Magnolia, Mullins, Messina, And More

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Steel Magnolia (Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones) recently taped "CMT Southern Fried Flicks with Hazel Smith."

Capitol Records Nashville recording artist Eric Church joined NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne on Wednesday night for the Budweiser One Night Stand event at Coyote Joe's in Charlotte, NC. Pictured from L to R: Eric Church & Kasey Kahne Photo Credit: HHP Images

Eric Church (L) joined NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne for the Budweiser One Night Stand at Coyote Joe's in Charlotte, NC. Photo: HHP Images


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Megan Mullins has been playing with pop star Shakira lately, adding keyboard, fiddle and background vocals. As part of the gig, Mullins has appeared on Dancing With The Stars, America’s Got Talent, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Saturday Night Live, and will tour Europe and Latin America. In the meantime, her label Stoney Creek is readying her next single for radio, and working labelmate Ash Bowers’ debut single “Stuck.” Bowers is on the road opening for Jason Aldean’s Wide Open Tour, and Eric Church’s Young and Wild (er) Tour.

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Jo Dee Messina is focusing on fan interaction. She has given out her cell phone number (615-866-1681) to followers on Twitter and Saynow, and is inviting them to give her a call. One night she spent an hour and a half chatting with fans on the phone. She kicks her fan involvement up another notch this weekend with the addition of her “Nightcap with Jo Dee” after-show parties following select dates on her Music Room Series Tour. The party will be broadcast live across the Internet.

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Darryl Worley recently visited The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca on WTVF-Nashville Newschannel 5+. On the show co-hosted by Chuck Long and Becca Walls, Worley discusses his latest project which features Jamey Johnson, Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson, John Anderson, Ira Dean, John Cowan and Steve Harwell (Smashmouth). The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca reaches 45 million households.

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Country rapper Colt Ford appears on the bonus track of the upcoming Joe Nichols CD release, Old Things New. The song is a remix of Nichols’ No. 1 hit “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” and will be promoted to dance clubs. Old Things New will be in stores Oct. 27 via Universal Records South.

Ford is also offering 62 customized versions of his hit football song “Tailgate.” The Average Joe’s Entertainment artist spotlights the SEC and select pro teams for the versions at 40 radio markets and online. His debut album Ride Through The Country is No. 31 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and features special guests John Michael Montgomery, Jamey Johnson, and Adrian Young (No Doubt). In addition, Ford’s Wal-mart exclusive CD/DVD release sold 2,276 albums its first week in stores. He’s been opening select dates this fall for Jason Aldean and Larry The Cable Guy.

Google Making Music?

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google_logoOutlets including TechCrunch are reporting that Google has a music service in the works. Possibly called Google Audio, the company has been securing licensing from major labels. No details on whether it will offer streaming, downloads, or both. Wired.com says the site, which includes a video component, could launch next week in the U.S. The brains at Google have also been hard at work building the back-end for the new major label music video site Vevo.

Faith Launches Fragrance, Taylor Gets Signature Guitar

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fragrance_ad1_lgFaith Hill is launching her first fragrance with a series of short webisodes. Included in the series are conversations with other women, behind- the-scenes videos from her photo shoot, and more. Hill also appears in a new public service announcement encouraging Americans to volunteer their time. The 30-second spot is one of a series of PSAs to be launched this fall on all major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC – as part of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s iParticipate national initiative to promote volunteerism with AARP’s Create the Good.

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mainImageTSwiftTaylor Swift is getting her own signature guitar line in collaboration with Taylor Guitars. The Taylor Swift Baby Taylor guitar (TSBT) is a compact model that features Swift’s design touches. Based on the best-selling Baby Taylor guitar, the TSBT is three-quarters the size of a standard dreadnought, with a slim 1 11/16-inch neck. It is a good size for traveling. The TSBT will be offered at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $398.

New CMA Research Will Be A CRS Highlight

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crs-41Information from the CMA’s recently completed Prime Prospects Study, focusing on consumer trends related to radio and radio Web sites, will be shared with attendees at the upcoming Country Radio Seminar. The study’s findings will be discussed at the CMA Research Presentation on Thurs., Feb. 25 at 11 AM, during CRS-41. That session will be followed by the CMA Research Workshop panel to help attendees analyze the results.

The CMA’s timely research concludes just months before CRS 41 is held, Feb. 24-26, 2010, making it particularly relevant to the current Country Radio and Music industry. The study also includes results from an upcoming fourth quarter Annual Tracking Study.

Last year’s CMA Research Presentation surveyed more than 7,500 consumers in an effort to define key trending statistics for Country music fans, including listener and viewership habits, revenue drivers (“Core” and “Low-Funding”), economic factors and further profile studies of its “CountryPhiles” and “MusicPhiles.”

A detailed schedule of the CRS 41 agenda and confirmed panelists can be found at the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. Web site. The CRS early bird registration rate of $499 ends Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Registration is currently available at the CRB Web site or by contacting the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. offices at 615-327-4487.

Droid To Battle iPhone

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droid225It’s called Droid and it’s coming on strong, directly challenging the iPhone. Scheduled to be available on the Verizon network as early as Oct. 30, the new phone, which runs the Android 2.0 operating system is a technology partnership between Motorola, Verizon and Google.

Some of the new handset’s features include a 3.7-inch touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 5-megapixel autofocus camera with flash, Wifi, bluetooth 2.0 and GPS. According to BoyGeniusReport.com this is the best Android phone yet with “an amazing screen.” BGR also states, “It’s the Android device to beat, and easily the most impressive. From what we’ve been told, Google had a direct hand in the Motorola Droid. Something to the point of almost dictating every move Motorola made when designing and making the phone.”

Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington offers this analysis. “Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will pose a significant threat to Apple’s iPhone.”

The continued rise of smartphones is good news for the entertainment industry, since the new hardware tends to boost consumption of movies, music, TV and web data.

Nashville Draws Dave Matthews to CMAs, Mizrahi to Fashion Show

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Pictured L-R are ASCAP VP/GM Marc Driskill, Dodd, ASCAP VP Dan Keen.

Pictured L-R: ASCAP VP/GM Marc Driskill, Dodd, and ASCAP VP Dan Keen.

The invitation-only ASCAP Country Awards take place tonight, honoring the 50 most performed songs of the year…. Also at ASCAP, songwriter Andy Dodd, the pen behind hits for Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Camp Rock and Jesse McCartney, moved to Nashville recently and visited the organization’s local office.

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The star-packed lineup for “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards” grows even stronger with the announcement today (10/19) that Dave Matthews will join Kenny Chesney to perform “I’m Alive,” which they recorded together for Chesney’s Lucky Old Sun album. Other performers already announced include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band. “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Paisley and Underwood, airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

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The Nashville Symphony’s annual spring fashion show fundraiser will welcome renowned designer Isaac Mizrahi on April 20, in conjunction with luxury clothier Gus Mayer. Mizrahi will be on hand to present his fall 2010 collection and a celebrity will host the event.

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Paul Worley and Jo Dee Messina

Jo Dee Messina has been in the studio with hit producer Paul Worley putting the finishing touches on her upcoming Curb Records release, Unmistakable. Fans can expect a new single soon.

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Gloriana is premiering its second video, “How Far Do You Wanna Go?” on CMT today.

Twitter users can listen to Sugarland’s new Christmas album, Gold and Green.

Wade Bowen premieres the brand new video for “Trouble” exclusively on Yallwire with a personal video introduction.

Warner Bros. Records’ Whitney Duncan and Big Machine’s Steel Magnolia (Meghan Linsey, Joshua Scott Jones) made their Grand Ole Opry debuts over the weekend.
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NBC Debuts Artists in Residence Partnership

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bjNBC Universal is starting an “Artists in Residence” program with Bon Jovi as the first act set to participate. Featured artists will be exposed across NBCU’s multiple platforms and brands, including interviews, musical guest appearances, and guest-starring roles. The “Artists in Residence” project coincides with the Nov. 10 launch of the band’s new studio album, The Circle.

As part of the program, Bon Jovi has confirmed appearances on the special “Bon Jovi Month” on the Today show in November during which they will appear live on the program on all four Wednesdays that month, capped off with a special concert performance on the plaza on Wed., Nov. 25. Additionally, Bon Jovi will appear on several NBC Entertainment programs and be the featured guest on Bravo’s Inside the Actors’ Studio.

Jon Bon Jovi will be the subject of a USA Character Showcase, which will highlight him as both an artist and philanthropist in an on-air and on-line campaign. He will be a featured panelist at a USA Network and Tom Brokaw-sponsored “Characters Unite National Town Hall,” about overcoming social injustices, in Washington, D.C. Jon will also be featured on NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, as well as in the company’s award-winning public service campaign The More You Know with spots running on NBCU’s cable and broadcast networks. The band’s music will also  be heavily integrated throughout NBC’s network and cable programming.

Free Downloads, New Music And More

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Pictured (l-r): Fitzgerald Hartley’s Bill Simmons; Clear Channel Los Angeles’ John Ivey; Arista Nashville’s Lesly Tyson; Paisley; Sony Music Nashville’s Skip Bishop; and KKGO’s Tonya Campos and Charlie Cook.

Brad Paisley played the Los Angeles area recently as the headliner at KKGO’s Go Fest 2009, and some of his Nashville team members were on hand for support (see above). Paisley’s “Welcome to the Future,” is at No. 3 on MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart and is the second smash from his acclaimed American Saturday Night album.

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Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser kicked-off their co-headlining CMT On Tour 2009 outing last week in New York City. It includes dates in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and 27 other cities across the nation this fall. Houser’s new single, “Whistlin’ Dixie,” has premiered on CMT.com and will impact radio Nov. 2. It will appear on his upcoming album scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2010. Houser also visited the Victory Junction camp in Randleman, NC recently to perform for the chronically ill children there.

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Blake Shelton teamed up with longtime friend Trace Adkins for his new single, “Hillbilly Bone,” and fans can stream it exclusively for two weeks at www.blakeshelton.com. The single, written by Luke Laird and Craig Wiseman, is from Shelton’s forthcoming CD release and will impact radio Nov. 2

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nicholsJoe Nichols pranked host Sirius/XM radio host Storme Warren during his show, Music Row Happy Hour, by wearing a fake hairy chest. Nichols’ new CD, Old Things New, is set for release Oct. 27. The lead single is “Gimmie That Girl.”

Nichols has also partnered with TheHopeLine to create a website to help people struggling with addiction. Anoldfriendofmine.com is named for his new song about substance abuse, which appears on his upcoming CD release.

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Eric Church will perform his new single “Hell On The Heart” during his debut appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! tomorrow night (10/16) airing at 12:50ET/11:05 CT. “Hell On The Heart” is the follow-up single to Church’s Top 10 hit “Love Your Love The Most,” from his sophomore release Carolina. Despite a broken foot, Church is on his nearly sold-out Young & Wild(er) Tour through the end of this year.

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Love and Theft are giving away seven free downloads via iTunes and AOL’s The Boot. There’s one music video, two songs, three interviews, plus a video documentary. Included is “Don’t Wake Me,” a live version of their single, “Runaway,” three video interviews and one video that tells the story behind the band.

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The Oak Ridge Boys are set to perform new Jamey Johnson-penned single “Mama’s Table” on CBS’ The Early Show and Fox News Channel’s Huckabee this Sat., Oct. 17.

Swift To Host “SNL”

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image003Taylor Swift will be hosting NBC’s Saturday Night Live on Nov. 7. This is her first time to host the show, though she performed on SNL in January. “I’ve been thinking about skit ideas for a long time,” Swift told the Associated Press. “There are definitely some hilarious things that have happened to me over the past couple of months that I think will be pretty substantial skits.”

Swift is also scheduled to appear on Dancing With The Stars Oct. 27, and The Ellen Degeneres Show Oct. 29. Yesterday (10/14) she performed on Oprah.

Underwood Sets Primetime Special, iTunes Preview

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notitleCarrie Underwood will headline her own variety television special set to air Dec. 7 on FOX at 7 p.m. CT. While the exact title of the primetime special has not been announced, the two-hour event will include appearances by guests Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, David Cook and others. Underwood will perform music from her upcoming album, Play On, as well as previous hits and holiday classics.

For three weeks leading up to the new album’s Nov. 3 release date, iTunes will exclusively offer a new track for purchase and download. The iTunes Countdown kicks-off today (10/13) with “Mama’s Song,” and subsequent tracks include “Temporary Home” (available 10/20) and “Undo It” (available 10/27). For each new track every week, fans will be able to visit Billboard.com for a 48-hour sneak preview of the song immediately prior to its Tuesday release on iTunes, with each posting remaining on Billboard.com for a week from its debut.