laura Wright or Adam Moore, and show them that you’ve got the app. Anyone who hasn’t met them can find pictures of them on the app.

“I’m excited that music industry insiders, artists and songwriters will have a new way to hear our catalog anytime, anywhere 24/7,” says Moore. “Literally having the latest demos at their fingertips!”

The app is available for free. With an iPhone or iPod Touch, users can download by searching the app store for Writer’s Den.
The Writer’s Den’s current roster of songwriters includes Bonnie Bishop, Ben Cooper, Tami Hinesh, Trent Jeffcoat and Adam Wright. The company has secured cuts and TV placements, including “Taillights Blue” from Alan Jackson’s new album Freight Train; “Rains Here Too” (Tami Hinesh with Kate York) recently featured on the CW Network’s One Tree Hill; “Courageous” (Ben Cooper and Melinda Schneider) recorded by both Olivia Newton John and Australian artist Melinda Schneider; and “I’m Gonna Make You Want To” (Tami Hinesh with Betsy Ulmer and Kelly Archer) recorded by Nathalia on Universal Records in Brazil.

Warner Adds Four to Promotion Staff


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Warner Music Nashville has added four people to its promotion staff. The four will join Warner West Coast regional rep Rhonda Christensen, who was hired in March. The new team members are part of a new two-team promotion department that will report directly to Warner’s Senior Vice President Promotion Chris Stacey. The new promotion staffers are Nathan Cruise (South East Regional); Carolyn Drosey (Promotion Coordinator); Ray Vaughn (South West Regional); and Lindsay Walleman (Mid West Regional).

Cruise comes to Warner Music from Stroudavarious, where he served as Midwest Regional, Drosey was formerly Promotion Manager for Capitol Records Nashville, and Walleman joins Warner Music from CO5 Music, where she was Mid West Regional. Vaughn was formerly Southwest Regional Promotion Director at Universal Republic Records.

The new structure breaks down along the following lines: Warner Music Group’s Nashville division is called Warner Music Nashville and is headed by President/CEO John Esposito. Warner Music Nashville breaks down into three imprints – Atlantic, Reprise and Warner Bros. Nashville (WBN). Warner Music Nashville and its three imprints will share two promotion teams, which are headed by Senior Vice President Promotion Chris Stacey.

Artist News: Luke, Brad, Dierks, Bucky & More

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Luke Bryan And Longhorn Team For Sweepstakes
Live at LongHorn and Luke Bryan have teamed up to host a new sweepstakes to give fans the chance to win the ultimate country music experience. Two grand prize winners will get to meet Bryan and ride on a tour bus with him throughout the Midwest. They’ll also receive VIP passes to his concerts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at Country Thunder in Twin Lakes, WI, as well as round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations. Click here to enter the Cross Country With Luke Bryan Sweepstakes.

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Jypsi Plays “Grammys On The Hill”
Arista Nashville’s Jypsi will be among the special guests participating in the two-day Grammys on the Hill event today (4/14) and tomorrow (4/15) in Washington, D.C.  Today, Jypsi will perform the national anthem to open the Grammys on the Hill Awards. Hosted by songwriter Paul Williams, the annual event honors outstanding legislators who work to improve the environment for music makers, as well as artists who use the power of music to improve all our lives. This year’s honorees will include country superstar Garth Brooks, U.S Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and U.S. Representative Darrell Issa.

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Chicks Pick The Hits
The Dixie Chicks will release a compilation of their own favorite material on June 1 as part of Legacy Recordings’ Playlist series. Titled Playlist: The Very Best of Dixie Chicks, the 12-track album includes two songs from Wide Open Spaces, three songs from Fly, three songs from Home and four songs from Taking the Long Way. The 12 songs were remastered for the CD release. The band is getting ready to join the Eagles on an eight-city tour in June.

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Bucky Gives Back
Bucky Covington is among the American Idol finalists who will be volunteering at a Nashville food bank on April 21 to coincide with the charity-themed episode of the series, Idol Gives Back. Covington, who was a season five finalist, will be volunteering with Bo Bice and Mandissa (from season four) as well as Melinda Doolittle and Phil Stacey (from season six). As previously reported, Carrie Underwood (winner of season four) will perform during the episode. Feeding America, a nonprofit organization, is one of the beneficiaries of American Idol’s charitable activities.

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In keeping with his latest single, “Water,” Arista Nashville artist Brad Paisley will headline the AquaPalooza 2010 signature event with a concert at The Reserve on Lake Travis, near Austin, Texas, on July 10. Smaller AquaPalooza festivals are held throughout the U.S. as part of the promotions sponsored by Sea Ray boats. Paisley’s concert is free, although there will be no land access to the concert which is expected to attract thousands of boaters. Paisley’s H20 World Tour begins May 21 in Virginia Beach, Va.

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Capitol Records Nashville artist Dierks Bentley has announced a few of the Texas artists who will join his Miles & Music for Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and concert in Dallas-Fort Worth on Sunday, Apr. 25. Joining Bentley for the post-ride jam at Billy Bob’s Texas will be Brandon Rhyder, Kristen Kelly & The Modern Day Drifters and Roger Creager along with a few more surprise guests. All proceeds will benefit the Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Cook Children’s Medical Center of Fort Worth. Since it began in 2006, Miles & Music for Kids has raised over $1 million. Tickets for the event start at $20 and are available through Ticketmaster.

Disney Confirms Phased Closure For Lyric Street—Flatts To Remain

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NASHVILLE, TN – April 14, 2010 – Disney Music Group (DMG) announced today that they will close operations at Lyric Street Records, DMG’s label presence in Nashville.

“The Lyric Street team has had an amazing run, building a slate of well-known artists including the superstar act, Rascal Flatts,” said Bob Cavallo, Chairman of Disney Music Group.  “But given the changing nature of the music business and the more streamlined priorities of the Studios, we need to find alternative ways to create and market new artists and their music to consumers. I’m tremendously proud of what the team has accomplished.”

The closure of Lyric Street will be phased, keeping a core promotions team in place to continue to market and promote the label’s current records. Rascal Flatts will be transitioned to another DMG label in order to focus attention on the successful launch of their upcoming fall album.

Since opening in 1997, Lyric Street Records has been the home to multi-platinum artists Rascal Flatts and SHeDAISY. Other artists include Aaron Tippen, Love & Theft, Sarah Buxton and newcomers Tyler Dickerson and Kevin Fowler as well as American Idol alums Josh Gracin and Bucky Covington.

The Disney Music Group encompasses all of the Walt Disney Studios’ recorded music and music publishing operations, including Hollywood Records, Walt Disney Records and Walt Disney Music Publishing.

Friday (4/16) will be the last day for the following Lyric Street staffers:

Kirk Boyer can be reached at 615-417-1285 or boyer.kirk@gmail.com
Randy Goodman
Cindy Heath can be reached at 615-429-2203 or cindyheath07@comcast.net
Ashley Heron can be reached at 615-828-7180 or ashleyheron@mac.com
Doug Howard
Katie McCartney can be reached at 615-995-4614 or kamccartney@yahoo.com
Chris Palmer can be reached at 615-417-7486  or chris.palmer1@comcast.net
Jackie Schwarz can be reached at 615-636-9989 or singjaxb@yahoo.com

Reports Say Lyric Street Doors To Close

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Various—but unofficial— reports, are surfacing, saying that Lyric Street Records will shutter its doors. All Access was first to break the story.

Chief Lyric Street staffers include President Randy Goodman and Sr. VP A&R Doug Howard. It also includes promo staffers Kevin Herring, Dale Turner, John Ettinger and Chris Palmer. The label’s roster also includes Bucky Covington, Love and Theft, Sarah Buxton, Trent Tomlinson, but since it inception in 1997, Rascal Flatts has been the label’s one and only superstar success story.

UPDATE: Official press release confirms phased out closure, Flatts to remain in the Disney Music Group.

“Sunday Mornin’ Country” Celebrates Roy Clark

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Country Music Hall of Fame member Roy Clark will be honored with a musical tribute at the 31st Sunday Mornin’ Country Celebration at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre, Sunday, June 13, at 2:30 pm. Tickets for this country/gospel music celebration are $20, and available here.  The concert will reunite many of the original Hee Haw cast members.

For more than three decades, Sunday Mornin’ Country has brought together country artists and their gospel friends to share gospel songs. This year’s line up will include Hall of Famers Clark and Charlie McCoy, along with Gary Morris, Jason Crabb, Lynn Anderson, George Hamilton IV, Buddy Jewell, Guy Penrod, The Fox Brothers, Melanie Walker, Cowboy Joe & The Babcocks, Casey Rivers, The Nashville Edition, Beyond the Ashes, The “Country Chorale” and many more.

Artists who have performed on Sunday Mornin’ Country over the past three decades include Tammy Wynette, Grandpa Jones, Roy Acuff, Chris Young, Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael English.

Chairman Joe Galante Announces Departure from Sony Music Nashville

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Joe Galante

Nashville, TN – Joe Galante, Chairman of Sony Music Nashville, today confirms the next step of his 39-year music business career by announcing his decision to leave the company. Galante will continue his role as chairman until a new Nashville label group leader is named. Subsequently, he will actively participate in a transition consultancy once his replacement takes the helm.

Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, Chief Executive Officer, Sony Music Entertainment, remarked, “I would like to thank Joe for his many years of invaluable service to our company. It has been a true pleasure to work with an executive of his exceptional caliber. Since our days together at BMG, I have admired Joe’s remarkable passion and dedication to his artists as well as his unique ability for developing superstar talent and inspiring those around him. He has made an indelible mark on both the country music business and our entire industry and continues to do so. While he will be greatly missed, we look forward to our collaboration in the coming months. I wish him much success in his future endeavors and know from experience that he will be successful in whatever he chooses for his next chapter.”

Joe Galante reflects, “As a 21-year-old kid from Queens starting out at RCA Records in New York, I never dreamed of the nearly 40-year journey that was before me. In 1974, a temporary Nashville assignment turned permanent, and it changed my life – I thank God for it every day.

“I have been inspired by so many exceptional artists and songwriters and feel privileged to be a part of their careers. I’ve worked with unique managers and executives who helped me learn more about this business and how to better my craft. My RCA, BMG and Sony family’s support and passion for our artists’ music helped us build the label group of the year for seven of the last eight years. I also would like to thank Rolf for always being there for me, for his unwavering support of our artists, and especially, for my vision. Everyone always felt his passion around the team and the artist, and they loved spending time with him. He truly is the heart of Sony Music.

“This is solely my decision and I’m excited to begin my journey down another road.” As a final note, Galante remarks, “Nashville is my home and will continue to be.”

While leading the country division to unparalleled successes on Music Row, Joe has helped launch the careers of such stars as Alabama, Carrie Underwood, Keith Whitley, Chris Young, The Judds, Martina McBride, K.T. Oslin, Kellie Pickler, Clint Black, Jake Owen, Lonestar and Sara Evans. He and his Nashville team have bolstered the careers of superstars Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry, among others; and, in addition, he has worked with icons including Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Ronnie Milsap.

Sony Music Nashville’s roster has consistently been among the most-nominated and most-awarded. In December, Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert topped multiple critics’ 2009 all-genre “best” lists; Paisley’s American Saturday Night was chosen Time Magazine’s #1 album and Lambert’s Revolution received Entertainment Weekly’s top honor.

Sony Music Nashville includes its four country label operations – RCA, Columbia, BNA and Arista Nashville – and Provident Music Group, one of the world’s leading Christian music companies. Sony Music Nashville is a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

DISClaimer 4/14/10

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It’s a back-to-basics week.

In a surprising and refreshing listening session, we were served a heaping helping of honest country sounds. Alan Jackson, Miss Leslie, Easton Corbin and Laura Dodd all turned in excellent efforts with nary a pop note in the bunch.

The Zac Brown Band album continues to delight and amaze. It has yielded yet another perfectly performed radio tune. The sunny sonics of “Free” make it the Disc of the Day.

I know I’m a little late in getting around to the charming “Giddy On Up,” by Laura Bell Bundy. But that doesn’t make her any less deserving of a DisCovery Award. Her Achin’ and Shakin’ album dropped yesterday, and she’s performing on the ACM show on Sunday.

STEVE LEE/I Like Guns
Writer: Steve Lee; Producer: Bill Chambers; Publisher: Control, no performance rights listed; Revolver (track)
—What we have here is an album composed entirely of songs about guns (“Pistol in My Hand,” “Time to Get a Gun,” “The Shoot Out” and so on). Its title tune is a monotonous, two-chord outing whose poetic reach is completely summed up in its three-word and oft-repeated title.

THE NEW RELICS/Real Love
Writer: M. Arbogast/J. Swiger/B. Martin/J. Bidwell; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed, BMI; Blues Alley (www.thenewrelics.com)
—Bopping, romantic, buoyant and light-hearted.

EASTON CORBIN/Roll With It
Writer: Tony Lane/David Lee/Johnny Park; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Hornebuckle/Universal Careers/WB, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury (track)
—The follow-up to the overnight-success “A Little More Country Than That” is another winner. I like this guy’s effortlessly Southern vocal phrasing and unabashed delight in country simplicity. The song’s everyday language and hook-filled melody are both huge bonuses. I’m in.

STEVE PALMER BAND/Living On The Streets
Writer: Steve Palmer; Producer: Steve Palmer Band & David Huff; Publisher: Kaynat, ASCAP; Arythmia (www.stevepalmerband.com)
—Pretentious and way too wordy.

ALAN JACKSON/Hard Hat And A Hammer
Writer: Alan Jackson; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Tri-Angels/EMI April, ASCAP; Arista (track)
—Thank the Lord for this man. No one else in contemporary country music has sung so consistently and sympathetically about the working class. This catchy toe-tapper pushes all my country-music buttons.

MISHAVONNA/Country Thing
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Redrum (track)
—It might be titled a “country thing,” but there is absolutely nothing country about its rocking track.

LAURA BELL BUNDY/Giddy On Up
Writer: Laura Bell Bundy/Jeff Cohen/Mike Shimshack; Producer: Mike Shimshack; Publisher: EMI April/If I Had a Nickel/As You Wish/Bug/Arthouse Entertainment/Music of Stage Three/Shimshack Songs, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury (track)
—This highly personable Broadway baby’s CD is divided into “Achin’” and “Shakin’” sections of six tunes apiece. The latter section kicks off with this sprightly, feisty little dance ditty. Its pretty darn irresistible. Get up and shake that thing.

LAURA DODD/Songbird
Writer: Laura Dodd; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Laura Dodd, BMI; Laura Dodd (track) (www.lauradodd.com)
—The simple piano accompaniment puts the spotlight where it belongs, on her beautiful, assured vocal and the ballad’s lovely structure. A breath of fresh air.

ZAC BROWN BAND/Free
Writer: Zac Brown; Producer: Keith Stegall & Zac Brown; Publisher: Weimerhound, BMI; Atlantic (track)
—The fifth single from this group’s stunning debut album, The Foundation, is its most lushly melodic outing yet. The sound of summer love, complete with lilting harmonies and swirling strings, organ and guitars.

MISS LESLIE/Wrong Is What I Do Best
Writer: Leslie Anne Sloan; Producer: Tommy Dettamore, Leslie Sloan & Ricky Davis; Publisher: Zero Label, BMI; Zero Label (track) (www.missleslie.com)
—Hear that? Do you know what it is? They call it country music. The title tune to this Texas woman’s latest is a swinging triumph, soaked in fiddle and steel. She writes ‘em. She sings ‘em. She plays a mean fiddle. She co-produces. I remain an enormous fan.

ACM Awards Offer Online Preview

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The Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions have developed a weeklong “online experience” in support of the upcoming 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The series will stream through the official ACM Awards widget on CBS.com/acma, ACMcountry.com and other partner sites. The widget can be downloaded here.

The streams will feature exclusive content all week including, ACM Awards Daily, ACM Awards LIVE! The Day Before and ACM Awards Orange Carpet Live featuring country artists Sarah Buxton, Danny Gokey, Jennette McCurdy and Emily West.

The live feed will also be available on the ACM Facebook Fan Page as well as on Facebook Fan Pages of participating country artists. Fans will be able to submit questions via the Facebook pages for artists to answer live as they walk down the Orange Carpet at the MGM Grand. The official social media ‘hashtag’ for this year’s show is: #ACMLIVE.

“Our digital programming is a great way for country music fans to go behind the scenes and participate in the exciting events leading up to the big show,” says Orly Adelson, President of dick clark productions.