Sue Thompson, the western-swing singer who became a “teen” pop star of the 1960s, passed away on Sept. 23 at age 96.
While signed to the Acuff-Rose affiliated label Hickory Records in Nashville, Thomson scored big pop hits with “Sad Movies” (1961), “Norman” (1962), “James (Hold the Ladder Steady)” (1962) and “Paper Tiger” (1965). Sue Thompson gave boosts to the publishing company’s writers Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, Bob Montgomery and especially John D. Loudermilk.
She was born Eva Sue McKee in Nevada, Missouri on July 19, 1925. She got a guitar at age 7 and dreamed of becoming a singing cowboy like Gene Autry. Forced off their land in 1937, the family migrated to California during the Great Depression to work as fruit pickers.
The Mckees eventually settled near San Jose. During World War II, Sue worked in a defense plant near Oakland. She married in 1944, delivered a daughter in 1946 and divorced in 1947. By then she was working in a theater ticket box office by day and as a nightclub singer by night.
Discovered by western-swing bandleader Dude Martin, she began singing on his local San Francisco TV show. He also became her second husband. They moved to Los Angeles in 1951 and proved to be just as popular on TV there.
Signed to Mercury Records, Sue Thompson recorded a string of mildly popular country singles in the early 1950s. In 1952, she became the first to record the future pop standard “You Belong To Me” (Pee Wee King/ Redd Stewart/ Chilton Price).
In Hollywood, musician/comedian Hank Penny joined Martin’s troupe. He romanced her. She divorced Martin in 1953, married Penny and gave birth to a son in 1955.
The Pennys moved to Las Vegas to work the casino lounge circuit. She recorded for Decca and Columbia, but failed to score in either pop or country musical settings. But in Nashville at Hickory in the 1960s, she found her niche with teen novelty tunes. Sue Thompson had a pert bright quality in her voice that made her sound much younger than a 36-year-old when the whimpering ballad “Sad Movies” made her a teen pop star in 1961.
That plus the rocking, brass-punctuated “Norman” (1962) and its follow-ups propelled the strawberry blonde onto Hullabaloo, Shindig, American Bandstand, Where the Action Is, Hollywood A Go-Go and other pop TV shows.
The honeydew sweetness and innocence in her voice seemed to particularly suit Loudermilk’s songs. In addition to her first two hits, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member penned “If the Boy Only Knew,” “James,” “What’s Wrong Bill,” “Big Daddy,” “Paper Tiger” (a top hit in Australia & Canada) and “Stop the Music,” all of which landed on the pop charts for her in 1962-66. She and Penny divorced in 1963.
Sue Thompson’s pop albums on Hickory were Meet Sue Thompson, Two of a Kind, Golden Hits, Paper Tiger and With Strings Attached. During her teen-queen era, Mercury issued its old sides as The Country Side of Sue Thompson.
Publicists had dubbed her cute, saucy, coquette voice “itty bitty.” Wishing to shed that description, Thompson returned to country music. She issued a string of singles on Hickory and MGM in 1971-76, including several duets with future Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Gibson.
She made the country singles charts 12 times with 1974’s “Good Old Fashioned Country Love” reaching No. 31 as her biggest hit in this field. Her country LPs of the 1970s included Big Mable Murphy, And Love Me, Sweet Memories and two duet albums with Gibson.
Then she returned to the Nevada casino circuit, where she continued to appear into the 1990s. She also reemerged as the host of a radio show broadcast from North Hollywood’s famed nightspot The Palomino.
She married for a fourth time in 1993, but was widowed 20 years later. According to The New York Times, the entertainer died at the home of her daughter and caregiver, Julie Jennings, in Pahrump, Nevada. Her son, Greg Penny, said the cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to children Jennings and Penny, she is survived by eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
22nd Annual NSAI Song Contest Submissions Open Oct. 1
/by Lorie HollabaughDetails have been announced for NSAI’s 22nd Annual Song Contest, kicking off on Oct. 1.
Songwriters worldwide from all genres can submit their songs and/or lyrics to be evaluated and judged by industry professionals in two different groups–Song or Lyric-Only. Up to 22 entries will place in the contest, and the live final judging phase for the Song Category will feature the Top 10 Finalists’ entries. Final judging will take place in February 2022.
The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000, a mentor session with songwriting icon Rhett Akins, and a one-year single-song contract with Anthem Entertainment. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a CMT Prize Pack, a three day trip to Nashville, a brand new acoustic guitar, performance opportunities at The Bluebird Cafe and Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, an one year NSAI membership, and more!
The Lyric-Only winner will receive $2,500, a mentoring session with songwriter Ali Tamposi, a brand new acoustic guitar, a one-year membership to NSAI, access to one NSAI premium event, and several additional prizes.
Entries can be submitted online beginning Oct. 1 at nsaisongcontest.com or mailed to the NSAI office. Entry fees are $35 per song or lyric entry for current NSAI members and $45 per song or lyric entry for non-NSAI members. All submissions must be submitted or post-marked by November 30, at 5 p.m. CT.
For the full contest rules, click here.
Reliant Talent Launches Jazz Division Headed By Agency Vet Fred Hansen
/by Lorie HollabaughFred Hansen
Reliant Talent is launching a jazz division headed by NYC-based agency veteran Fred Hansen.
Hansen has over three and a half decades of experience representing Jazz, R&B, and Adult Contemporary artists, and has worked with artists to develop long-term growth through bookings at festivals, PACS, theaters, and clubs worldwide.
Before joining Reliant Talent Agency, Hansen worked at APA, CEG, Artists & Audience, and Pyramid Entertainment. He can be reached at fhansen@relianttalent.com.
“I am excited to be working with the team of professionals at Reliant and focus on connecting our artists with their loyal and passionate fans,” Hansen shares. “In addition to traditional venues, the jazz market has seen tremendous growth in destination festivals, cruises, and artist-curated events.”
Headquartered in Nashville, Reliant Talent is a boutique agency built on artist booking and representation while guiding strategic, long-term growth for artists. Current clients include Take 6, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Jonathan Butler, Kirk Whalum, Peter White, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, and the Average White Band.
Austin Goodloe Inks Publishing Deal With Combustion Music
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R): Combustion Music’s Blake Duncan, Combustion Music’s Chris Farren, Austin Goodloe, Combustion Music’s Kelly Lyons, Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom. Photo: Noah Hicks
Writer, producer, and Grammy award-winning musician Austin Goodloe has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Combustion Music.
Goodloe has written with Lydia Vaughn, Smith Ahnquist, Nick Donley, and Joy Beth Taylor, also having cuts with Clark Beckham, Karl Michael and Jordan James. He is currently touring with Lindsay Ell.
“No words describe how pumped I am to officially get to work with Austin every day! He is one of those guys in town that everyone he crosses wants him to win and is routing for him,” says Combustion Creative Director Blake Duncan. “I believe that really shines a light on how special he is as a writer, producer, musician, and person!”
Chris Farren, Combustion President adds, “Austin is one of the most musical guys I know. An incredible writer, producer, player and singer. Can’t wait to see what he does next.”
“I’m excited to be a part of Combustion’s team! I truly can’t believe I get to call this a job,” Goodloe shares. “I’m so thankful for everyone here that believed in me. Let’s make some music!”
Pryor & Lee Ramp Up For November Release Of ‘Right Now’
/by Lorie HollabaughPryor & Lee. Photo: Cameron Powell Studio
Pryor & Lee are gearing up for the release of their new EP, Right Now, due out Nov. 19 through Black River Entertainment. The duo offered fans a preview of the new six-song EP with the release of the title track last week.
As a preview for the six-song EP, the project’s title track, “Right Now,” is available now. The track debuted on top playlists, including Apple Music’s Country Risers, New In Country, 5th Gear, and their Best New Songs slider, Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Country, Spotify’s New Music Nashville, and Pandora’s New Country Now.
“For us, and I think for a lot of folks, Right Now is timely,” shares Kaleb Lee. “To us, country music is about a lifestyle. It’s about experiences, and this song reflects how we like to have a good time.”
“I don’t care too much about going out and getting dressed up to have a good time,” adds Pryor Baird. “It’s just not me, to each his own, but we like to let loose and be out in the country with friends, big fires, great music, and good times.”
The duo was brought together while competing as solo artists on NBC’s The Voice. In January of 2020, Black River signed the duo who are currently on their “Right Now Tour.”
Right Now – Pryor Baird, Kaleb Lee, Chris DeStefano, and Josh Hoge *
Where Whiskey Goes – Adam Craig, Connie Harrington, and Houston Phillips +
Good Time Don’t Care – Pryor Baird, Chris DuBois, and Lynn Hutton ^
Stonecut – Pryor Baird, Kaleb Lee, Bob DiPiero, and Jeffrey Steele ^
Tough Town – Lee Thomas Miller and Neil Thrasher ^
Thirsty – Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, and Brett Eldredge ^
^ Produced by Doug Johnson
* Produced by Chris DeStefano
+ Produced by Doug Johnson and Houston Phillips
Dolly Parton To Headline Inaugural Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit
/by Lorie HollabaughKiss Breast Cancer Goodbye organizers Tara Joseph, Donna Wells and Katie Larson join Dolly Parton to announce the First Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Concert.
Photo: Jacob Wells
Nashville’s inaugural Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Concert and VIP Cocktail Hour will be held in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater on Oct. 24.
Country music legend Dolly Parton will headline this year’s event and will be joined by Dennis Quaid, Artimus Pyle Band, Linda Davis, Collin Raye and many others. The live concert will be emceed by former Ford model and Home Shopping Network personality, Stacey Schieffelin and co-host of The Bobby Bones Show Amy Brown. Proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye and cannot wait for this fantastic show,” says Paula Schneider, President and CEO of Susan G. Komen and a breast cancer survivor. “Funds raised by this event will help us accelerate the pace of progress and ensure that everyone living with breast cancer today can get the care they need. Together, we can ensure that no one faces this disease alone.”
The Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Concert will showcase some of Nashville’s greatest talent and world-renowned headliners, along with testimonials from breast cancer survivors, conversations with professionals in the health and wellness industry, and more.
To purchase tickets and learn how you can Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye, click here.
In Pictures: Pilgrimage Festival Celebrates Return To Franklin After Two Years
/by Lydia FarthingDay 2 of Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on Sept. 26, 2021. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival came back to Middle Tennessee this past weekend (Sept. 25 & 26). The two-day event welcomed a crowd of 25,000 to The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee.
Maren Morris performs onstage during day one of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images
Led by back-to-back headliners both nights, Maren Morris and The Black Keys kicked things off on Saturday, and Cage The Elephant and Dave Matthews Band capped the event on Sunday.
Over 50 acts in total appeared across five stages: the Midnight Sun Stage, Gold Record Road Stage, Simple Truth X Shady Grove Stage, Lil’ Pilgrims Family Stage, and Americana Music Triangle Experience. Paste Magazine’s Paste Studio on the Road: Pilgrimage Music Festival was also livestreaming backstage appearances throughout the weekend from Hailey Whitters, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, Jamestown Revival, and Wax Owls.
Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys perform onstage during day one of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
“All the stars aligned for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival this year. We were blessed with a full crowd, brilliant weather, and one of the best lineups that we’ve ever had. It truly seemed like every artist was giving their absolute best, knowing just how meaningful it was to finally be able to bring music lovers together,” shares event co-producer W. Brandt Wood. “People were smiling, kids were dancing, and the music was rocking. We wanted to give everyone a transcendent experience that truly brought joy, and the crowds really came out in mass to celebrate as one community. We’re already counting down until next year!”
Co-produced by Wood, Better Than Ezra frontman and Franklin resident Kevin Griffin, and Michael Whelan, Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival aims to boost tourism in Williamson County while also supporting the local community. A portion of every ticket sale will be donated to members of the music industry in need through the Recording Academy’s nonprofit MusiCares, in addition to Friends of Franklin Parks for capital projects at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm.
Dave Matthews Band performs onstage during day two of the 2021 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant performs onstage during day two of the 2021 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images
Wasserman Music Adds Shannon Casey As SVP, Fairs & Festivals
/by Lydia FarthingShannon Casey. Photo: Gregg Roth
Veteran agent Shannon Casey has joined Wasserman Music as SVP, Fairs and Festivals, effective Oct. 1. She will be based in the agency’s Nashville office.
Casey spent more than two decades at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Nashville, and has represented many of the top live entertainers in the music business. A Belmont University graduate, Casey has been a volunteer and concert committee member at Thistle Farms and Thistle Stop Cafe, served on the board of the Nashville Film Festival, and coordinated the CAA Foundation’s philanthropic efforts with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and The PENCIL Foundation. She is a member of the Recording Academy, the Academy of Country Music and The Country Music Association.
“The addition of Shannon to Wasserman Music brings irreplaceable experience and expertise in a rapidly evolving economy in fairs and festivals,” says Senior Vice President Lenore Kinder. “She has cultivated decades of meaningful relationships with her buyers, and I have no doubt they’re just as eager to get back to business with her as we are!”
“I am delighted to join the Wasserman Music team,” shares Casey. “I look forward to working with some of the most passionate and respected agents in the business. I can’t wait to reconnect with all the Fair and Festival talent buyers, with whom it has been my pleasure to work over the years, and I’m excited about creating new touring opportunities for a dynamic roster of talented artists.”
“Sad Movies” Pop Star Sue Thompson Dies At Age 96
/by Robert K OermannSue Thompson, the western-swing singer who became a “teen” pop star of the 1960s, passed away on Sept. 23 at age 96.
While signed to the Acuff-Rose affiliated label Hickory Records in Nashville, Thomson scored big pop hits with “Sad Movies” (1961), “Norman” (1962), “James (Hold the Ladder Steady)” (1962) and “Paper Tiger” (1965). Sue Thompson gave boosts to the publishing company’s writers Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, Bob Montgomery and especially John D. Loudermilk.
She was born Eva Sue McKee in Nevada, Missouri on July 19, 1925. She got a guitar at age 7 and dreamed of becoming a singing cowboy like Gene Autry. Forced off their land in 1937, the family migrated to California during the Great Depression to work as fruit pickers.
The Mckees eventually settled near San Jose. During World War II, Sue worked in a defense plant near Oakland. She married in 1944, delivered a daughter in 1946 and divorced in 1947. By then she was working in a theater ticket box office by day and as a nightclub singer by night.
Discovered by western-swing bandleader Dude Martin, she began singing on his local San Francisco TV show. He also became her second husband. They moved to Los Angeles in 1951 and proved to be just as popular on TV there.
Signed to Mercury Records, Sue Thompson recorded a string of mildly popular country singles in the early 1950s. In 1952, she became the first to record the future pop standard “You Belong To Me” (Pee Wee King/ Redd Stewart/ Chilton Price).
In Hollywood, musician/comedian Hank Penny joined Martin’s troupe. He romanced her. She divorced Martin in 1953, married Penny and gave birth to a son in 1955.
The Pennys moved to Las Vegas to work the casino lounge circuit. She recorded for Decca and Columbia, but failed to score in either pop or country musical settings. But in Nashville at Hickory in the 1960s, she found her niche with teen novelty tunes. Sue Thompson had a pert bright quality in her voice that made her sound much younger than a 36-year-old when the whimpering ballad “Sad Movies” made her a teen pop star in 1961.
That plus the rocking, brass-punctuated “Norman” (1962) and its follow-ups propelled the strawberry blonde onto Hullabaloo, Shindig, American Bandstand, Where the Action Is, Hollywood A Go-Go and other pop TV shows.
The honeydew sweetness and innocence in her voice seemed to particularly suit Loudermilk’s songs. In addition to her first two hits, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member penned “If the Boy Only Knew,” “James,” “What’s Wrong Bill,” “Big Daddy,” “Paper Tiger” (a top hit in Australia & Canada) and “Stop the Music,” all of which landed on the pop charts for her in 1962-66. She and Penny divorced in 1963.
Sue Thompson’s pop albums on Hickory were Meet Sue Thompson, Two of a Kind, Golden Hits, Paper Tiger and With Strings Attached. During her teen-queen era, Mercury issued its old sides as The Country Side of Sue Thompson.
Publicists had dubbed her cute, saucy, coquette voice “itty bitty.” Wishing to shed that description, Thompson returned to country music. She issued a string of singles on Hickory and MGM in 1971-76, including several duets with future Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Gibson.
She made the country singles charts 12 times with 1974’s “Good Old Fashioned Country Love” reaching No. 31 as her biggest hit in this field. Her country LPs of the 1970s included Big Mable Murphy, And Love Me, Sweet Memories and two duet albums with Gibson.
Then she returned to the Nevada casino circuit, where she continued to appear into the 1990s. She also reemerged as the host of a radio show broadcast from North Hollywood’s famed nightspot The Palomino.
She married for a fourth time in 1993, but was widowed 20 years later. According to The New York Times, the entertainer died at the home of her daughter and caregiver, Julie Jennings, in Pahrump, Nevada. Her son, Greg Penny, said the cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to children Jennings and Penny, she is survived by eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Mandy Barnett Invited To Become Newest Opry Member
/by Lorie HollabaughMandy Barnet. Photo: Chris Hollo
Mandy Barnett received the ultimate birthday present last night (Sept. 28), when she was invited to become an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Barnett, who has appeared on the Opry more than 500 times over the course of nearly 30 years, will be formally inducted into the Opry family later this fall. She is also slated to appear in four Opry Country Christmas shows debuting this coming holiday season at the Opry House.
Connie Smith and Mandy Barnett. Photo: Chris Hollo
Opry member Connie Smith joined Barnett on stage to lead the Opry audience in singing “Happy Birthday,” before reading a birthday card which included Barnett’s invitation. “You’ve felt like family since we first met, and on this, your special day, we’re honored to invite you to become an official member of the Grand Ole Opry!” Smith read.
Mandy replied, “This is the happiest day of my life! I came here back in the 80’s and met so many of the greats that came before me like Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Jean Shepard, Billy Walker- and you Connie. I made my Opry debut in 1994 and I’ve had so many supporters who have rooted for me and been nice to me all these years.”
“Night after night, year after year, we’ve been astounded by Mandy’s magnificent performances. She loves the Opry and the Opry loves her right back. It’s a great match now and will be for years to come,” said Dan Rogers, Opry vice president and executive producer.
She has built a reputation for her devotion to classic country, R&B, and popular standards. A Tennessee Music Pathways historical marker in Barnett’s Tennessee hometown honors her contributions in making Tennessee the “Soundtrack of America.”
Barnett’s latest album, 2021’s Every Star Above, acts as a celebration of Billie Holiday’s Lady in Satin with arrangements by the late jazz maestro Sammy Nestico.
In Pictures: ‘The Jesus Music’ Film Gets Star-Studded Premiere At Nashville’s CMHOF
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R): Michael W. Smith, Russ Taff, CeCe Winans, John Schlitt, and Rebecca St. James perform on stage during the afterparty for the premiere of The Jesus Music. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images
The premiere of The Jesus Music film was hosted at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame on Monday, Sept. 27, and some of Christian music’s biggest players took to the red carpet.
Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, TobyMac, CeCe Winans, Bart Millard from MercyMe, Joel Smallbone from For King & Country, Newsboys’ Michael Tait and Duncan Phillips, Rebecca St. James, John Schlitt, Russ Taff and more were in attendance.
Newsboys’ Michael Tait and Duncan Phillips assist in a marriage proposal between Otto Price and Sami Cone during red carpet arrivals for the premiere of The Jesus Music. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images
In addition to a surprise proposal on the red carpet with the help of Tait and Phillips, the night was also filled with an all-star performance capping off the evening’s after-party from Taff, Smith, Winans, St. James, Schlitt and backup band Sixwire.
The documentary, which Lionsgate is releasing to theaters nationwide on Oct. 1, reveals Christian music’s story—from its beginnings at the Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California through its transformation into the multibillion-dollar industry of Christian Contemporary Music today.
Directed by the Erwin Brothers, The Jesus Music features interviews with the genre’s biggest stars including Grant, Smith, TobyMac, Kirk Franklin, and Lauren Daigle.
To watch the official preview for The Jesus Music, click here.
Pictured (L-R): Moriah Smallbone; Joel Smallbone; Jason Constantine, Lionsgate; Rebecca St. James; Jon Erwin, Writer/Director; Russ Taff; Eda Kowan, Lionsgate; Michael W. Smith; Josh Walsh, Producer; Amy Grant; Kevin Downes, Executive Producer; TobyMac; Jason Crabb; Michael Tait; Brandon Gregory, Producer; Bart Millard. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images
Pictured (L-R): Amy Grant, CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, and Jason Crabb arrive at the premiere of The Jesus Music. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images