Marty Stuart has been named as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 16th artist-in-residence.
Through the artist-in-residence program, the museum offers its theaters as a blank canvas for artists to curate unique shows. Stuart will produce and perform three shows at the CMA Theater, on Sept. 11, 18, and 25. He will perform alongside his Fabulous Superlatives, and will welcome friends from his nearly half-century in music.
The Sept. 11 show is titled “The Pilgrim,” and will celebrate the re-release of Stuart’s 10th studio album, The Pilgrim. Sept. 18’s concert, titled “Psychedelic Jam-Bo-Ree,” and will celebrate country music of the 1960s, including a lineup of influential artists and musicians. The Sept. 25 show, titled “Songs That Tell a Story,” will pay homage to country music’s stories with an acoustic show featuring several of Nashville’s top storytellers.
“Marty Stuart has made country music his life’s work, and I cannot imagine the music without him,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He has preserved its history, photographed its legends and performed its music with integrity. Marty’s music reaches beyond traditional country, drawing influence from genres including Americana, southern gospel and hillbilly rock. Marty’s residency will no doubt deliver truly unique and memorable experiences.”
Cowboy Jack Clement opened the artist-in-residence series in 2003, and other past honorees include Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, Connie Smith, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, Alan Jackson, Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell and 2018 artist-in-residence Miranda Lambert.
A five-time Grammy winner, platinum artist and recipient of numerous industry accolades including the Country Music Association’s prestigious Joe Talbot Award, Stuart began his musical career at age 12, when he joined the Sullivan Family Gospel Singers. After stints with bluegrass great Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass and Johnny Cash’s backing band, he embarked on a solo career that resulted in hits including “Hillbilly Rock” and “Tempted.” Stuart has also enjoyed a successful collaboration with Travis Tritt as “No Hats” touring partners and hit-makers (“The Whiskey Ain’t Workin”).
In addition to Flatt, Cash and Tritt, Stuart has worked onstage or in the studio with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Charley Pride, Mavis Staples, Porter Wagoner and hundreds of others. In the early 2000s, Stuart formed the aptly named Fabulous Superlatives, a band whose musical skills and sensibilities outshine the vibrancy of their Western suits. The Fabulous Superlatives issued their latest album, the critically acclaimed Way Out West, in 2017. The band includes guitar great Kenny Vaughan, famed drummer Harry Stinson and preternaturally talented multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs.
According to Stuart, “The ultimate destination in the world of country music is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The Hall of Fame is our greatest treasure chest and a place that represents the heart and soul of our culture. Some of my most cherished memories are of events I’ve either witnessed or performed in at the Hall of Fame. It’s an honor to be the artist-in-residence this September. Hopefully, at the end of the run, the past, present and the future of country music will have been touched upon, leaving in its wake three nights of magic to be remembered at the Hall of Fame.”
Tickets for all three shows go on sale to the public Friday, April 19, 2019, at 10 a.m. ET, and can be purchased through cmatheater.com. Tickets for each show range from $39.50 to $85.50 (plus ticketing fees). Sales are limited to four tickets per transaction on a first-come, first-served basis, and are non-refundable. Shows begin at 8 p.m.
Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne Celebrate Chart-Topper “Burning Man”
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): TJ Osborne, John Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Luke Dick (BMI/Little Louder Publishing), Bobby Pinson (BMI/Sea Gayle Music). Photo: Steve Lowry
BMI’s Mason Hunter led the celebration in Music City on Monday (April 15) to honor Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne for their chart-topping hit “Burning Man.”
“Burning Man” marks the second No. 1 from Bentley’s The Mountain album, and also earned the Music Event of the Year honor at the recent Academy of Country Music Awards.
“Burning Man” co-writers Luke Dick and Bobby Pinson, as well as producers Ross Copperman and Jon Randall, were celebrated as the music industry crowd gathered at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in downtown Nashville. The project was executive produced by Arturo Buenahora, whose Little Louder Publishing is also the publishing home for the track’s co-writer Luke Dick.
Sea Gayle’s Marc Driskill feted Bobby Pinson. “Burning Man” marks Sea Gayle’s 50th No. 1 song, and is Pinson’s eighth No. 1.
Others celebrating included CMA’s Brandi Simms and UMG Nashville’s Mike Harris, while Pinnacle Bank announced a chartable donation to Bentley’s Riser Foundation.
MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson presents “Burning Man” co-writers with No. 1 Challenge Coins for reaching No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart. Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, TJ Osborne, John Osborne, Dierks Bentley, co-writer Luke Dick, co-writer Bobby Pinson. Photo: Steve Lowry
“When you release songs to radio it’s like the cliff notes of your album and ‘Burning Man’ is one of the most important pieces of The Mountain,” said Bentley. “When you do a collaboration it’s a leap of faith but there is no one else that could have done what these guys did on this song. We were in direct communication with no one else involved you know…John walks in with his guitar and amp…I’ve just been really lucky to work with people like these guys where it’s all about the music and friendship. It’s rare to find that outside of Nashville and a really unique thing that is happening in country music right now.”
“When he sent us the song it was done and already sounded awesome,” added TJ Osborne, “I’m such a fan of Dierks and when I listened to the demo, it already sounded like a Dierks hit and it took me a minute to really make it mine. To take that risk on us with something that already sounded great was all on Dierks.”
Tenille Arts Earns Two SCMA Honors
/by Jessica NicholsonTenille Arts. Photo: Courtesy Campbell Entertainment Group
Reviver Records artist and Canada native Tenille Arts earned two honors at the 30th annual Saskatchewan Country Music Awards, held this past weekend in Saskatoon and hosted by Tenille’s labelmate Aaron Goodvin. Arts was named Female Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for the second consecutive year.
“Last night was a dream,” said Tenille, who hails from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. “Thank you to the SCMAs and everyone who voted. None of this would be possible without the support of my home province, and it means the world to me that I’m always welcomed back home with open arms! There are so many people behind the scenes who have helped me get to this place. This is amazing!”
Arts is currently touring in promotion of her new single “Call You Names.”
Industry Pics: Kelsea Ballerini, Randy Travis, Randy Houser, Paul Cauthen, Scooter Brown, Gene Watson
/by Haley CrowKelsea Ballerini Kicks Off First-Ever Arena Tour With Sold-Out Weekend
Photo: Blythe Thomas
Kelsea Ballerini kicked off her first-ever arena tour, The Miss Me More Tour, with three back-to-back sold-out shows this past weekend in Salisbury, Maryland (April 11), Reading, Pennsylvania (April 12), and Erie, Pennsylvania (April 13).
“Kicked off the first weekend of the Miss Me More tour with 3 SOLD OUT shows, glitter, real talks, confetti dancing, and moments like this,” Ballerini shared on Instagram. “I love you so so so much.”
Randy Travis Makes Appearance At Whiskey Jam
Pictured (L-R): Randy Travis, Randy Houser, Paul Cauthen and Scooter Brown. Photo: Jason Myers
Randy Travis, Randy Houser, Paul Cauthen and Scooter Brown enjoyed each other’s company at Monday night’s (April 15) Whiskey Jam event at Winners Bar and Grill in Nashville.
Gene Watson Celebrates Three Consecutive No. 1s At Grand Ole Opry
Pictured (L-R): Mark Wills, Gene Watson, Grand Ole Opry’s Sally Williams and Opry Announcer/WSM-AM’s Bill Cody. Photo: Courtesy of Grand Ole Opry LLC./Chris Hollo
To commemorate three consecutive No. 1s on the country Christian charts, Mark Wills surprised Gene Watson on stage at the Grand Ole Opry as he presented Watson with a plaque for his chart-topping accomplishments.
Watson’s single “Build My Mansion (Next Door To Jesus)” holds the No. 1 position on the CASHBOX Country Christian Chart and Christian Servant Magazine Top 100 chart. Additionally, the single is currently in the Top 10 on the SGNScoops Christian Magazine chart. This is Watson’s third No. 1 single from his Christian album, My Gospel Roots.
Aaron Watson Sets The Red Bandana Tour
/by Jessica NicholsonAaron Watson. Photo: Jimmy Fisco/courtesy Monarch Publicity
Aaron Watson will launch The Red Bandana Tour with 13 shows starting June 28 in Watson’s hometown of Abilene, Texas. To celebrate the upcoming tour, Watson released the new song “Trying Like The Devil.” The tour coincides with the release of his Red Bandana album on June 21.
“I am so excited to announce the new tour this summer with the release of my new album Red Bandana,” says Watson. “Of course, kicking it off in my hometown of Abilene means the world to me. Touring is what we do, it’s how we built the business and met so many amazing fans over the years. I can assure everyone that we plan on coming to your market over the course of this record with a brand-new stage and production as well as set list. We’ll be playing the old favorites and a lot of new songs from Red Bandana.”
Aaron Watson’s The Red Bandana Tour:
6/28 – Taylor County Expo Center – Abilene, TX
6/29 – White Oak Music Hall (Outdoors) – Houston, TX
7/6 – Big Lake Festival – Big Lake, TX
7/11 – Hodag Country Festival – Rhinelander, WI
7/12 – Riverfront Live – Cincinnati, OH
7/13 – Jam In The Valley – Varysburg, NY
7/18 – Adams County Fair – Hastings, NE
7/19 – Lazy Gators – Lake Of The Ozarks, MO
7/26 – A Night In The Country – Yerington, NV
8/10 – Ford Park Arena – Beaumont, TX
8/15 – Power & Lights District – Kansas City, MO
8/23 – Colorado State Fair – Pueblo, CO
9/5 – Washington State Fair – Puyallup, WA
Banking Exec Ron Samuels To Retire
/by Jessica NicholsonRon Samuels. Photo: Courtesy Pinnacle Financial Partners
Longtime Nashville financial leader Ron Samuels will retire from Pinnacle Financial Partners at the end of June, the company has announced. Samuels will remain on the board of directors for Pinnacle following his retirement.
“My great friend, Ron Samuels, who is well known to many of our shareholders as the former Chairman and CEO of Avenue Bank here in Nashville, has recently decided that he is ready to retire from his day-to-day responsibilities as part of the leadership team at Pinnacle on June 30,” said Pinnacle CEO/President M. Terry Turner. “We are grateful that he will remain on our board but will miss his everyday leadership and always optimistic perspective. On behalf of the entire Pinnacle family, I wish Ron and his wife Lynn all the best.”
Samuels launched his career over 40 years ago at First Tennessee Bank, and has since held several executive roles at banks in the Nashville area. In 2006, he launched Avenue Bank, which he expanded into a $1.2 billion lender before he sold the bank to Pinnacle in 2016. He has also been credited with helping to attract the Tennessee Titans to Nashville, and with leading fundraising efforts for the 2019 NFL Draft.
CMA Fest Announces Ascend Amphitheater Lineup
/by Jessica NicholsonCMA Fest has revealed the lineup for the popular nightly concerts at the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater, Thursday, June 6 through Saturday, June 8, with performances starting at 6:30 p.m. CT each evening.
Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater, presented by BBR Music Group, will kick off the festivities Thursday night. Headliner Chase Rice will be joined by Jimmie Allen, Blanco Brown, Adam Craig, Lindsay Ell, Tyler Farr, King Calaway, LOCASH and Runaway June.
Brett Young will headline Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater on Friday night. Joining Young will be Bailey Bryan, Jordan Davis, Adam Hambrick, Caylee Hammack, Jillian Jacqueline and Mitchell Tenpenny.
Closing out Saturday night, fans will enjoy Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater, presented by Warner Music Nashville. Hunter Hayes and Cody Johnson will co-headline the evening, joined by Ingrid Andress, Tucker Beathard and Ashley McBryde.
“We are excited for the Ascend Amphitheater performances to return for a third straight year with a stellar lineup, and are thrilled to offer an additional nightly concert series to festival goers as well as our local Nashville fanbase during CMA Fest,” said Damon Whiteside, CMA Chief Marketing Officer. “With a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting high-quality music education initiatives across the U.S. through the CMA Foundation, the loyal fans that attend the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater are helping to support this mission.”
“As a time-tested American brand built on durability and dependability, Firestone fits perfectly as the Official Tire of Country Music,” said Amber Holm, Vice President, Consumer and Customer Engagement, Bridgestone Americas. “Like those who drive on Firestone tires, Country Music’s inspiring artists and passionate fans understand what it means to work hard. We’re excited to give them a chance to play hard, too, by partnering with CMA Fest to offer nightly shows right here in our hometown of Nashville on the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater.”
Outdoor daytime stages including the Budweiser Forever Country Stage, Chevy Riverfront Stage and others to be announced soon are free and open to the public. Additional stage lineups, Xfinity Fan Fair X activities and more will be announced in the coming weeks. All artist lineups are subject to change.
Tickets are required for entry, with three-day reserved tickets selling for $66, single-day reserved for $25 each night and single-day lawn selling for $10 per night, plus taxes and fees. Fan presale begins Wednesday, April 17 at 10 a.m. CT and closes Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m. CT, with public on-sale opening Friday, April 19 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets can be purchased at CMAfest.com or ticketmaster.com.
Rob Potts To Be Honored At APRA Awards
/by Jessica NicholsonRob Potts. Photo: Courtesy APRA
Celebrated manager, promoter and country music champion, the late Rob Potts, will be posthumously honored with the APRA’s Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Potts died from a motorcycle accident in 2017.
Potts’ career spanned more than 30 years. Originally from Hobart, Potts moved to Sydney and became a booking agent for artists including Keith Urban, Tommy Emmanuel, James Blundell and more. More recently, Potts guided the career of Morgan Evans to a label deal at Warner Music Nashville; Evans is a dual nominee at this year’s APRA Music Awards.
As CEO of his company Entertainment Edge, Potts helped open doors for Australians into the competitive Nashville scene thanks in part to the connections he made as the Australian concert promoter to some of the biggest artists in country music, including Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Dixie Chicks and many more. In 2009, he brought a pre-superstar Taylor Swift to Australia for her first shows in the market.
The success of his tours led to Potts establishing the CMC Rocks festival brand and forging a long running partnership with Michael Chugg’s Chugg Entertainment. Their flagship, CMC Rocks Queensland, is now the biggest country music festival in the southern hemisphere. It sold out for the first time in 2016 and every year since.
In 2018, Potts was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s Jim Reeves International Award, presented to an artist or industry leader for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music internationally.
Chugg said of the APRA honor, “I am so proud and very pleased that APRA is honoring my late and great mate and partner, Rob Potts with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to the music industry. Rob Potts is a shining example of everything that is wonderful about our industry. For many, many years he led the battle to break Australian country music in Nashville and became a Board member of the CMA, Country Music Association of America. Many of us are saddened every day that Rob is not with us to see all his hard work come to fruition; Keith Urban, Tommy Emmanuel and Morgan Evans are just 3 of the acts he championed. And of course, the greatest country music festival in the Southern Hemisphere now 13 years old, CMC Rocks Queensland. God Bless you Rob.”
Arts Centre Melbourne CEO Claire Spencer said: “The Australian Music Vault is extremely privileged to be working with APRA AMCOS in honoring this year’s recipient of the Ted Albert Award, the late Rob Potts. He was a true pioneer working against the tide of ‘90’s rock music to develop and raise the profile of country music in Australia. His illustrious career means we can share in the stories of some of the world-class artists he helped create.”
The 2019 APRA Music Awards will be held April 30 in Melbourne, Australia.
Marty Stuart Named CMHoF Artist-In-Residence
/by Jessica NicholsonMarty Stuart has been named as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 16th artist-in-residence.
Through the artist-in-residence program, the museum offers its theaters as a blank canvas for artists to curate unique shows. Stuart will produce and perform three shows at the CMA Theater, on Sept. 11, 18, and 25. He will perform alongside his Fabulous Superlatives, and will welcome friends from his nearly half-century in music.
The Sept. 11 show is titled “The Pilgrim,” and will celebrate the re-release of Stuart’s 10th studio album, The Pilgrim. Sept. 18’s concert, titled “Psychedelic Jam-Bo-Ree,” and will celebrate country music of the 1960s, including a lineup of influential artists and musicians. The Sept. 25 show, titled “Songs That Tell a Story,” will pay homage to country music’s stories with an acoustic show featuring several of Nashville’s top storytellers.
“Marty Stuart has made country music his life’s work, and I cannot imagine the music without him,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He has preserved its history, photographed its legends and performed its music with integrity. Marty’s music reaches beyond traditional country, drawing influence from genres including Americana, southern gospel and hillbilly rock. Marty’s residency will no doubt deliver truly unique and memorable experiences.”
Cowboy Jack Clement opened the artist-in-residence series in 2003, and other past honorees include Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, Connie Smith, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, Alan Jackson, Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell and 2018 artist-in-residence Miranda Lambert.
A five-time Grammy winner, platinum artist and recipient of numerous industry accolades including the Country Music Association’s prestigious Joe Talbot Award, Stuart began his musical career at age 12, when he joined the Sullivan Family Gospel Singers. After stints with bluegrass great Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass and Johnny Cash’s backing band, he embarked on a solo career that resulted in hits including “Hillbilly Rock” and “Tempted.” Stuart has also enjoyed a successful collaboration with Travis Tritt as “No Hats” touring partners and hit-makers (“The Whiskey Ain’t Workin”).
In addition to Flatt, Cash and Tritt, Stuart has worked onstage or in the studio with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Charley Pride, Mavis Staples, Porter Wagoner and hundreds of others. In the early 2000s, Stuart formed the aptly named Fabulous Superlatives, a band whose musical skills and sensibilities outshine the vibrancy of their Western suits. The Fabulous Superlatives issued their latest album, the critically acclaimed Way Out West, in 2017. The band includes guitar great Kenny Vaughan, famed drummer Harry Stinson and preternaturally talented multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs.
According to Stuart, “The ultimate destination in the world of country music is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The Hall of Fame is our greatest treasure chest and a place that represents the heart and soul of our culture. Some of my most cherished memories are of events I’ve either witnessed or performed in at the Hall of Fame. It’s an honor to be the artist-in-residence this September. Hopefully, at the end of the run, the past, present and the future of country music will have been touched upon, leaving in its wake three nights of magic to be remembered at the Hall of Fame.”
Tickets for all three shows go on sale to the public Friday, April 19, 2019, at 10 a.m. ET, and can be purchased through cmatheater.com. Tickets for each show range from $39.50 to $85.50 (plus ticketing fees). Sales are limited to four tickets per transaction on a first-come, first-served basis, and are non-refundable. Shows begin at 8 p.m.
RareSpark Media Group Signs Dave Turnbull
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R, back row): Carly Strickland (RareSpark), Stephanie Westerman (Marcus & Colvin, LLP), Lauren Spahn (Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP), and Scot Sherrod (RareSpark); (L-R, front row): Dave Turnbull, Suzanne Strickland (RareSpark)
RareSpark Media Group, Inc. has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing agreement with chart-topping songwriter, Dave Turnbull.
Turnbull joins the company’s growing roster with multiple No. 1 songs to his credit, including “The Boys of Fall” (Kenny Chesney), “Lucky Man” (Montgomery Gentry), “Old Alabama” (Brad Paisley), and “Anything Like Me” (Brad Paisley), as well as hits such as “Outskirts of Heaven” (Craig Campbell), “Arlington” (Trace Adkins), and “The More I Drink” (Blake Shelton). He has also had songs recorded by artists including Gary Allan, Mark Chesnutt, Sheryl Crow, Craig Morgan, Jake Owen, Jordan Brooker, and Mitch Rossell.
“Dave Turnbull is a songwriter of the highest caliber, and we are so honored that he has decided to call RareSpark his new publishing home,” says Suzanne Strickland, founder and CEO of RareSpark Media Group. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to launch this new chapter with him, and look forward to sharing many more great songs to come.”
Adds RareSpark General Manager/Vice President Scot Sherrod, “I’ve watched Dave’s career grow over the years, and I look forward to getting into the trenches with him through this new partnership.”
“I’m beyond excited to be signing with RareSpark,” says Turnbull. “They are clearly true song people, who really care about the strong catalog they continue to build. Their positivity is contagious, and I can’t think of a more ideal team to work with to further my career.”
Turnbull joins a publishing roster that currently includes Jason Afable, Victoria Banks, Walker Hayes, and Brian Layson.
CD Baby Partners With Content Identification And Licensing Service Audible Magic
/by Jessica NicholsonArtist service provider CD Baby is partnering with Audible Magic, which offers digital content identification, licensing, and monetization, to increase content protection for artists and labels. As part of the partnership, CD Baby will use Audible Magic’s RightsRx service to identify content rights conflict prior to delivery to a Digital Service Provider (DSP).
“Audible Magic is an essential element that enables us to play our role in the music business,” said CD Baby VP of Marketing, Kevin Breuner. “Their powerful identification technology allows us to serve our artists—and the platforms and services they rely on—quickly and fairly.”
When a user requests to upload files, RightsRx allows CD Baby to check Audible Magic’s registry of over 30 million media assets. RightsRx then indicates if the file is a duplicate of another audio track in the system, or if it is a potentially suspicious file. CD Baby can proactively decline to upload the file in question, rather than reactively taking it down at a later time due to a potentially costly rights conflict. In the vast majority of cases, however, files will upload seamlessly and be ready for distribution.
“CD Baby plays a vital role in the independent music community. We look forward to supporting their ongoing efforts to provide the highest quality of service to their artists and maintain strong relationships with the DSPs,” said Vance Ikezoye, President and CEO at Audible Magic.
“We’re doing everything in our power to provide digital partners with data and assets that boost our artists. We want to create the best experience via these partnerships,” said MJ Woodis, CD Baby’s Director of Digital Operations, who leads a 19-person team that addresses this challenge. “We work closely with DSPs, and it’s often more of a conversation, not just rules laid down. The heart of the matter is not to restrict as we get them music and data, and to enable search and other discovery methods to help our artists. It’s a growing process.”