Nashville Music Awards Honor Swift, Other Locals

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nma_db_01Taylor Swift was the big winner at the Nashville Music Awards last night (10/7), collecting three trophies during a reception at the Cannery Ballroom. The 19-year-old Big Machine recording artist was named Artist of the Year and Songwriter/Artist of the Year, with her album Fearless earning Country Album of the Year honors.

Presented by Leadership Music in partnership with music festival and conference Next Big Nashville (NBN), the Nashville Music Awards were established to recognize outstanding contributions in all genres of music and to celebrate the diversity and quality of artists and music professionals who call Nashville their home.

Other highlights include Lady Antebellum scoring New Artist of the Year, Jack White being named Top Instrumentalist, Liz Rose being voted Songwriter of the Year, and Regie Hamm’s “The Time of My Life” performed by American Idol winner David Cook, taking home Song of the Year. In the album categories, Jars of Clay won for Gospel/Contemporary Christian, and Kings of Leon received the trophy for Pop/Rock.

Winners were announced in 19 categories by NMA nominating committee members including NBN Owner Jason Moon Wilkins, Warner Chappell Sr. VP Tracy Gershon, and Leadership Music board member Robert K. Oermann.

This year marks the first partnership between Leadership Music and Next Big Nashville for this awards presentation, held on the opening night of the NBN festival. The NMAs previously were produced from 1995 through 2000 by Leadership Music. The 2009 winners were chosen by popular vote via online balloting. Eligible recordings or projects must have been active in the marketplace between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 and NMA awards are limited to persons and organizations residing in Davidson County and surrounding counties.

The Nashville Music Award trophy was designed and donated by George P. Johnson. A complete list of 2009 Nashville Music Awards winners follows. Look for a detailed report of the Awards ceremony from MusicRow’s own Bobby Karl in tomorrow’s @MusicRow, for paid subscribers only.

2009 Winners

Artist Of The Year: Taylor Swift

Best New Artist: Lady Antebellum

Song Of The Year: “The Time Of My Life,” Written By Regie Hamm (Recorded By David Cook)

Next Big Nashville Award (Emerging Artist): Brooke Waggoner

Songwriter Of The Year: Liz Rose

Songwriter-Artist Of The Year: Taylor Swift

Poster/Album Artwork/Packaging Of The Year: Roy Orbison, The Soul Of Rock And Roll Boxed Set, Latocki Team Creative

Instrumentalist Of The Year: Jack White

Music Video/Film Of The Year: Rascal Flatts, “Here Comes Goodbye,” Directed By Shaun Silva

Made In Music City Award (For A Recording Made In Nashville By A Non-Nashville Artist): Elvis Costello, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, T Bone Burnett, Producer; Recorded At Sound Emporium Studio

Bluegrass Album Of The Year: The Steeldrivers, The Steeldrivers on Rounder Records

Country Album Of The Year: Taylor Swift, Fearless on Big Machine Records

Americana Album Of The Year: Sarah Siskind, Say It Louder on Request/Thirty Tigers Records

Urban Recording Of The Year: April Rucker, Here I Stand [EP] By One Staj Music Group

Gospel/Contemporary Christian Album Of The Year: Jars Of Clay, The Long Fall Back To Earth on Gray Matters/Essential Records

Jazz/Blues Album Of The Year: Take 6, The Standard on Heads Up Records (Telarc)

Pop/Rock Album Of The Year: Kings Of Leon, Only By The Night on RCA

Innovator: Landmark Digital Services, LLC for Bluearrow Audio Recognition

Heritage Award: The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Accepted By Musical Director Paul Kwami

Swift Extends “Fearless” Run

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taylor_swift_13557As Taylor Swift plans for this weekend’s final shows of her sold-out Fearless 2009 Tour, she revealed that she will extend the outing into 2010. She will kick off the Fearless 2010 Tour on February 4th in Brisbane, Australia and play five shows Down Under, presented by Michael Coppel Presents, before beginning her North American run on March 4th in Tampa, Florida. In 2010, she will headline 37 shows in 29 cities in the US and Canada. Tickets are set to go on sale later this month, starting at a reasonable $25.

Swift’s good friend Kellie Pickler and rising stars Gloriana have been part of the 2009 run and will continue on the 2010 tour. The outing, promoted in North America by The Messina Group/AEG Live, has been one of the year’s hottest tickets, with every show selling out within minutes. She sold out Madison Square Garden in one minute and the Los Angeles STAPLES center in just two minutes.

The 19-year-old is scheduled for a busy fall, including the release a CD/DVD set entitled Fearless Platinum Edition on October 27th. On November 11, she will vie for the Country Music Association’s prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award, as the category’s youngest ever nominee.

Lifenotes: Music Industry Entrepreneur Shelby Singleton

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shel-

Shelby Singleton (L) and Jerry Kennedy (R) in 2000.

Music Row entrepreneur Shelby Singleton died today, October 7, 2009, at age 77. The record executive, producer, and publisher is perhaps best known for purchasing the Sun Records catalog in 1969.

The Texas native was a Mercury regional sales rep when the label brought him to town as part of its Nashville team. He ended up heading the label’s Nashville and New York A&R departments a year later, working with all genres and even bringing r&b folks like Clyde McPhatter to Music City to record. During Singleton’s Mercury tenure, he worked with artists George Jones and Roger Miller, and hired a then unknown guitarist named Jerry Kennedy, who would eventually be his successor, running the Nashville office.

According to the Encyclopedia of Country Music, Singleton was a “tremendously successful and colorful country A&R man… and one of the Nashville industry’s true characters.” He wore many hats throughout his career. As a producer, Singleton recorded three No. 1 hits in one day at the Quonset Hut: “Walk On By” by Leroy Van Dyke, “Ahab the Arab” by Ray Stevens, and “Wooden Heart” by Joe Dowell.

In 1966 Singleton left Mercury and formed the Shelby Sigleton Corporation with headquarters on Belmont Boulevard. He also opened Plantation Records and released the major hit “Harper Valley P.T.A.” by Jeannie C. Riley, which he produced. After the success of “Harper Valley,” Singleton purchased the Sun masters in 1969 and re-released much of its product by Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis, during the 1970s. In 1997 he merged Sun with the Brave Entertainment Corporation.

Lady A Unveil New Album, Celebrate Platinum Debut

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Capitol trio Lady Antebellum has announced release information for its sophomore album. Titled Need You Now, the album is scheduled for a January 26, 2010 release. The title track and lead single is the fastest rising of their career, pushing into both the Billboard and MusicRow Top 10 in under 10 weeks.

“This song, and what we’ve finished of the new album so far, is all about passion,” explains guitarist/vocalist Dave Haywood. “There’s a real sense of urgency and fire…almost like a spark has reignited us creatively in the studio…so when we started talking about album titles, Need You Now felt like it summarized our vibe right now perfectly.”

The unveiling of Need You Now’s release date happened on the same day the group’s self-titled debut album was certified Platinum by the RIAA. 18 months after its release, Lady Antebellum also remains in the top 10 on the iTunes Country album sales chart.

“This is just beyond anything we ever could have imagined when we sat down to write our first song together in 2006,” said Hillary Scott. “I wish we could thank every one of the fans personally… that would be the coolest thing in the world for us. Everybody always says they have the best fans in the world, but ‘everybody’ hasn’t met Lady A’s fans…they are truly the best!”

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Capitol Nashville President Mike Dungan surprised Lady A in the studio to announce that the group’s self-titled debut album had been certified Platinum and present the band with plaques. Pictured (L-R): Producer Paul Worley, Charles Kelley, Producer Victoria Shaw, Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Dungan.

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CMA Songwriters Series Returns To New York

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(L-R) DiPiero, Alexander, Randall, Sanders

(L-R) DiPiero, Alexander, Randall, Sanders

The CMA Songwriters Series will return to New York City’s Joe’s Pub on Nov. 5, after successful shows in Los Angeles and Chicago. The concert will once again be hosted by hit tunesmith Bob DiPiero and will feature songwriters such as Jessi Alexander (“The Climb” recorded by Miley Cyrus, “Baby Don’t You Let Go” recorded by Trisha Yearwood, and “Lonely Enough” recorded by Little Big Town), Jon Randall (“Whiskey Lullaby” recorded by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, “She’s So California” recorded by Gary Allan, and “Smile” recorded by Lonestar), and Mark Sanders (“I Hope You Dance” recorded by Lee Ann Womack, “It Matters to Me” recorded by Faith Hill, and “This Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing” recorded by Trace Adkins).

Tickets are $25 www.joespub.com.

Sony Musical Chairs

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Lauren-(L.T.)-ThomasSony’s revolving door has Lauren (L.T.) Thomas replacing Kates Rogers as Arista Nashville’s new National Promotions Coordinator. Thomas joins the label on Mon., Oct. 12. Her most recent job was Associate Director of Promotion for Golden Music Nashville, and her background also includes a five-year stint as Promotions Manager for KMLE Phoenix. Rogers exited on Fri., Oct. 2.

Pat Green and Keith Anderson are no longer signed to Sony. Green was on the BNA imprint and Anderson was part of the Columbia roster. Also, Caitlin & Will, who were picked up by Columbia following their win of CMT’s Can You Duet, are no longer a duo.

Lifenotes: BMI Board Member Don Thurston

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Don Thurston, a former BMI Board member who was instrumental in developing the organization’s Nashville office, has died at age 79 after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease. During his 60-year career he founded and served as President of Berkshire Broadcasting. In addition to the BMI board, he was the National Association of Broadcasters Joint Radio-TV Chairman, NAB Radio Chairman, and was acknowledged with the NAB’s Distinguished Service Award.

Jack Sander, BMI Board Chairman, released this statement:

“We were saddened to learn of the passing of one of the broadcast industry’s most admired and respected leaders, a man who played a seminal role in the growth of BMI, our former Board member, Don Thurston. Don served on the Board from 1990 to 2005, was its chairman from 1994 to 1997, and led the initiative to move much of its operations staff to a new, state of the art building on Music Row in Nashville, saving the company tens of millions in operating expenses and preparing its technical infrastructure for the digital age.”

Premiere Radio Picks Up Crook And Chase

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ccPremiere Radio Networks has added The Crook & Chase Countdown to its lineup of nationally syndicated radio programs. The company will assume distribution rights to the four-hour weekend radio program on October 10, 2009, and it will be available for air between 6 a.m. and 12 a.m. local time. The Crook & Chase Countdown will continue to be based in Nashville, Tenn.

The program was most recently syndicated by United Stations Radio Networks. It is currently heard on more than 160 stations in the U.S. For affiliations, please contact Premiere Radio Networks at 818-377-5300.

Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase have hosted successful radio and television programs together on a continuous basis for more than 25 years, and are one of the longest running broadcast duos in the industry. In 1989, the pair ventured into radio with the debut of The Crook & Chase Countdown. In addition to hosting the popular radio show, they host the weekly TV show Crook & Chase on RFD-TV. Crook is also host of Lorianne Crook’s Celebrity Kitchen on RFD-TV and can be seen on various specials, such as the CMA Celebrity Close-Up on GAC. Chase co-hosts the weekday news program Tennessee Mornings on FOX 17 in Nashville.

Paisley Extends Tour

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brad-paisley-ar10If you were feeling bummed about missing Brad Paisley on tour this summer, fret not: you now have a chance to redeem yourself. The hotshot singer, guitar-slinger, songwriter and all around superstar has extended his successful American Saturday Night Tour into 2010 with 19 additional dates. Joining him for the 2010 dates, which start Jan. 7 in San Antonio and end March 6 in Charleston, S. Carolina, will be special guests Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore.

Paisley has a busy fall leading into his 2010 trek, as he’s still got a few October dates remaining on the first leg of his American Saturday Night Tour. Then in November he’ll co-host the 43rd Annual CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood. He’s also the most-nominated artist at the event, with seven total nominations–including Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (American Saturday Night) and Entertainer of the Year.

McGraw to Film In Nashville

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tim-mTim McGraw and Gwyneth Paltrow will star in a movie that will be filmed in Nashville in January and February. The soundtrack will reportedly be comprised of all Nashville artists, and some possible locations for the shoot include McGraw’s farm.

Eighty percent of the film is set to be shot here. The only reason that production will have to relocate to make the remainder of the movie is because it will be winter in Nashville, with no leaves on the trees.

Nashville leaders managed to woo producers away from Austin and convince them to make the movie in Music City. Tennessee offers several incentives for production companies to make films here, including a 32 percent cash rebate for spending $1 million with a company based in this state.