Lady A Set For Sugar Bowl, Titans Performances

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e1260305593Lady Antebellum will perform the national anthem twice this month. They will open the Tennessee Titans home game vs. the St. Louis Rams on Dec. 13, at 3pm CST, and they will also ring in the New Year at the Allstate® Sugar Bowl matchup between the University of Cincinnati and the University of Florida in New Orleans, LA, Jan. 1, at 7:30pm CST. Both air on FOX.

Additionally, the trio will celebrate New Year’s Eve in the French Quarter, headlining the Allstate Fan Fest street concert to kick off the Allstate® Sugar Bowl festivities. The free concert begins at 6pm in the JAX Brewery Parking lot.

Industry News: UMGN’s Big CRS Show, WMEE Signing

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umgCountry Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® has announced a star-studded lineup for UMG’s luncheon at the Ryman Auditorium during CRS 2010, to be held Feb. 24-26, 2010. UMG artists performing include: Gary Allan, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Vince Gill, Mallary Hope, Julianne Hough, Jamey Johnson, David Nail, Randy Rogers Band, Sugarland, Josh Turner and Lee Ann Womack. The label group earned 12 Grammy nominations last week.

The Universal Music Group-sponsored luncheon will be held at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, as part of the opening day agenda at Country Radio Seminar.  This is the first time the Ryman has been used as a venue for an official CRS-sanctioned event. Lunch will be served outside on the Ryman plaza, with performances following inside immediately after lunch.

Thursday’s luncheon is sponsored by Sony Music Nashville, and Friday’s luncheon is sponsored by Capitol Nashville. Talent for these luncheons will be announced soon. The $549 Advance Rate registration for CRS 2010 expires Dec. 18.

Blake Wise

Blake Wise

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Broken Bow Records artist Blake Wise has signed with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment for booking representation. Mark Roeder will be the responsible agent. Wise is managed by John Dorris and Shelia Shipley Biddy at Hallmark Direction Company.

Seasonal Tunes Range From Classic To Kooky

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Phil Vassar couldn't wait to welcome Tony & Kris to town so he popped into their studio and spoke with the guys this morning!

Phil Vassar, who is giving away an acoustic holiday set, recently visited Tony & Kris on the radio.

It’s Christmastime and artists are vying for airplay with holiday singles. Some are taking the traditional route, like Darryl Worley with “Jingle Bells,” while others are branching out with fun, unique offerings. Phil Vassar is even giving his Christmas set away for free.

Trailer Choir has a new “Holla’ Day” version of their hit, “Rockin’ The Beer Gut,” which has reworked lyrics poking fun at Santa’s struggle with his weight. It is available at digital retailers, especially since the original version sold well over 200,000 copies. In the accompanying animated video below, Santa Claus looks suspiciously like Trailer Choir’s Big Vinny. The Show Dog group plays 2nd Avenue Live in Nashville on Dec. 19.

Gretchen Wilson has released a remake of the classic children’s tune “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas,” which was originally recorded by a 10-year-old in 1953. Wilson even invited several kids from her daughter’s school to sing on the track.

To celebrate the holidays and the upcoming Dec. 15 release of his studio album Traveling Circus, Phil Vassar is giving away five free holiday songs. Click here to download Phil Vassar An Acoustic Christmas.

Darryl Worley has put a new spin on the holiday classic “Jingle Bells,” which he recorded exclusively for Verizon Wireless. The full song, ringtone and ringback tone will be available for purchase throughout the holiday season to Verizon subscribers on VCAST Music.

Steve Wariner’s new single “Feels Like Christmas Time” is available for digital download. He prepared a short video clip demonstrating how he added the guitar parts to the recording for stevewariner.com. And another of Wariner’s Christmas songs will hit airwaves this season when soul/R&B singer Ruben Studdard releases “Christmas in Your Arms,” written with Bill Anderson and recorded previously by Alabama.

Brady Seals is offering “Been There, Drunk That,” the second single from his Play Time album, in time for holiday and New Year’s Eve parties. He is also creating a special dance mix version and has partnered with Marco Club Connection to promote it.

Oklahoma teenager Kylie Morgan is in the holiday spirit and is 100% donating proceeds from her Christmas with Kylie Morgan album (Land Run Records) to the American Cancer Society.

Messina Benefit Raises $30,000

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Jo Dee Messina with the Harvest Hands Board of Directors, Concert Organizers and Harvest Hands Kids prior to the Dec. 5th benefit concert

Jo Dee Messina with the Harvest Hands Board of Directors, Concert Organizers and Harvest Hands Kids prior to the Dec. 5th benefit concert

Jo Dee Messina performed two special shows this weekend with youth and children’s choirs at Brentwood United Methodist Church. Messina partnered with Harvest Hands Community Development Corporation (CDC) for the effort, which helped raise over $30,000. Over 3,000 fans attended the performances, where Messina performed selections from her Christmas album A Joyful Noise. The evening performance is available for viewing online until the end of December at www.JoDeeMessina.com/harvesthands. “[Directors] Brian and Courtney Hicks are angels walking the face of this earth,” says Messina. “What they do with Harvest Hands must make God smile.”

Messina also performed earlier this month at Rockefeller Center in New York City for NBC-TV’s live tree lighting ceremony. The program featured a stellar line-up including Rod Stewart, Rob Thomas, Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, The Roots, Shakira and numerous other stars.

On Thursday, December 10, Messina will perform at Green’s Grocery in Leiper’s Fork to benefit the Montessori School of Franklin. Tickets are $125 and available by calling 615-794-0567.

Rascal Flatts Tour Runs Through March

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rascalflattsRascal Flatts today announced the final leg of their Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour, sponsored by JCPenney with associate sponsor Hershey’s. The tour will restart on January 15 & 16 in Uncasville, CT at the Mohegan Sun Arena and the band will perform 23 shows through March 13, wrapping in Oklahoma City at the Ford Center. Darius Rucker will continue as opening act.
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The first leg of the Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour sold 550,000 tickets in 39 shows since it began in June 2009. This total also includes the two sold-out stadium concerts at Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Columbus’ Crew Stadium. The band’s 2009 tours have sold over a million concert tickets, bringing their 4 year total to just over 4 million tickets sold.

Sony Preps 2010 Launch of Thompson, Gokey

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Thompson’s debut single, “Beer On The Table,” was the inspiration for his “Whack-A-Beer” game on his new web site. www.joshthompsonofficial.com lets visitors view videos and upload photos, follow Josh on Twitter, check on upcoming events, and interact in the online forums. Fans also have the ability to stream and purchase all four tracks from Thompson’s newly released self-titled digital EP.  

Thompson’s debut single, “Beer On The Table,” was the inspiration for the “Whack-A-Beer” game on his new web site. www.joshthompsonofficial.com

Sony Nashville is building up to the 2010 launches of new artists Josh Thompson and Danny Gokey. Both acts have already released their first singles to radio, and their full-length debut albums will arrive after the first of the year.

Thompson’s debut album Way Out Here is due Feb. 23, 2010 via Columbia Nashville. He has a writing credit on every song of the Michael Knox produced project. Thompson has already released a digital four-track EP, including the single “Beer On The Table,” which is currently at No. 36 on MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart.

He has spent much of the last year touring, playing over 100 shows and growing his fan base. The Wisconsin native arrived in Nashville in 2005, and eventually scored his first major cut as a songwriter with “Growing Up Is Getting Old,” the title track of Jason Michael Carroll’s current album.

Gokey is a familiar name to followers of the most recent season of American Idol. Signed to 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville, he is busy working on his debut album and making promotional stops on the road, in support of his new single, “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.” The digital single will be available on Dec. 22, with a full album arriving early next year.

He recently performed on FOX’s Good Day Atlanta, sang the national anthem prior to the Bobcats/Celtics NBA match-up, and followed that with appearances at two Thanksgiving Day parades.

Dierks Hosts Benefits, Heads For TV

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2wqtkbsDierks Bentley will be the first country artist to perform on the late night show Lopez Tonight today (12/8) at 10pm CST on TBS. Bentley will be joined by special guest Patty Griffin for a performance of “Beautiful World,” recently nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the “Country Collaboration with Vocals” category.

In related news, Bentley’s Miles & Music for Kids charity motorcycle ride and concert series made a stop in Phoenix on Nov. 21 and raised $200,000 for Phoenix Childrens Hospital over the course of the weekend, bringing the 2009 total for both the Nashville and Phoenix events to over $400,000. Bentley was joined by Jessi Colter, Jimmy Wayne, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers and a sold-out crowd of over 3,400 bikers and fans. Also, “Beautiful World” was recently offered as a free download through CMT One Country in support of Miles & Music for Kids.

CMA Exec. Dir. Search Coming In January

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The Country Music Association’s national search to replace former head Tammy Genovese, who resigned from the company Dec. 2, will commence in January 2010 to coincide with the new CMA Board Session.

According to CMA Board Chairman Randy Goodman, a search committee will be named before year end, and its members will hire a national search firm to identify and vet qualified applicants. No applications are currently being accepted, but a process for submitting applicants will be announced at a later time.

Taylor Swift–On Demand

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taylor_swift_13557Taylor Swift is getting her own On Demand channel via Comcast cable. Through an exclusive partnership the cable provider will show her hit music videos, behind-the-scene clips and special programming such as her recent Saturday Night Live episode. Much of the content will be available in high definition for the first time.

Videos included in the collection will be “You Belong With Me,” “Love Story,” “Fifteen,” “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “Picture to Burn” and the number one On Demand country single of 2009 – “Our Song.”

Music is one of On Demand’s most popular categories, with 50-60 million views per month. On Demand is available for viewing at any time. Other artists who have entered similar agreements with Comcast are Green Day and U2.

Swift also recently partnered with American Greetings Corp. to create a line of greeting cards, gift packaging, stationery, online photo personalization products and online greetings, which are scheduled to be out by spring 2010.

Rascal Flatts To Appear on “CSI”

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small.b75lxj8w0d5xRascal Flatts will appear on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, slated to shoot in January and air early 2010. The series airs on Thursdays at 8 pm CT on CBS Television. The band will play themselves in a storyline that finds one of the members in harm’s way.

Back in 2006, Rascal Flatts members Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney guest starred on the television series Yes, Dear.