Bonnaroo Reveals New & Returning Experiences For 2021 Festival

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Pride Parade x House of Yes (2019). Photo: courtesy of Alive Coverage

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has announced the lineup for its famed campgrounds and plazas. This year, the 20th-anniversary edition of Bonnaroo, the festival will take place Sept. 2–5, 2021 on the Bonnaroo Farm, located 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester.

As previously announced, the artists slated to perform during the four-day event are Foo Fighters, Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Tyler The Creator, Lana Del Rey, Brittany Howard, Leon Bridges, Janelle Monae, My Morning Jacket, Breland, Niko Moon, and many more. The Grand Ole Opry featuring special guests will also return for this year’s 20th anniversary festival.

Bonnaroo’s communal areas, known as plazas, include shade, free public Wi-Fi, showers, activities, charging stations, Clean Vibes Trading Post redemption centers, cooling stations, medical, safety stations, information, and portable restrooms.

The 2021 Campground Plazas lineup features several returning favorites along with several new experiences:

Centeroo
Produced by iamsound, Bonnaroo’s new House of Love will host romantic activities like Lovesick Karaoke Happy Hour, interactive photo booth installations, and daily wedding ceremonies where attendees can get hitched by very special guests.

Plazas & Campgrounds
Sanctuary Of Self Love, curated by Paramore’s Hayley Williams in collaboration with iamsound and Conscious City Guide, will offer festival-goers a space to relax and rejuvenate themselves through the weekend. Featuring mindful movement practices, hairstyling by the Good Dye Young on-site hair salon, deep sound bath rituals, talks, and panel sessions offering powerful tools for mental clarity and personal transformation, the space will also include a healers village offering pre-booked one-on-one sessions spanning massage to aura photography and reiki.

Presented by Bacardi, the Where In The Woods stage will feature DJs and surprise headliners in a treehouse with a dance floor that features kaleidoscopic lights and sounds. New additions also include immersive cabanas and a conga line hosted by NPI and Puzzle.

Plaza 3 will feature House of Yes and Little Cinema bringing Brooklyn magic with epic spectacles, immersive movie screenings, circus shows, and all-night dance parties. House of Yes will also host Bonnaroo’s second annual Pride Parade, a celebration of diversity, sexuality, and humanity, presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Plaza 5, located inside the Groop Camping area in the GA Campground and presented by iamsound, will include a space cowboy dive-bar called Galactic Giddy-Up which features groop and community-oriented games, activities, parties, mixers, and more, including catch competitions judged by celebrity guests, talent shows, battles of the bands, and line dancing. Galactic Giddy-Up will also include bathrooms, showers, shade and chill spaces, fans and misters, food and beverage vendors, charging stations, info booth, medical, security, and more.

Plaza 6 will include Killer Mike’s Swag Shop, showcasing a casual and artistic approach to self-care, offering good music, casual conversation, and a haircut.

The Grove (2019). Photo: courtesy of Alive Coverage

Plaza 7 will freatue The Grove, a wooded oasis is filled with mythical creatures by Brett Douglas Hunter and live harp performances by Yomí That Harpist. Plaza 9’s VEEPS House will display exclusive, intimate performances from some of Bonnaroo 2021’s artist streamed live from the farm to the world.

The new Rootanical Garden invites fans to see the world through the lens of a bug as they wander into a maze garden while the newly revamped VIP Campground Plaza will feature air-conditioning, private bars, complimentary Wi-Fi, daily yoga classes, games, live video feeds of the festival performances, and other surprises.

Lastly, the newly revamped VIP Campground Plaza will feature air-conditioning, private bars, complimentary Wi-Fi, daily yoga classes, games, live video feeds of the festival performances, and some special surprises. The VIP Campground Plaza is available exclusively to VIP patrons.

John King’s Debut Album, ‘Always Gonna Be You,’ Slated For October

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John King. Photo: Ford Fairchild

John King is gearing up for the release of his debut album, Always Gonna Be You, on Oct. 8 via Starstruck Records. The upcoming project is a candid and deeply personal soundtrack of self-discovery that follows King through romance with his high school sweetheart into adulthood. The album’s first single, “Try Saying Goodbye,” has already racked up 18 million streams, and is coupled with his latest release, “Ain’t Missing You.”

King co-wrote the 11 tracks with Paul DiGiovanni, Justin Wilson, Leslie Satcher, and many others. In an attempt to preserve the raw quality of the project’s initial recordings, King co-produced Always Gonna Be You with his group of co-writers and collaborators, using the song’s original demos as the foundation for the finished tracks.

“Country music is really exciting right now, because artists are blurring the lines,” he shares. “You don’t have to fit into one category. When I step back and listen to these songs, I hear southern rock, country, and pop. I hear me. I don’t know what else to call it. It’s just me.”

King is a No. 1 songwriter who penned Randy Houser’s chart-topping “We Went,” which earned him a 2016 ASCAP Songwriter Award. He launched his solo career in 2015 with “Tonight Tonight,” whose anthemic chorus was heard everywhere from country radio to the weekly NFL recaps on CBS.

Always Gonna Be You Track List:
1. Easy – John King, Nick Bailey, Ryan Ogden
2. For You – John King, Curt Gibbs, Will Nance
3. All I Can Do – John King, Chris Stevens, Justin Wilson
4. ‘Til It Changes Your Mind – John King, Jason Gantt, Matt Rogers
5. Try Saying Goodbye – John King, Paul DiGiovanni, Jamie Paulin
6. Ain’t Missing You – John King, Jordan Schmidt, Josh Miller
7. Your Man – John King, Jason Massey, Trannie Anderson
8. Always Gonna Be You – John King, Leslie Satcher
9. Prettiest Girl In The Room – John King, Jason Gantt, Trannie Anderson, Jessica Cayne
10. Better Man – John King, Seth Mosley, Jesse Lee Levin

Nashville Jazz Workshop Celebrates Grand Opening Of New Location

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Executive Director Eric Dilts and others celebrate the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the new Nashville Jazz Workshop location on Saturday, July 24.

The Nashville Jazz Workshop (NJW), originally founded 20 years ago to amplify the sounds of jazz across Music City, celebrated the grand opening and official ribbon-cutting ceremony of their new location on Historic Buchanan St. last Saturday (July 24).

The workshop, known for celebrating jazz greats across the U.S., continues to offer world-class jazz education and performance in a supportive and creative environment for the community. In addition to offering jazz to all, NJW also seeks to make known that in Music City, “Jazz Lives Here Too.”

The acclaimed Jazz Cave will continue to host concerts, art exhibits, and educational classes for children to adults. As explained by NJW’s Executive Director Eric Dilts, the move to Buchanan St. seems more like home than their past address. In addition to the grand opening, NJW plans on hosting other invigorating events to engage the community.

Nashvillians gather to celebrate the grand opening of the NJW’s new Buchanan St. location on Saturday, July 24.

The grand opening is only the start of a prosperous future for the North Nashville community and the exuberant plans NJW has for Music City. The organization has launched and partnered with various community events for the public including a monthly session in Hadley Park called Jazz AM, a Juneteenth citywide celebration, and countless shows and performances throughout the past year. NJW plans on hosting other events to engage the community, including a free community concert tonight (July 28) at 7 p.m.

For more information and to see dates for upcoming events, click here.

Pryor & Lee Announce Right Now Tour Hitting The Road In August

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Pryor & Lee. Photo: Jeremy Cowart

Black River Records duo Pryor & Lee are set to hit the road on their Right Now Tour this fall. The country duo also announced that new music is in the works and set for release later this year. The Right Now Tour will kick off Aug. 20 in Richmond, Virginia with visits along the way in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, and more before wrapping in Greenville, South Carolina on Oct. 16.

“We can’t wait to get back on the road and have the opportunity to play this new music we have been working on for everyone,” share Pryor & Lee. “Right Now is the time for a good time and to put this crazy year behind us. We’re ready to bring one heck of a party!”

The duo’s song “Good Ol’ Dogs and God” debuted on top playlists, including Apple Music’s New In Country, Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Country, and Spotify’s New Music Nashville. Earlier this summer, Pryor & Lee partnered with 130 humane organizations, rescue groups, and animal shelters across the country and in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Canada to celebrate the release of the track and the unconditional love that pet parents share with their four-legged companions.

The pair also have upcoming show dates with Granger Smith, Frank Foster, and Rodney Atkins. For a full list of upcoming shows or to purchase tickets, click here.

John Prine’s ‘Fair & Square’ To Be Reissued With Three New Vinyl Editions

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John Prine. Photo: Danny Clinch

John Prine’s Grammy award-winning album, Fair & Square, is being released on vinyl for the first time in over 16 years on Oct. 1. The reissue will include three special double LPs: a standard black, an opaque green, and a special limited amount of “Irish Edition” that feature green and orange vinyls with a matte jacket featuring embossed lettering.

Originally released in 2005, Fair & Square won Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 48th Grammy Awards and achieved the fastest rise to No. 1 in the history of Americana radio. The record was Prine’s first album in nine years following 1995’s Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, as well as his first release after marrying his wife and current president of Oh Boy Records, Fiona Whelan Prine.

Further celebrating Prine’s legendary life and career, The Prine Family will host “You Got Gold: Celebrating the Life & Songs of John Prine,” a series of special concert events across various venues in Nashville running from Oct. 3-10.  The weeklong celebration will include sold-out tribute concerts at The Ryman Auditorium, the CMA Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Basement East all culminating on Oct. 10 on what would have been John’s 75th birthday. Each of the shows will feature a unique surprise lineup of friends performing and celebrating the legendary performer’s inimitable life and songs.

Additionally, on Oct 8 Prine’s Oh Boy Records will release a new tribute record, Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2. Each month ahead of the release, Oh Boy will unveil a new artist and song that is featured on the record, including the first two installments: “Paradise” performed by Sturgill Simpson and “I Remember Everything” by Brandi Carlile.

Jack White Unveils Art & Design Website To Display Creative Work

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Jack White

Jack White has launched Jack White Art & Design, a comprehensive new multimedia website cataloging his creative work spanning over two decades. Jack White Art & Design presents a look at his award-winning artistic career through hundreds of photographs and videos, showcasing key works within such wide-ranging practices as industrial design, interior design, furniture and upholstery, graphic design, instruments and hardware, sculpture, vinyl concepts, film directing, and photography.

White opened his own upholstery shop, Third Man Upholstery, in 1996 which was housed in Detroit’s artist-friendly Pioneer Building. He also utilized the space to work on sculpture and songwriting before closing it in 1998. The past 20 years have seen White further exploring his design muse via myriad projects under the visionary Third Man Records umbrella.

White’s industrial design showcases his concept and design for the innovative Third Man Pressing plant and other Third Man facilities, including the first ever published interior photos of White’s famed Third Man Recording Studio, home to almost all of his recordings since its 2008 inception. Meanwhile, White’s work within interior design is showcased in Third Man Records’ shops and headquarters in Detroit and Nashville, plus his own Three Pin Alley, a professional bowling alley with bar and lounge.

“To work with Jack White, to watch him work at anything is to witness the mind of an artist as it explores and problem solves,” says Third Man’s Ben Blackwell. “In carpentry and interior design, being in Jack’s presence during the ideation process, the hypotheticals and head tilting, can be both inspiring and maddening. There’s no reason a building needs to have acoustical tiles, tin ceilings or shiny yellow floors. But that’s not the point. The point is to make something beautiful.”

White’s furniture and upholstery work offers first-ever public views of projects including an office chair restored in 2014 for Woodland Studios owners Gillian Welch and David Rawlings; an original Sam Phillips Recording studio couch, refurbished by White at the personal request of the Phillips family; the one-of-a-kind Warrior Chair, White’s first design contribution to the showroom of the Dallas company Warstic; the Aluminum Chair Set, a series of four chairs hand stained and refinished by White during the pandemic lockdown of 2020; and the Triple 78 Chair, a very personal project for White that pays tribute to the structure of Third Man Records itself.

The graphic design section of White’s portfolio includes handmade show posters and flyers from 1997-2001, cover art spanning The White Stripes’ 1998 7” debut single, “Let’s Shake Hands,” through iconic albums and singles from The White Stripes and his own solo work, Third Man logos, and the Grammy Award-winning collections The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records: Volume One, 1917-1927 and The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records: Volume Two, 1928-1932.

White’s work with instruments and hardware include Third Man Hardware as well as custom designed guitars, drum kits, the iconic Peppermint Triple Tremolo Unit, and the Diddley Bow, a one-string, entry-level instrument constructed on-camera as the opening scene to Davis Guggenheim’s award-winning 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud.

In the realm of sculpture, White’s work sees the public premiere of a number of varied works including 1995’s “Dog House,” 1997’s “Machine Gun Fan,” a working sculpture he designed and constructed at his Detroit studio and still used today at the Third Man Upholstery studio, and 2015’s “dead” sculpture, “The Red Tree.” Additionally, his vinyl concepts showcase such innovations as the Under Label Groove, the first-ever commercially released Liquid Filled LP, the Triple Decker Record, Tri-Color Records, and the groundbreaking ULTRA LP.

His film & directing gathers numerous music videos directed by White for his solo work and his band, The Dead Weather, along with videos for Third Man recording artists The Black Belles, a technique and instrument series, promotional films, documentary looks at the famed Third Man Record booth and ULTRA LP, and short films previously only seen as projections during 2018’s Boarding House Reach world tour.

White’s photography is represented with collections of polaroids, double exposure polaroids, photo booth photographs, digital photography, and photos taken using Third Man Records impossible film, a custom duochrome instant film conceived by White and created by the Dutch company, The Impossible Project.

Jack White Art & Design also includes a guide to White’s primary art and design influences, among them prolific commercial artist Norman Saunders, industrial designer George Nelson, Gilded Age cabinet maker, decorator, and upholsterer George A. Schastey, industrial design pioneer Henry Dreyfuss, Dutch furniture designer, architect, and principal member of the De Stijl artistic movement Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, and Dutch graphic artist and visual artist “Ootje” Oxenaar.

Industry Ink: Lance Carpenter, Kate Malone, Manny Alexander

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Nashville Songwriter Lance Carpenter Launches New Coaching Platform

Lance Carpenter

No. 1 hit songwriter Lance Carpenter has launched Music Row Coach, a new coaching platform. The online mentoring community for artists and songwriters will give users professional access to Carpenter and other music industry professionals, offering video lessons, exclusive workshops, and live coaching sessions to help artists understand the fundamentals of songwriting and the music business.

Carpenter moved to Nashville in 2011 and, within 18 months, signed his first publishing deal. He quickly secured 2 major cuts, achieving his first No. 1 with Kelsea Ballerini’s single “Love Me Like You Mean It.”

“Music is my passion, but mentoring is my purpose,” says Carpenter. “I want to open up doors that weren’t opened for me and I want to build doors that aren’t available now. I want to help others achieve their dreams. You’re going to learn things that you need to know and things you didn’t know you needed to know.”

 

 

Bker MGMT Adds Kate Malone To Producer Roster

Kate Malone

Recently launched bker MGMT has added songwriter and producer Kate Malone to its growing roster.

Malone has worked with artists Sam Hunt, Emma White, and Alana Springsteen, and is a 2020 graduate of the ASCAP GPS program. She is a member of Nashville’s small group of top female music producers, and works with both independent and major label artists in the US and the UK.

“Kate Malone is a ‘get-it-done’ creator that makes her own rules. She is a force and there is an energy when she walks in a room that I want to be around every single day. I am excited to welcome her to the bker MGMT family. 2021 and beyond is ripe with potential for Kate and I can’t wait to see what we create together,” says bker MGMT Founder and acclaimed producer/songwriter Bonnie J. Baker.

“Bonnie’s forward-thinking mindset is a huge asset in an industry where people who don’t look ahead get left behind,” shares Malone. “I’m thrilled to team up with her for this next step in my career. Her ideas and energy are inspiring, and I’m excited for the opportunities and successes we will find together.”

 

 

Banner Music, Middleground Music Sign Manny Alexander

Pictured (L-R): J.P. Hagan, Middleground Music; Manny Alexander; Camilla Kleindienst, Banner Music; Daniel Kleindienst, Banner Music

In a new joint venture, Nashville-based publishing company Banner Music and Middleground Music have signed artist Manny Alexander to a publishing and production agreement. He has plans to release new music later this fall.

Alexander left his small town and gained life experience as a member of the U.S. Naval Corps. Along the way, his lyrics and sound emerged as alternative sounding country music in a unique and powerful way.

“I think it’s pretty cool how these people have watched me grow, not only musically, but also as a person. I’m so grateful for Banner Music and Middleground Music for letting my creative energy flow without interruption and taking a small-town kid under their wing and making him realize that his dreams are bigger than the place he calls home,” Alexander shares.

“I’ve known Manny Alexander since he first picked up a guitar. I can’t express the excitement I have at being part of his first release and musical journey. I’m grateful Middleground Music believes in Manny just as much as we do!” says CEO and owner of Banner Music Camilla Kleindienst.

“Banner Music and Middleground Music have been on the hunt to find the right artist for which we both share great passion. Manny is a fellow Kentucky native & Tennessee resident and I am grateful to be in the position to help his voice be heard” says J.P. Hagan of Middleground Music.

Emily Scott Robinson To Release Debut Oh Boy Records Project, ‘American Siren’

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Emily Scott Robinson. Photo: Cal & Aly

Emily Scott Robinson will release her first project on Oh Boy Records, American Siren, on Oct. 29. In celebration of the new album, a leadoff single from the project, “Old Gods,” has also been released and is available now.

Robinson found her way to music at 13, when she was first exposed to the work of Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and Dar Williams. She went on to teach herself to play guitar and write songs, leading her to win the Telluride Troubadour Competition in 2019. American Siren follows Robinson’s self-released album, Traveling Mercies, which features Robinson’s breakthrough track, “Better With Time,” which has garnered over six million streams on Spotify to date.

American Siren was produced by Jason Richmond, and showcases Robinson’s storytelling abilities as she blends characters with meaningful stories and people she’s encountered on her journey thus far. On the 10 tracks, all of which she wrote on her own, Robinson beckons to the lost, lonely, and struggling, hoping to help listeners find their place and feel less alone.

“I think that the thread running through the album is those things that call to us, and how we can’t resist that call,” says Robinson. “It’s about the siren songs that come up through our lives. It is bigger and riskier and more expansive than my last collection. It feels like I wrote some songs that I’m going to grow into as I continue to perform them. They’re excavating some deeper stuff than I’ve touched on before, I think they will have a healing quality for people who listen.”

In celebration of the new music, she will hit the road this fall, including stops at New York’s City Vineyard, Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic, Nashville’s High Watt, Greensboro’s Crown at Carolina Theatre, Asheville’s Grey Eagle, Denver’s Soiled Dove, and Cambridge’s Club Passim among several others. Robinson will also join Dar Williams for a series of shows in December. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.

Emily Scott Robinson

American Siren Track List:
1. Old Gods
2. Things You Learn The Hard Way
3. If Trouble Comes A Lookin’
4. Let ‘Em Burn
5. Cheap Seats
6. Hometown Hero
7. Lost Woman’s Prayer
8. Every Day In Faith
9. Lightning In A Bottle
10. Old North State

Bobby Karl Works The Room: CMHOF Opens Martina McBride Exhibit

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Martina McBride at the opening celebration for Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Chapter 646

Events at the Country Music Hall of Fame always have the feeling of family reunions, but this week’s felt even more so.

First of all, the exhibit preview was in honor of the widely beloved Martina McBride. Second of all, it was the first event staged at the venue since….well, you know.

“I could not be more excited to be here, or for you to be here, for the celebration of ‘Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice,’” said Kyle Young in welcoming the crowd on Tuesday (July 27). “It’s been a long, long, long, long time since we have been able to gather together in this Rotunda.”

“I am beyond thrilled to have my own exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame,” said Martina. “I’m so touched and moved by it. Thank you guys for sharing this special, special moment with me.”

We gathered in the Hall of Fame’s sacred Rotunda, surrounded by the plaques of country music’s legends. From the get-go, the get- together felt immensely warm and friendly.

Steve Moore, Brian Mansfield, Susan Nadler, Tim Wipperman, Dwight Wiles, Hunter Kelly, Evelyn Shriver, Rod Essig, Stormie Warren, Paul Worley, Tracy Gershon & Steve Fishell, Shane Tarleton, Phyllis Stark, Schatzi Hageman, Marion Williams, Dann Huff, Harry Stinson, Beth Hooker and Angela Stefano were merrily working the room. Masks were required, and Beth and Angela wore colorful ones, embroidered with Mexicali flair.

Matt Leimkueler spotted Garth Brooks in the throng. The superstar was sans hat and sporting a dark beard. I think he was trying to blend in, but once Matt approached him for some quotes, other attendees began asking Garth for selfies. You’ll recall that John McBride once worked on concert production for the megastar and that his then-unknown wife tagged along on the tour selling t-shirts. Then when Martina got her recording contract, Garth hired her as his opening act.

Martina McBride admires the opening of Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

In addition to Matt, I hung out with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Gretchen Peters and keyboardist extraordinaire Barry Walsh. How many can say they have written a signature song, as Gretchen did with “Independence Day?”

The museum’s staff was hosting the event with aplomb. Brenda Colladay, Michael Gray, Mike McCall (who curated the exhibit), Lisa Purcell, Peter Cooper, Aubrey Miller and Paul Kingsbury greeted folks with class.

After snacking on yummy sliders, desserts and other treats, we headed upstairs to the exhibit. The display’s first section is devoted to Martina’s Kansas girlhood and features toys, her high school yearbook and items related to her performances in her family’s country-music band, The Shiffters, The center section includes lots of gorgeous gowns – let’s face it, she’s one of country’s great beauties and has a figure that’s perfect for couture. Martina’s five CMA awards and four ACM awards are exhibited. There is also a “Vocal Advocate” section that highlights her efforts against domestic violence and support of other causes. This is highlighted by her Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award crystal column.

“This is surreal and overwhelming,” said the always humble star about her museum honor. “It is a dream come true.”

“She is a force of nature,” commented Kyle. “Our admiration for her has only grown.”

And as for the event, itself? “It’s about coming together as a community…..once more.”

Spotify Q2 Results: Podcasts Make A Boom, Growth Across The Board

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Spotify Q2 Financial Earnings

Spotify has announced its second quarter financial results, showing a 22% increase year-over-year (Y/Y) in Total Monthly Active Users with 365 million which was below expectations. Premium subscribers also saw a 20% increase Y/Y, reaching 165 million which was ahead of what was forecasted.

“Q2 was a strong quarter for Spotify overall, with the majority of our major metrics performing better than expected,” says Spotify CEO and founder Daniel Ek. “While MAU growth was softer than expected in the first half of the year, we are seeing that trendline reverse and all the leading indicators show that we are back on track. By accelerating our pace of innovation and investing for the long term, we continue to cement our standing as the preferred audio platform around the world.”

Revenue experienced a 23% growth Y/Y which fell toward the top end of guidance range due to significant advertising strength and subscriber outperformance. Spotify’s advertising business also accelerated, seeing a 110% increase since this time last year.

This quarter there was a strong trend for podcasts on the platform. Podcast consumption was up 95% Y/Y in aggregate and over 30% on a per user basis. The share of overall consumption also reached an all-time high.

View the full earnings report or see the infographic.