Eric Paslay Honored With Two MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins
Pictured (L-R): Eric Paslay with MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson. Photo: Molly Hannula
Eric Paslay visited the MusicRow office on Wednesday (Aug. 24), where he was presented with two MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins.
The EMI Records Nashville singer-songwriter was honored for his hit “Song About a Girl,” which topped the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart on July 10, 2014. The song was co-written by Paslay, Jessi Alexander and Gordie Sampson. Publishers for the track include Cal IV Songs, Five Stone Publishing, Party Of Five Music, Bughouse, ASCAP/Dash8 Music, Bug Music, and BMG Chrysalis Music.
Eric Paslay accepts his MusicRow Challenge Coins for “Song About A Girl” and “Rewind.” Photo: Molly Hannula
Paslay was also recognized for co-writing “Rewind,” recorded by Rascal Flatts. The track topped the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart on April 3, 2014. “Rewind” was co-written by Paslay, Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley. Publishers on the track include EMI April Music, Sugar Glider Music, External Combustion Music, Out Of The Taperoom Music, Songs Of Southside Independent Music Publishing, and Cal IV Songs.
Since 2014, every artist and songwriter who achieves a No. 1 single on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart earns a MusicRow Challenge Coin.
Paslay is currently on the road with Toby Keith as part of the Interstates and Tailgates Tour, presented by Ford F-Series. Inspired by his current single, “Angels In This Town,” Paslay has been making “angel visits” to perform at local hospitals, Ronald McDonald houses, and other charities during each tour stop.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Molly Hannula, Craig Shelburne and Troy Stephenson; Eric Paslay; MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, Eric Parker, and Jessica Nicholson
Weekly Chart Report (8/19/16)
Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Industry Ink: ABC Radio, SOLID, Dueling Pianos For WAVES
ABC Radio Reveals Greatest Modern Country Duets Labor Day Special
Country music will be spotlighted on ABC Radio, as part of a Labor Day weekend music special, “Modern Country Duets.” Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and her mother, country singer Linda Davis, will highlight some of country music’s best duets, including music from Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley and more, as well as Davis’ Grammy-winning duet with Reba McEntire, “Does He Love You.” Scott and Davis will also share songs from the family’s new album, Love Remains.
Other radio special slated to release during Labor Day weekend include “ABC News Radio’s Powerhouse Politics: 5 Things To Know,” “Back to School Survival Guide,” and “ABC Radio’s 10% Happier with Dan Harris.”
SOLID To Host Red Rubber Showdown Kickball Tournament
Nashville’s Society of Leaders In Development (SOLID) will host the Red Rubber Showdown kickball tournament on Saturday (Aug. 20) at West Park. The event will benefit St. Paul’s Foundation’s Ryan’s Guitars Project, which provides guitars and music instruction for poor and refugee children in the Middle East, including those affected by the Syrian Refugee Crisis.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m., with the double elimination kickball tournament beginning at 9:30 a.m. Team registration fee is $240 (teams of 12-14 people required). Registration is open to the public and can be done by team captains.
The event will also include a Chill Zone, complete with water guns, kiddie pools and more, along with a Bark Zone featuring a pool, toys and treats for pup attendees. Lunch will be provided by Freebirds. West Park is located at 6105 Morrow Rd, Nashville, TN 37209.
Mike Reid, Phil Vassar Set For Piano Duel For Charity
Mike Reid and Phil Vassar will entertain crowds with a piano duel for a second year, to benefit the charitable program Waves.
Presented by Franklin Synergy Bank, the event will take place Sept. 8 from 6 pm. to 9:30 p.m. at BA Properties at 111 Alpha Drive in Franklin, Tennessee. Blair Garner will serve as the emcee, and Cumulus/NASH FM 103.3 will be the media sponsor.
Tickets are $100 in advance, or $125 at the door. For tickets, visit wavesinc.com.
Ty Bentli Replacing Blair Garner On ‘America’s Morning Show’
Ty Bentli
Cumulus Media has named Ty Bentli as the new co-host of America’s Morning Show, replacing Blair Garner. Bentli will join current co-hosts Kelly Ford and Chuck Wicks starting on Sept. 6.
Blair Garner
Garner will host the new overnight show The Blair Garner Show, debuting this fall. The show marks a return to overnight programming for Garner, who achieved success as host of the long-running nationally syndicated overnight show, After Midnite, which aired from 1993-2013.
Garner’s new overnight show will replace Kickin’ It With Kix. However, show hosts Kix Brooks and Suzanne Alexander will stay on with American Country Countdown, syndicated by Westwood One nationally. Brooks inked an extended multi-year partnership agreement with Cumulus last week.
Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Content and Programming/Cumulus Media, said: “These are exciting and dramatic moves. We are fortunate to have such brilliant talent in our company. Blair first approached me a couple months ago with the desire to recreate his successful overnight show on a grand scale and the search for his replacement in the morning began. Ty Bentli has been a part of our company for the past two years as a morning talent in D.C. and has already worked with Kelly and Chuck on the Red Carpet at our award show broadcasts. Kix will continue with his highly successful American Country Countdown and Suzanne Alexander will continue to partner with him. The NASH campus is a stable of talent and superstars.”
Artist Updates: The Band Perry, Jennifer Nettles, The Bass Brothers
The Band Perry Perform “Comeback Kid” At 2016 Summer Olympics
The Band Perry with U.S. Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt. Photo: Owen Thomas
The Band Perry performed their new single, “Comeback Kid,” live from the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was part of the Citi Concert Series on Today. The band also met Olympic medal winners Allison Schmidt and Steele Johnson.
The Band Perry with U.S. Olympic diver Steele Johnson. Photo: Owen Thomas
Jennifer Nettles To Perform At NAB Marconi Radio Awards
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles will perform at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show, slated for Thursday, Sept. 22. The event will be held during the 2016 Radio Show, scheduled Sept. 21-23 at Nashville’s Omni Hotel.
Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards recognize stations and individuals for excellence in the industry.
“Jennifer Nettles is a truly phenomenal country music performer, with awards and accolades recognizing both her voice and songwriting abilities,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. “We thank Big Machine Label Group and Scott Borchetta for connecting us and look forward to what will surely be an unforgettable performance.”
The Bass Brothers Showcase New Songs At 12th & Porter
Pictured (L-R): Kate Richardson, Richlyn Marketing; Nathan Bass; Lynn Tinsey, Richlyn Marketing; Mark and Kieran Bass; Michelle Garramone and Cat Denton, Richlyn Marketing
British band The Bass Brothers performed an industry showcase at 12th & Porter on Tuesday night (Aug. 9), performing new music they’ve been recording with producer David Huff. The trio has spent the summer in Nashville with numerous gigs around town, in addition to an official spot during the CMA Music Festival. The band’s public relations team is Richlyn Marketing.
Promotion Staff Changes At Reviver Entertainment Group
Bob Reeves, Sr. Vice President of Promotion for Reviver Entertainment Group, has announced changes for Reviver Records and the 1608 regional radio promotion staff.
Paul Williams, Suzanne Durham and Glenn Noblit, all former 1608 regional directors, will join Amara Hall and Dave Collins as Reviver Records regional managers. Williams will serve as Northeast regional manager, Durham will lead as midwest regional manager and Noblit will move into the Southwest regional manager position, effective immediately. Hall becomes Reviver Records’ Northeast regional manager and Collins continues as West Coast regional manager.
1608 regional promotion managers now include Clay Henderson leading the Southwest/Midwest and Ben Bieri overseeing the West Coast. An East Coast regional manager will be announced soon. Hayley Cowoski continues as promotion coordinator for Reviver Records and 1608. All regional managers and radio promotion staff members will report to Reeves.
“We’re thrilled to have these seasoned pros lead our radio promotion in their respective regions. Their experience is unrivaled and we know their drive, creativity and passion will generate consistent victories,” Reeves said.
Reviver Entertainment Group encompasses Reviver Records, Reviver Label Services, 1608, Reviver Publishing and Reviver Productions. Reviver Entertainment Group launched in June 2016.
Industry Ink: ASCAP, Americana Music Association, Cumulus Media
ASCAP To Celebrate Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann Single With Music Row Party
Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice will celebrate their collaboration, “A Little More Love,” with a free s’mores party in Nashville. The event will be held at ASCAP’s parking lot on Friday (Aug. 12) from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The duet is Niemann’s first release since signing with Curb Records in March. Brice is also on Curb’s roster.
Americanafest NYC Celebrates Third Year With 40th Anniversary Tribute To “The Last Waltz”
Pictured (L-R): Kristina “Red” Tanner (ROAR), Matt Maher (ROAR), Richard Story (President, Commercial Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment), Adam Block (President, Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment), Bob Weir, Kraig Fox (ROAR), Jed Hilly (Americana Music Association), Liz Norris (ROAR), Bernie Cahill (ROAR) and Matt Busch (ROAR). (Photo Credit: Gary Gershoff)
Americanafest NYC celebrated the third year of its partnership with Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors Series, with a 40th anniversary tribute to The Last Waltz. The event featured Bob Weir, Dr. John, Buddy Miller, Lucinda Williams, Howard Johnson, Patty Griffin, Anderson East and Parker Millsap with Those Pretty Wrongs, Mary Gauthier, The Cactus Blossoms, Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones and Dwight Yoakam rounding out the weekend.
“We were thrilled with the attendance and want to thank, again, the team at Lincoln Center for their incredible partnership. This event keeps getting better and better,” says Americana Music Association’s Executive Director Jed Hilly.
Cumulus Media Names Jeff Meltesen To New Role
Jeff Meltesen
Cumulus Media-Nashville has appointed Jeff Meltesen, formerly publisher of NASH Country Weekly, as Senior Account Executive / Sponsorship Sales. Meltesen will report to Rhonda Rollins, General Sales Manager for NASH FM 103.3 (WKDF) and 95.5 NASH ICON (WSM-FM), and will focus on advertising solutions for clients on Cumulus’ country radio stations and sponsorship sales of events and promotions for all stations in the cluster.
Meltesen can be reached at 615-312-3517 or at [email protected].
Industry Ink: Kristian Bush, BBR Music Group, Songs For Sound
Open Casting For ‘Troubadour’ Play Set For Aug. 15 At TPAC
Kristian Bush
An open talent casting call for a new play, Troubadour, will take place Aug. 15 at TPAC in Nashville. Written by Janece Shaffer, the play will have its world premiere on Jan. 18 and run through Feb. 12 at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.
A romantic comedy set in 1950s Nashville, Troubadour follows the son of a country music legend who joins forces with a singer-songwriter and a rodeo tailor to carry on his father’s legacy. Kristian Bush has penned a set of original, period-accurate tunes for the production and will be onsite for the auditions to weigh in on the casting.
BBR Music Group Adds Promotion Coordinator
Lexi Willson BBR Music Group
Lexi Willson has been added as the new Promotion Coordinator for RED BOW and Wheelhouse Records, effective immediately.
While studying Communications and Public Relations at Sacramento State University, Willson worked as a promotions assistant at KNTY/Sacramento for three years and was a social media intern at Make-A-Wish Foundation for Northeastern California and Northern Nevada. Following her graduation in December 2015, she made the cross-country trip to Nashville to further her career in the music industry.
“Wheelhouse is proud to add another Sacramento radio alumni to our team!!!” says Teddi Bonadies, VP/Promotion of Wheelhouse Records.
“Lexi’s excitement about the industry and passion for promotion, make me very excited about adding her to Team RED BOW! She will make our family complete!” adds Shelley Hargis Gaines, VP/Promotion of RED BOW Records.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the BBR Music Group family!” says Willson. “I learned a lot about radio promotions at KNTY, and I’m excited for the challenge to learn all things promotion on the label side. I could not be more excited to embark on this new adventure!”
Willson will report directly to Gaines and to Bonadies. Willson can be reached at 615-610-2127 and at [email protected].
Rascal Flatts Tour Hosts Songs For Sound Project
Lexi Vernon & Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts
Nashville-based organization Songs for Sound was on-site at a Rascal Flatts concert on Sunday (Aug. 7) in Chicago to provide free hearing screenings for fans as well as crew members.
The organization’s founder is Jaime Vernon, who is married to the younger brother of Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox. The Vernons’ 8-year-old daughter, Lexi, received bilateral cochlear implants at 18 months old.
“As a musician I live and breathe music and can’t imagine a world without being able to hear,” says LeVox. “This is a cause that really hits home for me. I know Lexi lives life to the fullest, including a gift we all need – music. I’m so glad to have the Hear the Music Project come and teach our fans about the importance of healthy ears, and I’m so proud that it’s from my family.”