MTV, CMT, VH1 and Topspin have extended an open invitation for the Nashville music community on Thursday, April 4, to hear first-hand best practices for connecting with fans on the recently launched artist platforms Artists.MTV, Artists.CMT and Artists.VH1. Singer/songwriter/musicians will be able to discover how to connect new tracks and videos to new fans, meet members of the MTV/CMT/VH1 music and talent teams, meet Topspin staff and discuss direct-to-fan campaigns for albums, tours and merchandise, and learn how to get songs featured in original shows or get videos into music hours.
Nearly 20 thousand artists ranging from such established major label acts as Rihanna, to emerging artists like Ashley Monroe and BLACKBEAR, have already claimed or created their pages. More than 12 million fans have visited the site, and the coming months, MTV/VH1/CMT will launch a mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones.
WHEN: Thursday, April 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ruby (2411 Blakemore Ave., Nashville, 37211).
• • •
Noted music journalist
Michael Azerrad has launched a new online music magazine called
The Talkhouse, where smart, notable musicians of all genres and generations write about currently released albums. Some of the writers already on board include:
Laurie Anderson, Andrew W.K., James McNew (Yo La Tengo), jazz pianist
Vijay Iyer, Claire Boucher (Grimes), avant gardist
Elliott Sharp, Rosanne Cash, Duff McKagan, Dean Wareham, Dave Douglas, Josephine Wiggs, Bob Mould, Mish Way (White Lung), and many others.
The Talkhouse will feature
one piece on
one album written by
one musician each day, five days a week. On weekends, the site will feature a long-form music feature piece written by artists across many genres: film, comedy, literature, etc. Each day, the artist writing the piece and the artist whose album is being written about will each get a log-in to the site and will be able to have a one-on-one public dialogue which will be updated in real time. For the weekend feature pieces, any artist with a log-in will be able to weigh in with their thoughts on the piece.
Azerrad is best known for his 2001 book
Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991 and
Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana, as well as his work in
Rolling Stone in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He will serve as editor-in-chief for the Talkhouse. He is joined by Michael Tedder (
Village Voice, Spin, Paste), who will serve as managing editor.
The Talkhouse is published by Figure Eight Media.
• • •
The crew of The Bobby Bones Show visited the CMA office Wednesday afternoon to meet with staff members and provided lunch for the staff. The Bobby Bones Show is broadcasted locally on WSIX-FM and syndicated to 40 affiliates nationwide.
Pictured (L-R):Rick Murray; Betsy Walker; Eddie; Alayna; The Bobby Bones Show’s producer, Ray; Lunchbox; Bobby Bones; Steve Moore; Amy;Sheri Warnke; Brandi Simms and Justin Cole. Photo Credit: Christian Bottorff/CMA
The Bluebird Cafe Makes 'Rolling Stone' List
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Bluebird Cafe, with a capacity of 100 people, ranked at No. 10 on the list and was featured alongside venues including Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Joe’s Pub in New York, Bowery Ballroom in New York, The Troubador in West Hollywood, Calif. and the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colo.
Sugar Hill Records Adds Two to Marketing Team
/by Jessica NicholsonMegan McNair
Sugar Hill Records has added Megan McNair as Marketing Manager and Shannon Koleen Blauer as Marketing Coordinator. Megan and Shannon join recent hire Jess Draper, who has taken on the role of Director of Artist Media Relations.
Megan was previously with Music City Roots, where she served as the organization’s Social Media & Public Relations Manager. She began her music business career at Lotos Nile Media and also worked at Music City Media as a Publicist prior to joining the Music City Roots team. Megan earned her Bachelor of Journalistic Arts degree with a minor in English from the University of Georgia in Athens in 2006.
Shannon Koleen Bauer
Shannon is a recent graduate of San Francisco State University where she earned her degree in Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Arts with an emphasis in Audio Production and Recording Arts. She was also a Universal Music Group Distribution College Rep during her time at SF State.
Sugar Hill’s GM/SVP Cliff O’Sullivan comments: “We’ve assembled a solid new marketing team with very complimentary skills in mind. Sugar Hill has a great schedule of new projects planned for the year including new releases by Pat Green, Sarah Jarosz and Don Williams. We had a wonderful year in 2012 and are set up for even greater success this year.”
Megan can be reached at mmcnair@sugarhillrecords.com, while Shannon can be reached at sblauer@sugarhillrecords.com
Weblinks: News From Spotify, Facebook
/by Sarah Skates• Spotify debuted its first television ad campaign recently during the season premiere of NBC’s The Voice, reports Ad Age. The on-demand digital music service’s media buy is estimated at $10 million. Spotify is also looking into streaming video, according to Billboard.
• Gruhn Guitar is leaving its longtime home on Broadway for new digs at 2120 Eighth Ave. S., according to the Nashville Post. The building was once home to Emma and the Nashville Scene.
• Belmont is building a $55 million academic and dining services complex, reports the Nashville Post.
Benefit Concert for Gregg Lohman To Be Held April 1
/by Jessica NicholsonKellie Pickler
A benefit concert in support of Gregg Lohman, Kellie Pickler‘s drummer, will be held tonight (April 1) at Douglas Corner Cafe in Nashville. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. CT and will feature members of Kellie Pickler’s band, The Beagles, Raisin’ Cain, 7 Bridges, a house band including members of Poco, Pure Prairie League, Tracy Lawrence‘s band and Aaron Tippin‘s band, as well as a jam session featuring prominent Nashville professional musicians.
Lohman was in a car accident in early March that put him in the hospital for several weeks. He is at home recuperating and the prognosis is that he will have a full recovery. Many of Lohman’s friends have organized the concert to raise funds to pay bills for major surgery and physical rehabilitation.
A $10 minimum is being asked from all attendees and performers. There will be a silent auction of music gear. Items being auctioned include a 14″ x 6.5″ Steel Shell Snare Drum from Yamaha Drums, a K 22″ Light Ride Cymbal from Zildjian, Regal Tip Stick Bag and 14 assorted drum sticks and brushes, among other items.
All proceeds from the concert and silent auction will go directly to aid Lohman. Donations for Lohman can be sent as checks made to Gregg Lohman and mailed to Concert for Gregg, 3341 Towne Village Road, Antioch, TN 37013.
Clear Channel Partners with BMLG for The Band Perry Album Release
/by Jessica NicholsonThe program will also feature an intimate performance by The Band Perry for iHeartRadio Live at the iHeartRadio Theater presented by P.C. Richard & Son in New York City on April 3. The trio’s performance for iHeartRadio Live will also stream live for fans at iheartradio.com/thebandperry.
The campaign aims to increase audience awareness of their new album across more than 115 participating Clear Channel Country radio stations featuring custom content and spots. A series of on-air spots created by Clear Channel’s top Imaging Directors will run across its network of Country stations nationwide and their online station streams, featuring audio clips from an exclusive interview with the trio.
The Band Perry will also receive featured placement on iHeartRadio.com as well as banner ads and a custom content portal to drive listeners to purchase Pioneer on iTunes.
“Clear Channel’s Artist Integration Program is a great way for both established groups like The Band Perry as well as emerging artists to introduce their new music to listeners by leveraging our un-matched, multi-platform promotional power,” said Tom Poleman, President of National Programming Platforms, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “We are thrilled to partner with Big Machine Label Group to launch The Band Perry’s second album, Pioneer, to fans through the custom created Artist Integration Program and celebrate its release with the intimate performance for iHeartRadio Live in New York City.”
Performers Announced for ACM Party for a Cause
/by Sarah SkatesScheduled to appear on Fri., April 5 are The Band Perry, Greg Bates, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Cassadee Pope and Florida Georgia Line. Scheduled for Sat., April 6 are Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, Kix Brooks, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Lynch, Eli Young Band and Love and Theft. The festival runs 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
The ACM Experience is a free open-to-the-public country music lifestyle event going on April 5-7 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The events will culminate in the 3rd Annual ACM Fan Jam headlined by Brad Paisley on Sun., April 7. Separate tickets must be purchased for admission to Party for a Cause and ACM Fan Jam.
At the Party for a Cause, Friday’s line-up will be sponsored by Outnumber Hunger, an initiative from General Mills, Big Machine Label Group and Feeding America. Saturday will be hosted by Kix Brooks and will include a presentation of charitable donations to the military-inspired non-profit organizations Wounded Warrior Project®, Folds of Honor and Nellis Air Force Base Force Support Squadron.
Tickets and details available at www.theacmexperience.com.
The GreenRoom Relocates To Nashville's SoBro Area
/by Jessica NicholsonInside the new offices of The GreenRoom.
Mary Hilliard Harrington‘s music publicity firm The GreenRoom has relocated to 521 8th Avenue South, Ste. 101 in the up-and-coming SoBro area of Nashville.
The new Cannery Row space will serve as home to Harrington’s five full-time employees and a client list that includes Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Kip Moore and Chris Stapleton.
“Designing and building a brand new space from the studs up was completely inspiring,” said Harrington. “I really wanted a cool, creative space that reflected more of our lifestyle and didn’t feel quite as stiff as an office. We work really long hours, so I thought it was important that it be super comfortable and almost more like a second home. We’re still up to our ears in unpacked boxes of old Dierks Bentley plaid snap-button shirts circa 2005, but we’re looking forward to settling in and getting back into a groove!”
In addition to the new address, The GreenRoom will still receive mail at PO Box 331474, Nashville, TN 37203. Other contact information for the company remains the same. The GreenRoom can be reached at (615) 242-7444 and thegreenroompr.com.
Industry Ink (3-29-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonNearly 20 thousand artists ranging from such established major label acts as Rihanna, to emerging artists like Ashley Monroe and BLACKBEAR, have already claimed or created their pages. More than 12 million fans have visited the site, and the coming months, MTV/VH1/CMT will launch a mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones.
WHEN: Thursday, April 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ruby (2411 Blakemore Ave., Nashville, 37211).
• • •
The Talkhouse will feature one piece on one album written by one musician each day, five days a week. On weekends, the site will feature a long-form music feature piece written by artists across many genres: film, comedy, literature, etc. Each day, the artist writing the piece and the artist whose album is being written about will each get a log-in to the site and will be able to have a one-on-one public dialogue which will be updated in real time. For the weekend feature pieces, any artist with a log-in will be able to weigh in with their thoughts on the piece.
Azerrad is best known for his 2001 book Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991 and Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana, as well as his work in Rolling Stone in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He will serve as editor-in-chief for the Talkhouse. He is joined by Michael Tedder (Village Voice, Spin, Paste), who will serve as managing editor. The Talkhouse is published by Figure Eight Media.
• • •
The crew of The Bobby Bones Show visited the CMA office Wednesday afternoon to meet with staff members and provided lunch for the staff. The Bobby Bones Show is broadcasted locally on WSIX-FM and syndicated to 40 affiliates nationwide.
Pictured (L-R):Rick Murray; Betsy Walker; Eddie; Alayna; The Bobby Bones Show’s producer, Ray; Lunchbox; Bobby Bones; Steve Moore; Amy;Sheri Warnke; Brandi Simms and Justin Cole. Photo Credit: Christian Bottorff/CMA
Nashville Memorial Service for Erik Blumenfeld Scheduled for April 1
/by Jessica NicholsonErik Blumenfield
The memorial service and celebration of the life of Erik Blumenfeld, Director of New Business Development at Spin Doctors Music Group and Founder/ CEO of OT Entertainment, who suddenly passed away on March 20 at the age of 30, will be held in the Country Music Association atrium on April 1, 2013. The service will begin at 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the OT Entertainment Foundation or the MusiCares Foundation. Friends and colleagues can upload their favorite photos with Blumenfeld for the slide show at the ceremony on the OT Entertainment Foundation facebook page.
A scholarship fund and foundation to continue Blumenfeld’s passion for helping up-and-coming music industry entrepreneurs and artists achieve their dreams is also being created in his memory. More information about the foundation and scholarship will be revealed at the memorial celebration.
Sponsors who helped make this celebration ceremony possible include CMA, SOLID, WMBA, The Entrepreneur Center, Rooster BBQ, Richland Golf Course, Diamond Dave and Lone Star PR.
MusicRow No. 1 Song
/by Eric T. ParkerIt’s not too surprising that the vivacious single, paired with music video (seen below), was written by mainstay hit makers Shane McAnally, Luke Laird, and Natalie Hemby.
All three band members––Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood––play a unique part to the song’s video interpretation, helping define each other’s personality. For a second, you might think the music video is another of their Lady A TV Webisodes.
It can be said, nobody is doing it quite like Lady Antebellum. They’ve got the market cornered.
Be sure and pick up the band’s forthcoming CD, Golden, when it hits shelves in a few months (May 7). In the meantime, if fun-loving and carefree is your game, this No. 1 single proves Lady A can hit a home run!