Wal Mart To Sell For Ticketmaster

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Mega-retailer Wal-Mart has reached an agreement with Live Nation’s Ticketmaster to sell tickets to concerts and other events at about 500 stores in select U.S. markets, including Chicago and Los Angeles. The service will be introduced in the next few months, according to Live Nation Executive Chairman Irving Azoff, who made the announcement during a panel discussion at the NBA Technology Summit in Dallas today (2/12).

The new agreement will allow Wal-Mart customers to purchase tickets for concerts, sports and other events in the retailer’s entertainment department. Live Nation also sells tickets at Blockbuster stores.

Ticketmaster lost retail outlets for event sales with the closing of big-box music retailers like Tower Records. There are no details regarding what ticket fees will be charged for in-store sales.

Keith, Adkins Ready “American Ride” Tour

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Toby Keith’s 2009 America’s Toughest tour was a big success on all fronts, leaving special guest Trace Adkins so impressed he has signed on for another hitch. Keith, with Adkins, will kick-off the American Ride tour June 19 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. Thirty-nine dates are already on the books through late September. Longtime Keith tour sponsor Ford F-Series is back again as well.

Universal Records South recently merged with Keith’s record label Show Dog to create Show Dog-Universal Music. The label’s first new signing was Adkins, who cited his experience on the America’s Toughest tour as the inspiration behind his decision to join the label. A new single and album is being planned and will be announced soon.

In other Keith news, “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song),” the second single from his American Ride album, recently hit No. 1 on the Music Row chart. It joins the album title track on Keith’s long list of chart toppers and is his 28th career No. 1.

American Ride Tour dates (subject to change):
June 19 – Holmdel, NJ
June 20 – Cleveland, OH
July 10 – Raleigh, NC
July 11 – Charlotte, NC
July 15 – Sioux Falls, SD
July 16 – Minneapolis, MN
July 17 – St. Louis, MO
July 18 – Des Moines, IA
July 22 – Boise, ID
July 23 – Portland, OR
July 24 – Seattle, WA
July 25 – Vancouver, BC
July 29 – Sacramento, CA
Aug. 1 – Fresno, CA
Aug. 6 – Mountain View, CA
Aug. 7 – San Diego, CA
Aug. 8 – Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 12 – Albuquerque, NM
Aug. 13 – Denver, CO
Aug. 14 – Salt Lake City, UT
Aug. 20 – Scranton, PA
Aug. 21 – Philadelphia, PA
Aug. 22 – Pittsburgh, PA
Aug. 26 – Moline, IL
Aug. 27- Cincinnati, OH
Aug. 28 – Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 29 – Detroit, MI
Sept. 2 – Atlanta, GA
Sept. 3 – Tampa, FL
Sept. 4 – West Palm Beach, FL
Sept. 9 – Toronto, Ontario
Sept. 10 – Darien Lake, NY
Sept. 11 – Washington, DC
Sept. 16 – Kansas City, MO
Sept. 17 – Omaha, NE
Sept. 18 – Chicago, IL
Sept. 23 – Albany, NY
Sept. 24 – Hartford, CT
Sept. 25 – Boston, MA

Joey+Rory Set For Zac Brown Band Tour

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ACM Top New Vocal Duo nominees Joey+Rory are gearing up for a nationwide arena tour this spring and the early summer release of their sophomore album, the aptly titled Album #2.

“This is our sophomore album and the title cut is a humorous take on the pressure put on artists when they make their second album,” says Rory. “Rather than worry about it or avoid it, it’s more our nature to just face it head on, and even find the humor in it.”

The new album is helmed by Grammy award-winning producer Carl Jackson who also produced their debut album, Life of a Song. That album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Country Album Chart and remained there for 50 weeks, selling 200,000 copies. The duo’s debut single, “Cheater Cheater,” hit the Top 30 and became a Top 10 Dance Club hit.

The Vanguard/Sugar Hill artists are set to hit the road this spring with Grammy winner Zac Brown Band for the Breaking Southern Ground tour. Joey+Rory will perform and act as emcee for the tour.

“We’re beyond excited about going on tour with the Zac Brown Band,” says Joey. “Over the last year, we’ve become good friends. They’re the real deal. They don’t compromise. We love that.”

Wilson Opens Club Tour; Underwood Adds Dates

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Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson is kicking off her I Got Your Country Right Here club tour this week. The small venue tour will feature music from her fourth studio album of the same name, due in stores March 30. Additionally, the shows will include hits like “Redneck Woman,” “Here for the Party,” “All Jacked Up” and “Work Hard, Play Harder.”

Booked by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, the tour will kick off Wednesday, February 10 in Jacksonville, Florida and run through March 20 in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Carrie Underwood

Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood has added a slate of new dates to her upcoming Play On Tour. The outing, hydrated by vitaminwater®, will kick off March 11 in Reading, PA with special guests Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia. As of now, it is slated to run through June 20 in Saskatoon, SK. Underwood’s previous tour, 2008’s highly successful Carnival Ride Tour, wrapped after 137 shows with over 1.2 million fans in attendance.

Texans Build Nashville Teams

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Brandon Rhyder

Nashville is experiencing an influx from the Lone Star state as Texans build teams made up of Music City mainstays. All of the acts listed here have several albums under their belt buckles and have pushed hits up the Texas charts. Now they are seeking bigger success stories and bigger audiences.

Brandon Rhyder is gearing up for the release of his sixth full length album, Head Above Water, and has made some new additions to his team, signing with Ambiance Artists for management and Sweet Talk Publicity for public relations. Rhyder is currently represented by Thirty Tigers for marketing/distribution, APEX Music for radio promotion and Red 11 Music for booking. The album’s lead single “Rock Angel” landed in the No. 2 spot on the Texas Music Chart this week.

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The band No Justice is signed to new Dallas-based indie Carved Records, and has inked with Scott Welch for management and Jon Folk of Red 11 Music for booking. Founded by CEO Tim Porter in 2009, Carved Records is anchored by VP of Operations Phil Thomas (formerly of UMG Distribution/Fontana, RED Distribution) and Label Director Jenn Littleton (CO5 Music, former Sr. Marketing Director/A&R Geffen Records). No Justice is currently in Nashville completing its debut album with producer Dexter Green.

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Aaron Watson with Pam and Billy Minick, proprietors of Billy Bob’s, where he performed for over 3,000 people, his largest attendance yet at the venue.

Aaron Watson is working on his tenth album, and already has a Texas hit with lead single “The Road.” For the project he has joined forces with David Haley’s Edgehill Music and Media, Larry Pareigis and Tom Moran of Nine North Records, Nancy Tunick’s Grassroots Promotion, and Jules Wortman’s Wortman Works Media & Marketing. This is in addition to working for over a year with Paradigm Agency and being distributed by Sony RED. Watson took home two “Gruene With Envy Awards” on January 13, then wrapped the week performing at “Honky Tonkin’ For The Hungry” at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, TX, where he helped raise over $10,000.

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Texas singer/songwriter Zane Williams appeared on WSMV's "Better Nashville" recently to promote his new project, "The Right Place," which was produced fellow Texas native Radney Foster. Williams is the writer of "Hurry Home," the hit for Jason Michael Carroll. Williams has signed with Vanessa Davis's Splash PR. Pictured (L-R) "Better Nashville" host Kacy Hagerty and Zane Williams.

Others Texans on the rise that have recently been reported on by MusicRow include Josh Abbott Band and Reckless Kelly. Josh Abbott Band is celebrating its highest single debut to date with “She’s Like Texas,” the title track from the album coming February 16 via Pretty Damn Tough Records and Thirty Tigers.

Off the helm of an Americana Music Award nomination for Best Duo or Group, Austin based Reckless Kelly releases its seventh studio album Somewhere In Time today (2/9). The group is crossing genres with recent features on  AOL’s The Boot Feb. 8-12th Listening Party, and Country Weekly.

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Mark McKinney has had six consecutive top five hits on the Texas chart as well as two videos on GAC and CMT. McKinney is signed to Rob Dennis’s Super Loud Music for recording and management and is booked by Red 11. During 2009 he was on the cover of Best in Texas, had music featured by NASCAR and scored a sponsorship deal with Budweiser.

Judds Reunion Tour; Orbison’s Hollywood Star

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Wynonna Judd

The Judds are reuniting for a tour. Wynonna Judd made the announcement about re-teaming with her mother, Naomi Judd, for on CBS’s Saturday edition of The Early Show this weekend. Wy also performed on the broadcast and sat down for an interview. The show was shooting live from Lummus Park in South Beach, Miami, as a lead in to  last night’s (2/7) Super Bowl.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

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The late Roy Orbison was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week. The ceremony took place in front of Capitol Records, where Orbison’s star is next to those of his friend John Lennon and fellow Traveling Wilbury member George Harrison. Saluting Roy’s passion for Harley Davidsons, his friends Dan Aykroyd and Dwight Yoakam opened the event by riding in on motorcycles. Orbison’s wife Barbara, and their sons Wesley, Roy Jr. and Alex, were in attendance along with T-Bone Burnett, Phil Everly, Olivia Harrison, Eric and Tania Idle, Chris Isaak, David Lynch, Jason Mraz, Barbara Bach Starkey, Joe & Marjorie Walsh, and more.

Also during Grammy week, Barbara Orbison’s company was thrilled with all the wins that went to Taylor Swift and her album, Fearless, because the publisher has several cuts on the project.

Sugarland Preps “The Incredible Machine” Tour

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CMA Vocal Duo of the Year  Sugarland have dubbed their upcoming headlining 2010 North American tour “The Incredible Machine.” The Mercury Records artists will kick things off on April 23 in Primm, Nevada and travel to over 55 cities nationwide.

“This new tour is a thrill for me,” said Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles. “It will reflect our latest writing and surprises to come for the new record, the hits that our fans love, along with the production value that people have come to trust and expect from our live shows. It’s a whole, new, rhythmic, emotional, visual, fun, incredible, experience machine.”

Sugarland “The Incredible Machine” tour Itinerary:

Primm, NV-4/23                                                              Cooperstown, NY
Lake Tahoe, NV                                                                Canadiagua, NY
Scranton, PA                                                                     Saratoga, NY
Huntington, WV                                                               Twin Lakes, WI-7/23
Indio, CA                                                                            Eau Claire, WI-7/24
Santa Barbara, CA                                                            Kansas City, MO
Concord, CA                                                                      Cheyenne, WY-7/30
Bakersfield, CA                                                                 Minot, ND-7/31
Murphy’s, CA                                                                    Raleigh, NC
Los Angeles, CA                                                                Charlotte, NC
Phoenix, AZ                                                                       St. Louis, MO
Albuquerque, NM                                                            Houston, TX
Bossier City, LA                                                                Dallas, TX
Detroit, MI                                                                         Sioux Falls, SD
Nampa, ID-5/6                                                                 Boston, MA
Orange Beach, AL                                                            London, Ontario
Pelham, AL                                                                        Toronto, Ontario
Salt Lake City, UT                                                             Oklahoma City, OK
Colorado Springs, CO                                                      Southaven, MS
Burgettstown, PA                                                             Cleveland, OH
State College, PA                                                              Cincinnati, OH
Camden, NJ                                                                       Louisville, KY-8/19
Holmdel, NJ                                                                      Alpharetta, GA
Gilford, NH                                                                        Indianapolis, IN-8/20
Columbia, MD                                                                   Des Moines, IA
West Palm Beach, FL                                                       Charlottesville, VA
Tampa, FL                                                                           Bristow, VA
Hartford, CT                                                                       Virginia Beach, VA

Jewel And Aldean Team With Country Financial

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Financial planning firm Country Financial is teaming with country artists Jason Aldean and Jewel for the “Road Trips and Guitar Picks” series, which will present 30 concerts beginning in March. Each artist will perform separate concerts, but the “Road Trips and Guitar Picks” website, www.tripsandpicks.com, will serve as a one-stop destination for both, giving Aldean and Jewel fans access to an array of special features. The series will offer fans enhanced live concert experiences, online offerings and prizes including chances to win one of several all-expense paid flyaways to see Jewel or Aldean.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with these two amazing artists,” says Doyle Williams, Chief Marketing Officer at Country Financial. “Jason and Jewel share our down-to-earth personality, and like Country, they’re involved in their communities.”

Aldean’s first Country Financial concert is March 10 in Ames, Iowa. Jewel will kick off her performances in June. As part of “Road Trips and Guitar Picks,” concert-goers will be able to text for seat upgrades, enter mobile sweepstakes and win VIP backstage opportunities.

“I’m stoked to partner with Country,” says Aldean. “Their customers and my fan base are very similar, so it’s awesome that we can get together and offer all of these cool extras that my fans can’t get anywhere else.”

Zac Brown Band Tours, Sells Cookbooks

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Best New Artist Grammy winners Zac Brown Band have announced a 15-date West Coast portion of their Breaking Southern Ground tour, to begin March 2. Later in July, ZBB will join the Dave Matthews Band for select shows, including Citi Field in New York City.

Concertgoers will get the full ZBB experience: eat-and-greets for a few lucky fans, as well as performances by the Atlanta-based artists signed to Brown’s Southern Ground Records: Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowrey and Nic Cowan. Special guests Joey + Rory will emcee the shows.

Those not fortunate enough to attend an eat-and-greet catered by Brown and friends can still purchase his Southern Ground cookbook, which is available at the ZBB webstore. The volume boasts 27 recipes like Southern Fried Chicken, Hearty Brunswick Stew, Farmer’s Fried Green Tomatoes and Revival Peach Cobbler.

ZBB Tour Dates:
March 2 –  Sports Arena  San Diego, CA
March 3 –  Dodge Theatre  Phoenix, AZ
March 4 – Pan American Center  Las Cruces, NM
March 5 – World Arena  Colorado Springs, CO
March 6 – The Rail  Salt Lake City, UT
March 9 – Fox Theatre- Oakland, CA
March 10 – Event Center  San Jose, CA
March 11 – Arco Arena  Sacramento, CA
March 12 – Gibson Amphitheater  Los Angeles, CA
March 13 – The Joint  Las Vegas, NV
March 17 – Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA
March 18 – RaboBank Theater  Bakersfield, CA
March 19 – Redding Convention Center  Redding, CA
March 20 – Armory Auditorium  Salem, OR
March 21 – Comcast Arena  Everett, WA

With Dave Matthews Band:
July 3 & 4 – Alpine Valley Music Theatre – East Troy, WI
July 9 – Hersheypark Stadium  Hershey, PA
July 10 – PNC Park – Pittsburgh, PA
July 16 & 17 – Citi Field  New York, NY
July 23  Nationals Park – Washington, DC

On Tour: Jack Ingram; Hank Williams, Jr. and More

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Hank Williams Jr.

Hank Williams Jr.

Hank Williams, Jr.’s Rowdy Friends Tour 2010 includes special guests Jamey Johnson, Eric Church, and The Grascals. The tour will kick off April 2 in Charleston, WV with shows each weekend throughout April.

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Jack Ingram

Jack Ingram

Jack Ingram is releasing his new single, “Free,” from Big Dreams & High Hopes, today (1/25). Ingram also plans to kick off a one-man tour of listening rooms, reviving his Acoustic Motel Tour concept from years ago. The set will feature songs from his current album, as well as old favorites and songs from some of Ingram’s biggest influences.  The first date is Feb. 13 at Joe’s Bar in Chicago.