Reba & Blake Plan Tornado Relief Concert

/by





(L-R): Reba, Blake Shelton





Oklahoma natives Reba and Blake Shelton will host the Tornado Relief Concert on May 26 at the Choctaw Casino Resort, in partnership with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Tickets will be available beginning May 6 at 10:00 AM and may be purchased by phone at 1-800-585-3737 or online at www.choctawcasinos.com.
The news of Atoka County’s recent tornado disaster prompted the stars to reach out to the affected area. Reba was born just outside of Kiowa, which is approximately 30 miles away from the greatest devastation. Shelton was born in Ada and currently resides in Tishomingo, less than 50 miles from the Atoka County border.
In addition to the proceeds raised from the concert, a special mobile fundraising campaign has been set up with The mGive Foundation. Fans can text “OKGIVE” to 27722 to make a one-time $10 donation, which will be added to their monthly cell phone bill. All proceeds will go to the Tushka Disaster Relief Fund. Donation checks can also be made out to the Tushka Disaster Relief Fund and mailed to: 101 SE 1st Street, Tushka, OK 74525.

Photo Spread: EMI Signs Channing Wilson

/by

Songwriter Channing Wilson inked with EMI Music Publishing recently. The LaFayette, Georgia native has been writing songs and performing for over ten years, and is the former frontman of popular southeast touring band The Rounders.

Back row (L-R): EMI's creative team Tom Luteran, Laura Wright, Ben Vaughn, Missy Wilson, Josh Van Valkenburg, Front seated: Channing Wilson

• • • • • •

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum recently (4/26) hosted its annual Words & Music Night with special guest singer-songwriter Laura Bell Bundy. The evening was a culmination of the year-long Words & Music program, a school initiative that teaches students the art of songwriting. Students write or co-write lyrics which are given to professional songwriters to refine and add melodies. Finally, students visit the Museum for a tour and a performance of their songs by their participating songwriter.

(L-R): Words & Music Outreach Coordinator David Bogart, VP of Museum Programs Jay Orr, host Laura Bell Bundy and School Programs Coordinator Nathalie Lavine. Photo: Donn Jones

• • • • • •

The ASCAP Music Lounge at The Nashville Film Festival featured performances by Katie Herzig, Jeremy Lister, Mikky Ekko and Alyssa Bonagura.

(L-R): Kyle Ryan, Jesse Willoughby (ASCAP), Jeremy Lister, Alyssa Bonagura, Katie Herzig, Mikky Ekko, Dan Burns and Jordan Hamlin.

• • • • • •

BMI concluded the 2011 Road to Bonnaroo contest at Mercy Lounge on Monday, April 18, with eight bands in a dead heat for the final Bonnaroo spot. Uncle Skeleton emerged victorious, winning over the crowd and judges. Other competitors included PUJOL, The Clutters, ACTION!, Tallest Trees, The Kingston Springs, Sarah Silva, and Cherub.

(L-R): Uncle Skeleton’s Cody Uhler, Road to Bonnaroo alum Jedd Hughes, Uncle Skeleton’s Ross Wariner, Road to Bonnaroo alum Jon Burr of How I Became the Bomb, BMI’s Clay Bradley, and Mercy Lounge’s Drew Mischke.

"The Voice" Sings Its Way To Strong Ratings

/by

(L-R): Jeff Jenkins, Elenowen, and Patrick Thomas


Last night’s (4/26) premiere of The Voice scored strong television ratings for NBC. The singing competition featuring celeb coaches Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine helped the network win the night in the coveted 18-49 demographic, according to Zap2It.com.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the strong showing of 11.8 million viewers improved NBC’s season average in the time period by 89 percent. For the whole night, NBC drew 10.3 million viewers and came in behind ABC’s 14.3 million average (Zap2It).
Several Nashvillians are among the contestants on The Voice. Patrick Thomas sang “Live Like You Were Dying” and was recruited for Shelton’s team, which also snagged local husband-and-wife team Elenowen (Josh and Nicole Johnson). Belmont student Jeff Jenkins performed “Bless The Broken Road” and ended up on Levine’s team.
 

Sugarland Stuck on Platinum

/by

(L-R): Luke Lewis, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group Nashville; Kristian Bush; Jennifer Nettles; Gail Gellman, Gellman Management


Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush celebrate Platinum certification for their latest effort, The Incredible Machine, at their recent sold-out concert in Nashville.  This marks the duo’s fourth consecutive release that has reached platinum or multi-platinum status with over 9 million records sold.
As previously reported by MusicRow, this album has also garnered two nominations for this year’s 2011 CMT Music Awards.

Music City Pickers Launches In Nashville

/by

Brady Seals and Gabriel Hernandez. Photo: Anna Henderson Photography


Got an old axe you don’t want and need some cash? Consider this option.
Hit songwriter, musician and artist Brady Seals (Little Texas, Hot Apple Pie) has teamed with former Gibson Guitars web editor Gabriel Hernandez to launch Music City Pickers, which will specialize in purchasing and selling vintage musical instruments.
The two initially met while researching one of Seals’ guitars and bonded over their shared appreciation of classic gear. What was a hobby for both men soon turned into a full-blown business venture. The company aims to be a top destination for the buying and selling of guitars, basses, banjos, mandolins, violins, amps, keyboards and more. Sellers will deal directly with Hernandez and Seals in all transactions.
“We’re the middlemen,” says Seals. “We’ll shoot straight with you, tell you the market value for your instrument and then make a fair offer where both Music City Pickers and the seller feel good about the purchase. This is a tough economy and if you need some money in your pocket and have an instrument you want to part with, come on out and show us what you’ve got. We’ll do the leg work to put that instrument in the hands of someone who will appreciate it. No hassle, no bull.”
The company will make its first stop May 20-22 at the Comfort Suites in Mason, Ohio. Operating hours will be between 9 am and 6 pm.

Best Cellars Dinner Has Raised Over $2 Million To Date

/by

Front row (L-R): Dierks Bentley, John Esposito, Jennifer Pientenpol, Tom Black, Jonathan Cain, Joe Galante, Kellie Pickler, Bill Hearn; Back row (L-R): Charles Kelley, Blake Shelton, Dr. Hal Moses, Laura Heatherly, Chef Ken Frank


Martina McBride, Jonathan Cain, Kellie Pickler, Charles Kelly, Amy Grant, Dierks Bentley, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Phillip Sweet, Blake Shelton, Laura Bell Bundy, Kix Brooks, Joe Don Rooney, Lisa Hartman Black, Clint Black and Big Kenny enjoyed gourmet food and world class wines at the Twelfth Annual Eco-Energy Best Cellars Dinner Monday night (4/25). The event raised more than $170,000 for the T.J. Martell Foundation’s cancer research efforts, bringing the grand total to more than $2 million since the event’s inception in 1999.
Guest Chef Ken Frank, Executive Chef and Owner of La Toque in Napa, California, created a four-course meal that was paired with wine from the personal cellars of top wine collectors from around the United States.
The evening included a live auction with auctioneer Big Kenny and his side kick, Nashville wine collector and business entrepreneur, Tom Black. Among the items up for bid were a celebrity dinner at the home of Big Kenny and his wife Christiev; a trip to Southern California for a food and wine experience; a David Yurman necklace and more.
“The Best Cellars Dinner continues to be a special evening that brings together music, food, wine and great people to raise important research dollars,” said event Co-Chairman Bill Hearn. Proceeds from the evening will go to the T.J. Martell Foundation’s mission of funding cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. 

AristoMedia Celebrates 31 Years with Promotion Fest

/by

(L-R) Jon Walker, Matt Watkins and Christy Watkins.


The AristoMedia Group, now celebrating its 31st year in operation has announced seven departmental promotions. “I am thrilled that this company is able to stand here and reflect on more than three decades serving the entertainment community in Nashville and beyond,” says AristoMedia President and CEO, Jeff Walker. “I’m extremely proud of this staff and the reputation and relationships AristoMedia has built in this industry.”
The company began as a PR firm but today also includes departments for video promotion and marketing, new media, secondary radio promotion and dance venue marketing. In addition they operate an online digital distribution service, GMV Nashville. For more info visit www.AristoMedia.com
(Click on their names to email congratulations)

  1. Christy Watkins upped to Sr. Director/Publicity
  2. Ryan Moore becomes Publicist/Media Relations Manager
  3. Jon Walker upped to Sr. Director/Digital Initiatives and New Media
  4. Jaime Marconette becomes Video Promotion Manager
  5. Bobbe Morhiser is Manager Dance Club Marketing
  6. Sarah Matlock upped to Radio Promotion Coordinator
  7. Matt Watkins is named AristoMedia Director of Operations

(L-R) Jaime Marconette, Bobbe Morhiser, Ryan Moore and Sarah Matlock


 

Benefit News: Dawn Gates' Woman of the Year Campaign

/by


Tanner Page (L) and Dawn Gates (R)


• Through April 29—Capitol Records Nashville Sr. Director of New Media Dawn Gates is helping raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through her Nashville Woman of the Year campaign. Gates is working to raise $50,000 by the end of May in honor of young cancer patient Tanner Page. Her eBay Celebrity Auction runs through Friday, April 29 and includes artist experience packages from Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, KISS, Peter Frampton, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Jennette McCurdy, and many others. Make a direct donation here.
• May 1—The Nashville Choir will salute the Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither with a concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. On the line-up are Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patty, the Gaither Vocal Band and more. Proceeds benefit The Gospel Music Trust Fund and The Nashville Choir’s work with the homeless, Hope For Nashville. Tickets at 615-687-6400 or here.
• May 3—Keith Anderson and Chad Warrix (formerly of Halfway to Hazard) will perform at ReTune Nashville’s Anniversary Celebration at Soundcheck. The concert is part of the nonprofit’s music and art fundraiser for Nashville musicians recovering from the 2010 flood. ReTune creates works of art from instruments that were damaged in the flood. Tickets and details here.
• May 5—Loeb & Loeb LLP will host a Stem Cell Registry Drive from 2-6 PM at their offices at 1906 Acklen Ave. Longtime Loeb & Loeb partner entertainment lawyer Bob Sullivan needs a stem cell transplant. Taking a stem cell sample is simple and requires just a cheek swab. Contact Jamie Hawkins at jhawkins@loeb.com for more information.
• May 6—David Nail, Lance Miller, Mark Wills, Carter Twins, The Warren Brothers and a surprise guest will perform at the Something to Smile About benefit concert for the Interfaith Dental Clinic at the Ryman.
• May 10—Friends of Keith Burns of Burns & Poe are uniting for a benefit concert for his daughter at the Listening Room. Set to perform are his former Trick Pony bandmates Heidi Newfield and Ira Dean, as well as Josh Thompson, Darryl Worley, Tiffany, Chalee Tennison, and Bridgette Tatum. Burns’ 18-year-old daughter Savannah is battling leukemia.
• May 10—Jars of Clay are celebrating the success of their non-profit organization Blood: Water Mission with a benefit concert at the Ryman. Established to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa and its link to the lack of clean water sources, the charity has brought clean water to more than 600,000 people. Also on the concert schedule are HANSON, Sandra McCracken, Eric Wainaina, Derek Webb and the evening’s host Charlie Peacock.

Easter Puts Hippity Hop In Country Sales

/by

Luke Bryan's "Country Girl" topped the Country Tracks chart this week.


According to Nielsen SoundScan, Easter sales added a 7% hip hop to Nashville’s weekly country album sales compared with the previous week, whereas all genre sales only boosted 2%. However, a lack of high profile releases has kept YTD country album sales quite a bit below the all genre benchmark. All genre album sales (YTD thru 4/24/11) are off a respectfully low 1.8%, but country album sales for the same period are down 9%. Total all genre digital track sales are also up 9% YTD. (Unfortunately country digital tracks were not broken out last year, so we don’t have comparisons yet.) Country tracks this week however, compared to the previous one jumped a healthy 12%.
So let’s take a look at the labels and artists which led the “up” week.
Albums
Alison Krauss continues to glide at the top of the country sales list for a second week (after last week’s debut) despite falling off about 49% to 42k units. Most everyone else saw strong unit gains. Filling out the Top 5 were Jason Aldean (No. 2, +31%), Taylor Swift (No. 3, +80%), Country Strong Soundtrack (No. 4, +13%) and ZBB (No. 5, +5%).
Putting country into perspective on the Top 200 all genre album chart finds Krauss at No. 6, Aldean at No. 13 and ZBB at No. 25. Topping the all genre list is Adele who has shifted 1.275 million units in a short 9 weeks. Her new album project 21 sold about 153k units this week.
Tracks
For country it’s all about the men who totally dominate the Digital Genre Country tracks top 5. Luke Bryan’s new “Country Girl” track debuts with over 105k units followed by Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” which adds almost 58k to its 245k total units-sold-in-three-weeks. ZBB, Aldean and Thompson Square nab spots 3-5.
Lady A’s “Need You Now” has passed the five million download mark after 68 weeks. Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” also on the chart for 68 weeks is close behind at about 4.98 million downloads.
Meanwhile, looking at the all genre digital track chart, Adele and Katy Perry can teach the country acts about selling singles. Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep” logged 297k units this week and Perry added 270k downloads of her current single, “E.T.”

Katy Perry and Adele topped the all genre digital tracks chart.

Musical Chairs

/by

Stefanie Porolniczak


Outback Concerts of Tennessee has promoted Stefanie Porolniczak to Vice President of New Media, where she will oversee the company’s new division focused on social media networks and other forms of non-traditional marketing. Porolniczak, who spent the last three years as a Marketing Rep at Outback, will report directly to President Mike Smardak.
She is a recent nominee for “Generation Next Awards” from Venues Today for leadership in the Nashville community. Prior to joining Outback, Porolniczak worked as Marketing Director at WTTS-FM in Indianapolis, IN.
Porolniczak can be reached at (615) 242-3323 or  stefanie@outbackconcerts.com.

Mark Montgomery


• • • • •
Tech entrepreneur Mark Montgomery has joined the Topspin Media Board of Advisers, helping the direct-to-fan technology platform define business strategy, advise on product enhancements and help facilitate the creation of new business opportunities. Among the artists who have used Topspin recently are Paul McCartney, Linkin Park, Arcade Fire, Eminem, and Cee Lo Green.
Montgomery was co-founder of the digital marketing powerhouse echomusic. He has over 20 years of expertise in the direct-to-consumer marketing space working with some of the biggest brands in music.
Topspin, led by CEO Ian Rogers, recently established a Nashville Artist Services division. Wayne Leeloy heads the local team and is responsible for business development, account management and marketing. He can be reached at wleeloy@topspinmedia.com or (615) 787-7166.

Darcy Ferris


•••••
Darcy Ferris is exiting her role as receptionist at Universal Music Publishing Group after almost five years. Her last day will be on Friday, April 29.
Ferris graduated from Belmont University in 2009 with a Music Business degree. She can be contacted at darcyferris@me.com.