Whisperin’ Bill Still Making Noise

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Bill Anderson is having a good week with the release of two new co-writes.

Bill Anderson is having a good week with the release of two new co-writes.

Whisperin’ Bill Anderson was already having a wonderful vacation when he received a phone call from Terry Wakefield at Sony/ATV that made his trip that much better. Wakefield let him know the status of two of Anderson’s co-writes: Sugarland‘s “Joey” hit the national country charts at No. 50 yesterday (6/29), and today (6/30) Brad Paisley released a new album containing his cut “No.”

Coincidentally, Anderson says, “Some of my biggest hits in the past have been songs with only one-word titles, so if I’m lucky, maybe I can add a couple more to that list in the near future.”

Browser Battles—FireFox Launches 3.5

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ffWhile it might be easy to wave aside upgrades in surf technology as being unconnected to the entertainment industry, it would be an over simplification and a mistake. The browser opens our window to the online world, the growing point of contact between artists and fans, plus buyers and sellers of; tickets, music files, merchandise and more.

Currently the latest statistics show Internet Explorer (66%), FireFox (22%) and Safari (8%) leading the pack in terms of marketshare. Google’s new Chrome browser, with less than a 2% share, is also attracting early attention.

“One of our biggest challenges is helping people to understand that they have a choice about their Web browser, and how big a difference that choice can make,” Firefox Director Mike Beltzner told Cnet. “Every release is an opportunity for us to bring improvements directly to our growing user base, but also help many users indirectly by putting pressure on Microsoft to improve their product as well.”

Firefox 3.5, available today (6/30) is loaded with improvements, the most noticeable of which is speed and complexity. Using a new javascript engine it named TraceMonkey, the browser can render pages faster, plus handle new file formats. It can also utilize new design options and functionality to improve platforms we use every day such as social networking and messaging.

Apple’s Safari product also just released a new updated version which accomplishes many of the same benefits found in FireFox 3.5. FireFox and Safari, the new kids on the block have steadily gained marketshare against Internet Explorer which has failed to keep pace with younger upstarts. The rebalancing of consumer preferences means that artists, labels and companies must be sure that online offerings work smoothly with all three browsers.

Browser MarketShare

Q406: IE 80%; FF 13.5%; Safari 4%

Q407: IE 77.3%; FF 15.85%; Safari 5.25%

Q209: IE 66%; FF 22%; Safari 8%

source: Hitslink Market Share

821 Grows the Hollywood-Nashville Connection

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821821 Entertainment, the Music City company headed by Pres. Anastasia Brown and CEO Eric Geadelmann, has optioned the film rights to one of John Grisham’s biggest bestsellers. That project, along with the company’s upcoming Roy Rogers trilogy, will offer many possibilities for the use of Nashville music, says 821 COO Graham Chalfant.

Grisham has been declining offers to make a movie of his novel The Testament—one of his personal favorites—since its release in 1999. But well-known producers Mark Johnson (Chronicles of Narnia, The Notebook, Donnie Brasco, Rain Man) and Hunt Lowry (Grisham’s A Time To Kill, Last of The Mohicans, Blue Collar Comedy Tour) convinced him otherwise. Johnson, an Academy Award winner, and Lowry partnered with 821 to co-produce The Testament and provide development financing.

The film, set in Washington DC and the Brazillian outback, is about a billionaire who leaves his fortune to an illegitimate daughter living in Brazil, and the lawyer who helps her fend off her father’s other relatives.

Chalfant, a former banker, says 821 is now focused on finding a screenwriter and adapting the novel in a way that Grisham sees fit. The company could finance the project but would prefer to co-finance with a studio. According to Variety, 821 is “in the throes of raising $250 million in equity and debt to finance productions with ‘heartland appeal.’”

With plans to work on 16 films in the next five years, 821 is also busy with its newly announced King of the Cowboys film trilogy based on Roy Rogers. Through a partnership with Rogers’ heirs, there will be a family fantasy adventure movie, as well as animated TV, interactive game and merchandising efforts.

Geadelmann and Chalfant recently sat down with Fox News to elaborate on the company’s effort to turn stories from America’s heartland into movies and television shows. Watch it at http://www.821entertainment.com/foxbusiness.cfm

Revolving Door: Stoney Creek, Sony, LifeNotes

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ash

Ash Bowers

Stoney Creek Records, the new label founded by Broken Bow owner Benny Brown, has signed Ash Bowers. and is planning the release of his first album. The Buddy Cannon produced project contains seven songs penned by Bowers, as well as the new single, “Stuck,” which was written by Billy Montana and Frank Myers and goes for adds Aug. 17. Bowers is managed by Shawn Pennington of Matchless Management.
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Sony Music Nashville announces that Jon Elliot, VP, Artist Development & Marketing, and Christian Svendsen, Director, Strategic Marketing, are departing the company to form a new venture. Exact exit dates are pending. Interested persons may submit resumes at www.sonymusic.com once the position is posted.
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The Lost Trailers’ Stokes Nielson and his wife Maria are proud parents of a healthy baby boy born Mon., June 22 in Nashville. Weighing in at 7.7 lbs, both the little one and his mom are doing well. He is also happily welcomed by a big sister.

Cindy Watts, entertainment writer at The Tennessean, and her husband Richard Kimzey welcomed their first child together on Thurs., June 25. Kansas May Halcyon Watts-Kimzey weighed 7 lbs 12 oz, and was 21 inches long. Baby and mother are happy and healthy. Kansas joins nine-year-old half-sister Madison.

CMT Awards Draw Top Execs

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The 2009 CMT Music Awards aired live from Nashville’s Sommet Center on June 16. Many of MTV Network’s top brass came to town to mingle with Nashville executives and artists at the event.

(L-R): President of MTV Networks Van Toffler, CEO of MTV Networks Judy McGrath, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

(L-R): President of MTV Networks Van Toffler, CEO of MTV Networks Judy McGrath, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

(L-R) Senior Vice President of Development of CMT John Hamlin with Taylor Swift backstage. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

(L-R) Senior Vice President of Development of CMT John Hamlin with Taylor Swift backstage. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

(L-R) President of CMT Brian Philips with CMT Music Awards host Bill Engvall after the awards show. (Photo: Charlotte Stremler/CMT).

(L-R) President of CMT Brian Philips with CMT Music Awards host Bill Engvall after the awards show. (Photo: Charlotte Stremler/CMT).

(L-R) CMT Insider host Katie Cook; Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider of the B-52's; Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland; Keith Strickland of B-52's; and UMGN SVP of Artist Development and Marketing Jason Owen. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

(L-R) CMT Insider host Katie Cook; Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider of the B-52's; Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland; Keith Strickland of B-52's; and UMGN SVP of Artist Development and Marketing Jason Owen. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

New Videos From Vassar and Gloriana

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Back (L-R): Universal Records South head Fletcher Foster, "Bobbi", manager Greg Hill; Front (L-R): Phil Vassar, actor James Denton, director Eric Welch
Back (L-R): Universal Records South head Fletcher Foster, “Bobbi”, manager Greg Hill; Front (L-R): Phil Vassar, actor James Denton, director Eric Welch

Phil Vassar’s latest video is debuting exclusively on AOLMusic.com. The Universal Records South artist enlisted friend and Nashville native James Denton of Desperate Housewives fame to act in the video for “Bobbi With An I,” which was shot in Nashville and directed by Eric Welch. Vassar and Craig Wiseman penned the song which will be the first single from Vassar’s forthcoming studio album, set to be released later this summer.

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gloriana

(L-R): Gloriana's Tom Gossin and Rachel Reinert, Gamma Blast producer Matt Nahay, Gamma Blast director/editor Chad Denning, and Gloriana's Mike Gossin and Cheyenne Kimball

Gloriana‘s new video “The Way It Goes” debuted today on CMT’s Top 20 Countdown. The live video was shot while on the road with Taylor Swift‘s Fearless tour. Directed by Chad Denning for Gamma Blast and produced by  Matt Nahay, it was recorded during performances in Seattle, Portland and Spokane. Denning shot over 15,000 stills for the piece, cutting together stills with live and behind-the-scenes footage. Gloriana’s self-titled debut album will be released Aug. 4 on Emblem Music Group/Warner Bros. Records.

ShortNotes: Rack-N-Roll, Joe Moscheo, and Edgar Bronfman Jr.

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The Rack-N-Roll team on the 10th hole at the 2009 Audio Masters Golf Tournament, serving margaritas and an audio blast from the 80s. Pictured (L-R): Tom Burns, Ashley Dennis, Ian Wolczyk, Rob Dennis and Holly Keim

The Rack-N-Roll team on the 10th hole at the 2009 Audio Masters Golf Tournament, serving margaritas and an audio blast from the 80s. Pictured (L-R): Tom Burns, Ashley Dennis, Ian Wolczyk, Rob Dennis and Holly Keim

The Rack-N-Roll Audio crew has been busy this summer. They have been on the road recording live performances ranging from arena shows like 3 Doors Down tourmates Theory of a Deadman to artists at Bonnaroo. Rentals have been hopping as well, with recent projects including Creed, Bob Rock/American Bang, and Matt Serletic/Gloriana. Rack-N-Roll’s studio, The Spank Factory, has recently hosted clients such as Mindy Smith, The Dirt Drifters and Mark McKinney who is signed to Rack’s label, Super Loud Music. McKinney, currently on his fifth consecutive Top 10 in Texas, will release his sophomore album, Middle America, in August.

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Joe Moscheo is retiring from MCS America on June 30 to pursue other interests/projects, and opportunities. In an email to MusicRow and others, he says, “I thank all of you for your loyalty to me over the years, and for your support, and to MCS for giving me this opportunity for the past 7 and 1/2 years. It has been a pleasure to serve you and to work with you.”

Janice Bane will continue to serve as General Manager of MCS, and she can be reached at (615) 250-4600 or janice.bane@mcsamerica.net.

Moscheo can be contacted at jomoskayo@comcast.net, (615) 513-2353 and www.joemoscheo.net
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In a recent interview with London’s Financial Times, Warner Music Group head Edgar Bronfman Jr. discusses his relocation from New York to London, and the ongoing possibility of a merger with EMI. Bronfman explains that the move is more about his family than his job, saying that he will split time between the two cities, and the presence in England should help his oversight of international business.

He also discusses the $1.1 bn in new bonds Warner received in May to repay bank debt coming due in 2011. The bond issue reignited speculation about a possible merger with EMI. When asked about that, Bronfman told the FT: “We’d like to achieve a happy medium where the bond market doesn’t feel we’re going to go crazy with acquisitions, which we certainly won’t, but the company has the flexibility to do acquisitions which are attractive for both equity and debt holders.”

Among other topics: Bronfman and his private equity backers have changed Warner’s business model fundamentally, but will continue refining it. On the digital front, he says WMG’s Atlantic label is the first in the US to generate more than half its revenues from online and mobile sources. Bronfman also points out that Warner is “more selective” about digital partners following its early willingness to work with numerous new companies which lead to many writedowns. He says WMG’s reduced A&R budget has led to “gained market share because we focused the A&R budget on the artists we believed in.” The music company’s 21% US market share last year was its highest in a decade.

CMT Awards Spike Sales

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brad-paisley-ar10The 2009 CMT Music Awards sparked post-show physical and digital sales for every performer and winner following the live telecast on Tuesday, June 16 on CMT. Here is the data according to the Soundscan charts for the week ending 06/21/2009.

Brad Paisley, a three time trophy winner that night, received one of the biggest sales jumps. He had significant digital track increases for “Waitin’ On A Woman” (+72%) and “Start A Band” (+56%). Digital and physical sales of his album Play increased 52%, bringing its total sales to 244,603.

Award winners seeing a single sales spike: Rascal Flatts’ “Every Day” (+51%), Sugarland’s “All I Want To Do” (+35%), Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried” (+31%) and Alan Jackson’s “Country Boy” (+31%).

Performers on the show saw increased album sales (physical and digital):
Darius Rucker (Learn To Live) increased 44% to 717,115
Trace Adkins (American Man Greatest Hits Volume II) increased 43% to 639,071
Toby Keith (That Don’t Make Me A Bad Guy) increased 37% to 397,629
Sugarland (“Love On The Inside”) increased 30% to 1,660,684
Also getting an up in album sales were Lady Antebellum (27%), Jason Aldean (25%), Dierks Bentley (16%), Kellie Pickler (14%), Taylor Swift (10%) Rascal Flatts (9%), Keith Urban (9%) and Paisley as mentioned above.

Performers who had digital track sales bumps for the songs performed on the Awards:
Trace Adkins (“You’re Gonna Miss This”) increased 83%
Lady Antebellum (“Lookin’ For A Good Time”) increased 65%
Darius Rucker (“Alright”) increased 59%
Toby Keith (“God Love Her”) increased 44%
Taylor Swift (“You Belong With Me”) increased 32%
The B-52s, Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean also saw single increases in the 10-30 % range, following performances.

In addition, each of the six acts who performed on the Nationwide Insurance side stage experienced post-show sales increases. The secondary stage featured up-and-coming artists Jason Michael Carroll, Carter Twins, Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Gloriana and Joey + Rory.

Restructuring Of Gaylord Entertainment’s Top Execs.

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Gaylord Entertainment Company announced today (6/24) several key changes to its leadership team, effective immediately. As part of its continuing efforts to streamline the organization, Gaylord announced that John Caparella, currently Chief Operating Officer, will leave the company. David Kloeppel, currently Chief Financial Officer and President, will take on an expanded role and will now oversee all Gaylord’s operations in addition to sales, marketing, development, and information technology. Mark Fioravanti, currently Treasurer, is being promoted to Chief Financial Officer.

“During his tenure as chief operating officer, John played an important role working with our management team in building our unique culture and developing our Gaylord Hotels brand into a world class destination for convention and leisure guests,” said Colin V. Reed, Gaylord Entertainment chairman and chief executive officer. “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

Mr. Reed continued, “John’s departure has given us an opportunity to move forward with our ongoing effort to streamline our management structure while taking advantage of the strength of our existing executives. In his eight years at Gaylord, Dave has played an instrumental role in defining the strategic vision for the Company and has built a deep understanding of our group-centric business model. In a short period of time during a very difficult economic environment, Dave led the charge in several areas of our business that helped the Company maintain its strong margins and preserve revenue. Under Dave’s guidance, we were able to take quick action on our cost-cutting initiatives, and shift the focus of our sales team to fill the occupancy gaps vacated by cancellations, which delivered impressive margins last quarter. I am confident Dave will continue to make significant contributions to the business as he now takes on the expanded role of managing the Company’s operations.”

“I have great confidence in Mark, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the financial profile of the Company and has diligently managed our balance sheet and capital expenditures. Of note, Mark was able to lead the charge on extending the maturities of our credit facilities, a significant undertaking in the current tough lending environment.”

Latocki Enters Web Solutions Partnership, Wins AIGA Awards

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The LTC Team

The LTC Team

Latocki Team Creative (LTC) and Creative State, an award-winning provider of Web sites and custom Web applications, are partnering to provide custom Web solutions for Nashville corporations and the entertainment industry. “Creative State is a company we believe in,” says Luellyn Latocki, LTC owner and creative director. “We’re looking forward to working with them to provide our clients with cutting-edge Web sites and top-notch Web services that are imperative to the success of an artist’s career. It’s a perfect partnership between independent companies committed to finding and providing custom, branded, creative solutions for our clients.”

Also from Latocki Team Creative, the company won six awards at AIGA Nashville’s first Case Awards Show, held June 20 at the Cannery Ballroom.

The honors included:
Best of Products and Packaging for Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll 4-disc set (Sony Legacy)
Best of Media Packaging: Entertainment for Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll
Merit Awards: Sales Kits/Press Kits for Coondog Corporate Events, Print Self-Promotion for LTC’s mini-portfolio, Identity System/Stationery Package for LTC’s stationery, and Brand Identity Design for Sweet Talk Publicity.