Conway To Depart Buddy Lee Attractions

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tony_conway_2Nashville, TN [Press] – Tony Conway, CEO and co-owner of Buddy Lee Attractions, Inc., is departing the talent agency after thirty-three years.

“It has been an extraordinary experience, and I have worked with the most amazing group of artists and staff for over three decades,” says Conway. “I want to thank the late Buddy Lee for mentoring me in the business and the Lee family for allowing me to be a part of country music history. I feel I have completed my mission at B.L.A. and leave it in very capable hands. I am now excited about the next chapter in my own business ventures and the opportunity to apply my experience to new projects.”

The departure was also announced by Donna Lee, VP/co-owner of Buddy Lee Attractions in a separate press release.

Conway will announce his plans in the near future and can be reached at tcagent@aol.com

B.L.A. has represented some of the biggest superstars in country music, such as Hank Williams Jr., George Strait, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Ronnie Milsap, Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks, and Lee Ann Womack.

Currently B.L.A. represents Jeff Foxworthy, Jason Aldean, Lorrie Morgan, Billy Ray Cyrus and others. Conway is a 34-year veteran of the music business who, along with Buddy Lee, produced and promoted the Farm Aid concerts. He is the recipient of the Hubert Long Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Talent Directors, and the CMA President’s Award.

Photos From The Road: Aldean, Bryan, Newfield

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aldean

Members of the Turks Publishing Coalition roadtripped to Jason Aldean's recent show in Murray, KY. (L- R) manager Chris Parr, Steve Markland, S1's Pat Finch, Tim Hunze, Jason Aldean, Sam Ramage, Mike Sebastian, Clay Myers, Lynn Gann, and Billy Lynn.

- Capitol Records artist Luke Bryan became the first country artist to perform at a UCF (University of Central Florida) Homecoming concert, opening in Orlando, Florida for rapper T Pain this past Saturday. The audience was quite receptive to Bryan’s hits “All My Friends Say,” “Country Man,” current smash “DO I” and more.

Luke Bryan became the first country artist to perform at a University of Central Florida Homecoming concert, where he opened in Orlando, Florida for rapper T Pain.

– On Saturday night, country stars Joe Nichols and Heidi Newfield, with the help of fast-rising country artist Derek Sholl and “Nashville Star” finalist Kacey Musgraves, helped to honor the brave, wounded and disabled warriors from East Texas who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, at the “Country for Our Country” benefit concert in Tyler, Texas. Funds raised by the event will benefit Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF), and be used to support education for the wounded warriors, or their family members.   Emceed by radio personalities Big D and Bubba, the event took place at the beautiful Villa de Felicita in Tyler. Heidi Newfield with wounded warrior Jarrod Deas (photo by Jan Barton)

Heidi Newfield, Joe Nichols, Derek Sholl and “Nashville Star” finalist Kacey Musgraves, played at the “Country for Our Country” benefit concert in Tyler, Texas. Funds will benefit Military Warriors Support Foundation to support education for the wounded warriors, or their family members. It was emceed by radio personalities Big D and Bubba. Pictured: Newfield with wounded warrior Jarrod Deas. photo by Jan Barton

Siman Blasts Channel 5 Scalping Expose

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Editorial: Scott Siman, President RPM Management

“Kudos to Channel 5 for investigating and getting it all wrong. Please, Bob Lefsetz? He couldn’t find Nashville with Mapquest. He is a true idiot. Are there issues? Yes. Does he understand them? No. Actually, for many acts, tickets are under priced. Market value, American spirit of economy should prevail. Some practices are wrong in favor of the consumer, but some are wrong in favor of the artist. Does Keith Urban dig that far into it? I hope not because he wouldn’t be focusing enough on creative. Shame on Channel 5 trying to vilify him. Maybe it’s because the CMA switched networks to ABC??? Oh, we can’t talk about that…and Bob Lefsetz doesn’t know our format’s history. He has said the music industry doesn’t know to how to break acts? Last I looked we were doing fine in country music breaking acts without his sorry ass. Pick on Taylor next? Worked out fine for Kanye and will work out just as well for Dumbsetz and Channel 5. That’s my opinion, oughta be yours.”

Channel 5 News Video Clips
Scalpers, Wealthy Get Great Seats For Taylor Swift
False Hopes Fuel Keith Urban Ticket Frenzy

Channel 5’s two reports in print format can be read at these links.
Keith Urban
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11469165

Taylor Swift
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11481431

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Flatts Wrap First Leg of Tour

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rascalflattsThe first leg of the Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour wrapped last weekend, just in time for Gary, Jay, and Joe Don to make it home for the CMA Awards on Nov. 11. Since the run began in June, the Lyric Street act sold 550,000 tickets and played 39 shows. This total includes the two sold-out stadium concerts at Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Columbus’ Crew Stadium.

During 2009 the band has sold over a million concert tickets, bringing its four year total to just over 4 million tickets sold.

Next up, Rascal Flatts are nominated for Group of the Year at the CMA Awards, and Country Group and Country Album of the Year at the American Music Awards on Nov. 22.

Rascal Flatts newest CD Unstoppable has been certified platinum, which brings their career album sales to 20 million units.

Pahanish at 12th And Porter, Avetts at Ryman

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BMI Presents at 12th Porter attracted a wall-to-wall crowd last week. The quarterly showcase featured Music Row buzz artist Dave Pahanish, who co-wrote Jimmy Wayne’s chart-topper “Do You Believe Me Now?”; southern California roots duo the Pawn Shop Kings; and promising young honky tonker Tyler Farr.

Pictured are (l-r): BMI’s Perry Howard, Pahanish’s guitarist Tom Bukovac, Wright of Center Music’s Cole Wright, band member Kristin Lee, Dave Pahanish, and BMI’s Bradley Collins.

Pictured (l-r): BMI’s Perry Howard, Pahanish’s guitarist Tom Bukovac, Wright of Center Music’s Cole Wright, band member Kristin Lee, Dave Pahanish, and BMI’s Bradley Collins.

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The Avett Brothers rocked the Ryman Auditorium on Halloween night. The roots group’s major label debut was released in September on American Recordings/Columbia Records. I and Love and You was produced by multi Grammy Award winner Rick Rubin.

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L-R: Seth Avett, Brian Penix/Outback Concerts, Sally Williams/GM Ryman Auditorium, Bob Crawford, Scott Avett, Paul Lohr/New Frontier Booking, Joe Kwon. Photo: Brian Wagner

Kenny Rogers’ Christmas Tour, Symphony Show

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Kkenny rogersenny Rogers will join the Nashville Symphony for a special performance on Fri., Feb. 5, 2010. From the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, he will be backed by the expansive sound of the orchestra to perform his most beloved songs such as “Lucille,” “The Gambler” and “Buy Me a Rose.” Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m. Tickets start at $37.50 and may be purchased online at NashvilleSymphony.org, or through the Schermerhorn Box Office at 615-687-6400.

Rogers is also embarking on his annual holiday tour, with the 2009 edition set to feature Rebecca Lynn Howard. The show will launch Nov. 27 in Bossier City, LA and visit 20 cities before wrapping Dec. 23 in Westbury, NY. This year’s Kenny Rogers Christmas & Hits Tour will be sponsored by World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization that serves the poor and those in need in more than 100 countries.

Strait, Reba Set For Big Arena Tour

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George Strait

George Strait

George Strait’s 2010 arena tour will feature fellow superstar Reba McEntire. The outing will kick off Jan. 22 in Baltimore, MD, and has concerts scheduled through April 10 in Des Moines, IA. Dates include nearby stops in Memphis, Knoxville, and Atlanta but not Nashville.

Strait recently released Twang, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums Chart and McEntire has recently released Keep On Loving You, her first solo studio album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart.

scaled_e1257218243The genre leaders have enormous career achievements, including McEntire’s sales of over 55 million albums worldwide, and 33 No. 1 singles. Strait boasts 57 No. 1 singles, and sales of over 67 million worldwide.

When they performed together at the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium inaugural event in June, the show sold out in less than an hour.

Country Throwdown Tour In The Works

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Montgomery Gentry

Montgomery Gentry

The brains behind the Vans Warped Tour are getting together a Country tour for this summer.

Montgomery Gentry will headline 4 FINI, Inc.’s first Country Throwdown Tour, running May 13 through June 20. Also set for the amphitheater run are Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, the Eli Young Band, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove, Lost Trailers, Ryan Bingham and Emily West.

As producers and creators of the Warped Tour, 4 FINI, Inc. has made it the longest running traveling music and extreme sports festival in the world. Country Throwdown will be set-up much like the Warped Tour, there will be multiple stages, pre-show tailgating parties, and a full concourse of lifestyle attractions and vendors. Kevin Lyman is the tour founder and co-producer.

In addition to the 12 main artists performing on three stages (one main stage and two side stages), the Bluebird Café Tent will feature nine singer-songwriters. Fans will get to see these artists perform in-the-round throughout the day, and during the main stage set changes at night.

To spur ticket sales, organizers are offering the Throwdown Ticket Takeover. Instead of the traditional front-to-back tiered ticketing–where fans who pay more get closer–the special deal will split the seats down the middle. For a limited time during the pre-sale which begins February 2010, anyone who buys early can get the Ticket Takeover priced ticket and be as close as the front row. Regular tiered ticketing will still be available for purchase for half of the amphitheater seating. More artists and a title sponsor will soon be announced.

Brad, Reba Head To NYC For TV

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rebaReba McEntire and Brad Paisley will be making media rounds in New York City on Tuesday (11/3). The redhead’s itinerary includes a morning visit to Live with Regis & Kelly for a chat and full band performance, airing on ABC at 9 AM/CT. Later that evening, she will perform “I Want A Cowboy” during her debut appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 11:30 PM/CT.

Reba, nominated for two CMA awards, will host Premiere Radio Networks’ 2009 CMA Awards Preview Special. The radio network is also planning a live broadcast of the Awards telecast, red carpet interviews, and a live post-Awards broadcast to be hosted by Craig Morgan and Premiere’s Larry Morgan.

Meanwhile, Paisely will be in New York for a Tuesday appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman to perform “American Saturday Night.” Then he and Carrie Underwood, co-hosts of the CMA Awards, will be performing on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tues., Nov. 10 live from Nashville, the day before the Awards. Paisley leads the nominations with seven.

Paisley just finished the 2009 leg of his American Saturday Night tour, after playing to more than 1.2 million fans. Following the run with Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne, Paisley and crew made this thank-you video and posted it on Twitter and YouTube. The tour’s 2010 leg kicks off Jan. 7 in San Antonio with Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore.

Signings And Musical Chairs

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Lisa Strickland

Golden Music Nashville has hired Lisa Strickland as Regional Director Northeast Promotion and Marketing, effective Mon., Nov. 2. She has spent the last two years at Citadel Media as Director of Affiliate Relations and Distribution Sales, working on American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks.

The move to Golden, whose roster includes Williams Riley and Benton Blount, reunites Strickland and Brad Howell who first worked together in the Warner Bros. promotion department. Strickland’s 20 years in the business also includes being KZLA’s MD/Asst. PD, and time as a regional director with Asylum Records, Warner Bros., Dream Catchers, and Universal South.

She can be reached at 615-289-2319 or lisa@goldenmusic.biz.

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John Michael Montgomery has signed with The Bobby Roberts Company for concert booking.

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Sara Evans has signed with Spalding Entertainment, the company which also manages Brooks & Dunn, Jason Aldean and others.

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Average Joe’s Entertainment, the label home to Colt Ford, has signed Brantley Gilbert. With Atlanta and Nashville offices, the label is headed by CEO Shannon Houchins and other employees include Ken Madson.

Gilbert is managed by Ken Fulghum. His album A Modern Day Prodigal Son was released earlier this month and the follow-up Halfway To Heaven is due in February 2010.

Average Joe’s Entertainment is located at 1010 17th Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37212 and can be reached by phone at 615-329-4762.

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Mickie James, a star of World Wrestling Entertainment, has signed with Sherry Massaro of Skyline Management Group, Inc. for management and Absolute Publicity’s Don Grubbs for public relations. She has also obtained the services of local stylist Lori Bumgarner and is expected to announce plans for a country music career in the coming weeks.