Chesney On “Oprah;” Grascals Media Stops

/by

Kenny Chesney with Oprah in 2009.

Kenny Chesney is heading to Chicago on Saturday, March 27, to tape an episode of Oprah that is set to air April 9. He will give the superstar host a sneak peak of his Summer in 3-D movie which arrives in theatres on April 21. The 3-D flick captures five of Chesney’s dozen NFL stadium shows from last year’s tour. Chesney also took a field team from Oprah with him to the Florida Keys to document a special afternoon.

The theme from Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3-D, is his new single, “Aint Back Yet.” In other Chesney news, he wrote the forward for the new book from ESPN hosts Mike & Mike, Rules for Sports & Life.

••••••••••••••••••••••

CMT host Hazel Smith with The Grascals members (L-R) : Jeremy Abshire, Jamie Johnson (front), Terry Smith (back), Kristin Scott Benson and Terry Eldredge.

Two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year The Grascals are scheduled for a slew of national appearances to promote their album, The Famous Lefty Flynn’s, due out March 30.

The band’s brand of March Madness kicked off last week with a stop at the GAC studios to perform new single, “The Last Train To Clarksville”—yes, it’s The Monkees’ remake—for the network’s On The Streets program. The show airs today (3/23) at 12 and 8 p.m. CT and again tomorrow.

Fans of Hazel Smith’s entertaining show CMT’s Southern Fried Flicks will find The Grascals heating up her kitchen on Saturday, April 24.

The band will also visit SiriusXM Radio, RFD-TV’s Larry’s Country Diner and National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage.

Next month, The Grascals join Hank Williams Jr., Jamey Johnson and Eric Church on Williams’ Rowdy Friends Tour.

SESAC Promotes John Mullins

/by

SESAC has promoted John Mullins to the position of Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations. The performing rights organization’s longtime employee was formerly Director, Writer/Publisher Relations.

As Sr. Director Mullins will continue signing new writers and publishers and providing service to existing writers and publishers, primarily in the Contemporary Christian and Country genres.

Mullins is a native Texan who began his music as a Promotions Rep for Columbia Records while obtaining his degree in Radio, TV and Film from the University of Texas in Austin. Prior to joining SESAC, Mullins worked at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, where he worked closely with artists such as Brooks & Dunn, the Mavericks, Alabama and Lonestar.

“John Mullins is an experienced and knowledgeable professional so it is with great pleasure that I announce this well-deserved promotion,” said Trevor Gale, SESAC’s Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations. “His devotion to all SESAC affiliates is admirable and it is that passion and dedication that establishes him as a very unique music professional. We are confident that John will continue to contribute significantly to SESAC’s continued success.”

Bentley Makes Music For “Esquire’s” New Issue

/by

Dierks Bentley, photo by Danny Clinch for "Esquire."

Dierks Bentley was part of a multi-faceted feature for the new music issue of stylish men’s lifestyle magazine Esquire. For the April issue, on newsstands today (3/23), Bentley traveled to Clarksdale, Mississippi’s Shack-Up Inn for a two-day fashion shoot with renowned photographer Danny Clinch. He joined an eclectic group of musicians for the feature, including fellow Nashvillian Griffin House, Charlie Mars, Bob Schneider, and Ben Kweller.

At the end of the trip, each songwriter was challenged to write, perform and record an original song that included the phrase “Somewhere in Mississippi.” The songs will be available for free download for one day only, and a full EP of all the songs will be available April 5 at esquire.com. Bentley’s song will be available for free on Mon., March 29. Until then, look below for behind-the-scenes clips or visit www.esquire.com/miss.

Another local highlighted in the new edition of Esquire is songstress Cortney Tidwell. Her track “17 Horses” is listed in the article “50 Songs Every Man Should Listen To.”

Jordyn Shellhart On iTunes; Luke Bryan On AOL Sessions

/by

Sony Music Nashville’s Jordyn Shellhart released her debut album, In A Room, to iTunes this week. The album was first available at Best Buy through the store’s “@15” initiative. It features fifteen tracks written or co-written by the Franklin teenager who will mark her 16th birthday with her Grand Ole Opry debut on March 27.

Among the songs on In A Room are the flirty “Infinite X’s and O’s,” the defiant “Gravity,” and “Heaven Knows,” about her brother who passed away from undiagnosed Type 1 Diabetes.

Shellhart attends Centennial High School in Franklin, TN, and plans to graduate before pursuing a full-fledged country music career.

••••••••••••••••••

Capitol Records Nashville’s Luke Bryan has gone live with a new installment of the online performance series AOL Sessions. Included is a special performance of his recent No. 1 song “Do I,” featuring labelmates Lady Antebellum. The trio’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood co-wrote “Do I” with Bryan and play on the video below, while Hillary Scott offers backing vocals.

Bryan’s current and fastest rising single to date “Rain Is A Good Thing” is featured in the session, as well as his Top Ten hits “Country Man” and “All My Friends Say.”

He was recently voted ACM Top New Vocal Soloist, and is in the running for Top New Artist at the upcoming ACM Awards.

Bryan is busy on the road with Jason Aldean’s Wide Open Tour. He is touring in support of his second album, Doin’ My Thing, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

Kix, Gretchen At Lipscomb; Bluebird Hosts Tour Preview

/by

Kix Brooks

Kix Brooks, Charlie Daniels, Amy Grant, Gretchen Wilson and emcee Larry Gatlin will perform tonight (3/23) at 7 PM at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena to raise awareness and funds for the college’s Yellow Ribbon Program which offers military veterans and their family members free or reduced tuition rates. David Corlew is acting as the show’s producer. A limited number of tickets for the evening event are on sale for $10 at the Lipscomb University box office and through Ticketmaster.

Prior to this evening’s concert, a daylong symposium will feature General Tommy Franks (Ret.), Major General Bob Dees (Ret.), General B.B. Bell (Ret.) and WebMD founder Jeff Arnold.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Bluebird Café will be a part of this summer’s Country Throwdown Tour, with a namesake tent featuring songwriter/artist performances. On March 24 and April 21, Nashvillians will get a tour preview at the legendary cafe. Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Dave Pahanish, Jedd Hughes, Sarah Buxton, Walker Hayes, Troy Olsen and Heather Morgan are scheduled for both dates.

Then they kick-off the Country Throwdown Tour on May 14, with daytime sets on the Bluebird stage and nightly sets during the main stage set changes.

Indie Success Story Colt Ford Plans New Album

/by

Colt Ford, the self-made artist with a flair for mixing hip-hop with honky tonk, is planning his sophomore release on Average Joes Entertainment. Chicken And Biscuits will be available Tuesday, April 20 and features guests Randy Houser, Joe Nichols, Josh Gracin, Darryl Worley, Ty Stone, James Otto, DMC, and Kevin Fowler. The album, produced by Jayson Chance and Shannon “Fatshan” Houchins, is the follow-up to Ford’s debut, Ride Through The Country, which sold over 150,000 units and 450,000 purchased downloads.

Ford says, “I pushed myself so hard in writing and finding the songs for the record, and I was blessed to write with some of the greatest songwriters in the world. To be able to make a second album that I feel is better than the first and still maintain who I am as an artist…wow!” He performed over 200 shows last year, including dates with Larry The Cable Guy and Jason Aldean.

Ford began developing his musical style when he noticed that country venues played urban and hip-hop music between sets of the live country band, and that fans responded by getting on the dance floor. So at his wife’s urging, he set out to make music with a similar sound that he says, “speaks to country folk about our way of life.”

Also new from Average Joes is country artist Brantley Gilbert’s sophomore album, Halfway To Heaven. Released March 16, the project reached No. 3 on iTunes Country Albums Chart. The first part of Halfway To Heaven is about Gilbert’s life prior to a nearly fatal car accident, and the latter half depicts his life since then. Gilbert co-wrote all twelve tracks with writers including Ford, Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Mike Dekle. As a songwriter, Gilbert has a cut by Jason Aldean.

ACM Lines Up Awards Performers

/by

Leading nominee Lady Antebellum is among the performers set for the upcoming ACM Awards.

The Academy of Country Music announced today (3/23) that Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins, and Carrie Underwood, are scheduled to perform as part of its 45th annual Awards show on Sun., April 18. Reba McEntire will host the show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, airing live at 7 PM/CT on CBS.

Heading into the ceremony Lady Antebellum lead this year’s nominations with seven nods, including Album of the Year and Top Vocal Group. In addition, the trio was nominated for Single, Song and Video for “Need You Now.” They were also nominated as a producer for Single Record of the Year and as a composer for Song of the Year.

Underwood is nominated for six awards, including Entertainer of Year. She is the reigning Entertainer of the Year, and, if she wins that category again, she will be the first female in Academy history to capture two Entertainer of the Year trophies. Underwood is also nominated as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for “Cowboy Casanova,” as well as Vocal Event of the Year for “I Told You So” with Randy Travis. In addition, Underwood is nominated for Top Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for Play On.

Chesney is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. If he wins Entertainer, it will be his fifth win in the category. He is also nominated as an artist and producer for Vocal Event of the Year for “I’m Alive” with Dave Matthews.

Brooks & Dunn are in the running for Top Vocal Duo and will also receive the Academy’s Milestone Award during the tribute concert special, ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn—The Last Rodeo, taping Monday, April 19 at Las Vegas’s MGM Grand Garden Arena, and airing Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS.

McEntire, who is hosting the ACM Awards for a record twelfth time, is nominated for Top Female Vocalist of the Year. Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins are nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for “Hillbilly Bone.”

SOURCE Names 2010 Honorees

/by

The 2010 SOURCE Awards will honor veteran music businesswomen Celia Froehlig, Carol Phillips, Sherytha Scaife, Liz Thiels and Ruth White for their contributions to the industry. Also that evening, former BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston will receive the esteemed “Jo Walker Meador Lifetime Achievement Award.”

The 2010 Source Awards will be held on Thursday, August 26 at the Noah Liff Opera Center in Nashville.

Celia Froehlig currently works at Black River Music, Carol Phillips is with Horipro Entertainment Group, Sherytha Scaife is employed by Music Inc., Liz Thiels is a longtime staffer at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, and Ruth White is a musician, author, and publishing administrator for Porter Wagoner’s publishing company.

SOURCE, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit organization seeking to unify women executives and professionals that work in all facets of Nashville’s music industry. For company and individual sponsorship opportunities please contact Jill Napier at jill.napier@comcast.net.

Urban Adds Summer Dates

/by

Keith Urban has announced a slew of summer tour dates. The run includes numerous music festivals, arenas, and stadiums, as well as a few previously announced shows alongside The Eagles and The Dixie Chicks.

The outing opens April 16 at the Country Thunder festival in Florence, Arizona. Dates are scheduled through Sept. 4 in Essex Junction, Vermont. More stops are expected to be added in the coming weeks.

Urban is stopping in many cities where his 2009 Escape Together World Tour did not appear, and in some markets for the very first time. The 2009 world tour played before sold-out crowds in the United States, Canada and Australia, in support of his latest album Defying Gravity.

Last year was a big year for Urban, who won his first American Music Award, and his first People’s Choice Award. He followed that in February with his third Grammy, winning Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “Sweet Thing.” He is nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year at the upcoming ACM Awards.

For tour dates and details go to www.keithurban.net.

Hall of Fame Names Pamela Johnson VP

/by

Leading cultural arts specialist Pamela Johnson has been named vice president of development at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, Director Kyle Young announced today (3/22). Johnson brings 37 years of executive experience when she begins the new position on Mon., April 5. Reporting directly to Young, Johnson will oversee the Museum’s membership program, annual and planned giving initiatives, and special fundraising events.

Most recently, Johnson served as director, university marketing-special initiatives at Nashville’s Belmont University where, among other responsibilities, she managed the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Prior to joining the Belmont staff in 2005, the native Nashvillian spent three years in Los Angeles as vice president, communications and corporate relations for the J. Paul Getty Trust. She oversaw a staff of 32, and implemented the institution’s first corporate sponsorship program.

She spent six years heading the PR division of New York City ad agency Serino Coyne, and then launched her own publicity and marketing firm, working with clients such as Philip Morris, AT&T, and Chase Manhattan Bank. Johnson’s earlier career includes executive positions at the American Association of Museums, Smithsonian Institution, Rogers & Cowan, and Cheekwood.

She is president-elect of the Tennessee Repertory Theater board, vice president of the Exchange Club of Nashville, and a member of the W. O. Smith Nashville Community Music School Advisory Council. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama.