Foster The People. Photo: Next Big Nashville
Day two of SoundLand, presented by Next Big Nashville presented more musical options, more musical genres, and more Nashville locations.
Following the work day, festival VIPs schmoozed at the super-swanky new location of Virago prior to the music start, where they enjoyed complimentary drinks and food courtesy of SunTrust, The Orchard, and Loeb & Loeb. As an aside, aren’t these M Street restaurants (see also: Tavern, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen) just gorgeous?
Kyle Andrews. Photo: Next Big Nashville
The crowds flocked to the 12th Avenue Block Party, where headlining bands were being featured on an outdoor stage at the end of the street. Beer vendors and food trucks were abundant. Neighboring venues 12th & Porter and Mai got in on the action as well, with sets from Nashville’s Kyle Andrews and Uncle Skeleton at 12&P and How I Became The Bomb and Boss of Nova at Mai. On the Block Party stage, Cults played upbeat, hazy pop that included the single “Go Outside.” Foster the People, enjoying a victory lap following the breakout success of their hit “Pumped Up Kicks,” delivered an energetic set of irresistibly quirky, danceable electronic pop.
Over at Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom, festival organizers had underestimated the demand for Austin, Texas-based electro wizards Ghostland Observatory and a mob had formed outside the building when the room reached capacity. By the time we were permitted entrance, Ghostland’s set was more than half finished. But for a brief, 30 minute stretch, late-arriving audience members were rewarded with pummeling, thumping electro-funk, and a seizure-inducing laser and strobe light setup. Following Ghostland’s set, downtempo musician/DJ Bonobo was playing upstairs at Mercy Lounge.
Nearby at the Station Inn, Black Crowes founding member Rich Robinson, and My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel played sets before cellist/singer Ben Sollee. Rhode Island’s The Low Anthem turned in a late set over at the Basement.
On tonight’s itinerary are two Alabama boys: Americana fixture Jason Isbell and rapper Yelawolf.
Conrad To Be Honored At Songwriters Dinner
/by Caitlin Rantala“David is everything a songwriter could want in a mentor: honesty and integrity, character and class,” Van Mol said. “As a music publisher, he loved the songs and he loved the writers, and served as their coach, teacher, psychologist, friend and business partner.”
The award is named after Frances W. Preston, who influenced and nurtured the careers of thousands of songwriters, performers and publishers in all genres of music during her five-decade career at BMI. Previous recipients of the award include music publisher Bob Beckham (2008), music publisher Bill Hall (2009) and Preston (2010).
The induction ceremony will also feature tributes and performances of the inductees’ songs by special guest artists. This year’s inductees include John Bettis, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Thom Schuyler and Allen Shamblin.
Tickets to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony can be purchased by contacting event director Mark Ford at (615) 256-3354 or hoftix@nashvillesongwriters.com.
InstiGator Hires Quigley; Thorpe Joins Warner
/by Caitlin Rantala“I’ve had the honor of working with Brooks over the last decade and am fortunate to bring someone with his blend of expertise and experience, in both radio and records, into our company,” said Michaels, president of the newly launched company.
Quigley spent seven years as SE Director of Promotion at Warner Bros. Other stops include Curb, Polydor and Nine North.
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NBN SoundLand: Day 3
/by FreemanIt’s all about the music, and Day 3 of Next Big Nashville’s SoundLand offered a ton of sounds from regional and national artists.
Prior to the shows, industry movers and shakers got not one, but two, VIP parties to check out during the day: a lunch BBQ sponsored by ASCAP at the new Jackalope Brewery on 8th Ave. S. (picture included), and a Nashville Scene-sponsored party at the Gibson Showroom on Church St.
Pictured at ASCAP’s 2nd annual Beer/BBQ Lunch at Jackalope Brewery are (L-R): Marc Driskill, Jesse Willoughby, Beth Laird (Creative Nation), Evyn Mustoe (Sanctuary), Asha Goodman (Sacks & Co), Mike Sistad, Ashley Wilcoxson (Sanctuary), Jaren Johnston, LeAnn Phelan, Ryan Bueschel, and Amy Lewis. Photo: Anna Maki
There was also more music than one person without the ability to bend space and time could possibly see. Over at the Cannery Ballroom, folkie Robert Ellis laid down a quick set, followed by a soulful, guitar-heavy group of songs from Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. Singer/songwriter Justin Townes Earle played the last performance slot downstairs in the Cannery Ballroom, and Nashville’s Madi Diaz closed out the night upstairs at the Mercy Lounge. Over at Jack White’s Third Man Records performance space, Detroit punk-rockers Human Eye were bashing out a noisy symphony, followed by oddball comedian Neil Hamburger.
Yelawolf. Photo: Next Big Nashville
Just past 11 pm, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T. was finishing up his fist-pumping set at the 12th Ave Block Party stage. The main event was Alabama-based rapper Yelawolf (who lived in Antioch for a stretch), who spits rapid-fire machine gun raps and has the pale, tattooed appearance of a Nine Inch Nails band-member circa 1995. Following Yelawolf, local DJ Wick-It kept the party going by spinning dance-friendly dubstep and hip-hop tracks.
One night left, and a plethora of local heroes are on the bill.
Artist Updates: Aldean, Bryan, Bentley, Kane
/by FreemanJason Aldean
• Tickets for Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party Tour stop Feb. 24 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena went on sale earlier this morning (9/23), and promptly sold out in a matter of minutes. “It feels good to sell out any venue in any city, but to sell out your hometown is just an unbelievable feeling,” says Aldean. “I can’t wait to come home for this one…you can bet me and the boys in the band will be ready to go that night!” Aldean is tied for most nominations at this year’s CMA Awards (Nov. 9, 8-11 pm/EST on ABC), including Entertainer of the Year. Capitol Records artist Luke Bryan is set to open the show.
• Speaking of Luke, he’s set to start his six day “Farm Tour” next Thursday, September 29 in Clemson, SC. Proceeds from these shows will fund a scholarship for a student from a farming family in each community. Prior to launching the tour, Bryan will head to the west coast for his first appearance on Access Hollywood Live Monday, September 26 and The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, Sept. 28. He’s also nominated for a CMA Award for New Artist of the Year.
Dierks Bentley
• Also on television next week is Capitol Records artist Dierks Bentley, who will be performing a version of Pink Floyd’s classic “Wish You Were Here” Sept. 29 on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon as part of the show’s week-long tribute to the band. Other artists scheduled to play Pink Floyd’s songs include Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, The Shins, and MGMT.
Christian Kane performing during the Crockettsville I.V. 2011 Charity Concert & Trail Ride. Photo: L. Luxenburger
• Singer, songwriter, and actor Christian Kane launched the first leg of his Raising Kane tour September 22 at Knoxville’s Cotton Eyed Joe, alongside Bigger Picture labelmate Chris Cagle. The tour will span 16 cities nationwide, with additional dates to be announced in the coming weeks. Kane’s debut country album The House Rules is currently available for purchase, and its second single “Let Me Go” is climbing the charts.
NBN SoundLand: Day 2
/by FreemanFoster The People. Photo: Next Big Nashville
Day two of SoundLand, presented by Next Big Nashville presented more musical options, more musical genres, and more Nashville locations.
Following the work day, festival VIPs schmoozed at the super-swanky new location of Virago prior to the music start, where they enjoyed complimentary drinks and food courtesy of SunTrust, The Orchard, and Loeb & Loeb. As an aside, aren’t these M Street restaurants (see also: Tavern, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen) just gorgeous?
Kyle Andrews. Photo: Next Big Nashville
The crowds flocked to the 12th Avenue Block Party, where headlining bands were being featured on an outdoor stage at the end of the street. Beer vendors and food trucks were abundant. Neighboring venues 12th & Porter and Mai got in on the action as well, with sets from Nashville’s Kyle Andrews and Uncle Skeleton at 12&P and How I Became The Bomb and Boss of Nova at Mai. On the Block Party stage, Cults played upbeat, hazy pop that included the single “Go Outside.” Foster the People, enjoying a victory lap following the breakout success of their hit “Pumped Up Kicks,” delivered an energetic set of irresistibly quirky, danceable electronic pop.
Over at Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom, festival organizers had underestimated the demand for Austin, Texas-based electro wizards Ghostland Observatory and a mob had formed outside the building when the room reached capacity. By the time we were permitted entrance, Ghostland’s set was more than half finished. But for a brief, 30 minute stretch, late-arriving audience members were rewarded with pummeling, thumping electro-funk, and a seizure-inducing laser and strobe light setup. Following Ghostland’s set, downtempo musician/DJ Bonobo was playing upstairs at Mercy Lounge.
Nearby at the Station Inn, Black Crowes founding member Rich Robinson, and My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel played sets before cellist/singer Ben Sollee. Rhode Island’s The Low Anthem turned in a late set over at the Basement.
On tonight’s itinerary are two Alabama boys: Americana fixture Jason Isbell and rapper Yelawolf.
Word Entertainment Celebrates 60 Years
/by Caitlin RantalaThe label’s 60 year milestone coincides with the Sept. 20 release of Word: Six Decades of Hits, a 3-CD set including 51 songs and bonus recordings. The set is divided up into three parts: The Early Years, Yesterday’s Favorites, and Today’s Hits. Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Jaci Velasquez, Point of Grace, Francesca Battistelli and Chris August and Sidewalk Prophets are among the artists featured.
Word also released a complementary songbook called Word: The Story, The Songs. Available at Christian retailers, the book is comprised of 30 songs and a 44-page history of Word Entertainment, written by Deborah Evans Price.
Word’s celebration will culminate in a concert at Baylor University on Nov. 2 in Waco, TX, where Word Records got its start. Artists scheduled to perform include Chris August and Sidewalk Prophets.
For more information on Word’s 60 year celebration, please visit www.WordLabelGroup.com.
TV Show “Troubadour, TX” Follows Rising Singers
/by Sarah SkatesThe one-hour, high definition episodes will air in almost 40 million households and 140 U.S. markets, showing on the CW network in most markets. Twenty-two episodes are currently in production for season one and past episodes will be available for viewing at TroubadourTX.com. See trailer below.
Terry London is President and CEO of London Broadcasting Company. LBC is the parent company of 41 Entertainment, led by Wm. A. Landers, and Nashville-based BE Music and Entertainment, headed by Michael Blanton.
Sony Music Nashville Names New VP Sales
/by FreemanHealey will be based in Nashville, and responsible for overseeing all aspects of sales for the Sony Music Nashville labels and working closely with Overton. She will report directly to Stupak as a member of the SME sales management team.
She will lead Sony Music Nashville’s efforts in sales, catalog exploitation, and non-traditional/new business initiatives, as well as manage relationships with retail.
“Caryl has been a vital part of the Nashville sales team for a dozen years, and her experience and relationships throughout the industry, together with her insight, leadership, and front-to-back knowledge of our artists and music make her the perfect choice for her new role,” said Overton.
“We couldn’t be happier to be promoting Caryl to lead our Nashville sales efforts,” added Stupak. “She is a talented executive who has long been an integral part of our success on Music Row. Her rich understanding of the marketplace and our organization will allow us to continue to deliver the best possible performance from our retail partnerships for our Nashville labels.”
Most recently Assoc. Director of Sales for Sony Music Nashville, Healey joined the Sales department in 1999. Prior to that, she worked with PolyGram Distribution and Island Records.
Rimes To Release New Album With A New Perspective
/by Caitlin Rantala“This album was born out of the memories of when I first fell in love with country music and in reflecting, I realized that almost all of my favorite country songs from back then were sung by men,” says Rimes. “I am honored to take a step back in time and sing these songs from a woman’s perspective and hopefully help reintroduce them to a new audience.”
For those who want a first listen, the album will stream online 48 hours prior to its release at www.LeAnnRimesWorld.com. The album is also available for pre-order through iTunes.
Lady & Gentlemen will also feature several bonus tracks along with two new songs, including “Give.” Rimes recently performed the televised debut of the song on the finale of America’s Got Talent.
“‘Give’ is a song with a message about how if we want love, kindness and happiness in our lives, then we need to give some of that back,” Rimes says. “I believe that message needs to be shared with the world.” Rimes blogs about the life-changing experience of shooting the music video for “Give” here.
Lady & Gentlemen tracklist:
1. Swingin’ (originally recorded by John Anderson, released in 1982)
2. Wasted Days And Wasted Nights (originally recorded by Freddy Fender, released in 1975)
3. Only Mama That’ll Walk The Line (originally recorded by Waylon Jennings “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line”, released in 1966)
4. I Can’t Be Myself (originally recorded by Merle Haggard, released in 1970)
5. 16 Tons (originally recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford, released in 1955)
6. Help Me Make It Through The Night (originally recorded by Kris Kristofferson, released in 1970)
7. Rose Colored Glasses (originally recorded by John Conlee, released in 1978)
8. Good Hearted Woman (originally recorded by Waylon Jennings, released in 1972)
9. When I Call Your Name (originally recorded by Vince Gill, released in 1990)
10. He Stopped Loving Her Today (originally recorded by George Jones, released in 1980)
11. Blue (originally recorded by LeAnn Rimes, released in 1996)
12. Bottle Let Me Down (originally recorded by Merle Haggard, released in 1966)
13. Crazy Women (bonus track – original new song)
14. Give (bonus track – original new song)
Hank Williams Box Set Released
/by Caitlin Rantala“Hank continues to speak to and entertain us across the generations,” says Mike Jason, Senior Vice President of Retail, Time Life. “These recordings give us a rare and special insight as this American music giant begins his career.”
Hank Williams: The Legend Begins is available online at www.amazon.com and at other online and retail stores.