Industry Ink: Avenue Bank, PLA Media, SESAC

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AvenueBank

(L-R): Cooper Samuels, Asst. VP/Music & Entertainment Private Client Banker, Avenue Bank; April Britt, Sr. VP/Chief People Officer, Avenue Bank; Ron Cox, Sr. VP/Dir. of the Music & Entertainment Division, Avenue Bank; Judi Turner, Communications & Events Manager, Leadership Music; Sarah Cates, Sr. Dir.of Curb College Initiatives, Belmont University; Debbie Schwartz Linn, Executive Director, Leadership Music; Andy Moats, EVP/Chief Credit Officer and General Bank Group Director, Avenue Bank.


Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox, Sr. VP/Dir. of the Music & Entertainment Division, presented a check to Leadership Music’s Executive Director, Debbie Schwartz Linn for $4,000 yesterday (July 29) in support of the educational organization.
Cox, who serves as the adjunct professor, joined other Avenue Bank team members to write, develop and teach the curriculum for a 15-week class offered to Belmont students called, “Personal Finance and Banking in the Music Industry.” Fees required to be paid by Belmont to the adjunct professor of record were accumulated and gifted back to the industry with this donation to Leadership Music.
Cox shared, “With Belmont’s presence and impact in the music industry through the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, we found a unique way to pool our synergies together. We continually receive very positive reviews from the class because we cover a wide variety of subject matter from personal budgeting, saving and investing, buying a home, starting a business, entrepreneurship, touring, publishing and many other relevant topics associated with personal and business finance within the music industry. We are proud of our partnership with both Belmont and Leadership Music, and it how this class is a picture of the true community spirit within our music industry.”

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Al Brake

Al Brake


PLA Media has added Country artist Al Brake to its roster. “Being a rock and roll devotee, I love his spin on Country music with rock infusion. PLA is poised to take Al’s success in the Canadian marketplace worldwide,” says Pam Lewis, President PLA Media.
The Canadian singer-songwriter earned two honors from Indie Music Channel in 2013 for Best Country Producer and Best Country Recording. He recently released the single, “Hot Pink Lady” to radio. Brake began playing guitar at age 8, and later added bass, mandolin and drums to his repertoire. When he isn’t touring or recording, he is with his wife and four children at their home in Canada.

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SESAC’s Ellen Truley and husband, actor Todd Truley welcomed New York City entrepreneur and City Winery CEO Michael Dorf to Nashville during a reception held at the event space in advance of the establishment’s opening. City Winery, located at 609 LaFayette Street, is set to open in a 30,000-square-foot space on Oct. 1. It will also be the site of the Americana Music Association’s Honors & Awards VIP After Party on Sept. 17. City Winery also has locations in New York, Chicago, and Napa Valley, Calif.

Pictured (L-R): City Winery’s Michael Dorf, SESAC’s Ellen Truley and actor Todd Truley.

Pictured (L-R): City Winery’s Michael Dorf, SESAC’s Ellen Truley and actor Todd Truley.

BMI And iBiquity Form "HD Radio Artist Spotlight"

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unnamedBMI has partnered with iBiquity Digital, the developers of HD Radio Technology, on a new music initiative called the “HD Radio Artist Spotlight.”
The program is designed to grow new artists and help established acts with tour support out on the road.
HD Radio enables radio stations to create new broadcast channels on HD2 and HD3. The first artists to be featured on “HD Radio Artist Spotlight” are Charlie Worsham, Jon Pardi, Ashley Monroe, Due West, and Muddy Magnolias.
“iBiquity Digital has been an outstanding partner of BMI through their support of our songwriter festivals and broadcaster events,” says Mason Hunter, BMI Executive Director-Strategic Partnerships & Business Development. “The HD Radio Artist Spotlight furthers our relationship by providing another avenue for talents like Ashley Monroe, Jon Pardi, Charlie Worsham, and others to be heard and connect with Country music fans!”
For more information, be sure to visit bmi.com or hdradio.com.

Miranda Lambert, Trey Fanjoy Working on Comedy Feature

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miranda-lambertfeaturedMiranda Lambert could be coming to the big screen. The singer-songwriter is working with music video director Trey Fanjoy and screenwriter Cindy McCreery on Something In The Water, a female comedy set in the heartland, according to Deadline. The feature focuses on five women who challenge their men in a bass fishing competition.
“With over a dozen award-winning collaborations with Miranda, I’ve no doubt Trey’s transition into features will be equally successful,” said Lambert’s manager Marion Kraft (Shopkeeper Management).
Fanjoy has worked with Lambert throughout her career. Fanjoy directed the video for Lambert’s first single, and has helmed the clips for “Kerosene,” “The House That Built Me,” “Fastest Girl In Town,” “Over You,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” and Lambert’s latest video “Somethin’ Bad,” with Carrie Underwood.
Fanjoy is also considering work on two other projects, including the faith-friendly Take It Back, and Teenage Dream, which includes American Idol’s Randy Jackson, and Rafaella DeLaurentis as producers.
No word on a possible release date for Something In The Water.

Artist Updates (7/30/14)

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emily west new photo1
Emily West stunned judges and the audience during last night’s episode of America’s Got Talent. The former Nashville resident performed Sia‘s “Chandeliers” at Radio City Music Hall, and the performance prompted America’s Got Talent judge Howard Stern to call West the best America’s Got Talent singer he has seen.
“I’ve been waiting for someone like you, that’s how strong I feel about you,” said Stern. “So on the money. You’re the best singer I’ve seen since I joined the show.”
West previously earned a Nashville record Capitol Records Nashville and released the single “Rocks In Your Shoes” in 2008.
Watch West’s America’s Got Talent performance below.

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jeff the brotherhood11Nashville natives JEFF The Brotherhood will release a self-produced EP of cover songs, titled Dig The Classics, on Sept. 30 (Warner Bros. Records).
Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall bring fresh takes on the Pixies’ “Gouge Away,” My Bloody Valentne’s “Come In Alone,” Teenage Fanclub’s “Mad Dog 20/20,” and Beck’s “Totally Confused.”
 
 

Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins


Trace Adkins will travel to Boston’s Fenway Park on Aug. 2 to perform the national anthem opening the Red Sox vs. Yankees, the second of a three-game series, which will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
Adkins previously performed the anthem at Fenway in July 2012 and in St. Louis, Mo. in 2011 for Game 2 of the World Series.
Adkins has also added vocal duo Jill & Kate to his touring band.


mandisa11Mandisa will release Get Up: The Remixes on Sept. 16. The 11-track project will feature remixes of “Overcomer,” Stronger,” and “Good Morning,” among others. Get Up: The Remixes follows Mandisa’s album Overcomer, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart.
This fall, Mandisa will join Casting Crowns and Sidewalk Prophets in September for 39 stops on the Thrive Tour, as well as performances at various events with Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Hillsong United.

DISClaimer: The Summer Doldrums

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thomas-rhett231

Thomas Rhett


Is this what they mean by the summer doldrums?
I found nothing today that you can’t live without. Sure, there are plenty of pleasant prospects. But there’s precious little that will stop you in your tracks.
The most beautifully sung record in today’s stack of platters is unquestionably the Ray Price/Martina McBride duet. If you must have a major-label effort on the front row of your playlist, make it the Thomas Rhett single. Those two can share the Disc of the Day award.
We have encountered almost everyone in this column before. I was particularly glad to hear from Mark McKinney, Lucas Hoge and Ray Scott again. All three of them continue to impress. Our new faces are Native Run, to whom we present a DisCovery Award.
RAY SCOTT/Drinkin’ Beer
Writers: Ray Scott/Tony Mullins; Producer: Dave Brainard; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Rayality/T. Mullins, BMI/ASCAP; DeciBel (CDX)
-His deep-macho delivery remains riveting. The hopping, bopping, dobro-laced track is a merry, grinning delight. Eminently programmable.
MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Headlights
Writers: Wendell Mobley/Tony Martin/Bob DiPiero; Producer: Michael Knox; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/Fonde Mountain/Sony-ATV Tree/Casa Jaco/Love Monkey, BMI; Blaster
-Bro-country, delivered with the volume turned up to 10. Headache inducing.
CANAAN SMITH/Love You Like That
Writers: Canaan Smith/Brett Beavers/Jim Beavers; Producers: Brett Beavers/Jimmy Robbins; Publishers: BMG Gold/Skinny Fat Nashville/BMG RM/BMG Platinum/Music of Big Deal/Stalefish/Sony-ATV Tree, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury (CDX)
-Listenable and engaging. His youthful tenor is a perfect fit for the ultra-romantic lyric.
RAY PRICE & MARTINA MCBRIDE/An Affair To Remember
Writers: Harold Adamson/Harry Warren/Leo McCarey; Producer: Fred Foster; Publishers: Twentieth Century/EMI Catalog/EMI Feist, ASCAP; AmeriMonte (CDX)
-The lush string section, clear keyboard notes and glistening harp playing create a cloud-like setting for these two heavenly voices. Taken from Price’s farewell CD, this is ballad singing at its finest. The song was the lustrous theme of a 1957 Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr cinema romance and a pop hit for its soundtrack singer, Vic Damone.
THOMAS RHETT/Make Me Wanna
Writers: T.Rhett/Bart Butler/Larry McCoy; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Cricket on the Line/Bill Butler/Hondo Creek, BMI/SESAC; Valory Music
-A sexy Southern summer sound with forward momentum to spare.
JODY LYNN/The World’s Out Dancin’
Writers: Ian Golightly/Alan Fender; Producers: Jack Gale/Jim Pierce; Publisher: Lovey, BMI; Playback (track)
-She’s country, country, country. The sprightly track scampers along on its tippy toes while her slightly-flat, belting delivery gasps to keep pace.
DOLLY PARTON/Lay Your Hands On Me
Writers: Jon Bon Jovi/Richie Sambora; Producer: Kent Wells; Publishers: Universal PolyGram/Bon Jovi, ASCAP; Dolly/Sony/WEA
-Dolly covers Bon Jovi! Her sanctified vocal performance of the 1989 rock hit is solid and almost manages to vanquish a too-busy, too-electrified track.
LUCAS HOGE/Flip Flops
Writers: Lucas Hoge/J.D. Wood; Producer: none listed; Publishers: House of Hoge/Different Day/ASCAP; Reviver
-Innocent, small-town kids head for their first time at the beach in this charming and bubbly ditty. In case you were wondering, “flip flops” rhymes with “bikini tops.”
native run

Native Run


NATIVE RUN/Good On You
Writers: Rachel Beauregard/Bryan Dawley/Steve Moakler; Producers: Luke Laird/Native Run; Publishers: Internal Combustion/Songs of Creative Nation/Warner-Tamerlane/Rachel Beauregard/Dawley/Nan Jam/Songs of Kobalt, BMI; Show Dog
-The voices of this male-female duo are somewhat colorless, but the overall vibe is unmistakably jaunty, happy, sunny and warm. The track mixes acoustic instruments with beefy rhythm effectively.
MARK McKINNEY/Maybe We Should
Writers: Mark McKinney; Producers: Mark McKinney/Eric McKinney; Publishers: none listed; MM
-I like his husky, ingratiating and personable singing a lot. He sounds like somebody you’d like to share a beer with. His romantic come-on in this song is equipped with smiles and gentle persuasion. This boy has the goods.

Weekly Register: 'Burnin' It Down'

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jason aldean burnin it downSales of Jason’s Aldean’s new single are as hot as its lyrics: (you baby laying right here, naked in my bed). The track debuted with 184K downloads to land at No. 1 Country and No. 1 overall. It is the lead single from his upcoming sixth album for Broken Bow, which is being helmed by longtime producer Michael Knox. The song was written by Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, with Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins.
WeeklyRed073014Top 10 Country tracks (sales this week)
Jason Aldean, “Burnin’ It Down,” 184K
Florida Georgia Line, “Dirt,” 95K
Kenny Chesney, “American Kids,” 81K
Dierks Bentley, “Drunk on a Plane,” 61K
Lady Antebellum, “Bartender,” 57K
Lee Brice, “I Don’t Dance,” 46K
Sam Hunt, “Leave The Night On,” 46K
Miranda Lambert w/ Carrie Underwood, “Somethin’ Bad,” 41K
FGL ft. Luke Bryan, “This Is How We Roll,” 39K
Jake Owen, “Beachin,’” 38K, crossing the 1 million mark
Top 5 Country Albums TW
Brantley Gilbert, Just As I Am, 15K
Miranda Lambert, Platinum, 14K
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party, 12K
FGL, Here’s To The Good Times, 10K
Various, Now Country 7, 7K
Pop act 5 Seconds of Summer scored the week’s biggest album debut, selling 259K.

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Garth Announces Next City On His World Tour

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garth-wynn

Garth Brooks


Garth Brooks has announced his world tour will make a stop in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 19 at the Philips Arena, beginning at 6:30 p.m. It will be the first time in 18 years that he has played the city. Trisha Yearwood will be the special guest on the tour.
Tickets will be on sale Friday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. EST. There will be a six-ticket limit per purchase. They can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster Express 1-866-448-7849.
Tickets will cost $56.94 plus $4.56 tax, a $4.00 facility fee and a $6.00 service charge, totaling $71.50.
Brooks recently announced multiple shows at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., to kick off his World Tour.

Stone Door Media Lab Relocates

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jeff green11

Jeff Green


Stone Door Media Lab will relocate to Monterrey, Calif. Company founder Jeff Green‘s contact information will remain the same. He can be reached at 615-406-4567, and at jeff@stonedoormedialab.com.
Stone Door launched in 2012 as a Nashville-based creative think tank to provide ratings research, customer data, digital media consumption analytics, market analysis and more. Green previously spent five years as VP/Operations at Country Aircheck, and 22 years in executive posts at the Americana Association, Radio & Records, the Country Music Association, Music & Media and more.

Miranda Lambert Brings 'Playable Poster' To 'Platinum Tour'

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miranda lambert poster1Miranda Lambert has teamed with Crystal Light to debut the first “Playable Poster” at concert venues on her 30-city Platinum Tour. New technology allows Platinum Tour attendees to touch a Crystal Light poster and literally “spin” her record, which will unlock audio tracks from the new album Platinum. The posters are designed by Chicago-based VSA Partners.
“We’re excited to bring this cutting-edge Playable Poster technology to legions of Miranda Lambert fans nationwide,” said Jennifer Dahlgren, Senior Brand Manager for Crystal Light. “These posters will give our consumers a really unique way to experience Miranda’s music that is both memorable and fun.”
Conductive ink is printed on the reverse of the poster, creating touch sensors that can pick up electrical signals from fingers. The conductive ink is connected to a processor – similar to an iPad, but on paper – and an electric speaker is attached to the back, turning the poster into a megawatt speaker.
“I’m always thrilled to introduce new ways for my fans to interact with my music,” said Lambert. “What better way to kick off the ‘Platinum’ Tour than with my favorite brand Crystal Light, and a fun, unique way for concert-goers to enjoy my album.”
Lambert’s Platinum Tour launched July 10 and will run through September.

HitShop Records Realigns Promotion, Marketing Teams

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Skip Bishop

Skip Bishop


HitShop Records has re-aligned its promotional and marketing departments to focus on streaming, satellite, syndication, and other platforms as it prepares for its 2015 release schedule.
National Director of Promotion Rick Baumgartner has exited the company. He can be reached at 615-491-0975.  National Promotion/Special Ops representative Jennifer Wayne is no longer with the organization (she can be reached here). Former National Promotion/Special Ops rep Caroline Cutbirth continues work as a song plugger with Young Guns Publishing.
Diane Monk-Harrison and Director of National Promotion A&R Kim Stephens are both exiting the organization. Stephens can be reached at 404-229-6712.
“We are so grateful to all the support from our radio partners — particularly with the launch of Natalie Stovall — however, the new artist path at terrestrial radio has become an increasingly expensive and crowded lane,” shares industry veteran and RMG Co-Chairman/HitShop President, Skip Bishop. “The fatigue on the new artist airplay system has become difficult for both radio and recording companies — a problem not unique to independent labels, but majors as well. To best serve the artists we align with, HitShop will refocus its energies in artist development in areas including major radio platforms such as satellite, streaming, syndication, social entities and executive level radio strategies. Our staffing will reflect this creative shift.””
Bishop adds that the Young Guns Publishing and Next.Biz entities will not be impacted by the imprint’s realignment. HitShop Records is distributed by Warner Music Nashville and is part of the RMG, whose holdings include Young guns Publishing and Nekst.biz.

“We’re so grateful to HitShop and the opportunities they’ve created for us with country radio for our first single ‘Baby Come On With It’,” shares HitShop artist Natalie Stovall and the Drive. “We’ve just released ‘Mason Jar’ and the response has been incredible! We definitely want to continue to release more music for our fans and will be aligning with additional partners as we work toward releasing a full record in 2015.”