Lou Robin
Beloved music industry veteran Lou Robin died May 18, 2021 at the age of 90.
Born Louis Bernard Robin on May 29, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, he attended the University of Chicago Elementary and High School before his family moved to Los Angeles during his teenage years. While working towards degrees in economics and accounting at Claremont Men’s College in California, Robin began negotiating and arranging performers like Duke Ellington and Count Basie to come play concerts on his campus. From this, a career was born.
In 1957, with help from his college friend Allen Tinkley, Robin founded Concerts, Inc. which would later become Artist Consultants Productions. Under Lou’s direction, the company produced or promoted over 4,000 concerts worldwide during a 52 year period. The company also produced feature films, theatre in the round, an off-Broadway show in New York with Monty Python, and promoted more than two dozen summer series concerts at The Hollywood Bowl featuring such artists as Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Lou also did shows with Chicago, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles.
In 1969, Artist Consultants began their longest running and most important relationship, promoting concerts with The Johnny Cash Show. In 1973, Robin began a 30-year run personally managing Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash until their passing in 2003. He continued to supervise the business affairs of the Cash estate, dealing with record companies and music licensing, until he retired at the age of 88.
A tribute to Robin was posted on Cash’s website, saying: “It is with deep sadness and respect that we mark the passing of music industry legend, Lou Robin, at 90. Lou had an amazing 30-year run personally managing Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash from 1973 until their passing in 2003. The friendship and relationships he and his wife, Karen Wilder Robin, had with the whole Cash family were cherished. Our thoughts are with his sons, Michael and Steve Robin, and their families.”
Robin had been a member of the International Entertainment Buyers Association since its inception, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2011. He was a long time resident of Pacific Palisades and most recently of Thousand Oaks, California where he resided with his wife Karen until her passing in 2019. Robin is survived by his sons Michael and Steve Robin, their wives Amy and Jenjer, and his granddaughters Mackenzie & Skylar and Karleigh & Savannah.
Breakout Artist Breland Announces First-Ever Headlining Tour This Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughBreland has announced the dates for his first-ever headlining run on the Cross Country Tour. Kicking off on Sep. 5 with his appearance at Bonnaroo, Breland will perform coast-to-coast in major markets including Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Nashville and L.A. through Oct. 27.
“I’m headlining my first ever tour!!!,” Breland shared on Instagram. “I have been waiting for this moment my whole life. I cannot wait to get out on stage and see all of you with my homies Ashley Cooke and Robyn Ottolini, who are incredible artists and performers.”
Spotify pre-sale for the dates begins today (May 25), with venue and artist pre-sale running Wednesday, May 26 through Thursday, May 27. General on-sale starts Friday, May 28 at 10 a.m. local time.
Breland’s latest single “Cross Country,” continues to rack up acclaim, making his national TV debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show with the track. Breland also released a duet version of “Cross Country” with fellow singer-songwriter Mickey Guyton. The multi-talented recording artist has new music on the horizon set for release in the coming months.
John Prine To Be Celebrated With Concert Series, Tribute Album In October
/by Lorie HollabaughJohn Prine‘s life and musical legacy will be honored when the Prine family presents You Got Gold: Celebrating the Life & Songs of John Prine, a series of special concerts and events across venues in Nashville running from Oct. 3-10.
The weeklong celebration will include tribute concerts at The Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 6 and 7, the CMA Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Oct. 8, the Basement East on Oct. 9, and will culminate on Oct. 10—what would have been Prine’s 75th birthday. Each of the shows will include a unique lineup of performers celebrating the legendary singer’s life and songs. Tickets are available for pre-sale beginning May 26, with general on-sale beginning Friday, May 28.
All proceeds from the week will benefit the newly-created Hello In There Foundation, established by Prine’s family to honor his memory. Inspired and guided by Prine’s song title, “Hello In There,” the foundation aims to identify and collaborate with individuals and communities where people are marginalized, discriminated against or are otherwise forgotten. This year’s grant recipients are Nashville-based non-profits Room In The Inn and Thistle Farms.
Along with the special week-long celebration, on Oct. 8 Oh Boy Records will release a new tribute album, 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 from the record, including the two previously released tracks, “Paradise” performed by Sturgill Simpson and “I Remember Everything” performed by Brandi Carlile.
Date Announced For 34th Annual Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament
/by Lydia FarthingThis post was updated on July 8, 2021 to reflect a newly-announced date. The Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament will take place Monday, Sept. 13, 2021.
The planning committee for the 34th annual Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament (MRLGT) has announced this year’s event will be held Monday, Sept. 13 at Old Natchez Country Club in Nashville. This year’s proceeds will once again benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee (UCPMidTN).
As one of Music Row’s longest-running charity events, the MRLGT raised over $70,000 in 2019, for a grand total of $2.3 million raised in the tournament’s 34 year history. The MRLGT is the single biggest fundraiser for UCPMidTN.
UCPMidTN’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people with disabilities. They also aim to provide support for individuals with cerebral palsy and closely related disabilities through the provision of financial assistance for the purchase or repair of adaptive equipment, including wheelchairs, lifts, ramps, communication aides, therapy aides, auto hand controls, special shoes, braces and walkers.
If you are interested in participating this year, please visit mrlgt.com. Registration for the tournament will open in early July, with more details to be announced soon.
For more information, or to become a sponsor or contributor, please email MRLGTnash@gmail.com.
Music Industry Trailblazer Lou Robin Dies At 90
/by Lydia FarthingLou Robin
Beloved music industry veteran Lou Robin died May 18, 2021 at the age of 90.
Born Louis Bernard Robin on May 29, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, he attended the University of Chicago Elementary and High School before his family moved to Los Angeles during his teenage years. While working towards degrees in economics and accounting at Claremont Men’s College in California, Robin began negotiating and arranging performers like Duke Ellington and Count Basie to come play concerts on his campus. From this, a career was born.
In 1957, with help from his college friend Allen Tinkley, Robin founded Concerts, Inc. which would later become Artist Consultants Productions. Under Lou’s direction, the company produced or promoted over 4,000 concerts worldwide during a 52 year period. The company also produced feature films, theatre in the round, an off-Broadway show in New York with Monty Python, and promoted more than two dozen summer series concerts at The Hollywood Bowl featuring such artists as Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Lou also did shows with Chicago, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles.
In 1969, Artist Consultants began their longest running and most important relationship, promoting concerts with The Johnny Cash Show. In 1973, Robin began a 30-year run personally managing Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash until their passing in 2003. He continued to supervise the business affairs of the Cash estate, dealing with record companies and music licensing, until he retired at the age of 88.
A tribute to Robin was posted on Cash’s website, saying: “It is with deep sadness and respect that we mark the passing of music industry legend, Lou Robin, at 90. Lou had an amazing 30-year run personally managing Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash from 1973 until their passing in 2003. The friendship and relationships he and his wife, Karen Wilder Robin, had with the whole Cash family were cherished. Our thoughts are with his sons, Michael and Steve Robin, and their families.”
Robin had been a member of the International Entertainment Buyers Association since its inception, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2011. He was a long time resident of Pacific Palisades and most recently of Thousand Oaks, California where he resided with his wife Karen until her passing in 2019. Robin is survived by his sons Michael and Steve Robin, their wives Amy and Jenjer, and his granddaughters Mackenzie & Skylar and Karleigh & Savannah.
Black River Publishing, Warner Chappell Music Sign Josh Kerr
/by Lorie HollabaughJosh Kerr has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Black River Publishing and Warner Chappell Music Nashville.
Kerr co-wrote for King & Country’s multi-week No. 1 “God Only Knows,” which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song and landed Song of the Year at the Dove Awards. Some of Kerr’s other No. 1 hits include the RIAA Platinum-certified “My Girl” by Dylan Scott, and Kelsea Ballerini‘s RIAA Platinum-certified “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “Dibs.”
Pictured (L-R, back row): Gordon Kerr, Black River; Rachael Skvorak, Black River; Katie Barolak, Black River; Chase Neely, Attorney; Spencer Nohe, WCM; (L-R, front row) Rebekah Gordon, Black River; Josh Kerr; Ben Vaughn WCM
The New York native also co-produced Keith Urban’s 2018 Graffiti U, which landed a CMA nod for Album of the Year and featured the Top 20 hit “Never Comin Down,” which Kerr co-wrote. He has worked with a variety of artists including Ben Rector, Camila Cabello, Danielle Bradbery, Devin Dawson, Dolly Parton, Hannah Kerr, Ingrid Michaelson, Jake Scott, Jordan Davis, Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town, Maddie & Tae, and more.
A solo artist in his own right, Kerr also released 12/12, his follow-up album to How Do You Remember Me (2019) earlier this month.
Sheryl Crow To Release Special Star-Studded Live Album August 13
/by Lorie HollabaughSheryl Crow has announced Live from the Ryman & More, a new 27-song collection captured live in 2019, will release Aug. 13 via The Valory Music Co. The project spans Crow’s decades-long career and includes classics, covers, album gems, and special guests, including Stevie Nicks, Maren Morris, Jason Isbell, Emmylou Harris, and more.
Recorded over five nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Los Angeles’ Ace Theatre, and the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, the album covers the gamut from rock, pop, gospel, blues and country and features a string of friends, influences and rising stars such as Brandi Carlile, Lucius, Natalie Hemby, and Amanda Shires.
A new track will be available every two weeks leading up to the full release with instant access to “Everyday Is A Winding Road” available now with pre-order. Crow will also be hosting “Sheryl Crow: The Songs And The Stories – A Live Solo Performance,” a one-time global livestream on June 18 at 11 a.m. CST.
Live from the Ryman & More Track List:
1. Steve McQueen
2. A Change Would Do You Good
3. All I Wanna Do
4. My Favorite Mistake
5. Tell Me When It’s Over
6. Everything Is Broken (featuring Jason Isbell)
7. Can’t Cry Anymore
8. Prove You Wrong (featuring Stevie Nicks, Maren Morris, Waddy Wachtel, Steve Jordan)
9. Run, Baby, Run (featuring Lucius)
10. Don’t (featuring Lucius)
11. Strong Enough (featuring Lucius)
12. Leaving Las Vegas
13. It Don’t Hurt
14. Still The Good Old Days
15. Cross Creek Road
16. Nobody’s Perfect (featuring Emmylou Harris)
17. Home
18. Maybe Angels
19. Real Gone
20. Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You/Na Na Song
21. Beware Of Darkness (featuring Brandi Carlile)
22. The First Cut Is The Deepest
23. Best Of Times
24. If It Makes You Happy
25. Soak Up The Sun
26. Everyday Is A Winding Road
27. I Shall Believe (featuring Lucius)
Eric Church Earns 10th Career No. 1 With ‘Hell Of A View’
/by Lorie HollabaughEric Church. Photo: Joe Pugliese
Eric Church has taken his 10th trip to the top of the charts with “Hell Of A View,” the ode to rebellious love featured on his new triple album Heart & Soul.
Church earned his first No. 1 on his 2012 album, Chief, breaking through with “Drink In My Hand.” He quickly followed that up with his 5x Platinum smash, “Springsteen,” and on The Outsiders, he yielded chart-topping success with“Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega.” After releasing Mr. Misunderstood, Church returned to the No. 1 spot with “Record Year” and re-defined the way touring on a country album looks after releasing his sixth studio album, Desperate Man.
Fans will have the chance to see these songs live as Church returns to the road on his 55-city The Gather Again Tour in September, where he’ll perform in-the-round sets for the first time in his career at full-capacity arenas throughout the U.S. and Canada.
‘Forever After All’ Co-Writers Climb MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellLuke Combs‘ heartfelt hit “Forever After All” has him and his co-writers Drew Parker and Robert Williford rising on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. The Platinum-certified single appears on Combs deluxe album, What You See Ain’t Always What You Get.
Ashley Gorley remains at No. 1 this week, as a co-writer on Thomas Rhett’s “Country Again” and “What’s Your Country Song,” HARDY’s “Give Heaven Some Hell,” Cole Swindell’s “Single Saturday Night,” Chris Stapleton’s “You Should Probably Leave,” and Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” and “Warning.”
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Weekly Register: Luke Combs Claims Top Country Streaming Song
/by Lydia FarthingLuke Combs. Photo: Zack Massey
This week, Luke Combs gains the No. 1 spot on the country streaming songs chart with “Forever After All” at 11 million total streams and 223 million RTD, according to Nielsen.
Gabby Barrett‘s “The Good Ones” drops to second at 7.9 million this week. Sam Hunt jumps to No. 3 with “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90’s” at 6.8 million, while Eric Church‘s “Hell of a View” follows closely behind in fourth with 6.6 million. Cracking the top five is Nelly and Florida Georgia Line‘s “Lil Bit” at 6.1 million streams.
Meanwhile, on the country album charts, Morgan Wallen holds steady at the top spot with Dangerous: The Double Album with 53K streams, according to Nielsen. Alan Jackson busts his way up to second with Where Have You Gone at 32K, while Combs takes up the third and fourth spots with What You See Is What You Get at 29K and This One’s For You at 18K. Taylor Swift holds on to the fifth slot at 17K streams for Fearless (Taylor’s Version).
NMPA To Honor Taylor Swift, Sarah Trahern, More At Virtual Annual Meeting
/by Lydia FarthingThe National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has announced the honorees and speakers for its upcoming Annual Meeting, including Taylor Swift, Bill Simmons, Sarah Trahern, and Jerrold Nadler.
Following the record-breaking release of her three award-winning albums in a single year, NMPA will honor Swift with its Songwriter Icon Award. With 11 Grammy awards, one of only four artists in history to win three Grammy Album of the Year awards and the only female to do so, and 76 NMPA Songwriting Gold & Platinum awards, Swift is known for her advocacy on behalf of music creators and is one of today’s most influential singer-songwriters.
“Taylor Swift has had an unprecedented year of success. She gave the world incredible songwriting when they needed it most and she continues to rewrite the rulebook when it comes to her career. She has always identified as a songwriter first, and in doing so inspired and elevated countless other creators,” says NMPA President and CEO David Israelite. “Her advocacy has lifted the entire creative community, and she has done it at great cost and risk to her own career. The risks paid off, not just for her but for our entire industry, and there is no one more deserving of our Icon award.”
Country Music Association CEO Trahern will be presented with this year’s NMPA Industry Legacy Award for her leadership during this unprecedented period. Finding innovative ways to meet the moment, Trahern continues to modernize the genre and grow its global popularity and inclusiveness. In a press release, Israelite says of Trahern, “She is a true supporter of country music, and she has made it bigger and better.”
Congressman Nadler (D-NY) will receive this year’s NMPA President’s Award for his work to protect songwriters and music publishers. From his leadership in shepherding the Music Modernization Act through the House of Representatives, to his efforts to grow the music community in his home district, he has supported the industry for decades and continues to be on the forefront of progress as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Media stalwart Simmons will sit down for a keynote Q&A to discuss his upcoming music documentary series. The Ringer founder will talk with Israelite about where he sees entertainment—particularly podcasts—going in the post-pandemic era, and the many intersections of sports and music.
This year’s meeting will also feature special tributes from Luke Bryan and Sara Bareilles as well as up-and-coming talent Priscilla Block. The annual State of the Industry speech will examine new publishing industry data from the past year and offer a roadmap for the future.
“This is our most exciting Annual Meeting yet, and we are happy that though we cannot be in-person this year, the virtual program will allow the show to be more widely available. We look forward to ‘seeing’ you there,” Israelite adds.
This year’s Annual Meeting will be held virtually on June 9. For more information, visit nmpa.org or email Kartraice Hooper at khooper@nmpa.org.