Weekly Chart Report (1/17/14)
To access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Report, click here or above.
Grand Ole Opry Returns To CRS 2014 with Star-Studded Lineup
The Grand Ole Opry will return for the kick-off night of CRS 2014 on Feb. 19, 2014 at the Nashville Convention Center.
The star-studded lineup includes Opry members Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts and Old Crow Medicine Show, along with Thompson Square, Love & Theft, Brandy Clark, Will Hoge, and Eric Paslay. The event will begin at 7 p.m., immediately following the annual CRS Opening Night Welcome Reception. All CRS attendees can attend, with both seating and standing room available. The Grand Ole Opry at CRS is sponsored by My Well-Being Powered by Humana and the performances are Powered by Live Nation.
“We were thrilled to introduce the Opry to CRS last year,” said Opry Vice-President and General Manager Pete Fisher. “The show was a home run, and we’re looking forward to making history again at CRS 2014.”
The Opry, radio’s longest-running program, has rarely staged shows outside its regular program schedule and its permanent home (the Grand Ole Opry House) or its winter residence (Ryman Auditorium). Past Opry performances played outside the show’s home venues include performances staged at theaters such as New York City’s Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
CRS 2014 will be held February 19-21 at the Nashville Convention Center. To register for CRS visit countryradioseminar.com.
Tim McGraw's 'Sundown Heaven Town 2014 Tour' Coming in May
Tim McGraw will crisscross the country this summer on his headlining Sundown Heaven Town 2014 Tour in May. Fans can purchase tickets beginning Jan. 24 in select cities as part of Live Nation’s Country Megaticket.
Official tour dates on the 30+ city tour will be released at a later date. McGraw’s latest single, “Lookin’ For That Girl,” was sent to radio today (Jan. 13).
“This last year was unbelievable, and I don’t have any plans to let off the gas now. We didn’t want to waste any time getting new music out,” said McGraw. “With every album, my approach is to push a few of my own boundaries and try things I’ve never done before. It was hard to choose a lead single off this project because I really felt like we had six or seven good options. I kept coming back to ‘Lookin For That Girl’ because even though it may be a little different for me sonically, I couldn’t get it out of my head!”
SUNDOWN HEAVEN TOWN 2014 Tour Cities
Sacramento, Calif.
Mountain View, Calif.
Phoenix
San Diego
Irvine, Calif.
Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
Cleveland, Ohio
Hartford, Conn.
Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia
Virginia Beach, Va.
Charlotte, N.C.
Raleigh, N.C.
St. Louis
Chicago
Cincinnati
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Tampa, Fla.
Brooklyn, Mich.
St. Clairsville, Ohio
Toronto, ON
Atlanta
Salt Lake City
Albuquerque, N.M.
Houston
Dallas
Clear Channel Extends Pittman's Contract
Bob Pittman
CC Media Holdings has extended the contract of Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman for an additional five-year term. Pittman joined Clear Channel in November 2010 as Chairman of Media and Entertainment Platforms. He became the CEO in 2011 and added the Chairman responsibilities in 2013.
The company also announced that John Hogan, Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, is retiring. He has been awarded the title of Chairman emeritus of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. Hogan joined Clear Channel in 1999 when the company acquired Jacor Communications, where he was Sr. VP of Radio. He became President and CEO of Clear Channel Radio in 2002. He was named Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment in 2012.
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment will now report directly to Pittman and Clear Channel’s President and Chief Financial Officer, Rich Bressler. William Eccleshare continues as CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor and reports to Pittman.
Industry Ink (1/13/14)
Country Radio Seminar has added three panels to the CRS 2014 agenda. “Amplify Your Average Quarter Hour with Word-of-Mouth,” “Brand Like A Rock Star” and “Time Management in the Digital Age” are newly released educational presentations that have been added to the three-day event.
During “Brand Like A Rock Star” (Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, from 9:00-9:50 a.m.), Steve Jones will speak on the keys to branding businesses, based around his bestseller book, Brand Like a Rock Star. Andrew Curran (President of DMR/Interactive) and Fletcher Keyes (Program Director for Today’s Q106/WWQM in Madison, Wis.) will co-host the panel “Amplify Your AQH with Word-of-Mouth,” (Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.), which includes discussion on how Country stations are empowering the audience to generate new levels of engagement and success. The session “Time Management in the Digital Age” (Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, from 9:00 – 9:50 a.m.) will focus on career coaching, management skills and working efficiently in the radio and recording industries. President/CEO of Petra Coach, Andy Bailey, will lead the presentation.
CRS 2014 will be held Feb. 19 – 21, 2014, in downtown Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.
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Megan McNair is taking over public relations duties at Sugar Hill Records, effective immediately. McNair can be reached at [email protected] or 615-465-6763.
Sugar Hill’s previous public relations director, Jess Draper, has accepted a position outside the music industry. She can be reached at [email protected].
• • •
Beginning on Monday, Jan. 20, Nashville restaurant The Row will begin offering breakfast options Monday through Friday (brunch is already offered on Saturdays and Sundays) from 6:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.
“When it comes to breakfast in Midtown, there just aren’t many options,” says founder Kelly Black. “We wanted a menu that celebrates southern favorites like steak & eggs & fried chicken & biscuits. We also wanted to add healthier options like free range eggs, steel cut oatmeal, multigrain pancakes & parfait to give fresh choices on kick starting your day. Who said southern couldn’t be healthy?”
For more information, visit therownashville.com.
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MTS Management Group and Americana/Alt-country singer-songwriter, Jiggley Jones, have announced Jones’ signing with Lamon Records Nashville.
Recording for Jones’ first album with the label will begin in January. It will be the follow-up to his 2012 EP, No Spring Chicken.
Weekly Chart Report (1/10/14)
To access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Report, click here or above.
Charlie Cook On Air: How To Move Up In The Business
Charlie Cook
Many years ago in a land far away, Ypsilanti, Mich., I packed up my Camaro and after giving away many things, including a dining room set, I drove to Denver and went to work for KLAK. There I met a fellow disc jockey who would become a lifelong friend and also a future and ex-wife.
This was my first really good job and I learned a great deal about being a disc jockey and the friends I made there are still people I talk to every week. That little AM station in Denver spawned three Country Radio/Disc Jockey Hall of Famers by the way. Not many (if any) single stations can claim that.
Years later, that then current and now still ex-wife and I, packed up, gave away furniture again and headed east to another radio job. This time Wheeling, W.V. There I met a competitor who would become my 30 year business partner in McVay Media.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. (That represents many other car packings and belongings purgings.)
The radio business is very similar to the record business in that there are always other opportunities that appear more attractive in the minute. The difference is often that the radio guy must put miles on his car when he changes jobs. In the record business, the new office in just a block or two away.
Well, on Dec. 22, 2013 I packed up my car, gave away a TON of stuff, and left Morgantown, W.V. for Nashville. It seems like I have been doing this for decades because I have. This is the last time. With that knowledge, I am truly excited about working with the great staff at Cumulus/Nashville. I’m even thinking about selling my car so that I won’t be tempted.
As I look back, I must say I made two great friends those many years ago and coincidentally I am back with both of them here in Nashville. The ex-wife…not so much.
Many young broadcasters ask me how to move up in the business. I have three suggestions.
1. Buy a big car.
2. Be willing to give away a lot of your stuff.
3. Make friends at each stop.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
Big & Rich Forms New Label, Prepare New Album and Single
Big & Rich
Big & Rich has charged into 2014 with the formation of their own label, Big & Rich Records. Kobalt Label Services (KLS) will be the official label services partner.
As Kobalt’s second Country signing, Big & Rich joins artists including Martina McBride, Prince, New Kids On The Block, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, who utilize KLS’ customized services and self-release their music. The duo’s currently untitled, forthcoming fifth studio album will release later this year. The project was recorded in Nashville and was produced by John Rich and Big Kenny.
The duo will release the album’s first single, “Look At You,” to radio soon. “Look At You” was penned by Rich and Shannon Lawson. New Revolution Entertainment (NRE) will provide national radio promotion. The company is led by Rob Dalton and Jeff Solima.
“2014 is a new milestone for us. We’re completely invigorated to be working with Kobalt and New Revolution and taking this new approach for this exciting album. The music is very fresh, and we’re in a new creative groove which we hope our fans and new audiences will like,” said John Rich and Big Kenny in a joint statement.
“All of us at NRE are over the top excited about this partnership. ‘Look At You’ is a very obvious sounding commercial smash. This project is top shelf and deep with big singles,” said Dalton.Diarmuid Quinn, President of Kobalt Label Services North America, said, “I’m thrilled to be back in business with Big & Rich and I treasure my relationship with John and Big Kenny. We were lucky enough to sign them during my tenure at Warner Bros. and they’re two of the most prolific and creative artists I’ve had the opportunity to work with. They’ve delivered an incredible studio album to us that we are eager to help bring to the world. “
Rascal Flatts Press Play On 'Rewind'
Rascal Flatts kicked off their “Rewind” Radio Tour on Wednesday (Jan. 8) with a special event in Nashville. The trio will promote the new single from their forthcoming studio album by visiting radio across the country. Pictured (L-R): Joe Don Rooney, Big Machine Records SVP Jack Purcell, Big Machine Records Sr. Promotion Director Erik Powell, Jay DeMarcus, Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Gary LeVox, and Big Machine Label Group SVP John Zarling.
Rascal Flatts is pulsing into a new career phase with hot single “Rewind,” which debuted at a press event this morning (Jan. 8) in Nashville. It’s a “good way to bridge the gap between familiar Rascal Rlatts and a new era of Rascal Flatts,” explained Jay DeMarcus to the crowd assembled at Houston Station.
It’s ironic that a song named “Rewind” marks a leap forward, but the band said it is representative of the upcoming album, where they sought new, fresh ways to tell stories. Penned by Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley and Eric Paslay, the lyrics are about a night you want to do all over again: “Un-touch your skin/ un-kiss your lips and kiss ‘em again/…. this is one night/ that I wish I could rewind.” It was recorded at DeMarcus’ studio. Though he has been tallying production credits for several years, this is the first time he and the band have co-produced their own songs. Also contributing tracks to the album is longtime collaborator Dann Huff, and rock/pop stalwart Howard Benson.
During a 12-month recording process, the longest in the band’s history, they searched for songs and a sound that would appeal to longtime fans but fall in line with current country music. Noting a shift in country radio since their debut single in 2000, the group didn’t only want to please radio, they also needed material they believed in and could sing with conviction. They knew that if their music wasn’t authentic it wouldn’t resonate with fans. DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney pushed the creative envelope and recorded songs they wouldn’t have done in the past. By the end of such a lengthy process, it was natural that they started second-guessing some of their choices, especially as top-notch material continued to pile in. One of those late arrivals was “Rewind.”
The title of the single prompted the band to reflect on their whirlwind ride over the last 14 years. “I wish we could rewind some of the special moments that flew past us,” admitted LeVox. Just as they did for that first single, the guys are headed out on a radio tour. Following this morning’s event, they hopped a plane to Houston to kick off a 10-day sprint, hitting two or three cities per day. Commandeering the trip is Big Machine Records Sr. VP Promotion Jack Purcell, who is celebrating his 50th birthday today.Along with a fresh sound, in recent years Rascal Flatts has built a new team by signing with Big Machine and manager Clarence Spalding. DeMarcus thanked BMLG head Scott Borchetta for not pressuring them with recording deadlines. He said, “We had to get over a hump, creatively, to find our stride.”
Next up, Rascal Flatts will hit the road with Sheryl Crow. As in years past, fans can expect plenty of pre-show and parking lot action. Those events will tie in to the group’s charitable initiatives with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and Make A Wish, which LeVox called a “magical and important part of our lives.”
Songwriters Line Up For Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley at CRS
For the third consecutive year, Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley will return to Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 20 with an all-star lineup of hit songwriters.
Ben Hayslip, Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Brandy Clark, Ashley Gorley, Rodney Clawson, Brett James, Matt Jenkins, Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson are set to perform at the event, which is presented by Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 and co-sponsored by SunTrust Bank. Kingsley will host the event.
This year’s Acoustic Alley will be held on Feb. 20 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the Renaissance Hotel’s Belmont Room. Food and beverages will be available. A CRS badge will be required for admittance.
CRS 2014 $499 Regular registration rate expires Jan. 13. On-site registration increases to $599 and is effective Jan. 14. For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.