CMA Fest Announces Additional Performers To Free Stages

/by

The CMA has announced additional artists performing at this year’s CMA Fest. Hundreds of artists are set to perform during the festival, now in its 47th year, which will take place June 7-10.

The Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe entertains fans daily from 10:45 AM-4:30 PM, with BMI programming performances from 2:45-6:30 PM including Adam Craig, Ray Fulcher, Trea Landon, Drew Parker, Faren Rachels, and Payton Smith. Additional acts taking the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe include 17 Memphis, Ryan Beaver, Logan Brill, Brennley Brown, Austin Burke, Davisson Brothers Band, Travis Denning, Jeffrey East, Hannah Ellis, FILMORE, Noah Guthrie, Levi Hummon, Brett Kissel, Tegan Marie, Josh Mirenda, Hudson Moore, Hayley Orrantia, Meghan Patrick, Stephanie Quayle, Jordan Rager, Brandon Ray, Restless Road, Tyler Rich, Adam Sanders, Scooter Brown Band, Kalie Shorr, Natalie Stovall, Sweet Tea Trio, Temecula Road, Mitchell Tenpenny, The Last Bandoleros, Tyminski, andCarter Winter.

Located inside the NCVC Visitor Center at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage will take place daily from 11 a.m.-4:40 p.m. Thursday’s performances are presented by ASCAP and feature Max Camp, Hannah Dasher, Austin Jenckes, Parker McKay, Steven Lee Olsen, Riley Roth, Steel Union, Matt Stell, TRAVLRS, and Sarah Allison Turner, while Friday’s performances are presented by SESAC and feature Spencer Crandall, Ben Danaher, Erin Enderlin, Livy Jeanne, Jordyn Mallory, Tom O’Connor, Jake Rose, Seaforth, SZLACHETKA, and Jenny Tolman. Saturday and Sunday’s performances include Baylou, Craig Wayne Boyd, Lewis Brice, Emily Brooke, Kenton Bryant, Dallas Caroline, Ruthie Collins, Dalton & the Sheriffs, Sarah Darling, Haley & Michaels, Halfway to Hazard, Lucas Hoge, House Whiskey, Madison Kozak, Kendell Marvel, Ian Munsick, Ray Scott, George Shingleton, Sons of Daughters, and Tara Thompson.

All outdoor daytime stages, including both the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe and Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage, are free and open to the public.

Nashville Film Festival To Host Tower Records Documentary Screening

/by

The 49th annual Nashville Film Festival has added five new film screenings to the lineup, including a showing of All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records.

The documentary, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Sean M. Stuart, follows the rise and fall of former retail giant Tower Records. Founded by Russ Solomon in a small town drugstore in 1960, Tower Records would become a retail industry powerhouse with more than 200 stores in 30 countries. In 1999, Tower Records made $1 billion. Less than a decade later, the company filed for bankruptcy. While most attribute the retail store’s fall to the rise of music downloads and later streaming, the documentary explores deeper reasons for the company’s closure.

The opening night for this year’s Nashville Film Festival will also include the musical documentary Out On A Limb, a behind-the-scenes look at rock star Steven Tyler, told through interviews, first-person narrative, and a live performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

 

The Nashville Film Festival runs May 10-19 at Regal Hollywood Stadium 27. For more, visit nashvillefilmfestival.org

Riser House’s Dillon Carmichael Preps August Release For Debut Album

/by

Newcomer Dillon Carmichael, who recently signed artist and publishing deals with Riser House, will release his debut album Hell On An Angel on Aug. 17.

The 10-track album was produced by Dave Cobb. Carmichael co-wrote six tracks on the album, in addition to “Old Flame,” which Carmichael wrote solo. The track “Country Women” features a co-writing credit from Jon Pardi.

A talent for music runs in Carmichael’s family. His father performed in a Southern Gospel Quartet, his mother sang around eastern Kentucky, and Carmichael’s uncles are country entertainers John Michael Montgomery and Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery.

This summer, Carmichael is slated to open for Montgomery Gentry, Josh Turner, Randy Houser, Ben Haggard and more.

Hell On An Angel tracklist:
1. Natural Disaster (Anthony Smith, Chris Wallin)
2. It’s Simple (Carmichael, Larry McCoy, Chris Rodgers, Neal Coty)
3. Country Women (Jon Pardi, Jim Kaufman, Britton Cameron)
4. Hell On An Angel (Carmichael, Daniel Smalley)
5. Dancin’ Away With My Heart (Carmichael, McCoy, Coty)
6. Hard On A Hangover (Becky Montgomery, Robert Jason Young)
7. What Would Hank Do (Carmichael, Jordan Rager, Houston Phillips)
8. Might Be A Cowboy (Carmichael, Joey Hollis, Tom O’Connor)
9. Old Flame (Carmichael)
10. Dixie Again (Carmichael, Aaron Raitiere, Leroy Powell)

Dierks Bentley Introduces ‘The Mountain’

/by

Dierks Bentley brought The Mountain to Music Row on Wednesday morning, April 25.

At what was billed as an “intimate album preview” held at Southern Ground Studio, the country star talked about his latest project and aired its tracks over the facility’s speakers. The Mountain was largely written and recorded in Telluride, Colorado. Wednesday’s brunch event marked its Nashville debut.

“This whole experience was transformative for me,” said Bentley of making The Mountain. “I felt like we’d gone as far as we could go with Black [his previous album]. So we brought in Jon Randall. He added some really cool elements. We went out to Telluride to write songs and make a record….It was a magical experience.

“I feel like there’s a theme through the album of gratitude and celebration. Being out in the mountains was freeing for me.”

In addition to the celebratory single “Woman Amen,” the collection includes such feel-good tracks as “Living,” “You Can’t Bring Me Down” and “Stranger to Myself.”

“Son of the Sun” is a rambling-man groover with swirling guitar figures. “The Mountain” addresses personal struggles that end in triumph. “Nothing On But the Stars” is a romance, while “Goodbye in Telluride” is about the end of romance. “One Way” is at once breezy and wistful.

Brothers Osborne are his guests on the dynamic, churning rocker “Burning Man,” the likely second single. Brandi Carlile joins him on vocals in the joyous, bluegrass-y “Travelin’ Light,” which also features Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien and Jerry Douglas.

The latter two reappear, providing poetic instrumental backup on the ballad “My Religion.” It is one of three tunes on the collection that Bentley did not co-write. The others are “Burning Man” and the album-closing “How I’m Going Out,” which bids farewell to youth and fame.

Randall and his wife Jessi Alexander co-wrote that finale track. He co-produced the album with Ross Copperman, and the two of them provide instrumental support on many tracks, as does Bush.

The Mountain is slated for release on June 8.

Robert K. Oermann speaks with Dierks Bentley.

Tony Brown To Sign New Book At Country Hall Of Fame And Museum Event

/by

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will host a book signing for the launch of Tony Brown’s Elvis, Strait, to Jesus: An Iconic Producer’s Journey with Legends of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Country & Gospel Music on Thursday, May 3 in the museum’s 5th Avenue lobby.

Brown’s coffee table book explores his 40-plus year career as a hit producer, player and record executive and includes insights from many of the legendary artists and industry heavyweights whose work he has shaped. The book highlights the career that has been responsible for more than 100 No. 1 hits with artists ranging from Reba McEntire, George Strait, Lionel Richie, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, and Joe Cocker, to Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Patty Loveless, and Barbra Streisand. Photography by Rick and Melissa Core-Caballo are featured throughout the publication, accompanied by images from Brown’s personal archives.

Each celebrity, artist, or collaborator posed in Brown’s French renaissance chair while illustrating their history together for the book, and the exact chair featured throughout the entirety of the book will be at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during the signing for attendees to pose and take photos. The event is free and open to the public.

The book will be available on May 1 at all book and gift stores, including the Museum Store at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Pre orders can be purchased at tonybrownenterprises.com and copies will be available at the event for purchase and signing.

 

Consignment Retailer Boosts ‘Nashville’ Presence With TV Wardrobe Sale

/by

Consignment luxury retailer The RealReal is boosting their presence in Nashville with the listing of hundreds of items straight off the set of Nashville. The flash sale, which began Tuesday, April 24, includes a wardrobe collection compiled since the first days of the drama on ABC.

The RealReal Luxury managers in Nashville Megan Eustis and Lauren Patterson work with local clients who want to consign items from their closet through The RealReal’s white glove service. This exclusive TV project, though, began after the last episode aired on CMT July 26 with RealReal reps sifting through rare finds from Lionsgate.

The offerings include nearly 1,000 women’s items, and 200 mens items, also including jewelry and children’s clothing. The one-of-a-kind pieces will not last long.

Visit TheRealReal.com to browse the flash sale.

Brantley Gilbert Honors Waffle House Hero James Shaw Jr.

/by

Pictured (L-R): Brantley Gilbert and James Shaw Jr.

After recording artist Brantley Gilbert heard about the recent shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, he decided he wanted to do something to honor the shooting victims, as well as James Shaw, Jr., who heroically disarmed the gunman during the attack.

“When you see someone like James, who just jumped up and did what he did – and you think about the lives he saved, you realize what a special kind of guy he is,” Gilbert says. “I called my manager, Rich Egan, who heads up the I Believe In Nashville coalition, and asked if there was any way we could do something that would shine a light and remind everyone that heroes can be real life people.”

Nashville Writers Honored At ASCAP’s 35th Annual Pop Music Awards

/by

Pictured (L-R): Toni Osborne, Josh Osborne, guest host songwriter/producer Antonina Armato, Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley

ASCAP hosted its 35th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on Monday, April 23, at the historic Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles before a packed audience of songwriters, composers, producers and music industry executives.

A spotlight was on ASCAP Founders Award winner Desmond Child, who has written indelible hits over five decades like “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and, more recently in 2015, “Beautiful Now” by Zedd. Rock icons Alice Cooper and Paul Stanley of KISS helped pay tribute to Child. Cooper delivered a hard-hitting performance of their hit, “Poison,” while Stanley bestowed the award onstage to Child, who was also honored with a medley of his hits by singer Justin Benlolo. The ASCAP Founders Award is presented to ASCAP songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators, and adds Child to the ranks of such past recipients as Jackson Browne, Billy Joel, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty and more.

Nashville-based hit country songwriters Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt and Josh Osborne were honored for Hunt’s crossover smash “Body Like a Back Road,” which Crowell also produced.

Pictured: Paul Stanley, Desmond Child, Alice Cooper

​Pictured (L-R): ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews, Zach Crowell, ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, Josh Osborne, ASCAP President & Chairman Paul Williams and ASCAP’s Michael Martin

Pictured (L-R): Marc Emert Hutner, Beth Matthews, Zach Crowell, Darrell Brown

Warner Bros. Recording Studios Nashville Gets Gear Upgrade

/by

The Neve VR60 console, the centerpiece of Studio A.

Warner Bros. Recording Studios Nashville is now equipped with a variety of new and upgraded gear in both of its recording facilities, the larger Studio A and compact Studio B. Both facilities are available to book for in-house and independent clients.

Studio A is a facility for bands and large ensemble recording sessions with one of the last remaining large-format analog recording consoles in Nashville. A newly upgraded array of Avid HD audio interfaces, an Antelope Audio Isochrone OCX word clock, and a 16-core Mac Pro workstation provide fast and reliable recording. The upgrades also include eight new Classical Audio Products, Inc. FD312 “Heider” preamps.

Studio B, a room for overdub recording and writing/programming sessions, has been upgraded with Avid HD audio interfaces, a 16-core Mac Pro workstation, and an Antelope Audio Isochrone OCX word clock. A Grace M905 monitoring system serves as the studio’s centerpiece. A pair of Empirical Labs EL-8 Distressors as well as brand new preamps and EQs from Classic Audio Products Inc. and Shadow Hills expand the versatility of this space. A variety of new microphones, such as the Wunder Audio CM-7, have also been included in the studios.

“The ease and efficiency of working with Madli Kents [Alto Music], Jeff Steigen [Classic Audio Products Inc.], and Mike Castoro [Wunder Audio] was critical for the completion of the upgrade plans,” said Clarke Schleicher, director of studio services.

Studio B’s control room and upgraded equipment.

Music Modernization Act Passes U.S. House With Unanimous Vote

/by

Rep. Doug Collins, R-GA

The Music Modernization Act, (MMA) H.R. 5447, was adopted today (April 25) by a unanimous vote (415-0) by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate, where a hearing is scheduled for May 15 in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“We are an important step closer to the adoption of this landmark copyright reform legislation,” said Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) President Steve Bogard. “I’ve seen too many of my colleagues give up writing songs professionally because of unfairly low streaming royalties and other changes in the era of digital music delivery. The MMA gives us tools to move toward better compensation from streaming companies, while giving songwriters and music publishers control of digital mechanical music licensing.”

The Music Modernization Act would change a 1909 mechanical royalty standard to one that reflects a song’s worth in today’s marketplace. The bill also creates a new Music Licensing Collective governed by songwriters and music publishers, and mandates equitable distribution to songwriters of any unclaimed funds.

Other portions of the bill include:

  • Changing the lifetime appointment of a single rate court judge for ASCAP and BMI to a fairer method, similar to other federal court appointments
  • Altering Section 114(i) of the Copyright Act, allowing a rate court to consider all relevant evidence on a “willing buyer / willing seller” basis when determining songwriter compensation – including the rates that recording artists earn – which is currently prohibited by law
  • Ending the Copyright Office mass “Notice of Intent” program
  • Providing federal protection to sound recordings made before February 15, 1972 and brings these “pre-72” recordings under the same federal licensing system applied to “post-72” recordings
  • Allowing music producers to be paid directly by Sound Exchange.

“This is an historic day for music creators,” said SoundExchange’s CEO Michael Huppe. “Today’s overwhelming support in the House for the Music Modernization Act reflects the bill’s widespread consensus, both across the aisle and across the music industry. This legislation stands to benefit artists, songwriters, labels, publishers, studio producers and others – many of whom are represented by the SoundExchange Companies.

Huppe continued, “The Music Modernization Act includes provisions SoundExchange has advocated for over many years, as we work to advance fair treatment for all creators involved in bringing our music to life. We are grateful that lawmakers in the House worked to update our nation’s copyright laws for the digital age, and we look forward to working with the Senate to get this legislation passed quickly. Music creators have waited long enough.”

“The House passage of the Music Modernization Act is truly historic for songwriters and the entire music ecosystem which they fuel,” said NMPA’s David Israelite. “The MMA improves how songwriters are paid and how their work is valued, both of which are long overdue. The bill also helps digital streaming companies by giving them access to all the music their consumers want to enjoy.”

Israelite added, “I am immensely grateful to Congressmen Doug Collins and Hakeem Jeffries who have seen this process through from the beginning and have stood by songwriters through a complex and lengthy collaboration process, and to Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Nadler for getting this bill to the House floor. Today’s vote sends a strong message that streaming services and songwriters can be on the same side – pushing for a better future for all. We now look forward to the Senate advancing the MMA and it ultimately becoming law.”