Outback Presents Adds Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President
Danny Eaton
Outback Presents has tapped Dallas-based concert promoter Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President, bringing decades of experience to his new role.
Eaton started out producing concerts in Dallas and Austin, Texas including dates with ZZ Top, Kris Kristofferson, ELO, and Black Sabbath. He became integrally involved with the management team for ZZ Top in the ‘70s, followed by time with Eaton Page Productions, and 462 Concerts, a dominate force in Dallas for two decades. In 2004 he joined AEG and successfully rebuilt the once bankrupt Nokia Live Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 2010 he was named Sr. VP for Live Nation in Dallas.
“Danny is a longtime friend who I admire and trust,” said Outback Presents President Mike Smardack. “His accomplishments as a promoter I have always looked up to. We are very excited to have Danny join our team.”
“I am honored and happy to join forces with Mike Smardak, Vaughn Millette, Brian Dorfman, and the rest of the Outback team,” said Eaton. “I have known Mike for many years and I have always admired his concert promotion strategies and skills. My plan is to help the company grow its already prolific business and help expand the Outback brand. I am beyond excited about this new adventure with Outback.”
Contact Eaton at danny.eaton@outbackpresents.com or 469-372-1100.
Warner Music Nashville Commits To Offset Emissions
Spanning 36,000 acres, the WMN-sponsored Crow Lake Wind project resides east of Chamberlain, SD. Photo Courtesy: South Pole
Warner Music Nashville is offsetting a portion of its carbon emissions through a partnership with South Pole, a leading provider of global climate action solutions. They are working together on the Crow Lake Wind project near Chamberlain, South Dakota which harnesses wind power to provide homes with clean energy. At full capacity, the project could serve 129,000 homes.
The Crow Lake Wind project has a unique cooperative ownership structure, which has been good for the community, resulting in jobs, tax income, payments to landowners where the project takes place, and wind turbine experience for local college students.
“I have had a lifelong passion for the environment, but it was our internal WMGreen team that took the initiative to identify and adopt a project of this scale,” said Warner Music Nashville Chairman & CEO John Esposito. “I am especially proud to support the Crow Lake Wind project because it highlights the intersection of environmental, social and economic issues. Saving the planet is also saving its people.”
New Candle Line Benefits MusiCares
Bethany and Erik Leighty crafted a special MusiCares candle as part of the partnership, with $5 from each sale of this scent going to the organization.
Members of the music industry Bethany and Erik Leighty have started Wooded Creek Candle Co., with a $1 of every candle sold being donated to MusiCares. Erik works as a touring production manager and Bethany is a graphic designer for a live music booking agency, and when the pandemic struck last year they felt compelled to give back.
Since then, their candles have been used in corporate gifts baskets by the CMA and Sterling Entertainment, as well as the upcoming MusiCares’ Music on a Mission, a virtual event to honor the resiliency of the music community during the pandemic. Set for Friday, March 12, the event will feature performances by HAIM, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko and John Legend.
On The Row: Dallas Remington Has Kept Busy During Pandemic
/by LB CantrellDallas Remington. Photo: Brad Rankin
Independent singer-songwriter Dallas Remington is a fifth generation farming family member from Kentucky who moved to Nashville to pursue music at the age of 15. Since then she’s opened for artists including Montgomery Gentry, Buddy Jewell, Dillon Carmichael, and more, and charted a few singles on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Her last single, “Unncommon Man,” made its way to No. 24 on the MusicRow Chart. Remington co-wrote the song with Courtney Bumbacher, it was produced by Eric Torres (Jimmie Allen) at The Couch Room, and is dedicated to her father as well as essential workers working in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Remington is gearing up for new music soon. In the meantime, she is working on a lot of different projects, including flipping homes in Nashville.”We’ve been in a pandemic, no one can blame us for taking our time,” Remington joked in a recent virtual visit with MusicRow.
“We’ve had a lot of fun with that. That kept me busy,” Remington said of her home renovation projects. “I love being on the road and not being able to travel this year, if we hadn’t flipped the houses, I don’t think I’d be sane right now.”
Her and her mother and manager, Sonya Jean, are promoting their renovation projects under the name Phoenix Homes.
Remington has also been posting cooking videos on Instagram every Tuesday in a segment called Pickin and Cookin. Through the segment she has made pasta, cupcakes, pizza, wings, donuts, stuffed peppers and more. “We spent the first month of quarantine back in Kentucky and I was cooking for my family all the time, to keep myself busy.”
She has also been writing frequently over Zoom and doing social media takeovers with MusicRow CountryBreakout reporting stations.
“I’ve created so many great friendships with DJs through the [MusicRow] chart, every time I talk to someone I’m like, ‘Can you believe the last time we saw each other, every radio person in the country was all in one room together [at CRS]?'”
Remington will release new music this spring.
Pictured (L-R, top row): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, LB Cantrell, and Alex Parry; (L-R, middle row): MusicRow’s Haley Crow; Dallas Remington; Manager, Sonya Jean; Publisher, Nancy Deckant; (L-R, bottom row): B! Noticed Public Relations, Bev Moser; Jennifer Blair Promotions, Jennifer Blair
Nashville Music Equality To Feature The Black CMA On Panel Tonight
/by Lorie HollabaughAs part of its Black History Month series, Nashville Music Equality is holding an in-depth Zoom discussion with the founders of the Black Country Music Association tonight (Feb. 23) at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Ms. Frankie Staton, Dr. Cleve Francis, and Ms. Valierie Ellis Hawkins will be joining Nashville Music Equality to discuss the history of their organization and take a look through their eyes at how Nashville was then and if/what differences they see in Nashville now.
Francis convened a group of 14 artists, journalists, college administrators, marketing experts, and music industry professionals for one of the first meetings of the Black Country Music Association back in 1995, and set the group’s mission then to educate the public about the role Black artists have played in country’s history and provide a space for Black artists in the genre to come together.
Those wishing to attend the discussion can register here. MTheory, CMT, Quinton Digital and the Academy of Country Music has sponsored tonight’s panel.
FGL’s Amazon Global Livestream Event Set For Thursday
/by Lorie HollabaughFlorida Georgia Line’s exclusive global livestream event “Life Rolls On From The FGL House” will take place this Thursday (Feb. 25), due to being rescheduled following the winter weather in Nashville.
FGL raises a glass to their fifth studio album, Life Rolls On, alongside Amazon Music and CMT for a full-band concert during the event, live from their own venue. Hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan, the livestream kicks off at 7 p.m. CT on the Amazon Music Twitch channel and within the Amazon Music mobile app. The performance will also be available to watch on the Amazon Music Twitch channel for three days afterwards.
FGL House is located in downtown Nashville, near the site of the Christmas Day bombing. Amazon Music, FGL, CMT, and Big Machine Label Group have each donated to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Nashville Neighbors Fund to support local merchants affected by the bombing. Grants from the fund are made available to nonprofits providing services for both immediate and long-term needs for those impacted from the explosion. Fans can learn more by visiting cfmt.org/
Industry Ink: Outback Presents, Warner Music Nashville, MusiCares
/by Sarah SkatesOutback Presents Adds Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President
Danny Eaton
Outback Presents has tapped Dallas-based concert promoter Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President, bringing decades of experience to his new role.
Eaton started out producing concerts in Dallas and Austin, Texas including dates with ZZ Top, Kris Kristofferson, ELO, and Black Sabbath. He became integrally involved with the management team for ZZ Top in the ‘70s, followed by time with Eaton Page Productions, and 462 Concerts, a dominate force in Dallas for two decades. In 2004 he joined AEG and successfully rebuilt the once bankrupt Nokia Live Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 2010 he was named Sr. VP for Live Nation in Dallas.
“Danny is a longtime friend who I admire and trust,” said Outback Presents President Mike Smardack. “His accomplishments as a promoter I have always looked up to. We are very excited to have Danny join our team.”
“I am honored and happy to join forces with Mike Smardak, Vaughn Millette, Brian Dorfman, and the rest of the Outback team,” said Eaton. “I have known Mike for many years and I have always admired his concert promotion strategies and skills. My plan is to help the company grow its already prolific business and help expand the Outback brand. I am beyond excited about this new adventure with Outback.”
Contact Eaton at danny.eaton@outbackpresents.com or 469-372-1100.
Warner Music Nashville Commits To Offset Emissions
Spanning 36,000 acres, the WMN-sponsored Crow Lake Wind project resides east of Chamberlain, SD. Photo Courtesy: South Pole
Warner Music Nashville is offsetting a portion of its carbon emissions through a partnership with South Pole, a leading provider of global climate action solutions. They are working together on the Crow Lake Wind project near Chamberlain, South Dakota which harnesses wind power to provide homes with clean energy. At full capacity, the project could serve 129,000 homes.
The Crow Lake Wind project has a unique cooperative ownership structure, which has been good for the community, resulting in jobs, tax income, payments to landowners where the project takes place, and wind turbine experience for local college students.
“I have had a lifelong passion for the environment, but it was our internal WMGreen team that took the initiative to identify and adopt a project of this scale,” said Warner Music Nashville Chairman & CEO John Esposito. “I am especially proud to support the Crow Lake Wind project because it highlights the intersection of environmental, social and economic issues. Saving the planet is also saving its people.”
New Candle Line Benefits MusiCares
Bethany and Erik Leighty crafted a special MusiCares candle as part of the partnership, with $5 from each sale of this scent going to the organization.
Members of the music industry Bethany and Erik Leighty have started Wooded Creek Candle Co., with a $1 of every candle sold being donated to MusiCares. Erik works as a touring production manager and Bethany is a graphic designer for a live music booking agency, and when the pandemic struck last year they felt compelled to give back.
Since then, their candles have been used in corporate gifts baskets by the CMA and Sterling Entertainment, as well as the upcoming MusiCares’ Music on a Mission, a virtual event to honor the resiliency of the music community during the pandemic. Set for Friday, March 12, the event will feature performances by HAIM, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko and John Legend.
Shelby Kennedy Tapped To Lead Expansion Of Amazing Radio USA
/by Sarah SkatesPictured clockwise from top left: Paul Campbell, Shelby Kennedy, Mike Savage and Erin Frankenheimer. Photos courtesy of Amazing.
Online music platform Amazing has announced a new North American senior team as it continues its expansion of Amazing Radio USA.
Leading the charge is longtime Nashville music business player Shelby Kennedy as President, North America. Joining him is New Orleans-based Vice President Erin Frankenheimer, and L.A.-based Director of Talent and Programming Mike Savage. All three formerly served in Entertainment Relations for TuneCore.
They will work with artists and labels, hire new DJs, and continue to grow the re-vamped CMJ brand, including CMJ Music Marathon, which was purchased by Amazing in 2020.
“I’ve known about Amazing for almost ten years,” said Kennedy. “What it does for artists has always been exceptional, in terms of offering promotion and a route to a real career. Now, with the enhanced service offerings, new benefits, and more outlets for content, it’s time to ‘ramp up.’ My colleagues and I are excited to support America’s emerging artists, bringing their music the attention it deserves.”
The announcement comes alongside increases in Amazing’s promotional services to artists, with the launch of un-curated audio stream First Spin and video channel First Look augmenting Amazing Radio UK, Amazing Radio USA, CMJ Music Marathon, and the video strand One Night Stand.
In January 2021, the company launched Amazing Artists, offering independent artists and labels unlimited lossless uploads to their digital locker, enhanced profile pages, private URLs, unlimited video links, and the chance to be featured in the company’s audio and video channels, priced at about $3 per month.
“We have been promoting independent artists from the UK for more than a decade,” said Founder & CEO, Paul Campbell. “The acquisition of CMJ, launch of our US radio station, new video programming, and now the enhanced digital service to musicians, show we are very serious about becoming a major force in the USA too. I’m incredibly excited that three of the music industry’s finest are now on board to help us make a difference for working musicians.”
Reach team members at firstname@amazing.us.
Morris Light & Sound To Be Acquired By Solotech
/by Lorie HollabaughSolotech, a global leader in audiovisual and entertainment technology, is acquiring Nashville-based Morris Light & Sound.
The acquisition will strengthen Solotech’s live productions and systems integration divisions in the U.S., expand its already extensive inventory, and add to its team of industry professionals. This synergy will maximize Morris Light & Sound customers’ access to a larger pool of expertise and state-of-the-art technology around the globe.
Morris Light & Sound was formed nearly 30 years ago by longtime manager Dale Morris to outfit tours for country hitmakers Alabama. Morris created a unique business model that not only represented and managed artists, but also provided full production services all under one roof. “The audiences that Alabama drew were unprecedented in country music at that time,” Morris said. “We needed a sound system that would project their music over the sounds of the crowd, so I turned to an audio company in L.A. who configured sound systems for rock groups which was what we needed. I purchased the system out of necessity for Alabama and that’s how we got started in production.”
“We are excited to have the Morris brands acquired by Solotech, a highly respected company in the industry,” said Zack Morris, COO of Morris Enterprises. “Our company cultures and values such as collaboration and exceptional performance complement each other, and we’re confident our clients will continue to receive an elevated experience.”
Solotech has collaborated with top artists such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, and venues like The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Bridgestone Arena.
Joe Lasher Signs With Warner Chappell Music Nashville And KJM Music
/by Lorie HollabaughL-R): Kelly Janson (KJM), Lasher, Will Overton (WCM), Ben Vaughn (WCM)
Joe Lasher has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Kelly Janson‘s KJM Music.
Hailing from Weaverville, North Carolina, Lasher’s sound is influenced by genres ranging from traditional country and gospel, to rock and heavy metal. Lasher has over 500 shows under his belt, and has shared the stage with Brett Young, Old Dominion, Ashley McBryde, and more. Last year the emerging singer-songwriter released “Messed Up,” which he co-wrote along with a video that premiered on CMT.com.
KJM Music and WCM previously signed songwriter Mitch Ogelsby, who landed a two week No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for Chris Janson’s “Done” last August.
Josh Turner To Perform First Virtual Livestream Show From Ole Red
/by Lorie HollabaughJosh Turner will perform his first-ever intimate livestream concert on the platform Sessions in front of a limited, socially-distanced live audience at Ole Red in Nashville on March 10. The Sessions livestream global exclusive event will be accessible in over 230 countries.
“It’s very exciting to see the growing number of artists embracing these hybrid shows,” said Tim Westergren, Sessions co-founder and former founder and CEO of Pandora. “Josh can simultaneously provide the intimate experience of a venue with limited capacity while also reaching a global audience. We believe this will become a standard practice for artists as they discover the power of our platform to engage virtual fans, drive substantial additional revenue and amplify the impact of local performances.”
“Because of platforms like Sessions Live, myself and all artists have the unique opportunity to connect with fans on an intimate and genuine level–all over the world. We’ve all had to cancel tour dates not only domestically but internationally as well. I’m thankful for the people who understand the tech side of things and continue to present opportunities for artists to connect with fans and continue to do what we love during these times,” said Turner.
Turner, who has sold more than 8 million units and topped more than 3 billion in global streaming, recently celebrated his 150th performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Other artists who have used Sessions for their shows include Hank Williams Jr., Lee Brice, Jon Langston, Lainey Wilson, Lindsay Ell, The Shadowboxers, Mason Ramsey, Scotty McCreery, and Temecula Road.
Dan Auerbach Plans Release of Recordings From Late Singer Tony Joe White
/by Lorie HollabaughA new album of never-before-heard Tony Joe White tunes, Smoke from the Chimney, is set to be released by Easy Eye Sound on May 7.
The nine-song project, produced by Dan Auerbach and rounded out by Nashville studio musicians, got its start as a number of raw voice and guitar demos from White’s home studio before being transformed into full band arrangements harkening back to the albums White recorded in the late ’60s and early ’70s in Nashville and Muscle Shoals.
A track from the project, “Boot Money” has been released along with an animated video from director Robert Schober which colorfully places White and Auerbach in the recording studio to kick off the tune before following along while White lives out the song’s storyline.
Among the musicians on the album are legendary keyboardist Bobby Wood (Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett), Nashville pedal steel ace Paul Franklin, next-generation guitar hero Marcus King, and Grammy and ACM award-winning fiddler Stuart Duncan, just to name a few.
Since meeting White backstage at an Australian music festival in 2009, Auerbach sought to make a record with him. For nearly a decade, White’s son Jody tried to line up session time for them but Tony Joe demurred. “For one reason or another, my Dad would never just want to go into a studio and write with somebody, or go work with somebody,” said Jody. “He liked to do it at his place, and his way, and it turned out how it turned out, you know what I mean? So, this album really all worked out perfectly. He was making these tracks for Dan all along, but we just didn’t know it.”
“Jody and I had been talking about this record for so long, and it didn’t happen for a reason,” said Auerbach. “It’s because it wasn’t supposed to happen. I was in a nervous cast of characters until the last few years, and if you’d given it to me any earlier, it wouldn’t have been right. I felt like all these people on the record were the right people and they laid in there behind Tony Joe. It felt really magical when we were making it happen. These songs feel like a collection to me and they all seem to work together, in a weird way, even though they’re so different. There’s some heartbreaking ballads and some really raunchy carnal blues. But it all works together like scenes of a movie.”
Smoke from the Chimney Track List:
Rising Artist Nick Wayne Signs With EMPIRE Nashville Publishing Division [Exclusive]
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Sarah-Beth Gerlecz (Counsel, EMPIRE), Eric Hurt (VP of A&R, EMPIRE), Heather Vassar (VP of Marketing, EMPIRE), Nick Wayne, William Dyer (Product Manager, EMPIRE), Janine Ebach (CEO, Ebach Entertainment), Leslie Roberts (Executive Director, Creative, BMI). Photo: Steve Lowry
Nashville artist and writer, Nick Wayne, has signed with EMPIRE Nashville’s publishing arm. Formerly with Black River Entertainment, Wayne has had his songs recorded by Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Lady A, and more. EMPIRE and Janine Ebach‘s Ebach Entertainment will concurrently work with Wayne in the country market, while expanding his presence in the pop/R&B world as a songwriter and artist.
Wayne’s musical influences of classic country, soul, and the blues can be heard across the Nashville native’s projects of Two Sides, Coffee Black, and Bourbon Neat. His three-song EP AMERICAN ORIGINAL[s], released in June 2020, delivers a blend of traditional and southern rock influence along with his own soulful delivery as he celebrates one-of-a-kind girls who make their own rules.
Wayne began to creatively release songs under his Coffee Black and Bourbon Neat projects in March of 2019. Coffee Black includes “Maybe I Do,” “I Knew It Was You,” and “I Love You More”. Bourbon Neat consists of “Drink,” “Til the Wine’s All Gone,” and “Drunk Again (feat. Hannah Ellis)”. Wayne’s acoustic cover video of “If The World Was Ending,” now at 6 million views, amassed 1 million views in only three weeks.