Rio Caraeff
Vevo CEO
Rio Caraeff will step down at the end of 2014, according to the
New York Times. Caraeff has been at the helm of the music video service since its inception in 2009.
The company is seeking a permanent successor to Caraeff, while CFO
Alan Price will run the company in the interim, effective Jan. 1, 2015.
“I am tremendously proud of the team that we have assembled and what we have accomplished in our never ending mission to thrill and delight everyone on the planet who loves music video. We have built an amazing company, so it is with no small amount of regret that this chapter comes to an end, but after nearly six years, the timing is right for our board to identify my successor,” Caraeff said via an email to Vevo employees.
As for Caraeff, he will take time off before pursuing new opportunities. “I will take a moment to clear my head and when the time is right, my passion will guide and I will jump back in,” he said.
Though Vevo has yet to turn a profit, though the company states it has generated “hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, growing its business at a rate of over 50% year-over-year since 2010.”
The company’s profits are made through advertising, and Vevo works with 1,100 global advertisers. Vevo claims that it has invested more than $500 million into video programming it has collected by royalties paid to owners, songwriters, and artists.
Lady Antebellum To Receive CRS 2015 Artist Humanitarian Award
/by Kelsey_GradyPast recipients of the annual award have included Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Randy Owen, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks and Charlie Daniels, among others.
CRS President Charlie Morgan stated, “It is always humbling and inspiring to learn of the great work that Country Artists do behind the scenes to share the many blessings and gifts that come with fame and stardom. I would argue no format has a more generous group of artists than we do and at CRS 2015 we will pay special tribute to one of the best, Lady Antebellum with our Artist Humanitarian Award.”
Rascal Flatts Announces Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Residency
/by Troy_StephensonRascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts brings the first country residency, Rascal Flatts Vegas Riot!, to The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas with nine shows between Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 and Saturday, March 14, 2015.
Rascal Flatts is the most-awarded country music group of the past decade with eight consecutive studio albums debuting at No. 1. The Gold-certified title track from the band’s most recent chart-topper, Rewind (Big Machine Records), marks Rascal Flatts’ fifteenth No. 1 single. Since the band’s musical debut in 2000, the group has sold over 22.9 million albums and 30 million digital downloads.
“We are thrilled to be playing such a storied venue as The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas,” said band member Jay DeMarcus. “We’re so excited to do something so different for us. You will experience Rascal Flatts in a way you’ve never seen us before – up close, intimate and personal, and we promise you one thing, it’s going to rock!”
Show Dates:
Wednesday, Feb. 25
Friday, Feb. 27
Saturday, Feb. 28
Wednesday, March 4
Friday, March 6
Saturday, March 7
Wednesday, March 11
Friday, March 13
Saturday, March 14
Tickets starting at $39.50 (plus applicable service fees) are on sale Friday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, online at www.axs.com or by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX.
Universal Music Group Nashville Signs Clare Dunn
/by Jessica NicholsonFront Row (L-R): UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, Clare Dunn, UMG Nashville A&R Sr. Director Stephanie Wright. Back Row (L-R): UMG Nashville SVP Promotion Royce Risser, UMG Nashville Vice President Business and Legal Affairs Rob Femia, UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe, Red Light Management’s Shawn McSpadden, WME’s Kevin Neal, Greenberg Traurig LLP’s Jess Rosen, UMG Nashville Senior Vice President A&R Brian Wright, UMG Nashville Senior Vice President/COO Tom Becci. Photo: Mary Caroline Russell
Universal Music Group Nashville has signed singer/songwriter/guitarist Clare Dunn. She has opened for Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, and Luke Bryan, and this week Dunn will open for Bob Seger.
Dunn, a native of southeast Colorado, grew up working on a farm from a young age. While attending Nashville’s Belmont University, she added acoustic and electric guitar to her musical resume. After graduation, she signed her publishing deal and has since co-written with writers including Hillary Lindsey, Marshall Altman, Terry McBride, Troy Verges and many others. She recently signed with BMG/Chrysalis for publishing representation.
She is working on her debut album.
BMG Chrysalis and King Spirit Music Sign Eric Varnell
/by Jessica NicholsonSinger/songwriter/engineer Eric Varnell has signed a publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis and King Spirit Music.
He has worked with artist/writers and producers including Danielle Peck, Pillar, Jared Weeks, Lukas Rossi, Ashes Remain, and more.
Pictured (L-R): Sara Knabe (BMG Chrysalis), Chris Oglesby (BMG Chrysalis), Kevin Lane (BMG Chrysalis), Eric Varnell, Todd Wilkes (King Spirit Music), Kos Weaver (BMG Chrysalis)
Big Machine Records Adds Seth Alley to Roster
/by Jessica NicholsonSeth Alley. Photo: Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records has added Seth Alley to its roster. The Sparta, Tenn., native is working with Spalding Entertainment, and has been previewing his music at radio stations across the country.
He releases his four song, self-titled EP on iTunes today (Nov. 17). Alley co-wrote each track on the EP, along with songwriters including Sherrie Austin, Will Rambeaux, and Frank Maroney.
Alley cites a range of influences from Johnny Cash, to Dave Matthews Band.
Big Machine Records is home to Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, The Cadillac Three, and Danielle Bradbery, in addition to the soundtracks for Nashville.
Seth Alley Track Listing
1. “Things We Don’t Talk About” (Seth Alley, Sherrie Austin, Will Rambeaux)
2. “Me and The Boys” (Seth Alley, Sherrie Austin, Frank Maroney)
3. “Waiting On Mary” (Seth Alley, Sherrie Austin, Will Rambeaux)
4. “White Dress” (Seth Alley, Sherrie Austin, Will Rambeaux) […]
Bobby Bones, Jason Aldean Team For Benefit Concert Tomorrow
/by Sarah SkatesJason Aldean and The Raging Idiots (Bobby Bones and his producer Eddie) will perform a benefit concert tomorrow night (Tues., Nov. 16) for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event is at Marathon Music Works in Nashville at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Bones made a deal on air with Aldean, that Bones’ listeners would raise $50,000 for Aldean’s charity, if the star would play a show for St. Jude’s in return. One hundred percent of the ticket price will be donated to the hospital. Tickets are available here.
“The Bobby Bones Show” co-host Amy decorates cupcakes with a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Last week, The Bobby Bones Show made a donation of over $150,000 to St. Jude’s in honor of co-host Amy’s mother Judy, who recently passed away from cancer. Listeners of the show had followed Judy’s battle with the disease. When she died last month, Amy’s family requested donations for the hospital in lieu of flowers. Listeners and friends including Dierks Bentley, Lindsay Ell and Little Big Town, made donations totaling more than $150,000 in one week. Bones and crew including Amy, Lunchbox, Eddie, Nada and Cruz, visited St. Jude’s in Memphis, Tenn. to make the donation, and The Raging Idiots and Maggie Rose performed for patients.
As previously reported, iHeartMedia, Inc. and Bones recently partnered to launch a development and production company, Right Side Blind Productions.
Spotify And Uber Announce Partnership
/by Kelsey_GradyThe partnership is rolling out in 10 launch cities including Nashville, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney and Toronto, and will continue to spread globally over the coming weeks.
To kick off the launch, Spotify and Uber are giving fans a chance to connect with artists including Jake Owen, Andrew WK, and Diplo. Five cities will also host exclusive live sessions this Friday. Stay Tuned.
Vevo CEO Caraeff To Step Down; CFO Price To Lead in Interim
/by Jessica NicholsonRio Caraeff
Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff will step down at the end of 2014, according to the New York Times. Caraeff has been at the helm of the music video service since its inception in 2009.
The company is seeking a permanent successor to Caraeff, while CFO Alan Price will run the company in the interim, effective Jan. 1, 2015.
“I am tremendously proud of the team that we have assembled and what we have accomplished in our never ending mission to thrill and delight everyone on the planet who loves music video. We have built an amazing company, so it is with no small amount of regret that this chapter comes to an end, but after nearly six years, the timing is right for our board to identify my successor,” Caraeff said via an email to Vevo employees.
As for Caraeff, he will take time off before pursuing new opportunities. “I will take a moment to clear my head and when the time is right, my passion will guide and I will jump back in,” he said.
Though Vevo has yet to turn a profit, though the company states it has generated “hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, growing its business at a rate of over 50% year-over-year since 2010.”
The company’s profits are made through advertising, and Vevo works with 1,100 global advertisers. Vevo claims that it has invested more than $500 million into video programming it has collected by royalties paid to owners, songwriters, and artists.
Steve Moakler Inks Management Deal with Creative Nation
/by Troy_StephensonPictured (L-R): Luke Laird, Beth Laird, Steve Moakler, Jeff Skaggs and Austen Adams
Music publishing and management company Creative Nation has signed a management deal with songwriter and artist, Steve Moakler. In addition to having cuts by artists Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler and more, Moakler released his third album, Wide Open, in March of this year.
“When I was a writer rep at BMI, I heard Steve’s music and tracked him down. I’ve been a fan ever since,” said Beth Laird, Creative Nation’s co-owner and general manager. “It’s an honor to be a part of Steve’s journey and help with the next step in his career.”
Moakler joins the Creative Nation roster, which includes songwriters Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Natalie Hemby, artist Maggie Chapman and Show Dog Universal duo, Native Run.
CRS 2015 'New Faces of Country Music Show' Voting Now Open
/by Jessica NicholsonThis year’s performer nominees are: Frankie Ballard (Warner Bros./WAR), Danielle Bradbery (Republic/Big Machine), Chase Bryant (Red Bow), Dan+Shay (Warner Bros./WAR), Sam Hunt (MCA), Maddie & Tae (Dot), Scotty McCreery (19/Interscope/Mercury), Jon Pardi (Capitol), Parmalee (Stoney Creek), Eric Paslay (EMI), Chase Rice (Columbia), Cole Swindell (Warner Bros./WAR), and the Swon Brothers (Arista).
Any employee of a commercial, full-time Country formatted radio station may vote for the 2015 New Faces of Country Music Show performers.
Below are the New Faces of Country Music qualification criteria:
1. The qualification period is Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 during the year immediately preceding the New Faces of Country Music Show.
2. Nominees may not have appeared on a previous New Faces of Country Music Show. Solo performers that become a member of a group or duo, or a group or duo member that becomes a solo artist are considered eligible.
3. Nominees must have charted at least one Top 25 single on the the Mediabase Country Chart as published in Country Aircheck or at least one Top 25 single on the Billboard Country Chart during the qualification period.
4. Nominees may not have more than two albums on the Billboard Country Top 50 Country Album chart, nor more than two albums that peaked above No. 50 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (or corresponding Nielsen Soundscan-based chart) by the end of the qualification period.
The New Faces of Country Music Show will be held Feb. 27; dinner tickets for the show are already sold-out. Seating only admission to the show is available on a first-come, first-serve basis until the seating only areas is sold-out.