Little Big Town At Symphony Fashion Show; Garth Adds Dates

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Capitol Nashville’s Little Big Town has been announced as the musical guest for the Nashville Symphony’s Spring Fashion Show on April 20, 2010 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. This year’s show will feature the work of noted fashion designers including Isaac Mizrahi. All proceeds from the event go to the Nashville Symphony and the Thor Johnson Scholarship Fund. For more information about the show, please contact Stacie Taylor, Director of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra League, at 615.687.6541 or at staylor@nashvillesymphony.org.

Little Big Town is also currently at work on a new album for Capitol Nashville, and the first single from the project—“Little White Church”—has just been released to radio. The song will be available digitally and as a ringtone on March 9.

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Those who haven’t had a chance to see Garth Brooks during his sold-out residency at the Wynn Las Vegas, rejoice. Brooks has just announced another series of dates at the Wynn, and tickets go on sale this Saturday, February 27 at 10 am CT. Full dates included below. Tickets cost $125 plus service charge and tax. To order, visit www.wynnlasvegas.com/boxoffice or call 702-770-1000. Brooks still has shows lined up for Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend and will have a month off before the new dates start. Shows will take place Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 8 pm and 10:30 pm, and Sundays at 8 pm.

Garth Brooks Dates:
March 26, 27, 28
April 9, 10, 11
June 25, 26, 27
July 16, 17, 18
August 6, 7, 8

Aldean, Chesney Launch iPhone Apps

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Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean are the latest artists to offer iPhone/iTouch apps to droves of tech savvy followers.

Fans can use the applications to get news, updates and purchase concert tickets. Both musicians are giving them away for free.

“It’s a good way to put your songs and tour directly in your fans’ hands,” says Chesney, who bought iPhones for his touring crew when the device first came out.

Chesney’s app debuts as his current single, “Ain’t Back Yet,” is set to hit digital retailers on March 2. Designed by Aloompa, the app includes his No Shoes Radio, a merch and music store, photo galleries, videos and Twitter capability.

Aldean’s app by Moonshadow eCommerce comes as he releases his fourth single from his Platinum album Wide Open this week. He says “Crazy Town” “is all about the love-hate relationship that every new artist has with Nashville when they’re just starting out…I’ve been playing this one to kick off my live show, and the fans go nuts when they hear the first guitar lick.”

Aldean’s tour has been selling out arenas and setting attendance records. In the past nine months, he has scored three consecutive multi-week No. 1’s (“She’s Country,” “Big Green Tractor,” “The Truth”) spending a total of eight weeks at the top spot, more than any other country artist in the last year.

ASCAP Nashville Restructures Leadership

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Connie Bradley and Tim DuBois

It remains unofficial, but MusicRow has learned that ASCAP is restructuring its Nashville office to take on a more focused regional role for all genres. Under the new arrangement, Sr. VP Connie Bradley will step down from her longstanding position of leadership. Tim DuBois is expected to be named as ASCAP’s new Nashville head. The change reportedly happened this morning.

Bradley rose through the ASCAP ranks from her start as a Membership Representative. Always a strong advocate for creative rights, under her tenure she has acted as as cheerleader, advisor and confidant to ASCAP members such as Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Sugarland and many more.

DuBois has recently been a faculty member at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management, but first established his career as a hit songwriter and producer. He started the Arista Nashville office around 1989 and went on to sign, develop and create superstars such as Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, and many others.

Borman Ups Donna Jean Kisshauer

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Donna Jean Kisshauer has been named Vice President, Radio and Tour Marketing for Borman Entertainment. In her 11 years with the artist management company, Kisshauer has coordinated tour and sponsorship efforts, as well as radio campaigns, including chart activity across four radio formats.

“DJ’s passion for our artists and their music has fueled her persistence at radio promotion and the marketing of their live performance,” says company founder Gary Borman. “Her commitment to her work and her ability to seamlessly coordinate our company’s marketing efforts is an asset to all involved in our campaigns.”

Borman Entertainment Nashville’s roster includes Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Michael Franti and Spearhead, and Randy Montana. Borman Entertainment has offices in Nashville and Los Angeles.

Joe Chambers on “Fox and Friends”

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Joe Chambers, founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, was on Fox News’ Fox and Friends this morning (2/22) discussing the recent eminent domain ruling that caused the Museum to shut its doors to make way for a new Nashville convention center. See the video.

The museum closed on Saturday, February 13th after Judge Barbara Haynes ruled in favor of the Metro Development and Housing Authority (MDHA), ordering Chambers and company to be out of The Musicians Hall of Fame within seven days.

The museum represented a key piece of property that the MDHA needed in order to move forward with the construction of the Music City Center.

Although the museum’s new physical location is currently undecided, The Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Show will take place once again in Nashville in the fall of 2010. Further details will be announced at a press conference in late spring.

Alan Jackson Maps Tour, Debuts Video

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Alan Jackson is prepping for the March 30 release of his new album with a supporting summer tour and new music video. He just revealed dates for the Freight Train Tour, kicking off April 8 in Estero, FL, and continuing for 15 cities before wrapping in Lexington, KY on May 23. Joining him will be Josh Turner and Chris Young. Tickets are already on sale in select markets.

Jackson’s eighteenth album Freight Train was produced by longtime collaborator Keith Stegall. The Arista release has eight songs from Jackson’s pen, as well as four other tracks including lead single “It’s Just That Way,” and a duet with Lee Ann Womack on the Vern Gosdin classic, “Till the End.”

“It’s Just That Way” was written by Stegall, Vicky McGehee and Kylie Sackley. The accompanying video makes its world premiere today (2/22).  It was taped at an old antebellum farmhouse in Spring Hill, TN and various locations in Tampa, FL, with award-winning director Roman White. The video’s concept was created by Jackson’s oldest daughter Mattie, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee.

Jackson will launch the album with appearances on Today (3/30) the Late Show with David Letterman (3/30), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (4/14), and his first visit to Ellen (4/15).

The superstar’s career has spanned 20 years and netted 50 million in album sales.

Buxton’s Busy Release Week

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With just days to go before the release of her self-titled debut CD, Lyric Street’s Sarah Buxton is making some sales history. The album’s leadoff single, “Outside My Window,” inspired more than 12,000 paid downloads this week, and the singer can now lay claim to the biggest opening digital single sales from a debut album for any female country artist in the history of Nielsen Soundscan.

Looking ahead to her album’s release, Buxton has a busy week in store. After opening dates in Buffalo, NY (2/19), Baltimore, MD (2/20) and Columbus, OH (2/21) for Martina McBride and Trace Adkins on the Shine All Night Tour, the singer will return to Nashville to for a full-band CD release show at The Rutledge on February 23.

Before the show, Buxton will present an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her debut CD with Premiere: Sarah Buxton on GAC. The 30-minute special, which premiers on the network this Saturday (2/20) at 8 PM CT, showcases Buxton’s music through acoustic performances of several selections from her upcoming album, including “Stupid Boy,” “Space” and “Big Blue Sky.”

In addition, Country Weekly, People Country and Nashville Lifestyles will profile Buxton, while The Tennessean, Kansas City Star and Lawrence Journal World will all feature interviews with the singer.

Buxton will round out the week with additional dates on the Shine All Night Tour, traveling to Ft. Wayne, IN (2/25); Cleveland, OH (2/26); Pittsburgh, PA (2/27) and Cincinnati, OH (2/28).

TuneCore Bringing Rintones To The Masses

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Starting today (2/19), TuneCore.com, which distributes music to iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and many other major download and streaming sites, will help musicians get heard in even more places by distributing artists’ pre-cut ringtones to the iTunes iPhone ringtone store. Any existing or new TuneCore artist will now have the opportunity to hear their music ringing from iPhones all over the world. As always, TuneCore will take no revenue from the sale of the music.

TuneCore customers can edit their own music into .wav clips of 5-30 seconds for TuneCore distribution to the iTunes iPhone ringtone store, available from the home screen of any iPhone running iTunes 9 or later. An artist will only need to upload a ringtone once for TuneCore to distribute it to iPhone iTunes ringtone stores in the US, Canada, Japan, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the UK. TuneCore will also be adding additional ringtone stores, which can use the same ringtone upload.

To help create ringtones, TuneCore customers will be able to access a free download of PreSonus Studio One – a leading home recording software application – for 30-day trial, with easy step-by-step instructions for creating and exporting ringtones.

Bright Future For The House Foundation

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Katie Bright

Nashville’s WSIX has hired personality Katie Bright to become the newest member of The House Foundation, beginning April 1. Bright was most recently morning co-host (with George House) on Marconi Award winner and MusicRow Reporter WAXX/Eau Claire, Wisconsin. During her last 18 months with WAXX, she was based in Nashville. Bright is the first addition to the team since newsman Al Voecks and sportscaster Duncan Stewart departed in December.

“Katie brings a totally new perspective to the show,” says WSIX PD Keith Kaufman. “It will be intriguing. I’m very excited about what the future has in store. This ought to be fun.”

“Joining WSIX and The House Foundation is a dream come true for me,” says Bright. ” I’ve been following Gerry’s show for years and have always wondered what it would sound like to have a chick on the show…now, I’m the chick! It’ll be a blast to join the Boys’ Club at WSIX. I can’t wait to get there…until then you can find me on top of Love Circle jumping for joy!”

“Katie is engaging, attractive, and funny,” adds Gerry House. “As far as I can recall, none of those things have been a part of this show before. Listeners will be thrilled.”

Listeners can hear The House Foundation 6-10 am weekday mornings in Nashville or online at www.wsix.com.

ACM Award Noms Set For CBS’ Early Show

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Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton will announce the nominees for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards live from CBS’ The Early Show on March 2 at 7:30 AM CT.

The on-air announcement festivities will also include an interview with McEntire by show host Maggie Rodriguez and a live performance from Shelton.