CMT To Air “The Singing Bee”

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thesingingbeeKaraoke-style reality competition The Singing Bee has found a new home on CMT, which plans to relaunch the former NBC series this summer. CMT will premiere the show after its presentation of the annual CMT Awards on June 16, then will pair the one-hour series with its other singing competition show, Can You Duet, starting June 20. The show is being produced by the Gurin Co. and Juma and will be hosted by actress Melissa Peterman, who starred in the hit comedy, Reba.

CMT’s head of development Bob Kusbit said the network was interested in the show from its inception and lost the initial bidding war with NBC for the rights. NBC debuted the show right before Fox premiered its similarly formatted Don’t Forget the Lyrics (in both shows, contestants try to complete the lyrics of popular songs). Bee opened stronger in the Nielsens, yet Lyrics won the ratings battle in the long haul, and NBC passed on a second season. CMT will be making some changes to the show’s format. Gone are the “Bee” dancers, and the network promises a mix of 60% country, 40% other kinds of music.

Lauderdale and Miller To Helm Americana Awards

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2873_3d8728729f03e50b63b4e37ccefc736aThe Americana Music Association has announced that Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller will return to helm the 2009 Americana Honors & Awards Show, scheduled for Thursday, September 17 at the Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Singer/songwriter Lauderdale will host and guitarist Miller will lead the house band for the 8th annual Honors & Awards ceremony, which celebrates winners in six member-voted “best of the year” categories and bestows Lifetime Achievement Awards on several honored guests. In the last five months, The Americana Music Association has presented several cool performances including a series of shows at the Bluebird Cafe featuring A-list Americana artists including Sam Bush, Lauderdale, Rodney Crowell, Nanci Griffith, Darrell Scott, Hal Ketchum, and the reunion of Foster and Lloyd. Unannounced special guests at those shows included the likes of JD Souther, Mary Gauthier and John Cowan. Also notable was the first recognized Americana album, Raising Sand, by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, sweeping this year’s Grammy awards show.

The list of 2009 nominees will be announced May 20 at a Membership gathering at BMI in Nashville, TN.

Rogers and Gorley Triple No. 1 Party

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Chris Farren, President of Combustion Music, hosted a party recently at his home to celebrate three No. 1 songs produced by Frank Rogers and co-written by Combustion Music’s Ashley Gorley, including Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This,” Brad Paisley’s “Start A Band” and Darius Rucker’s “It Won’t Be Like This For Long.” (L-R): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Combustion Music’s Ashley Hertzog, Gorley, Farren, Rogers, Combustion Music’s Stephanie Greene and Chris Van Belkom, and ASCAP’s Earle Simmons.

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Carrie Underwood Returns to Africa

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849229c1-3048-8909-cc789d89351a1d3a_2001Arista’s Carrie Underwood made her second trip to Africa earlier this month visiting orphanages and health centers near Luanda, Angola where she participated in the area’s cause to help fight malaria. Her visit was part of American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” charitable endeavors, and a special video package will air on American Idol Tuesday, May 12 to help show viewers how their donations have helped with various relief programs. While in Angola, Underwood visited an all-girl orphanage in Luanda where the girls performed songs and poetry for her after she delivered bed nets and backpacks with school supplies to the orphanage. carrieUnderwood also participated in a community bed net giveaway in Ngangula, and wrapped up her 3-day trip by visiting a health center in Luanda where pregnant women received malaria counseling and treatment.

American Idol and the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) partnered last year to raise awareness and funds for organizations that provide relief programs to help children and young people in extreme poverty in America and Africa. ExxonMobil sponsored Underwood’s most recent trip to Africa.

“Buzzworthy” Gloriana Ready Sneak Peek EP

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glorianaWith an opening slot on Taylor Swift’s Fearless 2009 tour winning them legions of new fans, and their debut single, “Wild at Heart,” hitting the Top 20, Gloriana will release a “sneak peek” EP on May 19th in anticipation of the August release of their self-titled, debut album for Emblem Music Group. The EP features several of the songs from the upcoming album that Gloriana has been performing on the road, including “Wild At Heart ,” “The Way It Goes,” “Time To Let Me Go” and “You Said.” In addition, beginning May 29, fans can get rinbacks and ringtones for “Wild At Heart” as well as “The Way It Goes,” “Time To Let Me Go” and “You Said” exclusively at Verizon Wireless. Verizon Wireless will have a 2 week “sneak peek” exclusive.

The band has also been named one of ten buzz-worthy artists in the latest issue of People Country, hitting newsstands today (5/15). Gloriana’s song, “Time To Let Me Go,” is also being offered as a free download in People Country. The magazine highlights ten buzz-worthy artists and offering songs for free download here. Gloriana, who are featured alongside artists including Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Love and Theft and Caitlin & Will, are offering the first song they ever wrote together, “Time To Let Me Go.”

“Dateline NBC” Spotlights Swift

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taylor1NBC TV’s Dateline NBC will air Dateline: On Tour With Taylor Swift on Sunday, May 31 at 6 PM/CT. The one-hour special will feature behind-the-scenes access to Swift’s first-ever headlining tour, the Fearless 2009 Tour. Shot on three continents over a period of three months, the hour looks at the creation and launch of the sold-out Fearless tour, including concert and backstage footage from the US, the UK and Australia, interviews with the singer and her band and crew, and exclusive looks at Swift’s tour bus, dressing room, crew meetings, dancer auditions, and concert performances. The show also features video diaries shot by Swift herself. NBC News’ Hoda Kotb also talks with Swift and her mom, Andrea Swift, about life in the spotlight. That same week, Swift will perform live on NBC’s Today Summer Concert Series, taking the stage in Rockefeller Plaza on Friday, May 29. Starting on Monday (5/18), video excerpts from Dateline: On Tour with Taylor Swift will be posted here.

Mix Nashville Announces Producer Panelists

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mixnashvilleMix magazine has announced the addition of Nashville producers Dann Huff, John McBride, Vance Powell, Jacquire King and Greg Droman to the lineup for Mix Nashville, the two-day professional audio event to be held May 19-20 at Soundcheck Nashville. Huff, McBride, Powell and King will headline the event’s Anatomy of a Hit Panel Series.

Huff (Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Martina McBride) and John McBride will take the stage on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the making of Martina McBride’s latest release, Shine.
On Wednesday, Mix Nashville will present an afternoon with King and Powell. King is co-producer of the Kings of Leon’s Only By the Night, and Powell is co-producer of Consolers of the Lonely by The Raconteurs. Producer Droman (LeeAnn Womack, Brooks & Dunn) will join singer-songwriter Jen Foster for a Wednesday afternoon Special Session on the songwriting and production of Foster’s forthcoming project, Thirty-Nine. Full programming details are available here.

CMT To Host CMA Fan Social

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cmt2With the CMT Awards scheduled for June 16 — just a couple of days after the close of the CMA Music Festival – CMT is offering some fan-centric opportunities for Festival attendees. The third annual CMA Fan Social Presented by CMT is a free concert and autograph session hosted by CMT’s Lance Smith. The Fan Social will take place on Saturday, June 13 at 3 PM at a secret location, and it’s already creating a buzz at CMT.com. CMT will sponsor the event for the first time this year, which will bring online friends together offline and will feature performances by Eli Young Band, Gloriana, Holly Williams, Emerson Drive, Joey + Rory and The Carter Twins. In what might be called a cyber-scavenger hunt, fans have been gathering video clues from artists online at CMT.com, on their wireless phones, Rhapsody.com and Verizon Wireless, as well as hints via CMA’s and CMT’s newsletters, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter accounts, beginning May 13. You can find out more here.

Darius Rucker Has a “Give-Back Birthday”

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dariusCapitol Records Nashville artist Darius Rucker celebrated his birthday on May 13, but the chart-topping artist is forgoing presents this year for a good cause. Rucker is asking communities to support “classroom requests” from high-poverty schools in his home state of South Carolina through his Give-Back Birthday. In addition to specific classroom requests posted on his website, Rucker will perform at Owenton, Kentucky’s Elk Creek Vineyard’s outdoor amphitheater on Friday, July 17, and Elk Creek will be donating ten percent of ticket sales purchased Friday, May 15 to the singer’s Give-Back Birthday program. The concert is part of Elk Creek Vineyards’ 2009 Summer Concert Series presented by Kroger. Other scheduled shows include Buddy Guy (June 13) and The Temptations (August 22). Give-Back Birthday donations apply only to tickets purchased on Friday, May 15 for the Darius Rucker concert. You can find more information here.

Nashville Screenwriters Conference Ready to Roll

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nashville-scThe eleventh annual Nashville Screenwriters Conference is coming to the Union Station Hotel May 29-31. On Saturday, May 30 at 12:00 PM, the Conference will present the Music in the Movies luncheon. Held at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Ford Theatre, the luncheon will feature advice from top music supervisors for songwriters, composers, artists and publishers hoping to tap into the world of song placement in television and film. The panel will be hosted by 821 Entertainment Group President, Anastasia Brown (Billy: The Early Years, August Rush and Taken) and will feature opportunities for individuals to submit music for placement in upcoming projects.

“Film and television are joining radio in successfully launching and building music careers,” says Brown. “Nashville has such an abundance of talent and this panel will further educate us all on how to get the music heard.”

Joining Brown will be Music Supervisors Julia Michels (Marley and Me, Sex and the City: The Movie and The Devil Wears Prada), Julianne Jordan (Hotel for Dogs, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Fools Gold), Dana Sano (Two Lovers, Dan in Real Life and Shoot ‘Em Up) and Darren Higman (Shark Tale, Two Weeks Notice and State of the Union), as well as NBC Vice President of Music Creative Services, Alicen Catron Schneider (Heroes, Trauma and Caprica) and music journalist Phil Gallo.

The open-to-the-public conference, which Script magazine calls “one of the best screenwriters conferences in America,” will bring Hollywood’s top writers, producers, directors, managers, agents and other studio executives to Nashville to provide aspiring screenwriters and individuals interested in worlds of film and TV the opportunity to network, learn and explore the inner-workings of Hollywood.  All panels will be available a la carte for purchasing individual tickets. You can find more information and a complete schedule of panels here.