Jim Halsey Releases “Starmaker”

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After building powerhouse country music booking agency The Jim Halsey Company and selling it to the William Morris Agency, Jim Halsey founded the Jim Halsey Institute, which focuses on helping others pursue their dreams in the music industry. This month, the veteran booking agent will release Starmaker, a book that shares the secrets he learned while shepherding the careers of entertainment giants.

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, Starmaker digs deep into the fundamentals: how to develop an act, how to get an agent, how to use the press to build your audience, how to play the biggest and best forums. His advice is designed to help readers find their place on the team—the position that provides the most successful and most fulfilling career.

Halsey has worked with The Oak Ridge Boys, Roy Clark, Hank Thompson, Reba McEntire, Wanda Jackson, Tammy Wynette, Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison, Dwight Yoakam, Clint Black, the Judds, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Lee Greenwood, and a host of others. Since 1990, The Jim Halsey Institute has been helping artists’ dreams come true everyday. Halsey, who makes his home near Tulsa, Oklahoma, continues to manage The Oak Ridge Boys.

Gill Joins Clapton Onstage; Cash’s Birthday Celebrated in Black

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Pictured APA staffers L-R: Kylen Sharpe, Hannah Garber, Kara Chambers, Bonnie Sugarman, and Ashley Wentz.

Last week marked the release of Johnny Cash’s final album American VI: Ain’t No Grave, as well as what would have been his 78th birthday on Feb. 26.

The Cash family, Rick Rubin/American Recordings and Lost Highway Records wanted to celebrate the Man in Black’s life by encouraging fans to wear black on that day. Among the Nashville offices participating was APA (Agency for the Performing Arts), the agency which represented him for 34 years.

In other Cash news from last week, the iTunes 10 billionth song purchase was his song “Guess Things Happen That Way.”

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Eric Clapton invited surprise guest Vince Gill to join him onstage during his Saturday night concert at the Nashville arena. Gill played four songs including “Layla,” the Bessie Smith blues standard “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” his own “Running on Faith,” the 80’s hit “I’ve Got a Rock and Roll Heart,” and the show’s encore, the Robert Johnson/Cream classic, “Crossroads.”

Gill is currently working on his next studio release and will appear with Clapton and nearly 30 other guitarists including Jeff Beck, Sheryl Crow and Buddy Guy at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival on June 26 at Chicago’s Toyota Park.

Rowdy Times: Bryan Plans “Spring Break” EP; Hank Jr. Hits Nashville

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Luke Bryan will release his second Spring Break EP, Spring Break 2…. Hangover Edition, exclusively on the iTunes Store tomorrow, March 2. The EP from the Capitol Nashville artist includes three never-before released, self-penned tracks “Wild Weekend,” “Cold Beer Drinker” and “I’m Hungover.” The album is currently being offered on iTunes for pre-order, $2.49.

Bryan will promote the release with his second mini Spring Break Tour, set for March 7-8 in Florida. He is also currently on the road as the opening act for Jason Aldean’s Wide Open Tour.

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Hank Williams Jr.’s Rowdy Friends 2010 tour will stop in Nashville Fri., April 23. Joining Hank for the party at the Arena are Jamey Johnson, Eric Church and The Grascals.

BamaJam Lineup Keeps Growing


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The 3rd Annual Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival has announced additional performers to the event’s growing lineup. Grammy award winners the Zac Brown Band, multi-platinum hit-makers Travis Tritt and Train, Nashville Star winner Chris Young, Grand Ole Opry favorites Marty Stuart & his fabulous Superlatives, ACM award winner Rodney Atkins, and American Idol alum Danny Gokey join dozens of other artists in Country, Rock, Bluegrass and Alternative music at the 3-day festival taking place, June 3-5 in Enterprise, Alabama.

More than 40 entertainers are set to appear on Verizon BamaJam’s four stages during the 3-day Festival. To date, organizers have announced Jake Owen, Miranda Lambert, LoCash Cowboys, Dierks Bentley, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford and Blackberry Smoke, along with country newcomers Matt Kennon and Houston County. Kenny Chesney will headline the 3rd annual event, offering a rare opportunity to catch the country superstar in one of just 10 appearances he’ll make in 2010.

3-day festival tickets are available now until March 13 for $99. One day flex tickets are available only until March 13 for $49. For more information, call 877-422-6252 or click here.

Brooks & Dunn Final Show To Benefit Hall of Fame

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Superstar duo Brooks & Dunn announced today during the Country Radio Seminar’s Sony Luncheon that the final show on their upcoming The Last Rodeo Tour will be August 10 in Nashville. The show will will help raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame, and will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

In sharing the news, Brooks & Dunn offered this statement: “For several years, we have tossed around ideas for the best way to make a contribution to the Museum. We have a tremendous appreciation for the road that was traveled by the great stars that came before us. Their long nights in station wagons with instruments strapped on the roofs built an industry that allowed us to cruise around in big tour buses. Our last show together will certainly be a historic point in our lives and careers, and we feel it’s only right that the proceeds from this concert go to a place where all history in our business is so reverently preserved.”

“The enormity of this gesture, including the endorsement it implies and the example it sets, is something the Museum’s board and staff will contemplate with gratitude for a very long time,” said Museum Director Kyle Young. “We are grateful to Kix and Ronnie for supporting our educational mission and for putting the Museum on the radar screen of their nation of fans. The only word for them is magnificent!”

The Nashville show will join the majority of The Last Rodeo Tour dates going on sale March 6, on LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Paisley Sells Out West Coast Run, Heads For “Tonight Show”

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Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night Tour whipped around the west coast this past weekend with four sold-out shows in Fresno, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Reno. The L.A. Staples Center was packed with over 13,000 fans, including celebrities Sheryl Crowe, William Shatner, The Jonas Brothers, and members of REO Speedwagon.

The American Saturday Night Tour with special guests Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore will take a break this week and then concludes next weekend, March 4-6, with stops in Greenville, SC; Knoxville, TN; and Charleston, SC.

Paisley will return to the west coast on March 1 as the musical guest for Jay Leno’s first show back as host of The Tonight Show. Also on the line-up are Jamie Foxx and Olympic Gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn.

Buxton’s Busy Release Week

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With just days to go before the release of her self-titled debut CD, Lyric Street’s Sarah Buxton is making some sales history. The album’s leadoff single, “Outside My Window,” inspired more than 12,000 paid downloads this week, and the singer can now lay claim to the biggest opening digital single sales from a debut album for any female country artist in the history of Nielsen Soundscan.

Looking ahead to her album’s release, Buxton has a busy week in store. After opening dates in Buffalo, NY (2/19), Baltimore, MD (2/20) and Columbus, OH (2/21) for Martina McBride and Trace Adkins on the Shine All Night Tour, the singer will return to Nashville to for a full-band CD release show at The Rutledge on February 23.

Before the show, Buxton will present an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her debut CD with Premiere: Sarah Buxton on GAC. The 30-minute special, which premiers on the network this Saturday (2/20) at 8 PM CT, showcases Buxton’s music through acoustic performances of several selections from her upcoming album, including “Stupid Boy,” “Space” and “Big Blue Sky.”

In addition, Country Weekly, People Country and Nashville Lifestyles will profile Buxton, while The Tennessean, Kansas City Star and Lawrence Journal World will all feature interviews with the singer.

Buxton will round out the week with additional dates on the Shine All Night Tour, traveling to Ft. Wayne, IN (2/25); Cleveland, OH (2/26); Pittsburgh, PA (2/27) and Cincinnati, OH (2/28).

Sister Cities Share Songs

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Belfast, Northern Ireland and Music City USA are currently celebrating 16 years as sister cities, a partnership designed to promote cultural, tourism and business development opportunities between the two cities. One highlight of the sister city relationship is the annual Belfast Nashville Songwriters’ Showcase, a three night series of performances featuring top writers from Belfast and Nashville. This year’s event is scheduled for March 11, 12 and 13 at The Belcourt Theatre, Bluebird Café and Dan McGuinness Pub.

Both cities enjoy a rich musical history incorporating a variety of genres. Belfast has produced stars from a wide-variety of formats including multi-Grammy winner Van Morrison, movie soundtrack composer David Holmes (Oceans Eleven, Out of Sight) ‘70s rock hitmakers Thin Lizzy and acclaimed flautist Sir James Galway. Bringing together songwriters from Belfast and Music City to celebrate the art of songwriting enables everyone to discover more about the links between a shared musical heritage and the traditional roots of American songwriting.

Scheduled for the Belfast Nashville Songwriters’ Showcase are: (admission to every event is free):

Thursday, March 11, 8:00 p.m., Dan McGuinness Pub:  Aaron Shanley, Ricky Warwick, Anthony Toner.

Friday, March 12, 6:30 p.m., Bluebird Café:  Tia Sillers, Mark Selby, Gareth Dunlop, Iain Archer.

Saturday, March 13, 7:00 p.m., The Belcourt Theatre:  Bobby Bare, Jr., Elizabeth Cook, Dave Olney, Pat Alger, Aaron Shanley, Ricky Warwick, Iain Archer and Gareth Dunlop.

BLA Adds Brian Waymire As Agent

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Brian Waymire

Brian Waymire has joined Buddy Lee Attractions as an agent, and brings with him clients Here Come the Mummies and the RedGorilla Music Fest. He will head the College and International division at BLA.

“We are very excited about Brian coming aboard at BLA, and this adds another piece to our rebuilding process. His vast experience in the College and International market will greatly enhance opportunities for our artists. In addition, we are very excited to represent Here Come the Mummies and RedGorilla,” said Kevin Neal, President of BLA.

In 2000 Waymire moved to Nashville and established himself as an agent and manager for artists such as AutoVaughn, Here Come the Mummies, and others. During this time, Waymire also founded the RedGorilla Music Fest which takes place every March in Austin, Texas and showcases over 500 bands. Brian is a member of both NACA and APCA.

BLA has secured Here Come the Mummies to open the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards on February 17.

Brian Waymire can be reached at 615-244-4336 and by email at [email protected]. For full client roster, please visit www.buddyleeattractions.com.

Adkins’ Bus In Fatal Crash

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Official statement from Trace Adkins’ publicist Schatzi Hageman:

February 13, 2010… Earlier today in Caddo Parrish, Louisiana, a pickup truck crossed the center line and crashed head-on into the tour bus carrying the band of country music singer Trace Adkins. Both men in the truck were killed upon impact. None of Adkins’ band received serious injuries, however, five were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries and observation.

Adkins, who was not on the bus, had already arrived at the venue when he heard the news. He went to the scene in a van where he picked up the uninjured band members, then went to the hospital to check on the others.

“This is a real tragedy,” says Adkins. “Two people have been killed and I don’t even know their names. So out of respect for their families, I prefer not to comment too much at this time.”

Adkins, who is a native of Sarepta , Louisiana is still planning to perform a scaled-down acoustic set at tonight’s show with Martina McBride at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, Louisiana. He will not perform at tomorrow night’s concert (2/14) in Pensacola, Florida , however Martina McBride and Sarah Buxton will go on as scheduled.