In anticipation of their headlining Take Me Downtown Tour, Lady Antebellum is sharing a behind-the-scenes video from tour rehearsals in Nashville, Tenn. The group gives fans a sneak peek of the new stage and hints at surprises for opening night. The North American tour kicks off next week on Jan. 10 in Peoria, Ill., with Kip Moore and Kacey Musgraves.
For a full list of tourdates, visit ladyantebellum.com.
Taylor Swift
The Marshall Tucker Band kicks off its 43rd year on the road with the announcement of its 2014 Take The Highway Tour. With nearly 40 concert dates revealed, the band’s first stop is Honolulu, Hawaii. A full list of dates is below, with additional dates added in the coming weeks.
“Next year’s tour schedule is shaping up to be huge with so many great shows already scheduled,” said lead singer Doug Gray. “Take The Highway is [the] perfect [title, because] not only because it is one of our big career songs but also because it’s what we do almost 200 days out of the year!”
Founded in Spartanburg, S.C., the 3x platinum-selling southern rock group has sold more than 15 million albums to date. The band’s songs have also been featured with sync placements, including Blow, The Box, Swing Vote, Half Nelson, Breaking Bad, My Name Is Earl, Cold Case and Good Guys.
For additional information, visit www.marshalltuckerband.com.
2014 Take The Highway Tour Schedule:
Jan. 8 – Honolulu, HI – Crossroads at Hawaiian Brian’s
Jan. 9 – Kauai, HI – Kauai Beach Resort
Jan. 10 – Kona, HI – Kona Brewing Company
Jan. 11 – Kahului, HI – Maui Arts & Cultural Center
Jan. 30 – Greensboro, NC – Carolina Theatre
Jan. 31 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
Feb. 1 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theatre
Feb. 8 – Miami, FL – Miami Casino Jai-Alai
Feb. 14 – Bolingbrook, IL – Tailgaters Bar & Grill
Feb. 15 – Watseka, IL – Watseka Theatre
Feb. 16 – Chicago, IL – Mayne Stage
Feb. 22 – Hudson, FL – Pasco Music Festival
Feb. 23 – Key West, FL – East Martello Museum
March 7-8 – Las Vegas, NV – Orleans Hotel & Casino
March 14 – Toledo, OH – Hollywood Casino
March 15 – Columbus, OH – Hollywood Casino
March 20 – Englewood, NY – Bergen Performing Arts Center
March 21 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
March 22 – New Hope, PA – Havana New Hope
March 28 – Palm Beach Gardens, FL – Borland Center
April 12 – Gulfport, MS – Island View Casino Resort
May 3 – Woodstock, GA – Woodstock City Park
May 21 – Hermosa Beach, CA – Saint Rocke
May 22 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
May 23 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Club
May 24 – Chico, CA – Silver Dollar Fair
May 25 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Coach House
May 26 – Victorville, CA – San Bernardino County Fair
May 30 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Mohegan Sun Arena Casey Plaza
May 31 – Albany, NY – Times Union Center
June 12 – Merced, CA – Merced County Fair<
June 14 – San Mateo, CA – San Mateo County Fair
Aaron Lewis
Billy Currington
Billboard has selected its “Women In Music” list for 2013, and Kelly Rich, Mary Ann McCready, and Marcie Allen are among the females with Nashville ties making this year’s list. For the fourth year in a row, Julie Greenwald, Chairman and COO of Atlantic Records Group, topped the prestigious ranking. The list recognizes female execs for their exemplary vision, dedication and hard work. The magazine invited readers worldwide to submit nominations on Billboard.biz, and execs in every industry sector were eligible. A team of Billboard editors then reviewed the submissions, and the top 40 nominees were chosen and ranked based on their achievements during the past 12 months.
The issue highlighting Women In Music will also include SESAC’s Ellen Truley in a feature spotlighting women in performance rights organizations. Truley is based in Nashville.
The 2013 Billboard Women in Music List:
1. Julie Greenwald
Chairman/COO, Atlantic Records Group
2. Kathy Willard
Executive VP/CFO, Live Nation Entertainment
3. Jody Gerson
Co-President, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
4. Julie Swidler
Executive VP of Business Affairs/General Counsel, Sony Music Entertainment
5. Debra Rathwell
SVP, AEG Live
6. Brenda Romano
President, Promotions, Interscope Geffen A&M
7. Sharon Dastur
Programming Director, Z-100 New York, Nick Radio, Clear Channel Media & Entertainment
8. Lia Vollack
President, Worldwide Music; Executive VP, Theatrical, Sony Pictures Entertainment
9. Amanda Marks
Global Head of Digital Accounts, Universal Music Group
10. Michelle Jubelirer
Executive Vice President, Capitol Music Group
11. Debra Lee
Chairman/CEO, BET Networks
12. Melissa Lonner
Senior Entertainment Producer, NBC News
13. Jennifer Breithaupt
SVP, Entertainment Marketing, Citi
14. Marsha Vlasic
SVP, Concerts, ICM Partners
15. (TIE) Sarah Moll
Director, Entertainment and Television Programming, National Football League
15. (TIE) Tracy Perlman
VP, Entertainment Marketing & Promotions, National Football League
16. (TIE) Emma Banks
Agent, Creative Artists Agency
16. (TIE) Marlene Tsuchii
Agent, Creative Artists Agency
17. Anne Stanchfield
Divisional Merchandise Manager of Entertainment, Target
18. (TIE) Bozoma Saint John
Director, Cultural Branding, Music & Entertainment Marketing, PepsiCo
18. (TIE) Ellen Healy
Senior Marketing Director, Global Consumer Engagement, PepsiCo
19. Tifanie Van Laar-Frever
Senior Music Buyer, Walmart
20. Melissa Ormond
President, MSG Entertainment
21. Kelly Rich
SVP of Marketing, Sales and Interactive, Big Machine Label Group
22. (TIE) Sara Newkirk Simon
Partner, William Morris Endeavor
22. (TIE) Samantha Kirby Yoh
Partner, William Morris Endeavor
23. Linda Newmark
Executive VP/Head of Acquisitions and Strategic Products, Universal Music Publishing Group
24. Alexandra Patsavas
Owner, Chop Shop Music Group
25. Marcie Allen
President, MAC Presents
26. Zahavah Levine
Director of Global Music Partnerships, Google Play/Android
27. Ethiopia Habtemariam
Executive VP/Head of Urban Music, Universal Music Publishing; Senior VP, Motown Records
28. Diana Mogollón
Executive VP/GM, mun2
29. Anya Grundman
Director and Executive Producer, NPR Music
30. Lisa Worden
Assistant PD/Music Director, KROQ Los Angeles, CBS Radio
31. Mary Ann McCready
President, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy
32. Jackie Wilgar
Executive VP of Marketing, North America, Live Nation Entertainment
33. Amy Doyle
Executive VP, Music and Talent Strategy, MTV Brands
34. Kathy Spanberger
President/COO, peermusic
35. Deborah Curtis
VP, Sports and Entertainment, American Express
36. Molly Peck
Director, Advertising and Sales Promotions, Chevrolet
37. Orly Adelson
President, ITV Studios America
38. Allison Kaye
General Manager, Scooter Braun Projects
39. Kate Des Enfants McMahon
VP/Senior Director of Marketing, The Messina Group/AEG Live
40. Mika El-Baz
Executive Vice President, Publicity, RCA Records
Rumors of a Garth Brooks tour have been swirling for months, especially given that the singer recently released a box set of new music. The singer-songwriter confirmed to anchor Robin Roberts of Good Morning America that the long-awaited tour will indeed happen in 2014.
“You know what, since it’s you and since we’ve had a history forever, let’s announce it. We’re going on a world tour in 2014,” Brooks told Roberts. “I can’t believe I just did that but you are a doll.” Brooks, 52, made the Good Morning America appearance to promote his six-disc collection Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences.
“It sure feels good to get to throw your hat back in the ring,” Brooks said of returning to touring. “All my babies are fine with it. Ms. Yearwood is fine with it. So now I get to do what I love to do, which is play music. I get to be with the person I want to be with, which is Ms. Yearwood. Our baby is a senior in high school,” he said. “My children are off on their own so the guilt of not being there…I’m a phone call dad now. ‘Hey Dad, I love you, can I borrow some money?’”
Brooks will first return to the Wynn in Las Vegas for two days of full-band shows in January 2014. “Wynn has allowed me to keep that room as a laboratory type of thing so I’m going to bring the band out there and let the band experience this room,” Brooks said.
Dolly Parton
Creative Artists Agency has moved its NFL sports division to Nashville, MusicRow has confirmed. Among the team members are CAA football agent R.J. Gonser, Trace Armstrong and lawyer/sports agent Tom Condon, a former 12-year NFL player who has relocated to Nashville.
Condon works with CAA Football co-head Ben Dogra and represents 14 of the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks including Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Condon won the sports honor recently at the NATD Gala on Nov. 12.
CAA’s Nashville office is located at 401 Commerce Street.
Photo credit: Jill Trunnell