On September 29, Nashville will become the official home of the world’s first public garden to honor entertainment icons with a display of namesake flowers. The Nashville Music Garden, located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Demonbreun in the Hall of Fame Park (across from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum) is a one-of-a-kind “Garden of the Stars” that pays tribute to the artists, songwriters, authors, television personalities, industry leaders, venues, organizations, and icons who have made a positive impact on Nashville’s entertainment community.
The Nashville Music Garden is home to the Nashville Music Garden Collection, an assortment of over six dozen flowering plants whose names include Barbara Mandrell, Grand Ole Opry, Minnie Pearl, Pretty Woman, Purple Haze, Elvis, Ring of Fire, Tennessee Waltz, Alabama, Chantilly Lace, Dolly Parton, Kiss an Angel Good Morning, Hank Williams, Reba McEntire and Amy Grant, just to name a few.
The star-studded open-to-the-public dedication ceremony, which begins at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, September 29, will be emceed by long-standing country music television personality Ralph Emery. Recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Barbara Mandrell and Grammy award-winner Lynn Anderson will serve as celebrity hosts. Other celebrities confirmed to attend are Patti Page, Donna Fargo, Steve Holy, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jeff Cook of Alabama, Irlene Mandrell, Marty Raybon, Janice Wendell, Joe Moscheo of the Imperials (Elvis Presley), Gunnar Nelson, songwriters Jeffrey Steele, Shane Minor, Bart Allmand and Buzz Cason, and the families of songwriter Ben Peters, The Big Bopper, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, DeFord Bailey, Minnie Pearl and Jimi Hendrix with more to be announced in the coming weeks. Officials from the State of Tennessee and Mayor Karl Dean will also be in attendance.
The first 500 attendees will receive long-stemmed Rio Roses and biscuits from the Loveless Cafe. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.nashvillemusicgarden.com.
The event is presented by LifeWorks Foundation in partnership with Metro Parks & Recreation and is sponsored by Hilton Nashville Downtown, Nashville Predators Foundation, BSA, Inc. Event Services, AVI-SPL, Rio Roses, Ilex…for Flowers, WSIX, Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Rose Society, Nashville Symphony, RFD-TV and Loveless Cafe, with additional support from MidSouth Roses, Christie’s Daylilies, Daylily World, Grayson Couture, American Rose Society, The Cocoa Tree, Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and At Your Service Chauffeuring.
Wide Open Announces Staff; Sevendust Signs with Big Loud Bucks
/by LB CantrellWide Open Music Group Announces Staff
Derek George, President of Wide Open Music Group, announced staff appointments for the recently-formed music publishing company. Keithan Melton is Creative Director, and Ken Johnson is Director, Administration. Melton was formerly Creative Manager for Sea Gayle Music and Catalog Manager for Cal IV Entertainment. Johnson brings 20 years of music industry experience to his new position, having spent 14 years in A&R Administration at two major Christian labels (Word Records and EMI Christian Music Group). Johnson also started his own production services company in 2004. George is the guitarist for Golden Music Nashville’s Williams Riley and co-wrote the band’s upcoming single, “Country Livin’.”
Wide Open Music Group is located at 54 Music Square East, Suite 390 in Nashville. Telephone: 615-891-4285.
(L-R): Ken Johnson, Derek George and Keithan Melton
Sevendust Signs Exclusive Deal With Big Loud Bucks
Metal band Sevendust and Big Loud Bucks Administration & Information have entered into an exclusive worldwide administration deal. Sevendust has also put Big Loud Bucks in charge of collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of their own record label, 7 Bros. Records in conjunction with Asylum Records. Sevendust is currently recording a new album slated for release in early 2010.
(L-R) Front: Vincent Hornsby, Sevendust Bass; Morgan Rose, Sevendust Drums/Vocals; John Connolly, Sevendust Guitars/Vocals; LaJon Witherspoon, Sevendust Lead Vocals; Diane Kruse, Rashford Kruse and Assoc, business management for Sevendust. Back: Kele Currier, Big Loud Bucks Exec. VP; Heather Buresh, Big Loud Bucks Licensing and Copyright Analyst; Nancy Eckert Verge Legal, general counsel for Sevendust; Mark Ahlberg, Big Loud Bucks Client Transaction Specialist; and Matt Hilton, Big Loud Bucks Copyright Admin. Photo: Amy Allmand
Aldean Tops Ringscan Chart
/by MichelleJason Aldean
Jason Aldean, currently No. 1 on Billboard and Mediabase charts for the fourth consecutive week for “Big Green Tractor,” is the only artist to hold the No. 1 position for four straight weeks in more than 18 months. Brad Paisley’s “Letter to Me” had a four-week run in Feb. 2008.
Aldean has made country music history as the first country artist to take the No. 1 spot on the Billboard all-genre Ringscan chart. “Big Green Tractor” edged out the rest of the Top Five including Jay Z, Drake, Mariah Carey and The Black Eyed Peas. The hit has also just been certified Gold by the RIAA for digital sales, making it the 2nd track from his critically acclaimed third album Wide Open to claim that status.
Chesney To Stream Ambassadors of Rock Show on NSR
/by Freeman“Part of the idea of the station is to bring people deeper into this music,” Chesney explains, “to give them more or a sense beyond the records and the big shows. We play stuff from my iPod, demos, things they’d never hear otherwise… and for but a very few hundred people, this Hard Rock show would certainly be one of those moments: something we’d all talk about how cool it was for years, knowing almost nobody got to hear it. Now, they can.”
Eric Church’s Fractured Foot & Flatts On NBC
/by MichelleRascal Flatts is set to perform on the Season Finale of NBC’s America’s Got Talent this Wednesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. CT. Shakira, Leona Lewis, Cirque du Soleil and other special guests are also on tap to perform.
Kanye Interrupts Swift’s VMA Speech
/by MichelleKanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards last night (9/13). As Swift began to accept her Best Female Video award for “You Belong To Me,” West jumped on stage, grabbed Swift’s mic and said “Taylor, I’m really happy for you, and I’m gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time,” he said, as a surprised Beyonce looked on and the crowd began to boo West.” Swift did not finish her speech, but the crowed applauded her. Beyonce, who later won video of the year for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” graciously welcomed Swift back onto the stage to finish her speech. See video of the incident below (via mtv.com).
Mica Roberts
/by ProgrammerPlaylist“Days You Live For”
Show Dog Nashville
If you want to know Roberts, you are going to have to get to know her hometown Locust Grove, Oklahoma. A tiny town of 1400 people, Locust Grove is about 50 miles east of Tulsa and is still the place Roberts calls home. She still owns the family farm there where she grew up and forged her lifelong love of music.
When Mica arrived in Nashville she did everything she could to get a job. “I just wanted to stay there and support myself,” Mica recalls. “I waited tables and sang in a local club called the Bull Pen Lounge.” In 1997, nine years after she made the move to town, she she became Faith Hill’s background vocalist and toured with her for four years. This led to other opportunities from Billy Bob Thornton to her hero Willie Nelson and eventually head Show Dog Toby Keith, whom she has backed up for the past seven years.
“My dream is to make music with an edge and energy all its own,” says Roberts. “I draw inspiration from the people I’m around and from my life. I believe in the music I’m making and I know people will connect with it if given the opportunity.”
http://micaroberts.com/
http://www.myspace.com/micaroberts
IBMA Reveals Awards Show Performers
/by FreemanTaylor Swift To Perform Live On MTV’s VMA Awards
/by LB CantrellTaylor will make her first appearance on The View on Tuesday (9/15), interviewing with Barbara Walters and her co-hosts. She will follow the interview with a performance of two songs from her Fearless album. The View airs live on ABC at 10:00 a.m. (CT).
ACM Honors Announces Talent Lineup
/by FreemanSpecial Awards (voted by the ACM Board of Directors)
Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award – Jerry Reed, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Hank Williams Jr.
Jim Reeves International Award – Dolly Parton
Mae Boren Axton Award – David Young
Poet’s Award – Merle Haggard, Harlan Howard
Tex Ritter Award – Beer For My Horses
MBI Awards (member voted)
Audio Engineer of the Year – Chuck Ainlay
Producer of the Year – Tony Brown
Top Bass Player of the Year – Glenn Worf
Top Fiddle Player of the Year – Aubrey Haynie
Top Guitarist of the Year – Tom Bukovac
Top Percussionist/Drummer of the Year – Greg Morrow
Top Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year – Gordon Mote
Top Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year – Eric Darken, Jelly Roll Johnson (Tied)
Top Steel Guitar Player of the Year – Dan Dugmore
Industry Awards (member voted)
Casino of the Year – Turning Stone Casino (Verona, NY)
Don Romeo Talent Buyer of the Year – Fran Romeo, Romeo Entertainment
Nightclub of the Year – Joe’s Bar (Chicago, IL)
Promoter of the Year – Louis Messina, The Messina Group
Venue of the Year – The Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN)
Nashville Music Garden to be Dedicated in Star-Studded Public Celebration
/by LB CantrellThe Nashville Music Garden is home to the Nashville Music Garden Collection, an assortment of over six dozen flowering plants whose names include Barbara Mandrell, Grand Ole Opry, Minnie Pearl, Pretty Woman, Purple Haze, Elvis, Ring of Fire, Tennessee Waltz, Alabama, Chantilly Lace, Dolly Parton, Kiss an Angel Good Morning, Hank Williams, Reba McEntire and Amy Grant, just to name a few.
The star-studded open-to-the-public dedication ceremony, which begins at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, September 29, will be emceed by long-standing country music television personality Ralph Emery. Recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Barbara Mandrell and Grammy award-winner Lynn Anderson will serve as celebrity hosts. Other celebrities confirmed to attend are Patti Page, Donna Fargo, Steve Holy, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jeff Cook of Alabama, Irlene Mandrell, Marty Raybon, Janice Wendell, Joe Moscheo of the Imperials (Elvis Presley), Gunnar Nelson, songwriters Jeffrey Steele, Shane Minor, Bart Allmand and Buzz Cason, and the families of songwriter Ben Peters, The Big Bopper, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, DeFord Bailey, Minnie Pearl and Jimi Hendrix with more to be announced in the coming weeks. Officials from the State of Tennessee and Mayor Karl Dean will also be in attendance.
The first 500 attendees will receive long-stemmed Rio Roses and biscuits from the Loveless Cafe. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.nashvillemusicgarden.com.
The event is presented by LifeWorks Foundation in partnership with Metro Parks & Recreation and is sponsored by Hilton Nashville Downtown, Nashville Predators Foundation, BSA, Inc. Event Services, AVI-SPL, Rio Roses, Ilex…for Flowers, WSIX, Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Rose Society, Nashville Symphony, RFD-TV and Loveless Cafe, with additional support from MidSouth Roses, Christie’s Daylilies, Daylily World, Grayson Couture, American Rose Society, The Cocoa Tree, Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and At Your Service Chauffeuring.