Nashville songwriting great Naomi Martin died on May 31 at age 89 following a long illness.
Martin is noted for such BMI Award winning songs as “My Eyes Can Only See As Far As You” by Charley Pride (1976) and “Let’s Take the Long Way Around the World” by Ronnie Milsap (1978). Both of them were No. 1 hits.
She is also outstanding for her longevity in the Nashville music business. Naomi Martin’s career stretched over six decades.
She was a native of Virginia who moved to Nashville with her family in 1966. Within 18 months, she had already written two charted records. During the late 1960s, her songs were recorded by Leona Williams, Jeannie C. Riley, Dee Mullins, Paul Martin and r&b star Johnny Adams.
Martin’s first sizable hit was Jeannie C. Riley’s version of “Roses and Thorns,” which reached No. 15 on the country chart in 1971. Others who recorded her tunes during the 1970s included Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius, Freddy Fender, Kitty Wells and B.J. Thomas. Following Milsap’s hit with the song, “Let’s Take the Long Way Around the World” was recorded as a duet by Kenny Rogers & Dottie West.
In the 1980s, Naomi Martin’s songs were recorded by Ray Price, John Conlee, Porter Wagoner, T.G. Sheppard, Faron Young, Milsap and Barbara Mandrell. One of her most successful co-written songs during this era was “We Fell in Love Anyway,” which was recorded by Cleve Francis & Patti Austin, Lee Greenwood, Rosemary Clooney, Kenny Rogers and David Slater.
Glen Campbell, Conway Twitty, Roy Clark, Twister Alley, Anne Murray, Mandrell and Lorrie Morgan are among the artists who recorded Naomi Martin songs during the 1990s. She also continued to have recordings of her compositions in the 2000s. Eric Hancock, Souls for Christ and Jimmy Payne are among the artists who sang her songs in the first decade of the new millennium.
By this time, her song catalogs with Pi-Gem, Tom Collins Music and Milsap/Galbraith Music had been sold to larger publishers. She founded her own Naomi Martin Music Group, where she signed Blake Shelton to his first song-publishing contract. She helped Shelton to secure his first recording contract and served as executive producer on his earliest studio sessions.
Two of Naomi Martin’s five children became singer-songwriters. Daughter Lisa Dale Yonts recorded as “Dale Daniel” for BNA Records in 1992-94. Son Marty Yonts (1955-2012) had his songs recorded by David Allan Coe and Con Hunley, among others.
Visitation will be held 4-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, 4800 Belmont Park Terrace, Nashville, TN 37215. The musical tribute will be held there at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, with a celebration of life service to begin at 2:00 p.m.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to MusiCares or to the Opry Trust Fund.
Chris Stapleton Reschedules Tour Dates
/by Jessica NicholsonChris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton has released the rescheduled tour dates for upcoming shows in California, Mississippi, Indiana and more. All tickets from the postponed shows will be honored at the new dates.
The singer recently postponed the shows while recovering from a broken bone and detached tendon in his right index finger, which requires physical therapy.
“I want to thank you for all of the positive thoughts and kind words you have shared over the last few days,” Stapleton said at the time. “The doctor is hopeful that with some physical therapy I will be playing guitar again soon. Right now, I can’t possibly give you guys the show you deserve. I always want to give you my very best. There is little in this world that I enjoy more than getting to make music with all of you night after night. Thank you for the privilege. Your support and understanding through all of this lets me know now, more than ever, I have the best fans in the world.”
RESCHEDULED TOUR DATES:
8/31 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center *
9/1 – Mt. View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre *
9/2 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre *
9/8 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center *
9/9 – Noblesville, IN – Klipsch Music Center *
9/15 – Southaven, MS – BankPlus Amphitheatre at Snowden Grove ^
9/16 – Birmingham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre ^
11/2 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Civic Center ~
* with special guests Anderson East and Lucie Silvas
^ with special guests Anderson East and Brent Cobb
~ with special guests Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb
Don Schlitz, Brett James, Barry Dean, Jon Nite Bringing CMA Songwriters Series To CMA Music Fest
/by Jessica NicholsonThe CMA Songwriters Series is coming home to Nashville as part of CMA Music Festival on Wednesday, June 7.
2017 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Don Schlitz will be joined by fellow songwriters Barry Dean, Brett James and Jon Nite on June 7 at the CMA Theater, located in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The show will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m.
Schlitz has earned the CMA Song of the Year honor three times, for the songs “The Gambler” (Kenny Rogers), “On The Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen” (both recorded by Randy Travis). Dean has penned hits for Little Big Town (“Pontoon” and “Day Drinking”), as well as Ingrid Michaelson’s “Girls Chase Boys.” James’ lengthy list of his includes Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova,” Jason Aldean’s “The Truth”, and Kenny Chesney’s “Out Last Night,” while Nite has penned hits including Keith Urban’s “Break On Me” and Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down.”
Since 2005, the CMA Songwriters Series has held more than 100 shows in 17 cities.
Bobby Bones Nominated For Induction Into National Radio Hall Of Fame
/by Lorie HollabaughBobby Bones
Bobby Bones, host of iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show, is a nominee for induction into the National Radio Hall Of Fame. Bones is one of four nominees in the Music Format On-Air Personality category, which will be voted on by radio listeners. Bones is the youngest-ever nominee for induction into the National Radio Hall Of Fame and the category’s only nominee in the country format.
Voting is open now, and starting today through June 19, listeners nationwide can vote for Bones by texting ’10′ to ‘49400,’ with one vote permitted per number. Votes may also be received at radiovote.com, where a listener can also cast just one vote per email address.
After landing his first radio gig in his home state of Arkansas at age 17, Bones launched his Bobby Bones Show in Austin, where it quickly established itself as the city’s top-rated morning show. Since moving to Nashville in 2012, the show has become a nationally-syndicated program with 100+ affiliates, and Bones has developed a loyal audience of more than five million listeners weekly. Bones also was named ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year in 2014 and 2016, following multiple honors at the Austin Music Awards, including Best Radio Personality and Best Radio Program.
iHeartMedia Names Tom Poleman As Chief Programming Officer
/by Jessica NicholsonTom Poleman
iHeartMedia has named Tom Poleman as its Chief Programming Officer, effective immediately. Under a new long-term agreement, Poleman will also remain President of iHeartMedia’s National Programming Group. He will continue to report to Bob Pittman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iHeartMedia, Inc.
In addition to co-producing iHeartMedia’s national marquee events including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, the iHeartCountry Festival, iHeart80s Party, the iHeartSummer ’17 Weekend by AT&T and iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, Poleman and his team will continue to oversee programming and music strategy, talent development and artist relations for iHeartMedia’s more than 850 radio stations, which reach more than a quarter of a billion listeners a month, and provide key support for its national team of programmers across the country. He will also continue to head up iHeartMedia’s music discovery and emerging artist initiatives, including the Artist Integration Program and the On the Verge program, which have championed artists like Sam Smith, Maren Morris, Fifth Harmony and James Bay, as well as Sam Hunt, Bleachers and Lukas Graham, early in their careers.
“No one understands the intricate relationship between programming, on-air talent, artist relationships and live music events like Tom Poleman,” said Pittman. “He has always been a key part of the team that has shaped iHeartMedia into a multi-platform company. Tom’s unique vision has turned our National Programing Group into what it is today, an innovative nationwide network of the most talented people working as a team to bring constant innovation to our company and our industry. I’m thrilled that he will remain a key contributor in our company’s continued evolution and success.”
Poleman was named President of iHeartMedia’s National Programming Group in August 2011, where he was tasked with unifying iHeartMedia’s programming initiatives and capabilities and magnifying the company’s size and scale. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia and oversaw programming and marketing for all iHeartMedia radio properties in New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston and Providence. Poleman’s extensive programming background includes overseeing Z100/New York, one of the most successful pop stations in the history of the medium. He has also led programming at Top 40 radio stations in New Haven, Connecticut and Houston, Texas and was named the youngest corporate programming executive for AMFM Broadcasting in 1999. Poleman has received numerous accolades throughout his 30-year career, including being inducted into the FMQB CHR Programmer Hall of Fame and being honored numerous times as Major Market Mainstream Top 40 Program Director of the Year at the Radio Music Awards. He has also made multiple appearances on Billboard Magazine’s Power 100 list, including being listed in the top 20 in 2017.
“From the moment I stepped foot into WVBR at Cornell University in 1983, I knew I’d found my passion,” said Poleman. “I’ve seen a lot in the ensuing thirty five years, but nothing has made me more excited for our industry’s future than iHeartMedia’s continued evolution as a leader in media and entertainment across multiple platforms. We have the best stations, events and media assets in the world, including our amazing personalities and programmers. It’s an honor to be part of this amazing team.”
Universal Music Group To Present Week Of CMA Fest Shows, Films With ‘Music Is Universal’ Event
/by Lorie HollabaughLive performances produced by online music series “Skyville Live” will kick off Wednesday with a post-CMT Awards concert by Gary Allan and include a “Throwback Thursday” show featuring Bellamy Brothers, Deana Carter, Mark Collie, The Kentucky Headhunters and Shenandoah, plus a surprise concert by a Grammy award-winning super group on Friday. In addition to her live performance on Saturday night, Lauren Alaina will premiere her brand new movie Road Less Traveled. All events will take place in an air-conditioned venue and are free and open to the public.
MUSIC IS UNIVERSAL / BUDWEISER DOME PRESENTED BY RATED RED SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, June 7
· 7:00PM – Doors Open
· 8:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Gary Allan/Live From Austin
· 10:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Gary Allan
Thursday, June 8
· 11:30AM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Kip Moore/Live From Las Vegas
· 12:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Suzy Bogguss
· 1:15PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Bellamy Brothers
· 2:30PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Mark Collie
· 3:45PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Shenandoah
· 4:45PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: The Kentucky Headhunters
· 6:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Deana Carter
· 7:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Gary Allan/Live From Austin
· 11:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Eric Church/Live From Red Rocks
Friday, June 9
· 3:45PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Special Grammy Award-winning surprise show
· 5:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Special Grammy Award-winning surprise show
· 6:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Special Grammy Award-winning surprise show
· 7:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Lady Antebellum/Live From Bakersfield
· 9:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Gary Allan/Live From Austin
· 11:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Eric Church/Live From Red Rocks
Saturday, June 10
· 11:00AM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Eric Church/Live From Red Rocks
· 2:30PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: CB30
· 3:30PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Canaan Smith
· 4:45PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Maddie & Tae
· 6:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Lauren Alaina
· 7:00PM – EXCLUSIVE MOVIE PREMIERE: Road Less Traveled starring Lauren Alaina
· 9:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Lady Antebellum/Live From Bakersfield
· 11:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Gary Allan/Live From Austin
Sunday, June 11
· 11:00AM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Jimmy Buffett/Alive and Loud, Presented by Margaritaville TV
· 11:30AM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Kip Moore/Live From Las Vegas
· 12PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Eric Church/Live From Red Rocks
· 1:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Disney Music Group presents Temecula Road
· 2:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Brandon Lay
· 3:00PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Clare Dunn
· 4:15PM – LIVE PERFORMANCE: Eric Paslay
· 5:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Gary Allan/Live From Austin
· 9:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Lady Antebellum/Live From Bakersfield
· 11:00PM – 360 CONCERT FILM: Eric Church/Live From Red Rocks
LifeNotes: Country Songwriter Naomi Martin Passes
/by Robert K OermannMartin is noted for such BMI Award winning songs as “My Eyes Can Only See As Far As You” by Charley Pride (1976) and “Let’s Take the Long Way Around the World” by Ronnie Milsap (1978). Both of them were No. 1 hits.
She is also outstanding for her longevity in the Nashville music business. Naomi Martin’s career stretched over six decades.
She was a native of Virginia who moved to Nashville with her family in 1966. Within 18 months, she had already written two charted records. During the late 1960s, her songs were recorded by Leona Williams, Jeannie C. Riley, Dee Mullins, Paul Martin and r&b star Johnny Adams.
Martin’s first sizable hit was Jeannie C. Riley’s version of “Roses and Thorns,” which reached No. 15 on the country chart in 1971. Others who recorded her tunes during the 1970s included Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius, Freddy Fender, Kitty Wells and B.J. Thomas. Following Milsap’s hit with the song, “Let’s Take the Long Way Around the World” was recorded as a duet by Kenny Rogers & Dottie West.
In the 1980s, Naomi Martin’s songs were recorded by Ray Price, John Conlee, Porter Wagoner, T.G. Sheppard, Faron Young, Milsap and Barbara Mandrell. One of her most successful co-written songs during this era was “We Fell in Love Anyway,” which was recorded by Cleve Francis & Patti Austin, Lee Greenwood, Rosemary Clooney, Kenny Rogers and David Slater.
Glen Campbell, Conway Twitty, Roy Clark, Twister Alley, Anne Murray, Mandrell and Lorrie Morgan are among the artists who recorded Naomi Martin songs during the 1990s. She also continued to have recordings of her compositions in the 2000s. Eric Hancock, Souls for Christ and Jimmy Payne are among the artists who sang her songs in the first decade of the new millennium.
By this time, her song catalogs with Pi-Gem, Tom Collins Music and Milsap/Galbraith Music had been sold to larger publishers. She founded her own Naomi Martin Music Group, where she signed Blake Shelton to his first song-publishing contract. She helped Shelton to secure his first recording contract and served as executive producer on his earliest studio sessions.
Two of Naomi Martin’s five children became singer-songwriters. Daughter Lisa Dale Yonts recorded as “Dale Daniel” for BNA Records in 1992-94. Son Marty Yonts (1955-2012) had his songs recorded by David Allan Coe and Con Hunley, among others.
Visitation will be held 4-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, 4800 Belmont Park Terrace, Nashville, TN 37215. The musical tribute will be held there at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, with a celebration of life service to begin at 2:00 p.m.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to MusiCares or to the Opry Trust Fund.
Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Inks Exclusive Promoter Deal For CMA Theater
/by Jessica NicholsonCMA Theater.
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum has entered into an agreement with Nashville-based concert promotion company National Shows 2 (NS2) to book national touring acts into the museum’s CMA Theater, aiming to establish the CMA Theater as one of Nashville’s most desirable music venues for artists and concertgoers. A complete lineup of shows for 2017 will be announced this summer.
“We already produce dozens of programs a year related to our exhibitions and our mission,” said Museum CEO Kyle Young. “This partnership will only allow us to increase the number and variety of offerings that will find their way into our CMA Theater.”
“I’m honored to partner with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to promote their CMA Theater,” said Darin Lashinsky, CEO of NS2. “Offering unique, curated concerts in this intimate venue maintains our combined mission of engaging Nashville’s locals and visitors alike with a diverse lineup of concerts.”
Tickets to all shows at the CMA Theater will be sold at the theater box office on 5th Avenue South, inside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and through the venue’s website, CMATheater.com. The CMA Theater and the museum’s Ford Theater will continue to be available for private shows and corporate event bookings.
Rodney Atkins, Kip Moore, Brett Young Set For Free Stanley Cup Final Pre-Game Party In Nashville
/by Alex ParryRodney Atkins and Kip Moore are set to perform in Nashville on Monday, June 5, prior to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, as Atkins’ seventh annual “Music City Gives Back” concert serves as a pre-game tailgate party on Nashville’s Lower Broadway.
Joining them will be Brett Young, Granger Smith, and Cole Taylor. The annual event will benefit Nashville’s W.O. Smith Music School.
The concert will serve as a pregame tailgate party from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Game 4 home game will be shown on large screens starting at 7 p.m. on Broadway and Fifth Avenue.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will also feature food trucks and other food vendors.
Tenth Avenue North Teams With Brandon Heath, Jon McLaughlin For Fall Tour
/by Alex ParryTenth Avenue North has announced their I Have This Hope fall tour with special guests Brandon Heath and Jon McLaughlin. The tour will begin Sept. 28, and tickets will be available June 9.
The tour namesake is the band’s current radio single, which is No. 2 on the National Christian Audience chart from their most recent album Followers. The song has been making an impact at radio this year as it is a Top 5 single on three radio charts in addition to being heard in front of thousands of fans during the 2017 Winter Jam Tour that the band was part of during January through April.
See below for the tour dates for the upcoming shows.
“I HAVE THIS HOPE” TOUR DATES
9/28 Peoria, IL
9/29 Naperville, IL
9/30 Flint, MI
10/1 Bellefontaine, OH
10/5 TBA
10/6 Shrewsbury, PA
10/7 Fayetteville, NC
10/8 TBA
10/20 Vienna, VA
10/21 New Bern, NC
10/22 Kill Devil Hills, NC
10/27 Milwaukee, WI
10/28 Glasgow, KY
10/29 Winona Lake, IN
Steelism Sets Sophomore Release For June 23
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“I’ve been doing live shows with Steelism for a couple of years now,” explains Amanfu. “We always find a bit of magic when we play together so being invited into the workshop with them to collaborate for their new album seemed like a natural step.”
The band describes one of the new songs on the album, “Re-Member,” as “an instrumental reflection on nostalgia and the first piece we recorded for the album. Elements of AIR, David Axelrod’s Songs of Innocence, and Pink Floyd’s Obscured by Clouds were noted in the production to set the sonically rich tone of ism. However, we wanted the story of the album to begin with just the entrance of pedal steel and guitar, which is how Steelism began.”
ism is now available for pre-order and includes instant downloads of “Eno Nothing,” “Shake Your Heel,” “Roulette” and “Re-Member.” Physical pre-orders are now available via the band’s web store and digital pre-orders are available via Amazon and iTunes.
Tracklist: